Cornell Researchers Create Waterproof Coating from Textile Waste, Soex Group Files for Insolvency & Good On You Comes for Beauty
October 7-11 | Here's what happened this Week/End
Welcome to Week/End, your quick-hit guide to the week's sustainability news at the intersection of fashion, ethics, and business. From the latest advancements in circularity to breakthroughs in material innovation and forward-thinking legislation, each week we curate the need-to-know stories and news developments in sustainable fashion to keep you informed—without the overwhelm.
Cornell Researchers Develop Waterproof Coating from Discarded Textiles
A research group at Cornell University, led by Professor Juan Hinestroza, has developed a new technique to create waterproof coatings from discarded textiles, offering a safer and more sustainable alternative to current chemical-based coatings. The method, which uses metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), allows the coating to be synthesized at room temperature using environmentally friendly solvents like water and ethanol. This process eliminates the need for energy-intensive purification steps, reducing the environmental impact.
The new coating provides superhydrophobic (waterproof) properties and is more durable, maintaining its effectiveness after repeated washing. The technology could help reduce reliance on harmful chemicals, such as fluorinated "forever chemicals," traditionally used in textile manufacturing. This research also highlights the potential of upcycling textile waste into functional, sustainable materials.
Decathlon Pulse Partners with Unspun to Revolutionize Sustainable Textile Manufacturing
Decathlon Pulse, the innovation and investment arm of Decathlon, has partnered with US-based textile innovation studio Unspun to support the expansion of their 3D weaving technology in Europe. Unspun’s manufacturing process weaves garments in 3D, reducing the need for stitching and allowing fabrics to be reused, which aims to reduce textile waste. Their micro-factories, designed to operate near points of sale, use automated processes to lower energy consumption and improve production efficiency
Good on You Expands Sustainability Ratings to Beauty Industry
Sustainability rating platform Good on You has expanded its analysis to the beauty industry, assessing nearly 240 beauty brands for their environmental and ethical practices. The report found that transparency in the beauty sector is generally lower than in fashion, with many brands failing to provide sufficient information about their supply chains, ingredient sourcing, and efforts to prevent human rights abuses.
Major Textile Recycler Soex Group Files for Insolvency
Soex Group, one of the world’s largest textile recyclers and operators of clothing take-back programs for major fashion brands like H&M, Levi's, and Decathlon, has filed for insolvency in Germany. Insolvency means that Soex is unable to pay its debts and is entering a legal process to either restructure or liquidate its assets to manage its financial challenges. Soex’s financial troubles come as the global secondhand clothing market faces increasing pressure from competition in Asia and the declining quality of clothing due to fast fashion. This development could have significant effects on the textile recycling industry, with nearly 500 jobs at risk, concerns that other businesses may be overwhelmed with surplus stock, and fears that more textiles could end up in landfills or be incinerated.
Lenzing, Södra, and OnceMore Released a Guide to Enable Circularity in Textiles
Titled "Enabling Circularity – A Designer’s Guide to Fiber Recyclability," the guide urges designers to adopt a circular approach by prioritizing reuse, repair, and recyclability in their design choices, helping to reduce the environmental impact of fashion. Lenzing also announced this week that the fiber producer acquired a minority stake in TreeToTextile, a Swedish cellulosic fiber company, joining shareholders H&M Group, Inter IKEA Group, Stora Enso, and LSCS Invest.
Inditex Launches €50 Million Venture Fund to Drive Textile Innovation and Sustainability
Inditex, the parent company of Zara, has launched a €50 million venture capital fund to finance textile innovations and advance its sustainability goals. Managed by Mundi Ventures, the fund will support companies aligned with Inditex's Sustainability Innovation Hub, fostering partnerships with over 200 start-ups. Its first major investment will be in US-based cellular agriculture company Galy.
In other Inditex news, the company has renewed and expanded its agreement with UNI Global Union, aimed at safeguarding the rights of over 160,000 fashion and retail workers globally.
Spanish Fashion Giants Launch Pilot Programme for Textile Waste Collection Ahead of 2026 EU Regulations
The Spanish Association for the Management of Textile Waste, in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and major fashion brands such as Inditex, H&M, Mango, and Decathlon, has launched Re-viste, a pilot program aimed at testing textile waste collection methods in preparation for upcoming EU regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles and footwear. Set to begin in April 2025, the program will trial various collection systems across six Spanish municipalities, with the aim of improving textile recycling and reuse.
UNITED STATES:
Reformation | Product Sustainability Associate
Vernon, CA | On-Site・Full-Time・Mid-Senior Level
→ Apply HereJ.Crew | Senior Associate, Climate & Nature
New York, NY | Hybrid・Full-Time・Mid-Senior Level
$80.8K/yr - $97K/y
→ Apply HereH&M | Sustainability Communications and Engagement Lead (English-Spanish Bilingual) | New York, NY | On-Site・Full-Time・Associate
$99K/yr - $111.3K/yr → Apply HereRalph Lauren | Sustainability Manager, Supply Chain, Americas
New York, NY | Full-Time・Mid-Senior Level
$62.5K/yr - $146K/yr
→ Apply Here
EUROPE:
Ganni | Social Impact Manager
Copenhagen, Denmark | On-Site・Full-Time Mid-Senior Level
→ Apply HereCarhartt | Sustainability Reporting Specialist
Basel, Basel, Switzerland | Hybrid Full-Time・Associate
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United Kingdom
Nobody’s Child | Sustainability Administrator
London, United Kingdom | On-Site Full-Time・Entry Level
→ Apply HereValentino | Sustainability Coordinator - Maternity Cover
Milan, Italy | Hybrid・Contract
→ Apply HereGiorgio Armani | Sustainability Human Rights Due Diligence Specialist
Milan, Italy | Hybrid・Full-Time
→ Apply Here
INDIA:
H&M | Regional Public Affairs & Sustainability Manager
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India | On-Site・Full-Time・Mid-Senior Level
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Magtech and Burberry Partner to Explore Hydroponic Cotton Farming — Spanish startup Mediterranean Agro Tech (Magtech) has developed a hydroponic method for growing cotton without soil, using a water-based nutrient solution. Magtech reports that this method could reduce water use by 80% and increase yield by 60 times compared to traditional farming. In partnership with Burberry, they are exploring more sustainable cotton production for the fashion industry. Burberry is also working with Circotex, a textile dyehouse, to implement waterless dyeing and finishing technologies for yarns and fabrics.
Trimco Group and Kezzler Partner to Offer Digital Product Passport Solution for Textile and Footwear Industry — the solution combines Trimco’s supply chain traceability expertise and RFID technology with Kezzler’s product digitization capabilities.
Los Angeles-based Footwear Manufacturer Lalaland and 3D-Printing Innovator Elastium Partner to Advance 3D-Printed Footwear Production — The partnership aims to streamline production and support localized U.S. footwear manufacturing. Their collaboration debuted with the launch of the Orca, their first co-designed shoe featuring 3D-printed uppers and foam midsoles.
The Microfibre Consortium released a report on its Microfibre 2030 Commitment, outlining progress between June 2022 and June 2024 to reduce microfiber pollution from textiles —key actions include developing the Fabric Shedding Rate indicator to help brands and manufacturers reduce fiber shedding and improving data collection with the launch of version 2.0 of the Microfibre Data Portal.
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