From the Sector

• Monforts customer Kipaş has been selected as the sole denim manufacturing partner in the €6.7 million European Union-funded New Cotton Project, involving the brands adidas and H&M, working in a consortium with suppliers, innovators and research institutes.

Kipaş, based in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, is currently installing its third Monforts Montex stenter along with a third Monfortex compressive shrinkage system in a combined configuration dedicated to denim production.

This follows the successful installation and commissioning of the second Montex and Monfortex lines at the Kahramanmaraş plant in 2018, which Kipaş Vice Chairman of the Board Ahmet Öksüz said had immediately exceeded expectations.

“We performed a very thorough technical investigation based on the latest Industry 4.0 analysis before the purchase, to determine what we needed, and the Monforts technology met all our requirements,” he said, in an interview with Textilegence magazine. “The Monfortex is equipped with a variety of features not found on classical shrinkage machines and the production can be monitored from beginning to end. It also exceeded our expectations in energy cost savings.”

Kipaş subsequently received a special certificate from Monforts in recognition of its exceptional utilisation of the technology to its full potential.

The latest Montex stenter now being installed at Kipaş is a 12-chamber unit with a working width of 2 metres featuring all of the latest automation features. The Monfortex unit, also with a working width of 2 metres, is in a ‘double rubber’ configuration, comprising two compressive shrinkage units and two felt calenders in line. This allows the heat setting of elastane fibres and the residual shrinkage of the denim to be carried out simultaneously, for a significant increase in production speeds.

“Around 90-95% of denim fabric production now contains elastane fibres and the Monforts system has allowed us to simultaneously increase our production and quality in this respect,” Mr Öksüz said.

Regenerated cotton
For the next three years within the New Cotton Project, Kipaş will manufacture denim fabrics based on the cellulose-based fibres of Infinited Fiber Company of Finland, made from post-consumer textile waste that has been collected, sorted and regenerated.

The patented technology of Infinited, which is leading the consortium of 12 companies, turns cellulose-rich textile waste into fibres that look and feel like cotton.

“We are very excited and proud to lead this project which is breaking new ground when it comes to making circularity in the textile industry a reality,” said Infinited co-founder and CEO Petri Alava. “The enthusiasm and commitment with which the entire consortium has come together to work towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for fashion is truly inspiring.”

Take-back programmes
Adidas and H&M will establish take-back programmes to collect the clothing that is produced, to determine the next phase in their lifecycle. Clothing that can no longer be worn will be returned to Infinited, for regeneration into new fibres, further contributing to a circular economy in which textiles never go to waste, but instead are reused, recycled or turned into new garments.

The aim is to prove that circular, sustainable fashion can be achieved today, and to act as an inspiration and stepping stone to further, even bigger circular initiatives by the industry going forward.

The EU has identified the high potential for circularity within the textile industry, while simultaneously highlighting the urgent need for the development of technologies to produce and design sustainable and circular bio-based materials. Making sustainable products commonplace, reducing waste and leading global efforts on circularity are outlined in the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan.

Fashion brands produce nearly twice as many clothes today as they did 20 years ago and demand is expected to continue growing. At the same time, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second. Most of the textile industry’s environmental problems relate to the raw materials used by the industry – cotton, fossil-based fibres such as polyester, and viscose as the most common man-made cellulosic fibre, are all associated with serious environmental concerns.

• Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announced that, for the first time, Dyneema® Composite Fabrics are used by Moncler in the Fall/Winter 2020 Grenoble collection, which fuses form and function into high performance skiwear.

Moncler Grenoble is born of a passion for research and implements cutting-edge technology to push the limits of its potential. The design team identified Dyneema® as an innovative fabric it could use to push the level of its performance to the next peak, incorporating the material into the new collection as a departure from the conventional use of cotton and polyester.

Sandro Mandrino, the Head of Design for Moncler Grenoble, was the first designer of the luxury fashion brand to incorporate Dyneema® into one of his creations through the Moncler Genius project. The Moncler Genius project advocates radical co-creation where multiple designers create their own signature collections in collaboration with the house. Together, these collections translate into one vision of the future and, as one of the nine designers, Mandrino’s interpretation of the future of fashion features Dyneema® Composite Fabric.

Using variations of the fabric in both white and black allowed Mandrino to bring his vision to life by merging skiwear, space suits and technology all in one. “ 3 Moncler Grenoble is first and foremost about performance,” states Mandrino, who integrated constructive solutions with fabric technology to develop a line that was meant to perform both on and off the ski slopes.

