Lenzing Group, the wood-based specialty fiber supplier, has expanded its sustainable viscose fiber portfolio globally via the launch of Veocel, a carbon-neutral viscose fiber to be available in the U.S. and Europe. For Asia, the company said it will “convert the existing production capacity for conventional viscose into capacity for responsible specialty fibers in the second half of this year.” The company said the expansion represents Veocel’s “latest act in providing nonwovens value chain partners and brands with offerings that make a positive impact on the environment and empower an industry-wide shift to reduce carbon footprints.”
Speaking of industry-wide shifts, WWD is presenting “Sustainability Forum: Scaling ESG Solutions” on June 6. The two-and-a-half hour virtual event will showcase the latest findings from Accenture’s annual “Scaling ESG Solutions in Fashion” report, which focuses on the “actions organizations can taking individually as well as those that will require wide-scale adoption and collaboration across the industry to drive effective progress,” organizers of the event said. Accenture is the sponsor of the forum.
[Click here for more information about the forum.]
Aside from ESG, industry leaders continue to prioritize technology and the convergence of physical and digital. During a recent webinar presented by SAP, Yulia Groza, vice president of e-commerce technology at Levi Strauss & Co., Lea Sonderegger, chief digital officer at Swarovski, Sven Denecken, chief marketing and solutions officer for industries and CX at SAP, and Ritu Bhargava, chief product officer for industries and CX at SAP, shared insights into the retail and consumer climate in this post-pandemic period. The panelists discussed emerging trends and what it takes to acquire and retain customer loyalty. To succeed, companies need to leverage data and technology.
When asked if SMBs can also leverage data, Denecken told WWD that “data matters for every size and every type of business — whether it’s a small business or major national retailer. Small to medium-sized businesses are dealing with steep competition and a landscape where every dollar and data point matters. There are data management solution options to fit every retailer’s needs.” Denecken said at SAP, the …