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Sustainable Textile School to focus on recycling and sourcing issues

By Andy Rhodes 15 March 2018

There is a growing desire from the entire textile industry to invest in sustainable technologies, materials and manufacturing processes to ease the strain on the environment.

Informing students, professionals and the wider industry about the role they play in this is the aim of the Sustainable Textile School, which will be held in Chemnitz, Germany, on 10-12 September 2018.

The event, now in its second year, will feature a programme of theoretical and practical presentations delivered by industry experts, as well as a number of workshops for delegates to learn more about textile sustainability.

Sustainable focus

The event, a Gherzi Group and TU Chemnitz joint project, will see 10 lectures and five accompanying presentations focusing on the main sourcing and recycling issues the textile industry is currently facing. Compared to the previous event, which took place last year, the 2018 edition will feature longer and more informative lectures combined with workshops which, according to delegate feedback, were the most popular formats last year.

The 2017 event saw each of its three days dedicated to a different area, with fibres, chemicals and fabric and transformation having dedicated programmes. This year’s revamped five-focus format will include activities on the wider supply chain and politics. The five areas will be:

1. Resources: It will cover topics such as fibre production, usage and consumption, as well as implications for fabric production and recycling.
2. Production fabric: An overview will be provided of different manufacturing methods, which will be compared regarding their ecological impact.
3. Textile chemistry: Experts will shed light on different ‘wet processes’ in textile production like ‘garnavivage’ and garment washing.
4. Supply chain: One of the central issues will be how a transparent supply chain can be built.
5. Politics: There is a huge number of licences and labels. The event will analyse which of those can foster sustainability in a trustworthy way.

This year also sees the return of the Environmental Innovation Prize. According to the event’s organisers, “the focus of the assessment is set on practically and environmentally-friendly subsequent utilisation processes and ground-breaking recycling, enabling to save resources and transferring to closed loops.” Furthermore, new sources and business models for producing high-quality and sustainable textile products having a long-life and usage are a key part of this year’s prize. Proposals for the award are still welcome.

Organisers have also announced the Advisory Board of the Sustainable Textile School 2018. “We are honoured that the following international experts have accepted our invitation to join the Advisory Board of the STS 2018: Mark Jarvis (World Textile Information Network); Charlotte Turner (Eco Age); Dr Pamela Ravasio (European Outdoor Group); Karla Magruder (Fabricology); Christina Raab (ZDHC); Sonja Amport (STF); Guiseppe Gherzi (Gherzi Organisation); Dr Reiner Hengstmann (go4more.global); and Mag Lorenz Wied will work together with the STS organisation and the STFI, represented by its executive scientific director Prof Yves-Simon Gloy to build a valuable programme and connect players from the global textile value chains,” say organisers.

Textile University 4.0

The Sustainable Textile School is also currently working on new content for its Textile Online University 4.0, which will use the “tools of digitisation to communicate new knowledge, technologies and business models across the entire industry,” according to STS. The school will launch its debut courses at this year’s event.

For more information on the Sustainable Textile School 2018, visit: https://sustainable-textile-school.com/. 

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