Techtextil North America Shows Continued Growth With 2017 Edition

ATLANTA — July 11, 2017 — The 14th edition of Techtextil North America took place June 20-22, 2017 at McCormick Place – Lakeside Center in Chicago. This was the fifth edition of Techtextil North America hosted outside of Atlanta, held in the even years, and the first of its kind in Chicago. The Lakeside Center at McCormick Place provided a beautiful backdrop of the Chicago skyline while over 3,000 attendees networked with producers, manufacturers and finishers from across the world over the course of the three-day event.

The two in one event, co-located with JEC Americas’ Future of Composites in Construction, resulted in the largest technical textiles, nonwovens, textile machinery, and composites show in the United States this year — facilitating an active exchange of ideas and new partnerships across industries.

The 2017 Techtextil North America show hosted 167 exhibitors from 16 countries. The co-located event with JEC Americas attracted 3,096 visitors from around the world representing Apple, Tesla, Reebok and more.

“We are pleased to announce that this year’s Techtextil North America, hosted in Chicago, Illinois, resulted in a 40-percent increase in attendance over the 2015 edition. Over the course of three days, the event garnered a dynamic audience — with visitors from geographies and verticals not represented at previous editions of the show. This significant growth in attendance indicates the industry’s increasing demand for international networking opportunities, and we are proud to provide a forum that facilitates new business relationships and encourages global innovation for the textile industry,” said Dennis Smith, president and CEO, Messe Frankfurt North America.

Techtextil North America 2017 saw a 15-percent increase in total number of exhibitors over the 2015 edition held in Houston, with 60-percent growth in space rented by overseas exhibitors.

World-Class Symposium 2017

A regular feature to the Techtextil North America show schedule, the much anticipated Symposium, this year boasted five sessions with 23 industry expert presentations that covered the topics of advancements in manufacturing and waste minimization, innovations in automotive design, smart textiles and wearables, and overcoming talent sourcing challenges in the industry.

As an addition to the paid sessions, a complimentary joint session was held in collaboration with JEC Americas focusing on technical textiles and composites in building and construction applications.

Tech Talks

This year, Messe Frankfurt partnered with the Nonwovens Institute to bring a new feature to the show floor. Tech Talks were complimentary sessions with first come, first serve seating powered by the Nonwovens Institute. In addition to sessions on filtration, safety and transportation presented by Dave Nelson, the Nonwovens Institute’s Director of Industry Engagement, graduate student Poster Program participants had the opportunity to present their research on the show floor, giving attendees and exhibitors a glance at the ideas and talent coming from the top textile programs in the country.

Attendee Statements

“I’ve been impressed with the diversity of suppliers at the show. I’ve met with companies from around the globe and am happy to see representation from countries like Germany and China, as well as companies focusing on American made products,” said Fred Langdon, senior engineer, Proctor & Gamble. “We’re looking for durable and disposable nonwovens and have been very pleased.”

“The symposium sessions were informative and interesting,” said Lisa Paige, technical lead engineer, ArjoHuntleigh. “It’s good to see where technology is going. I regularly attend this show in the US and Frankfurt and always get a lot out of the sessions. I am looking forward to next year.”

Exhibitors were pleased with the show’s Midwest location and high quality of attendees:

“FIT’s Global Fashion Management students — who are also professionals in industry — were impressed with the diversity of specialties represented among the show’s attendees,” said Pamela Ellsworth, Associate Professor and Chairperson for the Global Fashion Management Program, Fashion Institute of Technology. “For such a short period of time, the show provided a great deal of value.”

“We were very pleased with this year’s show,” said Dominique Quintal, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Filspec. “Due to fewer exhibitors, we were able to get more attention. We had visitors nonstop for three days — existing customers, new customers, customers bringing their contacts to our booth. We were also able to form relationships with other exhibitors, providing a lot of new project opportunities. We are really happy with the turnout.”

“Techtextil (North America) gives Bostik the opportunity to showcase our technical solutions for an evolving textile market while meeting with industry professionals,” said Igor Leclere, Business Director for the Americas Industrial Adhesives Unit, Bostik.

Techtextil North America 2018

The fifteenth edition of Techtextil North America, the only trade show in the Americas dedicated to technical textiles and nonwovens, will be co-located with Texprocess Americas, May 22-24, 2018 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas are set to attract upwards of 9,000 visitors, an estimated 500+ exhibitors and feature a symposium schedule with 120+ speakers from across the industry spectrum.

Posted July 11, 2017

Source: Messe Frankfurt Inc.

