From the Sector

The EU's planned ban on the entire group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) would endanger many industrial processes, states VDMA Textile Machinery. Textile manufacturing would be affected twice – by missing important chemicals for technical textile production and by the lack of indispensable textile machine components. The latter would affect the whole supply chain from textile machinery manufacturers and its suppliers to the textile industry in the EU.

Solid PFAS parts are widely used in textile machinery production, especially where extreme conditions prevail. Verena Thies, Managing Shareholder Thies GmbH & Co. KG, explains: “Our textile dyeing machines are world leaders and set standards in efficiency and sustainability. They work under pressure at temperatures of up to 140° C using highly acidic, highly basic and/or oxidative or even reductive chemicals. This is precisely why PFAS is needed, for example, in seals and rings, flaps as well as valves for a long-lasting and high-quality machine concept – because there are no alternatives with qualitatively equivalent properties. In addition, PTFE semi-finished products enable a sliding and gentle contact with the textile fabric in ecologically important techniques in the transformation of textile wet finishing."

PTFE and also FKM are fluoropolymers (fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers), a group within the broad PFAS range of about 10,000 substances which would be banned for production, use and sale in the EU. They are high-tech materials, and as so-called "polymers of low concern" are not a danger to the environment, according to the OECD. Furthermore, these components are installed inside a machine and exchanged or disposed of properly. PFAS such as PTFE and FKM must be exempted from the ban, demands the VDMA in its position paper.

"In this way, the association also supports the approach taken in Great Britain. With the 10,000 substances, everything is lumped together, although the various PFAS groups are very different," warns Dr Sarah Brückner, Head of VDMA Environmental Affairs and Sustainability. "We should take our cue from the UK and look at the substance groups in a differentiated way."
Apart from several types of dyeing machines, PFAS components are indispensable in textile drying machines (e.g., conveyor dryers, tumblers and stenters) and damping machines. They are also used in fully automatic chemical dispensing systems and pressure vessels for thermochemical treatment of textile recycling material, heat recovery systems and wastewater treatment technology. This means that a lot of machines needed for a sustainable textile production would be affected by the PFAS ban.

VDMA Textile Machinery will take part in the ongoing EU public consultation. The association will describe indispensable key functionalities and conditions of use in the textile machinery sector as well as the consequences for the companies and the customers in the EU if the ban is imposed. The consultation ends on September 25, 2023, and VDMA urged its members affected by the planned restriction to participate in the consultation at an early stage. This is the only way to ensure that the broad scope of the mechanical and plant engineering sector is represented.

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will be presenting new applications for its European environmentally-friendly Evolon® microfiber technology for Fall/Winter 24/25 fashion and leather goods collections at Lineapelle, from September 19-21. These include solutions for artificial leather applications suitable for the shoe, furniture and automotive industries.

Evolon® sustainable microfiber coating substrates
Evolon® microfiber fabrics are ideal coating substrates for artificial leather applications in the shoe, furniture and car industries. They are particularly suitable as a carrier material for PU and PVC coatings. Evolon® microfiber materials have non-fraying edges, which makes converting easier and quicker. They contain 80% recycled PET from Freudenberg’s in-house bottle recycling plant. Furthermore, they are manufactured with no solvent and no chemical binder in the company’s Evolon® plant located in Colmar, France. The plant is accredited according to OEKO-TEX STeP sustainability manufacturing certification and the DETOX TO ZERO criteria. European manufacturing offers logistic benefits to European customers through shorter supply chain and transport routes.

Reinforcement material for leather goods
Manufacturers of leather goods also benefit from Evolon® microfiber when they use it as a reinforcement material for original leather. It is drapable and soft and provides optimal shaping support for leather. In addition, Evolon® materials offer important sustainability advantages for the manufacturing of luxury leather bags, such as being 100% made in Europe, eco-friendly and socially-responsible production, and the use of recycled raw materials.

Archroma is bringing the entire portfolio of 5,760 Archroma Color Atlas colors to swatchbook, a platform for material digitalization and sourcing.

The new partnership provides fashion, apparel and textile designers and manufacturers with an elevated standard for color accuracy that meets the needs of today’s increasingly technology-driven and integrated supply chain. This will help the textile and fashion community to improve sustainability, whilst lowering costs and shortening turnaround times.

The Color Atlas by Archroma® was launched in 2016 to provide fashion designers and stylists with off-the-shelf color inspiration that can be implemented in production with just a few clicks.

Designers will use the 5,760 Archroma Color Atlas colors on swatchbook to rapidly develop accurate digital colorways and visualize their final product. They can then share these digital swatches with their manufacturing partners, providing access to the swatchbook metadata, which can include information such as the materials’ composition, weight and color.

