From the Sector

• Bangladesh’s biggest denim expo takes place 5-6 November
• The show runs concurrently with the Sustainable Apparel Forum Bangladesh
• From 4-6 November, Bangladesh becomes the perfect meeting point for stakeholders in the global apparel industry

DHAKA - Responsibility is the theme of the 11th Bangladesh Denim Expo which takes place on 5th and 6th November at International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka. The event, now firmly established as one of the world’s leading denim trade shows, runs alongside the Bangladesh Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Bangladesh Denim Expo

Around 100 exhibitors from 11 countries, including host Bangladesh, will participate in this year’s denim expo. Other participating countries are china, Japan, Italy, India, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Turkey and Germany.

H&M Group is collaborating with Bangladesh Denim Expo for the forthcoming 11th edition of the event and a number of guest speakers will be present from the company, including Pierre Borjesson, head of sustainability, global production. Other guest speakers include Andrew Olah, the founder of Kingpins Denim show, Alice Tonello, R&D director with the Tonello Group, world renowned denim designer, Piero Turk and Jordi Juani, Asia regional director with Jeanologia.

Through a series of product displays, presentations, seminar sessions & panel discussions, the Expo will encourage healthy debate and interaction among exhibitors and visitors to champion a more responsible denim industry. One of these, of course, is sustainability and within this sits the issue of responsibility – an overriding theme of this year’s event. Denim manufacture faces huge challenges with regards its social and environmental responsibility, with production techniques having potentially far-reaching ramifications for the environment as well as people involved in the production process.

However, the industry and its supply chain are making impressive progress on these issues with Bangladesh – now the world’s largest producer of denim – leading the way in terms of addressing some of the sustainability challenges relating to denim production, including excessive use of water and chemicals. Mostafiz Uddin is the organiser of Bangladesh Denim Expo. Uddin has watched with interest the evolution of the denim industry, with each Expo marking continued and gradual progress being made by the more progressive players in the industry.

Uddin says: “The way that business and product development is conducted can have far reaching consequences on the environment, on the people that make the product and the product’s end use & life-span. “It is the duty of all stakeholders in the apparel industry to acknowledge this responsibility and to analyse our business practices, for the benefit of all.” Emphasising the theme of responsibility within Denim Expo is the fact that revenues from the expo support the running and presentation of the Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Sustainable Apparel Forum

The Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) is the biggest annual sustainable apparel event in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) along with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) as co-organiser will jointly carry out the 2nd edition of the SAF on 5th Nov 2019.

This is the second edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum, with the first-ever forum held in 2017 in Dhaka. The objective of this year’s forum is accelerating the momentum of sustainability in Bangladesh apparel industry.

The forum will see more than 50 speakers gathered from Bangladesh and overseas sharing expert opinions across five panel discussions covering current issues in the country’s apparel industry. These include human resources, transparency in business, water conservation, purchasing practices, sustainable chemical management, waste management, circular economy in textiles and climate change to name a few.

Additionally, the conference will host several knowledge building technical presentations from renowned organisations which will cover different issues relating to sustainability, including waste management, protection of the environment and better working conditions.

Speakers at the show include Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, H. E. Benoit Préfonatine High Commissioner, High Commission of Canada, Bangladesh, and Dr. Rubana Huq President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association, Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Pierre Börjesson, Head of Sustainability – Global Production, H&M Group, Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, International Labor Organization, Peter McCallister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative and H.E. Winnie Estrup Petersen Ambassador, Embassy of Denmark, Bangladesh.

Prior to this year’s conference, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh and the Sweden Embassy in Bangladesh will also co-host two roundtable discussion in collaboration with BAE and in association with BGMEA on 4 November, 2019, while H&M, Better Work Bangladesh and C&A Foundation are partners in the event.
The conference will be followed by showcasing different innovative, sustainable & best work practices in RMG manufacturing factories in Bangladesh. Following the discussions, a series of recommendations will be made, and a Sustainability Roadmap for the Bangladesh apparel industry will be formulated.

This year’s SAF promises to be the biggest yet. Added by Mr Mostafiz Uddin in the recent press briefing for the event: “The title for this year’s Sustainable Apparel Forum is enabling sustainability through policy and leadership. The time for talking on sustainability issues is over. It is now time for actions. That’s why the focus of this year’s show is on practical, pragmatic actions the textile industry can adopt to improve its environmental footprint.”

In its 19th year, the international textile industry exhibition ShanghaiTex will take place from 25 to 28 November 2019. Saurer Twisting Solutions would be delighted to welcome customers and visitors to Saurer's Stand D40 in Hall E1. The focus is on the highly efficient FusionTwister for staple fibre yarns.

