From the Sector

Mayer & Cie. presented an overview of its current portfolio in the circular knitting sector at the ITM in Istanbul. Two machine types – the SF4 3.2 III and the Relanit 3.2 HS II – and various smart solutions that make circular knitting more efficient were on display. knithawk, a tool for the optical detection of knitting defects, met with interest among the visitors. The same was true for knitlink, Mayer & Cie's hub for digital solutions. Spare parts packages and conversion kits are also in demand for the long-term value retention of Mayer & Cie. machines.

Relanit 3.2 HS II
The Relanit 3.2 HS mechanical single jersey machine offers high productivity, especially in the context of elastic plating. It processes a wide range of yarns and qualities reliably. It is suitable for processing recycled yarns. Their energy consumption is up to a third lower than that of a circular knitting machine with conventional technology.

In Istanbul, Mayer & Cie. presented an updated version of its flagship, the Relanit 3.2 HS II. The new open-width take down is the single component that attracted the most interest. It ensures a uniform pull-off tension of the knitted fabric over its entire circumference. The knitted hose is only opened below the take-down rollers. Furthermore, the take-dwon is equipped with two drives: one for tensioning, one for rewinding. Both can be controlled separately.

Another innovation of the Relanit 3.2 HS is aimed at reducing downtimes: The needle with predetermined breaking point, which was developed together with Groz-Beckert, prevents it from breaking uncontrollably and, in the worst case, breaking needle butt. The new spring sinker is also a joint development with Groz-Beckert. This makes the Relanit 3.2 HS II run more smoothly, produce less noise as well as with less wear and tear.

SF4-3.2 III for lightweight three-tread fleece knitted fabrics
With its SF4-3.2 III, Mayer & Cie. is addressing a trend in the clothing industry that is reflected beyond Turkey: lightweight, elastic three-thread knitted fabrics in both pure cotton and blends.

New Control 5.0 machine control system
Both ITM machine exhibits were on display with the new Control 5.0 machine control system. Control 5.0 is a prerequisite for using knitlink, the hub for Mayer & Cie's digital applications. In this function, the machine control system attracted interest from various large customers.

In the standard SmartControl version, as shown in Istanbul, a so-called Smart Knob is attached to each machine foot. From there, all the functions that the machine operator needs for his work are available. More in-depth settings, such as those made by the knitting manager, are only possible from a mobile device. Any number of Mayer & Cie. machines can be operated from this at the same time.

knithawk
knithawk, a tool for optical defect detection, inspects the knitted fabric as it is produced. It sits in the single jersey machine directly at the knitting point. If knithawk detects a serious or recurring error, the machine is stopped. The tool also creates an error log.

Machine-specific upgrade and conversion kits
With its upgrade kits, Mayer & Cie. brings technological innovations to existing machines. These range from machine-specific upgrades, such as the Performance Kit for existing Relanit 3.2 models to the Senso Blue RS lubrication system.

In addition to the upgrade kits, Mayer & Cie. offers conversion kits for popular machine types. Two are currently available: for the MV4 3.2 II/MBF 3.2 and the S4-3.2 II/ SF4-3.2 III.

Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) will host Manufacturer Forum: Shanghai on June 28, part of an annual series of events designed to amplify the voices of manufacturers around the globe. Featuring targeted programming designed to address local challenges faced by manufacturers, the event will highlight solutions provided by Cascale’s Higg Index suite of tools and growing list of impact initiatives. The event takes place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in collaboration with ISPO Shanghai, the multi-segment summer trade show.

Following successful runs in Bangalore, Dhaka, and Shenzhen, Manufacturer Forum: Shanghai will further facilitate pre-competitive collaboration in order to share best practices and collectively address critical challenges. Keynote speakers include Colin Browne, the organization’s newly-appointed CEO, and Scott Raskin, CEO of Worldly, Cascale’s technology partner and event sponsor.

Reflecting “Catalyst for Change,” the current theme of Cascale’s Manufacturer Forum series, the Shanghai event reinforces the organization’s commitment to support an open exchange between manufacturers and better understand their needs and ongoing challenges to jointly develop solutions.

