#Retail & Brands

2023-01-26

First-of-its-kind Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold Cashmere Sweater

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) introduces The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certified® Gold Cashmere Sweater, an iconic product made to be worn, loved and live on responsibly for generations to come. Available in Men’s Purple Label and Women’s Collection brands, the first-of-its-kind luxury sweater is the first of five iconic Ralph Lauren products (“icons”) that the Company has committed to have C2C Certified® by 2025.

The Company also launches Cashmere Recycling Program in North America and Europe

Woven from fine cashmere fibers, dyed in rich hues and featuring a transformed signature label cut from organic cotton, the C2C Certified® Gold Cashmere Sweater was analyzed through a multi-step certification process with the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit that has set the global standard for products that are safe, circular and made responsibly. The C2C Certified® Gold crewneck sweater is set to replace the original icon, and the certification will be expanded to include additional cashmere styles.

“The kind of luxury we stand for at Ralph Lauren has always been about timelessness, authenticity and a life well-lived,” said Katie Ioanilli, Chief Global Impact and Communications Officer. “Today more than ever, we believe true luxury encompasses not only a product’s beauty and quality, but how it was made and how it will endure. That’s why we’ve created the industry’s first-ever Cradle to Cradle Certified® luxury cashmere product, with plans to deliver four more verified icons by 2025.”

Developed as part of the Cradle to Cradle certification process, Ralph Lauren also launched today its Cashmere Recycling Program for 100% cashmere in partnership with Re-Verso™, a leading textile production company that bridges science and technology to create a circular economy manufacturing system for high-quality wool and cashmere. The program, initially available in North America and Europe, allows consumers to ship their 100% cashmere items – from any brand – to Re-Verso™ in Prato, Italy to be recycled.

The C2C Certified® Gold cashmere sweater will be highlighted in a multi-media consumer marketing campaign featuring models Andreea Diaconu and Simon Nessman, a real-life couple who have a personal commitment to preserving and protecting the environment. The campaign will be shared across Ralph Lauren social channels and RalphLauren.com, where consumers will find more information about the sweater, recycling program and the Company's efforts to support a circular economy.

For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren has been committed to creating timeless products that never go out of style. The Company’s approach to Global Citizenship & Sustainability, Timeless by Design, is anchored in this philosophy and ensures timelessness is embedded from inspiration through to products’ every use and re-use across generations. As part of this, the Company has set a goal to implement circular principles into its design and development process by 2025. The Ralph Lauren Live On promise further builds on these commitments and the Company’s existing circularity strategy by enabling its past and future products to live on responsibly by 2030.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Circ launches first denim collection with H&M featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology

Circ today announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of this unique pilot project first announced in October 2025. Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.

Recover™ secures multi-year recycled cotton agreement with H&M

Recover™ has signed a multi-year agreement with H&M to support the integration of its recycled cotton fiber, RCotton, for use in H&M’s products. Since early 2024, H&M and Recover™ have collaborated on product development, which now enables scaled commercial introduction of Recover™ mechanically recycled cotton into H&M’s collections.

GORE-TEX® KIDSWEAR launches innovative membership scheme for kids’ jackets

With its revolutionary new membership model, GORE-TEX® Kidswear now offers families a simple, flexible and sustainable way of kitting out their children in top-quality jackets. It is aimed at the parents of children aged between five and ten and kicks off with a choice of functional winter jackets.

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.