The FusionTwister sets the benchmark for the cost-effective production of two-for-one twisted staple fibre yarns. In order to achieve this, we have taken into account the three main factors affecting our customers’ profitability, namely energy, economics and ergonomics.

The machines’ reliably low energy consumption is an important characteristic for decision-makers to take into account. Achieved by means of an optimised spindle drive as well as a great variety of spindle and feeding sizes for all kinds of applications, it is the main element in the equation of production costs.

Power consumption and costs are closely related, with energy efficiency positively influencing the return on investment, since it is daily challenge to process the maximum feeding weight while keeping electricity usage at a comfortable level.

The machine’s short set-up times, fast air threading and easy handling were key considerations with regard to optimising ergonomics.

• Pioneering pilot project conducted with Hong Kong based brand Chicks
• A large majority of consumers wants brands to disclose their supply chain
• Transparency ensured from fiber-to-retail

The Lenzing Group has made a huge leap forward in introducing blockchain technology, allowing for a new level of transparency and traceability in the textile industry. After joining the platform of the technology company TextileGenesis™ earlier this year, the world market leader in specialty fibers made from the renewable raw material wood presented the first pilot at this year’s Fashion Summit in Hong Kong on September 05, 2019. This pioneering pilot project was conducted in close cooperation with TextileGenesis™, WWF and Hong Kong based brand Chicks.

Archroma has launched at the recent ITMA exhibition its new Lurapret® N5396 & N5392 liq, a water-based ultra-low VOC polyurethane (PU) polymer coating technology.

The innovation was developed in compliance with “The Archroma Way: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. The approach finds its origin in Archroma’s deep belief that it is possible to make the textile industry sustainable, economically and ecologically.

Coatings are used in the textile industry to achieve features such as waterproofness, flexibility, durability and UV resistance. With the growing demand for safer and more ecological products, water-based PU coatings are progressively prevailing as the preferred coating technology.

Reinach, Switzerland  - Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, recently launched at the ITMA exhibition its new Foron® SP-WF, a range of high wet-fast disperse dyes for sportswear and active wear applications.

The Foron® SP-WF dyes are especially suited for the coloration of polyester fibers and microfibers, and polyester/elastane blends, in exhaustion application.
The Foron® SP-WF dyes were developed in compliance with “The Archroma Way: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. The approach finds its origin in Archroma’s deep belief that it is possible to make the textile industry sustainable, economically and ecologically.

The new product is at the core of Archroma's Fast Sport, a coloration system for polyester knitted sportswear, providing the best fastness in the shortest possible time with a reduced environmental footprint.
The Foron® SP-WF range which includes primary and ternary color grades has been developed to fulfil the high color wet fastness and performance requirements of sportswear manufacturers and brands.
Moreover, the core ternary color grades enable deep shades at lower dyeing temperatures on sensitive polyester/elastane fabrics without causing excessive fiber damage, saving energy resources and meeting the high fastness demand of leading brand companies.

When using Foron® SP-WF dyes as part of the Fast Sport system, manufacturers can in many cases have the potential to significantly reduce their consumption of time, energy, chemical, and water, as well as their CO2 emissions.

“We see a growing demand for apparel in the sportswear and active wear segment, reinforced with the now installed athleisure trend,” says Mark Dohmen, Head of Archroma’s Competence Center Automotive and Synthetic Dyes. “Consumers want deep color that stays put on the fiber and brands are defining their requirements accordingly. With our Foron® SP-WF, we can offer to manufacturers of sportswear textiles a solution that combines high levels of wet fastness with high productivity and low resource consumption. Because it’s our nature!”

• Contracts signed for seven projects
• Contract comprises delivery of compact- and ring-spinning systems
• Total amounts to roughly CHF 180 million
• Order intakes are anticipated to be realized in 2019; sales posted in the 2020/2021 financial years

Rieter Group has signed contracts with the Cotton & Textile Industries Holding Company, Cairo (Egypt), at the ITMA 2019. These seven projects entail a total of 180 million Swiss francs. The contract comprises delivery of compact- and ring-spinning systems over the next two years. This order is part of a comprehensive modernization program of the Egyptian textile industry. The order intakes are anticipated to be realized in 2019 with sales posted in the 2020/2021 financial years.

The contracts were signed at the ITMA in Barcelona, Spain, by Dr. Ahmed Moustafa Mohamed, Chairman Cotton & Textile Industries Holding Company, and Dr. Norbert Klapper, CEO Rieter.

