Textile World July/August 2022

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Editor

The Energy: An Important, Difficult Discussion

EEnergy and energy policies are impacting almost every aspect of daily life.Individuals,families,the workplace,companies, cities,states,nations — all face the global impact of the changing world of energy.

It is difficult to address the energy issue because the emotional topic has climate change at its roots — a place where no discussion seems possible.

The only way for the conversation to proceed is to stipulate that climate is an issue facing everyone and that greener energy policies are a good thing.

That said,how fast and at what cost green solutions take hold seems to take center stage.The answers range from “now and at any cost”to “as technology permits and when solutions become affordable.”

Unsatisfying outcomes and unintended consequences riddle the the global landscape from well-intentioned energy policies.

If you’ve run a company,a department or even taken part in managing your family’s affairs,you’ve wittingly or unwittingly managed change — or some form of transition from something to something.

Maybe you were an early cell phone adopter — a product that has morphed from a suitcase, to a “handphone,”to a flip phone and on to today’s smartphone.Technology always drove changes as both the devices and the infrastructure needed to support them changed. Cellphone technology changed communications very quickly and over a short period of time because it offered promising solutions and utility at an ever more affordable cost.

This is not a perfect analogy to the energy transition,but the comparison has its merits.

Cellphone technology was not driven by making landline calls more expensive. But then again,cellphone technology didn’t face — in some people’s minds — an existential threat.

Transition and technology go hand-inhand.To leave one technology behind and adopt a new technology — this transition is a from and to game.

If you want a printer to transition from rotary screen-printing technology in a plant, you need to have a superior digital printing technology to transition to,along with benefits in energy consumption,quality, labor,productivity and environmental impact — all at an affordable cost.

The energy transition will eventually be solved the same way.Just as fracking unlocked the natural gas boom in the United States,and coal fired power plants converted to natural gas creating important reductions in emissions.

Green hydrogen could be a viable solution.Using wind or solar energy to power storable hydrogen generation could eliminate the battery storage problem.The hydrogen,and its store of energy,could be used to power cars and other users of electricity through its zero-emission release of power with advanced fuel cell technology.

The U.S.Department of Energy (DoE) also is focused on developing “Generation IV”nuclear reactors.The sodium-cooled fast reactor,the very high temperature reactor, and the molten salt reactor are “three designs [the DoE is] currently working on with industry partners to help meet our future energy needs in a cost-competitive way.”

Energy,it’s about technology and time — how fast,and at what cost?

James M. Borneman jborneman@TextileWorld.com

From

EDITOR IN CHIEF

James M. Borneman

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rachael S. Davis

TECHNICAL EDITORS

Dr. Lisa Parillo Chapman, Dr. Peter J. Hauser, Dr. Trevor J. Little, Dr. William Oxenham, Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Dr. Abdel-Fattah Seyam, Dr. Andre West

ECONOMICS EDITOR

Robert S. Reichard

YARN MARKET EDITOR

Jim Phillips

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Kaufmann

Stephen M. Warner

INTERNET CONTENT EDITOR

Rachael S. Davis

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Julie K. Brown-Davis

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER

Denise Buchalter

ART DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Julie K. Brown-Davis

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Elevate Textiles Joins Textile Exchange

Circ

Raises

More Than $30 Million

In Series B

Circ,Danville,Va., reports it has raised more than $30 million in Series B funding.The circular fashion company has developed a technology system in order to return clothing to the raw materials from which they were made to eliminate clothing waste.The system can separate and recover mixed polyester streams such as polyester/cotton blends.

The latest round of financing was led by the Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures,with other investment from Inditex, Milliken & Company and Lansdowne Partners. Previous investors include 8090 Partners,Alante Capital,Card Sound Capital, Circulate Capital,Envisioning Partners and Marubeni.

“Combining best-inclass financial investors,led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures with investment from fashion market leader Inditex,is a springboard to rapid,large-scale manufacturing success,”explained Peter Majeranowski,Circ CEO.“With this investment round,we’ve secured suppliers,purchasers, and major financial stakeholders to establish a much cleaner fashion future.”

EFI™Reggiani Breaks Ground

Italy-based EFI™ Reggiani has broken ground on a new,20,000-

square-meter,state-of-theart campus in Comun Nuovo,Italy.The campus is expected to open mid-2023.

“The new campus is an important step in our journey,and it is proof of EFI’s strong commitment to continued development of the textiles business unit,”said EFI Reggiani Senior Vice President and General Manager Adele Genoni.“Not only will this provide us more space to continue our growth,but it will also be a welcoming and sustainable environment for our employees.”

The planned 3,000square-foot demo center will be almost twice as big as the company’s current demo space.

Environmental sustainabilty and employee well-being were front and center as the facility was designed.Solar panels, thermal insulation,skylights and a reduction in the use of artificial lighting all feature in the plans.

Green space also was a priority and occupies approximately 20-percent of the total development. In addition,a canteen and gymnasium will be on site for employee use.

AlgiKnit Closes $13 Million Series A

AlgiKnit — a Morrisville, N.C.-based company developing yarns from kelp — has announced $13 mil-

Elevate Textiles, Charlotte,N.C.,has joined the Textile Exchange,a non-profit representing leading brands,retailers and suppliers that aims to positively impact climate change by accelerating the use of preferred fibers in the global textile industry. The goal is to achieve a 45-percent reduction in emissions produced during fiber manufacturing and raw materials by 2030. Elevate and its brands — American & Efird, Burlington,Cone Denim, Güterman and Safety Components — will use the membership to further expand upon and accelerate their own adoption of preferred fibers.Elevate Textiles

lion in Series A funding. The round was led by Collaborative Fund which was joined by H&M CO:LAB, the investment arm of H&M Group; Starlight Ventures,Third Nature Ventures with ongoing support from Horizons Ventures and SOSV.

According to AlgiKnit, as one of the most renewable and regenerative organisms on the planet, kelp is readily available and offers an opportunity to create a more environmentally conscious material for fibers and yarns. The company recently

For up-to-the-minute textile industry coverage go to: TextileWorld.com

already participated in the Textile Exchange’s 2025 Recycled Polyester Challenge,but is excited to become a full member of the organization.

“We are thrilled to further our involvement in the key initiatives that the experts at Textile Exchange are driving forward to reduce our impact and improve sustainability practices even more,”says Jimmy Summers,chief sustainability officer for Elevate Textiles.“This membership gives our company and brands additional tools needed to achieve preferred fiber goals and holistically reduce our impact from the start of the supply chain.”

opened a manufacturing facility in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina.“With the opening of our new facility in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina,we are focused on expanding our production capabilities, partnerships,and team to address global demand more quickly,”said AlgiKnit Co-Founder and CEO,Tessa Callaghan. “This is a huge next step in bringing this technology to scale,and creating positive,tangible change for the planet.We are so excited to partner with new and existing investors who share our vision for transforming the fashion ecosystem.” TW

DEMAND

Textile Activity At A Glance

*LatestPreviousYear Ago

PRODUCTION (Federal Reserve Board [FRB],2017=100)

Textile mill 87.187.790.1 Textile product mill 97.0100.098.1 Apparel 89.487.290.6

MANUFACTURING SALES (Dept.of Commerce [DOC],millions)

Textile mill $2,315$2,323$2,228 Textile product mill $2,027$1,988$1,883 Apparel $730$758$858 Apparel retail $25,764$25,866$25,828

SUPPLY

CAPACITY (FRB,2017=100) Textile mill 92.892.893.4 Apparel 60.860.963.9

OPERATING RATE (FRB)

Textile mill 70.972.172.0 Apparel 75.569.671.6

STOCK/SALES RATIO (DOC)

Textile mill 1.521.481.37 Textile product mill 2.112.132.05

COSTS

Cotton (cents/lb) 109.4143.184.9

HOURLY EARNINGS (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS],$/h)

Textile mill $22.62$23.32$22.82 Textile product mill $22.72$21.51$21.59 Apparel $23.08$22.56$21.99

PRICE INDEXES

(December 2003=100)

PRICES

(BLS,1982=100) *LatestPreviousYear Ago

Man-made fibers 158.3157.5144.2 Processed yarn & threads 204.2200.8155.4 Greige goods 170.9168.2143.0 Finished fabrics 202.0200.7176.6 Home furnishings 178.2177.6165.2 Carpet 183.4182.2180.8 Apparel 153.4153.1146.0

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

TEXTILE & APPAREL

(DOC,millions)

Imports $11,526$10,995$8,876 Exports $2,188$2,124$1,896 Trade Deficit $9,338$8,871$6,980

IMPORT PRICE

Textile mill (BLS,2011=100) 127.0127.1104.1 Textile product mill (BLS,2005=100) 111.7112.0109.8

EMPLOYMENT

(BLS,thousands)

Textile mill 101.2100.597.9 Textile product mill 104.9105.6103.3 Apparel 96.395.191.4

PROFITS

(census,millions per quarter)

Textile $933$746$775 Apparel $2,942$3,877$2,443 MARGINS (census,quarterly per $ of sales) Textile 8.210.98.7 Apparel 14.216.013.1

MICROECONOMICFACTORS

*LatestPreviousYear Ago

Unemployment Rate (BLS) 3.63.65.9 Disposable income (DOC,billions) $18,196$18,255$19,455 Housing starts (DOC,thousands) 1,5591,5911,664

Consumer Price Index (BLS,1982-84=100) 296.3292.3271.6

Producer Price Index,all (BLS,1982=100) 282.4273.3228.9

79.379.977.2

(2017=100) 104.4104.6100.2

(2017=100) 104.9104.9104.9

IFAI EXPO—The

Textile

Industry’s LEADING SHOW FOR SOURCING

IFAI EXPO—The Textile Industry’s LEADING SHOW FOR SOURCING

Join thousands of stakeholders across the advanced textiles, specialty fabrics, and shade and weather protection industries from Oct. 12–14, 2022 in Charlotte, NC USA for over three days of sourcing, education, and ex citing networking events at IFAI Expo.

SOURCE

With 300+ exhibitors, you are guaranteed to find new products to source.

LISTEN

Ask questions, get advice and sharpen your mind with our education lineup.

and sharpen your mind with

NETWORK

NETWORK

Connect with hundreds of likeminded professionals that can help you improve business.

Connect with hundreds of likeminded professionals that can help you improve business.

THE LATEST ON EVERYTHING IN ADVANCED TEXTILES

THE LATEST ON EVERYTHING

Advanced Textiles (AT) Conference* is back providing high level advanced

Advanced Textiles (AT) Conference* is back providing high level advanced textiles education and networking. This afternoon of tailored education takes place the day before the show floor opens, Oct. 11, 2022.

* AT Conference requires an All Access Registration to attend.

