More and more brands and retailers in the sporting goods industry are currently investing in the development of a repair service so that end consumers no longer have to throw away their products when they are broken. New business models are emerging to support this development. Of course, this is first and foremost about sustainability. But there is much more to the topic of repair, especially for the sports industry.
The idea is actually very old: things that are broken or worn out are repaired so that they can be used for many more years. But because production and use are now often so far apart that they usually even take place on different continents, many repair services have gradually disappeared - and not just in the sporting goods industry. As a result, when something breaks, it is simply bought new. Replacing instead of repairing is the motto that more and more manufacturers have taken to heart. They prefer to replace defective products under warranty with new ones rather than repair the old ones. Today we know that this development is damaging our planet and therefore also us humans. That's why a lot is changing - including when it comes to repairs. After all, repair and care services are currently experiencing a brilliant comeback at retailers and manufacturers.
"We want to become the number one workshop in German sports retail," says Michael Kiess, Leader Service Experience at Decathlon Germany, during the opening of a national repair workshop in the Decathlon store in Munich. It is the third in the whole of Germany. Special repair services that require special knowledge or machines are bundled here. Customers can also have their products serviced and repaired in all 90 Decathlon stores in Germany. This applies not only to products from the Decathlon brand family, but generally to sports products from all brands. The company currently offers 21 different repair processes in Germany. The focus and most frequently used service is in the area of cycling and mobility with products such as bicycles, scooters and skates. There are also repair services for winter sports equipment, mountain sports equipment (such as tents), water sports equipment (such as SUPs and kayaks) and fitness equipment. Clothing is also repaired. In 2023, Decathlon repaired around 120,000 products in Germany and more than 2.7 million products worldwide.
More use with fewer products is the retail group's motto. To achieve this, seven more regional workshops are to be added over the next three years. The locations in Hamburg and Berlin have already been decided. "We want to set up such workshops in all regions in Germany in order to save transportation routes and, of course, time," continues Kiess. Repair cafés, separate small workshops that are not integrated into existing branches and spare parts vending machines (such as
"tube vending machines" for bicycle tubes) are also on the agenda. Decathlon wants to repair 500,000 products in Germany by 2027 - around four times as many as today.
More and more retailers and brands are expanding or launching their repair service. The repair service is also growing at multi-brand retailer Globetrotter. "Last year, 33,000 repairs were carried out - and the trend is still rising," says Christiane Gawlik, Product Lifecycle Manager at Globetrotter. After Globetrotter opened its first repair workshop in Dresden in 2018, 16 other stores have since been equipped with them. There is also a central workshop in Ludwigslust. In the long term, all 22 stores will operate their own workshops. Through new workshop partnerships, such as with Ortlieb or, since August, with Vaude, additional services are constantly being added to meet the growing demand.
Manufacturers that still produce at their headquarters or continue to operate their own workshops there have often been offering repairs for decades - such as Lowa or Schöffel. But Schöffel has also noticed that demand is growing. "Last year we had around 4,900 repairs in our Service Factory, this year it will be around 5,500," explains Ludwig Schuster, Head of the Schöffel Service Factory at the company headquarters in Schwabmünchen. The repair service has been around since 1961. "In the past, it was more for reasons of thrift - people wanted to repair rather than replace things - and today it is mainly for reasons of sustainability," says Schuster.
Young brands such as the French sneaker brand Veja have also been relying on repair services since the company introduced the "Clean, Repair and Collect" project in 2020. As a result, Veja's flagship stores, which opened in Brooklyn, New York, and London in April this year, have had their own workshops for several years. Here, customers can have their shoes cleaned and repaired, or hand them in for recycling if they cannot be repaired. To date, Veja has repaired over 20,000 pairs of shoes from all brands.
Repair services are by no means a privilege of clothing manufacturers. "We don't see a big difference for hard goods," says Eicke Thiele, Sales and Marketing Director of the outdoor equipment brand Exped. "In fact, the repair of these sometimes valuable products has a greater impact than with clothing." Repairing tents and sleeping mats is often very costly, "but these are often products with a comparably large footprint; therefore, conversely, we also see great potential for the repair of textile hard goods and products that can be used for a long time," Thiele continues.
