From the Sector

Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width stenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA – Society for Textile Equipment GmbH – is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.

GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio due to the new Monforts lines.

Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square metres of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.

Fault-free textiles

A new standard in pure white, 100% clean and fault-free textile substrates has been demanded by this market in recent years due to the rapid growth in digitally-printed banners and billboards – often referred to as ‘soft signage’.

The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100% polyester warp knits which are resilient and allow excellent take-up of inks, and vibrant colours and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.

Critically, the warp knitted fabrics have extremely smooth surfaces which is becoming increasingly important due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past.

It was to finish these fabrics for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH as well as providing such services for many other customers, that the GtA plant in Neresheim, Baden-Württemberg, was established in 2015.

The purpose-built plant on a greenfield site was initially equipped with a fully-automated, 72 metre long Monforts installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6 metre wide, seven-chamber Montex stenter. The line quickly went from single to double shift production and then to 24/7 operation  to meet demand.

Expanded widths

Building on the success of this installation, GtA has now installed two more Montex stenter lines – both in expanded working widths of 5.6 metres and purpose-built at Montex GmbH in Austria.

A six-chamber Montex unit is combined with a washing machine to guarantee the purity of the substrates, while a five-chamber line is integrated with a wide-width coating machine. This new coating capability at GtA has led to a number of new additions to the Georg and Otto Friedrich DecoTex range for digital printing, including wide width fabrics with flame retardant, antimicrobial and non-slip finishes.

The new Montex stenter lines benefit from all of the latest innovations from Monforts, including the Smart Sensor system for the optimised maintenance planning of key mechanical wear components on the stenters. A comprehensive overview of the condition of all parts at any time is now available for operators within the highly intuitive Qualitex visualization software.

With Qualitex, all article-specific settings can be stored and the formulations for thousands of treatment processes called up again at any time. Individual operators can also personalise their dashboards with the most important machine functions and process parameters.

Environmental commitment

GtA is run by a seasoned team of textile professionals led by Managing Director Andreas Niess.

“We have received excellent service from Monforts from the outset and we were happy to place the order for these two new lines as part of our ongoing cooperation,” he says. “With all of the latest Monforts advances in technology we are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines, as part of our significant commitment to innovative environmental technology.”

The GtA plant, which operates in near-cleanroom conditions, has also been equipped with proprietary technology to fully exploit the Monforts air-to-air heat recovery systems that are now standard with Montex stenters.

“Around 30 per cent of our investment volume at the site goes to energy-saving measures and we are sure that this commitment is worthwhile,” Mr Niess says. “As an example, our integrated heat recovery system fully exploits the waste heat from the process exhaust air and the burner exhaust gases of the Monforts stenters, allowing us to achieve an exhaust air temperature of  between 30 to 34°C, compared to what would conventionally be between 140 to 160°C. Another focus has been on exhaust air purification technology and here too, the latest technology has been installed with integrated heat recovery elements.”

This, he adds, saves 52% of the energy that would normally be used – equating to 5,800,000 KwH per year. The necessary audits for energy-efficient companies are also carried out annually.

In addition, GtA has purpose-designed the automatic chemical mixing and dosing systems that feed the padders for the key treatments that are carried out on the fabrics through the stenters.

The company is going further, however, in its pursuit of clean production and raw materials.

"We want to be an asset and not a burden on our immediate environment and therefore do not use any additives containing solvents," Mr Niess says. “We were the first to use fully halogen-free flame retardant chemistry, and we use bio-based, finely ground alumina products for the washing process instead of surfactants. PES polyester yarns made from recycled material are also increasingly used and the latest additions to our raw materials portfolio, the RC-Ocean products, are made from recycled sea plastic.

“We are now planning a combined heat and power plant for the production of electrical energy and heat and we will also build a photovoltaic system that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. GtA wants to be the first textile finishing company to be CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025. The complete heat supply and heating for the 13,000 square metre production hall, as well as the office building and the hot water supply for the domestic water, is already energy-neutral. We are convinced that this commitment will pay off in the long term and our positive business development proves that sustainability and business profitability are perfectly compatible.”

In addition to the products for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, GtA  offers its manufacturing capacities for other customers as a contract service.

All products are manufactured in accordance with Öko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1 and the company is also involved in the research and development of new sustainable manufacturing processes, in cooperation with many regional universities and funding project partners.

For the third time in a row, the Lenzing Group was awarded gold status in the EcoVadis CSR rating. The assessment is further evidence that the company is one of the top performers in the field of sustainability worldwide.

