From the Sector

Stratasys Ltd. announced the launch of its Direct-to-Garment (D2G) solution for the J850 TechStyle™ printer, the newest offering in the Stratasys 3DFashion™ direct-to-textile printing technology. The first example of its application is an Urban Tattoo denim collection which will be revealed at the Texprocess exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany on April 23.

The D2G solution is ideal for customization and personalization by enabling the application of full color multi-material 3D print directly on fully assembled garments of various fabric types including denim, cotton, polyester, and linen. It allows fashion brands to facilitate personalized and bespoke designs for customers, including the ability to tailor 3D prints according to individual preferences, sizes, and styles.  

Available in two sizes, the D2G tray kits facilitate the personalization of garments ranging from jeans to jackets, enabling designers and manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices by reducing material waste. The seamless workflow delivers ease of calibration and compatibility with various garment sizes, streamlining the production process and fostering the creation of unique, personalized apparel.

Demonstrating this innovation, the Urban Tattoo collection showcases the potential and the ease of direct-to-garment 3D printing. Working with noted designers Karim Rashid, Travis Fitch, Zlatko Yanakiev at Meshroom along with Foraeva Studio, this collection shows the transformation of ordinary garments into pieces of wearable art, imbuing them with personal identity and meaning.

Like body tattoos, Urban Tattoos promote a deeper emotional connection, encouraging the upcycling of existing garments and contributing to a more sustainable fashion ecosystem. This aligns with Stratasys’ strategy for Mindful Manufacturing™. Stratasys has been able to create a new collection that will appeal to multiple brands that reach across diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

Devan Chemicals launched its latest textile finishing technology “Devan Stain Release”, that ensures that both water and oil based stains can easily be washed off.

Devan ‘s new release finish prevents water and oil based stains such as ketchup, mud, grass, tea, vegetable and corn oils from adhering deeply to the fibres and allows stains to be washed off easily from the surface. The technology combines both stain release and wicking properties, fitting for applications where this dual benefit is required. This technology is PFC-free and has 40% of bio-based content. Unlike many PFC-based solutions that require mixing of multiple products, Devan Stain Release is an easy to apply and ready-to-use product that doesn’t necessitate mixing of different products. The finish doesn’t require reactivation after washing at home with high temperature. Soft handle is maintained.

Devan Stain Release is applicable across a wide range of textile applications, including school uniforms, garments, workwear, apparel, home textiles, bedding accessories and mattress ticking. The technology enhances the longevity of fabrics by reducing the need for frequent washing, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable consumption cycle.

Archroma will introduce its new Super Systems+ concept and highlight product innovations at Techtextil 2024, being held in Frankfurt, Germany from April 23 to 26.

A highlight of Archroma’s participation in Techtextil, Super Systems+ are powerful end-to-end systems that combine fiber-specific processing solutions and intelligent effects. The Super Systems+ suite encompasses wet processing solutions that deliver measurable environmental impact from sizing to finishing; durable colors and functional effects that add value and longevity to the end product; and cleaner chemistries that eliminate harmful or regulated substances.

For textile partners to the automotive industry, Archroma is introducing DOROSPERS® KHF, a new range of high-lightfast disperse dyes that provide optimum build up on polyester microfiber, including artificial suede for car interiors.

For nonwoven applications in fields such as healthcare, hygiene and filtration, Archroma recommends APPRETAN® FFX6750, a new addition to its range of high-performance zero-formaldehyde acrylic copolymers, and APPRETAN® FFX1540.

APPRETAN® FFX1540 is a new APEO free and formaldehyde free self-crosslinking polymer, medium soft with very low tackiness, and strongly hydrophobic, developed for the chemical bonding of nonwovens and for the coating of technical textiles, where low water absorption and high-water tightness are required, combined with high durability in severe environment.

For workwear and uniforms that protect people under adverse conditions, Archroma solutions include HELIZARIN® ULTRA-FAST, for printing with pigment dispersions and metallic pigments, and the new ALBAFIX® ECO Plus wet fastness improver. Archroma’s PFC-free PHOBOTEX® R-ACE durable water repellent delivers excellent water repellence while preserving fabric quality and ensuring sustainability. Archroma has also expanded the revolutionary AVITERA® SE GENERATION NEXT range of resource-saving dyes with new colors.

