From the Sector

Leaders assembled at the renowned forum for sustainability in fashion to mobilise action and usher in a transformative phase for the industry.

Hosted in the Copenhagen Concert Hall, on 27-28 June, Global Fashion Summit convened over 1000 revered representatives from brands, retailers, NGOs, policy, manufacturers, and innovators to transform ambition into action. The Summit was presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit organisation that is accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, under the patronage of HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark.

This year’s theme ‘Ambition to Action’, galvanised participants to transform ambitions into concrete actions that can drive the industry towards more sustainable practices, both socially and environmentally. Under this premise, the event presented content experiences focused on tangible and evidence-based impact, with over half of the programme dedicated to educational and action-oriented business case studies.

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages. The Summit also facilitated more than 10 strategic roundtable meetings that brought together executives and policy makers for productive dialogues on how to address pressing sustainability issues and act accordingly. The content integrated the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda, alongside critical challenges and tangible opportunities relating to some of the key forces that are shaping the fashion industry today: data, policy and storytelling.

Attendees heard from 137 speakers including HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark; Antoine Arnault, Image & Environment, LVMH Group; Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director & Founder, JW Anderson and Creative Director, Loewe; Virginijus Sinkevičius,  Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission; Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Chief Delivery Officer, Maersk; Aude Vergne, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chloé; Nicolaj Reffstrup, Founder, GANNI; Fanny Moizant, Co-Founder & President, Vestiaire Collective; Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike; Óscar García Maceiras, CEO, Inditex; Dr. Lewis Akenji, Managing Director, Hot or Cool Institute; Rachel Arthur, Advocacy Lead, Sustainable Fashion, United Nations Environment Programme; and many more.

Innovation Forum connected fashion companies with sustainable solution providers
This year’s Summit also presented an Innovation Forum, enabling small and large companies to meet with 26 sustainable solution providers – equipping them with the concrete tools to quickly turn words into meaningful actions. More than 350 facilitated business meetings between fashion companies and sustainable solution providers took place during the Summit.

Global Fashion Summit: Boston Edition will take place on 27 September 2023, which will mark the second time the Summit has been hosted outside of Copenhagen in its 14-year history.

Pulcra Chemicals and Inditex develop Sustineri Coloring, a combined pretreatment and dyeing process for cotton and polyester/cotton resulting in water, time and energy savings. This process is the result of a joint research between Pulcra Chemicals and Inditex with the goal to mitigate the impact of standard dyeing processes and to reduce the use of natural resources.

Sustineri Coloring is based on newly engineered process chemicals which allow a one bath pretreatment and dyeing process for dark, medium and light shades of cotton and polyester/cotton fabrics by exhaust method. This results in shorter processing time and less use of water and energy.

The process is already used by selected mills and it showed that Sustineri Coloring is reducing in pretreatment and dyeing the processing time by up to 60 % and the water and energy consumption by up to 80 and 60% respectively. The state-of-the-art products allow a one bath treatment which is the key in saving resources.

• Harmful PFAS chemicals, used in thousands of consumer products, are shaping up to be the big environmental and health threat of our time. The EU is now the first in the world to propose a broad ban on these chemicals.
• Consumer brands worth more than €130 billion support the ban on PFAS.  
• Investors with assets in PFAS-producing companies are calling for an end to production.

Many companies are taking a stand against PFAS chemicals as the EU invites the public to give its opinions on the proposed ban on these harmful chemicals.

108 companies dedicated to phasing out PFAS chemicals from products and processes have joined the PFAS Movement, an advocacy campaign initiated by environmental NGO ChemSec that calls for comprehensive regulation of PFAS in the EU. The members comprise many well-known brands, such as Inditex, Urbanears and the Cookware Company, representing various industries— fashion, home goods, food, and personal care. The members are worth more than €130 billion in total revenue.

“A European ban on PFAS chemicals will have huge repercussions for all manufacturing industries and require much work for companies in the global supply chain. However, some parts of the industry oppose this ban, claiming that the change is too big to be justified. That’s why the support for a ban from such influential consumer brands as those in the PFAS Movement is so important. It’s a strong sign that businesses want to eliminate PFAS chemicals in products and processes”, says Anne-Sofie Bäckar, Executive Director at ChemSec.

A Hollywood Helping Hand
ChemSec’s PFAS Movement is not only supported by the brands but also by Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo who became a PFAS activist after his involvement in the film Dark Waters. The film depicts the real-life events following the massive uncovering of PFAS contamination in the USA. As a result, several PFAS producers in the USA are now involved in multimillion-dollar lawsuits.

The health and environmental threats of PFAS, along with all the lawsuits, have also created attention among another influential group: institutional investors. Last year, 47 institutional investors with US$8 trillion in assets sent a letter to 54 chemical companies named by ChemSec, calling for them to halt the production of persistent “forever chemicals”.

