Built To Last: Carhartt Launches Reworked Resale Site, Trade-In Program

DEARBORN, Mich. & BRISBANE, Calif. — March 1, 2023 — Born from a legacy of building durable gear with the highest quality materials, America’s premium workwear brand Carhartt, in partnership with Trove, today launched Carhartt Reworked, a resale program dedicated to extending the life of workwear, reducing clothing waste and keeping previously worn and slightly imperfect gear out of landfills.

The new Carhartt Reworked program, which is the first branded resale site in the workwear industry, supports Carhartt’s sustainability journey aimed at building a better world by creating a circular recommerce model that extends the life of its durable gear and reduces clothing waste.

“‘Carhartt Reworked’ is an extension of our commitment to deliver the durability and reliability that hardworking people know and love, while reducing our environmental footprint,” said Gretchen R. Valade, director of Sustainability at Carhartt. “With the help of Trove’s expertise in circular business and recommerce, we’re able to keep Carhartt products in use longer, out of landfills and in the hands of people who need it.”

With the experience that Trove has as a market leader in branded resale, Carhartt Reworked does just what the name suggests: reworks previously worn or slightly imperfect gear that isn’t done working and gets it passed along to people who can put it to good use. The program is built on product that is submitted through consumer trade-in and customer returns or imperfect inventory.

  • Consumer Trade-In: The reworked program will accept trade-in of select Carhartt products that meet the requirements. All accepted products must meet condition standards, must be less than 10 years old and are required to have had an original MSRP cost of $50 or more. The product categories include: outerwear, shirt jacs, bibs and overalls, hoodies, sweatshirts and pants. For those who bring eligible gear to participating Carhartt stores, the customer can exchange their gear for a digital gift card, which can be used on reworked.carhartt.com, Carhartt.com or at any Carhartt Company Store. Any gear not eligible for trade in will be properly recycled or donated to keep fabric out of landfills.
  • Returns/Imperfect Inventory: Depending on the garment’s condition, the product will either be immediately available for resale, cleaned, repaired and reassessed or be removed from circulation and recycled.

Beginning March 1, reworked products will be available for purchase at reworked.carhartt.com, and participating Carhartt retail stores will accept in-store trade-ins. The trade in program will pilot in six stores across the U.S. before expanding to all Carhartt retail locations in 2023. As the program evolves, trade-ins will be available via online mail-in.

“Carhartt is known for its high-quality fabric and stringent durability standards, meant to stand the test of time, which is why it feels natural to create a system to extend the life of such hardworking gear,” said Gayle Tait, CEO of Trove. “It’s an honor to add Carhartt to Trove’s best-in-class brand partnerships that are pushing boundaries of innovation and sustainability. As the first workwear brand to offer a resale program, Carhartt is setting the industry standard and investing in efforts to build a fully circular product lifecycle – and we’re proud to be part of that.”

Trove’s Recommerce Operating System has the ability to process millions of items for Carhartt and offers end-to-end item intelligence to deliver sustainable growth at scale. Unlike marketplaces and peer-to-peer sites, Trove powers trade-in and resale within Carhartt’s unique ecosystem, providing an opportunity to own the experience and engage with new and existing customers.

Carhartt views sustainable business practices as not just merely corporate responsibility, but rather fundamental to its values. With a focus on protecting the planet and leaving a better world for future generations of hardworking people, Carhartt is helping reduce environmental impact through different initiatives including reduction in paper and plastic packaging and its repair program.

To learn more about Carhartt Reworked and eligible trade-in products, visit reworked.carhartt.com or carhartt.com.

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: Carhartt / Trove

INDA Welcomes Six New Members To The 2023 Board Of Directors

CARY, N.C. — March 1, 2023 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, welcomes six new members to its 2023 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors are responsible for contributing to INDA’s strategic focus in support of the industry. They inform INDA’s policies and programs to ensure we meet the needs of our more than 360 corporate members.

“I am pleased to welcome these industry leaders who bring a diverse set of skills, experience and insights to INDA,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president. “We look forward to advancing INDA’s reputation as the ‘go to’ source for industry, technical, workforce development and market intelligence in the engineered materials industry.”

The new board members are:

Ricardo Fasolo, Managing Vice President, Fitesa Inc.

