From the Sector

"ROICA™ new identity is the ultimate upgrade and milestone of the brand’s evolution path which brings together and merges performance, innovation and responsible imprint. ROICA™ strategic commitment is built on two main pillars that meet value driven consumer’s expectations: first, continuous R&D and innovation activities focusing on new contemporary stretch functionalities with the highest integration of sustainability. Second, developing synergies and partnerships with leading responsible innovators throughout the whole value chain from throwsters down to consumers, people and companies sharing the same goals", declares Shinichiro Haga, Senior Executive Manager of ROICA Division.

ROICA™ identity will be activated in all its communication tools and channels, such as a renovated website and social media presence.

Balanced geometries, calibrating color and different anatomical details: the visual identity is then declined in 5 different designs, each for one of the 5 applications that can be enhanced by ROICA™ yarns: ACTIVATION for performative sportswear garments, AQUA for smooth swimwear, STYLE#FIT for casual wear and athleisure, ESSENTIALS for next to skin lingerie and underwear and LEGWEAR for stylish hosiery. A complete wardrobe.

The company also created and introduced a branding policy indicating the allowed blends for their smart yarns belonging to the unique ROICA Eco-Smart™ family for complete transparency and transparent authentic communication.

Constant investments in R&D, people and technology allowed the company to engineer agile, multi-facetted and sustainable stretch yarns which redefine the new circularity, delivering the style, support and finish, trusted to match the performance demands and ambitions of the new generation contemporary consumer.

As part of ISKO’s Responsible Innovation™ strategy, the company has a commitment to supporting the next generation of design students and up-and-coming designers and brands. This commitment was shown most recently when the leading denim innovator donated a selection of its denim fabrics to three students at the Savannah College of Art and Design, to support the design and development of their final year collections and help them shape their creative vision.

On 7 May, the students’ collections were presented to a panel of fashion industry experts, including ISKO’s Marketing and Business Development Manager, Sonny Puryear, who offered invaluable feedback and support for their future endeavours.

The university has taken part in several past editions of ISKO’s I-SKOOL™ denim design contest, so it was logical that three of this year’s graduates, Ifeade Adedokun, E'Naiyah Frazier, and Maryam Muhammad would turn to ISKO in light of its longstanding knowledge and expertise when it comes to denim. The company was proud to provide them with ISKO fabrics, developed according to advanced and responsible processes and in compliance with strict international standards.

RINCO ULTRASONICS is strengthening its market presence in Central America – a significant market for the automotive supply industry – by opening its own subsidiary in Mexico.

Romanshorn, May 2021 – With the establishment of its eleventh global subsidiary and its first in Central America, RINCO ULTRASONICS is highlighting the importance of the Central American market. “The automotive supply industry is one of the strongest sectors of industry in Mexico and one of the most important markets for RINCO. Our subsidiary in Querétaro, which is located 200 km away from Mexico City, will bring us closer to customers and partners alike,” explains Serge Patamia, CEO of RINCO ULTRASONICS. “We already enjoy high levels of confidence from both customers and partners in the region, and local presence will only serve to improve this. Investing in a dedicated subsidiary underlines our commitment to the market in Central America.”

José Armando Vázquez, the newly appointed country manager for Mexico, brings both passion and specialist expertise to his role. Having grown up in the automotive industry, Vazquez knows the needs and requirements of the supplying industry and the plastics sector inside out.

In José Armando Vázquez, customers and interested parties in Mexico have a local point of contact who is bringing Swiss perfection to Querétaro in the form of RINCO ULTRASONICS MEXICO. In addition to sales, RINCO in Mexico also offers technical services such as an application-based test laboratory and various service facilities to promote the building of partnerships and the delivery of new projects.
“Our aim is to captivate users with our ultrasonic technology and offer them tangible added value so that by using solutions like our AGM Pro ultrasonic generator, for example, they can save time and user fewer materials,”, says Serge Patamia, summarising what customers in Central America can expect.

Among other things, Köfner will play a key role in shaping the internationalization of the Lenzing Group and contribute to the implementation of the corporate strategy sCore TEN.

