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28.12.2023

ITMA ASIA + CITME: A success for VDMA member companies

This year’s edition of ITMA ASIA + CITME proved to be a success for the exhibiting VDMA member companies. Measured by booked square metres, Germany had the largest contingent, among the foreign exhibitors. More than 40 VDMA member companies were exhibiting their innovative products in Shanghai.

Dr. Janpeter Horn, chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association noted: “Although facing a difficult market situation, this year’s edition of ITMA ASIA + CITME has exceeded the expectations, both in terms of the number of visitors and the quality of the talks. The significant number of foreign visitors to the fair was particularly pleasing.”

Solutions were demonstrated for more sustainable textile productions by most of the exhibitors, and here the VDMA members presented their technologies for saving water, energy and raw materials under the heading “Smart technologies for green textile production.”  

This year’s edition of ITMA ASIA + CITME proved to be a success for the exhibiting VDMA member companies. Measured by booked square metres, Germany had the largest contingent, among the foreign exhibitors. More than 40 VDMA member companies were exhibiting their innovative products in Shanghai.

Dr. Janpeter Horn, chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association noted: “Although facing a difficult market situation, this year’s edition of ITMA ASIA + CITME has exceeded the expectations, both in terms of the number of visitors and the quality of the talks. The significant number of foreign visitors to the fair was particularly pleasing.”

Solutions were demonstrated for more sustainable textile productions by most of the exhibitors, and here the VDMA members presented their technologies for saving water, energy and raw materials under the heading “Smart technologies for green textile production.”  

Dr. Uwe Rondé, CEO, Saurer Intelligent Technology AG explained: “Saurer is satisfied with both the number of visitors and the quality of the discussions. Our booth was full from morning to evening with customers focused on latest technologies within the three mega trends: recycling, automation and digitalisation. Although machine utilisation in the spinning mills is still well below average, people are already gathering information and thinking about what to invest in once the market recovers.”

Benjamin Reiners, owner of Reiners + Fürst stated: „This year’s ITMA ASIA + CITME has exceeded our expectations by far. Especially the first day - a Sunday - has brought many high-quality customers and exclusively decision makers to our booth. We estimate about 20% international customers mainly from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. All customers agreed that the market situation at the moment is difficult, capacity usage is between 50-75% in the ring spinning sector and improvement is expected not before the 2nd half of 2024. Nevertheless the general spirit is very positive.“

“This ITMA ASIA was a great success for Trützschler. We welcomed a large number of Chinese visitors to our booth, as well as a significant number of interested international visitors”, said Dr. Bettina Temath, Head of Global Marketing Trützschler Group SE.

Georg Stausberg, CEO of the polymer processing solutions division and chief sustainability officer of the Oerlikon Group stated: „We can look back on a successful show where we were able to meet many of our customers not only from China, but also from Pakistan, India and Indonesia, for example.”

“A very well-attended trade fair, with interesting discussions, great innovative topics, in line with the modern and rapidly developing China" noted Wolfgang Schöffl, head of product line weaving machines and member of the extended management, Lindauer Dornier.

The VDMA Textile Machinery Association and VDMA China were present at the fair, to support the members e.g. with regard to IPR. With the help of a VDMA expert and a contracted law firm, the member company Sahm submitted a complaint application for patent infringement disputes during the exhibition to the onsite IPR office. Both parties, Sahm, and the Chinese company, that used patented design without permission reached an agreement: The Chinese company had to stop displaying functions and designs involving patent infringement on site which meant the removal of some structural parts and the covering of key components protected by patent protection.

Dr. Harald Weber, managing director of VDMA Textile Machinery concluded: “Asia, and China in particular, represent the primary foreign markets for the VDMA member companies in the sector. The Chinese market is the main destination for their exports. Other major export destinations in Asia include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan. ITMA ASIA + CITME provides a unique platform to showcase technologies for customers directly in Asia. The VDMA member companies are looking forward to the coming edition of the fair from 14 to 18 October 2024 in Shanghai.”

The latest survey of VDMA members' subsidiaries in China gives reason to hope that the economic situation in the Chinese textile industry could also improve significantly in the second half of the year. In addition, European textile machinery manufacturers are urged to be present on the most important market and at the trade fair and to offer Asian customers most advanced technology for their demanding challenges.

Source:

VDMA e. V.
Textile Machinery

12.12.2023

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles in August 2024

from both inside and outside of Asia. Looking ahead, the stage will be set once again at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) next year, allowing exhibitors and buyers from the industry to match their trading needs onsite. Thanks to the resumption of global travel and the ongoing industry recovery, the next Autumn edition is slated to attract even more multinational fairgoers and diverse home and contract textile collections. The fair will return in 14 – 16 August 2024.

from both inside and outside of Asia. Looking ahead, the stage will be set once again at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) next year, allowing exhibitors and buyers from the industry to match their trading needs onsite. Thanks to the resumption of global travel and the ongoing industry recovery, the next Autumn edition is slated to attract even more multinational fairgoers and diverse home and contract textile collections. The fair will return in 14 – 16 August 2024.

A recent study showed a significant rise in corporate travel in 2023, driven largely by the resurgence of live business events and the easing of restrictions following several turbulent years. Adding to this, the Chinese government has announced several measures in a bid to attract more international visitors, including a simplified visa application process as the latest initiative.
 
As one of the largest economies in the world, China is renowned for producing high-value products across the home textile spectrum, making Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles an essential stop for global suppliers and buyers aiming to kick off the next business season.  
 
Emerging markets have become a significant focus for the industry in recent years. China's exports of home textiles to the ASEAN market amounted to around USD 2.09 billion in the first quarter of 2023, with an increase of 18% year-on-year; of which around USD 1.38 billion was exported in finished goods, seeing a rise of over 42% year-on-year[3]. With this growth in trade, buyers from fast growing emerging markets are expected to increasingly benefit from the Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles platform to fulfil their sourcing needs.
 
The upcoming Autumn edition will continue to comprise a wide range of home textile products, including bedding & towelling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, upholstery & curtain fabrics, editors, home textile technologies and textile design.
 
Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

08.12.2023

EURATEX welcomes approval of PanEuroMed rules of origin

EURATEX welcomes the unanimous vote in support of the new rules of origin under the PEM Convention, as a historic achievement. Facilitating trade and investments in the “PanEuroMed” region (covering 27 EU member states and 24 partner countries in the neighbourhood region)1 is top priority region for the EU, as trade with these countries accounted for €677 billion in 2023. For the EU textile and clothing sector, the region represents 35% of its exports and 21% of its imports.
 
