From the Sector

Parkdale Mills Collaborates with FDA, Gates Foundation and Others to Supply Swabs for Coronavirus Tests

Parkdale Mills subsidiary U.S. Cotton has joined in an effort with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Gates Foundation, UnitedHealth Group and Quantigen to ramp up production of spun synthetic swabs to help the country’s frontline health care workers administering tests for the COVID-19 disease.

U.S. Cotton has developed a fully synthetic, polyester-based Q-tip-type swab that can be used in coronavirus diagnostic testing.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just announced that these synthetic swabs – with a design similar to Q-tips – could be used to test patients for the coronavirus.
U.S. Cotton, based in Cleveland, Ohio, plans to leverage its large-scale manufacturing capacity to rapidly increase production of large quantities of the polyester swabs, which are in short supply for testing kits across the country.

The FDA has determined that spun synthetic swabs can be used in COVID-19 testing based on the results from a clinical investigation stemming from its collaboration with UnitedHealth Group, the Gates Foundation and Quantigen.  

This is the second major COVID-19 relief project that Parkdale has helped. Earlier Parkdale constructed a supply chain that includes Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and many other U.S. companies in the production of PPE masks needed by frontline medical staff treating the virus.

Brown Wrote to President Outlining Critical Steps White House can Take Now to Address Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment

 U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) hosted a news conference call to discuss his plan for addressing the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by healthcare workers on the frontline of keeping Americans healthy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

This weekend, Brown wrote to President Trump outlining several steps the Administration should take immediately to address the shortage and ramp up manufacturing of these critical medical supplies.

In his plan and in his letter to the President, Brown lists nine steps the Administration could take immediately, including:

1. Designate a government official who can serve as a point person responsible for coordination the acquisition and development of PPE, medical devices, and other supplies necessary to fight the coronavirus pandemic. 
2. Establish a PPE and medical device assessment and database to monitor the supply and anticipated needs for PPE, ventilators, diagnostic test kits, and other needed medical supplies to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 
3. Publish a list of PPE, medical device, and general medical supply needs to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 
4. Establish a hotline capable of handling significant call capacity that will provide U.S. producers centralized information about the results of the national assessment and the current need for PPE, devices, and other health care supplies. 
5. Provide immediate funding to manufacturers to purchase equipment, retool machinery, hire additional workers, and cover any other expenses needed to increase production of PPE and necessary medical devices and supplies.
6. Streamline contract and certification procedures to ensure production and delivery of materials are not delayed due to paperwork constraints.
7. Provide critical protections for workers who are making PPE, medical devices, and necessary supplies to receive a waiver from any shelter-in-place requirements to allow workers to volunteer to go to work in these critical industries. 
8. Provide purchase guarantees and delivery assistance of product to the communities and health care facilities that need the products most. 
9. Support companies that have the capacity to sterilize reusable equipment to alleviate the existing PPE shortage. 

In his plan, Brown also pointed out important legislative actions that will help ramp up production of these critical supplies, including expanding the strategic national stockpile authority, substantially increasing Defense Production Act funding and strengthening domestic preferences.

Labels and small accessories stand together for the company’s great passion for leather, featuring a mix of eclectic inspirations, complemented by a variety of solutions and with a new exclusive Green Book, with a very sustainable approach.

A creative selection of proposals enriched with a new line of completely green products defines the SS2021 collection by Vivolo. Sustainability is the running theme, thanks to the development of concepts that focus on the combination of zero-impact processing techniques and state-of-the-art materials, bringing to life RE Vivolo.
This special Green Book gathers a selection of products that provide a sustainable interpretation of the beauty of Vivolos work. The selection of specific raw materials defines five micro-areas in terms of options: leather (recycled, solvent-free and vegetable-tanned), eco-leather (solventfree and jacron), technical solutions (silicon and recycled post-industrial polyurethane), fabrics (organic cotton, recycled cotton, felt obtained from the recycling of post-consumer plastic materials) and the brand new plant-based options (Apple Skin, Piñatex® and Bananatex®). In parallel with this eco-line, the collection presents the evolution of more classical option.
The heritage style results in the selection of new designs, made thanks to an combination heat embossing and hand painting enhancing the quality of leather through the creation of miniature works of art. An additional highlight is the embroidery section.
Technical inspirations remain the most direct expression of the research by the inhouse R&D team. From the use of high-performance materials to the implementation of ideal processing techniques, the mood emphasizes the high-tech character of these options, through mirrored, reflective and  iridescent finishings along with a fluorescent color palette. Silicon and polyurethane make again in this season their appearance.

The collection comes to a close with the accessories – patches as well as  drawstrings, puller, buttons and cord stoppers, along with many others – conceived to become the added detail to embellish and enhance outerwear and knitwear. Once again, Vivolo proves its ability in  interpreting a style that transcends time, representative of the Made in Italy tradition along with an unparalleled approach to production.

Textile and nonwoven associations issued a joint statement today urging federal, state and local governments to deem textile and nonwoven manufacturing facilities as “essential” when drafting “Shelter in Place” orders in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Our associations recognize the serious challenges our elected officials, health administrators, and others are facing when issuing orders to protect communities across the country and we understand the necessity for leaders to enforce a ‘Shelter in Place” order or quarantine orders.

