Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1184460
TEXTILE TALK | EMILY WALZER y phone pings alerting me that I received an email. It is a press release from the Gap and denim maker Arvind about a new treatment facility to address water waste in apparel manufacturing, a project that the companies report will save 2.5 billion of liters of water annually. I get this notification as I'm reading a headline in the Wall Street Journal that states: "Big Companies Salvage Ocean Trash to Recycle." This is how my day starts; as I take a first sip of my morning coffee, the world of sustainability is already wide-awake and ready to roll. This issue of Textile Insight is all about trends, and hands down, sustainability is numero uno. Talk about eco enterprises and climate-conscious platforms dominate the trade show circuit. Our coverage of recent trade events stretches from Portland, OR to New York City and across the Atlantic to Europe confirming the global nature of this mega trend. We asked our featured "Women in Textiles" for their thoughts on sustainability. Here's what designer Elizabeth Whalen had to say: "When it comes to sustainability, it is critical that I take a stand: design with purpose and well, start moving away from fossil fuel yarns, educate myself about poisonous substances in fabrics that are damaging my environment, and look back in history to learn about sustainable methods that worked and protected Mother Earth." I encourage you to read the profiles from our 12 amazing female TrendSetters starting on page 20. Survey results of our market research, on page 36, reveal consumer willingness to add sustainably made materials to their workout wardrobes. Respondents even offered to give textiles made from seaweed a try. For a deeper dive on plant-based material development, look no further than page 32. Debra Cobb reports on how suppliers are fighting climate change literally from the ground up with R&D focused on this new class of textiles. So you get the point: sustainability rules the day. But there are other factors driving market direction. We highlight a handful of impact-making trends in our Strategies and Footwear stories on pages 18 and 34, respectively. Fishing is one example. "There is a participating balloon happening inside fishing," says Ted Manning, director of fish for Patagonia. He's right. According to an OIA report, fishing participation is up, and growing. The category is ripe with opportunity for new performance textiles. Which sounds like a good way to venture forth in 2020. Cheers, Emily My New Normal: Morning Coffee & Climate-Centric Campaigns Sustainability rules the day. But there are other factors driving market direction. M 4 • Textile Insight ~ November/December 2019 textileinsight.com A TRADITION BUILT ON THE LATEST TEXTILES For nearly 40 years, we've collaborated with the best global mills to not only source some of the planet's most innovative textiles, but also to engineer some of the world's most eco-friendly fabrics. With our commitment to responsibility behind us, we'll develop and deliver the advanced textiles you've been looking for. www.conceptiii.com