#Sustainability

2026-01-29

Apparel Impact Institute announces strategic realignment of climate solutions portfolio to accelerate decarbonization

Today, Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) announced the strategic realignment of its Climate Solutions Portfolio (CSP) grant program to prioritize funding for projects that accelerate supplier-focused electrification.

First introduced in 2023, Climate Solutions Portfolio grants fund scalable fashion decarbonization solutions, with individual awards of up to $250,000 per project. The grant program has been realigned to focus on projects accelerating the electrification of Tier 2 factories in the apparel sector. This targeted approach will sharpen the fund’s impact and accelerate progress on one of the industry’s most urgent sustainability challenges: supplier decarbonization.

Key CSP Grant Program enhancements

Supplier-Focused Applications: The program will shift to a supplier-led application process, ensuring proposed technologies are pilot-ready with engaged supplier partners.

Stronger Industry Engagement: In collaboration with lead funders and global partners, Aii will communicate funding opportunities to build a robust pipeline of suppliers ready to test and adopt proven and promising solutions.

Streamlined Application and Review: A simplified application and scoring system and standardized guidelines enhance the application process.

“Refocusing the CSP Grant Program to align with a core industry challenge helps ensure that every grant moves us closer to supporting the sector’s transition to electrification,” said Pauline Op de Beeck, Aii climate portfolio director. “This evolution strengthens the program’s ability to identify, test, and scale the most promising solutions in partnership with suppliers.”

The realigned CSP program will continue piloting innovative decarbonization technologies, creating a pipeline of solutions for Aii’s Deployment Gap Grant (DGG) program. With $1.25 million available in grant funding, the DGG accelerates the deployment of vetted solutions by leveraging brand co-funding across shared suppliers.

Applications for 2026 CSP Grants will be open April 1 - May 15 and October 1 - November 13. Applications for 2026 Deployment Gap Grants will be open February 2 - March 13 and July 1 - August 1.

https://apparelimpact.org

VAUDE eliminates PFAS from all products

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are now detectable worldwide – in drinking water, soil and the human body. These so-called “forever chemicals” are considered hazardous to health and potentially carcinogenic, as they do not break down and remain in the environment permanently. Despite these risks, PFAS are still used in a wide range of products. More than 15 years ago, VAUDE made a strategic decision to gradually eliminate PFAS from all product categories.

OEKO-TEX® chooses TextileGenesis to advance digital traceability for organic cotton

OEKO-TEX® today announced a full collaboration with TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to digitally trace and authenticate organic cotton, strengthening fraud prevention across the supply chain. This announcement follows a successful pilot and brings together OEKO-TEX®’s certification expertise and closed testing system with TextileGenesis’ digital traceability platform to deliver a secure, end-to-end solution for managing certified organic cotton flows.

ICAC to support European Commission on pending PEF legislation

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is proud to announce that it has been included as a member of the European Commission’s Technical Advisory Board (TAB) on the Product Environmental Footprint methodology. The Commission developed the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) to assess and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organizations.

ENDURANCE Program: Driving operational sustainability at Magnera

As Magnera enters a new year, the company is reflecting on a key sustainability milestone from 2025: the launch of ENDURANCE, its global, employee-led initiative focused on waste reduction and sustainable innovation. Launched on Earth Day 2025, this initiative has generated more than 250 improvement submissions from team members across Magnera’s global operations, demonstrating strong engagement and shared accountability for sustainability across the organization.

Award-winning research for sustainable carbon fibre cycles

Sustainable recycling of carbon fibres is possible through targeted electrochemical surface modification, which makes the sizing of carbon fibres resistant to solvolysis. ITA PhD student Sabina Dann was awarded the MSW Award from RWTH Aachen University for her master's thesis on this development. The award ceremony took place on 12 November 2025 in Aachen.

Eastman introduces Naia™ Lyte at Première Vision Paris, marking a major breakthrough in fiber tenacity for cellulose acetate filament yarn performance

Eastman unveils Naia™ Lyte, a new cellulose acetate filament yarn that represents an important milestone in performance for lightweight and premium fabrics, at Première Vision Paris. Presented for the first time to the international fashion and textile community, Naia™ Lyte expands the capabilities of acetate yarn by introducing enhanced tenacity, unlocking new creative and technical possibilities for designers, mills and brands.

“Action helps us change what we do!”

DAY 0 takes place deliberately before PERFORMANCE DAYS begins. It is conceived as a space for reflection, dialogue and active engagement — a moment to pause before the fair, rethink established systems and address sustainability not as a trend, but as a fundamental transformation challenge. Under the guiding metaphor “Turn the Tap Off”, DAY 0 focuses on root causes rather than symptoms, systemic change rather than isolated solutions, and collective responsibility rather than individual silos.