From the Sector

eVent^®️ Fabrics, a global leader in waterproof and breathable laminates, announced the hiring of three key team members to assist with growing demand for the brand’s expanding line of performance laminates and recent expansion into the South Korean market. Founded in 1999, the company impressed the industry with the first air-permeable 100% waterproof membrane and continues to innovate with sustainable, high-performance textiles. eVent is globally recognized for its breathable waterproof solutions and commitment to reliable, high-performance laminates.

Recent hires include Bartosz Lassak to the US sales team and Xie Yi to engineer the next generation of eVent textiles. For the recent expansion into Korea, Terry Kim will assist as eVent’s Korean Market Consultant.

eVent’s recent expansion into the Korean market includes a new strategic partnership with GEO International Co., LTD, a leading Korean company in the textile industry. This collaboration will introduce eVent’s high-performance waterproof breathable laminate solutions for apparel, footwear, and accessories to the Korean market, catering to the increasing demand for premium outdoor and performance apparel.

eVent’s newest team members include:

Bartosz Lassak – Senior Sales Manager
Based in Washington D.C., Bartosz is a Senior Sales Manager for the Eastern U.S. region and will help expand eVent’s sales footprint as new customers are added to the eVent portfolio. Bartosz brings 20 years of global industry experience and has a deep knowledge of outerwear materials, end use applications, and component brand sales. Most recently, Bartosz was a Territory Sales and Marketing Manager for Primaloft, managing ingredient brand distribution in the UK, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, Turkey, and North America.
 
Xie Yi – Textile Engineer
Having recently graduated with a double Master’s Degree in Textile Materials and Product Design from the highly regarded Donghua University, Xie joins the eVent team full time as a Textile Engineer. Xie will be integral as eVent continues to enhance product strategy and new product introductions. Throughout her academic career, Xie worked as a Production Assistant for Oya Jacquard Belt limited and a Research and Development Assistant at Atelier LUMA.

Terry Kim – Senior Consultant in Korea
Terry will support the expansion of eVent’s global footprint into Korean markets and assist with marketing efforts in the Korean market as well. Terry has significant experience in the industry including 20 years working in roles such as Sales Director and New Business Development Director in his time at Gore-Tex. In his most recent role, Terry was the Managing Director of Fabric Division for Gore-Tex.

The Levi’s® brand announced a new campaign with global icon Beyoncé. Following the release of “LEVII’S JEANS” — a track from “COWBOY CARTER,” the critically acclaimed album exploring and redefining Americana — Beyoncé steps into the role of protagonist in “REIIMAGINE,” a campaign inspired by the legacy of the Levi’s® brand and the forward-thinking vision of one of the most influential figures of modern culture, reaffirming the brand’s enduring place at the center of culture.
 
Drawing inspiration from Beyoncé’s innovative approach to art, culture and storytelling, the campaign reimagines classic Levi’s® looks and films. In a series of chapters, the new campaign reinterprets several of the Levi’s® brand’s most iconic advertisements, bringing them into the modern era through the transformative vision of celebrated filmmaker Melina Matsoukas. The first film — inspired by “Launderette,” the 1985 ad that famously reignited “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” on the Billboard charts — places Beyoncé center stage and celebrates the Levi’s® brand’s heritage as a canvas for self-expression, worn by changemakers and icons alike.
 
The fully integrated campaign — which will include television, out-of-home, digital, social media, print, brand activations and exclusive products — kicked off with digital projections in key markets like San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Paris, London and Berlin, creating buzz and giving fans a sneak peek into the campaign to come. On September 30, high-impact out-of-home is launching around the world to inaugurate the Levi’s® and Beyoncé campaign.

As of October 1, 2024, Dr. Christian Rink will take over the position of global CFO of the CHT Group held by Prof. Dr. Klaus Müller on an interim basis. In this role, he will be responsible for Finance & Controlling, Information Technology, Digitalization, Compliance Management and Project Management. From now on, Dr. Christian Rink will form the Management Board together with CEO Eva Baumann.