Lenzing is thus one of the leading two percent of all assessed companies in its industry.
The assessment covers the four most important CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) practices:

• environment
• fair working conditions and human rights
• ethics and sustainable procurement

“This award makes us very proud and encourages us to continue on our path to becoming a provider of environmentally friendly specialty fibers. At Lenzing, we look beyond fibers and take responsibility for our children and grandchildren by
standing up resolutely against the shortcomings of our time. This attitude is part of our strategic principles and we will continue to work hard to make a sustainable contribution to the environment and society”, says Stefan Doboczky, CEO of the Lenzing Group.

Lenzing’s ambitious climate target represents an important component of the company’s strategy and the responsibility towards future generations. In the 2019 financial year, Lenzing became the world’s first producer of wood-based cellulosic fibers to strategically commit to a climate-neutral production. This vision is to be put into practice by 2050. By 2030, the company aims to achieve an interim goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent per ton of product compared to 2017.

In 2019, Lenzing was once again rated number one in the world in the “Hot Button Report” of the Canadian NGO Canopy, another highly regarded ranking. In this ranking, Canopy grades the world’s 32 largest producers of wood-based fibers with respect to their success in achieving sustainable wood and pulp sourcing.

Shanghai – Sateri has unveiled FinexTM as its new product brand for recycled fibre. FinexTM, short for ‘Fibre Next’, is an innovative next-generation cellulosic fibre containing recycled content. Internationally known outdoor brand Lafuma has produced FinexTM apparel ahead of 618, China’s major mid-year online shopping festival, while independent China designer Rico Lee will launch his FinexTM apparel next month.

Since its announcement in March this year of a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste, Sateri has worked closely with its downstream yarn and garment manufacturing partners to bring the recycled fibre product to the consumer market.

“We’re pleased to collaborate with Sateri as one of their first brand partners for FinexTM. Sateri’s dedication to this partnership made it possible for Lafuma to produce T-shirts with this fine quality fibre in a short time. T-shirts made with FinexTM will be among the offerings Lafuma has in store for the 618 festival as we look to support environmentally-friendly and excellent performance solutions to strengthen our position as a leading outdoor apparel brand,” said Wu Qian, General Manager of Lafuma China.

Echoing similar sentiments is Rico Lee who established his own independent label in 2014, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with Sateri when they approached me because FinexTM encapsulates what my brand stands for – Beautiful Technology that combines function and fashion.”

Tom Liu, Sateri’s Commercial Vice President said, “Like our flagship brand EcoCosy®, FinexTM is made from bio-based natural fibres. Innovation and technology has made cellulosic textile fibre recycling possible and FinexTM represents how nature not only renews itself but that products made from nature can also be regenerated. This, at its heart, is what circular fashion looks like. Our brand promise to customers remains constant– Sateri’s products are sustainable, high quality, efficient, and cost-effective. The FinexTM tagline ‘Together For A Better Next’ expresses our aspiration to be the partner of choice for next-generation fibre - we thank Lafuma and Rico Lee for pioneering with us on this quest.”

Last month, Sateri announced its entry into China’s Lyocell fibre market. The recent string of product portfolio expansion announcements is underpinned by Sateri’s business strategy to capture value. Allen Zhang, President of Sateri said, “Being the world’s largest viscose producer gives us the advantages that come with volume, but value is what we hope differentiates us. By this, we don’t only mean higher value products like Lyocell or FinexTM but also the value we bring to communities, country, climate and customers.”

Globally, less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. This presents a big opportunity for textile fibre recycling, particularly in China which is the largest textile producing country in the world. Last month, Sateri became a council member of the China Association of Circular Economy (CACE). The company will work closely with CACE’s Textile Waste Comprehensive Utilisation Committee to establish standards and promote industrial-scale textile waste recycling. Sateri is part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies which has committed USD200 million into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology.

Mr Atte Virtanen has been appointed Head of Business Development at the Fortum Bio2X bioeconomy programme as of 1 May 2020. Atte will play a key role in establishing Bio2X partnerships, helping partners to advance more sustainable businesses, as well as developing industrial biorefinery operations together with the programme team.

Before joining Fortum, Atte was working 10 years in the Netherlands for Trespa International B.V and in Italy for Arpa Industriale S.p.A. In both companies, he was leading R&D activities in the areas of cellulose materials and thermosetting resins. In addition, Atte gained experience from production environment during his time at Stora Enso’s Kotka mills, where he worked several years both in paper production and in a paper impregnating plant.

