Quality Fabric Of The Month: Warmth & Loft Without Feathers

By Janet Bealer Rodie, Contributing Editor

3M™ Thinsulate™ Featherless Insulation — launched last year by St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M as a cost-effective loose fill alternative to natural down insulation — has in recent months received accolades, including a 2015 ISPO Award as a Top 10 Insulation. ISPO — a major sporting goods trade show held each winter in Munich, Germany, and in Beijing — highlighted the winning innovations during the ISPO Textrends Forum at each venue.

The Thinsulate brand has been well-known and respected since its debut in the 1970s, first for skiwear and subsequently for footwear and all sorts of outerwear and outdoor gear applications. According to 3M, the breathable, moisture-resistant polyester insulation comprises microfibers or fine fibers that are finer than those used in most other insulation products, and as a result trap more air in less space to provide insulating performance. Until recently, all Thinsulate products have been produced in batted form.

3M™ Thinsulate™ Featherless Insulation is a cost-effective, hypoallergenic, loose fill alternative to down insulation that maintains its 600 fill power rating even when wet, according to the company.

3M developed Thinsulate Featherless Insulation specifically as a loose fill product to provide the same or superior insulating performance, loft and fill power compared to natural down, offering twice the loft of down when wet. The new insulation maintains 600 fill power — a measure of an insulation’s fluffiness, expressed as cubic inches per ounce — even in wet conditions, the company reports, noting that the fibers absorb less than 1 percent by weight of water. 3M lists other advantages as well, noting that the insulation is hypoallergenic and does not migrate as much as down. It also complies with Oeko-Tex Standard 100’s harmful substances requirements. Targeted applications include general wear, sportswear, accessories and bedding.

Thinsulate Featherless Insulation is featured in garments that were shown at several of the 2015 winter sporting goods trade shows, including ISPO, Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and SnowSports Industries America’s SIA Snow Show. Among the brands using the new insulation are Quiksilver, Merrell, Rab®, Bench, Carhartt® and Rossignol.

“3M Thinsulate Featherless Insulation received phenomenal feedback at the 2015 winter trade shows,” said Leslie Kramer, 3M Thinsulate Insulation marketing manager. “Manufacturers and retailers alike have been impressed with the warmth, loft and feel of this revolutionary new insulation from 3M.”

For more information about 3M™ Thinsulate™ Featherless Insulation, contact Leslie Kramer +651-737-8539; lkramer@mmm.com.

May/June 2015

Challenges And Opportunities

2014 was a year of continued and broad-based economic success for the domestic textile sector; across key economic indicators, the industry continued to see positive growth. In 2014, for the first time in two decades, the U.S. textile industry began adding jobs. Textile shipments totaled $56.7 billion, and exports of all textile products were $18.3 billion, a 45-percent increase since 2009. The industry also continued to attract new domestic and foreign investment projects. These investments are projected to provide approximately 3,000 new jobs in North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana.

As the industry continues to regain a foothold as a major manufacturing sector in the U.S., these economic indicators allow NCTO to deliver a powerful message to policymakers. The U.S. textile industry is not just surviving, it is an extremely vibrant and prosperous sector making an enormous contribution to the national economy, job creation and national defense.


Jeff Price, chairman, National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Trade Issues
With the Obama Administration attempting to bring the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) to a close, 2015 will be a critical year for the U.S. textile industry. TPP remains, by far, the most important policy issue for the industry. NCTO’s top priority within this agreement is to ensure the TPP yields a fair and sustainable outcome for the domestic industry. Reaching an acceptable outcome in TPP poses the greatest challenge to the U.S. textile industry in the past 20 years, noting the inclusion of Vietnam in this agreement.

In the coming months, NCTO will continue its intensive engagement with the U.S. government as the negotiations head into their final stages. Thanks to NCTO’s continuous interaction with U.S. trade negotiators, all of the objectives for the TPP agreement remain achievable including:

  • a strong yarn-forward rule-of-origin;
  • reasonable duty phase-outs on sensitive textile and apparel items; and
  • strong Customs enforcement provisions.

As with any trade agreement, NCTO is waiting to see the final text before forming an official position on TPP, but remains optimistic that its engagement with the U.S. government will lead to an outcome that the organization can ultimately support.

Of course, as the eleventh hour of these talks approaches, NCTO negotiators face great pressure to get a deal done. Knowing this dynamic, NCTO was extremely pleased that U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Michael Froman addressed the NCTO Annual Meeting in March and stated: “Our commitment to the future of American textiles is stronger than ever. And that’s true in our trade policy as well, which is a key pillar of President Obama’s overall economic strategy and a key part of our investment policy and our manufacturing policy. They work hand-in-hand to create jobs, promote growth, and strengthen the middle class in America.”

