The INDEX™ Innovation Awards Go Live

BRUSSELS, Belgium — September 8, 2020 — The INDEX™ Innovation Awards are presented only once every three years for “Excellence in the nonwovens and related industries.” Originally due to be presented at the INDEX20 exhibition in April, since postponed until September 7-10, 2021, EDANA has decided to present these coveted industry Awards ‘Live’, in an online ceremony which will take place on October 6, 2020, from 3-4 p.m.

The INDEX Innovation Awards are open to all INDEX20 exhibitors and EDANA members, for products commercially available by January 31, 2020, and have been selected by a jury of experienced industry members. The INDEX Innovation Awards are the highest accolade for the best examples of excellence in the industry, highlighting creativity and innovations from businesses of all sizes and roles within the business.

The Awards are comprised of seven categories covering all fields of the nonwovens supply chain, with a maximum of three nominees selected per category. The winners will not be disclosed until the online event on 6th October 2020.

The live ceremony will feature short videos from the nominees in each category (see below), followed by the announcement of the winner of each live on-line.

In addition, during the weeks leading up to the live event, observers and participants in the nonwovens industry will be able to view gradually the videos from the nominees posted on the index nonwovens LinkedIn page starting from Tuesday, September 8.

By watching the videos of their choice, visitors to the page will be able to participate in a special prize. The video which receives the most ‘Likes’ in total on the index nonwovens page will be honored with a special INDEX20 ‘People’s Prize’, and voted the most liked industry innovation of this year.

All the Award winners’ and nominees’ submissions will subsequently be on display in the Nonwovens Innovation Lab, a new feature at the INDEX20 exhibition, taking place at Palexpo in Geneva, September 7-10, 2021, aimed at showcasing how invention and sustainability drive the industry forward.

Nominees for each of these, in alphabetic order, are as follows:

  • Nonwoven Roll Goods
    • Fa-Ma Jersey – Microfly ™ – nanocham AG+
    • Jacob Holm – Sontara® Dual   
    • Sandler – New ADL
  • Finished products made from, or incorporating nonwovens
    • Callaly – Tampliner®
    • Dupont De Nemours – Dupont™ Tychem® 2000 SFR
    • Hassan Group- Heatable Geosynthetic Material
  • Raw materials or components (e.g. fibre, binder, polymer, tape), of special relevance to the nonwovens industry and related converted products
    • Beaulieu Fibres International – UltraBond
    • Omya International – Omyafiber® 800 (Calcium Carbonate)
    • Pelsan – Biodegradable breathable film for hygiene & medical market
  • Innovation in machinery of special relevance to the nonwovens industry
    • CAMPEN Machinery – New patented airlaid beater forming technology
    • Dienes Werke für Maschinenteile – Depth Control Senso Plus (Led)
    • GDM – Expandable Welding Wheel
  • Achievement for the most original marketing campaign for a product made from, or incorporating nonwovens:
    • Berry Global – J-Cloth® Plus Biodegradable Communication Campaign
  • Sustainable Product
    • Ahlstrom-Munksjö – Fiber+, Green Capsule oxygen barrier lid, Compostable k-cup filter
    • Beaulieu Flooring Solutions – Rewind – Forward thinking carpet
    • RKW – RKW HyJet® Crop Cover
  • Sustainable process or management practice
    • Diaper Recycling – Pureflow8
    • Fatersmart – Closing the loop on used absorbent hygiene products
    • TiHive™ – TULIPZ

Posted September 9, 2020

Source: EDANA

National Retail Federation: Imports Spike As Economy Continues Recovery And Retailers Stock Up For Holidays

WASHINGTON — September 9, 2020 — Imports surged to unexpected high levels this summer and may have hit a new record as the U.S. economy continues to reopen and retailers stock up for the holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“It’s important to be careful how much to read into these numbers after all we’ve seen this year, but retailers are importing far more merchandise for the holidays than we expected even a month ago,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Some of these imports are helping replenish inventories that started to run low after consumers unleashed pent-up demand when stores reopened. But this is the clearest sign yet that we could be in for a much happier holiday season than many had thought.”

“The economy has come into sharp focus, and for good cause,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. “The previous yo-yo pattern of import levels reached a peak in July that appears to have extended into August. Nonetheless, data from around the globe is a mix, with a weak recovery as Europe struggles with rising COVID-19 numbers but China’s exports remain solid. Will this last? A lot of uncertainty is in play.”

