From the Sector

The October 2025 edition of PERFORMANCE DAYS, taking place from October 29–30 in Munich, will spotlight a topic that is vital for the future of the textile industry: the role of recyclers in an increasingly circular economy. Under the new Focus Topic “Textile to Textile – the role of recyclers”, the fair aims to provide in-depth insights into one of the most pressing challenges of the industry.

The linear textile model is nearing its end. With increasing regulatory pressures such as Extended Producer Responsibility EPR and Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules PEFCR, circularity is shifting from aspiration to necessity. While mechanical recycling of PET bottles is well established, textile-to-textile T2T recycling remains at an earlier and more complex stage of development.

Recyclers are now playing a pivotal role in the transition to circular systems. However, many are still adapting to the scale and technical challenges involved. T2T recycling is not a standalone solution and it is part of a broader transformation that also requires reducing overproduction, encouraging reuse and repair, and rethinking design and consumption models.

The urgency is clear: the global textile industry generates 92 million tonnes of waste annually, yet less than 1% is recycled into new clothing (Ellen MacArthur Foundation). Unlike downcycling or waste-to-energy methods, T2T recycling retains material quality, enabling the production of new garments from existing ones. The ultimate goal is a closed-loop system that minimizes waste and reduces dependency on virgin resources.

In Europe, policy is accelerating this shift. The EU Waste Framework Directive mandates separate collection of textiles by 2025. In parallel, the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles promotes the reduction of virgin material use and enhances resource efficiency. These initiatives are driving investment in sorting technologies, digital product passports, and advanced recycling systems.

Regina Goller, Head of Material Strategy and Future Trends, explains:
“Circularity is the key topic of our time – and textile-to-textile recycling is a core pillar of the circular economy. The industry is working intensively on solutions, and much is already possible, even on a large scale. At the same time, new regulations are demanding concrete action. At PERFORMANCE DAYS, we see it as our mission to raise awareness – both for what is already possible and what lies ahead. We connect the right players and build the networks needed to truly close the loop.”

Ontex Group NV, a leading international developer and producer of personal care solutions, is advancing its sustainability journey with the introduction of bio-based superabsorbent polymers (bioSAP) in its diapers, with an initial rollout in selected Moltex Pure and Nature products. This new material will gradually and incrementally replace virgin fossil-based plastic SAP in the core absorbent component, helping lower the carbon footprint of the product while maintaining performance. 

SAP (superabsorbent polymer) is essential to diaper performance yet is traditionally made from fossil-based plastic. It is also one of the most carbon-intensive components in hygiene products. The bioSAP now being introduced has a 15% to 25% lower carbon footprint than conventional SAP, with a promising outlook as the technology continues to evolve. By embracing innovations like bioSAP, Ontex is advancing its long-term goal of reducing environmental impact through sustainable solutions. 

Reducing impact through smarter material choices 
Ontex’s Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are largely driven by raw materials, which account for approximately 80% of the total footprint across sourcing, production, and end-of-life waste treatment. Materials such as SAP and plastic nonwovens represent about half of these emissions. 

The shift to bioSAP is a strategic move towards achieving Ontex’s SBTi-validated target to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030. While it is initially rolled out to selected products under the Moltex Pure and Nature brand, Ontex’s baby diaper brand available in retailers and online across Europe, the development also lays the groundwork for broader application. This includes future products and offerings for retail partners. 

BioSAP: a step forward, with an eye on circularity 
The conventional SAP available in the market is currently not recyclable or industrially compostable. However, Ontex views biodegradable SAP as a key enabler for multiple circular solutions in the future. The company continues to monitor innovation in this area closely, while remaining realistic about current limitations.

In response to mounting global regulations and the push for a circular economy, CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers) is launching ITMA Sustainability Forum: Accelerating the Green Transition on 30 October at Singapore Expo. 

The half-day forum is designed to help textile and garment manufacturers, particularly from South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, navigate the European Union’s evolving sustainability regulations, and access to green financing opportunities to support their transition. 

Held alongside ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025, the forum brings together EU policymakers, financial institutions, and industry leaders to facilitate cross-border dialogue and knowledge exchange. 

Singapore Fashion Council, the official association for the textile and fashion 
industry in Singapore, is the programme partner of the forum organised by ITMA Services. 

