Materials & Production News
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Friday, 03 April 2020Textile mills 'also need help', say owners
DHAKA - Textile mill owners in Bangladesh are appealing for financial support from the government to help them survive the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) said the country’s textile mills… -
Friday, 03 April 2020Factory owners 'can't afford to pay workers'
PHNOM PENH - Garment factory owners in Cambodia say cancelled orders mean they can no longer afford to pay 40 per cent of wages to workers, temporarily laid off because of coronavirus, as ordered by the government. The Garment Manufacturers… -
Friday, 03 April 2020Unions call for factory closures in Myanmar
YANGON - Trade unions in Myanmar are urging garment factory owners to shut down their plants, while paying workers their wages in full, during April because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some 16 unions under the umbrella of the Federation of Garment… -
Thursday, 02 April 2020COVID-19 threat to 1m workers in Pakistan
KARACHI - More than a million garment and textile workers in Pakistan are set to lose their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis and most will get no financial support to ease the blow, according to trade union leaders. In an exclusive interview… -
Thursday, 02 April 2020Cotton 2040 aims to take mission to next level
LONDON - The Cotton 2040 initative has revealed details of the next stage of its mission to drive a systemic shift to increase the global mainstream uptake of sustainable cotton. With renewed funding from Laudes Foundation, which was formerly known… -
Thursday, 02 April 2020Cambodia braces for mass order cancellations
PHNOM PENH – Up to 60 per cent of Cambodia’s garment manufacturing facilities could be forced to suspend operations by the end of the month – impacting an estimated 300,000 workers – if buyers don’t honour their contractual obligations, according to… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020Lockdown leaves migrant workers stranded in India
INDIA - Millions of migrant labourers - including garment and textiles workers - are stranded in cities across India after the coronavirus lockdown left them poverty-stricken, homeless and unable to return to their home villages. At least 22 are… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020Fair Wear dossier details Covid-19 guidance
AMSTERDAM – The Fair Wear Foundation, a non-profit which works with both brands and supply chain workers, has launched a Covid-19 dossier to help stakeholders navigate through the current exceptional circumstances and mitigate damage. “The lives of… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020BCI sets up forced labour task force
XINJIANG – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has set up what it describes as an expert task force to investigate allegations of the use of forced labour in areas such as the Xinjiang region of China. It comes after the BCI finally announced earlier… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020H&M supports fashion industry innovations
STOCKHOLM - The H&M Foundation has revealed the five innovative winners of its 2020 Global Change Award who will receive financial support totalling €1 million (US$1.1 million). They range from lab-grown cotton and creating fabrics from protein DNA,… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020AWEX U-turns on Wool Declaration changes
NEW SOUTH WALES – The Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) has finally reached a verdict after three months of deliberations over whether to change its 2019 National Wool Declaration (NWD), choosing to scrap suggested revisions to the definitions on… -
Wednesday, 01 April 2020Study to assess use of agricultural waste for textiles
ZUG - The Laudes Foundation is inviting proposals from industry actors to assess the availability and viability of agricultural waste for use as feedstock for the production of textiles at scale. The organisation, formerly known as the C&A… -
Tuesday, 31 March 2020New fabrics from plants grown in seawater
LONDON - An interdisciplinary team of students is working together to make fabrics from salt-tolerant plants grown in seawater in a bid to reduce the amount of freshwater consumed by the textiles industry. The students – from the Imperial College… -
Tuesday, 31 March 2020Brands named and shamed over cancelled orders
PENNSYLVANIA - A new report lists the fashion brands which have reportedly cancelled or postponed the most orders from suppliers in Bangladesh where more than a million garment workers have now lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic.… -
Tuesday, 31 March 2020Workers fearful as fashion distribution sites remain open
UNITED KINGDOM – Fashion manufacturing facilities around the world continue to defy government advice by failing to comply with social distancing guidelines, and are putting the lives of workers at risk as a result. Warehouses distributing stock for… -
Tuesday, 31 March 2020Raeburn partners to showcase upcycling opportunities
LONDON – Fashion designer Christopher Raeburn has partnered with Dylon Dyes in a campaign which demonstrates how creativity can unlock an array of upcycling opportunities with apparel. This comes after Dylon commissioned research homing in on… -
Monday, 30 March 2020New home fabric 'eliminates microplastic shedding'