Dominic Köfner (46) will take over as head of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Lenzing AG at the beginning of May. As Vice President, he will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stefan Doboczky.

Dominic Köfner has gained national and international experience over the past two decades at renowned consulting firms, communications agencies and on the corporate side. Before joining the Lenzing Group, Mr. Köfner was Managing Director of the communications agency Serviceplan Austria and most recently Senior Consultant at the agency group Sports & Media in Munich. Before that, he was responsible for the agendas of the Zumtobel Group and the MOL Group, respectively as CMO and CCO. Before he was appointed as crisis communications manager by the Austrian Ministry of Finance to deal with the “Hypo Alpe Adria Bank” case, he managed numerous national and international mandates as a communications consultant for the Brunswick Group.

Klaus Heinrichs began working in marketing for the company in 1992. “From the very beginning until today Klaus used his great flair and networking skills to secure and improve the company’s international presence and public relations, especially at seven successive ITMA textile machinery exhibitions, beginning with the show in Milan in 1995,” said Monforts Marketing Manager Nicole Croonenbroek.  “Later, he also took care of customer service, sales administration and exports in his uniquely calm and quietly-spoken style.”

“He has always been a guarantor of successful product launches for Monforts technical and technological highlights such as the TwinAir principle of independent airflow regulation, the Hercules LTM stenter chain, the Econtrol® dyeing technology or the Montex®Coat device - to mention only a few.”

Klaus has also been active on the VDMA’s Exhibition and Marketing Committee since 1993, which he chaired from 2005 to 2008.  
“Klaus always enriched the industry discussions with practical and future-oriented proposals and thus also advanced ITMA,” said Thomas Waldmann, Managing Director of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. “We sincerely thank him and wish him all the best for this new chapter of his life.”

“We will miss Klaus as a colleague and as a manager because of his skills, character and his engagement,” added Monforts Managing Director Stefan Flöth. “He truly represents the Monforts commitment to our customers to be helpful, accurate, fast and reliable, and we keep him as a friend. I’m sure the many friends he made throughout the world during his career with the company will join us in wishing him all the best for his next phase of life together with his family.”

* Econtrol is a registered trademark of Dystar Colours Distribution GmbH.

• EMMA SCALCON is the winner of the first edition of the IMAGINING SUSTAINABLE FASHION AWARD, an international competition for communication in sustainable fashion.

The award was established in October 2020 by Connecting Cultures and C.L.A.S.S. with the aim of creating new visual imagery and innovative communication models in sustainable fashion. Stylists, photographers, designers, illustrators, artists and other creatives, invited to rethink how to communicate the new generation of values of an ethical and sustainable fashion system, joined the open and international call.

The name of the winner of the IMAGINING SUSTAINABLE FASHION competition was announced during a webinar on March 30th at 4pm led by Giusy Bettoni, CEO of C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub; Anna Detheridge, President of Connecting  Cultures; Lucy Orta, Chair, Art & the Environment, University of the Arts London; and Dio Kurazawa, Founding Partner of The Bear Scouts.

Born in Padua, Italy, 22 years old, and a student in her second year in Textile & Fashion Design at IAAD - Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design, Emma Scalcon won the IMAGINING SUSTAINABLE FASHION competition with her project TAKE A WALK ON THE GREEN SIDE, designing communications crafted with strong and impactful images and simple but detailed wording intended for younger consumers to inform them about sustainable fashion issues.

Scalcon ranked first among the finalists selected by a high profile jury composed of:
·   Anna Detheridge, Founder and President, Connecting Cultures
·   Giusy Bettoni, CEO and Founder, C.L.A.S.S.
·   Rita Airaghi, Director, Gianfranco Ferré Foundation
·   Paola Arosio, Head of New Brands & Sustainability Projects, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion)
·   Jeanine Ballone, Managing Director, Fashion 4 Development
·   Evie Evangelou, Founder and President, Fashion 4 Development
·   Chiara Luisi, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion)
·   Sara Kozlowski, Director of Education and Sustainable Strategies, Council of Fashion Designers of America  
·   Dio Kurazawa, Socio fondatore, The Bear Scouts
·   Renata Molho, Founding Partner, The Bear Scouts
·   Lucy Orta, Chair, Art & the Environment, University of the Arts London
·   Stefania Ricci, Director, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

Emma Scalcon was awarded the €3,000 prize, made possible by the Main Sponsor ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei and by the other sponsors of the project: ECOSENSOR™ by Asahi Kasei - a latest generation fabric collection that promotes responsible innovation with advanced high-tech performance, C.L.A.S.S., and the Greek smart cotton SUPREME GREEN COTTON® by Varvaressos.
 