In 2013 the European Commission adopted a package of proposals aimed at increasing trade between the European Union and neighbouring countries in the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) region. The proposal introduced modernised rules of origin of the PEM convention, lifting the prohibition of duty-drawback and introducing the principle of “full cumulation”.

EURATEX welcomes the unanimous vote in support of the new rules of origin under the PEM Convention, as a historic achievement. Facilitating trade and investments in the “PanEuroMed” region (covering 27 EU member states and 24 partner countries in the neighbourhood region)1 is top priority region for the EU, as trade with these countries accounted for €677 billion in 2023. For the EU textile and clothing sector, the region represents 35% of its exports and 21% of its imports.
 
In 2013 the European Commission adopted a package of proposals aimed at increasing trade between the European Union and neighbouring countries in the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) region. The proposal introduced modernised rules of origin of the PEM convention, lifting the prohibition of duty-drawback and introducing the principle of “full cumulation”.

Today, after ten years of intense negotiations which EURATEX supported, the European Commission reached a full and final agreement with all PEM partners. This is a landmark achievement that will unlock the full potential of the Euro-Mediterranean area as the biggest and most integrated region of advanced manufacturing and trading of sustainable textiles and clothing. The rules adopted today will accelerate the integration of T&C supply chains and boost T&C production and trade within the region, both in the East and Southern borders of the EU. In a moment when companies are looking at moving their production from Asia to nearby, like-minded and more reliable countries , it is very timely to have the PEM Convention implemented.

EURATEX’s President, Mr Alberto Paccanelli, commented: “This is a strategic trade deal that can help European companies recover from the multiple crisis which we face since 2020”. He continued “We call on the European Union to not stop here, but keep up the efforts to secure trade deals that are good for European companies and their competitive position in the world. The next objective should be the adoption of the EU-Mercosur Agreement and a conclusive settlement of all trade disputes with the United States”.    
 
According to Director General Dirk Vantyghem, “today’s unanimous vote in favour of the modernised PEM rules is good news for our industry.. We should now engage with these partner countries to fully exploit the potential of these new rules. EURATEX is ready to engage in an industrial dialogue with the companies from the PEM Countries to facilitate their transition to the new framework”.

1 The PanEuroMed contracting parties are: the EU, the EFTA States (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), the Faroe Islands, the participants in the Barcelona Process (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the territories of West Bank and Gaza, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey), the participants in the EU's Stabilisation and Association Process (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo), the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine.

Source:

EURATEX 

Drop in orders intake in third quarter 2023 Graphic ACIMIT
07.11.2023

Italian textile machinery: Drop in orders intake in third quarter 2023

The textile machinery orders index, as processed by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, dropped fully 20% during the third quarter of 2023, compared to the same period for July to September 2022. In absolute terms, the index stood at 84.2 points (basis: 2015=100).

This result is due to a reduction in new orders recorded by manufacturers both on the domestic market and abroad. The decrease in orders in Italy came in at 45%, whereas the drop was just 13% on foreign markets. The absolutevalue of the index abroad stood at 80.5 points, and 119.4 points in Italy. During the year’s third quarter, new orders reached 3.7 months of assured production.

The textile machinery orders index, as processed by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, dropped fully 20% during the third quarter of 2023, compared to the same period for July to September 2022. In absolute terms, the index stood at 84.2 points (basis: 2015=100).

This result is due to a reduction in new orders recorded by manufacturers both on the domestic market and abroad. The decrease in orders in Italy came in at 45%, whereas the drop was just 13% on foreign markets. The absolutevalue of the index abroad stood at 80.5 points, and 119.4 points in Italy. During the year’s third quarter, new orders reached 3.7 months of assured production.

ACIMIT President Marco Salvadè commented on the data, stating that, “The order index for the period from July to September 2023 confirms a contraction in collected orders that was already evident in previous quarters. What worries us above all is the situation with our domestic market, where the declining trend has persisted for seven consecutive terms. Due to this situation, which does not only concern the textile machinery industry, urgent measures are needed from Italian Government to strengthen the competitiveness of Italian manufacturers.”

As far as foreign markets are concerned, the orders index confirms an overall weakened global demand for textile machinery. Indeed, for the first half of 2023, Italian exports slowed in a variety of essential benchmark markets, such as Turkey, China and the United States.

“The global economic scenario remains negative, as consumers are facing a reduced purchasing power, with investments in the textile sector consequently also slowing down,” concludes Salvadè. “In less than a month, ITMA ASIA + CITME will be held from 19 to 23 November in Shanghai, primed as one of the world’s major trade fairs for the textile machinery industry, with the participation of roughly 60 Italian textile machinery manufacturers. We can expect some significant indications on the industry’s state from this event, which will be staged in one of the strategic markets for textile machinery demand.”

More information:
Italy ACIMIT
Source:

ACIMIT

01.11.2023

VDMA @ ITMA ASIA: Smart technologies for green textile production

At ITMA ASIA + CITME end of November in Shanghai, 40 VDMA members will present their technologies and solutions for the Chinese and Asian markets under the heading "smart technologies for green textile production". This year’s ITMA ASIA is the first major post-Corona textile machinery fair in China.

The exhibiting VDMA members cover nearly all different machinery chapters with a focus on spinning and manmade fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & hosiery, finishing & dyeing and textile processing.  

The VDMA Textile Machinery Association and VDMA China will be present in the industry hub in Hall 8 zone B to support the members before and during the fair. The industry hub is also contact point for visitors who want to inform themselves about the exhibiting VDMA members. 

At ITMA ASIA + CITME end of November in Shanghai, 40 VDMA members will present their technologies and solutions for the Chinese and Asian markets under the heading "smart technologies for green textile production". This year’s ITMA ASIA is the first major post-Corona textile machinery fair in China.

The exhibiting VDMA members cover nearly all different machinery chapters with a focus on spinning and manmade fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & hosiery, finishing & dyeing and textile processing.  

The VDMA Textile Machinery Association and VDMA China will be present in the industry hub in Hall 8 zone B to support the members before and during the fair. The industry hub is also contact point for visitors who want to inform themselves about the exhibiting VDMA members. 

