ZURICH — December 7, 2017 — Customers are particularly demanding if the textile has direct contact with skin. Since 1992, OEKO-TEX® has offered textile testing for harmful substances using independent laboratory tests. Yet customer consciousness towards textiles is constantly expanding and nowadays other questions are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions: Was this bedding produced under socially responsible and safe conditions? Were these towels produced by an environmentally friendly company? The MADE IN GREEN label answers all the customer’s queries with a clear and simple “yes”. It is only issued for textile products that have been tested for harmful substances according to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX and that also originate from sustainable production facilities following the requirements of the STeP by OEKO-TEX certification (STeP stands for “Sustainable Textile Production”). “If customers consider the MADE IN GREEN LABEL, they have the opportunity to make a sustainable purchase decision for themselves, fellow human beings and the environment” explained Georg Dieners, General Secretary of the OEKO-TEX Association.

Although the label was only introduced in 2015, numerous home textiles are now labelled with MADE IN GREEN, the clear commitment to improving product safety and ecological and social production conditions. This includes mattress toppers and incontinence support, hand towels, bedding and pillows from the companies Amidex, Dibella, Loftex, Setex, and Adam Matheis GmbH und Co. KG with their brand Schlafgut (Sleep Well), just to name a few.

The MADE IN GREEN label offers consumers a level of transparency that was previously unattainable. Each label has a unique product ID or QR code. With this, customers can trace the production of the respective product directly in the shop via their smartphone. A brief scan of the QR code provides answers, among others, to questions such as: In which production facility along the textile chain was this textile produced? In which countries did production take place? This creates trust and offers customers an additional opportunity to inform themselves directly about products and compare them to one another when buying textiles. The MADE IN GREEN label, introduced in spring 2015, is therefore a compelling sales argument, particularly for brands and retailers with an affiliated supply chain that market to health conscious and responsibly minded customers.

To simplify the selection of MADE IN GREEN labelled products for retailers and companies, OEKO-TEX provides the OEKO-TEX Buying Guide free of charge at www.oeko-tex.com/products. The tool provides support with the sourcing of raw materials and products, as well as in the selection of cooperative partners and suppliers along the textile chain. OEKO-TEX thus offers companies and retailers a complete system based on highly coordinated and integrated labels and services. Those wishing to obtain an overview in person can speak directly to the OEKO-TEX experts from several member institutes at the Heimtextil exhibition 2018 in hall 8.0, booth D96.

Posted December 7, 2017

Source: OEKO-TEX®

MASON, Ohio — December 7, 2017 — With more than 100 years of down processing expertise that began in Europe prior to settling in the United States in the late 1940’s, Downlite not only knows a thing or two about down, but how the buying trends of this commodity have evolved over the years.

“Years ago, buyers’ primary concerns when purchasing down and feather for bedding and outdoor gear were that it was clean and delivered to factories on time,” said Chad Altbaier, vice president, Downlite Outdoor. “Today there are many additional factors involved in the buying decision such as where and how the down is sourced, a supplier’s stand on environmental and sustainability matters, product innovation and cost. We continually need to be pro-active and rigorously evolve on each of these fronts.”

Being in tune with customer needs and market conditions, Downlite has developed new down-fill innovations involving natural and recycled materials, which offer the dual benefit of enhancing the performance of the material, while being grounded in its core value of environmental stewardship.

At the forthcoming 2018 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and ISPO trade show, Downlite will highlight the following new down fills and sustainability initiatives.

Performance Fills

• GRS certified re/charged™ down provides unprecedented performance levels for 100% recycled down due to its ability to ‘boost’ the down to a higher cluster and resulting fill power. re/charged down is offered in both white and gray colors and can be combined with Downlite’s performance-enhancing technologies such as its proprietary PFC-free DWR treatments and Pur-Down™ anti-microbial solution. Downlite has increased capacity to meet increased customer demand for GRS certified re/charged down.

