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The rise of alternative natural fibres

The rise of alternative natural fibres

In the wide world of agricultural waste lie many long and strong fibres that can be spun into textile yarns. Driven by demand for fabrics that have a cotton-like hand feel and by the plastic-free movement, pineapple, banana and even straw-derived materials are weaving their way into our wardrobes. Denim is an obvious candidate for these relatively coarse raw materials. They come in many forms. Banana stem fibres can ...

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01 February 2024
The dynamics of regenerative cotton The dynamics of regenerative cotton
Believed to build the resilience of both farmers and our planet, regenerative cotton farming is slowly gaining ground.
19 December 2023
Angel’s advocate Angel’s advocate
Armedangels became the latest European fashion brand to join the still-exclusive 100% recycled denim jeans club back in July.
12 December 2023
Brewing a new blue Brewing a new blue
Japan’s reputation for trends acceleration makes it a hotbed for textile and fashion innovation.
05 December 2023
Denim mill’s digital diligence pays off Denim mill’s digital diligence pays off
Mexico-based fabric producer Global Denim has said work it had already done to digitally present its collections paid off in a big way when the covid-19 pandemic hit, and has continued to develop in the post-covid environment.
28 November 2023
Eye in the sky Eye in the sky
Being able to spot the difference between organic and non-organic fields of cotton would be a challenge for most people outside the agricultural sector – particularly from a distance of 700km.
23 November 2023
Stemming the flow of microfibre fluff Stemming the flow of microfibre fluff
The presence of microplastic particles has been scientifically established in the air, the oceans, freshwater, soil and rainfall. Textiles are believed to be responsible for 30% of the tiny fibres that blanket our planet. Research into this pervasive phenomenon is ongoing, as are solutions to capture the fluff in factories. No quick fix for fibre fragmentation, however.
14 November 2023
The fine print The fine print
Open up a pair of good-looking vintage jeans. Lay flat. Scan. Transfer the file to the printer. Press go. Laser cut. Sew. Done. This is the promise of digital age jeans fully printed with authentic-looking fading.
07 November 2023
Schools must connect better to the fashion industry Schools must connect better to the fashion industry
The organisers of Denim Première Vision are launching a denim apparel design initiative for students, with the aim of helping new-generation designers understand how clothing manufacturers work in the real world.
02 November 2023
Into the future with Kaihara Into the future with Kaihara
When it comes to denim mills, it is common enough to think that experienced human eyes and hands are involved in the making of great denim fabrics. Can you imagine a mill without any humans? Your fabrics made by robots? If not, read on, and join me on a trip to Kaihara Denim.
31 October 2023
ITMA, the epitome of work in progress ITMA, the epitome of work in progress
Anticipation was high when industry shopping mecca ITMA opened its doors at Fiera Milano Rho this June. Visitors, numbering more than 100,000, flocked from all corners of the world looking for faster, smarter and more efficient equipment and supplies to power the next generations of denims and jeans.
24 October 2023
A greener shade of blue A greener shade of blue
A year on from the inauguration of BluConnection’s new indigo facility, we find out about how clean production and plant-based auxiliaries can help companies ‘walk the talk’ with a lighter footprint.
28 September 2023
Trash into treasure Trash into treasure
Could proteins from feathers provide the building blocks for a new fibre to rival polyester and silk? Bloom Labs believes it has found a solution that could be a good fit for the denim sector.
07 September 2023
New fibres in the loop New fibres in the loop
The need to increase fibre-to-fibre recycling and lack of progress in achieving this is being called out by every sustainable fashion industry coalition and report.
10 July 2023
Telling the tale of indigo Telling the tale of indigo
We are all familiar with the names of famous Japanese denim mills, located between Kurashiki and Hiroshima.
04 July 2023
Upending ultrasound Upending ultrasound
No sodium hydrosulfite, very little water. High frequency sound waves. This is the new recipe for indigo dyeing that Pure Denim and Sonovia are working on.
14 June 2023
Fibre fightback Fibre fightback
Cotton always seems to bounce back from challenging times. Here, a senior vice-president of industry body Cotton Incorporated explains how.
06 June 2023
Fibres build bridges Fibres build bridges
Political support for linen and hemp is growing in northern France and could result in a new sovereign fund to help growers, scutchers and spinners drive innovation. The industry welcomes this but is also focusing on building bridges with garment brands.
30 May 2023
Sustainability stripes Sustainability stripes
Bestseller ponders some of the key threads that together make up the multidimensional tapestry that is its ever-evolving circularity road map.
23 May 2023
Leading with impact Leading with impact
Epic Group’s executive vice-president of innovation and sustainability, Vidhura Ralapanawe, decodes how its newest ‘green’ micro-factory in Bangladesh leveraged its immediate surroundings to achieve the world’s highest LEED score in its category.
09 May 2023
Fittingly inclusive, ahead of the curve Fittingly inclusive, ahead of the curve
A leather bag designer decided to create a perfect pair of jeans. Her first step? Getting rid of standard industry measurements.
02 May 2023
Infinite colour Infinite colour
