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United in innovation

United in innovation

Like many textile trade shows, and Milano Unica is no exception, the fair’s aisles were busy, not bustling. This is often credited to tighter budgets at brands and retailers that send smaller teams to scout new fabrics. The atmosphere was all the more focused with impromptu meetings, the serendipity of in-person events, lending a relatively upbeat ...
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13 April 2026
One step ahead
One step ahead
A collective research programme to boost innovation in sustainable processes and develop industrial synergies in Portugal has brought together a consortium of textile and apparel manufacturers, research institutes and universities to unlock a circular, biobased and digital-ready ‘bioeconomy’.
18 March 2026
Fresh thinking
Fresh thinking
Odour-capturing technologies are replacing traditional antimicrobial solutions to keep clothing smelling fresh. They are now being paired with complementary cooling and fibre-shedding mitigation to better align with evolving personal and environmental concerns.
11 March 2026
Milano Unica: ‘Luxury means raw materials’
Milano Unica: ‘Luxury means raw materials’
The sentiment at the Italian fair was that manufacturing needs to be put back in the spotlight to differentiate high-end textiles.
04 March 2026
Changing of the guard in membranes
Changing of the guard in membranes
Makers of waterproof-breathable membranes have been pressured to phase out PFAS chemistry, arguably its foundational chemical compound, leading to the overhaul of the offerings of legacy suppliers.
03 December 2025
Circular connections
Circular connections
A partnership between Hyosung and Loop Industries could help the industry move beyond bottles to a circular polyester solution.
26 November 2025
Hugo Boss puts faith in nature
Hugo Boss puts faith in nature
Sourcing fibres through regenerative farming is growing in importance the German brand. Its director of sustainability, Heinz Zeller, insists a close personal connection with farmers is imperative.
19 November 2025
Hemp comes clean
Hemp comes clean
It has natural performance attributes and is cast as a low-impact alternative to cotton: hemp is on track to grow its presence as new technologies make it easier to integrate into today’s efficiency-driven supply chains.
12 November 2025
Biotech dyes in the starting blocks
Biotech dyes in the starting blocks
Decades of research have gone into the development of dyes made from fermentation. As biotech indigo, the signature colour of blue jeans, takes its first steps on the market, it could be paving the way for other, greener, biobased dyes.
05 November 2025
Next-gen fibres in the spotlight
Next-gen fibres in the spotlight
An increased uptake of lower-impact and ‘next-gen’ fibres will be necessary to counter the increase in virgin polyester, say exhibitors at the Future Fabrics Expo. They hope incoming regulation will create the ‘stick’ needed to support the investments they have already made.
29 October 2025
Breathability is back
Breathability is back
A new fabric, AirCore, represents a step forward in breathable weather protection, Polartec says.
01 October 2025
Weft-insertion deftness
Weft-insertion deftness
A long-standing partnership between fabric manufacturer Chargeurs PCC and textile machinery developer Karl Mayer has delivered a weft-insertion innovation that, in turn, has brought about the lightest three-layer fabric on the market.
03 September 2025
Second nature
Second nature
Emulating the properties of a squid’s suction cups or, more prosaically, those of wool, two new biotech protein fibres are in the works at Tandem Repeat. What began in a biomimetic materials lab at Penn State University is now close to being ready for market.
20 August 2025
Garment design in the age of circularity
Garment design in the age of circularity
At each stage of a future circular apparel ecosystem, the design of an item of clothing will impact how smoothly the process runs.
06 August 2025
A stretch for circularity
A stretch for circularity
Textile-to-textile recycling is making progress for items made from pure cotton or polyester, and blends of both.
21 May 2025
Half a million new textile jobs for Africa
Half a million new textile jobs for Africa
A textile initiative for Africa envisages huge boosts to the continent’s cotton production capacity and to textile-sector employment there.
07 May 2025
Lost in the shuffle
Lost in the shuffle
Mass balance models, common in fair trade goods, are used when physical traceability is deemed unfeasible.
23 April 2025
Melt and spin fibre-to-fibre recycling
Melt and spin fibre-to-fibre recycling
Polyester and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are two different names for the same polymer.
02 April 2025
Growing consensus
Growing consensus
After years of outdated data on cotton, 13 industry bodies worked with Cascale to provide new figures for the Higg Index.
26 March 2025
Tapping into new roots
Tapping into new roots
Yulex believes a desire for options other than petrochemical-based raw materials will create opportunities in the footwear sector and its repositioning in Asia will help it capitalise on demand.
12 March 2025
Close connections
Close connections
A highly focused show, Mare di Moda attracts top buyers and suppliers in the swim, beach and athleisure-sports sectors.
06 March 2025
Seaweed solutions
Seaweed solutions
