From the Sector

DOMO Chemicals, a global leader in polyamide-based engineered material solutions and services, has published its latest annual Sustainability Report, detailing progress on its sustainability journey, including notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. DOMO’s mission is to engineer polyamide solutions that contribute to a better, more sustainable world. In publishing its second annual Sustainability Report, DOMO enters a new phase in its decarbonization quest, with confidence in its long-term aspiration to set the standard for sustainability in the industry by 2030.

Notably, the Sustainability Report details DOMO’s achievements in 2022 toward realizing its 2030 sustainability goals. In terms of decarbonization and broader environmental achievements, against a 2019 baseline, the company:

• Reduced scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 27%, making significant progress toward its target of 40% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050
• Increased renewable electricity throughout operations to 12%
• Reduced waste by 24%
• Lowered water intake by 4.5%

In addition, as a provider of polyamide-based sustainable and circular solutions, DOMO:

• Achieved more than 11% of engineered materials sales based on sustainable feedstock, making excellent progress toward its 2030 target of 20%
• Allocated 25% of research and development resources to enhanced recycling

Moreover, fostering talent and ensuring the well-being of its workforce as a responsible employer is essential for sustainable growth, and 2022 highlights include:

• Increased share of women in senior positions from 22% in 2021 to 30% in 2022
• Providing a safe and inclusive working environment that encourages personal and professional development as well as a global safety culture

Over 1.2 million people came together to Move For The Planet, a new global initiative by adidas that harnessed the collective activity of sporting communities across the world.

Over 173 million active minutes were tracked overall across countries in the adidas Running app with adidas pledging to donate €1 to Common Goal for every 10 minutes of activity logged across 34 sports between June 1-12 – up to €1.5m.

The contributions will support projects around the globe that educate and engage communities through sport. One such organisation selected by adidas and Common Goal is the ISF Cambodia (ISF), a charity with 16 years of experience using education and sport to change lives.

The specific project will enable the installation of solar panels to light their football fields – creating safer spaces for girls and the wider community to practice in whilst at the same time, using renewable energy.

In addition to the solar panels, together with Football for Future and Common Goal, adidas is facilitating education on environmental sustainability through sport for ISF with a focus on helping the organization to raise awareness of environmental action in the community.

This will complement ISF workshops on environmental protection, the use of single use-plastic and waste management processes, enabling the children and young adults involved to be positive role models for their community.

Move For The Planet is part of adidas’ wider sustainability initiatives as the company continues its mission to make what’s best for the athlete. Earlier this year, adidas announced that it is ahead of schedule in its journey to replace virgin polyester with recycled polyester in its products wherever possible by the end of 2024. In 2022, 96% of all the polyester adidas used was recycled.

Silence and resource efficiency are the order of the day in the development and optimization of electric vehicles. On the one hand, ever stricter emissions regulations worldwide are increasing demand for components that reduce noise pollution while helping vehicle manufacturers meet their sustainability targets. On the other hand, the absence of noise from the combustion engine in e-cars amplifies the disruptive effects of other noise sources in the passenger compartment. With Ultra-
Silent Tune, Autoneum now presents a new lightweight and environmentally friendly technology for underbody shields that reduces tire rolling noise both outside and inside the vehicle, thus improving not only acoustic performance but also driver comfort in electric cars.

Autoneum's Ultra-Silent Tune technology owes its sound-absorbing performance to acoustic chambers of different shapes and sizes. The chambers are created by applying an embossed polyester foil to the side of the Ultra-Silent underbody shield facing away from the noise source: they capture the sound waves emitted by the car tires, modulate them according to their respective geometry and reflect them back onto the porous carrier material. Compared to conventional single-layer underbody shields, whose acoustic performance is mainly determined by the noise-reducing properties of the product side facing the tires, Ultra-Silent Tune exploits both sides of the component, which significantly improves its acoustic absorption. Autoneum thus makes innovative use of the proven concept of traditional chamber absorbers, reducing exterior tire rolling noise.

Moreover, Ultra-Silent Tune combines optimized acoustic performance with the sustainability benefits of Autoneum's Pure technology Ultra-Silent. In addition to the high proportion of recycled PET fibers, underbody shields made from Ultra-Silent Tune can be manufactured from 100% polyester and thus be fully recycled at the end of vehicle life. Furthermore, the thickness of the multilayer construction can be flexibly adapted to the packaging spaces of different vehicle models. Underbody shields made from Autoneum's new Ultra-Silent Tune technology are already in pre-development at various vehicle manufacturers in Europe.

