From the Sector

• Composite textiles for modern mobility
• Extremely lightweight, high tensile components by vombaur

In the snow, on a plane, in an electric vehicle or on a bicycle: no matter where and how we are on the road – composite textiles by vombaur ensure that we make good progress. With materials that are both extremely light and extremely reliable.

Lightweight components for modern mobility
Modern mobility relies on high-tech lightweight components Narrow textiles by vombaur are woven from high-performance fibres. On looms that are specially made for particularly demanding composite textiles: the textile company uses special machines to produce high-tech woven tapes with closed selvedges and elasticated UD tubulars that retain their 0° orientation over the entire length of the component – regardless of the diameter. Since they do not exhibit undesired break points caused by seams or welding, they not only have a particularly high bursting strength, they are also extremely reliable and durable.

Challenging applications
"From snowboards to aerospace – the applications for our composite textiles are demanding; the mechanical, chemical and thermal requirements are extreme," explains COO Christoph Schliefer. "As a development partner, we at vombaur are therefore often involved in product development at an early stage. We specify our woven tapes and tubulars individually for each project to suit the specific task at hand."

High quality raw materials, wide variety of geometries
The variety of shapes is virtually unlimited. vombaur manufactures 3D fabrics for composites in individual special shapes from carbon, aramid, glass or hybrids. Curves, edges, tubulars, spiral fabrics – the shape of the 3D fabrics, like the material itself, depends entirely on the task at hand. Powder or non-woven coatings create additional important properties.

Pioneering tech tex
"Developments in the field of modern mobility are happening at a rapid pace," emphasizes Schliefer. "With our composite textiles for extremely lightweight and high tenacity components, we at vombaur are also pushing these developments forward."

• World Cotton Day on 7 October Highlights the Importance of Cotton for Development Policy

Bremen - Stemming from a 2019 initiative of the African Cotton-4 countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, World Cotton Day will take place this year on 7 October. The event is organised by the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO) and is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Cotton Secretariat (ICAC). The Bremen Cotton Exchange is also involved.

“Cotton is often underestimated because it is so natural. Behind it are millions of people, for example many farmers, field workers, employees in ginning factories, logistics providers and traders. We want to honour their achievements,” said the President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, Stephanie Silber.

According to the WTO, the aim of World Cotton Day is to highlight the global economic importance of cotton and to raise awareness of the raw material by recognising the work of everyone involved in its cultivation, processing and trade. At the same time, within the framework of international cooperation, it is hoped that supporters and investors can be found to aid with technological and economic progress within the cotton value chain.

This time, the entire world cotton community will be involved in World Cotton Day on Wednesday, 7 October 2020. A wide variety of campaigns and events are taking place everywhere to draw attention to the importance of cotton and its possible uses.

Cotton is one of the most relevant agricultural raw materials in the world. Around 26 million tonnes of it are harvested annually. Approximately 150 million people in almost 80 countries around the world live from the cultivation of the natural fibre. A large number of these live in developing countries, where cotton cultivation is of particular importance as a cash crop.

Cotton is known as an agricultural product that is turned into a textile. The raw material is indispensable in fashion and clothing – and has been for thousands of years. But the use of cotton now goes far beyond textiles. For example, cosmetic products such as hand creams and hair shampoo are made from the oil of cotton seeds. The raw material is also used in the manufacture of banknotes, furniture and technical textiles, as well as in medical technology.

Against the background of the current discussion on sustainability and sustainable consumption, the role of natural fibres is becoming even more important. Cotton is biodegradable and a renewable resource. It can be grown again and again in agriculture through cultivation in crop rotation. This secures incomes and enables efficient value creation within the global production and processing chain.

The Bremen Cotton Exchange will actively support World Cotton Day with cross-media coverage. In addition, in time for World Cotton Day, three thematically different, emotionally appealing short films about cotton will be launched. They are aimed at consumers as customers of the textile and clothing trade and provide information about the benefits and properties of cotton and answer questions about its sustainability. In keeping with the times, they will be published via virtual media.

• There is an urban legend that hemp canvas was used to make the very first pair of Levi’s jeans.
• While this is a myth that originated in the counterculture of the 1960s, hemp is without doubt the fibre of the moment for the denim industry.

At the second Kingpins24 virtual denim show that was broadcast from New York on June 23rd and 24th, the sustainable benefits of hemp fibre were referenced by many Monforts customers who are now including it in their collections, including AGI Denim, Artistic Milliners, Black Peony, Calik, Cone Denim, Naveena Denim Mills (NDM) and Orta.

