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© DePoly
02.08.2023

Closing the loop on PET recycling

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) spin-off DePoly has developed a method for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at ambient temperature, even when it’s dirty or mixed with other plastics. The firm confirmed the feasibility of its method with a pilot capable of processing 50 metric tons per year. Having recently raised CHF 12.3 million, DePoly is now building a pilot plant with 10 times that capacity.

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) spin-off DePoly has developed a method for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at ambient temperature, even when it’s dirty or mixed with other plastics. The firm confirmed the feasibility of its method with a pilot capable of processing 50 metric tons per year. Having recently raised CHF 12.3 million, DePoly is now building a pilot plant with 10 times that capacity.

PET is a ubiquitous plastic used in everything from clothing and shoes to bottles and packaging. Because it’s recyclable, the material has earned solid green credentials. Switzerland produces 45,000 metric tons of PET bottles a year. Yet according to Swissrecycling, some 20% of these bottles aren’t recycled because they’re dirty or mixed with other plastics, so they end up being incinerated. However, the global PET recycling rate is less than 50%, according to a study, conducted for the environmental NGO Zero Waste Europe, so Switzerland is still a strong performer on this front.

In a bid to reduce the carbon footprint associated with PET, DePoly has developed a method for processing it at ambient temperature, even when it’s soiled or tightly interwoven with other fibers. The firm’s demonstrator has a capacity of 50 metric tons per year, and it now plans to use the CHF 12.3 million it raised a few days ago to build a pilot plant. This larger plant – scheduled to open in 2024 and capable of processing 500 metric tons a year – should prove that DePoly’s method is feasible at scale.
 
No need for sorting  
Samantha Anderson, originally from Canada and now DePoly’s CEO, moved to Switzerland in 2015 to begin her PhD at EPFL. When she first unveiled her PET recycling process, which she developed at EPFL’s Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LMSO) in Sion, it seemed remarkably simple: plastics of all types and colors are mechanically ground then mixed with various chemical compounds – the exact recipe for which is a closely guarded secret. A few hours later, any non-PET plastics remain intact and can be separated out for further processing. The PET, meanwhile, is broken down into terephthalic acid (a powder) and ethylene glycol (a liquid), which can be used to make new material. The method slots seamlessly into existing recycling processes and could be adapted to other kinds of plastics. “Since there’s no heating involved, our method preserves the integrity of other materials like cotton, which is often mixed with PET in clothing and other items” says Anderson.

After graduating in 2019, Anderson decided she wanted to use her expertise to do “something useful for society.” Together with DePoly’s other founders – Bardiya Valizadeh and Christopher Ireland – she spent months testing different formulas for her process. The breakthrough moment came late one Friday when, for the first time, she saw the PET start to decompose before her eyes. By the time she returned to the lab on Monday morning, it had completely broken down. All that remained was for the team to refine the formula and adjust the dosages, hoping that their method would work for larger volumes of PET. Chemical processes can have a major drawback: the pollution they generate often outweighs any gains. “The substances we use are available over the counter, and they aren’t single-use,” says Anderson.

The DePoly team will now start building its first large-scale pilot plant in Valais. The facility will handle dirty and unsorted PET that can’t be recycled via the usual channels. The firm seems to be turning heads on the domestic startup scene: it won the prestigious >>venture>> Grand Prize in 2019 for its technology, and it’s been listed as one of the top 100 Swiss startups for the past three years in a row. But Anderson already has her sights set on the international market. Wouldn’t it be better to eliminate the issue at source by phasing out plastics from our lives? “I’m the first to admit that’s a better option,” she says. “But that’s still a long way off. In the meantime, we’re incinerating tons of PET every day just because it’s slightly soiled or hasn’t been properly sorted.”

More information:
PET Recycling chemical recycling
Source:

Cécilia Carron, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Photo: Unsplash
27.09.2022

Study: More investment needed in fiber-to-fiber recycling infrastructure

Fiber-to-fiber textile recycling legislation and policies are steadily increasing and are one of the key strategic components to support the transition to a circular economy in the fashion industry.

