Multi-Stakeholder Project To Boost Transparency And Farmer Livelihoods In Organic Cotton Launched

OCA Farmer Latabai-Somnath-Turewale

AMSTERDAM — April 12, 2022 — The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), a multi-stakeholder organisation dedicated to organic cotton, with funding support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency Fund for Responsible Business (FVO) today announced the launch of a multi-year project targeting transparency and fairness across the organic cotton sector. The project, named Textile in Transition, has attracted brand partners BESTSELLER, ESSENZA HOME and G-Star RAW, as part of their commitment to the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT).

Textile in Transition aims to improve decent working conditions in organic cotton production, secure the livelihoods of thousands of farmers while boasting the supply of organic cotton. Funded by the FVO, the project leverages OCA’s established Farm Programme in India, to support the participating companies in achieving transparency to the source of their fibre while installing improved buying practices and targeted interventions that improve farmer livelihoods, worker rights and environmental impact.

Kicking off this year, the initial phase will provide a detailed mapping exercise of corporate social responsibility risks, with a particular focus on decent work. These insights  will allow for better informed and targeted interventions to promote and improve decent working conditions across OCA’s programmes in India.

From 2023 onward, the project partners will start investing directly in supporting farmers choosing to take the three-year journey to transition to organic agriculture. The participating brands will be connected directly to Indian farming communities through long-term procurement commitments of in-conversion and certified organic cotton at a premium price, providing security for farmers throughout the transition period and strengthening their business case. In turn, thousands of hectares of farmland will be regenerated through organic practices, eliminating the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, building long-term soil health, and increasing on-farm biodiversity for generations to come.

Commenting on the announcement, Bart Vollaard, executive director at OCA said: “The support of the Dutch Fund for Responsible Business truly allows us to deepen and accelerate organic cotton’s potential for positive impact. Not only will this collaboration allow us to integrate the promotion of decent working conditions more effectively in our programmes, but the available funds will also support more conventional farmers transitioning to organic agriculture while having committed buyers for their cotton.”

Danique Lodewijks, senior project specialist at BESTSELLER added: “With this partnership we increase our commitments towards in-conversion cotton and simultaneously support the analysis on decent work conditions for cotton farmers. Transparency and access to organic cotton is one thing, but the livelihoods and well-being of the farmers are just as important. We look forward to jointly taking our commitments to the next level.”

Floor Smits, head of brands at ESSENZA HOME also commented: “We are constantly looking for innovation. At ESSENZA HOME we believe in buying less, but better. We think the OCA is a good multi-stakeholder project to help us achieve this by starting at the bottom of our production chain. These tiers in our process are the most difficult to make transparent and therefore we are very happy to be part of this project. Our goal is to help farmers in India switch from growing conventional cotton to organic cotton, in a two-phase implementation. In the end, this will be better for the farmers, for the environment, for ourselves and for the consumer. And ultimately, for a better night’s sleep.”

Paulien van der Vegt, chief product officer at G-Star RAW added: “In our mission to improve our social and environmental impact at every step, one of our commitments is that we will use organic, recycled, bio-based and compostable materials ONLY by 2030 latest. Through our partnership with OCA we aim to support and scale organic cotton farming, so that not only we can meet our targets, but the entire industry can move towards using more sustainable materials. And because of OCA, we can take the first steps in building direct contact with the farmers, tracing our organic cotton right back to its roots”

Part of the project’s focus on supporting transitioning farmers, will contribute to OCA’s goal of converting up to 30,000 farmers a year from conventional farming to certified organic, as part of its 2030 Strategy. It is hoped that with quality training and support in place through these initiatives, with tangible benefits such as better prices for farmers, there will be a stronger business case for farmers to convert to organic cotton with certainty.

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA)

Coloreel, Maxjenny! Launch Colorful Collaboration

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — April 6, 2022 — Coloreel, with its unique technology for digital dyeing of textile thread on-demand for more sustainable and creative embroideries, launches new colorful collaboration and collection with maxjenny!, a luxury clothing label based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The collection includes a selection of dresses embroidered with a custom logotype design placed on the silhouette of the dress. The logotype embroidery is designed with multiple-point gradients to create a graffiti spray paint effect that would not be possible with traditional embroidery. The Maxjenny! Coloreel graffiti dresses were recently premiered on the catwalk at Orange County Fashion Week in partnership with LA Fashion Week in-front of California’s fashion elite.

