From the Sector

• High-Performance Solutions and Protection Effects

Huntsman Textile Effects, a global leader in innovative and sustainable textile dyes and protection effects, is bringing a complete suite of solutions for performance apparel, technical textiles and casual wear to Colombiatex de las Américas 2022 from January 25 to 27.

Sustainable solutions
Huntsman Textile Effects will showcase the latest addition to the third generation of its AVITERA® SE polyreactive dye range; it delivers brilliant bluish-red shades while reducing the water and energy required for production by up to 50% and increasing mill output by up to 25% or more. It also outperforms the best available dyeing technologies for cellulosic fibers and blends in terms of value by reducing recipe costs, minimizing processing costs and eliminating reprocessing.

ERIOPON® E3-SAVE is another next-generation water-saving innovation. An all-in-one textile auxiliary for polyester processing, it allows pre-scouring, dyeing and reduction clearing to be combined in a single bath and eliminates the need for anti-foaming products. This shortens processing time and saves water and energy.

rPET processing innovations
As leading brands begin to work towards a circular economy for textiles, mills are being asked to overcome challenges associated with transforming recycled polyester (rPET) into high-quality new textiles. Huntsman Textile Effects is presenting an end-to-end solution for achieving full whites and consistent shades on rPET with right-first-time quality. This eco-friendly rPET processing solution includes pre-treatment chemicals, fluorescent whitening agents, state-of-the-art washfast dyes, and finishing solutions for high-performance protection and comfort.

Washfast disperse dyes for polyester and man-made fibers
TERASIL® BLUE W is the latest addition to Huntsman’s TERASIL® W/WW range of washfast disperse dyes for polyester and man-made fibers and their blends. Crucially, it is not sensitive to reduction, leading to higher reproducibility, higher right first-time results and operational excellence. It also reduces overall water and energy consumption, as well as water effluent. TERASIL® BLUE W offers high build-up for deep blues that stay vibrant.

Next-generation odor control
In partnership with Sciessent, Huntsman Textile Effects presents antimicrobial and odor-control solutions to Colombiatex to enable mills to produce garments that smell fresh for longer and need less frequent washing. Featured is Sciessent’s new anti-odor technology - NOBO™. It is specifically designed to reduce odors in natural and synthetic fabrics; it can be incorporated into virtually any fabric. From base layer and activewear tops to socks and underwear to jeans and chinos. It offers a cost-effective way to upgrade everyday products and add value to your customers.

“Sustainability is becoming a priority for regulators in South America and around the world, and consumers are increasingly keen to make a difference by choosing green brands,” said Ben Powell, Commercial Director Americas, Huntsman Textile Effects. “Huntsman is redefining what’s possible to help textile and apparel companies make the shift to more environmentally sustainable operations while enhancing their competitiveness at the same time. Our innovations make it possible to benefit from efficiency gains and resource savings in the factory as you deliver products that stand out in the market.”

• The Green Revolution: How Microfactories Can Change the Face of Fashion by Mark Sollman, Product Manager EMEA, Mimaki Europe

With the all-important COP26 Climate Change Conference having taken centre stage in November, there is no time like the present for the fashion world to rally together in stepping up sustainability efforts and getting carbon emissions under control. Globally, the fashion industry is now estimated to account for around 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of wastewater , making the pursuit of greener production methods more pertinent than ever before. Thankfully, we are seeing a new era of production enter the fashion arena, with the increasing emergence of technologically advanced, highly automated microfactories.

Along with reducing unnecessary waste through on-demand production, microfactories have a smaller ecological footprint than traditional garment production and require no water use during the production process, making it not only a faster solution, but a greener one too.

Last year’s FESPA saw Mimaki team up with fashion designer Carolina Guzman to bring her designs to life in real time at the show, setting up its own working microfactory live on-site to take her designs from screen to garment within just a day. Guzman’s designs were created using Mimaki’s TS100-1600 Sublimation Printer, before being transferred to textile, digitally cut and finally pieced together. Devised with a string of ethical and environmental objectives threaded throughout, the microfactory also exclusively utilised eco-friendly Greentex fabric, and any remaining material was donated to Sheltersuit: a wind- and waterproof coat that can be transformed into a sleeping bag, which is provided free of charge to homeless people and refugees.

