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DITF: Recyclable event and trade fair furniture made of paper (c) DITF
Structurally wound paper yarn element with green sensor yarn.
26.01.2024

DITF: Recyclable event and trade fair furniture made of paper

A lot of waste is generated in the trade fair and event industry. It makes sense to have furniture that can quickly be dismantled and stored to save space - or simply disposed of and recycled. Paper is the ideal raw material here: locally available and renewable. It also has an established recycling process. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) and their project partners have jointly developed a recycling-friendly modular system for trade fair furniture. The "PapierEvents" project was funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU).

Once the paper has been brought into yarn form, it can be processed into a wide variety of basic elements using the structure winding process, creating a completely new design language.

A lot of waste is generated in the trade fair and event industry. It makes sense to have furniture that can quickly be dismantled and stored to save space - or simply disposed of and recycled. Paper is the ideal raw material here: locally available and renewable. It also has an established recycling process. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) and their project partners have jointly developed a recycling-friendly modular system for trade fair furniture. The "PapierEvents" project was funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU).

Once the paper has been brought into yarn form, it can be processed into a wide variety of basic elements using the structure winding process, creating a completely new design language.

The unusual look is created in the structure winding process. In this technology developed at the DITF, the yarn is deposited precisely on a rotating mandrel. This enables high process speeds and a high degree of automation. After the winding process, the individual yarns are fixed, creating a self-supporting component. A starch-based adhesive, which is also made from renewable and degradable raw materials, was used in the project for the fixation.

The recyclability of all the basic elements developed in the project was investigated and confirmed. For this purpose the research colleagues at the project partner from the Department of Paper Production and Mechanical Process Engineering at TU Darmstadt (PMV) used the CEPI method, a new standard test procedure from the Confederation of European Paper Industries.

Sensor and lighting functions were also implemented in a recycling-friendly manner. The paper sensor yarns are integrated into the components and detect contact.

Also, a modular system for trade fair and event furniture was developed. The furniture is lightweight and modular. For example, the total weight of the counter shown is well under ten kilograms and individual parts can easily be shipped in standard packages. All parts can be used several times, making them suitable for campaigns lasting several weeks.

A counter, a customer stopper in DIN A1 format and a pyramid-shaped stand were used as demonstrators. The research work of the DITF (textile technology) and PMV (paper processing) was supplemented by other partners: GarnTec GmbH developed the paper yarns used, the industrial designers from quintessence design provided important suggestions for the visual and functional design of the elements and connectors and the event agency Rödig GmbH evaluated the ideas and concepts in terms of usability in practical use.

Source:

Deutsche Institute für Textil- und Faserforschung (DITF)

Online session “Redefining Textile Waste Sorting: Impulses and findings for the future of next-gen sorting facilities” Graphic Texaid
27.11.2023

Redefining textile waste sorting

To meet future demands on the amount of textile waste which needs to be collected and sorted, as well as the demand on recycling feedstock, it is necessary to match the demand and need for sorting of waste in Europe and create cost efficiency sorting capacities with larger scale and automation are necessary.

In an online session “Redefining Textile Waste Sorting: Impulses and findings for the future of next-gen sorting facilities” Texaid and partners talk about the current state of development and the challenges for the future.  Anna Pehrsson (Texaid), Gesine Köppe (ITA Augsburg GmbH) and partners present the results of a Technology Assessment conducted within The Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock Project (initiated by TEXAID within the ReHubs initiative) to assess the best available sorting techniques and process.

Details:  
December 4th 2023
12:30-13:30pm   
Online
For registration follow the link.

To meet future demands on the amount of textile waste which needs to be collected and sorted, as well as the demand on recycling feedstock, it is necessary to match the demand and need for sorting of waste in Europe and create cost efficiency sorting capacities with larger scale and automation are necessary.

In an online session “Redefining Textile Waste Sorting: Impulses and findings for the future of next-gen sorting facilities” Texaid and partners talk about the current state of development and the challenges for the future.  Anna Pehrsson (Texaid), Gesine Köppe (ITA Augsburg GmbH) and partners present the results of a Technology Assessment conducted within The Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock Project (initiated by TEXAID within the ReHubs initiative) to assess the best available sorting techniques and process.