“It is time to be pioneers in communication and for this we have supported the Imagining Sustainable Fashion Award,” commented Takaaki Kondo, global marketing department manager for ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, the Main Sponsor of the award. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei is a high quality stretch fibre with an innovative range of intelligent functions to satisfy every modern wardrobe need for sports, underwear, and fashion. “We believe that together with responsible innovation, communication is the key to bring sustainability to the next level: to inspire, educate, inform and allow both professionals and consumers to make the right choices.”

“The competition is an opportunity to rethink how to communicate the new and different values of an ethical and sustainable fashion system,” explained Anna Detheridge. “I am quite impressed with the results of the competition — the diversity of forms that we received show both an interesting change in sensibility and a practical approach to communicating these values. There is less visual rhetoric and reliance on compelling images and more investment in basic information and a greater variety of narratives.

It is a great pleasure to see the energies from a wealth of young creatives, small businesses, and designers from all over the world with cross-disciplinary interests and a diversity of talents who are ushering in a new culture of design. My heartiest congratulations go to Emma Scalcon".

“I completely agree with Anna's comments on the quality of the work submitted by participants in the competition and together we have renewed our intention to continue IMAGINING SUSTAINABLE FASHION into 2021 with a new edition of the award,” stated Giusy Bettoni. “After this initial experience, we find ourselves even more motivated to explore some of the themes that emerged during the selection process, in particular those regarding the ethics of intellectual and cultural property, a topical issue in an industry like fashion. For this reason, we are already working together on organizing a webinar on this topic with outside specialists, including legal experts.”

 21 Grams, the group comprised of Veronica De Nigris, Serena Paone e Immacolata Esposito, won a special contest open to the public among the finalists selected by the jury, receiving the most votes from Instagram followers on C.L.A.S.S.’s corporate Instagram profile. The media partner for the initiative is Renoon, the leading search tool and data hub for sustainable fashion, a rising start-up of the year, aggregating +190 brands offering sustainable options to consumers. 

• The new platform created for b2b / b2c online sales entirely dedicated to the business of denim.

The year 2020 witnessed an acceleration in the importance of online sales. It is now clear to anyone involved the business of sales that e-commerce represents the future.

That’s when the creative idea by Laura Pianazza, founder of DENIMAZING (combination of DENIM and AMAZING), was launched on the platform powered by VELVET.  Its prime objective is to help small and medium sized companies to increase their online sales, focusing on the development of marketing strategies in an omnichannel environment thanks to an intelligent balance between technology and professional experience.

Laura Pianazza derives her professional experience from the editorial sector, where she was active for many years on a European level for a trade magazine specialized in the denim business. Thanks to this background, she was able to develop a strong network of contacts with entrepreneurs, top management and marketing agencies. Her constant interaction with customers shed light on the digital challenges present in most Italian companies: firstly, the fragmentation of services offered online and, secondly, the lack of integration between technology and marketing strategies. The latter is the one most often neglected by firms and Laura recognized many risked not being well prepared for this transformational shift in business by investing little time and at a slow pace.

The DENIMAZING project works side by side with denim fabric manufacturing companies (b2b), finished product brands and distribution companies (b2c), all with the same common denominator: denim. A unique service assisting raw materials manufacturers in finding market niches in companies that create product, who in their own right would like their brand to be seen and sold to a growing customer base. In the b2b landscape, companies can sell their own fabrics by the meter thanks to their own 3D presentation and customers can virtually visit their showrooms. Similarly, brands will have the same possibility to sell their creations as on a real e-commerce site, thanks to virtual tours in their showroom and specific areas for sales and/or chatting/videocalls with end-customers. Instead, for companies providing supply chain services (coloring, washing, etc.), individual virtual rooms will be made available inside the marketplace, in order to speak directly with sales managers from brands and the fabric companies.

