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Photo: © Fraunhofer IPMS. A quick check with a smartphone, and the integrated spectrum analyzer recognizes the fabric the garment is made from.

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10.10.2023

Checking clothing using a smartphone, AI and infrared spectroscopy

Researchers at Fraunhofer have developed an ultra-compact near-infrared spectrometer suitable for recognizing and analyzing textiles. Mixed fabrics can also be reliably identified through the combination of imaging, special AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms and spectroscopy. The technology could be used to optimize recycling old clothing, so old apparel could be sorted according to type. A highly miniaturized version of the system can even fit into a smartphone. This could lead to a host of new applications for end-users in everyday life — from checking clothes when out shopping to detecting counterfeits.

Infrared spectrometers are powerful measuring instruments when it comes to non-destructive analysis of organic materials. The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden has recently developed a spectral analyzer system that recognizes and analyzes textile fabrics. The system can also reliably recognize mixed fabrics. Possible applications range from checking fabrics when out shopping to cleaning garments correctly, and even sustainable, sorted recycling. The spectrometer is so tiny, it can be integrated into a smartphone.

Researchers at Fraunhofer rely on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to achieve the required reliability and accuracy when identifying textiles. The system works for wavelengths between 950 and 1900 nanometers, which is close to the visible spectrum. Advantages of near-infrared technology include being easy to use and having a wide range of applications. “We combine NIR spectroscopy with imaging and AI to achieve higher accuracy when recognizing and analyzing objects,” explains Dr. Heinrich Grüger, research scientist in the Sensoric Micromodules department at Fraunhofer IPMS.

How textile analysis works
Firstly, a conventional camera module captures an image of the garment. The AI selects a specific point from the fabric’s image data to be examined by the spectral analyzer module. Light reflected from the fabric is captured by the spectrometer module. There, it passes through an entrance slit, is transformed into parallel light beams using a collimating mirror and projected onto a grating using a scanning mirror. Depending on the angle of incidence and exit, the grating splits the light beams into different wavelengths. Light reflected from the grating is directed by the scanner mirror to a detector which captures the light as an electrical signal. An A/D converter then digitizes these signals, which are subsequently analyzed in the signal processor. The resulting spectrometric profile for the textile fabric reveals which fibers it is made from by comparing to a reference database.“ The optical resolution is 10 nanometers. This high resolution means the NIR spectrometer can also use AI to identify mixed fabrics such as items of clothing made from polyester and cotton,” says Grüger. Measuring just 10 mm × 10 mm and being 6.5 mm thick, the system is so compact it could easily be integrated into a standard smartphone.

Recycling old clothing
Grüger sees an important application for the AI-controlled spectrometer when it comes to recycling. According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, approximately 176,200 tons of textile and clothing waste was collected from private homes in Germany in 2021. NIR spectroscopy could improve recycling efficiency and reduce the mountain of old clothing. This would enable companies that recycle old clothing to sort it more efficiently and faster. Textiles that are still in one piece, for instance, go to the second-hand trade. Damaged textiles are sorted for recycling, and the fibers they are made from, such as linen, silk, cotton or lyocell, can be reused. Severely soiled textiles would be incinerated or processed into insulation mats, for example. Spectroscopic identifies and sorts textiles more accurately and much faster than a human can.

If NIR spectroscopy was to be integrated into a smartphone, end-users might also benefit from the Fraunhofer institute’s technology. When buying clothes, a quick check with a smartphone reveals whether that expensive silk scarf is genuinely made from silk, or whether that exclusive dress from the fashion label is not instead a counterfeit, exposed through an alternative mix of fabrics. And should the label with the cleaning instructions no longer be legible, the smartphone has a textile scanner to identify the fabric and so determine the appropriate wash cycle.

Food check and dermatology
Researchers at Fraunhofer IPMS can even envisage applications beyond the textile industry. Smartphones fitted with spectrometers might be used to provide information about the quality of groceries such as fruit and vegetables when out shopping. The technology might conceivably also be used to examine skin. A quick scan with the cell phone spectrometer could identify particularly dry or greasy patches. Perhaps applications in medical diagnostics might even be conceivable — examining patches of skin where a melanoma is suspected, for example — but this would need professional involvement too.

More information:
Fraunhofer-Institute Fraunhofer AR textile recycling

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Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems

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$A cotton knit fabric dyed blue and washed 10 times to simulate worn garments is enzymatically degraded to a slurry of fine fibers and "blue glucose" syrup that are separated by filtration - both of these separated fractions have potential recycle value.$ A cotton knit fabric dyed blue and washed 10 times to simulate worn garments is enzymatically degraded to a slurry of fine fibers and "blue glucose" syrup that are separated by filtration - both of these separated fractions have potential recycle value. Credit: Sonja Salmon.

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11.04.2023

Researchers Separate Cotton from Polyester in Blended Fabric

In a new study, North Carolina State University researchers found they could separate blended cotton and polyester fabric using enzymes – nature’s tools for speeding chemical reactions. Ultimately, they hope their findings will lead to a more efficient way to recycle the fabric’s component materials, thereby reducing textile waste. However, they also found the process need more steps if the blended fabric was dyed or treated with chemicals that increase wrinkle resistance.