However, demand is not only increasing because more and more people want to have their products repaired, but also because other circular services are directly related to this. "If necessary, we also repair purchased second-hand items before they go on sale," explains Gawlik from Globetrotter. Combining a second-hand range with a repair service simply makes sense if the aim is to extend the lifespan of products. Decathlon also sees the repair service as a key element in further efforts to increase circularity. "Without repair, we wouldn't be able to offer any of our other circularity services," explains Kiess. In addition to repairs, there is also a buy-back service where Decathlon buys back used products, repairs them and resells them as second-hand products. A rental service for sports equipment is also being launched. Here too, the products have to be continuously maintained and repaired before they can be rented out again.
Even sleeping bags are suitable as rental products. This is the experience of the British outdoor supplier Rab. Rab has been offering a rental program since 2022 and encourages its customers to rent rather than buy rarely used products. The most popular rental items are the most technical sleeping bags and expedition equipment, and these need to be cleaned, waterproofed and, if necessary, repaired after each use. The rental service is still limited to the UK, but expansion is planned.
Repairs are costly. Exped invested a third of the company's profit in sustainability projects in 2023, says Eicke Thiele, "the repair department played a major role. After all, repairing a product is much more expensive than taking it back, throwing it away and giving customers a new product in exchange." For Exped, running the repair department is a major investment. And because the demand for repairs is growing on the part of both brands and consumers, more and more service providers are emerging to support brands and retailers.
Sustainability pioneer Patagonia, for example, is working with the United Repair Center (URC) in Europe. The URC was founded in Amsterdam in 2022 and operates another branch in London. The next branch is to be established in France. A total of eleven brands already use the URC service. The most recent addition was The North Face, "and we will be announcing a number of new partnerships in the coming months," says Thami Schweichler, CEO of the United Repair Center. The URC not only repairs clothing, but also tents, sleeping bags and more. Brands benefit from outsourcing the service because they can use the URC's cross-brand expertise without having to invest in their own infrastructure and training. This increases efficiency on all sides. Schweichler: "Our focus on high-quality, scalable repair services ensures that brands can offer their customers this valuable service efficiently and cost-effectively."
Efficiency is an important keyword. The repair process is time-consuming and cost-intensive and involves many stages, from contact with customers and communication with service providers to logistics and spare parts procurement. The more people and departments are involved, the more complicated it becomes. This was precisely the motivation behind the cooperation between the ski brand Fusalp and the French startup Prolong. Fusalp had long handled its repairs and care services via its own workshop or via retail partners who commissioned local workshops. However, not everywhere with the same quality and speed. Prolong therefore developed a B2B software as a business idea that enables Fusalp and other brands to offer all services cost-efficiently in all sales channels, in the online store, in its own stores and with wholesale partners, and across all markets. Prolong not only digitizes the processes, but also connects the brands with suitable workshops that can carry out services such as repairs, modifications, maintenance or personalization. Prolong is firmly convinced that services such as repairs, maintenance and customization have potential and generate new sales.
Ultimately, however, repair is not just about greater sustainability, meeting demand or efficiency. If you can repair something, you know your trade. Setting up a repair service is therefore always an investment in brand image and customer loyalty. Decathlon has also understood this and it is no coincidence that its workshops are located in the stores with large glass fronts facing the sales area. "We are also concerned with credibility and trust," explains Michael Kiess from Decathlon. "With our own repair service and specialized employees in the workshop, we can show our customers our expertise, which also creates trust."
