Fibres, Yarns & Fabrics
Technical textiles offer new technical solutions for the demands of modern society and as a result, says Kelheim Fibres, interest in technical textiles is continuously growing.
According a study by researchers at Texas Tech, when it comes to cleaning up the next massive crude oil spill, one of the best and most eco-friendly solutions for the job may be low-grade cotton from West Texas.
Eastman Cyphrex launched a new and highly innovative range of microfibers at last month’s IDEA13, the International Engineered Fabrics Conference & Expo, in Miami Beach, Fla. It is thought that the new microfibers platform will enable nonwovens solutions unlike anything the market has ever seen, becoming an innovation resource for media and component manufacturers and OEMs.
In the run in to Techtextil, the leading trade fair for technical textiles and industrial nonwovens, organisers Messe Frankfurt have published the following article on the spread of nanotechnology in technical textiles. The article shows how nanotechnology is being used in a growing number of applications from clothing, through construction to regenerative medicine. Techtextil takes place in Frankfurt from 11-13 June.
Swiss textile innovator Schoeller has launched a new fabrics range called Pyroshell which offers permanent flame protection for polyester and polyamide fabrics.
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Well known industry consultant David Rigby (formerly David Rigby Associates) is now providing personal advisory and consulting services to business owners, CEOs and senior managers in technical textiles and industrial nonwovens, with the aim of helping them create more profitable and sustainable futures for their businesses.
Italian protective fabrics producer Argar Technology, a division of Argar S.r.L, has launched three new flame retardant (FR) fabrics ranges which it will be showcasing along with its current range of innovative products at this year’s leading technical textiles exhibitions – Techtextil 2013, and A+A Safety, Security & Health At Work 2013.
This video was made by Robert Newton a TV documentary producer whose family were in textiles in North Carolina for generations. Newton got the idea for the documentary after he found himself constantly correcting people who said that the textiles industry in NC state was dead. It’s a full blown TV documentary which lasts 30 minutes but its well worth watching.
Energy efficient membranes, silicone-coated textile fibres, a new master batch for tintable polypropylene or new technologies for integrating systems into apparel – these are just some of the inventions of the ten winners of the Techtextil and Avantex Innovation Prizes.
Teijin has developed aramid fibre based fabric which protects users against X-ray and gamma-ray radiation. From this May onwards, the company will provide samples to selected customers for applications such as protective clothing and sheet materials used around high levels of radiation, including the medical field, reconstruction activities in disaster-hit north eastern Japan and radiation testing.
The latest developments in nonwoven applications for Ingeo biopolymer, a low-carbon-footprint polymer made from renewable plant material, will be on display at IDEA13 in Miami, Florida this week. NatureWorks says it will show new grades of Ingeo along with a range of final products which will demonstrate the commercial reality of the biopolymer.
As part of its efforts to further concentrate on its core business of manufacturing fibres, Lenzing AG has agreed to sell 85% of its shareholding in plastics business (Lenzing Plastics GmbH) to an Austrian bidding consortium led by Invest AG, the investment company of the Raiffeisen Banking Group Upper Austria based in Linz.
The overall response from the exhibitors and visitors at the latest edition of Techtextil North America was confirmation that they were pleased with the show and venue, organisers say. The tenth edition of Techtextil North America took place from 19-21 March at the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California.
Whether it’s for wind power systems, aerospace technology, stadium roofs made from high-tech membranes, geogrids made from polyester used in landscaping or nonwovens for insulating and roofing, technical textiles cover a very wide range of applications.
Gregory Walter Haggquist of Cocona Inc. has been honoured by the AATCC Technical Committee on Research (TCR) as the recipient of the 2013 TCR Service Award in recognition of his achievements and service to the Association. The award was presented at the 2013 AATCC International Conference in Greenville, SC on 11th April.
In this two part feature, Debra Cobb takes a look at a new high-tech wave of interactive functional yarns and fabrics which are designed to deliver a whole range of benefits to wearers.
TissueGen Inc., a developer of cutting-edge biodegradable polymer technology for implantable drug delivery across a wide variety of therapeutic applications, has announced the availability of its Elute biodegradable drug-loaded fibre products, including pharmaceutical loaded fibres and growth factor loaded fibres.
Invista’s Cordura Naturelle fabric from Chia Her Industrial Mill in Taiwan was named one of the Top 10 Second Layer Fabrics at ISPO Textrends Forum at ISPO MUNICH 2013 this year. Aimed at showcasing fabrics for the fall and winter seasons of 2014 and 2015, ISPO Textrends Forum brings the latest innovations in performance fabric technology to the attention of designers and product developers.
The Dornbirn-Man-Made Fibers Congress (MFC), the leading conference for the man-made fibres industry, will take place for the 52nd time in Dornbirn, Austria from 11-13 September 2013, where over 100 papers will address key industry issues under the banner - ‘Communicating the Future of Man-Made Fibers’.
Horticulture in the Netherlands is big business. Not only is the country an international leader in flowers, plants, bulbs, and food products; it is also in innovator in solutions for greenhouse horticulture. According to the NL Agency, a division of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Dutch greenhouses cover an area of more than 10560 km2, with a focus on technologies that facilitate energy efficiency and adaptability to climate change. A new Netherlands-based company called Elasol, established in 2012, has developed one such technology that uses an innovative elastic, warp-knit textile in an intelligent system to help balance sunlight, shade, temperature and humidity.
Alexium International Group has announced that its affiliate Alexium Government Solutions LLC (AGS) has submitted a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposal to the US Army to develop novel multi-threat protection capabilities on military applications.
Teijin is to establish a specialized department to accelerate materials business incubation through technology acquisitions and alliances with immediate effect. The new Technology Alliance Development Department, established under Teijin’s New Business Development Group, will strategically grow materials related businesses by identifying promising partners and mergers and acquisitions opportunities. Alliances are envisioned for undertakings ranging from R&D to business model creation.
Innovative German technical textiles producer Riedel Textil has introduced a new range of seamlessly knitted tights called KinesioTight, which have been scientifically developed to both improve sports performance and protect against injuries. Developed in cooperation with sports and medical experts, KinesioTight is said to integrate the effects of the well known Kinesio Tape Method of treatment into functional sportswear.
Fibre producer Invista has acquired Ashburn Hill Corp., along with its associated intellectual property, including the Tecgen brands and a manufacturing operation in Texas. The company says Tecgen flame resistant garment products will expand its existing performance and protective fabric offerings, as well as add a new skill set to the company.
Statistics reveal that spinning line capacities are becoming increasingly large
The majority of recent installations for polyester have been spinning lines directly connected to a common reactor. Lines of this kind are economically prudent, although flexibility is very limited compared to extruder spinning lines. Here, additive injection and mixing systems can help regain this lost flexibility.
Karl Mayer will be presenting two new innovations at Techtextil 2013, which takes place from 11 to 13 June in Frankfurt. The German company’s Warp Knitting Business Unit has developed acoustic-damping warp-knitted spacer fabrics which will be integrated into its stand at the exhibition.
A new publication from Textile Media Services – Agrotextiles: A growing landscape with huge potential – provides a unique overview of woven, knitted and nonwoven fabrics and other textiles used in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, floriculture and landscape gardening, as well as in fishing and aquaculture. These include fabrics for livestock protection, shading, weed and insect control, and for extending the growing season of plants and crops.
Lenzing has succeeded in achieving the second best business result in its history in the 2012 financial year in spite of difficult market conditions in its core fibre business. The Austrian company’s Annual Report published today says that this can be attributed to new record fibre sales volumes and good performance of its specialty Tencel fibre. Readers can download the full Lenzing Group Annual Report 2012 at the foot of this article.
Market leaders in the sportswear sector will present specialist technologies at Texprocess, the leading international trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials from 10-13 June this year in Frankfurt, Germany, in co-location with Techtextil, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. The following text, provided by the show’s organiser summarises some of the leading technologies which will be exhibited.
A new large scale plant for the production of polyester fibre and a new generation of nonwovens will be built in Russia this year by CJSC Kotovsky Nonwovens Plant, one of Russia’s largest producers of nonwovens.
Technical textiles will have a key role to play in the challenge of building with less and designing lighter, stronger and yet more efficient buildings.
Celliant, a developer of innovative responsive textile technology, has announced an alliance with global brand, Puma. The brand’s men's athletic apparel line inspired by Olympic gold medalist and world record sprinter Usain Bolt now features performance-driven apparel incorporating Celliant's patented mineral fibre technology.
Textile machinery manufacturer Oerlikon Neumag will be presenting its diverse range of products and services at the Domotex Asia / Chinafloor exhibition, which takes place from 26-28 March 2013. The Neumünster based company says that although China has the greatest manmade fibre capacities in the world, the country is considered to be a small BCF (bulk continuous filament) market with development potential based on its consumer habits, for the domestic market as well as for the budding export market.
FibeRio, the developer and manufacturer of novel Forcespinning nanofiber production systems has announced it has completed a $13M capital raising exercise led by two global strategic investors – SABIC Ventures B.V., Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s corporate venture capital arm, and Aster Capital Partners, sponsored by Solvay, Schneider Electric, Alstom and the European investment fund.
Teijin Frontier, a Teijin Group fibre product converting company, announced this morning that it has developed a new polyester curtain fabric that traps double the amount of pollen as conventional polyester curtain fabric, helping to minimize pollen levels indoors. Teijin Frontier will sell the new fabric for use in lace curtains from March this year.
Nanotechnology maker Litrax’ L2 fibre and filament technology has been named in ISPO 2013’s Top 5 Fibres Innovations for fall/winter season 2014/15.
Bayer MaterialScience has developed a new high-performance cross linking agent for the coating of temperature-sensitive textile fibres. The company’s polyurethane dispersion Imprafix 2794 XP is also said to have possible advantageous applications in glass and automotive OEM coating.
Italian protective fabrics producer Argar Technology, a division of Argar S.r.L, will be showcasing its range of innovative products at this year’s leading technical textiles exhibitions – Techtextil 2013, and A+A Safety, Security & Health At Work 2013.
Invista reports that it started production this week at its new, polyamide salt plant, an expansion of the company’s polymer facility in Rozenburg, the Netherlands. The expanded site will serve the company’s European fibre and plastic customers through its integrated supply chain.
Teijin has announced that it received a Grand Award at the nano tech 2013 International Nanotechnology Exhibition and Conference, which took place at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan from January 30 to February 1.
TissueGen Inc., developer of a cutting-edge absorbable polymer technology for implantable drug delivery across a wide variety of therapeutic applications, has announced that its patented extrusion technology enables absorbable fibres to be loaded with a wider variety of drugs and biologically-based entities than previously possible.
Combining innovation, technology, and styling to combat the difficult economic climate, apparel and fabric suppliers generated positive energy at last week’s ISPO in Munich. The four-day fair, featuring apparel, gear, textiles, and accessories for winter sports, was the most successful ever, according the Messe München organisation. Some 81,000 visitors from 109 countries crowded the halls, where 2,481 exhibitors from 52 countries filled 103,220 square metres of space with displays of expertise.
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According to the latest The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) State of Trade Report, output of global yarn production rose in Q3/2012 in comparison to the previous quarter due to higher output in Asia South and America, while production in Europe and North America was down.
Just a short time after UK start up, MMT Textiles Ltd announced on www.innovationintextiles.com that it had invented and patented a method of constructing bio-responsive fibres and yarns so that they react to humidity levels in a micro-climate, the London based company revealed this week that it is now close to bringing the technology to market.
Technical Absorbents (TAL) will be exhibiting at the IDEA Nonwovens and Engineered Fabrics exhibition, which takes place in Miami between 23-25 April. The North East England based company says IDEA will be the ideal opportunity for the Super Absorbent Fibre (SAF) manufacturer to show how the company and its product range have progressed over the past few years.
Technical fabrics and performance apparel have a key role to play in finding new international niche markets for Colombia’s textile industry.
This was immediately apparent at the 2013 Colombiatex trade fair which celebrated its 25th anniversary from January 22-24 in Medellin – a city that has changed perhaps more than any other and beyond all recognition over the last quarter of a century.
According to Trützschler, the company’s recent entry into the business of spinning systems for filament yarns for the carpet industry has already been successful after its recent takeover of SwissTex. One Chinese long-time customer of SwissTex, is said to have had the confidence to place an initial order for a carpet yarn spinning system and in the second half of 2013, the first BCF positions in the proven symTTex technology will be delivered to China under the new name of Trützschler.
NatureWorks, supplier of biopolymers based Ingeo fibres, has announced that the company has located its first Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Bangkok and has expanded its team of senior commercial, managerial and technical personnel to enhance support of Ingeo customers throughout the region and to expand business.
As part of its Green Packaging Initiative launched in 2011, organic food supplier Ja! Natürlich took a further step to avoid plastics recently by introducing a range of 100% biodegradable fruit and vegetable nets made from Lenzing Modal fibre. Accordingly, onions, potatoes and beetroots are now being packaged in the ‘green’ nets.
Fibre converting company Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., a member of the Teijin Group will be showcasing high-comfort, high-performance polyester products at two upcoming leading international sports trade fairs - the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2013 in Salt Lake City, USA from 23-26 January and ISPO Munich 2013 in Germany from 3-6 February.
Cotton Club, a leading global manufacturer of cotton and hygiene products, with its own production facilities and trade offices in Russia, Turkey, China, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, plans to start construction of a large plant for the production of innovative textile products in Russian city of Dankov (Lipetsk region). Construction will start in the second quarter of 2013, according to an official representative of the company.
The Teijin Group, one of the world's leading suppliers of high-performance fibre, is participating at Technotex 2013, India’s premier exhibition of technical textiles, which will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India this week from 17-19 January. Teijin’s debut appearance at the show will highlight the group’s expanding initiatives to develop the Indian market for high-performance materials.
The Journal of Industrial Textiles has published online the following research paper: ‘Silver nanoparticles loaded thermosensitive cotton fabric for antibacterial application’.
Its official - the next edition of Techtextil will be bigger than ever before. According to organiser Mess Frankfurt, the number of exhibitor registrations for the trade fair, which will be held in Frankfurt am Main from 11 to 13 June 2013, is already significantly higher than at the comparable time two years ago.
Lycra brand owner Invista has announced that it has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a group representing more than 60 leading apparel and footwear brands, retailers, suppliers, nonprofits and nongovernmental organisations working to reduce the environmental and social impacts of apparel and footwear products around the world.
Philip Lehner, long-time chairman and CEO of Leigh Fibers, passed away on 5th January at his home in Hingham, Massachusetts. He was 89.
Milliken has announced the launch of Consequence 2.0 and Yarn Storm, two new collections from the global floor covering division. The introductions aim to provide designers with innovative floor covering solutions - to create unique interior aesthetics through multi-dimensional patterning and colour.
To learn about how different types of sewing thread can help in the manufacture of specialist technical textile products, as well as with more conventional textiles, readers should visit Texprocess 2013, from 10-13 June and Techtextil 2013, from 11-13 June. The two exhibitions are being held concurrently at Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany.
Goyal Knitfab Pvt Ltd, a leading Indian specialty warp knit fabric manufacturer, has announced the successful development of permeate spacer for spirally wound filtration modules, specifically RO (reverse osmosis) membranes.
Thai Acrylic Fibre Co. Ltd (TAF) and Switzerland’s Sanitized AG have announced the signing of a co-branding agreement and licensing program for Amicor fibres. Amicor will unveil the new Biocidals Product Directive (BPD) compliant fibres and yarns under the slogan “Breathe easily and relax” at Heimtextil 2013 which takes place from 9-12 January in Frankfurt.
Outlast Technologies, the market leader for temperature regulating phase change materials (PCMs), is rolling out its new brand identity this New Year with the aim of sharpening its profile.
Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fibre product converting company, has announced the start of full-scale production at N.I. Teijin Airbag Fabric (Nantong) Co., Ltd., a joint venture engaged in manufacturing and sales of fabrics for automotive airbags.
Lenzing’s lyocell cellulosic fibre Tencel turned 20 this week. Lenzing celebrated the anniversary by holding a commemorative ceremony and a customer symposium and here we look at the brand’s past, present and future.
The presence of Boeing and Citroen at the latest confrence held by CELC – the European Confederation of Flax and Hemp – illustrates how seriously the potential of flax and other bast fibre fabrics to replace glass in composites is now being taken.
Leading seamless circular knitting machine builder Santoni has reported strong sales of its machines into the sportswear sector especially for the production of merino wool based seamless garments. Sportswear manufacturers are mainly interested in the Italian company’s SM8 TR1 machine for single jersey garments with mesh effects – particularly in 24 gauge for zonal knitting or body mapping in natural fibres such as merino wool.
South Carolina based Mount Vernon Mills is now offering its Amsoft finish on all fabrics available within the brand’s six collections, to enhance the comfort of flame resistant garments made with Mount Vernon FR fabric.
UK based Armadillo Merino reports that the Italian navy is set to order thousands of its British developed hi-tech garments, which give unprecedented next-to-skin protection and performance in action.
Leading Russian textile producers are considering switching to the production of synthetic fabrics and technical textiles from traditional natural fibre fabrics, in an attempt to increase the industry’s profitability and to reduce dependence from the ever rising global cotton prices.
Alexium has announced a major advancement in the development of its Flame Retardant (FR) treatments and curing methods. The company has developed its novel, non-halogenated FR chemistry for nylon so it can be applied with a standard oven as well as Alexium’s microwave technology. The ability to use traditional heat curing methods, aims to significantly lower entry barriers to key markets and speed up market introduction.
Teijin announced today that its Eco Circle Plantfiber bio-polyester has been selected for use in the seats and interior trim surface of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF, which was updated on November 20. It is the first time Eco Circle Plantfiber has been used for the interior of a mass-produced vehicle.
25 German textile machinery manufacturers presented their latest solutions at two VDMA conferences this month in Istanbul and Gaziantep in Turkey. Almost 600 participants from the Turkish textiles industry used the opportunity to learn how German technology can help the sector to cope with the tough competition from Asia and several German companies were able to close deals with Turkish customers during the events.
Forward thinking Scottish industrial textiles manufacturer Scott & Fyfe Ltd celebrated the official opening of its new Innovation Space and Museum on 12 November, which the company describes as another important step on the way to a long-term sustainable company based on a partnership business model.
The market for chemical protective clothing is set for robust growth over the next few years, according to Chemical protective clothing: providing a life-critical barrier a new report from the business information company Textiles Intelligence.
Glen Raven, Inc. has been recognized as the North Carolina Manufacturer of the Year in the large companies category —defined as companies with more than $250 million in annual revenue. The NC Manufacturer of the Year award program is organised by the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, with sponsorship by McGladrey LLP and Fifth Third Bank.
The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published its ‘State of Trade Report’ for Q2, 2012 which shows that global yarn output for the quarter was up and estimates for global yarn and fabric output in Q3/2012 are positive - the outlook for Q4/2012 is unchanged/positive. The following is the main body of the report – the full report with detailed statistics can be downloaded at the foot of this article.
The use of textiles in the automotive industry is set for significant growth, according to a new report from the business information company Textiles Intelligence.
Teijin Limited has announced that Teijin (Thailand) Limited in the Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate of Thailand’s Ayutthaya Province, which was flooded by torrential rainfall in October 2011 and then resumed partial operation in February this year, returned to full-scale production on October 31. All three Teijin Group polyester production facilities in Thailand affected by the flooding are again operating normally.
Lenzing successfully conducted a test run of its fifth production line at its Indonesian subsidiary PT South Pacific Viscose in October. With an additional nominal capacity of 80,000 tons of viscose fibres per annum, the annual total capacity of SPV will increase to 320,000 tons once Line 5 has been fully launched.
Gore-Tex producer W.L. Gore & Associates has invested in a new building at its Livingston site in Scotland. According to an STV report today, the environmentally friendly construction of the £5 million building has allowed energy consumption to be reduced by 25%.
TenCate Protective Fabrics in partnership with Lion Apparel has secured a major order for the delivery of TenCate Tecashield inherently heat and flame retardant fabrics for the turn-out gear of the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire brigade in the Netherlands. The TenCate fabrics will be mainly used for the lightweight outer shell, the protective thermal liner and reinforcement inserts.
A new ‘cutting edge’ facility for technical textiles, nonwovens and composites development opened its doors in the city of Roubaix, in the Lille region of Lille of Northern France, this month.
Nilit has announced it will be introducing its Nilit Breeze cooling yarn to Asian markets at the forthcoming Intertextile Shanghai 2012 tradeshow. Nilit Breeze, the Israeli company’s most recent innovation, is said to be a revolutionary nylon 6.6 fibre that has been proven to cool wearers by almost one degree Celsius in comparison to fabrics knitted with standard fibres.
The Trützschler Group has expanded its manmade fibres product range by taking over the personnel and know-how of SwissTex Winterthur AG, the carpet and industrial yarns spinner.
Adrian Wilson reports
Advancing the contribution technical textiles play in regions affected by natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes is the goal of the new €9 million European FP7 S(P)EEDKITS project.
Focusing on the topic of “consumption,” over 135 delegates from brands, retailers, government organizations, NGOs and academia joined in the 6th annual conference of the RITE Group (Reducing the Impact of Textiles on the Environment).
Alexium International Group (Alexium) announced today that its growing revenues are from multiple sources as a result of commercial development agreements, license payments, and a project funded by the US Department of Defense.
Novel supermicro fibres based on cellulose and cellulose-2.5-acetate are being developed at ITCF Denkendorf (the Institute of Textile Chemistry and Chemical Fibres) in Germany.
Vienna stock exchange listed Lenzing, the global leader in man-made cellulosic fibre production, has acquired a 100% shareholding in the Czech pulp producer Biocel Paskov A.S. Lenzing has held a 75% stake in the company since it acquired its majority stake from the Austrian Heinzel Group, which has now sold its remaining 25% shareholding to Lenzing.
INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry has announced that nominations are now open for the prestigious IDEA13 Achievement Awards, which it organizes in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine.
Seamless knits specialist Tefron has announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with X-Technology Swiss R&D AG (XTS), under which it has been granted exclusive rights to manufacture, market and distribute XTS sportswear brands in North America.
In marking its 50th anniversary in 2011, the Dornbirn Conference celebrated the contribution of the manmade fibres industry to society over the last half a century.
At the 2012 event in Austria from September 19-21 – with over 100 individual presentations and record attendance of over 800 delegates – the emphasis was very much on what the industry can now contribute over the next fifty years and what major changes are on the horizon.
“Fashion Stories” was the Autumn/Winter 2013/14 theme at Première Vision, the trade show for high-fashion fabrics held in Paris September 19 – 21. Combining historical references with a high-tech future, juxtaposing urban living with nature and the elements, and seeking adventure whilst yielding to emotion, a new generation of compact, dense, and tactile fabrics incorporated surprising technical aspects, developing a new relationship between fashion and active sportswear. This was achieved via all manner of woven, knit, and assembled double cloths which displayed a new level of technical know-how, allowing fabrics to express dual personalities.
In this two part feature, Debra Cobb takes an in depth look at the world of textiles which deliver cosmetic benefits and concludes that there is potential for cosmétotextiles to go beyond beauty and deliver wellness, therapeutic, and medical benefits. You can read Part 1 at Beyond Beauty: The Future of Cosmétotextiles.
In this two part feature, Debra Cobb takes an in depth look at the world of textiles which deliver cosmetic benefits and concludes that there is potential for cosmétotextiles to go beyond beauty and deliver wellness, therapeutic, and medical benefits.
Creativity, production speed and design quality through digital printing
Miroglio Textile will be taking one of the key challenges faced by the textile sector to the very heart of Prémiere Vision this week by means of an unprecedented performance by Stefano Arienti, an important Italian artist, which will entail the creation of new fabrics in real time.
Italian seamless garment manufacturer Cifra SpA has launched a brand new line of beauty and sports apparel called Doubleskin, which combines the Milan based company’s seamless warp knitting technology with Rhodia’s bioactive fibre Emana. Doubleskin is available from this week via a brand new website and online shop.
A forward thinking Scottish industrial textiles manufacturer is planning to put ownership of its business into the hands of its employees. Scott & Fyfe Limited, the Tayport based technical textiles manufacturer has announced it will transform itself into an employee owned company. The business is currently owned by the Tough family.
Alexium International Group Limited (Alexium) (announced today that the Australian patent office has granted a patent for the “Method for Attachment of Silicon-containing Compounds to a Surface and for Synthesis of Hypervalent Silicon-compounds” (Australia Patent No. 2006290509).
NatureWorks and Sulzer’s Sulzer Chemtech division announced this week that Sulzer has shipped proprietary production equipment to NatureWorks’ Blair, Nebraska facility that will enable NatureWorks to increase production of Ingeo biopolymer and produce new, high-performance resins and lactides.
The recently-announced bankruptcy of Konarka illustrates just how tricky it is to bring groundbreaking new technologies to market – however smart they may be.
The company is the latest in a list of companies who over the past decade have attempted the fusion of technologies – in this case mass manufactured solar cells with plastic films, but the marriage of electronics with textiles is just as applicable – and come unstuck at the lengthy lead times and endless financial resources required for successfully launching such products.
Reactive Surface Treatment (RST) technology provider Alexium announced today that it has been awarded a $200,000 contract by the US Air Force Research Laboratory to demonstrate its Cleanshell CB treatments for chemical and biological protection applications. The contract follows two other purchase orders by the US Army in the last twelve months and is expected to further validate RST technology for defence applications.
International Newsletters has announced that the speaker on nanotextiles has been confirmed for its TCL2012, International Conference on Textiles Coating & Laminating. Dr. Dirk Hegemann from the prestigious Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) will address the subject Nano Textiles: What can be expected from it?
Alexium announced this week that it has successfully demonstrated its Reactive Surface Technology (RST) treatments for functionalizing temperature-sensitive fibres such as high-performance polyolefins to add new properties such as antimicrobial, adhesion promotion, and flame retardancy.
With ten months still to go, Techtextil, the International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens in Frankfurt am Main from 11 to 13 June 2013, is already almost fully booked.
“Over 90% of the exhibition space occupied in 2011 has been reserved; 86% has actually been firmly booked. Never before have we had such a good result at such an early stage”, says Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies.
All the signs are that Texprocess, Leading International Trade Fair for Processing Textile and Flexible Materials, in Frankfurt am Main from 10 to 13 June 2013, will be a success. With a year still to go before the doors open, over 50% of exhibition space has already been sold and the market leaders are on board.
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Entering its third decade as three important days each year for the global filtration business, the Filtration 2012 International Conference and Exposition will return to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 13-15 November 2012.
Karl Mayer Malimo has developed a new range of geogrids with load-bearing capacities which it says have never been achieved before. The innovative textiles have a tensile strength of 1000 kN in both the weft and zero inlay directions.
In a year of several key sporting events, most notably the London 2012 Olympic Games, the major brands in the summer sportswear industry are battling for market share, according to the latest issue of Performance Apparel Markets from the business information company Textiles Intelligence.
Experts wishing to give a lecture at the symposiums during Techtextil in Frankfurt, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens being held from 11 to 13 June 2013, are invited by the organisers to submit their manuscripts. The deadline for receipt of the manuscripts is 31 October 2012.
Lenzing Tencel and Lenzing Viscose fibres, which are based on the renewable raw material wood, were recently awarded the OK compost HOME certificate from Belgian certification company Vincotte. Vincotte examines and recognizes products which are suitable for both industrial composting as well as for disposal in individual garden composters.
The recent symposium on cosmétotextiles held at Interfilière Paris highlighted the growing success of these hybrid fabrics, as well as posing questions about their future.
A cosmetic textile is defined by the French Office for the Standardisation of Textile and Clothing Industries as “a textile article that contains a substance or a preparation that is intended to be released sustainably on to the different superficial parts of the human body, especially the skin, and which claim particular properties such as cleansing, perfume, change of appearance, protection, maintenance in good condition, or correction of body odours.”
The domestic Chinese market for advanced wound care products is said to be in the relatively early stages of development. However, China announced a $124 billion investment over three years to reform its healthcare system in 2009 and as a result, future market opportunities are considered substantial.
Sales of textile-based automotive airbags are set to increase rapidly between 2010 and 2017 following two tough years in 2008 and 2009 when global sales of light vehicles fell sharply, according to a new from the business information company Textiles Intelligence.
In a sensational move just one day before the Olympic opening ceremonies, adidas has revealed the adizero Primeknit, its first one-piece upper performance running shoe featuring what it calls “a new seamless engineering technology.”
Images released tonight show a running shoe with an upper very similar to Nike’s Flyknit flat knitted which goes on general release today.
Industry rumour mills have been running at warp speed (no puns intended) since we published an article on Nike’s Flyknit integrally knitted running shoe upper in February on our Knitting Industry website - see Nike Flyknit – a seamlessly knitted running shoe!.
Now having taken a closer look at the knitted upper, we can reveal that Flyknit is without any doubt made on an electronically controlled flat knitting machine.
Pablo Larrázabal, a young European Tour professional golfer from Spain, chose the 2012 ThermoCool range of knitted shirts from well known Scottish golf wear brand Lyle & Scott for last week’s Open Championship which was held at Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s from 19-22 July.
According to DSM ropes made with its Dyneema ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE) fibre demonstrated during initial trials, how their outstanding performance can help fishermen around the world to work more safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.
The recent Interfilière show in Paris confirmed the importance of the cosmetic textiles or cosmetotextiles market for producers and marketers of next-to-skin knitted fabrics.
Interfilière organiser Eurovet, has published a seven page report on Cosmetotextiles (cosmetic textiles), which summarises a symposium held at the Paris show and which was jointly sponsored by Interfilière and La Federation de la Maille et de la Lingerie.
According to a new series of Textiles Intelligence reports, textile and clothing markets are likely to remain subdued in 2012, given the considerable uncertainty in the global economy, and the fact that the debt crisis in the Eurozone continues to hit business and consumer confidence.
The high performance fabrics beloved of mountain sport enthusiasts are fast becoming a fixture on clothing racks. Their growing popularity is providing a boost for the Swiss textile industry.