Join thousands of stakeholders across the advanced textiles, specialty fabrics, and shade and weather protection industries from Oct. 12–14, 2022 in Charlotte, NC USA for over three days of sourcing, education, and ex citing networking events at IFAI Expo. Oct. 12–14, 2022 | Education: Oct. 11–14 Charlotte Convention Center | Charlotte, NC USA | IFAIexpo.com

IFAIexpo.com/Register

Oct. 12–14, 2022 | Education: Oct. 11–14 Charlotte Convention Center | Charlotte, NC USA | IFAIexpo.com

Yarn Market

Consumer Confidence Falls For Third Straight Month

By Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

In the wake of the highest inflation rates in four decades, increasing interest rates and overall uncertainty about the economic and political direction of the country, consumer confidence in the United States declined for the third straight month in July, according to The Conference Board, a nonpartisan, non-profit think tank founded in 1916.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® decreased in July, following a larger decline in June. The Index now stands at 95.7 (1985=100), down 2.7 points from 98.4 in June. The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — fell to 141.3 from 147.2 last month. The Expectations Index — based on consumers’ shortterm outlook for income, business and labor market conditions — ticked down to 65.3 from 65.8.

“Consumer confidence fell for a third consecutive month in July,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “The decrease was driven primarily by a decline in the Present Situation Index — a sign growth has slowed at the

start of Q3. The Expectations Index held relatively steady, but remained well below a reading of 80, suggesting recession risks persist. Concerns about inflation — rising gas and food prices, in particular — continued to weigh on consumers.

“As the Fed raises interest rates to rein in inflation, purchasing intentions for cars, homes, and major appliances all pulled back further in July,” Franco continued. “Looking ahead, inflation and additional rate hikes are likely to continue posing strong headwinds for consumer spending and economic growth over the next six months.”

Fannie Mae Predicts Modest Recession

In Q1

Falling consumer confidence is also reflected in newly revised forecasts from Fannie Mae about the state of the U.S. economy. According to a late July assessment, Fannie Mae’s forecast for real gross domestic product growth (GDP) in 2022 was revised to just 0.1 percent on a Q4/Q4 basis, down from its previous forecast of 1.2 percent growth.

“This was largely driven by recent incoming data revisions pointing to a

modest contraction of GDP in the second quarter as decades-high inflation and rising interest rates weigh on consumers and firms,” Fannie Mae said. “While we do not believe a recession has yet begun, economic growth is clearly stagnating alongside high inflation. With the full effects of monetary and fiscal policy tightening still working through the economy, we now expect a modest recession to begin in Q1 2023 as opposed to our previous expectation of it occurring in the latter half 2023. Thus, our forecast for 2023 GDP growth was revised downward to negative 0.4 percent from a previous negative 0.1 percent. We forecast the unemployment rate will rise to around 5.5 percent by the end of 2023 compared to the current level of 3.6 percent.”

Yarn, Fabric Demand Remains Solid — At Least For Now

At this point, demand for fiber, yarn and fabrics has not been affected to a significant degree. Inquiries for cotton remain high, spinners are still operating at whatever capacity staffing will allow.

As NCTO Chairman David Poston said in his recent “State of the Textile

Industry” address: “The bottom line is the fundamentals for the U.S. textile industry are sound and a testament to our industry’s resilience in the face of a perfect storm of supply chain disruptions, rising costs and a once-in-ageneration healthcare crisis.

“Based on the growth we are seeing in capital expenditures and strengthened partnerships with our Western Hemisphere partners, the industry is well-positioned to continue adapting to expected disruptions and inflationary pressures and capitalize on opportunities in the year ahead.”

While things are relatively stable for now, discretionary spending is the first to go when consumer confidence falls. “At first, you see a decline in the purchase of big-ticket items — luxuries, cars, appliances and such,” said one analyst. “But, eventually, it trickles down to the point where consumers only buy absolute necessities. None of the predictions we’ve heard to date have yet come to pass. We’re even seeing prices begin to fall at the pump. It is still early enough to avoid a recession this year or early next, but all the right things have to happen at the right times — and quickly.”

CURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO Spot Market, ¢/lb.104.083.59 77.4

Ring-Spun 100% Carded Cotton

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 10/13.242.011.94 18/13.372.041.96 24/13.452.212.10 30/13.462.222.15 12/23.812.582.53 20/23.942.662.57

Ring-Spun 100% Combed Cotton

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 18/14.242.742.70 26/14.412.822.78 30/14.743.113.07 38/14.813.183.14

Open-End Spun 100% Carded Cotton

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 4/13.101.181.13 10/13.171.231.17 16/13.231.281.22 18/13.291.341.28 20/13.391.431.36

Ring-Spun 50/50% Polyester/Combed Cotton

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 20/13.462.292.22 30/13.552.352.26

Ring-Spun 50/50% Polyester/Carded Cotton Open-End Spun 50/50% Polyester/Carded Cotton

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 20/13.242.152.03 30/13.392.222.10

Open-End Spun 100% Acrylic (worsted count)

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 1/123.103.103.10 1/183.153.153.15 1/243.223.223.22 1/283.273.273.27 1/323.483.483.48

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 12/12.701.091.08 14/12.821.221.11 18/12.831.421.30 24/12.961.461.34 28/12.971.501.43

Open-End Spun 100% 1.2 Denier Rayon

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 20/14.564.564.56 30/14.794.794.79

Ring-Spun 100% Polyester (whites only) Ring-Spun 100% Polyester (dyed)

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 8/12.002.192.16 16/12.622.312.28 20/12.752.442.41 22/12.852.542.51 30/13.232.922.89

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 8/13.673.363.25 16/13.883.573.46 20/13.963.633.51 22/14.013.713.59 30/14.394.083.95

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 70/23.453.453.45 100/23.583.583.58

YARN TYPECURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 70 denier2.202.202.20 100 denier2.142.142.14 150 denier2.082.082.08

Filament Polyester Partially Oriented Yarn (POY) Textured Nylon Textured Polyester (knits) Man-Made Staple Fiber

YARN TYPE CURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO 70 denier (dyeable)2.212.011.96 70 denier (whites)2.251.931.88 100 denier 1.921.721.67 (dyeable or whites) 150 den. (dyeable)1.871.671.62 150 den. (whites)1.851.651.58

YARN TYPE CURRENT6 MO. AGO1 YR. AGO Polyester (1.5 denier) 2.22-2.362.22-2.362.22-2.36 Acrylic (3.0 denier) 2.08-2.242.08-2.242.08-2.24

All yarn prices in U.S. dollars per pound & asking prices only. Prices compiled from 7/23/22 See TextileWorld.com for archived Yarn Market data.

IFAI Expo Is Coming To Charlotte

IFAI Expo Is Coming To Charlotte

IFAI Expo 2022, hosted by the Roseville, Minn.-based Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), will take place October 12-14, 2022, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. Education sessions at the Advanced Textiles Conference will begin on October 11. Make plans to join thousands of stakeholders across the specialty fabrics, shade and weather protection, and advanced textile industries for sourcing, education and networking opportunities.

ATA President and CEO Steve Schiffman touched on the excitement surrounding this year’s show. “Charlotte, N.C., has always been great location for IFAI Expo and we’re excited to be back,” Schiffman said. “Plus, our partner Sun Shading Expo North America will be collocating with us for the first time. This year’s event launches a whole new era for the association and will be the last branded ‘IFAI Expo.’ In line with our name change to Advanced Textiles Association that occurred on June 1, 2022, at the expo we’ll announce the

IFAI Expo is preparing for its last edition before its name change that will be announced during the show.

TW Special Report

new name and logo for IFAI Expo that will begin in 2023 along with some other surprises related to our rebranding.”

What To Expect

The collocation with Messe Stuttgart’s Sun Shading Expo North America will create the “largest, most diverse, and engaging trade show floor,” ever, according to ATA. More than 300 exhibitors are expected. Attendees have access to both events including the combined show floor, show floor education, keynote speakers and networking receptions. The only exceptions are IFAI Expo’s classroom education, which is only open to IFAI Expo registrants; and

Sun Shading Expo classroom education, which is only open to Sun Shading Expo registrants.

This year’s campfire education at IFAI Expo features more than 15 hours broken into 25-minute interactive sessions, demonstrations and more, located in three different campfire spaces. IFAI Expo’s innovation stage also will feature hours of sponsored content hosted by IFAI partners.

ATA will host its IFAI Hub as always, which is a great place to learn more about IFAI or join a member division open meeting.

Also on the show floor, ATA announced the return of the Adopta-Puppy Fundraising booth.

For the early risers and active attendees, IFAI Expo’s Annual Fun Run/Walk is back. On Thursday morning at 7:15 a.m., participants will be led by experienced locals on a run through Uptown Charlotte. Runners can choose a pace group and learn about the city, while enjoying the views.

Nighttime Fun

At the end of the first day, IFAI Expo will host an official opening reception from 5-6:30 p.m. ATA invites all participants to mix and mingle while enjoying some refreshments and conversation to wrap up the first day of the show.

Those who opt to purchase a separate ticket when registering can move from the opening reception to Industry Night, which this year will be held at the Charlotte Beer Garden. Live music will be provided by ATA member band Hangin’ by a Thread, and attendees can enjoy food and beverages from the establishment’s menu, which features approximately 500 different beers.

Education

The Advanced Textiles Conference begins one day ahead of the official show floor opening, on Tuesday, October 11. The first day of the conference —beginning with a luncheon and plenary session at 11:30 a.m. and concluding with a networking reception from 5-6:30 p.m. — will feature 12 50-minute classroom sessions on a wide variety of topics including e-textiles, aerospace, sustainability, medical, and innovation in products and materials. Additional advanced textiles sessions will take also take place October 12-14. The conference was expanded this year to include additional deepdive workshops —taught by leading experts in the field — and will have a greater, interactive presence on the show floor to add value for those who participate. The Advanced Textiles Conference is included in the “All Access Registration” pass.

Keynote Speaker

This year, ATA has enlisted the internationally acclaimed Dr. Elliot Eisenberg to deliver the keynote speech. He is the chief economist for GraphsandLaughs LLC, a Miamibased economic consulting firm. TW

For more information about IFAI Expo 2022 and to register, please visit ifaiexpo.com.

IFAI Expo 2022 Schedule Highlights

Tuesday, October 11

Onsite Registration/Check-In Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Exhibitor Install. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

*Advanced Textiles Conference Welcome Lunch & Plenary Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

*Advanced Textiles Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

***Deep Dive Workshops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

*Advanced Textiles Conference Networking Reception. . . . . . . . 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 12

Onsite Registration/Check-In Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Expo Kick Off with Opening Keynote and ATA Annual Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Show Floor Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. **Advanced Textiles Classroom Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. **Industry Classroom Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. Campfire Show Floor Education: Advanced Textiles, Shade & Weather Protection and Specialty Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Equipment Demonstration 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Division Update Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Equipment Demonstration 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Expo Opening Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ***Industry Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 13

***Fun Run/Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:15 a.m. Onsite Registration/Check-In Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. **Advanced Textiles Classroom Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. **Industry Classroom Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. Show Floor Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Campfire Show Floor Education: Advanced Textiles, Shade & Weather Protection and Specialty Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Equipment Demonstration 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Equipment Demonstration 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Friday, October 14

Onsite Registration/Check-In Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Show Floor Open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Campfire Show Floor Education: Advanced Textiles, Shade & Weather Protection and Specialty Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Equipment Demonstration 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Unless otherwise noted in the agenda, all activities will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center.

