From the Sector

Bangladesh will stage the world’s first climate conference for the fashion industry this autumn, on 12 October. The Bangladesh Climate Action Forum will convene policy makers, garment manufacturers, fashion retailers and other industry stakeholders to look at solutions for decarbonising global textile supply chains.

The event will focus on technological and financial challenges around reducing emissions. Most of the world’s leading fashion brands have now set ambitious targets for reducing supply chain emissions. These targets relate to 2030 by which time many brands aim to reduce emissions by 50 per cent, and 2050 where most fashion brands aim to be carbon neutral.

The Bangladesh Climate Forum Action will examine causes of climate crisis, its urgency, impacts we have already seen, and what we can expect under both businesses as usual and rapid decarbonisation scenarios.

Also presenting at the event will be the Government of Bangladesh, which will address Bangladesh’s actions to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change and is ranked the seventh extreme disaster risk-prone country in the world according to a report from the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Tropical cyclones, tornadoes, floods, coastal and riverbank erosion, droughts and landslides are the major climate-induced hazards in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Climate Forum Action will also look at approaches towards decarbonization, including NetZero goals and timelines. Speakers will discuss globally recognised pathways for electricity/transportation/industry decarbonisation.

Renewable energy will also be under discussion. If fashion brands are to hit climate targets, it is imperative that supply chains switch to renewable energy and away from gas and fossil fuels. The event will look at challenges around the de-carbonisation of the electricity grid in Bangladesh, as well as the rate of transition toward renewable resources by garment factories, including solar power.

A key element of the event will be evaluation of practical solutions for Bangladesh’s RMG industry. It will profile specific solutions such as energy efficiency, machine upgrades, the electrification of thermal loads, direct power purchase agreements and biomass fed thermal systems. It will also discuss the challenges faced in the industry including business climate (and cycles), pricing, financing challenges, target setting and execution, policy opportunities, knowledge gaps and availability/scaling of solutions.

Financial challenges around decarbonisation of supply chains are significant, and it is far from clear who will pay for the technological upgrades required. While some investment support systems exist – such as lower interest financing – these are not always available, accessible or affordable for the majority of the RMG companies.

The event will explore financial options, changes to business/pricing models, opportunities for de-risking/underwriting investments, direct investment and other tools that need to emerge to address financial challenges and plug the funding gap. The event will also explore opportunities to decouple climate action from business cycles so that the 2030 targets can be met.

ECHA’s Enforcement Forum agreed to launch an EU-wide project to check that products sold online comply with REACH restrictions and the requirements of the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation. Its subgroup on Biocidal Products Regulation, BPRS, agreed to launch a project on labelling of biocidal products.

The Enforcement Forum including its BPR subgroup (BPRS) is a network of enforcement authorities from the EU and EEA. They are responsible for coordinating the enforcement of the REACH, CLP, PIC, POPs and the Biocidal Product Regulations with the aim of protecting our health and the environment while ensuring a level playing field for companies across the EU market.

Inspections in this REACH-EN-FORCE (REF)-13 project will take place in 2025. The objective is to check that products, such as toys, common household goods or chemicals, sold online comply with REACH restrictions. Inspectors will also check that mixtures are classified, labelled and packaged in line with CLP and that online offers include the required information about the hazards of the mixture. Inspectors may also check compliance with restrictions under the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive.

The online sale of chemicals is an area of high non-compliance. In a previous Forum project (REF-8), inspectors often found that mixtures and articles sold online contained restricted hazardous substances, including those causing cancer. The project found that 78 % of controlled mixtures or articles did not fulfil the conditions of REACH restrictions.

In the upcoming project, inspectors can rely on stricter rules governing online sales, such as the Digital Services Act and General Product Safety Regulation. These new laws are expected to make enforcement stronger.

The Forum’s subgroup on Biocidal Products Regulation (BPRS), agreed that the next major enforcement project on biocides (BEF-3) will focus on controlling the correctness of product labels for biocidal products. Inspectors will check that the information on the labelling of biocides corresponds to that what has been authorised and included in the Summary of Product Characteristics. Inspectors may also check the presence and quality of information in the Safety Data Sheets, where it is required for biocidal products.

