Lofty Fleece Shedding Goals

Polartec® has engineered Shed Less technology to produce fleece fabrics that reduce home laundry fiber fragment shedding.

By Rachael S. Davis, Executive Editor

Think fleece, and Polartec® likely comes to mind. The words Polartec and fleece fabrics have become ubiquitous over the years. The company, today a Milliken & Company brand, introduced its original PolarFleece in 1981. But as fleece fabrics have been caught in the crosshairs of the microfiber pollution issue, Polartec sought to innovate and develop a new fleece fabric that would reduce home laundry fiber fragment shedding.

Its new process, Shed Less, comprises yarn, knitting, chemistry and manufacturing techniques to create a fabric that reduces home laundry fiber fragment shedding by an average of 85 percent compared to the baseline fabric, according to the company. The fabric was tested using the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ (AATCC’s) TM212-2021 test method for fiber fragment release during home laundering.

Shed Less produces a lofted fiber —required to impart a soft hand to the fabric — that resists breaking and rubbing off during home laundering. All the other properties fleece is known for —such as warmth, light weight and breathability —also are maintained using the Shed Less manufacturing process.

“Polartec has a long tradition of Eco-Engineering its products to reduce their environmental footprint,” said Dr. Ramesh Kesh, senior vice president, Milliken & Company. “Shed Less is the latest progression of these efforts and the result of many years of research and development.

“While performance fabrics contribute a small percentage of the fiber fragments shed by the global textile industry, Polartec has been researching root causes and mitigation strategies for many years,” Dr. Kesh added. “Shed Less Fleece is a natural progression of this curiosity toward our goal of reducing fiber fragment shedding to near zero in all of our performance fabrics.”

“In 2016 we began looking into how we might test for fiber loss because there wasn’t a lot of research on the issue,” said Aimee LaValley, Polartec Textile Development, Dye and Chemistry manager. “This led to new products like Polartec Power Air™, new manufacturing processes, as well as our participation in the TextileMission workgroup to study the issue on an interdisciplinary basis.”

TextileMission, a three-year collaborative initiative of academia and industry to reduce the impact of textile microplastics, was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The Association of the German Sporting Goods Industry, Hochschule Niederrhein— University of Applied Science; TU Dresden — Institute of Water Chemistry; Vaude Sport; WWF Germany; Adidas AG; Henkel AG; Miele & CIE; and Polartec LLC were some of the founding partners of this collaborative effort.

In addition to modifying its manufacturing techniques to produce Shed Less, Polartec has installed vacuum and filtering systems for surface finishing machinery to reduce the spread of fiber fragments. The company also upcycles all fabric waste to be used in other products.

Polartec 200 Series Fleece is the first fabric to benefit from this new manufacturing process. The Shed Less Fleece is currently available in the United States and the technology will be applied to other fabric platforms and worldwide manufacturing locations in the near future.

For more information about Polartec’s Shed less, please visit Polartec.com.

March/April 2023

U.S. Textiles: Leadership Development

By Jim Borneman, Editor In Chief

A common topic of conversation among U.S. textile executives is a shared concern about the development of future industry leaders. Often the question is focused on, “What can the industry do to attract bright young people of all stripes that will advance the industry into the future?”

This question affects existing companies but also the development of new companies chasing innovations and enhancing the definition of U.S. textiles.

This issue of Textile World features two articles that may help point to possible solutions.

One is the continuing developments at the Conover, N.C-based Manufacturing Solutions Center (MSC), part of Catawba Valley Community College. The MSC’s mission is captured in the article’s subhead: “The center’s Incubator Program is seeking entrepreneurs looking to realize their dreams.” The MSC assists new companies to manufacture product onsite with access to the MSC’s equipment, resources and services.

Companies including Nufabrx, InnovaKnits, Yu Apparel Corp. and Evolved by Nature, currently take advantage of the Incubator Program. Their stories are inspiring and illustrate how the MSC assists these start-ups in realizing their vision — offering pilot-scale manufacturing and providing necessary shared resources that would be out of reach for a typical start-up.

