[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Global Change Award 2026: Nominations now open

On 1 September, the H&M Foundation launched the nomination round for the Global Change Award 2026. The international innovation challenge is looking for early-stage ideas that can drive the textile and fashion industry towards circularity and climate neutrality.
GCA is on the hunt for early-stage ideas across four areas; responsible production, mindful consumption, sustainable materials and processes and wildcards – bold, unexpected ideas that no one has thought of yet, but that could spark real transformation © 2025 H&M Foundation
GCA is on the hunt for early-stage ideas across four areas; responsible production, mindful consumption, sustainable materials and processes and wildcards – bold, unexpected ideas that no one has thought of yet, but that could spark real transformation © 2025 H&M Foundation


Entries are sought in four areas: responsible production, mindful consumption, sustainable materials and processes, and so-called wildcards – unconventional, unexpected approaches with real transformation potential. “The changemaker is the heart of the Global Change Award,” stresses Annie Lindmark, Programme Director Innovation at the H&M Foundation. Equally important as the idea are the commitment and capacity of the people behind it.

For the second time, the process is nomination-based: universities, NGOs, foundations and partners such as Ashoka, Textile Exchange, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and The Mills Fabrica help uncover talent that might otherwise go unseen. Applications are open until 6 October.

With the Global Change Award, the H&M Foundation aims to support early-stage innovation that helps the industry cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half every decade – in line with the Carbon Law – while ensuring a just and inclusive transition for both people and planet.

Apply through The Mills Fabrica:

https://www.themillsfabrica.com/events/global-change-award-2026/


More News from H&M Group

#Sustainability

Practical toolkit to drive coordinated climate action launched

An open-access workshop toolkit enables brands, suppliers, policymakers and investors across the textile industry to apply the System Map in their own work, identifying leverage points to halve emissions and enable a just transition.

#Sustainability

Pioneering open-source framework shows how early innovation drives a just and net-zero fashion future

The non-profit H&M Foundation, in collaboration with Accenture, has unveiled From Signals to Systems Change, an insight report calling on the fashion industry to rethink its role in transformation. At its core is the Reimagined System Map, a pioneering open-source framework that visualises how early-stage innovation could drive a just and net-zero textile future.

#Sustainability

H&M Foundation funds pioneering initiative to build the factories of the future

The H&M Foundation is committing SEK 53 million (approx. EUR 5 million) towards Future Forward Factories, a five-year initiative led by Fashion for Good, to address fashion’s most polluting stage: tier 2 textile processing.

#Sustainability

Ten bold ideas to decarbonise fashion: Meet the winners of Global Change Award 2025

The H&M Foundation has revealed the ten winners of the Global Change Award 2025 – spotlighting groundbreaking ideas aimed at decarbonising the fashion industry in a just way. Each winner will receive a €200,000 grant and take part in the yearlong GCA Changemaker Programme – one of the few programmes of its kind focused on early-stage fashion innovation. Designed to accelerate the industry’s journey toward net-zero, the programme offers a mix of innovation support, systems thinking and personal growth.

More News on Textiles & Apparel / Garment

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Texhibition Istanbul signals stability and global connectivity

From 4 to 6 March 2026, Texhibition Istanbul once again brought together the international textile industry at the Istanbul Expo Center. Organized by İTKİB Fuarcılık A.Ş. in cooperation with the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (İTHİB), the fair confirmed its role as one of the most important international sourcing platforms for fabrics and textile innovation. With 500+ exhibitors across 5 halls on 42,850 sqm, the trade fair attracted 19,325 visitors. Among them, 5.565 international visitors represented Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, North America, and other regions, underlining the show’s expanding global reach.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Val:ue Milan unveiled – a curated boutique business hub for high-end apparel textiles

Messe Frankfurt continues to expand its international textile network with the announcement of Val:ue Milan. Moving beyond the traditional trade fair model, Val:ue Milan debuts as a prestigious, boutique-style business hub exclusively dedicated to elected fabrics and accessories for apparel. Taking place from February 3 to 5, 2027, at The Mall in Porta Nuova, the event breaks away from conventional formats through a strictly curated environment designed for strategic networking. By bridging the gap between high-end international manufacturers and top-tier segment buyers, Val:ue Milan further strengthens the Group’s global portfolio with a unique, high-impact concept built around a refined and carefully selected offering.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Solving the Feedstock Gap: Unlocking Post-consumer Feedstocks for Textile-to-Textile Recycling in Europe

Fashion for Good launches Project FAE (Feedstock Activation Europe) to develop the sorting and pre-processing infrastructure needed to channel non-rewearable post-consumer textiles into textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling at scale. The project is a practical response to one of the most pressing problems in textile circularity: making post-consumer waste a viable, commercially competitive raw material for recyclers.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

YKK launches “YZiP® Light” aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has launched YZiP® Light, a lightweight aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants, with sales beginning in late March. The introduction of YZiP® Light expands YKK’s zipper portfolio—led by the flagship YZiP® copper alloy zipper—providing customers with greater flexibility to meet diverse garment needs.

Latest News

#Techtextil 2026

RUDOLF is pioneering the future of technical textiles by developing innovative, functional solutions

At Techtextil 2026, RUDOLF presents its latest innovations for textile auxiliaries, textile care and construction chemicals. Based in Geretsried, Bavaria, the company draws on more than 100 years of experience and continues to position itself as a global technology partner focused on quality, innovation and sustainability.

#Denim

Eastman Naia™ debuts at Kingpins Amsterdam, transforming Denim from the inside out

At Kingpins Amsterdam (April 15–16, 2026), Naia™ by Eastman Chemical Company makes its debut, presenting its approach to circularity and comfort in denim at Stand 1, Ground Level (Blue Area). The brand also highlights its growing global ecosystem, connecting mill partners, designers and brands working to expand denim possibilities through fiber innovation.

#Denim

ISKO introduces a new chapter of denim innovation at Kingpins Amsterdam with FW 27/28

At Kingpins Amsterdam, ISKO presents its latest FW27/28 collection, a forward-looking exploration of denim that merges advanced color technologies, innovative fabric engineering, and contemporary finishing techniques. Designed to meet the evolving demands of the industry, the collection reflects ISKO’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of authenticity, performance, and responsible innovation, while also embracing a strong lifestyle perspective.

#Techtextil 2026

Asahi Kasei Advance to showcase high-performance non-woven and fibers at Techtextil 2026

Asahi Kasei Advance will present its portfolio of high-performance nonwovens, flame-retardant fabrics, and advanced textile and fiber solutions designed for various industries during its first-ever exhibition at Techtextil 2026. Techtextil is the leading international trade show for technical textiles and nonwovens, taking place from April 21-24, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany. Asahi Kasei Advance will highlight 14 brands, with special focus on four key materials as its debut at the exhibition in Hall 12.1 at booth C35.

TOP