Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | PLANET TEXTILES SUMMIT Making Forward Motion 8 • Textile Insight ~ July/August 2019 textileinsight.com Textile Industry Takes a Hard Look at Pressing Environmental Issues. By Louisa Smith ast month's International textile exhibition (ITMA) provided an ideal location to host the 10th annual Planet Textiles summit. Not only were delegates from all sectors of the supply chain under one roof at the massive trade event held in Barcelona, but it was a perfect opportunity to highlight the efficiency that the latest machinery can bring to our journey towards a cleaner future. Planet Textiles questioned the industry's role of environmental responsibility. What are we doing as textile professionals in ensuring sustainability at all stages of the supply chain? How do we remain compliant as well as delivering to the consumer products they want, in terms of quality and price? How do we remain a viable industry without causing ongoing damage to the environment, pursuant of the Paris Agreement in addressing climate change (for those who believe in it!) and keeping global warming to a minimum of 1.5 percent annually? Before anything commenced, Phil Hadridge, acting as MC, introduced delegates to the interactive app developed by Planet Textiles and asked the audience to use the app to vote on what is the most pressing issue the textile industry is facing selecting from seven topics. Leading the poll at 28.4 percent was Overconsumption/ Product Durability, followed by Climate Change and Waste & Circular Economy at 15.9 percent. Water Use & Conservation came next at 12.5 percent; the Elimination of Hazardous Chemicals tallied 10.2 percent; Full Supply Chain Transparency was 9.1 percent; and Pollution/ Microfibers & Wastewater landed at 8 percent. Keynote speaker Pascal Brun, H&M's head of sustainability, emphasized the need for circularity within the supply chain and noted this year's launch of a transparency link as responsible action towards inventory control. H&M also looks to continue to engage the consumer. The 'Take Care' program, already established in four key markets, will roll out in three more markets in 2020. The initiative includes in-store repair and stocking garment-care products. Advice on how to care, repair and recycle unwanted garments is also available online. John Rydzewski, director of water programs at Nike, took to the podium with Omar Kuri, GM, Vertical Knits to present a case study of their journey to world-class water efficiency for water dyeing. Highlighting Nike's sustainability priorities, towards carbon neutrality, reduction in waste and water through to better chemistry, the partnership with Vertical Knits showed impressive results. Implemented in 2015, Vertical Knits can dye via a water recycling process that has seen a reduction of water usage from 122 liters/kg of fabric in 205 to 19 liters in 2019. In addition, the energy usage has been halved, from 10.6 kWh/kg of fabric to 5.1. This is just one case study in the value chain from L "We need to harmonize complexities and help speed sustainability, bringing the industry together." Rohit Aggarwal, president, Huntsman Textile Effects The industry came together at the Planet Textiles conference in Barcelona to advance responsibility throughout the textile value chain.

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