While it’s true that fast fashion will be entering the second-hand market, it is important to recognise that the second-hand clothing sector plays a crucial role in extending the life of reusable garments. Even if some second-hand clothes will be reusable fast fashion items, their reuse nonetheless reduces the need for new production, mitigates waste, and slows the cycle of disposable fashion.

Over the past 10 years, we have seen a rise of companies creating innovative products in packaging, paper, dyes, foams, and for us, textiles. This comes off the back of businesses realising there is a dramatic need for more holistically sustainable solutions, and development and adoption cycles take time. It is less about being held back and more about combining resources to enable faster adoption.

Our garment industry, a pillar of Bangladesh's economy, is facing challenges that require us to come together and act responsibly... Now more than ever, we need to show solidarity and resolve any disputes internally. Our actions have implications far beyond our borders, affecting our relationships with international buyers and stakeholders who have stood by us.

But the responsibility our industry bears towards the well-being of the many workers also means that in situations like this the system keeps a cool head and offers the necessary support. Currently, this means that brands and retailers that source from Bangladesh--and that have witnessed the industry’s sizeable safety and environmental investments-- remain patient and committed.

As supporters and enablers of craft, CDS Art Foundation directors, Viloo Mirza, Asif Shaikh and I are delighted to see the support and impetus Mrs Nita Ambani is giving Indian traditional crafts through her initiative Swadeshi. However artisans and the craft industry will benefit far greater if accurate credit is given for design and skill as well.

Countries such as France and the European Union have also done a lot of work to reduce textile waste and improve textile circularity, which gives us an opportunity to learn from their efforts and develop best practices. US-based brands will likely need to adapt to these regulations, so it makes sense for us to start considering policy and incentives as well.

Still, there is a lot to improve in order to compete in performance with collagen-based animal leather, and with enough hope, one day surpass animal skins in performance. We do standard performance tests in our quality lab that are compliant with international norms, such as abrasion durability, tear strength, tensile strength, flexing durability and most important field wear tests. We do these validations with every produced batch.

We needed to be ready to over-deliver—that means having a team ready for the challenge with complementing expertise, and having the operation oiled and worked enough to produce continuously at scale with consistent quality. We needed to have a material with the right performance and the right level of quality on the right volume.

Like everything in life, things need to find their right place and time, and we have to learn about our customers as well. We have received a lot of positive reactions from multiple brands and have a strong group of early adopters who are eagerly waiting to buy our product.

Many of the reports you have read are based on unverified data from a so-called campaign group called the Or Foundation. This group bases claims on one deeply flawed study carried out by their American founder many years ago. When you examine that report and its methodology it’s absurd that their figures have dominated the global debate; their research just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

The trade supports over 2 million people in different parts of the country. The worse that will happen after such a ban (by the EU) is rendering these people without employment. It will trickle down to their livelihoods making it extremely difficult for them to earn a decent living. This industry contributes hugely to the tax revenue of the country—that too will be greatly affected.

Moving to sustainable solutions represents everyone's responsibility. I don’t think that solutions are immediately feasible, and it might take a decade to find the optimal ones that are less detrimental for environment but still hold the same functional and protective values which is critical for transport oversees and distribution.

AI is poised to revolutionise the manufacturing process in the denim industry, offering numerous advantages in terms of process improvement and efficiency. Moreover, AI holds promise for enhancing garment tracking within laundry operations, further optimising processes and ensuring seamless workflow management.

One way we ensure transparency and traceability is by providing equal opportunities and incentives to all growers everywhere, regardless of the standards they adhere to, their singular agronomic practices or geographic region. Through the Sourcery Connect App we ensure that all growers are recognised and rewarded for demonstrating commercial and environmental excellence.

Presumption of conformity is exactly the thing that the European Commission wanted to avoid. It is already the current situation, in which companies can make a claim on the market without being properly checked. We believe that the only way to make the Directive robust is to keep the compulsory role of third-party independent verification for all claims, regardless of the size of the company or the nature of the claim. This is the only way to significantly reduce the number of misleading claims on the market.

The scale of the problem of plastic pollution is such that we must use all possible means available to tackle it. We must get rid of the plastic we don't need and recycle what is essential. In some cases, there is no feasible alternative to plastic for a number of applications and industries due to hygiene, safety and carbon footprint considerations. We must therefore reduce consumption wherever possible, reuse as much as possible before recycling.

Following Renewcell's bankruptcy, the obstacles encountered by innovators and multinational corporations take centre stage. It's evident that the traditional linear fashion model is deeply flawed, and simply introducing new developments won't suffice. Brands need strategic objectives with a clear roadmap and organisational framework to effectively navigate these challenges.

It is our position that fashion brands and western markets have created the conditions where price and profit rules over everything, pushing all other concerns, whether they are worker safety, environmental sustainability, or in many cases even quality, to the side. Those same fashion brands are now pushing manufacturers to cut emissions, or use less water, or change their processes, while still keeping prices just as low—pushing costs on to the manufacturers.

I strongly believe that transhistorical community value systems can present a powerful counterpoint to the logic of generating profit now, but whether these skills survive into the future depends very much upon whether we are prepared to invest in one beautifully crafted genuine article instead of cheap imitations. Brands and retailers have a vital role to play too. Working towards more sustainable sourcing, they should trace all material inputs, adhering to the *Nagoya Protocol where they utilise indigenous knowledge.

If a biological pathway for production of a certain colour is identified then we can introduce it into our microorganism. Even if the pathway is not studied but we know that a certain microorganism produces a certain colour we can define the genes necessary for colour production, although this would take more time.