From the Sector

Jeanologia introduces its new concept “ONE TECHNOLOGY. ALL POSSIBILITIES” at Kingpins Amsterdam. This statement of intent emphasizes laser technology as a tool for expression, efficiency, and transformation. One system, infinite possibilities to redefine denim and bring any creative vision to life. Through an exclusive capsule collection, the company highlights the boundless potential of laser as an aesthetic, versatile, and transformative tool.

At this year’s Kingpins in Amsterdam, Jeanologia presents a fresh perspective on laser technology not just a technique, but as an essential tool for designers, brands, and laundries looking to differentiate themselves, innovate, and embrace a more conscious, efficient, and emotionally connected model.

Pure Vintage: A tribute to classic denim. Garments that recapture the essence of authenticity by recreating natural wear effects with impeccable realism. Laser technology, combined with the Atmos washing process, achieves finishes that evoke decades of history, honoring both aesthetics and the environment.

Creative Possibilities: An innovative concept that positions laser as a medium for artistic expression, unlocking new creative possibilities. Vector designs, hyper-realistic images, drill effects, and visual textures stimulate the imagination, proving that technology can be both emotional and at the forefront of creative vanguard.

Denim Métiers by Jeanologia: As a special highlight, Jeanologia presents ‘Denim Métiers’, a unique exhibition creating a bridge between denim as an industrial material and haute couture. Conceptual garments that elevate denim into an artistic, refined dimension, creating a distinctive language that breaks both technical and aesthetic boundaries.

In the words of Carme Santacruz, Jeanologia’s Creative Director: “With ‘ONE TECHNOLOGY. ALL POSSIBILITIES’, we aim to go beyond the traditional technical view of laser and reveal its true essence as a versatile, emotional, and artistic tool, capable of adapting to every brand, designer, and production challenge.”

With this new proposal, Jeanologia wants to strengthen its position as a leader in sustainable innovation, pushing the textile industry toward a more creative, efficient, and conscious future.

Based on preliminary figures, the CHT Group, a global supplier of specialty chemicals based in Tübingen, demonstrated its resilience and strategic foresight in the 2024 financial year. Despite volatile global conditions, the company recorded sales growth to EUR 614.3 million (+2%) and a significant increase in EBIT to EUR 21.1 million - an increase of EUR 13.4 million compared to the previous year. Growth came primarily from the APAC region (+13.7%), while the markets in EMEA (-2.5%) and the Americas (+0.4%) remained stable.

The clear future course is also evident on the investment side: at 44.2 million euros, the CHT Group invested more than ever before - particularly in the further development of digitalization, expansion of the global production sites and increasing sustainability. In Germany alone, investments amounted to 9.2 million euros, which corresponds to an increase of 124%.

Sustainability as a growth driver
Sustainability is not a trend, but has been an integral part of our corporate strategy for many years. The company is currently developing its Strategy 2030+ and continues to systematically pursue the goal of anchoring sustainability along the entire value chain.

The key sustainability targets include:

• Reduction of specific water and energy consumption by 10% by 2025
• Introduction of an energy management system at all production sites
• Increase the proportion of sales accounted for by sustainable ECO Range products to 80%
• Over 90% of the relevant purchasing volume with sustainably-certified suppliers
• Climate neutrality by 2045, with scientifically validated interim targets of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi):
  • Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Scope 1+2 by 42 % by 2030,
  • Scope 3 by 25 % - CHT is aiming for a reduction of 95 % in all areas by 2045.

The sustainability strategy is based on three central pillars:

1. People – social responsibility, safe working conditions and human rights in the supply chain
2. Planet – environmental and climate protection, resource conservation, circular economy
3. Performance – sustainable products, innovation and economic stability

The globally operating company focuses on sustainable specialty chemicals solutions in markets such as textiles, paints and coatings, construction, automotive, electronics and consumer care.  The CHT Group is a foundation company and part of the Reinhold Beitlich Foundation. Its values - responsibility, innovation and sustainability - are firmly anchored in the corporate culture.