Our members make a broad range of inputs and finished products used in an array of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical nonwoven/textile supplies, including surgical gowns, face masks, antibacterial wipes, lab coats, blood pressure cuffs, cotton swabs and hazmat suits. These items are vital to the government’s effort to ramp up emergency production of these critical supplies.

If workers who produce these goods are not granted an “essential” exemption from “Shelter in Place” and other quarantine orders to go to their manufacturing and distribution facilities, it will cause major disruptions in the availability of these goods. This will create significant hardship to healthcare providers and consumers across the country who depend on steady and stable supplies of these critical items.

We are asking the administration and state and local authorities to provide greater certainty and clarity for our companies and employees and ask for a clear exclusion of our manufacturing operations from “Shelter in Place” orders as the textile and nonwoven products that we make in the U.S. play an essential role in mitigating the shortages of critical supplies. Such a designation will help us avoid disruptions of vital goods and services during this challenging time.

After Mondial. Tech, NAIAS 2019, and eMove 360°, JEC Group will hold the 4th Composites Pavilion at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit from June 9 to 11, 2020 in a spirit of innovation, business, and networking.

At NAIAS 2020, JEC Group will highlight the latest technologies and solutions allowing the automotive industry to innovate in product design, reduce the environmental impact of emissions and improve production rates thanks to composite materials. For the first time in 2020, the Composites Mobility Summit will simultaneously include the pavilion with a showcase of innovative parts, an extensive conference program, and a composites tour. Composite materials are a key part of the future of the Mobility industry and this Summit will both demonstrate the exciting variety of their applications, and aim to push forward their use in an even more global scope.

Within the Composite Solutions for Mobility pavilion, the displayed parts will highlight the different applications of composites for mobility such as lightweight, design freedom, aesthetics and flexibility, resistance, strength and stiffness, function integration, hybridization, fuel storage, connectivity integration and battery housing.

• Technology for dyeing polyester and its blends

TERASIL® BLUE W high wash fastness dye raises operational excellence of mills, providing right-first-time results leading to savings of water, energy and costs.

Huntsman Textile Effects introduces TERASIL® BLUE W, the latest addition to the TERASIL® W/WW range of wash fast disperse dyes. TERASIL® Blue W is designed to meet all major requirements for high performance sportswear and athleisure wear.

Polyester fiber has become the fiber of choice in the textile industry, the demand for polyester and man-made fibers is expected to rise over the long term, as sports and athleisure apparel markets expand around the world. At the same time, leading brands, retailers and mills are increasingly focused on achieving brilliant and deep shades, consistent shade reproducibility, as well as water, energy and cost savings.

TERASIL® BLUE W is developed by Huntsman Textile Effects to provide the leading solution for meeting industry’s wash fastness requirements. TERASIL® BLUE W offers an attractive shade and high build-up for deep blues which stays vibrant. TERASIL® BLUE W also provides quality assurance as products are bluesign® approved and suitable for STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified textile products.

And finishings of the E.C.O. KOSMOS cross-collection, continuing its ethical and sustainable path and having also exclusives collaborations with international brands
Italian Converter, a leading manufacturer of innovative fabrics for fashion, footwear and accessories, expands E.C.O. Kosmos, the fully traceable, transparent and 100% Made in Italy cross-collection. The acronym E.C.O. - Ecologic, Conversion, Optimization perfectly reflects the founding values of the Italian Converter philosophy and represents a further step in the company's responsible path. E.C.O. Kosmos has also been selected to be part of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) and also welcomed with enthusiasm the proposal to support C.L.A.S.S. Smart Materials Bank, the educational platform and e-shop of C.L.A.S.S. designed for young designers who want to discover and experiment with innovative and sustainable textile solutions from the best manufacturers in ways suitable for their reality.

Here are some highlights of the collection:

• E.C.O. Alba – E.C.O. Aurora, fabrics made of 50% casual cotton combined with AMNI SOUL ECO ® technology.
• E.C.O. Sonica is a semi-shiny satin with an elegant and refined appearance. the textile sector at an international level.
• E.C.O. Aly is a vintage effect raffia, a very trendy theme right now.

Leading fashion and textile industry training centre offers UK professionals hands-on experience with 3D digital design tools
 
EFI™ Optitex®, Electronics For Imaging's global provider of integrated end-to-end 2D & 3D CAD/CAM software solutions for the fashion and apparel industry, today announced its partnership with Fashion Enter Ltd. (FEL), a UK training and technical skills development centre for the fashion and textile industry. FEL has implemented EFI Optitex 3D solutions into its course curriculum.
 
Established in 2006, London-based FEL is a veritable "all-in-one" technology hub for the fashion and textile industry, offering multiple training and technical skills development services encompassing the entire design to production cycle. A not for profit, social enterprise, FEL also provides apprenticeships and adult learning through an Educational Skills and Finding Agency- and Social Enterprise London-approved technical centre supported by Haringey Council, Mayor's Good Growth Fund and online fashion retailer ASOS®.
 
