#Yarn & Fiber

2021-05-03

Macron and RadiciGroup collaborating for sustainability

To be leaders of change and promoters of a sustainable business model that provides traceable, virtuous and competitive production and supply chains, with benefits for all stakeholders.

Two symbols of Italian manufacturing excellence pool their competencies to produce totally green technical sportswear

This is the corporate strategy of both Macron (below on the right the CEO Gianluca Pavanello), an international brand leader in the sportswear industry based in Bologna, and RadiciGroup (below on the left the President Angelo Radici), an Italian multinational headquartered in Bergamo and world leading manufacturer of a wide range of chemical intermediates, polymers, high-performance engineering polymers, and advanced textile solutions for a variety of applications, mainly in the fashion industry.

The two standard bearers of Italian entrepreneurship excellence have decided to pool their competencies to develop and produce technical sportswear combining high performance and sustainability. One notable result of this collaboration is a type of sports socks made of Renycle®, a yarn manufactured by the Bergamo-based group from recycled nylon 6, a high-value material with excellent resistance, dyeing characteristics, softness and versatility.

At RadiciGroup, production scraps are recovered, recycled and reconverted into polymers, and eventually spun into yarn featuring technical characteristics comparable to the yarn made of fossil-source materials, but boasting decidedly better environmental performance. In fact, the above-mentioned new yarn range reduces CO2 emissions by almost 90% and generates energy savings of more than 87% and water savings of 90%. Macron and RadiciGroup have long since embarked on a green path engaging their entire production chain, by launching initiatives and promoting solutions aimed at protecting the environment, while at the same time making targeted investments in sustainable innovation.

The Bologna-based company has launched the Macron 4 the Planet project, which involves the construction of a new completely eco-sustainable headquarters, the production of sport jerseys made from 100% recycled polyester from PET bottles and the use of packaging, 100% made from certified recyclate.

RadiciGroup has adopted a circular economy business model and directs all its efforts to optimizing raw material, energy and resource usage, perfecting processes, eliminating scraps and promoting designed-in end-of-life recycling of the materials it produces. The group’s goal is to reduce the environmental impact of its day-to-day activities by transparently and objectively measuring their effects at each stage.

Both organizations have developed corporate welfare policies fostering the implementation of training programmes focusing on the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees. All of the above decisions and policies contribute to reaching their main goal: to win the battle for the future.

“RadiciGroup is a valuable partner in the green path undertaken by Macron,” Gianluca Pavanello, CEO of Macron, stated. “A shared vision and strategy on sustainability and environmental protection is essential. Macron’s objective is to create advanced technical sportswear for athletes of all levels, and our mission, which we pursue with great passion and commitment, is to study and develop materials that are more and more eco-friendly. Finding companies like RadiciGroup – a world leader in its sector, with whom we share values such as sustainability, recycling, use of renewable sources, corporate welfare and care for local communities – allows us to enhance our product offering and gain market acceptance by people who play sports at all levels. We hope our partnership will continue to develop over time.”

“A circular economy cannot be achieved by acting alone,” stressed Angelo Radici, president of RadiciGroup. “As upstream players in the supply chain, we have always tried to share our knowledge of materials and deliver solutions featuring both better performance and respect for the environment. Furthermore, it is also crucial to find customers who are equally sensitive to these issues and can become strategic partners in the development of innovative and sustainable solutions. With Macron, we have worked as a team to create winning sports socks, because they are made from recycled materials, using all-Italian technologies, and are the result of a zero- kilometre, measured and traceable production and supply chain.

RadiciGroup: 21st Sustainability Report published

RadiciGroup has published its 21st Sustainability Report, covering the year 2024, confirming more than two decades of transparency and measurement in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. From its first Social Report in 2004 to the current reporting aligned with the GRI Universal Standards, the Group is now preparing for its next challenge: the adoption of the criteria that will be set out by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Twenty years of Sustainability Report for RadiciGroup

The RadiciGroup Sustainability Report reaches an important milestone this year: twenty years have in fact passed since the Group published its first Social Report in 2004, qualifying it as one of the pioneering companies in the realisation of voluntary non-financial reporting. The document measures the Group’s achievements and the actions it has taken to reduce its environmental impact, respect social values, and implement good business management practices.

Yarns and technologies in symbiosis: Biella Yarn presents Fall/Winter 2027/2028 collection “New Romance_”

Biella Yarn, the flat knitting brand of Suedwolle Group, launches new Fall/Winter 2027/2028 collection, inspired by the symbiosis of yarns and technologies – elements that blend, adapt and evolve together, forming something new without losing their origin. The name “Neu Romance_” reflects the emotional and neurological dimension of the yarns: a connection that engages the senses, experienced through material, touch and interaction. The collection is further brought to life through design collaborations, featuring selected yarns used in different design approaches.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.