Carhartt Makes It Happen With Launch Of Artificially Intelligent Heated Vest

DEARBORN, Mich.  — February 1, 2023 — Today, Carhartt introduced the workwear of the future: the Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest. In partnership with clim8, the new intelligent heated vest from Carhartt is born to outwork fluctuating body temps and built to personalize heat and comfort both on and off the job.

Developed to help people live, work and perform more comfortably in cold environments, the new Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest is a lightweight, durable garment that intelligently responds to real-time temps, activity level and changing conditions. Built to eliminate the pain point of layering clothes while on the job, as well as overheating in cold-weather gear, the new smart vest from Carhartt frees workers from distractions with a personalized approach to regulating warmth.

“Mother nature presents all sorts of challenges, and this cutting-edge technology will enable users to manage their body heat and enjoy optimal comfort in cold conditions,” said Alex Guerrero, senior vice president, general manager of Global Product at Carhartt. “With changing temperatures, different work environments and fluctuating activity levels, our new heated vest offers a personalized experience and functions as a reactionary approach to body heat that enables users to get the job done regardless of the environment or climate.”

With three strategically-mapped heat zones across vital sections of the torso, the Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest is on the cutting edge of wearable technology and built to:

  • Monitor temperature in real-time;
  • Analyze the wearer’s profile, environment and activity;
  • Activate heat automatically and safely;
  • Regulate warmth to reach optimal comfort; and
  • Reduce bulk by eliminating the hassle of adding and removing layers.

Powered by clim8® intelligent thermal technology, the new AI-based heated vest from Carhartt features numerous technological advantages over other heated technologies – including intelligent heating modes that detect when to start/stop heating, an auto on/off wearing interface that detects when you put on or take off the vest, and a smart battery system that optimizes usage to ensure longevity. Using the clim8® smartphone app, users can simply pair the vest via Bluetooth® technology and calibrate it to their personalized comfort settings. The clim8 AI-powered technology will automatically provide heating when it is needed to ensure the body remains at a comfortable temperature, maximizing performance despite cold mornings or late night on the job site.

“At clim8 we are proud of the launch of the Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest. Both teams have worked intensely over the past 2 years on field and lab testing to bring a cutting-edge product, merging Carhartt’s strong DNA of durability, performance and clim8’s unique thermal experience,” said Florian Miguet, CEO of clim8.

The Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest powered by clim8® intelligent thermal technology is the latest product unveiled from Carhartt’s innovation pipeline. Carhartt X, the new program which is designed to push the limits of what is possible in workwear, creates exclusive and advanced small batch concepts that are built to take on the next frontier. In 2022, Carhartt launched a customization program in partnership with DXM, which enabled customers to customize key styles to meet their work and outdoor apparel needs.

The Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest will be available on Carhartt.com for $220.

Posted: February 1, 2023

Source: Carhartt

Alpine Group, A Fabric Innovation And Apparel Manufacturing Group, Joins Fashion For Good

LONDON — January 30, 2023 — Alpine Group, whose brand partners include The North Face, American Eagle Outfitters and Under Armour, has joined Fashion for Good, a global innovation platform. As an Affiliate Innovation Partner, Alpine Group will play a leading role in fostering innovation.

The partnership will enable Alpine Group and Fashion for Good to work together in a collaborative approach exploring, validating, and supporting the commercialization of innovative technologies that reduce environmental impact.

Lewis Shuler, head of Innovation, Alpine Group, said: “This is a really meaningful partnership for Alpine Group, whereby we will be contributing the Group’s vast R&D resources to help identify, support, and commercialize innovations with a focus on reducing impact and improving circularity.”

Fashion for Good, runs a global innovation program supporting the most promising innovators through access to the expertise and funding needed to grow. The organization supports innovators through its robust industry network, scaling activities, and validation projects, driving pilots and supply chain implementation with partner organizations.

