From the Sector

Archroma, a leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, announced that the 5’760 color references of its Color Atlas library will be available in ASE file format for open access to the users of most design software for fashion, apparel, and textiles. With this, designers and stylists are given open access to the largest library of colors for cotton and polyester.

ASE or .ase (for Adobe Swatch Exchange) files are used to upload, share and access colors through the swatch palette of design software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and most CAD (Computer-aided design) systems.

The Color Atlas by Archroma® was launched in 2016 to provide fashion designers and stylists with off-the-shelf color inspiration that can be implemented in production with just a few clicks.

The Color Atlas continues to evolve in line with Archroma’s commitment to sustainability through innovation. The company describes its approach as “The Archroma Way to a sustainable world: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”.

All color references available in the Color Atlas have been formulated with products that comply with leading international eco-standards, and can be selected based on the desired sustainability profile.

Each color from the Color Atlas by Archroma® is available for purchase from Archroma as a physical color standard that includes precise digital data and access to global dyeing technical support.

• RISE® – Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference – Returns In-Person

Nonwovens innovators will convene in-person for RISE® – Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference – the industry’s premier conference on nonwovens science and technology, Sept. 27-28 at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

The 12th edition of RISE returns live to Talley Student Union after being held virtually over the last two years. The event is co-organized by INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University. Registration is now open at the RISE® website. https://www.riseconf.net/

Experts in product development, material science, and new technologies will come together for this insightful two-day conference focused on promising technology developments, future needs and market opportunities. Participants will have opportunities to exchange views on innovative nonwoven technologies and applications, furthering INDA’s strategic initiative to connect and convene the industry.

The 2022 RISE® program will focus on breaking developments in responsible sourcing of nonwoven inputs, realistic end-of-life options, and circularity opportunities in the world of nonwovens and engineered materials with thought leaders presenting on these cutting-edge topics.

Innovations that solve problems and advance the nonwovens industry will be recognized with the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award. The award will be presented Sept. 28 in the culmination of the event. Companies can self-nominate products online http://www.inda.org/awards/rise-innovation-award.html until July 15.

RISE® participants will have the special opportunity on Sept. 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., to tour The Nonwovens Institute’s $50 million-plus, 60,000 square-foot facilities featuring state-of-the-art equipment, pilot lines and analytical facilities, and attend a networking reception at the on-campus Lonnie Pool Golf Course Clubhouse. The tour will be limited to 50 attendees and advance response is required. The reception will be open to all attendees.

Speaker Snapshot

A few topics that will be addressed by visionary speakers at RISE® include:

• North American Economic Outlook - Robert Fry, Jr., Ph.D., Principal, Robert Fry Economics LLC
• Sustainable Fibers – Developments and the Future - David Grewell, Ph.D., Director, Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites
• Achieving Supply Chain Circularity - Redesigning Plastics to be Recyclable-by-Design - Kat Knauer, Ph.D., Program Manager - V Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• Novel Biobased Resins Outperforming Plastics and Other Biodegradable Biopolymers - Steven Sherman, CEO, BioLogiQ, Inc.
• Stereochemistry Strategies to Toughen Sugar-Based Polymers and Degradable Elastomers - Matthew Becker, Ph.D., Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor, Duke University
• Biobased Multicomponent Structures Providing Unique Characteristics and Sustainable Properties to Nonwovens - Kristel Beckers, Senior Application Technician, Total Corbion PLA

The process industry today still relies primarily on fossil raw materials. A transformation towards regenerative resources, in particular renewable raw materials, is under way. In addition, circular economy, recycling and resilience play important roles in existing and new value chains. The congress "BIO-raffiniert XII", March 7 and 8, 2023 at the Fraunhofer UMSICHT in Oberhausen, takes up these topics and focuses on innovative technologies, sustainability strategies as well as logistics and supply chains. Its thematic focal points will be: Bioeconomy - Strategy and Implementation, Transformation Pathways and New Value Chains. Regional as well as international developments will be addressed.

The institute invites interested experts to present their innovations, concepts, or industrial practice solutions around the bioeconomy transformation in the context of short presentations in English (10 min presentation). The deadline for proposals outlined in a one-page abstract is: Tuesday, September 16, 2022.

