From the Sector

International technology group ANDRITZ entered a partnership with Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to set up the very first industrial-scale automatic textile sorting line in France combining automated sorting and recycling technology.

The partners have expert knowledge in sorting technologies (Pellenc ST), textile machinery and processes (ANDRITZ), as well as post-consumer textile value chains from sorting to manufacturing (Nouvelles Fibres Textiles newly founded by Les Tissages de Charlieu and Synergies TLC).

The new textile sorting line being built is the first to combine Pellenc ST's automated sorting technologies with ANDRITZ’s recycling technologies. It will process post-consumer textile wastes to produce recycled fiber engineered for the spinning, nonwoven and composite industries. Starting operations in mid-2023, it will serve as a production line for Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, as an R&D line for the three partners, and as a test and demonstration center for their customers.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles aims to become a reference in both industrial grade material production and industrial scale post-consumer textile sorting, thanks to innovative technologies with hard point removal providing pure fibers, selective colors, and differentiated fiber types.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles’ partners also work closely together in R&D at the ANDRITZ Laroche and Pellenc ST technical centers to keep pushing technical boundaries.

Viscose speciality fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres, nonwoven producer Sandler, and hygiene product manufacturer pelzGROUP have jointly developed a new panty liner that is plastic-free according to the European Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). This innovative solution is a step towards reducing the amount of plastic in hygiene products – and thus also a contribution to tackling the problem of plastic pollution.

According to a UNEP study on marine litter and microplastics, eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year. A significant portion of this pollution comes from single-use plastic products, including conventional period products such as pads or panty liners.

The partnership between the three companies was formed under the Open Innovation principle, which allowed for creative idea exchange and facilitated the development of an innovative product. According to Jessica Zeitler, R&D Specialist at Sandler, “Our collaboration with Kelheim Fibres and pelzGROUP is a great example of how companies can work together to create solutions that benefit both the environment and consumers. We are proud to be part of this project and the opportunities it offers.”

For hygiene product manufacturer pelzGROUP, it is important to combine sustainability and performance to achieve broad acceptance in the market. “Our panty liner meets the strict requirements of the European Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) while also matching the performance of conventional synthetic products. At the same time, our new panty liner has a completely European supply chain. This means short distances and therefore low CO2 emissions, and – especially in times of global disruption – reliability for our customers,” emphasizes Dr. Henning Röttger, Head of Business Development at pelzGROUP.

"Our viscose speciality fibres are an environmentally friendly and high-performance alternative to synthetic materials," says Dominik Mayer, Project Manager Fibre & Application Development at Kelheim Fibres. "They are at the very beginning of the product value chain and yet have an enormous impact on the functionality of the end product. Open innovation allows us to bring all partners in the value chain to the table, to find the best solution together in a very short time and bring it to commercialisation - the collaboration with Sandler and pelzGROUP is an important milestone in our AHP journey."

• Beaulieu International Group and Arenal announce partnership

Padel pioneers Arenal and Artificial Grass specialists B.I.G. are pleased to announce the two companies have signed a long-term partnership to drive the growth of padel in the Belgian and Dutch markets. Over the last two years, padel has been growing exponentially, and as two market leaders, B.I.G. and Arenal are looking to further develop the sport. Arenal is a leading operator of padel courts in Belgium, looking to expand under the leadership of Marc Coucke, while B.I.G. is a leading provider for artificial grass surfaces for padel, ready to market its products under its Act Sports brand.

Today 18 million people play padel worldwide, and in Spain, Portugal and Sweden, there are now more active padel players than tennis players. The same growth is manifesting itself in Belgium and the Netherlands, where the number padel courts installed in the last 2 years has almost doubled.

For the recently opened 8-court Kerkrade facility, Arenal installed Act Sports' new Score Blue padel grass court. With a brand new textured yarn developed exclusively for padel, this product offers the perfect balance in terms of ball bounce, player comfort and game consistency. It can be used both for indoor and outdoor courts, and provides a high-quality, long-life system with low maintenance requirements.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) and technology specialist Polymateria Limited have signed an exclusive 10-year partnership to help household brands bring biodegradable nonwoven hygiene products to the market through biotransformation technology.

This collaboration provides a new solution for dealing with essential items like facemasks and wipes once they have been used, ensuring they can return safely to nature without leaving behind any microplastics or toxic residue. It is specifically designed to tackle plastic leaking into the environment as unmanaged waste, meaning it is neither collected for landfill nor recycled. Given that most of the plastic in our oceans originates as unmanaged waste on land, addressing the unmanaged waste challenge is key.

IVL’s right to use Polymateria’s unique biotransformation technology for nonwovens supports application in non-virgin resin recycling while providing a solution for ‘fugitive’ used articles, especially those items that end up in the natural environment. This biotransformation process involves the plastic transforming into a bioavailable wax in the open terrestrial environment, whereupon the wax is fully consumed by bacteria, microbes and fungi, leaving just carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. The pulp component is inherently biodegradable under similar conditions.

