17th-21st June 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 began the week with the news that the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has published a new report in which it outlines why mandatory, fee-based extended producer responsibility (EPR) is essential to building a global circular economy for textiles.
The report, ‘Pushing the Boundaries of EPR policy for textiles’, also calls for “unprecedented collaboration across governments”, and for a separate collection infrastructure for textiles to be scaled up dramatically and implemented in locations where it currently does not exist.?
??We also reported that supporters of the New York Fashion Act have vowed to continue their fight to introduce new legislation to hold the industry accountable for its environmental and human rights impacts.
The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act recently failed to make it onto the statute book for the third year running amidst push back from powerful trade groups such as the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) .
Tuesday
??On Tuesday we broke the news that Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) has joined an initiative aimed at integrating West African cotton-growing countries more closely in the global supply chain for football clothing.
CMiA has joined the steering committee of the ‘Partenariat pour le Coton’ (Partnership for Cotton), which was set up recently by the World Trade Organisation and the International Federation of Association Football ( FIFA ), to promote economic growth in developing countries through football.
??We also revealed that British retailer 马莎百货 has published a new ESG report revealing the company's progress on its 'Plan A' sustainability strategy.
It claims to have reduced emissions in its own operations by 33% since its base year of 2017 - however, the overwhelming majority of its emissions - 94% - are in Scope 3 where emissions are up from 5 million tonnes CO2e in 2017 to 5.2 million tonnes CO2e last year.
Wednesday
??On Wednesday we touched on how the global apparel industry is a significant yet often overlooked source of microplastic leakage, new research suggests.
The study, published in the journal Nature estimates that the apparel industry generated 8.3 million tonnes of plastic pollution in 2019, corresponding to 14% of the estimated 60 million tonnes from all sectors.
??We also announced that bluesign technologies ag and the SCTI (Sustainable Chemistry for the Textile Industry) are to donate their jointly developed Sustainable Chemistry Index (SCI) methodology to the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme Foundation – and the wider textile industry – in a move aimed at advancing sustainable chemistry within the textile industry.
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Launched in 2022, the SCI is designed to highlight the sustainable credentials of chemical formulations used across the textile manufacturing sector, while “addressing environmental impact in a holistic manner”.
Thursday
??We started off Thursday by breaking the news that just 25% of consumers believe that fashion brands are effectively addressing their concerns over the environmental impact of clothing made using ‘forest-derived’ fibres, new research suggests.
The findings are included in a new consumer survey from forest certification organisation PEFC International , which was conducted in four key markets across Europe, namely France, Italy, Spain and the UK.
??We also disclosed that 马莎百货 has reversed its ban on the use of alpaca yarn in its garments, a move that is expected to face backlash from animal rights campaigners.
The move comes after the announcement of a supply-chain-wide, unified pilot of Textile Exchange ’s Responsible Alpaca Standard, currently a voluntary scheme for the certification and assessment of elements regarding animal welfare, land management and social requirements.
Friday
??Today we confirmed that US cotton growers can now enrol in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol ’s Climate Smart Cotton Program Level 2, an initiative that works to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the industry. The programme, led by the Trust Protocol, gives Level 1 growers the opportunity to receive additional financial support for implementing ‘Climate Smart Practice Changes’ into their operations.
??We also brought the news that Australia’s new clothing product stewardship scheme will begin on the 1st July, environment minister Tanya Plibersek has announced.
The ‘Seamless’ scheme aims to make Australian clothing circular by 2030, with a $0.03 (A$0.04) per garment levy for its now 62 brand members.
??We hope you’ve enjoyed this week's briefing, don’t forget to join the thousands who are already subscribed- it’s free!???
specialist in Performance Sportswear Design & sustainable matters FRSA
5 个月Thank you! It was good to bump into Simon this week & get the reports from John in Europe...