From the Sector

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) is endorsing further sustainable products with its ECO-CHECK label introduced last year. These products comply with various environmental criteria. With immediate effect, five more solutions bear the label making the company’s commitment to sustainability visible.

Leather goods
The newly-endorsed ECO-CHECK products include one Evolon® microfilament textile application. This is a reinforcement material for leather goods that is manufactured with no solvent and no binder. It contains up to 80 percent recycled PET and is suitable for a broad range of applications. The material is produced at Freudenberg’s facility in Colmar, France, where the manufacturing process is highly sustainable: it is certified to STeP by OEKO-TEX® and fully complies with the DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX® criteria.

Healthcare applications
In the field of healthcare, the bio-based M 1714 wound pad with superior absorption for more challenging wounds has now been endorsed with the ECO-CHECK label. The dressing consists of a mix of bio-based fibers derived from natural sources and exhibits a smooth wound contact layer. The product has been evaluated for industrial compostability and conforms to ISO 13432.

Architectural applications
The sustainable TF 400 Eco F mesh fabric for textile architecture from Mehler Texnologies® now also bears the ECO-CHECK label. Its yarn is made of 100% recycled PET bottles and its characteristics are very similar to those of conventional mesh fabrics. In 2021, it was awarded first place by the Architectural Membrane Association (AMA) in the “product” category in recognition of its properties.

Shoes
In the shoe industry, the binder-free strobel insoles have been endorsed as particularly sustainable. They contain a high percentage of recycled green bottle flakes. Moreover, the insoles themselves are fully recyclable.

Filtration applications
The two layered, needle-punched nonwoven filter medium that has just been endorsed with the ECO-CHECK label has impressive sustainability characteristics. Made entirely of polyester, more than half the fibers consist of recycled material.

Lectra, whose connected industrial equipment and software facilitate the digital transformation and Industry 4.0 transition of fashion, automotive and furniture companies, announces its selection for the new Euronext Tech Leaders stock market index. This brings Lectra into the community of European technology leaders identified by Euronext as innovative and high-growth companies.

The new Euronext Tech Leaders market index, launched on June 7, comprises 100 European technology companies listed on the Euronext markets, which meet various performance and growth criteria. With the launch of this initiative, Euronext aims to offer better visibility and new services to selected European technology leaders.

Lectra is one of the 41 French companies that are now members of Euronext Tech Leaders. The company, founded in 1973 on a close relationship with fashion industry players, has also for the last three decades worked globally with automotive equipment and furniture manufacturers. In its three strategic markets, Lectra sells connected equipment that optimizes the cutting processes of fabric, leather and other soft materials used by manufacturers, and markets software and services that streamline their production processes while enabling them to be more agile and make considerable material savings.

In fashion, through the use of market data – made accessible and exploitable by the Internet of Things, the cloud, artificial intelligence and big data – Lectra’s software solutions also enable a better understanding of consumers’ behavior. They therefore facilitate strategic decision-making for brands, manufacturers and distributors at the key steps in the value chain of design, production and distribution. In this industry, the impact of Lectra’s solutions on reducing material consumption is even greater because it takes effect as early as the garment design stage.

Technology and innovation are therefore at the heart of Lectra’s strategy, with the company aiming to become a key player in Industry 4.0 in its strategic markets by 2030.

Billi London is shaping the future of fashion with eco legwear. Founded by Sophie Billi-Hardwick and Marie Bouhier in November 2020, the pair’s goal was to create durable and comfortable hosiery that was no longer seen as disposable or for single-use.
 
Each piece is made with innovative enhanced degradable yarns Amni Soul Eco® nylon and ROICA ™ V550 elastane. Amni Soul Eco® is degrading in a time of 5 years*, 20x faster than the normal 40–100-year timeframe. The materials break down into biomass and biogas, create renewable energy and do not leave behind microplastics in landfill. The soft yet chic fabrics have revolutionised the legwear industry as well as pioneering a change across the fashion sector which rarely goes beyond just using recyclable materials.

This year, Billi London was selected as one of only five brands to present as an Organic Exhibitor at the Salon International de la Lingerie (SIL) from 18-20 June at Porte de Versailles in Paris.

*In landfill conditions. Reference system: ASTM D5511 - Std test 

This year, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles again joins forces with NellyRodi™, the renowned French agency for international forecasting, to present the design theme for 2023 – ‘ALIVE’ – together with three trends: HUMAN CAPITAL, ROUSING COMMITMENT and UNREAL REALITIES.

Nature is a keyword in HUMAN CAPITAL
This direction reflects how people want to reconnect with the environment by choosing a local approach, short supply chains, raw and natural materials, and traditional techniques. For instance, 100% plant-based materials, as well as metalised fringed jacquards and gold yarns are used to illustrate this concept.

Inspired by everyday basics and daily essentials, the trend uses a soft, luminous white palette mingled with muted and amber shades of vegetal dyes. Designs also incorporate figurative hand-drawings, archaic bestiary, stylised wildflowers and geometric patterns.

