From the Sector

The association has launched another initiative to promote upskilling and reskilling in the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industry: the “TCLF SkillBridge” project will focus on establishing regional skills partnerships.

In the context of the EU TCLF Pact for Skills, EURATEX will work together with CEC  and COTANCE  to support the creation of regional partnerships in the area skills; this new SkillBridge project, supported by the European Commission DG GROW, will specifically help to develop action plans with regional authorities, local TCLF industry and education providers. These action plans should respond to the changing needs of the TCLF industry in the area of education and skills. The project will also offer a mobility scheme for regional stakeholders from the industry and offer support to SMEs, to help them develop reskilling or upskilling initiatives in their company.

The TCLF SkillBridge project complements the MetaSkills and Aequalis projects, which have been launched earlier this year. They all share the same objectives which have been established in the TCLF Pact for Skills, and thus contribute to addressing one of the most critical bottlenecks which is faced by the TCLF industry: the shortage of qualified labour. These 3 projects will, collectively, allow EURATEX and its partners to work with all relevant stakeholders from our sector across the EU and beyond.

Dirk Vantyghem, EURATEX Director General, welcomes these initiatives to support the TCLF industries: “Addressing the skills gap, and attracting young people with the right set of skills, is essential to strengthen the European textiles industry. We are grateful to the European Commission to offer the necessary support, and want to reach out especially to the regional authorities, to work together and design a skills strategy that works for its local TCLF industry.”

Lightweight design is a key enabler for addressing the energy transition and sustainable economy. Following the liquidation of the state agency Leichtbau BW GmbH, a consortium consisting of the Allianz Faserbasierter Werkstoffe Baden-Württtemberg (AFBW), the Leichtbauzentrum Baden-Württemberg (LBZ e.V. -BW) and Composites United Baden-Württemberg (CU BW) now represents the interests of the lightweight construction community in the State.

The Lightweight Design Agency for Baden-Württemberg is set up for this purpose on behalf of and with the support of the State. The Lightweight Construction Alliance BW is the central point of contact for all players in the field of lightweight construction in the State and acts in their interests at national and international level. Professor Markus Milwich from the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) represents the agency.

The use of lightweight materials in combination with new production technologies will significantly reduce energy consumption in transportation, the manufacturing industry and the construction sector. Resources can be saved through the use of new materials. As a cross-functional technology, lightweight construction covers entire value chain from production and use to recycling and reuse.

The aim of the state government is to establish Baden-Württemberg as a leading provider of innovative lightweight construction technologies in order to strengthen the local economy and secure high-quality jobs.

Among others, the "Lightweight Construction Alliance Baden-Württemberg" will continue the nationally renowned "Lightweight Construction Day", which acts as an important source of inspiration for a wide range of lightweight construction topics among business and scientific community.

Professor Milwich, an expert with many years of experience and an excellent network beyond the State's borders, has been recruited for this task. In his role, Milwich also represents the state of Baden-Württemberg on the Strategy Advisory Board of the Lightweight Construction Initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, which supports the cross functional-technology and efficient transfer of knowledge between the various nationwide players in lightweight construction and serves as a central point of contact for entrepreneurs nationwide for all relevant questions.

From 2005 to 2020, Professor Milwich headed the Composite Technology research at the DITF, which was integrated into the Competence Center Polymers and Fiber Composites in 2020. He is also an honorary professor at Reutlingen University, where he teaches hybrid materials and composites. "Lightweight design is an essential aspect for sustainability, environmental and resource conservation. I always showcase this in research and teaching and now also as a representative of the lightweight construction community in Baden-Württemberg," emphasizes Professor Milwich.

Nearly 8,000 international visitors came to meet the 1,300 exhibitors at Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris. This year's event was enhanced by a boldly designed showcase in the heart of Paris.
The offer was broader, more diversified and more accessible. Despite increasing requirements in the industry, visitor numbers remained stable. It was on these two objective notes that the latest edition of the Texworld and Apparel Sourcing Paris trade shows for the fashion industry came to a close, held from 5 to 7 February 2024 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. During these 3 days, nearly 8,000 visitors came to meet 1,300 weaving and clothing companies from 25 countries on the two levels of Hall 7 (7.2 and 7.3).

