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01.04.2022

Carbios presents its 2021 Annual Results

  • 2021 Annual Results: First IFRS consolidated statements integrating the subsidiary Carbiolice
  • Plan to build a first industrial facility with a strong financial support from the French Government and the Grand-Est Region: site selected in France in partnership with Indorama Ventures, world leader in the production recycled PET
  • Successful commissioning of a demonstration facility in September 2021 and confirmation of the validity of the scale-up of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling technology
  • Takeover of Carbiolice and full integration in the consolidated IFRS statements since June 4th, 2021
  • Appointment of Philippe Pouletty as Chairman of the Board of Directors on April 1st, 2022
  • Appointment of Emmanuel Ladent as CEO of the Company on December 1st, 2021
  • Strengthening of Carbios’ financial structure: capital increase of €114 million with French and International investors and €30 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB)
  • Group’s cash position of €105 million as of December 31, 2021, which does not include the €30 million EIB loan due to be drawn down in the first half of 2022

Carbios,

  • 2021 Annual Results: First IFRS consolidated statements integrating the subsidiary Carbiolice
  • Plan to build a first industrial facility with a strong financial support from the French Government and the Grand-Est Region: site selected in France in partnership with Indorama Ventures, world leader in the production recycled PET
  • Successful commissioning of a demonstration facility in September 2021 and confirmation of the validity of the scale-up of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling technology
  • Takeover of Carbiolice and full integration in the consolidated IFRS statements since June 4th, 2021
  • Appointment of Philippe Pouletty as Chairman of the Board of Directors on April 1st, 2022
  • Appointment of Emmanuel Ladent as CEO of the Company on December 1st, 2021
  • Strengthening of Carbios’ financial structure: capital increase of €114 million with French and International investors and €30 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB)
  • Group’s cash position of €105 million as of December 31, 2021, which does not include the €30 million EIB loan due to be drawn down in the first half of 2022

Carbios, a pioneer in the development of enzymatic solutions dedicated to the end-of-life of plastic, announced its operating and financial results for the year 2021. The financial statements as of December 31, 2021, were approved by the Company’s Board of Directors at their meeting on March 31, 2022.

“In 2021, Carbios achieved several technical and industrial milestones testifying of the soundness and successful execution of our strategy. The excellent results obtained from our demonstration plant confirms the industrial scale-up potential of our biological technology for the recycling of PET plastics and fibers. Together with our Consortium members, we also produced the world’s first food-grade PET sample bottles produced entirely from enzymatically recycled plastics; a world first. In addition, we have strengthened our financial structure by raising a landmark €114 million in May 2021 and we have taken full control of Carbiolice in June. In line with our objectives and with a strong financial support from the French Government and the Grand-Est Region, we will soon enable France to host the world’s first industrial facility dedicated to the biological recycling of plastics. Carbios’ enzymatic process will make it possible to recycle more than 50,000 tons of PET plastic waste per year,” comments Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of Carbios. “Our priority for 2022 is to finalize the terms of our partnership with Indorama Ventures, which will host the world’s first industrial facility operating our biological recycling process at its French production site in Longlaville. This year will also be about optimizing our commercial strategy, while continuing our innovation efforts on the end-of-life of other polymers.”

Click here to for further information.

Source:

Carbios

adidas introduces its new Terrex Mountaineering Range (c) adidas AG
01.04.2022

adidas introduces its new Terrex Mountaineering Range

  • adidas TERREX athlete Laura Dahlmeier tackles Mont Blanc’s Brouillard Pillar with Thomas and Alexander Huber in the film, United By Summits
  • The trio are kitted out in adidas TERREX’s new Techrock Mountaineering range
  • The adidas TERREX Techrock collection gives climbers the lightweight technical wear required to defy the elements mountainside

Mountaineering is about reaching personal summits. It’s about showing your mettle, finding your freedom and winning in front of no one but yourself and nature.

  • adidas TERREX athlete Laura Dahlmeier tackles Mont Blanc’s Brouillard Pillar with Thomas and Alexander Huber in the film, United By Summits
  • The trio are kitted out in adidas TERREX’s new Techrock Mountaineering range
  • The adidas TERREX Techrock collection gives climbers the lightweight technical wear required to defy the elements mountainside

Mountaineering is about reaching personal summits. It’s about showing your mettle, finding your freedom and winning in front of no one but yourself and nature.

It’s a version of success that adidas TERREX athlete Laura Dahlmeier is reacquainting herself with. A multiple Olympic and world champion, the German biathlete is used to the noise of winning in front of huge crowds. Now retired, Laura is reconnecting with the challenges of a sport that first gave her a taste of freedom as a child: climbing.
Laura sets herself a particularly formidable goal in United By Summits. In the film, she is joined by German climbing brothers Thomas and Alexander Huber for an ascent of Mont Blanc’s infamous Brouillard Pillar and the rarely-attempted Bonington Route made famous by British climber Chris Bonington in 1965.

For this, and any other climb, mountaineers require lightweight but rugged technical wear that ensures easy movement while defying the elements mountainside, allowing for complete focus on the rock and ice in front of them.

Introducing the adidas TERREX Techrock Mountaineering range – worn by Laura and the Huber brothers in United By Summits as they climb one of the Alps’ most demanding routes.

Keeping climbers dry is the adidas TERREX Techrock Light Gore-Tex Mountaineering Jacket, a lightweight, packable jacket with breathable Gore-Tex Active 3-layer membrane to repel water. Adjustable hood and cuffs are compatible with helmets and gloves.

For insulation on colder climbs, the adidas TERREX Techrock Year Round Down Jacket locks in warmth with adidas-patented HeatSeal baffle construction and PrimaLoft® Gold insulation in the shoulders and cuffs. Pertex® Diamond Fuse 20 Denier yarn provides resistance to abrasion along with a water-repellent DWR-finished fabric.

For rugged, weather-resistant legwear that keeps climbers moving freely on any ascent, adidas TERREX Techrock Mountaineering Softshell Pants balance comfort and protection. Flexible, wool-backed softshell fabric moves easily while a tough nylon surface protects against abrasion. A soft waistband helps prevent bunching under harnesses for an easy-moving silhouette – essential on those long climbing days.

Kitted out in this new adidas TERREX Techrock Mountaineering range 4,000 metres above sea level, Laura and the Huber brothers achieved their goals together.