Over 200 attendees are expected to attend the event, which brings together manufacturers with business leaders and critical stakeholders. Programming will cover a wide range of topics, including what manufacturers need to know about global policy, how strategic partnerships can drive industry change, the evolution of Higg FEM and verification processes, and the latest on decarbonization impacts. To aid goal and target-setting, there will also be dedicated training on setting Science-Based Targets for decarbonization, as part of an evolving and interactive program.

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. reported that at drupa 2024, running through 7 June at Messe Düsseldorf, it is highlighting its expertise in single-pass printing solutions for packaging, display graphics, and textile markets.

Visitors to EFI’s stand will see some of the companies latest single-pass innovations live, including the Packsize® EFI™ X5® Nozomi, a full-colour, on-demand, right-sized box system that prints, cuts, creases, glues, and erects customised boxes at the rate of up to one box every 6 seconds, and the EFI Nozomi 14000 SD single pass printer for sign and display. The company is also showcasing a vast array of applications produced on the new Nozomi 14000 AQ true water-based, single pass printer for corrugated packaging and displays and the Nozomi 12000 MP single-pass technology for direct-to-metal package printing, as well as the next generation EFI Reggiani BOLT XS single-pass textile printer.

In addition to showcasing single-pass inkjet printing at the show, EFI is also introducing two new software solutions that add to the value of single-pass technology, including:

• EFInsight, cloud-based intelligence that optimises the operational efficiency and TCO of EFI packaging, display graphics, or textile digital inkjet printing systems with cloud-based data collection, analytics, reporting, proactive maintenance, and process control tools. It delivers the insights needed to understand the economics of production and the tools to maximise inkjet printer investments. It is currently available for EFI Nozomi single-pass printers for packaging.
• EFI’s Life Cycle Assessment tool for Nozomi printers, which documents Nozomi’s environmental footprint, developed in partnership with Clean Agency. This tool, which EFI customers and their customers can use, analyses their CO2 emissions as part of their overall packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and has proven that printing corrugated materials on the EFI Nozomi digital press reduces Global Warming Potential (GWP) by over 50% when compared to analogue printing technologies.

• CARBIOS, L’OCCITANE en Provence and Pinard Beauty Pack join forces to establish an efficient European value chain for PET circularity
• The 100% biorecycled transparent bottle (from enzymatic recycling) will be on display at CARBIOS’ booth D02 at “Edition Spéciale” by LuxePack, held 4-5 June at the Carreau du Temple in Paris
• A key step towards achieving L'OCCITANE en Provence's eco-design commitment of 100% retail bottles made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET by 2027

CARBIOS and L’OCCITANE en Provence, an international cosmetics brand using natural and organic ingredients and long-term partner of CARBIOS, present a bottle in transparent PET made entirely from enzymatic recycling for a shower oil from the Amande range. In collaboration with converter Pinard Beauty Pack, this bottle exemplifies a shared desire to build en efficient European recycling sector to accelerate the transition to a circular economy for plastic, and meet brands' commitments for more sustainable packaging solutions. The bottle will be on display at CARBIOS’ Stand D02 at “Edition Spéciale” by LuxePack, the trade show dedicated to sustainable premium packaging, to be held on 4-5 June 2024 at the Carreau du Temple in Paris.

The 100% recycled PET bottle from CARBIOS' enzymatic depolymerization process was made with a European value chain committed to responsible consumption of sustainable materials. The bottle’s production began with the local supply of PET waste (already collected, sorted and prepared) to the CARBIOS industrial demonstrator in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The waste used consisted of colored bottles, multilayer trays and mechanical recycling residues, none of which are currently recycled using conventional technologies. CARBIOS deconstructed the PET waste into its original monomers, PTA and MEG, using its biorecycling technology. The resulting monomers were then repolymerized into new, fully recycled PET resins within Europe. In Oyonnax, France, these resins were blow-molded by Pinard Beauty Pack to create bottles according to L’OCCITANE’s specifications, and then filled with its shower oil at its Manosque plant.

