Sunlighten And Hologenix, Put Spotlight On Infrared Technology In New Activewear And Bedding Launch

LOS ANGELES — January 28, 2025 — Hologenix, the company behind CELLIANT® infrared materials, announces its second product launch with Sunlighten®, the global supplier of infrared saunas and portable light therapies. The brands are teaming up again to bring an innovative collection of activewear apparel and performance bedsheets infusing CELLIANT infrared technology into its fabric to support performance and recovery.

CELLIANT converts body heat into infrared energy, increasing local circulation and cellular oxygenation, which promotes faster recovery and improved overall well-being. This collaboration combines Sunlighten’s expertise in infrared wellness and Hologenix’s science-backed infrared (IR) textile innovations, resulting in products to improve people’s everyday lives.

The brands first worked together on the successful Sunlighten Sauna Linen Collection, with accessories that included bath towels, throw pillow covers, and cushion covers for infrared saunas. The latest collaboration ventures into the activewear and bedding categories.

“We are thrilled to continue growing our partnership with Sunlighten, a brand that shares our goal of bringing wellness innovation to the forefront,” said Seth Casden, co-founder and CEO of Hologenix. “This collaboration not only builds on the success of our first product launch of the Sauna Linen Collection, but also underscores how our infrared technology can be infused into a wide range of product categories to transform how we experience wellness.”

“Partnering with the Hologenix team has been a natural fit from the start as we share a mutual passion for creating groundbreaking infrared products for wellness enthusiasts,” said Aaron Zack, co-founder and CEO of Sunlighten. “The success of our first collaboration demonstrated how much consumers value products that seamlessly integrate wellness into their everyday routines. With this new collection, we’re taking that innovation a step further as we enter the bedding and activewear apparel categories, empowering people to feel better and live life to the fullest through the transformative power of infrared technology. Together, we will continue to expand in this area to meet our consumers’ needs.”

A Better Night’s Sleep With New Bedding Line

The new Infrared Performance Sheets (starting at $199) are designed to transform sleep environments into restorative wellness sanctuaries, using CELLIANT-infused fibers to regulate temperature, enhance sleep quality, and promote faster recovery. The bedsheets are soft, cool, perfectly weighted, and available in Queen or King size.

Infrared Activewear for Athletes

Saunas and sunshine aren’t the only sources of infrared heat—the human body emits it, too. By infusing Sunlighten fabrics with CELLIANT, this natural energy is harnessed. Tiny minerals from the earth blended into the fibers capture body heat, transforming it into full spectrum infrared that’s reflected back into skin.

The men’s collection includes the Men’s Tee, available in charcoal heather or black in sizes small through 3XLarge ($59), and Men’s Short, available in black or desert taupe in sizes small through 3XLarge ($69), which are made with advanced infrared fabric technology to optimize comfort, enhance local circulation, and improve endurance and recovery. The women’s collection features innovative pieces like the Women’s Sports Bra, available in black or desert taupe in sizes extra-small through 2XLarge ($69), Women’s Tank, available in charcoal heather and heather winter sky in sizes extra small through 2XLarge ($59), 28” Women’s Leggings, available in black or desert taupe in sizes extra small through 2XLarge ($109), and Women’s Short available in black or desert taupe in sizes extra-small through 2XLarge ($69), blending style and functionality to energize the body, improve local circulation, and support active lifestyles.

Posted: January 28, 2025

Source: Hologenix, LLC

X-Rite Color Management Solutions Help Brands Incorporate Pantone Color Of The Year 2025 In Design To Production Workflows

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — January 28, 2025 — X-Rite Inc. announced the official spectral color value for Pantone Color of the Year 2025: PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse. This elegant and grounding brown tone is now available in PantoneLIVE™, a cloud-based digital color standard ecosystem. With X-Rite’s end-to-end color management solutions, brands and manufacturers can immediately incorporate Mocha Mousse into their digital workflows for accurate color specification, virtual prototyping, formulation, measurement, and quality control. This allows brands and manufacturers to meet consumer demand for high-quality, trend-forward products while streamlining their design to production workflows.

“PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse is a warm, inviting color that works across various materials, from soft fabrics, heavy-duty textiles, natural materials, and glossy plastics, making it ideal for a range of consumer products,” said Pieter Mulder, Global Strategic Account Manager, X-Rite. “With X-Rite’s advanced digital tools, brands can confidently integrate this trend-setting color into their creative and production processes, ensuring consistent and accurate color representation across every stage, from concept to finished product, while driving efficiency and sustainability in their workflows.”

X-Rite Brings Mocha Mousse to Life

PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse is a versatile hue, ideally suited for apparel, footwear, home décor, cosmetics, and more. With X-Rite’s comprehensive digital tools, brands and manufacturers can bring this color to life with exceptional precision and production efficiency.

Color Approval with Textile Color Hub

Traditional workflows for color approval often involve multiple rounds of physical sampling, leading to delays and material waste. Using X-Rite’s Textile Color Hub, brands can select a color from the PantoneLIVE library, such as Mocha Mousse, or measure a physical sample using a benchtop spectrophotometer, and load it into PantoneLIVE Private Library Manager to share with all stakeholders. Brands then create a Color Specification Document that includes the spectral data for the specified color, tolerances, and illuminant requirements. Using this digital data, suppliers can digitally formulate and submit the closest color match for approval, eliminating the subjectivity and back-and-forth of physical samples and improving time to market.

Create Virtual Prototypes and Digital Material Twins with PANTORA

X-Rite’s PANTORA desktop application enables manufacturers to create realistic digital material twins of Mocha Mousse, capturing not only its spectral data but also texture, weave, or sheen. By visualizing the color on different materials under multiple lighting conditions, designers and manufacturers can make informed decisions without the need for costly physical samples.

“Mocha Mousse stands out when paired with different textures, glosses and finishes,” continued Mulder. “X-Rite PANTORA allows brands to explore these possibilities digitally, faithfully representing these appearance characteristics in digital rendering in order to accelerate the design process and reduce waste.”

Advanced Measurement and Quality Control

X-Rite’s Ci7000 Series and MetaVue VS3200 spectrophotometers capture precise spectral data from physical samples, ensuring accurate color formulation and quality control for Mocha Mousse across various materials, from soft-touch weaves to durable canvases and coated plastics. These advanced tools enable brands to measure, maintain, and analyze production colors against the standards, ensuring color consistency across patterns, textures, performance fabrics, accessories, and other challenging-to-measure samples.

“Adapting to color trends has never been easier. With X-Rite color management solutions, we are helping brands enhance creativity and bring innovative designs to market faster and more sustainability,” said Mulder.

Posted: January 28, 2025

Source: X-Rite, Inc.

Envalior Announces New Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) Compounding Facility In Europe

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — January 28, 2025 — To better serve growing customer demand in Europe and the Americas, Envalior — a global supplier of sustainable and high-performance engineering materials — announces that it will invest in a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) compounding facility in Europe.

Envalior launches a new PPS compounding facility in Germany. The facility supports a growing demand for Xytron™, the high-performance material known for its chemical resistance, heat stability and flame retardancy. Photo — Envalior.

Envalior’s PPS material Xytron™ combines a strong set of properties, including excellent chemical and hydrolysis resistance at elevated temperatures, extremely stable heat aging performance up to 240°C, very good and stable electrical properties at elevated temperatures, low moisture absorption with high dimensional stability, and inherent flame retardance that meets UL94 V0.

Since 2016, when Xytron entered the market, the PPS material has built a strong track record across OEMs and tier customers. The new facility will provide local supply and additional services to customers in Europe while also supporting the Americas with more diverse supply options.

“Xytron is now widely recognized as one of the most high-performance, innovative, and sustainable PPS brands in the market. We are observing increased demand for Xytron, particularly from customers in Europe and the Americas. Our strategy focuses on increased convenience and better service, including increased agility for new product development and technical support, enhanced sample availability, shorter lead times and improved security of supply,” said Angela Zheng, Global Business manager for Xytron at Envalior.

Xytron PPS production in Uerdingen, Germany, is expected to begin in the second half of 2025.

