From the Sector

The combination of high strength and rigidity with sustainability and a neutral carbon footprint makes flax the ideal raw material for natural fibre-reinforced plastics. vombaur offers composite textiles made of this natural fibre for the automotive, wind power, construction or sports industries and many other sectors.

Flax fibres are rigid and tear-proof. They have natural bactericidal properties, are virtually antistatic, stain resistant and easy to spin. Humans have taken advantage of these properties to manufacture robust, stain-resistant and lint-free textiles. Between the late 19^th and late 20^th centuries, cotton largely replaced natural fibres. Because flax can be grown in Europe and consumes less energy and water than cotton production, the material's importance is currently growing again, for both clothing and composites. Regional textile value added chains in Europe – flax makes them possible.

Ideal mechanical properties
vombaur makes the mechanical properties of flax usable for lightweight design. Because flax fibres are particularly rigid and tear-resistant, they ensure great stability in natural fibre-reinforced plastics (NFRPs). And thanks to their low density of 1.50 g/cm3, the fibres weigh virtually nothing. On top of this, fibre-reinforced plastics are less prone to splintering than glass fibre-reinforced plastics.

Excellent carbon footprint
The cultivation of flax binds CO₂ and the production of natural fibre-reinforced plastics (NFRPs) generates approximately one third less CO₂ emissions compared with conventional fibre-reinforced plastics. Energy consumption is substantially lower. This saves resources. The use of flax fibre tapes by vombaur in lightweight design applications also improves the product's carbon footprint and contributes to a secure, regional supply chain.

Recycling without impacting on quality
Flax offers another sustainability benefit: more recycling cycles than glass- or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics – without impacting on quality. Thermoplastic fibre-matrix prepregs are melted and reused in the recycling process. The natural fibres can be used in other products such as natural fibre-reinforced injection moulded parts.

Sustainable product developments for many industries
"Orthoses for high-performance sports, high-tech skis, wind turbines, components for the automotive industry or aerospace, but also modern window profiles – the application scope for our lightweight design flax tapes is amazingly diverse", as Carl Mrusek, Chief Sales Officer at vombaur explains. "After all, wherever flax tapes are used, three key properties come together: light weight, strength and sustainability".

Deakin University has signed a partnership agreement with Geelong-based company Xefco as part of its Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) to conduct new research to transform how our clothing, including jeans, get their colour.

Jeans are one of the most worn garments in the world, but they are also one of the least environmentally friendly, taking around 75 litres of water to dye just one pair.

Deakin’s work with Xefco is helping to explore if a waterless manufacturing process can replace the water intensive processes the clothing industry has used for hundreds of years. The new technology in development is called ‘Ausora’.

Associate Professor Alessandra Sutti, from Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials, said it was exciting to be on the commercialisation journey with Xefco, working with the company to discover what is possible and hopefully reduce the world’s fashion footprint.

“If successful, the Ausora technology, which colours fabrics without the need for large quantities of water, will put us a step closer to more efficient and sustainable clothing manufacturing,” Associate Professor Sutti said.

Xefco CEO Tom Hussey said the company’s new pilot plant, housed at Deakin in Geelong, will test different materials, including specialised fabrics such as waterproof items like outdoor jackets and jeans.

“This is the first stage of Xefco’s vision for the technology, with the REACH project focused on demonstrating the commercial viability of the technology at pilot scale and developing processes so it can be scaled up for commercial production,” Mr Hussey said.

“Together, Deakin and Xefco will push the limits of innovation and see what is possible.”
Xefco’s pilot plant is co-located with Deakin researchers at ManuFutures, the state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing hub at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus.

Founded in 2018 Xefco now employs 17 people and its products are already making a difference across the world. Its XReflex technology, which reduces consumption of insulation materials, is being used by some of the world’s leading apparel and fashion brands including The North Face.

Backed by a $50 million grant from the Australian Government’s inaugural Trailblazer Universities Program, with industry and university support taking the total project value to $380 million, REACH is facilitating the development of greener supply chains and accelerating business success as markets move from a throughput economy to a circular economy.