Nonwovens made by IVL using Polymateria’s technology have been independently tested against, and meet the criteria in, the BSI PAS 9017 standard for the biodegradation of polyolefins in an open-air terrestrial environment published by the British Standards Institution in October 2020. This standard and/or its criteria – the first in the world to ensure plastic can biotransform in the open terrestrial environment without creating any microplastics – is being adopted around the world including in India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Hungary.

Stella McCartney hosted a party in L.A in celebration of her 18 year partnership with adidas and to present its new Spring/Summer 23 collection. Kicking off the biggest weekend in music, the collaboration took over LA’s famous Henson Recording Studios for an iconic evening that brought together music and fashion.

​A collaboration that has always pushed the limits, from innovation and sport style to working with pioneers across fashion, music and art, the party celebrated a partnership that continues to champion individual expression and inspires the new wave of trailblazers. ​Together, adidas and Stella McCartney are committed to finding new ways to create and support a better future through the fusion of recycled materials and key performance technologies.

The key collections showcased at the party include:​

• ICONS: Blending sport and style through contemporary cuts, the capsule sees iconic adidas by Stella McCartney designs reimagined in staple shades of black, grey and white – providing next-gen athletes with a timeless blank canvas to move with purpose. Featured for the first time is the Sportswear Run Shoe, an all-new gender-neutral silhouette made in part from natural and renewable materials.​
• TRUENATURE: Designed for exploring the world outside, the collection captures a contemporary take on Earth and weather satellite images alongside conceptual contours and ley lines of maps. With leading technologies such as Parley Ocean Plastic and WIND.RDY, the collection has been crafted to protect the next generation of active activists.

Beste x HeiQ AeoniQ™ announce their partnership with the launch of a capsule in the CARPINI collection at Milano Unica. The fabrics including HeiQ AeoniQ™ are crafted by the Italian textiles manufacturer Beste, well known for supplying high-end fabrics for premium and luxury brands.

The fabrics capsule collection for S/S 24 includes 12 articles made with 100% HeiQ AeoniQ™, linen, and HeiQ AeoniQ™ blends, and cotton and HeiQ AeoniQ™ blends in several different proportions.
The collection is named FLOW, as related to the movement of water and air to be in tune with Nature’s balance and rhythm, with a color range including hay, black, water, caramel, violet, dust, denim, lime, and cobalt.

With this initiative, Beste becomes the first partner to incorporate the HeiQ AeoniQ™ fiber into its active fabric portfolio, and also its Tessuteka, the library that keeps all the fabrics produced by the company since 1993.

For Carlo Centonze, HeiQ’s CEO “the partnership with Beste makes total sense for all the values embodied by HeiQ AeoniQ™ that we both share, namely its commitment to circular ethics, practice and promote sustainability, and have a positive impact in the environment while also creating new business opportunities that the market and the Planet so urgently need.”

According to Giovanni Santi, Beste’s CDA president: “Beste SpA benefit company is strongly committed to developing a positive and responsible impact over the environment and the social fabric it is surrounded by. To meet this precise criterion, we use HeiQ AeoniQ™, a new biodegradable fiber developed by HeiQ, a Swiss chemical company that is Beste's constant partner in this indispensable green revolution. The introduction of HeiQ AeoniQ™, namely a fiber that is cellulosic in nature but with characteristics and performances similar to polyester ones, concerns a significant step in the reduction of CO2 emissions and plastics. It is not only a responsible choice, but it also deals with a precise and courageous positioning in the constant battle in favor of our planet by starting from the textile innovation front.”

The new Beste x HeiQ AeoniQ™ fabrics will be displayed at Beste’s booth during the Milano Unica trade show from January 31st to February 2nd, in Milan, Italy.

Haelixa, the Swiss traceability company and Damteks Textiles have announced a collaboration to mark and trace recycled acrylic fiber. Damteks is offering their recycled yarn to customers whereby they are able to place an order with the unique Haelixa DNA already attached.

The Haelixa solution is DNA markers which are solved in liquid and applied to fibers as a fine spray. Spot checks are completed after spraying to determine the presence of DNA and identify the product. The test is based on PCR technology that is 100% reliable and has forensic validity.

Damteks saw an increase in demand for blended yarn in the last year. The request is most often a composition of 30% recycled fiber with 70% standard fiber. Brands are looking for options to be more sustainable and Damteks proactively sought out an answer. They are offering the yarn with Haelixa DNA to validate the recycled acrylic in the mix.

The haelixa team visited the Damteks recycling facility in Istanbul to kick off the partnership that will continue throughout 2023. The traceability program has the DNA sprayed on the recycled fibers before spinning. The project also saw the use of a tailored Haelixa liquid sprayer designed by the team based in Switzerland. When manufacturers do not have built-in moisturizing systems, Haelixa provides them with a custom unit to shower the DNA liquid onto the fibers. This sprayer is engineered to match the mechanical processing of the customer.