BERN - The OceanSafe sustainable textile manufacturer has introduced a new recyclable fabric, intended for curtains and other home applications, which is designed to help eliminate the microplastic shedding associated with polyester-based fibres.… -
Monday, 30 March 2020H&M to pay suppliers for goods in production
STOCKHOLM – Swedish fashion giant H&M has assured its garment suppliers in Bangladesh that they will receive payment for orders that have already been manufactured in a move that will ease the financial pressures exerted on local garment factories… -
Monday, 30 March 2020
Most factories close gates in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Most clothing factories in Bangladesh - the world's second biggest garment exporter after China - have now locked their gates due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to owners. It comes after the government ordered a lockdown - until at… -
Monday, 30 March 2020Radici supports hometown hospital
BERGAMO – Radici Plastics Suzhou, a subsidiary of the group which specialises in engineering polymer production, has joined a fund-raising initiative in Shanghai which will facilitate the movement of PPE to the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in… -
Friday, 27 March 2020BCI pulls out of Xinjiang
XINJIANG – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has suspended activities with licensed farmers in the Xinjiang region of China for the upcoming cotton season (2020/21) over persistent allegations of forced labour in the region. This decision comes… -
Friday, 27 March 2020YKK adapts production to help combat Covid
MARIETTA – Fastener manufacturer YKK has shifted its manufacturing focus from fashion accessories to assist in the production of time-critical solutions in the fight against the coronavirus. “The Covid-19 pandemic is presenting us with challenges we… -
Friday, 27 March 2020
Lockdown pay deal for South African garment workers
PRETORIA - South Africa's 80,000 garment and textile sector workers have been guaranteed full pay for six weeks, during and after the Covid-19 lock down, in what has been described as a "groundbreaking agreement". It comes after President Cyril… -
Friday, 27 March 2020Cambodia's garment industry in COVID-19 plea
PHNOM PENH - Garment factory owners in Cambodia are urging brands and retailers not to cancel or postpone orders during the current coronavirus pandemic. The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) is calling on all stakeholders to work… -
Thursday, 26 March 2020AAFA welcomes Senate’s US$2 trillion war chest
WASHINGTON – The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) has welcomed Senate approval of a US$2 trillion war chest which will ease the hardship felt by businesses across the country since the outbreak of the coronavirus which is now rampant… -
Thursday, 26 March 2020Dissolvable thread maker joins circular economy network
COWES - Belgian dissolvable thread manufacturer Resortecs has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circular Economy 100 (CE100) network of companies which have committed to working towards a circular economy. The Ghent-based company provides… -
Thursday, 26 March 2020Industry aligns in PPE relief work
PARIS – In uncertain times, a growing number of textile industry stakeholders are rallying to scale the production of essential personal protective equipment, easing the pressure on healthcare services the world over. The likes of Kering, C&A and… -
Thursday, 26 March 2020
Bangladesh factories set to close in lockdown?
DHAKA - Thousands of factories are expected to close their gates in Bangladesh after the country followed India's lead by imposing a nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Local authorities have asked citizens in the country to stay… -
Wednesday, 25 March 2020CEO reflects on the lessons of COVID-19
MUNICH - The CEO of functional textile manufacturer Sympatex says the COVID-19 pandemic could teach us a valuable lesson about the need to avoid overburdening economic, social and ecological systems. In a lengthy email, entitled Personal Thoughts of… -
Wednesday, 25 March 2020Podcast: The price of sustainability - $300bn
WAKEFIELD – Katrin Ley from Fashion for Good and Catharina Martinez-Pardo from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the authors of a new report on what it will cost to meet the industry's sustainability goals, join Mike Schragger from the Sustainable… -
Tuesday, 24 March 2020US agricultural sustainability coalition launched
WASHINGTON DC - A total of 21 agricultural bodies, representing millions of US farmers and ranchers, have launched a new coalition committed to environmental and economic sustainability. The new organisation, entitled Farmers for a Sustainable… -
Tuesday, 24 March 2020Submarine avalanches distribute microfibres
MANCHESTER – Scientists have found a new way in which microplastics and textile microfibres find their way into deep sea marine environments – through submarine avalanches. It’s estimated that over 10 million tons of plastic pollution is exported… -
Tuesday, 24 March 2020Kingpins to stage virtual denim trade show
AMSTERDAM – Denim trade fair Kingpins is to host a two day online event in place of its Amsterdam event which was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Kingpins24' will take place on 22-23 April, the same dates when the Kingpins Amsterdam… -
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
