Livia Firth is the founder and creative director of Eco Age Ltd, and the Green Carpet Challenge (GCC). She is also an Oxfam Global Ambassador, and a founding member of Annie Lennox’s ‘The Circle’, a powerful women’s advocacy group.
Latest News
Thursday, 16 August 2018
New additions mark busy month for ZDHC
AMSTERDAM – In what has been a very busy August for the organisation, ZDHC has revealed a new MRSL certification partner, three new contributors and held a Manufacturer Forum in Brazil; an event which ZDHC hopes can herald a new era of operations on…
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Thursday, 16 August 2018
Event highlights US second-hand apparel market
BELLEVUE – To mark National Thrift Shop Day in the Unites States, apparel retailer Savers has released its sixth annual Thrift Shopping Survey; examining the relationship between American consumers and the used garment market. To promote the reuse…
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Thursday, 16 August 2018
C&A reveals recipe for sustainable jeans range
DÜSSELDORF – Fashion retailer C&A has today launched a new range of sustainable jeans for sale in store, together with the details of exactly what materials they’ve been made from. The new jeans were designed in partnership with Fashion for Good and…
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Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Canadian firm pioneers aramid PPE recycling
VANCOUVER – Following ‘extensive R&D efforts’ at its recycling centre, a Canadian firm claims to have developed a proprietary technique for the post-consumer recycling of aramid fabrics; a development which could offer the PPE (personal protective…
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Wednesday, 15 August 2018
US firm bares all for sustainable apparel
SAN DIEGO – Women’s fashion and activewear company secondtoNAKED has launched an online shopping platform which only promotes apparel that adheres to its environmental, economic and social criteria. Following the launch, the firm’s founder spoke to…
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Tuesday, 14 August 2018
European textile groups slam REACH review
STUTTGART – The European REACH regulation is having the exact opposite impact of what it was originally designed to do, with the potential impacts of hazardous textile chemicals on both human health and the environment likely to be exacerbated by…
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Tuesday, 14 August 2018
The view from…DuPont Industrial Biosciences
WILMINGTON – To discuss the company’s latest innovations, its stance on certifications and what comes next for one of the industry’s largest organisations, David Styles caught up with global product manager at DuPont Industrial Biosciences’, Rene…
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Monday, 13 August 2018
Vaude outlines latest sustainability progress
TETTNANG – Outdoor brand Vaude has launched a comprehensive supplier management programme, a move it hopes will offer its international producers and material suppliers the support necessary to ensure high ecological and social standards are present…
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Monday, 13 August 2018
Survey suggests lack of RMG worker longevity
DHAKA – According to new research, just under 90 per cent of workers in the Bangladesh ready-made garment sector are below 30, with many people over this age citing excessive workloads as the reason for moving away from the industry.
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Monday, 13 August 2018
New study explores novel textile water savings
THENJIPALAM – A new study conducted by researchers at an Indian university has proposed a novel new method of implementing much-needed water conservation within textile manufacturing. The research is said to have been motivated by the increasing…
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Monday, 13 August 2018
Retailer launches elephant conservation range
NEW YORK – LALF has released a range on T-shirts which will donate 25 per cent of all sales to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a non-profit which supports elephant conservation and biodiversity preservation in Africa.
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Friday, 10 August 2018
Circular Economy focus of Fashion Summit HK 2018
HONG KONG – The 2018 edition of Fashion Summit HK, which looks set to be Asia’s largest sustainable fashion conference to date, will focus on the theme of ‘Circular Economy’. The objectives of this year’s summit, as set out by its organisers, are to…
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Friday, 10 August 2018
Apparel Impact Institute enters new era
SAN FRANCISCO – The Apparel Impact Institute (AII), which will soon celebrate its first year in operation, has revealed that its first president will be Lewis Perkins, who previously worked in the same role at the Cradle to Cradle Products…
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Thursday, 09 August 2018
New plant boosts Sri Lankan recycled polyester
COLOMBO – A new facility in the district of Horana has opened its doors prior to embarking on the manufacturing of polyester yarn from post-consumer PET flakes at a scale never before seen in Sri Lanka.
