From the Sector

TrusTrace, a SaaS company with for product traceability and compliance, has announced the completion of a (U.S.) $24 million growth investment led by Circularity Capital, a specialist investor in businesses that enable the circular economy, with participation from existing investors Industrifonden and Fairpoint Capital.

According to Shameek Ghosh, CEO and Co-Founder of TrusTrace, the new investment will enable the company to further accelerate its global expansion ambitions by strengthening its presence in key markets, deepening product innovation and expanding collaborations – helping to create a global network where all value chains are traceable, circular, and fair.

Traceability has accelerated in importance and momentum as a key enabler of sustainable transformation, as evidenced by TrusTrace’s five-fold growth in subscription revenue in the 27 months since the previous growth round by Fairpoint Capital and Industrifonden in 2021, preceded by seed funding from Backing Minds in 2019.

With more than a billion products now tracked through the platform, TrusTrace has established itself as a business-critical solution for supply chain traceability. TrusTrace customers include adidas, Brooks Running, Tapestry, Asics and many more. TrusTrace also plans to offer its services to regional and mid-size brands in 2024.

TrusTrace, a SaaS (Software as a Service) company with a platform for supply chain traceability and compliance data management, announced that PIP Global Safety, a supplier of protective workwear equipment with over 30 brands globally, has selected the TrusTrace platform to support its traceability needs, including evidence collection to prove compliance for the UFLPA (Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act).

PIP Global Safety will now leverage verified, real-time data on the TrusTrace platform to provide deeper visibility into the cotton used within the Company’s PPE and workwear products. The partnership will also improve the efficiency of chain of custody data collection for UFLPA compliance – a U.S. regulation that is compelling companies to assess risks in their supply chain and implement processes to ensure that suppliers are not using forced labor.

PIP Global Safety previously managed their supply chain traceability manually; now, TrusTrace will automate the process, changing how data is collected, digitized and shared. “After an extensive vetting process, we selected TrusTrace as our traceability platform because of their ability to provide us with detailed, product-level data that enables us to thoroughly and accurately map our supply chains,” said Nathan McCormick, Senior VP of Operations & Integrated Supply Chain at PIP Global Safety. “While a lot of laws and regulations around due diligence have not yet come into force, we are taking a proactive approach to ensure that we’re ahead of the curve to support our customers’ needs while proactively monitoring for risk of forced labor in our supply chain.”

In addition to supporting regulatory compliance, TrusTrace supports PIP Global Safety’s long-standing sustainability and social responsibility initiatives. PIP Global Safety has pledged to continually identify opportunities to minimize their environmental footprint while still maximizing protection against occupational hazards. This commitment extends to multiple aspects of the business, including Manufacturing Processes, Sustainability-Driven Programs, Recycled Products, Social Sustainability and Future Initiatives.

ADVANSA and Asia Pacific Fibers (APF) join forces to launch REMOTION®, a premium fibre for sports and activewear, made from recycled ocean-bound plastic bottles with full end-to-end traceability from Prevented Ocean Plastic™. REMOTION® offers a solution for textiles that merges ocean protection with built-in biodegradability. The fibres break-down in marine environments to prevent microplastic pollution of the oceans, a problem which can be the consequence of fibre-shedding from apparel laundry waste-water.

Remotion® offers a solution with various sustainable features such as biodegradability and recyclability, with customized performance features such as anti-bacterial properties and moisture management built-in to the fibre. Moreover, the fibre is also offered in customer curated colours that guarantee very good colour fastness. Thus, this “all-in-one” fibre contributes to a sustainable and healthy environment with savings in water, energy, chemicals, and CO2. The fibre is available in a range of filament and staple options with two variants: REMOTION® Blue made from ocean-bound plastic bottles, REMOTION® Green made from domestic recycled plastic bottles.