“We can separate all of the cotton out of a cotton-polyester blend, meaning now we have clean polyester that can be recycled,” said the study’s corresponding author Sonja Salmon, associate professor of textile engineering, chemistry and science at NC State. “In a landfill, the polyester is not going to degrade, and the cotton might take several months or more to break down. Using our method, we can separate the cotton from polyester in less than 48 hours.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, consumers throw approximately 11 million tons of textile waste into U.S. landfills each year. Researchers wanted to develop a method of separating the cotton from the polyester so each component material could be recycled.

In the study, researchers used a “cocktail” of enzymes in a mildly acidic solution to chop up cellulose in cotton. Cellulose is the material that gives structure to plants’ cell walls. The idea is to chop up the cellulose so it will “fall out” out of the blended woven structure, leaving some tiny cotton fiber fragments remaining, along with glucose. Glucose is the biodegradable byproduct of degraded cellulose. Then, their process involves washing away the glucose and filtering out the cotton fiber fragments, leaving clean polyester.

“This is a mild process – the treatment is slightly acidic, like using vinegar,” Salmon said. “We also ran it at 50 degrees Celsius, which is like the temperature of a hot washing machine.
“It’s quite promising that we can separate the polyester to a clean level,” Salmon added. “We still have some more work to do to characterize the polyester’s properties, but we think they will be very good because the conditions are so mild. We’re just adding enzymes that ignore the polyester.”

They compared degradation of 100% cotton fabric to degradation of cotton and polyester blends, and also tested fabric that was dyed with red and blue reactive dyes and treated with durable press chemicals. In order to break down the dyed materials, the researchers had to increase the amount of time and enzymes used. For fabrics treated with durable press chemicals, they had to use a chemical pre-treatment before adding the enzymes.

“The dye that you choose has a big impact on the potential degradation of the fabric,” said the study’s lead author Jeannie Egan, a graduate student at NC State. “Also, we found the biggest obstacle so far is the wrinkle-resistant finish. The chemistry behind that creates a significant block for the enzyme to access the cellulose. Without pre-treating it, we achieved less than 10% degradation, but after, with two enzyme doses, we were able to fully degrade it, which was a really exciting result.”

Researchers said the polyester could be recycled, while the slurry of cotton fragments could be valuable as an additive for paper or useful addition to composite materials. They’re also investigating whether the glucose could be used to make biofuels.

“The slurry is made of residual cotton fragments that resist a very powerful enzymatic degradation,” Salmon said. “It has potential value as a strengthening agent. For the glucose syrup, we’re collaborating on a project to see if we can feed it into an anaerobic digester to make biofuel. We’d be taking waste and turning it into bioenergy, which would be much better than throwing it into a landfill.”

The study, “Enzymatic textile fiber separation for sustainable waste processing,” was published in Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Co-authors included Siyan Wang, Jialong Shen, Oliver Baars and Geoffrey Moxley. Funding was provided by the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, Kaneka Corporation and the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science at NC State.

More information:
cotton blended fabric polyester enzymatic North Carolina State University Wilson College

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North Carolina State University, Laura Oleniacz

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In the future, one will be able to use their phone to read the clothing woven-in labels made with inexpensive photonic fibers.

(c) Marcin Szczepanski/Lead Multimedia Storyteller, University of Michigan College of Engineering. In the future, one will be able to use their phone to read the clothing woven-in labels made with inexpensive photonic fibers.

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15.02.2023

The new butterfly effect: A ‘game changer’ for clothing recycling?

Photonic fibers borrow from butterfly wings to enable invisible, indelible sorting labels

Less than 15% of the 92 million tons of clothing and other textiles discarded annually are recycled—in part because they are so difficult to sort. Woven-in labels made with inexpensive photonic fibers, developed by a University of Michigan-led team, could change that.

“It’s like a barcode that’s woven directly into the fabric of a garment,” said Max Shtein, U-M professor of materials science and engineering and corresponding author of the study in Advanced Materials Technologies. “We can customize the photonic properties of the fibers to make them visible to the naked eye, readable only under near-infrared light or any combination.”

Photonic fibers borrow from butterfly wings to enable invisible, indelible sorting labels

Ordinary tags often don’t make it to the end of a garment’s life—they may be cut away or washed until illegible, and tagless information can wear off. Recycling could be more effective if a tag was woven into the fabric, invisible until it needs to be read. This is what the new fiber could do.

Recyclers already use near-infrared sorting systems that identify different materials according to their naturally occurring optical signatures—the PET plastic in a water bottle, for example, looks different under near-infrared light than the HDPE plastic in a milk jug. Different fabrics also have different optical signatures, but Brian Iezzi, a postdoctoral researcher in Shtein’s lab and lead author of the study, explains that those signatures are of limited use to recyclers because of the prevalence of blended fabrics.

“For a truly circular recycling system to work, it’s important to know the precise composition of a fabric—a cotton recycler doesn’t want to pay for a garment that’s made of 70% polyester,” Iezzi said. “Natural optical signatures can’t provide that level of precision, but our photonic fibers can.”

The team developed the technology by combining Iezzi and Shtein’s photonic expertise—usually applied to products like displays, solar cells and optical filters—with the advanced textile capabilities at MIT’s Lincoln Lab. The lab worked to incorporate the photonic properties into a process that would be compatible with large-scale production.

They accomplished the task by starting with a preform—a plastic feedstock that comprises dozens of alternating layers. In this case, they used acrylic and polycarbonate. While each individual layer is clear, the combination of two materials bends and refracts light to create optical effects that can look like color. It’s the same basic phenomenon that gives butterfly wings their shimmer.

