New Zealand — March 12, 2013 — An AgResearch-developed wool dyeing technology that bridges the gap
between high performance and haute couture is set to shine on a global stage thanks to a worldwide
licensing deal.

 

The revolutionary textile dyeing process is now being commercialised by BGI
Development.  It enables wool to be dyed two colours at the same time, and graphics and images
to be dyed into the fabric. There is no loss of the quality feel of the fabric and the images won’t
deteriorate over time.

The technology enables designers to use high performance merino in creative ways never before
possible, making merino an excellent choice for fashion active wear.

BGI director Robyn George-Neich says that since signing the commercialisation agreement BGI
has been working to identify the right company to bring this innovation to the global market.

American company Global Merino has now signed an exclusive worldwide license to produce
active wear using the techniques pioneered here.

“Global Merino was the obvious choice as they work with all of the big brands in the active
wear market. It is also seen on the world stage as an innovator, and is a company that can make a
real impact,” says Robyn.

“For the past year we have been working with Global Merino through their commercial trials at
their Melbourne facility.  The investment of resources in this process was significant but
will pay dividends for everyone involved now that it is commercially-proven technology.  It is
a big step to take innovation from the lab to commercial production.”

BGI Director Brent Gregory says, “This is an exciting time as the market is introduced to
something revolutionary that will change the way designers work with merino and increase the
expectations of consumers. 

“It will enable companies to create garments in a premium quality fabric, and with exciting
graphics that look and continue to feel just as good as they did the day you brought them.”

Global Merino Director Jose Fernandez says that the company has been introducing buyers to
the technology at recent American outdoor trade shows, where the response has been overwhelmingly
positive.

“This definitely has the wow factor and people genuinely think it is cool technology,” he
says.

“There’s an established and growing market for natural fibres and this process allows more
creative dyeing than ever before, merging fashion with function.”

The technology was developed within the Textiles team at AgResearch. Science team leader
Stewart Collie says that this illustrates the skills and experience of the organisation.

“Technologies such as these are great for getting consumers excited about wool and opening up
new markets for it,” he says.

“We can also build on our knowledge and experience in working with wool and use it to help
create new applications and products.”

BGI is now looking for other sectors of the market where this new technology can be
applied.  The scientists at AgResearch are currently trialling applications on wool in its
various forms.

“What is great about this deal is the way all the parties involved have decided to
collaborate, each recognising that alone they will not be able to achieve anywhere near the level
of success as they can by working together,” says Robyn.

Posted April 2, 2013

Source: AgResearch

Wichita, Kan.-based polymer and fiber producer Invista has acquired Greenville-based Ashburn Hill
Corp. including its TECGEN® brands of flame-resistant (FR) apparel and its Angleton, Texas-based
manufacturing operation.

“Invista has an aggressive growth strategy that includes identifying new business
opportunities to allow us to continue building a product portfolio that delivers value to
customers,” said Jeff Brown, executive vice president, Invista Performance Materials. “The TECGEN®
flame resistant brands have quickly gained trust in the marketplace, and by coupling that expertise
with Invista’s existing global workwear capabilities, we have high expectations for the specialized
garment segment.”

Tecgen fiber is produced using a patented carbon technology process that offers advanced
protection against heat and flame. Blends of Tecgen with other inherently FR fibers can be used to
make lightweight, breathable garments that provide a high level of both flame protection and
comfort, according to Invista. The Tecgen brands include: Tecgen Select®, an arc-rated, flame- and
flash-fire-resistant line of garments for manufacturing, transportation, mining, oil and gas, and
energy utility applications; and Tecgen Xtreme®, a National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)/UL-certified line of lightweight, moisture-repellent clothing for firefighters involved in
wildland and technical rescue operations.

The Tecgen brands will join Invista brands such as CORDURA® in the company’s Performance
Materials business segment, which will provide global resources to enable the brands to expand
their offerings.

Ashburn Hill was incorporated in 2006, and Invista first took an interest in the company in
2008, when Jon Heard left Invista to become its CEO. In the following years, Invista made
investments in Ashburn Hill to help it scale up production.

Heard will continue to head the business under Invista ownership, and Ashburn Hill’s 20
employees at the Greenville administration office and the Angleton manufacturing facility have now
transitioned into Invista.

March 26, 2013

Spinning was most probably the impetus for the first Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. And
most probably, there is no other sector in the whole textile production chain that underwent such
drastic changes over the centuries and decades.

From humble beginnings in Great Britain, the spinning sector started conquering the European
continent in the 20th century. Until the early 1960s, for staple yarn spinning, there was mainly
one technology: ring spinning. Then, new technologies came into the market: open-end or rotor
spinning; then, compact spinning; and also, air-jet spinning. Today, virtually all of these
technologies have their space and markets.

The Two Sides Of The Coin

However, where are these markets today? The answer to this question is quite simple: almost
everywhere. But where are the production sites for these yarns? The answer to this question is not
that easy. It depends on the requirements of the various end-uses. Over the last four decades, yarn
production moved eastward and arrived — no surprise — largely in China. On the one hand, the
textile machinery industry sold millions and millions of spindles to Asian markets, bringing the
Western spinning industry deep troubles. On the other hand, the quality of Asian yarns increased
considerably. However, some fine-count cotton yarns were still produced in Western countries,
although not for a very long time. The prices of these yarns were and are so competitive that many
spinning mills in the Western world closed down. That was the very end of the commodity market for
Western spinners.

For quite a long time, China has been seen as an antagonist for virtually every
textile-producing country in the world. China is today competing in all sectors of the textile
industry, including machinery. The saying goes that Chinese manufacturers, and mainly yarn and
fabric producers, have no competition. Is this the undisputed truth? China is also facing the
well-known problems of today.

