#Sustainability

2020-09-10

H&M Group lays the foundation for its biodiversity work

Cecilia Brännsten presents H&M Group's ambition for biodiversity during WWF's presentation of the Living Planet Report 2020.

Today WWF has published its flagship Living Planet Report, a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. This year's report provides scientific evidence to what nature has been telling us repeatedly: unsustainable human activity - today world citizens live as if we had 1.6 globes at our disposal - is pushing the planet’s natural systems that support life on Earth to the edge. In this context, Environmental Sustainability Manager Cecilia Brännsten presents H&M Group's ambition for biodiversity.

"A thriving fashion industry is undeniably dependent on healthy ecosystems and climate change kept within safe planetary boundaries."

Cecilia Brännsten, Environmental Sustainability Manager H&M Group

Cecilia adds: "When using the land for cultivating the cotton to make our customers’ favourite garments, regenerative farming is the future. When washing and dyeing the customers favorite jeans the soil and water should be left unharmed. Our ambition for biodiversity, together with our climate strategy, will help us in our work to relieve the planet from critical pressure, creating a more resilient supply chain and business".

“It is extremely important that businesses start taking action to fight biodiversity loss, as they have a powerful role to play in bending the curve and investing in nature. We salute H&M’s holistic approach to manage their impact and dependence on biodiversity and hope that other companies will follow their example.”

Erika Sundell, Head of Corporate Partnerships at WWF Sweden

H&M Group's long-term vision is to have a net positive impact on biodiversity. That means not only avoiding and mitigating harm, but leaving the natural environment in a better state than beforehand through habitat restoration and protection.

In order to achieve this, H&M Group has set two objectives:

1. To prevent and reduce the company's overall impact on biodiversity and natural ecosystems in our value chain.

2. Help to protect and restore biodiversity and natural ecosystems in line with what science requires*.

The base for H&M Group's ambition on biodiversity started with a biodiversity footprint assessment to identify the biggest impact areas of our business. The next step is now to align and formalise goals. Looking ahead, the company will continue to:

cooperate with WWF through a specific biodiversity workstream,

work on biodiversity traceability strategy to measure progress,

participate in forums and cooperating with organisations driving work in the area of biodiversity.

*Science currently calls for action to ensure that 50% of the Earth’s surface is protected, restored and sustainably managed by 2030, with 30% of the area being fully protected and 20% sustainably managed.

“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.

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.

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.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.