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.92 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in July, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was down 2.3 percent year-over-year but up 19.3 percent from June and significantly higher than the 1.76 million TEU forecast a month ago. A TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.

August was estimated at 2.06 million TEU, a 6 percent year-over-year increase. Actual August numbers won’t be known until next month, but that would be an all-time high, beating the previous record of 2.04 million TEU set in October 2018.

September is forecast at 1.89 million TEU, up 1.1 percent year over year; October at 1.71 million TEU, down 9.2 percent; November at 1.58 million TEU, down 6.8 percent, and December at 1.53 million TEU, down 11 percent.

Those numbers would bring 2020 to a total of 20.1 million TEU, a drop of 6.7 percent from last year, still the lowest annual total since 19.1 million TEU in 2016. The first half of 2020 totaled 9.5 million TEU, down 10.6 percent from last year.

The forecast numbers call for 7.58 million TEU during the July-October “peak season” when retailers rush to bring in merchandise for the winter holidays, making 2020 the third-busiest peak season on record following 7.7 million TEU in 2018 and 7.66 million TEU last year.

January 2021 is forecast at 1.6 million TEU, down 12 percent from January 2020.

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by the consulting firm Hackett Associates, provides historical data and forecasts for the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.

Posted September 9, 2020

Source: The National Retail Federation (NRF)

National Council Of Textile Organizations, National Cotton Council Send Letter To Lead House & Senate Committee Members In Support Of CBTPA

WASHINGTON — September 9, 2020 — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) and National Cotton Council (NCC) sent a letter today to the chairs and ranking members of two key congressional committees today, voicing support for a timely  extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), which expires on September 30. The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade is holding a hearing on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. on this important trade preference program.

The CBTPA has provided a structured system of textile and apparel duty preferences for certain countries — most notably Haiti — since it was implemented in 2000. U.S. textile and cotton industries see significant benefits from the program, which has helped establish an export market for U.S.-grown cotton, U.S.-spun yarn and other textile materials of U.S. origin.

The U.S. content rule contained in CBTPA provides a mutual benefit to the U.S. industry and the Caribbean Basin region economies.

The associations’ support is contingent upon the trade program not being tied to other unrelated and harmful trade and tariff provisions as noted in their joint letter.

The NCTO and NCC sent the letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Ranking member Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

Download the full letter here.

Posted September 9, 2020

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Lydall Invests In New Fine Fiber Meltblown Production Line In France To Support E.U. Face Mask, Air Filter Production

MANCHESTER, Conn./SAINT-RIVALAIN, France — September 9, 2020 — Lydall Inc., a global manufacturer of value-added engineered materials and specialty filtration solutions, today announced its investment in a new production line to create fine fiber meltblown filtration media for face masks and high-efficiency air filtration systems. This new line will be installed at Lydall’s facility in Saint-Rivalain, France, in the second quarter of 2021, substantially increasing the company’s capacity to supply this critically needed material to the European market.

The investment solidifies Lydall’s position as one of the largest global suppliers of fine fiber meltblown filtration media, the crucial component of N95 respirators and the European equivalent, FFP2/FFP3, as well as surgical masks and MERV-, HEPA- and ULPA-grade air filters. Lydall will receive up to 30 percent of funding for the investment through the support of France’s Ministry of the Economy and Finance.

“COVID-19 has created unprecedented global demand for face masks, upgraded air filtration systems and other products that are essential to preventing the spread of the virus. In response, governments around the world are now focused on establishing secure, reliable and sustainable domestic supply chains so they can guarantee they have access to high-quality products that are pivotal to national security and public health,” said Sara A. Greenstein, president and CEO of Lydall. “Our global footprint and 100-year heritage in creating specialty filtration solutions position Lydall to serve as a local manufacturing partner to governments around the world, now more than ever. We take our role in creating products that protect people and places from viruses such as COVID-19 incredibly seriously, and we are grateful for the support of the French government, which will allow us to ramp up production even further.”

For more than 30 years, Lydall’s Saint-Rivalain facility has manufactured medium- and high-efficiency filtration media for a variety of applications that are critical to environments such as operating rooms, gas turbines and nuclear containment buildings. The facility currently has one line dedicated to meltblown filtration media production to make high-efficiency indoor air quality filters and, in response to COVID-19, has maximized its output to support the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Europe. Once this additional line is operational, Lydall expects to produce enough fine fiber meltblown filtration media for 600 million FFP2/FFP3 respirators or 2.2 billion surgical masks per year. The company plans to hire additional staff to support the increase in production.

