From the Sector

Archroma is bringing the entire portfolio of 5,760 Archroma Color Atlas colors to swatchbook, a platform for material digitalization and sourcing.

The new partnership provides fashion, apparel and textile designers and manufacturers with an elevated standard for color accuracy that meets the needs of today’s increasingly technology-driven and integrated supply chain. This will help the textile and fashion community to improve sustainability, whilst lowering costs and shortening turnaround times.

The Color Atlas by Archroma® was launched in 2016 to provide fashion designers and stylists with off-the-shelf color inspiration that can be implemented in production with just a few clicks.

Designers will use the 5,760 Archroma Color Atlas colors on swatchbook to rapidly develop accurate digital colorways and visualize their final product. They can then share these digital swatches with their manufacturing partners, providing access to the swatchbook metadata, which can include information such as the materials’ composition, weight and color.

This will streamline the overall design and production process for color-critical fashion and textile products, allowing for faster turnaround. Digital materials supported by trusted coloration technology also reduce the need for samples and eliminate physical swatchbooks, bringing environmental benefits and lower costs to brands and suppliers.

All 5,760 Color Atlas by Archroma® colors are now available free of charge to subscribers on the swatchbook platform.

ITMA 2023 was a successful platform for the flat knitting machine manufacturer STOLL to present its latest new developments. The business unit of the KARL MAYER GROUP will be following up this fair on 3 July with the launch of a further innovation package. With the solutions contained in this package, STOLL will be offering its customers additional added value when using their flat knitting machines - in line with the concept of bundling innovations.

The new features include an optimised central lubrication system that reduces both maintenance effort and oil consumption, this as standard from July 2023 for all models of the CMS and ADF series produced in Reutlingen.
Compared to the previous optional variant, it ensures more efficient and comprehensive lubrication. All needle bed elements, from the holding-down jack to the coupling part and intermediate slider to the selection jack, are now supplied with oil. The machine itself recognises whether lubrication is required. Independently of this, the lubrication intensity and oil distribution can be adapted to the individual machine conditions by setting various parameters, if required. To ensure that the required amount of lubricant is reliably supplied, a message is sent if the level is too low.

In addition, a new oil drain container as standard equipment for all CMS and ADF models catches used oil from the needle bed under the machine. This prevents soiling of floors or knitted fabrics. The emptying of the container can be efficiently managed by an adjustable reminder function. The neat and at the same time sustainable solution does not require cleaning agents or hoovers and offers the possibility to reuse the oil after cleaning through special filters, if necessary.

Users of CMS and ADF belt take-down machines can benefit from optimisations around the belt take-down. Thanks to the new STOLL innovation package, this can be turned forwards and backwards by means of a switch as standard in order to easily eliminate fabric wraps and thus reduce maintenance times. In addition, a mirror, which is also fitted as standard, ensures a simple visual check of the belt take-down.

Another solution of the STOLL innovation package from July 2023 includes new cams that enable split-stitch implementation without cam box modification. This reduces manual effort and thus conversion times and costs. The feature is standard on all fine gauges ADF and CMS machines.

For the W machines from STOLL, there is now a further inlay yarn carrier, the Qt, in addition to the previous Qw yarn carrier. The extension means that the number of inlay yarn carriers used in a system can be increased from the previous one to three. No additional system is required for the weft yarn, and the process steps weft yarn insertion and knitting take place in the same system.

MAS Holdings, a global apparel & textile manufacturing and tech conglomerate, headquartered in Sri Lanka, secures a stake in HeiQ AeoniQ™ as part of its Plan for Change initiative to support the development of next-generation cellulosic filament fibers to replace polyester and nylon.

HeiQ from Switzerland and MAS Holdings entered a partnership for MAS to secure a stake in HeiQ AeoniQ GmbH, a subsidiary of HeiQ Group that will produce HeiQ AeoniQ™, a climate-positive cellulosic yarn.

With this investment, MAS Holdings becomes the first manufacturer to partner with HeiQ AeoniQ™ in their efforts to provide a sustainable alternative to polyester and nylon. The investment to be made by MAS Holdings is part of the group’s strategy to drive a positive environmental impact. The MAS Plan for Change aims to generate 50% of the company’s revenue through sustainable products by 2025, revolutionizing the textile industry with a focus on innovation, sustainable sourcing, and pioneering circularity at scale.

