Karl Mayer Enables The Automated Production Of Textile Face Masks

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — April 20, 2020 — In many places, face masks are now an essential item on the agenda of the compulsory program relating to the exit from the corona lockdown. These masks are required in large quantities, but they are scarce goods. In view of the massive shortage of masks, the textile machinery manufacturer KARL MAYER reacted quickly, and together with partners for production and testing, set up a highly efficient production in record time. One of the used double needle bar raschel machine made by Karl Mayer enables the production of roughly a quarter of a million masks per month.

This innovative company based in Obertshausen initially developed face masks that can be made on Karl Mayer machines in high numbers and in a one-step production cycle. In other words: the masks are produced entirely without the need of any sewing work. Two models are available for the various demands.

Type 1 is produced at short notice and is suitable for everyday life. Due to their 3D shape, these masks have a tight fit and good wearing properties. They offer a convenient air exchange, a soft skin feeling, and prevent friction points on the ears, even after long-term use. The masks can be reused after their utilization. Simply wash and dry them, and the next application can start immediately.

Type 2 provides all the advantages of type 1, but it can be equipped with a replaceable nonwoven lining via a pocket. This increases the filtration capacity, at the same time ensuring minimum waste after use.

Regarding the filtering effect, the certification process is currently underway for a medical standard for both mask types.

To ensure a fast use of the face masks in Germany, Karl Mayer equipped a customer with the required machine technology and the instructions for the production of the masks. The mask manufacture will start at the end of April.

Once the installed Karl Mayer machine is running at full speed, it is possible to produce up to 400 masks per hour or 240,000 pieces per month. At the same time, Karl Mayer is working on reducing the production time for additional machines, so that capacity can be increased as quickly as possible. “By mid-May we can achieve a production of up to half a million masks per month. We are pleased that we can contribute to more safety for people with our know-how and our machines. Further developments, such as mask sizes for children, are in preparation,“ explained Oliver Mathews, sales director of the Warp Knitting Business Unit at Karl Mayer.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH

Indorama Ventures Sanitizers To Fight Covid-19 Outbreak In United States

BANGKOK, Thailand — April 28, 2020 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global chemical producer, led by its Integrated Oxides and Derivative business (IOD), successfully adapted its facilities in the US to manufacture hand sanitizers. These are hygiene products that help protect people from COVID-19 infection.

The initiative was a result of close collaboration between IVL’s experts in The Woodlands, Port Neches and Dayton, in the United States, Ankleshwar in India, and Botany in Australia provide more than 50 tons of sanitizers to government and public sectors throughout the United States. The company also expects to apply the same process to manufacture sanitizers at its international sites in order to help relieve the global shortage of essential supplies.

Alastair Port, president of IOD, said, “we are very proud of our teams, who have worked on a global platform, to rapidly bring these products to our local communities and front line workers, to help them fight the spread of this virus.”

Dilip Kumar Agarwal, CEO of the PET and Feedstock Business at IVL, said: “In this moment, every sector wants to help battle the Covid-19 outbreak together. At IVL, apart from other forms of social contribution, our experts have collaborated to develop products with an aim to help relieve the stress of this pandemic. With our specialized knowhow, IVL facilities across the world are now developing their business to be able to produce hygiene necessities where possible. We aim to do our best and will explore what more we can do. We believe that a joint effort is needed to lead our society to overcome this crisis soon.”

The Integrated Oxides and Derivative business (IOD) of IVL is a producer of surfactants used to manufacture home and personal care and agrochemical products, globally serving major brands. This enables the company to address a wider range of needs at this critical time.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: IVL

DuPont™ Sorona® Brand Launches Fabric Certification Program And New Branded Fabric Collections

WILMINGTON, Del. — April 28, 2020 — The DuPont™ Sorona® brand team is launching a new brand architecture and hang tag program designed to bring simplicity of choice and fabric confidence to designers and apparel brands. New fabric collections offered by mills are tested and certified through the DuPont Sorona Fabric Common Thread Certification Program to assure the fabrics have the unique molecular footprint of partially plant-based Sorona polymer as well as meet key fabric performance attributes. Starting now, apparel brands and designers will be able to request that mills provide their DuPont Sorona Fabric Common Thread Certificate to show their Sorona fabrics truly have the unique fabric performance and feeling that Sorona fibers provide.

