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03.11.2023

New Swiss owners for Heberlein

Heberlein, founded in 1835, successfully completed the sale of its business on 31st of October 2023. The new joint ownership comprises the company’s management, alongside industry expert Daniel Lippuner
and the Renaissance investment foundation. From November 1, 2023, the company will operate under the name "Heberlein Technology AG".

The owners are committed to investing in the long-term success of a business that already combines traditional values with innovative power. The brand is known for its high level of expertise, as well as its tailor-made solutions for the textile business. As the world's leading supplier of jets for synthetic yarns, Heberlein develops, produces, and distributes key components for the man-made fibre industry. Around 80 employees and an efficient infrastructure in Wattwil, Switzerland, ensure that international customers can continue to rely on quality and reliability.

The Renaissance investment foundation was established by pension funds, for pension funds, and has been investing in unlisted Swiss SMEs for over 20 years.

Heberlein, founded in 1835, successfully completed the sale of its business on 31st of October 2023. The new joint ownership comprises the company’s management, alongside industry expert Daniel Lippuner
and the Renaissance investment foundation. From November 1, 2023, the company will operate under the name "Heberlein Technology AG".

The owners are committed to investing in the long-term success of a business that already combines traditional values with innovative power. The brand is known for its high level of expertise, as well as its tailor-made solutions for the textile business. As the world's leading supplier of jets for synthetic yarns, Heberlein develops, produces, and distributes key components for the man-made fibre industry. Around 80 employees and an efficient infrastructure in Wattwil, Switzerland, ensure that international customers can continue to rely on quality and reliability.

The Renaissance investment foundation was established by pension funds, for pension funds, and has been investing in unlisted Swiss SMEs for over 20 years.

Under the new ownership, the Heberlein business will continue unchanged at the current location in Wattwil with the current management and all current employees. The board of directors and management of Heberlein AG welcome this solution and are convinced that the existence of the company and its traditions will now be secured in the long term and that it will continue to develop successfully – positive news also for the business location of Toggenburg and the canton of St. Gallen.

Martin Zuercher, CEO of Heberlein, says of the transaction: "With this sale, we are opening a new, positive chapter in the company's long history. With the Renaissance investment foundation, we found an owner who is focused on long-term success. Together with the energetic management team, I look forward to continuing to make a significant contribution to Heberlein's success in the future."

Source:

Heberlein Technology AG

Carbios: Polyester recycling with new textile preparation line (c) Carbios
04.10.2023

Carbios: Polyester recycling with new textile preparation line

Carbios inaugurated its textile preparation line at its demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand, in the presence of Mr. Lescure, French Minister for Industry. To streamline the textile preparation phase, which is currently carried out by hand or on several lines, Carbios has developed a fully integrated and automated line that transforms textile waste from used garments or cutting scraps into raw material suitable for depolymerization with its enzymatic biorecycling process. This patented line integrates all preparation stages (shredding and extraction of hard points such as buttons or fasteners), and provides Carbios with a high-performance, scalable development tool. The platform will help validate the biorecycling technology for textiles at demonstration plant scale (by 2024), and provides Carbios with expertise in working with collection and sorting operators to specify the quality of textiles and the preparation steps needed to make them suitable for enzymatic recycling. This expertise will also be invaluable to brands in the eco-design of their products.

Carbios inaugurated its textile preparation line at its demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand, in the presence of Mr. Lescure, French Minister for Industry. To streamline the textile preparation phase, which is currently carried out by hand or on several lines, Carbios has developed a fully integrated and automated line that transforms textile waste from used garments or cutting scraps into raw material suitable for depolymerization with its enzymatic biorecycling process. This patented line integrates all preparation stages (shredding and extraction of hard points such as buttons or fasteners), and provides Carbios with a high-performance, scalable development tool. The platform will help validate the biorecycling technology for textiles at demonstration plant scale (by 2024), and provides Carbios with expertise in working with collection and sorting operators to specify the quality of textiles and the preparation steps needed to make them suitable for enzymatic recycling. This expertise will also be invaluable to brands in the eco-design of their products.

Current collection, sorting and preparation infrastructures limit the amount of textile waste available for “fiber-to-fiber” recycling. Collection rates average around 15-25% worldwide[1], and much of the waste collected is exported to Africa, Asia or Latin America for sorting.

Moreover, textiles are highly complex materials, with yarns of different composition (or nature) that are difficult, if not impossible, to physically separate. However, the highly selective enzyme developed by Carbios can specifically depolymerize the PET (polyester) present in textile material.

At present, textiles are sorted and prepared mainly by hand, with low yields, particularly for disruptors to recycling processes such as “hard points” (zips, buttons, etc.). To optimize this crucial phase, Carbios is contributing a textile preparation solution to accelerate the development of biorecycling in the textile industry. Enzymatic recycling, or biorecycling, therefore contributes to the construction of a textile recycling chain and the acceleration of textile circularity, also enabling brands to do away with used bottles.

[1] Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017

Source:

Carbios

25.09.2023

Indorama Ventures recycles 100 billion PET bottles

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, announced that it has recycled 100 billion post-consumer PET bottles since February 2011. This has diverted 2.1 million tons of waste from the environment and saved 2.9 million tons of carbon footprint from the product lifecycles. Demonstrating its commitment to support the establishment of a circular economy for PET, in the last ten years Indorama Ventures has spent more than $1 billion towards waste collection of used PET bottles.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, announced that it has recycled 100 billion post-consumer PET bottles since February 2011. This has diverted 2.1 million tons of waste from the environment and saved 2.9 million tons of carbon footprint from the product lifecycles. Demonstrating its commitment to support the establishment of a circular economy for PET, in the last ten years Indorama Ventures has spent more than $1 billion towards waste collection of used PET bottles.

The company has also committed a further $1.5 billion to expand its recycling business. To support increased recycling rates globally, Indorama Ventures has expanded its recycling facilities, infrastructure, and public education programs. The unique PET plastic used in soft drinks and water bottles is fully recyclable and is collected in practice and at scale. As a result, PET is the most recycled plastic in the world, and the company’s recycling achievements support that. Building on its position as the world’s largest producer of recycled resin used in plastic beverage bottles, Indorama Ventures is also seeking advanced technologies to deliver more recycling infrastructure globally and reduce lifecycle carbon emissions.

The company now has 20 recycling sites in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Recent developments include doubling the capacity of a recycling site in Brazil; and the opening of PETValue, the largest bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in the Philippines, in partnership with Coca-Cola. Both part of a $300 million ‘Blue Loan’ Indorama Ventures received in 2020 from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. The loan has the objective of increasing recycling capacity and diverting plastic waste from landfills and oceans in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, and Brazil - countries seeking support in managing environmental waste. Indorama Ventures has also partnered with the Yunus Foundation, a leading non-profit organization promoting sustainable development with a global network, with the goal of educating one million consumers globally about recycling by 2030 with 200,000 reached so far.

Source:

Indorama

05.09.2023

Beaulieu International Group at International Conference on Geosynthetics

Beaulieu International Group will turn the spotlight on geotextile products with sustainability benefits to support progress in resilient civil engineering projects at the 12th ICG Rome from 18th -21st September 2023, presenting options to target fossil carbon reduction by choosing PP-based staple fibres or woven geotextiles that are among the lowest in carbon footprint for geosynthetics.

For manufacturers of nonwoven geotextiles, Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) offers PP fibres with > 25% carbon footprint reduction compared to the European standard PP fibres, generating 1.48 kg CO2/kg PP fibres. A step further is to accelerate the replacement of fossil carbon in engineered fibre applications by choosing its ISCC Plus certified bio-attributed MONO-PP with a negative carbon footprint.

