From the Sector

• Cifra selects ROICA™ for a new generation of sportswear in the name of wellness and sustainability
• Performance Days, Hall C1 – stand N08

Cifra, a leading Italian company in Warp Knit Seamless, has chosen ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, an international reference for premium and smart stretch, for a new generation of clothing dedicated to wellbeing, travelwear and athleisure, made with Cifra exclusive and patented technology in the name of uniqueness and sustainability.

Innovative garments for men and women that combine fashion and function, guaranteeing optimal comfort at any time of the day. Base layers, tops, leggings, jumpsuits made with natural yarns, or recycled pre and post-consumer yarns in combination with ROICA™ EF, the first recycled stretch yarn certified Global Recycled Standard (GRS) able to complete proposals that offer design, performance and responsibility.

The design of the garments, created in Cifra's design office, combines a perfect shape with body mapping technology that creates dedicated ventilation zones for a feeling of comfort and freshness as well as an innovative aesthetic impact.

And when it comes to comfort, ROICA™ activates a new generation conversation linked to the demands of the contemporary consumer looking for well-being in line with the concepts of safety and healthiness emerging in all aspects of daily life. In fact, ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei is the secret stretch ingredient of the modern wardrobe, able to "activate" garments by giving comfort, beauty, quality together with responsible and certified values.

All of this translates into the synergy of development with Cifra. The products, the materials that compose them, along with the way of production and who produces them, transparency and traceability are all aspects that become an integral part of the common proposal that Cifra and ROICA™ are able to offer by joining forces.

"We firmly believe in the new generation of companies oriented towards the creation and supply of valuable products, fully respecting people and the environment, while meeting the performance required by contemporary lifestyles," says Shinichiro Haga, Senior Executive Manager of the ROICA™ Division.

Sitip confirms for the third year its partnership with SCOTT Racing Team in the production of the team uniform created in collaboration with ROICA™ EF of Asahi Kasei and Rosti.

The partnership was born in 2019 and celebrated during Ispo 2020, which returns for the third consecutive year to re-propose an exclusive and special uniform, designed to be extremely performing but also, and entirely, eco-sustainable.

Starting from the performance requirements of athletes, who need highly technical fabrics extremely breathable, comfortable on the skin, resistant and with perfect shape retention able to support them in competitions, Sitip has chosen the fabrics of its Native Sustainable Textiles line - technology which applies to fabrics produced with recycled yarns and chemicals with low environmental impact, implementing the GRS (Global Recycle Standard) standard, with Asahi Kasei’s premium ROICA™ EF stretch yarn.

This line includes NATIVE-BICIMANIA and NATIVE-PIRATA, two GRS-certified recycled polyester fabrics chosen for the production of the uniform shirt, enriched by Microsense Soft Performance technology - able to guarantee the product a delicate softness and maximum comfort on the skin.

This year the absolute novelty is represented by the shorts, for a complete uniform: made with the NATIVE-THUNDERBIKE POWER fabric, designed for high performance sports, in recycled polyamide and always with the ROICA™ EF yarn by Asahi Kasei.

• DUARTE  brings on the runway its SEASON 2 “Eco-Street Dance” collection

By mixing C.L.A.S.S. responsible materials, colorful prints, urban feels and artistic inspiration, the Portuguese streetwear brand creates a new style and a clear yet cool message for conscious fashion consumers.  The rewarded 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub at ModaLisboa after a first presentation at Milan Fashion Week. From February 24th until 27th, Duarte’s creations have been featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption). 

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style that we can name “Eco-Street Dance”. The color palette explores the dark shades of grey, cream, blue and black, with artistic pops of color of a hopeful urban culture that tears apart posters from the past and turns them into a new brighter story. 

Talking about materials, the collection presents a selection of urban pieces for everyday superheroes, fighting against environmental issues - with a holistic approach to sustainability values thanks to the synergy with C.L.A.S.S. and its Back in the Loop area: a section dedicated to alternative and sustainable sourcing against the massive amount of materials and textiles produced that are not used and discarded by the fashion system. This is mostly powered by MAEBA International - and its ReLiveTex® fabrics - leader in selecting and repurposing premium Italian fabrics with exceptional 60 years of expertise in collecting high quality materials from leading brands and textile manufacturers, and the first company at an international level to be accredited for the UNI EN ISO 14021 certification which grants the traceability of the collected materials.

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process. Entirely made in Japan, it comes with Compostability and Ecotoxicity Certifications verified by Innovhub SSI, RCS, OEKOTEX® Standard 100 and the Eco Mark certifications. The factory is ISO 14001 certified, too. 

