From the Sector

Non-contact precision spray technology enhances productivity, sustainability and process control

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. has announced that it will showcase the TexCoat G4 non-contact precision spray fabric finishing system at the Techtextil North America tradeshow, held from May 12 to 14, 2020, in Atlanta (booth #3048).

With extensive sustainability benefits, unprecedented tracking and process control, and industry 4.0 integration, the TexCoat G4 provides consistently high-quality fabric finishing, with no chemistry waste, as well as minimal water and energy consumption. 

Baldwin’s innovative non-contact spray technology eliminates chemistry dilution in wet-on-wet processes. The TexCoat G4 consistently and uniformly sprays chemistry across the fabric surface and applies it only where needed, on one or both sides of the fabric. Customers can expect no bath contamination during the finishing process, as well as minimal downtime during changeovers, which are made easy with recipe management that includes automated chemistry and coverage selection.

The TexCoat G4 also enhances sustainability by wasting no chemistry during color, fabric or chemistry changeovers, and because only the required chemistry volume is applied to the fabric, wet pick-up levels can be reduced by up to 50 percent—leading to 50 percent less water and energy consumption. Furthermore, in single-side applications, drying steps can be eliminated for various textiles, including those that are back-coated and laminated, thereby streamlining and simplifying the production process.

Monforts customer Rajby Textiles is the first company in the world to have finally achieved the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Platinum Standard for a product. Its Beluga denim fabrics have gained the ultimate sustainability score in all five categories covered by the C2C standard, which is acknowledged as involving the toughest and most thorough testing and assessment it is possible to put a product through.

As such, Beluga denim fabric is based on 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and employs no hazardous chemicals in its production. At the same time, it is both recyclable and biodegradable, with 100% of the energy used in its production offset by green energy and involving a closed loop system with no waste water generated and no material wastage.

The new Beluga denim fabrics, however, represent a new zenith in circular denim production. To meet the active cycling requirement, Rajby has committed to using Beluga denim fabric exclusively in apparel products sold by retailers with take back programmes in place and estimated expected cycling rates for such products

THE S/S 2021 SMART COLLECTION AND STRATEGY: “TEAMING UP IS THE RESPONSIBLE WAY FORWARD”
At Première Vision in Paris, February 11th – 13th Jersey manufacturer TINTEX presents its S/S 2021 collection and a new strategic approach to make the world a better place, a garment at a time in  Hall 5 Booth R50/S43, and Hall 3 Smart Creation Booth S7. “That’s why we decided to update our statement-motto in Naturally Advanced Evolution: a promise and an invitation to work together to develop further collections combining an environment-driven approach with cutting-edge technology.” Says Ricardo Silva, Head of Operations of TINTEX.

“Textile producers and fashion brands should develop their partnership in a much more collaborative way.” Say Says Ricardo Silva, Head of Operations of TINTEX. In a move towards his partners, the company has re-organised its products collection into 4 distinct categories and further evolved its production process in order to guarantee the highest quality and performance of its fabrics and, at the same time, to become more competitive and to allow its clients to orientate better and easily find the most suitable and practical solution. COLLECTION focuses on seasonal proposals while EXPRESSIONS includes a range for all-year-round collections.

THE SS 2021 COLLECTION is imbued with sustainability, innovation and a collaborative attitude. The new range comprises 24 new references built focusing on responsible materials – including recycled or recyclable (100% same raw material), tactile finishes and active performances with smart and cutting-edge technical background. “The main area we developed for the S/S 2021 collection was carefully selected starting from the inputs we had from our partners during some of the most successful collaborations in the past 2 years,” adds Ana Eusebio, designer.

And just to keep the conversation about sharing innovation at best, TINTEX is officially shading the light on its Coating Unit that, thanks to continuous investments, will be able to deliver Naturally Advance Solutions in terms of finishings, not just for TINTEX but also for woven producers that are aligned with the corporate commitment. Come to discover TINTEX portfolio of smartly developed coatings at its booth at Smart Creation, hall 3.