*All Access Registration is required to attend the Advanced Textiles Conference and grants access to all expo education and show floor features

**Expo Plus Registration is required to attend industry classroom education and does not include the Advanced Textiles Conference.

***Requires an add-on purchase during registration. (information accurate as of TW ’s press time)

“Lots of quality people, a great restart,” said Bruce Stroupe, Perlon (Hahl Inc.), Lexington, S.C. “It was nice to be able to truly focus on meetings with people who are ready to make purchases. We will definitely be back next year!”

“BastCore had an amazing show with constant traffic at our booth,” said Coleman Beale, BastCore. “It’s great to see buyers with a real interest in sustainability.”

Resilient Industries Back Together

IIt had been four years since Techtextil North America, incorporated with ATME-I, and Texprocess Americas, co-produced by SPESA, convened in Atlanta with the last show taking place in 2018. Organizers were really excited to gather the entire textile supply chain again at the Georgia World Congress Center in 2022.

“After such a long hiatus, it was really wonderful to finally hold these events together under one roof, “said Kristy Meade, vice president of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows, Atlanta-based Messe Frankfurt Inc. “COVID-19 proved to be a challenge for everyone, but it is clear that these industries are resilient overall, and more motivated than ever to continue to push for innovation and advancement. We’re happy to be able to provide a platform for them to do so.”

As always, the combined event proved to be a convenient place to view the latest technology, technical textiles, nonwovens, textile machinery, and sewn products and equipment. Visitors were able to touch and feel new products up close and in person, watch live demonstrations on the

show floor, and participate in a variety of networking opportunities. The educational program also offered something for everyone with 16 symposium sessions between the two events, as well as some 20 complimentary sessions held on the show floor.

“We attend the symposiums every year and there is always something new to learn, not only from the speakers but also the questions asked during the sessions,” said Edwin Rosado, Fruit of the Loom. “The show is a very good experience, we will continue to attend because it is always going to be very helpful.”

Participation

Overall, booth traffic was steady and consistent. Perhaps not quite back to pre-COVID levels, but as is typical for this event, attendees were high level and engaged.

“We were pleased with the quality of visitors during the entire event,” said Oliver Meier, Textile director –North America, Stäubli Corp., Duncan, S.C. “Our sales team was able to conduct constructive meetings with potential and existing customers.”

“The Techtextil show in Atlanta was the first trade show I attended in several years due to the pandemic,” said Christopher Skaggs, engineering manager, Hexcel Corp., Seguin, Texas.“It was a great opportunity to re-establish contact with numerous suppliers.Withcustomer demand recovering, we are working on projects for machinery, facilities, and testing equipment.I was able to generate solid leads in all three of these areas.Another great thing about Techtextil is the ease of travel.With a direct flight, using MARTA and plenty of hotel availability, I was able to spend a full day at the show with just an overnight trip.”

“I’m thrilled to be at Texprocess Americas because innovation in manufacturing and textiles is where my focus is,” said Sherri Barry, visitor and speaker, Fabric Fashioneer/Adea Every Day Luxury. “It is so great to have an opportunity to collaborate with people who are like-minded, and to learn the newest and greatest things happening in the industry. I’m already planning on coming back next year!”

Next Scheduled Event

To fall in sync with the Germanybased sister shows Techtextil and Texprocess, the Atlanta-based events will occur again in 2023, and thereafter on a biennial schedule. This puts the shows on an odd year cycle in the United States and an even year cycle in Germany, flipping the traditional schedule. Techtextil North America 2023 and Texprocess Americas 2023 will take place May 10-12, 2023, in Atlanta. TW

Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas was well attended for the first Atlanta event in four years.

TW Special Report

ExecutiveForum

Covation Biomaterials: Sustainability-Focused

In the wake of DuPont Biomaterials’ rebranding to Covation Biomaterials, CEODr. Mike Saltzberg talks about its Sorona® polymer and the opportunity to expand the reach of its bio-based products as part of the Huafon Group.

TW Special Report

CCommercialized in 2000, Sorona® polymer from Covation Biomaterials (CovationBio™) is not new but is now more relevant than ever as a demand for highperformance,sustainable textiles and circular production grows.CovationBio,formerly known as DuPont Biomaterials,took one of the first industry steps into this space when it launched Sorona for apparel and carpet enduses in 2006.Sorona polymer features 37 percent renewable plant-based ingredients,which reduces the use of fossil fuels,and significantly improves environmental impact versus petro-based incumbent materials.

Bio-PDO™,the key ingredient for Sorona polymer,is produced from corn sugar,which is fermented in a process similar to beer

brewing to create a biobased 1,3-propanediol (BioPDO).When terephthalic acid is added to the BioPDO monomer,triexta — the generic name for a subclass of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) polymers — is born.Sorona is CovationBio’s brand name for this polymer,which features attractive attributes such as exceptional drape, incredible hand feel,and built-in stain- and wrinkleresistance,according to the company.

CovationBio reports that compared to nylon 6, Sorona consumes 30 percent less energy and releases 50 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions during production.

CovationBio strives to enable a more circular economy — one in which affordable and high-performing biomaterials are accessible to everyone.

Textile World recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr.Mike Saltzberg,CEO of CovationBio,about Sorona’s origins,advantages,and future in a textile industry increasingly focused on sustainability.

TW: Sorona fiber was introduced in 2000,more than 20 years ago.What drove CovationBio to develop a fiber based on renewable plant-based ingredients?

Saltzberg: We were aware of the performance benefits of the Sorona PTT polymer based on research conducted in the 1950s and 1960s.However,the key monomer required to make Sorona — propanediol (PDO) — was not commercially available using petrol-based processes. Through groundbreaking innovation in biotechnology,

we developed a plantbased fermentation route to manufacture PDO in an economically viable way that allowed us to commercialize Sorona.This BioPDO process also offers enormous environmental benefits versus a traditional petrochemical process.

TW : Sorona is partially plant-based.Are there other features of the fiber that make it more sustainable than traditional textile fibers?

Saltzberg: Sorona enables garments with exceptionally durable stretch and recovery,which means they retain their shape and have longer bagging resistance.This means end-consumers can hold on to their clothes longer,reducing the number of garments that consumers purchase over time and that end up as waste.Sorona also

Dr. Mike Saltzberg, CEO, Covation Biomaterials

ExecutiveForum

empowers a superior resistance to fading and pilling, which reduces micropolymer pollution caused by laundry.Finally,Sorona is mechanically recyclable in traditional polyester (PET) waste streams.

TW : What other properties make Sorona unique?

Saltzberg: Sorona exhibits many exciting performance attributes including exceptional softness,drape,quick-dry capability and even lightweight,breathable warmth when used in insulation.These attributes result in Sorona being used across a wide range of applications such as faux fur,puffer jackets,

historically have relied on the production of petrobased man-made polymers for fashion,home textiles and industrial packaging. Now as part of the Huafon Group,a highly successful materials company,we are uniquely positioned to expand the reach of our current bio-based products and accelerate the introduction of new offerings and technologies to the market.

We will continue to build on our decades-long legacy and successful suite of products currently available in the market, including scalable, commercial offerings like Sorona and Susterra®, which are sourced from renewable feedstocks.

high performance fibers that also have higher renewable and/or recycled content.

TW : In apparel,Sorona has found a myriad of applications.Talk about some of the innovative uses and how the fiber contributes to a more sustainable apparel industry.

Saltzberg: Sorona polymer can be spun into bicomponent stretch fibers, homofilament for shape memory fabrics,staple for use in insulation and spun yarns —in combination with natural fibers like cotton or wool — and other types of fibers.These fiber types can be incorporated into a wide variety of fabric qualities.We launched

Sorona for footwear. Using Sorona in footwear allows for movement, stretch and longer-lasting performance.

TW : Explain how Sorona is a suitable substitute for spandex? What are the environmental advantages of Sorona over spandex fibers?

Saltzberg : As mentioned earlier,when spun in a bicomponent format, Sorona-based fibers are created which “self-crimp,” meaning that they behave like tiny springs with a mechanical stretch and recovery effect.Traditional spandex gets its stretch from the elastomeric nature of the material

leggings and even cosmetic brushes.When spun in a bicomponent format together with PET,fibers are created with superior stretch and stretch recovery as compared with other elastomeric fibers like spandex.

TW : How is your team working to reduce global reliance on petroleum? Are there other fibers in development with a higher percentage of sustainable components?

Saltzberg: CovationBio supplies to industries that

Susterra is exciting as it provides a 100 percent plant-based,high-performance building block that reduces the need for petroleum-based components while enhancing end-product attributes. Its applications range from footwear and outdoor apparel to coatings,inks and functional fluids.

We also have an exciting pipeline of innovations and materials in development and are working closely with our customers and stakeholders to deliver new products.This includes new materials that will enable

our Common Thread fabric certification program in 2020 to drive better trust and transparency throughout our supply chain.

Beyond the performance attributes for the five sub-brand fabric types — which include Agile,Aura, Luxe,Profile and Revive — our mills and brands using certified fabrics have access and permission to use our logos,proper brand colors and marketing language to discuss the bio-based components of the polymer included in the fabrics.

We are also seeing an increase in the use of

itself,similar to a rubber band.This different stretch mechanism gives Sorona bicomponent fibers superior stretch recovery and durability to spandex.Sorona Agile is our sub-brand for spandex replacement for use in many,but not all, applications.Sorona Agile fabrics have better stretch and recovery than traditional spandex-based fabrics,while delivering superior recyclability and durability.

TW : How does Sorona differ from traditional

carpet fibers? What sets the fiber apart?

Saltzberg : From a performance perspective, Sorona offers unparalleled softness,crush resistance and built-in stain resistance that is not available from other fiber types. Compared to nylon 6, Sorona production also uses 30 percent less energy and results in 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.In the carpet industry,Sorona carpets are generally regarded as the best option available on the market for consumers.

TW : How does CovationBio’s Sorona fiber impact the concept of circularity?

Saltzberg: Like other biomaterials,Sorona reduces society’s reliance on fossil feedstocks by providing an alternative source of high-performance chemicals and materials.Another important aspect of the circular economy is reducing consumers’overall consumption and thus their waste production.As mentioned previously,part of this is enabling customers to reduce the amount of clothing they are buying and sending to a landfill. Sorona empowers garments with attributes that make it longer lasting and looking newer for longer.

It is,however,important to note that Sorona is not a biodegradable polymer but is mechanically

recyclable in a traditional PET waste stream.

TW : What is the impact of the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program?

Saltzberg: In March of 2020,CovationBio launched its Common Thread Fabric Certification Program,a brand architecture and hangtag program designed to bring clarity and transparency for designers, apparel brands,and end customers.New fabric collections offered by mills are tested and certified through the program to assure the fabrics meet a certain level of biobased content and quality standards.