“Hemp is an easy to grow fibre which requires no irrigation, no fertilizers, no herbicides and no chemicals,” says Allan Little, Director of Product Development for Cone Denim, which has recently launched its Sweet Leaf collection featuring the fibre. “Significantly, it also uses fifty per cent or even less water than cotton in cultivation.”

It can also bring some new aesthetics to denim too, he adds.

“Hemp has a unique colour and adds a different cast to our indigo, the drape and texture of the fabrics is different and it even adds  a bit of a unique hand, so combined with its sustainable credentials we are proud to be bringing the Sweet Leaf collection to the market.”

US supply chain

Cone is currently sourcing its hemp from France, but with much of its manufacturing now in Mexico – and with the introduction of the US Farm Bill in 2018 which has legalised the growing of legal hemp – is exploring the possibility of investing in the US supply chain.

“With US hemp we’re really at the R&D phase,” Little emphasises. “It’s a unique crop, so coming up with the right stalk to provide the right fibre is challenging. We’ve experimented with different types of seed and various methods of decortication.”

Decortication, he explains, is the mechanical removal of the outside layer of the hemp stalk to useable fibre on the inside. A second process, cottonization, is necessary to make the fibre suitable for spinning, because compared to cotton, hemp is longer, stiffer, and less flexible.

100% success

At the end of 2019, Naveena (NDM), headquartered in Karachi, introduced fabrics featuring up to 51% hemp content in blends with Tencel and recycled polyester and this year has developed the first 100% hemp denims.

“The response to the fabrics we showed last year was incredible and we were looking forward to the response to this latest development – which everyone was asking for – at the Kingpins show in Amsterdam, which unfortunately was unable to go ahead,” says NDM’s Director of Marketing Rashid Iqbal. “We produced initial samples in an undyed state because we were not sure how the wet spun yarn would react in the dyeing, but I’m happy to say we have had success in this respect and are now able to provide one hundred per cent indigo dyed hemp denim.”

Environmental benefits

“Differentiation is the key in the highly-competitive denim industry and we have assisted our customers with trials and optimised processing parameters for a range of different fibres, including hemp, both at our Advanced Technology Centre in Germany and at their own mills around the world,” says Hans Wroblowski, Monforts Head of Denim. “Given the environmental benefits of hemp, and the liberalisation of its cultivation in many parts of the world, the interest in it now comes as no surprise. We have the technologies and know-how to help our customers to fully maximise their hemp denims at all post-weaving stages of production.”

Monforts has a dominant position in the field of denim finishing with its well proven Montex stenters. It has been enjoying further recent success with its Eco Line concept based on two key technology advances – the Eco Applicator and the Thermo Stretch.

The latest Monforts innovation for denim is the CYD yarn dyeing system. This technology is based on the effective and established dyeing process for denim fabrics that is now being applied for yarn dyeing.

The CYD system also integrates new functions and processes into the weaving preparation processes – spinning, direct beaming, warping and assembly beaming, followed by sizing and dyeing – to increase quality, flexibility, economic viability and productivity. A full CYD line is now available for trials at the company’s Advanced Technology Centre.

Labels and small accessories stand together for the company’s great passion for leather, featuring a mix of eclectic inspirations, complemented by a variety of solutions and with a new exclusive Green Book, with a very sustainable approach.

A creative selection of proposals enriched with a new line of completely green products defines the SS2021 collection by Vivolo. Sustainability is the running theme, thanks to the development of concepts that focus on the combination of zero-impact processing techniques and state-of-the-art materials, bringing to life RE Vivolo.
This special Green Book gathers a selection of products that provide a sustainable interpretation of the beauty of Vivolos work. The selection of specific raw materials defines five micro-areas in terms of options: leather (recycled, solvent-free and vegetable-tanned), eco-leather (solventfree and jacron), technical solutions (silicon and recycled post-industrial polyurethane), fabrics (organic cotton, recycled cotton, felt obtained from the recycling of post-consumer plastic materials) and the brand new plant-based options (Apple Skin, Piñatex® and Bananatex®). In parallel with this eco-line, the collection presents the evolution of more classical option.
The heritage style results in the selection of new designs, made thanks to an combination heat embossing and hand painting enhancing the quality of leather through the creation of miniature works of art. An additional highlight is the embroidery section.
Technical inspirations remain the most direct expression of the research by the inhouse R&D team. From the use of high-performance materials to the implementation of ideal processing techniques, the mood emphasizes the high-tech character of these options, through mirrored, reflective and  iridescent finishings along with a fluorescent color palette. Silicon and polyurethane make again in this season their appearance.

