From the Sector

At Pitti Filati, and as part of a journey to be and make better products, the FILPUCCI GROUP invites the fashion industry to experience its new line of more sustainable yarn creativity.

The “Responsible Innovation Collection” represents a new level of smart innovation linked to responsible, eco-centric production. The collection uses the best high-tech, natural-based materials, combined with FILPUCCI’s dying & finishing expertise. This gives customer’s real access to a new, fashion-forward aesthetic, where quality and smart uniqueness in these new, more responsible yarns, deliver a new textile era of sustainable fashion solutions that are driven by ethical and natural values.

FILPUCCI is proud to announce it is a new official partner of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy). Since 2007, C.L.A.S.S., a unique multi-platform HUB based in Milan, specializes in integrating a new generation of eco-values for fashion, home products and business strategies. These values speak to a new, smarter, contemporary consumer. Founded by Giusy Bettoni, C.L.A.S.S. introduces a new way of design thinking that represents a shift in culture, enabling businesses to be competitive and socially innovative.
From this platform, FILPUCCI is also a key ambassador for the unique C.L.A.S.S. partner product, Re.Verso™, for its luxury upcycled cashmere yarns.

New additional steps on the FILPUCCI journey towards a more responsible approach to smart design and manufacture also include:

• The signing of a new ‘Values Chart’ in conjunction with a joint consortium to guarantee sustainable production chains that are fully traceable with certified materials and measured environmental performances, such as reducing CO2, water use and power consumption.
• The company is also GRS accredited with dyeing facilities that are second to none, boasting a GOTS certification alongside recycling 70% of water and also as part of the DETOX campaign for the last 3 years.  This is a key added value mirroring the whole company’s dyeing operation.
• The FILPUCCI GROUP produces its own ‘Balance of Sustainability’ report each year to measure and account for issues relating to the business impact of a responsible innovation strategy, and research optimization into origins of materials, transparency, certifications and processes designed to reduce environmental impacts and a no-waste manufacturing philosophy.

There are seven new yarn styles in the Responsible Innovation Collection with smart blends of only the best, certified, organic and natural materials (cottons & linens), new generation wool Re.Verso™ and sustainable hi-tech materials (Cupro and Q-Nova) for 5 to 18 gauge knitwear design:
CERA, GRACE, BIONYCO, SUGHERO, FOUR SEASONS, PLANET, BONTON, KAMUT

• Revenue up 9.4 percent to EUR 1,726.6 mn
• EBITDA improvement of 23.9 percent to EUR 397.1 mn
• Retail bond of EUR 120 mn redeemed – Lenzing with net liquidity as at end of September
• State-of-the-art application innovation center opened in Hong Kong

Lenzing – The Lenzing Group generated a substantial increase in revenue and earnings in the first nine months of the 2017 financial year compared to the prior-year period. The company is continuing the implementation of its Group strategy sCore TEN in order to further expand the offering of specialty fibers and be even closer to its customers and business partners.

Consolidated revenue climbed 9.4 percent year-on-year to EUR 1,726.6 mn. This increase is mainly attributable to higher prices for all three fiber generations. Consolidated earnings before tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 23.9 percent to EUR 397.1 mn, corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 23 percent, up from 20.3 percent in the prior-year period. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased by 34.6 percent to EUR 298.4 mn, resulting in a higher EBIT margin of 17.3 percent (Q1-3 2016: 14 percent). The profit for the period improved by 35.3 percent to EUR 219.3 mn, and earnings per share rose 36 percent to EUR 8.12 per share. In September Lenzing redeemed the retail bond of EUR 120 mn. At the end of the reporting period the Group had net liquidity of EUR 16.9 mn.

“In the first three quarters of 2017, we successfully captured value in a very positive market environment and we continue to implement the sCore TEN strategy with great discipline. The opening of our new application innovation center in Hong Kong is an important step to boost our regional innovation capabilities. We were particularly proud to launch TENCELTM Luxe as a sign of Lenzing’s ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability”, states Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer of the Lenzing Group. “After three excellent quarters we are confident to deliver substantially better operating results in 2017 compared to 2016, but at the same time we do expect more headwinds in 2018.”