The partnership builds on work to date including the Black Pigment Pilot, launched in early 2022, which saw Alpine Group’s dedicated innovation hub, Paradise Textiles, partner with Fashion for Good and other industry leaders including Birla Cellulose, Kering and BESTSELLER. The project aims to validate and scale black pigments derived from waste feedstocks such as industrial carbon, algae and wood that could replace synthetic dyes. Participating innovators such as Graviky Labs, Nature Coating and Living Ink, who produce black pigment from industrial carbon emissions and waste algae, will have their technologies validated and performance of their technical features assessed.

“Alpine Group has bold ambitions and tremendous commitment towards commercialising leading innovations. We are thrilled to bring them onboard as we work collectively to scale technologies that transform an industry.” Katrin Ley, managing director, Fashion for Good.

Posted: February 1, 2023

Source: Alpine Group

Rand Ledbetter To Retire After Twenty Year Career, Herculite Products Inc.

EMIGSVILLE, Pa. — January 31, 2023 — Herculite Products Inc., a developer and manufacturer of high performance and custom fabrics, has announced that Rand Ledbetter will retire after 30 years in the textile industry.

For more than 20 years, Ledbetter has served as a well-known, and well-respected member of the Herculite team, and has been a leader in the larger industrial textile community for more than 30. In his role as Western Regional Sales Manager, Ledbetter has worked tirelessly in support of our mission helping our customers to grow their business, which has allowed Herculite Products to expand our presence on the West Coast.

Ledbetter is retiring at the end of January to spend more time with his wife and extended family. He is also looking forward to being more involved at his church and pursuing other ministry opportunities related to his faith.

Please join Herculite in congratulating Ledbetter on his long and successful career.

Posted: January 31, 2023

Source: Herculite Products Inc.

Milliken & Company Celebrates Milliken Honors Recipients

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — January 10, 2023 — Milliken & Company, a diversified global manufacturer, hosted its sixth annual Milliken Honors awards program this morning, highlighting more than 185 associates from around the globe. Within the framework of its company values — integrity, excellence, innovation, sustainability and people — Milliken Honors highlights the very best of what it means to be an associate at Milliken.

“This is one of the best times of year at Milliken as we celebrate the exceptional associates who went above and beyond in 2022,” shared Halsey Cook, president and CEO for Milliken & Company, at the Milliken Honors awards ceremony. “These individuals and teams made a real impact this year, which translated to operational successes, future-proofing wins and daily advancement towards a Milliken that can thrive no matter what lies ahead.”

The 2022 Milliken Honors class is Milliken’s most diverse group yet, and represents associates from all continents where Milliken currently operates from all four business divisions.

Milliken is pleased to present the 2022 Milliken Honors associate and team winners:

Integrity Awards

  • The Do The Right Thing Award is presented to the associate or team of associates embodying the value of integrity and making a positive impact on Milliken through their ability to do what is right.
    • Virginie Rauwens
  • The Resiliency Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who overcame a challenge and driven something forward to succeed despite adversity.
    • Vladimir Dikarev
  • The Values Role Model Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who modeled Milliken’s values: integrity, excellence, innovation, sustainability and people.
    • Jagdish Nambiar

