(left to right): SYFA President Meredith Boyd; Brian Moore, Unifi’s executive vice president and president of Unifi Manufacturing Inc.; Symtech Owner Per Olofsson; and Aquafil O’Mara President Jason Hickman, participated in an “Industry Leader Panel” during the recent SYFA meeting, which attracted 96 attendees.
The conference, under the theme “Innovation: A Catalyst for the Future,” offered a broad range of presentations, as well as a panel discussion all relevant to the synthetic fiber and fabric industry.
TW Special Report
Meredith Boyd, president of the Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA), gave an impassioned speech to kick off the recent fall conference held at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. She spoke of the industry’s resilience, adaptability and innovation, as well as the pressures and challenges. In addition, Boyd touched on the future opportunities, sustainability, digital transformation and artificial intelligence — all topics that carried over into an “Industry Leader Panel” discussion — among Brian Moore, Unifi, Per Olofsson, Symtech, and Jason Hickman, Aquafil-O’Mara with Boyd as the moderator — held at the end of the first day of proceedings. The panel also talked about ways to attract talent, an often-dis-cussed topic in the textile industry as the workforce is aging out.
The first day’s presentations began with a “Fiber and Yarn Update” from Consultant Laura Murphy. She was followed by Jenn Hanna, director of Innegra Sales, Quantum Materials LLC, who discussed Innegra, a high-performance lightweight fiber featuring patented micro voids and nano bridges for enhanced performance.
The second day of proceedings included a focus on water-repellent finishes by Jerrod Flanagan, R&D manager, Staple and Nonwovens, Goulston Technologies, who presented “Novel Solutions for Fluorine-Free Water Repellency;” a look at a more sustainable elastane fiber from Lycra Consultant Jean Hegedus who offered a talk on “From Farm to Fiber: Developing Elastane with 70% Renewable Content;” and least, but not least, a presentation by Andrew Fraser with e.dye Americas, who presented the “e.dye Waterless Color System” to attendees.
Conference sponsors included Diamond Sponsor Premier Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsors Goulston Technologies and Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Unifi Inc.; Bronze Sponsor Polyspintex; and Patron Sponsors Milliken & Company and the Economic Partnership Development of North Carolina.
“The SYFA conference was a solid success,” Boyd said after the event. “Our theme, ‘Innovation: A Catalyst for the Future,’ was felt throughout all of the presentations. The membership offered a great reception to the technical presentations on new materials, the fiber market update, and the panel that highlighted leaders from their industry. The conference left me energized and determined to find even more opportunities to leverage innovation and collaboration to promote our industry and our capabilities among our membership.”
The next edition of the SYFA conference will be held April 10-11, 2025, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel. The association also will host its third annual golf outing the day before the conference, on April 9, to raise money for the SYFA Scholarship Fund for Gaston Community College’s textile program. Mark your calendar!
Editor’s Note: Also see “Executive Forum: Meredith Boyd: Unifi Leader & SYFA President, TW,, this issue” to learn more about Boyd and her role as president of the SYFA, as well as her career at Unifi.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. & CONOVER, N.C. — November 20, 2024 — Clothing 2.0, a company that delivers doses of a natural, pain-relieving active ingredient through clothing, and The Marena Group LLC, a provider of medical-grade post-surgical compression garments, announce their alliance to bring groundbreaking innovation to assist patients undergoing invasive and minimally-invasive aesthetic and plastic surgery procedures.
This partnership creates the world’s first line of post-surgical garments infused with consistent over-the-counter pain-relieving active ingredients. They give clinicians and patients enhanced control of the post-surgical recovery process simply by wearing them. The garments are reusable and laundry-safe.
Dale Clendon, CEO of the Marena Group, said: “This exciting partnership represents our ongoing commitment to enhance the recovery experience of patients by offering unique products that feature the convergence of textiles and natural, active ingredients infused into the fabric. We have always been patient-centric, and we remain focused on exploring innovative ways to improve patients’ post-operative experience through highly differentiated products.”
“This exclusive global alliance with Clothing 2.0 enables Marena to safely deliver active, natural ingredients to the body via skin contact in our high-quality Marena Recovery garments. Marena has been known as the innovators in the space, and this revolutionary technology enables us to leap into the future” added Colin Marafko, chief commercial officer at Marena.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership. It’s simple: the biggest problem in modern health and wellness is user compliance, which is especially prevalent following invasive and non-invasive aesthetic and sculpting procedures. It is often a challenge for patients to apply topical creams and consistently wearing compression. Adding pain-relieving natural ingredients directly into garments is a game changer for patients, care givers and, above all, recovery outcomes,” said Jordan Schindler, CEO and founder of Clothing 2.0. “It’s time we all leave 1.0 post-surgical recovery behind.”
Now is the time push away fears and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
TW Special Report
For some, the mere idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) conjures up fears of robots and computers taking over the world in some future dystopian nightmare. This futuristic idea seems less and less far-fetched as generative AI (GenAI) technologies —a subset of AI that creates text, images, videos or other forms of content based on data it has learned — are starting to take off. GenAI often produces output as a response to specific prompts, or requests, given by a user, with Chat-GPT one example of such a technology.
But in the shorter term, perhaps the most common fear expressed is a more basic, “Will AI take my job?” Half of regular AI users think their job may disappear within the next decade according to a report, “AI at Work: Friend and Foe,” released by the Boston-based Boston Consulting Group. The company’s BCG X Tech Build and Design Division surveyed 13,000 employees in 15 countries and regions about AI use and adoption.
“Our survey exposes the double-edged nature of GenAI,” said the report’s co-author Sylvain Duranton, a managing director and senior partner at BCG. “Familiarity correlates with both comfort and fear. GenAI is a revolutionary technology, so these opposing reactions should not be surprising. By recognizing the complex ways in which humans understand and interact with GenAI, leaders can reshape their organizations to maximize the strengths and value of both their human and machine workers.”
BCG’s survey also revealed that engagement with AI in the work-place is increasing. Almost two-thirds of leaders report they are beginning to use GenAI tools in their organizations and more than twice as many frontline employees reported using AI tools on a regular basis this year compared to 2023.
AAPN Embraces AI, Hosts Workshop
Joe Parrish, founder of Winston-Salem, N.C.-based award-winning ad agency The Variable Agency, doesn’t think AI will take jobs. “However, a big qualifier to that is a person with AI experience may take your job,” Parrish conjectured during his presentation “Leveraging AI In Your Business— Apparel or Otherwise,” given at an AI Executive Workshop hosted recently by the Atlanta-based Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) for its members. AAPN is a huge proponent of using AI and wants its members to embrace the technology sooner rather than later (See sidebar).
Parrish views AI as a transformative technology, with the potential to be more impactful than steam power was during the industrial revolution. “If programmers were to stop developing the current AI technologies tomorrow, I predict it could still take a good 10 years to fully realize the capabilities of the existing technology,” he said. “We have tons of capability at our fingertips, but we have a utility problem. Generally, people don’t know how to use AI. But I truly believe there isn’t a problem that AI as it exists today couldn’t help us solve.”
Fast-Changing Technology
AI technology is evolving rapidly, and to illustrate the rapid pace of change, Parrish introduced Chat-GPT’s brand new voice feature to the audience during his presentation.