Dr. Rink has gained extensive experience in various functions within the Bosch Group, where he held management positions in Logistics and Finance & Controlling. Among other things, he was Commercial Head Asia Pacific for the Bosch Home Comfort Group in Shanghai, China, and most recently Vice President Finance and Controlling of the Business Unit Electric Solutions which was responsible for building up the Bosch Group's heat pump business.

The Bavarian specialist for viscose fibres, Kelheim Fibres, is reinforcing its commitment to the "Roadmap to Zero" initiative of the non-profit organization ZDHC, which aims to eliminate hazardous substances throughout the entire textile value chain.

In this context, Kelheim Fibres has recently successfully completed the ZDHC MMCF Guideline module, achieving the highest level, "Aspirational." This module, established in 2024, assesses manufacturers of Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) for their compliance with the guideline through independent third-party audits.

Advanced environmental management is the foundation of this success, with a particular focus on reducing water and air pollution in the MMCF production process and improving chemical recovery.

Theresa Schreiner, Environmental Engineer at Kelheim Fibres, said: " Achieving the highest level, 'Aspirational,' in the ZDHC MMCF Module right from the start confirms that we are on the right path toward an even more sustainable, eco-friendly viscose fibre. Our efforts and investments over the past years are bearing fruit and can be substantiated with concrete data. As part of our environmental management system EMAS, we continue our work to continuously improve our environmental performance and to maintain our leading role in eco-friendly fibre production in the future."

A collaboration that unites Monforts’ dyeing and finishing equipment, BW Converting’s Baldwin TexCoat G4™ digital spray technology and Archroma’s chemistries towards sustainable solutions is charting the course for the future of sustainable textile finishing.

Together, the three companies will support dyeing and finishing manufacturers, a critical part of the textile supply chain, in their development projects, boosting the quality and performance of their finished products, while at the same time maximizing the productivity and resource utilization of the finishing application process.  

Kicking off the partnership in the second half of this year, Monforts will install BW Converting’s full-width Baldwin TexCoat digital spray unit on a stenter frame at its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) at its headquarters in Mönchengladbach, Germany.

“Our ATC already houses two full Montex stenter finishing lines engineered to accommodate an extremely diverse range of processes, in addition to a Thermex range for the continuous dyeing of denim and other woven fabrics, a full color kitchen and a number of lab-scale systems for smaller batch trials,” explained Monforts Junior Technologist Saskia Kuhlen. “It enables our customers to test their own textiles and technical fabrics under fully confidential, real production conditions and using the results from these trials we are also able to make recommendations for improving many fabric finishes. The new TexCoat installation will make an important contribution to what we can achieve.”
 
TexCoat G4 revolutionizes the traditional water- and energy-intensive pad-dry-cure finishing process by precisely applying chemistry including softeners, antimicrobials, durable water repellents, flame retardants, resins and most other water-based chemicals across the textile surface only where it is required, on one or both sides of the fabric. The system can therefore reduce water, chemistry and energy consumption by up to 50% compared to traditional pad application processes.

The TexCoat G4 installation brings together the surface functions, fabric transport and thermal processing technology of Monforts stenter frames with Archroma’s specialty chemicals, applied with TexCoat’s contactless precision, to achieve optimum absorption and maximum efficacy, exceeding the performance of traditional pad applications.

“Archroma’s commitment to advancing sustainability solutions for technical textiles has led to a pivotal partnership with Baldwin, where the benefits of contactless precision spray combined with our innovative solutions have helped textile manufacturers achieve greater energy and water savings,” said Michael Schuhmann, Global Marketing Segment Manager for Technical Textiles, Archroma Textile Effects. “We are thrilled to take the partnership to the next level with the integration of a renowned equipment expert. Together, we will bring the best of our expertise in sustainable technologies to our customers around the world.”

