7th- 11th October 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 with the news that Swedish fashion retailer H&M has committed to no longer sourcing any new down feathers for any of its brands worldwide, following protests by animal welfare campaigners.
PETA , which has staged protests outside H&M stores around the world over the use of down, said the move would "spare countless ducks and geese a lifetime of misery and an agonising death".
??We also disclosed that Lenzing Group has taken a minority stake in Swedish fibre company TreeToTextile , part of its strategy to accelerate the development of new renewable and resource-efficient cellulose-based fibres.
Founded in 2014, TreeToTextile is jointly owned by fashion giant H&M , 宜家 , pulp manufacturer 斯道拉恩索 and LSCS Invest.
Tuesday
??On Monday, we reported that garment workers in Myanmar continue to face "dire and repressive working conditions" with 155 cases of abuse against workers reported in factories from 1st December 2023 to 30th June 2024, according to a new report.
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre , which tracks abuse allegations in the country, said it believed the incidents represented the tip of the iceberg in Myanmar following the military coup of February 2021.
??We also revealed that The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) has published a new update on progress towards its goal of eliminating the impact of fibre fragmentation from textiles on the environment by 2030.
TMC's new report charts the progress of the initiative between June 2022 and June 2024, outlines its latest research insights and makes a new appeal for the industry to support its work.
Wednesday
??We began Wednesday with the claim that the secondhand clothing sector is generating billions of dollars in GDP contributions while supporting hundreds of thousands of green jobs across Europe and Africa, according to a new report.
The study, by global economic forecaster Oxford Economics , claims to be the first comprehensive analysis of the sector’s entire value chain and an attempt to quantify its socio-economic impacts across two continents, focusing on the EU27+ and Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique.
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??We also reported that Swedish fashion retailer H&M is working with one of its key suppliers in Bangladesh to test the potential of three new disruptive technologies to save CO2 emissions, water and chemicals.
It is funding the installation of machines from three companies on one production line at Chorka Textile's factory, near Dhaka, to be tested together under one roof for the first time.
Thursday
??On Thursday we brought forward an interesting report which details that discarded textiles could be used to create waterproof coatings for new clothes while also reducing the use of PFAS - the so-called 'forever chemicals', new research suggests.
The findings from a team of researchers at 美国康奈尔大学 in the US suggest that the use of textiles that may otherwise end up in landfill or incinerated is safer for humans and the environment than coatings that are manufactured with harsh chemicals and carcinogens.
??We also revealed that UNIQLO owner and Japanese fashion giant Fast Retailing has announced plans for a pre-owned clothing rollout and reported progress on its circularity initiatives in its fourth quarter financial results announcement.
The news comes as the company announced it had slightly overperformed its forecasted revenue from the previous quarter, where it had already reported record revenue and profits.
Friday
??Exclusive- get the news before it breaks??
??Today we reveal that UNI Global Union and Inditex集团 have renewed their global agreement, advancing the rights of more than 160,000 fashion and retail workers worldwide.
??Finally, we report that US retailer DICK'S Sporting Goods has partnered with AI platform Inspectorio to integrate a new supply chain monitoring system which it says will enhance its sustainability and quality control operations.
For our Friday news stories make sure to visit https://www.ecotextile.com/news/ and watch them release in real-time.
??That’s a wrap on this week's briefing- give it a like and subscribe (so that you never miss a week) if you enjoyed! Catch you next week for another whistle-stop update??