“The installation of this new, state-of-the-art production line will allow Lydall to advance filtration science and develop filtration media for higher-end air and liquid filters,” said Ashish Diwanji, President of Lydall Performance Materials. “COVID-19 was an unprecedented event that exposed the wider need to examine the indoor air quality of a variety of public spaces. As a global market leader in specialty filtration solutions, Lydall is at the forefront of that innovation and is committed to protecting people and places today, and in the years and decades to come.”

In addition to Saint-Rivalain, France, Lydall also produces meltblown filtration media in Rochester, New Hampshire. In June 2020, the company was awarded a $13.5 million commitment from the U.S. Department of Defense, enabling the installation of two new production lines to support U.S. face mask and air filter production. Lydall is in conversation with government officials around the world about how the company can support the domestic production of COVID-19-related products, as it has done in the U.S. and France.

Posted September 9, 2020

Source: Lydall

Altexa, GHS Holdings Announce Launch Of HDry Brand® In North America Or Waterproof Outdoor Performance Products

BETHEL, Conn. — September 8, 2020 — This week, Altexa S.r.l. and GHS Holdings announced the launch of the HDry® brand in North America. HDry is the most advanced technology for waterproofing outdoor products through direct 3D lamination of a waterproof/breathable membrane.

HDry’s entrance into the North American market means more options for brands looking for a partner in the creation of high-performance, waterproof technology for gloves, footwear and packs. HDry strengthens the technological development that Altexa founders initiated in 2006 when they first created the OutDry technology and brand.

HDry waterproof breathable membrane is directly applied to the inner side of the outermost layer by a patented 3D lamination process that is seamless and tapeless. The direct lamination of the membrane eliminates drawbacks associated with other “free-hanging” glove and shoe inserts on the market and offers a higher performance solution that cannot be matched by traditional waterproof systems.

Gary Schloss, CEO of GHS Holdings spearheading HDry North America, shared his perspective: “I am very excited to be a part of bringing the HDry brand overseas, I have been involved with this technology and the group at Altexa since 2008 and firmly believe in the company’s mission and the technology itself. Schloss adds, “Having worked with apex brands like Patagonia, Black Diamond and Mountain Hardwear on design and development for technical wear for the better part of 40 years, I know full well the advanced performance characteristics that this 3D seamless bonding technology offers for brands looking for a premium waterproof and breathable solution. I look forward to also working with footwear and backpack brands to show how HDry can take their products to the next level.”

The excitement is equal for Matteo Morlacchi, CEO and founder Altexa, owner of HDry technology: “The collaboration with Gary Schloss to launch HDry technology and brand in North America is quite natural as, in 2008, he was one of the first to believe and invest in the high potential of the direct membrane lamination technology that we had just developed at the time. Considering his experience and reputation in the glove industry, this was ideal support. With the same technology now further refined and improved, we look forward to seeing strong growth in the US and Canadian market.”

HDry is committed to its role in protecting the environment. Their innovative manufacturing processes and materials used throughout the lamination process are well above industry standard and aim to reduce the environmental footprint of the outdoor and apparel manufacturing industries. The HDry compound is made by a polyurethane ester-based waterproof/breathable membrane combined with thin polyester knit. Material saving and lightness are the greatest advantages. HDry is absolutely PTFE-free and no perfluorinated compounds (PFCs, PFOS, PFOA etc.) are used in its production. HDry does not contain any substance of REACH – ECHA list.

The ‘HDry’ brand derives from the abbreviation of the chemical name for water (H2O), coupled with the word ‘Dry’, and signifies the affinity between this technology and water.

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: GHS Holdings/Altexa srl

Kornit Digital Establishes United Kingdom Operation 

DUESSELDORF, Germany — September 2, 2020 — Kornit Digital, a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, announced the creation of a new Kornit Digital UK entity, devoted exclusively to serving the United Kingdom market, the industry’s largest market in the EMEA region. By focusing the company’s resources on supporting digital print fulfillers and brands in optimizing their end-to-end operations, this move reflects Kornit’s commitment to streamlining its logistics operation and ensuring a closer relationship with its customers.

