From the Sector

• Italian expertise, research and green innovation.
• METALBOTTONI ups the stakes with one-of-a-kind interpretations, to enhance its market presence.

At Première Vision Accessories (Paris, 19-21 September) the company presents the new collection VÀNITA, a mix of leatherwear and sportswear, based on Made in Italy craft, with an increasingly wide and coordinated range.

Based on product experience, combining new trends in accessories. The METALBOTTONI strategy is enriched with product novelties which aim at exploring new existing market segments. A strategy which increasingly leads great artisan production skills to meet constant research and expansion of the range, with the world of sportswear becoming more and more pivotal; without forgetting the important sustainable innovations of the NO IMPACT protocol.

No Impact becomes “Committed Accessories”

The guideline for restyling the METALBOTTONI range over the past two years has been the recent implementation of the NO IMPACT corporate sustainability protocol, which has just acquired a new “dress”, associated with the following pay-off: “Committed Accessories”. It is a way of underscoring the constant green development of the company over the past few years, in terms of process and product: use of recycled raw materials, development of finishing without chemicals, implementation of processes which today have allowed to reduce electricity and water consumption to almost zero.

Moreover the range of NO IMPACT proposals for this season has expanded to include not only new metal finishing but also leather label completely made from processing scrap, thus establishing Metalbottoni as “partner for branding elements” also in terms of sustainability. Pure Made in Italy and constant expansion of collections towards sportswear The great skill in metal processing, which for sixty years now has characterised the top-of-the-range quality of METALBOTTONI products, is now combined with constant research work conducted by our in-house Style Office, resulting in new collections which are more and more in line with the trends emerging from major trade fairs. Maintaining a presence on strong markets (central Europe, Northern Europe and United States), increasing the depth of segments and intercepting new ones. This is the main goal also chosen for the Première Vision Accessories Exhibition where, alongside the autumn-winter 2019/2020 collections, there will be a preview of VÀNITA, the new collection dedicated to leatherwear and more.

METALBOTTONI is proving to be one of the most dynamic companies in the accessory industry.

Over the past two years, in fact, it has introduced numerous product and process innovations, aiming at increasing its range especially as regards sportswear accessories. This trend was driven by a substantial increase in demand by read-to-wear and luxury brands in the past two seasons, and today it means new proposals which account for 35% of the range for METALBOTTONI. New collections have been presented in the past two seasons expressly dedicated to the sportswear world, namely GRAVITA, the first line designed by the company for pressure buttons, and MÀRYA, the new beachwear collection. Also the line called LABORA, the classic collection of accessories for fashion and ready-to-wear has been constantly enhanced with proposals combining style and technical performance. This mix of fashion and sport elements is increasingly evident in the company’s product range, for example in the combination of different materials, using metal with nylon or other resins to create new and unique accessories.

Vànita: beyond leatherwear, a world of accessories

The meeting between fashion, luxury and sportswear has produced VÀNITA, the brand new collection which presents a new approach to accessories dedicated to leatherwear, from an allround perspective from luxury to sportswear. Developed starting from solid product research by the company’s in-house Style Office, VÀNITA is a true meeting of styles and elements, a combination of high product standards with unique elegance. This line introduces one-of-a-kind visions for accessories, exploring highly original pathways dedicated to the world of leather. The VÀNITA proposal ranges from accessories for leatherwear and small leatherwear, to those for shoes, bags and the sportswear worlds. There are two main lines within this collection: one is expressly designed for the world of luxury, the other has a more technical and sporty approach. A true mix between artisan metal processing, based on the great METALBOTTONI expertise in this sector, and “ingredients” such as nylon, rubber finishes or innovative 3D processing, which are often combined together.

“Our goal is to offer an increasingly comprehensive range which allows us to explore new segments on the markets where we are present” - says Gregorio Valli, CEO and President of METALBOTTONI S.P.A – “a ‘recipe’ which should be able to integrate our unmatched product expertise with a constant expansion of our range and continuous implementation of our pathway towards corporate responsibility and sustainability”.