Both REF-13 and BEF-3 projects will be prepared in 2024, inspections are planned for 2025 and reports are expected to be published in 2026.

During the meeting, the Forum members elected a new chair and vice chair. Henrik Hedlund (SE) will start as the Forum chair and Katja vom Hofe (DE) and Maria Orphanou (CY) will be the vice chairs as of 21 June 2023. Its biocides subgroup elected Helmut de Vos (BE) as chair and Jenny Karlsson (SE) and Eugen Anwander (AT) as vice chairs.

• The A+A Expert Talks head into their third round

On 20 June 2023 between 10.00 am and 11.30 am experts from the fields of sustainability, circular economy, environmental protection as well as corporate fashion and product management will be presenting lectures and discussing the topics of sustainability in supply chains, standardisation and quality seals as well as the associated challenges and solutions in cooperation with German Fashion. They will thereby provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and innovative approaches.

The focus on sustainability and the circular economy reflects the growing relevance of these topics in the world of work. More and more companies recognise the need to make their business practices more sustainable and optimise the use of resources.

This Expert Talk will be presented by Irina Olm, In-House Lawyer & Counsel of GermanFashion Modeverband Deutschland e.V. and Expert for Circular Economy and CSR, who will contribute her know-how on the European level.  

Benjamin Helfritz, Head of Quality in Digital and Green Transformation, DIN – German Institute for Standardisation, will introduce participants to the new standards for the Green Transition.  
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is needed for both the green and digital transition. However, it will only achieve its full added value if interoperability is ensured between existing and emerging systems. The use of the DPP promotes more sustainability and digital progress.

Henk Vanhoutte, Secretary General, European Safety Federation (ESF) and Lucia Mendori, Regulatory Affairs Associate / Chair ESF Working Group Sustainability will present practical examples and concrete application factors for sustainable PPE as well as solutions for sustainable jobwear. They will provide an overview of survey results from their members regarding various sustainability aspects – pointing to how the industry is treating this important topic but also flagging up the limits to the sustainability of PPE.

Lena Bay Høyland, Product Director of the Swedish workwear manufacturer Fristads Kansas will share the sustainability strategy of her company which has committed to minimise its environmental impact by targets and effective measures. The progress made by Fristads Kansas was measured using concrete figures and audits. This is a use case highlighting the innovations and challenges associated with sustainable jobwear.

By organising the Expert Talks the leading international trade fair A+A jointly with its strategic partners from the German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health (Basi), Fraunhofer IPA, German Fashion (Modeverband Deutschland e.V.), DGUV (Germany Statutory Accident Insurance), BAuA (Federal Agency for Occupational Safety and Health), BMAS (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs), IVPS Interessenverbund Persönliche Schutzausrüstung e.V. (PPE Stakeholder Association) as well as IFA (Institute for Occupational Safety) will provide its community with a networking and information platform.

PrimaLoft Inc., a leader in advanced material technology, announced the reorganization of its European sales management team. Effective June 1st, Leonardo Loro has promoted to the position of Sales Leader, Europe. Additionally, the company welcomes Mario Vlietinck as the new Territory Manager for France, Benelux & Denmark.

To further streamline operations and maximize opportunities, PrimaLoft is also implementing a territory reorganization to better align existing sales talent with market opportunities. These moves will strengthen the company’s sales strategy in the region.

Leonardo Loro will lead the European sales team and report directly to Chris Humphris, SVP, Global Sales. "With over a decade of experience as the sales and marketing manager for the southern European market, including France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, Leonardo has demonstrated exceptional skills in building customer relationships and identifying new business opportunities. His invaluable contributions to our sales efforts make him the ideal candidate to lead and elevate our business in Europe", said Humphris. In his new leadership role, Loro will continue to manage brands in Italy and Spain, as well as military sales efforts in Europe.