For construction projects, nonwoven geotextiles made with high-tenacity HT8 fibres are proven to secure a longer service lifetime and reduce the environmental impact, as they offer high mechanical performance at a reduced weight.

Beaulieu International Group will turn the spotlight on geotextile products with sustainability benefits to support progress in resilient civil engineering projects at the 12th ICG Rome from 18th -21st September 2023, presenting options to target fossil carbon reduction by choosing PP-based staple fibres or woven geotextiles that are among the lowest in carbon footprint for geosynthetics.

For manufacturers of nonwoven geotextiles, Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) offers PP fibres with > 25% carbon footprint reduction compared to the European standard PP fibres, generating 1.48 kg CO2/kg PP fibres. A step further is to accelerate the replacement of fossil carbon in engineered fibre applications by choosing its ISCC Plus certified bio-attributed MONO-PP with a negative carbon footprint.

For construction projects, nonwoven geotextiles made with high-tenacity HT8 fibres are proven to secure a longer service lifetime and reduce the environmental impact, as they offer high mechanical performance at a reduced weight.

Beaulieu Technical Textiles' (BTT) woven geotextiles provide a wide range of functions, including separation, filtration, reinforcement and erosion control, and are among the most sustainable in the industry. Depending on weight, the carbon footprint of its woven geotextiles (m²) ranges between 0.37 and 1.40 kg CO2 eq./m². They also minimize the use of natural resources for more sustainable infrastructure development. Case studies such as at the Ostend-Bruges airport highlight significant CO2 reduction on the jobsite by replacing the transport of 960 trucks of gravel with 3 trucks of woven geotextiles, and by extending the runway’s life span.

The ICG launch of its new line Terralys MF woven filtration geotextiles with monofilament boosts the performance of a common solution in building layers that require high water flow rates. High-tenacity extruded polypropylene tapes and monofilaments are interwoven to form dimensionally stable and highly permeable geotextiles. These new filtration geotextiles provide greater resistance to dirt and biological clogging. They allow water to travel freely while reducing soil erosion when employed as a separation and stabilizing layer.

As of September 2023, all PP staple fibres and woven geotextiles will have Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) based on LCAs. Each EPD is an essential tool for communicating and reporting on the sustainability performance and helps carbon-conscious customers in their purchasing and decision making. Registered EPDs are globally recognized, publicly available and free to download through EPD Libraries.

Source:

Beaulieu International Group

21.06.2023

Fashion for Good welcomes new partners to its Sorting for Circularity USA Project

The Sorting for Circularity USA consortium project welcomes new partners and expands its North American geographical scope. Fashion for Good is pleased to announce the addition of lululemon as an external brand partner, joining the existing seven brand partners. They also welcome their new implementation partners Helpsy, United Southern Waste Material, Goodwill Industries International Inc., and its members Goodwill of Colorado, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Goodwill of San Francisco Bay. Additionally, Fashion for Good is pleased to recognise adidas as the project's lead sponsor, facilitating the complete realisation of the project scope.

The Sorting for Circularity USA consortium project welcomes new partners and expands its North American geographical scope. Fashion for Good is pleased to announce the addition of lululemon as an external brand partner, joining the existing seven brand partners. They also welcome their new implementation partners Helpsy, United Southern Waste Material, Goodwill Industries International Inc., and its members Goodwill of Colorado, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Goodwill of San Francisco Bay. Additionally, Fashion for Good is pleased to recognise adidas as the project's lead sponsor, facilitating the complete realisation of the project scope.

Fashion for Good, together with Resource Recycling Systems, launched the Sorting for Circularity USA consortium project in January 2023. The project will conduct an extensive consumer survey to map the journey of a garment from closet to end of use, and present a comprehensive snapshot of textile waste composition generated in the United States. The insights gained from this 18-month project will help to scale collection, sorting, and recycling innovations and inform decisions on necessary investments and actions.

Within the first 6 months, the project has expanded to cover 6 key states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Colorado. Additional implementation partners have also signed on to support the fibre composition data analysis: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) Association, Helpsy, United Southern Waste Material, and Goodwill Industries International Inc., with its members Goodwill of Colorado, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Goodwill of San Francisco Bay. Resource Recycling Systems will drive the dissemination and analysis of the consumer survey together with New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management and Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions, and execute the textile composition analysis using Matoha’s near infrared devices with advisory support from Circle Economy.

Demonstrating the importance of pre-competitive collaboration in tackling the industry’s biggest challenges, lululemon joins Eastman, H&M and Nordstrom as key project partners, together with Fashion for Good corporate partners adidas, Inditex, Levi Strauss & Co., and Target. Adidas' lead sponsorship ensures a deeper analysis of USA textile waste infrastructure and the identification of valuable opportunities for advancement.

In the USA, textile waste is the fastest-growing segment of the country's waste stream, with 85% of discarded textiles ending up in landfills*. Understanding the composition of material, volume and location of used textiles is crucial for capturing them and sorting them for the best and highest quality end use. Moreover, the range of national and regional geographies within the Sorting for Circularity project series enables for nuanced cross-country comparisons - revealing differences in the textile waste generated and infrastructure required.

Sorting for Circularity, a framework co-developed by Fashion for Good and Circle Economy, aims to (re)capture textile waste by unlocking the feedstock potential for recycling, expedite the implementation of game changing automated sorting technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy and advanced textile-to-textile recycling, and drive circularity within the fashion value chain. The project builds on the success of Sorting for Circularity Europe and India, which revealed insights on material composition, volume, and location of used textiles and provided a solid foundation to accelerate textile recycling in those respective geographical locations.

*United States Environmental Protection Agency (2019). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling.

Source:

Fashion for Good 

(c) Sappi Europe
19.06.2023

Sappi Gratkorn’s increases share of renewable energy

As part of Sappi Europe's full scale decarbonisation roadmap, Gratkorn mill is expanding the share of biomass to be used as an energy source, further driving the move away from fossil fuels as part of the mill’s contribution to the European roadmap. The project follows the recent modernisation of the power plant boiler which enabled the shift from coal to a combined approach of biomass and natural gas.

The mill is now embarking on a next step, enhancing its infrastructure and therefore capacity in order to handle the delivery, sorting and processing of increased biomass levels. This increased utilisation requires an improved biomass handling system at the mill as well as decentralised intermediate storage terminals within the surrounding regions.

"With our long-standing competent wood sourcing partner Papierholz Austria, we will continue our journey to move away from fossil fuels at Gratkorn mill and work towards a climate-neutral future”, says Peter Putz, Managing Director of Sappi Austria GmbH.

For the near term, Sappi’s decarbonisation roadmap includes close to 80 projects being carried out across its European mills by 2025.

As part of Sappi Europe's full scale decarbonisation roadmap, Gratkorn mill is expanding the share of biomass to be used as an energy source, further driving the move away from fossil fuels as part of the mill’s contribution to the European roadmap. The project follows the recent modernisation of the power plant boiler which enabled the shift from coal to a combined approach of biomass and natural gas.

The mill is now embarking on a next step, enhancing its infrastructure and therefore capacity in order to handle the delivery, sorting and processing of increased biomass levels. This increased utilisation requires an improved biomass handling system at the mill as well as decentralised intermediate storage terminals within the surrounding regions.

"With our long-standing competent wood sourcing partner Papierholz Austria, we will continue our journey to move away from fossil fuels at Gratkorn mill and work towards a climate-neutral future”, says Peter Putz, Managing Director of Sappi Austria GmbH.

