Guest perspective from industry leaders
By Edward Hertzman

The newest line item in every profit-and-loss statement isn’t labor. It isn’t freight. It isn’t surcharges. It’s risk.

Perhaps it’s time we start accounting for it that way. For years, supply chain disruptions have been treated as anomalies, unexpected hits to margin, neatly explained away in quarterly earnings calls. “If not for X, we would have hit our numbers.” But what if X is no longer the exception? What if it is the model?

Consider the past several years: tariffs, pandemic shutdowns, port congestion, labor shortages, geopolitical instability. Now Iran.

At some point, the pattern becomes clear. Disruption is no longer episodic. It is structural. Which means the real anomaly isn’t disruption, it’s stability.

That suggests a fundamental shift may be needed not just operationally, but financially.

Perhaps companies need to recalibrate how they build their P&L statements. Not as if disruption is an unforeseen shock, but as a recurring cost of doing business. A line item under cost of goods sold: risk and disruption.

An expense that can be anticipated, modeled and absorbed, not explained away after the fact.

Because a clean quarter, no delays, no cost spikes, no bottlenecks should no longer be assumed. It should be considered an unexpected bonus.

The latest conflict, centered around Iran, is once again tightening energy markets, shifting shipping routes and driving up costs. For retailers, the effect is cumulative: oil, raw materials and transportation all rising together.

At the same time, time itself is becoming less reliable. Transit schedules slip. Capacity tightens. For companies built on just-in-time inventory, the consequences are immediate: stockouts. For years, the industry optimized for efficiency. It worked in a more stable world. But efficiency without margin is fragility.

The question is no longer how to avoid disruption, it’s how to plan for it.

Because in today’s environment, resilience not perfection is what wins.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the International Apparel Federation.

Het bericht The Newest Line Item: Risk verscheen eerst op IAF.

Attendance of key board and committee members

The workshop was attended by İHKİB Vice Chairman of the Board Mustafa Paşahan, Board Member and Chairman of the Sustainability and International Relations Committee Selçuk Mehmet Kaya, as well as Committee Members Nilgün Özdemir and Jale Tunçel. The participation of Board and Committee representatives made a significant contribution to addressing the topics discussed within the framework of sectoral priorities.

Participation of verification and certification bodies

Representatives from verification and certification bodies, including Ekoteks, SGS Türkiye, Eurofins Türkiye, TÜV Rheinland, BV CPS Test Laboratories, Control Union Türkiye, Intertek Türkiye, BSCI/Amfori, SLCP, Fair Labor Association, and Ethical Trading Initiative, also took part in the workshop. Within this scope, verification and certification bodies, audit firms, and manufacturer representatives came together to address structural and operational issues encountered in audit and certification processes from a multi-dimensional perspective.

Survey findings and sector challenges

During the event, findings from surveys periodically conducted by İHKİB among Turkish apparel exporters regarding compliance and purchasing processes were shared. The survey results revealed that key challenges include differences in audit interpretations, audit frequency and the burden of duplicate audits, the diversity of customer-specific certificate requirements, and increasing financial costs. It was emphasized that a significant portion of these issues have remained on the sector’s agenda for years and represent persistent structural challenges. Participating Turkish exporters shared examples from their field experience and presented potential solution proposals.

Recommendations and way forward

Concrete recommendations to address existing challenges were deliberated during the workshop. In particular, the importance of strengthening alignment in audit interpretations, enhancing calibration mechanisms in audit processes, improving harmonization within certification systems, and expanding guidance mechanisms to support companies’ internal capacity was highlighted.

Sustaining long-term cooperation

The meeting concluded with a shared consensus on the need to sustain constructive dialogue and cooperation among sector stakeholders on a long-term and sustainable basis. We would like to thank all stakeholders for their participation and valuable contributions.

Het bericht Turkish apparel industry dicusses ways to go even beyond global standards in social and environmental compliance verscheen eerst op IAF.