Brother Improves Equipment Uptime To Deliver Superior Service Experiences With Syncron

ATLANTA — July 11, 2017 — Syncron™, a provider of cloud-based after-sales service solutions focused on empowering the world’s manufacturers to maximize product uptime and deliver exceptional customer experiences, today announced Brother Industries Ltd. — a multinational manufacturer of print and imaging equipment, machine tools and industrial and home sewing machines — has selected Syncron to improve product uptime around the world through optimized service parts management. Choosing Syncron Inventory™ for its ease-of-use and ROI potential, Brother’s Machinery Business division aims to eliminate manual processes and improve the overall service experience.

Because of the long lifecycle of industrial equipment — oftentimes more than 20 years — and the variations in downtime severity, manufacturers within the industry need to ensure service parts are available when and where they are most in demand to ensure product uptime. With the understanding that industrial machinery is critical to manufacturing, as any downtime could halt production lines, Brother wanted to automate its service parts inventory management. This allows Brother to avoid excess and obsolete inventory – consistently ensuring service parts are immediately available when and where a repair is needed.

Takashi Yamada, general manager, Machine Tools CS Planning Department, Machinery Business Division at Brother stated: “Everything we do is based on improving and maximizing product uptime, and with more than 70 percent of machines sold outside of Japan, we sought a truly global solution that would allow us to manage service parts inventory around the world from a central interface. At Brother, our focus on service is always top of mind, and we are thrilled to better serve our loyal customers via exceptional service experiences. The Syncron solution will scale with us as we grow, eliminating our current manual processes and ultimately improving customer satisfaction.”

Prior to selecting Syncron, it was a time-consuming, manual process for Brother to forecast and plan service parts inventory for its products. In addition to eliminating these cumbersome processes, Brother also aims to improve visibility into excess and obsolete service parts inventory via advanced analytics.

“Today’s most forward-thinking companies realize maximizing product uptime is a key competitive differentiator and revenue-driver,” said Johan Stakeberg, Head of Global Sales at Syncron. “We are thrilled to have Brother join our impressive customer base, and are excited to work with them to enhance the customer experience through quick and reliable service repairs, as well as improve margins and revenue.”

Brother will initially roll out Syncron among its Machinery Business Division in Japan and China, with the expectation of implementing in additional regions, and in other business units in the near future — guaranteeing satisfied customers around the globe.

Posted July 11, 2017

Source: Brother Industries Ltd.

Lectra And Armani Nurture Young Pattern-Making Talent

PARIS — July 11, 2017 — Lectra ensures pattern-making students in Italy benefit from cutting-edge technology and nurture key skills thanks to a recent competition organized in cooperation with Armani at Istituto Secoli.

Lectra has developed partnerships with more than 850 fashion schools across the world, providing them with solutions and expertise to help the teachers prepare students with the skills they require for the workplace. Working with leading education partners, Lectra organises regular student competitions in association with customers. The latest competition with Istituto Secoli, renowned for its pattern-making savoir-faire, and organized with Armani, is a clear example of industry and education working hand-in-hand to nurture young fashion designers.

Students at Istituto Secoli developed their collections using Lectra’s Modaris® and Diamino® solutions to create their patterns, prototypes and markers. In addition, students from the master’s program in menswear cut their creations with Vector®, Lectra’s state-of-the-art fabric cutting solution.

Thanks to the trusted relationship that Lectra has with its customer G.A. Operations of the Giorgio Armani group, one of the winning students, graduating in menswear, has the opportunity to take up an internship in the collection development department.

“We were very pleased with Lectra’s initiative and were delighted to offer educational internships at G.A. Operations. We chose the winning student for his creative skills and for his training on Modaris and Diamino. This gives us the important advantage of bringing somebody with proven technical skills into our team,” stated Giorgio Ferremi, industrial director G.A. Operations at Trento.

“The role of Lectra must increasingly be to promote and support dialogue between fashion schools and companies,” underlined Fabio Canali, managing director, Lectra Italy. “We are delighted that Armani has accepted to support the fruitful collaboration we have with Secoli, and help their students to develop their professional skills.”

Posted July 11, 2017

Source: Lectra

X-Rite Brings Color Measurement Accuracy To Smartphones And Online Shopping

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — July 11, 2017 — X-Rite Inc. and its subsidiary Pantone LLC announced the launch of Color-Eye®, a groundbreaking solution that brings accurate color measurement to smartphones and ecommerce applications. Color-Eye uses a smartphone and a color calibration card to help consumers shop for new items that match or complement the color of items they have at home. It delivers the highest level of color consistency available in a consumer retail shopping application. Cosmetics, home and fashion and retail paint companies can integrate Color-Eye into their existing mobile shopping applications, allowing consumers to search, match and purchase goods with a high degree of color confidence.