Source:

VDMA e. V.
Textile Machinery

27.10.2023

ACIMIT: Italian machinery manufacturers at ITMA ASIA+CITME

A total of 59 Italian machinery manufacturers will be exhibiting at the upcoming ITMA ASIA+CITME, to be held from November 19 to 23 in Shanghai, as the event had been postponed for a year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Of these 59 manufacturers, 26 will be presenting technological innovations as part of the National Sector Groups, organized by ACIMIT and ITA – Italian Trade Agency. Occupying a surface area of around 2,000 square meters, Italy is among the major foreign exhibiting Countries at the event.

Asia is a major destination for Italy’s textile machinery manufacturers, with fully 38% of all Italian textile machinery exports during the first half of 2023 (amounting to roughly 338 million euros) directed towards Asian markets. China, in particular, is an absolutely important market for Italian companies: the first in Asia and the second worldwide behind Turkey in 2022. In the first six months of this year, Italian machinery sold in China reached a value of 81 million Euro.

A total of 59 Italian machinery manufacturers will be exhibiting at the upcoming ITMA ASIA+CITME, to be held from November 19 to 23 in Shanghai, as the event had been postponed for a year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Of these 59 manufacturers, 26 will be presenting technological innovations as part of the National Sector Groups, organized by ACIMIT and ITA – Italian Trade Agency. Occupying a surface area of around 2,000 square meters, Italy is among the major foreign exhibiting Countries at the event.

Asia is a major destination for Italy’s textile machinery manufacturers, with fully 38% of all Italian textile machinery exports during the first half of 2023 (amounting to roughly 338 million euros) directed towards Asian markets. China, in particular, is an absolutely important market for Italian companies: the first in Asia and the second worldwide behind Turkey in 2022. In the first six months of this year, Italian machinery sold in China reached a value of 81 million Euro.

“The general outlook for the Chinese market remains positive, although the demand for foreign machinery from local textile manufacturers has slowed somewhat for this first half of the year,” comments ACIMIT president Marco Salvadè. “Investments in the textile industry have never stopped, so there is no shortage of opportunities in China. I believe ITMA ASIA + CITME will confirm our expectations for a recovery in demand.”

Source:

ACIMIT

20.09.2023

TMAS Members at ITMA Asia + CITME 2023

Members of TMAS – the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – will be taking part in the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition, taking place from November 19-23 2023 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China.

Weaving
In the area of weaving, 93% of the 114,000 new looms delivered in 2022 went to Asia, according to the latest figures from the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), with China the top destination, followed by India.
As a result, TMAS members like Vandewiele Sweden AB and Eltex have a huge market to address that has been established over many decades.

Vandewiele Sweden AB benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of the market-leading Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.

Members of TMAS – the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – will be taking part in the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition, taking place from November 19-23 2023 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China.

Weaving
In the area of weaving, 93% of the 114,000 new looms delivered in 2022 went to Asia, according to the latest figures from the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), with China the top destination, followed by India.
As a result, TMAS members like Vandewiele Sweden AB and Eltex have a huge market to address that has been established over many decades.

Vandewiele Sweden AB benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of the market-leading Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.

Yarn and sewing thread monitoring
With nearly 70 years of expertise in yarn sensor technology, Eltex of Sweden AB has been at the forefront of new product development. Its EYE and EyETM systems are capable of accurately and efficiently monitoring the movement and tension of more than 1,000 yarns simultaneously. These systems are suitable for various applications and fibre types, including warping, winding, multiaxial weaving and new material applications.

Eltex sewing tension monitors, such as the ETM422, have been well-received by customers. This device can monitor the tension of sewing threads in real time, effectively improving the quality and safety of sewn products. Particularly in China's rapidly growing automotive manufacturing sector, the ETM422 has seen widespread use to meet the industry’s escalating demands for product safety and quality.

Dyeing and finishing
“Digitalisation, automation and AI have become the key enablers for sustainable gains across the entire textile industry and so much has been achieved in the past few years, especially in terms of automation,” says TMAS secretary general Therese Premler-Andersson. “One area in which TMAS members are really making a difference right now, is in replacing water and energy-intensive technologies for the dyeing and finishing processes with new digital technologies.”

The TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology for textile finishing and remoistening, for example, will be showcased in Shanghai by Baldwin. It not only reduces water, chemicals and energy consumption, but also provides the flexibility to adapt to a customer’s requirements in terms of single and double-sided finishing applications. The TexCoat G4 can reduce water consumption by as much as 50% compared to traditional padding application processes.

03.08.2023

INDA & EDANA: Pushing the Reach of the Industry’s First QAP for Hygiene Product Suppliers

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

More information is available on the EDANA website where converters and suppliers can register to take part. The program is based on a harmonized quality and hygiene standard, which facilitates an objective third-party audit. Organizations can also register to follow a training course to familiarize themselves with the standard.

Source:

INDA

(c) International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
04.01.2023

17th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey

  • Business situation has worsened markedly but not expectations.

The 17th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS, formerly known as ITMF Corona-Survey) shows that on average the business situation in the global textile industry has deteriorated further in November 2022. At the same time, global business expectations in six months’ time remained in negative territory but did not get gloomier. The indicators for order intake, order backlog, and capacity utilisation rate dropped, globally.

  • Business situation has worsened markedly but not expectations.

The 17th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS, formerly known as ITMF Corona-Survey) shows that on average the business situation in the global textile industry has deteriorated further in November 2022. At the same time, global business expectations in six months’ time remained in negative territory but did not get gloomier. The indicators for order intake, order backlog, and capacity utilisation rate dropped, globally.

According to the survey, the business situation in the three Asian regions and Europe remained especially poor. In North & Central America the business situation has improved again markedly. Except for the textile machinery segment that still benefits on average from a long order backlog, all other segments found themselves in negative business situations, especially fibre producers and spinners. Global business expectations have remained negative but “stabilized” around -10 percentage points (pp) since July 2022. Expectations have improved significantly in South Asia to +10pp, and Europe to -30pp. Business expectations in all segments remain negative territory with four out of seven recording improvements.

Order intake nose-dived in November, in line with weaker business situation and weaker demand, currently the biggest concern for the global textile value chain. Only companies in North & Central America registered on average a good order intake, while all other regions were faced with an unsatisfactory order situation. Except for South-East Asia and North & Central America order backlog fell. The only segments where order backlog increased were the down-stream segments garments and home textiles. Capacity utilization rate dropped in all regions in November 2022. It only increased in the textile machinery segment but fell otherwise.

“Weakening demand” is by far the biggest concern in the global textile industry, followed by the root causes of demand reduction, namely high energy and raw material prices which lead to high inflation rates. Good news is that logistical costs are not much of a concern anymore. Concerns about geopolitics on the other hand have increased again in the past two months.

