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(c) Swiss Textile Machinery Swissmem
16.02.2024

Recycled fibres: Swiss manufacturers for circularity

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Synthetic recycled materials such as PET can usually be treated similarly to new yarn, but there are additional complexities where natural fibres like wool and cotton are involved. Today, there’s a trend towards mechanically recycled wool and cotton fibres.

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Synthetic recycled materials such as PET can usually be treated similarly to new yarn, but there are additional complexities where natural fibres like wool and cotton are involved. Today, there’s a trend towards mechanically recycled wool and cotton fibres.

Spinning recycled cotton
The use of mechanically recycled fibres in spinning brings specific quality considerations: they have higher levels of short fibres and neps – and may often be colored, particularly if post-consumer material is used. It’s also true that recycled yarns have limitations in terms of fineness. The Uster Statistics 2023 edition features an extended range of fibre data, supporting sustainability goals, including benchmarks for blends of virgin and recycled cotton.
In general, short fibres such as those in recycled material can easily be handled by rotor spinning machines. For ring spinning, the shorter the fibres, the more difficult it is to guide them through the drafting zone to integrate them into the yarn body. Still, for wider yarn counts and higher yarn quality, the focus is now shifting to ring spinning. The presence of short fibres is a challenge, but Rieter offers solutions to address this issue.

Knitting recycled wool
For recycling, wool fibres undergo mechanical procedures such as shredding, cutting, and re-spinning, influencing the quality and characteristics of the resulting yarn. These operations remove the natural scales and variations in fibre length of the wool, causing a decrease in the overall strength and durability of the recycled yarn. This makes the yarn more prone to breakage, especially under the tension exerted during knitting.

Adapting to process recycled materials often requires adjustments to existing machinery. Knitting machines must be equipped with positive yarn suppliers to control fibre tension. Steiger engages in continuous testing of new yarns on the market, to check their suitability for processing on knitting machines. For satisfactory quality, the challenges intensify, with natural yarns requiring careful consideration and adaptation in the knitting processes.

From fibres to nonwovens
Nonwovens technology was born partly from the idea of recycling to reduce manufacturing costs and to process textile waste and previously unusable materials into fabric structures. Nonwovens production lines, where fibre webs are bonded mechanically, thermally or chemically, can easily process almost all mechanically and chemically recycled fibres.

Autefa Solutions offers nonwovens lines from a single source, enabling products such as liners, wipes, wadding and insulation to be produced in a true closed loop. Fibres are often used up to four times for one product.

Recycling: total strategy
Great services, technology and machines from members of Swiss Textile Machinery support the efforts of the circular economy to process recycled fibres. The machines incorporate the know-how of several decades, with the innovative power and quality standards in production and materials.
Stäubli’s global ESG (environmental, social & governance) strategy defines KPIs in the context of energy consumption, machine longevity and the recycling capacity in production units worldwide, as well in terms of machinery recyclability. The machine recyclability of automatic drawing in machines, weaving systems and jacquard machines ranges from 96 to 99%.

Source:

Swiss Textile Machinery Swissmem

Recycled yarn (c) ITA Aachen
05.05.2023

ITA at the ITMA: Smart Circular Economy

"ITA Aachen and ITA Augsburg are part of the ITA Group International Centre for Sustainable Textiles. Experience our textile innovations at two exhibition booths," explains ITA Institute Director Professor Dr. Thomas Gries. "See our ring spinning tester at booth H3-B304, which spins recycled fibres sustainably and individually in a previously impossible fineness. In addition, there is digital yarn monitoring, which enables new market potentials. Get an idea of the Recycling Atelier of ITA Augsburg at booth H3-A207 and see the textile cycle from used textile to solution steps for industrial implementation together with industry partners. Join us on the Walk4Recycling and follow the path from used textile to a new knitted pullover on a tour of the trade fair. This is how we live up to our claim as the ITA Group: sustainable - digital - individual."

