New York, June 2025 –As the global textile industry stands at a crossroads, the call for action has never been louder. At the Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference USA, hosted by the Innovation Forum, the message from brands, suppliers, and sustainability leaders was resoundingly clear. The time for incremental change is over. We must act now, and we must act boldly.
Representing Alchemie Technology, our Marketing Manager Dysha Cindrati, joined the two-day conference in New York, not only to listen but to contribute to the discussion on reshaping the textile supply chain through innovation. What emerged was a powerful consensus. While sustainability goals abound, delivering them at scale demands transformation at the very heart of production, particularly in dyeing and finishing.
Sustainability Is Now a Core Business Strategy
From Levi Strauss & Co, to Ralph Lauren, leading brands shared their roadmaps to reduce emissions, eliminate hazardous chemicals, and decouple growth from environmental harm.
- Levi’s aims to have 100% of their wet processing certified through Screened Chemistry by 2026 and has already achieved zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.
- Eileen Fisher showcased how over 50% of their dyeing processes now use safe-chemistry-certified inputs, while their circular design initiatives are slashing resource use and dye demand.
- Everlane is targeting a 55% reduction in Scope 3 emissions per product by 2030, and highlighted their chemical-free dye approaches in lines like CleanSilk.
- Ralph Lauren spotlighted the Colour on Demand initiative, aiming to dye over 80% of its cotton products with zero wastewater by 2025.
…But the Supply Chain Is Carrying the Weight
Suppliers today face mounting pressure. With razor-thin margins, increasing demand for shorter lead times, and high-volume output, many manufacturers are focused on survival, not sustainability.
While brands are vocal about green ambitions, few are willing to invest in the machinery or infrastructure needed to turn those goals into reality. One speaker shared that she works with multiple brands using the same supply chain to co-invest in sustainable upgrades — a collaborative approach that supports suppliers in meeting shared sustainability targets. But even when brands share the same manufacturing partners, such co-investment is rare.
This highlights a growing disconnect: brands expect cleaner chemistry, lower emissions, and waterless dyeing, yet most suppliers lack the financial capacity to deliver without support. For change to occur on a large scale, these expectations must be supported by tangible, long-term investment.
Alchemie’s Take: Precision Dyeing Is the Next Leap
Despite impressive commitments, many brand strategies still rely on legacy processes or incremental improvements. At Alchemie, we understand both sides of the equation. That’s why our Endeavour™ digital dyeing technology is built not just for sustainability, but for cost-efficiency, scalability, and factory adoption.
Our Endeavour™ digital dyeing technology delivers up to 95% reduction in wastewater, up to 85% energy reduction, and unparalleled colour precision — all while eliminating the reliance on large-scale dye baths and toxic effluents. What was clear from the conference is that sustainability in textiles can no longer be a balancing act between cost and conscience. With solutions like Endeavour™, it doesn’t have to be.
And most importantly, it operates fully on electricity, with no dependency on coal-based energy. This makes it viable in regions transitioning away from fossil fuels and enables brands to align their supply chain with clean energy goals.
We’re not asking factories to compromise on productivity. We’re giving them a tool that allows both performance and sustainability, without putting them at further financial risk.
From Pilots to Production: The Supply Chain Shift
Several panels raised the critical issue of scaling. It’s one thing to trial a sustainable solution in capsule collection, quite another to embed it across global production.
This is where partnerships with technology providers like Alchemie can accelerate progress. Brands want control, data transparency, and measurable impact. Our digital technologies deliver this, enabling real-time traceability, custom colour precision, and mass customisation, all with lower operational costs.
Collaboration Is the New Competitive Edge
It was energising to see collaboration across stakeholders, from supply chains to brands to regenerative fibre pioneers. But ambition must translate into decisive procurement choices. Brands serious about change must now support innovations that deliver radical reductions in water, chemical, and energy use, not just optimise what already exists.
Turning Intent into Impact
The Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference confirmed one thing: the appetite for change is there. What’s needed now is bold leadership, actionable roadmaps, and scalable technologies.
We at Alchemie are not just following this movement — we’re helping to lead it. From our UK headquarters to our production facility in Taiwan, we’re working with partners across the globe to make precision, cleantech dyeing the new industry standard.
The future of fashion is being written now — not in 2030. Let’s make it count.
To explore Alchemie’s zero-waste digital dyeing solution or partner with us on sustainable production, get in touch via enquiries@alchemietechnology.com