Details:  
December 4th 2023
12:30-13:30pm   
Online
For registration follow the link.

Source:

Texaid

ITM 2024 presenting motto: 'Discover the Future' Photo: ITM Exhibitions
27.09.2023

ITM 2024 presenting motto: 'Discover the Future'

ITM Exhibitions will open its doors to host "ITM 2024 International Textile Machinery Exhibition" from June 4-8, 2024. Preparations are in full swing for the organization, where textile technology leaders will bring the latest products together with their visitors for the first time.

The ITM team focused on advertising and promotional activities in order to host thousands of visitors and sector investors from all over the world at the ITM 2024 Exhibition, which halls were almost full due to intense participation demands. In this context; 'ITM 2024 Video', which tells the story of the increasing success of ITM exhibitions over the years and which is eagerly awaited by the whole sector, has recently been published. The video, which was published in Turkish and English on social media accounts such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, was viewed by more than 30 thousand people in total and received great appreciation from the viewers.

ITM Exhibitions will open its doors to host "ITM 2024 International Textile Machinery Exhibition" from June 4-8, 2024. Preparations are in full swing for the organization, where textile technology leaders will bring the latest products together with their visitors for the first time.

The ITM team focused on advertising and promotional activities in order to host thousands of visitors and sector investors from all over the world at the ITM 2024 Exhibition, which halls were almost full due to intense participation demands. In this context; 'ITM 2024 Video', which tells the story of the increasing success of ITM exhibitions over the years and which is eagerly awaited by the whole sector, has recently been published. The video, which was published in Turkish and English on social media accounts such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, was viewed by more than 30 thousand people in total and received great appreciation from the viewers.

“Discover the Future!” in the video prepared with the main theme “Discover innovations, technologies, the future...” and including clues about the ITM 2024 Exhibition, was revealed as follows:
The textile sector is among the souls of the economy with its production capacity, export volume, and contribution to employment. Many R&D centers around the world and in Turkey are breaking new ground by taking their work and innovations one step further every day. Textile technology leaders are developing technologies that consume less water and energy, are easy to use, are software and automation supported, keep up with trends and respect the environment while doing so. Industry stakeholders, especially textile manufacturers, are now curious about the answer to this question: 'What will be the future of the textile industry, which is digitalizing, complying with sustainability principles, and signing groundbreaking innovations? This question will be answered at ITM 2024, which will host the latest innovations, technologies, artificial intelligence-supported machines, software and design excellence devices in textile machinery.

Source:

ITM Exhibitions

Texaid
02.03.2023

New project “Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock”

Textile waste is a problem in Europe. Out of 7-7.5 million tonnes of textiles discarded every year, 30-35 % are collected separately – and of that quantity, 15-20 % are sorted by medium and larger sorting facilities within the EU. After sorting, 60 % still qualify as wearable clothes, however after a second or third collection-loop, all of the textiles become non-wearable sooner or later. Therefore, fibre-to-fibre recycling is becoming increasingly important to preserve the valuable resources.
 
The textile recycling value chain is not yet mature, but we are on the verge of a turning point, as different fibre-recycling technologies are deployed on a large scale. If successful, the textile recycling industry could reach a recycling rate of 18 to 26 percent of gross textile waste in 2030. This would create economic, social and environmental value that could total 3.5 to 4.5 billion euros in 2030.

Textile waste is a problem in Europe. Out of 7-7.5 million tonnes of textiles discarded every year, 30-35 % are collected separately – and of that quantity, 15-20 % are sorted by medium and larger sorting facilities within the EU. After sorting, 60 % still qualify as wearable clothes, however after a second or third collection-loop, all of the textiles become non-wearable sooner or later. Therefore, fibre-to-fibre recycling is becoming increasingly important to preserve the valuable resources.
 
The textile recycling value chain is not yet mature, but we are on the verge of a turning point, as different fibre-recycling technologies are deployed on a large scale. If successful, the textile recycling industry could reach a recycling rate of 18 to 26 percent of gross textile waste in 2030. This would create economic, social and environmental value that could total 3.5 to 4.5 billion euros in 2030.

