be@t presents Sustainability Report for the textile sector

The be@t – bioeconomy at textile project, developed by CITEVE within the scope of the be@t project, will present the Sustainability Report of the Textile and Clothing Sector of Portugal, where a total of 103 companies representing various subsectors and employing more than 15 thousand workers are represented. This strategic document aims to boost the sustainable development of the sector, providing a global vision of the industry for the definition and implementation of new ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) strategies, says the responsible entity in a statement.

The second Sustainability Report of the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Sector, developed by CITEVE within the scope of the PRR and in collaboration with several companies in the sector, aims to reflect a general approach to the sustainability of the sector. The report reflects the evolution of the main ESG performance indicators (over the last few years), highlighting the progress and challenges faced by the sector towards sustainability. The report will be presented this Wednesday at Exponor, within the scope of Mod'Única – a fair that replaced Modtissimo, but which continues to aim to be the most important fair in the sector in the national territory.

Assunção Mesquita, from CITEVE, who followed this process, states, quoted in the statement: “Companies in the sector reveal an increased commitment to ESG reporting, demonstrated by the increase in the quality and scope of the indicators”.

In addition to portraying the evolution of the main ESG indicators over the last few years, the report serves as an essential working tool “to identify progress and challenges, in a context in which a 63% increase in the consumption of textiles and clothing is expected by 2030 – a sector that already represents almost 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions”.

In parallel, the be@t project launched the be@t Sustainability digital platform, a business intelligence dashboard, “which allows the direct comparison of each company’s KPIs with the average values ​​of the sector and its subsectors. This benchmarking system facilitates strategic decision-making and promotes continuous improvement through self-reflection and the sharing of good practices”.

Assunção Mesquita also recalls that “structuring projects such as be@t are fundamental to transforming the Portuguese textile and clothing sector, promoting an innovative, sustainable and circular industry, aligned with European policies and global climate challenges.”

Also during Mod'Única, two innovative be@t products are competing in the iTechStyle Awards – an annual award that celebrates the best technical and innovative fabrics, products and accessories: the be@t lamp by Navigator, composed of lampshades made from non-woven fabric, produced with recycled cotton fibers and eucalyptus kraft pulp; and the be@t blanket, by JFA, developed with yarn composed of 80% pre-consumer recycled cotton and 20% recycled polyester.