Posted: January 28, 2025

Source: Envalior

Hexcel Highlights Latest Innovations For Aerospace Applications At Aero India 2025 

STAMFORD, Conn. — January 27, 2025 — Hexcel Corp. a global supplier of advanced composite technologies for aerospace applications, will exhibit at Aero India 2025, Bengaluru, India. As a trusted partner to the Indian aerospace industry for over 40 years, Hexcel will highlight its latest innovations in lightweight, high-performance materials designed to enhance efficiency and sustainability in aerospace applications.

Hexcel maintains a key position in the Indian aerospace composites value chain with mature composite materials, prepreg and honeycomb products being supplied to most Indian Civil, Military and Space programs for over 40 years. This includes Airbus C295 and H125 programs soon assembled in India. Hexcel continues to deploy a broad range of innovative composite solutions that are shaping the future of aviation, space, and defense. Recognizing the industry requirement to automate next generation aerospace structures, Hexcel technology can reduce cost and increase output with materials tailored for high-rate automated production.

HexTow® carbon fiber is preferred for the world’s most advanced aerospace composite applications. Hexcel is a key supplier for carbon fiber with a wide range of products including HexTow HM63, a continuous, high strength, high performance, high modulus, PAN based carbon fiber available in 12K.

Hexcel recently launched HexTow IM9 24K, providing a strong value proposition for manufacturers seeking to maximize efficiency in primary and secondary aerospace.

In response to customer demand for high-rate manufacturing, Hexcel also offers a portfolio of out-of-autoclave (OOA) technologies. HexPly® M51 is a rapid-curing prepreg developed for the high-rate production of structural composite parts using hot-in/hot-out press curing. HexPly M56 (OOA) prepreg for aircraft secondary structures provides the same quality and performance from a simple oven cure under vacuum. This avoids capital investment in autoclave equipment and on-going processing costs. Both systems are fully compatible with automated tape laying (ATL), automated fiber placement (AFP) and pick-and-place processes. Hexcel also provides RTM and infusion resins along with optimized reinforcements for the latest in Liquid Compression Molding (LCM) processes.

Hexcel HiTape® is a high-performance carbon reinforcement developed for the OOA processing of aerospace primary structures. HiTape combines the benefits of automated processing, the cost-effectiveness of infusion technologies and delivers primary aircraft structure performance. Made from HexTow carbon fiber, it allows dry preforms to be manufactured in a fully automated lay-up process creating parts up to 30mm thick, with properties as high as those found in parts made with the latest generation primary structure prepregs.

“Hexcel’s vertical integration strategy allows it to develop tailored composite technologies that will meet the cost, maintenance, and sustainability targets of next-generation aerospace manufacturers working on higher rate production for helicopter, UAV and Air Mobility applications. At Aero India 2025, Hexcel will present a diverse range of material systems, processing methods, and technologies that will play a pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of aerospace innovation,” said Harvinder Gill, Hexcel Sales director for Asia Pacific.

The Hexcel team will be available throughout the show at the GIFAS Pavillon, Hall B, Booth 2.3, with further sales and technical support also being available from the dedicated Composites India LLP office in Bengaluru.

Posted: January 28, 2025

Source: Hexcel Corporation

DeSL And Browzwear Partnership Bridges PLM And Digital Workflow

NEW YORK CITY — January 27, 2025 — DeSL announces partnership with Browzwear to deliver its digital product development technology directly within Product Lifecycle Management software.

With this collaboration DeSL customers are able to utilize Browzwear’s advanced digital product creation and development capabilities to significantly enhance product development directly within PLM. Teams can visualize design variations of color and materials, reducing the need for physical prototypes, while also speeding up creation of product lines and collections using DeSL’s Digital Planning Boards.

The capability to annotate 3D models in real-time, boosts efficient collaboration between vendors and internal teams. This streamlined digital workflow helps speed up approvals, reduces miscommunication, and ensures designs move through production more quickly.

“We are excited to be partnering with DeSL to integrate our digital product development technology with their comprehensive PLM solution,” said Greg Hanson, Browzwear’s CEO. “This collaboration is an important step forward in achieving our core mission of helping brands innovate faster, meet their sustainability, and business goals.”

