From the Sector

The Indian yarn manufacturer Polygenta, specialized on the manufacturing of sustainable recycling yarns, recently commenced production of recycled polyester FDY yarns at its facilities in Nashik. The yarn is produced using a combination of perPETual Global Technologies patented chemical recycling technology and Oerlikon Barmag’s direct spinning system equipped with the 32-end WINGS concept.

The spinning plant was commissioned by Oerlikon Textile India technologists in close collaboration with the process experts at Oerlikon Barmag, with various FDY products currently being developed. The yarn produced caters to the requirements of premium-segment clients demanding high quality, cost effective sustainable solutions.

As one of the world’s first companies, Polygenta has, since 2014, been producing 100% recycled POY and DTY from post-consumer PET using the patented chemical recycling process developed by perPETual Global Technologies. perPETual’s process reduces CO2 impact by more than 66% compared to virgin PET. The yarn is spun using Oerlikon Barmag systems and equipment. As a result, Polygenta is able to produce a wide range of DTY and FDY yarns that comply with the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

In keeping with the brand’s internationalization strategy, Pinko is glad to announce an ambitious retail expansion plan in the Korean market.
The first phase of this retail project, developed in collaboration with Mitsui & Co. Italia and La Pace as local partner, saw the opening of two stores located inside two of the most important and prestigious Korean duty free shopping destinations.

The first Pinko shop in Korea opened its doors at the end of January at Seoul’s Shilla Duty Free Downtown Store, which houses the boutiques of the most prestigious global luxury brands. The inauguration of the second Pinko store in Korea was celebrated with an opening party on Feb. 20. This store is located in Seoul at the Hyundai Department Store Duty Free Dongdaemun, one of the most important Korean touristic attractions at day and night, thanks to its wide offering of merchan-dising categories, spanning from international luxury and fashion items to the highly popular Made in Korea beauty products.

Pinko’s retail expansion plan in the Korean market also includes the opening of two new stores by the end of 2020, while the company aims to operate a total of 14 boutiques, 6 inside department stores and 8 at Duty Free destinations, within three years.

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, today announced that it has joined ‘The Denim Window’ as its showcase company for color and effect technologies.

The Denim Window is a showroom located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and dedicated to providing apparel brands with inspiration, sustainability and innovation for their denim collections. Created and curated by Silvia Rancani, a passionate denim consultant with a unique flair for fashion and technology, The Denim Window connects carefully selected companies with brands through exclusive events and showcases at The Denim Window location.

The Denim Window allows its visitors to find in one single place fabric mills, garment makers, chemical suppliers, fiber and trim producers, where designers, product developers, fashion students, denim lovers & emerging talents are invited to review and learn more about the products, aiming to stimulate creativity and innovation through collaborations.

The Denim Window and Archroma will regularly organize workshops to support brands and retailers with systems and inspiration to create denim colors and effects in “The Archroma Way: safe, efficient and enhanced. Because it’s our nature!”.

The company, which made the headlines with innovations such as its aniline-free* Denisol® Pure Indigo or its EarthColors® range of dyes based on non-edible biomass waste from the herbal and agricultural industries, participated to the recent exhibition organized at The Denim Window in Amsterdam on 23 January to celebrate Chinese New Year with the new Denim Window 2020 member companies.

“Amsterdam has developed as one of the world’s denim cities with global meet-ups and events, and now the conferences, workshops and permanent showroom of The Denim Window”, explains Umberto Devita, Business Development Manager for Denim & Casual Wear at Archroma. “The Denim Window, Archroma and the other member companies share the same passion for creativity, innovation and denim with a soul, and that makes us a match made in heaven. We are very excited to have been given this opportunity to collaborate the Denim Window dream team!”

FOR POLYESTER AND “ACTIVE WEAR” COLOR TRENDS FOR WINTER 2021/2022

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, is at the Première Vision exhibition to present its 'Color Atlas by Archroma®' for polyester. This very first color library for polyester brings together 1,440 colors for sportswear and athleisure, swimwear, children's clothing, shoes, as well as for fashion and home textiles. In this context of innovation, Carlin, a pioneer in anticipating trends since 1947, will present its selection of trends in active wear and will unveil the 3 hottest colors for winter 2021/2022: “In our societies now ruled by the vital need for ENTERTAINMENT, the DIVERGENT "extroverted Slashers", free-spirited and efficient, stimulate a MAXIMUM SELF-EXPRESSION which combines communicative power and contagious adrenaline.

In terms of shapes, we imagine assertive, shaked, keeled proportions, with volume contrasts: ultra-tight and stretched volumes. Concerning the materials, this refers to compact knits, fine nervous gauges (neo milano stretch pop), embossed ribs, colored furs, knitted materials, city: ultra-matte color drapery, double sides, jeans, over dye, deep dye.”