The collection comes to a close with the accessories – patches as well as  drawstrings, puller, buttons and cord stoppers, along with many others – conceived to become the added detail to embellish and enhance outerwear and knitwear. Once again, Vivolo proves its ability in  interpreting a style that transcends time, representative of the Made in Italy tradition along with an unparalleled approach to production.

Leading fashion and textile industry training centre offers UK professionals hands-on experience with 3D digital design tools
 
EFI™ Optitex®, Electronics For Imaging's global provider of integrated end-to-end 2D & 3D CAD/CAM software solutions for the fashion and apparel industry, today announced its partnership with Fashion Enter Ltd. (FEL), a UK training and technical skills development centre for the fashion and textile industry. FEL has implemented EFI Optitex 3D solutions into its course curriculum.
 
Established in 2006, London-based FEL is a veritable "all-in-one" technology hub for the fashion and textile industry, offering multiple training and technical skills development services encompassing the entire design to production cycle. A not for profit, social enterprise, FEL also provides apprenticeships and adult learning through an Educational Skills and Finding Agency- and Social Enterprise London-approved technical centre supported by Haringey Council, Mayor's Good Growth Fund and online fashion retailer ASOS®.
 
To help lay the foundation for the UK's fashion and textile industry on its imminent journey towards digital transformation, FEL was determined to close the mounting skills gap in both industry and academia and offer UK professionals hands-on experience and exposure to 3D digital design tools. With a keen understanding of the market's growing need for speed, flexibility and shifting demands, in September 2019, FEL selected EFI Optitex as its 3D technology partner. FEL sought advanced 3D solutions that would enable innovative digital design courses, apprenticeships and bespoke training, including collaboration with leading fashion retailers such as Marks & Spencer®, ASOS, Next®, and many others.
 
After a short but highly intensive training period FEL implemented EFI Optitex 3D into its design and production processes, including pattern design and 3D tools for design and fitting. Since the recent implementation, FEL has already reaped the benefits of EFI Optitex 3D fully digital design, from sampling and grading, through to production. During a preliminary implementation phase, EFI Optitex 3D will enable FEL to deliver a wide range of accredited 3D design courses and forge collaborations with new customers, a result of EFI Optitex 3D's intuitive design tools, ease of use, and time and resource savings.

How many jackets do you need to get through all the shifts in temperature during fall and winter? The moment may have arrived where just one jacket will do. And how cool would it be if everyone could optimise the warmth of their jacket individually and adapt it to their personal feel-good factor? And all in a product without compromises, where sophisticated design and intelligent fabrics join forces with technological competence? For this ambitious aim, these three leading companies put their heads and their core competencies together.

The Heatable Capsule Collection is on its way
Today, Telekom, AlphaTauri and Schoeller are launching a technological innovation together: the Heatable Capsule Collection. While Telekom is bringing its technological components to the table, AlphaTauri designed the collection and Schoeller developed the heating technologies and fabrics as well as the electronic components. The Heatable Capsule Collection kicks off with a jacket and a gilet in two different colourways. Wearers decide the level of warmth for themselves in the jacket or gilet. The clothing items are operated by app. Individual zones around the pocket and kidney areas can be heated.

The collection, for men and women, targets the lifestyle and technology-oriented consumer segment, the so-called “urban explorer”. The apparel is cross-seasonal, suitable for all cooler types of weather, and practical when travelling, hiking or for other sports. The partially heatable gilet can be worn alone or under a jacket.

The ideal feel-good temperature can be selected from two heating levels in the jacket and gilet. Thanks to Schoeller® E-Soft-Shell heating technology the heat function is completely integrated into the fabric and localised as close as possible to the wearer’s body. Beyond that, the inbuilt sensors can measure the microclimate temperature inside the jacket.

The jacket is already being further developed with additional features, where connectivity and AI will become increasingly relevant.

• Circularity at the centre

PG DENIM, the designer project by Paolo Gnutti, is ready for several important events scheduled for the autumn with ground-breaking interpretations and a new – increasingly green – business model. The occasion is its participation in the Blue Zone at Munich Fabric Start (Munich, 3-5 September 2019), a space which is increasingly often reserved for companies and projects with a high innovation rate in the world of denim.

