Recover™ And Valdese Weavers Partner For Circularity In The Home Textiles Industry

MADRID, Spain — November 8, 2023 — Valdese Weavers, a producer of decorative textiles in the United States for residential and contract markets, has partnered with global recycled cotton fiber producer, Recover™, to transform the home textile industry. The two innovative textile leaders, both at different stages of the supply chain, intend to capitalize on their combined expertise to drive the use of sustainable materials in the industry.

Valdese Weavers has more than 100 years of textile experience and works with a full range of furniture manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to deliver unparalleled design through their vertical manufacturing facilities. The company understands the importance of choosing responsible raw materials, and already offers a collection of environmentally conscious products. By partnering with Recover™, they can offer the highest quality decorative fabrics made with RCS/GRS verified Recover™ recycled fiber and help brands and retailers to reduce their environmental impact caused by virgin raw material production.

Blake Millinor, President and CEO of Valdese Weavers, commented: “We are proud to partner with Recover™ as a natural fiber platform for our customers searching for sustainable fabrics. Recover™ compliments our sustainable product offering by helping create a more circular material solution. We are excited to be working with the Recover™ team to tell this unique story and develop more responsible textile solutions for our customers”.

Recover™ has perfected the art and science of scaled production of recycled cotton fiber over more than 75 years, and today, the company is supported by leading institutional investors including STORY3 Capital, Goldman Sachs, Fortress Investment Group and Eldridge Industries. Its recycled cotton fiber is fundamentally transforming the textile industry, making significant environmental savings compared to virgin and organic cotton, and it is one of the most sought-after fibers in the recycled materials space. The integration of Recover™ fiber into Valdese Weaver’s product lines, enables the textile mill to remain frontrunners in delivering sustainable and innovative fabrics, and accelerate the production of low-impact products such as sofas, cushions, and curtains.

Alfredo Ferre, CEO at Recover™, commented: “The textile industry needs new solutions and collaborations across its supply chain, which is why we are excited to team up with Valdese Weavers and expand our product to the upholstery and home textile segment. Our expertise in producing low-impact, high-quality recycled fibers, will help achieve our shared goals in minimizing the impact on the natural resources we share.”

The first fabrics in the partnership made with Recover™ fiber will be on show at Valdese Weaver’s showroom in High Point, NC during the Interwoven market from November 14-16, 2023. For more information, interested parties are directed to contact communications@valdeseweavers.com.

Posted: November 9, 2023

Source: Recover™

 

Kelheim Fibres and Santoni Win the ITMF International Cooperation Award 2023

KELHEIM, Germany — November 9, 2023 — Kelheim Fibres GmbH, leading manufacturer of specialty viscose fibres, and the Italian textile machinery manufacturer, Santoni Spa, were honoured with the ITMF International Cooperation Award 2023 during the ITMF Annual Conference in Keqiao, China.

ITMF Award Ceremony – From left to right: Mr. Ruizhi Sun, CNTAC President and former ITMF President; Patrick Silva Szatkowski, Santoni S.p.A., Betty Wu, Kelheim Fibres; Mr. Juan Parés, Textilsantanderina Spain, Jury Member and Vice President ITMF; Dr. Christian Schindler, ITMF Director General –
Photo – ITMF

This prestigious recognition by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) acknowledges outstanding achievements in international collaboration within the textile industry in alignment with the values of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Together, Kelheim Fibres and Santoni have developed an innovative and sustainable period panty, built upon advanced machine technology and high-performance viscose fibres. The result is a sustainable and high- performance underwear garment that seamlessly combines comfort and functionality.

Santoni’s specialized machinery enables a significant reduction in fabric waste, or even the potential for entirely waste-free production. Simultaneously, it enhances production efficiency, leading to cost savings. Kelheim Fibres’ wood-based specialty fibres, such as the trilobal Galaxy® and the hollow Bramante fibre, replace synthetic materials in the absorbent core of the menstrual underwear. They offer excellent performance and reliable protection for the wearer.

