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#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Blockchain-based ‘Follow Our Fibre’ refreshed

Asia Pacific Rayon’s (APR) Follow Our Fibre is a blockchain-based tool that allows users access to information in real-time on the source of the raw materials in their garments and the origination of the fibre. Launched in May 2019, the platform is now refreshed to include information of its suppliers’ conservation and biodiversity efforts, taking information transparency and richness to a new level.

The refresh comes at a time when the fashion industry, through the Fashion Pact, is beginning to embrace biodiversity as a core focus on its agenda.

Follow Our Fibre now maps APR’s supply chain right down to locations of forest plantation concessions and conservation areas. The textile fibre producer’s suppliers are collectively responsible for the conservation of more than 3.12 million hectares of forests around the world, including boreal and peat swamp forests. These protected forests have rich biodiversity like the elusive Sumatran Tiger and Canadian Boreal Caribou, and provide ecosystem services, including 22 rivers and tributaries totalling over 900km.

“It is vital that we work with our supply partners to protect and strengthen forest landscape conservation areas rich in flora and fauna, and home to threatened and endangered species for today and future generations. These efforts are part of APR’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) 13 on Climate Action, and 15 on Life on Land,” said Cherie Tan, Vice President of Sustainability and Communications.


By providing a snapshot of the forest landscapes and biodiversity, APR hopes to quantify its ecological footprint and, as a next step, seek opportunities to partner its stakeholders to further strengthen forest conservation and enhance biodiversity in areas it sources from.

Follow Our Fibre reflects the company’s long-term objectives for sustainable pulp sourcing and responsible manufacturing, and is a tool for its customers and stakeholders to trace finished products back to forest plantation origins, as well as monitor the environmental performance of APR’s supply chain.


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#Research & Development

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

#Knitting & Hosiery

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

#Associations

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

#Technical Textiles

“ We have multiple companies and divisions operating in textiles, and we decided to integrate them into one platform. ”

At Techtextil 2026, the Aditya Birla Group presented its textile activities as a unified platform for the first time. In this interview, Kapil Agrawal, Business Head Textiles, Acrylic Fibres & Overseas Spinning, explains how the group is expanding from traditional textile products towards integrated technical textile solutions, circularity and higher-value applications – and outlines the role India could play in scaling fibre-to-fibre recycling in the years ahead.

More News on Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

#ITM 2026

Driving digitalization, efficiency, and Smart Manufacturing across textiles and carpets

At this year’s ITM, BMSvision proudly showcases its next leap forward in digital manufacturing excellence. As a long-standing global pioneer in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) for the textile and plastics industries, BMSvision continues to accelerate digital transformation by delivering powerful, data-driven solutions that boost productivity, enhance quality and support sustainable growth. Visit BMSvision at the Vandewiele booth in Hall 7, Booth 710, to experience the future of textiles manufacturing.

#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Textile ETP launches digital transformation strategy, calling for urgent collective action across the value chain

Textile ETP’s DigitX Innovation Hub published its strategic roadmap for the digital transformation of Europe's textile and apparel industry.

#Research & Development

Textilfabrik 7.0 launched: Mönchengladbach becomes a real-world lab for sustainable textile production

With the official kick-off event of the Textilfabrik 7.0 (T7), a major transformation project for the German textile and apparel industry has been launched in the Monforts Quarter in Mönchengladbach. At the “Textile Roundtable,” an event format organized by the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, representatives from industry, research, politics, and the regional economy came together to jointly lay the foundation for CO₂-neutral, circular, and economically viable textile production in Germany.

#Man-Made Fibers

OnceMore® from Södra brings end-to-end traceability for circular Man-made Cellulosic Fibers (MMCF) using TextileGenesis

OnceMore® from Södra, the world’s first large-scale process for recycling blended fabrics into high‐quality dissolving pulp, will begin using TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to strengthen traceability from raw material to retail across the value chain. OnceMore® produces dissolving pulp made from blended textile waste and wood sourced from responsibly managed Swedish forests. By integrating TextileGenesis, OnceMore® supports the growing need for verified data and secure, transparent tracking throughout increasingly complex supply chain.

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#Textile processing

YKK invests USD 150 million in new manufacturing facility in India

YKK Corporation has announced plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in India, reinforcing its long-term commitment to one of the world's fastest-growing textile and apparel production hubs. The new factory will be built at Origins by Mahindra in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and will become the third manufacturing site of YKK India Private Limited. The facility is expected to be completed by February 2028 and represents an investment of approximately USD 150 million, covering land, buildings, machinery and equipment.

#ITM 2026

Marzoli promotes ‘Don’t Replace, Repower’ approach at ITM 2026

At ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Marzoli will place a strong focus on spinning mill modernization, presenting retrofitting and reengineering solutions designed to improve efficiency, extend machine lifetime and maximize the value of existing assets.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Mesdan to showcase laboratory-scale textile recycling solutions at Textiles Recycling Expo 2026

At Stand 2235 during the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026 in Brussels, Mesdan will present laboratory solutions designed to support the development and evaluation of textile-to-textile recycling processes.

#Technical Textiles

Trelleborg celebrates grand opening of advanced manufacturing facility in North Carolina

Trelleborg Engineered Coated Fabrics proudly celebrated the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art extrusion coating manufacturing facility in Forest City, North Carolina, US on May 6, 2026. The event brought together community leaders, customers, partners and Trelleborg leadership to mark a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in innovation, capacity and sustainable operations. The new facility represents a significant investment and reinforces Trelleborg’s long-term commitment to advancing high-performance engineered coated fabric solutions for critical applications across aerospace, healthcare & medical, safety & protection and industrial markets.

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