Unifi Inc., Greensboro, N.C., is expanding its Textile Takeback™ program — an initiative to collect pre- and post-consumer polyester-based fabric waste. The company subjects the dyed and undyed polyester to a proprietary material conversion process to convert the textiles into recycled resin that can be used to manufacture its REPREVE® fiber. The program was initially trialed in 2011. The expansion grows the global footprint for the program as well as the product application scope.
“UNIFI has always seen sustainability as a movement — not a moment,” said Eddie Ingle, CEO of UNIFI. “We are thrilled to expand Textile Takeback to provide our partners with a sustainable solution that helps to create a more circular supply chain for all.”
“Finding new ways to help our partners meet their sustainability goals is always top of mind,” said Meredith Boyd, senior vice president of Technology, Innovation & Sustainability of UNIFI. “By expanding our Textile Takeback initiative, we are one step closer to shaping a future where waste is the exception, not the rule.”
Natural indigo dye producer Stony Creek Colors, Springfield, Tenn., reports it has closed a $4.8 million Series B2 funding round. Long-term partners Lewis & Clark AgriFood and Levi Strauss & Co. led the round. According to the company, it is the only industrial scale manufacturer of 100-percent bio-based indigo as certified by the USDA BioPreferred Program. The money allows Stony Creek Colors to continue to develop its farming infrastructure and dye extraction process.
“Stony Creek Colors was founded on the idea of harnessing naturally occurring chemicals in plants, to solve fashion industry challenges while giving farmers a profitable regenerative rotational crop,” said Sarah Bellos, founder and CEO of Stony Creek Colors. “Our past collaboration with Levi Strauss & Co. as a customer allowed us to bring important denim supply chain innovations, such as IndiGold®, to life. This equity round initiates our next phase of long-term growth.”
“With this current investment round, the company is poised to reach a greater scale in agricultural production and processing to meet growing demand for clean colors in the textile industry,” said Tim Hassler, managing director at Lewis & Clark AgriFood.
In-line with the organization’s name change, moving forward the event will be known as the Advanced Textiles Expo.
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The Roseville, Minn.-based Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), hosted the last iteration of its IFAI Expo trade show recently in Charlotte, N.C. In-line with the association’s decision to change its name, it was announced the name of the trade show also will change accordingly. The 2023 edition of the show will be called the Advanced Textiles Expo.
The expo show floor
Commenting on the rebranding of IFAI Expo and future of the event, ATA President and CEO Steve Schiffman said: “ATA is proud to host a gathering place where all markets across the advanced textiles industry can come together and get business done. With that said, we’re just scratching the surface of making changes designed to improve the attendee experience, which will become evident over the next few expos.”
According to organizers, IFAI Expo 2022 — along with the collocated Sun Shading Expo North America organized by Messe Stuttgart — attracted more than 4,200 visitors to view the latest innovations from some 314 exhibiting companies.
Just one of the many campfire education sessions that was held on the show floor.
A day before the trade show floor opened, visitors had the opportunity to participate in the Advanced Textiles Conference, which featured a plenary session and networking luncheon followed by 12 classroom education sessions. The following days offered further learning opportunities with 20 market-specific classroom sessions on a variety of topics of interest to those in the advanced textiles industry.
Evening events, including the official show opening reception and Industry Night — featuring ATA member band Hangin’ by a Thread — were well-attended.
“We are pleased with our inaugural collocation with Sun Shading Expo North America,” Schiffman said. “One of our primary objectives in the collocation was to deliver new leads, new markets, more international attendees and ultimately more value to exhibitors. We saw some extremely positive indicators that the textiles industry is on the upswing — orders were being written, machinery was being sold and business owners received valuable insight on the latest trends and innovations to help them propel their businesses forward. Through expo, we provided a space for fabricators and suppliers to safely convene and do business.”
ATA’s new branding on display at the ATA Hub during the expo.
“Attending the IFAI show made us realize just how many companies are interested in sustainable textiles,” said Curran Hughes, president, Renegade Plastics Corp. “We fielded many questions about our fabrics’ sustainability benefits and product performance and why we no longer have to sacrifice function for the better health of our people and planet. The IFAI show was a great opportunity to network with a wide array of visitors from diverse industries who were sincerely interested in our products, our capabilities, and implementing them in their projects.”
The Advanced Textiles Expo will be held November 1-2, 2023, in Orlando, Fla.
Recycling and sustainability took center stage at INDA’s 2022 Rise® Conference.
By Jim Kaufmann, Contributing Editor
If the recent 2022 Research, Innovation & Science For Engineered Fabrics (RISE) Conference — organized by the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) and held at NC State University in Raleigh, N.C.— were to be made into a book or movie, it undoubtedly would become a hit because this year’s conference had something to suit everyone’s tastes. Presentations offered tidbits of mystery, intrigue, comedy, suspense and truly compelling storylines. Interesting concepts, technologies and products were presented; theories were offered; and some puzzling questions were raised, mostly centered on the conundrum of circularity, recycling and sustainability.
