Carbon dioxide is a leading contributor to global warming, and central to emissions reduction targets, which are set more often than met. It is also, potentially, a feedstock for chemicals and materials.

The addition of gold, graphene and aerogels is boosting the performance properties of synthetic fillers and natural down. New circular solutions are also being introduced as demand for recycled down drives research into automating the extraction of the precious clusters from used clothes.

Both the European Union and the United States plan to institute stricter legislation, which may include outright bans, for PFAS. Whether these cover the entire class of chemicals has yet to be seen, but pressure is mounting and there is now strong momentum behind calls to phase these chemicals out for good.

Famed for its technological innovation, South Korea is now also investing heavily in low-emission, climate-neutral development strategies at a typically fast pace. Moving towards circularity by nurturing a robust recycling strategy appears to be front of mind for the nation’s leading textile enterprises.

Some trendy styles may ‘run’ out of stock, some may never leave the box once purchased, but sneakers do have miles of cultural traction. A major exhibition at London’s Design Museum, Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street, focuses on this ubiquitous shoe, highlighting the sneaker as a universal design object.

Polartec is marking the thirtieth anniversary of the formal launch of the brand by celebrating fabrics and garments that, since 1991, have changed what we wear when we go into the outdoors.

New tools are making it easier to keep track of products throughout the supply chain. Used not only to certify the presence of sustainable content, such as organic cotton or ocean plastics, these tools can now trace a product’s entire lifecycle.

Compression and running garments that combine performance with sustainability and transparency are the first products to come to market from Pressio, a young company with an experienced head on its shoulders.

A recent report called Fossil Fashion takes synthetic fibres to task for having a substantially higher carbon footprint than alternatives from natural sources. It seems to have made a profound impression at fibre manufacturer Lenzing. Reading the report has led the group’s vice-president for the global textiles business, Florian Heubrandner, to draw three main conclusions.

Producers of wood-based fibres, a group of materials spanning viscose, lyocell and acetate, are quick to promote their plant- or bio-based raw materials. But these manmade cellulosic fibres face two key challenges. They need to prove they play no role in deforestation and they need to provide guarantees with regards to the chemicals used in the process of turning a hard yet fibrous material, namely wood, into a smooth and silky, drapeable fibre.

After some 20 years of gestation, the technical challenge of integrating electronic components into clothing has been largely overcome by a growing base of manufacturers, who have developed the necessary expertise. Electro-textiles have yet to move beyond niche applications, but there is renewed focus on actual user needs.

Swiss outdoor brand Mammut is concentrating all of its work on sustainability under a new umbrella term, Together For Glaciers. It says that melting glaciers serve as a reminder that, if we are to stop climate change from causing irrevocable damage to our way of life, time is running out.

A partnership involving an outdoor brand, its zipper supplier and a technology platform aims to establish closer, cloud-enabled connections between consumers and the companies that provide their clothing.

Hassle-free returns come at a cost but have never been more in vogue than in the current covid-19 era, for both retailers and shoppers.

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel (HKRITA) has announced a new, five-year collaboration with the H&M Foundation.

Much is still unknown concerning the source and impact of microfibre pollution from textiles and apparel and levels of concern remain high.

Swiss outdoor brand Mammut is concentrating all of its work on sustainability under a new umbrella term, Together For Glaciers.

After years of incremental improvements in the performance properties of waterproof-breathable membranes, radical new technologies are coming to market.

Well known for its unique performance properties, wool may be a source of broader positive impacts as growers around the world begin to implement regenerative agricultural practices.