ANN ARBOR, Mich. — June 3, 2024 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. announced today that Kraig Labs is now in production with its BAM-1 recombinant spider silk hybrids. The company originally planned this launch for July, but the resounding successes of the production trials positioned Kraig Labs to accelerate its 2024 production schedule.
This production cycle serves as a critical transition for the company’s commercialization of sustainable and cost-effective spider silk production. This announcement marks the company’s first transition of true production hybrids to the manufacturing environment. This rearing cycle also represents more than a 10X increase in production over the spring trials and is the largest single batch of spider silk production in the company’s operating history.
The BAM-1 hybrids exhibited an excellent hatching yield and continue to show strong and uniform growth. The company’s team has been closely monitoring their health and is proud to report that, just like the spring trials, it has not observed any sign of disease or weakness within the colony.
The BAM-1 hybrids were created by integrating the company’s recombinant spider silk technology, Dragon Silk™, into two robust commercial silkworm strains. These two silkworm strains created the parental lines that, when combined, produce the BAM-1 hybrids. The BAM-1 hybrids result in the largest cocoons and most robust silkworms Kraig Labs has produced. This, in turn, results in higher silk yield and improved production efficiency, while maintaining fiber material performance, as the company scales up its spider silk production operations.
“This successful launch of the BAM-1 hybrids is the result of more than a year of focused development by our team. The spring production trials demonstrated that we have brought together the right team, the right technology, and the right facilities to make 2024 a breakout year for the commercialization of spider silk,” said Founder and CEO of Kraig Labs Kim Thompson. “This cycle puts us securely on the path to reaching our first production milestone of a metric ton of spider silk.”
Over the coming weeks, the company will provide additional updates on this production cycle and its plans for continued production growth and end-market developments.
KENNESAW, Ga. — June 3, 2024 — Avient Corp., a premier provider of specialized and sustainable materials solutions and services, is pleased to announce the launch of Rutland™ Evolve™ Bio Plastisol™ Inks for the screen printing industry.
New Rutland™ Evolve™ Bio Plastisol™ Inks from Avient, containing 56-59% bio-derived content, are available from Rutland distributors beginning June 3, 2024.
Created with 56 to 59 percent bio-derived content and tested to ASTM D6866, Rutland Evolve Bio Plastisol Inks can reduce screen printers’ reliance on fossil fuel-based inks while seamlessly introducing more sustainable practices to plastisol screen printing shops. These inks are currently offered in white and mixing base inks and provide an intuitive printing experience with standard screen printing equipment and processes.
“At Avient Specialty Inks, we’re committed to offering innovative screen printing inks that support sustainability objectives without compromising on performance,” said Jake Ojeda, global marketing and sales director, Avient Specialty Inks. “Rutland Evolve Bio Plastisol Inks are a great example of this – they allow screen printers to incorporate bio-derived inks that maintain the on-press performance Rutland is known for.”
Rutland Evolve Bio Plastisol Inks print compatibly with Rutland NPT C3 Pigments and can be mixed to thousands of Pantone®-simulated colors using IMS 3.0, Avient Specialty Inks’ proprietary color formulation software. When printing with these inks, formulas in IMS 3.0 will calculate the amount of bio-derived content associated with each Pantone color. They are manufactured in the United States and available from Rutland distributors.
VALENCIA, Spain — June 3, 2024 — Jeanologia will make its presence felt at the upcoming Denim PV Milan edition, slated for June 5-6 in the heart of Italian fashion. At this landmark event, the Spanish company, a global leader in sustainable textile technology, will present its groundbreaking atmospheric washing process ATMOS, promising to revolutionize the denim industry by offering an eco-efficient alternative to traditional stone washing. The unveiling of ATMOS in Milan holds particular significance amidst the resurgence of Italian denim, with the country’s textile industry redefining its standards towards sustainability and luxury.
