Rieter Success Stories: “The R 37 is our best choice”

Jingzhi Wang, corporate representative of Luannan Deshun Spinning Mill

TW Special Report

Luannan Deshun Spinning Mill produces Ne 10 recycled cotton soft knitting yarn on semi-automated rotor spinning machines. Located in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China, the company sells its highly appreciated yarns mainly to customers in Foshan City, Guangdong province and other local areas. The company needed to expand the existing mill set-up of about five to six tons a day to meet the huge demand for recycled cotton yarns. Therefore, Deshun was looking for an efficient rotor spinning machine that could handle the challenges of recycled raw materials and keep up with the market’s fast pace.

The Challenge

The processing of recycled cotton tends to cause higher numbers of ends down. The unstable quality resulting from the material and the opening can cause problems in the downstream processes. The challenge is to get the maximum yield from the given material with the optimum settings and technology. Spinning mills using recycled cotton as a raw material need to find the optimum balance between high production, good yarn quality, high raw material yield and low operating costs.

High yarn quality at delivery speed

The Solution 

Based on the raw material data and the existing fiber preparation it was obvious, that the Rieter semi-automated rotor spinning machine R 37 would be the best solution. The spinning box of this machine offers decisive advantages in processing recycled cotton thanks to a higher level of trash extraction. Short fibers are guided well in the feeding and opening areas and most trash, neps and yarn ends which are not fully opened are removed. More good fibers are kept in the spinning process than with other machines. This guarantees better evenness and IPI values which results in lower ends down rates and in economic production. The low energy consumption of the R 37 further reduces the customer’s operating costs.

The Customer’s Benefits

The R 37 produces Ne 10 recycled soft knitting yarn with a delivery speed of 142 m/min. The overall efficiency of the machine is as high as 98 to 99 percent with fewer ends down and stable yarn quality. Deshun reports that the R 37 is more energy efficient and easier to operate compared to its former machines. There is no need to use tools when maintaining the spinning box. The rotor bearings can be lubricated without disassembly. Better fiber utilization and low energy costs increase the benefit. The company is proud of its effective mill management and good cost control. With the R 37 installation, Deshun achieved its goal of zero complaints from downstream customers. Even better,  customers now pay a quality bonus.

January 27, 2022

Textile Activity At A Glance: January 2022

January 2022

Demand Strong, Labor Spotty

By Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

Yarn demand remains strong across the board, with many spinners, depending upon labor availability, operating at or near capacity.

“The biggest problem remains available human resources,” said one executive. “Even before COVID, many plants were struggling to fill positions. Essentially, it’s been one thing after another, from shutdowns, to enhanced unemployment benefits, to, now, the highly contagious Omicron variant of the disease, which is causing a lot of absenteeism.”

The good news, according to scientists and medical experts, is that the new variant, while more contagious, generally produces less severe symptoms. Also, countries, such as South Africa, that first reported a meteoric rise in Omicron, are now reporting the variant is subsiding just as quickly.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, governmental leaders, scientists, health officials and companies have worked diligently to ensure that, should such a situation develop in the future, nations will not be caught short-handed in their ability to protect their citizens. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, protective medical gear is such short supply that even critical first-line healthcare workers were not adequately protected.

Medical Textiles Production To Increase

NCTO worked with the U.S. government to ensure the future onshoring of personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturing. Now, it seems, the rest of the world is on board in increasing overall medical textiles production. According to a new study by market research company Technavio, the medical textiles industry is expected to increase by $3.36 billion from 2020 to 2025. That accounts for a compound annual growth rate of more than 5 percent.

As the study indicates, medical textiles include PPE and a wide range of other products. Nonwoven medical textiles are utilized in items such as absorbent pads, incontinence products, and patient and staff attire. Baby diapers, bed linen, blankets burn dressings, gowns, disposable underwear, dressings, medicine delivery devices, face masks, filter media, nasal strips, pillows, shoe covers, sponges, sutures, tissue scaffolds, towels, wraps, and other products include these substances.

Natural and synthetic fibers are employed in the production of nonwoven medical textiles. Wood-pulp, cotton, and rayon are examples of natural fibers used in non-woven medical textiles. Wood pulp is used because of its obvious absorbency, mass, and low cost, whereas cotton and rayon are soft enough to be used on wounds directly.

