From the Sector

Hologenix® announces that its newest innovation has achieved two recognitions. In addition to being a Top Ten winner in the Fibers & Insulation Category of ISPO Textrends Fall/Winter 2023/24, pure white CELLIANT has been shortlisted in the Drapers Sustainable Fashion 2022 Awards. The company is sharing the spotlight with recognized brands such as H&M, Sweaty Betty and Timberland. According to Drapers, the leading authority on fashion retailing in the UK since 1887, which sponsors these awards annually, this year they received the most entries ever, making them very competitive.

To create pure white CELLIANT rPET fiber, Hologenix developed a strategic partnership with the Ireland-based Wellman International Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Indorama Ventures. Indorama Ventures is investing $1.5 billion on sustainability initiatives, allowing them to recycle 50 billion PET bottles globally by 2025 to support the growth of the circular economy. Wellman International has been a pioneer of recycling technologies for almost 50 years, offering specialist solutions for the medical, hygiene, automotive, home care and apparel sectors.  

Pure white CELLIANT rPET fiber is sustainably manufactured, with a low-impact supply chain. It is achieved by embedding bioceramic materials, that are naturally derived and ethically sourced, into fibers, yarns and fabrics. Wellman International has converted 100% of pure white CELLIANT Polyester production into rPET. This conversion to rPET has been implemented across all CELLIANT product categories, replacing traditional polyester and dramatically enhancing CELLIANT’s sustainability initiatives.

Pure white CELLIANT is recognized as a Class 1 medical device in the European Union and is able to carry the CE mark. Like CELLIANT, pure white CELLIANT captures and converts body heat into infrared energy, powering bio-responsive textiles. This energy is reflected back to the body, resulting in increased local circulation and cellular oxygenation. These advantages have a variety of wellness benefits, including stronger performance, faster recovery and better sleep, as well as many functional properties such as thermoregulation, quick-dry properties and odor inhibition.  

Wellman International distributes pure white CELLIANT fibers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the USA.

Construction machinery rolls into action again. The ground-breaking ceremony at the EREMA site in Ansfelden on April, 6 signals the start of work on a new R&D centre. Two halls with a total area of 1,550 square metres and a new office building with 50 workplaces will be built. The R&D centre will offer cross-departmental and cross-company test machines and laboratory for research and development of plastics recycling technologies to further advance the circular economy. Completion is scheduled for February 2023.

Plastics recycling is currently evolving very rapidly from a niche to a trend. This is driven by the legislative targets for plastics recycling that the European Union and many countries around the world have enacted, as well as by the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent and in which the circular economy plays a very central role.

However, there is not just one recycling solution for all types of plastic waste, but rather different solutions depending on the type of plastic, the product and the application intended for the recycled plastic. While some plastics processing loops, such as for PET bottles, have already been closed, many other plastic waste streams still require a great deal of R&D in cooperation with everyone involved in the value chain to produce recycled pellets that meet the very highest standards for the production of new products. More space will be available for this in the new centre.

R&D is decentralised at EREMA. In recent years, approximately 5 percent of turnover was reinvested annually in research and development. Employees from different departments handle process engineering challenges, innovations in mechanical engineering and automation technology, and special technologies with a view to further improving the quality of recycled pellets. They also focus on new recycling technologies for waste plastic materials for which there is currently no satisfactory circular economy solution. The decisive factor here is also to exploit the potential of digitalisation. By collecting and analysing machine data, not only can recycling processes and product quality be further improved, but we can also develop our digital service offering for our customers. Such offerings include customer-specific information tools that feature plant and process data, predictive maintenance and online support as well as commissioning via remote access.

For material tests, which are necessary for research and development work, an expanded machine park will be available following completion of the new R&D centre. Here, the recycling process can be evaluated end-to-end, including upstream and downstream processes such as shredding and further processing of the recycled pellets. The material tests are supported by detailed analysis in the professionally equipped laboratory, which will be relocated to the new premises and upgraded where necessary with the very latest lab equipment.

High-performance yarns now offer almost unlimited possibilities for replacing traditional raw materials in a vast range of technical applications. Often tailor-made, these filament yarns go way beyond the conventional idea of ‘textiles’ – finding new uses in sectors such as automotive, aviation, maritime, medical and construction, among many others.

