Post-Pandemic Outlook: Digitalization’s Current And Future Impact On The Textile Industry

By Lisa Beck

As the textile industry moves toward a post-pandemic future, brands are still recovering from challenges faced over the past year.

The COVID-19-fueled increase in online shopping led to major strategic shifts within the apparel industry. To meet rising consumer demand for quick product turnaround, brands shifted from traditional seasons toward on-demand production of targeted items — meaning today’s textile professionals are under extreme pressure to make on-trend products based on changing consumer needs, while still ensuring top quality.

The pandemic also forced key changes to production management strategies for textile brands and mills. Production problems associated with COVID-19 lockdowns, social distancing and remote work spurred brands to search for digital solutions enabling workers to remain productive away from their desks.

To maintain efficiency in today’s market, textile brands have widely adopted modern color management processes, which provide the tools necessary to remain agile as the pandemic continues to evolve.

The Impact of COVID-19

COVID-19 led to all-encompassing changes for textile brands, expediting industry trends that were beginning to take shape. While digital color management has always been top-of-mind for color professionals, its extensive benefits were magnified with the implementation of worldwide social distancing restrictions.

Pandemic-related lockdowns significantly impacted shopping habits — further increasing consumers’ reliance on e-commerce. Unable to shop in-store, they began browsing even more online and quickly grew accustomed to the convenience provided by next-day delivery options.

To keep pace, the apparel companies began shifting to on-demand production cycles. Brands became more conscious of their product assortment choices, doing smaller buys up front to test the market or shifting product assortments altogether. The resulting pressure to get the right products quickly out the door heightened the industry’s need for digital solutions to ensure efficiency without sacrificing quality.

At the same time, brands and mills began noticing the impact of pandemic-related restrictions on production processes. As COVID-19 lockdowns expanded across various countries, companies were often forced to shift production from impacted areas to alternate locations. The time lost in overseas shipping led to shortened production cycles, which typically meant rushed color approvals, increasing the likelihood of off-shade products. Additionally, many newly remote color professionals lost access to key tools like benchtop spectrophotometers, shifting the workload to regional locations at the point of manufacture.

With decision makers working remotely, there became an immediate need for smaller, portable equipment with excellent inter-instrument agreement (IIA) to support color work away from the office or mill. The rise of remote work also increased the need for cloud-based solutions that make it possible to access color data remotely.

Lessons Learned

As social distancing restrictions remained in place, textile professionals became increasingly aware of the link between modern technologies and efficiency. The intensified need for digital solutions to support remote work and streamline production spurred industry-wide investments in digital color management technologies.

Meanwhile, positive environmental changes resulting from lockdowns grew public awareness of sustainability’s importance. Rising global demand for waste reduction sparked brands’ interest in the climate-friendly benefits of cost-efficient digital solutions. This, combined with younger generations’ focus on sustainable initiatives and resale platforms, made environmental responsibility an increasingly important factor in textile brands’ long-term success.

Pandemic-related changes turned digital color management from a future consideration into an immediate need for textile companies. Tightened deadlines resulting from shifting consumer demand and global lockdowns raised brands’ concerns over rushed color approvals potentially leading to the production of mismatched products. A digital workflow removes this risk by streamlining the production cycle and decreasing waste, without sacrificing the quality and color consistency that consumers expect, no matter the shopping platform.

The Benefits of Digitalization

Traditionally, achieving accurate color involves numerous color corrections, overseas shipments, and extensive back and forth between brands and manufacturers.

Off-shade colors can lead to unnecessary production expenses and delays for suppliers and manufacturers, increasing the risk of over-development, upending tight timelines, raising costs and making it difficult to keep up with competitors. This process has been made all the more difficult by pandemic-related lockdowns, social distancing and travel restrictions. It also decreases efficiency and harms the environment.

By eliminating the need for manual color corrections, a digital formulation and approval process significantly reduces the number of necessary physical samples, thus decreasing shipping costs and lessening the likelihood of delays, while also transforming the entire color correction process by increasing speed and accuracy. Digitalization provides solutions enabling today’s textile professionals to accurately measure color, anywhere at any time, without comprising quality or cost.

