Materials & Production News
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Thursday, 21 January 2021UK to establish new circular research centre
EXETER – A new national circular economy research hub is to be established at the University of Exeter, and will work in conjunction with five like-minded state-of-the-art facilities – announced by the British government in November – to explore… -
Thursday, 21 January 2021Teijin sets up European innovation centre
ARNHEM - Japanese tech and fibres firm Teijin Group has established a new research and development centre in the Netherlands to explore sustainable solutions across its business interests. The company says its new European Sustainable Technology… -
Wednesday, 20 January 2021Manufacturers unite to demand better practices
ASIA - Six major garment producing countries have come together to launch an initiative calling for better purchasing practices in the fashion and textiles industry. The project has been launched by the STAR Network which represents nine trade… -
Wednesday, 20 January 2021EU doubles relief funds in Myanmar
YANGON – The European Union (EU) will double the finances made available to support garment workers in Myanmar, as the country’s workforce continues to be hit hard by the ramifications of COVID-19. The EU is making an additional €5 million (US$6m)… -
Wednesday, 20 January 2021Mulesing stance influenced by flystrike risk, survey finds
MELBOURNE – A new national survey out of Australia has questioned wool industry stakeholders on their thoughts about mulesing. Although the team at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, which is conducting… -
Tuesday, 19 January 2021Circularity project gets $1.2M from Walmart Foundation
NEW YORK – Accelerating Circularity has bagged a US$1.2 million research grant from the Walmart Foundation to explore circular textile-to-textile systems generated from fabric waste on the East Coast of the USA. The award follows on from the… -
Tuesday, 19 January 2021BGMEA seeks priority vaccines for factory owners
DHAKA - The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has been criticised after requesting 10,000 priority COVID-19 vaccinations for factory owners and their families - but none for their 4.1 million workers. The BGMEA has… -
Tuesday, 19 January 2021Bluesign recognition for Thai Acrylic Fibre
BANGKOK - Thai Acrylic Fibre (TAF) – part of Aditya Birla Group – has become the first acrylic fibre company to become a Bluesign System Partner. The company underwent an elaborate screening process including input stream management, environment… -
Monday, 18 January 2021AWI launches Wool 2030 strategy
VICTORIA – Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), an industry organisation, has published its Wool 2030 strategy which will inform stakeholders as they look to adopt sustainable best practices. The strategy is underpinned by five pillars, which address… -
Monday, 18 January 2021Carbios strengthens patent portfolio amid recycling progress
CLERMONT-FERRAND – Bioplastics firm Carbios has strengthened its patent portfolio after successfully using its recycling technology to produce virgin-grade plastic bottles from textile waste. Carbios’ enzymatic polyester depolymerisation process can… -
Monday, 18 January 2021Oritain authenticates first Cone Denim samples
GREENSBORO – US manufacturer Cone Denim has completed its first verification of origin audit through traceability solutions specialist Oritain, and says all samples examined posed zero risk or affiliation with restricted zones around the world, such… -
Friday, 15 January 2021VF publishes details of Tier 1-4 suppliers
DENVER – Fashion giant VF Corporation, which owns Vans, The North Face and Timberland, is disclosing information on its suppliers - from Tier 1 through to Tier 4 - in what it describes as unprecedented industry transparency. The company has… -
Friday, 15 January 2021Kelheim Fibres adopts infrared tech in new viscose variant
MUNICH – German manufacturer Kelheim Fibres has partnered with textile innovator Hologenix to create a viscose fibre that integrates the former’s Celliant infrared responsive technology, proven to capture and convert body heat into infrared that… -
Friday, 15 January 2021First Latin American firms enrolled in Cotton Trust Protocol
MEMPHIS – The US Cotton Trust Protocol has enrolled its first batch of 28 Latin American suppliers, as it accelerates its ambitions of creating a data-rich platform representative of the entire industry. Launched to verify sustainability progress… -
Thursday, 14 January 2021NFW steps up vegan leather production
PEORIA - Sustainable startup Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) has announced it is doubling manufacturing capacity at its Illinois base for the production of its 'Mirum' plant-based leather. The company says it has added 110,000 sq ft of space for… -
Thursday, 14 January 2021
New initiative for a fairer fashion industry
GLOBAL - More than 300 industry stakeholders, including brands, manufacturers, government representatives, trade unions and international organisations, have come together for a new bid to create a fairer fashion sector post pandemic. The Industry… -
Thursday, 14 January 2021Fashion training academy planned for Leicester
LEICESTER - A £300,000 training academy for the fashion sector is to be set up in the heart of Leicester’s troubled garment industry. The city council is to establish the Leicester Fashion Technology Academy (LFTA) in the Spinney Hills district… -
