PPG Scientist Receives Top Honor from American Chemical Society

PITTSBURGH — September 18, 2018 — PPG today announced that Dr. Shanti Swarup, PPG senior scientist, coatings research and development, polymer synthesis, was named the recipient of the 2019 National Award in Applied Polymer Science, administered by the American Chemical Society (ACS). He is the first PPG employee to receive the honor.

Sponsored by Eastman Chemical Co., the award recognizes and encourages outstanding achievements in the science or technology of plastics, coatings, polymer composites, adhesives and related fields.

Throughout his career, Swarup has made key contributions that have helped create many commercial products with higher performance, less environmental impact or lower cost than prior generations of products. Swarup has developed more than 50 polymers and is the named inventor on 76 distinct U.S. patents. These polymers are used in products that are responsible for more than $8 billion in cumulative sales for PPG.

“Our researchers are committed to the pursuit of fundamental science and new technologies to keep PPG at the forefront of coatings,” said David Bem, PPG vice president, science and technology, and chief technology officer. “Dr. Swarup has been a valued contributor to PPG’s success for nearly 30 years. His career has been focused on applied polymer science, primarily in polymer science for PPG’s automotive customers. It is an honor to have Dr. Swarup recognized by ACS alongside the top contributors in this field, and we are extremely proud of his continued accomplishments.”

Swarup will be recognized at the 257th ACS National Meeting in April 2019 with a daylong symposium in his honor.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: PPG

Founder Sport Group Continues Expansion With Acquisition Of Teamwork Athletic Apparel

STATESVILLE, N.C. — September 19, 2018 — Founder Sport Group announced today that it will acquire Teamwork Athletic Apparel, an on-demand apparel manufacturing company serving team uniform dealers and decorators with a variety of stock, sublimated and licensed apparel. Teamwork has pioneered the development of proprietary, patented technologies that enable the design, production and delivery of customized, sublimated garments at industry-leading turnaround times.

The acquisition of Teamwork adds a fourth highly regarded producer of custom apparel for teams, players, families and fans to the growing portfolio of Founder Sport Group, which also includes Badger Sport, Alleson Athletic and Garb Athletics. “Teamwork is a perfect strategic fit for us,” said John Anton, chief executive officer of Founder Sport Group. “With Teamwork, we’re adding the industry leader in quick-turn custom sublimation and increasing our production capacity.  We’ll also be able to apply Teamwork’s patent-protected technology to improve delivery times across all the brands within our portfolio.”

Matt Lehrer, co-owner of Teamwork, said joining with Founder Sport Group will better enable Teamwork to prosper in a changing and consolidating industry. “We are thrilled to become part of the Founder Sport Group family and look forward to the opportunities that will arise from the scale, growth capital, marketing and sales capabilities Founder Sport Group brings.”

Teamwork is the third acquisition completed by Founder Sport Group in less than a year. The company acquired Alleson Athletic and Garb Athletics in the fourth quarter of 2017.

“We are moving fast because we see terrific opportunities for growth in this industry,” said Anton. “The long-term winners will be companies that offer a broad range of complimentary products, harness digital technologies to aggressively shorten delivery times, invest in new product development, and consistently deliver best-in-class customer service,” he added.

Anton noted that Teamwork also brings Founder Sport Group new licensing agreements with over 600 organizations, including a host of colleges, fraternities and sororities. “These signature licensing agreements will enable us to further expand our collegiate bookstore channel,” said Anton.

Teamwork, founded in 1987, is based in San Marcos, Calif., with a manufacturing plant in San Luis de Colorado, Mexico.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Founder Sport Group

Eastman’s Naia™ Cellulosic Yarn Launches Into Womenswear At Première Vision

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — September 14, 2018 — This September at the Première Vision show in France, Eastman will launch Naia™, a versatile cellulosic yarn, into the womenswear market. Naia, made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, creates comfortable and luxurious fabrics. The inherent qualities of the yarn mean that any fabric made with Naia will have superior breathability and moisture management. Garments made from Naia are easy to care for, can be laundered at home, and have excellent wrinkle recovery and pilling resistance, all without compromising its luster and silky hand.

Naia will also be included in Premiere Vision’s Smart Square – an informative multimedia space showcasing environmentally-responsible approaches to fashion. Première Vision notes that, “The idea behind this platform was to create new prospects and new competitive advantages that could be used by the entire creative fashion industry, as well as offering real business development opportunities.”