"ITA Aachen and ITA Augsburg are part of the ITA Group International Centre for Sustainable Textiles. Experience our textile innovations at two exhibition booths," explains ITA Institute Director Professor Dr. Thomas Gries. "See our ring spinning tester at booth H3-B304, which spins recycled fibres sustainably and individually in a previously impossible fineness. In addition, there is digital yarn monitoring, which enables new market potentials. Get an idea of the Recycling Atelier of ITA Augsburg at booth H3-A207 and see the textile cycle from used textile to solution steps for industrial implementation together with industry partners. Join us on the Walk4Recycling and follow the path from used textile to a new knitted pullover on a tour of the trade fair. This is how we live up to our claim as the ITA Group: sustainable - digital - individual."

ITA Aachen - Digital ring spinning tester for recycled fibres enables spinning of fine yarns with high recycled fibres content
The Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) will be exhibiting a digital ring spinning tester, which spins recycled fibres directly and conventionally with a particularly high content of 60-70 percent. Up to now, recycled yarns have mainly been rotor-spun in this blend ratio. This results in rather coarse yarns and is not suitable for finer textiles such as outerwear. Ring spinning of recycled yarns now enables the spinning of finer yarns and thus a higher application level for recycled materials.

A unique selling point of the ITA ring spinning tester is the simultaneous spinning in the direct spinning process from the sliver and in the classic ring spinning process. For this purpose, the strength and elongation of the spun yarn are determined online and digitally for the first time. The real-time measurement allows process parameters and yarn properties to be adjusted iteratively and quickly. The ring spinning tester was upgraded from an existing tester to Industry 4.0 standard and is operated via a tablet. Operation via tablet enables the adjustment of process parameters including online quality monitoring remotely from anywhere in the world.
 
For this purpose, the ring spinning tester is also able to produce fine ring spun yarns. These yarns made from recycled material opens up a multitude of further fields of application for woven and knitted goods. Now, for example, clothing and technical textiles can be made from recycled material, the production of which was not possible before - such as outerwear made from recycled material. The development of new industries and fields of application opens up new market potential for recycled yarns - also and especially for processing in Europe. This creates the opportunity to preserve key technologies and jobs in cost-intensive locations.

ITA Augsburg - Recycling Atelier: Walk4Recycling
The Recycling Atelier of the Institut für Textiltechnik Augsburg gGmbH on stand H3-A207 presents the textile recycling from used textiles into new products via the various process steps and, together with the industrial partners, opens up solution paths for industrial implementation.

Under the headline "Walk4Recycling", a tour of the fair shows the cycle of used textiles from used knitwear into a new knitted pullover via a ring yarn made from a blend of 65 percent recycled cotton and 35 percent virgin polyester. The key innovation here is the high proportion of recycled fibres from post-consumer textiles for a ring yarn of this fineness. Today, mainly coarse rotor yarns for low-quality textiles are spun from these materials. The industrial partners participating in the Walk4Recycling are partners of the Recycling Atelier and contribute with their technologies to the fact that fibre material from old clothes can be processed in various process stages into a yarn of new value and high-quality ready-made garments.

The Walk4Recycling offers visitors the opportunity to experience a complete recycling cycle with the numerous process stages from tearing the old textiles, preparing and spinning the fibres and knitting a new jumper live during the fair. Get detailed information on the mechanical recycling of clothing via QR code, website and flyer about the participating exhibitors and their machines and technologies. A short movie will give you additional insights into the various processes involved in the production of the jumper.

(c) Haelixa
05.01.2023

Damteks and Haelixa collaborate: Tracing recycled acrylic fiber

Haelixa, the Swiss traceability company and Damteks Textiles have announced a collaboration to mark and trace recycled acrylic fiber. Damteks is offering their recycled yarn to customers whereby they are able to place an order with the unique Haelixa DNA already attached.

The Haelixa solution is DNA markers which are solved in liquid and applied to fibers as a fine spray. Spot checks are completed after spraying to determine the presence of DNA and identify the product. The test is based on PCR technology that is 100% reliable and has forensic validity.

