Groz-Beckert has developed a new base material combined with a patented manufacturing process called dur. The company plans to extend the dur version to the complete product range soon.

Within the traditional nonwovens industry, Groz-Beckert’s Gebecon felting needle provides advantages on the surface quality of final product and optimised needling parameters. The company also has such a product for spun lace customers: coming along with absolutely homogenous jet creation, with a large impelling force and excellent entanglement, Groz-Beckert’s HyTec P jet strip ensures the very best productivity, quality and efficiency. Compared to conventional jet strips, the new material possesses a much greater hardness which causes longer usage time in production.

With the carding product sector, Groz-Beckert completes its portfolio for the nonwovens industry. The worker and doffer wires SiroLock and EvoStep, for example, are designed to ensure improved fiber control and web quality. SiroLock also impresses with performance enhancements in carding, while the EvoStep card clothing emphasises on saving raw material. The sewing and joining service from Groz-Beckert, which can now be accessed from several locations around the world, provides scores of pointers and support for optimal sewing operation and the best end product possible. Sewing 5 from Groz-Beckert stands for Supply, Solutions, Service, Superiority and Sustainability.

Messe Frankfurt will host two international editions of its Fashionsustain Conference in Los Angeles and Shanghai. The Los Angeles edition will be held on September 20, 2019 at the LA Fashion Festival (LAFF) in Los Angeles while the Shanghai edition will be held during the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics show on September 26 in Shanghai.

The theme for LAFF, Fashionsustainis "The change of fashion is now" and will take place in close cooperation with Lenzing. The two-day LA Fashion Festival will combine influences from film, retail, innovation and beauty to create immersive cultural experiences.

The Shanghai edition will be introduced by Edwin Keh of Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel. The event will be attended by Andreas Streubig, Director of Global Sustainability, Hugo Boss; JiehuiKia, Principal Sustainability Strategiest, Forum for the Future; Micke Magnusson, Change Agent and Advisor, ReAccess and Mikkel Hansen, Program and Partnership lead at Explorium, Fung Group. They will dwell on the importance and challenges of building more pilot projects in the field of textile innovation and how new textiles can be brought to market faster.

Australia should take cue from the circular economy on recycling, reusing its waste rather than sending it to landfill says business advisory firm EY. A combined approach to waste which includes households, local councils and the private sector would lead to the start of a win-win circular economy and shifting to a more circular economy will grow the economy, increase jobs and reduce impacts on the environment.

Before 2017 Australia would send waste to China for processing, sending 6,19,000 tons of recycling waste to China every year. But then China decided to tighten the restrictions on accepting foreign waste. The new standards effectively banned all Australian paper, plastics and textiles because of their high contamination rate.

EY underlines the need for Australia to view waste as a valuable resource and for households to take a more diligent approach to sorting. As of now there is a lack of confidence currently among households with the country’s recycling methods. Consumers need to see waste as a tradable asset, a commodity with a market value and the first step in changing consumer behavior is restoring their belief that what they are putting in the recycling bin is actually being recycled. Restoring the customer’s faith in the broken recycling system would be the first step toward creating a viable circular economy and finding a solution to the recycling crisis in Australia.

California will be the first US state to ban sales and manufacture of fur. The bill makes it unlawful to sell, display and distribute for monetary and non-monetary consideration a fur product. The bill also would make it unlawful to manufacture a fur product in the state for sale. The proposed law offers exemptions for the sale of vintage fur as well as fur products used for religious ceremonies. A ban would not regulate skins converted into leather or products such as shearling from domesticated animals. The ban would apply to clothing, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats and key chains that contain fur. Civil penalties might be pursued against those convicted of selling or manufacturing fur products in California.

Fur products are already under scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Many brands have dropped angora wool from their clothing lines. So far more than 300 major retailers have banned angora. Angora rabbit fur is being used for sweaters, hats, gloves, and more. Angora rabbits have long, soft fur. Most angora comes from rabbits on Chinese factory farms. The rabbits writhe in agony as workers tie them down and rip out their fur. Mohair is another product that involves cruelty.

Apparel exporters have applauded the central government’s decision to continue the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), an incentive scheme to promote exports, till December 31, 2019.The MEIS would provide duty credit scrip to compensate the duty paid by the exporters. The scheme was earlier supposed to be stopped after July 31. But the exporters were worried that it would further deepen crisis in apparel exports which was already facing several challenges including stiff international competition.

