#Sustainability

2021-02-04

Inditex joins MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium

Inditex, parent company of Zara, will be one of the founding members of the new MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium (MCSC), launched with the goal of vastly accelerating large-scale, real-world implementation of solutions to address the threat of climate change. The MCSC brings together leaders from a broad range of industries to work together, and with MIT, to build a process, market and ambitious implementation strategy for environmental innovation.

Pablo Isla highlighted the importance of developing strong cross-sector links and collaborations among companies, academics and scientists in order to achieve a bold change toward a circular economy

Regarding the consortium, Inditex Executive Chairman, Pablo Isla, highlighted that our communities must “develop strong cross-sector links and collaborations among companies, academics and scientists in order to achieve a bold change toward a circular economy. I cannot find a better platform than the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium in this sense, as they meet the ideal conditions to find global solutions that make a difference.”

Inditex will work alongside other global companies to cooperate in trying to find a solution to the climate crisis. Through leadership from MIT’s School of Engineering and in collaboration with students, faculty and researchers from across MIT, the MCSC aims to:

Drive down costs and lower barriers to adoption of best available technology and processes.

Speed retirement of carbon intensive power generating and materials-producing equipment.

Direct investment where it will be most effective.

Rapidly translate best practices from one industry to the next in an effort to deploy social and technological solutions at a pace more rapid than the planet’s intensifying crises.

Innovative projects in sustainability

In addition to collaborating with MIT, Inditex currently collaborates on investigative projects linked to sustainability and corporate management with Tsinghua University, the Universities of A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Comillas Pontifical and the Polytechnic University of Catalunya, among others.

ATCO Hygienics, Uzbekistan, orders baby diaper production line from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from ATCO Hygienics to supply a new baby diaper production line for its plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The order is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026. Commissioning of the production line is scheduled for the end of 2026.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

As of June 1, 2026, Nico Pedretti has assumed the role of Managing Director Graf Group. With more than 20 years of international industrial experience and extensive expertise in Operations, Supply Chain Management, Finance and Controlling, he brings a broad range of leadership and business experience to support Graf’s continued success.

Closing the Footwear Loop reveals challenges and opportunities for circular footwear

The footwear industry faces one of the most complex circularity challenges in the fashion sector. A new Phase 1 report from the Fashion for Good initiative Closing the Footwear Loop, developed together with Circle Economy, provides new insights into the composition, condition and recycling potential of post-consumer footwear waste.

The updated poster on biodegradable Polymers in various environments has been released

As part of the PerPlacsBio project, nova-Institute has updated its popular poster on the biodegradability of polymers in different environments. The updated version reflects current standards, certifications and the latest scientific findings. The poster can be used to assess biodegradable alternatives for use in agriculture and forestry, and it is now available in German for the first time.

A new standard to combat plastic waste in forests

With DIN SPEC 35808 “Tree Shelter for Forestry Applications,” the testing and research service provider Hohenstein, in collaboration with Rottenburg University of Forestry, as well as forestry authorities and industry partners, has established a clear framework for bio-based and fully biodegradable tree shelters. The pre-standard defines requirements and practical testing methods designed to reduce plastic waste in forests and strengthen the long-term protection of soil and the environment.

Denim moves towards sustainability

EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement), the global reference platform for measuring the environmental impact of garment finishing, presents the second edition of its annual report Denim Industry Progress & Insights 2025. The study analyses over 100,000 real denim finishing processes, providing an accurate and up-to-date view of the industry’s evolution towards more sustainable models.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“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.