From the Sector

• ROICA™ V550 by Asahi Kasei for its responsible RF (Residual Free) line

Innova Fabrics, the Italian manufacturer of knitted fabrics for apparel, underwear and sports, confirms its choice of ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, the Japanese leader of premium stretch fiber, for its new responsible line RF (Residual Free).

Despite the deep-rooted history of the company's team in the world of textiles, Innova Fabrics is a reality that is not afraid to innovate with a focus on environmental sustainability. As a result of its push for local production and attention to third-party sustainability certifications (including OEKO-TEX Standard 100, one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances), Innova Fabrics continues its promise of responsibility with an enrichment of its conscious proposals. In the last season, Innova has increased its smart proposition by launching the RF (Residual Free) line, with the aim of reducing the impact of microplastics residues produced by the fashion industry. This is possible thanks to the combination of two responsible ingredients: SENSIL® Biocare by Nilit and ROICA™ V550 by Asahi Kasei.

SENSIL® BioCare is the premium, sustainable nylon 6.6 fiber enriched with a special technology that helps reduce the persistence of textile waste in the ocean and landfills by acting during and after the product's life cycle. Therefore, if the microplastics in SENSIL® BioCare garments are released during washing, they will decompose much faster than conventional Nylon 6.6 fibers, reducing textile waste. ROICA™ V550, part of the ROICA Eco-Smart™ family, is the premium, sustainable stretch yarn that degrades without releasing harmful substances into the environment, according to the Hohenstein's environmental certification. ROICA™ V550 also carries the Gold Level Material Health certificate from the Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute, which evaluated the yarn's impact on human and environmental health. The strong relationship established between Innova Fabrics and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei is a long-standing one: from the very beginning, the textile company chose ROICA™ as its main reference for premium stretch, using ROICA Colour Perfect™ in most of its articles. Having experienced the innovation of the ROICA™ line dedicated to high-quality color, Innova decided to opt for the ROICA Eco-Smart™ line as part of the extension of its environmentally conscious line.

Thanks to the constant synergy with its premium partner in innovative and responsible stretch, Innova continues its path towards a textile and fashion industry that respects the planet, without forgetting profit. And this is just the beginning. Innova Fabrics pieces containing SENSIL® BioCare and ROICA™ V550

Archroma and Stony Creek Colors (“Stony Creek”), a manufacturer of traceable natural indigo dyes, announced that they have entered a strategic partnership to produce and bring to the market Stony Creek’s IndiGold™ high-performance plant-based pre-reduced indigo at scale.

Stony Creek extracts its dye from proprietary Indigofera plant varieties grown in partnership with family farms as a regenerative rotational crop.

Stony Creek Colors developed the new IndiGold™ concept as on of the world’s first pre-reduced natural indigo dyes, which was then developed with Archroma to offer a plant-based alternative to synthetic pre-reduced indigo. The dyestuff will be sold as a 20% concentration in a soluble liquid form that displays similar performance to comparable synthetic indigo products available on the market.

Stony Creek Colors evolved into an innovative leader in plant-based indigo due to its complete development of an improved agricultural value chain, from seed breeding and production to biomass harvest and extraction. The company has been selling its US grown indigo to denim mills since 2015.

The pre-reduced plant-based indigo partnership took root in 2020 when Stony Creek was looking to work with like-minded partners to produce the new dyestuff at scale. Archroma emerged as the ideal partner as the company is well known for its expertise in indigo manufacturing and application, as well as for its commitment to transform the denim industry towards creating better blue jeans.

Archroma immediately offered to support the idea of Stony Creek Colors with extensive pilot scale manufacturing trials and engaged with its network of denim machinery manufacturers to test the first samples in industrial conditions. The trials showed excellent coloration and the typical indigo wash down, as with synthetic indigo. Archroma will produce the first batches of IndiGold™ in Salvatierra, Mexico, and has other locations where the product could be made. The company will support Stony Creek Colors through its manufacturing and logistics capabilities, and its expertise in denim dyeing with customers using pre-reduced indigo.

While this development was underway, the global innovation platform Fashion for Good selected Stony Creek Colors as an innovator in its global Innovation Program. The program connects brands with innovators to work together to test, validate and ultimately scale disruptive innovations in the fashion industry to drive positive impact. Through the program, Fashion for Good facilitated a collaboration between brand partner Levi Strauss & Co. and Stony Creek Colors which was announced in December 2021. The partners will pilot the use of IndiGold™ in denim mills at scale, with the goal of unlocking key learnings around shade application and other efficiencies of this new dyestuff.

