#Sustainability

2023-09-07

Webinar Series: Europe’s green transition in the textile sector

The Partnership for Sustainable Textile and the Green Button launch joint webinar series on upcoming legislation under the EU Textile Strategie.

Join the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Green Button on 21st of September 2023 for the kick-off of its upcoming six-month webinar series to learn more about the EU’s Green Deal and how it will affect the textile and garment sector. Hear from experts and stakeholders about what’s coming and how to be best prepared.

In late 2019, the European Commission published its European Green Deal, the EU’s new growth strategy to make the EU climate neutral by 2050 and to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In March 2022, the publication of the Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles followed, setting out a vision to ensure that: “By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment.”

Under these strategies, the EU Commission has put forward several far-reaching legislative initiatives, many of them are expected to enter into force from 2025 and 2026 onwards. Introducing far-reaching new design requirements, greenwashing regulation, rules to prevent overproduction and overconsumption, and rules to handle textile waste more responsibly, these initiatives will completely overhaul the rules for production, consumption, sale, and disposal of textiles in the EU.

Six-months webinar series is launching now

You want to know more about the legislative framework under the EU Green Deal and how it could initiate change and affect your business? Join us for a series of six webinars on upcoming legislation under the EU Green Deal and the EU Textile Strategy!

The webinar series will provide you with:

• an introduction to the wider EU policy landscape and how upcoming legislations relate to international obligations

• a deep dive into specific legislative initiatives that will transform the textile and apparel sector in the coming years

• a better understanding of how these initiatives will likely impact companies and global supply chains.

Please click here for more information on the series.

https://www.gruener-knopf.de/media/951/download

21st of September 2023 10am – 12pm

Kick-off and deep dive into the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

This kick-off session will set the scene for the upcoming webinars, provide an overview of the policy landscape, and dive into one of the initiatives at the heart of the Green Transition: The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). We will look into the details of the CSDDD proposal and its likely implications for the textile sector, both for brands and retailers as well as for suppliers. We will focus on critical issues, the different positions of stakeholders, and learn about where the policy process stands.

Registration information will follow shortly.

“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.

More patterns, less effort: the MULTI-MATIC® at Rohleder

Rohleder is one of Europe’s most modern weaving mills. For over 80 years, the family-owned company has been developing and manufacturing premium fabrics for brands, retailers and private customers – 100% Made in Germany. This success is made possible by a consistent focus on design, quality, and functionality, as well as by continuous investment in state-of-the-art production facilities. Rohleder also relies on innovative technologies in warp preparation and has been collaborating with KARL MAYER for many years. As recently as 2023, a MULTI-MATIC® was delivered to the company’s headquarters in Konradsreuth.

BASF opens global diaper and superabsorbents performance lab in Mumbai

BASF has officially inaugurated its new Performance Lab for diapers and superabsorbents (SAP) in Mumbai on August 18, 2026, which will provide technical and application services to superabsorbent customers globally. The new lab of BASF’s Hygiene Solutions business has been established in less than a year and is part of BASF’s Innovation Campus Asia Pacific in Mumbai, BASF’s second largest R&D site in Asia Pacific established in 2017 under BASF Chemicals India Private Limited.

Naia™ from Eastman strengthens western hemisphere textile connections at Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala

As brands and retailers explore more diversified and responsive sourcing networks, the Naia™ brand from Eastman is strengthening its engagement with the textile and apparel value chain across the western hemisphere. From August 18–20, the company will participate for the first time in Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala, a regional meeting point for apparel sourcing, manufacturing and nearshoring.

Dornbirn GFC 2026 expands conference program with new thematic sessions

For 65 years, Dornbirn GFC has stood for innovation and is one of the world’s leading conferences in the fiber industry. From September 16 to 18, 2026, the international fiber community will meet in Dornbirn, Austria, to discuss current trends, technological developments, and forward-looking solutions. More than 600 experts from industry and academia from over 30 countries are expected to attend. With around 100 presentations by renowned speakers, a 2,5-day conference program, and three parallel presentation rooms with moderated sessions, Dornbirn GFC provides a first-class platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and international collaboration. Together, participants will generate ideas and impulses that will sustainably shape the future of the global fiber industry.