News from World

US footwear: there are too many stocks in retail and this means an increase in discounted promotional sales

Athletic footwear sales declined to start the year, and promotions could define the back half of 2022. For the first three months of 2022, athletic footwear sales totaled $6.09 billion, according to The NPD Group retail tracking service, down $546 million from the $6.65 billion mark the year prior. [Athletic Footwear Sales Have Declined — and the Market Is About to Get Promotional- FN]

China, study for the removal of Cr(VI) by biochar

Chromium is widely present in the leather processing process, but it should only be the trivalent one, less harmful to humans and the environment. However, it is sometimes found as a production residue resulting from the treatment of sludge produced from tannery waste. A study on the thermochemical decomposition of oily sludge experiments with how to mitigate pollution and obtain charcoal-like substance known as Biochar, which can improve carbon sequestration and soil fertility.  [Removal of Cr(VI) by biochar derived via co-pyrolysis of oily ... - Nature]

FEDERMACCHINE: 2021 anno record per la meccanica strumentale

Il 2021 si è rivelato “anno d’oro” per l’industria italiana del bene strumentale. I dati elaborati dal Gruppo Statistiche FEDERMACCHINE appena presentati registrano, infatti, incrementi a doppia cifra per tutti i principali indicatori economici.

In particolare, nel 2021, il fatturato del comparto si è attestato ad un valore pari a 50,4 miliardi di euro, registrando un incremento del 21,6% rispetto al dato del 2020. Grazie a questa accelerazione, l’industria di settore non solo ha recuperato il terreno perso nel biennio precedente (2019-2020) ma ha addirittura migliorato il record che aveva segnato nel 2018.

Behind the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) hides a large Greenwashing operation

The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, introduced in the New York State Assembly in October 2021, obliges all fashion companies that generate more than $100 million to track at least 50% of value chains and disclose environmental impacts. However, the Higg MSI index  used seems to favor the use of low-cost net fibers derived from fossil fuels.  [industry-linked sustainability standard allows clothing giants to ramp up emissions – The Intercept.com]

adidas sued Nike for patent infringement

Adidas has filed a lawsuit against the Beaverton-based company (the first federal lawsuit in history opened against its American competitor) for infringing patents related to the Nike Adapt system and the SNKRS, Run Club and Training Club applications. [Adidas Names Nike in Patent Lawsuit for Allegedly Infringing - The Fashion Law]

Amazon: now you can try on shoes in virtual reality before to buy

Usually “try before you buy” has only really applied to shopping in physical shops, but you can now virtually try on digital versions of shoes before you buy them on Amazon. [Amazon is using augmented reality to let you try on shoes ...  -Euronews]