Clothing & Footwear

Outlast Technologies, market leader for temperature regulating phase change materials (PCMs), enlarges its product range with climate regulating fibre balls, which can be used in bedding. The PCM fibre balls based on polyester are said to offer a new possibility to balance temperature in duvets or pillows and to reduce humidity significantly while sleeping.

IFAI, the Industrial Fabric Association International represents the interests of a broad range of industrial or technical textiles, producers and suppliers - and their Expo 2013, and the accompanying Advanced Textiles conference, held October 23-25 in Orlando, FL, well demonstrated those efforts. Over 5300 registrants from 65 countries helped IFAI continue its “track record of great success.”

Tanatex Chemicals, a leading producer of specialty chemicals, has introduced Fibermate CW, a high performance waxing agent, designed to create surface smoothness in yarns.

Lenzing Group, a leading producer of man-made cellulose fibres, reports that it has achieved business results in line with expectations in the first three quarters of 2013 in spite of unfavourable market conditions. However, the company now plans to cut costs following record results over the past few years. “The difficult market situation will continue in 2014 and possibly well into 2015. We will resolutely counteract this unfavourable situation and adjust our cost structures to the new circumstances as quickly as possible,” commented Peter Untersperger, Chief Executive Officer of Lenzing AG. “Our aim must not only be to expand our quality leadership and innovative strength on a sustainable basis, but also to regain the cost leadership in our industry. We continue to see attractive growth potential for our products, but we are already preparing ourselves today as optimally as possible for the increasingly tough competition. Cost discipline and cash generation will be our targets over the coming years.”

Sympatex Moisture-Tech 360° Technology, an innovative system of inner soles and linings for footwear, has won the Performance Award for the upcoming Performance Days trade fair. The product is said to have been proven to provide improved micro climate in the shoe. “Moisture transport in multi-layer laminates is a major subject in the relevant market. The jury was most impressed by the intelligent advanced development by Sympatex, because the concept is well-thought through from yarn to transport system and product implementation,” commented Stefanie Sacherow, Senior Project Manager, Performance Days.

Doing trade shows and finding the next big is easy right? Not according to Bill Smith it’s not... How do you do a trade show? Usually, one walks the aisle the first day, looking briefly at each booth and moves on if they don’t see at once anything new or of interest. All too often, I have known attendees do that, perhaps stopping at a few they came to see, and then go away saying “I didn’t see anything new or worthwhile”. Little do they realize what they may have missed, often spending thousands of dollars to travel and attend such a show only to get little or nothing out of them.

Long-time Monforts user Luckytex, Thailand, has installed a Thermex 6500 hotflue system for continuous dyeing as part of its strategy to move more strongly into value-added production and beat competition from the high-volume, lower-cost producers in other parts of Asia. The company has also invested in a Monforts MXL moist cross-linking process, and a Montex 6500 stenter. “Thailand is no longer a low-cost textile producer,” commented Luckytex Deputy Managing Director, Li Kin Shing. “We must innovate. Innovation means survival. This is why we have been investing in this technology.” Although Thailand was until recent times considered a low-cost producer, the country’s labour costs have been steadily rising, the company reports. It also faces intense competition from other nearby producers in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Bangladesh and China. Luckytex believes the predicted rise of production in Myanmar is going to increase competition even further.

Inspired by High Visibility Workwear, Paltex, a producer of high performance textiles, has introduced its 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material, a broad line of reflective products that incorporate ‘retroreflection’ technology. According to the company, due to its design, this kind of fabric can find application in various areas, from workwear or active wear, to city-outdoor wear, shirting and jackets.

Messe Frankfurt is restructuring the Texprocess trade fair on the organisational side. Previously part of the ‘Technology & Production’ Division, it has been transferred to the ‘Textiles & Textile Technologies’ Division. The leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials has been organised by a separate team parallel to the work on Techtextil, the leading trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. Both Techtextil and Texprocess will remain independent brands. Responsibility for the Texprocess brand will be assumed by Michael Jänecke, who has been in charge of the Techtextil brand since 1993.

Lenzing has presented the cellulose fibre Tencel for applications in industrial laundry at the A+A 2013, the leading trade show for workwear in Dusseldorf that took place from 5-8 November. Tencel addresses the demand of workwear for materials to be durable, due to its robustness, making it the right choice for applications in industrial laundry when it comes to man-made cellulosics, the company reports.