#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2024-06-06

Carrington Textiles’ Portuguese factory cuts CO2 emissions by 45% with biomass boiler installation

Global workwear textile manufacturer Carrington Textiles, along with its joint venture in Portugal, MGC, has achieved significant carbon emission reductions following the installation of a biomass boiler at the site in 2023.

This initiative has allowed the factory to produce 95% of the steam needed for manufacturing while reducing natural gas consumption by 70%, marking a substantial step towards more sustainable textile production practices.

A biomass boiler is a device that uses organic materials, such as wood chips, agricultural residues, or other biological matter, to produce heat and energy. This technology serves as an alternative to fossil fuels, significantly cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.

MGC’s biomass boiler uses responsibly sourced wood chips from local forests within a 50 km radius of the factory, all certified by SURE (Sustainable Resources). This raw material consists of leftover wood intended for the paper industry that needs to be removed to prevent fires. The ash generated in the process is used as soil fertiliser after being treated to avoid soil contamination.

This new equipment is carbon neutral and has allowed the textile manufacturer to decrease its overall CO2 emissions by 45% compared to 2022.

Jose Melo, MGC’s Managing Director, commented on the achievement: “The installation of the biomass boiler marks a significant milestone in our journey towards driving energy efficiency in our manufacturing processes. The substantial reduction in our CO2 emissions is a testament to our commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Comprehensive Environmental Initiatives

Beyond the biomass boiler, MGC has implemented a series of initiatives that showcase its commitment to sustainability. This includes reduction in water consumption by over 13%, waste and plastic usage reduction, environmental management training to all employees, energy management systems, wastewater treatment to remove microplastics and PFAs, to name a few.

These initiatives and the implementation of the biomass boiler illustrate Carrington Textiles and MGC's dedication to investing in technologies that reduce their impact on the environment.

Carrington Textiles launches new Fabric Collection Guides at A+A

Global workwear textiles manufacturer Carrington Textiles marked a successful return to A+A in Düsseldorf with the launch of 13 new fabrics and the official debut of their redesigned Fabric Collection Guides. The stand attracted a high number of visitors across the four days of the exhibition, with excellent feedback on both the new products and the innovative format of the guides.

Carrington Textiles stretches the standard at A+A

Global workwear textiles manufacturer Carrington Textiles has announced the launch of 12 new fabrics at A+A in Düsseldorf this November. With 75% of the new range featuring stretch technology, eight products incorporating sustainable fibres and four delivering flame retardant protection, the company is reinforcing its drive to raise comfort and performance standards across workwear.

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.

Messe Frankfurt commits further to East Africa: three textiles trade fairs during Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week from 2027

Messe Frankfurt and its Texpertise Network continue their steady, successful trajectory in the region. As Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) opened today, Member of the Executive Board Detlef Braun announced that Messe Frankfurt is licencing its three leading international trade fair brands Texworld, Apparel Sourcing and Texprocess to Nairobi, Kenya for the first time in 2027. From now on, they will take place annually as part of the Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW) Nairobi.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“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.