From the Sector

INDA held an Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. in partnership with ISSA’s, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, 2024 Clean Advocacy Summit. Over the course of two days, INDA members took to the nation’s capital to convene, connect, and advocate for issues important to the nonwovens industry, meeting with the staff and elected officials in over a dozen congressional offices.  

A key focus of these congressional meetings was education and support for the passage of the WIPPES Act (H.R.2964 / S.1350), the federal effort to implement consistent national Do Not Flush Labeling standards for non-flushable wipes. They also advocated for the renewal of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill to provide tariff relief on items without domestic production as well as discussed various trade policy issues.

The advocacy summit portion of the event included panels on Wipes Policy, consumer education, international trade, plastics, and PFAS. Speakers included Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, James Willett, International Economist for the International Trade Administration, Sarah Sapirstein, federal lobbyist for the California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Lara Wyss, President of the Responsible Flushing Alliance, Jason Eberstein of the Plastics Industry Association, and Shawn Swearingen of the American Chemistry Council.

At the "International Conference on Cellulose Fibers 2024" in Cologne, Germany, the Nova Institute for Ecology and Innovation awarded first place in the Innovation Prize to the project partners of the EU-funded HEREWEAR project. They presented a dress made of cellulose fibers, which is entirely made of straw pulp.

HEREWEAR is an EU-wide research project that brings together partners from research and industry. They are working to establish a European circular economy for locally produced textiles and clothing made from bio-based raw materials.
The HEREWEAR consortium consists of small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions. HEREWEAR covers all the necessary expertise and infrastructure from academic and applied research and industry from nine EU countries.

The HEREWEAR approach includes technical and ecological innovations in the production of fibers, yarns, fabrics, knitwear and garments, as well as the use of regional value chains and the circular development of fashion items.

New technologies for wet and melt spinning of cellulose and bio-based polyesters, e.g. PLA, from which yarns and fabrics are produced, form the technical basis. Coating and dyeing processes have been developed and tested as part of the project. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of the product, another environmental goal is to reduce the release of microfibers throughout the textile manufacturing process and life cycle.

Improving the sustainability and recyclability of the developed garments is ensured by design for circularity and digitally networked production means. On-demand production is realized in so-called "microfactories", which are individualized and produce only for actual demand. This production method can be achieved through regional, networked value chains and enables the traceability of materials and manufacturing processes.

The dress presented at the award ceremony is an example of the cooperation and the different qualifications of the project partners: TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) provided sustainably produced pulp. The HighPerCell fibers were produced in DITF's spinning facilities. At the same time, designers from the fashion label Vretena created the design for the flexible, two-piece dress, which can be knitted without cutting waste. DITF textile experts worked with the designers to develop the knitting pattern. DITF textile engineers and technicians produced the knitted fabric and assembled the dress at the institutes’ technical center. DITF computer scientists and engineers created the "value chain" and "digital twins" for digital traceability of the production processes.

The innovation prize was awarded to the HEREWEAR consortiu for their joint achievement. Representatives of DITF Denkendorf and Vretena accepted the award on behalf of the EU project partners.

Texhibition Istanbul Fabric and Textile Accessories Fair, organised by İTKİB Fuarcılık A.Ş. in cooperation with the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (İTHİB), is ready for its fifth edition. From 6 to 8 March 2024, 558 exhibitors will present themselves to the 30,000 expected visitors from over 100 countries, including the European Union, Great Britain, the USA, North Africa and the Middle East. With this edition, Texhibition has more than doubled the space compared to the last event to 35,000 square metres.

The fifth edition of Texhibition Istanbul offers a comprehensive overview of all product groups in the textile prepress sector: from woven fabrics to knitwear, from denim to artificial leather and textile accessories

Due to popular demand, the fair has been expanded to five halls, including the new Yarn Hall (Hall 8) with exhibitors such as Sasa, Aksa, Karafiber, Kortex, Tepar, Ensar, Kaplanlar and Iskur and the BlueBlack Denim Hall (Hall 7), which showcases the latest denim trends and presents a wide range from blue shades to black denims with exhibitors such as İsko, Çalık Bossa, Kipas and İskur. BlueBlack Denim is designed by the  designer Idil Tarzi in cooperation with the creative directors Gönül Altunisik and Selvi Yigci.

Curated by Idil Tarzi and her creative team, the Texhibition Trend Area in Halls 4 and 5 presents the latest colour trends, materials and accessories.

Under the direction of designers Arzu Kaprol and Filiz Tunca, the Innovation Hub showcases technological innovations that add value to textile production: from fibre to yarn, from fabrics to clothing.

Digital art installations in the entrance area, which run through the entire trade fair, as well as piano performances in the foyer await visitors at the upcoming Texhibition.