Growth in sales for the industry overall has been in the “double digits for the past few years,” explains Moritz Becher. He is editor at Outdoor Guide, Switzerland’s biggest alpine and outdoor sport magazine.
Wool’s credentials as a textile fibre that promotes health and wellbeing were presented by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) at the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) World Congress this week in Melbourne.
A new technology which combines the outstanding natural features of cork with those of high performance fabrics has won one of the coveted Outdoor Industry Awards the Outdoor 2012 show in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the textiles supply chain. Since Texcare 2012 (Frankfurt/Main) it is stretching out its fingers into the dirt trapping mat industry, too. For the first time Milliken from Manchester and Austria based Kleen-Tex Industries presented product ranges with piles made from recycled polyester and nylon fibres.
Clarion Events North America (Clarion) announced yesterday the launch of ExpoProducción, a new trade fair primarily for the apparel and sewn products manufacturing industry in Mexico and Central America.
UK based Super Absorbent Fibre (SAF) manufacturer Technical Absorbents Ltd (TAL) has developed a new fabric technology which is said to keep wearers of heavy outer clothing cool even when working in the most challenging environments.
Prepregs produced by Umeco Structural materials have been used by Australian composites parts manufacturer LSM Advanced Composites Pty Ltd. (LSM) on the Deepsea Challenger, a pioneering submersible which completed a record-breaking solo dive to the deepest place on Earth - the Mariana Trench - on the 26th March 2012.
Japanese polyester producer Teijin Fibers, announced today that it is supplying its Nanofront high-strength polyester for use in replacement insoles for running shoes made by New Balance. The insoles will be marketed by New Balance Japan and sold in its directly owned shops in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as other sports retail stores nationwide beginning this month.
Italy’s RadiciGroup has introduced a low environmental impact version of its Radyarn polyester yarns. R-Radyarn is said to be a low environmental impact product made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET bottles.
Following the successful completion of an environmental impact assessment, work has started on Lenzing’s new 67,000 tonnes per annum Tencel fibre production facility at Lenzing in Upper Austria. The build is expected to take two years.
The RadiciGroup has added two new products - Dyna and Fine – to its Raditeck range of high-tenacity PA66 yarns.
Technical textile production in Japan continued to increase in 2011 after growing substantially in the previous year, according to a new report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence called ‘Statistics: Fibre Consumption for Technical Textiles in Japan’.
The Teijin Group announced today that its three polyester fibre and textile subsidiaries, Teijin Fibers Limited, Teijin Polyester (Thailand) Limited and Thai Namsiri Intertex Co., Ltd., will participate in the Bangkok International Fashion Fair & Bangkok International Leather Fair 2011 (BIFF & BIL 2012).
In an ambitious drive to reach zero manufacturing waste in its North American facilities, Freudenberg North America's 16 companies will increasingly pursue industrial processes that focus on recycled product content, plant recycling, lower water and energy consumption and increased use of sustainable materials over the next decade, the company said in a statement this week.
The Russian government is investing more than USD$20 million in the implementation of a major project, regarding with the design and further launch of production of innovative textile fabrics.
According to the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the project involves the participation of about major 10 Russian research institutes, which will provide their latest developments in the field of production of innovative textile fabrics.
ITMA, the world’s most established textile and garment machinery exhibition, will put the spotlight on innovations that promote sustainability for its 17th presentation in Milan, Italy, in 2015. A trendsetting showcase of exciting innovations since 1951, the theme chosen for the 2015 edition is ‘Master the Art of Sustainable Innovation’.
Teijin Fibers has launched a new polyester knitted fabric that is said to offer total comfort during perspiration through enhanced absorption, quick drying and prevention of both chill and stickiness.
All over the world there are do-gooders who give their all to serve a noble cause. In the management of an enterprise, however, they would become a liability because the primary goal of an enterprise is to earn money. For a long time, combining benevolence and the need to earn money has been inconceivable.
Future materials in the shape of technical textiles and composites for the mobility sector and lightweight engineering were the major focus in Chemnitz from 8 - 10 May 2012 when more than 1300 visitors attended this year’s combined mtex - LiMA trade fair and symposium.
Around 200 textile research professionals met at the end of May in St Gallen, Switzerland at the international Fiber Society Spring Conference to keep abreast of current trends in research and development in this field.
Alexium has announced it has appointed David Lambert, Lt Colonel US Chemical Corp (Retd.) as Process Chemist and Production Transition Manager in a move aimed at complementing the existing Alexium team’s skills.
By Valérie Lamontagne.
A few weeks ago I attended the annual Smart Fabrics Conference 2012 held in Miami, Florida. This industry-focused event brings together owners, players, entrepreneurs and developers from various textile-based R&D fields interested in intelligent embedded technological applications.
Dr. Anton Reinfelder (AR) is Managing Director of Groz-Beckert subsidiary Groz-Beckert Asia Private Limited, based in Chandigarh, India. He has corporate responsibility for the knitting and sewing divisions at two factories, local purchasing and also sales in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Federal-Mogul Corporation has enhanced its innovative line of Thermflex exhaust insulating sleeves. The optimized design can now be tailored to fit any combination of exhaust pipe and tube geometries, helping to increase efficiency of a vehicle's exhaust system, while protecting sensitive nearby vehicle components. Additionally, the unique flexible manufacturing process produces an exhaust sleeve that is application-specific, eliminating the need for custom tooling.
Teijin Fibers and N.I.Teijin Shoji, the Teijin Group’s products converting business companies, have announced that they will participate in Asia Nonwovens Exhibition (ANEX) 2012, one of the top three exhibitions in the global nonwoven industry, which will be held at the KINTEX exhibition center in Seoul, South Korea from June 13 to 15.
Scottish industrial textiles producer Don & Low has developed a new range of Daltex nonwoven composite fabrics that combine spunbond nonwovens with innovative reflective foils and metallised films
Jeremy Moon, founder and CEO of Icebreaker, the New Zealand company that pioneered the outdoor merino wool apparel category, has been awarded the World Class New Zealand Award for Manufacturing, Design and Innovation.
Two of the strongest and most innovative textile and technology companies in the stretch knits and wovens sectors are joining forces. Swiss companies Schoeller Textil AG from Sevelen (St. Gallen) and the Eschler Group from Bühler (Appenzell Ausserrhoden) are to unite under the banner of Swiss quality, global presence and wide ranging know-how.
Messe Frankfurt has announced that the eleventh edition of Techtextil North America and the second edition of Texprocess Americas will be held from 13-15 May 2014 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Personal protective equipment specialist, Praybourne Products, has launched an exclusive range of coveralls using Protal 5 fabric from Waxman Fibres partnership producers. The innovative product was launched at the Health and Safety Expo at the NEC in Birmingham (15-17 May).
The 51st Dornbirn Man-Made Fibers Congress will take place from 19 – 21 September 2012 in Dornbirn in the Vorarlberg region of Austria, where over 700 delegates from more than 30 countries will meet to discuss the future of the man-made fibres industry.
Production is now underway for the 2012 GOCarbonFibre conference, due to take place in London this October. Organisers Smithers Apex says it is excited about the return to Europe, and building on last year's resounding success it has a fresh new angle for this year's programme.
The first edition of Texprocess Americas took place April 24 – 26, 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The show was co-located with Techtextil North America and aimed to create a synergy making the largest and best technical textiles, textile machinery, nonwovens, sewn products and equipment trade show in the Americas.
The ninth edition of Techtextil North America, now incorporating ATME-I, took place April 24 – 26, 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The show was co-located with Texprocess Americas which resulted in a dynamic synergy creating the largest and best technical textiles, nonwovens, textile machinery, sewn products and equipment trade show in the Americas.
US based Mount Vernon Mills announced today that it has more than doubled its capacity to produce flame resistant (FR) fabrics at its manufacturing facilities in Trion, Georgia, USA. The expansion will enhance the company’s ability to meet increased demand for flame resistant garments to protect workers against hazards associated with electrical energy (NFPA 70E) and oil refining (NFPA 2112).
The Switzerland based International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published its State of Trade Report for the 4th Quarter of 2011. The organisation reports that estimates for Global Yarn and Fabric Output in Q1/2012 are negative but that the outlook for Q2/2012 is positive.
DSM, producer of Dyneema, has introduced a new fibre designed for the production of ropes that it says provide unrivalled strength, stiffness and durability. DSM says DM 20 is an innovative fibre that completely redefines the capability of HMPE ropes and forms the basis of Dyneema Max Technology.
Rhode Island, USA based stretch fabrics producer Darlington Fabrics has launched an innovative family of fabrics called Fasten-Air which stretch for comfort and function in personal protection applications and utilise familiar hook and loop closures.
Naturally Advanced Technologies (NAT) which produces and markets CRAiLAR, a natural fibre made from flax and other bast fibres, has entered a joint development agreement with leading cellulosic manmade fibres producer Lenzing. The agreement calls for the companies to evaluate the blending of CRAiLAR Flax fibres with Tencel (Lyocell) and Lenzing Modal.
Developer of biomedical textiles for medical devices, Biomedical Structures (BMS), has introduced a new advanced tapered medical textile solution for tendons, ligaments and other orthopaedic applications. The company says its advanced weaving capabilities provide a high-precision medical textile solution able to match the anatomical construction of tendons and replicate performance.
Leading Israeli Nylon 6.6 producer Nilit announced today that its innovative patent pending Nilit Breeze speciality yarn is available as a performance fibre for sportswear, hosiery, underwear, shapewear, socks, outerwear and workwear.
Teijin has announced plans to establish Teijin Product Development China Co., Ltd. in August this year to conduct fibre and textile product research and development in Nantong, Jiangsu Province commencing April 2013. The move will enhance the Teijin group’s R&D functions in China and enable collaborative development with local partners to respond quickly to business opportunities in the fast-growing market.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT), which produces and markets CRAiLAR, a natural fibre made from flax and other bast fibres, has earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label for its CRAiLAR Flax Fiber.
Lear Corporation, a leading supplier of automotive seating and electrical power management systems, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire automotive fabrics manufacturer Guilford Mills
Teijin Fibers Limited, a Teijin Group company, has announced that it is supplying Nanofront high-strength polyester nanofibre for the palms of Srixon's new Pro Tour golf gloves
Phase change materials (PCM) developer and marketer Outlast Technologies has been acquired by Golden Equity Investments, (GEI), a Colorado private equity firm that invests in operating businesses.
Teijin has announced it has formed a partnership with the China Chemical Fibers Association (CCFA) in order to pursue business opportunities in the fields of chemical fibres and related industries in China. This is said to be first time the CCFA has entered into a comprehensive alliance with a foreign privately owned business.
April 17-18th will see the UK’s biggest ever event solely dedicated to showcasing the world’s best workwear, personal protective equipment (PPE) and corporate clothing. Taking place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, the Workwear and Corporate Clothing Show is a truly international event set to attract more than 2000 visitors and exhibitors from over 20 countries, from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, China and the USA.
Technical textiles were probably not the prime concern of many of the 700,000+ visitors who flocked to this year’s Geneva Motor Show from March 7-17, but beyond the sleek exteriors of the latest vehicles there was convincing evidence of their increasing adoption.
Lenzing has continued on its dynamic growth path by posting record results for 2011. Despite a significant weakening of the global fibre market in the second half of 2011, Lenzing again achieved double-digit growth rates in sales and earnings, and surpassed the threshold of EUR 2 billion in consolidated sales for the first time in the company’s history. Operating margins also improved from a 2010 high and set a new record.
Teijin Aramid has launched Twaron Tape to provide a new and improved way of protecting fibre optic cables, which play an increasing role in today’s telecommunications. The fragile cores of the fibre optic cables need protection from various hazards and strains.
The annual Workwear and Corporate Clothing Show which takes place on the 17th-18th April this year at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry is used to showcasing the very latest high-tech manmade fibres and materials but this year, Armadillo Merino will be demonstrating how it believes Mother Nature can work wonders in helping to protect the workforce.
TenCate Geosynthetics and AGT International have signed a letter of intent for collaboration on the installation of TenCate GeoDetect technology in a dike body at the Yellow River in Dayulan (Zhengzhou) in the Henan province in China.
Technical Absorbents (TAL), a UK-based subsidiary of the Bluestar Fibre Company Limited, will attend the China International Disposable Paper EXPO (CIDPEX) for the third time In April, with its Super Absorbent Fibre (SAFTM) Technology, and will have its largest ever stand at 54m2.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc.(NAT), which produces and markets CRAiLAR, a natural fibre made from flax and other bast fibres, announced key developments this week toward advancing its first full phase of production in order to supply its CRAiLAR fibre to global partners.
Biomedical Structures (BMS), a developer of biomedical textiles for medical devices and other advanced clinical applications, has announced new capabilities for the high-precision development and manufacturing of vascular grafts.
Researchers in New Zealand say they have found that nine months is all that it takes for merino wool garments to biodegrade when buried in soil. The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) carried out research where two sets of trials compared the biodegradation behaviour of knitted merino and polyester fabrics when buried in soil.
TenCate Protective Fabrics has won an important order from the British producer FlamePro (UK) Ltd, for the delivery of inherently heat and flame resistant materials for the structural fire fighter clothing for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service in the U.K.
Italian circular knitting machine builder Santoni and its sister company Lonati, the world’s leading hosiery machinery manufacturer, are heading to Moscow this month. The two Brescia based companies will be exhibiting at technical textiles exhibition Techtextil Russia and textile machinery show Inlegmash, which are taking place at Moscow’s Expocenter-Pavilion Forum from 12-14 March (booths FD90 and FD120).
Ever since the media began discussing the amount of water needed to produce a pair of jeans, the image of an entire industry line has suffered. And unjustly! In fact, the textile industry is very committed to the protection of the environment, and so is the textile care sector.
Lycra fibre and innovations from Invista are positioned to play a prominent role in the spring and summer ready-to-wear fashions for 2013. Invista’s apparel experts have identified four focus areas for the next generation of ready-to-wear styles. A diverse selection of Lycra fibre innovations are specifically prepared to meet the performance demands of these anticipated developments.
Polyester producer Teijin Fibers Limited has announced it is supplying Nanofront high-strength polyester nanofibre for use in the palms of bicycle and motorcycle gloves made by Goldwin Inc., a major sport apparel maker in Japan. This is the first time Nanofront is to be used in bicycle and motorcycle gloves.
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.
Canada’s Trimera Group has announced the launch of its brand new Catalyst I warp and weft knit seamless knitting development and production centre in Montreal in March 2012.
It would be difficult to find a more enjoyable trade fair than winter ISPO in Munich, where some 80,000 industry professionals and over 2300 exhibitors converged from 29 January to 1 February, in 17 halls filled with the best the outdoor industry has to offer. The crowd was young and enthusiastic, a mix of laid-back shredders, techno-geeks and eco-enthusiasts anxious to share the latest in cool gear for the slopes.
German scientists have developed a new versatile functional yarn which aims to give maximum comfort and has excellent thermal insulation properties. Working in partnership with Zwickauer Kammgarn GmbH and Helmut Peterseim Strickwaren GmbH in Mühlhausen, researchers at the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim, have developed an innovative new yarn for knitted textiles.
Nike announced this morning that it has entered into a strategic partnership with DyeCoo Textile Systems B.V., a Netherlands-based company that has developed and built the first commercially available waterless textile dyeing machines. By using recycled carbon dioxide, DyeCoo's technology eliminates the use of water in the textile dyeing process. The name DyeCoo was inspired by the process of ‘dyeing’ with ‘CO2.’
W. L. Gore & Associates is among just five workplaces to appear on every list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For since the rankings debuted three decades ago. The global technology company, which continues to expand its workforce, earned the No. 38 spot on the 2012 list, now available on fortune.com.
Innovative Italian warp knitter Sitip launched its latest collections of high quality technical fabrics in fashion colours for performance active wear and swimwear at last weekend’s ISPO in Munich.
According to Schoeller Technologies, the efficacy its energear textile technology has been confirmed in an innovative test process at the Hohenstein Institute. The Swiss company also says that the technology has received positive feedback from German Olympian equestrian Bettina Hoy and her horses. energear is a new textile technology from Schoeller that is said to ensure that the energy radiated by the body is returned to it.
The Teijin Group has announced the launch of a program in China for collecting and recycling used uniforms, in collaboration with Shandong Asahi Green Source Hi-Tech Farm Co., Ltd. and Shandong Asahi Green Source Milk Products Co., Ltd., both subsidiaries of Asahi Group Holdings.
India is witnessing a revolutionary phase in the horticultural and agricultural sectors with both small and large companies investing heavily in the latest technologies. In March, the Ministry of Agriculture-sponsored Inter-Horti Expo will become the focus for the industry with both domestic and international exhibitors vying for a piece of the action and displaying their latest products.
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT), producer of one of the first new natural fibres in decades, CRAiLAR, announced today it will partner with Tuscarora Yarns, a leading yarn innovator, to explore a range of new blended yarns using CRAiLAR Flax.
At next month’s R+T in Stuttgart, a leading trade fair for roller shutters and sun protection systems, fibre manufacturer Trevira will be presenting its range of polyester fibres and filament yarns for interior sun protection applications. These include flame retardant fibres and yarns, as well as hybrid yarns for the manufacture of stiffened fabrics.
Teijin Aramid has launched a new higher performing lightweight aramid yarn, Twaron 550f1000. The new yarn is said to be the finest filament based on aramid fibre in the world and will provide better ballistic protection in body armour for police, soldiers and law enforcement officers.
Dow Corning brand Deflexion, a leading silicone-based products company, has announced the launch of its new insole material for footwear, a patented silicone-based impact protection fabric. Deflexion can now be incorporated into a variety of footwear to effectively distribute and reduce peak plantar pressures providing comfort and cushioning in a thin and lightweight form.
Swiss manufacturer of functional knitted fabrics Christian Eschler is to make a fresh start with the launch of its Winter 2013/14 collection after announcing in November that it was relocating production from its Swiss production plants to its subsidiaries in Germany and Thailand.
Special nonwovens are at the heart of a BMW initiative which may well completely change the face of the automotive industry in coming years – with lightweight, carbon fibre-based cars achieving new records in fuel consumption and performance.
A new book entitled ‘Handbook of Technical Textile Design’ has been launched by authors Michael and Matthew Litton; two well known Ayrshire, Scotland, based technical textiles designer/ developers. The book is available in e-format (PDF) and can be purchased directly from the authors by following the links at the foot of this article. The proceeds of the book go to charity.
Comfort and durability are key features of modern workwear fabrics. The right balance of softness; absorbency and stability are essential characteristics of an all-purpose fabric and an absolute must for rental textiles. To meet the stringent requirements of the contract rental market, Melchior Textil has developed the ‘Balance’ range. The properties of these blended fabrics with high cotton content are said to meet the rigorous demands placed on rental workwear in the healthcare sector.
When digital inkjet printing first emerged in the 1990s, it was a welcome innovation for printing flags, banners, and POS textiles, made primarily of polyester. Using disperse inks for direct printing or water-based inks for sublimation, the technology was the answer for quick-turn, small runs or single pieces needed in the display business.
A record number of exhibitors - 2,634 in total - took part
in his year's Heimtextil show for home textiles in Frankfurt from January
11-14th.
At the same time, the
approximately 70,000 visitors to the show were slightly lower than in 2011,
reflecting a decline in those from European nations particularly hard hit by
the debt crisis - notably Italy, Spain, Greece, France and The Netherlands. By
contrast, there was an increase in the number of visitors from Russia, the
Middle East
Sustainability is the
mega-trend of our time. The range of sustainable products and services is
constantly on the rise. However, the concept of sustainability cannot be viewed
in isolation but demands a holistic approach: it is not a case of "either ... or"
but rather "both ... and".
Sustainability, as we understand it today, means the use of
resources to meet our needs without depleti
In a sensational deal
announced today, two of the world's market leading manufacturers of knitted seamless
apparel are to collaborate to produce a new line of unique lingerie,
bodyshapers, posture garments and sportswear products based on seamless warp
knitting technology.
Israel's Tefron Ltd, a leader in circular seamless garment
production and Italy's Cifra SpA, a design led pioneer in warp knitted seamless
production, announced today that they have signe
Biomedical textiles developer and manufacturer Biomedical
Structures (BMS), has launched Biofelt an absorbable nonwovens based scaffold
for implant devices for use in orthopaedics, cardiology, general surgery and other
in vivo applications.
Biofelt's unique nonwoven structure is said to provide a
fibrous matrix platform that enables natural tissue in-growth in surgical
applications. Composed of felt created by a carding and needle punch process, Biofelt
is said to
Lycra brand owner Invista, set new textile technology
standards in high-performance active wear and outdoor apparel standards when it
initially launched its Lycra Sport fabric certification program two years ago. The company is now expanding the range by introducing
two additional tiers of performance standards focused specifically on the
fast-growing compression and shaping categories within sports apparel
categories: Lycra Sport Energy fabric and Lycra Sport Beauty fa
Concern over the air
quality inside buildings is now receiving similar attention to that which
outdoor air quality received in the 1970s - and it's another area in which
nonwoven-based filter media are cleaning up.
A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that the air
within homes and other buildings can be even more polluted than the outdoor air
in even the largest and most industrialised cities.
In addition, those exposed to indoor air pollutants for the
longest periods
Polyester producer Teijin
Fibers announced today that it has decided to commercialize a new version of
its Nanofront high-strength polyester nanofibre with a diameter of 400 nanometres,
or 22,500 times smaller than the cross-sectional area of a strand of hair, an
unprecedented achievement for a commercial polyester fibre.
The new version, which will be marketed by Teijin Fibers as
a finer version of its existing 700 nanometre Nanofront nanofibre, is expected
to expand the m
Lenzing is to continue to supply flame-resistant specialty fibres
for a new generation of U.S. Army combat uniforms with the signature of U.S.
President Obama formally approving the National Defense Authorization Act enabling
the delivery of TenCate Defender M uniform fabrics for an unlimited period of
time (permanent waiver) on 31 December 2011.
The key component included Defender M fabric is the heat
protection fibre Lenzing FR from Austrian company Lenzing. In princi
According to local media reports, Devold of Norway, a
leading outdoor brand and producer of knitted products, is planning to set up a
new factory in Lithuania which has already been its main production base since
the late 1990s.
Norwegian owned Devold, together with two Lithuanian food
co-operatives will become the first investors in the Panevezys industrial park
in central Lithuania, news2biz.com reports. The three companies are said to be
planning to invest a total
Polyester producer Teijin Fibers is supplying its
high-strength polyester Nanofront nanofibre for use in running socks made by
New Balance. Frictional force, one of the noteworthy properties of Nanofront,
creates outstanding slip resistance to help prevent the sock from sliding
inside a shoe, thereby reducing blisters and shoe sores. Nanofront also boasts
high absorbency for added comfort.
The socks are being marketed by New Balance Japan and sold
in its own shops in Toky
TenCate Geosynthetics
Americas has been selected by Parsons Engineering of New York as the sole
source to supply TenCate Geotube containers for the dredging project on
Onondaga Lake, in the State of New York. This project is thought to be the
largest geotextile tube project in the US and North America.
As a result of over a
century of industrial activity on the shores of Onondaga Lake, lake sediments
have been contaminated with chemicals such as heavy metals,
Lycra brand owner Invista has announced changes to its
global spandex business. In a statement this afternoon Invista Apparel
President Dave Trerotola announced changes to the global organisational
structure which the company says will foster innovation and enhance service.
Invista's spandex business has created a new western region
and eastern region to serve its global base of customers. The western region,
led by Max Wiesendanger, merges the company's Europe, Middle Eas
Car manufacturer Ford
says it is planning to divert approximately 2 million post-consumer plastic
bottles for use in its new Focus Electric and other new vehicles for the next
model year, through the use of Unifi's Repreve recycled PET yarns in interior
fabrics.
Each Focus Electric car contains Repreve-based fabrics made
from approximately 22 recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle. The
company says it is the first Ford vehicle to have an interior made from 100%
Market leader in the production of cellulose fibres Lenzing
is to exclusively produce the lyocell based specialty fibres Smartcel and
SeaCell which were developed by German company Smartfiber AG of Rudolstadt.
The
two companies have been cooperating for some time and under the newly expanded
arrangement Lenzing will produce the fibres at the Lenzing site in Upper
Austria.
In 2007, Lenzing granted Smartfiber a license for the pilot
production of new types of lyocell spe
TenCate Geosynthetics North America has developed a
patented, woven geosynthetic for soil stabilization and base course
reinforcement applications when differential settlement occurs due to heaving
in the subgrade soils.
According to TenCate, TenCate Mirafi H2Ri is a wicking
geosynthetic created from high-tenacity polypropylene filaments and patented
wicking filaments formed into an innovative weave to provide superior
reinforcement strength and soil interact
Invista has announced that its Lycra fibre has been chosen
by Speedo for the revolutionary FASTSKIN³ swimsuit collection unveiled on 30th
November 2011, during an exclusive global launch.
"With a heritage spanning more than 35 years of helping
swimwear fabrics provide exceptional fit, form and function for the water, the
Lycra fibre brand has a natural alliance with the world of swimming, and Invista
has a long history of providing Speedo with its premium fibres," Inv
According to a new
Freedonia industry study, demand for filters in the US is expected to increase
to just over $12 billion in 2015. The ‘US Filter Market' study says the growth
reflects an improvement over the weaker gains registered during the 2005 to
2010 period due to the economic recession that occurred during the latter half
of that period.
The study also says advances will be spurred by improved
manufacturing activity, and motor vehicle production and sales, a
General Motors and Teijin Limited., a leader in the carbon fibre
and composites industry, are to co-develop advanced carbon fibre composite
technologies for potential high-volume use globally in GM cars, trucks and
crossovers.
The co-development pact signed on 8 December involves the use
of Teijin's innovative carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP)
technology, a faster and more efficient way to produce carbon fibre composites.
This potentially enables GM to intr
IntertechPira has announced the agenda for the 8th annual
Smart Fabrics 2012 conference which includes speakers from Adidas, M.I.T., Nike
and Philips Lighting.
The scheduled presenters for Smart Fabrics 2012 include:
· Dr. Vicki A. Barbur, VP Research and
Development, M-Segment, Cardinal Health
· Stacey
Burr, VP Wearable Sports Electronics, adidas
· Hap
Klopp, Chairman, Cocona Fabric
· Sti
Teijin Limited and
the Tokyo Institute of Technology have co-developed a highly conductive carbon nanofibre
(CNF) which is said to have a high linearity structure which offers 30-40%
greater electrical conductivity compared to conventional CNF.
The primary application envisioned for the new CNF is for
battery components, including lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, capacitors,
electrode additives, plastic additives, fuel-cell gas-diffusion layers and
plastic reinfo
On the wall at Heimtextil
By Adrian Wilson At the forthcoming Heimtextil home furnishings show which
takes place in Frankfurt, Germany, from January 11-14, textile wallcoverings
will be more strongly featured than ever before.
One leading nonwovens company which is finding a
fast-growing market for its wallcovering products is Ahlstrom - and especially
in Asia.
In China, the wallcovering market is reported to be growing
at 30% per year and Ahlstrom has established a leadership position with a
The Fifth Wearable Technologies Conference will take place
alongside the ISPO sports show in Munich, Germany, on January 30, 2012.
The conference will focus on key areas in which wearable
electronics and smart textiles are rapidly emerging, including sports,
smartphones and consumer gadgets and therapy and medical, while at the same
time introducing a range of new innovations.
Showcases from established companies will include the
wearable diabetes management system developed by
According to Duofold by Champion, a HanesBrand brand, more
than 20 million Americans participate in snow sports from Nordic skiing to
snowboarding, and ski professionals say that most first-time skiers will be
cold when hitting the slopes this winter.
More than 75% of ski pros said that the majority of new
skiers do not dress appropriately for the weather conditions with the most
common mistake being not layering properly, according to a recent survey of
professi
Polyester fibres producer Teijin Fibers has developed a unique
polyester fibre with a distinctive, highly modified cross-section with eight
projections aligned in a radial pattern around a hollow fibre.
The new fibre, named Octa after its octopus-like appearance,
is said to offer rapid sweat absorption and drying, low weight, heat
shielding/insulation and useful bulkiness. Octa will be marketed from April
2012 for next-to-skin applications such as underwear and sportswe
Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG) - part of Umeco
Composites Structural Materials - a division of Umeco plc, says it is engaged
in an exciting automotive project, part funded by the UK Technology Strategy
Board (TSB), with collaborating partners UK-based Revolve Technologies and
IE-LEV to develop and manufacture tooling and parts for a lightweight,
range-extended electric-hybrid commercial fleet demonstrator vehicle.
ACG says this is possibly the first applicatio
Freudenberg North
America continues to lead the development of green innovations with its new
Viledon Hydrotexx ECO, a green nonwoven filtration media made with
Post-Consumer Recycle (PCR) polyester.
The group's Freudenberg Filtration Technologies worked with
its customer Meissner Manufacturing, who manufactures the Unicel brand and is
one of the largest North American producers of replacement cartridges for the
pool and spa market.
The Unicel team initiated i
Italian vertical fabrics producer Pontetorto has introduced a
new range of functional weft knitted fabrics which work with the skin's natural
process of moisture evaporation to offer dynamic comfort. The Dryfast Adaptive range
is on show at Performance Days, the functional fabrics road show which is being
held this week in Munich, Germany and in Annecy, France.
Known for its high performance fleece fabrics, Pontetorto
designed Dryfast Adaptive observing that the body con
Messe Frankfurt has announced Miguel Caballero, the' Armani
of Bullet Proof Clothing', as the Keynote Speaker for Techtextil North America and
Texprocess Americas 2012, to be held 24-26 April 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in
Atlanta, Georgia.
Designer, Miguel Caballero known as the ‘Armani of Bullet
Proof Clothing' founded his label in 1992 in Colombia's capital, Bogota. The
Miguel Caballero bulletproof clothing line was especially created for those
Leading Italian warp and circular knitted fabric
manufacturers Carvico and Jersey Lomellina, both Carvico Group companies, have
launched a new eco initiative - Life Cycle Control (LCC) project - at Mare Di
Moda/ Intimo Di Moda which opened here this morning.