Bemberg™ gears up for Première Vision - February 11th-13th, Paris, France; with a great deal of novelties and a key statement on sustainability: Let’s Make it Circular! That’s why the Japanese brand of regenerated cellulose fibers joins the fair with two booths, one in the yarn-focused sector – Hall 6 C52 6D53 – the other one in the Smart Creation area, the curated district showcasing cutting-edge sustainable innovation for the textile and fashion business. Hall3 S14.

“We simply could not miss out on the Smart Creation Area as sustainability is the founding pillar of our company,” says SHUNSUKE SATO, sales manager of Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei. “Indeed, the smart fiber is made from a cotton linter which is pre-consumer material, a natural derived source, that doesn’t deplete forestry resources. The strategy beyond our double presence is to highlight our deep commitment to responsible innovation to a larger target of professionals.”

Let’s take it circular! is the motto at the Smart Creation booth. The lifespan of Bemberg™’s regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton is fully circular: from the source to manufacturing. The whole sustainable closed-loop process is supported by the LCA study, signed by ICEA and validated by Paolo Masoni. Recyclability is granted by the Global Recycle Standard - GRS certification by the renown Textile Exchange. An influential guarantee that involves the whole production process and supply chain behind the company’s smart yarns. Bemberg™ yarns are entirely biodegradable and ecotoxicity-free – meaning that at the end of their life circle they break down into the environment leaving no trace in terms of toxic substances as attested by the Innovhub-SSI report.

On show at Première Vision some of the most recent collaborations with GRS-certified partners such as FIVEOL, SMI TESSUTI, TESSITURA UBOLDI, INFINITY, SIDONIOS, MATIAS & ARAUJO, TINTEX, IPEKER, EKOTEN, for fashion fabrics as well as PEZZETTI and BRUNELLO & G.CRESPI from lining partners.

The first Bemberg™ partner to present a commercial collection enriched by Velutine™ Evo is the Portuguese Matias & Araújo. With an innovative spirit, dynamism and a determined entrepreneurial spirit, the company is a leading knitwear producer for the textile industry.

In the Hall 6 Bemberg™ displays key commercial items developed by premium brands such as CAALO that is making its mark in the outerwear market with its Sustainably produced Functional-Luxury proposal. For SS20, CAALO utilized Bemberg™ lining because of the sustainability properties and it's unique colour.

CAALO looks to utilize as much eco-friendly and sustainable materials as possible without compromising on design or quality. This Bemberg™ lining was a perfect fit.

To Accelerate Public-Private Cooperation in Supply Chain Transparency

Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) has joined the first neutral and public traceability platform capable of visualising blockchain-based supply chain data from multiple companies and sources. It aims to help businesses across industries respond to consumer demands for ethical and environmentally friendly products.
The neutral and safe space for collaboration is provided by the World Economic Forum and created in collaboration with Everledger, Lenzing Group, TextileGenesis™, and the International Trade Centre. APR will contribute to Phase 2 of the initiative which seeks to incorporate more data sources.

“APR has started harnessing the potential of enterprise blockchain technology to enable customers to trace finished products back to the plantation forest origins on a smartphone app. To be able now to connect our data to other similar industry initiatives is a natural next step for APR, as is extending the benefits of our upstream traceability to the rest of the textile value chain.

Enhancing Follow Our Fibre with New Mill Sustainability Dashboard

Launched in mid-2019, APR’s blockchain-based Follow Our Fibre allows customers and stakeholders to scan its viscose product with a user-friendly app to access data that traces the product’s journey from plant nursery to viscose manufacturing and on to seaports. In October 2019, APR announced a collaboration with TrusTrace to integrate Follow Our Fibre with the latter’s T-Trace module. This helps connect APR’s upstream data to downstream textile value chain actors such as yarn and fabric customers and fashion brands.

