bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Morning Studio editors

The environmental impacts of the fashion industry – and along with it, the textile industry – can be alarming. Fortunately, the industry is evolving, with many players pivoting to focus on reducing the negative environmental effects resulting from the growth of fast fashion.
In April, the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Fashion Taskforce – set up by the recently proclaimed King Charles III – announced its Regenerative Fashion Manifesto, which outlines the need to move towards an industry that is both “climate and nature positive”. The task force includes major brands such as Burberry, Chloé and Stella McCartney.
“Other efforts [towards sustainability] have included reducing the dependency on finite resources like fossil fuels, reducing the use of freshwater, reducing/eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals and dyes, and a more recent topic is reducing microplastics released from textiles,” Nicole van der Elst, a council member of Singapore’s Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFF) and chairperson of TaFF’s sustainability steering committee, explains. “Companies in the industry are also expected to be transparent about the environmental impact and progress made.”

Eugenia Law, assistant curator of learning and community at Hong Kong’s Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT), agrees. “A responsible brand or manufacturer should be open enough to let consumers understand their manufacturing process, including where their materials come from – each stage of production has to be traceable,” she says. “With this information, customers can be more conscious about what they purchase.”
An industry now “woke”
The production of renewable and biodegradable man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCFs) such as viscose/rayon, lyocell, modal and cupro – which form the second biggest cellulosic fibre group after cotton – has the potential to tackle some of the most significant sustainability challenges facing the apparel industry and the broader textile industry.
For example, MMCFs’ unique prospects for realising circular fashion contrast sharply with the linear models of economic growth that have left many ecosystems on the verge of collapse, according to Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainability non-profit organisation.
“As a derivative of wood pulp and other natural fibres, MMCFs can play an important role in regenerating many of these ecosystems, as well as ensuring the health of carbon sinks, which play an essential role in stabilising the Earth’s climate,” it says.
In addition, Textile Exchange, a global non-profit organisation in the preferred fibre and materials industry, reports that MMCFs have a market share of about 6 per cent of the total fibre production volume, which means they have the potential to further expand and meet growing fibre demand.

In 2016, the H&M Foundation launched the Recycling Revolution programme in collaboration with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), with a goal of finding a commercially viable method to separate blended materials or fabrics and recycle them at scale. “A year into the programme, The Green Machine was developed to do just that, becoming the world’s first technology that can recycle blended textiles at scale, without any quality loss,” Gloria Yao, HKRITA’s director of project development, says.
In July, one of the world’s biggest viscose producers, RGE, together with the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, launched the RGE-NTU Sustainable Textile Research Centre (RGE-NTU SusTex) to accelerate innovation in textile recycling that can be deployed in urban settings. RGE-NTU SusTex will develop an optimal urban-fit solution that uses less energy, fewer chemicals and produces harmless and less effluents to recycle textile waste into fibre.
With the tightening of waste imports in countries such as China, India and Indonesia, which are among the world’s largest waste processors, such technologies offer local textile recycling solutions to tackle the immense textile waste that would otherwise be incinerated or landfilled.

A reliable fibre, revitalised
A good example of an MMCF is viscose fibre, which has always been a popular choice on its own as well as in combination with silk, cotton and polyester, and in various jersey knit types. “Brands use viscose for its softness; it has similar properties as silk, but at a fraction of its price,” van der Elst says. “I still remember the first time I found a viscose denim shirt. The fabric felt so soft and luxurious, almost silk-like.”
Besides apparel, viscose is also used in the personal hygiene and care sector to produce wet wipes, facial masks and more.
Brands use viscose for its softness; it has similar properties as silk, but at a fraction of its price
Nicole van der Elst, council member, Singapore’s Textile and Fashion Federation
The less-than-desirable effects of viscose on the environment, however, have been well documented. Viscose has been associated with environmental impacts and chemically intensive manufacturing processes, using hazardous chemicals like sodium hydroxide, carbon disulphide and sulphuric acid.
But these negative environmental impacts can and are being directly addressed by responsible manufacturers, which are pushing to get a more sustainable version of the fibre to market. They are also committed to ensuring the production process meets the standards and best practice guidelines set by the industry’s sustainability watchdogs.
“The two better-known certifications for validating the wood feedstock, ensuring the plantation forests are sustainably managed, and providing a chain of custody are the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC),” van der Elst explains.

She adds: “On the manufacturing front, the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) Foundation, which works on reducing the textile and apparel industry’s chemical footprint, has expanded the scope of its work to cover fibre production. It started with man-made cellulosic fibres, specifically viscose.”
Recyclability is also a major factor in sustainable viscose production. HKRITA is part of an innovative project to provide a more sustainable way of producing regenerated composite fibres from recycled cellulose, which is recovered from textile waste using proprietary hydrothermal separation technology.
With all the efforts in place to ensure the industry focuses on being more sustainable, van der Elst – like many of her peers – is optimistic that the situation will only improve going forward. “Not limited to newer business models or sourcing fibres, there is more knowledge on what areas within the creation of textiles have the most significant opportunities to reduce impacts,” she says, adding that she believes the industry has been evolving.
Yao agrees. “I would like to see the industry double up its commitment to responsible material sourcing, manufacturing and processing,” she says. “Meanwhile, the rest of us must commit to responsible consumption. Only then will we have enough material, fibre, fabric and clothing – while also reducing the impact to the planet.”
This article has been adapted from a story originally published in the South China Morning Post on September 29, 2022.


Why viscose fibre could be a possible solution for the sustainable future of fashion

The fashion industry is evolving, with many players pivoting to focus on reducing its negative environmental effects.

Eugenia Law, assistant curator of learning and community at Hong Kong’s Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile, says  responsible brands should allow consumers to understand manufacturing processes.

According to Textile Exchange, the total textile fibre production worldwide in 2020 was 109 million tonnes, of which MMCFs accounted for 6.5 million tonnes, or 5.9 per cent. Of this segment, viscose makes up about 80 per cent. Chart source: Statista, 2020

Gloria Yao, director of project development at the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, says the organisation partners with other companies to develop technologies that drive sustainability initiatives in the fashion and textiles industries.

Nicole van der Elst, founder of VDE Consultancy and council member of Singapore’s Textile and Fashion Federation, is hopeful that the fashion industry is becoming more accountable and transparent in its efforts to be more sustainable. 

Lifestyle


Advocates of sustainability, newer technologies and greater transparency have helped to tackle fashion’s negative environmental impacts
Three Asia-based experts explain how the industry can make significant advancements towards becoming more eco-conscious



Advocates of sustainability, newer technologies and greater transparency have helped to tackle the negative environmental impacts brought on by the growth of fast fashion.


Sustainable future of fashion

Asia Pacific Rayon

Fashion

Environment

Why viscose fibre could be a possible solution for the sustainable future of fashion

Advocates of sustainability, newer technologies and greater transparency have helped to tackle fashion’s negative environmental impacts Three Asia-based experts explain how the industry can make significant advancements towards becoming more eco-conscious

Advocates of sustainability, newer technologies and greater transparency have helped to tackle fashion’s negative environmental impacts

Three Asia-based experts explain how the industry can make significant advancements towards becoming more eco-conscious