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London’s Source Fashion showcases latest sustainable products | |
| Sumita Pawar |
Source Fashion, held at the Olympia London exhibition space from Feb. 12–14, brought together manufacturers, fabric producers, and technology providers from around the world, according to Arab News.
In conversation with exhibitors from Turkey, many of whom were scrambling to help fellow citizens suffering in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake,
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DH Group CEO Faruk Hamud said a special team from his company had been set up to supply polar fleece blankets, while Umut Akar from Filteks Moda explained operations had been shut down for two weeks, with staff helping to provide hot meals and homeless people being given shelter in the factory.
Source Fashion, organised by Hyve Group, unites manufacturers from key sourcing regions around the world with high-profile retailers, brands, and designers who are looking to responsibly and sustainably source new products, according to the report.
Serkan Yarar, Director of Y&B Group Textile A.S., showed Arab News his company’s remarkable new fabric that looks and feels like leather but is made out of tea. Y&B worked with the aykur Company, Turkey's largest tea producer, to supply a dried version of the tea plant directly from its factories.The tea is then combined with biopeel and cotton to produce the "leather," with tea constituting 60 percent of the finished material.
"We are sending samples to all of our customers, and they are very excited," said Yarar, who noted that "big brands are looking for sustainable new fabrics, and many have declared that by 2025 or 2026 they won’t use any synthetic fibres or fabrics."
According to the report, Akar from Filteks Moda sounded a note of caution about overstating sustainability claims in the fashion industry. "We are looking at green washing, not real sustainability." "There is no sustainability at all until we get rid of synthetic fibres," he said.
Currently, he sees a big demand for interlock fabrics. Interlock is soft, firm, and absorbent, making it ideal for active wear. "We sold 800,000 interlock pieces last season: T-shirts, pants, and shorts," he said. He added that at Filtex Moda, all materials are produced to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. "We wanted to have this because in 2025 there will probably be carbon emission taxes in the US and Europe," he said.
Sheima Lingerie CEO and Founder Ahmet Kondur said that "next year, its factory will use solar energy for 100 percent of its energy needs." The high-end company does a lot of business with the Middle East and described customers from the Gulf region as having a preference for more "sophisticated, elaborate items."