Water

Water use and wastewater discharge from global apparel supply chains are escalating environmental and social risks. A new study highlights Bangladesh’s garment sector as a critical case, showing how targeted investments could deliver measurable gains in sustainability and operational performance across production systems. It outlines investment approaches that could help suppliers implement water-saving technologies and strengthen long-term resilience across the garment industry.

A groundbreaking study by the International Cotton Advisory Committee challenges the long-held perception of cotton as excessively water-intensive, revealing that focusing on total water use—including natural rainwater—distorts understanding of the crop's environmental impact. The research emphasises optimising irrigation practices for genuine water conservation.

Last month, Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM), a well-known platform for measuring the environmental impact of garment finishing, presented the first global report on the environmental impact of denim finishing. Begoña García, creator of the EIM platform and co-author of the report, talks about the complexities of environmental metrics.

A report claiming to be the first ever on the environmental impact of denim aims to guide the garment finishing industry towards greater environmental responsibility by identifying challenges, uncovering opportunities, tracking progress, and promoting transparency through a comprehensive examination of environmental metrics.

Redefine sustainability as regeneration. Rethink progress, not by how much we reduce emissions, but by how much we restore and regenerate. Regeneration isn’t just about restoring the land but also about empowering the people who live on it. Driving all of this for a real change requires a collaborative approach, reiterated the discussions, parleys at the 12-day COP29 at Baku that began 11 November and ends today. A texfash report.

Spanish manufacturer Jeanologia, which has been at the cutting-edge of denim production since the beginning, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its laser technology. Carmen Silla, Marketing Director at Jeanologia, talks about the technology, supply chains and clean production.

A study by Fairtrade India in six of the top cotton-producing states claims that its certified organic cotton is associated with better environmental outcomes than non-Fairtrade cotton.

The cotton misinformation problem needs to be seen in the light of today’s society where fake news thrives and wreaks havoc. It’s not difficult to find out how the cotton myths came into being. It’s also not difficult to find out who have been flinging and slinging these falsehoods. Cotton needs to be more assertive, and possibly a bit aggressive too. texfash tries to join some dots.

A new report by Planet Tracker emphasises that the apparel supply chain is exposed to water stress, with the problem likely to worsen over time, exposing apparel corporates and their investors to risk from water-related disruptions to operations and brand reputation.

Are apparel brands impervious to water-related risks, one of the industry’s most pressing challenging factor? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, finds a study by nonprofit Planet Tracker.