For the near term, Sappi’s decarbonisation roadmap includes close to 80 projects being carried out across its European mills by 2025.

“Our 2025 roadmap identifies the path we have embarked on towards a carbon-neutral future,” explains Sarah Price, Director Sustainability of Sappi Europe. The objective is to reduce emissions of specific greenhouse gases (Scope 1 and 2) by 25 per cent and to increase the share of renewable energy in Europe to 50 per cent by 2025 (compared to 2019). Additionally, Sappi’s 2030 science-based target is to reduce carbon emissions by 41.5% per ton of product. “We’re already making good progress towards these targets, with a large number of projects already well-underway or completed”.

Source:

Sappi Europe

(c) Kornit Digital
09.06.2023

Kornit Digital presents Enhanced Presto MAX at ITMA

Kornit Digital LTD., a leader in sustainable, on-demand digital fashionx and textile production technologies, announced the Company is taking the power of digital fashion to new heights with enhancements to the Kornit Presto MAX system for digital fabric decoration on demand.

Designed with the fashion and home décor industry in mind, the enhanced solution presents innovative capabilities for transforming virtual concepts into custom fabrics, supplementing digital efficiency and quality with white printing on colored fabrics. The new NeoPigmentTM Vivido ink achieves darker, deeper blacks and colors and establish new fashion standards with a pigment-based process. Kornit’s patented solution offers a streamlined and completely dry process for the a sustainable fabric decoration.

Kornit Digital LTD., a leader in sustainable, on-demand digital fashionx and textile production technologies, announced the Company is taking the power of digital fashion to new heights with enhancements to the Kornit Presto MAX system for digital fabric decoration on demand.

Designed with the fashion and home décor industry in mind, the enhanced solution presents innovative capabilities for transforming virtual concepts into custom fabrics, supplementing digital efficiency and quality with white printing on colored fabrics. The new NeoPigmentTM Vivido ink achieves darker, deeper blacks and colors and establish new fashion standards with a pigment-based process. Kornit’s patented solution offers a streamlined and completely dry process for the a sustainable fabric decoration.

At ITMA 2023, Kornit will also be displaying an end-to-end partner ecosystem – underscoring how integrated solutions ensure a smooth transition towards a digital infrastructure and enable long-term business growth. Highlighting the power of partnership alongside Kornit is Greentex.co, a supplier of textiles and apparel leveraging digitally enabled, eco-friendly waterless printing. The company will be showing Presto MAX with fabrics highlighting the depth of black inks. Working alongside Kornit, Zünd will demonstrate how its modular cutting systems is the foundation for an end-to-end “eco factory,” completing fashion decorated by Presto MAX with their digital cutting solutions. Pentek Textile Machinery joins to display the possibilities for inline, sustainable softening of fabrics for unique and demanding applications.

(c) A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG
Members and associates of the WasserSTOFF consortium from Monforts, Pleva, NTB Nova Textil, TU Freiberg, Hochschule Niederrhein and Honeywell Thermal Solutions, at the launch meeting of the new project at the Monforts ATC in Mönchengladbach.
28.04.2023

Monforts presents green hydrogen project WasserSTOFF at ITMA 2023

At ITMA 2023 in Milan from June 8-14 this year, Monforts is organising two free-to-attend seminars and discussions on the potential of green hydrogen as a new energy source for textile finishing, drying and related processes.

Monforts is currently leading a consortium of industrial partners and universities in the three-year WasserSTOFF project, launched in November 2022, that is exploring all aspects of this exciting and fast-rising new industrial energy option.
The target of the government-funded project is to establish to what extent hydrogen can be used in the future as an alternative heating source for textile finishing processes. This will first involve tests on laboratory equipment together with associated partners and the results will then be transferred to a stenter frame at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

At ITMA 2023 in Milan from June 8-14 this year, Monforts is organising two free-to-attend seminars and discussions on the potential of green hydrogen as a new energy source for textile finishing, drying and related processes.

Monforts is currently leading a consortium of industrial partners and universities in the three-year WasserSTOFF project, launched in November 2022, that is exploring all aspects of this exciting and fast-rising new industrial energy option.
The target of the government-funded project is to establish to what extent hydrogen can be used in the future as an alternative heating source for textile finishing processes. This will first involve tests on laboratory equipment together with associated partners and the results will then be transferred to a stenter frame at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

To be considered “green”, hydrogen must be produced using a zero-carbon process that is powered by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar. Currently, the cleanest method of hydrogen production is electrolysis, using an electrically-powered electrolyzer to separate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The purity of the hydrogen is also important, and impurities must be removed via a separation process.

“Despite all its advantages, there are obstacles to overcome on the way to widespread, economically-feasible green hydrogen use,” explains Monforts Textile Technologies Engineer Jonas Beisel. “Until there are widely available, reliable and economical sources of this clean power, the cost of producing it will remain prohibitive. The infrastructure is not yet there, and hydrogen also has a tendency to make steel brittle and subject to fracture, which is something that requires further investigation in both its transportation and use in industrial processing.
“Green energy’s potential as a clean fuel source is tremendous, but there is much we need to explore when considering its use in the textile finishing processes carried out globally on our industry-leading Montex stenter dryers and other machines.”

At its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Mönchengladbach, Monforts will be carrying out intensive tests and trials to assess the reliability of both processes and final products when different natural gas and hydrogen mixtures – up to 100% green hydrogen – are employed. The results will be closely analysed by the consortium partners because there are many parameters that at this stage remain unknown.

The aim, Beisel adds, is to both reduce CO2 emissions and – following the rising prices and industry turbulence experienced by manufacturers over the past year or so – to further reduce a dependency on natural gas.

The three-year WasserSTOFF project is sponsored by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and with Monforts at the helm brings together industrial partners Pleva and NTB Nova Textil, with academic input from the Hochschule Niederrhein and the Technical University of Freiberg.

Schoeller Textil AG
22.11.2022

Transparency for the wool supply chain - partnership between Schoeller and NATIVA

  • Fully traceable and sustainable wool via blockchain
  • Transparent supply chains

Schoeller strives to offer more high-quality fabrics made from sustainable NATIVA™ wool in the future.

The NATIVA™ wool comes from certified farms in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, North America, Uruguay and Argentina. The farms comply with strict levels of animal welfare, and management and ethical work policies. To ensure animal welfare each farmer has a management plan, assessing feeding, breeding, behaviour, animal handling and health and infrastructure. This includes the prohibition of mulesing and stress free shearing.

All following steps such as wool sourcing, combing, spinning and weaving are also monitored and certified to the highest ethical and quality standards. NATIVA™ is the first global wool brand to provide Blockchain traceability from farm to consumer. This transparency in the supply chain, enabled by the NATIVA™ certification and powered by Blockchain, means brands can truly show the journey of their wool.

  • Fully traceable and sustainable wool via blockchain
  • Transparent supply chains

Schoeller strives to offer more high-quality fabrics made from sustainable NATIVA™ wool in the future.

The NATIVA™ wool comes from certified farms in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, North America, Uruguay and Argentina. The farms comply with strict levels of animal welfare, and management and ethical work policies. To ensure animal welfare each farmer has a management plan, assessing feeding, breeding, behaviour, animal handling and health and infrastructure. This includes the prohibition of mulesing and stress free shearing.

All following steps such as wool sourcing, combing, spinning and weaving are also monitored and certified to the highest ethical and quality standards. NATIVA™ is the first global wool brand to provide Blockchain traceability from farm to consumer. This transparency in the supply chain, enabled by the NATIVA™ certification and powered by Blockchain, means brands can truly show the journey of their wool.