Thursday, 14 January 2021Teijin introduces internal carbon pricing system
TOKYO - Japanese tech and fibre firm Teijin has announced it has introduced an internal carbon pricing (ICP) system for the group's capital investment plans. The ICP mechanism creates economic incentives to reduce CO2 emissions by quantifying CO2… -
Wednesday, 13 January 2021Denim firm acquires LA site to offer near-shoring services
CALIFORNIA – Pakistani denim manufacturer Artistic Milliners has acquired a factory in Los Angeles, California, which it holds ambitions of turning into a state-of-the-art garment manufacturing site equipped with the latest digital solutions. “This… -
Wednesday, 13 January 2021ZDHC releases Air Emissions Position Paper
AMSTERDAM – The ZDHC Foundation has published a report detailing its plans to broaden the scope of its work to address the management of air emissions within the textile, apparel, leather and footwear industry. The ZDHC Air Emissions Position Paper… -
Wednesday, 13 January 2021Textile microfibres “pervasively” polluting the Arctic
ARCTIC – A research team has found evidence that microplastic fibres from synthetic textiles are “pervasively” polluting the Arctic Ocean, with contaminants found in 96 of 97 samples taken throughout the polar region. “We’re looking at a dominance… -
Tuesday, 12 January 2021Lycra Company recognised by C2C Institute
WILMINGTON – US manufacturer the Lycra Company has announced that 25 of its fibre products have been awarded material health certificates at the gold level by the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Products Innovation Institute. “The products with material… -
Tuesday, 12 January 2021Kelheim Fibres earns EMAS certification
KELHEIM – German firm Kelheim Fibres has become the first viscose manufacturer globally to attain EMAS (Eco Management and Audit Scheme) certification. Developed by the European Union, EMAS encompasses the ISO 14001 standard on environmental… -
Tuesday, 12 January 2021Investment fund to back firms spearheading sustainability
LONDON – One Planet Capital, an investment house established last year to champion sustainable innovation, has launched a new Sustainable Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), through which companies across industries such as fashion, agriculture and… -
Tuesday, 12 January 2021Bangladesh faces another export threat
DHAKA - Bangladesh's garment industry could face a new threat to its huge export market after a senior European Union official said the country would have to meet EU demands on human rights to continue to enjoy duty-free market access to the bloc.… -
Tuesday, 12 January 2021Nanollose, Birla file joint patent for lyocell manufacture
PERTH – Australian textile innovator Nanollose and Birla Cellulose, of the cellulosic fibre manufacturing conglomerate Aditya Birla, have filed a joint patent application for the production of high tenacity lyocell made using microbial cellulose.… -
Friday, 08 January 2021
Bangladesh garment industry 'in danger' - BGMEA
DHAKA - Garment manufacturers in Bangladesh warn that their industry could collapse unless the government agrees to extend a scheme to lend them money to pay workers' wages because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers… -
Thursday, 07 January 2021Dyneema fibre the subject of chemical recycling work
GELEEN – Material sciences firm Royal DSM has partnered with clean-tech company Clariter to undertake tests which will examine whether its Dyneema brand of fibre – said to be 15 times stronger than steel on a weight for weight basis – can be… -
Thursday, 07 January 2021BGMEA outlines sustainability commitments
DHAKA - The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has released its first sustainability report in which it outlines the country’s apparel sector's commitment to become more environmentally conscious and socially… -
Wednesday, 06 January 2021COVID-19 impact on Bangladesh exports revealed
DHAKA - A huge drop in the shipment of readymade garments due to declining orders in the face of the coronavirus pandemic was the biggest factor behind a 14.57 per cent fall in exports from Bangladesh last year. New figures from the Export Promotion… -
Wednesday, 06 January 2021T2T Solutions opts for Centric Software
BARCELONA - Sustainable fashion provider T2T Solutions has selected Centric Software's SMB product lifecycle management (PLM) solution to digitally transform its work to source more ethical garments for fashion brands and retailers. T2T Solutions,… -
Tuesday, 05 January 2021China set to expand coal’s use in fibre production
SHANXI – Textile industry insiders told delegates at the recent China Textile Conference that they can expect the coal industry to play an increasingly important part in the province’s manufacture of synthetic textile fibres. It’s reported that Wang… -
Tuesday, 05 January 2021Second wave 'hits poorest hardest' - report
WASHINGTON DC - The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has hit the “poorest and most vulnerable” hardest in Myanmar, according to a new report from the World Bank. In the latest issue of its twice yearly Myanmar Economic Monitor (MEM), the… -
Monday, 04 January 2021Factory owners want minimum wage freeze
