From the Sector

ISKO’s new FW 26/27 collection explores a diverse and ambitious vision for sustainable denim. With a strong focus on fiber innovation, the collection incorporates organic and regenerative cellulosic fibers, alongside Next-Gen circular materials powered by RE&UP — transforming end-of-life textiles into high-performance fabrics that rival the durability and comfort of virgin fibers.

Among the highlights of the FW 26/27 collection is RECODE DENIM, ISKO’s latest breakthrough in circular denim technology. Built on advanced recycled content and proprietary weaving innovation, RECODE sets a new benchmark for quality, resource efficiency, and scalability — seamlessly integrating sustainability with style.

This season also marks the debut of new fabric technologies that elevate denim’s potential for both performance and creativity:

• ISKO™ We’Raw – delivers an authentic raw denim aesthetic that resists shrinkage, fading, and distortion, even after repeated home washing.
• ISKO™ FitWise – engineered for lasting structure and a smart, adaptive fit with zero compromise on comfort.
• ISKO™ Wondersoft – combines silky softness and authentic denim texture using sustainable fibers like modal and lyocell.

From rich textures to sculpted silhouettes, the collection embraces a deep winter palette — dark indigos, blackened hues, and earthy browns – further elevated by TINTED MANIA, a curated series of tone-on-tone color effects that enrich the visual depth of each garment. Fabric weights range from 9 oz to 15 oz, offering versatility and adaptability across seasonal applications.

ISKO™ Multitouch, introduced in SS26, remains a key fabric concept for the FW 26/27 season. Known for its ability to deliver multiple textures and finishes from a single fabric, it continues to empower designers with options like 3D effects, permanent embossing, vintage-inspired wash-downs, and soft or firm hand feels – all achieved through responsible finishing processes that reduce environmental impact.

“With this collection, we’re continuing to merge fashion and function – introducing new updates in finishing and construction that reflect the latest industry trends,” said Fatma Korkmaz, Product Development Manager at ISKO. “We see a clear resurgence in demand for stretch, and have focused on delivering smart, adaptive solutions that meet both performance and aesthetic needs. We’Raw, FitWise, and RECODE Denim aren’t just technical breakthroughs — they embody our vision for the future of denim, where innovation, comfort, and responsibility go hand in hand.”

Rosemary Moore, inventor of the original and ground-breaking 4 way stretch and crinkle fabric, together with Graduate Fashion Foundation has announced the shortlisted 3 finalists in an international fashion design competition.

Students from the leading fashion and design universities across the UK and internationally were challenged to design a trend led womenswear S/S 2026 capsule collection utilising the famous MAXXAM® fabrics. Celebrating the fabric’s history the range had to be timeless, multi-purpose and include a minimum of one piece of swimwear.  

Judged by Rosemary and the team at Graduate Fashion Foundation, a shortlist of 3 winners has been announced.

• Ivo Gomes - Solent University, Fashion Design
• Ella Brooks-Birkett - Manchester Fashion Institute @ The Manchester Metropolitan University, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology
• Paballo Mafokate - STADIO School of Fashion, Honours in Fashion

Rosemary said, “It has been incredibly exciting to work on this project with Graduate Fashion Foundation and all the leading universities across the country and abroad. I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the number of entries we received and the passion and talent that the students have demonstrated. It has been really difficult to narrow down more than 40 entries to a shortlist of 10 students, who I was lucky enough to meet in person, and even harder to get to our 3 finalists, Ivo, Ella and Paballo.

All the applicants for the competition displayed a very high standard of creativity and imagination and in the end, we had to look at the finer details of the actual designs and the commerciality for carrying them forward.

Rosemary Moore invented the unique MAXXAM® fabric in the early 1980s which took the fashion world by storm and became renowned for its 4-way stretch, tactile characteristics, and one-size-fits-all seamless clothing used predominantly for adult clothing and swimwear

Ivo displayed a fresh approach using laser cutting concepts and the novelty for reusing the waste in other aspects of the design creation. His laser designs offered versatility when intermixing the separate parts to dress up or down for a week away. Paballo impressed with her collection theme and her creativity as it offered a real sincerity to the origins of her landscape combining the waste and traditional techniques of Artisans in South Africa. Ella gave a fresh youthful approach to the styling of her separates with well-considered use of our textiles to offer the freedom for intermixing from day into night and beach to trekking.

I’m thrilled to say the competition has showcased the best of our future fashion talent and we look forward to sharing the final winner at Graduate Fashion Week!”