At the same time, the demand for an infrastructure for collecting, sorting and recycling end-of-life textiles is likely to increase across the EU. Adapting this infrastructure will require significant investment. In order to plan these holistically in the future, it is necessary to understand both the characteristics of the used textiles available on the European market and the business case for monetization through recycling.

Fiber-to-fiber textile recycling legislation and policies are steadily increasing and are one of the key strategic components to support the transition to a circular economy in the fashion industry.

At the same time, the demand for an infrastructure for collecting, sorting and recycling end-of-life textiles is likely to increase across the EU. Adapting this infrastructure will require significant investment. In order to plan these holistically in the future, it is necessary to understand both the characteristics of the used textiles available on the European market and the business case for monetization through recycling.

Fashion for Good, the global initiative for sustainable fashion presented on September 27, 2022 the final report on the project "Sorting for Circularity Europe", which was launched in May last year with the aim of filling knowledge gaps and studying materials in depth. The project aims to analyze the types of waste generated, the quantities available as raw material for recycling, and the potential for channeling textile waste as raw material for innovative solutions. The report provides preliminary meaningful information on the basis of which informed decisions can be made for further investments, policy developments and next steps towards a circular economy.

Overall, the Sorting for Circularity Europe study concludes that in six European countries - Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom - 494,000 tons, or 74%, of low-value post-consumer textiles are readily available and suitable for closing the loop in the apparel and textile sector each year.

This presents promising opportunities for value recovery through mechanical and chemical recycling, diverting textiles from less circular uses such as downcycling to nonwovens, insulation or filling materials, the wipes industry and incineration. This equates to a potential value gain of EUR 74 million per year if sorted textiles are reintroduced into the textile value chain.

By using innovative near-infrared (NIR) technology to determine the composition of garments - a task traditionally performed manually - the project analyzed 21 tons of used clothing. The on-site surveys took place over two periods, fall/winter 2021 and spring/summer 2022, to account for seasonal changes in garments entering sorting facilities. The project focuses on textiles that cannot be reused in their original form and are therefore considered "non-reusable" and textiles that can only be resold at low prices = "low-value reusable textiles".

Cotton is the predominant fiber with 42%, although a relevant share of this category could be elastane. Cotton is followed by a high proportion of material blends (32%), of which almost half are polycottons (12%). Based on three characteristics: material composition, presence of interfering factors such as zippers and buttons, and color, 21% of the materials studied were considered suitable for mechanical recycling, while 53% appeared suitable for chemical recycling. However, the removal of interfering materials for chemical recycling must be technically and financially feasible, otherwise only about one-fifth of the total potential feedstock would be eligible for chemical fiber-to-fiber recycling.

The amount of low-value textiles collected is expected to increase, partly due to increasing consumption and disposal, but also due to new legislation, such as the Waste Framework Directive, which requires separate collection of textiles across Europe by 2025. However, the current and future potential of these textiles for the circular economy is difficult to exploit; raw material prices for current uses (e.g. wipes) are sometimes more economical than fiber-to-fiber recycling prices. This could change if current recycling technologies are scaled up and further investments are made to integrate operations such as automatic sorting and the removal of impurities in the sorting process.

Overall, a solid business case for low-value textile sorting is needed to maintain and increase sorting capacity in Europe. This also highlights the need for increased investment in infrastructure that can sort and prepare textiles for reuse and recycling. To support the maintenance and further expansion of this sorting capacity in Europe, policy and future legislation will play a key role in ensuring the environmental, social and financial sustainability of these stages of the apparel and textile value chain.

Based on the project results, the authors make the following recommendations:

For collectors, sorters and recyclers

  1. Use of the sorters' handbook and the report "Sorting for Circularity Europe" as a guide to conduct further trials and to continue building knowledge on fiber composition, sorting and recycling processes. This could be further supported by local authorities, industry and civil society dealing with textile or household waste streams.
  2. Open access to trials and data that can support and guide investment in the necessary infrastructure.
  3. Update and use the recycler database to increase knowledge of mechanical and chemical recycling destinations.
  4. Joining digital platforms such as Reverse Resources and Refashion Recycle to tap into and connect the supply of and demand for post-consumer textiles.