A new 75,000-square-foot facility was recently constructed adjacent to the current space —Manufacturing Solutions Center II — a partnership between the City of Conover, MSC, Catawba Valley Community College and private investment firm Whiskbroom. The additional space extends the opportunity to more entrepreneurs.

TW also spoke with Dr. Andre West, associate professor, and director of the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) at Raleigh, N.C.-based NC State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, about the recently announced Flex Factory.

West explained that the Flex Factory is a two-phase project with phase one, “The Prototype Lab,” providing an environment for “students, researchers, start-ups and industry where ideation, innovation, collaboration with a focus on sustainable manufacturing can thrive.
“Phase II involves a complete space up fit and renovation to bridge our current Senior Design course space with the Flex Factory space and add additional features including a materials library and conference rooms.” Phase II is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.

The Flex Factory concept forges a strong link between textile students and the realities of industry and entrepreneurship.

West stated that there are fours things necessary for the Flex Factory’s success. First, assistance with acquiring the latest textile equipment – for the Flex Factory to be a “working showcase for cutting-edge equipment, especially equipment with a small footprint.”

Second, projects from industry are needed to challenge the students and faculty.

Third is funding to make Phase II happen at the university.

And lastly, industry engagement is encouraged because “ … seeing it first-hand with the machines running is the best way to understand the vision.”

MSC and the Flex Factory are both first-class examples of leadership development — honing new companies and students, soon to be the industry’s new blood, into catalysts of change enhancing the U.S. textile industry.

March/April 2023

Renewcell, Lyocell Fiber Producer CTA Green Fibre Sign Letter of Intent

STOCKHOLM/SHANGHAI — March28, 2023 — The Sweden-based textile-to-textile recycling company Renewcell has signed a Letter of Intent with China Textile Academy Green Fibre Co. Ltd., a China-based lyocell fiber producer, concerning a long-term commercial collaboration around man-made cellulosic fiber production. The agreement affirms the two companies’ intent to work together to supply lyocell textile fibers made using Circulose®, the 100-percent recycled textile pulp made by Renewcell, to global fashion brands in the coming years. The agreement has been facilitated by Ekman Group, Renewcell’s exclusive global trading partner.

Patrik Lundström, Renewcell’s CEO, commented: ”With this agreement, we take a new step in demonstrating the applicability of Circulose in commercial-scale production of lyocell fibers. Lyocell is a high quality, low-impact fiber using closed loop production process which is highly sought after among our fashion brand partners that will now soon be available incorporating Circulose recycled from textile waste. I am impressed by the innovative capacity and leadership of CTA Green Fibre and look forward to working together with them to make fashion circular together.”

Yu Hanjiang, Chairman of China Textile Academy Green Fiber Co., Ltd., commented: Renewcell is an outstanding innovative enterprise, and both parties are cooperating fully to promote Circulose®。 The commercial application of Circulose in the field of Lyocell will provide sustainable and innovative materials for the fashion industry, with broad prospects.”

The Letter of Intent signed between Renewcell and CTA Green Fibre provides the framework for an upcoming offtake agreement between the parties. The future legally binding offtake agreement will set out commercial terms for the delivery of 18,000 tonnes of Circulose® dissolving pulp to CTA Green Fibre over five years. CTA Green Fibre intends to use Circulose® as feedstock in the production of lyocell fibers to be supplied to textile manufacturers and fashion brands worldwide.

Posted March 28, 2023

Source: Renewcell

Better Cotton Hosts Multistakeholder Event In West Africa

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — March 28, 2023 — Today, Better Cotton — the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative — will host a multi-stakeholder event in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire to explore the potential for new programs and partnerships across West and Central Africa.

Taking place at the Pullman Hotel, Plateau, the event will enable key stakeholders across the region to share their experiences and perspectives on the future of sustainable cotton production on the continent amidst a rapidly changing climate. Delegates will also have the opportunity to learn more about Better Cotton Programs and the long-term ambitions that underpin its 2030 Strategy.