REMOTION® Blue is a specially engineered polyester fibre made from ocean-bound plastic as a premium raw material with a social aspect. ADVANSA and APF are cooperating with Prevented Ocean Plastic™, a global recycling initiative that helps tens of thousands of people around the world to clean their coastlines, prevent ocean plastic pollution and earn additional income. Discarded plastic bottles are picked up by plastic collectors from coastal areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution and are taken to collection centres. The plastic bottles are then sorted out, cleaned and processed into raw material flakes which are used as a premium ingredient for REMOTION® Blue range of products.

ADVANSA and Asia Pacific Fibers are launching REMOTION® at the Performance Days in Munich from 3-5 October 2023.

A little over three years have passed since RadiciGroup announced the acquisition of Zeta Polimeri, an Italian company headquartered in Buronzo (VC) with over 30 years' experience in the recovery of pre- and post-consumer synthetic fibres and thermoplastic materials. Today, the company has become a full member of the Group with its new name Radici EcoMaterials Srl.

The new company’s long-standing know-how, combined with RadiciGroup’s as a whole, will create a virtuous production system that recovers worn-out materials (fabric, yarn and granules), or otherwise unusable materials, and processes them into raw materials available for other production cycles by taking advantage of industrial synergy.

Radici EcoMaterials is a strategic production site because it handles all the preliminary recovery stages: the sorting, processing and pre-treatment of materials, including those used for the production of post-consumer yarns and engineering polymers. In this sense, Radici EcoMaterials is in line with the most recent European policies on sustainable textiles, which address minimizing the share of materials destined for disposal sites, favouring instead more structured recycling solutions.

Radici EcoMaterials is also GRS certified. GRS certification ensures the complete traceability of its materials, which are made in a safe plant that meets the highest environmental and social certification standards.

The company is also equipped with a photovoltaic system and, for the portion of its energy needs not covered by the photovoltaic source, it partially relies on renewable energy. The goal is to use 100% green energy in the next few years, in accord with RadiciGroup's goals.

The Global Organic Textile Standard is pleased to announce the release of GOTS Version 7.0, which features an expanded scope of environmental and social criteria while maintaining a standard that is practicable for industrial production and appropriate for a wide range of products. During the regular year-long revision process, international stakeholders with expertise in organic production, textile processing, textile chemistry, human rights and social criteria, as well as representatives from industry, NGOs and civil society organisations, contributed to the new Version 7.0 through multiple consultation rounds. Final decisions were made by the multistakeholder GOTS Standard Revision Committee.

GOTS Version 7.0 provides a comprehensive solution for companies who want to produce organic textiles ensuring compliance with environmental and human rights due diligence along the entire supply chain, from field to finished product. With full traceability from origin to destination, GOTS certification provides an efficient means of verifying genuine sustainability efforts. GOTS 7.0 introduces new requirements to conduct risk-based due diligence of Certified Entities’ own operations and their supply chains based on the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the OECD guidelines. The Social Criteria section was substantially revised to include a broader human rights-focused approach. GOTS 7.0 now allows recycled organic fibres as additional materials. Key requirements, such as certified organic fibre content, a general ban on toxic and harmful chemicals such as PFAS, conventional cotton and virgin polyester restrictions, and social compliance management, are maintained in GOTS Version 7.0.

Some of the changes in Version 7.0 include:

• GOTS and the Manual for the Implementation of GOTS were restructured, and sections were grouped to reflect the standard’s scope.
• New due diligence criteria ensures that Certified Entities address their actual and potential negative impacts on human rights and the environment.
• GOTS Environmental Criteria, Product Stewardship, and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) requirements will also apply to the subcontractors of chemical formulators.
• Criteria for the incoming organic material have been made stricter.
• Quinoline is included among the prohibited substances and some existing restrictions have been made tighter such as of “aniline, free”, residue limit is decreased to 20 mg/kg from 100 mk/kg.
• GOTS 7.0 reduces the permissible quantity of recycled synthetic (polymer) fibres in its certified products, taking into account the disadvantages associated with recycled synthetics, such as microplastics and poor quality.
• In the pursuit of circularity, GOTS will allow use of recycled GOTS Goods waste as an additional fibre in its certified products.
• GOTS Human Rights and Social Criteria will now require Certified Entities to respect internationally recognised human rights protocols, including the International Bill of Human Rights and other international human rights treaties.
• Criteria concerning Discrimination, Violence and Harassment were revised to make them more comprehensive and include the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention (C190).
• Certified Entities are now required to develop a plan to cover the living wage gap.
• GOTS Occupational Health and Safety criteria were revised to consider best international practices and recommendations from the ILO.

