From the Sector

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Synthetic recycled materials such as PET can usually be treated similarly to new yarn, but there are additional complexities where natural fibres like wool and cotton are involved. Today, there’s a trend towards mechanically recycled wool and cotton fibres.

Spinning recycled cotton
The use of mechanically recycled fibres in spinning brings specific quality considerations: they have higher levels of short fibres and neps – and may often be colored, particularly if post-consumer material is used. It’s also true that recycled yarns have limitations in terms of fineness. The Uster Statistics 2023 edition features an extended range of fibre data, supporting sustainability goals, including benchmarks for blends of virgin and recycled cotton.
In general, short fibres such as those in recycled material can easily be handled by rotor spinning machines. For ring spinning, the shorter the fibres, the more difficult it is to guide them through the drafting zone to integrate them into the yarn body. Still, for wider yarn counts and higher yarn quality, the focus is now shifting to ring spinning. The presence of short fibres is a challenge, but Rieter offers solutions to address this issue.

Knitting recycled wool
For recycling, wool fibres undergo mechanical procedures such as shredding, cutting, and re-spinning, influencing the quality and characteristics of the resulting yarn. These operations remove the natural scales and variations in fibre length of the wool, causing a decrease in the overall strength and durability of the recycled yarn. This makes the yarn more prone to breakage, especially under the tension exerted during knitting.

Adapting to process recycled materials often requires adjustments to existing machinery. Knitting machines must be equipped with positive yarn suppliers to control fibre tension. Steiger engages in continuous testing of new yarns on the market, to check their suitability for processing on knitting machines. For satisfactory quality, the challenges intensify, with natural yarns requiring careful consideration and adaptation in the knitting processes.

From fibres to nonwovens
Nonwovens technology was born partly from the idea of recycling to reduce manufacturing costs and to process textile waste and previously unusable materials into fabric structures. Nonwovens production lines, where fibre webs are bonded mechanically, thermally or chemically, can easily process almost all mechanically and chemically recycled fibres.

Autefa Solutions offers nonwovens lines from a single source, enabling products such as liners, wipes, wadding and insulation to be produced in a true closed loop. Fibres are often used up to four times for one product.

Recycling: total strategy
Great services, technology and machines from members of Swiss Textile Machinery support the efforts of the circular economy to process recycled fibres. The machines incorporate the know-how of several decades, with the innovative power and quality standards in production and materials.
Stäubli’s global ESG (environmental, social & governance) strategy defines KPIs in the context of energy consumption, machine longevity and the recycling capacity in production units worldwide, as well in terms of machinery recyclability. The machine recyclability of automatic drawing in machines, weaving systems and jacquard machines ranges from 96 to 99%.

During the second quarter of 2023, the orders index for textile machinery, as compiled by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, dropped significantly compared to 2022 April – June 2022 period (-30%). In absolute terms, the index stood at 85.1 points (basis 2015=100).

This drop is the result of a reduction in the collection of new orders recorded by manufacturers both domestically and on foreign markets. The decrease in orders in Italy amounted to 21%, whereas a 31% downtrend was observed abroad. The absolute value of the index on foreign markets settled at 81.9 points, while in Italy it stands at 117.2 points. New orders for the second quarter amounted to 4.1 months of guaranteed production. ACIMIT’s data also shows that the use of production capacity by Italian manufacturers was 70% for the first half of 2023. This percentage is expected to remain stable for the second half of the year.

ACIMIT president Marco Salvadè stated that, “The orders index for the second quarter elaborated by our Economics Department clearly shows a decline in new orders both in Italy and abroad compared to the previous year. The decline that usually precedes an event such as ITMA, the international textile machinery exhibition held last June in Milan, however, is part of a negative trend that has been going on for several quarters”.

Uncertainty appears to be weighing heavily especially on markets abroad, where foreign trade statistics updated to the first quarter of 2023 are marked by a slackening in Italian sales in some important reference markets, such as Turkey, China, the United States and Pakistan.

Salvadè added that, “Feedback from over 400 Italian companies that took part in ITMA is positive. It’s now necessary for the many contacts made during the event to materialize and for the demand for machinery in the main textile machinery markets to resume a path towards growth.”

The diabetic community has always been a priority for Hologenix, creators of CELLIANT® infrared technology, so the company embarked on an initial study to test the hypothesis that the technology can positively impact diabetic patients with vascular impairment, now published in Journal of Textile Science & Engineering. Another study is underway as well with more research on the horizon.

According to statistics cited in the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, 9th edition, globally, close to a half billion people are living with diabetes and that number is expected to increase by more than 50 percent in the next 25 years.
 