An integrated digital color management workflow also eliminates the development of off-shade products by adding objectivity to color measurement, enabling the virtual communication of digital color standards between brands and manufacturers. Objectivity streamlines color management while adding efficiency to the supply chain and ensuring consistency based on each brand’s color requirements.

Now, as the textile industry’s post-pandemic outlook takes shape, brands are continuing to embrace the benefits offered by digital technology.

Looking Ahead

Textile brands’ use of digitalization is expected to rise as we get closer to a post-pandemic phase, especially with workers adjusting to the new hybrid work environment. The industry’s reliance on portability and big data will also escalate, as more textile professionals opt to work remotely on a part-time or permanent basis post-pandemic.

Furthermore, savings resulting from the pandemic’s halt on travel has inspired many textile companies to rethink budgeting. Brands are expected to increase their reliance on portable color measurement solutions and digital color communications to lower travel costs after the pandemic ends.

Sustainability efforts will also gain momentum as individuals and companies come to further appreciate the long-term importance of green initiatives — especially given the environmental improvements seen during COVID-19 along with growing concerns over global warming raised in the latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Textile companies will expand their sustainability efforts accordingly by investing in digitalization to reduce waste, eliminating the need the for production and shipment of physical samples and decreasing unnecessary travel.

It is clear that the textile industry’s large-scale adoption of digital color management was accelerated by COVID-19. Modern digital solutions remain crucial in helping brands adapt to global shifts and as the market changes their reliance on new technology will likely continue to grow.

Editor’s Note: Lisa Beck is a product manager at Lawrenceville, N.J.-based Datacolor

September 23, 2021

Graf Metallic Of America Turns 50

TW Special Report

Since 1971, Graf America has been committed to providing partnerships built on the best value for money. The company’s key success factors include an unmatched range of card clothings, a 50,000-square-foot warehouse, shop facility and highly professional technical assistance.

Celebrating 50 years in operation in May 2021, Graf Metallic of America is the oldest continuously operating supplier of card clothings in the United States. The company was established as a sales and full-service business enterprise by Ralph Graf in 1971. Graf + Cie AG was founded in Rapperswil, Switzerland, in 1917.

Through expansion, textile market contractions, the rise of nonwoven products, the advent of natural, synthetic and specialty fibers, and the need for continuously improved performance, Graf Metallic of America positioned itself as global leader in card clothing. Innovative designs and materials such as Hipro tooth designs, multiple material alloys, and material finishes have firmly established Graf products as the industry’s top performers.

Graf Metallic of America’s employees are highly trained and committed to providing technical assistance, winding services, in-shop roll repair and field services for all types of roller top and flat top cards. With more than 1,000 styles and types of materials inventoried in its 50,000 square foot warehouse area, the company offers a wire for any need.

Located in the heart of the textile belt in Spartanburg, S.C., Graf Metallic of America even operates a certified Graf shop located in one of its customer’s facility with a full-time team servicing their carding equipment. “Our technicians are rigorously trained, highly experienced and fully equipped to provide superior service for all types of customer needs true to our motto of providing Partnerships Built on Best Value for Money,” says Jan Justice, market head of Graf.

Building on half a century of success, Justice celebrates this milestone and looks to the future with confidence: “Visit us on www.graf-companies.com as we celebrate: 50 years in the U.S., shaping one of the world’s most important textile markets through innovation, dedication and excellence!”

September 23, 2021

The Importance Of Digital Materials For 3D Design And Product Development  

Dr. Jan Beringer, senior scientific expert, Hohenstein Instititute

TW Special Report

Digitization is more important than ever. As more designers work online and our industry strives to reduce waste and save resources 3D technologies for technical prototyping promise great benefits. While the designs are digital, most apparel is still designed for real people, not avatars. So, realistic visualization is important for designers, manufacturers and consumers.

Digital material parameters are an often-undervalued pillar of 3D design. Brands are building digital material libraries, increasing the incentive for suppliers to offer digitized materials. But, suppliers want their materials represented realistically across all 3D platforms.

