Milliken & Company Recognized Among The 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies®

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — March 4, 2024 — Diversified global manufacturer Milliken & Company is proud to be included on the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies list curated by Ethisphere, a leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. This annual recognition highlights organizations with an exemplary commitment to business integrity through robust ethics, compliance and governance programs. Milliken is one of only six honorees to make the list every year since the award was first created in 2007.

“At Milliken, we are committed to making a positive impact on people and the world around us,” said Milliken President and CEO Halsey Cook. “This honor affirms that how we conduct business matters just as much as what we accomplish, and we’re proud to be recognized again this year.”

Guided by its core values and the ever-changing landscape of the communities it serves, Milliken undertook an extensive project in 2023 to better understand the needs and desires of its associate base. The company then formalized its commitment to Team Milliken with the launch of its Associate Promise, a commitment to building a better future by fostering a culture rooted in trust, intentional inclusion and diversity, and empowerment. Milliken’s Associate Promise echoes elements of Milliken’s overarching ethics and compliance program that strives to purposefully impact the world through a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

“By acting with integrity and transparency, we continue our commitment to maintaining our ethical enterprise,” shared Kasel Knight, senior vice president and general counsel and head of sustainability at Milliken. “From the way we treat our associates to the way we engage in the market, we act for humankind in everything we do.”

The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere’s proprietary Ethics Quotient®, an extensive questionnaire that requires companies to provide more than 240 proof points on their culture of ethics, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, ethics and compliance program, diversity, equity and inclusion, and initiatives that support a strong value chain. In 2024, 136 honorees were recognized, spanning 20 countries and 44 industries.

“Year after year, we see Milliken exhibit a best-in-class culture of ethics and integrity,” added Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere’s chief strategy officer and executive chair. “Not only is this team demonstrating a strong ethical mindset, Milliken is committed to continually improving their ethics and compliance practices. We congratulate Milliken on its 18th year as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.”

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Milliken & Company

 

Leigh Fibers, Revive Fiber Join Forces To Expand Capabilities

WELLFORD, S.C. — March 5, 2024 — Leigh Fibers’ owners have purchased the operating assets of Martex Fiber and rebranded the business as Revive Fiber. Leigh Fibers and Revive Fiber will operate as separate but related sister companies under joint management as the largest textile recycler in North America.

With multiple production facilities in South Carolina and one in Brownsville, Texas, this investment expands capacity to meet growing production needs. All products will continue to be made in the U.S. while supporting industries throughout North America, South America, and Europe.

“The acquisition of these assets will benefit customers of both companies. While the companies will remain separate, we have broadened and deepened our resources, improving our capabilities and expertise. Nobody else can provide the same breadth of products from recycled fibers, eco-friendly chemistry, toll manufacturing, and nonwoven solutions,” said Daniel Mason, co-owner of Leigh Fibers and the newly formed Revive Fiber.

The two companies provide a seamless solution for textile recycling, from high-volume to specialty custom fibers, across industries including automotive, apparel, bedding, and acoustic insulation. A greater raw material base and production capacity will expand sourcing options for customers seeking quality recycled fibers.

As the end users of a wide range of textile byproducts, both companies remain committed to helping organizations meet sustainability goals by diverting waste streams from landfills. Our solutions allow manufacturers to reduce waste and create new revenue opportunities.

“Sustainability is core to who we are,” Mason said. “We’re passionate about developing green solutions that are good for profit and the planet.”

Leigh Fibers and Revive Fibers have more than 150 years of combined experience in textile recycling. This acquisition positions both companies for stronger sustainable growth while better servicing customers.

Posted March 5, 2024

Source: Leigh Fibers

 

 

Gap Inc., Ambercycle Announce Efforts To Advance Textile-To-Textile Recycling

Image courtesy of Athleta

LOS ANGELES And SAN FRANCISCO— March 5, 2024 — Gap Inc. and Ambercycle today announced efforts to leverage textile-to-textile recycled materials in Athleta products. Ambercycle’s cycora® regenerated polyester is a high-performance material created from end-of-life textiles that seamlessly replaces conventional polyester. Starting in 2026, Athleta — a Certified B Corporation — plans to become the first performance apparel brand to use cycora at scale.

Athleta CEO, Chris Blakeslee added, “As a mission-driven, B Corp-certified brand, Athleta is committed to reducing our environmental footprint by using recycled materials like cycora, which not only aligns with our values but also meets our uncompromising quality standards.”

Athleta’s versatile apparel assortment is designed for women by women, with inclusivity at its core. Athleta integrates performance and technical features across its collection to support women across their entire lifestyle — from yoga and training to travel and recovery.

