From the Sector

Leveraging insights from Wealth in Waste, Fashion for Good released a toolkit designed to revalorise textile waste in India.

"The Sorting for Circularity India toolkit is a milestone in our journey towards a waste-free world. We have mapped the textile waste landscape, unpacking the huge potential, as well as the roadblocks and commercial opportunities in India’s textile waste industry. We are excited to move beyond rhetoric with this powerful coalition of partners and translate our findings into a roadmap for concrete actions", said Katrin Ley, Managing Director, Fashion for Good.

In 2021, Fashion for Good launched the Sorting for Circularity India Project to organise the Indian textile waste market in a three-phase approach so as to streamline, strengthen and foster the Indian textile waste market to drive the transition to a more circular economy that recaptures value to its maximum potential.

The project brought together various industry players including Fashion for Good partners adidas, Levi Strauss & Co., PVH Corp., Target, Arvind Limited, Birla Cellulose, and Welspun India, as well as Fashion for Good innovators Reverse Resources, PICVISA, and Matoha; H&M, Primark, and TESCO also joined as external partners. The project is supported through catalytic funding provided by Laudes Foundation and IDH, and knowledge support from Canopy and Circle Economy Foundation.

Drawing upon the invaluable insights gained throughout the project, Fashion for Good unveils a toolkit designed to harness the untapped potential of textile waste in India. Together, these resources provide valuable insights, assessments, and practical guidance to advance recycling in India's textile industry.

Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) released the 2023 edition of The GFA Monitor — a report to guide fashion leaders towards a net-positive fashion industry. The second GFA Monitor has been updated to include the latest guidance and insights from over 25 industry organisations in one cohesive publication. For the first time, the report includes new data insights from the Fashion Industry Target Consultation - drawn from over 900 industry participants in 90 countries.

The GFA Monitor is an extensive resource that presents expert insights on the status of the industry, clear actions to take, and proven best practices. In a time of poly crisis when the implementation of sustainable practices is challenged, GFA is supporting the industry by consolidating an abundance of available solutions that can be applied today.  

The tool is grounded by the sustainability framework laid out in the Fashion CEO Agenda, featuring in-depth guidance according to the five sustainability priorities: Respectful and Secure Work Environments, Better Wage Systems, Circular Systems, Resource Stewardship, and Smart Materials Choices. Embracing additional expert knowledge from other industry organisations, each priority includes insights from GFA’s Impact Partners: Fair Labor Association, Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Apparel Impact Institute, and Textile Exchange, respectively.

The 2023 publication presents new findings from the Fashion Industry Target Consultation (FITC), launched by GFA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in November 2022, which invited stakeholders from across the global value chain to share their thoughts on the performance indicators and milestones that the industry must strive to meet. The FITC indicates a very positive sentiment from participants, but action and positive impact from that action is yet to be measured. Overall, the data reveals that the majority of the 900 participants supported industry alignment on the 27 action areas proposed in the consultation and remarked that they are actively engaging with the industry to drive progress in the respective areas. The report further illuminates the level of industry ambitions per priority and the areas where more aligned action areas are needed.

On December 7th and 8th, Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) in partnership with Fashion for Good, facilitated the “Chemical Recycling Technologies: Manufacturing Markets Gateway”, in Bangladesh. Fashion for Good, the Amsterdam based global platform for innovation, along with two disruptive technology start-ups focused on textile-to-textile chemical recycling, Circ and Infinited Fiber Company, were the key stakeholders in this initiative.

The two-day visit leveraged Bangladesh's status as a major garment production hub, exploring the potential of chemical recycling technologies to enhance environmental sustainability. Emphasizing the importance of circularity, the event aimed to spread awareness about current disruptive innovations that could transform the industry's approach to waste and resource management, setting an example for future sustainable practices. It focuses on integrating these technologies within the local manufacturing landscape, securing feedstock partnerships, and developing a value chain for recycled apparel materials.