To help both suppliers and designers, textile testing and research partner Hohenstein created the Universal Translator Approach for digital material parameters. Dr. Virgilio L. González, correspondent for Textile World‘s sister publication Textiles Panamericanos, recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Jan Beringer, Hohenstein’s senior scientific expert.

González: What exactly are digital materials and why are they important?

Beringer: Material parameters are measurements of the physical textile (or accessory) that are needed by a software system to make a digital simulation. These can include elasticity, mass, density, stiffness, friction, strain strength and many more. The program’s algorithm turns this data into a 3D object on your screen that is meant to be a digital twin of the material. Ideally, it should look and behave the same as the real material. This accuracy affects not only the appearance, but also the fit, comfort, quality and manufacturing process of the garment. You need to know how a material will behave on a body or interact with other materials, especially if the wearer is planning to move.

González: What is the current state of digital materials?

Beringer: The lack of standardization around digitizing materials is a real challenge to our industry.

To digitize a material for the most popular 3D simulation systems, material suppliers or digital designers must test many distinct parameters for each fabric. Each software has its own requirements for what and how to test. Even the required units differ. For example, the bending parameter is entered as ‘µNm’ for one system, ‘Bend W/L (𝒅𝒚𝒏/𝐜𝐦²)’, for another and ‘Bending weft/warp ((g∗mm²)/(s^2∗rad))’ for a third system.

The problem for material suppliers is that their brand customers may be using different 3D systems. Not only is it unrealistic to test for up to 35 parameters on each material, after following the various test procedures for each, differences in the algorithms result in different visualization and behavior across platforms. And suppliers want their materials represented accurately in every 3D system, wouldn’t you?

It’s no wonder that designers have resigned to using default material libraries or buying parameters from sources that differ in accuracy and methods. Worse, these materials don’t match the current collection.

González: What is the problem with default or inaccurate material parameters?

Beringer: Imagine a designer using different materials in the physical design and prototyping stages than they plan for the finished garment. Everyone knows this does not work for traditional designing. So, why would it work for digital designing?

Digital materials have impacts beyond development, to the physical products that customers buy. Unrealistic designs affect manufacturing, where clear communication and material accuracy are important for production efficiency, repeatability and profitability. Designing with imprecise digital materials can reduce product quality, lowering consumer satisfaction, increasing return rates and hurting the bottom line — not to mention the negative impact on a brand sustainability strategy.

González: How did Hohenstein get involved with this area?

Beringer: Hohenstein garment engineers have conducted applied research and size studies for over 60 years. We’ve always studied new technologies as they develop, such as 3D and 4D scanning, fit in motion and avatars. The Hohenstein Digital Fitting Lab takes the essential knowledge of traditional fitting and helps partners adopt the new 3D technologies.

Given the importance of accurate materials, we wanted to remove the barriers for brands and suppliers. In an extensive research project, we examined the major 3D systems in terms of requirements, formats, units and simulation outcomes. We narrowed it down to five essential parameters with standard test methods: weight, thickness, bending, elongation and fold volume and shape. Then, we developed the Hohenstein Universal Translator Approach, a conversion that assures consistent visualization and behavior across all major 3D platforms.

González: How does the Hohenstein Universal Translator Approach help the industry?

Beringer: First, we reduce time and cost. Only five standard tests are required per material, down from more than 30. We export the data in the file formats required by each software. We can also generate drape images and create physical swatch books with matching digital parameters. It’s straight forward and designer friendly.

With accurate test results and the Hohenstein conversion, the materials match reality, no matter which software is used. Suppliers guarantee that their materials are correctly represented, regardless of the platform used by the designer — ensuring reproducible designs. Designers can access digital materials that correspond to their current collections. Manufacturers receive clear instructions. Finally, consumers get products that match the image they saw online.

González: What other digitization challenges does the industry face?

Beringer: There is no industry standard for material digitization. A standard will allow more businesses to adopt the technology without reducing quality and efficiency and at the same time becoming more sustainable. In fact, Hohenstein is part of an ISO standard working group to develop one. Despite delays with the Covid-19 pandemic, we hope to make an announcement by 2022.