Naia is made from fully traceable and sustainably sourced wood pulp; Eastman holds FSC® and PEFC™ Chain of Custody certification.  The cellulosic yarn is produced in a safe, closed-loop process where solvents are recycled back into the system for reuse.  In addition, Naia has an optimized, low-impact manufacturing process with a low tree-to-yarn carbon and water footprint.  Naia has a third party reviewed Life Cycle Assessment compliant with ISO14044 and is listed on the HIGG Materials Sustainability Index.

Following Naia’s eco-conscious from Nature to Fashion ethos, the booth will be made from sustainable plywood from FSC® certified forests, recycled copper piping, FSC® certified paper, and mannequins made from recycled cardboard. At the Naia booth on Wednesday and Thursday, Eastman will be hosting a garment workshop with fashion tailors Cynthia and Laura Merhej (from Renaissance, Beruit); and on Friday, there will be a workshop showcasing pleated Naia by Jule Waibel (from Jule Waibel, Berlin).

The garments on display in the booth were inspired by upcoming fashion trends that the Naia team has identified as ideal applications for fabrics made with Naia. The first style, “barre noire,” highlights apparel that can go from the gym to the bar. “Sloungewear” is a new style of loungewear intended for sleep and restorative fitness. The final is “urban freestyle,” which pairs sport and streetwear aesthetics. Eastman will also be displaying innovative new fabrics from around the world that show that with Naia you get beauty, versatility, and sustainability without compromise.

With Naia, Eastman demonstrates how sustainability can be an integral part of clothes that not only feel good but look good too.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Eastman Chemical Company

Liquinex, Grafoid Team Up To Provide Water Purification Solutions Using The Industry Leading MESOGRAF™ Graphene Based Filtration Technology – GPURE

OTTAWA — September 19, 2018 — Grafoid Inc. is pleased announce the strategic partnership with Liquinex, a company specializing in waste water engineering needs, to provide commercial scale water treatment solutions using Grafoid’s innovative MESOGRAF™ graphene based filtration technology.

The increasing demand for clean drinking water, rising scarcity of water resources, rapid industrialization, and increasing construction activities represent real-world factors that necessitate the need for scalable water treatment solutions around the globe.

Compounded by other factors, such as the increased support from government regarding treatment and proper disposal of water, the global market for water treatment solutions is expected to grow at an annual compounded growth rate of 7.4% from 2017 to 20271.

GPURE’s Graphene based filtration products are readily scalable to meet these commercial demands making them ideal for industrial level, niche applications such as the concentration of beverages, treatment of crude oil/water mixtures, biofuel and industrial wastewater treatments where reverse osmosis (RO) is not suitable due to the fouling tendencies when concentrated liquids are purged through RO cartridges.

Conventional filtering materials (e.g. activated carbon, zeolites, flocculants etc.,) have certain limitations of pH-sensitivity, poor efficiency and recoverability to treat a mixture of wide variety of contaminants present in the wastewater. In contrast, Mesograf graphene, being a 2D-material with high surface-area and functional-group tunability, exhibits outstanding adsorption and recyclability capabilities for a wide variety of contaminants.

Dr. Kiran Manga, Grafoid’s Engineering manager, stated: “Our Mesograf surface engineered graphene derivatives have been successfully deployed to meet the specific requirements (eg. removal of organic dyes from textile and leather industries, phenols and heavy metal ions from ore-processing industry etc.) of our industrial clients. Our GPURE technologies are able to remove up to 99.8% phenol contaminants, 99% dye removal from real-time industrial wastewater samples at neutral pH and room temperature.”

Bashir Ahmad, CEO, Liquinex Group Pte Ltd., confirmed the significance of the strategic partnership with Grafoid as a critical component to a successful roll-out by commenting, “Effective water treatment solutions require strong partnerships and alignment between both public sector, such as IPI Singapore, and private organizations to implement broad based adoption of innovative technologies — such as Grafoid — will be critical. We are empowered by this partnership with Grafoid and foresee tremendous potential.

Gary Economo, CEO, Grafoid acknowledged the potential global impact of the partnership with Liquinex, observing that  “We know that water is an integral part of many industrial processes and increasing demand for water for industrial uses will result from increasing economic activity. We believe that our GPURE technology can play a critical role in securing the future of water treatment around the globe.”

