Ultrafabrics Partners With Pantone To Celebrate 2025 Color Of The Year: Mocha Mousse

NEW YORK CITY — December 5, 2024 — Ultrafabrics and the Pantone Color Institute are proud to announce their third annual collaboration, celebrating Pantone’s Color of the Year 2025: Mocha Mousse (Pantone 17-1230). Together, the two brands celebrate the harmonious balance of modern design and timeless simplicity that Mocha Mousse represents, inspiring designers to create interiors and exteriors that evoke comfort, connection, and understated elegance. The announcement was unveiled at the Pantone Color of the Year celebration in New York and the corresponding webinar, heralding a year of design exploration inspired by the warm, indulgent hue.

Image courtesy of Ultrafabrics

Central to this year’s theme is “Simple Pleasures,” a design philosophy championed by Ultrafabrics that celebrates the beauty of slowing down and savoring quiet moments, brought to life through soothing colors and soft textures. The partnership will feature Simple Pleasures, an exclusive color palette by Ultrafabrics, along with interactive events and bespoke color customization across the brand’s extensive range of vegan leathers.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Pantone once again for the Color of the Year 2025. This year’s color embodies harmony and balance, aligning perfectly with Ultrafabrics’ commitment to creating interiors that inspire sensorial comfort and connection,” said Jennifer Hendren, Vice President of Product Development at Ultrafabrics. “Its timeless beauty and calming essence resonate deeply with our philosophy of redefining luxury through mindful design. This color reminds us of the power of simplicity and the joy of everyday moments, and we can’t wait to see how it transforms spaces across industries.”

Throughout 2025, Ultrafabrics and Pantone will ignite creativity within the design community, offering a refined palette, sensory workshops, and curated inspirations. This collaboration will empower designers to transform spaces, foster harmony, and spark inspiration across industries.

For over 25 years, New York City-based Ultrafabrics has redefined premium performance textiles, blending craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and sustainable innovation. Known for its collaborations with industry leaders such as Jaguar Land Rover, Fitbit, MillerKnoll, Airstream, Virgin Galactic, and Gulfstream, Ultrafabrics continues to set new standards for performance and design with its Japanese-crafted materials.

Ultrafabrics and Pantone’s partnership highlights the transformative power of color in shaping environments and enhancing experiences. Together, they aim to inspire designers worldwide to embrace Mocha Mousse’s rich yet approachable appeal.

Posted: December 12, 2024

Source: Ultrafabrics

Dow Transforms The Comfort Experience With Production Of VORANOL™ WK5750 At Freeport Polyol Plant

MIDLAND, Mich. — December 12, 2024 — Dow is excited to announce that VORANOL™ WK5750, a cutting-edge polyether polyol, is set to be produced at its Freeport polyol plant, marking its continued commitment to high application performance.

With its unique design and ability to produce soft and hypersoft foams, VORANOL WK5750 aims to transform the comfort experience in products such as mattresses, furniture and automotive seating. Its ability to serve as a powerful cell opener further extends its utility to viscoelastic and high resiliency foam applications, offering unprecedented softness and resilience.

As a critical enabler of specialty slabstock flexible foam applications, VORANOL WK5750 also offers:

  • Enhanced reactivity, ensuring superior cross-linking for a broad spectrum of applications.
  • Optimal viscosity, providing a good range of 1000-1500 cSt at 25 ºC to balance ease of processing and quality performance.
  • High standard of purity and quality, delivering a maximum water content of 0.06 Wt %.
  • Aesthetic appeal with a maximum color specification of 50 APHA, ensuring products maintain visual quality.

“At Dow, we are committed to improving flexible foam capabilities as our customers continue to look for high performance in viscoelastic and hyper soft foam applications,” said Kevin Meyer, associate technical service & development director at Dow. “By producing VORANOL™ WK5750 at our Freeport polyol plant, we can offer innovative polyol options that help meet our customers’ performance needs.”

Posted: December 12, 2024

Source: Dow

NCTO: National Defense Authorization Act Aims To Expand Government Procurement Of American-Made Goods In Boost For U.S. Textile Industry

WASHINGTON — December 11, 2024 — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), spanning the entire spectrum of U.S. textiles from fiber to finished sewn products, commends the House of Representatives for passing the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today.

