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It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Slowdown Effect / Indian Leather

23 January 2023

2 minutes

Leather hides being dried on a tannery rooftop. About 85–90% of the production by the $2.25 billion Indian leather apparel and accessories industry is exported. Europe and North America account for ~75% of this amount.

Slowdown in Europe and US: Indian Leather Industry to See 8% Revenue Drop

The slowdown in consumer demand in Europe and the United States is set to impact the Indian leather apparel and accessories (comprising bags, belts, and harnesses) industry, with revenues predicted to decline 7–8% in fiscal 2024.

Staff Writer

Human Resources / Bangladesh

23 January 2023

2 minutes

Apparel plays an important part as the country's single largest industry, accounting for more than 80% of Bangladesh's total export revenue. It employs over four million people, of which 2 in 3 (more than 65%) are women.

School of Apparel and Retail Management Launched in Bangladesh

The Asian University for Women (AUW) in Bangladesh has launched the School of Apparel and Retail Management to support professional and leadership development of women.

Staff Writer

Zero Waste / Europe Models

19 January 2023

2 minutes

To reverse the current trend and pave the way for business models that fully comply with the circular economy and planetary boundaries, the report identifies four essential criteria that must be simultaneously met.

Zero Waste Europe Outlines Four Criteria for Mapping Zero Waste Fashion Business Models

A Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) report states that existing approaches and initiatives to making fashion fair and sustainable, while an important step forward, are insufficient in addressing harmful business models.

Staff Writer

Trade Wars / 301 Tariffs

19 January 2023

2 minutes

The Section 301 tariffs applied to consumer goods imported from China have had a host of significant indirect costs that have found their way into prices or have proven to be hits to the companies’ bottomlines.

Section 301 Tariffs on China Added to Operational Costs of US Companies, Cost Burden Paid by American Families, Says Study

Punitive tariffs imposed by the US on apparel, footwear, travel goods and furniture imported from China have failed to make a significant negative impact on Chinese exporters. The additional cost burden associated with the tariffs is instead being passed on to the final consumer — the American family.

Staff Writer

Going Circular / Clothing Reuse

19 January 2023

2 minutes

While the study confirms waste hierarchy assumptions on the environmental benefits of reuse over recycling, in the case of low-quality clothing, typically entirely composed of polyester, recycling also has comparative environmental benefits when consumers are less likely to purchase second-hand clothing.

Clothing Reuse Has 1/70 Times Lower Environmental Impact, Reveals New Study

Innovation in fibre-to-fibre recycling will be key in keeping textile fibres in the loop as volumes of non-reusable clothing are set to dramatically increase, exhorts a study commissioned by the umbrella organisation for recycling industries in Europe.

Staff Writer

Traceability / FibreTrace Mapped

17 January 2023

3 minutes

FibreTrace Frees up Traceability Solution, but with Fine Print

Tech-traceability major FibreTrace today launched an easy-to-use, globally accessible platform with no fees attached, eliminating the barrier to transparency for producers, manufacturers, brands and retailers.

Staff Writer

Corp Action / Shareholders

16 January 2023

2 minutes

The report, Under-dressed: Investors need to up their engagement on textiles, says that the textiles industry needs to make significant changes to move to a sustainable model and calls on investors to promote corporate focus on priority areas like fibre mix and supply chain investment.

Analysis Finds Reason for Slow Progress on Environment: Shareholders Couldn't Care Less, Proposals Keep Getting Voted Down

New investigation by non-profit Planet Tracker has revealed that key industry issues such as fibre mix, are not raised in shareholder meetings, and the small number of shareholder proposals on textiles sustainability issues that have been advanced over the past few years have all been voted down.

Staff Writer

Artificial Intelligence / Designs

16 January 2023

2 minutes

A professor from Pusan National University in Korea conducted an in-depth study to investigate the practical applicability of AI models in implementing creative designs and working with human designers. The study was made available online in December 2022.

Human Designs Score Over AI-Generated Work, Concludes Korean Fashion Researcher

Nothing can beat human creativity. However, as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) increases, employing it for repetitive tasks will help designers to focus on more high-difficulty creative work.

Staff Writer

Microfibre Pollution / Washing

16 January 2023

2 minutes

When clothing made from plastic fibres such as polyester and nylon are laundered, the fabric sheds microscopic fibres that eventually end up in wastewater and the environment.

Yes, Handwashing Clothes Reduces Microplastic Release Compared to Machine Washing

Back to basics it is. Now hand wash your clothes to save the environment. A research has found that manual methods release far fewer fibres than machine laundering that releases over five times more microplastics.

Staff Writer

Under Cloud / Higg Review

12 January 2023

2 minutes

The H&M Sergel Torg store in Stockholm. Last year, the Norwegian Consumer Authority had hauled up H&M over claims made on basis of the Higg MSI.

Higg Index Review Report Expected in June, says Sustainable Apparel Coalition

The third-party expert review of the Higg MSI data and methodology, that came under fire last year, is expected this June, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has announced.

Staff Writer