UNTERFÖHRING, Germany — November 21, 2018 — In addition to saving water by relying on the Sympatex 100 percent polyether/polyester membrane, as opposed to using commercially-available PTFE membranes, spun-dyed processes reduce the amount of water needed by roughly 75 percent on average.

According to estimates from the World Bank, dye processes used by the textile industry account for around 20 percent of the world’s industrial water contamination. This is despite the fact that polyester dye technologies which conserve significantly more water than traditional dye processes, while massively reducing the use of chemicals, have been available for some time. Sympatex Technologies, the current pioneer in the field of sustainable functional textiles, will present a new line of spun-dyed laminates at the Performance Days trade fair in Munich on November 28 and 29 (exhibit booth C11). Thanks to the non-PTFE and non-PFC based, 100 percent recyclable Sympatex membranes, the monofraction laminates are ideal for closed textile loops and can be easily reused at the end of their product life cycle.

These apparel innovations from Sympatex, made with fully-recyclable textile surface materials, combine the advantages of both raw material recycling processes and the spun-dyed technology. With this dye technology, water consumption can be reduced by around 75 percent, while decreasing the use of chemicals by as much as 90 percent. In combination with the 100 percent polyether/polyester Sympatex membrane, which uses 50 percent less water during the manufacturing process than a commercially-available PTFE membrane, there is no need to sacrifice performance. The articles, which are ideally-suited for outdoor and ski applications, and even for the fashion world, are 100 percent water- and wind-proof, in addition to optimally breathable, thus offering further proof that it’s possible to combine sustainability and performance in a single product.

With this spun-dyed technology, instead of adding the dye to the finished textile product, it’s mixed into the raw material granulate. This not only improves the penetration intensity of the dye in the thread. The process also offers significant advantages with respect to color harmony and the reproducibility of the hue.

“The only prerequisite for the extensive use of this dye technology is close collaboration between all of the participants during the design process, since the color selection has to be mutually agreed upon at an earlier timeframe,” explained Dr. Rüdiger Fox, CEO at Sympatex Technologies. “Given the acute environmental issues created by our industry in the manufacturing countries, plus the enormous ecological benefits that spun-dyed technologies bring, this should be an acceptable concession for all of those involved,” adds Fox.

Posted November 21, 2018

Source: Sympatex Technologies GmbH

MUNICH, Germany — November 21, 2018 — As the tradition goes, twice a year the functional fabric fair Performance Days selects the most innovative fabrics, accessories and finishes for their Performance Forum. This year, two functional finishes from textile innovator Devan Chemicals —Moov&Cool® & R-Vital™ — were chosen. R-Vital was awarded with the ‘100% Jury Like’ stamp, meaning all the members of the jury selected the sample, a recognition only granted to a handful of the 1,400 applications.

R-Vital – ‘100% Jury Like’

R-Vital is a range of microencapsulated active ingredients that boost textiles with anti-oxidative effects. The microcapsules, attached to the fibre, deliver antioxidants to the body upon friction. The ‘100% Jury Like’ sample is treated with a well-chosen blend of Ubiquinol (Q10), Sea kelp and Thyme oil, which enhances recovery after sports performances. As R-Vital is also suitable for other market segments, such as bedding textiles, Devan enables its customers to compose their own blend, allowing them to create truly unique products and hence properties.

Marleen Van der Auwera, BU Manager Health & Wellness is happy to see that R-Vital is getting some more attention. “When the technology was first launched about a year ago, we noticed people had some difficulties understanding the concept because it was so revolutionary to them”, she said. “But this recognition really indicates more and more people are seeing its potential.”

Moov&Cool

Moov&Cool is a patented polymer technology, providing a cool comfort feel through a combination of durable heat absorption capacity and a unique, balanced moisture transfer system. By lowering the body core temperature, the finishing treatment helps professional athletes to take their performance to the next level. Furthermore, the technology is also designed to enhance comfort during physical activities of recreational athletes.

Moov&Cool was first launched at Performance Days in April and will be presented in full detail at the upcoming edition, which will take place November 28-29 in Munich, Germany.