The preform is heated and then mechanically pulled—a bit like taffy—into a hair-thin strand of fiber. While the manufacturing process method differs from the extrusion technique used to make conventional synthetic fibers like polyester, it can produce the same miles-long strands of fiber. Those strands can then be processed with the same equipment already used by textile makers.

By adjusting the mix of materials and the speed at which the preform is pulled, the researchers tuned the fiber to create the desired optical properties and ensure recyclability. While the photonic fiber is more expensive than traditional textiles, the researchers estimate that it will only result in a small increase in the cost of finished goods.

“The photonic fibers only need to make up a small percentage—as little as 1% of a finished garment,” Iezzi said. “That might increase the cost of the finished product by around 25 cents—similar to the cost of those use-and-care tags we’re all familiar with.”

Shtein says that in addition to making recycling easier, the photonic labeling could be used to tell consumers where and how goods are made, and even to verify the authenticity of brand-name products. It could be a way to add important value for customers.

“As electronic devices like cell phones become more sophisticated, they could potentially have the ability to read this kind of photonic labeling,” Shtein said. “So I could imagine a future where woven-in labels are a useful feature for consumers as well as recyclers.”

The team has applied for patent protection and is evaluating ways to move forward with the commercialization of the technology.
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

More information:
clothing textile recycling Fibers photonic fibers Labeling

Source:

Gabe Cherry, College of Engineering, University of Michigan / Textination

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10.01.2023

Fraunhofer: Optimized production of nonwoven masks

Producing infection control clothing requires a lot of energy and uses lots of material resources. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a technology which helps to save materials and energy when producing nonwovens. A digital twin controls key manufacturing process parameters on the basis of mathematical modeling. As well as improving mask manufacturing, the ProQuIV solution can also be used to optimize the production parameters for other applications involving these versatile technical textiles, enabling manufacturers to respond flexibly to customer requests and changes in the market.

Nonwoven infection control masks were being used in their millions even before the COVID-19 pandemic and are regarded as simple mass-produced items. Nevertheless, the manufacturing process used to make them needs to meet strict requirements regarding precision and reliability. According to DIN (the German Institute for Standardization), the nonwoven in the mask must filter out at least 94 percent of the aerosols in the case of the FFP-2 mask and 99 percent in the case of the FFP-3 version. At the same time, the mask must let enough air through to ensure that the wearer can still breathe properly. Many manufacturers are looking for ways to optimize the manufacturing process. Furthermore, production needs to be made more flexible so that companies are able to process and deliver versatile nonwovens for a wide range of different applications and sectors.

ProQuIV, the solution developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM in Kaiserslautern, fulfills both of these aims. The abbreviation “ProQuIV” stands for “Production and Quality Optimization of Nonwoven Infection Control Clothing” (Produktions- und Qualitätsoptimierung von Infektionsschutzkleidung aus Vliesstoffen). The basic idea is that manufacturing process parameters are characterized with regard to their impact on the uniformity of the nonwoven, and this impact is then linked to properties of the end product; for example, a protective mask. This model chain links all relevant parameters to an image analysis and creates a digital twin of the production process. The digital twin enables real-time monitoring and automatic control of nonwoven manufacturing and thus makes it possible to harness potential for optimization.

Dr. Ralf Kirsch, who works in the Flow and Material Simulation department and heads up the Filtration and Separation team, explains: “With ProQuIV, the manufacturers need less material overall, and they save energy. And the quality of the end product is guaranteed at all times.”

Nonwoven manufacturing with heat and air flow
Nonwovens for filtration applications are manufactured in what is known as the
meltblown process. This involves melting down plastics such as polypropylene and forcing them through nozzles so they come out in the form of threads referred to as filaments. The filaments are picked up on two sides by air flows which carry them forward almost at the speed of sound and swirl them around before depositing them on a collection belt. This makes the filaments even thinner: By the end of the process, their thickness is in the micrometer or even submicrometer range. They are then cooled, and binding agents are added in order to create the nonwoven. The more effectively the temperature, air speed and belt speed are coordinated with each other, the more uniform the distribution of the fibers at the end and therefore the more homogeneous the material will appear when examined under a transmitted light microscope. Lighter and darker areas can thereby be identified — this is referred to by experts as cloudiness. The Fraunhofer team has developed a method to measure a cloudiness index on the basis of image data. The light areas have a low fiber volume ratio, which means that they are less dense and have a lower filtration rate. Darker areas have a higher fiber volume and therefore a higher filtration rate. On the other hand, the higher air flow resistance in these areas means that they filter a smaller proportion of the air that is breathed in. A larger proportion of the air flows through the more open areas which have a less effective filtration effect.

Production process with real-time control
In the case of ProQuIV, the transmitted light images from the microscope are used to calibrate the models prior to use. The experts analyze the current condition of the textile sample and use this information to draw conclusions about how to optimize the system — for example, by increasing the temperature, reducing the belt speed or adjusting the strength of the air flows. “One of the key aims of our research project was to link central parameters such as filtration rate, flow resistance and cloudiness of a material with each other and to use this basis to generate a method which models all of the variables in the production process mathematically,” says Kirsch. The digital twin monitors and controls the ongoing production process in real time. If the system deviates slightly from where it should be — for example, if the temperature is too high — the settings are corrected automatically within seconds.