Damteks saw an increase in demand for blended yarn in the last year. The request is most often a composition of 30% recycled fiber with 70% standard fiber. Brands are looking for options to be more sustainable and Damteks proactively sought out an answer. They are offering the yarn with Haelixa DNA to validate the recycled acrylic in the mix.

Haelixa, the Swiss traceability company and Damteks Textiles have announced a collaboration to mark and trace recycled acrylic fiber. Damteks is offering their recycled yarn to customers whereby they are able to place an order with the unique Haelixa DNA already attached.

The Haelixa solution is DNA markers which are solved in liquid and applied to fibers as a fine spray. Spot checks are completed after spraying to determine the presence of DNA and identify the product. The test is based on PCR technology that is 100% reliable and has forensic validity.

Damteks saw an increase in demand for blended yarn in the last year. The request is most often a composition of 30% recycled fiber with 70% standard fiber. Brands are looking for options to be more sustainable and Damteks proactively sought out an answer. They are offering the yarn with Haelixa DNA to validate the recycled acrylic in the mix.

The haelixa team visited the Damteks recycling facility in Istanbul to kick off the partnership that will continue throughout 2023. The traceability program has the DNA sprayed on the recycled fibers before spinning. The project also saw the use of a tailored Haelixa liquid sprayer designed by the team based in Switzerland. When manufacturers do not have built-in moisturizing systems, Haelixa provides them with a custom unit to shower the DNA liquid onto the fibers. This sprayer is engineered to match the mechanical processing of the customer.

Damteks is a family-owned business that pride itself in carefully selecting environmentally responsible options for its production processes. On top of the certifications they have obtained including - GRS, RCS, GOTS, OCS - Damteks decided to have their products "Marked and Traced by Haelixa" to add additional credibility and reliability. Damteks plans to offer marked and traced by Haelixa yarn in different dyes as their offering to brands.

More information:
DNA marker acrylic fiber
Source:

Haelixa

(c) Trützschler
30.12.2022

Trützschler and Valérius 360 start collaborative project for recycled yarn

Valérius 360 wanted to make a sustainable, circular approach possible in the fashion industry. Working together with Trützschler, a collaborative project has now achieved high-quality recycled yarn – opening up massive potential to drive measurable progress toward a circular and sustainable textile industry.

Testing at the Trützschler Technical Center
The team from Valérius 360 wanted to find ways of improving the processes for yarns made from 50 % recycled and 50 % virgin cotton (Ne30). In particular, it was seeking ways to reduce thick and thin spots, which disturb the appearance of the textile surface.

At the Trützschler Technical Center in Mönchengladbach, they conducted special trials that showed that using a direct spinning process for this application delivers much better results than a process with a draw frame passage for rotor yarns.

In direct spinning, the sliver from the card is directly drawn in the draw frame which is integrated in the can stock. This involves one less process step than using an autoleveller draw frame, while also saving space and giving staff more time for other operations.

Valérius 360 wanted to make a sustainable, circular approach possible in the fashion industry. Working together with Trützschler, a collaborative project has now achieved high-quality recycled yarn – opening up massive potential to drive measurable progress toward a circular and sustainable textile industry.

Testing at the Trützschler Technical Center
The team from Valérius 360 wanted to find ways of improving the processes for yarns made from 50 % recycled and 50 % virgin cotton (Ne30). In particular, it was seeking ways to reduce thick and thin spots, which disturb the appearance of the textile surface.

At the Trützschler Technical Center in Mönchengladbach, they conducted special trials that showed that using a direct spinning process for this application delivers much better results than a process with a draw frame passage for rotor yarns.

In direct spinning, the sliver from the card is directly drawn in the draw frame which is integrated in the can stock. This involves one less process step than using an autoleveller draw frame, while also saving space and giving staff more time for other operations.

On-site support from Trützschler Customer Service
The team from Valérius 360 also received in-house training from the Trützschler Customer Service department. Together, they analyzed and significantly improved the process at the Valérius 360 production site. This helped to bring yarns made from recycled raw materials up to the required level of the 50% Usterstatistics. This is the reference level for yarns made from virgin raw materials. Accordingly, 50 % of all yarn producers with raw cotton for rotor yarns and comparable yarn counts produce a poorer quality.