• Where performance and responsibility all together become the new norm
• Discover ROICA™ groundbreaking innovations in the sports field, and the bold partnerships that made them possible

Today ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for top-notch innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers.

It is of the utmost importance to share the current wardrobe stories developed and offered to contemporary consumer throughout our ROICA™ supply chain efforts. Starting from the various applications of ROICA™, from the fibre down to the outfits, passing from fabrics and manufacturing.

Activation
Performance sportswear styles for Gym, Athletics, Cycle wear, Athleisure as well as mindful Yoga and Exercisewear. Its main keywords are freedom, fit, performance and responsibility. Among the brands recurring to this application we can find:

- Edelvissa is an emerging all-Italian brand, born in the heart of Milan. The designer Elisabetta Bianco, who grew up under the wings of her grandfather and father, both expert knitters, decided to found a reality that would fully represent her vision of luxury homewear. Flanked by her partner and her brother, Elisabetta created a brand with a transparent soul, based on the quality of materials, complete product traceability and social and environmental sustainability. From the heart of Milan, Edelvissa aims to share the centuries-old textile culture and the high Italian craftsmanship tradition. In its first collection, a crop top with a beautiful embroidery of blooming flowers and a pair of comfortable, yet stylish leggings are both crafted from a Maglificio Ripa fabric developed with Q-NOVA® BY FULGAR recycled polyamide and ROICA™ EF* recycled stretch yarn, both GRS certified. Maglificio Ripa is a premium partner of ROICA™.

- Scott Racing Team: A partnership born in 2019 and celebrated at Ispo 2020, based on two premium partnerships: Rosti for the style and manufacturing, ROICA™’s partner Sitip for technical fabrics made from GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled yarns including ROICA™ EF*, the certified recycled stretch ingredient produced by Asahi Kasei. A synergy that has given life to high-tech clothing, customized for this team able to face the climatic conditions and the performances necessary to face the activity in the summer season: light resistance as well as maximum comfort. In addition to the values of sustainability, high performance, breathability, comfort on the skin, shape  retention and resistance, ease of maintenance, style and ergonomics, there is now the commercial distribution of the uniform, which finally passes from the team to the end consumer who can purchase it exclusively on the Rosti e-shop.

ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers. For example, in terms of fabric producers ROICA™ has been working alongside industry leaders such as Brugnoli, Candiani Denim, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Eusebio, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Inter Jersey Milano, Lauma Fabrics, L/E Textile, Maglificio Ripa, M.I.T.I., Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Piave Maitex, Sitip S.p.A., Sofileta, Taubert Textil, Tessitura Colombo, TINTEX Textiles, TVB Textil-Vertrieb-Beratungs.

See attached document to read more about the current wardrobe stories.

Bemberg™ is back at Première Vision to celebrate its 90th anniversary through its latest collections, premium partnerships with contemporary brands such as ECOALF and a brand new visual identity. The industry-leading textile fair will represent another pivotal occasion for Bemberg™ to showcase its latest claim “Crafted Elegance”, which perfectly embodies its values of preciousness, quality and refined aesthetic blended with innovation and responsible values.

Born in 2009, both the name and concept of ECOALF came after the birth of Javier Goyenche’s - founder and president - two sons: Alfredo and Alvaro. He wanted to create a truly sustainable fashion brand and believed the most sustainable action to take was to stop using natural resources in a careless way to ensure them to the next generation. Since then, Ecoalf’s mission has been to make a new generation of recycled products with the same quality and design as the best non-recycled.

Based on this design idea, the Mery dress and Patrica pants are part of Ecoalf’s FW21 collection and both made with 100% Bemberg ™ Cupro by Asahi Kasei.

The Parisian exhibition completes the company’s celebrative two-chapter journey. The first half was presented during Pitti Uomo, where Bemberg™ showed archival suits crafted by the historic Sartoria Litrico and lined in Cupro. Behind them stood the new visual image of Bemberg™, focused on exceptional beauty, one-of-a-kind uniqueness and joyful comfort.

At Pitti Uomo, Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei celebrates the new year exploring the company’s 90 years anniversary and journey. In Florence, Bemberg™ past and present are linked by style: on display are key historic garments worn by icons such as J.F. Kennedy belonging to historic Roman Sartoria Litrico together with Bemberg ™ new visionary claim “Crafted Elegance“.

