Where did we actually land after the pandemic? War in Europe, high inflation, historic interest rate increases, energy prices and continued concern that we will be dragged along with the coronavirus for a long time. We didn't get the 2022 we had hoped for.
New big challenges for our society and our members. At the same time, our questions are timely. Within the textile service industry, sustainability issues and our social commitment are integrated into everyday life. We have come a long way in our work to reduce our use of resources, but are still looking for new innovative, climate-smart and environmentally sound solutions. Our business models are circular and support the choice of high-quality textiles that last for a long time. The best textile is the one that is used often. Textile recycling is one of the industry's keys moving forward.
At the annual meeting at Scandic Opalen, we could listen to, among other things, the innovative cooperation between member companies Södra Once More and Rester – Love at first sight. As well as Vividye with founders from the entrepreneurship program at Chalmers, which offers a new technology for printing color and patterns on textiles, which can then be easily washed off so that the textiles can be reused and have an extended lifespan. Vividye was also the winner of Textilia's Sustainability Scholarship 2020.
The good cooperation with Messe Frankfurt, the world's leading organizer of industry exhibitions, now continues most recently with the Clean Show, which was under their auspices for the first time. Another cooperation we are very proud of is that with the UN Global Compact. Together with many member companies, we stand wholeheartedly behind the ten basic principles of the United Nations.
Finally – what would a world look like without the textile service industry? For the second year at the initiative of the communication company Infinite Laundry, we celebrated International Laundry and Textile Service Day. Among other things, the importance of our services was illustrated through videos and advertisements.
We can also note that the big international fairs are back – Clean Show in July-August and EXPOdetergo in October. More important than that is that in many cases the customers are also back - this is noticeable not least in the hotel and restaurant segment, which was so heavily employed during the pandemic.
I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, a good end and a very good start to the new year.
Jan Kluge
Chairman of the Federation