Ricardo Fasolo is Managing Vice President for Fitesa in North America. He is responsible for all operations, sales, business development and P&L activities for the region. Mr. Fasolo has been with Fitesa since 2005. During this period, he has worked in various roles from leading the supply chain management in Latin America to Sales in the USA. Prior to joining Fitesa, Mr. Fasolo worked for a Tier 1 OEM supplier responsible for producing assisted steering gear systems.

Neil Johnson, President, AstenJohnson

Neil Johnson is president of AJ Nonwovens, a division of AstenJohnson Holdings, a multinational private technical textiles company. AJ Nonwovens is a newly branded entity that includes Foss Performance Materials, Eagle Nonwovens, and a new greenfield site in Waco, Texas. As president, Johnson has responsibility for all aspects of AstenJohnson’s Nonwovens business. Reporting to the CEO, Johnson regularly updates the Board of Directors on matters of strategic significance and has a proven track record of leadership and broad business experience.

Johnson has spent 33 years with AstenJohnson in a variety of roles. These include VP of business development, VPHR, and General Management. A dual U.S./Canadian citizen, he has lived and worked in both countries and had global leadership responsibility. Outside of work, Mr. Johnson has had experience on several boards.  He has served as treasurer of a $10 million charitable foundation, served as President of the Board for a large non-profit in Charleston, SC and served on the Board of the Charleston youth hockey league. Mr. Johnson graduated from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada with a Bachelor of Commerce and an International MBA from the University of South Carolina.

Chris Roeder, Director – Strategy, Marketing & Innovation, Global Cellulose Fibers, International Paper

Chris Roeder joined International Paper (IP) in 1996 in Kansas City, Mo., as an engineer for IP’s Consumer Packaging business. Over the next 20 years, Roeder held a variety of leadership roles with increasing responsibility in Beverage Packaging, Foodservice and Coated Paperboard, where he focused on business and product development as well as sales management. In 2016, Roeder was named marketing director for IP’s Containerboard business and was responsible for a number of key strategic initiatives.

In 2020, he was named Regional General Manager for IP’s North American Container business, and later that same year, he was named Director – Strategy, Marketing & Innovation for IP’s Global Cellulose Fibers business. In his current role, Mr. Roeder is responsible for collaborating across the business and enterprise to develop IP’s go-to-market strategy. He and his team work closely with the Sales team to drive successful innovations for IP’s customers.

Dr. Paul E. Rollin, Jr., Senior Principal – Global Hygiene, ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company

Paul Rollin earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Morehouse College in Atlanta and his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. Dr. Rollin began his career with E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. developing “Flashspun” nonwoven products in the Tyvek® Business. He later transferred from Richmond, VA to Old Hickory, Tenn., where he provided technical support to manufacturing, as well as led product development efforts for bi-component spunmelt fibers and fabrics.

For the past 11 years, Dr. Rollin has worked for ExxonMobil in Baytown, Texas. During this time, his roles and responsibilities have included developing new products based on polyolefin resins, customer and application development. In 2018, he became the Global Nonwovens Team Lead at ExxonMobil. Dr. Rollin has several patents and has contributed to the nonwovens industry for more than 24 years.

Jodi Russell, Vice President R&D, Cleaning Innovation, Packaging & Sustainability, The Clorox Company

Jodi Russell has spent 25 years leading global innovation across multiple categories in the consumer-packaged goods industry. She began her career at P&G after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.S. Chemical Engineering, and has continued for 20 years at Clorox creating consumer-winning products in Cleaning, Foods, Litter, Trash, Natural Personal Care and Water Filtration. Ms. Russell is an innovation leader, with a proven track record of driving profitable growth, with current R&D responsibility for >$2B product portfolio including the company’s flagship Clorox Bleach™ and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes™ businesses. Ms. Russell excels in setting vision for R&D that leads to breakthroughs and in collaborating with industry partners to create leading edge technology for the Clorox global portfolio.

Julie Schertell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mativ

Julie Schertell is Mativ’s president and CEO and serves on its Board of Directors. As the former Neenah Inc. CEO, she held numerous leadership positions within the company over the last 14 years, including COO, Segment President of Technical Products and Fine Paper & Packaging and Vice President and General Manager of Fine Paper & Packaging.