For brands and manufacturer
74% of low-value used textiles could be used as raw material for recycling. While this is a significant proportion, there still remains 26% that cannot be recycled due to their composition, the presence of multiple layers and/or non-removable contaminants.

  1. Priority for the design of an appropriate life cycle.
    For products designed for longevity, there should be a strong focus on durability and long-term performance. Ultimately, recycling textiles in line with the waste hierarchy should be the last resort and not the goal in itself.
  2. Further commitment to adopt circular design practices that prioritize mono-materials, reduce disruptive factors as much as possible, and include recycled fibers in the product portfolio, as required by the Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products in the European Union.

For policy makers
Sorting companies in European countries run the risk of not being able to continue their business as usual if the share of these low-quality textiles in the collected volumes continues to increase. In addition, current sorting and logistics costs may pose a financial challenge for chemical recyclers to acquire these textiles in large volumes.

  1. Consider the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes with sufficient financial support to alleviate pressure on the business base of sorting companies to manage future volumes of collected textiles.
  2. Introduce an environmental subsidy to lower the price of recycled fiber as the industry expands. This subsidy could alleviate cost pressures on recyclers, potentially facilitating the purchase of non-renewable raw materials at prices competitive with other commercial destinations such as wipes.
  3. Introduce legislation at different stages of the clothing and textile life cycle to influence the potential for recycling the non-depletable portion of PCT (post-consumer textiles), such as the introduction of mandatory eco-design requirements that include a fiber-to-fiber recyclability perspective for products.
  4. Assessment of any unintended consequences that might result from setting mandatory targets for preparation for reuse and recycling (to be considered by the European Commission by 2024).
  5. Align rules on sorting criteria for reuse and recycling across the EU to help harmonize standards and requirements of the sorting industry for preparing textiles for reuse and recycling.
  6. Examining how digital labeling and product passports can improve the traceability of materials in the textile value chain at the end of their useful life in the long term.

For consumers
Purchasing and disposal decisions also have an impact on the end of the use of textiles. Priority should be given to purchasing products made of a single material or blends that are limited to two components, as well as aesthetic decorations and accessories. Clothing and home textiles must be disposed of according to regulations. To extend the life of products, repairing, reselling and exchanging are options.

Source:

Fashion for Good; Circle Economy

Photo Pixabay
13.09.2022

Dissolvable stitches that improve clothing recycling

Resortecs has developed an innovative solution that helps solve a widespread fashion industry challenge: how to recycle garments more effectively.
 
The challenge relates to stitched clothes such as jeans or jackets, that need to be taken apart before their constituent materials can be recycled. The existing disassembly process is time-consuming and costly, as the garment and its components are held together by a synthetic high-strength thread, which in most cases is polyester. Before recycling, the garment has to be separated and the thread removed, otherwise the quality of the recycled product will be compromised.

Resortecs has developed an innovative solution that helps solve a widespread fashion industry challenge: how to recycle garments more effectively.
 
The challenge relates to stitched clothes such as jeans or jackets, that need to be taken apart before their constituent materials can be recycled. The existing disassembly process is time-consuming and costly, as the garment and its components are held together by a synthetic high-strength thread, which in most cases is polyester. Before recycling, the garment has to be separated and the thread removed, otherwise the quality of the recycled product will be compromised.

Resortecs has designed a new type of thread that makes the disassembly process easier. Their threads are available for different melting-points (150° C, 170° C and 200° C) and dissolved using a commercial oven. The choice of thread depends on the type of garment that is being taken apart. The Resortecs® solution allows up to 500kg of garments (=>1000 pairs of jeans) to be dismantled at the same time.

Why it’s an example of the circular economy
Currently less than 1% of all garments are recycled to a high quality. The rest are downcycled, incinerated or landfilled, translating into a loss of USD 100 billion worth of material annually.