Solvay held its Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting in Brussels, and shareholders voted in favor of all the proposed resolutions.

Solvay shareholders showed support to all resolutions and more specifically:

• The payment of a gross dividend of €2.43 per share for the year 2023. After deducting the interim dividend of €1.62 gross per share, paid on 17 January 2024, the balance amounts to €0.81 gross per share, payable from 5 June 2024.
• The re-election of Ms. Aude Thibaut de Maisières as a board member for a four-year term.
• The remuneration report.
• The appointment of EY for the assurance of sustainability information related to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

Flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Argentinian representative TEMCO ARGENTINA S.A., will participate in the SIMATEX exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina (21st - 23rd May 2024).

SHIMA SEIKI will exhibit a wide range of products, including proposals in seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as an alternative to labor-intensive manufacturing in the South American market. Three MACH2®VS machines, capable of knitting WHOLEGARMENT® knitwear using every other needle, will be shown in 12, 16 and 18 gauge. N.SVR®122, shown in 5 gauge, is the industry benchmark for shaped knitting, featuring such innovations as the R2CARRIAGE®, WideGauge® knitting, spring-type moveable sinkers, DSCS® Digital Stitch Control System, stitch presser, yarn gripper and cutter, and takedown comb.

Demonstrations will be performed on SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system. SDS®-ONE APEX4 provides support throughout the supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design, to machine programming, production and even sales promotion. Especially effective is the way SDS®-ONE APEX4 improves on the product planning and design evaluation process by replacing physical samples with digital prototypes based on photo-realistic simulations. These virtual samples realize significant savings in time, cost and material, contributing to sustainable manufacturing.

HeiQ announces the extended application of HeiQ Allergen Tech to bring the benefits of this biobased textile technology to the interior upholstered furniture market.

HeiQ Allergen Tech has already been successfully adopted in bedding items like pillows, bed sheets, and mattresses. And now Culp Upholstery Fabrics, a division of Culp, Inc. and a leading suppliers of upholstery fabric, will offer this technology to manufacturers of upholstered furniture. This collaboration will see Culp introduce HeiQ Allergen Tech enhanced interior upholstery fabrics to markets such as the Americas, among others, with Culp as the exclusive supplier.

HeiQ Allergen Tech addresses the problem of allergens from dust mite matter and pet allergens in textiles with the help of active probiotics, making it ideal for applications in upholstered furniture, such as sofas, armchairs, and other upholstered furniture products, which are among the household items that are rarely or never washed. This naturally derived technology works in the background with its continuous cleaning action to reduce allergens on the treated fabric and thereby create a more comfortable living environment.
The technology of HeiQ Allergen Tech is 100% biobased and long-lasting. Probiotics, also known as “good bacteria”, with benefits for humans and animals, colonize the treated fabrics, leaving no space for harmful dust mite matter or pet allergens to settle in while creating the ideal conditions for better and more comfortable living spaces.

The first treated fabrics as a result of the collaboration are being revealed at the Interwoven trade show on May 7-8 in High Point, NC, USA, where HeiQ and Culp teams provide more details to all visitors.

Eastman, a specialty materials company and producer of Naia™ cellulosic fibers, has formed a collaboration with Debrand, a logistics company specializing in finding sustainable solutions to apparel waste.

Teaming up with Debrand for collection of the waste, Eastman is using its molecular recycling technology to recycle 5,000 pounds of pre- and post-consumer apparel waste. The process breaks down apparel waste to its molecular building blocks and uses the certified recycled material to create Naia™ Renew fibers — circular fibers made from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% recycled waste material via Global Recycled Standard-certified mass balance.

Eastman and Debrand are showcasing the transformative potential of molecular recycling technology to address the textile waste crisis. By providing more circular solutions for apparel waste, this partnership sets a new standard for sustainable practices in the fashion industry. Prior to its collaboration with Eastman, Debrand secured a strategic investment from Waste Management, a provider of comprehensive waste management in North America, to deliver circular solutions across the U.S. and Canada.