In a joint statement issued today the two companies said
that the LCC project aims ‘to help them consolidate their role as pioneers in
the mission of finding new production and distribution processes which, thanks
The third edition of the biennial Techtextil India 2011,
which took place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai earlier last month, welcomed
3814 visitors from 27 countries to visit its 130 exhibitors.
The exhibiting countries were (in order of highest
attendance) India, Germany, PR of China, France, Belgium, South Korea, USA,
Sweden Netherlands, Japan, Turkey, Thailand, Italy and UK. The show also
included national pavilions from Belgium, PR of China, France and Germany.
V
Unifi has confirmed that car maker Ford's new Focus Electric
model features seat fabric made from the company's Repreve recycled fibre. More
than 20 plastic bottles per car are said to be used in the recycled material.
Repreve is made from a hybrid blend of recycled materials
and manufactured by Unifi, Inc. which says that 22 plastic, 16-ounce water
bottles are used in the seat fabric of a single Focus Electric. The figure is
based on the amount of Repreve branded fib
The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
has published its State of Trade Report for the second quarter of 2011. Year on
year global fabric production was down for the quarter and although estimates
for both yarn and fabric production are negative for the third quarter, the
outlook for the fourth quarter is positive in both cases.
The ITMF reports as follows:
Alexium's ‘nanoscopic
shrink-wrap' gains traction
Adrian Wilson reports
It's been a year of solid achievement for Alexium in
commercialising its potentially disruptive RST technology.
The company is working with major prospective commercial
partners and also started-up a new production line at its headquarters in Greer
in South Carolina, USA, which triples its capacity.
And Alexium's Business Development Director John Almond
reports that the first mass market application for RST are getting c
TenCate Protective Fabrics, a leading supplier of flame
resistant (FR) fabrics, has received a new order for TenCate Defender M from
Crye Precision to support 10,000 additional uniforms for use in a continued
user evaluation for Combat Uniforms of the Australian Defence Forces.
TenCate delivered TenCate Defender M FR fabric for an
extensive user trial by the Australian Defence Force in May 2011. The uniforms
submitted were manufactured by Crye Precision in Brook
TenCate Protective Fabrics is providing flame resistant (FR)
fabric for two successful tenders in the Canadian military market.
The first tender concerns the Advance Combat Ensemble (ACE)
used by the Canadian Air Force, which will be made with Nomex FR fabric from the
TenCate Brigade product portfolio.
The second tender involves TenCate Campshield FR liner
fabric for use in tents by all Canadian Defence Forces. TenCate Campshield FR fabric
is also Nomex based.
TenCat
A cluster of forward-thinking Scottish companies have joined
forces to offer railway operators a ‘one-stop-shop' for rail carriage interiors,
showcasing together for the first time
at Railway Interiors Expo 2011 this month.
The synergy created by bringing their skill and experience
together under the name ‘Rail Interiors Solutions' ensures a strong presence
and a perhaps compelling new way to market
Demand for elastane fibres, known as spandex in the USA and
parts of Asia, is set to grow considerably according to a new report, ‘Stretch
fibres and fabrics: reaching new levels of comfort', from the business
information company Textiles Intelligence.
Report summary
In the ten years to 2010 demand for elastane fibres more
than doubled, from around 160,000 tons to over 350,000 tons, and, despite the
availability of cheaper substitute stretch materials, it will continue to
i
According to a series of new Textiles Intelligence reports,
global demand for technical textiles is on the rise as new applications and new
markets continue to emerge. The reports can be purchased via Innovation in Textiles by following the
links below:
Innovation and
Internationalisation Drive Success in the German Technical Textile Industry;
New Technologies
for Making Up Technical Textiles and Clothing; The World
Nonwovens Industry: Part 1 -- The Leading Ten Producers;
Invista's Cordura brand team welcomed Iain Bradley as European
business manager for the Performance and Protective Fabrics group in October.
In his new role, Bradley will lead marketing, sales, and new
business development activities to help grow Cordura branded sales in military
and outdoor/performance apparel markets in the Europe, Middle East and Africa
(EMEA) region.
He will also develop and execute marketing plans to increase
brand recognition and new fa
Lenzing has announced that it's Tencel and Lenzing FR fibres
have been certified as 100% Biobased by the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
The Biobased certification is part of the BioPreferred program which
encourages government agencies and contractors to purchase products that are
biobased or made from significant amounts of biobased materials.
The purpose of the BioPreferred program is to increase the
US government's use of environmentally-friendly products
After launching its Newlife
recycled yarn platform at key events such as Expofil in Paris and the World
Textile Summit and ITMA in Barcelona, Filature Miroglio launched the Newlife
platform to the workwear and protective textiles markets at A+A in Düsseldorf
in October.
A+A is the leading show for workwear and protective
textiles. Held every two years the show recorded record visitor numbers this
year at 60.100 (2009: 55,800). 1600 exhibitors from 54 countries featu
iLoad, the latest
development from Swiss textile and technology specialist Schoeller Textil AG, was recognized with the
Swiss Technology Award in the segment ,Maturity Stage' at the Innovation Forum,
held at the Novartis Campus in Basel on 3 November.
In a two-phase adjudication process, a high profile jury of experts
carefully selected the three winners from among 96 applicants and awarded them Switzerland's
leading technology and innovation prize. The Swiss Technol
Italian companies TCX and Dryarn have entered into a partnership
to develop two lines of seamless underwear, TXC Base Layer Summer and TXC Base
Layer Winter, for the motorcycle market. The garments are said to offer significant
technical advantages over competitors via innovative solutions.
TCX, a Novation Group brand and producer of clothing and
footwear for motorcyclists, has always aimed at developing technical solutions
to increase the comfort and safety of its pr
Freudenberg North
America is finding that its recyclable innovations are not only good for the
environment and its customers - they are also good for job growth.
Freudenberg aims to lead the way in recyclable product
innovations that include materials used in everything from mattresses,
wallpaper and brooms to building materials, landscaping and automotive
interiors.
The company says its innovations kee
KPS Capital Partners, LP has announced that it has entered
into definitive agreements to acquire American & Efird, Inc. (A&E) from
Ruddick Corporation through a newly-formed affiliate, A&E Global, for
$180.0 million, subject to certain post-closing adjustments.
A&E, headquartered in Mt. Holly, North Carolina, is the largest
U.S. manufacturer and the world's second-largest manufacturer and dist
A+A 2011, the leading International Trade Fair with Congress
for Safety, Security and Health at Work posted record last week when it took
place from 18 - 21 October.
60,100 trade visitors, the highest number in the event's
history (2009: 55,800), gathered information on current trends and product
innovations in the field of occupational health and safety and the implementation
of smooth-running operational procedures from the 1600
Modular flooring manufacturer InterfaceFLOR has signed a
pan-European agreement with waste management specialist, SITA. The partners in sustainability have joined
forces to recover end-of-life carpet tiles from customers across Europe and
maximise their use.
Rather than being
sent to landfill, the tiles will be returned to InterfaceFLOR to be re-used by
the company's social partners or fully recycled in to n
A Dutch football club has installed a new 100% recyclable
artificial grass pitch which uses a patented weaving technique which results in
the turf fibres remaining upright.
Thanks to GreenFields, HHC Hardenberg (HHC) football club has a 100% recyclable artificial
grass football pitch. HHC took the initiative for the project and by
collaborating with GreenFields, artificial turf manufacturer TenCate Grass
Sabine Anton-Katzenbach reports from A+A in Dusseldorf
The biannual trade show A+A in Düsseldorf is a must for everyone who is involved in safety and health at work. And it is an important newsroom for the latest technical textiles applied in protective clothing and work wear.
In 2011 the sector is heading for a new generation of protective wear: it combines multi-risk protection and high comfort such as sweat management, breathabili
DSM Dyneema has announced the global introduction of a new innovative
light weight ballistic material for use in Law Enforcement and Military
protective vests. The new material advances the achievable protection level
with Soft Ballistic (SB) armour by building on a new technology platform first
established with Dyneema SB51 from DSM Dyneema in 2010.
According to the company, Dyneema SB71 is a high performa
Two Norwegian producers of knitted merino wool apparel have recently taken major industry awards in the active/outdoor sector.
Both Aclima and Devold are well established design leaders in the growing active/outdoor market but also supply to the important workwear/safety market.
The Devold Air Vest has won the Scandinavian Outdoor Awards Jury's Choice award for Innovation. The judging panel believe it is the first garment of it
Japanese fibres giant Teijin Limited announced today that it will donate 20 million Japanese yen (approx. 260,000 USD) for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by severe flooding in Thailand. The donation includes 15 million yen provided to the Thai government.
The Teijin Group says it attaches great importance to the affected area, where it operates key polyester manufacturing facilities.
Teijin extends its s
Teijin Aramid introduced its latest unidirectional laminate fabric, Twaron UD41 at the A+A show in Dusseldorf yesterday, which has been specially developed for bulletproof vests to provide extra protection from different types of attack.
Twaron UD41 is aimed at groups such as soldiers or police units, and even private citizens who require such protection.
According to Teijin Aramid, the new fabric, which is based
Israel based Nylon 6.6 producer Nilit has announced it will be showing its innovative yarn range, including the company's novel Innergy yarn at the forthcoming Intertextile Shanghai 2011 trade fair. At the show, Nilit will also showcase the Nilit BodyFashion Trendbook for Spring/Summer 2013.
Intertextile Shanghai is a leading international trade fair for apparel fabrics and accessories held yearly in China. It
RITE Group Conference seeks paradigm shift through traceability
17 October 2011
Debra Cobb reports from London
How can the apparel textile industry link together its diverse efforts toward sustainability in a way that is meaningful to the brand, retailer and consumer? Can a system of supply chain traceability help reduce "greenwashing" and convince consumers to care about the provenance of what they wear?
"Supply Chain Traceability and Metrics" was the focus of the 5th annual RITE Group Conferen
Teijin Aramid opened its newest plant for the production of its Endumax high strength tape in Emmen in the Netherlands today. By adding the new high-performance polyethylene tape (HP-PE) to its product portfolio, the Teijin Group says it has taken the next step toward global market leadership in super fibres and materials.
"For years, the Netherlands has played a dominant role in the global production of super fibres
TenCate Defense & Tactical, a supplier of inherently flame resistant (FR) fabrics for ground troop uniforms, has been selected to receive a major order for new TenCate Defender M fabrics specifically designed to meet new end-user needs to improve pants performance.
The new fabrics, including TenCate Defender M Stretch a durable stretch FR fabric, are the result of the commitment of TenCate to continually improving the protec
CIRFS, the Brussels based European Man‐made Fibres Association has published its latest statistical report on developments in the global man‐made fibres industry. The report, ‘Information on Man‐made Fibres' is the 47th edition of this valuable summary of the dynamic and growing man-made fibres industry.
It brings together data on the production of acrylic, cellulosic, polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, wool and cotto
ContiTech AG of Hanover, Germany, is bolstering its involvement in Eastern Europe, investing over €10 million in a new plant in Serbia. Starting in mid-2012, the production facility in Subotica in northern Serbia is to manufacture hose lines for the automotive industry. By 2016, the plant will have a workforce of 300 and is the second ContiTech plant in Serbia.
The new location expands the production capacities of t
India's technical textiles industry is expected to grow to a value of Rs 1,58,000 crore by 2017, a senior government official said at the opening of Techtextil India 2011 in Mumbai, Moneycontrol reports.
"The technical textiles industry is forecast to grow at Rs 1,58,000 crore by 2016-17, with a projected growth of 20%. The industry has grown to Rs 63,000 crore in 2011-12 from Rs 41,000 crore in 2010-11, which is 11%
Japanese high performance fibres supplier Teijin will be exhibiting at Techtextil India, the international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, which is being held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India next week (10-12 October).
Teijin will present high-performance solutions incorporating aramid, carbon and polyester fibres for diverse applications, including protective, energy-saving
Teijin Aramid has commenced production of the first all black aramid fibre, Twaron Black, in Emmen, in the Netherlands. Twaron, normally golden yellow in colour due to the chemical process used in its manufacture, is now available in black for the first time.
"Aramid is difficult to dye by nature, but it is now possible to produce black threads of the same quality. Twaron is five times stronger than steel at the same weight and is ofte
Scientists at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) have developed a self-cleaning cotton fabric that they say can kill bacteria and break down toxic chemicals such as pesticide residues when exposed to light.
"The new fabric has potential applications in biological and chemical protective clothing for health care, food processing and farm workers, as well as military personnel," said Ning Liu, who cond
Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed what they believe to be the first polymeric material that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared irradiation (NRI), enabling the material to disassemble in a highly controlled fashion.
The study is said to represent a significant milestone in the area of light-sensitive material for non-invasive medical and biological app
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) announced today that it has entered into a short term CRAiLAR Flax fibre development agreement with work wear brand Carhartt commencing September 2011 to support evaluation of processing CRAiLAR Flax fibre in premium grade work wear.
"Carhartt aligns perfectly with our current portfolio and we are excited to add them to our growing mix of partner brands," sa
Lenzing has launched an eco version of its Modal fibre at this autumn's trade shows. The Austrian company's new Lenzing Modal Edelweiss is said to be produced by an innovative, eco friendly manufacturing technology.
"The Lenzing group has always set the technological and environmental standards in the cellulose fibre world. To maintain its reputation as the industry's Best Practices model, enormous investments in the environment are re
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) has entered into a purchasing agreement for a minimum of one and a half million pounds of CRAiLAR Flax fibre with Brilliant Global Ltd, the Hong Kong-based private label knitwear manufacturer which produces a broad spectrum of sweater and accessory items in natural fibres for globally recognized brands. The agreement is to commence in October 2011.
"This agre
DuPont won a civil lawsuit for $919.9 million against Kolon Industries yesterday, with the jury finding that Kolon stole trade secrets and confidential information regarding DuPont's Kevlar aramid fibre.
Kolon, a South Korea-based company, was found liable for misappropriation of trade secrets, and the jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond, Va., found that its act
Invista, owner of the Lycra brand has developed a range of garments using its Lycra Sport technology, with Canterbury of New Zealand, which it says will athletes perform at their best.
By using Lycra Sport as an integral ingredient in their graduated compression garments, Canterbury has produced sportswear that supports Rugby World Cup athletes and sportsmen and women across the world, as they train, compete and recover.
Ly
Austrian premium brand Löffler, known for its innovative sportswear with strong design and optimum comfort is highlighting ‘Transtex light' a fabric made from polypropylene and elastane by creora in its summer collection.
The extremely light, single-layered Transtex light fabric is an innovation made by Löffler which is said to guarantee fast moisture transportation.
Löffler says it uses the functional fibre pol
Century Place a US based supplier to the textile rental trade is using Ecosure, a fibre made from post consumer PET polymer, in its latest line of knitted rental uniforms.
Poole Company, a manufacturer and distributor of recycled and virgin polyester fibre says its EcoSure fibres, which Century Place has selected for its range, are certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) as being manufactured from 100
Germany's AMSilk and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) have joined forces in the development of a novel spin process for making high performance fibres from AMSilk's spider silk proteins.
AMSilk is said to be the first company able to deliver sufficient spider silk material for applications development as its spider silk is inspired by the natural silk from spiders a
Lenzing has announced it has successfully completed its capacity expansion drive initiated three years ago at its fibre production facility located in Heiligenkreuz in the Burgenland region of Austria.
Production capacity of the cellulose fibre Tencel has been increased incrementally by 25,000 tons to today's 60,000 tons. A total of Euros 60 million has been invested at the Heiligenkreuz site and the total number of e
Santini, a leading Bergamo, Italy based producer of technical cycling sportswear, has launched a new exclusive range of socks called Mirai which are produced with Filature Miroglio's Newlife eco-high tech yarns. Santini says this is an exclusive and cutting edge project that combines stylish design and the Newlife revolutionary recycled material to create a high quality, eco-friendly product.
Newlife is the product o
TenCate Protective Fabrics Americas, a leader in inherently flame-resistant (FR) woven and knitted fabrics for protective apparel has intensified its strategic efforts to take the TenCate Tecasafe Plus product portfolio to a world-wide marketplace.
According to TenCate, the global demand for TenCate Tecasafe Plus is increasing because end-users are looking for the most economic protection in combination with outstanding pe
At the forthcoming A+A safety and security trade fair which takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from October 18-21, a number of companies will be introducing knitted protective gloves featuring the latest Dyneema Diamond Technology.
Dyneema Diamond Technology is an innovative production technology developed by DSM Dyneema which is said to enable the manufacture of yarn that delivers significantly increased c
Specialist narrow fabrics machine builder Mageba is launching a brand new high-productivity shuttle loom for complex, multi-dimensional narrow fabrics at next month's ITMA 2011 in Barcelona.
Mageba says it's new SSL MV shuttle loom is designed for complex fabric structures, such as multi-dimensional, multi-layer fabric for profile fabric and near net-shaped fabrics made of carbon fibre and glass fibr
The Lenzing Group has reported record results after the most successful first half year in the company's history.
Following a very good first quarter 2011, sales and earnings were significantly surpassed in the second quarter of 2011 and the company has now set its guidance for the full year 2011 at the upper end of the initial guidance announced in the first quarter, forecasting EBITDA of EUR 470 million to
Innovative Textiles Inc. (ITI) has announced the launch of its latest patent pending fabric, Reliant AIR. ITI is a leading manufacturer of FR and arc resistant fabrics serving the electrical, fire, petrochemical, and safety apparel marketplace.
Reliant AIR is said to be a unique flame resistant fabric, engineered for maximum comfort and uncompromised arc protection. According to ITI, Reliant AIR meets the F
Leading experts from around the world will gather in Barcelona at the fourth Industrial Fabrics Association International Advanced Textiles Europe conference (AT Europe '11) which is being held alongside ITMA 2011 with two consecutive morning sessions on 26 and 27 September 2011. ITMA, the world's largest international textile machinery exhibition, runs from 22-29 September.
According to the organisers
In the 1st quarter of 2011 global yarn and fabric production fell compared to the previous quarter but rose in comparison to the 1st quarter of 2010. The decrease in global yarn production resulted from lower outputs in Asia, Europe and South America.
It has to be noticed here that the reduction of yarn production in Asia in the 1st quarter 2010 is mainly
TenCate Protective Fabrics Americas, a market leader in inherently flame resistant (FR) fabrics for protective apparel, has strategically enhanced proprietary manufacturing processes to meet supply chain challenges in the industrial safety apparel market.
TenCate says it has worked with its supply chain and is planning ahead for trends in reduced availability of FR cotton and the expected increased demand
According to organisers, the success of OutDoor 2011 has generated a lot of buzz in the international outdoor industry. The 18th edition of the trade show set records across the board, with 21,520 visitors (+5%) and 1012 media representatives (+10%) from around the world coming together with 890 exhibitors (+3%).
"There is a vitality and character to the fair that is unique and we combine all the elements that make the out
California's Amyris, Inc. has signed a collaboration agreement with Kuraray Co., Ltd. to develop innovative polymers from Biofene, a renewable hydrocarbon building block made using Amyris's technology.
Under the agreement, Kuraray will use Biofene to replace petroleum-derived feedstock such as butadiene and isoprene in the production of specified classes of high-performing polymers. Upon successful completio
US based polyester fibre producer Unifi is to partner with Polartec to launch an innovative new program for recycled textiles with the launch of its REPREVE Textile Takeback Program.
"Millions of pounds of textile manufacturing scraps end up in landfills every year and the REPREVE Textile Takeback Program will give fabrics a second chance by recycling them back into REPREVE recycled fibres," the company said in a sta
Japan's Teijin announced today that its mass production technologies for carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) have been recognized by Frost & Sullivan through their 2011 Global Automotive Carbon Composites Technology Innovation Award.
"Teijin's new CFRP compression moulding technology offers a low cost-to-performance alternative, which makes it ideal for metal replacement in large structural body-in-white components," said S
The recent media attention on The Glove Corp. Blaze Fighter structural gloves again raises the question about what is "practical" and appropriate when it comes to the trade-off between thermal protection and dexterity in structural gloves.
As the chairman of the NFPA 1
Federal-Mogul Corporation has developed a protective product for high voltage cables that it says will help protect occupants of electric and hybrid electric vehicles in the event of a crash.
The new material, called CrushShield, surrounds and protects electrical cables, keeping the electrical system isolated from the rest of the vehicle. Federal-Mogul says CrushShield is one of the first c
A bag, which can protect planes from bombs in passenger luggage, has been developed by an international team of scientists, including academics from the UK's University of Sheffield working within University spinout company Blastech Ltd.
The bag, named the Fly-Bag, features multiple layers of novel fabrics, composites and coatings and is designed to be filled with passenger luggage and then placed in the hold of a plane.
Last Thursday (7 July) saw the official opening of the Open Innovation Center Advanced Materials (OICAM) in Nijverdal, the Netherlands. The new innovation centre is a network of companies and knowledge institutions inside and outside of the Netherlands' province of Overijssel that focuses on sharing knowledge, research and development concerning high-grade materials and materials technology.
The centre was opened by Dr T
Innovation in Textiles RESEARCHSTORE - for your market research needs
6 July 2011, Manchester
Innovation in Textiles (www.innovationintextiles.com ) has teamed up with market research leader Datamonitor to give readers quick and easy access to selected quality market research for the textiles and clothing sector.
Innovation in Textiles' RESEARCHSTORE website, which is also accessible via the Innovation in Textiles main website, gives readers the opportunity to buy information from a catalogue of
Polyester fibre producer Teijin Fibers has announced today it will present its urethane-alternative environmentally friendly high-performance polyester cushioning material for bra cups, called ELK, at Interfiliere in Paris from July 9 to 11.
ELK is said to be lightweight, durable, cushioning, and breathable and does not yellow easily, making it an ideal cushioning material for bra cups. According to Teijin it is also is environ
The 7th edition of the Advances in Textiles, Machinery, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles" (ATNT 2011) international conference is to take place in Coimbatore, India from 15-17 December 2011.
The ATNT conference originated in 2004 through the efforts of Lubbock-USA based Texas Tech University and has grown in significance over the years and attracts over 200 people from many parts of the world.
This year's event will be held
Performance Fibers, a specialist manufacturer of industrial polyester fibres and fabrics with operations in The Americas, Europe and Asia, showed just some of its extensive product range at the recent Techtextil in Frankfurt. The USA based company, which is owned by Sun Capital, serves some of the world's largest and most critical markets, including energy, transportation and safety.
Developing next-generation t
Netherlands based Sabic Innovative Plastics announced yesterday that its high-performance Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) fibre has found an important new application in high-end work wear and protective clothing.
Japan Wool Textile Company, a division of NIKKE Group, is now blending Ultem fibre with wool and other materials to produce yarn, fabrics and garments that are said to offer a unique combination of comfort and protection, including permanent, non-halogenated flam
What would it take to make a manned mission to Mars a reality? A team of aerospace and textile engineering students from North Carolina State University believe part of the solution may lie in advanced textile materials.
The students joined forces to tackle life-support challenges that the aerospace industry has been grappling with for decades.
"One of the big issues, in terms of a manned mission to Mars, is creating living quar
Polyester fibre and fabrics producer Teijin Fibers announced today that it has developed a new stain-resistant polyester fabric that offers, both water absorption to eliminate stickiness and oil repellence to resist oil-based soiling.
According to Teijin, the key to the breakthrough was the company's leveraging of proprietary fibre processing and nanotechnologies to succeed in covering the fibre surface with a 100-nanometer coating that consists of separate hydrophilic and oi
Reclaimed textiles are being reinvented as an innovative alternative to insulation by a Scottish firm. Design & Research Studio Kraft Architecture has unveiled its ‘Thermobond' insulation product which blends wool waste fibres to help buildings retain heat.
With support from Scottish Enterprise the Glasgow-based company has developed Thermobond as an addition to the multi-billion-pound insulation market and a useful tool in helping Scotland to achieve a low carbon and
Scientists at Germany's Hohenstein Institute say that although liposuction has been a standard medical procedure in cosmetic surgery for many years, surgeons are still searching for fat tissue substitutes to provide better treatment for patients with large soft tissue defects.
Against this background researchers at the Institute for Hygiene and
The ninth edition of Techtextil North America Symposium will be held from 24-26 April 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in at Atlanta, GA.
"We are pleased to announce that in 2012, ATME-I (American Textile Machinery Exhibition-International) will be incorporated into Techtextil North America. Also in 2012, Texprocess Americas (formerly SPESA Expo) will co-locate with Techtextil North America in adjacent halls providing tremendous value for textile and sewn pro
Japan's Teijin has announced today that Teijin DuPont Films Limited's Utsunomiya factory in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, has returned to full-scale production as of today. Teijin had suspended PET film production following the earthquake in north eastern Japan on March 11 and then resumed partial operation on April 30. All Teijin Group facilities nationwide are now operating on a normal basis.
Based in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, Teijin is a global technology-driven group operating
"In preparation for the 14th annual Global Outlook for Carbon Fiber conference, it's timely to consider the growing context and significance of this sector," says conference organiser IntertechPira, adding:
"External drivers continue to push for increased lightweighting in transport applications, proliferation of renewable energy generation, and adoption of high performance materials to increase efficiency and productivity across the whole spectrum of end use markets."
Inte
Techtextil, the world's primary event for generating business between manufacturers and users of technical textiles and nonwovens has extended its industry leading position with more than 24,500 visitors from 96 countries attending last month's Techtextil 2011 in Frankfurt. Visitors saw a host of innovations presented by 1207 exhibitors from 50 countries.
"This is a great success from both the national and internati
High-tech Belgian monofilaments producer Luxilon Industries NV has developed an award winning cooling monofilament yarn which can cause the surface of fabrics to cool by up to 3.7°C. Luxicool was developed in conjunction with French knitted fabrics producer Sofileta SAS and was awarded an Avantex Innovation Prize in the Comfort + Function category for ‘Luxicool Performing Yarn in Sofileta Cooling Fabrics.'
Luxicool is a patented and trade mark registered cooling monofilam
Naturally Advanced Technologies (NAT) has announced it has entered into a short-term CRAiLAR Flax fibre development agreement with Cintas Corporation beginning June 2011 to support evaluation of processing CRAiLAR flax fibre in corporate identity uniform programs.
"Cintas is the leading uniform brand in the U.S. and we are looking forward to supporting their manufacturing processes," said Ken Barker, CEO of NAT. "This agreement is further validation that NAT promises a
Outlast, the pioneer and market leader in temperature regulation phase change materials (PCM) impressed the international jury of Techtextil last month winning the Techtextil Innovation Prize 2011 in the New Materials category for the development of the world's first heat managing polyester fibre with PCM. To date Outlast's phase change materials have been available in textile fibres such as viscose and acrylic but not polyester.
The Innovation Prize aims to bring the lat
Adrian Wilson reports from Techtextil in Frankfurt
One thing I noticed at this year's Techtextil was a considerable rise in both exhibitors and visitors from Russia, compared to the last show two years ago.
There are no figures available from show organiser Messe Frankfurt to confirm this as yet, but there are many signs that the economy in Russia is currently very favourable for major technical textile markets - if only anyone quite knew how to get in.
Take the autom
Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, opened its doors on Tuesday in Frankfurt and closed yesterday, counting 24,500 visitors* (2009: 23,902). Over half of the visitors to the show and its Material Vision cutting edge materials exposition are said to have come from outside of Germany, the world's leader in technical textiles.
The mood at Techtextil 2011 was extremely good with the main halls ‘buzzi
Invista, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of
polymers and fibres, is investing more than US$100 million in a new Lycra fibre
production plant in Brazil. Construction for the expansion project will begin
immediately, with an expected opening in late 2012.
“Brazil is a growing market for our business and our
customers,” said David Trerotola, president of Invista Apparel. “As the only
spandex producer currently in Brazil, Invista’s presence plays an
With a total of 1561 exhibitors from 60 countries, the new
trade-fair combination of Techtextil, Texprocess and Material Vision opens its
doors this week in Frankfurt am Main for the first time.
With this constellation including the new Texprocess trade
fair, we are all set for a highly successful premie and offer an
international spectrum of products and services revolving around the production
and processing of textiles and other innovative materials,, Detlef B
CALL FOR PAPERS
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural conference ‘Managing Innovation In Textiles’, papers are now invited for the 2nd international conference to be held in Manchester on 30 November 2011.
The technical textile industry has seen major developments in the production of technical and industrial textiles. An extensive variety of innovative products have been introduced into the world market as a result of techno
Visitors to the DSM Dyneema booth at next weeks Techtextil
in Frankfurt will learn how exploiting the special properties of Dyneema fibre,
the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre from DSM, is
resulting in innovation for a wide range of high performance materials.
Key applications in the textiles industry include:
Draggin Jeans uses Dyneema fibres in its mix to make an
innovative material blend for jeans that are said to be as tough as leather,
an
50th Anniversary, 14 - 16 September 2011
Communicating the future of man-made fibres
Umbrella Theme: “Man-made Fibers – the Next 50 Years” – a good choice
Plenary Speakers and Visionaries Enlarge the Spectrum of Lectures
Panel Discussion on the Topic of Reduced Availability of Natural Fibers
Increasing Number of Participants Expected (Registration of Early Birds, Edition Copies Pre-programme)
Importance of Congress Underlined by Parallel Events
Tree-planting Ceremony at t
Performance Fibers, the specialist manufacturer of
industrial polyester fibres and fabrics with operations in the Americas, Europe
and Asia, has announced the appointment of Greg Vas Nunes as President of Performance
Fibers Europe. Mr Vas Nunes has already assumed
the role from the end of February this year and will be based at the company's European
Headquarters in Luxembourg. Developing next-generation technologies and products for
industry and consumer
According to Schoeller Textil, holistic health is now a
major trend and it is becoming a key economic factor for many sectors and for
many companies. Accordingly, the Swiss high-tech textiles company is launching a
new technology at next month’s Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt which aims to
offer improvement to the status quo in the areas of wellbeing, prevention and therapy
in the context of textiles.
