From the Sector

• The plan for the reference plant is to be operational in 2025 in France (Longlaville) with a processing capacity of 50.000 tons of PET waste per year and creating 150 direct and indirect new jobs.
• Indorama Ventures, the world’s largest producer of recycled PET for beverage bottles, plans to co-invest in this project3 and will consider expanding Carbios’ unique biological recycling process at other PET sites4 for future developments.
• This strategic project is strongly supported by the French Government and the Grand-Est Region, with significant non-dilutive financing.

Carbios (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a pioneer in the development of enzymatic solutions dedicated to the end-of-life of plastic and textile polymers and Indorama Ventures (Bloomberg ticker: IVL.TB), one of the world-leading PET manufacturer, jointly announced a collaboration to build a manufacturing plant operating Carbios’ PET bio-recycling technology at Indorama Ventures’ PET production site in France (Longlaville, Meurthe-et-Moselle).

After having successfully started-up its demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand, Carbios is moving one step further towards the industrialization and commercialization by partnering with Indorama Ventures. The goal is to build and operate in France the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET bio-recycling plant, with a processing capacity estimated at ca. 50.000 tons of post-consumer PET waste per year, equivalent to 2 billion PET bottles or 2.5 billion PET trays.

The capital investment required for the project is expected to be around €150 million for Carbios core technology, including in particular an additional purification step, which has been integrated into the process. In addition, an estimated €50 million investment will be allocated for the infrastructure preparation of the site. The project is expected to create approximatively 150 direct and indirect full-time jobs. In the coming months, Carbios expects to finalize a strong non-dilutive financial support from French Government and from the Grand-Est Region5, based on the offer received last week by Carbios, from the Minister of Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher and the President of Grand-Est Region, Jean Rottner.

This financial support will be conditional on the notification to the European Commission and on contractualization by French authorities. Carbios announced in its half-year results on the 30th September 2021 a cash position of €112 million. Since then, Carbios has also secured a €30 million loan from EIB.

Five players in the textile service industry announce the establishment of Cibutex (Circular Business Textiles). This new cooperative is dedicated to the recycling and recovery of fibres from discarded textiles. Cibutex wants to contribute to a circular textile chain through cooperation in the whole sector.

The textile service has been implementing key Circular Economy solutions for some time: rental, care, repair and reuse of textiles for professional use. "As an industry, we are in a position to delve even deeper into the world of the circular economy. Every linen rental company has many of the same products, which go through the same process every time: the textiles are washed, sorted and collected again after the period of use. After many washes, the textiles are rejected. With this rejected textile, we see a unique opportunity to finally put the idea of a closed textile chain into practice. The used textiles that have reached the end of their useful life can be recycled on an industrial scale and the fibre raw materials can be recovered to make new textiles. We want to exploit this potential to the full by founding Cibutex, a cooperative for all textile service providers in Europe," says Cibutex director Jan Lamme, explaining the background of the unique project.

Cross-competitive goal
The founders of Cibutex are four well-known, competing textile service companies and one supply partner: Blycolin Textile Services (Zaltbommel, NL), Dibella (Aalten), Edelweiss Groep (The Hague), Lamme Textile Management (Amsterdam, NL) and Nedlin (Elsloo, NL). The companies have deliberately joined forces in order to implement sustainability in textiles and clothing by means of closed material cycles throughout the sector.

"Important resources are hidden in our B2B used textiles. We want to recover these in cooperation with relevant recycling companies and thus promote textile recycling as demanded by the EU Commission. We have come together to achieve sufficient critical mass to determine the final recycling of our discarded laundry, with the goal of moving from textiles to textiles," says co-founder Luuk de Win (Nedlin).

Sustainable eco-balance
"By recycling the raw materials of our used textiles, we contribute to reducing the social, environmental and climate impacts of the textile industry related to cultivation and production, and this leads to a long-term improvement of the ecological footprint of our industry," adds co-founder Marc van Boekholt (Blycolin).

Increasing value
To make the final transformation step of the circular economic model "textile service" a success, any European textile service company can become a member of Cibutex. The cooperative takes care of the collection, transport to the recycling partners and remuneration for the old textiles, which are now limited to bed linen, table linen and bath linen. In the future, however, the group wants to develop solutions for other textiles as well. For example, the recycling of workwear is also on the agenda. The founders of Cibutex agree that this too is a treasure trove of resources that must be addressed.