Reinforcement of the management team underlines ambitions
With the appointment of Dr. Christian Rink as CFO in October 2024 and Dr. Lorenza Sartorelli as COO on April 1, 2025, the management team was expanded in a targeted manner. Dr. Christian Rink brings extensive experience from the international foundation company Bosch, while Dr. Lorenza Sartorelli has extensive experience from the international chemicals group Evonik. These are ideal prerequisites for driving forward operational excellence, financial strategy and sustainability transformation.

With a clear focus on sustainability, Barmag, a subsidiary of the Swiss Oerlikon Group, is presenting comprehensive solutions from its product brands Oerlikon Barmag and Oerlikon Neumag for DTY and carpet yarn production at the Morocco Stitch & Tex Expo in Casablanca. From May 13 to 15, trade visitors can talk to experts from Barmag and the joint venture BB Engineering (BBE) at the Unionmatex booth (booth B4) to get an idea of the portfolio of the chemical fiber machine manufacturer.

Sustainable and efficient – the production of DTY yarns
Oerlikon Barmag offers a wide range of DTY machine configurations for the efficient and sustainable production of high-quality textured yarns made of various polymers – from polyester and polyamide to polypropylene, PLA and PTT. The modular machines – whether manual or automatic – produce yarns for excellent downstream processing at optimal OPEX costs.

Fancy yarns increasingly in demand
The demand for textiles with special characteristics is continuously increasing. For the production of these effect yarns, such as cotton-like DTY, linen-like DTY or wool-like DTY, Oerlikon Barmag offers a variety of processes and additional components. With its high-quality and flexible technology as well as its detailed knowledge of the yarn path and the required parameter settings, Oerlikon Barmag is the ideal partner for the successful and flexible production as well as the continuous further development of these specialty yarns.

Extended product range for carpet yarns
Thanks to its comprehensive knowledge of all relevant technologies in manmade fiber spinning, Oerlikon Barmag is the only manufacturer worldwide that can expand its range for the production of carpet yarns. The system concept, based on a POY and texturing process, is designed for the carpet and home textile sector and produces particularly soft and bulky polyester threads with BCF-like properties. The aim is to produce yarns with a titer of up to 1300dtex and over 1000 filaments, such as 1300dtex f1152, 660dtex f1152 and 990dtex f768. The machine concept includes the well-known WINGS HD POY winder and the eAFK Big-V texturing machine.

Innovative bicomponent BCF yarn for the carpet market
Quality, efficiency and performance – with its latest development in the field of bicomponent yarns for carpet production, Barmag's product brand Oerlikon Neumag is meeting the carpet market's demand for innovative BCF yarns. The new BICO-BCF yarn is characterized by a richer and higher volume and simultaneously significantly reduces the raw material consumption during carpet manufacturing.

VarioFil® – versatile compact spinning system for diverse applications and specialties
The VarioFil® system from BBE is ideal for a broad range of products, whether it be carpets, upholstery fabrics, fashion, sports, seat belts or airbags. This compact turnkey spinning line is particularly suitable for producers of small batches or specialized products. It flexibly processes various polymers such as PET, PP, PA 6, PA 6.6 and PBT. In combination with Oerlikon Barmag texturing machines, a wide range of textile standard yarns as well as textured yarns with BCF-like properties can be produced.

The VarioFil® R+ enables the direct recycling and processing of PET bottle flakes and PET waste from the start-up process into POY. This sustainable machine concept offers a high degree of product flexibility, including the production of spun-dyed yarn.

JeTex® air texturing offers a versatile product portfolio
BB Engineering also offers flexible solutions for the subsequent texturing of yarns. The JeTex® air texturing system perfectly complements the Oerlikon Barmag DTY systems and expands the product portfolio to include high-quality ATY based on POY and FDY for various textile applications. The centerpiece of the system is the texturing box developed by BB Engineering, which ensures gentle yarn treatment with reliable texturing effects and production efficiency.

