From the Sector

The upcoming conference on 12-13 March 2025 in Cologne, Germany, will pave pathways to a sustainable textile industry.

Over the past few weeks, the Conference Advisory Board, and the experts from the nova-Institute, have thoroughly reviewed and evaluated over 40 submitted abstracts. The selected external experts bring new insights and perspectives from the pulp, fibre and further developing industries, promising to spark and deepen discussions at the event. Their expertise across the entire fibre value chain will enrich the topics covered and ensure a dynamic and insightful exchange of ideas. The presentations will provide a platform for the discussion at the conference after each session, and the Advisory Board members will foster a lively debate to drive innovation industry-wide.

Biosynthetics on the rise
Besides cellulose fibres, bio-based polymer fibres ("biosynthetics") are an excellent option to reduce fossil fibres in textiles. Biosynthetics offer a powerful alternative to traditional synthetic fibres, bringing both performance and technical properties that make them drop-in replacements. Derived wholly or partially from natural, renewable sources like lactic acids, sugar beet, sugarcane or wood, biosynthetics represent a bio-based option compared to fossil-based counterparts. In a special session “Biosynthetics - Replacing Traditional Synthetic Fibres”, experts will explore the latest advances, challenges and opportunities in the field. Discussing innovative approaches like biosynthetics is essential to drive sustainable transformation within the fashion and textile industries.

Fibre-to-Fibre Recycling: A Path to a Sustainable Textile Industry
The textile industry is at a crucial crossroad. The need for sustainable solutions to meet the EU's ambitious climate change targets is becoming increasingly urgent. Fibre-to-fibre recycling, which transforms discarded textiles into new, virgin fibres, holds great promise for reducing waste and resource consumption and helps to close the loop in textile production. While Europe has made progress in this area, challenges remain – in particular the management of mixed fibre textiles and the scaling up of recycling technologies. As new approaches are needed to tackle climate change, one session of the conference will focus on fibre-to-fibre recycling from textiles, exploring the latest innovations and technological advances, as well as the opportunities and barriers that need to be addressed to move the industry towards a circular, sustainable future.

Fibre Microplastic Formation versus Marine Biodegradability
The environmental impact of textiles extends far beyond landfill, with microplastics from synthetic fibres becoming a growing concern in marine ecosystems. A session at the conference will focus on the complex relationship between microplastic formation and marine biodegradability. While synthetic fibres shed microplastics during washing, these tiny particles, known as microfibres accumulate in the oceans and pose a serious threat to marine life. This session will explore the factors that influence fibre degradation in the marine environment and examine the potential of biodegradable fibres to reduce long-term pollution. Leading research institutes will discuss the challenges of balancing the prevention of microplastics with the development of fibres that can degrade naturally in marine ecosystems, and provide insights into innovative solutions that could help mitigate this pressing environmental issue.

Innovation Award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025”
The nova-Institute, together with GIG Karasek, is looking for the best fibre innovations of the year. Applicants from the area of cellulose fibres as well as biosynthetics are welcome to submit their innovations. Technologie providers, research institutes or producers can apply until 30 November 2024. The innovation award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025” is sponsored by GIG Karasek.

Apply for the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025” award: cellulose-fibres.eu/award-application

Call for Posters
The poster exhibition is a highly anticipated scientific event at the conference, especially for early career scientists. Poster submission is open until 31 January 2025.

A digital twin supply chain has recently been established by Swedish start-up PaperTale for Sail Racing – a brand well known for its durable and long-lasting performance garments for the marine industry.

The PaperTale system for Sail Racing fully maps a complex network, beginning with farmers in Australia, moving to garment workers in Pakistan and finally reaching consumers in Scandinavia. It incorporates data collection from the three countries using NFC tags and blockchain technology to provide detailed supply chain insights and ensure regulatory compliance for the brand.

Introducing the usually anonymous factory workers responsible for each individual garment to the person buying it is what sets PaperTale apart from other tracking systems – a next level of personalisation that will make a valuable contribution to raising the debate on the true cost of textiles.

