From the Sector

Kelheim Fibres, a leading manufacturer of viscose specialty fibers, and Hologenix®, creators of CELLIANT®, a responsive textile using infrared technology, partnered to create CELLIANT® viscose, a combination of nature and performance.

CELLIANT viscose in blends with cotton, regular viscose, MicroModal®, lyocell and wool offers a range of varieties. Among the many applications, it is especially suitable for performance wear, luxury loungewear, casual wear, bedding, towels and beauty.

CELLIANT viscose features natural, ethically sourced minerals embedded into plant-based fibers to create infrared products that capture and convert body heat into infrared, improving cellular oxygenation.

Kelheim’s flexible technology permits targeted interventions in the viscose fiber process and delivers this fiber that provides full functionality without the need for any additional processing steps, while impressing with a softer feel and cost and time savings compared to coated fabrics.

Dominik Mayer, Kelheim’s Project Manager for Fibre & Application Development, and Courtney OKeefe, Hologenix’s Chief Supply Officer, will share the story behind the development of CELLIANT® viscose and how this first in-fiber sustainable solution on the market was developed. They will present at a webinar during the Dornbirn Global Fiber Conference Thursday, September 16, at 5:50 pm CEST.

• Textile Exchange report shows growth of preferred fiber and materials market needs to be accelerated
• With post-pandemic fiber production increasing, the transition to preferred fibers and materials must be a non-negotiable decision, notes Textile Exchange.

According to a new Textile Exchange report, the market share for preferred fiber and materials grew significantly in 2020. The Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report 2021 outlines the market for plant fibers such as cotton, hemp, and linen; animal fibers and materials such as wool, mohair, cashmere, alpaca, down, silk, and leather; manmade cellulosics (MMCFs) such as viscose, lyocell, modal, acetate, and cupro; as well as synthetics such as polyester, polyamide, and more.

The report is a unique annual publication about global fiber and materials production, availability, and trends, including those associated with improved social and environmental impacts, referred to as ”preferred.” The comprehensive report includes quantitative data, industry updates, trend analysis and inspiring insights into the work of leading companies and organizations as they create material change.

The results show that between 2019 and 2020 the market share of preferred cotton increased from 24 to 30 percent and recycled polyester from 13.7 to 14.7 percent. Preferred cashmere increased from 0.8 to 7 percent of all cashmere produced while Responsible Mohair Standard certified fiber expanded from 0 to 27 percent of all mohair produced worldwide in its first year of existence in 2020. The market share of FSC and/or PEFC certified MMCFs increased to approximately 55-60 percent. While the market share of recycled MMCFs is only 0.4 percent, it is expected to increase significantly in the following years.

Brands’ increased interest in the use of preferred fibers and materials was also demonstrated by 75 percent increase in the total number of facilities (to 30,000) around the world becoming certified to the organization’s portfolio of standards in 2020. However, the report also notes that despite the increase, preferred fibers only represent less than one-fifth of the global fiber market. Less than 0.5 percent of the global fiber market was from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles.

Indeed, global fiber production has almost doubled in the last 20 years from 58 million tonnes in 2000 to 109 million tonnes in 2020. While it is not yet clear how the pandemic and other factors will impact future development, global fiber production is expected to increase by another 34 percent to 146 million tonnes in 2030 if the industry builds back business as usual. If this growth continues, it will be increasingly difficult for the industry to meet science-based targets for climate and nature.

Textile Exchange aims to be the driving force for urgent climate action, and its Climate+ strategy calling for the textile industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030 compared to a 2019 baseline in the pre-spinning phase of textile fiber and materials production, while also addressing other impact areas interconnected with climate such as water, biodiversity, and soil health.

Lectra announces the signature of an agreement to acquire the entire capital and voting rights of the French company Neteven.

The transaction concerns the acquisition of 80% of Neteven for 12.6 million euros right now. The acquisition of the remainder of capital and voting rights will take place in June 2025, for an amount between 0.6 to 0.9 times 2024 recurring revenues.