Excellence Awards

  • The Manufacturing Excellence Award is presented to the team or plant with outstanding operational performance, production ingenuity, quality and process excellence.
    • Chemical: SiVance Plant — Jason Roe
    • Floor Covering: MTZ (Zhangjiagang) Plant — Ge Chu
    • Healthcare: Rustyn Goff
    • Textile: New Holland Plant — Walt Cox
  • The Marketing Excellence Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who has achieved greater financial performance and customer satisfaction through the application of marketing best practices while embodying Milliken values.
    • Borchers Marketing Team: Vicky Chen, Grace Cui, Alex Gao, Fiona Liu, Molly Maurer, Teddy Meng, Bradley Sheng, Nangeng Wen, Yutao Yang, Grace Zhang, Ryan Zhang, Zeki Zhang, Anna Zhao, Bobby Zhou
  • The MPS Results Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who has worked to go above and beyond to deploy and leverage Milliken Performance System (MPS) principles and methodologies to achieve measurable performance improvements and operational excellence in their organization.
    • Gilliland Plant Leadership Team: Sherry Albritton, Julian Balatbat, Nickolas Eleftheriou, Phillip Allen, Richard Craven, Colby Harker, Gary Hoenshel, Bill Horner, Jeff Gaffney, Solomon Nakom, Patrick Petri, Charles Rivera, Lori Sears, Kristina Templeton, Kevin Towe
  • The Sales Excellence Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who has achieved greater financial performance through the application of sales best practices while embodying Milliken values.
    • Fire Service Textile Team: John Ashley, David Cosgrove, Annika Dahlgren, David Eskew, Brian Hargis, Corie Martin, Susie Rippy, Chris Romansky
  • The Support Excellence Award is presented to the associate or team of associates in a support function who has demonstrated excellence in operational performance, advancing strategy and business results.
    • Global Treasury Team: Mark Allen, Jim Hoban, Donna Markell, Myra Rowe, Raf Timmers
  • The TEAM Excellence Award is presented to a team of manufacturing associates or a Milliken plant that has made outstanding progress to adopt and implement the TEAM organizational health initiative.
    • Live Oak Human Resources Team: Taylor Andriate, Kim Choquette, Josh Culbertson, Marcie McCarley, Carolyn Thornton

Innovation Awards

  • The Breakthrough Innovation Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who demonstrated the innovation of a product, service or process that yielded significant business results.
    • OptiPAC Innovation Team: Robert Bobnock, Karen Boughton, Fadi Chakar, Jason Collins, Ian Draheim, Adam Druckrey, Linsheng Feng, Michael Friese, Kyle Mick, Julie Nothnagle, Janet Ohlert, Anna Zoltowski
  • The Customer Centricity Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who engaged a customer to build insights and identify a new product or service that helped the customer achieve their objectives and yield a business result.
    • Leap Frog Team: Phil Allen, Josh Copeland, Denny Goff, Randy Kohlman, Bob Miller, Jason Pittman, David Wenstrup
  • The Growth Catalyst Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who decisively activates and executes growth-oriented strategies more quickly and effectively than competitors.
    • Polartec Transformation Team: John Blackwell, Stacey Chapman, Danny Gao, Matt Holt, Tim Hoxha, Jereme Mohr, Dan Patterson, Mark Price, Mike Rose, Matt Smith, Kris Tingler, J.R. Williams

