From the Sector

Celebrating 25 years as Asia’s leading trade fair for the interior textiles industry, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles opened its doors from 28 – 31 August. Covering seven halls at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, around 1,150 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions displayed their latest products and technologies for the home and contract textiles sectors (2018: 1,091).

Exhibitor highlights from 2019

•    Country and region pavilions from Belgium, Pakistan, Taiwan and Turkey
•    Expanded finished products zone: more sourcing options were available in hall 8.1 this year for finished products and a range of home décor items.
•    Finished curtain zone located in the North Hall
•    Bed, bath, kitchen and table: suppliers from China were joined by exhibitors from Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Japan and elsewhere in these product categories.
•    Whole-home and editor zones: buyers could source the latest luxury branded products and gain decoration concept inspiration in these high-end zones.
•    Textile design zone: 20 design studios from 12 countries including China, Finland, France, India, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and the UK showcased their avant-garde collections.

Able to offer an alchemy of design and sustainable features, Iluna Group with ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei join the latest edition of Première Vision with a range of developments capable of combining innovation, aesthetics and quality. "Ethical" lace and stockings, where quality standards go hand in hand with fashion content, respecting both the environment and humans, an offer already selected among the protagonists of the Sustainable Thinking Exhibition of the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, for its value in the field of responsible innovation.

Visitors will discover the unique Black Label range: new Ultralight multicolor laces including Jacquardtronic, Textronic and raschels up to 12 colors with a 3D effect. The match between expectations of brands and retailers are met always keeping as a priority the contemporary design, that is integrated to unique strategy committed to responsibility both at corporate and product level.

 Global Health Exhibition is Saudi’s first healthcare trade platform for the global market and takes place in Riyadh from 10 to 12 September. Saudi Arabia is considered a growing market particularly in the healthcare sector and this exhibition is the response to this development. Over three days visitors can discover the latest products and developments from more than 180 companies from 25 countries. Trevira GmbH is also exhibiting at this show in order to present innovative fabrics from 13 of its customers made from flame retardant fibres and yarns.

In terms of quality, functionality, colouring and hygiene, the requirements on modern furnishing concepts in the healthcare sector are becoming more and more demanding. Perfectly matched materials and colour concepts in the interior help to provide good orientation for the residents and create more attractive spaces. In addition, the use of appropriate textiles such as curtains, drapes, blinds and sliding panels, fabric-covered dividing panels, upholstery and bedding textiles, can improve the room acoustics, protect your privacy and let the room appear in a pleasant light. In healthcare environments where hygiene and cleanliness are of particular importance, antimicrobial textiles may be used.

• Ice, style and performance

These are the keywords which describe the new eclectic creations by the Riri Group for the Fall Winter season 2020-2021: a journey through the winter, its atmosphere and its colours Mendrisio, September 2019 - Première Vision Paris (17 - 19 September) will set the stage for the new proposals for the Fall Winter 2020-21 collection by the Riri Group, a leading brand in the zip and button manufacturing sector for high couture and outdoor apparel. A preview of the new collection by the Swiss group will take place at Munich Fabric Start (3 – 5 September).

COLOURS, MATERIALS AND TEXTURES

Winter landscapes and polar tones have inspired the colours of this new collection: nuances of grey, azure and white remind us of the typical tones of ice; also dominant is the presence of blue, intense and rich in contrast thanks to the attractive green inserts; black interventions are then harmoniously inserted as part of the colour palette, creating an appealing interplay of colour references. Tapes, pullers and chains provide new pleasant tactile sensations and unexpected visual inputs, through the search for always new processing methods the iceberg effect reproduced with a laser system, the texture reminding us of snake skin, from marble effect to horn processing, and freehand diamond turning, as well as the three-dimensional drop varnishing and the stylish mother-of-pearl effect.

NOVELTIES

The guiding thread for the new “Winterstorm” collection is the use of nuanced colours and ‘ice-like’ effects, reminding us of winter landscape and climates, as in the new Decor Cristal zip with transparent chain or in the Aquatyre zip, available also in a new luminescent version. Among the new creations, the Metal 3H zip stands out: the smallest and most innovative in the collection, lightweight and with a streamlined design. The provocations for this fall-winter have reached extreme levels, with a zip made of synthetic fur and incorporated buttons, whose cover can be removed and then reapplied, to face polar temperatures with a touch of glamour. Alongside the most fashionable novelties, the research by the Riri group does not cease to surprise in the outdoor sector also as regards buttons. This is confirmed by Rislide, the snap closure with a nylon body and Zama button. The innovative b-lock pressure button – with high lateral hold – has been restyled with a silicone shaped head in three colours. As part of a collection characterised by style and performance elements, it is definitely worth mentioning Zero, also in its invisible version: this button – thanks to its elegant design, combines practicality and style without compromising on performance.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber though finished sewn products, issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Trade Representative Office’s (USTR) announcement regarding the next steps for the proposed 10 percent tariff on approximately $300 billion of Chinese imports.  NCTO testified most recently on June 20, urging the administration to move forward with tariffs on finished apparel and home textile products.