Anyone who wants to repair a product is usually emotionally attached to it. If a brand finds a good solution for this, it collects sympathy points, and that also pays off. "Repair and maintenance services have considerable potential as sales drivers. They increase brand loyalty, show commitment to sustainability and can attract environmentally conscious consumers, which increases overall sales," says Thami Schweichler from the URC. Schöffel, which uses repair as a marketing theme, has had similar experiences. "We use the service to increase the touchpoints with our customers and regularly receive good feedback in return. We actually become a problem-solving aid for them," says Ludwig Schuster from Schöffel. Similar to Patagonia with its Worn Wear program, Schöffel toured Germany this spring to provide repair services for customers in cooperation with local retailers. The interest from retailers was so great that Schöffel had to do a lot of curating.
Repaired products have almost achieved a special status. They clearly show that they have been used for a long time and that they are worth using for even longer. Visible patches are therefore not a flaw, but a distinction that brands can flirt with. Like Rab, for example. With the Second Stitch program, Rab deliberately repairs with leftover fabrics and offcuts, even if they don't exactly resemble the original fabrics.
not exactly look like the original fabrics. Why? It gives these products a story, it makes them unmistakable and unique.
Sports can catalyze sustainable transformation. What at first sounds a bit farfetched, becomes comprehensible when you listen to Laurent Petit. The Belgian living in Berlin is the founder of Active Giving. An app that enables its users to contribute to social and environmental projects while working out. At the same time, Laurent Petit is also contributing his expertise as Impact Venture Development Manager at NEEW Ventures. A company that develops impact-orientated start-ups in the field of the circular economy. We sat down with Laurent to discover how change through community activation is possible.
Absolutely. My passion for sports started early in life but truly took shape in my 20s when I realized it has profound benefits on both mental and physical health. My move to Berlin introduced me to the city's dynamic community sports scene, which deeply influenced my perspective. It was during a solo cycling tour across Europe that I envisioned Active Giving. The concept was simple but powerful: harness the energy of physical activities to drive environmental initiatives, such as tree planting, financed through partnerships with brands.
Sure, our platform tracks the physical activities of our users—like running, cycling, or yoga—and converts these activities into a monetary equivalent that our partnering brands fund to support environmental projects. This model not only promotes physical health but also motivates our users to contribute to environmental sustainability actively.
It’s all about creating meaningful partnerships. We collaborate with brands that share our commitment to sustainability and are willing to transparently invest in environmental projects. This helps ensure that the funds are used effectively and that the brands see real value in their contributions, which is essential for maintaining long-term partnerships.
Transparency is key. Brands must be open about their efforts and the results of their sustainability initiatives. Brands must integrate their environmental strategies into their core business practices rather than treating them as just marketing tactics. They should also involve their community in these efforts by providing clear, actionable ways for consumers to contribute, which strengthens trust and builds a loyal customer base.
Building a community is essential. A strong community can drive change more effectively than individuals acting alone. For brands, this means not only engaging consumers through marketing but actively participating in the community's sustainability efforts. Hosting events, organizing clean-ups, or running workshops are great ways for brands to engage directly with their communities and build lasting relationships.
One standout example is our collaboration with a major sports brand where we organized a series of runs. The energy from these runs was converted into a substantial donation to reforestation projects. This not only helped raise awareness about the brand’s commitment to sustainability but also showed the community the tangible impact of their collective efforts.
Companies should focus on sustainability as an integral part of their identity, not just a secondary aspect of their business. This involves setting clear, measurable goals and regularly reporting on progress. It’s also vital for companies to listen to their stakeholders and adjust their strategies based on feedback and evolving environmental standards.
Sports have a unique power to unite people and can be a significant driver for promoting sustainability. As awareness of environmental issues grows, I believe we'll see more sports organizations and brands leveraging this power to inspire positive changes, not just in terms of environmental impact but also in promoting social and economic sustainability.
Thank you, Claudia. I’m hopeful our discussion will inspire more individuals and companies to take active roles in sustainability, leveraging sports as a powerful catalyst for change.
Sport is no longer a male preserve. More and more women are conquering the big stages - on the soccer pitch, in athletics or every day in the gym. Athletes like the Brazilian footballer Marta Vieira da Silva or German long jump star Malaika Mihambo are role models and inspire girls and women worldwide. Managers such as FC Bayern women's soccer boss Bianca Rech and Julia Retzlaff, Managing Director of the German Volleyball Bundesliga, show that women are successfully at the forefront of sports management. And scientists such as Prof. Dr. Jana Strahler draw attention to the female body. Change is in full swing - but there is still more to come for Women in sport...