Sustainability Awards

  • The People Goals Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who contribute to Milliken’s 2025 People Goals by demonstrating a commitment to care for one another and the surrounding communities.
    • Beech Hill Community Week Team: Stephanie Broadbent, Warren Collier, Kerry Cottam, Andy Greenall, Nick Hodgson-Fasolilli, Emma Thomas
    • Limestone Morale Team: Deltra Bonner, Jackie Bonner, Tim Bonner, Cookie Copeland, Amy Dover, Brandy Giles, Luther Harris, Rebecca Helton, Jamie Henson, Patty Hutchinson, Erica Jeter, Brad Keller, Angie Logan, John McCombs, Ann McDaniel, Tammy Parker, Patricia Peake, Sandra Peterson, Sandra Rhoden, Roger Sanders, Angelia Sweezy, Qwaman Weathers, Heather Wilson, Cathy Wimbush
  • The Planet Goals Award is presented to the associate or team who contributes to Milliken’s 2025 Planet Goals by positively impacting the company’s efforts to reduce its global footprint.
    • BUC CHP/Sludge Dryer Team: Kevin Hollifield, Mike Martin, Colby Murphy, Brian Peeler
  • The Product Goals Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who contribute to Milliken’s 2025 Product Goals by positively impacting product sustainability.
    • Textile PFAS Exit Team: Tanya Blanton, Rachel Boyette, Andrew Broadway, Tim Brubaker, Gordon Cannon, Drew Child, David Cosgrove, Madeline Daffron, Drew Emry, Tim Godfrey, Denny Goff, Heather Hayes, Gary Hoenshel, Robert Hollar, Jason Hughes, Karl Johnson, Kasra Kardarian, Kevin Kasch, Katelyn Kent, Phil Knutson, Aimee LaValley, Cinki Lei, Steve Lucas, David Martin, Timothy Mickel, Bob Miller, Todd Moore, Doug Nelson, Kurt Neuville, Rob Norman, Manuel Ramirez, Philippe Reynebeau, Mike Rose, John Sanchez, Jeff Strahan, Tyler Tisdale, Kevin Turner, Kelly Usry, Leigh Ann Walden, Eric Wamsley
  • The Value Creation Award is presented to the business unit that met financial goals and targets for the year.
    • One-Year: Chemical — Fine Chemical
    • One-Year: Chemical — Latin America
    • One-Year: Commercial Flooring — Americas
    • One-Year: Textile — Engineered Performance Products
    • One-Year: Textile — Millitary and Protective
    • One-Year: Textile — Polartec
    • Multi-Year: Chemical — Europe
    • Multi-Year: Chemical — Asia
    • Multi-Year: Textile — Millitary and Protective

People Awards

  • The Leadership Award is presented to the associate or team of associates who consistently demonstrates leadership expectations and is viewed by others as a role model.
    • Bart Gabriels
  • The Production Hero Award is presented to the production associate who goes above and beyond in their role to support operational performance and models Milliken’s values as a production team member.
    • Chemical: Rashad Green
    • Flooring: Billy Watson
    • Healthcare: David Diaz
    • Textile: Whit Watson
  • The Safety Champion Award is presented annually to the Milliken site, individual associate or team of associates who best represents the Milliken safety culture through their actions and results.
    • Valway Hands Team: Lashawn Campbell, Tim Dalton, Patti Garland, Kenny Hallonquist, Brenda Jackson, James Jacoway, Princess Jarrett, Glenda Kary, Tracie Ponder, Caleb Roby, Robert Saxton, Brenda Stephens, Laura Touchstone-Harris
  • The Roger Milliken Award is presented to the associate who has created lasting, changing and measurable differences within the company and has built a legacy of their own within the organization by creating lasting and measurable differences that have contributed to business success while being a role model of Milliken values as part of their performance.
    • David Lake

Posted: January 31, 2023

Source: Milliken & Company

Culp Inc. Promotes Stephen Dudek To Manager Of Business Development For Culp Home Fashions

Stephen Dudek

HIGH POINT, N.C. — January 31, 2023 — Culp Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, CULP) today announced that Stephen Dudek has been named manager of Business Development for Culp Home Fashions (CHF), the company’s mattress fabrics division.

Dudek has served as an account representative for CHF since 2006, where he has been a regional and national sales representative for mattress fabrics and sewn covers. He will continue to report to Jeff Veach, vice president of business development for Culp Home Fashions.

Commenting on the announcement, CHF President Tommy Bruno said, “For more than 16 years, Stephen has been an important contributor to our sales team. He has done an excellent job building strong relationships with his customers, members of our sales team, and cross functional partners within CHF. Stephen has demonstrated strong leadership skills and has a deep understanding and knowledge of our business, which uniquely positions him for this role.”

Dudek’s new responsibilities will cover both Culp’s mattress fabric and sewn cover product offerings. In this progressive position for Culp Home Fashions, Dudek will lead the divisional sales team and will work closely with Veach to further develop and execute the division’s sales strategy to grow the business. Effective immediately, Dudek will begin transitioning into his new role with the support of Bruno and Mike Cottonaro, vice president of sales for CHF.

Bruno concluded by saying, “We are excited for Stephen to take this next step in his career, and we are confident in his ability to lead our team and drive a focused strategy to sustainably grow our fabric and cover business in a profitable manner.”

