From the Sector

Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width stenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA – Society for Textile Equipment GmbH – is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.

GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio due to the new Monforts lines.

Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square metres of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.

Fault-free textiles

A new standard in pure white, 100% clean and fault-free textile substrates has been demanded by this market in recent years due to the rapid growth in digitally-printed banners and billboards – often referred to as ‘soft signage’.

The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100% polyester warp knits which are resilient and allow excellent take-up of inks, and vibrant colours and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.

Critically, the warp knitted fabrics have extremely smooth surfaces which is becoming increasingly important due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past.

It was to finish these fabrics for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH as well as providing such services for many other customers, that the GtA plant in Neresheim, Baden-Württemberg, was established in 2015.

The purpose-built plant on a greenfield site was initially equipped with a fully-automated, 72 metre long Monforts installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6 metre wide, seven-chamber Montex stenter. The line quickly went from single to double shift production and then to 24/7 operation  to meet demand.

Expanded widths

Building on the success of this installation, GtA has now installed two more Montex stenter lines – both in expanded working widths of 5.6 metres and purpose-built at Montex GmbH in Austria.

A six-chamber Montex unit is combined with a washing machine to guarantee the purity of the substrates, while a five-chamber line is integrated with a wide-width coating machine. This new coating capability at GtA has led to a number of new additions to the Georg and Otto Friedrich DecoTex range for digital printing, including wide width fabrics with flame retardant, antimicrobial and non-slip finishes.

The new Montex stenter lines benefit from all of the latest innovations from Monforts, including the Smart Sensor system for the optimised maintenance planning of key mechanical wear components on the stenters. A comprehensive overview of the condition of all parts at any time is now available for operators within the highly intuitive Qualitex visualization software.

With Qualitex, all article-specific settings can be stored and the formulations for thousands of treatment processes called up again at any time. Individual operators can also personalise their dashboards with the most important machine functions and process parameters.

Environmental commitment

GtA is run by a seasoned team of textile professionals led by Managing Director Andreas Niess.

“We have received excellent service from Monforts from the outset and we were happy to place the order for these two new lines as part of our ongoing cooperation,” he says. “With all of the latest Monforts advances in technology we are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines, as part of our significant commitment to innovative environmental technology.”

The GtA plant, which operates in near-cleanroom conditions, has also been equipped with proprietary technology to fully exploit the Monforts air-to-air heat recovery systems that are now standard with Montex stenters.

“Around 30 per cent of our investment volume at the site goes to energy-saving measures and we are sure that this commitment is worthwhile,” Mr Niess says. “As an example, our integrated heat recovery system fully exploits the waste heat from the process exhaust air and the burner exhaust gases of the Monforts stenters, allowing us to achieve an exhaust air temperature of  between 30 to 34°C, compared to what would conventionally be between 140 to 160°C. Another focus has been on exhaust air purification technology and here too, the latest technology has been installed with integrated heat recovery elements.”

This, he adds, saves 52% of the energy that would normally be used – equating to 5,800,000 KwH per year. The necessary audits for energy-efficient companies are also carried out annually.

In addition, GtA has purpose-designed the automatic chemical mixing and dosing systems that feed the padders for the key treatments that are carried out on the fabrics through the stenters.

The company is going further, however, in its pursuit of clean production and raw materials.

"We want to be an asset and not a burden on our immediate environment and therefore do not use any additives containing solvents," Mr Niess says. “We were the first to use fully halogen-free flame retardant chemistry, and we use bio-based, finely ground alumina products for the washing process instead of surfactants. PES polyester yarns made from recycled material are also increasingly used and the latest additions to our raw materials portfolio, the RC-Ocean products, are made from recycled sea plastic.

“We are now planning a combined heat and power plant for the production of electrical energy and heat and we will also build a photovoltaic system that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. GtA wants to be the first textile finishing company to be CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025. The complete heat supply and heating for the 13,000 square metre production hall, as well as the office building and the hot water supply for the domestic water, is already energy-neutral. We are convinced that this commitment will pay off in the long term and our positive business development proves that sustainability and business profitability are perfectly compatible.”

In addition to the products for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, GtA  offers its manufacturing capacities for other customers as a contract service.

All products are manufactured in accordance with Öko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1 and the company is also involved in the research and development of new sustainable manufacturing processes, in cooperation with many regional universities and funding project partners.

• Technical Absorbents Limited (TAL) has developed a new grade of superabsorbent fibre (SAF) specifically for use within a new range of SAF nonwoven fabrics that are more resistant to shrinkage.

