October, 14th 2022
Sustainability

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“THE GREEN BOOK”, THE FUTURE-MINDED PRIMER FOR PORTUGAL’S TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY

A luxurious and impactful publication, in aesthetics and content, it is aimed at all players of the global textile industry, as well as the end consumer. “Our approach was to create a piece that could portray an image of timelessness, both in terms of design and in the choice of subjects to be covered. This venture would ultimately intertwine Portugal’s strong tradition in textiles with the theme of sustainability, a theme that, for the textile and clothing industry, is as pivotal nowadays as it shall be in the future. That is, from the get-go, we intended to produce a book that would remain relevant and current even a decade after its original release”, explains Paulo Gomes, Editor and Art Director of “The Green Book”.

This publication, carried out by the ATP – Associação Têxtil e Vestuário de Portugal – is part of the project “Sustainable Fashion From Portugal: Fashion Industry’s New Chic”, and was designed to showcase “to the world, some of the best practices, initiatives and projects being undertaken within Portugal’s textile and clothing industry”, as is prefaced, therein, by the President of the ATP, Mário Jorge Machado.

Sofia Botelho, Project Director, explains “so too, in the world of fashion and textiles, has sustainability become the great new paradigm”. Be it through the structure of its textile and clothing industry, or through its fashion system, Portugal is able to provide avant-garde solutions to the aforementioned paradigm. With this, “The Green Book” intends to showcase the country’s positioning in the world: one of deep respect towards our Earth and all beings that inhabit it. These matters are covered in depth by journalists Patrícia Brito, Patrícia Barnabé, and Isabel Lindim.

“Portugal is one of the prime producers of textiles and garments in Europe, and, essentially, a country where clients from all over the world are able to find their ideal business partners, with whom they then go on to establish a lasting, mutually advantageous and added value, business relationship, where product and service complement each other to fulfil a distinctive output,” adds Mário Jorge Machado. 

In order to harness said added value business relationship, Paulo Gomes tapped into the synergy generated by two seemingly opposite concepts–tradition and innovation–, a feature that so clearly sets Portugal’s textile and clothing industry apart from its counterparts. For this purpose, he chose to highlight three projects that amply demonstrate the benefits of this duality: Cork-a-Tex, the cork yarn developed by Têxteis Penedo; Tintex’s “projeto Uva”, an artificial leather obtained from Alvarinho grape residue; and Burel Factory’s burel, which uses the wool from sheep in the Serra da Estrela mountains.

“Albeit built upon pillars of a more traditional economy, these projects have strived to fully drive the current paradigm of sustainability. We wanted the book to mirror this commitment, that is, the will to marry science, technology and the know-how of the Portuguese textile industry in the face of concerns pertaining to the environment and our global ecosystem”, summarises Paulo Gomes.

THE GREEN BOOK features Paulo Gomes as its Editor and Art Director, pictures by Inês Gonçalves, articles by journalists Patrícia Brito, Patrícia Barnabé and Isabel Lindim, graphic design by Maria João Pereira, production by Manifesto Moda and Sandra Dias, and it was translated by Francisco Chagas. 

 

EXCERTS

WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? by Patricia Brito 

«Every day revolutionary innovations in the field of sustainability are announced as a result of collaboration between science, technology and industries. From fibres produced from hemp to edible insects. On the other side, consumers are increasingly attentive and demanding, but they still have an emotional relationship with fashion that leads them to consumption. Gradually, brands have been introducing more sustainable models in their collections for which customers do not mind paying more. The revolution is already underway and the fashion industry, traditionally founded on new expressions, bold and original ideas and radical thinking, has shown itself to be up to its responsibilities, finding itself on the frontline of this crusade for the survival of the planet and humanity.

Ever wary and pioneering, the Portuguese textile industry reinvented itself and invested heavily in the opportunities of the sustainability market — where it does not have to compete on price, but on quality — establishing itself, today, as a centre for innovation and assuming a leading role in this much desired revolution»

 

HOW ARE WE CHANGING? by Patrícia Brito 

«Leader in innovation and sustainability. This is the new international calling card of the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry which, in recent years, has known how to reinvent itself, taking on the role of world leader in the transition to a more planet-friendly sector and adding “green” value to its innovative products.

Biodegradable fibres, dyeing with bacteria and natural pigments, intelligent finishes and fabrics, reuse of waste, more efficient processes and machinery, products designed to last and to be recycled, a new investment philosophy that rhymes with research and innovation. The new brand image of Portuguese textiles is being sewn along these lines, world leaders in innovation and an example to follow in terms of sustainability and circular economy of the fashion industry’s.»

 

THE FUTURE IS NOW by Isabel Lindim

«The rules change when the world experiences, at a global scale, the consequences of climate change and pollution. When matters get as pressing as these, everything and everyone is forced to change. And it’s precisely through this new and shared consciousness that society can hope to work towards a healthier Earth. If the consumer grows to become both more demanding and better informed, so will production chains, throughout the world, shape themselves in accordance with a new, more mindful and more sustainable path that prioritises the use of greener materials and processes.

There is clear evidence that sustainability is, indeed, the future. This very same future is looking us right in the eye, anxiously awaiting the moment in which the knowledge we are building and the technologies we are developing revert and reduce our environmental impact. And everything is connected: humankind, what we wear and how we use the resources that are made available to us. To protect nature, we must first locate ourselves within it and, of course, cherish it. Upon doing so, it will just be a matter of making the right choices»

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