TTIP
After the conclusion of TPP, the next big trade issue facing the U.S. industry is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a free-trade agreement (FTA) between the U.S. and the European Union (EU). There are two primary challenges the U.S. textile industry faces with TTIP:

  • The EU favors double transformation as opposed to a yarn forward rule of origin; and
  • The EU also is pressing for access to U.S. military contracts.

The EU is insisting on a complicated double transformation rule that effectively cuts important aspects of the U.S. industry out of the agreement, such as yarn manufacturers. In many cases, the EU rule also cuts fabric producers out of the agreement. The EU also is pressing for access to U.S. military contracts. NCTO already is working with partners throughout the U.S. industry to communicate that granting non-U.S. suppliers’ access to defense contracting is a complete non-starter.

Berry Amendment
The U.S. textile industry supplies more than 8,000 different textile products per year to the U.S. military. In 2014, NCTO’s Government Textiles Committee facilitated an effective and structured level of consistent interaction with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). In 2015, NCTO will continue to fight for a strong Berry Amendment to govern defense procurement. The Berry Amendment requires that all apparel and other goods made of textiles purchased by the U.S. military contain 100-percent U.S. origin fibers, yarns and fabrics; and are cut, sewn and assembled in the United States. The Berry Amendment ensures that critical U.S. military needs are not dependent on foreign countries. Defense procurement has become an extremely important customer segment of the U.S. textile industry and the preservation and expansion of the Berry Amendment, and the need for strong ties with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) remains a top priority for NCTO.

China Export Subsidies
In the coming year, NCTO will continue to encourage the United States to strenuously pursue dispute settlement consultations with the government of China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) concerning China’s “Demonstration Bases-Common Service Platform” export subsidy program. Through this program, China provides WTO prohibited export subsidies to manufacturers that meet export performance criteria. China’s massive export growth has resulted in billions of dollars in lost sales and tens of thousands of lost jobs in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. NCTO believes it is critical that this matter be taken to the WTO in order to begin the eradication of these illegal trading practices. Doing so will lead to more fair and open competition in the global market.

Additional Issues
NCTO also will continue to focus on a number of initiatives Congress is actively considering that directly impact the textile industry including:

  • Trade Promotion Authority, often referred to as “Fast Track;”
  • The Miscellaneous Tariff Bill;
  • Reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank;
  • The Nicaragua trade preference level;
  • The African Growth & Opportunity Act;
  • Extension of Haiti trade benefits; and
  • Appropriate remedies for currency undervaluation.

All of these initiatives require the direct engagement of NCTO in the coming year as it attempts to shape the outcome of legislation in each of these areas.

Industry Expansion And Yarn Forward
These policy developments and challenges come at a time when the industry continues to rebound. In 2015, the U.S. textile industry exported to 199 countries, with 25 countries buying $100 million or more a year. As the third largest exporter of textile products in the world, total textile and apparel exports were a record $24.4 billion last year. Much of this export growth is because of the yarn forward rule of origin, which is a critical component of the various FTAs. Moreover, export increases are being driven by a growing emphasis on new markets and growth in new product offerings. Additionally, the U.S. is enjoying continued reshoring in the textile sector.

Revolutionary Fibers And Textiles Manufacturing Innovation Institute
On March 18, 2015, President Obama announced that the DOD would partner with the domestic textile industry to form a new research consortium known as the Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Manufacturing Innovation Institute. This institute will be dedicated to the development of the next generation of fiber and textile science and product development in order to advance the transition of cutting-edge technologies into the marketplace for both defense and commercial applications. The U.S. government is pledging $75 million in research funding to be matched by $75 million of private investment for this project.

PR Campaign
NCTO is committed to shaping the discourse in Washington on textiles and apparel, and communicating the value of the industry’s contributions to the U.S. economy and the economies of its Western Hemisphere trading partners. In the coming year, NCTO will embark on an industry-wide public relations campaign. This campaign will brand the U.S. textile industry for what it is, a technology-driven, capital-intensive innovator of high-quality products fully competing in the 21st-century global marketplace. This campaign is appropriately timed to help policy makers, along with the general public, quantify the enormous contribution that domestic textile manufacturers are making to the overall U.S. economy. If you would like to participate in the campaign, please contact Eliza Levy at elevy@ncto.org.