“Fiber producers are able to create many unique constructions from Sorona polymer enabling a wide variety of textiles exhibiting diverse performance properties from wrinkle-resistant outerwear fabrics to lightweight breathable insulation products, permanent stretch and recovery, and newly launched Sorona faux fur,” explained DuPont Biomaterials Global Marketing Director Renee Henze. “We are committed to ensuring that mills, designers and brands have clarity on our offering and that they can trust the source of the materials when they’re choosing fabrics using Sorona.”

New fabrics which are certified through the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program will provide the Sorona fabric performance characteristics that designers and apparel brands are searching for:

Long-Lasting

Stretch: Do more of what moves you. Sorona® – Agile fabrics help to provide better resistance to heat, UV rays and chlorine. Sorona® Agile fabrics are ideal as an alternative in any garment where spandex-free stretch is needed.

Outstanding

Shape Recovery: Keep your perfect fit. Sorona – Revive fabrics provide long-lasting performance with shape retention and stretch recovery – thereby avoiding undesired fabric sagging and bagging. When used in athletic wear to casual wear, Sorona Revive fabrics are soft with dimensional stability.

Easy Care

Fold it, pack it, move it, wear it. Sorona® – Profile fabrics retain their shape and provide a consistently smooth look wear-after-wear. Used as a replacement for 100 percent nylon-based fabrics, Sorona® Profile fabrics have improved crease recovery while maintaining a rich handfeel that redefines softness.  Sorona® Profile fabrics help every garment it is used in return to form time and time again.

All Day

Softness: How performance should feel. Sorona® – Luxe fabrics afford natural fiber blends enhanced performance, softness and recovery.  From linen and wool to silk and cotton, natural fabrics now have a smooth handfeel with comfort stretch, dimensional stability and reduced pilling.

Lightweight

Breathable Warmth: Comfort in almost any climate. Lightweight Sorona® – Aura insulation fill provides unparalleled softness that redefines how warmth should feel with outstanding fill power and a higher level of thermal insulation. From jackets and pants to gloves and hats, the only thing Sorona® Aura insulation fill retains more than its shape is warmth.

“We believe in trust, traceability and transparency throughout the entire supply chain,” stated DuPont Sorona Marketing Manager Kiki Chen. “Our customers trust us and expect us to deliver performance with quality. That’s why we strictly test all fabric solutions before they’re certified.”

For more information about the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program, Sorona fabrics, and marketing tools please contact us through www.sorona.com or contact a regional channel manager.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: DuPont

The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) Responds to Kenya’s Used Clothing & Shoe Ban

ABINGDON, Md. — April 28, 2020 — The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) is urging Kenyan officials to reverse their recent COVID-19 related ban on the importation of used garments (Mitumba) and shoes, noting that all available research on the virus shows they are not a threat to those who wear them.

Representatives of SMART, a nonprofit association of for-profit businesses in the textile reuse and recycling industry, were notified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) on April 1, 2020, that the country’s importation of used garments and shoes had been suspended until further notice. KEBS said it was implementing the ban as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) — a decision made under the false pretenses that the virus can be transmitted through used footwear and textiles.

While numerous studies including those published in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet have shown that COVID-19 may be detectable on hard, non-porous surfaces like plastics and metals for hours and potentially up to 2 to 3 days, they also reveal the virus is even less likely to survive on soft, porous surfaces like textiles including rugs, carpets, shoes and clothing — whether they might be new or used.

According to guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mitigating whatever small risk might be present on soft, porous surfaces like textiles is easily addressed by laundering the textile according to manufacturer instructions in warm water. This advice is supported by the fact that countless hospitals and other medical facilities are utilizing reusable linens and personal protective equipment/hospital apparel to protect healthcare workers that are treating patients infected with COVID-19. Furthermore, used clothing that is shipped overseas is typically in transit for weeks, if not months at a time — far longer than the virus has ever been shown to survive on even the most hospitable non-porous hard surfaces.

“Like so many others around the world, SMART and its members are engaged in the worldwide fight against a common enemy: COVID-19,” says Jackie King, the association’s executive director. “SMART and its members are committed to working with governments, businesses and individuals to slow the progression of this disease, embrace mitigation measures and protect the most vulnerable among us. However, as the situation currently presents itself, there is absolutely no supporting evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through secondhand textiles,” she continues. “We believe Kenya’s recent ban is a disingenuous attempt to stop secondhand clothing trade masquerading as a measure to protect its citizens.”

