From the Sector

adidas launches the iconic three-stripes brand on Roblox, a global, immersive platform for communication and connection. The experience kicks off with pop-up stores, carrying officially licensed digital clothing and bespoke outfits for the platform (UGC). These digital wearables and accessories will begin appearing across a range of Roblox experiences, fusing physical and virtual realms to bring adidas’ famous designs to a new generation of digital trendsetters and innovators. Roblox users can now dress up their avatars with some of adidas most iconic pieces such as the firebird tracksuits. All items will be available on the Roblox Marketplace, ensuring accessibility and convenience for Roblox users.

As part of the diverse range of UGC collections immediately on offer, adidas has joined forces with Roblox creator Rush Bogin (Rush X) to craft a range of limited-edition UGC that will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. Following the initial release, additional designs for both adidas and adidas x Rush X collaboration products will be introduced, with new drops scheduled weekly throughout December. The adidas x Rush X collection will be available alongside a wide range of iconic looks that will be brought to new life from the brand’s existing and upcoming collections.

Self-expression, creativity, and user experience are at the heart of this of adidas entry into Roblox. adidas has created a range of apparel that embodies the playful, imaginative, and visually bold spirit of Roblox, while staying true to adidas’ contemporary and performance-driven character. The brand’s venture into the digital realm will also create connections with new audiences, while offering long-standing adidas fans the chance to collect and style official UGC on Roblox, through new avatar customization options.

Millions of Roblox users now have the chance to discover the first adidas pop-up shops in some of their favorite experiences, with more stores being regularly introduced in the following weeks. Users can explore the first of these pop-up shops in the following experiences: Princess Dress Up Obby, Cotton Obby!, Seaboard City, Theme Park HeideLand, Noob Train, Dream Island, and Ultimate Ragdoll Playground.

Stocking an array of UGC apparel and accessories inspired by the brand’s SS24 physical collection, there is something to fit each users’ tastes and love for the three-stripes brand. Exemplifying the bold, stylish, and creative aesthetic adidas is celebrated for, the product range includes designs that echo adidas’ physical-world apparel, as well as eclectic, offbeat merchandise crafted specifically with Roblox’s exciting virtual environment in mind. The adidas packs will be refreshed and updated on a regular basis, with new UGC added each week.

In view of the easing of pandemic restriction policies in China, the Spring Editions of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Yarn Expo and Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles have been moved to the new timeslot of 28 – 30 March 2023. This will allow both local and international fairgoers more time to prepare for their participation, with a higher industry turnout now expected at the three fairs. The fairs will still be located at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai where they were originally due to be held from 8 – 10 March.

Discussing the change of dates, Ms Wilmet Shea, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd explained: “After talking to our stakeholders, we believe adjusting the spring show dates to the end of March is the right move. It provides enough time for exhibitors and visitors from local and abroad to plan for the fairs and capitalise on the ample international business opportunities brought by the reopening of China’s border.”

Due to rising Covid-19 cases in Shenzhen, CHIC GBA (Greater Bay Area), scheduled from November 2-4, 2022, will be postponed to 2023 for pandemic control and integrated into CHIC Shanghai in spring.

CHIC Shanghai will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center from March 8-10, 2023.

• Autumn edition from Aug. 29-31, 2022, in Shanghai

Scheduled to take place in Nanjing in May, CHIC Spring requires another postponement due to the pandemic development of Covid19 in China. Organizers are focusing on the autumn edition of CHIC in Shanghai. From Aug. 29-31, the latest trends in the Chinese consumer market will be on display at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

The trade fair concept is being revised for the autumn edition, which is expected to attract around 900 exhibitors. Ahead of the show, the CHIC LIVESTREAMING format will provide information on relevant topics during talks with industry experts on social media. The CHIC LIST OF THE BEST section of the trade show will also be launched. Based on industry research, it will showcase best practices and particularly successful brands in the areas of research and design, cultural values, technical innovation, best selling, etc.

CHIC is organized by Beijing Fashion Expo Co. Ltd. and China World Exhibitions sponsored by China National Garment Association, China World Trade Center and SubCouncil of Textile Industry (CCPIT).

