From the Sector

• C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2021 winner DUARTE returns to Milan Fashion Week launching its SEASON 2 “Eco-Street Dance” collection as a special feature at White Sustainable Milano inside the “Unveiling the fashion backstage” event

By mixing C.L.A.S.S. responsible materials, colorful prints, urban feels and artistic inspiration, the Portuguese streetwear brand creates a new style and a clear yet cool message for conscious fashion consumers
The rewarded 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub during Milan Fashion Week. With the support of WHITE, Duarte’s creations will be featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption).

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style that we can name “Eco-Street Dance”. The color palette explores the dark shades of grey, cream, blue and black, with artistic pops of color of a hopeful urban culture that tears apart posters from the past and turns them into a new brighter story. 

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process. Entirely made in Japan, it comes with Compostability and Ecotoxicity Certifications verified by Innovhub-SSI, RCS, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and the Eco Mark certifications. The factory is ISO 14001 certified, too.

The collection will mark the return of Duarte’s cool and responsible style to Milan Fashion week and White Sustainable Milano. “We are proud to support Duarte as her style, her creations, visual communication and message are so beautiful, innovative and responsible. On top of that, her message to the consumer is so clear and easy for everybody to understand. With Duarte it is very easy to make a “conscious choice” without any sacrifice, and completely in line with the C.L.A.S.S. manifesto” says Giusy Bettoni, C.L.A.S.S. CEO & founder.

The 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub during Milan Fashion Week. With the support of WHITE, Duarte’s creations will be featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption).

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style named “Eco-Street Dance”.

The collection presents a selection of urban pieces for everyday superheroes, fighting against environmental issues - with a holistic approach to sustainability values thanks to the synergy with C.L.A.S.S. and its Back in the Loop area: a section dedicated to alternative and sustainable sourcing against the massive amount of materials and textiles produced that are not used and discarded by the fashion system. This is mostly powered by MAEBA International - and its ReLiveTex® fabrics - leader in selecting and repurposing premium Italian fabrics with exceptional 60 years of expertise in collecting high-quality materials from leading brands and textile manufacturers, and one of the first companies at an international level to be accredited for the UNI EN ISO 14021 certification which grants the traceability of the collected materials.

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process.

The Lenzing Group will present the Young Scientist Award for outstanding research in the field of fibers and textiles for the first time in 2022. The Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress (GFC Dornbirn) is an ideal platform for the recently launched research competition. Bachelor’s and master’s degree students will have the opportunity to submit their scientific work in the categories of fashion and the circular economy, textile recycling and the innovative use of biobased fibers to a jury of well-known industry experts.

The jury consists of Karla Magruder (Founder of Acceleration Circularity), Friedericke von Wedel-Parlow (Beneficial Design Institute Berlin) and Dieter Eichinger (Head of Standardization and Innovation, Secretary-General of BISFA). The winning project will receive a prize of EUR 5,000. The aim is to promote the students’ work and create a platform for networking with the textile and fiber industry.

The Austrian Fibers Institute is the organizer of the 61st Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress on a not-for-profit basis. The event, due to take place from September 14 to 16, 2022, will offer an ideal setting for the presentation of the Young Scientist Award prize.

You can read more about the Young Scientist Award and the submission in the attached document.

• The Green Revolution: How Microfactories Can Change the Face of Fashion by Mark Sollman, Product Manager EMEA, Mimaki Europe

With the all-important COP26 Climate Change Conference having taken centre stage in November, there is no time like the present for the fashion world to rally together in stepping up sustainability efforts and getting carbon emissions under control. Globally, the fashion industry is now estimated to account for around 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of wastewater , making the pursuit of greener production methods more pertinent than ever before. Thankfully, we are seeing a new era of production enter the fashion arena, with the increasing emergence of technologically advanced, highly automated microfactories.

Along with reducing unnecessary waste through on-demand production, microfactories have a smaller ecological footprint than traditional garment production and require no water use during the production process, making it not only a faster solution, but a greener one too.