Europe’s ambition to become fully circular by 2050 has sharpened the focus on industrial transformation. In the Netherlands, the textile, clothing, leather and footwear industry represents approximately €24 billion, accounting for around 2.4% of national income. The shift towards a circular and digitally driven sector is therefore not only an environmental imperative but also a strategic contribution to the country’s future earning capacity.

Dutch innovation and collaboration

The pavilion brings together pioneering Dutch textile innovators alongside industry association Modint, Circular Textile Days and the Circular Textile Action Plan, a programme of CLICKNL. It marks the first visible public-private collaboration dedicated to strengthening the European positioning of the Dutch textile sector around circularity and digitalisation.

Among the companies exhibiting is SaXcell, which has developed fibre-to-fibre recycling technology capable of transforming discarded cotton into new raw material. Lamoral Coatings will present PFAS-free performance finishes designed to retain functionality even after repeated washing. In the field of digitalisation, tex.tracer replaces manual tracking processes with an automated, data-driven platform that enables real-time traceability of garments.

The ambition is clear: visitors to Techtextil should associate circular textiles and digital innovation with the Netherlands.

Techtextil, focused on technical textiles, nonwovens and innovation, is expected by organiser Messe Frankfurt to host more than 1,500 exhibitors and approximately 37,000 visitors from over 100 countries. For the Dutch delegation, the event offers a concentrated opportunity to connect with brands, suppliers, machine builders, recyclers and traceability providers from across the value chain.

From concept to industrial scale

Despite regulatory uncertainty, including ongoing discussions around mandatory recycled content, Dutch entrepreneurs are already commercialising circular solutions and demonstrating market readiness.

A number of participants illustrate how circularity is moving from concept to industrial-scale implementation. Vodde collects millions of kilograms of discarded textiles from businesses, consumers and public bodies, transforming them into high-quality socks and yarns for retail, fashion and procurement markets.

Designer Eva de Laat developed Materialliance, a digital material-intelligence platform supporting designers and product developers in making technically viable choices in yarns, constructions and supply chain partnerships. Arly enhances textile performance through lamination processes that improve waterproofing, insulation, flame resistance and shape retention, supported by a broad library of recycled and recyclable materials.

Other innovators further underline the breadth of the Dutch ecosystem. EeCoff has developed a patented recycled polyester fabric incorporating carbonised coffee grounds as a colour pigment. bAwear enables brands to measure and compare the environmental footprint of textile production. EE Labels introduces woven QR codes that remain scannable until the end of a product’s life, supporting transparency and traceability. Permess focuses on fabrics made from post-consumer recycled materials, while Hollanders Printing Solutions enables precisely measured sample production to help reduce overproduction and textile waste.

Strength through collaboration

Pieter van Kessel, co-founder of Circular Textile Days and owner of De Novo Fabrics, emphasises the importance of collective positioning. He notes that a curated pavilion and programme not only increase visibility for individual participants but also strengthen collaboration across the sector. Nanette Hogervorst, innovation director at Modint, adds that the association supports entrepreneurs willing to challenge the linear economy. She highlights that government backing through the Circular Textile Action Plan and CreativeNL has made the pavilion possible.

Jaap Zandbergen, one of the coordinators of the Circular Textile Action Plan, describes Techtextil as the European meeting point for the entire value chain, enabling in a few days what would otherwise take months of individual meetings.

Together, the delegation aims to ensure that the Netherlands is recognised not simply as a textile-producing nation, but as a fully-fledged circular textile ecosystem ready to scale across Europe.

Het bericht National pavilion highlights circular textile scale-up ambitions at Techtextil Frankfurt verscheen eerst op IAF.

Uniting Asia’s Textile & Apparel Manufacturers at 2nd Asia Sourcing 2026 (Textiles & Apparel): A Strategic Sourcing Exhibition for the next Supply-chain era.

The global textile and apparel industry stands at a defining inflection point. Supply chains are being re-engineered as brands and buyers respond to rising tariffs, shifting trade alliances, geopolitical recalibrations, cost pressures, and the rapid emergence of regional trade blocs. In this new reality, Asia has unequivocally consolidated its position as the epicenter of global textile and apparel manufacturing and sourcing.