Because of this rapidly changing technology landscape, Parrish recommends jumping in and using AI now. Start small, and grow with the technology. “The best time to dive into AI was yesterday.” But the good news according to Parrish is that the second-best time to jump in is today. “There will never be a smaller gap between an AI beginner and an AI expert than there is right now,” Parrish added.
Transformative Technology
AI may be used in a variety of ways in industry, academia and even one’s personal life. Some of the applications include image generation and recognition, language translation and processing, machine learning, computer vision, and decision making — analyzing data to find patterns and offer insights to aid informed decisions — among many, many applications for AI.
Ethan R. Mollick, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, collaborated with a team of social scientists at BCG on an experiment to assess the future of professional work in the age of AI. Mollick shared that when consultants were given 18 different tasks designed as realistic examples of the type of work performed at elite consulting companies, “… consultants using ChatGPT-4 outperformed those who did not, by a lot,” Mollick said. “On every dimension. Every way we measured performance.”
Specifically, consultants using AI completed 12 percent more tasks on average, were 25 percent faster and produced 40 percent higher quality results than consultants not using AI.
As a comparison, steam power increased productivity by approximately 18 to 22 percent. And today, companies spend huge amounts of money on massive software installations to see perhaps a 3 to 4 percent increase in productivity. In studies such as the one from The Wharton School, AI is exceeding these productivity gains. By a lot.
Parrish recommends assuming AI can help whatever the situation. “Try it, and let it prove you wrong,” he said. He notes it can take at least 10 hours to understand what the technology can do and how it can help. “But too many people try using AI a few times, don’t like what they see and give up,” Parrish said. “Use AI as a thought partner. Let AI take on tasks that take you lots of time, sort of like a grad school intern.”
He also suggests taking work tasks that are time consuming and creating a ChatGPT to solve the problem or reduce the time needed for a task.
What Type Of AI
Two of the biggest AI breakthroughs, according to Parrish, are ChatGPT and Midjourney. “There are other facets to AI, but these are more expensive and more specific,” Parrish said. “Chat GPT and Midjourney are tools everyone can see value in.”
During the AAPN workshop, Parrish talked in-depth about both technologies and how and when to use them, among other AI technology options (See Figure 1).
Figure 1
Different AI technologies have certain strengths, and the ultimate end result may be best generated using multiple GenAI technologies. For example, “ChatGPT 4o is fairly terrible at generating images, but is great for creating prompts to give to Mid-journey,” Parrish said. According to Parrish, Midjourney is one of the best AI image generation tools to choose. But a user can utilize ChatGPT to create a prompt for an image, then take that prompt over to Midjourney to obtain a different, better result.
According to Parrish, ChatGPT 01 is very good at math as well as thought and reasoning, and step-by-step problem solving. Claude AI is a great all round Gen AI tool; Complexity is adept for research; and Google’s NotebookLM is great at condensing and summarizing lots of information into study guides, FAQs, timelines or even a podcast you can listen to, among other ideas.
GenAI also is popping up in software that is already commonly used. Gemini is Google’s AI. It may be used to write text or to create images within a Google slides presentation, for example. Microsoft Edge also now includes a button for Copilot — the name for its GenAI technology — in the browser. Save time reading a long article and use Copilot to summarize a story, for example.
Some GenAI technologies are free, or have a free version, while others are paid only or offer additional services with a paid subscription. Most are available with low monthly fees or team/group rates for a company wishing to offer access to all its employees.
Using AI: How To Engineer A Prompt
Engineering a prompt for GenAI is a skill that needs to be developed. AI is intelligent, but the wrong prompt may not generate the answer that is sought. An individual’s value comes from the ability to write the correct prompt. “No two people will get the same result from AI, because the inputs are not the same,” Parrish said. In addition, the more a person can incorporate expertise from their vertical, the better a prompt will be.
To start, break down any job into a series of smaller tasks. AI cannot write an entire movie, but it can generate ideas for a scene in a movie, for example.
Parrish introduced an analytical method of writing a prompt he defined using the RTEF acronym, which stands for Role, Task, Example and Format. The mnemonic “Robots Teach Everything Funny” is a helpful way to remember these four prompt requirements.
Role — who. Give AI a role —teacher, engineer or writer, for example.
Task — what is the problem, what is needed?
Example — perhaps suggest some examples to consider.
Format — state the desired out-put format. For example, “Give me a title for the story and a one paragraph summary.”
Prompts also may simply be conversational in nature. Conversational prompting lets you build expertise by uncovering insights gradually, adapting questions based on responses. “It’s a longer process that deepens your understanding over time, allowing you to refine your knowledge through each interaction,” Parrish said.
Parrish breaks down Midjourney prompts for images into three levels of Atomic Prompting. The first, or organism level, level is a basic image prompting consisting of an art direction and the subject of your prompt. The second, or molecular level, is a more detailed approach to prompting that includes descriptors like inspiration and shot type for reference. The third, or atomic, prompt is a highly specific prompt to control every aspect of your image from environment to styling. He demonstrated the quality of the images generated as he refined and perfected his Midjourney prompts during the AAPN AI workshop.
If Midjourney isn’t producing what you are looking for, reprocess the prompt. Parrish showed that Midjourney will produce images that are very different given the same prompt (See Figure 2).
Figure 2: Midjourney generated this collection of images using the same prompt illustrating it is capable of presenting variations on an idea without the need to modify the prompt.
AI Misconceptions
AI is generally viewed as an analytical tool that is not creative. “But it’s not true,” Parrish said. “If AI is not creative, that’s because the user is not giving it the right prompt.” To illustrate this, he noted that the best test is an alternative uses test.
When asked for ideas of things a pencil can do other than its basic function of writing, on the low end, humans can come up with three to five mostly obvious uses. On average humans generate between 5 and 10 ideas, while a few exceptional people specifically trained in divergent thinking may manage to exceed 15 ideas. When asked, AI suggested 100 alternate uses, far surpassing humans in this creative task. “Given the right prompt, AI can be very creative,” Parrish said.
Perhaps this may not appear to be creative in a human sense, however, answering a prompt decisively is AI’s relentless mission.
Specific Apparel Industry Ways To Use AI
During the workshop, Parrish spent some time explaining popular AI tools, showing participants ways to exploit the technologies in various aspects of the apparel industry.
AI can be used to create trend presentations, mood boards and even apparel designs. Parrish created a theoretical apparel collection using a variety of AI tools all the way to photographic-like images of a model wearing the designs (See Figure 3).
Figure 3: Using AI, an idea for a clothing line was developed including concept, mood boards, designs and “photography” that could be used in a presentation.
Ad agency executive Parrish also demonstrated using AI to develop a new product including brand name, logo, related photographic images, a song generated using Suno or udio AI, and finally a video to showcase just some of the capabilities of GenAI. “AI can create commercials from start to finish and it’s only getting better,” Parrish said.
Analyzing Data
ChatGPT can handle the mammoth task of analyzing data sets such as shirt sales for the year, for example. Once the data is uploaded, ask ChatGPT questions like: “What are the different ways I can analyze this data,” “Let’s do a comprehensive analysis of stock turnover and back orders,” or “I have to prepare a report using this data. Outline the report and create the charts I will need to look great in front of my boss.” AI can examine the numbers and see patterns, trends and outliers quickly and effectively.