1 https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/06/05/1517364/0/en/Water-Treatment-Market-Poised-to-Register-7-4-CAGR-through-2027.html

* Apr 26, 2018 (marketresearch.biz via COMTEX)

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Grafoid Inc.

Pindler Releases Exclusive Ombre Patterns 

MOORPARK, Calif. — September 19, 2018 — Pindler has introduced four new exclusive fabrics inspired by the captivating beauty of paint on a canvas.

“These unique, exclusive fabrics add a fresh, new, decorative look to Pindler’s already expansive selection,” said Sarah Williamson, Pindler’s design manager. “Our design and product development team always strives to introduce inspiring and creative products that keep interior designers coming back, and I believe we’ve accomplished that with these exciting new patterns.”

The four patterns are detailed below:

Painterly – Inspired by abstract paintings of landscapes and printed in Italy exclusively for Pindler, Painterly features multicolor jewel tone stripes with pops of bright and acidic colors.

Abstract – Printed in Italy, this exclusive pattern is a contemporary print reminiscent of a work of art, with a beautiful ombre of bold and vibrant colorways.

Spettro – Spettro is a dramatic tonal ombre design made of velvet and woven in three vibrant jewel tones. Another exclusive pattern made in Italy, Spettro offers a luxurious hand with its plush pile and is a sophisticated way to introduce color into any room.

Gradient – Inspired by trending ombre and dip-dyed designs, Gradient is a unique, wide-width ombre fabric that is digitally printed on a sheer linen-blend ground and made in Turkey exclusively for Pindler.

Painterly, Abstract, Spettro and Gradient are currently available at Pindler’s 16 corporate showrooms and seven agent showroom locations across the country as well as three agent showrooms in Canada.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Pindler

New “Crafted In Japan With CORDURA® Fabric” Series Will Launch Fall 2018

TOKYO — September 19, 2018 — INVISTA Japan LLC announces its new “Crafted in Japan with CORDURA®? Fabric” series in collaboration with leading Japanese brands to showcase specialized manufacturing techniques and cutting-edge design. The campaign is a testimony to the Cordura brand’s appreciation and support for Japanese craftsmanship.  Incorporating Cordura fabric technologies trusted by the U.S. military for exceptional strength and durability, the series celebrates the development of forward-thinking, innovative bag, pack and carry solutions built to withstand the test of time.

“Cordura fabrics are used in a wide variety of stylish and long-lasting products from apparel to bags, packs, and footwear, and are trusted by many militaries and protective clothing companies around the globe. Our new series demonstrates how these fabrics can be utilized by Japanese brands and designers, who are global tastemakers on the forefront of product innovation,” says Takashi Kawasaki, Cordura brand Japanese business manager.

In the first phase of the project, the Cordura brand will release a video made in collaboration with leading bag brand master-piece (MSPC). Through close-up shots of the detailed work of artisans, from design planning to cutting and sewing, the video emphasizes the intricate detail and beauty of Japanese craftsmanship with Cordura fabric.

The video will be complemented with an Instagram giveaway campaign. By following the official Cordura brand Japanese Instagram account and clicking “like” on the post, three winners will receive master-piece’s 2018 POTENTIAL 2WAY backpack highlighted in the video. Entries must be made between 6 p.m. on September 13 and 6 p.m. on October 12, 2018.

Phase two of the campaign will feature a special collaboration with CIE., an up and coming, innovative Japanese bag brand that has taken a military approach to carry solutions. Cordura NYCO fabric, which is used widely used in US military uniform applications, is integrated in CIE.’s designs with minimalistic yet highly functional design.

“Pushing the boundaries of durable fabric technology through our latest innovations, combined with forward-thinking collaborations with our supply chain and brand customers continue to help drive our success,” said Cindy McNaull, global Cordura brand and marketing director. “Japanese craftsmanship has long been valued by the design world, and at the Cordura brand, we have a deep appreciation for the Japanese market, which values high-quality, built-to-last products.”

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand

Cifra Has Patented Its Know-How And Is Aiming For Sustainable Development And Outerwear

VERANO BRIANZA, Italy — September 19, 2018 — Cifra, a company in the production of Warp Knit Seamless (WKS™), has certified and patented its supply chain technology on an international level to further safeguard this extraordinary vocation and the undeniable uniqueness of it. The patenting of every single production process means that the importance of the history of this trade and of the path it has taken — with all the skills, investments, passion, and dedication necessary — be highlighted.

