A new University of Sydney–led study shows that low-cost, sustainable cooling strategies could safeguard millions of garment workers facing extreme heat. Simulations of Bangladeshi factories revealed that reflective roofs, fans, and access to drinking water reduce core temperature and maintain productivity, offering scalable protection for an industry employing over four million people.

Accelerating Circularity has unveiled a white paper revealing how trims, adhesives, and labels block progress in textile-to-textile recycling. The Toward Circular Systems for Trims and Ignored Materials (CSTIM) report examines overlooked components that disrupt fibre recovery, outlining solutions for scalable sorting, preprocessing, and design-for-disassembly—calling brands, recyclers, and manufacturers to align on standards for genuine circular systems.

Climate action NGO WRAP is extending its Durability Accelerator Initiative beyond the UK to test whether clothes sold by major brands truly last under everyday use. Following pilot studies that questioned links between price and longevity, the programme will benchmark garments across North American and European markets, pushing for tougher, evidence-based durability standards in fashion.

The Better Cotton Initiative has introduced a traceable product label, launched on World Cotton Day, aimed at helping retailers and brands communicate verified sustainability claims. The label coincides with a refreshed identity and annual report that underscores measurable progress in farmer incomes, pesticide reduction, and women’s empowerment across global cotton-producing communities.

Lenzing Group has introduced Tencel Lyocell – HV100, a fibre designed to reproduce cotton’s irregular texture and authentic denim character. With its matte appearance and softer hand feel, HV100 aims to overcome the aesthetic limitations that previously restricted Tencel’s use to denim interiors, enabling its expansion into the core structure of jeans.

Fashion for Good has launched the Beyond50 Denim project with Bestseller, C&A, PDS Limited, Reformation and Target, combining SEFF’s cottonised hemp and Fibre52 chemistry to overcome handfeel barriers. With mills Bossa and Nice Denim involved, the initiative will rigorously test whether higher hemp content can match cotton’s performance in denim.

Bangladesh’s garment workers face grave reproductive health and safety challenges, according to ICDDR.B’s first cohort study. Conducted over two years in Dhaka and Gazipur slums, the research followed 778 young female workers. Findings highlight widespread adolescent marriage, early pregnancies, increased violence at home and in workplaces, and minimal factory-based services. The evidence offers a basis for policy and programme reforms in the sector.

More than 80 textile and garment organisations are supporting ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025, which opens on 28 October. The exhibition will showcase technologies spanning the entire textile value chain, with 800 exhibitors confirmed from 30 countries. Industry associations across Asia, Africa, and beyond are mobilising delegations to explore automation, sustainability, and productivity-enhancing solutions.

Mayer & Cie, a leading German manufacturer of circular knitting and braiding machinery, has filed for insolvency under self-administration following a sharp decline in global demand. The fourth-generation family business, which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary, will continue operations while restructuring under legal protection granted by Hechingen District Court.

University of Arkansas chemical engineering researchers have successfully developed a groundbreaking environmental remediation method that transforms lignin, an abundant waste byproduct generated by the global pulp and paper industry, into a highly effective solution for removing toxic azo dyes from contaminated textile wastewater systems with remarkable laboratory-tested effectiveness rates.