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Grace Wu

Although it costs much more to produce eco-friendly textiles, these products 'will become part of normal business, like organic food'
As customer demand for natural and organic fabric grows, and environmental standards that govern the use of raw materials and manufacturing processes are put in place, the eco-textile business is becoming increasingly important.
'Demand for eco-textiles and organic raw materials, such as cotton, wool, hemp, milk and soybean, is on the rise,' said Wendy Wen,  Messe Frankfurt (HK) director of trade fairs.
According to Ms Wen,  world production of organic cotton has sharply increased from 6,480 tonnes in 2001 to 57,931 tonnes in 2006/2007.
Organic cotton is forecast to have an annual growth rate of 116 per cent  from 2006 to 2008, reaching US$2.6 billion in global retail sales.
Along with this increase is a growing demand for eco-professionals who can navigate the different new certifications and standards.
At Interstoff Asia Essential Autumn 2008, most of the exhibitors displaying eco-textiles will be from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and China where there is a  heightened environmental awareness.
The mainland is also the biggest consumer of wool in the world, accounting for 40 per cent of the total global production per year.
That is why some European-based eco-certification companies are attracted to the Asian market, such as the Control Union Certifications  from the Netherlands.
This is the second time  the Control Union Certifications  will be present at the fair.
'Interstoff Asia Essential is a very good platform for visitors to source textiles and gain market information,' said Hong Lee,  regional manager certifications of Control Union Certifications.
'The fair will  enhance the understanding of visitors and exhibitors about us as a certification body which upholds the international industry standards such as Organic Exchange and Global Organic Textile Standard.'
Working in the regional office in Hong Kong for the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Lee said he saw the development of eco-textiles through his close contact with  clients who were  the suppliers for many major European, American and Japanese brands and retailers.
'The brands, retailers and consumers are becoming aware of the importance of sustainability, so many of them have included eco-textiles as part of their corporate social responsibility,' he said.
Sharing this view,  Ms Wen said that brands such as Nike, Gap, Marks & Spencer, Levi Strauss, Liz Claiborne, Wal-Mart and Tesco  were the big names  most active in purchasing and promoting eco-friendly textiles and clothing in the retailing industry.
'For example, Wal-Mart bought more than #12million [HK$172.9 million]  of cotton from farmers who transformed from conventional to organic cotton production with the aim of increasing its supply in the market,' she said, adding that all these top brands attended  Interstoff Asia regularly and would be on the list of visitors again in the autumn session.
Ms Wen said that the cost of introducing eco-textiles to the market was  higher than ordinary fabrics.
Besides the cost of going through some certification processes, the pest control of some organic fabrics is done manually instead of using pesticides and chemicals.
Producers also need to invest a lot more in implementing energy saving processing, waste reduction and buying recycled equipment.
However, she said that the cost would spread in the long run.
Mr Lee believes that eco-textiles will become part of the business strategy from which the cost will be absorbed in the market over the long run.
'If brands, retailers, suppliers and end consumers are willing to absorb the price premium incurred by eco-textiles, I am sure that eco-textiles will become part of the normal business, like organic food of nowadays,' he said.



Material gain for the environment