Through working with a number of strategic partners – including transfer printing expert, Klieverik; paper solutions specialist, Neenah Coldenhove; and digital cutting equipment provider, Summa – Mimaki was able to produce a collection of unique, high-quality garments live on the stand during the tradeshow, demonstrating to visitors from more than 100 countries some of the key reasons that microfactories seem set to change the future of fashion…

Unparalleled speed and versatility
Where traditionally, apparel manufacturing has centred on a production chain model of sourcing materials and producing garments in bulk, microfactories are now enabling on-demand, on-location production, making it possible to create everything from unique, one-off pieces and samples right through to entire product lines – all at unprecedented speeds. This means greater flexibility and customisation, enabling designers to modify or update designs and respond to market trends as they occur.

Simplified supply chains and minimised risk
The microfactory setup brings production in-house and on-demand, minimising the cost of not only storing stock, but also of shipping it and responsibly disposing of unsold items. Where recent geopolitical events have highlighted the fragility of global supply chains, microfactories offer a unique independence from these systems, empowering garment manufacturers to future-proof their businesses, become less reliant on external systems and suppliers, and reduce the risk of disruptions.

A boosted bottom line and a greener future
Facilitating savings in a whole line of resources, from physical storage and production space to time and energy, microfactories ultimately have the potential to significantly increase profitability for garment manufacturers, with the additional benefit of being easily scalable as production increases. Perhaps even more compelling, however, are the environmental considerations. Demonstrated on a small scale through Mimaki’s recent project, the environmental benefits inherent to microfactory production will have an even greater impact as it becomes more prolific and commonplace throughout the fashion world, with the potential to effect meaningful environmental change as adoption increases in the years to come.

Under the ClusterXchange pilot scheme, the EXTRATEX partnership organised a 5-day exchange in Czech Republic, hosted by CLUTEX (cluster for technical textile).

15 participants visited strategic and innovative companies in the field of smart materials and advances technologies, as well as research centres and the Liberec University.

During the exchange, 92 B2B meetings were organized between local companies and the exchange participants, with 75% of the contacts established leading to follow-ups after the conclusion of the exchange. This collaboration laid the foundation for potential cross-border and cross-sector business collaboration, and participants of the physical exchange improved their competences in the field of smart materials and advanced technologies.

According to a testimony from the company Bipier Srl, their participation in the exchange allowed the establishment of two important working relationships with Bcb Informatica Y Control and Vyskummy Ustav Chemickych (Research Institute for Man-Made Fibers). This cooperation wil allow Bipier Srl to equip their machines with quality temperature control, and to expand the distribution of their products.

• More than 30 leading pioneers of the chemical and material sector welcome the latest political papers from Brussels, Berlin and Düsseldorf

The political situation for renewable carbon from biomass, CO2 and recycling for the defossilisation of the chemical and materials industry has begun to shift fundamentally in Europe. For the first time, important policy papers from Brussels and Germany take into consideration that the term decarbonisation alone is not sufficient, and that there are important industrial sectors with a permanent and even growing carbon demand. Finally, the need for a sustainable coverage of this carbon demand and the realisation of sustainable carbon cycles have been identified on the political stage. They are elemental to the realisation of a sustainable chemical and derived materials industry.

The goal is to create sustainable carbon cycles. This requires comprehensive carbon management of renewable sources, which includes carbon from biomass, carbon from Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) – the industrial use of CO2 as an integral part – as well as mechanical and chemical recycling. And only the use of all alternative carbon streams enables a true decoupling of the chemical and materials sector from additional fossil carbon from the ground. Only in this way can the chemical industry stay the backbone of modern society and transform into a sustainable sector that enables the achievement of global climate goals. The Renewable Carbon Initiative’s (RCI) major aim is to support the smart transition from fossil to renewable carbon: utilising carbon from biomass, CO2 and recycling instead of additional fossil carbon from the ground. This is crucial because 72% of the human-made greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to additional fossil carbon. The RCI supports all renewable carbon sources available, but the political support is fragmented and differs between carbon from biomass, recycling or carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). Especially CCU has so far not been a strategic objective in the Green Deal and Fit-for-55.