It may feel daunting to share large, private data sets with AI technologies, but the data is safe. AI uses the data to learn and analyze, but does not share this information with anyone else.
Getting Started
Bringing a company into the AI era may at first seem daunting. But apply the proverbial “eating the elephant” idea and start with small “bites” applying AI to small tasks. As a company or an individual, breaking down a collective fear of AI may ease the transition and spark a broader corporate adoption.
Parrish suggests companies can think about the following five things to encourage the adoption of AI:
Cultivate curiosity — In the age of AI, foster a culture of continuous questioning and exploration. Employees should be encouraged to ask “what if” and “why not,” pushing boundaries and seeking new applications for AI rather than settling for the status quo.
Reward innovation — Recognize and incentivize employees who propose novel ways to leverage AI, even if not all ideas are implemented. This encourages a culture of forward-thinking and helps the organization stay ahead of AI trends.
Focus on augmenting, not replacing, humans — Frame AI adoption as a way to enhance human capabilities rather than a threat to jobs. This approach not only eases adoption but also leads to more effective human-AI collaboration, leveraging the strengths of both.
Prioritize adaptability —AI technologies evolve rapidly. Companies need to build flexibility into their workflows and be ready to pivot quickly. This means valuing employees who can learn and adapt swiftly, and creating systems that can be easily modified as new AI capabilities emerge.
Value skills that complement, not compete, with AI — Rather than focusing solely on technical skills that AI might replicate, organizations should prize uniquely human abilities like emotional intelligence, creative problem-solving, and ethical decision-making. These skills work in tandem with AI to produce superior outcomes.
Parrish suggest individuals consider the following four things related to AI:
Value the impact, not work hours — Working hard is important — it offers the experience to learn and become an expert at something. But once a task is learned, the path to scaling impact without scaling work hours is significantly clearer thanks to AI. When deciding what to work on, it’s increasingly important to find the areas that create the most value.
Assume the skills to solve the problem are present — Consider learning something new from ChatGPT. It may be surprising how AI cuts the time required to learn a new skill down to a fraction, or even a fraction of a fraction, of previous efforts. With the explosion of content online and the accessibility that AI offers, learning a new skill and solving a problem has never been easier.”
Be resourceful — When resourcefulness is present, AI serves as the ultimate resource. Thanks to AI, the primary limitation to achieving dreams is likely internal. People are launching software companies without prior coding experience. What accomplishments could AI support?”
Specialize and dig in deep —Expertise is rising in value as AI commoditizes average. By design, AI generates the average of human intelligence on any task. Being a generalist may become easier, leading to an average skill level in everything with minimal effort. This trend will likely apply universally.
Leveraging AI For The Future
“We are entering a new era for GenAI which is less about optimism and curiosity and more about confidence and value realization,” said Vinciane Beauchene, a managing director and partner at BCG and a coauthor of the “AI at Work: Friend and Foe” report. “Adoption has increased, and individuals are starting to see the benefits. Companies are also starting to realize that get-ting the value out of their investment will require them to think beyond productivity and take a more holistic and proactive approach to redirect the time saved to the most valuable and joyful activities, to reskill their employees to do so, and to reshape their organizations and operating models as a consequence.”
Some companies in the textile industry are already embracing the use of AI in their day-to-day operations such as World Emblem, an embroidered patch manufacturer based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (See “World Emblem: Embracing AI,” TW, this issue). And AAPN hopes many more textile companies will take the leap and at least dabble to get more comfortable with the idea of using AI in their businesses.
And maybe, just maybe, GenAI contributed to this article.
AAPN Encourages Its Members To Embrace AI
The Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) is an Atlanta-based association serving the apparel industry supply chain “from the dirt to the shirt”. Its member companies are located in North America, the Caribbean, Central and South America, as well as Europe and Asia. AAPN believes sourcing in this hemisphere makes sense — it’s easier, faster, safer and more stable, among other benefits.
AAPN is looking at ways to integrate and use AI in the apparel industry. It wants its members to embrace, implement and use AI to its benefit. To AAPN, it’s not about taking jobs away, but about making them better.
“AI represents a pivotal moment for our membership, many of whom are leaders in the textile and apparel industry,” said Lynsey Jones, executive director, AAPN. “At the AAPN, we view AI as a powerful tool that can provide a competitive edge, helping our members further solidify their leader-ship positions. Whether it’s automating routine tasks to free up time for more meaningful work or leveraging AI to enhance customer experiences and support data-driven decision-making, the potential is vast. Importantly, we don’t see AI as a replacement for people, but as a catalyst for productivity, creating opportunities for members to focus on higher-impact initiatives.”
Jones scheduled a call with Joe Parrish and his team after a conversation with an AAPN member who had engaged him to walk their company through the AI revolution. “From my very first conversation with the team, I was captivated,” Jones said. “Their enthusiasm for AI and its practical applications was contagious. Joe made something as complex and daunting as AI feel accessible and approachable.”
AAPN initially brought Parrish in as a speaker at its 2024 pro:Americas Annual Conference. “The entire room was just as impressed and inspired as I had been during that initial call,” Jones noted. The feedback and response prompted AAPN to put together the AI workshop to continue the learning.
Editor’s Note: This feature is based on information presented by Joe Parrish at the Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) AI Executive Workshop— “Leveraging AI In Your Business —Apparel or Otherwise.” Parrish is the founder of The Variable Agency in Winston-Salem, N.C.
NEW YORK CITY — November 20, 2024 — UNCAGED Innovations, the world’s first biomaterial company to create sustainable leather from grains has launched ELEVATE, a new luxury leather alternative. UNCAGED is partnering with 10 independent global fashion brands to launch ELEVATE as part of The UNCAGED Collective, giving them access to their bio-based leather. The partnerships will bring ELEVATE to market to showcase how the material can be used in various applications from wallets to watch straps. The brands have been selected due to their commitment to sustainability and desire to use less animal products in manufacturing, and span nine countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, Africa, India, Australia, South Africa, and the United States.
UNCAGED has combined its proprietary technology platform, BioFuze, with biomaterial manufacturing to create a sustainable and customizable leather alternative that mimics the texture and performance of traditional leather. While other companies are focusing on carbohydrates as the primary input, which are not molecularly structured to behave like skin, ELEVATE leverages grain proteins and fuses them with other plant-based elements that provide similar scaffolding functions to collagen, the main protein in animal hides.
Historically in the next-gen material industry, only large brands could gain initial access to new innovations. The UNCAGED Collective is breaking this barrier and launching with boutique brands that each bring a unique piece to market, including jewelry, handbags, wallets, and more.
Stephanie Downs, CEO and co-founder of UNCAGED, said: “Sustainability is now rightfully at the top of businesses and consumers’ agendas, and we’re seeing more partnerships between large household names and innovative start-ups to bring sustainable solutions to the consumer. However, even though partnerships are announced, they take time to come to market. With The UNCAGED Collective, our mission is to make UNCAGED’s bio-based leather alternative available to smaller brands, who move quickly to bring their products to market. ELEVATE is designed to help end the environmental devastation of traditional leather, and we believe that these innovative, sustainable solutions should be accessible to all brands.”