Ananas Anam, the provider of innovative low-impact textile solutions made from pineapple leaf waste, announced the appointment of Manel Echevarria as the new CEO. The Spanish executive who had previously worked as CEO for Grupo Excens Sports and Lacoste Iberia, as well as in senior executive roles for Swarovski and MontBlanc, will lead the global business from its European research and production site near Barcelona in Spain.

At the beginning of the year, the company reported the successful closing of a funding round led by HALTRA Group, a family-backed sustainable investment firm in Luxembourg and a group of strategic investors, including the French Compagnie Fruitière, one of the leading producers in Europe and major fruit producer in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific region, as well the global automotive technology supplier Forvia, and Asahi Kasei Corp, a leading Japanese multinational group working in innovative materials and technologies.

“The appointment of Manel Echevarria as a seasoned CEO with an impressive track-record in the fashion and luxury industry marks another important milestone in setting Ananas Anam up for the next phase of growth” says Dr. Christian Kurtzke, Chairman of Ananas Anam. “Following our investment in the development of an impressive portfolio of next-generation innovative biodegradable, traceable and sustainable materials, and into the setup of its network of strategic partners on the supply and shareholder side, Manel will provide the leadership for driving growth and industrial scale of this pioneering sustainability brand amidst a continued challenging global market environment in fashion, interiors and automotive.”

With Ananas Anam’s core portfolio of innovative materials, the company has successfully collaborated with well-known brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith and Cat Footwear and sustainable-fashion pioneers like Ecoalf to drive innovation in footwear, as well as with fashion brands like Carolina Herrera in the area of bags and accessories, substituting animal leather in the product design with its vegan, cruelty-free, low-impact and sustainable pineapple leaf fibre based textiles. In July 2023, at the Premiere Vision exhibition in Paris, the company presented the next generation of Piñatex as well as its breakthrough innovation Piñayarn as a biodegradable, traceable and sustainable yarn, and introducing Anam PALF, as a commercially available premium textile grade pineapple leaf fibre, opening up a world of new applications and markets.

“Driving the sustainability transformation in fashion, as well as in interiors and automotive has become a key priority on the agenda of brands and OEMs around the world,” says Manel Echevarria, CEO Ananas Anam. “I am proud to have the opportunity to lead the company in this decisive time, and I am looking forward to collaborating with our exceptional Spanish founder, Dr Carmen Hijosa, and Josep Taylor in Spain, with Bruno de Penanster and his team in the UK, as well as with Chuck Lazaro and his team in the Philippines to turn this amazing sustainability ambition and purpose into a reality.”

The project "A Dress For Venice" get on the Red Carpet at the Venice Film Festival to advocate for sustainability. September 7th, actress Margot Sikabonyi will wear a dress from the collection designed by conscious designer Tiziano Guardini, illustrated by artist Jacopo Ascari, and produced by Martina Vidal Venezia, with the following materials:

• Bemberg™: The innovative and biodegradable fiber from the Japanese company Asahi Kasei.
• Burano lace: Produced by the historic Martina Vidal Venezia for four generations.

"Returning to Venice and experiencing the emotions of this place and the artists who have enriched it is exhilarating," says Tiziano Guardini. "It's a work based on volumes, shapes, three-dimensionality, colours and materials research… from Mariano Fortuny to the Ottoman Empire's Turcherie."

Illustrator Ascari adds, "I started with a careful study of the works of Canaletto, Guardi and Bellotto, masterpieces of Eighteenth-Century Vedutismo. I portrayed new perspectives on the city's splendour, enhanced by Guardini's vibrant shapes and color choices."

On Thursday, September 7th, at 12:30, in the Veneto Region's room at the Hotel Excelsior on Lido, Elena Donazzan, Councilor for Education, Training, Employment, and Equal Opportunities, will present the project alongside its creators Laura Scarpa and Lorenzo Cinotti of Venezia da Vivere, designer Tiziano Guardini, artist Jacopo Ascari, and actress Margot Sikabonyi.