Mr Alex Zucchi, President, CEMATEX, said: “Sustainability has become a global priority. The textile industry must act swiftly to modernise production in line with regulatory demands and growing consumer expectations. This forum provides a much-needed platform for manufacturers to better understand the EU’s legislative landscape and the financing tools available for sustainable growth.” 

A key highlight of the forum will be the keynote presentation by Ms Kristin Schreiber, Director, European Commission DG GROW. She will provide a comprehensive overview of the EU’s sustainability roadmap and upcoming regulations driving the shift towards circular textile production.

Ms Schreiber said: “South and Southeast Asia are vital players in the global textile value chain. Many producers in these regions export to the European market, and their ability to align with upcoming requirements will be critical to a successful and inclusive transition. I look forward to exchanging perspectives at this forum on how we can collaborate globally to build a more sustainable and resilient textile industry.”

Under the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, by 2030, all textiles placed on the EU market must be durable, recyclable, largely made from recycled fibres and free from hazardous substances. Manufacturers worldwide must act now to meet these requirements and remain competitive. 

Programme highlights 

• Shaping Sustainability: Responding to EU Policy Changes
  Moderator: Ms Nicole van der Elst Desai, Founder, VDE Consultancy 
  Speaker: Mr Robert van de Kerkhof, CEO, ReHubs 
• Profit Meets Purpose: Financing Sustainability 
  Moderator: Mr Brandon Courban, Senior Advisor (Climate), Openspace Ventures
  Speakers:
  - Dr Rene Van Berkel, Senior Circular Economy Expert, Switch Asia, EU Policy Support Component
  - Ms Iris Ng, Head, Emerging Business & Global Commercial Banking, OCBC Bank
  - Mr Michael Rattinger, Senior Climate Change Specialist, Asian Development Bank

Source Fashion announces £500,000 investment in a scheme to support British Heritage manufacturers. On Day 2 of Source Fashion the show has unveiled a major new initiative designed to champion British manufacturing. The new scheme will provide each of 15 selected UK-based heritage manufacturers with a fully funded stand, marketing support, and brand development assistance, representing over £500,000 worth of support to run across the next three years.

Beginning February 2026, Source Fashion will form a dedicated British Heritage Pavilion to showcase the 15 curated, high-quality, heritage manufacturers, from across the UK. The selected businesses will receive support for three consecutive editions of the show, a move designed to help them build long-term visibility and growth.

“As Source Fashion grows into the largest manufacturing sourcing show in Europe, we believe it’s our responsibility to support the brilliant manufacturers we have here in the UK,” said Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion. “This is about more than just giving away stands. We’re investing in the future of British manufacturing by helping these businesses tell their stories, connect with international buyers, and grow sustainably. It’s a small way that we can give back, while also making sure UK manufacturing is properly represented on the global stage.”

The programme will be open to a diverse range of UK manufacturers, from heritage textiles in Scotland to component specialists in the Midlands and South. It aims to address a long-standing lack of support for British producers who often struggle to afford the costs of exhibiting, especially when compared to government-subsidised competitors abroad.
Each business will receive:

• A free stand at three consecutive Source Fashion shows in January 2026, July 2026 and January 2027.
• Dedicated bespoke PR and marketing campaigns
• Exposure through Source Fashion’s global content channels

To ensure the most deserving and high-potential manufacturers are selected, Source Fashion will work with their advisory board to identify manufacturers and makers that would benefit from the show.  

The first full cohort of heritage manufacturers will be announced in September 2025. While most participants are still under wraps, organisers have confirmed outreach has already begun, and standout British businesses have already been selected to join the inaugural pavilion include Courtnery and Co, The last remaining button manufacturer in the UK, and Alexander Manufacturing. These companies represent the exceptional craftsmanship and highlight how special British manufacturing and heritage can be. The scheme aims to spotlight, with more names to be revealed in the coming months.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has selected the REGEN project as one of three groundbreaking initiatives to integrate circularity into the defence sector. Uplift360, a pioneer in advanced material recycling technologies, will play a critical role in this effort, leveraging its specialist expertise in the recycling and regeneration of aramid fibres to advance sustainable material solutions for high-performance defence applications.

Uplift360 is a cleantech innovator specializing in the recycling of advanced materials, including carbon fibre and aramid. With a focus on circular economy solutions, Uplift360 provides technologies that reduce waste, lower emissions, and support a more sustainable future.