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART)

ASTM International Cancels June In-Person Standards Meetings

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — April 27, 2020 — In light of COVID-19 and ongoing safety concerns for members and staff, ASTM International announced today that all previously scheduled in-person June standards development meetings (including independent meetings) have been canceled.

Last month, ASTM International announced the cancellation of all May in-person meetings.

These decisions were based on several factors, including, but not limited to:

  • Continued review of information and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other governmental bodies;
  • Input from ASTM International members whose organizations are increasingly concerned with travel; and
  • Specific information on the projected city restrictions in Boston and Washington, D.C., with input from the hotels.

ASTM International staff will be contacting committee leaders to plan alternatives for conducting committee business.

Looking forward, ASTM International will rely on these and other relevant criteria and input points to assess the status of ASTM’s future standards development meetings.

Please visit www.astm.org or www.astm.org/MEETINGS/ for the most up-to-date information and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Last month, ASTM International also announced it is providing no-cost public access to a suite of more than two dozen standards used in the production and testing of personal protective equipment to combat the coronavirus public health emergency. For more information, visit www.astm.org/COVID-19.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: ASTM International

Toray Obtains Joint Research Findings That Could Drive R&D Boosting Reverse Osmosis System Performance

TOKYO — April 27, 2020 — Toray Industries Inc., announced today that it recently obtained important joint research findings that could help enhance the water permeability and substance removal capabilities of reverse osmosis (RO) systems1. The company teamed with the Bioengineering Laboratory and Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory of Riken, a leading national research and development institute based in Wako, Japan, to undertake this work

The research clarified the relationship between the strength of interacting networks of polyamide molecules that handle water permeability and water molecule diffusion2. Toray will draw on the results of analysis to accelerate its drive to develop advanced separation materials. These include innovative energy-saving RO membranes for desalination and wastewater reclamation that deliver zero liquid discharges3.

The world faces increasingly dire water scarcity and quality issues. Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Public and private entities around the world are therefore adopting RO membrane-based purification techniques to secure sustainable water resources.

There is a trade-off with conventional RO membranes between higher water production and quality. This situation made it desirable to work out the mechanism of water molecule diffusion in RO membranes to enhance water permeability and substance removal thereby obtaining high-quality water while conserving energy.

Toray and Riken’s laboratories analyzed interactions between polyamide and water molecules within the polyamide structure of RO membranes. The team successfully identified the impacts of the collective states and mobility of water molecules in polyamide molecular assemblies. The team confirmed that the sparser the networks of interactions between polyamide molecules the more there are interactions between water molecules, leading to the creation of highly mobile water molecule assemblies.

Toray earlier engaged in research with the University of Tokyo that identified the relationship between bound water4, with its restricted movements through interactions with polyamide molecules in polyamide molecular assemblies, and free water5, with its high mobility. This work found that free water diffuses more than 10 times faster than bound water. Applying that finding, the ability to precisely control the structures of fine pores and water movements within them would make it possible to create high-performance RO membranes with outstanding water permeability and substance removal.

The Toray and Riken team received support under the Center of Innovation Program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, obtaining its findings as part of a business and research project of that agency’s Global Aqua Innovation Center for Improving Living Standards and Water-sustainability6.

Toray will push ahead with research and technical development through industry/academia/government collaborations that contribute to social progress worldwide by providing everyone with plentiful access to clean water.

References

  1. Reverse osmosis membranes
    When concentrated and dilute solutions are in contact through a semipermeable membrane, the water moves from a dilute to concentrated solution as a result of osmotic pressure because the concentrations differ. Under a pressure exceeding that of osmotic pressure on the concentrated aqueous solution, water passes through the semipermeable membrane and goes to the dilute solution. Membrane separation employing this phenomenon is called reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis membranes remove sodium, calcium, and other metal ions, chlorine and sulfate ions and other anions, and such low molecular organic compounds as pesticides.
  2. Diffusion
    This is the speed and movement of water molecules inside reverse osmosis membranes during interaction with the membranes.
  3. Zero liquid discharge
    This is a framework for water reuse by ultimately discharging only solid waste with concentrators and crystallizers after RO membrane and other treatment, eliminating environmental or sewage releases of wastewater from factories and other facilities.
  4. Bound water
    The water molecules have low mobility owing to interactions with substance surfaces.
  5. Free water
    These are water molecules with high mobility because interactions with substance surfaces are weak or nonexistent.
  6. Global Aqua Innovation Center for Improving Living Standards and Water-sustainability Spearheaded by Shinshu University, this unit fosters industry-academia-government collaborations through the Center of Innovation Science and Technology based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: Toray Toray Industries Inc.

