Gap Inc. Celebrates International Day Of The Girl With Expansion Of Its P.A.C.E. Initiative

NEW YORK CITY — October 11, 2016 — In celebration of International Day of the Girl, Gap Inc. today announced the expansion of its signature education program, P.A.C.E. (Personal Advancement & Career Enhancement), with new curriculum designed to improve confidence and life skills for girls in community settings. To coincide with this announcement, the company’s namesake brand partnered with Condé Nast to showcase the inspirational stories of women who are currently participating in P.A.C.E.

At the center of Gap and Condé Nast’s partnership is a 12-minute documentary-style film profiling the stories of three unique women — Mary, Margaret and Puwaneshwary — who are currently enrolled in a P.A.C.E. community program. The film shines a light on how access to education has changed the lives of these women who work on a tea plantation in Sri Lanka, where literacy rates for women are typically very low — 67 percent compared to the country’s average of 90 percent (source: CARE Sri Lanka).

Created by the award-winning 23 Stories x Condé Nast studio and directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Vanessa Black, the documentary premiers on Vogue’s digital channels in both the U.S. and the U.K. starting today.

“Condé Nast is known for its engaging visual storytelling and deep connection to culture, and with partners like Gap we’re extending that approach to branded content,” said Dirk Standen, editor-in-chief of 23 Stories. “Here we wanted to tell the story of the P.A.C.E. program by focusing on the unique stories of some of the remarkable women involved, and Vanessa and her team achieved that in this beautiful, moving documentary.”

Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. program originally launched in 2007 to provide life skills education and training for women who make Gap’s clothing. In 2013, it expanded beyond factories and into community settings around the world. Annual evaluation results have demonstrated that the P.A.C.E. program improves the lives of women and their families by developing women’s knowledge, skills, and confidence.

“It is the personal journeys of the women involved with P.A.C.E. that inspire us and push us further,” said Dotti Hatcher, Executive Director, P.A.C.E. “It is the stories we have heard and the women that we have worked with that have led to us creating the girls program.”

As part of its pledge to advance the lives of 1 million women and girls through P.A.C.E. by 2020, the company is expanding its community programs further to bring new educational opportunities to girls between the ages of 13 and 17. P.A.C.E. for girls will focus on improving self-identity and self-confidence, and will help girls develop goals and aspirations for the future, as well as understand the information and skills required to fulfill those goals. The program will pilot in Haiti and India this fall, followed by Sri Lanka and other countries next year. The resources for the program were developed in partnership with the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Gap Inc.

Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Offers The Industry Recycled Performance Options

SUZHOU, China — October 11, 2016 — In the ever-changing global marketplace, Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (UTSC), a subsidiary of Unifi Inc., aims to satisfy the growing demand for comfortable, functional and environmentally friendly apparel by combining performance features with REPREVE®. Repreve is a brand of fibers made certified from recycled materials, including plastic water bottles. UTSC focuses on the idea that function and earth-friendly can be more beneficial together than on their own.

“Unifi is in a unique position, as one of the world’s leading producers of branded performance fibers and recycled fibers, to provide the market with the best of both worlds,” said Jay Hertwig, vice president of global brand sales, marketing and product development for Unifi. “With the ability to source globally from Unifi, customers can be confident in quality, innovative products no matter where they choose to do business.”

Unifi has a 45-year heritage driven by manufacturing innovation and creating differentiation for its customers. The Company’s success is built on offering premium value-added yarns that provide functional benefits, added comfort and aesthetic advantages. Repreve spent more than three years in development because quality and performance came first, with “made recycled” as the added benefit.

“Consumers can appreciate earth-friendly products made to perform, not just in the sense of high-performing products they can count on, but performance made better for the environment,” said Ed Wickes, president of UTSC. “Adding Repreve to our branded technologies provides all of the functional benefits consumers expect in athleisure wear with the added advantage of recycled.”

UTSC offers branded technologies made recycled with Repreve, including: SORBTEK® moisture management, REFLEXX® stretch, SOFTEC® high resiliency technology, Repreve Staple Fiber for use in spun yarns, and COTTON-LIKE® with technology that provides a natural look and feel.