Today, there is a sorting gap to achieve a circular economy for textiles in Europe. To feed this new circular value chain, a significant sorting-capacity increase is needed with 150 to 250 sorting and recycling facilities nearby, as the McKinsey-study “turning waste into value” assessed.

There is also a technology and capacity gap in sorting for reuse and recycling to ensure that high quality raw materials from non-wearable textile waste can be made available on a large scale. This is why the “Transform Textile Waste into Feedstock” project was initiated by TEXAID, within the ReHubs initiative together with well-known stakeholders of the textile value chain.

The major outcome of this project will be a sorting-factory blueprint fulfilling the requirements to the future needs of fibre-to-fibre recycling, enabling the future of more sustainable textiles by using recycled fibres. TEXAID, who is leading the project, is committed to build and operate scalable sorting facilities across Europe, the first with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes by the end of 2024.

Companies like Concordia, CuRe Technology, Decathlon, Inditex, Indorama Ventures, L’Atelier des Matières, Lenzing, Marchi & Fildi, PurFi, Södra, Worn Again and others are taking part in the project to jointly evaluate technologies and the business case for scaled sorting for reuse and recycling. ITA Academy GmbH (in cooperation with RWTH Aachen) together with CETIA has been commissioned for the assessment of technologies. The outcome will be an innovative sorting system 4.0, building on cross-functional technologies with digitalization and automation are at the heart.

(c) Oerlikon
The new Staple Fiber Technology Center in Neumünster
13.05.2022

Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions at Techtextil 2022

  • Sustainable infrastructure solutions, road safety and health protection

At this year’s Techtextil, Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions will be presenting the trade audience with new applications, special processes and sustainable solutions focusing on the production of industrial textiles. Among other things, the company will be showcasing new technology for charging nonwovens that sets new standards with regards to quality and efficiency. Between June 21 and 24, the discussions will be concentrating on airbags, seat belts, tire cord, geotextiles, filter nonwovens and their diverse applications.

  • Sustainable infrastructure solutions, road safety and health protection

At this year’s Techtextil, Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions will be presenting the trade audience with new applications, special processes and sustainable solutions focusing on the production of industrial textiles. Among other things, the company will be showcasing new technology for charging nonwovens that sets new standards with regards to quality and efficiency. Between June 21 and 24, the discussions will be concentrating on airbags, seat belts, tire cord, geotextiles, filter nonwovens and their diverse applications.

More polyester for airbags
Airbags have become an integral part of our everyday automotive lives. The yarns used in them are made predominantly from polyamide. As a result of increasingly diverse airbag applications and also the increasing size of the systems used, polyester is today used as well, depending on the application requirements and cost-benefit considerations. Against this background, the Oerlikon Barmag technologies make an invaluable contribution. In addition to high productivity and low energy consumption, they particularly excel in terms of their stable production processes. Furthermore, they comply with every high quality standard for airbags, which – as in the case of virtually all other textile products used in vehicle construction – must provide the highest level of safety for vehicle occupants. And all this without any loss of function in any climate and anywhere in the world for the lifetime of the vehicle.

Buckle up!
Seat belts play a decisive role in protecting vehicle occupants. They have to withstand tensile forces in excess of three tons and simultaneously stretch in a controlled manner in emergencies in order to reduce the load in the event of impact. A seat belt comprises approximately 300 filament yarns, whose individual, high-tenacity yarn threads are spun from around 100 individual filaments.