Schertell began her career at Georgia-Pacific in 1992 as a Cost Analyst in a plant supporting Consumer Products. She served in several roles over her 16-year career there, all within the Consumer Products Division, including Vice President of Sales and Marketing Strategy, Vice President of Supply Chain, Director of Sales Operations and Director of Financial Planning & Analysis. Ms. Schertell graduated from Florida State University’s College of Business in 1991 with a BA in Accounting and received her MAcc degree from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business in 1992.

INDA’s Board of Directors

The board is comprised of elected board officers. One-third of the entire board is elected each year for a three-year term by a majority vote of INDA’s general membership. INDA’s executive committee, empowered to act on behalf of the board between meetings, consists of the board officers plus four appointees.

The executive committee includes these officers and appointees: Bryan Haynes, Senior Technical Director for Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark Corporation – Chair; Richard Altice, President & Chief Executive Officer, NatureWorks – Vice Chair of Planning; Barbara Lawless, VP of Sales and Marketing – Medical Products, Precision Fabrics Group, Inc. – Vice Chair of Finance; Paul Latten, Director of Research & Development & New Business, Southeast Nonwovens, Inc. – Appointee; Robert Weilminster, EVP & General Manager, US & Canada – Health, Hygiene and Specialties Division, Berry Global – Appointee; and Tom Zaiser, CEO, FiberVisions – Appointee.

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

Geosynthetics Conference 2023 Offers Great Show For Happy And Engaged Attendees And Exhibitors

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — March 1, 2023 — The 2023 Advanced Textiles Association’s (ATA) Geosynthetics Conference took place Feb. 5–8, in Kansas City, Mo., and co-hosted with the International Erosion Control Association’s (IECA) Annual Conference and Expo, brought together those from the geotechnical industry as well as the erosion, sediment control and stormwater industry. The combined conference attracted more than 1,800 combined attendees and 186 combined exhibits for double the exhibition area for both associations.

The workshops, short courses, special and technical sessions covered everything from AASHTO methods to zero-leak containment facilities. Subjects discussed this year included erosion and sediment control, dewatering tube systems, segmental retaining walls, alternative backfill materials, hydraulic and coastal applications, landfill covers and lining systems, water retention products and mining applications, and dozens of other geosynthetics-related topics.

“I had an excellent experience at the Geosynthetics Conference,” said Daniel Alzamora, PE, FHWA Resource Center. “The sessions I attended were very good and the attendees were engaged interacting with the speakers, moderators and panelists. This made for an excellent learning opportunity for all. As an instructor on one of the short courses I appreciated the interactivity with the attendees. It made the session much more valuable.”

“I appreciate that ATA conferences always seem to capture the past, present and future of geosynthetics and Geosynthetics 2023 in Kansas City did not disappoint,” said Dr. Melissa Beauregard, PE, ENV SP, Exponent Inc. “The conference kicked off with Short Courses and wrapped up with Exhibitor Showcases on the exhibit hall floor, highlighting the range of geosynthetics-related content we’ve come to expect from these biennial conferences.”

Attendee and exhibitor Russell Amidon with Industrial and Environmental Concepts Inc. (IEC) in Lakeville, Minn., not only was there to exhibit but was also interested in seeing the other trade show booths. “I just think it’s great that we as a whole get together once a year to discuss the future of our industry,” Amidon said. “I’ve been doing liners since 1988 and the technology just keeps changing and that’s how we learn about it here first.”

Tommy Richardson with JW Faircloth & Son Inc. in Hillsborough, N.C., was also attending the conference for the first time to learn about what people are doing in the industry on the IECA and erosion control side of things. “I just came on board with my company, so it’s a learning curve to try and figure out what the industry is about and learn as much as I can while I’m here. I’m originally from the seed world so I’ve dealt with the seeding side but not so much the erosion control aspect, so I’m trying to learn that part as well. The whole show has been pretty neat and it’s fun to see everything and meet people.”

Exhibitor Dave McLaury with Demtech Services Inc. agreed stating: “The 2023 Geosynthetics Conference was a very well-attended event.” Trinette Ballard, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Local Aid Support program manager, Office of Innovation and Workforce Solutions, was on the exhibit floor to demonstrate the many functions of the FHWA’s Geosynthetics Installation Notes Tracker mobile application and how it can assist with road construction and maintenance projects.

“The enthusiasm around the app was exciting,” Ballard said. “I heard from many of the attendees that this is something they felt was needed in the industry. We are working with several entities we met during the conference to provide even more information in the future using the mobile application. What we have available right now in the Apple Store and Google Play Store is just the beginning.”