Mimaki Europe, a provider of industrial inkjet printers, cutting plotters, and 3D printers, has announced the introduction of two technologies at ITMA 2023: a Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System and the Neo-Chromato Process. These innovations are showcased for the first time, and ahead of commercial availability, at the exhibition in Milan, Italy, solidifying Mimaki's commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions in the textile printing industry.

Mimaki’s New Textile Pigment Transfer Printing System
The transfer printing method is more sustainable than both analogue and digital textile dye printing methods with zero water consumption and substantially lower CO₂ emissions. The system comprises three essential elements: the Textile Pigment Ink, the Transfer System and the Textile Pigment Transfer paper, Texcol®.

Texcol® is a transfer paper pioneered by Dutch paper manufacturer, Coldenhove that allows for transferring a digital print using an environmentally friendly 3-step transfer process to create a vibrant application on a wide range of materials, including natural fibres. The design is initially printed onto the paper using a customised TS330-1600 - Mimaki’s high-volume, high-quality dye sublimation printer - and Mimaki’s new pigment inks developed for the process. The module that adapts the TS330-1600 will be available as an option for existing and new Mimaki customers in Q3 2023 but is being previewed on the Mimaki stand at ITMA.

Mimaki’s new Textile Pigment Ink is undergoing bluesign certification before commercial availability. bluesign is a renowned certification programme that ensures the highest levels of safety, environmental friendliness, and sustainability within the textile and apparel industry.

As the final stage, the Texcol® paper undergoes a one-step waterless process, through an entry-level calendar machine onto the textile of choice.

Cyclical textile technology
Mimaki is also debuting its new, unique Neo-Chromato Process, which revolutionises the reuse of coloured polyester textiles.

By decolourising polyester textiles that have been dyed using dye sublimation technologies, this innovative process allows materials to be re-printed or dyed immediately, contributing to a smaller circular economy. There is no limit to how many times reused polyester can be treated with the Neo-Chromato Process and the process itself minimises water usage and pollution by enabling the disposal of the absorbent paper and decolouring solvents used in the process as burnable waste.

Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its biorefinery and co-product brand LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased. The brand was first introduced on May 4, 1983, and has since become one of the leading and most trusted biobased acetic acid providers.

Over the past 40 years, LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased, which has a reduced carbon footprint that is 85% lower than that of fossil-based acetic acid, has continued to gain trust and support from customers. Specialty chemical company Evonik, and food production company Speyer & Grund Group, have been incorporating LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased in the production of their products since 1983. LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased has also been in high demand from the hygiene industry during the COVID-19 pandemic as an all-purpose cleaning agent in conventional and green products.

Pioneering a carbon neutral future in the biorefinery segment with a new offering
To mark the important occasion, Lenzing will introduce its first carbon neutral LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased to meet the growing sustainability needs of industries which predominately rely on fossil-based materials. Similar to the standard LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased, the carbon neutral LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased is produced using sustainably sourced beech wood as a universal replacement for non-renewable raw materials such as crude oil. By calculating, reducing and offsetting emissions during production processes, this expansion will create a more sustainable supply chain with highly functional products across various industries. From now on, Lenzing customers across the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical and textile industries will be able to choose between carbon neutral and reduced carbon footprint acetic acid products.

Advancing circularity and carbon neutrality through efficient use of valuable resources
Lenzing’s biorefinery concept ensures that 100% of wood components are used to produce pulp for Lenzing’s botanic fibers, biorefinery products, as well as bioenergy, which is used to power Lenzing’s facilities. This makes Lenzing’s biorefinery sites almost fully energy self-sufficient to remain as carbon neutral as possible. To ensure a low carbon footprint, rail transportation is the preferred means for transporting LENZING™ biorefinery products, with trucks being leveraged in regions where rail transportation is not available.

Together with ClimatePartner, a recognized global leader in the design, development, and delivery of corporate climate action programs, Lenzing strives to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero through a mix of higher production efficiencies, use of renewable energy sources, low-carbon materials, and the dedicated support of an external nature-based carbon removal project. For instance, to offset remaining carbon emissions that cannot be reduced, Lenzing works with ClimatePartner to support and finance the switch to biomass as an energy source at a ceramic factory in Kitambar in northeastern Brazil. Using natural waste materials, like coconut shells, as renewable biomass for its energy production, the factory is able to produce roof tiles in a more climate-friendly way while saving on carbon emissions. Besides contributing to the fuel switch, the project also helps to reduce the deforestation rate in Brazil and avoid methane emissions that could result from the uncontrolled rotting of biomass.

BDG [By Urban Outfitters] and ISKO have come together to develop a 10-piece collection made up of workwear-inspired denim pieces with finishing designs by British Artist, Dwayne Coleman.