PG DENIM at the German exhibition will be presenting important product innovations, but most notably new concepts developed for the S/S 2021 season. The focus here is on circularity, seen from a dual perspective: the product with the no longer traditional alternation of seasons, and a sustainabilityoriented approach.

Seasons meet

The new PG DENIM approach is geared towards overlapping seasonality, with less and less marked separations between projects dedicated to the spring-summer and fall-winter lines. The collections by PG DENIM can thus be increasingly defined as a “mix of products without seasonality”. Its focal points are innovation alongside the concept behind the initial idea, as opposed to just the season. This trend, explains Paolo Gnutti, CEO and R&D Head at PG DENIM, is also due to registering the fact that seasonality – in terms of environment and trends – is changing at an increasingly rapid pace. As a response to this situation, the choice has been made to design new collections starting from macro-trends and presenting fabrics for garments which are “easy to wear”, suitable for both warm and cold temperatures, in a true melting pot  of weights and sizes.

The lines for the previous season are thus reintroduced and restyled playing with weights and sizes, within a range where flock meets ultra-light fabric bases, or where vinyl is combined with typically summer weights which shift the fabric towards the world of “paper” with crispy touches, resulting in extraordinarily lightweight and strong items at the same time. Also the GARAGE DENIM has been upgraded with fluid and smoothed touched for garments which are easy to wear and have a strong personality.

Partnership with The Denim Window

The PG DENIM season is also enhanced by its partnership in The Denim Window project, which has resulted in a limited series of Creative Capsule Collections, derived from the idea of bringing together companies which had already worked or were working together, trying to highlight – through small capsule collections – the best of what had already been produced by traditional businesses. This has resulted  in three trailblazing capsules, two of which designed in partnership by PG DENIM and companies the likes of M&J Group, Cadica and Greenwear. Several copies of these collections have been made to travel the world, and – after the official presentation in July – they will have a special corner, The Denim Window, in the Bluezone at Munich Fabric Start.

The “Circular Programme” and the five “Rs” of sustainability

Also the PG DENIM approach to accountability in production processes has been enhanced by implementing the “Circular Programme”. As part of our corporate vision, Italian-style production is combined with compliance with what have become known as “the five Rs”, that is to say key concepts underlying the design and manufacturing model: Reduce (everything you are not using), Repair (everything you can), Reuse (anything available to you), Recycle (all that is left), Respect (everything around you).

This is the philosophy underlying each individual process at PG DENIM, and leading to new specific programmes which have been its business focus over the past few months:

1) Reducing the environmental impact during the fabric dyeing phase in reaction and sulphurbased processes, where the use of chemicals has been reduced by 40%, water consumption by 50% and CO2 emissions by 60%, which has also resulted in better penetration and a better result in the crocking process. This has led to producing 10 new articles which will be launched on the market.

2) Recycling all waste from processing and after use, creating a range of garments where cotton is actually obtained from regenerating these two kinds of waste. In this regard, PG DENIM for now is the only company on the market able to process with a percentage of recycled product exceeding 60% of the total, whereas the average for this kind of manufacturing is generally about 35%.

As regards regular production, on the other hand, PG DENIM follows stringent international standards, including Dtox, Reach and Gots in all its processing phases, also using BCI cottons and the Organic Cotton Standard for raw materials. Last but not least, it was recently awarded the GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification.

• HUB 1922, the fashion division of the RUDOLF GROUP, takes the stage at the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam and presents new technologies that make it possible to move away from environmentally questionable industrial practices.
• HUB 1922 also announces the opening of the new company building in an ancient textile factory near Milan.

Amsterdam/Geretsried/Milan. It was only six months ago that the RUDOLF GROUP, with its fashion Division named HUB 1922, began its journey through the fascinating world of garment finishing. Since then, the team has made significant progress and has moved from being a newcomer to the business to a solid and reliable reality. “HUB 1922 introduces the Rudolf Group to design thinking,” says Alberto De Conti, Head of Fashion Division at Rudolf Group. “And when you break perceived restrictions and paradigms within a strongly science-driven organization, only sky is the limit.”

For an entire semester, the organisation remained focused on one, single goal without getting distracted from it: to become the partner of choice for environmentally conscious advancements in garment processing that are rooted in real experience and science.

Emphasis was put on listening attentively to the market and on engineering solutions proactively, without being prompted.
When it comes to Denim, two separate yet correlated calls for action were heard:
1. the need for a serious departure from established industrial practices that are environmentally questionable
2. the opportunity to change the current rules and stir toward enhanced product quality.