The vision of the OEKO-TEX® Association, which was founded in March 1992 through a partnership between the Hohenstein Research Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute (OETI), is still reflected today in the organization's core values: trust, safety, and sustainability. For three decades, OEKO-TEX® has pursued the goal of building trust for companies and consumers and enabling them to make responsible decisions to protect people and the planet. "Our services bring transparency to the international textile and leather industry supply chains," says OEKO-TEX® Secretary General Georg Dieners. "They enable all stakeholders to make mindful decisions that help preserve our planet for future generations."

OEKO-TEX® market leadership
In 1992, 20 years before the United Nations announced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), OEKO-TEX® launched STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, now one of the best-known labels for product safety.
"It emerged from the Schadstoffgeprüft nach ÖTN 100(tested for harmful substances according to ÖTN 100), developed by OETI in 1989 to address increasing public interest in textile ecology and health," the Austrian Textile Research Institute reminds us. The limit values and test methods on which STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is based were internationally standardized and are adapted to the latest scientific findings and legislation at least once a year - a principle that is applied to all OEKO-TEX® standards. Prof. Dr. Stefan Mecheels, the owner of the textile testing service provider Hohenstein, adds: "From the very beginning, we have considered the needs of all players in the textile value chain and continue to create solutions for current and future market requirements."

At least seven SDGs are firmly integrated into the OEKO-TEX® product portfolio. For example, Good Health & Well-Being (SDG 3) and Clean Water & Sanitation (SDG 6) are reflected in the STeP by OEKO-TEX® factory certification, and Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12) and Climate Action (SDG 13) are implemented through the comprehensive MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® product label.

Today, the international association consists of 17 independent research and testing institutes focused on textile and leather, with contact offices in over 60 countries. They are responsible for the joint development of the test methods and limit values in the OEKO-TEX® Standards and carry out laboratory tests and factory audits according to globally uniform specifications. These comprehensive product and process audits to ensure appropriate risk management, consumer and environmental protection, and legal compliance. With their wide-ranging research and development, the accredited OEKO-TEX® test institutes provide important insight for innovations within the textile and leather industry. They work in close cooperation with manufacturers and make a significant contribution to the development of high-quality textile and leather products at all stages of the value chain.

Mirror of social and political development
Being close to the market, and ideally, one step ahead is essential to supporting companies who are adapting to constantly changing conditions and meeting consumer expectations. Therefore, the development of OEKO-TEX® is not only a reflection of scientific knowledge but also of social and political trends. The focus is always on standardizing sustainable action and measures and making it easier for the industry to quickly and comprehensively implement sustainability goals.

Exchange with third parties is particularly valuable for this purpose. OEKO-TEX® participates in various international multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the ZHDC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), and Greenpeace.
In addition to cooperation with external multi-stakeholder initiatives, the OEKO-TEX® International Advisory Board (IAB) meets annually. The core function of the IAB is to help review consistent and market-oriented Standards development proposals by the OEKO-TEX® Working Groups. In addition, OEKO-TEX® is conducting a public stakeholder consultation to gain further insights from all interest groups, which it will integrate into further development of the Standards.
Using three decades of experience for the future
The founding goal of enabling responsible choices that preserve our planet for future generations has become increasingly urgent over the past 30 years. So, OEKO-TEX® is even more resolute than ever in developing comprehensive solutions. We stand by industry and consumers as a trusted partner for the challenges ahead. In addition to the IMPACT CALCULATOR launched in January 2022, which helps STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified production facilities reduce their carbon emissions and water consumption, this summer, the association will launch a service to help companies transition to the upcoming Due Diligence Laws.

For its 2021 Green Collection, the Italian luxury hosiery brand Sarah Borghi presents a broadened product offer in terms of colors and categories, meeting the needs of a stylish, yet sustainable consumer. By mixing fashion, quality, innovation and research, the tights and stockings powerhouse continues its development in the journey towards a conscious future.

A decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze. Sarah Borghi is one of the first Italian companies in the hosiery sector to include sustainability throughout its business model. A commitment of responsibility and transparency on a path that has been carried on for years and that, today more than ever, becomes of the utmost importance, as stated by Luca Marzocchi, CEO of Gizeta Calze. The Integrated Report provides a complete view of the business strategy, operating model and governance, which combines financial information with sustainability insights, conceived as complementary to other strategies and, indeed, essential for increasing business value.

The collection presents a range of versatile, colorful products combined with extra-luxury comfort and designed for every type of woman: from seductive tights to everyday socks, together with knee- highs, up to athleisure with leggings.
 
