From the Sector

The second C.L.A.S.S. ICON AWARD expands its vision embracing fashion streetwear with an attitude and bets on DUARTE, an emerging label committed to sustainability that shows a new way of being cool, yet responsible. “The C.L.A.S.S. ICON AWARD is much more than prize, it’s an open workshop with influential professionals that will support DUARTE in reaching the next level and being able to share my vision for responsible fashion”, comments Ana Duarte.

The designer (b.1991) launched her label DUARTE in 2016 just after graduation. Since then, the fresh, colourful and power-propelling brand has conquered both catwalks and cities’ streets with a responsible message. “Sustainability means durability, fair work practices, recycled materials and zero-waste,” is Ana’s mantra. Indeed, the collection is the result of a virtuous balance between production and locally-sourced, recyclable high-quality materials harnessed from factories’ deadstock. DUARTE also means circularity, the garments can be re-used and upcycled to create new collections.

The C.L.A.S.S. ICON AWARD is a project led by C.L.A.S.S. with the special support of IDEE BRAND PLATFORM which assists fashion brands in commercial activity, WHITE Milano, international fair supporting the new generations and independent brands with special projects since its inception and responsible shopping platform Renoon. Together they will all support DUARTE for a full year at 360°, from consultancy to communication.

SUPREME GREEN COTTON® has been chosen by the Italian brand Diesel for the ‘Green Label’, ‘NightCrush’ and ‘Malign’ jersey T-shirts. From cotton seed to fiber, yarn production, fabric and final garments, the full supply chain is not just transparent but located in a very focused area 100% in Greece.
 
SUPREME GREEN COTTON® is the premium quality smart yarn collection by Varvaressos S.A. European Spinning Mills. The Greek yarn manufacturer has developed an innovative and socially responsible system from the seed to the garment that supports farmers and businesses at the foothills of Mount Olympus.
 
SUPREME GREEN COTTON® uses a customized satellite-powered drip irrigation system in the fields that allows saving up to 40% of water. Water usage is one of the pressing issues in cotton production. Thanks to the advanced drip irrigation system, plants are watered and fed without wasting a single drop. Thanks to a custom-developed app connected via satellite and meteorological stations in selected cotton fields, farmers can monitor the fields in real time. The IoT – Internet of Things system warns them to take action to ensure plants to flourish healthily and high a higher yield in a sustainable way.
 
The smart yarns are Made in Greece and have been certified by MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® which assures transparency and traceability, moreover the company has also obtained the STeP by OEKO-TEX®.

• Swiss weaving machinery manufacturers are in the forefront of novel application development

Shoes and electronic calculators are probably not the first products people would associate with the textile weaving process. But they certainly signpost the future for woven fabrics, as two examples of the ever-wider possibilities of latest technology in the field. Fashion and function already combine in the increasing popularity of woven fabrics for shoes, and this is a present and future trend. Calculators in fabrics? That’s another story of ingenious development, using so-called ‘meander fields’ on the back and keys printed on the front of the material.

These glimpses of the outlook for modern weavers are among the highlights of developments now being pioneered by Swiss textile machinery companies. All weaving markets require innovation, as well as speed, efficiency, quality and sustainability. Member firms of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association respond to these needs at every point in the process – from tightening the first thread in the warp to winding the last inch for fabric delivery. They also share a common advantage, with a leading position in the traditional weaving industry as well as the expertise to foster new and exciting applications.

Technology and research cooperation
The concept of a ‘textile calculator’ was developed by Jakob Müller Group, in cooperation with the textile research institute Thuringen-Vogtland. Müller’s patented MDW® multi-directional weaving technology is able to create the meander fields which allow calculator functions to be accessed at a touch. A novel and useful facility, which suggests limitless expansion.

Today, the latest woven shoes are appreciated for their precise and comfortable fit. They score through their durability, strength and stability, meeting the requirements of individual athletes across many sports, as well as leisurewear. Stäubli is well known as a leading global specialist in weaving preparation, shedding systems and high-speed textile machinery. Its jacquard machines offer great flexibility across a wide range of formats, weaving all types of technical textiles, lightweight reinforcement fabrics – and shoes.