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Thursday, 09 August 2018
EOG unveils first boardsports members
ZUG – The European Outdoor Group (EOG) has announced two new member organisations, with Burton and Nitro becoming the first additions from the boardsports sector to become full members. Furthermore, Salomon is adding its snowboard division to its…
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Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Testing the water with sustainable swimwear
LONDON - In a bold move to find out whether consumers really do care about what they are buying and its impact on people and the planet, Lucy Drage, the former head of ethics and sustainability for clothing at Sainsbury’s, will launch her own range…
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Wednesday, 08 August 2018
Cotton: A sector under stress?
WASHINGTON - Earlier this month, a seemingly ordinary press release from the International Cotton Advisory Committee caught the eagle eye of Ecotextile News, which told of how cotton farmers were unable to capitalise on the strong demand for cotton…
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Wednesday, 08 August 2018
SAC announces latest Higg MSI update
SAN FRANCISCO – The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has announced the second update of 2018 of its Higg Index MSI (Materials Sustainability Index), described by the organisation as the most trusted tool for accurately measuring and scoring a…
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Tuesday, 07 August 2018
California dreaming of a circular future
OAKLAND – The agenda for Clean Economy Week, a new initiative starting in California, has been announced with a focus on all areas of circularity and sustainable innovation – many of which directly impact the textile sector. Between October 15-19 in…
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Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Research calls for plastic hanger retail reform
SHEFFIELD – UK-based garment hanger recycler Braiform has published research claiming that the environmental impact of plastic clothes hangers can be just as damaging as recently-vilified single use plastics such as bags, straws and bottles.…
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Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Esprit and IndustriALL unite for workers’ rights
GENEVA – IndustriALL Global Union, the organisation which represents garment workers from across the world, has signed a global framework agreement with fashion brand Esprit which signals a commitment to protect and promote the human rights of…
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Monday, 06 August 2018
Primark Pride T-shirt highlights supply chain hypocrisy?
DUBLIN – High street fashion retailer Primark has found itself engulfed in a debate regarding supply chain ethics after selling Pride t-shirts aimed at promoting LGBTI rights, despite the fact these garments were printed in nations where legislation…
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Monday, 06 August 2018
Investors back due diligence framework alignment
BRUSSELS – Representatives from a wide variety of investment firms have signalled support for collaborative industry-wide efforts seeking increased alignment of due diligence frameworks with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply…
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Friday, 03 August 2018
Wecycled initiative awarded Natural Fibre prize
VELEN – German textile manufacturer Velener Textil GmbH has won the Discover Natural Fibres Initiative’s (DNFI) Innovation in Natural Fibres Award for its Wecycled system which reclaims the 30 per cent of cotton yarn that remains unused in textile…
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Thursday, 02 August 2018
Textile transparency – a burning issue
LONDON - In the wake of the news that Burberry admitted to incinerating millions of pounds worth of unsold and surplus luxury products to protect its brand equity, Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, says it’s now time for all…
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Thursday, 02 August 2018
Cotton demand at record high, environmental stress impacts prospects
WASHINGTON – Despite a strong demand for cotton in Asia with consumption projected to reach an all-time high of 27.5 million tonnes in 2018/19, less-than-ideal environmental conditions and subsequent lack of available water, means that cotton…
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Wednesday, 01 August 2018
Levi’s, Tesco join Green Supply Chain Map
BEIJING – Levi’s and Tesco have become the latest brands to join the Green Supply Chain Map; a publicly available online transparency tool that ties companies to their suppliers’ environmental performance in China. Developed by the Natural Resources…
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Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Levi’s sets ambitious GHG targets
SAN FRANCISCO - Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) has set aggressive targets for reducing carbon emissions in an ambitious new climate action strategy, which sets out aims for the company use 100 per cent renewable electricity in its owned-and-operated…
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Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Indorama deal to enhance recycling capacity