With the closing of this deal, HeiQ and MAS agreed to a 5-year Offtake Agreement for 3,000 tons of HeiQ AeoniQ™ yarn in 2025 and 5,000 tons per year from 2026 to 2029, valued by HeiQ in the aggregate to US$ 100 million. MAS will finalize this commitment within a stipulated time period after achieving milestone 1, and a mutual plan for commercialization. HeiQ and MAS firmly believe that rapid scaling is key to facilitating the fast adoption of sustainable, circular technologies such as HeiQ AeoniQ™.

The HeiQ AeoniQ™ pilot plant in Austria is manufacturing this revolutionary continuous cellulosic filament yarn since Q3 2022, with up to a 100 tons capacity to be upscaled up to 300 tons by the end of 2023.

The HeiQ AeoniQ™ production scale-up is planned to have its definitive boost by early 2026 with the construction of an entirely new gigafactory capable of a 30,000-ton output per year, in a 250M USD estimated investment.

Polyester and nylon, two oil-based fibers, virtually non-recyclable, account for about 70% of all the global textile production, they take between 350 to 1000 years to degrade in nature, are currently close loop recycled at less than 1%, and are at the origin of 35% of the microplastics that can be found in today's oceans. HeiQ AeoniQ™ was innovated and is being hyper-scaled up to change this course of action.

Dibella supports organic Fairtrade cotton farmers in sourcing non-GMO seeds for the next harvest.

Together with the Chetna Organic cooperative, Dibella has long supported Indian smallholder farmers, on whose fields the organic Fairtrade cotton for the company's sustainable contract textiles grows. To secure the livelihoods of the smallholders, Dibella is taking action this year with a special measure: at the beginning of the new growing season, the company pre-finances the procurement of the genetically unmodified (GMO-free) seeds.

The beginning of the monsoon season (June to September) marks the start of the cotton year in India. The small family farms where the organic Fairtrade cotton for the sustainable Dibella range is grown prepare their fields for sowing. The seeds needed this year come directly from their buyer Dibella. The company organised and co-financed the procurement of the seeds together with the Chetna Organic cooperative.

Ending the debt trap
"At the beginning of the cotton season, smallholder farmers are often forced to take out a loan to finance the seeds they need. For this, very high double-digit interest rates are charged in India, which can lead to excessive debt for families, especially when there are crop failures due to pest infestations or unfavourable weather conditions, for example," reports Simon Bartholomes, Purchasing Manager at Dibella. "We decided years ago to break this vicious circle by pre-financing the genetically unmodified seed. It is procured by our partner Chetna Organic and distributed free of charge to the farming families whose organic cotton is processed into our organic Fairtrade textiles after the harvest. This year we have allocated a sum of USD 50,000 for this purpose.

Win-win situation
This measure offers advantages for all parties involved: Through direct access to the seeds, Dibella enables the farmer families to have a more adequate livelihood. At the same time, the farmers benefit from the expertise of Chetna Organic staff, who support them in organic farming. Dibella, in turn, covers its annual demand for organic Fairtrade cotton with a right of first refusal. This gives the company full control over its entire supply chain, which starts at the cotton field.

The ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the foundation of contemporary business. Its team is ready to take ROICA™ to the next level, responding to market demand innovations, whilst sharing its latest responsible production system with a new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements:
First, a focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new market needs and desires without harming the environment or society at large. Thanks to the certified and eco-high tech ROICA Eco-Smart™ family, Asahi Kasei is able to meet responsible business needs and contemporary consumers’ desire for a modern wardrobe that represents a new generation of values.

Second, the dawn of ROICA™ has fueled a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing ROICA™’s values, including: Artistic Milliners, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Maglificio Ripa, Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Sitip S.p.A. and Tessitura Colombo.

ERCA successfully showcased their latest product during the recent ITMA 2023 exhibition, taking the opportunity to share with ITMA visitors the journey that stood behind the creation of REVECOL®.

REVECOL® transforms critical waste materials (exhausted vegetable oils) into a line of innovative and responsible chemical auxiliaries destined for the entire textile industry and its various applications, offering different characteristics: circular DNA, certification, safety, high performance, competitivity and applicability on any type of textile fiber, whether virgin or recycled.

