From the Sector

Gregory, ein Unternehmer für Outdoor- und Reiseausrüstung, stattet mit seiner Alpaca Gear Organization Kollektion das Team der Merrel Skyrunner World Series 2024 aus.

Nach einem erfolgreichen Probelauf im vergangenen Jahr haben Gregory und die weltweite Trailrunning Serie ihre Partnerschaft für die aktuelle Saison bestätigt. Gregory stattet das gesamte Team der Merrell Skyrunner World Series auf ihren Reisen zu 21 Rennen auf vier Kontinenten mit Produkten der neuen Alpaca Gear Organization Kollektion aus. Dabei testet Gregory Produkte, die für den Transport von schwerem Material in schwierigen Umgebungen entwickelt wurden, vor Ort, um sowohl die Leistungen der Sportler als auch die eigenen Produkte zu optimieren.

Durch die strategische Allianz mit Gregory soll die Reiselogistik der Skyrunner World Series verbessert, die Ausrüstung bestmöglich geschützt und die Standards für Transportleistungen im Outdoor-Sport auf globaler Ebene erhöht werden.

Gregory wird das Team mit Produkten wie der Gear Box, dem Gear Basket und dem Gear Wagon ausstatten, die mit modernster Technologie, Lösungen und zum Teil aus recycelten Stoffen hergestellt werden. Aber auch Rucksäcke und Daypacks wie Border, Nano und Rhune kommen zum Einsatz

Green Theme Technologies, suppliers of the EMPEL® water-free and PFAS-free textile finishing platform, continues a trajectory of exponential growth by partnering with Korean-based global textile innovator Hwasung International. Hwasung is the first Korean mill to offer the EMPEL® high performance technology to global footwear brands and regional Korean mill customers.
      
Known globally for providing high performance textiles that incorporate functional yarns such as Dyneema, Kevlar and Cordura, Hwasung will now broaden their high performance and sustainable offerings by scaling EMPEL into their global supply chain.
      
Green Theme’s EMPEL® platform can be applied successfully to a wide range of synthetic knit, woven, non-woven and novel fabrics that are traditionally hard to treat. The diverse list of EMPEL® markets include: Outdoor, High Fashion, Footwear, Automotive, Furniture, Workwear, Athleisure Wear and Military. Because no water is used during the treatment application, EMPEL® can remove pollution and waste from any textile manufacturing process.

Archroma has developed a new wet-fastness improver that helps brands and mills produce durable clothing, towels, linens and other textile products with long-lasting colors without compromising on quality or introducing hazardous chemicals.

ALBAFIX® ECO PLUS is a next-generation fixing agent that delivers a strong wet-fastness for all reactive dyes on cotton and other cellulosic fibers and polyester-cotton blends. It will not change the shade of the dyed fabric or negatively impact light-fastness. The product also avoids production challenges – such as foaming, acid hydrolysis and migration problems during drying – to promote efficiency and quality output.

ALBAFIX® ECO PLUS is suitable for jet applications, and for other dyeing and washing equipment with vigorous liquor circulation, and can also be applied by exhaustion, by padding or from the last bath of the soaping process after dyeing or printing.

Like ALBAFIX® ECO, the latest addition to the ALBAFIX® family has a positive influence on chlorine-fastness. When applied with double fixing, it achieves the same high performance on polyamide and PA/Elastane fabrics, as it does on cellulosic fibers. This makes it ideal for the production of swimwear, as well as sportswear and outdoor clothing.

ALBAFIX® ECO PLUS complies with global eco-standards and initiatives, including Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), bluesign® and the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Roadmap.

Textiles for technical applications often derive their special function via the application of coatings. This way, textiles become, for example wind and water proof or more resistant to abrasion. Usually, petroleum-based substances such as polyacrylates or polyurethanes are used. However, these consume exhaustible resources and the materials can end up in the environment if handled improperly. Therefore, the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are researching materials from renewable sources that are recyclable and do not pollute the environment after use. Polymers that can be produced from bacteria are here of particular interest.

