has worked out a chemical recycling process for used mattresses which breaks down flexible polyurethane back to its two building blocks. Laboratory tests have successfully started at the Schwarzheide site in Brandenburg, Germany. Most mattresses are thrown away after an average of ten years, squandering resources and creating high quantities of waste.Pic: Shutterstock“The materials are to be recycled in such a way that they can be used for the production of new mattresses,” explains Shankara Kee

NEW YORK - Textile producer Clerici Tessuto has joins forces with environmental group Parley for the Oceans to produce luxury fabrics using recycled polyester yarn made from marine plastic.The agreement aims to combine high-end fabric production skills with Parley’s upcycled Ocean Plastic GRS (Global Recycle Standard) yarn which is made from upcycled plastic debris from beaches, islands and coastal communities.Parley founder and CEO Cyrill Gutsch said: “Together we invite consumers to join the m

Turkey's protective clothing and mask exports hit $573.4 million in the first half of this year amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to head of Istanbul Apparel Exporters' Association (IHKIB) Mustafa Gültepe, who recently said the country witnessed a record high year-on-year (YoY) growth of 986 per cent between January and June.Pic: ShutterstockThe country exported $144.7 million worth of masks and $428.7 worth of protective clothing in the first six months of this year, he sai

Though stores have reopened and industry is finding its ways to return to normalcy, safety of workers and customers continue to remain the biggest priorities for retailers – though there are those worrying occasional hiccups.Image Courtesy: independent.co.ukThe English sportswear retailer JD Sports started a mobile testing laboratory at its warehouse in Rochdale (on Kingsway Business Park) after some of its workers tested positive for COVID-19.The cases came to the forefront through a local trac

The COVID-19 pandemic is triggering an unmatched disturbance to the global economy. The subsequent socio-economic impact is being spread through different channels.And Bangladesh’s stance in a vulnerable position to tackle the economic impact of COVID-19, as its textile and apparel industry provides over 80% of its export.Figure:Bangladesh needs to remodel it’s apparel industry to manufacture high-end products in post-COVID-19.This ultimately push Bangladesh readymade garment (RMG) industry to s

Belarusian textile company Orsha Linen Mill is modernising its garment factory at a cost of more than Br3 million ($1.23 million). The company processes linen fibre and produces fabrics as well as finished piece and sewing products from them. All groups of finished pieces including men's, women's, and children's clothing are made at the sewing factory.Orsha began modernising its garment factory in late 2019 with the main goal of increasing output capacity and product choice. The fact

In its first quarter (Q1) FY20, Bed Bath & Beyond, a US-based omnichannel retailer, has reported 49 per cent sales decline to $1.3 billion compared to sales of $2.5 billion in same period last year. However, digital channels for the quarter ended on May 30, 2020, grew 82 per cent, including growth in excess of 100 per cent during April and May.Whereas sales from stores, of which 90 per cent of the company's total fleet were closed during the majority of the quarter, dropped 77 per cent.“

Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd., the Japan-based knitting machine provider, unveils the latest subscription-based design software and two web services to help companies in their digital transformation journey.Image Courtesy: Through the innovation, the technology supplier is also extending support to the business to combat challenges of COVID-19 and to streamline their workflow which is being done remotely and digitally.Moreover, the solution will also help in reducing the waste thus achieving sustainabi

SAN FRANCISCO – Levi’s is the latest apparel brand to agree to pay its suppliers for goods they produced amidst the pandemic, joining the likes of H&M, Adidas, Inditex and many more who’ve promised to support those in their supply chains.Since the pandemic began to take ahold of the planet, the fashion industry has been divided in its efforts to protect workers, with some brands agreeing to pay for goods in-production – that they may have not necessarily wanted as a result of suppressed cons

Popular Japanese department storeTakashimaya is one of the retailers dealing with mounting losses due to the ongoing pandemic.Image Courtesy: asia.nikkei.comThe retailer reported 20,530 million yen or US $ 190 million in losses for the May quarter blaming COVID-19-related costs and falling sales.This is the first time the company has reported losses ever since it started disclosing quarterly earnings in February 2004. In March-May quarter of 2019, Takashimaya posted a net profit of 10,597 millio