Selected in collaboration with fashion, sportswear and trend experts, the Color Atlas by Archroma® Polyester Library brings together new colors for in line with current trends, from the most neutral tones to the most vivid hues to fluorescent colors.

At this year’s JEC World, the largest trade fair for composites held from March 3-5, 2020 in Paris, SGL Carbon will focus on the topic of serial production for the automotive, aerospace and industrial sectors. The key is customized solutions with individual component designs combined with tailored materials and production processes ready for large scale production. Under the motto “The Solution Provider,” the company will present selective innovative component solutions from all three areas in Hall 6, Booth D25. Furthermore, as an example for industrial applications, SGL Carbon will showcase at the JEC world a crossbeam made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) used in automated Schuler press lines.

•    Composite battery enclosures for e-mobility
•    Flexible new leaf spring generation for rear axles
•    Innovative component designs for passenger airplanes, helicopters and air taxis
•    Extremely lightweight and stable transfer beam for mechanical engineering

Selective applications with focus on serial production
In the field of automotive applications, SGL Carbon will present at the JEC World composite battery enclosures as a promising new application driven by increasing demand for electric vehicles and the resulting new flexible chassis platforms. The company demonstrates a prototype of a battery enclosure based on carbon fibers. However, hybrid composites with a mixture of glass and carbon fibers are also possible.

In the aerospace sector, SGL Carbon is also expanding its portfolio of realized projects and expertise relying on the trend to use more efficient materials and processes in this industry too.
In the area of primary structure components, the company will present a demo exhibit for the door frame of a passenger airplane realized in collaboration with external partners and based on 50k carbon fiber from the SGL Carbon, which is suitable for serial production.

Live simulations and intense exchange at the booth
Visitors can experience live how their ideas can be implemented both sustainably and cost-effectively in composites thanks to simulations. Experts from the company’s own Lightweight and Application Center demonstrate the path from the concept to virtual prototypes using simulation software, with the result visible either to the entire audience or just individual visitors. To prepare, interested parties can contact the team now at the following link: https://www.sglcarbon.com/anmeldung-jec.

On March 4, 2020, the SGL Carbon stand will host its traditional get-together for customers and friends starting at 4 p.m. – no registration necessary.
 

Bemberg™ gears up for Première Vision - February 11th-13th, Paris, France; with a great deal of novelties and a key statement on sustainability: Let’s Make it Circular! That’s why the Japanese brand of regenerated cellulose fibers joins the fair with two booths, one in the yarn-focused sector – Hall 6 C52 6D53 – the other one in the Smart Creation area, the curated district showcasing cutting-edge sustainable innovation for the textile and fashion business. Hall3 S14.

“We simply could not miss out on the Smart Creation Area as sustainability is the founding pillar of our company,” says SHUNSUKE SATO, sales manager of Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei. “Indeed, the smart fiber is made from a cotton linter which is pre-consumer material, a natural derived source, that doesn’t deplete forestry resources. The strategy beyond our double presence is to highlight our deep commitment to responsible innovation to a larger target of professionals.”

Let’s take it circular! is the motto at the Smart Creation booth. The lifespan of Bemberg™’s regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton is fully circular: from the source to manufacturing. The whole sustainable closed-loop process is supported by the LCA study, signed by ICEA and validated by Paolo Masoni. Recyclability is granted by the Global Recycle Standard - GRS certification by the renown Textile Exchange. An influential guarantee that involves the whole production process and supply chain behind the company’s smart yarns. Bemberg™ yarns are entirely biodegradable and ecotoxicity-free – meaning that at the end of their life circle they break down into the environment leaving no trace in terms of toxic substances as attested by the Innovhub-SSI report.

On show at Première Vision some of the most recent collaborations with GRS-certified partners such as FIVEOL, SMI TESSUTI, TESSITURA UBOLDI, INFINITY, SIDONIOS, MATIAS & ARAUJO, TINTEX, IPEKER, EKOTEN, for fashion fabrics as well as PEZZETTI and BRUNELLO & G.CRESPI from lining partners.

The first Bemberg™ partner to present a commercial collection enriched by Velutine™ Evo is the Portuguese Matias & Araújo. With an innovative spirit, dynamism and a determined entrepreneurial spirit, the company is a leading knitwear producer for the textile industry.

In the Hall 6 Bemberg™ displays key commercial items developed by premium brands such as CAALO that is making its mark in the outerwear market with its Sustainably produced Functional-Luxury proposal. For SS20, CAALO utilized Bemberg™ lining because of the sustainability properties and it's unique colour.

CAALO looks to utilize as much eco-friendly and sustainable materials as possible without compromising on design or quality. This Bemberg™ lining was a perfect fit.