Other Highlights at the Show

Standout moments of the four-day conference included a standing-room-only crowd for the opening keynote by Scott Mensing, PE, PMP, and Colonel Travis Rayfield, PE, PMP, Army Corps of Engineers–Kansas City District. Their presentation detailed the reliability and resilience of the Kansas City Levees project.

The Geosynthetic Materials Association’s (GMA) biennial general membership meeting highlighted its current technical, educational and legislative activities with a detailed update on the federal, state and local lobby efforts. Sam Allen, president of the International Geosynthetic Society (IGS), was the featured speaker and provided an update on the IGS as well as a presentation entitled “Bringing Geosynthetic Contributions to Life.”

A few other popular activities included a young professionals event, a Kansas City BBQ and Brew Tour, a Women in Geosynthetics Round Table Discussion, and the International Association of Geosynthetics Installers (IAGI) GeoGames reception.
Another popular portion of the conference was the Robert M. Koerner lecture, where J.P. Giroud, ECP, Ph.D., discussed zero leak at end of geomembrane installation and service.

First-time attendee Joelle MacDonald, a senior civil engineer with Alberta Energy Regulator in Alberta, Canada, came down to the conference because she was really intrigued with learning about the geomembrane with zero leakage and the testing protocol. “I found both the lecture, as well as the workshops and exhibits to be really interesting,” MacDonald said. “I did the virtual conference in 2021, but there’s nothing like coming here physically to talk with people about actual projects. A highpoint was hearing J.P. Giroud talk because over the 30 years I’ve heard him do talks through the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) and a lot of webinars, but actually coming in and hearing him speak—I was really impressed.”

Summing up the show, Abigail Gilson with TRI Environmental, Inc. said: “The Geosynthetics 2023 conference provided a targeted audience of consultants, regulators, and contractors for geosynthetics products and services who were eager to learn. Teaching a short course was an effective way to provide those professionals with the tools they need to succeed on the job and the technical paper presentations provided the means to let them know about new technologies and improved methodologies. When individuals know more and use that knowledge to do better, the whole industry benefits.”

Geotechnical Frontiers 2025 will take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky., March 2–5, 2025.

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: The Advanced Textiles Association (ATA)

Hohenstein Acquires QAT Services Ltd. Laboratory In Hong Kong

BOENNIGHEIM, Germany — March 1, 2023 — Hohenstein has acquired the DAkkS accredited QAT Services Ltd. laboratory in Hong Kong. With this acquisition, the internationally recognized testing service provider is integrating the hardgoods knowledge of QATS employees into the Hohenstein portfolio. As a result, Hohenstein will provide full-service capabilities for Greater China and beyond.

“The expansion is a strategically important step for Hohenstein,” emphasized Professor Mecheels, owner and CEO of Hohenstein. “We are expanding our testing spectrum beyond the textile industry, in which we have been an established service provider for decades — and thus ensure both safe products and secure jobs.” From now on, Hohenstein will also test food contact material, furniture, toys and much more. Hohenstein China Managing Director Christopher Au is also convinced: “With this step, Hohenstein is setting an important focus and strengthening its position for international customers.”

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: Hohenstein

INDEX™ 2023 Exhibitor Preview: ANDRITZ

GRAZ, Austria  — March 1, 2023 — International technology group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at INDEX™23 in Geneva, Switzerland, April 18-21 (booth 2114). The broad ANDRITZ product portfolio covers state-of-the-art nonwovens and textile production technologies such as air-through bonding, needlepunch, spunlace, spunbond, wetlaid/Wetlace™, converting, textile finishing, airlay, textile recycling, and natural fiber processing.

SUSTAINABILITY – key focus for Andritz Nonwoven

Sustainability is a serious responsibility for the entire industry and will continue to be so for the years and decades to come. Thus, ANDRITZ’s “We Care” sustainability program combines all ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) initiatives, goals and achievements under one roof. “We Care” takes a multi-dimensional, comprehensive, and practically oriented approach towards sustainability. At INDEX, ANDRITZ will highlight its sustainable products and solutions to produce nonwovens and will present them at the EDANA Sustainability panel on April 19, 2023.

