From the Sector

Lower costs, less energy intensive, and with zero waste water, the new QuantumCOLOUR™ process is set to revolutionize wool textile colouring: Woolmark, the global authority on wool, has teamed up with COLOURizd™, pioneers in dry textile colouring processes, to introduce a revolutionary new method to colour wool and wool blends. 

QuantumCOLOUR™ is a cutting-edge yarn colouring process that significantly reduces resource consumption and costs. Using just 0.5L of water per kilogram of yarn, this technology eliminates the need for bleaching, pre-treatment and wastewater discharge. This makes the COLOURizd™ QuantumCOLOUR™ a reduced resource-intense colouration process, where only the wetting agent and pigment binder system are required.

“After extensive testing on Merino wool and wool blends, we realized the team at COLOURizd™ is on to something truly revolutionary for the wool industry,” said Woolmark General Manager Processing Innovation & Education Extension Julie Davies. “The QuantumCOLOUR™ process provides durable solutions, creating faded to saturated tonal depths of colour for wool and wool blends. And since it uses very little water, suppliers can choose to colour wool and wool blend yarns without the need for wastewater processing infrastructure.”

Traditional dyeing requires a variety of chemicals, including caustic soda, acids, bleach, and salts, all washed in with between 60 and 120 liters of water per kilogram of yarn. The COLOURizd™ method uses none of these chemicals, instead utilising a bluesign® certified pigment and binder injected into a yarn fibre bundle. The result is a process that allows for a range of colours and supple textures.

“Woolmark represents the gold standard within the wool industry and they will be instrumental in helping to offer our lower impact, higher performance process to new markets,” said COLOURizd™ CEO Jennifer Thompson. “Our current clients include Kontoor Brands (Wrangler and Lee), Cone Denim, and GANT, and working with Woolmark will allow us to reach an entirely new market, bringing sustainability and performance solutions to wool manufacturers around the globe.”

Successfully validated on 100% Merino wool, as well as blends with cotton, TENCEL™ and nylon, on a range of yarn counts from 30/2NM to 80/1NM, the COLOURizd™ QuantumCOLOUR™ pigment process meets all standards for colourfastness and durability. Assessed through authorised laboratory partners, Woolmark testing was carried out on yarns, fabrics and garments, showing the technology delivers consistent colour performance and long-lasting wear.

Woolmark and COLOURizd™ will introduce this new technology during Pitti Immagine Filati.

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") have succeeded in developing new regenerated cellulose fiber with a silk-like sheen from waste cotton fabric through a new production process.

A movement toward using fibers recycled from discarded clothing has been gaining momentum, driven by a growing recognition of waste clothing as a global environmental issue. In Europe in particular, a move is under way to use more regenerated fiber and reduce textile waste.

To address societal issues surrounding textile waste, HKRITA and Epson have been conducting research and development on regenerated fibers since signing a joint development agreement in January 2024. As a result of this collaboration, the partners have successfully developed regenerated cellulose fiber using a new production process that transforms discarded cotton fabric into regenerated fiber.

This new process was made possible by integrating Epson's proprietary Dry Fiber Technology for defibrating textiles with HKRITA's fiber-dissolving technology. The process involves (1) defibrating discarded cotton fabric into a powder-like state, (2) dissolving the cotton in a solvent, and (3) extruding it through a nozzle into a coagulation bath, where it solidifies and is spun into fiber.

The regenerated cellulose fiber produced through this process is expected to have both a smooth, silky sheen and the strength of cotton. This fiber is expected to be used in high-end materials such as scarves, neckties, and suit linings. Moreover, since the short fibers that occur during the regenerated fiber production process can also be used rather than discarded, as was usually the case, this regeneration process can help to increase the total clothing recycling rate.

"As an applied research center, HKRITA is dedicated to solving real-world problems and enhancing current practices and products," said HKRITA CEO Jake Koh. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Epson to recycle fibers and repurpose them into high-quality yarns. This cross-industrial collaboration is not only reimagining materials but also redefining the future of sustainable production."