Visitors: a Euro-Mediterranean Top 5
This unprecedented concentration of international companies in Europe, which exceeds in number that of February 2019, is a reminder of the central role of European markets for the global fashion industry. This position is confirmed by the weight of buyers from the Euromed zone in the visitor structure: Top 5 is concentrated around buyers from France (20% of the total, up sharply on 2023), the UK (8.3%), Italy (7.9%), Turkey (7.2%) and Spain (6.8%). This Parisian event is proving to be an essential point of contact between designers, buyers and suppliers of fabrics or finished products.

Making the offer ever more accessible “Despite the slowdown in the clothing market, Europe remains a major market for textile and finished goods manufacturers" explains Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France. “For some players, it is becoming a strategic market to offset the uncertainties weighing on the Russian and American markets" he continues. Our mission is to fulfill our role as a market place, to adapt to these changes and to make the international offer more and more accessible." The February event also highlighted near sourcing. Nine Ukrainian companies grouped together under the banner of the Ukrainian Association of Textile and Leather Industry Companies (Ukrlegprom), as well as Bulgarian, Italian and Dutch companies, were able to take advantage of the show's visibility to include their expertise in the sourcing plans of French and European buyers.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, a new name for our trade fairs
Reflecting the adaptation of Messe Frankfurt France's strategy to changes in the market, Texworld Evolution Paris is changing its name to Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris. This move reflects developments in fashion sourcing and the expansion of brand universes. A growing number of buyers now want to be able to select materials, while also sourcing finished products directly to complement collections or expand their range. The new name is accompanied by a new dual baseline - Weaving the future; sourcing I business I solutions - to underline these developments and reinforce the fairs' service-led positioning.

From 1 to 3 July 2024 at Porte de Versailles
This new signature will be fully expressed at the next edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, including Avantex and Leatherworld, which will take place from 1 to 3 July 2024 in Hall 7 (7.2 and 7.3) of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The show, which will remain the same size and offer a more selective range of products, will reflect this convergence between textiles and finished products. This session will also have no interaction with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which are due to open on 26 July, three weeks after Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Synthetic recycled materials such as PET can usually be treated similarly to new yarn, but there are additional complexities where natural fibres like wool and cotton are involved. Today, there’s a trend towards mechanically recycled wool and cotton fibres.

Spinning recycled cotton
The use of mechanically recycled fibres in spinning brings specific quality considerations: they have higher levels of short fibres and neps – and may often be colored, particularly if post-consumer material is used. It’s also true that recycled yarns have limitations in terms of fineness. The Uster Statistics 2023 edition features an extended range of fibre data, supporting sustainability goals, including benchmarks for blends of virgin and recycled cotton.
In general, short fibres such as those in recycled material can easily be handled by rotor spinning machines. For ring spinning, the shorter the fibres, the more difficult it is to guide them through the drafting zone to integrate them into the yarn body. Still, for wider yarn counts and higher yarn quality, the focus is now shifting to ring spinning. The presence of short fibres is a challenge, but Rieter offers solutions to address this issue.

Knitting recycled wool
For recycling, wool fibres undergo mechanical procedures such as shredding, cutting, and re-spinning, influencing the quality and characteristics of the resulting yarn. These operations remove the natural scales and variations in fibre length of the wool, causing a decrease in the overall strength and durability of the recycled yarn. This makes the yarn more prone to breakage, especially under the tension exerted during knitting.

Adapting to process recycled materials often requires adjustments to existing machinery. Knitting machines must be equipped with positive yarn suppliers to control fibre tension. Steiger engages in continuous testing of new yarns on the market, to check their suitability for processing on knitting machines. For satisfactory quality, the challenges intensify, with natural yarns requiring careful consideration and adaptation in the knitting processes.

From fibres to nonwovens
Nonwovens technology was born partly from the idea of recycling to reduce manufacturing costs and to process textile waste and previously unusable materials into fabric structures. Nonwovens production lines, where fibre webs are bonded mechanically, thermally or chemically, can easily process almost all mechanically and chemically recycled fibres.

Autefa Solutions offers nonwovens lines from a single source, enabling products such as liners, wipes, wadding and insulation to be produced in a true closed loop. Fibres are often used up to four times for one product.