The production of new materials to replace those that are landfilled or incinerated, accrues significant environmental and social impacts, including massive freshwater consumption, land degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, 2.4% of the world’s arable land is cultivated with cotton, but growing cotton accounts for 24% of the world’s annual demand for insecticides.

There are many factors that contribute to the low rate of garment recycling. One key contributor is the high cost associated with disassembly, which due to complicated and durable designs is a predominantly manual process. Furthemore, according to industry research including data from garment recycling companies in Pakistan, between 30 - 52% of denim is lost during disassembly.

In the Resortecs® process only 10% maximum of textile material is lost, and the integrity of the textile is not damaged, meaning that new garments can use a higher percentage of recycled material. Furthermore the process makes the garment dismantling process much easier and five times faster. This improves the effectiveness and economic viability of recycling, particularly in countries where labour costs are high.      

Business and environmental benefits
Resortec’s enabling technologies reduce the use of virgin materials which can save costs and reduce exposure to unpredictability in resource prices and changing regulations. In the past years, consumer trends have shifted towards more environmentally conscious choices, including the use of recycled materials. And because 50% of carbon emissions and 75% of water use occurs in the production and material processing stage, this model also hugely reduces negative environmental impacts.

The journey continues
There are no silver bullets in the circular economy and often a product might be described as ‘circularish’, to reflect the continuing journey of improvement.

For Resortec’s technology to realise its full potential, other actors in the fashion system need to play their part. For example, reverse supply chains (sorters and recyclers) must adapt and optimise their operations to suit these new solutions. Designers and brands also need to understand the limitations and push the limits of circular design, for example by designing/specifying reusable buttons and zips. Policy makers need to send the right signal to the market, such as France’s forthcoming anti-waste law which bans disposal of unsold clothes into landfills.
          
As well as system changes, there are also potential improvements in the technology. Currently Resortecs uses a plastic based thread, which when melted should ideally be recovered and re-spun rather than discarded. The thread could also be sourced from recycled or regenerative production methods.

There is clearly already a growing appetite for Resortec’s technology which is already being piloted by 25 international fashion brands with at least one Resortec-enabled product already on the market. As the fashion industry continues to evolve, simple but powerful innovations such as this can help unlock the potential of a circular economy for fashion. 

Source:

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

(c) Gestamp
23.08.2022

Green fiber-reinforced composites instead of steel for chassis parts

Gestamp, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT and its project partners are facing the scientific challenge to implement mass production of green fiber chassis parts. The broad Eco Dynamic SMC consortium brings together expertise from the aerospace, automotive and scientific industries.

Mobility demands are subject to constant change. Due to new emissions regulations and increasing electric mobility, lightweight construction and safety continue to be drivers for future automotive and mobility applications. The sustainable use of limited resources and the mandatory reduction of CO2-emissions during the production process and the lifetime of the vehicle are now the focus of development, in addition to the performance of the individual parts of a vehicle.

Gestamp, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT and its project partners are facing the scientific challenge to implement mass production of green fiber chassis parts. The broad Eco Dynamic SMC consortium brings together expertise from the aerospace, automotive and scientific industries.

Mobility demands are subject to constant change. Due to new emissions regulations and increasing electric mobility, lightweight construction and safety continue to be drivers for future automotive and mobility applications. The sustainable use of limited resources and the mandatory reduction of CO2-emissions during the production process and the lifetime of the vehicle are now the focus of development, in addition to the performance of the individual parts of a vehicle.

Gestamp is comitted to create a vehicle that is better for the environment and safer, to contribute to the mitigation of climate change. The focus is on the production of a lighter car, so that it emits less emission during its use. For this reason, Gestamp, Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT and several other consortium partners have collaborated to make the ECO Dynamic SMC project a tangible reality.