More information:
ITMF market survey
Source:

International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)

(c) Monforts
10.11.2022

Monforts part of the VDMA Trade Delegation to Turkmenistan

Monforts will take part in a VDMA textile technology trade delegation to Turkmenistan from November 21-26, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics.

Around 80% of Turkmenistan’s production of textiles and garments is currently exported, with a value of $350 million in 2020. This is now expected to rise to $450 million by 2023.

In addition to expanding in cotton yarns and fabrics, the country is also looking to enter other textile markets, including nonwovens, carpets and absorbent hygiene products, and negotiations are currently underway between the Turkmenistan Ministry of Textile Industry and the Korean Institute of Industrial Technologies to also commence manufacturing synthetic fibres from polymers.

In 2021, a new textile complex was opened by state-owned textile manufacturer Cotam in the city of Kaka, which is aiming to produce 3,650 tons of yarn, 12 million square metres of different types of fabrics and 1.2 million tons of finished products annually, with the creation of 1,300 new jobs.

Monforts will take part in a VDMA textile technology trade delegation to Turkmenistan from November 21-26, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics.

Around 80% of Turkmenistan’s production of textiles and garments is currently exported, with a value of $350 million in 2020. This is now expected to rise to $450 million by 2023.

In addition to expanding in cotton yarns and fabrics, the country is also looking to enter other textile markets, including nonwovens, carpets and absorbent hygiene products, and negotiations are currently underway between the Turkmenistan Ministry of Textile Industry and the Korean Institute of Industrial Technologies to also commence manufacturing synthetic fibres from polymers.

In 2021, a new textile complex was opened by state-owned textile manufacturer Cotam in the city of Kaka, which is aiming to produce 3,650 tons of yarn, 12 million square metres of different types of fabrics and 1.2 million tons of finished products annually, with the creation of 1,300 new jobs.

Monforts has supplied seven complete finishing machine ranges to Turkmenistan company Cotam, as the Central Asian country looks to boost its production of cotton yarns and fabrics via an ambitious textile industry modernisation plan.

Cotam now has two separate manufacturing sites at Babadayhan and Kaka, both of which have now been equipped with Monforts technologies built at the company’s plant in St Stefan in Austria.

Cotam supplies finished fabrics to both the apparel and home textiles markets and at its Babadayhan plant is now operating two Montex stenter lines and a Monfortex sanforizing line. At its new Kaka plant, the company has also installed two Montex stenter lines, as well as a Thermex universal hotflue for continuous dyeing and curing.

“Turkmenistan celebrated 30 years of independence in 2021 and has made a giant leap forward in its progressive development,” said Monforts Managing Director Stefan Flöth. “A textile industry equipped with modern high-tech equipment has been created factories and equipped with the most advanced and high-performance equipment built and put into operation. We are extremely pleased that the Ministry of the Textile Industry of Turkmenistan chose Monforts machinery for its new textile complex in Kaka and together with the machines for Babadayhan and other recent projects we are proud to say that 15 Monforts machines are now established in the country.”

Source:

AWOL for Monforts

15.09.2022

World Natural Fibre Update September 2022

World Natural Fibre Production in 2022 is estimated at 32.6 million tonnes, down 1.1 million tonnes from the estimate one month ago. Production reached 33.3 million tonnes in 2021 and 31.6 million in 2020.

A drought in Texas where over half of cotton produced in the United States is grown, and flooding in Pakistan, the fifth largest cotton producer, account for the decline (www.ICAC.org).

World Natural Fibre Production in 2022 is estimated at 32.6 million tonnes, down 1.1 million tonnes from the estimate one month ago. Production reached 33.3 million tonnes in 2021 and 31.6 million in 2020.

A drought in Texas where over half of cotton produced in the United States is grown, and flooding in Pakistan, the fifth largest cotton producer, account for the decline (www.ICAC.org).

  • Nearby cotton futures on the Intercontinental Exchange rose 14% from the end of July and finished August at $2.60 per kilogram.
  • The Eastern Market Indicator of wool prices in Australia, fell 1% from mid-July to mid-August to US$9.27 per kilogram.
  • Prices of jute fibre in India quoted by the Jute Balers Association (JBA) at the end of August converted to US$ fell 4% from a month earlier to 79 cents per kilogram.
  • Prices of silk in China equalled US$ 28.7 per kilogram at the end of August, compared with US$29.5 per kilogram in July 2022, a change of 3%.
  • Coconut coir fibre in India held at US cents 21 per kilogram in August.

World production of jute and allied fibres is estimated unchanged at 3.2 million tonnes in 2022 compared with 2021. High market prices in 2021 motivated farmers to expand planted area in both Bangladesh and India, but dry weather during June and July will limit yields per hectare. Normal monsoon rains resumed in South Asia during August, too late for the 2022 jute crop (https://www.wgc.de/en/).

Production of coir fibre rose by an average of 18,000 tonnes per year during the past decade, and production was at a record high of 1.12 million tonnes in 2021. Production is expected to remain high in 2022.

Flax has also been trending upward, rising by an average of 27,000 tonnes per year, and production in 2022 is estimated to remain above one million tonnes.

World wool production is forecast up by 5% in 2022 to 1.09 million tonnes (clean), the highest since 2018. Wetter weather in the Southern Hemisphere, following eight years of drought, is allowing farmers to rebuild herds (https://www.wool.com/market-intelligence/).

Natural fibres are heavily-traded commodities, and supply chain disruptions are causing significant economic losses as freight costs remain high and deliveries are delayed.

About 40% of world cotton production moves as fibre in international trade each season. Over half of world jute production moves as fibre or product, and around 55% of world wool production is exported as raw wool. Abaca, flax, and sisal are also heavily traded.

Most natural fibre exports traverse back-haul ocean freight routes from the Western Hemisphere to East Asia and the Middle East, from South Asia to East Asia and Europe, from Africa to East Asia and the Middle East, and from Australia and South Africa to China. Such routes are relatively underserved in the best of times, and reduced sailings since the start of Covid are restricting trade volumes.

As of the end of August, Freightos (https://fbx.freightos.com/) quoted the cost of moving a 40’ container from the United States West Coast to East Asia at $793, compared with $1,020 in March 2022. Nevertheless, average freight costs on back -haul routes used by natural fibres remain approximately triple their pre-covid levels. In addition to ocean freight costs, inland transportation is also affected by high fuel prices and a lack of containers. As one example, charges for inland handling of export containers in Bangladesh, the largest exporter of raw jute, increased by 48 per cent during August.