Further solutions for active wear and workwear include the newly launched bio-based PHOBOTEX® NTR-50 durable water repellent product, which is PFAS free, formaldehyde free and crosslinker free, as well NYLOFIXAN® HFS, a new fixing agent for polyamide and blends that is fully compliant with the latest restrictions on bisphenol compounds.

Archroma is also launching ARKOPHOB® NTR-40 at Techtextil 2024. The company’s first crosslinker with an improved sustainability profile, its monomers are partially derived from renewably sourced, plant-based raw materials. Another new innovation is biocide-free OX20, an odor-neutralizing technology launched by Archroma in partnership with SANITIZED AG.

For home textiles, mills and brands can select ARKOFIX® NZW formaldehyde-free* resin for high whiteness and extraordinary product stability, with no yellowing during storage at elevated temperatures, even over a prolonged period of time. For a super-soft handle, the SILIGEN® EH1 is a vegan silicone macro-emulsion softener with 35% plant-based active content.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced three recipients for the INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. David Powling, Paul Latten, and Arnold Wilkie are being recognized for their key contributions to the advancement of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

David Powling and Paul Latten will receive their awards at the World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, June 18th beginning at 4:30 pm
Arnold Wilkie will receive his award at the RISE® Conference, October 1st at 4:30 pm.

The Award recipients are:

David Powling
David Powling has worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation for nearly 25 years and has been a contributor to the Wipes Task Force and Technical Committees at INDA and EDANA for over 15 years. Powling served as Chairman of the INDA Wipes Task Force from 2009-2013. His work on these committees include developing the first and second edition of the Flushability Guidance Document (GD) and he was later instrumental in the roll out of the third and fourth edition GDs. Throughout this time, Powling coordinated activities with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to provide critical supporting data, as these flushability test protocols were developed.

Powling has been actively involved in collection studies where he was key in framing the work packages of those studies, collating and analyzing the data, and drafting reports. These collection studies include: Moraga, CA (advisor); Maine – Part #1 and Part #2 (hands-on); Jacksonville (hands-on); and the Northern and Southern California studies in 2023, which combined, was the largest study to date. Powling led the charge in the California study and was personally involved in identifying 1,745 samples.

Powling has been a key technical contributor to the INDA Government Relation efforts that has resulted in labelling regulations in multiple U.S. states. He has also been an active participant in efforts to develop an ISO standard for flushable products.  In this effort, he was a test method sub-team leader during the preparation of the proposed ISO standard responsible for organizing appendices of existing flushability methodologies. Additionally, Powling has been awarded, or has pending, 25+ U.S. patents, including many covering the development of dispersible wet wipes.

Paul Latten
Paul Latten has been an active member of the nonwoven and fiber industries for over 35 years. Most recently he has led innovation at Southeast Nonwovens, commercializing more than 75 new nonwoven products per year. Prior to joining Southeast Nonwovens, Latten held senior leadership positions with Basofil, Consolidated Fibers, Invista, and KoSa (and Trevira and Hoechst Celanese precursors to KoSa.)

Latten has a successful career of reinvigorating company R&D efforts by instilling a focus on customer-centric innovation. He is an inventor of record for a number of patents and pending applications. Latten has given numerous presentations on innovative nonwoven materials, at events such as INDA’s World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics), the VISION International Conference, and the Converting and Bonding (CAB) Conference.

His recent innovations have been diverse in scope and include nonwovens for use in hydrogen fuel cells, moisture detection media, proprietary wipe designs, and natural fiber-based packaging. Aside from new fiber and nonwoven products, Latten has championed process innovation that has resulted in tangible output gains that broadened the market opportunity for his current and prior companies.

Latten’s portfolio of innovations has spanned across the nonwoven markets, often involving wetlaid and drylaid nonwovens. These include materials for moisture detection, synthetic papers, fuel cell cathodes, protective covers for treats, melamine nonwovens for surface treatment, and the development of binder fibers. His work also touched upon disposable hygiene applications entailing dry-laid web containing hollow synthetic fibers to improve absorbent core fluid uptake.

Latten has been a board member of INDA for multiple terms and served as Chairman in 2008-2010. Additionally, he has contributed to many INDA conference planning committees, helping drive the success of these events.