The ATMOS process, fueled by the innovative INDRA system and G2 technology, marks a true breakthrough in denim garment finishing by leveraging only atmospheric elements, dispensing with water and pumice stone. This pioneering technical approach not only ensures a drastic reduction in the consumption of natural resources, with up to 96 percent less water usage, but also eliminates the use of abrasive materials associated with negative environmental impacts, ensuring the quality and durability of garments.
Traditional stone washing entails significant water consumption during the washing, wearing, rinsing, and cleaning stages, using between 80 and 100 liters of water per 200 kg of garments and requiring additional detergents and chemicals to remove pumice stone residues. In contrast, Jeanologia has successfully reduce water usage to only 1 liter per garment, by leveraging a combination of the ATMOS process and other proprietary technologies, including, eFlow technologies, which utilizes nanobubbles to apply performance chemicals and the revolutionary H2 Zero a water recuperation system, guarantee a perfect close loop. This approach not only eliminates the need for extensive rinsing and chemical use but also reduces resource consumption and facilitates wastewater management, thereby promoting a cleaner and more efficient water treatment cycle.
These attributes enable to garner a high rating on the EIM assessment scale. Jeanologia’s environmental impact measurement software in textile garment production, widely adopted by leading brands and retailers worldwide. Denim garments aged through G2 Ozone & INDRA attain ‘green EIM score’, ensuring compliance with global sustainability standards throughout the production chain, classifying processes based on water, energy, chemicals consumption, and worker health.
Jeanologia is set to present the ‘Atmos Vintage’ collection at Denim PV, featuring a ‘stone wash’ inspired looks created using the ATMOS process. This capsule collection is designed to inspire all European brands and garment manufacturers with its cutting-edge approach. By showcasing it in Milan, Jeanologia seeks to engage the Italian market in responsible textile production, significantly reducing water usage and eliminating the need for stones and chemicals, all while preserving the authenticity and beauty of the garments.
Propelling Italy into a new era of sustainable luxury denim
The Italian textile industry, renowned globally for its quality and design, has undergone significant transformation in recent years, especially in the denim sector, which has evolved into a benchmark for the luxury market. Italian factories have adapted their processes to meet the demand for high-end denim products, incorporating new designs and applications of these fabrics not only in garments, but also in footwear, and accessories.
Mindful of this evolution, Jeanologia has bolstered its presence in Italy, forging close collaborations with the country’s leading fashion brands. The company has emerged as a key ally in implementing technologies that enhance the quality of the final product and production efficiency, while markedly reducing the environmental impact of textile processes.
“Italy has always been a beacon in fashion and sustainability, and its denim industry has repositioned itself in recent years towards the luxury market,” notes Stefano Tessarolo, Jeanologia’s Sales Manager in Italy. “ATMOS not only aligns with this new positioning but also propels Italy towards a new era of sustainable and responsible denim fashion.”
Committed to leading the charge towards more sustainable practices in the fashion industry, Jeanologia views ATMOS as a tangible manifestation of this commitment. Through Denim PV Milan as a platform, the Spanish company seeks to inspire other entities in the industry to embrace eco-efficient technologies and collaborate towards building a more sustainable future for fashion.
With a current capacity to process up to 50 million jeans, Jeanologia anticipates an exponential uptake of this technological process in the coming years, catalyzing a fundamental shift towards responsible fashion.
MARSEILLES, France — June 3, 2024 — Sicomin, a formulator and supplier of high-performance epoxy resins, is proud to announce that its SR1280 resins will secure a gold medal at this summer’s Olympic windsurfing events. Every male and female windsurfer will compete on identical one-design boards that are made by Cobra International using Sicomin’s high-strength SR1280 resin system. Racing will take place in Marseilles, France, less than 100km from Sicomin’s HQ and manufacturing site.
Cobra International iQFOiL 95
The official 2024 Olympic windsurfing class board has a PVC, carbon and glass fibre sandwich construction that is vacuum moulded with Sicomin SR1280 resins over an EPS foam core. Cobra is the only manufacturer allowed to produce these one-design boards and demands absolute consistency in the performance and handling characteristics of the epoxy resins supplied.