Partnering with ISKO, Urban Outfitters has developed more sustainable denim pieces for this collaboration, utilizing recycled cotton yarns made from cutting waste. All pieces are washed using innovative technology to reduce the chemical, water, and energy footprint so that each item has a low environmental impact score. The development of these washes were done with the help of the experts at ISKO’s Creative Room London. The collection even features an innovative style that uses no virgin cotton, and yet the authenticity and durability remains the same.

The collaboration incorporates the principles of circular design, including minimal wash processing, recycled cotton content, minimal metal trims and removable shank buttons. The styles are designed to last, and after many wears they will be readily recyclable for their next life. Urban Outfitters are also members of Better Cotton whose mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment as part of the brand's wider sustainability initiatives.

The collection designs pay homage to workwear trends to deliver an all-encompassing gender free denim capsule. The finishing touch across the range comes from established British Artist, Dwayne Coleman, who has created an artwork made with upcycled denim and paint techniques which has become the inspiration for denim surface treatment. Elements of his mark-making have been applied to the design of the collection, including wildflower embroideries, patching and hanging threads.

B.I.G. Yarns unveils its new “SustainableYarns” platform, with Clerkenwell Design Week visitors the first to be invited to get on board and focus on what matters most for the design and manufacture of sustainable soft floorings.

The expert in polyamide (PA) 1 step 3 ply yarns offers a range of options for manufacturers to introduce sustainable yarns into carpet solutions and reach sustainability targets faster and more efficiently.

The Sustainable Yarns range creates opportunities to design with recycled content yarn (EqoCycle), to work with renewable resources (EqoBalance), and, following the launch of new polyamide 6 (PA6) EqoYarn at Clerkenwell Design Week, to also leverage the low-impact value chain.

New addition EqoYarn is a new low-impact PA6 carpet yarn based on the most recent innovations in polymer production, which enable yarn manufacturers to lower their carbon footprint by nearly 50% and give carpet manufacturers more options to reduce their impact.

For its EqoYarn Bulk Continuous Filament (BCF) production process, B.I.G. Yarns has selected the few best-in-class partners that have made major steps forward in terms of sustainability, and reduced their greenhouse gas emissions thanks to continuous investments in process efficiency, green energy, heat optimization and waste reduction. The result is EqoYarn with a carbon footprint of 4 kg CO2 eq/kg yarns, which is a CO2 reduction of up to 50% compared to conventional PA yarns.

EqoBalance PA6 yarns enable customers to reach an even higher CO2 reduction of up to 75%. Manufactured with polymers made from renewable resources such as organic waste from cooking oil instead of virgin or fossil feedstock, these yarns have a carbon footprint of 1.98 kg CO2 eq./ kg yarns. They help carpet manufacturers to create products with an extremely low carbon footprint.

EqoCycle PA6 yarns are fully recyclable and incorporate 75% recycled content originating from recycled and regenerated PA6 granules. With a carbon footprint of 4.64 kg CO2 eq./ kg yarns, they deliver the same high-quality performance of virgin PA6 yarn with the benefit of 37% CO2 reduction. EqoCycle yarns offer carpet manufacturers a sustainable alternative to help reduce the ecological footprint of their products and move towards a circular economy without jeopardizing the end-product quality.

In addition to the different CO2-reducing options, B.I.G. Yarns’ customers can access an unlimited colour range to elevate their designs. Its BCF technology for polyamide yarns, twisted and heat-set yarns, one-colour to multi-colour, between 650 and 15000 dTex, along with its colour studio, are available to support their creation of customised collections.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical producer, was upgraded to "A" from "BBB" in MSCI’s ESG rating, reaffirming the company’s effective management of sustainability related risks and opportunities.

MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International), an independent provider of research-based indices and analytics, ranked Indorama Ventures among the top 14% of 65 companies worldwide in the commodity chemicals industry. The rating has placed it in the top quartile for opportunities in clean tech, water stress, corporate governance, and corporate behavior.

Indorama Ventures is committed to reducing water intensity by 10% by 2025 and 20% by 2030. It developed a Water Risk Assessment Report on its contributions to achieving sustainable management of water targets and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). For improved corporate governance, the company provides whistleblowers with protection from retaliation, and has policies on business ethics and anti-corruption. Relating to opportunities in clean tech, Indorama Ventures’ is investing in recycling technology and biomass feedstock under its Vision 2030, and is also investing in operational efficiencies, carbon capture technology, renewable energy, and phasing out coal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

MSCI ESG Ratings aim to measure a company’s resilience to long-term ESG risks. Companies are scored on an industry-relative AAA-CCC scale across the most relevant key issues based on a company’s business model. Investors, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and asset managers, commonly consider the ratings to assess financial risks in the investment process.