A unique QR code is generated for each product of each brand. This code is a connection between the NATIVA™ Blockchain Platform and the NATIVA™ Blockchain Website. Customers can scan the QR code to view the NATIVA™ Blockchain Website, where they can trace in real time the journey of their wool, from farm to brand.

Benefits:

  • Complete transparency over the supply chain and product transformation.
  • End to end traceability.
  • A fantastic marketing tool for any brand.
(c) Lenzing AG
03.10.2022

Lenzing: Ground-mounted photovoltaic system becomes operational

The Lenzing Group and VERBUND, an energy transition company, launched the first development stage of the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Upper Austria. Together with its energy partner VERBUND, Lenzing is also paving the way for the transition to zero-emission mobility. The installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the company’s premises underlines Lenzing’s commitment to the energy transition process.

The Lenzing Group and VERBUND, an energy transition company, launched the first development stage of the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Upper Austria. Together with its energy partner VERBUND, Lenzing is also paving the way for the transition to zero-emission mobility. The installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the company’s premises underlines Lenzing’s commitment to the energy transition process.

Thanks to the ground-mounted photovoltaic system at the “Ofenloch” landfill site, Lenzing, in conjunction with VERBUND, is consistently moving forward on the path to a carbon-free energy supply and has commissioned the first half of the new photovoltaic system with a peak power of 2,780 kWp. Full commissioning of the system with a peak power of 5,560 kWp is envisaged in mid-October. Annual electricity production will amount to 6,000,000 kWh, which is expected to cut CO2 emissions by some 4,400 tonnes per year. The Austrian pioneer in fiber production already commissioned three rooftop photovoltaic systems in spring/summer of 2022, with a peak power of 1,454 kWp and annual electricity production of some 1,508,000 kWh. The electricity flows directly into the company’s on-site production and will also power electric charging stations in future. In the first development stage, 16 wallboxes are set to be installed by the end of the year. A further 32 charging points are planned for 2023. The charging stations will be accessible to staff, visitors and the company’s own vehicle fleet.

“VERBUND’s photovoltaic operator model allows us to make the transition to solar power without incurring investment costs or risks. Thanks to the constant expansion in renewable energy, we remain on course to ecologize the value chain, while optimizing our carbon footprint, cutting costs and reducing the load on the grid, as we are using nearly 100 percent of photovoltaic power in our production,” explains Christian Skilich, Chief Pulp Officer of the Lenzing Group.

More information:
Lenzing energy consumption CO2
Source:

Lenzing AG

29.09.2022

CISUTAC: New European innovation project on circular & sustainable textiles

Launched this September, the new Horizon Europe project CISUTAC will support the transition to a circular and sustainable textile sector. As part of a consortium of 27 partners working on the project, TEXAID will among others support the project with sorting, disassembly and repair trials.

The production and consumption of textile products continue to grow, together with their impact on the environment, due to a lack of reuse, repair and recycling of materials. Quality, durability, and recyclability are often not being set as priorities in the design and manufacturing of clothing (EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, March 2022).  

CISUTAC aims to remove current bottlenecks in order to increase textile circularity in Europe. The objective is to minimise the sector’s total environmental impact by developing sustainable, novel, and inclusive large-scale European value chains.  

Launched this September, the new Horizon Europe project CISUTAC will support the transition to a circular and sustainable textile sector. As part of a consortium of 27 partners working on the project, TEXAID will among others support the project with sorting, disassembly and repair trials.

The production and consumption of textile products continue to grow, together with their impact on the environment, due to a lack of reuse, repair and recycling of materials. Quality, durability, and recyclability are often not being set as priorities in the design and manufacturing of clothing (EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, March 2022).  

CISUTAC aims to remove current bottlenecks in order to increase textile circularity in Europe. The objective is to minimise the sector’s total environmental impact by developing sustainable, novel, and inclusive large-scale European value chains.  

The project will cover most parts of the textile sector by working on two material groups representing almost 90% of all textile fibre materials (polyester, and cotton/cellulosic fibres), and focusing on products from three sub-sectors experiencing varying circularity bottlenecks (fashion garments, sports and outdoor goods, and workwear).  

CISUTAC will follow a holistic approach covering the technical, sectoral and socio-economic aspects, and will perform three pilots to demonstrate the feasibility and value of:

  • Repair and disassembly
  • Sorting (for reuse and recycling)
  • Circular garments through fibre-to-fibre recycling and design for circularity

To realise these pilots, the consortium partners will:

  • Develop semi-automated workstations
  • Analyse the infrastructure and material flows
  • Digitally enhance sorting operations (for reuse and recycling)
  • Raise awareness among the consumers and the textile industry

As part of the CISUTAC consortium, TEXAID, will conduct different trials of sorting, repair, and disassembly, and be active in the LCA and Standardisation work packages.

Source:

TEXAID Textilverwertungs-AG

© Freudenberg Performance Materials
19.09.2022

Freudenberg hosts German National Hydrogen Council meeting

Freudenberg Performance Materials – the Freudenberg Group’s nonwovens specialist – was hosting a meeting of the German National Hydrogen Council at the Freudenberg headquarters in Weinheim, Germany, on September 16. As a leading global supplier of technical textiles, Freudenberg Performance Materials provides fuel cell components for mobility applications and for electrolyzers used to produce CO2-free hydrogen.

Freudenberg Performance Materials – the Freudenberg Group’s nonwovens specialist – was hosting a meeting of the German National Hydrogen Council at the Freudenberg headquarters in Weinheim, Germany, on September 16. As a leading global supplier of technical textiles, Freudenberg Performance Materials provides fuel cell components for mobility applications and for electrolyzers used to produce CO2-free hydrogen.

The German National Hydrogen Council was appointed by the German government and acts as an independent, non-partisan advisory board. The council board currently consists of 25 high-ranking experts in the fields of economy, science and civil society. The objective is to assist and advise the State Secretaries’ Committee on Hydrogen in the further development and implementation of Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy. Council meetings are hosted by one of the board members to enable the council to deepen its knowledge of the relevant technologies, value chain roles and challenges. Dr. Silke Wagener is a member of the council board, and represents the Freudenberg technology group, giving input on suppliers’ know-how as well as contributing her decades-long expertise in technological solutions for the hydrogen industry.

During a tour of the factory organized for the council board members, Freudenberg Performance Materials explained the development and production of performance-critical gas diffusion layers manufactured from carbon fiber-based nonwovens for fuel cells and porous transport layers for electrolyzers. The tour highlighted the potential for improvements from a supplier’s perspective, such as the need for very timely exchange and collaboration along the value chain. Functioning, unbroken and scalable value chains, in parallel with the development and scaling of hydrogen infrastructure, are key prerequisites for the hydrogen industry to fulfill its vital role in the transformation to climate neutrality.

Gas diffusion layers are one of the main components at the heart of the fuel cell. Their function is to transport gases and liquids in the cells. They have a significant impact on system performance and costs, and are indispensable for the functioning of fuel cells. The same applies for porous transport layers that are the key component of electrolyzers for the CO2-free production of what is called green hydrogen.

Fuel cells in combination with green hydrogen are an important technology for CO2-free mobility, in particular with reference to buses, heavy-duty trucks and trains. Other uses include stationary applications such as stationary power generation or heat generation in buildings or industry.
Apart from mobility, green hydrogen also plays a key role in climate-neutral energy supplies in the industrial sector, particularly in the chemical and steel industries.