Seminars and workshops with industry experts shed light on current topics in the industry, including innovations, production processes and design developments. These opportunities offer participants a platform to exchange knowledge and discuss the latest developments in the textile industry.

At this year's JEC World, STFI will be presenting highlights from carbon fibre recycling as well as a new approach to hemp-based bast fibres, which have promising properties as reinforcement in lightweight construction.

Green Snowboard
At JEC World in Paris from 5 to 7 March 2024, STFI will be showcasing a snowboard from silbaerg GmbH with a patented anisotropic coupling effect made from hemp and recycled carbon fibres with bio-based epoxy resin. In addition to silbaerg and STFI, the partners Circular Saxony - the innovation cluster for the circular economy, FUSE Composite and bto-epoxy GmbH were also involved in the development of the board. The green snowboard was honoured with the JEC Innovation Award 2024 in the “Sport, Leisure and Recreation” category.

VliesComp
The aim of the industrial partners Tenowo GmbH (Hof), Siemens AG (Erlangen), Invent GmbH (Braunschweig) and STFI united in the VliesComp project is to bring recycled materials back onto the market in various lightweight construction solutions. The application fields "Innovative e-machine concepts for the energy transition" and "Innovative e-machine concepts for e-mobility" were considered as examples. On display at JEC World in Paris will be a lightweight end shield for electric motors made from hybrid nonwovens - a mixture of thermoplastic fibre components and recycled reinforcing fibres - as well as nonwovens with 100% recycled reinforcing fibres. The end shield was ultimately manufactured with a 100% recycled fibre content. The tests showed that, compared to the variant made from primary carbon fibres using the RTM process, a 14% reduction in CO₂ equivalent is possible with the same performance. The calculation for the use of the prepreg process using a bio-resin system shows a potential for reducing the CO₂ equivalent by almost 70 %.

Bast fibre reinforcement
To increase stability in the plant stem, bast fibres form in the bark area, which support the stem but, in contrast to the rigid wood, are very flexible and allow slender, tall plants to move in the wind without breaking.A new process extracts the bast bark from hemp by peeling.The resulting characteristic values, such as tensile modulus of elasticity, breaking strength and elongation, are very promising in comparison with the continuous rovings made of flax available on the market.The material could be used as reinforcement in lightweight construction.At JEC World, STFI will be exhibiting reinforcing bars that have been processed into a knitted fabric using a pultrusion process based on bio-based reinforcing fibres made from hemp bast for mineral matrices.

Archroma has made its AVITERA® SE technology accessible to more brands and mills with the launch of AVITERA® SE GENERATION NEXT for more cost-effective sustainable dyeing of cellulosic fibers and blends.

With an improved cost-to-performance ratio for new dark and extra-dark shades, the AVITERA® SE GENERATION NEXT range helps mills produce differentiated end articles that comply with the environmental requirements of leading brands and retailers while increasing yield, improving productivity and reducing processing costs.

With high-speed low-temperature wash-off, high process reliability and great reproducibility, AVITERA® SE Generation Next allows mills to achieve water and energy savings of up to 50% and to slash CO₂ emissions and effluent discharge by up to 50% as well. It can also increase mill output by up to 25% or more. The dyes are free from arylamines, including PCA^[1], and offer fastness properties, retaining their colors through repeated home laundering and exposure to light, perspiration and chlorine.

Three new dark colors have been added to the AVITERA® SE range:

• AVITERA® BLACK PEARL SE: A greenish-cast black dye with high color consistency that can be used to correct metamerism.
• AVITERA® BLUE HORIZON SE: A deep blue element with good light fastness in medium to deep shades, as well as high oxidative fastness and high resistance to nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere.
• AVITERA® NIGHT STORM SE: A new navy shade with a greenish cast and strong build up. It is recommended for dyeing the deepest navy and combination shades.

^[1] Non-detectable on the garment

The data and the information reported examine the performance relative to the companies Marchi & Fildi S.p.A. and Filidea S.r.l. during the year 1st January 2022 to 31st December 2022. In addition, with the aim of putting the data into a context of developments, a comparison with data pertaining to 2021 was also made.

Amongst the numerous data and insights provided by the analyses given in the Report, some relevant performance factors relating to environmental achievements emerge.

With reference to Marchi & Fildi, and in comparison to 2021, the year 2022 demonstrated:

• A unit reduction in water consumption of 57% and unit reduction of waste water of 19%
• A unit reduction in electric power consumption of 13%

An overall reduction in CO2 emissions (Scope I + Scope II) of 22% In the same period, for Filidea the following results are shown:

• A unit reduction in water consumption of 26%, unit waste water of 22%
• A reduction in unit natural gas consumption of 7%
• A reduction in unit electric power consumption of 14%
• An overall reduction in CO2 emissions (Scope I + Scope II) of 7%

These data offer quantitative feedback on the constant commitment to the optimisation of resources and use of production technologies with low energy impact, which the Group has adopted for years.