Departure from the environmentally questionable

• HypNO: The next generation of bleach

Many attempts to technical alternatives to local and total denim bleaching have been launched in the market, over the past five years, by a number of competing players. Originality and innovation are at the base of HypNO technical uniqueness that can be injected into traditional denim processing, but that can also be used to create whole new processes and aesthetics.
Birth child of relentless dedication to science, HypNO is the latest alternative to the traditional denim bleaching agents currently under the spotlight because of their alleged safety issues. HypNO is the next generation of bleach.

- HypNO is based on the application of a whole new family of RUCORIT compounds, which are halogene-free and heavy metal-free
- HypNO can replace both potassium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite with one more eco-friendly solution
- HypNO is free from unpleasant smells; it is production friendly and suitable for both spray and bath applications
- HypNO does not require neutralisation with agents such as sodium metabisulphite or peroxides, hence reducing the need for chemicals significantly
- HypNO is GOTS approved. Bluesign and ZDHC Chemical Gateway certifications are intended
- HypNO further helps in the elimination of pumice stones
- HypNO is highly efficient and has been engineered to be cost competitive compared to other existing bleaching solutions

Toward enhanced product quality

• SoSoft, RawLong, DuraBlue

Durability over time still builds a brands’ reputation for quality. The notion of “durability” has changed over the years and has moved from sturdy workwear to the product's ability to retain its characteristics and structural properties.

“It goes against the whole denim philosophy, but, jeans are increasingly bought for what they look like at the time of purchase and are expected to evolve as little as possible. It is what it is; you can’t argue with consumers” says De Conti.

SoSoft, RawLong, DuraBlue, the three new technical concepts launched at Kingpins Amsterdam by the RUDOLF GROUP all sit under the umbrella wings of enhanced quality and specifically address long-lasting softness, preservation of original look and depth of blue.

• SoSoft

All appreciate the softness and suppleness of used/worn denim and the comfort benefit it delivers. It is a generic denim truth, and it is even stronger when it can extend over time. SoSsoft is about softeners carefully engineered for an enduring emotion, one that lives along favourite clothes.

Tried and tested to over 15 home washes, these marvels of chemical engineering allow consumers to toss domestic fabric softeners to the benefit of environmental sustainability.

• RawLong

Denim lovers want raw jeans to fade with time, soften and transform into what feels like an extension of their body. More often, people just want to prolong the look they chose. In both cases, home washing is a headache.

Years of testing have identified RawLong innovative, highly durable and natural solution that keep wearers fresh and at ease in their jeans allowing for long-wearing without washing. Moreover, less home washing means much less impact on the environment.

• DuraBlue

The role of designers is to come up with the bluest of blue jeans in a spectrum of fantastic new blue finishes and supporting textures. The role of DuraBlue is to ensure a continuously updated collection of technical solutions that keep that rich, deep, dark blueness of jeans for much longer while limiting the quality issues that come with denim rubbing. In other words, light underwear, snowy shoes, and white sofas no longer live in fear.

The launch of HUB 1922

• Busto Arsizio, Italy.

On a discreet street of Busto Arsizio, a village at the North of Milan is a red-brick building which in the 1800’s was the house of a textile mill. This 150-year-old structure is where the RUDOLF GROUP, the 100-year-old leader of textile, functional, responsible chemistry, is about to open its Fashion Division. Or, better, it’s HUB 1922.

HUB 1922 is committed to research and develop innovation within garment processing for the privately held mother company. HUB 1922, whose doors are expected to open during fourth quarter of 2018, will foster collaborative efforts with international fashion brands and retailers, will provide product innovation ideas at the crossroad of fashion and utilitarian functionality and will introduce elements of unorthodox diversity rooted in deep scientific knowledge, true environmental responsibility, technical innovation and creativity. “At a time when science plays such a powerful role in the life of society, it is incumbent on fashion to be dealing with scientific research. HUB 1922 facilitates that reunion” concludes De Conti.

• September 19, 20, and 21, 2018
• This September visit Première Vision’s Smart Square for a great opportunity to meet and greet ROICA™ experts to discuss responsible innovation and well-being.

ROICA™ experts showcase the world-first ROICA™ Eco Smart family that offers 2 responsible made yarns: a GRS (Global Recycled Standard) version 3 certified yarn and the world’s first yarn awarded Cradle2Cradle Material Health Gold Level Certificate and Hohenstein Environment compatibility certification.