The new SAF was developed in response to the demand from the medical industry for a superabsorbent fabric suitable for use in advanced wound pad dressings. The fibre had to be capable of withstanding the moisture used in the EtO sterilization process that is frequently employed in the production of the pads, in order to ensure product safety and compliance.

EtO sterilization is a low-temperature process (typically between 37 and 63°C) that uses ethylene oxide gas to reduce the level of infectious agents. While generally applied in gas form, however, the EtO is usually mixed with other substances – and often steam.

“Obviously superabsorbents and moisture generally aren’t a good combination at this stage in processing and can cause problems,” says TAL Product Development Director Dr Mark Paterson. “Other methods can be used, but when silicone materials are included, which is more frequently becoming the case, EtO is the preferred treatment method. Regular SAF grades tend to shrink a little and can become hard, which is often not desirable. This innovative SAF grade significantly reduces such potential problems.”

The amount of shrinkage caused by EtO sterilization depends very much on the product design and construction, he adds, but in general, the new SAF has been tested and proven to reduce fabric shrinkage by around 70%. It is suitable for use in all SAF nonwoven formats, whether needlepunched, thermally bonded or airlaid.

While the proprietary process developed at TAL for the production of this new fibre and resulting fabrics was prompted by the specific requirements of wound pad dressings, TAL sees opportunities for its application in other areas as well.

“It’s an extremely flexible fibre that can be easily switched with existing SAF grades when manufacturing fabrics and we have a number of current projects in which we’re exploring other end-uses,” Mark concludes. “We believe this new range could also open up entirely new application areas on the market.”

• Specialised in dye-sublimation printing, the Italian company has conquered the heights of the high fashion sector with its top-quality printed fabrics.
• With its recent investment in a direct-to-fabric printing line, Digitak is preparing to expand its range of printed products, focusing on fabric differentiation.

Dye sublimation printing of high fashion designs is the beating heart of Digitak, an Italian company specialised in digital textile printing. Operating in the textile district of Lombardy, Italy, the company has established itself among the main suppliers in the world of high fashion and sportswear in just under 15 years.

Making production versatility one of the cornerstones of its philosophy, Digitak has continued to invest in technology, as well as research and development its product portfolio. This forward-thinking approach has enabled the company to guarantee innovative, personalised products with meticulous attention to detail, with the highest – almost obsessive – standards of quality and maximum design flexibility. Over the years, the extensive experience gained by the company’s management in the field of sublimation with traditional and digital techniques, combined with their investment decisions have allowed Digitak to enhance its production performance, gradually implementing higher quality standards and differentiating itself from the competition in the complex and competitive sector of high fashion. An important feat, which has not, however, dampened its enthusiasm and willingness to continue growing and exceeding its goals. The company’s latest investment in a direct-to-fabric digital printing line with pigment ink propels the company into a new and promising production dimension.

Sublimation printing specialists

Since Digitak’s establishment, Filippo Taccani, the founder and current owner of the company, had set himself a clear and ambitious objective: “I wanted to take up the challenge of operating digitally - printing fabrics using this innovative technology to create products on a par with those  I had achieved with traditional sublimation textile printing methods during my previous work experience.”

The purchase of a Mimaki JV4 plotter, one of the first to be installed in Italy, marked the beginning of Digitak’s adventure. “To start the business, I needed a printing system that could operate with dispersed inks to print on polyester and I found the JV4 to be the best option,” explains Taccani. “It was an excellent decision, because I used these plotters to build the company and its success.”

The first Mimaki plotter was in fact followed by a second and a third. When it bought the fifth, the company moved to an industrial unit in Tradate (Varese) – Digitak’s current site – which now houses around fifteen Mimaki JV33 plotters, in addition to three Mimaki TS500-1800 wide-format sublimation printers, and a Mimaki TS300P-1800 high-speed sublimation printer. This Mimaki powered production facility – which is one of the company’s core strengths – was recently expanded with the addition of a Mimaki TX300P-1800B belt-type hybrid printing system, together with a Mimaki TR300-1850C textile coater and a Mimaki Tiger-1800.

“Naturally, over the years, we have also tested printing systems from other suppliers, but we have always returned to Mimaki. With high fashion as our key market, we need to guarantee our customers the highest levels of quality and, to date, we have never found solutions that beat the quality of this Japanese brand’s technology.”

