FUTURE FIBRES SOURCING REPORT An exploration of more sustainable and innovative fibres and yarns In association with SOURCE Founding Partners, Fairtrade & Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

SUSTAINABLE SOURCING SERIES // PART I // FABRICS & FIBRES

2016-17

INTRODUCTION // Apparel Fibre Consumption 2015 The apparel industry now consumes around twice as much fibre as it did 25 years ago. This has a major impact – environmentally, socially and ethically.

Data taken from PCI Wood Mackenzie

In this report we take a look at the fibres most commonly used today in the fashion industry – polyester, cotton, cellulosics and wool. We consider their impacts and – in a glimpse of future trends – we introduce more sustainable alternatives that are stirring interest in the industry. Alongside these, we provide pointers to the organisations and initiatives helping to develop and sell them. In 2002, polyester – in other words, synthetic fibre – overtook cotton for the first time in terms of apparel consumption. It has continued to grow ever since, expanding market share at the expense of all other fibres. Although it has steadily been losing market share, cotton is still the second most-used fibre in apparel. It is also a focus for sustainability initiatives, particularly concerning water use. Cellulosics are fast gaining ground in terms of market share. They derive from natural sources that undergo a man-made process. We unravel the terminology to better understand what these fibres are offering. Demand for wool, particularly luxury fibres such as cashmere, also poses sustainability issues. We outline initiatives aimed at addressing these.

Total Fibre Demand (million tons) Data from PCI fibres

SYNTHETICS // Synthetic fibres overwhelmingly dominate apparel fibre consumption. They are entirely man-made and derive from petroleum – that is, crude oil. Synthetics include nylon, acrylic, polypropylene but chief among them is polyester – now the leading global textile fibre consumed. Demand for polyester has grown strongly and steadily. In 1980, only 5.2 million tons of polyester were produced globally. By 2014, this reached 46.1 million tons. Across this period, 73.4 per cent of total fibre demand growth was driven by polyester. Polyester production – sited predominantly in Asia, particularly China – has high environmental costs, as does its disposal. One kilogram of fibre produced consumes 125 MJ of energy and emits 14.2kg of CO2. Factories without wastewater treatment systems can release potentially dangerous substances including antimony, cobalt, manganese salts, sodium bromide and titanium dioxide.

REPREVE

MORE SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES // Despite polyester’s dominance, more sustainable synthetic alternatives are gaining in popularity. Recycled polyester production consumes 70 per cent less energy than virgin fibre. Almost all recycled polyester in textiles comes from recycling plastic bottles (not recycling clothes). Repreve in the US manufactures sustainable textile fibres in this way. Japan’s Teijin meanwhile takes old polyester garments and recycles them into new polyester raw material.

TEIJIN

STANDARDS & CERTIFICATIONS //

Discarded nylon fishing nets are a primary source for the recycled nylon yarns developed by ECONYL, now being widely used in sportswear.

Global Recycle Standard (GRS) SCS Recycled Content Standards

AURIA LONDON X ECONYL®

Plant-based polyester could be an exciting alternative. FENC Corp. recently unveiled a 100 per cent bio-polyester shirt made entirely from plants.

WATCH VIDEOS //

A Journey into the ECONYL® Regeneration System

Repreve - What’s In It

COTTON // Cotton has long been a widely traded world commodity and a key revenue source for the developing world, employing an estimated 300 million people. Demand for cotton has fluctuated in the past two decades and growth rates have slowed, as competition from synthetics strengthens. About 90 per cent of cotton farmers work in the developing world, on smallholder plots of less than 2 ha. Unfair pricing structures and subsidies jeopardise their livelihoods. Cotton is produced in about 100 countries, but concentrated in four – China, India, the US, Pakistan. COTTON MADE IN AFRICA

MORE SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES // Fairtrade Cotton // Organic Cotton // Cotton made in Africa // BCI Cotton // REEL Cotton from Cotton Connect // Recycled Cotton

Although a natural fibre, cotton production and processing have major environmental impacts. It takes 20,000 litres of water to make one kilogram of cotton; more than 20m tonnes of cotton are produced yearly. It uses high levels of pesticides, fertilisers and chemicals that affect human health and pollute local eco-systems. It is also destroying massive eco-systems like Central Asia’s Aral Sea, – the fourth largest inland sea 25 years ago, now a tenth of its former volume.