TW : How is the CovationBio team working to address the textile landfill issue?

Saltzberg: The number of textiles discarded and ending up in a landfill is directly connected to their durability.By extending the useful life and improving the performance of garments,particularly stretch garments,Sorona is reducing the amount of clothing wearers need to purchase.

For example,stretch fabrics and garments such as leggings made with Sorona-based fibers maintain their stretch performance and comfort through many more wash cycles than similar fabrics made with fossil-based spandex,helping customers and brands produce less textile waste. TW

The Greater Good In Mind

GGlen Raven Inc., Burlington,N.C., recently released a report detailing the company’s progress in 2021 towards its goals set forth in its inaugural corporate sustainability report.

“When we issued our first corporate sustainability report last year,we wanted to share a set of aspirational goals to inspire advancement,”said CEO Leib Oehmig.“This updated report is another step in that journey,further demonstrating our commitment to accountability with metrics about our progress so that we can keep striving for improvement.

“Glen Raven desires to have a positive impact on our global community by supporting the planet on which we live and the communities that we serve,” Oehmig noted.“Throughout the company’s history, this is Glen Raven.It’s who we are as a company and it’s about doing the right thing.This is a reflection of

the Gant family values and is core to Glen Raven.”

Textile World recently had the chance to catch up with Oehmig to discuss the company’s progress detailed in the report.

TW : The progress report focuses on two foundational pillars — “Supporting Our People and Communities” and “Sustaining Our Planet.”In what areas do you believe the company has made the most progress in the past year?

Oehmig: The year 2021 was a year in which we were really working to build some of the foundational elements.Supporting people and communities has been a hallmark and focus for Glen Raven throughout its 142 years. So,in terms of new opportunities and sources of new, measurable improvement, I would say we have made more progress in sustaining our planet this year.

As was noted in the report,over the past couple

of years we have gone from zero use of renewable electricity to now 25 percent use.Outside the United States — both in France and China — we have achieved 100-percent utilization of renewable energy.

Additionally,we were very deliberate in terms of our desire and intention as it relates to sustaining our planet when working on the design for our new capital projects to expand capacity.It really gave us an opportunity to look at power utilization and efficiencies in equipment and process design in ways that would be most impactful.

We are equipping our plants with state-of-the-art weaving machines,LED lighting and modern HVAC systems.These improvements,and others,helped us decrease our scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 33 percent between 2019 and 2021.As it relates to our broad sustainability efforts,it certainly was an opportunity to see the

measurable impact we are having and that really provides the motivation to push further and to aspire to do much more.

This report gives us the opportunity to drive a stake in the ground and not only look for new and innovative ways to support both our associates and the communities that we serve, but also to hold ourselves accountable.

TW : Tell us about the steps Glen Raven has taken to foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace.How has the plan impacted and fortified the company’s existing culture?

Oehmig: We’ve always viewed ourselves as a relatively diverse company. When you consider that we operate in 23 countries, we’ve always had a global point of view and certainly have benefited from differing points of view and different cultures.For us,it came down to being

TW Special Report

Glen Raven is “Continuing its Pattern of Good” as it shares progress towards its goals set in its inaugural corporate sustainability report.

Glen Raven CEO Leib Oehmig

able to identify new opportunities and then establish goals that we can share with our associates and collectively hold ourselves accountable to do more.

As I mentioned,this really was a foundational year for Glen Raven.

We engaged BSR [Business for Social Responsibility™] —a leader in diversity,equity and inclusion [DEI} —to help guide our journey to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.We defined what constitutes leadership and first line supervision across our regions and divisions to establish a clear baseline for measurement,among other foundational actions.

From a cultural standpoint,the company reflects the values of the founders — the Gant family — and how we can support both our associates and the communities that we serve has always been top of mind for us.

TW : Some 73 percent of Glen Raven employees recommended the company as a great place to work. But given the nature of the current economy with low labor participation and low unemployment,how difficult has it been to attract and retain new associates?

Oehmig: It has been difficult.We are operating in the same environment as our peers,and across all industry sectors it appears we have similar challenges. Part of Glen Raven’s communication with current

and prospective employees is to make that compelling case — to be transparent about things we are doing that have a positive impact on our global community and to really articulate why Glen Raven is a great place to work.

But also,our industry continues to work to tell the story about the textile industry today versus what it may have been for our parents’and grandparents’ generation.If you are successful in the textile industry today,it’s likely you are doing something pretty special.So,it’s not only us telling Glen Raven’s story and what makes it compelling in terms of working here,but also from a broader industry perspective we are working across the industry and for our peers to help tell the story of what a great place it is from an industry sector point of view.

TW : How receptive have employees been to the people goals,particularly in volunteering?

Oehmig: Very receptive. We have a community impact team that works to identify causes our associates are passionate about because we really want to respond to the communities that we serve. We currently serve more than 200 charities globally.

We want to determine where Glen Raven can make the greatest impact on our global community, and where we can focus our resources to allow us to move to needle in the

This responsibility report gives us the opportunityto drive a stake in the ground and not only look for new and innovative ways to support both our associates and the communities that we serve, but also to hold ourselves accountable.

— Leib Oehmig

greatest way.For us to be able to look for new and impactful ways to support the communities in which we operate is a tremendous priority.

One of the areas we have focused on,but now are really shining a light on,is early childhood education.That is not only through a teacher leadership academy that we support,but also in China where we are supporting a program that helps support young children to make sure they have the resources that they need to get a great start and achieve early success.Studies show you need to make an impact before a child reaches the third grade,and that’s why Glen Raven has identified

early childhood education as an area of focus.

TW : In serving the community,what areas have been most impactful over the past year?

Oehmig: We really try to respond to the individual needs of each community,whether that is disaster relief,keeping the community clean,or supporting children in need,for example.There was so much hardship related to the pandemic and supporting families and children who lacked basic needs was a focus.We have reached out to individual communities and let them make the decisions at the local level in terms of where the company can make the biggest impact.

TW : In terms of global impact,what has been the most important thing Glen Raven has achieved in the “Sustaining the Planet”pillar?

Oehmig: Number one is diverting waste from the landfill.We have a goal to implement 100 percent landfill-free practices by the end of this year,and we’re proud to have reached a diversion from landfill rate of 97 percent for the overall company in 2021.

Number two is energy management.Twenty-Five percent of our energy usage comes from renewable sources now. And as stated earlier,we are actively working to reduce emissions.

And finally,number three is the increased utilization of recycled materials — making products using recycled content,as well as working throughout the supply chain to help recycling efforts to collect fabrics and bring them back for reprocessing.We have improved our use of recycled materials 50 percent since 2019 and are designing new products that will increase the use of recycled content.We also have recycling efforts underway,“Recycle My Sunbrella®”being one of those efforts,where we have recycled more than a million pounds of fabric to date.That’s something we’ve put a heightened focus on with a goal of recycling another million pounds by 2025.

TW : Are products featuring recycled content different from standard products,or marketed differently?

Oehmig: All of these recycled programs are under the Sunbrella® brand,and therefore they have to meet the same performance attributes as their peer products.We’re not going to jeopardize the brand promise from a product design standpoint. When we first started creating products utilizing recycled materials,we came at it with the sustainability story,but what we found is that products were adopted more for their aesthetics and the design. The recycled content piece was secondary.But,that gives us a great story to tell — it not only means we have a positive impact on the planet,but we’re also designing beautiful products that meet the same performance criteria and have the same performance attributes as all of our Sunbrella products.

TW: Has the dramatic increase in energy prices since the goals were originally created impacted the company’s progress towards energy sustainability?

Oehmig: To date,it has not.We remain focused on the goals that we outlined, and as I mentioned 25 percent of our energy today comes from renewable sources.We do feel that we will remain on that track.

Obviously in Europe, we’re facing incredible challenges.But that is

where we use more renewable energy and I don’t see that slowing down.We have a presence in France, which is one of the leading adopters of renewable energy,so that is certainly positive.And we are using biomass in China.In its five-year plan it has its own sustainability goals with renewable energy as a piece of that,and we are participating there.

Certainly,the United States is where we are now very aggressively working to move more of our own requirements to certified renewable sources.That move has been a bigger focus over the past couple of years, but our interest in renewables goes back to 2011 when we built our first solar installation.Glen Raven now owns two of the largest privately held solar installations in North and South Carolina,which was all part of our learning curve.We started down this path towards utilization of renewable energy making sure that we understand the implica-

tions and how to make the most of our efforts.

TW : Do you foresee any business challenges that may affect Glen Raven’s future sustainability progress?

Oehmig: We have to adapt to the environment in which we are operating, and our resolve to meet these objectives has not wavered at all.

Glen Raven has always operated under the mantra of “do the right thing,”and now the next generation of shareholders,associates, prospective employees and customers really want transparency and they want to know what you stand for.They want to know not only which markets you participate in and how you’re going to participate,but they also want to know why we participate,which is really the purpose of why we exist and how we can make a positive impact on our global community.And that’s ultimately the foundation on which everything we have talked about today has been built. TW

Highlights of Glen Raven’s progress made in 2021.

Digital Editions Are Here

Hyosung’s Biobased

Creora® Earns SGS Certification

Seoul-based Hyosung reports it has received eco-product certification for its creora® biobased spandex fiber from Standard Global Services (SGS). The certification guarantees that the biobased fiber is made using plant materials,and is produced in a harmless and eco-friendly environment.

According to Hyosung,a recent thirdparty life cycle assessment also found that the biobased creora spandex reduces its carbon footprint by 23 percent when compared to the production of regular petroleum-based spandex.

“As a sustainable textile solution provider,it was very important for us to certify and document creora biobased spandex so that our brand partners are able to pass along this verification and sustain consumer loyalty,”said Mike Simko,global marketing director,Textiles.

Geno, Aquafil Advancing Plant-Based Nylon 6

Plant-based nylon 6 may soon be a reality.San Diego-based Genomatica alongside its collaborator Italy-based Aquafil report they have completed the first demonstration scale production runs for a plantbased nylon 6.The companies manufactured several tons of plant-based caprolactam,have converted it to nylon 6 polymer,and now are working to transform the polymer into yarns for textiles and carpets as well as engineering plastics.

“We’re working to build purposeful,traceable and transparent supply chains,in this case for nylon 6,with the goal to provide more sustainable products that consumers demand and material solutions that can help brands achieve their ESG goals,”said Christophe Schilling,Geno CEO.

IVL Acquires Tollegno 1900’s Spinning Businesses

Bangkok-based Indorama Ventures Public Co.Ltd.(IVL) has acquired Tollegno 1900 S.p.A.’s wool spinning businesses, comprising a spinning and top-dyeing operation in Poland and a yarn dyeing operation in Italy.The strategic purchase helps IVL grow its wool business,strengthens the company’s footprint for worsted yarns in Europe,and extends IVL’s wool products globally with trading subsidiaries in America and Asia.