To learn more about these and other products offered by UTSC, visit booth E65, 5.2 International Hall at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics show in Shanghai, China, October 11-13, 2016.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.

Emerald Specialties Group Creates Digital Team For Hilton Davis® Colorants

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — October 10, 2016 — Emerald Specialties Group, a business group of Emerald Performance Materials, has formed a team focused on digital applications, expanding its commercial and R&D staff for Hilton Davis® color and black dispersions to support growing demand in the key digital and ink jet segments. The company appointed Willis Reese as business director and added Jim Brock and Xiaoming Wu to the growing R&D team as dispersions R&D chemist and senior digital technologies chemist, respectively.

As business director, Reese will focus on the commercialization of Emerald’s newly patented line of Lucida Colors® self-dispersed pigment dispersions, including the development of markets and customers, and develop strategy for select technical dye and polymer technology in the digital marketplace. He is involved in several digital ink and printing technology associations, and his background in specialty materials includes a variety of business development and commercial roles with a focus on graphic arts and digital applications. Most recently, he held the position of chief digital officer with Premier Digital Ink, and he also held business leadership positions with Sakata INX, Hexion, Lubrizol and Sun Chemical. Reese earned a B.S. in printing management business administration from Murray State University, Murray, Ky.

“We have made significant investments recently in new technologies and increased capabilities at our site in Cincinnati including a pilot plant expansion in 2014.  We are adding people to the organization with the industry experience to drive our business development efforts and provide additional customer support,” said James Davis, vice president, Emerald Specialties Group. “As we continue to expand our ink jet product line and capabilities, both for North America and abroad, Willis’ background in leveraging opportunities, executing strategy and cultivating new business makes him an asset to our team.”

As dispersions R&D chemist, Brock will focus on the development of color and black dispersions, especially self-dispersed pigment dispersions for printing applications. He has nearly a decade of experience in ink jet formulation and R&D, including lab management, quality control and previous work with self-dispersed pigments. He joined Emerald from Collins Ink Corporation, where he most recently served as quality control lab manager and R&D chemist. He earned a B.S. in chemistry at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Ky.

As senior digital technologies chemist, Wu will utilize his expertise to support the company’s R&D efforts to penetrate further into the digital printing market. Wu has more than 14 years of experience working in technical roles focused on graphic arts, polymers and materials science. In his most recent role at Lexmark International, he focused on projects directed toward development of materials for advanced ink jet technology, print-head assembly and electrophotographic printing. He also previously held roles with Promerus, Radiant Photonics, Brewer Science, the University of Minnesota and Northeastern University. He earned a Ph.D. in organic/polymer chemistry at the University of Nebraska and a B.S in polymer science and engineering from Tongji University, Shanghai.

“Jim and Xiaoming both have extensive backgrounds working with ink jet, which is a very technically sophisticated application. For example, inks for printing applications must be vibrant, highly stable, stand up to fading and be easy to use across a variety of applications. Preparation of self-dispersed pigments such as the Lucida Colors® line for inkjet printing is a special challenge requiring preparation of particles smaller than the wavelength of light, with precise chemical modification of their surfaces to yield stable inks,” said Greg Duncan, technical director, R&D for Emerald Specialties Group.

Duncan continued, “Their combined experience formulating innovative materials for graphic arts, troubleshooting common formulation challenges and streamlining processes will enable us to continue offering excellent value and performance through our product lines for ink jet, while also adapting to new market needs. This brings additional strength to an already strong technical team that our customers trust for expertise in graphic arts applications.

Wu and Brock joined an R&D group consisting of Jun Wang, R&D chemist, and Everett Merling, Senior R&D chemist, who were already working to leverage the new technology outlined in Emerald’s patent application WO/2013/044045. Wang began working on the project three years ago as a co-op student while completing his B.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Merling, who joined Emerald in April, is a 2015 Ph.D. graduate in organic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

In addition to Lucida Colors self-dispersed pigment dispersions, Emerald Specialties’ expanded R&D team and facilities will help develop and produce an increased range of high-performance color and black dispersions for printing, paints, stains and other industrial applications.