Increasingly the industry is referring to all cotton produced under a variety of initiatives as ‘sustainable’. However, the different initiatives and standards have different approaches. For example, in comparison done by the ITC Standards Map Fairtrade comes out strongly ahead on requirements per standard, on requirements per sustainability area (social, environmental, management, quality and ethics) and on degree of obligation. Fairtrade-certified cotton guarantees farmers a fair price plus pays a premium for social development. Organic certified cotton has strict criteria for the use of pesticides and insecticides and farm management. Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) supports African smallholder cotton farmers to improve their cultivation and thus their yields. The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) brings cotton supply chains together in partnership and support and trains farmers for farm improvements. Cotton Connect (REEL) helps brands develop cotton strategies and provides capacity-building on the ground for improved farming.

ORGANIC COTTON COLOURS

FAIRTRADE // FAIRTRADE UK www.fairtrade.org.uk FAIRTRADE CANADA & US www.fairtrade.ca FAIRTRADE AUS & NZ www.fairtrade.com.au

Fairtrade is a global movement which supports cotton farmers, often the forgotten link in the cotton supply chain, to gain improved terms of trade and fair prices for their cotton crop, enabling them to earn a more stable income and take more control of their lives and communities. It is an alternative approach to trade based on partnerships and an effective way for companies looking to source their cotton sustainably, to have a positive impact on people and planet. When farmers sell their cotton on Fairtrade terms, they receive the Fairtrade Minimum Price covering the cost of sustainable production and a Fairtrade Premium to invest in their communities. Your commitment to Fairtrade cotton means you become part of this trusted movement, and you bene t from access to long term direct trade relationships with cotton farmers giving you the chance to tell your customers how your business is bene tting the lives of the people behind your products.

GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS) // www.global-standard.org The Global Organic Textile Standard is the comprehensive ecological and social standard for the entire textile supply chain based on the use of certi ed organic bres. All stages are traceable to the nal consumer: for fashion, apparel, work, home and personal care products. Companies can expect clear ecological and social bene ts from the strict criteria in the standard. GOTS is agreed by stakeholders around the world and endorsed by IFOAM – Organics International. Proper labeling must show the GOTS certi cation ID so that consumers (and all interested) can check them against the GOTS public database - http:// global-standard.org/public-database.html GOTS, a not-for-profit with representatives in Europe, Asia, Japan and America, is the gold standard for traceable and sustainable organic textiles. GOTS RESOURCES Animated film download Organic wool infographic From Field to Fashion infographic

WATCH VIDEOS //

On the Trail of Fairtrade Cotton

Global Organic Textile Standard - How it Works

CELLULOSICS //

“On the day that the ibre TENCEL® was invented, a new chapter was written in the history of ibres. Textiles of TENCEL® are more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen.”

Cellulosic fibres have been expanding in apparel over the past 20 years, primarily through growth in viscose (aka rayon). When cotton prices peaked in 2010/11, viscose gained market share as a cheaper alternative and has held onto it. Conventional viscose or rayon is made from cellulose from trees/plants that is processed with heavy chemicals like sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), carbon disulfide and sulphuric acid. If not handled safely, these can cause harm to those working with them. If not disposed of safely or re-used through a closed loop process, but dumped into local rivers, these chemicals can have serious negative environmental impacts. A lack of transparency in most viscose production about the origin of the raw plant material means it is often impossible to know where the material comes from or gauge the impact of harvesting it.