Thanks to its good material properties, recyclability and worldwide availability, steel is still often the material of choice in the automotive and mobility industry, and will certainly continue to be so in the future. However, the trend is also towards new materials that expand the range of materials and fulfill the motto "the right material in the right place". Fiber-reinforced composites offer excellent lightweight construction potential and safety features. The use of recyclable materials leads to a good balance between energy consumption, profitability and sustainability.

Fiber-reinforced materials are currently used in large numbers for body parts, but not for chassis components in the automotive or aerospace industry. The Eco Dynamic SMC project addresses this issue by developing a closed engineering loop for an automotive chassis control arm for a high volume production and a suspension part of a motor glider, substituting steel with fiber-reinforced material with the aim to implement the CF-SMC Technology for dynamic and safety relevant chassis components in high volume productions.

Initiated in October 2021 and funded by the German Ministry of Energy and Climate Protection, Eco Dynamic SMC (Grant Number: 03LB3023A) will address the scientific problem of developing a comprehensive continuous engineering process for fiber composite reinforced components that meet OEM approval procedures. The broad Eco Dynamic SMC consortium brings together expertise from the aerospace, automotive and scientific industries. Cooperation between universities, academic institutes and companies from various relevant sectors promotes the transfer of technology and experience across industry borders. Gestamp is the head of the consortium of Eco Dynamic SMC project.

Today, a continuous development process is established for metals and the procedure is defined based on available material data for manufacturing, product simulations and specific material parameters addressing e.g. formability, durability, stiffness, strain rate behavior or weldability.

Starting with the development of a digital shadow from the raw material manufacturing to be aware about the fiber content and weight of the material stack before the transfer into the tool. Substantial material characterization will be the groundwork for the integration of the material properties and fiber orientation from manufacturing process into the product development simulation. At the end of the development, a prototype will be manufactured and tested as component and on a test vehicle to evaluate the mechanical and acoustic behavior.

In the second project stream, a suspension part for a motor glider is developed by following the same strategy of the closed loop of process and product engineering.

In addition to the development cycle, the Eco Dynamic SMC project is dedicated to other core aspects such as a good CO2 balance, a recycling concept, optimized use of materials, reduced energy consumption and the careful use of resources.

Eco Dynamic SMC Consortium
The project consortium consists of: Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, DG Flugzeugbau GmbH, Koller Formenbau GmbH, Schmidt & Heinzmann GmbH & Co.KG, Toray Industries Europe GmbH, Vibracoustic SE, Gestamp Autotech Engineering Deutschland GmbH.

Associated Partners: BMW AG, Premium Aerotec GmbH

Gestamp
Gestamp is a multinational company specialized in the design, development and manufacture of highly engineered metal components for the main vehicle manufacturers. It develops products with an innovative design to produce lighter and safer vehicles, which offer lower energy consumption and a lower environmental impact. Its products cover the areas of bodywork, chassis and mechanisms.

The company is present in 24 countries with more than 100 production plants, 13 R&D centers and a workforce of nearly 40,000 employees worldwide. Its turnover in 2021 was 8,093 million euros. Gestamp is listed on the Spanish stock exchange under the ticker GEST.

Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT
The main campus houses more than 100 laboratories, pilot plants and test centers on a total area of 21 hectares. The research orientation enables us to combine research and development activities in this area with large demonstration plants. The focus is on the scalability of processes, on the transfer of research results from the laboratory to the pilot plant scale, and in some cases on pre-series application.

Customers and project partners are chemical and process engineering companies, automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, the plastics processing industry, material manufacturers, recycling companies, companies from the energy and environmental sectors, customers from the security industry, the construction industry and the aviation sector.

Source:

Gestamp; Fraunhofer ICT

Photo: Kelheim Fibres / Stefan Kiefer
09.06.2022

Kelheim Fibres – Individual Solutions for a Healthy Lifestyle

After a long pandemic-related dry spell, the Techtextil and Texprocess trade fairs, which are expected to attract more than 1,300 exhibitors from 51 countries in June 2022, are returning to Frankfurt with forward-looking formats.

Textination spoke to companies about their expectations of the fair, the product portfolio and innovations they will be presenting in Frankfurt in a few days' time.