Fast and efficient manufacturing
“This means that it is not necessary to interrupt production, take material samples and readjust the machines. Once the models have been calibrated, the manufacturer can be confident that the nonwoven coming off the belt complies with the specifications and quality standards,” explains Kirsch. ProQuIV makes production much more efficient — there is less material waste, and the energy consumption is also reduced. Another advantage is that it allows manufacturers to develop new nonwoven-based products quickly — all they have to do is change the target specifications in the modeling and adjust the parameters. This enables production companies to respond flexibly to customer requests or market trends.

This might sound logical but can be quite complex when it comes to development. The way that the values for filtration performance and flow resistance increase, for example, is not linear at all, and they are not proportional to the fiber volume ratio either. This means that doubling the filament density does not result in double the filtration performance and flow resistance — the relationship between the parameters is much more complex than that. “This is precisely why the mathematical modeling is so important. It helps us to understand the complex relationship between the individual process parameters,” says ITWM researcher Kirsch. The researchers are able to draw on their extensive expertise in simulation and modeling for this work.

More applications are possible
The next step for the Fraunhofer team is to reduce the breathing resistance of the nonwovens for the wearer without impairing the protective effect. This is made possible by electrically charging the fibers and employing a principle similar to that of a feather duster. The electric charge causes the textile fabric to attract the tiniest of particles which could otherwise slip through the pores. For this purpose, the strength of the electrostatic charge is integrated into the modeling as a parameter.

The Fraunhofer researchers’ plans for the application of this method extend far beyond masks and air filters. Their technology is generally applicable to the production of nonwovens — for example, it can also be used in materials for the filtration of liquids. Furthermore, ProQuIV methods can be used to optimize the manufacture of nonwovens used in sound-insulating applications.

Photo Freudenberg Performance Materials

More information:
nonwovens meltblown nonwovens ffp2 face masks Fraunhofer ITWM

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Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM

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Graphic: Pixabay

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12.01.2021

East German Textile and Clothing Industry recorded a significant Drop in Sales in 2020

vti calls on health textiles purchasers to place more orders with domestic manufacturers
East German textile and clothing industry faces the Covid-19 crises with new ideas and products
Clothing sector more affected than the textile sector

vti calls on health textiles purchasers to place more orders with domestic manufacturers
East German textile and clothing industry faces the Covid-19 crises with new ideas and products
Clothing sector more affected than the textile sector

The Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry (vti) calls on decision-makers in politics and authorities as well as in clinics and long-term care to order far more health protection textiles from local manufacturers than before. "That would be a logical step towards future-oriented, sustainable business - and furthermore in an exceptionally tough crisis situation. We are happy to arrange appropriate contacts with our companies," emphasized Dr.-Ing. Jenz Otto, Managing Director of the Chemnitz-based industry association, during an online press conference on January 8, 2021. “We don't understand the buying resistance concerning health textiles, even though the demand is huge. It is just as incomprehensible why there are still no noteworthy orders from authorities. In spring, the German federal government had already announced to provide 1 billion Euro with its economic stimulus package for national epidemic reserves for personal protective equipment. The federal states also had to take action in this regard and stock up. We urgently await the long-announced tenders for equipping the pandemic reserve stock. It is important that the purchase price is not the only measure of all things. Rather, criteria such as standard-compliant quality, traceable supply chains, the possibility of needs-based reorders and the multiple use of textiles are decisive for the safety of the population.”

When supply chains worldwide collapsed at the beginning of 2020, both authorities and many care and health facilities turned to textile companies for help. Many manufacturers launched both everyday masks and protective textiles that could be used in healthcare at short notice.
"These include highly effective bacteria and virus-repellent reusable products that enable effective textile management in the healthcare sector and at the same time prevent the piles of single-use waste from growing there," explained vti chairman Thomas Lindner, managing director of Strumpfwerk Lindner GmbH, Hohenstein-Ernstthal: “When the cheap imports from Asia reinstated, however, the interest decreased significantly. Nevertheless, numerous companies have continued to invest in new technology and aligned their production accordingly. For example, completely new production lines of face masks have been set up at several locations. Do not forget: The very expensive test procedures for medical and health textiles are a major challenge for us, the medium-sized businesses. In addition, there are still too few accredited test and certification bodies in Germany.” The fact that the companies were able to adapt to the new requirements at this rapid pace was primarily possible, because around 30 local companies and research institutes have been part of the health textiles network "health.textil", which is controlled by the vti and supported by the Free State of Saxony, for several years now. This alliance cooperates closely with practice partners such as the University Clinic of Dresden and the Elbland Clinics in Meißen. Nowadays it has expanded their activities to their neighbouring industry, research and application partner in Czech Republic. www.healthtextil.de

CO₂ taxation puts medium-sized companies at a competitive disadvantage
Concerning the permanently relevant topic energy transition in Germany, vti General Manager Dr.-Ing. Jenz Otto points out that the economic framework conditions for medium-sized producers will continue to worsen with the introduction of the CO₂ taxation in the midst of the current crisis. “The financial resources to be used for this will then be lacking for investments in innovative products and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. Furthermore, our companies suffer significant competitive disadvantages compared to foreign competitors.” Björn-Olaf Dröge, managing director of the textile finishing company pro4tex GmbH, Niederfrohna, with around 100 employees, reported that the tax to be paid by his company for renewable energies adds up to around a quarter of a million euros annually. “Now the CO₂ taxation for our natural gas consumption comes on top of that. For 2021 we anticipate an additional burden of almost 70,000 Euros.”

vti about the current situation in the East German industry
The East German textile and clothing industry recorded a significant loss in sales already in 2019. This trend has continued in 2020 being reinforced by the Covid-19 crises. Based on preliminary estimates, the vti assumes that the total turnover of the industry will be more than 11 percent below the previous year at the end of 2020, where the clothing sector is affected far more than the textile sector, with a decline of 35 percent. Exports, which are extremely important for the industry, also decreased in a similar magnitude. The job cuts have so far been relatively moderate, as many companies use the short-time working regulations and try to retain their permanent workforce. For 2021 the vti sees a gleam of hope in technical textiles, which have been in greater demand again in recent weeks - especially from the automotive industry. The employment cuts have so far been relatively moderate, as many companies use short-time working regulations and try to retain their permanent workforce. The vti sees a bright future for technical textiles in 2021, which have been in greater demand – especially in the automobile industry – in the last few weeks.