Dr. Klapper was very pleased at the formal signing of contracts: “We would like to thank our Egyptian business partners for the confidence they are placing in Rieter by awarding us this contract. Rieter has been the partner of choice of the Egyptian spinning industry for decades. We are delighted to be given the opportunity of making such an important contribution to the modernization of the Egyptian textile industry.”

Huntsman Textile Effects will be highlighting its HIGH IQ® intelligent effects and Durable Water Repellency technology at the upcoming OutDoor Retailer Summer 2019 show in Denver, Colorado.

As the industry leader in innovative and environmentally sustainable textile solutions, Huntsman Textile Effects offers mills and brands a comprehensive suite of intelligent effects through its HIGH IQ® performance assurance program. With a wealth of textile industry knowledge and experience, Huntsman Textile Effects helps mills around the world achieve greater productivity and efficiency.

• Lenzing enters the age of digital traceability
• Transparency ensured from wood to the finished garment
• Partnership with Hong Kong based TextileGenesis™

The Lenzing Group, world market leader in specialty fibers made from the renewable material wood, is strengthening its leading position in sustainability in the textile industry. Lenzing will use blockchain technology to support its TENCEL™ branded fiber business, ensuring complete transparency and traceability for brands and consumers of its fibers in the finished garment. After evaluating various initiatives Lenzing decided to join the platform of the Hong Kong based technology company TextileGenesis™ to accomplish this ambition.

Consumers increasingly want to understand the ingredients and suppliers of the products they buy, requesting a new level of transparency and traceability. The supply chain transparency from wood to garment and home textiles will enable all customers and partners to identify TENCEL™ fibers and the respective wood source in each production and distribution step. Thanks to a QR code on the final garment, consumers will be able to detect the origin of the clothes they intend to buy.

“With LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded fibers Lenzing was the frontrunner in physical traceability and is now entering the age of digital traceability. This milestone in transparency is a further strong commitment to sustainability”, says Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer of the Lenzing Group. “Together with TextileGenesis™, we aim to create an unmatched level of transparency for brands and consumers. With this step Lenzing will further help to green up the textile industry.”

Lenzing will carry out several pilot tests over the next few months involving partners along the entire value chain. Lenzing expects the platform to be fully operational as of 2020.

Archroma announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Textile University (NTU) in Pakistan. The memorandum will pave way for cooperation initially for a five-year period.

The partnership will explore innovations in textile research with futuristic visualization to help the textile industry to align with the fast pace of global requirements and evolutions. Another important aspect of this collaboration will be research in the field of unsaturated polyester resins in establishing quality and accessible product lines in non-conventional technical textiles. Both partners will jointly hold sessions to prepare students for the challenges of the textile industry through in-house training sessions, developmental projects, research in textile applications and process innovative methodologies by pioneering value additions. The students of NTU will also be able to join internship placement programs at Archroma’s Center of Excellence in Karachi.

TINTEX is this year recipient of the unique and prestigious annual recognition from The “Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas e à Inovação” (IAPMEI). TINTEX has been selected in recognition of its pioneering, Naturally Advanced global leadership, and the company’s superior and responsible fabric making for a fashion system that is driven by investments, transparency and fully traceable innovation.

TINTEX is pleased to open its doors as the Naturally Advanced centre of excellence in the latest IAPMEI OPEN DAY for textile leaders, protagonists, media and customers to experience, understand and enjoy the unique achievements TINTEX offers to the contemporary Portuguese textiles industry .
“We selected TINTEX to underline the importance of taking advantage of digitization and modernization at different levels in the textile industry being stunned by their commitment, shedding light on our territory’s most advanced and responsible processes and skills” José Marques dos Santos, president of IAPMEI.

In a fast moving globalized market, all companies must be able to adapt quickly and using innovation, creativity, and responsibility can help deliver successes. And here TINTEX can network between Technological Centers, Universities, and Knowledge Centers, as a strategic business and holistic imperative. And so sharing the Naturally Advanced strategy of TINTEX as a driver for change, IAPMEI recognizes this TINTEX OPEN DAY as a demonstration of practical market potential, and has partnered with CENTI  (Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials the Institute for New Technologies) and CITEVE (an institution of national and international reference for the promotion of Innovation and Technological Development) as a way to guarantee this success.
 
Being able to drive material innovation, and to promote a new generation of sustainable values to contemporary fashion, active, sports and lingerie markets through responsible supply chains can be transformative for our future fashion systems, and TINTEX is proud to be selected as part of the Make Fashion Circular initiative by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, helping  to better activate these changes across the fashion industry for all to enjoy.