Further information online.

Exhibiting companies can now register for A+A 2023! The world's leading trade fair and congress event for personal protection, occupational safety and health at work will take place in Düsseldorf from 24 to 27 October 2023.

Under the motto "People count", numerous exhibitors will present innovative solutions and concepts for safe and healthy working at A+A 2023. This time, the thematic umbrella of the international trade fair is formed by the megatrends of digitalisation and sustainability.

Decision-makers and experts will find cross-sector solutions and answers to the important questions surrounding a safe, healthy and sustainable workplace. From personal protective equipment (PPE), operational fire protection, environmental protection or disaster prevention to offers for ergonomic and healthy workplace design.

The focus will be on topics such as sustainability and the circular economy of products, digital services in the provision, care and storage of PPE, mobile working, exoskeletons (wearable robots) and wearables. Forums and side events as well as an innovative Start-up Zone complement the trade fair and set new, future-oriented impulses.

For more information and registration click here.

The international eco hub C.L.A.S.S. brings its next generation Smart Shop’s offer to the 10th edition of the Future Fabrics Expo from the28th to the 29th of June 2022 in London.

Since 2018, C.L.A.S.S. has been offering the access of the top of its Material hub innovations to small and new generation of designers and brands through its Smart Shop, the online store of smart materials. C.L.A.S.S. intent at FFE is to share the unique values of its design driven, conscious, high-tech materials, in order to start synergies with an audience characterized by the interest in responsible innovations, the main expertise of CEO and founder Giusy Bettoni and her team.

C.L.A.S.S. offers smart solutions – from 1 meter to max 50 meters - for the contemporary wardrobe which include all the different expressions of textile ingredients: natural, transformed, innovative and back in the loop materials, giving everyone the possibility to create design, innovative and yet responsible products in line with their new generation of contemporary values.

Among the conscious, yet technological materials which will be presented at Fabrics for Future there are Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, Albini’s organic and scientifically traceable cotton, Re.VerSo™ recycled wools, NewLife™ recycled polyester and Maeba International’s Back in The Loop fabrics.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has announced the nomination process is now open for the annual RISE® Innovation Award. The prestigious award will be presented at the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Conference – September 27-28, 2022, at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.  RISE^® 2022 is a two-day conference presenting insightful research and science that propels product development.

Companies, academic institutions, research centers, and individuals are invited to nominate their advances in nonwovens and engineered materials at https://www.riseconf.net/award-submission.html until the July 15, 2022 deadline.

The RISE^® Innovation Award recognizes innovation within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry that uses revolutionary science and engineering principles to solve current and future industry needs. Raw material advances, advances in process or manufacturing technologies including web forming and converting, new product or application development, and other areas that may extend or enhance the use of nonwovens will be considered for nominations.

Industry professionals involved with product development, material science, and disruptive enabling technologies for both consumer and industrial products are encouraged to nominate their product(s) for the RISE^® Innovation Award.

Nomination Process
Technical experts serving on the INDA Technical Advisory Board will review nominations and select three finalists who exemplify the use of cutting-edge science and engineering principles to advance the field of nonwovens. Finalists will present their innovations to technology scouts, scientists, researchers, and next level industry professionals at the RISE® Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.

Criteria and eligibility, nomination process timing, and prior award recipient information is available online: https://www.riseconf.net/award-submission.html

The ITMC 2022 conference, which will take place at the BAnQ from September 19 to 21, 2022, is aimed at attendees from various sectors of the textile industry. Its interdisciplinary approach is the key to maximizing the potential and development of textile materials and tools for various applications. The objective of the conference is to explore new ideas, effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth by creating synergy between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, students and end users from all sectors and fully exploiting this potential.