More information:
DNFI
Source:

Discover Natural Fibres Initiative

22.08.2022

NCTO: U.S. Educational Institutions partner with Honduran University to educate Students for Textile Jobs

North Carolina educational institutions are joining forces with an Honduran university to educate and train thousands of students for the next generation textile workforce to meet a rising tide of nearshoring and onshoring in Honduras, Central America and the United States.

The U.S. Department of State issued a statement of public support for the MOU and the unique collaboration between the U.S. and Honduran institutions.

North Carolina educational institutions are joining forces with an Honduran university to educate and train thousands of students for the next generation textile workforce to meet a rising tide of nearshoring and onshoring in Honduras, Central America and the United States.

The U.S. Department of State issued a statement of public support for the MOU and the unique collaboration between the U.S. and Honduran institutions.

The initiative will launch a series of educational workforce development programs, ranging from training and certificate programs to undergraduate and graduate degrees, in textile-related areas of study.
 
The partnership comes at a defining moment for the U.S., Honduras and Central America, which are seeing historical levels of investment in textile and apparel production stemming from a global supply chain crisis that has driven a significant shift in sourcing out of Asia to the U.S. and the region. Nearly $1 billion of historic textile and apparel investment is anticipated in the U.S. and Central America this year alone. And this partnership also creates an educational pathway to economic opportunity in Honduras and the region that not only creates a skilled and resilient workforce but can also help to address the root causes of irregular migration.

Current growth projections indicate a need for more than 10,000 new skilled workers in the textile industry in Honduras alone over the next five years.

The U.S. and this region are inextricably linked through a textile and apparel co-production chain under the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) that has generated $12.6 billion in annual two-way trade in the sector and supports 1 million workers in the U.S. and the region.
 
North Carolina plays a central role in this co-production chain. It is the second largest state for textile employment nationally with over 36,000 workers, and the state’s $2.7 billion in textile-related exports leads the nation. The Northern Triangle, including Honduras, is a major export destination for U.S. yarns and fabrics that come back as finished items under the U.S.-CAFTA-DR trade agreement.

08.07.2022

Swedish textile machinery in Brazil at Febratex

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

Eton Systems, the inventor and world’s leading provider of automated production systems for apparel and other textile-based processes, has supplied a large amount of workstations to Brazilian companies over the years, and believes its newly-launched Opta system is good news for this market becoming more efficient and profitable.

Automation is also high on the agenda of ACG Kinna Automatic, which specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and also has extensive knowledge in areas such as bed linen and textile filters.

Given Brazil’s extensive forestry sector, the country is a key market for Texo AB, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of weaving machines for the production of paper machine clothing (PMC).

All paper manufacturing machines require a regular supply of PMC, which as large continuous engineered fabrics, carry the paper stock through each stage of the paper production process. With technologically sophisticated designs, they employ fibres and other polymeric materials in complex structures and each paper machine has an average of ten separate fabrics installed on it. Although the PMC business represents just a small proportion of the total cost of manufacturing paper, it can have a significant impact on the quality of the paper, the efficiency of a machine and machine production rates.

More information:
TMAS Febratex
Source:

AWOL Media

Participants Embrace Renewed Face-to-Face Business with Global Leaders in Nonwovens & Engineered Materials at IDEA® 2022 and FiltXPO™ (c) INDA
IDEA22 Ribbon Cutting
06.04.2022

IDEA® Achievement Award honorees

  • Participants Embrace Renewed Face-to-Face Business with Global Leaders in Nonwovens & Engineered Materials at IDEA® 2022 and FiltXPO™

Approximately 5,000 participants embraced the opportunity to again engage in face-to-face business meetings with global leaders in nonwovens and engineered materials at IDEA® 2022 in Miami Beach, Fla., co-located with the second FiltXPO™,  North American’s only exhibition and conference dedicated exclusively to filtration and separation.

Industry participants at IDEA® 2022,  the 21 st edition of the world’s preeminent event for nonwovens and engineered fabric professionals, expressed their business confidence through the floor exhibits and the return to face-to-face business interaction. Scott Beir, Executive Officer, CFM Global, called IDEA® 2022 “an exceptional show.”

Bob Usher, Technical Director, US Fibers, added that his company made valuable business connections. According to Rolk Kammermann, Head of Sales and Marketing, Innovative Swiss Made Nonwovens, “the size and scope of IDEA and FiltXPO have been excellent for us as both exhibitors and as visitors.”

  • Participants Embrace Renewed Face-to-Face Business with Global Leaders in Nonwovens & Engineered Materials at IDEA® 2022 and FiltXPO™

Approximately 5,000 participants embraced the opportunity to again engage in face-to-face business meetings with global leaders in nonwovens and engineered materials at IDEA® 2022 in Miami Beach, Fla., co-located with the second FiltXPO™,  North American’s only exhibition and conference dedicated exclusively to filtration and separation.

Industry participants at IDEA® 2022,  the 21 st edition of the world’s preeminent event for nonwovens and engineered fabric professionals, expressed their business confidence through the floor exhibits and the return to face-to-face business interaction. Scott Beir, Executive Officer, CFM Global, called IDEA® 2022 “an exceptional show.”

Bob Usher, Technical Director, US Fibers, added that his company made valuable business connections. According to Rolk Kammermann, Head of Sales and Marketing, Innovative Swiss Made Nonwovens, “the size and scope of IDEA and FiltXPO have been excellent for us as both exhibitors and as visitors.”

Organized by INDA, IDEA® also featured five essential nonwovens training classes; market presentations from China, Asia, Europe, North America and South America; industry recognitions with the IDEA® Achievement Awards and the IDEA® Lifetime Achievement Awards; and a welcome reception celebration.

Also, organized by INDA, FiltXPO™ featured five panels of global leaders in filtration and separation for the first-ever “Summit for Global Change,” discussing societal challenges such as indoor air quality, environmental sustainability, pandemic readiness, clean water, and filtration standards.  The event also featured a 1.5-day filter media training course, and sessions highlighting filter media market trends and filtration industry statistics.  

Exhibitors and attendees noted the welcome return to meeting face-to-face among industry senior leaders participating in the three-day event.

A highlight of IDEA® was the announcement of the IDEA® Achievement Awards by INDA, in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine. Moderated by Rousse and Karen McIntyre, Editor, Nonwovens Industry the awards recognize the leading introductions in equipment, raw materials, short-life, long-life and nonwovens products, and sustainability, since the previous IDEA® Exposition in 2019.

