#Sustainability

2023-11-16

Clarification related to GOTS as a ZDHC MRSL approved standard

Effective 1st November, 2023, the transition phase from ZDHC MRSL V2.0 has concluded.

Effective 1st November, 2023, the transition phase from ZDHC MRSL V2.0 / ZDHC Conformance Guidance V1.1 to the newly implemented ZDHC MRSL V3.1 / ZDHC Conformance Guidance V2.0 has concluded. From this date forward, only products compliant with the new ZDHC MRSL V3.1 and the corresponding ZDHC Conformance Guidance V2.0 are eligible for upload onto the ZDHC Gateway.

It is important to note that GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is currently not among the approved standards for demonstrating compliance with the ZDHC MRSL V3.1. Certification Bodies utilising GOTS standards are welcome to independently seek approval as a ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier. Once approved by ZDHC, they can then make use of their GOTS standard approach to certify products according to the ZDHC MRSL V3.1 / ZDHC Conformance Guidance V2.0.

ZDHC encourages people affected by this to contact their GOTS Certification Body about this development and invite them to connect with them at ZDHC via their Customer Support Team (support@zdhc.org) for further information and guidance on how they can apply to become a ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier.

ZDHC also would like to remind that the status of ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers approval is always updated on their website at the following link:

https://downloads.roadmaptozero.com/input/MRSL-certifiers

Global Standards announce launch of a new textile processing standard

The 14th September 2026 marks the public launch of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS), a new standard for the processing of textiles made from fibres certified to third-party standards recognised by GRTS and covering a broad range of plant, animal, synthetic, man-made cellulosic and recycled fibres.

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.

Jeanologia Sustainability Report highlights environmental impact of textile technologies

Jeanologia has published its Sustainability Report 2025, reporting a 13.64% reduction in its own carbon footprint and quantifying the environmental impact associated with the use of its technologies across the global textile industry. According to the company’s calculations, their use avoided the pollution of 21.52 million m³ of water and emissions of approximately 103,530 tonnes of CO₂ compared with conventional textile finishing processes.

ALLIED expands down traceability with lot-level carbon footprint data

ALLIED Feather + Down has expanded its TrackMyDown traceability platform to include validated cradle-to-gate carbon footprint data linked to individual down lots. The initiative is designed to provide brands and consumers with more detailed environmental information on the materials used in finished products and could also support future data requirements associated with Digital Product Passports.

bluesign launches bluepass alongside first consumer-facing campaign

With its first consumer-facing advertising campaign, bluesign is taking a new approach to making chemical management, manufacturing standards and third-party verification more visible to consumers. The UNSEEN campaign will launch on September 20 around New York Climate Week and accompanies the introduction of bluepass, bluesign’s new consumer-facing designation.

German textile industry and retailers form alliance to shape textile EPR system

Germany’s textile and fashion industry and retail sector have joined forces to establish the “Alliance for Textile Circularity” (Allianz für textile Kreisläufe). Initiated by the German Textile and Fashion Industry Association (Gesamtverband textil+mode) and the German Retail Federation (HDE), the alliance aims to contribute industry expertise to the development of Germany’s future Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for textiles and footwear.

Intertextile Apparel concludes with strong global engagement and future-focused sourcing momentum

Textile innovation in the form of widely applicable, scalable solutions was on show as Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2026 concluded on 27 August. The show brought together over 3,500 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions across 240,000 sqm at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and welcomed over 100,000 visitors. Across three days, the fair served as a platform for sourcing, product discovery and industry exchange, reflecting demand for materials and solutions that balance creativity, functionality, responsibility and efficiency.

Orient Rongheng connects production planning across China and Bangladesh with FastReactPlan

Chinese apparel manufacturer Orient Rongheng is implementing Coats Digital’s FastReactPlan to digitalize production planning across its manufacturing operations in China and Bangladesh. The project aims to connect capacity, materials and order planning across multiple factories while integrating these processes with the company’s existing ERP and Manufacturing Execution System (MES).