“Our system captures the supply chain of a product from cradle to grave, in real-time,” says company founder Bilal Bhatti. “By integrating it into existing planning and management systems, factories and brands can gather and verify the flow of material and their social and environmental data in real-time. Data is added to a public blockchain so it is extremely hard to tamper with, further increasing trust. When a product is finalised, consumers can scan an NFC tag or QR-code to view the entire journey a product has travelled, which craftsmen were involved in the production, and if they have been paid fairly.”

“This technology is a game-changer in that we provide verified information about the social aspects of the manufacturing process and not just information about the components of the garment,” says Bilal. “We need products and processes to be much more connected with people, especially in such a complex supply chain where a high percentage of the work is carried out by contract workers who are unregistered and often exploited.

“When the entire product journey is visible using real-time and verified data, higher trust is created all the way from factories to consumers. Our system makes it possible to start the dialogue on the cost of sustainability, paving the way to increase incentives that result in proper wages, contracts and workplace safety. In respect of environmental sustainability, real-time data makes real-time measurement possible, which will also stimulate brands and factories to reduce emissions, water usage and pollution.”

The collaboration is further highlighted as the primary case study in a just-released white paper prepared by Deloitte, as a guide to how companies could most effectively prepare for the European Commission’s upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) and other related legislation.

Global leading companies from more than 15 countries in the filtration and separation industry will connect with some 1,500 industry professionals and launch their innovations at FiltXPO™ 2023, Oct. 10-12, at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois.

FiltXPO™, an exhibition and conference dedicated exclusively to filtration and separation, is now being held on an 18-month cycle, making it a valuable opportunity to generate new business and grow global relationships with unique exposure to the North American market, according to INDA.

FiltXPO™ will draw senior-level professionals from around the world in major market segments involved in the design, manufacture, sales, and use of filtration/separation products and services.

A feature of the event will be the technical conference – Summit for Global Change. Five panels of global industry experts will debate filtration and separation’s most compelling challenges such as indoor air quality, filtration sustainability, standards and technologies. FiltXPO™ will also offer a one-and-a-half day intensive training course on the development, testing and application of filtration and separation media.

• Annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers

• Digitalization and Sustainability Key to Resiliency for Italian Textile Machinery Sector

The objective critical issues faced by Italy as a whole throughout the course of 2021, primarily dictated by a pandemic that upset any and all pre-existing equilibriums, have not slowed or halted the Italian textile machinery sector.

Indeed, data presented during the annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, held on 1 July proved decidedly positive, showing that in 2021 the sector recovered significantly compared to 2020, to the point of returning to pre-Covid levels.

Specifically, Italian textile machinery production amounted to 2.388 billion euros (+35% over 2020 and + 5% over 2019), with total exports amounting to 2.031 billion euros (+37% over 2020 and +9% over 2019).

However, these results do not cancel the obstacles that companies are still facing. Looking to the near future, expectations are for a rather uncertain outlook, as underscored by ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi: “2022 remains a year replete with unknown factors, starting with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, along with the persistence of the pandemic, which seriously risk delaying expected growth consolidation for businesses in the sector. Difficulties in finding raw materials and components negatively affect the completion and fulfilment of orders processed as far back as 2021. To boot, rising energy costs and inflationary trends affecting numerous commodities are depressing overall business confidence. So the outlook for the sector is not so good.”
As such, the two cornerstones through which ACIMIT aims to support the Italian textile machinery sector are digitilization and sustainability.

4.0: The textile machinery sector looks to the future
The road to digital transformation has already led numerous manufacturers to completely rethink their production processes, rendering them more efficient and l ess expensive. The digital world is moving ahead at a decisive rate in the textile machinery sector, where the buzzwords are increasingly, for instance, the Internet of Things connecting to a company’s ecosystem, machine learning algorithms applied to production, predictive maintenance, and the integrated cloud management of various production departments. It is no coincidence that ACIMIT has focused decisively on its Digital Ready project, through which Italian textile machinery that adopt a common set of data are certified, with the aim of facilitating integration with the operating systems of client companies (ERP, MES, CRM, etc.).

