texfash

Far away in the Iberian Peninsula of Portugal, a textile designer has developed a patent-pending solution from the abundantly available cork to handcraft sustainable rugs using traditional weaving techniques. Meet Susana Godinho.

The risks are becoming bigger. COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war, Suez crisis, Shanghai situation—all these were unforeseen. But that's why those are called risks. Cem Altan, President of the International Apparel Federation discusses how apparel brands and manufacturers can mitigate risks.

SustainKart retails only sustainable products, claiming to be India's first-ever and largest ‘responsible’ e-commerce platform that currently hosts over 1100 brands and 93,000 SKUs (including fashion), aiming to revamp closets and households with conscious products. The mission is to change the spending pattern of Indians for their lifestyle commodities. SustainKart targets becoming a unicorn by mid-2023. Dutt talks to texfash.com about his journey that began when he was all of 12 years.

The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT) is a private national body that knits about 80% of the Italian textile machinery players. Its key mandate is to promote this segment of the industry within and beyond its shores in tandem with the Italian Trade Agency and Italian Ministry of Economic Development. ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi talks to texfash.com about how the machinery segment is surviving the current volatile times.

The Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA) — a new voice has emerged for the leather industry in the US and around the world. Stephen M. Sothmann, the L&HCA President, talks about the agenda set as he seeks to promote the quality of US-sourced products, establish and promote best practices in leather production, and set new international standards in sustainability and traceability, and to promote those values to stakeholders around the world.

'False innovation' exchanges one problem or impact for another, like the latest 'big news' funding for bio-leather created in lab conditions using the cells of a real cow. Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) Managing Director Deborah Taylor calls on investors of the future and global brands to support real innovation that makes a valuable industry more sustainable instead of constantly undermining it.

The Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) supports a whole value chain approach with focus on underpinning that communication with real data and metrics can demonstrate the work the industry is doing to ensure a sustainable future. SLF Managing Director Deborah Taylor elaborates on the mandate she has set for the not-for-profit foundation.

“Proving origin, protecting reputations” goes the tagline of Oritain, promising as it does to provide excellence in product traceability by testing products and raw materials to provide cold, hard data that can be used to verify where they come from. Chief Commercial Officer Rupert Hodges talks about the importance of certification as a crucial tool that must necessarily be validated by physical testing.

The focus at the century-old, family-run Royal Smit & Zoon is on bio-based chemistry, reducing usage of water, shortening leather-making processes, optimising waste stream. The emphasis is to support a society where nothing is wasted, everything can be re-used and ultimately recycled. The second and final part of the interview with Egbert Dikkers, Global Director ESG.

A leading global supplier of specialty chemicals for leather manufacturers, the focus at the century-old, family-run Royal Smit & Zoon is on sustainability through innovation as it develops and manufactures sustainable (bio)chemical solutions for the leather industry. Extracts from an interview with Egbert Dikkers, Global Director ESG.