The introduction of the study in the Journal of Textile Science & Engineering also reports that diabetic patients frequently suffer from a combination of peripheral neuropathy and peripheral artery disease, which particularly affects their feet. It further states that it has been estimated that the lifetime risk for the development of foot ulcers in diabetic patients can be as high as 25 percent and that the risk of amputation is 10 to 20 times higher than in non-diabetic subjects.
 
The study was performed by Lawrence A. Lavery, D.P.M., M.P.H., a Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. His clinic and research interests involve diabetic foot complications, infections and wound healing, and he participated in the conception, design, implementation and authorship of the Journal of Textile Science & Engineering study.  

CELLIANT technology is a patented process for adding micron-sized thermo-responsive mineral particles to fibers, in this case polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. The resulting CELLIANT yarns were woven into stockings and gloves containing either 82% CELLIANT polyester, 13% nylon and 5% spandex or for the placebo, 82% polyester with no CELLIANT, 13% nylon and 5% spandex. CELLIANT products absorb body heat and re-emit the energy back to the body as infrared energy, which is non-invasive and increases temporary blood flow and cell oxygenation levels in the body.

The objective of the study was to “evaluate changes in transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) and peripheral blood flow (laser Doppler, LD) in the hands and feet of diabetic patients with vascular impairment when CELLIANT gloves and stockings are worn.” While there was not a statistically significant result across all subjects, the study did show that some patients wearing CELLIANT stockings for 60 minutes had an increase of as much as 20% in tissue oxygenation and 30% in localized blood flow. According to the study’s conclusion, “the trends that were observed in favor of CELLIANT stockings suggest that a larger well-designed clinical trial should be undertaken and may provide evidence of clinical efficacy in treatment of the diabetic foot.”
 
The study also notes that “There have been no documented or observed side effects of wearing CELLIANT stockings, and they are relatively inexpensive compared to conventional pharmaceutical interventions.”

Hologenix has embarked on a more comprehensive trial, “Study to Evaluate CELLIANT Diabetic Medical Socks to Increase Tissue Oxygenation and Incidence of Complete Wound Closure in Diabetic Foot Wounds” – NCT04709419, which focuses on the impact of CELLIANT technology to potentially improve tissue oxygenation and wound healing outcomes.
 
“We are excited to explore whether future studies of infrared, with its most common biological effects of increased localized blood flow and cellular oxygenation, could result in a breakthrough in diabetic patients with vascular impairment,” said Seth Casden, Hologenix Co-founder and CEO. “We see a huge potential opportunity with this research for helping to fulfill our core mission of improving people’s health and well-being by potentially reducing the impact of diabetes, and we are actively seeking partners to expand our research efforts.”

Cotton Incorporated published its monthly economic letter of August and shared new insights of the cotton prices:

Cotton prices continue to be caught between the two competing storylines that have been in play for the past several months.
On one side, there is the deteriorating global macroeconomic situation.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its projection for global economic growth in both 2022 (3.2%) and 2023 (2.9%) in the updates released in late July.  Current IMF forecasts are significantly beneath those from January (called for 4.4% growth in 2022 and 3.8% growth in 2023) and April (called for 3.6% growth in 2022 and 3.6% growth in 2023).  The evolution in the macroeconomy was a likely factor contributing to the shift in investors’ outlook on the commodity sector, which led to a collapse in prices for cotton and a range of other commodities in June and July.

Beyond the weakening macroeconomic environment, there also may be factors associated with cotton supply chains that could affect demand during the 2022/23 crop year.  Downstream consumer markets for cotton can be viewed as more discretionary than other spending categories, such as food, energy, and lodging, that experienced some of the sharpest effects of inflation.  Given price increases for necessities, consumers may have less income to devote to apparel and home furnishings.

In the U.S., consumer spending on clothing has been flat for the past year.  However, it has been holding at levels that are 25% higher than they were in 2019.  If U.S. consumers pull back on clothing purchases, it may hit the market just as retailers have caught up with consumer demand after the onset of the shipping crisis.  In weight volume, the cotton contained in U.S. apparel imports was up 22% year-over-year in the first half of 2022.  Relative to 2019 (pre-COVID and pre-shipping crisis), the volume in the first half of 2022 was up 23%.  Given strong import volumes, if there is a dip in consumer demand, inventory could build both at retail and upstream in supply chains.  This could lead to cancelations, potentially all the way back to the fiber level, where contracts signed at prices higher than current values could be particularly susceptible.