Of the around 16,000 employees, 12,000 work in Saxony and 2,500 in Thuringia. This makes this region one of the four largest German textile locations, along North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It has modern spinning mills, weaving mills, knitting mills, warp knitting mills, nonwovens manufacturers, embroidery mills, finishing companies and clothing manufacturers as well as efficient research and educational institutions.

Over half of the turnover in the East German textile and clothing industry has so far been attributa-ble to technical textiles, followed by home textiles with around 30 percent and the clothing sector with around 10 percent. The vti acts as a stakeholder at state, federal and EU level, tariff- and so-cial partner, as well as a service provider for its around 160 member companies.

Dr.-Ing. Jenz Otto. Photo: W. Schmidt

Thomas Lindner. Photo: Thomas Imo.

More information:
vti East Germany Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry

Source:

Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry

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CONVERSION OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH NOT YET COMPLETED

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13.03.2018

CONVERSION OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH NOT YET COMPLETED

Eports grow slowly
Industry needs new concepts

Dhaka (GTAI) - The garment industry is the main industry in Bangladesh. The state of the companies has improved since 2013 - when a building with several factories collapsed. Domestic and foreign companies have invested in new processes. Government and associations want to further increase the security. Exports are growing slower. The international competition forces the companies to produce not only more sustainable, but also more efficient and innovative.

On April 24th 2013, north of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, the Rana Plaza building collapsed, housing five clothing factories. The disaster claimed 1,138 lives and more injuries. The disaster in-cised deep into the country's largest industrial sector. The massive problems with building and safety as well as violations of workers' rights became internationally visible at once and then vigor-ously tackled.

Eports grow slowly
Industry needs new concepts

Foreign companies have invested heavily in the textile and clothing industry in recent years, with a record high in the year after the disaster. According to the Central Bank, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the textile and clothing industry in June 2017 reached a respectable USD 2.6 billion. Com-panies from South Korea have been the largest contributors with USD 766 million, followed by Hong Kong investors with USD 448 million and the United Kingdom with USD 243 million

**FDI inflows into the Bangladeshi textile and clothing industry (in USD millions.)**
Financial year	2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16	2016/17
FDI inflows, net	241	412	446	352	396	360

*) Financial year from July 1st to June 30th

Several successful programs for more security
Government and international organizations responded with many measures and initiatives at Rana Plaza. The International Labor Organization (ILO) launched programs to improve work-ing conditions. Buyers and industry representatives were looking for solutions.

International traders, trade unions and non-governmental organi-zations finally signed a binding agreement for more fire and building safety in 2013 (Accord on Fire and Building Safety). Employees of Accord have since reviewed more than 1,600 tex-tile and garment factories. Approximately 86 percent of the iden-tified deficiencies were eliminated according to an interim report dated January 2018. Accord will expire in November 2018 after five years. Some participants of the alliance have agreed an ex-tension of the program of three years.

In particular North American importers launched the Alliance (Al-liance for Bangladesh Worker Safety) program in 2013. The Al-liance has since reviewed 666 factories that, as of February 2018, have remedied approximately 87 percent of the deficien-cies. The program will expire also after five years in May 2018.
Representatives of industry and government, trade unions, ILO, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and international buyers want to co-ordinate the control and rehabilitation measures together. The BGMEA and the government rely on the NI National Initiative, which they developed together with ILO. The Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments is responsible for NI controls. Under the NI program 1,500 factories have been inspected which are working for do-mestic customers. The program is to be extended to exporting companies and will replace Accord and Alliance.

Workers demand more rights and higher wages
The government made it easier to found and to engage in trade unions after the Rana Plaza disas-ter. According to observers, the approximately 4 million workers in the textile and clothing industry continue to have little formal organization and went repeatedly on strike for higher wages.

A government commission recently increased the monthly minimum wage in the garment industry from Taka 3,000 to 5,300 in 2013. This amount corresponds currently with EUR 52 only. (1 EU-RO = Taka 102.13, exchange rate of March 5th 2018). Trade unions demanded tripling of the minimum wage at the beginning of 2018, because unskilled workers are given this low pay when they are first employed, which is barely enough to survive. The reward grows only later with the skills and experience.

Employees often change their jobs. According to observers, the fluctuation should average be-tween 5 and 7 percent per month. Fair wages and good working conditions would give a good in-fluence on this issue in the companies concerned.

Bangladesh is the second largest exporter of clothing after China
The globally active clothing retailers are buying in Bangladesh on a large scale. Some have offices with hundreds of employees. Major clients include Inditex (Spain), H & M (Sweden), C & A and Tchibo (Germany).

Clothing exports, however, stagnated in the financial year 2016/17. One reason for the weak growth was the strengthened exchange rate. Taka's national currency increased against the US dollar, making exports more expensive and less competitive.

