#Sustainability

2019-10-24

Eastman joins Textile Exchange and participates in Textile Sustainability Conference

Eastman, the maker of sustainably sourced Naia™ cellulosic yarn, has joined Textile Exchange, the global nonprofit member organization committed to reducing the textile industry’s impact on the environment. Natalia Allen, Eastman textiles sustainability leader, participated in a roundtable discussion on biodiversity at the 2019 Textile Sustainability Conference, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Oct. 15-18. The annual international gathering brought together brands, retailers and companies from across the textile world—all seeking to create a more sustainable and responsible fiber and materials industry.

Naia™ was also featured in Vancouver at the C.L.A.S.S. booth; C.L.A.S.S. is a global resource for smart material innovation.

“I’m pleased to highlight Eastman’s companywide commitment to sustainable forestry management as an example of how the company has integrated land and biodiversity considerations into its business model,” Allen said. “And to raise awareness about Naia™, a versatile, eco-friendly material for sustainable fashion.”

Naia™ is made from fully traceable and sustainably sourced wood pulp in a safe, closed-loop process where solvents are recycled into the system for reuse. Naia™ has an optimized, low-impact manufacturing process with a low tree-to-yarn carbon and water footprint. Eastman and its wood pulp suppliers hold FSC® and/or PEFC™ Chain of Custody certifications. Eastman has partnered directly with FSC to promote FSC Mix (FSC-C140711) for Eastman Naia™ cellulosic yarns.

In addition to its Textile Exchange membership, Eastman joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 to create solutions to enable a more circular economy. Eastman has also partnered with Canopy to collaborate on the conservation of the world’s ancient and endangered forests. Naia™ recently sponsored the Redress Design Award, the world’s largest sustainability fashion design competition.

“We’re delighted to become members of the Textile Exchange and collaborate in building solutions to help improve the environmental footprint of the textiles industry,” said Ruth Farrell, Eastman global director of marketing for textiles. “We look forward to working closely with Textile Exchange to build community and collectively drive transformation in materials, standards and responsible supply networks.”

“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.

Updated supply chain taxonomy advances apparel alignment

The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.

ITMA 2027 receives strong industry response

ITMA 2027 has unveiled its sector plan, marking progress towards the 2027 edition as planning continues ahead of the show. The ITMA 2027 sector plan covers 12 halls at the Messegelände Hannover venue, spanning over 180,000 square metres, and features 20 sectors of the textile and garment making processes, from spinning to finishing, software and automation, recycling, and fibres, yarns and fabrics.

Heimtextil expands Bed, Bath & Living with new ‘Comfort & Connect’ area

Heimtextil is expanding its product range for Bed, Bath & Living in a targeted manner: ‘Comfort & Connect‘ is creating a new meeting place in the foyer of Hall 5.1 for high-quality bed, bath and lifestyle collections. Following on from ‘Sleep & Meet‘, this is now the second area where Heimtextil is further refining its offering for exhibitors and buyers. The new area brings together established brands, high-profile returning exhibitors and international buyers in a central location with easy access.

Business situation weakens slightly, but the industry stays cautiously optimistic

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published the results of its 39th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted from 14 to 22 July 2026 among companies along the entire global textile value chain. Worldwide, 10% of participants rated their business situation as good, 53% as satisfactory and 37% as bad — a balance of -26pp, down from -17pp in May but still well above the 2023 lows. All regions are now in negative territory, from South Asia at -3pp to North & Central America at -58pp.

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.