Dyneema®, the world’s strongest and lightest fiber, is 15 times stronger than steel yet light enough to float on water. The unmatched performance and protection of products made with Dyneema® have made it the material of choice in critical applications where failure is not an option for more than 30 years. In fabric form, Dyneema® is available in composites, denim, knits, wovens and hybrids for composite reinforcements. And because Dyneema® fabrics are made using Dyneema® fiber, they intrinsically provide high strength, low weight, waterproof and breathable properties – allowing designers to fuse the technical performance of ultra-light products with aesthetic design that doesn’t sacrifice strength or durability.

The Moncler team used the Grenoble collection as an opportunity to experiment and further understand the nature and behavior of Dyneema® fabrics, while simultaneously incorporating material performance with practical design. “Future collections will focus on expanding to new designs and fabric options in collaboration with DSM,” adds Mandrino.

“We are very excited to be working with the Moncler team to launch a collection of wonderful garments that allow people to explore the outdoors more safely and for longer periods of time,” states Marcio Manique, Global Business Director, Consumer & Professional Protection, DSM Protective Materials. “We look forward to further supporting Moncler as they develop innovative, high-tech garments that are also sustainably sourced through the introduction of bio-based Dyneema® fabrics.”

In line with DSM’s commitment to protect people and the environment they live in, the world’s first-ever bio-based ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber was introduced in May 2020. Bio-based Dyneema® boasts the same exact performance as conventional Dyneema® with a carbon footprint that is 90 percent lower than generic HMPE. DSM and Moncler’s continued partnership will not only provide high performance, light weight garments for outdoor enthusiasts but also environmentally sustainable alternatives that contribute to a more circular economy.

With zwissCLEAN® masks, zwissTEX is a pioneer among manufacturers of antiviral and antibacterial oronasal masks. Unlike conventional models they actively and highly effectively eliminate viruses and bacteria thanks to the latest textile technologies. This is made possible by an environmentally friendly finishing that foregoes the use of silver and zinc. "The formula physically interrupts the cell membrane of the viruses and bacteria - so no development of resistance is possible. In this way 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria are eliminated within a very short time," says Maximilian Schönfließ - Business Development Manager of zwissTEX.

The zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is particularly suitable when a mask is to be worn over a longer period of time - whether for school, concerts, trade fair visits or air travel. "The special feature of our zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is that it can be worn for up to 12 hours without any problems due to the breathable material", says Schönfließ. "With it even sleeping is possible. And unlike disposable masks it can be washed up to 10 times at 30 degrees. Disposal by type is also possible".

The zwissCLEAN MASK COMFORT is recommended for daily protection at shopping, on public transport, at business appointments or similar events. It consists of a three-layer structure and combines efficient antiviral protection with long-term wearing comfort. The outer material and the integrated fleece promote protection against viruses and bacteria. The lower material made of organic cotton guarantees a lasting pleasant feeling on the skin. The mask can be washed up to 30 times, thus replacing up to 210 disposable masks and saving resources sustainably.

Belgian textile innovator Devan Chemicals was lauded by Frost & Sullivan for its antimicrobial technology with proven quaternized silane chemistry, known under its trade name as BI-OME®.

RONSE, BELGIUM – The non-leaching attributes of the technology coupled with its ability to reduce microbial mutation make it a potential candidate for textiles where durability and safe human contact are highly valued.

Based on its recent analysis of the European antimicrobial technology for the textile market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes the Belgium-headquartered Devan Chemicals NV (Devan) with the 2020 European Technology Innovation Leadership Award. Devan’s highly relevant antimicrobial technology addresses issues concerning the contamination of PPE and textiles, including the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, viral transmissions, and hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Its quat-silane technology, due to its non-migrating behaviour, physically punctures the microorganism cell to destroy it without interfering with cell DNA. Notably, it eliminates the adverse effects of leaching antimicrobials while providing high efficiency in the range of 99.9 percent to 99.99 percent, even after multiple washes.

"By providing non-migrating antimicrobial technology for the textile industry, Devan plugs the safety and performance gaps inherent in current inorganic and organic antimicrobial agents. Its antimicrobial technology, unlike silver- or triclosan-based technology, comprises non-migrating monomers and prepolymers such as organo-functional silane," said Monami Dey, Industry Manager, Frost & Sullivan. "The organo-silane polymers are covalently bonded and polymerized to the textile surface as a coating via padding, exhaust, and spraying techniques. The coating forms a non-leaching reactive surface and destroys the microbes on contact, without releasing harmful components into the environment."