Training is also important. Anyone can purchase 3D software, but you must learn how to use it. Software does not eliminate the need for fitting and pattern-making skills. The Hohenstein Academy offers training on digital and physical garment engineering.

González: What is your next development for improving 3D visualization and technical fit prototyping?

Beringer: We are focusing on next generation avatars — with accurate shapes and movements (rigging). We need accurate simulations of how clothes would fit and move in real life – something that hasn’t been done before. Garments must be created for actual humans in motion, while most default avatars look more like stiff aliens. We are continuing to develop realistic avatars based on sizing surveys and research. We’re also working on rigged avatars that realistically perform movements like walking and raising arms.  Realistic avatars, along with high quality digital patterns and materials, are crucial to successful adoption in our industry.

September 23, 2021

 

Fabrics Of The Future

Swiss weaving machinery manufacturers are in the forefront of novel application development

TW Special Report

Shoes and electronic calculators are probably not the first products people would associate with the textile weaving process. But they certainly signpost the future for woven fabrics, as two examples of the ever-wider possibilities of latest technology in the field. Fashion and function already combine in the increasing popularity of woven fabrics for shoes, and this is a present and future trend. Calculators in fabrics? That’s another story of ingenious development, using so-called “meander fields” on the back and keys printed on the front of the material.

These glimpses of the outlook for modern weavers are among the highlights of developments now being pioneered by Swiss textile machinery companies. All weaving markets require innovation, as well as speed, efficiency, quality and sustainability. Member firms of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association respond to these needs at every point in the process – from tightening the first thread in the warp to winding the last inch for fabric delivery. They also share a common advantage, with a leading position in the traditional weaving industry as well as the expertise to foster new and exciting applications.

Jakob Müller’s Textile Calculator

Technology and research cooperation

The concept of a “textile calculator” was developed by Jakob Müller Group, in cooperation with the textile research institute Thuringen-Vogtland. Müller’s patented MDW® multi-directional weaving technology is able to create the meander fields which allow calculator functions to be accessed at a touch. A novel and useful facility, which suggests limitless expansion.

Today, the latest woven shoes are appreciated for their precise and comfortable fit. They score through their durability, strength and stability, meeting the requirements of individual athletes across many sports, as well as leisurewear. Stäubli is well-known as a global specialist in weaving preparation, shedding systems and high-speed textile machinery. Its jacquard machines offer great flexibility across a wide range of formats, weaving all types of technical textiles, lightweight reinforcement fabrics — and shoes.

A Multilayer Aramid produced using Stäubli machinery

It’s possible to weave new materials such as ceramics, mix fibers such as aramid, carbon and other, and produce innovative multi-layers with variable thicknesses. Such applications put special demands on weaving machines which are fulfilled by Stäubli high-performance TF weaving systems.

Great weaving results are impossible without perfect warp tension, now available thanks to the electronic warp feeding systems of Crealet. Some market segments in weaving industry today demand warp let-off systems which meet individual customer requirements. For example, the company has recognized expertise to understand that geotextile products often need special treatment, as provided by its intelligent warp tension control system. Individual and connective solutions are designed to allow external support via remote link. Crealet’s warp let-off systems are widely used in both ribbon and broadloom weaving, for technical textiles applied on single or multiple warp beams and creels.

Functional, sustainable, automated

Trends in the field of woven narrow fabrics are clearly focused on functionality and sustainability. The Jakob Müller Group has already embraced these principles — for example, using natural fibers for 100-percent recyclable labels with a soft-feel selvedge. It also focuses as much as possible on the processing of recycled, man-made materials. Both PET bottles and polyester waste from production are recycled and processed into elastic and rigid tapes for the apparel industry.

For efficient fabric production environments, it is now recognized that automated quality solutions are essential. Quality standards are increasing everywhere and zero-defect levels are mandatory for sensitive applications such as airbags and protective apparel.

