Sustainability news and archive

Strauss develops degree Course for sustainability and innovation in Bangladesh

German workwear specialist Strauss has created a new educational course for sustainability and textile innovation in Bangladesh. Strauss announced on Thursday that, from June, 60 students a year will be able to study for a bachelor’s degree in ‘Textile Engineering – Sustainability and Textile Innovation’ at the Ahsanullah University of Science...

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Repreve maker Unifi launches extremely durable recycled yarn Fortisyn

The problem with recycled yarns and fabrics, for many, is the assumption that a recycled yarn cannot be as strong as one made from virgin materials. Enter Unifi, maker of recycled polyester brand Repreve. The company recently launched Fortisyn, an abrasion-resistant and durable yarn that provides fabrics with enhanced tear and tensile strength,...

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Retail

Will ChatGPT's new shopping feature boost impulse buying?

As artificial intelligence weaves its way into the fabric of daily life, new technologies and features have taken a decidedly retail turn. OpenAI's unveiling of ChatGPT's new shopping feature, embedded within its GPT-4o and 4o-mini models, marks a significant evolution in how consumers might discover and ultimately acquire goods, including those...

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Fashion

Kering bets on water positivity in sustainability pivot

In an era where the fashion industry’s sustainability rhetoric often outpaces its results, Kering, the luxury conglomerate behind Gucci, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, has unveiled what it calls a “Water-Positive Strategy.” The initiative marks the latest chapter in the group’s climate response, this time addressing water scarcity and...

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Communicating about ‘sustainable fashion’ is greenwashing, new chatbot Josie proposes alternative

Antwerp – Sustainability expert Jasmien Wynants and solicitor Judith Bussé have joined forces to combat greenwashing. They are doing so with ‘Josie’, a chatbot that extracts vague or misleading information from your Instagram posts. According to the European Commission, half of what companies write online about sustainability is incorrect. ‘...

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Toast partners with Kvatt to pilot reusable packaging

British fashion and lifestyle brand Toast is extending its approach to circularity beyond the lifecycle of its garments and into packaging with a new reusable packaging pilot programme designed to reduce single-use packaging waste across e-commerce. Toast has partnered with innovative start-up Kvatt, founded by Swiss entrepreneur Gianfranco...

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What does Puma's sustainability claim mean that nine out of ten products are made from recycled or certified materials?

Sportswear giant Puma released its sustainability report just in time for Earth Day. The report highlights that the company achieved its 2021 goal of making nine out of ten products from recycled or certified materials that have lower emissions last year. But what does this mean exactly? FashionUnited took a closer look at the report. The...

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Textile-to-textile recycling: Reju partners with Rematrix

Textile-to-textile regenerator Reju has entered into a partnership with Rematrix, a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) from Vicenza, Italy, to secure a compliant and sustainable supply of end-of-life textiles. Rematrix collaborates with fashion companies and manages the end-of-life phase of their textile products, ensuring compliance...

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Good On You report reveals “alarming” gaps between fashion industry’s environmental commitments and actions

Sustainability ratings company Good On You has released its Fashion Planet Benchmark Report, which has analysed data from more than 5,400 large (1,372) and small brands (4,032; based on annual turnover) in terms of emissions tracking, supply chain transparency and circular design initiatives. The report reveals “alarming” gaps between the...

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For a circular economy and fashion industry, behavioural change is key

Research shows that if 25 percent of consumers change their behaviour, it can be enough to establish a new norm. This could also apply to fashion. The message from Mirella Soyer, professor of behaviour for circular transitions at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, is clear: to achieve a circular economy, we need behavioural change. The...

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Fashion

The myth of circular fashion economics: A 450 billion dollar miscalculation?

New academic research challenges industry's circularity narrative and exposes fundamental economic flaws. Fashion's circular economy model — long championed as the solution that would simultaneously tackle textile waste, reduce carbon emissions and maintain economic growth — may be built on fundamentally flawed economic assumptions, according to...

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The Good Cashmere Conference focuses on animal and environmental protection, transparency and innovation

For two days, experts from the global cashmere and textile industry, representatives of international non-governmental organisations and scientists met in Hamburg, Germany at the invitation of the Aid by Trade Foundation for this year's The Good Cashmere Conference 2025. Representatives from Textile Exchange, Four Paws, Zadig&Voltaire, Marc...