Position Statement: Textile machinery for a sustainable textile industry

In a position paper published today, the companies organised in the VDMA Textile
Machinery Association comment on the ambitious EU regulations and their national
implementation for the sustainable and circular transformation of the textile and
clothing industry.
The production of textiles requires a large number of resources, such as water, energy
and chemicals. “The members of VDMA Textile Machinery support customers with
products worldwide to utilise great potential already at the textile production stage to
thereby reduce CO2 emissions“, explained Verena Thies, Deputy Chairwoman of
VDMA Textile Machinery.
The position statement emphasises the importance of efficient processes, circular
economy and binding rules for all market participants. Besides, the position paper
summarises the status of textile-to-textile recycling processes as well as the framework
conditions for reprocessing of recyclates. The companies of VDMA Textile Machinery
develop processes and technologies for recycling and provide the technical
prerequisites for the efficient reuse and recycling of textile raw materials, whether
natural or man-made fibres.

The Executive Board of VDMA Textile Machinery stresses additionally, that the new EU
regulations for circular economy and their national implementation must be designed
with realistic targets, measurable effects and as little bureaucracy as possible.
Furthermore, market surveillance is needed to ensure a level playing field for all market
participants.
On behalf of the industry, the VDMA Textile Machinery Association calls for creating
better location conditions in Germany and EU as a favourable environment for
innovation und competitiveness for textile machinery manufacturing to significantly
advance the sustainability of the textile industry: The Textile Machinery Association
strongly emphasises the need for a wide range of low-cost green energy, which is
essential for the implementation and sustainable use of recycling solutions in the
manufacturing industry. The association also sees the positive shaping of location
conditions (the potential for skilled labour, a reduction in bureaucracy, shorter approval
periods, investment security and predictability as well as a reduction in the tax burden)
as a decisive factor for supporting sustainable business in the highly competitive textile
and clothing industry.
The complete position paper can be read and downloaded via these links:
www.vdma.org/textile-machinery and www.industryarena.com/m4t.
The production programme and services of the members of VDMA Textile Machinery
include equipment and technologies for recycling textile production waste, textiles,
textile auxiliaries or waste heat, and for processing recycled materials into textiles.
An overview is available here: Machinery for recycling and processing recycled
materials – vdma.org – VDMA