Uster’s latest generation of on-loom monitoring and inspection systems offers real operational improvements for weavers. The fabric quality monitoring prevents waste, while the quality assurance system significantly improves first-quality yield for all applications. Protecting fabric makers from costly claims and damaged reputations, automated fabric inspection also removes the need for slow, costly and unreliable manual inspection, freeing operators to focus on higher-skilled jobs.

Smart and collaborative robotics (cobots) offer many automation possibilities in weaving rooms. Stäubli’s future oriented robotics division is a driver in this segment with first effective installations in warp and creel preparation.

Control and productivity

Willy Grob’s specialized solutions for woven fabric winding focus on reliable control of tension, keeping it constant from the start of the process right through to the full cloth roll. Continuous digital control is especially important for sensitive fabrics, while performance and productivity are also critical advantages. In this regard, the company’s large-scale batching units can provide ten times the winding capacity of a regular winder integrated in the weaving machine.

The customized concept by Grob as well as design and implementation result in great flexibility and functionality of the fabric winding equipment — yet another example of Swiss ingenuity in textile machinery.

There is even more innovation to come in weaving — and in other segments — from members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association in future! This confident assertion is founded on an impressive statistic: the 4077 years of experience behind the creative power of the association’s member firms. It’s proof positive that their developments grow out of profound knowledge and continuous research.

September 23, 2021

September 2021: Textile Activity At A Glance

September 2021

Military Tent Products Manufacturer Camel Awarded $50 Million Contract

PIONEER, Tenn. — September 22, 2021 — Camel Expeditionary, a manufacturer of military tent products, was recently awarded a new five-year, $50 million contract with the Defense Logistics Agency.

Under the contract, Camel will produce light maintenance enclosure (LME) structures, primarily for use by the United States Army. These tents are designed for all-weather use and typically house military vehicles, including high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV or Humvee) and M1 Abrams tanks, the main battle tank of the Army and Marine Corps.

In a collaboration with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Camel helped develop these LME structures in 1999 and has been the primary producer ever since. In addition to use for vehicle storage and maintenance, the tents can be modified for use as laundry facilities and general storage needs.

A contract of this size and scope will allow Camel to grow. As a leading employer in Campbell County, this contract impacts the surrounding region as well as the organization.

“We are truly pleased to make this announcement, especially for our local community,” says President and CEO Mark Riffle. “This contract means we will be able to expand our production capabilities and our staffing.”

“We know this helps us create a strong foundation for future growth, in our company and in our local economy,” Riffle adds. “We plan to be in full production for this contract by the end of this year.”

Camel currently employs 125 people living in Campbell, Anderson, Scott, and Knox counties, and hopes to add 12 more as a result of this contract.

“Citizens from across Campbell County are proud to work for such a dynamic company that provides solutions around the world,” says E.L. Morton, mayor of Campbell County. “These contracts are won because of the quality that is sewn into Camel products and because of Camel’s dedicated leadership team. The impact of such a strong manufacturer in our community is tremendous.”

“With Camel’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic these past two years, that impact has been even greater,” Mayor Morton adds. “Camel is meeting the need on the battlefield and in clinics and hospitals across America where portable shelters are needed most.”

Posted September 22, 2021

Source: Camel Expeditionary

Five Strong Organizations Rebranded To Form Teijin Automotive Technologies

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — September 22, 2021 — Five strong organizations — Continental Structural Plastics (CSP), Inapal Plásticos, Benet Automotive, CSP Victall and Teijin Automotive Center Europe (TACE) — have come together under a single brand to form Teijin Automotive Technologies, a global leader in composite materials and solutions for the worldwide mobility industry.

Through this rebranding, Teijin Automotive Technologies becomes a proven manufacturer of highly-engineered materials for dynamic market divisions with the ability to supply consistent materials and components to customers across North America, Europe and Asia — a capability no other supplier can provide. Spanning several mobility related industries, including automotive, heavy truck, marine and recreational vehicle segments, the new organization which includes Teijin’s automotive composites team in Japan, is positioned to provide advanced materials solutions through its 29 strategically located manufacturing and technical centers. Utilizing all the strengths from the previously separate companies, Teijin Automotive Technologies can provide unique solutions for the next generation of mobility.