Representatives from leading cotton companies and organizations including Solidaridad, The Sustainable Trade Initiative [IDH], ECOM, OlamAgri, APROCOT-CI, amongst several others, will participate in discussions to explore opportunities and challenges regarding sustainability in the cotton sector as well as engaging with stakeholders from the cocoa sector for cross commodity learnings.

Better Cotton is committed to building upon its presence across Africa to enable smallholder farmers to mitigate climate change and adopt a continuous improvement approach to sustainable agricultural practice. With a membership spanning farm to retailer and brand level, Better Cotton is strategically positioned to meet supply with increasing demand. At the farm-level, programme partners provide training and resources to small holder farmers to enable social and environmental improvements that culminate in more climate-resilient operations which in turn assist the livelihoods of the farmers.

Better Cotton is proactively engaging with sector stakeholders across West and Central Africa, in countries such as Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo and Cameroon,  to develop multistakeholder collaboration to start impactful Better Cotton programmes.

In November, several West African cotton producing countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad — often referred to as the Cotton-4 — called for supportto strengthen the resilience of their cotton industries at the World Trade Organisation’s Cotton Days event.

A report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at that time estimated that cotton production would increase in the four nations over the coming years, provided appropriate action is taken to promote sustainability standards, empower women and youth and reduce trade-distorting subsidies.

Damien Sanfilippo, senior director of Programmes, Better Cotton, said: “The event signifies an important opportunity for cotton stakeholders in Africa to engage with one another and explore partnerships needed to ensure market access and improved sustainability for cotton growers.”

Posted March 28, 2022

Source: Better Cotton

Michelman Earns 2023 EcoVadis Gold Sustainability Rating And Ranks In Top 96th Percentile

CINCINNATI —March 28, 2023 — Michelman is proud to announce that it has earned an EcoVadis Gold Rating for sustainability. Michelman ranks in the top 96th percentile of 100,000+ companies that have been evaluated across more than 200 industries and 175 countries.

EcoVadis was founded in 2007 and has, according to its website, grown to become “the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.” The EcoVadis sustainability assessment is an evaluation of how well a company has integrated the principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) across four main themes: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

“Since our inception in 1949, Michelman innovations have been rooted in the development of water-based solutions and environmentally conscious technologies. Earning the prestigious EvoVadis Gold Rating is a testament to our core values and our associates’ dedication to helping customers achieve their own sustainability initiatives,” said Chuck Hardy, Michelman’s director, Global Sustainability and R&D Systems. “As part of the evaluation process, EcoVadis goes well beyond just environmental responsibility. For example, they grade applicants on EH&S procedures that protect a company’s associates. They also evaluate HR and procurement systems that ensure both the applicant and its partners are paying fair wages. The process is a complete and thorough analysis of social responsibility, and we’re proud to have ranked so highly.”

“This achievement exemplifies our focus on Innovating a Sustainable Future,” added Dr. Rick Michelman, Michelman’s president and CEO. “We are committed to contributing to the sustainability of our planet. Toward that goal, we continually monitor and improve the footprint of our facilities via water, energy, and waste management and by innovating and introducing planet-positive solutions to the marketplace. With our recent hiring of Dr. Portia Yarborough as Chief Science and Sustainability Officer (CSSO), we will strive to achieve new heights along our sustainability journey while working together with our customers and value chain partners.”

Posted March 28, 2023

Source: Michelman

Bally Ribbon Mills Announces 100th Anniversary

BALLY, Pa. — March 28, 2023 — Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM) — a designer, developer and manufacturer of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics — announced its 100th anniversary. Since BRM’s founding in 1923 as a custom textile manufacturer in Bally, Pa., the company has provided products for aerospace, defense, medical, safety, automotive, commercial, and industrial applications used around the world.

A small representation of BRM’s accomplishments over the past century include the production of goods for the war effort in World War II, maintaining a continuous ISO quality program for close to 30 years, and numerous contracts, including with the U.S. Military, Department of Defense and NASA. BRM’s work with NASA includes using composite material in the construction of the heat shield used on NASA’s Orion spacecraft. BRM has been praised by NASA for its ability to answer every specification and challenge.

