#Sustainability

2024-06-27

Textile Exchange enhances MIE Tool with forest and air pollution risk categories

Textile Exchange has updated its Materials Impact Explorer (MIE) tool to include risk ratings and recommendations for forests and air pollution. This addition, along with a new category for manmade cellulosic fibers (MMCF), helps brands, retailers, and suppliers assess potential environmental impacts from the raw material stage.

Developed with insights from leading organizations such as the Apparel Impact Institute and the Rainforest Alliance, the MIE tool now enables users to evaluate biodiversity and environmental risks more comprehensively.

Key Updates:

+ New risk categories for forests and air pollution

+ Inclusion of manmade cellulosic fibers (MMCF)

+ Expert contributions from top environmental organizations

One of the tools users, Veronique Rochet, Senior Director of Sustainability at PUMA, said:

“At PUMA we are currently taking steps to mitigate biodiversity risks and address environmental pollution risks through our 10FOR25 targets and supplier programs related to climate, chemicals, water, and air. We recently used the Materials Impact Explorer (MIE) tool provided by Textile Exchange to inform our biodiversity risk assessment of our key raw materials such as polyester and cotton. The MIE tool has helped us to review if we have the right strategies in place to address the risk of the potential impact on biodiversity and the risk of dependency in terms of environmental assets and ecosystem services that our organization relies on to function. We value having forests included as a risk category to explore further deforestation-free commitments in addition to our commitment to source all bovine leather used in our products from verified deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier. We also value having air pollution as a risk category as this is part of our Tier 1 and 2 supplier programs, but we also need to understand the risks in our upstream value chain. The MIE tool analyses risk in terms of potential impacts and dependencies at the very start of the value chain (Tier 4).”

The tool is designed for organizations that know the country of origin of their raw materials, where the farm, forest, or initial production facility is based.

Textile Exchange also acknowledges that forests are part of a broader land use change risk area; the organization plans to explore opportunities for building this out in the future.

The enhanced MIE tool is available to organizations familiar with the country of origin of their raw materials. Access the tool here.

https://materialsimpactexplorer.com/

Updated supply chain taxonomy advances apparel alignment

The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.

Textile Exchange unveils agenda for 2026 conference in Vancouver

Textile Exchange has released the agenda for its 2026 Conference, which will take place from October 12–16 in Vancouver, Canada. Under the theme “The Implementation Era,” the event will focus on translating sustainability commitments into practical action and scaling solutions across businesses, supply systems, and landscapes.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.

Indovinya advances sustainable solutions with agreement for the supply of renewable Oxygen from Air Liquide

Indovinya, the specialty chemicals and surfactants division of Indorama Ventures, has entered into an agreement with Air Liquide — a world leader in gases, technologies, and services for industry and healthcare — for the supply of renewable oxygen. The agreement represents a strategic advancement in Indovinya’s commitment to sustainability, as it increases the share of renewable raw materials in the production of ethylene oxide, one of its key products.

SHIMA SEIKI brings new flat knitting technologies to FEBRATEX 2026

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Brazilian representative BRASTEMA TECNOLOGIA TEXTIL LTDA., will exhibit at the Brazilian Textile Industry Fair (FEBRATEX 2026) this month. On display will be a roundup of SHIMA SEIKI computerized flat knitting technology, represented by WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, computerized flat knitting machines featuring a brand-new model with high productivity and excellent cost performance, a glove knitting machine and the latest digital solutions.

Lenzing reports improved half-year results and advances strategic transformation

Despite a persistently challenging market environment in the first half of 2026, characterized by volatile energy and raw material prices, subdued global consumer demand and intensified competition from Asia, the Lenzing Group significantly improved its financial performance. Net result after tax more than doubled to EUR 35.6 million, compared with EUR 15.2 million in the first half of 2025. Free cash flow increased to EUR 45.8 million, while EBITDA amounted to EUR 239.2 million. Revenue totaled EUR 1.27 billion, compared with EUR 1.34 billion in the previous year.

Trützschler’s latest spinning and card clothing innovations at CAITME 2026

From September 8 to 10, 2026, Trützschler will present its latest innovations in spinning and card clothing for state-of-the-art fiber processing at CAITME in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Visitors are invited to meet the experts at Pavilion 2, Booth D50 and explore solutions designed to increase productivity, streamline processes, and ensure consistently high yarn quality. Key topics include the next-generation card TC 30i, the integrated draw frame IDF 3, the high-performance comber TCO 21XL as well as Trützschler Card Clothing’s new flat top series STEELTOP®.