AW 26-27 Eco-Innovation Decoding: When Innovation & Technology Start Driving Sustainability and Performance
At its September 2025 edition, Première Vision placed innovation and technology at the heart of its programme, underlining their strategic role in the evolution of the textile industry. Having become pillars of ecological transition, they are now defining a future in which performance and responsibility will converge for the long term.
From biotechnology to artificial intelligence, and from the rediscovery of natural fibers to the preservation of traditional textile know-how, innovation goes well beyond cutting-edge technologies. The combination of these complementary avenues — rather than competition between them — is shaping a dynamic landscape and a new way of conceiving and producing, at a time when regulation is tightening, and consumers are ever more attentive to the impact of their choices.
Synthetic Fibers: Reducing Fossil Dependence and Accelerating Circularity
Synthetic fibers still dominate the global market by a wide margin, accounting for 67% of total production — a figure that highlights the urgent need to reduce dependence on virgin fossil resources, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. It is vital to diversify sourcing and accelerate the adoption of circular or bio-based alternatives.
One pathway is the development of bio-based synthetics. Some of these, like EVO®, a polyamide derived from castor oil and corn, demonstrate that fossil-based feedstocks can be fully substituted with renewables. Others integrate end-of-life considerations right from the outset: for example, NOOSA® PLA is made entirely from non-edible sugarcane and corn, and it can be infinitely recycled via its NOOCYCLE™ technology. As for PlaX™, this combines heat resistance, recyclability and accelerated biodegradability.
BioWorks (JP) | |
Valupa (DE) |
For all fibers — including bio-based synthetics — impact must be assessed across the entire lifecycle, from crop or raw material production through to the product’s end-of-life. The example of regen™ BIO Spandex, a stretch fiber partly sourced from renewables, illustrates this approach. From 2026 onwards, the company intends to shift to sugarcane farming methods, more productive and capturing greater amounts of carbon.
Casa Da Mahla (PT) / Hyosung (KR) |
Emerging technologies in synthetic fibers are also turning carbon emissions into textiles: CO₂ can be converted into green methanol and then into next-generation polyester fibers, a way of reversing the logic and effectively transforming a pollutant into a resource.
Finally, recycling remains central, with a strong push to move beyond plastic bottle recycling into real closed-loop, textile-to-textile systems. Initiatives such as Earth Protex — which is developing TEX2TEX™, a 100% textile-to-textile recycled polyester with a cotton-like hand feel — or NILIT which is building an industrial facility dedicated to nylon 6.6 textile-to-textile recycling, illustrate the momentum in this transition.
Earth Protex (US) |
Man-Made Cellulosics: Traceability and Process Optimisation
Artificial cellulosics — viscose, lyocell, acetate — are gaining traction in collections, yet face two major challenges: preventing deforestation and reducing chemical impacts.
On the chemical impact side, lyocell fibers - unlike conventional viscose - uses non-toxic solvents in a closed-loop system. TENCEL™ Lyocell is going further with its FSC-certified wood pulp, and demonstrates lower carbon emissions and water consumption compared with standard lyocell. NAIA™ acetate also stands out with sustainably managed forestry and closed-loop production with reduced chemical impact.
Takisada Nagoya (JP) | Sokstas Tekstil (TR) / Elissa Stampa (TR) / Beztas Tekstil (TR) |
Cellulosic fibers are also part of a recycling process, aiming for full textile-to-textile circularity. As with synthetic fibers, several companies have recently committed to developing this model on a large scale, and the volumes of these recycled cellulosic fibers should increase significantly in the coming years. In this field, CIRCULOSE® produces a cellulosic fiber from chemically recycled post-consumer cotton, without wood pulp. NUCYCL® also creates cellulosics exclusively from textile waste cotton, endlessly recyclable.
TGM Textiles (PT) | Positive Materials (PT) |
Natural Fibers: Certifications and Regenerative Practices
Cotton, the world’s second-most produced fiber, can raise both environmental and social issues in certain conventional systems or in specific regions. Organic cotton, especially when certified by standards such as GOTS, ensures traceability and strict regulation of practices, offering a more responsible alternative.
Beyond organic, real progress is now being driven by regenerative agriculture.
In addition to reducing impact, this approach restores soils, boosts carbon sequestration, enhances biodiversity and ensures fairer livelihoods for growers. Labels such as Regenagri, Materra®, Good Earth Cotton® and Land To Market™ are driving this transition, backed by rigorous measurement tools to avoid greenwashing.
Positive Materials (PT) / Kipas (TR) / Sökstas (TR) | Weavabel (GB) |
Cotton is also moving towards circularity. Mechanically recycled cotton is being turned into new yarns and fabrics by players such as Weturn (France) or CIRCLO (Portugal). CIRCLO has built a local ecosystem producing 100% recycled cotton fabrics, which remains a challenge in mechanical recycling. These initiatives highlight how collaboration across the value chain is essential to strengthen sustainable action.
Calik Denim (TR) / Troficolor Denim Makers (PT) / Evlox (MA) | CIRCLO Eco Design & Circularity (PT) |
Action Maille (FR) |
Bast fibers are gaining increasing prominence in collections. Low in water and input requirements, and strengthening the soil, their environmental performance is noteworthy. European flax, certified Masters of Flax Fibre™ (formerly European Flax), illustrates this energy efficiency, while promoting local roots and historical know-how. Hemp, along with more discreet fibers like nettle and abaca, are further enriching the offering, all supporting ecosystems through regenerative cultivation. On the recycled bast fiber front, RELINO viscose is obtained by chemically recycling flax yarns or production waste.
Soktas Tekstil (TR) / Linopersempre Nothern Linen (NL) | Brito Knitting (CN) / Kingdom Textile (CN) |
Positive Materials (PT) / Ozen Mensucat (TR) / Trimahlas (PT) |
For wool and silk, animal welfare is paramount. For wool, standards such as RWS, RMS and RAS not only ban practices like mulesing but also promote pasture management and worker safety.
Vilartex (PT) / Chia Her (TW) | Incalpaca (PE) |
Daisho Fashion Textile (JP) / MTT Manifattura Tessile Toscana (IT) / Paulo De Oliveira (PT) |
Biotechnologies: Protein Fibers on the Path to Industrialisation
Biotechnologies are ushering in a new generation of protein fibers, produced via microorganism fermentation. Requiring only agri-food by-products or textile waste as inputs for the fermentation process, they are reducing reliance on virgin resources while sparing farmland. Led by innovators like Spiber and AMSilk, these fibers are moving from the lab into industry, sketching out a new horizon for the textile sector.
To go further: watch the replay of the seminar Sustainable Materials, Solutions & perspectives for AW 26-27: The Keys to Responsible Sourcing
