From the Sector

Gina Tricot releases its first collection that has been produced with We aRe SpinDye. The collection is part of Gina Tricot's innovation program Gina Lab. and consists of a coat, shirt, trousers and two bags colored with We aRe SpinDye's method.

With the collaboration, Gina Tricot continues to focus on sustainability, now with the coloring process at the center. Of all the resources that arise during the entire lifespan of a garment - from the production of raw materials, to recycling, 80% is used during the production phase itself. To maximize the effects of the sustainability changeover, an increased focus is required on the entire production process and in particular on the most resource-intensive of them all: the dyeing.

One of Gina Tricot's focus is to explore new methods and technologies in sustainability, which makes the collaboration with We aRe Spin Dye feel just right for us. Together we get a product with more durable and circular fibers, in addition with a more sustainable textile production with a focus on minimal water use. We are extremely proud of this collaboration. says Emma Garrote, Global Production & Sustainability Manager at Gina Tricot.

Gina Tricot is a shining example of an agile organization with short decision-making processes. They have managed to enthuse both the design and production department. It has been crucial to reach the launch of this collection that takes place today, says Andreas Andrén, CEO of We aRe SpinDye®.

Gina Tricot
Gina Tricot is a Swedish fashion brand that offers fashion to women in over 30 countries. Today, Gina Tricot has over 160 stores around Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as e-commerce throughout Europe. With around 1,900 employees, 98% of these are girls. For Gina Tricot, it is important to build pride from the inside out, we are a company that chooses to invest in and highlight women.

We aRe Spin Dye
The company is a Swedish cleantech company that provides and offers a process and platform for production and quality control that enables players in the fashion and clothing industry to significantly reduce their environmental impact. The company's business concept is to establish a new, sustainable and transparent standard for dyeing synthetic textiles in the fashion and apparel industry in a simple and user-friendly way.

Alchemie Technology, an innovator of low energy, waterless, textile dyeing and finishing technology, is calling on COP26 leaders to support the global fashion industry in the adoption of new manufacturing technology, which will dramatically reduce carbon emissions and fashion’s impact on climate change.

While the fashion industry is one of the most polluting on the planet, second only to oil and gas, and greenhouse gas emissions from textile dyeing at around 3% of global emissions outweigh that of all international flights and maritime shipping combined, it is an industry that can also reduce CO2 emissions the fastest, just by changing the way it dyes fabrics.  

Fabric dyeing is the most polluting part of fashion and activewear manufacturing, involving industrial scale dye baths and huge amounts of dye chemicals, steam, electrical power, and consequent high CO2 emissions.  Repeated washing of the dyed fabric, required to remove dye residue, is responsible for 20% of the world’s wastewater pollution and excess dye is discharged into waterways, affecting the health of some of the world’s poorest communities. In more regulated areas, water pollution is reduced through reliance on energy intensive water treatment plants.

However, an environmental step change can be achieved by adopting new digital technology that can dye fabrics with an 85% reduction in energy consumption and a dramatic 95% reduction of the 1.3 trillion litres of water currently used by the industry each year.

For example, dyeing one polyester shirt using current methods generates 4.5 litres of wastewater and produces 0.17 Kg of CO2, compared to low energy digital technology, which uses less than 0.2 litres of water and reduces carbon emissions to 0.03 Kg.  Multiply these numbers by the billions of garments dyed each year and the scale of the environmental problem, if nothing changes, is clear to see. Equally, the amount by which the textile industry can improve its carbon footprint is dramatic and can be done quickly if action is taken now.

It looks like a normal shirt, but it has it all: The new SmartTex shirt uses integrated sensors to transfer physiological data from astronauts to Earth via a wireless communication network. In this way, the effects of the space environment on the human cardiovascular system will be evaluated and documented, especially with regard to long-term manned space missions. Developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in cooperation with DSI Aerospace Technology, the Medical Faculty of Bielefeld University and textile research partner Hohenstein, SmartTex will be tested for the first time as part of the Wireless Compose-2 (WICO2) project by German ESA astronaut Dr. Matthias Maurer, who will leave for his ‘Cosmic Kiss’ mission on the International Space Station (ISS) for six months on October 30, 2021.

