From the Sector

Eastman Naia™ returns to Première Vision Paris to showcase the numerous applications of Naia™ Renew staple fibers, demonstrating their transformative potential in fashion. Known for delivering luxurious comfort, fashion-forward style, and a sustainable approach, Naia™ Renew fibers want to set the standard for a more eco-conscious innovation in textile manufacturing.

Cellulosic acetate, in its usual filament fiber form, is renowned for being one of the most reliable materials for achieving that signature silky look. Naia™ Renew staple is a versatile fiber sourced from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% recycled waste material through GRS-certified mass balance accounting, using a low-impact, closed-loop process. Designed for both woven and knitted fabrics, it blends perfectly with premium materials such as wool, cashmere, and linen to create lightweight, breathable textiles. Renowned for its durability and quick-drying properties, Naia™ Renew staple enhances fabrics with a skin-friendly softness that ensures superior comfort. Its low density contributes to a refined, pearl-like luster while keeping garments lightweight.

At Première Vision, Eastman Naia™ will present a curated selection of fabrics and garments developed in collaboration with partners and brands and designed to meet the demands of today’s fashion-forward and environmentally conscious consumers.

Aligned with its core values for mainstreaming circularity, Eastman Naia™ takes the opportunity at Première Vision to celebrate its partnerships with leading mills in Europe, recognized for their advanced textile expertise and sustainability initiatives. These collaborations support the shift towards nearshoring, helping to reduce lead times, streamline logistics, and minimize transportation-related emissions, ultimately lowering the overall environmental footprint.

Over the past 30 years, Monforts and its long-standing partner, Bengal Technology and Engineering, have realised over 100 fully integrated line installations in Bangladesh.

At the forthcoming Dhaka International Textile & Garment Machinery Exhibition (DTG), specialists will be on hand to provide expert advice on the wide range of services that are being provided by Monforts to the region’s dyeing and finishing sector.

The DTG takes place at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka from February 20-23 and will showcase the technologies of over 1,000 textile machinery brands and suppliers from 31 countries across its nine halls.

The successful 30-year partnership between Monforts and Bengal Technology and Engineering in Bangladesh has grown in parallel to the rapid rise of the nation’s textiles and apparel sector – from just a handful of manufacturers to over 6,000 factories today – and in particular, its growth into the world’s second largest exporter of readymade garments (RMGs).

Hoping to build on this success, the Bangladesh government has now initiated plans to achieve exports of RMGs worth $50 billion by as early as this year – and approaching $100 billion by 2030.

To realise this, however, the reinforcement of a textile manufacturing backbone will become increasingly crucial, and Monforts contributes to ensuring the Bangladesh industry continues to grow sustainably.

EDANA Innovation Forum 2025 is open for registration, inviting pioneers from across the nonwovens industry to gather at Station F, Paris, on June 11-12, 2025. Designed as a hub for bold ideas, breakthrough technologies, and fresh perspectives, this event promises an inspiring mix of keynote sessions, interactive discussions, and innovative ideas.

This year’s forum is all about collaboration and cross-industry learning. By bringing together start-ups, researchers, scientists, and business leaders, the event aims to bridge gaps, spark new ideas, and challenge the status quo. Expect engaging workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and real-world case studies that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Whether you’re looking for fresh insights, new partners, or the next big breakthrough, this is where the future of nonwovens takes shape.

Call for Papers: Share Your Innovations!
Innovation is a condition for business continuity and growth. As such, and as part of the event, EDANA has issued a Call for Papers to welcome best practices and real-life examples for innovating in the nonwoven industry! Presentations should align with one of the three key focus areas:

• - Materials
• - Technology
• - Applications

Abstracts shall be sent to giovanna.merola@edana.org, by 20th February 2025, with the following information:

• - A suggested title
• - 3-4 bullet points
• - Contact details of the speakers

Was verbindet Tischgeschirr und Textilien in der Zukunft? Um dieser Frage nachzugehen, haben 37 Studierende des Fachbereichs Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik und dem Fachbereich Design der Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) interdisziplinär zusammengearbeitet. Ihre Ergebnisse präsentierten sie nun vom 7. bis 11. Februar 2025 auf der Konsumgütermesse „Ambiente“ in Frankfurt am Main.
 