Mario Vlietinck joins the PrimaLoft team and will be responsible for managing and developing business relationships with PrimaLoft brand partners in France, Benelux & Denmark. Vlietinck brings a wealth of knowledge in sales and the outdoor industry, previously serving as the head of Apparel & Footwear for Katoen Natie, as well as working for brands such as Reebok, Merrell, and Vannese. "Mario’s background in product development, business development, and international sales positions him as a great asset to our company goals,” said Humphris. Vlietinck will report to Leonardo Loro.

Sales Territory Reorganization
Wim Neels, VP of business development for fashion and lifestyle, will be responsible for all Fashion & Lifestyle brands across Europe, with the exception of Italy & Spain, which remain the responsibility of Leonardo Loro.

Bartosz Lassak will expand his territory responsibility to include outdoor performance brands in the United Kingdom, in addition to Eastern Europe and Turkey. He will also handle any opportunities from North Africa, as well as any brands located outside of other European coverage.

Valerie Raths Goesel will oversee the management of all outdoor performance brands in the Germany, Austria, and Switzerland region.

Mats Jengard will remain the territory manager for Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland & Iceland), focusing outdoor performance brands.

Nylon 6, nylon 6,6, polypropylene, PET and calcium carbonate are available through the company’s proprietary carpet recycling process

Circular Polymers by Ascend, a market-leading recycler of post-consumer carpet, today the launch of Cerene™, a line of recycled polymers and materials made from the company’s proprietary carpet reclaiming technology. Cerene is available as polyamide 6 and 66, PET, polypropylene and calcium carbonate as a consistent,
sustainable feedstock for many applications, including molding and compounding.
Recycling experts from Circular Polymers will be showcasing Cerene at Compounding World Expo on June 14-15 at the Messe Essen in Germany.

Ascend Performance Materials, a fully integrated producer of durable high-performance materials and the majority owner of Circular Polymers by Ascend, is known for its innovations in nylon 6,6. Cerene will continue that legacy with offerings in nylon 6,6 while also bringing to market recycled polymers such as nylon 6, PET and PP.

“Customers around the globe are seeking consistent and reliable post-consumer recycled materials,” said Maria Field, business director of Circular Polymers by Ascend. “Cerene is mechanically recycled using a process that minimizes our carbon footprint and environmental impact.”

Circular Polymers by Ascend converts post-consumer carpet into fiber and pellets. The company uses a proprietary process in its California-based facilities to achieve high efficiency in recycling, successfully providing a new life for virtually every component of the carpet and backing. The company has redirected 85 million pounds of carpet from landfills into new goods since 2018.

At ITMA 2023, EFI™ Reggiani is presenting its sustainable Reggiani ecoTERRA pigment printing line up, the high-speed EFI Reggiani HYPER and Reggiani BOLT XS direct-to-fabric printing solutions, and EFI Inèdit end-to-end digital textile workflows.

The EFI Reggiani ecoTERRA solution is an all-in-one solution for water-based pigment printing that requires no ancillary equipment for pre- and post-treatment. By reducing water, energy and chemicals consumption in the overall process, customers can now obtain a sustainable, direct-to-fabric printing solution. For the first time at ITMA, EFI Reggiani is presenting its full ecoTERRA line up of four models, including a 340 printing width, with speeds ranging from 150 to 600 sqm/hour. This allows customers to choose the best TCO/ROI based on output volume and speed range.
 
Reggiani ecoTERRA water-based pigment inks deliver excellent wet and dry fastness properties, sharpness in detail, and durability while also ensuring printhead longevity with reduced maintenance costs. Thanks to the enhanced polymerisation and finishing unit, EFI Reggiani ecoTERRA also provides an enhanced tactile experience and fabric softness.
 
In addition to highlighting EFI Reggiani’s sustainable product offering, the company will also demonstrate the significant productivity and efficiency advantages offered by its portfolio of high-speed, high-performance digital textile printers at ITMA 2023. Attendees will discover how mass production can transition to a digital, on-demand workflow with the high speeds and high print quality of the EFI Reggiani HYPER scanning printer and the next-generation EFI Reggiani BOLT XS single-pass textile printer.