Devan CEO Sven Ghyselinck is very happy with the award: “The best practice award is a nice recognition of the hard work we did in the last 6 months to evaluate the performance against viral activity. It’s great to see our efforts didn’t go unnoticed.”

Earlier this month Devan published new test results confirming the high performance virus-reducing capabilities of its BI-OME fabric coating technology on both unwashed and intensely washed fabrics. The Belgian company has worked closely with a series of international third party laboratories to test different fabric substrates against a wide range of enveloped viruses. Before washing, samples treated with Devan BI-OME score very good to excellent (99% and higher according to ISO 18184) results on virus reduction. Different substrates, like polyester, cotton and polycottons, were exposed to enveloped viruses like SARS-COV-2 (known to cause COVID-19), Feline Corona, Vaccinia (the EU standard for enveloped viruses) and Porcine Respiratory viruses. After 30minutes, BI-OME already reduced 99.96% of the activity of SARS-COV-2.

After washing, a decrease in virus reduction performance of coating technologies is normal and expected. However, BI-OME is confirmed to deliver only a minimal reduction, retaining up to 98.5% virus reduction even when the fabric is washed 25 times.

"Devan is working towards sustainability and green chemistry. For instance, its technology does not contain any harmful solvents such as formaldehyde or polychlorinated phenols and fulfills the regulatory obligations of the EU BPR," noted Dey. "Its commitment to promoting sustainability in textile finishes with a strong focus on GMO-free, kosher, as well as halal certifications, and recyclability has given the company an edge in launching new products at an accelerated pace to match customers’ most pressing concerns and demands."

One of those innovations is BI-OME NTL (natural), a natural, bio-based antimicrobial solution that guarantees an optimal freshness and hygiene for textiles. The active ingredient is the well-known Linseed oil, obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant. The active ingredients in BI-OME NTL are GMO free, Halal, Kosher and recyclable.

Am 15. Juli 2020 ist das U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol in Kraft getreten. Der neue Dokumentationsprozess unterstützt die Nachverfolgbarkeit und Auswertung von Daten im Herstellprozess von U.S.-amerikanischer Baumwolle. Textilhersteller und Handel können dem U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol beitreten, einem neuen System für verantwortungsvoll angebaute Baumwolle, das in Übereinstimmung mit den UN-Nachhaltigkeitszielen Jahresvergleichsdaten in sechs Nachhaltigkeitskategorien liefert. Die neuartige Erhebung der Jahresvergleichsdaten ermöglicht Textilproduzenten und Handel, ihren Fortschritt in der Umsetzung der eigenen Nachhaltigkeitsverpflichtungen besser messbar zu machen.

Das U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol wurde speziell für das besondere Umfeld der Baumwoll-Massenproduktion in den Vereinigten Staaten konzipiert. Dabei soll es andere Nachhaltigkeits-Initiativen nicht ersetzen, sondern ergänzen.

Die neue Baumwoll-Dokumentation fördert und verifiziert die Fortschritte im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit durch sorgfältige Datenerfassung über die komplette Lieferkette – von den Anbaudaten bis in den Handel – und organisiert deren Validierung durch unabhängige Sachverständige. U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol setzt dabei auf die Zusammenarbeit mit den Organisationen „Field to Market, The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture“ und „Control Union Certifications North America“. Textilindustrie und Handel erhalten auf diese Weise nachverfolgbare Herkunftsdaten für die Baumwollprodukte ihrer Lieferketten. Mitglieder der Initiative haben Zugriff auf die aggregierten Jahresvergleichsdaten zu Wassereinsatz, Treibhausgas-Emissionen, Energieverbrauch, Kohlenstoffgehalt der Böden und Landnutzungseffizienz.

Im vergangenen Monat wurde U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol durch die gemeinnützige Organisation „Textile Exchange“ in die Liste der 36 bevorzugten Fasern und Materialien aufgenommen, an der mehr als 170 teilnehmende Textilproduzenten und Händler im Rahmen des Material Change Index-Programms ihre Einkaufsstrategien ausrichten.

