#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-04-15

Ralph Lauren debuts team USA’s closing ceremony parade uniform and apparel collection, featuring first-to-market innovations in sustainability

Ralph Lauren today unveiled the Team USA Closing Ceremony Parade Uniforms and apparel collection for the 2020 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams. For these Games, Ralph Lauren worked to use more sustainable materials and manufacturing practices across the Team USA collection. The Company has developed and invested in ground-breaking innovations in sustainable materials and manufacturing technologies that will debut with this collection and will have global, industry-changing implications.

“Following a year marked by isolation and strife, this summer’s Games are a true testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and the universal power of sport to energize and unite the world,” said David Lauren, Chief Innovation and Branding Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board. “As we come together to celebrate and compete, we must also embrace our responsibility to protect the planet we all call home. As part of this, we are proud to continue to invest in and scale sustainability innovations — dressing our nation’s best and brightest athletes in timeless clothing that has been consciously created.”

As part of its recently announced Color on Demand platform, Ralph Lauren partnered with Dow to optimize the use of ECOFAST™ Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment, an advanced pre-treatment solution for more sustainable cotton dyeing that significantly reduces the amount of water, chemicals and energy used compared to traditional dye processes and will be utilized within cotton products in the Team USA apparel collection. MIRUM® is a revolutionary leather alternative material made from renewable resources that include plant-based materials and agricultural by-products and is a solution that is free of synthetic plastics. The MIRUM® Olympic Patch was developed in partnership with Natural Fiber Welding, Inc, a leading sustainable material science company that Ralph Lauren recently invested in, that has revolutionized the use and reuse of plant fibers and materials into patented, high-performance materials.

Team USA’s Closing Ceremony Uniform is a fresh and sporty all-American look and includes a graphic white drawstring jacket and striped belt made from Repreve® recycled polyester derived from plastic water bottles; a classic white Polo shirt, shoes and mask made from verified U.S. grown cotton; and a slim white denim pant with a MIRUM® back-patch. Each item in the uniform is proudly manufactured in the United States.

The Ralph Lauren 2020 Team USA collection includes bold graphics, stripes, and color-blocking done in a spirited palette of red, white and blue. Selections from the collection will be available for purchase beginning on April 14th on RalphLauren.com; and in June in select Ralph Lauren retail stores, select U.S. department stores and online at:

http://TeamUSAShop.com.

Ralph Lauren is proud to be an Official Outfitter of Team USA since 2008. All revenues from the sales of the Ralph Lauren Team USA collection support Team USA, and the brand is proud to do its part to help ensure the success of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes in this year’s Games and beyond.

“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.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

EDANA announces five new board members following 2026 Annual General Meeting

The EDANA Board of Governors is elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting by the member companies. The Governors are senior executives (business leaders) from member companies, based in different countries and representing different sectors of the nonwovens industry. The Board has central responsibility for guiding EDANA's overall strategy and approving its policies and priorities. It meets three times a year.

Cotton made in Africa partners receive top marks in independent verifications

Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) and CmiA Organic are two internationally recognised standards that aim to promote sustainable development in the African cotton sector south of the Sahara. To ensure the standards’ credibility among brands, retailers, and consumers, independent verifiers evaluate compliance on the ground. The verification results for 2025, now published in the Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, were very strong: The verifiers awarded consistently very good remarks regarding management, people, prosperity, and the environment.

Bangladesh: Italian textile machinery mission stops in Dhaka and Chittagong

Technological upgrading and the transition toward higher value-added production are driving the new Italian industrial mission to Bangladesh. This year, the mission will split between the country’s two main manufacturing hubs, where Italian manufacturers will meet the leaders of the local textile supply chain in two strategic stages: July 7th in Dhaka and July 9th in Chittagong.