"We were already able to gain valuable insights into the interaction of the body, clothing and climate under microgravity conditions during the previous projects Spacetex (2014) and Spacetex2 (2018)," explains Hohenstein Senior Scientific Expert Dr. Jan Beringer. The insights provided at the time by the mission of ESA astronaut Dr. Alexander Gerst have now been directly incorporated into the development of the new SmartTex shirt at Hohenstein. "Matthias Maurer can wear his tailor-made shirt comfortably on his body during his everyday work on the International Space Station. For this, we used his body measurements as the basis for our cut development and the production of the shirt. We integrated the necessary sensors as well as data processing and communication modules into the shirt's cut in such a way that they interfere as little as possible and are always positioned in the right place, regardless of the wearing situation. This is the prerequisite for reliably measuring the relevant physiological data." The SmartTex shirt is intended to provide a continuous picture of the vital functions of astronauts. This will be particularly relevant for future long-term manned space missions to the Moon and Mars.

For example, during the BEAT experiment (Ballistocardiography for Extraterrestrial Applications and long-Term missions), Matthias Maurer will be the first astronaut to wear a T-shirt equipped with sensors that measure his ballistocardiographic data such as pulse and relative blood pressure. For this purpose, the sensors were calibrated in the :envihab research facility at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne. Details on the contraction rate and opening and closing times of the heart valves, which are normally only accessible via sonography or computer tomography, can also be read from the data material. The goal is to study the effects of the space environment on the human cardiovascular system. To be able to analyse these effects realistically, Matthias Maurer's ballistocardiographic data will be recorded before, during and after his stay on the ISS. For the future, a technology transfer of the SmartTex shirt for application in the field of fitness or even in telemedicine is conceivable.

Wireless Compose-2 (WICO2)
The project was planned and prepared by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and its cooperation partners DSI Aerospace Technology, Hohenstein and the University of Bielefeld. The wireless communication network reads sensor data and can determine the position of people and objects in space by propagation times of radio pulses. It is also available as a platform for several experiments on the ISS. The determined data is temporarily stored within the network and read out at regular intervals by the astronauts. These data packets are then transferred to Earth via the ISS link and analysed by the research teams. It can generate its own energy from artificial light sources via solar cells.

ESA astronaut Dr. Matthias Maurer in summer 2021 during preliminary talks on the Cosmic Kiss mission in DLR's :envihab in Cologne. © DLR

Sensors measure physiological data during a test run on Earth. © DLR

With the "SmartTex" shirt, astronauts can wear the necessary sensors comfortably on their bodies. © DLR

Dr. Jan Beringer, Hohenstein Senior Scientific Expert. © Hohenstein

Not only since 2021 has sustainability been a topic high on society’s agenda. And yet the importance of sustainability for consumers and companies has once again increased sharply as a result of the Corona pandemic, as numerous studies confirm. Then why is it often so difficult to implement this conviction in everyday life? One of the biggest obstacles to sustainable consumer behaviour is the lack of availability of alternatives.

In addition to changing consumer demands, the EU Commission's recent decision on the single-use plastics directive is also prompting many nonwovens manufacturers to look at alternative solutions. Kelheim Fibres is exhibiting at this year's INDEX in Geneva and online with bio-based fibers that offer an alternative to synthetic materials in a wide range of applications. The Bavarians have decades of experience in the nonwovens and hygiene sectors and work on individual customer-specific innovations.

"We want to make it easy for consumers to choose an environmentally friendly option. That’s the case when bio-based solutions offer the same performance as synthetic products," said Matthew North, Commercial Director at Kelheim Fibres." Our fibre technology allows us to create just that: unlike natural fibres, which are available already in fibre form and can only be treated on the surface, we can engineer the properties of our fibres they need for specific applications by specifically intervening in the production process. That way we combine nature - our fibres are made of wood pulp - with performance."

Kelheim's special fibres are made of wood pulp from sustainably managed sources, are produced in Kelheim in an environmentally friendly way and are fully biodegradable at the end of their product life. Kelheim Fibres is the first viscose fibre manufacturer in the world with an EMAS validated Environmental Management System and was awarded a dark green/light green shirt in the most recent Canopy HotButton-Ranking.

Outdoor apparel company Patagonia and circular fashion and textile technology group Infinited Fiber Company have signed a multiyear sales agreement for Infinited Fiber Company’s unique, premium-quality regenerated textile fiber Infinna™, which is created out of textile waste. The move marks a major milestone for both companies towards making textile circularity an everyday reality: The deal guarantees Patagonia access to the limited-supply fiber over the coming years and secures future sales income for Infinited Fiber Company as it ramps up production.