X-Rite research shows that consumers lack confidence in purchasing color-critical items online. This uncertainty is typically due to past experiences which did not meet expectations and a difficulty in communicating color from home to store. Consumers expect to be able to simply take a photo of the inspiration color and match it to a desired item. However, digital camera technology alone cannot accurately determine an object’s color, which is affected by lighting, glossiness, texture, angle of view, and sensitivity of the camera. Color calibration tools and color software are required to help overcome these challenges to provide a more color accurate image.

“Color is a deciding factor in a customer’s purchasing decision and can be a leading cause for customer returns,” said Chris Winczewski, vice president, Strategy and Product Planning, X-Rite. “Color-Eye is the only solution on the market that incorporates both a color calibration card and software to ensure accurate color results in a mobile application. With Color-Eye, retailers will be able to help customers accurately match a paint color to a favorite pillow or accent piece, simply by capturing the color on a mobile device. This has the potential to reshape how consumers search, match and purchase goods such as apparel, home décor or cosmetics on mobile devices.”

How Color-Eye Works

Color-Eye is a slim color calibration card that is used in collaboration with a smartphone application to accurately measure the color of any inspirational item. Color readings are incorporated into a retailer’s mobile shopping application and deliver the consumer a set of matching or coordinating products.

Color-Eye utilizes X-Rite’s expertise to calibrate color values across all lighting conditions. The application, in use with the smartphone, incorporates dual-illumination technology by taking two images with the flash on and off resulting in improved color accuracy. The calibration card is manufactured with a unique process that creates both glossy bubbles and patches to help account for lighting glare. Together the calibration card and the X-Rite software help prevent bad color matches due to poor lighting; and guides users as they position the phone to avoid glare. The result is a more reliable color reading that can communicate with a brand or retailer’s ecommerce application and product database to deliver consumers matching or harmonizing products.

“Color-Eye builds on the success of the X-Rite CAPSUREme Cosmetic offering that uses custom printed cards and a smartphone to match skin tones with foundation colors,” continues Winczewski. “With Color-Eye, we have taken this technology a step further to account for lighting, texture and gloss in order to reliably match any item a consumer may have at home to find coordinating colors. Color-Eye gives retailers and paint manufacturers the opportunity to build consumer trust by enabling greater confidence in color-critical purchases, both online and in-store. This increases consumer loyalty, reduces returns, and drives purchases of paint and beyond.”

Color-Eye currently supports iPhone SE, 6S, 6S+, 7, 7+; Android Nexus 5; and Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S7, S7 Edge, S7 Active. Additional devices will be supported in the future.

Posted July 11, 2017

Source: X-Rite

Imports Could Hit New Record As Busy Merchants Stock Up

WASHINGTON — July 10, 2017 — July and August should be two of the busiest months ever seen for imports at the nation’s major retail container ports, possibly setting a new record as merchants enter the back-to-school season and begin to stock up for the holiday season that will follow, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“We’re expecting retailers to import some of the largest volumes of merchandise ever,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “That’s a good indicator of what could be ahead for consumer demand and retail sales, and it’s a sign that retail is going strong despite what you might read in the headlines.”

Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.72 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in May, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 7.3 percent from April and up 6.2 percent from May 2016. One TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.

June was estimated at 1.66 million TEU, up 5.3 percent from the same time last year. July is forecast at 1.71 million TEU, up 5.1 percent from last year; August at 1.75 million TEU, up 2.2 percent; September at 1.66 million TEU, up 4.3 percent; October at 1.71 million TEU, up 2.2 percent, and November at 1.6 million TEU, down 2.7 percent from last year.

The August figure would be the highest monthly volume recorded since NRF began tracking imports in 2000, topping the 1.73 million TEU seen in March 2015. The 1.7 million-plus numbers seen in May, July, August and October represent four of the six busiest months in the report’s history.

The first half of 2017 is expected to total 9.63 million TEU, up 7.1 percent from the first half of 2016. Cargo volume for 2016 totaled 18.8 million TEU, up 3.1 percent from 2015, which had grown 5.4 percent from 2014.