“Baldwin has enjoyed a great relationship with Monforts and Archroma over the last few years,” added Rick Stanford, Baldwin’s Vice-President of Business Development for Textiles “Individually, we are working hard to assist our customers to achieve their sustainability and environmental targets but this is the first time the three companies have committed to working together with a focus on bringing transformative change to the dyeing and finishing space. It will result in significantly lower energy, chemical and water consumption with increased productivity and higher quality.  We strongly believe that this partnership will be greater than the sum of its parts.”

Beyond textile finishing, Monforts, Baldwin and Archroma will work together to develop a versatile offering that will include coloration concepts and in the not-too-distant future the partners additionally plan to expand their collaboration to continuous spray dye applications developed by Baldwin.

International technology group ANDRITZ supplied and recently commissioned a tearing line at Sealy Australia’s mattress manufacturing plant in Brisbane. Versatile technology enables Sealy to recycle post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste in one line.

Sealy is a leading Australian manufacturer of high-quality mattresses, producing 1,000 mattresses per day at its Brisbane plant. To replace some of the virgin fiber feedstock with more sustainable recycled fibers, the company installed an ANDRITZ tearing line at the plant.

The ANDRITZ reXline tearing can process up to 1,200 kg/h of cotton denim waste and up to 800 kg/h of quilt waste. The 6-cylinder Exel module allows flexible switching between the two types of material. The combination of the reXline and the ANDRITZ airfelt line, which has been in operation at the Brisbane plant since 2008, enables Sealy to process large amounts of waste into new mattresses ready for sale around the world.

“With our new line, we are taking a significant step towards circularity by making new mattresses from textile waste that would otherwise be burnt or landfilled,” says Shaun Guest, Fiber Plant Factory Manager of Sealy Australia.”

INDA, the Association of the Nonwovens Industry, based in Cary, North Carolina, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, have announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) in Rome to explore a strategic alliance. This marks a significant step toward leveraging their combined expertise and resources to address global challenges and drive new opportunities in the nonwovens industry.

As the nonwovens industry evolves, both associations recognize the need for a unified approach to navigate complex international markets. The potential alliance aims to deliver several key benefits:

1. Enhance the scope and value to Members: The increased integration of resources will enable both organizations to deliver greater value to members, offering an expanded range of educational programs, enhanced networking opportunities, and access to a wider breadth of industry insights.
2. Joint Advocacy and Representation: The alliance will amplify both organizations' collective voice, enhancing their ability to advocate for members' interests at local, regional, and global levels, ensuring that their needs and concerns are effectively addressed.
3. Operational Synergies: The alliance will create efficiencies, strengthen the collective talent pool, and optimize the use of financial resources to better support member and industry initiatives.
4. Innovation and Growth: The alliance will drive joint initiatives and projects that foster innovation, enhance industry leadership, and support the long-term growth and sustainability of the nonwovens industry.

The organizations will conduct a thorough due diligence process over the coming months to evaluate the strategic benefits and operational efficiencies of a potential alliance. Both associations remain dedicated to advancing their members’ interests and exploring new growth avenues within the nonwovens industry.

“This Letter of Intent underscores our commitment in exploring how we can better serve the nonwovens community and tackle industry’s evolving challenges,” said Murat Dogru, General Manager of EDANA. “Our purpose is to ensure that our members are well-positioned to thrive in a dynamic global environment. Reflecting on the Treaty of Rome signed decades ago, we hope that the signing of this Letter of Intent in Rome will pave the way for even greater achievements.”

INDA President & CEO Tony Fragnito added, “This potential alliance represents an opportunity to combine our strengths while openly engaging on the global issues affecting the industry. Better coordination will enhance our ability to serve the industry and our members while retaining our regionally focused support and representation.”

CARBIOS, a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, and SELENIS, a leading supplier of high-quality specialty polyester solutions, have signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate in the production of PETG. By leveraging CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization technology and Selenis’ expertise in polymerization, the companies aim to develop a premium, sustainable PETG material made from PET waste for the Cosmetic and Healthcare packaging sectors across Europe and the U.S. This partnership follows a two-year collaboration between the two companies and represents a significant advancement in the plastic recycling industry.

