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Ralph Lauren Unveils The Earth Polo, Made Completely From Recycled Materials

April 19, 2019

NEW YORK CITY— April 18, 2019 — Polo Ralph Lauren is reimagining its iconic Polo shirt with Mother Nature in mind. Introducing The Earth Polo, crafted from thread derived entirely from recycled plastic bottles and dyed in an innovative process that uses zero water. Each Earth Polo is made from an average of 12 plastic bottles.

“Ralph Lauren will commit to removing at least 170 million bottles from landfills and oceans, and will convert the use of all virgin poly-fiber to recycled poly-fiber by 2025. Plastic waste is a major issue threatening the environment — we want to be part of the solution and utilize an innovative approach to create something valuable,” said David Lauren, chief innovation officer.

The Earth Polo was produced in partnership with First Mile, an organization with a global mission focused on sustainability and positive social impact. First Mile works with entrepreneurs in low-income communities to collect recyclable plastic bottles, which are then processed through a unique and eco-friendly manufacturing program and turned into high-quality yarn and ultimately fabric.

“When Ralph founded our company more than 50 years ago, he did so with the idea that whatever we create is meant to be worn, loved, and passed on for generations. It’s with this spirit of timelessness that we approach sustainability,” added Halide Alagoz, executive vice president, chief supply chain and sustainability officer.

For decades, the iconic Polo shirt has been used as a global symbol to help raise millions of dollars for philanthropic and social impact, including funding breast cancer research and care through the Pink Pony Fund, raising funds for global disaster relief, and supporting the LGBTQ community.

The Earth Polo will be available for men and women in global retail stores and on RalphLauren.com on April 18 in four colorways: Stuart Green, White, Navy, and Baby Blue. The company’s full Global Citizenship and Sustainability Report, including its comprehensive strategy and goals, will be published in June.

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Ralph Lauren Corp.

Wrangler® Uses 100 Percent Local, Sustainable Cotton In New Rooted Collection

April 19, 2019

GREENSBORO, N.C. — April 18, 2019 — Wrangler® is taking another groundbreaking step in its sustainability efforts, working with local farmers to create a traceable, locally-sourced denim collection that honors land stewardship and champions state pride. The Wrangler Rooted Collection™ is a limited, premium line made from 100-percent sustainable, local cotton. Each piece was grown, milled, cut and sewn in the United States, helping to ensure America’s denim heritage for future generations.

The Rooted Collection features five state-specific pairs of jeans: the Alabama Jean, the Georgia Jean, the North Carolina Jean, the Tennessee Jean, and the Texas Jean. The sustainable cotton used for each state’s jean is fully traceable to a family farm in that state. Each state’s design includes a unique wash, as well as trim and patch details featuring the state’s silhouette and other embellishments. The collection will also include two T-shirt designs for each state, as well as three national designs.

“The Wrangler Rooted Collection™ reflects our commitment to strengthening local communities and supporting U.S. farmers,” said Tom Waldron, president of Wrangler. “Equally important, the introduction of this collection aligns with our goal to continually improve the environmental performance and traceability of our products.”

The family farms supplying cotton to the Rooted Collection are the first growers in the Wrangler Science and Conservation program, which advocates for land stewardship and soil health best practices. These science-backed methods build crop resilience to weather disruptions while improving yield, reducing water and energy inputs, fighting erosion, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wrangler aims to source 100 percent of its cotton from farms using land stewardship practices by 2025.

The Wrangler Rooted Collection™ is all-American, from the farm to the fabric to the cut and sew operations. The family farms that provided the sustainably-sourced cotton for each state’s collection are:

The Alabama Jean – Newby Family Farms of Athens, Ala.;
The Georgia Jean – McLendon Acres of Leary, Ga., available June 2019;
The North Carolina Jean – Lassiter Family Farms of Conway, N.C., available June 2019;
The Tennessee Jean – Pugh Farms of Halls, Tenn., available June 2019; and
The Texas Jean – Vance and Mandie Smith of Big Spring, Texas.

Mount Vernon Mills in Trion, Ga., makes the denim fabric and the jeans are cut and sewn by Excel Manufacturing in El Paso, Texas.

