Fibres, Yarns & Fabrics

Sportswear and sports shoe giant Nike Inc. has announced the launch of a revolutionary new running shoe which uses state-of-the-art integral knitting techniques to create a one piece upper which is virtually seamless. The Nike Flyknit upper is engineered for precision fit and aims to create the feeling of a second skin for runners.

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT), which produces and markets CRAiLAR, a natural fibre made from flax and other bast fibres, announced that TSX Venture Exchange has named the Company to its 2012 TSX Venture 50, a list assembled based on quantitative measurement of top performing publicly traded companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). NAT was ranked fourth in Clean Tech sector.

A year after its launch at Expofil, Filature Miroglio, manufacturer of the Newlife fibre platform presented its Newlife Eco-Innovation Library at last week’s Première Vision in Paris. The Italian company reports great interest and turnout for Newlife and the innovative materials made with its 100% recycled premium fibre.

Oerlikon Barmag will be showcasing its spinning and winding solutions for composites yarns at the forthcoming JEC show. The company will also be demonstrating its competence in the area of pumps for composite materials at the Paris show which is being held from 27-29 March.

The Switzerland based International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published its State of Trade Report for the 3rd Quarter of 2011. The organisation reports that global yarn and fabric production were up in Q3 and that estimates for Q4 are also positive.

At the spring trade shows in Paris last week, leading Austrian cellulosic fibre producer Lenzing presented its latest eco fibre, MicroModal Edelweiss, which is made from European beech wood using eco manufacturing processes.

Switzerland’s Schoeller Textil AG has a new medical textiles business called Schoeller Medical AG. The new subsidiary will focus on innovative healthcare projects and has launched its first product line of incontinence products.

Leading manufacturer of warp knitted seamless (WKS) garments Cifra, which has recently signed a collaboration agreement with circular seamless giant Tefron, exhibited at ISPO in Munich last month for the first time, claiming the show was a resounding success. Cifra says buyers were actually queuing to get on to the company’s booth at the 17 hall, 80,000 visitor sportswear and sports equipment show.

Xerium Technologies, Inc. a leading manufacturer of industrial textiles and rolls used primarily in the paper production process has introduced Formsoft, an advanced tissue forming fabric technology specifically designed to help its tissue fabric customers improve operational performance at lower costs.

Interface, Inc. announced today that the company has received two Good Design awards for excellence in both its commercial and residential product lines: InterfaceFLOR's World Textiles Collection originating from the company's European region and FLOR's Reoriented floor covering solution produced in the United States.