TOP STORY

Circularity Without Decay Is Fashion Pretending Nature Doesn't Matter

Sustainability efforts in fashion have largely focused on optimising an existing linear model: cleaner dyes, better sorting, more efficient factories. Asha Singhal, Director, Nature of Fashion at the Biomimicry Institute, argues this approach overlooked a structural absence rather than a technical shortfall. Pilots run by the programme in the Netherlands and Germany tested whether biological decomposition could process textile waste current recycling infrastructure cannot.

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CIRCULARITY / RECYCLING / SECONDS / WASTE

Fibre Composition Labelling and the Digital Product Passport Need Clearer Boundaries Before New Rules Are Added

Key elements of the EU's textile labelling framework have become outdated since 2011, no longer reflecting market realities, technological progress, or the broader EU policy environment. A joint call from five European trade organisations to the European Commission has identified four priority areas: fibre tolerance rules, digitalisation of labelling, internal market fragmentation, and the boundary between the TLR and the Digital Product Passport.

 
FLASHPOINT: CLIMATE
Material Innovation / Bezos Fund

Breakthrough textile materials have received $34 million in new Bezos Earth Fund grants, backing research into bacterial fibres, spider-silk-inspired biodegradable materials, coloured cotton and cotton seedbank restoration. The funding targets materials that can match rayon, silk and cotton while improving cost, performance and environmental outcomes across fashion and textile supply chains.

Climate Action / Ethiopia Project

Climate resilience, productivity and workplace safety are being advanced across Ethiopia's leather, textile and garment sector through a new ILO-Japan joint initiative. The one-year programme targets 40 factories across five cities, integrating Japanese expertise, digitalised safety tools and a women's leadership development programme to drive sustainable and inclusive industrial growth.

 
 
 
FOCUS: COTTON

Potassium Fertilisation Lifts Cotton Yields by Up to 70% in Deficient Soils, Arkansas Trials Show

Potassium fertilisation has increased cotton yields by up to 70% in deficient soils, with fibre strength and elongation identified as the quality parameters most sensitive to potassium availability. Arkansas field trials across two growing seasons have reinforced current fertilisation recommendations and introduced new tissue-testing thresholds to support in-season crop monitoring.

 
 
 
SPOTLIGHT EDITIONS: SELECT 4
 

"Quote Unquote"

Abou Bakar
Abou Bakar
Country Representative – Pakistan
CottonConnect
In Pakistan, as with many other cotton-growing regions, climate-related disruptions are currently the strongest driver of regenerative agriculture adoption, as farmers face more extreme weather events, water scarcity, declining soil health, and fluctuating yields. However, these challenges are directly linked to declining competitiveness. Reduced productivity and inconsistent cotton quality can impact farmers' profitability and the sector's ability to meet market demand.

"Quote Unquote"

Mattias Wallander
Mattias Wallander
Chief Executive Officer
USAgain
The real hurdle isn't the map, but the fragmented municipal governance: complex, varying permit costs and restrictive zoning are barriers to expansion. If local governments can align on model ordinances and move away from restrictive industrial-only zoning, the 13% yearover- year growth seen in France may be possible in California.
 
 
FOCUS: LEATHER

Major Reorganisation Positions Fierecongressi as a More Competitive Force in Global Exhibition Markets

A major internal reorganisation, aligned with a growth strategy and a substantial infrastructure investment programme, has reshaped Fierecongressi's operational model. The restructuring establishes a dedicated Internationalisation Area, merges two business units into a single Fairs Business Unit, and introduces a product-oriented structure to strengthen the company's competitive position in the global exhibition and congress market.