Epson Executive Officer Satoshi Hosono, who serves as the deputy general administrative manager of the Global Environmental Strategy Promotion Office and as the deputy general administrative manager of the Technology Development Division, said, "We are extremely pleased with the results that this joint development project has yielded. The selective application of this new wet process and our previously developed dry process should enable fiber to be regenerated from all waste cotton fabrics while reducing environmental impact."

Information about the work under this joint development project will be exhibited at HKRITA's Booth 2415 at Textiles Recycling Expo 2025, held in Brussels, Belgium, from June 4, 2025.

Looking ahead, HKRITA and Epson will continue to combine their advanced technologies to accelerate the adoption of regenerated fibers, contributing to global efforts to solve the challenge of clothing recycling.

Infinited Fiber Company announces that Petri Alava, co-founder and CEO since the company’s founding in 2016, will step down from his role on May 31, 2025. Chief Operating Officer Sahil Kaushik will serve as acting CEO from June 1, 2025. Petri Alava will continue supporting the company as Senior Advisor through the end of November. The Board of Directors has initiated the search for a permanent successor.

While circularity and sustainability remain essential, competitiveness is now front and center in the next phase of Infinited Fiber’s industrial scale-up. The company’s strategy is evolving accordingly, with an intensified focus on operational excellence and readiness for large-scale industrial investment.

“Our product has been validated by the market — the value is now established,” said Andreas Tallberg, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “The next strategic priority is to turn that value into profitable industrial scale, by optimizing cost and capital efficiency. We’re grateful for the work Petri and the team have done and excited to begin the next chapter — with Sahil, who brings deep experience in scaling industrial production and driving efficiency in the chemical industry, now leading the transition.”

“Infinna is a breakthrough innovation that’s more relevant than ever,” said Kaushik. “It’s a privilege to lead this talented team, together with world-leading brands supporting us as investors. We have a clear path forward and a solid foundation for the next phase.”

Over the past decade, Petri Alava has played a central role in shaping Infinited Fiber into a global front-runner in textile-to-textile recycling of cotton. Under his leadership, the company’s circular fiber Infinna™ has achieved strong market traction, backed by long-term offtake agreements with leading fashion brands, underscoring Infinna’s unique value and laying the groundwork for scaling a profitable business.

“Ten years is a long time to lead a growth company — and a natural point for change,” said Petri Alava. “I’m incredibly proud of the journey we’ve made as a team: we’ve built something truly valuable — a recycled cotton-like fiber with exceptional market fit, proven demand, and long-term partnerships. Now, with market dynamics shifting and Infinited Fiber entering a new strategic phase, it’s the right time to pass the baton — from creating value to scaling it. I’m happy to support the team during the transition.”

On May 23 and 24 an Open Day will be held in Rome at the Centro Apostolato Liturgico Largo Brancaccio 57, run by the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master. The event will unveil the first collection of chasubles (vestments worn to celebrate Holy Mass) made with Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei.

The POPOLO IN CAMMINO – ON THE OCCASION OF THE JUBILEE 2025 – PELLEGRINI DI SPERANZA collection features liturgical vestments including chasubles, dalmatics and copes. During the event, Ettore Pellegrini, Marketing & Sales Manager of Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia, and Junshu Furusawa, Sales Manager & Board Member of Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia, will be present and will welcome all guests.

The choice of Bemberg™ - the brand of cupro fiber by Asahi Kasei, a regenerated cellulose fiber obtained from the closed-loop process using cotton linters -  was the result of a journey that began with a visit to Milano Unica (Italy’s premier textile trade fair) and continued with several presentations of the material in Rome. Bemberg™ stood out for its uniqueness and circular economy footprint. Thanks to its transparent and traceable supply chaih, it offers certified sustainability credentials and premium quality. The fiber respects form and drape, with a truly unique and precious feel: cool in summer, with excellent moisture control, offering superior comfort and a soft, impalpable touch on the skin.