Denim Asia Limited, Knit Asia Limited, Progress Apparels Limited, Ananta BD, Reverse Resources, and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) played pivotal roles in this initiative. Knit Asia Ltd, notably acclaimed for their commitment to sustainable practices, along with Denim Asia, associated with the sustainable brand Noize Jeans, showcased their commitment to sustainable manufacturing processes.
Progress Apparels Limited, a ready-made garment producer and part of PDS Limited demonstrated its advanced sustainable production facilities. Reverse Resources and the BGMEA hosted an intimate “Meet and Greet Networking Session”, to boost awareness about the technologies in the industry.

Mr. Mostafiz Uddin, Founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, emphasized the significance of this event for the wider Bangladeshi textile industry, " Bangladesh has the biggest manufacturing sector in South Asia and this tour marks a critical step towards a circular fashion ecosystem, also how can the fashion industry become more sustainable in Bangladesh. It's not just an event; it's part of a larger movement to incorporate innovative recycling, Sustainable Fashion technologies and establish global partnerships for a sustainable fashion industry."

Featuring interactive sessions, factory visits, and knowledge sharing, this initiative offered a platform for fostering collaborations between manufacturers and technology innovators.

Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and Fashion for Good are optimistic about a future where Bangladesh leads in sustainable and circular apparel manufacturing.

At the upcoming edition of Colombiatex, that will take place in Medellin from January 23 to 25, 2024, the leading Italian manufacturers of textile machinery will be present in the common area organized by Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers.

There will be 23 companies exhibiting in the Italian pavilion. Among these, ACIMIT members companies are: Btsr, Color Service, Danti, Fadis, Flainox, Isotex, Itema, Kairos Engineering, Lgl, Lonati, Mcs, Monti-Mac, Nexia, Orox, Ratti, Reggiani Macchine, Salvadè, Santoni, Srs, Stalam, Tecnorama, Ugolini.

The Colombian textile and clothing industry has experienced significant growth in recent years. Consequently, imports of textile machinery have also increased. In 2023, Colombian imports are expected to reach 58 million euros. For the period 2024-2027, the Country’s import growth is projected to be an average of 2.2% annually, according to data compiled by ACIMIT.

Italy has long been a technological partner for Colombian textile companies that have invested in the modernization of the production process. Italian exports to Colombia in 2022 exceeded 18 million euros (a 50% increase from the previous year). In the first six months of 2023, Italian exports to Colombia reached 9 million euros.

Vietnam is the subject of increasing investment across an array of industries, with its textile sector going from strength to strength in a short space of time. To give key players from across the textile spectrum an opportunity to make their presence felt in this market, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will make its debut from 28 February – 1 March 2024. Taking place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), the new fair will cover three main product sectors, namely apparel fabrics, yarns and fibres, and garments; home textiles; as well as technical textiles and nonwovens, textile processing, and printing technology.

In line with the industry’s anticipation, the country was identified as the ideal location for ASEAN’s new comprehensive textile platform for several key reasons. Vietnam’s pro-business policies, strategic geographical location, abundant labour force, and favourable trade agreements have contributed to its rise as a global textile manufacturing hub. Agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF); and 15 free trade agreements (FTAs) covering over 60 countries and regions, will further enable participants from across the value chain to conduct cross-border business after connecting at next year’s show. In addition, several key travel initiatives that serve international players have been implemented, including the country’s APEC Business Travel Card programme^[1], availability of e-visas to all nationalities, and visa-free travel for select countries^[2].  

Exhibitors from multiple textile sub-sectors converge in February
In Vietnam’s home textile segment, rising urbanisation, emerging young consumers, and higher disposable incomes are interrelated factors driving growth^[3]. Globally, three of the top trends include recycling; utilising green fibres; and the increasing use of technical fabrics for enhanced comfort and health. At the fair, confirmed home textiles exhibitors include Hanyang Eco Tex, Hohmann GmbH, Phuong Nam Feather, and SIGMA, set to showcase their most up-to-date products, covering bedding, upholstery fabrics, curtain, and sun protection.
 