Marco Dal Maso, Design director and founder of MARCO DAL MASO, said: “It was important for us to find an innovative material that was not just sustainable but also luxurious for our high-end designs. UNCAGED offers that and more, with an alternative leather product that can be customized to tune the fragrance, stretch, and even down to the biodegradation of the product itself, all while matching the luxurious aesthetic of traditional leather.”
Melina Bucher, founder of Meline Bucher, added: “The leather and fashion industry is notorious for devastating the environment, from the methane emitted in cattle production (which is known to be 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide) and the energy-intensive chemicals used in the finishing and tanning processes. The fashion industry is slowly taking action to embrace innovative solutions and alternatives, but there is a barrier to entry for smaller brands to access and use these materials. We’re excited to partner with UNCAGED to use their game-changing leather alternative for good and bring our products to market.”
SARASOTA, FL — November 20, 2024 — MoistTech Corp., a global supplier of moisture measurement and control, highlights its cutting-edge IR3000 series moisture sensors for the textile and nonwoven industries. These state-of-the-art sensors, featuring Near Infrared (NIR) technology, offer unparalleled accuracy and reliability in moisture analysis, significantly enhancing product quality, productivity, and energy efficiency throughout the textile manufacturing process.
MoistTech textile fiber application
The IR3000 series sensors provide instant, continuous moisture measurement, allowing textile manufacturers to maintain precise control over moisture content from fiber production to finished fabrics. This capability is crucial for ensuring optimal product quality and manufacturing efficiency as water can greatly impact textile production lines. Many fabrics rapidly absorb and release moisture due to their hygroscopic nature. Consequently, the water context of a fabric greatly affects its physical properties, including length, dimension, strength, elasticity, and electrical resistance.
One of the key advantages of the IR3000 series is its ability to measure moisture in a wide range of materials, including natural fibers like cotton and wool, synthetic fibers, and blended fabrics. In industries where mold is a concern, particularly in the cotton ginning sector, the IR3000 effectively maintains moisture content below 8 percent, thereby preventing losses caused by mold.
The IR3000’s non-contact design allows for continuous operation without interfering with the manufacturing process, minimizing contamination and maintenance requirements. This feature is particularly beneficial in high-speed textile production environments where continuous monitoring is essential.
MoistTech’s advanced NIR technology ensures that the IR3000 sensors deliver true, repeatable results year after year with minimal maintenance. Pre-calibrated at the factory, these sensors are guaranteed to maintain their accuracy without drifting or requiring recalibration, unlike competing technologies that often necessitate frequent adjustments.
Furthermore, the IR3000 series is designed for easy integration into existing production lines. The sensors can be seamlessly incorporated into process control systems, allowing for real-time adjustments based on moisture data. This capability enables manufacturers to maintain consistent product quality and optimize production efficiency.
As the textile industry continues to evolve, with increasing emphasis on quality control and sustainable manufacturing practices, MoistTech’s IR3000 series moisture sensors offer acutting-edge solution to meet these challenges. By providing accurate, real-time moisture data, these sensors empower manufacturers to maintain the highest standards of product quality while optimizing their production processes.
For more information about the IR3000 series moisture sensors and their applications in the textile and nonwoven industries, visit https://www.moisttech.com/applications/textile-moisture-control/
Mohawk Textiles recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new greenfield plant. (images courtesy of Honey & Bee Photography unless otherwise noted)
Mohawk Textiles aims to follow in the footsteps of Mohawk Fabric Co. as it begins its journey as a 100-year-old technical textile “start up.”
By James M. Borneman, Editor In Chief
Spend five minutes speaking with Dominic Wade, president, Gallatin, Tenn.-based Mohawk Textiles, and you’ll very quickly learn that you are speaking with a driven and relatively fearless individual. He is passionate about his family, the people he works with, investing in the future of textiles and cares deeply about the country he’s served.
After attending Lafayette College where he earned a degree in business economics on an Army ROTC scholarship, Wade was assigned to the 118th Military Police Company Air-borne located at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. Post 9/11, Wade served two years overseas in the Iraqi Theater supporting anti-terrorism and was responsible for high-value detainees. After his first deployment from 2002-2003 Wade attended Lehigh University and earned an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship.
In January 2006, Wade started at Mohawk Fabric Co., in Amsterdam, N.Y., as general manager and minority owner. And so, the journey began — a journey that forms a compelling story of a textile business with a long history with Wade’s determined eye on the future.
A New Company With Deep Roots
Mohawk Fabric Co. was founded in 1922 in the Mohawk Valley of Upstate New York. The tricot warp knitter focused on processing yarn with twisting and warping, as well as knitting, in the city of Amsterdam where it still operates today.
Under Wade’s leadership, the company has embarked on an ambitious expansion and Wade has been instrumental in shaping the company’s growth.
Supported by his brother Schuyler Wade and fellow army veteran Blaine Harvey, the team envisioned building a state-of-the-art greenfield facility in Middle Tennessee. After a decade of dreaming, Mohawk Textiles was founded in 2020 in Gallatin, Tenn., as a sister company to the deeply rooted Mohawk Fabric.
The team added the technically gifted Christopher Ripp, who migrated South to bolster Mohawk’s capabilities and drive the Mohawk vision forward.
Today, Mohawk Textiles specializes in knitting and weaving technical textiles with a focus on single-step twisting, warping, knitting, weaving, braiding and finishing. The new venture marks a significant milestone in Mohawk’s journey of expansion and reflects its commitment to innovation and quality.
The groundbreaking in August 2020 for Mohawk Textiles’ greenfield facility (image courtesy of City of Gallatin)
Commitment Beyond The Company Walls
Harvey, Ripp, the Wade brothers, and their families now gladly call Sumner County, Middle Tennessee, home. It’s more than just a job. According to Wade, Mohawk Textiles is a “family first” business for all stakeholders and has constructed a “Bold Facility” in the community. Wade eagerly explained the numerous amenities established for Mohawk team members and their families to enjoy that go above and beyond the traditional workplace.
To Wade it is all a function of the founding business principles that drive the Mohawk forward: “Treat all people the way you want to be treated. Communicate often and truthfully. Produce the highest quality product possible. Operate at a fair and sustainable profit. Innovate products with customer collaboration.” And the most important principle: “Invest in and develop your people.”
“With these guidelines, we manufacture knit and woven technical textile products that support the most important American and global industries,” Wade. “They are core to who we are and how we are.”
(left to right): Tennessee State Represen-tative William Slater (Rep.-Gallatin), Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown, and Dominic Wade, president, Mohawk Textiles at the grand opening celebration.
Getting Technical
Mohawk Textiles’ products are, in Wades words, “critical” to technical applications globally. As a manufacturing center of excellence, Mohawk Textiles focuses on production of high-quality fabrics that meet their customers rigorous demands. “We support all major industries in the USA manufacturing arena — automotive, industrial, medical, aerospace, and military — and are developing soon-to-be-released braided products that focus on recycled, reused, and upcycled waste,” Wade added.
Celebrating The Expansion
During the opening ceremony for the Mohawk Textiles greenfield facility in the Gallatin Industrial Center, Wade described the experience of committing to a greenfield expansion.