Im Rahmen des Projekts „Tabletop & Textile“ setzten sich die Studierenden intensiv mit der Beziehung zwischen Tischwäsche und Geschirr auseinander und berücksichtigten dabei ästhetische, funktionale sowie gesellschaftliche Dimensionen.
 
Entstanden sind zehn unterschiedliche Kollektionen, die beispielsweise von Plissée-Strukturen, der Gendervielfalt oder der Natur inspiriert wurden. In der Kollektion „Blind Spot“ entwickelten Studierende inklusive Tischwäsche für blinde und sehbeeinträchtigte Menschen. Fühlbare Strukturen, verschiedene Linien und Erhebungen sollen der Zielgruppe das Platzieren von Geschirr und Besteck erleichtern. Ob Jacquard-Webmaschine, 3D-Druck oder Porzellanschlickerguss: Alle Produkte wurden in den Werkstätten der HSNR gefertigt. Parallel arbeitete ein Team aus angehenden Kommunikationsdesigner:innen an einem ganzheitlichen Erscheinungsbild, welches das Zusammenwirken beider Fachbereiche sichtbar machte.

„Das Verständnis der Wechselwirkung zwischen den Produkten und Objekten unserer Lebenswelt eröffnet nicht nur neue Perspektiven, sondern schafft auch ein spannendes Forschungsfeld. Als Designerinnen und Designer betrachten wir das zu Entwerfende nie isoliert, sondern immer im Kontext. Es ist faszinierend zu sehen, was passiert, wenn Studierende aus verschiedenen Disziplinen diese Wechselwirkung gemeinsam untersuchen“, sagt Lisa Freyschmidt, Professorin für Keramik-, Porzellan- und Glasdesign am Fachbereich Design.

Under a new partnership agreement between TotalEnergies Lubrifiants and Mayer & Cie. signed, the Tixo Stainless co-branded product range will be sold by Mayer & Cie.'s expert distributors worldwide to their customers.

Signed on February 6, 2025, this new agreement allows the two leaders to join forces to combine TotalEnergies’ Tixo Stainless oils, one of the highestperformance knitting machine lubricants, with one of the best knitting machines available on the market.

TotalEnergies Lubrifiants is one of the world's leading suppliers of oils for knitting machines. Its range of Tixo products, specially designed to meet the requirements of knitting machines and approved by key manufacturers, is one of the best oils available on the market for lubricating needles, needle beds, sinkers and knitting cams on knitting machines. They are also compatible with all types of yarn. Tixo knitting oils have been developed to offer the best washability at low, medium and high wash temperatures, without compromising mechanical performance. This ensures adequate lubrication of machine components, guaranteeing machine reliability and the quality of the knitted fabrics produced.

Mayer & Cie., a German company founded in 1905, is a long-established, premium manufacturer and supplier of large-diameter circular knitting machines. As a trailblazer in the sector, setting standards while developing new processes and approaches, the company is further distinguished by its strong expertise and market knowledge.

Founded on shared values and a common passion for innovation, this agreement reflects both partners' commitment to meeting their customers' specific needs with highly advanced, highperformance solutions. The partnership also embodies TotalEnergies Lubrifiants' expertise in knitting machines lubrication as several world's key knitting machine manufacturers place their trust in the Tixo range, which Mayer & Cie. has just joined.

eVent® Fabrics, a global leader in waterproof/breathable and windproof fabric laminates, is continuing a brand evolution with the recent renaming their plant-based, ePTFE-free “BIO Waterproof” and “BIO Windproof” laminates to the new “stormST” and “windstormST” for the SS 2026 product season.