The government is targeting an export growth of 8.1 percent to USD 30.2 billion in 2017/18. The industry is on track indeed, reaching 7.8 percent in the second half of 2017 compared to the same period of the year before. The most important customers are the USA and Germany.

Bangladesh's Apparel Exports (in USD million)	*2014/15 )**	*2015/16 )**	*2016/17 )**
Total	25,491	28,094	28,150
Thereof
.Weaving goods	13,065	14,739	14,393
.Knitting goods	12,427	13,355	13,757
Customers
.USA	5,288	5,625	5,204
.Germany	4,339	4,653	5,135
.Great Britain	2,904	3,524	3,307
.Spain	1,626	1,864	1,879
.France	1,618	1,714	1,765
.Italy	1,243	1,278	1,349
.Canada	929	998	946
.Netherlands	627	660	814
.Belgium	772	835	753
.Japan	653	774	744
Poland	548	616	720

*) Financial year from July 1st to June 30th
Sources: Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association

Exports from this emerging country enjoy exemption from duty in many developed countries. The European Union grants duty-free and quota-free access. Australia and Japan grant preferential access to the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP). , The USA however has suspended the GSP status in 2013 and imposed tariffs and duties on imports from Bangladesh.

Companies want to grow and become more efficient
The Association of Garment Export Companies BGMEA estimates that over 3,000 garment factories work exclusively for international clients. Another 800 to 1,000 companies sew for local retailers who sell clothing to the country's 160 million inhabitants.

There are no data on company sizes or on the companies with the highest turnover. Clothing companies are mostly registered as private companies and do not publish business figures. The larger ones belong to local conglomerates operating in different economic sectors.

The companies are investing in more modern production facilities to process larger orders faster and at lower unit costs. Imports of machinery and equipment for the textile and clothing industry totaled USD 1.4 billion in 2015. The BGMEA believes that the garment industry has increased its purchases of equipment since.

The added value along the local textile chain is expandable. Simple fabrics and materials are produced locally. The production capacities for fabrics however are not sufficient and need to be increased. The clothing industry is also switching to higher quality synthetic fiber products. Producers hope for higher margins, if, for example, they produce clothing made of elastic fibers or functional clothing made from mixed fibers.

Many pre-products are imported from China and South Korea. Imports however are difficult due to the limited handling capacities of seaports and airports. Logistics costs are high. The clothing sector still has some challenges to overcome.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association	http://www.bgmea.com.bd Vereinigung der Bekleidungsexportfirmen
Bangladesh Textile Mills Association	http://www.btmadhaka.com
Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh	http://bangladeshaccord.org
Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety	http://www.bangladeshworkersafety.org

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More information:
Bangladesh Asien Textile and clothing industry

Source:

Thomas Hundt, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

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31.01.2017

TEXPROCESS RECORDS HIGHEST NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS IN ITS HISTORY

Living in Space: special event at Techtextil showcases textile processing technologies for the space industry: Some four months before the start of Texprocess (9 to 12 May 2017), the leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials reports the highest number of registrations in its history and thus continues its pattern of growth. Even now, more floor space has been booked than the previous edition had in total. “It is well worth our while continually developing Texprocess further, with regard to the technologies and processes on display, the hall layout and the complementary programme. With this fourth edition, Texprocess is now firmly established in the marketplace and is attracting other market leaders in the sector to Frankfurt,” says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies, Messe Frankfurt.

Texprocess reports growing numbers of companies signing up, particularly in the CAD/CAM and Cutting, Making, Trimming (CMT) product groups. Technologies and material for Sewing, Joining and Fastening are growing steadily, too.

Among the companies that have already signed up are: Amann, Astas, assyst/Human Solutions, Barudan, Brother, bullmer, Caron Technology, Dürkopp Adler, Epson, Filiz Makina, Gemini CAD Systems, Gerber Technology, Gütermann, Juki, Kuris Spezialmaschinen, MACPI, Malkan, Mitsubishi, Morgan Tecnica, Pfaff, Serkon Tekstil Makina, SMRE, Strima, Tajima, Teseo, Tetas, Veit, Zünd.
The range of products at Texprocess once again covers all stages in the value-creation chain for textile goods, from design, IT, cutting out, sewing, seaming, embroidery and knitting to finishing, textile printing and logistics.

Change in placement for CAD/CAM and Cutting, Making, Trimming
To make the profiles of Techtextil and Texprocess even sharper, the bonding and separating technology, CMT (Cutting, Making, Trimming), CAD/CAM and printing product segments will be concentrated together at Texprocess in hall 4.0. Thus, visitors will find Techtextil exhibitors from these segments at Texprocess. These product groups will be deleted from the Techtextil nomenclature.
Apart from this change, the overall concept behind the halls at the previous event will be retained: trade visitors will find Design, IT, CAD/CAM, CMT and Printing as well as the special IT@Texprocess section in hall 4.0. Exhibitors of machines and accessories for sewing and seaming will be presenting their products in hall 5.0 and 5.1; and hall 6.0 will showcase embroidery technology, together with finishing techniques and logistics for textiles.