TRSA Launches Self-Study Opportunity For Its Certified Professional Laundry Manager (CPLM) Designation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — April 27, 2020 — TRSA’s Certified Professional Laundry Manager (CPLM) training program will be available as the latest self-study professional development offering by TRSA. Starting Monday, May 4, laundry managers from around the world should take advantage of this opportunity to enhance managerial proficiency and gain immediate and long-term returns through the skills learned in this self-contained program. Available for purchase through the TRSA store (www.trsa.org/store), the self-study training materials are offered in either digital or hard copy format.

With the disruption in the workforce caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing and retaining top talent continues to be a top priority of the industry. The continuous need for flexibility in professional development extends to the earning of this certification through a self-study program, which is a great fit for many managers who will find the program more adaptable to their current responsibilities and lifestyles. “The laundry industry is constantly evolving,” stated Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “To protect its integrity and advance the professionalism of its plant and production management, the CPLM ensures individuals pursue professional development and continuing education to steadily improve their skills and credibility as the industry’s technology and associated productivity requirements become more complex.”

The content of the CPLM Self-Study program is built on the findings of TRSA’s recent Production Management Job Analysis. The analysis was the result of peer-directed focus groups of TRSA operator members who compiled surveys from more than 100 operators. The results, reviewed by a third-party consulting firm that generated the analysis, further defined the role of production managers, including the tasks, skills and knowledge required to be successful in that position.

Managers achieving the CPLM designation will realize immediate and long-term returns based on improved operations and management performance. Former CPLM designation holders who may have let their certification lapse and require reinstatement of their credentials may also use this program for that purpose.

The CPLM Self-Study package includes materials that will help you prepare to take TRSA’s CPLM Exam (the exam is also administered online and is purchased separately). Packages are available in digital or in hard copy format and contain the following:

  • 
Laundry Operations and Management – Review this 200+ page text that provides a solid understanding of the best practices and fundamentals of supplying, laundering and maintaining processing linens, uniform and other reusable textiles for the industrial, healthcare, F&B and hospitality sectors from soil sort through delivery. Laundry Operations and Management has been edited and revised for a global audience.
  • 
Professional Management Institute (PMI) Study Guides – Presentations from lectures and discussions at PMI are provided in two separate PDFs for Production and Management topics. TRSA’s PMI professional development program provides interactive classroom training on fundamental laundry production and operations, emphasizing key principles of productivity, quality, safety and sustainability, as well as opportunities to develop an industry peer-to-peer network.
  • 
Production Training Videos – These videos (20 total) depict the five fundamental laundry processes (sorting, washing, drying, finishing and pack-out) for producing reusable textiles for each production segment – industrial, healthcare, F&B and hospitality. These industry-specific training videos highlight best management, operations and safety practices using in-plant video of employees operating laundry machinery safely and efficiently.  Narration and depiction of steps in the overall plant flow before and after the process are also highlighted.
  • 
Webinar Recordings – The CPLM Self-Study materials also include 10 self-paced, pre-recorded webinar presentations that cover important management soft skills such as communications, conflict resolution, ethics, leadership and safety.

Once attained, the CPLM designation can be kept in good standing through regular participation in TRSA professional development programs, live webinars and the library of more than 100 webinars in TRSA’s On Demand Learning Center (www.trsa.org/ondemand), all of which offer Continuing Education Credits (CEs) toward CPLM recertification. For more information about the CPLM program, visit www.trsa.org/cplm or contact Kristin Mudd, TRSA’s manager of education, at kmudd@trsa.org.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: TRSA

Toray’s New Kudos XT Sets New Standards For Durable Water Repellent Durability — Available In C6 And PFC-Free Versions

TOKYO — April 27, 2020 — Toray Industries Inc. has announced Kudos XT, a new durable waterproof treatment delivering higher levels of durability for both abrasion and machine washing.

The breakdown of DWR treatment and subsequent “wetting out” of a garment’s outer layer has been a top consumer complaint since the advent of waterproof/breathable fabrics. DWR treatments improved over time, but consumers objected to the new levels of toxicity, culminating with C8 DWR, which has been banned in many markets.

Toray has solved both problems with Kudos XT.