May/June 2015

Cotton Leads™ Program Hosts Event For U.S. Partners

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — May 15, 2015 —  Since it was established in 2013, the Cotton LEADS™ program has attracted more than 300 partners from across the global supply chain.

On May 12, a luncheon was held in Gastonia, N.C., to update the U.S.-based partners on program activities and to announce the latest additions to the Cotton LEADS partner list: HanesBrands; Jo-Ann Fabrics; Kohl’s®; and Life Is Good®. More than 30 representatives from 20 brands, retailers and businesses across the cotton supply chain attended the event, and were reminded that the Cotton LEADS program will host a scientists’ roundtable later in the year to discuss research priorities for the program and the dissemination of that research to the global cotton community.

The Cotton LEADS program was launched to illustrate, at a national level, the responsible production practices of cotton growers in Australia and the United States, the program’s two founding countries. At the heart of the Cotton LEADS program is the commitment to continuous improvement in cotton growing practices in these countries; a unique situation made possible by the strict national and regional regulatory environments; grower self-investment in research and development; and the ability to affect best practices at a national level that exists in Australia and the United States.

“The goal of the Cotton LEADS program,” explains Mark Messura, senior vice president of Supply Chain Marketing at Cotton Incorporated, “is to assure the industry that the cotton entering their supply chain is being produced in an increasingly responsible manner.” Cotton LEADS cotton represents approximately 17 percent of global cotton supply.

The event included a presentation by Louisiana cotton grower Jay Hardwick, a Cotton LEADS governing board member, on the tools and practices used by modern U.S. cotton growers, such as the Fieldprint® Calculator, which helps growers assess how production decisions affect the overall environmental footprint of their farming operation.

Adam Kay, president of Cotton Australia, addressed the group via a videotaped message and outlined the growing practices of Australian growers. Kay also explained how third-party environmental audits that help to benchmark gains made by Australian growers and to identify areas for environmental focus. Dr. Bill Norman, vice president, Technical Services at the National Cotton Council (NCC), shared the results of a Field to Market® study chronicling environmental gains made by U.S. cotton growers over the past three decades to illustrate the program’s ongoing improvement aspect. NCC CEO Dr. Gary Adams kicked off the event with a welcome and words of appreciation to the program’s partners.

The event served as an opportunity to announce the addition of four new partners to the Cotton LEADS program: HanesBrands; Kohl’s; Jo-Ann Fabrics; and Life Is Good.

“By becoming a Cotton LEADS partner, these brands are acknowledging the gains already achieved by Cotton LEADS growers, and that cotton produced under the program’s principles meet the sustainability guidelines for their cotton products,” Messura explained.

Messura reminded the assembly that the Cotton LEADS program will convene a roundtable of eight to ten scientists later in the year to discuss research directions to benefit global cotton production practices, as well as the best means of disseminating the findings to the global community.

The Cotton LEADS program is a joint effort of the Australian cotton industry and the U.S. cotton industry as a project of the Cotton Foundation.  Its founding members are Cotton Australia, the National Cotton Council of America, Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated. The program is designed to raise awareness of the responsible growing practices and commitment to continuous improvement among cotton producers in the member countries.

Posted May 19, 2015

Source: Cotton LEADS
 

Sizzy Opens First Sizzy Center For 3-D Body Scanning

France-based Sizzy recently opened its first Sizzy Center in Paris. The start-up company offers private scanning cabins for customers to obtain accurate 3-D body measurements. The customer undresses in a private dressing room, steps into the scanner and starts the process unaided. Within a few minutes, a card with his or her body measurements is generated and the customer now has valuable information to help choose the right garment size especially when shopping online.

Sizzy selected the DITUS MC 3D body scanner and FOOTin 3D scanner from Germany-based Human Solutions GmbH for its center. “For Sizzy, the key factor was ease of use, because this would enable customers to take their own measurements — and the body scanner’s compact design and simple setup also convinced Sizzy,” said Dr. Helga Gäbel, 3D Body Scanner sales division, Human Solutions.

After opening additional sites in France, Sizzy plans to develop the concept throughout Europe as well as in the United States.

May/June 2015

FibeRio, VF Partner To Develop Apparel Fabrics

McAllen, Texas-based FibeRio Technology Corp. has partnered with Greensboro, N.C.-based VF Corp., to engineer and bring to market performance apparel fabrics using its proprietary Forcespinning® nanotechnology process. VF plans to incorporate FibeRio’s technologies and know-how at its three Global Innovation Centers that focus on advancements in apparel, footwear and jeanswear. According to FibeRio, a nanofiber’s high surface area and smaller pore size improve the characteristics of fibrous materials bringing performance improvements with lighter weights at lower cost. (For more information on nanofibers, please see “A Driving Force For Textile Innovation,” TW, this issue).