The technologies of textile processing for space travel
Both exhibitors and visitors at Texprocess will, this year, have the benefit of a rather special experience at the show: under the heading 'Living in Space', Techtextil will be showcasing the wide variety of applications for technical textiles in space travel, together with the processing involved. This is a cooperative venture between Techtextil, The European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Close to the location for, amongst others, exhibitors of functional apparel textiles in Hall 6.1, and based on the areas of application for technical textiles, a special, interactive area is to be built to display, with the help of four thematic sections, the high-tech textiles and textile processing technologies that have emerged from and for space travel. The highlight of this area is a virtual-reality experience in which visitors to Techtextil and Texprocess get to go on a virtual journey through the universe, where they will learn about the application of technical textiles in space travel and the processing required to make them.

Complementary programme with focus on Digital Printing and international Innovative Apparel Show
Digital Printing will be one the thematic focusses of the Texprocess complimentary programme. The sector's information service, the World Textile Information Network (WtiN) will, for the first time, be organising the European Digital Textile Conference at Texprocess. The conference will centre round technologies for digital printing on textiles and will be held on Wednesday 10 May in the Saal Europa in hall 4.0.
And digital printing on textiles will also be taken up as a topic in a dedicated series of lectures forming part of the Texprocess Forum. The forum offers, in hall 6.0, expert lectures on current issues in the sector, on all days of the trade fair. For the first time, the programme will have been designed jointly by three partners: the Dialog Textil-Bekleidung (DTB), die International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the World Textile Information Network (WTiN).

Following on from the success of its first edition, the Innovative Apparel Show is to be continued and set on an international footing. For the first time, there will be, as well as a German university, three European universities / colleges from outside Germany, showcasing, on the catwalk, their fashion designs from functional textiles and the processing stages that go into making them. The show will take place on all days of the trade fair. The participating universities / colleges are: Accademia Italiana, Florence / Italy; ESAD College of Art and Design, Matosinhos / Portugal; Esmod Paris/France, and the University of Trier / Germany. The young designers will be displaying designs relating to the three key themes of 'Textile Effects', 'Creative Engineering' and 'Smart Fashion'. Visitors will be able to vote for the public's award throughout the duration of the trade fair and the award will be presented at the last fashion show.

With the Texprocess Innovation Award, Messe Frankfurt seeks, for the fourth time, to honour the best new technological developments in the field. Submissions for the award may be made up until 20 February. The competition is open both to exhibitors at Texprocess 2017 and to other companies, institutes, universities, colleges and private individuals, who are not otherwise exhibiting at the fair. The awards in the various categories will be presented during the joint opening ceremony for Texprocess und Techtextil, on 9 May 2017. At the same time, there will be a special display area in Hall 4.0, showcasing all the prize-winning products at Texprocess.

Visitors will, once again, find many new IT solutions for the apparel industry in the IT@Texprocess section in Hall 4.0, where exhibitors will be presenting product life-cycle management systems (PLM), 'Cloud' applications and 3D CAD systems, which make it possible to create tailor-made clothes in real time and without the need for a Fitting.

Sewing and apparel-making technology record significant rise in Sales According to information provided by the Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies section of the VDMA (Association of German machinery and plant manufacturers), conceptual partner of Texprocess, the German sewing and apparel-technology industry achieved an increase in turnover of 15.9 percent compared to the previous year in the period from January to October. “With export sales of € 523 million, Germany is in third place amongst exporting nations worldwide, behind China and Japan,” observes Elgar Straub, General Manager of the VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies Association. “Our member companies are outstandingly well placed amongst the international competition. Above all, that is because they are continually developing and innovating. The individualisation of apparel, the digitalisation of the value creation chain and new technologies, such as digital printing and sustainable processing technologies, are currently at the heart of our members' planning for innovation.”

Texprocess will again be taking place in parallel to Techtextil, leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens (also from 9 to 12 May 2017). In all, 1,662 exhibitors from 54 different countries attended Texprocess and Techtextil in 2015, together with a total of 42,000 trade visitors. Over 13,300 of them came to see Texprocess. Added to that, there were around 7,600 additional visitors, who came across from the concurrently held Techtextil.

More information:
Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH Techtextil, Besucherrekord, Texprocess Texprocess Innovation Award Innovative Apparel Show

Source:

Textination GmbH

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ECO-FASHION GREENSHOWROOM UND ETHICAL FASHION SHOW BERLIN MESSE-DUO MIT HOCHKLASSIGEM RAHMENPROGRAMM

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14.06.2016

ECO-FASHION GREENSHOWROOM UND ETHICAL FASHION SHOW BERLIN MESSE-DUO MIT HOCHKLASSIGEM RAHMENPROGRAMM

DTB Info Day: CSR-focused series of talks on the Wednesday of the trade fair
Three-day programme: fashion shows, talks, podium discussions and tours

With an extensive event programme, the two trade fairs for eco-fashion, Greenshowroom and Ethical Fashion Show Berlin, will provide a comprehensive update on sustainability and fashion-related issues. From 28-30 June 2016, the talks, podium discussions and tours will provide first-rate information and networking opportunities. Well-known representatives from the worlds of fashion, politics, film and television are expected to attend the podium discussions and be in the audience. The two fashion shows "Salonshow" and "Ethical Fashion on Stage" promise an increased glamour factor.

DTB Info Day: CSR-focused series of talks on the Wednesday of the trade fair
Three-day programme: fashion shows, talks, podium discussions and tours

All eyes will be on the catwalk from the very first day of the trade fair onwards (Tuesday 28 June): The event will kick off with the "Salonshow" as an official offshoot event of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. From 3 p.m. onwards, designers from Greenshowroom will present selected high fashion looks from their 2017 summer collections in the Club of the Postbahnhof. The show will be given a new Parisian slant: designer Eymeric François will be working on the staging of the salon show for the first time. As a director of numerous fashion shows, he has already enjoyed much success at Messe Frankfurt's textile trade fairs in Paris. 'The challenge lies in creating a highly professional internationally-oriented show that is up-to-date with trends and also retains the ethical aspect', explains François about the aim of the event.