Recycling: total strategy
Great services, technology and machines from members of Swiss Textile Machinery support the efforts of the circular economy to process recycled fibres. The machines incorporate the know-how of several decades, with the innovative power and quality standards in production and materials.
Stäubli’s global ESG (environmental, social & governance) strategy defines KPIs in the context of energy consumption, machine longevity and the recycling capacity in production units worldwide, as well in terms of machinery recyclability. The machine recyclability of automatic drawing in machines, weaving systems and jacquard machines ranges from 96 to 99%.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published its Strategy Statement 2024-2028. The strategy details the agency’s goals and priorities over the next five years to protect health and the environment through its work for chemical safety.

Main elements of the Strategy – Goals and Priorities

Be a trusted chemicals agency – ECHA aims to achieve this by delivering its legal mandate using independent expertise and robust data. The Agency, to support this, will:

• Deliver transparent, independent, and high-quality scientific advice, opinions, and decisions;
• Enhance decision and policy making through optimal use of data, knowledge, and competence; and
• Facilitate the prioritisation and co-ordination of regulatory actions on substances and groups of substances with the European Commission (EC), EU agencies and Member State Authorities.

 
Respond to emerging challenges and changes in their legal landscape – ECHA will prepare for new tasks and inform EU chemical and environmental policy. To support this goal, it will focus on the following priorities:

• Implement new legal requirements using existing and new synergies and experience;
• Work with relevant EU agencies and bodies to deliver Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) actions and objectives; and
• Provide scientific and technical advice on chemicals to EU policy makers.

 
Communicate and Engage – by collaborating with stakeholders and partners, ECHA will strengthen public confidence in chemicals regulation. In support of this goal, the Agency will:

• Deepen their network of engagement with EU institutions and agencies and Member States;
• Collaborate and provide tools, advice, and support to industry; and
• Promote awareness and understanding of ECHA's work to stakeholders representing workers, the public and the environment.

 
Lead on chemical knowledge and expertise – the Agency will advance knowledge and understanding on chemical safety. To achieve this, it will:

• Contribute proactively to expanding scientific and technical competence and knowledge on chemical safety;
• Promote the development and use of alternative methods for the assessment of hazards and risks of chemicals; and
• Support the EC to enhance engagement and synergies at international level.

 
Invest in people and organisational excellence – ECHA is committed to working together to achieve their vision. In order to achieve this they will:

• Develop and empower their people for success;
• Create optimal ways of working for the Agency, its bodies, its people, and the environment; and
• Adopt an IT delivery model that is cost-effective, streamlined, modular, interoperable, cloud based and centralised.

Adient, a leader in automotive seating, has been certified for the second time by the Top Employers Institute as a European Top Employer for several of its EMEA locations.
 
23 of the automotive supplier’s locations in the Czech Republic, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Serbia underwent an extensive assessment by the institute and were evaluated in categories such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more. All six assessed markets obtained the certification, having already done so in last year’s edition.
 
While the organization’s overall score improved by 4.5% compared to 2023, Adient stands out the most from its competitors in the areas of People Strategy and DE&I practices, at 11% and 7%, respectively.

The Top Employers Certification Program has been created to provide guidance on people practices of employers in a wide range of industries. It evaluates companies worldwide and provides feedback on their working culture based on a best practice survey.

Coloreel has appointed Lucia Eklöf as Vice President of Customer Success to lead international expansion. Eklöf joins the company with a strong sales background and an in-depth understanding of international textile business dynamics.

Prior to her role at Coloreel, Eklöf managed key accounts at Coats, a global leader in thread manufacturing, where she was responsible for a large portfolio of prominent Scandinavian apparel and footwear brands and their global operations.

Lucia Eklöf’s appointment will strengthen Coloreel’s strategy of delivering collaborative partnerships and create value. She will work closely with Coloreel’s distributors, customers, and certified digitizers to help them maximize the benefits of Coloreel’s unique solutions.

Partnership between Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, Pellenc ST and ANDRITZ promotes circular economy for textiles.

France’s first industrial plant for automated sorting and recycling of textile waste was officially inaugurated at Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, Amplepuis, on November 30, 2023. The plant is the result of an ambitious partnership between textile recycling company Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, waste sorting specialist Pellenc ST and international technology group ANDRITZ, a specialist in textile recycling machinery and processes.

