SPARTANBURG, S.C. — July 22, 2020 — Effective August 1, the GSE Dispensing Inc. sales, marketing and after sales activities in North and Central America, will be transferred to UPrint Technologies, LLC.
“UPrint Technologies has acted as the USA sales agent for GSE Dispensing Inc. since 2017.
Continuing as the distributor for North and Central America is a logical next step in the
relationship with GSE Dispensing” stated Edward Scheppink, CEO at UPrint Technologies.
“It is in our DNA to advise our customers choosing the right dispensing equipment for their
operations, as well as providing world class service” he continued. “UPrint Technologies
continuously develops with their business partners new solutions, with the highest added value reduction of environmental impact and increasing operational efficiency”.
UPrint Technologies offers solutions for textile, flexible packaging and label printing. Equipment and consumables have been developed with the best in class conceivable technical alignment.
This has lead to UPrint Technologies offering highly innovative solutions to transfer digital
images to plate or (rotary) screen through precision laser, as well as EPDM plates for flexo
printing, rotary screens for textile and label printing, cleaning material for flexo plates, screens and anilox, and world class equipment for dispensing and powder and liquid spraying.
“From our base in Spartanburg, we provide our services and keep inventory of critical parts, to assure our partners optimal run time of their equipment. We are delighted that the highly skilled technical staff of GSE Dispensing Inc, is joining our technical team to guarantee the best thinkable support” said Herbert Skerjanz, COO, UPrint Technologies.
SKOKIE, Ill./Bristol, Tenn. — July 27, 2020 — UMF Corp. — a company that researches and develops high-performance products, programs and training for infection prevention and commercial cleaning — today announced its partnership with Universal Fiber Systems, a U.S. manufacturer of man-made filament-based and specialty fibers. UMF will provide its patented antimicrobial, rechargeable Micrillon® chemistry to Universal for incorporation into two high performance fibers. The first, a super-fine sheath and core fiber, will be produced and utilized in a new, unique product requested by leading companies in the hotel industry. The second, a splittable, bicomponent filament, commonly referred to as microfiber or segmented pie filaments is also in production. These two Micrillon fibers will be converted to various yarn types for woven and knitted textiles such as gloves, gowns, towels, curtains, wipers and other products.
“UMF’s focus for over a decade has been infection prevention via high performance products, training and programs,” said UMF CEO George Clarke. “The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the entire world’s focus on infection prevention. Organizations have woken up to a new normal in which stopping the spread of infection is the top priority across all industries. The innovative products, all made in the USA, that we’ll create in partnership with Universal Fiber Systems are more important than ever as the world struggles to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.”
UMF’s Micrillon is a rechargeable, broad spectrum, antimicrobial polymer additive that can be incorporated into fibers, as well as films, injection molded and extruded plastics, and charged with chlorine molecules. The Micrillon chemistry recharges for the life of the product into which it is incorporated, and will not leach into the environment. When bacteria and mold come into contact with the Micrillon surface, they are eliminated, and viruses are inactivated.
Universal will manufacture the Micrillon bicomponent fibers and sheath and core fibers in its manufacturing facility in Johnson City, Tenn. Both the splittable and sheath and core Micrillon fibers then can be knitted or woven into all kinds of textiles, the first of which will be a knitted glove for hotel staff to use in the front of the house. UMF plans to create other products for use in hospitality, healthcare and residential applications.
“Our partnership with UMF Corporation is a testament to our commitment to creativity, innovation, quality, sustainability and safety,” said Universal Fiber Systems Business Development Manager Don Berlin. “Universal Fiber Systems is focused on delivering industry-leading fiber solutions around the world. We are excited to partner with an innovator such as UMF and help play a part in delivering these products at a time when the world so needs them.”
DURHAM, N.C. — July 28, 2020 — Freudenberg Performance Materials has partnered with the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University to manufacture face masks for UNC system universities, N.C. government organizations and hospitals.