For many years now, ANDRITZ has offered different nonwoven processes for biodegradable wipes, like spunlace, Wetlace and Wetlace CP, with one goal in mind: reduction and elimination of plastic components, while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties. The latest development in this field is the ANDRITZ neXline wetlace CP line. This is a fully engineered production line combining the benefits of drylaid and of wetlaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes. To reduce the energy consumption of these lines, ANDRITZ has developed the neXecodry drying technology. It is a combination of dewatering and drying processes that significantly reduces energy consumption and achieves better fabric quality with higher bulk and no pattern degradation.

Customers can conduct trials and test all options together with the ANDRITZ experts at the technical center in Montbonnot, France. It is the first nonwovens test center for wipes worldwide with integrated pulp formation and neXecodry system. ANDRITZ will organize a shuttle bus from Palexpo exhibition center to its unrivalled spunlace and Wetlace CP pilot lines in France to conduct trials.

Another strong focus will lie on the ANDRITZ product range of complete textile recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial textile waste to produce fibers for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end-uses. Customer awareness and regulations are pushing clothing brands to recycle their textile waste in their own products. Recycled fibers can also be used in the nonwovens industry for various applications, such as automotive, insulation, mattresses, filtration, and furniture felts. All these kinds of materials can be produced by the ANDRITZ airlay technology, which can perfectly process recycled fibers. It is offered as a complete line with thermobonding, needlelooms, or other bonding methods.

The current movement for sustainability and the use of recycled fibers, in blends or even 100%, is also reflected in needlepunch products and processes. ANDRITZ fully supports this market demand and has developed comprehensive solutions to control and collect the additional dust generated during the manufacturing process of recycled fibers. With the right dust collection equipment, the process is also sustainable.

For resource savings in durable nonwovens production, ANDRITZ presents its ProWinTM technology for profile web weight correction, which is used to optimize fabric evenness and provide a faster return on investment in the needlepunch segment. By combining the well-known and proven technologies ProWidTM and ProDynTM, ProWin allows customers to achieve the lowest CV-ratio ever, reaching more demanding markets and saving up to 2% additional fibers compared to ProDyn. In addition, ProWin drastically smoothes the level of instantaneous acceleration in the crosslapper. As a consequence, the same equipment can run faster with less mechanical stress, improving the crosslapper’s lifetime and potentially minimizing maintenance operation costs.

Highlights in hygiene nonwovens and applications

ANDRITZ provides complete lines and individual machines to produce hygiene nonwovens and applications, such as air-through bonding, spunlace lines, nonwovens calenders, Spunjet equipment, and complete converting lines for baby, adult, and fem care products.

For instance, one highlight at INDEX will be the latest technology development in the spunlaid sector: the patented nonwovens process called Spunjet. It is the in-line hydroentanglement of continuous filaments, creating a new generation of spunlaid nonwovens with unrivalled bulkiness and softness compared to standard spunbond fabrics. Spunjet offers customers the best properties ever achieved in existing and new nonwovens applications.

Moreover, ANDRITZ will put the spotlight on its eXcelle adult pant converting line, which offers top-class components and an innovative technology process. The growing market for adult incontinence products has resulted in a state-of-the-art process with highest quality standards, such as the development of ultrasonic side seam solutions with excellent results in terms of bond strength and system reliability. The machine speed no longer limits quality bonds. As a result, operations and size changes are faster and easier. The modern forming system for higher SAP (superabsorbent polymers) concentration and the turning and placing system guarantee maximum process stability and put customers’ adult pants at the top of the adult hygiene market.

Spot-on and digital service to keep machines running

Running complete lines calls for in-depth nonwoven expertise and excellent service. ANDRITZ focuses also on its full-service portfolio, which can ensure improved uptime, productivity, and product quality. This includes on-site support, specific training, line audits and troubleshooting, upgrades and modernization, original spare parts, remote service and digital solutions, and roll repair centers in Europe, North America, and China.

Another highlight for INDEX will be digitalization. ANDRITZ offers a broad and constantly growing range of innovative products and services in the industrial digitalization sector under the brand name Metris. One focus area is the Metris all-in-one digitalization platform, which provides full support for industrial plants throughout their entire life cycle. It combines a complete set of functionalities for professional production management, simulation and optimization using the latest artificial intelligence methods, plus cyber security, and condition monitoring with smart sensors in an integrated approach. ANDRITZ will offer a live demonstration at its booth at INDEX.