These name changes, along with eVent’s recently unveiled “defy the elements” tagline, are intended to strengthen and clarify eVent’s position as leading suppliers of sustainable, high-performance laminates to the outdoor, activewear, fashion, hunt, fish, golf, cycling, and footwear markets.

Starting in February 2025, eVent will cease promoting and supplying BIO branding assets, including for BIO footwear, which will also be stormST, and will work diligently with brand partners to ensure a smooth transition to the new stormST waterproof and windstormST windproof product names. eVent BIO apparel and footwear will be found in the market through the middle of 2026 in order to accommodate selling cycles and transition timelines.

eVent will introduce the stormST and windstormST to the materials sourcing industry at Performance Days in Munich this March.

“We introduced eVent BIO in 2016, pre-COVID, and perhaps before the market was ready for it. With our increased focus in offering a variety of high-performance sustainable laminates, we felt that BIO might, at this point, be a bit confusing,” said Chad Kelly, President of eVent Fabrics. “We’ve noticed the term ‘bio’ showing up in a lot of marketing materials across consumer markets, and we felt its meaning had become diluted. Recognizing that this dilution could cause confusion for both brands and consumers, we opted to update our product names to create further differentiation. The new names, stormST and windstormST, are a more natural fit for our product architecture, better highlight the laminates’ weather protecting performance, and speak more strongly to our new tagline “defy the elements”.”

The Sustainable Apparel Forum 2025 is a transformative event, marked its 6th edition with a focus on elevating Bangladesh as a leader in responsible sourcing.

The forum has successfully facilitated transformative dialogues on critical issues such as climate action, environmental conservation, and decent work. By bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs, this platform fosters innovative solutions and paves the way for a sustainable future in the industry.

Today marks the successful conclusion of the 6th edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) in Dhaka, organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This event continues to serve as a vital platform for fashion sourcing executives, emphasizing the importance of sustainability in the apparel industry.

The event featuring an opening ceremony, four insightful panel discussions, five impactful presentations, and two engaging breakout sessions. With over 20 innovators and more than 40 world-class speakers, we welcomed over 550 national and international delegates today.

High profile speakers at the opening ceremony include Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Forests, Climate Change, and Water Resources, H.E. Michael Miller, Ambassador and Head of Delegation, The European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, H. E. Andre Carstens, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Mostafiz Uddin, Founder & CEO, Bangladesh Apparel Exchange shared their thoughts on sustainability & responsible business.

H.E. Michael Miller, Ambassador and Head of Delegation, The European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, said “EU consumers have benefitted from good value and high-quality products imported from Bangladesh. Partnerships between the EU & Bangladesh must evolve as we move forward and evolve. We look to Bangladesh to increase its ambition when it comes to renewables. The EU is determined to work with Bangladesh to ensure it is equipped with the capacity to provide opportunities for sustainable developments.”

H. E. Andre Carstens, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, said “The Netherlands values its partnership with Bangladesh and recognises Bangladesh's leading role in the global RMG industry.

We are committed to working together with Bangladesh to navigate its challenges. We strongly support the mission to raise awareness, standardise sustainability goals, and enhance circularity and traceability. Today, we are bringing together all key players in the apparel value chain, and collaborative efforts are key to implementing the sustainable solutions needed for Bangladesh to solidify its position as a responsible sourcing destination. This forum offers a crucial opportunity to accelerate progress in vital areas.”

Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Said “We as a country would like to be the leader in sustainable apparel by 2040. Let's work together and try to find quick wins together.”

Mostafiz Uddin, Founder & CEO, Bangladesh Apparel Exchange said “If you look into the efforts, we are creating collaboration and connection, increasing opportunity and investment, and further integrating the business. I think our initiatives will continue, and we will be doing impactful initiatives towards a sustainable future.”