Posted: January 31, 2023

Source: Culp, Inc.

Apparel Impact Institute Opens First Call for Applications for the Climate Solutions Portfolio

SAN FRANCISCO — January 31, 2023 — Today, nonprofit organization Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) opens its first call for applications for the Climate Solutions Portfolio, a soon-to-launch registry of proven carbon reduction solutions for the fashion industry. Aii will use the Climate Solutions Portfolio as a data-backed tool to deploy grants from the catalytic Fashion Climate Fund, designed to raise $250 million to de-risk and accelerate proven decarbonization solutions, unlock up to $2 billion of capital, and help to halve carbon emissions by 2030. The Climate Solutions Portfolio will also serve as a public, transparent resource for brands, retailers, industry stakeholders, and external commercial financing partners looking to accelerate decarbonization efforts.

The first round of applications, open today and closing March 2023, is focused on solutions for materials, product innovations, energy efficiency improvements, and coal phase out via renewable thermal heat and renewable energy, with subsequent, biannual rounds to be focused on additional levers for carbon reduction*. To be eligible for the Climate Solutions Portfolio, organizations of any size and stage must submit high quality, verified data or estimates that demonstrate quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions around their solutions through Aii’s rigorous, strategically developed intake application.

“Some of the biggest industry challenges for effective carbon reduction are identifying science-based solutions, ensuring they are credible and prioritizing them for widespread adoption,” says Kurt Kipka, Aii chief impact officer.“Our aim with the Climate Solutions Portfolio is to complement our current global efforts and find, fund, and report on climate impact solutions in a consistent, transparent way — for both our Fashion Climate Fund and the industry at large.”

Starting in June 2023, a slate of projects from the Climate Solutions Portfolio will begin to receive grants, estimated to range from $50,000 to $250,000 per year, from Aii’s Fashion Climate Fund based on effectiveness, reach, scale, and cost. This represents the first deployed capital from the Fund, which launched in June 2022 and currently marks Target, PVH Corp., Lululemon, H&M Group, H&M Foundation, and The Schmidt Family Foundation as lead funders.

The intake application for the Climate Solutions Portfolio was designed by Aii’s new CSP Advisory Council of industry leaders: Scientist and Consultant Linda Greer; Phil Patterson, managing director at Colour Connections Textile Consultancy; Beth Jensen, director+ Climate Impact at Textile Exchange; Crispin Wong, senior director of Product Sustainability and Environment from Lululemon; and Mallory McConnell, vice president of Corporate Responsibility at PVH Corp.

In addition to overseeing the buildout of and maintaining the Climate Solutions Portfolio as a resource for the fashion industry, the CSP Advisory Council will guide the deployment of capital into new solutions from the Fashion Climate Fund. It will tap additional subject matter experts as needed to fully and fairly evaluate applications.

“The Climate Solutions Portfolio, led by our CIO and Advisory Council, is furthering Aii’s mission to identify, fund, scale, and measure the apparel and footwear industry’s proven environmental impact solutions,” says Lewis Perkins, Aii president. “We believe this tool will not only allow Aii to best evaluate solutions, it will also give the entire industry greater transparency into the climate related programs at work in the supply chain.”

Aii invites all organizations, technologies, ventures, and solutions geared at advancing decarbonization solutions to apply for funding and to join the comprehensive registry that will be the Climate Solutions Portfolio. The Climate Solutions Portfolio will be live to the public in July 2023, at which time Aii will announce its first funded solutions through the Fashion Climate Fund.

Posted January 31, 2023

Source: Apparel Impact Institute

ALLIED Feather + Down, In Partnership With Fuze Biotech, Takes Home 2023 Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award

SALT LAKE CITY — January 31, 2023 — Allied Feather + Down, a provider of sustainably sourced performance down insulation, in partnership with Fuze Biotech — innovators in sustainable, antibacterial, and fast-drying fabric and surface finishes — recently secured a 2023 Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award for their new ExpeDRY down insulation. ExpeDRY outperforms traditional hydrophobic down under extreme, real-world conditions.

