How will we relate to clothing twenty years from now? Will we dress the same? Will we have managed to make clothes last longer, or rather, to make better use of them? In the interview series we are conducting together with Girbau LAB to reflect on and shed light on key aspects of circularity in the textile industry, we couldn’t miss this conversation with Lutz Walter, founder and director of the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (Textile ETP).
– Lutz, what changes will the textile industry undergo in the coming years?
We don’t know exactly how it will change, but I dare say that the most significant changes in the last twenty or even fifty years will take place. The transformation of the textile industry, and the fashion sector in particular, over the past twenty years has been quite significant, especially with market liberalization and the outsourcing of production mainly to the Asian market. But the transformation to come is radically disruptive because it affects every link in the textile value chain: raw materials, design, production and distribution systems, clothing use, and also its end of life. These changes will be driven by new regulations in Europe and other countries, but not only that. Digitalization, biotechnology, new ways of doing business, and even new consumption patterns will be major drivers of change. Many elements are evolving simultaneously; it is an exciting time for the sector.
“The transformation to come is radically disruptive because it affects every link in the textile value chain.”
– Is the industry ready for all these changes?
No one is fully prepared. Some companies have started to move, but many others have not. And, in fact, no one knows exactly what changes they need to make.
In this regard, large companies face the biggest challenges, as their short-term vision, focused on quarterly profits, does not allow them to take a broad enough perspective to make certain decisions. On the other hand, family-owned and smaller companies can gain a competitive advantage if they start adopting new ways of thinking and acting with a genuinely long-term perspective. The problem, of course, is the lack of financial resources. But also human resources.
– We need qualified professionals.
Yes, and in Europe, there are few, precisely due to outsourcing, which led to the closure of many factories as well as vocational schools. In Europe, working in the textile industry has been perceived as an unattractive and unprofitable option. Currently, 40% of textile industry workers are over 50 years old, which means that in 15 years, there may be no generational replacement. Technology and artificial intelligence can help, but the industry cannot rely solely on them. Human capital must be restored.
“In Europe, working in the textile industry has been perceived as an unattractive and unprofitable option.”
– The European Ecodesign Regulation is now a reality and will determine the characteristics of textile products sold in Europe.
There was already an Ecodesign Regulation in Europe, but it only applied to products that consume energy to function. And it only regulated criteria related to that consumption. The well-known energy label that indicates an appliance’s efficiency with a color-coded scale from A++ to G.
Very soon, the new Ecodesign Regulation will extend these criteria to many more products and expand efficiency parameters beyond energy consumption.
Another key element of this regulation is that, among all the product categories to which it applies, textiles are a priority, meaning they will be one of the first sectors to be regulated.
– And how will it affect brands?
To know for sure, we will have to wait for what is known in legislative language as the “Textile Delegated Act,” a document that will specify which types of textiles the regulation applies to and which cases are excluded, as there may be exceptions, such as technical textiles or professional clothing. For textile products covered by the regulation, it will define exactly what it means for a product to be more environmentally efficient and, very importantly, how this efficiency will be communicated to the consumer.
– The famous durability and recyclability of garments.
Yes, among other parameters. Will the durability of a garment be linked to its repairability? Will all garments or brands have to incorporate a minimum percentage of recycled materials in their products, or will it be optional and communicated with a label similar to the energy efficiency one? In the latter case, will there be tax benefits for companies that include more recycled material?
– Do you think this minimum should be legally required?
The only thing I know is that for a material to be economically competitive, its demand must increase. And the most effective way I can think of to increase demand for recycled raw materials is to require a minimum amount in garments.
“The most effective way to increase demand for recycled raw materials is to require a minimum amount.”
– Can everything be recycled?
Technically, I would dare to say that if not all, most textile fibers are or will be recyclable. But that is not enough. Many other elements are at play. First, production must be scalable. Some fibers can be recycled in a lab, but at an industrial level, the process is not as controllable.
Additionally, price depends on demand. And finally, the environmental impact of the process is a critical factor. It is often assumed that after reuse, recycling is the best option because the alternative is incineration or landfill. But sometimes, recycling certain materials generates far more emissions.
– What role will next-generation materials (next-gen materials) play?
They will be essential.
On one hand, even if we promote degrowth, textile consumption will increase. The population is growing, and emerging markets want to live like us—and they have every right to do so.
On the other hand, we cannot infinitely recycle existing raw materials because they degrade and need to be mixed with virgin material. And as we know, fossil resources are finite.
“We cannot infinitely recycle existing raw materials.”
I am a strong advocate for artificial cellulosic fibers, and I am sure we will see significant growth in their use. Biosynthetic fibers will also play a key role, especially those made from food industry waste, as it is much more intelligent to convert them into recyclable raw materials than to burn them for biofuels. Major chemical and food companies are already working on this, but as always, we need to assess the economic and environmental costs of producing them—as well as their functionality.
That said, it is also important to note that introducing a new fiber to the market is very difficult. Just look at the fact that the last major fiber innovation was spandex (commercially known as Lycra), which emerged over 50 years ago and still accounts for just 1% of the market.
– How can the ETP help the European textile industry in this transition?
Our goal is to ensure that our members are aware of and better understand existing technologies, create networks, and work together to accelerate their transformation process. We provide training, meeting spaces, and opportunities for information and knowledge exchange, while also facilitating access to specific European funding. One of the great strengths of the ETP is the diversity of organizations it brings together—not only textile companies but also the auxiliary industry, universities, research institutes, and more—all with the aim of driving innovation in the sector.
– Let’s talk about durability. What makes a garment last longer?
For me, there are two key factors: better design and better communication.
– Is better design synonymous with eco-design?
