From the Sector

The combination of high strength and rigidity with sustainability and a neutral carbon footprint makes flax the ideal raw material for natural fibre-reinforced plastics. vombaur offers composite textiles made of this natural fibre for the automotive, wind power, construction or sports industries and many other sectors.

Flax fibres are rigid and tear-proof. They have natural bactericidal properties, are virtually antistatic, stain resistant and easy to spin. Humans have taken advantage of these properties to manufacture robust, stain-resistant and lint-free textiles. Between the late 19^th and late 20^th centuries, cotton largely replaced natural fibres. Because flax can be grown in Europe and consumes less energy and water than cotton production, the material's importance is currently growing again, for both clothing and composites. Regional textile value added chains in Europe – flax makes them possible.

Ideal mechanical properties
vombaur makes the mechanical properties of flax usable for lightweight design. Because flax fibres are particularly rigid and tear-resistant, they ensure great stability in natural fibre-reinforced plastics (NFRPs). And thanks to their low density of 1.50 g/cm3, the fibres weigh virtually nothing. On top of this, fibre-reinforced plastics are less prone to splintering than glass fibre-reinforced plastics.

Excellent carbon footprint
The cultivation of flax binds CO₂ and the production of natural fibre-reinforced plastics (NFRPs) generates approximately one third less CO₂ emissions compared with conventional fibre-reinforced plastics. Energy consumption is substantially lower. This saves resources. The use of flax fibre tapes by vombaur in lightweight design applications also improves the product's carbon footprint and contributes to a secure, regional supply chain.

Recycling without impacting on quality
Flax offers another sustainability benefit: more recycling cycles than glass- or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics – without impacting on quality. Thermoplastic fibre-matrix prepregs are melted and reused in the recycling process. The natural fibres can be used in other products such as natural fibre-reinforced injection moulded parts.

Sustainable product developments for many industries
"Orthoses for high-performance sports, high-tech skis, wind turbines, components for the automotive industry or aerospace, but also modern window profiles – the application scope for our lightweight design flax tapes is amazingly diverse", as Carl Mrusek, Chief Sales Officer at vombaur explains. "After all, wherever flax tapes are used, three key properties come together: light weight, strength and sustainability".

Pulcra Chemicals and Inditex develop Sustineri Coloring, a combined pretreatment and dyeing process for cotton and polyester/cotton resulting in water, time and energy savings. This process is the result of a joint research between Pulcra Chemicals and Inditex with the goal to mitigate the impact of standard dyeing processes and to reduce the use of natural resources.

Sustineri Coloring is based on newly engineered process chemicals which allow a one bath pretreatment and dyeing process for dark, medium and light shades of cotton and polyester/cotton fabrics by exhaust method. This results in shorter processing time and less use of water and energy.

The process is already used by selected mills and it showed that Sustineri Coloring is reducing in pretreatment and dyeing the processing time by up to 60 % and the water and energy consumption by up to 80 and 60% respectively. The state-of-the-art products allow a one bath treatment which is the key in saving resources.

DyStar, a specialty chemical company, announces its latest innovation, Eco-Advanced Indigo Dyeing.

The launch of DyStar’s Eco-Advanced Indigo Dyeing aims to reduce water usage by up to 90% and energy consumption by up to 30% during the production process. The new DyStar’s Eco-Advanced Indigo Dyeing is applicable in the Indigo traditional dyeing process, for Sulphur dyes, and colored Denim. The technique of sustainable indigo dyeing has already been proven to reduce substantially the effluent load in Denim production.

DyStar’s eco-friendly indigo dyeing process is recognized for helping customers deliver better consistency in quality while achieving less wastewater treatment in the effluent.

Stahl announces that its near-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Stahl is one of the few coatings companies to receive this validation. To date, 145 companies in the chemicals sector have submitted an emissions reduction target to the SBTi, of which 61 have had their targets validated.

Stahl’s science-based targets, which reflect the company’s commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement goals, are:  

• Stahl Holdings B.V. commits to reduce absolute scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions 42.0% by CY2030 from a CY2021 base year.*
• Stahl Holdings B.V. commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 25.0% by CY2030 from a CY2021 base year.

