From the Sector

• New 20,000 ton Lyocell line commences production in Shandong

Sateri has successfully commenced production of Lyocell fibre in Rizhao, Shandong, China. In collaboration with Asia Symbol, China’s leading producer of pulp and packaging board, the newly installed 20,000 ton per annum production line will broaden Sateri’s portfolio of high quality fibre products, and bolster Lyocell supply to the textile and non-woven markets.

Industry associations such as the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) welcome the news. Duan Xiaoping, Deputy President of CNTAC and President of the China Chemical Fibers Association (CCFA), said, “Lyocell is not only a higher value product but also an eco-friendly fibre that is bio-based and minimises chemical use and emissions. Sateri’s investment in Lyocell is very much aligned with the aim for technical and product upgrading for China’s textile industry.”

A natural and biodegradable fibre, Sateri’s Lyocell is made from wood pulp sourced from sustainable plantations. It is manufactured using closed-loop technology, requiring minimal chemical input during the production process, and utilising an organic solvent that can be almost fully recovered and recycled. Lyocell is used to produce high quality textiles and personal hygiene materials. Textiles made from Lyocell possess high tenacity and bright lustre, and share similar qualities with textiles made from viscose – soft and silky with good drape, breathability, and absorption.

Sateri is part of the RGE group of companies which has committed to investing USD200 million to advance next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology. In March this year, Sateri achieved a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste.

• New composite e-Mobility application
• Multi-year substantial contract

After prototypes for a Chinese automotive manufacturer, a major order from a North American automaker, and yet another order for a European sports car manufacturer, SGL Carbon has now been nominated by BMW Group to produce a cover component for battery enclosures in series. This substantial multi-year order will include the production of an innovative glass-fiber-based cover plate for the battery housing for usage in a future plug-in hybrid model of BMW Group.

Materials made of composites are suited for battery enclosures for different reasons: Besides their light weight, which enhances the electric vehicle’s range, fiber-reinforced plastics offer high stiffness. In addition, they meet high requirements for water and gas tightness and feature excellent fire protection properties. Composite materials can also help to achieve improved structural stiffness of the underbody, e.g. to protect against penetration, as well as an optimized thermal management. Carbon fibers are ideal for especially stressed structures or load-bearing elements, such as the underbody panels and side frames. For components subjected to less stress, such as battery box covers, glass fibers or a fiber mix may suffice.

In addition to the new application for the hybrid model battery enclosure, SGL Carbon will continue producing the usual components made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic for the BMW i3 and delivering materials for the Carbon Core body of the BMW 7 series, and has been nominated as the supplier for all carbon materials - fibers, textiles, stacks - for the BMW iNEXT, set to be launched in 2021.

Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world, DyStar’s global operations continue to adapt to the development of the situation and to mitigate potential risks or impacts across the business. While the trajectory is unknown, DyStar is guided by recommendations from the World Health Organization and the local government authorities, to proactively address situations that could possibly affect our people and customers. This is to ensure that we have effective plans and standard procedures to minimize the disruption of our global operations.

Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
As a globally operating company, each of our operating sites, manufacturing plants, offices have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place to sustain our operations and the supply chains we serve. The BCP, owned by our Business Continuity Management Team, provides clear guidance for all local operations, such as Administration, Customer Services, Finance, Logistics Services, Sales and Technical Support as well as Procurement, to enable all functions to continue operating effectively to serve our customers, distributors and agents.

Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
DyStar’s manufacturing sites are also installed with an Emergency Response Procedure to cover all emergency circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic disease. The goal of the emergency response procedure is to mitigate the impact of such events on people and the environment, ensuring operational readiness of the site during an emergency.

As the world adjusts to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, DyStar will continue to monitor the situation very closely and will provide updates that adapt to the changing situation. We remain committed to provide our customers with excellent service and to work closely with all our partners throughout this difficult period.

Anglo Recycling Technology is on course to deliver no less than a million of its special nonwoven mats for hydroponically growing herbs to a major customer in the Middle East this year. The Growfelt-branded products arose from the discovery back in the late 1990s by Anglo Recycling’s owner Simon Macaulay, that the Sussex-based retail supplier of salads, Van Heineken Brothers (now Vitacress), used nonwoven felts on which to grow its cress.