Natalie Wunder, Project Manager for New Business Development at Kelheim Fibres: “At Kelheim Fibres, we are dedicated to the open innovation approach. Collaborating with our partners across the value chain, we craft innovations that draw the best from all sources. This partnership not only consolidates expertise but also accelerates the entire innovation process. As a result, we ensure that our developments align with market needs and deliver sustainable solutions. With our project in collaboration with Santoni, we have achieved a new level in the domain of sustainable menstrual underwear. We take pride in the ITMF honouring our achievements with the International Cooperation Award, which serves as recognition of our work and inspiration for future collaborations.”

Posted: Revised November 9, 2023

Source: Kelheim Fibres GmbH

Oerlikon Barmag Customer Service: End-Of-Life Replacement Concept For SW & CW Winder Technology

REMSCHEID, Germany / SHANGHAI, China — November 8, 2023 — Full service support for old CW and SW winders will end next year. Oerlikon Barmag Customer Service had already informed its customers about this in 2021. “At the end of a product life cycle, spare parts supply, software support, troubleshooting and other services are becoming increasingly difficult to provide. This leads to increased downtimes and thus to decreasing profitability of the system. It is not always possible or sensible to invest in a completely new system,” says Stefan Heesen, Head of Customer Service Products.

Full service support for old CW and SW winders ends in 2024. The new end-of-life replacement concept offers a pragmatic solution to make these systems fit for the challenges of the future.

Switching to WINGS technology, which has been established on the market for years, is not always easy for operators of spinning systems with CW and SW winders. In addition to building restrictions, processes certified by the end customer are often a stumbling block for yarn producers. Oerlikon Barmag has developed the new SW & CW end-of-life replacement concept for these system operators. Like the ACW-WINGS modernization package presented a few years ago, the pragmatic concept focuses on the utilization of state-of-the-art drafting and winder technology without significant investment costs.

Higher efficiency, better yarn quality and operational reliability at manageable costs

The ACW-WINGS modification solution has been implemented with great success customers in China and India since 2019 and exceeded all expectations with a return on investment (ROI) in just 4 to 5 months.

The concept not only provides for conversion to the highly efficient WINGS drawing fields. ACWW winders, mostly in 6- and 8-fold versions, with Siemens electrics are used as replacements. This solves the supply problems with spare parts instantly, fits into the existing building complexes and is compatible with existing automation systems. Certified POY/HOY processes in the 2500-6500 m/min range can also continue to be operated. The availability of the Siemens control components still used in series production guarantees operators worldwide long-term security. The equipment can also be repaired in the global Oerlikon Service Centers. The virtual connection of existing and new machines to the new IT environments, such as Atmos.io or Doffer & Plant Operation systems, is possible with this exchange package.

The list of benefits is long: extremely low-friction premium ceramic components in the yarn path ensure above-average yarn evenness. This in turn is particularly noticeable in improved dyeing properties. The ergonomic advantages typical for WINGS make the string-up process easier for the operator. The enclosed design of the encapsulated tangle units with their air suction and extraction units makes not only the process but also the ambient air significantly cleaner.

“With our new replacement package, we offer our customers operational reliability and spare parts availability at a manageable investment cost. We are confident that the end-of-life replacement concept will be just as successful as the ACW-WINGS concept,” says Stefan Heesen confidently. The ACW-WINGS modification solution has been running with great success at customers in China and India since 2019 and exceeded all expectations with a return on investment (ROI) in just 4 to 5 months. This was achieved primarily through 50% personnel savings due to the elimination of the separate drawing field level and energy savings of more than 40% thanks to more efficient tangle units and manual injectors. Significantly reduced string-up times lead to lower air consumption and reduced operating pressure, thus reducing the compressor capacity required. An improved yarn path with fewer contact points has reduced the number of yarn breaks and increased the full package rate by 10%.