Dr Marina Crnoja-Cosic kicks off the series. The chemist with a doctorate and many years of experience in fibre and application development has headed the New Business Development department of viscose speciality fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres since July 2020, at the same time strengthening its management team.

After a long pandemic-related dry spell, the Techtextil and Texprocess trade fairs, which are expected to attract more than 1,300 exhibitors from 51 countries in June 2022, are returning to Frankfurt with forward-looking formats.

Textination spoke to companies about their expectations of the fair, the product portfolio and innovations they will be presenting in Frankfurt in a few days' time.

Dr Marina Crnoja-Cosic kicks off the series. The chemist with a doctorate and many years of experience in fibre and application development has headed the New Business Development department of viscose speciality fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres since July 2020, at the same time strengthening its management team.

Dr Marina Crnoja-Cosic, what makes your company special and different - compared to competitors?
Kelheim Fibres is the longest producing viscose fibre manufacturer in the world. The fact that we, as a medium-sized company, are able to compete successfully with much larger companies is due to our strong focus on specialisation. We do not rely on the production of large quantities of standard fibres but use our 85 years of experience and our technological expertise to create special fibres that have very specific functionalities - many of which are tailor-made to customer requirements. This makes us the technology leader in some areas, such as short cut, or the market leader in others, such as tampon fibres.
 
To be successful with special fibres and to remain so in the future, innovation is a central topic for us. We follow the Open Innovation approach and seek close exchange with all partners along the value chain, but also with scientific institutes. This - and also our own compact but effective organisation - ensures efficiency, speed and agility. New ideas are commercialised faster and through the cooperation of all partners we get results that work not only in our heads but in reality, at all stages of processing and with the end customer.

And finally, we produce exclusively in Germany. This means that our fibres are subject to strict German environmental legislation and at the same time contribute to a stable European supply chain.

How do you define Textile Leadership for your company?
For me, leadership is about leading the way, breaking new ground, inspiring others and 'taking them with us'.
Our guiding principle is to be the driving force behind the best individual solutions for a healthy lifestyle while protecting the environment for future generations.
          
This is exactly what we do with our Open Innovation concept: together with our partners, with customers and in networks, we actively search for "unmet needs", unfulfilled consumer needs, and create innovative products that meet these needs. Sustainability is a key focus in this process. Our fibres are made from renewable raw materials and are biodegradable, which puts them right on the pulse of the times. In contrast to purely natural fibres, however, we can specifically functionalise them during the production process. In this way, the consumer receives an environmentally friendly product, but does not have to make any compromises in terms of performance. We already offer a real alternative to petroleum-based products in a variety of different applications - and we are driven to develop further applications in which our fibres can contribute to the benefit of customers and the environment.


Which products/product innovations will you present at the fair?
We have a variety of themes in store: one focus is on wellbeing, a trend that has been gaining more and more fans, and not just since Corona. Textiles should not only protect us from the cold and prying eyes, they should actively increase our well-being. This is what our CELLIANT® Viscose does, for example, the first viscose fibre with an infrared effect sustainably integrated into the fibre. Textiles with CELLIANT® Viscose promote better blood circulation and a better oxygen supply to the cells. This leads to higher performance, faster recovery and better sleep.

The new Zzzleepwear collection from the renowned underwear manufacturer mey makes use of the properties of CELLIANT® Viscose. Incidentally, it is also an example of how the close cooperation of all partners involved accelerates the path from fibre development to the finished end product: There were only a few months between the presentation of the new fibre and the launch of the Zzzleepwear collection.

In addition, we present short-cut fibres that can give papers or wipes the desired properties in a very targeted way. With our short-cut technology we can, for example, produce fibres that provide the necessary strength in tea bags or fibres for flushable wipes, i.e., wipes that can be conveniently disposed of via the toilet without the risk of clogging. In both of these examples, biodegradability is again a key aspect - who wants to drink microplastics in their tea?