On January 11^th, Bemberg™ will be at Pitti Uomo 101 featuring an exclusive collaboration with Luca Litrico, head of the Roman historic Sartoria Litrico, founded by his uncle Angelo Litrico in 1951. He became famous for crafting the highest-quality suits for all the most important men of Dolce Vita era, from Richard Burton to Marcello Mastroianni. Its historic relevance has even been recognized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, thanks to its archive composed of hundreds of photos and sketches signed by Angelo Litrico himself. For this occasion, Bemberg™ will showcase four historic suits wore by true style arbiters a such as: former US president John F. Kennedy, dolce vita poster-boy Rossano Brazzi, American astronaut James B. Irwin and iconic fashion designer Angelo Litrico. All garments feature stylish linings woven with Bemberg™ fiber disclosing its ductility always in vogue through time. Over the decades, Bemberg™ established heritage in formal lining has expanded into new territories and able to represent also contemporary outerwear styles.
 
“We are so excited to be back in Florence. Pitti Uomo and Italy are the perfect starting point of our journey through style.” says Mr. Koji Hamada, CEO of Asahikasei Fibers Italia, “At our booth visitors can glimpse the link between past and present, our values and chromosomes for the fashion to come.”

Bemberg™ vision is centred around contemporary beauty, and uniqueness – the fibre manufacturing is exclusively taking place in Nobeoka, where its closed-loop circular economy production approach together its transparent and traceable processes are able to guarantee the responsible certified values.
 
Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei will unveil the second chapter of its journey at Première Vision in Paris with an exhibition where visitors will be able to explore the fashion world, from India to Japan, through fabrics and style of today and tomorrow.

Gemeinsam mit insgesamt 46 Industriepartnern konnten mehrere, verschiedene Konzepte für Kunststoff-basierte Multimaterial-Batteriegehäuse erarbeitet werden, mit denen deutliche Einsparpotentiale bei Gewicht und Kosten möglich sind. Im Projektverlauf kristallisierten sich zwei wichtige Kernthemen heraus, die in Folgeprojekten gesondert behandelt werden sollen: Bodenaufprallschutz und Feuerbeständigkeit. Diese zwei Folgeprojekte starten am 26. Januar 2022. Ein Projekt zur Entwicklung und Realisierung von Prototypen für Mitte nächsten Jahres 2022 ist in Planung.

Batteriegehäuse gehören zu den Schlüsselkomponenten in E-Fahrzeugen und werden derzeit in der Regel aus Aluminium hergestellt. Genau diese Komponente analysierte das AZL in dem jetzt durchgeführten Projekt mit einem großen Konsortium aus Automobilherstellern, Automobilzulieferern, Rohstoffherstellern und Maschinenherstellern. „Der enorme Zuspruch aus der Industrie unterstreicht die Relevanz des Themas“, freut sich der Projektleiter Warden Schijve, der zudem sehr zufrieden mit dem Verlauf und den Ergebnissen ist. Schließlich lassen sich bis zu 36 % des Gewichts und bis zu 20 % der Kosten einsparen, wenn anstelle herkömmlicher Lösungen Multi-Material-Verbunde auf Basis von Kunststoffen zum Einsatz kommen.

Um zu den Ergebnissen zu gelangen, hat das AZL unter Mitwirkung seiner Partnerunternehmen, zu denen unter anderem Audi, Asahi Kasei, Covestro, DSM, EconCore, Faurecia, Formosa, Hengrui, Hutchinson, IPTE, Johns Manville, Magna, Marelli und Teijin, gehörten, zunächst fünf Subkomponenten eines Batteriegehäuses definiert: die Gehäusewanne, die Bodenschutzplatte, den Crash-Rahmen, die Querbalken und den Gehäusedeckel. Außerdem analysierten die Partner insgesamt 44 marktrelevante, existierende Serienkomponenten und Konzepte genauer und erstellten eine umfangreiche Übersicht über die verschiedenen Standards sowie Anforderungen auf nationaler, internationaler und OEM-Ebene. Prämisse dabei war, gleiche oder gar bessere mechanische Kennwerte zu erreichen als bei herkömmlichen Lösungen. So sollten beispielsweise mindestens gleiche Steifigkeiten, Sicherheiten bei seitlichem Aufprall, EMI-Abschirmung sowie Flammschutz vorhanden sein. Um nun die alternativen Lösungen zu ermitteln, entwickelte das AZL 20 Designkonzepte mit unterschiedlichen Materialkombinationen. Zur Analyse und Auslegung der verschiedenen Konzepte wurden mehr als 500 FEM-Modelle erstellt und über 1.500 CAE-Simulationen durchgeführt.