As the fight against coronavirus continues, the need for essential face coverings continues to rise. Together with the Nonwovens Institute at NC State University, Freudenberg Performance Materials will begin production of earloop procedure and N95 masks. The two organizations are aligning their expertise and supply chains to bring PPE to universities and healthcare workers as quickly as possible.
Through this partnership, NC State is supplying Freudenberg Performance Materials with the necessary roll goods needed for production while Freudenberg provides the textile manufacturing expertise and work force needed to install, operate and maintain the four new production lines. “As the leader in the development of the next generation of nonwovens, we knew we could step in and help fill this critical need. By partnering with Freudenberg, we will ensure the reliable completion of millions of protective face coverings to battle the coronavirus using NWI’s novel filter media,” said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, executive director of the Nonwovens Institute. Once fully operational the site will be able to produce more than one million masks a month.
In addition to the face mask lines provided by NC State, Freudenberg is also in the process of installing six additional production lines to manufacture surgical and N95 masks. Not only will the lines help provide essential face coverings, but the addition of the lines has enabled Freudenberg add 50 new positions within the company to operate the lines. “Having the opportunity to make an impact in the fight against the pandemic and to help improve the safety of our community has given new meaning to our business, our operations and the engagement from our employees. We are happy we are able to take advantage of NC State’s capabilities and align them with our own to make this happen,” said Raoul Farer, general manager, Regional Business Unit North America.
NEW YORK CITY — July 23, 2020 — Brands are prepared for the new health protection rules and have reopened their stores. But aside from the direct impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, is the fashion market ready to respond to customers’ desire to act by changing their spending habits?
Based on analyses by Retviews, a recently acquired startup, Lectra has produced a survey of sustainable fashion among the leading fast fashion brands. The main findings are explained here.
The COVID-19 crisis has given many people the desire to live more meaningfully and to act more responsibly. The crisis period could be seen as the catalyst that forces the fashion industry to change the way it designs, produces and distributes its products. Since, for consumers, buying is a way of expressing a commitment and affirming their values, brands have an incentive to change their offer in preparation for the future, by taking a more eco-responsible, authentic and transparent approach.
While these factors were apparent before the pandemic, they have now become the key to interacting with consumers wanting a more responsible offer. The era of the consumer activist, long heralded without actually becoming a reality, is now here, and brands must adapt in response.
Sustainable collections still a very small minority
The proportion of sustainable fashion in collections varies considerably from one retailer to the next. For example, eco-friendly collections constitute only a small portion of the ranges offered by leading retailers Zara and H&M, which signed the Fashion Pact during the G7 Summit in Biarritz.
Zara’s Join Life collection represents 14 percent of its range, whereas C&A’s #Wearthechange represents nearly 30 percent of its total collection. The Conscious collection at H&M, which tops the Fashion Transparency Index, created by Fashion Revolution, accounts for less than 10 percent of its total range.
Composition of products in eco-friendly collections
C&A, H&M and Inditex (Zara) are among the top four users of organic cotton. All the brands analyzed in the Retviews survey present their cotton as sustainable and consider it a priority for 2020 and beyond.
There is little difference between the fabrics most commonly used in the mass and premium markets. The same is true for eco-friendly compared to standard collections. Cotton, synthetic fabrics such as polyester, elastane and also viscose are the most widely offered and used fabrics.
Are sustainable fabrics more expensive?
The assumption that sustainable and/or organic garments are more expensive is a misconception, according to the results of the survey. H&M’s exclusive sustainable collection, Conscious, is a good example. The average price of a dress in the standard collection is 39.90 euros, whereas in the Join Life collection it is 31.70 euros.
