From the Sector

Members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – are proving instrumental in pioneering new sustainable processes for the dyeing, finishing and decoration of textiles.

The wasteful processes involved in these manufacturing stages are only one component in the development of viable circular supply chains for textiles that are now being established in Sweden.

At the recent Conference on Sustainable Finishing of Textiles, held across three separate afternoons on September 30^th, October 1^st and October 7^th, delegates heard that Sweden will introduce extended producer responsibility (EPR) for waste textiles and clothing at the beginning of 2022, ahead of the adoption of a similar European Union-wide EPR system in 2025.

New fibers
Swedish companies are also active in the development of new fibers derived from waste clothing, building on the country’s legacy leadership in pulp and paper production.

At the Sustainable Finishing of Textiles Conference, however, it was said that all of the environmental gains made by such sustainable new fibers can potentially be cancelled out in the further processing they are subjected to – and especially in resource-intensive conventional dyeing, finishing and decoration.

TMAS members Baldwin Technology and Coloreel have both developed solutions to address this issue.

TexCoat G4
During the conference, Baldwin’s VP of Global Business Development Rick Stanford explained that his company’s TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology significantly reduces water, chemistry and energy consumption in the finishing process. It consistently and uniformly sprays chemistry across a fabric surface and applies it only where needed, on one or both sides.

Instant coloring
Coloreel’s CEO Mattias Nordin outlined the benefits of his company’s technology which enables the high-quality and instant coloring of a textile thread on-demand and can be paired with any existing embroidery machine without modification. This enables unique effects like shades and gradient to be achieved in an embroidery for the first time.

Knopf’s Sohn, a contract finisher of technical textiles, has installed a fully automated Montex stenter at its plant in Helmbrechts, Germany.
Knopf’s Sohn is processing technical textiles for the automotive, aerospace, home furnishings and workwear markets, based on wool, cellulose, polyamide and polyester fabrics, along with elastane blends, in weights of 80-800gsm.

The Montex machinery range is constantly being upgraded to meet evolving customer needs for greater automation, ease of operation and energy optimisation. The latest ten chamber line at Knopf’s Sohn, with a working width of up to 2.0 metres, was engineered to specific requirements in order to accelerate the company’s move to fully automatic control of its production, and high scaffolding was required for its installation.

The line benefits from two integrated ECO Booster modules to provide high energy savings. These compact, air-to-air heat exchangers, installed within the roof structure of the line, exploit energy from the exhaust gas to preheat up to 60% of the incoming fresh air entering the stenter.

The use of a single ECO Booster unit has been calculated to save up to 35% in energy costs, based on fixation processes. Fully automatic operation, set at the Monforts Qualitex control unit, ensures there is no additional burden on the machine operator.

The line is powered by Exxotherm indirect heating, which practically eliminates the yellowing which can be experienced during the treatment of certain polyamide and elastane-based fabrics, and is also equipped with a Conticlean circulating air filter system for constant high drying capacity.

Software
The latest Qualitex visualisation software offers operators reliability and easy control with its full HD multi-touch monitor and slider function, dashboard function with individual adaptation to operating states and faster access to comprehensive recipe data management.

With the Monformatic control system, the exact maintenance of the dwell time in combined treatment processes (drying and heat-setting) can be monitored. When the heat-setting point is reached, the fan speed is automatically adjusted, keeping energy consumption fully under control.

• EFI Reggiani TERRA Silver Makes Debut at Fespa Global Print Expo 2021 for a Short, Smart and Green Process
• The new, industrial, entry-level EFI™ Reggiani TERRA Silver textile printer from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. is making its debut at the Fespa Global Print Expo 2021 tradeshow, 12-15 October at RAI Amsterdam.
• The EFI Reggiani TERRA Silver uses unique TERRA pigment ink for high-quality, highly sustainable direct-to-textile printing without steaming or washing.       

“This is one of the first trade shows to return after the pandemic, and we are very excited to again meet customers in person and showcase an innovative offering that delivers superior printing results while using less time, water and energy,” said EFI Reggiani Vice President and General Manager Adele Genoni. “We are introducing this advanced EFI Reggiani TERRA Silver solution to the many print service providers at Fespa, presenting them with an ideal path to enter the industrial textile segment with a short, smart and green production process.”