Sustainability gets a huge boost with the Zero Waste commitment (in warp seamless, all yarn is transformed into a product, whereas in traditional fabric the packaging waste is about 30 percent) and thanks to the growing use of eco-friendly or regenerated yarns such as ECONYL® by Aquafil, QNova and EVO® by Fulgar, and Sensil® Ecocare by Nilit Fibers.

The company from Lombardy simultaneously launches its first outerwear line, resulting from a lengthy, meticulous designing which today is an integral part of the production of the seamless warp Body Size for Base Layers that has become so successful on the market.

This new direction is dedicated to the production of contemporary and futuristic urban casual with a highly technological edge, or rather the creation of ventilation body mapping areas that allow for the body to experience a pleasant feeling of freshness together with an innovative aesthetic impact.

“The transferring of wks technology from “skin tight” underwear or sportswear to, as it were, outer urban wear and hi-tech outerwear is an innovation that we are sure will inspire both sports and fashion brands,” explained Cesare Citterio, CEO of WKS Cifra. “From a sports point of view, we are also studying a collection of garments that we will present at ISPO 2019 in Munich, designed specifically with the upcoming World Cup in Qatar in mind to combat the effects caused by high temperatures”.

On the communication front, WKS Cifra launches its concept video realized by the London agency Rokabyestudio that, thanks to the sentimental, touching slant given to it, briefly tells the story of this all-Italian excellence.

Among the most recent in textile innovations, Warp Knit Seamless is undoubtedly one of the most sweeping and extreme. This is a new way of envisioning the concept of seamless both in terms of production technique and product, compared to traditional garments made on circular or straight line machines. In the sports field, this innovative technology plays a fundamental role in the creation of unique, high-performance, functional garments with a contemporary style guaranteeing unprecedented comfort and durability.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Cifra

Ternua Is Recycling Plastic And Other Post-Industrial Waste Products In Its New SS19 Collection Of Backpacks And Travel Accessories

MONDRAGÓN, Spain — September 19, 2018 — In early summer, Ternua announced the launch of a collection of light and practical technical backpacks and travel accessories for the upcoming spring-summer 2019 season. The collection has a deep emotional significance because it reflects the adventurous and sustainable spirit and way of thinking and acting that comes from the remote Basque whalers who travelled to Newfoundland (Ternua in Basque) and inspired the name and logo of the brand. Along those lines, the brand’s bond with the cetaceans runs deeper and, in fact, it has adopted four whales through the WDC since its creation.

In the collection, Ternua is adding a range of recycled raw materials faithful to its commitment to respecting and caring for nature as well as using PFC free and water repellent treatments to that emotional inspiration. Specifically, these materials will be sourced from recycled bottles and other post-industrial waste. The waste could have ended up in the ocean in the food chain of living species, but Ternua is going to give it a second life. “Whales will be saving whales”.

The primary textile Ternua will use for the trekking backpacks will be Recycled Nylon 210D R/S sourced from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and 400D Recycled polyester sourced from recycling waste generated during thread manufacturing (post-industrial recycling). The textile and accessories will be 300D Recycled polyester sourced from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The inner lining will be 150D Recycled polyester sourced from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The Rain cover textile and backpack cover, on the other hand, will be Recycled 1500mm 210T PU polyester sourced from post-consumer recycled bottles. And for the Spirit Outdoors line of backpacks, specifically the Quaternote backpack, Ternua has chosen Recycled 210T Silicone nylon sourced from recycling waste generated during thread production (post-industrial recycling).

Consequently, we can say it’s not a mere collection of accessories for outdoor sport, but much more. The latest technological innovations in materials, textiles and processes have been used and they make the resulting products light, polyvalent and very technical. At the same time, however, the values and unique history of subsistence and survival of the whalers who crossed the ocean five-hundred years ago are applied in these accessories. They were unknown adventurers, nameless heroes, who risked their lives in an environment that was hostile, yet one they also loved. It is a commitment to respecting the environment that Ternua has championed since its birth. It is an eagerness to overcome boundaries and protect the planet and the people who live on it that is reflected in its way of doing things and it pervades every product it designs.