Patagonia® and trim supplier YKK teamed up with ERCA to deploy REVECOL® in their manufacturing process. This alliance was presented to ITMA visitors as an example of what the industry can achieve through collaborative practices.

The process of sharing REVECOL® with the industry really started with the announcement of ERCA’s partnership with Patagonia® and YKK and deepened during the session Upcycling Minds Think Alike moderated by Giusy Bettoni, CEO and Founder, C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity, Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy), and which saw the participation of Matt Swartz, Color and Material Quality Manager of Patagonia®, Fabio Locatelli, Head of ERCA, Textile Specialties Business Unit and Mike Maekawa, Sales and Business Development Manager, YKK Vietnam.

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

The future of construction
As one of the largest global users of energy and raw materials, the construction industry is under immense pressure to improve its sustainability. At the same time, it must respond to demands for improved performance and reduced total cost of ownership. New materials will be needed to minimise the use of natural resources, enable a reduction of carbon footprint and facilitate circular economy practices. Choosing the optimum materials required for durability throughout the lifecycle will be increasingly important. A shift to off-site production is also forecast, where factory-controlled environments and automated processes can improve quality control, lower waste, and reduce work on site.

Lightweight pultruded parts can be pre-assembled into modules or complete structures in the factory for faster installation on site. Lightweight profiles lower energy use during transportation and installation, and a longer service life combined with minimal maintenance can deliver a reduced through-life carbon footprint. Pultruded parts such as profiles, gratings, beams, tubes and planks are increasingly found in a range of building, construction and infrastructure applications. Examples include bridge decks, fencing, stairs and handrails, train platforms, cladding, utility poles, modular building concepts, and window frames.

One application offering large growth potential for composites is bridges. Composite bridges are being designed to provide a service life of 100 years and unlike steel bridges do not require regular repainting to protect them from corrosion. Over recent years, pultruded glass fibre composite has become a highly popular choice for pedestrian and cycle bridges. Pre-fabricated ‘easy fit’ bridge decking planks, pre-assembled bridge modules and complete bridge ‘kits’ are now available. Corrosion-resistant composite bridges are ideal for use near water or on the coast, and in remote locations where regular maintenance operations would be difficult. A composite bridge can deliver the same performance as a steel structure with a weight saving of up to 50% or more. This enables more streamlined bridge designs which require less substantial supporting structures and foundations, greatly reducing consumption of materials and energy. Lightweight also results in easier logistics and simplified installation. Pultruded are more easily transported to the construction site, with lower fuel consumption, and easier to move on site, often reducing labour requirements and the capacity of lifting equipment.

A lifecycle approach
As the construction industry looks to the future, the environmental and economic benefits of composite materials linked to easier logistics and installation, durability and low maintenance are becoming increasingly valued. More projects are demonstrating the benefits of composite materials and standards covering the design, fabrication and installation of pultruded profiles are making it easier for the construction industry to use them. With ongoing development and collaboration, pultrusion has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future for construction and many other industries. EPTA will continue to promote the advancement of pultrusion technology and its applications and foster sustainable practices within the industry.

Perlon® - The Filament Company - headquartered in Munderkingen, Germany, which specializes in the manufacture of synthetic filaments for the Paper- Technical Textile - Brush- Personal- and Dental industry, buys Shaun Filaments in Goa, India.

Shaun Filaments is a leading Indian producer of different types of filaments mainly for the Asian market. Perlon® herewith expands its Asian presence and market leadership in the following business segments: Paper Machine Clothing, Advanced Technical Textiles, Technical Brush Filaments and Personal Care.

“With the acquisition of Shaun Filaments, we are expanding our presence in the Asian market and creating a company that is geared towards the global filament industry of the future and we are expanding our market leadership in all segments. Shaun Filaments is a perfect fit for the Perlon® Group with its long-term experience, strong reputation and knowledge in the production of filaments for the Asian market.” states Florian Kisling, CEO of Perlon®.

The Perlon® Group will take over Shaun Filaments with all employees and production lines located in the Shaun Filaments factory in Goa, India.