The businesses will operate under the new name Filatura Tollegno 1900.The company CEO,Giovanni Germanetti,will continue his role within the IVL organization; and President and Co-CEO Lincoln Germanetti, becomes COO. TW

Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

Trützschler, Texnology Offer T-SUPREMA Lines

Germany-based Trützschler Nonwovens & Man-Made Fibers GmbH and partner Italy-based Texnology S.r.l now offer complete production lines for needlepunched nonwovens under the name T-SUPREMA. Trützschler contributed its fiber preparation knowledge to the project,while Texnology brought its needlepunching expertise.The partners report the first installation is complete and in operation.

“With Texnology,we have an innovative and reliable partner at our side,”said Klaus Wolf,managing director,Trützschler Nonwovens. “Trützschler Nonwovens is returning to needlepunching solutions.In the partnership,we are able to serve this interesting market segment with

precisely fitting production lines. With T-SUPREMA needlepunching becomes as easy as never before.”

New Pilot Line for Andritz

Austria-based ANDRITZ has installed a new inline Welace™ CP pilot line for wipes at its Francebased center of competence.The process combines spunlace and wetlaid — inline drylaid and wetlaid — forming technologies with hydroentanglement bonding to produce a high-performance natural fiber wipe that is cost efficient and polymer-free.

The installed line in France was rebuilt to incorporate a new headbox inside the spunlace line.Pulp may be fed in directly and entangled with carded staple fibers to produce unique nonwoven fabrics for wipes.

Andritz has focused on sustainable

production processes with optimized raw materials use.

Upgrade For Suominen

Helsinki-based Suominen reports it has upgraded a production line in Nakkila,Finland,to strengthen its capabilities in sustainable products. The 6 million euro investment is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023.

“As we foresaw in our strategy the market demand in Europe has changed remarkably towards more sustainable products.With this investment we respond to the increased demand for environmentally friendly products and also enhance our operational performance in terms of safety,quality and productivity,” says Petri Helsky,President and CEO of Suominen. TW

INCARenewtech has set goals with regards to environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

INCA Renewtech is using knowledge in plant genomics, hemp cultivation, fiber processing and composites manufacturing to develop new types of natural fiber composites.

By Camille Saltman

Turning Biomass Into Business™

PPowerful market forces are leading industry to adopt more environmentally friendly, domestically sourced materials in their products. These forces include government regulations to reduce plastics pollution, sequester carbon and achieve higher lifecycle performance. They also include investor focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. These metrics are now being used to measure investment risk and determine the value of corporations. Equally important is growing consumer demand for less toxic, more sustainable products. Consumer purchasing represents 70 percent of the U.S. economy and as customers change their buying patterns major brands are transitioning to recyclable products.

Price Affecting Adoption

These powerful market trends have led to significant innovations in biobased polymer chemistry and natural fiber reinforced materials. Today, many of the same products that are synthesized from hydrocarbon molecules derived from oil and natu-

ral gas can be produced from carbohydrates derived from agriculturally grown plants. This includes plastics, textiles, fertilizers, building materials, furniture, papermaking, packaging, and industrial fillers used in paints, plastics and adhesives, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.

The potential benefits of biobased materials are very promising. Petroleum-based products are energy intensive to refine, generate harmful byproducts in the process, and often are difficult to recover and recycle at the end of their useful lifecycles. Plant-based products sequester carbon, generate no toxic byproducts, and are much more easily recovered, recycled, or even composted. However, there are two significant barriers to their wide scale adoption — price and performance.

Many biopolymers including polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polylactic acid (PLA) are more expensive than petroleum-derived incumbents such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene. This is mainly because of scale. New materials have to com-

pete with enormous, vertically integrated petrochemical companies that have invested billions of dollars in manufacturing infrastructure. Price is impeding the formation of the major industrial product development partnerships necessary to develop high performance solutions. Until more sustainable, biobased materials can compete on price, biomaterials will remain niche products.

Hemp Biomass For Industrial Use

Canada-based INCA Renewable Technologies (INCA Renewtech) is attempting to solve this pain point in the marketplace. Instead of procuring natural fiber from overseas, as competitors do, INCA is purchasing hemp biomass from Canadian farmers growing hemp seed for plantbased protein. The company will process this renewable resource into a set of proprietary high value products for major industrial customers.

Just as the petroleum industry leverages its expertise in exploration, extraction, and chemicals manufactur-

ing to maximize financial return on every barrel of oil, INCA will leverage the company’s expertise in agronomics, fiber processing, composites innovation and manufacturing to maximize return on every bale of hemp.

Vertical Integration

To achieve this vertical integration INCA will build two factories — one in Alberta, Canada, within a 150mile radius of hemp cultivation; and a second in Indiana within 150 miles of customers in the automotive, recreational vehicle (RV) and consumer products industries.

Hemp has been legally cultivated in the Canadian Prairies for more than 20 years where it is primarily grown for plant-based protein. The remaining stalks contain some of the strongest natural fiber on earth. If properly refined and manufactured, hemp fiber can function as a direct replacement for glass fiber in composites.

Whole hemp bales will be decorti-

cated, a process that mechanically separates the long outer bast fiber from the short inner core, called hurd. The bast fiber will be further refined to create the ultra-clean material required for its products. In Alberta, the hurd will be used to manufacture INCA BioBalsa ™ , a product designed as a direct replacement for the balsa wood used in boats and wind turbine blades. The refined bast fiber will be sent via rail to the company’s second factory in Bristol. There it will be manufactured into three additional products — INCA BioPanels™ for the RV industry; INCA Prepregs™ for the automotive industry; and INCA BioPlastics™ for the consumer products industry.

Domestically sourcing and processing hemp lowers raw material and logistics costs and reduces supply chain challenges, versus importing expensive jute, flax or kenaf from Southeast Asia, as other bio-composite manufacturers do.

Advantages Of INCA BioPanels™ Compared To Rainforest Plywood In RV Construction

A Brief History Of Hemp

Hemp, or Cannabis sativa L., was one of the first crops cultivated by man. Recorded use dates back more than 8,000 years. Hemp cultivation began in what is now China and spread quickly across Asia, Europe, Africa and later South America. It was such a strategic crop that in 1533 King Henry VIII fined English farmers if they did not raise hemp. Britannia could not have ruled the waves without hemp rope and canvas. Until the late 1800s, most of the paper in the world was produced from hemp pulp.

Hemp was originally introduced to North America in 1606 where it was grown for papermaking, cordage, lamp fuel and clothing. However, at the turn of the 20th century powerful forces set out to delegitimize the cultivar. It was seen as a direct competitor by the pulp and paper industry, and by Dupont, which invented nylon as a petroleum-based substitute for hemp textiles. Backed by powerful industry lobbyists, hemp was included in the 1938 Opium and Narcotic Drug Act in Canada, and the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act in the United States which essentially killed the hemp industry.

Hemp is experiencing a major rebirth in North America and around the world. In 1998, it became legal to grow hemp in Canada for commercial production. Canada’s Industrial Hemp Regulations, part of the Cannabis Act 2018, allows for whole plant utilization of the crop. In 2020, there were approximately 53,000 acres of hemp being cultivated and this is expected to expand dramatically as the market for plant-based protein and fiber grows for the following reasons:

•Hemp matures in as little as 90 days and can be grown with low water and chemical inputs;

•As a rotational crop it breaks disease cycles and has a long tap root that aerates the soil;

•It yields four times the biomass of a forest in one season, compared to 25 years of tree growth, and;

•Every portion of the plant can be commercialized, creating multiple revenue streams.

Segments Seeking Advanced Biocomposite Solutions: Recreational Vehicles

Since the 1970s, the recreational vehicle industry has been dependent upon rainforest hardwood plywood from Southeast Asia to construct side walls and roofing systems. Hardwood plywood’s strength, light weight and smooth surface make it a product in high demand not only for RVs but also transport trailers, furniture, decorative paneling and even Hollywood movie sets.

In 2021, the RV industry alone used 620 million board feet of lauan plywood. Unfortunately, the popularity of this material has led to devastation of primordial rain forests throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines. Plywood prices have skyrocketed, quality has fallen, and manufacturers are actively seeking alternatives.

To construct an RV, sheets of plywood are seamed together like stick frame housing. Exterior wall panels are laminated with aluminum or fiberglass, and interior walls with paper or vinyl. Urethane foam insulation is sandwiched between the inner and outer walls. However, plywood off-gasses formaldehyde, absorbs moisture, and burns easily. After just a few years, seams telegraph through the exterior walls of the vehicles.

Oriented strand board (OSB) is much heavier than plywood and it too absorbs water and off-gasses formaldehyde. Fiberglass reinforced plastic panels are more expensive and labor intensive, and delaminate, warp, and offer poor insulative properties.

INCA has developed a revolutionary panel product made from a blend of hemp fiber and a proprietary thermoset resin system. The company has signed an exclusive sales agreement with Elkhart, Ind.-

based Genesis Products Inc., which designs, engineers, and manufactures a range of products for the RV, construction, transportation, and furniture markets. Genesis has facilitated a product development agreement with Winnebago for the company’s entire panel production capacity.

Automotive

The automotive industry utilizes resin infused panels, called prepregs, to mold 3D interior trim

automotive industry, they depend upon expensive natural fiber such as jute or kenaf imported from Southeast Asia. They also use a high percentage of polymer fiber, adding considerable cost.

On behalf of Toyota, INCA has developed a methodology to deposit a multi-layered mat of hemp and polymer fiber and consolidate the material on a twin steel belt press to produce thermoformable prepregs for the automotive industry. These prepregs will be stronger, improving side impact resistance, and lighter improving mileage. They can be easily recycled back into new products once vehicles have reached the end of their useful lifecycles.

Thermoplastics

INCA PrePregs™ will be molded by manufacturers into 3D vehicle interior trim components.

components such as door panels, seat backs, headliners and package trays. Prepregs can incorporate glass, natural fiber or even carbon fiber to reinforce the thermal melt polymer matrix. Prepregs can come in the form of flat panels or nonwovens such as those produced by Indianabased companies FlexForm Technologies in Elkhart, and Carver Non-Woven Technologies in Fremont. The automobile industry was an early adopter of these prepreg materials because of their lower cost and high strength-to-weight ratio, which results in better fuel mileage and improved customer safety

Automotive manufacturers heat these prepregs in hot presses, surface them with cover stock, and compression mold them into final 3D components. While nonwovens have proven to be of great value to the

Plastics are a multi-billion-dollar industry led by the world’s largest petrochemical companies. Thermoplastics such as PP, high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are used in packaging, furniture, flooring, roofing membranes, automobile interiors, medical devices, and countless other consumer products. Their relatively low cost, high moisture resistance, and ability to be heated and shaped using injection, compression or extrusion molding machines make plastics ubiquitous in the modern world. The top polymer producers include Dow Chemical, Lyondell Basell, Exxon Mobil, SABIC, INEOS, and BASF.