Source:

adidas AG

Oerlikon Barmag celebrates its 100th anniversary (c) Oerlikon Barmag
A look at the state-of-the-art assembly of a WINGS winder
30.03.2022

Oerlikon Barmag celebrates its 100th anniversary

  • Innovation begins with creativity
  • A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

  • Innovation begins with creativity
  • A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Barmag) is founded in Barmen, located in the Bergische Land region, on March 27, 1922. The German and Dutch founders enter unchartered technological territory, one created as the result of a groundbreaking invention: in 1884, French chemist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet used nitrocellulose to produce the first so-called artificial silk, later known as rayon. The following decades see rapid development focusing on the search for synthetic textile fibers and their manufacturing technologies. As one of the first machine factories, Barmag battles its way through the eventful early years of the manmade fiber industry, the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression – and suffers the extensive destruction of its factories at the end of World War Two. Rebuilding is successful. With the unstoppable success story of purely synthetic plastic fibers such as polyamide, the company flourishes from the 1950s through to the 1970s, establishing sites in all international, for the textile industry at the time important, industrial regions and garnering prestige across the globe in the process. In the ups and downs of expansion, global competition and crises, Barmag reaches the very pinnacle of the market and becomes the preferred technological development partner for the manmade fiber industries in China, India and Turkey. The company has been a high-impact brand under the umbrella of the Oerlikon Group since 2007.

On the wings of innovation
Today, Oerlikon Barmag is a leading supplier of manmade fiber filament spinning systems and part of the Manmade Fibers Solutions business unit of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. And our aspirations have not diminished: “The striving towards innovation and technological leadership has been, is and will always be part of our DNA”, emphasizes Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions. In the past, this has been observable in such trailblazing innovations as the revolutionary WINGS generation of winders for POY in 2007 and WINGS for FDY in 2012. Currently, the focus of new and further developments is very much on digitalization and sustainability. Here, Oerlikon Barmag has – as one of the world’s first systems manufacturers – been implementing fully-networked smart factories for globally-leading polyester manufacturers since the end of the last decade. Within this context, digital solutions and automation are also helping to provide greater climate and environmental compatibility. This sustainability commitment is not only evidenced by the e-save label introduced for all products back in 2004: Oerlikon is endeavoring to also make all its sites carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire its energy exclusively from renewable sources. An ambitious target, whose achievement could be helped by the Oerlikon Barmag anniversary, states Georg Stausberg: “Innovation begins with creativity. And remembering the past provides plenty of motivation and inspiration for the future.”

29.03.2022

Esprit Announces Annual Results for FY2021

  • Revenue Increases to HK$8,316 Million with Net Profit After Tax Surging Significantly
  • Recording a Turnaround to HK$381 Million
  • Re-Establishes ESPRIT’s Market Leadership

ESPRIT HOLDINGS LIMITED has announced its audited financial annual results for the year ended 31 December 2021, highlighted by a significant increase in both revenue and profit attributable to shareholders of the Company to HK$8,316 million and HK$381 million respectively, in which the profit attributable to shareholders of the Company also recorded a turnaround versus the loss attributable to shareholders of the Company of HK$414 million for the six months ended 31 December 2020. Gross profit margin was 48.6%, 7.0% higher than the Corresponding Period. Please refer to the Company’s results announcement for the Current Year for further details.

  • Revenue Increases to HK$8,316 Million with Net Profit After Tax Surging Significantly
  • Recording a Turnaround to HK$381 Million
  • Re-Establishes ESPRIT’s Market Leadership

ESPRIT HOLDINGS LIMITED has announced its audited financial annual results for the year ended 31 December 2021, highlighted by a significant increase in both revenue and profit attributable to shareholders of the Company to HK$8,316 million and HK$381 million respectively, in which the profit attributable to shareholders of the Company also recorded a turnaround versus the loss attributable to shareholders of the Company of HK$414 million for the six months ended 31 December 2020. Gross profit margin was 48.6%, 7.0% higher than the Corresponding Period. Please refer to the Company’s results announcement for the Current Year for further details.

Such financial improvement was attributable to various reasons, including (i) the new infrastructure and strategies instituted by the current management team; (ii) improvement in sales with higher gross profit margin; (iii) positive results of efficient cost control measures; (iv) improved inventory management; and (v) growth in E-commerce.

Although revenue in the Current Year was affected by lockdowns in the Company’s major European markets during the first quarter of 2021, and due to increased restrictions on entry requirements into stores during the fourth quarter of 2021, the Group generated revenue via three main channels: E-commerce, wholesale, and owned retail stores. As the ESPRIT brand website and third-party E-commerce partners continued to trade during lockdown, a large portion of the Group’s sales were generated online. This business model allowed it to mitigate some of the negative impacts of the Pandemic in the retail segment. Another driver of growth came from selling fewer discounted products from the Company’s retail business compared to 2020.

The Group has not forgotten the ESPRIT mission and long-standing commitment to sustainability. The Company has continued to work tirelessly towards developing cutting-edge materials that set new standards in terms of environmental sustainability. The Company has formulated and further advanced its ESG strategies to establish ESPRIT as an industry pioneer. Such strategies involve the greater use of sustainable fibers, developing new and innovative product options that support a circular economy, and ensuring environmental awareness is a key message that underpins all of the Group’s projects. To achieve these objectives, the Management has identified four key pillars of growth (Sourcing and Procurement; Marketing and Product; IT, Internet, and E-commerce; and The ESPRIT Brand Story) that are paramount in maintaining the loyalty of existing ESPRIT patrons and attracting new customers.

Looking ahead, the global economy is anticipated to be negatively affected by the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. The already unstable logistics industry and disrupted supply chain will likely be further impacted, which in turn will result in higher logistic service costs. Despite the unfavorable global economic outlook, the Group believes that under the leadership of its current management and with the support of dedicated staff members, the Company is on track to ongoing profit growth.

Source:

FleishmanHillard

29.03.2022

C.L.A.S.S. SMART VOICES: A Spotlight On Water Saving Solutions

According to the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development, the fashion and textile industry represents one of the major polluters of water in the world, with an estimated 93 billion cubic metres of water used per year.

On the occasion of Water Day, C.L.A.S.S. CEO and Founder Giusy Bettoni talked to Sensil® BioCare, Kornit, Ecoalf and Unesco on how their strategies and processes can preserve our most precious, yet limited resource.