A total of 20 European fashion and design schools took part in the 2nd “Fashioning Sustainability” competition organized by Freudenberg Performance Materials together with Macpi and Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, two co-branding partners in the textile industry.

Freudenberg invited talented young designers to create and submit their ideas for sustainable clothing. The initiative aims to show that sustainability is a key factor in the fashion industry.

Two of the most innovative outfits from each school were selected for the final round and presented to an international jury at the “Bagni Misteriosi” event location in Milan in May. Fashion design experts and opinion leaders as well as journalists were invited to select the most sustainable designs in the categories of “Technology” and “Design”.

The winners
First place in the “Technology” category went to Judith Marquant while the second to Jagoda Sokolowska, both students of the fashion school Esmod in Paris. Ilaria De Martino, from the fashion institute Modartech, Italy, and Xiaodan Liao from Polimoda, Italy, were awarded first and second place in the “Design” category. The first-place winners received €2,000, while the second places won €1,000.

All participants benefited from the platform to network with leading players in the garment industry and learn more about concrete steps for embracing sustainability. Creating true sustainability in the fashion industry means reducing the material flow of clothing, addressing both sustainable production and consumption.

Members of the Jury:
Cristiano Zanetti, Sales Director Italy, Freudenberg Performance Materials
Maurizio Cazzin, Male Modeller, Maison Giorgio Armani
Riccardo Bullio, Apparel Industrial Division Director, Dolce & Gabbana
Caterina Cuoghi, Industrial Director, Area NYC
Simone Bigi, Style and Product Office Manager FAY line, Gruppo TOD’S
Roberto Cibin, Model and Pattern Development Manager, Caruso
Bruno Landi, Sales Director, Vitale Barberis Canonico
Luisella Allegretti, Pattern Designer Boss MW Business Specialist, Hugo Boss
Eugenio Balordi, Product Manager, Maison Margiela
Ettore Pellegrini, Sales and Marketing Manager, Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia

Lectra’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 28 appointed two new Directors, Karine Calvet and Pierre-Yves Roussel for a four-year term. They both will become members of the Strategic Committee, replacing Bernard Jourdan, Lead Director, and Anne Binder. Karine Calvet also becomes a member of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee.

With its new strategic roadmap for 2023-2025, the Group aims to use its expansion – mainly due to the acquisition of Gerber in June 2021 – to accelerate its growth, significantly increase the share of SaaS in its sales, and seize opportunities for external growth. Supported by the commitment of its staff and recognized by its customers, Lectra will also be at the forefront of a more sustainable future.

Karine Calvet is Vice-President EMEA responsible for Partners at AVEVA, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric. She began her career at CGI in 1993 and has spent most of it in IT: sixteen years in services companies, seven years in telecommunications, and six years in software. She has had leadership roles in telecommunications environments for leading global companies (CGI, Capgemini, Alcatel-Lucent, Verizon, Microsoft and currently Schneider-Aveva), focusing on digital transformation. Karine Calvet served as Head of Industry at Capgemini, then managed worldwide teams at Alcatel-Lucent as Vice-President, Eastern Europe then at Verizon as Managing Director. Her time at Microsoft strengthened her software expertise, her direct and indirect channels skills, and her experience in IT services. In the last two years, as Vice-President, Southern Europe then Vice-President, Partners and Alliances at Schneider-Aveva, Karine Calvet has worked closely with industrial companies to help them meet the challenges of operational efficiency, safety, cost management, sustainability and decarbonization by taking advantage of digitalization.

Pierre-Yves Roussel has been CEO of leading US fashion label Tory Burch since January 2019. He began his career in investment banking with HSBC in Brussels, then at Morgan Stanley in London. In 1990, he joined management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in France, where he led numerous consultancy assignments in the fashion, luxury, distribution and media sectors in Europe and Asia. In 1998, he was elected Partner then, in 2004, Global Senior Partner (Director). In 2004, he joined the LVMH Group Executive Committee as Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Operations, reporting directly to Bernard Arnault. In 2006, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of LVMH Fashion Group, one of the LVMH Group’s five branches of operational activity. From 2006 to 2018, he was Chairman of the Board of the brands Céline, Givenchy, Loewe, Kenzo, Pucci, Rossimoda, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Berluti, JW Anderson and Nicolas Kirkwood. He has also been a member on several prestigious fashion juries including Andam, CFDA Fashion Incubator, and the LVMH Fashion Prize. He was a member of the management committee of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode et de la Couture from 2010 to 2018. In 2018, he left the LVMH Group to take up the post of CEO – based in New York – of the company Tory Burch. Founded by his wife in 2004, the private family-run company has more than 350 stores worldwide, 13 retail websites, and nearly 5,000 employees.