Almost half of humanity is female! According to the United Nations, 3.976 billion women and girls live around the globe - that's 49.7% (as of 2022). Studies assume that 30 to 40 percent of women worldwide play sport - although there are major differences between countries:
The Olympic Games in Paris were the most gender-balanced in history. "This milestone is a testament to the tireless efforts and remarkable achievements of women athletes who are breaking records, overcoming stereotypes and inspiring future generations," says the UN Women website. Even though the world of women's sport is changing and receiving unprecedented attention and recognition, there is still a long way to go to achieve equality in sport.
Brazilian footballer Marta Vieira da Silva is just one example of many successful female athletes who have realized that something needs to change. That girls and women all over the world need female role models to give them the courage to live their (sporting) dreams. "I come from a very small town and back then there were no other girls playing soccer in my town. People said soccer wasn't for women. They said I wouldn't make it. Today, I want to use my story to encourage girls everywhere to work towards their goal in which whatever area that may be - in sport, in life, at work," says the UN Women Germany website.
The German long jumper Malaika Mihambo is also a successful female role model. With her association "Malaikas Herzsprung", the Olympic champion is committed to ensuring that primary school children can develop their sporting and personal skills alongside their school sport. She creates the financial framework conditions for membership of the athletics club. Primary school pupils - girls and boys - receive at least one year's free membership of an athletics club in their local area. At ISPO Munich 2024, the Heidelberg native will provide insights into her impressive career as a long jumper and take the audience to the finals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024. In a candid interview, she talks about her path to success, explains how sport can promote self-confidence and how she motivates herself every day. Mihambo also talks about everyday racism and what limits discrimination and exclusion should have.
Women are not little men - that should have gotten around by now. Similar to medicine, there is a large research gap between male and female athletes. As the German news magazine Der Spiegel writes: "Since ancient times, the male body has been considered the norm. The suffering of women was ignored, trivialized, ridiculed." This "gender data gap" has serious consequences for female athletes and even endangers their health.
Research into women-specific training methods, such as cycle-oriented training, is still in its infancy. According to Prof. Dr. Jana Strahler (University of Freiburg), there is a lack of generally applicable guidelines for athletic performance over the course of the menstrual cycle due to a lack of high-quality studies. Although studies (McNulty 2020, Sports Med) show a possible higher endurance performance in the early follicular phase, the influence of the cycle on endurance remains unclear.
There are positive effects of strength training in the follicular phase, but they are probably less than the individual adaptability of female athletes. In the area of injuries, the anterior cruciate ligament has been well studied: Women have up to 9.5 times the risk of cruciate ligament ruptures in soccer, which is partly related to anatomy and hormonal influences.
However, Prof. Strahler - who is working on the topic "Effects of the menstrual cycle in competitive sport" at the German Trainers' Summit conference as part of ISPO Munich 2024 is a guest - in this context: "We must not reflexively explain every gender difference with the menstrual cycle. Instead, factors that have to do with gender, but not biology, should be taken into account. The fact that female athletes are more susceptible to certain injuries could not only be hormonal, but also structural: with less professional training conditions and poorer medical, rehabilitative and physiotherapeutic as well as material care."
3,976,000,000 women and girls live in the world - and they are not little men. They have different needs and their bodies function differently. For example, according to Prof. Strahler, the body temperature rises by 0.5 to 1 degree during menstruation. This is relevant for warming up, but also for warming down and regeneration. "Materials that are particularly breathable and temperature-regulating during these phases are recommended." There are also studies from the field of competitive sports that show "that a good sports bra is not only important for breast health - it also improves performance". In terms of racing performance, the sports psychologist cites an improvement of up to seven percent with the right sports bra.