The collection is a testimony to the Church’s commitment to sustainable conversion, made possible thanks to the work of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master, a religious congregation of nuns who, with experience, skill, and creativity, design and craft liturgical vestments and a variety of  handcrafted items, including iconography, sculptures and ceramics. Their work is dedicated to serving the Church’s liturgy, guided by the principles of liturgical renewal: noble simplicity, dignity, and beauty in sobriety (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 34; 122; 124).

The fabric used for the vestments in this collection was designed by the Sister Disciples themselves and produced with textiles supplied by Brunello.

The Sister Disciples of the Divine Master present their creations through the Apostolato Liturgico, a retail point with an online shop offering religious articles—from sacred vestments to other liturgical items. Following the launch on May 23, the Apostolato Liturgico stores in Milan, Bari, Palermo, Florence, Cagliari, Rome, and others will feature window displays dedicated to the collection for the next three months.

Rieter has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Barmag from OC Oerlikon for an upfront equity purchase price of CHF 713 million. The acquisition will create a globally leading player in natural and manmade fibers, headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, and is highly complementary to Rieter’s short-staple fiber business.

Barmag is a provider of filament spinning systems used for manufacturing manmade fibers, texturing machines, BCF1) systems, staple fiber spinning and nonwovens solutions and – as an engineering services provider – offers solutions along the textile value chain. In the financial year 2024, the company generated sales of CHF 734 million with around 2 600 employees.

Barmag comprises the established product brands Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven. The main markets for the Barmag product portfolio are China, India, Türkiye and the United States of America. The innovative and technologically advanced products are developed in Remscheid and Neumünster (Germany) as well as Suzhou and Wuxi (China).

As fiber consumption is projected to rise, most of the growth is expected to come from manmade fibers. The increase of natural fibers such as cotton and linen is limited due to natural boundaries. Manmade fibers will help to meet expanding demand for clothing, technical and home textiles. The strategic acquisition of Barmag will transform Rieter into a leading supplier for converting natural and manmade fibers into yarn.

The transaction is fully in-line with Rieter’s strategy and follows previous acquisitions, where Rieter complemented its portfolio in short-staple fiber machinery and expanded its footprint in components and machinery for manmade fiber production. The combined platform allows to leverage the recovery of global filament and short staple fiber spinning markets and to reduce cyclicality due to diversification of end-markets. The acquisition will further enhance Rieter’s position in the important Asia-Pacific region and provide access to Barmag’s filament expertise, which will help to further scale Rieter’s own capabilities and improve digitization solutions and product sustainability.

Rieter’s largest shareholder, Peter Spuhler (c. 33% shareholding) is supportive of the transaction and committed to participating in the rights-issue pro-rata by exercising its subscription rights as well as investing additional capital through the non-pre-emptive capital raise. After the capital increase, PCS Holding AG is expected to retain a shareholding of c. 33%.

Additionally, Rieter’s second-largest shareholder, Martin Haefner (c. 10%), also supports the transaction and has committed to participating pro-rata in the rights-issue by exercising its subscription rights and investing additional capital through the non-pre-emptive capital raise.

Rieter has stood for pioneering innovation in textile technology for 230 years. Founded in 1795, the company has grown from a trading company to a global technology leader. With a clear focus on automation, digitization and sustainability, Rieter is shaping the future of yarn production and continues to set standards in the industry.

Rieter, a world leader in developing and manufacturing systems for yarn production with staple fibers, is celebrating its 230th anniversary this year – a history characterized by change, innovation and growth.

The Rieter success story began on April 15, 1795, when Johann Jacob Rieter founded the company J.J. Rieter & Cie. in Winterthur, Switzerland. Rieter started as a trading company for exotic spices and cotton, and on April 23, 1795, the first cotton bale had already arrived at the Waaghaus trading house on Marktgasse in Winterthur.

