In the coming years, natural fibers may assume a crucial role across various industries. They may serve as eco-friendly substitutes or in blends with synthetic fibers, including polyester, and materials such as plastics, primarily derived from non-renewable fossil fuels.
This session will explore how natural fibers, like cotton, wool, bamboo, and hemp, can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. These fibers offer sustainable alternatives to products with higher environmental impacts, such as those from fossil fuels or synthetics.
Discussions will focus on enhancing value addition, livelihoods, and climate mitigation in these chains, and on proposing solutions to overcome obstacles like price fluctuations and economies of scale.
Questions to be addressed:
- What opportunities and threats does the climate action and energy transition agenda represent for natural fibers?
- What is the trade potential of the main natural fibers in the context of the climate emergency?
- How can natural fibres generate additional revenues for farmers while responding to increasing demands for climate-friendly agricultural practices and supply chains?
- How can producers of natural fibers, particularly smallholders, gain access to modern technologies necessary to sustainably increased yields and production?
- What role for regional value chains for natural fibers in strengthening development outcomes in producing countries?
- What role for international cooperation and multilateralism in shifting consumption towards sustainably produced, low-carbon natural fiber products?
- How can governments and industries ensure that the crucial role of natural fibers in the world economy is recognized and sustained?
Ms Chandrima Chatterjee is the Secretary General of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), New Delhi.
Ms. Chandrima Chatterjee with her 25 years of experience of research, policy, advocacy and trade facilitation.
Besides working on trade facilitation and competitiveness issues for the textile value chain, she has been associated with skilling, sustainability and responsible business initiatives, recognizing the growing role of these as competitiveness tools.
Having worked on domestic and export sector and dealt with issues of the entire textile value chain through her earlier stints at AEPC, CITI and national bodies like ASSOCHAM, she has been lending her expertise for an overall growth of the textile value chain, in line with CITIs vision of a strong textile industry in India.
Elisabeth van Delden is the Sustainability Manager Europe at Woolmark and Campaign Manager for Make the Label Count
Elisabeth started working in the natural fibre industry in 2011 when she joined the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) as Secretary General in Brussels. This was the time and place where she developed her passion for natural fibres and gained expertise in navigating the EU's legislative processes. Before joining Woolmark, she consulted with natural fibre companies along the entire supply chain, from farm to fashion. In her role as Campaign Manager for Make the Label Count, Elisabeth advocates for a level playing field for natural fibres within EU textile legislation. Make the Label Count is building an international coalition of organisations representing a wide range of natural fibre producers and environmental groups, who are all working together to ensure that sustainability claims for textiles in the EU are fair and credible.
Robert Antoshak has over 30 years of experience in the fiber and textile industries. As a partner with the Gherzi Textil Organisation, he manages the Gherzi USA office and consults with various companies throughout the textile supply chain.
He has held executive positions with the Fiber Economics Bureau as editor of the Fiber Organon, the American Fiber Manufacturers Association as Director of International Trade, the American Textile Manufacturers as Associate Director of International Trade, Trade Resources, Inc. as President, Werner International as Vice President, INTL-FCStone, LLC as Managing Director of the Fibers & Textiles Division, and Olah Inc. as Managing Director.
In addition to an extensive background in marketing, mergers & acquisitions, sourcing, information services, and strategic planning, Mr. Antoshak has strong experience in trade negotiations and worked as an FBI-cleared industry advisor to the U.S. government on numerous bilateral quota trade agreements, NAFTA, the MFA, and the WTO.
Widely published, Mr. Antoshak is a regular contributor to just-style.com and sourcingjournal.com.
Related
Topic
Commodities Event
- Global Commodities Forum 2024
- Session 1: Adaptation to the energy transition in fossil fuel-dependent developing countries
- Session 3: Fostering sustainable trade in agricultural commodities: The role of standards and traceability
- Session 4: Harnessing benefits from critical energy transition minerals
- Side event to the Global Commodities Forum 2024: Strengthening traceability in Latin American coffee value chains
Contact
Communications concerning representation:
UNCTAD secretariat, Intergovernmental Support Service
F.: +41 (0) 22 917 0214
E.: [email protected]
All other enquiries:
Commodities Branch
T.: +41 (0) 22 917 6286 / 5261
E.: [email protected]