Posted: November 9, 2023

Source: Oerlikon

SKF Strengthens Magnetic Bearings Offer By Acquiring Fibre Composite Company

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — November 8, 2023 — SKF has signed an agreement to acquire 2C Composites, a German high-performance fibre composite supplier. Through the acquisition, SKF will secure the supply of a leading and unique technology of composite layers which will strengthen the Group’s magnetic bearings offer.

2C Composites produces tubes, rotors, rolls and braided sleeves by braiding, cutting, and melting both carbon and ceramic fibres in self-developed machineries. The products are used in various applications, for example in the high-speed electric motor industry.

Frédéric Ponson, Director, SKF Magnetic Bearings, says: “This acquisition will help us to further grow and develop our magnetic bearings business. 2C Composites has developed a leading and unique technology of composite layers that, besides strengthening our magnetic bearings offer to existing customers, also has the potential to grow the business with additional promising revenue streams.”

Magnetic bearings are one of SKF’s technology growth areas. In 2022, the Group secured a record order intake for these products of over SEK 1 billion.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: SKF

National Retail Federation (NRF): Import Cargo Winding Down For The Year As Retailers Stand Ready For Holiday Shopping

WASHINGTON — November 8, 2023 — With most imported holiday season merchandise already here, inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to slow during the remainder of 2023, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Retailers expect record-setting sales during the holiday sales season this year, and they have their shelves stocked to meet demand whether it’s in stores or at distribution centers to fulfill online orders,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Port, railroad and delivery service labor contract issues that caused worries earlier in the year are behind us, and the supply chain is running smoothly. Shoppers should have no trouble finding what they want this year.”

NRF is forecasting record holiday sales and growth between 3% and 4% over last year. That’s in line with pre-pandemic holiday growth rates. And the expected total of between $957.3 billion and $966.6 billion would easily top the record of $929.5 billion set last year.

Even as imports wind down for the year, Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said economic conditions in the United States are better than Europe and Asia. A decline in consumer demand brought on by recessions in both regions has left shipping companies with excess capacity on new vessels built in response to the cargo surge of the past few years.

“U.S. consumers stand out in the global economy as they continue to benefit from job and wage growth and are still able to dip into savings accumulated during the pandemic,” Hackett said. “While U.S. consumers are doing well, a global recession in cargo trade could potentially affect the supply chain.”

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.03 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in September, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 0.2% from the same time last year but up 3.5% from August. It was the first time imports have reached the 2 million TEU mark since October 2022. And by topping August’s 1.96 million TEU, it became the busiest month of the year so far and should go down as the peak of the holiday shipping season.

Ports have not yet reported October numbers, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 1.92 million TEU, down 4.2% year over year. November is forecast at 1.88 million TEU, a 5.8% increase from the same time last year that would be the first year-over-year gain since June 2022. December is forecast at 1.85 million TEU, up 6.8% year over year.

Those numbers would bring 2023 to 22.1 million TEU, down 13.5% from last year. Imports during 2022 totaled 25.5 million TEU, down 1.2% from the annual record of 25.8 million TEU set in 2021.

January 2024 is forecast at 1.87 million, TEU, up 3.7% year over year, while February – historically the slowest month of the year because of Lunar New Year factory shutdowns in Asia – is forecast at 1.72 million TEU, up 11.1% year over year. March is forecast at 1.73 million TEU, up 6.5% year over year.

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, provides historical data and forecasts for the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at NRF.com/PortTracker. Subscription information for non-members can be found at www.globalporttracker.com.