For more information, see the following documents:

• GOTS Version 7.0
• Change Log GOTS 7.0
• Change Log Manual for the Implementation of GOTS 7.0
• Guideline for the new structure of GOTS 7.0

To further advance the system, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is significantly raising the requirements for GOTS-certified gins, to ensure transparent and traceable processing for organic textiles from field to finished product:

1. GOTS is introducing a compulsory farm-gin registry for all farms and farm groups whose certified raw material enters the GOTS system, including information on farm yields. The registry will be implemented progressively, starting in India.
2. Raw cotton is not allowed to travel more than 500 km from the farm to the certified gin. The shorter trade chain protects vulnerable points and optimises the process for buyers.  
3. Increase of unannounced audits of gins where there is a high perception of risk.

These new requirements are added to the numerous checks and balances which are already performed throughout every processing stage. Seed cotton entering the GOTS supply chain is tested for the presence of genetically modified organisms according to the applicable ISO protocol. GOTS-approved Certification Bodies (CBs) include further testing (such as pesticide residue) and are fully authorised to reject material that does not meet GOTS requirements. Additionally, before certification bodies issue a Transaction Certificate (TC), GOTS requires that a thorough assessment takes place, including a plausibility check in the form of volume reconciliation.

To strengthen integrity and traceability, GOTS also stipulates that the Farm TC number appears on the first GOTS TC at the ginning plant, which is the first step for cotton in the GOTS supply chain. The TC must state the origin for raw material, including region, state, and province. This effectively traces material back to the field and adds another layer of accountability to GOTS-certified fibre. It also supports all buyers in their purchasing decisions.

GOTS is not only improving its own system but also coordinating efforts with other key players to support the integrity of organic textiles. As GOTS provides certification of first processing stages to Textile Exchange's Organic Content Standard (OCS), GOTS and TE discussed new requirements for OCS while they were being developed. GOTS supports these requirements as they provide a dual protection shield for materials entering the GOTS or OCS supply chains, at the same time maintaining necessary data privacy. The new requirements will help increase traceability and transparency throughout the organic textile sector which are among the main objectives of GOTS. There are no changes necessary to the requirements of GOTS regarding any of the new OCS rules.

• Collaboration with Red Points addresses consumers’ increasing expectations on transparency and highlights Lenzing’s commitment to trademark protection
• Protects interest of Lenzing customer and partners who are making real efforts to enhance the transparency of their value chains
• Builds upon Lenzing’s overall brand protection efforts that verify the authenticity of fibers up to the end products

Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, has announced a partnership with Red Points, a company in online IP infringement detection and removal, to strengthen Lenzing’s existing brand protection efforts globally and enable round-the-clock brand monitoring services. As Lenzing’s textile brands TENCEL™, LENZING™, ECOVERO™, as well as nonwovens brand VEOCEL™ continue to generate widespread demand from industry partners and customers worldwide, it is becoming increasingly important to protect the company’s trademarks and provide full visibility into the brands’ presence online.

Protecting the interest of Lenzing’s partners and consumers
Red Points provides the ideal technology solution to help Lenzing monitor and remove unauthorized use of its trademarks and counterfeits online. The technology works by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automatically detect intellectual property infringements of Lenzing’ trademarks with high accuracy and efficiency.

Brand protection is just one of Lenzing’s ongoing proactive measures aimed at enhancing transparency in the supply chain and protecting the interest of Lenzing’s partners by ensuring they are purchasing genuine Lenzing fibers which meet their high standards.