“As a family business, Bally Ribbon Mills is extremely proud to be a trusted partner by some of the largest, well-known companies and agencies from around the world,” said Mark Harries, vice president, at Bally Ribbon Mills. “Our success has been based on a long-term vision of growth, built around our high-quality engineered fabrics manufactured in America, our skilled employees, and our reputation as a trusted advisor to customers. We will continue to stay at the forefront of technology for all of the industries we serve, just as we have over the past 100 years.”

BRM continues to expand and innovate at its Bally, Pa., facility through the addition of new equipment, departments, and employees.

Posted March 28, 2023

Source: Bally Ribbon Mills

Old Navy Doubles Down On Pockets With Spring Dress Collection

SAN FRANCISCO — March 28, 2023 — Old Navy is giving women what they want – more dresses with pockets! The retailer has doubled the number of dresses with pockets in its new spring collection, answering the rallying cry from women everywhere to provide pocket parity in their clothes.

Old Navy achieved this paramount pocket milestone in just six months since its holiday collection debut, and is committing to grow their dress assortment with perfectly-placed-pockets even more in its summer collection and beyond, making the styles easily shoppable at www.oldnavy.com/pockets.

Popularity of Pockets

It’s no secret that women love dresses with pockets. In fact, women are twice as likely to prefer dresses with pockets than without, and more than half say their favorite go-to dresses in their wardrobes have pockets.

And it’s no surprise why. Women long for the convenience of pockets inherent in menswear with nearly three-quarters of women noting the lack of pocket parity in women’s apparel. Nearly nine-in-ten women (87%) rely on pockets for simple storage, like holding small items or as an alternative to carrying a handbag, while 73% say pockets are an important haven for their hands, whether for warmth or as somewhere to place them in awkward situations.

Function aside, pockets spark joy for most dress-lovers. 71% of women say discovering that a new frock has pockets is an instant mood booster, and nearly nine-in-ten (88%) say they love the surprise of finding something they forgot about in a pocket.

Pockets of Joy Day

To celebrate Old Navy’s pocket announcement, the brand is inviting customers into select stores on Saturday, April 1, for its “Pockets of Joy Day.” Tapping into the universal joy of discovering things in pockets, Old Navy shoppers can find tokens hidden in select pockets of the retailer’s new spring dress merchandise that can be redeemed for a $20 gift card. This is not an April’s Fools joke!

Old Navy is celebrating its first-ever “Pockets of Joy Day” with its dress-loving customers from 12:00pm – 4:00pm local time at five store locations across the country:

  • New York, N.Y. – Herald Square (150 W 34th Street, New York, NY 10001)
  • New York, N.Y. – 18th Street (610 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10011)
  • Roseville, Calif. – Creekside T/C (1244 Galleria Blvd, Roseville, CA 95678)
  • Jacksonville, Fla. – St. John’s T/C (10261 River Marsh Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32246)
  • Dallas, Texas – Park Lane (8170 Park Lane Suite 124, Dallas, TX 75231)

The entire women’s spring dress collection is available now in all U.S. stores, with pocket-clad styles shoppable at www.oldnavy.com/pockets.

Posted: March 28, 2023

Source: Old Navy

Banana Republic Launches New Home Categories

SAN FRANCISCO — March 28, 2023 — Banana Republic, a Gap Inc. brand, continues to establish itself as a premium lifestyle brand with the expanded announcement of BR Home — an extraordinary selection of home categories that are exquisitely crafted by the finest artisans and craftspeople around the globe, exclusively created and curated by Banana Republic.

“Our expanded Home collection is central to our vision to be the premier lifestyle brand that positions BR as an experiential and cultural cornerstone in our customers’ lives,” said Sandra Stangl, President and CEO of Banana Republic. “Banana Republic is a destination for discovery, adventure and imagination.”