NRF has forecast that 2017 retail sales — excluding automobiles, gasoline and restaurants — will increase between 3.7 and 4.2 percent over 2016, driven by job and income growth coupled with low debt. Cargo volume does not correlate directly with sales because only the number of containers is counted, not the value of the cargo inside, but nonetheless provides a barometer of retailers’ expectations.

Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett, an internationally known economist who prepares Global Port Tracker for NRF, said the increases in imports have come despite threats by the Trump administration to impose new limits on international trade.

“Some actions to date appear to have alienated traditional allies and are causing them to work more closely together, leaving the United States on the sidelines,” Hackett wrote in his monthly editorial comment in the report. “ ‘America First’ may well result in protectionist actions that will cut the United States off from the benefits of the global value chain and economic growth for U.S. importers and exporters.”

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by the consulting firm Hackett Associates, covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades and Miami on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.

Posted July 10, 2017

Source: NRF — National Retail Federation

SPGPrints Expands Inkjet Ink Production Capacity As Part Of Digital Textile Printing Leadership Strategy

BOXMEER, the Netherlands — July 10, 2017 — SPGPrints strengthens its commitment to the textile printing industry by doubling the size of its digital ink production facility at its Boxmeer, the Netherlands, headquarters for the second time in two years. Scheduled to open in the final quarter of 2017, the expanded 1,000m2 production facility is part of an 8 million euro capital investment programm. This will also include the building of the new Experience Center, dedicated to driving innovation in digital textile printing.

A global leader in the production of digital textile printing systems, the company manufactures reactive, acid, disperse and sublimation inks for use with digital inkjet printers, covering the full range of textile applications.

The expanded facility is in close proximity to both SPGPrints’ research and development laboratories, and the corporate headquarters so that communication chains are short and decisions can be made quickly. When the facility is completed, at least ten new positions per shift will be created, providing an employment boost for the local economy.

The investment in the ink plant expansion is another step towards SPGPrints’ goal of making digital the mainstream printing technology for textile applications. For more than 30 years, the company has, through its innovation, led the textile industry in digital technologies, and is poised to continue that commitment.

SPGPrints’ subsidiary company, Veco B.V., of Eerbeek, the Netherlands, develops precision metal parts for a wide range of markets, including the design and production of nozzle plates for inkjet print heads. The synergy enabled by the relationships with the major suppliers for print heads in the textile market means that inks and print heads can be designed to work optimally, and deliver the best technologies to the customer.

“The combination of research and development, print head expertise, close relations with print head suppliers, and our ink manufacturing capability gives SPGPrints a unique position in the textile market,” said Jos Notermans, commercial manager digital textiles at SPGPrints. “The increase in the volume of our ink production means that we will continue to be able to serve the expanding digital textile printing market that we have helped to build over the last three decades.

“The global retail markets are now in a position to take advantage of the benefits of digital printing as it moves into the mainstream as a production method,” he said. “SPGPrints will ensure that printers and inks are available to allow our customers to ride the digital wave.”

Posted July 10, 2017

Source: SPGPrints

Crypton® Names New VP of Marketing

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan — July 10, 2017 — The Crypton Companies, a leading provider of performance fabrics in the contract, home furnishings and apparel markets, today announced the expansion of its marketing team. Matt Targett has been hired as Vice President of Marketing for Crypton. This is a new position and he will be based in the company’s Bloomfield Hills office.

Targett joins Crypton after 7 years at La-Z-Boy, Inc. as the Vice President of Digital Customer Experience, where he developed, led and coordinated the cross-functional efforts for all of the brand’s broad reaching digital customer initiatives. Targett earned his Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he still resides today.

“Marketing has always been a vital part of our company’s success and it’s critical that we continue to place a high degree of focus in this area to help our company continue its aggressive growth path,” said Randy Rubin, Founder and Co-Chairman of Crypton. “Matt’s proven track record in marketing, brand development, media strategy and team building makes him a natural fit for our growing company.”

His responsibilities at Crypton include working with all aspects of our marketing strategy and building and enhancing partnership relations to advance Crypton’s various products to market. Matt will play a significant role in expanding the reach and awareness of Crypton Home’s product offerings for consumer audiences. Targett will report to CEO Lance Keziah and work closely with Founder, Co-Chairman and Brand Ambassador Randy Rubin.

Targett is the recipient of three ADDY awards, the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, and was named to the 2014 Top 25 Innovators List by iMedia Communications.

In April 2017, Berkley Capital, LLC acquired a majority stake in The Crypton Companies (Crypton LLC and Nanotex LLC). The investment will allow for more expansion in new business lines and applications for both the Crypton and Nanotex businesses.