On display in the Smart Square, a 800-sq. m. area dedicated to shed light on a new generation of values combining creativity, innovation and sustainability, is a  unique  range of ROICA™ Eco-Smart family based fabrics, the world's first responsibly made premium stretch fibers creating ROICA™ smart yarns that offer sustainable solutions with impressive certifications:

• Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified by Textile Exchange - ROICA™ constructed with more than 50% pre-consumer recycled content.
• Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold Level for Material Health product and ingredients - ROICA™ yarn evaluated throughout the supply chain for lower impacts on human and environmental health. Striving toward eliminating all toxic and unidentified chemicals for a safe continuous cycle. Hohenstein Environment Compatibility Certificate - ROICA™ proudly breaks down without releasing harmful substances.

ROICA™ experts empower attendees with knowledge, and inspire creativity as they demonstrate ROICA™ Eco-Smart family functionality. Engage the experts in the Smart Square, ask questions and learn about the company’s ongoing commitment to responsible innovation. At the corporate level, ROICA™ has achieved the following certifications: Oeko Tex 100, ISO 14001:2004, ISO 9001:2008. Moreover, ROICA™ mills in Germay achieved the certification of ISO 50001:2001.

ROICA™ partners exhibiting at Première Vision Paris presenting ROICA™ Eco-Smart family:

• Fukui Warp Knitting CO.,LTD  (JP) Hall 6 booth H15
• Iluna Group S.p.A (IT) Hall 5 booth N14 P13
• Jackytex (IT) Hall 5 booth M24 N23
• Lanificio Europa (IT) Hall 6 stand D12, F49
• Maglificio Ripa S.p.A. (IT) Hall 5 booth 5P29
• M.I.T.I. Spa (IT) Hall 6 booth G19
• Penn Textile Solutions GmbH / Penn Italia (DE/IT) booth 6G17
• Sofileta (FR) Hall 6 booth H18 6J13
• TINTEX Textiles (PT) Hall 5 booth N56

Additional ROICA™ partners at Première Vision also exhibiting a wide-range of other ROICA™ specialties:

• Eusebio (IT) Hall 5 booth 5P34 5R15
• Kurabo Industries LTD (JP) Hall 6 booth C20 D21

Lastly, on Friday 21st September 2018, at 1.30 pm, you are invited to join Dr. Stephan Hütte at Première Vision Smart Square as he facilitates an open discussion with exhibitors and introduces the audience to ROICA™ Eco-Smart family. Dr. Hütte will discuss ROICA™ textile innovations for contemporary consumer within the fashion, lingerie and activewear markets.

Recognizing Asahi Kasei for spearheading the premium stretch market, the Dorbinbirn-GFC Global Fiber Congress has invited Dr. Stephan Hütte, Development Manager ROICA™ Fibers at Asahi Kasei to present ROICA™ Eco-Smart family at this year’s congress. The Europe-centered innovation platform for the fiber industry is a distinguished idea and network generator hosting top-ranking international experts in fiber innovations. The event includes 700 participants from 30 nations and will take place September 12th through the 14th in Austria.

Last but not least, at Première Vision ROICA™ is proud to welcome Shinichiro Haga, Senior Executive Manager - ROICA™ Division. The company also announces an internal appointment: Mr. Hiroaki Shinohe elected as Chief Marketing Officer for European market.

The conference will focus on areas of high impact and growth potential, for example smart and intelligent textile coatings and laminates, digital printing and coatings, substrates and coated nonwovens.
Now in its 27th year, this will be the 19th in this established conference series which has become one of the most important meeting places for the global textiles coating and laminating industry.  Previously attending companies can be found on the conference website, where other details can also be located.

CALL FOR PAPERS
The core of the conference programme will be presentations by invited experts, but in order to give an opportunity for anyone with exciting and relevant ideas to present to a high-level international audience, a call for papers is being issued for contributions in the following areas, with emphasis on work that will impact the industry, now and in the future.  Suggested topics include the following:

• new developments in machinery and techniques such as bonding systems, developments in polymers, surface modifications, techniques for extreme properties etc.
• smart textile coatings and laminates
• technology for growth, eg nanotechnology, antimicrobial/antibacterial, green technology, developments in self-decontaminating etc.
• growth markets and applications such as solar/thermal, fuel cells, composites, medical/biotechnology, extreme materials etc.
• environmental issues
• disruptive technology - new developments that will potentially change the industry, such as digital printing, graphene and nanotechnology in membranes, and alternatives for PVC etc.