Source:

Freudenberg Performance Materials

Beaulieu International Group
23.08.2022

BIG at EuroGeo7 with geotextile fibres & woven fabrics

Beaulieu International Group invites EuroGeo7 attendees to discover geotextile solutions promoting greater sustainability for future civil engineering projects. Specialists from Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) and Beaulieu Technical Textiles (BTT) will present high-performance geosynthetics through high tenacity fibres for lightweight, nonwoven geotextiles, and a range of high durability woven geotextile solutions with an environmentally beneficial impact.

Beaulieu International Group invites EuroGeo7 attendees to discover geotextile solutions promoting greater sustainability for future civil engineering projects. Specialists from Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) and Beaulieu Technical Textiles (BTT) will present high-performance geosynthetics through high tenacity fibres for lightweight, nonwoven geotextiles, and a range of high durability woven geotextile solutions with an environmentally beneficial impact.

“We are delighted to sponsor EuroGeo7 and to be finally on-site, following a two-year postponement of the event. EuroGeo7 is bringing the geotextile community together to further promote and develop geosynthetics in a fast changing global economy striving for growth while reducing its carbon footprint along the supply chain, " comment from Jefrem Jennard, Sales Director Fibres, and Roy Kerckhove, Sales Director Technical Textiles. “Geotextiles provide highly versatile, durable and natural resource-saving alternatives in large infrastructure works, and offer durable protection in erosion control and waste/water management projects. We are continuously developing our fibres and finished engineering textiles with proven sustainability-enhancing benefits to progress product development and customer sustainability goals on fossil carbon reduction, while taking concrete steps to reduce our own environmental footprint.”
 
Sustainability improvement is key to the long-term strategy of Beaulieu International Group, and it is committed to supporting the geotextile industry by targeting and accelerating change and communicating the sustainable performance of its products. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are integrated into its business and are the foundations of the new Route 2030 Sustainability Roadmap.


For manufacturers of nonwoven geotextiles, BFI’s high-tenacity HT8 staple fibres enable customers to achieve nonwovens with high mechanical performance at reduced fibre weight. The HT8 high tenacity fibres are designed in a way that customers can meet the industry durability standards for a longer service lifetime, supporting more sustainable design and resource reduction over time. BTT’s woven geotextiles are amongst the most sustainable in the industry and provide a wide range of functions, including separation, filtration, reinforcement and erosion control.

BFI and BTT have conducted lifecycle assessments to calculate their activities' carbon footprint and solutions and have received external recognition for their ongoing sustainability efforts. For example, in 2022, BFI was awarded a Silver EcoVadis sustainability rating, and BFI and BTT are proud recipients of the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 2022.

Source:

Beaulieu International Group

04.08.2022

adidas with strong growth in Western markets in Q2

  • Currency-neutral sales up 4%, despite more than € 300 million negative impact from macroeconomic constraints
  • Markets representing more than 85% of the business grow 14% overall
  • Gross margin down 1.5pp to 50.3% reflecting significantly higher supply chain costs
  • Operating profit reaches € 392 million
  • Net income from continuing operations amounts to € 360 million
  • FY 2022 outlook reflects double-digit growth during the second half of the year

“Our Western markets continued to show strong momentum in the second quarter amid heightened macroeconomic uncertainty. With Asia-Pacific returning to growth, markets combined representing more than 85% of our business grew at a double-digit rate,” said adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted. “With sports back at center stage this summer, revenues in our strategic growth categories Football, Running and Outdoor all increased by double digits. However, the macroeconomic environment, particularly in China, remains challenging. The recovery in this market is – due to continued covid-19-related restrictions – slower than expected.

  • Currency-neutral sales up 4%, despite more than € 300 million negative impact from macroeconomic constraints
  • Markets representing more than 85% of the business grow 14% overall
  • Gross margin down 1.5pp to 50.3% reflecting significantly higher supply chain costs
  • Operating profit reaches € 392 million
  • Net income from continuing operations amounts to € 360 million
  • FY 2022 outlook reflects double-digit growth during the second half of the year

“Our Western markets continued to show strong momentum in the second quarter amid heightened macroeconomic uncertainty. With Asia-Pacific returning to growth, markets combined representing more than 85% of our business grew at a double-digit rate,” said adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted. “With sports back at center stage this summer, revenues in our strategic growth categories Football, Running and Outdoor all increased by double digits. However, the macroeconomic environment, particularly in China, remains challenging. The recovery in this market is – due to continued covid-19-related restrictions – slower than expected. And we have to take into account a potential slowdown in consumer spending in all other markets for the remainder of the year.”

Currency-neutral revenues increase 4% despite macroeconomic constraints
In the second quarter, currency-neutral revenues increased 4% as adidas continued to see strong momentum in Western markets. This growth was achieved despite continued challenges on both supply and demand. Supply chain constraints as a result of last year’s lockdowns in Vietnam reduced top-line growth by around € 200 million in Q2 2022. In addition, the company’s decision to suspend its operations in Russia reduced revenues by more than € 100 million during the quarter. Continued covid-19-related lockdowns in Greater China also weighed on the top-line development in Q2. From a channel perspective, the top-line increase was to a similar extent driven by the company’s own direct-to-consumer (DTC) activities as well as increases in wholesale. Within DTC, e-commerce, which now represents more than 20% of the company’s total business, showed double-digit growth reflecting strong product sell-through. From a category perspective, revenue development was strongest in the company’s strategic growth categories Football, Running and Outdoor, which all grew at strong double-digit rates. In euro terms, revenues grew 10% to € 5.596 billion in the second quarter (2021: € 5.077 billion).

Strong demand in Western markets
Revenue growth in the second quarter was driven by Western markets despite last year’s lockdowns in Vietnam still reducing sales, particularly in EMEA and North America, by
€ 200 million in total. In addition, the top-line development in EMEA was also impacted by the loss of revenue in Russia/CIS of more than € 100 million. Nevertheless, currency-neutral sales grew 7% in the region. Revenues in North America increased 21% during the quarter driven by growth of more than 20% in both DTC and wholesale. Revenues in Latin America increased 37%, while Asia-Pacific returned to growth. Currency-neutral revenues increased 3% in this market despite still being impacted by limited tourism activity in the region. In contrast, the company continued to face a challenging market environment in Greater China, mainly related to the continued broad-based covid-19-related restrictions. As a result, currency-neutral revenues in the market declined 35% during the three-months period, in line with previous expectations. Excluding Greater China, currency-neutral revenues in the company’s other markets combined grew 14% in Q2.

Operating profit of € 392 million reflects operating margin of 7.0%
The company’s gross margin declined 1.5 percentage points to 50.3% (2021: 51.8%). Significantly higher supply chain costs and a less favorable market mix due to the significant sales decline in Greater China weighed on the gross margin development. This could only be partly offset by a higher share of full price sales, first price increases and the benefits from currency fluctuations. Other operating expenses were up 19% to € 2.501 billion (2021: € 2.107 billion). As a percentage of sales, other operating expenses increased 3.2 percentage points to 44.7% (2021: 41.5%). Marketing and point-of-sale expenses grew 8% to € 663 million (2021: € 616 million). The company continued to prioritize investments into the launch of new products such as adidas’ new Sportswear collection, the next iteration of its successful Supernova running franchise and first drops related to the Gucci collaboration as well as campaigns around major events like ‘Run for the Oceans.’ As a percentage of sales, marketing and point-of-sale expenses were down 0.3 percentage points to 11.8% (2021: 12.1%). Operating overhead expenses increased by 23% to a level of € 1.838 billion (2021:
€ 1.492 billion). This increase was driven by adidas’ continuous investments into DTC, its digital capabilities and the company’s logistics infrastructure as well as by unfavorable currency fluctuations. As a percentage of sales, operating overhead expenses increased 3.5 percentage points to 32.8% (2021: 29.4%). The company’s operating profit reached a level of € 392 million (2021: € 543 million), resulting in an operating margin of 7.0% (2021: 10.7%).