It’s possible to weave new materials such as ceramics, mix fibers such as aramid, carbon and other, and produce innovative multi-layers with variable thicknesses. Such applications put special demands on weaving machines which are fulfilled by Stäubli high-performance TF weaving systems.

Great weaving results are impossible without perfect warp tension, now available thanks to the world-leading electronic warp feeding systems of Crealet. Some market segments in weaving industry today demand warp let-off systems which meet individual customer requirements. For example, the company has recognized expertise to understand that geotextile products often need special treatment, as provided by its intelligent warp tension control system. Individual and connective solutions are designed to allow external support via remote link. Crealet’s warp let-off systems are widely used in both ribbon and broadloom weaving, for technical textiles applied on single or multiple warp beams and creels.

Functional, sustainable, automated
Trends in the field of woven narrow fabrics are clearly focused on functionality and sustainability. The Jakob Müller Group has already embraced these principles – for example using natural fibers for 100% recyclable labels with a soft-feel selvedge. It also focuses as much as possible on the processing of recycled, synthetic materials. Both PET bottles and polyester waste from production are recycled and processed into elastic and rigid tapes for the apparel industry.

For efficient fabric production environments, it is now recognized that automated quality solutions are essential. Quality standards are increasing everywhere and zero-defect levels are mandatory for sensitive applications such as airbags and protective apparel.

Uster’s latest generation of on-loom monitoring and inspection systems offers real operational improvements for weavers. The fabric quality monitoring prevents waste, while the quality assurance system significantly improves first-quality yield for all applications. Protecting fabric makers from costly claims and damaged reputations, automated fabric inspection also removes the need for slow, costly and unreliable manual inspection, freeing operators to focus on higher-skilled jobs.

Smart and collaborative robotics (cobots) offer many automation possibilities in weaving rooms. Stäubli’s future oriented robotics division is a driver in this segment with first effective installations in warp and creel preparation.

Control and productivity
Willy Grob’s specialized solutions for woven fabric winding focus on reliable control of tension, keeping it constant from the start of the process right through to the full cloth roll. Continuous digital control is especially important for sensitive fabrics, while performance and productivity are also critical advantages. In this regard, the company’s large-scale batching units can provide ten times the winding capacity of a regular winder integrated in the weaving machine.

The customized concept by Grob as well as design and implementation result in great flexibility and functionality of the fabric winding equipment – yet another example of Swiss ingenuity in textile machinery.  
There is even more innovation to come in weaving – and in other segments – from members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association in future! This confident assertion is founded on an impressive statistic: the 4077 years of experience behind the creative power of the association’s member firms. It’s proof positive that their developments grow out of profound knowledge and continuous research.

Dow introduces DOWSIL™ IE-8749 Emulsion, a new generation of durable water repellent finishes for fabrics based on silicone chemistry.

Studies conducted on a variety of textiles substrates based on DOWSIL™ IE-8749 Emulsion treatment demonstrate improved fabric retention compared to standard silicone finishes – thereby providing continued water repellency after multiple washes. Unlike many conventional finishes, DOWSIL™ IE-8749 Emulsion finish does not need to be regularly heat treated to restore the water repellency performance, which is a key advantage for the durability of the final product.

By incorporating a DOWSIL™ IE-8749 Emulsion treatment into their finishing processes, textile finishers receive greater control over the hand feel of the fabric - an important parameter driving consumer choices today. Depending on specific need, this can range, from a very soft hand feel that is characteristic of silicone when used alone, to a firmer hand with the addition of cross linkers.

The technology powering DOWSIL™ IE-8749 Emulsion was developed through a collaboration between Dow and Nicca Chemical.

• ECOSENSOR™ 100% recycled polyamide fabric
• New fabric collection imbued with the brand’s sustainable story-making, at the Digital Edition of Performance Days

ECOSENSOR™’s new references combine high-performance and innovation to empower people with the possibility to live life naturally both for mind and body. The new range is woven from certified ingredients, a completely traceable production process and highly certified suppliers

“A New Eco high-tech force of Nature”, a bold claim, a daring attitude and true facts. ECOSENSOR™ by Asahi Kasei has concentrated all its key values into a Nature-driven and high-tech fabric collection that respects the environment and human being. Sustainability, active climate control, exquisite touch and extreme performance co-habit the textiles: the collection is made of wovens and knits where the main technology is represented by GRS - Global Recycled Standard certified polyamide and polyesters, sometime combined with ROICA™ recycled stretch yarns and dyed and finished with Oekotex Standard 100 certified processes and/or by BlueSign® partners’ companies.