Founded in 2005, Neteven has developed a particularly innovative offer, based on a SaaS platform and associated services, which enables brands to simplify and effectively monitor the distribution of their products on the world’s largest online marketplaces.

The SaaS platform centralizes the product catalog and information on stock levels, sales prices and orders, in order to automate and facilitate distribution on online marketplaces.
Neteven helps its customers save time when managing their distribution channels and gain greater local and international visibility of their products in order to reach more consumers. The Neteven team provides its technological and services expertise to prestigious brands to help them optimize their e-commerce strategy.

May 22nd was World Biodiversity Day, established for the first time in 2000 by the UN General Assembly to celebrate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity signed in Nairobi (Kenya) in 1992.

Biodiversity Day celebrates the biological diversity of the planet and its species together with its protection. This year the Day had a particular focus on sustainable development with the theme “We’re part of the solution”: aware of being part of nature, we cannot exclude recognizing its protection and preservation as well. The Day follows the precedent of May 20th which celebrated bees, another inestimable heritage of our planet.

DMR Group, with its data collection system focused on the reader/user’s point of view, monitored the official keywords and analyzed the DMR Group global panel which includes more than 100,000 websites and 100,000 selected social accounts in the period between May 18th and 24th, 2021.

• Riri’s SS 2022 collection explores the mind of the future.
• Bright colors, vintage themes as well as timeless designs and attention to detail, combined with concepts that highlight history and processes.

Riri Group’s gaze looks to the future once more, offering a line of accessories where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. This is the scenario spawning the new SS 2022 collection; a range of innovative proposals each representing a different emotional response to the pandemic, an attempt to interpret the emotions, needs and desires of consumers in the coming years.

The Italian-Swiss group, that for almost a century has committed to creating zips and buttons for the world’s most important fashion brands, doubles down on its forward-looking vision. The result is SS 2022 collection, featuring three different aspirational paths to read into the emerging feelings of the “new normal” that is our time and that may characterize the near future.

REJOICE
Inspired by sensations of euphoria and breaking free from melancholy through evasion and exuberance, Rejoice is the line that sees in positivity and joy of re-living the answer to the months of pandemic and negativity. The optimism that is to come takes the form of a creative and extrovert style, even when it comes to accessories. The inspiration, a triumph of bright colors and timeless styles, comes straight from the streets of Boca, one of Buenos Aires’ most popular neighborhoods thanks to its combination of colors and creative scene. Thus, the Eloxal rio zip is presented once again: with its aluminum chain and colored teeth, matched with a multi-color effect puller. In the range, we can also find the Nylon zip, featuring changing colors matched with buttons that echo their color variations, or the Filmetal 14 zip, big and with eye-catching writings, embossed on the tape.

REBIRTH
Going back to the future, in a more respectful and responsible way, through a rebirth that comes to be thanks to a closer relationship with nature. In this line history and processes through which the product is made are pivotal to tell a new way to approach the world. The range comprises zips and buttons developed with natural material and processed manually. A return to the basics as well as the constant research to reduce resources use respecting the planet are foundation of this line. Part of the Rebirth line are the copper jeans buttons, with a special water-based paint finishing, transparent and protective, or the hemp-derived bio-plastic eyelets, as well as the galalite buttons, a particular bio-degradable plastic, derived from processed milk proteins. A major innovation are our tapes entirely made of recycled polyester, evidence of the commitment by Riri Group to reuse resources.

TIMELESS
Timeless elegance, essential luxury mixed with the highest quality standards for top-of-therange products. Design, materials and colors featuring in this line break away from seasonal trends to become timeless must-haves, essential yet elegant. Every piece is cared for in every detail, created specifically to leave a lasting mark. Buttons, chains and pullers are either made of gold and silver, or they feature the clean and elegant tone of stainless steel. Among the zips, stand out Metal and Simmetrical with luxury finishings, whilst tapes are made with refined materials, such as leather and satin. Essential yet researched, this range comes with square and oval cuts, with geometry being functional and complementary to a timeless elegance.