“Four years ago today, we were 100 yards from here for our ground-breaking,” Wade recalled.
“I know some of you were here that day. Going back in time to that day, we were at the height of COVID with new mask protocols, millions of companies hemorrhaging cash by the day, if they were allowed to operate at all. As I woke up that morning 1,000 miles from home, contemplating the future, and if this was the right time for the Mohawk Textiles expansion to Middle Tennessee, I was scared, nervous, and questioned if I was out of my mind.
“But I had planned, checked it over with everyone that would listen — it was sound in normal times — but these were not normal times. They were challenging times. And I made commitments to team members, banks, and customers, as well as the City of Gallatin.
“So, my family and I drove from New York to the Gallatin Industrial Center for our groundbreaking,” Wade continued. “My plan was to hide my fears and face the challenges as they came — I was expecting about 10 people I knew, and possibly a few others — but boy, was I wrong! The Southern Hospitality was strong that day, and almost 100 people were present. The grit and grace of Gallatin’s business community was in full force.
“Mayor Brown’s welcoming and inspiring words made all the fear, worry and anxiety disappear in an instant, I knew we had made the right choice — the millions of dollars earmarked and spent for state-of-the-art equipment, a cutting-edge facility that spoke to anyone who would visit — that focused on the best experience for employees possible, seemed so right.
“And through the chaos of the pandemic, I could see the opportunities that would be there in the future,” Wade said.
Robert Norris demonstrates the Ratti R325 NF twisting machine.
Commitment To Community
Tennessee was one of about six states that were considered for the new Mohawk facility.
“In other states we could have gotten a free building, but Gallatin had the perfect blend of work, play, and quality of life standards — all 30 minutes from downtown Nashville,” Wade said. “The schools and amenities that are in Sumner County are so family friendly and community oriented that it made sense to give it a try. It also was a growing community that our employees could also afford to live.”
When asked her thoughts on the matter, Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown noted: “Mohawk has a culture that fits so well in our city and in the state of Tennessee. Mohawk exemplifies the Made in Tennessee spirit, and we are grateful they chose Gallatin. Our philosophy, much like Mohawk’s, is when Gallatin does well by our businesses, our businesses do well and that helps everyone.”
Director of Operations, Blaine L. Harvey, U.S. Army retired, discusses a Karl Mayer HKS-2-M with EL Drive during the grand opening.
Economic Development Matters
Gallatin Economic Development Agency Executive Director Rosemary Bates shed some light on shared economic goals. “Mohawk represents the type of manufacturing we envisioned several years ago in our strategic planning — high tech and visionary with an emphasis on taking care of their employees,” she said.
“My predecessor, James Fenton, deserves much of the credit for forging an initial relationship with Mohawk, visiting them in New York to better understand their operations and, of course, to share how Gallatin would like to be a second home for them. When James walked around the shop there with Dominic, he noticed that Dominic knew every employee by name and usually something about their families. That is the type of employer we embrace in Gallatin.
“Mohawk’s facility here is a neighbor to Beretta USA, a meta hyperscale data center, and Axem, which is a company that pursues advanced technology like Mohawk does. Gallatin is also home to Gap Inc.’s Southeast distribution center — also focused on advancing technology.
“Dominic and Mohawk think in big ideas, creative ideas and innovation. They speak our language. The Gallatin Economic Development Agency, Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development, along with TVA — our regional power provider and partner in economic development — also pursue innovation, collaboration, and ingenuity to create a better environment for manufacturing, research and development.”
A Tennessee Welcome
Tennessee State Representative William Slater (Rep.-Gallatin) offered his thoughts on the selection and commitment by Mohawk to Gallatin. “I am extremely proud that a time-tested business-like Mohawk has expanded to Gallatin,” Slater said. “Our skilled workforce and booming economy have helped many companies flourish, and I’m confident Mohawk will similarly thrive here.
“Working with Dominic has been a pleasure, and I appreciate his for-ward-thinking approach and dedication to innovation and precision.
“Tennessee’s business-friendly environment has proven once again to be a powerful draw for top-tier companies, and I’m grateful that Dominic decided to invest in our community,” said Slater, who spoke at the grand opening celebration and was joined by suppliers that were key to executing Wade’s plan for the new plant.
A Force To Be Reckoned With
Of course, when setting up a new manufacturing plant, machinery and technology companies play a key role in providing guidance. “Mohawk comes across as a very modern-led organization that not only talks about being customer-centric and employee-friendly but actually is so to its core,” said Per Olofsson, CEO of Spartanburg, S.C.-based Symtech Inc., a distributor of textile machinery and equipment in the United States and Canada. “Mohawk is very open to customers’ requirements and finds ways to deliver them,” he said. “With the new facility, a very skilled and motivated team and investments in world-class technology, Mohawk is a force to be reckoned with.
“At SYMTECH, we are convinced that Dominic and his team are just at the beginning of their growth journey, and we are excited to do as much as we can to support them.”
During plant tours at the grand opening, Director of Operations Blaine Harvey presented the Karl Mayer Direct Warper
A New Standard
Greensboro, N.C.-based textile machinery manufacturer KARL MAYER North America president Mariano Amezcua echoed Olofsson’s sentiments. “Dominic Wade and the Mohawk team have established the new standard for textile mills in North America in collaboration with Karl Mayer,” Amezcua said. “Through the years, Mohawk has steadily moved towards making that vision a reality. Mohawk remains at the forefront of Karl Mayer technology by continually investing in the latest cloud-connected warp knitting machines. Mohawk is firmly recognized as a sustainable and innovative leader through ensuring a warp knit infrastructure prepared for the market demands of today and the future demands of tomorrow.”
Weaving technician Julia Whitaker shared details on a Picanol OptiMax-i weaving machine during plant tours offered at the grand opening celebration.
Weaving Gets Technical
Tom Johnston, sales manager, Greenville S.C.-based weaving machinery manufacturer Picanol of America, offered some insight into Mohawks commitment to innovation. “I was impressed from the first time that I met Dominic in June 2019,” Johnston said. “The vision he has of building a company with total employee involvement and family values is part of the reason for the company’s success. Dominic is not afraid of change. He and his team are willing to work outside of the box of his current product line. This is why he and his company are a success.
On the challenges of investing Johnston offered: “Not only did Dominic invest in a greenfield plant, but as he grows, he continues to invest back into the company. Dominic has made multiple weaving investments with Picanol and has the state-of-the-art weaving machines with the capability of producing fabrics for many different segments.”
Future Focus
Mohawk Textiles aims to follow in the footsteps of Mohawk Fabric Co. as it begins its journey as a 100-year-old start-up. At the opening celebration, Wade punctuated his remarks, saying: “I believe conducting business better is the only path to ensure our success in the future. That future is founded in taking care of Mohawk’s team members while also supporting their families. I’m honored to have this opportunity to share with you, my fellow business partners, and leaders, that there is a better way to treat people in the workplace com-pared to that of the past.”
Wade follows the motto “lead by example, join an amazing community, add more than we take.”
“I followed this path and as a result we are here together, celebrating the hard work of the Mohawk Team — North and South, and all our partners,” Wade said. “I am grateful to have this opportunity showcase our version of the future workplace that prioritizes its people, community, and business relationships.”