Arnold Wilkie
Arnold Wilkie has a distinguished career in advancing yarn, fiber, and nonwoven technologies since 1970. Since 1988, he has been President and Owner of Hills, Inc. where he has sustained their innovative culture. Wilkie has over 40 patents and applications covering yarns, bicomponent fibers, ultra-fine fibers, nanofibers, dissolvable filaments, meltblown nonwovens, and polymer processing innovations. He established Hills as a leading innovator in bicomponent fiber nonwovens and in the equipment to produce these materials. During Wilkie’s time leading Hills, their pilot capabilities have become well-known and highly regarded for enabling material innovations.

Many of his patents pertain to the development of equipment solutions that enable the production of complex bi- and multi-component fiber structures. These solutions include the method of forming a continuous filament spun-laid web, the method and apparatus for producing polymer fibers and fabrics including multiple polymer components, the method and apparatus for controlling airflow in a fiber extrusion system, and controlling the dissolution of dissolvable polymer components in plural component fibers.

Arnold Wilkie, President, Hills, Inc., earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the University of West Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida, and has been engaged in the synthetic fibers industry since 1970. The first 17 years were with the Monsanto Company, where he held positions in Fiber Process Engineering, Fiber Product R&D, and Product Management. Since 1988, he has been a majority Owner and President of Hills, Inc., a 52-year-old company located in West Melbourne, Florida, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced custom fiber extrusion equipment. Wilkie has been involved with and supported The Nonwovens Institute, since its founding in 1991 as the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC), with Hills joining as a Member in 2001

At the upcoming Techtextil show for technical textiles, which will take place in Frankfurt from April 23-25, Monforts will launch its new coaTTex coating unit dedicated to air knife and knife-over-roller coating.

For single-sided application with paste or foam, the versatile coaTTex is suitable for both incorporation into existing finishing ranges as well as installation with new Monforts lines, notably the Montex stenter systems.

A wide range of coatings can be applied to fabrics for providing functions such as waterproofing, liquid and gas protection and breathability, in addition to foam lamination and coating, including black-out coating.

The considerable technical textile end-use applications envisaged for the coaTTex range from window blinds to abrasive cloths and from airbags to sails.

With an operational speed of up to 40 metres per minute, coaTTex units are available in nominal widths of between 1800mm to 3600mm and their robust construction is characterised by a rotating beam for the fixation of up to three different knife executions.

Central adjustment of both the horizontal and vertical position of the beam, and also of the knife angle, enables easy adaptation to new projects and automatic tension control guarantees high quality production. In addition, the cleaning blade for the coating roller is pneumatically controlled, as is the lifting of the beam at seams and clamping during fabric standstill.

In accordance with California’s Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes law (AB 818), state wastewater agencies and industry experts went deep to find out exactly what is passing through—and clogging up—municipal wastewater systems. The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) alongside the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) and the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) released the results from the largest known domestic sewage collection study conducted to reveal what’s really being flushed down the drain – and shouldn’t be.

“We took a forensic approach to this collection study, engaging industry and wastewater experts to examine our findings and determine what exactly is being flushed and how much of it,” said Adam Link, Executive Director at CASA, a co-sponsor of the Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes Law. “Now that we have the data to see what Californians are flushing and the types of non-flushable items that are causing issues within wastewater systems, local agencies can refine their public outreach and messaging to target specific problems and educate more efficiently.”

Collection and material investigation took place in October 2023 at two locations: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) in Southern California and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) in the greater San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. Wastewater and wipes experts collected, sorted and identified more than 1,700 items pulled from the two locations during peak flow times. Kennedy Jenks, an independent engineering firm, designed the study and compiled the findings into the report.

Why Study What’s Being Flushed?
When products that aren’t meant to be flushed down the toilet wind up in the sewer system, it can cause serious threats to public and environmental health. In fact, estimates show that local public agencies throughout California (and the ratepayers they represent) are spending more than $47 million annually to repair wastewater treatment equipment and respond to sewer overflows caused by improper flushing.