- LENZING

REFORMATION

MORE SUSTAINABLE & INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVES // Tencel® // Modal® // S.Cafe® // QMilk®

Is bamboo truly green? Most yarns and fabrics sold as bamboo may have originated as bamboo pulp but are produced in the same chemical-heavy way as conventional viscose (or rayon).

Tencel® and Modal® from the Austria-based company Lenzing are made via solvent spinning rather than conventional viscose methods. There is an almost complete recovery of the solvent. The water is also recycled. The by-products are key ingredients in the food and glass industry.

Many world trading standards, like the US and the EU, now force companies to describe such fibre content as viscose (or rayon) instead of ‘bamboo’. Claims that this fibre has the same antimicrobial properties as bamboo linen are also disputed.

Tencel® is made from lyocell, a cellulose-based fibre extracted from eucalyptus grown on marginal land unsuitable for food crops; these trees are grown with a minimum of water, using sustainable forestry initiatives. The final fibres are biodegradable and can decompose in soil burial or in wastewater treatment plants. Modal® is extracted from beech wood grown on non-arable land.

Lack of transparency in supply chains makes it difficult to verify claims of bamboo’s positive environmental impact.

Taiwan’s Singtex manufactures sustainable yarn and fabrics from spent coffee grounds under the name S.Café®. Meanwhile QMilk is a fibre made from milk, developed in Germany. It produces a silky fabric and only takes two litres of water to make one kilogram of fibre.

WOOL // Wool now accounts for less than 2 per cent of fibre used for apparel but is still a valuable resource for some sectors, especially luxury. Global wool production was in steady decline for many years but is beginning to plateau. Australia remains the world’s largest wool producer for apparel. Sheep farming raises animal welfare issues, such as breeding sheep with extremely heavy fleeces and mulesing (removing strips of wool-bearing skin from the sheep’s breech (buttocks) to prevent flystrike). Increasing demand for cashmere is linked to land degradation in Mongolia and China. Ever larger farmed herds of cashmere goats are damaging fragile grasslands through over-grazing and the impact of their hooves on the soil. Inner Mongolia is experiencing desertification, prompting increasingly severe and wide-reaching dust storms.

TENGRI YAK FIBRE

MORE SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES // Wool certified to the Responsible Wool Standard // Certified organic wool // Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) // Organic Content Standards (OCS) // Yak wool The Responsible Wool Standard was developed in association with industry to certify products that meet certain animal welfare and environmental standards. In response to the environmental issues with cashmere production, there is now a relatively newly formed body, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, which is working with herders to develop a Sustainable Cashmere Standard.

LANIFICIO PAOLETTI

Yak wool Yak wool can be as soft as cashmere and is warmer than merino. As bovines, yaks’ grazing habits cause less damage to fragile eco-systems than those of goats and sheep. Tengri is a London-based social enterprise run in partnership with Mongolian herders, paying them fairly for their fibres to create Tengri Noble Yarns. They also provide fabric woven by British mills. Khunu source from Tibetan yak herders in partnership with iYak and invest 2 per cent of revenue back to the communities they source from.

References: ICAC World Apparel Fibre Consumption Survey, 2013 Textile Exchange (2016) Organic Cotton Market Report 2016 WWD Higg MSI website Oerlikon The Fiber Year 2009/10 FENC Corp press release WWF cotton: a water wasting crop UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (2015) The Water Footprint of Cotton Consumption Fairtrade Foundation NRDC Clean by Design NDRC Cashmere factsheet Material Impacts Responsible Wool Standard Company websites for Repreve, Teijin, Econyl Websites for Lenzing (https://www.lenzing.com/home.html), Singtex (http://www.singtex.com/skin/?Id=19) and QMilk (http://de.qmilk.eu/presite/index_en.html) Websites for Tengri Noble Yarns (http://www.tengri.co.uk/), Khunu (http://www.khunu.com/)

MEMBER DIRECTORY Relevant SOURCE members who supply sustainable and innovative fabrics and fibres