Driving Circularity in Defence
As part of the REGEN project, Uplift360 will focus on the recovery and reuse of continuous aramid fibres, a critical component in defence applications. This effort includes overcoming the complex challenge of PFAS coating removal, a significant barrier to scaling up advanced material recycling. By developing innovative technologies to increase the quality and characteristics of recycled spun aramids, Uplift360 aims to directly engage with material users for ongoing product evolution and development.

The REGEN project brings together a powerful consortium, including FECSA and AITEX from Spain, Uplift360 and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). This collaboration aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy within the defence sector by fostering knowledge sharing, technical innovation, and sustainable resource management.
 
Uplift360’s Role in REGEN
•    Advanced Fibre Recovery: Expertise in recycling and regeneration of aramid fibres.
•    PFAS Coatings Removal Technology: Developing solutions to overcome this critical scaling challenge.
•    Direct Industry Collaboration: Engaging with material users to refine and evolve product performance.
•    Circular Economy Leadership: Contributing to the long-term sustainability of defence materials.
•    Techno-economic analysis (TEA): To optimise the process accordingly.
 
Partners’ Roles in REGEN
•    FECSA: Coordinator of the REGEN project, FECSA leads the consortium and communication strategy, contributing its expertise in advanced protective textiles and sustainable innovation for the defence sector.
•    AITEX: As a partner in the REGEN project consortium, AITEX is leading the development of the fabric and characterisation testing. It is also supporting Uplift360 by contributing its expertise in optimising the wet-spinning process.
•    LIST: As a partner in the REGEN project consortium, LIST is responsible for the life cycle assessment (LCA).

From 25 to 26 June 2025, the final meeting of the ERASMUS+ project AddTex took place in Terrassa, Spain, which aimed to train workers, pupils and students in the textile industry. Over a period of three years, eleven partners from Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic and the IVGT association for Germany were involved in the project.

With hackathons, virtual internships and 45 freely accessible MOOCs, AddTex set new standards in training and further education in the textile industry. The online platform www.addtex.eu provides professionals with the latest insights into green, digital and smart textiles – in a practical and free format. 

AddTex.eu online platform
All the project goals were achieved. The partners developed innovative formats such as summer schools, back-to-school programmes, coaching services and masterclasses. The 45 massive open online courses (MOOCs) on the AddTex.eu platform offer explanatory videos and learning materials as downloadable PDFs, each tailored to the three main target groups: technicians, engineers and managers.

A highlight of the closing event on 26 June 2025, which was jointly organised by AddTex and the EU project xBUILD-EU under the motto ‘Textile Talent & Innovation: Driving Tomorrow's Industry’, was the interactive session ‘New Generations in the Labour Market’, including the speed dating event ‘Talent meets Industry’. The event brought together companies, students and experts for an intensive exchange and networking day in Terrassa.

The AddTex.eu platform will be continuously developed over the next five years by the IVGT Technical Textiles Department together with the project partners in order to provide up-to-date content and act as a point of contact for industry and universities. In addition to instructions for creating your own MOOCs, hackathons and webinars, new soft skills and formats such as back-to-school programmes and solution-oriented consulting have been developed and implemented by project hubs.

A collaboration with the Chair of Textile Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology and the Texoversum Experts & Training Hub in Reutlingen is currently planned to supplement the project results. In addition to the three EU priority areas of ‘Green – Digital – Smart’, the focus is also on textile recycling and digitisation and AI topics in order to provide IVGT members with targeted information, training materials and network contacts.

The IVGT was most recently responsible for work package 5, ‘Qualification of the textile industry through ADDTEX hubs for green-digital-smart,’ as well as for the creation of an application manual and a business plan to ensure that the project content is updated for at least five years after the end of the project.

Source Fashion, a leading responsible sourcing show in Europe, returns to Olympia London from 8–10 July 2025 with the highly anticipated return of its Source Debates Stage, a bold and unfiltered platform tackling fashion’s most urgent challenges and exploring the ideas shaping its future.

Building on the success of its debut, the Source Debates Stage returns this season with a fresh line-up of thought-provoking sessions designed to challenge assumptions, spark honest conversation, and explore new thinking across sustainability, sourcing, innovation, and ethics. Each session invites attendees to engage with real-world issues and bold ideas, offering a dynamic space for collective insight and practical discussion.

