Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1518432
T he recent news of Renewcell and other woes in the textile-to- textile recycling business caught many of us off-guard. Spring is a time of renewal and optimism, not one to trim company fat or scrap big, expensive, future-facing ideas. In this issue, we look at the face of recycling in America. Given the time element of big legislation in Europe, it feels like we need to make some serious headway in our efforts. Textile firms including Unifi, Eastman and Cotton Incorporated provide a glimpse of what they are working on – and Debra Cobb asks, is it all enough? Are we at a tipping point with alternative fibers altogether? We also explore climate action industry organizations, in attempts to sort out where our efforts should be placed. Taking that first step is oen the toughest, but doing something is better than doing nothing. And Emily Walzer takes a deep dive into decarbonization, another buzz word, helping brands to find new ways to lower their environmental impact. In my home, spring means it's time for sports. My family is gearing up for our local Green Team's Sports Swap this weekend. Secondhand apparel and gear run deep for us, with lots of hand-me-downs. My son plays soccer and I coach my daughter's rec basketball team. Each child is more than happy to see their clothing and footwear on other kids in town. Teaching them young about giving back to the community makes it almost second nature. Just because you have outgrown something, doesn't mean that it can't be loved by someone else. Both in business and in life, sustainability is a collaborative effort. Spring Cleaning TEXTILE TALK / SUE BLECHER Coach Sue and daughter Sloane 4 • Textile Insight ~ Spring 2024 textileinsight.com