Tight U.S. supply is on the other side of price direction arguments.  Cotton is drought tolerant, and that is why it can be viably grown in perennially dry locations like West Texas.  However, cotton requires some moisture to germinate and generate healthy yields.  West Texas has had very little rain over the past year, and drought conditions have been extreme.  As a result, abandonment is forecast to be widespread.  It remains to be seen exactly how small the U.S. crop will be, but the current USDA forecast predicts only 12.6 million bales in 2022/23 (-5.0 million fewer bales than in 2021/22).

Meanwhile, demand for U.S. cotton has been relatively consistent, near 18 million bales over the past five crop years (an average of 15.5 million bales of exports and 2.7 million bales of domestic mill-use).  A harvest of only 12.6 million falls well short of the recent average for exports alone, and U.S. stocks were near multi-decade lows coming into 2022/23.  All these statistics suggest shipments from the world’s largest exporter may have to be rationed in 2022/23.  If cotton is not readily available from other sources, the scarcity of supply from the U.S. could support prices globally.

Simultaneously, there is weakness from the demand side.  The market has struggled to find the balance between the weakened demand environment and limited exportable supply in recent months.  The conflict between these two influences makes it difficult to discern a clear direction for prices and suggests continued volatility.

• Post-Pandemic Market Opportunities, New Technologies and Sustainability Highlight Conference This Fall in Arizona

 
The global absorbent hygiene and personal care markets are enthusiastically anticipating the return of Hygienix™ 2021 as a live, in-person conference Nov. 15-18, in Scottsdale, Arizona, focusing on post-pandemic opportunities, sustainability, new technologies and award-winning products.

The event will offer exciting opportunities for Hygienix participants to engage with new and existing customers in a face-to-face setting, and discover the latest innovations over four days at the Westin Kierland Resort. Highlights include two nonwovens workshops, a welcome reception, opportunities for 60 tabletop displays with receptions, eight intriguing panel discussions and presentations for the Hygienix Innovation Award™ and the INDA Lifetime Service Award.

As the market emerges from the pandemic, trends in sustainability such as replacing plastic with natural fibers, recycling and composting will present new opportunities that will be addressed by 30 presenters from industry companies. Conference participants also will discover how new technologies such as smart sensors and haptics — the use of technology that stimulates the senses of touch and motion — are helping to change the consumer experience.

Hygienix sessions featuring moderated discussions with industry-leading experts and Q&A opportunities are focused on the following themes:

• New Options for Responsible End-of-Life
• Haptics: Four Approaches to Assessing Feel
• Products and Process Innovations in Global Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPS)
• Absorbent Hygiene Products Market Stats, Trends and Policy Insights
• E-Hygiene Advancements
• Feminine Care: Challenges to the Status Quo (presented in two parts)
• New Approaches and Unmet Needs in Baby and Incontinence AHPS

Hygienix will address the latest research and statistics including:

• Understanding the State of the Nonwovens Absorbent Hygiene Market, COVID-19 Impact and Baby Boom or Bust
• Direct-to-Consumer Winners, Losers & Insights
• Evolution of Sustainable Hygiene: Opportunity, Challenge, and Future Growth
• Single-Use Plastics Policy Developments in North America
• Understanding Consumer Needs and Desires When Considering Incontinence Products

With less than four months to go before Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles takes place, the domestic market is showing strong signs of rejuvenation. China’s economy has stabilised recently, with 2016 GDP recording a 6.7% increase and reaching USD 10.7 trillion, while the National Bureau of Statistics also stated that the total sales of consumer goods last year rose 10.4% to nearly USD 4.8 trillion. Not only will the estimated 10 million couples getting married every year contribute to the strong demand for home textiles products, but the ascending living standards resulting from increased urbanisation together with the flourishing hospitality industry are also driving forces for the market. Apart from the domestic market, the Chinese home textiles industry is also actively opening up new markets around the world, particularly in the ASEAN region where exports continue to increase.

Along with the national 13th Five-Year Plan, the home textiles industry has also set its own development plan for the coming five years. Industry leaders, the China National Textile and Apparel Council and the China Home Textile Association, have announced that the home textiles industry is to be modernised by incorporating more innovative, technological and artistic elements. Annual growth of 5.5% and 3.2% for revenue and exports, respectively, are targeted, while automation is to be further promoted to enhance productivity.
Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd added that the prevalent whole-home trend in China will also stimulate the market as a whole. “More and more companies are starting to promote the whole-home concept which emphasises unified styles of decoration throughout the entire home to customers. Compared to demonstrating home textile products separately, showcasing whole-home furnishing is more appealing to Chinese buyers and will encourage sales. The synergy among products, especially those between home textile products and furniture is the emerging trend at present,” said Ms Wen.