An Ambitious Plan
While finishing his MBA, Wade wrote a white paper outlining a 10-year plan putting himself in the shoes of the Mohawk Fabric Co. owner. These ideas in the white paper have continued to influence and guide Wade after he earned his diploma. The highlights of the plan were:
Engage and understand customer needs and why they buy from us and what we can do together to improve;
Understand the textile manufacturing process and modernize to current standards from the working museum that we were in 2005;
Build stronger relationships with suppliers and vendors and leverage their knowledge and resources to grow and better the company; and Get to know the employee base and invest in them and provide the resources for them to build a stronger foundation for the future of the company.
In 2014, when Blaine Harvey and Schuyler Wade joined the company, together they worked on another 10-year plan, which formed the basis for Mohawk Textiles.
SARCEDO, Italy — November 20, 2024 — November 21-22, 2024, Tonello returns to Hong Kong to present an innovative concept dedicated to workwear, to show how even these garments, which are born to be primarily functional, can become art.
With Metamorphosis – True Italian Workwear, Tonello’s focus is on the ability to transform, renew, reinvent some iconic garments of Italian tradition, thanks to responsible technological innovation.
Thus, the overalls and work clothes worn every day by our people become the focus of a striking collection that enhances and highlights the daily importance of their work.
Everyday and “humble” garments are revisited in a totally different key and transformed into unique pieces with a modern design thanks to DyeMate and the Laundry (R)Evolution.
Garments gain color depth and contrasts typical of denim with DyeMate, the first patented indigo garment dyeing technology that, through a combination of sulfur and indigo dyes, creates an authentic, vintage look reminiscent of the workwear world of yesteryear. The Laundry (R)Evolution is achieved through the combination of THE Laser and the All-in-One System for unique and totally responsible finishing effects.
In Hong Kong we will be the protagonists of this collaboration as well:
ONE DENIM – The spectacular collection resulting from a collaboration with Kingpins, Piero Turk and Cone Denim and demonstrating how a single fabric can be reinterpreted and transformed in countless ways, thanks to cutting-edge washes and finishes that extrapolate and manifest its changing and iridescent soul.
SOUTHAMPTON, England — November 20, 2024 — Green Threads DPP, the Hampshire-based supplier of Digital Product Passports (DPP) to the uniform, workwear, and outdoor apparel industries, is officially launching to help brands fight greenwashing, create value chain transparency, and stay ahead of pending EU Green Deal DPP mandates.
Working directly with universities, textile suppliers, brands, governmental agencies, and manufacturing facilities around the world, Green Threads will help companies quickly and effectively navigate the DPP landscape, engage consumers, and bring in the next era of product transparency.
“Between pending regulations and concerns around greenwashing, brands have a lot to gain from adopting a Green Threads DPP solution,” said Iain Kettleband, CEO of Green Threads. “By working with our clients and partners, we audit and measure the various elements throughout the entire product journey, facilitating continuous improvement and accountability. We add value by empowering consumers and businesses through easy to access data by which to make informed buying decisions. Most critically our solution goes above and beyond legislation and delivers complete environmental supply chain transparency as well as a dynamic platform through which to showcase a wealth of information related to recycling, care instructions, corporate objectives and ethical certifications”
By 2030, all apparel sold in the EU will require some form of DPP. Scannable at all points along the value chain, DPPs will come in the form of a QR code, RFID tag, or NFC chip. Anyone from brand representatives to compliance officers to consumers will soon have access to a wide range of product information at their fingertips, including a product’s origin, carbon footprint, water consumption, materials composition, credentials, and end of life considerations.
Once a brand’s supply chain has been audited and a range of DPP have been created for the garments being produced, Green Threads will actively identify areas for sustainability improvements and make recommendations through the use of tailored Carbon Reduction Plans which are designed to help factories and suppliers set and reach decarbonization goals.
The Nonwovens Institute’s success is driven by creating measurable goals in-line with a long-term vision.
TW Special Report
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a measurement system developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1970s to manage the process of translating fundamental knowledge into technology ready for deployment. In NASA’s case, the goal was to use TRL to enable the development of “flight-proven” technology ready to stand up to the challenges of space travel. TRL has also been employed by industry to evaluate the maturity of a technology or invention as it progresses along the tortuous path toward commercialization.
A comprehensive description of TRL is one recently articulated by the U.S. Department of Energy (See Figure 1).
The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), based on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., has leveraged the TRL system to shape its pillar service offerings with the aim of providing value to the entire nonwovens industry value chain.
While university-based programs have historically focused on basic research problems (TRL 1-2), NWI is unique in that it focuses on the full TRL range (TRL 1-9), facilitating collaboration among industry, government, and academia to enable the development of next-generation nonwoven solutions to mission-critical challenges.
NWI’s Spunbond and Hydroentangling Lab is available to support experimental trials, as well as small to medium-sized production runs for commercial-ready products.
NWI Background And History
NWI is the world’s first accredited academic program for the interdisciplinary study of engineered fabrics. NWI works with experts from industry, government, and academia to facilitate experimental trials and engage in problem-solving for nonwovens-relevant applications, while also providing hands-on training and guidance to the field’s future leaders and industry professionals.
NWI traces its history back to 1991 when the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) was established at NC State University as a State/Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) with matching grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the State of North Carolina, and several industry partners. NCRC was one of the first five State/IUCRC’s funded by NSF, which would contribute more than $2 million over nine years to the Institute.
In 1999, NCRC graduated from NSF and became self-sustaining. NCRC transitioned into The Nonwovens Institute in 2007, establishing the Institute as a university-wide activity that touches at least three colleges and more than seven departments. NWI continued to grow its capability to collaborate with industry and government research agencies to deliver relevant results. NWI’s success is the product of its diligent attention to understanding the needs of the industry and developing the five pillars of NWI’s capability to meet those needs. NWI’s pillar focus areas range from fundamental, pre-competitive research through to technology commercialization.
NWI’s Pillar Areas Of Emphasis
Pillar 1: Knowledge Creation —NWI views education, research, and outreach as critical components of its mission. Pre-competitive research conducted as part of NWI’s Knowledge Creation pillar initiative falls in the TRL 1-3 categories and is often described as “core projects.” These research activities engage the Institute’s network of faculty and students and are a means by which NWI trains the future leaders of the nonwovens and affiliated industries. Graduate students who participate in the NWI research program are equipped with the knowledge required to succeed in the corporate environment, while the results of NWI research projects enable NWI member companies to innovate by finding solutions to grand challenges in nonwovens-relevant subject matter areas.
Pillar 2: Knowledge Transfer/Workforce Development — NWI leverages the insight gained from its Knowledge Creation pillar initiative to inform its extensive array of training content. These training programs are formalized into various course offerings, with regularly scheduled in-person short courses, presented in partnership with INDA, The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, custom courses and online training modules available to meet the professional development needs of the industry. NWI’s Workforce Development pillar initiative covers TRL 4-9, with course content ranging from material characterization and testing to product development and commercialization.
