Materials & Production News
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Friday, 05 March 2021BCI Council welcomes new additions
GENEVA – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has announced that representatives of German sportswear brand Adidas, Indian yarn supplier Anandi Enterprises, agricultural non-profit Pesticide Action Network and US cotton organisation Supima have been… -
Wednesday, 03 March 2021Call to protect Myanmar's garment workers
YANGON - A coalition of trade bodies and multi-stakeholder initiatives has released a joint statement calling for international action to protect Myanmar’s half a million garment workers. Garment workers have been at the heart of pro-democracy… -
Tuesday, 02 March 2021Xinjiang: Dutch MPs accuse China of genocide
AMSTERDAM - The Netherlands has become the third country to accuse China of genocide over the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region which produces more than a fifth of the world's cotton. The Dutch parliament passed a non-binding motion… -
Tuesday, 02 March 2021ILO to trial Bangladesh RMG insurance scheme
DHAKA – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Bangladesh’s government and stakeholders native to the Southeast Asian nation, have developed an employment injury insurance scheme… -
Tuesday, 02 March 2021Two killed in textiles factory fire in China
FUZHOU - Two people have been killed and nine injured after a fire broke out in a textiles dyeing and finishing plant in the Fujian Province of south-western China. Eyewitnesses to the incident, in the Changle district of the provincial capital city… -
Tuesday, 02 March 2021Brands urged to support workers in Myanmar
YANGON - Workers' rights campaigners have published a joint statement urging brands and retailers to condemn the military coup in Myanmar where striking workers and trade unionists face the growing threat of being arrested. Police have issued arrest… -
Tuesday, 02 March 2021Latest version of Higg BRM tool launched
SAN FRANCISCO – Technology company Higg and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) have launched the latest version of the Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM). The new version of the Higg BRM, a tool only in its second year of existence, enables more… -
Monday, 01 March 2021Reliable test measures microfibre release in washing
LEEDS – UK researchers have disclosed a robust new test method for measuring textile microfibre release during laundering that’s been validated by ten independent laboratories to show both reliability and reproducibility. This new microfibre release… -
Monday, 01 March 2021South African imports decision a ‘breakthrough’
CAPE TOWN – The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU), an affiliate of global workers’ rights organisation IndustriALL, has welcomed the country’s decision to offer duty-free imports on woven fabrics, and describes it as a… -
Monday, 01 March 2021Blockchain firm Finboot secures £2.4m
LONDON – Blockchain solution provider Finboot has secured a £2.4 million (US$3.35m) investment which will be used to expand operations and build the company’s team. The finances have been provided by the Development Bank of Wales, New Look founder… -
Monday, 01 March 2021Report calls for textile sustainability in Brazil
SAO PAULO - Brazil needs to step up efforts to build a more sustainable fashion supply chain amidst reports of rising pollution and deforestation in textiles production, according to a new report. The study, entitled Fashion Threads: Systemic… -
Friday, 26 February 2021PM Boris Johnson urged to ban animal fur
LONDON – A letter signed by 50 British celebrities has been sent to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, urging that the sale of real animal fur be banned. Actress Dame Judy Dench, Queen guitarist Brian May and comedian Ricky Gervais are amongst the… -
Friday, 26 February 2021Northern Ireland kick-starts circular fashion campaign
BELFAST – Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister Gordon Lyons has backed a new nationwide initiative which sets out to reduce the volume of textile waste sent to landfill. The Forever Fashion campaign has been launched by environmental charity Keep… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021New Spinnova venture to boost commercial prospects
JYVÄSKYLÄ – Fibre innovator Spinnova is partnering with the world’s largest pulp producer Suzano to build the first commercial scale Spinnova production site in Finland by 2022. Suzano, situated in Brazil, will invest €22 million (US$26.8m) to help… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021Textile microfibres threaten post-COVID health
GRONINGEN – New research suggests that the presence of textile microfibres in human lungs could make it difficult for the body to recover from respiratory infections and viruses, such as COVID-19. Academics at Groningen University, The Netherlands… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021GOTS certifications up by a third in 2020
STUTTGART - The number of textiles facilities certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) organisation grew by 34 per cent globally last year, to a new high of 10,388. It was the first time the number of certified facilities - which now… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021Retailers and brands source more Better Cotton