“As the demand for circular materials rises, we are delighted to collaborate with like-minded brands in the performance sector, such as Athleta. Together, we are not only creating high-quality garments but also driving forward the circular fashion movement,” said Shay Sethi, CEO of Ambercycle.

“Gap Inc. is committed to evolving our supply chain and product development process in ways that help us deliver innovative products for our customers while reducing our environmental footprint,” added Dan Fibiger, head of Global Sustainability at Gap Inc.

Ambercycle’s proprietary molecular regeneration technology uses discarded polyester as feedstock in the production of cycora, a high-performance material designed to reproduce the quality of virgin-grade polyester, while reducing industry greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on landfilling or incinerating end-of-life textiles. The news demonstrates growing demand for circular materials made from textile-to-textile regeneration.

Fibiger continued, “Ambercycle’s groundbreaking technology for transforming end-of-life textiles into new materials not only enables a more sustainable supply of high-performance fabrics, but it has the potential to cut waste and emissions and has the potential to advance circularity at scale.”

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Ambercycle

Avery Dennison Names Ryan Yost President, Materials Group

Ryan Yost, President, Materials Group Photo- Business Wire

MENTOR, Ohio — February 29, 2024 — Avery Dennison Corp. today announced that Ryan Yost has been appointed president, Materials Group.

“Ryan most recently led the transformation of our Identification Solutions business and the acceleration of our Vestcom business as vice president and general manager, driving significant growth in the logistics, food and retail market segments,” said Avery Dennison president and CEO Deon Stander. “As president of the Materials Group, he will continue to focus our teams on delivering for our customers through innovation, technology and the advancement of sustainability, driving outsized growth in high-value categories and growing profitably in our base businesses.”

Yost has held several leadership roles at Avery Dennison over the past two decades. He previously held operations and supply chain leadership roles in multiple Materials Group businesses before moving to Solutions Group where he led operations and commercial teams across the globe.

Yost holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in operations and supply chain management from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Business Administration from Cleveland State University.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Avery Dennison Corp.

Techtextil And Texprocess Hold Strong Appeal For Young Professionals And Students

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — March 5, 2024 — The textile sector has much to offer bright young people. Currently undergoing a process of transformation, the sector is characterized by a variety of creative opportunities – from digitalisation and automation to future-oriented sustainability concepts. Accordingly, Techtextil and Texprocess represent a great chance for young professionals to connect with innovative companies along the entire textile value chain. The two leading international innovation trade fairs, which are being held in parallel in Frankfurt am Main April 23-26, 2024, offer numerous networking opportunities and knowledge formats for students and young professionals.

From fibres and composites to coated textiles for an unparalleled number of application areas across a wide range of industries, Techtextil provides a concentrated overview of the global innovative power of technical textiles and nonwovens and highlights the diverse areas of application for these products — from automotive to construction, fashion and medicine. At the same time, Texprocess is the international platform for the latest machines, processes and services for manufacturing garments and textile materials and a showcase for pioneering solutions ranging from sewing systems to cutting technologies.

For young professionals, this means numerous networking opportunities. Techtextil and Texprocess offer a wide range of information and networking platforms aimed specifically at young professionals, including presentations by universities, research institutes and start-ups. Additionally, the Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum lectures on Friday concentrate on the coming generation. “Techtextil and Texprocess focus very much on promoting young talent. We work very closely with universities, research institutes and newcomers. And the current urgency of the textile industry to attract skilled workers makes our approach even more relevant”, says Sabine Scharrer, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing. “As part of the concept, selected universities are being invited to the trade fairs. Many prestigious institutes have already agreed to visit the fairs along with students and to experience the innovative power of the industry for themselves”, adds Sabine Scharrer.

Campus & Research: the latest scientific findings

The two ‘Campus & Research’ areas in Halls 12.1 and 8.0 are a must for students and innovative companies. There, international universities, institutes and research facilities present not only their research expertise but also their wide range of future-oriented study and advanced training opportunities. The focus is on textiles and technologies for the manufacturing, processing and finishing of textiles. “Texprocess is the most important trade fair for ready-made garments and technical developments in textile products. At the same time, it is a melting pot for innovative developments and the latest scientific findings – and thus a magnet for students and tomorrow’s skilled workers. We are looking forward to an intensive dialogue at our stand on the latest results of the digitalisation of textile materials, 3D and 4D body scanning, numerical simulations of the interaction between clothing and the body, the handling of textiles and the automation of manufacturing processes”, says Prof. Dr. Yordan Kyosev, Chair of Development and Assembly of Textile Products, ITM, TU Dresden.