As the leading authority and voice for the retail industry, NRF analyzes economic conditions affecting the industry through reports such as Global Port Tracker.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: National Retail Federation (NRF)

TextileGenesis Now Enables The Fashion Industry To Trace The Origin Of All Materials, Sustainable Or Generic, Via Its Platform

PARIS — November 8, 2023 — TextileGenesis, a Lectra Group company, announces the integration of a new Supply Chain Discovery module into its SaaS platform. The traceability solution developed by TextileGenesis has already played a pioneering role in providing the fashion ecosystem, thanks to its Fiber to Retail module, with reliable, secure and fully digitized chain of custody of sustainable materials. The new Supply Chain Discovery module completes this offering by identifying the origin of conventional materials. TextileGenesis users can now meet the traceability requirements for all the materials they use on a single platform.

Traceability, a crucial stake in the fashion sector

“Fashion is a major industry – its economic weight is estimated at 2.4 trillion dollars – but it is highly fragmented. The ten biggest fashion brands account for just 10% of this global market. The fashion value chain is extremely long, comprising 5 or 6 levels, generally in several countries. For a product as simple as a cotton T-shirt, there can be as many as 10 organizations involved, from cotton farming to retailing. In this context, mapping the entire value chain of a garment and ensuring the traceability of its origin is extremely complex,” explains Amit Gautam, founder and CEO of TextileGenesis.

Increasingly, however, in all regions of the world, regulations focusing on sustainability, traceability and transparency in the fashion industry are requiring brands to have a precise overview of their supply chain. TextileGenesis has identified 27 such regulations already enforced or in the process of being adopted.

For fashion companies, this means identifying the textile flows used in their entire product portfolio, from design to production and retail to end-of-life. They need to know and control their supply chain, guarantee its transparency, and ensure that the materials they use do not come from regions with high environmental or social impact.

Two supply chain approaches to optimize textile traceability

Thanks to an innovative traceability mechanism, the TextileGenesis SaaS platform has already enabled fashion companies to track sustainable materials throughout their supply chain, from fiber origin through to the retail of garments.

A new module, Supply Chain Discovery, has now been added.

While Fiber to Retail ensures the traceability of sustainable and certified materials using digital tokens that record every transaction from upstream to downstream of the supply chain in real time, Supply Chain Discovery applies a different approach, tailored more closely to the specific features of the value chain for conventional materials.

This new module works in declarative mode, tracing the supply chain backward, from the finished product to the intermediate players across the value chain. The platform can also be used to record information from certified external bodies that carry out traceability tests on samples.

“The addition of this new module is a huge advantage for users of our platform, as they can now consolidate all the information they need to ensure the traceability of the materials in their product range, whether the garments are made from sustainable or conventional materials,” explains Amit Gautam.

He concludes: “We are delighted to be able to offer our customers such a comprehensive solution.

It enables them to meet the challenge of total traceability, thanks to a single platform that guarantees the highest levels of reliability and security for the data collected, without having to use two separate systems”.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: TextileGenesis, a Lectra Group company

Sustainable Merino Wool Specialist NATIVA™ & Purpose-Driven Lifestyle Brand PANGAIA Take ‘Regenerative Farming’ Partnership To Next Level

PARIS — November 8, 2023 — NATIVA™, supplier of sustainable luxury Merino wool, has extended its partnership with purpose-driven lifestyle brand, PANGAIA. Known for creating clothing that uses innovative tech and bio-engineered materials to decrease its impact on the planet – PANGAIA is a materials science company designing an earth positive business model where its products are better for the planet than if they did not exist.

PANGAIA first partnered with NATIVA™ in 2022, sourcing the finest Merino wool from NATIVA™ via its certified farms, each committed to animal welfare. A year on, NATIVA™ and PANGAIA are excited to share the next step in their partnership — NATIVARegen™.

NATIVARegen™ works from the ground up, bettering soil quality through a triple impact system that protects lands, safeguards animals and supports farmers by improving their livelihoods. Throughout the NATIVARegen™ journey, sheep are raised ethically in harmony with nature, grazing on native plants with enough space to roam. Each farmer has a management plan that assesses feeding, breeding, behaviour and health to ensure animal welfare standards are met. This includes stress free shearing and the prohibition of mulesing.