The new-version TERRA Silver printer is part of EFI’s complete TERRA line-up of pigment ink printer solutions. It is a 180-cm wide printer that can print up to 190 sqm per hour with eight dual-channel printheads. The printer also features:

•    A new recirculating ink system for superior reliability and minimum maintenance
•    Several printing modes to ensure maximum flexibility in terms of design capability
•    New, real-time image processing that eliminates time spent in image pre-calculations
•    A user friendly, intuitive interface
•    A more-efficient polymerisation process that takes place as printed textile goes through the printer’s on-board dryer.

In Fespa stand 1-G71, attendees can see the EFI Reggiani TERRA Silver print smoothly and precisely on knitted and woven fabrics. The printer’s quality is evident in its high-uniformity printing modes, and it delivers numerous features that enhance the production process, including an accurate WYSIWYG interface and flexible queue management.
 
EFI Reggiani is also a leading developer of textile inks. The EFI Reggiani TERRA pigment inks used on the Silver model deliver excellent wet and dry fastness properties and remarkable sharpness in detail. Designed to leverage EFI Reggiani digital printers’ market-proven industrial performance capabilities, these eco-friendly, water-based inks provide an extraordinary level of print durability and yield longer print head life with reduced maintenance costs. The high-performance digital pigment inks also use an innovative binder technology for fast, sustainable, and cost-competitive industrial textile printing on the widest range of fabrics. Users also gain superior print definition and colour intensity.
 
This year, EFI Reggiani celebrates 75 years of heritage and innovation in the textile world. Always committed to deliver to the market new cutting-edge technologies, EFI Reggiani has world-class products offering boosted uptime and reliability, high performance throughput, and remarkable printing uniformity and accuracy – all while helping customers increase the sustainability of their textile manufacturing activities. Green EFI Reggiani processes give users fast, complete and sustainable solutions across a broad range of textile applications.
 
In this 75th anniversary year, EFI Reggiani has also launched several other ground-breaking solutions, such as EFI Reggiani HYPER, the fastest scanning digital printer on the market, and the EFI Reggiani BLAZE, an industrial entry-level, easy-to-use printer designed to give new textile companies the opportunity to adopt digital inkjet production with a compact solution to blaze a successful path into the industry.

Global energy consumption reached a record high in 2019, following a 40-year trend for rapidly increasing energy demand that was only halted by the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s estimated that more than 80 % of this energy is still generated from fossil fuels that produce CO2 emissions and contribute to climate change. Renewable energy offers a solution to this problem, but saving energy whenever possible is an even more effective approach. That are the motives for Trützschler to develop the intelligent card TC 19i, which sets a new benchmark for energy-efficient carding.

The intelligent Trützschler card TC 19i features the unique T-GO gap optimizer, which continuously and automatically monitors and adjusts the carding gap to an ideal position during production. Innovative drive- and air technology further reduce energy consumption of the TC 19i.

The most energy-intensive elements in a carding machine are the drive, the dust suction process and the compressed air system. Permanent suction is needed to remove dust and cotton waste in key places. Smart optimization of these areas has made the intelligent card TC 19i a benchmark for energy efficiency in carding because it uses less electricity, lower suction pressure and less compressed air than other machines, while providing the highest production rates currently available on the market.

In a head-to-head comparison between the TC 19i and a high-performance card from a competitor, the TC 19i consumed at least 10 % less energy per kilogram of material produced when manufacturing rotor yarn from a cotton and cotton waste mix. The compared energy values included electric power consumption and energy required for suction and compressed air and were measured in both cards at the same production of 180 kg/h. A 10 % reduction in energy per kilogram of sliver produced, as proven here by TC 19i, can have a significant impact on a spinning mill’s profitability; annual savings worth a five-digit sum are frequently possible, depending on factors such as the output of the mill. The customer trial also showed TC 19i’s excellent reliability at the customer’s usual production rate of 180 kg/h, and even demonstrated stable performance at 300 kg/h in the same application. Because the TC 19i with T-GO gap optimizer realizes maximum production rates at no compromise in quality, manufacturers can reduce their energy demand and investment costs drastically: Less machines are needed to achieve the desired output, and energy consumption per production is reduced.