Taking Care Of The Environment And People

Last month, it was reported that, Unifi Inc. — among the textile industry’s leading innovators in recycling and sustainability — has now transformed more than 30 billion post-consumer plastic bottles into its REPREVE® brand recycled performance fibers that are used by hundreds of the world’s leading brands. In addition to Unifi, a number of other companies are undertaking far-reaching sustainability initiatives. For example, Elevate Textiles, a global provider of advanced, high-quality products and mission critical textile solutions, recently became the first global textile manufacturer to receive validation of its Science Based Target (SBTi) goals related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the highest recommended levels.

As part of its commitment, Elevate recently increased its original greenhouse gas emission reduction target from 2.5 percent to 4.2 percent per year across its portfolio brands of American & Efird (A&E), Burlington, Cone Denim, Gütermann and Safety Components.

Not only are companies in the industry investing in maintain a cleaner, sustainable environment, but they are also working to help better their communities in other ways. Standard Textile Co. Inc., which serves the healthcare and hospitality textile markets, announced on January 18 a national program to combat homelessness. Through partnership with non-profit organizations across the United States that provide mobile shower services to people dealing with homelessness or insufficient housing, the company met its goal of supporting 80,000 showers by the end of 2021.

“On any given day, more than a half million Americans experiencing homelessness may not have regular access to basic essentials many of us take for granted, including a shower or a soft towel. A shower can do so much more than offer personal hygiene; it can restore dignity, something everyone deserves,” said Gary Heiman, Standard Textile’s President and CEO.

Fiber Industries Expands

Fiber Industries in mid-January announced plans to expand operations in Darlington County, S.C. The company’s more than $30 million investment will create 50-plus new jobs.

A full-service manufacturer, Fiber Industries produces polyester staple fiber for high-end performance fabrics, workwear, knit goods, the automotive industry and more.

Currently employing more than 300 people, Fiber Industries’ expansion includes increased capacity through the restoration and modernization of production lines. The company will also use the additional investment to install state-of-the-art control systems and increase warehouse space.

The expansion project is expected to be completed in early 2023.

“We are excited about the continuing growth of our facility which is now even better positioned to serve the needs of the American textile industry,” said Fiber Industries CEO Don Bockoven. “We also are proud to be part of the wider effort to reshore jobs and bring textile manufacturing back to the USA. We thank the state of South Carolina as well as Darlington County for their unwavering support.”

January 2022

Rich Gojdics To Lead National Safety Apparel’s Industrial Sales Team

Rich Gojdics

CLEVELAND, Ohio — January 17, 2022 — Rich Gojdics has been named senior vice president of Industrial Sales at National Safety Apparel (NSA). Rich joined NSA through the recent acquisition of Enespro LLC where he held the position of vice president, Business Development.

In his 27 years in the protective apparel industry, Gojdics has successfully led industrial sales teams in protective fabrics and finished PPE. These teams consistently delivered impressive results and significant returns for established companies and new ventures. He also partnered with hundreds of end users to enhance their education of industry standards and help them write PPE specifications.

In his new role as senior vice president of Industrial Sales at NSA, Gojdics will be responsible for developing NSA’s sales strategy, organizational structure, sales budgets and for leading NSA’s industrial sales team.

NSA CEO and Owner Chuck Grossman, shared: “Rich’s extensive experience in the protective apparel market brings a seasoned, skilled leader to lead NSA. I am confident that his proven sales results and long-term relationships in the industry will drive organic sales for National Safety Apparel.”

Mike Enright, newly-named NSA President and former Enespro president & CEO, echoes Chuck’s sentiments about Gojdics: “I’ve worked with Rich for more than 20 years, and his commitment to continuous improvement, and to helping the people he leads become successful, has shown in the profitable results he has delivered. He has also brought a tremendous amount of value to the entire PPE marketplace over the years.”

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: National Safety Apparel

Apparel Impact Institute Welcomes Senior Director Of Programs Tamara Wulf

Tamara Wulf

SAN FRANCISCO — January 20, 2022 — Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), an organization for driving scalable solutions for the apparel and footwear industry, welcomed Tamara Wulf as senior director of programs, effective January 16, 2022.

At Aii, Wulf will oversee deployment of initiatives that deliver impact reductions from apparel and footwear production. In particular, she will lead development of Aii’s chemicals management and wastewater treatment programs. Based in Germany, Wulf will be Aii’s European representative for programs and stakeholder engagement.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tamara to the Aii team,” said Kurt Kipka, Aii vice president. “Her experience creating and managing global programs will instantly add to our capacity to deliver impact projects for the industry. Our partners will benefit greatly from the passion and leadership she brings in identifying solutions for highly complex challenges.”