DeSL’s CEO Colin Marks added: “The integration of Browzwear’s technology reflects our commitment to providing leading solutions to equip our current and future customers. Together, we’re making it easier for companies to work with the tools they need along the complete development path.”

As the fashion industry navigates their own processes with sustainability at the forefront, utilizing 3D technology is an impactful way brands can meet their environmental goals while staying competitive. DeSL looks forward to supporting Browzwear and brands utilizing 3D to improve product development processes.

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: DeSL

Good Fashion Fund Partners With K.K.P Fine Linen For New Wet Processing Unit

AMSTERDAM — January 27, 2025 — The Good Fashion Fund, the Laudes Foundation and the Fashion for Good initiated fund managed by FOUNT, has made an investment in K.K.P  Fine Linen Pvt. Ltd. (KKPFL) — an India-based manufacturer and  exporter of bed linen and made-up products from Namakkal. The $2 million loan will support K.K.P’ investment in the installation of an Effluent  Treatment Plant (ETP) in its upcoming wet processing unit in SIPCOT,  Perundurai, Tamil Nadu.

With India becoming a prominent home textiles market for international and domestic brands, KKPFL is poised to take advantage of the momentum by backward integrating the processing operations, improving efficiency in manufacturing and increasing their revenue potential. The company would be able to cater to the needs of its customers by having end-to-end control of its products manufactured in the highest sustainability standards and regulatory requirements.

The ETP (and the processing unit) is expected to demonstrate positive savings, especially in the areas  of chemical consumption, freshwater usage and material waste reduction in-line with stringent local pollution control norms. KKPFL (and KKP Group) also benefits from 100-percent renewable energy sourcing (solar and wind) of which close to 40 megawatts is from their in-house plant.

Sathesh Kumar

Speaking on the partnership, Sathesh Kumar Nallathambi, managing director of KKPFL, said: “We are beyond thrilled to partner with the Good Fashion Fund as the $2 million investment in our upcoming wet processing plant enables us to meet the rising demand for sustainable practices in the textile industry.

“This strategic collaboration represents a pivotal moment in our ongoing journey toward a more sustainable future. With this investment, we are making bold strides to reinforce our commitment to  sustainable practices, driving both long-term impact and growth within our company.

“As leaders in sustainability within the home textiles manufacturing sector, this funding propels us forward. It ensures that we not only meet the demands of today but also lead by example in the sustainable fashion movement.”

Bob Assenberg

Bob Assenberg, Fund director of Good Fashion Fund, commented “We are excited to venture into the  home textiles segment in India through this investment in K.K.P Fine Linen, based in Namakkal. Through  this partnership, we aim to accelerate and demonstrate the potential of sustainable manufacturing  practices in the home textile segment.

KKPFL has proactively integrated sustainability in its strategy and operations and continues to strive for  new heights as a young and upcoming bedding and made-ups producer. This partnership marks an  important milestone for KKPFL and GFF.”

The Good Fashion Fund (GFF), is initiated by Fashion for Good and is a collaboration between Laudes  Foundation, The Mills Fabrica and FOUNT complemented by Rabobank as lender to the Fund. The Fund  provides long-term USD loans in addition to technical and environmental and social expertise to  manufacturers in Asia, primarily India and Bangladesh. Financing is to be used to invest in impact  equipment that deliver both economic growth and good fashion practice. The Good Fashion Fund has  a blended capital structure with an actual fund size of USD 19 million. The Fund is managed by FOUNT,  a leading impact investment firm from the Netherlands.

Current partners of the GFF also include Pratibha Syntex (India), Sri Kannapiran Mills (India), Progress  Apparels (Bangladesh) and EPIC Group (Bangladesh).

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: Good Fashion Fund 

Devan Chemicals Launches New Sleep Promoting Technology At Heimtextil 2025

RONSE, Belgium — January 27, 2025 — Devan, a global supplier of sustainable textile finishes, launched an innovative sleep promoting technology, “Devan Sleep Tight”, at Heimtextil 2025. This technology enhances sleep quality and overall quality of life, as confirmed by an independent clinical trial.

