Fast Track: Creating a Sustainable Performance Apparel Supply Chain

June 2019 | 21 pages | ID: F4A3A7C1CF7EN
Textiles Intelligence Ltd

Abstracts

Public interest in sustainability issues has never been higher, and yet consumer demand for newness in fashion continues to fuel overconsumption and a throw away culture which results in large quantities of clothing ending up in landfill every year. Another pressing issue is the pollution of waterways by microfibres. Companies must be persuaded to take urgent action to resolve these and other environmental issues but, to achieve this quickly, legislation will have to be adopted throughout all regions of the world. Meanwhile, the industry must commit to educating consumers so that they are equipped to make environmentally sustainable choices. It is also important to stress that sustainability involves the whole supply chain and not just individual links within it. In this report, Robin Anson analyses a number of complex issues which the industry faces in resolving sustainability issues. As well as microfibre pollution and landfill, these include: animal cruelty; transparency and traceability along the entire supply chain; the pros and cons of making products which last longer; and the importance of recycling and using bio-based products. Also, the report includes a review of developments in technologies, fibres, yarns, fabrics, chemical dyes and finishes which contribute to environmental sustainability by companies which include Cocona, Flocus, Houdini Sportswear, Huntsman Textile Effects, Intrinsic Advanced Materials, Invista, Nano-Care, Polartec, Polygiene, Smart Innovation, Thermore, Unifi and X-Bionic.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHALLENGES, RESPONSES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Environmental sustainability requires transparency and traceability along the entire supply chain
Selling longer lasting products without affecting growth
Tackling animal cruelty
Biodegradability and bio-based products
Microfibre pollution
Recycling

SELECTED FIBRES, YARNS AND FABRICS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Invista: Cordura
Thermore: Ecodown
Flocus: kapok
Merino wool
Polartec and Houdini Sportswear: Polartec Power Air
Unifi: Repreve
Thindown Recycled

SELECTED CHEMICAL DYES AND FINISHES WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Huntsman Textile Effects: Phobotex RSY and Zelan R3
Phobotex RSY
Zelan R3
Nano-Care: Nanoflex F-Bond
Smart Inovation: Bactericida

SELECTED TECHNOLOGIES WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Cocona: 37.5 Technology
Polygiene: Odor Crunch
X-Bionic: various products and technologies