#Sustainability

2025-03-13

Global Standard’s GOTS joins the MAKE THE LABEL COUNT coalition

Global Standard, the nonprofit that owns and operates the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), has joined the Make the Label Count coalition of international natural fibre producers, manufacturers, brands, standards and environmental groups. As a recognised authority in the organic textile industry, Global Standard will contribute its extensive expertise and leadership, while ensuring that voices from every segment of the value chain are heard.

In its endeavour to prevent greenwashing and empower consumers to make informed decisions about the clothes and textiles they wear, Global Standard joined the coalition to help ensure that textile sustainability claims in the EU are credible and substantiated in a transparent and fair way.

“GOTS, with more than 16,000 certified facilities, shows that businesses want to prove their sustainability efforts, and that people want to buy more environmentally friendly textiles, provided that the labels and claims are accurate and credible” said Marie-Luise Pörtner, Global Regulations Specialist at Global Standard. “Consumers can trust the GOTS label because of robust, verifiable ecological and human rights criteria throughout the textile production value chain, a strong due diligence commitment and sustainability claims backed by independent third-party certification bodies.”

Launched in 2021, Make the Label Count specifically advocates for a revision of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology for textiles which is currently being developed to assess a product’s environmental impact and provide consumers with information on that impact. Although PEF has the potential to direct the textile sector towards a sustainable system of production and consumption, it still has significant limitations, such as different system boundaries for textiles made from natural and synthetic fibres, or the non-inclusion of microplastics and plastic waste. Its application thus risks legitimising unsustainable consumption with an EU-backed green claim.

Global Standards announce launch of a new textile processing standard

The 14th September 2026 marks the public launch of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), a new standard for the processing of textiles made from fibres certified to third-party standards recognised by GRTS and covering a broad range of plant, animal, synthetic, man-made cellulosic and recycled fibres.

ITMF names three winners of the Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026

Three projects from the UK, Korea and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026. The projects address textile-to-textile recycling, chemical recycling for automotive textiles and a regenerative approach combining silk production with ecological restoration.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.

KARL MAYER invites the Global Textile Industry to celebrate its 90th anniversary at its German Headquarters in 2027

KARL MAYER is turning its anniversary year 2027 into a milestone for the textile sector. To mark its 90th anniversary, the industry leader is inviting customers, partners, and experts from around the world to a unique event series in September aimed at pushing boundaries, unlocking new opportunities, and jointly setting the course for a new era in textiles – just as KARL MAYER has done throughout its history. The company’s headquarters in Obertshausen, near Frankfurt, is the place to be.

Durak Maxibalance thread supports users’ movement and balance comfort

Durak Tekstil, a leading brand in its industry, has developed Durak Maxibalance, a new product engineered with bio-ceramic and FAR IR technology. Ushering in a new era for sportswear, activewear, and medical textiles, this technology offers features designed to support balance and movement comfort by reflecting the energy absorbed from the body back into it.

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 draws to a close, weaving sustainable innovation into global sourcing

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 concluded with approximately 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, connecting with nearly 22,000 visitors from 110 represented markets, bringing the textile industry’s evolving material agenda into sharper focus. Held alongside Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, CHIC and PH Value, the fair connected upstream fibre and yarn innovation with fabric development, garment production and fashion-market demand.