In addition, The Netherlands Circular Textile Trade mission to Bangladesh is scheduled from February 10th to 13th. This initiative, organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), with support and collaboration of Export Partner, Clean & Unique, BGMEA and Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE). With the participation of 18 Dutch companies leading in circularity and renewable energy, attendees found opportunities for networking and matchmaking at the Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF).

Der Umsatz des Handels mit Mode und Textilien hat sich 2024 weitgehend stabil entwickelt. Stationäre Bekleidungsgeschäfte, Warenhäuser, Lebensmitteldiscounter und Onlinehändler haben nach ersten BTE-Hochrechnungen im letzten Jahr Textilien im Wert von 67,5 Mrd. Euro umgesetzt. 2023 lag der Umsatz bei 67,52 Mrd. Euro.
 
„Zufrieden ist die Branche damit aber keineswegs“, konstatiert BTE-Präsident Mark Rauschen, geschäftsführender Gesellschafter des Osnabrücker Modehauses L&T Lengermann & Trieschmann. Den stagnierenden Umsätzen stehen nämlich seit 2019 hohe Kostensteigerungen gegenüber, was die Erträge stark unter Druck setzt und zum Teil auch zu Insolvenzen und Geschäftsaufgaben geführt hat. „In den letzten fünf Jahren sind die Kosten für unsere Unternehmen um rund 20 Prozent gestiegen.“
 
Besonders betroffen ist dabei der stationäre Textil- und Modefachhandel. Dieser Vertriebsweg hat in den Corona-Jahren 2020 und 2021 hohe Verluste eingefahren und trotz des anschließenden Umsatzaufschwungs auf 36 Mrd. Euro 2024 noch nicht wieder das Niveau von 2019 erreicht. „Dagegen hat der Onlinehandel in den letzten fünf Jahren seinen Umsatz nach BTE-Berechnungen auf 19,1 Mrd. Euro steigern und damit seinen Marktanteil von 21,4 Prozent auf 28,3 Prozent ausbauen können“, berichtet Mark Rauschen.
 
Auch für 2025 sind die Aussichten nicht rosig. Nach einer aktuellen BTE-Umfrage im Textil- und Modefachhandel rechnet nur ein Drittel der Teilnehmer in diesem Jahr mit einem nennenswerten Umsatzplus. Drei von zehn Befragten befürchten dagegen einen Umsatzrückgang von mindestens einem Prozent. „Angesichts der wohl weiter steigenden Kosten werden in diesem Jahr wohl noch mehr mittelständische Händler wirtschaftlich unter Druck geraten“, prognostiziert der BTE-Präsident.
 
Vor diesem Hintergrund fordert Rauschen von der Politik bessere Rahmenbedingungen vor allem für den stationären Textil- und Modehandel. Im Fokus steht dabei die hohe Bürokratiebelastung, die in der BTE-Umfrage den Spitzenplatz bei den aktuellen Problempunkten belegt. „Die Politiker versprechen uns hier seit Jahren einen Abbau, in der Realität nehmen Berichts-, Prüfungs- und Kontrollpflichten seitens Bund, Land und EU weiter zu.“ Die Unternehmen sind mittlerweile viele Stunden wöchentlich mit diversen Nachhaltigkeitsdokumentationen, Arbeitszeitstatistiken oder Sicherheitsvorgaben beschäftigt, die künftig wohl noch ausgebaut werden sollen. „Das kostet gerade mittelständischen Unternehmen Zeit und Geld, das sie dringend für ihr Kerngeschäft benötigen“, weiß Rauschen.
 