Invisible, but essential – road reinforcement using geotextiles
But it not just inside vehicles, but also under them, that industrial yarns reveal their strengths. Low stretch, ultra-high tenacity, high rigidity – industrial yarns offer outstanding properties for the demanding tasks carried out by geotextiles; for instance, as geogrids in the base course system under asphalt. Normally, geotextiles have extremely high yarn titers of up to 24,000 denier. Oerlikon Barmag system concepts simultaneously manufacture three filament yarns of 6,000 denier each. Due to the high spinning titers, fewer yarns can be plied together to the required geo-yarn titer in a more cost- and energy-efficient manner.

hycuTEC – technological quantum leap for filter media
In the case of its hycuTEC hydro-charging solution, Oerlikon Neumag offers a new technology for charging nonwovens that increases filter efficiency to more than 99.99%. For meltblown producers, this means material savings of 30% with significantly superior filter performance. For end users, the consequence is noticeably improved comfort resulting from significantly reduced breathing resistance. With its considerably lower water and energy consumption, this new development is also a future-proof, sustainable technology.

New high-tech Staple Fiber Technology Center
Extending to around 2,100 m2, Oerlikon Neumag in Neumünster is home to one of the world’s largest staple fiber technology centers. As of now, these state-of-the-art staple fiber technologies are also available for customer-specific trials.

The focus during the planning and the design of the Technology Center was on optimizing components and processes. Here, special attention was paid to ensuring the process and production parameters in the Technology Center system could be simply and reliably transferred to production systems. Here, the fiber tape processing line is modular in design. All components can be combined with each other as required. And comprehensive set-up options supply detailed findings for the respective process for various fiber products.

The Technology Center is also equipped with two spinning positions for mono- and bi-component processes. The same round spin packs are used for both processes, characterized by excellent fiber quality and properties and meanwhile very successfully deployed in all Oerlikon Neumag production systems. Furthermore, the spinning plant is complemented by automation solutions such as spin pack scraper robots, for example.

More information:
Oerlikon Neumag Techtextil
Source:

Oerlikon

Photo: Erema
07.04.2022

EREMA: New R&D centre for innovative recycling technologies

Construction machinery rolls into action again. The ground-breaking ceremony at the EREMA site in Ansfelden on April, 6 signals the start of work on a new R&D centre. Two halls with a total area of 1,550 square metres and a new office building with 50 workplaces will be built. The R&D centre will offer cross-departmental and cross-company test machines and laboratory for research and development of plastics recycling technologies to further advance the circular economy. Completion is scheduled for February 2023.

Plastics recycling is currently evolving very rapidly from a niche to a trend. This is driven by the legislative targets for plastics recycling that the European Union and many countries around the world have enacted, as well as by the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent and in which the circular economy plays a very central role.

Construction machinery rolls into action again. The ground-breaking ceremony at the EREMA site in Ansfelden on April, 6 signals the start of work on a new R&D centre. Two halls with a total area of 1,550 square metres and a new office building with 50 workplaces will be built. The R&D centre will offer cross-departmental and cross-company test machines and laboratory for research and development of plastics recycling technologies to further advance the circular economy. Completion is scheduled for February 2023.

Plastics recycling is currently evolving very rapidly from a niche to a trend. This is driven by the legislative targets for plastics recycling that the European Union and many countries around the world have enacted, as well as by the European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent and in which the circular economy plays a very central role.

However, there is not just one recycling solution for all types of plastic waste, but rather different solutions depending on the type of plastic, the product and the application intended for the recycled plastic. While some plastics processing loops, such as for PET bottles, have already been closed, many other plastic waste streams still require a great deal of R&D in cooperation with everyone involved in the value chain to produce recycled pellets that meet the very highest standards for the production of new products. More space will be available for this in the new centre.

R&D is decentralised at EREMA. In recent years, approximately 5 percent of turnover was reinvested annually in research and development. Employees from different departments handle process engineering challenges, innovations in mechanical engineering and automation technology, and special technologies with a view to further improving the quality of recycled pellets. They also focus on new recycling technologies for waste plastic materials for which there is currently no satisfactory circular economy solution. The decisive factor here is also to exploit the potential of digitalisation. By collecting and analysing machine data, not only can recycling processes and product quality be further improved, but we can also develop our digital service offering for our customers. Such offerings include customer-specific information tools that feature plant and process data, predictive maintenance and online support as well as commissioning via remote access.

For material tests, which are necessary for research and development work, an expanded machine park will be available following completion of the new R&D centre. Here, the recycling process can be evaluated end-to-end, including upstream and downstream processes such as shredding and further processing of the recycled pellets. The material tests are supported by detailed analysis in the professionally equipped laboratory, which will be relocated to the new premises and upgraded where necessary with the very latest lab equipment.