Massimo Marchi, Marchi & Fildi’s President, has this to say about the choice to invest in this form of reporting:
“The decision to write a Sustainability Report represents for us one of the elements which guide us towards the constant improvement of company performance with reference to ESG. This is one of the stages towards the formalisation of a strategic plan for the management of sustainability, a journey which the Group has been committed to for years and in which we believe 100%.”

The Lenzing Group has concluded a supply contract with the Austrian electricity producer WLK energy for the purchase of around 13 megawatts of wind power. Lenzing is thus not only underlining its commitment to climate protection and the energy transition, but is also making a long-term investment in a price-stable and diversified electricity supply. The contract has a term of 15 years and provides for supply from the new wind farm in Engelhartstetten from the first quarter of 2025.

The construction of the wind farm is a joint project involving several partners, including the operator and electricity supplier WLK energy, based in Untersiebenbrunn (Lower Austria). The total output of the wind farm with a total of eleven wind turbines will be around 45 megawatts. The share of around 13 megawatts, which will be produced exclusively for the needs of the Lenzing site (Upper Austria), corresponds to the average electricity requirements of around 10,000 households per year in Austria. The ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction took place on November 09, 2023 with representatives from politics and business.

In 2019, Lenzing was the first fiber manufacturer to set itself the goal of reducing its CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and becoming carbon-neutral by 2050. This CO2 reduction target was recognized by the Science Based Targets Initiative. In 2022, Lenzing opened Upper Austria's largest open-space photovoltaic plant together with Verbund and also signed an electricity supply contract for photovoltaic energy with the green electricity producer Enery and Energie Steiermark.

After four decades in the packaging industry, the Manjushree Group is entering the Indian nonwovens market. The entrepreneurs rely on a flexible RF Smart Composite line from Reifenhäuser Reicofil to meet very different customer requirements.

The Manjushree Group operated a blown film line for packaging materials for the tea industry in the eastern part of India as early as 1983. In the years that followed, Manjushree Technopack Ltd. developed into one of the largest suppliers of solutions for rigid plastic products in South Asia - and the family business grew into a group with several business segments. In 2018, the entrepreneurial family repositioned itself: it sold its previous core business to a financial investor and established Manjushree Ventures with footholds in start-up financing, real estate business, and manufacturing - the largest of which is Manjushree Spntek as a producer of high-quality spunmelted fabrics.

Since February 2023, Manjushree Spntek has been producing high-performance spunmelts on an RF Smart Composite line from Reifenhäuser Reicofil - benefiting both from many years of experience in the packaging industry and from experience with Reifenhäuser's blown film lines. "We know a lot about plastic extrusion, for example when it comes to line operating parameters such as temperature and pressure. Processing is similar in both industries," explains Rajat Kedia. "The main difference is the distribution of the products: In plastic packaging, we had an established customer base and sold a lot of material to the big consumer goods manufacturers. The nonwovens market in India, on the other hand, is still forming, with thousands of small companies currently getting involved." These serve customers in their regions, such as hospitals.

The RF Smart Composite line is a standardized spunmelt line for smaller and emerging markets. The line produces nonwovens of the highest Reicofil quality with appropriately adapted throughput. This makes it ideally suited for applications in hygiene and medical technology and, with typically 8,200 annual production hours, it is extremely reliable. In addition, operators can start production quickly because in many cases the line can be integrated into existing buildings.

Before production could start, Manjushree built a new production building in Bidadi, a town an hour's drive from Bangalore International Airport. The building is designed to be sustainable: It uses natural light and fresh air, has comprehensive contamination control, and obtains almost all of its energy from renewable sources. Reifenhäuser Reicofil then installed, commissioned and tested the RF Smart Composite line.

Since February 2023, Manjushree Spntek has been producing high-quality spunmelted nonwovens, including ultra-soft fabrics and fabrics with special coatings for customers in the hygiene and medical industries. The material can be used, for example, for baby diapers and feminine hygiene products, but also for medical articles ranging from surgical gowns to surgical drapes.

Technological progress often results from close collaboration, and industries that rely on continual improvement stand to benefit from the return to in-person business. Cinte Techtextil China’s first edition since eased pandemic measures is set to reflect a 27.9% increase in exhibitor numbers, with a rejuvenated international contingent further supplemented by the return of the European Zone. Taking place from 19 – 21 September across 40,000 sqm at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the platform is expected to welcome buyers from across Asia, Europe, and beyond. Pre-registrations have doubled compared to the previous edition, and international buyers account for over 20% of the total.

