The next session promises to be particularly timely, especially following the latest revelations and subsequent pledges from leading sportswear brands with regard to Greenpeace’s ‘detox’ campaign and the recent report from the environmental group which shows that some high-street apparel items contain hormone-disturbing properties that are hazardous to human health.

The next Textile Panel will take place on 27 October with speakers including Dr. Clare Hussey from the European Outdoor Group, who will discuss the work of the European Outdoor Group on the EcoIndex; Robin Grankvist from the Swedish company OrganoClick who will be giving a talk on the company’s new environmentally friendly fabric finishing treatments, OrganoTex.

“The last news on environmental issues in relation to textiles has been depressing reading,” organisers said. “The report from the Norwegian Institute for Water Research on fish dying because of surprisingly low concentration of nano-silver is serious. The same can be said about the recent Greenpeace report where nonylfenolexylates are raising their ugly head,”