In 2018, Lenzing launched the Lenzing E-Branding Service which allows Lenzing’s customers, retailers and brand partners to effectively use trademarks in their marketing materials. The platform has been welcomed by partners globally as it continues to deliver value to the fashion, textile and nonwoven sectors by facilitating the traceability of Lenzing’s fibers and enabling customers to promote them effectively.

Denim Première Vision marks the denim ingredient brand’s return to the tradeshow scene. Under the spotlight is “Iconic by nature”, ISKO’s show concept illustrates the company’s journey of evolution led by its signature Responsible Innovation™ approach. On this occasion, ISKO launches its 2023 Collection Vol.2 with new technologies, finishes and colors, and expressing the company’s passion for a cleaner and safer planet, laying the new foundations of ISKO’s sustainable fashion revolution.

The entire 2023 Collection Vol.2 contains recycled materials, and the majority consists of R-TWO™50+ fabrics made with a minimum of 50% recycled fibers, entirely GRS certified, resulting in less use of natural resources and a reduced carbon and water footprint of up to 45% and 65% respectively. An important and responsible development of this collection is that it features denim containing recycled and/or regenerated fibers, through unique fiber technology significantly saving on resources and energy while allowing for controlled traceability along the supply chain.

The new collection features comfortable ISKO Reform™ Xp 100, allowing for a flattering fit and enhanced shape retention; ISKO Reform™ Hp, characterized by incredible holding power, granting a more streamlined and slimmer appearance; ISKO Blue Skin™, a stretch technology that works 4-ways to respond to the body’s movement like a second skin; ISKO Pop™, a patented concept that starts from the yarn, developed to give a touch of glamour with a soft cotton hand feel. Colors are key in the new collection too, with an important aspect regarding the use of mineral colors, natural dyestuffs.

Cone Denim®, a leader in denim authenticity and sustainable innovation, launches a new U.S. grown hemp denim collection in collaboration with expert hemp processing innovator, BastCore. Cone is excited to expand its sustainable denim offerings and increase its support of the American agriculture industry, featuring denim made with Alabama hemp and U.S. cotton and dyed with natural indigo grown in Tennessee.

Cone Denim is honored to partner with BastCore, a team that aligns with Cone’s values and its commitment to innovation, quality, sustainability, and traceability. The pioneers at BastCore have created patent-pending technology and a proprietary process that produces clean, mechanically processed, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified and USDA bio-preferred hemp fiber out of its operation in Montgomery, Alabama.

Cone’s U.S. Hemp Collection includes a range of fabrics featuring classic 3×1 and comfort stretch to modern workwear constructions. The collection further expands upon Cone’s sustainability and traceability practices, driving the future of the industry. The proximity of the hemp, indigo, and cotton crops in the U.S. to the company’s mills in Mexico is also key in creating the smallest environmental impact and footprint possible.

Hemp offers many key benefits in creating the next level of sustainable denim:

• More than 50% water savings occur, compared to cotton
• No chemicals, wet processing, pesticides, or herbicides are used
• Hemp grows in a variety of soils with excellent biodegradability, is antimicrobial, has high tensile strength, moisture regain content, and tenacity
• Hemp and natural indigo crops have high rates of carbon sequestration, which ultimately benefits the environment and improves the soil’s health for other crops (climate positive)

The 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub during Milan Fashion Week. With the support of WHITE, Duarte’s creations will be featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption).

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style named “Eco-Street Dance”.

The collection presents a selection of urban pieces for everyday superheroes, fighting against environmental issues - with a holistic approach to sustainability values thanks to the synergy with C.L.A.S.S. and its Back in the Loop area: a section dedicated to alternative and sustainable sourcing against the massive amount of materials and textiles produced that are not used and discarded by the fashion system. This is mostly powered by MAEBA International - and its ReLiveTex® fabrics - leader in selecting and repurposing premium Italian fabrics with exceptional 60 years of expertise in collecting high-quality materials from leading brands and textile manufacturers, and one of the first companies at an international level to be accredited for the UNI EN ISO 14021 certification which grants the traceability of the collected materials.

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process.