BANGKOK - Indorama Ventures PLC (IVL) a global chemical producer, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Sorepla Industrie S.A., a plastics recycling facility located in Neufchateau, in northern France. The acquisition is…
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Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Delta collaboration repurposes retired uniforms
ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines, the second largest passenger carrier airline in the USA, which globally employs more than 800,000 people, has donated more than 350,000 pounds of clothing to be upcycled and repurposed. In a new initiative, the airline has…
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Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Bangladesh on board with ILO’s Decent Work Programme
DHAKA – The Bangladeshi government, along with many of the country’s employers and worker's organisations have today signed on to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) which will run until 2020.…
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Tuesday, 31 July 2018
China viscose sector launches sustainability roadmap
BEIJING – Ten major Chinese viscose producers which together make up an estimated 50 per cent of the world’s supply have released a new joint 3-year roadmap for the sustainable development of the viscose manufacturing industry in China. In…
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Monday, 30 July 2018
West Africa hub could boost organic cotton
The idea of a cotton sourcing hub in West Africa has recently resurfaced, but this time it’s being tied to a goal to which could massively increase the production of organic cotton. Simon Ferrigno catches up with Tobias Meier of Swiss-based…
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Monday, 30 July 2018
Japan NGO aims for transparent supply chains
TOKYO – A new NGO has been set up in Japan that aims to help both local and international apparel firms to identify supply chain problems and is already working with global textile firms Teijin, Mitsui Fashion, as well the AEON Group which is the…
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Friday, 27 July 2018
New study asks, does garment use matter?
OSLO – A new study has been published to examine whether there is evidence to suggest the use of textiles changes systematically between different fibre types. The research also highlights the shortcomings of LCA lifecycle assessments given that,…
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Friday, 27 July 2018
Eco-Passport meets highest level of ZDHC conformance
AMSTERDAM – The ‘Eco-Passport’ certification standard from Oeko-Tex has today been accepted by the ZDHC as a level 3 standard for conformance with its manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL). This means the ZDHC has the highest level of…
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Thursday, 26 July 2018
Brands make 'mixed progress' on viscose pollution in Asia
LONDON – Luxury brands such as Gucci, Prada and Chanel sit alongside low-cost apparel retailers, such as Asda, Lidl and online brands Boohoo and Missguided when it comes to transparency in their viscose textile supply chains, according to a new…
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Thursday, 26 July 2018
EOCA surpasses milestone in Friedrichshafen
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN – The European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) has confirmed that over the four-day agenda of the 25th OutDoor show it has raised more than €25,000 for conservation projects and, in the process, gained three new member…
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Thursday, 26 July 2018
Fashion tourism a tool for sustainability implementation
MADRID – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is ramping up its efforts to ensure that tourism is fully utilised as a medium by which sustainability messages – with a particular emphasis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals…
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Wednesday, 25 July 2018
OIA releases inaugural industry sustainability report
DENVER – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has published the first-of-its-kind State of Sustainability in the Outdoor Industry report, in which it surveyed 120 companies from the outdoor sector to build a quantifiable picture of the efforts…
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Wednesday, 25 July 2018
TAITRA talks Taiwanese textiles in Denver
DENVER – At this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) hosted a Taiwan New Products Launch session, debuting the new products of four Taiwanese textile manufacturers. The four…
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Wednesday, 25 July 2018
High fashion brands unite for luxury roadmap
HONG KONG – A group of fifteen luxury brands have gathered at an event Hong Kong to discuss the global opportunities and challenges facing the higher end of the apparel sector. In addition to the meeting, a report has been published by members of…
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Tuesday, 24 July 2018
Bluesign in Sorona polymer partnership