DHAKA - Union leaders in Bangladesh are urging the government to reject a plea by garment manufacturers to suspend a planned five per cent hike in the minimum wage for garment workers because of the pandemic. The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers… -
Wednesday, 23 December 2020ICAC researchers spell out 2030 cotton vision
WASHINGTON DC - The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has released a cotton vision for the next decade as forecast by a dozen leading research experts. The industry body asked 12 former winners of the ICAC Researcher of the Year award… -
Monday, 21 December 2020BCI to introduce full traceability by 2022
GENEVA - The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has revealed it is aiming to develop a new system that will offer full physical traceability of its 'better cotton' by 2022. Ecotextile News revealed at the beginning of this month that the BCI hoped to… -
Friday, 18 December 2020BCI recognises sustainable Greek cotton standard
GENEVA - The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has recognised Greek cotton that is grown to the country's AGRO-2 Integrated Management Standards certification as equivalent to its 'Better Cotton'. The decision is a boost to the sustainability… -
Friday, 18 December 2020ISA TanTec launches LITE sourcing programme
MACAU - Leather manufacturer ISA TanTec has launched its own sourcing programme as part of its LITE (Low Impact To the Environment) concept. The company says its LITE programme goes beyond the sourcing requirements of the Leather Working Group (LWG)… -
Friday, 18 December 2020Backing allows Recover to scale recycled cotton
LOS ANGELES - Materials science company Recover is aiming to increase its production of recycled cotton to 200,000 metric tons per year by 2025 following "significant" backing by the STORY3 Capital investment firm. Both companies have declined to… -
Friday, 18 December 2020Microfibre Consortium takes positives from 2020
BRISTOL – The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) has told Ecotextile News that despite the obvious difficulties posed by COVID-19 this year, its work has remained on the front foot which it credits to the adaptability of its research partners worldwide.… -
Thursday, 17 December 2020Dutch Agreement increases sustainable sourcing
AMSTERDAM - Signatories to the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT) have again significantly increased their sourcing of more sustainable raw materials. The proportion of sustainable raw materials sourced by AGT members, who are… -
Thursday, 17 December 2020Dunelm encourages circularity with new scheme
LONDON – Homeware retailer Dunelm has partnered with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity and furniture clearance company Clearabee in a bid to promote circularity. Through this new scheme, Dunelm will encourage its customers to re-direct what… -
Thursday, 17 December 2020Funding secured for sustainable fashion projects
LEEDS - The Future Fashion Factory research and development programme has secured £2 million (US$2.7m) in funding for new projects including sustainable alternatives to traditional materials and design processes. The funding, achieved in three… -
Wednesday, 16 December 2020Brands urged to 'come clean' on Xinjiang
WASHINGTON DC - Campaigners against the use of forced labour in the Xinjiang region of China - the country's cotton hub - have written to leading brands demanding they reveal their stance on a US bill aimed at banning imports from the region. The… -
Wednesday, 16 December 2020Podcast: the critical need for ‘sustainable’ forestry
WAKEFIELD – In the latest Big Closets, Small Planet podcast, founder of the environmental NGO Canopy, Nicole Rycroft, and chief commercial officer of Austrian fibre producer Lenzing, Robert van de Kerkhof, join host Michael Schragger to discuss the… -
Wednesday, 16 December 2020Higg Co enters partnership with Sedex
SAN FRANCISCO - Technology company Higg Co has announced a partnership with responsible sourcing organisation Sedex that will make Higg's facility environmental assessments available to Sedex members. The companies will also begin exploring new ways… -
Tuesday, 15 December 2020
Half a million 'forced to pick cotton'
XINJIANG - More than half a million Uyghur Muslim prisoners are reportedly being used as forced labour to pick the huge cotton harvests of the Xinjiang region of China. Dr Adrian Zenz, a leading expert on China's treatment of Uyghurs and other… -
Tuesday, 15 December 2020
Ten mills join US Cotton Trust Protocol
MEMPHIS - The US Cotton Trust Protocol initiative has announced that it has welcomed its first 10 cotton textile manufacturers as members. Buhler Quality Yarns, Cap Yarns, CCW, Contempora Fabrics, Cotswold Industries, Frontier Yarns, Hamrick Mills,… -
Monday, 14 December 2020BGMEA makes pledges to garment workers
DHAKA - The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has launched a new programme - ‘Go Human, Go Green’ - in which its members promise to respect their workers and the environment. The campaign involves seven specific… -
Monday, 14 December 2020Vietnam urged to follow China's transparency lead
HANOI - Vietnam's rapidly growing industrial economy could make steps towards reducing its damaging impact by adopting China's model of environmental transparency, according to a new report. Entitled 'A Green Industrial Future - Vietnam's Path to…
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