On Thursday, Walmart announced a pioneering project with unspun, a fashion technology company that utilizes the world's first 3D weaving technology.
According to Walmart, if the collaboration proves successful, it has the potential to decrease the environmental damage caused by garment production. It could establish a more sustainable process to meet the demand for clothing, while also supporting a shared goal of bringing more textile manufacturing back to the U.S.
Andrea Albright, Executive Vice President of Sourcing at Walmart, said, "At Walmart, we are deeply committed to innovative supply chain solutions to better serve our customers and address industry concerns, and unspun has the potential to do exactly that." She further stated that the currently under trial technology with unspun could generate more skilled jobs in the U.S., cater to consumer demand for locally manufactured garments, and fulfill their commitment to increased transparency and sustainability in their apparel supply chain.
The project directly tackles issues related to waste in the clothing industry primarily stemming from fabric waste due to traditional flat weaving, cutting, and clothing assembly, as well as from excess inventory discarded to keep up with increasing consumer demand and fashion trends. These problems, paired with the carbon emissions from the transportation of offshore garments and fabrics, have heightened the demand for more environmentally friendly clothing manufacturing supply chain solutions.
