From the Sector

Green Product Award & Green Concept Award 2020: Teilnehmerrekord mit Einreichungen aus 52 Ländern. Die Gewinner stehen fest – ein goldenes Kleid aus Algen, die erste vegane Lederalternative aus Kaktus, Jack Wolfskins Tec LAB, uvm.

Die Gewinner des Green Produkt Awards und des Green Concept Awards stehen fest. Mit einer Rekordbeteiligung von 1463 Einreichungen haben sich so viele Teilnehmer wie nie zuvor beworben. Insgesamt stammen die Ideen und Produkte, Konzepte und Materialien für die Gestaltung einer nachhaltigeren Zukunft aus 6 Kontinenten.

Einblicke in die grüne Zukunft
Wie sieht eine grüne Zukunft aus und was passt in ein „Future Village“ (Award-Thema)? Gewinner und Nominierte sind geben Beispiele aus den Kategorien Architektur, Bad, Elektronik, Fashion, Kinder, Konsumgüter, Mobilität, Outdoor, Büro und Interior. Zwei Beispiele für das, was heute bereits möglich ist und die Zukunft bewegen wird:

• „The Golden Phoenix“ – ein goldenes Kleid mit Pailletten aus Algen und Stoff aus Peace-Silk Seide, das ganz natürlich mit Kukurma gefärbt wurde. Das erste Green Product Club Projekt. 
• Gewinner Material „Desserto“ – die vegane Lederalternative aus Kaktus ist reif für den Einsatz bei Interior-Bezügen, Kleidung und Accessoires.

Awards für ein Netzwerk voll guter Ideen 
Die Awards stehen nicht nur für außergewöhnliche Leistungen, sondern sollen weitaus mehr bewirken. Dazu Nils Bader, Initiator des Awards: „Mit den Awards präsentieren wir bestehende, zukünftige und natürlich nachhaltige Alternativen und vernetzen die Akteure. Mit der Selection wollen wir überraschen und zeigen, was alles schon möglich ist. Niemand soll gehen, wie er oder sie kam - sondern künftig mit einem anderen Blick planen, gestalten und letztendlich auch konsumieren.“
 

Clean, minimal and responsible, the collection perfectly embodies the combination of high-end looks with a sustainable vision, delivering effortless and stylish garments available in store from January 2020.

It claims to be love at first touch, and rightly so, as it celebrates women’s natural shape enhancing it with haikure’s delicate designs and ISKO™ premium denim. amae – the Italian brand’s latest collection and the latest chapter in the longstanding partnership between haikure and ISKO – is inspired by the idea of “taking care”.

Aiming at promoting the value of Responsible Innovation™, the collection delivers high-end contemporary looks resulting from the shared commitment to provide remarkable innovation while fostering a mindful approach in the fashion and denim industries.

ISKO, pioneer of responsibility and the first denim mill in the world awarded both the prestigious EU Ecolabel and Nordic Swan Ecolabel, supported the project providing amae with responsible ingredients to shape its neat looks. Clean and minimal, the garments feature ISKO Pj Soft™ which, like a gentle embrace, grants the skin a silky touch and a soft feel. Responsibly produced according to ISKO’s holistic vision based on creativity, competence and citizenship, this light and soft fabric molds and moves with the wearer, providing an all-round flattering silhouette and comfortable fit that never feel restrictive.

As part of ISKO’s 25,000+ products, this textile concept also has a certified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD®s) for its Life Cycle Assessment (LCAs), ensuring a full transparency about its environmental impact by providing the water usage and carbon footprint of 1 square meter of fabric. As signatory member of ZDHC Foundation, ISKO also avoids harmful substances and hazardous chemicals in its entire production chain, resulting in safer denim that are good for both people and the planet.

Presenting three different washes – regular and stone wash, as well as dyed –, this fashionable and responsible collection will be available in Italy, Spain and Germany starting from January 2020.

Fashion giant H&M Group and Danish retailer Coop are joining chemical expert NGO ChemSec’s call to action to end the use of harmful PFAS chemicals in products and supply chains.
This commitment comes on the same day as award-winning actor Mark Ruffalo and director Todd Haynes address the EU Parliament to speak about the true story that inspired the duo’s latest film Dark Waters, in which an environmental attorney takes on chemical giant DuPont and exposes decades of PFAS pollution.
ChemSec’s corporate PFAS initiative includes:

• A call on policy makers to regulate PFAS efficiently, without the possibility for manufacturers to simply swap one PFAS chemical for an unregulated “cousin”.
• A call on the chemical industry to put money into innovation and develop safer alternatives to PFAS for all kinds of products.
• A recognition that PFAS are a major health and environmental problem.
• A serious commitment to end all non-essential PFAS uses in products and supply chains.
• A call on all other brands to join this commitment and work towards a phase-out of PFAS in all kinds of consumer products.