“VF’s Global Innovation Center strategy is centered on the pursuit of disruptive design and materials that will meaningfully redefine the future of apparel and footwear for our consumers,” said Dan Cherian, vice president, VF Global Innovation Centers. “Our partnership with FibeRio is a great step toward the co-development of proprietary, high-performance nanofiber materials that will help push the boundaries of performance and explore the creation of new apparel and footwear market categories.”

May/June 2015

Performance Fibers Sells Asian Operation To IVL, Changes Name

Huntersville, N.C.-based Performance Fibers has completed the sale of its Asia-based fiber operation to Indonesia-based Indorama Ventures PCL (IVL). IVL purchased the business, including all of its Asian manufacturing sites and the rights to the Performance Fibers name, from Sun Capital Partners Inc., Boca Raton, Fla. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Performance Fibers Asia is a leading producer of tire fabrics in the region and operates the second-largest production facility of its kind in China, according to IVL.

“The sale of our Asia operations fits well with and enhances our consolidation of resources to focus on our core business and accelerate our corporate transformation initiatives,” said Wahid Tawfik, CEO, Americas and Europe, Performance Fibers. “The sale will further strengthen our financial position and, more importantly, accelerates our modernization quality and innovation investments.”

In conjunction with the sale, Performance Fibers has changed its name to DuraFiber Technologies Inc. “With such impressive improvements across the company, the name change to DuraFiber Technologies communicates to our customers, suppliers, and investors that we have made a significant transformation in our business and are moving forward with a renewed commitment to operational excellence,” said Frank Papa, CEO, DuraFiber Technologies. 

May/June 2015

Madeira Adds 28 New Colors To Frosted Matt Embroidery Thread

LACONIA, N.H.  — May 8, 2015 — With an eye towards increasing an already healthy customer base for its matte finish, Frosted Matt embroidery thread, Madeira recently added 28 new colors to the line, bringing the total number of colors available to 189. Frosted Matt is a 40 weight embroidery thread with no reflection, and a very substantial ability to stand up to the UV rays of the sun. When Frosted Matt first came into the market several years ago, sewing threads were used to embroider where subtle, matte finish or tone-on-tone was desired. Madeira set about introducing the first true matte finish, high quality thread designed for commercial embroidery machines.

“There were embroiderers who truly embraced Frosted Matt,” explains Madeira USA president Shirley Clark. “Not only is it unique in its appearance, compared to other lustrous or shiny threads, but it sets the industry standard for standing up to sunlight. This makes sense for those embroiderers who work on items that withstand long exposure to the sun, like patio cushions, boat covers, umbrellas, dog and horse accessories. Also, the tone-on-tone effect of the matte finish against high quality fabric is very high end in appearance.”

Due to requests that came from Frosted Matt customers worldwide, Madeira decided it was time to increase the number of colors available in its range of 2,700 yard cones. Its popularity stems from its ability to withstand heavy laundering, maintain its colorfastness in extreme exposure to sunlight, offer clarity and/or shading and to create very small lettering and fine detail.  A new color card, Item #100-111, contains windings of all 189 brilliant colors of this Oeko-tex certified embroidery thread, Item #940-color number.

Posted May 12, 2015

Source Madeira
 

APJeT Partners With VF Corp. To Explore Uses for Innovative Fabric Finishing Technology In Apparel, Footwear

RALEIGH, N.C. – May 11, 2015 – APJeT Inc. today announced it will work with VF Corp. to explore potential uses for its textile finishing technology. The technology, which adds high performance finishes to fabrics without the use of water or heat, is part of a program to help VF test next generation manufacturing processes for greater flexibility within its supply chain.
 
“Our work with VF is a response to the need for technology-based solutions that improve the textile manufacturing process,” said APJeT CEO John Emrich. “We see incredible opportunities for waterless applications of finishes and look forward to exploring these possibilities with VF.”
 
The collaboration between APJeT and VF is a result of VF’s Global Innovation Center strategy. VF operates three centers in the U.S. employing teams of scientists, engineers, designers and other experts to develop advancements in apparel, footwear and accessories for its 30-plus brands.  
 
“We are obsessed with creating innovative, compelling products that exceed consumer expectations,” said Dan Cherian, Vice President, VF’s Global Innovation Centers. “Through partnering with APJeT, we believe the long-term potential to reduce our reliance on conventional manufacturing processes and advance our product innovation agenda will be greatly enhanced.”
 