Sicomin SR1280 is a low viscosity, CMR-free, epoxy resin system optimised for the rapid wet-out of reinforcement fibres. Its range of hardener speeds has enabled Cobra to fine tune the production and maintain the conformity of each board made. SR1280 is also DNV-GL certified, providing additional third-party assurance of the product’s quality, performance, and consistency.
“We are immensely proud to see our SR1280 resins powering the boards at the Olympics this year, and it will be amazing to see them race so close to our HQ and factory,” comments Marc Denjean, Global Sales Manager, Sicomin. “In selecting our SR1280 materials for its Olympic level equipment, Cobra has confirmed our ongoing commitment to deliver the highest quality and technical consistency that enables them to build these high performance one-design race boards.”
The Olympic windsurfing events will begin on the July 28, 2024.
NEW YORK CITY — June 3, 2024 — EasyCut Studio, a worldwide developer of sign-making software solutions, has announced the launch of Easy Cut Studio 6, with immediate and global availability. A fully-updated and next-generation version of its highly-successful industry-acclaimed vinyl cutting software. This will undoubtedly take your print and cut business to new heights!
The new version introduces a range of new features, including larger workspace area, variable data printing and cutting, Import embroidery files — PEC, PES, HUS, JEF, SEW, VIP, DST, EXP, MTC, XXX — more options to customize rhinestone designs, new special effects, convert square corners to rounded corners, nesting Improvements, more path options to divide overlapping shapes, enhanced color management system,
Adds support for importing text from PDF and SVG files. Additionally, the update brings improvements to the Bezier and vector editing, to improve its user experience.
This update also includes more than 15 new Print & Cut drivers for the latest printers and vinyl cutters.
Eric Lee, senior product manager at EasyCut Studio, said: “We are excited to unveil Easy Cut Studio 6 to the world. Packed with a variety of time-saving tools and enhanced rhinestone features, this brilliant new version will revolutionize print and cut production and streamline workflows, reduce waste, and increase productivity like never before. whether you’re a sign shop or a small-scale business, our software is designed to meet your sign design, printing, and cutting requirements effectively and efficiently.”
Easy Cut Studio 6 is meticulously crafted to harness the full power of macOS 14 and Apple Silicon, delivering a browsing experience that’s both fluid and lightning-fast. And with continued support for Intel processors and macOS 10.12 and later, ECS 6 ensures a seamless experience across a diverse range of Mac devices. By integrating state-of-the-art technology with years of feedback from our end customers and partners, ECS 6 maintains its status as the number one choice for reliable, feature-rich sign design and cut software with uncompromising quality.
The exciting new features and enhancements Easy Cut Studio 6 delivers:
New special effects including rhinestone scatter, cast shadow, monogram and rays.
More options to customize rhinestone designs.
Advanced variable data features will let you add more variable data to your print or cut jobs.
Separate score force.
Convert square corners to rounded corners.
Text can be imported from SVG and PDF files.
Larger workspace area.
Add VersaWorks compatible option for PDF export.
More options to choose, select and replace colors.
More path options to divide overlapping shapes.
Add customizable arrow shape.
Ability to ungroup text by individual glyphs, by words, or by lines.
Easy Cut Studio 6 is compatible with a range of operating systems, For Windows, it is available for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11 (32-bit & 64-bit).
For macOS, it is compatible with Mac OS X 10.12 Sierra, 10.13 High Sierra, 10.14 Mojave, 10.15 Catalina, 11 Big Sur, 12 Monterey, 13 Ventura, and 14 Sonoma.
Easy Cut Studio 6 is available for one-time purchase at the suggested retail price of $59.95 USD. All registered owners of V5 are eligible to upgrade to V6 for only $34.95 USD.
SEOUL, South Korea — May 31, 2024 — Hansae Co. Ltd., a global fashion Original Development Manufacturing (ODM) company, organized the ‘Summer Tour of Hansae’ program from May 12 to 19. The program invited students from North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles to explore textile production sites in Vietnam.