According to Taccani, the difference lies in the “calligraphy” of Mimaki’s machines, that is the line of the ink on the fabric: “Unlike its competitors, Mimaki has focused on the ‘waveforms’, i.e. the electronics associated with the print heads. This attention paid to the way the ink jet is managed from the print head has allowed Mimaki to achieve unparalleled levels of accuracy, an aspect that has given my company a clear competitive edge.”

Moreover, at Digitak, quality comes before quantity: “We prefer to dedicate an extra day to production to guarantee the customer a final product that fully meets requirements and expectations. Mimaki’s technology not only suits this business model bult on top quality, but it crucially enables it.”

Operational and creative flexibility

Digitak currently prints around 2,000 linear metres of fabric per day. Its portfolio ranges from clothing and scarves, to beach and swimwear, with related personalised accessories, to sportswear, with technical properties such as breathability, comfort, resistance to external agents. The company have even added customised outdoor furniture to their offering of diverse and creative products.
The company’s machines operate continuously, 24/7. During the day, the machines are mainly used to develop and produce samples and colour proofs, while the actual production is carried out at night. “Thanks to our technology, we have developed an extraordinary operational flexibility. The fact that we have so many plotters allows us to work on multiple designs at the same time and to launch projects that are also very different from one another,” explains Taccani. “There are also some other crucial factors that have contributed, and continue to contribute, to increasing our production efficiency. The reliability of Mimaki’s solutions and the remote monitoring option offered is key. Once the standard start-up monitoring has been carried out and the machines are found to be printing correctly, we can let them work overnight without an operator. This is a great benefit for people who, like us, manage such a large and diverse fleet of machines.”

Digitak takes the same approach to customer service. Faced with an increasingly demanding market in terms of creativity, precision and completeness of service, the company wants to guarantee flexibility and customisation. “We decided to set up a department dedicated to the pre-press stage, in charge of preparing and checking the files supplied by customers. Seldom do our teams not need to do some editing of the files supplied, even if it’s only to make small changes that are essential for the print document to be as suitable as possible and to achieve the best final result.”

Technologies of the future

With a view to further enhancing production and customer service, Taccani has chosen to take on a new challenge, switching things up with some of the most recent investments.

While maintaining the focus on dye sublimation printing, Taccani has focused on technological diversification by installing a direct-to-fabric digital printing line. This consists of a Mimaki TX300P-1800B printing system with pigment inks and a TR300-1850C coater from Mimaki’s TR series. “The market continues to evolve and now requires even more flexibility regarding both processes and the fabrics supplied. This means that great opportunities exist for a print shop capable of simultaneously producing the same design – with minimal colour adjustment – on different fabrics, guaranteeing similar and accurate results. And this is precisely the path we are taking,” says Taccani. “Why have we opted for Mimaki again? Well, I had an opportunity to try out their new pigment inks and I immediately realised that they are a generation ahead of the other pigments available on the market. The cyan is very clean, the black is deep and there is a very interesting fullness of colour, suitable not only for furnishings, but also for other applications in the clothing sector.”

With its pigment inks, the new direct-to-fabric printing line allows Digitak to explore other related market segments. Thanks to the innovative automatic belt system, the TX300P-1800B guarantees good productivity and high-quality results. A standard of quality that is also boosted by the TR300-1850C fabric pre-treatment system: “This coater is essential for ensuring the best possible preparation of fabrics for printing. In fact, we are able to treat fabrics to make them suitable for the type of print they are intended for, sanitise them for specific applications and, in some cases, even dye them, with excellent quality.”

According to Taccani, another beneficial factor of direct-to-fabric pigment printing technology is the eco-sustainability of the process and its lower environmental impact. “We are proud to be able to offer our customers excellent printing results using little water and printing in ‘green mode’, with both the technologies we have available. I consider them winning technologies for the future, as both dye sublimation printing and direct-to-fabric printing with pigment inks use little water while mainly requiring the use of energy. Therefore, if you use renewable energy, then you’re done.”

Digitak’s other trump card is the Tiger-1800 installed in 2019. With this industrial printing system, the company aims to increase production volumes while maintaining its high-quality standards and further optimising costs. “We are excited to have these promising technologies available to us in-house. We are currently experimenting with these solutions, testing new opportunities and evaluating which paths to take to stay ahead of the game,” concludes Taccani.

• RUDOLF GROUP is thrilled to unveil the perfected antiviral features embedded in RUCO®-BAC AGP, the Company’s flagship antimicrobial product for textile applications.