BARKHA’S CUSTOM SOURCING PRODUCTS

Custom sourcing company providing clients with organic and ethically certified fabrics and textiles

ETHICS

Supporting businesses to source ethically from concept to finished product, GOTS certified

USP

Organic and ethically sourced fabrics from fair trade mills and skilled artisans based in India, Nepal and the USA

LEAD TIMES

Custom fabric 3-4 months

CONTACT

Barkha Malik [email protected] +1 4046269292 USA www.barkhascustomsourcing.com

BEBE COTTON KNITTING PRODUCTS

Organic cotton, Cupro, Modal, and Tencel printed fabrics

ETHICS

GOTS / Oeko Tex / Eco-cert certified

USP

Over 35 years of quality delivery, vertically integrated producing its own fabrics, strong design aesthetic for the fashion market

LEAD TIMES

4-6 weeks

ORDER INFO

$3-15USD/m Up to 2m free sampling Min 300m production 20,000m monthly capacity

CONTACT

Pamela Kuo [email protected] +886-2 22981811 Taiwan www.bebeknit.com.tw

BOTANICA TINCTORIA PRODUCTS

Trims, ribbons, tapes, broderie anglaise, hand-crocheted lace and rick rack as well as high quality Eri silk embroidery thread in a 14-colour palette.

ETHICS

Made from locally milled, GOTS certified organic cotton and organic Eri silk in a closed loop system, innovative use of natural dyes such as indigo and madder

USP

Naturally dyed, very high quality and innovative thread and trims

LEAD TIMES

Bespoke trims and colours 6-9 months

ORDER INFO

No minimums

CONTACT

Rachel Machenry [email protected] +1 4165399157 Canada www.botanicatinctoria.com

COTTON MADE IN AFRICA SERVICES

A certified sustainability standard, a network of African cotton suppliers, and communication tools to show customers that their purchase has positive social impact

ETHICS

Helping people help themselves, improving the living conditions of African small holder farmers

USP

Integrating raw materials with social and environmental added value into your products in a way that is transparent and cost-neutral, of good quality, without up-charges, available globally and at any time

CONTACT

Tina Stridde [email protected] +4940 64617971 Germany www.cottonmadeinafrica.org

ECOLOGICAL TEXTILES PRODUCTS

Organic cotton/linen/wool, naturally dyed yarns and fabrics, natural dyes, jerseys, Tencel, bark cloth, Japanese cotton, printed poplins, felt and plush fleece

ETHICS

GOTS certified, use of natural dyes

USP

Natural dyes and fibres, developed own range of innovative natural fabrics, stocks leading textiles difficult to find in Europe

LEAD TIMES

1 week

ORDER INFO

5m minimum

CONTACT

Marita Bartelet [email protected] +31 475334073 Netherlands www.ecologicaltextiles.nl

FAIRTRADE (UK, CA, NZ, AUS) SERVICES

Globally recognised FAIRTRADE mark available for cotton and certain products; brand new Fairtrade Sourcing Programme available for cotton, helping you source more Fairtrade cotton as part of your sustainable cotton mix

ETHICS

To secure a better deal and improved terms of trade for cotton farmers in the development world

USP

Helping companies increase their use of sustainable cotton - showing their customers and stakeholders their commitment to ethical sourcing

CONTACT

Fairtrade Foundation UK - Subindu Garkhel [email protected] +44 02074407674 | www.fairtrade.org.uk Fairtrade Canada & USA - Victoria Reichel [email protected] +1 6135633351 | www.fairtrade.ca Fairtrade Australia & NZ - Pravin Sawmy [email protected] +64 99204950 | www.fairtrade.org.nz

FEE UHSSI PRODUCTS

Eco friendly and ethical fabrics from Africa and Europe

ETHICS

Hand woven, eco-friendly dyes, natural fibres; supporting local tailors in Mali, collaboration with Heba Women Project to support education and work opportunities for women from ethnic minorities in London