This will streamline the overall design and production process for color-critical fashion and textile products, allowing for faster turnaround. Digital materials supported by trusted coloration technology also reduce the need for samples and eliminate physical swatchbooks, bringing environmental benefits and lower costs to brands and suppliers.

All 5,760 Color Atlas by Archroma® colors are now available free of charge to subscribers on the swatchbook platform.

RadiciGroup took part in the Phygital Sustainability Expo, this year in its fourth edition, which was held in Rome on 5 and 6 July. This event is entirely dedicated to the ecological transition of fashion and design brands through technological innovation. The show is an important platform for discussion on sustainable transition issues, involving Italian and international brands, fashion tech start-ups, representatives from the institutional, business and educational fields, and consumers.

RadiciGroup's participation in the event was further evidence of the Group's commitment to making a contribution to sustainability and circularity in the fashion and textile industry, in collaboration with all the other players in the supply chain. During the narrated fashion show, held on the evening of Wednesday, 5 July, in the evocative archaeological complex of the Imperial Forum Museum, RadiciGroup presented a maxi dress made of Biofeel® eleven, a yarn of completely natural origin featuring high technical, aesthetic and environmental performance. This yarn is produced starting from a small bean cultivated in India on semi-arid land and thus does not compete with human food production. These beans yield a special oil ideal for obtaining biopolymers, such as the one produced by Arkema and spun into yarn at RadiciGroup in Italy.

The dress is not only made from a low environmental impact raw material, but is also an example of ecodesign: the garment was realized on a Shima Seiki WholeGarment knitting machine, where the entire item was knit directly from spools of Biofeel® eleven yarn, bypassing the traditional stages of weaving and tailoring. It is a zero-waste process, as only the quantity of yarn strictly needed for the garment is used.

Biofeel® eleven yarn endows the dress with unique characteristics, including low moisture absorption, greater lightness and high resistance and durability. Besides being 100% biobased, the yarn is also 100% recyclable because it is made of a mono-material polymer, which facilitates its end-of-life recycling and processing into new materials suitable for any application requiring high performance.

The EPTA – European Pultrusion Technology Association organizes in cooperation with the ACMA – American Composites Manufacturers Association - the 17th World Pultrusion Conference on 29th February – 1st March 2024 in Hamburg, Germany. The conference is one of the leading pultrusion events in the world. The event takes place just before the JEC World 2024 in Paris (5th – 7th March 2024).

The presentations are to document innovations in the following subject areas of
pultruded reinforced plastics:

• Market development in Europe, USA, Asia
• Innovative applications
• New Markets: Ideas for potential new applications with pultruded shapes or
• systems
• Sustainability: Technical possibilities, recycling, etc.
• Raw materials
  ○ Development of fibres
  ○ Development of resins
• Construction / Testing / Calculation
• Processes

The presentation language will be English. Deadline for paper submission (title, short abstract, speaker name and address) until 15th September 2023 to info@pultruders.com.

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

The future of construction
As one of the largest global users of energy and raw materials, the construction industry is under immense pressure to improve its sustainability. At the same time, it must respond to demands for improved performance and reduced total cost of ownership. New materials will be needed to minimise the use of natural resources, enable a reduction of carbon footprint and facilitate circular economy practices. Choosing the optimum materials required for durability throughout the lifecycle will be increasingly important. A shift to off-site production is also forecast, where factory-controlled environments and automated processes can improve quality control, lower waste, and reduce work on site.

Lightweight pultruded parts can be pre-assembled into modules or complete structures in the factory for faster installation on site. Lightweight profiles lower energy use during transportation and installation, and a longer service life combined with minimal maintenance can deliver a reduced through-life carbon footprint. Pultruded parts such as profiles, gratings, beams, tubes and planks are increasingly found in a range of building, construction and infrastructure applications. Examples include bridge decks, fencing, stairs and handrails, train platforms, cladding, utility poles, modular building concepts, and window frames.

One application offering large growth potential for composites is bridges. Composite bridges are being designed to provide a service life of 100 years and unlike steel bridges do not require regular repainting to protect them from corrosion. Over recent years, pultruded glass fibre composite has become a highly popular choice for pedestrian and cycle bridges. Pre-fabricated ‘easy fit’ bridge decking planks, pre-assembled bridge modules and complete bridge ‘kits’ are now available. Corrosion-resistant composite bridges are ideal for use near water or on the coast, and in remote locations where regular maintenance operations would be difficult. A composite bridge can deliver the same performance as a steel structure with a weight saving of up to 50% or more. This enables more streamlined bridge designs which require less substantial supporting structures and foundations, greatly reducing consumption of materials and energy. Lightweight also results in easier logistics and simplified installation. Pultruded are more easily transported to the construction site, with lower fuel consumption, and easier to move on site, often reducing labour requirements and the capacity of lifting equipment.