The entire ANDRITZ Nonwoven team is looking forward to welcoming customers at our booth (2114).

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: ANDRITZ

Indorama Ventures Outlines Plan For Disciplined, Sustainable Growth At Capital Markets Day

BANGKOK, Thailand — March 1, 2023 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global sustainable chemical producer, today outlined its business strategy at its 2023 Capital Markets Day in Bangkok, including enhancing competitiveness and applying a disciplined and sustainable approach to new opportunities as demand for the company’s products continues to grow globally.

Since 2019 — a three-year period that included unprecedented pandemic-related disruptions — Indorama Ventures’ revenue grew 65 percent to a record $18.7 billion in FY2022, while EBITDA rose 160 percent to $2.4 billion. The company forecast continued high demand for its diversified, global portfolio of products — more than 70 percent of which are used in daily consumer necessities that are resistant to economic downturns, including in packaging, clothes, tires, baby diapers, and chemicals used in shampoos.

Aloke Lohia, Indorama Ventures Group CEO, said: “The company is developing and empowering the next generation of leaders with a ‘growth mindset’ as a cornerstone of a program to enhance competitiveness and create value through disciplined and sustainable growth. We are, and always will be a growth company, and we are embedding this entrepreneurial mindset into the next generation of leaders who can build agile, fast, precise and innovative businesses that can deliver value in an increasingly volatile world.”

To remain competitive, the company is constantly reviewing its diverse, global portfolio of integrated businesses to maximize use of employed capital and maintain management’s historical focus on managing costs. It is also employing new digital tool sets, such as the global rollout of SAP S/4HANA to optimize productivity and enable more agile decision-making to realize full business potential.

DK Agarwal, Deputy Group CEO, said: “Indorama Ventures has undisputed leadership positions in many of our end markets, with enormous scope to expand organically and inorganically. These transformational initiatives are empowering our managers to quickly capture opportunities created by the volatile environment to grow our businesses.”

Indorama Ventures has a disciplined strategy to capitalize on its integrated platform of growth businesses through organic growth and new acquisitions that deliver on strict performance criteria. These metrics include an enhanced core EBITDA margin, a 15 percent return on employed capital, contribution to earnings quality, and allowing the company to maintain balance sheet discipline. Since 2020, the company has expanded in substantial new growth areas, including by developing its newest Integrated Oxides and Derivatives (IOD) segment through acquisitions such as Oxiteno in 2021 and Huntsman assets in 2020.

Agarwal added: “All three of our business segments — Combined PET, Fibers and IOD — are connected by polyester, which is fully circular. Our growth comes from selectively building our portfolio in diversified segments along our chosen polyester-based value chain, which means sustainability potential is innately built into our model. Our Vision 2030 is about building on our industry leadership in sustainability, including through increasing our recycling capacity, introducing more circular feedstock into our products, and building resilience throughout our business.”

Posted: March 1, 2023

Source: Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL)

Chemical Insights Research Institute, Emory University’s Rollins School Of Public Health Team To Study The Human Health Impact Of PFAS Chemical Exposure

ATLANTA — February 21, 2023 — Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) of UL Research Institutes and Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health have announced upcoming research to study human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that approximately 97 percent of Americans have detectable PFAS levels in their blood. The joint study aims to understand how this exposure occurs and the potential health consequences.

Although humans may be exposed to PFAS by ingesting food or water or breathing air contaminated with these chemicals, limited studies have focused on the use of everyday consumer and occupational products containing these chemicals and whether this presents a human exposure risk. Certain performance textiles, including consumer and occupational wearables, and those used for upholstered furniture and interior furnishings, often have PFAS chemicals added for durability and protection from soil and moisture.

According to Dr. Marilyn Black, vice president and executive director of CIRI: “There are thousands of different PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals with widespread usage and application in our everyday products. The same properties that make PFAS chemicals attractive for consumer and commercial use contribute to their long-term persistence in human bodies.”

Limited studies have shown that fetal development and cognitive and mental capacity of young children may be altered by PFAS chemicals, and some have demonstrated weak links between PFAS exposure and the development of certain cancers. There is also mounting evidence that PFAS may negatively affect male and female reproductive health.