“The opportunities offered by sustainability are significant. It’s an issue attracting much greater interest from Generation Z, and retailers have listened to and taken on board these concerns. Ninety percent of consumers say they are aware of the situation and are prepared to change their behavior to combat climate change*. This shows their real inclination to invest in eco-responsible products. In view of this change, brands have a social responsibility to inform their customers, to be transparent about their progress in this area, and to share some of the challenges they face, in order to educate their communities. There are currently no international regulations for apparel defining what can be described as sustainable. This means that there is still a long way to go before the standardization of sustainable fashion is achieved,” explained Quentin Richelle, chief marketing officer, Retviews.
*European study on sustainable consumption by Oney- February 2020
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — July 27, 2020 — Milliken & Company, a global diversified manufacturer with more than 150 years of textile expertise, has invested significant resources to increase domestic production of its Milliken Perimeter™ advanced medical fabrics. Since March, the company has distributed more than 10 million yards of reusable medical fabrics in response to the global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). This recent inventory increase signals Milliken’s continued commitment to ensuring a sustainable, U.S.-based PPE supply chain.
Reusable medical textiles are ideal when cost is a driving factor and when single-use PPE supply is limited or unreliable. Garments made with Perimeter fabric can be laundered for safe reuse at least 25 times. The current demand for protective medical garments and the potential for shortages in the fall and winter prompted Milliken to prioritize production of the advanced material.
“Scaling up U.S. manufacturing of reusable protective fabrics protects the country’s PPE pipeline, which in turn protects more medical professionals,” said Chad McAllister, president of Milliken’s Textile Division and executive vice president, Milliken & Co. “These brave people have continued to care for us tirelessly, and we are committed to doing all we can to help keep them safe.”
Milliken’s durable Perimeter fabric is not only engineered for manufacturing Level 1 and 2 gowns for critical medical environments such as trauma centers but also provides a smart solution for other industries such as dental, educational and hospitality environments where advanced PPE is now important. The material’s ability to be used multiple times while maintaining a demonstrated protective barrier makes it a cost-effective, made-in-USA alternative to single-use PPE.
“An increasing number of industries and service providers are looking for American-made PPE solutions to protect their employees and customers. This demand highlights the critical need we noted earlier this year, specifically for the U.S. to have a stable PPE supply chain,” McAllister said. “Our goal at Milliken is to be part of the solution, so we’re proactively taking steps to help avoid another shortage of critical PPE.”
Milliken is collaborating with industry partners to ensure protective garments made with Milliken Perimeter fabric are available immediately across the country.
MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — July 27, 2020 — Following the successful commissioning of two new Monforts Montex wide-width tenter lines and additional environmental management equipment at its plant in Germany, GtA — Society for Textile Equipment GmbH — is aiming to be the first textile finishing company to become entirely carbon dioxide (CO2)-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025.
GtA is a partner company to Germany’s large-format digital printing fabric leader, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, which has has this year been able to considerably expand its portfolio with the new Monforts lines.
Headquartered in Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH and its partners in Germany have an annual production of 37 million square meters of warp knits for a range of end-use applications, including garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles, but increasingly with a concentration on digital printing substrates.
Fault-free textiles
A new standard in pure white, 100-percent clean and fault-free textile substrates has been demanded by this market in recent years due to the rapid growth in digitally-printed banners and billboards — often referred to as ‘soft signage’.
The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100-percent polyester warp knits which are resilient and allow excellent take-up of inks, and vibrant colors and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.
Critically, the warp knitted fabrics have extremely smooth surfaces which is becoming increasingly important due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past.
It was to finish these fabrics for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH as well as providing such services for many other customers, that the GtA plant in Neresheim, Baden-Württemberg, was established in 2015.
The plant operates in almost cleanroom conditions.
The purpose-built plant on a greenfield site was initially equipped with a fully-automated, 72-meter-long Monforts installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6-meter-wide, seven-chamber Montex tenter. The line quickly went from single to double shift production and then to 24/7 operation to meet demand.
Expanded widths
Building on the success of this installation, GtA has now installed two more Montex tenter lines — both in expanded working widths of 5.6 meters and purpose-built at Montex GmbH in Austria.