• Repreve®-down blend is an intimate blend of Repreve — a brand creating GRS certified post-consumer recycled fiber made from plastic bottles – and virgin down and/or Downlite’s GRS certified recycled down blends. Repreve down-blend offers a sustainable solution with enhanced performance benefits.

• Wool-Down HALO™ is a proprietary blend of nature’s best insulating materials. Wool-Down HALO uses a traceable wool sourced in the U.S. and has achieved new laundry durability standards. This fiber brings the temperature and humidity control benefits of wool together with the loft, softness, and compressibility of down.

• PFC-Free DWR Treatment Enhancements offering increased wash durability and performance in PFC-free DWR treated down and down blends.

Sustainability initiatives

• Waste Water Recycling System — A little over one year ago, Downlite installed an advanced waste water recycling system, which allows Downlite to dramatically reduce the amount of water needed to cleanse down and feathers to hypo-allergenic levels – two times governmental standards. To date, the system has recycled 36MM gallons of water. That’s enough water to fill nearly 55 Olympic size swimming pools!

• 1% For the Planet — 1% of the sales of Downlite’s GRS certified re/charged™ down, in addition to 1% of sales of the company’s eco-friendly Evolution of Comfort bedding collection from its Home Division featuring organic and recycled materials, earth-friendly components and chemistries, will be donated to 1% For the Planet.

• Composting — Downlite engages with an outside organic recycling company to utilize the large waste feathers that traditionally end up in landfill and, instead, treat them for soil compost. The dry feathers help make the compost more manageable when mixed with other matter. Due to feathers added pore space, they also degrade the organic matter of the compost more efficiently. Lastly, feathers are rich in keratin, a protein that slowly releases nitrogen when added to compost. The slow release of nitrogen allows for long-term plant growth stimulation.

Brand Partners

Downlite proudly supplies its performance down fills to the following prestigious brands: Patagonia, The North Face, Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Hardwear, Ralph Lauren, lululemon, REI, Cascade Designs, Jack Wolfskin, Berghaus, Helly Hanson, Nemo, Mammut and Bergans, among others.

Posted December 7, 2017

Source: Downlite

STAMFORD, Conn. — December 6, 2017 — Harman International — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets — and Under Armour today announced the launch of UA Sport Wireless Flex headphones. These wireless neckband headphones epitomize intuitive, sleek design, remarkable sound quality and impressive versatility to provide athletes with a secure fit when at the gym or on-the-go.

UA Sport Wireless Flex is built with bend-and-stay Flex Zones in the neckband for adjustable fit and all-day comfort. Users can adjust the Flex Zones for continuous comfort or in-workout stability. UA Sport Wireless Flex includes a best-in-class Speed Charge Battery, which allows for one hour of playback with just five minutes of charging time, and plays for over 11 hours when fully charged. The headphones feature an embedded RunSafe™ LED feature with three flashing modes for increased visibility and safety in low-light conditions.

UA Sport Wireless Flex is tuned with JBL Charged Sound, a sport-optimized, acoustic research-based sound signature — custom developed by JBL for Under Armour headphones. To ensure a secure fit, the headphones feature two-piece Sport Flex eartips in three size options. Magnetic earbuds eliminate the hassle of untangling cords, enabling quick access when heading to the gym or receiving a phone call. For convenience, four simple buttons enable athletes to control their music, take phone calls, control the RunSafe LED, and even trigger Siri® and Google Now™.

“UA Sport Wireless Flex headphones are made for the modern athlete with customized fit at the neck and ears, bold, powerful JBL Charged Sound, and RunSafe LED that helps keeps athletes safe,” said Dave Rogers, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Audio, Harman. “We’ve married the always-on convenience of a neckband headphone with the authentic athletic features that the UA-JBL partnership stands for, to enable a seamless transition from the gym to home, and everything in between.”

