From the Sector

The partnership between Filo and C.L.A.S.S., the international eco-hub founded by Giusy Bettoni, is renewed once again .
 
At the 63rd edition of Filo, “Sustainability from A to Z” — the service created by Filo in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. and aimed at companies that want to navigate the complex world of sustainability — chooses to focus its showcase on the concept of responsible innovation and the means to expand its knowledge through technical insights, case histories, and direct testimonies. The ultimate goal, shared by Filo and C.L.A.S.S., is to support the industry and the market in making conscious choices that align with the evolving market landscape. In this regard, the proposals that C.L.A.S.S. brings to Filo as part of “Sustainability from A to Z” are closely linked to the debates and discussions taking place in the “Dialoghi di Confronto”, since they provide an additional opportunity for further insight.
 
In the space dedicated to C.L.A.S.S. at the 63rd edition of Filo, projects and solutions implemented by organizations and companies selected by C.L.A.S.S. will be showcased. This season, the focus will be on “green chemistry” and the role of “advanced” natural fibers, particularly in relation to cotton and linen. For the two fibers, companies have often adopted comprehensive innovation strategies, leading to what we define as “advanced” productions, where traceability processes have become an essential requirement.
 
In the C.L.A.S.S. space at Filo63, Cotton is represented by Supima®, a high-quality cotton grown in the United States, accounting for less than 1% of global cotton production. What makes it special compared to other types of cotton is its extra-long staple, which provides superior strength, softness, and long-lasting colour retention. To ensure the authenticity and traceability of its cotton, Supima® has introduced the AQRe™ Project (Authenticated Quality and Responsible Engagement). This cutting-edge system replaces the previous licensing program, offering a blockchain-based digital platform in collaboration with TextileGenesis™, allowing real-time monitoring of the entire supply chain. Additionally, Supima® partners with Oritain™ to conduct forensic testing, verifying the cotton’s origin at every stage of production. This advanced combination of technologies guarantees that every product bearing the SUPIMA® brand is made from high-quality American-grown cotton, meeting the market’s increasing demand for transparency and sustainability.
 
Regarding Linen, the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp will be present, the European agro-industrial organization that brings together all actors in the European Flax and Hemp supply chain starting from its fields origin.  2025 is the year of acceleration its sustainable transformation trajectory from the field to the finished product. New developments to be seen:  

• Evolution of its Flax- Linen certifications  
• Launch of a new digital Flax-Linen traceability platform: Flax-Linen traceability platform. European Certified fibres to Retaildeveloped in cooperation with   TextileGenesis - Lectra and set to launch in May 2025. This innovative blockchain-based digital tool enables tracking at every stage of production, ensuring authenticity and full transparency throughout the entire supply chain
• Publication of datasets and development of a specific B2B tool for calculating environmental footprint
• Scientific validation of the functional properties of Flax-Linen
• New Flax-Linen & Hemp sourcing platform for innovative materials and textile & technical solutions

At the C.L.A.S.S. space an Italian story about “green chemistry” will showcase featuring REVECOL® by ERCA Textile Chemical Solutions. REVECOL ® is a revolutionary 100% Made in Italy innovation that utilizes critical waste materials, such as exhausted vegetable cooking oil, transforming it into a next-generation line of safe, certified, high-performance, and competitive chemical auxiliaries designed for the entire textile industry. This unique approach allows for a CO₂ emissions reduction of up to 72% compared to traditional chemistry, setting a new industry standard. The range includes 18 auxiliaries certified according to GRS, RCS, ZDHC, bluesign®, and GOTS, ensuring high performance with a reduced environmental impact. REVECOL® is the missing certified end-to-end element that can drive sustainability, circularity, and performance in the fashion creation process, meeting the needs of a market increasingly focused on traceability and environmental responsibility.
 
Throughout Filo63, the C.L.A.S.S. team will be available to explore these innovations in depth with companies and professionals eager to gain insight into the three pioneering realities redefining sustainability, traceability, and innovation in the textile sector.

• The European Confederation for Flax and Hemp (CELC) has unveiled its new visual identity and name: Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp.
• The European Flax-Linen and Hemp industries have announced they are organizing their development around a strengthened team with a clear mission: to expand the entire industry whilst making European Flax-Linen and Hemp the preferred sustainable premium fibers worldwide.
• The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp will launch its new identity in the first semester of 2023 for all target groups including Natural Fiber Composite Applications.

CELC has announced its new name and visual identity. The organization, which is the only European agro-industrial organization that serves as a global reference, will now be known as the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp.

The new name - Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp – reflects a newly restructured European industry which brings together the entire value chain around a common goal: to make European Flax-Linen and Hemp the preferred sustainable premium fibers worldwide for Fashion, Technical Textiles and Natural Fiber Composite Applications.

The new brand identity is accompanied by a new logo that connects the identity, values and strategic direction of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. In addition to visual changes, the Alliance has announced enhanced values and a clear strategic path to turn European Flax-Linen and Hemp into the preferred sustainable premium fibers worldwide.

The Alliance’s future development pathway will focus on three distinct strategic pillars.

• Enhancing its work in publishing structured, reliable economic data and information on a regular basis, in order to be able to continuously deploy a set of specific decision-making support tools.
• Transforming the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp into an innovative and sustainable international reference which continuously improves its environmental footprint through two essential elements: traceability and Life Cycle Analysis.
• Guaranteeing quality and better describing the quality of its fibers by using technological innovations to create a reference for describing long fibers. A description of European Flax® fibers through optical imaging will soon complement the organoleptic method.

“Europe is the top global producer of Flax fiber. In an international context of growth and reindustrialization, Flax, which accounts for just 0.4% of global textile fibers, is a globalized fiber with remarkable technical and environmental properties. At the same time, the European textile Hemp industry is organizing itself to boost growth. Today, the European Flax-Linen and Hemp ecosystem thus embodies an innovative and sustainable European textile dynamic that meets the needs of consumers and brands.” Bart Depourcq, President, Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp.