#Sustainability

2020-09-10

VF Corporation and its Timberland® Brand collaborate with Redress to support the next generation of sustainable fashion designers

VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, together with its Timberland® brand, today announced a collaboration with environmental charity Redress for the Redress Design Award 2020. Through the collaboration, VF and the Timberland® brand will lend their experience and expertise in sustainability to support the education and professional development of the industry’s next generation of sustainable fashion designers and champion the move toward a circular economy.

Celebrating the competition’s 10th anniversary, the Redress Design Award 2020 is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition which works to educate emerging fashion designers from around the world about sustainable design concepts and techniques.

As consumer interest in sustainable apparel continues to rise, VF is challenging some of the industry’s most promising young talents to disrupt the status quo and drive circularity and sustainability across the industry.

“Our collaboration with Redress, now in its second year, connects us to talented, emerging designers who are passionate about creating fashionable, compelling designs with environmental responsibility in mind,” said Kevin Bailey, VF’s Executive Vice President and Group President, Asia Pacific Region and Emerging Brands. “We are constantly inspired by their commitment to circular design and creativity. These are the future leaders who are going to help drive lasting and positive change throughout our global industry and we are proud to be part of their journey.”

While the Redress Design Award 2020 was held virtually this year on September 3, its impact has been seen worldwide. The 10 finalists were supported by an international judging panel that included VF’s Kevin Bailey and British fashion designer and Timberland® creative director Christopher Raeburn. The Menswear Category prize winner, Ngoc Ha Thu Le who is currently a fashion designer at Magenta Vintage in Hanoi, Vietnam, will collaborate with the Timberland® brand to develop a sustainable capsule collection for sale at retail. The release of the collection will coincide with the Chinese New Year 2022 and will be inspired by the Year of the Tiger.

“Timberland® believes that a greener future is a better future, which makes our partnership with Redress such a natural fit,” said Mahmoud Salahy, Vice President and Managing Director, Timberland® Asia Pacific. “As a brand that’s deeply committed to environmental and social responsibility, Timberland® strives to not only minimize our impact on the planet through the products we make, but we’ve set a bold goal for all our products to have a net positive impact on nature by 2030. We are incredibly excited about the journey ahead and hope to inspire the industry as a whole to work together and positively shape our collective future.”

In the leadup to the Redress Design Award 2020 Grand Final, VF and the Timberland® brand hosted the “Made for Change Timberland® Challenge” on August 31, 2020. With guidance from VF and Timberland® subject matter experts, emerging designers competed to develop the most innovative and sustainable design concept for a range of iconic Timberland® products. Fashion designers Ruth Weerasinghe from Sri Lanka, Inhwa Jin from South Korea and Beatrice Bocconi from Italy were selected as winners of the challenge for their multi-purpose accessories concept that enhances product sustainability.

“The Redress Design Award equips fashion’s future leaders with real-life sustainability knowledge to give them the best chance to make a bigger positive impact during their long careers ahead. Our close partnership with VF, who connected participants with their exceptional team, provides designers with real-industry context to fast-track their sustainability journeys,” said Christina Dean, Redress Founder/Chair and The R Collective Founder/CEO.

Key highlights of the Redress Design Award 2020 Grand Final and the “Made for Change Timberland® Challenge” will later be available on: https://www.youtube.com/user/RedressAsia. Stay tuned.

“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.

Textile Exchange reports growth in certifications and industry engagement

Textile Exchange has published its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting continued growth in certified sites, industry participation and the development of its standards and membership structure. According to the report, more than 100,000 sites worldwide are now certified to Textile Exchange standards, more than three times the number recorded in 2020. Preliminary figures also indicate 12% year-on-year growth across the organization's current standards, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and the Responsible Animal Fiber standards.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.