From the Sector

• Precious water for villages that are running on dry land

The GoodTextiles Foundation has worked to improve drinking water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa in another joint project with Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). In three villages in Togo particularly affected by climate change, the partners built wells and trained people in the use of water. The curriculum included the topics of disease prevention, hygiene and health care.

In 2016, the textile company Dibella (Bocholt) established the GoodTextiles Foundation with the aim of making textile value chains more sustainable. It raises funds and implements its own support projects to benefit people at all stages of the textile industry. Now the foundation has once again supported a project in sub-Saharan Africa initiated by Cotton made in Africa (Hamburg). Funding is being provided for three villages in Togo that, according to a needs assessment by CmiA's local partner, the cotton company Nouvelle Société Cotonnière du Togo (NSCT), have no direct access to drinking water.

Difficult water procurement
The areas where CmiA's drought-resistant cotton is grown include the north and interior of Togo, where cotton farmers are particularly affected by the effects of climate change due to prolonged periods of drought. Many village communities lack access to clean drinking water, and people draw contaminated water from more distant rivers or waterholes and carry the heavy load back with difficulty.

Guide to clean water
As part of a joint project between the GoodTextiles Foundation, Aid by Trade Foundation (holder of the CmiA standard) and NSCT, three drought-affected villages - Namare/Puob-n-kpaad, Tchokoroko and Aloba - will now receive their own water supply.

The funds - 11,756 euros will be provided by the GoodTextiles Foundation, and 4,419 euros will come from the Cotton Society - will be used to construct a well operated by hand pumps in each village. The construction work is to be completed by March 2023 and the 2,300 inhabitants will be taught the basics of water handling, disease prevention and hygiene measures in so-called WASH training courses.

Driving force: UN SDGs
For years, we have aligned our company with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals for Sustainable Development). Through the sponsorship project, we are not only contributing to SDG 6 "Clean water and sanitation", but also to gender equality (SDG 5). In the African countries from which we source CmiA cotton, the physically strenuous task of procuring water is still the responsibility of women. The construction of the wells now leads to a significant improvement of their living situation," reports Ralf Hellmann, managing director of Dibella and chairman of the foundation.

Continued under their own responsibility
Once the wells have been handed over to the village communities, "water committees" will take over their management and maintenance, as well as responsibility for further hygiene training for the residents. The operation of the wells will be financed on the basis of a fund made up of small contributions from the beneficiary communities.

• Carbios strengthens its Board of Directors with the appointments of Prof. Karine AUCLAIR, Sandrine CONSEILLER, Amandine DE SOUZA and Mateus SCHREINER GARCEZ LOPES
• Carbios has reached its CSR objective of 60% independent directors ahead of 2024 target date, and has increased its female representation

Carbios‘four new members to its Board of Directors:  Prof. Karine AUCLAIR, professor of Chemistry at McGill University, Sandrine CONSEILLER, former CEO of Aigle, Amandine DE SOUZA, General Manager of LE BHV MARAIS, Eataly and Home, DIY and Leisure Purchasing at Galeries Lafayette Group, and Mateus SCHREINER GARCEZ LOPES, Global Director for Energy Transition and Investments at Raizen, have all been appointed members of Carbios’ Board of Directors.  In the new structure, Prof. Karine AUCLAIR succeeds Jacqueline LECOURTIER, Sandrine CONSEILLER succeeds Jean FALGOUX, Amandine DE SOUZA succeeds Alain CHEVALLIER, and Mateus SCHREINER GARCEZ LOPES succeeds Jean-Claude LUMARET.

Three of the new members have strong, proven expertise in various industries covering fashion, retail and energy, as well as business development and senior executive management in high-growth markets and sectors around the world.  The new scientific expertise will also help enhance and advance Carbios’ research into biological solutions for the life cycle of plastics and textiles.  In addition, a sensitivity to CSR issues and proven results in this field was also a key selection factor to join the Board.  The new members’ combined strategic vision, solid industry experience and CSR commitments will support Carbios in its industrial and commercial plans.
 
Prof. Karine AUCLAIR is Professor of Chemistry at McGill University and holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Antimicrobials and Green Enzymes.  She has received numerous awards over the years, including the Clara Benson Award of the Canadian Society of Chemistry, the McGill Tomlinson Professorship, the Leo Yaffe Teaching Award, and the McGill Fessenden Professorship, to name a few. She is an internationally recognized bioorganic chemist with significant scientific contributions to the fields of antimicrobial resistance, biocatalysis and enzymology. Her research led to several patents notably in the clean enzymatic depolymerization of untreated, high crystallinity PET plastics for closed-loop recycling.  Her work has been published in nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, and often highlighted by the media.  As a recognized leader in her field, she is often invited to speak at industrial and academic conferences around the world, and to review theses and grant applications for worldwide institutions.
 