The Art Of Fashion

So, one should talk about quantities, and about delivery times — this is about fashion, and
so, it’s about colors, and above all, quality. In every market, and definitely in the apparel
market, there are and always have been a low-end and a high-end or niche market. And niche markets
are not willing to buy the quantities that are needed today to be considered as a customer for
Asian spinners.

In a nutshell, one should talk about the art of fine yarn and fabric production and not about
prices. There must be some remaining spinners that have the will and are capable of producing yarns
for a very defined market segment. You think, dear reader, this a fairy tale? To check whether it’s
true or not, the Rupp Report went to Milan — sorry, French people — the center of design and
fashion.

The Art Of The — Mostly — Italian Way

As the Rupp Report mentioned some weeks ago, the yarn exhibition FILO took place in Milan
last week. And, to an observer from a neighboring country, it is always fascinating to see how the
Italians live and organize their lives and survive with an attitude that is second to none. Is
there maybe a secret behind all this? An explanation is quite difficult. The official opening of
the show demonstrated in a way how the Italians conduct their way of life. Words like non mollare,
grinta and amore were used in different speeches.

Non mollare means, essentially, “we never give up.” Grinta means something like “the will to
do it, to get it done,” or just “hang on to it.” Amore is obvious — it means “love.” But here, it
refers to the admiration, the commitment and the love for the job, for the work to do. The summary
of all this could be named Italianità, meaning “the Italian character.”

The Art Of Being Different

Well, most of the interviewed exhibitors have been attending FILO for a long time. However,
there are always newcomers like Camenzind & Co. AG, which produces 100-percent silk yarns Made
in Switzerland. Managing Director Nicole Camenzind said that her company is selling a lot of silk
to Italian customers, and she was told that FILO provides a good opportunity to present the
products. Yet, the first contacts were quite promising.

Roberto Belloli and his company, Antonio Aspesi S.r.l., are doing something very different:
this Italian company is selling tailor-made filament warps. “Our customers are weaving special
products, so they need special warps, customized to their needs. And that is what we are doing.”

One well-known yarn producer is Switzerland-based Hermann Bühler AG, which has a big
subsidiary in the United States — Buhler Quality Yarns Corp. in Jefferson, Ga.: The company is an
established producer of fine-count yarns made of extra-long-staple cotton and MicroModal® and
blends. Renata Franz, business development and marketing manager, said that the company is still
going to Expofil; however, it seems that the Swiss are not very happy with the Paris exhibition. On
the other hand, she said, “we are here at FILO for the second time and have already booked for
October.”

Botto Poala S.p.A. is an Italian producer of fine yarns made of wool, cashmere and silk, all
Made in Italy. The company is a part of Italy-based Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia S.p.A., and
Nicoletta Meriglio of Botto Poala mentioned that FILO is the most important yarn show for weavers;
however, many companies presented yarns for knitting, too.

Another Italy-based exhibitor with excellent products is Filatura Pettinata “Luisa 1966”
S.r.l. The company is exclusively producing fine and finest yarns made of 100-percent Merino wool.
Laura Mauri presented a range of yarns to the Rupp Report, which, with all due respect to other
exhibitors, it found to be just mind-blowing. To this old horse from spinning and weaving, these
yarns were so unique that he will need another report to describe them. More information about this
spring’s FILO is to come in the near future.

All this reporting covers just a fraction of the impressions that the exhibitors — that is,
their excellent products — provoked in this reporter. All of them are playing in the top league of
yarn and fabric production. The customers are mainly specialized weavers and knitters in Europe —
including Italy, France, Germany and Great Britain — and also customers from Japan, the United
States and Canada.

The Art Of Perfect Customer Service

When asked how they persist in today’s harsh market, all of the interviewed exhibitors said
they are not competing with Asian products. “Only experienced people with perseverance, passion and
the love for their job can do this,” one of them said. The issue is not the price; it is the unique
products and the possibility to buy small lots, even 25 kilograms. “Textiles are emotion,”
mentioned Franz, of Bühler. And at the end of the conversation with Antonio Aspesi’s Belloli, while
discussing customer needs, he said: “We are not selling yarn, we are selling service.” And that
seems and must be the essence of the art of survival for European manufacturers.

The 40th edition of FILO will be held October 9-10, 2013.

March 26, 2013

The Netherlands-based textile and graphics printing equipment supplier Stork Prints BV has
developed a new hybrid screen for the textile printing market. The new NovaScreen® 195-19% is a
combination of the existing open area NovaScreen 165 (mesh) screen and the high-resolution
NovaScreen 195 (mesh) screen. The hybrid screen offers printers that require voluminous paste
supply a high-resolution option with improved paste flow and printability.

Stork reports primary benefits of the new screen include: high screen volume and high
printing resolution; improved surface printing; and benefits in geometric printing.

A unique electroforming process allows Stork to control nickel growth during screen
production and push the ratio between hole size, mesh count and thickness of the screen beyond
conventional boundaries. By keeping the nickel growth mostly toward the top of the screen, the dam
shape stays thin and streamlined. A comparison of thickness, open area and hole size for the 4
NovaScreen types are shown in Table 1.

Stork reports that a smaller, more streamlined dam shape increases the chance of paste
flowing beneath the dam with lower squeegee pressure, thus creating a more even spread of paste on
the textile substrate. This even paste flow makes the screen suitable for pigment printing and
penetrative printing; the look and straightness of geometric and engraved prints is improved; and
improved rasterisations with dot definition generate quality halftone impressions.

Figure 1: Paste transfer through a conventional screen

Figure 2: Paste transfer through NovaScreen®

March 26, 2013