About Ternua. Ternua is a brand that designs and produces technical outdoor clothing. It markets its garments nationally and internationally and is present in more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. It belongs to the European Outdoor Group, which includes the most important outdoor and mountaineering brands in the world, who collaborate constructively and positively in promoting the common interests of the European outdoor sector. It’s also a member of the EOCA council, European Outdoor Conservation Association, which is a non-profit association that’s distributed more than € 2 M in environmental conservation projects since 2006. Likewise, it’s one of the founding members and on the council of the IGOT, It’s Great Out There, non-profit association whose goal is to promote outdoor activities in order to fight against sedentary lifestyles and thus improve the quality of life and socialization of the people involved. Furthermore, it sponsors top-level sporting events and athletes.

Ternua designs and produces its products according to sustainability parameters. The entire SS 19 textile collection is PFC free and Commitment, which certifies the garments have been manufactured with recycled, bio-degradable or natural materials, organic cotton or Bluesign certified materials. Also in the upcoming collection, 28% of the clothing is made with recycled textiles like carpet, fishing nets, plastic bottles, feathers, coffee grounds, wool or walnut shells, 61% has Bluesign certification and 22.8% has organic textiles.  Don’t forget it’s also a pioneer in using Neokdun recycled feathers in all its feather products and in applying a PFC free waterproofing treatment to recycled feathers.

In the field of innovation, Ternua has elite partners, notably including the alpinist Alberto Iñurrategi, who examine and test the prototype garments that are designed, in a kind of innovation laboratory, as they set the new challenges in the development of new products by testing them before their market launch (What’s Next Project). Finally, it is worth highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship, as a real clothing manufacturer with the ability to make garments in its own headquarters, something that few brands can claim.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Ternua

Suominen To Increase Prices Globally

HELSINKI, Finland — September 19, 2018 — Suominen, a global nonwovens company, announces global price increases effective October 1, 2018. The price increases will vary depending on product and region but will apply to all Suominen products.

This all-encompassing price increase is a response to unprecedented increase in raw material, freight and utility prices, some of which have gone up as much as 40 percent this year. Suominen will be approaching its customers to communicate specifics as soon as possible.

“Our industry is living through an unusual time period when standard approaches are not applicable,” says Tapio Engström, president and CEO (interim) of Suominen. “We remain committed to delivering outstanding quality and service to our customers globally.”

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: Suominen

MAS Recognised As “Exporting Conglomerate Of The Year” At The Presidential Export Awards 2018

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — September 18, 2018 — MAS Holdings made history by being recognized as the “Exporting Conglomerate of the Year,” as the overall award was introduced for the first time to appreciate and celebrate export excellence by a Sri Lankan corporate at the Presidential Export Awards 2018.

At the same event, MAS Intimates was honored with the coveted “Exporter of the Year Award” as well as also receiving the Overall Awards for “Net Foreign Exchange Earner” and “Contributor from the Region to the Export Supply Chain.”

In addition to the four overall awards, MAS walked away with two Sectoral Awards, the “Highest Foreign Exchange Earner – Apparel” award won by MAS Intimates and the “Highest Foreign Exchange Earner – Footwear” award won by MAS Fabrics Matrix.

The gala Awards were held under the patronage of His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena at the BMICH, Colombo.

Commenting on the occasion, chairman and Co-founder of MAS Holdings, Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean said, “Today, consumer dynamics have evolved, and digital commerce is disrupting the traditional retail landscape. Digitization is creating opportunities while Innovation will play an important role in transforming the apparel industry”. He goes on to state “MAS is proud to have contributed towards positioning Sri Lanka as an ethical and sustainable destination for high value-added, technologically advanced design-to-delivery apparel solutions. These awards are a testament of the hard work and commitment shown by all our associates across the country and beyond.”

Initiated by the Export Development Board in 1981, the Presidential Export Awards (PEA) are the most prestigious awards for exports in Sri Lanka and are presented to exporters who have made a significant contribution to Sri Lanka’s exports.

The Presidential Export Awards recognize and reward the top performers of the export community who contribute largely to national development. The awards are conferred following a stringent selection process, curating those who excel in export business, especially in non-traditional products and services. The Conglomerate of the Year Award was adjudged based on criteria that encapsulated a company’s export turnover, financial performance, value addition and creation of employment opportunities. Focused areas such as product and market innovation as well as the implementation of sustainable policies where MAS Holdings has displayed industry-wide dominance and leadership over the years were also evaluated. Other measures such as a company’s impact through CSR, implementation of Quality Management Systems, incremental growth of exports, and exports under Sri Lankan registered brands rounded the list of criteria that saw MAS claiming the top honor of the night.

Posted September 19, 2018

Source: MAS Holdings

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