But there is much more than it meets the eye. Behind the new collection is a great story of sustainability.

“Our international team strives to innovate with a human-based approach to research and develop solutions that meet high-performance standards as well as the transparency and traceability of both the ingredients and the supply chain”, says Mr. Hashimoto, Senior Managing Director of Asahi Kasei Advance, the global materials innovator and manufacturer. Indeed, the company has set the high bar all its suppliers and partners must match. Such criteria include: thoroughly transparency and traceability of both materials and production, corporate responsibility at all levels and a strategic commitment granted by influential certifications such as GRS - Global Recycle Standard for recycled ingredients and processes, as well as Bluesign® and OekoTex Standard 100 certifications, which focus on environmental-friendly impact of the dyeing and finishing processes.

The human, environmentally-friendly and cutting-edge imprint of ECOSENSOR™ ultimate collection reflects a vision for a more responsible way of fabric manufacturing. A new force of nature, because story-telling truly must match the story-making.

Sappi Europe received a platinum score in the latest EcoVadis rating. On of the leading global providers of sustainable woodfibre products and solutions retained its top position from the previous year among the leading one per cent of all companies assessed which exhibit high activity and responsibility with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

• Sappi Europe receives top rating for sustainability
• Unlocking the power of renewable resources to benefit people, communities and the planet

As part of its clear strategic goals in relation to sustainability and environmental protection, Sappi reached a new milestone. A market leader in environmentally friendly packaging and graphic papers received a platinum score in this year’s sustainability rating from EcoVadis, establishing itself as one of the top performers, with a score well above the overall average. The EcoVadis rating covers a total of 21 criteria, which in turn are divided into four general areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Encouraging sustainable operations across the entire value chain have been a key part of Sappi’s corporate strategy for many years. Sappi’s entire business model and investments in research and development are based on the use of renewable materials. The environment management approach of the global company includes a variety of strategies designed to improve its ecological footprint. For 2025, Sappi has linked its sustainability targets to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Sappi has long held principles based around People, Planet and Prosperity and with  a heightened focus on seven of the SDG’s they believe they can deliver  real impact and contribute to the global sustainable development agenda.

The platinum rating from EcoVadis demonstrates that Sappi not only talks about sustainability, but actively works towards ensuring it in a very practical way. The whole world is talking about sustainable solutions and looking for alternatives to fossil fuels. Sappi is focused on providing product solutions to the market. A few weeks ago, the market leader presented a number of solutions relating to functional paper packaging as part of its ‘Pro Planet Paper Packaging’ campaign to enable sustainable, high-quality packaging for food and non-food products.

Sappi Europe is extremely proud to have obtained the EcoVadis Platinum rating and while certification and recognition go a long way to helping our work we also acknowledge at Sappi Europe that we are part of a global community that need to continue to strive in all our business areas to create the change needed to help our customers become truly sustainable. The recyclable nature of products derived from woodfibre are essential to creating a more circular economy, where the world’s resources are kept in use longer and more creatively. By responsibly sourcing materials, reducing material waste and emissions , carefully considering product end-of-life, and aiming to use the full potential of trees, we actively promote more sustainable systems explains Sarah Price, Sappi Europe’s Sustainability Manager

Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width stenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA – Society for Textile Equipment GmbH – is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.

GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio due to the new Monforts lines.

Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square metres of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.

Fault-free textiles

A new standard in pure white, 100% clean and fault-free textile substrates has been demanded by this market in recent years due to the rapid growth in digitally-printed banners and billboards – often referred to as ‘soft signage’.

The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100% polyester warp knits which are resilient and allow excellent take-up of inks, and vibrant colours and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.

Critically, the warp knitted fabrics have extremely smooth surfaces which is becoming increasingly important due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past.

It was to finish these fabrics for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH as well as providing such services for many other customers, that the GtA plant in Neresheim, Baden-Württemberg, was established in 2015.

The purpose-built plant on a greenfield site was initially equipped with a fully-automated, 72 metre long Monforts installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6 metre wide, seven-chamber Montex stenter. The line quickly went from single to double shift production and then to 24/7 operation  to meet demand.