Following a strong start at the Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles early this year, global industry players have turned their sights to the next international event in August. As the first Autumn Edition to be held in the wake of China lifting many of its pandemic-related border restrictions, the three-day fair will gather around 1,000 international and domestic exhibitors. Traders looking to meet market demand will be able to source from an extensive range of trending and specialised home and contract textile products from 16 – 18 August 2023.

According to a recent market report, the global home textile market is expected to show a CAGR of 5.6% from 2023 – 2028 to reach USD 174.1 billion by the end of the forecast period. Asia-Pacific has dominated the global market in recent years, with China one of its most significant contributors.^[1]

As a manufacturing hub for home textiles, China is gradually recovering from social and business disruptions caused by the pandemic. Speaking at the recent Spring Edition, Ms Rosemary Li, Domestic Sales Manager of Zhangjiagang Coolist Life Technology Co Ltd, a long-time exhibitor specialised in bio-based and functional bedding products, said: “Since China relaxed its pandemic-related control and prevention measures, after Chinese New Year we have been flooded with orders. With both domestic and export orders increasing, it has been almost impossible for the production line to fulfil the order demand.”

While the spring show’s promising visitor flow was a positive start to the Chinese home textile industry’s post-pandemic era, a higher participation of overseas exhibitors and buyers is expected at the upcoming Autumn Edition

The return of special zones and international pavilions
Later this year in Shanghai, exhibitors will showcase their most up-to-date home and contract textile products, ranging from bedding & towelling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, upholstery & curtain fabrics, editors, home textile technologies and textile design. With a wealth of choices for buyers, several show highlights are listed below:

• Editor & Designer Zone: located in hall 5.1, the zone will feature international, high-end editor and designer brands brought by leading exhibitors J&C, Julai, Qianbaihui, Prestigious, Shanghai Lotus, SohoCut, Yada, and more.
• Country and region pavilions: premium suppliers from Belgium, Türkiye and Taiwan (China) will exhibit quality products in their designated pavilions in hall 6.1.
• Textile Designs: textile design studios from Japan, Portugal and Taiwan (China), namely Amilia Design Studio, Fine Art Inc and Tela's Design Lda, will also showcase their seasonal designs in hall 6.1.

Adding to buyers’ sourcing options, a multitude of domestic players from different categories will also showcase their respective products. Highlighted exhibitors include top curtain and curtain fabric suppliers Fu-Tex, Hangzhou Aico, Hexin and Xiaoxuanchuang; bedding suppliers Coolist, Huizhou Wah Shing and Yantai North Home; as well as Hightex, Huatex, Maya and Suzhou Roufang from the upholstery and sofa fabric sector.

Fairgoers can also learn more about the upcoming global trends and designs by visiting the ‘2023 – 2024 Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend’ area. In aid of this, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has joined forces with NellyRodi™, the renowned French forecasting agency, to present the design theme for 2023 – 2024: ‘ALIVE’. HUMAN CAPITAL, ROUSING COMMITMENT and UNREAL REALITIES are the theme’s three main trends.

^[1] Globe Newswire: Global Home Textile Market Report 2023-2028: Increase in Consumer Spending on Home Renovation and Decoration Bodes Well for the Sector. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/08/2622718/28124/en/Global-Home-Textile-Market-Report-2023-2028-Increase-in-Consumer-Spending-on-Home-Renovation-and-Decoration-Bodes-Well-for-the-Sector.html

Under the motto “People Matter” numerous exhibitors will be presenting innovative solutions and concepts revolving around safe and healthy work at A+A 2023. This year, the overarching theme of the leading international trade fair will be the two megatrends digitalisation and sustainability.    

Furthermore, A+A organisers have changed the hall concept and optimised routing at the exhibition centre: the halls have been clearly segmented according to theme, thereby placing similar products and services in close proximity with each other. This makes it easier for visitors to locate the companies exhibiting ranges of particular interest to them and to find their bearings at the fairgrounds.  

Also new: Halls 16 and 17 will present Corporate Wear and Hall 15 the complete spectrum of components and accessories for manufacturing up-to-date protective wear.      

In addition to a Corporate Fashion Show visitors are in for further exciting forums as well as an extensive congress programme with international appeal: including the 38th International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine as well as the WearRAcon Europe, to be held in Germany for the first time as part of A+A. Likewise, such topics as ergonomics and New Work will be given significantly more visibility owing to new cooperations and expert lectures.