CIRI’s research will focus on the presence of PFAS in textiles including consumer wearables and firefighter gear and how those chemicals present a human health risk. According to Dr. Dana Barr and Dr. Barry Ryan, professors in the Rollins School of Public Health and co-principal investigators, “research emphasis will include identification of specific PFAS chemicals in the materials, their levels, and how they can potentially enter the human body. To our knowledge, this study will be among the very first to focus on exposure to PFAS through contact with textiles. Knowledge of such exposures can lead to a better understanding of the role of such materials in aggregate exposure to these ubiquitous chemical compounds.”

Emory will contribute its expertise in identification and measurement of the PFAS chemicals and CIRI will apply its human exposure chambers and techniques to evaluate inhalation, ingestion, and dermal transfer opportunities from use of the products. Insights gained will assist in understanding potential health impacts and how material design, and use, contribute to human exposure risks. This information may lead to strategic risk reduction measures.

The cutting-edge PFAS research that CIRI and the Rollins School of Public Health is conducting supports UL Research Institutes’ goal to advance safety science for societal well- being.

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: Emory University

DITF: Protecting The Climate During Textile Production — Polyester Fibers Bind Carbon Dioxide

DENKENDORF, Germany — February 23, 2023 — Start for an EU-wide collaborative project: Under the leadership of the French company Fairbrics Sas, 17 project partners from seven European countries are coming together. The common goal is to produce end products from polyester in a closed cycle using industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and to bring them to market maturity. The DITF produces synthetic fibers from plastics of non-fossil origin.

In order to achieve the European climate targets, the aim is to achieve a long-term and sustainable reduction in greenhouse gases. To achieve this, CO2 emissions must be reduced in the energy sector, in industry, and in households and small consumers. This is the starting point for the EU-wide collaborative project “Threading CO2,” which is funded under the EU’s Horizon funding program. The project will bring products made of environmentally friendly polyester (PET) to market maturity. The technological basis has been developed by Fairbrics SAS from France. It involves the production of monoethylene glycol (MEG), the starting material for the manufacture of polyester, using CO2 extracted from industrial waste gases. This is a completely new approach, because in the classic process fossil raw materials are consumed for the production of polyester. In this way, not only is the release of CO2 into the atmosphere directly prevented. The CO2 also contributes to increased added value by being incorporated into the production of high-quality textile products. The core of the project is the technological upscaling of the new MEG synthesis process in pilot plants, paving the way for industrial production.

In the EU joint project, 17 project partners will contribute their special expertise and further develop the process technologically and make it suitable for industrial use. Within the consortium, DITF Denkendorf will take on the task of accompanying the upscaling and taking the step ‘from molecule to material’: From the sustainably produced monoethylene glycol, polyesters are synthesized in our own laboratories, spun into fibers, textured and further processed. The aim is to test whether the quality of the polyester and its spinnability and processability in the textile value chain are comparable with conventional polyester.

The project partners Faurecia and Les Tissages de Charlieu process the fibers and textiles into car seats and clothing so that the quality can also be assessed in the end product. The subsequent recyclability of the products will also be tested at the DITF. In addition, a security marking is to be developed for this CO2-based polyester to protect it from product piracy.

The scientists at the DITF have many years of experience in polymer production and processing into textiles. This enables them to specifically impart a specific property profile to plastics and the synthetic fibers spun from them. Through their work on the collaborative project, they are helping to produce fiber-based materials from the sustainably and environmentally friendly produced MEG that perfectly meet the requirements of end users.

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: DITF

IFDA’s Educational Foundation Announces Design Student Scholarships For 2023

LEWISVILLE, N.C. — Feb. 27, 2023 — Applications will be accepted between March 1 and March 31, 2023, for nine scholarships from the Educational Foundation (EF) of IFDA, the International Furnishings and Design Association. Since the early years of this 76-year-old global design industry alliance, arguably the most diverse organization of its kind with membership that includes designers, media and marketers, EF has awarded scholarships to high-achieving design students as well as grants to talented professionals, internationally.  This year there are nine scholarships available for a total of $18,000.

“These scholarships represent the future of our industry and confirm our belief in supporting students and enhancing public awareness of design through educational and philanthropic programs,” said Karen Dzendolet, chairman of the board of the Educational Foundation of IFDA.

Applicants must be currently enrolled and scholarships are paid to the school for the 2023 fall semester tuition. Winners will be notified by July 31, 2023, unless otherwise stated. The website has detailed information and applications: www.ifdaef.org.