Over the years, Fortum Bio2X has built a team with a focus on research and development, including piloting different production technologies. The programme is now moving on to the next phase by developing competencies in operations and maintenance. As part of this phase, Atte will help to shift the attention to commercializing the biomass fractions.

The Bio2X programme is part of Fortum’s strategy to build options for significant new businesses that improve resource efficiency and provide smart solutions. It aims to be the straw refiner with superior material efficiency and a leading supplier of responsible textile fibres. Bio2X focuses on an efficient use of the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin fractions in order to replace fossil or otherwise detrimental raw materials in numerous end-use applications.

Rest of the Mills to Complete Assessments and Comply by 2023

Sateri’s mill in Fujian, China, has been verified to comply with the European Union Best Available Techniques (EU-BAT) standard. Verified by independent consultant Sustainable Textile Solutions (STS), a division of BluWin Limited (UK), the parameters of the standard assessed included resource utility efficiency, wastewater discharge and air emission.

In the assessment report, STS noted that all of Sateri Fujian’s mill parameters assessed were within the range of EU-BAT limits. Notably, its energy intensity, sulphur to air, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were well under EU-BAT norms. With the use of cutting-edge technologies for air emissions control, the total sulphur recovery rate is over 98%. Sateri Fujian accounts for over 20% of Sateri’s annual total production capacity.
The compliance with EU-BAT standard comes on the back of several key manufacturing and product related industry certifications and standards which Sateri has attained. These include OEKO-TEX®’s MADE IN GREEN, STeP, and STANDARD 100. Sateri is one of the world’s first viscose producers to complete the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) 3.0 assessment. Sateri is also part of the multi-stakeholder Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) manmade cellulose fibre working group, which is developing guidelines to reduce environmental emissions. As a founding member of the Collaboration for Sustainable Development of Viscose (CV), Sateri is supporting the development of CV’s 2025 Roadmap which considers industry best management practices and global certification standards.

Forging Ahead with Circular Bioeconomy

Sateri, the world ’ s largest producer of viscose, has successfully produced on commercial scale viscose fiber regenerated from textile waste. The high-quality new fiber uses a mix of dissolving pulp made from recycled post-consumer textile waste by Swedish company Södra, and other PEFC - certified wood pulp.

Trialed at Sateri ’ s Linz Nanjng yarn spinning mill using two advanced technologies, Siro compact and Vortex, the new fiber has proven compatibility with existing spinning technologies, ensuring stable yarn production without the need to adjust existing processes or parameters. The fiber also has excellent spinning efficiency and delivers yarn evenness and tenacity.

Sateri ’ s breakthrough comes on the back of RGE’s announcement in October last year of a USD200 million investment towards next-generation cellulosic fiber innovation. Sateri is working with several dissolving pulp producers using various innovative technologies to aid the push towards a circular bio-economy. Sateri will be partnering yarn customers, garment manufacturer s and fashion brands to market and officially launch this new recycled viscose fiber product in the coming months, with the eventual goal of making recycled fiber available to the mass market.

ISKO presented its 100% responsible platform, R-TWO™.

The denim ingredient brand hosted a special panel to discuss some of the advancements in technology that are making the fashion industry more responsible: from R-TWO™ to automated laser technology.

With the fashion industry being considered one of the world’s most polluting businesses-sectors, collaborating and knowledge sharing are key in finding solutions for a better future. Fully aware of this scenario, ISKO was the headline sponsor at The Drapers Sustainable Fashion Forum brings together responsible players to discuss what can be done to tackle the industry’s environmental and social issues through innovation and creativity.

Sharing knowledge, collaborating for change.
As evidence of its Responsible Innovation™ approach, ISKO presented the R-TWO™ program, its latest
responsible achievement. Stemming from the mill’s holistic vision, R-TWO™ represents a great example of how reducing, reusing, and recycling strategies can be implemented in a textile business to improve its  environmental performance.
The R-TWO™ reduces the amount of raw material sourced by using a blend of reused cotton and recycled polyester – both certified –, improving sourcing efficiency throughout the entire field-to-fabric production.
Reused cotton is certified with the Content Claim Standard – or CCS – from the Textile Exchange. As for recycled polyester, it can be either Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified, depending on the content percentages. Together with this cutting-edge and fully responsible program, ISKO also uses automated laser
technology developed in partnership with Jeanologia.