Utilised for automobiles, civil aviation, construction, health care, and more, Vietnam's exports of technical textiles reached USD 676.6 million for the first nine months of 2022, up 17.1% compared to the same period in 2021^[4]. This in turn bodes well for the country’s import prospects of quality machinery and equipment. Hoping to cater to domestic demand at VIATT 2024, international suppliers in this category include Julai, SIGMA, and Skwentex.

Meanwhile, apparel-related products make up the lion’s share of the country’s textile exports – according to Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS), in 2022 these numbered USD 29.1 billion. From Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi, numerous international fashion brands have a manufacturing presence, including Adidas, H&M, Lacoste, Lululemon, Nike, The North Face, Uniqlo, and many more. At next year’s fair, exhibitors such as Avery Dennison, Lenzing, Stylem Takisada-Osaka, and Texwinca, will aim to draw the attention of apparel brands and a wide range of other domestic and international buyers.

The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE), covering the entire textile industry value chain.

^[1] ‘Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to Vietnam with an APEC Business Travel Card’, April 2023, Vietnam Briefing, https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/apec-business-travel-card-vietnam.html/ (Retrieved: November 2023)
^[2] ‘Vietnam Introduces E-Visa for All Nationalities from August 15, 2023’, August 2023, Vietnam Briefing, https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/vietnam-introduces-e-visa-for-all-nationalities-from-august-15-2023.html/ (Retrieved: November 2023)
^[3] ‘Vietnam Home Textile Market Size & Share Analysis’, 2023, Mordor Intelligence, https://shorturl.at/wQVWZ (Retrieved: November 2023)
^[4] ‘Vietnam's technical fabric exports continue to be positive’, October 2022, Web Portal of Supporting Industry of Vietnam, https://shorturl.at/lmnvX (Retrieved: November 2023)

Auf der Agenda des Bundestags steht vor Weihnachten noch das Bürokratieentlastungsgesetzes BEG IV, zu dem nach einem Kabinettsbeschluss bereits ein Eckpunktepapier vorliegt. Darin ist auch eine längst überfällige Änderung zum Nachweisgesetz vorgesehen. In seiner Position fordert der Wirtschafts- und Arbeitgeberverband Südwesttextil die Beseitigung bürokratischer Hürden u. a. bei der Arbeitsvertragsgestaltung, insbesondere dass die Textform die Schriftform ersetzt.

Zuletzt bedeutete die Anpassung des Nachweisgesetzes mit Wirkung zum 01. August 2022 einen Rückschritt für die erhoffte Vereinfachung und Digitalisierung der Arbeitsvertragsgestaltung. Es verpflichtete Arbeitgeber zur schriftlichen Niederlegung der wesentlichen Arbeitsbedingungen. Der Arbeitsvertrag muss wieder ausgedruckt, unterschrieben und dem Mitarbeiter in Papierform ausgehändigt werden. Lange Zustellzeiten und hoher Aufwand bspw. bei Niederlassungen im Ausland sind in Zeiten des Fachkräftemangels eine untragbare Situation.

Im Eckpunktepapier zum Bürokratieentlastungsgesetzes BEG IV ist nunmehr vorgesehen, die Schriftform durch die digitale Form zu ersetzen. Der Wirtschafts- und Arbeitgeberverband begrüßt den zeitgemäßen Schritt, bewertet die Bürokratieentlastung aber als noch nicht weitgehend genug. Im Ergebnis bedeute die Neuregelung keinen signifikanten praktischen Vorteil, da an die elektronische Signatur komplexe technische Anforderungen gestellt würden. Der Aufwand werde durch den Wegfall der postalischen Versendung zwar reduziert, Potenzial für eine echte Vereinfachung des Prozesses biete aber nur die Textform, die im Geschäftsverkehr heutzutage absolut üblich und anerkannt ist. Südwesttextil fordert daher, dass das Eckpunktepapier und der spätere Referentenentwurf dahingehend angepasst werden, dass die Textform ebenfalls zulässig ist, da diese einen signifikanten Bürokratieabbau bedeuten würde.