Another focus is on hygiene products, and here especially on feminine hygiene. We want to accompany women and respond to their individually different and changing needs. We have been the market leader in the tampon sector for decades. We use the resulting know-how for a whole range of other AHP, i.e., applications that require increased absorbency. Our fibres provide the basis for comfortable and at the same time biodegradable disposable articles. In addition, and in response to the needs of environmentally conscious consumers, we have now developed fibres for reusable hygiene products.

One example of this is our fibres for fully bio-based menstrual underwear. Here we have perfectly matched various speciality fibres to the different layers of period underwear: Fibres that quickly absorb fluid and wick it away from the body are used as well as fibres that absorb large amounts of fluid and do not release it again even under pressure.
 
Another new development follows the same principle, namely the absorbent pad of the reusable Sumo nappy. Like the nappy itself, this insert consists entirely of bio-based materials and is washable.
In addition to putting together the ideal combination of fibres, we have also developed a new nonwoven construction together with the Berlin-based start-up Sumo and the Saxon Textile Research Institute STFI. With its open structure, it gives our speciality fibres enough space to absorb a lot of liquid, but at the same time it provides the necessary stability to survive many washing cycles undamaged. We have, so to speak, transferred nonwovens from the world of single use to the world of reusables, thus opening up new perspectives. In tests, the performance of this absorbent pad surpasses the alternatives - bio-based and synthetic - available on the market.

From Reusable, the logical path leads on to Recycling. We would also like to promote our cooperation with the Swedish textile recycling company Renewcell at Techtextil. We are working together on the large-scale production of high-quality viscose fibres from Renewcell's 100% textile recyclate Circulose®. This makes us a pioneer on the way to a completely closed European loop in which textile waste is turned into new Circulose® fibres.


What goals do you want to achieve with the trade fair presentation?
We want to see how the industry has evolved, what the current and future trends are and how the technical textile sector can respond to the issues of sustainability, circularity and the EU textile strategy - and what contribution our fibres can make to all these issues.

Techtextil is where the entire industry comes together, right across the supply chain. We meet our partners here from both the textile and nonwovens sectors. The scientific landscape is also very well represented. This makes Techtextil an event with a very high level of innovation.

We are specifically looking for partners here who want to follow our path of innovation and commercialisation together with us. And last but not least, we are very much looking forward to meeting our customers, partners, colleagues as well as representatives of science and the press once again in person.

Source:

The interview with Dr Marina Crnoja-Cosic was conducted by Ines Chucholowius, Managing Partner of Textination GmbH

(c) Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
07.06.2022

Techtextil and Texprocess 2022: Highlights for international visitors

Techtextil and Texprocess 2022 are planning a strong re-start with future-oriented trade fair formats and over 1,300 exhibitors from 51 countries. Highlights, such as the Denim Future Lab, the Performance Textiles in Fashion special show and the Techtextil respectively Texprocess Forum will present the high degree of innovation in the industry and offer a platform for exchange and further development.

Techtextil and Texprocess 2022 are planning a strong re-start with future-oriented trade fair formats and over 1,300 exhibitors from 51 countries. Highlights, such as the Denim Future Lab, the Performance Textiles in Fashion special show and the Techtextil respectively Texprocess Forum will present the high degree of innovation in the industry and offer a platform for exchange and further development.

The first edition of the leading international trade fairs since the outbreak of the Corona pandemic has reached a booking level of over 1,300 exhibiting companies from 51 countries, twelve international country pavilions and numerous joint stand participants. In addition to German exhibitors, companies from Italy, France, Turkey and Spain are most frequently represented. In exhibition halls 8, 9, 11 and 12, diverse and innovative products and processes will be presented to the global trade audience in June. With different formats and special shows, Techtextil and Texprocess offer an ideal setting for face-to-face meetings, encourage discussions and promote further development of the industry.

"We are delighted that Techtextil and Texprocess are finally making it possible for international decision-makers to exchange ideas again. The current situation is characterized by economic and social challenges, from pandemic-related influences to supply bottlenecks and raw material shortages. This makes it all the more important for the industry to come together in one place and find solutions together. We are pleased to be able to offer a platform for new and further developments, for example with the Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards," reports Michael Jänecke, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing.