The SBTi classifies emissions reduction targets according to two potential temperature pathways: 1) limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and 2) limiting temperature rises to well below 2°C. The SBTi has determined that Stahl’s Scope 1 and 2 target is in line with a 1.5°C trajectory, while Stahl’s Scope 3 target has been validated in line with the well-below 2°C pathway.

Maarten Heijbroek, CEO of Stahl: “The validation of our Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions reduction targets by the SBTi is an important milestone on our ESG journey as we strive to limit our contribution to global warming, in line with the Paris Agreement. Our targets are ambitious, and rightly so. Realizing our goal to help create a more responsible coatings value chain starts with being accountable for our own environmental impact, and taking concrete steps to reduce our emissions wherever possible.”

A clear strategy to reduce GHG emissions
Stahl’s approach to realizing its near-term emissions reduction targets is outlined in the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Roadmap to 2030. This strategy defines the specific metrics against which progress on the company’s ESG commitments will be measured.

Stahl’s Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction targets, as submitted to the SBTi, cover emissions from all manufacturing sites where Stahl products are produced, as well as the company’s largest non-manufacturing locations. Stahl aims to lower these emissions by reducing its overall energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy at its sites. To achieve this, the company plans to increase its self-generated electricity capacity (using solar power, for example) and continue investing in more energy-efficient equipment.

Stahl plans to reduce its Scope 3 upstream emissions primarily by replacing fossil-based raw materials in its products with renewable alternatives, such as bio-based and recycled-based feedstocks. In addition, the company plans to introduce more low-impact raw materials into its product design.

* The target boundary includes biogenic land-related emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks.

Automotive supplier, Yanfeng has been awarded a second consecutive A−rating by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for the group's global leadership in transparency and action on climate change in 2022. Nearly 15,000 companies were rated based on data which they submitted to the organization. Yanfeng also received an Environmental Leadership Award by CDP China

CDP is a non-profit organization which operates a global disclosure system to enable investors, companies, cities, states, and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Every year, several thousand companies worldwide are analyzed about their strategic approach to the challenges of climate change and their climate management activities are rated on the basis of a comprehensive list of criteria. CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and rating process is widely recognized as the gold standard for corporate environmental transparency.

Yanfeng improved its scores in value chain engagement and climate-related requirements for suppliers, as well as targets for increasing low-carbon energy consumption or production.
“As our company-wide target for carbon neutrality, we aim to achieve 100% of our total energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2030,” said Gunnar Büchter, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Yanfeng. All European plants converted to renewable energy by the beginning of 2022, and other regions also increased their utilization of renewable energy sources. Significant progress has been made in China. By end of 2021 a total of 30% of energy came from renewable sources.

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.

New ideas were exchanged, brainstormed, and discussed freely at members’ booths at the Swiss Textile Machinery Pavilion during the recent Techtextil in Frankfurt. “Customers and researchers met Swiss textile machinery companies to explore the possibility of the not-yet-invented. “We regard our Pavilion as the place where future innovations catch a spark,” says Cornelia Buchwalder, Secretary General of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association. Further developments in the field of hybrid yarns were a hot topic. One example of this involves producing a yarn which has all the typical characteristics and advantages of carbon – but which also prioritizes careful use of resources, combining carbon fibres with thermoplastics.

Technical textiles cover a vast range of applications, and it’s still growing thanks to intensive research by specialist institutes and universities. Many members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association maintain long-standing partnership with such bodies. Innovations are often joint efforts.

Feel-good technical fabrics
Some technical textiles feel like a second skin. A well-known example is activewear from the ‘sport tech’ field. Activewear includes breathable clothing, usually consisting of a three-layer-laminate: an inner lining, a breathable membrane in the center, and an outer fabric. The challenge is to bond the individual layers without losing breathability or softness, while meeting technical requirements such as resistance to a number of wash cycles.