Finland-based circular fashion and textile technology group Infinited Fiber Company has selected AFRY as the main engineering partner for its new flagship factory for producing regenerated textile fibers for leading fashion and apparel brands.

More than 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced globally every year, with much of it ending up in landfills or incinerators. At the same time, textile fiber demand is increasing rapidly. Infinited Fiber Company’s technology turns cellulose-based raw materials, like cotton-rich textile waste, into a premium regenerated textile fiber that goes by the name Infinna™. The technology, which can be licensed for both new factories and to retrofit existing pulp or viscose production units, offers a solution for eliminating waste and reducing the textile industry’s burden on limited virgin resources.

Infinited Fiber Company currently operates pilot plants in Finland and has announced plans to build a flagship factory there to meet the strong demand from international clothing brands. The flagship factory will be the first of its kind in the world and will use post-consumer textile waste as feedstock. Production is scheduled to begin in 2024. In Finland, the national-level collection of textile waste will begin in 2023, and in the EU, the collection of textile waste will become mandatory in 2025, which will facilitate raw material supply.

The annual production capacity of the plant is planned at 30,000 tonnes of Infinna fiber, which corresponds to the amount of fiber needed for about 100 million t-shirts. Infinited Fiber Company has already sold a significant portion of future production through multi-year sales deals with global fashion brands, who see its regenerated Infinna fiber as an important part of their own circular economy strategies.

AFRY’s assignment includes the basic engineering of the new factory to support the final investment decision. In this basic engineering phase, AFRY will design the combination of several technology and equipment deliveries into one viable plant. AFRY will also provide its AFRY Smart Site services for the digitalization of the factory, utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies to optimize and digitally connect all the factory's processes and operations.

Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) has released its 2021 progress report on its commitment to invest USD200 million in next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology over a ten-year period which started in 2019.

The annual report provides an update on the activities undertaken by RGE and its business groups (Sateri, APR, APRIL, Bracell) involved in the fashion value chain to advance its ambition towards closed-loop, circular and climate-positive cellulosic fibre.

In 2021, Sateri achieved full compliance with the emission limits set out in the European Union Best Available Techniques Reference Document (EU-BAT BREF) for all of its five viscose mills in China, two years ahead of schedule. Bracell completed construction of the world’s largest and greenest new generation pulp mill in São Paulo which uses cutting-edge technology for fossil fuel-free generation.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to restrict travel and collaboration, RGE persisted in building upon existing partnerships, while entering into new agreements. Sateri strengthened its strategic collaboration with Infinited Fiber Company, participating in the company’s EUR30 million funding round, which attracted new and existing investors such as H&M Group, Adidas, BESTSELLER and Zalando.

New partnerships formed by RGE included a five-year textile recycling research collaboration with Nanyang Technological University Singapore, and a three-year strategic partnership with the Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore which seeks, among others goals, to advance research and innovation in circular economy approaches to fashion waste in Asia.

RGE’s in-house R&D team has made good progress in advancing its textile-to-textile project, focusing on producing quality viscose using recycled cotton textiles as feedstock. To support plans to build a textile recycling facility in Indonesia, and as part of commercial feasibility analysis, studies examining the availability of textile waste and textile recycling landscapes in China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were completed.

Sateri remains on track in developing a product with 50 per cent recycled content by 2023, and to reach 100 per cent by 2030. It also aims for 20 per cent of its feedstock to contain alternative or recycled materials by 2025. In this similar vein, APR will source 20 per cent of its feedstock from alternative or recycled materials by 2030.

How to recognize truly sustainable fashion? How can responsible recycling of garments and fabrics - as well as new formulas for circular economy - make a difference in fighting the climate emergency? These are just some of the topics addressed during THE TEXTILE LIBRARY CIRCULAR SYMPOSIUM, the open-ended program of virtual meetings with some of the most influential fashion and sustainability experts organized by the Museo del Tessuto di Prato in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. ecohub.