In addition, INDA presented the IDEA® 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award to Val Hollingsworth, board chair and CEO of Hollingsworth & Vose, and Nonwovens Industry presented the IDEA® Entrepreneur Achievement Award to Doug Brown, president of Biax-Fiberfilm/5K Fibres at the event.

IDEA® 2022 Achievement Awards winners:

  • IDEA®  Equipment Achievement Award – Elastic Thread Anchoring (ETA) Sonotrode – Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc.
  • IDEA®  Raw Material Achievement Award – ODOGard – Rem Brands, Inc.
  • IDEA® Short-Life Product Achievement Award – LifeSavers Wipes – LifeSavers LLC
  • IDEA® Long-Life Product Achievement Award – Nanofiber Cabin Air Filter – MANN + HUMMEL GmbH
  • IDEA®  Sustainability Advancement Award – Fiber-based Screw Caps – Glatfelter Corp. and Blue Ocean Closures
  • IDEA®  Nonwoven Product Achievement Award – HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo – Sustainable Nonwoven Substrates – Suominen Corporation
  • IDEA®, the Preeminent Event for the Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics Industry, will next be held on its new 24-month schedule on April 23-25, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.

 

Names of the IDEA® Achievement Award honorees pictured:

Row 1, Left to right:
IDEA® Long-Life Product Achievement Award winner, Jon Nichols, MANN + HUMMEL, GmbH and Dave Rousse – Nanofiber Cabin Air Filter – MANN + HUMMEL, GmbH
IDEA®  Nonwoven Product Achievement Award winners, Pramod Shanbhag, Suominen Corporation, Karen McIntyre, Nonwovens Industry Magazine, and Avinav Nandgaonkar, HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo – Sustainable Nonwoven Substrates – Suominen Corporation
Row 2, left to right:
IDEA® Short-Life Product Achievement Award winner, Georgia Crawford, LifeSavers Wipes – LifeSavers LLC, and Karen McIntyre, Nonwovens Industry Magazine
IDEA® 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Val Hollingsworth, Hollingsworth & Vose, and Dave Rousse, President, INDA
IDEA®  Equipment Achievement Award winners, Uwe Peregi, Dave Rousse, and Thomas Herrmann – Elastic Thread Anchoring (ETA) Sonotrode – Herrmann Ultrasonics Inc.
Row 3, left to right:
IDEA®  Raw Material Achievement Award winner, David Schneider, ODOGard – Rem Brands, Inc. and Dave Rousse, INDA
IDEA®  Sustainability Advancement Award winner, Chris Astley, and Karen McIntyre Fiber-based Screw Caps – Glatfelter Corp. and Blue Ocean Closures
IDEA® Entrepreneur Achievement Award winner, Doug Brown, Biax-Fiberfilm / 5K Fibres

(c) INDA
25.02.2022

INDA moves IDEA® to a two-year cycle and FiltXPO™ to every 18 months

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announces that IDEA® – an event for the Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics Industry – will be held every two years instead of three starting in 2024.

The upcoming dates for IDEA® under the new schedule will be March 28-31, 2022, as currently scheduled, and then April 23-25, 2024. Both will be held as live, in-person events at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida.

“INDA has three key reasons for making this change in event frequency,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President.  “First, the nonwovens industry has been a vibrant, innovative sector with new products, processes and materials every year, so providing an opportunity to showcase more frequently these new developments better serves the industry. Second, one of the major nonwoven events in Asia has declared they will run each and every year, impacting the past three-year cycle of major shows in the nonwovens industry. Third, coming out of the Covid pandemic, market research predicts for the near future that regional events are expected to be better supported than global events.”

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announces that IDEA® – an event for the Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics Industry – will be held every two years instead of three starting in 2024.

The upcoming dates for IDEA® under the new schedule will be March 28-31, 2022, as currently scheduled, and then April 23-25, 2024. Both will be held as live, in-person events at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida.

“INDA has three key reasons for making this change in event frequency,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President.  “First, the nonwovens industry has been a vibrant, innovative sector with new products, processes and materials every year, so providing an opportunity to showcase more frequently these new developments better serves the industry. Second, one of the major nonwoven events in Asia has declared they will run each and every year, impacting the past three-year cycle of major shows in the nonwovens industry. Third, coming out of the Covid pandemic, market research predicts for the near future that regional events are expected to be better supported than global events.”

The last time IDEA® was held in 2019 it broke all attendance records. INDA expects the 2022 edition March 28-31 to attract several thousand senior-level buyers and attendees from over 60 countries and several hundred exhibitors from a myriad of industry sectors, including absorbent hygiene, wipes, filtration, medical and surgical products, personal protective equipment, home and office furnishings, transportation, geosynthetics and building construction.

More information:
INDA IDEA Filtxpo nonwovens
Source:

INDA

13.12.2021

NCTO: US Vice President announces new Investments in Northern Central America

US Vice President Kamala Harris announced significant multimillion-dollar investments by Parkdale Mills and six other companies today, as part of the Administration’s Call to Action to the private sector to promote economic opportunity in the region, as her office works to address the root causes of migration.

Vice President Harris, who is overseeing diplomatic efforts with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, announced several private sector commitments to strengthen economic opportunities in the Northern Triangle and made remarks at a White House roundtable, which included Anderson Warlick, Chairman and CEO of Parkdale Mills. The textile and apparel co-production chain is one of the most essential supply chains for employment and economic development in both the United States and the Northern Triangle region, currently supporting over 1 million jobs in the United States and the Central American region. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and its strong rules of origin are the primary reasons this co-production chain exists, which is seeing significant growth this year.

US Vice President Kamala Harris announced significant multimillion-dollar investments by Parkdale Mills and six other companies today, as part of the Administration’s Call to Action to the private sector to promote economic opportunity in the region, as her office works to address the root causes of migration.

Vice President Harris, who is overseeing diplomatic efforts with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, announced several private sector commitments to strengthen economic opportunities in the Northern Triangle and made remarks at a White House roundtable, which included Anderson Warlick, Chairman and CEO of Parkdale Mills. The textile and apparel co-production chain is one of the most essential supply chains for employment and economic development in both the United States and the Northern Triangle region, currently supporting over 1 million jobs in the United States and the Central American region. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and its strong rules of origin are the primary reasons this co-production chain exists, which is seeing significant growth this year.