Inspired by the global “Beauty Sleep” trend, Devan introduces its latest innovation in sleep wellness. The active ingredient is derived from an upcycled by-product of Australian Tea Tree oil. This active ingredient acts by two complementary pathways, inhalation and skin contact, to improve nighttime benefits and skin regeneration to provide a healthier looking skin and revitalized look by morning.

Designed for use in textiles such as bedding and sleepwear, this new solution aims to transform nightly rest into a rejuvenating ritual, perfectly aligning with modern consumers’ desire for holistic self-care.

The technology boosts the melatonin action, reduces the production of ROS (reactive oxygen species), stimulates the production of antioxidant genes and protein and stimulates the collagen gene expression.

+97-Percent Biobased microcapsules

The Devan Sleep Tight technology is based on microencapsulation. First the active ingredients are incapsulated. Next, the biobased microcapsules are applied to the textile. The treated textiles touch our skin and the capsules break due to friction between the body and the textile. The content of the biobased capsules is then released and absorbed by the skin, while the volatile components of the active ingredients are simultaneously inhaled.

The microcapsules are readily biodegradable (tested according to the OECD 301B guideline). Possible applications are pillows, bed sheets, bed accessories, sleepwear, …

Clinical study

Thirty-three healthy female and male subjects, aged between 18 and 60 years, with sleep problems, were using a treated pillow cover with R-Vital NTL 10015 Sleep Tight every night for 30 days. Each subject was required to fill out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, focused on the sleep quality, quality of life and overall well-being, before and after 30 days of using the respective product. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a scientifically validated tool widely used to reliably assess and measure sleep quality.

The data shows that after 30 days of using a pillow case treated with R-Vital NTL 10015, subjects experienced notable improvements in several key areas of sleep and quality of life. The most significant changes were seen in sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disturbances, reduction of daytime dysfunction and quality of life.

Showcased at Heimtextil 2025 in Frankfurt

Devan’s Sleep Tight technology was prominently featured at Heimtextil in Frankfurt, both by Devan and several of its partners. Notable among them were Crispim Abreu Lda and Lameirinho, two Portuguese companies specializing in bed linen and sleepwear, as well as Naturtex from Hungary, a leading producer of quilts and pillows.

The first productions are already underway, ensuring the technology will be available on the market by the second quarter of 2025. These alliances empower Devan Sleep Tight to deliver unparalleled value to manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.

“Collaboration is at the heart of innovation,” says Marleen Van der Auwera, BU Leader of the Health & Wellness Division at Devan Chemicals. “By working closely with trusted industry leaders, we’re not just launching a product, we’re creating a solution that sets a new benchmark for sleep promoting textiles”.

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: Devan Chemicals NV

Darryl Fournier Appointed As The COO Of Suominen

HELSINKI — January 27, 2025 — Darryl Fournier has been appointed as the COO at Suominen. He will be a member of Suominen’s Executive Management Team and report to President and CEO Tommi Björnman. Fournier will start in his new position latest on February 24, 2025.

Darryl Fournier

Fournier joins Suominen from Wm. T. Burnett & Co., where he worked as vice president, Operations.

Fournier has extensive experience in production technologies, supply chain management, and sales support, with a strong focus on data-driven strategies and process improvement. “I am sure Darryl will drive our operational excellence and ensure our journey towards profitable growth,” said Björnman said.

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: Suominen Corp.

Heimtextil 2026 Expands Its Product Portfolio By Non-Textile Floor Coverings

FRANKFURT, Germany— January 27, 2025 — Heimtextil launches a new product area for the 2026 edition. Non-textile floor coverings get a new base at the world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles in Frankfurt: ‘Flooring & Equipment’ ideally complements the existing portfolio with Carpets & Rugs — and offers an attractive addition for numerous visitor target groups as well as valuable new contacts. With the launch of the new area, Heimtextil once again proves itself as the global platform for the entire textile and non-textile interior design sector.