Fashion 4 Development & C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub will launch The Reclothe Resource Guide during the virtual exhibit: Discover the SDGs - To Make Peace With Nature, a virtual hub convened by the United Nations Office for Partnerships April 1 - 30, 2021.

The publication's mission is to inform and educate fashion industry professionals, schools, universities, students, and new generation brands to focus on the next generation of the circular economy and make an impact on the value chain. The ReClothe guide lists all solutions, technologies, fabric suppliers, dyers, and finishers currently available and scalable globally that can really answer the new generation needs of the contemporary consumer. ReClothe will be published quarterly and focus on innovators working the best practices and opportunities in development & manufacturing for a responsible fashion industry.

The guide includes Bacx™ by Centro Seta, Bext360, DYNTEX® Biosynthetics, Eastman Naia™, ECOSENSOR™ by Asahi Kasei, ECOTEC® by Marchi & Fildi, Iluna Group, Lanificio Zignone, Maeba International, Mending for Good, Modern Meadow, Re.VerSo™, ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, Santoni, Smartex, Spiber Inc., SUPREME GREEN COTTON® by Varvaressos, TINTEX Textiles, VEGEA and YKK.

For registration click here.

Intimissimi, a famous lingerie brand, gives an edge of responsible innovation with Tessitura Colombo recycled and plant-based colored ingredients.

Intimissimi, a renowned lingerie brand, constantly engaged in research and development of innovative collections expressed through its performances: for this collection, the lingerie brand has selected made in Italy ingredients of Tessitura Colombo, a lace manufacturer that has always prioritized the protection of the environment and natural resources.

"Nature's dream", coming to stores this spring, is the name of the new line that wants to be inspired by nature and where sustainability is fully integrated throughout premium recycled ingredients and natural plant dyed process. "Nature's dream" is part of the sustainable families of the #intimissimicares collection, that is created to comply with short and long-term sustainability objectives: attention to the usage of natural resources, protection of the environment, control of the supply chain and choice of sustainable fibres.

• Every moment of our day is important: TINTEX knows it and for SS 2022 is proposing solutions to enhance our wellbeing, fitting all our possible and different needs 24 hours a day.

From sunrise to sunset

Last season TINTEX “RAW” collection has successfully explored the modern human being dimensions with no more genders and races, and today the new SS 2022 collection confirms the Naturally Advanced Evolution vision built on a strong environment-driven approach and cutting-edge technology able to offer contemporary consumer a brand new smart and performing choice.

How? The SS2022 TINTEX 24h collection is offering solutions that can fit the different moments of our daily lives to rediscover ourselves in the outside world, leaving behind the social isolation that we all experienced in 2020. Freedom, comfort, flexibility and movement are the concepts the company explores looking not only to fashion moments, but to all the occasions of life where the most comfortable yet performing and responsible materials - from recycled synthetics to organic cotton - are the “right value choice”.
 
From there, the concept of giving life to 10 fabrics that truly embody our daily lifestyle: comfort, versatility, wellbeing.

Colours. A journey through warm and vivid colors - from reddish apples to sunny oranges with notes of starry blues - encourages wellbeing, feeling of relief, freedom and happiness because we feel that "we are alive again” when we go outside, doing everything we have always done, but that we were forced to put on pause. “RADIANT YELLOW it’s TINTEX color of the season, with its inherent positivity and strength. An energetic color that calls for a natural freedom to explore the world; a warm sensation of summer that feels like home” declares Ana Eusebio, designer at TINTEX Textiles.
 
All the collection focuses on the interlock structure, able to “concretely” deliver the value of versatility  and  fulfil performances needs of different moments of life. The idea is to create a collection that explores only one structure taking it to the limit, recreating, re-inventing and re-exploring its possibilities in order to meet the value of duality. Yes, in a single knit TINTEX challenged the way interlock is usually constructed by exploring each side of the articles and combining texturized with plain surfaces as well as light and heavy weights. Interlock offers natural stretch performances and exceptional dimensional stability.