This improvement was made possible by a long and sometimes challenging innovation process involving mathematical models of air flows, as well as flow simulations and prototypes. By combining the final flowoptimized parts in the TC 19i, Trützschler’s experts have developed a card that operates with suction pressure of just -740 Pa and with an air requirement of only 4200 m³/h. This translates into 40 % less energy demand for air technology compared to the latest high-performance competitor model.

Kornit Digital Ltd., a worldwide market leader in digital textile production technologies, released its 2020 Impact and Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Report. This inaugural report affirms Kornit’s commitment to achieving specific ESG goals. This includes the way Kornit conducts business, creates meaningful impact in local communities, and achieves environmental sustainability, in addition to how Kornit will continue to build a diverse and inclusive company culture, foster employee growth and development, and empower fair and safe labor practices globally.
 
In addition to enabling eco-friendly production processes with technology and consumables that use less water, reduce waste, and minimize the carbon footprint, Kornit technology solutions enable sustainable production on demand, which eliminates overproduction of apparel and other textile goods. A 2021 Life Cycle Assessment conducted on two flagship products, the Kornit Atlas MAX and Kornit Presto S, demonstrated that relative to traditional analog processes, Kornit’s digital production systems used up to 95% less water and 94% less energy, and produced up to 83% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Presto S system and up to 93% less water and 66% less energy, and produced up to 82% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Atlas MAX system.

Based on this study, in addition to past sustainability performance results and strategic projections for business growth and market expansion, by 2026 Kornit Digital’s sustainable on-demand solutions are expected to enable the production of approximately 2.5 billion apparel items in a responsible manner to deliver:

• Zero overproduction: By moving the industry to on-demand manufacturing, Kornit will help eliminate the estimated 1.1 billion apparel items overproduced using traditional production methods, based on an industry average of 30% overproduction. This is about 1 apparel item for each and every person living in Europe and North America – saved.
• Zero water waste: In addition to eliminating overstocks, Kornit-enabled production on demand will support saving an estimated 4.3 trillion liters (1.1 trillion gallons) of water. This is the estimated amount of drinking water needed for the entire U.S. population for 11 years.
• Reduced CO2 emissions: By enabling sustainable on-demand production, consuming less energy, and generating less waste, Kornit will prevent an estimated 17.2 billion kilograms (37.9 billion pounds) of greenhouse gas emissions, compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This is equivalent to the estimated amount of carbon dioxide emitted from circumnavigating the entire planet with a car nearly 2,400 times.

Furthermore, the report outlines Kornit’s commitment to achieving KPIs that address waste, chemicals, GHG emissions, energy, product development, employee training, diversity and inclusion, and the company’s supply chain.

After a long break, the international nonwovens industry will meet again in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 19 to 22, 2021 on the occasion of INDEX. DiloGroup offers tailormade production systems from one supplier and will inform about its portfolio and the latest equipment developments from fibre opening to the finished felt.

A new, simplified elliptical needle beam drive makes Hyperpunch technology also attractive for standard application. Hyperpunch HαV allows a more uniform stitch distribution in the preneedling process especially in combination with the new needle pattern 6000X. In a complete needling line this felt homogenization process can be improved further by using the new needle pattern 8000X which is a milestone in the needle pattern development process and results in endproduct surfaces with low markings over a wide range of advances/stroke.

The “3D-Lofter” which was first presented during ITMA 2019 in Barcelona offers a wider range of nonwovens applications by exploring the third dimension. A series of single web forming units which work according to the aerodynamic web forming principle deliver defined fibre masses in varied patterns on a base needlefelt. A stress oriented production of technical formed parts resulting in fibre savings or patterned DI-LOUR or DI-LOOP felts are two examples for this technology which explores new application areas for needlefelts The 3D-Lofter technology may also be used “inverted” for filling up bad spots in web mats and thus achieves a better homogeneity of e. g. spunlace, thermobond or airlay products.

The DiloLine 4.0 concept offer I4.0 modules which not only support the user but also facilitate quality control and maintenance by a maximum data transparency in production and control of operation. The Dilo solutions “Smart Start” for a fully automatic start of the production line or “DI-LOWATT” for energy savings are accompanied by Siemens solutions which can be selected via App or Data Cloud “MindSphere”.

Apart from machines for needling technology we offer in cooperation with partner companies also production lines including thermobonding and hydroentangling components.