Nicht hinnehmbar sind die bürokratischen Vorgaben für deutsche Händler, wenn gleichzeitig millionenfach dubiose und oft Schadstoff-belastete Billigware unkontrolliert über asiatische Plattformen wie Shein und Temu nach Deutschland und die EU strömt. Der BTE begrüßt daher ausdrücklich die Pläne der EU, solche Direktimporte nicht weiter durch Zollfreiheit zu begünstigen und stattdessen stärker zu prüfen. „Die Maßnahmen müssen jetzt schnellstens beschlossen und umgesetzt werden – am besten noch in diesem Jahr“, fordert BTE-Präsident Rauschen. „Der Textil- und Modehandel braucht wieder mehr Freiraum für sein wirtschaftliches Handeln sowie faire Wettbewerbsbedingungen, damit er sich wieder stärker auf seine Produkte und Kunden konzentrieren kann. Das ist auch notwendig zum Erhalt attraktiver Innenstädte!“

Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions recently hosted its highly anticipated Innovation and Technology Day at the Deltin Hotel in Daman by end of January 2025. The event attracted over 300 participants, including industry experts, partners, and stakeholders, who gathered to explore the latest advancements and trends in the manmade fibers industry in India.

Customer Event in Daman, India
The Innovation and Technology Day commenced with a warm welcome and introduction by Wolfgang Ernst, Chief Sales Officer (CSO) at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions, and Debabrata Ghosh, Head of Sales at Oerlikon Textile India. They provided an overview of the Indian market and its challenges.

“The Indian textile industry, particularly the chemical fiber sector, is experiencing significant growth and transformation. This development is driven by increasing production capacities, strategic investments, and a shift in global consumption patterns”, said Ghosh. India's production of manmade fibers (MMF) is robust, with annual outputs of 4.8 million tons of Polyester Filament Yarn (PFY), 1.7 million tons of Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF), 0.7 million tons of viscose, 0.2 million tons of Polyamide 6 (PA 6), and 25 thousand tons of acrylic. Additionally, the country boasts substantial capacities for PET bottles and films, growing at rates of 7% and 15% per annum, respectively. The Indian market is witnessing significant expansions in PTA (Purified Terephthalic Acid) capacity, with major projects underway by Indian Oil Corporation, GAIL, MCPI, Reliance Industries, and the Adani-Indorama joint venture. These expansions are set to increase the PTA capacity from the current 6.296 million tons to over 14 million tons by 2030.

Market Dynamics and strategic investments
“The global consumption landscape is shifting towards India and emerging Asia, driven by rising incomes and changing demographics. By 2050, India and emerging Asia are expected to account for 30% of global consumption at purchasing-power parity (PPP), up from 12% in 1997. This shift underscores the growing importance of these regions in the global economic landscape”, Ghosh continuous. Significant investments are being made to enhance production capacities and integrate advanced technologies. Indian Oil Corporation, in a joint venture with MCPI, is establishing a 900 TPD continuous polymerization unit in Odisha, supported by substantial government subsidies. Similarly, the Adani Group, in partnership with Indorama, is entering the petrochemical sector with a $3 billion PTA plant in Maharashtra.

Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the positive outlook, the industry faces challenges such as ensuring cost efficiency, scalability, and the seamless integration of new technologies into existing production processes. However, the sector is optimistic about improving profitability, driven by favorable supply-demand dynamics and strategic investments. “The Indian textile and chemical fiber industry is poised for significant growth, supported by strategic investments, capacity expansions, and a favorable global consumption shift. These developments position India as a key player in the global textile market, driving towards a sustainable and prosperous future”, said Ernst.

After the introduction about the current market situation, the event continued with numerous technical presentations in which Oerlikon and its partners presented their technological and solution expertise along the textile value production chain “From Melt to Yarn, Fibers and Nonwovens”.

“To spin an excellent yarn, you need the prefect melt”, said Moderator André Wissenberg, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Public Affairs at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions. How this can be produced using extrusion or continuous polycondensation technology was demonstrated by the keynote speakers Sven Streiber, Regional Sales Director at Oerlikon Barmag, Deepak Lokre, Head of Engineering at Oerlikon Textile India, and Matthias Schmitz, Head of Engineering Recycling Technology at BB Engineering (BBE).