“From waste to value” with VacuFil and Visco
BBE's VacuFil PET recycling system transforms textile waste into high-quality rPET melt. The technology is based on decades of experience in extrusion, filtration and spinning and combines gentle large-area filtration with targeted IV control. VacuFil processes various input materials, from bottle flakes to production waste and post-consumer waste. The patented Visco+ component removes volatile contaminants and automatically regulates the IV. The recycled melt can be added to the main melt stream, pelletized into chips or fed directly back into the spinning mill. The VacuFil system is modular and flexibly adaptable to customer needs.

The initiative will deploy 60 vehicles by 2030, aiming for a 90% reduction in Cavalinho’s fleet transport carbon emissions.

Solvay is advancing its sustainability efforts by partnering with Cavalinho, the leading road transport provider for its operations in Brazil. This collaboration aims to reduce the carbon footprint of Solvay's operations in Paulínia, the largest chemical complex in Brazil, which produces over 1.2 million tons of chemicals annually. Solvay will be one the first companies in Brazil to adopt biofuel-powered trucks for transportation, supporting its goal of cutting scope 3 emissions by 20% by 2030.

The project, launched on April 1, 2025, at Solvay's Paulínia site, will start operations in 2026 with an initial fleet of 20 vehicles, each with a range of 650 km. To achieve a 90% reduction in Cavalinho’s transport carbon emissions, the fleet will grow to 60 vehicles by 2030. This strategic move addresses Brazil's infrastructure challenges for long-haul electric truck travel, offering a sustainable alternative through biofuel.

This initiative is part of Paulínia's broader sustainability push. Solvay recently announced a climate project to replace two-thirds of the steam produced in its boilers, currently using fossil natural gas, with a biomass boiler initiative. Since 2005, the Paulínia site has achieved a 95% CO₂ reduction, which will reach 97% by 2027 with the biomass initiative.

Sports company PUMA and RE&UP Recycling Technologies have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to scale a fully circular textile solution, transforming textile waste into RE&UP’s Next-Gen Recycled Cotton Fibers and Recycled Polyester Chips.

Circularity is one of the focus areas of PUMA’s Vision 2030 sustainability goals and the company has already scaled up its RE:FIBRE textile-to-textile recycling program, producing millions of football jerseys made out of an increasing share of recycled textiles. RE&UP has become a key Next-Gen raw material partner in the RE:FIBRE program supporting PUMA’s ambition to reduce reliance on bottle-recycled polyester, enhancing true circularity while minimizing textile waste. Due to its previous success, this collaboration has now evolved into a broader global commitment to fully enabling circularity.

As part of the expansion, PUMA will introduce RE:FIBRE to the Americas, leveraging RE&UP’s recycled raw materials within its local supply chain. Both companies have a long-term commitment to scaling sustainable solutions in the textile industry. By 2030, PUMA aims to use 30% fiber-to-fiber recycled polyester fabric for its apparel products.

RE&UP’s revolutionary recycling technology is a key enabler of the circular transition of the industry, especially due to its unique capability to process diverse textile feedstocks, including post-consumer and post-industrial waste, as well as complex blended textiles like polycotton and polyester-elastane—materials, traditionally difficult to recycle. Powered with 100% renewable energy and leveraging advanced technologies such as decolorization processes, RE&UP sets a new benchmark for sustainable, low-impact recycled textile fibers.

CARBIOS, a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, announces the resignation of Philippe Pouletty from term of office as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director, as well as from his term of office as Chief Executive Officer, a position he had accepted on a transitional basis on 18 December 2024.
 
The Board of Directors has taken note of this decision and thanks Philippe Pouletty for his contribution to CARBIOS' development.

The Board of Directors has appointed Isabelle Parize as Chairwoman of the Board and Vincent Kamel as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.
 
Continuing the work already undertaken, Vincent Kamel will focus on successfully executing CARBIOS' strategic objectives, including securing the additional financing needed to build its PET biorecycling plant in Longlaville.