Kudos XT is available in a perfluorocarbon (PFC)-Free version, as well as C6, a level far less toxic than C8. Each version prevents an outer layer from wetting out, even under heavy rain conditions. Both treatments have excelled under real-world testing for both rain and abrasion resistance.

  • After 50 wash cycles, Kudos XT maintains over 80 points in the
    JIS L 1092 Bundesmann Rain Test.
  • After 100 wash cycles, it exceeds 80 points in the JIS L 1092 Spray Test.
  • 50 wash cycles is enough to completely degrade most DWR treatments, (see photos below),  but water still beads up and runs off fabrics treated with Kudos XT.

After a successful debut at ISPO 2020, Kudos XT is targeting diverse markets like outdoor, snowsports, athleisure, sportswear, and work uniforms.

Kudos XT was developed in accordance with Toray’s Green Innovation Business Expansion Project, through which Toray is building its position in energy conservation, biomass, recycling, and diverse other fields to deliver lasting environmental, resources, and energy solutions. Toray will continue to leverage innovative, advanced materials to help the world overcome its challenges and progress sustainably for generations to come.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: Toray Group

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Added To Textile Exchange’s List Of Preferred Fibers And Materials

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — April 27, 2020 — The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has been added to Textile Exchange’s list of preferred fibers and materials. The Trust Protocol will now be one of 36 fibers and materials that over 170 participating brands and retailers can select from as part of Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index program.

Textile Exchange defines a preferred fiber or material as one which results in improved environmental and/or social sustainability outcomes and impacts in comparison to conventional production. The Trust Protocol will join a portfolio of more sustainable cotton production initiatives including the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA), Fairtrade Cotton, Organic Cotton, REEL, ISCC, and Recycled Cotton as a preferred cotton fiber.

The master list of preferred fibers and materials evolves over time as sustainability innovations prove themselves. Textile Exchange consults widely with its members and NGO partners to ensure the categories are always reflective of the latest thinking.

“We are pleased to see the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol recognized on Textile Exchange’s list of preferred fibers and materials,” said Ken Burton, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is an industry-wide system that will guide U.S. cotton growers to continuously improve and reduce their environmental footprint. We will provide brands and retailers with aggregate data that track the efforts of U.S. cotton growers to improve water and soil conservation and reduce greenhouse gases. These data will support the fashion and retail industries in their efforts to demonstrate progress toward sustainability goals.”

Textile Exchange encourages companies to accelerate their use of preferred fibers, and acknowledges and honors companies that recognize the importance of integrating a preferred fiber and materials strategy into their business practices.

“At Textile Exchange, our mission is to inspire and equip people to accelerate sustainable practices in the textile value chain,” said La Rhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange. “We’re pleased to add Trust Protocol cotton to our list of preferred fiber and materials, which will give brands and retailers another option to source sustainable cotton as they integrate preferred fibers into their business strategy.”

In a period of ever greater supply chain scrutiny and a growing demand for transparency, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol will set a standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to the issue of sustainable cotton production and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics.

The Trust Protocol underpins and verifies U.S. cotton’s progress through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Becoming a member of the Trust Protocol will give brands and retailers the data that provide critical assurances they need that the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more sustainable, and free from both environmental and social risk. Brands and retailers will gain access to U.S. cotton with sustainability credentials proven via data tools from Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, measured via the Field Calculator and verified with Control Union Certifications.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society and independent sustainability experts as well as the cotton-growing industry, including growers, ginners, merchants, wholesalers and cooperatives, mills and cottonseed handlers.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol

Ross Stores Donates $1.5 Million To COVID-19 Relief Efforts

DUBLIN, Calif. — April 24, 2020 — Ross Stores Inc. announced today that the company and the Ross Stores Foundation have jointly pledged $1.5 million of donations to local and national organizations providing essential COVID-19 relief services, and additional support to our associates during these challenging times. Donations to the company’s nonprofit partners, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and First Book, will help address critical needs, provide educational resources to students, and expand support services for families of first responders. Additional donations will fund food banks in New York City, Northern California, and Southern California, and another donation to a humanitarian aid organization will fund the distribution of personal protective equipment to healthcare workers.

CEO Barbara Rentler commented: “During these unprecedented times, Ross Stores is committed to supporting our associates and neighbors in the communities where we operate. These funds will assist those in critical need of relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to all those who have been impacted by this global health crisis.”

Posted April 24, 2020

Source: Ross Stores Inc.

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