As a consequence of COVID-19 global pandemic the demand for chemical auxiliaries with antimicrobial effect has boomed. RUDOLF GROUP invested important resources in the meticulous assessment of a new antiviral feature which is now added to one of their leading technologies .

Such an effort returned the surprisingly fast and most comprehensive antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing on the market: RUCO®-BAC AGP.

History has led to great vision and innovation

The powerful antimicrobial effectiveness of RUCO®-BAC AGP is rooted in the extraordinary properties of silver, whose antimicrobial magic is lost in the mists of time. Already known by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, water and milk were preserved by using silver coins through the early modern age.

R&D at RUDOLF GROUP has mounted silver on highly sophisticated, functional and registered microstructures that strengthen and amplify the qualities of this noble metal.

RUDOLF’s proprietary microstructures are the responsible hidden secret and key technical breakthrough behind both efficacy and durability of RUCO®-BAC AGP. This innovation is now the preferred solution to help reducing proliferation and cross-contamination of bacteria and enveloped-virus on textiles.

One gram of microstructures has the astonishing superficial area of about 60 m². The advantage of a much higher surface is that the consumption of resources and dosages can be minimized by the factor 100 and that makes RUCO®-BAC AGP a highly conscious choice.

“Due to the microstructures, a virtually infinite protective shield is created in the textile from which highly effective positive silver ions are set free in small, exactly dosed quantities” says Dr. Dirk Sielemann, R&D Director at Rudolf Group.

Taking performance to the next level

RUCO-BAC AGP effectively protects any textile against bacteria (harmful and odour-causing) and its superior antiviral performance on textiles has been independently demonstrated by applying the most modern testing methods. Assessments were carried out on enveloped Coronaviridae families known to cause a broad spectrum of animal and human diseases.

The microstructures in RUCO®-BAC AGP trigger their powerful antibacterial and antiviral effects based on 3 distinctive inhibiting mechanisms:
1.    Blocking of oxygen-transporting enzymes therefore leading to impaired growth;
2.    Crushing of disulfide bonds and therefore structure of sulphur-containing proteins.
3.    Possible interference with Bacteria and virus surface protein in the membrane.

RUCO®-BAC AGP is intended for the protection of the treated textiles and the microstructures of RUCO®-BAC AGP were studied thinking of performance and safety. It is suitable for next-to-skin applications and cytotoxicity tests show that RUCO®-BAC AGP has no influence on the natural microflora of the skin. Furthermore, because of the adhesion mechanism of its microstructures, RUCO®-BAC AGP is only active in/on the textile and it is non-migrating. 

“This year 202o is being highly emotional and it’s leading to the widespread introduction of antimicrobials on textile and to a myriad of vague, misleading or unsubstantiated marketing claims”, states Dr. Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at RUDOLF GROUP. He concludes “As a highly responsible company, we move cautiously and stand for technologies and practices that are effective, truthful and limit the exposure of apparel manufacturers, retailers and buyers to any risk”.

• Live Event Series Launched to Connect with Customers and Drive New Opportunities After COVID-19

Mimaki Europe, a leading manufacturer of inkjet printers and cutting systems, has announced it will host a three-part virtual event series – Mimaki Live Series – to support customers looking for inspiration and advice on how to maintain or revive business after the COVID-19 crisis.

Building on the success of Mimaki’s Virtual Print Festival in March and April this year, Mimaki has created an exciting and insightful three-day programme for three market-focused virtual events:

• Event I – Sign Graphics – 30th June 2020
• Event II – Textiles – 14th July 2020
• Event III – Industrial Printing - 27th August 2020

Each event will provide a platform for Mimaki representatives, customers, and suppliers to discuss the impact the COVID-19 crisis has had on their business and the wider industry, as well as share their experiences, challenges, and success stories.

The Mimaki Live events will feature a host of engaging panel discussions, opinion polls, live chats and Q&As, all designed to prompt important, topical discussions and share information and advice across the print community.  

To register for the Mimaki Live event series, please visit www.mimakieurope.com/mimaki-live-event.

Shanghai – Sateri has unveiled FinexTM as its new product brand for recycled fibre. FinexTM, short for ‘Fibre Next’, is an innovative next-generation cellulosic fibre containing recycled content. Internationally known outdoor brand Lafuma has produced FinexTM apparel ahead of 618, China’s major mid-year online shopping festival, while independent China designer Rico Lee will launch his FinexTM apparel next month.