More information:
EREMA plastics recycling
Source:

EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH

Oerlikon Barmag celebrates its 100th anniversary (c) Oerlikon Barmag
A look at the state-of-the-art assembly of a WINGS winder
30.03.2022

Oerlikon Barmag celebrates its 100th anniversary

  • Innovation begins with creativity
  • A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

  • Innovation begins with creativity
  • A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Barmag) is founded in Barmen, located in the Bergische Land region, on March 27, 1922. The German and Dutch founders enter unchartered technological territory, one created as the result of a groundbreaking invention: in 1884, French chemist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet used nitrocellulose to produce the first so-called artificial silk, later known as rayon. The following decades see rapid development focusing on the search for synthetic textile fibers and their manufacturing technologies. As one of the first machine factories, Barmag battles its way through the eventful early years of the manmade fiber industry, the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression – and suffers the extensive destruction of its factories at the end of World War Two. Rebuilding is successful. With the unstoppable success story of purely synthetic plastic fibers such as polyamide, the company flourishes from the 1950s through to the 1970s, establishing sites in all international, for the textile industry at the time important, industrial regions and garnering prestige across the globe in the process. In the ups and downs of expansion, global competition and crises, Barmag reaches the very pinnacle of the market and becomes the preferred technological development partner for the manmade fiber industries in China, India and Turkey. The company has been a high-impact brand under the umbrella of the Oerlikon Group since 2007.

On the wings of innovation
Today, Oerlikon Barmag is a leading supplier of manmade fiber filament spinning systems and part of the Manmade Fibers Solutions business unit of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. And our aspirations have not diminished: “The striving towards innovation and technological leadership has been, is and will always be part of our DNA”, emphasizes Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions. In the past, this has been observable in such trailblazing innovations as the revolutionary WINGS generation of winders for POY in 2007 and WINGS for FDY in 2012. Currently, the focus of new and further developments is very much on digitalization and sustainability. Here, Oerlikon Barmag has – as one of the world’s first systems manufacturers – been implementing fully-networked smart factories for globally-leading polyester manufacturers since the end of the last decade. Within this context, digital solutions and automation are also helping to provide greater climate and environmental compatibility. This sustainability commitment is not only evidenced by the e-save label introduced for all products back in 2004: Oerlikon is endeavoring to also make all its sites carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire its energy exclusively from renewable sources. An ambitious target, whose achievement could be helped by the Oerlikon Barmag anniversary, states Georg Stausberg: “Innovation begins with creativity. And remembering the past provides plenty of motivation and inspiration for the future.”

Snuggle Implements Kornit Atlas MAX Systems to Support Sustained Growth in Sustainable, Efficient Production on Demand (c) Kornit Digital
Kornit XDi at Snuggle
14.03.2022

Snuggle Implements Kornit Atlas MAX Systems to Support Sustained Growth in Sustainable, Efficient Production on Demand

  • “The Atlas MAX technology provides a marked improvement in quality; it gives you that edge and something different."

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT), a worldwide market leader in sustainable, on-demand, digital textile production technologies, announced today that Peterborough, United Kingdom-based print provider Snuggle has installed two Kornit Atlas MAX systems for superior versatility in their on-demand fulfilment production operations. A Kornit customer since 2017, the addition of Kornit’s most advanced direct-to-garment production systems reflects Snuggle’s sustained profitability and growth since that time.

  • “The Atlas MAX technology provides a marked improvement in quality; it gives you that edge and something different."

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT), a worldwide market leader in sustainable, on-demand, digital textile production technologies, announced today that Peterborough, United Kingdom-based print provider Snuggle has installed two Kornit Atlas MAX systems for superior versatility in their on-demand fulfilment production operations. A Kornit customer since 2017, the addition of Kornit’s most advanced direct-to-garment production systems reflects Snuggle’s sustained profitability and growth since that time.