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG has appointed Michelle Robertson (48) as Executive Board member, responsible for Global Human Resources, People and Culture, effective January 1st, 2024. Michelle Robertson, a British national, has been with adidas and previously Reebok in different HR roles for more than 18 years. Since July 2023 she has already been leading Global Human Resources at adidas on an interim basis reporting to CEO Bjørn Gulden.

As of January 1, 2024, the company’s Executive Board will consist of Bjørn Gulden (Chief Executive Officer and Global Brands), Arthur Hoeld (Global Sales), Harm Ohlmeyer (Chief Financial Officer), Michelle Robertson (Global Human Resources, People and Culture) and Martin Shankland (Global Operations).

Researchers at the ITA, the University of Bonn and Heimbach GmbH have developed a new method for removing oil spills from water surfaces in an energy-saving, cost-effective way and without the use of toxic substances. The method is made possible by a technical textile that is integrated into a floating container. A single small device can remove up to 4 liters of diesel within an hour. This corresponds to about 100 m2 of oil film on a water surface.
 
Despite the steady expansion of renewable energies, global oil production, oil consumption and the risk of oil pollution have increased steadily over the last two decades. In 2022, global oil production amounted to 4.4 billion tons! Accidents often occur during the extraction, transportation and use of oil, resulting in serious and sometimes irreversible environmental pollution and harm to humans.

There are various methods for removing this oil pollution from water surfaces. However, all methods have various shortcomings that make them difficult to use and, in particular, limit the removal of oil from inland waters.

For many technical applications, unexpected solutions come from the field of biology. Millions of years of evolution led to optimized surfaces of living organisms for their interaction with the environment. Solutions - often rather unfamiliar to materials scientists and difficult to accept. The long-time routine examination of around 20,000 different species showed that there is an almost infinite variety of structures and functionalities. Some species in particular stand out for their excellent oil adsorption properties. It was shown that, e.g., leaves of the floating fern Salvinia molesta, adsorb oil, separate it from water surfaces and transport it on their surfaces (Figure 1, see also the video of the phenomon.).

The observations inspired them to transfer the effect to technical textiles for separating oil and water. The result is a superhydrophobic spacer fabric that can be produced industrially and is therefore easily scalable.

The bio-inspired textile can be integrated into a device for oil-water separation. This entire device is called a Bionic Oil Adsorber (BOA). Figure 2: Cross-section of computer-aided (CAD) model of the Bionic Oil Adsorber. The scheme shows an oil film (red) on a water surface (light blue). In the floating cotainer(gray), the textile (orange) is fixed so that it is in contact with the oil film and the end protrudes into the container. The oil is adsorbed and transported by the BOA textile. As shown in the cross-section, it enters the contain-er, where it is released again and accumulates at the bottom of the container. See also the video regarding the oil absorption on the textile, source ITA).
 
Starting from the contamination in the form of an oil film on the water surface, the separation and collection process works according to the following steps:

• The BOA is introduced into the oil film.
• The oil is adsorbed by the textile and separated from the water at the same time.
• The oil is transported through the textile into the collection container.
• The oil drips from the textile into the collection container.
• The oil is collected until the container is emptied.

The advantage of this novel oil separation device is that no additional energy has to be applied to operate the BOA. The oil is separated from the surrounding water by the surface properties of the textile and transported through the textile driven solely by capillary forces, even against gravity. When it reaches the end of the textile in the collection container, the oil desorbs without any further external influence due to gravitational forces. With the current scale approximately 4 L of diesel can be separated from water by one device of the Bionic Oil Adsorber per hour.