Source:

Trützschler Group SE

16.11.2022

CHT: From plastic waste to textile finishing: ARRISTAN rAIR

  • made out of recycled PET flakes and recyclable again
  • suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics
  • moisture management in sports and active wear

For the sustainable use of resources, the CHT Group has developed the product ARRISTAN rAIR, according to the principles of the circular economy. Here, plastic waste is converted into a valuable textile finishing product to achieve, for example, optimal moisture management in sports and active wear. Other areas of application include socks and tights in the clothing sector, filtration media and nonwovens in the technical textiles sector, and pillows and curtains in home textiles.

Since ARRISTAN rAIR is made out of recycled PET flakes, it is suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics which are subsequently recyclable again.

The hydrophilizing agent ARRISTAN rAIR is characterized by its fast-drying properties in combination with excellent soil release and thermoregulation. It therefore offers, especially in the field of functional textiles, optimal functionalities for high-quality and durable sportswear.

  • made out of recycled PET flakes and recyclable again
  • suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics
  • moisture management in sports and active wear

For the sustainable use of resources, the CHT Group has developed the product ARRISTAN rAIR, according to the principles of the circular economy. Here, plastic waste is converted into a valuable textile finishing product to achieve, for example, optimal moisture management in sports and active wear. Other areas of application include socks and tights in the clothing sector, filtration media and nonwovens in the technical textiles sector, and pillows and curtains in home textiles.

Since ARRISTAN rAIR is made out of recycled PET flakes, it is suited for finishing recycled yarns and fabrics which are subsequently recyclable again.

The hydrophilizing agent ARRISTAN rAIR is characterized by its fast-drying properties in combination with excellent soil release and thermoregulation. It therefore offers, especially in the field of functional textiles, optimal functionalities for high-quality and durable sportswear.

Source:

CHT Germany GmbH

15.11.2022

Renewcell and Eastman collaborate to develop textile-to-textile recycled yarns

The Swedish textile-to-textile recycling company Renewcell has signed a Letter of Intent with Eastman, a leading US cellulosic acetate fiber producer, for a collaboration to develop Naia™ Renew ES yarns sourced from Circulose®, Renewcell’s 100% recycled textile raw material. The agreement is Renewcell’s first with a US-based fiber producer and an important step in developing the first acetate-based applications to use Circulose® feedstock.

”Eastman considering Circulose® as a feedstock in the production of a premium yarn like Naia™ Renew reflects very well on the Renewcell team’s ability to work with partners to adjust and optimize our product for new fiber applications. This agreement signals an acceleration of our joint efforts to bring Naia™ Renew ES yarns derived from Circulose® to market. I look forward to working alongside Eastman in making fashion circular.” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

The Swedish textile-to-textile recycling company Renewcell has signed a Letter of Intent with Eastman, a leading US cellulosic acetate fiber producer, for a collaboration to develop Naia™ Renew ES yarns sourced from Circulose®, Renewcell’s 100% recycled textile raw material. The agreement is Renewcell’s first with a US-based fiber producer and an important step in developing the first acetate-based applications to use Circulose® feedstock.

”Eastman considering Circulose® as a feedstock in the production of a premium yarn like Naia™ Renew reflects very well on the Renewcell team’s ability to work with partners to adjust and optimize our product for new fiber applications. This agreement signals an acceleration of our joint efforts to bring Naia™ Renew ES yarns derived from Circulose® to market. I look forward to working alongside Eastman in making fashion circular.” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of Renewcell.

Ruth Farell, GM of Eastman Textiles says: ”we are thrilled to collaborate with a pioneeer such as Renewcell to lower our reliance on virgin feedstocks, redefine the essence of textile waste and close the loop within the textiles industry. This collaboration is at the heart of our strategy to launch a portfolio of products with increased recycled content”

27.04.2022

Calzedonia chooses Green Label smart nets by Iluna Group

CALZEDONIA chooses products belonging to the GREEN LABEL line by ILUNA GROUP for its new Eco Collection of tights. They are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified and made with recycled yarns.