A source of superfood, biofuels and more, algae is touted by some as no less than the most influential organism of the twenty-first century. A thriving natural resource, but also a bane when it blooms in excess, the aquatic plant is also being tapped to make biobased dyes and fibres for the textile industry.
27 February 2025
WSA turns 30 and becomes Sportstextiles
WSA turns 30 and becomes Sportstextiles
Consultant editor, David Buirski, has been covering the performance textile industry for more than three decades and textiles in general for much longer.
04 December 2024
Wrong direction
Wrong direction
Global fibre production reached a record figure in 2023, but recycled fibres contributed only 7.7% to the total.
27 November 2024
Tipping the needle
Tipping the needle
An increasing number of start-ups are hoping to serve the fashion industry’s growing interest in ‘next-generation’ materials.
20 November 2024
Sweet deal for stretch
Sweet deal for stretch
With an investment of $1 billion, Hyosung is showing a strong commitment to renewable resources for its elastane offerings.
13 November 2024
New ground
New ground
Alongside the release of a second planetary boundary assessment, which monitors its activities as a whole, Houdini is expanding the scope of how it measures the impact of its garments.
06 November 2024
Untangling the second-hand clothing trade
Untangling the second-hand clothing trade
It is well known that shiploads of second-hand clothes are transported from Europe and North America to Africa, Pakistan, Chile and other places.
30 October 2024
Disassembly lines
Disassembly lines
A research centre is testing and developing automated systems for dismantling textiles and leathergoods.
04 September 2024
Brazil report asks tough questions of Better Cotton
Brazil report asks tough questions of Better Cotton
Major clothing companies have questioned sustainability initiative Better Cotton following a critical report from non-profit group Earthsight.
21 August 2024
A solution for a sticky problem
A solution for a sticky problem
Advances in adhesive technology are opening up new possibilities for recycling athletic shoes.
14 August 2024
Hidden protection for easy riding
Hidden protection for easy riding
Taking a material from the aerospace industry, a “crazy” idea became a viable product in the hands of the textiles masterminds at Tejidos Royo.
31 July 2024
Smart tracks
Smart tracks
The emergence of new business models and the likely implementation of digital product passports may require new features and functions that warrant extending the range of traceability technologies.
24 July 2024
No wood to waste
No wood to waste
In addition to going into manmade cellulosic fibres, the renewable resource that is pulped wood is also being tapped for other textile industry supplies, including polymers and chemicals, offering a new array of materials that are not derived from fossil fuels.
15 May 2024
Get Down with the Facts
Get Down with the Facts
British outdoor brand Rab moves forward with its down recycling programme.
08 May 2024
Performance provides the buzz
Performance provides the buzz
Changes to materials and construction are crucial in creating shoes that will provide athletes with performance gains. What this means for sustainability strategies is a separate question.
01 May 2024
Polartec moves up a gear
Polartec moves up a gear
Cycling brands are among early adopters of bio-based nylon-containing Power Shield, which also incorporates a new construction to make it Polartec’s most waterproof and breathable technology yet.
24 April 2024
Striving for circular stretch
Striving for circular stretch
Under Armour and Celanese have unveiled a fresh type of stretch fibre that they say could provide a more easily recyclable alternative to elastane – and they are keen for wider industry adoption.
17 April 2024
The rise of alternative natural fibres
The rise of alternative natural fibres
In the wide world of agricultural waste lie many long and strong fibres that can be spun into textile yarns for apparel and accessories.
10 April 2024
Creative chemistry
Creative chemistry
Cooking oils and fruit stones are among the new raw materials being harnessed to make textile auxiliaries.
03 April 2024
Plastic-eating enzymes
Plastic-eating enzymes
Enzymes, microbes and such can develop the ability to break down any substance they find in their close environment, including plastics. They are now being screened and tailored to depolymerise PET plastics, polyester textiles and fabrics made from polyamide.
21 March 2024
Family values shine at MarediModa
Family values shine at MarediModa
The Cannes-based show prides itself on offering premium fabrics for the swimwear sector. The longstanding heritage of the exhibitors was reflected in the high-quality and skilful fabric offerings for summer 2025.
05 March 2024
New tech for old values
New tech for old values
Vivobarefoot aims to tackle the vast amounts of footwear waste by creating ‘scan-to-print’, locally made custom shoes that wearers could treasure for longer.
21 February 2024
Time for regeneration
Time for regeneration
Ambercycle looks to have received a game-changing boost in its bid to begin commercial-scale production of regenerated polyester fibres.
14 February 2024
Biotech breakthrough
Biotech breakthrough
Spiber’s Brewed Protein is the first purely biotech fibre to be developed on a commercial scale. Fellow Japanese company and long-time partner Goldwin has played a crucial role in bringing the innovative fibre to market.

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