Wulf comes to Aii with more than 15 years of experience in the sporting goods, fast fashion and consultancy industries. Her career has been dedicated to sustainability with particular emphasis on the areas of human rights issues in value chains and environmental impact reduction in the fashion industry, along with a strong focus on sustainable chemical management and zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.

Previously senior project officer at Sustainable Textile Solutions by BluWin Ltd., Wulf was responsible for driving growth by identifying and entering new business segments to position BluWin as the leading integrated service provider for environmental footprint reduction from textile, apparel, leather and footwear production. Prior to that, she was director DACH at Made-By and senior manager at Zalando SE. She began her career with nearly a decade at Adidas Group.

“There is scientific proof that the climate crisis is manmade with an apparel industry that has a tremendous opportunity to respond,” said Wulf. “Having worked with hundreds of factories, dozens of brands and consultants globally, I have noticed that it requires programs that are measurable and scalable, subject matter expertise, willingness to change and collaboration to scale positive impact.

“It excites me that the Apparel Impact Institute in their approach mirrors my personal experience. On a personal and professional level, there is no better time to dedicate my know-how, time and passion towards accelerating collective action and achieving measurable positive impact. I have kids, and it is important for me to help protect our planet for the future generations. At the same time, I see many industry peers ready to step up to play their part in making the apparel industry more sustainable. I am very excited to contribute to an ecosystem which drives measurable environmental impact reduction.”

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Apparel Impact Institute

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Closes Additional Funding Agreement

ANN ARBOR, Mich. —  Jan. 20, 2022 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. (Kraig Labs), the biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announces the completion of an additional $3 million funding agreement with Yorkville Advisors. These additional funds, together with those from the previously announced transactions, account for an $8 million total Yorkville investment into Kraig Labs.

As a result of this successful capitalization program, the company has elected not to renew the previously anticipated reverse stock split. The company is focused on advancing the commercialization of spider silk. Kraig Labs will increase its capital deployment into key priorities, including commercialization, advanced research and development, and expansion at the Prodigy Textiles factory.

“This funding allows us to advance our strategic plans and transform our resources into more robust operations. We will immediately invest these capital expenditures to accelerate commercialization at Prodigy Textiles production facilities,” stated company COO, Jon Rice.

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Kraig Biocraft

Sateri Completes Higg Facility Social and Labor Module Assessment For Responsible Manufacturing

SHANGHAI, China — January 24,  2022 — All of Sateri’s five viscose mills in China have undergone independent evaluation of their social and labour practices, having completed the Higg Facility Social and Labour Module (FSLM) audit and achieved a consistent high score of above 80%.

A member of the RGE group of companies, Sateri is also one of the world’s first viscose producers to have completed the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) assessment, with the similar verified high score of over 80% for all its viscose mills.

Developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a global, multi-stakeholder non-profit alliance for the fashion industry, the Higg Index is a suite of tools that enables brands, retailers and facilities of all sizes to accurately measure and score a company or product’s sustainability performance.

The FSLM tool of the Higg Index holistically assesses working conditions of the mills, including fair wages and compensation, health & safety, respectful treatment of employees etc; while the FEM tool focuses more on environmental performance, including energy consumption, greenhouse gas missions, water use, chemical and waste management.

Allen Zhang, president of Sateri, said: “In light of increasing scrutiny on working conditions in the textile industry, the FSLM tool enables us to identify gaps and opportunities to improve on social and labour practices. Our high score of over 80 percent is an affirmation of our ongoing efforts to uphold workers’ welfare and create a conducive work environment, especially during these difficult times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Sateri

Asahi Kasei To Produce Acrylonitrile Using Biomass-Derived Raw Material; Subsidiary Tongsuh Petrochemical Becomes First Acrylonitrile Manufacturer In Asia To Acquire ISCC PLUS Certification

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — January 25, 2022 — Asahi Kasei has announced that on October 21, 2021, Tong-suh Petrochemical Corp. Ltd. (TSPC), a wholly owned subsidiary in South Korea, acquired the widely recognized international certification ISCC PLUS for its acrylonitrile (AN) as a sustainable product, and production of AN using biomass propylene is scheduled to begin in February 2022.

AN is used as a raw material to make ABS resin, acrylamide, acrylic fiber, and various other chemical products. Recent demand growth has been particularly robust in the applications of carbon fiber as a material to reduce the weight of wind turbine blades, etc., and nitrile rubber for medical gloves whose use is expanding due to heightened awareness for hygiene.

