As the world has become ever-more eco-conscious in recent years, the textile industry has been no exception. There has been a significant focus and push for sustainable production processes, products and technologies across the entire supply chain. And the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted even more so, the need for sustainability within the textile sector. Whilst manufacturing and travel paused for a moment, skies became clearer and water was cleaner in lockdown cities as the environmental impact of pre-COVID-19 lifestyles was exposed to consumers, who now expect change following the pandemic. At Yarn Expo Autumn, held from 23 – 25 September at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), visitors will have the chance to view a diverse range of raw and recycled products to satisfy consumer demand for a more sustainable industry.
According to a report carried out in April this year by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), over 2,000 British adults were asked about their thoughts on the fashion industry. 81% of participants thought that the industry should change following the pandemic, meanwhile 50% said the industry should do ‘whatever it takes’ to become more environmentally sustainable.
Whilst environmentally-friendly processes are key, creating an eco-conscious garment starts from the source and using eco-friendly, raw materials provides traceability and sustainability from the get-go. At Yarn Expo Autumn, international exhibitors will showcase a wide variety of yarns and fibres made from raw, sustainable materials along with recycled and regenerated products.
Traceable cotton paves the way for sustainability and accountability
Cotton Council International (CCI) will share their sustainability efforts by exhibiting at Yarn Expo, offering buyers quality and traceable fibres from the very beginning of the supply chain. CCI have measured that over the past 35 years, the US cotton industry has reduced its water usage by 82% and soil loss by 44%, through the use of the latest technologies.
Talking about their plans to further the sustainability of the brand at last year’s fair, Ms Karin Malmström, Director of CCI China & Northeast Asia said: “We’ve just established the US Cotton Trust Protocol, which will be our signature sustainability programme from now on. In terms of environmental impact, this system makes sure that every bale of US cotton is traceable, transparent and measurable.”
On top of this, as a result of their processes, product quality and sustainability is ensured, benefiting the rest of the supply chain, as well as the consumer. Ms Malmström commented: “If you don’t get it right at the beginning, you’ll never get it right at the end. Your finished product is as good as the material you put into it. It’s that simple! We really start from the ground up.”