These biopolymers have the advantage that they can be produced in anything from small laboratory reactors to large production plants. The most promising biopolymers include polysaccharides, polyamides from amino acids and polyesters such as polylactic acid or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), all of which are derived from renewable raw materials. PHAs is an umbrella term for a group of biotechnologically produced polyesters. The main difference between these polyesters is the number of carbon atoms in the repeat unit. To date, they have mainly been investigated for medical applications. As PHAs products are increasingly available on the market, coatings made from PHAs may also be increasingly used in technical applications in the future.

The bacteria from which the PHAs are obtained grow with the help of carbohydrates, fats and an increased CO₂ concentration and light with suitable wavelength.

The properties of PHA can be adapted by varying the structure of the repeat unit. This makes polyhydroxyalkanoates a particularly interesting class of compounds for technical textile coatings, which has hardly been investigated to date. Due to their water-repellent properties, which stem from their molecular structure, and their stable structure, polyhydroxyalkanoates have great potential for the production of water-repellent, mechanically resilient textiles, such as those in demand in the automotive sector and for outdoor clothing.

The DITF have already carried out successful research work in this area. Coatings on cotton yarns and fabrics made of cotton, polyamide and polyester showed smooth and quite good adhesion. The PHA types for the coating were both procured on the open market and produced by the research partner Fraunhofer IGB. It was shown that the molten polymer can be applied to cotton yarns by extrusion through a coating nozzle. The molten polymer was successfully coated onto fabric using a doctor blade. The length of the molecular side chain of the PHA plays an important role in the properties of the coated textile. Although PHAs with medium-length side chains are better suited to achieving low stiffness and a good textile handle, their wash resistance is low. PHAs with short side chains are suitable for achieving high wash and abrasion resistance, but the textile handle is somewhat stiffer.

The team is currently investigating how the properties of PHAs can be changed in order to achieve the desired resistance and textile properties in equal measure. There are also plans to formulate aqueous formulations for yarn and textile finishing. This will allow much thinner coatings to be applied to textiles than is possible with molten PHAs.

Other DITF research teams are investigating whether PHAs are also suitable for the production of fibers and nonwovens.

Egal, ob beim Campen, Wandern oder Bergsteigen, beim Wasser-, Reit- und Jagdsport, beim Skifahren oder einem Bootstrip – die neuen Hex-Patches von Gear Aid verlängern die Lebensdauer von Outdoor-Ausrüstung.

Die neuen Hex Patches sind aufgrund ihrer achteckigen Form vielseitig kombinierbar – je nach Größe und Form der Reparaturstelle, und verhindern ein weiteres Einreißen. Es sind weder Nähkenntnisse noch Hitze erforderlich; einfach die Schutzfolie abziehen, den selbstklebenden Patch auf der Reparaturstelle anbringen und kurz andrücken. Der Klebstoff repariert dauerhaft Outdoor-Materialien wie Nylon, Vinyl, Gummi, Kunststoff u.v.m.

Somit lassen sich die Hex Patches zur einfachen und schnellen Reparatur von Jacken und Hosen aller Art, Regen- und Skibekleidung, Rucksäcken, Zelten, Schlafsäcken, Matten, Unterlagen, Planen leichten Ausrüstungsgeständen usw. verwenden. Sie bestehen aus leichtem 70D-Gewebe und sind mit einer wasserfesten Beschichtung versiegelt, die auch häufigem Waschen standhält.

An EU-wide enforcement project of the ECHA Forum found excessive levels of hazardous chemicals, such as lead and phthalates, in products that are sold to consumers. In total 18 % of the inspected products breached the EU laws.

The national enforcement authorities in 26 EU countries checked over 2 400 products, most of them intended for consumers, and found more than 400 of them breaching the EU’s chemicals laws.

