Textile Recycling Industry Leaders From Around The Globe Join Forces To Promote High Standards And Expand The Reuse And Recycling Of Clothing

ABINGDON, Md. — March 22, 2023 — The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) 2023 Annual Convention in Dubai drew record-breaking attendance of more nearly 200 industry leaders from 14 countries including the UAE, India, and Pakistan. SMART is the leading industry voice promoting high standards and best practices for reuse and recycling of textiles and related secondary materials. Our members reduce solid waste by collecting, reclaiming, and “closing the loop” by processing, reusing, converting, and distributing these recyclables. SMART is continuously working to educate the public and local government officials about the importance of increasing clothing and textile reuse and recycling.

SMART Executive Director Susan DeCourcey said, “the popularity of the event shows textile industry leaders are serious about innovation advancements that will impact the environment and the economy globally.”

Quick facts:

  • According to Allied Marketing Research, the global textile recycling market is anticipated to generate nearly $9.4 billion by 2027.

Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/textile-recycling-market-17543449.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw_MqgBhAGEiwAnYOAejLXsb-c2Fyiyvh_TUug_OTsFAqYyKzcFIzioQOkcTsmN0zjr-IUTRoC2bUQAvD_BwE

  • The U.S. EPA reports that current clothing and textiles recycling has a great impact on reducing greenhouse gases, The latest report estimates the generation of textiles in 2018 was 17 million tons.

Source: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data

  • The wiping rag industry has grown substantially since the pandemic which has also expanded the demand for textile materials needed in the cleaning and health industries. Industrial wiping cloths made from recycled textiles also have a significantly smaller carbon footprint than newly manufactured wiping clothes or laundered rags.

NETWORKING:

International trade is a critical component of the textile industry’s success. More than 60% of recovered textile waste is sent abroad to more than 100 countries, equating to more than 1.4 billion pounds of used clothing – creating hundreds of thousands of jobs worldwide. It is crucial our membership work together to help the industry grow. SMART’s President Steve Rees from Wipeco Industries explained, “Our members commitment to supplying multiple market segments in countless geographical areas, speaks to the intrinsic global value that reusing and recycling textiles has. As our trade association continues to grow, we are connecting members to new markets and working to reduce the global textile waste crisis.”

ADVOCACY:

SMART is continuously working to educate the public and local government officials about the importance of increasing clothing and textile reuse and recycling. The benefit of these educational outreach efforts is gaining momentum throughout the nation, including programs in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and most recently, California.

Established in 1932, SMART is a recycling-based, international, nonprofit trade association comprised of for profit used clothing, wiping material and fiber industry companies. SMART members use and convert recycled and secondary materials from used clothing, commercial laundries and nonwoven, off spec material, new mill ends and paper from around the world. SMART companies are committed to the “green” way of life.

SMART Leadership and its members are working to bring textile recycling into a circular economy.  SMART members continually trumpet their message to the donating and recycling public by encouraging them to “Donate, Recycle, Don’t Throw Away.”

Posted: March 23, 2023

Source: The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART)

XAAR Celebrates Sustainability Roadmap Achievements

CAMBRIDGE, England — March 23, 2023 — Inkjet technology group Xaar held its first Sustainability Week to mark the significant progress its Sustainability Roadmap has had across the business in its first year.

Events began March 13, and the week saw a host of initiatives including a Community Day with raffles, charity fundraising, a quiz and pie-baking competition, raising over £2,300. At its center, was the release of Xaar’s latest video that demonstrated the progress of the group’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) program, walking the viewer through a number of the initiatives to date and the key elements of its Sustainability Roadmap to 2030.

The video takes the perspective of employees from across the group, with each of Xaar’s four pillars — Environment, People, Innovation and Community — explained.

As a key part of the People pillar, the video showcases Xaar’s people-centric approach, highlighting activities such as the strong collaboration with local schools and the valuable support provided by the Mental Health First Aiders within the workplace.

Xaar’s commitment to offering a range of industry opportunities and work placements for young people to inspire the next generation of engineers continues to gather momentum. Encouraging students to engage with key STEM subjects through workshops and educational activities is a key part of the Sustainability Roadmap. In addition, last year Xaar enrolled a further four young people onto its Apprenticeship Programme, bringing the current total across the business to 13 apprentices.