• Diana, Giusy, Simona and Marina. The call to action of the fashion world was born from four women engaged in the field of sustainability. On the occasion of Fashion Revolution Week, we tell you their story and the results achieved

A task force of Italian textile companies active in our area supported the first call to action launched at the fashion world by four women who have always been involved in the field of sustainability. The appeal launched on March 19th by the green journalist Diana de Marsanich, Giusy Bettoni, founder and CEO of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy)the eco multi-platform hub specialized in integrating a new generation of eco values into fashion, products and companies, Simona Roveda, Editorial Director and Director of Institutional Communication of LifeGate and Marina Spadafora, Italian Country Coordinator of Fashion Revolution and currently collaborating with Luxury Fashion Brands to implement responsible strategies in their companies have luaunched a call-to-action project which has brought together textile companies to manufacture PPE garments for the medical staff working in San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, near Milan.

The companies that answered the call-to-action are: Filo d’Oro, Mantero, ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) e Zerobarracento, Iluna Group, Lg Electronics, Jimmy Lion, Personal Genomics, Isamar Holyday Village, Marcolin Eyewear, Maglificio Ripa.

During the last weeks the 4 women collected about 1,800 non-drip cotton and non-woven TNT gowns for sanitary use, about 400 protective masks for multipurpose washable, bacteriostatic, breathable and water-repellent prevention, 1,000 washable cotton surgical caps, 150 complete protective googles eye masks, two microwave ovens for hospital departments to offer support to medical and healthcare personnel by helping them in the few breaks during the grueling shifts of this period, a supply of samples of cotton socks, 300 cotton masks + polyester outer layer, water-repellent and antibacterial, and free weekly stays made available to doctors, nurses, civil protection personnel and families with related children involved in the Covid-19 pandemic.

ISKO presented its 100% responsible platform, R-TWO™.

The denim ingredient brand hosted a special panel to discuss some of the advancements in technology that are making the fashion industry more responsible: from R-TWO™ to automated laser technology.

With the fashion industry being considered one of the world’s most polluting businesses-sectors, collaborating and knowledge sharing are key in finding solutions for a better future. Fully aware of this scenario, ISKO was the headline sponsor at The Drapers Sustainable Fashion Forum brings together responsible players to discuss what can be done to tackle the industry’s environmental and social issues through innovation and creativity.

Sharing knowledge, collaborating for change.
As evidence of its Responsible Innovation™ approach, ISKO presented the R-TWO™ program, its latest
responsible achievement. Stemming from the mill’s holistic vision, R-TWO™ represents a great example of how reducing, reusing, and recycling strategies can be implemented in a textile business to improve its  environmental performance.
The R-TWO™ reduces the amount of raw material sourced by using a blend of reused cotton and recycled polyester – both certified –, improving sourcing efficiency throughout the entire field-to-fabric production.
Reused cotton is certified with the Content Claim Standard – or CCS – from the Textile Exchange. As for recycled polyester, it can be either Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified, depending on the content percentages. Together with this cutting-edge and fully responsible program, ISKO also uses automated laser
technology developed in partnership with Jeanologia.

“How technology can help make the fashion industry more sustainable”:
On March 11th, ISKO hosted a discussion about ways, to make the fashion industry more responsible
The panel was moderated by David Shah, consultant on design and marketing development, Publisher and CEO at Metropolitan Publishing BV and Associate Professor at ARTez (Arnhem, the Netherlands) and Associate Professor at Renmin University, (Beijing, China). The talk involved Keith O’Brien, ISKO Marketing & Business Development Manager, Victoria Soto, Jeanologia Custom Technology Consultant and Filippo Ricci, Fashion Open Studio Program & Partnership Manager.

And finishings of the E.C.O. KOSMOS cross-collection, continuing its ethical and sustainable path and having also exclusives collaborations with international brands
Italian Converter, a leading manufacturer of innovative fabrics for fashion, footwear and accessories, expands E.C.O. Kosmos, the fully traceable, transparent and 100% Made in Italy cross-collection. The acronym E.C.O. - Ecologic, Conversion, Optimization perfectly reflects the founding values of the Italian Converter philosophy and represents a further step in the company's responsible path. E.C.O. Kosmos has also been selected to be part of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) and also welcomed with enthusiasm the proposal to support C.L.A.S.S. Smart Materials Bank, the educational platform and e-shop of C.L.A.S.S. designed for young designers who want to discover and experiment with innovative and sustainable textile solutions from the best manufacturers in ways suitable for their reality.

