[pageLogInLogOut]

#Sustainability

Petri Alava recognised among world’s top 50 digital retail leaders

Our Chief Executive, Petri Alava, has been unveiled among global digital commerce’s most influential individuals in The Tech List, the annual index published today by leading business intelligence site Retail Week.

The Tech List replaces The Tech 100 to exclusively celebrate the work of 50 – rather than 100 – digital retail leaders achieving demonstrable success by steering technological change.

The index has been determined with recommendations from industry specialists including NBK Retail Founder and Retail Analyst Natalie Berg, WARC Director of Insights Aditya Kishore, and True Executive Chair and Co-founder Matt Truman, alongside Retail Week’s team of expert journalists.

Petri Alava © 2022 Infinited Fiber
Petri Alava © 2022 Infinited Fiber


Leaders behind start-ups and disruptors, retailers and brands, investors, collaborators (third parties working with industry) and tech titans are celebrated for driving innovation in key areas such as stores, personalisation, payments, supply chain, social commerce and sustainability.

The Tech List is an essential read for retailers and brands looking for insights on the hottest digital trends, who to partner with and where to prioritise investment.

Produced in association with Braze, Emarsys, Fourth and Okta, The Tech List has greater female representation than ever before (36%) – compared with 32% last year – with Alibaba Group President of Core Domestic Commerce Trudy Dai, Olio Co-founders Tessa Clarke and Saasha Celestial-One, and AiFi Co-founder Ying Zheng among those celebrated.



It also boasts greater global diversity with individuals profiled from across the UK, US, Europe, Japan, China and Israel, and is not limited to tech job titles, with chief operations officers, eCommerce directors, founders and chief executives featured in the index.

Retail Week Senior Commercial Content Editor Megan Dunsby, who oversees The Tech List, said: “The Tech List serves as the ultimate showcase of digital leaders that the industry should be working with, taking inspiration from and investing in.

© 2022 Infinited Fiber
© 2022 Infinited Fiber


Despite the challenging market conditions in which global retail finds itself, these digital leaders highlight the real progress being made to stay ahead of competitors, improve customer experiences, and overcome the various cost pressures and supply chain disruption beating down on industry.

It’s interesting to see the contrast between those leaders – typically those with bigger budgets – making headway with game-changing technologies such as drones, robotics and the metaverse, and those making necessity-driven investments to make their businesses simply run more efficiently.”



More News from TEXDATA International

#Texprocess 2026

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

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.

#Techtextil 2026

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.

#Texprocess 2026

Between investment restraint and modernization pressure

Texprocess 2026 takes place in a complex market environment shaped by uncertainty and innovation pressure. In this interview, Elgar Straub (VDMA) explains why the trade fair is particularly relevant this year and which technologies are driving efficiency and competitiveness.

More News on Sustainability

#Man-Made Fibers

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.

#Sustainability

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.

#Denim

Denim moves towards sustainability

EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement), the global reference platform for measuring the environmental impact of garment finishing, presents the second edition of its annual report Denim Industry Progress & Insights 2025. The study analyses over 100,000 real denim finishing processes, providing an accurate and up-to-date view of the industry’s evolution towards more sustainable models.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Europe’s textile future at a turning point: New 2030 Circularity Blueprint aims to scale recycling and unlock investment opportunities

The EU textile system is at a critical crossroads. Today, less than 1% of discarded garments are recycled into new garments, despite EU-wide obligations for separate collection. In response, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is launching the 2030 Circularity Blueprint, in partnership with ReHubs. This ambitious initiative is designed to support the transformation of the EU textile ecosystem to advance textile-to-textile recycling and drive the transition to a circular economy.

Latest News

#Technical Textiles

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

#Textile chemistry

The CHT Group GmbH awarded Best Managed Company 2026

The CHT Group GmbH has been honored as Best Managed Company 2026. The seal of approval recognizes excellently managed medium-sized companies and is awarded as part of a program by Deloitte Private, UBS, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

#Nonwoven machines

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

#ITM 2026

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.

TOP