A six-chamber Montex unit is combined with a washing machine to guarantee the purity of the substrates, while a five-chamber line is integrated with a wide-width coating machine. This new coating capability at GtA has led to a number of new additions to the Georg and Otto Friedrich DecoTex range for digital printing, including wide width fabrics with flame retardant, antimicrobial and non-slip finishes.
The new Montex tenter lines benefit from all of the latest innovations from Monforts, including the Smart Sensor system for the optimized maintenance planning of key mechanical wear components on the tenters. A comprehensive overview of the condition of all parts at any time is now available for operators within the highly intuitive Qualitex visualization software.
With Qualitex, all article-specific settings can be stored and the formulations for thousands of treatment processes called up again at any time. Individual operators can also personalize their dashboards with the most important machine functions and process parameters.
Environmental commitment
GtA is run by a seasoned team of textile professionals led by Managing Director Andreas Niess.
“We have received excellent service from Monforts from the outset and we were happy to place the order for these two new lines as part of our ongoing cooperation,” he said. “With all of the latest Monforts advances in technology we are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines, as part of our significant commitment to innovative environmental technology.”
The GtA plant, which operates in near-cleanroom conditions, has also been equipped with proprietary technology to fully exploit the Monforts air-to-air heat recovery systems that are now standard with Montex tenters.
“Around 30 per cent of our investment volume at the site goes to energy-saving measures and we are sure that this commitment is worthwhile,” Niess said. “As an example, our integrated heat recovery system fully exploits the waste heat from the process exhaust air and the burner exhaust gases of the Monforts tenters, allowing us to achieve an exhaust air temperature of between 30 to 34°C, compared to what would conventionally be between 140 to 160°C. Another focus has been on exhaust air purification technology and here too, the latest technology has been installed with integrated heat recovery elements.”
This, he adds, saves 52% of the energy that would normally be used — equating to 5,800,000 KwH per year. The necessary audits for energy-efficient companies are also carried out annually.
In addition, GtA has purpose-designed the automatic chemical mixing and dosing systems that feed the padders for the key treatments that are carried out on the fabrics through the tenters.
The company is going further, however, in its pursuit of clean production and raw materials.
“We want to be an asset and not a burden on our immediate environment and therefore do not use any additives containing solvents,” Niess said. “We were the first to use fully halogen-free flame retardant chemistry, and we use bio-based, finely ground alumina products for the washing process instead of surfactants. PES polyester yarns made from recycled material are also increasingly used and the latest additions to our raw materials portfolio, the RC-Ocean products, are made from recycled sea plastic.
“We are now planning a combined heat and power plant for the production of electrical energy and heat and we will also build a photovoltaic system that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. GtA wants to be the first textile finishing company to be CO2-neutral in the manufacture of all of its products by 2025. The complete heat supply and heating for the 13,000 square meter production hall, as well as the office building and the hot water supply for the domestic water, is already energy-neutral. We are convinced that this commitment will pay off in the long term and our positive business development proves that sustainability and business profitability are perfectly compatible.”
In addition to the products for Georg and Otto Friedrich GmbH, GtA offers its manufacturing capacities for other customers as a contract service.
All products are manufactured in accordance with Öko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1 and the company is also involved in the research and development of new sustainable manufacturing processes, in cooperation with many regional universities and funding project partners.
WASHINGTON — July 27, 2020 — The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) announced today that the Board of Directors has elected a new Chair, Anna Walker, vice president of Public Affairs at Levi Strauss & Co.
“We are very pleased that Anna will take over as USFIA’s Chair,” said Julia K. Hughes, president of USFIA. “During these difficult times for fashion brands and retailers, her leadership and experience in public policy will guide the organization to provide the information and advocacy that the industry needs.”
“USFIA is dedicated to our mission to eliminate barriers to trade, and we also focus on providing resources to help members stay current with global labor, human rights, and environmental standards,” explained Hughes. “Anna’s expertise reflects USFIA’s commitment to help global brands and retailers successively navigate the variety of trade and compliance challenges that we face every day.”