"We conceived A Dress For Venice for Homo Faber in 2019, to celebrate Venice's 1600 years of craftsmanship," explains Laura Scarpa. "This year, the research extends to sustainable innovation thanks to an international team of designers, artisans and companies," continues Lorenzo Cinotti.

The project reaffirms Venice's role as an international laboratory to reflect on the planet's future. "A Dress For Venice" is a limited-edition collection realized with the support of a network of companies identified by the Tavolo Veneto della Moda (Confartigianato, CNA, Confindustria, Confesercenti and Confcommercio of Veneto), the global platform C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy), the partnership of Camera Buyer Italia and the media partnership of The Italian Rêve.

The presentation of the collection to buyers will take place at the Marina Guidi showroom in mid-September, while it will have its dedicated exhibition on Friday, October 20th, during the Venice Fashion Week.

"A Dress for Venice" is endorsed by the Comune di Venezia, the Regione del Veneto, and Homo Faber - Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte, which promotes worldwide high craftsmanship and savoir-faire.

Partners in the project Infinity srl and Tessitura Grisotto, renowned Italian textile manufacturers who expertly craft Bemberg™ fiber into exquisite fabrics. Creazioni Digitali, a specialized company in sublimation digital printing, carries out the prints on Bemberg™ textiles with its unique project GreenDrop; with inks that reduces the water consumption.

Other partners include Marina Iremonger, Camera Buyer Italia, and the Tavolo Veneto della Moda, representing Confartigianato, CNA, Confindustria, Confcommercio, and Confesercenti.

Spinnova has decided to evaluate its existing strategy to prioritise areas that in the short- to medium-term deliver the fastest time to positive cashflow generation and that create the most value for the company’s stakeholders.
 

The company expects to conclude the assessment of its strategy in the coming months, after which the results will be presented in more detail including key actions and any changes to medium- and long-term business targets. Financial guidance for full year 2023 is unchanged.

Spinnova’s unique sustainable technology is a key differentiator. To recognize the value of its technology offering, the company has decided to review opportunities to expand the licensing of its technology to new customers. In the future, Spinnova sees great potential in developing circular raw materials such as textile waste and agricultural waste, as well as recycled SPINNOVA® fibre. Initial tests show that refining these raw materials into micro fibrillated cellulose (MFC) may be more efficient than refining other raw materials Spinnova has worked with. The company has received significant interest from customers wanting to build plants that convert multiple circular raw materials into SPINNOVA® fibre.

Together with Suzano, Spinnova is gathering the learnings from the first Woodspin plant to support the decision making for the next Woodspin factory investment. At the same time Spinnova continues to further develop the technology concept to reduce capital expenditure per tonne of fibre produced compared to the first Woodspin plant. While Suzano develops its MFC process it is expected that the first Woodspin facility will mainly be used for R&D to test new MFC batches and that commercial production volumes will be limited in the short term. The market opportunity and ambition level with Suzano to scale Woodspin’s production capacity remains unchanged

Spinnova will continue to have the option to invest into all future Woodspin and Respin plants, as per the respective joint venture agreements. The company will evaluate whether it participates in these investments based on the value it creates for Spinnova’s shareholders compared to other opportunities to invest Spinnova’s capital. Regardless of whether Spinnova invests its own capital into future plants, Spinnova will continue to be the exclusive technology provider to Woodspin and Respin, and they will continue to be important technology customers of Spinnova.

The Lenzing Group, a leading provider of specialty fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, has made significant technical improvements to its Purwakarta site (PT. South Pacific Viscose). Lenzing has invested more than EUR 100 million since 2021 to convert existing production capacity to specialty viscose. With the imminent completion of the investment, Lenzing is in a better position to serve the strongly growing demand for specialty fibers.