“UA Sport Wireless Flex answers the need for a versatile neckband headphone, while still offering sport performance design and premium sound,” said Will Phillips, vice president and general manager of Connected Fitness, Under Armour. “This latest addition to the Under Armour and JBL line of headphones is truly an all-in-one package for athletes.”

UA Sport Wireless Flex features:

• Adjustable Flex Zones;
• 11+ Hour Battery with Speed Charge;
• RunSafe LED;
• Magnetic buds;
• Bluetooth® wireless;
• JBL Charged Sound;
• Easy four-button controls; and
• Sweat resistant.

Athletes that purchase the UA Sport Wireless Flex will receive a complimentary 12-month MapMyRun® Premium membership, valued at $29.99, while supplies last. MapMyRun is a part of the Under Armour Connected Fitness suite of apps, with a global community of more than 220 million people worldwide. MapMyRun allows members to track, analyze, and share more than 600 types of fitness activities.

Posted December 6, 2017

Source: Harman International

NEW YORK CITY — December 6, 2017 — Last evening, Cotton Incorporated inducted the 2017 class of the Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame. The event took place in St. Petersburg, Fla., as part of the joint Cotton Board/Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors Meeting. The program, now in its fourth year, recognizes U.S. cotton industry leaders that have made significant contributions to the Program or to the cotton industry in general.

The three honorees for the 2017 Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame include: the late Dr. Harold L. “Hal” Lewis (Arkansas); the late Lawson “Sykes” Martin (Alabama); and Dr. William M. “Bill” Lyle (Texas).

The Cotton Research and Promotion Program was established in 1966 to expand the demand for upland cotton and to increase profitability for both cotton growers and importers of cotton products.

“Over the past few decades, the cotton industry has continued to evolve and advance in many ways,” says Berrye Worsham, President and CEO of Cotton Incorporated. “The tireless dedication and many contributions of the 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees have shaped the industry as we know it today and will further impact future growth and advancement.”

The 2017 honorees of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program Hall of Fame were chosen from nominations made by Certified Producer and Importer Organizations and voted upon by the Chairman’s Committee of the Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors.

• Harold L. “Hal” Lewis (deceased) had a lifelong dedication to agriculture and research, notably in the cotton industry. As Director of Research for Cotton Incorporated (1970-1973), Dr. Lewis was instrumental in the development of the module builder and played a key role in the research program for boll weevil eradication. His experience and knowledge as a plant breeder led him to develop three commercial cotton varieties. Dr. Lewis served as a board member for both the National Cotton Council and the Cotton Board, and was inducted into the Arkansas Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2006. Before his death, he also served as president and general manager of his own business, Scientific Seed Co. and H.L. Lewis Farm and Enterprises.
• Lawson “Sykes” Martin (deceased) is recognized for his strong leadership in the cotton industry, having served in organizations on both local and national levels. Mr. Martin had a long career at the National Cotton Council, beginning as a delegate in 1977 and finishing as an Advisor to the Council in 1993. He also held board positions at Cotton Incorporated, Southern Cotton Growers, the American Cottonseed Association, and The Cotton Foundation. In 1987, he was named the National Cotton Farmer of the Year by Cotton Farming Magazine, and was also the recipient of the Alabama Farm of Distinction Award in 1993.
• Dr. William M. “Bill” Lyle has had a revolutionary impact on the cotton industry with the research and development of the Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) system in the 1980s. His contributions as a cotton farmer, agricultural engineer, and scientist are recognized both nationally and internationally. Dr. Lyle has served as a consultant to the United States Congress, John Deere and Company, and the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Water Supply and Conveyance Committee. He has also been the recipient of the John Deere Gold Medal Award (1998), the High Plains Research Foundation’s Agricultural Research Scientist of the Year Award (1981), the Texas Association of Agricultural Consultant Public Servant of the Year Award (1992), and the Secretary of Agriculture Group Research and Extension Award (1994), among others.

Posted December 6, 2017

Source: Cotton Incorporated