Initially involved in spinning mills and textile manufacturing, Rieter continued to develop over the 19th century and shifted its focus to building industrial machinery. Acquiring the buildings of the former Töss Abbey in Winterthur in 1833 was an important step. In addition to spinning mill machines, the company’s product line also included machines for winding, knitting, and weaving.

In 1891, Rieter converted into a stock company, which was a significant milestone in the company’s history. In the decades that followed, Rieter set new technological standards again and again. For example, the company was the first machine factory in Switzerland with electronic data processing and Rieter set up a modern laboratory for testing materials. It was joined by prototype workshops, a textile laboratory, and a test spinning mill to support further innovation.

Despite economic challenges, Rieter has always used times of crisis as an opportunity to increase its efficiency and hone its strategic focus. Along with its subsidiaries Accotex, Bräcker, Graf, Novibra, Suessen, SSM, and Temco, today Rieter is distinctive and well-known in the market. The company is a leader in spinning mill technology and contributes to sustainability in the textile value chain with state-of-the-art machines, systems, and components.

Rieter’s success is based not only on technological excellence, but above all on the people who drive the company forward. The approximately 4 800 employees worldwide are the company’s greatest asset. With their expertise, innovative spirit, and passion, they set new standards every day and play an active role in shaping Rieter’s future.

From Rieter’s perspective, the future of spinning mills is automated, digital, and intelligent. Research and development activities are being intensified – in both the areas of autonomous transport systems and collaborative robotics, as well as for ESSENTIAL, Rieter’s digital spinning mill platform. The goal is to fully automate the value creation process of spinning mills by 2027. This will enable spinning mills to reduce their yarn manufacturing costs and maximize their returns. Customers can then concentrate fully on their yarn business and rely on Rieter’s technology and know-how for their operations.

With 230 years of experience, strong innovative power, sustainable solutions and a global sales and service organization, Rieter looks to the future with confidence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The next-generation card TC 30i has earned popularity in main textile markets by achieving proven results in real-world operating conditions – for cotton yarn and for man-made fibers. It is suitable for a uniquely broad range of applications, including fine count (with the TC 30Fi model) and recycling (with the TC 30Ri model). All orders from the last few months are now being installed, so that the TC 30i can demonstrate ist positive impact on productivity and quality at many more mills worldwide

The TC 30i is designed to maximize process efficiency and product quality for spinning. Due to its intelligent, self-optimizing functions it achieves consistent results from any raw material while reducing or eliminating the demand for operator intervention. The machine has already proven up to 40 % higher productivity in man-made fiber applications. In recent trials with cotton applications, customers in Indonesia and Türkiye have achieved outstanding results, too.

The T-GO automated gap optimizer improves quality by enabling the smallest and most precise carding gaps – far beyond anything possible with manual settings. Second, the TC 30i maximizes quality and productivity by increasing the number of active flats without sacrificing flexibility in the pre- and post-carding areas due to the larger cylinder diameter. And third, the TC 30i minimizes cotton waste because it features a new and highly precise mote knife at the first licker-in. Customers can automatically optimize and adjust the mote knife settings to meet their specific needs. Combined with the impact of our WASTECONTROL feature, this significantly reduces material waste.

Big benefits for Budi Texindo Prakarsa
Budi Texindo Prakarsa is a leading spinning mill based in Indonesia, specialized in the production of premium cotton yarn with an annual capacity of 80,000 spindles. In their recent trials with the TC 30i, they produced 100 % cotton yarn (Ne 20 to Ne 30) via ring-combed processes. Compared to the previous benchmark, productivity increased by up to 30 % with the same IPI quality level. At the same time, energy and air consumption per kilogram have been reduced.