The legislation helps preserve the Berry Amendment supply chain and authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to take steps to build up the defense textile stockpile and directs DOD to be more transparent and disclose all waivers submitted for the procurement of defense textiles not made in the United States.

In addition to supporting and expanding the critical Berry Amendment, which requires the Department of Defense to purchase 100% U.S. made textiles and clothing, the legislation includes two new key provisions important to the domestic textile industry:

  • Authorizes Secretary of Defense to establish pre-positioned stocks of defense textiles needed to support contingency operations, while requiring the secretary to develop a plan to mitigate delays in meeting the demand for a ramp up in defense textile articles.
  • Increases public transparency for domestic nonavailability determinations (DNADS) on an annual basis, while requiring the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to develop and maintain a list of DNADs and share it with Congress and industry.

“We applaud the House for passing the FY 2025 NDAA today and urge the Senate to pass this critical legislation this year,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas. “This legislation contains provisions that support a strong domestic textile and apparel manufacturing industrial base and aims to expand procurement of American-made defense-related textiles. The Berry Amendment ensures that there is a stable and viable domestic supply chain for these critical defense materials

“The American textile and apparel industry is a key strategic contributor to our national defense and supplies over 8,000 products a year to our men and women in uniform. U.S. textile mills provide a secure supply chain for the highest quality goods that our armed forces demand, eliminating the need to rely on countries like China for critical military products such as vital uniforms and equipment.

“The U.S. textile industry provides high-tech, functional components for the U.S. government, including more than $1.8 billion worth of vital uniforms and equipment for our armed forces annually. It is vital to America’s national security that the U.S. military maintain the ability to source high-quality, innovative textile materials, apparel, and personal equipment from a vibrant U.S. textile industrial base.”

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

MMI Textiles Acquires Jason Mills Significantly Bolstering Product Offering Of High-Performance Knits

CLEVELAND — December 10, 2024 — MMI Textiles Inc. —a global diversified supplier of industrial and custom fabrics and textile components with military, tactical, medical, commercial, and apparel expertise — has acquired New Jersey-based manufacturer of knit textiles Jason Mills LLC. Effective January 2, 2025, the acquisition instantly expands the MMI Textiles’ product line, accelerating a key strategic growth initiative for the company.

“We have had the privilege of working with Jason Mills for many years and have tremendous respect for their approach to business, which aligns seamlessly with the culture we’ve built at MMI Textiles,” said Amy Bircher Bruyn, founder, and CEO of MMI Textiles. “This acquisition marks an exciting milestone as we continue to grow and strengthen our position in the textile industry. We are eager to integrate their expertise, resources, and innovation to better serve our customers and address the evolving needs of the market.”

Founded in 1976, Jason Mills is known for its high-performance knits and operates in several major markets, including recreational trade, occupational safety, aeronautical, automotive and marine, healthcare, filtration, and industrial textiles.

“We are proud to announce that Jason Mills has been acquired by MMI Textiles in Ohio,” said Michael Lavroff, CEO and president of Jason Mills. “Since 1976, Jason Mills has been providing quality fabrics to industries as diverse as healthcare, occupational safety, aeronautical and in recent years to the indoor golf simulator market — and we will continue to provide innovative solutions, quality materials and outstanding customer service to the industries it serves well into the future.”

Together Jason Mills and MMI Textiles will continue to deliver unmatched service to customers, industry innovation and seamless collaboration with all of the company’s partners.

Dan Pezold, president of PezTex Consulting, whose firm assisted MMI Textiles in the valuation, structuring and negotiation of the acquisition noteed: “Jason Mills is a great addition to the MMI Textiles portfolio and further expands its product lines, market segments and customer list. MMI Textiles is growing rapidly and continues to develop into a world-class leader in the textile space.”

PezTex is seeking additional acquisition opportunities in the textile industry for MMI Textiles.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: MMI Textiles Inc.

Cocona Labs Establishes Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise In India

BOULDER, Colo. — December 11, 2024 — Cocona Labs, creator of 37.5 Technology and global supplier of sustainable thermoregulation material science, has announced the successful establishment of its Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in Gurugram, Haryana, India, further solidifying its commitment to expanding its presence in this fast-growing and strategically situated market.