The 3 finalists will showcase looks in the Graduate Fashion Week Gala Show and exhibition (13th- 16th June 2025 at the Truman Brewery, Shoreditch) where a final overall winner will be chosen to receive the coveted prize of working directly with Rosemary and her manufacturers on their designs with the chance of one of their pieces going into manufacture.  
Ivo Gomes commented, “Getting to this stage of the competition feels wonderful! To win the competition, I would feel like I had won in life! Regardless of the final result, it will have been a valuable learning experience and I value, learning above everything else.”

Ella Brooks-Birkett commented, “I’m super excited to get to this point in the competition, and I didn't expect it at all. It's such a great experience to come down to London for the live judging. I would be absolutely blown away if I won the competition because this is really out of my comfort zone, and I know to win would really get me started in the fashion industry.”

Paballo Mafokate said, “I'm truly honored to get to this stage of the competition and be recognised for my creativity.  To win a competition from a global fashion platform is not something that is familiar within the African continent, and I believe that it would be a beautiful moment and blessing for me and a jump start for my career in fashion.”

The students design journey can be followed on GFF social channels using the #GFFxMAXXAM.

A celebration of timeless design powered by ISKO’s SS26 denim fabrics made from recycled materials.

ISKO is proud to collaborate with BLANCHE for the launch of KOKORO, the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Rooted in sustainability, KOKORO embodies BLANCHE’s commitment to timeless design and conscious fashion, with ISKO’s innovative denim at its core.

As a leading denim producer, ISKO is dedicated to redefining the future of fashion through innovative and responsible textile solutions with its fashion-first approach that complements sustainability, emphasising that sustainability need not compromise style. The KOKORO collection – where all denim is crafted using ISKO fabrics – exemplifies this commitment. Thanks to ISKO’s premium recycled denim, the collection maintains high-end quality while significantly reducing its environmental footprint, resulting in beautifully crafted fashion pieces.

“Real change in fashion happens when innovation meets integrity and purpose. Our collaboration
with BLANCHE shows that responsibility and great design are not opposing forces – they
strengthen each other. This is the future of denim: responsible, resilient, and ready to inspire.”
– Keith O’Brien, Senior Global Marketing & PR Manager at ISKO.

The KOKORO collection will be available online and in stores from February 2025.

Reju™, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, and Cibutex, a cooperative of companies dedicated to establishing a more sustainable textile supply chain, announced a partnership. Through this collaboration, Reju and Cibutex will work to establish an ecosystem among Cibutex member companies.

This partnership will deliver feedstock supply of secondary raw materials derived from post-consumer textile waste to Reju for the recycling and the production of regenerated Reju Polyester™. This provides circular regeneration opportunities using Reju’s innovative textile-to-textile recycling technology.

Reju is pioneering a global infrastructure for large-scale textile waste regeneration, starting with polyester. Reju Polyester™, will have a 50% lower carbon footprint compared to virgin polyester and can be regenerated infinitely. This partnership with Cibutex will see materials from the cooperative’s member companies processed at Reju’s Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt, Germany, which will be fully operational in 2025 and at future Reju Regeneration Hubs.

Cibutex brings together companies from the textile service sector to collect and process post-use business textiles, creating a pathway for these materials to be reintroduced into the production cycle. It aims to close the loop on business textile production, ensuring that B2B post-use textiles are collected and transformed into valuable raw materials. By integrating Reju’s proprietary regeneration technology, this union ensures traceability and scalability, key components of a truly sustainable and circular textile supply chain.

The joint efforts of Reju and Cibutex highlight the strength of combined ingenuity and innovation in tackling the growing challenge of textile waste. With the European Union’s mandate for textile waste collection taking effect this year, along with pending regulations in the U.S., this initiative comes at a pivotal moment, ensuring scalable solutions to meet regulatory demands and achieve a more sustainable future.

Source Fashion, a European leading responsible sourcing show, has revealed a snapshot of the trend-led catwalk themes set to take centre stage at its February 2025 show. Taking place from 18th – 20th February at Olympia London, the Source Catwalk will bring to life a visionary blend of innovation, sustainability, and sensory-rich fashion experiences, highlighting the future of responsible design, as well as bespoke designs by headline designer Stuart Trevor.
 
Trend Highlights AW25 - 26
Three key overarching macro trends and seasonal design directions for AW25 – 26 for womenswear; Multisensory, Transformative, and Rejuvenating. These feature micro womenswear stories that are set to influence collections.
 
CircusPlay – A multisensory spectacle inspired by the whimsical world of the circus, this trend introduces bold colours, exaggerated silhouettes, and rich textures. Standout pieces include the Bubble Hem Dress, Volume Draped Top, and Exaggerated Shoulder Top, embracing playful theatricality while remaining wearable for the modern consumer.
 