“With the integration of these organizations, we can supply expertise in a wide range of materials allowing us to develop solutions that address our customers’ most difficult design challenges,” said Steve Rooney, CEO of Teijin Automotive Technologies and general manager, Teijin Composites Business Unit. “Now, as Teijin Automotive Technologies, we are able to develop new materials, source them where and when they are needed, and provide the expertise that meets the world’s ever-changing mobility needs.”

This move establishes a singular organization with a global footprint and 5,400 employees capable of combining world-class materials expertise with cutting-edge engineering and design to create solutions that make vehicles safer and more eco-friendly. By selecting the right material for the right application, Teijin Automotive Technologies creates components and systems that enable lighter, stronger, safer and more energy efficient vehicles. This unification further strengthens the organization’s capabilities as a vertically integrated, full-service supplier that develops materials to meet customer needs today, while anticipating needs of tomorrow.

As an organization committed to sustainability and innovation, Teijin Automotive Technologies is currently engaged in a variety of research projects aimed at making its operations and products more environmentally friendly. These include carbon footprint analyses, complete life cycle assessment of composite materials, and material recycling processes.

“Teijin has a very strong commitment to sustainability and the society of the future, so we are engaged in a number of initiatives that support this commitment,” Rooney explained. “By identifying sources of CO2 emissions in our materials and processes, we will identify ways to reduce our environmental impact and establish targets for long-term improvement.”

Teijin Automotive Technologies’ innovation awards include Automotive News PACE Awards, JEC Innovation Awards, multiple CAMX and SPE Innovation Awards, and the General Motors Supplier Innovation Award.

Posted September 22, 2021

Source: Teijin Automotive Technologies

Premier Collection Of Enkay Rugs & Accessories Features Simple Luxury Woven By Treasured Artisans

ATLANTA — September 22, 2021 — Fashioned in the finest natural fibers, with a sublime and sensory feel, Enkay celebrates the ancient craft of rug-making with the launch of its premier collection, Origins, on September 13, 2021. As the world moves into the future, works by hand remain a touchstone connecting to the past.

Featuring 23 different styles, talented weavers based in their home villages of India have lovingly produced a range of top-quality, unique, and distinctive designs under the auspices of Enkay. These hand-made works of art will now be available to collectors of fine home furnishings nationwide. Styled for modern living, Enkay has one simple, noble intention: to make hand-made, high-quality rugs attainable. Retail price points start at $500 and will be available through its e-commerce site .

The inaugural collection houses a variety of subtle and sophisticated neutral tones and a mix of textures to adorn inside spaces and beautify any home environment. Born out of the intense desire to honor centuries of workmanship, Enkay artisans use only the finest materials like un-dyed New Zealand wool and employ the technique of using hand carding, hand knotting and hand finishing. Enkay brings warmth to rooms and texture to life, with understated color gradations, high/low pile contrasts, refined geometric patterns, and exquisite craftsmanship.

Asha Chaudhary, CEO, and co-founder of Enkay, daughter of the legendary N.K. Chaudhary of Jaipur Living, India’s largest manufacturer of hand-knotted rugs, proudly carries on the legacy of her father’s devotion to respecting and supporting makers, weavers, and designers whose creations have passed through generations. Enkay, as a woman-led business, has intensely focused on empowering women and their families to secure the future of hand-made rugs, as well as creating her aesthetically driven, direct-to-consumer luxury brand.

“Weaving is an ancient art. In creating Enkay, we have connected customers with artisans practicing these timeless skills in villages across India. We connect directly with makers and remove complexity from our ecosystem, ensuring each person in the chain is paid fairly for their contribution. We can ensure the highest ethical standards are upheld through this model, and a totally fair value exchange occurs. Weavers and their communities thrive. Additionally, by investing in these communities, through skills training, education, and health initiatives, we’re able to support these vital crafts and the people who practice them, making them sustainable for generations to come,” Chaudhary says.