Under Environment, Xaar has increased energy efficiency and invested in renewable energy projects, more sustainable logistics and transport initiatives as drivers for change. In 2022, Xaar reduced its plastic consumption by more than 1.2 metric tons and after a recent reorganization at Xaar’s Printhead Business Unit facility in Huntingdon — the company are expecting a 40 percent energy reduction by the end of quarter one this year.

While within Innovation, the culture of inspiring and “creative problem solving” is emphasised alongside the way in which Xaar’s printheads and products can help customers respond to their own sustainability demands.

Covered under both its commitment to People and the local Community, Xaar’s UK companies have chosen as charity partner, BREAK, who provide support for children and young people throughout the various stages of the care system, offering stable homes to young people and adults when they are ready to leave care and begin independent living. The charity relationship with BREAK has seen Xaar team members involved in various fundraising projects, building collaboration between both organisations.

Xaar’s COO Graham Tweedale said: “Our Sustainability Roadmap has seen a real cultural change across our Group as we put Sustainability at the center of our business.

“Celebrating Sustainability Week and the launch of our video shows the impact our initiatives have had so far and how through the continuing efforts of our team we will make further great strides on our journey set out in our Sustainability Roadmap to 2030.”

Posted: March 23, 2023

Source: Xaar plc

Orion Debottlenecks Post-Treatment Unit In Germany For High-Jetness Carbon Black

HOUSTON — March 22, 2023 — Orion Engineered Carbons, a global specialty chemicals company, said today it has debottlenecked a post-treatment unit at its Cologne, Germany, plant that produces high-jetness specialty carbon blacks.

The debottlenecking enables Orion to increase production capacity and also produce beads in addition to powder. High-jetness carbon blacks deliver a deep black masstone with a bluish undertone and are popular in automotive coatings.

“It’s challenging to push jetness above certain levels, and Orion is one of only a few carbon black producers that can do it,” said Markus Mahn, director of Global Marketing for Coatings. “Demand was high last year and continues to be strong this year.”

Orion has plans to install a second post-treatment unit at its Cologne facility due to the rapidly growing demand for the company’s premium grades.

Posted: March 23, 2023

Source: Orion Engineered Carbons

INDEX™ 2023 Exhibitor Preview: BRÜCKNER

LEONBERG, Germany — March 23, 2023 — On the occasion of this year’s nonwovens exhibition INDEX in Geneva April 18-21, 2023, textile machinery manufacturer BRÜCKNER will not only inform about its well-known delivery program which includes almost all types of dryers, thermofusion and heat-setting ovens with mainly convective heat transfer, but also about the latest trends in machinery technology and the related process technology.

In the last years BRÜCKNER realized some very challenging projects in the nonwovens industry. These include lines for the heat-setting of geotextiles, finishing lines for nonwovens in the medical technology as well as thermofusion lines for the bonding of voluminous nonwovens for the furniture industry.

Besides the current sales successes, the continuous further development of the processes and the associated line technology plays a decisive role for the German world market leader. The basis of each BRÜCKNER line is the technologically best possible line configuration, which is always individually tailored to the customer and his needs. For this purpose, customers and interested potential customers can carry out tests in BRÜCKNER’s Technology Center at any time. Heat-setting, thermofusion, coating, laminating, drying and finishing tests can be carried out on two lines in production scale.

In order to provide even better support in the future, especially for customers in the nonwovens production sector, a flow-through belt oven was added to the range of test machines at the BRÜCKNER Technology Center at the beginning of the year.

This is a small and compact thermo treatment line which, due to its short length, is excellently suitable to simulate also fast running processes with short dwell times at moderate test speeds. The electrically heated unit is equipped with all relevant sensors for measuring the local system pressures, the air volumes, the air temperatures, the material surface temperature and the process air humidity.

BRÜCKNER’s sales engineers will be pleased to advise you at the INDEX in hall 1, booth 1580 about the concrete possibilities for the optimization and development of nonwoven products in BRÜCKNER

Posted: March 23, 2023

Source: Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG

INDEX™ 2023 Exhibitor Preview: ExxonMobil Showcases Model Baby Diaper Incorporating Its Portfolio Of Products For Innovative Hygiene Solutions

SPRING, Texas — March 23, 2023 — ExxonMobil will demonstrate its industry leadership by presenting its broad portfolio of products that enable innovative solutions with sustainability benefits for hygiene and personal care applications at INDEX™23 (booth 2115). This extensive portfolio includes ExxonMobil™ PP, Achieve™ Advanced PP (polypropylene) and Vistamaxx™ performance polymers that can be used to create differentiated hygiene and personal care products.