Pillar 3: Fabrication and Testing— NWI has continued to build and update its facilities since 2000, and today has the most extensive set of lab- and large pilot-scale nonwoven production equipment found any-where in the world. NWI’s Fabrication and Testing pillar initiative (TRL 3-6) plays a key role in the development and transformation of the latest innovations into marketable fiber-based systems ready for shipment to commercial, consumer, and industrial users around the world. NWI’s facilities include lab-scale systems dedicated to polymer characterization, fiber extrusion, and meltblown, with large pilot facilities for bicomponent spunbond and meltblown, staple fiber, fiber spinning, needlepunching, hydroentangling, thermal bonding, and web composite capability. Analytical and filtration testing facilities offer the ability to analyze and evaluate material performance according to a wide range of industry-specific standard test methods.
Pillar 4: Problem Solving — NWI’s Problem Solving pillar initiative is rooted in sponsored research that is funded by industry or government agencies. The work performed in this area of NWI’s service offering is confidential to the sponsors and provides an option to license any intellectual property (IP) generated using a standard joint development agreement (JDA).
NWI conducts activities in the Problem Solving area utilizing the stage-gate development process (TRL 4-6) with a focus on bridging sponsors from innovation development to practical demonstration and the reduction of engineering risk — the so-called developmental “valley of death.” Working hand-in-hand with NWI’s in-house production, testing, and product development team —who bring decades of experience in the full range of nonwovens production processes and test methods — sponsors can elevate exciting new discoveries relevant to nonwovens.
Pillar 5: Product Incubation — In the Product Incubation pillar area, NWI has created a non-profit affiliate entity of NC State University called Leaders in Nonwoven Commercialization (LINC LLC). LINC helps commercialize new products and technologies with manufacturing capability, specializing in small-to-medium scale production runs. In parallel, LINC works with companies to establish long-term supply chains and transfer the technology to sup-port their ongoing operation. In this way, attention is focused on TRL 7-9— effectively bridging the valley of death and validating market acceptance for new products. LINC adheres to the highest standards of quality under NWI’s Quality Management System.
Dr. Raoul Farer, NWI’s new deputy executive director
NWI Positions For A Bright Future: Raoul Farer Joins NWI
Aligning with NWI’s plans for growth going forward, the Institute recently announced the appointment of Dr. Raoul Farer to the role of executive deputy director.
Farer, who will also serve as a professor in NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles’ Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS), joins the Institute’s leadership team and will work closely with NWI’s Executive Director Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi and Operations Director Tom Daugherty to manage the implementation of NWI’s strategic vision.
Farer comes to NWI and NC State following a 24-year career with Freudenberg Performance Materials with various assignments in Ger-many, Spain and the United States. Farer brings extensive knowledge in textile technologies with a specialization in nonwovens.
He earned his Master of Science in Textile Management and Technology in 1996 and a doctorate in Fiber and Polymer Science in 1999 from NC State. Farer also participated in NWI’s fundamental nonwovens research program as a student, studying novel dispersion technologies for wet-laid nonwovens and the formation of 3D meltblown structures via a robotic system.
During his tenure at Freudenberg Performance Materials, Farer also served on NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), most recently as chair of its Executive Committee (2022-2024).
“Having worked with Raoul from the time he was a student researcher at NC State and watching him progress in his career with Freudenberg Performance Materials, I am thrilled to have him join us here at NWI,” Pourdeyhimi said. “I look forward to working with Raoul once again and seeing NWI continue to grow with the benefit of his contributions.”
“Returning to my alma mater and NWI is a dream come true,” Farer said. “After a long career in industry at one of the world’s leading nonwoven manufacturers, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to give back to the students, NWI, the Wilson College of Textiles, and NC State. Nonwovens have been my passion from the moment when I first took an introductory course as an undergraduate student. I feel very fortunate to be able to join the teams at NWI and TECS and look forward to helping our students learn and grow in their journeys toward becoming future researchers and innovators and to further strengthening our industry partnerships to help build the NWI of the future.”
The NWI team recently participated in food safety training as the institute pursues Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standard (BRCGS) Certification for Packaging Materials under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
NWI Pursues Food Packaging Safety Certification
NWI continues to build upon its strong foundation of quality-based manufacturing practices by pursuing the Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standard (BRCGS) Certification for Packaging Materials, which is recognized under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). NWI is on schedule to complete this certification process in 2024, enabling the Institute to meet the needs of producers of nonwovens for food packaging.
NWI has been following good manufacturing practices (GMP) requirements since 2019, and its most recent audit resulted in a rating of “Excellent” with a score of 962/1000, according to an independent third-party auditor. NWI’s Analytical, Filtration Testing, Spunbond and Hydroentangling, and Meltblown labs are all ISO 9001:2015 accredited.
“Here at NWI we are continuously striving to improve our quality measures,” said Jamie Plummer, lab research specialist. “Over the past several years, we’ve implemented a full suite of standard operating procedures, not only in our labs, but across all our operations. Our goal with BRCGS Packaging Materials Certification is to align our business with GFSI to meet the needs of our current and prospective customers who are serving the food and beverage industry.”
The newly expanded NWI Filtration Testing Lab
NWI Introduces Expanded Filtration Testing Lab
NWI also recently announced its newly expanded Filtration Testing Lab, featuring services for facemasks and respirators, along with filter media for automotive, HEPA, and HVAC applications, among others. Importantly, NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab is outfitted with equipment to perform ASTM F2299 testing for the measurement of Particle Filtration Efficiency (PFE) at 0.1 microns.
Testing equipment available in NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab includes:
• PALAS MFP-3000-S fractional aerosol filter test;
• Two TSI 8130 machines for filtration efficiency;
• Two TSI 3160 machines for filtration efficiency;
• Two offline charging and discharging units;
• Two environmental chambers for aging and conditioning masks and filter media;
• TSI Portacount respirator fit tester;
• Testex TN 139 synthetic blood tester;
• Testing apparatus for the measurement of fluid resistance for surgical masks; and
• Prototyping facility to produce masks per NIOSH Standard Test Protocol.
NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab is managed by Amy Minton, who has more than 20 years of experience in administering a wide variety of analytical, physical, and filtration test methods for nonwoven materials.
“NWI’s Filtration Testing Lab is an important addition to the Institute’s impressive nonwoven fabrication and testing capabilities,” said Minton, who also manages the NWI Analytical and Physical Testing Lab. “Our decades of testing experience and our strict adherence to GMP and Standard Operating Procedures provide our industry partners assurance that the tests they conduct at NWI will be executed with the highest level of quality and accuracy.”
Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi (back center) leading a training course demonstration in NWI’s Meltblown Lab.
NWI, INDA Sign Collaboration Agreement on Training Programs
NWI recently announced a collaboration agreement with INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, to provide continuing education to the nonwoven industry. This agreement expands upon the ongoing partnership between INDA and NWI, whereby the two organizations have successfully presented training programs, covering the full spectrum of the nonwovens value chain from raw materials to processes to products.
Under the terms of the agreement, INDA and NWI will develop and present a full roster of training courses, featuring a combination of classroom learning supported by hands-on activities in NWI’s world-class nonwoven production and testing labs.
“As we enter into this new phase of our partnership, NWI and INDA are excited to leverage our diverse perspectives and industry contacts to create an unmatched training and education program,” Daugherty said. “This will ensure the nonwoven industry remains competitive and is equipped with the latest skills. With the pace of change in our industry heightened due to the rapid rise of such megatrends as sustainability and machine learning, we believe continuing education in nonwovens is more important than ever — and NWI and INDA are well positioned to serve the needs of our industry in this regard.”