The museum and the international platform that creates awareness and supports professionals who believe in fashion and sustainable textiles have joined forces to talk not only to fashion enthusiasts but to everyone, and explore a hot and often underestimated topic that involves everyday life. The series of meetings deepens and complements the new section entirely dedicated to circular textiles in the museum's Textile Library.

Like a real symposium, THE TEXTILE LIBRARY CIRCULAR SYMPOSIUM is a conversation arena involving 10 game changers who have been able to innovate not only with high-tech and responsible products and materials but also with new formulas, business models and production systems that respect the planet and people. Among the speakers of the cycle, visionary innovators who generate change at all levels: from the entire production system and beyond to retailers, leading international brands, research companies and communication experts, all the way to the final consumer.

The first appointment is Wednesday, May 13 at 5 pm CEST with the talk THE SUSTAINABLE PERSPECTIVE. True sustainable fashion is a choral and capillary system in which every actor plays a fundamental role. During the meeting, professionals from different fields, from cultural institutions to industrial production, from marketing to retail, will share their perspective on sustainability.

Recycling is the key word in THE SECOND CHANCE, the second meeting scheduled for June 10 h. 5 p.m CEST.

On September 29, also at 5 p.m. CEST, appointment for the talk A TICKET TO FASHION... AND BACK entirely dedicated to the new models of circular economy.

You can register here.

• The PREMIUM GROUP in Berlin is cancelling its PREMIUM and SEEK trade shows for this summer season, as well as the FASHIONTECH conference – in collaboration with the leading global digital B2B marketplace, JOOR, there is still a guaranteed trading option.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, in April the dates of the PREMIUM GROUP’s events were provisionally moved from the original schedule of 31 June-2 July 2020 to 28 -30 July. Now, the Federal and State governments have decided to cancel large-scale events with over 1,000 visitors until 31 August 2020.
     
A statement from Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the PREMIUM GROUP: 

“We greatly regret the decision of course, especially after the success of our January events. The ban on large-scale events has been around for some time and has been publicly discussed. It hurts us to do it, but we are also conscious of our responsibility. If cancelling our trade shows, conferences and parties contributes to the safety of our customers and visitors, then we have to take this step.
 
We are in close contact with all our brands and partners and have spent the last four weeks discussing possible approaches, concepts and new focal topics for the summer. The bottom line is that digitalisation is clearly the focus. It’s all about using the time over the next few months sensibly. The timing for brands and retailers is now right – all market participants are aware of the necessity of this.

We have been working closely with JOOR, the leading B2B marketplace globally, for around a year, after successfully integrating our own digital platform, Veee.com. JOOR has digitalised the entire procurement process and ensures a seamless, functioning wholesale process on an international scale – both for brands and retailers.
 
We shall shortly be offering webinars on this and can offer our customers an optimal, digital ordering solution so as to use this time of the pandemic efficiently. We are very happy with this option and our year-long investment in the topic of digitalisation. This has come good for us now.
 
Our trade show formats have been about more than just ordering for a long time now. They are about encounters, emotion, inspiration, communication and, finally, the fashion community getting together. Although lots can take place digitally nowadays, it doesn't replace physically meeting up in person. We have seen this more than ever in the present situation.
 
We are going to work on new concepts for 2021, and we will liaise with the key stakeholders in Berlin and with all others too to ensure we hit the ground running again. We’re taking on the challenge and will come back to the industry when we have news.”

• Circularity at the centre

PG DENIM, the designer project by Paolo Gnutti, is ready for several important events scheduled for the autumn with ground-breaking interpretations and a new – increasingly green – business model. The occasion is its participation in the Blue Zone at Munich Fabric Start (Munich, 3-5 September 2019), a space which is increasingly often reserved for companies and projects with a high innovation rate in the world of denim.

PG DENIM at the German exhibition will be presenting important product innovations, but most notably new concepts developed for the S/S 2021 season. The focus here is on circularity, seen from a dual perspective: the product with the no longer traditional alternation of seasons, and a sustainabilityoriented approach.