Investing in a UK-based organization will empower Kornit to address the growing need for sustainable on-demand production, and reflects the brand’s strategy of enabling proximity production. Kornit will be able to further support customers locally with resources to deliver services and value directly, with fewer logistical hurdles and personnel attuned to the challenges and demands of that region.

Online retail sales in the United Kingdom nearly doubled from 2013 to 2019, reaching more than 76 billion British pounds ($98 billion) last year — making it the third-biggest e-commerce market globally following China and the United States.

“We’ve seen substantial growth in the United Kingdom in recent years and owe a great deal of success to our partners,” said Chris Govier, Kornit Digital Managing Director – EMEA. “A dedicated UK distribution hub will ensure faster and more efficient service to our growing customer base, maximizing our customers’ uptime and productivity, and we look forward to building upon our success as the pre-eminent provider of digital print technologies to this largest of European markets.”

The reseller agreement with United Kingdom-based Adelco Screen Process Ltd. has been terminated, and Kornit will assume all these customer relationships directly. Kornit will maintain its strong partnership with Amaya, which has established a considerable footprint as textile print solutions provider to the British textile decoration community.

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: Kornit Digital

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Shown To Last Only 14 Seconds On PyroTex® Specialty Fiber

HAMBURG, Germany — September 7, 2020 — The Hamburg-based company PyroTex Industries GmbH has succeeded in producing a fiber that has an activity of 99.57 percent (99 percent after 14 seconds) against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This result has been confirmed by an independent, ISO certified laboratory according to ISO 18184: 2019.

“We are thrilled that textiles made out of PyroTex® can now play an active role in preventing Covid-19 to spread further,” said Robert Jarausch of PyroTex Industries.

The PyroTex fiber can be used in protective masks, general protective and medical clothing as well as products for the hospitality and the private sector. “And the list goes on!” added Jarausch. “We are cooperating already with big brands, who want to contribute to the fight against the pandemic and have the vision to create sustainable products which keep people safe in future, too.”

Besides its activity against SARS-CoV-2, the flame and heat resistant PyroTex fiber also has an activity of over 99 percent against bacteria such as Staphylococcus Aureus, Escherichia Coli and Klebsiella Pneumoniae. The latter often named as the most problematic germ in hospitals.

All properties are permanent and non-toxic (certified according to OekoTex Standard 100, class 1).

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: PyroTex Industries GmbH

Changes In Management At Brückner

LEONBURG, Germany — September 7, 2020 — As of September 1, 2020, Michael A. Tuschak will take over the position of sales director at Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG in Leonberg. He succeeds Gerd Kolmer, who will hand over management responsibility after many years of service and will focus on market development in selected countries and technologies. He will also continue to be available to his successor and the company with his extensive experience in all areas.

Michael A. Tuschak

Tuschak has been working as a textile engineer and MBA International Marketing for over 25 years in the sales of textile machines, technical textiles and nonwovens and has many years of professional experience in leading positions. During his professional career, he not only be-came acquainted with the textile machinery industry, but also with the customer side and was, among other things, responsible for the sales of technical textiles and nonwovens. His goal in his new position as sales director is to use his extensive experience to build on the existing successes and provide new impetus.

Lars D. Hensen

In addition, Lars D. Hensen was appointed the new service director of Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG on May 1, 2020. He takes over the tasks of Manfred Essig, who retired on April 30 after many years as service director. Hensen was previously responsible for the North and South American market at Brückner for eleven years as sales engineer. Due to his extensive know-how in textile finishing and dyeing, he was also involved in the commissioning of denim finishing and thermosol systems worldwide. Due to his extensive travel activities in the past years, Hensen is very familiar with the conditions on customers’ construction sites and thus optimally prepared for his future task.

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: Brückner

Consumers Consider Wood As A Sustainable Textile Raw Material

JYVÄSKYLÄ, Finland — According to an international study on consumer attitudes towards textile materials and sustainability, 86 percent of consumers consider wood a sustainable textile raw material, more so than cotton. Still, only one third is familiar with wood-based apparel. Consumers think brand sustainability image is the single most important sign of a conscious buying decision.

The study was made in Finland, Sweden, Germany, France and the US in the spring of 2020. Wood was found the most sustainable out of currently available textile raw materials. The highest sustainability rating over wood was given to emerging, waste-based raw materials. Nordic respondents were most pro wood; 90 percent of Finns and 91 percent of Swedes consider wood a sustainable textile raw material. Reasons for not finding wood-based textiles appealing were related to both environmental reasons and qualities of the textile material.