Most polymers are derived from petroleum or natural gas. Extraction and refinement of these raw materials generates millions of tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 e). They often contain toxic chemicals that may bio-accumulate in humans and animals. As only 9 percent of plastic products are recycled, they cover the earth and pollute the oceans. Often thermoplastics are compounded with glass fibers to reinforce the polymer matrix and enhance structural properties. However, these materials increase the cost and weight of the

INCA BioPlastics™: Transforming Plants Into Products

Environmental Benefits Compared To Glass Reinforced Plastics

resulting products. Glass fiber is extraordinarily energy-intensive to manufacture. It has high tensile strength, but low impact strength. Glass is also abrasive on processing equipment and difficult to recycle once products have reached the end of their useful life cycles.

Biobased polymers represent a small percentage of the millions of tons of plastics produced annually. However, the global bioplastics and biopolymers market is growing rapidly. Market drivers include industry and consumer demand for sustainable products, increasingly stringent regulatory mandates, and growing public concern regarding plastics pollution.

Europe has been the major hub for biobased innovation and currently produces 55 percent of all biopolymers, but capacity now is expanding rapidly in Asia and North America. Many of the companies leading the charge are agricultural bioscience companies, or petrochemical companies making the transition to plant-based chemistry.

Bainbridge, Ga.-based Danimer Scientific produces PHAs using oils derived from plant seeds such as canola and soy. The Netherlandsbased Total Corbion operates a 75,000 ton-per-year PLA production facility in Thailand and has plans to build a second PLA factory in France. Plymouth, Minn.-based Nature-

Works LLC, owned by Cargill and PTT Global Chemical, has a refinery in Minnesota capable of producing 300 million pounds of PLA per year from corn feedstock. While these polymers show great promise, they tend to be significantly more expensive than incumbent petroleumbased polymers and lower in structural performance.

INCA has developed a novel manufacturing methodology to replace glass fiber with natural hemp fiber as a reinforcement in polymeric composites. In INCA’s process, hemp fiber is refined to precise geometries and then blended with various polymers and additives under relatively low heat and pressure. This preserves the structural properties of the natural fiber as well as the polymer. Product benefits of INCA BioPlastics include cost and weight reduction, improved stiffness and impact strength, and lower wear on processing equipment. Unlike glass fiber, refined hemp fiber is more amenable to multiple recycling episodes without significant loss in structural properties.

INCA will formulate materials to meet customer specifications. For example, one company may want to utilize recovered PP to lower product costs and increase recycled content, while a second customer may specify a biobased polymer such as PLA or PHA to create 100-percent biobased

products. These formulations will be brought together in the form of compounded “masterbatch” pellets, that can be shipped directly to manufacturers for use in their injection or compression molding operations with little or no modifications to their existing lines. Final products will be stronger, lighter and less expensive.

Wind Turbine Blades

The balsa tree, Ochroma pyramidale, is a large, fast-growing species native from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. Although classified as a hardwood, balsa is exceptionally soft and lightweight because the trunk of the tree has large cells that store water. When cut and dried these empty cells retain their structure, giving the resulting lumber exceptionally low density and high compressive strength. As a result of these properties, balsa is widely used as a core material in automotive, aerospace and marine applications.

Recently, balsa has become one of the most sought-after materials in the construction of wind turbine blades where it is used to reduce blade weight and increase blade stiffness, particularly in the root section where the mechanical forces are most demanding. This is accomplished by placing shaped balsa in the core of the blade and encapsulating it with styrene-resonated glass fiber to form stressed skin panels. Blade skins are put into tension on one side and compression on the opposite side and held in opposition by the balsa core to resist collapse.

Historically, most balsa wood came from the rainforests of Ecuador, but the species has been largely clear cut, with devastating impacts on ecosystems and indigenous communities. Sixty percent of balsa wood is now plantation grown. However, without the many years required to grow mature trees large enough to produce solid lumber, the industry has adopted end-grain balsa — essentially slicing logs across the grain, milling rectangular pieces, and gluing them back together to form board stock. This has

Alternatives

Lifecycle Analysis

INCA commissioned Canadabased GreenStep Solutions Inc., an independent research and certification organization, to undertake a Product Life Cycle Analysis of the company’s products versus conventional alternatives utilizing the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard.

The company’s in-depth report considered the impacts of industrial hemp farming, product formulations, raw material extraction and processing, energy and water inputs, product manufacturing, and fuel consumption at each stage of the process including downstream transportation and distribution. Their findings demonstrate that:

•INCA BioPanels will reduce carbon emissions by 76 percent, waste production by 89 percent, and water consumption by 82 percent compared to lauan rainforest plywood. One square meter will sequester 4.27 kilograms (kg) of CO2e.

added considerable cost to the product, reduced consistency and lowered technical properties. As a result, many blade manufacturers are turning to high-density polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PVC foams in the tips and mid-sections of the blades. Unfortunately, foams are expensive and lack the compressive strength to replace balsa in the root section of the blades.

INCA engineers have developed a novel methodology to transform refined hemp hurd into a balsa-like material with high, uniform compressive strength, and a density of 10 pounds per cubic foot, the ideal weight for turbine blades. Unlike balsa wood, it can be formulated to increase moisture resistance, and “tuned” to be compatible with specific resin systems. Unlike PET foams, it has the sheer strength required for

installation in all sections of the turbine blade, including the root section. These characteristics provide significant advantages to engineers who are no longer forced to compensate for variations in the material properties of plantation-grown trees.

INCA has signed a strategic development agreement with Switzerlandbased Gurit Services AG to develop and manufacture BioBalsa. Gurit develops and manufactures advanced composite solutions for the wind energy, aerospace and marine industries. Its portfolio of structural core materials, prepregs, adhesives, and engineering services is recognized worldwide. Gurit’s customers actively are seeking alternative core materials that can deliver the compressive and sheer strength of balsa as well as meet aggressive sustainability goals.

•INCA BioPlastics when compounded with recycled polypropylene will reduce carbon emissions by 91 percent, waste production by 64 percent and water consumption by 59 percent compared to glass fiber reinforced plastics (GRP). One cubic meter will absorb 517.96 kg of CO2e.

•INCA BioBalsa will have 164-percent less carbon impact than PET and 107-percent less than balsa wood. Production will result in 93-percent less waste than balsa and 99.56-percent less than PET. It also means 93percent less water consumption during manufacturing than for PET. One cubic meter of BioBalsa will absorb 262.31 kg of CO2e.

INCA’s goal is to deliver the trifecta to its customers — price, performance and sustainability — in order to overcome the current barriers to wide scale industrial adoption of biomaterials. TW

Editor’s Note: Camille Saltman is chief marketing and sales officer, INCA Renewtech

INCA BioBalsa™ Versus Conventional

Nextiles Inc. has developed a method of blending conductive fibers with sewing technology to translate circuitry into fabric. This has led to new opportunities in flexible and wearable sensors for motion and performance measurement and tracking.

The Role Of Textiles In The Internet Of Things

TThe Internet of Things, frequently referred to as IoT, is a term used to describe the rapidly increasing number of connected devices to the internet. If you have used a streaming device such as a Roku TV, a wearable such as a FitBit, or even an iPhone, you’ve participated in and contributed to the massive IoT industry as a consumer. This movement shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, largely thanks to advancements in technologies such as 5G and access to smaller and faster sensors like inertial measurement systems (IMUs). According to Statista, there were nearly 10 billion devices connected to the internet in 2020. In the next 10 years, that number is projected to grow nearly threefold, to almost 30 billion devices. While IoT is clearly trending upward, this trend mostly is prevalent in the consumer electronics industry today; however, the textile and garment industry has yet to embrace the IoT revolution. A main reason is that textile and electronics are like water and oil, rarely combined. And if so, they come in as pods, pucks, or straps that

By George Sun

are tethered to a piece of cloth. However, inevitably, all devices, including textiles, will be connected to the internet, according to Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Nextiles Inc. Innovations in both materials science as well as sewing technology can help move the industry forward for all.

The Opportunity For Textiles In IoT

The materials that power IoT devices revolve around silicon. With that, peripheral materials such as heavy metals and plastics together make the devices used today from cars to Bluetooth-enabled home products. Manufacturers in semiconductive devices have been reaping the rewards from big data while the

textile industry has largely been left out of the IoT movement.

However, the materials have lately seen a plateau in innovation, and as the chip shortage and supply chain issues persist, there needs to be a new player to support the IoT movement. The textile industry is prime to steal the spotlight from consumer electronics, and because up to 95 percent of the body touches fabric on any given day, it is the best means to introduce innovative solutions to wearables, health tech and everyday consumer electronics. In many ways, today’s wearable technology has it backwards by using hard chips to measure the flexible nature of the human body. Whereas in textiles, there is an opportunity to make clothing the protagonist and main data capture tool to gain better data insights that is more comfortable and amenable to any way, shape, or form a person may go through such as during training or an injury. By turning textiles smart, consumers will have a more comfortable form factor, and manufacturers will be able to gain more

Why innovation in sewing technology will advance the textiles industry into the Internet of Things

insights on their customers by collecting more behavioral data from fabric-based sensors made possible through sewing technology.

Fabric As The Data Capture Tool

The beauty of sewing technology is, with the right blend of materials and patterns, any sewable material can be turned smart. For the textiles industry to innovate quickly, leveraging its current infrastructure machinery, labor and processes in sewing is most efficient. Sewing is more than 1,000 years old and yet it is still ripe for innovation, despite its reputation for being offshored to countries with cheaper labor. Sewing flexible electronics directly into fabrics is an allinclusive approach as multiple industry sectors have access to a needle and thread. In addition, sewing fabric-based sensors does not require special machinery, only the ability to use a sewing machine. Lastly, fabricbased sensors and sewing technology can be applied to any industry — allowing any company to be a data capture company first.

The textile industry has the opportunity to reshape how consumers interact with their surroundings — whether it is a smart surface, a techenabled uniform, a connected car seat or even smart furniture, By leveraging sewing technology, any manufacturer has the technological tools to capture more data and provide more value back to their end users. It’s becoming apparent that every company is vying to become a data capture company because of the profits and information that can be gained directly from users. Industries that have been left out of the Silicon Revolution during the 60s, such as mills, and garment manufacturers, can finally participate in this revolution that will be dominated through soft goods such as textiles.

A More Connected Future

By merging two disparate technologies, the new — semiconductors and their materials — and the old — sewing and textiles — innovative soft-good materials can add value to the textiles ecosystem and help reshape the way we view connected

devices. In combination with the chips and plastic formula, including smart textiles will tremendously advance the state of connected devices and open new opportunities for insightful feedback.

Every time a smart device is used, it gets smarter. Shouldn’t the same machine learning opportunities exist for items that can be sewn? The industry has the opportunity to be rekindled as the new vehicle for connected devices by merging flexible electronic materials with sewing technology. The result, an era that ushers in new form factors and technology that advance not only the industry as a whole, but our society overall. TW

Editor’s Note: George Sun is co-founder and CEO of Brooklyn, N.Y-based Nextiles Inc., a company that was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Science Foundation.