Key Takeaways from the Speakers:
"The ocean is absolutely crucial for the survival of this planet, since it almost covers 71 percent of its surface. Writer Arthur Clarke once said: how inappropriate is to call this planet earth, when it is clearly planet ocean."
- Francesca Santoro, Programme Specialist at IOC UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe

According to the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development, the fashion and textile industry represents one of the major polluters of water in the world, with an estimated 93 billion cubic metres of water used per year.

On the occasion of Water Day, C.L.A.S.S. CEO and Founder Giusy Bettoni talked to Sensil® BioCare, Kornit, Ecoalf and Unesco on how their strategies and processes can preserve our most precious, yet limited resource.

Key Takeaways from the Speakers:
"The ocean is absolutely crucial for the survival of this planet, since it almost covers 71 percent of its surface. Writer Arthur Clarke once said: how inappropriate is to call this planet earth, when it is clearly planet ocean."
- Francesca Santoro, Programme Specialist at IOC UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe

"Sensil® BioCare is our solution to reduce the persistence of textile waste in the ocean. We embedded technology in it so that if any microfiber is released in the washing, they will break down faster than conventional nylon. Based on an external study, we have seen an almost 60 percent microplastic reduction in two years"
- Michelle Lea, Vice President Global Marketing at Nilit

"When it comes to our printing processes, almost no water is in use and the waste is minimal. We have never seen this before in this industry. Based on LCA tests, when compared to screen printing our "Atlas Max" printer saves up to 93 percent of water, while the "Presto" printer saves up to 95 percent of water".
- Michal Arbel, Sustainability Communication Lead at Kornit Digital

"One of the most important projects of the company is Upcycling the Oceans, with the aim of tackling the marine litter in collaboration with the fishing sector. Last year, we collected 300 tons of litter from the seabed, and we promoted circular economy by transforming the waste in products."
- Irene Diez, Director at Ecoalf Foundation

(c) Trützschler/Voith
21.03.2022

Trützschler/Voith: 2nd Carded/Pulp- Line for Ecowipes

The first Carded/Pulp line at Ecowipes is a constant success due to surging end product demand from international markets. To spur the company’s growth Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith will supply the second CP Line to the Polish producer.

The carded/pulp technology by Trützschler and Voith delivers both performance and top-quality products. Voith’s BlueLine stock preparation equipment and cylinder mould FloatLip former processes paper-grade pulp, the cost-effective raw material for the paper industry. It delivers an extremely homogeneous wet-laid web. The NCT high-speed card, supplied by Trützschler Nonwovens, lays a light-weight layer of viscose or lyocell fibers on top of it. This configuration allows for a precise layering and an efficient dewatering. Trützschler’s AquaJet entangles both layers into an inseparable composite nonwoven with superior functionality. A multi-drum dryer and a powerful winder complete the production line which allows for productions speeds up to 300 m/min.

The first Carded/Pulp line at Ecowipes is a constant success due to surging end product demand from international markets. To spur the company’s growth Trützschler Nonwovens and Voith will supply the second CP Line to the Polish producer.

The carded/pulp technology by Trützschler and Voith delivers both performance and top-quality products. Voith’s BlueLine stock preparation equipment and cylinder mould FloatLip former processes paper-grade pulp, the cost-effective raw material for the paper industry. It delivers an extremely homogeneous wet-laid web. The NCT high-speed card, supplied by Trützschler Nonwovens, lays a light-weight layer of viscose or lyocell fibers on top of it. This configuration allows for a precise layering and an efficient dewatering. Trützschler’s AquaJet entangles both layers into an inseparable composite nonwoven with superior functionality. A multi-drum dryer and a powerful winder complete the production line which allows for productions speeds up to 300 m/min.

Ecowipes recipe for success is a market high pulp content in the wipe material thus bringing down production costs significantly. For optimising its production processes, Ecowipes relies on digital solutions delivered especially for the old and the new Trützschler/Voith line.

16.03.2022

Sarah Borghi's Green Collection is back with a range of sustainable tights and stockings

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.

A decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze. Sarah Borghi is one of the first Italian companies 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.

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.

A decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze. Sarah Borghi is one of the first Italian companies 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 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 collection features two new generation materials. One is Amni Soul Eco®, a 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.


*Reference System: ASTM D5511 - Standard Test Method for the Determination of Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastics Under High-solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions
** The Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute, a non -profit organization, administer the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified™ Product Standard. It was created to bring about a new industrial revolution that turns the making of things into a positive force of society, economy and the planet. The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Product Standard™ provides designers and manufacturers with criteria and requirements for continually improving what products are made of and how they are made aiming to achieve a circular economy approach.

Source:

ROICA™ / Sarah Borghi / GB Network

Photo: Pixabay
10.03.2022

Carbios: White PET fiber from colored textile waste

  • Carbios has succeeded in producing a 100% enzymatically recycled white PET fiber from colored textile waste
  • At the same time, the company has produced the first 100% recycled PET bottles, that have successfully passed the food contact validation tests, from the same textile waste.
  • Carbios received €827,200 for the validation of this final technical stage of the project co-funded by ADEME

Carbios announced the validation of the 3rd and final technical step of the CE-PET research project, co-funded by ADEME3 (France’s Environment and Energy Management Agency), for which Carbios is the lead partner alongside its academic partner TWB. This achievement confirms, once again, the full potential and breadth of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling process, C-ZYME™. This breakthrough innovation makes it possible to produce a wide variety of products of equivalent quality to those of petro-sourced origin from any PET waste, including textiles.
 
The first white PET fiber recycled enzymatically from colored textile waste

  • Carbios has succeeded in producing a 100% enzymatically recycled white PET fiber from colored textile waste
  • At the same time, the company has produced the first 100% recycled PET bottles, that have successfully passed the food contact validation tests, from the same textile waste.
  • Carbios received €827,200 for the validation of this final technical stage of the project co-funded by ADEME

Carbios announced the validation of the 3rd and final technical step of the CE-PET research project, co-funded by ADEME3 (France’s Environment and Energy Management Agency), for which Carbios is the lead partner alongside its academic partner TWB. This achievement confirms, once again, the full potential and breadth of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling process, C-ZYME™. This breakthrough innovation makes it possible to produce a wide variety of products of equivalent quality to those of petro-sourced origin from any PET waste, including textiles.
 