Strategic response to transformation

The 2nd Asia Sourcing 2026 (Textiles & Apparel), organized by CEMS-Global USA with the Asean Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX) as the Co-Organizer is conceived as a strategic response to this transformation. It is not merely an exhibition – it is a sourcing marketplace designed for a world where speed, diversification, resilience, and multi-country sourcing are essential to competitiveness and long-term survival.

Global Sourcing Summit 2026

Held on the sidelines of the Show, the Global Sourcing Summit 2026 will also host high-level discussions on the future of global supply chains, sustainability, technology, and sourcing strategies – making it one of the most important gatherings of the global textile and apparel community in Asia.

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) is a Strategic Partner, alongside strong institutional support as Supporting Organizations from the National Federation of Thai Textile Industries (NFTTI), Thailand Textile Institute (THTI), All 9 national associations under AFTEX, and the NAEC Export Council of India.

Bringing manufacturers together

As global sourcing offices and international brands rethink their dependencies, the demand is clear: direct, efficient access to leading Asian manufacturers across multiple countries under one roof. Asia Sourcing 2026 delivers precisely this – bringing together manufacturers from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and beyond with regional and global buyers, retailers, brands, and sourcing professionals seeking reliable, scalable, and future-ready supply chains.

This is the platform where Asia’s redrawn supply chains take shape – where conversations evolve into contracts, partnerships are forged across borders, and new trade corridors are activated. Positioned at the heart of Asia, the show serves as a neutral, accessible, and strategically powerful meeting point for regional and global sourcing decision-makers.

Het bericht Bangkok: The World’s New Sourcing Hub for Textiles & Apparel in the Heart of Asia verscheen eerst op IAF.

As one of the world’s largest industries, the apparel sector has a little ability to influence the outcome of these geopolitical developments. As in previous crises, our role as an industry federation is to articulate how the industry should respond and adapt in order to maintain stability and resilience.

We believe that the best way to deal with external shocks is to build the strongest possible foundations for our industry, to improve productivity and to reduce unnecessary waste of capital, material and human resources. Achieving this requires sustained investments in supply chain processes and deeper collaboration, supported by a framework of responsible purchasing practises.

Experience from previous crises shows that, when faced with external shocks, the first reflex for many buyers is to push costs and risks upstream into the supply chain. Yet, the ability of manufacturers to absorb rising costs is not limitless. While transferring all risks and costs upstream may generate short term benefits for buyers, depriving manufacturers of the capacity to invest, or even to meet existing operational costs, will weaken the industry and create long term loss for all.

Through our Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI), the IAF actively works to build the infrastructure needed for manufacturers and buyers to operate within a more balanced and resilient system that delivers stronger outcomes for all.

Set, as it is, in the world’s biggest oil and gas producing region, this particular crisis starkly illustrates the industry’s continued dependence on fossil fuels. The days that a shift to an energy mix with more renewable energy sources was viewed only as environmental concern are now behind us. Investments in renewable energy are a shared strategic priority for apparel brands, retailers, apparel and textile manufacturers and governments alike.

Apparel and textile manufacturing countries play a leading role here, as do federations and associations. Through the Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative (ATTI), launched in 2025, IAF and ITMF have joined forces to bring together these groups to determine the most effective pathways to drive strategic transformation of the industry with respect to energy, water and wider environmental impacts. With its clear and vital emphasis on energy security for the industry, the IAF will be sharing updates from ATTI pilot chapters in Bangladesh and Türkiye in the coming months.

In times of global uncertainty, strengthening the resilience, fairness and sustainability of apparel supply chains is an economic necessity.

Het bericht IAF Statement On Current External Shocks verscheen eerst op IAF.

On this occasion, the national presence was organized by Texbrasil (the Brazilian Textile and Fashion Industry Internationalization Program), a partnership between Abit (the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association) and ApexBrasil (the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency). This also marked the first joint participation with Cotton Brazil, a program executed in partnership with ApexBrasil, Abrapa (the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers), and ANEA (the National Association of Cotton Exporters) to promote Brazilian cotton abroad. The objective was to strengthen the link between cotton production and the national textile industry.