Technical textiles are everywhere in our daily lives today, even if we may not always realize it. Some are in more obviously textile products, from sewing threads to artificial turf. But then, take cars as an example: modern vehicles are stuffed with parts made from sophisticated yarns. It’s common for producers of automotive parts now to send template material and requirement lists to Swiss Textile Machinery members, trusting their expertise and experience. Members operate development and testing centers with latest machine installations, where their experts devise customized solutions, as well as calling on the pure innovative spirit which is part of their DNA.

At the extremes
Technology drives applications beyond our current imagining in the case of Heberlein air splicers. Developed for a wide range of uses with high-strength technical fibers, they have no problems splicing aramid fibers up to 16’100 dtex, carbon up to 30’000 dtex, Dyneema up to 5’500 dtex, and glass up to 4’800 tex. Using compressed air, the splicers produce a tear-resistant, homogeneous splice of material without interfering knots.

Retech has the technology to achieve specifications for filament yarns, drawing and stretching fibers to perfection. Top heated godet rolls – many customized – are developed for high-performance fibers. Temperatures up to 400 °C can be achieved. Combining the right settings and wide speed ranges for each specific process results in unique end-products.

Fabric producers of high-end applications must avoid any quality risk. Yarn producers are well aware of this responsibility, so they use precision package winders for technical yarns, developed by Rieter’s subsidiary SSM. Taking yarns from ring twisting bobbins, its specialist finish winders can produce coarse-count technical yarns up to 50’000 dtex, offering a new level of flexibility and winding quality.

Lifestyle essentials
At first glance, motorists might fail to notice many of the technical yarns ‘hidden’ inside their cars. These products have functions such as providing stability with hardly any weight, or absorbing tensile forces at defined elongation. This kind of controlled elongation behaviour, for example, arises from the choice of textile material and the special construction of the yarns used.

Such specifications make twisting and cabling machines essential for the automotive industry. Saurer offers machines for the production of technical yarns made from a variety of feed materials in a very wide yarn count range. They are needed for vehicle products such as tire carcasses, toothed engine belts, seat belts, airbags and lorry tarpaulins.

Technical yarns also play a surprising role in our mobile devices. Tapping, scrolling and swiping are second nature for billions, with our phones and a plethora of other lifestyle essentials. Yet, how many people would know that the touch-sensitivity we take for granted on these screens is largely made possible by twisted glass fibers. Bräcker, part of Rieter’s components business, offers a selection of vertical sinter metal rings and nylon travelers for glass fiber twisting, so that mills can achieve high levels of productivity and quality.

Future unlimited
Automotive and communication technology are already important industries for Swiss Textile Machinery members, along with well-known technical textiles markets in sectors such as medical, transport and construction. Smart-wear is already noted as a field with significant potential. Naturally, members are constantly investigating other possibilities. Swiss textile machinery is already applied in energy (batteries), and plastics.

The Swiss Textile Machinery Pavilion will be at the Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, taking place from 21 to 24 June 2022.

The EREMA Group mourns the passing of Georg Wendelin, company co-founder, former Managing Partner and long-time Chairman of the Supervisory Board of EREMA Group GmbH, who died on the 29th of March at the age of 84.

In 1983, at a time when plastics recycling was hardly an issue, Georg Wendelin, together with Helmut Bacher and Helmuth Schulz, laid the corner stone for the group of companies that today is a world market leader by founding the company and building the first EREMA plastics recycling machine. With pioneering spirit, a business acumen and his respectful and appreciative management style, Georg Wendelin actively shaped the success of the company, attentively and proudly keeping track of how plastics recycling went from being a niche to a trend and how the EREMA Group became a driving force behind the circular economy. In 2019, he was awarded the Golden Decoration of the Republic of Austria in recognition of his work.

"We will greatly miss Georg Wendelin as a personality who was closely associated with us for all these years. Because of his humanity, he was a highly respected figure of leadership on all sides," said Manfred Hackl, CEO of EREMA Group GmbH and himself a long-time companion of Wendelin's.

Nonwovens line specialist Reifenhäuser Reicofil presented its portfolio of high-performance and sustainable nonwovens under the slogan "Living Nonwovens" at IDEA 22 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida from March 28 to 31, 2022.

In terms of sustainability, Reicofil offers various approaches to save fossil raw materials, such as the processing of bio-based raw materials as an ecological alternative - for diapers, for example. Here, the topsheet material, made of bulky, soft, and industrially compostable High Loft nonwovens, meets maximum hygiene requirements. For industrial applications, high-strength nonwovens can be processed even from up to 90% PET flakes from post-consumer waste.

