#Sustainability

2023-09-21

Fashion Revolution presents How to be a Fashion Revolutionary at the British Textile Biennial 2023

Fashion Revolution is taking residence at the British Textile Biennial 2023 with the How to be a Fashion Revolutionary exhibition, located at the Helmshore Mills Textile Museum in East Lancashire. Between 29th September and 29th October, How to be a Fashion Revolutionary will guide visitors through the Fashion Revolution archives, drawing on the learnings from nine years of campaigning to encourage reflection and inspire action.

In a display of archival Zine covers, poems and illustrations, the exhibition follows the environmental and human problems inherent in the fashion industry, maps out creative solutions and charts a course for change. It proudly features artwork designed or commissioned by Fashion Revolution Global and Fashion Revolution teams in Argentina, Brazil, India and Singapore to paint a global picture of action and resistance, and to invite new audiences on their fashion activism journeys.

The installation will be brought to life by a video montage capturing the evolution of Fashion Revolution into a global movement spanning 75 countries, and an interactive conversation map where visitors can respond to questions posed throughout the exhibition. Developed by Talk Climate Change for Fashion Revolution Week 2023, the Fashion Revolution Map is a global forum for Fashion Revolutionaries around the world to exchange knowledge, inspiration and ideas for change. At the exhibition, the map will serve as a conversation tool for the local community and capture the responses of newly initiated Fashion Revolutionaries.

The British Textile Biennial is taking place across Eastern Lancashire, a cultural and historic symbol of the global textile industry. Taken from the British Textile Biennial 2023 programme, “the industrial revolution transformed rural East Lancashire into an engine of fast fashion at the epicentre of a web that stretched across the globe; commandeering human and environmental resources across continents in a vicious cycle of labour, manufacture and trade that persists today and which we now know is unsustainable”. How to be a Fashion Revolutionary recognises and responds to these issues and encourages visitors to collectively reimagine what a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry could look like.

“Storytelling has always been such a vital part of our work and is integral for capturing new hearts and minds in our global community. Through revisiting the Fashion Revolution archives, visitors can explore artistic interpretations of fashion’s potential to harm and heal, and will find themselves similarly transformed by illustration and poetry. How to be a Fashion Revolutionary is based on the delightfully simple premise that anyone can be a Fashion Revolutionary. It starts with being curious, finding out and doing something, and this exhibition will guide you on your journey to action.” - Mel Watt, Digital Communications Manager at Fashion Revolution

“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.

Execs help steer Cascale’s consumer goods agenda in Athens

The 2026 Cascale Annual Meeting, taking place September 15–17 in Athens, Greece, will convene leaders from across the global consumer goods value chain to tackle one of the industry’s defining questions: how to accelerate meaningful, system-wide transformation. Guiding those conversations as this year’s co-chairs are Sean Cady, vice president, global sustainability, responsibility, trade, and government affairs at VF Corporation, and Dr. Delman Lee, vice chair at TAL Apparel Limited.

SAITEX reports efficiency gains and greater transparency in 2025 Impact Report

Vietnam-based denim manufacturer SAITEX has published its 2025 Impact Report, documenting progress in resource efficiency, chemical management, digital traceability and knowledge sharing across its manufacturing operations in Vietnam and the United States. Rather than focusing on sustainability ambitions, the report presents operational data, manufacturing developments and lessons learned from the past year.

Aid by Trade Foundation presents annual report for 2025: Market position and impact of sustainably verified natural fibres strengthened

Despite global supply chain challenges, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) was able to further expand its international role in promoting sustainably verified natural fibres in 2025. In doing so, the foundation remains true to its fundamental approach of leveraging market forces. Last year, it generated total revenues of EUR 7.8 million; this included EUR 6.7 million collected through the successful marketing of four standards: Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), CmiA Organic, The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS), and the Regenerative Cotton Standard (RCS). AbTF invested the resulting income in projects aiming to protect biodiversity, support women, increase transparency in the textile supply chain, and implement its verification system.

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.

Première Vision Paris expands innovation focus across fashion and beauty

From September 1–3, 2026, Première Vision Paris will bring together more than 900 exhibitors from across the global fashion value chain. This year's edition places a strong emphasis on Innovation-Tech, highlighting technologies and materials that are reshaping product development, manufacturing and sustainability.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Première Vision Paris

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Première Vision Paris in Paris, France next month. The company will exhibit in the "Smart Creation" area, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technologies that integrate sustainability and innovation. The knitting expert will be demonstrating solutions that optimize product development workflows and enhance sustainability through proposals in Digital Product Creation (DPC).