The single biggest problem with PFAS is that, with very few exceptions, they are perfectly legal to use. This means that the brands and retailers who want to stop it from being used as ingredients in their products have very limited ways of communicating this in the global supply chain. As long as there is not a restriction in place, suppliers will continue to use these very effective chemicals in manufacturing.  

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a chemical family consisting of almost 5,000 industrially produced chemicals. In manufacturing, PFAS are favoured for their durability and well-functioning properties; they provide properties such as non-stick, water repellence and anti-grease to many types of products, including cosmetics, food packaging, frying pans, outdoor gear and firefighting foam.
The industrial use of PFAS has been so prevalent in the last decades that today 99% of every human, including foetuses, have measurable levels of PFAS in their bloodstreams.   
What is worrying is that human epidemiological studies have found associations between PFAS exposure and a number of health disorders, including various cancers, lowered birth weights and negative effects on the immune system.

The Trevira CS joint booth at Heimtextil 2020 was once again a success.

Trevira looks back on a successful trade fair appearance at Heimtexil 2020. The concept of a joint booth together with customers along with the presentation of product innovations and a special exhibition dedicated to the contract sector has once again proved its worth. Trevira hosted 31 co-exhibitors thus increasing the number of participants again compared to last year. Members of the entire textile value chain were present at the Trevira stand: from the fibre production and yarn manufacture, to the colouring, weaving and warp and weft knitting stages, to the textile editor.

Klaus Holz, CEO Trevira GmbH: „We are pleased about the very positive feedback we got on our joint booth at Heimtextil 2020 from our customers and the visitors to our stand. It shows that our concept is successful and that the booth works well as a market place for Trevira CS.”

Product novelties were presented in an Innovation Park. Under the headline “Recycling at Trevira” the fibre producer presented its sustainable product range and diversified approaches to recycling: flame retardant fibres are produced from residual materials, which are reprocessed in an agglomeration plant. The recyclates are then deployed in the spinning facility to make new, high-quality products consisting of 100 % pre-consumer recycled material. Recycled, flame retardant filaments are produced from PET bottles and have a recycled content of 50 %. Standard polyester spun-dyed filament yarns are also available in a recycled version. Produced from PET bottles these yarns have a recycled content of 100 %.

In order to produce flame retardant fabrics which are also high-performing  in outdoor applications, Trevira now offers six more colours in addition to the existing colour range of 24 UV-stable, spun-dyed filament yarns. Trevira had been awarded the „Brandenburger Innovationspreis Kunststoffe und Chemie 2019“ for this innovation.

Cationic dyeable fibres and filament yarns enhance the Trevira portfolio of flame retardant specialties. They are used to create melange designs in fabrics, which still represents a strong trend in the home textile sector.

To meet the ever more complex demands of the market for more flexibility in design and additional functions as well as for sustainable products Trevira has introduced an enhanced Trevira CS branding concept, consisting of the three brands Trevira CS, Trevira CS flex und Trevira CS eco. Assigned according to product features, all of them stand for tested safety.

In the 2019 `Hot-Button´ report issued by the forest conservation organisation Canopy, Kelheim Fibres attained a “green shirt” ranking. Many fashion brands already value the `Hot-Button´ report as a reliable indicator for sustainability for viscose fibre producers.

Raw material wood sourced only from certified sustainable forestry
The CanopyStyle initiative aims to achieve that no wood from ancient and endangered forests is used to produce viscose fibres. The audited companies must prove that they avoid these fibres and have implemented appropriate rules and procedures to check the origin of the wood. Performance in the areas environmental protection and innovation have been examined and evaluated by qualified external auditors; the report will be posted publicly in the first quarter of 2020.

Sustainable fibres for a changing market
“For years now Kelheim Fibres has consistently recognised the importance of sustainability and environmental protection. Now that resource saving and alternatives to plastics are of focal interest to the public and to the economy, our products are meeting with an even better reception from the market. Fibres produced in Germany with low emissions from certified sustainable timber meet the needs of customers seeking products that have a low risk of sourcing from ancient and endangered forests. “Having been awarded a `green shirt´ in the `Hot-Button´ ranking once again underlines this absolutely clearly!” says Matthew North, Commercial Director at Kelheim Fibres.

After becoming the first company in the world awarded both the rigorous EU Ecolabel and Nordic Swan Ecolabel, ISKO has recently reached another important milestone in its long-standing responsible journey: it has become the first Turkish denim manufacturer awarded with STeP by OEKO-TEX® modular certification system.