ROUSING COMMITMENT celebrates creative self-expression
The trend combines a lively play of mix-matching patterns and colours. This embraces the integration of neutral shades through touches of metallic silver and fluorescent colours to represent the urban life.

Foamback and other fabrics influenced by sports materials, as well as extravagant jacquards, silicon embossing and bouclé fabrics draw out feel-good factor of the theme. Prints using modern twists on traditional patterns, lettering plays, exuberant florals and bold geometrics, also deliver the desire to live freely by sharing joy and happiness with others.

The fantasy of UNREAL REALITIES
In order to push the limits of imagination, science and technology, consumers tap into digital realms to connect with other realities, augmented worlds and futurist utopias that draw out the potential of today’s technology. Metalised rainbow colours highlight the magic and wonder under this virtual reality theme, while surrealistic photoprint shapes, misty landscapes, blurry effects and fantastical nature adds a futuristic touch.

The theme adopts iridescent gleam of semi-transparent voiles, muslins, recycled synthetics and added pearly or glazed aspects. Soft, light meshes, honeycombed or blistered surfaces and cloudy seersuckers elevate the textures in the fabrics.

The trends are decided by a committee led by the NellyRodi™ Agency (France) and formed by top forecasters including Mr Vincent Grégoire (France), the agency’s Consumer Trends and Insights Director; Mr Shen Lei (China), Founder and Chief of Interior Architects Design; and Ms Tracy Jen (Taiwan, China), the Host of ‘Eremito’; as well as Ms Sakina M’sa, the beloved French fashion designer and entrepreneur.

In order to integrate exhibitor and industry resources more effectively, the organisers of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles have announced that the Spring and Autumn editions will be merged this year. The two fairs will now be held concurrently from 15 – 17 August 2022 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

The Board of Directors at INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, elevated Tony Fragnito from Chief Operating Officer of INDA to President of INDA effective May 31. Fragnito will assume the position currently held by Dave Rousse, who will become President Emeritus and provide support and assistance to Fragnito as needed until Rousse fully retires in January, 2023.

Fragnito joined INDA November 29, 2021 as Chief Operating Officer and has been leading INDA’s implementation of its new Strategic Plan, as well as updating INDA’s technology platform. This follows decades of leadership experience assisting trade and professional organizations in realizing their organizational and operational potential. A certified public accountant, Fragnito brings strong financial acumen in addition to extensive information technology, human resource and program management accomplishments from organizations representing a variety of professions and industries.  

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, along with its Italian subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., will be participating in the Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany from the 21st till the 24th of June 2022.

On display will be SHIMA SEIKI’s latest innovation in flat knitting technology as applied to the field of technical textiles—a prototype weft knitting machine capable of multi-axial yarn insertion. Fabrics produced on this machine use inlay technique for the production of hybrid textiles that combine the stretch characteristics of knitted fabrics with the stability of woven textiles, suited to various technical applications. To this, warp yarn is inserted to further expand its capability to produce 3D-shaped carbon fiber and composite preforms directly on the machine. This is made possible by taking advantage of the fact that flat knitting as a textile production method is capable of producing end products that are shaped-to-form and with added thickness. Compared to current methods of preform production, savings in post-processing time, material, labor and associated costs are immense, realizing efficient and sustainable production. SHIMA SEIKI’s own yarn unwinding technology is also used for optimum yarn feed and tension for use with technical yarns that are otherwise difficult to knit. Industrial textile samples knit on the multi-axial machine will also be available for examination on-site.

SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 3D design system will be available for demonstrations as well. Of particular interest should be its ultra-realistic simulation capability that realizes Virtual Sampling. When countless variations must be evaluated before arriving at a final design, virtual product samples can be used to streamline the decision-making process by minimizing the enormous amount of time, cost and material normally associated with producing actual samples for each variation. When approved, the same data can be converted to machine data for immediate knitting, significantly reducing lead times.

People in Brazil have a new ally in the fight against an invasive carrier of dengue fever – a mosquito-repellent coating developed by AkzoNobel’s Coral brand.
 
Known as Well-being Protection Anti-Mosquito, the colorless matt varnish contains an active ingredient called permethrin. Its repellent action is specifically designed to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which was largely responsible for dengue cases in Brazil surging 165% during the first few months of 2022 – according to figures from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. As well as spreading dengue, Aedes aegypti can also transmit the zika and chikungunya virus.
 
When a mosquito lands on the new transparent topcoat, the permethrin is absorbed through its feet and over-excites the insect’s nervous system, causing it to disengage or fall off. Permethrin is a well-known repellent and is commonly used in fabrics for mosquito nets and protective clothing.

The effectiveness of Well-being Protection Anti-Mosquito was tested in an independent external laboratory, certified by the Brazilian Network of Analytical Laboratories in Health. All the tests took place on painted walls and ceilings in a life-size house environment and successfully proved that mosquitoes were repelled from the room after contact, with the active ingredient being retained in the varnish matrix.