The innovation, designated iLoad, is a textile carrier
material w
Two North American companies with a combined 168 years of
textile and fibre recycling experience, have formed a strategic partnership to
increase the volume of post-consumer textiles saved from landfills. Leigh Fibers
and Trans-Americas Textile Recycling have teamed up to offer Green Loop, a comprehensive fibre and
textile recycling service.
Trans-Americas works with retailers, municipalities and
charitable organizations to recycle used clothing/post-consumer textil
Unifi celebrated the official opening of its REPREVE
Recycling Center yesterday; an $8 million investment which will allow the
company to expand production capacity of its REPREVE recycled fibre.
REPREVE is a family of recycled polyester and nylon fibres
that can be used in a wide range of applications, including apparel,
automotive, seating and panelling fabrics. Since its introduction in 2006,
REPREVE has grown from a single recycled polyester fibre into an entire
2011 is set to be a year of innovation for Eschler Textil GmbH. The German warp knitting company which specialises in technical textiles, moved into a new office and administration building in the Swabian town of Balingen in January, and is also planning to extend its production facilities during the year.
In terms of knitted technical textiles, Eschler Textil will be presenting its newest creations at this year's Techtextil in Frankfurt, in a number of product categories in
The Performance Forum
“To say that the Performance Forum at Performance Days is
unique is no exaggeration,” says show organiser Weichert Agencies.
Season by season, designer Alexa Dehmel sets up nine tables
plus the Innovation Tower, where she presents the exhibitors’ most important
fabric trends and innovations sorted by topic. Performance Days also provides
the quintessentials of these trends in advance to registered guests via a
mailing, which the organ
Researchers have developed an Insect protection blanket
which prevents horses being bitten by insects which could be harmful to their
health. The blanket is made from a lightweight spacer fabric incorporating a replaceable
repellent and is said to possess good moisture vapour transmission to eliminate
sweat evaporation problems.
The project took place at the Institute for Hygiene and
Biotechnology at the Hohenstein Institutes in Bönnigheim, Germany and the work was
carr
Leading producer and processor of multi-filament polyester
and nylon textured yarns Unifi Inc. marked the dedication of its Yadkinville,
N.C., facility to late founder, G. Allen Mebane IV on Tuesday, 26 April.
A dedication ceremony at the G. Allen Mebane Industrial Complex
in Yadkinville recognized Mebane’s positive impact on Unifi, the textile
industry and the community. Speakers included Bill Jasper, Unifi chairman and
CEO; Roger Berrier, president and COO and
RadiciSpandex Corp., a U.S. RadiciGroup company engaged in
the production of RadElast spandex, is developing the world’s first
eco-friendly elastane using a 100% renewably sourced material (biopolymer).
“The innovative product line will be the world’s first
spandex consisting of 80% biomaterial made from a 100% renewable source (corn),
as opposed to propylene, an oil derivative,” a statement from the company said
to day.
According to RadiciSpandex, not only
TenCate Protective Fabrics Americas, a leader in the field
of inherently flame-resistant (FR) fabrics, is expanding its TenCate Tecasafe
Plus product portfolio with the introduction of TenCate Tecasafe Plus 580, a
lighter weight option for industrial safety apparel.
“Since its initial
introduction three years ago, TenCate Tecasafe Plus has become a force in the
industrial flame-resistant fabric market. And now its reach is expanding.
Engineered as a lighter weigh
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) has announced it
has entered into a short term CRAiLAR Flax fibre development agreement with
Levi Strauss & Co. Commencing April 2011 to support evaluation of
processing CRAiLAR flax fibre in woven casual apparel products, specifically
denim and non-denim, bottom and top weight fabrics.
"Levi's and Dockers are the quintessential denim and
casual wear brands," said Ken Barker, CEO of NAT. "We are very
excited to be working
Invista will be showcasing its performance-driven Lycra
Sport fabrics as well as Lycra T400 fibre at the Performance Days Show at MTC
world of fashion in Munich on 16 and 17 May 2011. Performance Days specialises in
presenting functional fabrics and accessories for the sportswear and workwear markets.
Lycra Sport fabric and Lycra T400 fibre will take centre
stage on Invista’s Performance Days stand with a collection of the latest
fabrics from leading mills worldwide as w
Rhodia has announced a debottlenecking of its polymer
production capacity in Freiburg, Germany. Rhodia’s Global Business Unit (GBU),
Polyamide & Intermediates, a leader in the polyamide PA66 market, is
strengthening its position as major producer of polymers in Europe.
“The capacity extension of our industrial unit of Freiburg
enhances our capability to be a reliable partner for our customers in Europe,
especially in the textile industry. It is an important step
A recent study performed by the LATT laboratory in Biella,
Italy is said to have shown that Aquafil Spa’s Dryarn, an innovative polypropylene
micro fibre designed for high performance materials for underwear, sportswear and
special technical applications even under extreme conditions, is superior to
the other fibres analysed in terms of thermo-regulation, breathability and
drying speed.
Turin Polytechnic's Department for Materials Science and
Chemical Engineering and the
Debra Cobb reports from the 7th Smart Fabrics Conference
The
7th Annual Smart Fabrics Conference, held April 4 – 6 at London’s
Russell Hotel, covered an array of new technologies and applications focused on
making our lives easier, safer, healthier and more comfortable through the
textiles we wear and use every day. Speaking at the conference, wrtier/editor
Adrian Wilson defined Smart Fabrics as “fibre-based structures that can react
to stimuli,” integrating electro
Survival-One Limited, a leader in the design, manufacture
and service of survival clothing and equipment, has recently launched a new
helicopter passenger survival suit incorporating Outlast technology for better
comfort.
We all know that water can be dangerous with unpredictable
element, but with some jobs and activities it is not possible to stay away from
it. To get to offshore oil installations for example there is no other choice
than to fly over water. So if a risk
TenCate Protective Fabrics EMEA has secured an initial order
from the Italian manufacturer Aero Sekur S.p.A (Aprilia, Italy) for the
delivery of inherently fire-resistant TenCate Defender M fabric to the Italian
'Soldier of the Future' programme (Forza Nec). The aim of this programme is to
modernize the equipment of the Italian infantry.
The contract is said
to be the result of intensive collaboration within European frameworks and TenCate
Defender M fabric was selected
The sixth Performance Days trade fair-roadshow is set to
kick off in May this year and following the steady growth in the number of
visitors to previous shows and an increase of more than 60% in November 2010,
the show has its sights set on topping the 1000-guest mark this year.
The sixth Performance Days road show for functional fabrics will
take place in the French city of Annecy on 12-13 May 2011 and in Munich on
16-17 May. Organisers say the trade fair- ro
Without making a lot of noise about it, some automotive
suppliers have embraced sustainability for years by producing sound-attenuating
components with shoddy made by Leigh Fibers from recycled denim and other
textile materials. QuietLeigh recycled fibres
have become the industry standard for acoustical padding, contributing to
quieter rides while helping to keep tons of old jeans out of landfills.
Leigh custom-blends QuietLeigh fibres to suit suppliers'
productio
DSM Dyneema has formed a partnership with gruschwitz gmbh
Tech-Twists in which they become a Premium Distribution Partner for UHMWPE fibre
manufactured by DSM Dyneema. The new agreement becomes effective 1 April 2011
and is specific to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia –
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia and Ukraine.
Grus
Innovation
in Textiles is now offering readers the opportunity to buy online, business
information reports on the global fibre, textile and apparel industries. The
reports are compiled and published by Textiles Intelligence, a highly respected
and leading provider of business information.
Technical Textile
Markets reports provide an overview of the global man-made fibre, nonwoven
and technical textile industries. They provide market data and analysis of new
and established markets for technical
Innovation in Textiles is now offering readers the opportunity to
buy online, business information reports on the global fibre, textile and
apparel industries. The reports are compiled and published by Textiles
Intelligence, a highly respected and leading provider of business information.
Textile Outlook International reports provide an overview of
the global fibre, textile and apparel industries. They are essential reading
for senior executives in the fibre, textile and apparel industries – a
Innovation in Textiles is now offering readers the
opportunity to buy online, business information reports on the global fibre,
textile and apparel industries. The reports are compiled and published by
Textiles Intelligence, a highly respected and leading provider of business
information.
Performance Apparel Markets reports provide an overview of
the sector for performance apparel and corporate wear. They provide market data
and analysis of new and established markets for performance fibres, fa
The Industrial Fabrics Association International has
released its ‘Market Watch: Geosynthetics Market Snapshot’ for 2011. The
report's chief focus is on the U.S. geosynthetics marketplace, particularly as
it relates to market size and growth, predominate materials/polymers;
applications used in the U.S. market, trends, opportunities, threats, and
market outlook.
IFAI Market Research Manager Jeff Rasmussen created the
report to give businesses the essential data
Adrian Wilson reports from Wiesbaden
As was reflected at Filtech 2011, which took place in
Wiesbaden, Germany, from March 22-24, the need for purer air and cleaner water
are just two reasons why the filtration industry has excellent prospects for
future growth.
A demand for finer degrees of separation in industry – from
hydraulic oils to semi-conductor wash water – can be added to the list, as can
the need for better hot exhaust gas filtration, including diesel exhausts, and
for higher ene
The School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent
University has an ambitious development strategy which allows us to offer an
exciting opportunity for a PhD Studentship. The studentships will pay UK / EU
fees and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (£13,590 per
annum for 2011/12) for up to three years.
Everyday clothing consists of textile fibres which are woven
and knitted to
How can light be controlled without a switch or dimmer?
Isabel Cabral, a guest researcher at the Swedish School of Textiles, asked
herself just that question. Her project 'Light Filters,' where textiles control
the light, is now on display at the Smart Textiles Origami exhibition at the
Textile Museum in Boräs.
Isabel was originally a product developer and started taking
an interest in smart textiles during her studies in Portugal and Barcelona. For
six months, she has be
Euratex, voice of the European textiles and clothing
industry, says the European textiles and clothing industry is now deeply
concerned with the current situation in the raw materials markets. The Brussels
based organisation has urged the EU to take prompt action to reduce pressure in
the markets which have lead to a lack of availability and price increases for
the major textile raw materials.
When presenting the recent Position Paper on Raw Materials,
Mr. Alberto Paccan
US based Outlast Technologies Inc., market leader in
temperature regulating phase change materials (PCMs), and Waxman Fibres Ltd of West
Yorkshire, UK, have developed a range of innovative flame retardant (FR) circular
knitted fabrics where FR Protex modacrylic fibre is blended with Outlast
viscose fibre, to bring new levels of comfort to FR workwear.
The new FR fabrics, which will be exhibited at the
forthcoming Techtextil in Frankfurt in June, have been produced by
Outlast Technologies, Inc., Boulder/Colorado, market leader
in temperature regulating phase change materials (PCMs), and Waxman Fibres Ltd,
West Yorkshire/United Kingdom, are pleased to announce a new partnership.
Together they developed innovative flame retardant (FR) fabrics where the FR
Protex® modacrylic fibre is blended with the climate regulating Outlast® viscose
fibre.
The new FR fabrics are p
Around 70 academics, students and industrialists from the UK
attended an inaugural lecture by Professor Tilak Dias, at Nottingham Trent
University’s Newton Lecture Theatre at the end of February. Professor Dias
holds the Chair of Knitting in the School of Art & Design at Nottingham
Trent University and directs the activities of the School’s Centre for Research
in Advanced Textiles (CReATe).
Within the School of
Art & Design, Professor Dias is leading the
Helmets, protective vest inserts and shields incorporating
Dyneema high strength fibre marked the debut of DSM Dyneema at HOSDB, the Home
Office Scientific Development Branch exhibition, taking place in Farnborough, UK
this week.
Dyneema ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre
is an established brand in the protective clothing and headgear market and is
already incorporated into various pieces of hard and soft ballistic armour
developed by official
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) has agreed to a
ten-year CRAiLAR fibre supply agreement with Hanesbrands Inc. that will
commercialize NAT's proprietary flax fibres. Terms of the agreement were
undisclosed. The deal represents NAT's initial commercialization agreement for
CRAiLAR and establishes the foundation for continued adoption of its
proprietary flax-based fibre.
The all-natural CRAiLAR process is said to be the first to
Swiss producer of warp and weft knitted fabrics Christian
Eschler has earned an excellent reputation in recent years as a manufacturer of
highly functional knits for clothing in the health sector. The company says it
profits from its know-how in the active sports sector, gained over decades
spent developing fabrics, and this valuable experience now benefits personnel
in hospital operating theatres and in the nursing sector.
Fabrics for the operating theatre
The 100% mi
The words ‘Swiss Made’ are a highly regarded mark of origin,
not only for watches, chocolate and precision tools, but also for textile
industry products. A fine example in textiles is Hermann Bühler AG, which
produces top-quality, super-fine yarns in Supima cotton and Micro Modal on
48,000 spindles at its site in Winterthur, Switzerland and a further 32,000 spindles
at a subsidiary factory in Jefferson, Georgia, USA.
Many of the Bühler yarn brands,
supplied to
Teijin Limited has announced that it has joined the United
Nations Global Compact as part of the company’s commitment to socially
responsible sustainability.
The U.N. Global Compact is a set of principles for
self-conduct that participating organizations worldwide follow in their
independent efforts to achieve sustainable growth. Participants are required to
support and implement 10 basic principles covering human rights, labour, the
environment and anti-corruption.
“Th
Leading German manufacturer of warp knitting machines Karl Mayer will be presenting its latest warp knitting technologies for technical applications, including a talk on spacer fabrics, at next week's Techtextil North America 2011 exhibition. The leading North American show for technical textiles is being held from 15 to 17 March at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
An accompanying symposium will also take place which aims to add value to the exh
"Why re-invent the wheel? " - says high-tech textiles company Schoeller Technologies AG. The dynamic Swiss textiles company, which licences and markets successful new textile technologies developed by its parent company Schoeller Textil, says it can offer readymade solutions to a myriad of companies in a diverse range of industries.
According to Schoeller, recent developments such as its NanoSphere technology for example, have found their way into the harness and webbing i
FibeRio Technology
Corporation – ‘The Force For Nanofibers’ - is introducing its nanofiber
production equipment utilizing Forcespinning Technology to the textiles
industry at the Techtextil Conference in Las Vegas, NV on March 15-17. The
company recently launched their Cyclone L 1000 series laboratory equipment to
enable research and development in forcespun nanofiber enhanced textiles.
Forcespinning is an
award winning technology that utilizes centrifugal
The Netherlands’ DSM Dyneema has formed a partnership with
EuroFibers BV in which Eurofibers becomes a Premium Distribution Partner for
UHMWPE fibre manufactured by DSM Dyneema. The new agreement becomes effective 1
April 2011 and is specific to Scandinavia, Denmark, United Kingdom, Benelux,
France, Italy, Greece and the Iberian Peninsula.
EuroFibers will play an active role in developing new and
servicing existing markets for fibre from DSM Dyneema. It will also offe
Scottish technical textiles manufacturer Scott & Fyfe has
recently started collaboration with The Glasgow School of Art in order to
create a culture of sustainable innovation.
The first workshop
took place from 19-20 October 2010 in the Centre for Design Innovation in
Forres in north east Scotland’s Moray Firth area. The first two days covered how
the design process can be applied to maximise opportunity spotting and the
methods will be used within the organisat
According to a recently published report by the ITMF
(International Textile Manufacturers Federation), the strong global recovery in
yarn and fabric production since their lows in the 1st quarter of 2009
continued into the 3rd quarter of 2010. In its State of Trade Report – STR Q3/2010,
the ITMF says that both global yarn and fabric production rose compared to the
2nd quarter of 2010 as well as to 2009’s 3rd quarter.
The report says that output increases in yarns could
Scientists at the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim, Germany,
have recently put an innovative swimsuit with a special surface coating through
its first practical test in the Soleo indoor pool in Heilbronn. A special
coating is said to make the ultra-thin and ultra-lightweight textile material used
in the swimsuit, super-hydrophobic, so that water does not make it wet.
According to the Hohenstein scientists, this means that the air
trapped between the fibres of the f
TenCate Grass has substantially expanded the production
capacity of its most sustainable synthetic turf product, TenCate XP Blade. The
start-up of an additional production line in Dayton (Tennessee, US) will enable
TenCate Grass to meet the sharp increase in global demand for these
wear-resistant synthetic turf fibres.
“ As a result of the strong, structural growing demand for
TenCate XP Blade, existing capacity has already been fully utilized for a
considerab
Leading technical
textiles producer Royal TenCate has recorded a net profit increase of 92% for
2010. The Dutch company reported the following results yesterday:
Highlights of 2010
-
Sales in 2010: €984.5 million (2009: €842.1
million; 17% of which +10% autonomous).
-
EBITA in 2010: € 85.0 million (2009: €41.5
million; +109% autonomous).
-
EBITA margin in 2010: 8.6% (2009: 4.9%).
-
Invista, a world leader in nylon intermediates and fibres, has announced that it is moving ahead
with its plans to construct a delayed manufacturing facility at the Shanghai
Chemical Industry Park in China to meet the region’s demand for nylon 6.6
intermediates and polymer.
The company is currently engaged in project engineering,
which will include an environmental impact assessment to be completed by the
end of 2011. Invista expects to begin construction of the plan
The 6th Annual Public Conference of the European Textile
Technology Platform will take place on 31 March – 1 April 2011 in Brussels.
With this year’s event entitled ‘Societal Challenges – Textile Solutions’, the
European textile and clothing industry and its research community aim to
demonstrate to EU policy makers and the press how innovative textiles can help
a
Encouraging Success: Santoni Seamless in Sportswear - Casual & Athletic
28th February 2011 0 commentAs reported on Knitting Industry on 15 February, leading
Seamless knitting machine builder Santoni, showed a highly innovative range of
sportswear at the recent Ispo show in Munich, the leading sportswear event in
Europe. Here, the Italian company’s
marketing manager Patrick Silva explains the Brescia based company’s strategy
with regard to outerwear and in particularl sportswear.
“While Seamless underwear has grown formidably, especially
in China - both in its
Royal DSM has announced that its joint venture company, Jinling
DSM Resins Co., Ltd. (JDR) will invest approximately € 50 million in a new
production facility for composite resins in Nanjing, China. The new facility,
which will replace the current facility, is expected to be among the largest
manufacturing plants for composite resins in the world. DSM's share in the
investment is 75%.
The new facility is
expected to substantially strengthen the local position of th
Techtextil, the world’s
biggest trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, will present a
comprehensive symposium programme for exhibitors and visitors from 24 to 26 May
2011. As in the past, the 16th Techtextil Symposium and the 6th Avantex
Symposium are being held under the patronage of EURATEX – European Apparel and
Textile Confederation. Top speakers will present the latest product, material
and technology developments and offer a future oriented view
With testing for resistance to dust mites, compression
testing for performance, and comfort tests that simulate what actually occurs
during sleep – the peaceful, easy going times are surely well and truly over
for the bedding sector. Well-thought-out systems for mattresses create both a
pleasant, comfortable climate under the covers and allow a healthy posture when
lying down, to enable the body to recover completely over a period of at least
eight hours. Leadi
Preliminary figures show that Austria’s
Lenzing Group, market leader in man-made cellulose fibres for the textile and
nonwovens industries, has achieved record financial results in 2010. The
determining factors for the result are reported as being the dynamic expansion
of fibre production, very strong demand for the company’s fibres and
significantly higher sales prices compared to the previous year.
Preliminary consolidated sales¹ increased by 45% from EUR
1.22
BASF is to present new
products in the fields of fibre bonding, additives and super absorbents at
INDEX 2011, the world’s leading nonwovens exhibition, which is being held from
April 12-15 April in Geneva. BASF will be targeting customers from the hygiene
and nonwovens industry and all companies that require environmentally friendly
binding agents and liquid-absorbing polymers for their products.
Dispersions for fibre bonding
“Binding agents for fibrous mat
A consortium of Thailand’s Indorama
Ventures PCL and Italy’s Sinterama are to take over Trevira, the polyester
fibre manufacturer headquartered in Germany. On 4 February the consortium
signed a share purchase agreement with Werner Schneider who re-established
Trevira in January 2010 following its insolvency in 2009.
With its German locations in Bobingen, Guben and
Hattersheim, and the Polish production site in Zielona Góra, Trevira GmbH will
be integrated int
Royal DSM N.V. has announced
today that it has signed an agreement to acquire the majority shareholding in
Shandong ICD High Performance Fibre Co Ltd. (ICD), based in Laiwu, Shandong
province, China. The deal is expected to
be completed by the end of this year.
DSM says the acquisition of the majority share in ICD will
bring complementary manufacturing and technology assets to it in addition to
strengthening the company's presence in this key market. The agreemen
Mizuno´s new ‘Breath Thermo’
collection, has won a renowned Runner's World ispo-Award 2011, in the ‘Running
Apparel’ category. The award from the world´s biggest running magazine has
three categories, Hardware, Electronic and Textile. Runner’s World presented
the award during German trade show winter ispo 2011 to Hiroshi Sako, Mizuno’s
European Apparel Business Manager.
The Breath Thermo collection consists of garments which heat
up when the body perspi
One of the most powerful men
in Chinese textiles, Du Yuzhou, president of China National Textile &
Apparel Council (CNTAC), is to address international industry leaders at the
ITMA-ITMF World Textile Summit later this year.
Mr Du is one of a trio of speakers newly announced by the
organisers of the summit, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, on
September 21. He will outline China’s strategic ambitions for its textile
industry and report on progress in
Cellulose fibre manufacturer
Lenzing Fibers is one of the winners of
this year’s ispo Eco Responsibility Award 2011. The Austrian company was
declared winner in the new Fabrics & Fibres category for its sun screening
Tencel Sun fibres, here in Munich yesterday.
“Tencel Sun fibres by Lenzing are so-called “man-made
cellulose fibers” – meaning they are derived industrially from natural raw
wood, consisting of about 40% cellulose. The natural origin of the
Advansa has announced that an
Independent Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) has confirmed the CO2 footprint reduction
of its ECO2Technology for its ThermoCool fibres. Advansa says the peer-reviewed
study was conducted by TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific
Research) an independent research organization that focuses on applied science.
According to Advansa, the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study confirms an average
reduction of 80% in emissions of global warming ga
Teijin Limited has announced that
on 1st April it will integrate its carbon fibres and composite materials
business units into the new Carbon Fibers & Composites Business Group,
aiming to accelerate expansion of its advanced composite materials business,
one of the main components of Teijin’s long-term growth strategy.
Operating under the direct management of President and CEO
Shigeo Ohyagi, the integrated group will enable Teijin to develop composite
materials bu
The Outdoor Retailer
Winter Market, a major American trade show held in Salt Lake City, Utah, concluded
on Sunday, 23rd January. Among the participants were prestigious retailers from
the outdoor sports sector (sportswear, equipment, footwear and accessories) and
manufacturers including RadiciGroup, a presenter at the seminar ‘Apparel Costs
Rising: And it’s Not Just Cotton’.
The event, held on Friday, 21st January, was organized by
the American Appar
The European Apparel and Textile
Confederation (Euratex) and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) have
officially announced their support for Texprocess, the new international trade
fair for processing textiles and flexible materials, in Frankfurt from 24 to 27
May 2011. Both associations will be represented with an exhibition stand at
Texprocess and invite their members to visit the exhibition. Additionally, Euratex
will hold a meeting of the ‘Technical Cl
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is
to launch its new MerinoPerform PRO fabric innovation at the ISPO international
sports trade show in Munich, Germany next month.
According to AWI, MerinoPerform PRO is a new knitted fabric
technology made entirely of Merino wool, which uniquely transfers both vapour
and sweat away from the body, enabling the wearer to stay comfortably cool and
dry during exercise.
“Ideal for base-layer garments aimed at low to high activity
sports,
– Invista, one of the worlds largest integrated producers of fibres and
polymers, will showcase its latest developments in sports socks at the ISPO outdoor
and sportswear trade show, from 6-9 February 2011, in Munich, Germany. In
addition to this Invista will also present its latest socks trend collection
featuring Lycra fibre, LycraT400 fibre, Lycra Sport socks and Lycra freshFX
socks.
Lycra Sport socks
According to Invista, Lycra Sport socks were developed in
respons
This month sees the start of an exciting new monthly column on
Innovation in Textiles called 'On the Floor'. Respected technical textiles journalist Adrian Wilson (right)
will be bringing readers news and his views directly from the floor of the industry’s leading exhibitions and conferences around the world..
January 2011, Frankfurt - Contract business is back, which
is great news for European manufacturers of upmarket fabrics, as well as their
fibre suppliers. In fact, business as a whole i
Following a recent agreement
between the two companies, Dienes Apparatebau GmbH is to take over sales and overall
project management for nanofibre spinning lines manufactured by Reiter GmbH +
Co. KG Oberflächentechnik.
“Over the last five years a centrifuge spinning installation
was developed in cooperation with a German research institution, which provides
a quantum leap in nanofibre technology. The new line type not only represents
the first commercially availa
Hohenstein researchers carry out field study into the effect of antibacterial clothing on
skin flora and microclimate. Trials show that the natural skin flora is
unaffected even after long periods of wear.
In recent years,
antimicrobial textiles have become enormously important, whether in the field
of technical textiles for preventing infection, medical/therapeutic clothing to
help in the treatment of atopic dermatitis or anti-odour treatments for
sportswear and
Ken Barker, CEO of Naturally
Advanced Technologies announced yesterday at the Texworld 2011 Conference in
New York that the company is prepared to begin shipping initial orders of Crailar
Flax Fiber from its Kingstree, South Carolina facility as early as March of
this year. The company says it has developed the capacity to rapidly increase
production thereafter to meet the demands of its development partners and to
respond to increasing interest from new custom
Outlast Technologies, a leader
in heat management and moisture reduction technology in textiles, has named Far
Eastern New Century Corporation as the primary partner involved in its new
Outlast polyester fibre development. Outlast polyester, the company’s most
recent R&D innovation, is the first-ever heat management polyester fibre.
To date Outlast’s phase change materials have been available in textile fibres such
as viscose and acrylic but not polyester.
A great entrepreneur and pioneer in the crochet knitting
machine technology
Mr Luigi Omodeo Zorini passed away on 24 December 2010, at
the age of 86. He was the founder and president of Comez based in Cilavegna
(PV), Italy, and had passionately dedicated his life to his work.
Born on 25 May 1924, Mr Luigi Omodeo Zorini began his
entrepreneurial activities in Cilavegna in 1953, together with his brother
Mario, founding the company Costruzioni Meccaniche Zorini Comez for the production
of ‘croc
Lenzing is presenting its
latest fibre innovation called Tencel C at Heimtextil, which opened yesterday
in Frankfurt. The company says that after many years of research work, cosmetic
properties can now be combined with the well-known skin-sensory advantages of
its Tencel fibre.
“Tencel fibre is
well-known for its positive skin properties. Due to its smooth fibre structure,
it is particularly silky next to the skin. Its botanic origin – Tencel is
extracted from
A bill passed by the US
Congress last week has extended the window of opportunity for TenCate
Protective Fabrics USA to continue to supply its flame resistant Defender M
fabrics for US military uniforms. The bill includes an extension until 2015 of
the existing waiver under the US Berry Amendment with regard to the import of
flame-resistant (FR) rayon fibres into the United States. The original
exemption was due to expire in 2013.
The US Berry Amendment requi
According to Messe
Frankfurt, the current number of registrations for Techtextil 2011,
International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens, indicates yet
another successful exhibition. The organiser says that by the end of December, over
90% of the space used in 2009 had already been booked and there was equal
interest from new and returning exhibitors for the 24-26 May 2011 show.
“The mood is good
following Techtextil 2009, which set a new r
TenCate has announced it has reached
a broad agreement with the shareholders of GreenFields, a synthetic turf
designer and marketer, about a capital injection into its business, enabling
TenCate to acquire a majority interest in the company. As a result, GreenFields
will form a major part of the consolidated downstream activities of TenCate in
the synthetic turf market.
GreenFields, based in Genemuiden in the Netherlands, develops
and markets synthetic turf systems di
Teijin Fibers Limited announced
today that it has developed a new polyester fabric that is gentle on the human
skin by stably maintaining its mildly acidic pH level, similar to healthy skin.
Teijin says that it will be the world’s first commercial polyester material to
offer pH control.
Teijin Fibers will begin selling the new fabric in time for
spring/ summer 2012 sportswear and it will also be marketed for general apparel
and other applications. The fabric will be ex
23 December 2010, Munich – Leading fibre and polymer
producer Invista, is to continue the global roll-out of its Lycra Sport fabric
performance program by showcasing the innovative fabric brand in conjunction
with its Lycra T400 fibre offering at the ISPO trade show which runs from 6-9
February 2011 in Munich, Germany.
Following successful launches in the United States, Latin
America and Asia, Invista has again chosen ISPO, the first European Sport trade
show of 2011, to highlight the bene
Following its recent
restructuring and launch as a new company, producer of specialist polyester
yarns, Trevira GmbH says it can report a successful first year in business.
The German company reports that all of its important product
segments showed signs of progress in the improved economic situation and
capacities that were adjusted during restructuring have been well exploited.
Growth was not only limited to Europe but also occurred in other important
target mark
The world of filtration
came to Philadelphia earlier this month as crowded aisles and
standing-room-only conference sessions combined to make the Filtration 2010
International Conference and Exposition one of the the largest and most important
filtration industry events in the world.
With the business of filtration continuing to play a vital
role in the personal and business applications around the globe, Filtration
2010 drew 1400 attendees to the Pennsylvan
The Lenzing Group, world leader
in man-made cellulose fibres, has set its course for the future expansion of
its fibre production capacity. The recently agreed expansion program includes
the construction of the first industrial-scale production plant for Tencel
fibres at the site in Lenzing, Upper Austria, the construction of a fifth viscose
production line at its Indonesian subsidiary PT. South Pacific Viscose (SPV),
as well as further capacity expansion measures.