North Carolina-headquartered Parkdale Mills, one of the largest manufacturers of spun yarn and cotton consumer products in the world, will make a multimillion-dollar investment in a new yarn spinning facility in Honduras and make an additional substantial investment to support existing operations in Hillsville, Virginia. This investment will help customers shift 1 million pounds of yarn per week away from supply chains in Asia and China and enhance U.S. and CAFTA-DR co-production resilience and increase regional product offerings. Parkdale’s announced investment will create hundreds of jobs in Honduras and further support hundreds of employees in Parkdale’s Hillsville operations.  

Recently, administration officials from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the Vice President’s office met with the U.S. textile industry to reaffirm the importance of rules of origin in nearshoring production chains, helping address labor and environmental challenges and mitigating supply chain risk.

“I would like to sincerely thank Vice President Harris for making this announcement and leading the effort with private industry to create more economic opportunities in northern Central America and the United States,” said Anderson Warlick, Chairman and CEO of Parkdale Mills. “Parkdale’s investments will support good paying jobs in the United States and in the Central American region and significantly increase our extensive product offering and capacity, including the production of sustainable specialty yarns.

Parkdale sees an enormous opportunity for brands and retailers to re-shore and nearshore production supply chains and double the size of U.S.-CAFTA-DR trade, because of the rules of origin in our trade agreement and a shift in sourcing by brands and retailers mitigating their supply chain sourcing risks.  We are excited about what this opportunity means for jobs in the U.S. and the region for this critical production chain and couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of this effort.  We look forward to working with the Vice President and her team on strengthening the textile and apparel production chains in the U.S. and region.”

National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas, said, “This is an exciting and important announcement by Parkdale and Vice President Harris. Our industry has invested billions of dollars in the U.S. and in the region as a result of the investment-based rules of origin in the CAFTA-DR agreement, which ensures the job benefits of the agreement are reserved for the parties to the agreement.  Additional substantial announcements on further investment in textile and apparel production are expected soon.

As brands and retailers are seeking more environmentally sustainable, vertically integrated, transparent, and quick turnaround supply chains, our collective industries stand ready to work with companies that are seeking to mitigate sourcing strategies as Asian supply chains have faced enormous production constraints.  Further verticalization in the industry, like Parkdale’s announcement today, allows broader product diversification and grows jobs across the textile and apparel production chain.

We are thrilled with today’s announcement because it is a win-win for American and Central American workers and our environment and a huge opportunity to further recalibrate supply chains out of China and Asia. This valuable co-production chain between the U.S. and the CAFTA-DR region accounts for $12 billion in two-way trade and billions of dollars of investment. Significant growth is occurring in our sector and is expected to continue as supply chains continue to recalibrate.  We are delighted about this today’s announcement and appreciate the Administration’s strong support.”

14.10.2021

NCTO's Statement on Global Supply Chain Crisis

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas issued a statement following President Biden’s remarks on the global supply chain crisis and stressed the importance of investing onshoring and nearshoring:

"We appreciate President Biden’s call to ensure we are building more resilient and reliable supply chains and to invest in our manufacturing industries here at home, in his address earlier today.

There is a reason we got into this mess and there is a reason we have a global supply chain crisis. Years of offshoring production in a race to the bottom –exacerbated by predatory trade practices that have undermined so many manufacturing industries--has led to a tipping point. In fact, it was not too long ago that nurses in New York City and beyond were wearing garbage bags as gowns as our overreliance on Chinese production chains exposed severe fragilities in keeping our health care workers safe during the height of the pandemic.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas issued a statement following President Biden’s remarks on the global supply chain crisis and stressed the importance of investing onshoring and nearshoring:

"We appreciate President Biden’s call to ensure we are building more resilient and reliable supply chains and to invest in our manufacturing industries here at home, in his address earlier today.

There is a reason we got into this mess and there is a reason we have a global supply chain crisis. Years of offshoring production in a race to the bottom –exacerbated by predatory trade practices that have undermined so many manufacturing industries--has led to a tipping point. In fact, it was not too long ago that nurses in New York City and beyond were wearing garbage bags as gowns as our overreliance on Chinese production chains exposed severe fragilities in keeping our health care workers safe during the height of the pandemic.

China’s virtually unlimited and unrealistic pricing power coupled with its subsidies and lack of enforceable environmental standards strips benefits and undermines policy objectives, and leaves us in an untenable situation of overreliance on a foreign supply chain for critical products and raw materials. This must change.

We must hold China accountable for predatory trade practices that have offshored our industries and our jobs. We must onshore and nearshore more textile and apparel production chains out of Asia to the U.S. and also to Western Hemisphere trade partners. This has a multitude of benefits to ensure more reliability in production and also has remarkable job benefits to U.S. manufacturers and our allied trading partners who adhere to higher labor and environmental standards. Further, it will help address the migration crisis and grow better paying jobs.

Now is the time to we need to unlock long-term commitments to source product from the USA and from our Hemispheric partners.  If we moved another 10 percent of global production to the U.S. and the Hemisphere, imagine the benefits that could be achieved.  Ensuring further verticalization and investment in all aspects of the industry, from raw materials to finished products, is good for the American economy and workers in the U.S. and in the region.

Our industry stands ready to help and provide the solutions to onshore and nearshore these production chains that benefit manufacturing workers, the U.S. economy, our Western Hemisphere allies, and consumers.   Further, onshoring and nearshoring these critical production chains has remarkable benefits for the environment and addresses the growing, systemic and alarming issues associated with climate change.  

It is critical that supply chains mitigate risks so that we are never in this situation again.  We appreciate President Biden recognizing the value of onshoring these critical production chains and stand ready to work with the administration in these efforts."

More information:
NCTO
Source:

NCTO

06.09.2021

Textile and apparel industry alliance closer to an international microfibre shedding standard

A sector alliance that was formed to tackle issues relating to microplastics has completed the next phase of its project to develop a harmonised industry standard for the supply chain. The Cross Industry Agreement (CIA) has revealed the results of a fibre fragmentation trial that has been carried out in advance of establishing a CEN Standard (from the European Committee for Standardization). Once confirmed, the standard will also become an ISO standard under the Vienna Agreement, providing apparel manufacturers and policy makers with a vital tool as part of wider work to reduce microfibre shedding into the environment.

A sector alliance that was formed to tackle issues relating to microplastics has completed the next phase of its project to develop a harmonised industry standard for the supply chain. The Cross Industry Agreement (CIA) has revealed the results of a fibre fragmentation trial that has been carried out in advance of establishing a CEN Standard (from the European Committee for Standardization). Once confirmed, the standard will also become an ISO standard under the Vienna Agreement, providing apparel manufacturers and policy makers with a vital tool as part of wider work to reduce microfibre shedding into the environment.