A green soul
Combining production efficiency and respect for the environment: a challenge ACIMIT has made its own and which it promotes among its members through the Sustainable Technologies project. Launched by the association as early as 2011, the project highlights the commitment of Italian textile machinery manufacturers in the area of sustainability. At the heart of the project is the Green Label, a form of certification specifically for Italian textile machinery which highlights its energy and environmental performance. An all-Italian seal of approval developed in collaboration with RINA, an international certification body.
The assembly held on 1 July provided an opportunity to take stock of the Sustainable Technologies project, more specifically, with the presentation of the Rina Consulting survey on the Green Label’s evolution and impact in recent years.

The results have confirmed the initiative’s extreme validity. The technological advances implemented by the association’s machinery producers participating in the project have effectively translated into benefits in terms of environmental impact (reduction of CO₂ equivalent emissions for machinery), as well as economic advantages for machinery users.

With reference to the year 2021, a total of 204,598 tons of CO₂ emissions avoided on an annual basis have been quantified, thanks to the implementation of improvements on machinery. This is a truly significant reduction which, for the sake of comparison, corresponds to the carbon dioxide emissions generated by 36,864 automobiles travelling an average of 35,000 km a year. In terms of energy savings, the use of green labeled textile machinery has provided excellent performances in allowing for a reduction of up to 84% in consumption.

A round table discussion on the Green Label’s primary purpose
The environmental and economic impact generated in production processes for Italian textile machinery through the use of Green Label technologies was the focus of the round table which concluded the ACIMIT assembly.

Moderated by Aurora Magni (professor of the Industrial Systems Sustainability course at the LIUC School of Engineering), the debate involved Gianluca Brenna (Lipomo Printing House administrator and Vice President of the Italian Fashion System for Welfare), Pietro Pin (Benetton Group consultant and President of UNI for the textile-clothing area), Giorgio Ravasio (Italy Country Manager for Vivienne Westwood), as well as ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi.

Called on to compare common factors in their experiences relating to environmental transition processes for their respective companies, the participants were unanimous: the future of Italian textile machinery can no longer ignore advanced technology developments capable of offering sustainable solutions with a low environmental impact while also reducing production costs. This philosophy has by now been consolidated, and has proven to lead directly to a circular economy outlook.

The upcoming ITMA 2023 exhibition
Lastly, a word on ITMA 2023, the most important international exhibition for textile machinery, to be held in Italy from 8 to 14 June 2023 at Fiera-Milano Rho. Marking the 19th edition of ITMA, this trade fair is an essential event for the entire industry worldwide, providing a global showcase for numerous innovative operational solutions on display. A marketplace that offers participants extraordinary business opportunities. The participation of Italian companies is managed by ACIMIT.

• Renowned global denim event goes live again after two years
• Bangladesh Denim Expo brings together the global denim supply chain
• The show has a sustainability focus, and a central theme of ‘Beyond Business’
• Bangladesh is the 2nd largest denim exporter to the EU and the third largest to the United States

After a two-year break, Bangladesh Denim Expo will once again open its doors in the international Convention City, Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka on May 10th & 11th 2022. The event is now firmly established as one of the world’s leading denim trade shows, and its live return is a huge boost to the global denim manufacturing sector.

“Beyond Business” is the theme of the 12th edition of the show. Bangladesh Denim Expo addresses the new opportunities for successful & sustainable business, in a world that now demands that industry leaders to go “Beyond Business.”

79 Exhibitors are set to attend the event, consisting of both local and international participants.

In this edition exhibitors will display fabrics, garments, threads, machinery, finishing equipment and accessories, positioning the show as a true representation of Bangladesh’s denim industry - the second largest denim exporter to the EU and third largest to the United States.

Through a series of product displays, seminar sessions & panel discussions, the Expo will encourage robust debate and interaction among exhibitors and visitors.

8 seminar sessions conducted by exhibitors at the two days event, and two panel discussions, reflecting the overriding sustainability theme of this edition of the Expo.