• Long-term partnership between the Austrian textile producer FEINJERSEY and the German textile machinery manufacturer BRÜCKNER

The Feinjersey Group is an internationally operating textile company and supplies the "global players" of the textile industry worldwide. The value chain of the company, which is based in Götzis, Austria, ranges from yarn processing to the finished product.

As a fully integrated production company, the internationally active textile company Feinjersey attaches great importance to a high quality standard and guarantees care at every step in the process chain. With approx. 250 employees and annual sales of around 45 million euros, the company knits, dyes and finishes top-quality knitted fabrics as well as elastic woven fabrics for a wide range of applications.

Products are made for the fashion, sports, workwear and technical textiles sectors. Among other things, fabrics for the automotive industry, laminating backings and coating substrate for artificial leather or foils, construction textiles or fabrics for medical technology are all produced.

The Austrian textile manufacturer has been certified with the Bluesign textile seal and ensures efficient use of resources with modern machinery. Water and energy consumption as well as pollutant emissions are to be reduced to a minimum.

In textile finishing in particular, the focus is on minimising energy consumption as this process is the most energy-intensive in the entire process chain. Feinjersey uses its own photovoltaic system for this purpose, as well as the heat recovery and exhaust air purification systems on the stenter frames. By using the waste heat from production, the company's buildings are heated. All six stenter frames at Feinjersey are made by BRÜCKNER and produce with three-stage heat recovery and exhaust air purification systems.

The latest BRÜCKNER line has a working width of 4.20 m and is mainly used for the finishing of high-ly elastic and extremely sensitive knitted fabric. In order to avoid yellowing on the fabric, the stenter is equipped with an indirect gas heating system. The knitting oil vapours coming from the fabric during the heat-setting process are extracted from the dryer and cleaned in a BRÜCK-NER ECO-AIR exhaust air cleaning system before being extracted to atmosphere. The complete exhaust air treat-ment on the newest stenter is carried out by a multistage BRÜCKNER ECO-HEAT and ECO-AIR system.

• Introducing TexCoat G4 to US textile industry
• Non-contact precision spray fabric-finishing system enhances sustainability and process control

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. will be showcasing its TexCoat G4 non-contact precision spray fabric-finishing system at the Techtextil North America trade show, held Aug. 23 to 25, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

With extensive sustainability benefits, unprecedented tracking and process control, and Industry 4.0 integration, the TexCoat G4 provides consistently high-quality fabric finishing, with no chemistry waste, and significantly reduced water and energy consumption.

Baldwin’s innovative non-contact spray technology eliminates chemistry dilution in wet-on-wet processes. The TexCoat G4 consistently and uniformly sprays chemistry across the fabric surface and applies it only where needed, on one or both sides.

Customers can expect no bath contamination during the finishing process, as well as minimal downtime during changeovers, which are made easy with recipe management that includes automated chemistry and coverage selection. The TexCoat G4 also enhances sustainability by wasting no chemistry during color, fabric or chemistry changeovers, and because only the required chemistry volume is applied to the fabric, wet pick-up levels can be reduced by up to 50 percent—leading to 50 percent less water and energy consumption.

Furthermore, in single-side applications, drying steps can be eliminated for various textiles, including those that are back-coated and laminated, thereby streamlining and simplifying the production process.

Double the production rate, with lower energy consumption per kilogram of fiber material – that might sound like a contradiction, but the new Trützschler pre-cleaner CL-X makes it possible. It gently and reliably removes coarse contaminants like leaf debris, stalks or seeds from cotton with minimum loss of good fibers. The pre-cleaner CL-X provides more efficiency and lays the foundation for a high-quality end-product before the cotton is further processed in mixers and fine cleaners.

CL-X features at one glance

• Continuous production of 1,600 kilograms per hour for present blow room configuration.
• 30% energy saving compared to the current benchmark.
• Integrated WASTECONTROL for automatic adjustment recommendation of waste excretion to avoid unnecessary fiber loss.
• 2.60 m long cleaning section.
• New and improved grid geometry for better separation and gentle tuft treatment.
• Material draft due to 10 % higher speed of second opening roller for reliable and consistent fiber transport.
• Optimal cleaning level and minimal fiber loss due to individual and stepless grid adjustment for each opening roller by motor.
• Gentle tuft treatment with adjustable opening roller speed.
• Synchronized lot management (automatic lot change for up to three lots).
• Connection possibility for a waste box (for waste analysis).
• Lower cost of ownership.