“How technology can help make the fashion industry more sustainable”:
On March 11th, ISKO hosted a discussion about ways, to make the fashion industry more responsible
The panel was moderated by David Shah, consultant on design and marketing development, Publisher and CEO at Metropolitan Publishing BV and Associate Professor at ARTez (Arnhem, the Netherlands) and Associate Professor at Renmin University, (Beijing, China). The talk involved Keith O’Brien, ISKO Marketing & Business Development Manager, Victoria Soto, Jeanologia Custom Technology Consultant and Filippo Ricci, Fashion Open Studio Program & Partnership Manager.

Beaulieu Fibres International prioritizes collaborative product development & sustainable long-term partnerships

• Up & running: pilot line & new fibre line in Italy, BICO capacity for industrial fibres in Belgium
• Introducing new Meraspring for soft cushioned hygiene nonwovens
• Extended fibre range for filtration applications
• Stand 1340, INDEX™20, 31^st March – 3^rd April, Palexpo, Geneva

Beaulieu Fibres International, the leading European polyolefin and BICO fibre supplier, will announce at INDEX™20 completion of its pilot line in Terni, Italy, the start-up of the state-of-the-art multifunctional production line in Terni, and the new BICO line in Belgium. The company invites the Nonwoven sectors to join efforts in accelerating the development of innovative and sustainable solutions for a rapidly changing global market (Stand 1340).

New products are also on their way to show. For nonwoven converters serving the hygiene segment, Beaulieu Fibres International will unveil Meraspring to the European market at INDEX™20. The BICO-fibres are made with polyethylene (PE) in the sheath and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the core, and are the latest addition to the hygiene portfolio.

Monforts customer Rajby Textiles is the first company in the world to have finally achieved the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Platinum Standard for a product. Its Beluga denim fabrics have gained the ultimate sustainability score in all five categories covered by the C2C standard, which is acknowledged as involving the toughest and most thorough testing and assessment it is possible to put a product through.

As such, Beluga denim fabric is based on 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and employs no hazardous chemicals in its production. At the same time, it is both recyclable and biodegradable, with 100% of the energy used in its production offset by green energy and involving a closed loop system with no waste water generated and no material wastage.

The new Beluga denim fabrics, however, represent a new zenith in circular denim production. To meet the active cycling requirement, Rajby has committed to using Beluga denim fabric exclusively in apparel products sold by retailers with take back programmes in place and estimated expected cycling rates for such products

THE S/S 2021 SMART COLLECTION AND STRATEGY: “TEAMING UP IS THE RESPONSIBLE WAY FORWARD”
At Première Vision in Paris, February 11th – 13th Jersey manufacturer TINTEX presents its S/S 2021 collection and a new strategic approach to make the world a better place, a garment at a time in  Hall 5 Booth R50/S43, and Hall 3 Smart Creation Booth S7. “That’s why we decided to update our statement-motto in Naturally Advanced Evolution: a promise and an invitation to work together to develop further collections combining an environment-driven approach with cutting-edge technology.” Says Ricardo Silva, Head of Operations of TINTEX.

“Textile producers and fashion brands should develop their partnership in a much more collaborative way.” Say Says Ricardo Silva, Head of Operations of TINTEX. In a move towards his partners, the company has re-organised its products collection into 4 distinct categories and further evolved its production process in order to guarantee the highest quality and performance of its fabrics and, at the same time, to become more competitive and to allow its clients to orientate better and easily find the most suitable and practical solution. COLLECTION focuses on seasonal proposals while EXPRESSIONS includes a range for all-year-round collections.

THE SS 2021 COLLECTION is imbued with sustainability, innovation and a collaborative attitude. The new range comprises 24 new references built focusing on responsible materials – including recycled or recyclable (100% same raw material), tactile finishes and active performances with smart and cutting-edge technical background. “The main area we developed for the S/S 2021 collection was carefully selected starting from the inputs we had from our partners during some of the most successful collaborations in the past 2 years,” adds Ana Eusebio, designer.

And just to keep the conversation about sharing innovation at best, TINTEX is officially shading the light on its Coating Unit that, thanks to continuous investments, will be able to deliver Naturally Advance Solutions in terms of finishings, not just for TINTEX but also for woven producers that are aligned with the corporate commitment. Come to discover TINTEX portfolio of smartly developed coatings at its booth at Smart Creation, hall 3.