WILMINGTON – DuPont Industrial Biosciences has announced a partnership with Bluesign for the bio-based polymer Sorona. DuPont Sorona is a polymer comprised of 37 per cent renewable plant-based ingredients and, according to its manufacturers, uses 30…
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Tuesday, 24 July 2018
Spinnova to scale up with Fashion for Good
AMSTERDAM – Fashion for Good has unveiled Finnish cellulosic fibre innovator Spinnova as the latest addition to its Scaling Programme. Spinnova has been selected by the Amsterdam-based fashion hub as a result of developing its disruptive cellulose…
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Tuesday, 24 July 2018
Cotton Inc. debuts anti-wrinkle press technology
CARY – Cotton Incorporated has today launched its patent-pending anti-wrinkle and formaldehyde-free garment press technology, PurePress. Cotton Inc, claims its formulation uses readily-available chemistries found in nature which perform better than…
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Monday, 23 July 2018
Alliance Helpline broadens scope with independent management
DHAKA – The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety has announced that its 24-hour, first-of-its-kind worker helpline will transition from part of their operations to an external and independent initiative which has the capacity to expand its…
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Friday, 20 July 2018
NGO ‘condemns’ latest BGMEA wage proposal
AMSTERDAM – Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has spoken out regarding the ongoing wrangling in Bangladesh regarding a proposed increase to the minimum monthly wage received by garment workers. This latest development caps off a week a turbulent week in…
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Thursday, 19 July 2018
Eurojersey extends WWF partnership, launches microfibre project
MILAN – Italian warp knitted fabric supplier Eurojersey has signed a new three-year extension of its existing partnership with WWF Italia aimed at the conservation of water as a planetary resource. The new partnership will take the form of multiple…
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Thursday, 19 July 2018
Primark unveils UNICEF partnership
DUBLIN – High street fashion retailer Primark has announced a three-year partnership with UNICEF which will see the organisations collaborate on work relating to education and emergency response. In total, Primark has confirmed it will commit US$…
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Wednesday, 18 July 2018
New study gets the measure of microfibre shedding
MÖLNDAL – A new research article led by a Swerea IVF scientist has proposed a standardised test method for measuring textile-derived microfibres shed during the everyday washing of garments. One of the primary motivations for this research is said…
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Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Protests expected as Bangladesh wage proposal rejected
DHAKA – At an industry press briefing, representatives of Bangladeshi garment workers have rejected the latest proposals from factory bosses as the wrangle regarding an increase to the nation’s minimum wage continues. The most recent proposed…
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018
UN flags up forests for fashion initiative
NEW YORK – An ongoing event at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the 2018 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development is linking forest-based materials from sustainably managed forests, with the world of fashion.…
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018
EU, China align circular economy policies
BEIJING – At the EU-China Summit currently taking place in the Chinese capital, both parties have expressed their commitment to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Circular Economy and have also established a deal on oceanic pollution…
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Bangladesh factory bosses offer minimum wage compromise
DHAKA – After a long-running debate between unions and factory owners, there has finally been a slight breakthrough in the stalemate over an increase to the minimum monthly wage currently in place for Bangladeshi garment workers. Latest reports in…
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Monday, 16 July 2018
Ternua goes nuts with Archroma EarthColors partnership
REINACH – Colour and specialty textile chemicals provider Archroma has announced a collaboration with Ternua, a Basque outdoor brand with sustainability at the heart of its business. Ternua will work alongside Archroma to utilise its patented…
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Monday, 16 July 2018
Worn Again accelerates polymer recycling technology
LONDON – Research institute Worn Again Technologies has confirmed that it has successfully reached its investment target of £5 million to facilitate the acceleration of its breakthrough polymer recycling technology. In the face of the growing…
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Monday, 16 July 2018
Helsinki Fashion Week partners with Circle Economy
HELSINKI – As part of a drive to put circularity at the top of the fashion agenda, Helsinki Fashion Week (HFW) has confirmed Circle Economy as a knowledge and content partner for its annual industry event. This year’s edition of the event, taking…
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