The first white PET fiber recycled enzymatically from colored textile waste
Worldwide, around 90 million tons of PET are produced each year, more than 2/3 of which are used to manufacture fibers. However, only 13% of textile waste is currently recycled, mainly for downcycling, i.e. for lower quality applications (such as padding, insulators or rags). By successfully manufacturing at pilot scale a white PET fiber that is 100% enzymatically recycled from colored textile waste, Carbios is paving the way for the circular economy in the textile industry.  C-ZYME™ is now on the doorstep of industrialization and will soon enable the biggest brands to move closer to their sustainability goals.
 
Emmanuel Ladent, Chief Executive Officer of Carbios: « Thanks to our breakthrough process, it will soon be possible to manufacture, on a large scale, t-shirts or bottles using polyester textile waste as raw material. This is a major breakthrough that gives value to waste that currently has little or no value. It is a concrete solution that opens up a global market of 60 million tons per year of potential raw materials and will help to reduce the use of fossil resources. »
 
Separate collection of textile waste soon to be mandatory in Europe
From 1 January 2025 the separate collection of textile waste, which is already in place in some countries, will be mandatory for all EU Member States (European Directive 2018/851 on waste).  Carbios’ process will enable this waste to be sustainably recovered and included in a true circular economy model.
 
These technological validations were carried out as part of the CE-PET research project, co-funded by ADEME3. In particular, the project aimed to develop Carbios’ enzymatic PET recycling process on textile waste. The C-ZYME™ technology is complementary to thermomechanical recycling and will make it possible to process plastic and textile waste deposits that are currently not or poorly recovered. For the validation of this stage of the project, Carbios received €827,200 (€206,800 in grants and €620,400 in repayable advances).

More information:
Carbios PET textile waste
Source:

Carbios

Lenzing’s pavilion makes a green debut at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles (c) Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles
Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles
09.03.2022

Lenzing’s pavilion makes a green debut at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles

Sustainability has become a major trend in the global home textiles industry. It is more common nowadays to find natural and sustainable fibres in an extensive range of home furnishing products. From this angle, the Lenzing Group (Lenzing) will take led in a brand new pavilion at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition. Lenzing is the world’s leading manufacturer of renewable specialty fibres, and will highlight the latest eco-friendly fibres that can meet the ever-rising sourcing demand. The fair is set to take place from 14 – 16 April 2022 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Sustainability has become a major trend in the global home textiles industry. It is more common nowadays to find natural and sustainable fibres in an extensive range of home furnishing products. From this angle, the Lenzing Group (Lenzing) will take led in a brand new pavilion at Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition. Lenzing is the world’s leading manufacturer of renewable specialty fibres, and will highlight the latest eco-friendly fibres that can meet the ever-rising sourcing demand. The fair is set to take place from 14 – 16 April 2022 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

As an upswing from the growing public awareness of environmental issues, consumers are now more willing to switch to sustainable products. According to a CottonWorks’ survey, 90% of the interviewed Chinese consumers want their home textiles to be environmentally friendly[1]. It also found that more consumers are paying attention to the fibre content that can deliver safe and sustainable home textiles.
Furthermore, the Chinese government’s ‘Outline Of the Development of the Textile Industry during the 14th Five Year Plan’, also encourages the acceleration of low cost, functional and sustainable renewable fibres in the local textile industry.

The Lenzing satellite pavilion: a one-stop platform for green home textile materials
To help home textile suppliers source a variety of eco-friendly materials efficiently, one of the fair’s long-time exhibitors is set to form a new pavilion at the upcoming Spring show. Lenzing, the Austrian brand widely known for its ecologically responsible production of specialty fibres made from renewable raw material wood, gathers seven of its local downstream supply chain manufacturers to showcase their renewable products.

Mr David Dai, Senior Commercial Director Textile China of Lenzing spoked about why they decided to organise a new pavilion at the show: “As we received positive feedback from our pavilion at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, our business partners from the home textile supply chain were hoping for a similar arrangement in this sector. We believe all the participating manufacturers can benefit from this pavilion by finding ways to better serve their clients and consumers.”

Brands in the Lenzing satellite pavilion will include:
•    Lenzing Group will introduce the first Carbon-zero TENCEL™ fibres which are CarbonNeutral™ certified products by Natural Capital Partner.
•    Botou Jinglun Textiles Co Ltd focuses on new fibre yarns. The company develops multi-component yarns for cotton, wool, silk and linen with combinations of MODAL, TENCEL™ fibres and various functional materials.
•    Fujian Yongtai County Huaerjin Textile Co Ltd provides high-quality, natural, renewable pure and blended yarns including TENCEL™ fibres, US cotton, Australian cotton, acrylic cotton, silk and other plant-based yarns.
•    Jiangsu Dasheng Group Co Ltd has one of the largest cellulosic fibre yarn spinning mills in China and focuses on producing top-quality home textiles.
•    Qingdao Textiles Group produces natural fibres, cellulose fibres, copper antimicrobial fibres and other nature-based materials for home and contract textiles.
•    Suzhou Zhenlun Spinning Co Ltd is an advanced enterprise specialising in regenerated cellulose yarns like ECO VERO, FSC Viscose, Circulose, Carbon Zero Yarn and more.
•    Ton Design Industrial Co Ltd produces medium and high-end bedding fabrics. The brand’s TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres and TENCEL™ fibres blend cotton series products are certified by Lenzing.
•    Wuxi Tianmu Extra Width Printing Dyeing Co Ltd mainly produces extra-wide, high-count and high-density down-proof fabrics and fabrics for bedding. The technique can handle different procedures for dealing with pure cotton, bamboo fibres, TENCEL™ fibres and other fibre fabrics.

In addition to the new pavilion, a number of other featured exhibitors will also showcase their sustainable products at the fair. This includes Cotton Council International (CCI) promoting US cotton fibres and cotton products, and Zhangjiagang Coolist Life Technology Co Ltd bringing their unique bedding products made from organic and environmental-friendly materials.

 ROICA™ welcomes 2022 with a brand new wardrobe (c) ROICA™
Crop top and leggings by Edelvissa containing ROICA™ EF
08.03.2022

ROICA™ brand new wardrobe

  • 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.