This will change fundamentally with the European Commission's communication paper on “Sustainable Carbon Cycles” published on 15 December. The position in the paper represents an essential step forward that shows embedded carbon has reached the political mainstream – supported by recent opinions from members of the European parliament and also, apparently, by the upcoming IPCC assessment report 6. Now, CCU becomes a recognised and credible solution for sustainable carbon cycles and a potentially sustainable option for the chemical and  material industries. Also, in the political discussions in Brussels, the term “defossilation” is appearing more and more often, complementing or replacing the term decarbonisation in those areas where carbon is indispensable. MEP Maria da Graça Carvahlo is among a number of politicians in Brussels who perceive CCU as an important future industry, putting it on the political map and creating momentum for CCU. This includes the integration of CCU into the new Carbon Removal Regime and the Emission Trading System (ETS).

As the new policy documents are fully in line with the strategy of the RCI, the more than 30 member companies of the initiative are highly supportive of this new development and are ready to support policy-maker with data and detailed suggestions for active support and the realisation of sustainable carbon cycles and a sound carbon management. The recent political papers of relevance are highlighted in the following.

Brussels: Communication paper on “Sustainable Carbon Cycles”
On 15 December, the European Commission has published the communication paper “Sustainable Carbon Cycles” . For the first time, the importance of carbon in different industrial sectors is clearly stated. One of the key statements in the paper is the full recognition of CCU for the first time as a solution for the circular economy, which includes CCU-based fuels as well. The communication paper distinguishes between bio-based CO2, fossil CO2 and CO2 from direct air capture when addressing carbon removal and it also announces detailed monitoring of the different CO2 streams. Not only CCU, but also carbon from the bioeconomy is registered as an important pillar for the future. Here, the term carbon farming has been newly introduced, which refers to improved land management practices that result in an increase of carbon sequestration in living biomass, dead organic matter or soils by enhancing carbon capture or reducing the release of carbon. Even though the list of nature-based carbon storage technologies is non-exhaustive in our view, we strongly support the paper’s idea to deem sustainable land and forest management as a basis for the bioeconomy more important than solely considering land use as a carbon sink. Surprisingly, chemical recycling, which is also an alternative carbon source that substitutes additional fossil carbon from the ground (i.e. carbon from crude oil, natural gas or from coal), is completely absent from the communication paper.

Berlin: Coalition paper of the new German Government: “Dare more progress – alliance for freedom, justice and sustainability”
The whole of Europe is waiting to see how the new German government of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals will shape the German climate policy. The new reform agenda focuses in particular on solar and wind energy as well as especially hydrogen. Solar energy is to be expanded to 200 GW by 2030 and two percent of the country's land is to be designated for onshore wind energy. A hydrogen grid infrastructure is to be created for green hydrogen, which will form the backbone of the energy system of the future – and is also needed for e-fuels and sustainable chemical industry, a clear commitment to CCU. There is a further focus on the topic of circular economy and recycling. A higher recycling quota and a product-specific minimum quota for the use of recyclates and secondary raw materials should be established at European level. In the coalition paper, there is also a clear commitment to chemical recycling to be found. A significant change for the industry is planned to occur in regards to the so-called “plastic tax” of 80 cents per kilogram of non-recycled plastic packaging. This tax has been implemented by the EU, but most countries are not passing on this tax to the manufacturers and distributors, or only to a limited extent. The new German government now plans to fully transfer this tax over to the industry.