The collection features two new generation materials. One is Amni Soul Eco®, a biodegradable in anaerobic conditions polyamide 6.6 yarn that degrades in around 5 years* after disposing of in landfill, developed by SOLVAY and produced and distributed by FULGAR. The other is ROICA™ V550 by leading fiber manufacturer Asahi Kasei, a premium sustainable stretch yarn boasting the Gold Level Material Health Certificate by Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute** as it has been evaluated for impact on human and environmental health. Moreover, it smartly breaks down without releasing harmful substances in the environment according to Hohenstein Environment Compatibility Certification. Key elements that makes ROICA™ V550 a precious choice when it comes to Circular Economy material approach.

*Reference System: ASTM D5511 - Standard Test Method for the Determination of Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastics Under High-solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions
** The Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute, a non -profit organization, administer the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified™ Product Standard. It was created to bring about a new industrial revolution that turns the making of things into a positive force of society, economy and the planet. The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Product Standard™ provides designers and manufacturers with criteria and requirements for continually improving what products are made of and how they are made aiming to achieve a circular economy approach.

• Carbios has succeeded in producing a 100% enzymatically recycled white PET fiber from colored textile waste
• At the same time, the company has produced the first 100% recycled PET bottles, that have successfully passed the food contact validation tests, from the same textile waste.
• Carbios received €827,200 for the validation of this final technical stage of the project co-funded by ADEME

Carbios announced the validation of the 3^rd and final technical step of the CE-PET research project, co-funded by ADEME3 (France’s Environment and Energy Management Agency), for which Carbios is the lead partner alongside its academic partner TWB. This achievement confirms, once again, the full potential and breadth of Carbios’ enzymatic recycling process, C-ZYME™. This breakthrough innovation makes it possible to produce a wide variety of products of equivalent quality to those of petro-sourced origin from any PET waste, including textiles.
 
The first white PET fiber recycled enzymatically from colored textile waste
Worldwide, around 90 million tons of PET are produced each year, more than 2/3 of which are used to manufacture fibers. However, only 13% of textile waste is currently recycled, mainly for downcycling, i.e. for lower quality applications (such as padding, insulators or rags). By successfully manufacturing at pilot scale a white PET fiber that is 100% enzymatically recycled from colored textile waste, Carbios is paving the way for the circular economy in the textile industry.  C-ZYME™ is now on the doorstep of industrialization and will soon enable the biggest brands to move closer to their sustainability goals.
 
Emmanuel Ladent, Chief Executive Officer of Carbios: « Thanks to our breakthrough process, it will soon be possible to manufacture, on a large scale, t-shirts or bottles using polyester textile waste as raw material. This is a major breakthrough that gives value to waste that currently has little or no value. It is a concrete solution that opens up a global market of 60 million tons per year of potential raw materials and will help to reduce the use of fossil resources. »
 
Separate collection of textile waste soon to be mandatory in Europe
From 1 January 2025 the separate collection of textile waste, which is already in place in some countries, will be mandatory for all EU Member States (European Directive 2018/851 on waste).  Carbios’ process will enable this waste to be sustainably recovered and included in a true circular economy model.
 
These technological validations were carried out as part of the CE-PET research project, co-funded by ADEME3. In particular, the project aimed to develop Carbios’ enzymatic PET recycling process on textile waste. The C-ZYME™ technology is complementary to thermomechanical recycling and will make it possible to process plastic and textile waste deposits that are currently not or poorly recovered. For the validation of this stage of the project, Carbios received €827,200 (€206,800 in grants and €620,400 in repayable advances).

• Project delivered on schedule and at budget after two and a half years of construction despite challenges arising from a global pandemic
• New state-of-the-art lyocell plant with a capacity of 100,000 tons will help serve the growing demand for sustainably produced fibers
• Important milestone towards a carbon-free future has been set

The Lenzing Group is pleased to announce the completion of its key lyocell expansion project in Thailand. The new plant, one of the largest of its kind in the world with a nameplate capacity of 100,000 tons per year, started production on schedule and will help to even better meet the increasing customer demand for TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers. For Lenzing, the project also represents an important step towards strengthening its leadership position in the specialty fiber market and into a carbon-free future.

The construction of the plant located at Industrial Park 304 in Prachinburi, around 150 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, started in the second half of 2019 and proceeded largely according to plan, despite the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The recruiting and onboarding of new employees has been successful. Investments (CAPEX) amounted to approx. EUR 400 mn.

“The demand for our wood-based, biodegradable specialty fibers under the TENCEL™, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and VEOCEL™ brands is growing very well. In Asia in particular, we see huge growth potential for our brands based on sustainable innovation. With the production start of the lyocell plant in Thailand, Lenzing reached an important milestone in its growth journey, supporting our ambitious goal to make the textile and nonwoven industries more sustainable”, said Robert van de Kerkhof, Member of the Managing Board.