The new zone, Marine Textile Zone, will be comprised of multiple Chinese green marine and nautical rope netting exhibitors, while also hosting the Technology Exchange Forum, and the awards ceremony of the Top 10 Suppliers in the China Rope Net Industry. Prominent exhibitors in this zone include Ropenet Group, Hunan Xinhai, and Zhejiang Four Brothers Rope.

Other domestic exhibitors, such as Shanghai Shenda Kebao New Materials, SIJIA New Material (Shanghai), Zhejiang Hailide New Material, and Zhejiang Jinda New Materials, will showcase products for applications in outdoor advertising, tents, boats, vehicles, environmental engineering, and much more.

Supplementing the fairground’s wide variety of domestic suppliers will be a much-increased showing of international exhibitors, with many to be found within hall E1’s European Zone. Several global industry leaders are featured in their categories below:

Nonwovens equipment

• Autefa Solutions, Germany: solutions provider for nonwovens lines and machines for carded-crosslapped needlepunching lines, spunlace lines and thermobonding lines.
• Dilo, Germany: in addition to offering general services, Dilo supplies opening and blending equipment, carding and airlay machines, and crosslapping and needling machines.
• Groz-Beckert, Germany: provider of industrial machine needles, precision parts and fine tools, as well as systems and services for the production and joining of textile fabrics.
• Reifenhäuser Reicofil, Germany: provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion, producing blown films, cast films, sheets as well as nonwovens.

Weaving equipment

• Itema, Italy: provider of advanced weaving machines, spare parts, and integrated services, specifically for rapier, air jet and projectile weft insertion technologies.
• Lindauer DORNIER, Germany: the company manufactures weaving machines, film stretching lines, and composite systems, also offering technical support and spare parts supply.
• Picanol, Belgium: producer and servicer of high-tech air jet and rapier weaving machines, with around 2,600 weaving mills utilising their systems worldwide.

Coating and lamination

• BRÜCKNER Textile Technologies, Germany: manufacturer of machines and lines for the coating and finishing of apparel fabric, technical textiles, nonwovens, glass fabrics and floor coverings.
• ROWA Lack, Germany: developer of high-quality materials and product solutions for the polymer industry, with applications including automotive, electrical engineering, construction, technical textiles, and medical technology.
• Stahl, the Netherlands: the Dutch company provides high quality coatings, dyes and process chemicals for leather, flexible coated substrates, textiles, films and foils, paper, and related products.

Fibre

• Monosuisse, Switzerland: with production sites in Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Mexico, and Germany, Monosuisse manufactures various precise, high-quality polymer monofilaments from 19µm to 3.00 mm in diameter.
• Perlon, Germany: specialised in the manufacture of synthetic filaments in diverse application areas, including paper machine clothing, dental care, and advanced technical textiles for agriculture, 3D printing, sports and leisure, home, and more.

Meanwhile, first-time exhibitors include Rökona (Germany), showcasing RE:SPACE, their range of recycled technical textiles; Testex AG (Switzerland), the official OEKO-TEX® representative in multiple countries including China; Hohenstein (Germany), the renowned testing laboratory and research institute; and zwissTEX (Germany), the knitted fabrics and lamination specialists. In addition, the returning Taiwan Pavilion is set to feature the debut of Shinih Enterprise Co Ltd (Taiwan China).

Beyond the innovation displayed at the booths, the fair’s programme is set to welcome global experts from various technical textile and nonwoven sub-sectors to offer specific insights and unveil innovations. Highlighted events include:

The 11th China International Nonwovens Conference
14 sessions cover topics such as the quality control of medical supplies; green development in technology and applications in the nonwovens industry; and the development and application of flashspun nonwovens in China.

Marine textiles and rope netting events
Events specific to this zone include the Top 10 Suppliers in the China Rope Net Industry; Conference on Textile Applications for Marine Engineering and Fisheries; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) Rope Net Branch Council Meeting

"Nonwovens, Creating a Better Life” Innovation Showcase
Product display area showcasing around 100 nonwovens products with applications in five areas: medical and health, quality of life, human habitat, sustainable development, and innovative design.

Advanced Technical Textiles Industry Chain Synergistic Innovation Development Forum
Includes presentations from multiple key players in the technical textile industry, including Mr Steven Liu, Commercial Manager of Polymer Additives Business of Sanitized (China) Ltd.

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

More information is available on the EDANA website where converters and suppliers can register to take part. The program is based on a harmonized quality and hygiene standard, which facilitates an objective third-party audit. Organizations can also register to follow a training course to familiarize themselves with the standard.