The company partners with select athletes, teams and brands to help innovate and develop a spectrum of customizable, form-fitting and elegantly designed products focused on human movement, data collection and quantification.

Nextiles’ compression garments, such as sleeves, can measure joint and limb movement for high-performance sports to monitor workload in sports such as baseball and tennis.

Switzerland-based Sedo Engineering Ltd. has a vision for the future of denim — one that is focused on sustainability, reliability and transparency

South America On A Path Towards Sustainable Denim Manufacturing

Nuevo Mundo selects Smart-Indigo™ technology from Sedo Engineering to reduce its environmental impact.

TW Special Report

DDenim manufacturers in South America — the largest supplier of denim items to the Americas — are investing in sustainable technologies. Perubased company Nuevo Mundo is leading the way. The denim manufacturer will be the first South America-based manufacturer to abandon the chemical production of liquid indigo as it turns itself toward a sustainable technology.

Smart-Indigo ™ is a disruptive new technology developed by

Switzerland-based Sedo Engineering Ltd. The technology has a growing number of denim manufacturers counting on this unique technology to produce liquid indigo where the only waste product is oxygen. Smart-Indigo makes a huge difference in the denim world by using electricity instead of chemicals to produce liquid indigo for denim dyeing. The use of electricity instead of chemicals results in a process free of hazardous chemicals and one that emits 90-percent less carbon diox-

ide, and consumes 70-percent less energy and 30 percent less water at different stages of the process. This technology protects the environment, creates safer and healthier workplaces, and offers economical production. Approximately 20 installations are now producing sustainable liquid-indigo in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China and Italy in addition to this first installation in South America.

“Until today the denim market and sales have been a price battle as you find in every country at least three to four big players, producing for the local market and as well for export,” said Mr. Mayo, owner of Nuevo Mundo. “To enter the E.U. market and U.S. market so to improve exports we have to clean up the fabrics produced conferring a proper soul and history to be told to the brands and to the final users in order to differentiate and increase the real value of the twill we produce.

“Smart-Indigo is the technology that allows Nuevo Mundo to create a unique value starting from one of the two main components of the denim indigo twill — the indigo dye,” Mayo continued.

“Being cleaner, without using chemicals to dissolve it is the major step to decreasing environmental impact and the first step toward an

transaction that soon or later all the world will be forced to do, so being pioneers in adopting technologies confers more consciousness and more knowledge and experience having sooner return of investments and improving the sales,” Mayo concluded.

The technology uses a completely new approach to liquefy the indigo powder. The electrochemical process consumes considerably fewer resources than existing methods. It uses only indigo pigment, caustic soda, water and electricity. In a fully automated process, the clean liquid indigo is produced, metered and fed directly into the dye bath. The Smart-Indigo solution is the most sustainable and independent way to dye denim, according to its developer and manufacturer Sedo-Engineering which comes from a group of textile and dyeing experts. Thus, in addition to the sustainability of the final product, the requirements of the manufacturer are also taken into account with many extras such as automatic washing processes and easy operation.

Producing denim items under such conditions gives every denim producer a key advantage in the continuously more sustainable textile world where consumers and thus, clothing brands,

SedoEngineering’s 3D carbon electrode technology

these producers benefit from their own dye production on-site in a quantity according to their needs. This offers numerous advantages such as cost savings due to zero costs for chemicals or pre-reduced liquid-indigo, lower costs for water, energy and wastewater treatment, and of course independence from suppliers.

Today’s consumers don’t just shop anymore, they want to feel good about their choices. There is only one direction the textile world is heading, and that is towards sustainability. Brands, as well as manufacturers that change early in this direction, will be the winners of tomorrow. Thanks to pioneers like Nuevo Mundo who rely on new sustainable technologies, the change is being driven forward and the necessary interaction of planet, people, and profit is moving into the center. TW

The Smart-Indigo™ machine

Colorifix engineers organisms that can product pigment the same way it is produced in nature to minimize the impact of industrial dyeing.

Innovation For Sustainable Dyeing

Companies are harnessing nature’s solutions to create technical innovations for sustainable textile coloration.

By Andrew Filarowski

GGet involved in any textile coloration conversation in 2022 and circularity is among the first topics on the table. This is fantastic, given that not so long ago the environmental impact of the industry was something of an elephant in the room and not to be talked about.

However, discussion and action are two different things. While as a sector the dyeing industry is much more willing to address its resourceheavy ways, taking positive steps to reduce water and chemical use and carbon emissions can be harder than simply articulating the issue.

Since its release this past spring, the Society of Dyers and Colourists’ (SDC’s) latest white paper, “Destination low carbon: Global technology and innovation reducing the environmental footprint of textile coloration,” has sparked new conversations about what is possible.

The 20-page document covers examples of technology and innovation that can cut down on water and energy used in dyeing processes, as well as effluent created.

But it also examines the ways the textile industry can take influence from and harness the help that nature can provide in devising cleaner solutions for coloration. Two European companies are under the spotlight in this respect.

They are not the only companies blazing a trail in this most fascinating of areas, but they are certainly two to watch, as their processes continue to be developed and refined.

The first company is Switzerlandbased Archroma; the second is England-based Colorifix. Both companies make use of natural hues but in very different ways. Archroma has created a limited palette of dyes derived from non-edible agricultural and herbal waste, capable of replacing petrol-

based raw materials; while Colorifix uses microorganisms to grow color based on natural DNA codes — including from plants, animals and insects — that can be applied to textiles without added chemicals.

Both innovations open up a myriad of possibilities for forward-thinking dyehouses that could potentially build elements of more natural dyeing into their existing operations.

Let’s look more closely at what each of these companies is doing, in turn.

Removing Toxic Impurities

Archroma, established in 2013, is a global provider of specialist chemicals, serving the coatings, adhesives and sealants markets, as well as branded and performance textiles.

The “Archroma way” was devised to remove as many toxic impurities as possible from the dyeing process while also making savings on energy and water use. This involves creating efficiencies across the board in wet processing, but also using smart chemistry to change recipes rather than equipment.

One key development is the company’s EarthColors®, a new range of dyes based on biosynthetic dyes manufactured near Barcelona, Spain. Agricultural waste is taken from a 500 kilometer radius and processed for use as a replacement petroleum raw material.

What in particular does that waste consist of? Examples include almond nut shells, rosemary leaves and bitter oranges. Using this material saves waste from landfills and creates a natural plant-based alternative — dyestuffs that are of the same quality and the same fastness as a manmade dye.

While the available palette is limited, the resultant products are wide ranging and versatile enough to have already been adopted by brands such as Patagonia, G-Star, Primark, Armed Angels and Esprit. EarthColors has already replaced more than 15 metric tons of petroleum-based raw materials with natural alternatives for dyeing.

Above: To create its engineered microorganisms, Colorifix looks for colors generated by organisms in nature and uses DNA sequencing to pinpoint the genes leading to the production of the pigment.

Right: Archroma uses agricultural waste —such as almond nut shells, rosemary leaves and bitter oranges —to create its EarthColors® dye range. The products have been adopted by various brands including Primark, which used the dyes in the EarthColors by Archroma loungewear collection — part of its Primark Cares line.

Paul Cowell, Archroma’s global head of Competence Centers & Brand Studio, Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, said: “Getting brands onside can be a challenge. When merchandizers want the lowest prices, and designers desire the latest trends, it can often be that the sustainability team’s calls for less resource use goes unheard.

“However, we have seen a positive change in brands’ approaches to sustainability, and more and more brands are looking for impactful solutions.”

Pioneering Clean Dyeing

University of Cambridge researchers Jim Ajioka and Orr Yarkoni founded Colorifix Ltd. in 2016 after learning about the devastating impact of textile dyeing on the environment and also human health in Nepal and Bangladesh during the course of their fieldwork.

Realizing they could use their scientific expertise to engineer microorganisms to create clean dyes, they set about using DNA codes, or “color

instructions,” to produce color just as it appears in nature.

Like Archroma, Colorifix takes a holistic look at every stage of dyeing processes, focusing on the engineering of microbes to produce naturally occurring pigments to be deposited and fixed onto textiles without any added chemicals.

Explaining the process, Colorifix CEO Yarkoni said: “What we do is based on the concept that every colour in nature made by a living organism — plant, animal, insect, or microbe — is coded for by DNA. By identifying these ‘color instructions,’ Colorifix can replicate that DNA code in a more useful context.

“We can insert that code into a microorganism that can then produce the color, just as it is produced in nature.”

Yarkoni continued: “The engineered microorganisms are then grown in a fermenter with renewable feedstocks such as yeast, simple sugars, and plant by-products. The microorganisms divide exponentially, resulting in a colorful dye liquor that can be put directly into standard dye machines.”

Colorifix’s pilot dyehouse in Cambridge, which showcases the capabilities of the company’s products, has been busy with potential customers this year — chiefly the mills that implement the technology, but also the brands themselves, taking an overview of their supply chains.

Colorifix sends as little as 50 milliliters of color-producing microorganism to its customers who use it to grow the dye liquor onsite using a fermentor. This distribution model is another opportunity to save carbon, when compared with large tankers filled with man-made dyes.

Coloration programs are much shorter and lower in temperature than those using conventional dyes and just one bacteria-removing wash is required, rather than several baths. There also is no fixing step, or hazardous effluent.

Changing The Sector For The Better

To sum up, presented are just two of the companies working to evolve the way the coloration sector operates using new technology and innovation to harness the natural solutions that our environment can provide.

When overhauling production techniques, a dyeing company’s first thoughts often turn to cost. How much is the outlay, and how long will it take to recoup this money?

The answer is often less than owners and managers would estimate, with resultant savings in water, energy, and chemicals, quickly beginning to offset initial costs.

While every dyehouse is different, the same principle is true of all available solutions to the collective carbon issue outlined in SDC’s white paper, including advancements in control and automaton, or investment in a key piece of new machinery that will harmonize with the existing plant.

The Importance Of Reducing Our Industry’s Carbon Footprint

It feels unnecessary to outline reasons to go greener as this is simply a case of doing the right thing by the planet we inhabit. But also, commitment to environmental standards

could be the key to business survival, sooner than one may imagine.

In its “Global Risks Report 2022,” The World Economic Forum puts extreme weather, climate change action failure and biodiversity loss top of its list of major threats for industry in the months and years ahead. Number seven on the list is human environmental damage.

Action on climate change is not something that can be put off. And that means everyone, not just the largest public companies. All businesses should contribute, down to the small and medium-sized enterprises.

This is not simply about minimizing impact on the planet — which should be the first priority of course — but also safeguarding the company’s own future and the jobs of the personnel employed.

Banks and investors are now favoring businesses with strong circularity agendas rather than operations they may view as dirty or unsustainable. Those who cannot demonstrate progress towards becoming cleaner and more efficient will struggle to borrow money to expand.

On top of this, companies bidding for major contracts — particularly with the public sector or powerful clothing brands — are being asked, increasingly, to set out their net zero ambitions in considerable detail. This situation, too, will only intensify.