In 2019, Lenzing made a strategic commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions per ton of product by 50 percent by 2030. The target is to be climate-neutral by 2050. Due to the established infrastructure, the site in Thailand can be supplied with sustainable biogenic energy and contribute significantly to climate protection.

Together with the key project in Brazil and the substantial investments at the existing sites in Asia, Lenzing is currently implementing the largest investment program in its corporate history (with more than approx. EUR 1.5 bn). Lenzing will continue to drive the execution of its strategic projects, which are to make a significant contri-bution to earnings from 2022.

Over 600 delegates from 58 countries subscribed to the latest VDMA textile machinery webinar on sustainable dyeing held on February 3rd, 2022 – a record since the monthly online series started in June 2020. The webinar, entitled ‘Resource-saving in Textile Processing – Continuous Dyeing and Washing’, involved the three companies Monforts, DyStar® and Goller.

In outlining the capabilities of Monforts Thermex hotflue lines for the Econtrol® continuous dyeing process, the company’s Textile Technologies Engineer Jonas Beisel observed that the current industry focus is very much on cleaner processes and products in accordance with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments of the major fashion brands, and with further regulations to be expected.

Cellulosics
Econtrol® is a continuous process for the dyeing of woven cellulosic fabrics that has already been well proven on the market, with over 150 Monforts Thermex lines already in operation at mills worldwide.

Reactive dyestuffs are fixed into the fabric in a one-step dyeing and drying process with a controlled combination of steam and air. The entire pad-dry process takes just two-to-three minutes at a temperature of between 120-130°C and a relative humidity volume of 25-30%.

Benefits
The Econtrol® pad-dry process has a number of immediate benefits. Compared to the common pad-dry-pad-steam process, no salt is used and no steamer is required for a separate fixation step.

Compared to the pad-dry-thermofix process, no urea is used and no smoke or deposits are generated, and unlike with the cold pad batch process, direct feedback of the dyeing results ensures no batching time is necessary and guarantees good reproducibility from the lab to bulk production.

Complementary services and systems
Complementing the Monforts presentation during the webinar, Bertram Seuthe, Global Business Development Manager at DyStar, outlined the importance of specific Levafix® /Remazol® reactive dyes and Dianix® disperse dyes for sustainable dyeing processes such as Econtrol®, Cadira® Continuous and CPB knit. In these processes Sera® auxiliaries are also employed for optimised wash-off results.

Guido Seiler, Area Sales Manager at Fong's Europe, also introduced the latest developments of the Goller brand for the washing process, which can reduce water consumption by between 10 to 20%, as well as reductions in both heating energy and waste generation, depending on the specific fabric construction and required shade.

• 76 KL/Day water saving by optimizing pH analysis process in dye vessels
• A step closer to achieving the ‘Huntsman Horizon 2025’ goal
• Potential savings of over Rs 10 crore or USD146,000 annually from the project

Huntsman Textile Effects, the global leader in innovative and environmentally sustainable dyes, chemicals, and digital inks, has successfully implemented a water conservation process to improve water efficiency and reduce net water usage at its Baroda facility, which is located in the western region of India. The initiative undertaken at the plant aims to save around 76 kilo liters of Reverse Osmosis water per day by modifying the phase sequence in the pH measurement program.

Water is used extensively throughout textile processing operations. The amount of water used varies widely in the industry, depending on specific processes operated at the plant, equipment used, and policies concerning water use. This conservation project at the Baroda Plant will have a potential savings of Rs 10 crore or USD146,000 a year for the organization.

Speaking on the development, Mark Devaney, Vice President Manufacturing and Operations Excellence, Huntsman Textile Effects said, “At Huntsman, we recognize the important role we play in creating a more sustainable future and are committed to the well-being of the communities where we operate, and the protection of the environment. We are continually looking for ways to improve the environmental footprint of our manufacturing sites and have been implementing numerous projects in recent years to reduce our water usage.”

“The team has done a detailed assessment of the pH analysis process in dye vessels, mapping the existing water usage and potential conservation method. After a brief study and several brainstorming sessions, we were able to adjust the phase sequence, resulting in conservation of Reverse Osmosis water by almost 76 kilo liters of water per day.” said Kavishwar Kalambe, Site Director, Huntsman Textile Effects. “This project directly contributes to Huntsman’s Horizon 2025 goals to reduce net water usage at facilities in water-stressed regions,” he added.