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, comments, “The Source Debates Stage is designed to ask difficult questions and encourage collective problem-solving. As businesses are being tested like never before, these sessions are a call to arms provoking honest discussion about what needs to change, and how we get there together.”

Each session on the Debates Stage is interactive by design, encouraging attendees to engage directly with expert speakers. Highlights include:

• AI - Just because we can, does it mean we should? Jade McSorley, Head of Knowledge Exchange (Sustainability) - Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and human-led design. How do we ensure ethics, ownership, and creativity stay intact? 
• Can we decouple profit from volume - or is that a fantasy?  With industry pressures mounting, Simon Platts, Founder - SP&KO Consultancy, discusses whether reducing output can sharpen commercial strategy and increase brand value.
• Rethinking the rules - what would a smarter fashion system look like? Mark Sumner, Textiles Programme Lead – WRAP reimagines fashion’s supply chain from the ground up, asking what it would look like if we priced for reality, not just margins.
• Can luxury fashion really be sustainable? Dax Lovegrove, Consultant - Planet Positive, former Director of Sustainability, Versace, confronts the contradictions at the heart of high-end fashion, examining whether true sustainability can exist amid exclusivity, global supply chains, and opacity.

Set against the backdrop of this season’s overarching theme, ‘Thriving in a Volatile World’, the Source Debates programme is a vital forum for confronting the contradictions and complexities of modern fashion. From navigating uncertain economic conditions to rethinking consumption and innovation under pressure, these sessions are crafted to help businesses move beyond survival mode and uncover bold, practical strategies for long-term resilience. 

Sparxell, the Cambridge-based colour platform technology company founded by University of Cambridge scientists Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, has announced the launch of its first textile ink derived from its revolutionary dye-free pigments in partnership with Positive Materials, marking a pivotal moment in making sustainable colour technology accessible to fashion brands worldwide.

Sparxell’s textile ink represents the world's first commercially available plant-based, biodegradable colouring solution that is bioinspired, eliminating toxic dyes, synthetic plastics and mined metals and minerals whilst delivering exceptional performance standards.

Launching in Sparxell’s signature blue, the ink is available in matte and shimmer finishes – enabling brands to integrate the breakthrough technology through standard orders rather than bespoke projects. 

This milestone represents a significant step towards democratising access to sustainable colour innovation across the fashion industry, from emerging designers to established high-end houses and mass-market brands.

Sparxell’s textile ink is available from the end of June 2025, with printing orders processed through Positive Materials. Partnership rollout includes an all-over printed cotton jersey featuring Sparxell's breakthrough technology, available from September 2025 in European markets.

The initial blue colour launch represents the first of multiple colours planned for release throughout 2025, with Sparxell's bio-inspired platform enabling virtually unlimited colour variations.

Sparxell's textile ink harnesses the same structural colour principles found in nature such as in Morpho butterfly wings, engineering plant-based cellulose at the microscale to create vibrant colours through light manipulation rather than chemical formulas. This bio-inspired approach eliminates toxic dyes, mined metals and minerals, and petroleum-based materials whilst delivering superior colour vibrancy and durability.

Launch textile production is powered by Sparxell's partnership with Positive Materials, a leading textile company operating at the intersection of design, technology, and manufacturing.

Positive Materials supports the validation and scale-up of Sparxell's breakthrough by integrating it into its existing production infrastructure, providing the manufacturing expertise and operational capacity needed to take the technology from prototype to production-ready. 

The partnership enables Sparxell to scale production whilst maintaining strict sustainability standards throughout the manufacturing process.

Dr Benjamin Droguet, Founder and CEO of Sparxell, said:
"This textile ink launch transforms how brands can access our breakthrough technology. For too long, the textile industry had no choice other than to accept that vibrant colours meant environmental damage. Sparxell's bio-inspired technology shatters that assumption, delivering exceptional results from plant-based cellulose.

“This is just the beginning - our vision is to make bio-inspired colour technology the new standard across fashion, proving that high performance and working in harmony with nature are perfectly aligned."
Elsa Parente, Co-CEO and CTO of Positive Materials, said: 
"Rather than requiring custom development projects, fashion designers and procurement teams can now order the most sustainable colourant options out there as easily as conventional alternatives, but with the added benefit of containing 100% biodegradable pigments that are free from toxic chemicals.