Düsseldorf: Carbon can protect the climate – Carbon Management Strategy North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
Lastly, the RCI highly welcomes North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW, Germany) as the first region worldwide to adopt a comprehensive carbon management strategy, a foundation for the transformation from using additional fossil carbon from the ground to the utilisation of renewable carbon from biomass, CO2 and recycling. For all three alternative carbon streams, separate detailed strategies are being developed to achieve the defossilisation of the industry. This is all the more remarkable as North Rhine-Westphalia is the federal state with the strongest industry in Germany, in particular the chemical industry. And it is here, of all places, that a first master plan for the conversion of industry from fossil carbon to biomass, CO2 and recycling is implemented. If successful, NRW could become a global leader in sustainable carbon
management and the region could become a blueprint for many industrial regions.

Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa announce a strategic collaboration, each maintaining its own identity and independence, based on the complementarity of the proposal and the convergence of intentions for a new and more functional way of partnership.

Iluna Group, a leader in the production of smart lace, and Maglificio Ripa, internationally recognized for the production of premium and responsible jersey, both established in common sectors - from underwear to beachwear and sportswear - formally launched this collaboration during the MarediModa show in Cannes with a joint double stand where visitors could discover the latest collections of the two companies and also imagine new designs and solutions for sustainable fashion.

"We are living in a moment of strong change, from the wave of sustainability that is finally sweeping the fashion world to new market scenarios. And we are convinced that collaboration is the key to face these new challenges. In Maglificio Ripa we saw a complementary and unique partner with whom we can reach partners, customers and suppliers in a more complete way." comments Furio Annovazzi, CEO of Iluna Group. "Ours is not a union between companies but a new model of partnership, a sort of strategic symbiosis aimed at developing together new paths that can lead the both of us both to growth. Our collections, presented in the same context, can nurture the creativity of customers at a time when the stylistic contaminations are increasingly pronounced," adds Luca Bianco, CEO of Maglificio Ripa.
 
Furthermore, Iluna Group and Maglificio Ripa jointly created their new campaign with a photo shoot and video clip as well as jointly developed a trend scenario that allowed both companies to better embrace the evolving market by sharing information, perspectives and ideas.

As the demand for recycled plastics grows, so does the size of the machines. This applies to the processing of polyolefins as well as to PET recycling. With its unique dimensions and production capacity, this new size of plant features a screw diameter of 280 mm, implemented for the first time in a VACUREMA® Basic 2628 T large-scale project for producing rPET pellets. EREMA has just shipped the plant to a customer in Brazil.

Up to 40,000 tonnes per year of rPET meeting the highest quality standards can now be produced. "For this purpose, we installed a screw with a length of ten meters, a diameter of 280 millimetres and a weight of 3.5 tonnes, which is the largest ever used in one of our recycling machines," explains Managing Director Michael Heitzinger. The screw was manufactured by 3S, a subsidiary of EREMA GmbH. No less impressive is the reactor of this recycling system, which, with a height of around 10 metres, is also unique and almost reaches the roof of the new production hall. 500 tonnes of input material were recycled during the test phase, which was subject to strict quality control. "The entire project was a great team effort," Heitzinger said, thanking everyone involved.

EREMA as a partner for large-scale projects
Just four years ago, the largest extrusion line supplied by EREMA was designed for a throughput of 15,000 tonnes per year. This size of plant was ordered by customers once or twice a year. In the meantime, machines like this leave the production site in Ansfelden every month. As early as 2020, EREMA proved to be a pioneer and reliable partner for implementing unique large-scale projects. That was when the food and beverage packaging manufacturer Envases Universales Mexico commissioned two VACUREMA® Basic 2625 T machines, each with a screw diameter of 250 mm and a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year.

Microplastic pollution is a global challenge across many industries and sectors – one of critical importance being textiles.

A 2021 study by the California Ocean Science Trust and a group of interdisciplinary scientists acknowledges that microfibres from textiles are among the most common microplastic materials found in the marine environment. Every time synthetic clothes are manufactured, worn, washed, or disposed of, they release microplastics into terrestrial and marine environments, including human food chains. Synthetic fibres represent over two-thirds (69%) of all materials used in textiles, a proportion that is expected to rise to 73% by 2030. The production of synthetic fibres has fuelled a 40-year trend of increased per capita clothing consumption.