Wolford is recognized for high quality Skin wear and is a favorite among fashion influencers. Wolford realizes that when it comes to luxury, consumers expect brands to be responsible. In response, Wolford understands sustainable luxury is a new brand ingredient and are dedicated to expanding their collections each season and infusing responsible materials.

This July at Interfiliere, gain a sneak peek into the launch of Wolford’s Aurora collection of leggings and pullovers that are Cradle to Cradle gold certified, first one in the world! The new styles created use premium stretch yarn belonging to the ROICA™ Eco-Smart family, the world’s first yarn awarded Cradle2Cradle Material Health Gold Level Certificate and Hohenstein Environment compatibility certification, which provides evidence of compliance and offers confidence as a responsible choice. In addition to premium stretch yarn from ROICA™ Eco-Smart family, the Aurora pieces are made using two other responsible fibers, Lenzing Modal® a cellulosic fiber derived from sustainable forestry, and infinito® by Lauffenmühle, a specially modified oil based biodegradable polymer.’

Instead of using new materials, Wolford’s new collection is developed to return the ingredients back to the cycle, they simply borrow them for the lifetime of the product, which supports responsible product ingredient sourcing. At the end of the Aurora collection product lifecycle, Wolford will return them to an industrial composting station to naturally breakdown without releasing harmful environmental substances. Wolford is committed to becoming part of the solution and activating change as they continue to explore responsible material innovations.

Be sure to attend Première Vision NY Smart Talk on July 17th, 2018 at 2:00p to meet to Wolford’s own Andreas Roehrich, Director, Product Develoment & Innovation to discuss technology and Wolford’s quest to become a responsible luxury brand.
 

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, has presented an aniline-free* denim indigo dye at the recent Planet Textiles 2018 Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The brand new dye provides a non-toxic way to produce the traditional, iconic indigo blue that consumers associate with denim and jeans.
Currently, aniline impurities are an unavoidable element of producing indigo-dyed denim. Unlike other chemical impurities, aniline is locked into the indigo pigment during the dyeing process and therefore cannot be washed off the fabric.

Scientific testing has shown that aniline impurities are toxic to humans, causing skin allergies, damage to major organs and genetic defects, as well as being linked to cancer. Aniline is also toxic to aquatic life, which is an issue as two thirds of the 400 metric tons of aniline waste on an annual basis ends up in the environment as wastewater discharge. The toxic chemical is therefore starting to feature on the restricted substance lists (RSL) of some major clothing brands and retailers. “We have tested denim garments and found that aniline concentrations are frequently higher than expected,” says Alexander Wessels, CEO, Archroma. “This could put some manufacturers over the limits agreed on their RSLs.”

True to its commitment to take on innovation challenges, Archroma decided to take a closer look at the issue with its R&D experts, and developed an alternative system that is aniline free*.
“At Archroma, we continuously challenge the status quo in the deep belief that we can make our industry sustainable,” continues Alexander Wessels. “By removing a hazardous impurity from the denim supply chain, we aim to protect the workers who create denim, the consumers who wear denim, and the environment with cleaner waterways.” The Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 dye is the latest in a long line of sustainable innovations for denim started in 2009. That year, Archroma introduced its ‘Advanced Denim’ technology which uses up to 90% less water during the dyeing process. “Being not indigo but sulfur based, ‘Advanced Denim’ itself was an aniline free solution too!”, adds Alexander Wessels. For designers and brand owners who long for authentic indigo inspiration, the new Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 now also makes it possible to produce indigo-dyed denim without high levels aniline impurities. Archroma successfully tested Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 at Absolute Denim mill in Thailand. “During the testing everything performed exactly the same as it would with conventional indigo,” says Vichai Phromvanich, Board Member, Absolute Denim. “There was just one important difference: no aniline.”