  • 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.

02.03.2022

2021 financial year: Autoneum grows profitability and earnings in a difficult environment

All four Business Groups contributed to the significant improvement of the Group’s EBIT, which more than doubled by CHF 29.7 million to CHF 57.5 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 3.4%. This was achieved despite a slight decline in consolidated revenue to CHF 1.7 billion. Net profit amounted to CHF 30.1 million. In line with Autoneum’s longstanding dividend policy, the Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 1.50 per share for the 2021 financial year.

All four Business Groups contributed to the significant improvement of the Group’s EBIT, which more than doubled by CHF 29.7 million to CHF 57.5 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 3.4%. This was achieved despite a slight decline in consolidated revenue to CHF 1.7 billion. Net profit amounted to CHF 30.1 million. In line with Autoneum’s longstanding dividend policy, the Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 1.50 per share for the 2021 financial year.

We saw a number of global challenges again in 2021. The worldwide shortage of semiconductors dampened market development in the automobile industry. Although production volumes were almost the same in 2021, the year was more challenging from an operational perspective than 2020 was; supply chain bottlenecks led to short-term and unplanned production downtime at automotive manufacturers throughout the year. This resulted in frequent interruptions in production at Autoneum as well because of closely connected manufacturing processes. Rising costs for raw materials, energy, and transport presented additional challenges. Despite the challenging environment and weak global production volumes, Autoneum managed to return to profitability in 2021, generating a positive net result. Thanks to further operational improvements and optimization measures in all organizational areas, earnings were improved in all four Business Groups.

  • Revenue development influenced by semiconductor shortage
  • Operating profit and positive group net result thanks to improvements in all segments
  • Net profit and positive free cash flow enable an increase in equity ratio and a further reduction of net debt
  • Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 1.50
  • Personnel change on the Board of Directors
  • Business Groups
  • Innovation Leadership for a safe journey towards a climate-friendly future
  • 10 years of Autoneum

Outlook
According to market forecasts1), global automotive production will increase by around 9% year-onyear in 2022. The semiconductor shortage is likely to continue for some time into 2023; however, we anticipate that the situation will increasingly stabilize over the course of the financial year 2022 with higher volatility in the first half of the year. Autoneum’s revenue development is expected to be in line with the market. Based on market development, Autoneum is targeting an EBIT margin of 4–5% and free cash flow in the high double-digit million range. In addition to addressing the current semiconductor shortage situation, Autoneum will continue to pursue its consistent implementation of strategic priorities and initiatives. The potential impacts of the current Ukraine crisis on our business cannot be estimated at this point in time.

Further information on the 2021 results as well as the 2021 Annual Report can be found at www.autoneum.com/2022/03/02/2021-annual-results

Source:

Autoneum Management AG

02.03.2022

EURATEX asks EU to control the rise in oil and gas prices

Statement
Notwithstanding the industry support to the sanctions in place against Russia, EURATEX highlights that companies are at risk of stopping their production if energy and gas prices continue to rise.

The energy crisis that started at the end of last year has been worsening in the last week. Prices of energy, gas and oil has been skyrocketing. According to Reuters, Benchmark European gas prices at the Dutch TTF hub rose by 330% last year, while benchmark German and French power contracts have more than doubled.

The textile and clothing industry is facing an unprecedented situation. Many companies are considering shutting down production because of energy costs.

Statement
Notwithstanding the industry support to the sanctions in place against Russia, EURATEX highlights that companies are at risk of stopping their production if energy and gas prices continue to rise.

The energy crisis that started at the end of last year has been worsening in the last week. Prices of energy, gas and oil has been skyrocketing. According to Reuters, Benchmark European gas prices at the Dutch TTF hub rose by 330% last year, while benchmark German and French power contracts have more than doubled.

The textile and clothing industry is facing an unprecedented situation. Many companies are considering shutting down production because of energy costs.

EURATEX supports the measures taken by the EU in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, but asks the European Union and Members States to compensate the situation by supporting their industries. Companies need access to energy at reasonable prices, may those be subsidies, removing environmental levies or VAT from bills and price caps. The transfer to renewable and cleaner sources of energy needs to speed up, so to guarantee less dependency. But it is a long process that cannot be achieved in the forthcoming months. That’s why Europe should urgently look at the available options to control such market shocks.

(c) BB Engineering GmbH
25.02.2022

BB Engineering GmbH delivers melt filter for PET recycling system to Indorama Polyester Industries

BB Engineering GmbH (Germany) delivers a melt filter for recycling PET flakes to polyester manufacturer Indorama Polyester Industries (Thailand). Indorama will be using the type NSF38 filter in its recently assembled recycling system in order to produce rPET granulate from flake PET bottle waste. The NSF38 filter enables continual filtering – in other words, the system switches from one filter to the other during the process without the need for conversion shut-downs. The filter allows the processing of consumer waste for example, in the form of shredded PET bottles into new, high-quality rPET granulate. This granulate is subsequently processed into manmade fibers in spinning systems.

The NSF38 is a switchable filter with a filter surface area of ap-prox. 16 m2 on each side, with throughputs of between 1,000 and 1,900 kg/h. The filter inserts each contain 19 pleated filter candles (60 x 1,000mm Ø). The filter medium comprises a sin-tered metal fiber nonwoven with a filtration fineness of 25 μm. This ensures that the melt remains free of contaminants and gel particles, which in turn enables the production of high-quality end products.

BB Engineering GmbH (Germany) delivers a melt filter for recycling PET flakes to polyester manufacturer Indorama Polyester Industries (Thailand). Indorama will be using the type NSF38 filter in its recently assembled recycling system in order to produce rPET granulate from flake PET bottle waste. The NSF38 filter enables continual filtering – in other words, the system switches from one filter to the other during the process without the need for conversion shut-downs. The filter allows the processing of consumer waste for example, in the form of shredded PET bottles into new, high-quality rPET granulate. This granulate is subsequently processed into manmade fibers in spinning systems.

The NSF38 is a switchable filter with a filter surface area of ap-prox. 16 m2 on each side, with throughputs of between 1,000 and 1,900 kg/h. The filter inserts each contain 19 pleated filter candles (60 x 1,000mm Ø). The filter medium comprises a sin-tered metal fiber nonwoven with a filtration fineness of 25 μm. This ensures that the melt remains free of contaminants and gel particles, which in turn enables the production of high-quality end products.

Source:

BB Engineering GmbH

24.02.2022

Renewable Carbon as a Guiding Principle for Sustainable Carbon Cycles

  • Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) published a strategy paper on the defossilisation of the chemical and material industry with eleven policy recommendations

The Renewable Carbon Initiative, an interest group of more than 30 companies from the wide field of the chemical and material value chains, was founded in 2020 to collaboratively enable the chemical and material industries to tackle the challenges in meeting the climate goals set by the European Union and the sustainability expectations held by societies around the globe.

RCI addresses the core of the climate problem: 72% of anthropogenic climate change is caused directly by extracted fossil carbon from the ground. In order to rapidly mitigate climate change and achieve our global ambition for greenhouse gas emission reductions, the inflow of further fossil carbon from the ground into our system must be reduced as quickly as possible and in large scale.

  • Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) published a strategy paper on the defossilisation of the chemical and material industry with eleven policy recommendations

The Renewable Carbon Initiative, an interest group of more than 30 companies from the wide field of the chemical and material value chains, was founded in 2020 to collaboratively enable the chemical and material industries to tackle the challenges in meeting the climate goals set by the European Union and the sustainability expectations held by societies around the globe.

RCI addresses the core of the climate problem: 72% of anthropogenic climate change is caused directly by extracted fossil carbon from the ground. In order to rapidly mitigate climate change and achieve our global ambition for greenhouse gas emission reductions, the inflow of further fossil carbon from the ground into our system must be reduced as quickly as possible and in large scale.

In the energy and transport sector, this means a vigorous and fast expansion of renewable energies, hydrogen and electromobility, the so-called decarbonisation of these sectors. The EU has already started pushing an ambitious agenda in this space and will continue to do so, for instance with the recently released ‘Fit for 55’ package.

However, these policies have so far largely ignored other industries that extract and use fossil carbon. The chemical and material industries have a high demand for carbon and are essentially only possible with carbon-based feedstocks, as most of their products cannot do without carbon. Unlike energy, these sectors cannot be “decarbonised”, as molecules will always need carbon. The equivalent to decarbonisation via renewable energy in the energy sector is the transition to renewable carbon in the chemical and derived materials industries. Both strategies avoid bringing additional fossil carbon from the ground into the cycle and can be summarised under the term “defossilisation”.

To decouple chemistry from fossil carbon, the key question is which non-fossil carbon sources can be used in the future. Rapid developments in biosciences and chemistry have unlocked novel, renewable and increasingly affordable sources of carbon, which provide us with alternative solutions for a more sustainable chemicals and materials sector. These alternative sources are: biomass, utilisation of CO2 and recycling. They are combined under the term “renewable carbon”. When used as a guiding principle, renewable carbon provides a clear goal to work towards with sufficient room to manoeuvre for the whole sector. It enables the industry to think out of the box of established boundaries and stop the influx of additional fossil carbon from the ground.

The systematic change to renewable carbon will not only require significant efforts from industry, but must be supported by policy measures, technology developments and major investments. In order to implement a rapid and high-volume transition away from fossil carbon, and to demonstrate its impact, a supportive policy framework is essential. The emphasis should be put on sourcing carbon responsibly and in a manner that does not adversely impact the wider planetary boundaries nor undermines societal foundations. An overarching carbon management strategy is required that also takes specific regional and application-related features into account, to identify the most sustainable carbon source from the renewable carbon family. This will allow for a proper organisation of the complex transition from today’s fossil carbon from the ground to renewable energy and to renewable carbon across all industrial sectors.

RCI has developed eleven concrete policy recommendations on renewable carbon, carbon management, support for the transformation of the existing chemical infrastructure and the transformation of biofuel plants into chemical suppliers. The policy paper “Renewable Carbon as a Guiding Principle for Sustainable Carbon Cycles” is freely available for download in both a short version and a long version.


Link for Download: https://renewable-carbon-initiative.com/media/library/

Source:

Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI)

(c) Flocus ™
22.02.2022

Flocus ™ kapok nonwovens and fabrics for the leather goods and footwear

Flocus ™, the trademark for kapok fibers, offers a range of kapok textile materials such as fibers, yarns, textiles and nonwovens. The company presents the most performing and zero carbon footprint solutions based on Flocus™ kapok available for the leather goods industry, a sector that is making an important transition to sustainability in terms of processing and raw materials.

As for nonwoven, some of their most used products in the world of leatherware are:

Flocus ™, the trademark for kapok fibers, offers a range of kapok textile materials such as fibers, yarns, textiles and nonwovens. The company presents the most performing and zero carbon footprint solutions based on Flocus™ kapok available for the leather goods industry, a sector that is making an important transition to sustainability in terms of processing and raw materials.

As for nonwoven, some of their most used products in the world of leatherware are:

  • Maliwatt - 50% Kapok, 50% PLA (based on corn), a 100% biodegradable non-woven which can be used in the shoe sole. Maliwatt can be thermopressed/heat press and turned into a paper/cardboard type and lightweight structure. It is the perfect material for sneakers, casual and active shoes thanks to its quick dry, antibacterial, hydrophobic, hypoallergenic, Insulation properties. Other frequent applications are in the field of automotive, construction and car panels, sound absorption and acoustics panels and geo textiles.
  • HDE /Hydroentanglement - 50% Kapok, 50% Organic cotton. It is a 100% natural and biodegradable material that can be used in the shoe production as a sole, intersole or as a padding for shoes and bags. Thanks to its termoregulating, lightweight, hypoallergenic, thermoconductivity, insulation, soft touch, hydrophobic, anti-moth anti mite properties, it is used for a large range of applications. It is popular in the apparel world as a cruelty free filling for winter jackets, replacing duck down, and in the home industry ad a stuffing for mattresses, duvets, furniture, sleeping bags.

The offer for the leather goods industry includes also Flocus™ kapok-based fabrics in different blends and weights: linings, coatings, fabric inserts, accessories, components rich in performance and style. For example, kapok and organic cotton with GOTS certification, kapok with Tencel and recycled polyester (Repreve), kapok with linen, organic cotton and a small percentage of Spandex.

These materials were presented at the September 2021 edition of Lineapelle in the exhibition "A New point of materials", dedicated to eco-responsible innovations in terms of technologies, applications, materials and machines.