The Rooted Collection T-shirts were made exclusively with sustainable cotton grown by Vance and Mandie Smith and were manufactured throughout the Carolinas:

Spinning at Patrick Yarns in Kings Mountain, N.C.;
Knitting by Contempora Fabrics in Lumberton, N.C.;
Dyeing by Carolina Cotton Works in Gaffney, S.C.;
Cut and sewn by Palmetto Apparel Service in Andrews, S.C; and
Printed by TS Designs in Burlington, N.C.

The Wrangler Rooted Collection™ initially will be available through Wrangler.com and participating retailers. Jeans will retail for approximately $100 per piece, with T-shirts priced from $30 per piece.

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Wrangler

Hyosung Drives Sustainability At Performance Days In Munich

April 19, 2019

SEOUL, South Korea — April 17, 2019 — To demonstrate its continued commitment to the sports and fashion business, Hyosung is exhibiting for the first time at the leading Performance Days exhibition May 8-9.

Hyosung will present a collection of specialty recycled fibers — Mipan® regen nylon and regen polyester — along with a selection of fabrics incorporating creora® elastane fibers created to enhance performance and comfort.

“Consumer expectations for their apparel continue to rise, fueling the ongoing trend for multi-purpose products — fibers that are cooling, breathable, moving moisture away from the body and of course are sustainable & recyclable,” said Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, Hyosung’s EMEA marketing director. “Brands and retailers are also demanding a quicker response to these consumer trends, thus benefiting from our global connections throughout the value chain”.

Echoing the Performance Days exhibition theme “The Beauty of Function”, Hyosung will show fabrics that are multifunctional and also give a fashion “plus” to design. They are practical and environmentally friendly and applicable to outdoor active sportswear, urban adventures and today’s innovative, everyday work wear. The original DNA may have origination from the sports industry, but the benefits are now available to an ever-expanding market – including fashion.

The fabrics are functional as well as beautiful!

Hyosung sustainable collection on display at Performance Days includes:

Mipan® regen 100% pre-consumer recycled nylon — reduces energy consumption. GRS certified.
regen 100% post-consumer recycled polyester — conserves petroleum resources. GRS certified
creora® eco-soft for low heat settable, and soft hand elastane — saving energy
creora Black dope dyed black elastane — saving water

Hyosung is a major player in providing sustainable solutions and its collaboration with Lenzing is an excellent demonstration of that commitment.

“While we currently have a portfolio of sustainability solutions with recycled Mipan® regen nylon fiber and regen polyester fiber, the partnership with Lenzing allows us to showcase energy saving products like lower heat setting creora eco-soft elastane blended with the natural fibers consumers demand. We are also working on a range of recycled functional yarns to meet the needs of multi-function and sustainability,” adds Whitmarsh-Knight.

Hyosung will also present its 2020 Megatrends “Connected, beyond”, which focuses on three key themes:

Protect the body & Workwear “connected between body and environment”

Balance between human beings and clothing, Balance between human beings and environment. Apparel is not just an outfit; it should also protect the body from rapidly changing global climate and contaminated air. Previously, there were clear lines between Ready-to-wear, Sportswear and Outdoor wear, but nowadays there is no boundary among them. People want both fashion and function. This trend leads outdoor brands to make outerwear designed for commuters and fashion brands to add function to daily wear, even for luxury-fashion apparel.

ECO-nomy “connected with responsible thinking”

Sustainability is not just a concept but business now. Brands will need to evolve to create more circular business models to win consumers as they are become more interested in the transparent process of sustainable materials and sustainable designs.

It’s time to Design Nature and Circulation.

Spotlight “connected with fashion trend -embrace neo-futuristic”

Design and colors inspired from virtual reality or radical spirit will be applied to sportswear, which now share the code with fashion daily wear.

Liquid iridescence, Shine –Metallic / Rubber / Satin, Chalky finish / Pre-Dirtied

For more information, visit Hyosung at Performance Days, Munich 8-9 May 2019 Hall C6 Stand N21

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Hyosung

Shaw Industries Promotes Tim Baucom To President

April 19, 2019

DALTON, Ga. — April 17, 2019 — Shaw Industries Group Inc. (Shaw) announced today the appointment of Tim Baucom as president of the company. In this new role, Baucom is expanding his current responsibilities for the company’s residential flooring division to include Shaw’s commercial flooring and turf businesses.

“Tim has been an instrumental member of our leadership team since his appointment as executive vice president of our residential group three years ago. He has led our residential business to improved levels of performance through product innovation, sales organization alignment, brand focus, and improved support for customers,” said Shaw Chairman and CEO Vance Bell. “Tim will continue to bring a strategic focus, helping Shaw to rapidly anticipate and evolve with the increasing pace of change in our industry.”