Since its announcement in March this year of a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste, Sateri has worked closely with its downstream yarn and garment manufacturing partners to bring the recycled fibre product to the consumer market.

“We’re pleased to collaborate with Sateri as one of their first brand partners for FinexTM. Sateri’s dedication to this partnership made it possible for Lafuma to produce T-shirts with this fine quality fibre in a short time. T-shirts made with FinexTM will be among the offerings Lafuma has in store for the 618 festival as we look to support environmentally-friendly and excellent performance solutions to strengthen our position as a leading outdoor apparel brand,” said Wu Qian, General Manager of Lafuma China.

Echoing similar sentiments is Rico Lee who established his own independent label in 2014, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with Sateri when they approached me because FinexTM encapsulates what my brand stands for – Beautiful Technology that combines function and fashion.”

Tom Liu, Sateri’s Commercial Vice President said, “Like our flagship brand EcoCosy®, FinexTM is made from bio-based natural fibres. Innovation and technology has made cellulosic textile fibre recycling possible and FinexTM represents how nature not only renews itself but that products made from nature can also be regenerated. This, at its heart, is what circular fashion looks like. Our brand promise to customers remains constant– Sateri’s products are sustainable, high quality, efficient, and cost-effective. The FinexTM tagline ‘Together For A Better Next’ expresses our aspiration to be the partner of choice for next-generation fibre - we thank Lafuma and Rico Lee for pioneering with us on this quest.”

Last month, Sateri announced its entry into China’s Lyocell fibre market. The recent string of product portfolio expansion announcements is underpinned by Sateri’s business strategy to capture value. Allen Zhang, President of Sateri said, “Being the world’s largest viscose producer gives us the advantages that come with volume, but value is what we hope differentiates us. By this, we don’t only mean higher value products like Lyocell or FinexTM but also the value we bring to communities, country, climate and customers.”

Globally, less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. This presents a big opportunity for textile fibre recycling, particularly in China which is the largest textile producing country in the world. Last month, Sateri became a council member of the China Association of Circular Economy (CACE). The company will work closely with CACE’s Textile Waste Comprehensive Utilisation Committee to establish standards and promote industrial-scale textile waste recycling. Sateri is part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies which has committed USD200 million into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology.

• AACOMA - Accelerate advanced composite manufacturing
• EMR Region Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany area hot spot for the future of lightweight materials and technologies

The Euregio Meuse-Rhine provides a huge potential with its many highly innovative, leading companies and especially SMEs which are active in the area of advanced material manufacturing in many industrial sectors, such as Automotive, Aerospace, Electronics, Building and Infrastructure, etc. The advanced material sector is growing, with a consolidated offer, ranging from raw material producers over technology development to production, research and development as well as industrial OEMs.

Interreg Euregio Meuse-Rhine invests EUR 96 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the period 2014-2020. Through the investments in cross-border projects, the European Union invests in the economic development, innovation, territorial development and social inclusion and education of this region.

Project

The Euregio Meuse-Rhine is a potential hot-spot for the further development of advanced material and process technologies. Technical Centers and Institutes around Aachen/Germany, Liège/Belgium and Eindhoven/The Netherlands were awarded with this new project AACOMA.

Innovative material design and advanced manufacturing provide large opportunities for SMEs. The AACOMA project kick-off took place in Aachen at the Campus of the RWTH University of technology in 1 Q 2020. The aim of the project, which is running for 3 years until 2023 with a budget of €3 Mio, is to connect SMEs with innovation hot-spots like institutes and technical centers.
Seven partners from all three regions will carry the project out: Centexbel is the project leader and gets support by University of Liège, Sirris and Flanders Make from Belgium, as well as Fontys University of Applied Science and AMIBM of Maastricht University in the Netherlands and AMAC in Germany.

Statements

Bernard Paquet, Project Coordinator from Centexbel/ Belgium stated:
“Centexbel, with a strong experience in textile and composites, will identify with its Interreg partners and an advisory board of international experts several demonstrators which will enable an accelerated advanced manufacturing of composite parts. This could include new materials and intermediates, high performance additives, bio-based products and new composites by additive manufacturing”.

Michael Effing, Managing Director of AMAC/ Germany said:
“The major goal of the project is to connect around 200 innovative SMEs with each other and establish the links to the world-class institutes in the EMR region. We will facilitate 6 roadshow events, addressing key topics like automated manufacturing, additive manufacturing or bio-based material systems combined with match making and training events. The first roadshow will be held on September 24, 2020 at the Aachen Campus of the RWTH University of Technology.”