In this edition, the collective booth presented the concept “Brazil: from farm to fashion,” which symbolized the construction of the entire Brazilian textile chain—from cotton cultivation and yarn production through weaving and finishing to garment design and manufacturing. The proposal emphasized the collaboration between different links in the sector and the prominence of Brazilian cotton in the international market.

According to Fernando Valente Pimentel, Superintendent Director of Abit, Première Vision Paris served as Europe’s premier showcase for inputs and a strategic stage for internationalization. “We were ready to present ‘Made in Brazil’ as a synonym for distinct quality and high added value. Our products stood out by offering essential attributes to the global market: sustainability, innovative design, and technology. The joint participation via Texbrasil reinforced our commitment to consolidating Brazil’s image as a competitive player of excellence.”

Exclusively targeting industry professionals, the fair brought together exhibitors from more than 40 countries and offered a comprehensive overview of raw materials and services for collection development, distributed across eight universes: yarns, fabrics, leather, design, accessories, manufacturing, color, and a dedicated space for sustainable solutions.

For Gustavo Piccoli, president of Abrapa, “being at Première Vision alongside Abit and ApexBrasil demonstrated once again the synergies between the cotton and fashion chains in Brazil, which worked integratively across several projects. Furthermore, we were able to show the world the quality, traceability, and sustainability of our cotton while expanding our industry’s connections.”

The participating brands included Atelier Lucius Vilar, Atelier Natalia Rios, Balz Studio, Estúdio Rocha, Firma Colab, Innovativ, Moltec, Natural Cotton Color, Nina Galle, Nomad Studio, Nova Kaeru, Savyon, Stampa Studio, Studio Icertain, and Studio Noir, representing the creative and productive diversity of Brazilian textile design.

Het bericht Abit and Abrapa Strengthen the Textile Chain at PV Paris verscheen eerst op IAF.

DIKNIGA lab of University of West Attica (UNIWA) participates to “InnovaTex” project, which is a co-funded by the European Union project, bringing together 8 partners from 5 countries (Romania, Greece, Italy, Ukraine, Moldova). It is designed as a systemic intervention aimed at modernising the vocational education and training (VET) ecosystem for the textile sector in Moldova and Ukraine. It responds to identified skills gaps by integrating digitalisation, smart textile technologies, and sustainability principles into VET provision, with a specific focus on 3D smart fabrics for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and technical textiles.

The project’s core objective is to increase the relevance, quality, and labour-market alignment of VET programmes by enhancing the digital, smart, and green competences of learners, educators, and industry professionals. Through this approach, InnovaTex supports the transition towards a more technologically advanced, resource-efficient, and resilient textile industry in the partner countries, leveraging the expertise and best practices of EU higher education institutions (HEIs) and vocational training providers.

The whole process enables the development of innovative, competency-based VET curricula that enhance learners’ employability and practical skills, particularly in 3D design, smart materials, and sustainable PPE manufacturing. A central component of the project is its advanced e-learning platform, which functions as both a training delivery and collaboration tool, with interactive learning modules in 3D textile simulation, digital camouflage, textile performance testing, and smart PPE development. Another important output is the establishment of two Smart Labs, one in Moldova and one in Ukraine, equipped with advanced 3D scanning, modelling, and textile testing technologies. All the activities will be operate with a common target to strengthening cross-sectoral and transnational cooperation between VET providers, universities, and industry stakeholders across Europe and promoting sustainable textile production practices, with measurable reductions in material waste and environmental impact. Through these interventions, InnovaTex contributes to the long-term structural upgrading of the textile VET sector, supporting workforce development, industrial innovation, and sustainable growth in the partner regions (Moldova, Ukraine).

Het bericht Transforming the vocational education and training (VET) landscape for the textile industry in Moldova and Ukraine. verscheen eerst op IAF.