However, in reality, sports bras are a difficult topic for female athletes. Biathlete Selina Grotian sees a need to catch up: "Sports bras also sometimes have unfavorable seams and are not always optimal, especially in combination with the chest strap. Although I clean the chest straps, they always have an unpleasant smell." Lara Lessmann feels the same way. The BMX rider would like sports bras "that fit well and don't slip".
Another point that sporting goods manufacturers could pay more attention to, according to Prof. Strahler: "Has the material, the article also been tested on women?" Because women also attach great importance to function and form. Adventurer Sophie Planque is regularly annoyed by the fact that "the men's product is often more resistant than the women's product".
Maria Paulsson Rönnbäck and Jemina Pomoell don't have to worry about whether the item has been tested on women. The two Scandinavians have created an outdoor brand by women for women: Astrid Wild is a Swedish outdoor brand and one of the few companies in the industry founded by women. After five years of successfully establishing itself among female outdoor consumers in Scandinavia, the Swedish brand recently launched its online store for Germany. Whether Kari Traa, La Munt, Girlfriend Collective or Jeanne Baret - brands for women are booming. These brands have recognized that women have special needs when it comes to sportswear.
The leadership role of women in sport is a crucial factor in driving investment and better sport policy in relation to gender equality goals, states UN Women. Although considerable progress has been made over the past ten years, there are still gaps, according to the organization.
Take Germany, for example:
The organization is therefore considering introducing a quota for its general assembly, even if this may seem like "a tactical challenge for some". However, it is important to reflect that this is not a question of losing power, but rather a move that strengthens the entire team.
Women in management positions bring a variety of perspectives, skills and experiences that broaden the range of strategies and approaches. The equal participation of women also has a positive effect on the consideration and inclusion of other groups that have previously only been given rudimentary or no consideration at all in decision-making processes.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made some progress here: 41% of its members are female - 100% more than in 2013 - and there is more diversity in terms of age and regional representation (source: UN Woman).
In 2024, there is not a single woman on the Forbes list of the 50 highest-paid athletes in the world. This is despite the fact that the consulting firm Deloitte has found that sponsoring women pays off sevenfold. For every dollar a corporate sponsor spends on women's sport, they get more than seven dollars back. "One of the biggest hurdles that marketers quietly whisper is that brands know they should be doing more for women's sport but don't know where to start," writes English Marketing Week.
Of course, there is also positive news. For example, according to the latest data from Sports United, the number of sponsorship deals in women's professional sport has increased by more than 22 percent compared to the previous year, or Caitlin Clark, superstar of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), has secured an unprecedented sponsorship deal as brand ambassador for sporting goods giant Wilson in 2024.
And what about lucrative sponsorship contracts for female athletes in Germany? Three experts will talk about this at the Sport Marke Medien conference as part of ISPO Munich 2024: Bianca Rech, Director of Women's Soccer, FC Bayern, Julia Retzlaff, Managing Director, Volleyball Bundesliga, and Jessica Weber, Head of Sponsoring, Allianz Germany.
The second women's team sports conference took place in Berlin in October. Despite the enormous potential for success, women's team sports in Germany still lag behind their male counterparts in many respects. According to the organizers, sustainable change must take place at various levels. With this conference, the interest group of German team sports associations "Teamsport Deutschland" is promoting a close alliance between sport and politics "in order to overcome this major and important challenge together". Without support, women's sport will not be able to pick up speed and Germany will fall further behind in international comparison. The Scandinavian countries are already far better positioned. One reason for this is that gender equality also increases the prospect of sporting success. For example, the Norwegian Football Association decided back in 2017 to pay female national team players the same amount as their male colleagues. In addition, the small country completely changed its sports funding and sports concept after its poor performance at the Winter Games in Calgary - with success.
Someone who knows all about these issues is Britta Ernst, President of Special Olympics Germany, former Minister for Education, Youth and Sport
Brandenburg. She will be speaking as part of the "Sport, Brand, Media" congress at ISPO Munich 2024. Her keynote speech will not only address the question of where Germany stands political reality, but also what responsibilities and necessities there are to make sport and youth work accessible to all.
