Geopolitical shocks are exposing the fragility of global fertiliser supply chains. A surprising solution – and a major development opportunity – lies rotting in the fields. Worker at pineapple leaf decortication line at Mananasi Fibre, Nairobi, Kenya. Somewhere on the outskirts of Thika, Kenya, a pineapple leaf processing facility hums through its daily routine. Workers […]
The ninety-eight percent opportunity Read More »
Event Details Date: 23 June 2026Time: 18:30-19:30 CESTVenue: Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG), Switzerland International trade in used textiles plays an important role in supporting textile circularity by extending the life of garments, reducing pressure on disposal systems, and supplying affordable clothing to consumers in many developing countries. At the same time, concerns about textile
Used Textiles in Practice: Trade, Impacts and Development Pathways Read More »
A three-part online webinar series on plastics end-of-life systems in Sub-Saharan Africa Session 1: Making plastics recovery models viableThursday 7 May 2026 Session 2: Traceability, standards and regulatory alignmentWednesday 13 May 2026 Session 3: Substitutes, compostability and regional pathwaysWednesday 20 May 2026 All sessions start at 09:00 UTC / 10:00 WAT / 11:00 CAT /
Making Plastics Recovery Work: Viability, Traceability and Transition Pathways Read More »
Oil price shocks reach far beyond the pump: into the plastic and synthetic fibres woven through global trade. Yet material substitutes, derived from agricultural residues and renewable biomass, already produced in developing countries, remain constrained by trade rules, standards and market access. © UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)/Maria Durleva | Plastic nurdles, small pellets made from fossil fuels or recycled plastics, used as the raw material
“Anything that is possible in the world, is also possible here, in Bangladesh.” Aniruddha Kumar Roy, Managing Director of Leather Industries of Bangladesh Limited An enthusiastic footwear factory owner summed up the spirit and overarching message of a recent SMEP trip to Bangladesh. His confidence was palpable, reflecting not only his personal ambition and drive, but it also spoke to the wider attitude of an industrious and
Made in Bangladesh: How SMEP Projects are Powering Local Enterprise Read More »
Traceability enables textile manufacturing and recycling companies to be more transparent and to visualise recycling practices for more accountability. SMEP grantee Reverse Resources, expands the circulation of post-industrial textile waste (PIW) in Bangladesh and Pakistan using the Reverse Resources platform, which integrates digital tools, standardised processes, and business models to align and connect stakeholders in
Sustainability must be built from the bottom up: A showcase of Reverse Resources Read More »
The future of Africa’s industrialisation may not lie in silicon chips or machine learning but in sustainable natural materials and regional cooperation. Across East and West Africa, governments are moving beyond extractive models and towards policies that fuse environmental resilience with industrial renewal. In Ghana, a national policy blueprint is steering the country’s economy towards
Raw potential: How Africa is recasting industrial power beyond plastics Read More »
Photo Credit: Maria Durleva. SMEP Programme Global textile systems are shifting in response to questions about the sustainability, sourcing, and environmental footprint of the fabrics we use. The textiles industry, valued at $1.6 trillion in 2023, is projected to reach $3.3 trillion in 2030, contributes to 2-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes about