From the Sector

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited announces its role in the T-REX (Textile Recycling Excellence) Project. This initiative aims to establish a harmonized EU blueprint for the closed-loop sorting and recycling of household textile waste to help the fashion industry transition towards a more circular and sustainable future. By bringing together key stakeholders across the entire value chain, the project positions itself at the forefront of sustainable innovation.

The designated spinning partner, Indorama Ventures, will process the chemical recycled feedstock into polyester yarns and fibers through the extrusion process, ensuring the elimination of impurities. The company’s participation in the project also aligns with its goals of driving the circular economy and circular fashion industry through PET recycling and supply of recycled materials, underscoring its commitment to sustainability.

The T-REX Project launched with the aim of creating a harmonised blueprint which will support the creation of a circular system for post-consumer textile waste within Europe. The EU funded project brings together a consortium of 13 major players from across the entire value chain along with research institutes to transform end-of-use textiles from waste into valuable feedstock and a commodity for new business models that can be adopted at scale.

Major developments:

• Currency-neutral sales up 11%, driven by adidas brand accelerating to 16% growth
• adidas brand up double digits across all channels with increases in all markets
• Underlying gross margin improves around 1.5 percentage points to 50.5% despite significant currency headwinds
• Operating profit of € 346 million compared to € 176 million in prior-year period
• Healthy inventories at a level of € 4.5 billion to support future top-line growth
• Full-year guidance upgraded on July 16 to reflect current brand momentum

Full-year outlook
High-single-digit revenue increase expected in 2024
On July 16, adidas raised its top- and bottom-line guidance as a result of the better-than-expected performance during the second quarter and taking into account the current brand momentum. adidas now expects currency-neutral revenues to increase at a high-single-digit rate in 2024 (previously: to increase at a mid- to high-single-digit rate). The company’s operating profit is now expected to reach a level of around € 1.0 billion (previously: to reach a level of around € 700 million). Within this guidance, adidas assumes the sale of the remaining Yeezy inventory during the remainder of the year to occur on average at cost. This would result in additional revenues of around € 150 million and no further profit contribution during the second half of 2024.

Outlook impacted by significant currency headwinds
The company continues to expect unfavorable currency effects to weigh significantly on its profitability this year. These effects are negatively impacting both reported revenues and the gross margin development in 2024. This was particularly the case during the first half of the year.

The Lenzing Group is working with the non-profit organisation RTDS Group and 13 other partners from research and industry to promote the scaling of lyocell filaments as part of the CELLFIL project. Co-funded by the EU with EUR 6.9 million, the project aims to drive the reformation of the textile industry towards greater sustainability and a circular economy.

The Austrian organisation RTDS has launched the CELLFIL project with great vision. In close cooperation with Lenzing Group, which is at the technical helm of the project, CELLFIL aims to reform the textile industry. The centrepiece of the project is the sustainable and robust production of lyocell filaments. By optimising the entire fabric production process and its intermediate processing steps, the aim is to replace synthetic fibers with environmentally friendly lyocell filaments in recyclable end applications. This approach aims to develop and utilise alternative raw material sources for textiles. The realisation of these goals is crucial for scaling up lyocell filament production and promoting a circular economy that represents an environmentally friendly alternative to the currently dominant fossil-based synthetic filaments.

CELLFIL is part of the EU research and innovation program Horizon Europe and is supported by 15 partners from eight different countries. EUR 6.9 million from the European Union's Horizon Europe program has been made available for the implementation of this initiative. The European Commission has presented a visionary roadmap for the future of textiles, aiming for a circular economy in which all textiles on the EU market are durable, repairable and recyclable. This underlines Europe's commitment to sustainable innovation and a greener future in the textile sector.

CARBIOS and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, a French company specializing in the recovery of end-of-life textiles, announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a contract for the supply of polyester textiles to the world's first PET biorecycling plant currently under construction in Longlaville, France. The polyester textiles supplied will come from used or end-of-life textiles prepared in France by Nouvelles Fibres Textiles for recycling using CARBIOS' enzymatic depolymerization technology. This contract will enable 5,000 tons a year of these textiles to be redirected towards biorecycling from 2026 onwards, over an initial 5-year period, demonstrating the commitment of industrial players all along the value chain to achieving textile circularity for a more sustainable textile sector.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles and its various partners opened a semi-industrial site with an annual capacity of 1,000 tons in November 2023, the first step towards building a 20,000-to-30,000-ton unit in 2026. This first site, a research center for textile recycling, combines the know-how of Andritz Laroche (a leader in textile recycling), Pellenc ST (French leader in intelligent sorting solutions), Synergie TLC (a French player in collection and first sorting for solidarity) and the Tissages de Charlieu group (a French player in weaving, garment manufacturing and textile recycling). This unit transforms used textiles into high-quality raw materials, supplying the various industries that use textile fibers (non-wovens, insulation, plastic, textiles, etc.) by automatically sorting them by composition, while eliminating hard points (buttons, zips, patches, etc.).

CARBIOS' biorecycling technology uses enzymes to break down polyester fibers into their basic components. These components are then used to produce high-quality recycled PET materials, such as fibers for the textile industry. This “fiber-to-fiber” solution will enable polyester to become a truly circular fiber on a large scale.

Flos and B&B Italia, furniture brands of Made in Italy design, take part in the Casa Italia Paris 2024 project, the hospitality house that will host the athletes and guests during the XXXIII Olympic Games, to be held in the French capital from 26 July to 11 August 2024.

Along with other design brands and contemporary Italian artists, the two companies participate for the first time at Casa Italia Paris 2024 showcasing their most iconic creations, both classic and contemporary, in the venue’s indoor and outdoor spaces, taking guests on a spectacular and evocative journey that epitomizes Italian elegance and beauty.

As Official Partner of Casa Italia Paris 2024, B&B Italia is furnishing the living, lounge and outdoor areas with some of its most recognisable products that combine unique design, quality, comfort and function as well as sustainability, an increasingly crucial element intrinsic to furniture designed to last over time. The UP Series by Gaetano Pesce, the Camaleonda sofa and Le Bambole seating by Mario Bellini, the Planck tables by Piero Lissoni, and the Allure O’ table and Flair O’ chairs by Monica Armani will furnish Casa Italia, highlighting a dialogue with the context through the choice of distinctive shapes, colours and materials.

The ongoing dialogue created by the brand’s products continues through to the outdoor lounge areas, where Casa Italia’s green spaces are dotted with products from the B&B Italia Outdoor collection, the brand’s outdoor furniture line launched in 2007. The Ribes sofas by Antonio Citterio, the Crinoline chairs by Patricia Urquiola and the Borea tables by Piero Lissoni will welcome athletes and guests creating stylish aesthetic synergies with the Le Pré Catelan gardens.

Flos has worked at the lighting project for Casa Italia Paris 2024 as Official Supplier, with the aim of making light a precious element for highlighting the works of art and the objects that enrich the setup of the Italian hospitality house, so that the exhibition and its narrative itinerary can be enjoyed both during daytime and nighttime hours. Light is used to shape the space in such a way as to create visual hierarchies among the superb items on display, without forgetting the ambient lighting needed for the celebratory events that will take place in the venue. The Flos lighting display includes some of the brand’s most recognisable suspension creations, such as cocoon models Taraxacum and Viscontea by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and Zeppelin by Marcel Wanders. These interact with more recent and timeless collections, such as Glo-Ball by Jasper Morrison, Arrangements by Michael Anastassiades, IC and Captain Flint floor lamps, also by Anastassiades, and Bellhop Floor by Barber Osgerby.

For the exterior green spaces, Flos has chosen stylish outdoor floor lamps that create a harmonious dialogue with the surrounding architecture. These include Captain Flint Outdoor and IC Outdoor, designed by Michael Anastassiades, featuring bases in precious materials such as Tuscan imperial travertine and volcanic stone from the slopes of Mount Etna. Finally, Flos Architectural, the brand’s professional lighting division for large-scale projects, has equipped Casa Italia with innovative tech solutions that include The Tracking Magnet, an ingenious patented system with magnetic fastening LED lights in spot or linear versions for functional, efficient lighting that is also comfortable and non-invasive.

RadiciGroup and Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio announce the renewal of their partnership for the 2024/25 season. RadiciGroup will be the "Sponsor del Cuore" (Heart Sponsor) for the Italian Serie A league and the Supercoppa Italia, which will take place in January 2025 in Riyadh, while it will be the "Sleeve Partner" in the UEFA Champions League and Coppa Italia matches.

RadiciGroup therefore remains the "Sponsor del Cuore" of the Atalanta team, renewing the partnership started in 2017. Over these years, during which the Nerazzurri have achieved success, RadiciGroup has always supported the management, coach, players, and staff of Atalanta. This relationship is based on shared values such as attention to the territory, passion for the black and blue colours, and the ability to showcase an incredible game that highlights each player's talent within a winning team. Atalanta concluded the 2023/24 season triumphantly, winning the Europa League and giving Bergamo fans a trophy.

With the MAX GLASS ECO, the KARL MAYER Technical Textiles Business Unit offers a production machine for the economical manufacture of standard reinforcement textiles made from glass fibers, in particular non-crimp fabrics for the wind power industry. The newcomer can be adapted to the requirements of different application areas thanks to various optional functions and combines short amortization times. At a maximum speed of 1,800 min-1, it produces up to 410 m/h at a working width of 101". This performance is very well received on the composite market. Since the launch of the MAX GLASS ECO at JEC World in March this year, several purchase agreements have already been signed.

Some machines are going to India, and a larger number has been ordered by Chinese customers. Even the demonstration models in the KARL MAYER GROUP customer centers in Changzhou and Chemnitz have already been sold. However, the MAX GLASS ECO at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien in Saxony can still be used for processing trials and performance tests until September.

There is also great interest in Eastern Europe. At Techtextil 2024 in Frankfurt, for example, the new composite machine was a topic of numerous meetings with Ralf Schramm, Sales Manager at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien for this region. "I held many orientation discussions about the machine's performance. But there were also customers with specific purchase requests, including the Polish manufacturer of high-quality, professional solutions for the composites industry, Rymatex," says the sales professional.

In the second quarter of 2024, the order index for Italian textile machinery, as reported by the Economics Department of ACIMIT – the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, showed a decline compared to the period 2023 April-June (-17%). In value terms, the index stood at 49.8 points (base 2021=100).

This result is completely due to the decrease recorded in foreign markets (-22%), where orders represent 86% of the total. Conversely, in Italy, there was a 25% recovery compared to the second quarter of 2023. The absolute value of the index in foreign markets was 48.8 points, while in Italy it was 57.3 points. In the second quarter, the order backlog reached 4.3 months of assured production. Additionally, ACIMIT’s survey shows that in the first six months of 2024 the utilization rate of production capacity by Italian manufacturers was 61%. This percentage is expected to rise to 64% in the second half of the year.

Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT, stated: “The order index for the second quarter shows a clear slowdown abroad compared to last year. This decline highlights the high uncertainty due to the difficult geopolitical situation“. The confirmation of what is indicated by the ACIMIT index also comes from Italian export figures, updated to the first quarter of 2024. Excluding China and Egypt, the main foreign markets show a general decline in demand for textile machinery, not just Italian one.

Archroma is collaborating with Zydat Inc. to bring the complete Color Atlas by Archroma® color library to the Vivid Color Library Management (CLM) color-matching platform for faster and more accurate inkjet digital printing of fashion and textiles

Archroma’s Color Atlas is the textile industry’s largest library of engineered color standards, with more than 5,760 color references formulated to comply with leading eco-standards and deliver consistent and accurate color reproduction.

With these colors available within Vivid CLM’s online color palette optimization and correction tools, designers can more quickly and easily create and share their color palettes for more accurate inkjet printing. This can reduce the burden of pre-production color proofing and streamline the color management process to help deliver high-quality printed fabric and apparel in a fast and economical way.

Vivid CLM was launched by Zydat in February 2024. It offers a unique and designer-oriented solution to color matching with a proprietary algorithm that translates complex spectral data into a Red-Green-Blue workflow and allows the user to print, scan and check the color, with automatic adjustments to improve accuracy. The solution’s palette storage system allows colorists to share palettes across the ecosystem.

In addition to accessing all of the 5,760 colors in the Archroma Color Atlas portfolio as digital standards within Vivid CLM, users of the software may also choose to refer to Archroma’s physical color library in multiple formats. They can also tap into Archroma’s expertise around the world for technical support with sustainable coloration systems and achievability on alternate substrates.

The Color Atlas by Archroma® is part of the Archroma Color Management+ design and development solution for more sustainable textiles and fashion through fast color selection and creation, consistent and accurate color reproduction, and reduced environmental impact.

ISKO is taking part in the Kingpins Show in New York City. At the event taking place on 17 and 18 July at Pier 36, Basketball City, ISKO presents a selection from its diverse collections.

Attendees have the opportunity to explore a selection from ISKO’s main collection, alongside some of the company’s most innovative technologies and products. Each piece exemplifies ISKO’s commitment to blending sophisticated designs with sustainable practices.

The Main Collection is organized into five main macro groups:

• Inflexible: a range of rigid fabrics for contemporary needs, true to denim’s original heritage.
• Motion: combining comfort and an authentic look for good old rigid denim with freedom of movement.
• Extended: traditional denim aesthetic and its ultimate stretch expression. Elegance, treatments, and 4-way-stretch technologies.
• Elite: fabrics families where softness, shine, and silky feel reach their full potential.
• Momentum: unique finishes, intricate constructions, colored coatings, and special denim features.

Other highlights are:

• Casual Line: the premium experience showcasing a versatile and innovative woven fabric collection made with FSC® certified viscose and certified postconsumer recycled polyester.
• ISKO™ Luxury by PG: curated by Paolo Gnutti, this collection merges classic tastes with contemporary visions.

Finally, as ISKO’s FW 25-26 collection features RE&UP fibers, visitors can learn more about the circulartech company that recycles cotton, polyester and polycotton textile waste and transforms it into high-quality Next-Gen fibers, becoming the go-to alternative to virgin options.