Materials & Production News
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Friday, 29 May 2020Factory in Guatemala ravaged by virus outbreak
GUATEMALA CITY – One of Guatemala’s largest outbreaks is said to have stemmed from a single garment factory in the country’s capital, at which it’s believed one employee has infected more than 200 of their peers recently, in a case which exemplifies… -
Friday, 29 May 2020Textile Exchange conference will be virtual event
LUBBOCK - Textile Exchange has announced that its 2020 Textile Sustainability Conference, which was due to be held in Dublin, will instead be a fully online, virtual experience. The decision was taken because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and… -
Friday, 29 May 2020Karnataka’s workers oppose increased hours
KARNATAKA – A survey of garment workers in the Indian state of Karnataka indicates that a large proportion “can’t and won’t” operate under the government’s revised 60 hour a week regime, which came into effect earlier this week. Despite calls from… -
Friday, 29 May 2020Government cash fails to reach garment workers
PHNOM PENH - Most garment workers who are unable to work in Cambodia because of the COVID-19 pandemic are still not receiving promised financial support from the government. The country's laid off garment workers are supposedly receiving US$70 a… -
Friday, 29 May 2020Fresh fears as Dhaka welcomes back workers
DHAKA – There’s fears of a new spike in coronavirus cases across Bangladesh, after people were seen re-entering the country’s capital of Dhaka in their droves without respecting social distancing rules. Images of locals disembarking ferries in their… -
Thursday, 28 May 2020Indian government urged to impose garment import levy
BENGALURU – The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) has urged the country’s government to consider imposing a levy on garment imports, in a move that it’s hoped would create a level-playing field for domestic manufacturers trying to… -
Thursday, 28 May 2020Textile Exchange offers insights on 'sustainable' sourcing
LUBBOCK - The Textile Exchange has launched a new report which analyses the textile industry’s progress toward the sourcing of more sustainable materials and articulates a vision for post-COVID-19 strategies. Textile Exchange's 2019 Material Change… -
Wednesday, 27 May 2020Podcast: Circular business models
WAKEFIELD - Circular business models, like clothing resale and subscription rental, are taking off - but to what extent can they replace today's retail models and deliver the radical sustainability improvements needed? Three industry pioneers join… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020New body aims to make supply chains sustainable
LONDON - A new foundation has been set up to create more sustainable supply chains in a number of sectors, including fashion, as the global economy turns its attention to post pandemic change. The Sustainable Future Foundation (SFF) brings together… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020BGMEA threatens to blacklist Edinburgh Woollen Mill
DHAKA – The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has threatened to blacklist British apparel retailer Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) after ignoring calls to pay suppliers for fulfilled orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020Sateri enters China’s lyocell fibre market
SHANGHAI - Cellulosic fibre producer Sateri says it has successfully begun production of lyocell fibre in China in a collaboration with Asia Symbol, the country’s leading producer of pulp and packaging board. The newly-installed 20,000 ton per annum… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020Digital payments on the rise in Bangladesh
DHAKA – An indicative survey of Bangladeshi garment workers finds that in the month of May, there’s been a surge in digital wage payments, more than three times as many as in April. Perhaps inspired by ongoing efforts to minimise direct contact, the… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020Ocean microplastics 'drastically underestimated'
PLYMOUTH - New research into the extent of microplastic pollution in the oceans suggests there could be at least double the number of tiny plastic particles as previously thought. Scientists using nets with a finer mesh size than normally used to… -
Tuesday, 26 May 2020Karnataka government increases working hours
KARNATAKA – The Karnataka government has increased the working hours for those in the garment sector to 10 a day, ignoring calls from trade unionists which warn that exploitation, particularly at a time of such hardship, risks the health of the… -
Friday, 22 May 2020Bamboo textile brand raises seed funding
LOS ANGELES - Sustainable brand Ettitude has closed a US$1.6 million seed round in the US, showing increasing global demand for its organic bamboo textile products. The company, which claims to recycle and reuse water up to 200 times, enjoyed record… -
Friday, 22 May 2020India’s SMEs planning move from Mumbai
GUJARAT – Garment manufacturers in Mumbai are considering flocking to the more rural state of Gujarat, with concerns growing of the spread of coronavirus in India’s densely populated cities. According to the Garment Manufacturers’ Welfare… -
Thursday, 21 May 2020Mulesed sheep wool less popular at auction
SYDNEY - Wool from Australian sheep mulesed without pain relief is less likely to reach reserve prices at auction than fleece from animals treated more humanely or not mulesed, it has been claimed. SustainaWOOL programme manager Dr Paul Swan said… -
