Can sustainability survive these tumultuous times? Yes… with a caveat.
The changing political climate in the United States seems to have shifted sustainability lower down the list of priorities with the official exit from the Paris Agreement and a commitment to increase fossil fuel extraction. This has created uncertainty among businesses wishing to align their efforts with future government sustainability requirements.
That said, the underlying drivers of a sustainable future—innovation, tapping into cost-efficient renewable energy, and consumer demand for ethical practices—remain intact.
While 2024 was shaky for the next-gen materials market, 2025 is seeing innovators standing firm with sustainable solutions for an increasingly indebted industry. And textile-to-textile recycling is gaining importance; Circ, Circulose, RE&Up and Syre have all collaborated to form an association to give recyclers a role in shaping policy.
Challenges of course remain, but organizations that have monetarily, legislatively and emotionally invested in sustainability have proven to be a tenacious bunch.