The certification results in a powerful tool to implement the company’s Responsible Innovation™ approach. This mindful and holistic vision tackles environmental and social responsibility to reach the goal of a 100% sustainable and ethical denim production, based on three main pillars – creativity, competence and citizenship.

“Responsibility and innovations go hand in hand, at ISKO,” explained Senior Sustainability and CSR Executive Ebru Ozkucuk Guler, “To be awarded with such a prestigious certification is proof that one has to look at the big picture: sustainable actions need to involve and take into account the entire value chain, in the long run, considering not only production steps but also the development of a healthy and safe work environment. It is the perfect ending to a very fulfilling year, we are eager to see what 2020 will bring.”

Since 2018 the CHT Group has broken new ground in communication with BeSoEFFECTIVE. Complex chemical interrelations are translated into simple and hardly technical words in combination with stylistically clear pictures.

The Best Solutions ”BeSo“ were specifically tailored to the communication with the target group of textile brands and retailers and do therefore not only appeal classic B2B clients but are also visible and comprehensible for end consumers of textile goods. The agency RTS Rieger Team from Leinfelden-Echterdingen that had already supported the new brand identity of the CHT Group in 2017 assisted CHT again in developing and creating the BeSoEFFECTIVE concept. One year after its publication, the communication concept has now achieved great success. BeSoEffective was honoured with the GWA Effie Award 2019 in bronze in Frankfurt am Main on 14th November.

Since 1981 the Effie has been awarded for efficiency in marketing communication by the Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen GWA (general association of communication agencies). It’s not exclusively the convincing look or content of campaigns that is honoured by the jury of experts with the GWA Effie Award but it’s rather the proven success and efficiency of such ideas and campaigns. By using the BeSoEFFECTIVE communication the CHT Group has so far increased the brands’ & retailers’ demand for innovative effects by about 30 %.

with CHT products are put in a nutshell by BeSoEFFECTIVE. The brand promise BeSo (”Best Solution“) is supplemented by an effect name deriving from the corresponding functionality – BeSoCOOL, BeSoFRESH or BeSoSMOOTH. Thus, each effect of the portfolio is given a uniform yet individual branding and a clear structure. The functionality of each effect is supplemented by pronounced and symbolic pictures which visually stress the benefits.

Eric Knehr, Head of Brand & Retail Service of the CHT Group states: “To us its of utmost importance to speak our target group’s language. Therefore, our BeSoEFFECTIVE campaign focuses on a clear communication with unique pictures and a uniform effect branding. Our customers’ positive reactions and this award prove, that our strong concept optimally supports our daily work as well as market and customer demands. However, it also puts the excellent performance of our innovative and sustainable effects into the right light."

The JEC innovation awards is a long-established and worldwide program with three simple goals: identify, promote, and reward the most innovative composite solutions in the world. Over the past 15 years, the JEC Innovation Program has involved 1,800 companies worldwide; 177 companies and 433 partners have been rewarded for the excellence of their composite innovations. The JEC Innovation Awards reward composites champions, based on criteria such as partner involvement in the value chain, technicality, or commercial applications of innovations.

« Every year, JEC rewards the best cutting-edge and ingenious projects using composites to their full potential in different categories. The JEC Innovation Awards program is emblematic and recognizes pioneers in composite innovation continuously reinventing the composites of tomorrow», says Franck GLOWACZ, Innovation Content Leader at JEC Group.

The winners have been rewarded for their innovative solutions, in 10 categories:

• Aerospace
• Automotive - Exterior
• Automotive - Structural
• Electrical, Electronics & Appliances
• Industrial Equipment
• Marine
• Railway
• Renewable Energy
• Smart Composites
• Sports & Leisure

The awards ceremony took place place on November 14, 2019, at 5:30 pm at the Startup Branch, COEX. Ben Bassat, President and CEO of Plataine Avner opened the ceremony with a keynote about “The 4th industrial revolution: implementing IIOT and AI to composite materials and manufacturing”.

• A naturally advanced collection, a cutting-edge coloration technology, and a brand-new collaborative business model.
• TINTEX stands out at PERFORMANCE DAYS, the functional fabric fair for the sourcing in sports, work and corporate wear.
• Performance Days, Munich, November 13th -14th, 2019 –booth C08 / hall C1

The leading jersey manufacturer brings a new holistic and sustainable approach spun from the company’s DNA and woven in the mission to create Naturally Advanced fabrics.