“I drove down to see the company’s production manager, Chris Moncrieff and discovered they were indeed growing cress on felts, but they were made from virgin materials and he liked the idea of maybe using a blend of virgin fiber offcuts of cotton, wool, and polypropylene,” he explains. “That’s how Growfelt was born. For the first six years, we supplied exclusively to Vitacress and in return, they helped us to bring our factory up to food-grade standard and to set in place a testing regime for Salmonella E-Coli coliforms and listeria.”

In recent years, however, Anglo Recycling, which is based in Whitworth, near Rochdale in the UK, has significantly broadened its customer base. It now offers a core of three growing media products to meet the differing needs of customers across Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East, whether for retail presentation and appearance or for water holding.

And finishings of the E.C.O. KOSMOS cross-collection, continuing its ethical and sustainable path and having also exclusives collaborations with international brands
Italian Converter, a leading manufacturer of innovative fabrics for fashion, footwear and accessories, expands E.C.O. Kosmos, the fully traceable, transparent and 100% Made in Italy cross-collection. The acronym E.C.O. - Ecologic, Conversion, Optimization perfectly reflects the founding values of the Italian Converter philosophy and represents a further step in the company's responsible path. E.C.O. Kosmos has also been selected to be part of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) and also welcomed with enthusiasm the proposal to support C.L.A.S.S. Smart Materials Bank, the educational platform and e-shop of C.L.A.S.S. designed for young designers who want to discover and experiment with innovative and sustainable textile solutions from the best manufacturers in ways suitable for their reality.

Here are some highlights of the collection:

• E.C.O. Alba – E.C.O. Aurora, fabrics made of 50% casual cotton combined with AMNI SOUL ECO ® technology.
• E.C.O. Sonica is a semi-shiny satin with an elegant and refined appearance. the textile sector at an international level.
• E.C.O. Aly is a vintage effect raffia, a very trendy theme right now.

From smart collections born from the collaboration with style-setting brands to the company’s ultimate yarns, the cutting-edge ingredients empowering sportwear with a responsible attitude.

For the 2020 edition of ISPO Munich, the influential fashion and textile fair dedicated to sportwear and athleisure-wear, ROICA™ has created an interactive booth inviting visitors to explore a backward path from the final sportwear to the yarn. The sustainable premium stretch fiber by leading materials manufacturer Asahi Kasei, has conceived the exhibition as a sort of ‘reversed’ journey in three acts.

THE NEXT LEVEL – For ROICA™, being a world’s leader in smart stretch is not enough. The company shows that responsible innovation is not only about how the premium yarn is made but its functionalities as well. “It’s time to go to the next level of innovation: empowering sustainability with additional performances”. At ISPO, ROICA™ presents the new Global Recycled Standard -GRS- certified ROICA™ EF which innovates with excellent dyability and the Cradle to Cradle Material Health Gold level-certified ROICA™ V550 yarn which allows excellent and durable printability.

THE ‘REVERSED’ JOURNEY: the first section of the backwards path showcases ROICA™’s ultimate collaborations for the contemporary wardrobe with leading brands. Guests are then guided to explore the cutting-edge innovation interwoven into high- performing textiles and finally led to discover the company’s sustainable yarns and ultimate 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.

The integrated sustainable network making fashion circular, Made in Italy and 100% traceable

World leading textile manufacturer Manteco presents its sustainable path for a better future: The Manteco System. A strategy and a vision shaping the company’s sustainable imprint since 1943. The system consists in the development and engineering of a production network involving 100 partner-companies from the whole supply chain “We all team up responsibly to create premium collection based on transparent , traceable  circular economy practices,” comments Matteo Mantellassi, co-CEO of Manteco.
 
To achieve meeting the demand for fair and sustainable fashion that consumers believe in, and is expected  from our clients, the company and its partners have created and accomplished to a Protocol of Sustainable Values and Commitments in line with the highest standards of the global market.

“On a hand, the protocol preserves the unique ‘genius loci’ of our territory – it respects the heritage of all our partners, from the smaller businesses to the more structured ones - on the other hand, it works like a shared compass of sustainable values, allowing the whole supply chain behind Manteco products to stand out and be competitive on the global stage” adds Mantellassi.
 
The protocol and its monitored and traceable system cover virtuous management of resources – e.g. Water, energy and chemical products - waste management and low production impact on the environment but also responsible standards in terms of employment, quality of the working environment, equal rights and anti-discrimination policies.