  • Presenting model ExxonMobil baby diaper made using its broad product portfolio
  • Displaying high loft nonwovens that include ISCC PLUS mass balance certified circular polymers using Exxtend™ technology for advanced recycling of plastic waste
  • Highlighting ISCC PLUS mass balance certified circular polymers as an opportunity to help the hygiene industry create solutions with sustainability benefits

“INDEX23 is the perfect platform to demonstrate that not all hygiene solutions are created equal,” said market development manager, Gertrud Masure. “Our broad product portfolio and a collaborative approach is creating differentiated solutions that help unlock business opportunities across the value chain. This is an ideal opportunity for customers to discuss their challenges and new product ideas with our polymer and application experts.”

A major innovation being presented will be the model baby diaper of which the chassis is made exclusively with ExxonMobil’s extensive portfolio of products. “This innovation allows us to demonstrate the broad capability of our portfolio, combined with our hygiene application expertise, as we look to unlock business opportunities with interested parties committed to collaborative new developments,” said Masure.

Also on display will be a new version of the recently introduced high-loft, ultra- soft, silky-smooth nonwoven solution for premium hygiene products using an innovative blend of Vistamaxx performance polymers, Achieve Advanced PP and ExxonMobil PP. Developed collaboratively with Reifenhäuser Reicofil, this nonwoven solution delivers sustainability benefits by including ExxonMobil PP ISCC PLUS mass balance certified circular polymers using Exxtend technology for advanced recycling of plastic waste. Produced efficiently in one step from pellet to nonwoven via high-speed spunbond process, this differentiated soft nonwoven is ideal for use in premium diapers, pant-type diapers, feminine care and adult incontinence products.

“This innovation demonstrates how certified circular polymers can help deliver sustainability benefits in highly technical hygiene applications, helping the industry achieve its circularity ambitions,” Masure said.

“Delivering the same quality and performance as resins made from conventional feedstock, customers can be confident when using certified- circular polymers in existing applications,” said global market manager Olivier Lorge. “Our Exxtend™ technology can play an increasingly important role in creating a more circular economy for plastics by helping to broaden the range of plastics that society recycles. With ambitions to scale our technology at multiple sites around the world, we can help meet customers’ growing demand for certified-circular content.”

As part of the INDEX23 Conference Program, ExxonMobil will present “Innovative solutions for a better tomorrow” on April 18, 2023 @ 14.30.

Posted: March 23, 2023

Source: ExxonMobil

The Makers Of Sheertex Rip-Resist Tights, Launch Watertex The First Swimsuit That Towel Wipes Dry

MONTREAL — March 21, 2023 — After Sheertex successfully launched on Kickstarter in 2017, Sheertex is proud to announce expansion into swimwear, a new category for the hosiery brand called Watertex.

With over 1.9M units of product sold, Sheertex is best known for their first technology, the patent-pending Sheertex® Rip-Resist knit, made from one of the world’s strongest polymers and was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2018.

The future of swim technology is here.

Watertex is expertly designed to offer the smoothest transition from water to land in swimwear. Third lab tests against 3 competitors confirmed that Watertex dried in half the time, and retained 60% less water after initial submersion. The days of soaking through your sundress, damp jean shorts, and soggy bags are behind us!

The first hero product is available now – a black one-piece with a sleek silhouette. With hydrophobic properties inherently woven into the patent-pending knit, Watertex is faster drying and more hydrophobic than other swimwear on the market.

Posted: March 21, 2023

Source: Watertex

Hyosung Joins Surfers Against Sewage Ocean Network

SEOUL, South Korea — March 21, 2023 — In its commitment to help protect our oceans, Hyosung, a major sustainable textile solutions partner, has joined the Ocean Network platform, coordinated by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS). SAS is a UK – based marine conservation charity working with communities to protect oceans, waves, beaches, and marine life along its coastlines.

The Ocean Network is a national movement with over 300 businesses supporting environmental solutions. Ocean Network members are often active within their communities, committed to fighting plastic pollution, pushing government for change, and holding brands to account and inspire the next generation to protect the ocean.

“Hyosung is proud to join the Ocean Network, collaborating with this powerful group of leading business leaders to reduce global plastic pollution in our wonderful oceans,” said Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, Hyosung Global Marketing Director – Textiles. “Our own Ocean Protection Initiative, a program where we manufacture high-quality recycled nylon fiber made from discarded fishing nets, and recycled polyester from ocean bound plastic waste, aligns with SAS’s mission to inspire, unite and empower communities to take action to protect oceans, beaches, waves and wildlife.”