Global textile consumption has become:

• more reliant on non-renewable resources,
• less biodegradable, and
• increasingly prone to releasing microplastics.

The increased consumption is also discretionary, driven by consumer desire and remains unchecked. Thus, the long-term trend in the textile industry parallels the intentional addition of microplastics to products such as cosmetics. The contrast is that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has recommended such intentional additions be restricted, whereas the over-consumption of synthetic fibres continues unchecked. One way for the EU to account for and mitigate microplastic pollution is through an EU-backed methodology measuring and reporting microplastic emissions, so that consumers and procurement officers have the information needed to minimise microplastic pollution resulting from their purchasing decisions.

There is a critical opportunity to address microplastic pollution in the fashion textile industry through the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. To meet the environmental objectives of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU is proposing that companies substantiate their products’ environmental credentials using this harmonised methodology. However, microplastic pollution is not accounted for in the PEF methodology. This omission has the effect of assigning a zero score to microplastic pollution and would undermine the efforts of the European Green Deal, which aim “to address the unintentional release of microplastics in the environment.”

The incorporation of microplastic pollution as an indicator would increase the legitimacy of the PEF method as well as better inform consumer purchasing decisions, especially as the European Green Deal seeks to “further develop and harmonise methods for measuring unintentionally released microplastics, especially from tyres and textiles, and delivering harmonised data on microplastics concentrations in seawater.”

Whilst we continue to learn about the damage of microplastics and there is new knowledge emerging on the toxic impacts along the food chain, there is sufficient information on the rate of microplastic leakage into the environment to implement a basic, inventory level indicator in the PEF now. This is consistent with the recommendations of a review of microplastic pollution originating from the life cycle of apparel and home textiles. There are precedents in PEF for basic level (e.g., ‘resource use, fossils’) and largely untested (e.g. land occupation and toxicity indicators) indicators, and therefore an opportunity for the EU to promote research and development in the measurement and modelling of microplastic pollution by including such emissions in the PEF methodology. For such an indicator, the long and complex supply chains of the apparel and footwear industry would be a test case with high-impact and a global reach.

AMUT’s strategic partnership with EREMA contributes to accelerate the transition towards a greener world.  In summer 2021, EREMA in collaboration with AMUT  has finalized the installation and commissioning of ALTO packaging ́s first extrusion line for food grade PET sheets in New Zealand market. At the ALTO Plastic Packaging site, in Albany, the plant now processes 100 % washed post-
consumer flakes into 100 % food contact grade monolayer thermoforming sheet. In New Zealand, this milestone represents the first system to be installed for this special application.

The plastic packaging company ALTO, a division of PACT Group, invested for this new food grade PET sheet extrusion line as a part of Pact Group ́s vision to lead Circular Economy through Packaging in Australia and New Zealand.

Thanks to the direct combination of VACUREMA® PET recycling technology and the AMUT Inline Sheet production technology there is no longer any extra process stage. This is, because the melt goes straight from the VACUREMA® 1716 T Basic to the AMUT plant without the detour of pelletising. The post-consumer PET material is already decontaminated and pre-dried prior to extrusion in the vacuum reactor of the VACUREMA® Basic, with a throughput of up to 1,500 kg per hour. After high capacity filtration by EREMA SW-RTF backflush filter and online IV measurement, the melt goes directly into the AMUT Inline Sheet plant where it is processed into thermoforming sheet from 0.15 mm till 1.2 mm thickness. The monolayer thermoforming sheet produced from pure rPET is not only 100 % food contact compliant, it also fulfils the FDA and further regulations. At ALTO it is further processed into trays and food containers.

AMUT played its part by providing a full range of downstream equipment ranging from the Automatic Tdie, three rolls stack calender with automatic gap control and motorized cross axing unit, lamination unit for welding and barrier films, thickness control gauge to anti-static silicon coating unit, fully automatic two shafts turret winder and in line edge trims grinding and recycling.