Focus on customer intimacy

In September 2017, the Lenzing Group opened a new application innovation center (AIC) in Hong Kong, thus setting a further milestone in strengthening its innovation offering to all partners along the value chain. New applications for Lenzing fibers will be developed and tested at the new facility, among them applications for recent innovations such as the TENCELTM Luxe branded lyocell filament, the RefibraTM branded lyocell fiber and the EcoVeroTM branded viscose fiber.

Furthermore, new sales and marketing offices were opened in Turkey and South Korea in the first half of 2017. The direct contact to customers and well-equipped showrooms featuring products made of LenzingTM fibers serve as the basis for providing even better customer support.

Investment program in progress

The Lenzing Group aims to increase the share of specialty fibers as a percentage of revenue to 50 percent by 2020. Following the capacity expansion initiatives in Heiligenkreuz (Austria) and Mobile, Alabama (USA) which are both underway, Lenzing announced its intention to construct the next plant to produce TENCEL® fibers in Thailand.

A new era of sustainable production

In October 2017, the Lenzing Group presented a new product, TENCELTM Luxe, at an exclusive event held in Paris. The TENCELTM Luxe branded filament yarn represents Lenzing’s entry in the filament market. This fiber will support the Lenzing Group’s path towards becoming a true specialty player in the market for botanic materials derived from the sustainable raw material wood.

The launch volumes of TENCELTM Luxe are being produced at the Lenzing site. The basic engineering for a commercial scale plant was commenced.

Outlook
Demand development on the global fiber market remains positive within the context of a generally friendly macroeconomic environment. Lenzing expects wood-based cellulose fibers to grow at an even higher rate than the overall fiber market. After three excellent quarters, the Lenzing Group will achieve an operating result in 2017 that is significantly better than 2016.

For 2018, Lenzing sees a number of somewhat opposing factors that limit visibility regarding fiber price developments. Overall market demand is expected to remain high. However, the Group expects a substantial increase on the supply side, especially for viscose but also for cotton. Price trends for selected key raw materials, especially caustic soda, are difficult to predict. Against this background the Lenzing Group expects a much more challenging market environment for standard viscose during the upcoming quarters.

The above-mentioned development reassures the Lenzing Group in its chosen corporate strategy sCore TEN. The Group initiated its transformation from a volume-oriented viscose player to a value-oriented specialty fiber player at the end of 2015, and will continue the disciplined implementation of its business strategy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bobingen - On the 4th October 2017 a new brand was introduced at Trevira: Trevira SINFINECO®. This label may be carried by all textiles that contain sustainable Trevira products. Sustainable, innovative, high-value and responsible – these are the values the new brand stands for.

As an industrial enterprise, Trevira is conscious of its special responsibility for an intact environment and has long advocated the recycling of valuable raw materials and waste products. Trevira CEO Klaus Holz: “We at Trevira wish to preserve the environment and at the same time work to create value. These are the criteria of our sustainability concept.“

Creation of the new brand is therefore only a logical step, one that enables customers to label their sustainable Trevira products as such. Trevira is known for the high quality of its products. In every way recycled products are as good as the original materials in terms of quality and performance.

Two vital elements in Pre-Consumer Recycling and an important concept in Post-Consumer Recycling form part of the sustainability strategy of Trevira to conserve resources and maintain value. :

In the area of Pre-Consumer Recycling, on the one hand, residual materials resulting from the manufacture of polyester fibres and filaments in Bobingen and Guben, dependent on the manufacturing step, are processed in the agglomeration plant and restored to become serviceable primary material. The recyclates are then fed back to our fibre and filament spinning mills, to be made into new top-quality products.

On the other hand, in fibre production there occurs in the manufacture of tow a small proportion of tow that cannot be used for converting and has to be cut out. Instead of selling this material as waste, it is cut up, pressed into balls and then carded / combed by a partner, resulting in a 1A quality product. The GRS certification (Global Recycled Standard) is requested for this. As with converter tow from new material, the recycled tow is mostly incorporated into polyester wool blends (55 % PET / 45 % wool), which are used primarily in corporate wear and uniforms.