Hyper Tactile – Fashion becomes an immersive, sensory experience, merging visual drama with the pleasure of touch. This trend features an organic colour palette, with hues such as Organic Matter and Enchanted Forest, evoking purity, warmth, and nature’s enchanting textures.
 
Reconstructed – A celebration of upcycling and sustainability, Reconstructed fashion breathes new life into garments through patchwork designs, mixed textiles, and artistic repurposing. The colour palette blends earthy neutrals with Desert Architect tones—balancing warm golds and cool stony greys.
 
Plant Power – A tribute to botanical beauty and plant-based materials, this trend spotlights innovative textiles such as Piñatex (pineapple leaf fabric), organic cotton, and nature-inspired textures. Dominated by greens and browns, with subtle contrasts, Plant Power redefines sustainable luxury.
 
Headline Designer: Stuart Trevor to Showcase Bespoke Collection
Renowned designer Stuart Trevor will unveil a bespoke collection from his eponymous label, bringing his signature craftsmanship and innovation to the Source Catwalk.
 
The Source Catwalk Showtimes

• Tuesday: 11am, 1pm, and 3.30pm
• Wednesday: 10.30am, 1pm, and 3.30pm
• Thursday: 11am and 1pm

The Autumn/Winter '25 edition of Scoop returns to Olympia West, Kensington, from 9–11 February 2025, bringing London’s largest and most anticipated curated showroom event back into the spotlight. Under the expert curation of Founder and Managing Director Karen Radley, this season promises a fresh roster of talent, featuring exciting new faces among the line-up of international designers and lifestyle brands, all carefully selected to captivate buyers and visitors in an intimate and contemporary setting.

Founded in Paris in 2017, Artlove is set to present a vibrant collection that cultivates the spontaneity of a feminine and easy-to-wear aesthetic. Committed to meticulous craftsmanship, Artlove’s clothes are inspired by the vivacious spirit of creativity, for a wardrobe imagined in Paris and to be enjoyed joyfully everywhere. Their dresses, knitwear and separates are designed in a palette of options to reflect individual personality. Each outfit is a work of art in itself, ready to be styled according to the wearer’s mood.

Also making its debut at Scoop is iconic Spanish streetwear brand Loreak Mendian. Founded in Donostia over 25 years ago, Loreak Mendian means “flowers in the mountains”, and is faithful to its roots today by advocating for the power of design to create timeless and durable pieces. Driven by culture, their collections are inspired by artistic expressions; music, art, and graphic design, balance practicality with style, offering versatile urban apparel for both men and women that embodies the spirit of sustainability.

ALIX the Label, renowned for its luxurious take on wardrobe essentials, will also be showing for the first time. Designed ‘for those with a hint of rock and roll in their DNA’, this season’s highlights include leopard-print dresses paired with crisp sneakers for a laid-back look, and bold oversized blazers that can be styled with sky-high heels for a night out.

Orfeo Paris will unveil a collection that effortlessly blends structured tailoring with dreamy feminine charm. Expect tailored blazers, chic dresses, and cosy knitwear designed with precision and a keen eye for detail. Each piece captures the essence of Parisian sophistication while remaining approachable and practical for everyday wear.

For buyers seeking new jewellery designers, Love Letter’s latest collection, The Divine Feminine, is an ode to feminine power and mystique. The line features striking jewellery pieces that harmonise celestial and earthly elements, with gemstones like rainbow moonstones, copper turquoise, malachite, amethyst, and carnelian taking centre stage. Also debuting, The Little Words Project is known for its handcrafted beaded bracelets featuring inspirational phrases. These customisable accessories promote kindness and positivity, encouraging wearers to “pay it forward” by gifting them to friends or loved ones in need of encouragement.

Travaux en Cours is set to impress with its chic and functional range of bags and hats.  Designed in France and woven in Italy, their unisex hats, crafted from durable woven paper that
mimics straw, are available in a variety of colours, making them an ideal addition to any wardrobe.

Other new designers poised to catch buyers’ attention include My Beachy Side, Artemis Muse, Fancy Palas, Mirto, and Sunny Studio. Scoop favourites, such as Cocoa Cashmere, Dr. Bloom, Dream Catchers, Sophie + Lucie, Sofie Schnoor, Quinton Chadwick, Mou, Eribe, Dedicated, and Dr. Denim, will showcase their latest collections. Meanwhile, returning brands Dixie, Pom Amsterdam, Vilagallo, Nooki, Humility, and FRNCH promise to delight with their distinctive offerings.