The Coloreel graffiti dress is available to purchase at maxjenny’s flagship store in Stockholm, Sweden and online at maxjenny.com

“I love how colours can leave an imprint and I am always looking for new ways to enhance and develop the Maxjenny! brand, so learning about Coloreel and the design possibilities the technology presents both creatively and from a sustainability aspect was very inspiring,” said Maxjenny.

Torbjörn Bäck, CEO at Coloreel, commented: “It is very inspiring to see how a colorful brand like maxjenny! absorbs the possibilities our technology provides fashion brands that like to enhance the creativity and sustainability of their embroideries.”

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Coloreel

Pindler Launches Transitional Twist Fabric Collection

MOORPARK, Calif. — April 7, 2022 — In design, and in life, it’s easy to feel torn between the nostalgia of tradition and the desire for something new and exciting. When it comes to fabrics, classic patterns are comforting and familiar, while modern styles add a fresh, cutting-edge feel to any space. But what if it were possible to have the best of both worlds? Pindler is now offering designers exactly that with its Transitional Twist collection.

This new collection marries timeless elegance with contemporary, transitional appeal, offering a sophisticated take on traditional design, translated into a dramatic and bold approach. Woven in gorgeous tone-on-tone colorations, Transitional Twist includes a beautiful, refined assortment of designs in jewel tones, ranging from vibrant ruby and emerald, to rich sapphire and amethyst, to luxurious champagne and platinum.

Silas – Silas is a small-scale geometric design with excellent transitional and contemporary appeal. It is woven in polyester, viscose rayon and cotton, and meets 16,000 double rubs.

Jasper – Jasper is a contemporary, midscale geometric design that incorporates plenty of visual interest. It is woven in cotton, polyester and viscose rayon, and meets 14,000 double rubs.

Theodore- Theodore is a large-scale leaf and vine design with a sleek sateen ground. It is woven in viscose rayon, linen and polyester, and meets 10,000 double rubs.

Hugo – Hugo is a large-scale damask frame design with great detail in the figure. It is woven in viscose rayon and polyester, and meets 8,000 double rubs.

The Transitional Twist collection is available online, as well as at Pindler’s 16 corporate showrooms and nine agent showrooms across the U.S., and two agent showrooms in Canada.

Posted April 11, 2022

Source: Pindler

Teijin Frontier Develops Eco-friendly Polyester Staple Nanofiber That Reinforces Rubber

TOKYO — April 11, 2022 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fibers and products converting company, announced today that it has developed an eco-friendly staple polyester nanofiber that offers excellent performance to reinforce rubber uses in products including automotive tires, hoses and belts. Teijin Frontier will start production in 2023 and expects sales to reach 1 billion Japanese yen (nearly $8.2 million) by the fiscal year ending in March 2028.

Teijin Frontier, guided by its THINK ECO® environmental initiative, is striving to improve its environmental value, including by developing greener materials and products for applications ranging from clothing to industrial materials. The new staple nanofiber matches the company’s increasing emphasis on solutions that help to ease environmental burdens.

Teijin Frontier will continue to expand the types of polymers that can be used for the new staple nanofibers and continue to develop them for a wide range of rubber and resin products such as tires, hoses and belts. The company will also promote the development of products that utilize recycled raw materials with the aim of reducing the environmental burden.

The new staple nanofiber incorporates both polyester nanofiber and polyethylene polymers, which are combined in Teijin Frontier’s proprietary sea-island composite cross section. Different polymers are used for the “sea” and “island” parts to improve rubber reinforcement. A polyester nanofiber with a diameter of either 400nm or 700nm is used as the island as reinforcing material and the surrounding sea part is made with polyethylene, which mixes easily with rubber. Compared to conventional products, mixing takes place at the molecular level, which enables thousands of times more nanofibers to be evenly dispersed in the rubber for equal or better reinforcing but requiring a relatively small amount.

The length of the new staple nanofiber is just 1mm or less, but the aspect (length-to-diameter) ratio is high thanks to the small diameter, which contributes to reinforcing. Further, the fiber’s short length prevents entanglement and twisting, and additionally helps to disperse the fibers and rubber evenly. The fiber forms continuous lines or surfaces, rather than dispersed clumps. In actual use, the fibers rather than the rubber absorb deformation stress, resulting in more durable rubber products.

Since the new staple nanofiber exhibits higher reinforcing performance compared to conventional products, it can reduce the polymerization process. The shorter fiber eliminates the need for surface treatment, which prevents the fiber from intertwisting like cotton. Both attributes help to reduce environmental load, including less greenhouse gas emissions.

When used in automotive tires, the new staple nanofiber increases elasticity and reduces resistance, so it should help to improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise. It is also expected to improve the elastic modulus and durability of automotive hoses and belts, which has been difficult to achieve until now.