Baucom joined Shaw in 1992 after spending the first 11 years of his career with DuPont, where he held positions in engineering, manufacturing, planning, sales, and marketing. Since joining Shaw, Baucom has held leadership positions across multiple segments of the company including in residential and commercial sales. He was instrumental in building the commercial business into the largest and most profitable commercial flooring entity in North America.

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Shaw Industries Group

Techtextil 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Oerlikon Manmade Fibers

April 19, 2019

REMSCHEID, Germany — April 18, 2019 — At home, at work, on the street, in the sky, on the water, even in space, technical textiles and nonwovens are swinging towards ever higher performances in amazing applications. Versatile and light, but sometimes stronger than metal, these materials of the future gain their superpowers from the interaction of precisely coordinated textile systems. At Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main from May 14-17, 2019 in Hall 3, B06, Oerlikon will be showing chemical fiber applications made of polyester, polypropylene and Co. and what they can do in these fields. However, these exhibits are only a communicative means to an end, as Oerlikon is primarily interested in placing the associated machinery and plant solutions at the center of discussions with trade fair visitors.

More than two thirds of all technical innovations are directly or indirectly based on new materials, says the German Research Ministry. One could add: The key to a more advanced world, for technological products with amazing functions, breathtaking performance and greater environmental benefits, is also to improve the properties and processing of materials. This applies first and foremost to textiles. Probably no other fabric is so strong as a “team player” who draws its strength from its cohesion.

A single polyester thread, for example, looks inconspicuous. Processed into a thigh-thick special weave, however, high-strength High Modulus/High Tenacity fibers anchor floating oil platforms in the deepest waters. These kilometer-long “Mooring Ropes” withstand a breaking load of well over 1,000 tons and perform their task better than steel. For decades, Oerlikon Barmag has been offering special solutions for the production of so-called industrial yarns (IDY) that are tailored to customers worldwide. “We will once again be presenting numerous innovations at this trade fair to inspire our customers,” explains Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Chem. Roy Dolmans, Technology Manager IDY and R&D Filament Processing.

Strong and light fabrics make you mobile

But everyday textile products also meet high demands, as the manufacture of car safety belts shows. Their special fabric construction made of lint-free PET yarn is both stable and stretchable to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a collision, but not to injure them. In the automotive world, chemical fibers have become indispensable: the German Textile Research Board already says that every car drives with around 30 kilograms of textiles. They are found in airbags, car roofs, upholstery, trim, switches, operating elements, drive belts or hoses.

“The automotive industry is also interested in low costs when it comes to their use. A prime example of the economic production of technical textiles in the automotive sector is the manufacture of tire cord from HMLS (High Modulus Low Shrinkage) yarns. These precursors made of polyester are extremely tear-resistant, still highly elastic as well as temperature and dimensionally stable,” explains Dolmans. The topic of traceability along the entire textile value chain plays also a major role, especially in the automotive industry. “Thanks to our production and process solutions for our customers and our own DIN ISO certifications, we at Oerlikon can guarantee traceability in the production process at any time,” continues Roy Dolmans.

Twisted into a flat fabric, the industrial yarns lie between several rubber layers and stabilize the car tires on the road. Talking of roadways, technical yarns are also at work underneath. Geotextiles secure and stabilize the soil in road and path construction. The flexible surface structures made of PET fibers, for example, are extremely tough, creep-resistant and can survive underground for decades.

High-tech membranes made from the fifth building material

Textiles have long since arrived in the construction sector and are increasingly playing a role as the “fifth building material” alongside steel, concrete, wood and glass. Innovative solutions include high-tech membranes made of specially coated polyester fabrics, already used for roofs of football stadiums in Warsaw and Kiev or the international airport of Bangkok.

Building materials of the future are also nonwovens. The non-woven, textile fabrics can be equipped with a variety of properties on the basis of various manufacturing processes and combination techniques. They are temperature- and shock-resistant, breathable and at the same time resistant to moisture, mold and detachment, and are used for roofing, insulation, insulation and drainage throughout the construction sector. Oerlikon Nonwoven offers the corresponding machine and system solutions. But not only there: In medicine, nonwovens are experiencing a real boom as an inexpensive material for surgical gowns or bandages, because they function as a liquid or bacterial barrier, but remain vapourpermeable and absorbent and do not stick together. The range of applications extends from filtration, baby diapers, wipes and napkins to geotextiles and felt carpets. And here, too, Oerlikon Nonwoven is far ahead.