Infinna is a unique, virgin-quality regenerated textile fiber with the soft and natural look and feel of cotton. It is created from cotton-rich textile waste that is broken down at the molecular level and reborn as new fibers. Because it’s made of cellulose – a building block of all plants – Infinna is biodegradable and contains no microplastics to clog our seas. Clothes made with it can be recycled again in the same process together with other textile waste.

In April, Infinited Fiber Company announced plans to build a flagship factory in Finland to meet the growing demand for Infinna from global fashion brands. It is currently supplying customers from its R&D and pilot facilities in Espoo and Valkeakoski, Finland. The planned flagship factory will have an annual production capacity of 30,000 metric tons, which is enough fiber for roughly 100 million T-shirts made with 100% Infinna. Infinited Fiber Company expects to have sold the new factory’s entire output for several years during 2021.

More than 92 million metric tons of textile waste is produced globally every year and most of this ends up in landfills or incinerators. At the same time, textile fiber demand is increasing, with Textile Exchange estimating the global textile fiber market to grow 30% to 146 million metric tons by 2030 from 111 million metric tons in 2019. Infinited Fiber Company’s fiber regeneration technology, which uses cellulose-rich waste streams as its raw material, offers a solution both to stop waste from being wasted and to reduce the burden of the textile industry on the planet’s limited natural resources.

Founded in 1952, Svegea of Sweden – a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – has over 60 years of experience in exclusively designing, manufacturing and installing high quality collarette band cutting machines worldwide.

These are 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, such as Triteks Trejd.

Founded in 1994, this family-owned business employs over 280 people at its plant in Prilep, North Macedonia, where high quality cotton fabrics are expertly converted into the products of the Tritex Underwear brand.

The Prilep operation encompasses the processing of fabrics, design, cutting, sewing, quality control and packing in a fully integrated workflow.

With around 200 sewing machinists, the Tritex product range encompasses briefs, boxers, slips, t-shirts, pyjamas and body slips which are primarily sold to countries within the European Union, as well as the domestic market.

The company has also just completed the digitalisation of its full production via the in-house DPC-SYS system, installing around 200 industrial PCs linking each of its workstations and departments.

Triteks Trejd currently operates three of the latest Svegea collarette cutting machines and is highly satisfied with their performance, as well as the service provided by the Swedish company.

Combining expertise for more sustainable fashion
Ever wonder how much water was used to make your favorite cotton T-shirt? About 2,700 liters, or roughly three years of drinking water. What first comes to mind is probably the water that was essential to growing the cotton crop. Surprisingly, cotton is a drought-tolerant plant, and often less recognized is the strain that can be put on water resources to dye cotton textiles.

Progress is being made across the industry to lessen the strain on our precious water resources. Over the past several years, Dow collaborated with Cotton Incorporated to research and validate their product, ECOFAST™ Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment, that can help drastically reduce water and chemical use during the dyeing process. Major fashion brands are integrating it into their supply chain to dye more sustainably, without sacrificing color or quality.

Problem
Cotton dyeing is very resource-intensive and puts strain on local waterways. A large amount of water is used in the dyeing process – up to 5 trillion liters a year, or nearly enough to supply all of humanity with drinking water. Significant amounts of chemicals and dye are needed to get the desired colors consumers expect too. This is part of the reason textile mills account for 20% of industrial water pollution globally. Wastewater from the dyeing process can be polluting and require costly treatment and these challenges are found in regions that already face water scarcity.

Solution
Reforming processes in an industry as established as textiles is no easy feat. Collaboration across the sector is needed to bring about sustainable change. With that in mind, Cotton Incorporated approached Dow. They wanted help scaling a cotton technology to support more sustainable textile dyeing.Leveraging Cotton Incorporated’s industry expertise and Dow’s material science knowledge, they worked together to understand and validate the benefits of our patented ECOFAST™ Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment.

How can colors be more responsible?  
ECOFAST™ Pure is a pretreatment applied before the dyeing process to produce cationic cotton. This means the charge of cotton is permanently changed from negative to positive, so it acts like a magnet to attract negatively charged dye to the material. How does that benefit the textile mill? It significantly decreases the amount of water, chemicals, dye and energy needed to color cotton. A third party reviewed and validated life cycle assessment, available by request, helped further prove the benefits.