In the area of Post-Consumer Recycling, Trevira offers filament yarns consisting of 100 % recycled PET bottles. Our parent company Indorama manufactures very high quality recycled chips from PET bottles. Since only transparent PET bottles are used in Thailand, the flakes and chips are of a particularly good and very uniform quality. The recycled chips, fibres and filaments from Indorama bear the GRS certificates (Global Recycled Standard) and RCS-NL (Recycled Claim Standard). Trevira processes the regranulate made by Indorama from bottle flakes into filament yarns consisting 100 % of recycled material. The filament yarns are available in titres 167 and 76 dtex normal polyester. Alongside technical applications, they are used in the automotive and apparel sectors. In addition, many promising developments with the recycled material are on their way.

Huntsman Textile Effects has been named winner in the 2016 Dyestuff Manufacturers Association of India (DMAI) Awards. Huntsman bagged two awards in recognition of its ‘Excellent performance in exports of Dyestuffs by a large scale unit and ‘Excellent performance in Pollution Control by a Large Scale Unit’. The accolade is presented for outstanding contribution in supporting environment, health and safety and sustainability for the textile industry.
The awards were presented at the 67th Annual General Meeting of DMAI in Mumbai. Huntsman Textile Effects received the awards based on criteria such as innovation, creativity, development and quality.
“We are honored to receive the prestigious awards and are grateful to be recognized again this year,” said Nipun Soni, Site Manager for Huntsman Textile Effects’ Baroda plant. “This acknowledgement reaffirms Huntsman Textile Effects’ focus on innovation and continuous improvement in safety and hazard controls to meet industry demands. We continue to draw on the expertise of our people and established processes in product stewardship.”

Winners of the DMAI awards 2016 were determined by judging panel from chemical, pharma, dyes and dye intermediates manufacturing industries, among others. The DMAI ceremony was held in Mumbai on July 7, 2017.
This is the second consecutive year Huntsman Textile Effects has been presented DMAI Awards. Last year Huntsman was presented with awards for ‘Excellent Performance in Exports of Dyestuffs by Large Scale unit. Huntsman Textile Effects also won the award in the category for ‘Excellent Performance in Safety & Hazard’s Control by a Large Scale unit’.

Under the motto: “Enhancing your gear, it’s our nature”, Archroma invites show visitors to discover how to:

• Create exciting color effects – with solutions ranging from high-fast dyes Foron® S-WF, Nylosan® S, Printofix® TF, Drimaren® HF, and the new-in-range Foron® S luminous dyes, to EarthColors nature inspired biomass-waste based dyes, supported by Archroma’s Color Atlas color management service to boost your creativity;
• Make gear more resistant to extreme weather conditions from heatwaves to rain pours, with thermo-control and protection solutions, coldblack®, HyDry, Smartrepel®, Appretan® S and Sanitized®;
• Bring softness and comfort to your gear whilst looking good at all times, with Archroma’s fabric care effects Siligen®, Solusoft, Ceralube® and Arkofix®;
• Take a sustainability step up - with the new online ONE WAY calculator.
Visitors at the booth will also be able to discover the new fabric collection created by Flocus and colored with Archroma’s Earthcolors. Flocus is a company producing yarns, fillings and fabrics made from kapok fibers, for which they received the 2016 OutDoor Industry award in the Sustainable Innovation category.

C.L.A.S.S., the leading eco-material hub based in Milan and specialized in the integration of a new generation of smart values within fashion and home décor, presents the new SS 2018 collection through its partners, highlighting the new generation of values as innovation, research, creativity, traceability, transparency and sustainability. A very new business model and a real supporting tool for companies (not only the “fashion” ones) for lower environmental impact productions. A new concept that contributes to improve the quality of life, properly answering to cultural changes and to consumer’s new mind-set that links excellence to smarter products.

So, an evolved collection technologically advanced… available for the interested companies:
• At C.L.A.S.S. Material Hub in Milan Headquarter in Viale Vittorio Veneto, 8 (only by appointment) or
• in occasion of World C.L.A.S.S. tour in several cities around the world: London, New York, Barcelona, Madrid, Copenhagen and Amsterdam! Taking a C.L.A.S.S Private Sourcing Sessions, brands can discover (under request) C.L.A.S.S S/S 2018 collection.