The EU ban on PFAS
The proposed EU ban on PFAS is extensive and the first of its kind worldwide. The idea was initially initiated by Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany and Norway, who have spent almost three years mapping the implications of a ban on PFAS chemicals in a dossier that expands over nearly 2000 pages. The proposal shows, among other things, that the emissions of PFAS were 75 000 tonnes in 2020. If this continues, the emissions are expected to sit at 4.4 million tonnes in 30 years. The emissions originate from the production and use of the many products that contain PFAS; furniture, cosmetics, electronics and many more.

• An innovative European project to process and recycle plastic textile waste
• A partnership to reach the objectives set by the European Union in reducing CO2 emissions by 2030
• A unique consortium rallying 16 public and private European organizations working together for more circular economy

Carbios joined WhiteCycle, a project coordinated by Michelin, which was launched in July 2022. Its main goal is to develop a circular solution to convert complex^[1] waste containing textile made of plastic into products with high added value. Co-funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s research and innovation program, this unprecedented public/private European partnership includes 16 organizations and will run for four years.
 
WhiteCycle envisions that by 2030 the uptake and deployment of its circular solution will lead to the annual recycling of more than 2 million tons of the third most widely used plastic in the world, PET^[2]. This project should prevent landfilling or incineration of more than 1.8 million tons of that plastic each year. Also, it should enable reduction of CO2 emissions by around 2 million tons.
 
Complex waste containing textile (PET) from end-of-life tyres, hoses and multilayer clothes are currently difficult to recycle, but could soon become recyclable thanks to the project outcomes. Raw material from PET plastic waste could go back into creation of high-performance products, through a circular and viable value chain.
 
Public and private European organizations are combining their scientific and industrial expertises:

• industrial partners (Michelin, Mandals, KORDSA);
• cross-sector partnership (Inditex)
• waste management companies (Synergies TLC, ESTATO);
• intelligent monitoring systems for sorting (IRIS);
• biological recycling SME (Carbios);
• product life cycle analysis company (IPOINT);
• university, expert in FAIR data management (HVL);
• universities, research and technology organizations (PPRIME – Université de Poitiers/CNRS, DITF, IFTH, ERASME);
• industry cluster (Axelera);
• project management consulting company (Dynergie).

 
The consortium will develop new processes required throughout the industrial value chain:

• Innovative sorting technologies, to enable significant increase of the PET plastic content of complex waste streams in order to better process them;
• A pre-treatment for recuperated PET plastic content, followed by a breakthrough recycling enzyme-based process to decompose it into pure monomers in a sustainable way;
• Repolymerization of the recycled monomers into like new plastic;
• Fabrication and quality verification of the new products made of recycled plastic materials

 
WhiteCycle has a global budget of nearly 9.6 million euros and receives European funding in the amount of nearly 7.1 million euros. The consortium’s partners are based in five countries (France, Spain, Germany, Norway and Turkey). Coordinated by Michelin, it has an effective governance system involving a steering committee, an advisory board and a technical support committee.

^[1] Complex waste: multi materials waste (Rubber goods composites and multi-layer textile)
^[2] PET: Polyethylene terephthalate

A new interview study from NGO ChemSec shows that there is a gap between supply and demand when it comes to recycled materials, causing confusion and bottlenecks. Among other things, suppliers go out of their way using elaborate trade schemes to reach the coveted ”100% recycled” tag, which – it turns out – is not that important to consumer product brands. Far more crucial aspects, according to several major B2C companies, are:

• Honest communication towards customers
• Comprehensive information from suppliers
• Clear standards for recycled material

These are some of the conclusions from NGO ChemSec’s survey and interview study with 26 highly well-known consumer product brands. All brands responded to a survey concerning their current plastic use, as well as their needs, expectations and challenges regarding using more recycled material, to enable the shift to a circular economy for plastics.

Ten of the brands then participated in in-depth interviews on the same topics:, Essity, H&M, IKEA, Inditex , Lego, Mars,  SC Johnson, Tarkett, Unilever and Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Is non-mechanical recycling the answer?
Only about ten percent of all discarded plastics is recycled today, which is of course not nearly enough to achieve a circular plastics economy. Despite ambitions and initiatives to reduce plastics use – replacing the materials with other, more sustainable ones – the “plastic tap” is not expected to be turned off anytime soon. Quite the opposite, which makes raising the recycling rates more important than ever.

Although commercially viable, traditional (mechanical) recycling is afflicted with severe flaws, such as legacy chemicals, quality and functionality issues, as well as the lack of clean and sorted waste streams. The brands cited quality and functionality issues as the main obstacles for using more recycled material in their products.

This opens up for non-mechanical recycling, sometimes referred to as chemical recycling, where the plastic is either dissolved or broken down into smaller building blocks. Harmful additives and other hazardous chemicals can be removed in the process, and a material comparable to virgin plastic can be achieved – at least in theory.

So far, however, non-mechanical recycling technologies are costly, energy-intensive, and often require the addition of a great deal of virgin plastic to work – the very material that needs to be phased out.

The chain of custody models needs to be detangled
Apart from these production issues, there is a wide range of chain of custody models surrounding non-mechanical recycling, including mass balance and book & claim, which enable trade of credits or certificates for recycled material.

This cuts the physical connection between input and output, making it possible for a supplier to sell a material as “100% recycled”, when the actual recycled content could be zero.