The WEME collection - A/W 20/21
The new statement collection goes beyond intellectual and spiritual individual needs to embrace a communal vision blurring ‘we’ and ‘me’, ‘conscious’ and unconscious’, responsible innovation and creativity. Developed around the concept sub-collections ID, Superego and EGO, the range comes in electric and active tones and combines smart ingredients and processes to drive innovation by harnessing the company’s unique dyeing and finishing expertise.

The new fabrics are made from a mix of new generation fibers that enhance free movement such as REFIBRA™ by Lenzing, Q-NOVA® by Fulgar and the unique GRS certified premium stretch ROICA™ EF.  The smartcel™ powered ID sub-collection is defined by striped structures that simulate flaws on initially smooth and perfected surfaces and provides soothing, anti-inflammatory effects thanks to the inclusion of zinc oxide, provides soothing, anti-inflammatory effects. The “EGO” selection comes in rich purples, calm lilacs and feminine yellows and features natural fibers such as organic wool. The “Superego” is available in unique styles and colours, achieved thanks to Colorzen® and the Naturally Clean® finishing. Together these enhance the natural beauty of cotton and cellulosics eliminating harsh treatments and optimizing clean surfaces with vivid colors, and an exquisitely smooth hand feel. Transformed materials take such as ECOTEC® by Marchi&Fildi take the lead saving up to 77.9% in water compared with regular cottons.

COLORAU®
TINTEX’ cutting edge color technology which received the Sustainable Solution award in the May 2019 edition of Techtextil debuts in Munich. COLORAU®  was created with a Portuguese consortium constituted by premium realities and gives life to responsibly colored fabrics with antimicrobial properties, using natural dyes extracted from different types of natural plants resources that do not use salt in the production.

COLORAU® uses only compounds of natural origin such as thyme, boldo, peppermint, chestnut and gambier in the production of functional and sustainable textiles in a variety of fibers such as cotton, lyocell and wool. An eco-efficient and low temperature surface treatment improves the affinity between the textile substrate and these natural compounds. The technology features a selection of “performing” extracts for appropriate color fastness to light and washing as well as color durability and antimicrobial functionality.

CO.LAB

TINTEX is proud to announce CO.LAB, a smart and collaborative business model and a totally new supply chain developed in coordination and with the support of C.L.A.S.S.. The first sustainable and PETA-Approved collections are 100% traceable without compromising on quality and style. As co-leader and founding actor, TINTEX has invited Becri, Confetil and Pedrosa & Rodrigues, 3 leading companies, each producing specialized garment styles. The new collections are:

1. The ECOPERFORMER by TINTEX with Confetil collection meets the values of millennials and generation Z consumers. Sustainable, multitasking, gender neutral and designed to fit contemporary urban lifestyle. The collection comprises modern soft sports garment with fully transparent innovation values. The range flexes its muscles with the best sustainable and high-performative materials for comfort, ease and style. All selected fabrics are PeTA APPROVED VEGAN. Designed to win.
2. ‘LEGACY H20’ by TINTEX with Becri is 100% traceable and focuses on responsible water-management.
3. ‘SENSING SMARTS’ by TINTEX with Pedrosa & Rodrigues, a next-to-skin soft and sensual range of materials enhancing wellbeing and comfort while harnessing an innovative and responsible way of using chemical products for a greener and safest future.

Mr. Robert Bélanger, President of the Board of Directors of the CTT Group and President of Belt-Tech Products inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Olivier Vermeersch as President/Chief Executive Officer of the CTT Group, one of the Collegial Center for Technology Transfer (CCTT) of the Cégep of Saint-Hyacinthe. Mr. Vermeersch succeeds Mr. Jacek Mlynarek from today. Mr. Mlynarek will remain associated to the CTT Group as an Ambassador and Strategic Advisor and - Research and Development, Partnership and Innovation.

The CTT Group Board of Directors and the entire team would like to thank Mr. Mlynarek for the energy and dedication he has devoted over the last 26 years to the development of the CTT Group, which is now recognized as one of the most important Collegial Center for Technology Transfer in Quebec and Canada. In 2009, Mr. Mlynarek received the Innovation System Builder Award from the Quebec Association for the Development of Research and Innovation.

Mr. Vermeersch is in a familiar territory, since he has been working for the CTT Group from the beginning of his career in 1991. In 2014, he was promoted Vice President - Research and Development and more recently, he was appointed as Executive Vice-President. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Excellence Award from the “Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies”. Mr. Vermeersch will continue to be Chairholder of the NEXTEX Industrial Chair of St-Hyacinthe College, a Canadian NSERC Level 2 Chair in Innovative Technical Textiles, which brings together many of CTT Group's customers.