Posted July 10, 2017

Source: The Crypton Companies

Outdoor Retailer Chooses Denver For All Shows Beginning January 2018

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. — July 6, 2017 —Emerald Expositions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Expositions Events Inc., producer of Outdoor Retailer, has selected Denver for the site of all Outdoor Retailer tradeshows, including Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, Outdoor Retailer Summer Market and Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, which will move to November in 2018. It is intended that Grassroots Connect will co-locate in Denver with Outdoor Retailer when an appropriate venue is procured.

“We received submissions from truly incredible outdoor cities — a testament to the strength of the outdoor community,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer show director. “Denver is the undeniable industry choice. Bringing these organizations together and basing the show in a state that places such a high value on outdoor recreation is the best move we can make for the outdoor industry. As outdoor recreation evolves, outdoor businesses need to stand together and adapt to those changes to successfully move forward. We look forward to building a future together and thank Governor Hickenlooper, Luis Benitez, director for the office of Outdoor Recreation, and Mayor Hancock, for their gracious support.”

Outdoor Retailer engaged industry partners throughout the process to help identify the best venue for the show. The decision to move to Denver is strongly supported by the outdoor community that relies on Outdoor Retailer to be the place where the entire industry comes together to conduct business, to share best practices and to exchange ideas. This move and partnerships with Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), SnowSports Industries America (SIA) and Grassroots Outdoor Alliance showcase the strength of the outdoor industry and a progressive approach to the changing outdoor recreation landscape.

“Outdoor recreation is a huge economic force in the state of Colorado,” said Amy Roberts, executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association. “It generates $28 billion in consumer spending annually and contributes a whopping 229,000 jobs and two billion dollars in state and local tax revenue. Colorado’s elected officials have shown significant leadership in promoting policies that ensure the outdoor recreation economy continues to thrive. OIA looks forward to having our industry gathering contribute to Denver’s economy and serve as a platform for collaboration that increases outdoor access and participation for all Americans.”

“SIA is thrilled that the Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show will remain in Denver,” says Nick Sargent, president of SIA. “In 2010, SIA brought the 50-year-old Snow Show to Colorado. Since then SIA, Denver and the state have worked together to build the best platform for the winter business, thereby laying the foundation for this announcement. Denver has been an outstanding partner to SIA and the winter industry, and we are excited to help grow the economic impact that the Outdoor Retailer shows and the SIA On-Snow Demo bring to the state.”

The relocation to Denver begins in January 2018. The full calendar of shows for 2018 include:

  • SIA Industry + Intelligence Day – January 24, 2018
  • Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show – January 25-28, 2018
  • SIA On-Snow Demo – January 29-30, 2018, Copper Mountain, Colo.
  • Outdoor Retailer Summer Market – July 23-26, 2018
  • Outdoor Retailer Winter Market – November 8-11, 2018

Future dates will be released in the next 30 days.

“Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office could not be prouder that Outdoor Retailer selected Denver as its new home,” said Luis Benitez, director of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. “The State of Colorado and Outdoor Retailer share the common belief that protecting public lands is not only good for the economy, but also, for the soul. We look forward to becoming the gravitational hub for the thought leadership that represents this important industry that makes an enormous contribution to both Colorado’s and the country’s economy. We’re especially excited to send a heartfelt welcome to all exhibitors and attendees and look forward to serving and promoting the industry for many years to come.”

“Denver is a wonderful choice for hosting a co-located Outdoor Retailer and Grassroots Connect,” says Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. “These combined events in Denver will deliver the most effective and efficient nine days of our specialty-retail buying cycle. We look forward to continue working closely with Outdoor Retailer and OIA to achieve this and other shared industry goals.”

Posted July 7, 2017

Source: Emerald Expositions

Spinnova Partnering With The World’s Leading Eucalyptus Pulp Producer Fibria

JYV SKYL AREA, Finland  — July 7, 2017 — Spinnova Ltd. has started long term partnership with Fibria, Brazilian forestry company and the world’s leading producer of eucalyptus pulp from planted forests. Through this investment Fibria is Spinnova’s new minor shareholder and board member. The partnership with Fibria will help Spinnova grow its business faster and opens up new business opportunities for both companies.

VTT spin-off Spinnova signed an agreement to partner with Fibria, Brazilian forestry company. Fibria will pay 5 million euros for 18-percent minority interest in Spinnova.