Emerald Specialties produces dyes, lakes and dispersions under the Hilton Davis brand at the group’s facility in Cincinnati, which was recently SQF certified. The group’s full range of colorants are used in a broad spectrum of applications, such as food and beverage, coatings, graphic arts, plastics, paper, textiles, personal care, home care, pharmaceutical and industrial. The group’s colorant technology dates back more than a century to Robert Hilton’s 1914 patent on the breakthrough process of color flushing.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Emerald Specialties

SYFA Changes Its Name To The Synthetic Yarn and “Fabric” Association

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — September 30, 2016 — Roger J. Crossfield, president of the Synthetic Yarn and Fiber Association (SYFA), reported the Board’s decision to rename the organization the Synthetic Yarn and “Fabric” Association during the business session at the September 29-30, 2016 fall conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C.

The new name reflects the expanded supply chain and broadens the reach of the membership base to appeal to a wider audience beyond fibers and yarns. In addition to the name change, the Association plans to launch a newly designed website in November 2016.

SYFA members include fiber producers, texturizers, staple yarn manufacturers, fabric producers for apparel, automotive, upholstery, and industrial markets. Additionally, raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and service providers related to the industry are valuable contributors to the organization.

The Association was previously called the Textured Yarn Association of America (TYAA) through the 1990’s until 2006 when the organization became the Synthetic Yarn and Fiber Association.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: SYFA

Perstorp’s Pevalen™ Receives ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX®

PERSTOP, Sweden — October 11, 2016 — Perstorp, a provider of PVC plasticizers and other specialty chemicals, has been awarded ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® for its Pevalen™ (pentaerythritol tetravalerate or PETV) true non-phthalate plasticizer. This certifies that Pevalen can be used in sustainable textile production and verifies that using Pevalen in textiles has no harmful effects on human health or the environment.

“We are very proud to have received this important independent certification!” says Håkan Björnberg, Perstorp’s vice president of Innovation. “It confirms that Perstorp is on track with its ambitions to create safe and sustainable solutions.”

”Along with a continuously increasing demand for Pevalen because of its non-phthalate nature, we have also seen an increased demand for OEKO-TEX certification from the coated fabrics industry,” Björnberg notes. “This certificate assures customers requiring a high-performance non-phthalate plasticizer for their PVC coated textiles that Pevalen is the choice for them.” Perstorp is the first company to introduce PETV to the market.

Perstorp representatives will be discussing Pevalen — and other sustainable innovations for the plastics industry — at K 2016, on the stand of the company’s distribution partner Nordmann, Rassmann in Hall 8b (stand H29).

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Perstorp

Chomarat Is Developing Non-Crimp Fabrics Based On Very Heavy Tow Fibers For The Automotive Industry

LE CHEYLARD, France — October 11, 2016 — The automotive industry needs to rethink its strategy and to innovate to fulfill regulatory CO2 reduction objectives. Continuous glass and carbon fiber composites offer a significant advantage in attaining these goals, by enabling the weight of structures to be reduced.

Chomarat is working on formatting very heavy tow LCCF (low-cost carbon fiber) into C-PLY™ and proposes design optimization using low-cost carbon fiber input from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Working together with tier 1 automotive supplier and ORNL, Chomarat can handle these heavy tows and meet many benchmark standards.

“Composites constitute a solution to lower the weight of vehicles, but they must be of economic benefit in a context where each process and each material has to compete to find its place in an appropriate and optimized industrial procedure,” explains Chomarat Group Managing Director Michel Cognet.

C-PLY™ with LCCF (low-cost carbon fiber) spread plies is the solution Chomarat is developing that combine the most economical performance option with cost effective molding processes.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Chomarat

Tonello Presents Core: A New Step Towards The Future Of Garment Finishing

SARCEDO, Italy — October 11, 2016 — The new Core technology can be applied to Tonello washing and dyeing machines of various sizes and is capable of creating uniform or contrasting effects that bring out the full potential of a garment. It also lets you apply a broad range of products which it remarkably lowers the consumption of.

The process is rapid, completely automatic and programmable. It ensures top performance and takes place inside the machine, requiring no special preparation or tying.

Result of more than 10 years of experience with Tonello’s Kit Batik, Core is fully interfaced with the machine and can be implemented in any production cycle without interrupting the process.

Core also drastically reduces water use: for the first time, it makes it possible to create special dyeing with an extremely low environmental impact, with a 1:1 liquor ratio.