“As U.S. manufacturers that have suffered enormously from China’s illegal IPR activities and state-sponsored export subsidies, we strongly support the administration’s decision to move forward with this next tranche of 301 retaliatory tariffs that will finally cover a significant portion of China’s exports in our sector,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.

In addition to launching its new and expanded website, A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG has issued two new publications celebrating the achievements of its major customers.

The first edition of Monforts World of European Textiles profiles a range of companies at the forefront of manufacturing in Europe serving a wide range of end-use markets – from high-end silk and polyamide fabrics for the luxury brands to nonwovens and technical textiles for digital printing, protective clothing, wallcoverings and more.

The seventh edition of Monforts World of Denim meanwhile charts the latest developments from the global market leaders in denim production. Monforts enjoys a global lead in the supply of finishing technology for the denim industry and is currently extremely busy responding to the interest shown at ITMA 2019 in its new CYD yarn dyeing system for this market.

Both publications are now available to download from the new website at: https://www.monforts.de/en/latest-news-media/downloads/

At Munich Fabric Start, TINTEX introduces a new holistic approach to creating textiles that is built on the company’s DNA since 1998 for market leading, natural based, smart and responsible innovation

TINTEX is a unique fabric expert in materials and processes, and is introducing new levels of service to the market. First with the new Colorau® Natural Dye commercial innovation, and secondly with the TINTEX E-Commerce service that connects creativity with easy, direct-to-designer product sourcing.

The third innovation expands the company vision and influence into garment production with the SMART WARDROBE CO.LAB, a new supply chain cooperation working with three leading Portuguese makers.

But first you come and enjoy the unique touch and feel of the latest TINTEX Naturally Advanced fabrics with on-trend innovations enhanced by the new non-salt Colorau® Natural Dye process. This award-winning coloration technology fuses science, and creative innovation as a responsible evolution of better products that can now supply batches over 20kg.

The new A/W 20/21 collection starts from the concept of “WEME”: a Naturally Advanced offer that represents a multifaceted world. WE and ME refers to more than just the individual, but also about community and a collective spirit that seeks to grow the intellectual and spiritual individual needs in a responsive and collective way. It is a nuanced platform to discover a range of unique developments that embody the TINTEX identity through responsible innovation and creativity. Smart ingredients and processes drive innovation enhanced by the TINTEX unique dyeing and finishing expertise.

• Stoffkreislauf über die ganze Wertschöpfungskette angestrebt
• Pionier auf dem Weg in eine Zukunft ohne fossile Rohstoffe
• Umfassendes Programm für die Digitalisierung
• Innovative Lösungen für Schlüsselindustrien

Nachhaltig und digital: Auf der Kunststoffmesse K 2019 in Düsseldorf präsentiert der Werkstoffhersteller Covestro innovative Materiallösungen, die Antworten auf große Herausforderungen der Welt geben. Dabei verschiebt das Unternehmen immer wieder Grenzen, um das Leben der Menschen zu verbessern und Wert bei den Kunden zu schaffen, vor allem aber auch, um Umwelteinflüsse zu verringern.

Besucher der weltweiten Leitmesse finden dafür viele Beispiele am Stand A75 von Covestro in Halle 6. Gezeigt werden vom 16. bis 23. Oktober 2019 Produkte und Technologien für die Auto-, Bau- und Elektronikindustrie, aber auch innovative und funktionale Anwendungen in den Bereichen Gesundheit, Möbel, Sport und Freizeit.

„Treibende Kraft für die kommenden Jahre in Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft sind neben der fortschreitenden Digitalisierung die Ziele der Vereinten Nationen für nachhaltige Entwicklung“, sagte der Vorstandsvorsitzende Dr. Markus Steilemann vor Journalisten. „Ihre Erfüllung ist nicht nur ein Gebot für eine bessere, sauberere und gesündere Welt, sondern birgt langfristig auch ein großes wirtschaftliches Potenzial“, so der CEO. „Covestro ist entschlossen, die UN-Nachhaltigkeitsziele auf zahlreichen Ebenen umzusetzen.“

• Borealis’ EverMinds™ ambition moves industry one step closer to plastics circularity thanks to new recycling technology and improved recyclate
• Borealis also announces significant material improvements to existing Purpolen® recyclate materials

Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, announces the introduction of a new plastics recycling technology, Borcycle™. This evolving technology will be used to produce high-quality compounds made of recycled polyolefins (rPO) such as the newly-launched Borcycle™ MF1981SY, an rPO with over 80% recycled content intended for use in visible appliance parts. Borealis also announces a series of significant material improvements to existing recyclates in the established Purpolen™ brand portfolio. These market launches and product improvements are important technology advancements and thus accelerate the transformation to a circular economy of plastics. Borealis and its wholly-owned subsidiary, mtm plastics, will showcase the new Borcycle technology and recyclate innovations at the K 2019 in October.