On the 25th of March ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei invited its strategic European partners to the Triennale Design Museum for the first ROICA™ Summit, with the aim of sharing its global strategy and to consolidate relationships that are key to the Asahi Kasei global vision of its fiber and business.

Among the speakers Senior Executive Manager Mr. Shinichiro Haga and its successor Mr. Takehiro Kamiyama, who will take on the new role after more than thirty years in the Asahi Kasei Corporation and more than three years at ROICA™. Together they opened the floor by explaining the ROICA™ business strategy, which is based on three main steps:

1. Continue to speed up ROICA™ responsible innovation  
2. Continue to speed up ROICA™ international partnerships with a strong focus on responsible innovation
3. Continue to push a new generation of communication where its story making will align with an authentic and consumer driven storytelling based on values.

Then, Mr. Shinohe Hiroaki Chief Marketing Officer Europe, introduced the new production strategy at global level  together with  its program of partnerships, plus the marketing and communication programs for the next year and beyond in synergy with Giusy Bettoni at C.L.A.S.S.

“We are extremely pleased to be here with our European partners, thanking them for the continuous valuable cooperations that made ROICA™ so special, and sharing with them which will be our next steps in order to be leading responsible innovation. This is a very precious moment, during which we are able to talk face to face and install long-lasting relationships, with the aim of supporting the apparel industry by making premium stretch becoming a key player for wellbeing values, which are extremely precious for the contemporary consumer. And this will be part of sport, lingerie, hosiery , fashion and swimwear wardrobes thanks to the ROICA™ special new generation of premium stretch innovations” affirms Shinohe Hiroaki.

On 21 - 22 June 2022, the VIEW Premium Selection Autumn.Winter 23/24 welcomes the textile and fashion industry in Munich's MVG Museum.

The VIEW Premium Selection as a preview textile trade show stands for the latest developments, first colour and material trends and the presentation of a selected, high-quality product portfolio in a personal and professional atmosphere.

At the earliest possible date in the season, around 250 brand new collections for Autumn.Winter 23/24 will be presented at VIEW in the areas of FABRICS, ADDITIONALS, DESIGN STUDIOS as well as DENIM and SPORTSWEAR. The internationality of this year's exhibitors deserves mention since in addition to Germany, Italy and Turkey, they also come from France, England, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Hong Kong, China and Japan.

Bellandi, Dynamo, E. Miroglio, Lisa Spa, Manteco, Max Müller, Agentur Püttmann, Set and Tejidos Royo will be on site, along with numerous other manufacturers. The futuristic suppliers We Nordic, Knopf und Knopf, Le Studio Copenhagen, Thermore and Kipas are exhibiting at VIEW for the first time, making the show the basis of information and inspiration for the upcoming season.

The textile and fashion industry is also invited to the next MUNICH FABRIC START Autumn.Winter 23/24 from 30 August - 01 September 22 at the MOC Munich and to the BLUEZONE from 30 - 31 August 22 on the Zenith Areal. Valuable information, physical exchange and a spirit of innovation as well as a new SOURCING show-in-show concept await the global industry players in Munich.

For its 2021 Green Collection, the Italian luxury hosiery brand Sarah Borghi presents a broadened product offer in terms of colors and categories, meeting the needs of a stylish, yet sustainable consumer. By mixing fashion, quality, innovation and research, the tights and stockings powerhouse continues its development in the journey towards a conscious future.

A decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze. Sarah Borghi is one of the first Italian companies in the hosiery sector to include sustainability throughout its business model. A commitment of responsibility and transparency on a path that has been carried on for years and that, today more than ever, becomes of the utmost importance, as stated by Luca Marzocchi, CEO of Gizeta Calze. The Integrated Report provides a complete view of the business strategy, operating model and governance, which combines financial information with sustainability insights, conceived as complementary to other strategies and, indeed, essential for increasing business value.

The collection presents a range of versatile, colorful products combined with extra-luxury comfort and designed for every type of woman: from seductive tights to everyday socks, together with knee- highs, up to athleisure with leggings.
 
The collection features two new generation materials. One is Amni Soul Eco®, a biodegradable in anaerobic conditions polyamide 6.6 yarn that degrades in around 5 years* after disposing of in landfill, developed by SOLVAY and produced and distributed by FULGAR. The other is ROICA™ V550 by leading fiber manufacturer Asahi Kasei, a premium sustainable stretch yarn boasting the Gold Level Material Health Certificate by Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute** as it has been evaluated for impact on human and environmental health. Moreover, it smartly breaks down without releasing harmful substances in the environment according to Hohenstein Environment Compatibility Certification. Key elements that makes ROICA™ V550 a precious choice when it comes to Circular Economy material approach.