Another highlight was the so-called BiCo technology. In this process, two different raw materials are combined in one fiber in the spunbond process, creating a bimetal effect and causing the fiber to crimp. This opens the door for manufacturers to completely new product properties that are unattainable with monofibers.

Nonwoven-film composites with low grammage
For the medical sector, Reicofil showcased its leading solutions for high-barrier medical protective clothing and - together with its sister business unit Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating - the pioneering Ultrathin Coating production process, which enables customers to produce film-nonwoven-composites more cost-effectively and thus competitively.

Smart digitization
With the c.Hub, the new data platform of the Reifenhäuser Group, Reicofil offers its customers a digitization solution that is tailored to the requirements of nonwovens production.

Monforts will highlight its advanced finishing and coating technologies for the production of technical textiles at Techtextil North America, which takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from May 17-19.

The company and its US representative PSP Marketing, of Charlotte, North Carolina, will be part of the centrepiece VDMA German Pavilion at the show.

Energy prices
With energy prices continuing to go through the roof, an emphasis at Techtextil North America will be on the energy and heat recovery that can be achieved with Montex stenters, through features such as the MonforClean system, in which waste heat from the drying process is used to pre-heat the drying air. This results in a radical reduction in the conventional heat supply required. A range of further resource-saving and energy recovery options can be specified per individual line installation.

Advanced machine operation
With the highly intuitive Qualitex 800 visualization software, all article-specific settings can be stored and the formulations for thousands of treatment processes called up again at any time. Individual operators can also personalise their dashboards with the most important machine functions and process parameters.

The Qualitex 800 system is available for the automatic and continuous operation of the company’s Montex stenters, as well as its Thermex continuous dyeing ranges, Monfortex shrinking systems and Montex®Coat coating units.

Versatility is the key
Monforts Montex®Coat coating units serve an equally diverse number of markets, including tents, tarpaulins and awnings, black-out roller blinds and sail cloth, automotive interior fabrics and medical disposables. Full PVC coatings, pigment dyeing or minimal application surface and low penetration treatments and solvent coatings (in explosion-proof conditions) with knife coating, roller coating or screen printing can all be accommodated with this system.

At a time when global food security is becoming a rising concern for governments around the world, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today announced a call to its 177 Member States to nominate candidates for the Fund’s next President.
 
IFAD is a specialized United Nations agency and international financial institution focused on the alleviation of rural poverty and hunger.
 
The President is IFAD’s most senior position with responsibility for leading the organization and chairing its Executive Board. Nominations for President can only be made by IFAD Member States and must be received by the Secretary of IFAD no later than 6 May 2022.
 
The President will lead IFAD at a crucial time. Fears that rising food and fuel prices - worsened by the current conflict in Ukraine - could lead to a global food crisis are running high, with the world’s poorest rural people likely to be hardest hit. Small-scale producers are already reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, droughts, cyclones and other natural disasters. Their incomes are expected to be affected by the rising cost of inputs and disrupted markets. This is also likely to have devastating and long-term impacts on their nutrition and food security.
 
IFAD plays a crucial role in increasing the resilience of rural small-scale producers to shocks, and ensuring that they can continue to grow food and earn incomes. The Fund’s investments in climate adaptation and sustainable food systems are helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals to eradicate hunger and poverty.
 
Following the nomination process, the appointment of the next President will take place on 7 July 2022 during the first special session of the IFAD Governing Council. The Governing Council is IFAD's principle governing body with full decision-making powers.
 
The President of IFAD serves a four-year term, renewable once. The newly appointed President will take office on 1 October 2022.

ISKO has signed the Dutch Denim Deal for circular denim. The Denim Deal, a public-private initiative, was launched by the Dutch government following the EU Green Deal and the Circular Action Plan and includes agreements to make the denim textile chain more circular. In the deal, more than 40 parties, such as Scotch & Soda, PVH and Soorty, are working together to improve post-consumer textiles in the denim industry and make fiber recycling the new norm. The signatories cover a wide range of manufacturing companies, brands and stores, collectors, sorters, cutters, and weavers.

The main objective is to collectively produce a total of 3 million jeans with (a minimum of 20%) post-consumer recycled cotton (PCR) by the end of 2023. In addition, all parties have agreed that they will work together towards the standard of at least 5% recycled textiles in all denim garments as quickly as possible. The Denim Deal is also an opportunity to set up a 'reverse supply chain' for recycled cotton and create a systemic change to close the denim cycle.