Students from the prestigious American university NCSU during their visit to the C&T VINA office at Hansae. Photo – Hansae
This summer tour program systems from an industry-academia collaboration established between Hansae and Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University in 2019. To recruit participants, Hansae actively engaged at the 2024 Wilson College of Textiles Spring Career Fair held in February. Following a paper screening and video interview process, the company selected the eight finalists.
On May 14, the eight students began their exploration with a visit to Hansae’s headquarters in Seoul before departing for Vietnam. From May 15-17, they immersed themselves in the operations of Hansae’s Vietnamese production plant, known for its advanced automation technology.
At C&T VINA, Hansae’s fabric subsidiary, the students gained firsthand experience with clothing production technologies, including fabric knitting, dyeing, and printing. They also explored diverse systems like biomass boiler systems and reverse osmosis systems. Since acquiring the Vietnamese dyeing factory C&T VINA in 2013, Hansae established ‘COLOR & TOUCH’ in 2014, achieving vertical integration encompassing dyeing, processing, fabric brokerage, sewing, and manufacturing.
Afterwards, the students were exposed to an advanced manufacturing environment driven by IT technology at the Hansae Vietnam TG factory. They experienced the clothing production automation system, hanger line system, Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), and HAMS 2.0, a cutting-edge smart tech system.
The tour concluded at the Hansae HCM office in Ho Chi Minh City, where participants gained valuable insights into Hansae’s innovative 3D design capabilities. Established in 2017, the company’s virtual design team has pioneered the creation of virtual samples that realistically replicate fabric texture, pattern, and color. This approach reduces waste generation and minimizes the environmental impact compared to traditional sample production methods.
Dr. Andre West, director of Zeis Textiles Extension at Wilson College of Textiles, who led the Hansae Summer Tour students, commented: “Witnessing K-Fashion’s technological prowess at the production site was a truly valuable experience for our students.” And the eight Wilson College students expressed their strong desire to join the company, stating, “If Hansae offers internships in the future, we will definitely apply.”
Kim Ik-Whan, vice president of Hansae, said, “We will continue to conduct tours to actively recruit world-class fashion majors and become a truly global fashion tech leader.”
A global fashion ODM company, Hansae operates with 22 subsidiaries and 10 offices in 9 countries, including the US, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Employing over 50,000 people worldwide, Hansae manufactures and delivers apparel for renowned brands like Walmart, Target, and GAP.
PARIS — May 30, 2024 — Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies has signed a binding agreement to acquire two strategic business units of the Swiss company Cilander, much renowned worldwide for its expertise in the supply of high-end textile fabrics and finishing services for complex textiles used in a wide range of applications.
Under the agreement, CFT PCC plans to acquire the shirt fabrics business, which mainly comprises the iconic and world- renowned ALUMO brand, founded by Karl Albrecht, joined by Robert Morgen in 1941. For over a century, ALUMO has been at the forefront of offering fabrics made from the finest, highest-quality cotton for men’s shirts. The company is the preferred supplier of prestigious tailors and specialized luxury brands worldwide, relying on its highly efficient E- commerce platform.
In addition, Cilander’s fabrics business includes the Eugster & Huber brand, aimed at women’s fashion brands. The portfolio also comprises Brennet, known for its high-quality fabrics with a contemporary touch, and Swiss Ghutra, a brand specializing in high-end fabrics and headpieces for a high-end clientele in the Middle East.
The project includes also the acquisition of the historic factory of the company, Geissbühler, located in Lützelflüh. The factory is a cornerstone of its finishing activities for high-tech textile solutions to address demanding markets. The site is the legacy of an industrial history that began in 1677, almost 350 years ago. With its Planofil® brand, Cilander markets high-performance textile fabrics for outdoor use, particularly in the nautical world. Cilander offers a wide range of finishing options and can even tailor-make products to customer specifications.