“Our collaboration with Sparxell represents exactly the kind of innovation the textile industry needs, aligning perfectly with our mission to create low-impact textiles that don't compromise on performance."

The textile ink launch addresses growing industry demand for sustainable alternatives as the global textile industry currently uses over 10,000 different chemicals in colouration processes, releasing 1.5 million tonnes of toxic dyes into the environment annually contributing up to 2% of global GHG emissions.[1][2] Sparxell's plant-based solution significantly reduces energy need and water consumption whilst eliminating harmful chemical pollution.

The launch builds on Sparxell's recent commercial momentum, including a €1.9 million grant from the European Innovation Council and participation in LVMH's prestigious La Maison des Startups accelerator programme.

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") have succeeded in developing new regenerated cellulose fiber with a silk-like sheen from waste cotton fabric through a new production process.

A movement toward using fibers recycled from discarded clothing has been gaining momentum, driven by a growing recognition of waste clothing as a global environmental issue. In Europe in particular, a move is under way to use more regenerated fiber and reduce textile waste.

To address societal issues surrounding textile waste, HKRITA and Epson have been conducting research and development on regenerated fibers since signing a joint development agreement in January 2024. As a result of this collaboration, the partners have successfully developed regenerated cellulose fiber using a new production process that transforms discarded cotton fabric into regenerated fiber.

This new process was made possible by integrating Epson's proprietary Dry Fiber Technology for defibrating textiles with HKRITA's fiber-dissolving technology. The process involves (1) defibrating discarded cotton fabric into a powder-like state, (2) dissolving the cotton in a solvent, and (3) extruding it through a nozzle into a coagulation bath, where it solidifies and is spun into fiber.

The regenerated cellulose fiber produced through this process is expected to have both a smooth, silky sheen and the strength of cotton. This fiber is expected to be used in high-end materials such as scarves, neckties, and suit linings. Moreover, since the short fibers that occur during the regenerated fiber production process can also be used rather than discarded, as was usually the case, this regeneration process can help to increase the total clothing recycling rate.

"As an applied research center, HKRITA is dedicated to solving real-world problems and enhancing current practices and products," said HKRITA CEO Jake Koh. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Epson to recycle fibers and repurpose them into high-quality yarns. This cross-industrial collaboration is not only reimagining materials but also redefining the future of sustainable production."

Epson Executive Officer Satoshi Hosono, who serves as the deputy general administrative manager of the Global Environmental Strategy Promotion Office and as the deputy general administrative manager of the Technology Development Division, said, "We are extremely pleased with the results that this joint development project has yielded. The selective application of this new wet process and our previously developed dry process should enable fiber to be regenerated from all waste cotton fabrics while reducing environmental impact."

Information about the work under this joint development project will be exhibited at HKRITA's Booth 2415 at Textiles Recycling Expo 2025, held in Brussels, Belgium, from June 4, 2025.

Looking ahead, HKRITA and Epson will continue to combine their advanced technologies to accelerate the adoption of regenerated fibers, contributing to global efforts to solve the challenge of clothing recycling.

AkzoNobel has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with leading Nordic solar developer and independent power producer Alight, which revolves around the construction of a 15 MWp solar park in Sweden. Alight will finance, construct, own and operate the facility, which will be located in the Uppsala municipality. AkzoNobel will contract a portion of the clean electricity generated at a stable, low price to power its adhesives site in Kristinehamn and protective coatings plant in Gothenburg.

“We already operate on 100% renewable electricity at all our manufacturing locations in Europe1 and teaming up with Alight will secure a supply of clean, reliable energy for most of our operations in Sweden. It will also add renewable energy capacity to the Swedish grid, contributing to the nation’s clean energy transition.”

When the solar park is operational in 2027, it’s projected to produce 16 GWh annually, equivalent to the electricity needs of approximately 3,200 households2. As well as generating more momentum for AkzoNobel’s ambition to halve its carbon footprint by 2030, the agreement also aligns with Alight’s mission to kick carbon off the grid.

“We’re extremely proud to work with AkzoNobel, one of the world’s most sustainable paints and coatings companies,” adds Johan Hernström, Head of PPAs at Alight. “We applaud them for taking bold steps to contribute to the energy transition.”

Alongside the new agreement – AkzoNobel’s first PPA in Sweden – the company is working on an offsite opportunity for its Malmö site, which is in a different energy zone. There are also plans for a PPA in Germany.