Posted May 12, 2015

Source: APJeT
 

IVL Completes Acquisition of Bangkok Polyester

BANGKOK, Thailand — May 11, 2015 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a producer of intermediate petrochemicals, is pleased to announce that is has successfully concluded the acquisition of Bangkok Polyester PCL in Rayong, Thailand. The acquisition raises Indorama Ventures polyester (PET) capacity share in Thailand from 43 to 58 percent.

Bangkok Polyester is a significant exporter of PET to Japan, which is currently the world’s largest importer of PET, and enjoys zero import duties from Thailand. The acquisition will increase the Indorama Ventures’ market share in an important regional territory. The acquisition of Bangkok Polyester is in line with the company’s strategy of vertical integration as it is located close to the company’s PTA facilities in Rayong and therefore improves the overall cost synergies and supply chain of the company.

Group CEO Aloke Lohia said: “This acquisition is of significant synergistic value to us and will further allow us to work even more closely with customers in Thailand and in Japan. Our multiple sites in Thailand as well as in the region with a full portfolio of regular and differentiated PET offers us a unique positioning and superior risk mitigation. I can assure all our customers that they can expect to continue receiving the highest quality of service and reliability.

 “Our continued investment into Thailand reflects our commitment to the Thai economy and local employment. We are inheriting a highly professional team and we look forward tremendously to welcoming them onboard,” said Mr. Lohia. “As part of a truly global company, the team can expect to get more growth opportunities and develop both personally and professionally.”

Posted May 12, 2015

Source: IVL
 

Europlasma Taps Global Zendustry As New Sales Representatives

PHOENIX — May 12, 2015 — Global Zendustry is proud to announce that it has been named a sales representative for Belgium-based Europlasma, a world leader in low pressure plasma technology, which includes best-in-class hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings and application machinery designed to protect devices across multiple markets.
 
Global Zendustry, Phoenix, will help expand Europlasma’s efforts of licensing and selling its processes and equipment, targeting North American customers with a manufacturing base in China, reaching into such manufacturing industries as consumer and commercial electronics, automotive, medical devices, aviation, and textiles.
 
“As Europlasma has been quickly advancing nanocoating technologies the past decade, we were at the point where we needed to expand our sales network with an experienced and well-respected sales team which is based in North America, but has a strong link to manufacturing countries such as China,” explained Filip Legein, Europlasma’s managing director. “Rex Whitehead at Global Zendustry has the resume and extensive contacts to fulfill this important role. Potential companies would now be able to successfully utilize our nanocoating process for the benefit of their products and, ultimately, their customers. We look forward to a successful and long-term relationship with Global Zendustry.”
 
Europlasma was founded in 1993, and has dedicated all 22 years of its history to the development of low pressure plasma technology. Europlasma’s nanocoating solutions are marketed under the “Nanofics” brand name. “Nanofics” refers to nanoscaled functionalization into the core of complex shaped materials and products. It is Europlasma’s patented and patent pending nanocoating technology platform, first applied on industrial scale in 1996. Europlasma offers innovative nanocoating technology at a pricing model that becomes attractive to mainstream products, whereas Europlasma is unique in building large scaled production equipment that will allow the nanocoating technology to spread to an industrial scale. Europlasma’s best-in-class nanocoatings are used by a growing number of blue chip companies across multiple markets. In electronics Nanofics technology is widely used to corrosion protect or splash-proof handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets, bluetooth speakers, and wearable electronics such as smart watches, earbuds, or headphones. Nanofics oil repellent nanocoatings improve the efficiency of filter media for HVAC and respirator masks. And a growing number of players in personal protective, outdoor or sporting use Nanofics to make textiles water repellent in a durable and environmentally friendly way.
                                    
“We are proud to be working with such a highly respected and innovative company such as Europlasma,” said Whitehead, Global Zendustry principal and an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and product development with some of the world’s leading manufacturers. “Its new hydrophobic and oleophobic nanocoating process has many wide-ranging industrial uses, most notably protecting products and components from the slightest amount of moisture intrusion which would have otherwise ruined the internal electronic components or the structural integrity of the product itself.”
 
Whitehead added that Europlasma’s dry and clean technology is an environmentally friendly alternative to wet chemical processes. “And, the controlled processing environment enables high-quality, high-yield production requirements, making it a cost effective solution for manufacturers,” he concluded.
                
Posted May 12, 2015

Source: Global Zendustry
 

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