Source:

Flocus

17.02.2022

ANDRITZ to supply needlepunch lines to China

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Yanpai Filtration Technology Co., Ltd. (YANPAI®), China, to supply four needlepunch lines to its site in Tiantai. Start-up of the lines is planned from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023.

ANDRITZ will deliver customized needlepunch lines for production of high-quality needlepunch filter felts. The drylaid web-forming equipment (cards and crosslappers) will be manufactured at the ANDRITZ Wuxi premises, including 8 PRO 25-80 aXcess profile crosslappers for controlled web weight evenness. The 16 eXcelle needlelooms will be supplied by ANDRITZ Asselin-Thibeau in France. The needlepunch lines shall ensure high output and also minimize the downtime required.

YANPAI is one of the leading Chinese producers of nonwoven filters for dust and air treatment and for woven filter fabrics used in solid/liquid separation. Established in 1990, YANPAI was at the forefront in the development of new industrial filtration fabrics. Today, YANPAI is a company with facilities in China and the USA.

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Yanpai Filtration Technology Co., Ltd. (YANPAI®), China, to supply four needlepunch lines to its site in Tiantai. Start-up of the lines is planned from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023.

ANDRITZ will deliver customized needlepunch lines for production of high-quality needlepunch filter felts. The drylaid web-forming equipment (cards and crosslappers) will be manufactured at the ANDRITZ Wuxi premises, including 8 PRO 25-80 aXcess profile crosslappers for controlled web weight evenness. The 16 eXcelle needlelooms will be supplied by ANDRITZ Asselin-Thibeau in France. The needlepunch lines shall ensure high output and also minimize the downtime required.

YANPAI is one of the leading Chinese producers of nonwoven filters for dust and air treatment and for woven filter fabrics used in solid/liquid separation. Established in 1990, YANPAI was at the forefront in the development of new industrial filtration fabrics. Today, YANPAI is a company with facilities in China and the USA.

More information:
Andritz AG needlepunch line
Source:

Andritz

Soul Comfort by RIRI (c) Riri Group
09.02.2022

Riri Group presents its new collection SS 2023 at Première Vision Paris

For over 80 years Riri Group has established itself as a leading point of reference for the creation of details of style providing high-end fashion brands with top quality accessories – which now include zippers, buttons, metal components and fashion jewels.

All things style and sustainability: This year Première Vision Paris (08 – 10 February) will be once more the stage to show off the results. The new Spring/Summer 2023 line is inspired by three distinct eras and paths, but at the same time it conveys a total synergy and integration between the various divisions of the Group, coordinated and harmonised as well as united by their common interest in nature and sustainability.

For over 80 years Riri Group has established itself as a leading point of reference for the creation of details of style providing high-end fashion brands with top quality accessories – which now include zippers, buttons, metal components and fashion jewels.

All things style and sustainability: This year Première Vision Paris (08 – 10 February) will be once more the stage to show off the results. The new Spring/Summer 2023 line is inspired by three distinct eras and paths, but at the same time it conveys a total synergy and integration between the various divisions of the Group, coordinated and harmonised as well as united by their common interest in nature and sustainability.

SOUL COMFORT
Off-the-grid essentials between relaxation and style
Sparked from the contemporary need to balance happiness and security, while enriched by an aesthetic and provocative approach, this line embodies all the value and potential of a sustainabilityoriented communication for each and every product, as pieces feature the relevant information on the zip tape and on the button application support. This line presents softer colours that encompass a wide range of styles, including floral, summer satin and semi-transparency, accompanied by innovative yarns and sustainable materials, such as hemp, linen, silk, certified organic cotton, recycled nylon and bio-based polyester. The line also features stainless steel products, including mono-material buttons and zipper chains or the use of aluminium chains that stand out for their particular lightness.

OUTDOOR EXPRESSION
To always stand out
Inspired by nature and outdoor activities, in this section the focus is on attire codes that become the means through which everyone can express and enhance their look in every context, even when immersed in the surrounding environment. Coloured stripes and rubberized soft touch materials are the two essential concepts, combined with bright and flashy colours. The Storm Evo zip, reversed coated nylon zips (among which the one with the reflector catches the eye), and the recycled nylon buttons are back.

WISE EXCLUSIVITY
Smart and sustainable luxury
Each creation in this line is studied down to the smallest detail, to achieve luxury products that increase their value over time thanks to their sustainable process and long life cycle, achieved through multiple possibilities for use in different ways and areas. We find here the use of diamond, recreated in the laboratory with more sustainable techniques, but also zips with elegant and refined lines, the use of stainless steel and PVD and finally, the use of precious galvanic finishes on buttons, but also on chains and pullers. This path shows the important role collaboration plays between the divisions of the Riri Group, making it possible to create something unique and valuable.

Source:

Menabò Group srl

(c) ZAMG/Niedermoser
Scientists ascending to the research station in the Hohe Tauern National Park
01.02.2022

Plastic snowfall in the Alps - New Empa Study about nanoplastic in the environment

In a new study, Empa researcher Dominik Brunner, together with colleagues from Utrecht University and the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, is investigating how much plastic is trickling down on us from the atmosphere. According to the study, some nanoplastics travel over 2000 kilometers through the air. According to the figures from the measurements about 43 trillion miniature plastic particles land in Switzerland every year. Researchers still disagree on the exact number. But according to estimates from the study, it could be as much as 3,000 tonnes of nanoplastics that cover Switzerland every year, from the remote Alps to the urban lowlands. These estimates are very high compared to other studies, and more research is needed to verify these numbers

The study is uncharted scientific territory because the spread of nanoplastics through the air is still largely unexplored.

In a new study, Empa researcher Dominik Brunner, together with colleagues from Utrecht University and the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, is investigating how much plastic is trickling down on us from the atmosphere. According to the study, some nanoplastics travel over 2000 kilometers through the air. According to the figures from the measurements about 43 trillion miniature plastic particles land in Switzerland every year. Researchers still disagree on the exact number. But according to estimates from the study, it could be as much as 3,000 tonnes of nanoplastics that cover Switzerland every year, from the remote Alps to the urban lowlands. These estimates are very high compared to other studies, and more research is needed to verify these numbers

The study is uncharted scientific territory because the spread of nanoplastics through the air is still largely unexplored.