The India WFOE will provide enhanced in-country capabilities to support Cocona Labs’ customers, partners and growing business operations in the region.

“Cocona has been investing heavily in India for the past several years, both to capture domestic growth opportunities in its dynamic economy and as a hedge against geopolitical pressure on brands currently sourcing out of China,” said CEO Jeff Bowman. “This new WFOE will enable us to better serve our customers and partners, while creating a more streamlined approach for brands sourcing 37.5 Technology materials from India.”

The company’s decision to establish a WFOE in India reflects its commitment to driving innovation, strengthening supply chain efficiencies and delivering its sustainable thermoregulating technology to new markets.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: Cocona Labs / 37.5 Technology

Heytex Group Core Business Now Part Of Freudenberg 

WEINHEIM, Germany — December 11, 2024 — The antitrust authorities in Germany, Austria and Poland have approved the acquisition of Heytex core business by Freudenberg Performance Materials Holding GmbH, the parent company of Mehler Texnologies. Heytex core business with three production locations (in Germany and China) and all headquarter-related functions will therefore become part of the newly-formed specialist for coated technical textiles.

Heytex Group core business now part of Freudenberg Source: ©Freudenberg Performance Materials

“We are delighted that Heytex has become part of Freudenberg Performance Materials. This lays the foundation for the two strong brands Mehler Texnologies and Heytex to grow together for the benefit of customers,” Dr. Andreas Raps, CEO of Freudenberg Performance Materials and Member of the Freudenberg Group Executive Council, commented. He went on to say: “Mehler Texnologies and Heytex will make up the newly-formed Coated Technical Textiles Division at Freudenberg Performance Materials. Hans-Dieter Kohake, former CEO of the Heytex Group, will contribute Heytex’s expertise to the management team. As Senior Vice President, Dr. Henk R. Randau will lead the business going forward.”

With this merger, Mehler Texnologies and Heytex are expanding their technology platform and their global market presence, and increasing their R&D capacities. This will generate additional leverage for the development of innovative solutions for their joint customers.

Heytex operates worldwide and is a perfect match for Freudenberg Performance Materials, because its success is based on foundations such as innovation, customer orientation and outstanding quality. The Bramsche, Neugersdorf and Zhangjiagang sites will play a key role in the future direction of the technical textiles business at Freudenberg Performance Materials due to their good investment status and the expected synergies.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: Freudenberg Performance Materials

Notox Surfboards Harness European Flax To Conquer The World’s Biggest Waves In Nazaré

PARIS — December 11, 2024 — The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp proudly announces that Libeco, a key member of the Alliance, is enabling cutting-edge performance in extreme surf conditions with its flax reinforcements, as showcased in collaboration with Notox Surfboards. Libeco’s flax materials will power professional big wave surfer Clément Roseyro’s quest to conquer Nazaré’s legendary waves this winter.

Notox, an artisan producer of eco-friendly surfboards based in the Basque Country, has unveiled a line of tow-in surfboards custom-built for Clément Roseyro. Designed specifically for the Nazaré Big Waves Challenge in Portugal, these boards incorporate a mix of carefully chosen sustainable materials including:

  • Flax fibre woven reinforcements from Libeco for optimal strength, vibration damping, and control at high speeds.
  • Upcycled carbon fibre fabrics from Airbus, repurposing aerospace-grade materials for peak performance.
  • GreenPoxy 56 bio-resin from Sicomin for reduced environmental impact.
  • Agave cores for lightweight durability.

The Notox boards are heavier and more robust than conventional surfboards, with a denser foam core

and reinforced stringer to withstand the extreme forces of 15m+ waves. This careful engineering ensures superior strength, stability, and momentum in Nazaré’s heavy surf conditions.

“The new tow-in boards for Clément are a fusion of high-performance composite technology and sustainable design,” comments Pierre Pomiers, CEO of Notox. “Crafted by master shaper Benoit Rameix and featuring artwork by Luc Rolland, these boards represent the latest in eco-conscious innovation. We are thrilled to offer Clément the safest and most sustainable ride possible in Nazaré’s waves.”