Core: advantages

  • Savings of 50-80% on products and 96% on water;
  • Reduced process times;
  • Suitable for a wide range of products;
  • Improved application performance;
  • Versatility: the same machine can be used for every process.

Core can also apply high-performance products:

  • Eco-softeners;
  • Anti-stain, anti-stress and wrinkle free products;
  • Anti-static and hydrophilic softeners;
  • Resins for 3D whiskers/creases;
  • Water and oil repellent products;
  • Anti-UV and antibacterial products;
  • Easy care and skin care products;
  • Essences.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Tonello

 

ITMA Asia + CITME 2016 Exhibitor Preview: Loepfe

WETZIKON, Switzerland — October 11, 2016 — Loepfe Brothers Ltd. will present a comprehensive portfolio of quality control solutions for the textile industry at ITMA Asia, which will be held in Shanghai October 21st until 25th. For the very first time in Asia, the company will inform about the developments in the new LabMaster series. The series consists of the two measurement devices FIBERMAP, YARNMAP and LabMaster TOP. Both of them integrate the most important measurements into a single device. FIBERMAP measures all fiber-related parameters and delivers the complete fiber profile throughout the whole preparation process of the spinning mill, from bale to finisher sliver. FIBERMAP provides data of standard classing measurements and also measures process-relevant parameters like neps, seed coat neps, trash and stickiness. Easy sample preparation and large sample sizes result in a high efficiency: a throughput of up to 250 samples during an eight-hour shift is possible. The YARNMAP increases the efficiency in the textile laboratory even further. It enables a synchronized measurement of the most relevant yarn properties, like count, evenness, hairiness, and strength. In addition, all preparation products can be checked for mass evenness at the same time. The new management cockpit LabMaster TOP completes the series. It integrates all LabMaster devices into one central data management system. By delivering value-added reports directly on the management’s desk, it is an efficient tool for quality management in the spinning mill.

Also during ITMA Asia Loepfe will present the new yarn clearer generation YarnMaster ZENIT+, which utilizes state-of-the-art technology, fastest processors, and measuring technology. This extremely reliable product safely detects even the finest yarn irregularities. Just one sensing head covers the range of yarn counts from Nec 2.4 to Nec 320. The YarnMaster ZENIT+ allows even more precise yarn clearing then ever before and delivers a multi-layered evaluation of the measuring results. The new yarn clearers and additional features like nep cluster channel, off-standard bobbin detection, and improved foreign matter detection, enable a 100 % online quality control in the spinning mill. Many of expensive and lengthy laboratory measurements are incorporated in the yarn clearer. The easy to service and easy to operate central unit LZE-V provides a clearly structured user interface. When needed, Loepfe technicians have the possibility to remote control the system, to check the status of the central unit and to update the software. The result is an increased reliability.

The new online data management system MillMaster TOP is able to monitor and analyse the quality data from Loepfe yarn clearers. The modern software can collect, visualise and analyse quality data from up to 7,200 spindles in real-time. The data management system has a comprehensive functionality. The shop mill floor view gives an overview of all winding machines. Traffic light colours indicate the performance of the different machines or yarn production lots. Setting-up MillMaster TOP is very easy, because all connected machines are recognised automatically. With its modern client server architecture the system is the ideal solution for winding machines. The data is not only available on the server, but can also be displayed on a handheld device, e.g. a tablet computer. MillMaster TOP can be customized with various options, which are installed automatically via Loepfe´s cloud service.

For open-end spinning applications Loepfe offers YarnMaster 3N1. The yarn clearer combines three sensors: an optical sensor for diameter measurement, a F-sensor for detection of foreign matter, and a P-sensor for detection of synthetic foreign matter like polypropylene. In addition YarnMaster 1N1 is available, which has one sensor for diameter measurement. Both yarn clearers can communicate with the machine control of the open-end spinning machine. The graphical user interface provides comfortable access to all functions and reports. The user activates the yarn clearing by setting classes within the clearer matrix using the touch screen. The length and deviation limits of the classes can be set individually within certain limits. Repetitive quality stops or longer faults can be blocked for particular rotors. The YarnMaster 3N1/1N1 covers the range of yarn counts from Nec 3 to Nec 60 with maximum spinning speeds up to 400 m/min. The desired quality can be achieved with the maximum possible machine efficiency.