The main topics are: Composites and textile reinforcement - Sustainable Production & Ecotextiles - Smart and functional textiles - Nanotechnology & Advanced Technical Textiles - Comfort & Protective Textiles - Medical Textiles - Digital Tools & Mass Customization

Keynote speakers :

• Omar Cherkaoui, ESITH : how ESITH was able to support the operators of the Moroccan textile sector during the covid-19 crisis
• Tracy Toulouse, TT : the impact and legacy of our clothing is to identify us as a nation
• Prof. Raul Fangueiro, University of Minho: fiber-based materials: from nano to macro scale
• Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, Exoskin: the role of smart textiles in the future of health
• KyoungOk Kim, Shinshu University: Patternmaking for attractive clothing for mass customization
• Marie O’Mahony, Consultant, Royal College of Art (RCA): smart materials & systems: has embracing uncertainty become vital to commercialization?
• Xianyi Zeng, Ensait: intelligent garments for online monitoring of human health and well-being
• Corinne Farace, Techtera: The collaborative approach: a major stake in meeting the challenges of tomorrow

At Techtextil from 21-24 June in Frankfurt, Mahlo will be demonstrating how manufacturers of technical textiles can optimise their production even further using measuring and control technology.

Special straightening technology for technical textiles
Mahlo's range also includes solutions for straightening distorted goods. Best suited for technical textiles are, for example, the symbol of the straightening machine, the Orthopac RVMC-15 and the reinforced version Orthopac GRVMC-15. Frame, bearings, and rollers are designed for high loads and allow large working widths of up to 5,400 mm. As the latest development from Mahlo, the experts present the Orthopac CRVMC-15 automatic straightener, which is particularly interesting for the glass & carbon fabric industry and some special applications.

The Mahlo team will present the wide portfolio of intelligent scanners and sensors that record product and process parameters, such as distortion, fabric temperature, dwell time, basis weight, coating weight, thickness, moisture content, residual moisture, exhaust moisture, air permeability, etc. online. Among other things, visitors can expect to see the Famacont PMC-15 weft density measurement system in live operation. The system measures the weft or course density on the running web and compares it with the target value stored in the recipe data management system. The detected deviation from the target value is used to fully automatically control the overfeed during the needling process at the stenter frame and to ensure a constant weft/course density over the full width of the product.

adidas AG and Foot Locker, Inc. announced a new and enhanced partnership built around product innovation, elevated experiences, and deeper consumer connectivity. This enhanced relationship will establish Foot Locker as the lead partner for adidas in the basketball category, accelerate energy and hype launches, as well as include the development and expansion of key franchises across women’s, kids, and apparel. Including all Foot Locker banners in North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific, the new strategic partnership will target over $2 billion in retail sales by 2025, nearly tripling levels from 2021. In 2022, adidas expects to generate incremental revenues of up to €100 million as a result of the new partnership.  

Foot Locker will lead adidas' basketball offering, led by Fear of God founder and designer Jerry Lorenzo, spanning the lifestyle and performance categories, and develop exclusive positions in both areas. In addition, the collaboration will focus on key Originals franchises including NMD, Superstar and Stan Smith, and on the adidas influencer partnership portfolio. It will also include a prominent role for Foot Locker in the launch of adidas’ new Sportswear product division targeting the lifestyle consumer.

To execute the new plan, adidas will provide Foot Locker with a dedicated team to deliver an elevated consumer experience both in stores and online to help create demand and elevate the marketplace. This will involve partnership on product development, exclusive Foot Locker positioning, increased product allocations, shared marketing spend, and an elevated premium presence across Foot Locker’s entire portfolio of banners with a special focus on key cities and communities that the companies jointly serve. Lastly, to provide consumers with a seamless consumer journey, on and offline, both partners will increase their digital focus and accelerate the rollout of the adidas partner program at Foot Locker.

At the forthcoming Texprocess, Techtextil and Heimtextil shows taking place in Frankfurt from June 21-24 – members of the Swedish Textile Machinery Association TMAS will be showcasing a range of solutions aligning with the growing trend for more localised and automated textile manufacturing.

Digitalisation and the push for more sustainable, shorter and less expensive supply chains are currently making manufacturing in high-cost countries within Europe more attractive and there have been many other contributing factors to this over the past two years.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of many countries to shortages of essential items like PPE while at the same time making the full exploitation of new digital options essential during national lock-downs and long periods of restricted travel. The escalating cost of global transportation, as well as the growth of online retailing and the associated benefits of on-demand digital manufacturing, are further reinforcing the many benefits of short-run and near-shore new operations.

Secure supply
At Texprocess, for example, Eton Systems will be unveiling its latest Ingenious software solution which further enhances the company’s Opta Unit Production System (UPS) introduced in 2021.