Enkay is designed for modern living, bringing welcome texture into any home, and making it possible to see a classic design with fresh eyes. The hand-woven rugs are fashioned in jute or ultra-soft wool and are virtually stain and water-resistant making it easy to live with for kids and pets, handcrafted for life. In addition, Enkay’s rugs are an environmentally conscious way to incorporate naturally beautiful elements into the home, as synthetic rugs contain toxic dyes and emit harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Colorways include bright whites, soft creams, pale beiges, and subtle greys.

Some highlights from the Enkay Origins collection of rugs include:

  • Sarvan – Sarvan is inspired by the individualism of a rug worked on by multiple weavers using multiple yarns on a single piece. In Sarvan, the tonal variations of undyed wool combine with yarns woven at different tensions to create a textured piece that’s both casual and cosmopolitan. Hand-woven from hand-spun and carded Afghan wool, Sarvan retains the wool’s prized length, strength and luster in the finished rug. Sarvan is ideal for adding a bit of luxury to modern life.
  • Adras – An undyed, natural palette, braided fringe, and contrasting, high/low pile makes Adras feel like modernity meets Moroccan style. Crafted from lustrous, hand-carded wool, Adras is hand-knotted then hand-trimmed with shears to create a subtle texture that evokes a field of diamonds. Taking just under three months to make, Adras is form without formality, ease without edge—providing a perfect backdrop to a casual contemporary home.
  • Tigaria – Tigaria is an updated Moroccan style. The variation in color inherent in natural sheep’s wool creates a delicate linear pattern, with no two rugs the same. The soft pile and easy design make it a perfect backdrop to a casual contemporary home. With a natural sheen to the wool and a contrasting high/low pile, Tigaria’s boho style makes it a natural complement to a modern space.
  • Sarnic – Sarnic echoes the tribal patterns woven long ago in the Kars region of modern-day Turkey. The difference is in its palette. Rendered in neutral shades rather than the rich hues of tribal carpets, Sarnic trades traditional boldness for calm classicism. Sarnic is noted for its especially solid, lush feel, which is created by a complex knotting technique that produces a flat-woven feel from a cut pile.

Enkay’s Origins collection is a statement of intent, crafted to express enduring subtlety and effortless luxury. This foundational collection has been shaped using the lightest touch. It imbues understated design with the depth and movement inherent to natural materials. Origins embraces contrast and the character of the rugs emerges in the space between design and making. It draws on tradition but lives just outside of time.

Posted September 22, 2021

Source: Enkay

Lubrizol Helps Enable The Circular Economy With 100-Percent Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Prototype Shoe

CLEVELAND — September 22, 2021 — Lubrizol Engineered Polymers announces the launch of its first 100-percent thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) prototype shoe. The prototype meets the high-performance demands in the footwear industry while achieving greater sustainability through enhanced recyclability* and less material waste.

Incinerated shoe waste and non-recyclable material scrap has contributed to increased carbon emissions, heightening demands for sustainability in the footwear industry. Footwear manufacturers can now partner with Lubrizol to deliver a sustainable end-to-end solution with performance and circularity at its core.

Efficient Production, Responsible Consumption
In contrast to traditional footwear products made with mixed materials, Lubrizol’s 100-percent TPU prototype shoe helps enhance circularity by being composed of one core material. The prototype demonstrates a combination of Lubrizol’s advanced TPU solutions for footwear that work together, including: Esdex™ TPU for upper yarns to keep shoe construction lightweight; BounCell-X™ TPU for foam, a low density, plasticizer-free and recyclable* material used for cushioning; and ESTANE® TRX TPU leveraged as a functional alternative to rubber outsoles.

These Lubrizol TPU materials enable simplified production through improved compatibility between parts. TPU materials also allow for in-mold adhesion during the shoe soling process, which can increase automation and efficiency, while reducing multiple gluing processes.

Post-industrial recycling options mean shoe producers can reclaim and reuse scrap in their own operations, while helping simplify the process of post-consumer recycling* through the regrinding of old shoes and repurposing materials into new goods.