GENEVA – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) says its members sourced a record 1.7 million tonnes of its 'Better Cotton' in 2020 - a year-on-year increase of 13 per cent. The organisation says its 'demand-driven funding model' means this directly… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021COVID support for 17,000 Laos garment workers
VIENTIANE - The German Development Ministry is providing funding of US$1.8 million to help around 17,000 garment workers in Laos survive the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The workers will each receive emergency income support of 900,000… -
Thursday, 25 February 2021Allbirds invests $2m in Natural Fiber Welding
SAN FRANCISCO – Sustainable footwear brand Allbirds has invested US$2 million in start-up Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) and is to use its plant-based leather in its shoes. NFW has created a special version of its Mirum leather alternative - called… -
Wednesday, 24 February 2021Performance Days launches sourcing marketplace
MUNICH – The organising bodies of Munich’s Performance Days and its Functional Fabric Fair spin-off in the USA have teamed up to launch a comprehensive year-round digital fabric sourcing marketplace. Performance Days Loop, as it’s been called, will… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021European bodies call for routine mink farm testing
PARMA – A new report published by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has advised that mink farms around the world introduce stringent COVID-19 testing infrastructure both for humans… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021H&M, IKEA project builds demo plant
STOCKHOLM - TreeToTextile, a company jointly owned by H&M, IKEA, pulp manufacturer Stora Enso and LSCS Invest, is building a €35 million (US$42.5m) demonstration plant in Sweden to produce its sustainable new textile fibre. The facility is seen as a… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021Euratex urges EU to aid textiles recovery
BRUSSELS - European textile and clothing industry trade body Euratex has urged the European Commission and European Union (EU) member states to act to accelerate the sector's post-pandemic recovery. However, it urged Europe to take a market-proof… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021Textiles, plastics in focus of Glasgow waste strategy
GLASGOW – Authorities in Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, have published an action plan to make the city ‘zero-waste’ by 2030. The city’s resource and recycling strategy stresses the important role both the council and residents must play in… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021Century Rayon completes first Canopy audit
MUMBAI – Indian viscose manufacturer Century Rayon has completed its first CanopyStyle audit. The findings highlight that, whilst the majority of its supply chain poses a low risk of sourcing from ancient or endangered forests, one of its partners… -
Tuesday, 23 February 2021Lenzing puts new spin on ‘sustainable’ denim
LENZING – Apparel brands can now use spun dyed indigo modal fibres in their knit and woven denim collections to improve their environmental footprint, thanks to a new development from Lenzing that claims to use fewer natural resources, and provides… -
Friday, 19 February 2021Microfibres found in fish off remote islands
TRISTAN DA CUNHA - Plastic microfibres have been found in the stomachs of deep-sea fish living off the most remote inhabited group of islands in the world. A discovery voyage by London's Natural History Museum collected life from the South Atlantic… -
Friday, 19 February 2021Parley partners on “next generation” fabric development
AMSTERDAM – Dutch textile manufacturer Byborre has partnered with environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans. Byborre has said that by leveraging consistent quantities of salvageable marine waste “we can produce textiles and products on scale… -
Friday, 19 February 2021
'Death knell' for Xinjiang imports - report
BATH - Global risk consultants Verisk Maplecroft say that actions taken by the US and UK over concerns about the alleged use of forced labour in the Xinjiang region of China could "sound a death knell" for imports from the region. A new insight… -
Thursday, 18 February 2021US reduces reliance on Xinjiang cotton
WASHINGTON DC - US fashion brands and retailers appear to be reducing their reliance on Chinese textile and clothing suppliers amidst concerns over the alleged use of forced labour by incarcerated ethnic minorities in the country's cotton hub.… -
Thursday, 18 February 2021COVID deaths high among UK garment workers
NEWPORT - Garment workers have among the highest rate of coronavirus deaths among working women in the UK, according to new analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). A total of 21 COVID-19 deaths were recorded among women aged 20-64 in… -
Wednesday, 17 February 2021Morocco tragedy prompts global safety calls
TANGIER - Workers' rights campaigners are calling for an international agreement on workplace safety after at least 28 garment workers died during flooding at an illegal factory in Morocco. A judicial investigation has been launched after 19 women… -
Wednesday, 17 February 2021Playbook calls for collaboration on circularity
HONG KONG – The Mills Fabrica open platform for techstyle innovation has launched a new playbook which calls for closer apparel industry collaborations to drive forward circularity. Entitled 'Driving for Circularity: Collaborating for Industry… -
Wednesday, 17 February 2021Homeworkers 'invisible to brands' - report