Net income from continuing operations reaches € 360 million
The company’s net income from continuing operations slightly declined to € 360 million (2021: € 387 million). This result was supported by a one-time tax benefit of more than € 100 million due to the reversal of a prior year provision. Consequently, basic EPS from continuing operations reached € 1.88 (2021: € 1.93) during the quarter.

Currency-neutral revenues on prior year level in the first half of 2022
In the first half of 2022, currency-neutral revenues were flat versus the prior year period. In euro terms, revenues grew 5% to € 10.897 billion in the first six months of 2022 (2021:
€ 10.345 billion). The company’s gross margin declined 1.7 percentage points to 50.1% (2021: 51.8%) during the first half of the year. While price increases as well as positive exchange rate effects benefited the gross margin, these developments were more than offset by the less favorable market mix and significantly higher supply chain costs. Other operating expenses increased to € 4.759 billion (2021: € 4.154 billion) in the first half of the year and were up 3.5 percentage points to 43.7% (2021: 40.2%) as a percentage of sales. adidas generated an operating profit of € 828 million (2021: € 1.248 billion) during the first six months of the year, resulting in an operating margin of 7.6% (2021: 12.1%). Net income from continuing operations reached € 671 million, reflecting a decline of € 219 million compared to the prior year level (2021: € 890 million). Accordingly, basic earnings per share from continuing operations declined to € 3.47 (2021: € 4.52).

Average operating working capital as a percentage of sales slightly decreases
Inventories increased 35% to € 5.483 billion (2021: € 4.054 billion) at June 30, 2022 in anticipation of strong revenue growth during the second half of the year. Longer lead times as well as the challenging market environment in Greater China also contributed to the increase. On a currency-neutral basis, inventories were up 28%. Operating working capital increased 23% to € 5.191 billion (2021: € 4.213 billion). On a currency-neutral basis, operating working capital was up 14%. Average operating working capital as a percentage of sales decreased 0.4 percentage points to 21.0% (2021: 21.4%), reflecting an overproportional increase in accounts payable due to higher sourcing volumes and product costs.

Adjusted net borrowings at € 5.301 billion
Adjusted net borrowings amounted to € 5.301 billion at June 30, 2022, representing a year-over-year increase of € 2.155 billion (June 30, 2021: € 3.146 billion). This development was mainly due to the significant decrease in cash and cash equivalents.

FY 2022 outlook reflects double-digit growth during the second half of the year
On July 26, adidas adjusted its guidance for FY 2022 due to the slower-than-expected recovery in Greater China since the start of the third quarter resulting from continued widespread covid-19-related restrictions. adidas now expects currency-neutral revenues for the total company to grow at a mid- to high-single-digit rate in 2022 (previously: at the lower end of the 11% to 13% range), reflecting a double-digit decline in Greater China (previously: significant decline). While so far the company did not experience a meaningful slowdown in the sell-through of its products or significant cancellations of wholesale orders in any market other than Greater China, the adjusted guidance also accounts for a potential slowdown of consumer spending in those markets during the second half of the year as a result of the more challenging macroeconomic conditions. Therefore, growth in EMEA is now expected to be in the low teens (previously: mid-teens growth), while revenues in Asia-Pacific are projected to grow at a high-single-digit rate (previously: mid-teens growth). Despite the more conservative view on the development of consumer spending in the second half of the year, adidas has increased its forecasts for North America and Latin America reflecting the strong momentum the brand is enjoying in these markets. In North America, currency-neutral revenues are now expected to increase in the high teens. Sales in Latin America are projected to grow between 30% and 40% (both previously: mid- to high-teens growth).   

Due to the less favorable market mix and the impacts from initiatives to clear excess inventories in Greater China until the end of the year, gross margin is now expected to reach a level of around 49.0% (previously: around 50.7%) in 2022. Consequently, the company’s operating margin is now forecast to be around 7.0% (previously: around 9.4%) and net income from continuing operations is expected to reach a level of around € 1.3 billion (previously: at the lower end of the € 1.8 billion to € 1.9 billion range).

More information:
adidas financial year 2022
Source:

adidas

28.06.2022

EREMA Gruppe and Borealis: K 2022 preview

On June 13, EREMA Group and Borealis invited representatives of the international plastics and recycling trade press to Upper Austria for a sneak preview of the technological developments and lighthouse projects that the companies will present at K 2022, the plastics industry's international meeting place. The venue for the pre-K event was EREMA Group headquarters in Ansfelden.

On June 13, EREMA Group and Borealis invited representatives of the international plastics and recycling trade press to Upper Austria for a sneak preview of the technological developments and lighthouse projects that the companies will present at K 2022, the plastics industry's international meeting place. The venue for the pre-K event was EREMA Group headquarters in Ansfelden.

EREMA Group K 2022 preview
In Düsseldorf, the subsidiaries of the EREMA Group - which are EREMA, PURE LOOP, UMAC, 3S, KEYCYCLE and PLASMAC - will present their technological innovations, services and support together at a Group trade fair stand for the first time. Seven new recycling systems and components will be presented that enable large-scale plants with a production capacity of up to 6 t/h while setting a milestone in recyclate quality and process stability. This is made possible by technological innovations in the plasticizing unit that have been specially developed for high throughputs with low specific energy consumption, the new EREMA 406 laser filter with a 50 percent larger screening area, and new digital assistance systems that will be launched at K 2022 and made available on the BluPort® customer platform. These include, for example, the PredictOn app, which helps to anticipate and eliminate imminent malfunctions based on continuous measurement and evaluation of machine data.

New series of machines for new target groups
For customers looking for rapidly available recycling systems for simple applications, EREMA Group subsidiary UMAC has an innovation in store for K 2022. The company, which has so far specialised in refurbishing and trading in previously owned equipment, is expanding its business area and in Düsseldorf will launch READYMAC, a standardised, prefabricated recycling solution that can be produced from stock, based on proven EREMA TVE technology.

Finally, in the inhouse recycling segment, PURE LOOP and PLASMAC will round off the wide range of machines offered by the group of companies with their product portfolio.

Live recycling and lighthouse projects at the Circonomic Center
In the outdoor area of the K show, EREMA will bring plastics recycling to life with live demonstrations in conjunction with cooperation partners. Different waste streams are processed for this purpose. The wide variety of high-quality applications for recyclate will be showcased in the "products made of recyclate" exhibition, ranging from technical components to consumer goods and food packaging.

Borealis – accelerating the transition towards a more circular future
Borealis is committed to using their expertise and global reach to advance the circular economy of plastics. At the joint Pre-K 2022 kick-off on June 13, Borealis provided a preview of their integrated way of circular thinking and featured topics and activities at the K Fair 2022 in October. The preview covered new technologies and innovations including new packaging and infrastructure applications of the Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefin products, manufactured with renewable feedstocks. New applications for Design for Recyclability, Re-Use, chemical recycling and advanced mechanical recycling were also on display.