When completed, this acquisition will strengthen the development capabilities of Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies, today’s world leader in interlinings for the garment industry: thanks to Cilander’s high-tech products and solutions, the business line will open doors to new, particularly demanding niche markets and reinforce its market share in the apparel segment, especially shirt-making.
Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies will see its growth potential increase, thanks to an expanded range of products and services, the penetration of new markets and the acquisition of new customers. Synergies resulting from the combination of French and Swiss excellence will enhance cross-selling opportunities and stimulate the development of innovative new collections.
Gianluca Tanzi
Gianluca Tanzi, managing director of Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies, said: “The project of acquiring the strategic assets and notably the most iconic brands of the Swiss company Cilander will mark a pivotal moment for our business line. The alliance of our French heritage with Cilander’s storied Swiss legacy, will redefine the standards of luxury, quality, innovation, performance and distribution in the textile industry. We look forward to seizing these new growth opportunities.”
MILAN — May 31, 2024 — June 24-28, a delegation of Italian textile machinery manufacturers will be engaged in Turkmenistan for an institutional mission organized by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, and Italian Trade Agency. The delegation will have some institutional and commercial meetings scheduled in Ashgabat.
For the Italian textile machinery industry, the Turkmen market has high growth potential. Cotton is the third largest export product of the Country, and local authorities aim to develop a robust textile industry capable of processing the locally grown raw material. Significant investments in new equipment will be necessary for the success of this development program. To achieve this goal, the demand for textile machinery and technologies is rapidly increasing.
This is testified by the average annual growth rate of Turkmen textile machinery imports between 2009 and 2023 (+7.3%). Furthermore in 2024-2027 period forecasts by ACIMIT predict a further average annual increase of 5.5%.
“Emerging at a global level in the textile industry,” commented Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT, “requires first and foremost an updating of technology for competing with Countries whose technology level is already at a more advanced stage. The purpose of this institutional mission is to create a favorable context for collaboration between our industry and the Turkmen textile sector.”
Meanwhile, in 2023, the demand for Italian textile machinery from Turkmen companies has grown. Italian exports increased from 600,000 euros in 2022 to approximately 13 million euros the following year.
“During this mission,” Salvadè continues, “we intend to showcase our technological offerings to textile operators, but above all, deepen contacts with local institutions, which have a strong influence in defining supply chain strategies.”
The Italian companies participating in the institutional mission are: Brazzoli, Color Service, Itema, Marzoli, MCS, Reggiani Macchine, Salvadè, Santoni.
Posted: May 31, 2024
Source: ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers
ALBANY, N.Y.— May 30, 2024 — Stein Fibers LLC, a global supplier of sustainable fiber and polymer solutions, has acquired Banyan Plastics LLC, a distributor of recycled materials. The acquisition will accelerate Stein’s growth strategy in the sustainable polymers market, while providing desired distribution services to the most strategic PET manufacturers around the globe. This acquisition will further Stein’s ability to enable sustainability solutions to a diverse customer base throughout multiple end use markets.
“We are excited to onboard the team from Banyan Plastics LLC,” said Jaren Edwards, president of Stein Fibers. “Together, we are better equipped to help our customers meet their published sustainability goals within the recycled plastics marketplace. Even more important is the value and efficiency we provide to recycling facilities around the world. Our combined expertise and scale will provide solutions that have never been offered on a consistent basis to both our suppliers and customers.”
“We are thrilled about the opportunity to join the Stein Fibers LLC organization,” said Sloan Sherman, managing director at Banyan Plastics. “This partnership allows the Banyan team to focus on the commercial aspects of the business and enjoy the infrastructure already present at Stein for an improved customer experience.”
“After working with Sloan and the entire Banyan team for many years, we are excited for them to join our organization,” said Robert Taylor, COO of Stein Fibers. “For years, Stein has focused our experience and expertise to bridge global supply chains and create value for both our supplier and customer partners. This value allows both to concentrate on their manufacturing excellence and operational efficiencies without the added logistical challenges that persist globally. We look forward to working with the entire Banyan team to incorporate many of these same benefits for their customers and suppliers as well.”
