EURATEX, the European apparel & textile confederation is piloting a three-year project — RegioGreenTex — for companies to transition into new sustainable business models, including management of textile recycling.

A central European knowledge hub and go-to resource — ECOSYSTEX — has been created for latest research work and technology state-of-the-art information on all matters related to textile sustainability and circularity.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) have set up a taskforce which will explore a range of methods, including evaluating recycling and sorting practices, in a bid to reduce the environmental impacts of fashion and textile waste.

The textile sorting and recycling industry in Europe will most likely thrive moving forward what with many actors promising large capacities within a few years, the impetus also with the upcoming requirement of separate collection of textiles in 2025 in the EU.

Under the guise of sustainability, the East African nation of Kenya has been rendered a favourite dumping ground of EU countries as they export millions of tonnes of ‘mitumba’ (secondhand clothes) which are mostly non-recyclable synthetic clothing too dirty or damaged to be reused.

A Convergence Accelerator is funding research on ways to reduce recalcitrant textile waste and develop new materials made from renewable resources.

The just announced dashboard of a multi-stakeholder initiative on critical issues in the fashion industry has revealed that the wage gap has increased by 3.5% over last year and there’s an increase of greenhouse gas emissions by 0.87%

Electrification could pave the path to decarbonization of the textile sector and scientists have identified and analysed four separate electrification pathways that could lower the CO2 footprint of this industry.

In an effort to bring about sustainable solutions to global supply chains, a project is on to trace Australian wool fibres right up to the final fabric.

Even though a 10-year track from 2013-22 shows that capital invested in next-gen material sector continues with an upward momentum, the last year saw funding drop by almost 50%.