Damteks is a family-owned business that pride itself in carefully selecting environmentally responsible options for its production processes. On top of the certifications they have obtained including - GRS, RCS, GOTS, OCS - Damteks decided to have their products "Marked and Traced by Haelixa" to add additional credibility and reliability. Damteks plans to offer marked and traced by Haelixa yarn in different dyes as their offering to brands.

California born and bred, Tillys is one of fashion’s leading specialty casualwear retailers. And now, thanks to its collaboration with Recover™ , their premium denim brand RSQ, it is set to become a leader of sustainable fashion.

The three brands – Tillys, Recover™ and RSQ – have come together to create a sustainable capsule collection. The new collection includes classic-inspired denim, a tee, and an on-trend chore jacket, all of which contain a minimum of 20% of Recover’s low-impact recycled cotton fiber. To shop the exclusive Recover™ pieces in the RSQ collection, go to tillys.com or visit one of Tillys stores across 33 states.

To bring this collaboration to life, textile waste has been salvaged that would otherwise end up in a landfill to create high-quality recycled fiber that Tillys used to produce its premium-quality RSQ collection. Using recycled fiber significantly reduces the carbon and water footprint compared to apparel made with virgin fiber. This collaboration models how post-industrial textile waste can be integrated back into the system creating a more sustainable production model.

“We are delighted to celebrate this new partnership with Tillys, helping to reduce the environmental impacts created by the fashion industry and pave the way towards a more sustainable future.”
– Alfredo Ferre, CEO Recover™

• In Spring 2022, adidas announced its partnership with Impact Hub and Blavity.org to launch a new program called Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M. (Building Legacies Out of Movements), an accelerator program for social entrepreneurs of color.
• Through knowledge sharing and funding, the program cultivates a thriving ecosystem for changemakers to accelerate impact and deliver initiatives at the intersection of sport, equity and creativity for Black and Latinx communities.

In Spring 2022, adidas announced its newest program, Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M., designed to equip entrepreneurs of color with tools and resources to enable them to accelerate growth and maximize impact. As part of adidas’ United Against Racism commitments and celebration of boundary-breaking Black women, Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M. is further closing the opportunity gap that exists for Black and Latinx social entrepreneurs by elevating, co-creating with and funding entrepreneurs creating change in their communities.

Through an intentional selection process, eight Black women social entrepreneurs were identified to participate in the first-ever Cultivate & B.L.O.O.M. cohort. The first cohort kicked off in July 2022 and will graduate in March 2023.

Throughout their nine months in the program, entrepreneurs have access to a tailored portfolio of resources and opportunities from within and outside of the adidas ecosystems that will serve to accelerate their impact. These resources include funding, access to industry experts, mentorship, workshops, fireside chats and visibility into adidas’ networks.

After graduating from the program, participants become a partner in the “Innovation Network”, a network of social impact partners that seek to drive forward change within their communities and organizations. This portfolio of partners will enable adidas to continue strengthening the diversity of our partnership network, increase our reach within key markets and deepen our relationships over time.

• Auraloop is a brand-new range of cushioning solutions made from an innovative structure of Polyester-based fibers, 100% recyclable, aimed at the mobility markets
• One of the objectives of Auraloop is a twofold reduction in the carbon footprint of car seat pads, currently made from polyurethane foam
• Auraloop offers an increased level of performance in terms of thermal comfort and durability

R&D teams within the Faurecia seating activity have recently penned an exclusive development agreement with Indorama Ventures. This partnership between Indorama Ventures and Faurecia, a company of FORVIA Group which is one of the largest automotive industry suppliers, has the aim of developing Auraloop, a new range of cushioning solutions for the mobility markets and intended to replace polyurethane foam currently used in car seats.

“By setting out these initial milestones in our close-knit collaboration with Faurecia, this partnership is an integral part of Indorama Ventures’ commitment to expand its existing Polyester (PET)-based portfolio and related activities into wider areas. By bringing together two leading players in the automotive industry, we aim to open up further growth opportunities for both partners”, stated Arnaud Closson, Chief Executive Officer at Indorama Ventures’ Mobility Group / Fibers Segment.

“Auraloop will replace those materials currently used in car seating with innovative and sustainable materials, based on polyester fibers that offer a total recyclability of 100%. This new material will allow for a twofold reduction in the carbon footprint of car seat pad solutions compared to current materials”, explains Nicolas Michot, Director of Technology at Faurecia Seating. Development of this product, which paves the way towards wider commercial release in two or three years, falls within the FORVIA Group strategy of going carbon neutral by 2045. For this, the group is seeking to root its commercial offer fully in the circular economy, with the development and production of sustainable cutting-edge materials under the banner of MATERI’ACT.

Auraloop offers a range of new perspectives in terms of seating comfort thanks to a more open fiber structure and permeability for air than current seating pad solutions, the breathability of seating is improved, enabling a better passive thermal regulation of occupants. The durability of seating is also increased by limited subsidence of the seat over its lifetime. The market for comfort aboard vehicles is constantly growing. The development of Auraloop falls within this dynamic, with a product offering significantly improved performances in terms of static, dynamic and welcoming comfort.