#Europe

2020-12-10

Due diligence in the textile and clothing industry

Due diligence describes the process by which businesses are expected to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for adverse corporate impact on human rights and the environment. EURATEX recommends the EU to be guided by some principles like harmonization and proportionality.

The world’s textile and fashion industry is geographically widely dispersed. Global supply chains create jobs for some 60 million workers worldwide.

At present, the industry is under increased scrutiny, due to the various challenges related to the sustainability of production methods and overproduction. The current crisis caused by Covid-19 has created additional challenges for the textile and fashion industry.

Through continued investment and know-how transfer, European companies contribute to sustainable growth and employment in Europe as well as in developing countries, demonstrating a high degree of commitment and corporate responsibility.

The European textile and apparel industry reaffirms its commitment to responsible business conduct and sustainable development as defined by the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and by the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines for responsible business conducts in the textile value chain. By applying these guiding principles as guidelines for responsible business conduct, businesses can be drivers of positive societal change and can contribute to the fulfilment of the SDGs.

The concept of due diligence stands at the core of responsible business conduct. It describes the process by which businesses are expected to identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for adverse corporate impact on human rights and the environment. As a trade association, due diligence constitutes a key component in our guidance to the industry. We support businesses in understanding and integrating due diligence procedures into business strategies and decision-making.

To achieve concrete progress in the due diligence practices while avoiding un-intended consequences, EURATEX stresses the following recommendations:

Harmonised approach needs to ensure legal clarity across the EU and avoid grey zones
Proportionality of measures should be assessed
Consideration of the role of SMEs
A ‘smart mix’ of measures to include incentives, valorisation of specific standards and support
Implementation should be reality driven

To read the full recommendations of EURATEX, read the latest position paper.

https://euratex.eu/wp-content/uploads/Due-Diligence-position-paper-HQ.pdf

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Europe is losing its textile industry

EURATEX has released its latest Economic Update on the performance of the European textile and apparel industry in 2025. For the third consecutive year, the sector recorded negative results across all key indicators — production, turnover and employment — confirming a continued erosion of competitiveness across Europe.

Circular economy offers the EU win-win on environment and economy

Stepping up a circular economy offers the European Union the potential for significant positive impacts on Europe’s environment and poses an untapped and strategic economic opportunity in terms of better access to materials and the creation of new businesses. Three new assessments on circularity, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), also stress the need to accelerate investment in circularity efforts to meet EU climate and environment policy targets.

EU and Australia strengthen relations with Security and Defence Partnership and Trade Agreement

The EU and Australia have today announced the adoption of a groundbreaking Security and Defence Partnership. They have also concluded negotiations for an ambitious and balanced free trade agreement (FTA) and agreed to launch formal negotiations for the association of Australia to Horizon Europe, the world's largest funding programme for research and innovation. With these steps, the EU and Australia are delivering mutually beneficial outcomes and further reinforcing their already close relations in a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

Commission presents proposal for EU Inc. - unlocking the full potential of the Single Market for Europe's entrepreneurs

Today, the European Commission presented its proposal for EU Inc., a new single set of corporate rules, building the cornerstone and starting point for the EU's 28th regime. EU Inc. is an optional, digital-by-default European corporate framework. It will make it easier for businesses to start, operate and grow across the EU – incentivising them to stay in Europe, and encourage those who once looked elsewhere to return.

ITM 2026 makes happy participants with its international and qualified visitor profile

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most prestigious meeting points of the textile machinery sector, attracted attention in its first three days, particularly with its diverse international visitor numbers. Industry professionals from all over the world had the opportunity to closely examine the latest technology machines and solutions displayed in operation. Thousands of visitors from approximately 100 countries, primarily Egypt, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, met at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center for new investment and cooperation opportunities.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.