Seasons meet

The new PG DENIM approach is geared towards overlapping seasonality, with less and less marked separations between projects dedicated to the spring-summer and fall-winter lines. The collections by PG DENIM can thus be increasingly defined as a “mix of products without seasonality”. Its focal points are innovation alongside the concept behind the initial idea, as opposed to just the season. This trend, explains Paolo Gnutti, CEO and R&D Head at PG DENIM, is also due to registering the fact that seasonality – in terms of environment and trends – is changing at an increasingly rapid pace. As a response to this situation, the choice has been made to design new collections starting from macro-trends and presenting fabrics for garments which are “easy to wear”, suitable for both warm and cold temperatures, in a true melting pot  of weights and sizes.

The lines for the previous season are thus reintroduced and restyled playing with weights and sizes, within a range where flock meets ultra-light fabric bases, or where vinyl is combined with typically summer weights which shift the fabric towards the world of “paper” with crispy touches, resulting in extraordinarily lightweight and strong items at the same time. Also the GARAGE DENIM has been upgraded with fluid and smoothed touched for garments which are easy to wear and have a strong personality.

Partnership with The Denim Window

The PG DENIM season is also enhanced by its partnership in The Denim Window project, which has resulted in a limited series of Creative Capsule Collections, derived from the idea of bringing together companies which had already worked or were working together, trying to highlight – through small capsule collections – the best of what had already been produced by traditional businesses. This has resulted  in three trailblazing capsules, two of which designed in partnership by PG DENIM and companies the likes of M&J Group, Cadica and Greenwear. Several copies of these collections have been made to travel the world, and – after the official presentation in July – they will have a special corner, The Denim Window, in the Bluezone at Munich Fabric Start.

The “Circular Programme” and the five “Rs” of sustainability

Also the PG DENIM approach to accountability in production processes has been enhanced by implementing the “Circular Programme”. As part of our corporate vision, Italian-style production is combined with compliance with what have become known as “the five Rs”, that is to say key concepts underlying the design and manufacturing model: Reduce (everything you are not using), Repair (everything you can), Reuse (anything available to you), Recycle (all that is left), Respect (everything around you).

This is the philosophy underlying each individual process at PG DENIM, and leading to new specific programmes which have been its business focus over the past few months:

1) Reducing the environmental impact during the fabric dyeing phase in reaction and sulphurbased processes, where the use of chemicals has been reduced by 40%, water consumption by 50% and CO2 emissions by 60%, which has also resulted in better penetration and a better result in the crocking process. This has led to producing 10 new articles which will be launched on the market.

2) Recycling all waste from processing and after use, creating a range of garments where cotton is actually obtained from regenerating these two kinds of waste. In this regard, PG DENIM for now is the only company on the market able to process with a percentage of recycled product exceeding 60% of the total, whereas the average for this kind of manufacturing is generally about 35%.

As regards regular production, on the other hand, PG DENIM follows stringent international standards, including Dtox, Reach and Gots in all its processing phases, also using BCI cottons and the Organic Cotton Standard for raw materials. Last but not least, it was recently awarded the GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification.

METALBOTTONI has drawn up its new strategy for the year 2018, based on a targeted trade fair
schedule and on many product innovations. These innovations are part of a marketing approach
which is more and more branding ingredient-oriented, in order to highlight the added value
of the accessory as a component characterising and enhancing product recognition, as well as
strengthening its consulting activities for customers, thus offering true excellence in service.
There are three main elements pointing to a positive moment for METALBOTTONI: its recent
outstanding performance in double-digit on foreign markets (most notably in the northern
European region), the consolidation of consulting and support services aimed at redesigning the
perspective on the world of accessories, and its product range extension. The fourth pillar, actually
a fixture at METALBOTTONI, is sustainable innovation with the protocol called NO IMPACT which has
made a huge step forward thanks to new technologies which halved water consumption compared
to previous performances of the system, obtaining also better results in a shorter processing time,
saving electricity as well.

An ongoing pathway
There are many novelties to be displayed by METALBOTTONI at three of the most important events
in the industry early in the new year. The company from Bergamo will be present at Munich Fabric
Start (30 January – 1 February), then at Milano Unica (6-8 February), and finally in Paris for the new
edition of Première Vision Accessories (13-15 February).