Propylene is one of the most important chemical intermediates in organic chemistry. It is generated during the thermal cracking of hydrocarbons and can be produced also by bioethanol from biomass fermentation processes. Biomass means plant or animal materials that can be used to produce bio-energy. These are usually wastes from agriculture, private households, industry or forestry. Food crops such as rapeseed, corn, wheat, sugar beet or sunflowers are also used as raw materials.

ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) is an international certification system that offers solutions for the implementation and certification of waste and residue raw materials, non-bio renewables and recycled carbon materials and fuels. ISCC PLUS is a certification system that covers mainly bio-based carbon materials which are produced outside the EU and supplied globally, and to manage and ensure sustainable raw materials in the supply chain.

In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions throughout the product chain of fossil fuel-derivatives are gaining momentum, and AN customers are increasingly seeking to manufacture products using AN with low carbon dioxide emissions in order to contribute to GHG reduction. Under these circumstances, Asahi Kasei and TSPC sought to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across the AN supply chain, and in October 2021, TSPC became the first AN manufacturer in Asia to acquire ISCC PLUS certification.

The certification system enables TSPC to produce and sell AN using biomass raw material allocated by the mass-balance method. TSPC is scheduled to begin producing AN using biomass propylene in February 2022. In the case of a mixture of biomass raw materials, etc., and fossil fuel-derived raw materials in the production process, the portion of biomass product, etc., produced is assigned to certain products (biomass AN) based on ISCC PLUS System Documents and its recognized management methods.

In order to contribute to society’s carbon neutrality, the Asahi Kasei Group will continue efforts to further reduce CO2 emissions by improving the AN catalysts and processes based on original technologies as well as the procurement of biomass raw material, aiming to be a global sustainable partner for its customers.

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH

Yamazaki Home Launches Brand New Website Redesign

NEW YORK CITY — January 25, 2022 — On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, Yamazaki Home launched a brand new, redesigned website. The new site elevates the user shopping experience. The refresh places particular emphasis on Yamazaki Home’s various collections, the breadth of its product assortment, customer reviews, and a blog, Yamazaki Stories, which has also been revamped and redesigned.

Shigeru Yamazaki, CEO of Yamazaki Home, commented: “This was an exciting and rewarding experience for our company, and we’re thrilled to announce the roll-out of our new website. We wanted our site to match the aesthetic of our products while also making our catalog of over 500 products easy to search and discover.”

Executive Vice President Takuya Sekiguchi elaborated on the vision of the project, stating: “We aspire to be the best housewares brand in the world. We set out to design a website that would be loved by all. Our new homepage really conveys the Yamazaki ethos to our customers, evoking warmth and friendliness.”

When asked about his favorite upgrade to the website, Sekiguchi responded: “One thing I’m especially excited about is our blog, Yamazaki Stories. It has grown over the past year and offers a new way to engage with our customers while also introducing the brand to a wider audience who may be unfamiliar with us.”

The new website features a modern, sophisticated design with improved functionality for the user shopping experience, such as a redesigned menu and an increased variety of ways to shop collections and categories. Shoppers can also parse through reviews, browse the newly rebuilt blog, and take product quizzes.

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Yamazaki

Mannington Commercial Introduces New Director Of Sustainability

Shane Totten

CALHOUN, Ga. — January 24, 2022 — Mannington Commercial announces the hire of Shane Totten to the newly created role of director of sustainability.

Totten will work with industry partners on sustainability initiatives, product research and design, and sales and marketing by facilitating transformative thinking to shape the built environment and its impact on people and planet. In his new role Totten will report directly to Tom Pendley, president of Mannington Commercial.

Totten is a leader in the field of regenerative systems, focusing on developing and implementing outcomes that promote people, planet, and profit. He has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges businesses face as they strive to minimize adverse impacts within a changing climate. He joins Mannington after more than a decade of sustainability policy, research, and education leadership in both the private and public sectors. He is a licensed architect and member of the American Institute of Architects.

“I’m excited to add this type of talent to focus specifically on our commercial business,” said Pendley. “Shane brings more than 30 years of experience in sustainable design, urban planning, and architecture promoting regenerative principles throughout the design industry. We are thrilled to welcome him to Mannington Commercial, where his expertise and advocacy will align with our core values of Care and Do the Right Things.”

For more than 30 years, Mannington has been working to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities it serves. The company offers a range of unique programs and benefits to help customers achieve their sustainability goals. Mannington is an active and supporting member of the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), dedicated to the recycling and resume of post-consumer carpet. The company is one of the 50 original Save Energy Now Leaders, now called Better Plants, working in conjunction with the Department of Energy.

Posted January 25, 2022

Source: Mannington

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