Moreover, an important eye on responsible performances improvement to meet contemporary challenges and make us feel comfortable and safe! Always thanks to TINTEX DNA that is showing once more its consistent and evolved skills in making smart fabrics combined with unique eco-high-tech finishings.
 
Materials & finishings. A soft performances journey where it’s all about our dynamic daily lives. Through light and heavier fabrics, we find a well thought blend of innovative and responsible fibres. Strong focus is given to exceptional “transformation” technologies such as Newlife™, Q-Nova®, and ROICA™ EF by Asahi Kasei. While Organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers and TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers with Micro technology offer a unique natural and precious touch.

Fresh fibres and finishings that enhance freshness and comfort. Polygiene® STAY FRESH and Polygiene® Odor Crunch for active odor control performances, Hydroperm® by Archroma technical hydrophilic finishing for a fast dry, comfortable surface and a fresh look. Absolute novelty of the season is the TASTEX®COOL-EX by TANATEX, a skin-care treatment agent based on micelles, which gives a special cool sensation using dynamic temperature control.
 
Lastly, TINTEX addresses the accessories and outerwear markets with a “look-like leather” created with a water-based coating technology that incorporates pine shell.

Wardrobe solutions. 10 versatile articles that can perfectly fit the different areas of our daily wardrobe: from casual to formal wear, from athleisure to sports, from loungewear to underwear.  10 innovations that have become a  REAL  24th hours smart wardrobe   thanks to the unique design interpretation of these fabrics  by  5 contemporary and innovative Portuguese  designers such as : Rita Sá, David Catalán, Maria Gambina, Maria Meira and Behén.

Unique pieces designed and created by them   to show once more the beauty, the versatility, the smart performances of TINTEX collection that has been able to transform itself into a naturally advanced valuable wardrobe where fabrics have concretely come to life to make our everyday life smart in each moment! You can have a real look at this wardrobe that fully represent the values behind the collection, smartly interpreted by the Portuguese designers at this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppPHPK0Zyu8 .

Thinking about what is happening around us as planet and individuals in an era of unpredictable challenges, we need to be creative constantly reinventing ourselves, aware of a new society and way of consuming where environment and human needs count.  And TINTEX, that has over-time established itself as a global leader in smart innovation, decided to focus exactly on that. The company DNA and vision of Naturally Advanced Evolution is centered on this new way of life that must adapt, but NEVER - now more than ever - compromises neither nature nor new generation’s performance.

Reinach, Switzerland, and Westlake, Ohio, 2 February 2021 - Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with technology innovator CleanKore, aiming to advance sustainable dyeing processes throughout the denim supply chain.

The agreement will allow Archroma and CleanKore to promote the benefits of each other’s technologies. This includes Archroma’s robust catalog of dyes and specialty chemicals along with CleanKore’s patented process of dyeing yarns at the denim mill that completely eliminates the need for potassium permanganate (PP) spray and laser booster to achieve the bright white abrasion effect in the garment finishing process. The result is a large and circular bright white core with a small ring of indigo dye. The technology does not just eliminate the chemicals associated in the PP spray and laser process, which is much safer for denim workers, it also allows to save significant amounts of water and energy throughout the manufacturing process from fabric to garmenting.

CleanKore initially looked at eliminating potassium permanganate due to its being classified as hazardous if inhaled or ingested, or in case of contact with the skin or the eye. It is also considered very toxic to aquatic life. No new equipment or capital expenses are needed to implement the CleanKore technology, which works on all denim fabric, including dark indigo, sulfur top/bottom and sulfur black.

This is where Archroma comes into the picture. Its global technical team of denim coloration specialists will provide support to denim mills seeking to implement the CleanKore technology and develop the desired looks and effects - with the right colors and chemical systems for their production set-up.