Teijin Fibers Limited, the
core company of the Teijin Group’s polyester fibres business, announced today
that it will begin full production and marketing of a new plant-based
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre in April 2012.
Named Eco Circle PlantFiber, the new product, also available
as a textile fabric, will become Teijin Fibers’ core biomaterial for
applications ranging from apparel, car seats and interiors to personal hygiene
products. Teijin Fibers
The Lenzing Group, world leader
in man-made cellulose fibres, is to increase its fibre prices at beginning of
2011 by at least 10%, depending on the product. Price increases will take place
in Lenzing’s Textile Fibers as well as in Nonwovens businesses. The company
said today that the decision was necessitated by the recent strong rise in raw
material prices, in particular for dissolving pulp and chemicals required for the
production of viscose, modal and Tencel fi
Techtextil North America has announced
that Jeremy Litchfield, founder of performance apparel brand Atayne, will
deliver the 2011 Keynote Address. Litchfield was chosen in an effort to
highlight the high performance apparel and sporting industries as well as
sustainability issues, which in Techtextil speak translates to the Clothtech,
Oekotech and Sporttech application areas.
The address will be geared as a motivational talk on the
subject of innovative ideas that
According to Netherlands based DSM
Dyneema, a recent on commercial fishing has yielded clear proof that nets made
with its Dyneema ultra-strong lightweight fibre, yield major cost savings for
fishermen through reductions in fuel usage, and make an important contribution
to the sustainability of the fishing industry through reduced emissions of
carbon dioxide.
Dyneema, an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
(UHMWPE) fibre, is manufactured by DSM Dyneema, a compa
Icebreaker, the
New Zealand based merino wool adventure apparel pioneer, has announced the
grand opening of its first store called the Icebreaker TouchLab in Manhattan on
December 1, 2010. The 2500 square foot SoHo store will be Icebreaker’s
flagship, and located at 102 Wooster Street, between Spring and Prince Streets,
across the street from Patagonia’s SoHo store. As part of the grand opening, Icebreaker
will give away a trip for two to New Zeal
With a metallic sheen and inspirational back story, an innovative silk textile from
Madagascar offers designers and manufacturers two new opportunities: to head in
fresh directions aesthetically, and to build good will with consumers by
helping to sustain subsistence farmers and ecosystems in one of the world's
most endangered biodiversity hotspots.
Five years ago, CPALI (Conservation through Poverty
Alleviation, International; www.cpali.org
Cellulosic fibre producer Lenzing
has extended its strong first half performance into the third quarter of 2010,
generating the best quarterly result in the company's history with earnings (EBIT)
of Euros 60.8 million (Q3 2009, Euros 37.3 million).Nine-months sales in 2010
grew by 45.2 % from Euros 885 million in 2009 to Euros 1,285.5 million. EBIT
reached a new nine-month record high of Euros 168.8 million and more than
tripled EBIT for the same period in 2009 (Euro
Netherlands headquartered TenCate has entered into an agreement to purchase the geosynthetics activities of Emas
Kiara Industries Berhad, a publicly listed company based in Rawang, Malaysia. TenCate
says the transaction will provide its TenCate Geosynthetics business with a
significantly larger position in the supply of geosynthetics solutions to the
Southeast Asian markets. The purchase is
expected to be finalized in early 2011.
TenCate Geosynthetics develops and
The Hohenstein Institute, a
leading provider of textile testing and certification services, will present
its MedTex Symposium on textiles for health care applications on Tuesday,
December 14th from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM in the Dogwood Room at the North Carolina
Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park, NC. The symposium is open to
the public and is presented free of charge.
Hohenstein’s MedTex Symposium will feature a panel of health
care specialists who will
Narrow fabrics machinery manufacturer Comez has developed an innovative
electronic double needle bar warp knitting machine for use in an Italian
regional government funded biomedical textiles project. The Panagenesi project aims
to help cure diabetes by optimizing the implanting of human pancreatic islands
through the use of fibrin scaffold to aid in the success of pancreatic
transplants.
Project partners
Panagenesi is financed by the Region of Lombardy and is
being
Researchers at the
University of Texas – Pan American have published the first results of their
work utilizing Forcespinning Technology to fabricate polymeric nanofibres and
metallic nanowires. The article, which appears in the November issue of the
peer-reviewed journal Materials Today, was authored by Drs. Karen Lozano and
Kamal Sarkar.
Forcespinning is a patent pending technology that utilizes
centrifugal force instead of hot air or an electrostatic char
Teijin Limited announced today
that it will enter the high-performance polyethylene (HP-PE) market by
establishing its first production facility in Emmen, the Netherlands, aiming to
start commercial production in the second half of 2011.
Teijin plans to grow its HP-PE business quickly through
innovation and market cultivation, targeting a global market share of 15% to
20% by 2015. HP-PE, which generally comes in the form of fibres or tapes, is
produced with ultra-high-
Consolidated Fibers named exclusive distributor of Basofil in North America
9th November 2010 0 commentUS based Consolidated
Fibers has signed an agreement to become the exclusive supplier of Basofil
staple fibre in North America. Basofil is an advanced technology melamine fibre
designed to blend with commodity and synergistic fibres. Key physical
properties of Basofil are said to be excellent dimensional stability, Superior
Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) value, low thermal conductivity and
ultraviolet (UV) radiation resistance.
According to Consolidated
TenCate Advanced Composites Europe
announced today that a contract has been
signed to supply TenCate Cetex carbon fibre fabric laminates for use in the new
Airbus A350 XWB and other EADS applications. Delivery of TenCate Cetex will
start to several Tier 1 and Tier 2 partners of Airbus that produce fuselage
panels and components for the Airbus A350 XWB.
TenCate Cetex
material, which is characterized as high strength and low weight, will be
applied to the stiffening
Innovative new
production technology developed by DSM Dyneema is said to enable the
manufacture of yarn that delivers significantly increased cut resistance performance.
Dyneema says its new Diamond Technology now makes possible the production of
protective gloves that combine the ultimate in cut resistance with extreme
comfort.
Developed over a period of four years, the patented
ultra-high strength yarns produced with Dyneema Diamond Technology enable
pro
FibeRio Technology
Corporation has announced it is to launch the first ever nanofibre production
equipment utilizing Forcespinning Technology at the Filtration 2010 and
Materials Research Society conferences in Philadelphia and Boston,
respectively, from November 30 - December 2. The Cyclone L 1000 series produces
nanofibres with average diameters of 500nm and below and it features solution
and melt spinning capabilities.
Forcespinning is an award winning technol
Japan’s Teijin Group announced
today that three of its outstanding Teijin products have been selected for
display at Japan Experience; an exhibition organized by the Secretariat for Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Japan 2010 and scheduled to take place in Yokohama,
Japan from November 7 to 14.
The three Teijin products are Biofront, a highly
heat-resistant advanced bioplastic; aramid fibre used in lightweight and highly
protective clothing; and the PU_PA EV e
DSM Dyneema is to present the
results of new research that confirms use of its Dyneema ultra-strong
lightweight fibre in fishing nets can yield major energy savings for fishermen,
and make an important contribution to the sustainability of the fishing
industry. The company will talk about the results and conclusions of its latest
‘eco-footprint’ analysis at the Energy use in Fisheries Symposium, which takes
place in Seattle on November 14-17.
DSM Dyneema commission
Invista, owner of the
Lycra fibre brand, has teamed up with sports apparel brand Fila, to develop and
release the Fila Body Toning System (BTS), a collection of engineered body
toning workout apparel featuring Lycra Sport fabric. Aimed at the women's
fitness industry, Fila’s BTS is said to shape the body and dramatically improve
workout efficiency.
According to Invista, BTS apparel is designed to increase
muscle exercise by as much as 50%, which the compa
DuPont has
launched has launched a new product called Kevlar XP for Hard Armor to provide
extra protection and extra performance in ballistic applications. The product
is initially targeted at military and police helmet markets and tactical plates used in ballistic
protective vests.
According to DuPont, an Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) used by
the U.S. military today can weigh almost four pounds and DuPont Kevlar XP for
Hard Armor provides a half pound (0.5 lb
Oeko-Tex is to offer a
free online seminar that overviews Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 certification, the
independent validation that textile manufacturing facilities are operated with
environmentally and socially responsible methods. The free one hour webinar
will be presented on November 10 at 12:00 noon EST as part of the Oeko-Tex
Connects series that the association launched in May.
Like the well known Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification,
which tests textiles to
Teijin Group’s carbon fibre
business Toho Tenax has announced that its German subsidiary, Toho Tenax Europe
GmbH, started full-scale operation of its fourth carbon fibre production line
at its Oberbruch plant this month, following initial start-up in September.
The 1700 ton capacity Line 4 was completed in August 2009,
but as a result of declining demand for carbon fibre due to the economic
downturn since the autumn of 2008, the line’s originally scheduled start
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, has announced that a research and
development effort by the University of Notre Dame, the University of Wyoming,
and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, has succeeded in producing transgenic
silkworms capable of spinning artificial spider silks.
"This research represents a significant breakthrough in
the development of superior silk fibres for both medical and non-medical
applications," said Malcolm J. Fraser Jr., a Notre Dame Professor of
A research and development effort by the
University of Notre Dame, the University of Wyoming, and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories,
Inc. has succeeded in producing transgenic silkworms capable of spinning
artificial spider silks. Watch the video:
Further reading:
Kraig Biocraft
Laboratories in spider silk breakthrough
US based Leigh Fibers has
established a dedicated business unit to divert discarded carpet and plastic
from landfills and turn it into fibres and densified product used by plastics moulders. Current and near-term equipment installations
will give Leigh Carpet & Plastics Recycling, LLC the capacity to keep more
than 100 million pounds a year of used carpet out of landfills, which would
increase the volume currently diverted in the United States by about
As part of its ongoing efforts
to serve the changing needs of global players, ITMA will feature a brand new section
on fibres and yarns for its 2011 edition which will be held from 22 to 29
September at Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía, Spain.
The new fibres and
yarns section of the exhibition will feature natural, man-made and technical
fibres, as well as natural, synthetic and technical yarns. With the new inclusion
ITMA 2011 exhibits will now be classified into 18
Unifi Textiles (Suzhou)
Co., Ltd. Is continuing in its drive to be a global leader in sustainable
textiles with the introduction of Repreve FDY, a 100% recycled fully drawn
yarn. Launching at the 2010 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Show, Unifi
says the new Repreve product offering includes the most comprehensive selection
of recycled fully drawn yarn counts in today’s market.
The Repreve family of recycled products available from UTSC
now includes:
Rec
Specialty chemical company
Clariant announced today that its Textile Chemicals Business Unit (BU) will
relocate its headquarters to Singapore. Clariant says, the move, which is due
to be completed by mid 2011, places the Textile Chemicals BU management team at
the heart of the world’s main textile markets and closer to its global
customers.
The new Singapore headquarters will accommodate the entire
senior Textile Chemicals BU management team together with the global
Johnson Controls Inc (JCI) has
announced it is planning to buy French manufacturer of automotive interiors textiles
Michel Thierry, of Laroque d'Olmes. Details of the acquisition were not
disclosed.
According to a report in Wisconsin’s Journal Sentinel, Glendale-based
Johnson Controls said the deal will make it one of the global leaders in
textiles and integrated trim and set the stage for growth. Michel Thierry whose
product line includes automotive textiles a
DSM Dyneema is expanding its portfolio
of products based on Dyneema, with the first in a new series of vest grades of
unidirectional (UD) material. Dyneema SB51, which the company believes will
create a step-change in the protection achievable with Soft Ballistic (SB) armour,
has been developed for use in ballistic vests that combine minimum weight with
high protection performance against handgun ammunition, fragments and knives.
Dyneema SB51 builds on the success that
Techtextil North America Symposium has been praised as ‘world class’
and ‘the best symposium of its kind’ by the trade press. In order to assure the
continued popularity of the symposium, the Techtextil North America Symposium
Advisory Council has been created. The 2011 Advisory Council consists of six
well respected professionals that attend and exhibit at Techtextil North
America as well as academia known for their contribution to the technical textiles
an
Polyester producer Teijin Fibers, announced
today that its Eco Circle closed-loop recycling system for polyester received
an ICIS Innovation Award 2010 in the ‘Innovation with Best Environmental
Benefit’ category.
The award recognizes Eco Circle as an innovative
chemical-based recycling technology and Teijin’s efforts to protect the
environment through polyester recycling. Eco Circle is said to help conserve
oil resources and reduce waste by repeatedly recycli
Teijin Aramid and Dutch
research and technology company Avantium announced yesterday that they have
entered into an R&D partnership to explore high-performance polymers. The
partnership builds on Teijin Aramid’s leading position in polyaramids and
Avantium’s catalytic technology for producing building blocks for green
materials and fuels. Avantium is a research and technology company that is
unlocking a new generation of biobased chemical building
At the recent Dornbirn Manmade Fibres
Conference in Austria, Elke Schmalz of the Saxon Textile Research Institute
(STFI) introduced Hycospun.
This is a new process developed at the STFI for
manufacturing hydrodynamically bonded spunbond and meltblown composites with
fine fibre layers (less than 10µm), in a project commissioned by the air
filtration industry.
“The spunbond and hydrontanglement processes are not
combined that often and at STFI we are in the unique po
Anvil Knitwear, a leading
manufacturer of sustainable apparel, premiered a digital short at Farm Aid 25:
Growing Hope for America Concert at Miller Park in Milwaukee on 2 October, as
part of its sponsorship of the event. The thought provoking video educates
consumers about the impact of pesticide use on the environment and farmers and
encourages consumers to support organic farmers.
“As the largest buyer of US grown organic cotton, Anvil has
made a commitment to do
Teijin Techno Products, one of the
core companies of the Teijin Group’s aramid fibres business, announced today
the development of a groundbreaking fire fighting suit that it says offers the
world’s highest levels of heat-barrier performance and comfortable, lightweight
design.
Developed in cooperation with Akao Co., Ltd., Japan’s
leading manufacturer of fire fighting apparel, the suit is made with TripProtech
aramid fibre fabric newly developed by Teijin Techno Pr
The boxfish (Ostraciidae) was the
rather unlikely role model for the design of the Mercedes Bionic concept car,
attendees at the recent 49th Dornbirn Manmade Fibres Conference in Austria were
told.
Matthias Runar, of the Mercedes design centre at
Sindelfingen in Germany, which houses 420 of the company’s 500+ designers,
explained in Dornbirn that bionics is being integrated into design processes,
primarily to find new ways of cons
Sunscreen was yesterday's
solution, today its UV protection clothing – according to researchers at
Germany’s Hohenstein Institute, doctors believe that the right clothing gives
better protection from the dangers of the sun than creams. Nevertheless, the
researchers say, many people who spend a long time outdoors because of their
work, such as builders, gardeners, farmers, law enforcement officers, industrial
cleaners or waiters, are reluctant to use specia
Following five years of research
and development, UK based Dreamskin Health Ltd has launched what it calls the
world's first range of hydrating, medical-grade silk garments designed to
relieve the itching and irritation of eczema and dermatitis.
The secret to the new garments is a proprietary biomimetic
copolymer matrix which is firmly bound to the surface of the silk and assists
the water and temperature regulation functions of the skin. "The Dreamskin
polymer is a
The Lenzing group, market
leader in cellulosic fibres, plans to significantly expand its production
capacities and will invest EUR 120 million in both Europe and Asia in the projects
which will be completed by 2011. Key measures include the expansion of pulp
supply and the increase in the Modal production capacity in Lenzing (Austria),
a significant expansion of the site in Heiligenkreuz (Austria) and the
reconstruction of the English site for Tencel in Grimsby (UK)
Dyneema ultra-high molecular
weight polyethylene fibres can now be used in cut resistant gloves for the food
processing industry in Europe. Within the European Union, materials and items used
in food contact applications need to comply with strict requirements laid out
in the Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 governing materials used in
contact with food, as well as the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) Regulation
(EC) No 2023/2006. DSM Dyneema’s UHMWPE fibre
At the recent 49th Dornbirn
Manmade Fibre Conference in Austria, Andreas Flacheneker of Polyamide High
Performance (PHP), provided details of the improvements made by his company to
Stanylenka PA 4.6 multifilament yarns since their introduction in 2006.
Compared to technical PA 6.6 multifilament yarns which have
a heat resistance peak of around 130°C, Stanylenka PA 4.6 yarns have a melting
temperature as high as 285°C, and they also have a much higher crystalinit
Naturally Advanced
Technologies (NAT), which recently developed hemp yarns and fabrics with cotton
like properties, is now using flax fibres in the next phase of its Crailar
technology. The productivity of processing using flax is said to be twice as
efficient as it is with hemp, yielding nearly twice as much usable fibre after
going through the Crailar process.
“Today, we are pleased to announce that we have created a
sustainable, commercially viable com
In a market dominated by ‘petroleum-based’
clothing, pioneering New Zealand merino company Icebreaker, says it is offering
a natural alternative to the synthetic knitted fleece. Icebreaker, which has pioneered
merino outdoor clothing since 1994, is introducing Realfleece in its
Fall/Winter 2010 collection.
According to Icebreaker, Realfleece is a premium natural
alternative to a synthetic fleece, but unlike synthetics, looks good enough to
wear out socially.
Teijin’s carbon fibre business,
Toho Tenax, has announced that it has developed a gas diffusion layer (GDL)
made of a carbon fibre fabric for use as an electrode component for fuel cells.
The new GDL will be marketed from late September this year.
According to Toho Tenax, the new fabric-type GDL exhibits
better flexibility and strength than commonly used paper-type GDLs, which are
carbon fibre sheets impregnated with resin or other materials. The company says
that
Italy’s RadiciGroup has
announced a new investment at its production site in Casnigo, which is engaged
in the production of polyamide 6 and 66 BCF yarn sold under the Radifloor brand
name.
The investment of about Euros 10 million will go towards the
installation of new spinning lines for the production of polyamide 66 and
polyamide 6 solution-dyed BCF yarn. The new lines are expected to be put into
operation in the middle of 2011 and will complement the ex
Organisers of the GO carbon
Fibre 2010 conference are urging delegates to book their place at the
conference now to avoid disappointment and late booking fees.
The upcoming Global Outlook for Carbon Fibre 2010
conference, taking place on 29 - 30 September in Valencia, Spain, will cover
topics such as market analysis, materials insight, virgin CFRP production, CFRP
recycling, technical assessment of the latest innovations in production,
materials handling, resour
Research and Markets has
announced the addition of the "India Textile and Apparel Trends 2009"
report its offering. The following is a report summary provided by the vendor:
Report Summary:
India's relationship with textiles began as early as 3000
B.C with the use of organic dyes and block prints. Even today, intricate hand
weaving, delicate embroideries and richness of fabric like Indian silk and
satin attract people from all over the world. According to the au
Edited by R Alagirusamy and A Das, Indian Institute of
Technology, New Delhi, India
Woodhead Textiles Series No. 101
UK based Woodhead Publishing
has published a new book called ‘Technical textile Yarns’, which it says provides
a comprehensive overview of the variety of technical textile yarns available
along with individual characteristics and production methods.
The following is a product summary provided by the
publisher:
- documents advances
in textil
Teijin Fibers Limited, the Teijin
Group’s polyester fibres business, announced today that it will participate in
Interfiliere Paris 2010, where it will exhibit its range of eco-friendly
polyesters. Interfiliere, the world's leading international trade fair for
lingerie and beachwear fabrics, which will be held at the Paris Expo Porte de
Versailles in Paris, France, from 4 to 6 September.
Teijin will present its environmentally friendly high
performance polyester m
The International Conference
on Technical Textiles and Nonwovens, which is being held from 11-13 November
2010 at IIT Dehli, in India has issued a call for papers. The conference is
being organised by the Department of Textile technology at the Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
The main objective of the conference is to bring together
industry, research organizations and academia involved meaningful discussions
on existing technical textile products, ex
As with the first quarter of 2010,
the Lenzing Group has made optimum use of favourable global market conditions achieving
excellent results in Q2. Consolidated sales in the first half of 2010 climbed 43.6
%1 to EUR 847.2 million from EUR 589.9 million.
This was the company’s strongest
rise in sales ever, which it says was was made possible by higher fibre volumes
and price dynamics of global markets as well as full first time consolidation of
the company’s pu
This summer, sun protection is literally a hot topic. Shading textiles such as
sunshades, blinds and beach shelters promise to provide cooling shade and
protection from harmful UV radiation and there is also more and more specific
UV protection clothing to be found in the shops.
But how in fact do textiles protect you from the sun's
radiation, and what differences between them should be taken into account? Dr.
Andreas Schmidt (AS) of the international Textile R
Building on the success of
the first two IFAI Advanced Textiles conferences (in Berlin and Brussels), IFAI
presented a third successful edition in Paris 16-17 June, in the modern
Congress facilities of UICP (right next to the Eiffel Tower).
The Industrial Fabrics Association International hosted 70
participants from Europe and the U.S. at the 2010 conference, which focused on
major applications of technical textiles and investigated new technology
solutions and
A base layer garment in a knitted
net structure made from merino wool has won the Scandinavian Outdoor Award for
Summer 2010. According to competition judges Woolnet from Norwegian sports underwear
brand Aclima showed an “innovative approach in terms of material, form and
durability”.
Aclima’s WoolNet is based on an open knit structure that
allows the garment to breathe and keep the wearer cool and dry. The net
construction also traps air that insul
Cheese, chocolate and a chairlift over
a flowering meadow taking visitors to the Swiss pavilion is apparently one the
biggest draws at the World Exposition in Shanghai which runs to the end of
October 2010.
From May to July, more then 1.1 million visitors learned
about Swiss traditions and Swiss developments visiting the pavilion. Bratwurst,
rösti potatoes, raclette and fondue are said to be proving just as popular
among the Chinese and international guests as the
At Nanofibers for the Third
Millennium, held from August 30 – September 1 in Raleigh, NC, world leaders in nanofibres
will gather to discuss the state of fibre formation as a science and as a
corner stone for new nonwovens and technical-textile enabled products.
“The Nonwovens Institute has always had a commitment to
bringing together fundamental science, new product concepts and leaders in
industry. We’re very excited to be
hosting this conference w
Protective suit
specialist TST Sweden has signed a licensing agreement with fibre manufacturer
DSM Dyneema that will enable them to use the Dutch company’s distinctive
trademark on their multilayer water-jet protective suits made with the
ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene Dyneema fibre.
TST says Dyneema is not only the strongest material, but
also the lightest, to be used in suits to protect operators using water jets
operating at up to 2000 bar i
Unifi, Inc. today released
preliminary operating results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June
27, 2010. For the 2010 fiscal year, net income was $10.7 million or $0.18 per
share, which represents the company's first profitable year since fiscal 2000
and an improvement of $59.7 million or $0.97 per share, from the prior year
period. Highlights for the 2010 fiscal year include:
Net sales increased by $63.1 million or 11.4 percent to
$616.8 million,
Invista, owner of the Lycra fibre brand, reports
that millions of hangtags have been ordered for the recently launched Lycra Sport
fabric. The innovative fabric was launched to the industry in July 2009 and Invista
reports that hangtags have been ordered to appear on garments in retail stores
throughout the world this autumn, including from several leading brands.
According to Invista, smaller scale retail launches took
place earlier this year where garments with Lycra Sport
Article written by the Hohenstein Institute
On Thursday 10 June 2010, Prof.
Dr. Stefan Mecheels welcomed nearly 80 people with an interest in the textile
industry and research to the 4th Innovation Exchange at the Hohenstein
Institute. On the previous evening, the Hohenstein "Award for
Entrepreneurial Excellence in Global Textile Services" had been presented
to Christine Krautschneider, long-standing managing partner and now Chair of
the Supervisory Board of Salesi
New Zealand based merino
wool pioneer for the outdoors, Icebreaker, launched its new range of merino
technical knits for runners at this month’s leading Outdoor show which was held
in Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance in Germany.
While the company’s Icebreaker GT technical sports line has
always been popular with runners, Icebreaker says it is now responding to consumer
demand by launching a specialist range of knitted merino running garmen
The growing demand for garments with wool are
beginning to make merino a favourite for Outdoor apparel and in response Mönchengladbach based Stöhr AG a manufacturer of
combed wool yarns, and Leicester, UK based Wykes International Ltd., a yarn covering
specialist, have developed a range of ThermoCool-Merino
composite yarns suitable for seamless outerwear production.
UK based Sub Zero Technologies, thermal underwear and base layer
brand has used the Thermo
Swiss high-tech textiles
developer Schoeller technologies has launched a new fabric range called
‘energear’ which uses Far Infrared Rays to ensure that energy radiated by the
body is recovered to positively affect performance capacity and wellbeing. The
technology has applications in sports and outdoor, in the work environment and
in day to day life and runners are said to have reported lower pulse rates and
improved performance whilst wearing garments ma
German textile engineering powerhouse Groz-Beckert opened its highly impressive Technology & Development Centre (TEZ) here in Albstadt on Friday confirming its status as one of the most successful and forward thinking textile engineering businesses in the world.
Set in Baden-Württemberg, one of Germany’s wealthiest regions, which borders France to the west and Switzerland to the south, the town of Albstadt is the centre
Netherlands based TenCate Outdoor
Fabrics has introduced a new inherently flame-retardant fabric for group tents,
called TenCate Campshield. Scouting
Nederland, which is celebrating its centenary this year, will include this new
safety fabric from TenCate as a standard item in its collection of group tents
for scouts.
On the eve of the Jubilee Jamboree held to celebrate this very special
anniversary, Scouting Nederland dcided to provide its members with tents made
o
Leading Italian manufacturer
of warp and weft knitted fabrics SITIP SpA Industrie Tessili, showed its new Acqua
Zero range of ‘non-wetting’ fabrics at last week’s Outdoor show on the shores
of Lake Constance in Germany. Acqua Zero non-wetting fabrics are said to be durable
and unique in that they have inherent stretch but can still retain their water
repellency over long periods of time.
Speaking at Outdoor, SITIP’s Executive Marketing Director
Sergio
The environment and ethically sourced
fashion will be on the agenda in London this coming autumn when leading
non-profit organisations the RITE Group and the Ethical Fashion Forum run two
major textile events alongside each other.
Located together for the first time at Central Hall,
Westminster, London, on 6th October, the RITE Group conference on sustainable
textiles and clothing will welcome the Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF) with its
newly named Ethical Fashion Source e
NatureWorks LLC
and Trevira GmbH have jointly announced that Germany’s Trevira, a leading
producer of high-quality branded polyester fibres and filament yarns, now holds
a master license to manufacture Ingeo fibres. The rationale for this new
partnership was first discussed at the EDANA International Nonwovens Symposium,
held in Milan.
“Because of its technical expertise, exemplary reputation,
capability to shorten time-to-market for custom produc
Swiss knit fabrics manufacturer Eschler
and Austrian textile finishing specialist Grabher Group, have joined
forces to engineer
a new generation of functional fabrics for sports and workwear using
cutting
edge plasma finishing technology.
Plasma, known as the fourth state of matter, is created by
applying electrical fields to pure gas or gas mixtures in a vacuum
chamber. The
gas is then ionized and leads to a chemical reaction on the surface of
the respective
mate
FildiUSA, a North American producer
of recycled cotton yarn, has announced that its Ecotec recycled cotton-blend
yarns have been granted Control Union’s Global Recycle Standard. The Global
Recycle Standard validates both a yarn’s recycled content as well as the
sustainable and socially responsible manner in which it is produced. Fildi says
it is the first yarn company in the United States to earn the prestigious recognition.
“We are proud that our products a
TenCate Protective Fabrics has announced
that its TenCate Defender M protective fabric for combat uniforms of the United
States military is now being evaluated for use in fire fighters’ garments. Engineered
with patented, inherently flame-resistant properties that are said not to wash
out or wear out, TenCate Defender M is claimed to be ideal for use as a thermal
liner for fire fighters’ turnout gear.
According to TenCate, standard issue for every ground
soldier de
Dyneema ultra-high molecular weight
polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre is helping to ensure that a major construction
project to bring clean energy to millions of people in the U.K., moves ahead as
efficiently and safely as possible.
The world’s largest offshore wind farm, which is under
construction in the North Sea, 23 km off the coast of England, is scheduled for
completion in 2012 and the Greater Gabbard wind farm’s 140 turbines will
generate 500 megawatts of electrici
For many people, daily life entails a
constant change between indoors and outdoors,
from warm to cool environments. These fluctuating temperatures and conditions
can be a source of discomfort. Melchior Textil has come up with a range of new,
heat-regulating fabrics, suitable for the textile rental markets that are
designed to adapt to changing temperatures. The fabric is available in a number
of different weights and owes its unique functionality to smartcel clima fi
Researchers at the Hohenstein
Institute in Germany are helping local innovative manufacturers of sportswear
fabrics to improve the functional properties of their knitted fabrics by developing
practical construction guidelines.
In a recently completed research project (AiF No. 15481 N),
with funding from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi)
provided through the Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AIF), the
scientists drew specific con
Turkish knitter Eurotex Tekstil has
introduced the world’s first seamless garments made from Biophyl
sustainable
yarns in its ‘Green is Smart’ collection. The new collection includes
eco-active
base layers with zonal patterns and elastic recovery properties for both
men
and women.
Eurotex has developed the seamless garment collection in
line with its mission to ‘increase human comfort and welfare with
state-of-art
products’ and uses Santoni seamless te
Polyester yarns producer Unifi,
has announced it will invest in the backward integration of its Repreve supply
chain to improve the availability of recycled raw materials and increase the company’s
product capabilities.