If MEIS would have been scrapped, the incentives received by the exporters would have been halved. This would have made it difficult for them to survive in the market.

adidas has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the twentieth time in a row. This year also marks the twentieth edition of the globally recognised indices, which evaluate the sustainability performance of the largest 2,500 companies listed in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index.

The comprehensive assessment considers factors such as corporate governance, risk management, climate change mitigation, labor and environmental standards both within the company and with its suppliers, as well as innovation management.

In addition to being again included in the indices, adidas was ranked best in its industry in the criteria of Brand Management, Information Security/Cyber Security & System Availability, Environmental Policy & Management Systems, Operational Eco-Efficiency, Social Reporting and Talent Attraction & Retention. adidas continues to become ever more sustainable.

The sporting goods manufacturer is currently pursuing tangible and measurable targets up to 2020. Its key priorities include the use of more sustainable materials for products, tackling water scarcity in manufacturing countries and further improving working conditions in the supply chain. The brand plans to use recycled polyester in each of its product from 2024.

"Old sci-fi fiction which portrayed leading characters in futuristic apparels have widened the imaginative realms of filmmakers by transforming traditional fabrics such as cotton or contemporary synthetic fibers with their "future-y" designs. And recent advances by new designers make the future of this clothing look much more imaginative. While some designers are discovering more sustainable materials to fashion our clothes, others are innovating their designs and styles."

Old sci-fi fiction which portrayed leading characters in futuristic apparels have widened the imaginative realms of filmmakers by transforming traditional fabrics such as cotton or contemporary synthetic fibers with their "future-y" designs. And recent advances by new designers make the future of this clothing look much more imaginative. While some designers are discovering more sustainable materials to fashion our clothes, others are innovating their designs and styles.

Industry leaders experiment with sustainable materials

Around 60 per cent of the clothes that we wear contain plastic microfibers like polyester, nylon and acrylic. However, these microfibers do not remain in our garments for long. They either leach out during the day or are dumped into oceans during the process of laundering. A research published in 2016 notes, millions of kgs of fibers are released into the water supply every year. Textile scientists are experimenting with a range of less environmentally damaging, more sustainable materials derived from naturally occurring sourcing. Some new materials being introduced include:

Pinatex fibers: A leather substitute made from pineapple-leaf fiber, Piñatex is already being used for making shoes, handbags and dresses. These leaves are discarded during harvesting of the fruit, and so they're readily available with no additional farming necessary.

Mylo fibers: This is a form of synthetic leather made by Bolt Threads, a vegan, eco-friendly material. The company's partnering with fashion brands Stella McCartney and Patagonia in making actual clothing from Mylo.

MycoTEX: MycoTEX is a living materials that can be grown into clothing. Since the material grows into the desired shape without cutting, there's no waste generate when a garment's complete. The most startling thing about MycoTEX is that this living material can be grown into clothing. The garment can be built three-dimensionally and shaped whilst being made, fitting the wearer's wishesusing clothing-shaped molds.

Another smart-tech use being explored for fabrics are materials laced with sensors that can monitor the wearer's health, going far beyond fitness watches to clothes that keep an eye on a wide range of health indicators.

Haptic fabric: Some of the new materials are designed to be helpful. Wearable X specialises in materials that support Haptic feedback, electrical signals that mimic a sense of being touched or of interaction with virtual objects. The company currently sells NADI X yoga garb with embedded haptic feedback that provides training cues. An earlier product put the "fun" in Fundawear by allowing touch to be transmitted from a smartphone to a partner anywhere in the world, "created with long-distance couples in mind."

Brands are delivering on the demand for new, attractive and workable materials that offer a feel-good factor to their consumers. However, we’ll have to wait to see what these clothes will actually look like.

"The centerpiece of fast fashion industry ‘denim’ is also one of the most polluting and water intensive fabrics. The fabric requires copious amounts of water across its production three processes that include growing of the cotton, dyeing and finishing the material, and finally texturising the product. This entire process needs approximately 10,000 liters of water for making a single pair of jeans."

The centerpiece of fast fashion industry ‘denim’ is also one of the most polluting and water intensive fabrics. The fabric requires copious amounts of water across its production three processes that include growing of the cotton, dyeing and finishing the material, and finally texturising the product. This entire process needs approximately 10,000 liters of water for making a single pair of jeans.

The environmental and human costs of making denims is also high as the process uses harmful chemicals to create acid-wash and distressed styles of denims. The exposure to such chemicals and the run-offs of these washes can seep into the local water systems of cotton workers, putting them at health risk. As a solution to this, four European brands have introduced innovative denim making process that enable its consumers to not only live in their denims but also nurture and last them.