The Notox boards also carry the prestigious Sustainable Surf Gold Level ECOBOARD certification, the highest standard for eco-friendly boards. Combining top-tier technical performance with significantly reduced environmental impact, they will be the only certified ECOBOARDs at this season’s Nazaré big wave events.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp

55 Years Of Collaboration: Parkdale And Trützschler’s Ongoing Partnership

NEUBULACH, Germany — December 11, 2024 — Parkdale is a top global provider of spun yarns, and a top partner for Trützschler too. The collaboration stretches back more than 50 years and is now gathering momentum for the future, driven by a shared focus on continuous improvement for quality, innovation and sustainability. The latest step forward for this long customer relationship? Our SUPERTIP card clothing wire.

From left to right: Stefan Engel, CEO ATR, Ivan Lami, vice president, Card Wire Sales ATR, Greg Duncan, vice president, Spinning Machine Sales ATR, and Charles Heilig, president and CEO of Parkdale.

For over 108 years, Parkdale has proven to be a reliable full-service yarn supplier. Operation began at its first facility in Gastonia, N.C., producing 425 tons of thread yarn per year. Since then, it has grown into the largest consumer of cotton in the United States. Parkdale produces more than 8,000 tons per week at 21 manufacturing sites in the United States, Mexico, Central America and South America. It supplies many industries worldwide with spun yarns consisting of fiber blends including cotton, polyester, rayon, nylon and acrylic.

Today, Parkdale is a global partner for innovative yarns that supply a wide variety of industries.

Trützschler entered the US market in 1969 and almost immediately engaged in close cooperation with Parkdale. Together, the two companies have successfully identified and adapted to several big transformations within the textile industry. Those achievements are evidence of our shared focus on exploring new technologies and continuously improving production processes. As the latest step forward in this pioneering partnership, Parkdale recently ordered 34 carding machines equipped with SUPERTIP wires from Trützschler on the licker-in, cylinder and doffer roller.

Taking clothings to the next level

SUPERTIP wires are the newest innovations in Trützschler’s range of clothings. Parkdale selected these wires because they achieve big contributions to quality and precision. Specifically, the customer values the outstanding durability of SUPERTIP wires. All SUPERTIP offer a service lifetime that is up to 30-percent longer than conventional solutions, which cuts maintenance requirements by up to 25 percent. In this way, Parkdale can now minimize service disruptions and ensure smoother processes — with lower costs.

Parkdale uses a variety of SUPERTIP wires for its uniquely diverse range of applications and process parameters. In total, more than 300 versions of the SUPERTIP clothings are available — and our teams are constantly expanding that portfolio. This wide range of innovations makes certain that we always have the perfect wire for each customer’s unique needs. It also eliminates the need to grind newly fitted clothings, which further extends intervals between maintenance tasks.

“Parkdale has trusted the Trützschler Card Clothing (TCC) team to be a full-service provider for our card clothing needs. They have exceeded our expectations for quality and performance throughout our entire manufacturing network, spanning throughout the Americas. TCC continually works with our team members, looking for innovative strategies to delight our customers,” says Charles Heilig, President and CEO of Parkdale Textile Division.

Parts and people are always available

Parkdale’s recent order for SUPERTIP card clothings is an important milestone in a partnership that now extends for over half a century. The customer can rely on fast availability of parts including stationary and revolving flats, licker-ins and more. And our technical specialists are always ready to visit Parkdale’s sites and conduct full-service maintenance in line with the highest standards.

“We’re incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with this well-known industry leader,” says Greg Duncan, vice president Spinning Machine Sales American Trützschler (ATR). “Our companies have collaborated for more than five decades. Personally, I’ve worked with Parkdale for over thirty years. I know how much Parkdale values the full maintenance service that our mechanics, engineers and technologists provide — as well as our pioneering solutions for card clothing.”

Benefits of SUPERTIP

SUPERTIP stands for enormous durability, great versatility and the highest precision. These benefits have been achieved through a new, unique manufacturing process that builds on TCC’s long technological expertise in the market.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: Trützschler Card Clothing GmbH

From Pre-Treatment To Finishing: Textile Chemicals & Dyes At Techtextil Frankfurt 2026 For The First Time As A Separate Product Area

FRANKFURT, Germany — December 11, 2024 — From fiber production to coating: For the first time, Techtextil bundles the range of exhibitors in the field of Textile Chemicals & Dyes in an independent product area from April 21-24, 2026, in Frankfurt. The leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens is creating a central hub for suppliers and users. It thus emphasizes the increasing demand and relevance of Textile Chemicals & Dyes for the global textile industry.