Although the denim industry still has a negative image due to its high carbon footprint, in recent years many good steps have been taken in the field of recycling. But these steps are on a small scale, limiting the overall impact.
"The Dutch Denim Deal fits perfectly into ISKO's circular strategy," says Marc Lensen, ISKO Head of Global Communication. "Our scale and knowledge of sustainable technological solutions will increase the overall impact and accelerate circularity in the denim chain.”

• Innovation begins with creativity
• A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Barmag) is founded in Barmen, located in the Bergische Land region, on March 27, 1922. The German and Dutch founders enter unchartered technological territory, one created as the result of a groundbreaking invention: in 1884, French chemist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet used nitrocellulose to produce the first so-called artificial silk, later known as rayon. The following decades see rapid development focusing on the search for synthetic textile fibers and their manufacturing technologies. As one of the first machine factories, Barmag battles its way through the eventful early years of the manmade fiber industry, the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression – and suffers the extensive destruction of its factories at the end of World War Two. Rebuilding is successful. With the unstoppable success story of purely synthetic plastic fibers such as polyamide, the company flourishes from the 1950s through to the 1970s, establishing sites in all international, for the textile industry at the time important, industrial regions and garnering prestige across the globe in the process. In the ups and downs of expansion, global competition and crises, Barmag reaches the very pinnacle of the market and becomes the preferred technological development partner for the manmade fiber industries in China, India and Turkey. The company has been a high-impact brand under the umbrella of the Oerlikon Group since 2007.

On the wings of innovation
Today, Oerlikon Barmag is a leading supplier of manmade fiber filament spinning systems and part of the Manmade Fibers Solutions business unit of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. And our aspirations have not diminished: “The striving towards innovation and technological leadership has been, is and will always be part of our DNA”, emphasizes Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions. In the past, this has been observable in such trailblazing innovations as the revolutionary WINGS generation of winders for POY in 2007 and WINGS for FDY in 2012. Currently, the focus of new and further developments is very much on digitalization and sustainability. Here, Oerlikon Barmag has – as one of the world’s first systems manufacturers – been implementing fully-networked smart factories for globally-leading polyester manufacturers since the end of the last decade. Within this context, digital solutions and automation are also helping to provide greater climate and environmental compatibility. This sustainability commitment is not only evidenced by the e-save label introduced for all products back in 2004: Oerlikon is endeavoring to also make all its sites carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire its energy exclusively from renewable sources. An ambitious target, whose achievement could be helped by the Oerlikon Barmag anniversary, states Georg Stausberg: “Innovation begins with creativity. And remembering the past provides plenty of motivation and inspiration for the future.”

Premium Group presents its D2C festival The Ground, which premieres from 7 - 9 July at Messe Berlin. The Ground is a new event format where fashion, lifestyle, culture, and diverse perspectives are merged. It was founded to bring brands and consumers together to build a better future through celebration and collective action.

Over three days, guests from across Europe will meet up to experience innovative brand pop-ups with stories and collections, panel talks, live music, physical and mental health activations, and even step inside the Metaverse.

Power of purpose
The Ground mainly targets Gen Z which is driven by a deep sense of purpose. The 18-29 year olds expect the brands they support to share the same values. Their priorities are sustainability, relationships, health and wellness, work and education as well as inclusivity and individuality.

The Ground features six distinct areas where visitors can take part in different experiences: Sport, Beauty, Music, Play, Soul and Talk provide inspiration and many moments to learn. Fashion is featured throughout all areas and is the connecting element of The Ground.

Special season topic: MAKE PEACE!
Building off the Good Life Goals (personal actions that everyone can take to help support the SDGs by the UN), The Ground focuses on one goal for each edition that touches people and brands at this moment in time. A goal that makes a positive contribution to the future, and is thus worth celebrating.

Due to the current conflicts in the world, this July’s goal is more clear than ever: PEACE! It will be reflected in a big charity auction of specially designed pieces of the exhibiting brands and partners.

1 ticket - 4 events
Taking place simultaneously as the trade show and conference formats SEEK, PREMIUM and FashionTech which will attract over 20,000 buyers, retailers, brands, professionals, influencers, and media to Berlin – The Ground will help to create lots of fashion buzz in the capital. The all-in-one ticket for trade visitors also guarantees access to The Ground.