The business side is just one aspect of this project. Thanks to its partnership with the marketing and online sales agency VELVET, DENIMAZING grows based upon a series of key tasks during different phases, namely: platform construction, marketing and advertising, both traditional and via web and social medias.

Not only has Laura has added a series of high-level technology/web master courses to her experience, but DENIMAZING also brings together a team of qualified professionals having a longtime experience in different fields of the denim business: sales, entrepreneurs, web design and marketing, while the end-customer will be in direct contact with the headquarters for assistance, customer care and updates.

After a turbulent year, it seems strange to be thinking about ‘after the pandemic’, but with millions of vaccinations underway, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. As we turn the corner, choosing technology partners that understand how to proactively respond to changing market needs and support the evolving requirements of print businesses and end customers will be vital. The printers in Mimaki’s ‘100 series’ portfolio, which consists of the high quality, high productivity entry level roll-to-roll inkjet printers the UJV100-160 UV and the JV100-160 solvent, and the high performance textile printer, the TS100-1600, are a perfect reflection of the way technology requirements are adapting in line with the industry as we look to the future. To demonstrate this, we have identified three post-pandemic technology touchpoints that will help print businesses target success amid uncertainty.

• Productivity

The pandemic has served as a major catalyst for existing trends, and our growing appetite for everything on-demand has been given a huge COVID-related boost. For printers, a digital solution that offers premium productivity, quality and efficiency at an entry-level price point is sure to be an invaluable investment to meet evolving ‘on-demand demands’. Adding a digital production element to your business doesn’t need to be daunting, complicated or overpriced – the Mimaki ‘100 series’ truly lives up to the tagline ‘Expert Printing Made Easy’, offering an incredibly intuitive user experience for streamlined, ultra-efficient printing, high-quality output, and cost-effective implementation. The powerful and productive new textile printer in the ‘100 series’, the TS100-1600, is a shining example of equipment developed with the future of the market in mind – the textile industry is fast-paced and constantly innovating, and the printer you invest in needs to keep up with your creativity.

• Diversity

2021 is set to be a period of transition. While that will mean navigating uncertainty, the ‘glass half full’ approach is to view the year ahead in terms of opportunities such as expanding your business, exploring alternative revenue streams, and taking the plunge into new markets. In the past, it may have felt as if the barriers to entry when it came to looking beyond your core business were too great. However, in a post-pandemic world, we need to break some of those barriers down and demonstrate that success with digital print is within reach if you invest in the right equipment. With the ‘100 series’ portfolio, Mimaki is acknowledging what print service providers need from their technology partners – the UJV100-160 and the JV100-160 are suitable for a wide range of applications that will allow you to easily and affordably diversify your offering, and with the TS100-1600 textile printer, it has never been easier to target growth in the thriving textile sector, even in challenging times.

• Affordability

Affordability is one of the most significant barriers to entry into new markets. 2020 was a year of unprecedented economic challenges, so it’s more important than ever to be thinking about gaining a competitive edge, and the printers in the ‘100 series’ from Mimaki have been specifically formulated to help you ramp up productivity while keeping running costs low. Whether you want to take your first foray into digital print production, expand the services you offer or simply grow your customer base, cost can be a major sticking point, which is why supporting customers is Mimaki’s number one priority, designing the ‘100 series’ around your needs and continuing to listen to how those needs are developing. Making an investment in the JV100-160 in order to move into outdoor graphics; meeting demand for faster turnaround times by adding the instantly curable UJV100-160 to your production setup; or taking a leap into new revenue streams with the TS100-160 – it’s all ‘100’ percent accessible.

Sateri, one of the world's largest producers of viscose fibre, is planning to expand its Lyocell production in China, with total planned annual capacity of up to 500,000 tonnes by 2025.

