#Raw Materials

2022-05-25

New whitepaper published by Make The Label Count

The EU’s PEF initiative is designed to provide a common means of assessing and communicating the sustainability and environmental credentials of products (and organisations) within the single market. It is based on a set of 16 indicators that cover environmental impacts, resource use and toxicity (both human and ecological).

PEF still needs a fair way to compare products made from natural and synthetic fibres, campaign says

To derive a single PEF score, these impacts are normalised, weighted, then summed. With this scoring, the PEF system is designed to facilitate like-with-like comparisons.

But assessments of textiles made from natural and synthetic fibres are not yet comparable, says a new whitepaper released today by Make The Label Count.

Delivering EU Environmental Policy through Fair Comparisons of Natural and Synthetic Textile Fibres in PEF addresses the concerns with the current PEF methodology, identifies the main challenges posed and provides recommendations to not only offer more meaningful guidance to the EU consumer but also assist in delivering the EU’s environmental policy and sustainability objectives.

https://www.makethelabelcount.org/globalassets/make-the-label-count/documents/gd4505-mtlc-pef-whitepaper-final.pdf

The global supply of textiles has been recognized by the EU as a major source of emissions and resource use. In particular, the sector has become increasingly reliant on fossil feedstocks to supply synthetic fibres. The textile industry has also been roundly criticised for unsustainable and noncircular consumption patterns.

The whitepaper presents pragmatic recommendations to better align the methodology with the EU’s Green Deal and circular economy objectives.

“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.

Dr N Vigneshwaran is named 2026 ICAC Researcher of the Year

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is pleased to announce the selection of Dr N Vigneshwaran, Principal Scientist and Head of the Chemical and Biochemical Processing Division at the ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, India, as the ICAC Researcher of the Year 2026.

New U.S. cotton study uses real-world grower data to reveal where fiber impacts occur

Cotton Incorporated has released a critically reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) of U.S. cotton fiber production that examines how cotton’s environmental impacts are measured and where meaningful improvements can be made across the value chain. The new data, grounded in real‑world grower inputs, measures what drives U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint from field to gin.

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.