Bonding solutions meeting top quality requirements, as well as ambitious standards for environmental protection and sustainability, were reinvented by the Cavitec brand from the Santex Rimar Group. This company’s hotmelt technology uses one-component polymers applied to textiles in a hot, molten state. Bonding based on hotmelts is both water- and solvent-free. Drying and exhaust air cleaning are not necessary, which is an ecological advantage. Energy consumption is also significantly lower. Cavitec hotmelt technology is also developed for laminated medical protection fabrics which are safe, high-quality and sustainable. These fabrics can be washed, sterilized, and used again.   

A second skin with added value is the result of Jakob Müller Group’s cooperation with an institute for an established outdoor fashion brand. They have devised a heating mat applied as an inner jacket. Outdoor gear with a heated inlay offers the wearer a comfortable feeling even in a cold climate. The heating mat is particularly light, breathable, flexible and adjustable to three temperature levels.

Fabrics with these advantages are now possible thanks to multi direct weaving (MDW) technology from the Jakob Müller Group. A lacquer-insulated heating strand is inserted into the base textile as a ‘meander’ using MDW technology. The technology is offered with both label weaving machines and the latest generation of ribbon weaving machines. The textile pocket calculator is another MDW based future-oriented application developed in cooperation with a textile research institute.

Safety and health
Life-saving reliability is a must for vehicle airbags. They have to fulfil high security aspects, and must remain inflated for several seconds when an accident occurs. Airbags made of flat-woven fabric – cut and seamed – can show weakness at seams during the inflation phase. Latest Jacquard technology by Stäubli enables one-piece-woven (OPW) airbags to be produced, creating shape and structure in a single process. The final product is an airbag consisting of a sealed cushion with woven seams. OPW airbag weaving reduces the number of production steps, and increases the security aspects.
Another big advantage of Stäubli’s new weaving technology is the flexibility in formats required in today’s mid- and upper-range cars, where lateral protection (in the seat or in the roof over the door) has become standard and is designed in line with the car shape. Safe airbags are woven on modern high-speed weaving machines. The warp material, the variety of fabric patterns, and the importance of precisely shaped airbags require the use of a robust and reliable Jacquard machine.

A revolution for orthopaedic patients is a knitting machine from Steiger Participations, which uses compressive yarns developed to meet the needs of the specific health market. This machine model was exclusively designed for production with inlaid elastic yarns and offers optimum performance with guaranteed final product quality.

In the orthopaedic field, many Steiger flat knitting machines have already been operating as automatic, custom-made production systems. For example, the dimensions of an injured limb are taken by the doctor and fed into a web-based application. The doctor selects the compression class in the various sections of the item and a data file created by the software automatically applies a preconfigured program. With no human intervention required, the program is generated and produced on the machine, precisely matching the patient’s dimensions. Each product is different, and generally available within 48 hours.

• Strategy and purpose affirm Borealis Group vision to be a global leader in advanced and sustainable chemicals and material solutions
• Sustainability at the centre of all activities, supporting OMV Group’s ambition for a net zero business by 2050
• Strong foundation supports continued geographic expansion with enhanced focus on Middle East and Asia, North America

Borealis announces the introduction of the Borealis Strategy 2030. At the core of this strategic evolution is sustainability, which is supported by the Borealis foundation of dedication to safety first, its people, innovation and technology, and performance excellence. This foundation powers continued geographic expansion and the ongoing transformation towards the circular economy. The strategy stipulates new and more ambitious sustainability targets with regard to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, energy consumption, and the circular economy. Underlying the Borealis Strategy 2030 is an evolved purpose, “Re-inventing Essentials for Sustainable Living,” whose intent and spirit is shared across the OMV Group.*

* See attached document for more information.

