Textiles and apparel sustainability update, December 2021
Environmental sustainability is of growing importance within the global fibre, textile and apparel industry, and pressures to improve their sustainability credentials have prompted several companies to adapt their business strategies. This report provides information on the latest business developments in relation to environmental sustainability with a particular focus on: corporate social responsibility (CSR); corporate strategy; environmental sustainability; investments; joint ventures, cooperation, licensing and distribution; new facilities; recycling; and traceability. Furthermore, the report includes information and insight relating to the following innovative brands, companies and other organisations: Aquafil, BlockTexx, the California Carpet Stewardship Program, Canopy, Eurofins, Fashion for Good, Genomatica, Higg, Infinited Fiber Company, the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (International Accord), Lenzing, Levi Strauss & Co, lululemon athletica (lululemon), The Microfibre Consortium (TMC), Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), Newlight Technologies, Nike, The North Face, Origin Materials, Patagonia, PrimaLoft, Puma, The Renewal Workshop (TRW), Renewcell, SGS, Södra, Spinnova, Suzano, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), and The ZDHC Foundation.
- SUMMARY
- CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
- Eurofins and SGS have become third-party laboratory members of The Microfibre Consortium (TMC)
- Leading textile and apparel brands have signed the International Accord for Health and
- Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (International Accord) to ensure global factory and labour safety standards
- Puma has partnered with Canopy as part of its commitment to protect forests and source its paper, cardboard and viscose sustainably
- The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) has launched The Microfibre 2030 Commitment
- The ZDHC Foundation has joined The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) as a research member
- CORPORATE STRATEGY
- lululemon has launched a product trade-in and resale platform as part of its strategy of improving the environmental sustainability of its operations
- ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
- Levi Strauss & Co has formed a partnership with Fashion for Good
- The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has established a ten-year sustainability programme called Textiles 2030
- INVESTMENTS
- lululemon has invested in biotechnology company Genomatica to develop an environmentally sustainable nylon fibre
- Renewcell has secured Skr311 mn (US$36.9 mn) worth of investment for the construction of a textile recycling plant
- Resale as a service (RAAS) provider The Renewal Workshop (TRW) has secured US$6 mn worth of investment
- JOINT VENTURES, COOPERATION, LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION
- Lenzing and Södra have entered into a cooperation agreement to expand their capacity for producing pulp using post-consumer waste
- Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) has entered into a partnership agreement with Patagonia to improve the circularity of the textiles industry
- Nike has formed a partnership with Newlight Technologies to develop products made using an environmentally sustainable biomaterial called AirCarbon
- Origin Materials and PrimaLoft have established a programme through which they will collaborate in the development of carbon negative fibres Patagonia has signed a multi-year sales agreement with Infinited Fiber Company relating to the supply of Infinna fibre
- The North Face has formed a partnership with Spinnova to develop high performance fabrics which are environmentally sustainable
- YKK and Green Theme Technologies (GTT) have entered into a licensing agreement relating to GTT’s EMPEL technology
- NEW FACILITIES
- BlockTexx has started construction of a new textile recycling facility in Australia which will be the first of its kind in the country
- Spinnova and Suzano will build a fibre manufacturing facility in Finland
- RECYCLING
- Aquafil has expanded its carpet recycling scheme in collaboration with the California Carpet
- Stewardship Program
- TRACEABILITY
- Technology company Higg has launched a traceability program for textile supply chains
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