Source:

EREMA Group GmbH

(c) plasticpreneur
Shredder, injection moulding unit and extruder
22.06.2022

EREMA Group acquires stake in start-up company plasticpreneur®

As of 30 May 2022, EREMA Group GmbH acquired 19.8 percent of plasticpreneur® gmbh. plasticpreneur® is an Austrian start-up company founded two years ago that manufactures at its production site in Klagenfurt recycling solutions for plastic waste that are mobile and can be operated without prior knowledge. The machine portfolio covers the recycling process and the production of new end-products. Due to it´s wide range of applications, it is in demand both in the Global South and in industrialised countries.

In the two years since the company was founded, plasticpreneur® has already sold 330 machines to customers in over 70 countries on all continents. In addition, they have made over 750 application-specific moulds, many of them custom-built to comply with individual customer specifications.

As of 30 May 2022, EREMA Group GmbH acquired 19.8 percent of plasticpreneur® gmbh. plasticpreneur® is an Austrian start-up company founded two years ago that manufactures at its production site in Klagenfurt recycling solutions for plastic waste that are mobile and can be operated without prior knowledge. The machine portfolio covers the recycling process and the production of new end-products. Due to it´s wide range of applications, it is in demand both in the Global South and in industrialised countries.

In the two years since the company was founded, plasticpreneur® has already sold 330 machines to customers in over 70 countries on all continents. In addition, they have made over 750 application-specific moulds, many of them custom-built to comply with individual customer specifications.

While plastics recycling has gained enormous momentum in the industrialised countries, more remote and poorer regions of the world have hardly benefited from high-tech solutions for industrial recycling processes so far. They are held back by a lack of infrastructure and know-how. That is why waste is often incinerated or disposed of in landfills, rivers and the surrounding environment. "Our mission - Another life for plastic, because we care - is also aimed at supporting these regions with solutions for plastic recycling, and with plasticpreneur® we have found the ideal partner for this," says Manfred Hackl, CEO EREMA Group.

The start-up company's machines can process HDPE, PP, PS, LDPE, PLA, AB and TPU separately. Their product range includes a shredder, injection moulding unit, extruder unit for the production of end products, air filters as well as custom-built moulds. "For our machines to be used in regions with little infrastructure, they must be easy to operate without prior knowledge. The fact that we also develop end-product solutions needed locally makes our range of services particularly attractive here," explains Sören Lex, CEO and co-founder of plasticpreneur®. As soon as recycling also becomes a source of income for the operators, they become entrepreneurs. That explains the name of the start-up, a word created from "plastic" and "entrepreneur". plasticpreneur® customers in these countries include e.g. social enterprises and operators of refugee camps, where everyday consumer goods - from clothes pegs and school supplies to toys and fence posts - are produced and sold using plastic waste. This means that the added value stays local.

The demand for plasticpreneur® machines is also increasing in industrialised countries. On the one hand by educational institutions and organisations that use them to raise awareness of the need for a circular economy in workshops and to give pupils as well as adults a better understanding of plastic recycling. On the other hand by customers who are developing new end-products for plastic waste together with plasticpreneur®. Because the machines are so easy to operate they enable a low-theshold use of recycled plastics in product development processes, starting from generating prototypes to launchin small series production. Small companies, product designers and developers therefore are another steadily growing customer segment.

Source:

EREMA Group GmbH

Photo: Stora Enso
20.06.2022

Infinited Fiber Company: Commercial-scale factory to produce regenerated textile fiber

  • Finnish fashion and textile technology company Infinited Fiber Company plans to build its first commercial-scale Infinna™ fiber factory at Stora Enso’s Veitsiluoto industrial site in the city of Kemi in Finland’s northernmost region of Lapland. Infinited Fiber Company plans to convert a building currently housing a discontinued paper production line.
  • The size of Infinited Fiber Company’s planned investment is around EUR 400 million.
  • The planned factory is expected to create around 270 jobs at the Veitsiluoto industrial site.
  • The factory is expected to operate at full capacity in 2025.

Fashion and textile technology company Infinited Fiber Company plans to build a commercial-scale factory to produce regenerated textile fiber for the world’s leading apparel companies at the site of renewable materials company Stora Enso’s closed Veitsiluoto paper mill in Kemi, a Finnish city on the northern shore of the Baltic Sea. The size of the investment is estimated at EUR 400 million, and it is expected to create around 270 jobs in the area.

  • Finnish fashion and textile technology company Infinited Fiber Company plans to build its first commercial-scale Infinna™ fiber factory at Stora Enso’s Veitsiluoto industrial site in the city of Kemi in Finland’s northernmost region of Lapland. Infinited Fiber Company plans to convert a building currently housing a discontinued paper production line.
  • The size of Infinited Fiber Company’s planned investment is around EUR 400 million.
  • The planned factory is expected to create around 270 jobs at the Veitsiluoto industrial site.
  • The factory is expected to operate at full capacity in 2025.

Fashion and textile technology company Infinited Fiber Company plans to build a commercial-scale factory to produce regenerated textile fiber for the world’s leading apparel companies at the site of renewable materials company Stora Enso’s closed Veitsiluoto paper mill in Kemi, a Finnish city on the northern shore of the Baltic Sea. The size of the investment is estimated at EUR 400 million, and it is expected to create around 270 jobs in the area. The annual fiber production capacity of the planned factory is expected to be 30,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to the fiber needed for about 100 million T-shirts.  

Infinited Fiber Company’s technology enables cotton-rich textile waste to be transformed into a versatile, high-quality regenerated textile fiber called Infinna™, which looks and feels like cotton. Major international fashion and apparel companies – including Zara’s parent company Inditex, PVH Europe, which is known for the Tommy Hilfiger brand, Patagonia, PANGAIA, H&M Group and BESTSELLER – have already committed to Infinna™ purchases through multi-year agreements as they look for materials that enable the industry to shift towards circularity. Infinited Fiber Company expects to export most of the output of its planned factory. This makes Kemi an ideal location as the city’s port serves as an efficient link to the rest of the world.

Infinited Fiber Company will convert a building housing a discontinued paper production line into an Infinna™ fiber factory. Both the factory engineering and project implementation as well as the related financing negotiations were commenced at the beginning of the year and are progressing well. Infinited Fiber Company has also agreed on the provision of energy and water related services with utility infrastructure company Nevel.

Once up and running, the factory is expected to provide direct employment for around 220 people, and for a further 50 through on-site support functions such as services, maintenance, and logistics. The additional indirect employment impact is estimated to be around 800 jobs. The construction and installation phase is expected to create jobs equaling around 120 person-years. The factory is anticipated to operate at full capacity in 2025.

Source:

Infinited Fiber Company

17.06.2022

Beaulieu Technical Textiles: going green with sustainable geotextiles

  • BTT’s woven geotextiles can reduce CO2-emissions in infrastructure projects by a factor of 10 compared to more conventional methods
  • Product specific Environmental Product Declarations for woven geotextiles transparently communicate their sustainability
  • EPDs an essential tool to communicate sustainability performance
  • Helps carbon-conscious customers in their purchasing and decision making

Beaulieu Technical Textiles (BTT) has unveiled the next step in its mission to deliver sustainable solutions to customers - product specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), an essential tool for communicating sustainability performance - to fully support green certified construction projects by providing accurate information in readily available formats.

The carbon footprint of BTT’s woven geotextiles is amongst the lowest in the industry, making them one of the most sustainable solutions for civil engineering projects. An EPD shows a manufacturer's commitment to measure and reduce the environmental impact of its products and report these impacts in a very transparent way.