For the large variety of textile floor coverings, special textured continuous filament yarn made of polypropylene or polyester is particularly suitable: Oerlikon Neumag stands for this as the expert for machine and plant solutions for the production of BCF yarns with a wide variety of properties.

Versatile nonwovens and smart textiles

Functional clothing textiles are a playground for innovative applications of technical yarns. The spectrum of new developments ranges from breathable tracksuits with living microbial cells that react to moisture fluctuations to smart clothing that uses electronics and sensors to open up previously unknown functions. Smart textiles can generate heat, light and electricity, measure temperature and vital functions, heal wounds and reduce pain, modernize industries and make cars and construction safer or more comfortable.

Given this future scenario, it is no wonder that technical textiles, the materials of tomorrow, are on the upswing worldwide. Analysts such as the London market researchers of Future Market Insights estimate that the world market volume for technical textiles will climb from around 166 billion US dollars in 2016 to a good 260 billion US dollars in 2027. This upswing will certainly also drive the market for polyester fibers, which has been growing continuously for many years.

The intelligent processing of such manmade fibers as raw materials is an important foundation for future textile innovations. Market leaders such as the Oerlikon Manmade Fibers segment and its brands Oerlikon Barmag, Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven stand for this. Their innovative technologies from melt to yarn, fibers and nonwovens lay the foundation for many of the applications mentioned here – and for ever higher performance, efficiency and quality on the journey to tomorrow’s materials

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Oerlikon Segment Manmade Fibers

Techtextil 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Itema Group

April 19, 2019

BERGAMO, Italy — April 16, 2019 — Itema, the Italian manufacturer of best-in-class weaving machines, spare parts and integrated services, will exhibit at Techtextil in Frankfurt from May 14-17 (Hall 3.0, D05) and announces an important contribution for the sector.

In fact, Itema will seize the opportunity of the worldwide technical textiles flagship event to launch Itematech, the new company exclusively dedicated to producing weaving machines for the benefit of technical fabrics weavers.

With the aim of setting a new technological benchmark in technical textiles weaving by providing the market with the most comprehensive product offering to manufacture this highly specialized fabrics, Itema recently signed an agreement for the business lease of PTMT (formerly Panter), thus giving rise to Itematech.

Thanks to the strong know-how resulting from the merger of Itema and PTMT (formerly Panter) expertise and competences, Itematech will offer the widest range of best-in-class technological solutions to weave technical fabrics.

Technical fabrics manufacturers will now on find in Itematech a unique partner and technological reference point to meet and exceed all their needs when it comes to weaving the full range of technical applications.

The strategic alliance between the two historic weaving manufacturers leads to a complete and never-before-seen product portfolio, which ranges from negative and positive rapier, to air-jet and projectile weaving machines.

Technical fabrics industry differs significantly from standard fabrics production, since it involves highly innovative man-made raw materials and yarns and addresses end markets characterized by particular trends.

Always attentive to its customers needs, Itema set up Itematech with the aim to provide to technical fabrics producers a partner capable of satisfying their specific requirements by offering the most complete weaving solutions range available in the market and the most skilled technical textiles team in the industry.

Discover more about Itematech and its unique technological offering by visiting Booth D05 in Hall 3.0 (joint booth with the Itema sole agent in Germany Elmatex).

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Itema Group

ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Reiners + Fürst

April 19, 2019

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — April 18, 2019 — The new TURBO-S spinning ring is equipped with a specially designed surface structure which significantly enhances the formation of lubrication film in the traveller contact area. This further development of the well-known TURBO ring marks a new milestone by leading German ring and traveller manufacturer R+F. More than 30 Mio units of TURBO rings have been installed and contribute to the customers’ success.

Managing Director at R+F Benjamin Reiners pointed out: “The new TURBO-S rings include many benefits such as extremely stable running behavior even at highest speeds under critical circumstances along with excellent yarn quality parameters such as lowest yarn hairiness, and on top very quick adaption after change of yarn type — even for synthetic fibers.”

“We are very proud to be in the market since nearly 75 years as a family-owned business. The positive customer feedback we are receiving all over the world confirm our view that innovations pay off especially when market conditions become more and more demanding,” Reiners added.