The textile service provider Hohenstein has successfully extended its accreditations as a testing laboratory and certification body to include FFP (Filtering Face Pieces) respiratory masks in accordance with DIN EN 149, thus completing its portfolio in the textile mask sector. The necessary functional and safety tests on community masks, medical masks and FFP respiratory masks contribute to consumer safety. In addition, Hohenstein has not only been a member of the German Mask Association since September 2021, which pools the expertise of all mask manufacturers and suppliers in Germany, but also supports the Quality Working Group with its expertise in the field of textile protective clothing.

Filtering Face Pieces are primarily used for the self-protection of the wearer and are intended to protect from harmful aerosols, particles and droplets. There are different protection levels for FFP respiratory masks (FFP 1-3), depending on how well they retain liquid and solid particles. In occupational safety, they are part of personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall under category III. Their protective function is specified throughout Europe by the DIN EN 149:2009-08 standard, which requires laboratory tests and practical performance tests with test persons. The Hohenstein testing laboratory carries out reliable proof of the safety of FFP respiratory masks in several test steps:

• Through visual inspection, the Hohenstein experts assess the correct labelling, the comprehensibility of the enclosed instructions for using the masks, as well as the functionality and packaging.   
• Laboratory tests can determine, among other things, breathing resistance, filter medium transmittance and inward leakage. The practical performance of FFP respiratory masks is assessed through realistic tests with test persons.
• Test persons can also be employed to assess other parameters such as skin tolerance, field of vision or headgear comfort.
• Optional tests, such as testing FFP respiratory masks for harmful substances, complete the safety verification.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a particularly large number of FFP respiratory masks with doubtful and even false labelling have been in circulation, so reliable and neutral testing and certification of these products is essential. Hohenstein, with its many years of extensive experience in the testing and certification of personal protective equipment, thus offers the ideal service for customers who value testing quality "Made in Germany".

As a testing laboratory for medical devices, Hohenstein also offers testing of medical face masks for their bacterial filtering performance, differential pressure as an indicator of breathing activity, microbiological purity and cytotoxicity, among others. Medical face masks fall under the Medical Devices Regulation 2017/745 and fulfil the requirements according to EN 14683. The testing service provider Hohenstein has already taken a big step towards safety and functionality with the introduction of its quality label for Tested Community Masks in June 2020 and also tests according to the first European Guideline for Everyday Masks, the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) 17553:2020.

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, and Jeanologia, a world leader in sustainable and efficient technology development, joined forces to launch an eco-advanced alternative to the denim fabric washing process, including in some cases the mercerization, one of the most water-intensive and pollutant processes of denim fabric finishing.

It all starts with the spinning step where the cotton is turned into yarn. The second step is a pretreatment that will prepare the yarn for the dyeing step. The dyed yarn then goes through the sizing process, which is a treatment preparing it for weaving. At this stage, we have obtained a denim fabric that will go through a few more steps. First, the fabric may undergo a washing treatment or, in some cases, mercerizing treatment which consists of treating it with caustic soda in order to obtain a more lustrous, flat and less reddish blue and black denim.

In both traditional ways to clean the fabric, washing or mercerizing, multiple highly water intensive washings are required in order to restore optimal fabric pH and remove unfixed dyestuff and any undesired deposits or impurities from the fabric. One of such impurities released in the washing process is aniline, a substance that is classified as a category 2 carcinogen and considered toxic to aquatic life.

That is why Archroma and Jeanologia decided to team up and develop an alternative to the traditional fabric cleaning process and its subsequent water-intensive and water-polluting washings.

• The breakthrough alternative to the fabric cleaning concept presented by Jeanologia and Archroma combines the use of the aniline-free* PURE INDIGO ICON dyeing system of Archroma, and the water-free** and chemical-free “G2 Dynamic“ finishing technology of Jeanologia.
• The Archroma/Jeanologia solution allows to create aniline-free* denim, and improve the final aspect of the fabric through a fully chemical-free and almost water-free** cleaning alternative treatment.
• The Archroma/Jeanologia solution can also be used with additional Archroma coloration systems such as INDIGO REFLECTION or PURE UNDERTONES.

Umberto Devita, Business Development Manager at Archroma’s Competence Center for Denim & Casual Wear, who was the project leader for this new development, comments: “At Archroma, we strive to develop solutions in line with our principles of “The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. It was therefore very inspiring to work with a partner who shares the same values of developing efficient new processes to bring all know-how to our customers to maximize value – for denim that looks as good as the good it creates.”

For Jean-Pierre Inchauspe, Business Director of G2 Dynamic at Jeanologia, “this association is another step to change traditional, more polluting and water consuming processes in the textile industry for new ones using technology, improving, and boosting subsequent production stages up to the finishing of the garment, making them more efficient and allowing companies to be more competitive, increase productivity and offer a product that is completely sustainable with high quality.”