#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-06-10

H&M Group joins EU Green Consumption Pledge Initiative

H&M Group is proud to join the EU Commission’s Green Consumption Pledge Initiative and thereby strengthen its commitment to lead the change towards a sustainable fashion future. H&M says they are on a mission to become climate positive by 2040 – an ambitious goal that can only be reached by collaborating with others.

Addressing the impact on the climate has been part of H&M Group’s sustainability agenda for many years and the pledge is a way of recognizing and accelerating this engagement while jointly using the impact of the European Commission, institutions and industry stakeholders for a sustainable change.

Helena Helmersson, CEO H&M Group © 2021 H&M

“Climate crisis and the necessary transformation of our industry requires us to take great steps. But we believe it’s only possible to do so by collaborating with others and developing forward-thinking solutions at EU level. With our commitment to the pledge we want to lead by example and contribute to the European Commission’s goal to accelerate positive change across our industry, "says Helena Helmersson, CEO H&M Group.

With the pledge, H&M Group will further disclose information on its sustainability work and its circular and climate positive strategy, including setting clear goals and being transparent about the achievements. The pledge is built on three pillars: environmental improvement, communication towards customers and transparent reporting, and includes ambitious goals such as the measuring of the carbon footprint of all H&M Group’s products.

“I welcome the commitments made by those six companies for concrete actions towards greater sustainable production and consumption, beyond what is required by EU law. This determination to step up climate action shows the kind of effort European consumers want to see. By now eleven companies are already participating in the Green Pledge and I am looking forward to even more in the future", says Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice

By taking collective responsibility and increasing transparency, H&M Group wants to further enable customers to make informed choices aligned with their values and empower them to better understand their influence on the environment and society. They state they furthermore believe that the joint commitment by leaders in the industry can accelerate a systemic change. By transparently sharing their progress and challenges they can create greater accountability and encourage others in the industry to do the same.

“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.

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.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

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.