Visitors to the booth also will see EFI Reggiani’s new proprietary end-to-end digital printing workflow and the latest enhancements to EFI Inèdit digital textile software. Inèdit, now part of EFI Reggiani, is one of the leading developers of raster image processors (RIPs) and related software for digital industrial textile printing. The EFI Reggiani end-to-end workflow with Inèdit integration boosts productivity and production capabilities for digital textile print operations while ensuring maximum security for customer’s designs thanks to two-level encryption.
 
EFI Reggiani QUERY, the user-friendly, advanced data analysis tool to measure printer performance, keep track of real costs per metre, and monitor water and energy consumption, will also be demonstrated.

On the occasion of EURATEX’ General Assembly held in Milan on 7 June, the European textile industry  discussed the relationship between innovation, sustainability and people in the industry of tomorrow. EURATEX members welcomed the Textiles Transition Pathway, released on 6 June by the Commission, as a valuable roadmap to ensure a successful green and digital transition. The meeting in Milan was also the occasion to strengthen links with textile machine manufacturers, gathering at ITMA 2023.

Hosted by Sistema Moda Italia (SMI), EURATEX meetings addressed the crucial issue of how to develop new competitive business models for the future, following the Industry 5.0 concept. In 2021, the European Commission launched “Industry 5.0”, which puts the wellbeing of the worker at the centre of the production process and the use of new technologies to provide prosperity beyond jobs and growth, while respecting the production limits of the planet.

The keynote speakers, Francesco Pinto (Chairman, Yamamay) and Claudio Cavacini (Director of Retail Industry Solutions & Strategy, Salesforce), presented how the digital transformation is affecting companies in the retail industry and how they should adapt to maintain their competitive edge. A panel session of textile machinery manufacturers debated how their companies can help delivering this transformation through state of the art machineries. They all agreed that it requires common efforts by all actors and stakeholders along the textile value chain and public support to make the necessary investments. According to Enzo Maurer, ITMA President, ITMA 2023 in Milan will exactly showcase excellence in innovation and new available technologies to make a leap forward in sustainability.

According to Sergio Tamborini, "we are particularly honored to host this event organized by Euratex, the association which is the voice of the European textile industry and its demands, especially those concerning the circular economy. Sistema Moda Italia wants to play its part and there are priorities, from legislation on extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Italy to eco-design, where textiles and clothing will act as a testing ground. SMI's goal will be to continue to encourage the debate on circularity  promoting it in all institutional settings aiming to a growing sustainable  supply chain.”

Alberto Paccanelli, EURATEX President added: “Today’s discussions showed that we are ready to take up new challenges. Nevertheless, this  transition towards a textiles 5.0 can only happen with the support of all actors, from policy makers to retailers. Today’s meeting was also the occasion to review the EU transition pathway for the textiles ecosystem, published yesterday by the European Commission. The pathway is the perfect example of a co-creation process between the European institutions and the stakeholders. We hope that other EU initiatives or legislative proposals will follow the same co-creative process.”

Kurt Ledermann, CFO at the Rieter Group since 2019, is to leave the Group Executive Committee in August 2023 for personal reasons to pursue a career opportunity outside the Rieter Group. The Board of Directors wishes to express its gratitude to Kurt Ledermann in advance for his valuable service and his contribution to the further development of Rieter. Details about succession arrangements shall be provided in due course.

Following their entry into the fibres and textiles sector, as announced at K 2022, recycling machine manufacturer EREMA launches the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV - which has been specially developed for PET fibre-to-fibre recycling - at ITMA in Milan from June 8 to 14. Thanks to its especially gentle material preparation and efficient removal of spinning oils, the rPET produced can be reused in proportions of up to 100 percent for the production of very fine fibres.