Measurable advantages for Mem Tekstil
In Türkiye, Mem Tekstil is one of the largest integrated manufactures in the textile sector. Their products range from knitting, dyeing, rotation and digital printing to ring spinning, open-end spinning and vortex spinning. With Trützschler's TC 30i they produced a yarn (Ne 20) made from 100 % cotton soft waste via open-end (OE) spinning. Its engineers tested the TC 30i because they are considering upgrading older card models from a Swiss competitor. Our machine has increased productivity from 70 kilograms per hour to 160 kilograms per hour with the same or better quality. This shows once again that modernization can be worthwhile.

Super results for SAFTEKS
SAFTEKS is another Trützschler customer located in Türkiye. The company produces cotton yarns with a monthly production capacity of 2100 tons. It uses OE spinning to manufacture 100 % cotton yarn (Ne 20) from 40 % virgin cotton and 60 % cotton soft waste. Swapping its cards for the TC 30i made it possible for SAFTEKS to increase its output capacity from 70 tons per day to 85 tons per day. That is a productivity boost of more than 20 %, with the same level of quality.

Promising results for PT Dhanar Mas Concern in man-made fiber applications
PT Dhanar Mas Concern (Danar Mas) is an Indonesian company dedicated to the production of high-quality textile products. The company specializes in spinning yarns and manufacturing greige fabrics. They use our TC 30Si card, which is specially customized for man-made fibers. In recent trials with the TC 30Si, Danar Mas produced a ring carded polyester yarn (Ne 20 to Ne 30) and a viscose yarn (Ne 30 to Ne 40) via vortex spinning. In both applications, the next-generation card produced 125 kg/h of material at the same IPI quality level, up to 40 % more than the company produces with its current benchmark.

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

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

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

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

The Lenzing Group, a provider of regenerated cellulose fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, continued to improve its business performance in 2024 despite the expected slow market recovery. While Lenzing was able to significantly increase its sales volumes, the price level remained below that of the previous year. Logistics costs have risen significantly, and raw material and energy costs also remained high.

Revenue grew by 5.7 percent year-on-year to EUR 2.66 bn in 2024, mainly reflecting a higher level of revenue generated from fibers (+10 percent). The positive effects of the holistic performance program were the main factor driving the operating earnings trend. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 30.4 percent year-on-year to EUR 395.4 mn in 2024. The EBITDA margin increased from 12.0 percent to 14.8 percent. The operating result (EBIT) amounted to EUR 88.5 mn (compared with minus EUR 476.4 mn in 2023) and the EBIT margin stood at 3.3 percent (compared with minus 18.9 percent in 2023). The result before tax (EBT) amounted to minus EUR 42.0 mn (compared with minus EUR 585.6 mn in 2023).

Outlook
The IMF recently slightly upgraded its growth forecast for 2025 to 3.3 percent, but emphasizes the continued high extent of variation between regions as well as the high level of uncertainty. The latter is mainly due to geopolitical tensions, increasing protectionist tendencies, and a potential return of inflation.

In times of uncertainty, consumers are remaining cautious and thrifty, which is exerting a negative impact on consumer sentiment and on their propensity to spend.

The currency environment is expected to remain volatile in the regions relevant to Lenzing.

In the trend-setting market for cotton, analysts anticipate a slight increase of stock levels to around 18.7 mn tonnes in the current 2024/2025 harvest season, following a reduction of 0.9 mn tonnes in the previous season, according to preliminary estimates.
Earnings visibility remains limited overall.

Lenzing is still ahead of schedule with the implementation of the performance program. The company expects that the measures will also contribute to further earnings improvement in the coming quarters.

Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, the Lenzing Group expects EBITDA to be higher in 2025 than in the previous year.
In structural terms, Lenzing continues to expect growth in demand for environmentally responsible fibers for the textile and apparel industry, as well as for the hygiene and medical sectors. As a consequence, Lenzing is very well positioned with its strategy and is driving ahead with not only profitable growth in specialty fibers but also the further expansion of its market leadership in the sustainability area.