For those present, the conference may have raised more questions than answers. But it was refreshing to see that some of the tough, unspoken questions were asked. One question that stood out was, “Is the recycling effort broken”? Unfortunately, the general consensus appeared to be yes. “The economics of recycling is our biggest challenge,” offered Dr. Jason Locklin, University of Georgia’s director at the New Materials Institute. “It takes a very large infrastructure, which truly isn’t in place, to effectively gather and recycle products at any realistic level.” He and others further reasoned that legislation specific to recycling and sustainability can be a good thing if the legislators are properly informed. However, there currently appears to be a disconnect between many of the certification bodies and actual reality.
Recycling options were discussed and filtered into three main streams of circularity — chemical recycling, mechanical recycling and composting. Each offer potential opportunities and show promise, but each also presents drawbacks. Suggestions were made that we need to “consider the origin of materials as well as the after-use possibilities” of items we purchase in order to further streamline the options for achieving circularity.
Biopolymer opportunities were discussed in several talks. What is clear, according to Benham Pourdeyhimi, executive director of The Nonwovens Institute: “Biopolymers are not the full solution. They’re only part of the solution.” It was suggested in several presentations that there is a need for more companies producing biomaterials, such as polylactic acid, because competition is good and this drives interest, volumes and ultimately innovation throughout the supply chain.
A growing variety of natural fibers have seen a rise in popularity as sustainable alternatives to man-made fibers, however they aren’t without challenges. According to Paul Latten, director of Research and Development at Southeast Nonwovens: “A more holistic view of sustainability is needed. Natural fibers are mostly straight and uncrimped, which does present issues in textile processing. Hemp fiber cost is currently two times that of polyester and the costs of other natural fibers may be even higher, but ultimately the decisions around natural fiber usage and sustainability in general will come down to personal choices and behavior. The question really becomes ‘what are we willing to do differently?’”
The contrasting views of the presenters could best be summed up by “Here’s how we save the future” versus “The recycling system is broken, we need to fix it.” Unfortunately, the challenges we face were truly made clear when one of the presenters stated, “If it costs more or performs less, we humans likely won’t use it.”
Three facts garnered during the conference really stood out:
In 2020 alone, 1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean;
Every minute, 300,000 disposable diapers are landfilled or incinerated; and
It takes 450 years for polyester to biodegrade!
As Dr. Locklin stated, “It’s really hard to do the right thing,” but hopefully, we’re finally asking the right questions.
SYFA held lively fall conference to celebrate its 50th anniversary with 170 people registered.
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The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association celebrated its 50th anniversary during its recent fall conference. Under the theme “Past, Present & Future,” SYFA looked back on its 50 years while looking to the future of the industry.
To mark the occasion, the association prepared an augmented agenda that included its traditional speaker lineup over the two days of the event, along with a sit-down dinner featuring keynote speaker Kim Glas, president and CEO of the Washington-based textile advocacy group the National Council of Textile Organizations, and a panel discussion featuring six industry leaders who talked about the ideas of the past, present and future in-line with the conference’s theme.
The panel — moderated by Textile World’s Editor In Chief Jim Borneman — comprised:
Amy Bircher, founder and owner of MMI Textiles Inc., Brooklyn, Ohio — a supplier and manufacturer of technical textile products;
Cameron Hamrick, president of Gaffney, S.C.-based weaving company Hamrick Mills Inc.;
Charles Heilig, president and CEO of yarn manufacturing company Parkdale Mills Inc., Gastonia, N.C.;
Eddie Ingle, CEO and director of Unifi Inc. — a producer of premium, value-added fibers;
Leib Oehmig, CEO of Glen Raven Inc., Burlington, N.C. — a fabric manufacturing and marketing company; and
Jeff Price, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Milliken & Company — a global manufacturing company with textile, chemical, floor covering and healthcare divisions.
The gathered group held a thoughtful discussion that was quite lively at times sharing experiences and concerns, as well as opportunities for the textile industry in the coming years.
Talking points touched on history, challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, sustainability, energy, automation, and artificial intelligence, among other topics.
(left to right): Cameron Hamrick, president, Hamrick Mills Inc.; Charles Heilig, president and CEO, Parkdale Mills Inc.; Eddie Ingle, CEO and director, Unifi Inc.; Amy Bircher, founder and owner, MMI Textiles Inc.; Leib Oehmig, CEO, Glen Raven Inc.; and Jeff Price, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives, Milliken & Company.
“From my perspective the opportunity to be part of a panelist with five other individuals that have a solid track record of industry leadership, growth, innovation and sustainability conscience was a very exciting and rewarding experience,” Bircher said. “MMI Textiles is a much smaller company than the others, however, we have been aggressive in our approach to be relevant and passionate about our industry as a whole — from partnerships to collaboration, we need to support each other and figure out ways to overcome the many challenges that our industry faces. We will not stop investing in our industry and the vision we have to continue to overcome those obstacles, but rather propel us successfully into the next chapter.”
“I would like to congratulate SYFA on its 50th anniversary,” Oehmig said. “I would also like to thank each SYFA member company, and Textile World, for all you do to keep our industry moving forward. It is always inspiring for me to be among industry leaders from whom I continue to learn so much. Therefore, to have an opportunity to participate in a panel discussion with peers and friends in the industry was a great day.”