Techtextil 2026 concentrates Textile Chemicals & Dyes in a separate product segment for the first time. It thus emphasizes the broad range of applications and the growing economic importance of these products. The leading trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens is responding to the growing demand from users and the requirements of suppliers for a centralized and concentrated industry platform for textile chemicals and dyes. Techtextil is creating new synergies with this future bundling. Textile Chemicals & Dyes will be located in the same hall as Fibers and Yarns and Performance Apparel Textiles. Preliminary stages, suppliers and users will come together in the immediate proximity of each other. This makes it easier for them to communicate specific requirements and needs and find solutions more quickly.

‘Textile Chemicals & Dyes are becoming increasingly important for the production of technical and performance textiles. At the same time, the demands on suppliers and users are increasing, for example with regard to environmental regulations or supply chains. At Techtextil, we will bring the players even closer together in future. In this way, we enable dialogue, comparability and raise even more awareness for this promising sector,’ says Sabine Scharrer, director, Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing at Messe Frankfurt.

Their growing importance is underlined by a 2021 analysis by the market research firm MarketsandMarkets. According to the study, the global market for textile chemicals is expected to grow to a volume of $33.1 billion by 2026. The study cites a number of factors as drivers of this growth, including the increasing demand for chemicals for the rapidly growing technical textiles market.

Techtextil is the most important international platform for technical textiles, nonwovens, functional apparel textiles and textile technologies. Textile Chemicals & Dyes are an important part of this portfolio and are relevant for all application areas such as outdoor and protective clothing, industry, automotive, aerospace, medical technology, filtration and construction.

Whether for nonwovens, coated textiles or functional clothing textiles – chemicals and dyes are indispensable for textile production. In various pre-treatment, dyeing and finishing processes, they determine the visual appearance of fibres, yarns, nonwovens and textile surfaces. More importantly, they give them important functions. Textile chemicals give outdoor rain jackets their water-repellent impregnation, work clothes their performance and ensure crease-free and soft bed linen despite frequent washing. Moreover, they sterilise medical textiles for safe use in operating theatres, protect erosion protection fleeces in road construction from UV radiation and make industrial textile filters oil and water repellent. They also ensure the flame protection of firefighter suits and improve the durability of airbags so that they function reliably for the life of the car.

Techtextil Frankfurt 2026 will be held from April 21 through 24, 2026.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

ANDRITZ Introduces New Pilot Line For Dry Molded Fiber Production

GRAZ, Austria — December 11, 2024 — International technology group ANDRITZ has inaugurated a new technical center in Montbonnot, France, dedicated to advancing solutions for dry molded fiber production.

Coffee cup lids are one example of products made with DMF technology. Photo – ANDRITZ

Dry molded fiber (DMF) production uses a nearly waterless process to convert cellulose fibers into three-dimensional products for sustainable packaging. Based on its strategic partnership with the Swedish DMF pioneer PulPac, ANDRITZ is now able to offer complete dry molded fiber lines.

The new technical center with its pilot line will support ANDRITZ’s development of industrial-scale solutions for high-speed, turnkey dry molded fiber production plants for the packaging industry. It will also enable customers to conduct trials, receive support on R&D projects, and create new products with customized shapes and barrier properties.

Andreas Lukas, Senior Vice President of ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile, states: “Wood pulp processing has been a core competence of ANDRITZ for a long time. Our new pilot line is an important step in advancing our solutions for responsible convenience packaging from wood pulp. By combining ANDRITZ Dan-Web’s airlaid forming capabilities with PulPac’s molding technology, we are striving for the highest capacity, product quality and flexibility in this field.”

The launch of the new DMF pilot line underscores ANDRITZ’s commitment to invest in the development of environmentally friendly solutions that support the green transition.

Posted: December 11, 2024

Source: ANDRITZ

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