12th- 16th August 2024
Ecotextile News
The purpose-led multimedia news platform for sustainability in the global fashion and textile industry.
We’ve reached the end of yet another great week here at Ecotextile News! You can view all of this week’s stories over at https://www.ecotextile.com/news/ but for now sit back, relax and let us catch you up with our hand-picked selection of the most important stories of the week????
Monday
??We started the week off by delivering the news that the National Council of Textile Organizations has welcomed the introduction of a bill in the US that would eliminate the ‘de minimis’ exemptions for import-sensitive products, including the majority of textile and apparel imports.
The ‘Fighting for America’ bill has been introduced by a bipartisan group of senators as part of a legislative programme to protect domestic industry by limiting the flow of millions of low value, duty-free shipments entering the US on a daily basis.
??We also mentioned that supermarket giant 特易购公司 is linking up with data technology company Fabacus for a pilot scheme which will see digital product passports (DPPs) used to provide consumers with information on items in its F&F Clothing fashion range.
It comes amidst ongoing development of the European Union's DPP proposals to share product-based information with consumers on issues including the environmental impact of production, use, and end-of-life recycling.
Tuesday
??On Tuesday, we wrote that consumers’ efforts to make use of fashion brands’ reuse, repair and recycling schemes are being impeded by geographical limitations and regional variations, new research suggests.
The joint study from the 英国伯明翰大学 and 英国布里斯托大学 in the UK, and The University of Georgia and Buffalo State University in the US, explored how circular fashion-promoting policies sometimes have limited effectiveness with shoppers unable to access many of the services.
??We also revealed that SPINNOVA? has struck an exclusive deal with Finnish machinery manufacturer Valmet for the supply of fibre processing equipment to Spinnova’s technology partners.
Spinnova, which offers a patented technology that claims to produce wood-based cellulose fibre with no potentially hazardous chemicals or waste, said in April that it had identified technology sales as the main driver for growth in the immediate future, effectively ruling out any near-term investments in increasing its own fibre production.
Wednesday
??On Wednesday we delivered the news that negotiations are underway in Cambodia on setting a new minimum wage for garment workers for next year.
Workers will be hoping for a significant increase in the current minimum wage of $204 per month in the sector, which also includes the travel goods and bag industries.
??We also highlighted that textile chemical management specialist bluesign technologies ag has published figures showing the extent to which its partner companies have reduced their environmental impact.
领英推荐
The latest collective environmental impact figures cover the period 2019-2023 and focus on three key areas - water usage, energy consumption, and carbon emissions, along with their use of Bluesign-approved chemistry.
Thursday
??On Thursday we saw US agricultural corporation 嘉吉 partnering with Australian farm technology company Goanna Ag on a new pilot project aimed at increasing irrigation efficiency on cotton fields in the Mississippi Delta.
The project will introduce state-of-the art technology that aims to transform how and when farmers water their fields, optimising crop yields, reducing water withdrawals and lowering operational costs.
??We also broke the news that the Textile Exchange has suspended Intertek Testing Services as an approved certification body for its Organic Content Standard (OCS) in India.
The suspension follows a similar move by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) , which earlier this month partially suspended Intertek as an approved certification body, amid concerns over what it called “serious lapses” in their internal systems.
Friday
??Today, we revealed that President Joe Biden is being urged to include representatives of the US fashion and textiles industry in his recently announced White House Task Force on Climate and Trade.
Both the Slow Fashion Caucus, recently established by politicians in the US Congress, and the PoliticallyInFashion lobbying group have written to the president calling for the industry to be involved.
??We also reported that Australian NGO Fair Supply has published a research paper examining the effectiveness of Canada’s recently introduced legislation aimed at identifying forced labour and child labour in the country’s supply chains.
The paper delves into the ‘Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act’ which, after coming into force in January 2024, stipulates that an institution producing, purchasing or distributing goods in Canada or elsewhere must, on or before 31 May of each year, make a report publicly available on its measures to reduce forced and child labour.
??We also wanted to say a huge thank you for all the interest we’ve had on the news of the release of our updated Textile Standards and Legislation guidebook. It goes to press next week, so keep an eye out?over at https://www.textilestandards.com/ ??
??That’s all for this week's Briefing, we hope you’ve enjoyed it- don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a week- it's free!??