Attendees enjoyed the event and especially the panel discussion. “Thanks to the SYFA for an outstanding 50-year-anniversary conference in Charlotte, N.C.,” said Eva Welsh, North American market manager, Evolon, Freudenberg Performance Materials, who was attending the event for the first time in a number of years. “Outstanding textile industry panel discussion during the conference.”
Speakers And Sponsors
Presentations were given by Wood MacKenzie’s Laura Murphy; Walmart’s Julie Rader; Gildan’s Nello Masciarelli; NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles’ Dr. Andre West; and Consultant Jeff Dugan. Murphy also presented Alasdair Carmichael’s “RPET in Fibers — What is Next for Sustainability” talk because the long-time SYFA board member was unable to attend the event. In addition, Joseph Plasky, a retired DuPont employee and former TYAA president was a guest speaker.
Conference sponsors for this special event included Diamond Sponsor Premiere Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsors Goulston Technologies and Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Teijin Aramid USA; Bronze Sponsors Avient, Thies Corp., Measured Solutions Inc. and Unifi Inc.; and Patrons Mariplast North America Inc. and Textile World.
New SYFA Scholarship Fund, Golf Tournament
SYFA also announced the creation of the SYFA Scholarship Fund for Gaston Community College’s textile program. The association is planning a fundraising golf tournament before the Spring 2023 conference to support ongoing funding for the scholarship. “I know I’m not alone feeling a personal connection to supporting textile students financially, because, for many of us, scholarships are what initially attracted us to the industry,” said SYFA President Hardy Sullivan. “Whether it’s drawing people into textile manufacturing or the 2+2 feeder program with NC State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, we’re proud to be making a tangible effort to support the industry that has supported us.
Sullivan reflected on the event as the association is already looking to the next one.
“The conference was a fitting celebration of SYFA’s 50-year history of education and relationship building, and it was a great launching pad for what lies ahead,” he said. “For a normal SYFA conference we would be happy to bring in a speaker from Wal-Mart to discuss re-shoring, Gildan to cover resource conservation, or have a panelists of top industry leaders hosted by Jim Borneman. But to have them all, and more, in a single conference, was really special.
“The SYFA Board of Directors is so appreciative of everyone who sponsored, participated and attended the fall conference,” Sullivan continued. “There were a lot of new faces, and we look forward to seeing them again in the spring!”
The next SYFA conference is scheduled for April 20-21, 2023, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.
FyberX has announced plans to invest $17.5 million to open a production and headquarters location in Mecklenburg County, Va. Founded in 2019, the company developed technology to turn raw agricultural biomass into refined natural fibers. It will process hemp and other agricultural products into textile fibers and employ 45 people when the facility opens.
“This industry is an emerging market in the United States, and I welcome the opening of the headquarters of FyberX which will unlock its growth potential in the Commonwealth,” said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This industry provides a sustainable alternative for industrial and consumer products that will also bring economic benefits to Virginia communities and farmers, and we look forward to a successful partnership with FyberX.”
Eastman, Kingsport, Tenn., and Sweden-based Renewcell have signed a letter of intent to develop Naia™ Renew ES yarns sourced from Renewcell’s Circulose® 100-percent recycled raw material. Circulose is a dissolving pulp made using 100-percent textile waste such as worn out clothing and production scraps. Naia Renew is a blend of 60-percent sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40-percent certified recycled waste plastics.
“Eastman considering Circulose as a feedstock in the production of a premium yarn like Naia Renew reflects very well on the Renewcell team’s ability to work with partners to adjust and optimize our product for new fiber applications,” said Renewcell CEO Patrik Lundström.
Morrisville, N.C.-based AlgiKnit has announced a new name — Keel Labs™. The company’s rebranding initiative supports its “mission and capacity to support a sustainable product at scale.” The rebranding also includes a name for Keel Labs’ seaweed-based yarn, which is now known as Kelsun™. The company, founded in 2017, focuses on aquaculture-based technologies derived from nature as sustainable materials.
Polyvinyl chloride resin and technical textiles producer Ronald Mark Associates Inc. (RMA) has announced plans to open a manufacturing operation in Tazewell County, Va. The investment will result in 29 new jobs. A $116,000 grant was provided by the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the county with the project, and the company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community.
“The progressive talent of Tazewell County is a perfect place to start, create, and produce infrastructure fabrics and technical textiles for our Ronald Mark customers,” said RMA President Michael Satz.
A delegation from Union City, Ga.-based TenCate Protective Fabrics group recently toured the Netherlands-based Saxion University including its Circular Textile Lab and Thermoplastic Composites lab of the Lightweight Structures Research Group. Recognizing the advantages of leveraging combined resources and industry experience in protective fabric development, the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that represents a shared collaboration commitment moving forward.
“As two organizations devoted to textile innovation, we’re excited at the chance to unlock this new, scientific partnership,” said Michael Laton, vice president, Global Strategy & Innovation, TenCate Protective Fabrics.