“Spinnova’s partnership with Fibria will help us grow our business faster and significantly enhance our global competitiveness. We value highly this win-win partnership with a lot of strategic level synergies and a shared vision. We have been impressed with Fibria’s ability to work with a small technology company when actively looking for new business opportunities”, said Spinnova’s CEO and founder Janne Poranen.

“The partnership strengthens Fibria’s positioning for the development of new high-value products that go beyond the commodity concept and complement our global leadership in eucalyptus pulp production. The acquisition of an interest in Spinnova strengthens our portfolio of investments in companies with the capacity to offer solutions for problems related to climate change and the low-carbon economy,” said Fibria’s CEO Marcelo Castelli.

The agreement signed between Spinnova and Fibria features a joint investment in the development of a pilot production line for testing the feasibility of Spinnova’s technologies and production on a pre-commercial scale. If the project reaches the commercial phase, the two companies could create a joint venture for producing and marketing products.

Posted July 7, 2017

Source: Spinnova Ltd.

How ‘Green’ Is Your Waterproof Jacket? Many Are Over-Engineered For Purpose, Study Finds

LEEDS, England — July 7, 2017 — In the face of unpredictable weather conditions, waterproof jackets have become key items in many people’s wardrobes.

But new research from the University of Leeds suggests that the use of controversial fluorochemicals in the manufacture of most of these garments may be unnecessary.

The chemistry used to repel rain from fabric has raised concerns from European legislative bodies, academia and environmentalists.

As well as posing potential risks to the environment, fluorocarbons have also been associated with health problems in humans.

Some clothing brands have switched to alternative chemistries, but many have claimed it is challenging to meet other repellency requirements — such as stain resistance and oil repellency — without the use of fluorochemicals.

Research from Leeds’ School of Design, published in the journal Chemosphere, has for the first time compared the performance of fabrics with newer, alternative finishes alongside ones treated with fluorocarbons.

In addition to subjecting samples of 22 different fabrics to extensive chemical analysis and testing, the Leeds team surveyed 575 outdoor enthusiasts who regularly participate in hiking, trekking, mountaineering and hill-walking, about how they used such clothing.

“Most studies just look at technical aspects or environmental pollution, but we wanted to see what consumers considered the most important factors in choosing outdoor clothing,” said Philippa Hill, whose PhD research is the subject of the paper.

“We found that 82 percent of people considered water repellency to be the most important factor, but the majority of people were indifferent to levels of stain resistance and oil repellency — one participant even said ‘I don’t get oily when walking’,” added Miss Hill.

Dr Richard Blackburn heads the Sustainable Materials Research Group at Leeds.

“We concluded that the use of fluorochemicals in outdoor apparel represents over-engineering, providing oil repellency that is in excess of user requirements,” said Dr. Blackburn.

“Significant environmental and toxicological benefits could be achieved by switching outdoor apparel to non-fluorinated finishes without a significant reduction in garment water-repellency performance.”

Leeds’ School of Design has a long-standing relationship with the outdoor industry and used world-class in-house clothing testing facilities to compare the performance of fabric samples supplied by various manufacturers and brands, which were finished with either fluorochemicals, non-fluorinated chemistry, or were untreated.

Performance clothing lecturer Dr. Mark Taylor, also from the School of Design, said: “We found water repellency ratings were similar across the range of all finished fabrics tested. Non-fluorinated finishes provided no oil repellency, as expected.”

Sustainability is a growing concern within the textile and clothing industry, which uses a quarter of all the chemicals produced across the globe. They are used to alter fabric properties such as feel, flame-retardancy and water-repellency, as well as color.

Dr Blackburn added: “It’s very important that sustainability should be about better chemistry. Consumers don’t need to compromise on performance for the sake of the environment. However, for all products and processes we have to weigh up if the requirements we are aiming for are fit for purpose.”

Once economies of scale kicked in, he said the relatively new-to-market non-fluorinated fabrics were unlikely to be more expensive than their counterparts.

The team’s conclusions are being explored by further research into the effects of laundering, abrasion and aging on the various fabrics.

Pamela Ravasio is Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability with the European Outdoor Group, which represents the sector.

She said: “The European Outdoor Group welcomes this new research, which adds scientific insight and data to this complex and multi-faceted issue. One of the key challenges we encounter as an industry is that there is very little reliable, scientifically-based data available.

“This limits understanding of the long-term environmental and health impacts of the new chemistries — such knowledge is also critical to avoid new chemistries being introduced which turn out to be even more harmful than those they replace.

“We look forward to further research that will increase knowledge and contribute to better technologies.”

Posted July 7, 2017

Source: University of Leeds

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