Expanded widths

Building on the success of this installation, GtA has now installed two more Montex stenter lines – both in expanded working widths of 5.6 metres and purpose-built at Montex GmbH in Austria.

A six-chamber Montex unit is combined with a washing machine to guarantee the purity of the substrates, while a five-chamber line is integrated with a wide-width coating machine. This new coating capability at GtA has led to a number of new additions to the Georg and Otto Friedrich DecoTex range for digital printing, including wide width fabrics with flame retardant, antimicrobial and non-slip finishes.

The new Montex stenter lines benefit from all of the latest innovations from Monforts, including the Smart Sensor system for the optimised maintenance planning of key mechanical wear components on the stenters. A comprehensive overview of the condition of all parts at any time is now available for operators within the highly intuitive Qualitex visualization software.

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

Environmental commitment

GtA is run by a seasoned team of textile professionals led by Managing Director Andreas Niess.

“We have received excellent service from Monforts from the outset and we were happy to place the order for these two new lines as part of our ongoing cooperation,” he says. “With all of the latest Monforts advances in technology we are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines, as part of our significant commitment to innovative environmental technology.”

The GtA plant, which operates in near-cleanroom conditions, has also been equipped with proprietary technology to fully exploit the Monforts air-to-air heat recovery systems that are now standard with Montex stenters.

“Around 30 per cent of our investment volume at the site goes to energy-saving measures and we are sure that this commitment is worthwhile,” Mr Niess says. “As an example, our integrated heat recovery system fully exploits the waste heat from the process exhaust air and the burner exhaust gases of the Monforts stenters, allowing us to achieve an exhaust air temperature of  between 30 to 34°C, compared to what would conventionally be between 140 to 160°C. Another focus has been on exhaust air purification technology and here too, the latest technology has been installed with integrated heat recovery elements.”

This, he adds, saves 52% of the energy that would normally be used – equating to 5,800,000 KwH per year. The necessary audits for energy-efficient companies are also carried out annually.

In addition, GtA has purpose-designed the automatic chemical mixing and dosing systems that feed the padders for the key treatments that are carried out on the fabrics through the stenters.

The company is going further, however, in its pursuit of clean production and raw materials.

"We want to be an asset and not a burden on our immediate environment and therefore do not use any additives containing solvents," Mr Niess says. “We were the first to use fully halogen-free flame retardant chemistry, and we use bio-based, finely ground alumina products for the washing process instead of surfactants. PES polyester yarns made from recycled material are also increasingly used and the latest additions to our raw materials portfolio, the RC-Ocean products, are made from recycled sea plastic.

“We are now planning a combined heat and power plant for the production of electrical energy and heat and we will also build a photovoltaic system that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. GtA wants to be the first textile finishing company to be CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025. The complete heat supply and heating for the 13,000 square metre production hall, as well as the office building and the hot water supply for the domestic water, is already energy-neutral. We are convinced that this commitment will pay off in the long term and our positive business development proves that sustainability and business profitability are perfectly compatible.”

In addition to the products for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, GtA  offers its manufacturing capacities for other customers as a contract service.

All products are manufactured in accordance with Öko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1 and the company is also involved in the research and development of new sustainable manufacturing processes, in cooperation with many regional universities and funding project partners.

After becoming the first company in the world awarded both the rigorous EU Ecolabel and Nordic Swan Ecolabel, ISKO has recently reached another important milestone in its long-standing responsible journey: it has become the first Turkish denim manufacturer awarded with STeP by OEKO-TEX® modular certification system.

The certification results in a powerful tool to implement the company’s Responsible Innovation™ approach. This mindful and holistic vision tackles environmental and social responsibility to reach the goal of a 100% sustainable and ethical denim production, based on three main pillars – creativity, competence and citizenship.

“Responsibility and innovations go hand in hand, at ISKO,” explained Senior Sustainability and CSR Executive Ebru Ozkucuk Guler, “To be awarded with such a prestigious certification is proof that one has to look at the big picture: sustainable actions need to involve and take into account the entire value chain, in the long run, considering not only production steps but also the development of a healthy and safe work environment. It is the perfect ending to a very fulfilling year, we are eager to see what 2020 will bring.”

