#Sustainability

2019-09-05

FASHIONSUSTAIN: Neonyt conference now even more international

With another two spin-offs in Los Angeles and Shanghai, Messe Frankfurt is driving forward the internationalisation of Fashionsustain, the Neonyt conference. In July it made an appearance in New York City. With TENCEL™, Lenzing is supporting the conference’s international efforts.

Messe Frankfurt’s Fashionsustain conference, which focuses on sustainable textile innovations, will be taking place outside of Germany twice in September and bringing together trailblazers from the industry. On 20 September the event will be held during the LA Fashion Festival in Los Angeles. And on 26 September, it will be incorporated into Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics in Shanghai.

At the LA Fashion Festival (LAFF), Fashionsustain will be taking place under the motto “The change of fashion is now” in close cooperation with Lenzing. Lenzing will be informing visitors at their own stand about the value chain as well as the benefits in terms of sustainability and performance regarding its TENCEL™ fibre brand. Speakers include representatives from Lenzing, Candiani and Global Denim as well as “the Godfather of Denim” Adriano Goldschmied and Kerry Bannigan from the Conscious Fashion Campaign supported by the UN Office for Partnerships.

As an integral part of the fashion events in Los Angeles, the two-day LA Fashion Festival brings together influences from film, retail, innovation and beauty, inciting immersive cultural experiences. The LAFF has evolved from the LA Fashion Film Festival and will be offering film screenings, workshops, masterclasses, pop-ups and lectures all about fashion from 20-21 September.

At Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, one of the world’s largest trade fairs for clothing fabrics and accessories organised by Messe Frankfurt, there will be a keynote speech by Edwin Keh (Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel, HKRITA) at Fashionsustain on 26 September in Shanghai. Afterwards, Andreas Streubig (Director Global Sustainability, Hugo Boss), Jiehui Kia (Principal Sustainability Strategiest, Forum for the Future), Micke Magnusson (Change Agent und Advisor, ReAccess) und Mikkel Hansen (Program and Partnership Lead at Explorium, Fung Group) will be talking about the importance and the challenges of implementing more textile innovation pilot projects as well as the question of how to bring new textiles to the market faster.

This will be followed by innovator pitches by start-ups TG3D, Reflaunt, and Circular Systems, presented by accelerators Fashion for Good, The Mills Fabrica, and H&M Foundation, as well as by industry leader HeiQ.

The following panel will focus on the importance and scalability of innovative technologies for the textile industry. Panellists will be Cherry Cheuk Yan Ho (Investment Manager, The Mills Fabrica), Celine Huang (CEO Greater China, HeiQ), Emily Franklin (Innovation Associate, Fashion for Good), Florian Heubrandner (Vice President Global Business Management Textiles, Lenzing) and Jean Hegedus (Marketing Director, Invista Lycra).

The event will be rounded off by a talk between Tony Lowe (East Asia Ambassador, Better Buying) and Max Gilgenmann (Kaleidoscope Berlin) on the role of sourcing in a changing textile and fashion industry.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

Speed and connectivity: Techtextil and Texprocess provided market-ready solutions for industries under pressure

With more than 36,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from a total of 112 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 demonstrated how innovation comes into industrial use. The convergence of research, industry and application proved to be a breeding ground for new material solutions, manufacturing and processing technologies. Natural fibres, performance apparel, connected systems and AI-driven processing technologies emerged as key growth and future markets.

Techtextil & Texprocess 2026: Global benchmark for textile innovation – Performance Apparel Textiles takes centre stage at the opening

With 1,700 exhibitors from 54 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 showcase the full range of innovation within the international textile industry – from new materials and recycling technologies to finishing solutions and high-performance textile manufacturing and processing technologies. The opening press conference centred on a key theme where innovation is especially strong: Performance Apparel Textiles.

Hohenstein publishes 2025 Sustainability Report

The testing and research service provider Hohenstein has published its latest sustainability report, outlining key progress and strategic initiatives. The report focuses on ambitious CO₂ reduction targets, the company’s new mission statement and the systematic expansion of sustainable services for customers worldwide.

Global Standard gGmbH launches second public consultation for GRTS Draft 2 for the textile industry (1–30 April 2026)

Global Standard gGmbH is pleased to announce the release of Draft 2 of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS) for its second public consultation. The consultation will be open from 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026, inviting stakeholders across the textile and apparel value chain to provide input and contribute to the further development of this new Standard.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.