Isabelle Parize is CEO of DELSEY. Isabelle Parize began her career at Procter & Gamble, where she held strategic positions in marketing and brand management for 13 years. She then joined Henkel as Vice President EMEA. On the strength of this experience, she became head of Canal Sat, the French media group. She then pursued her career in the beauty sector, becoming President of the Managing Board of Nocibé, one of France's leading perfume retailers, in 2011. In 2015, she was appointed Managing Director of Douglas AG, a European perfume giant, where she steered the company's expansion and modernization.
 
In 2018, she took a new role as CEO of DELSEY. Between 2021 and 2025, she will continue to support the Group as President of its Supervisory Board. Isabelle Parize has served on Coty Inc.'s Board since 2020.
 
Isabelle Parize has been a member of the CARBIOS Board of Directors since 2022.
 
Vincent Kamel, with over 38 years' experience in the polymer and chemical industries, has held management positions in companies such as Rhône-Poulenc, Rhodia and Solvay, both in France and abroad (China, South Korea, Brazil), notably as General Manager of Solvay's polyamide division, Director of the Coatis business unit and Director for Asia in the engineering plastics sector.
 
Vincent Kamel has been involved in CARBIOS’ development since 2021 as a member of the company's Board of Directors, and since December 2024, as an advisor to CARBIOS’ executive management.

The winners of the PROSE AWARD 2025 were announced on 5th March 2025.
Roshan Paul and Thomas Gries from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University were honoured as category winners in Engineering and Technology for their book ‘Sustainable Innovations in the Textile Industry’.

Every year since 1976, the Association of American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence (PROSE Awards) have recognised authors, editors and publishers who have made significant advances in their respective fields with their groundbreaking works.

"The PROSE AWARD is one of the highest honours a book can ever achieve", enthuses Roshan Paul. "This award is a result of the synergistic team work with all the chapter authors and is a dream come true". Thomas Gries adds: "As part of the ITA Group International Centre for Sustainable Textiles, ITA has been conducting high-quality research on sustainable textiles for several years. The results from this research also form the basis for our book. This is how we live up to our claim 'Textile Innovations - Sustainable. Digital. Individual.’”

NEXT-STEP realizes a sustainable, safe, and affordable way to produce groundbreaking bio-based chemicals at a large scale. These innovative molecules will improve the sustainability and recyclability of Polyurethane products and Polylactic acid (PLA) co-polymers.

The project, coordinated by AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members and gathers 12 partners across Europe.

Scaling up sustainable and biodegradable materials is crucial for the future advancement of European industry. Currently, many bio-based alternatives struggle to compete with established fossil-based chemicals due to challenges in environmental, economic, and societal performance. To overcome this, NEXT-STEP aims to develop recyclable products from wood production residues for everyday applications. New biochemical materials will be developed for shoe soles and insulation materials for construction.

By reducing manufacturing costs and using second-generation feedstocks such as hardwood sugars produced from residues derived from sustainably managed forests, NEXT-STEP aims to develop a new chemical platform, 3-methyl-d-valerolactone (3MdVL) that will improve the sustainability and recyclability of polyurethane (PU) products and unlock new engineering plastic applications for polylactic acid (PLA) co-polymers. This initiative seeks to address environmental concerns while fostering the adoption of bio-based materials in various industries.

Thus, NEXT-STEP realizes a sustainable, safe, and affordable way to produce groundbreaking bio-based chemicals at a large scale.

This will be achieved through 6 specific objectives:

• Sourcing and process optimization for EU-based and sustainable feedstocks.
• Scale-up and demonstration of an innovative and resource-efficient process to produce aMVL.
• Scale-up resource-efficient catalytic processes to unlock the use of 3MdVL and 3MPD as bio-based platform chemicals.
• Commercially viable, safe and sustainable building blocks by design.
• Demonstrate the applicability of aMVL, 3MdVL and 3MPD as bio-based chemical platforms to produce bio-based products meeting market requirements.
• Definition of socially acceptable and competitive business and commercialization plan

12 partners from 8 countries
The project, coordinated by AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members and gathers 12 partners from 8 EU countries across the value chain have come together to work on the development of sustainable materials from feedstock to end-products. The consortium includes the footwear company Adidas, Fibenol, DBFZ, Quantis, Sapienza Università di Roma, Mevaldi, PDC Research Foundation, Ghent University, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Certech, and Altar.