Last year’s FESPA saw Mimaki team up with fashion designer Carolina Guzman to bring her designs to life in real time at the show, setting up its own working microfactory live on-site to take her designs from screen to garment within just a day. Guzman’s designs were created using Mimaki’s TS100-1600 Sublimation Printer, before being transferred to textile, digitally cut and finally pieced together. Devised with a string of ethical and environmental objectives threaded throughout, the microfactory also exclusively utilised eco-friendly Greentex fabric, and any remaining material was donated to Sheltersuit: a wind- and waterproof coat that can be transformed into a sleeping bag, which is provided free of charge to homeless people and refugees.

Through working with a number of strategic partners – including transfer printing expert, Klieverik; paper solutions specialist, Neenah Coldenhove; and digital cutting equipment provider, Summa – Mimaki was able to produce a collection of unique, high-quality garments live on the stand during the tradeshow, demonstrating to visitors from more than 100 countries some of the key reasons that microfactories seem set to change the future of fashion…

Unparalleled speed and versatility
Where traditionally, apparel manufacturing has centred on a production chain model of sourcing materials and producing garments in bulk, microfactories are now enabling on-demand, on-location production, making it possible to create everything from unique, one-off pieces and samples right through to entire product lines – all at unprecedented speeds. This means greater flexibility and customisation, enabling designers to modify or update designs and respond to market trends as they occur.

Simplified supply chains and minimised risk
The microfactory setup brings production in-house and on-demand, minimising the cost of not only storing stock, but also of shipping it and responsibly disposing of unsold items. Where recent geopolitical events have highlighted the fragility of global supply chains, microfactories offer a unique independence from these systems, empowering garment manufacturers to future-proof their businesses, become less reliant on external systems and suppliers, and reduce the risk of disruptions.

A boosted bottom line and a greener future
Facilitating savings in a whole line of resources, from physical storage and production space to time and energy, microfactories ultimately have the potential to significantly increase profitability for garment manufacturers, with the additional benefit of being easily scalable as production increases. Perhaps even more compelling, however, are the environmental considerations. Demonstrated on a small scale through Mimaki’s recent project, the environmental benefits inherent to microfactory production will have an even greater impact as it becomes more prolific and commonplace throughout the fashion world, with the potential to effect meaningful environmental change as adoption increases in the years to come.

The year 2021 is expected to end on an extremely positive note for the Swiss Group, with an organic turnover record (significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels) and an acceleration of the product range completion strategy: after the addition of Amom, in June, Riri is proud to share the closing of the acquisition and integration into the Group of DMC, a company specialized in the metal components sector for haute couture, more specifically leatherwear. This is another step towards creating a single hub dedicated to luxury accessories, whose goal is to develop a balanced portfolio including zips, buttons, metal hardware, and fashion jewels.

DMC, established in 1976 in Scarperia e San Piero a Sieve, near Florence, has a consolidated experience with major luxury brands and a strategic position, being located close to the Tuscan leatherwear district. Originally a family-run business, today it is a company which combines highly skilled Italian artisan tradition, which has a strong connection in the region, with the use of cutting-edge technologies. Its comprehensive vertical integration system allows for in-house management of all production process phases.

“The addition of DMC to the family” – explains Renato Usoni, CEO of the Riri Group – “is not just a bonus for our offer in terms of product range. It means also a fundamental milestone in the creation strategy of a fully integrated business model”. As a matter of fact, the operation is a further improvement in the Group’s designing potential, increasingly able to provide tailor-made accessories, as requested by each client, achieving very high levels of customization while keeping up massive investments in new technologies, organization systems and sustainability projects with a cross-cutting impact.

“Our Group” – Usoni adds – “is, to all intents and purposes, a leader in terms of innovation, thanks to its state-of-the-art plants, which are located in seven production factories, and thanks to its constant search on emerging technologies and materials”. More specifically, DMC’s proposal – in line with Riri’s – is increasingly focused on the use of sustainable products and on processes with a low environmental impact.

Furthermore, the new company in the Group is committed to integrating the economic development of its business with the ensuing social accountability. Evidence of this attention is shown by its having been awarded the certifications ISO 9001, due to the quality of its processes, products and services, and SA 8000, for its ethical management of human resource. Moreover, every year DMC produces a social report which, in line with what have always been distinctive values of Riri, bears witness to its intent of communicating its achievements clearly and transparently.