• It seems unlikely that a functionalized knitted spacer textile is cheaper than a conventional nonwoven, like it is commonly used for oil sorbents. However, since it is a functional material, the costs must be related to the amount of oil removed. In this respect, if we compare the sales price of the BOA textile with the sales prices of various oil-binding nonwovens, the former is 5 to 13 times cheaper with 10 ct/L oil removed.
  Overall, the BOA device offers a cost-effective and sustainable method of oil-water separation in contrast to conventional cleaning methods due to the following advantages:
• No additional energy requirements, such as with oil skimmers, are necessary
• No toxic substances are introduced into the water body, such as with oil dispersants
• The textiles and equipment can be reused multiple times
• No waste remains inside the water body
• Inexpensive in terms of the amount of oil removed.
• The team of researchers from the ITA, the University of Bonn and Heimbach GmbH was able to prove that the novel biomimetic BOA technology is surprisingly efficient and sustainable for a self-controlled separation and automatic collection of oil films including their complete removal from the water. BOA can be asapted for open water application but also for the use in inland waters. Furthermore, it is promising, that the textile can be used in various related separation processes. The product is currently being further developed so that it can be launched on the market in 2-3 years.

Der Wirtschafts- und Arbeitgeberverband Südwesttextil bekräftigt das grundsätzliche Bekenntnis der Unternehmen der baden-württembergischen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie zu den Zielen und Leitlinien des Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetzes. Schon jetzt würden auch ohne unmittelbare Betroffenheit durch das deutsche Gesetz der überwiegend kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen Maßnahmen ergriffen, um Menschen- und Umweltrechte bestmöglich zu achten. Die nun im Rahmen des Trilogverfahrens diskutierten Punkte der Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) verschärften das deutsche Gesetz jedoch.

Beim Anwendungsbereich der CSDDD plädiert Südwesttextil für einen Schwellenwert im mittleren vierstelligen Mitarbeiterbereich analog der französischen Regelung. Bezogen auf die Sorgfaltspflichten sieht der Wirtschafts- und Arbeitgeberverband die UN-Leitprinzipien für Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte (UNGP) als maßgeblich an und schließt sich der Position des EU-Rats an, dass nur die direkten Zulieferer der ersten Ebene („Tier-1“) betroffen sein sollten.

Daneben sieht Südwesttextil vor allem bei der Einführung von Sanktionen und Haftungstatbeständen Bedarf für Rechtssicherheit und Angemessenheit. Bußgelder seien auf vorsätzliche und grob fahrlässige Verstöße zu begrenzen und es müsse sichergestellt werden, dass keine „Durchgriffshaftung“ auf die Geschäftsführung erfolge. Angesichts der Komplexität globaler Lieferketten unter Einbeziehung einer Vielzahl von Zulieferern sei diese ausufernde Haftung nicht sachgerecht und gehe auch weit über den tatsächlich kontrollierbaren Rahmen hinaus. Für die umstrittene zivilrechtliche Haftung seien Voraussetzungen im Sinne der Rechtssicherheit zu definieren und branchenspezifische Standards als Safe-Harbour-Lösungen zu berücksichtigen.

Südwesttextil-Hauptgeschäftsführerin Edina Brenner fasst zusammen: „Die Regelungen der EU-Lieferkettenrichtlinie müssen mit Augenmaß erfolgen und den bürokratischen Aufwand auf das Minimum reduzieren, damit ein nachhaltiges Wirtschaften in Baden-Württemberg weiter möglich ist und eine Verlagerung von Produktion und Arbeitsplätzen verhindert wird.“ Die ausführliche Position des Wirtschafts- und Arbeitgeberverbands wird in einem Ende Oktober veröffentlichten Positionspapier dargestellt.

Peter Schulz will join Renewcell in the role of interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) from 1 January 2024.

He comes from a role as CFO at Pacific Basin Shipping (publ.) in Hong Kong, a position he has held for the past six years. Peter Schulz has extensive experience as CFO from both listed and private companies for the last 10 years. Prior to that Peter Schulz spent more than 15 years, and held senior positions, in investment banking in Stockholm, London and Hong Kong, among others with Royal Bank of Canada and ABN Amro.