Recognized for its innovative approach to moisture management in down jackets and sleeping bags, and fueled by Fuze’s gold particle technology, Allied’s ExpeDRY represents the next generation in high performance down insulation. This new technology is poised to render current, chemistry-intensive hydrophobic down treatments obsolete.

This award comes just weeks after ISPO Textrends listed ExpeDRY as one of their Top Five most excellent products in the Fibers & Insulations category.

“At Allied, we pride ourselves on creating the best performing, highest quality, and most sustainable down insulation available,” said Matthew Betcher, Creative Director with Allied. “Always innovating, we spent countless hours researching down’s performance in the presence of moisture, and realized that we could improve upon our original HyperDRY hydrophobic down insulation. We found that insulation chambers behave differently in real-world scenarios and working with Fuze allowed us to create a much better solution.”

Traditional hydrophobic down works great when in direct contact with water droplets. However, in real world situations, the down in jackets and sleeping bags more often comes into direct contact with water vapor at  high levels of humidity, where hydrophobic chemistry is far less efficient. ExpeDRY actively works to keep this vapor from condensing, allowing it to evaporate more easily, keeping the entire insulation chamber, and the user, dryer longer.

“Fuze Biotech strives to create high performance, sustainable solutions for real-world applications,” said Andrew Peterson, chief technical officer. “This partnership with Allied allows us to broaden our reach into outdoor gear and we see real opportunity in this market as high performance materials are key to keeping people safe and warm in extreme environments.”

ExpeDRY has a much lower environmental impact than traditional hydrophobic finishes and allows brands to remove another, unneeded chemical from their supply chain. Sustainable in sourcing and performance, the gold used in this process is recovered from discarded electronics and will not wash out.

ExpeDRY insulation is currently available globally in jackets by Artilect and Jack Wolfskin with additional brands coming online for FW 23/24.

Posted January 31, 2023

Source: Allied Feather + Down

Give AATCC Some Color!

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — January 31, 2023 — With its rich history in color and coloration, AATCC is looking to brighten the walls of its Technical Center. And as a member-driven association, it only makes sense to let the members decorate!

AATCC is partnering with Felt Right to sponsor a design competition using a colorful, functional, sustainable, textile-based medium. AATCC members may submit designs through April 30.

Prize
The winning design will be installed at the AATCC Technical Center and featured in AATCC publications and social media.

The designer will also receive a $150 gift card to Felt Right.

Guidelines

  • ALL members—students and professionals—welcome
  • Visit https://studio.feltright.com/ to create your design
    DO NOT use alternate design software
  • Click “Share” and submit the link to your completed design at www.aatcc.org/wall
    DO NOT submit a PDF, image, or other file
  • 10- × 10-foot maximum design area (6- × 6-foot recommended minimum); any shape
  • Take inspiration from AATCC’s logo, its mission, or your personal experience in the association
  • Submit as many designs or variations as you wish
  • Entries due April 30
  • Have fun!

Posted January 31, 2023

Source: AATCC

Celliant Is Cleared To Market In 50+ Countries; Registered In Majority As A Class I Medical Device

LOS ANGELES — January 31, 2023 — At Hologenix®, whose CELLIANT® infrared technology is an ingredient in world-class brands across many categories, science matters. The company has a distinguished Science Advisory Board composed of experts in the fields of photobiology, nanotechnology, sleep medicine, diabetes and wound care. The Science Advisory Board has overseen nine peer-reviewed published studies that collectively demonstrate Celliant’s effectiveness and the benefits of infrared energy. This claim set provides the basis for products containing Celliant to be designated as a Class 1 Medical Device in 38 countries and cleared to market in 15, with more countries and regions to follow. This elevated status in 53 countries translates to Celliant being an ideal partner for global companies who are seeking innovation in textiles to distinguish their products.

