Experts Debate Sustainability, Carbon Impact, and Policy Future at Natural Fibre Connect

Dr Paul Swan’s work for the International Wool Textile Organisation was also presented as it delved into the detail of different types of carbon—essentially ‘ancient carbon’ (from sources like coal and oil: that which have taken thousands of years to create) and ‘biogenic carbon’ (part of the everyday cycle of life). The Gaia of the planet needs the carbon dioxide to live and thus grow.

However, the metrics that are applied to scales that measure the impact of textiles—like the Higg Index—are moderated by Cascale that does not take into account this difference. Natural fibres and especially animal-based fibres will always come up with a bad score. Wool has one of the highest startling figures in the Worldly calculations, but (as reminded by Scandinavian outdoor specialist Kjersti Kviseth during her presentation) recycled wool starts at completely the other end of the scale with just a score of 1.

Biogenic carbon is that which is everyday situations—so what comes out of either end of living bodies (whether CO₂ or methane). There is a fixed amount of carbon here—the worry is how much of it is ‘free’ to go into the atmosphere where it commonly forms carbon dioxide or methane. The future survival of our species on this planet could rest on how well more carbon will be sequestered into the ground (or sea) as opposed to be part of the everyday circle of life. The easiest solution could be to just use biogenic carbon and leave ancient carbon locked away.

Those who are up-to-date with this field know that livestock create carbon dioxide and methane from their daily consumption (95% of CH4 comes from burps). The latter is known to break down into CO₂ after a decade; the worry is now that the 1.5° rise in temperatures will be exceeded before the more dangerous greenhouse gas gets to breakdown. With methane known to be almost 30 times more damaging to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide—the planet is at the end of its margin of safety. It is well known that every year since the 1995 Paris Agreement was set that energy usage has increased; although the amount of renewable energy being put into the grid has shot up—it has been overshadowed by the increased amount of fossil fuels being burnt. The planet has natural systems to cope with biogenic carbon, but not the fossil fuel usage.

This work has also combined with further research into using genetics and vaccines to reduce burping in animals. Investigations have into extended into pasture selection with different grasses to create methane inhibitors. What was clear was that this segment of fibre growing industry was taking on its impacts seriously. I suspect this debate will step up a level with the EU Green Deal metrics being applied.

The incoming EU Green Deal was at the centre of the Policy & Legislation panel that not only stated the parameters of the regulations that are initially targeting the single use electronics, batteries, and fashion industries, but also offered sage advice as to what future developments are likely to happen as it progresses. This panel had four of the best: it was moderated by anti-greenwashing specialist Tanja Gotthardsen, and had Brunswick Group’s Emily Pompelia, 2BPolicy’s Baptiste Carriere-Pradal, the Textile Exchange’s Romane Malysza. Brunswick provide the link between policy and those it applies to, 2BPolicy is actively involved in the writing of the policy, whilst TE are an NGO that sets the facts of the market—all four need to work together (Tanja is a main commentor and influencer with deals with anti-greenwashing strategies and the implementation of them).

The session fired through so many subjects so efficiently: greenwashing, what LCAs can offer (so also what they cannot), ecomodulation, the need to contribute to the process (if you sell into the EU: it needs to be on your agenda—even if you are outside Europe), and brought attention to the Planetary Boundaries metrics. The main discussion points were around how B Corps publicity cannot be used in B2C communications going forward; the influences of both ESPR (EcoDesign) & EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility); the French legislation (above the EU Green Deal levels) which is coming in on 1 October; LCA+; the impact of the biodiversity scoring and science based targets; emotional durability—plus how the legislation is not yet perfect, but is working towards it. Hard conclusions were advised like how a 100% virgin ingredient textile product will not exist in the future. Digital Product Passport services seem to be on everyone’s desk currently, but it sums up the difference between the specialists and charlatans who are just trying to sell the next product without realising that the committee deciding the content still have not concluded.

The Natural Fibre Connect conference serves the cashmere & mohair industry so includes the clip from llamas, alpacas and sheep. They openly admit that their product will not enter the fight for the lowest priced fibre—but instead it will offer so much more than others can offer both in the performance and the impacts associated to the materials they are used to create. In a world of tight margins, sometimes having a creditable story is a better promotion than a discounted product—it certainly offers a full margin to the supply chain.

It was interesting to hear from Simon Cotton, CEO of Macnaughton Holdings Limited, a specialist weaver of woollen fabrics and accessories for the home and tartans for highlandwear, as he shared lessons learnt from creating a quality option for their product.

Peter Ackroyd, the chair of the Campaign for Wool, did the opening address in which he cut in several conversations recorded with the King of England—the Patron of CfW. The opening day was moderated by a trailblazer in the global movement toward a more sustainable and regenerative textile industry, La Rhea Pepper, whilst Day 2 had Charles Hubbard, former chair of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance keeping everybody on schedule and Cotton painting the picture of the wonders of Scotland’s textile industries.

The first panel was centred on growers from around the world; whilst that afternoon were a whole number of workshops delivering detail on the various areas that CFN reached into before everyone coming together again to listen to discussions on supply chain traceability & transparency. That evening the majority joined in the conference dinner set above a tapestry workshop—yet another traditional craft that the country supports.

The second day had more detail on the Rangeland Stewardship Council, which was formed by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance and partners to ensure the long term health and prosperity of the grasslands, before sessions on the success of re-establishing a European merino growing drive and the conference closed with a panel that ranged from the detail of the new way to calculate embodied carbon to the opening of minds by Kjersti Kviseth, a well known Scandinavian advocate of the fibre, about the extra potential that recycled wool offers—especially for a European story of excellence.

Attendees ranged from the great of the wool industry (so CfW, the International Wool Textile Organisation, The Woolmark Company, British Wool) right down to individual herders; the big of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification were on site, as were the Textile Exchange—right through to individual brands like Johnsons of Elgin at the site of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for the event which had an overarching theme of collaboration as the best way towards a strong future.

Natural Fibres are surrounded by stories that make their wearers advocates of the materials. The yarn itself might not win every category of performance, permeability, soft feel, windproof weaving – but it comes second to synthetics in all of them (but it does win the odour control through the natural antibiotic qualities associated); whereas a man-made yarn might be warmer or cooler—but cannot switch between the different roles required.

One of the standout stories was that of the CPMA: Collectif pour la promotion Merino D’Arles—which is European grown merino—an ideal solution for those who want to localise their production miles.

The whole NFC event was one to be appreciated in person as the conversation between delegates was as important as what was presented. The overall impression is that this part of the textile supply chain is in positive control of their future and are keen to be driven by the nirvana of both better impacts as part of a balanced planetary eco-system as well as a direct link with those who choose to wear the product.

The historic city of Edinburgh offered an ideal setting as the soft water of its rivers have been a boom to those wanting better dye and fabric finishing treatments as well as the country being the home to tweed craftmanship. Attendees gathered in iconic spaces like the Great Hall and New Library – fitting venues in a city deeply rooted in textile tradition. From Fair Isle knitwear to ancestral tartans, Scotland’s textile legacy made Edinburgh an ideal setting for a conference on the future of natural fibres.