Lenzing is striving for certification according to the standard of the internationally recognized EU Ecolabel1. The product portfolio would thus include LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded fibers for textiles and VEOCEL™ branded fibers for nonwoven applications. In the course of these substantial investments, Lenzing has set the goal of significantly reducing emissions at the site. Moreover, the site started to obtain renewable grid electricity and promotes a changeover to biomass in line with Lenzing's goals of reducing carbon emissions per ton of product by 50 percent by 2030 and achieving carbon-neutral production by 2050.

“Demand for specialty fibers with low environmental impacts continues to grow structurally. We see enormous growth potential in Asia in particular. Through our investments in Indonesia and also at other Lenzing sites worldwide, we are in a better position to serve this growing demand. At the same time, we continue working tirelessly to make the industries in which we operate even more sustainable and to drive the transformation of the textile business model from linear to circular,” says Stephan Sielaff, Chief Executive Officer of the Lenzing Group.

Using recovered resin from discarded car bumpers, Autoneum’s sustainable Re-Liner technology transforms a previously unusable waste product into lightweight and durable wheelhouse outer liners. In addition to their high recycled content, the eco-friendly components require significantly less energy to produce than conventional alternatives. The innovation presents another important step towards a more sustainable circular economy and has now been nominated for the 2023 PACE Award.

Autoneum has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2023 Automotive News PACE Awards. Entering its 29th year, this prestigious award honors superior innovation, technological advancement and business performance among automotive suppliers.

Re-Liner is based on a core of polyolefins recovered from post-consumer bumpers and has a textile top layer made of fibers from recycled materials. “Autoneum has recognized the untapped potential of recovered resin from automotive bumper covers as a resource and is giving this former waste product a second life,” explained Dan Moler. “The core resin of Re-Liner is 100% automotive post-consumer recycled material, not just a filler or additive to a virgin material. Lightweight, durable, and sustainable wheelhouse outer liners based on this technology are expected to reduce waste generated by bumper covers by nearly one million kilograms in 2023.”

For more than a quarter century of a century, the PACE Award has honored innovations driven by automotive suppliers. The award is known in the global automotive industry for identifying and recognizing the latest game-changing innovation: from the plant floor to the product to the showroom. In 2000, Autoneum (then Rieter Automotive) already received a PACE Award for its Ultra-Light technology. In addition, two of the Company’s technologies have also been nominated as finalists in the past: Ultra-Silent in 2010 and Theta-Fiber in 2012.

The Sustainability Report 2022, which is now digitally available summarizes key ecological, economic, and social developments.
The report shows that the CHT Group has defined and anchored sustainability as an integral part of its corporate strategy.
 

• The group of companies is pursuing the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045
• At the end of 2021, the CHT Group subscribed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to meet the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and committed to the 1.5 °C target
• 77 % of sales were achieved with sustainably classified products

The issue of sustainability has been anchored in the DNA of the internationally active foundation-owned group of companies for 70 years. No less an aspiration is derived from this than to support all customers with the most innovative, most sustainable products and solutions and thus to become the leading supplier of sustainable chemical products and solutions in all target markets.

"Climate neutrality" and comprehensive social responsibility  
In the implementation of the sustainability strategy of the CHT Group, the field of action "climate neutrality" takes a central role. The CHT Group has set itself the goal of being climate neutral both in its own production and in the supply chain from the year 2045. The path to climate neutrality by 2045 is illustrated in the report as part of the strategic goal.

In addition to climate protection, social responsibility is also a top priority for the CHT Group. The continuous improvement of health protection and occupational safety is a top priority for the company.

From CHT's point of view, qualified and committed employees make a significant contribution to the company's future success. For this reason, the CHT Group promotes the professional and personal development of its workforce to a high degree and invests in future-oriented and targeted training and further education of its workforce.

For the CHT Group, the respect for human rights is an indispensable pillar of the corporate culture and an essential part of the group-wide Code of Conduct. In 2022, the Human Rights Compliance Policy Statement was developed, and compliance processes and measures were put in place to prevent any violations and identify and mitigate human rights related risks.