Here are some highlights of the collection:

• E.C.O. Alba – E.C.O. Aurora, fabrics made of 50% casual cotton combined with AMNI SOUL ECO ® technology.
• E.C.O. Sonica is a semi-shiny satin with an elegant and refined appearance. the textile sector at an international level.
• E.C.O. Aly is a vintage effect raffia, a very trendy theme right now.

Empowering sportwear and athleisurewear with a sustainable imprint

Bemberg™ products including its now-iconic cupro fiber are made from a cotton linter pre consumer material, a natural derived source, and a truly unique one in the smart fiber arena that doesn’t deplete forestry resources.

In Munich, the company is pleased to announce its ultimate collaborations with　Sidonios Malhas, SA. They have created Jacquard jersey with a very interesting look and graceful touch for the athleisure solutions.

Matias & Araujo which has developed, using ZUE’s Bemberg™/Polyamide intermingle yarn, a unique beautiful touch and physical property that suit the athleisure markets; and leading manufacturer of smart jersey TINTEX Textiles created a delicate and luxurious 100% Bemberg™ interlock with silky touch guaranteed by Plummy Technology®, GOTS certified light, fluid and soft Jersey that combine Bemberg™ with organic cotton enriched by the Naturally Clean® technology.

Bemberg™ also presents unique fabrics made in Japan with a special technology of combined yarn through texturizing process and blended yarn.

Bemberg™ by leading materials manufacturer Asahi Kasei is the sole maker of one-of-a-kind, matchless, high-tech natural fibers with a unique touch and feel as well as unique performances such as moisture control and is antistatic.

Atop the exquisite and precious touch, Bemberg™ fabrics are imbued with circular economy - from its source, manufacture and end-of-life. It is all supported by the LCA study, signed by ICEA and validated by Paolo Masoni, confirming a new quality profile and standard with a more responsible and unique position today. Full GRS certification, Oeko-Tex 100, ISO 14001, & Eco-Mark. Bemberg™ also has a new Compostability Certification.

Bemberg™ gears up for Première Vision - February 11th-13th, Paris, France; with a great deal of novelties and a key statement on sustainability: Let’s Make it Circular! That’s why the Japanese brand of regenerated cellulose fibers joins the fair with two booths, one in the yarn-focused sector – Hall 6 C52 6D53 – the other one in the Smart Creation area, the curated district showcasing cutting-edge sustainable innovation for the textile and fashion business. Hall3 S14.

“We simply could not miss out on the Smart Creation Area as sustainability is the founding pillar of our company,” says SHUNSUKE SATO, sales manager of Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei. “Indeed, the smart fiber is made from a cotton linter which is pre-consumer material, a natural derived source, that doesn’t deplete forestry resources. The strategy beyond our double presence is to highlight our deep commitment to responsible innovation to a larger target of professionals.”

Let’s take it circular! is the motto at the Smart Creation booth. The lifespan of Bemberg™’s regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton is fully circular: from the source to manufacturing. The whole sustainable closed-loop process is supported by the LCA study, signed by ICEA and validated by Paolo Masoni. Recyclability is granted by the Global Recycle Standard - GRS certification by the renown Textile Exchange. An influential guarantee that involves the whole production process and supply chain behind the company’s smart yarns. Bemberg™ yarns are entirely biodegradable and ecotoxicity-free – meaning that at the end of their life circle they break down into the environment leaving no trace in terms of toxic substances as attested by the Innovhub-SSI report.

On show at Première Vision some of the most recent collaborations with GRS-certified partners such as FIVEOL, SMI TESSUTI, TESSITURA UBOLDI, INFINITY, SIDONIOS, MATIAS & ARAUJO, TINTEX, IPEKER, EKOTEN, for fashion fabrics as well as PEZZETTI and BRUNELLO & G.CRESPI from lining partners.

The first Bemberg™ partner to present a commercial collection enriched by Velutine™ Evo is the Portuguese Matias & Araújo. With an innovative spirit, dynamism and a determined entrepreneurial spirit, the company is a leading knitwear producer for the textile industry.

In the Hall 6 Bemberg™ displays key commercial items developed by premium brands such as CAALO that is making its mark in the outerwear market with its Sustainably produced Functional-Luxury proposal. For SS20, CAALO utilized Bemberg™ lining because of the sustainability properties and it's unique colour.

CAALO looks to utilize as much eco-friendly and sustainable materials as possible without compromising on design or quality. This Bemberg™ lining was a perfect fit.