Performance Fashion Design Masterclass

The Performance Fashion Design Masterclass offers a great opportunity to be inspired by fresh approaches. Around 30 selected fashion students from renowned design schools are taking part in this challenging concept workshop. For the duration of the trade fair, they will immerse themselves in the industry, get to know innovative companies and their functional textiles and technologies and develop their own sustainable concepts for clothing and equipment. The participants will present their results on the Texprocess Forum stage at 11.00 am on 26 April 2024. With its special concept, the workshop forms a bridge between fashion students and manufacturers of functional apparel textiles on the one hand and suppliers of processing technologies and fashion labels on the other.

Start-up Stars: The innovators of tomorrow’s textile industry

This is where both exhibitors and visitors can connect with young, dynamic companies that are helping to shape tomorrow’s textile industry: In the eye-catching areas devoted to ‘Textile Production’ (Hall 12.0) and ‘Functional Materials’ (Hall 9.1) at Techtextil and ‘Textile Processing Technologies’ (Hall 8.0) at Texprocess, international start-ups present their innovations and business solutions with the aim of gaining partners and making new contacts:

“Esenca is taking part in Texprocess as the fair stands for textile innovations in the field of process automation and digitalisation. Our presentation at the fair of our new AI-aided, digital body-size measurement system, which includes a recommendation for the right garment size, is precisely in line with these focal-point topics – with process cost savings in the workwear industry with all its diverse business models, as well as in the e‑commerce sector of the fashion industry”, says Philipp Lehmkuhl, Managing Director, Esenca Digital Workwear.

“As a french start-up, Recyc’Elit is excited to be part of Techtextil where the global innovative power of technical textiles and nonwovens becomes visible. We are excited to present our innovative separative recycling technology, enabling to give an endless life to all end-of-life complex polyester-based textiles by obtaining virgin quality recycled PET resin usable in textile application (textile-to-textile) and separated non degraded co-materials”, says Dr. Raouf Medimagh, Co-founder and CTO of Recyc’Elit.

Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum for young professionals

On the last day of the fair, the Techtextil Forum and the Texprocess Forum will also spotlight young professionals. With the presentation of the results of the masterclass and information on training and further education formats, the focus will be on the interests and needs of students, as well as career newcomers and people changing careers. These two knowledge and networking formats are aimed specifically at newcomers to the industry. There, recruiting companies have the opportunity to get to know the issues, mindset and driving forces of the younger generation and to connect with the participants. The complete line-up can be viewed shortly before the trade fair in the online event calendars of Techtextil and Texprocess.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH

Unveiled At JEC World: Hexcel Launches New IM9 24K Carbon Fiber

PARIS — March 5, 2024 — Hexcel Corp. has launched a new HexTow® continuous carbon fiber — IM9 24K — providing the market with a lightweight, strong and durable carbon fiber with enhanced value for the world’s most advanced aerospace composite applications.

HexTow IM9 24K is an intermediate modulus (IM) fiber of 24,000 filaments with an average tow tensile strength over 6,300 megapascals (MPa), a modulus of 298 gigapascals (GPa) and strain of 1.9%. This new product provides a 12% improvement in tensile strength over the Hexcel baseline IM7 fiber, which is a major component in commercial aircraft engine fan blades and other aerospace applications.

“Hexcel developed HexTow IM9 24K to be a workhorse fiber that builds on the company’s proven legacy of intermediate modulus fibers,” said Imad Atallah, vice president, Product Management, Composite Materials. “We are excited to offer our customers a dependable carbon fiber solution for high-rate manufacturing and high-performance material designs.”

The HexTow® IM9 24K provides an alternative solution for customers seeking affordable, high-value composites,  and is particularly suited for manufacturing primary and secondary aerospace vehicle structures. The combination of the fiber’s high performance and translation into composite tensile strength, as well as the increased fiber line throughput and productivity provided by a 24K tow size, provides a strong value proposition when compared to other commercially available IM fibers.

With the launch of the new HexTow IM9 24K carbon fiber, Hexcel anticipates qualifying the product with highly-toughened epoxies, thermosetting bismaleimide (BMI), out of autoclave (OOA) and other high performance resin systems. Composite data is currently being generated in a variety of resin systems and will be made available to customers.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Hexcel Corporation

The International Furnishings And Design Association (IFDA)’s Educational Foundation Announces Design Student Scholarships For 2024

LEWISVILLE, N.C. — March 4, 2024 — Applications will be accepted March 1-31, 2024, for nine scholarships from the Educational Foundation (EF) of IFDA, the International Furnishings and Design Association. Since the early years of this 77-year-old global design industry alliance, arguably the most diverse organization of its kind with membership that includes designers, media and marketers, EF has awarded scholarships to high-achieving design students as well as grants to talented professionals, internationally.  This year there are nine scholarships available for a total of $20,500.