In addition to providing greater control over the production
of the recycled chip that is used to make Repreve polyester fibres, Unifi says the
new state-of-the-art recycling technology will provide opportunities for the company
to recycle po
Mantec Group, owner of Wykes International, the well known
UK based
manufacturer of specialist elastomeric and industrial yarns, has
announced that
Wykes has emerged from the recession optimistic about the future. Group
Chairman
Tim Kelly said in a statement released today:
“Wykes
International is now ready to fully re-engage with the industry as a
well
resourced and funded company with a new team containing a balance of
youthful
enthusiasm and mature knowl
Dutch company CT International is
launching a new product called RescueProtectionSet at this week’s Interschutz
Exhibition in Leipzig, Germany, the world’s largest trade fair for incident
management, crisis management and disaster relief. RescueProtectionSet is aimed
at the emergency response market and has been specially designed to protect
fire fighters and other emergency service workers who have to rescue casualties
from vehicles that have been involved in an ac
- The seventh edition of Techtextil North America, which took place May 18 –
20, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia as part of a
co-location effort with both the ATME-I show and SPESA EXPO creating the first
ever Textile & Sewn Products Industry Week in an effort that is said to
have provided tremendous value for textile and sewn products industry
professionals at all levels of the textile and sewn products manufacturing and
application su
Canadian warp and circular
knitter Syfilco Ltd has reported its business is booming following the
BP oil
spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Syfilco, a family business founded in the
1970s manufactures
knitted polyester fabric sleeves and polyethylene netting sleeves that
are filled
with absorbent materials to create booms used to contain the spill in
the Gulf.
According to local newspaper reports, production of sleeves
at Syfilco has recently doubled due to th
Coldblack and Descente are
teaming up to sponsor Australian pro triathlete Paul Ambrose. Ambrose is a rising star in
professional triathlon and will race events globally in Descente apparel with
coldblack.
“I am looking forward to racing some of Europe's top
athletes, on what I consider one of the most challenging half ironman's in Europe.
I would like to tests my strengths on the bike, against the commonly known
culture of cyclists "The Germans". They ar
Bridging market needs and innovative
applications is the focus of the inaugural Research, Innovation & Science
for Engineered Fabrics (RISE) Conference, which will take place September 20-23
in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Organized by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics
Industry, RISE will provide information and stimulation for innovation in all aspects
of the development, production, marketing and sales of disposable and durable
nonwovens and engineered fabri
Swiss manufacturer of warp and weft
knit performance fabrics Eschler, has supplied its Flash double sided
moisture
management fabric to Swedish cycling brand Craft for its award winning
bike
wear. Craft’s Elite Attack Bib received the Eurobike Award 2009.
Circular knitted Flash fabric is a double layer knit which
has polyester on the inside and polyamide on the outside and is said to
provide
outstanding moisture management. In addition, Flash also has compressio
Biomedical Structures
(BMS), a US based supplier of custom-designed biomaterials and textiles used in
advanced clinical applications from orthopaedics and reconstructive surgery to
tissue engineering, has announced it has completed a private equity financing
with Ampersand Ventures. The company says Ampersand's funding will enable it to
meet the increasingly complex demands of the medical device industry with
expanded capabilities in service, technology pl
Federal-Mogul Corporation has announced
it has developed what it believes to be the world's first Polyethylene
Terephthalate
(PET) yarn to meet both halogen-free flame-retardant regulations and the
"no flaming drip" requirement. Federal-Mogul says that until now, no
commercially available, zero-halogen flame-retardant Polyethylene
Terephthalate
has been able to meet this requirement, known as the UL 1441 VW-1 flame
test.
Federal-Mogul is now developing comme
For organisers,
exhibitors and visitors, there was said to be great satisfaction with
the
progress of this season’s Performance Days in Munich (13th – 15th April
2010)
and Annecy (19th – 20th April 2010). New trends and innovations were
presented
together with the collections for winter 2011/12 and summer 2012 at the
exhibition
for decision-makers, designers and product managers from the world of
sportswear and workwear.
According to organisers,
Lenzing has launched a new version of
its Lenzing FR protective viscose fibre at last week’s Techtextil North America
in Atlanta, which incorporates black dyestuff. The new fibre is said to offer a
host of advantages for both the textile industry and wearers of protective
clothing. According to the company Lenzing FR Black is the first and only
black, flame resistant textile cellulose fibre.
Lenzing says that its Lenzing FR Black fibre innovation can
be used in variou
Ansell Limited, a global leader
in hand protection, has launched HyFlex 11-830, an ergonomically
designed knitted
glove that incorporates ZonzKnit Advanced Comfort Technology for
improved comfort
and fit. Ansell is one of the largest manufacturers of knitted
industrial gloves in the world and operates large plants of Shima Seiki glove
knitting machines in different parts of the world.
“Ansell developed
HyFlex 11-830 to present workers with a glove that off
According to a new report by Textiles
Intelligence, man-made fibre output in Japan fell in 2009 for the ninth
consecutive year. Furthermore, the decline, at 22.0%, was more than twice as
fast as any previous fall during the nine-year period. Output of filament yarn
plunged by 29.9% while that of staple fibres decreased by a substantial 15.1%.
The fall in filament yarn output reflected double digit declines in all the
main fibre types. In the case of staple fibres,
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT) has arranged, subject to regulatory approval, a
non-brokered private placement consisting of the issuance of up to 1,400,000
units (each a "Unit") of the company, at a subscription price of
$1.00 per Unit, to qualified investors, raising up to $1,400,000 by the company
(collectively, the "Private Placement").
Each Unit of the Private Placement is comprised of one
common share and one-half of one share purchase warrant
Sugoi Performance Apparel, a
division of Dorel Industries Inc., has announced it is to become the official
supplier of Ironman technical wear for the Ironman European Championship in
Frankfurt on July 4th 2010, for Ironman Regensburg on August 1st,
2010 and for the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Wiesbaden on August
15th, 2010.
In addition to supplying a special Ironman edition of technical
apparel branded with the Ironman logo, Sugoi, known for high quality
Researchers at The Hohenstein Institute say they are making
progress on the bio tolerance of textile implants by using stem cells to
regenerate vascular tissue to allow for optimised integration of textile implants.
According to Hohenstein, the capacity of a textile implant
to be tolerated by the body, known as bio tolerance, plays an important role in
regenerative medicine but the body does not always tolerate textile implants.
Even modern implants made of resorbab
The Oerlikon Textile report ‘The
Fiber Year’ which is being published for the tenth time will be available for download
from the company’s homepage www.oerlikontextile.com in June. A Chinese version of the report will be available at a later date.
According to the report, global fibre consumption went up
4.2% to 70.5 million tonnes with manmade fibres rising 4.0% to 44.1 million
tonnes and natural fibres advancing 4.5% to 26.4 million tonnes. With a world
popula
Lenzing's subsidiary PT. South
Pacific Viscose (SPV) officially started up its fourth production line
at the
beginning of April, with a total investment of USD 150 million making it
the group's
biggest individual investment project in recent years. Its annual
nominal
production capacity of 60,000 tons of viscose fibre for textile and
nonwovens
applications raises SPV's total annual capacity to 220,000 tons and
makes it
Asia's biggest viscose fibre production site
Toray Industries, Inc. has announced
that it has signed a long-term basic supply agreement with the aerospace and
defence company EADS to supply carbon fibre prepreg for aircraft application
primarily for Airbus S.A.S. over 15 years through to 2025.
EADS is Europe’s largest aerospace corporate group
comprising the globally leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus as well as the
helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, the space provider Astrium and the EADS
Defence & Securit
Aanti-trust authorities have approved
Lenzing’s acquisition of Czech pulp producer Biocel Paskov A.S. The acquisition
is said to be an important strategic step towards the group's long-term
extension of its vertical backwards integration. The acquisition is part of a
hedging strategy to protect Lenzing from the impact of high pulp price
volatility. Pulp is the raw material used for the production of Lenzing’s viscose
fibres.
Lenzing intends to invest 50 million Euro
Research and Markets has announced the
addition of Textiles Intelligence's new report "Personal Protective
Clothing: Ensuring Worker Safety" to its offer.
The following is a description of the report:
“Personal protective clothing offers a practical solution to
eliminating or at least minimizing, the risk of accidents, injuries or
infection in the workplace. More specifically, it provides an effective
safeguard against hazards such as extreme temperatures, fire, pote
Textured polyester and nylon
producer Unifi yesterday reported improved sales and net income for its
third
fiscal quarter ended March 28, 2010 and increased gross profits for the
first
nine months. The company said net sales were positively impacted by
improved
market conditions across all of the company's key segments, as well as
continued growth in Brazil.
The company reported net sales of $154.7 million for the
third quarter of fiscal year 2010, an increa
Researchers at the Hohenstein
Institute have partnered Swiss knitted fabrics manufacturer Eschler
Textil to
develop innovative knitted fabrics for use in workwear. Garments made
from the functional
warp knitted fabrics are said to be able to withstand industrial
laundering and
can therefore be used in the garment rental sector, which is normally
the
domain of woven fabrics.
“For the first time, warp-knitted fabrics have been
developed for making clothe
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT) and Hanesbrands Inc. have jointly reviewed the results
of their CRAiLAR Organic Fibers spinning trials and agreed to enter the final
stage of their joint development agreement, which is expected to result in a
commercialization agreement in the near future. Commenting on the results of
recent trials, Ken Barker, CEO of NAT said: “We are well on our way to
achieving full blown production of CRAiLAR in 2010.”
The te
Chinese
sports socks manufacturer China
Access Marketing Ltd. (CAML) has introduced a new range of engineered
performance
socks for cyclists and runners based on Advansa’s ThermoCool polyester
fibres. CAML
is known for its winter sports and trekking socks.
CAML says has chosen to bring Advansa’s ThermoCool innovation
to its sock lines for the coming season in order to provide high
quality, dual
functionality and ultimate comfort, designed to fit the needs of
The Technical Textiles Special
Interest Group (SIG) of The Textile Institute, Manchester and The Manchester
and Cheshire Section of the Textile Institute have announced the speakers for their International Conference on ‘Managing Innovation in Textiles’. The event will
be held on Thursday 10 June and Friday 11 June in Manchester, UK. Download the full conference programme.
The global Textile Industry has in the last few decades seen
revolutionary changes in i
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT) has concluded further trials which it says prove the quality
and volume capabilities of its Crailar hemp fibres and expands applications to
include tee-shirts and finer gauge knit garments.
The company recently conducted full scale commercial
processing trials in Germany that were then replicated at the G.J. Littlewood
& Son processing facility in Pennsylvania. According to NAT, final
verification of the effec
Polyester fibre producer Teijin
Fibers Limited has announced the development of a new cationic-dyeable
polyester polymer, called V4, which it says can be dyed at ambient temperature
and pressure and also offers excellent fibre strength and stainability.
According to Teijin, V4 paves the way for the development of
ultra-fine highly multi-filament yarn as well as non-circular cross-section
yarn, both offering high-quality deep dyeing and colour clarity. Teijin Fibers
also
Leading technical textile and
nonwovens companies from around the world will showcase the latest products and
advanced technologies in textiles, nonwovens and materials during Techtextil
North America 2010 next month in Atlanta, Georgia. The show represents all
vertical aspects of the technical textile industry from research and
development, through raw materials and production processes, to conversion,
further treatment and recycling.
Some of the highlights of the
TenCate Protective Fabrics reports
it has secured a important order from the Swedish manufacturer Gulins Business
Design AB for the supply to the Norwegian FLO (Defence Logistic Organisation) of
inherently flame-resistant TenCate Defender M fabric in the new colour dark
blue. The order involves the supply of fabric for more than 25,000 sets of
clothing over two years to protect the Norwegian marines.
TenCate says the order is the result of ongoing product
developmen
Netherlands based synthetic turf
producer TenCate Grass and process certifier INTRON have entered into a
cooperation agreement in order to be able to issue FIFA 2-Star level performance
warranties on synthetic turf systems. FIFA 2-Star is the level of performance
that the football federation FIFA has defined for premier league football.
Builders of synthetic turf systems will be quality control certified
by INTRON after the cooperation agreement was concluded followin
David T. Rouse and partner have
formed Carolina-Pacific Fibers, LLC to import and distribute Hengli industrial
polyester yarns in the Americas. The company’s
headquarters are located near Charlotte, NC, in the heart of the US market for
industrial polyester. Jiangsu Hengli Chemical Fibre Co. Ltd, based in Wujiang,
Jiangsu, China has an annual industrial polyester capacity of 200,000 tons.
Hengli products available through Carolina-Pacific Fibers, are
high tenacit
Lenzing AG, a company quoted on the
Vienna stock exchange and a leader in the manufacture of cellulose fibres, has acquired
a 75 % share in Czech pulp producer Biocel Paskov A.S. Biocel’s owner, Austrian
company Heinzel Holding, will keep a 25 % share in the company and manage paper
pulp distribution.
According to Lenzing, Biocel’s paper pulp production
capacity runs to about 280,000 tons per year. Lenzing intends to invest EUR 50
million in the site's capacity exp
The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command
has awarded a contract of 180,000 garments over 18 months for the U.S Marine
Corps flame resistant Inclement Weather Combat Shirt (IWCS). This program was
awarded to Short Bark Inc., a Venore (Tennessee, USA) based company, which has
already begun production on these garments. TenCate Defense & Tactical, as a
business unit of TenCate Protective Fabrics USA, will provide TenCate
Defender(TM) M fabrics to fulfil the order. The gar
Cellulose fibre producer
Lenzing has announced it will partner Litrax AG to introduce a unique
fibre
blend of its Tencel lyocell regenerated wood pulp fibre and Litrax-1
natural
bamboo stem fibres, which incorporates DNA in the bamboo fibre to
provide
authentication.
Following recent questions over the authenticity over bamboo
fibre, Litrax is to deliver the Litrax -1 natural bamboo fibres with
special
DNA coding to help protect its vertical supply chai
Boss Green, a Hugo Boss golf and
sportswear line is using Schoeller technologies’ 3XDRY finishing technology for
golf trousers in its 2010 Spring-Summer Collection.
“Golfers out early in the dewy morning benefit from the high
level of water resistance of this textile finish; for example when crossing wet
fairways”, explains José Janga, Senior Head of Creative Management, Boss Green.
“Later, when the sun is beating down around midday, the ‘advanced
moistur
The Lenzing Group, market leader in
cellulose fibres, is to invest in further capacity expansion and
modification
of its sites in Lenzing (Austria) and Nanjing (China). The production
capacity
of the Nanjing site will be more than doubled to 140,000 tons per year
with an investment
of 55 million Euros over an 18 month to two year period and the Lenzing
site
will switch production from standard viscose fibres to modal fibres
within the
next fifteen months at an
Leigh Fibers Inc. announced
yesterday it will invest US $10 million expanding its Wellford plant to create
40 new jobs over the next five years. The 88-year-old private company recycles
post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste and recycles it to manufacture
new fabrics for a variety of industries.
Leigh will use the capital investment to add new equipment
at its one million-square-foot plant, which will allow it to diversify its
product offering and imp
FibeRio Technology
Corporation has received the silver prize among the over 90 top technology
innovators from across the USA and around the world competing in Arlington,
Texas, March 16-17 for top honours at WBT2010 presented by Lockheed Martin.
FibeRio Technology Corporation’s force spinning technology,
which uses centrifugal force to spin nanofibres, is said to have been rigorously
screened and mentored by WBT commercialization experts to present to a sold
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), reports that leading Japanese cycling and
sports apparel company Pearl Izumi has introduced MerinoPerform into its 60th
anniversary cycling jersey range for sale in the USA and Japan. The new range
includes MerinoPerform Advantage technology, which Pearl Izumi has used to
create high performance garments that enable athletes to perform at their best
in hot and cold conditions.
Developed by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) using up to 19.
One of the world's largest
manufacturers of fibre optic sensors for civil engineering applications and a
world leader in geosynthetics are collaborating in the development of a unique geotextiles
monitoring solution, TenCate GeoDetect, which will provide unprecedented detail
about the properties of embankments, slopes, walls, levees, roads, rails and
other earth structures. The developers say customers will benefit from the
real-time monitoring of every square meter
European polyester producer Advansa is introducing
its multifunctional, ecological and high-tech
fibre
innovations Thermo°Cool, Climarelle and Suprelle to
the Chinese market at the forthcoming home textiles fair Guangzhou. The event
runs from 27 – 30 March.
According to Advansa, one of its key values guiding the
development of new products, is environmental protection; reducing environmental
impacts of the company’s activities which includes environm
After initial talks in Annecy, France
and a meeting with EuroSIMA President and co-founder Fred Basse during the ISPO
show in Munich, Performance Days functional fabrics roadshow and EuroSIMA have
now confirmed their cooperation.
Both partners will promote and support each other and say
they expect good synergy-effects from their partnership. Performance Days and
the recently launched Outdoor Sports Valley in Annecy has also started to cooperate.
The next Performance
Lenzing Group, leading manufacturer
of quality cellulose fibres says it has achieved a comparatively satisfactory
result in 2009 despite the difficult global economic situation. In a statement
released today with its preliminary figures, the company says this was made
possible by timely counter measures it took and also by improved demand in its core
fibres business from the second quarter on.
According to the group’s preliminary figures consolidated
sales declined
New 60 gsm fabric is just 0.06mm thick
Teijin’s Toho Tenax Co. is to
start selling a carbon fibre fabric from March this year that is says is less
than half the weight of conventional lightweight carbon fibre fabrics.
The company claims the new fabric, which has been developed
with Sakai Ovex Co., Ltd. and is used for forming prepregs, will help further
reduce the weight of composite products. This, the company says, makes it ideal
for high-strength, low-weig
EDANA, the association
representing the nonwovens and related industries, and BCH (Business
Co-ordination House) have announced the successful completion of the first ever
edition of the Filtrex Asia Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi, India. With over 200 attendees and 23 exhibitors
from Asian markets, and additional representatives from Europe and the
Americas, the conference highlighted one of the ultimate benefits offered by
the sector, better prote
Bluestar Silicones is launching a
new line of TCS 7560 and TCS 7561 Silbione products designed for the elastic
band market for lingerie and medical applications such as support stockings and
medical equipment. These two new silicone elastomers are said to have excellent
‘anti-slip’ and non-compression properties, helping improve wearer comfort.
For more than twenty years, manufacturers of self-fixing
stockings or ‘hold-ups’ have applied transparent silicone
Bayer MaterialScience has
announced that thanks to a combination of two new dispersion technologies, aqueous
suspensions of its Baytubes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can now be produced which
contain single tubes which show high electrical and thermal conductivity. According
to the company, multifilament yarns coated with such CNT dispersions can be
woven to efficient fabric heaters which have already performed well in
preventing the water in water storage tanks of Ja
Techtextil North America
Symposium 2010 has announced that Kim Glas, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Textiles and Apparel, is to be its Keynote Speaker at its
forthcoming event.
The latest technology, applications, and the overall
direction of the technical textile and nonwovens industry will be presented by
experts and leaders from around the world during Techtextil North America Symposium
being held from 18-20 May 2010 at the Georgia World C
The Indonesian subsidiary of
Lenzing AG, PT. South Pacific Viscose (SPV) has started up first successful
trials of its new fourth production line. Regular operation is expected to
commence in the course of the second quarter. The new line will produce viscose
fibres for textile applications and for the nonwovens industry. Production is
intended for the domestic Indonesian market, as well as for export.
A total investment of about USD 150 million makes the
construct
Teijin Limited and the Tokyo
Institute of Technology have developed a highly crystalline carbon nanofiber
(CNF) which it says will offer 30% greater electrical conductivity than
conventional products. The extra-conductive CNF, which is 100-300 nanometres in
diameter and 20 micrometers long, has been developed with a melt-spinning
process.
Teijin says that since melt-spinning is widely used for the
production of ordinary chemical fibres, the newly developed CNF can
Participants from Sony
Corporation, International Paper, All Nippon Airways, Michigan State
University, Frito-Lay, and Target Corporation are among the list of speakers
announced for the ‘Innovation Takes Root 2010’ conference, April 13-15, at the
Four Seasons Resort in Dallas, Texas. According to conference organizers NatureWorks
LLC, the line-up reflects the vibrancy and innovation now taking place in the
global biopolymers market.
"Designed as both
Icebreaker, the
Wellington, New Zealand-based outdoor company that claims to have invented the
natural and technical outdoor merino apparel category, today announced it had
received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold
certification for its U.S. headquarters in Northwest Portland from the U.S.
Green Building Council’s Green Building Rating System.
“We are very proud to receive LEED gold certification for
our headquarters, and tha
Professionals from the world of
tissue and disposable hygiene products will descend upon Jiangsu in April as
the 17th China International Tissue and Disposable Hygiene Products Exhibition
and Conference gets underway. UK-based Technical Absorbents Ltd (TAL) is just
one of many overseas exhibitors preparing for the three-day show.
The event, organised by China National Household Paper
Industry Association will be held between 14-16 April at the Nanjing
International
Leading Spanish cycling brand Spiuk,
is using Advansa’s Biophyl and Thermo°Cool
technical yarns in its latest Elite Men 2010 summer collection to keep riders
cool while they look after the environment. The company’s Elite Men cycling jerseys
which are made from a circular knitted jersey jacquard fabric incorporating eco friendly Biophyl
also use ThermoCool fabric inserts in strategic areas to control body
temperature.
Biophyl is an ‘eco-polyester’ material co
Switzerland’s Schoeller
Technologies AG reports that its coldblack technology is now being used in the
latest Porsche Design Sport Collection for men. Coldblack is a finish which can
be applied to fabrics to actively reduce the absorption of the sun’s rays and
offers reliable protection from damaging UV rays.
According to Schoeller Technologies, the Porsche Design
Sport Collection began with a cooperation between Adidas and Porsche Design
seven years ago and w
Sabine Anton-Katzenbach reports from Frankfurt
If someone wants to catch up on
technical textiles the Frankfurt trade show Heimtextil is a perfect place to
identify their diverse application areas because carpets, interior sun
protection, mattresses and bedding strongly depend on them. But it is no place to
discuss technical features of specialty textiles, except at the booths of fibre
mills, which exhibit at Heimtextil to present their latest developments for the
Teijin Techno Products Limited, the
core company of the Teijin Group's aramid fibres business, together with the
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Hosokawa
Micron Corporation, have announced the development of a new fabric
incorporating nanostructure fibre for use in advanced fire fighting suits. Teijin Techno says the new
fabrics are 40% more effective in preventing burns than fabrics without
nanostructure fibre and 15% lighter tha
Royal DSM N.V. and the Royal
Dutch Skating Association (KNSB) are introducing an innovative skinsuit for the
Dutch Olympic short-track skating team, which will be launched at the Winter
Olympic Games in Vancouver. In
collaboration with the KNSB, DSM has developed a lighter and, most importantly,
more comfortable suit that offers maximum protection. The innovation forms part
of DSM's ‘Innovation is our Sport’ program, which focuses on working with and
for ath
The millennia old tradition of silk
production is about to be woven into the fabric of the 21st century. Under the ‘Tango
Biofabrics’ project, Japan's Teijin is attempting to develop new, eco-friendly
applications for Biofront, a type of bioplastic, in collaboration with
Kyotango, a city long known as the home of Tango silk crepe, or chirimen.
Teijin hopes to combine its advanced heat-resistant bio
plastic fibres with Kyotango’s traditional silk craftsmanship fo
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT), a company committed to
producing renewable and environmentally sustainable textile fibres, has teamed
up with Patrick Yarns, a manufacturer of high-performance industrial yarns, to
give industry insiders a sneak preview at a group of new sustainable yarns made
from Crailar Organic Fibers, a wholly owned subsidiary of NAT, at this weekend’s
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010 trade show Salt Lake City. Compa
Technical Absorbents Ltd (TAL)
has announced the appointment of a new Product Development Executive at its UK based
manufacturing facility. The latest recruitment by the Super Absorbent Fibre
(SAF) manufacturer has been made possible as a result of the company’s
programme of ongoing investment, which has been put in place to help it retain
its market-leading position.
30-year old James Docherty joins TAL as it continues to push
the boundaries of innovation and develo
Invista is to continue its Lycra
Sport fabric global tour by showcasing its innovative and performance driven
fabric program at the ISPO trade show in Munich, Germany from 7 – 10 February
2010.
Following its successful and high profile launches at Salt Lake
City’s Outdoor Retailer Show in July and Shanghai’s Intertextile Show in
October 2009, Invista is introducing Lycra Sport fabric to a European
audience. With its presence at Europe’s
largest sporting go
Swiss headquartered Sigvaris,
a leader in graduated compression hosiery is pushing further into endurance sports
markets with its Athletic Recovery sports compression socks for
exercise-induced muscle soreness and post-practice recovery. The company will
become the exclusive provider of graduated compression socks to Atlanta’s Southern
Crescent Cycling Club.
Sigvaris, through its Athletic Recovery line of socks,
already has strategic partnerships in place w
Polartec
and Unifi have announced a new partnership to introduce performance fabrics
made with Unifi’s Repreve 100, which is made from 100% post-consumer waste from
clear plastic water bottles.
Polartec and Unifi’s collaborative efforts have grown
Polartec's recycled product line from less than 1% of total production to over
30% in the past four years, dramatically reducing carbon emissions and energy
consumption. The introduction
Bayer MaterialScience has
developed a carpet which it says feels like a forest floor and based on
polyurethane foams and a special textile fabric. The new floor covering´s
viscoelastic properties not only offer a high level of comfort, but also reduce
the strain on joints and limbs, Bayer says. The company says the development opens
up potential applications for sports, the workplace and physiotherapy – at
supermarket checkouts or in gyms, for instance – i
Unifi, Inc. is continuing its
global growth strategy with the opening Unifi Central America, Ltda. DE C.V.
(UCA). The company says that given the economic climate, brands and retailers
continue to evaluate their global sourcing strategies in order to react more
quickly to the constant changes in consumer demand. It says that the Central
American region provides customers with an additional quick-turn, quick
replenishment solution in this hemisphere.
With a bas
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT) has received an order from Hanesbrands Inc. to deliver
approximately 10,000 lbs of its Crailar organic fibre the first quarter of
2010.
"This first purchase order supplies Crailar fibre in a
full-scale trial using our proposed manufacturing equipment supplier in Germany
in January 2010. Thereafter, we will conduct another full scale blending trial
on commercial scale spinning equipment at a Hanesbrands facility," sai
From the start of this year TenCate
Geosynthetics will be concentrating on the market launch and sales of TenCate
GeoDetect in North America. The geotextiles based monitoring system, which
encompasses optical fibres, has already been used in Europe for a few years and
the launch in North America will enable the company’s global marketing efforts
in the field of geotechnology to be coordinated and the continued development
of the system to be intensified.
TenCate GeoD
One of the high points of the
recent European Confederation of Flax & Hemp (CELC) 60th Congress in
Strasbourg, was an awards presentation made by Georges Beylerian, President of
Material ConneXion, to members of CELC who have been recognised for their creative
and innovative use of flax and hemp.
Material ConneXion founded in 1997 by Georges Beylerian claims
to be the world’s first library resource of advanced and innovative materials
and processes for th
According to a new report by
Just-Style.com, developments in swimwear technology have revolutionised
swimming and have created massive interest in what has traditionally been a
low-tech sport.
The report concludes that manufacturers of performance
swimwear have been involved in a technological race to produce the world’s
fastest swimsuit. The race, commonly referred to as ‘the bodysuit wars’, culminated
in early 2009 with the development of swimsuits
The Lenzing Group, market leader
in cellulose fibres, will continue to expand production capacity in 2010 by
investing a scheduled EUR 120 million its European and Asian sites. The projects
will be realized over the next two years. The key elements are the further
extension of pulp production at the Lenzing site (Upper Austria) and a further
extension of fibre production at Heiligenkreuz (Burgenland, Austria) as well as
remodelling the Tencel site at Grimsby (UK).
Textile machinery offers interesting careers for French textile students
10th December 2009 0 commentThe French Textile Machinery
Manufacturers' Association, UCMTF, recently brought together students from the
four French universities which train engineers for the textile industry. The
goal was to further enhance relations with the students and to review the
careers offered to them both in France and worldwide.
The forum was organized on the campus of l’ENSISA (Ecole
Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs Sud Alsace) located in Mulhouse. Students
from ENSAIT (
Some of the world’s leading
companies are to discuss performance biopolymers, which reduce energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, at ‘Innovation takes Root’ which is
being held from 13 to 15 April 2010 at the Four Seasons Resort & Club in
Dallas, Texas. More than 20 presentations from companies such as 3M, DuPont,
Ford Motor Company, Frito Lay, Toray, and Toyota are anticipated.
Organiser Nature Works LLC, producer of Ingeo, a biopolymer
ma
Invista recognizes Sharron Davies' commitment to the swimming world at Splash Awards 2009
2nd December 2009 0 commentLycra fibre brand owner Invista has
awarded Sharron Davies the Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Splash Awards
held to honour athletes who excel in aquatic sports and celebrate their
achievements in the pool.
With a fifty year heritage in making swimming costumes feel
comfortable, fit beautifully and giving exceptional support, the Lycra fibre
brand has a natural alliance with the world of swimming, the company says.
Michele Duncan, Marketing Manager fo
Each of the 15,000 delegates
at the forthcoming United Nations global conference on climate change, being
held at the Bella Center, will stand, walk and rest their feet on an ultra low
carbon footprint Eco2punch carpet made with Ingeo fibres.
The 20,000 square meters (215,000 square feet) of carpet is
enough to cover nearly five soccer fields. French carpet producer Sommer
Needlepunch, part of the Belgian DS Textile Platform group and Ingeo licensee, estimate
Unifi, Inc. have announced
that the company’s Yadkinville, North Carolina plant, where Repreve recycled
polyester is manufactured, will be featured on CNBC’s Sustainability Series -
People, Planet & Profit. People,
Planet and Profit examines the bold moves companies are making to find ways to
reduce and reuse anything along the supply chain, leading to a leaner, cleaner
and greener operation.
A CNBC film crew visited Unifi’s Repreve manufacturi
Cotton occupies an important place in the
international textile trade and is at the forefront these days both in India
and elsewhere. Availability and the quality of cotton are determining factors
which will influence the economic viability of the textile industry. Textiles
related Associations in India and the Cotton Producers’ Associations in the US
and elsewhere are pleading for support from their respective Governments and a
fair and b
Gov. Bev Perdue announced last
week that Richmond Specialty Yarns, a manufacturer of yarns, will expand in
Richmond County, North Carolina. The
company plans to create 135 new jobs and invest $1 million during the next
three years. In addition, the project
will help the company retain 140 existing jobs.