Emphasis on reliable craftsmanship

Promoting a new kind of eco denim, Huit Denim Co emphasises on reliable craftsmanship for denim-making. The company introduced an initiative called ‘The Denim Breaker Club’ which includes making the ‘breakers’ wear the jeans for six months before sending them back to Hiut for giving them one good wash and reselling them, giving the breaker 20 per cent profit. The brand was trying to inspire a more eco-friendly way of owning denim through this initiative.

Denims made with 40 per cent BCI cotton

Known as a trendy yet functional brand, Ullac was established in 2017. The brand advocates gender neutrality besides fostering a socially and environmentally conscious ethos. The fabric is sourced from Velcorex in France, which has its own water waste treatment plant. The brand is also linked with BCI, which promotes better standards of cotton farming by encouraging fair labour, training for farmers, minimising pesticides or harsh chemicals, and economic development. The denim comes from Italian company Candiani, which has the greenest mill in the blue world. The brand creates its denim with 40 per cent BCI cotton, which is amongst a few of the reasons why it has been awarded the Global Organic Textile Standard and Global Recycling Standard.

Lazer and ozone gas for a faded look

Though German brand Closed, which also uses the Candiani Denim Mill, is not yet a certified eco-label, it plays a huge role in innovating denim in order to make it a kinder industry. The company creates its finishing techniques and is known for its chic style and popular pedal pusher pocket detailing. The company uses lazer and ozone gas to give its denims a faded look and manipulate different shades of blue. Its stone-washing technique substitutes the cheaper but potentially more dangerous process of sandblasting, for the safer use of artificial stones in a drum, creating the same stone wash effect without the output of water and harmful stone debris.

Eco-friendly accessories for non-toxic denims

Netherlands-based Mud Jeans’ dedication to creating a better social, economic and environmental world is supported by an array of certificates, such as BCORP, PETA-approved vegan, Cradle 2 Cradle, Ecocert, GRS. The brand claims to have saved 300 million litres of water, avoided using 700,000 kilos of carbon dioxide and saved 12,000 jeans from landfill in the past 3 years. It turns its old jeans into new one by using recycled and organic cotton.

The brand specifically uses stainless steel buttons that can be easily recycled or reused. It uses laser, ozone and e-flow techniques in the finishing of its jeans. The only few chemicals that it uses in producing its denim are non-toxic and Nordic Swan Ecolabel certified.

Wrangler has launched archival garments in partnership with Fred Segal.

Wrangler is a heritage denim brand. Fred Segal is a boutique in the US and is a place of invention and reinvention for the best brands in the world. They have both held significant roles in the history of fashion for decades.

As Wrangler evolves in front of a global audience, it wanted to stay true to its heritage but show an unexpected and fresh twist. The Bluebell 1919 capsule celebrates the foundation of the brand with workwear-inspired jackets and on-trend coveralls with authentic Blue Bell patches. The back of each garment features Wrangler embroidery. The War and Peace collection takes a look back to when Wrangler became part of youth culture in the 60s and worn by revolutionaries, riders, and rock stars alike. Garments include a cut-off jean vest, a studded leather jacket and tie-dye carpenter jeans. The’70s are brought to life in a collection of boot cut jeans, hypnotic patterns and colorful prints. The feeling of the ’80s is captured in a pop culture-inspired collection of booty shorts, graphic T-shirts with racing motifs and racing jackets.

During a fashion cycle where nostalgic designs thrive, heritage brands like Wrangler are taking the opportunity to delve into their archives.

Traders in India are against Amazon and Flipkart festive sales.

According to them, deep discounts violate the country's foreign investment rules for online retail and that these companies influence prices.

The two e-commerce firms typically hold annual festive season sales ahead of Dasara and Diwali, which are due this year in October, when Indians make big ticket purchases such as cars and gold jewelry. Both e-tailers offer big discounts on everything from fashion to smart phones to home appliances. India does not allow foreign direct investment in inventory-driven models of e-commerce, where goods and services are owned by an e-commerce firm that sells directly to retail customers. It modified e-commerce rules late last year to protect the country’s vast unorganized retail sector that does not have the clout to purchase at scale and offer big discounts.

Those rules forced Amazon and Flipkart to reconfigure ownership structures and re-jig some key vendor relationships and agreements. There are more than a lakh sellers on Flipkart’s platform. More than five lakh sellers on Amazon- a bulk of which are small businesses, women entrepreneurs, startups, weavers and artisans - use the festive sale to reach customers. Sellers decide the pricing for their products on this marketplace.