#Raw Materials

2022-09-22

Sustainability scorecard for sheep farming

On 15 July 2022, the first ever Annual Report of the Sheep Sustainability Framework was unveiled at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo. The report was the first fruit of the Australian sheep and wool industry’s commitment to creating a data-driven yearly snapshot of its performance in matters relating to sustainability. International Wool Textile Organisation explores some of the most important points revealed in the report.

A World First

The report is the first of its kind and will go a long way towards improving sustainability in the sheep industry. It emerged from the Sheep Sustainability Framework (SSF), led by Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) and Wool Producers Australia (WPA). The SSF focuses on four themes: caring for sheep, enhancing the environment and climate, taking care of all stakeholders in the industry, and ensuring financial resilience for the industry. The report measures the extent to which the industry is meeting these goals, in light of a nine focus areas and 21 priorities.

Key Findings from The Report

The first annual report of the SSF revealed the following important points, among others:

The Australian sheep industry is climate neutral as of 2021, and has held steady on net emissions. Gains in productivity have driven emissions intensity down by nine per cent between 2005 and 2020.

Rates of ground cover have improved, with 63.4pc of sheep grazing land over 50pc ground cover since summer 2019.

Worms and breech flystrike are among the biggest health challenges for the industry. Genetic improvement is one of the measures being used to prevent disease.

The industry is rapidly shifting away from the practice of mulesing. Non-mulesed and ceased-mulesed wool has increased as a proportion of the total clip (exact figures to be released in the mid-year update report).

Lucinda Corrigan, Independent Chair of the SSF Board says the report is an evolving document with more indicators under development. “In order to be able to create the data needed for the Annual Report, we undertook a Life Cycle Assessment of the entire Australian flock to determine the carbon footprint of our industry,” she explained. “We also harnessed satellite imagery to measure and display vegetation changes across our sheep-grazing regions. The deep insights generated from these projects represent an important development in our understanding of the impacts on and of our 234-year-old industry.”

The report is available to download on the SSF website:

https://www.sheepsustainabilityframework.com.au/

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

trinamiX mobile NIR spectroscopy: New applications for the footwear and textile industry

trinamiX GmbH expands its solution portfolio for the circular economy, now enabling the identification of materials used in the footwear and textile industries. With its mobile near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy solutions, trinamiX supports manufacturers, sorters, recyclers, and brand owners in reliably identifying materials and improving transparency across increasingly complex value chains.

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.