Kornit Digital announced United Kingdom-based Tayprint has implemented the Kornit Avalanche HD6 system for efficient, versatile direct-to-garment (DTG) apparel production on demand. This technology effectively replaces the use of screen printing within their operation, reducing their cost per print while making short runs profitable, eliminating inventory and resource waste, speeding production, and ensuring nearly unlimited design capabilities, applied to a broad array of materials, using a single eco-friendly ink set.

While Tayprint predominantly serves as a provider of large-format digital printing, delivering approximately 500,000 square metres of imprinted product annually, they had established a screen-printing operation, as well, generating roughly £200,000 in t-shirt sales per year. While this provided a strong profit channel, screens offered limited growth potential, as order volumes were shrinking, customers demanded quick turnaround, graphic capabilities were limited, and setting up was a drain on both labour and materials. Each of these drawbacks are addressed by Kornit’s on-demand digital production technology, which enables suppliers to imprint apparel in any quantity, using a single-step process, completing the process in mere minutes.

Kornit Digital has announced its partnership with Matset (Turkey) as it continues to broaden its market presence.

Delivering digital textile production-on-demand solutions to the Turkish market
With over 45 years of experience, Matset has a long-standing reputation as being a pioneer of innovation in the printing industry. After the first meeting, Kornit and Matset were quick to recognize how their partnership would effectively accelerate the development of the Kornit brand and solutions in the Turkish market. The deal will see Matset sell and deliver after-sales support for all Kornit textile solutions, including both direct-to-garment and direct-to-fabric product lines, particularly for t-shirts, activewear, denim, fashion, beachwear, home textiles, and fabrics.

Doğu Pabuççuoğlu, General Manager at Matset, explains the collaboration combines the digital leading vision of Matset with the market awareness and quality of Kornit’s products: "With Kornit’s production systems, we have made an important addition to our product portfolio. We were able to quickly build a roadmap and are sure the market share will increase very rapidly in the near future. With Kornit’s reliable and creative solutions and our well-known and engaged distribution network, we will provide customers with a strong sales and support service.”

• "We only promote products that we like and Kornit is offering a line up of technologically advanced equipment that can take our selected customers into the future of textile print on demand.”
• Responding to market needs for textile print on demand

Kornit Digital (Nasdaq: KRNT), a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, continues to expand its market reach through Grup Transilvae partnership.

Founded in 1993 in Cluj, Grup Transilvae later expanded its reach nationally with a move to Bucharest. It has since developed into a complete solutions and services provider following partnerships with key industry manufacturers such as HP, MGI Digital Graphic Technology, Canon, Esko, Caldera, Efi, X-Rite - Pantone and Fotoba International etc. It has also more recently agree to support Matic, Highcon, Xlam, Sefa, Chemica and PlastGrommet. Now the company is increasingly focusing on the textile industry which is why it is partnering with Kornit.

CEO Bogdan Vasilescu explains: "We started with color management solutions, working on demand for Fogra with digitally printed DMI colors on textiles. We have also worked with Mimaki, Roland, Epson and Vutek on various projects including Eurotex Iasi, Zara and Rofobit in Bucharest. Eager to continue our growth spurt in the textile printing industry, we were looking for a trusted partner and Kornit was the obvious choice.”

"The collaboration with Kornit began officially in September and is a natural progression,” Vasilescu adds. “For a number of years, we have been considering ways to improve our offering by moving into textiles in the same way that we did for sign and display, home decor or packaging. We were just waiting for the right partner. We are always looking to collaborate with market leaders and we wanted to work with Kornit to tap into the potential of the print on demand textile market with an extensive textile printing portfolio.”

Grup Transilvae will represent all Kornit’s textile solutions, including Direct to Garment and Direct to Fabric, particularly for T-shirts, activewear, denim, fashion, beachwear, home textiles and fabrics.

Vasilescu continues: “We are looking forward to showing our existing customers how they can take advantage of the Covid 19 accelerated trends in digital print-on-demand and short-run print jobs. We will signpost how they can expand their application range, grow volumes and experience better ROI.”

Vasilescu concludes: “We only promote products that we like and Kornit is offering a line up of technologically advanced equipment that can take our valued customers into the future of textile print on demand.”

Omer Kulka, CMO at Kornit Digital states: “We are delighted to announce another great partnership with a distributor that is as passionate about our products and the textile printing industry as we are. Grup Transilvae has a long history of successfully entering new markets with leading manufacturers. We look forward to a long and happy partnership.”