The ingredients used in the collection are:

CALZEDONIA chooses products belonging to the GREEN LABEL line by ILUNA GROUP for its new Eco Collection of tights. They are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified and made with recycled yarns.

The ingredients used in the collection are:

  • Q-NOVA® by Fulgar, an eco-sustainable nylon 6.6 fiber obtained from regenerated raw materials through a mechanical process that does not involve the use of chemical materials. It has been certified with the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and for some time now has been part of the HIGG INDEX, the index developed by SAC (Sustainable Apparel Coalition) evaluating the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of a garment;
  • ROICA™ EF by Asahi Kasei, one of the first recycled stretch yarns certified with Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

This collaboration confirms Iluna's commitment to creating products with a environmental responsibility thanks to a technological and corporate system that covers the entire perimeter of production, from materials to processing, dyeing and finishing. An industrial reality that increasingly integrates the value of responsibility, as demonstrated by the fact that the percentage of sustainable production has risen from 3% in 2018 to 52% in 2021.

Source:

Iluna Group / C.L.A.S.S.

Iluna Group brings to Milano Unica a new generation of responsible quality (c) ILUNA Group
06.07.2021

Iluna Group brings to Milano Unica a new generation of responsible quality

Iluna Group comes back to Milano Unica with a great and important goal: to relaunch the qualities and dimensions of sustainability by going beyond the ingredient.

Iluna’s new path, which was born in a moment when the market seems to speak about “fragility”, begins with the investment in the renewal of machines, which allow it to fly ever higher in terms of high-tech developments, quality, definition, effects of yarns and patterns. The journey into the new dimension of responsible quality continues with ad hoc developments in the field of GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled yarns, aimed at unprecedented effects both in look, in performance and in the hands of fabrics. Including cord yarn, shiny threads and an expansion of the range of GRS yarns, previously available only opaque. The cord yarn is a precious yarn with a ROICA™ EF premium stretch yarn core, GRS certified and developed with 50% of pre-consumer waste materials content - double, covered with an equally recycled shiny thread; the bright and translucent is instead to add brilliant effects so far not possible with a GRS yarn.

Iluna Group comes back to Milano Unica with a great and important goal: to relaunch the qualities and dimensions of sustainability by going beyond the ingredient.

Iluna’s new path, which was born in a moment when the market seems to speak about “fragility”, begins with the investment in the renewal of machines, which allow it to fly ever higher in terms of high-tech developments, quality, definition, effects of yarns and patterns. The journey into the new dimension of responsible quality continues with ad hoc developments in the field of GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled yarns, aimed at unprecedented effects both in look, in performance and in the hands of fabrics. Including cord yarn, shiny threads and an expansion of the range of GRS yarns, previously available only opaque. The cord yarn is a precious yarn with a ROICA™ EF premium stretch yarn core, GRS certified and developed with 50% of pre-consumer waste materials content - double, covered with an equally recycled shiny thread; the bright and translucent is instead to add brilliant effects so far not possible with a GRS yarn.

The printing processes are also born from this constant search for innovation towards new materials and new techniques, becoming more and more sustainable: Global Recycle Standard (GRS)-certified sublimation printing and register printing carrying Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. This one overlap exactly on the design and color the details, reaching where the dye cannot reach.

Diversification has become essential in today’s competitive market and the fragility of the moments experienced in 2020 was the stimulus to return to being here again, to return to action. Flexibility is the watchword today, along with research. And Iluna has managed to go further: starting from the ingredients at the base of the materials, last year launched a collection with natural dyes made with GOTS certified plant-based dyes, up to proposing magnificent prints with extraordinary effects for this edition of the Milanese fair.

The three dimensions of sustainability, design and innovation are thus finally linked thanks to valuable partnerships with expert and excellent reference companies that have allowed these new developments and these unique results thanks to advanced technologies designed specifically for Iluna, which is today the only company to offer ingredients, natural colors and prints, all three strictly certified.