“Our automated technology has already had a great impact on the productivity of thousands of garment production lines,” says Eton’s Managing Director Jerker Krabbe. “Our systems help producers across the world to reduce repetitive manual tasks and increase efficiency, which evens out some of the differences between production in high and low-cost countries, making reshoring a feasible option. Creating a diversified production portfolio with a mix of production facilities, some closer to home, makes for a more secure product supply.”

Flexibility
Imogo meanwhile recently installed the first industrial scale dyeing system in Sweden for many years. The Dye-Max spray dyeing line has the potential to slash the use of fresh water, wastewater, energy and chemicals by as much as 90% compared to conventional jet dyeing systems. It is capable of carrying out the application of a wide range of fabric pre-treatments and finishing processes, providing users with unbeatable flexibility in production.

“Here in Scandinavia, we are currently seeing an explosion of companies developing sustainable new cellulosic fibres – many from waste clothing – but a problem is that all of the environmental benefits they deliver can potentially be lost in the further processing, and especially in conventional dyeing,” observes the company’s Founding Partner Per Stenflo. “The Dye-Max system positively addresses this, but interest in it has not just been confined to Europe. We are currently seeing a lot of activity in Turkey – largely as a near-shore partner to European brands – but also in Bangladesh.”

Robotics at Heimtextil
ACG Kinna Automatic specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and its live demonstrations of robotics in action have proved a magnet for visitors to Heimtextil. This year’s show will be no exception.

“The use of robotics is now standard across many industries dealing in solid goods, but the handling of soft materials such as textiles is a little more complex,” says Managing Director Christian Moore. “Nevertheless, it’s something we have successfully mastered, and our robotic systems are proving highly beneficial to their users. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution when it comes to automation and our approach is always to carefully examine where it will make the difference in each bespoke system. A focus is on identifying and eliminating bottlenecks which will increase product flows.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, ACG Kinna drew on all of its automation know-how and extensive network of contacts to build a new nonwovens fabric converting and single-use garment making-up plant in a matter of weeks, in order to supply the Swedish authorities with urgently-needed medical gowns.

Instant colour
Localised textile production is also booming in the USA, where Coloreel has recently secured multiple orders for its instant thread colouration technology via its US partner Hirsch.

“Coloreel technology enables the high-quality and instant colouring of a textile thread while it is actually being used in production and can be paired with any existing embroidery machine without modification, while also making it possible to produce gradients in an embroidery for the first time,” explains VP of Sales Sven Öquist.

“Advanced rapid colour formulation software and high-speed drive technology allow a single needle to carry out what it previously required many multiples of them to do – and with much more consistent stitch quality. By instantly colouring a recycled white base thread during production, our system enables complete freedom to create unique embroideries without any limitations. Colour changes along the thread can either be made rapidly from one solid colour to another, or gradually, to make smooth transitions or any colouring effect desired. This provides big benefits when it comes to sustainability and design creativity.”

Milestone
Svegea will be promoting its latest EC 300 collarette cutting machine at Texprocess 2022. This machine is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as waistbands, cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements. With its E-Drive 2 system and fully automatic FA500 roll slitter, the EC 300 has an output of around 20,000 metres per hour.

“Advances in automation are only making the specialised, bespoke machines we engineer even more efficient and we are expecting a very busy year,” says Managing Director Håkan Steene. “The garment components our collarette cutters produce make it logical for them to be integrated into the operations of making-up operations, wherever they are.”

Sensors
The advanced yarn tension monitoring technologies of Eltex of Sweden meanwhile play an essential role in rectifying defects in  weaving, tufting and composite reinforcement operations.

“A correct tension of the warp and weft threads ensures proper machine operation,” explains Eltex Global Marketing and Sales Manager Anoop K. Sharma “The constant tension monitoring and automatic control of the tension of the thread help to overcome unnecessary problems.

“We continue to make advances in both the hardware and software of our tension monitoring systems, such as the EyE™ for the warping process. With the EyE™, the yarn tension values from all yarns are continuously updated and displayed on screen. In addition, tension values outside the warning level are indicated both on the sensor’s LEDs and on the screen for complete quality control. No fabric can be woven without the appropriate and correct tension.”