Encouraging customers to build a sanctuary of comfort and style, BR Home expands offerings with an exclusive spring collection of premium bedding, rugs, pillows, and decor. The brand remains focused on its dedication to unparalleled craftsmanship and utilizing the highest-quality materials and natural fabrics, such as fine European linen, plush cotton cashmere, and organic cotton.

“Discovery and self-expression are an integral part of our customers’ lives at home, work and away,” said Aaron Rose, Head of Commerce & Experience for Banana Republic. “We know our customers care deeply about great style, design, and quality in all aspects of their lives, and we are excited for BR Home to be a central part of their personal lifestyle.”

The expanded collection builds on last fall’s launch of ART, Curated by Banana Republic, a collection of exclusive works from artists and photographers.

The BR Home collection is available online and in select stores in the United States today, with prices ranging from $40 for our washed cotton pillowcase sets to $7,550 for our most luxurious handwoven, oversized rugs made in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Posted: March 28, 2023

Source: Banana Republic

VEOCEL™ Upgrades Lyocell Shortcut Fiber Offering For The Flushable Market

LENZING, Austria — March 28, 2023 — Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, has announced the launch of its upgraded lyocell shortcut fibers by VEOCEL™ for the flushable market. The upgraded lyocell shortcut fibers not only have high dispersibility, which make them ideal for use in flushable wipes, they also have an upgraded finish, an added benefit for wipes manufacturers. The upgraded finish enhances efficiency of the wipe production process, improves the processability of fibers and helps to create higher quality products. The fibers are also offered as carbon neutral1, thus contributing to a global push to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint.

Constantly innovating to improve the premium quality of fibers

“We’re always looking for new ways to innovate and improve the performance of our fibers in the flushable market,” said Claudio Zampino, Commercial director, Specialty Applications for Global Nonwovens Business at Lenzing. “It is important to engage in continuous discussions with value chain partners to address their challenges and needs as we drive innovation in the nonwovens sector. With 27 years of experience producing lyocell shortcut fibers, we will continue to keep leveraging our extensive research labs to offer customers the best premium lyocell shortcut fibers possible.”

The new finish of the upgraded lyocell shortcut fibers offers protection against mechanical stress at commonly used water temperatures such as 0°C to 40°C during the wetlaid production process. This helps to avoid the creation of fiber lumps during the opening and dilution of fibers in preparation tanks. The finished product will also have enhanced physical quality and appearance thanks to the upgraded finish which improves web formation during the process.

Albaad, one of the largest wet wipe manufacturers in the world, used the new lyocell shortcut fibers for its Hydrofine® product, the most saleable flushable wetlaid in Europe.

“We are proud to cooperate with the global Lenzing group in developing improvements for lyocell fibers and bringing new innovation that enhances our Hydrofine® product and improves the production process. Our unique Hydrofine product, which is considered a breakthrough in the flushable market, is based on these upgraded fibers that help to increase production efficiency, reduce the level of waste and improve customer satisfaction. Collaborating with Lenzing’s R&D team was a valuable experience that provided both sides with great knowledge. Albaad is committed to innovation, to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, and to ensure ensuring continued improvement of our products’ performance,” said Jacob Heen, CEO of Albaad.

Continued growth of the flushable market

More and more consumers are using flushable wipes for greater convenience and lower impact on the environment. In 2022, the global nonwoven wipes market consumed 1.5 million tons nonwovens, valued at $20.8 billion, and is expected to reach 2.1 million tons, valued at $29.0 billion in 20272. As consumers continue to look for products made of natural materials, it is important to distinguish between flushable wipes made of wood-based fibers and wipes made of fossil-based fibers, such as polyester or polypropylene which take decades to disintegrate and contribute to the global micro plastic problem.

Flushable wipes which are made of lyocell shortcut fibers by VEOCEL with improved finish and are produced with adequate settings of the Roll Good Manufacturer, can disperse and degrade to meet current flushability guidelines as proven by mechanical disintegration and biodisintegration tests done at Lenzing R&D Center and the International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG) specifications.