“When the Spinnova fiber is made of farmed wood, the raw material value chain is CO2 positive. This means the trees are a larger carbon sink than the lumbering, pulping and logistics combined emit. Therefore concerns over excessive lumbering and native forest use are mostly unnecessary,” said Spinnova’s CEO and co-founder Janne Poranen.

According to the study, harmful chemicals are seen as the worst environmental problem of the textile industry; 64 percent considering this an issue. Sixty percent also associated excessive water use a problem of the industry, followed by ocean microplastics, waste and CO2 emissions.

When asked what factors make up a sustainable image of a product, brand sustainability image got the most replies, 54 percent. Only 29 percent of respondents thought high price is a sign of sustainability. Environmental certificates were considered a indicator of sustainability by 48 percent.

“This supports the idea that brand owners should be as transparent as possible about their sustainability efforts and even the environmental impacts of individual products,” Poranen suggested.

Despite the positive take on wood, only a third of all respondents had experience of wood-based textiles, although man-made cellulosic fibers have been around for decades. However, 55 percent did consider the idea of wood-based apparel appealing. When asked the same question regarding apparel made of plant-based waste, as much as 76 percent said they would find it an appealing choice. Surprisingly, only a third of respondents said textile materials affect their buying decisions.

There was a lot of country variance in the attitudes, for example towards crude oil as a textile raw material. Whereas 1 percent of Finns thought it’s a sustainable raw material, the corresponding proportion of Americans was 26 percent. Also, 65 percent of French respondents think cotton is a sustainable raw material, whereas only 29 percent of Finns think so.

The Study

The study, ”Consumer perceptions of the sustainability of the clothing industry and textile fibers”, was made as thesis work for the University of Jyväskylä by environmental management student Fia Husu. It was run as a digital survey by Norstat in Finland, Sweden, Germany, France and the United States. The sampling was over 300 responses per country, a total of 1,572 responses. The age sampling of the study was 15-40 years.

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: Spinnova

HanesBrands Appoints Kristin L. Oliver As Chief Human Resources Officer

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — September 8, 2020 — HanesBrands, a global marketer of everyday basic apparel under world-class brands, today announced the appointment of Kristin L. Oliver to the position of chief human resources officer, effective today.

An accomplished human resources strategist and leader, Oliver, 48, joins HanesBrands from Walgreens Boots Alliance where she was senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Walgreens. She has also held chief human resources officer roles at Chico’s FAS and Walmart Inc.

She has more than 15 years of executive human resources and employment law experience, including business strategy development, HR systems, international operations, employee and labor relations, and employee development, training, compensation and recruiting.

Oliver will have responsibility for all HanesBrands human resources functions globally and will report to CEO Stephen B. Bratspies.

“We are delighted to have such a high-caliber HR specialist join our senior management team at this crucial juncture,” Bratspies said. “Kristin is a dynamic, inspiring and strategic leader of high-performing teams who fully understands the speed and capabilities that a global company needs for success. She is a highly engaging and transparent professional committed to open communications, change management, diversity and inclusion, and creative HR practices using analytic and data-based tools.”

Prior to joining Walgreens Boots Alliance, Oliver was an executive at Chico’s where she simultaneously served as executive vice president of human resources, legal and field operations. In an 11-year career at Walmart, Oliver held chief human resources officer roles domestically and internationally as well as general counsel of employment law.

Oliver earned her law degree at Harvard Law School and served for seven years with the law firm of GableGotwals in Oklahoma. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University.

HanesBrands is a socially responsible leading marketer of everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products under some of the world’s strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion, Bonds, DIM, Maidenform, Bali, Playtex, Lovable, Bras N Things, Nur Die/Nur Der, Alternative, L’eggs, JMS/Just My Size, Wonderbra, Berlei and Gear for Sports. The company has approximately 63,000 employees in more than 40 countries.

Posted September 8, 2020

Source: HanesBrands

1...1,0311,0321,033...2,672Page 1,032 of 2,672

Sponsors

Breaking News

Load more

Digital Issue

2026 Quarterly Issue III

View Latest Digital Issue

FEATURED ARTICLES

© Copyright 2017 Textile Industries Media Group, LLC.