The Future
“The Nonwovens Institute is the most successful non-medical research institute that began with NSF funding based on longevity and research, education, and industry service impact,” Pourdeyhimi said. “This success is driven by creating measurable goals that are consistent with NC State and NWI’s long-term vision.
“As we’ve recently completed our ‘2030 Strategic Plan,’ we have set ambitious targets in each of our pillar service areas, and we are already making positive strides toward these goals,” Pourdeyhimi continued. “We look forward to continuing to serve nonwovens-affiliated organizations, with high-value offerings that touch on the full range of our industry’s needs from fundamental understanding to technology commercialization.”
Reju™CEO Patrik Frisk spoke with Textile World about the company’s new Regeneration Hub Zero and the drive to make meaningful progress towards circular polyester.
TW Special Report
Circularity in textiles — reusing materials instead of turning them into waste — is possible and getting closer. Innovative companies are developing methods to recycle various types of textile waste, keeping clothing out of the landfill and reducing the reliance on virgin polymers.
Reju™ is a new company entering the circular conversation. This Paris-based start-up intends to offer a circular recycled polyester (rPET) chip that can be recycled an infinite number of times. Reju also is expected to have a 50-percent lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester confirmed via a life cycle assessment conducted by Deloitte.
“What has been holding the world back in textile circularity is not a lack of demand for textile recycling, but the lack of a solution that makes recycling of textiles economical on
an industrial scale,”said Arnaud Pieton, CEO of Technip Energies, the France-based parent company of Reju.
Reju, led by CEO Patrik Frisk and COO Alan Poincheval, is capitalizing on a glycolysis polyester recycling technology named VolCat that was originally co-developed in a collaborative venture among partners IBM, Under Armour and Technip Energies, although Under Armour is no longer involved.
Reju broke ground on its demonstration plant located in Frankfurt, Germany, in the fall of 2023. The facility, known as Regeneration Hub Zero, recently opened, and it is expected to begin delivering polyester chip in 2025. There also are plans for additional hubs in the United States and Europe.
“We’re starting with the most urgent problem in textile waste — polyester,” Frisk said in a press release about the launch of Reju. “The world produces 92 million tons of textile waste each year, yet less than 1 percent is recycled. It is a system that extracts finite resources creating textile waste with no responsibility for end-of-life. Reju is going to change that by unlocking a new system through critical partner-ships around the world. We will build infrastructure, scale technology, comply with regulation and, in the end, help the textile industry evolve and enable a change in behavior. Our Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt is a significant milestone, showcasing how this advanced technology addresses the global textile waste problem.”
Textile World recently had the opportunity to speak with Reju CEO Frisk to learn more about the company. Frisk is a Swedish-American textile industry veteran who began his career in the industry with W.L. Gore & Associates as a fabric salesman. His career path took him through the doors of storied companies and brands including VF Corp., The North Face, Timberland, Aldo and Under Armour in the United States as well as in Europe. Frisk first became involved with VolCat during his time at Under Armour, so it was a natural progression for him to take the job as CEO of Reju.
TW: What’s the biggest misconception about polyester fiber and apparel that you would like to address?
Frisk: One question often asked is why don’t we just stop using polyester and switch to more natural materials or something else? Unfortunately, that’s currently not possible. Polyester is a useful material for the textile industry, carpet industry, automotive and airline industries, bedding, packaging, and others. We can’t live without it for the foreseeable future. At the same time, polyester is the biggest contributor to global textile waste — only 15 percent of the polyester we make is even recycled, So, we need to understand how to live with it in a much smarter way, which is why we’re breaking it down and regenerating it. We’re finding new ways to use the resources we have.
TW: How does IBM’s VolCat technology play a pivotal role in Reju? How does the company’s process differ from that of other companies working to recycle polyester?
Frisk: Reju’s proprietary technology, which originated with IBM research, is the key to unlocking the circular textile system we are building. Reju is developing the infrastructure to take textile waste and regenerate it at scale, starting with polyester. The technology is the key to making this a reality.
Our work is focused on solving one of the largest societal problems of the future which is textile waste. Our approach and technology are different in that we are able to handle and are focused on mixed post-consumer waste and the extraction of polyester from this waste, something our technology is uniquely able to do.
TW: What are the biggest challenges facing Reju as the company scales up its recycling efforts, and how is Reju preparing to address any challenges?
Frisk: Our biggest challenge is that the new system to enable circularity does not exist, so we need to help build this out while we continue to build our own part of this new economy and system.
We have been working to identify how the entire new system and its infrastructure needs to come together to ensure a steady feed stream for our regeneration hubs. It requires specialized knowledge in waste management and reverse logistics in combination with an under-standing of textile fiber composition and chemistry. At Reju, this is part of our unique approach and talent of our organization.
TW: How does Reju contribute to the circular economy, and what steps are being taken to close the loop on polyester recycling?
Frisk: Reju is working to close the loop between upstream feedstock partners and downstream brand offtake partners by regenerating the collected materials. The industry has been on a linear model for decades and it will take a lot of work to make it circular, but we are optimistic that it can be done.
TW: Reju is promoting an open supply chain with 100-percent traceability. What technologies will be employed to ensure the process is traceable?
Frisk: We are working with our partner IBM to create a traceability platform that will support our Reju guarantee of textile-to-textile regenerated polyester, where we never lose chain of custody from textile waste to regenerated polyester.
TW: What are your main priorities for the company in the coming year? How do you see the role of advanced technology such as Reju’s in transforming the polyester apparel recycling industry over the next 10 years?
Frisk: We recently announced the opening of our first operating unit — Regeneration Hub Zero — in Frankfurt, Germany. This is Reju’s first major mile-stone after being incorporated just 12 months ago in Paris, France. The Hub was built in record time and is expected to begin deliveries in 2025. We have plans to build more Regeneration Hubs in other markets, including in the United States. It’s going to take the entire polyester ecosystem working together to solve the problems created. And we know this is going to take time to build the circular system — we’re talking about a generational change — but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start.
TW: How important is collaboration between recycling technology providers and the collective textile industry in order to have the biggest global impact?
Frisk: The massive size and global nature of the problem we’re trying to solve makes it impossible for any single organization to make meaningful progress on its own. Our goal is to create an industry where textiles aren’t wasted, but recirculated. Partnerships are critical to ensuring we can accomplish this at scale and that we can drive global awareness and adoption.
TW: What excites you the most about the work being done at Reju?
Frisk: At Reju, we have a wide variety of expertise, but there’s one thing we have in common — we’re all radical pragmatists. We’re staying grounded in reality, dealing in facts and the truth — even when it’s hard to swallow — and we’re working across engineering, technology, and textiles to solve one of the hardest problems of our time.
Editor’s Note: Since TW‘s interview with Frisk, Reju has announced plans for a multi-year initiative with Goodwill® and WM® to advance textile recycling in North America.The plan includes a collaborative model for regional textile collection, sorting, reuse and recycling with the goal of diverting nonwearable textiles from the waste stream.