The NATIVA™ partner farm supplying PANGAIA’s Merino wool is Cerro Bombero, a family owned NATIVARegen™ accredited farm based in Uruguay. Located 130km from the city of Paysandú, where Juan and his family live, 6,000 Merino sheep are ethically raised in open fields. The farm’s regenerative practices are measured through biogenic carbon and water footprint testing, meaning it is possible to monitor the positive impact at field level.

“We are so pleased to extend our relationship with PANGAIA, one of the most respected environmentally positive brands in the world. PANGAIA’s mission to design an earth positive business model where its products are better for the planet than if they did not exist perfectly aligns with NATIVA™’s. We are so proud of our NATIVARegen™ partner farm in Uruguay and we can’t wait for PANGAIA consumers to experience the world’s finest Merino wool knowing it has further improved the environment it came from.” said Nicolas Sapelli, NATIVA™ Sourcing Director.

The PANGAIA NATIVARegen™ collection of knitwear launches in November 2023 and includes women’s and men’s turtlenecks, hoodies, crew necks, track pants and beanies.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: NATIVA™ — A brand of Chargeurs Luxury Fibers, a division of Chargeurs Group

KARL MAYER Launches A New TEXTRONIC® Lace For The Production Of Delicate Lace Articles

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — November 8, 2023 — KARL MAYER launches a new TEXTRONIC® Lace for the production of delicate lace articles with a uniquely contrasting fabric appearance. The products of the newcomer – the MT 84/1/40 S – feature an exceptionally light, transparent fabric ground on which the filigree patterning with 3D flossing stands out strikingly. This play with contrasts sets new standards in the lace sector. “Never before have we been so close to the quality of 12-point Leavers lace,” says KARL MAYER lace expert Jamie Heather.

MT/84/1/40

A pioneering configuration ensures an even closer step towards the Leavers benchmark. Unique for a TEXTRONIC® Lace machine is the use of a stitch-forming Jacquard bar combined with two ground guide bars at the back.

High contrast lace with multi-layered pattern

Thanks to the stitch-forming Jacquard bar in split execution, Spotnet grounds can be produced without a pillar stitch and thus lighter fabric grounds are made possible. Tests on this at KARL MAYER have shown promising results. If the pillar stitch is not to be dispensed with, in order to stabilize the structure, thinner yarns in the warps can be used in order to avoid an increase in fabric weight. Tests were also carried out internally with excellent results. During the tests, warp yarns of 22 dtex were used in the pillar stitch and also in the stitch-forming Jacquard bars.

High-contrasting patterning combined with a refined light-weight ground construction is naturally improved by using a fall-plate in conjunction with 80 pattern bars, 24 more than on the previous lace machines with stitch-forming Jacquard bars.

The MT 84/1/40 S products thus offer everything that makes up a typical 12-point Leavers lace: a fine ground in Spotnet style, three-dimensional flossing and a complex patterning.

Launch in November 2023

The new MT 84/1/40 S is offered in gauges E 24 and E 28 and with a working width of 134″.

The official launch is planned for a product show to be held at KARL MAYER (CHINA) in Changzhou City from November 19 to 23, parallel to ITMA ASIA. Interested parties will be able to see the MT 84/1/40 S in live operation here. Registration is required to plan the visit and transfer from the trade fair.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: KARL MAYER GROUP

Worn Again Technologies Is Continuing To Enable A Circular Economy For Switzerland

WINTERTHUR, Switzerland — November 8, 2023 — Worn Again Technologies is continuing to enable a Circular Economy for Switzerland. In partnership with Institut für Werkstofftechnik und Kunststoffverarbeitung (IWK), Worn Again, Sulzer and others have succeeded in their joint bid for grant funding from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.