In 2018, five industry organisations agreed to join forces to proactively tackle the issue of microplastics, and signed the Cross Industry Agreement. The initial signatories were European industry associations that represent the European and global value chains of garments and their associated maintenance – the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (A.I.S.E.), European Man-Made Fibres Association (CIRFS), European Outdoor Group (EOG), EURATEX the European apparel and textile industry confederation, and the Federation of the European Sporting goods Industry (FESI). Together, the five organisations understood that the very first step to enable global action around the topic, was to agree a harmonised test method which would allow the collection and comparison of globally generated data, to aid the identification of solutions.

The microfibre shedding test method was developed thanks to the joint efforts and cooperation of experts from 28 European, American and Asian organisations; the result was handed over to CEN in 2020. Since then, representatives from the CIA have been working with CEN to fine tune details in order to meet the requirements for a CEN Standard. To verify the reproducibility of the method, the partners have carried out a round robin trial (RRT) to determine if the method could be replicated in different laboratories and produce similar results. 10 organisations participated in the RRT, which was co-ordinated by the CIA, sending fabric samples to all of the laboratories involved and then collecting and analysing the data.

The results from the RRT show statistically significant consistency, both within and between participating laboratories, which demonstrates that the method is both repeatable in the same setting and reproducible in other laboratories.

The CIA has submitted the results of the RRT to CEN, with the intention that the CEN Standard is confirmed in the near future. Once that has happened, it will be promoted throughout the apparel industry and will become a key tool for researchers, businesses and governments as they accelerate efforts to reduce microfibre shedding associated with garment production.

Source:

Euratex

30.08.2021

The Renewable Carbon Initiative RCI is joining forces

  • From fossil to renewable materials: Members advocate policy analysis and focused implementation of the renewable carbon strategy

The members of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) (www.renewable-carbon-initiative.com), founded in September 2020, have joined forces to shape the transition from the fossil to the renewable age for the chemical and materials industry. This means spreading the concept of renewable carbon and developing new value chains based on renewable carbon as a feedstock.

In the meantime, several activities have started from which future members can benefit as well. First and foremost is the kick-off to comprehensive policy analysis. What influence will forthcoming regulation have on chemicals, plastics, and other materials? When and where should the renewable carbon idea be emphasized and referred to?

The policy analysis will examine pending policies in the European Union – and a later expansion to America and Asia is planned as well.

  • From fossil to renewable materials: Members advocate policy analysis and focused implementation of the renewable carbon strategy

The members of the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) (www.renewable-carbon-initiative.com), founded in September 2020, have joined forces to shape the transition from the fossil to the renewable age for the chemical and materials industry. This means spreading the concept of renewable carbon and developing new value chains based on renewable carbon as a feedstock.

In the meantime, several activities have started from which future members can benefit as well. First and foremost is the kick-off to comprehensive policy analysis. What influence will forthcoming regulation have on chemicals, plastics, and other materials? When and where should the renewable carbon idea be emphasized and referred to?

The policy analysis will examine pending policies in the European Union – and a later expansion to America and Asia is planned as well.

A particular focus will be placed on upcoming policies and regulations and how they impact renewable carbon. The members are currently deciding on where to start specifically, but questions that may be considered are: What does the new climate law and the “Fit for 55-Package” mean for chemicals and materials? What can be expected from REACH and microplastics restrictions? How relevant is the “Sustainable Products Initiative” and the coming restrictions for Green Claims? Circular Economy, Zero Pollution and Sustainable Financing are keywords of the future European landscapes, which might become very concrete for chemistry and materials in the next few years. To what extent the concept of renewable carbon for materials is considered in policy already and how it could be further introduced in future legislation are two of the main questions investigated in the working group “Policy”.

This working group is open to all members of RCI. Policy experts provide the respective analysis as a foundation, organising discussions between members of the policy group and plan meetings with policymakers to introduce the Renewable Carbon concept.

Additional working groups have been created, one with a focus on communication, the other looking at the development of a renewable carbon label. In early September, a renewable carbon community will be launched as a starting point for even more interaction between the members, to discuss strategies, create new value chains and start project consortia.

The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) is a dynamic and ambitious group of interested parties. Membership numbers have now more than doubled since the launch almost a year ago, with RCI now boasting 25 members, 6 partners and over 200 supporters. It welcomes all companies that are on the way to transform their resource base from fossil to renewable.

More information:
Renewable Carbon Initiative
Source:

nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH für RCI

Swiss Textile Machinery companies at ITMA Asia + CITME (c) 2021, Swissmem
Impression from ITMA Asia + CITME 2020
18.06.2021

Swiss Textile Machinery companies at ITMA Asia + CITME

The recent ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition was marked by a strong showing from Swiss Textile Machinery members, in what was the sector’s first major face-to-face showcase since the pandemic restrictions.

With an attendance comprised of 99% visitors, the show still proved a satisfactory venture, the Swiss companies reported. There was real product innovation, and meaningful customer interest, prompting a genuine mood of optimism among exhibitors. The event was held from June 12-16 in Shanghai, with 18 Swiss exhibitors, of whom 13 were Swiss Textile Machinery member companies.

The Swiss Textile Machinery member firms exhibiting at ITMA Asia + CITME 2020 were:

  • Bräcker
  • Graf
  • Hunziker
  • Loepfe
  • Luwa
  • Polytex
  • Rieter
  • Santex Rimar
  • Sedo Engineering
  • SSM
  • Stäubli
  • Uster
  • Willy Grob

The recent ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition was marked by a strong showing from Swiss Textile Machinery members, in what was the sector’s first major face-to-face showcase since the pandemic restrictions.

With an attendance comprised of 99% visitors, the show still proved a satisfactory venture, the Swiss companies reported. There was real product innovation, and meaningful customer interest, prompting a genuine mood of optimism among exhibitors. The event was held from June 12-16 in Shanghai, with 18 Swiss exhibitors, of whom 13 were Swiss Textile Machinery member companies.

The Swiss Textile Machinery member firms exhibiting at ITMA Asia + CITME 2020 were:

  • Bräcker
  • Graf
  • Hunziker
  • Loepfe
  • Luwa
  • Polytex
  • Rieter
  • Santex Rimar
  • Sedo Engineering
  • SSM
  • Stäubli
  • Uster
  • Willy Grob