Kornit Atlas MAX is the first digital direct-to-garment production system to feature XDi technology, which empowers users to simulate embroidery, dye sublimation, vinyl heat transfer, and 3D graphic effects with one single-step platform, using Kornit’s eco-friendly NeoPigment™ inks. Delivering superior graphic detail, consistent retail quality, and low and consistent cost per print to ensure profitability in any quantity, the system is engineered for adaptability to long-term automation needs, which helps businesses like Snuggle address the ongoing labour shortage.

With seven Kornit Digital systems in total, Snuggle is now able to produce up to 12,000 units daily, and has expanded its production space more than threefold since first investing in the technology. While the business does include an embroidery unit, Snuggle rejected screen printing due to its slow setup process, inefficient sampling for bulk orders, and the inability to generate profit from smaller custom orders. Furthermore, digitally-enabled production on demand was critical to their adapting when the pandemic economy caused many customers to cancel bulk orders suddenly.

More information:
Kornit Digital Atlas MAX
Source:

Kornit Digital

Swiss weaving machinery manufacturers are in the forefront of novel application development ©Stäubli
Multilayer Aramid
17.03.2021

Swiss weaving: Fabrics of the future

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

04.03.2021

Partners: AFRY engineering and Renewcell

  • AFRY engineering partner when Renewcell expands operations to lead the fashion industry into a sustainable and circular future

Renewcell has awarded AFRY an engineering assignment for their recycled textile materials production expansion at SCA's Ortviken paper mill in Sundsvall, Sweden. The assignment includes project and construction management services, process, mechanical and piping engineering, electrical, automation and instrumentation engineering, fire and HVAC design, as well as civil design. The project is a continuation of AFRY's previous feasibility studies.

The trend in textiles and design requires sustainable fashion. Customers require fashion companies to reduce their environmental impact through new technologies and innovations for the circular economy. One important element is recycling of textile fibers that is a path towards a more sustainable fashion.

  • AFRY engineering partner when Renewcell expands operations to lead the fashion industry into a sustainable and circular future

Renewcell has awarded AFRY an engineering assignment for their recycled textile materials production expansion at SCA's Ortviken paper mill in Sundsvall, Sweden. The assignment includes project and construction management services, process, mechanical and piping engineering, electrical, automation and instrumentation engineering, fire and HVAC design, as well as civil design. The project is a continuation of AFRY's previous feasibility studies.

The trend in textiles and design requires sustainable fashion. Customers require fashion companies to reduce their environmental impact through new technologies and innovations for the circular economy. One important element is recycling of textile fibers that is a path towards a more sustainable fashion.

Renewcell is a multi-award-winning textile recycling company based in Sweden. The company’s vision is to inspire an Industrial Evolution towards a sustainable world by producing high quality materials from recycled textiles. “There is a way to put fashion first without putting the environment in second place” – Renewcell describes their business concept. With their technology, the company has succeeded in recycling and regenerating textile fiber from old clothes to turn into new clothes. For example, H&M, a partner of Renewcell, has launched a garment that is half made with Renewcell’s fabric.

Today, Renewcell has a demo plant in Kristinehamn, Sweden, with the possibility to recycle over 4,500 tons of textiles each year. The company has now signed a major agreement with one of the world's largest producers of viscose fiber. With that as a basis, together with a well-proven process and technology, they are now building a full-scale production plant in Sundsvall, Sweden. When the new plant is ready for production, it will have the capacity to recycle 60,000 tons of textile waste annually, which is just over half of Sweden's annual textile consumption. The new plant is expected to be commissioned in 2022.

“We are pleased to continue the partnership with AFRY, which began with the feasibility study they delivered in 2020. With AFRY, we feel secure in having a partner with both world-leading expertise and the ability to deliver projects on time and within budget. Together, we lead the fashion industry into a sustainable and circular future,” says Christer Johansson, Project Director at Renewcell.

“We are extremely proud to be part of Renewcell’s investment. We are excited to contribute in this transition towards more sustainable solutions for the future and look forward to continue this journey together with Renewcell,” says Ulf Strenger, Business Unit Manager at AFRY.