To Accelerate Public-Private Cooperation in Supply Chain Transparency

Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) has joined the first neutral and public traceability platform capable of visualising blockchain-based supply chain data from multiple companies and sources. It aims to help businesses across industries respond to consumer demands for ethical and environmentally friendly products.
The neutral and safe space for collaboration is provided by the World Economic Forum and created in collaboration with Everledger, Lenzing Group, TextileGenesis™, and the International Trade Centre. APR will contribute to Phase 2 of the initiative which seeks to incorporate more data sources.

“APR has started harnessing the potential of enterprise blockchain technology to enable customers to trace finished products back to the plantation forest origins on a smartphone app. To be able now to connect our data to other similar industry initiatives is a natural next step for APR, as is extending the benefits of our upstream traceability to the rest of the textile value chain.

Enhancing Follow Our Fibre with New Mill Sustainability Dashboard

Launched in mid-2019, APR’s blockchain-based Follow Our Fibre allows customers and stakeholders to scan its viscose product with a user-friendly app to access data that traces the product’s journey from plant nursery to viscose manufacturing and on to seaports. In October 2019, APR announced a collaboration with TrusTrace to integrate Follow Our Fibre with the latter’s T-Trace module. This helps connect APR’s upstream data to downstream textile value chain actors such as yarn and fabric customers and fashion brands.

More recently, a sustainability dashboard tracking key mill environmental performance indicators has been added to Follow Our Fibre. The dashboard presents APR’s performance in its first year of operations where a baseline has been established for quarterly tracking, reporting and continuous improvement.
The performance indicators follow key industry standards being set by ZDHC for Man-Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF), as well as the European Union Best Available Technologies (EU BAT).

Bemberg presents fabric innovations and collaborations with fashion brands from the US and beyond

Bemberg will present a full range of new fabric innovations at Première Vision New York. These include manufacturers from around the world including Brunello S.p.A. and Cotonificio Albini S.p.A. from Italy, as well as luxury linings already installed at the Bemberg Lining Showroom in the heart of the Garment District hosted by CHH America. Relevant to report, the luxury yarn dyed jacquard linings made in Japan that can be customized following brands’ designs. While usually minimums are not met by emerging brands and start-ups, Bemberg decided to cooperate with a Japanese producer to offer customized yarn dyed Jacquard lining starting from 55 yards, per colour. Indeed, Bemberg will offer attractive designs, precious aesthetic while keeping its usual technical performances and the precious touch.

“On show in New York there is the whole process of sustainable fashion making,” explains Junshu Furusawa, Sales of Bemberg. “Indeed, through these fabric suppliers, we will be showcasing also new premium brand fashion range adoptions and collaborations with brands such as CAALO that is making its mark in the outerwear market with its Sustainably produced Functional-Luxury proposal

The participation at Première Vision New York is the second step of a global tour pointing to some of the most cutting edge design innovations on planet Fashion. #Bember2020 kicked off in Florence for Pitti Uomo, the next appointments will be ISPO in Munich. At each ‘sustainable pit-stop’ the company will showcase a different aspect of its multitasking and sustainable imprint.

The Japanese brand of regenerated cellulose fibers is set to fly to some of the most cutting-edge global destinations on planet Fashion to present its collaborations with leading partners along with its collections. An intensive roadmap and warm up to Première Vision (Paris, February 17-19) where the company will double its presence debuting new collections and collaborations.

First appointment of the year is Pitti Uomo in Florence, Italy, Jan. 7-10. The company then joins Première Vision NYC, Jan 21-22, and ISPO in Munich, Jan. 26-29.

SGL Carbon and Solvay collaborate to develop highly-competitive advanced carbon fiber composites for aerospace primary structures

SGL Carbon and Solvay have entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) to bring to market the first composite materials based on large-tow intermediate modulus (IM) carbon fiber. These materials, which address the need to reduce costs and CO2 emissions, and improve the production process and fuel efficiency of next-generation commercial aircraft, will be based on SGL Carbon’s large-tow IM carbon fiber and Solvay’s primary structure resin systems.

The agreement encompasses both thermoset and thermoplastic composite technologies. It builds on Solvay’s leadership in supplying advanced materials to the aerospace industry and SGL Carbon’s expertise in high-volume carbon fiber manufacturing.

“For Solvay, this is an opportunity to lead the aerospace adoption of a composite material based on 50K IM carbon fiber. This is a highly competitive value proposition that brings more affordable high-performance solutions to our customers. We see this as the first step in a long-term partnership,” said Augusto Di Donfrancesco, member of Solvay’s executive committee.

“By combining SGL’s carbon fiber expertise in our newly developed, unique 50K IM fiber with Solvay’s resin formulation and aerospace market expertise, both partners are aiming to develop an advanced aerospace material system. This alliance supports our strategic direction and accelerates our growth in the attractive aerospace market,” said Dr. Michael Majerus, spokesman of the management board of SGL Carbon.

Composite materials for aerospace applications represent a multi-billion-dollar market that is expected to grow strongly in the coming decade. Solvay and SGL Carbon are uniquely positioned to develop solutions to address the needs of this market.