Denim Future Lab: The denim production of the future
In hall 8.0, the future of the denim industry will be spotlighted. The Denim Future Lab highlights the industry's innovative approaches and presents advancements along many stages of the denim processing chain. How will denim be produced and processed sustainably? How can luxury denim be customized in the future? Innovative and progressive companies such as Jeanologia, Ugolini, Wiser Tech, Brongo and IEN Industrie S.p.A. will present trends such as eco-bleaching, eco-dyeing, upcycling solutions or individual design and finishing of luxury denim. The Speakers Corner of the Denim Future Lab offers the opportunity to exchange experiences with experts and invites to discussions. With the support of the Transformer Foundation and the exhibitors, topics such as greenwashing, chemicals in the production process as well as cotton and other fibers will be discussed in the Speakers Corner free of charge.

Performance Textiles in Fashion: Experiencing textile end products
At Techtextil, countless innovative textiles for a wide range of industries will be presented. To demonstrate the properties or possible applications, most exhibitors also show end products from the many areas of application, including apparel. The special show "Performance Textiles in Fashion" in hall 9.1 brings functional textiles and fashion to life for visitors. The special show will feature extraordinary and innovative garments.

Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum: What moves the industry
On all four days of the fair, the Techtextil Forum in hall 9.1 will offer exciting expert lectures and discussions on a wide range of topics relating to technical textiles and nonwovens. These include talks such as "Circular Economy in the Textile Industry - a Positioning", "Development of 3D-printed composite elements for personal stab protective clothing" or "Transforming Textiles to Testimonies - recycled solutions for architectural membranes". The patron of the Techtextil Forum is once again EURATEX - The European Apparel and Textile Confederation.
 
In the Texprocess Forum in hall 9.0, everything will revolve around current industry topics in the processing of textile and flexible materials. Expert presentations on topics such as Impact 4.0 / Future of Industry 4.0, Quality Management of the Future, Supply Chain Management, Digital Product Development and Sustainability Management are among the topics planned. As in 2019, the Texprocess Forum program will be organized by DTB - Dialog Textil-Bekleidung e.V. and VDMA TFL.

Both forums are free of charge. The presentations will be simultaneously translated DE/EN or EN/DE. Following the Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum, the presentations will also be made available "on demand" on the Techtextil and Texprocess Digital Extension platform.

Techtextil Innovation Award and Texprocess Innovation Award
A special highlight is the public presentation of the Techtextil or Texprocess Innovation Awards on 21 June 2022 in hall 9.0. Progressive approaches as well as new and further developments in the field of technical textiles and textile processing will be the focus. Textile innovations selected by an international jury of experts will be awarded and presented on all four days of the trade fair in hall 9.1 (Techtextil) or 9.0 (Texprocess). This is where the future of the textile industry comes together with promising and pioneering innovations.

Sustainability in focus
With Sustainability@Techtextil and Sustainability@Texprocess, visitors can recognize companies with sustainable products and approaches at first glance. Exhibitors who have successfully passed a review by an international independent jury are thus identified at the trade fairs. Techtextil and Texprocess thereby support the sustainable development of the textile industry. Innovative and sustainable fibers, yarns and fabrics as well as progressive processes, new cutting technologies, water-saving dyeing processes and other future-oriented processing technologies are thus highlighted.

Digital Extension: Experience Techtextil and Texprocess on site and digitally
For the first time, visitors can discover Techtextil and Texprocess virtually and benefit from new formats and exchange opportunities. Digital exhibitor profiles, matchmaking offers, 1-to-1 video calls or web sessions complement the on-site visit. Messe Frankfurt formats such as conferences or panel discussions are also digitally extended and can be accessed on demand afterwards. The Digital Extension of Techtextil and Texprocess is available to visitors free of charge from 13 June to 8 July.

The event Techtextil & Texprocess will be held from 21 to 24 June 2022.