The announcement was made possible in part by a $150,000 grant from the
One North Carolina Fund.
“North Carolina maintains its strong ties to the tex
Teijin Fibers Limited announced
today a program in the marine clothing industry for collecting and recycling
used garments, launched in collaboration with Henri Lloyd, a major global brand
of marine apparel based in the United Kingdom. Recycling will be carried out
with Teijin’s Eco Circle, an environmentally friendly closed-loop system
incorporating technology for the chemical recycling of polyester, which was
introduced in 2002.
Teijin Fibers’ Eco Storm, a r
The newly formed Wool Carbon
Alliance (WCA) today welcomed the Australian Federal Government’s announcement
to recognise the positive role that farming and wool growing play in the carbon
cycle.
‘We applaud the Federal Government and Opposition for taking
this stance and look forward to opportunities that Australian woolgrowers may
have in accessing on-farm carbon credits in our future carbon economy,’ WCA
chair Chick Olsson said.
In a show of unity,
wo
TenCate Protective Fabrics is to
launch new fabrics in its TenCate Defender M collection at the opening of
Milipol 2009 in Paris today. According to the company, a new combination of
fibres and an innovative dyeing method, now allow the colours navy blue and
black to be produced. The resulting fabric will be used in the protective
clothing of special police units, such as riot police and arrest squads. In
addition to their inherently heat- and flame-resistant cha
At this month’s A+A in
Düsseldorf Lenzing presented its range of fibres made from renewable wood raw
material for corporate and protective clothing. The company reports that its Lenzing
FR and Tencel fibres have been very successful this year and are being used to
an increasing extent in textiles for corporate clothing.
Fibers of made from wood cellulose are rare in professional and
protective clothing and in most cases either synthetic or cotton fibres are
u
TenCate Advanced Armour is
introducing new versions of its TenCate Pro-Tector body armour at this week’s Milipol
2009 which takes place in Paris from 17-20 November. The Netherlands based
company says that the new variants will offer the best available combined
protection against hand gun projectiles, knives, spikes and fragment blasts as
well as hypodermic needles.
Personal protection
Tencate says that an increase in threats and violence
internationally make
Sabine Anton-Katzenbach in Düsseldorf
For many years the biannual A+A tradeshow in Düsseldorf, Germany has
been playing an important role in setting the trends for work wear and safety
clothing. In 2009 the fair once again proved its prospective character by emphasizing
the latest tendencies for the sector. Product development in the fabric and
garment manufacturing industries are being strongly affected by increasing wearing
comfort, high durability and the best possible protection at work,
Schoeller Technologies
AG has been awarded the Textile Design Award 2009 by the Swiss Textiles &
Zumsteg Foundation for its sun reflector and UV protector textile finishing technology
‘coldblack’.
The tenth biannual Design Prize Switzerland, which was held on
6 November attracted over 300 entries, nominated 36 projects and the eight-member
international jury selected six winners in different categories. The
competition with total prize mon
Teijin Fibers Limited has
announced that it has begun to market its high-strength polyester nanofibre
Nanofront for use in the palms of golf gloves manufactured and marketed by
Acushnet Japan Inc. under the FootJoy brand. Called Nanolock, the new product
is the world's first golf glove to use nanofibre material, and will be
available in Japan from November.
Conventional golf gloves are made with natural or artificial
leather, with waterproof coating applied to pro
The Lenzing Group’s business upturn
in the second quarter has continued into the third quarter due to improving
demand for cellulose fibres, the company said today. However, the global
economic crisis made a significant negative impact on the company’s first
quarter figures which has had a knock on effect on sales and results for the first
nine months of 2009.
Consolidated sales in the first nine months of 2009 declined
by 10% from EUR 1,012.1 million in the c
Eco fashion and design network C.L.A.S.S.
(Creativity, Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy), has announced the commencement
of its strategic partnership with NICE, the Nordic fashion industry educational
project. The partnership will involve a series of joint activities which will
lead to the common goal of increasing awareness and use of more responsible
materials for everyday living.
To kick-off the collaboration, CLASS has been named as the official
supplier of all
The Institute of
Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University is to host the
6th annual international conference on Advances in Textiles, Machinery,
Nonwovens and Technical Textiles, (ATNT) 2009.
The event, held in collaboration with Bannari Amman
Institute of Technology in India (BIT), will run from 7-9 December at the
institute’s campus in Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu, South India. The conference
will feature papers from natural fibres to
Milliken
& Company and W.L. Gore & Associates, have announced the launch of
the new JSLIST Chemical/Biological (CB) Coverall for Combat Vehicle Crewman (JC3).
The coverall uses a two layer fabric system consisting of Milliken’s Abrams
flame resistant (FR) fabric and the moisture vapour breathable GORE CHEMPAK Selectively
Permeable protective barrier liner. According to the two companies, the joint
offering has been chosen as the
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has
launched the Wool Carbon Alliance, a group of Australian and international wool
industry representatives working together to market the natural benefits of
wool as the ideal fibre to help reduce global warming.
AWI says that, according to international research, a
household can significantly reduce its carbon emissions by living with wool:
insulating with wool, wearing wool, walking, sleeping and sitting on wool. The
European Co
Milliken & Company,
one of the world’s largest privately-held textile and chemical manufacturers, has
announced the launch of a new lightweight flame resistant (FR) fabric, as part
of its Amplitude line of workwear fabrics. Amplitude is the company’s line of
patent-pending premium, high-performance FR fabrics for industrial workwear.
According to Milliken, the new six ounce per square yard
Amplitude fabric is one of the lightest weight 88/12 cotton
According to a new report from
Research and Markets, the global structure of polypropylene and polyethylene
production is poised to change dramatically as capacity rises in China and
soars in the Middle East. As a result, the shares of Western Europe and the USA
are set to fall substantially, the report says.
The change in production structure will come about because
the manufacture of propylene and ethylene-which are the main raw material
feedstocks for pol
German high quality workwear fabrics
manufacturer Melchior Textil is to present its new ‘Organic Cotton’ line of
environmentally friendly fabrics for workwear at next week’s A+A Safety &
Health at Work exhibition in Düsseldorf.
The fabrics, which are certified to the G.O.T.S. standard,
are manufactured using only cotton from controlled organic cultivation and
processed according to stringent environmental standards all along the line, from
production
Carvico SpA, a
leading manufacturer of stretch warp knitted fabrics for swimwear and sportswear,
has introduced Advansa’s eco-sustainable Biophyl yarns into its new Amazzonia warp
knitted fabrics range. Carvico SpA is part of the Gruppo Carvico which also
owns two of Italy’s other leading manufacturers of knitted fabrics, Jersey
Lomellina SpA and Eurojersey SpA.
Based in the town of Carvico near Bergamo in northern Italy,
Carvico is one of the w
Progressive Sports
Technologies, a Loughborough University spinout company, has helped Speedo to
develop a world-class triathlon suit.
Inspired by the record breaking LZR Racer swim suit worn by athletes
including Michael Phelps and Rebecca Adlington to take 94% of the swimming gold
medals in Beijing, the new triathlon suit is designed to be the lightest,
fastest and most comfortable suit on the market.
Progressive tested a selection of elite triathletes ru
India’s technical textile sector was out in force last week as
TechTextil India 2009 got underway in Mumbai. The three day event took place
between 10-12 October and attracted visitors across India and further afield,
all looking to exploit the huge growth opportunities that the country’s
technical textile market has to offer. UK-based Super Absorbent Fibre (SAF)
manufacturer Technical Absorbents Ltd (TAL) says it was inundated with enquiries
throughout the sho
Unifi Textiles
(Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (UTSC) continues to expand its Repreve brand product
offering in Asia with the launch of Repreve polyester staple fibre. The new addition is made from 100% recycled
materials for use in spun yarns, including open-end, ring and jet spun.
The Repreve family of recycled products now includes
recycled staple polyester, recycled filament polyester, recycled filament nylon
6.6 and recycled performance fibres. Repreve is a
Flexible interconnectors comprising conductive fabric between solar cells
14th October 2009 0 comment
Applicant: REC SOLAR AS [NO]
Inventor(s): HOFMULLER ECKEHARD [NO]; SAUAR ERIK [NO]
Abstract of GB 2458961 (A)
The present invention provides a solar
module with inter-connectors11 with improved flexibility. The flexibility is
achieved by placing a fabric between the solar elements 12. The fabric is
conductive and may be soldered or welded to the solar elements. The fabric may
be made of copper, old or aluminium. The interconnectors may have a reflective
coat
High-tech fabrics manufacturer
Schoeller Textil AG is to show its ‘schoeller-works’ range of solutions for
workwear at the forthcoming A+A 2009 which is being held in Dusseldorf from 3
to 6 November.
Schoeller, which was founded in 1868, has been a leading
supplier of functional protective fabrics for the last 25 years and has been
supplying comfortable stretch fabrics for over 40 years. The company’s knowledge
and experience, in combination with the most
Reportlinker.com has added ‘Innovations
in Textiles’, a new market research report covering the latest innovations in
the technical textiles industry. The following are some of the highlights of
the report:
Rayonier has developed a highly absorbent cross-linked
cellulose fibre for use in incontinence garments, Weyerhaeuser has patented an
economical biodegradable superabsorbent fibre, and SRI International has a
range of novel biodegradable polyolefin copo
Teijin Fibers Limited, the core
company of the Teijin Group’s polyester fibres business, announced yesterday
that it will promote its environmentally-friendly products and ongoing
expansion into Hong Kong and South China at the upcoming Interstoff Asia
Essential, in collaboration with Teijin Hong Kong Limited, a Teijin group
company handling sales and import and export of textile materials globally.
Interstoff Asia Essential, a biannual exhibition for
eco-texti
Icebreaker, the New Zealand-based
environmentally-driven outdoor apparel brand whose products are made from pure merino,
is giving New York City’s eco runners a treat this week and next. Take your synthetic t-shirt into Paragon Sports flagship store on 18th and
Broadway and a live seamstress sitting in the store window will turn it into a
reusable running shoe bag for free. Marathoners and aspiring marathoners will
also receive 26.2% off their Icebreaker GT
Australian speciality fabrics manufacturer
Colan is working with V8 supercar teams to test the use of a revolutionary new
lightweight fibre for the Australian championship following its successful use
in Formula One cars. The new fibre, Innegra, is used in a high performance yarn
that, when combined with carbon fibre, can improve the toughness of the cars
while decreasing their weight.
“This is on back of the Innegra’s use by the new Brawn GPs
Formula One team,
According to leading warp
knitting machine builder Karl Mayer, technical textiles are no longer simply
materials, but they are rapidly becoming ready-to-use components. The German
company says that the manufacturing sector is increasingly following this trend
by developing tailor-made solutions which are aimed at minimising costs and
processing sequences during production and by integrating as many functions as
possible into the design of the product from the o
Scientists in New Zealand
have come up with a new concept for sleepwear which will make going to bed more
enjoyable. AgResearch says it has made a breakthrough in textiles that allows a
natural product which is lightweight, has no chemical treatment, helps
sleeping, maintains and regulates temperature and looks and feels fantastic.
“Easy Care Wool Sleepwear works in both summer and winter
and we believe makes excellent nightwear and loungewear with its
Danish warp and weft knitted fabric
manufacturing giant, Thygesen Fabrics has joined forces with Australian Wool
Innovation (AWI) to help develop the growing active/outdoor apparel market.
Thygesen, which has over 200 circular, warp knitting and raschel machines,
manufactures a wide range of technical fabrics and hosiery for apparel and
technical textiles markets.
By becoming part of AWI’s Merino Perform supply chain, the Thygesen
aims to further strengthen its
announced yesterday that its Champion and Duofold apparel brands are going to
the top of the world, leading a Mount Everest expedition to drive brand
awareness and showcase the company’s research and development innovation and
textile science leadership.
“Expedition Hanesbrands: Climb With Us” will be lead by
accomplished international mountaineer and motivational speaker Jamie Clarke
and will begin next month with a training climb o
Teijin Limited has announced that
it has begun producing its proprietary heat-resistant bio-plastic Biofront at a
demonstration plant in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. The plant was originally
Toyota Motor Corporation’s polylactic acid demonstration plant. Following the
acquisition of the plant by Teijin in June 2008, it was migrated to Matsuyama
and converted into a demonstration plant for Biofront with additional
proprietary processes required for producing the
UK based specialist warp knitter Baltex, has developed a range of novel
warp knitted spacer fabrics using
Coolmax Fresh FX, which have been independently tested at the University of
Bolton and found to outperform other spacer fabrics in their comfort
properties. The company’s new Coolmax Fresh FX fabrics, which were launched at
this year’s Techtextil, are part of its wider XD range of 3D knitted spacer
fabrics.
According to Baltex, the Coolmax Fresh FX
The Teijin Group has announced what
it says is the first-ever program in China for collecting and recycling used
garments, which it has launched in collaboration with Li Ning Company Limited, one
of China’s leading sports apparel companies. Recycling will be carried out with
Eco Circle, an environmentally friendly closed-loop system incorporating technology
for the chemical recycling of polyester, which Teijin Fibers introduced in
2002.
As part of the program,
India’s Ministry of Textiles and
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) are
jointly organising a workshop on ‘Strengthening-Government-Industry-Consumer
Partnership in Protective Textiles’ here in Mumbai tomorrow. Senior Officers
from Central and State Governments will address the delegates and over 100
delegates from various sectors like defence, police, security, regulators,
state government, hotels, multiplexes and indust
Massif Mountain Gear Company
and Gehring Textiles announced yesterday that they have entered into an
exclusive agreement to jointly develop and supply military forces around the
world with a new generation of flame-resistant fabrics and apparel. Under the
terms of the agreement, Massif will become Gehring's exclusive customer for new
flame resistant fabrics developed by Gehring, or jointly by Gehring and Massif,
for apparel, headwear and gloves. Gehring will
By using 100% certified organic cotton and Repreve
recycled polyester, Canada’s Doubletex has responded to its customers' needs by
creating a line of ‘green’ fabrics. Ecoterra will be launched at the Canadian
textile industry's landmark event, Expo Hightex which will take place at
Bonsecours Market, Downtown Montréal, on 7 & 8 October 2009.
70% ‘green’ in construction, Doubletex has created three recyclable and
exciting new products built wit
Unifi, Inc. announced yesterday
that the company’s Yadkinville, North Carolina plant, where Repreve recycled
polyester is manufactured will be featured on the Travel Channel’s series ‘Extreme’. The Extreme Mega Factories program is
designed to take viewers on the ultimate tour of the USA’s most cutting edge
factories. The Extreme film crew visited
Unifi’s Repreve manufacturing facility on 19 May this year, and the episode
will air on the Trav
The Merino Company says that in
response to customer demand, it has launched the worlds first certified and
traceable non-mulesed merino (n.m.m.) wool brand. The Merino Company is a purveyor
of natural fibre, textile and apparel solutions for retailers and brands globally.
According to TMC, its n.m.m wool brand platform is a
guarantee that the merino wool is sourced from growers who have a commitment to
animal welfare. Growers must have either never used the pr
Specialst knitted elastic fabrics
producer Elastic Fabrics Europe GmbH has been awarded the coveted Oeko-Tex
Standard 1000 for its environmentally friendly production methods.
Since December 2008, the German company's plant in
Neukirchen, Hessen, has been using proven environmentally friendly production
methods to make quality products for many top brand names such as Triumph,
Felina, Chantelle, Aubade and Lejaby. After two months of preparation, Elastic was
c
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT), a company committed to unlocking the potential of
renewable and environmentally sustainable biomass resources from hemp and other
bast fibres, has signed an agreement with G.J. Littlewoods Son, Inc. to
manufacture Crailar Organic Fibers for use in commercial products made by
apparel companies.
Littlewoods, located in Philadelphia, is a commission
dyehouse, specializing in the dyeing of synthetic fibres, as well as nat
UK based start up company, MMT Textiles Ltd has invented and patented a method
of constructing bio-responsive fibres and yarns so that they react to humidity
levels in a micro-climate. The porosity of subsequent knitted, woven or
non-woven fabrics increases with high levels of humidity or wetness in the
micro-climate, facilitating the release of moisture, or decreases in low level
humidity or dry conditions, improving insulation. This is referred to as ‘the
pine con
Nurel has announced it will invest
in a new spinning plant with primary European technology at its site in
Zaragoza, Spain. With the new plant, Nurel says it will be positioned as one of
the most credible European fibre producers.
The investment will allow the company to increase its
quality leading polyamide 6 and 6.6. yarns capacity by 3,000 tons per year. The
POY and FDY capacity are scheduled to be in full production by the beginning of
2010 and the new plant wi
Nilit, a global leader
in the production of nylon 6.6, will be exhibiting its newest innovative fibre,
Nilit EcoCare, at Interfilière 2009. Nilit says EcoCare is the only recycled
nylon 6.6 with deep, uniform colour.
Nilit is taking an 84 square metre booth at this year’s show,
which takes place 5-7 September at the Paris Expo in France. Interfilière is a
leading trade fair for lingerie and beachwear fabrics and this year marks the
11th time Nilit has
The Teijin Group has announced that
its polyester fibre subsidiaries Teijin Polyester (Thailand) Limited (TPL) and
Teijin (Thailand) Limited (TJT) each received the National Occupation Safety and
Health Award 2009 from Thailand’s Ministry of Labour on July 2. TPL has now
received the award seven consecutive years and TJT five.
The annual award was established in 1986 to recognize
outstanding environmental, safety & health (ESH) activities. Applicants are
eval
Innovative Textiles Inc.
(ITI) has announced that it has been issued a patent (Patent No.7,553,782 ) on
its ANSI 107 / ASTM 1506 complaint Reliant fabrics. ITI is a leading
manufacturer of FR and arc repellant fabrics serving the electrical, fire, and
safety apparel market place.
Reliant HiVz flame (FR) and arc resistant Reliant fabrics
meet the FR requirements of ASTM 1506, as well as the stringent high visibility
standards of ANSI 107-2004. Michael Byles of
NatureWorks and
Avantium, two leaders in the field of sustainable materials, have announced they
have formed a development partnership in order to more fully understand the properties and
commercial potential of a new generation of polymers made from renewable
resources.
The partnership is based on Avantium's work in deriving
monomers and polymers from non food biomass and on NatureWorks success in
developing a wide range of end markets and roducts f
At Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in
Salt Lake City, July 21-24, Lenzing will present Tencel Sun, a new Tencel fibre
that provides superior solar protection especially designed to meet the
performance and sustainability demands of the outdoor apparel market.
Lenzing, a leader in the field of innovation, has developed
a new fibre that protects from solar radiation. Tencel Sun will be produced for
this season and will be presented at all of the sports trade fairs around
Indonesian polyester producer recognized for progressive environmental management
16th July 2009 0 commentThe Teijin Group announced today that
P.T. Teijin Indonesia Fiber Tbk. (Tifico), a consolidated subsidiary that
manufactures and distributes polyester fibres in Indonesia, has been awarded
“Award of Respect of Environmental Assessment” for its outstanding environmental
management practices by the governor of Banten Province, where Tifico’s factory
is located.
Tifico was commended for its progressive environmental
management practices, including strict adherence
Advansa has announced a partnership
with Asics for the launch of Asics’ high performance running apparel collection
made with Advansa ThermoºCool Eco fibres, combining innovative functionality
and sustainability within the same garment. The high performance apparel
collection will be introduced in the Spring 2010 collection and will be
available at retail in January 2010.
Asics is an acronym derived from the Latin phrase ‘Anima
Sana In Corpore Sano’ meaning ‘a so
Teijin Fibers Limited has announced
today that the Eco Circle Garment Accessories Association, an organization
dedicated to promoting the enhanced recyclability of garments through the use
of more eco-friendly accessories, welcomed Hong Kong Non-Woven Fabric
Industrial Co., Ltd. (HKNW) as its first overseas member on July 1. HKNW now
develops recyclable products such as fibrefill insulations for the apparel,
outdoor and furnishings markets, using Teijin Fibers’ Ecop
Polymer fiber containing flame retardant, process for producing the same, and material containing such fibers
14th July 2009 0 comment
Applicant(s): SHELL
OIL CO [US]; SHELL INT RESEARCH [NL]; DANGAYACH KAILASH [US]; RAMACHANDRAN
VENKATARATNAM [US]; CHUAH HOE HIN [US]
Inventor(s): DANGAYACH
KAILASH [US]; RAMACHANDRAN VENKATARATNAM [US]; CHUAH HOE HIN [US]
Abstract
of WO 2009079499 (A1)
A flame
retardant polymer fiber, a process for making such a fiber, and a material
containing such fibers are provided. The flame retardant polymer fiber is a
high tenacity fiber formed of a poly(trimethylene tere
Teijin Limited has announced that it
has upgraded its Biofront bioplastic with substantially improved resistance to
hydrolytic degradation in hot and humid conditions, creating new opportunities
for the plant-based material’s use in high-heat and high-humidity applications,
such as automotive and electronics.
The new Biofront is at least ten times more hydrolytic
resistant than conventional commercial bioplastic, meaning that Teijin’s
plant-derived bioplastic now
Dow Corning Corporation, a
leader in innovative silicone technology for the textile industry, has added
two new product lines to its Dow Corning brand Active Protection System family
of impact protection materials. The S-Range is based on 3D spacer textile
technology while the TP-Range is based on thermoplastic technology.
The two new lines were recently introduced at Techtextil
2009 in Frankfurt, Germany. First launched in 2006, the patented silicone-based
impa
Already proven to increase
oxygen levels in the body, data from a new clinical study published in online
journal BioMedCentral.com supports claims that Celliant reduces pain. Celliant
is a specially formulated technical performance fibre designed to enhance
oxygen levels in the body, aiding in comfort, healing, performance and overall
wellness.
Data analysis from a clinical study conducted by Robyn MB
York and Ian L. Gordon, research scientists affiliated with L
Teijin Limited announced today that it
had transferred its 50% ownership in NatureWorks LLC back to Cargill and
terminated the joint-venture contract with Cargill regarding NatureWorks as of
June 30.
NatureWorks, established in 1997 and operated as a
Teijin-Cargill 50:50 joint venture since October 2007, produces its Ingeo
biopolymer at the world’s largest commercial polylactic acid (PLA)
manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of 140,000 tons.
Teijin, which is
Scientists at the Hohenstein
Institute who have developed a polyester fabric for men’s suitings with good
moisture and heat management properties, claim that the fabric significantly outperforms
other materials. They also say that wearers of high-quality business clothing who
still consider wool to be the ultimate fabric are wrong.
The Hohenstein Institute says that modern synthetic fibres,
whose properties can be designed by targeted processes, offer numerous
Teijin Fibers Limited, has developed
what it says is the world’s first polyester-based cushioning material for
swimwear bra cups, made with V-Lap, a vertically lapped nonwoven fabric that the
company introduced in 2007. Swimwear incorporating the new bra cups will enter
trial sales this summer, with full-scale sales and marketing planned for next
year.
Teijin says that V-Lap, until now used mainly for beddings,
is finding new applications as a cushioning material in pl
Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) and Noel P
Hunt International Limited have reached agreement on the takeover of the
TenCate 50% interest in the joint venture Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd of
Cheltenham (Australia). The takeover price of the shares amounts to AUD 40
million (approximately € 23 million). The book profit on the sale of the 50%
interest amounts to approximately € 11 million and will be incorporated in the
half-year figures of TenCate.
The 50% shareholding of
Unifi, Inc. continues to grow its
family of Repreve recycled products with the introduction of a new fibre made
from 100% post-consumer PET bottles. The new addition offers a 100%
post-consumer option to the brand's well known 100% hybrid blend, which
combines pre-consumer and post-consumer content.
The Repreve family of recycled products now includes:
·
Recycled Filament Polyester
·
Available as 100% Post-Consumer (Recycled PET
Bot
To support the Coolmax fabric brand in Europe, Invista,
together with its European licensee Advansa, has recently commissioned a
comprehensive brand tracking survey and launched an advertising campaign across
Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK.
‘Keep your Cool, Max your Performance’ is the advertising
tagline which is set against strong, sport focused imagery highlighting the
attributes of Coolmax fabric. Launched in Autumn/Winter 2008, the campaign will
TAMK University of Applied Sciences
in Tampere, Finland, has developed a unique warp knitted textile based lighting
system intended for use in commercial greenhouses. The light required by the
plants is produced by means of LED technology and is placed between the rows of
plants. It is estimated that in the future the method will achieve savings of
up to one half of the present vast need for energy in hothouses.
The curtain of light between the rows of plants is an id
TenCate Geosynthetics has introduced
Mirafi MiraGreen D for site drainage
applications for engineers and architects committed to designing
environmentally sound projects. Mirafi MiraGreen D is a nonwoven drainage geotextile
comprised of 30% (LEED calculated) recycled content and TenCate says it has
developed, through extensive research, a uniquely reliable product that reduces
dependence on virgin petroleum based resins.
Mirafi MiraGreen D
recycled drainage
A total of six innovations have
been selected for this year’s Techtextil and Avantex Innovation Awards. The
awards go to innovative solutions from the fields of material and product
development, new processes and innovative garments. The aim of the awards is to
promote unconventional thinking and to intensify the dialogue between research,
manufacturers and users.
“Trade visitors will find the award-wining developments in a
special exhibition during the Interna
Swiss textile powerhouse is to show a range of innovative textiles at Techtextil including a new version of 3XDRY and its textile DNA for protection against piracy.
Have a good night with 3XDRY
Textiles with 3XDRY finish repel water and dirt from the outside (hydrophobic) and absorb moisture from the inside (hydrophilic). Clothing with 3XDRY keeps the body dryer, prevents perspiration stains and produces a cooling effect.
3XDRY is a time tested and well known successf
Kraton Polymers LLC (Kraton), a
leading global producer of engineered polymers, will showcase its innovative,
eco-friendly and cost efficient polymer families at the International Plastics
Expo (NPE) in Chicago, Il, June 22 – 26, 2009.
Kraton will debut its newly commercialized Nexar polymer
product family at NPE. The Nexar polymer family is uniquely designed for high
performance breathable fabrics, water transport, filtration and separation
applications.
Krato
Nilit, a global leader
in the production of nylon 6.6, will be exhibiting at Techtextil in Frankfurt next
week for the first time ever.
Nilit’s booth will be located in Hall 4.1, Stand H58, at this
year’s show, which will be held 16-18 June, in Frankfurt, Germany. Techtextil
Frankfurt is the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and
nonwovens.
“We look forward to showcasing woven and knitted fabrics and
finished garments made w
Lenzing and Weyerhaeuser have
commissioned a pilot plant in Lenzing, Austria, to explore the commercial
potential of TencelWeb, a new technology to produce nonwoven fabrics directly
from lyocell.
The pilot plant gives the companies the opportunity to test
the large-scale production of this cellulose-based nonwoven fabric for use in
industrial and personal care products. TencelWeb provides an alternative to
petroleum-based nonwovens by applying both meltblown
The Teijin Group, a Japan-based global
manufacturer and supplier of performance fibres and textiles, announced today
that it will participate in Techtextil 2009, the international trade fair for
the technical textiles and nonwovens industries that will be held in Frankfurt,
Germany, from June 16 to June 18. Three Teijin group companies, Teijin Fibers
Limited, Teijin Aramid BV and Teijin Monofilament Germany GmbH, will present
their latest environmentally friendly solution
TenCate Geosynthetics has announced
that it is involved in projects in both Nigeria and the United States, in which
TenCate Geotube technology is being deployed. In Nigeria, Geotube is being used
to strengthen and protect river banks in the Niger delta and in the USA, TenCate Geosynthetics is working with the U.S.
Corps of Engineers on the rehabilitation and protection of the coastal strip of
Grand Isle in New Orleans (Louisiana).
TenCate Geotube technology is a system de
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., a
provider of DNA security solutions, announced today that it has successfully
marked over 500,000 pounds of raw cotton fibre with a naturally derived
botanical marker called SigNature DNA, as part of a pilot study conducted in
collaboration with one of America's largest cotton growers. SigNature DNA was
detected homogeneously throughout the various stages of cotton processing,
before and after baling, right down to the single cotton
TenCate Defense & Tactical, a
business unit of TenCate Protective Fabrics USA Inc., has announced receipt of
a new $13 million order for TenCate Defender M fabric from Propper
International for the manufacture of uniforms for the U.S. Marine Corp's Flame
Resistant Organizational Gear (FROG) program. It is the largest single order of
TenCate Defender M for this Marine program.
In 2009, sales of
TenCate Defender M are scheduled to total $115 million for US DoD unif
Perfection Uniforms has chosen Repreve, a
100% recycled fibre by Unifi, for a line of eco-responsible uniforms. The
announcement was made at this year’s North American Uniform Manufacturers and
Dealers (NAUMD) trade show in Las Vegas.
“Quality and integrity are important in introducing a line
of environmentally responsible uniforms, which is why we selected Repreve,”
said Steve Gilkeson, Perfection’s Vice President. “Manufacturing uniforms made
from
Bekaert (Bekintex), a leader in
innovative textiles, will present its new anti-static, shielding and textile
heating products during this year’s Techtextil to be held June 16 to 18 in Frankfurt.
The TexiShield BabyProtect offers pregnant women and their unborn babies
protection against the increasing amount of electromagnetic radiation from mobile
phones, microwaves, and computers. Bekaert says that the special fabric
construction provides 99.99% shielding
Leading producer of multi-filament
polyester and nylon textured yarns Unifi, has announced that Momentum Textiles,
a leading supplier of contract textiles, has selected Repreve FR for a line of
healthcare privacy curtains. Repreve FR is the most recent product addition to
Unifi’s family of recycled fibres and is the first recycled polyester fibre
with inherent flame retardant properties, the company says.