A lifecycle approach
As the construction industry looks to the future, the environmental and economic benefits of composite materials linked to easier logistics and installation, durability and low maintenance are becoming increasingly valued. More projects are demonstrating the benefits of composite materials and standards covering the design, fabrication and installation of pultruded profiles are making it easier for the construction industry to use them. With ongoing development and collaboration, pultrusion has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future for construction and many other industries. EPTA will continue to promote the advancement of pultrusion technology and its applications and foster sustainable practices within the industry.

DOMO Chemicals, a global leader in polyamide-based engineered material solutions and services, has published its latest annual Sustainability Report, detailing progress on its sustainability journey, including notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. DOMO’s mission is to engineer polyamide solutions that contribute to a better, more sustainable world. In publishing its second annual Sustainability Report, DOMO enters a new phase in its decarbonization quest, with confidence in its long-term aspiration to set the standard for sustainability in the industry by 2030.

Notably, the Sustainability Report details DOMO’s achievements in 2022 toward realizing its 2030 sustainability goals. In terms of decarbonization and broader environmental achievements, against a 2019 baseline, the company:

• Reduced scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 27%, making significant progress toward its target of 40% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050
• Increased renewable electricity throughout operations to 12%
• Reduced waste by 24%
• Lowered water intake by 4.5%

In addition, as a provider of polyamide-based sustainable and circular solutions, DOMO:

• Achieved more than 11% of engineered materials sales based on sustainable feedstock, making excellent progress toward its 2030 target of 20%
• Allocated 25% of research and development resources to enhanced recycling

Moreover, fostering talent and ensuring the well-being of its workforce as a responsible employer is essential for sustainable growth, and 2022 highlights include:

• Increased share of women in senior positions from 22% in 2021 to 30% in 2022
• Providing a safe and inclusive working environment that encourages personal and professional development as well as a global safety culture

The Sorting for Circularity USA consortium project welcomes new partners and expands its North American geographical scope. Fashion for Good is pleased to announce the addition of lululemon as an external brand partner, joining the existing seven brand partners. They also welcome their new implementation partners Helpsy, United Southern Waste Material, Goodwill Industries International Inc., and its members Goodwill of Colorado, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Goodwill of San Francisco Bay. Additionally, Fashion for Good is pleased to recognise adidas as the project's lead sponsor, facilitating the complete realisation of the project scope.

Fashion for Good, together with Resource Recycling Systems, launched the Sorting for Circularity USA consortium project in January 2023. The project will conduct an extensive consumer survey to map the journey of a garment from closet to end of use, and present a comprehensive snapshot of textile waste composition generated in the United States. The insights gained from this 18-month project will help to scale collection, sorting, and recycling innovations and inform decisions on necessary investments and actions.

Within the first 6 months, the project has expanded to cover 6 key states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Colorado. Additional implementation partners have also signed on to support the fibre composition data analysis: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) Association, Helpsy, United Southern Waste Material, and Goodwill Industries International Inc., with its members Goodwill of Colorado, Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc., Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, and Goodwill of San Francisco Bay. Resource Recycling Systems will drive the dissemination and analysis of the consumer survey together with New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management and Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions, and execute the textile composition analysis using Matoha’s near infrared devices with advisory support from Circle Economy.

Demonstrating the importance of pre-competitive collaboration in tackling the industry’s biggest challenges, lululemon joins Eastman, H&M and Nordstrom as key project partners, together with Fashion for Good corporate partners adidas, Inditex, Levi Strauss & Co., and Target. Adidas' lead sponsorship ensures a deeper analysis of USA textile waste infrastructure and the identification of valuable opportunities for advancement.

In the USA, textile waste is the fastest-growing segment of the country's waste stream, with 85% of discarded textiles ending up in landfills*. Understanding the composition of material, volume and location of used textiles is crucial for capturing them and sorting them for the best and highest quality end use. Moreover, the range of national and regional geographies within the Sorting for Circularity project series enables for nuanced cross-country comparisons - revealing differences in the textile waste generated and infrastructure required.

Sorting for Circularity, a framework co-developed by Fashion for Good and Circle Economy, aims to (re)capture textile waste by unlocking the feedstock potential for recycling, expedite the implementation of game changing automated sorting technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy and advanced textile-to-textile recycling, and drive circularity within the fashion value chain. The project builds on the success of Sorting for Circularity Europe and India, which revealed insights on material composition, volume, and location of used textiles and provided a solid foundation to accelerate textile recycling in those respective geographical locations.

*United States Environmental Protection Agency (2019). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling.

2XL Corporation, Avgol Nonwovens, and Yowel to compete for Award
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the three finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award®. The Award will be presented at the 17th annual World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, July 17-20, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia.    

The three products vying for this Award are a cleaning and disinfecting device from 2XL Corporation, a wipe utilizing biotransformation technology from Avgol Nonwovens, and a reusable towel dispensing system from Yowel.