The most common product types breaching the laws were:

• Electrical devices such as electrical toys, chargers, cables, headphones. 52 % of these products were found non-compliant, mostly due to lead found in solders, phthalates in soft plastic parts, or cadmium in circuit boards.
• Sports equipment like yoga mats, bicycle gloves, balls or rubber handles of sport equipment. 18 % of these products were found to be non-compliant mostly due to SCCPs and phthalates in soft plastic and PAH in rubber.
• Toys like bathing/aquatic toys, dolls, costumes, play mats, plastic figures, fidget toys, outdoor toys, slime and childcare articles. 16 % of non-electric toys were found to be non-compliant, mostly due to phthalates found in soft plastic parts, but also other restricted substances such as PAHs, nickel, boron or nitrosamines.
• Fashion products such as bags, jewellery, belts, shoes and clothes. 15 % of these products were found non-compliant due to the phthalates, lead and cadmium they contained.

In cases where non-compliant products were found, inspectors have taken enforcement measures, with most of them resulting in the withdrawal of such products from the market.

The non-compliance rate was higher in products which originated from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or whose origin was not known.

In a world where water-repellent textiles play an important role in various industries, Pulcra Chemicals has joined forces with its subsidiary, Devan Chemicals, to introduce DEVAN REPEL. The first product, DEVAN REPEL ONE, is a durable water repellent for Polyester and blends. The development of DEVAN REPEL ONE is a joint to Devan and Pulcra's dedication to innovation and sustainability.

The solution offers a range of benefits:

• Superior Performance: The technology offers outstanding water repellency performance, ensuring that textiles remain dry. Whether it's rain and outdoor wear, outdoor furnishing, shower curtains or multiple technical textiles, the new solution can handle it, making it a strong choice for industries where water resistance is paramount.
• Flexibility: The versatility of this technology can be applied to a wide range of materials, with especially good results on polyester and its blends, offering flexibility for various applications across industries.
• Enhanced Sustainability: This technology is free from perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and free from isocyanates.
• Longevity: Products treated with this water repellency technology are protecting from the elements for a longer lifespan.

Performance, particularly on effect durability, can be boosted to meet different requirements with new DEVAN EXTENDER GEN3. This extender is free of Isocyanate, Butanone-oxime and 2-dimethylpyrazole.

Garmont International hat Andrea Nalesso zum neuen CEO ernannt. Mit langjähriger Erfahrung in der Outdoor- und Sportbranche übernimmt Nalesso die Nachfolge von Pierangelo Bressan, der Vorstandsvorsitzender und Aktionär von Garmont bleibt.

Riello Investimenti SGR – über seinen Italian Strategy Fonds Mehrheitsaktionär von Garmont International – hat gemeinsam mit den Minderheitsaktionären Andrea Nalesso zum Chef Executive Officer (CEO) berufen, der die Marke in den kommenden Jahren auf dem eingeschlagenen Weg konsequent weiterzuführen soll.

Zu den innovativen Vorhaben, die Garmont in den letzten Jahren umgesetzt hat und die Andrea Nalesso fortführen soll, gehört die Entwicklung von Schuhen mit einem nachhaltigen Fußabdruck. In einem Bereich, in dem die Produktion erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt hat, ist das eine ebenso wichtige wie klar kommunizierte Entscheidung. In wirtschaftlicher Hinsicht wird der neue CEO den Weg der Internationalisierung fortsetzen, neue Märkte erschließen und die bestehende Vertriebsbasis um einen Omnichannel-Fokus erweitern.

Nach mehreren Jahren als Verkaufsleiter bei GEOX und Dainese war Nalesso Geschäftsführer mehrerer Ausrüstungs- und Schuhmarken der Oberalp-Gruppe. Er wechselte zurück zu Dainese, bevor er nun als CEO bei Garmont anheuerte.

Um Kontinuität und Konsistenz der Wachstumspläne zu gewährleisten, bleibt Pierangelo Bressan wie vorgesehen Präsident des Verwaltungsrats und Aktionär des Unternehmens. Er hatte 2014 die Leitung des Unternehmens übernommen, um den Relaunch der Marke zu verantworten.