*Reference System: ASTM D5511 - Standard Test Method for the Determination of Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastics Under High-solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions
** The Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute, a non -profit organization, administer the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified™ Product Standard. It was created to bring about a new industrial revolution that turns the making of things into a positive force of society, economy and the planet. The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Product Standard™ provides designers and manufacturers with criteria and requirements for continually improving what products are made of and how they are made aiming to achieve a circular economy approach.

• This Black History Month, the brand is announcing a series of ongoing initiatives focused on celebrating, uplifting and supporting Black women - starting with elevating stories of their lived experiences
• New community actions include an accelerator program for social entrepreneurs; a series of adidas Community curriculums and mentorship opportunities; and an industry-changing design program for the next generation of creators
• Powered by its Impossible Is Nothing attitude, adidas is accelerating its mission to create real , lasting change for historically underserved communities

In a continuation of the brand’s Impossible Is Nothing attitude – and its biggest ever commitment to women – adidas is centering its Black History Month initiatives around celebrating, uplifting and supporting Black Women in sport, fashion and innovation.

Brought to life through athlete partners like Kahleah Copper, Erica Wheeler, Angel McCoughtry , Imani Dorsey, Kendra Harrison and Sarah Nurse , this year’s Black History Month platform focuses on the representation of Black voices by spotlighting the real-life experiences of Black athletes. Meanwhile, sustained community programming and actions will offer Black women creators with real-life opportunities for education, mentorship and growth.

Among many long-term community initiatives that create more opportunities for Black girls and women, adidas is deepening its commitment with the following programs launching this month and beyond:

• Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M (Building Legacies Out Of Movements) an adidas Accelerator - adidas has created an accelerator program that aims to close the opportunity gap that exists for social entrepreneurs of color.  
• S.E.E.D. (School for Experimental Education in Design) Program - S.E.E.D. is a two-year program at the adidas Brooklyn Creator Farm in partnership with Pensole Academy
• adidas Community Platform - adidas Community is a digital network for education, creative collaboration , and growth opportunities that pairs community members with community mentors

Other ongoing programming and partnerships includes work with adidas Legacy, the Black Women’s Player’s Collective, U.S. Soccer Foundation, Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD foundation, Pharrell’s Black Ambition, United Negro College Fund scholarsships, Blavity.org Growth Fellowship, Appeitie for Change youth programming, Wood U in partnership with Pensole and the Iovine & Young Academy and Sound Labs  - an initiative to foster creative collaboration , innovation and proactively support music programs in public schools lacking in financial support.

ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers. For example, in terms of fabric producers ROICA™ has been working alongside industry leaders such as Brugnoli, Candiani Denim, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Eusebio, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Inter Jersey Milano, Lauma Fabrics, L/E Textile, Maglificio Ripa, M.I.T.I., Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Piave Maitex, Sitip S.p.A., Sofileta, Taubert Textil, Tessitura Colombo, TINTEX Textiles, TVB Textil-Vertrieb-Beratungs.

See attached document to read more about the current wardrobe stories.

Bemberg™ is back at Première Vision to celebrate its 90th anniversary through its latest collections, premium partnerships with contemporary brands such as ECOALF and a brand new visual identity. The industry-leading textile fair will represent another pivotal occasion for Bemberg™ to showcase its latest claim “Crafted Elegance”, which perfectly embodies its values of preciousness, quality and refined aesthetic blended with innovation and responsible values.

Born in 2009, both the name and concept of ECOALF came after the birth of Javier Goyenche’s - founder and president - two sons: Alfredo and Alvaro. He wanted to create a truly sustainable fashion brand and believed the most sustainable action to take was to stop using natural resources in a careless way to ensure them to the next generation. Since then, Ecoalf’s mission has been to make a new generation of recycled products with the same quality and design as the best non-recycled.

Based on this design idea, the Mery dress and Patrica pants are part of Ecoalf’s FW21 collection and both made with 100% Bemberg ™ Cupro by Asahi Kasei.

The Parisian exhibition completes the company’s celebrative two-chapter journey. The first half was presented during Pitti Uomo, where Bemberg™ showed archival suits crafted by the historic Sartoria Litrico and lined in Cupro. Behind them stood the new visual image of Bemberg™, focused on exceptional beauty, one-of-a-kind uniqueness and joyful comfort.

Premium Group, important trade fair organiser in the German fashion industry and biggest player for advanced contemporary fashion in Europe, is returning to the capital and, in July 2022, is set to present a completely new live event concept around the Berlin Radio Tower and summer garden.
 