Seth Casden

“We have laid the groundwork for our partner brands to capitalize on the benefits of our infrared technology and to enhance their ability to do business,” said Seth Casden, Hologenix co-founder and CEO.  “We firmly believe that regulatory status matters and that is why we have grown the number of countries we have such relationships with by over a third in the last three years. It is definitely a competitive advantage of our company and Celliant.”

“Globally, the awareness of the benefits of infrared textiles, which absorb body heat and reflect it back as therapeutic infrared energy, has grown exponentially over the last 10 years,” continued Casden. “And in the United States infrared is gaining a strong foothold.”

In 2017, the FDA determined that products containing Celliant are medical devices as defined in section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and are general wellness products because they are intended to temporarily increase blood flow and local circulation at the site of the application in healthy individuals.*

Celliant is designated as a Class 1 Medical Device in Australia, Canada, the EU and European Economic Area (EEA), Japan, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Celliant is cleared to market in China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, with more countries and regions to follow.

*The FDA has not approved or designated CELLIANT products for any purpose and has not made any determination about, or endorsement of, its intended use or benefits.

Posted January 31, 2023

Source: Hologenix

Epson And Designer Yuima Nakazato Show A Glimpse Of A More Sustainable Future For Fashion

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England — January 30, 2023 — Epson has partnered with renowned Japanese fashion designer Yuima Nakazato and his eponymous YUIMA NAKAZATO brand at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Spring – Summer 2023 to unveil creations that are both stunning and sustainable. In addition to utilising Epson’s digital textile printing to reproduce his unique and creative worldview, YUIMA NAKAZATO realized some of its creations with the help of a new, more sustainable and potentially industry-transforming textile production process.

Epson’s dry fiber technology, which is already used commercially to recycle office paper and which requires virtually no water, has been adapted to produce printable nonwoven fabric from used garments. The new fabric production process was revealed in Paris as part of a three-year collaboration between Epson and YUIMA NAKAZATO and was used in the creation of items for the first time during the latter’s runway show at the Palais de Tokyo on January 25, 2023.

The collaboration between Epson and YUIMA NAKAZATO builds on the success of the company’s printing support for his couture and evolves the level of his creations to enable the low-impact production of high-quality custom garments. Both Epson and YUIMA NAKAZATO are keen to raise awareness of the water and material waste associated with excess production. The Paris Show illustrates how switching to digital textile printing using more environmentally friendly pigment inks offers the fashion industry a more sustainable and less wasteful means of textile printing.1

The fabric taken to create the latest YUIMA NAKAZATO fashion line was derived from material from used garments sourced from Africa, the destination for many discarded garments from elsewhere in the world. Nakazato visited Kenya where he collected around 150 kg of waste garment material destined for the “clothes mountain” of discarded textiles he encountered there. Epson then applied its dry fiber process to produce over 50 meters of new re-fiberized non-woven fabric, some of which was used for printing with pigment inks with Epson’s Monna Lisa digital printing technology.2

Hitoshi Igarashi from Epson’s Printing Solutions Division explains the importance of the technology: “Although in its early stages, Epson believes its dry fiber technology combined with pigment ink digital printing could offer the fashion industry a much more sustainable future, significantly reducing water use while allowing designers the freedom to fully express their creativity.

“Epson’s Environmental Vision is committed to contributing to a circular economy, and this development could be one step towards achieving this. Dry fiber technology applied to the fashion industry offers the possibility of producing material for new clothes that have been recycled from used garments.”

In a trial of distributed printing for venue decoration, Epson inkjet printers in Japan and France with remote support from Epson engineers were used to create decorations in the venue space. Both Epson and YUIMA NAKAZATO intend to continue exploring the possibilities for contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry.

Posted: January 26, 2023

Source: Epson Europe

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