The first phase of this expansion kicked off recently with ground breaking works for a new 100,000 tonne facility in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. Another 100,000 tonne facility will be built in Nantong, Jiangsu province later this year. The Changzhou Lyocell facility is expected to commence production in the third quarter of 2022 and will create more than 800 jobs.

Sateri’s first foray into China’s Lyocell market was in May 2020 when its 20,000 tonne Lyocell production line in Rizhao, Shandong province commenced production. The same site houses a 5,000 tonne Lyocell pilot production line dedicated for the development of Lyocell application technology.

Allen Zhang, President of Sateri, said, “Sateri’s continued investment in Lyocell not only responds to the changing needs of the market and the textile industry but also supports China’s green development plans. It is also very much a part of Sateri’s 2030 Vision commitment to sustainable development where we actively seek to adopt a circular economy model through clean and closed-loop production technology and innovation.”

A natural and biodegradable fibre, Sateri’s Lyocell is made from wood pulp sourced from certified and sustainable plantations. It is manufactured using closed-loop technology, requiring minimal chemical input during the production process, and utilising an organic solvent that can be almost fully recovered and recycled.

In anticipation of strong demand for Lyocell in the coming years, Tom Liu, Sateri’s Vice President and General Manager of Lyocell and Nonwovens Business, said: "Customer-centricity is Sateri’s promise. The new expansion plans will enable us to extend our domestic and international market reach and provide our customers with high quality and comprehensive fibre products. At the same time, we will invest in technology improvement, application development, and brand collaboration to bolster the industry”.

• 75% recycled content yarn with no performance compromise
• A circular, endlessly recyclable solution for contract, automotive and residential carpets
• Significant resource efficiency in EqoCycle production compared to virgin-based PA6 yarn: 58% reduction in fossil fuel use; 27% less energy consumption; 37% CO₂ emission reduction

B.I.G. Yarns announces its latest development, EqoCycle, a fully recyclable PA6 yarn with 75% recycled content, offering the same high-quality performance of virgin PA6 yarn. The new recycled yarn mainly based on post-industrial waste supports contract, automotive and residential carpet manufacturers with a drop-in circular solution to reduce the ecological footprint of their end products.

EqoCycle is made with recycled granulates derived from pre-consumer recycled and regenerated PA6, certified by Control Union for Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certification. The use of less virgin materials implicates a decrease of fossil fuels by 58% and a 27% decrease in energy consumption. On top, EqoCycle yarns allow a reduction of 37% of CO₂ eq./kg compared to the fossil based yarns. The environmental impacts of EqoCycle with 75% recycled content were calculated through an LCA analysis, verified according to ISO 14025 and EN 15804+A1 and published in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD registration number S-P-02415).

Customers have the assurance that for every 1.000 tons of EqoCycle yarn, 13,562 barrels of oil are saved and 2.700 tons of CO₂ emission are reduced, compared to PA6 traditionally made from virgin materials.

Emmanuel Colchen, General Manager Yarns Division, comments: “EqoCycle is a perfect example of how higher resource efficiency in our industry can promote greater circularity in our customers’ industries. Minimizing waste, re-using materials, and saving energy and carbon emissions in production, it provides our customers and carpet brands with a new sustainable alternative that won’t compromise their end-product performance but will support their increasing focus on CO₂ reduction and global warming potential. All part of our wider commitment to encourage decoupling from the need for only virgin feedstocks and moving towards a circular economy for yarns and soft flooring industries.”

EqoCycle is the latest circular solution in B.I.G. Yarns’ PA6 portfolio, joining EqoBalance PA6, based on biomass balance renewable resources, which offers up to 75% CO₂ reduction. Both exemplify the company’s on-going investment in developing new products that better serve customers’ needs in a sustainable way. B.I.G. Yarns fully pursues opportunities to support and solve the global environmental challenges through innovation, investment and collaboration, as part of its sincere belief in, and broader commitment to, Social Responsibility.

The innovation of EqoCycle and EqoBalance PA6 aligns with the company’s active integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its business activities, creating value for customers and engaging employees and value chain partners.