The Premium Group events will take place in Frankfurt am Main in the third week of January 2022, taking into account the 2G+ regulation (all participants have to be vaccinated, recovered and additionally daily tested).
 
On the basis of the current regulations of the federal government and the Hessian state government, which did not announce any further restrictions for vaccinated people last week, the fashion fairs PREMIUM and SEEK, the FASHIONTECH talks and the showcase of the new format THE GROUND will comply with the official health and hygiene regulations from 18th to January 20, 2022 in Frankfurt am Main.
 
This decision is based on the representative feedback from many protagonists of the industry, expert opinions and a close observation of the situation as well as an assessment of all measures that can be taken in Europe to ensure a safe event.

Four formats - one large exhibition hall
The conceptual novelty is that the PREMIUM, SEEK, THE GROUND and FASHIONTECH events will - for the first time and once - take place all together in a spacious hall, which roughly corresponds to the entire area of Station Berlin, on a total area of approx. 20,000 square meters. The resulting simplified admission management serves the safety of everyone. In this way, visitors can quickly and comfortably experience all the inspiration and concentrated brand power at once.

In addition to the security aspect, the merger of the two flagship events PREMIUM and SEEK in one large exhibition hall will bring new features, above all, in terms of content and atmosphere. Apart from an unprecedentedly strong brand portfolio, completely new synergies and energies will arise, which will make the meeting in January a unique momentum in the history of the industry.

Numerous brands have already signed-up and despite some decisions for smaller pop-up presentations, instead of large stands, the willingness to start again together and to want to send positive signals prevails! In addition to established players, many new brands also want to show their collections now.

THE GROUND - new generation, new platform
THE GROUND will give an outlook on what can be expected in summer with an exclusive press and influencer event. The Fashion Festival ‘for a young and purpose driven generation’ is an innovative platform for brands to get in direct contact with Gen Z with interactive installations, campaigns and storytelling.

At the preview event in January, 15 curated brands and key partners will present their value-based projects and products. In keynotes and panel talks, THE GROUND is dedicated to the topics most relevant to GEN Z: diversity, inclusion & sustainability.

FASHIONTECH - innovation, inspiration, content
FASHIONTECH is the content platform for fashion, technology and lifestyle. This is where decision-makers, industry insiders, communication experts and innovative minds meet to exchange experiences, discuss potential and developments, generate new leads and promote exchange between the various industries.

In addition to the core events, the Premium Group will also organize its popular evening events - due to the conditions, of course, to a slightly different extent than usual.

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.

• Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa present their new collections and an innovative, strategic symbiosis for sustainable fashion
• 9-11 November - Palais de Festivals, Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, France, Booth 28-29

Values, strategies, an imprinting for innovation and a well-defined vision and expertise in sustainable fashion. This mix is  the  wide  and  solid  common  denominator  giving  birth  to  the  collaboration  between  Iluna  Group,  leader  in  the production of smart lace, and Maglificio Ripa, internationally recognized for the production of premium and responsible jersey.

Two mature companies projected towards new formats of proactive collaboration, both established in common industries  - from underwear to beachwear  and  sportswear  -  that  have  chosen  to  create  a  symbiosis  of intents and strategies, each maintaining its own identity and independence.

"We are living in a moment of strong change, from the wave of sustainability  that  is  finally  sweeping  the  fashion  world  to  new  market scenarios. And we are convinced that collaboration is the key to facing these new  challenges.  In  Maglificio  Ripa  we  saw  a  complementary  and  unique partner with whom we can reach customers, suppliers and other partners in a  more  complete  way."  comments  Furio  Annovazzi,  CEO  of  Iluna  Group. "Ours is not a union between companies, but a new model of partnership, a sort of strategic symbiosis aimed at developing together new paths that can make the both of us grow, while offering a more complete proposal to the market." adds Luca Bianco, CEO of Maglificio Ripa.

One of the first examples of this new format is the joint stand at MarediModa, a single space where visitors can discover the latest  collections  of  the  two  companies,  and  imagine  new  designs  and solutions for sustainable fashion.

Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa also created the new campaign and photo shoot together, as well as developed a trend scenario that allowed both companies to better embrace the evolving market by sharing information, perspectives and ideas.