Microfiber pollution is a growing environmental concern, especially with synthetics making up 57% of global fiber production. These fibers contribute to microplastics in our oceans and even our food. ISPO explores innovative solutions like Ciclo's biodegradable polyester and nylon, aiming to reduce microfiber pollution while maintaining the durability of synthetic materials. Is biodegradability the answer to the microfiber crisis?
Synthetics remain the majority fiber stake in the recently published Materials Market Report from Textile Exchange; global fiber production reached an all-time high of 124 million tonnes in 2023. Polyester alone accounted for 57 percent of total fiber production, including recycled and virgin fiber. So, the takeaway from this news is that synthetics are here to stay. Development continues in recycled fiber, but slowly due to limitations in recycled technology. Bio-based developments also continue.
One of the leading environmental issues is microplastic pollution, which are found in our environment, food, and bodies. Fibers shed from synthetic textiles, commonly referred to as “synthetic microfiber pollution” are the most prevalent form of microplastic pollution in environments worldwide. So what can be done about this? When you first hear the term biodegradable polyester and nylon, your brain does a bit of a freeze. How is this possible? Is it an oxymoron?
Yes, we have bio-based synthetics, but are they biodegradable? Does this mean that, as consumers, we can lead a guilt-free existence by throwing biodegradable synthetic clothes away at the end of their life? Well, the answer is no: the biodegradable capability now available is more a response to the increased problem of microfiber pollution than to the quick biodegradability of a garment.
It has been a long time coming, but a new development is gaining traction in the performance fabric sector, which relies heavily on synthetics due to their affordability, availability, durability, strength, and easy care. Microfiber pollution is one of the bugbears that mistakenly fall into the synthetic field but is also more accurately referred to as “fiber fragmentation pollution”, as it isn’t just synthetics that pollute the environment but also natural fibers. Yet, due to the chemistry used in the dyeing and finishing, they don’t necessarily biodegrade as you would expect them to.
Ciclo is one of the pioneering solutions for synthetic fiber pollution, and ISPO caught up with Andrea Ferris, CEO of Intrinsic Advanced Materials, to learn more about the biodegradable synthetic ingredient.
What is interesting is that this technology isn’t new, it was developed starting over a decade ago when Ferris was working for a uniforms company, and managing the McDonald's uniforms program in the U.S. Although the program had already incorporated recycled polyester, perfect for the rigors of wear and tear through durability, affordability, and easy care, it was still polluting the environment with microplastics. So they set out to develop a more sustainable polyester for the McDonald's uniforms program, which was Ciclo’s beginning.
Once the technology was developed and they realized they had created something that allowed polyester to remain incredibly durable during manufacture, use, and care but ultimately biodegrade, reducing its pollutant status in the environment, it was decided to market this as a textile technology.
Launching in 2017, Ciclo is part of a joint venture with Parkdale Mills, established in 1918. They are the largest supplier of spun yarn in the Western Hemisphere.
“Our business model is to sell our Ciclo technology as a pellet for batch processes or liquid for continuous polymerization lines. We sell it to Cicl-certified manufacturers of nylon and polyester. It can be added to recycled bottle flake, textile-to-textile recycled polyester or virgin. You would have a recycled base polymer, add Ciclo during the melt extrusion, and then the filament, yarn, or the staple fiber is ultimately Ciclo polyester or nylon. Ciclo synthetics also maintain recyclability and we look forward to a day when the infrastructure exists to recycle textiles at scale” explained Ferris.
Presently, there are around 50 certified nylon and polyester worldwide. The textile mills stand behind the quality of the fiber that Ciclo creates and also participate in a traceability program.
Every lot of Ciclo produced is certified by a third party to ensure that it contains Ciclo at the prescribed dosage.
“There's no cost to the manufacturer or a brand for that. We see traceability as part of the infrastructure that needed to be built for us to be able to bring this kind of technology to market. The chemistry is Oeko Tex Eco Passport certified, so it's safe for sustainable textiles. We've also tested the additive to ensure that it is non-toxic to marine and plant life,” she said.