The flagship project, called “Towards a NetZero Plastics Industry”, will create a platform for Swiss companies to foster collaboration and drive systemic change within the plastics industry to achieve a sustainable future. Worn Again’s contribution will be focussed on a specific upcycling pathway, converting used textiles into a higher-grade PET which is ideally suited to an important Swiss manufacturing sector, technical parts,

The project, which will start in January 2024 and run through 2028, aligns with Worn Again’s plans to bring online it’s demonstration chemical recycling plant in Winterthur. Worn Again will produce PET for application testing within Sulzer Chemtech’s technology to convert the raw material into advanced foams, and within various injection moulding technologies at IWK’s facility. This activity will be underpinned by ongoing assessment of climate benefits which will feed into a digital decarbonisation tool that IWK will develop for dissemination to Swiss manufacturers.

Toby Moss, Director of Business Development said: “We want to use our demo plant and develop the surrounding value chain as a blueprint for building out the Circular Economy globally. Our clients want our technology to deliver environmental benefit and generate value. In addition to our core fibre-to-fibre offering, by enabling non-textile outcomes for Worn Again’s circular products, our clients can leverage their plants to maximise both outcomes.”

Worn Again, Sulzer and others have already established the Swiss Textile Recycling Ecosystem. This project will create additional mechanisms for these companies to contribute to a circular economy in Switzerland and as a potential blueprint for expanding this new value chain elsewhere.

Posted: Revised November 9, 2023

Source: Toby Moss, Director of Business Development, Worn Again Technologies

Aduro Clean Technologies Appoints Marie Grönborg To Board Of Directors

SARNIA, Ontario — November 8, 2023 — Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. (“Aduro” or the “Company”), a Canadian developer of patented water-based technologies to chemically recycle plastics, and to transform heavy crude and renewable oils into feedstocks and higher-value fuels, is pleased to announce the appointment of Marie Grönborg as a director of the Company.

Marie Grönborg holds an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and has almost 30 years of global experience in the chemical and clean-tech industries. Ms. Grönborg was the CEO of the Swedish-based company TreeToTextile, a tex-tech company headquartered in Stockholm, jointly owned by H&M, Stora Enso, IKEA and LSCS Invest, which has developed a new sustainable and cost-efficient technology to produce manmade cellulosic fiber for the textile industry. Before joining TreeToTextile, Ms. Grönborg was the CEO of Purac, a provider of turn-key solutions for water treatment and biogas production. Ms. Grönborg was also an Executive Vice President and a part of the Group Management Team of Perstorp, a specialty chemicals company with a focus on the global resins and coatings, engineered fluids and animal nutrition markets.

In addition to her operational roles, Ms. Grönborg currently holds board positions with the Swedish steel company, SSAB, the producer of the world´s first fossil-free steel to customers, with Permascand, a provider of electrochemical solutions for global green transition and with Eolus, an international company with a main business to design and construct facilities for renewable energy and energy storage, focusing mainly on wind power, solar power and battery storage.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to join Aduro as a director of the board and genuinely look forward to contributing to realizing the potential of Aduro and its groundbreaking Hydrochemolytic technology,” commented Ms. Grönborg. “It’s a privilege to be part of a journey focusing on bringing new solutions to improve sustainability and enable circular economy in the chemical industry, which is where I have my roots.”

“We are excited to welcome Marie Grönborg to Aduro’s board. Her extensive experience in the chemical and clean-tech industries makes her an invaluable addition,” said Ofer Vicus, CEO of Aduro. “We look forward to working with her as our company continues to evolve and to advance our Hydrochemolytic™ technology.”

Ms. Grönborg replaces Chris Parr, who has resigned as a director of the Company. The Company thanks Mr. Parr for his services as a director, including his leadership in the acquisition of Aduro Energy Inc. completed in 2021. Despite his resignation from the board, Mr. Parr has agreed to continue as a consultant to the Company, providing corporate advisory, corporate finance, and related advisory services, as required.

Posted: November 8, 2023

Source: Aduro Clean Technologies

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