Sustainability is evolving from a buzzword to a mandate, but it still requires a serious lift to solidify its status as an official priority within the apparel and textile industry. Not until this has occurred will it successfully transition into an engine of innovation and economic growth, able to propel the industry through the significant environmental challenges we’re facing.
To call for action and innovation for the development of sustainable and circular fashion, Interfilière Shanghai, the international sourcing trade fair for the lingerie, swimwear and activewear supply chain organized by Eurovet Asia Ltd, will launch the Green Village at this year’s show, taking place Sept. 26-27 in Shanghai, China.
The dedicated area will display a variety of sustainable sample materials—ranging from fibers and fabrics, to laces and accessories—and will also have sustainable finished products on view. Testex, an independent and global testing and certification organization focused on textiles and leather products (and a Green Village exhibitor), will present a keynote conference on consumer confidence.
Half of the show’s exhibitors are eco-responsible committed, Eurovet said, with pledges touching upon raw material development, adoption of organic cotton and recycled fibers, and Oeko-Tex 100, GOTS and WRAP certification, among many others. Ethical manufacturing commitments will also be well-represented at this year’s show, as some companies tout their production lines employing renewable energy and wastewater management.
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Buyers attending the show should also take note that 21 percent of the exhibitors are able to offer flexible minimum order quantities, according to Eurovet.
“As a trade fair organizer, it is important for us to collaborate closely with our exhibitors and industry professionals, to reinvent the intimates industry towards a greener and more sustainable community,” said Yvette Hu, managing director of Eurovet Asia Ltd. “By initiating the Green Village, we believe that the collective knowhow and innovations proposed by our industry experts will inspire and benefit a wider group of stakeholders.”
Sustainable collaboration on display
Since 2018, Eurovet has been collaborating with different sectors from the Indonesian lingerie industry and collectively joined the develoPPP.de program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in partnership with Sequa gGmbH.
Under the framework of the development partnership, Eurovet initiates different activities to promote sustainable and circular lingerie manufacturers from Indonesia and to contribute to the development of the Indonesian lingerie industry.
As part of this, Eurovet and international sustainability consultancy SuPPPort Ltd. have been helping select textile and lingerie supply chain manufacturers improve their sustainability strategies according to international markets. They’ve also assisted them with enhancing their environmental impact through systematic solid waste and chemical management, as well as improve worker health and safety training through onsite assessments, workshops, lectures and seminars.
These selected manufacturers will participate at Interfilière Shanghai this year to strengthen their international competitiveness and demonstrate innovative circular economy solutions, said Eurovet. On the first day of the show, sustainability expert Marina Chahboune from suPPPort Ltd. will in turn present a conference on “Fiber & Fabric Innovations.”
Eventually, a prototype collection will be developed collaboratively and presented at the show in 2020—along with participating manufacturers and The Maranatha University in Bandung—to showcase the possibilities of circular fashion in the intimate apparel industry, to demonstrate how collaborations and sustainable development can be implemented, and to illustrate how it benefits a large group of stakeholders.
It’s the hope of the organizers of Interfilière Shanghai that building the Green Village and presenting the new keynote conference will promote sustainability and circularity within and beyond the industry—to advocate the integration of a circular economy into the enterprise strategy and to improve the status quo of sustainable development.
Learn more about Interfilière Shanghai and order your free badge to the fair at www.interfiliere-shanghai.com.