The special features of this extrusion line come from the complete automatic and easy management of the line. This is due to the new Amut`s software including the Easy Start and Easy Change functions that will allow the operator to start the extrusion line and change product formats in automatic mode.

EREMA and AMUT are long-term partners in the Inline Sheet sector. EREMA ́s VACUREMA® technology is currently in use in more than 100 Inline Sheet facilities around the world, also for PACT Group companies in Australia. 

• RGE has formalised two new partnerships in Singapore to advance sustainable fashion.

The first is a three-year strategic partnership with the Textile & Fashion Federation (TaFF) to advocate sustainable industry practices within Singapore and the region, through programme implementation, research, and education. The second is a five-year research collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) on innovation in textile recycling technology.

The partnership with TaFF on its fashion sustainability programme was officially launched today. Through industry talent development and capacity building, raising corporate and consumer awareness, and innovation promotion, TaFF seeks to galvanise the fashion ecosystem towards redefining sustainable fashion.

Wilson Teo, President of TaFF, said, “Our strategic partnership with RGE marks a step forward for TaFF to expand our sustainability ecosystem throughout the fashion value chain, from materials, manufacturing, brands and technology to solutions. We have set up a Steering Committee that spans across the value chain, as a model for the industry. Together with our collaborators, we will continue to equip enterprises in the journey of sustainability. We will also work with communities to build awareness in responsible consumption and recycling.”

RGE has committed to provide nearly S$3 million funding over three years to support TaFF’s fashion sustainability programme. In addition, RGE’s Vice Chairman Bey Soo Khiang joins the programme’s Steering Committee as its Vice Chairperson.

Tey Wei Lin, President of RGE, said, “As a Singapore-based company and the world’s largest viscose producer, our business is well-positioned to support the country’s desire to advance sustainable development and to create a green economy. Our collaboration with TaFF and NTU is an investment of financial and other resources to create meaningful impact, not just within Singapore but also in the region. As part of our US$200 million investment commitment into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology, we seek to work with innovators, industry partners, research institutions and academia to scale up solutions that will deliver cleaner and more circular cellulosic textile fibre to the masses at affordable prices.”

The launch of TaFF’s fashion sustainability programme follows the roll-out of the Enterprise Sustainability Programme (ESP) by Enterprise Singapore on 1 October 2021, which supports enterprises in their sustainability initiatives and helps them capture new opportunities in the green economy.

“Industry partnerships are pertinent to uplift capabilities of enterprises. We are very encouraged by TaFF’s efforts to drive sustainability in the textile and fashion sector as trade associations and chambers play a key role in strengthening sector-specific capabilities,” said Alan Yeo, Director of Retail & Design at Enterprise Singapore. “Collaborations with corporate partners such as RGE will also help accelerate this process. This is a good start and we hope to eventually see more companies across all sectors start to integrate sustainability alongside their growth.”

The launch event was graced by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, TaFF’s patron and Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann, CEO of Enterprise Singapore Png Cheong Boon, as well senior representatives from TaFF and RGE.

The official launch of the research collaboration with NTU is expected to take place next year. A key desired outcome from the collaboration is to complement RGE’s pilot urban-fit textile recycling plant in Singapore.

Travis Wells, JD, MBA, has been appointed as GOTS Protection Officer North America. In this newly created position, he will be identifying and advising companies that are making unsubstantiated claims regarding GOTS signage.

An increasing number of companies are eager to use GOTS certified materials and want to make claims regarding GOTS content on their finished products. However, the correct use of the trademarked logo is strictly regulated in CUGS 3.1. – The conditions for the use of GOTS signs. A GOTS claim on finished products guarantees the consumer that every single step in the textile processing supply chain was certified. As soon as one stage in the supply chain is not certified, a company may not label or mention GOTS on their final product.

As a Sustainable Supply Chain Director, Travis has more than 20 years of experience advising fashion and apparel-related businesses on sustainable sourcing, product development and manufacturing in domestic and global markets. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in International Studies from Vassar College, his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) in Corporate Law from George Washington University Law School and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Global Sustainability and Finance from the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University.