“These scholarships confirm our belief in supporting today’s students and enhancing public awareness of design through educational and philanthropic programs,” said Stephanie Graham, Chairman of the Board of the Educational Foundation of IFDA. “Students are our future.”

Applicants must be currently enrolled and scholarships are paid to the school for the 2024 fall semester tuition.  Applicants are not eligible to apply if their graduation date is either the spring or summer semester of 2024.  Scholarships are for undergraduate and graduate students attending U.S. institutions and all applications must be in English.

The nine scholarships are as follows:

  • FBN Leaders Commemorative Scholarship — $3,000. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full-time undergraduate students; extra credit for volunteer work/leadership.
  • Part-Time Student Scholarship — $1,500.  Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, part-time students.
  • IFDA Student Member Scholarship — $2,000.  Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full-time undergraduate IFDA student members.  Link to join IFDA: https://ifda.com/join-ifda/.
  • Vercille Voss IFDA Graduate Student Scholarship — $2,000. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full- or part-time graduate students.
  • Ruth Clark Furniture Design Scholarship — $4,000.  Open to currently enrolled, full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students with a course emphasis on Furniture Design.
  • Tricia LeVangie Green/Sustainable Design Scholarship — $1,500. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full- or part-time undergraduate students.
  • Barbara Beckmann Textile Design Scholarship — $3,000.  Open to currently enrolled full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students with course emphasis on Textile Design.
  • IFDA Philadelphia Scholarship — $2,500. Open to currently enrolled, two-, three- or four-year interior design or related program students.  Focus rotates annually between design in Textile, Graphic, Furniture and Interior Design. This year’s focus is Furniture Design.
  • Window Fashion Certified Professionals Fast Track Scholarship One Full Registration — $1,000. Open to currently enrolled, two-, three- of four-year interior design or related program students.

As stated, applications for all 2023 EF scholarships will only be accepted during the month of March, with winners promised notification in July. For details, please consult the Educational Foundation website www.ifdaef.org. Or for answers to specific questions about these or any of EF’s other scholarships and grants, contact Earline Feldman, Director of Scholarships & Grants, at ef.ifda@tapestries.org .

IFDA Educational Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt, 501©(3) organization.  It’s nine scholarships support both full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of interior, green/sustainable, product and textile design.  In addition, 10 grants support professional development opportunities for IFDA members and other design industry professionals as well as needed resources for design schools.  Visit instagram.com/ifdaef/ and facebook.com/ifda.educational.foundation/

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: The International Furnishings And Design Association (IFDA)

Society Of Dyers And Colourists (SDC) Relaunches Its Global Colourist Award For 2024

BRADFORD, England — March 4, 2024 — Long-time education provider Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) is delighted to announce that applications have now reopened for its Global Colourist Award.

The award recognizes the professional achievements of those working across the wider coloration sector. Entries are open to colorists worldwide across the full gamut of specialisms including — but not limited to — textiles, dyes and pigments, leather, food and paint. Production dyers, shift dyers or printing colorists are all eligible.

A £1000 prize is on offer for the chosen recipient, with Advanced Colours and Chemicals Ltd. in Rossendale kindly sponsoring the competition.

The winner will also be invited to the SDC’s all expenses paid Day of Celebration and awards ceremony on November 8, 2024, where they will be presented with a certificate and their prize money.

Applications are welcomed up until the deadline of May and supervisors, managers or directors can also nominate an employee. Alternatively, people can put themselves forward, on the proviso that a referee can confirm their suitability.

Ian Lewis, managing director of Advanced Colours and Chemicals, said: “This award represents recognition of outstanding achievement within the first decade of an individual’s career. There was an excellent array of nominations submitted for last year’s award, so the bar has been set very high!”

Dr Graham Clayton, CEO of SDC, said: “The society is once again delighted to be reopening applications for the Global Colourist Award for a second year running. We’re looking for an outstanding individual who is able to demonstrate enthusiasm, commitment, excellent performance, competence, a contribution to  team effort and strong general knowledge of the coloration industry.”

In addition to the event invitation and the prize money, the winner and their employer will be featured in the SDC’s quarterly members’ magazine, The Colourist. Runners up and those who are highly commended will receive book vouchers to use forSDC’s books or non-textile coloration books, sponsored via other sources.

Highly commended winner for 2023, Hannah Rampley, teaching technician at the University of Manchester, said: “Being selected as last year’s Global Colourist was completely unexpected and was a huge achievement for me, so thank you to the judges for selecting me as their winner and to the SDC for the award.