This is a major issue for the brands ChemSec has spoken to, who value honest and correct communication towards customers. It turns out, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, that being able to slap a “made from 100% recycled plastic” label on a product is not all that important to brands.

To the brands, a physical connection between input (the discarded plastic waste headed for recycling) and output (the product at least partially made from recycled plastics) is far more important.

A physical connection, along with correct and adequate information from suppliers, as well as clearer standards and guidelines than what is available today, is what brands require to increase the use of recycled material and move us closer to a circular economy for plastics.

• Instant access to ecotoxicological and regulatory information and certificates for Archroma specialty chemical products
• Faster decision-making and time-to-market for manufacturers, brands and retailers in the textile, paper, packaging, paint, and construction industries

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, announced the launch of The Safe Edge, an online platform for instant access to product related regulatory & compliance certificates and information.

With continuously growing public awareness around the social, health and ecological impacts of human and business activities, the need for transparency and traceability in supply chains has become essential.

Time to market is equally critical, and manufacturers, brands and retailers need access to reliable information in real time.

The Safe Edge platform has been designed with that in mind: It allows brands, retailers and manufacturers of textile, fashion, packaging, paper, paints, to verify with just a few clicks the regulatory & compliance status of Archroma products, including regulations, ecotoxicological information & certifications, and brand requirements.

The Safe Edge covers standards, regulations and information such as air emission factors, animal origin, halal, kosher, plant origin, food contact, Blue Angel, bluesign®, Cradle-to-Cradle, chemical inventories, Composability EN 13432, conflict minerals, EU Flower/Ecolabel, GOTS, CONEG, ISEGA, Nordic Swan, Oekotex® Standard 100, California Prop 65, REACH, RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substance), Screened Chemistry, SDS, SVHC (Substance of Very High Concern), VOC (US), ZDHC (Zero Discharge Hazardous Chemicals), and brand standards (like Coats A&F MRSL, Decathlon RSL 2020, Jack Wolfskin RSL and The List IV by Inditex.

With the launch of The Safe Edge, Archroma continues to assert its leading role in driving sustainability in its industries, in line with its commitment to the principles of “The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. The “Safe” principle in particular is at the core of the Archroma approach to sustainability, with the deeply rooted goal to protect people and the planet with products that are safe to use, and safe to wear.

The Safe Edge is already accessible for manufacturers, brands and retailers in Europe and Asia, and will be launched in North America in September 2021, and in Latin America by the end of the year.

FILPUCCI GROUP proceeds along the path of commitment towards an ever more responsible innovation. The group takes part in the 83rd edition of Pitti Filati (June 27-29, 2018) with unique products, high-end knitwear and creative yarns, all resulting from the authentic Smart Innovation the company has been long committed to.
 
Research, style and fashion are key words for the world-renown Tuscan company, which unveils an always more responsible approach both at a corporate level and in terms of offer.
Here are some key elements to prove Filpucci’s relentless commitment:

• The GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and OCS (Organic Content Standard) certifications obtained by the Filpucci dyeing plant add to the Clear to Wear (CTW) standard developed by Inditex Group and achieved in 2014 and to the Detox commitment, which was signed in February, 2016.
• Not only the best raw materials, but also an established knowhow in the fields of dyeing and finishing, always under the key concept of Responsible Innovation. This concept extends to each and every FILPUCCI collection and their ever-increasing offer, the roughly twenty innovative new items, the Woolen line of carded yarns and the real spearhead of premium fashion, the Collection. Among this season’s new offer: Baby Camel Re.Verso™, RWS- certified merino organic wool, Re.Verso™ cashmere, organic silks and FSC-certified viscose.
• The achievement of further certifications such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) for viscose shows the care and respect towards the ecosystem as a whole, guaranteeing a product derived from a forest or a plantation forest in the respect of strict environmental, social and economic standards. The RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) finally guarantees the use of wool coming from livestock managed under rigorous criteria oriented towards the wellbeing of animals and the reduction of environmental impact.
• Filpucci Group is all about a constant vocation towards new generation values and a reliable, traceable and transparent manufacturing process, as shown by the Re.Verso™ circular economy supply chain, of which the group is a unique ambassador in the field of high-end/low-impact knitwear yarns.

With absolute quality always in mind, FILPUCCI GROUP represents a corporate model that has made of sustainability a real mission, embarking on complex paths that have brought great results with fashionable textile solutions lead by ethnical and sustainable values. Thanks to this, Filpucci’s products have become part of Patagonia Collections, an important acknowledging from the brand’s part, whose managers stated: “We are always on the hunt for the highest performing, lowest impact materials. We were thrilled to find Re.Verso ™ (95/5 transformed) Cashmere yarn from Filpucci. It allowed us to create a range of products with the insulative and soft properties of cashmere while adhering to our mission statement; build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm.”
FILPUCCI GROUP’s commitment is evident and it moves forward thanks to the passion towards responsible and innovative paths that contribute to turning the group into a reliable partner, symbol of quality and excellence.

Filpucci is also a C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy) partner.