  • BTT’s woven geotextiles can reduce CO2-emissions in infrastructure projects by a factor of 10 compared to more conventional methods
  • Product specific Environmental Product Declarations for woven geotextiles transparently communicate their sustainability
  • EPDs an essential tool to communicate sustainability performance
  • Helps carbon-conscious customers in their purchasing and decision making

Beaulieu Technical Textiles (BTT) has unveiled the next step in its mission to deliver sustainable solutions to customers - product specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), an essential tool for communicating sustainability performance - to fully support green certified construction projects by providing accurate information in readily available formats.

The carbon footprint of BTT’s woven geotextiles is amongst the lowest in the industry, making them one of the most sustainable solutions for civil engineering projects. An EPD shows a manufacturer's commitment to measure and reduce the environmental impact of its products and report these impacts in a very transparent way.

Construction products, like geotextiles, follow the very comprehensive European standard, EN 15804+A2. The third-party verification and approval by the international EPD® System officially demonstrates the low environmental impact of BTT’s geotextile products.

 

More information:
geotextiles Beaulieu
Source:

Beaulieu

(c) Oerlikon
The new Staple Fiber Technology Center in Neumünster
13.05.2022

Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions at Techtextil 2022

  • Sustainable infrastructure solutions, road safety and health protection

At this year’s Techtextil, Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions will be presenting the trade audience with new applications, special processes and sustainable solutions focusing on the production of industrial textiles. Among other things, the company will be showcasing new technology for charging nonwovens that sets new standards with regards to quality and efficiency. Between June 21 and 24, the discussions will be concentrating on airbags, seat belts, tire cord, geotextiles, filter nonwovens and their diverse applications.

  • Sustainable infrastructure solutions, road safety and health protection

At this year’s Techtextil, Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions will be presenting the trade audience with new applications, special processes and sustainable solutions focusing on the production of industrial textiles. Among other things, the company will be showcasing new technology for charging nonwovens that sets new standards with regards to quality and efficiency. Between June 21 and 24, the discussions will be concentrating on airbags, seat belts, tire cord, geotextiles, filter nonwovens and their diverse applications.

More polyester for airbags
Airbags have become an integral part of our everyday automotive lives. The yarns used in them are made predominantly from polyamide. As a result of increasingly diverse airbag applications and also the increasing size of the systems used, polyester is today used as well, depending on the application requirements and cost-benefit considerations. Against this background, the Oerlikon Barmag technologies make an invaluable contribution. In addition to high productivity and low energy consumption, they particularly excel in terms of their stable production processes. Furthermore, they comply with every high quality standard for airbags, which – as in the case of virtually all other textile products used in vehicle construction – must provide the highest level of safety for vehicle occupants. And all this without any loss of function in any climate and anywhere in the world for the lifetime of the vehicle.

Buckle up!
Seat belts play a decisive role in protecting vehicle occupants. They have to withstand tensile forces in excess of three tons and simultaneously stretch in a controlled manner in emergencies in order to reduce the load in the event of impact. A seat belt comprises approximately 300 filament yarns, whose individual, high-tenacity yarn threads are spun from around 100 individual filaments.

Invisible, but essential – road reinforcement using geotextiles
But it not just inside vehicles, but also under them, that industrial yarns reveal their strengths. Low stretch, ultra-high tenacity, high rigidity – industrial yarns offer outstanding properties for the demanding tasks carried out by geotextiles; for instance, as geogrids in the base course system under asphalt. Normally, geotextiles have extremely high yarn titers of up to 24,000 denier. Oerlikon Barmag system concepts simultaneously manufacture three filament yarns of 6,000 denier each. Due to the high spinning titers, fewer yarns can be plied together to the required geo-yarn titer in a more cost- and energy-efficient manner.

hycuTEC – technological quantum leap for filter media
In the case of its hycuTEC hydro-charging solution, Oerlikon Neumag offers a new technology for charging nonwovens that increases filter efficiency to more than 99.99%. For meltblown producers, this means material savings of 30% with significantly superior filter performance. For end users, the consequence is noticeably improved comfort resulting from significantly reduced breathing resistance. With its considerably lower water and energy consumption, this new development is also a future-proof, sustainable technology.

New high-tech Staple Fiber Technology Center
Extending to around 2,100 m2, Oerlikon Neumag in Neumünster is home to one of the world’s largest staple fiber technology centers. As of now, these state-of-the-art staple fiber technologies are also available for customer-specific trials.

The focus during the planning and the design of the Technology Center was on optimizing components and processes. Here, special attention was paid to ensuring the process and production parameters in the Technology Center system could be simply and reliably transferred to production systems. Here, the fiber tape processing line is modular in design. All components can be combined with each other as required. And comprehensive set-up options supply detailed findings for the respective process for various fiber products.

The Technology Center is also equipped with two spinning positions for mono- and bi-component processes. The same round spin packs are used for both processes, characterized by excellent fiber quality and properties and meanwhile very successfully deployed in all Oerlikon Neumag production systems. Furthermore, the spinning plant is complemented by automation solutions such as spin pack scraper robots, for example.

More information:
Oerlikon Neumag Techtextil
Source:

Oerlikon

(c) Officina39
22.04.2022

Officina39 and Adriana Galijasevic’s Cocircular Lab present “Circular Explorations: Recipe for Change”

This collaborative and educational project showcases the use of waste as a resource and prolonging the life of the garment through color. It came to life thanks to key brands who donated items that were then transformed by Officina39’s Recycrom™ applications into a renewed head-to-toe look that was then displayed as an art installation.

What’s the Recipe for change? For Officina39 and Adriana Galijasevic’s Cocircular Lab, this question gives shape to the collaborative and educational project Circular Explorations, specially presented at Amsterdam Denim Days Festival on April 22-23.

Sharing ground values and a common view on the fashion of tomorrow, Officina39, Italian based Chemistry plus Creativity company for the textile sector, joined hands with Adriana Galijasevic’s Cocircular Lab and influential brands to celebrate the importance of an ongoing commitment towards circularity.

This collaborative and educational project showcases the use of waste as a resource and prolonging the life of the garment through color. It came to life thanks to key brands who donated items that were then transformed by Officina39’s Recycrom™ applications into a renewed head-to-toe look that was then displayed as an art installation.

What’s the Recipe for change? For Officina39 and Adriana Galijasevic’s Cocircular Lab, this question gives shape to the collaborative and educational project Circular Explorations, specially presented at Amsterdam Denim Days Festival on April 22-23.

Sharing ground values and a common view on the fashion of tomorrow, Officina39, Italian based Chemistry plus Creativity company for the textile sector, joined hands with Adriana Galijasevic’s Cocircular Lab and influential brands to celebrate the importance of an ongoing commitment towards circularity.

Several donated items – overstock, second-grade production or damaged, unsold pieces – were updated with newly developed applications made with Officina39’s Recycrom™, the one-of-a-kind, patented dyestuffs range made from textile waste. This Circular Explorations capsule is displayed at Denim Days Festival as an art installation, not only to dress people but also to get them acquainted with circularity because they are an important player in closing the loop.

The Recipe for change that emerges from this color research is based on important values and keywords:

  • Consciousness – awareness of oneself and one's surroundings
  • Courage – the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.
  • Creativity – the power to imagine and produce new possibilities.
  • Connection – a relationship in which a person or thing is linked or associated with something else, the act or state of connecting.
  • Collaboration – the act of working together for a common goal.

Combined together, they produce CHANGE, which is a driving force for a better tomorrow.

This collaborative and innovative project that addresses circularity is also in direct support of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production, number 9-Industry innovation & Infrastructure and number 17-Partnership for the Goals.

Source:

Officina39 / Menabò