At ITMA 2019 Reiners + Fürst will also present new ring travellers for High-Speed ring spinning. The end-users benefit from best possible yarn qualities and lowest running-in periods after traveler changes at the same time. R+F customers generally achieve highest efficiencies of the ring frames benefiting from unique traveler surface treatments for optimized spinning conditions of each application.

Mill managers especially value the professional service and support R+F is providing particularly for finding solutions to optimize the efficiency of the ring spinning process. Visitors are invited to stop by at R+F’s booth at ITMA: H 7 – Stand A 206

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Reiners + Fürst GmbH u. Co. KG

Graniteville Specialty Fabrics Announces State-Of-The-Art Thermal Oxidizer Upgrade

April 19, 2019

GRANITEVILLE, S.C. — April 18, 2019 — Graniteville Specialty Fabrics, a producer of specialty coatings and coated fabrics, has installed a state-of the-art Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) replacing its older units. “This new thermally efficient unit is based on the latest regenerative oxidizing technology,” explained Doug Johnson, executive vice president, development and technical services, about the $1.7 million investment. “The RTO uses a regenerative ceramic bed and an air exchange system to achieve 95 percent thermal efficiency thus reducing natural gas consumption.”

Acquired from Tann Corp. last year and installed on March 11, this new RTO is capable of reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions by 10,000,000 pounds per year while continuing to meet the EPA’s regulation for emissions. By working closely with Tann engineers, a single Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer was developed to replace three smaller existing recuperative thermal oxidizer units. The new RTO will allow for low maintenance and consistent reliability while maintaining 99 percent VOC removal efficiency.

Jim Egan, CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship: “This new enlightened approach to environmental control will allow for lower emissions for the next 30-40 years and enable Graniteville Specialty Fabrics to significantly reduce its carbon footprint”.

Posted April 19, 2019

Source: Graniteville Specialty Fabrics

Polartec, Kraig Biocraft Laboratories To Bring First Spider Silk Fabrics To The Performance Apparel Market

April 18, 2019

ANDOVER, Mass. — April 17, 2019 — Polartec, the premium provider of innovative and sustainable textile solutions, and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, the biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announce plans to bring to market the first fabrics made from spider silk. Initially developed for specialized military applications, these first-of-their-kind materials made from recombinant spider silk will eventually service the global market for high performance textiles and apparel.

Among the strongest fibers produced in nature, scalable and cost-effective production of spider silk represents a ‘holy grail’ of material science. Kraig possesses the exclusive right to use patented spider silk gene sequences in silkworms, which is the first way to mass produce these fibers cost effectively and responsibly. (Spiders cannot be raised in colonies and competitors rely on genetically engineered E.coli bacteria to make silk, which produces high levels of carbon dioxide in addition to being cost prohibitive.)

“Teaming with an industry leader such as Polartec is a real endorsement of our proprietary approach to unlocking the potential of commercially-produced spider silk,” says Kim Thompson, Kraig Laboratories founder and CEO. “Kraig believes that spider silk, with its superior mechanical characteristics, has the potential to surpass the current generation of high performance fibers.”

These fully renewable, biodegradable and biocompatible ‘super fibers’ are thin, lightweight, flexible, resilient, extraordinarily strong, and display strength-to-weight ratios more comparable to aramid fibers than other current performance fibers. In apparel applications, the possibilities of recombinant spider silks are particularly exciting, realizing unprecedented combinations of physical properties such as luxurious feel and breathable comfort with top durability.

In joint development since 2016, Polartec and Kraig are applying the performance characteristics of spider silk into yarns for military-grade textiles.

“This project combines two of our most important innovation missions: providing best-in-class textiles to our Nation’s military personnel, and our investment in a fully biodegradable product line,” says Gary Smith, Polartec CEO. “Our partnership with Kraig has the potential to be as revolutionary as when we created the first performance fabrics made from post-consumer recycled plastics in 1993.”

Polartec recently announced its Polartec Eco-Engineering™ commitment to using 100% biodegradable and recycled materials across its entire product line through another partnership with Unifi and CiCLO. For example, this new standard for sustainable textiles will include the creation of the world’s first fully recycled and biodegradable fleece, other knits, insulation fills and breathable waterproof fabrics.

Posted April 18, 2019

Source: Kraig Labs