#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.

Results of the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey

The global textile industry appears to be turning a corner, but this is more likely a fragile and possibly temporary improvement than the start of a durable recovery. According to the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey, conducted worldwide during the second half of May 2026, business sentiment, order intake, order backlogs and capacity utilization all improved versus March — yet every indicator remains weak by historical standards, and rising costs cast doubt on how long the upturn can last.

Closing the Footwear Loop reveals challenges and opportunities for circular footwear

The footwear industry faces one of the most complex circularity challenges in the fashion sector. A new Phase 1 report from the Fashion for Good initiative Closing the Footwear Loop, developed together with Circle Economy, provides new insights into the composition, condition and recycling potential of post-consumer footwear waste.

The updated poster on biodegradable Polymers in various environments has been released

As part of the PerPlacsBio project, nova-Institute has updated its popular poster on the biodegradability of polymers in different environments. The updated version reflects current standards, certifications and the latest scientific findings. The poster can be used to assess biodegradable alternatives for use in agriculture and forestry, and it is now available in German for the first time.

A new standard to combat plastic waste in forests

With DIN SPEC 35808 “Tree Shelter for Forestry Applications,” the testing and research service provider Hohenstein, in collaboration with Rottenburg University of Forestry, as well as forestry authorities and industry partners, has established a clear framework for bio-based and fully biodegradable tree shelters. The pre-standard defines requirements and practical testing methods designed to reduce plastic waste in forests and strengthen the long-term protection of soil and the environment.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.