Sandrine CONSEILLER is former Chief Executive Officer of Aigle (the emblematic French brand committed to sustainable fashion).  Prior to joining Aigle, Sandrine was Group Marketing & Branding Executive Vice-President at Lacoste (another historic French fashion brand) from 2011 to 2015.  She contributed to the Lacoste maison turnaround with strong growth and numerous professional awards including several Cannes Lions Awards.  She was also Member of the Executive Board.  Sandrine began her career at Unilever and spent 20 years leading global businesses within various divisions, mainly in Personal Care, in Latin America, Europe, and Asia.  Sandrine is also Member of the Board of Phildar (the iconic French knitwear brand), Member of the Board of Raise Sherpa (the first philantropic endowment fund dedicated to start-ups) and is a funding partner of NEO FOUNDERS (a venture fund mentoring impact start-ups).
 
Amandine DE SOUZA is General Manager of LE BHV MARAIS (French retail, decoration and fashion department stores), Eataly (an Italian gastronomy concept franchise) and Home, DIY and Leisure Purchasing at Galeries Lafayette Group since 2018.  She has been a Member of its Executive Committee since 2020.  Amandine has 17 years’ experience in different types of companies of various sizes: from family business, to start-up,  and multinational.  She was General Manager for France at Westwing (an e-commerce start-up) from 2015 to 2018.  From 2009 to 2015, she was International Merchandise Director at Casino Group (food and non-food retail distribution).  Prior to this, she worked as a strategic consultant at Bain & Company within their Distribution and Consumer Goods Division in France and internationally.
 
Mateus SCHREINER GARCEZ LOPES is Global Director for Energy Transition and Investments at Raizen (global leader in bioenergy from Brazil), leading technology, new business development and intellectual property at the company.  He was previously Global Manager for Innovation and Business Development in Renewable Chemicals at Braskem (the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas and the world’s largest producer of biopolymers).  Before his transition to the corporate world, Mateus held several researcher and lecturer positions on Synthetic Biology and metabolic Engineering at Universities in Mexico, Germany, United States and Brazil.  He is also a Board Member of Iogen Energy Corporation, Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Brazilian Association of Bio Innovation, and Advisory Committee Member from the MIT Energy Initiative.

Carbios has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Martine Brisset as Senior Vice President from 1 January 2023. Martine will manage the Biodegradation Division and supervise the Human Resources, Legal, Regulatory, Project Management, Quality Health and Safety departments. Martine Brisset joins the Group’s Executive Committee, as does Delphine Denoizé, who remains Innovation Programs Funding, Regulation and LCA Director with an expanding team.

Martine Brisset has over 30 years of General Management experience in international groups within the plastic and paper packaging industry, most notably at Amcor, Huhtamaki, Linpac and Klockner Pentaplast.  Since 2021, she has held the position of General Manager of Carbiolice in order to integrate this high-potential subsidiary dedicated to biodegradation within the Carbios Group. In her new position as Senior Vice President of Carbios, her main mission will be to successfully deploy the biodegradation technology, facilitate the international expansion of Carbios’ activities, organise the recruitment and training of the Group’s employees. With numerous recruitments planned throughout the company in 2023, building Carbios’ attractivity will be a strategic topic.

After several years working in innovation within the agricultural industry, Delphine Denoizé joined the Carbios in 2016 and was one of its first twenty employees. Initially in charge of Innovation Funding and Regulation, then Project Management for PET biorecycling, she now oversees all the Group’s projects. Her responsibilities include French and European public funding for innovation, regulatory compliance of processes and products around the world, and assessment of their environmental impact through specific tools such as Life Cycle Assessment.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) has been included as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the fourth consecutive year, with a 96 percentile, and the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index (DJSI Emerging Markets) for the sixth successive year, with a 99 percentile. The achievement aligns with IVL's purpose of “reimagining chemistry together to create a better world.”

In 2022, S&P Global invited over 11,000 companies to participate in the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). Companies with outstanding results were then considered eligible for any DJSI. This year, there were 86 chemical companies that led the field in terms of sustainability and were eligible for the DJSI World, which tracks the performance of the top 10% of the 2,500 largest companies, and 34 chemical companies eligible for the DJSI Emerging Markets, which tracks the performance of the top 10% of the 800 largest Emerging Markets companies. Out of which, IVL is among only 10 chemical companies in the DJSI World and only 3 chemical companies in the DJSI Emerging Markets.