Industry experts will gather to discuss how the denim industry can improve, not only from a business perspective, but also considering social and environmental impacts and goals.

• World of Wipes® International Conference Expected to Draw More than 400 Attendees July 12-15 in Atlanta

As business activity emerges with renewed enthusiasm post-pandemic, more than 400 attendees are expected to attend the World of Wipes® International Conference July 12-15 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis with over 50 tabletop exhibits at the two evening receptions.

In a sign of the industry’s strong desire to return to business in-person, INDA is anticipating a full show for a dynamic interactive experience with wipes industry professionals at WOW 2021. With less than a month to go, over 350 wipes professionals have already registered and registration remains open.

“We are pleased to open our doors for WOW 2021 and have our wipes professionals gather once again for face-to-face business, educational program content and social interactions,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President. “INDA is looking forward to welcoming industry friends to re-engage and bringing attendees together to forge new relationships.”

The three-day conference will deliver the latest insights and material science developments in key areas for business growth in this vital market with themes focused on sustainability issues, the impact of COVID-19 on consumer wipes, regulatory trends, flushability and more.

WOW 2021 Highlights

July 12 – The learning gets started with the separate one-and-a-half-day WIPES Academy led by Chris Plotz, INDA Director of Education and Technical Affairs, providing critical training on research, development and manufacturing of wipes. WOW 2021 will officially kick off with an evening welcome reception in the Marriott’s Imperial Foyer.

July 13 – WOW attendees are greeted by INDA’s President, Dave Rousse. The compelling conference program gets underway with the following sessions:

• Wipes and the Growing Plastics Debate
• Government Affairs Update 
• The Confusing World of Regulations Impacting the Disinfecting and Sanitizing Wipes
• Presentations by the three finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award® – Kimberly-Clark Scott Sanitizing Wipes, Lenzing™ Lyocell Skin fibers and Shark

July 14 – Industry-leading experts will present on thought-provoking topics related to wipes trends, innovations, sustainable packaging and the impact of COVID-19 during this packed second day. Among the not-to-be-missed sessions are:

• Trends in the Wipes Market and Among Consumers
• Innovation in Wet Wipe Preservatives
• COVID-19 Impact on Wipes Consumption and Cleaning Habits
• Sustainable Packaging and Dispensing for Wipes 

July 15 – Sustainability will be a headliner for this third day as well as the presentation of INDA’s prestigious award for innovation.

• Nonwoven Substrates for More Sustainable Wipes
• Flushable Wipes: Loved by Consumers, Wrongly Accused by Utilities

In addition to the strong conference content, at least 50 companies will exhibit their products and services during two evenings of one-and-a-half-hour tabletop exhibitions with networking receptions.

WOW 2021 will conclude with the exciting announcement of the World of Wipes Innovation Award® by Dave Rousse.

In addition to the live component, a conference recording will be available on demand two weeks after the event. INDA maintains its commitment to adhering to all CDC protocols and guidelines for a safe event. For the full event details, visit the WOW website.

The Bavarian viscose speciality fibres manufacturer Kelheim Fibres has partnered with the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (ETP) in two strategic programs: “Bio- Based Fibres” and “Circular Economy”.

Against the backdrop of the increasingly important sustainability debate, fundamental changes inside the textile supply chain are taking place. The two three-year ETP programmes “Bio-Based Fibres” and “Circular Economy” are a clear response to this. The goal is to bring key players from industry and science together to develop a long-term strategy to actively shape the sustainable realignment of the European textile industry.

“We have been manufacturing bio-based fibres for almost 85 years – these fibres are made from the renewable material wood and they are fully biodegradable at the end of their product lifecycle. As an alternative to crude-oil based materials, these fibres are becoming increasingly popular in various applications. Part of the reason for this is the fact that we can functionalize our speciality fibres during the production process and give them the exact properties that are required for different end uses. In terms of performance, they can keep up with synthetic materials”, explains Dr. Marina Crnoja-Cosic, head of New Business Development at Kelheim Fibres.