Jeanologia celebrates the 25^th anniversary of its pioneering laser technology at Kingpins Amsterdam, with a unique capsule collection that blends the nostalgia of traditional denim with technological advances that have revolutionized the industry. This joint celebration with Kingpins – commemorating their 10th anniversary in Amsterdam and 20th globally – highlights the global impact of laser technology through a visual installation that traces a quarter century of innovation, with a focus on the future.

The launch of Jeanologia’s first laser in 1999 marked the beginning of a new era for the textile industry, improving sustainability, quality, and efficiency. By eliminating hazardous practices like sandblasting, this disruptive technology enhanced processes and redefined the concepts of innovation and sustainability in an industry rooted in craftsmanship. Today, this technology is used in 50% of global jean production, solidifying its position as an essential tool for top manufacturers and fashion brands.

Jeanologia has successfully integrated laser technology into the DNA of denim without losing sight of its classic heritage. This balance between tradition and modernity has cemented its significant impact on the industry. “Laser has enabled more sustainable production and opened up creative possibilities that were once unimaginable,” says Fernando Cardona, Head of Jeanologia's Brainbox.

25 LASER YEARS capsule collection of ‘old new designs’
To commemorate this milestone at Kingpins Amsterdam, Jeanologia will offer an interactive visual journey through the history of their laser technology and present a specially designed capsule collection to celebrate this anniversary.

This installation will showcase a special collection that captures the magic of laser by merging the classic with the modern. Patches, embroidery, and natural wear effects evoke the nostalgia of traditional denim, while the technology plays the silent protagonist behind each finish. The garments illustrate how laser allows iconic vintage effects such as stone washing, worn-out looks, washing marks, rips, and marbling effects using tools like the “Light Ripper” or “Light Scrapper.” The collection also explores the numerous creative possibilities these tools enable, including hyper realistic laser details, denim elements and bleach-like stains. This nostalgic approach invites the reinterpretation of the past through updated historical models that encapsulate the idea of continuous evolution and improvement in laser design.

This "old new designs" capsule collection symbolizes the connection between Jeanologia's legacy and its vision of a greener, more responsible textile industry, celebrating its history while inviting both the industry and consumers to be part of a more sustainable future in denim.

As part of the 25th-anniversary celebration, Jeanologia will offer a digital version of this capsule collection, with 25 digital designs that pay homage to the evolution of laser technology and its transformative impact. Visitors can also experience the unique digital design process with eDesigner software, taking home their digital garment to produce it sustainably anywhere in the world.

Jeanologia invites brands, designers, and consumers to be part of a new era of denim, where tradition and technology merge to create a greener, more innovative, and sustainable future.

A tribute to the ‘Denim Tribe’
Jeanologia does not commemorate this anniversary alone. The collections and the accompanying narrative are a shared tribute to the global community of brands, designers, and manufacturers who have embraced laser technology and contributed to its progress. “More than a celebration for Jeanologia, this is recognition of the entire industry, the ‘denim tribe’ that has courageously and responsibly adopted this technology, advancing towards a more sustainable future in fashion. Without their collaboration, we wouldn’t have achieved this impact,” emphasizes the Head of Technological Development at Jeanologia.

A digital twin supply chain has recently been established by Swedish start-up PaperTale for Sail Racing – a brand well known for its durable and long-lasting performance garments for the marine industry.

The PaperTale system for Sail Racing fully maps a complex network, beginning with farmers in Australia, moving to garment workers in Pakistan and finally reaching consumers in Scandinavia. It incorporates data collection from the three countries using NFC tags and blockchain technology to provide detailed supply chain insights and ensure regulatory compliance for the brand.

Introducing the usually anonymous factory workers responsible for each individual garment to the person buying it is what sets PaperTale apart from other tracking systems – a next level of personalisation that will make a valuable contribution to raising the debate on the true cost of textiles.

“Our system captures the supply chain of a product from cradle to grave, in real-time,” says company founder Bilal Bhatti. “By integrating it into existing planning and management systems, factories and brands can gather and verify the flow of material and their social and environmental data in real-time. Data is added to a public blockchain so it is extremely hard to tamper with, further increasing trust. When a product is finalised, consumers can scan an NFC tag or QR-code to view the entire journey a product has travelled, which craftsmen were involved in the production, and if they have been paid fairly.”

“This technology is a game-changer in that we provide verified information about the social aspects of the manufacturing process and not just information about the components of the garment,” says Bilal. “We need products and processes to be much more connected with people, especially in such a complex supply chain where a high percentage of the work is carried out by contract workers who are unregistered and often exploited.