More recently, a sustainability dashboard tracking key mill environmental performance indicators has been added to Follow Our Fibre. The dashboard presents APR’s performance in its first year of operations where a baseline has been established for quarterly tracking, reporting and continuous improvement.
The performance indicators follow key industry standards being set by ZDHC for Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF), as well as the European Union Best Available Technologies (EU BAT).

Miles Johnson and Creative Room™ designed a capsule collection “Light on the Land”, for men and women to showcase ISKO™’s R- TWO™ program.

As the world’s leading ingredient denim brand, ISKO™ is at the forefront of the sustainable and responsible fashion movement. ISKO™, who loves to partner with likeminded designers, brands and retailers in the  industry that have a passion for Responsible Innovation™, is proud to announce its partnership with renowned British fashion designer Miles Johnson. Together they have created a visionary collection that will be launched at a private showing event on September 12th, at the Fremin Gallery in New York City.

For those who love denim and cherish the planet, this partnership is a perfect match as  Miles is known for prioritizing sustainability and responsibility in his work. Miles has held leadership positions such as Design Director at Levi Strauss & Co. and Senior Creative Director of Product Design and Development at Patagonia, Inc., where he served as a pioneer in creating clothing using sustainably sourced materials. For this capsule collection, Miles worked side by side with ISKO™’s Research & Development team utilizing the ISKO R-TWO™ program which combines a mix of reused and recycled materials. The reused cotton comes from ISKO™’s own production loss, which they continuously track and trace. This has the CCS (Content Claim Standard) certification. They combine this reused cotton with recycled polyester derived from PET bottles. Depending on the content, fabrics can have the RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) certification or GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification.

The creative direction for the collection takes form with “Light on the Land” and the whole collection is made using low impact materials and responsible finishing techniques. Miles and the ISKO™ team carefully crafted 34 designs at the Creative Room™ in Italy. The styles incorporate responsible design principles which include:

• Minimal washing;
• Removable trims made of eco-metal;
• Natural based buttons and labels;
• Green bar tacks;
• Embroidered rivets.

Environmental messages are embroidered on six of the pieces, by the artist Giulio Miglietta. The garments are built to last and the more you wear these pieces, the more beautiful they become.

Recognized as a preferred partner for the global textile industry, PIAVE MAITEX brings on the successful path of responsible innovation and present, at Interfilière Paris, a unique line under the name of “AGAIN”.

PIAVE MAITEX, since the very beginning in 1908 up to the challenge of modern-day innovation, combined the tradition in the field of elastic fabrics which today represents the heritage ofthe italiantextile culture to innovation.

wear2wear is an innovative industrial partnership dedicated to high-quality and sustainable clothing. Five expert partners in Europe have come together to cover the entire recycling loop. On cutting-edge production systems, textile fibres from used clothing will be turned into functional fabrics. Schoeller Textil AG is supplying a wholistic textile portfolio for the workwear area. At Schoeller Textil, the recyclable, functional fabrics from the wear2wear concept belong to the Inspire fabric group. These are high-quality protective workwear fabrics made of 100 percent polyester, which offer the greatest clothing comfort and often feel just like cotton. They are also compliant with the stringent requirements of the bluesign® system.

The sustainable wear2wear concept is synonymous with high-quality, responsible clothing. In European operations, textile fibres from used garments are used to produce new functional fabrics. Depending upon the area of intended use, they also meet strict waterproofing, breathability, protection and comfort requirements. To ensure that the raw material cycle comes full circle, these textiles can be recycled again when they reach the end of their service life. As a result, there is no waste, and they go on to produce new garments. As the wear-2-wear partner companies guarantee that – from the quality of the raw materials to the guaranteed recycling end process – these are 100 percent recyclable, functional fabrics made of recycled textile fibres. Water- and dirt-repelling technologies based on renewable raw materials, along with the most advanced membrane technology, will ensure that the textiles are manufactured and impregnated entirely without the use of PFC in the future too.