With the new Flooring & Equipment product group, Heimtextil launches non-textile floor coverings. Photo — Messe Frankfurt

What have non-textile floor coverings and a textile trade fair have in common? The answer: they create a holistic buying experience for interior design. From 2026, Flooring & Equipment will therefore complement Heimtextil’s extensive product portfolio. The focus is on floors without a textile structure. These include elastic floor coverings, designer and luxury vinyl tiles, cork flooring, laminate, parquet and other wooden flooring, as well as outdoor floor coverings. Flooring & Equipment offers the industry a fixed date with a customised range in Frankfurt. As the world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design, Heimtextil provides a global market overview for the entire interior design sector. Here, buyers find the complete range of high-quality products, trends and interior designs for the home and the contract business – from wallpaper and curtains to carpets and non-textile floor coverings.

‘We are constantly working with the industry to further develop Heimtextil – into a global stage of inspiration and solutions for the entire interior design sector. Non-textile floor coverings are an ideal addition to the existing product range offered at Heimtextil and appeal to new target groups, such as the specialised floor-covering retail. Thanks to the direct link to Carpets & Rugs, the industry also benefits from efficient synergies between product segments and numerous new contacts’, says Margit Herberth, Director Heimtextil. In addition, Flooring & Equipment serves the interests of existing visitor target groups in an even more targeted manner – such as designers and decorators, (interior) architects, room and object furnishers, DIY and home improvement stores, garden centres, wholesalers and retailers.

The successful product segment Carpets & Rugs has become the home of the global carpet industry. The strong growth area already serves the relevant target groups for Flooring & Equipment at Heimtextil. The area of non-textile floor coverings is directly adjacent to the carpet segment – in terms of the product groups, but also the location on the exhibition grounds. ‘The new product range fits seamlessly into the hall plan of Heimtextil 2026 at the Messe Frankfurt Exhibition Center. We optimise the visitor target groups’ routes in order to guide them efficiently and purposefully to the existing range’, explains Bettina Bär, Director Heimtextil. In addition, there will also be a high-quality content programme for the global carpet and floor covering industry.

Heimtextil takes place from January 13-16, 2026.

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

ANDRITZ Bast Fiber Line Commissioned At Ekolution Plant In Malmö, Sweden

GRAZ, Austria — January 27, 2025 — International technology group ANDRITZ has recently commissioned a state-of-the art teXline bast fiber line at the new factory of Ekolution, a pioneer in sustainable building materials, in Malmö, Sweden. The line will expand Ekolution’s production capacity, producing environmentally friendly hemp fibers and nonwoven felts made from industrial hemp. The scope of supply included equipment for hemp decortication and refining, combined with a neXline airlay line for producing the felts.

ANDRITZ neXline airlay line in operation at Ekolution © Ekolution

Remi Loren, CEO of Ekolution, stated: “Our company is at the forefront of green materials with insulation and nonwoven products that are bio-based, carbon-negative and energy-efficient. ANDRITZ helps us achieve our sustainability targets through a process that makes the most of our raw materials while reducing resource consumption. We can also rely on ANDRITZ’s expertise in service and digitalization in the future to optimize our operations.”

ANDRITZ hemp decortication line in operation at Ekolution © Ekolution

The ANDRITZ line, designed to obtain hemp fiber without impurities through a gentle process, is equipped with machinery that has a small land footprint and operates at low energy consumption. The decortication and refining equipment will produce high-quality fibers from up to 5 tons of feedstock per hour. Some of the fibers will be fed into a neXline airlay flexiloft+ line producing up to 1.5 tons of nonwovens felt per hour for various applications.

“We are proud to be part of this project, which is fully in line with our commitment to provide sustainable and circular technologies that support the green transition,” says Francis-Elias Junker, Sales Area Manager for the ANDRITZ Nonwovens & Textile division.

Ekolution, established in Sweden in 2013, produces bio-based building solutions and materials using hemp from its own plantations as a raw material. Its hemp fiber insulation is the first with an Environmental Product Declaration (EDP) confirming that it is carbon-negative (more CO2 is sequestered in the industrial hemp than is emitted in the production process). Ekolution’s hemp panels and nonwoven products have recently been used in the construction of a high-tech logistics center in Stockholm, the world’s largest building project using hemp fiber insulation. In addition to the construction industry, Ekolution’s hemp products can also be used in the automotive, textile, furniture, acoustics, packaging, pulp (paper), and other segments where green, natural fibers are in demand.

Posted: January 27, 2025

Source: International technology group ANDRITZ

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