IVL's consistently high ranking in DJSI is driven by the company's ambition to build its industry leadership in sustainability. Under Vision 2030, IVL is committed to reducing GHG intensity by 30% and increasing renewable electricity consumption to 25%. This year, IVL also committed to setting science-based targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). The company also participates in the SBTi Expert Advisory Group for the chemicals industry and provides funding for developing chemical sector decarbonization solutions.

The first Cradle to Cradle Certified^® clothing collection is on the market one year after the collaboration platform for Swiss textile labels was launched. The Circular Clothing cooperative has succeeded, in close cooperation with European suppliers, in gaining access to circular materials and equipment and using this for the Black Denim Collection by the ethical fashion label “the Blue suit”. An important step for the cooperative, which receives funding from the Migros Pioneer Fund, is the development of an online assessment tool which can be used to help check the readiness of textile labels to operate in a circular manner.

The black denim was developed by a renowned manufacturer in Italy. Since no toxic chemicals are used in the production process, this denim is safe for biological cycles and Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold. Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold certified material by the Swiss company OceanSafe was used for the lining of the jacket. Special innovative design elements and production processes, such as the printed lining, also meet the stringent Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold requirements. Currently, 1% of the material of the Black Denim Collection is Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze. In the next few months, this percent and thus also the whole garments should reach the gold level.

The Cradle to Cradle^® certification is based on the following five principles: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air & Climate Protection, Water & Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness. Depending on the extent to which all of these criteria are met by the manufacturing process, there are various levels of certification from bronze to silver, gold and platinum.

A Selection of Footwear and Apparel Designed to Raise Awareness and Funding for Breast Cancer Now and National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

• In partnership with the charities Breast Cancer Now (UK/Europe) and National Breast Cancer Foundation (US), the Collection brings together a range of products for running, hiking and mountain biking
• £15/€15/$15 from each full-price sale will be donated to BCN (for purchases in the UK and EU) or NBCF (for purchases in the North America)
• The Collection feature illustrations by adidas pro mountain biker Veronique Sandler, empathetically designed to represent the comfort that those with breast cancer have experienced in the outdoors

Inspired by the experiences of people and communities around the world, including its own employees and athletes, adidas is launching the Breast Cancer Awareness Collection this October.
Available throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the adidas Breast Cancer Awareness Collection sees adidas partnering with Breast Cancer Now in the UK and Europe, and National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. in the US, to help raise awareness of breast cancer and support the vital work both charities do.

The products in the Breast Cancer Awareness Collection have been chosen to help everyone, regardless of physical ability or condition, spend more time in the outdoors.
The collection’s focus on functional footwear and apparel that is designed for the outdoors is in keeping with adidas' objective to help broaden access to outdoor sports and help everyone enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature. With United by Summits, adidas TERREX is taking this brand-wise ethos further by encouraging all people, from every background, to realise their own individual goals in the outdoors and enjoy the benefits of adventure, both big and small.

The collection is available for purchase in limited quantities from September 30, 2022 until the end of October 2022 for adiClub members only, and £15/€15/$15 from each full-price sale of the adidas Breast Cancer Awareness Collection will be donated to Breast Cancer Now (for purchases in the UK and EU) or National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (for purchases in North America). The money raised will contribute to the important work these charities are doing.

DOMO Chemicals, a producer of engineered polyamide materials, and Hynamics, a 100% subsidiary of EDF Group specializing in the production of low-carbon hydrogen, have entered into a partnership project with the objective of achieving zero-carbon for 100% of the hydrogen used at the Belle-Étoile industrial site, in Saint-Fons (south of Lyon, France), in the heart of the French Vallée de la Chimie (“Chemistry Valley”).

For the first time in France, the “HyDom” project will enable the installation of an 85-megawatt (MW) hydrogen production plant using the water electrolysis process at the Belle-Étoile site, with a production capacity of 11,000 metric tons of low-carbon hydrogen per year. The plant will be powered by the French low-carbon electric power mix. By 2027, it will supply 100% of the annual production of hexamethylene diamine, a key component used in the production of plastics.

The project will eventually prevent the emission of 84 kilotons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year. Hexamethylene diamine, and ultimately, durable and low-carbon polyamides, will be used in various applications in major industry sectors, such as automotive, electronics, and heating & cooling.
This project is a major step towards the decarbonization of industrial sites that use grey hydrogen (produced from fossil fuels). The location in the Vallée de la Chimie within the vicinity of major transport routes opens up opportunities for the creation of a more complete hydrogen ecosystem.

The first phase of the project will consist of building up and ascertaining technical concepts and integrating the low-carbon hydrogen production plant within the larger production process of hexamethylene diamine.