To help lay the foundation for the UK's fashion and textile industry on its imminent journey towards digital transformation, FEL was determined to close the mounting skills gap in both industry and academia and offer UK professionals hands-on experience and exposure to 3D digital design tools. With a keen understanding of the market's growing need for speed, flexibility and shifting demands, in September 2019, FEL selected EFI Optitex as its 3D technology partner. FEL sought advanced 3D solutions that would enable innovative digital design courses, apprenticeships and bespoke training, including collaboration with leading fashion retailers such as Marks & Spencer®, ASOS, Next®, and many others.
 
After a short but highly intensive training period FEL implemented EFI Optitex 3D into its design and production processes, including pattern design and 3D tools for design and fitting. Since the recent implementation, FEL has already reaped the benefits of EFI Optitex 3D fully digital design, from sampling and grading, through to production. During a preliminary implementation phase, EFI Optitex 3D will enable FEL to deliver a wide range of accredited 3D design courses and forge collaborations with new customers, a result of EFI Optitex 3D's intuitive design tools, ease of use, and time and resource savings.

At ISPO, AKA – Asahi Kasei Advance keeps the planet fit and healthy at the same time. The cutting edge department of global material innovator Asahi Kasei, unveils ECOSENSOR™, the cutting-edge fabric collection boosting responsible innovation with a “New Eco High-tech Force of Nature” new generation of performance.

Harnessing AKA expertise in yarning a smarter future, the new range focuses on sportwear, urban and athleisure fabrics. “At ISPO we launch the energetic protein fitting perfectly in textiles for clothes with an active imprint, comfort touch and smooth style. From-yarn-to-dyeing and along the whole supply chain, the collection is 100% traceable.” Says Nishizawa Akira, President & Representative Director Asahi Kasei Advance corporation.

Such goals were scored thanks to the renown expertise of Research & Development and energized by constantly and strictly controlled processes that aim to save energy, water and Green House gases emissions. The result is a high-performative collection combining maximum comfort with durability and stretch-ability.

With ECOSENSOR™, Asahi Kasei Advance truly innovates at ISPO as the very first producers choosing the high-performance path with sustainable values. “Like a truly complete athlete, ECOSENSOR™ wins both during the sprint and all along its performance. It’s outstanding light & stretch features match durability.”

Indeed, the flexible and multitasking range is the high-tech solution for sportwear, outerwear and beyond. The collection embraces the casual and sporty mood of active urban surfers as well as that easy-to-wear attitude for a relaxing free-time at home.

Excellent stretch and high-performative features match the adventurous temperament of extreme explorers, while durability and resistance are the key features to weave fabrics for outdoor activities. The target of ECOSENSOR™ by Asahi Kasei is to push at maximum the choice towards bluesign® approved and Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified ingredients and production processes, and GRS (Global Recycled Standard) for recycled ingredients, showing the path to sustainability.

Working with the best like-minded apparel partners, AKA has achieved unsurpassed active climate control materials. The unique high-tech and low-impact functionality has been designed to make a real, sustainable difference a better future.

At this year’s JEC World, the largest trade fair for composites held from March 3-5, 2020 in Paris, SGL Carbon will focus on the topic of serial production for the automotive, aerospace and industrial sectors. The key is customized solutions with individual component designs combined with tailored materials and production processes ready for large scale production. Under the motto “The Solution Provider,” the company will present selective innovative component solutions from all three areas in Hall 6, Booth D25. Furthermore, as an example for industrial applications, SGL Carbon will showcase at the JEC world a crossbeam made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) used in automated Schuler press lines.

•    Composite battery enclosures for e-mobility
•    Flexible new leaf spring generation for rear axles
•    Innovative component designs for passenger airplanes, helicopters and air taxis
•    Extremely lightweight and stable transfer beam for mechanical engineering

Selective applications with focus on serial production
In the field of automotive applications, SGL Carbon will present at the JEC World composite battery enclosures as a promising new application driven by increasing demand for electric vehicles and the resulting new flexible chassis platforms. The company demonstrates a prototype of a battery enclosure based on carbon fibers. However, hybrid composites with a mixture of glass and carbon fibers are also possible.

In the aerospace sector, SGL Carbon is also expanding its portfolio of realized projects and expertise relying on the trend to use more efficient materials and processes in this industry too.
In the area of primary structure components, the company will present a demo exhibit for the door frame of a passenger airplane realized in collaboration with external partners and based on 50k carbon fiber from the SGL Carbon, which is suitable for serial production.

Live simulations and intense exchange at the booth
Visitors can experience live how their ideas can be implemented both sustainably and cost-effectively in composites thanks to simulations. Experts from the company’s own Lightweight and Application Center demonstrate the path from the concept to virtual prototypes using simulation software, with the result visible either to the entire audience or just individual visitors. To prepare, interested parties can contact the team now at the following link: https://www.sglcarbon.com/anmeldung-jec.

On March 4, 2020, the SGL Carbon stand will host its traditional get-together for customers and friends starting at 4 p.m. – no registration necessary.