Capable of automatically sorting garments by composition and color, the new line meets the needs of both post-consumer and post-industrial waste markets. The line also removes hard parts such as buttons and zippers to prepare the material for further processing in an ANDRITZ tearing machine.

The automated textile sorting line at Nouvelles Fibres Textiles is dedicated to industrial-scale production, customer trials and projects, and the R&D activities of the partners. It will process textile waste to produce recycled fibers for the spinning, nonwovens, and composites industries.

Automated sorting was the last missing link needed to develop a complete ecosystem in France, where the fashion industry, social and solidarity economy actors, waste management companies, and textile producers from different sectors are working together towards a textile circular economy.

The EU's strategy for sustainable and circular textiles aims to ensure that by 2030 textile products are made to a great extent of recycled fibers and incineration and landfilling of textiles are minimized.

Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery Co., Ltd. announces that it has received regulatory approval from Chinese authorities for its proposed acquisition of Terrot GmbH, a manufacturer of circular knitting machines in Germany.

The acquisition represents a pivotal step in Santoni's strategy to advance the circular knitting machine industry. The integration of Terrot into the Santoni ecosystem is projected to increase Santoni's production capacity and boost its market share, and in conjunction with other strategic objectives, firmly solidify Santoni's position as the leading manufacturer in the industry, with unrivaled scale, depth of innovation and expertise.

Seeking to meet rising demand for high-end circular knitting products, Santoni has pursued an Ecosystem Strategy in recent years, aiming to unify a highly fragmented industry and enhance innovation, sustainability and digitalization to more effectively meet market needs. The deployment of both parties' latest innovation practices, textile automation offerings, integrated enterprise services, C2M solutions, and a platform for designers "Materialliance", will allow Santoni Shanghai and Terrot to connect and bridge demand and offer of circular knitted products.

By incorporating Terrot's offerings, particularly in the double jersey and jacquard sector, Santoni stands to gain a competitive edge in offering machines known for their performance, low maintenance, and cost-effectiveness. Highlighting this shift is Terrot's UCC 572-T, a transfer jacquard machine for sports and leisurewear.

Following the acquisition, Terrot will continue to operate under the leadership of managing directors Robert W. Czajkowski and Dirk Lange. Santoni plans to maintain Terrot’s headquarters in Chemnitz, Germany, along with its facilities, brands, and practices.

Developments:

• Currency-neutral revenues up 1% driven by growth in all regions except North America
• Top-line development reflects focus on conservative sell-in and full-price business
• Gross margin up 0.2pp to 49.3% driven by reduced freight costs, a more favorable business mix, and lower inventory allowances; discounting levels continue to improve  
• Operating profit of € 409 million includes extraordinary expenses of around € 110 million
• Conservative sell-in strategy paying off as inventory position improves substantially versus Q2 level to € 4.8 billion; now down 23% year-over-year

Outlook
adidas expects revenues to decline at a low-single-digit rate
On October 17, adidas had adjusted its full year financial guidance to reflect both the positive impact of the second drop of some of its Yeezy inventory and the better-than-expected development of the underlying business. At the same time, macroeconomic challenges and geopolitical tensions persist. Elevated recession risks in North America and Europe as well as uncertainty around the recovery in Greater China continue to exist. In addition, the company’s revenue development will continue to be impacted by the initiatives to significantly reduce high inventory levels in North America and the company’s focus on full-price sales across its own channels. As a result, adidas now expects currency-neutral revenues to decline at a low-single-digit rate in 2023 (previously: decline at a mid-single-digit rate).

Underlying operating profit anticipated to reach a level of around € 100 million
The company’s underlying operating profit – excluding any one-offs related to Yeezy and the ongoing strategic review – is now anticipated to reach a level of around € 100 million in 2023 (previously: around break-even level). Including the positive impact from the two Yeezy drops in Q2 and Q3 of around € 300 million (previously: € 150 million), the potential write-off of the remaining Yeezy inventory of now around € 300 million (previously: € 400 million) and one-off costs related to the strategic review of up to € 200 million (unchanged), adidas now expects a reported operating loss of around € 100 million in 2023 (previously: loss of € 450 million).