Dyeing is considered one of the most polluting processes in the textile industry, and growing garment waste is an issue the industry can no longer shrug off.
25 April 2023
Room for nuance Room for nuance
‘Out-of-the-blue’ denim products make up a small part of the market, but they play an important role in providing variety in the all-indigo world of blue jeans.
18 April 2023
Not so limited Not so limited
If you have never been to Bangladesh, you should be prepared to see quite a difference between its former reputation and expectations and today’s reality. A telling example is the Denim Expert Ltd’s ready-made garment factory in Chittagong.
11 April 2023
Garment workers go legal over Tesco Thai ties Garment workers go legal over Tesco Thai ties
Lawyers in the UK have begun legal proceedings on behalf of garment workers in Asia in a potential landmark case. Retail group Tesco and quality and safety audit body Intertek face action over the alleged treatment of workers at a jeans factory in Thailand.
28 March 2023
A new route forward A new route forward
Advance Denim’s general manager, Amy Wang, takes stock of the competitive advantages of the company’s latest factory, challenging the “common” misconception that Vietnamese-made denim is in any way “more basic”.
21 March 2023
Fair and square Fair and square
With the fashion industry’s complex global supply chain and factories located in low-wage countries, ensuring production workers receive decent pay is not easy.
07 March 2023
Customer care Customer care
Originally based in Syria, Sharabati Denim operates two facilities, one in Egypt and the other in Kadirli, in the south of Turkey, where construction began in 2015. With continued investment in new generation equipment, this site has progressively expanded to double and mirror the production of the Egyptian mill.
21 February 2023
Circular engineering Circular engineering
With growing demand for recycled content of any kind and a pressing need to find suitable and sustainable solutions for waste, excess stock and end-of-life clothes, denim mills are investing in closing the loop themselves.
14 February 2023
Making a way Making a way
His eternal optimism in a world of indigo means one of denim’s leading lights has for the first time taken the brand that started it, Daily Blue, back to the drawing board.
07 February 2023
Closer cotton connections Closer cotton connections
If we want cotton in the next thirty years, we need to support small farmers and their communities. This is not the only reason, but the long-term vision driving the development of direct-to-grower programmes. Their ambition is to bridge the wide gap, a chasm really, between global brands and individual farms.
24 January 2023
That laser focus That laser focus
It is a waterless, non-chemical technology that replicates the varied washing and distressing that the denim industry indulges in.
03 January 2023
The new Denim Authority The new Denim Authority
20 December 2022
Mexico must invest in advanced technology Mexico must invest in advanced technology
Jeanologia’s José Luis García says the denim industry in Mexico has good prospects for growth as western brands scale down sourcing in Asia.
13 December 2022
The quest for common metrics The quest for common metrics
The need to back sustainable practices with bona fide third-party certification has led to the development of countless labels and standards serving the varied environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies of brands and retailers.
06 December 2022
Leaving ‘his or hers’ behind Leaving ‘his or hers’ behind
The growing popularity of gender-free denim design highlights limitations in the traditional men’s-or-women’s approach to retail.
29 November 2022
Science, skill and scope Science, skill and scope
In a 300,000m2 facility located in Inegol, near Bursa, Turkey’s industrial hub, Isko produces some 300 million meters of fabric every year.
22 November 2022
The skinny on elasticity The skinny on elasticity
Skinny jeans remain top sellers, but looser styles are chipping away at their long-standing market dominance. Comfort, which relies on a measure of stretch, remains a top priority for consumers, but goes against sustainable design guidelines that discourage fibre blends.
15 November 2022
Aiming at the ecosystem Aiming at the ecosystem
Mud Jeans has long found favour with its commitment to bettering the denim ecosystem.
08 November 2022
New thinking about dyeing New thinking about dyeing
In their quest to reduce the impacts of their products, brands and retailers are quick to promote a switch to more sustainable fibres. But indigo dyeing is a major industry hotspot that makes headlines when rivers turn blue.
01 November 2022
Forever filtered Forever filtered
An innovative water treatment system at Cone Denim’s facility in Parras, Mexico, takes reverse osmosis to new heights.
19 October 2022
Hemp high and low Hemp high and low
For some, hemp and denim have a strong connection. For others, it is and will forever remain a minor fibre. Both camps have a point. Its place and role in the industry may however evolve as an infrastructure builds up to process this alternative fibre.
05 July 2022
Romans empire Romans empire
Tilmann Wröbel visits 1083, a French brand and manufacturer that is among a growing number of companies showing that, with a little determination, supply chains can be established and textiles jobs created domestically.
28 June 2022
Partners prepare to take AeoniQ forward Partners prepare to take AeoniQ forward
Last year, HeiQ introduced AeoniQ yarn as a climate-positive (the raw materials capture rather than emit carbon) alternative to polyester and nylon. Now the fashion world is paying careful attention.
21 June 2022
Britain’s rich and varied denim landscape Britain’s rich and varied denim landscape
A meander around the UK reveals an enthusiastic core of talented designers, dedicated consultants and skilful makers.

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