Hyosung began its ocean protection journey in 2007 as the first company to collect and recycle discarded fishing nets that pollute our seas and harm marine life. Under its proprietary recycling process, Hyosung recently increased production and re-launched regen ocean nylon, a GRS certified post-consumer yarn made from discarded fishing nets. The company’s regen ocean polyester fiber is made from ocean bound plastic waste.

“We are thrilled Hyosung is now part of the UK’s most passionate network of ocean activists”, said Tabitha McCormick, Corporate Partnerships Officer, Surfers Against Sewage “With Hyosung and other like-minded companies by our side, we will fight plastic pollution, push government for change, hold brands to account and inspire the next generation to protect the ocean.”

As a global business, Hyosung’s team members – many of whom enjoy time on and around the water – are spread across the planet. As part of the Ocean Network initiative and Million Mile Beach Clean, they plan on participating in clean-up initiatives in their respective locales to help to preserve the health of our waterways now and in the future.

Posted: March 21, 2023

Source: Hyosung

SGS’s Frank Kempe Re-Appointed To AFIRM’s LabTAC

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — March 21, 2023 — SGS, a testing, inspection and certification company, is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Global Softlines Technical Manager Frank Kempe to the Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management (AFIRM) Group’s Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (LabTAC).

Based in Düsseldorf, Germany, Frank joined SGS in 2022. He is responsible for strategic development in sustainability and chemical management across SGS’s global textile and footwear divisions.

Frank’s background is chemical compliance management for the apparel and footwear sectors, and he has participated in various industry groups, including Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) and the German Partnership of Sustainable Textiles. His work has effected real change across a wide range of quality and sustainability topics, including product safety, sustainable materials and resource efficiency. He was original appointed to LabTAC in 2022.

Founded in 2004, the AFIRM Group’s mission is a reduction in the use and impact of harmful substances in apparel and footwear supply chains. It offers a forum for improvements in global supply chain restricted substance management, enables better communications about RSL (restricted substances list) and provides an arena in which to exchange ideas about improving RSL management.

LabTAC supports AFIRM on test method issues, maintains the RSL, communicates RSL information to supply chain members and facilities the exchange of ideas for improving the RSL. The committee comprises five technical representatives from global laboratory networks, with appointments being made every two years from eligible applications.

Frank says: “I am delighted to have been re-appointed to LabTAC and I look forward to continuing my work in helping the apparel and footwear sectors improve chemical management. This is a critical time for manufacturers and suppliers, governments and businesses around the world who are under intense pressure to act over climate change and our impact on the environment. Central to this must be the development of better technologies and a move towards the use of safer and more sustainable chemicals. SGS and LabTAC stand at the forefront of this move, helping industry to develop long-term solutions that not only improve chemical management but also enable a better and safer world.”

Posted: March 21, 2023

Source: SGS

Berger Textiles Launches New Architecture Range At FESPA Global Print Expo 2023

KREFELD, Germany — March 21, 2023 — Berger Textiles, a leading specialist supplier of textiles for wide format digital printing, interior decor and apparel, will launch its new ‘Architecture’ product portfolio at FESPA Global Print Expo 2023 (Messe Munich, 23-26 May), adding a selection of high-performance functional textiles for interior architectural applications to its established textile ranges for soft signage, home and fashion.

The new Architecture offering for customers will launch with two innovative products.

Shift is a unique, printable odour control textile, specifically engineered to absorb and neutralise odours such as kitchen or animal smells and cigarette smoke in a variety of environments, as well as capturing and neutralising formaldehyde. A 250gsm, 470µ polyester, Shift can be used in display frame systems, banners and interior panels, with the option to customise using direct or dye sublimation printing, making it suitable for use in corporate, hospitality and domestic interiors.

Absorber offers two different noise-absorbing materials, designed to improve acoustics in a range of settings from corporate offices to leisure and hospitality spaces. Absorber 009 is a needle felt made from 100% rPET fibres derived from recycled plastic bottles. The fabric can be used in aluminium frames or plastic profiles in many architectural applications. Absorber 050 is a state-of-the- art sound absorber for frames and built-in structures. Both materials are suitable for a wide range of architectural briefs where an effective but visually sympathetic solution for noise absorption is required.