Eastman continues to partner with strategic brands and organizations to drive innovation and enhance the infrastructure for a circular economy in the textiles industry. Recently, Eastman teamed up with Patagonia to recycle 8,000 pounds of its unusable apparel.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel Europe (Freudenberg) has reached a further sustainability milestone: The new Freudenberg Apparel Competence Center in Sant’Omero, Italy, successfully completed the 4sustainability® Chemical Management protocol (4s CHEM) recently and reached the Advanced Level. The aim of the protocol is to progressively eliminate toxic and hazardous chemicals and related risks throughout the production process.

Competence center for interlinings
Freudenberg opened its Apparel Competence Center in Sant’Omero in May 2023. The factory in Italy is an innovative competence center that coats and finishes nonwoven, woven and weft interlinings for apparel customers in Europe.
Freudenberg has now taken the next logical step: as part of a comprehensive audit, the Apparel Competence Center has implemented ZDHC guidelines in its production process. To achieve this, Freudenberg called in the experts from Process Factory, a consultancy that specializes in sustainability topics. With their support, Freudenberg’s Sant’Omero site has reached the Advanced level of the 4sustainability® Chemical Management protocol (4s CHEM), in line with the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Program.
Implementation is controlled annually based on this protocol and offers companies in the fashion industry a degree of reliability. It guarantees structured, fully transparent procedures, regular monitoring, and continuous control of Freudenberg’s production processes.  

ZDHC
By demonstrating its rejection of environmentally harmful chemicals and substances, the Apparel Competence Center shows that Freudenberg gives top priority to taking responsibility for people and the environment.
The aim of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation and its globally recognized Roadmap to Zero Program is to eliminate the release of toxic chemicals in the textile and fashion industry’s supply chain based on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL).
By applying the 4s CHEM protocol, the production site in Sant’Omero is sending a clear signal to the fashion industry that Freudenberg products meet the highest quality standards and are also safe and environmentally friendly.

The Lenzing Group has created an innovative concept that contributes to the sustainable protection of our glaciers while inspiring collective action for sustainable practices and a circular economy in the nonwovens and textile value chain. The concept, which was artistically staged by the Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, was presented on March 21, 2024, as part of the International Day of Forests celebrations at the Palais des Nations, the headquarters of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).

The melting of glaciers is being severely impacted by global warming. Geotextiles are used to protect ice and snow. However, the nonwovens used for this are made of fossil-based fibers, which allow microplastics1 to enter the valley via streams and may enter the food chain through small organisms and animals. Nonwovens made from cellulosic LENZING™ fibers, which are biodegradable at the end of their life cycle and can be completely recycled, are the sustainable solution to this problem.

The covering of a small area with the new material made from LENZING™ fibers was tested for the first time during a field test on the Stubai Glacier. Four meters of ice were saved from melting. This was confirmed in a study conducted by the University of Innsbruck and the Austrian glacier lift operators on the Stubai Glacier in Tyrol (Austria). In 2023, the pilot project was successfully extended to all Austrian glaciers used by tourists.

Last year, the project was also awarded first place in the prestigious Swiss BIO TOP Awards for wood and material innovations.

Lenzing takes this innovation project as an opportunity to inspire collaborative action towards sustainable practices and circularity in the textile value chain. Together with a network of innovative partners, Lenzing is working on processing geotextiles into new textile fibers giving them a second life as a garment. The use of geotextiles is usually limited to two years, after which the nonwovens would be disposed of. In the first phase of the pilot project, the recycling of nonwovens made for geotextiles use has been successfully tested and a fashionable “Glacier Jacket” has been produced, showcasing that the recycling of geotextiles is viable. Next to Lenzing, the network includes Marchi & Fildi Spa, a specialist in the field of mechanical recycling, the denim fabric manufacturer Candiani Denim and the fashion studio Blue of a Kind.