Thursday, 21 May 2020Indian manufacturers get green light to export PPE
TIRUPUR – The decision in India to enable garment manufacturers to export non-surgical masks around the world has been heralded by native stakeholders, which project revenues to grow by as much as US$1 billion over the next few years as face masks… -
Thursday, 21 May 2020Garment workers 'fired on' during protest
KARACHI - Protesting garment workers were shot at by a police officer and factory guards in Pakistan during a protest over unpaid wages and forced dismissals during lockdown, according to trade union leaders. The National Trade Union Federation of… -
Wednesday, 20 May 2020Fashion innovators awarded funding support
LONDON - Ten of the UK fashion industry’s innovative and sustainable small to medium enterprises have been awarded more than £1.2 million (US$1.5 million) by the Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology (BFTT) research institute. They include… -
Wednesday, 20 May 2020Calls for robust labour laws in India as workers struggle
KARNATAKA – Trade unionists in Karnataka, are calling on the Indian state's authorities to bolster labour laws in the context of COVID-19, or risk driving industry infrastructure into the ground. It’s said that excessive working hours coupled with… -
Wednesday, 20 May 2020Cotton Council International joins SAC
WASHINGTON DC – Cotton Council International (CCI) has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and will use the group’s Higg Index sustainability measurement tools to drive environmental and social responsibility throughout its supply chain.… -
Tuesday, 19 May 2020Debt 'bigger threat than virus' in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH - Deep levels of household debt in Cambodia mean that many garment workers see finding the money for repayments as a bigger threat than COVID-19. Low paid workers in Cambodia often make use of microfinance institutions (MFI) and it is… -
Tuesday, 19 May 2020Cotton industry to collaborate on COVID-19
ZURICH — The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Committee For International Co-Operation Between Cotton Associations (CICCA), International Cotton Association (ICA), International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and International Textile Manufacturers… -
Monday, 18 May 2020Circular system wins gold for Brands Fashion
BUCHHOLZ –- German sustainable workwear manufacturer Brands Fashion says it has won gold certification by the Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard for its latest collection after creating a waste-free circular production process. Mathias… -
Monday, 18 May 2020Bangladesh urges EU to pressure brands
DHAKA - The Bangladesh government has urged the European Parliament to put pressure on brands and retailers not to cancel orders lodged with the country's garment factories. Commerce Secretary Md Jafar Uddin, in a letter to Bernd Lange, chairman of… -
Friday, 15 May 2020'No more sackings before Eid' in Bangladesh
DAKHA - Garment factory owners in Bangladesh have reportedly agreed not to sack any workers before the next Eid-ul-Fitr holiday which falls this year on 23rd May. The decision comes as factories - and their workers - continue to struggle to survive… -
Thursday, 14 May 2020Unused fabric platform wins MIT funding
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - The Queen of Raw platform that connects buyers and sellers of unused fabrics has won funding from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's MIT Solve initiative. Queen of Raw works to give new life to the estimated… -
Thursday, 14 May 2020
COVID-19 claims 6,300 jobs in Myanmar
YANGON — More than 6,300 factory workers in the Yangon region of Myanmar have now lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to trade union leaders. The Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar (CTUM) says that 47 factories in… -
Wednesday, 13 May 2020Mongolian farmers certified to Good Cashmere Standard
HAMBURG – The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has announced that the first cashmere farmers in Inner Mongolia have been certified to the Good Cashmere Standard, which the organisation launched last year. “We can now provide the textile industry with… -
Wednesday, 13 May 2020Podcast: Factoids scupper meaningful progress
WAKEFIELD – ‘Don’t believe everything you hear’; this is the message from the latest Big Closets Small Planet podcast, which welcomes Ecotextile News’ own Simon Glover, and Sandra Roos, of Sweden’s RISE Institute, to shed light on the significance… -
Tuesday, 12 May 2020Sustainability helps drive materials innovations - report
BOSTON – Sustainability is among four key 'megatrends' driving the innovations in materials needed for the future success of the textiles and apparel industry, according to a new study. The report, 'Emerging Materials Opportunities for the Apparel… -
Tuesday, 12 May 2020Webinar discusses pandemic impact on Asia
ONLINE - A webinar has been held to discuss how different stakeholders in the textile and garment industry can work together to help Asian supply countries weather the coronavirus crisis. The event, entitled Getting Through the Crisis Together, was… -
Monday, 11 May 2020
Garment workers in protests over pay cuts
DHAKA - Violent protests by garment workers in Bangladesh have seen at least 10,000 workers take to the streets to demand their full wages for April instead of the 65 per cent being offered. Workers from 14 garment factories in the capital city,… -