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has successfully implemented a state-of-the-art Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology at its Mahachai plant in Thailand. The ZLD solution was designed and built by Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater treatment. This milestone project marks a major leap forward in water circularity, enabling the recovery of 90-95% of wastewater for reuse and the extraction of valuable minerals for industrial applications.

Archroma partnered with Gradiant to deploy a high-efficiency, membrane- and oxidation-based ZLD solution, reinforcing its commitment to responsible water management in the textile industry. Located in a water-stressed region near Bangkok, the Mahachai plant now serves as a model for sustainable textile dye production, significantly reducing reliance on local water supplies while improving environmental resilience.

As part of its broader sustainability endeavor, Archroma addresses critical challenges within the apparel and textile industry, particularly water consumption. “We believe in reducing water use in production and home laundering. We innovate to remove toxins and contaminants from our products, making wastewater treatment easier for our plants and customers,” said Dhirendra Gautam, VP Global Marketing and Strategy, Archroma. “Our goal is to require our plants to have effective water conservation facilities with special focus on water stressed areas, contributing to water conservation and helping to combat acute water scarcity worldwide.”

Since 2019, Archroma has evaluated various ZLD solutions to address growing water challenges in Thailand. Gradiant’s Counterflow Reverse Osmosis (CFRO) was selected as the preferred technology for its ability to treat diverse wastewater compositions with superior efficiency and minimal energy consumption. The modular system seamlessly integrates with the plant’s existing wastewater treatment infrastructure, maximizing desalination capacity and water recovery while reducing the plant’s environmental footprint.

In addition to CFRO, Gradiant’s Free Radical Oxidation (FRO) technology has been deployed to remove color and organics from the RO concentrate, ensuring safe discharge and meeting stringent environmental regulations. The system also enables the recovery of concentrated brine, which Archroma repurposes within the dyeing process or supplies to industry partners for applications such as resin regeneration and chlorine production, further promoting a circular economy in water and resource management.
Thailand faces mounting water stress due to climate change, extreme droughts, and aging infrastructure, making sustainable water management an urgent priority. By implementing Gradiant’s ZLD solution, Archroma significantly reduces its dependence on freshwater sources, ensuring long-term operational resilience in a resource-constrained environment.

This multi-million-dollar investment underscores Archroma’s dedication to water conservation and its broader mission to transform the textile industry through sustainable innovation. Beyond Thailand, Archroma continues to expand its ZLD initiatives globally, including its Sustainable Effluent Treatment (SET) plant in Jamshoro, Pakistan, which has been providing irrigation water to surrounding communities.

International technology group ANDRITZ has supplied and commissioned a reXline tearing system for Buitex, Semin Group, located in Cours, France. The new production line enables the company to expand textile waste recycling for sustainable insulation production.

Founded in 1895, Buitex is a French manufacturer of high-performance recycled products. As a pioneer in circular economy practices, Buitex transforms textile waste into high-performance insulation and comfort products. Since joining the Semin Group in 2023, the company has operated a 20,000 m² production site equipped with six production lines and has become one of Europe’s major players in the circular economy.

This second ANDRITZ tearing line at Buitex increases the company’s recycling capacity while maintaining high fiber purity, thanks to an advanced hard-point removal system. The latest-generation cyclone technology further improves disruptor sorting, enhancing overall efficiency. The system can process up to an additional 2.5 tons of fiber per hour, enabling the production of recycled fibers for applications such as bedding, construction, and automotive insulation.

"It is crucial for us to make the building insulation industry more sustainable by giving new life to post-consumer clothes that would otherwise be incinerated or end up in landfills. The European market has abundant raw materials and a strong demand for sustainable insulation products. With this new line, ANDRITZ enables us to significantly enhance our recycling capabilities,” says Adam Adamowicz, CEO of Buitex.