PETG is an indispensable packaging material in both the cosmetics and healthcare industries due to its exceptional clarity, durability, mechanical and chemical resistance. CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization solution breaks down all types of PET waste into PTA and MEG monomers, which are then transformed into PETG through Selenis’ advanced polymerization processes. Thanks to the purity of these monomers, PETG issued from biorecycling presents the same properties as virgin PETG, allowing for products packaged in thick, molded pots and lids to be protected and presented attractively. In the medical and pharmaceutical industries, PETG properties are also critical for guaranteeing top packaging performance, sterility, transparency and optical brightness, making it an ideal choice for complex medical device packaging, pharmaceuticals blisters, or any other packaging of diagnostic equipment. The material’s value is therefore further underscored by combining a sustainable recycling solution whilst guaranteeing all needed properties, aligning with consumer sustainability demands and stringent regulatory requirements.

CARBIOS and Selenis’ partnership is the result of extensive pilot and industrial polymerization trials that have refined the quality of the end product. The result is high-specialty PETG grades issued from biorecycling that meet the strict requirements of sectors like cosmetics and healthcare, where Selenis has a strong presence through its Selcare brand.

Dow has announced the launch of DOWSIL™ IE-9100 Emulsion for durable water repellent (DWR) finishing, the latest addition to the Dow Ecolibrium™ Brand portfolio, as a product for high-performing water repellent fabrics.

An 81% bio-based silicone-organic hybrid formulation honored with both the R&D 100 Award and the SEAL Sustainable Product Award, DOWSIL™ IE-9100 Emulsion is designed to match the water repellency performance of fluoro-containing emulsions, making it a good option for high-performance outerwear fabrics, including athleticwear, outdoor garments and equipment, personal protective equipment, and footwear.

DOWSIL™ IE-9100 Emulsion offers formulators and brand owners key performance advantages expected of performance apparel and technical textiles, including the ability to tailor the level of water repellency to match the specific end-use needs. It also boasts excellent water-based stain protection and color fastness as well as good tape adhesion and logo printability. It can be applied across a wide range of fibers, both natural and synthetic, and helps maintain the breathability of fabrics and membranes to maximize comfort. Additionally, it is compatible with standard manufacturing processes, allowing for ease of use for finishing mills and is certified OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT.

On October 10th at 10 a.m. CEST / 4 p.m. CST, Isabelle Riff, along with Yusuke Kuwana and Jacob Milne, Dow Scientist, Textiles, will present the specifics of this new product during a dedicated webinar titled “Advancing textiles’ durable water repellency with silicone hybrid, bio-based technology.”

Haelixa has partnered with Italian fashion brand OVS for the second consecutive year. This collaboration aims to mark and trace cotton grown in Italy, ensuring trust throughout the supply chain.

Haelixa has integrated its DNA markers into the existing operations for OVS's cotton. The cotton is grown in Italy and marked with the DNA markers at the gin, close to the farm. The fibers are tested during the entire manufacturing process, ensuring that the cotton used in this OVS collection is ethically and sustainably sourced. This partnership is a testament to their commitment to promoting responsible and transparent practices in the fashion industry, providing customers with the assurance of the cotton's origin.

Traceability has become crucial in the fashion industry, with consumers demanding more information about the products they purchase. By partnering with Haelixa, OVS continues to meet this demand and set a new standard for cotton in the industry. This alliance will benefit customers and the farmers in Italy, giving them fair recognition for their work.

Simone Colombo, Head of Corporate Sustainability, says, “In 2024, we have continued with Swiss DNA Traceability supplier Haelixa in marking and tracing our OVS Cotone Italiano for the second year. Our goal is to approach 5% of our cotton requirements from cultivation in Italy within a few years.”

The collaboration between Haelixa and OVS has boosted the transparency of their supply chain. With the help of traceability provided by Haelixa, OVS is working towards improving its products' social and environmental impacts. OVS is firmly committed to sustainable and ethical practices and aspires to enhance its operations yearly. The partnership with Haelixa is a testament to their dedication to improving traceability in the fashion industry.