Absolutely. But not only that. Eco-design helps us make more coherent decisions, such as using higher-quality materials or avoiding mixing certain fibers. For example, blending polyester and elastane in the same garment is quite risky, as the former has great durability, but the latter deteriorates much more quickly.
Then there’s emotional design, which focuses on creating longer-lasting garments by opting for timeless designs that don’t go out of fashion. There’s little point in putting all the effort into eco-design if the garment is only going to be worn a few times. And vice versa—if we manage to create a piece that the consumer wants and is able to wear many times, then minimizing environmental impact during the design phase may not be as crucial, because we are offsetting it in the usage phase.
“For a garment to be more durable, better design and better communication are essential.”
– The consumer won’t get bored of wearing the same garment many times?
This is where communication comes into play. Brands must connect with consumers in a smarter way. They must dare to explain what value a garment provides and convince them to choose the one they will wear the most. In fact, emotional connection with our clothes can be very powerful—we all have pieces in our wardrobe we don’t want to part with because they remind us of a moment, a person, etc. This is the line of communication that brands should work on. And smaller or niche brands have a greater capacity to differentiate themselves in this sense.
“Brands must connect with consumers in a smarter way.”
One example that comes to mind is Patagonia.
Patagonia’s garments are not drastically different from those of other brands in terms of quality or design. But they have developed very powerful storytelling that makes consumers form an emotional bond with their clothing, take better care of it, wear it more often, and resist discarding it. A brand’s storytelling has a significant impact on the durability of its garments.
– And what happens then with fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion?
The ultra-fast fashion brands that have emerged recently are not the devil, and in fact, in Europe, we have a lot to learn from them. They have managed to position themselves in a completely unfamiliar market where they have no physical presence or infrastructure. And they have done so by connecting directly with consumers, listening to them, understanding what they want, and acting quickly. There is a lot we can learn from this, though obviously without copying their sales strategy, which relies on using social media to trigger dopamine and generate impulsive purchases.
They are not a good example in terms of product durability either, but I am sure that sooner rather than later, they will realize that occupying the lowest segment of the market is not the best strategy and will modify their approach.
Another lesson we should take from these brands is their efficiency, with a much smaller inventory than European brands. If Europe achieves better digitization of the entire value chain, we could make decisions much faster and more efficiently and increase local production by 25-30%, which would be a great success.
“The ultra-fast fashion brands that have emerged recently are not the devil, and in fact, in Europe, we have a lot to learn from them.”
– If the goal is to make clothing more durable, how can companies remain profitable while selling less?
By changing the mindset that profit equals more product sales. Clothing rental, for example, has a lot of potential. Obviously, it doesn’t work for all types of products or brands, but it does for more specific or higher-quality ones. We have become accustomed to paying for use, and this model will continue to gain market share. Additionally, it is very profitable for brands, as the more an item is rented, the more money is made. Luxury brands are already realizing this—after initially outsourcing this service to multi-brand platforms, they are now integrating it into their own websites because they don’t want a third party controlling how their brand is presented and positioned.
– Other interesting solutions to increase clothing durability and generate business?
Cleaning and maintenance, without a doubt. For many people, keeping clothes in good condition is a hassle, and having a service that systematically takes care of this would be fantastic. I imagine a network of lockers where you could drop off dirty clothes and pick them up the next day, ready to wear again. This would also ensure greater durability, as each piece would be professionally treated as it deserves. I see this service being particularly useful in large cities, where living spaces are getting smaller, and eliminating the need for a washing area would free up space.
“More efficient clothing cleaning and maintenance will help increase its durability.”
– Speaking of space, wardrobes take up a lot, and at best, only 60% of the clothes inside are actually worn.
Exactly. A shared wardrobe system could also work. Similar to a rental model, there could be a company that completely manages your wardrobe. Or individuals could make money by renting out their own clothes to others.
The possibilities for servitizing the fashion business are enormous. The key here is how to create more value with fewer products. Now is the time for pilot projects. And it probably won’t be fashion brands leading these changes, but rather new companies. Or Amazon.
– Yes, an Amazon-led cleaning service doesn’t seem far-fetched at all. Lutz, what role does or will the consumer play when clothing reaches the end of its life cycle?
A key issue in increasing the circularity of our clothing is better managing its end-of-life. And consumers need to have a more prominent role. I believe gamification will be an important factor. We could encourage returning clothes to stores in exchange for discount vouchers, for example. There could even be different bins for depositing garments based on their material or condition, each offering a different reward. This could influence purchasing decisions, leading people to choose designs or materials that provide greater benefits.
“A key issue in increasing the circularity of our clothing is better managing its end-of-life.”
– Here, the Digital Product Passport could be a great help.
Yes, in fact, it is the catalyst for many of the services we have discussed. For resale, for example, the DPP will reveal previously unknown information to buyers, such as when the item was manufactured, when it was purchased, or even how many times it has been washed. It will also be very useful for professional services, providing information about the materials used, how to repair the item, etc.
– Finally, how do you imagine the textile industry and the fashion sector 20 years from now?
In some aspects, I imagine a very different industry, but in others, quite similar.
I believe—and hope—that we will have learned to produce on demand, meaning only when necessary. I also hope that the entire value chain will be more centralized so that clothing does not have to travel around the world before reaching consumers. Digitalization will be key in both cases.
The best part is that we will still be wearing clothes. And I don’t think they will be very different from what we wear today. However, I do hope that in terms of fibers, bio-based polyester will have replaced fossil-based polyester. I am also certain that production and finishing processes will be much more efficient, thanks to digitalization.
My eternal question is whether we will be using smarter clothing—garments that become a second skin (smart textiles). For years, this has been seen as having “endless potential,” but it has never truly taken off.
This interview is part of a discussion space driven by Girbau LAB and So Good So Cute, aiming to generate reflection and shed light on essential aspects of circularity in the textile industry. See other published articles.
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