The new and improved carbon neutral lyocell shortcut fibers by VEOCEL can be purchased from Lenzing’s production site in Mobile, Ala.

Posted: March 28, 2023

Source: Lenzing Group

Prepreg Technology Specialist Cygnet Texkimp Unveils Novel Multi Roll Stack In Campaign For Higher-Rate Composite Components

NORTHWICH, England — March 28, 2023 — Composites technology company Cygnet Texkimp, Northwich, England, will unveil its vertically stacked towpreg and prepreg manufacturing machine at JEC World in Paris next month. The full-scale Multi Roll Stack will be showcased on Cygnet Texkimp’s stand at Hall 5, Stand M72.

The small-footprint machine was developed by the company’s prepreg technology specialists as a lower-cost solution in terms of capital investment, running costs and energy requirements, when compared to conventional prepreg processing. It was designed to manufacture high performance prepreg and towpreg materials more efficiently and sustainably without compromising accuracy of the product, speed, or consistency, and so offer the potential for cost effective prepregs and towpregs to be used more widely.

The machine was developed as part of a UK collaboration to develop the technical and supply chain capability to achieve high-grade, composites-intensive components at rate for high-volume markets. The ASCEND program is a four-year, £40 million project launched in 2021 and led by Tier-1 aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace with funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Innovate UK. Cygnet Texkimp is a partner in the consortium which is made up of 14 UK organisations including the National Composites Centre.

The Multi Roll Stack is a UD (unidirectional) and fabric prepreg impregnation machine comprising a series of compaction rollers configured vertically. It is a major departure from conventional in-line prepreg machines which incorporate separate compaction stations (compactors) arranged in a horizontal line. In contrast, the Multi Roll Stack features a single compaction module containing multiple impregnation rollers arranged vertically.

“This space-saving machine offers a way to manufacture towpreg and prepreg materials quickly and accurately while delivering considerable cost and energy benefits,” explains Graeme Jones, Wide Web Product Director at Cygnet Texkimp.

“It is a more sustainable and cost-effective way to process prepregs which offers the potential for them to be used more widely in high-volume and mainstream applications.

“Trials of the technology have been extremely positive with high accuracy, low coat weight prepregs of 112 gsm being achieved at speeds of 10metres per minute, with upper limits of performance still to be discovered.”

The material passes repeatedly around the Multi Roll Stack’s heated impregnation rollers, increasing contact with the rollers throughout the process and reducing the energy required to achieve impregnation of the resin within the fibres. One aim of the design was to reduce or remove the heating-cooling cycle, which is typical in conventional in-line prepreg technologies, so that the temperature of the material remains consistent. This is significant because it results in lower energy consumption and reduced material scrappage, while maintaining consistency and accuracy in the finished prepreg and the performance in the resulting component. The production speed and coat weight accuracy achieved by the Multi Roll Stack mean it is capable of manufacturing precision towpregs with the same resin systems commonly used in the aerospace industry.

By configuring the technology in this way, Cygnet Texkimp has shortened the machine’s footprint by more than 50 percent (with greater space savings relative to larger machines) and increased processing speeds. Stacking the rollers within one compaction module removes the need for multiple drive motors and heaters, which in turn also reduces energy consumption and cost by more than half compared to conventional prepreg technologies. The machine’s shortened web path also leads to reduced material wastage and the compact design will reduce CapEx costs.

Following JEC World, the Multi Roll Stack will be available for industry trials at Cygnet Texkimp’s new Innovation Centre, based at its UK headquarters in Cheshire.

In the last decade, Cygnet Texkimp has designed and supplied more than 30 UD and fabric thermoset prepreg lines to the aerospace, automotive and industrial markets, making it one of the largest suppliers of thermoset prepreg technologies in the world. In 2021, the company launched the Direct Melt Impregnation Thermoplastic Composite Line as the world’s first commercially available thermoplastic composite line capable of using standard polymer, from polypropylene to PEEK, to create high-grade thermoplastic composite prepregs on an industrial scale.

Posted: March 28, 2023

Source: Cygnet Texkimp

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