• Sales increase of 9.5% to €1,007.0 million driven by almost all business units
• EBITDApre improves by 50.9% to €140.0 million, reaching the upper end of the 2021 guidance raised in July
• Net financial debt reduced from €286.5 million to €206.3 million
• Start of business in 2022 overshadowed by uncertainty resulting from the war in Ukraine

Rising demand in almost all market segments led to a 9.5% increase in Group sales to €1,007.0 million in fiscal 2021 compared to the previous year (2020: €919.4 million). Almost all business units contributed to the pleasing sales performance. At 50.9%, EBITDApre improved disproportionately to Group sales and amounted to €140.0 million in fiscal 2021 (2020: €92.8 million). Increased sales and the associated higher capacity utilization contributed to the improvement in earnings, together with the cost savings achieved as a result of the transformation initiated at the end of 2020.*

Outlook
Based on the assumptions outlined and including the costs of the energy hedges, the company expects Group sales for the 2022 financial year to be at the previous year's level and EBITDApre to be between €110 million and €130 million.*

* See attachment document for more information,

• The “new normal” by Südwolle: responsible, seasonless and high performance

The concept of seasonality in the F/W 2023/24 collection is increasingly vague, in favour of more functional categories in terms of performance, sustainability, innovative content and style.

Yarns are predominantly pure wool or blends, corresponding with the new concept of “dressing well” which is gaining ground among consumers – an individual style that promotes wellbeing at various times of the day, a fluid, personal idea of elegance, that fits daily activities with ease.

The new formal replaces the traditional suit with “smart casual” jackets and trousers -comfortable, and carefully cut, they feature quality materials that guarantee wearability as well as durability. Focus on these factors makes for more informed and less impulse buying.

The renewed interest in heritage is met with Südwolle's wool know-how and its basic essentials, updated to make them more sustainable by choosing certified fibres and chlorine-free anti-shrink treatments, for products with a longer lifespan thanks to domestic washing at low temperatures.

Sustainable innovation attentive to performance and durability goes hand in hand with the selection of earth-friendly recycled, recyclable and traceable materials blended with natural fibres.

Overview of the collection
The words inspiring the new collection are: sustainable, responsible, natural, recycled and high-performance.

A leading position goes to the OTW® line of weaving yarns made with Omega Twist® technology, developed and patented by Südwolle Group, which gives yarns enhanced performances in terms of reduced pilling, greater elasticity, strength and durability.

Espresso TEX Nm 48/2 (100% untreated wool,20.5μ) was created to value the authentic naturalness of wool. Made with undyed, untreated merino wool, it is a twisted yarn for weaving, ideal, for example, for flannel suits and jacket. It is available in 4 shades of brown obtained by mixing different percentages of untreated raw wool and undyed, naturally brown wool.
Eolo Nm 24/2 (100% wool 20.5 µ) is an example of circular production and reuse of recycled wool within the Karma project. Starting with in-house pre-and post-production waste, a partly carded, partly combed, product is created at Südwolle Group facilities where this type of process can be carried out.

Rhein GOTSNm 64/1 and Nm 64/2 (100% wool 19.5 µ) is the new pure woolyarn with GOTS –Global Organic Textile Standard certification, which certifies its organic provenance. The same traceable origin applies to Lerici GOTS X-COMPACT®Nm 60/1 (70% GOTS certified wool 19.5μ, 30% Schappe Mulberry silk), a glossy yarn with reduced pilling effect for improved anti-abrasion performance, obtained with X-COMPACT® spinning technology.

Performance paired with reduced energy consumption is the added value of SRP ClarkNm 60/2 (48% wool 23.5μ, 44% cationic polyester, 8% Donegal viscose), also available in a stretch version. The cationic polyester can be dyed blended with the wool, making double dying unnecessary and so saving on water and energy consumption. The addition of pre-dyed red, green or brown Donegal viscose to the blend creates a fluid look enhanced with slubbing and micro-nep effect.

Rosvic Nm 40/2 (98% wool 19.5μ, 2% Lycra®44 dtex) is a twisted yarn with Basolan treatment for comfort fabrics. It has a slightly textured surface with a contrasting or tone on tone micro mouliné pattern.

Key players among the circular knitting and hosiery yarns are Basak Nm 80/1(80% wool TEC. 20% polyamide 2.2 dtex), OTW® Barone GRS Nm 60/2(60% wool 23.5 µ TEC, 40% RENU™ recycled cationic polyester 2.2 dtex) and OTW®Concorde Nm 88/2(100% wool 19.3 µ TEC), available in the new colour cards.