Staple fibers are used to strengthen rubber in products required to withstand repeated deformation and abrasion. Conventionally, this has been achieved by adjusting fiber strength and length, the latter generally to between several millimeters and several tens of millimeters. Increased length, however, leads to entanglement and twisting when the fiber is kneaded into the rubber, which reduces strength due to less efficient fiber dispersal. Meanwhile, growing environmental concerns are raising demands for reduced molecular weights and surface treatments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Posted April 11, 2022

Source: Teijin

BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton Joins United Nations’ Hosted Conscious Fashion And Lifestyle Network

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — April 11, 2022 — Fashion and agriculture may seem like two industries that are miles apart, but BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton program has brought them closer by creating the first transparent and traceable cotton supply chain. Today the company announced a new collaboration between the e3 Sustainable Cotton program and the United Nations’(UN) hosted Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network for a series of convenings in New York City throughout 2022.

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a United Nations (UN) hosted online platform for industry stakeholders, media, Governments, and UN system entities. The network showcases and enables collaborations that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Considering the fashion and lifestyle sector’s significant impact on societies and the environment, the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network fosters transparent, inclusive, and transformative engagement of global stakeholders to drive urgent action for sustainability. The network provides an impartial platform for the industry and the UN system. Its key objective is to mobilize expertise, innovation, technology, and resources towards a sustainable and inclusive COVID-19 recovery, with the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.

“The e3 Sustainable Cotton program is an industry-leading sustainable cotton program that delivers a true farm to fashion story bringing transparency and traceability to the forefront of the conversation,” said Kerry Bannigan, executive director, Fashion Impact Fund, and co-founder, Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network. “The e3 program’s mission and goals are aligned with ours to educate and accelerate impact, making them an ideal partner to spark conversation and evoke positive change.”

The e3 cotton program will co-host a series of round table events with various industry stakeholders, United Nations representatives and news media to explore how the fashion and lifestyle industries are uniquely positioned to collaborate and engage on the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Sustainability is the responsibility of every company moving forward,” said Jennifer Crumpler, Regional Seed Sustainability manager and Fiber Development manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Our program’s participation with the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network will allow us to bring awareness of a better way to create sustainable cotton clothing. We can trace our cotton from farm to finished product. Cotton farmers can deliver on sustainability measurements that leave the land better than they found it. There is a way to make the cotton supply chain transparent for consumers.”

The Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network is a joint initiative of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals – United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Fashion Impact Fund.

The e3 Cotton program provides unmatched field-level traceability and is driven by comprehensive verification and a valued reputation for growing socially equitable, economically viable and environmentally responsible cotton. Farmers who are part of the e3 Sustainable Cotton program commit to tracking eight sustainability measures on 100% of their eligible cotton acres, ranging from water use and pesticide management to soil conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Through a series of digital platforms, the cotton they grow can be traced from an individual cotton bale in their field, all the way to the end consumer.

Posted April 11, 2022

Source: BASF

Navis TubeTex Announces Acquisition Of Gaston Systems

LEXINGTON, N.C. — April 11, 2022 — Navis TubeTex, a provider of high technology finishing machinery to the global textile industry, announced its purchase of Gaston Systems Inc.

Gaston Systems designs and engineers advanced coating systems for the textile and nonwoven industries. Using propriety foam generation and application systems, Gaston Systems has an international reputation for offering high quality and innovative technologies to satisfy long-term sustainability requirements.

Founded in 1979, Gaston System has more than 500 installations worldwide and an international reputation for high quality and innovative technologies. Christopher Aurich, managing director of Gaston Systems, stated: “I have known and worked with Navis TubeTex for many years. Our systems are frequently integrated with Navis Tubetex finishing lines making this the right fit for future growth and global expansion. I am very excited by the possibilities as a member of the team.”

Gaston Systems continues to develop new dyeing and finishing technologies. Applications for indigo, reactive and other dyeing concepts have a measurable positive environmental impact.

Gaston Systems’ technology for indigo dyeing eliminates waste water at the end of the manufacturing process while driving down energy usage. According to one of the leading denim jean brands, the foam process requires 60-percent less energy and mitigates by the same percentage. Aurich added, “Navis TubeTex is the right company to take this technology to the next level”.

Will Motchar, president and CEO of Navis TubeTex, commented: “We are very excited to expand our product line with the addition of Gaston Systems precision technology in the application of chemicals to a wide variety of substrates. This acquisition brings together two industry leading companies with complimentary technologies in serving the global textile machinery marketplace. This strengthens the Navis Tubetex business offerings that keep our customers competitive, while continuing with our internal targets to minimize and reduce waste from our industry.”