Considering the high-power scale of the future electrolytic hydrogen production facility, the HyDom project is being developed in close collaboration with RTE (an organization in charge of managing the French power grid), to solve connection issues. As a priority project for the industry's zero-carbon strategy and for the “France 2030” investment plan, HyDom is supported by the French government and has been presented to the European Commission for public funding.

• Experienced government affairs professional with EPA background to advocate for the nonwovens association in public policy forums

INDA, The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has named experienced policy advocate Jennifer “Jen” Greenamoyer as its new Director of Government Affairs to raise the association’s profile in Washington, D.C. She brings 25 years of experience at associations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and on Capitol Hill.  

Most recently, she was senior government relations liaison and the principal lobbyist at the American Institute of Physics (AIP) for 15 years, where she represented the association to Congress and lobbied for appropriations. Greenamoyer has strong expertise in science policy and education that will enhance her role as an information resource for INDA members, staff, and others on government affairs’ matters affecting the industry.

She began her career working at the EPA in the Office of Water and then the Office of Policy. Greenamoyer also trained EPA staff on regulation development and worked on small business regulatory relief. On Capitol Hill, Greenamoyer worked as professional staff for the House Committee on Small Business where she specialized in regulations about environmental and labor issues.

As Director of External Affairs for the Sea Grant Association, she secured annual appropriations, monitored legislative developments, and represented the association to federal agencies and the Administration on issues of interest, funding opportunities and joint programs.

At INDA, she will serve as the liaison between the industry and government legislative and regulatory bodies by preparing formal submissions to the federal government articulating industry positions, and representing INDA on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Textiles and Apparel (ITAC 13) among other responsibilities in this key position.

•  14 million for the Rhenish coal region

Shaping economic change in the Rhenish textile and coal region together with artificial intelligence (AI) - this is the goal of the WIRKsam competence centre launched at the beginning of November. The joint project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is researching innovative forms of work to secure employment, create attractive jobs and strengthen regional companies.
 

With a focus on the strengths of the Rhenish mining area, WIRKsam is to establish itself as a central point of contact and align various scientific institutions and their research specifically to the challenges of the regional working world. Funded by the BMBF with 14 million euros over five years, the project is fundamentally about transferring scientific findings into company practice and into the wider society. After the funding phase, the centre of excellence will continue to work independently.

Prospects: Attractive jobs in the lignite mining region
The region on the left bank of the Rhine is not only a lignite mining area, but also a historically grown textile region where technical textiles are produced today, for example for medical technology or plant and vehicle construction. This offers valuable future prospects for the employees affected by the lignite phase-out.

Against this background, the aim of the WIRKsam centre of excellence is to research the extensive possibilities of artificial intelligence for shaping the future world of work and to transfer them to companies. AI applications are used to develop innovative work and process flows to create attractive workplaces and increase the competitiveness of local companies.

Together: business and science
The special feature: research institutions and companies from the Rhenish textile industry and related sectors work together in the centre of excellence. Research partners are the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University and the Institute for Mobile Autonomous Systems and Cognitive Robotics (MASCOR) of FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, headed by ifaa - Institut für angewandte Arbeitswissenschaft e.V. (Institute for Applied Work Science).

Nine regional companies are involved so far; more will join. AI applications are being developed and exemplarily implemented for their respective needs. In this way, the diverse potentials of AI for work design are being tested and qualification requirements derived. These results will not only increase the global competitiveness of the textile industry and other sectors; they will also secure jobs and make an important contribution to overcoming structural change in the Rhenish lignite mining area.

WIRKsam is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the funding measure "Regional Competence Centres for Labour Research" and is supervised by the Karlsruhe Project Management Agency (PTKA) (funding code: 02L19C600). The WIRKsam competence centre will be based in Hürth, Germany, on the edge of the Rhenish mining area as soon as the conversion work on the former TV studios on the Euronova campus is completed.

RadiciGroup demonstrates the feasibility of industrial-scale production of polyamides (nylon) starting from bio adipic acid obtained from renewable raw materials, including waste oil and by-products of the oil industry. Potential application sectors for the process and products are textile/fashion, automotive, design, electrical and electronics.

The research was conducted through the Ulysses project and experimentation was performed in collaboration with research centres and universities. Partial funding was received from the Region of Piedmont, within the scope of the “Call for Proposals IR2 (Industrialization of research results)”. The ambitious, innovative multiyear project was launched in March 2018 and stemmed from RadiciGroup's desire to increase the sustainability of its products, whilst delivering the same quality and performance as required by product standards. What is more, the Group wanted to meet the demand coming from its various strategic sectors, in line with the European targets for the development of low-emission businesses and a circular economy.