[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Factsheet: Progress on Creating Lasting Change Now

adidas provided its latest update on its Creating Lasting Change Now commitments, which are focused on driving greater diversity, equality and inclusion within the company and in communities.

These progress updates come from the global Committee to Accelerate Inclusion & Equality, formed to increase the representation, retention and advancement of diverse talent globally and develop specific targets to hold adidas accountable to these goals.

CREATING AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE 

adidas is working with urgency to move its culture forward for present and future generations, ensuring equity, inclusion and opportunity for all employees.

• Launched the global Creating a Culture of Inclusion training, in which employees explore critical topics including diversity dimensions, unconscious biases, privilege and microaggressions. All teams were then required to demonstrate their personal commitment by agreeing and managing 5 commitments on how to create a more inclusive workplace. As of Feb. 8, globally all senior leaders and nearly all adidas employees have completed the program, committing approximately 25 hours each over the last 4 months.

• Strengthened and reinforced the global Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. A team of employees also collaborated with a third-party consultant to create the new Corrective Action Matrix. This provides clear guidance on how the company will respond to harassment, discrimination, disrespectful conduct and retaliation.

• Conducted a series of listening sessions that included more than 700 employees led by nearly 40 leaders from the Committee to Accelerate Inclusion & Equality, Executive Board and Senior Leadership Team.

• Signed The Juneteenth Pledge, led by adidas partner Pharrell Williams, which means June 19, Juneteenth, will be a paid holiday for all adidas and Reebok employees in the U.S., and identified as a day in other offices to reflect on the value of diversity and inclusion. 

• Created the Global Day of Inclusion, a companywide event highlighting our progress toward creating a culture of true belonging. The first event took place virtually on Sept. 15, and the company is preparing for its second Global Day of Inclusion this year.

PEOPLE

adidas is reforming its global hiring and career development processes to ensure fair and equitable hiring across adidas – removing potential hiring bias, increasing representation and creating more accountability and oversight. 

• Launched The Champions Program in North America, comprised of employees across the business who are highly trained to drive consistency, address blind spots and ensure a fair and equitable hiring experience.

• Revamped the adidas Mentoring Program (amP), bringing together employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences in fulfilling, two-way partnerships. aMP empowers employees around the globe to embrace different perspectives and unlock new paths of professional development.





• Piloted Ten Thousand Coffees, a new networking tool in North America that unites employees across functions, job levels and geographies.

• Increased diversity within People Leader Essentials (PLE), an interactive series of virtual workshops that equips employees with the skills they need to ignite a winning team culture. PLE is open to all employees around the world at all levels, including existing people leaders and those who aspire to be.

• Continuing to make progress against new hiring targets in the U.S. for Black and LatinX people within the U.S. workforce at adidas and Reebok. adidas is targeting a minimum of 30% of all open positions to be filled with Black or LatinX talent and at least 50% of new hires for all open positions to be filled with diverse talent inclusive of all diverse categories (gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran). The company is targeting 20% to 23% Black and LatinX employees in corporate roles by 2025, and 12% in leadership positions in the U.S. by that time.


COMMUNITIES

adidas is investing $120 million to support and empower Black communities in the U.S. through 2025 in addition to its existing grassroots initiatives.

• Increasing global support for Black and LatinX communities by upping investment in diverse businesses and startups, expanding supplier diversity and working with employee groups in local markets to grow community outreach. One of the first initiatives is Close the Gap, a program built in partnership with Impact Hub, the world’s largest network of social ventures and entrepreneurs. Through this initiative, adidas employees will mentor Black and LatinX-led social ventures to create change.

• Working with new partners, including Blavity and Appetite for Change, to advance equity and inclusion within communities. With Blavity, a community for Black creativity and news, and Appetite for Change, a Minneapolis organization dedicated to removing barriers to fresh food, adidas will further drive its grassroots initiatives with authenticity and lasting impact.

• Expanded the initial scholarship commitment for Black and LatinX students, with contributions to date totaling $500,000 in debt relief grants to students at adidas’ HBCU partner schools. Through a partnership with the United Negro College Fund, adidas developed a roadmap for $2 million in scholarships through 2024 for Black and LatinX students.


More News from TEXDATA International

#ITM 2026

ITM 2026: The new geography of textile production

New production hubs are emerging across North Africa and Central Asia, while Türkiye is accelerating its transformation toward higher-value, technology-driven and more sustainable textile manufacturing.

#Research & Development

“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.

#Knitting & Hosiery

“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

#Associations

“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.

More News on Textiles & Apparel / Garment

#Man-Made Fibers

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Hong Kong strengthens position as Asia's leading sustainable fashion hub

Hong Kong's position as one of Asia's most prominent sustainable fashion hubs has been further strengthened, with the HKTDC ESG Index 2026 released by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for the fashion industry rising to 65.5 in 2026, up 2.3 percentage points from 2025. The increase reflects growing industry confidence in Hong Kong as a premier platform for sustainable fashion development and ESG-related business opportunities.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Première Vision Paris expands innovation focus across fashion and beauty

From September 1–3, 2026, Première Vision Paris will bring together more than 900 exhibitors from across the global fashion value chain. This year's edition places a strong emphasis on Innovation-Tech, highlighting technologies and materials that are reshaping product development, manufacturing and sustainability.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Intertextile Apparel opens next week with strengthened focus on performance, sustainability, and innovation

Opening 25 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2026 prepares to welcome thousands of global industry players for three days of sourcing, networking, and trend forecasting. Spanning 240,000 sqm, this edition will feature over 3,500 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, providing a comprehensive platform for fairgoers to explore new products, market directions, and business opportunities across the entire apparel textile value chain – with high-potential segments noticeably magnified.

Latest News

#Raw Materials

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

#Raw Materials

Better Cotton Initiative partners with Avalo in AI plant breeding for climate-resilient cotton

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agriculture solutions company Avalo, whose platform accelerates the speed at which plants with key resiliency traits may be developed.

#Natural Fibers

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.

#Man-Made Fibers

Bemberg and Anita Dongre collaborate once again to launch “BREATH” collection

BembergTM and Anita Dongre present BREATH, a ready to wear collection of 18 key silhouettes, shaped by a common belief that true beauty is inseparable from caring for the environment.

TOP