From the Sector

REVECOL® (Recycled Vegetable Cooking Oil) represents a new generation of textile chemical auxiliaries, which are high-performing and obtained from vegetable exhausted cooking oil.

Chemical auxiliaries play a crucial role in several stages of the textile production cycle, from material preparation to dyeing and finishing, but represent a complex challenge from the point of view of reducing environmental impact. Herein lies the revolutionary aspect of REVECOL® by ERCA: for the first time, not just one product, but a complete range of auxiliary chemicals is available that meets the criteria of circularity.

The result of ERCA's continuous research, REVECOL® are in fact born from critical waste materials (exhausted vegetable oils), which, thanks to an environmentally and safety-friendly manufacturing process, are transformed into a line of innovative chemical auxiliaries destined for the entire textile industry and its various applications: from underwear to home textiles.

EVECOL® by ERCA has obtained several certifications – GRS, RCS, listed into ZDHC Chemical Gateway, bluesign® and GOTS, and are also finalizing the third-party certified PCF (Product Carbon Footprint), - as well as various international recognitions – first prize RESPONSIBLE CARE®, in Italy, from Federchimica, inclusion in the BAT (Best Available Techniques) document from the European Community.

• International Conference on Cellulose Fibres 2022, 2-3 February in Cologne, Germany and online – Call for Abstracts and Posters – 300 participants and 30 exhibitors are expected

Cellulose fibres are among the winners of the European 'Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD)', which has been in effect since July 2021 and entails plastic bans for a variety of single-use products. Cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls and a natural polymer. As a result, disposable products made of cellulose and cellulose fibres are not labelled as plastic and are explicitly excluded from the regulation. The success story of cellulose fibres will thus continue at a rapid pace with new developments and applications.

Building on the success of this year's conference with 200 participants, the International Conference on Cellulose Fibres 2022 will again cover the entire value chain, from lignocellulose, chemical pulp, cellulose fibres such as rayon, viscose, modal or lyocell and new developments to a wide range of applications: Textiles of all kinds, nonwovens such as wet wipes and new areas such as composites or nanocellulose in the food industry. All these sectors have gained considerable momentum in recent years.

Cellulose fibres have been a success story within the textile market with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 5 and 10 % over the last ten years and similar growth rates are expected in the coming decade. This makes cellulosic fibres the fastest growing fibre group in the textile industry and also the largest investment sector in the global bioeconomy. The challenge now is to achieve a balance between the ongoing capacity expansion and the growing demand, to avoid overcapacity while still meeting rising demand from the major brands. These high growth rates are driven by the increased demand for natural fibres (and bottlenecks in cotton production), the microplastic issues, and bans on plastics in disposable applications. All three factors will continue to play an important role in the development of the sector in the future.

Companies are now invited to submit presentations as well as their latest developments for the Innovation Award.

Main topics of the conference:

• What is the impact of plastic bans on single-use products?
• The avoidance of microplastics and the transformation from fossil to renewable raw materials?
• What are the biggest challenges in developing new value chains and growing market demand?
• Which alternative raw materials for cellulose fibres are suitable and available?
• What are the latest technology and market trends?
• What are the future market dynamics? Who is active and interested in the cellulose fibre sector?
• What ecosystems and partnerships are needed to promote innovation in line with new market requirements?
• How will the political environment develop in the future?
• How can the sustainability of cellulose fibre production be further improved?

 
Call for Abstracts
Abstract submission is open now. You are welcome to present your latest products, technologies, developments or market trends. Submit your abstract as soon as possible.
Deadline for submission: 15 October 2021
https://cellulose-fibres.eu/call-for-abstracts

Call for Posters
Deadline for submission: 31 December 2021
https://cellulose-fibres.eu/call-for-posters

Call for Innovations
More information about the innovation award and the application can be found at
Deadline for submission: 15 November 2021
https://cellulose-fibres.eu/award-application

Sponsoring Opportunities: https://cellulose-fibres.eu/sponsoring

What Keeps Consumers Up at Night?

Climate change appears to be a bigger concern for consumers than recent media reports may have indicated. In the ground-breaking, global, quantitative consumer survey, “The Key to Confidence: Consumers and Textile Sustainability—Attitudes, Changing Behaviors, and Outlooks”, commissioned by the OEKO-TEX® Association in commemoration of its 25th Anniversary, climate change ranked third on a list of sixteen modern day worries on the minds of today’s consumers.

“The Key to Confidence” online study was conducted earlier this year with a worldwide sample of more than 11,000 clothing and home textile consumers. Designed and administered by global brand and sustainability research expert, Ellen Karp of Anerca International, the extensive study explored a broad assortment of consumer attitudes about textile sustainability including harmful substances, the industry’s environmental impact, and the social welfare of textile workers.

Prior to answering questions about clothing and home textiles in particular, consumers responded to several queries to gauge their attitudes about sustainability in general. To understand the relative importance of climate change, consumers were asked to pick the top five issues that worry them most from a list of sixteen political, economic, personal, and global problems. “Terrorism” ranked first with 49% of consumers listing it in their top 5, “illness and disease” was second with 42%, and “climate change” rated third with 41%. “My personal finances” came in fourth at 37%. “Opportunities for my children in the future” and “the political leadership in my country” tied for fifth with 31% each.

“Climate change has become a significant issue for consumers,” Karp concludes. “Erratic weather patterns, mounting scientific data, escalating political debate, and first-hand experience with environmental degradation combine to make climate change more of an immediate threat than people considered it to be just a decade ago.”

“For twenty-five years, OEKO-TEX® has helped reduce the use of harmful chemicals and increase sustainable manufacturing practices in the global textile supply chain,” says Anna Czerwinska, Head of Marketing and Communication at OEKO-TEX®. “Our certified clients are industry leaders in the production of compliant, high quality textiles that are tested for harmful substances and responsibly made with respect for the environment and employees. They will be well positioned to capitalize on the growing consumer demands for sustainable textile products.”

A webinar with Ellen Karp presenting the research findings can be viewed at https://rebrand.ly/oekotexTKTCweb. To learn more about “The Key to Confidence: Consumers and Textile Sustainability—Attitudes, Changing Behaviors, and Outlooks”, please contact Trish Martin at t.martin@oeko-tex.com or Anna Czerwinska at a.czerwinska@oeko-tex.com. Read more about the OEKO-TEX® portfolio of testing, certification, and label products at: www.OEKO-TEX.com