#Sustainability

2021-09-30

Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Higg welcome Tommy Hilfiger as the newest brand partner to launch Sustainability Profiles

Today the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a global multi-stakeholder nonprofit alliance for the consumer goods industry, along with its technology partner Higg, have welcomed Tommy Hilfiger as the latest brand partner to launch the Higg Index Sustainability Profiles. The profiles, which feature data-backed environmental claims, provide customers with unprecedented visibility into a product’s impact and deliver a unified approach for transparency in the fashion industry.

Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp, will be adding Higg Index Sustainability Profiles to a selection of their products as part of a pilot program in partnership with Amazon, the SAC and Higg. The pilot, featuring 247 products, will run for six weeks on Tommy Hilfiger’s owned EU ecomm. The products will also be added to Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program. In line with Tommy Hilifger’s vision to create fashion that wastes nothing and welcomes all, this pilot marks a definitive step in the brand’s journey to communicate more transparently with its customers.

“The SAC is proud to welcome Tommy Hilfiger as the newest brand partner to join the Higg Index transparency program. This marks a major milestone in the brand’s sustainability journey and we are thrilled to collaborate with them.. We look forward to working with the team as we continue to expand the program to include environmental and social impact providing a consistent way for brands, retailers, and manufacturers to share sustainability performance information with their customers. Sharing this information is necessary to help customers make better and more informed decisions and drive transparency at scale.” said Amina Razvi, Executive Director of the SAC.

Transparency is critical to driving systemic change for a healthier planet and overcoming greenwashing, which continues to be a serious problem in the fashion industry. As public interest in sustainability grows, consumers and governments are demanding greater accountability and transparency from brands. France, for example, recently passed a bill that will require businesses to feature carbon labels on their products, setting the expectation that businesses take responsibility for their environmental impacts, starting with disclosure.

“Real, tangible change in the fashion industry cannot be accomplished alone. Our belief has always been that industry partnership and collaboration is essential to creating the future of fashion that we all very much want to see. We are proud to be a partner of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and excited to pilot the Higg Index Sustainability Profile on our European ecommerce sites, to support our consumers on their journey to shop more sustainably. Transparency is essential in our vision to create fashion that Wastes Nothing and Welcomes All and we’re excited to expand this program in the coming seasons,” said Esther Verburg, Executive Vice President, Sustainability, Business & Innovation, Tommy Hilfiger Global.

“Tommy Hilfiger is setting a great example for the fashion industry through its commitment to transparency,” said Higg CEO Jason Kibbey. “By using contextualized data to back up sustainability claims, it’s taking an important step to provide greater visibility into the environmental impact of its products while also strengthening its relationship with customers.”

“This new approach to transparency from the SAC community is a long awaited and brave initiative that could provide the systemic change the industry has needed to make for some years. As with all new initiatives, the SAC Transparency Programme is not perfect, but the foundations are there for the programme to be ground-breaking. But to achieve its potential, SAC needs to clearly define the 10 year roadmap for the programme and act with confidence to deliver to that roadmap,” said Dr. Mark Summer, PhD, a Lecturer in Sustainable Fashion, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

The SAC and Higg launched the first phase of the transparency program, starting with a product’s material environmental impacts, in May, with Amazon, H&M and Norrona as the first brand partners to participate. By 2023, the program will expand to incorporate social data from facilities, becoming the first holistic system for communicating sustainability performance across a product’s lifecycle.

After spending a decade developing and launching the groundbreaking suite of Higg Index tools, offering credible sustainability data, the SAC believes using a common language and leveraging consistent, systematic measurement is critical for improved performance at scale. While the Higg Index tools continue to evolve with the latest science and technology, the tools are currently the most comprehensive and widely adopted value chain sustainability measurement tools in the industry. As a result, the Higg Index sets a solid foundation to unlock transparency at scale and spur collective action towards industry transformation.

“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.

“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

“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.

Textile Exchange reports growth in certifications and industry engagement

Textile Exchange has published its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting continued growth in certified sites, industry participation and the development of its standards and membership structure. According to the report, more than 100,000 sites worldwide are now certified to Textile Exchange standards, more than three times the number recorded in 2020. Preliminary figures also indicate 12% year-on-year growth across the organization's current standards, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and the Responsible Animal Fiber standards.

More patterns, less effort: the MULTI-MATIC® at Rohleder

Rohleder is one of Europe’s most modern weaving mills. For over 80 years, the family-owned company has been developing and manufacturing premium fabrics for brands, retailers and private customers – 100% Made in Germany. This success is made possible by a consistent focus on design, quality, and functionality, as well as by continuous investment in state-of-the-art production facilities. Rohleder also relies on innovative technologies in warp preparation and has been collaborating with KARL MAYER for many years. As recently as 2023, a MULTI-MATIC® was delivered to the company’s headquarters in Konradsreuth.

BASF opens global diaper and superabsorbents performance lab in Mumbai

BASF has officially inaugurated its new Performance Lab for diapers and superabsorbents (SAP) in Mumbai on August 18, 2026, which will provide technical and application services to superabsorbent customers globally. The new lab of BASF’s Hygiene Solutions business has been established in less than a year and is part of BASF’s Innovation Campus Asia Pacific in Mumbai, BASF’s second largest R&D site in Asia Pacific established in 2017 under BASF Chemicals India Private Limited.

Naia™ from Eastman strengthens western hemisphere textile connections at Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala

As brands and retailers explore more diversified and responsive sourcing networks, the Naia™ brand from Eastman is strengthening its engagement with the textile and apparel value chain across the western hemisphere. From August 18–20, the company will participate for the first time in Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala, a regional meeting point for apparel sourcing, manufacturing and nearshoring.

Dornbirn GFC 2026 expands conference program with new thematic sessions

For 65 years, Dornbirn GFC has stood for innovation and is one of the world’s leading conferences in the fiber industry. From September 16 to 18, 2026, the international fiber community will meet in Dornbirn, Austria, to discuss current trends, technological developments, and forward-looking solutions. More than 600 experts from industry and academia from over 30 countries are expected to attend. With around 100 presentations by renowned speakers, a 2,5-day conference program, and three parallel presentation rooms with moderated sessions, Dornbirn GFC provides a first-class platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and international collaboration. Together, participants will generate ideas and impulses that will sustainably shape the future of the global fiber industry.