Part two of the show programme follows at 5 p.m.: the catwalk show "Ethical Fashion on Stage" showcases street and casualwear. Lavera will also present the winner of the Lavera Green Fashion Awards, Ina Budde. The designer and founder of Design for Circularity has developed a circular collection for the label Jan'n June – which can be seen live at "Ethical Fashion on Stage".

The second day of the trade fair (Wednesday 29 June) focuses on CSR: for the first time, the Dialog Textil-Bekleidung (DTB) will host its CSR day in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt. There will also be a whole-day symposium held in the Club of the Postbahnhof entitled "Responsible Management of Supply Chains – Social Compliance and Chemical Input". The agenda includes topics such as "The consequences of globalised trade", "Corporate Responsibility Review 2016" and "Transparent and sustainable sourcing". An open panel discussion on the theme of "The Emperor's New Clothes – is transparency coming to the fashion world?" invites attendees to discuss practical questions in greater depth with speakers, exhibitors and companies.

On the third day of the trade fair (Thursday 30 June), a comprehensive programme awaits – with presentations by Fairtrade Deutschland, GOTS and IVN, Textile Exchange and Fair Wear Foundation. Renate Künast (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Stefan Genth (HDE Handelsverband Deutschland), Matthias Hebeler (Brainshirt) and Claudia Lanius (Lanius) will discuss transparency in the supply chain at 2 p.m.

An overview of the programme (location: Club at the Postbahnhof):
Tuesday 28 June 2016

10 a.m.	Opening. In German.
10.30 a.m.	Press tour following the opening (start point: press Lounge)
11 a.m.	Press conference TransFair e.V. "Designing supply chains to be sustainable – Fairtrade textile standards and textile plan" (location: press lounge, upper floor, Postbahnhof). In German.
2 p.m.	Press tour (start point: press Lounge)
3 p.m.	Salonshow with outfits by Austriandesign.at, Bhusattva, Carpasus, Cocccon, Elementum by Daniela Pais, Elisa F., Heartcouture, Inti Ferreira, Lanius, Soome, Studio Elsien Gringhuis, Studio Jux, Tuschimo. Invitation only!
5 p.m.	Ethical Fashion on Stage with outfits by Anzüglich organic and fair, Chapati, Daily´s Nothings Better, De'qua, Get Lazy, La Robe d'Inna, Milena with Love, Mud Jeans, Najha, Noumenon, Päälä, Tijar, Tranquillo, Verena Bellutti. Invitation only!

Wednesday 29 June 2016
DTB Infotag – Responsible Management of Supply Chains Social Compliance and Chemical Input
Moderation: Rolf Heimann, Vorstand, hessnatur Stiftung

10.00 a.m.	Welcome and introduction by the DTB and Messe Frankfurt
10.15 a.m.	"The consequences of global free trade", Dr Sabine Ferenschild, Research Assistant, Südwind e.V.
10.45 a.m.	"Corporate Responsibility Review 2016 – annual report on global corporate responsibility", Lisa Häuser, Senior Analyst, Oekom Research AG
11.30 a.m.	"Transparent and sustainable sourcing", Deniz Thiede, Managing Director, ATICS GmbH
11.50 a.m.	"Sustainability, REACH etc. – Quo Vadis?“, Dr Dirk von Czarnowski, Vice President Global Chemical, Intertek Holding Deutschland GmbH
12.15 a.m.	Guided tour(s) of the trade fairs
1.45 p.m.	Update on the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, Dr Bernhard Felmberg, assistant state secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
2 p.m.	Presentation of a collaborative project to promote sustainability, Carolin Bohrke, hessnatur Stiftung
2.20 p.m.	"Best practices in supply chain management transparency", Prof. Patrick Kugler, HAW Hamburg
2.40 p.m.	"Company-customer relationships in a CSR context", Prof. Rudolf Voller, Hochschule Niederrhein
3.15 p.m.	"The Emperor's New Clothes – is transparency coming to the fashion industry?" Panel discussion with speakers, exhibitors and companies in the industry
12.30 p.m.	Press conference Bündnis für nachhaltige Textilien / GiZ (location: press lounge, upper floor, Postbahnhof)

Thursday 30 June 2016

10 a.m.	Talk “The true costs of cotton", Mariska Przyklenk, Fairtrade Deutschland. In German.
11.30 a.m.	Talk "GOTS and IVN-Best summarised. How the certification ensures that you can meet the requirements of governmental and non-governmental organisations", Claudia Kersten, GOTS und Heike Scheuer, IVN. In German.
1 p.m.	Talk "More sustainable fibres and materials – from vision to volume", Simone Seisl, Textile Exchange. In German.
2 p.m.	Podium discussion "Transparency in the supply chain", with Renate Künast (MdB, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Stefan Genth (Managing Director HDE Handelsverband Deutschland), Matthias Hebeler (Managing Director Brainshirt), Claudia Lanius (Managing Director Lanius). In German.
3.30 p.m.	Talk and interactive game: "Fair Wear Foundation towards sustainable global garment supply chains", Andrea Spithoff and Maaike Payet, Fair Wear Foundation. In English.