ALEXANDRIA, Va.— May 23, 2024 — James Buik, president, and owner, Roscoe Co., Chicago, Ill., will be honored at the 111th TRSA Annual Conference & Exchange in September with the TRSA Operator Lifetime Achievement Award.
James Buik, president, and owner, Roscoe Co., Chicago, IL
The award pays tribute to exceptional personal service to TRSA and the industry as nominated by past linen, uniform and facility services award operator award peers and voted on by the TRSA Executive Committee. Winners have supported the association for decades, devoting their own time to association activities and facilitating their employees’ involvement in TRSA. Their teams have taken advantage of a wide range of TRSA activities, including certification, in-person and virtual events and benchmarking surveys.
Buik has been recognized for engagement in and personal leadership of TRSA and the Uniform and Textile Service Association (UTSA), which served the industry for 75 years and blended with TRSA in 2009. For TRSA, he was chair (2018-2020) and a member of the Executive Committee (2014-2022) and Board of Directors (2012-2014). For UTSA, he was chair (2005-2006) and executive (2003-2008) and board (1993-1995) member.
“I am humbled to be included on a prestigious list of previous award winners, to include my father Donald, and many industry friends and colleagues,” Buik said. “I have so many to thank, but especially my wife Teresa, who has supported and encouraged me throughout the journey.”
His dedication to furthering the industry’s best interests has been reflected in other volunteer leadership positions, as he currently chairs TRSA’s Environmental Committee and serves on the Government Relations Committee. He previously chaired the Strategic Planning Committee and was a member of the TRSA education and UTSA marketing committees.
“Jim’s leadership reflects a belief we share that when any operator makes a good impression on their customers, it serves us all well. The more you get to know him, the more you realize he really does have the industry’s best interests at heart,” said Jim Kearns, current TRSA board chair and COO, Alsco Uniforms, Salt Lake City.
In recent years Buik has empowered Roscoe staff to serve on four other TRSA committees, facilitated extensive Roscoe staff participation in TRSA professional development events and led the company in earning Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Food Safety certifications.
TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci commended Buik’s hospitality to TRSA groups seeking to visit Roscoe during professional development events such as the Production Summit and Plant Tours, Maintenance Management Institute and Next Generation Executives Roundtable. “Jim has upheld TRSA members’ longstanding tradition to welcome industry colleagues to view their teams and machinery at work,” said Ricci. “Roscoe’s company motto is ‘Take Pride.’ Jim and the Roscoe staff enjoy these opportunities to demonstrate their performance excellence. They realize the benefits of hosting a plant tour, including building teamwork and boosting morale by putting a local team on a national stage.”
The award presentation will take place during a September 26 dinner at the TRSA Annual Conference & Exchange, September 24-26, at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Buik joins 38 past recipients who received the award since its 1982 inception, the most recent of whom were:
2023: Jim Vaudreuil, Huebsch Services, Eau Clare, Wis.;
2022: Brian O’Neil, California Linen Services, Pasadena, Calif.;
2020: Bob Brill, Republic Master Chefs/American Textile Maintenance, Los Angeles; 2019: Tom Watts, Prudential Overall Supply, Irvine, Calif.;
2018: Steve Larson, Alsco Uniforms, Salt Lake City;
2017: Ronald Croatti, UniFirst Corp., Wilmington, Mass.;
2016: Steve Bryant, Wildman Uniform & Linen, Warsaw, Ind.;
2014: Michael Potack, Unitex Textile Rental Services, Mount Vernon, N.Y.; and
2013: Richard Senior, Morgan Services, Chicago, Ill.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — June 3, 2024 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. announced today that Kraig Labs is now in production with its BAM-1 recombinant spider silk hybrids. The company originally planned this launch for July, but the resounding successes of the production trials positioned Kraig Labs to accelerate its 2024 production schedule.