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Navis TubeTex

New ONYX Drivers Available For Mimaki Printers And Cutters

SALT LAKE CITY — April 11, 2022 — Onyx Graphics Inc. — a provider of software solutions for the digital inkjet wide-format print industry — and Mimaki — a manufacturer offering high-quality digital printing systems — today announced the availability of new ONYX drivers compatible with Mimaki JV100 series, UJV100 series, JFX600 series, and CG-FX II series devices currently available in the United States and Canadian markets.

Over an extensive testing period, the two companies developed drivers that encompass roll-to-roll, flatbed, and cutter support for complete print-and-cut solutions. The new drivers are available now, and Mimaki will showcase them in its booth #3431 at the International Sign Expo in Atlanta in May.

Vernon Jones, senior manager of Marketing and Applications for Mimaki USA, appreciates Mimaki’s collaboration with Onyx Graphics: “We are driven to provide Mimaki customers with additional possibilities to suit their existing print environments.”

Kevin Murphy, president of Onyx Graphics, added: “These new ONYX drivers speak to our commitment to offering solutions to our mutual customer base.”

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Mimaki

Material Exchange Raises 25 Million Euros To Lead Sustainable Material Sourcing

STOCKHOLM —  April 12, 2022 — Today, Material Exchange announced it has raised 25 million euros in Series A funding. Material Exchange is a B2B SaaS-enabled marketplace for the apparel and footwear industry which is digitizing the material sourcing process and replacing the complex, fragmented relationships that exist between brands and suppliers — with the goal of driving sustainability and efficiency across the $2 trillion fashion supply chain.

This new investment will power the growth of Material Exchange’s product suite, which includes a marketplace for connecting brands with a curated network of suppliers; a Brand Material Management System for organizing materials and collaborating with stakeholders, and 3D scanning for creating accurate visuals.

Material Exchange is at the forefront of driving sustainable business practices for the fashion industry by bringing critical transparency and digital transformation to this very large market. The company plans to step up recruitment as it hires world-class talent across a range of specialties to help them meet this goal.

“With this round, we’re able to accelerate our mission of leading the global revolution to sustainable, transparent apparel and footwear material sourcing by aggregating fragmented data into one digital solution,” said Darren Glenister, Material Exchange’s CEO and founder. “We believe the shift will ultimately have the greatest impact for brands and suppliers as well as end-consumers.”

In an industry traditionally marked by complex, inefficient processes and high amounts of waste and pollution, Material Exchange offers an alternative which reduces waste, facilitates efficiency, and offers transparency in buying decisions. The platform already connects thousands of the world’s largest brands with material suppliers across the globe.

The round — led by world-class investor Molten Ventures along with the continued support of previous seed investors including Partech, Inventure, Norrsken, Lyra, and Day One Capital — comes at an exciting time for the business following a period of exceptional growth.

When the global pandemic hit in 2020, Material Exchange was approached by the largest global denim trade show, Kingpins, to develop a digital denim marketplace in place of the physical show. The success of this partnership spurred the company to more aggressively focus on building and scaling the marketplace. It also led to Material Exchange’s acquisition of the Olah textile agency — the largest denim sourcing agency in the world who operate the Kingpins Show, in October 2021. With the recent launch of its mobile app, Material Exchange is helping to further bridge the gap between digital and physical both on and off the trade show floor.

The latest member of the Material Exchange team — Lucienne™ — is an AI tool that automatically creates an infinite number of unique prints and patterns. This tool helps replace the inefficient and wasteful sampling process, allowing brands to become more sustainable as they assess their supplier choices based on economic and environmental factors as well as launches Material Exchange into the future of designing both physical and digital materials for the real and virtual Metaverse.

“With Material Exchange, we see a significant and largely untapped opportunity in digitizing the highly complex and offline fashion supply chain,” said Nicola McClafferty, partner at Molten Ventures. “The need for transparency and sustainability as well as ongoing supply chain disruptions are proving to be powerful forces for accelerating the structural trend of digitization of sourcing workflows for both brands and suppliers in the apparel industry.

“We have been impressed not only by the early successes with leading brands and suppliers, but also by the team’s approach to building and owning this category. Such an understanding of the intricacies and complexities of the fashion supply chain can only come from a team of industry veterans, and having gotten to know Darren and the team, we have developed real conviction that this is an opportunity, approach, and team to back.”

