2nd-6th September 2024
Ecotextile News
The purpose-led multimedia news platform for sustainability in the global fashion and textile industry.
We’re back with another Weekly Briefing, the one-stop-shop for getting you caught up with the week's top news stories in just a few minutes. You can find all of our stories over at https://www.ecotextile.com/news/ but for now, let us guide you through the most important????
Monday
??We started the week off with extremely exciting news- the 9th edition of the Textile Standards & Legislation guidebook has now been published by MCL News & Media – the publisher of Ecotextile News!
Readers can now download an abbreviated, sample version of the 128-page guidebook HERE, which gives top-level snapshots of the most important voluntary and obligatory environmental standards, tools, and other labels in our industry – all in one place.?
??We also broke the news that Suzano , the world’s largest producer of cellulosic pulp has completed its acquisition of a 15% stake in Lenzing Group from the Austrian textile fibre supplier’s majority shareholder.
With an option to double its stake until the end of 2028, the Brazil-based pulp supplier said the investment would allow it to improve and scale its market access and move it closer to end-consumers.
Tuesday
??On Tuesday we announced that the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has welcomed the passage of SB-707, also known as the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, in California.
The landmark US bill, which will accelerate the implementation of an extended producer responsibility framework, will require producers to implement and fund a programme to facilitate the reuse, repair, and recycling of clothing and textile fibres in the US state.
??We also revealed that the Better Cotton initiative is to become an externally verified certification scheme to help meet the demands of new and emerging legislation.
It is part of the organisation's efforts to develop credible farm to consumer traceability which would enable it to offer a consumer-facing product label.
Wednesday
??On Wednesday we reported that testing and certification organisation OEKO-TEX? confirmed that the number of certificates and labels issued under its Made in Green sustainability programme leapt by 52% to 16,687 in the year July 2024.
The company's latest annual report shows that in total, it issued more than 50,000 certificates and labels between 1st July and 30th June 2024, whilst it also certified more than 40,000 chemical products to its Oeko-Tex Eco Passport programme for the first time.
??We also reported Swedish retailer H&M and Zara owner Inditex集团 have taken part in fresh funding round for US cellular agriculture start-up GALY , which is working to develop lab-grown cotton.
The $33 million raised from the oversubscribed series B financing round will be used to scale up Galy’s research and development on its cellular agriculture platform and its flagship ‘Galy Cotton’ brand.
Thursday
??On Thursday we revealed that the Material Innovation Initiative has published a new report calling for fashion brands and textile manufacturers to channel their resources into creating products that match polyester’s performance and versatility, while relying on bio-based, biodegradable and renewable alternatives such as next-gen materials.
The report, ‘Beyond Polyester’, highlights some of the current barriers to the growth and adoption of next-gen materials, and outlines how the fashion and textile industry needs to direct interests to fill these gaps for the benefit of accelerating the entire next-gen materials industry.
??We also reported that the Aid by Trade Foundation , which oversees the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative, has joined the newly formed Koskilna Compact alliance, a five year project aimed at supporting cotton farmers in building up resilient livelihoods.
Specifically, the alliance, an international multi-stakeholder coalition of non-governmental organisations, companies, and state actors, will work to promote the economic and social development of cotton-growing regions in Chad and surrounding regions.
Friday
??Today we broke the news that elements of the textile supply chain in China, Vietnam and Myanmar are amongst a raft of new additions to the U.S. Department of Labor ’s watchlist of goods believed to be produced by child labour and/or forced labour.
New additions to the ‘List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor’ (TVPRA) tied to inputs made by Uyghur forced labour from the Xinjiang region of China, include thread/yarn, textiles and garments made with cotton from China, and garments from Vietnam, also made with Chinese sourced cotton.
??Finally, we revealed that the world's largest sovereign wealth fund is backing a shareholder proposal demanding that sportswear giant 耐克 signs up to the Pakistan Accord garment and textile factory safety programme.
Norway's Government Pension Fund Global, which controls assets of $1.7 trillion and is Nike's ninth-largest shareholder, is backing the proposal being put to Nike's annual meeting on Tuesday 10th September.
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