One of the key  results of such commitment and sustainable development is the creation of an upgraded version of the recycled wool  MWool™: a top ingredient made from premium recycled wool process guaranteed by the Manteco System.The System works like a symphony where management, measurement and controls  are not there just to test  the quality of each single phase of processes or  products , but to make sure and offer the complete traceability of Manteco production.  From raw material, to yarn, spinning, finishing, testing and final fabric.

Some productions tips about Manteco:

•  5.3 million kg of raw materials processed annually.
•  6.860 tests on raw material per year.
•  34.400 tests on finished products.
•  100% made in Italy system completely based in the Prato district since 1943.
•  Total transparency and traceability thanks to a highly skilled management system.

With a turnover of over 91m Euro in 2019 and an annual growth of 17,80% since 2012, Manteco SpA is the 4th textile company in Italy, listed in the TOP30 companies of the Italian fashion system. “The unique Manteco system adds value to our products while highlighting the sustainable path we share with all our partners both upstream and downstream”.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition will return from 24 – 26 August 2020 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA). Stepping into its 26th edition, the trade fair will provide exhibitors the perfect opportunity to introduce new products and expand their distribution networks, as well as serving as a source of information and inspiration for professionals in every aspect of the industry.
 
Celebrating its 25th anniversary last August, the Autumn Edition of Intertextile attracted 1,147 exhibitors from 27 countries & regions, as well as 35,390 trade buyers from 117 countries & regions (2018: 104), reflecting the increasing internationalism of Messe Frankfurt’s textile fairs in China, and the growing opportunities for international suppliers to meet a wide range of buyers in Shanghai. The trade fair’s capacity to attract large and diverse crowds has reinforced its status as the leading business platform for the home textile industry in the Asia Pacific region.
 
In the next edition, a large collection of quality Chinese companies, as well as premier overseas brands will once again present the entire spectrum of home and contract textile products including:

• Textile editors
• Whole Home Products
• Windows & Upholstery
• Bedding, Bath, Kitchen & Table
• Carpets & Rugs
• Sun-Protection
• Wallcovering
• Digital Print & Technics
• Fibers, Yarns & Chemicals
• Textile Designs

Opportunities abound in China’s home textiles market
 
“The upcoming Autumn Edition of Intertextile is set to offer suppliers and buyers the best platform to capture new business opportunities, especially as we continue to focus on bringing together more key players from the textiles, interiors, architecture and hospitality sectors in China and internationally,” Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said.
 
“Over the years, Intertextile has been evolving from a traditional trade fair to an immersive and interactive experience that inspires and engages attendees. Today, the fair is more than a business platform; it also delivers state-of-the-art home trends, valuable networking opportunities, as well as innovative and strategic solutions for brand development through a series of fringe programme events,” Ms Wen further explained.
 
As one of the selected exhibitors featured in the Talks & Tours series at the 2019 fair, Mr Thomas Luys, Sales Manager of LIBECO-LAGAE: “We had quite a diverse range of visitors, including an increase in e-commerce buyers, but also more traditional upholstery fabrics buyers. Our booth was also part of the Talks & Tours, so it was important to tell our story to a diverse range of visitors on this tour.”
 
 
To find out more about this fair, please visit: www.intertextilehome.com.
For more information about Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: http://texpertise-network.messefrankfurt.com.

Paris Companies Inc. recently achieved Clean Green re-certification. This re-certification reflects their continued dedication to operational efficiency and sustainability.

Paris Companies Inc. first earned the Clean Green Certification in 2012. Companies that have earned this certification adhere to TRSA-designated water and energy use thresholds and deploy best management practices (BMPs) consistent with the ASTM International environmental laundering standard. Paris Companies’ customers can be assured their uniforms, towels and other reusable linens are washed, dried and finished with processes that maximize sustainability and reduce greenhouse emissions. Clean Green certified operations demonstrate significant commitment to conservation and green operations through these BMPs:

• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from the process of warming water
• Recapturing drained water from rinses for reuse
• Using environmentally friendly detergents
• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater
• Solar energy and energy-efficient lighting
• Recycling programs
• Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel
• Spill prevention plans

The Clean Green certification is valid for three years at a time. TRSA inspects laundry facilities seeking certification and approves documentation of their water and energy use and BMP deployment through production reports they submit to auditors during the inspections. TRSA’s certification management protocol includes auditor training by the association’s inspection program administrator.