COVID-19: $2bn orders cancelled in Bangladesh
DHAKA - Garment factories in Bangladesh have now had orders worth more than US$2 billion cancelled by brands and retailers because of the global coronavirus crisis. Orders for nearly 650 million garments, worth a total of US$2.04 billion have been… -
Monday, 23 March 2020
Factory bosses accused over COVID-19 crisis
TEGUCIGALPA - Workers in Central American are accusing 'maquila' factory owners of using the coronavirus crisis as a way to cut wages, layoff workers and even block efforts to form unions. The largely duty and tariff-free 'maquila' factories, which… -
Friday, 20 March 2020WRAP offers £1.5m grants for textile recycling
BANBURY - UK waste recycling charity WRAP is offering £1.5 million (US$1.75 million) in grants to support projects that provide innovative ways for textile waste to be recycled or re-used. Grants of between £20,000 and £170,000 are available to… -
Friday, 20 March 2020Textile mills urged to complete coronavirus survey
DELAWARE – Better Buying, the textile industry initiative which allows manufacturers to anonymously rate their customers, has invited suppliers to take part in a short survey about the impacts the coronavirus is having on businesses and workers. The… -
Friday, 20 March 2020GMAC refutes “baseless” worker protection allegations
PHNOM PENH – The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has denied accusations from the Cambodia Confederation of Union (CCU) that member factories have failed to implement preventative measures against the spread of coronavirus,… -
Friday, 20 March 2020Lenzing ‘on track’ to meet 2030 environmental goals
LENZING – A new sustainability report released today by the Lenzing Group says that it’s ‘on track’ to meet all of its sustainability goals and to halve its CO2 emissions by 2030, after having its targets approved by the Science Based Targets… -
Thursday, 19 March 2020Wool microfibres report draws surprise conclusion
CHRISTCHURCH - Microfibres from machine-washable wool biodegrade more than three times faster than untreated wool in water, according to a surprising new study by scientists at New Zealand's AgResearch which serves the country's agriculture… -
Thursday, 19 March 2020ILO: policies needed to ease unemployment
GENEVA – The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that upwards of 25 million jobs could be lost around the world as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and has called for an internationally coordinated policy response to mitigate the… -
Wednesday, 18 March 2020Microplastic fibres linked to changes in fish
NORTH CAROLINA - Chronic exposure of microfibres has been linked to serious respiratory and reproductive changes in fish, according to a new study by scientists. Researchers at Duke University in the US state of North Carolina and Zhejiang… -
Tuesday, 17 March 2020Appeal to complete PET recycling survey
ZUG - The European Outdoor Group (EOG) trade association is inviting its members and other industry bodies to help in a project aimed at increasing the recycling of PET textiles. In partnership with the Demeto project, a groundbreaking chemical… -
Tuesday, 17 March 2020Sateri produces viscose from recycled textile waste
SHANGHAI - Cellulosic fibre producer Sateri is claiming a breakthrough by successfully producing viscose fibre regenerated from textile waste on a commercial production line. The new fibre uses a mix of dissolving pulp made from recycled… -
Monday, 16 March 2020US bill would ban imports from Xinjiang
WASHINGTON DC - US lawmakers are proposing a ban on imports from the Xinjiang region of northwestern China following reports of the use of forced labour by Uyghur Muslim detainees in cotton and other industries. Representative James McGovern and… -
Monday, 16 March 2020Luxury brands accused over Indian embroiderers
MUMBAI - A pact by luxury fashion companies, including Kering, LVMH, Burberry and Mulberry, to improve the working conditions of expert embroiderers in their supply chains in India is failing to meet its objectives, according to a news report. The… -
Monday, 16 March 2020Everlane commits to fully organic cotton switch by 2023
SAN FRANCISCO – US apparel brand Everlane says it will enhance the environmental credibility of its supply chain by fully transitioning to certified organic cotton by 2023. The Californian brand, which prides itself on transparency yet as previously… -
Friday, 13 March 2020Myanmar wants national committee as trade concern grows
YANGON – The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) has urged the government to establish a national committee to address the economic and social impacts of the coronavirus, as its industry continues to suffer in… -
Thursday, 12 March 2020Recycled polyester supplier upgrades spinning technology
NASHIK – An Indian-based synthetic yarn supplier has started the production of recycled polyester FDY (fully drawn yarns) at its facility in Nashik using a new Oerlikon Barmag direct spinning system. As a result, Polygenta is now able to produce a… -
Thursday, 12 March 2020Canopy reports ‘low risk’ audit results for Kelheim Fibres
KELHEIM – German viscose producer Kelheim Fibres has undergone a CanopyStyle Audit, which confirms the company’s supply chain as low risk of sourcing wood from Ancient and Endangered Forests or other controversial sources. Executed by independent…
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