Sustainable

After the success of its 2010 Nonwovens Symposium in Baveno, which drew more than 200 delegates, EDANA has announced the programme for the first Eurasia Nonwovens Symposium, which will take place at the Sheraton Ataköy Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey from the 10-11 May 2012.

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.’

Over the past decade there has been a marked increase in the development of nonwoven technologies for the successful processing of alternative raw materials, including natural fibres, and for the recycling of waste materials.

The world market for technical textiles was estimated at US$127.2bn in 2010, with Asia accounting for US$59.9bn, or 47% of the total. China, which is now the world’s largest producer of technical textiles in volume terms, is estimated to have around 11% of the industry’s total global exports by value. Moreover, China’s apparent consumption is forecast to grow at around 10% a year to 2015, and the country will continue to be a significant importer, particularly for high-tech products.

DyStar has announced it has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the collaborative venture established in 2011 by leading apparel retailers, suppliers and manufacturers with participation from academics and NGOs.

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.

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.

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.

Bayer MaterialScience has begun construction of a multipurpose production plant for polyurethane coating raw materials at Chempark Leverkusen.