Monday, 11 May 2020Myanmar cautious as garment factories re-open
YANGON – Myanmar state counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says garment factories resuming operations must be closely monitored, even after passing safety inspections, to ensure business owners continue to enforce safety measures and protect lives.… -
Thursday, 07 May 2020Concern as COVID-19 cases rise in factories
DHAKA The number of garment workers testing positive for COVID-19 appears to be increasing - raising fears that factories may have to close again to limit the spread of the pandemic. It comes after eight more garment workers tested positive for the… -
Wednesday, 06 May 2020Wastewater training programme for textile industry
ALEXANDRIA – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is working with sportswear brand Nike and the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) initiative to create a multilingual wastewater operations training programme for the textile industry.… -
Wednesday, 06 May 2020Sustainable fashion contest semi-finalists named
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has announced the semi-finalists for its 2020 European Social Innovation Competition - Reimagine Fashion: Changing behaviours for sustainable fashion. A total of 30 projects from 14 countries were selected, from a… -
Wednesday, 06 May 2020Industry views sought on green recovery plan
AMSTERDAM — The Policy Hub for Circular Economy, a project led by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), is inviting textile industry stakeholders to contribute ideas to a post COVID-19 "green industry recovery plan". The organisation, which was… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Briefing: What are the impacts of Covid-19 on cotton supply?
WAKEFIELD – A new 15-page white paper on the potential impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on cotton supply chains has been published today by MCL News & Media. This new briefing aims to help retailers, brands and those involved in cotton production to… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Crystal International donates 180,000 masks
HONG KONG – The Crystal International Group clothing manufacturer has distributed more than 180,000 masks to its workers' families and community groups in Vietnam, China and Cambodia, as well as its Hong Kong headquarters. The company says the… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Indonesia: 70% of factories could face permanent closure
JAKARTA – An Indonesian trade group warns that upwards of 70 per cent of the country’s garment factories could be forced to permanently close in the coming months as they’re crippled by dwindling orders and no financial support. “We have cash flow… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Garment factories reopen in parts of India
BENGALURU: Garment factories have reopened in the Indian city of Bengaluru - despite the ongoing nationwide lockdown - after the government agreed to allow some activities to resume in private industries. Returning workers were made to undergo… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Turkish manufacturers voice fears to brands
ISTANBUL - Garment manufacturers in Turkey have written to buyers to voice their concerns over the effect that cancelled orders are having on their industry. The Turkish Clothing Manufacturers’ Association Board (TGSD) is calling for closer… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020Myanmar provides income support for workers
YANGON – Myanmar’s Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population has introduced a new social security mechanism which will allow workers whose factories have been closed since mid-April due to safety inspections to claim for 40 per cent of their… -
Tuesday, 05 May 2020SAC surveys assess impact of Covid-19
SAN FRANCISCO – The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has kicked off a series of regular ‘pulse’ surveys to help its members to identify where retailers, brands and their suppliers are struggling due to the Covid-19 crisis – and to flag up how its… -
Monday, 04 May 2020Canada Goose sets Bluesign-approval target
TORONTO – Apparel brand Canada Goose has established a new commitment to ensure 90 per cent of its fabrics are Bluesign-approved by 2025. Announced via the firm’s first-ever sustainability report, the commitment means that a large proportion of… -
Monday, 04 May 2020
Progress on Australian cotton but emissions rise
SYDNEY - The Australian cotton industry’s second five-year sustainability report reveals substantial reductions in the use of water and pesticides - but an increase in carbon emissions. The 2019 Australian Cotton Sustainability Report reveals that… -
Monday, 04 May 2020Bangladesh on high alert as new cases emerge
DHAKA – Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector (RMG) may be forced to close once more if it’s found that health and safety measures are floundered and the number of COVID-19 cases significantly increase, says health minister Zahid Maleque. It comes… -
Monday, 04 May 2020Call for more pay for laid off garment workers
PHNOM PENH - Union leaders in Cambodia have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen demanding more financial support for the country's furloughed garment workers who are said to be struggling to survive. Laid off garment workers in Cambodia…
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