The Lenzing Group, a world-leading provider of specialty fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, has been awarded platinum status in the EcoVadis CSR rating. The rating comprehensively covers the four most important practices in the area of corporate social responsibility: environment, fair working conditions and human rights, as well as ethics and sustainable procurement.

For the third time, Lenzing has been awarded Platinum status for its sustainability performance by EcoVadis, a leading international provider of sustainability ratings for companies. This puts Lenzing in the top one percent of companies worldwide rated by EcoVadis.

EcoVadis has become the world's largest and most trusted provider of corporate sustainability ratings since its founding in 2007, creating a global network of more than 100,000 rated companies worldwide. The methodological framework assesses companies' policies, actions and activities, as well as their published reports, related to the environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

In line with its sustainability strategy “Naturally positive”, the Lenzing Group has set ambitious targets in each of its core strategic areas to further strengthen its path from a linear to a circular economy model. Lenzing reports annually on the corresponding implementation measures and the progress made in its sustainability report. This level of commitment and transparency was particularly positively highlighted by EcoVadis in its assessment. The rating provider also emphasized the Lenzing Group's comprehensive measures in the areas of environment, ethics, and labor and human rights.

Am 17. und 18. Juli 2023 informierten sich Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der Veranstaltung „Textil Innovativ – Technologien für Mobilität und Schutz“ über Trends, Herausforderungen und Lösungen für moderne Mobilität sowie Persönliche Schutzausrüstung (PSA) in Verbindung mit Digitalisierung und Recycling. Zudem wurde zur „Datenbasierten Wertschöpfung in der Textilindustrie“ diskutiert.

Mobilität in der Zukunft ist digital, komfortabel und natürlich nachhaltig. Der Schalter für die Sitzheizung ist in die textile Oberfläche der Mittelkonsole integriert. Das Gewebe der Sitzfläche heizt oder kühlt – je nach Bedarf. Der Dachhimmel leuchtet. Die Karosserie ist leicht und stabil, um Sprit zu sparen und trotzdem bei Unfällen zu schützen. Referenten und Aussteller zeigten, wie sie den besonderen Anforderungen an Maschinen, Produktionsprozesse sowie die neuen Materialien selbst gerecht werden.

Auch das Thema Persönliche Schutzausrüstung (PSA) birgt für Unternehmen Herausforderungen. Viele Funktionen, wie beispielsweise Hitzeschutz, erfordern eine spezielle chemische Ausrüstung der Textilien. Diese unterliegt jedoch häufig umweltschutzrechtlichen Einschränkungen und Verboten. Worauf Unternehmen bei der Produktion von PSA achten müssen, wurde ebenfalls erörtert.

Welche Potenziale die Digitalisierung für genau diese Anforderungen bietet, wurde in der Veranstaltung ebenfalls deutlich. Der Digitale Produktpass kommt. Er ist Teil eines EU-weiten Maßnahmenpakets zur Förderung von Ökodesign und Ressourceneffizienz und soll den Verbraucher informieren, wo das Produkt herkommt, woraus es besteht oder wie man es reparieren kann. Die Umsetzung betrifft alle Branchen und Dienstleistungen, mit weitreichenden Auswirkungen auf die unternehmerischen Geschäftsprozesse. Das setzt eine gewaltige Datenmenge voraus. Wie datenbasierte Wertschöpfung in der Textilindustrie funktioniert, war Thema in der abschließenden Diskussionsrunde.  

An welchen Stellen das Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Smarte Kreisläufe kleine und mittlere Unternehmen unterstützen kann, erläuterte die Geschäftsführerin Anja Merker in einem Pitch-Beitrag sowie an einem Informationsstand vor Ort. Das Angebot des Zentrums umfasst nicht nur reine Wissensvermittlung zum Unternehmen der Zukunft in Verbindung mit Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz. Die Partner geben Orientierung und bilden Ihre Mitarbeiter weiter, entwickeln gemeinsam Ideen in Workshops und erarbeiten mit Ihnen Konzepte, die Sie im Unternehmen umsetzen können.