So, how does the biodegradation process work? Biodegradation is only activated when the material winds up as a pollutant in the environment and is exposed to both moisture and microbes; consider anywhere that wool or cotton could biodegrade. So, not in the closet, during manufacture, or in the washing machine—only where there is prolonged exposure to moisture and microbes.
“The places that we test for biodegradation are where synthetic microfibers are a prolific pollutant. We test in seawater, biologically active anaerobic landfill conditions, wastewater treatment plant sludge and soil. Tests are conducted in controlled 3rd party lab conditions, and we explain to customers that actual environmental conditions are endlessly variable. For instance, there are certainly some incredibly dry landfill where nothing biodegrades, and Ciclo wouldn't biodegrade either. The soil test is conducted at ambient temperatures that mimic a field environment, not a commercial compost condition, which is very, very high heat and well controlled. We learned early in our R&D that textiles do not go to commercial composters. They're not accepted, nor do I believe they ever will be. Ultimately, the combination of test methods we use to prove the efficacy of Ciclo technology confirms that Ciclo synthetics can biodegrade at greatly accelerated rates compared to the same synthetics without Ciclo in aerobic and anaerobic environments at varying temperatures.”
Microfiber pollution has become more visible to consumers as tests have shown that microfibers can be found in our food and bodies. It must be noted that it isn’t just synthetic microfiber pollution but also natural fibers, depending on the chemistry used in the process, which don’t necessarily biodegrade as naturally as untreated proteins and cellulosic fibers.
“We hear about it a lot because now there's standardized testing to estimate or compare two fabrics on what would shed more in a wash. Laundering is only one of the many pathways for textile fibers to escape into the open environment. But for any of those fibers that come off in the washing machines, some studies show that somewhere between 65 to 99 percent of those fibers can get trapped in wastewater treatment plant sludge,” she said, explaining that this is where the sludge then infiltrates the environment. While some sludge is taken for incineration, at least half of it is used as soil amendment on fields, releasing them into the environment.
“If they're treated with Ciclo, they can at least start to biodegrade while they are in that sludge, and then they can continue to biodegrade when the sludge is applied to soil. And if they wind up in seawater, they can also biodegrade,” said Ferris.
With new developments featuring bio-based synthetics Ciclo is also applicable, with one certified manufacturer releasing a bio-based nylon with Ciclo biodegradability. But just how much Ciclo is needed to create this process? Reassuringly, it is a two percent by weight ratio - if you made 100 kgs of a recycled Ciclo polyester, it would be 98 kgs of recycled PET chips and two kgs of Ciclo, and as Ferris says, with every brand concerned about cost and squeezed with margins, with Ciclo is not too bad a premium.
With ingredients now available that create biodegradability in synthetics and reduce the impact of microfiber pollution, why not make it mandatory in the industry?
“The topics of microplastic pollution from textiles and biodegradation are complex, as are global textile supply chains. There is no silver bullet, and the problem requires multiple solutions, including source reduction of synthetics where possible, product redesign to limit shedding, and improved filtration during manufacturing, laundering, and at wastewater treatment, in addition to the added characteristic of biodegradability for any plastic-based fibers that leak into the environment,” said Ferris.
She also said that she wouldn’t expect any single solution to be mandated but does envisage the possibility of legislation requiring certain brands and manufacturers to implement micro-plastic pollution abatement measures in their reporting in the future.
We all want sustainability - but where do we start? Clearly in sourcing. Up to 70 percent of the negative impact of the production of clothing and accessories on the environment is caused by sourcing. We present 5 innovative sourcing strategies that combat this problem – and show how materials can be sustainably sourced from the very beginning.
Since 2024, public financial statements that go beyond mere finances have been mandatory for certain companies. Brands must account for their sustainable developments and social commitments. This is precisely why it is so important to invest in these areas.