Officina+39, an Italian sustainable chemical developer, attends Superstudio Più in Milan to show its technical progress and share its concrete contribution to a more Trustainable™ denim. Under the spotlight, among multiple innovations, the latest addition to the Officina+39 family: the brand-new NOVASCRAPER INDIGO.

NOVASCRAPER INDIGO, the new technology for classic aesthetics
NOVASCRAPER INDIGO allows to give a natural vintage look to denim garments through laser finishing, an actual innovative alternative to manual scraping. NOVASCRAPER INDIGO guarantees a natural effect with unparalleled quality and accuracy, requiring less manpower and less rejection rate when compared to manual scraping.

The Sixth Sense: less water, more Trustainability
Officina+39 and Tejidos Royo joined forces to create a denim line that drastically reduces water consumption: this is “The Sixth Sense”, a project concretely inspired by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and specifically by its SDG6, calling to action to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. Officina+39 personally accepts this global challenge by contributing to the realization of “The Sixth Sense” with its AQUALESS MISSION. Featuring three cutting-edge laundry products for one innovative process, AQUALESS MISSION combines the application of REMOVER BC, AQUALESS AGED – a waterless compound to give denim abrasion effects –, and OZ-ONE POWDER – an advanced product to give garments a bleached yet eco-friendly treatment in a dry application, for a worn and distressed look. Compatible with conventional washing and treatment machinery, it allows for water consumption savings up to 75%.
Focused on driving sustainability in the textile industry, Tejidos Royo uses low-impact fibers and yarns as a raw material and the implementation of foam-dyeing technology with its Dry Indigo®, the first-ever technology to foam-dye denim with zero water use and no water discharge.

CircularKromia: a colorful path for preloved garments
At Officina+39 the word “waste” becomes synonymous with opportunity, a source to create something new, fostering true, Trustainable™ circularity. This is the background to the collaboration with Atelier Riforma, an innovative startup born in Turin (Italy) with a social vocation. Through the contribution of Officina+39’s RECYCROM™, it has been possible to obtain new pigment and dyestuff pulverizing discarded garments and pieces usually difficult to recover through tailoring transformation alone. The collection made it possible not to generate any waste, no new raw materials were required to create CircularKromia.

The Circle Book 2: the power of collaboration and circularity
A collective project gathering a total of ten companies with common goals focused on transparency and circularity in denim design, The Circle Book is now in its second edition that culminated in CULTURE.IN, a circular capsule collection transparently made from recycled and degradable materials.

Officina+39 opens its doors, with Lenzing and Meidea
In the evening of October 13, the recently inaugurated brand-new headquarters of Officina+39 in Biella opened their doors to welcome denim personalities, brands, designers and partners to show where Officina+39's innovative technologies are created, to network and celebrate while preparing new steps towards the design of a more circular and – of course – Trustainable™ fashion Industry.

DyStar is pleased to announce the release of its eleventh annual Sustainability Performance Report. The report is written in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option, while using the Integrated Reporting <IR> framework to communicate how DyStar drives value creation across multiple stakeholder groups in six capital categories, namely financial, manufactured, intellectual, natural, human capital and social capital.

In FY2020, COVID-19 has continued to present its challenges, such as the shortage of raw materials and rising freight costs. Gloomy global demand has also resulted in some raw and product material wastage in production plants worldwide, leading to increased non-hazardous waste output for FY2020. DyStar recognizes these global factors in play and will continue to make active efforts within the organization’s capability to reduce its environmental footprint in the years ahead.

The Group has set its sight on achieving the 2025 sustainability target of reducing its production footprint by 30% from 2011 levels for every ton of production. “We will continue to innovate and develop a wide range of products and processes that improve environmental performance and reduce carbon footprint across our value chain”, said Mr Xu Yalin, Executive Board Director of DyStar Group.

Mr Eric Hopmann, CEO of DyStar Group added: “We are also developing various projects in anticipation of future demands from customers as well as adopting more environmentally friendly technologies and improve our workflows and processes. Some of our projects include traceability programs, adopting renewable energy technologies, and digitalizing our business processes.” Understanding the importance of collaborative efforts to drive sustainability across the value chain, DyStar seeks to continually support industrial innovations and develop strategic partnerships to work towards becoming a sustainable and trusted leader in the industry.