But Kelheim’s sustainability criteria also include the full life cycle of their products: When a textile, after its use, can become the raw material for new fibres and new products, for Crnoja-Cosic that is a huge advantage in terms of sustainability. “We want the best possible result – bio-based fibres AND circular economy are the way to get there.”

The conference on sustainability in production, trade and consumption will take a second round: On March 24, 2020, the Weser-Kurier’s conference SUSTAIN will take place in the run-up to the International Cotton Conference once more. The Bremen Cotton Exchange is again cooperating partner of this event. The theme “City and Change – the Future of the Textile Retail Trade” is on focus this year.

Shirt and trpousers or blouse and skirt – clothing is an instrument of expression, a social must and a major factor of consumption. Internet and debates on climate change have changed the indicators. On the one hand, textile online trade is booming, while local stores have come under pressure to an increasing degree and cities are on the search for new ideas. On the other hand, consumers increasingly ask for products considering aspects of fairness and ecology during production. Manufacturers and stores have to react. These subjects are on focus during the Sustain that takes place on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 in Bremen in the Glocke.

Exciting keynote speakers and panel guest from fashion, science and the textile industry
Sustain will feature outstanding speakers from the economy, politics and society discussing for instance the possibilities of new techniques in stationary retail trade, the compatibility of fair production with business interests of manufacturers as well as the question whether consumers are willing to pay the additional costs of sustainability. These are themes that influence the vitality of the cities just as the purchase decisions of the consumers.

Prof. Dr Niko Paech, Professor of Economics, Wolfgang Krogmann, Advisory Director Primark, Urs-Stefan Kinting, Managing Partner of the Zero Group, Model & TV Presenter Alena Gerber, Rolf Heimann, CEO Hessnatur Stiftung, Kai Falk, Managing Director Communication of the German retail association Handelsverband Deutschland and many others confirmed their participation.

• Bangladesh’s biggest denim expo takes place 5-6 November
• The show runs concurrently with the Sustainable Apparel Forum Bangladesh
• From 4-6 November, Bangladesh becomes the perfect meeting point for stakeholders in the global apparel industry

DHAKA - Responsibility is the theme of the 11th Bangladesh Denim Expo which takes place on 5th and 6th November at International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka. The event, now firmly established as one of the world’s leading denim trade shows, runs alongside the Bangladesh Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Bangladesh Denim Expo

Around 100 exhibitors from 11 countries, including host Bangladesh, will participate in this year’s denim expo. Other participating countries are china, Japan, Italy, India, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Turkey and Germany.

H&M Group is collaborating with Bangladesh Denim Expo for the forthcoming 11th edition of the event and a number of guest speakers will be present from the company, including Pierre Borjesson, head of sustainability, global production. Other guest speakers include Andrew Olah, the founder of Kingpins Denim show, Alice Tonello, R&D director with the Tonello Group, world renowned denim designer, Piero Turk and Jordi Juani, Asia regional director with Jeanologia.

Through a series of product displays, presentations, seminar sessions & panel discussions, the Expo will encourage healthy debate and interaction among exhibitors and visitors to champion a more responsible denim industry. One of these, of course, is sustainability and within this sits the issue of responsibility – an overriding theme of this year’s event. Denim manufacture faces huge challenges with regards its social and environmental responsibility, with production techniques having potentially far-reaching ramifications for the environment as well as people involved in the production process.

However, the industry and its supply chain are making impressive progress on these issues with Bangladesh – now the world’s largest producer of denim – leading the way in terms of addressing some of the sustainability challenges relating to denim production, including excessive use of water and chemicals. Mostafiz Uddin is the organiser of Bangladesh Denim Expo. Uddin has watched with interest the evolution of the denim industry, with each Expo marking continued and gradual progress being made by the more progressive players in the industry.