“It’s not often that technicians get recognized for the work that they do to educate and inspire students so it was a huge honor to receive this accolade.

“I look forward to seeing how my future career in color will develop and receiving this from the SDC has given me a huge confidence boost and  made me really look forward to what will come next!”

Judging of the entries will take place in June, with interviews scheduled in early September. The winner will be notified in mid-September.

For details on how to nominate/enter please visit the SDC website: https://sdc.org.uk/colour-competitions/global-colourist-award-2024/

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC)

Precision Textiles Launches IQFIT Comfort, Sustainable FR Solution For Promotionally Priced Mattresses

FAIRFIELD, N.J. — March 4, 2024 — In a move designed to provide its customers with an all-in-one FR solution for their mattress collections, Precision Textiles, a trailblazer in textile innovation and a leading supplier for the bedding, home furnishings, automotive and healthcare industries, has engineered a new product called IQFIT Comfort.

As part of its IQFIT family of products, IQFIT Comfort is designed for use by both mattress manufacturers and cut and sew cover suppliers and is geared toward the residential and hospitality markets. Its fabric is sustainably sourced with FR capabilities just like the company’s IQFIT product collection with a more comfortable and flexible design.

“Introducing IQFIT Comfort marks yet another milestone in our commitment to the bedding industry and represents our dedication to continually pushing the boundaries of comfort and functionality,” said Scott Tesser, CEO of Precision Textiles. “Not only does this product deliver exceptional comfort but it also offers versatile applications, catering to the needs of both residential and hospitality markets.”

By utilizing a comfort focused knit construction combined with the latest FR Chemistry, (Prop 65 compliant) IQFIT Comfort significantly improves comfort and flexibility and is perfect for promotionally priced, compression packed mattress designs.

IQFIT Comfort allows for a single solution CFR 1633 compliant application and outer cover making it a more efficient approach to mattress constructions.

“In an industry that is perpetually seeking cost efficiencies and streamlined production, Precision Textiles remains a standout,” said Garrett Graven product development manager and textile engineer. “Our research showed that mattresses in the promotional category prioritize basic functionality and price making IQFIT Comfort the perfect solution. It seamlessly combines cost-effectiveness and function with exceptional comfort and is tailored precisely for this consumer segment.”

IQFIT Comfort’s patent pending product design aligns with current USDA Bio-Preferred product assortments reaffirming Precision Textile’s dedication to sustainable manufacturing methods. It will make its official debut this March at the ISPA Expo 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Precision Textiles

Bally Ribbon Mills Highlight 3D Weaving Capabilities At JEC World 2024

BALLY, Pa. — March 4, 2024 — Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry innovator in the design, development, and manufacture of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announces it will highlight its 3D weaving capabilities at JEC World 2024, which will be held on March 5-7, 2024, in Paris-Nord Villepinte, France, Booth #6M38. BRM will highlight its film infusion capabilities for 3D woven joints; woven thermal protection systems (TPS); and advanced woven composite 3D structures, including 3D near-net shapes.

In BRM’s film infusion process, a frozen sheet or film of resin is infused onto the custom 3D woven joint. Film-infused 3D woven joints ship as premade assemblies, ensuring consistent quality control from the industry-leading experts in fabrication and saving customers the cost of infusing the resin themselves. BRM has perfected the science and art of 3-D continuous weaving to fabricate such structures as “Pi – π,” double “T,” “H,” and other complex shapes. Offering the optimal blend of strength, durability, and structural integrity, these complex woven structures are used primarily in aerospace applications, often in airframe structural components and subassemblies including stiffeners and joints.

Those who visit the booth will see lightweight materials like 3-D woven fabrics and learn about our multifunctional thermal protection systems (TPS) for atmospheric re-entry. BRM has implemented innovative weaving technologies to develop complex webbing for aerospace products. The woven TPS billet to be showcased at the booth is part of a line of products that was selected as the critical component of the heat shield on the Orion Crew Capsule, which helps protect against the extreme temperatures of atmospheric re-entry.

In partnership with NASA, BRM developed the 3D Orthogonally woven 3DMAT Quartz Material for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) compression pads. The 3DMAT Quartz Material was recently named the 2023 NASA Government Invention of the Year.

Also on display are lightweight, cost-effective, advanced woven 2-D and 3-D composite structures. Using a multi-dimensional continuous weaving method, BRM produces textiles that can be fabricated into near net-shape structures. These advanced weaving capabilities offer customers new solutions that reduce weight and cost. The technology weaves complex shapes automatically, eliminating many costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive processes.

Posted: March 5, 2024

Source: Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM

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