Alessandro Lanfranconi, CEO of Berger Textiles comments: “As a long-standing provider of textiles to the interior décor market, we can see first-hand the significant growth opportunity for our customers in the architectural segment, and the escalating demand for functional textiles that help designers and installers to overcome practical challenges in demanding spaces. With these first Architecture products, we will show existing and new customers how technical fabrics can offer elegant solutions to problems with noise and odour in a range of environments, while respecting and even enhancing the interior aesthetic.”

Berger Textiles will also introduce new apparel fabrics at FESPA Global Print Expo, extending its Home & Fashion portfolio. Designed for a whole range of customised printed garments and accessories, Single Jerseys are textiles available with or without pre-treatment for pigment printing and OEKO-TEX® and GOTS certified.

Signage and visual communications customers visiting the Berger Textiles stand at FESPA 2023 will also discover two new Soft Signage materials. Moon is a new grey-back polyester textile that delivers the valued combination of weight (330gsm) and softness, together with a good level of opacity, while maintaining excellent image resolution quality. With its appealing look and feel, good elasticity and printability with direct and transfer sublimation, Moon offers an ideal choice for customers needing a convenient, opaque display textile for frame systems, banners, exhibition walls, backdrops and pop-ups.

Icon is a unique new 100% cotton canvas, created for customers printing with dye sublimation. The fabric is an appealing alternative to usual polyester options, with a soft touch that makes it perfect for home décor products such as cushions, in addition to more typical applications such as framed canvasses, fine art and photo prints, POS and decorative graphics.

Alessandro Lanfranconi concludes: “The pandemic has shaken up virtually every market segment served by our customers, so they’re looking to Berger Textiles to be a reliable partner, delivering innovative products that can help them diversify and grow, while providing the expert technical and applications support they need to work effectively with these materials. With six new products to showcase at FESPA, we’re ready to motivate textile printers and installers with fresh ideas and the performance textiles they need to turn them into real business.”

Berger Textiles is exhibiting at FESPA Global Printing Expo 2023 alongside sister Spandex Group brand ImagePerfect™, which offers a choice of reliable, quality printable and coloured self-adhesive materials and tools for signmakers and graphics producers.

Posted: March 21, 2023

Source: Berger Textiles

Crystal International Innovates Vibrant Denim – Colour By Nature Collection With Natural Dyes

HONG KONG — March 21, 2023 — Crystal International Group Limited (“Crystal International” or the “Group”) makes unceasing efforts to advance sustainable product development. Going beyond the certified net zero jeans being launched last year, Crystal Denim (the denim division of the Group) newly innovates the Vibrant Denim – Colour by Nature Collection with advanced, sustainable natural dyeing technique, offering a fashion-forward style to all denim enthusiasts.

The Vibrant Denim Collection adopts the sustainable natural overdyed approach which combines denim authenticity with originated natural mineral powders, creating new vibrant colour cast, shade, depth, and variation for denim by an eco-friendly dyeing method. Natural mineral dyes come from the nature, such as soil mix, celadonite, hematite and grains, to create chromatic denim colours and produce the full range of hues and tones. Crystal Denim overdyes the pure indigo denim with colour shades such as citrus, coral, orchid and olive, generating the sense of harmony. Overdyed colours on mid wash-based denim with hand-sanding effect brings a vintage mood, while enriched soil colours match well with authentic denim vibe. Acid and tie bleach combined with vibrant overdyes provides eye-catching finishing. There are 7 styles of products, including denim jackets and jeans in the collection.

Overdyeing denim fabric with natural dyes has a lot of sustainable benefits. The dyes are registered on ZDHC MRSL Conformance (Level 1) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) version 6.0. By using natural dyestuffs, the collection is in compliance with Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and OEKO-TEX Standard. The natural dyes perform in high fastness, high reproducibility and salt-free in the dyeing process. In addition, Crystal Denim also adopts eco-friendly, water-efficient washing technologies, including waterless enzyme, laser and ozone processes. As it’s renewable from natural resources, natural dyeing has a lower environmental impact than synthetic dyes, also saving 1 tons of water by reducing one time of machine cleaning process.

“This is a pioneering collection that we first apply vibrant natural dyes on denim fabric, offering the choices of unconventional denim colours to the market. We hope to provide another voguish and classy denim trend while maintaining sustainable features,” said Miles Lam, Assistant General Manager of Crystal Denim.

Developing sustainable products with different stakeholders along the supply chain is important to elevate responsible production, aiming to bring positive environmental impact. Crystal International will continue to innovate sustainable products across different divisions for driving ahead the fashion industry.

Posted: March 21, 2023

Source: Crystal International Group Limited

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