Uddin says: “The way that business and product development is conducted can have far reaching consequences on the environment, on the people that make the product and the product’s end use & life-span. “It is the duty of all stakeholders in the apparel industry to acknowledge this responsibility and to analyse our business practices, for the benefit of all.” Emphasising the theme of responsibility within Denim Expo is the fact that revenues from the expo support the running and presentation of the Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Sustainable Apparel Forum

The Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) is the biggest annual sustainable apparel event in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) along with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) as co-organiser will jointly carry out the 2nd edition of the SAF on 5th Nov 2019.

This is the second edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum, with the first-ever forum held in 2017 in Dhaka. The objective of this year’s forum is accelerating the momentum of sustainability in Bangladesh apparel industry.

The forum will see more than 50 speakers gathered from Bangladesh and overseas sharing expert opinions across five panel discussions covering current issues in the country’s apparel industry. These include human resources, transparency in business, water conservation, purchasing practices, sustainable chemical management, waste management, circular economy in textiles and climate change to name a few.

Additionally, the conference will host several knowledge building technical presentations from renowned organisations which will cover different issues relating to sustainability, including waste management, protection of the environment and better working conditions.

Speakers at the show include Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, H. E. Benoit Préfonatine High Commissioner, High Commission of Canada, Bangladesh, and Dr. Rubana Huq President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association, Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Pierre Börjesson, Head of Sustainability – Global Production, H&M Group, Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, International Labor Organization, Peter McCallister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative and H.E. Winnie Estrup Petersen Ambassador, Embassy of Denmark, Bangladesh.

Prior to this year’s conference, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh and the Sweden Embassy in Bangladesh will also co-host two roundtable discussion in collaboration with BAE and in association with BGMEA on 4 November, 2019, while H&M, Better Work Bangladesh and C&A Foundation are partners in the event.
The conference will be followed by showcasing different innovative, sustainable & best work practices in RMG manufacturing factories in Bangladesh. Following the discussions, a series of recommendations will be made, and a Sustainability Roadmap for the Bangladesh apparel industry will be formulated.

This year’s SAF promises to be the biggest yet. Added by Mr Mostafiz Uddin in the recent press briefing for the event: “The title for this year’s Sustainable Apparel Forum is enabling sustainability through policy and leadership. The time for talking on sustainability issues is over. It is now time for actions. That’s why the focus of this year’s show is on practical, pragmatic actions the textile industry can adopt to improve its environmental footprint.”

• STOP TALKING. START ACTING.
• Climate change is real. And so is the responsibility of every human being to help in reducing waste.

We no longer want to talk about sustainability, we want to act. For January, PREMIUM is partnering with Spanish fashion label and sustainable clothing pioneer ECOALF. The brand will present its lifelong mission and latest collection in a dedicated space as well as an art installation together with conceptual artist Juan Garaizabal.

"2019 is all about digital first and an active debate about social and environmental issues. Transparency and sustainability are key words. By reducing plastic waste on all our shows, teaming up with ECOALF and giving this wonderful brand dedicated space and time for spreading their message, we are taking steps into right direction. Every little action counts. We should talk about the things we do more instead of talking about what we are not doing. We all need to wake up. Now.” – Anita Tillmann, CEO PREMIUM Group

ECOALF creates high-quality garments using recycled materials collected from the bottom of our oceans. Commitment, sustainability and innovation are at the core of everything the company does, resulting in both conscious and stylish urban, adventure, knitwear and activewear pieces.   
 
“I love collaborating with people that also believe we have the opportunity to change the world for the better. It’s no longer about what you do, but how you do it. It is important to stand up for what you believe in, because fashion cannot just be about looking good.” – Javier Goyeneche, President and Founder of ECOALF. 

On Wednesday, January 16th, at 10am and 2pm, Goyeneche will present his brand’s values, philosophy and way of working on the experience floor of SHOW&ORDER X PREMIUM at Kühlhaus, right next to the STATION area. Show visitors, media and other exhibitors are invited to listen, learn and discuss.   
 
The art piece in partnership with Garaizabal unveiled at PREMIUM on January 15th is filled with waste to portray our everyday reality, and purposefully interactive so that visitors can throw their own trash inside the installation. The aim is to educate about correct waste disposal and show that every individual’s decision matters: Stop, Think, Act.