Walker has been a member of the USFIA Board of Directors since 2014 and served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors since 2017.
“I look forward to leading USFIA in our mission to eliminate barriers to trade for fashion brands and retailers,” says Walker. “And I’m excited to bring my vision to the organization to enhance the industry’s advocacy and leadership for trade policy as well as sustainability and ethical sourcing.”
Since joining Levi Strauss & Co. 2004, Walker has worked to support LS&Co.’s business strategy and strengthen the company’s reputation by anticipating and shaping external public policy and stakeholder initiatives. Anna also leads LS&Co.’s community affairs program, developing strategy for community grants and employee giving and volunteerism programs globally. Anna is a member of the Levi Strauss Foundation Board. She has a masters from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and bachelors of arts degrees from the University of California, Davis.
To replace Walker as vice chair, USFIA chose Christopher Lucas, director and associate general counsel for American Eagle Outfitters Inc. Lucas has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018.
Posted July 27, 2020
Source: The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)
BRYAN, Texas — July 27, 2020 — Otis Instruments Inc. introduces a new, innovative Master Controller to its Otis Link Automation & Controls Division product line.
The Master Controller is an information system providing complete monitoring, control and management of field assets — both remotely and on-site. With the Master Controller, the user has access to a flexible interface and customizable master screen designed to meet the demanding, complex needs of an industry — process equipment management, complete pump monitoring, 100-channel gas detection system management, location status at all levels, emergency shut-in and notification, on-site controls, as well as remote cellular and computer interaction.
Through Otis Link’s advanced technology and innovative strategy to create a complete controls system, numerous features are available to any operation, including: PLC’s; wired and wireless communication; secure cloud storage; telemetry; real-time data logging; generated charts and reports; alerts received by SMS text messaging or email; remote access and control of equipment; small to large integration systems with expansion capabilities; AC, DC and Solar powered systems; direct ethernet to internet modem and cellular communication options; and VPN access by phone, laptop and desktop.
With its Lan, WAN and Cellular Data collection with remote access to secure data and full-system control, the Master Controller is a true management solution for many applications and industries, including (but not limited to): Agriculture, Chemical Plants, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Waste & Wastewater, Textiles and Pharmaceutical.
WASHINGTON — July 23, 2020 — U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) today spoke with the media about the importance of securing a reliable domestic supply chain of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) following a tour of the Parkdale Mills manufacturing facility in Gaffney. Parkdale Mills is the largest cotton yarn spinner in the United States and has helped lead a coalition of textile and apparel companies to produce millions of face masks for frontline healthcare workers.
Graham has lead the effort to ensure the United States is no longer reliant on China for critical PPE. In early May 2020, Senator Graham introduced the COVID-19 Accountability Act, which called for a domestic purchasing requirement of PPE for the Strategic National Stockpile. In July 2020, Senator Graham introduced the U.S. MADE Act which again called for strict purchasing requirements of PPE and a manufacturing production tax credit to further spur domestic manufacturing and job creation.
The provisions outlined in the U.S. MADE Act will be included in the upcoming CARES II package.
GRAHAM: “What have we learned from the coronavirus? It’s been a wakeup call for America. Ninety percent of the personal protective equipment that our doctors and nurses and our healthcare workers use to keep us safe is made in China. And we’ve become captive to China — the entire world has. So I have legislation that I’ve been working on with the South Carolina textile industry, really the national textile industry, to bring back the medical supply chain into the United States. The road to bringing back medical supplies to the United States, when it comes to PPE, runs through the state of South Carolina.”