The second session focused on Oerlikons technology partner for manmade fiber spinning mills. Presentations covered topics such as enhancing manmade fiber production with innovative air engineering, automatic handling solutions and quality inspections, as well as air texturizing solutions. Notable speakers included Praveen Kumar Singh, Managing Director of Luwa India, and Luca Lacitignola, Sales Director at Irico Gualchierani Handling (IGH), Simone Ducceschi, Sales & Project Manager at Thema Systems, as well as Ralf Morgenroth, Head of Engineering Textile Machinery at BBE.

The third session delved into solutions for producing the perfect fibers and yarns, with a focus on Oerlikon Barmag POY/DTY, FDY, IDY technologies as well as Oerlikon Neumag BCF and staple fiber line plants. Presentations were delivered by Philip Jungbecker, Head of R&D, and Guido Dresen, Regional Sales Director, both at Oerlikon Barmag, as well Chetan Bhagat, General Manager Sales, and Sameer Mehrotra, General Manager Service at Oerlikon Textile India. Ralf Morgenroth added further insights of the compact spinning solution VarioFil from BBE.

Environmentally friendly recycling solutions
The fourth session highlighted environmentally friendly recycling solutions, featuring insights from Sven Streiber and Sudipto Mandal, Sales and Marketing Manager at Oerlikon Textile India, and again Matthias Schmitz, BBE. They provided a detailed portfolio overview in the field of mechanical and chemical recycling. The new partnership between Oerlikon Barmag and Evonik was also presented to the audience. Finally, this was followed by a session on customer services and digital solutions, where Michael Ruebenhagen, Head of Global Service Sales and Ivan Gallo, Digital Solutions, both at Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions discussed current upgrade and retrofit options, the Digital Academy, and the future of digitalization in manmade fiber spinning mills. Shared Kulkarnie, General Manager Service Sales & Workshops, as well as Chandru Gurbaxani, Digital Solutions, performed together with their German colleagues.

The event concluded with closing remarks again from Wolfgang Ernst, who provided a global market overview and outlook for 2025. Final remarks were given by Atul Vaidya, Managing Director of Oerlikon Textile India. Finaly the event ended with a gala evening with more than 500 participants featuring a fashion show, music, dancing, and excellent food, supported by Decathlon and Garden Vareli.

2025 International Battery Seminar in Orlando: Freudenberg to present innovative battery separator solutions for stationary energy storage systems and further applications

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will be showcasing its nonwoven battery separators at the International Battery Seminar in Orlando, Florida, USA, from March 17-20, 2025. The manufacturer of technical textiles will present innovative materials that enable long-duration, high-performance and safe stationary energy storage systems.

Freudenberg will present its range of battery separators that increase the cycle-life, performance and safety of batteries for stationary energy storage systems, as well as batteries used in transportation, communications and computer systems. This includes nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, nickel-zinc, nickel-hydrogen, metal-air and lead-acid batteries plus many more.

One highlight will be the latest unique surface finishing technology that provides excellent electrolyte absorption as well as increasing the speed. The company combines this new finishing and a variety of other finishes with its versatile nonwoven technologies to develop further custom-made separators that meet the needs of energy storage system manufacturers and other battery manufacturers in the aviation, rail vehicle construction or computer systems sectors. Freudenberg has a broad range of nonwoven technologies in the industry, including wetlaid, drylaid and spunbond processes. These offer unique capabilities to tailor material homogeneity and uniformity, electrolyte absorption, wicking rate, air permeability, thickness and tensile strength.
With production sites on several continents, Freudenberg can manufacture locally and offer major battery manufacturers optimal service.

Freudenberg high-performance nonwoven separators play an important functional role in batteries. Besides their primary function of separating the electrode and cathode, they form an electrolyte reservoir in the battery, and contribute to enhancing battery functionality, self-discharge, and durability. They help to prevent short circuits by avoiding dendrite growth.