For weaving mill applications the new WeftMaster Falcon-i optical yarn defects sensor contributes to the quality of the end product. The sensor is able to detect and eliminate smallest knots, fluff or even filamentation from the weft yarn. A wide range from 20 to 3,000 dtex and yarn speeds of up to 30 m/s is possible. The WeftMaster Falcon-i can work with monofilament or multifilament yarns and is insensitive for yarn color. It is also suitable for high performance yarns such as glass fiber, aramid, carbon etc.

Posted October 11, 2016

Source: Loepfe Brothers Ltd. 

The North Face Launches First-Ever Urban Exploration Concept Shop In The United States

ALAMEDA, Calif. — October 10, 2016 — Fifty years after its first store opening in the North Beach neighborhood, apparel, equipment and footwear leader The North Face has opened a concept shop in San Francisco aimed at the city explorer. The discreet storefront in the Jackson Square neighborhood is the first of its kind in the United States, and will focus exclusively on the label’s premium streetwear range. A similar space will be featured within The North Face New York Flagship store opening on 5th Avenue later this month.

Open for a limited time only, the Urban Exploration shop will be devoted to protective gear suitable for the modern urbanite. New product will be regularly dropped in-store in the coming months, including collaborations, and curated pieces from the brand’s Japanese and Hong Kong collections.

The shop will feature exclusive and limited edition product like the Original Daypacks and Soft Duffels reissue. In honor of the company’s 50-year tradition of making handcrafted outdoor gear, The North Face revived some of the first-ever packs sewn and sold at the company’s original location.

Made entirely in the U.S., The North Face worked with a third-generation factory in Chicago and the Horween Leather Co., one of the oldest tanneries in the nation. The throwback bags were crafted for durability down to the last detail and feature 17-ounce waxed cotton canvas, double reinforced panels, riveted stress points and premium leather trims. The collection includes: ’68 Daypack ($225), ’78 Duffel – Small ($250) and ’78 Duffel – Large ($300). These originals are available now in extremely limited quantities only at the San Francisco shop, but will be sold online and at the 5th Avenue location beginning Oct. 13.

Posted October 10, 2016

Source: The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc.

Alandale Knitting Celebrates 50 Years Of Innovation And Change

TROY, N.C. — October 10, 2016 — Alandale Knitting LLC, a commission circular knit manufacturer, is celebrating a half-century of continuous operation at its Troy, N.C., operations. Founded in 1966 by prolific textile industry innovator Alan Gutschmit, the company has transformed itself to successfully navigate a constantly changing domestic textile industry. Over the years, the mill has expanded to more than 225 machines with a production capacity of over 500,000-pounds per week. The key to this success is the company’s commitment to flexibility and speed that allows it to offer the wide range of capabilities, sizes and complex construction types needed to meet the diverse requirements of fashion, automotive, protective gear, industrial and technical textiles applications. The company will mark the milestone with a gathering of employees, suppliers and friends on October 29 at its 120,000 square foot facility.

According to Alandale Knitting President Don Trexler: “While the U.S. textile industry has clearly had its ups and downs over the years, Alandale Knitting has always been recognized as the go-to provider for new and difficult constructions. Our ability to quickly deliver high quality, complex knit programs enables us to fulfill the needs of both new brands that are focusing on Made in USA goods and established companies that are looking for specific technical capabilities, extra capacity, or the benefits of reshoring. We are, of course, also accomplished in providing greige fabric programs to serve the needs of our clients that produce in the NAFTA and CAFTA-DR regions.”

Alandale Knitting has long benefited from the many inventions and process innovations set in place by its original founder. Upon his passing in 2001, Gutschmit had amassed eighteen U.S. patents for textile production systems that include the Filter Flow™ lint cleaning system, tools for detecting broken hooks and needles, a yarn threading apparatus, machine efficiency monitoring devices and more. All of these advancements remain in use at Alandale Knitting and support the company’s impressive speed, efficiency, quality, cleanliness, and flexibility.

Posted October 10, 2016

Source: Alandale Knitting

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