Während sich Folgeprojekt 1 mit einer anwendungsbezogenen Testmethode und der Untersuchung der Sicherheit verschiedener Materialkombinationen für den Bodenaufprallschutz beschäftigt, steht in Folgeprojekt 2 die Flammresistenz verschiedener Materialien und Materialkombinationen im Vordergrund. Ziel ist es Prüfverfahren zu entwickeln, die es erlauben, die Aufprall-/Feuerbeständigkeit auf Materialebene unter Berücksichtigung der spezifischen Anforderungen an ein Batteriegehäuse im Vergleich zu Standardmaterialien zu untersuchen.

Firmen mit Interesse an Herstellung von Batteriegehäusen können sich an Philipp Fröhlig und Alexander Knauff wenden:
Philipp Fröhlig, AZL Aachen GmbH, Senior Project Manager, Tel: +49 241 47573514, philipp.froehlig@azl-aachen-gmbh.de
Alexander Knauff, AZL Aachen GmbH, Manager Industrial Services, Tel: +49 241 47573516, alexander.knauff@azl-aachen-gmbh.de

• Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa present their new collections and an innovative, strategic symbiosis for sustainable fashion
• 9-11 November - Palais de Festivals, Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, France, Booth 28-29

Values, strategies, an imprinting for innovation and a well-defined vision and expertise in sustainable fashion. This mix is  the  wide  and  solid  common  denominator  giving  birth  to  the  collaboration  between  Iluna  Group,  leader  in  the production of smart lace, and Maglificio Ripa, internationally recognized for the production of premium and responsible jersey.

Two mature companies projected towards new formats of proactive collaboration, both established in common industries  - from underwear to beachwear  and  sportswear  -  that  have  chosen  to  create  a  symbiosis  of intents and strategies, each maintaining its own identity and independence.

"We are living in a moment of strong change, from the wave of sustainability  that  is  finally  sweeping  the  fashion  world  to  new  market scenarios. And we are convinced that collaboration is the key to facing these new  challenges.  In  Maglificio  Ripa  we  saw  a  complementary  and  unique partner with whom we can reach customers, suppliers and other partners in a  more  complete  way."  comments  Furio  Annovazzi,  CEO  of  Iluna  Group. "Ours is not a union between companies, but a new model of partnership, a sort of strategic symbiosis aimed at developing together new paths that can make the both of us grow, while offering a more complete proposal to the market." adds Luca Bianco, CEO of Maglificio Ripa.

One of the first examples of this new format is the joint stand at MarediModa, a single space where visitors can discover the latest  collections  of  the  two  companies,  and  imagine  new  designs  and solutions for sustainable fashion.

Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa also created the new campaign and photo shoot together, as well as developed a trend scenario that allowed both companies to better embrace the evolving market by sharing information, perspectives and ideas.

For its 2021 Green Collection, the Italian luxury hosiery brand Sarah Borghi presents a broadened product offer in terms of colors and categories, meeting the needs of a stylish, yet sustainable consumer. By mixing fashion, quality, innovation and research, the tights and stockings powerhouse continues its development in the journey towards a conscious future.

The evolution of the Green Collection, the sustainable hosiery collection first launched in 2020, confirms the efforts of the brand in promoting a new generation of attractive fashion and design which actively encourages and supports a responsible change in culture and smart products offer.

Lately, a decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze, Sarah Borghi’s top-notch producer and first Italian company in the hosiery sector to include sustainability throughout its business model. A commitment of responsibility and transparency on a path that has been carried on for years and that, today more than ever, becomes of the utmost importance, as stated by Luca Marzocchi, CEO of Gizeta Calze. The Integrated Report provides a complete view of the business strategy, operating model and governance, which combines financial information with sustainability insights, conceived as complementary to other strategies and, indeed, essential for increasing business value.

The collection
The collection presents a range of versatile, colorful products combined with extra-luxury comfort and designed for every type of woman: from seductive tights to everyday socks, together with knee- highs, up to athleisure with leggings.
 
The responsible collection features two new generation materials. One is Amni Soul Eco®, the world’s first biodegradable in anaerobic conditions polyamide 6.6 yarn that degrades in around 5 years* after disposing of in landfill, developed by SOLVAY and produced and distributed by FULGAR. The other is ROICA™ V550 by leading fiber manufacturer Asahi Kasei, a premium sustainable stretch yarn boasting the Gold Level Material Health Certificate by Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute** as it has been evaluated for impact on human and environmental health. Moreover, it smartly breaks down without releasing harmful substances in the environment according to Hohenstein Environment Compatibility Certification. Key elements that makes ROICA™ V550 a precious choice when it comes to Circular Economy material approach.