USP

Beautiful African printed fabrics for high end fashion

CONTACT

Felli Uhssi [email protected] +44 7903676648 United Kingdom www.feeuhssi.com

GCHANDMADE PRODUCTS

Cashmere products - beautiful quality, high-end, handspun

ETHICS

Working with women artisans in Nepal and Bangladesh

USP

Cashmere is crafted into something of timeless beauty by women weavers and dyers

LEAD TIMES

20 days sampling, 45 days production

ORDER INFO

Minimum 15 pcs per size/weave, 3 pcs per colour

CONTACT

Gabriella Cocco-Greaves [email protected] +977 9801101863 Nepal www.gchandmade.com

GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILES STANDARD SERVICE

The world’s leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibres via 17 approved certification bodies

MISSION

Organic textiles will become a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people’s lives and the environment

KEY BUSINESS BENEFIT

The GOTS stamp of approval means every link in the textile supply chain has been audited against ecological and social criteria, and is traceable - product security for both seller and buyer

CONTACT

Christopher Stopes [email protected] +44 07966463489 Global Offices www.global-standard.org

INDIGO HANDLOOM PRODUCTS

Silks, khadi, batik and jamdani handloom fabrics and scarves from India, more than 2000 handwoven fabrics available

ETHICS

Reviving ancient craftsmanship techniques, uses AZO-free dyeing, supporting several hundred weavers, dyers, and spinners - working on old-fashioned pit-looms

USP

Ancient techniques revived with a North American and European fashion sensibility

LEAD TIMES

10-12 weeks

ORDER INFO

5m for in stock, 45m for special orders

CONTACT

Smita Paul [email protected] +1 4154005257 USA www.indigohandloom.com

KASSIM DENIM PRODUCTS

Denim fabrics in different compositions and a variety of finishes, innovative denim products including recycled PET and 3D printing

ETHICS

Certifications: BCI cotton, GOTS, Global Recycling Standard, ISO14001, WRAP, Oeko Tex 100, Zero carbon approach

USP

Eco-friendly and innovative denim, major market clients: Levi’s, Mango, VF Corp, Inditex

LEAD TIMES

35-50 days

ORDER INFO

8,000m

CONTACT

Sohail Ahmed [email protected] +92 03332445123 Pakistan www.kassimdenim.com

LANIFICIO PAOLETTI PRODUCTS

Italian carded wool mill supplying to the apparel industry since 1795, custom production

ETHICS

Natural wool from indigenous ‘alpago’ sheep, traceable supply of yarns and fabrics

USP

Superior quality, stunning tweeds, supplying to big name luxury brands: Etro, Chanel, Max Mara, Vivienne Westwood

LEAD TIMES

4 weeks sampling, 8 weeks production

ORDER INFO

7m for samples, 50m for production

CONTACT

Paolo Paoletti [email protected] +39 3466231432 Italy www.blog.lanificiopaoletti.it

NATURE’S FABRICS PRODUCTS

Organic cotton, USA grown cotton, wool, hemp and bamboo viscose

ETHICS

Focus on American made fabrics, most fabrics Oeko Tex 100 certified

USP

Huge range of organic fabrics from lightweight jersey to heavyweight wool, lots of amazing prints

LEAD TIMES

Same day for in stock, up to 12 weeks for bespoke

ORDER INFO

⅛ yard

CONTACT

Jeanne Cain [email protected] +1 8147347137 USA www.naturesfabrics.com

THE SUSTAINABLE ANGLE PRODUCTS

Forward-thinking, cutting-edge fabrics, using the latest processes and technologies Organisers of the ‘Future Fabrics Expo’ - a virtual showcase of sustainable fabrics (25-26 Jan, 2017)

ETHICS

Focus on innovation in textiles for reducing environmental impact

USP

The leaders in curating a collection of fabrics that bridge innovation and sustainability

CONTACT

Charlotte Turner [email protected] +44 7765400638 United Kingdom www.thesustainableangle.org