With a philosophy of providing the fashion industry with the right mix of human expertise and digital tools, Material Exchange will expedite the transformation of material sourcing and facilitate informed sourcing choices for improved efficiencies and a healthier planet.

Posted April 12, 2022

Soure: Material Exchange

Cone Denim First To Launch U.S. Grown Hemp With BastCore

GREENSBORO, N.C. — April 12, 2022 — Cone Denim® is proud to launch a new U.S. grown hemp denim collection in collaboration with expert hemp processing innovator, BastCore. As first-to-market, Cone is excited to expand its sustainable denim offerings and increase its support of the American agriculture industry, featuring denim made with Alabama hemp and U.S. cotton and dyed with natural indigo grown in Tennessee.

Cone Denim is honored to partner with BastCore, a team that aligns with Cone’s values and its commitment to innovation, quality, sustainability, and traceability. The pioneers at BastCore have created patent-pending technology and a proprietary process that produces clean, mechanically processed, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified and USDA bio-preferred hemp fiber out of its operation in Montgomery, Alabama.

Cone’s U.S. Hemp Collection includes a range of fabrics featuring classic 3×1 and comfort stretch to modern workwear constructions. The collection further expands upon Cone’s sustainability and traceability practices, driving the future of the industry. The proximity of the hemp, indigo, and cotton crops in the U.S. to the company’s mills in Mexico is also key in creating the smallest environmental impact and footprint possible.

“This is an exciting milestone for Cone Denim and the denim community,” said Cone Denim President Steve Maggard. “BastCore’s innovation of American hemp opens great opportunities to create sustainable denims made from U.S. sourced agriculture products located in close proximity to Cone’s manufacturing operations in Mexico.” Maggard continued, “U.S. farmers have world-class sustainable growing practices and produce quality products used in Cone’s denims including cotton, corn for sizing starch, natural plant-based indigo, and more recently, hemp. We are proud to support the American agriculture industry and work alongside like-minded partners who share our passion and commitment.”

Hemp offers many key benefits in creating the next level of sustainable denim.

  • More than 50% water savings occur, compared to cotton;
  • No chemicals, wet processing, pesticides, or herbicides are used;
  • Hemp grows in a variety of soils with excellent biodegradability, is antimicrobial, has high tensile strength, moisture regain content, and tenacity; and
  • Hemp and natural indigo crops have high rates of carbon sequestration, which ultimately benefits the environment and improves the soil’s health for other crops (climate positive).

“Cone’s prior work and commitment to sustainable innovations made a perfect fit with BastCore and our mission to bridge the gap between farmers growing hemp and industries demanding cost-competitive, sustainably produced raw materials,” said BastCore Managing Director Austin Bryant. “We are very excited for our work and the progress we’ve made in producing clean quality and consistent fibers for textiles. Developing new products is not easy and involves a number of challenges and obstacles. The expertise and passion of Cone’s product teams provided great collaboration in navigating through those challenges to bring the many advantages of hemp fibers to denim.”

Cone is excited to launch the U.S. Hemp Collection at the Kingpins Amsterdam Show April 20-21st, 2022.

We invite you to get a preview and hear directly from the innovators behind the collection including Cone Denim’s Allen Little, BastCore’s Austin Bryant, and Stony Creek Colors Sarah Bellos in Cone Denim’s newest video, An Origins Story: From the Ground Up, available on Cone’s YouTube page.

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Cone Denim

Americhem Announces New Business Division

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — April 12th, 2022 — Americhem — a designer and manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, functional additives, engineered compounds, and performance technologies — has announced their new business division: Americhem Healthcare. With more than 30 years of Healthcare application expertise and the tremendous segment growth in recent years, the business decision was made to create Americhem Healthcare.

Americhem Healthcare is focused on optimizing performance, innovating solutions, and earning trust in the Healthcare and Medical Device industry. It collaborates with its medical OEM customers on everything from biocompatibility testing and formulations to DMF and regulatory support to medical certification compliancy and locked formulations. Americhem Healthcare will support its customers every step of the process by providing global expertise in material selection, medical device product development support, and cross collaboration between teams.

Americhem Healthcare’s Global Commercial Director Bill Feldman stated, “Our medical-focused application developers and sales teams across NAFTA, Europe, and Asia are able to do rapid development projects and small lot capacities as well as support our customers’ global regulatory demands and provide niche healthcare expertise. Americhem Healthcare has proven its commitment to the Healthcare industry not only through our 30 years of experience, but also by dedicating a clean compounding facility and a plant expansion to our Morrisville, PA manufacturing facility. We also have plants that are ISO 13485 certified.”

Posted April 12, 2022

Source: Americhem

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