Borealis is leading the industry by applying its Visioneering Philosophy™ to the development and implementation of novel polyolefins-based solutions that enable plastics reuse, recycling, and recovery, and by designing for circularity. These wide-ranging activities are gathered under the symbolic roof of EverMinds™, the Borealis platform dedicated to promoting a more circular mind-set in the industry. By capitalising on its profound expertise in virgin polyolefins and collaborating with value chain partners, Borealis keeps discovering new opportunities for business growth within the circular economy.

Advancing technology to bring about polyolefin circularity

The new technology, Borcycle, transforms polyolefin-based waste streams into recyclate material such as pellets. As a transformative technology, it complements the existing Borealis virgin polyolefins portfolio with a range of pioneering, circular solutions. It unites state-of-the-art technology with the profound Borealis polymer expertise gained over decades.

As a scalable and modular technology, Borcycle has been developed to meet growing market demand for high-quality recyclate. Leading appliance brand owners, for one, have pledged to increase the amount of recycled plastics in their goods. Yet until recently, producers have not been able to rely on a consistent supply of high-quality recyclate. The Borcycle technology will help address this challenge. Compounds made using the Borcycle technology deliver high performance, add value and offer versatility. Producers and brand owners in a range of industries will profit from the availability of high-quality recyclate that helps them meet environmental and regulatory challenges.

“Advancing technology is crucial if our aim is to implement value-creating solutions in the circular sphere,” claims Maurits van Tol, Borealis Senior Vice President, Innovation, Technology & Circular Economy Solutions. “‘Building tomorrow together’ means innovating, collaborating, focussing on the customer, and above all – taking action. The launch of our new recycling technology Borcycle is tangible proof of our commitment to achieving plastics circularity.”

New and improved recyclate for high-end applications

Borcycle™ MF1981SY is the first of several upcoming launches of rPO solutions made under the umbrella of the Borcycle technology. Borcycle™ MF1981SY will be available to Borealis customers in Europe. The compound is an exciting addition to the rPO portfolio because it is a 10% talc-filled compound that contains over 80% recycled material. It offers an ideal balance between stiffness and impact. The compound is especially suited for use in visible black parts, for example in small appliances.

Like its relatives in the mtm plastics family of recyclate materials, Borcycle™ MF1981SY is a truly sustainable offering. Recyclates from mtm save approximately 30% of CO2 emissions compared to virgin materials.

A number of significant improvements have been made to existing recyclate grades in the Purpolen portfolio.

“Mechanical recycling is presently a most eco-efficient method to implement the principles of the circular economy,” explains Guenter Stephan, Head of Mechanical Recycling, Borealis Circular Economy Solutions. “Borealis and mtm plastics are leveraging their respective areas of expertise to make significant progress in achieving polyolefin circularity by upscaling recycling output and ensuring the reliable supply of high-quality plastics recyclate for European producers, in particular.”

• Inspired by the health megatrend, the keynote theme for DOMOTEX puts wellbeing, naturalness and sustainability at the top of the agenda  
• Stronger focus on contract business
• Manufacturers invited to creatively frame their products as expressions of the keynote theme

Preparations are already ramping up for the 2020 edition of the world’s leading trade show for carpets and floor coverings DOMOTEX. The upcoming show, to be held from 10 to 13 January 2020, has ATMYSPHERE as its keynote theme, symbolizing its central focus on all those qualities of floors and floor coverings that contribute to wellbeing, naturalness and sustainability.
 
Examples of products from the floor coverings industry that possess these qualities include floors with acoustic properties or sound-insulation components; carpets that bind fine dust particles or have thermal insulation properties; resilient floor coverings that are hypo-allergenic; and natural-wood floorboards that improve the interior climate by capturing excess humidity and releasing it again when the air in the room is dry. Other qualities that enhance positive indoor atmospherics include softness and pleasantness to the touch, sustainability, and aesthetic details that help transform rooms into oases of personal wellbeing.
 
“This year, as indeed in previous years, the lead theme is inspired by a current megatrend,” explains Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Deutsche Messe’s Global Director DOMOTEX. “And that trend is society’s heightened focus on health. Health is synonymous with quality of life and living well – and therefore translates into high expectations of the spaces around us. Alongside this, considerations of sustainability and recycling – and hence natural materials – continue to play a major role in our society. In terms of floor coverings, these are considerations and themes that are currently very much to the fore with our exhibitors and their work, especially given the great importance of floors as elements of creative interior design. With the right materials and design, carpets and floor coverings can be important factors in personal wellbeing and in the design of homes and workplaces that promote it. That is why ATMYSPHERE is of such definitive importance for all our exhibitors and visitor target groups.”

The “Framing Trends” showcase at DOMOTEX 2020 is a unique opportunity for manufacturers, artists and students to stage interior designs inspired by the ATMYSPHERE keynote theme and hence position themselves as trend leaders in innovative products and solutions for today’s modern floors and their positive, lifeaffirming qualities. Applications for participation at the “Framing Trends” showcase  are now open. Interested exhibitors and flooring-industry companies are invited to submit their ideas for displays of indoor oases of wellbeing that are built from the floor up.