• Latex-free: UltraBond allows 100% recyclable thermal bonded nonwovens
• Sustainability & cost-efficiency: significant reductions in CO2 emissions and energy and water consumption for manufacturers of needlepunched exhibition & contract flooring
• UltraBond debuts at Domotex 2019 Stand B56 Hall 11

Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) unveils a unique opportunity for carpet manufacturers to create fully recyclable needlepunch carpets, and benefit from production and resource savings, without influencing performance.

Launched at Domotex 2019, new UltraBond is a patented polyolefin bonding staple fibre that eliminates the need for latex or other chemical binders to bind nonwovens. It opens up a new path for creating 100% polypropylene (PP) needlepunch carpets which meet the same performance requirements as traditional latex-bonded carpets while reducing the end-of-life environmental impact. Functional properties such as pilling resistance, resistance to wear and abrasion, and also UV resistance are guaranteed.

Using UltraBond manufacturers finally gain the potential to cost-efficiently produce 100% recyclable carpets. In addition to the general benefits of making recycled PP available for the plastics production chain and reduced waste generation, environmental advantages and financial savings arise from a total lack of water and less energy use. As a 100% dry process, thermal bonding uses no water and results in a total absence of waste water. There is also a reduction in the VOC level of the carpet. This all leads to a significant reduction in a needlepunch carpet’s ecological footprint.

The sustainability benefits are quantified through lifecycle analysis (LCA) of an exhibition carpet application – among the primary applications for needlepunch carpets. Evaluations show that the absence of water consumption directly translates into a large energy saving of 93% when using UltraBond compared to a latex bonding solution, and also a potential annual water saving of over 20 million litres for 100 million m2 of exhibition applications in the EU. Without the addition of any other bonding agent, CO2 emissions are reduced by 35% over the full production process.

Karena Cancilleri, Vice President Beaulieu Engineered Products, Beaulieu International Group, commented, “Recyclability and achieving a greener, more cost-effective production process without compromising on current performance levels are significant unsolved topics within today’s carpet industry. By eliminating the need for latex and chemical binders through UltraBond, we offer needlepunch manufacturers a breakthrough they have been looking for that boosts environmental and economic sustainability. We see textile flooring as just the beginning. Together with our customers, we look forward to exploring the potential of this unique thermal bonding fibre in other applications such as laminated nonwovens or as an alternative to dry powders.”

Discover more about UltraBond from the Beaulieu Fibres International team at Stand B56 Hall 11, Domotex 2019 in Hannover, Germany from January 11-14, 2019.

In line with the powerful global trend towards smarter fashion solutions, Iluna Group launches its Embroidery Division. Specialists in lace since 1985, the new Embroidery Division offers a complete and innovative product match in line with the modern expectations of brands and retailers. Staying true to Iluna’s DNA, the introduction of embroidery and guipure are all produced with only recycled materials.
IIn addition to the launch of the Embroidery Division, this season novelties include:

1. Of major interest today, the launch of velvet lace entirely made of sustainable materials including ROICA™ Eco-Smart family.

2. Within the Black Label collection, the Ultralight series is enriched with new multicolor floral galloons: here Iluna changes the color of the thread not only in the background, but also in the design, the same article reinvents itself in a variety of great visual impact.

3. Green Label collection, the Iluna dedicated range featuring a new responsible approach in respect of the planet and people, able to deliver innovation, beauty and quality, at 360°. In addition to the all over, jacquard, double jacquard and mesh offer, the line is also featuring new stretch Galloon laces fully made with GRS certified recycled materials, including the stretch thanks to the introduction of the unique ROICA™ sustainable yarn part of the ROICA™ Eco-Smart family.

4. ILUNA has strategically included in all their stretch laces only ROICA™ Eco-Smart family of sustainable yarns since some time.

5. ILUNA can also boast its new STeP (Sustainable Textile Production) certification by Oeko-Tex, a certification that clarifies and communicates the company’s sustainable production commitment. In addition to this, all products are Oeko-Tex 100 certified.

6. ILUNA has created the new e-shop offering its exclusive materials to smaller companies looking for added values as: creativity, innovation, made in Italy and responsibility.

7. The whole collection is also visible online at its web site, previous registration, and orders can be done directly online always aiming to customers care.