“Part of keeping communities healthy requires not flushing things we shouldn’t,” said Lara Wyss, President of the RFA. “However, the data to support which non-flushable items to target as part of education campaigns has been lacking. That’s likely why when we surveyed Californians about what they are flushing, the results revealed that approximately 25% think baby wipes are flushable (which is never true) and 60% self-reported that they flushed something they knew they shouldn’t have.2 Our study results reinforce that finding, as more than 99% of materials collected were items that shouldn’t have been flushed.”

The breakdown of items collected from pipes at the two study locations included:
•    34.1% wipes labeled with the “Do Not Flush” symbol (baby wipes, cleaning wipes, makeup wipes, etc.)
•    64.9% other non-flushable items (paper towels, period products, trash, etc.)
•    0.9% wipes labeled as flushable

“We pulled material larger than 1-inch square directly from the bar screens, and it wasn’t until everything was sorted and identified that we could see what we actually had,” said Matt O’Sickey, Director of Education and Technical Affairs, INDA. “There were a lot of paper towels and baby wipes and all of the ‘Do Not Flush’ labeled wipes we collected were fully intact, showcasing why they should never be flushed.”

What Not to Flush—and How We Tell Consumers
According to the Proper Wet Wipes Labeling law, manufacturers of non-flushable wipes, including products such as baby wipes, cleaning wipes, makeup removal wipes and many others that are primarily used in a bathroom setting must include the “Do Not Flush” symbol on the front of the packaging.
The #FlushSmart consumer education campaign promotes the “Do Not Flush” symbol and provides information on what should and should not be flushed. The message shared with consumers is simple: Look for the “Do Not Flush” symbol on wipes packaging, and if you see it – throw the wipe out. Extrapolating from the results of this study, refraining from flushing “Do Not Flush” labeled wipes, paper products and feminine hygiene products would capture over 90% of items clogging sewers.

Cavitec, part of Santex Rimar Group, presents the redesigned Caviscreen at Techtextil Frankfurt. Caviscreen features latest technology for breathable laminates.

Caviscreen was developed as a hotmelt coating and laminating unit for breathable sportswear, rainwear and protective clothing – with and without applying a membrane. The redesigned machine shows a brand-new method to supply adhesive more evenly and precisely. Using PUR adhesive (polyurethane reactive adhesive) goes with additional benefits like strong bonding capabilities and versatility.

Caviscreen’s hotmelt screen printing is a special system for high-end application garments. With this Caviscreen system, a PUR adhesive is transferred onto the substrate through a rotary screen, similar to the well-established textile printing method. The adhesives are fed from the drum melter through a heated hose to the traversing adhesive distribution system inside the rotary screen, just behind the doctor blade.

The adhesive is pressed by the doctor blade through the screen holes and transferred to the substrate. Different dot pattern (mesh or irregularly) and different screen thicknesses allow different coating weight and adhesive coverages.

The traversing adhesive dispenser is used to distribute the adhesive automatically over the set working width that – an additional technical benefit – can be set without any mechanical changes.

Cavitec’s screen coating system achieves high bonding strength while using less adhesive than other coating processes, because of applying the coating on the surface of the substrate and like this, the adhesive has less tendency to penetrate the substrate.

Bonding strength, softness of the fabric and the breathability are defined by the coating weight and the coverage. The rotary screen allows users to regulate and adapt the coverage respectively the coating weight. Cavitec offers a large selection of screens that are essential to fulfil the fabric requirements. A further advantage is the ease and efficiency of switching from one screen to another by simply unlocking the bayonet fitting. The IR-heater cover opens pneumatically and the lightweight screen can be easily removed by hand. Unlike with other methods, there's no need to deal with hot oil or any other heated liquid that requires cooling down.

The Caviscreen technology supports manufacturers by reducing costs with screens priced at a mere fraction, just 10%, of common gravure roller prices.

Trützschler expanded their portfolio to become the first full-liner in the preparation of textile waste – from mechanical recycling to the spinning preparation of torn secondary fibers.

The TRUECYCLED solution is the result of their cooperation with the company Balkan Textile Machinery INC.CO. in Turkey, which they announced at the ITMA 2023 trade event in Milan. Since then, Trützschler has received many inquiries for recycling systems.