GRAHAM: “I’m creating a $7.5 billion tax credit for companies that will go back into the PPE business to make gowns, masks, gloves, bedding, all the swabs, everything associated with caring for people under the pandemic. This tax credit will help revitalize an industry and bring back into the United States that PPE supply chain so that we’ll no longer beholden to China. But equally important, we’re going to treat PPE manufacturing the same as making American uniforms for the military. Under the Berry Amendment of the defense bill, there’s a requirement that American military uniforms be made in America. Many of our textile plants in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia get a good piece of their business by making American uniforms. My legislation would put PPE manufacturing under the Berry Amendment so our strategic stockpile would have to be made up of American-made PPE. The goal is to have 100-percent American-made in the strategic stockpile of PPE in the next five years. We believe that can be done through the tax credit and requiring PPE to be placed under the Berry Amendment.”
GRAHAM: “What does this mean to the South Carolina textile manufacturing? It means new jobs, it means a new market. What does it mean to the public? No longer being dependent upon China. What does it mean to our hospitals, our doctors and nurses? That you’ll have a supply chain in U.S. hands where we don’t have to beg China or other places in the world for the equipment we need to make sure we can safely fight this virus.”
GRAHAM: “I made a promise to myself and the state that I want to end our dependency on China for PPE. This bill that’s going to be introduced this afternoon in the United States Senate is fulfilling that promise. I could not have done it without the support of the textile industry at large. They have weighed in…I am confident [this bill] is going to become law.”
A new data-driven and verifiable standard for more sustainably-grown cotton
Sponsored Content
Consumers are expecting more from their go-to brands and retailers. Customer demand for brands that align with their own personal beliefs has been on the rise for several years.
A global pandemic and mass protests for social reform are just amplifying consumers’ need for the apparel industry’s commitment to the environment and a more equal society.
According to Nielsen, nearly half of U.S. consumers would change their consumption habits to reduce their impact on the environment. Brands and retailers have responded by signing onto industry-wide pledges and commitments, including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Fairtrade Foundation’s SustainableCotton Communiqué.
Consumers are moving beyond simply demanding promises of sustainability — now they want proof. While companies have committed to sustainability goals, they need data to show customers their progress. The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is designed to bring brands and retailers the sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification they need to meet their own sustainability promises, while setting a new standard for more sustainably grown cotton.
“Consumers want to engage with brands that share their values and transparently demonstrate their practices in every part of their business, from raw materials choices onward,” said Garry Bell, former vice president of marketing and communications at Gildan and U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol advisor. “While U.S. cotton is known for superior quality and consistency, brands have asked for a systemic approach to demonstrate its sustainability. The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is an important step in helping brands drive sustainability throughout supply chains.”
Brands and retailers that align with the Trust Protocol will receive year-over-year aggregate data from growers through extensive questionnaires and the Fieldprint calculator, devised by the Trust Protocol’s data partner, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.
This data-based approach, backed up by independent, third-party verification from Control Union Certifications North America, gives brands and retailers the critical assurances that the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more sustainably grown.
Additionally, Trust Protocol cotton was recently named one of the 36 preferred fibers and materials that more than 170 participating brands and retailers can select from as part of Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index program.
“I’ve spent most of my life working with cotton and have committed the past several decades to helping U.S. farmers raise the bar for sustainable stewardship of their land,” said Dr. Andy Jordan, Consultant, Jordan & Associates and a U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol advisor.
“The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is groundbreaking because of its commitment to data and its scalability. The data allows brands and retailers to demonstrate their commitments to their science-based sustainability targets and allows us to walk with U.S. cotton growers on a road of continuous improvement.”
In addition to meeting the sustainability needs of apparel companies, the Trust Protocol will support U.S. growers to keep improving their responsible growing practices to meet the UN’s SDGs.
The Trust Protocol has set ambitious goals across six sustainability metrics for 2025 including land use, soil loss, water use, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon.
U.S. cotton will continue to approach these goals with the same methodology that has already made it a leader in responsibly grown cotton — utilizing a data-driven approach that relies on innovative new technologies, cutting-edge research and best management practices.
As public pressure continues to build, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol will allow brands and retailers to prove their sustainability commitments to their customers, while at the same time continuously reducing U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint.
This sponsored content has been provided by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.