Posted November 21, 2018

Source: Devan Chemicals NV

GUANGZHOU, China — November 20, 2018 — MINISO announced recently that it is collaborating with color giant PANTONE. As the world’s most prestigious color authority, Pantone focuses on the development and research of color. The fashion color released every year by Pantone has been a popular benchmark in the design industry for many years, and is also the object of cooperation from all walks of life. From clothing and architecture to homeware and even a variety of fashion elements, Pantone impacts our taste in life and shopping direction from the inside and out.

Due to the authority of Pantone, its obsession with color and the humanistic spirit behind it, many fashion brands and even cross-industry brands have cooperated with Pantone and made interesting joint projects.

Miniso sensed the business opportunities that Pantone can bring to the brand, thus it cooperated with Pantone this year to create a series of “Miniso color” products.

As for Pantone, the search for the color of the year often begins a year ago or more. The Pantone team looks around the world for inspiration and uses a color to express the fashion trends of the new year.

In the past, color represented consistent aesthetics and standards, while Pantone added some thoughts and ideas of the taste of life and humanistic spirit to color choice. Therefore, color began to have the power to change the world, affect people’s perception of the world, and influence people’s inner pursuits. To this day, we can change the world through the power of color.

This is the case with the MINISO X PANTONE series jointly launched by Miniso and Pantone in the Chinese market.

There are cellphone cases, thermos cups, power banks and small mirrors in pink and blue hues, as well as makeup bags, baseball caps, notepads and canvas bags in MINISO X PANTONE colors, and even a deep blue stationery set for men.

Such products have been well received since their launch and have been recommended by popular KOLs.

Recently, Miniso collaborated with many famous “IP” to develop cross-border marketing, and launched co-branded products with Pantone. Miniso shows precise commercial sensitivity, which is able to capture consumers’ preferences.

Posted November 20, 2018

Source: MINISO Japan

PARIS — November 20, 2018 — Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, supports iSi Automotive’s steadily growing airbag business with the best-in-class performance of FocusQuantum® FT6K.

Committed to innovation, iSi Automotive develops pioneering vehicle safety products, including modular airbag systems and patented airbag inflator technology. Headquartered in Austria and serving international customers, iSi Automotive produces airbag cushions meeting the highest quality standards at two major facilities in Thailand and Mexico. Faced with increased demand from customers worldwide as airbags are made mandatory in emerging markets and new applications spur continued growth elsewhere, the supplier needed to expand its manufacturing capacity.

A Lectra customer since 2011, iSi Automotive already had two Focus Airbag cutters in operation at its plant located in the eastern province of Chonburi. To take its cutting room to the next level, the company began looking into an expansion of its installed base of laser airbag cutting equipment.

Following benchmark testing at the International Advanced Technology & Conference Center (IATC) in Bordeaux-Cestas, Lectra’s FocusQuantum FT6K laser cutting solution for cut-and-sew airbags demonstrated the potential to improve the customer’s cutting process and deliver superior productivity. Material savings were identified thanks to the solution’s powerful automatic nesting and highly precise cutting with zero buffer between parts. Overall, a more favorable total cost of ownership compared to the customer’s own Focus Airbag cutters convinced iSi Automotive to opt for Lectra’s next-generation airbag solution.

In recent years, Southeast Asia has grown into an airbag textile manufacturing hub. With iSi Automotive’s acquisition of a FocusQuantum FT6K, the Thailand facility is now equipped to stay apace of demand. Lectra’s presence in the region will furthermore enable the customer to benefit from Lectra’s strong worldwide support structure.

“Having worked previously with Lectra, it seemed natural to turn to them once more, this time to implement their latest laser airbag cutting technology for flat fabric” states Dietmar Schaefer, chief executive officer, iSi Automotive. “With the FocusQuantum FT6K now in production, we have every assurance we can meet future requirements.”

“We have a long-term relationship with iSi Automotive, based on a common vision of excellence,” notes Javier Garcia, senior vice-president, Automotive Sales, Lectra. “Our expert support teams in Southeast Asia have enabled us to meet the customer’s stringent requirements in Thailand for quality and performance to support their strong manufacturing growth plans in the region.”

Posted November 20, 2018

Source: Lectra