Prof. Gunnar Seide from the AMIBM/The Netherlands continued:  
“Our AMIBM offers already an international master program on bio-based materials. The AACOMA project will be an important element for transborder research and will identify new players in the value chain coming from the EMR region. Innovative companies find markets for their new bio-based building blocks, chemicals and polymers. Their success stories and upcoming technological breakthroughs are needed for a sustainable future.”

a leading Asian large-scale manufacturer of manmade fibers and polymers has invested in a new Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown system. The recently-signed contract comprises a 2-beam system for manufacturing filtration nonwovens – predominantly for medical products such as face masks – with a nominal capacity of up to 1,200 tons of nonwovens a year. The commercial production launch has been scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020.

The 2-beam system has an operating width of 1.6 meters and is equipped with the new patented Oerlikon Nonwoven electro-charging unit. The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown technology is recognized by the market as being the technically most efficient method for producing highly-separating filter media made from manmade fibers, particularly in conjunction with electrostatic charging and with extremely low-pressure loss. Electro-charging the filter nonwovens allows the manufacture of sophisticated EPA- and HEPA-class filter media as well as media that comply with the requirements of N95-, FFP2- and FFP3-class respiratory masks.

The demand for filtration nonwovens for medical applications has risen tremendously across the globe since the outbreak of the Sars-CoV-2 (coronavirus) epidemic, presenting all manufacturers with huge challenges. A meltblown system will be commissioning at the site of a leading Western European nonwovens producers as early as the second quarter of 2020. This system will be deployed exclusively in the manufacture of nonwovens for respiratory masks.

Due to the current state of emergency with regards to the local supply of face masks, Oerlikon Nonwoven is currently using its own laboratory system to produce electrostatically-charged filter media which are being sent to local small businesses and companies for the manufacture of face masks. 

• Bangladeshi supplier offers production capacity to produce face masks and PPE on non-profit basis
•  Reaching out to global agencies to build partnerships to help tackle COVID-19 crisis

A Bangladeshi garment manufacturer is offering the manufacturing capacity for the production of protective face masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on a non-profit basis to help tackle the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Many hospitals in Europe and USA are already running short of masks and PPE as they creak under the strain of the pandemic.
At present, COVID-19 is most prevalent in Europe, where demand for surgical masks and other protective garments has increased this past two months. However, other countries – including Bangladesh – are several weeks behind Europe but are expected to follow the same pattern in terms of cases and deaths.

Denim Expert Limited Managing Director, Mostafiz Uddin, has reached out to the global community including brands & retailers, governments, embassies, donors, development agencies, global apparel associations and bodies in these unprecedented times.

• First fiber producer to have an approved science-based target – CO₂ neutrality by 2050
• Breakthrough in REFIBRA™ technology – worn textiles can also be used as fiber raw material
• Pioneer in the introduction of blockchain technology for fiber recognition
• On track to meet all sustainability targets

Lenzing – Just ahead of the “Day of Forests ” on March 21, which the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) introduced in the 1970s in response to global deforestation, the Lenzing Group presents its Sustainability Report 2019. This sets out how the company is actively dealing with the global challenges.

Lenzing produces fibers from the renewable raw material wood and is well known among its customers and partners in the global textile and nonwoven fabric industry for the clear position it takes as a sustainable producer. It is no accident that the new report is appearing on the International Day of Forests. Lenzing’s sustainable practices in procurement, especially for wood and pulp, were once again ranked as leading in the 2019 reporting year (Hot Button Report).

“Stand up! A gainst business as usual ”

Under the motto “Stand up! Against business as usual ”, Lenzing emphasizes its wider responsibilities over and above its products. Business - as - usual scenarios have to be overcome, in particular for climate protection. With a science-based target, Lenzing is taking action to master the problems caused by climate change. The Lenzing Group is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions per ton of product by 50 percent by 2030 (baseline: 2017). The Science-Based Target s initiative has approved Lenzing’s climate target as science-based.

Breakthrough in REFIBRA™ technology

One of Lenzing’s strategic principles under its “Naturally positive” sustainability strategy and a focus in the 2019 Sustainability Report is the circular economy. To address the enormous textile waste challenges of industry and society, Lenzing has developed a unique recycling technology branded REFIBRA™. This technology enables garment production waste to be reprocessed into fibers.