CleanKore estimates that the technology allows to save up to 15 liters of water per garment, or the equivalent to the drinking needs of 5 people per day, and up to 0.51 kWh of energy per garment, or the equivalent of five 100-watt light bulbs on for 1 hour. The CleanKore technology also leads to a 10% to 20% increase in production throughput, as a result of a faster garment wash-down and the elimination of PP spray.

For CleanKore CEO Darryl Costin Jr., the announcement comes at an ideal time for CleanKore: "We have successfully proven the technology with mill partners such as Arvind and other denim mills in Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Thailand and the United States. The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive. Having a partner in Archroma, one that is highly respected for their innovation and emphasis on sustainability throughout the industry, will allow us to take CleanKore to the next level.”

Umberto Devita, Global Indigo Manager at the Archroma Global Competence Center for Denim & Casualwear, adds: "CleanKore is perfectly aligned with the 3 pillars of 'The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced'. 'Safe' through the elimination of a potentially harmful substance and the protection of the denim workers, 'Efficient' through the reduction of resource consumption, improved productivity and cost-effective profile. And 'Enhanced' through the gorgeous colors and effects allowed with Archroma's innovations and systems, in particular our aniline-free* Denisol® Pure Indigo and Diresul® sulfur dyes. We look forward to help promoting an innovation that will help with many of the challenges facing our denim customers throughout the world. Because it’s our nature."

The RUDOLF GROUP is an uncontested agent of positive change especially when it comes to pioneering technologies that help transforming the textile and fashion industries. A shining example of conscious leadership played by the RUDOLF GROUP over the past decades is the invention and introduction of fluorine-free Durable Water Repellency (DWR) for textile and apparel. Since 2003, the RUCO-DRY product line has gradually convinced the industry that water-resistance can be achieved through the study and replica of natural models. “Biomimicry and the study of lotus leaves and bird’s feathers were instrumental in developing the very first fluorine-free DWR’s” says Dr. Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at RUDOLF GROUP.

Fifteen years later, RUDOLF GROUP does it again and takes a significant leapfrog. It pushes the boundaries of R&D well beyond fluorine-free, embraces nature and introduces water repellent performance entirely based on natural components. “We are launching two brand new, distinctive product propositions entirely manufactured from natural sources that do not compete with human and/or animal nutrition” continues Dr. Duschek.

RUCO®-DRY BIO CGR is an absolute breakthrough and the first Durable Water Repellent (DWR) agent based on plant-derived processing wastes. In fact, RUCO®-DRY BIO CGR is made of natural waste that accumulates as by-product during the processing of cereal grains in the food industry. The leftover material that would otherwise be disposed of is refined to create a powerful water and stain repellent textile finish.

“By turning natural waste into DWR we have optimized the biologic character of RUCO®-DRY BIO CGR where the active component is made of more than 90% bio carbon” states Dr. Dirk Sielemann, R&D Director at RUDOLF GROUP. He continues: “Although most of the product is composed by recycled biomass, RUCO®-DRY BIO CGR meets the performance and durability of conventional water repellent textile finishes”.

RUCO®-DRY BIO NPE is an equally outstanding product innovation where DWR is entirely based on a carefully selected mix of natural plant extracts. The well-balanced mix of plant-based ingredients combines excellent water and stain repellent effects with breathability and a natural handfeel. 

Unlike other 100% renewable raw materials, those used in the making of RUCO®-DRY BIO NPE are chemically and genetically non-modified and are not used as food, feed or fuel. Furthermore, all of the plant extracts that compose RUCO®-DRY BIO NPE are subject to a strict conservation and sustainability framework. “That’s why the supply of RUCO®-DRY BIO NPE is likely to remain limited to the creation and marketing of performance outdoor and sports apparel programs embedding state-of-the-art sustainable technology” concludes Dr. Duschek.

Both RUCO®-DRY BIO CGR and RUCO®-DRY BIO NPE are marketed through the BIO-LOGIC trademark, registered by RUDOLF GROUP.