PrimaLoft, Inc. hat Anne Cavassa zur neuen Präsidentin des Unternehmens ernannt. Dieser strategische Schritt unterstreicht das Engagement von PrimaLoft, Wachstum, Innovation und Nachhaltigkeit weiter voranzutreiben. Mike Joyce wird PrimaLoft weiterhin als CEO leiten und sich auf die langfristigen strategischen Aktivitäten sowie die Ausrichtung des Unternehmens konzentrieren. Cavassa wird die Verantwortung für das Tagesgeschäft übernehmen und beiden werden eng zusammenarbeiten.

Cavassa kommt mit einer beeindruckenden Erfolgsbilanz zu PrimaLoft. In ihren bisherigen Rollen standen vor allem Wachstumsförderung durch strategische Unternehmensausrichtung und Förderung eines kollaborativen Umfelds im Fokus. Zuletzt war sie als Präsidentin von Saucony tätig und hatte außerdem Führungspositionen bei Brooks, Nike und Timberland inne. Cavassa bringt eine Fülle von Erfahrungen mit, um die Marktposition von PrimaLoft weiter zu stärken. Denn sie war im Schuh- und im Bekleidungsbereich, Produktdesign, Merchandising, Brand-Marketing, Customer Experience und Fachhandel tätig.

Textiles are a given in civil engineering: they stabilize water protection dams, prevent runoff containing pollutants from landfills, facilitate the revegetation of slopes at risk of erosion, and even make asphalt layers of roads thinner. Until now, textiles made of highly resistant synthetic fibers have been used for this purpose, which have a very long lifetime. For some applications, however, it would not only be sufficient but even desirable for the auxiliary textile to degrade in the soil when it has done its job. Environmentally friendly natural fibers, on the other hand, often decompose too quickly. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing a bio-based protective coating that extends their service life.

Depending on humidity and temperature, natural fiber materials can degrade in the soil in a matter of months or even a few days. In order to significantly extend the degradation time and make them suitable for geotextiles, the Denkendorf team researches a protective coating. This coating, based on lignin, is itself biodegradable and does not generate microplastics in the soil. Lignin is indeed biodegradable, but this degradation takes a very long time in nature.

Together with cellulose, Lignin forms the building materials for wood and is the "glue" in wood that holds this composite material together. In paper production, usually only the cellulose is used, so lignin is produced in large quantities as a waste material. So-called kraft lignin remains as a fusible material. Textile production can deal well with thermoplastic materials. All in all, this is a good prerequisite for taking a closer look at lignin as a protective coating for geotextiles.

Lignin is brittle by nature. Therefore, it is necessary to blend the kraft lignin with softer biomaterials. These new biopolymer compounds of brittle kraft lignin and softer biopolymers were applied to yarns and textile surfaces in the research project via adapted coating systems. For this purpose, for example, cotton yarns were coated with lignin at different application rates and evaluated. Biodegradation testing was carried out using soil burial tests both in a climatic chamber with temperature and humidity defined precisely according to the standard and outdoors under real environmental conditions. With positive results: the service life of textiles made of natural fibers can be extended by many factors with a lignin coating: The thicker the protective coating, the longer the protection lasts. In the outdoor tests, the lignin coating was still completely intact even after about 160 days of burial.

Textile materials coated with lignin enable sustainable applications. For example, they have an adjustable and sufficiently long service life for certain geotextile applications. In addition, they are still biodegradable and can replace previously used synthetic materials in some applications, such as revegetation of trench and stream banks.

Thus, lignin-coated textiles have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint: They reduce dependence on petroleum-based products and avoid the formation of microplastics in the soil.

Further research is needed to establish lignin, which was previously a waste material, as a new valuable material in industrial manufacturing processes in the textile industry.

The research work was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection as part of the Baden-Württemberg State Strategy for a Sustainable Bioeconomy.