LEEDS - Homeworkers have some of the worst conditions in global textile and apparel supply chains yet remain invisible to many of the brands whose products they help to produce, according to a new report. The Homeworkers Worldwide (HWW) non-profit… -
Tuesday, 16 February 2021Kuraray joins UN Global Compact
TOKYO – Japanese fibre manufacturer Kuraray has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in a commitment to support the initiative’s 10 principles which centre on protecting human rights, eliminating unfair labour, conserving the natural… -
Monday, 15 February 2021Aquafil partners Itochu on nylon circularity
TRENTO - Italian nylon manufacturer Aquafil and Japanese trading company Itochu have announced a strategic partnership to promote and expand circular nylon production. The agreement will use Itochu's extensive nylon value chain to expand the global… -
Friday, 12 February 2021
New recruits join purchasing practices project
ASIA - Trade bodies from another three garment producing countries have joined an initiative calling for better purchasing practices in the fashion and textiles industry. Industry associations from Turkey, Indonesia and Morocco have joined the… -
Friday, 12 February 2021Garment factories 'must upskill workers'
LONDON - Data and analytics company GlobalData says garment factories need to invest in reskilling workers for the digital age if they hope to retain business in a world increasingly concerned with sustainability and social welfare. Hannah Abdulla,… -
Friday, 12 February 2021Textile Exchange pilots Leather Impact Accelerator
VANCOUVER – Global non-profit Textile Exchange has introduced ‘Version 0.1’ of the Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA) to the industry, a programme that combines existing industry tools and new concepts that will enable stakeholders throughout leather… -
Thursday, 11 February 2021
Vaccinate waste collectors sooner, TRA urges
LONDON – The director of the UK’s Textile Recycling Association (TRA), Alan Wheeler, has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock asking for waste and recycling collection site operatives to be added to the list of priority groups to receive the… -
Thursday, 11 February 2021
ILO calls on Myanmar to respect protesters
GENEVA – The International Labour Organization (ILO) is calling on Myanmar to respect workers' rights to protest following the military coup which has sparked widespread pro-democracy demonstrations. It comes amidst reports that garment workers are… -
Thursday, 11 February 2021Australia targets textile waste reduction
CANBERRA – The Australian Government has granted AU$350,000 in investment to the Australasian Circular Textile Association (ACTA), which has been tasked with identifying promising technologies that can bolster the country’s recycling and reuse… -
Thursday, 11 February 2021Urgent action needed to replace Xinjiang - report
WASHINGTON DC - Fashion brands and retailers are being urged to get to work - together with governments and other stakeholders - on finding alternative cotton-sourcing destinations to the Xinjiang region of China. The Center for Strategic and… -
Wednesday, 10 February 2021NZM joins brands to back regenerative farming
CHRISTCHURCH - The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) has launched what claims to be the apparel industry’s first 100 per cent regenerative wool platform in partnership with brands Allbirds, Icebreaker and Smartwool. The ZQRX platform builds on the… -
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
MEPs back Circular Economy Action Plan
BRUSSELS - The European Parliament has adopted the European Commission's Circular Economy Action Plan to achieve a carbon-neutral, sustainable, toxic-free and fully circular economy by 2050. MEPs voted 574 in favour, 22 against and 95 abstentions to… -
Wednesday, 10 February 2021Welsh county outlines new circularity projects
DENBIGHSHIRE – The government of Wales has awarded upwards of £560,000 (US$775,000) to the county of Denbighshire which will fund four new projects addressing waste reduction and reuse. The finances will support work to increase the county’s… -
Tuesday, 09 February 2021Teijin commits to Science Based Targets
TOKYO - Japanese tech and fibres firm Teijin has announced a commitment to have its Science Based Targets (SBT) to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions validated within two years. The company has written to the Science Based Targets initiative… -
Tuesday, 09 February 2021Mink farm death prompts appeals for action in Utah
UTAH – Animal rights organisation PETA has called on the Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, to outlaw mink farms in the US state, after it came to light that the death of one farm worker from COVID-19 was kept under wraps. The organisation has long… -
Tuesday, 09 February 2021Bombyx supplier attains GOTS, GRS and RCS certifications
NEW YORK – Textile manufacturer and silk supplier Bombyx has attained Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) certifications for its garment facility, Nanchong Ka Fung, situated in… -
Monday, 08 February 2021BCI reports strong growth amidst COVID-19
GENEVA – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which oversees the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme, has reported that it welcomed 197 new members in the second half of 2020. Paula Lum Young-Bautil, deputy director, membership and supply…
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