"Apparel Textiles" News Archive

The apparel industry, long criticized for its opaque supply chains, may be on the brink of transformation through the adoption of DNA-based tracking. As stakeholders increasingly demand proof of ethical practices, sustainability, and authenticity, DNA technology offers a sophisticated and virtually tamper-proof solution for ensuring transparency, countering counterfeit goods, and strengthening quality control measures.

Adore Me, the lingerie brand owned by Victoria’s Secret, is making strides in sustainable fashion through its partnership with CommonShare. Since joining Adore Me’s Sustainability Accelerator last summer, the two companies have collaborated on the implementation of real-time digital product passports (DPPs) for 100 items, with plans to expand this initiative across the entire product range by early 2025.

At the recent Fast Company Innovation Festival, industry leaders explored the essential elements required to establish a supply chain that prioritizes sustainability and ethical practices. The discussion revealed a stark reality: when consumers purchase everyday items, such as a set of bed sheets from a large retail chain, they often remain oblivious to the origins of those materials and the complexities of the associated supply chain. Unfortunately, many companies lack this transparency themselves.

Fashion for Good has launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing footwear circularity, with notable industry partners including Adidas, Inditex, On Running, PVH Corp, Reformation, Target, and Zalando. This new effort seeks to transform the entire footwear supply chain, from material sourcing to end-of-life disposal.

Despite the pressing climate crisis, fashion brands are lagging in reducing fossil fuel use across their supply chains, according to a new report from Fashion Revolution. The "What Fuels Fashion" report, a special edition of the Fashion Transparency Index, scrutinizes 250 major fashion brands and retailers, each with annual revenues exceeding $400 million. The report reveals that these brands continue to heavily rely on fossil fuels at every production stage, and their reduction targets are insufficient to meet global climate goals.

Biotechnology innovator Applied DNA Sciences has entered into a strategic five-year licensing and commercial agreement with apparel and textile manufacturer Indus Group. This collaboration marks the first large-scale deployment of Applied DNA's CertainT platform for cotton traceability.

Fashion's sprawling global supply chains, often expanded to cut costs, have become notoriously tangled and complex. Unlike industries such as food, transport, and beauty, fashion has historically lacked stringent regulations, resulting in minimal investment in infrastructure to track products throughout their lifecycle. However, other industries offer valuable lessons that fashion can adopt to enhance traceability and sustainability.

Fashion Leaders Embrace Circular Economy in $700 Billion Reuse Market

Textile Exchange, the global non-profit organization focused on sustainable practices, has announced a delay in the rollout of its highly anticipated eTrackit traceability system following a pilot phase.

Learn about the companies that are making significant strides to bridge the gap between consumer desires for sustainability and transparency and their brand messaging, such as Lenzing, Inditex, and Kering.