Water

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.

Deakin University in collaboration with innovation company Xefco has come up with a manufacturing solution that utilises an advanced plasma coating process which is completely water-free, producing no water discharge.

The 2023 India Impact Report by Better Cotton claims environmental, social and economic benefits of Better Cotton production.

The Australian cotton industry has made remarkable progress in the last 25 years, with its water consumption dropping by half.  The last year also witnessed a record harvest of 5.6 million bales valued at a record $4.6 billion.

The just released Australian Cotton Sustainability Update 2022 has revealed some critical findings and suggests the way ahead on how it can cotton on to better sustainable ways and profitability with people and planet at centrestage.

Research by scientists at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research could assist cotton producers struggling with drought and dropping water tables in maximising crop yields from limited water with some planning and implementation of variable deficit irrigation.

Denim manufacturing is set to see a transformational shift with French luxury group Kering signing an agreement with Israeli tech innovator Sonovia and Italian denim developer PureDenim.

It is critical that apparel companies recognise the material importance of water in their sector, and the significance of their role as stewards of water resources. A minuscule number attempts to engage with their supply chains, despite the clear importance of this approach in mitigating the sector’s negative impact, according to a report by the Carbon Disclosure Project.

In a discovery that could have implications for countries with poor water treatment technologies and combat widespread problem of toxic dye discharge from textiles industry, a breakthrough new method can easily purify contaminated water using a cellulose-based material.

With focus largely on emissions and net-zero, a critical area facing a bigger risk perhaps relates to water — flood risks and fast-depleting water quality, according to a WWF study. And, the warning is grimmer for clusters in India and Pakistan.