The scientists studied a small area at an altitude of 3106 meters at the top of the mountain "Hoher Sonnenblick" in the "Hohe Tauern" National Park in Austria.
Every day, and in all weather conditions, scientists removed a part of the top layer of snow around a marker at 8 AM and carefully stored it. Contamination of the samples by nanoplastics in the air or on the scientists' clothes was a particular challenge. In the laboratory, the researchers sometimes had to remain motionless when a colleague handled an open sample.

The origin of the tiny particles was traced with the help of European wind and weather data. The researchers could show that the greatest emission of nanoplastics into the atmosphere occurs in densely populated, urban areas. About 30% of the nanoplastic particles measured on the mountain top originate from a radius of 200 kilometers, mainly from cities. However, plastics from the world's oceans apparently also get into the air via the spray of the waves. Around 10% of the particles measured in the study were blown onto the mountain by wind and weather over 2000 kilometers – some of them from the Atlantic.

It is estimated that more than 8300 million tonnes of plastic have been produced worldwide to date, about 60% of which is now waste. This waste erodes through weathering effects and mechanical abrasion from macro- to micro- and nanoparticles. But discarded plastic is far from the only source. Everyday use of plastic products such as packaging and clothing releases nanoplastics. Particles in this size range are so light that their movement in the air can best be compared to gases.

Besides plastics, there are all kinds of other tiny particles. From Sahara sand to brake pads, the world is buzzing through the air as abrasion. It is as yet unclear whether this kind of air pollution poses a potential health threat to humans. Nanoparticles, unlike microparticles, do not just end up in the stomach. They are sucked deep into the lungs through respiration, where their size may allow them to cross the cell-blood barrier and enter the human bloodstream. Whether this is harmful or even dangerous, however, remains to be researched.

Source:

Empa, Noé Waldmann

19.01.2022

Zünd at JEC World 2022

  • Smart Workflows for Digital Cutting & Kitting

At JEC World 2022 in Paris, Zünd presents the latest developments in modular cutting solutions for composites. Known for its expertise in digital cutting and workflow integration.
As specialist in digital cutting for composites applications, Zünd demonstrates how data management, digital cutting, and downstream processes such as picking, sorting, and kitting, can be automated intelligently and based on specific needs.

In Industry 4.0 in general and processing composites in particular, an unencumbered flow of data is key to workflow efficiency. With Zünd PreCut Center, the user is well equipped to handle the challenges of demanding manufacturing processes. The software automatically optimizes contours and adjusts cut paths depending on the material and choice of tools. With the integrated nesting function, parts are laid out automatically for optimal material utilization. Considering the high cost of materials, maximum yield is essential for economical digital cutting.

  • Smart Workflows for Digital Cutting & Kitting

At JEC World 2022 in Paris, Zünd presents the latest developments in modular cutting solutions for composites. Known for its expertise in digital cutting and workflow integration.
As specialist in digital cutting for composites applications, Zünd demonstrates how data management, digital cutting, and downstream processes such as picking, sorting, and kitting, can be automated intelligently and based on specific needs.

In Industry 4.0 in general and processing composites in particular, an unencumbered flow of data is key to workflow efficiency. With Zünd PreCut Center, the user is well equipped to handle the challenges of demanding manufacturing processes. The software automatically optimizes contours and adjusts cut paths depending on the material and choice of tools. With the integrated nesting function, parts are laid out automatically for optimal material utilization. Considering the high cost of materials, maximum yield is essential for economical digital cutting.

With Pick&Place, Zünd presents a cost-effective solution for fully automated picking and kitting of cut parts. The Pick&Place interface enables direct communication with the robot via Zünd Cut Center – ZCC, the Zünd operating software and user interface. Pick&Place makes it possible to completely automate parts removal, kitting and placing. The necessary parameters are derived from the metadata supplied with the job order.

Source:

Zünd Systemtechnik AG

(c) SHIMA SEIKI
18.01.2022

SHIMA SEIKI opens Online Store for APEXFiz™ Subscriptions

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan announces the opening of its new “SHIMA eStore” online shopping site for purchasing subscriptions to its APEXFiz™ design software. Users can access the SHIMA eStore to purchase and download entry-level APEXFiz™ Design Jr. subscription software, or sign up for a free 30-day trial.

SHIMA SEIKI’s APEXFiz™ subscription-based design software has been on sale since March 2021 as the latest addition to its proven SDS®-ONE APEX series design system lineup. Whereas previous APEX-series design systems were offered as an all-in-one proprietary hardware/software package, APEXFiz™ is available as subscription-based design software that can be installed on customers’ individual computers. Maintaining proven functions that have made the APEX series so popular with fashion designers, with APEXFiz™ those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments of the “new normal,” including teleworking and telecommuting.

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan announces the opening of its new “SHIMA eStore” online shopping site for purchasing subscriptions to its APEXFiz™ design software. Users can access the SHIMA eStore to purchase and download entry-level APEXFiz™ Design Jr. subscription software, or sign up for a free 30-day trial.

SHIMA SEIKI’s APEXFiz™ subscription-based design software has been on sale since March 2021 as the latest addition to its proven SDS®-ONE APEX series design system lineup. Whereas previous APEX-series design systems were offered as an all-in-one proprietary hardware/software package, APEXFiz™ is available as subscription-based design software that can be installed on customers’ individual computers. Maintaining proven functions that have made the APEX series so popular with fashion designers, with APEXFiz™ those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments of the “new normal,” including teleworking and telecommuting.

APEXFiz™ offers the latest fashion tech for supporting the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual samples are a digitized version of sample making that allows visual confirmation of garment designs without the need for producing physical prototypes, reducing time, cost and material that are otherwise wasted. APEXFiz™ thereby helps to realize sustainability while digitally transforming the fashion supply chain.

APEXFiz™ is available in 5 different software variations from APEXFiz™ Design Jr. to APEXFiz™ Design Pro that can be selected according to each customer's needs. APEXFiz™ Design Jr., sold at the SHIMA eStore, is entry-level software that specializes in the design and simulation of woven and flat knitted fabrics for supporting virtual sampling. Fabric simulations are available in different formats to be used together with 3D virtual sampling software besides APEXFiz™, allowing continued use of software already used by customers while enhancing the realism of digital prototypes created on them.

Source:

SHIMA SEIKI