The textile industry is an absolute pioneer when it comes to sustainability and has understood how to think holistically. These 5 innovative sourcing strategies could be the future of sustainable sourcing:
This approach mainly benefits certified natural materials, mainly cotton (GOTS or OSC certified) grown using regenerative agricultural methods. These materials must also be sustainably sourced to ensure long-term ecological benefits. However, it is not as simple as it sounds. Regenerative sourcing is a very complex approach that depends on many factors and is therefore difficult to implement. Certification follows a variety of strict criteria that take a lot of time to implement, but are absolutely necessary as a foundation for regenerative agriculture. For example, certification requires a guarantee over four years that soils will be renewed, and crops that ensure regeneration and transparency throughout the production chain.
That's why there are only a few standards that take these criteria into account and little experience in implementing them. The brand Patagonia, which co-developed the ROC standard, is a pioneer here and is completely committed to the regenerative approach. Their focus on innovative sourcing reflects a deep understanding that truly sustainable change begins at the root – in the soil and through responsible partnershipls. So Patagonia representatives will travel around the world to invest in regenerative agriculture.
Excerpt from the report: Innovative Initiative Material 2022
One example of this is Circle Sportswear's collaboration with Lenzing™ and Woolmark™. In developing the Supernatural Running Sportswear shoe, designed for the circular economy, the brand brought the two material manufacturers on board during the innovative research and development phase to develop a material with the lowest possible impact on the environment. The result: an innovative technical injection molding machine that was already brought back to Europe.
The collaborative approach optimizes inventory levels and helps respond to supply chain difficulties at short notice.
For this reason, it takes a long time for bio-industrial projects like Fairbric™ or Mango Material™ to be realized. Without traceability, nothing works - it is an indispensable tool in selecting sustainably sourced materials and innovatives sourcing strategies designed to reduce environmental damage and overproduction.
Allbirds™ has announced the first CO2-negative athletic shoe. To do this, the brand carefully calculated its carbon footprint using a life cycle analysis and carbon footprint - starting with renewable wool and ending with the finished shoe. The analyses were then verified by ISO 14067. Finally, a third party that verifies carbon certificates, and is itself B-Corp certified, undertook the verification. By publishing all the data, the brand shows how transparency works - and that progress comes before perfection.
Statement by Hana Kajimura, Director of Sustainable Development at Allbirds
"You can only control what you can measure," says Tim Brown, founder of Allbirds. The manufacturer has developed a shoe with a better carbon footprint by measuring its carbon footprint and funding scientific research on biosources. And Allbirds wants to further reduce its impact: through innovative sourcing of sustainably sourced regenerative wool, a midsole made from sugar cane-based foam and eyelets made from bioplastics. These are made from microorganisms that convert methane into biomass. The M0.0NSHOT was presented in 2023 and launched on the market a year later.
And there are also exciting developments in the field of traceability. Science and digitization are coming together to make it possible to trace the origin of a fiber back to the DNA of its environment. The soil of a cotton field, the water used to irrigate it, or what a sheep eats to provide the wool all contain a combination of unique factors that can be used to infer the fiber's origin. These technologies play a central role in sustainable and innovative sourcing – because only those who know where materials come from can ensure true sustainability in the supply chain. The findings are then linked to a digital traceability tool and blockchain to secure the data and ensure it cannot be altered.
My motto in sourcing is: There is no such thing as the perfectly sustainably sourced material. The best way to achieve sustainability is to behave responsibly, economically, and conserve resources. And to be open to innovative sourcing strategies.
In the meantime, ecological responsibility also includes taking Virtual Water (or the Water Footprint) into account, since pollution is global and affects the entire chain from material extraction to the end of the life cycle. And this is where futurology can already help in the present.
The goal is to create more opportunities for action and to gain insights now for new strategies and investments - both for suppliers and brands.
Some of these approaches are still dreams of the future, because they have been tested little in practice and the long-term effects cannot be verified. To implement such innovative sourcing strategies successfully, collaboration with an independent third party (especially scientists and lawyers) is needed. Organizations like the European Flax and Hemp Alliance or Textile Exchange provide verified and certified information to support this development.