Premium Group and JOOR have renewed their partnership to power the SS23 PREMIUM and SEEK trade shows through JOOR’s digital platform, underpinning their belief in the power of a hybrid approach to wholesale.

From 7 - 9 July, buyers visiting the shows in Berlin will be able to learn more about and shop from exhibitors in a new hybrid way. Buyers can discover the full PREMIUM and SEEK portfolio of brands both in-person and online 24/7 by visiting JOOR Passport, JOOR's digital trade show destination.

Premium Group unites its various show locations to one cosmos for SS23 at Messe Berlin. The PREMIUM and SEEK shows will be joined by two further components— The Ground is a D2C creative platform for brands and consumers to meet, connect, and collaborate through one-of-a-kind experiences, engaging content, and innovative products, while FASHIONTECH, features masterclasses and panel discussions from the fashion industry’s most brilliant minds. A calendar of content includes deep dives into strong, successful, and sustainable strategies. As part of the content offer, JOOR will facilitate a masterclass on ‘Digital Wholesale’ and a future-looking roundtable discussion with four leading fashion brands on the FASHIONTECH stage.

Throughout the duration of the show, in-person buyers and visitors will have the ability to shop via the Premium Group mobile app. By simply scanning a brand’s corresponding QR code, visitors will link to the brand’s custom profile on JOOR Passport and be able to shop collections directly on the platform. JOOR Passport will also extend the duration of the shows by up to three months, allowing brands to continue wholesale selling digitally outside the window of the physical show.

JOOR and Premium Group’s flexible hybrid format allows visitors and brands a seamless digital and physical introduction to each other and their collections, the opportunity to connect in an efficient, effective, and longer term way, and the convenience to shop the show 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world.

Brands participating include Drykorn, Closed, Bertoni of Denmark, Veja, Ecoalf, Wrangler and Absolut Cashmere.

As a leading company in the collecting, sorting, reselling and recycling of post-consumer textile waste, TEXAID has enabled the recycling of post-consumer textile waste into new textiles and clothing. After two years of development, the company has developed a fabric including 50 % of post-consumer textile waste from used clothing, collected and prepared for recycling by TEXAID.

Today’s linear system of «take – make – waste» needs to change. New textiles are produced, used and discarded instead of putting them to a second use. The production of new textiles requires natural resources that are limited, and the current system has a significant negative impact on our planet. The transition to a circular system, where garments are kept in use for longer, is an opportunity to harness untapped potential around customer loyalty, economic growth, and ecological sustainability.

To move away from the linear system and enable products to be made out of post-consumer textile waste, TEXAID invested in the textile-to-textile recycling and product development.

Collaboration enables recycling
After two years of research, product development, and most important, building partnerships in the value chain, TEXAID has been able to develop a fabric made of 100 % recycled fiber in close collaboration with our value chain partners.

The fabric is a blend of 50 % post-consumer textile waste that TEXAID has collected in Germany and Switzerland. White cotton textiles which cannot be worn, have been sorted out in a sorting facility in Apolda, Germany. The other 50% is made from ocean-bound plastic waste which is plastic with a high risk of entering the ocean which has been saved and recycled by Unifi. The fabric and bag have been produced in Italy. The cotton material has been shredded by Marchi & Fildi in Biella, IT, who then spun the recycled cotton and recycled polyester fibers into a yarn. This yarn has been woven into a fabric by Tessitura Casoni.T.F.C.

Through this proof of concept, it has been showcased that making fabrics of 100 % recycled content and with 50 % of post-consumer textiles is possible. TEXAID is looking for strong industry partners to push high-value textile to textile recycling technologies in joint projects like these.

The ITMC 2022 conference, which will take place at the BAnQ from September 19 to 21, 2022, is aimed at attendees from various sectors of the textile industry. Its interdisciplinary approach is the key to maximizing the potential and development of textile materials and tools for various applications. The objective of the conference is to explore new ideas, effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth by creating synergy between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, students and end users from all sectors and fully exploiting this potential.

The main topics are: Composites and textile reinforcement - Sustainable Production & Ecotextiles - Smart and functional textiles - Nanotechnology & Advanced Technical Textiles - Comfort & Protective Textiles - Medical Textiles - Digital Tools & Mass Customization

Keynote speakers :

• Omar Cherkaoui, ESITH : how ESITH was able to support the operators of the Moroccan textile sector during the covid-19 crisis
• Tracy Toulouse, TT : the impact and legacy of our clothing is to identify us as a nation
• Prof. Raul Fangueiro, University of Minho: fiber-based materials: from nano to macro scale
• Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, Exoskin: the role of smart textiles in the future of health
• KyoungOk Kim, Shinshu University: Patternmaking for attractive clothing for mass customization
• Marie O’Mahony, Consultant, Royal College of Art (RCA): smart materials & systems: has embracing uncertainty become vital to commercialization?
• Xianyi Zeng, Ensait: intelligent garments for online monitoring of human health and well-being
• Corinne Farace, Techtera: The collaborative approach: a major stake in meeting the challenges of tomorrow