Specials

For over two decades, nonprofit Valbiom has worked to advance the bioeconomy in Wallonia and beyond, building bridges between farmers, researchers, industry, and policymakers. Despite proven expertise and pilot successes such as hemp textiles, scaling up remains constrained by political will and investment. In a conversation with texfash, Valentine Donck, Project Manager for Bio-based Textiles, explores challenges, opportunities, and strategies shaping Europe’s sustainable industrial future.

Where does design fit in the textile-fashion hierarchy? The warp in crafts and livelihood, and the missing weft of innovation. Why has Indian design fallen short of its promise on the global platform? Dr Mihir Bholey, former Principal Faculty, Interdisciplinary Design Studies, Science and Liberal Arts at the National Institute of Design (NID), discusses it all and more in this freewheeling conversation.

The circular economy is often seen as fashion’s path to sustainability, with innovations in recycling and AI promising reduced waste. Yet new research warns these solutions may backfire. By fuelling increased production and consumption, circular strategies could intensify fashion’s environmental toll unless carefully managed through taxes, policies, and behavioural change.

Sweden’s secondhand clothing sector is growing, yet campaigners argue outdated VAT rules keep reuse expensive and fragile. Across Europe, governments are testing tax reforms to promote repairs and resale, while the EU readies wider sustainability regulations. The debate highlights whether fiscal design will entrench fast fashion or enable circular fashion to flourish.

India’s apparel industry faces rising pressure to balance scale, speed, and sustainability with a future-ready workforce. Abhishek Yugal, Managing Partner at Groyyo Consulting, emphasises rigorous workforce planning, stronger commercial literacy, and structured retention strategies. He also highlights the need for public-private collaboration in skilling, while identifying digital fluency, agility, and ESG competence as essential skills for the next decade.

India’s apparel sector faces entrenched skill gaps that limit competitiveness in global markets. The shortcomings extend from factory leadership to mid-level managers and shopfloor operators. Abhishek Yugal, Managing Partner at Groyyo Consulting, argues for a layered approach that aligns leadership vision, managerial capability, and operator agility while tailoring training models to the maturity of each production hub.

Amsterdam-based Makers Unite places creativity at the centre of social transformation, repurposing materials into meaningful design while empowering diverse communities. Creative Commercial Manager Ambrose Jude shares how inclusive practices, sustainable craftsmanship, and storytelling can reshape fashion, shift perceptions of migration, and open new pathways for dignity, opportunity, and authentic connection across cultures.

At the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics - Autumn Edition starting tomorrow, industry players will be seen navigating shifting sourcing strategies, sustainability expectations, and digital transformation. Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, explains how themed zones, global exhibitors, and smart tools are helping buyers discover materials, evaluate suppliers, and make sourcing decisions in a changing market.

Munich Fabric Start’s 2025 edition will transform the global textile calendar by combining four leading trade fairs into a single, integrated event. Bringing together industry leaders, cutting-edge innovations, and sustainable sourcing initiatives, the show will provide unparalleled opportunities for collaboration, product discovery, and market insight across every sector of the fashion and textile supply chain.

India has temporarily suspended its 11% cotton import duty, signalling readiness to address United States trade concerns while easing pressure on its garment sector. The exemption, effective until 30 September, is designed to stabilise cotton supplies, support exporters, and cool domestic textile costs ahead of the country’s crucial festival-driven demand season.