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Break down the blends

Most of the clothes we wear every day are made from a blend of fibres, a high percentage of which will be some mixture of cotton and polyester. Recycling these materials is challenging; the solutions in development will not necessarily be closed-loop, but they will contribute to keeping existing resources in circulation.  The problem is well-known, and the numbers staggering: 87% of total fibre input used for...

07 May 2020
BASF’s footwear investments bear fruit
Standing on your feet all day in a workplace (or even at a trade fair) can be exhausting...
05 May 2020
Textiles for travel and wellness
The wellness and travel wear trend has been quietly building up over the past few years...
25 March 2020
Plastics under the microscope
Adidas recently announced a bold and simple mission: End plastic waste...
Raising the bar on reducing waste
Adidas recently announced a bold and simple mission: End plastic waste...
New mountains to conquer
Italian outdoor brand Montura is one of the best known names in mountaineering circles throughout Europe...
Into the dark places
Three polar explorers have been preparing exhaustively for the Dark Ice Project, an expedition that will involve spending all of next winter on the ...
How to unlock the blockchain
There are hopes and expectations that blockchain can build trust in the apparel industry’s long, fragmented and opaque supply chain...
The power of algae
Algae are being tapped as a new resource to make fibres, finishes and dyes for the textile industry...
16 January 2020
Smart thinking from Greek cotton collective
Supreme Green Cotton includes a growing collaboration in the foothills of Mount Olympus...
Could thermosetting become obsolete?
PrimaLoft put its manufacturing processes under the spotlight to gain vast carbon emissions savings with ...
Why so few business leaders rock the boat on sustainability
There is no excuse for failing to face up to the harsh reality of the sustainability challenges that the textile and apparel industry faces...
Sciencing the bulk out of outerwear
Fresh from finding the fabric with “the best thermal performance”...
Finnish textiles building a true circular economy
The sorting of waste textiles is set to become more accurate...
Take back to end throw-away culture
Though it feels counter-intuitive for brands and retailers to collect used clothing...
Smart textiles power up
An evolution in consumer acceptance and the development of kit...
31 October 2019
Taiwan’s experts stay one step ahead
Once again Titas was awash with new ideas...
Why nearly 3,000 businesses are now B Corps
Twelve years ago, the non-profit organisation B Labs awarded its first round of B Corporation Certifications...
A new source of funding to help innovators scale up their textile ideas
The Good Fashion Fund will enable ambitious suppliers to make processes cleaner...
Truly traceable down
Down and feather traceability is the result of a partnership between Applied DNA and Navarpluma...
Two years’ R&D go into machines to make cotton recycling easier
The European Centre for Innovation in Textiles (CETI) has developed a recycling platform...
The slow switch to waterless
Waterless textile processes using supercritical carbon dioxide or plasma have the potential to...
06 September 2019
VF’s new London HQ ‘shows commitment’
Five brands tell WSA about upcoming launches and strategies...
Industry players combine to develop a new range of insulation materials
Key industry players have combined forces to develop a new range of insulation materials...
A path towards cooling solutions in textiles
With the support of triathlon-focused performance clothing brand Huub...
Recent changes in the performance textiles exhibition landscape
The inaugural edition of Première Vision Sport, held in conjunction with the 25th NW Materials Show...
The companies that are showing the way on tackling waste
A shift to truly sustainable practices within the textile and clothing industry seems to require rethinking...
19 July 2019
A new tool for driving life cycle assessment
A standardised tool designed to inform and guide sustainability strategies in manufacturing...
High-performance fabrics with a low environmental impact
Looking to make high-performance fabrics with a low environmental impact...
The case for monofibre fabrics
A basic tenet of designing for recycling is to reduce the number of different materials in a product...
Castore takes aim at sportswear sector
Castore's tennis range received a big boost when former world number-one Andy Murray chose to wear it.
Waste management manifesto
FESI and Euratex launched a manifesto to help brands and product manufacturers move towards the circular economy.
Why socks matter
Socks from North Carolina-based brand Farm to Feet use merino wool from US sheep.
Under Armour goes in for infrared
Under Armour and Celliant are using infrared energy textile technology in the sports brand’s Rush collection.
10 May 2019
A force for good
The Fashion for Good initiative is the force behind a platform for ideas that will help the apparel industry become more circular.
Solutions for the big skills gap problem
The European Union has plans, and money, in place to help textile and clothing companies give their workers the up-to-date digital skills.
Strong bonds
Natural Fiber Welding has come up with a technique for fusing cellulose-based fibres together.
Fine-tuned breathability
Outdoor brand The North Face believes it has achieved a breakthrough in breathable-waterproof protection with its new Futurelight technology.
The rising tide of microplastics
Our thinking about and understanding of the problem of microplastics in aquatic environments is advancing.
How to spin a smart yarn
Ideas that pioneering spinning companies are bringing into yarns will make it easier for clothing companies to collect and separate fibres and put them to use again.
22 March 2019
A response to the retail crisis
Millet Mountain Group believes the relationships it has built up with retail partners could hold the key to a successful future.
Waste is a terrible thing
United by Blue mixes recycled polyester fibres with fibres taken from the coat of the American bison.
Wearables at CES: a round-up of our favourites
CES 2019 was not just a showcase for technology; a range of innovative apparel products were also right at home on the show floor.
Baselayer bonus from above-average Avra
Ski gear brand Spyder has called on the help of the Eastman Chemical Company as it seeks to give the US national ski team an edge over its competitors.
Textiles take to bio-manufacturing
A range of companies from within the textile sector are working hard to harness the remarkable capabilities of bacteria.

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