“We’ve had an overwhelming positive reaction from the industry in sneak previews and during the launch at Planet Textiles,” continues Alexander Wessels. “As a responsible industry leader, we believe it’s important to actively look for eco-advanced solutions that are attractive and at the same time cost-efficient for clothing brands, retailers and end-consumers.”

Archroma will make the Denisol® Pure Indigo 30 dye in the most sustainable way as possible. The new dye will be produced in Archroma’s facility in Pakistan, a plant that made the headlines in 2012 for being what Archroma believed to be the industry’s first zero liquid discharge plant.

• Visit Archroma at China Interdye 2018, Booth A100, April 11-13, 2018, at the ShanghaiWorld Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, Shanghai, China

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, will present at China Interdye 2018 its latest technologies, under the motto: “Enhanced solutions for color and performance, it's our nature”.
With a heritage of more than 130 years, Archroma provides solutions that combine performance, safety and low impact on resources. The company can draw on its extensive formulation and technical know-how to offer a constant flow of eco-advanced and innovative new in dyestuff and pigments, as well as process and functional chemicals.
Solution packages for innovation

Visitors at Archroma’s Booth A100. will be able to ‘experience’ Archroma's innovative solutions, in particular:

• EarthColors, traceable from nature to fashion
  The EarthColors patented range of “biosynthetic” dyes for cotton and cellulose-based fabrics, which are made from waste left over by the agricultural and herbal industry after extraction, such as almond shells, saw palmetto, or rosemary leaves. The latest NFC technology used on the end-product hangtags enables transparency and traceability through the supply chain to consumers.
  The EarthColors have been adopted by brands such as Patagonia, Kathmandu and G-Star, and won an OutDoor Industry Award 2017.
   
• Color Atlas, a game-changing system for fashion design
  The Color Atlas by Archroma® is a groundbreaking platform specially devised to address the needs of designers, brands, retailers, and manufacturers, enhancing creative possibilities for the industry as well as manageability and time to market through key complementary tools: The six-volume ‘Color Atlas Library’ with 4,320 color swatches and cotton poplin samples, the ‘Color Atlas Compact’ in two volumes for increased portability, and the ‘Color Atlas Online’ allowing to capture an inspiring image using a smartphone and immediately identify the closest Color Atlas shade palette, with the possibility to purchase a color sample instantly.
   
• ‘Zero add-on’ formaldehyde finishing and coloring solutions
  Since January 1, 2016, formaldehyde is classified by ECHA5 as “may cause cancer” (Carc. 1B). Archroma offers a unique proposition combining: Fixapret® Resin WFF, a “zero add-on” formaldehyde anti-wrinkle finishing system and Helizarin® EcoSafe a “zero add-on”4 formaldehyde printing system. With Fixapret® Resin WFF, and Helizarin® EcoSafe, consumers can enjoy end-products that look good, whilst saving on precious resources and being gentler on the skin.
   
• Sanitized® Odoractiv 10, active odor control function for polyester textiles
  Visitors at the booth will be able to experience a new unique dimension of odor control function for functional polyester textiles. The newly developed wash-resistant Sanitized® Odoractiv 10 has a dual-action effect: on the one hand it prevents the bacteria from docking on the textile, and on the other, it adsorbs odors whilst the garment is being worn.

Spotlight on automotive solutions
Having acquired a 75% stake in the M. Dohmen group, a specialist in textile dyes and chemicals for automotive, carpet and apparel, Archroma is now in the position to extend its offer in expert products and services. M. Dohmen will be present at the show at Booth A118.

Solution packages for sustainability
Brand owners and retailers around the world are taking action to evaluate the environmental impact of textile treatment, dyeing and finishing processes in response to consumer concerns.
Archroma recently introduced the ONE WAY Process Simulator, the last update of a calculation tool that supports its ONE WAY Sustainability Service introduced back in 2012. The new, online software can be used to mimic and compare products and processes, and thus calculate the ecological and economical profile of the final end-product.