PET is regarded as a key material for the production of synthetic fibres. Around two thirds of the total volume of PET goes into the production of PET fibres for the textile industry. This highlights the importance of high-quality recycling solutions for the circular economy. By combining proven INTAREMA® technology with a new IV optimiser, EREMA succeeds in processing shredded PET fibre materials heavily contaminated by spinning oils in such a way that the finest fibres can be produced again from the recycled pellets. The system, which now joins EREMA's machine portfolio as the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV, is characterised by a longer residence time of the PET melt. This is an essential factor for achieving high quality recycled pellets, as it allows the spinning oils and other additives used to improve the handling of the fibres during manufacturing to be removed more efficiently than in conventional PET recycling processes. Following extrusion, by polycondensation the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the PET melt is increased in the new IV optimiser and under high vacuum to the precise level that is needed for fibre production. "Including filtration the output quality that we achieve with this recycling process is so high that ultra-fine fibres of up to 2 dtex can be produced using these rPET pellets, with an rPET content of 100 percent," says Markus Huber-Lindinger, Managing Director at EREMA. Waste PET fibre from production processes can therefore be further processed into rPET filament fibre, carpet yarn and staple fibre.

While the focus of the fibre and textiles application is currently still on PET fibre recycling, EREMA is committed to driving forward the recycling of mixed fibre materials from classic textile recycling collection in a next project phase. In order to accelerate development work, the EREMA Group opened its own fibre test centre, where a cross-company team is working on recycling solutions for fibre-to-fibre applications. The centre also operates a fully equipped and variable industrial-scale recycling plant. It includes the peripheral technology required and is available to customers for trials.

• Project from the Global Organic Textile Standard, European Space Agency and Marple will use AI and satellite imagery to detect organic versus non-organic cotton fields
• Innovative demonstrator project explores the potential of remote monitoring to strengthen integrity and development of organic cotton cultivation
• Project will run across India with first results expected by the end of 2023

In a world first, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), European Space Agency (ESA) and AI company Marple have today launched a new demonstrator project that aims to show the potential for remote satellite monitoring of organic cotton cultivation systems.

The project, to be carried out under ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme, will train artificial intelligence (AI) to use ESA satellite data to detect cotton fields across India and automatically classify them according to their cultivation standard. By integrating standardised yield metrics, this innovative approach will also enable GOTS to generate realistic estimates of organic cotton yields in specific areas.

Integrated with existing GOTS measures, this project will enable GOTS to further enhance the integrity of organic cotton by developing advanced risk assessment technology for organic certification and preventing fraud from the beginning of the supply chain. “It is an honour and very exciting to be a partner in this ESA Demonstration Project, and it is living up to our claim to be pioneers serving the sustainable textile sector to enable continuous improvement. Technologies like this will be a game changer regarding the integrity and promotion opportunities of organic cotton.” says Claudia Kersten, Managing Director of GOTS.

The project's anticipated impact extends beyond identifying certified organic cotton fields. It is expected to also empower GOTS to recognise cotton fields that have not yet obtained organic certification but possess the potential for a seamless transition to organic cultivation, thanks to their utilisation of traditional and ecologically friendly farming practices. This would enable GOTS to bring a greater number of farmers – particularly those of a smaller size – into the certified organic sector and supply chains, creating new economic opportunities for small-scale farmers and their communities while also helping the textile sector to meet growing consumer demand for organic cotton. Guillaume Prigent, Business Development and Partnerships Officer at the European Space Agency, adds: “This project highlights how space solutions can have a positive impact on the world and is the kind of innovation that ESA supports through its Business Applications and Space Solutions programme.”

The project will run across the distinct cotton growing regions in India, with first results expected by the end of 2023.

India project builds on successful Uzbekistan feasibility pilot
The project is co-financed by GOTS and ESA, in collaboration with Marple GmbH, a German software development firm that developed the CoCuRA (Cotton Cultivation Remote Assessment) software with ESA BASS and successfully piloted it in a feasibility project in 2021 in Uzbekistan.

That venture showed how the trained AI was able to accurately differentiate cotton fields from other crops using only satellite images and sensor data, as well as whether the cotton fields were cultivated organically.

This spurred considerable interest from GOTS, which has committed to the development of cutting-edge technologies that can improve the integrity of the organic textile sector, especially cotton. Dr David Scherf, co-founder of Marple, said: “All our projects strive to leverage advanced technology for a positive impact on the environment and society. We are therefore delighted that our CoCuRA technology, which emerged from a moonshot research project, is being applied in a practical and impactful way. We are excited about the opportunity to work with the exceptional team at GOTS and further strengthen our successful partnership with ESA.”