So, the impetus for every player in the dyeing industry to reduce their environmental footprint is clear and the SDC is doing all it can — via its global networks, and educational opportunities — to help make this happen. TW

Editor’s note: Andrew Filarowski is technical director of the Society of Dyers and Colourists, Bradford, England, SDC’s white paper, “Destination low carbon: Global technology and innovation reducing the environmental footprint of textile coloration,” may be downloaded from the association’s website located at sdc.org.uk.

Colorifix seeks to minimize the environmental impact of industrial dyeing by replacing chemistry with biology.

Figure 1: Variation in load before the guiding arm refurbishment (top) versus uniform load after the refurbishment.

After the installation was completed, spinning mill Manager Orhan Herdem said to the Rieter service engineers: “As a result of the guiding arm refurbishment, there is an improvement in both quality and efficiency. With the support of the technical service from Rieter, the machine operation is now more economical.”

Restoring Original Performance And Quality

Restoring Original Performance And Quality

Rieter recommends refurbishing the guiding arm after eight to 10 years to ensure uniform and consistent load across the machine. Replacing worn out and aged parts can help restore the original performance of the drafting system. A new guiding arm enables a more effective load distribution, consistent drafting and output yarn quality. The improvements in terms of load uniformity and performance can be witnessed before and after the repair service conducted by Rieter service engineers (See Figure 1)

India-based Sreedhara Textiles was experiencing guiding arm load variation, quality and productivity issues in its Rieter ring spinning machines. These were not the only concerns Rieter’s service engineers had to contend with. They also were asked to find the most economical solution.

TThe guiding arm in the drafting system plays a major role in ensuring production and quality in the spinning mill. The guiding arm refurbishment kit helps maintain original quality and performance by reducing load variation, thereby lowering yarn breakages and undrafted ends.

The P3-1 guiding arm is a proven drafting system which was introduced more than 25 years ago by Switzerland-based Rieter and is still being produced in accordance with the original specification. This is

strong proof of its solid performance that has been validated over a long period of time. Depending on the operating conditions, some internal parts of the guiding arm are subject to wear-and-tear and therefore need to be replaced with new parts.

In addition to an original P3-1 guiding arm replacement, Rieter also offers a refurbishment kit which helps restore the original performance. The Rieter service engineers recently successfully implemented the refurbishment kit at the Orta Anadolu spinning mill in Turkey.

After the guiding arm refurbishment at the company’s ring spinning machines was completed, the factory manager, S.J. Aananthakumar, expressed his satisfaction to the Rieter service engineers: “The individual parts for the guiding arm refurbishment of our ring spinning machines were delivered with perfect packing and on time. The costs of this repair service offering are characterized by high price performance ratio, and ultimately, we are very satisfied by the consistent quality and productivity levels which were achieved. We are experiencing fewer breakages per 100 spindles per hours, imperfections and Autoconer clearer cuts per 100 kilometers.” TW

Rieter’s guiding arm guiding arm refurbishment kit offers uniform load for reduced yarn breakage and undrafted ends.

TW Special Report

The Raleigh, N.C.-based Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) COO Tony Fragnito was recently named president of the association by its board of directors. Dave Rousse was named president emeritus and will continue to assist Fragnito as needed until his retirement in January 2023.

Susan DeCourcey was named executive director for the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) Association, Bel Air, Md. She replaces Jackie King who has retired.

Deckers Brands, Goleta, Calif., named Anne Spangenberg president of Fashion Lifestyle, effective July 11, 2022. She reports directly to CEO and President Dave Powers.

Kim Poulsen was appointed CEO of Finlandbased Spinnova Plc effective August 1, 2022. The company’s Co-Founder and current CEO, Janne Poranen, will become chair of the board of directors; while current board Chair Harri Sundvik will become the deputy chair of the board.

Ana Hinojosa and Peter Cullinane have joined New Zealand-based Oritain Global in advisory roles.

San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. announced Amisha Jain as the company’s new senior vice president and managing director of South AsiaMiddle East and Africa (SAMEA)

Englandbased Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) has named Ullhas Nimkar president for a one year term. Based in Mumbai, India, Nimkar has been a member of SDC for 35 years.

Mark Pikaart has joined Schoeller Textil AG, Switzerland, as Western Regional Sales Manager, North America.

The National Council of Textile Organizations’ (NCTO’s) Fiber Council announced Abigail McBee as the recipient of the 2022 Paul T. O’Day Scholarship Award. She is the daughter of Gaffney, S.C., residents Emily and Douglas McBee. Her father is employed by Auriga Polymers/Indorama Ventures in Spartanburg, S.C.

Switzerland-based Crealet AG announced Andreas Wirz as CEO and Mario Kuster as head of research and development.

Alberto Paccanelli was reelected president of Belgiumbased EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, for two years.

Frank Stevens is the new COO at Sweden-based Polygiene Group

Southern Textile Association (STA) Secretary/ Treasurer Lillian Link has retired after 27 years with the association. In other STA people news, at its recent Joint Annual Meeting of the STA and Fiber Buyers Groups, Russell Mims received the Steve Epps Lifetime Service Award, and Brad Burnett — STA president from 2010-11 and chairman 2011-12 — was presented with the David Clark Award for distinguished leadership and service. The Steve Epps Lifetime Service Award recognizes people who have been STA members for at least 20 years, are retiring or have retired, and who served the association in many capacities of leadership and service. The

Search the People archive on-line at TextileWorld.com.

David Clark Award is given to STA members who have continued to provide leadership and service to the STA and the industry for a minimum of 10 years after their elected term has ended.

Germany-based Trützschler Group SE has expanded its board of directors with the addition of Dr. Ulrich Schwenken who will serve as CEO and Heinrich Krull who will serve as COO.

Jeff Smith has joined Ultrafabrics, Tarrytown, N.J., as head of Residential, North America.

Medical apparel manufacturer Careismatic Brands, Chatsworth, Calif., has named Girisha Chandraraj CEO and Sidharth Lakhani COO.

Lion Brothers Co., Owings Mills, Md., has hired apparel veteran Christopher Heyn as president and CEO.

Xcel Brands Inc., New York City, has appointed Ken Downing creative director of the Halston brand.

Herculite Products Inc., Emigsville, Pa., has hired Jake Ritchie as Midwest Regional manager for the Direct Sales team. TW

Nimkar

Paccanelli

DeCourcey Link Smith

SEPTEMBER

13:Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) 2022 Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference, The Beacon - Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit,Mich.Visit spesa-association.org.

13-15 :Absorbent Hygiene Training Course, organized by the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA),INDA Headquarters,Cary,N.C.Visit inda.org.

18-20 :International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) 2022 Annual Conference,Davos Switzerland.Visit itmf.org.

19-21 :International Conference on Intelligent Textiles and Mass CustomizationITMC-2022,Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec,Montréal, Canada.Visit itmc2022.com.

22-23 :11th International Textile Coating & Laminating Congress,Holiday Inn Gent Expo,Ghent,Belgium.Visit textilecoatingcongress2022.be.

27-28 :RISE® —Research,Innovation & Science For Engineered Fabrics —2022 conference,organized by INDA,North Carolina State University,Raleigh,N.C. Visit riseconf.net.

OCTOBER

11-14 :IFAIExpo 2022,organized by the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), Charlotte Convention Center,Charlotte, N.C.Visit ifaiexpo.com.

25-28 :Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course,organized by INDA, INDA Headquarters,Cary,N.C. Visit inda.org.

NOVEMBER

1-4 :Fiber and Filament Extrusion Fundamentals,organized by the Nonwovens Institute (NWI) and INDA,NC State University,Raleigh,N.C.Visit inda.org.

3-4 :Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) Fall Conference —celebrating 50 years —Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel,Charlotte,N.C.Visit the syfa.org.

14-17 :Hygienix™ 2022,organized by INDA,the Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel,New Orleans.Visit hygienix.org.

DECEMBER

6-9 :Nonwoven Product Development And Innovation,organized by NWIand INDA, NWI headquarters,NC State University, Raleigh,N.C.Visit inda.org. TW

Fabric Of

Quality Month

The

Recycling Renegades

By Rachael S. Davis, Executive Editor

CONTACTS:

For more information about Renegade Plastics’ industrial fabrics, contact sales@ renegadeplastics.com; or visit renegadeplastics.com Go online to TextileWorld.com for archived Quality Fabric articles.

GGolden, Colo.-based Renegade Plastics Corp. was started with the mission to “reduce plastic waste one practical step at a time.” Eventually, the company would love to offer a biobased industrial fabric once the technology is durable enough to be used in demanding industrial and agricultural applications. But in the meantime, Renegade has focused on an environmentally friendly alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated or laminated fabrics. The focus is to reduce the use of toxic and non-recyclable materials as a first step.

Renegade’s industrial fabrics are a proprietary polypropylene (PP)-based formula. The core product line features an opaque fabric with a woven scrim as the base, and a translucent fabric with an open knit scrim base. Because the fabric is not a mixed material like PVC-coated scrim, it is fully recyclable at the end of its useful life. According to the company, the fabrics are free of lead, dioxin and phthalates; and have an 80-percent lower carbon footprint compared to PVC-coated and laminated fabrics. The fabrics also are just as strong, but between 30- and 40-percent lighter than equivalent PVC-coated and laminated fabrics.

The opaque fabrics may be used in a myriad of industrial applications. “We are focusing on our tent and ski resort industry products to start,” said Curran Hughes, president. “But we are currently engaging customers across industries like upholstery, automotive, construction, fabric structures, fumigation, outdoor sports and tarps, among other industries.” Two early adopters of the opaque products include Idaho Sewing for Sports, Grangeville, Idaho, and American Tent, Green Bay, Wis.

The initial collection offers a limited selection of colors and weights, but the company plans to gradually expand its portfolio and work with customers on customized options. “Depending on fabric weight, we are starting with white, black, blue, gray and red colors,” Curran said. “Many customers have requested different colors on each side of the fabric, which also is an option!”

While the translucent fabrics may be used in any application, Curran notes considerable interest in those products from the agricultural industry as a replacement for polyethylene (PE) films. Renegade’s translucent products features high ultraviolet, thermal and chemical resistance and may last two to 10 times longer than PE films.

“Most of our fabric’s advantages compared to other polymer coated fabrics stem from its non-toxic PP formulation where both the scrim and the coating are made from the same base polymer,” Hughes said. “The formulation is unique because no harmful plasticizers are used. This means no fumes from welding, and the product can withstand cleaning using harsh cleansers such as bleach.”

The company’s long-term vision includes a recycling program. “Until we have sufficient scale to build our own program, we commit to customers that we help them find a recycler for their scrap and/or waste fabrics,” Curran said.

The second step for Renegade is to add recycled content back into the process and close the loop on its supply chain. “But our first priority is to get these novel fabrics into the market and build the foundation for that long-term goal,” Curran said. TW

Renegade Plastics is attempting to reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills with its polypropylene-based industrial fabrics.

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