Success with a systems approach
Recycling systems face significant technological challenges. On average, torn fibers are much shorter than virgin fibers. The percentage share of short fibers in the fiber mass is much higher. Unopened yarn and fabric particles are also difficult to process. Not surprisingly, much academic and practical research is currently conducted to find solutions for these problems. Dr. Georg Stegschuster, a researcher specializing in textile recycling, believes a systems approach is needed. He is working at the Recycling atelier, a model factory for mechanical recycling in Augsburg, Germany, which is committed to delivering the latest technological insights for textile recycling. “A perfect fine-tuning between tearing and spinning preparation is key for obtaining the best possible quality results and avoiding unnecessary fiber shortening,” he says. “This can be achieved if you are in control of both processes – and have the necessary expertise for both processes too.”

Gentle but effective
In some cases, for example, it may be advantageous to have less aggressive settings in the tearing line. This can help avoid unnecessary fiber shortening. The remaining higher share of unopened fabric must then be handled in a high-performance spinning preparation line. This starts with the right blow room configuration for perfect opening, cleaning and blending. A card that is specially designed for recycling materials, such as the new TC 30Ri, can also enable gentle but effective treatment of fibers.

A shortened drafting process is also a must. The integrated draw frame IDF 3 can make this possible. The draft is high enough to provide excellent levelling of the numerous short fibers, but low enough to prevent floating fibers.

Full-liner in mechanical recycling and preparation of textile waste
Trützschler now offers a complete system covering the whole process, from cutting and tearing textile waste through to carding and drawing secondary fibers. Thanks to this holistic approach and Trützschler’s expertise for the whole process, manufacturers can avoid unnecessary fiber shortening.

ACG Kinna Automatic and ACG Nyström – members of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – have delivered the first microfactory for the production of fully finished filter bags to an international filtration industry customer, in cooperation with JUKI Central Europe.

The microfactory’s configuration is based on two separate interconnecting modules – the Smart Filter Line (SFL) and the Filtermaster 2.0. The SFL handles the fabric feeding from rolls and its folding prior to seam construction, which can either be by automatic sewing, welding or with sewing and taping, depending on specifications. Very rapid changeover of the modular seaming methods can be achieved during product changes. The specific size of the now fully-tubular fabric is then precisely cut to size for each individual unit and further folded ready to be fed into the Filtermaster 2.0. The Filtermaster 2.0 then automatically attaches the reinforcement, bottom and snap rings onto the filter tube with a second Juki sewing head on a robotic arm, to form the fully finished filter bag ready for packaging.

Filter bags are employed in a wide range of industrial processes and while they may be largely under the radar as products, they represent a pretty significant percentage of overall technical textiles production.
They are used in foundries, smelters, incinerators, asphalt plants and energy production plants. Other key manufacturing fields – often where dust is generated – include the production of timber, textiles, composites, waste handling and minerals, in addition to chemicals, food production, pharmaceuticals, electronics and agriculture.

As a further example of the scale of the industry and the high volumes of fabrics involved, one supplier has delivered a single order of 30,000 filter bags to be used for flue gas cleaning at a European power plant. The bags can also be anywhere up to twelve metres in length and frequently have to be replaced.

Glen Raven hosted United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai in an important visit to the company’s yarn spinning manufacturing facility and headquarters for its Sunbrella® flagship brand in Burlington, N.C. followed by an industry supply chain roundtable.

Ambassador Tai’s visit coincides with USTR’s Federal Register notice for public input to inform the administration’s development of trade and investment policy initiatives related to a domestic supply chain resilience plan.

USTR has highlighted domestic textiles as a critical part of the supply chain. The textile sector, which includes yarns, fabrics, apparel and other finished goods, will be part of its fact-finding investigation into shaping policy tools that could be deployed to enhance supply chain resilience. The office is requesting input on policies that are currently working well for these sectors, and those that are not working well, in advancing domestic supply chains.

The Ambassador’s visit to Glen Raven included a tour of the Sunbrella facilities, a design and innovation center, and a roundtable discussion with several other textile executives based in North Carolina who highlighted the significant impact of the sector to the U.S. economy.

Glen Raven, a family-owned company founded in 1880, operates five manufacturing facilities in North and South Carolina employing 2,500 people, including their joint venture with Shawmut Corporation. The company is currently in the process of scaling a $250 million multi-phase U.S. capacity expansion plan of its facilities and infrastructure to meet customer demand.