“When the entire product journey is visible using real-time and verified data, higher trust is created all the way from factories to consumers. Our system makes it possible to start the dialogue on the cost of sustainability, paving the way to increase incentives that result in proper wages, contracts and workplace safety. In respect of environmental sustainability, real-time data makes real-time measurement possible, which will also stimulate brands and factories to reduce emissions, water usage and pollution.”

The collaboration is further highlighted as the primary case study in a just-released white paper prepared by Deloitte, as a guide to how companies could most effectively prepare for the European Commission’s upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) and other related legislation.

The Salvation Army announces a collaboration with celebrity fashion stylist Rebekah Roy for Sustainable Fashion Week. Rebekah will join as special guest for an exclusive online second-hand fashion event and share expert tips on styling second-hand fashion.  The webinar will be held on Tuesday 24th September at 8 pm (BST). The partnership presents an opportunity to promote second-hand shopping and create lasting change.  
 
Listed as one of the top 100 "Most original and influential people in the UK creative and media industries” by Time Out, Rebekah is an award-winning stylist whose career boasts working on more than 75 catwalk shows, including for London Fashion Week, Rolls Royce, Ascot and Harrods. Beyond the runway, Rebekah has collaborated with iconic musicians including Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Enya, Kate Nash and Max Rae.
 
As a strong advocate for sustainability, Rebekah has also pioneered the UK’s first vegan fashion show and regularly curates the Source Fashion show at London Olympia, reflecting her commitment to a sustainable lifestyle and her vision for a fashion industry that respects our planet.
 
Sustainable Fashion Week unites the community in taking creative action; to change the fashion system from the bottom up and the programme features a series of events to take action locally and change fashion globally.  As part of SATCoL’s commitment to sustain our planet and transform lives, the 30-minute webinar with Rebekah Roy will be available to the public for free and it will encourage second-hand shopping as she shares expert tips on styling vintage looks to make your wardrobe last. In addition to this, guests will receive a free guide to take away to support them further after the event.
 
The webinar is a call to action to drive lasting change and SATCoL will take the opportunity to introduce the great work they do to help sustain the planet and give used textiles a second lease of life whilst, helping to raise vital funds for charity. The webinar will be hosted by Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL), who operates around 250 stores and a UK-wide clothing bank collection service on behalf of the charity. SATCoL has received industry wide recognition in fashion for their efforts to support brands and retailers to meet their sustainability goals and the webinar encourages the public to also take part in diverting more items away from disposal and to shop second-hand.

Archroma, specialist in chemicals towards sustainable solutions, Kipaş Denim, a Turkish company with a focus on integrated textile production, and Jeanologia, a sustainable textile solutions company, are collaborating to pioneer a new denim finishing process for enhanced aesthetic appeal and greater sustainability.

Combining their advanced technologies, the three textile innovators are behind the launch of Kipaş Denim’s new Contra Denim concept – a breakthrough in denim dyeing and finishing that enables brands to create stunning and long-lasting distressed looks and designs effects, including intricate patterns, whiskering and fades, through cleaner processes that save water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Denim has traditionally been challenging to produce, especially for black and indigo fabric with a worn or distressed look, requiring significant water usage, harmful chemicals and intensive manual labor. The Contra Denim collection is laser- and laundry-friendly, with colors that are deep and durable. Stunning wash-down vintage effects and high contrasts are achieved via washing or laser techniques.

Contra Denim is based on Archroma’s DENIM HALO, a new approach to denim production that incorporates resource-saving pretreatment that includes DIRSOL® RD and dyeing processes to produce easy-wash laser-friendly denim. It delivers a substantially reduced environmental footprint compared to the industry-standard denim finishing process while reducing yarn shrinkage and improving garment tensile strength.

The Contra Denim’s vintage looks are achieved with advanced laser marking technology from Jeanologia. Thanks to the combination of Archroma and Jeanologia technologies, manual hand scraping or potassium permanganate spraying harmful for workers and the environment are completely eliminated.

Fernando Cardona, Brain Box Team Manager, Jeanologia, said: “As a purpose-driven textile technology company, we take pride in working with partners to accompany them through their transformational processes. We are delighted to work with industry leaders such as Archroma and Kipaş Denim, who are at the forefront of responsible denim production.”

Initially producing a ContraBlack Denim collection, Kipaş Denim has now extended the Contra line to classic indigo and other colors from the DIRESUL® RDT range.

The ContraBlack collection earned a Jeanologia Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) score of 11 on stone wash versus the ring dyeing market standard score of 67. This confirms the low impact of the ContraBlack range in both water and energy consumption, chemical impact and workers’ health.