Source:

AFRY

Key role for Kipaş in the EU’s multi-million New Cotton Project (c) Monforts
The New Cotton Project logo
30.11.2020

Key role for Kipaş in the EU’s multi-million New Cotton Project

  • Monforts customer Kipaş has been selected as the sole denim manufacturing partner in the €6.7 million European Union-funded New Cotton Project, involving the brands adidas and H&M, working in a consortium with suppliers, innovators and research institutes.

Kipaş, based in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, is currently installing its third Monforts Montex stenter along with a third Monfortex compressive shrinkage system in a combined configuration dedicated to denim production.

This follows the successful installation and commissioning of the second Montex and Monfortex lines at the Kahramanmaraş plant in 2018, which Kipaş Vice Chairman of the Board Ahmet Öksüz said had immediately exceeded expectations.

  • Monforts customer Kipaş has been selected as the sole denim manufacturing partner in the €6.7 million European Union-funded New Cotton Project, involving the brands adidas and H&M, working in a consortium with suppliers, innovators and research institutes.

Kipaş, based in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, is currently installing its third Monforts Montex stenter along with a third Monfortex compressive shrinkage system in a combined configuration dedicated to denim production.

This follows the successful installation and commissioning of the second Montex and Monfortex lines at the Kahramanmaraş plant in 2018, which Kipaş Vice Chairman of the Board Ahmet Öksüz said had immediately exceeded expectations.

“We performed a very thorough technical investigation based on the latest Industry 4.0 analysis before the purchase, to determine what we needed, and the Monforts technology met all our requirements,” he said, in an interview with Textilegence magazine. “The Monfortex is equipped with a variety of features not found on classical shrinkage machines and the production can be monitored from beginning to end. It also exceeded our expectations in energy cost savings.”

Kipaş subsequently received a special certificate from Monforts in recognition of its exceptional utilisation of the technology to its full potential.

The latest Montex stenter now being installed at Kipaş is a 12-chamber unit with a working width of 2 metres featuring all of the latest automation features. The Monfortex unit, also with a working width of 2 metres, is in a ‘double rubber’ configuration, comprising two compressive shrinkage units and two felt calenders in line. This allows the heat setting of elastane fibres and the residual shrinkage of the denim to be carried out simultaneously, for a significant increase in production speeds.

“Around 90-95% of denim fabric production now contains elastane fibres and the Monforts system has allowed us to simultaneously increase our production and quality in this respect,” Mr Öksüz said.

Regenerated cotton
For the next three years within the New Cotton Project, Kipaş will manufacture denim fabrics based on the cellulose-based fibres of Infinited Fiber Company of Finland, made from post-consumer textile waste that has been collected, sorted and regenerated.

The patented technology of Infinited, which is leading the consortium of 12 companies, turns cellulose-rich textile waste into fibres that look and feel like cotton.

“We are very excited and proud to lead this project which is breaking new ground when it comes to making circularity in the textile industry a reality,” said Infinited co-founder and CEO Petri Alava. “The enthusiasm and commitment with which the entire consortium has come together to work towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for fashion is truly inspiring.”

Take-back programmes
Adidas and H&M will establish take-back programmes to collect the clothing that is produced, to determine the next phase in their lifecycle. Clothing that can no longer be worn will be returned to Infinited, for regeneration into new fibres, further contributing to a circular economy in which textiles never go to waste, but instead are reused, recycled or turned into new garments.

The aim is to prove that circular, sustainable fashion can be achieved today, and to act as an inspiration and stepping stone to further, even bigger circular initiatives by the industry going forward.

The EU has identified the high potential for circularity within the textile industry, while simultaneously highlighting the urgent need for the development of technologies to produce and design sustainable and circular bio-based materials. Making sustainable products commonplace, reducing waste and leading global efforts on circularity are outlined in the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan.

Fashion brands produce nearly twice as many clothes today as they did 20 years ago and demand is expected to continue growing. At the same time, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second. Most of the textile industry’s environmental problems relate to the raw materials used by the industry – cotton, fossil-based fibres such as polyester, and viscose as the most common man-made cellulosic fibre, are all associated with serious environmental concerns.