The nine scholarships are as follows:

IFDA Leaders Commemorative Scholarship — $1,500. Open to currently enrolled, full-time undergraduate students; extra credit for volunteer work/leadership.

Part-Time Student Scholarship — $1,500.  Open to undergraduate students.

  • IFDA Student Member Scholarship — $2,000. Open to currently enrolled, full-time undergraduate IFDA student members.
  • Vercille Voss IFDA Graduate Student Scholarship — $2,000. Open to currently enrolled, full- or part-time graduate students.
  • Ruth Clark Furniture Design Scholarship — $4,000.  Open to currently enrolled, full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students with a course emphasis on Furniture Design.
  • Barbara Beckmann Textile Design Scholarship — $3,000. Scholarship established by the IFDA Northern California Chapter in honor of Barbara Beckmann, a textile designer and longtime California Chapter member and mentor to new members and students.  Open to currently enrolled full- or part-time undergraduates and graduate students with course emphasis on Textile Design.
  • IFDA Philadelphia Scholarship — $2,500. Scholarship established by the IFDA Philadelphia Chapter to reflect the rich history of design in Philadelphia and beyond.  Open to currently enrolled, two-, three- or four-year interior design or related program students.  Focus rotates annually among design in textile, graphic, furniture and interior design. This year’s focus is Interior Design.
  • Tricia LeVangie Green/Sustainable Design Scholarship — $1,500. Open to currently enrolled, full- or part-time undergraduate students.
  • Window Fashion Certified Professionals Fast Track Scholarship One Full Registration — $1,000. Open to currently enrolled, two- or three-interior design or related program undergraduate students

As stated, applications for all 2023 EF scholarships will only be accepted during the month of March, with winners promised notification in July. For details, please consult the Educational Foundation website www.ifdaef.org. Or for answers to specific questions about these or any of EF’s other scholarships and grants, contact Earline Feldman, director of Scholarships & Grants, at ef.ifda@tapestries.org or 770-378-7221.

IFDA Educational Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt, 501©(3) organization. Its nine scholarships support both full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of interior, green/sustainable, product and textile design. In addition, 13 grants support professional development opportunities for IFDA members and other design industry professionals as well as needed resources for design schools.

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: IFDA

Colorifix, Central Saint Martins Launch Microbial Printing PhD Project 

LONDON — February 28, 2023 — Colorifix Ltd. and Central Saint Martins are delighted to announce the launch of a collaborative sponsored PhD project led by designer Ruth Lloyd. This doctoral research project aims to develop a new framework to accelerate the transition to microbial color printing in the textile industry.

The textile dyeing industry is one of the largest water consumers in the world — using more than 5 trillion liters per year — and approximately 70 highly toxic chemicals are used in routine dyeing processes.

The Colorifix method replaces petrochemical dyeing with natural and renewable products and processes, such as simple sugars, yeast and plant by-products. This leads to a significant reduction in water consumption, energy and the elimination of toxic chemicals currently used in the industry.

Ruth Lloyd is a textile designer with in-depth knowledge of textile printing and was designer in residence at Colorifix in 2021-2022, making her an ideal doctoral candidate to develop a scalable bio-based coloring framework for the dyeing industry.

The PhD is registered at the Living Systems Lab at Central Saint Martins under the supervision of Professor Carole Collet (Central Saint Martins), Dr Alice Taylor (Central Saint Martins) and Professor Jim Ajioka (Colorifix). The Living Systems Lab explores the inherent properties of biological living systems to develop new knowledge in the field of ecology via creative practices in art, design and architecture.

More than ever, the fashion industry is seeking scalable alternatives to petrochemical textile dyeing. Both the biotechnology and the design sectors are active catalysts for change and this project demonstrates how design-science research can play a vital role in the transition to a cleaner fashion system.

Professor Carole Collet, co-director of the Living Systems Lab at Central Saint Martins, said, “We are delighted to activate our formal collaboration with Colorifix via this pioneering PhD project and are looking forward to work with leaders in bacterial biotechnologies to develop new knowledge for regenerative fashion systems.”

Professor Jim Ajioka, chief science officer at Colorifix, added: “Collaborative PhD projects like ours with Central Saint Martins will become an increasingly important component of research at the intersection of science and design, especially for industrial adoption of bio-based products and processes.”

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: Colorifix/Central Saint Martins

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