The winner will be announced on July 20th at 11 am. The three companies competing for the Award are:

Windup by 2XL Corporation
Meet the Windup: a groundbreaking new device that can clean and disinfect your home using a self-advancing microfiber roll that you never have to touch. Just one roll will clean your kitchen over 50 times. An innovative one-touch revolving roll and a versatile spray system that allows use of your favorite floor cleaner or our specially formulated disinfecting solution. No more stopping to change expensive pads or change filthy water. Get wound up for Windup.

Nonwoven wipe using biotransformation technology by Avgol Nonwovens
This innovative spunlace wipe utilized advanced biotransformation technology developed jointly by Indorama Ventures and Polymateria. Meeting the BSI PAS 9017 specification, this wipe in the event it becomes fugitive, and exposed to heat, sunlight, air and moisture will transform into a harmless, bioavailable wax at its end-of-life, eliminating microplastic pollution. Compatible with mechanical recycling and combatting ‘fugitive’ waste, this wipe represents a significant leap towards eco-friendly, sustainable nonwoven hygiene products.

The Yowel™ System by Yowel
Ready to help the earth and save money…every day? Yowel is a patented system for dispensing reusable towels. Instead of a roll of paper towels, place a Yowel full of reusable towels into your paper towel holder – or choose the countertop model, and you’re immediately reducing your paper towel consumption.  The Yowel System has 40 reusable towels and a mesh bag for used towels. Save money and help Mother Nature.

INDA’s Technical Advisory Board selected the finalists based on the creativity, uniqueness, and technical sophistication employed in finding novel ways to expand the utilization of nonwovens. Categories considered for the award were wipes related raw materials, roll goods, converting, packaging, active ingredients, binders, additives, and end-use products.

Nice-Pak’s SecureFLUSH® Technology Flushable Wipes received the 2022 World of Wipes Innovation Award for their unique, 100% cellulose nonwoven that is strong enough to clean, yet break apart rapidly, when flushed. A specialty “lock and key” design of plant-based fibers and formula leverages patent-pending technology to break apart five times faster than the leading brand of two-ply toilet paper and ensure responsible care of plumbing and wastewater. SecureFLUSH® Technology Flushable wipes are available in Walmart, Amazon, and at Nicencleanwipes.com.

With combined regional, global, and industry specific expertise, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will make its debut from 28 February – 1 March 2024. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in late March, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) announced the new international fair for the entire textile value chain. The three-day platform will be staged at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.

Commenting on the new event, Ms Wendy Wen, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said: “With Intertextile Apparel in Shanghai a prime example, our Texpertise Network provides the ideal global framework from which to launch this diverse, comprehensive platform for the integrated textile supply chain. VIATT itself will capture the essence of Texpertise in one platform – a diverse, one-stop sourcing event for buyers across all categories, from garments, fabrics, yarns and fibres, to textile machinery, technical textiles and nonwovens, and everything in between.”

Discussing the event’s potential, Mr Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE), said: “Vietnam is one of the world’s leading textile producers and exporters, and going from strength to strength as one of Southeast Asia’s manufacturing hubs. Our establishment has many years of experience organising trade fairs throughout Vietnam, and together with Messe Frankfurt we are excited to help international fairgoers unlock the potential of the country’s fast-growing textile market. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City’s accessibility, and Vietnam’s proximity to other leading textile-producing nations such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China and India, make it the logical venue to host an event of this nature.”

Many international textile manufacturers have been expanding operations into Vietnam, augmenting an already strong domestic industry. According to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), the country’s textile and garment industry achieved staggering annual growth of 20 – 26% from 2018 – 2022. Participation in international trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)[2], bodes well for future growth.

As one of the world’s biggest importers of textile machinery, and a consistent importer of fabrics, yarns and fibres, garment production is the cornerstone of Vietnam’s industry. The country utilises cotton and functional materials to produce casualwear, childrenswear, swimwear, workwear, and much more, with sportswear an especially fast-growing category, and high-utility garments expected to achieve high exports.

By linking textile players from across Asia, Europe and beyond with this market, VIATT 2024 is willing to play an important part in shaping the future of Vietnam’s industry. Next year’s fair will host an extensive mix of international and domestic exhibitors covering multiple textile sub-sectors, including garments, apparel fabrics and accessories, yarns and fibres, digital printing, home textiles, technical textiles and nonwovens, textile processing, textile machinery, and more.

Exhibitors and buyers can utilise the fair’s global business matchmaking service, where connections are made based on the specific needs of each party. In addition to the fair’s main function as an international trading platform, its fringe programme will facilitate participants’ networking with industry leaders and offer diverse market insights via various seminars, forums, and panel discussions.

The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE). Covering the entire textile industry value chain, the inaugural edition will be held from 28 February – 1 March 2024 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.