“In continuing to evolve the Repreve brand family, w
The sixth edition of Techtextil
North America took place April 21 to 23, 2009 at the Sands Expo &
Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was the first ever edition on the
West Coast and organisers say that it resulted in the majority of exhibitors
and visitors being pleasantly surprised and pleased despite the current
economic conditions. Techtextil North America was previously held only on even
years in Atlanta, Georgia but will now be held annually, alt
Messe Frankfurt is to launch Texprocess,
a new machinery, equipment and process exhibition which will compliment Techtextil,
the leading technical textiles and nonwovens show. Texprocess will make its
debut in Frankfurt in parallel with Techtextil from 2011.
“As the
investment-goods fair for the textile and fashion industry, Texprocess will be
the meeting place for over 500 exhibitors and around 25,000 visitors from all
over the world”, explains Detlef Braun
At the Interzum trade fair which opens today in Cologne, Bekaert
Textiles will introduce a range of new developments including mattress ticking
treated with Purotex. For this revolutionary innovation it received the intelligent
material & design 2009 award. The product was singled out in the ‘Best of
the Best’ category by an international jury, the exhibition organisers and the
design portal site red dot. The same
jury also presented Bekaert Textiles
Advansa has introduced Suprelle Fresh
with Tencel, its latest innovation in bedding concept specially designed to
improve moisture management and air circulation in mattress ticking.
A balanced microclimate is essential for a good night’s
sleep and changes in body temperature can lead to perspiration or night-sweats
of up to an average of 0.5 litres per night, the company says. According to
Advansa, night-sweats are often associated with bedding products made with
non-o
The decline of the global economy has
massively affected the world fibre industry and the sales and financial results
of the Lenzing Group for the first quarter of 2009 reflect this. In comparison
to last year’s first quarter, consolidated quarterly sales dropped by 18.1%,
from EUR 346.8 million to EUR 284.0 million. The dramatic collapse of fibre
prices, particularly in Asia, and lower quantity sales were said to be the main
reason for the downturn. Fibre prices for
Techtextil – 16 to 18
June 2009, Frankfurt Am Main,
Germany
Innovation in Textiles,
an online news and technical resource for the technical textiles and nonwovens
industries is bringing its readers, visitors to the exhibition and exhibitors, a preview of the latest
technical developments in fibres, yarns, fabrics and machinery and equipment,
which will be shown at Techtextil from 16 to 18 June 2009.
In addition, Innovation in Textiles will also be
reporting on t
In his office, MIT Professor of
Chemical Engineering Gregory Rutledge keeps a small piece of fabric that at
first glance resembles a Kleenex. This tissue-like material, softer than silk,
is composed of fibres that are a thousand times thinner than a human hair and
holds promise for a wide range of applications including protective clothing,
drug delivery and tissue engineering.
Such materials are produced by electrospinning, a technique
that has taken off in the pa
TYR Sport Inc., a pioneer
in performance and recreational swimwear has introduced Sayonara, the first
high performance swimskin to incorporate the premier Yamamoto Biorubber Swim
Mark III fabric. Sayonara is the latest in the company’s Tracer technology developed
with Titanium alloy and specifically designed for multi-sport athletes as a
swimskin for non-wetsuit competitions.
Founded in 1985, TYR has passionately dedicated itself to
redefining the next gener
Teijin Fibers Limited announced today
that its chemically recycled polyester Eco Circle Fibers are now being used in
the cords of Toyo Tire & Rubber’s Proxes Ne tyres, which Toyo Tire Europe
GmbH introduced to the European market beginning in April 2009. Eco Circle
Fibers are marketed under the brand name ECOPET PLUS(r) in Japan
Toyo Tire & Rubber launched Proxes Ne in Japan last
December, as special tyres designed for environmentally oriented passenger
cars.
Nylon 6.6 producer
Nilit has announced that it has acquired Nylstar’s U.S. operations including
its nylon 6.6 plant in Martinsville, VA.
Last year Nilit opened a new state-of-the-art facility in
China and the addition of this US plant will become a part of its global
production facility network, demonstrating its confidence and investment in the
nylon apparel industry throughout the world. With the Nylstar acquisition,
Nilit now becomes one of th
At the recent JEC Composites
exhibition at Porte de Versailles, Paris, CELC Masters of Linen showcased the
use of flax and hemp fibres in the future world of renewable composites. According
to CELC, the environmentally sustainable properties of these two European-grown
fibres are proving increasingly attractive to manufacturers seeking to
incorporate sustainable solutions into their products.
The natural mechanical properties of flax and hemp bring
high performance
Cath Rogan reports from Rome
Intertech Pira’s excellent annual Smart Fabrics conference
is now in its 5th year and this year (March 10th-12th 2009, Rome) welcomed over
150 delegates to an agenda packed with practical advice, inspirational ideas
and of course, a handful of spectacular but occasionally entirely baffling
scientific data charts.
Stacey Burr, CEO of Textronics Inc. opened the conference
with a highly motivating keynote speech outlining how the E-textiles small
business sector is
The International Oeko-Tex
Association is known around the world for its Oeko-Tex Standard 100 which
certifies that textile products are tested to be free from harmful levels of
more than 100 substances believed to be dangerous to humans. Oeko-Tex is also
rapidly gaining global acclaim for its Oeko-Tex Standard 1000 which evaluates
textile production facilities and certifies that they are employing best
practices in environmental and social management.
“Th
Textile & Sewn products industry week 2010 selected by U.S.
Dept of Commerce for prestigious International Buyer Program
The U.S. Commercial Services unit of the Department of
Commerce has selected the co-located ATME-I/MEGATEX 2010, SPESA EXPO 2010, and
TECHTEXTIL NORTH AMERICA 2010 trade shows for participation in its coveted
International Buyer Program. Exhibitors and attendees of the events will
benefit from the opportunities to meet, network, and develop business
partnerships wit
More than 100 participants from across Europe attended the
Information Day organised in Brussels by the Spanish textile research centre AITEX
“New Textiles. Research and
innovation in the textile-clothing-technical textile industry” was the title
chosen for the Information Day hosted earlier this month by AITEX. A whole day
of conferences and scientific roundtables discussed the most promising lines of
research in the near future and how innovation can cont
Universal Fibers has announced
that it has entered into an agreement with David T. Rouse, owner of Rouse Enterprises
LLC, to represent their solution dyed industrial products. Rouse Enterprises,
LLC will represent Universal's industrial solution-dyed yarn products and
capabilities to the marketplace in the United States and Canada.
Thanks to the solution-dyeing process employed, these
industrial yarns and fibres not only maintain their colours better then
conventio
DuPont has announced its latest
offering in advanced fibres with DuPont Nomex On Demand, a new patented smart
fibre technology that gives fire fighters up to 20 percent more thermal
performance when they encounter emergency conditions.
The term ‘smart-fibre technology’ refers to the ability of
the new material, initially for use in thermal liners in firefighter turnout
gear, to detect emergency conditions and automatically expand to trap more air
for
Teijin Fibers Limited, the Teijin
group's core polyester fibre company, has announced that a car seat fabric made
100% from Biofront, a green bio plastic produced almost completely from
plant-based feedstock, is being used in the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid
vehicle that the Mazda Motor Corporation began leasing on March 25, 2009.
The Biofront seats incorporate an upgraded version of a
fabric co-developed by Teijin Fibers and Mazda in Autumn 2007. The new version
off
Invista’s apparel customer
service facility for North America has moved to its Applied Research Centre in
Newark, Del., now offering brand standards testing, customer-inquiry analysis
and in-process management, in addition to its existing research and development
programs.
“Guided by Invista’s strong focus on innovation, we have
used this research facility in the past to explore new ideas for fibre and
fabric applications,” said Robert Dzielak, North
Report Summary:
Consumption of fibres in South American mills fell by 1.7%
in 2008, following a 1.3% increase in 2007. As a result, usage fell below the
level seen in 2006 although it was still higher than in previous years. South
American textile and clothing companies have had to struggle in the face of a
weakening US dollar, which has made their goods more expensive in their biggest
export market, the USA. Also, they have faced strong competition from low cost
producing countries in Asia—e
Editorial: Fibres and Technical Textiles Face Tough Times but South American Infrastructure Investment May Provide a Boost
31st March 2009 0 commentReport Summary:
Global fibre consumption plummeted by 6.7% to 67.3 mn tons
in 2008 after reaching a record high of 72.2 mn tons in 2007, according to a
new report by the Swiss textile machinery company Oerlikon.
This was the sector’s worst performance for some time
following 16 years of consecutive growth. Indeed, between 1980 and 2007
consumption increased by an average of 3.4% per annum.
There was also a reversal in consumption of man-made fibres
alone. In 2007 usage rose by 8.1% to 44.2 mn
Functional knits
pioneer Eschler has introduced an innovative fabric development for bike wear.
The Swiss brand knits a carbon core yarn into its technical stretch material e1
Carbon. This allows the fabric to achieve improved temperature management,
prevents formation of odour and features antistatic properties.
In summer 2009, Italian bikewear pioneer Santini Maglificio
Sportivo will use Eschler’s new fabric e1 Carbon in its high-performance bike
Healthy Advice
Networks, a leading provider of physician office-based patient-education
programs in the USA has announced that Sigvaris,
a leading manufacturer of ready-to-wear compression therapy garments is
participating in their Women’s Health Network with an educational video about oedema
during pregnancy and free patient-education brochures on using compression
therapy to treat leg and foot swelling.
Targeting pregnant women who often suffer from s
Merino
outdoor apparel company Icebreaker reports that more than 44,000 people have now
experienced Baacode, its pioneering online traceability program launched in
August 2008.
With this year’s Earth Day on April 22, sustainable
consumption will be even more on consumers’ minds. According to Earth Day Network
(www.earthday.net), the day will include the organization’s launch of its Green
Generation Campaign, which culminates with the 40t
Invista’s Cordura brand team has announced
the launch of Atlanco’s new Tru-Spec
brand Tactical Response Combat Shirt featuring Cordura Baselayer fabric. The
Tactical Response Combat Shirt is the latest addition to the Tru-Spec brand’s
Tactical Response Uniform (TRU) line for tactical operators.
“We are excited to work with the Tru-Spec brand product
development team on this new combat shirt for military, tactical, and law
enforcement end-users,
Applicant: GORE W L & ASS GMBH [DE]
Inventor(s): STUEBIGER WERNER [DE]
Abstract of EP 2034088
(A1)
The present invention provides a fabric
and a fabric structure made of yarns with reduced water absorption. The fabric
comprises yarns and interstices between the yarns, the interstices between the
yarns having an average width of greater than 100[mu]m. At least one of the
yarns is comprised of multiple fibers. Said at least one yarn has voids between
th
Michel Fournier , 65, a
former Colonel in the French Army, has announced he will attempt to break the
high altitude skydive record of 40 km in the amazing free-fall Super Jump in August
this year. Fournier will wear a special suit with Thermolite Performance Insulation
from Advansa.
The Super Jump was initially developed as part of the
European Hermes space shuttle program, to test atmosphere re-entry and freefall
rescue methods for shuttle astronauts to escape without
Schoeller Spinning
Group’s coldblack technology which helps fabrics reflect heat and UV rays is
being used in the roofliner of iChange a new concept flexible car at the Geneva
Auto Salon.
The dream of a flexible, environmentally friendly car may
well be within our grasp. At the Geneva Auto Salon from 5 to 15 March, 2009,
the Swiss auto powerhouse Rinspeed showed the iChange, the first vehicle in
the world with a body that adapts in size to the passenger load.
Wi
‘The Carbon Fibre Industry Worldwide 2008-2014:
An Evaluation of Current Markets and Future Supply and Demand’ is an in-depth
market report on the rapidly growing global carbon fibre industry and its
end-user markets.
Over 320 pages long and featuring over 250 tables/figures,
the report provides a detailed analysis of current and future production and
consumption trends for all carbon fibre types and all main end-user sectors,
including aerospace, defence, wind energy, aut
Leading manufacturer
of motor cycle garments, BMW Motorrad is introducing Schoeller Coldblack
technology for pants and jackets in its new Streetguard 3 suit. Streetguard 3
is the premiere product of BMW Motorrad’s textile garment range and combines
the most modern materials currently available.
Coldblack actively reduces the absorption of the sun rays
and offers a reliable protection from damaging UV rays. The new outer fabric
was developed in an exclusive coop
Teijin Fibers developed Bewell, a highly
durable polyester yarn that is resistant to static electricity and prevents pollen
from sticking to clothing, in 2006 and launched it commercially in 2007. Having
raised monthly production at the company's Matsuyama plant from 20 tons to 90
tons last November, the company is now planning to add other clothing items to
the Bewell line-up, such as linings, undergarments and uniforms in 2009.
Teijin hopes to increase Bewell’s mo
Consolidated sales up by 5.4% to EUR 1.33 billion
EBIT down by 19.7% to EUR 130.3 million
Expected: Significant decline in 2009 results due to global
economic development
The Lenzing Group says it
made good use of 2008, a year characterized by volatility and the deepening
financial crisis, to further extend its position as world market leader in
cellulose fibres.
According to preliminary figures, consolidated sales rose by
5.4% to EUR 1.33 bill. (2007: EUR 1.26 bi
Naturally Advanced Technologies appoints industry veteran VP to advisory board
3rd March 2009 0 commentNaturally Advanced
Technologies Inc., a pioneer in commercializing the use of bast fibres
including industrial hemp for use in casual apparel, performance yarns,
industrial filters and absorbent pulp and paper products, added Jeremy K. Jones
to its advisory board. Jones, an advanced materials industry veteran, will also
be consulting with the company on its partnership and business development
agreements related to its CRAILAR(R) technology.
"We are thrilled that
Search is on for new ideas, visions and concepts
Promoting the dialogue between research, manufacturers and
users
On the occasion of Techtextil
2009, Messe Frankfurt is organising the Techtextil Innovation Award for the tenth
time and the Avantex Innovation Award for the fifth time.
To be held as part of the International Trade Fair for
Technical Textiles and Nonwovens, the competitions are open to companies,
institutes, universities, polytechnics and indivi
Radici Yarn SpA, an Italian
company belonging to the Radici Group Fibres business, has obtained UNI EN ISO
14001:2004 certification for its environmental management system related to the
development, manufacture and marketing of polyamide 6 polymer and polyamide 6
and 66 master batches, staple fibre and continuous filament yarn at its Villa
d'Ogna (BG) and Pistoia (PT) production sites.
The company says that this certification was a very
important step for Radici Y
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., a provider of
DNA-based security solutions completed the successful application of SigNature
DNA at every stage of the woolen textile manufacturing process in Yorkshire,
UK. This first phase of the "DNA in Textiles" project was fully
funded by Yorkshire Forward in collaboration with the Textile Centre of
Excellence, and its consortium of companies. Applied DNA is embarking on the
next phase of its wool protection program, a multimillion dollar
co
Japanese apparel giant Onward
Kashiyama has contributed JPY10 million to a major Australian environmental
initiative, the Australian Land Management Certification System (ALMCS).This
first-of-its-kind contribution will go to support the further development and
implementation of the ALMCS.
The contribution is thanks to the apparel maker’s Onward
Green Project, which was commissioned in July 2008 with Australian Wool
Innovation (AWI) support to help improve the
According to Swiss textile
machinery manufacturer Oerlikon Barmag, the demand for top-quality polyester Fully
Drawn Yarn (FDY) is growing significantly, particularly in the Chinese market. The
company says that yarn qualities for further processing using high-speed
warp-knitting methods have been in especially high demand over the past few
months
The warp-knitting process which is especially good for producing
mesh fabrics requires particularly even yarn, as ev
Hi-tech warp and circular knitted fabrics producer Christian Eschler
AG, has reported that the early international trade shows for 2009 have been a
great success for the company.
Eschler says it is delighted with the attention its summer
2010 collection received at Munich Fabric Starts, Outdoor Retailer and ISPO. The
company’s product development team focused in particular on its e1 base layer
for this season.
Eschler’s summer 2010 collection wi
The Teijin Group announced today
that it will participate in the 18th International Engineering and Technology
Fair (IETF 2009), which will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition
Center in Bangalore, India, from February 23 to 26. Teijin’s first appearance at
the exhibition will support the company’s initiatives to expand its
environmental business in the fast-growing Indian market.
The biannual IETF showcases the latest trends in engineering
and manuf
The Teijin Group announced today
that Thai Namsiri Intertex Co., Ltd. (TNI), a consolidated subsidiary
manufacturing polyester textiles in Thailand, will launch a program for
collecting used polyester items and then recycling them into new polyester materials
through Teijin's ECO CIRCLE(tm) closed-loop recycling system. This will be the
first such program launched by Teijin in Asia other than Japan.
The program includes the launch of a recyclable men’s jacket
mad
Billy Hunter reports from Expofil/ Premiere Vision
Lenzing has launched its Tencel
botanic denim for ecoists here at Expofil/ Premiere Vision. There is no doubt
that denim manufacturing has a high environmental impact and in response Lenzing
in collaboration with supply chain partners, proposes to optimize the
production process from fibre to finished garment, using the latest thinking
and best technology available to create true ‘low impact’ denim jeans.
Lenzi
PrimaLoft is introducing two
new yarns, 100% PrimaLoft Yarn and re-engineered 50/50 PrimaLoft Merino Blend
Yarn, for base layers and performance knit applications. Both yarns were
presented at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, January 22-25, 2009 in Salt
Lake City, UT and ISPO Winter Market 09, February 1-4 in Munich, Germany.
100% PrimaLoft Yarn is made of PrimaLoft micro denier
polyester fibres, which are finer than cashmere fibres, providing a luxurious
and
Focus on new impulses for the combination of natural fibres
and technical textiles
To mark the International Year of Natural
Fibres, Messe Frankfurt will hold a Natural Fibre Congress during Techtextil,
International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens, in Frankfurt
from 16 to 18 June 2009.
The aim of the congress is, inter-alia, to bring natural
fibres into closer contact with technical applications and to show trade
visitors the benefits of natural fibres
Advansa, a leading European Polyester
producer, has announced the introduction at ISPO Munich, which opens on Sunday,
two new ranges of high-end technical insulation products for sleeping bags and
apparel. In partnership with industry leaders in Asia and Europe, a worldwide
distribution network is in place for the new product range, which will be
commercialized under two related brand names, Thermocool for apparel and Thermodry
for sleeping bags.
Drawing on Advansa
The public awareness
campaign for the International Year of Natural Fibers (IYNF) kicked off in Rome
yesterday. The IYNF launch is the beginning of a year-long series of events
across the globe that will seek to support farmers and associated industries in
raising awareness of the benefits of natural fibres over synthetic and
petroleum-based textiles, which are not viewed as sustainable.
The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) is a supporting
organization of
Invista, the largest spandex
and nylon producer in the world and owner of many leading brands including the
Lycra fibre brand, has appointed Christine Do Phan as Marketing Communications
Director for its Apparel business in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EUMEA).
Christine brings extensive marketing and communications experience to the role
having previously worked across Europe and Asia in the b2c, b2b and apparel
ingredient industries.
Christine will be resp
Teijin Fibers Limited, a
Japan-based global polyester polymers, fibres and textiles company and Swany
America Corp., a leading manufacturer of ski gloves and mittens renowned for
their enduring construction and cold weather performance, announced on Friday the
launch of a closed-loop recycling program for used polyester ski gloves.
As part of the collaboration, Swany America will use Teijin
Fiber’s ECO STORM(r), a recyclable, waterproof and breathable material ma
Nilit, a global
leader in the production of nylon 6.6, has announced that it has recently
completed the scale-up of its recycled yarns, a unique combination produced
from polymer waste and other polymers. The company says that the development represents
a breakthrough in yarn engineering and production.
Fabio Kahn, Director of Nilit's Fibers Division, says: “The
development shows Nilit’s continued dedication to innovation in research and
develop
Vital eco-wear has developed a range
of innovative fabrics incorporating state-of-the-art, bio-functional fibres to
produce garments that introduce a new level of fit-for-purpose sportswear.
Employing techniques based on nano-technology, computerized body mapping, and
the industry's latest equipment for seamless manufacture, Vital eco-wear
sportswear is designed to meet the particular needs of the type of sport
engaged in, reflected in its four product lines.
In add
Austrian automotive warp and weft
knit fabric producer Eybl International AG announced that it was filing for
administrative receivership after recent talks about a takeover by the
Slovenian Prevent Group failed to lead to a positive conclusion. Owing to
direct financial consequences of the current economic crisis on Eybl
International AG, Management decided on 16 December in line with legal
requirements, to file for administrative receivership for Eybl International
Duofold’s new
Varitherm High Performance Wool base layer, which features superior insulating
qualities and moisture management and odour resistance technology, has been
named 2008 Top Ten Gear of the Year by Stephen Regenold – aka “The Gear
Junkie.” Duofold, an outdoor industry leader with more than 100 years of
history of outfitting some of the world’s leading adventurers, introduced the
Varitherm High Performance Wool style in September 2008.
Sympatex, a manufacturer
of environmentally friendly laminates used in high-performance textiles has announced
that it has partnered with bionic-textile finishing specialist, Rudolf Chemie,
and the jointl development of Bionic Finish Eco, the first fluorocarbon-free
durable, water-repellant (DWR) treatment for textiles.
Sympatex syas that Bionic Finish Eco represents a
significant departure from previous textile-treatment technology and explains
Outdoor apparel brand Gramicci has
introduced Evo-Tek knit, an innovative material that helps
bring natural and organic fabrics to performance apparel.
Gramicci says that consumers have made it
clear they want more ecologically-friendly products and according to a
jrecently released report by researchers Frost & Sullivan, 73% of
Americans say they are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to purchase
products made of recycled materials in the future.Th
Teijin Fibers Limited announced
today that it will start supplying chemically recycled Ecopet Plus polyester fibres
for the cords of Toyo Tire & Rubber's Proxes Ne tyres, which are special tyres
designed for environmentally oriented passenger cars.
Ecopet Plus is created through a closed-loop recycling
system called Eco Circle, which was developed by Teijin and will be used for
the carcass, which functions like the framework of a tyre. According to Teijin
Fibers,
Demand for TenCate
military fabrics continues to accelerate. In addition to the continued high
volume sales of the TenCate DefenderM fabrics, the US Army has granted orders
for a further large amount of Combat Uniforms made from TenCate Gen2 fabrics to
SNCT (manufacturer of army uniforms). On 21 July 2008 TenCate already announced
sales in TenCate DefenderM fabrics amounting to at least 100 million over the
then next 12 months. This new order for TenCa
Applicant: SHENGHONG
GROUP CO LTD [CN]
Inventor: TINGFEN
XIN [CN]
Abstract of CN 101195929 (A) The invention aims to provide a production method which is different from the
production method of common moisture absorption and sweat discharging fiber,
the adopted technical proposal comprises: firstly, the conventional polyester
pellet (PET) and the water solubility polyester pellet are adopted as the raw
material, by utilizing a special-shaped spinneret for blended spinning, the
moisture a
Method for the production of highly oriented polyolefin ribbons, textiles and technical flexible sheet materials
5th December 2008 0 comment
Applicant: TEIJIN
MONOFILAMENT GERMANY GM [DE]; BRUENING HANS-JOACHIM [DE]; FISCHER ANDREAS [DE];
BACKER JAN ADOLPH DAM [NL]; BONNER MARK JAMES [GB]; WARD IAN MCMILLAN [GB]
Inventor: BRUENING
HANS-JOACHIM [DE]; FISCHER ANDREAS [DE]; BACKER JAN ADOLPH DAM [NL]; BONNER
MARK JAMES [GB]; WARD IAN MCMILLAN [GB]
Abstract of WO
2008125298 (A1) The invention relates to a method for the production of high-strength ribbons
having a high modulus of elasticity made of a highly molecular polyolefin,
whe
Nilit today announced its new trend concepts for bodywear and active-sports
wear for Autumn - Winter which will be presented in the Nilit Bodyfashion
Trendbook.
For Autumn-Winter 2010-11 Nilit showcases
its winter trends capturing the desires of the modern consumer who seeks
multifunctional and easy to wear products that offer style, innovation and high
performance. We witness a transformation of the identity of bodywear that has
now become a fusion of
New Zealand based AgResearch
Textiles has won a major international award for its world first machine
washable, tumble dryable wool suiting fabric.
The Textile Science and Technology Section, based at
AgResearch Lincoln, received the inaugural Product Innovation and
Commercialisation Award at the 86th Textile Institute World Conference in Hong
Kong. The award, organised in conjunction with the Institute of Textiles and
Clothing of the Hong Kong Polytech
Naturally Advanced Technologies' lead scientist wins Life Sciences Achievement Award
24th November 2008 0 commentDr. Wing Sung, BSc,
MSc, PhD, Principal Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada
(NRC), was awarded the inaugural Clean Technology Innovation Award from the
Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) on November 18th for his work
with NAT developing CRAILAR(R), its new organic fibre technology that creates
an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton, and for his work reducing toxic
effluent in the production of paper and textiles.
Gehring Textiles Inc. ,
a manufacturer of warp and circular knitted fabrics for technical applications,
has purchased Norton, Massachusetts based Tweave Inc, a manufacturer of high
quality four-way stretch woven fabrics.
“We know that Tweave
stretch fabric has enormous potential in many of these markets,” said Skip
Gehring, president, Gehring Textiles. “Tweave is well-known and respected in
fashion, sports and intimate apparel, but demand for its spe
Companies & Markets
has launched a new research report called Textiles in Germany. Textiles in
Germany an industry profile is an essential resource for top-level data and
analysis covering the textiles industry. It includes detailed data on market
size and segmentation, plus textual and graphical analysis of the key trends
and competitive landscape, leading companies and demographic information.
Scope
* Contains an executive summary and data on value
Naturally Advanced
Technologies Inc. (NAT) has spun hemp yarn and knitted fabric on conventional
cotton equipment with no modifications at North Carolina State University using
CRAILAR(R) Organic Fibers technology. The trials were sponsored by Hanesbrands
Inc.
Tim Pleasants, Spun Yarn Lab Manager, NC State University,
said, "We successfully carded and spun a blended CRAILAR yarn on our
cotton ring spinning system. The resulting 20/1 Ne* ring spun yarn was knit
Polyester manufacturer Advansa is
to present its latest innovations at Performance Days, the first European road show
focussing on functional fabrics for sportswear.
Performance Days a platform for innovation is a workshop for
fabric producers and designers with participants from Europe, Asia and USA,
which travels from Munich to Verona before finally stopping at Stockholm.
Advansa is to use the Performance Days platform to showcase Thermo°Cool,
Thermo°Cool ECO and
Chemical Market Associates, Inc.
(CMAI) has announced the completion of the 2009 World Nylon Fibers & Feedstocks
Analysis, an annual global study that covers the future outlook and historical
perspective for nylon intermediates, nylon textile, industrial fibers, carpet
fibers and engineering thermoplastics markets (ETP) from 2003 to 2013. In-depth
insight regarding the following key market influences is included: capacity,
supply, demand, trade, prices, product
DRI DUCK Traders, an
apparel company specializing in work wear and active lifestyle clothing, will
partner with Schoeller Technologies to utilize its 3XDRY technology in the development
of new products. 3XDRY combines two technologies that prevents noticeable
perspiration marks, generates a cooling-effect and improves dirt and water
repellence. DRI DUCK Traders expects to launch a clothing line featuring the
technology by Spring 2009.
DRI DUCK was establ
Teijin Fibers Limited has announced
that ECO CIRCLE, a closed-loop recycling system for used polyester products
that employs unprecedented chemical recycling technology, has welcomed its
100th company as a registered participant. Since its launch in 2002, ECO CIRCLE
has been participated in by companies that share a commitment to promoting
progressive environmental activities through product development, collection of
used materials and recycling.
While the original
International Natural Fibres Conference to be held during Techtextil 2009
20th October 2008 0 commentMesse Frankfurt to hold an International Natural Fibres
Conference during Techtextil 2009
UN General Assembly declares 2009 to be the International
Year of Natural Fibres
Messe Frankfurt
launches new internet site on the occasion of the Year of Natural Fibres
As part of the International
Year of Natural Fibres, Messe Frankfurt will hold a congress on natural fibres
during Techtextil - International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and
Nonwovens – in Frankfu
Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com ) has
announced the addition of the "Textile Advances in the Automotive
Industry" report to their offering.
Part one discusses issues such as automotive textile
requirements from a car producer’s perspective, mapping the automotive textile
supply chain, advances in textile fabrics including nonwoven fabrics, and
recycling issues. Part two focuses on automotive interiors with chapters on
performance and style of interio
Magid Glove & Safety is
leading the movement in environmentally friendly hand protection with today's
introduction of Bamboo ROC(TM) Gloves, the industry's first general-purpose
work gloves manufactured using a 100% bamboo fibre shell.
Made from one of nature's most sustainable resources, Bamboo
ROC Gloves are available in two industrial-grade styles - the Bamboo ROC GP169
and GP199. Bamboo ROC GP169 Gloves feature a 100% bamboo seamless brown machine
knit shell wi
In June, 2008, Toyobo and DSM
Dyneema made the decision to expand production capacity for Dyneema ultra high
strength polyethylene fibre. Nippon Dyneema Co., Ltd, headquartered in Osaka, Japan,
is a joint venture of Toyobo and DSM Dyneema.
The main applications for Dyneema in Japan are ropes,
fishing lines, gloves (including knitted) and helmets and owing to steady
domestic demand, Toyobo has increased its sales volume for the past few years. On
the other hand, the ya
Sigmatex, a world leader in carbon fibre textile manufacture
makes another major step forward by installing new, revolutionary machine
technology for the manufacture on Non Crimp, Multiaxial Carbon Fibre
Fabrics.
A new LIBA Copcentra MAX 5 Universal machine (MAX 5U), the
very first of its kind worldwide, is being installed at the Sigmatex (UK) Ltd,
Runcorn facility in Cheshire, England. The Copcentra MAX 5U is the latest
technology to be offered from LIBA Maschine
Sun 19th May 2013