Interactive live event concept for B2B and D2C and redefines the future of fashion fairs
After decades of everything being the same, the constantly changing market environment forces brands, retailers, consumers and trade fair organisers alike to continuously develop and reposition themselves. Two years after the start of the pandemic, the Berlin-based company is now reacting with a surprising step: Anita Tillmann, Jörg Arntz and the team are bringing their passion for people, fashion, innovation and entertainment back home and setting new standards for live fashion events.
 
The creators of PREMIUM, SEEK, FASHIONTECH and THE GROUND are redesigning the sustainability of future-proof fashion fairs with the commitment of the Berlin government, and launching a completely new event concept in which the B2B and D2C sectors merge. In the new Premium Group cosmos, brands can present themselves emotionally and interactively to retailers and consumers. All realities are represented: the new kids in the industry, such as D2C brands, e-com and influencers, are given their place in the Premium Group cosmos in the form of the new fashion festival THE GROUND. But also long-standing partners of established brands and representatives from traditional stationary retail will profit from further developed B2B spaces.

Taking into account the different needs of all visitors, the events will take place from Thursday to Saturday for the first time: from 7 to 9 July 2022.
 
Classic trade fair formats are no longer up to date
'Classic trade fair formats are no longer up to date', sums up Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the Premium Group. 'We have to reinvent ourselves and look to the future – to a new stage in the life of the fashion industry post pandemic, which has changed everything. Digitisation, climate change, pandemic, changing values, new industry cycles and new players, as well as topics around gender equality, diversity, metaverse, gaming and NFTs, are just a few areas we are dealing with. We aim to set new standards for the future of trade events and merge B2B and D2C with our new event concept.'
 
Move to Frankfurt am Main fell victim to the coronavirus
The planned kick-off of the Premium Group Events in Frankfurt am Main could not take place because of the coronavirus, and the plan to establish the events at the new location has fallen victim to the pandemic.
 
'It's a shame that the move to Frankfurt didn't work out', says Jörg Arntz, Managing Director of the Premium Group. 'We all tried very hard and did our best. As an entrepreneur, you always have to remain capable of acting and questioning decisions that have been made. In order to do justice to our customers and the market environment, we have decided – after intensive discussions with the city of Berlin – to hold our events in our home city again. We are Berliners at heart and are confident that the new government will anchor Berlin as Europe's creative metropolis in a sustainable and economic way.'

New government brings Premium Group power back to Berlin
“Berlin is THE metropolis for the cultural and creative industries and Europe's largest start-up scene. As the new state government, we are committed to an economically strong Berlin. Trade fairs and events are an important economic factor and a centre of attraction for Berliners and guests from all over the world. We are therefore delighted that we have succeeded in bringing the events of the Premium Group back home”, says Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin.
 
“The Premium Group events strengthen Berlin as a fashion and trade fair location, attract tens of thousands of trade visitors and fashion enthusiasts, create additional economic effects in hotels, gastronomy, retail and the service industry, multiply the global appeal of the city as a location and will open the summer of creativity brilliantly in July. The fact that the fair organiser is returning to its home venue with a new concept is a special opportunity for Berlin and will give the city an additional boost. Opening up the events to end consumers ideally rounds off the trade fair concept. With the Premium Group, Berlin will sustainably strengthen the core themes of fashion and digital transformation”, says Stephan Schwarz, Senator for Economics, Energy and Operations.

• BLUEZONE & KEYHOUSE move forward to 3 - 4 May 2022

The team of the Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH has dedicated the last weeks to the finalisation of the upcoming BLUEZONE and MUNICH FABRIC START: the new measures for safe events have been implemented; the organisers are ready to welcome the industry In Munich in just a few weeks.

And the current status is impressive: more than 600 suppliers from 33 countries are registered for
MUNICH FABRIC START from which some 90 international denim mills are ready to show at BLUEZONE. In such extraordinary times, the enormous support from the industry is a milestone and anything but a matter of course.

At the same time, the ongoing dynamic situation, the ever-increasing demands on events and the enormous
planning uncertainty make the next necessary steps more difficult. With the rapidly increasing infection
rates of the Omicron variant across Europe and especially in some neighbouring countries that are
already in a new lockdown, the organisers do face very complex challenges in many respects.

After the extensive consideration of the overall situation with an extremely serious situation
in many places, the organisers feel obliged to cancel MUNICH FABRIC START Spring.Summer 23
from 25 - 27 January 2022.

With regards to BLUEZONE and KEYHOUSE, an alternative scenario will be realised:
both formats will skip the January show and move forward to 3 – 4 May 2022 as a dedicated
denim and innovation show on the Zenith grounds in Munich.

The decisive factors for this major decision are various realistic scenarios which need to be considered to occur within the coming weeks: a new lockdown in Germany with a possible event ban imposed at very short notice, further restrictions on events and additional travel restrictions.