Five partner companies  
The five European partner companies in the wear2wear cooperation cover the entire recycling loop. Heinrich Glaeser Nachfolger GmbH is a German fibre and yarn producer and the “recycler” in the loop. Märkischen Faser GmbH (D) is the “upcycler” and fibre manufacturer. Carl Weiske GmbH & Co. KG (D) develops the polymers, fibres, yarns, chemical additives and textile systems, and TWD Fibres GmbH (D), a fully-integrated filament yarn producer, covers the entire range of polyester and polyamide 6.6 continuous filament yarns. Schoeller Textil AG, the innovative Swiss company, is responsible for textile production and manufactures sustainable high-tech fabrics with maximum clothing comfort. The matching climate-neutral and similarly 100 percent recyclable PTFE and PFC-free membrane, as well as recycled outer materials and linings, are supplied by Sympatex Technologies (D), the ecological alternative among the textile function specialists. DutchSpirit is a Dutch company which has been dedicated to environment-friendly clothing since 2010. Its mission is to significantly increase the awareness for sustainable clothing and offer recyclable clothing in the workwear segment. DutchSpirit is the initiator for the development of the Inspire products from Schoeller Textil and provided the inspiration for the wear2wear concept. Further garment-making partners who now also belong to the cooperative group include: Anchor Workwear BV (NL), Hüsler Berufskleider AG (CH), Groenendijk Bedrijfskleding BV (NL), Bedrijfskledingdiscounter BV (NL) and Rifka'S (NL).

TINTEX is this year recipient of the unique and prestigious annual recognition from The “Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas e à Inovação” (IAPMEI). TINTEX has been selected in recognition of its pioneering, Naturally Advanced global leadership, and the company’s superior and responsible fabric making for a fashion system that is driven by investments, transparency and fully traceable innovation.

TINTEX is pleased to open its doors as the Naturally Advanced centre of excellence in the latest IAPMEI OPEN DAY for textile leaders, protagonists, media and customers to experience, understand and enjoy the unique achievements TINTEX offers to the contemporary Portuguese textiles industry .
“We selected TINTEX to underline the importance of taking advantage of digitization and modernization at different levels in the textile industry being stunned by their commitment, shedding light on our territory’s most advanced and responsible processes and skills” José Marques dos Santos, president of IAPMEI.

In a fast moving globalized market, all companies must be able to adapt quickly and using innovation, creativity, and responsibility can help deliver successes. And here TINTEX can network between Technological Centers, Universities, and Knowledge Centers, as a strategic business and holistic imperative. And so sharing the Naturally Advanced strategy of TINTEX as a driver for change, IAPMEI recognizes this TINTEX OPEN DAY as a demonstration of practical market potential, and has partnered with CENTI  (Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials the Institute for New Technologies) and CITEVE (an institution of national and international reference for the promotion of Innovation and Technological Development) as a way to guarantee this success.
 
Being able to drive material innovation, and to promote a new generation of sustainable values to contemporary fashion, active, sports and lingerie markets through responsible supply chains can be transformative for our future fashion systems, and TINTEX is proud to be selected as part of the Make Fashion Circular initiative by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, helping  to better activate these changes across the fashion industry for all to enjoy.

After the second day of Denim by Premiere Vision, ECO - Collaboration between companies of the EUROPEAN DENIM VALUE CHAIN was celebrated. In order to celebrate this Premium-SUSTAINABLE DENIM FABRIC, Berto teamed up with:

• BLACKHORSE LANE, maker and seller of ready-to-wear selvedge & organic raw denim jeans in London, with a focus on sustainability, community and unmatched quality;
• EVEREST, Italian company which offers an innovative sustainable range of textile treatments for the fashion industry;
• MARCHI&FILDI, spinning group located in North-Italy focused on innovation and sustainability, producer of the ECOTEC® yarns, with huge reductions on environmental impact; up to 78% in water, 56% in CO2 emissions and energy consumption. The same technology is used to produce yarns for Berto.

These companies collaborated on this exclusive project where the yarn is made through ECOTEC® System by MARCHI&FILDI, the fabric is made by BERTO, the garments are designed and made by BLACKHORSE LANE and finally washed by EVEREST.