Bio-Content Grades

ESTANE ECO TPU, a renewable-sourced polymer from Lubrizol under the Bio TPU portfolio, is a key component of the prototype shoe. ESTANE ECO TPU is derived from natural resources and delivers the same outstanding mechanical, physical, and chemical performance properties in comparison with petroleum-based TPUs. With a 5- to 10-percent lower density than traditional TPUs of the same hardness, ESTANE ECO TPU helps meet the requirements for lightweight and high-performance attributes in sports shoe production. This sustainable material grade also enhances footwear development because of its high transmittance, resistance to yellowing and compatibility with other materials.

A Partnership with Industry-Leading Processors

Most of the components used in the new prototype shoe are a result of multi-year partnerships with established producers in the athletic shoe industry. These industry and customer partnerships have made Lubrizol faster, more reliable, and adaptable to global footwear market needs.

Today, the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development has reached a global consensus. Lubrizol’s innovative solutions are designed to support the upgrading and development of global footwear industry with more eco-friendly materials and more customized processing, helping our customers increase the circularity impact of their products.

* Recyclability is based on access to a readily available standard recycling program that supports such materials. Products may not be available in all areas.

Nothing contained herein is to be considered as permission, recommendation, nor as an inducement to practice any patented invention without permission of the patent owner.

Posted September 22, 2021

Source: The Lubrizol Corp.

The Fibres Of Filo: Bemberg And ROICA By Asahi Kasei

BIELLA, Italy— September 21, 2021 — The 56th edition of Filo dedicates much space to fibres. A particular attention is given to natural and synthetic man-made fibers, able to match exceptional performances together with sustainability and traceability.

Among fiber producers who participate in the 56th edition of Filo, the Asahi Kasei group, stands out. Asahi Kasei brings at Filo two of its flagship products.

The first one, Bemberg™, is a fiber obtained by the smart-tech transformation of pre-consumption material of cotton linter and changed into a traceable and transparent closed-loop process. Bemberg’s story starts with the lining of high-quality garments; however, today it is possible to find this material in many other applications: couture, coats, underwear, bed linen, and sportswear, where its unique touch and its incredible quality are particularly appreciated.

The second fiber proposed by Asahi Kasei at Filo is ROICA™. A premium stretch fiber, ROICA distinguished itself in fashion, underwear, sportswear, hosiery, and fabrics thanks to its smart innovation.

At the 56th edition of Filo, Asahi Kasai doesn’t only present innovative materials, but it is the protagonist of three ‘Dialoghi di Confronto’ in the Networking Area of the Exhibition.

During the first ‘Dialoghi di Confronto’ (scheduled on the 29th of September at 4 p.m.), which is entitled “Il viaggio di Bemberg by Asahi Kasei verso una moda contemporanea, premium e responsabile” (‘The journey of Bemberg by Asahi Kasai towards a contemporary, premium and responsible fashion’), Ettore Pellegrini, Marketing & Sales Manager Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia, talks with Giusy Bettoni, C.L.A.S.S CEO and founder, about essential themes for textile’s future.

During the second ‘Dialoghi di Confronto’ (scheduled on the 30th of September at 11 a.m.) – The contemporary consumer: Stretch your imagination with ROICA by Asahi Kasei smart innovation” – Uwe Schmidt, managing director Asahi Kasei Spandex Europe, will explain ROICA’s sustainability, made of production and processes, dwelling on performance, objectives and future project, product innovations and case histories told through the fabrics of partner groups.

During the third meeting (scheduled on the 30th of September at 4 p.m.), Ettore Pellegrini and Giusy Bettoni will resume the discussion talking about quality, applications, and traceability of Bemberg fiber.

‘Dialoghi di Confronto’ represent one of the most interesting innovations of the 56th edition of Filo Please find here the whole agenda of the two days of meetings (https://filo.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dialoghi-di-confronto-2.pdf).

We wait for you at the 56th edition of Filo scheduled September 29-30, 2021, at MiCo!

Posted September 22, 2021

Source: Filo

1...673674675...2,522Page 674 of 2,522

Sponsors

Breaking News

Load more

Digital Issue

2025 Quarterly Issue Number II

View Latest Digital Issue

FEATURED ARTICLES

© Copyright 2017 Textile Industries Media Group, LLC.