ALEXANDRIA, Va. — May 13, 2025 — TRSA is accepting applications for its 2025 scholarship program, providing financial support to individuals pursuing higher education or professional development in the linen, uniform and facility services industry. The application deadline is May 31.
Funded by TRSA’s charitable foundation, the Textile Rental Education and Research Trust (TRERT), the program offers two scholarship opportunities to support academic advancement and career growth:
Merit-Based College/Technical Institution Scholarship – A $2,500 award available to full-time employees of TRSA member companies and their children or grandchildren. It supports tuition at accredited colleges, universities or technical schools.
TRSA Institutes Scholarship – Covers Year 1 tuition for employees of TRSA member companies in one of the following programs, taking place August 10–14, 2025, in Hyattsville, Maryland:
Production Management Institute (PMI)
Executive Management Institute (EMI)
The TRERT Foundation is dedicated to advancing industry education, research and professional development. It has helped fund nearly 30 internships and awarded more than 10 scholarships to employees of TRSA operator and supplier partner member companies and their families.
For more information or to apply by the May 31 deadline, visit: www.trsa.org/about-trsa/scholarships
Posted: May 14, 2025
Source: Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA)
GRAZ, Austria — May 14, 2025 — International technology group ANDRITZ has supplied and commissioned a reXline tearing system for Pacific Jeans in Chattogram, Bangladesh. This system marks a significant step forward in the recycling of post-industrial textile waste for sustainable clothing production.
Pacific Jeans and ANDRITZ teams with the newly installed tearing line. Photo – ANDRITZ
The ANDRITZ tearing line enables Pacific Jeans to recycle waste generated during the cutting process of jeans production. With a capacity of up to 800 kg of fiber per hour, the line gives a second life to large volumes of manufacturing waste, allowing the company to supply the spinning industry with high-quality sustainable fibers. The yarn produced from these fibers is used by Pacific Jeans to manufacture new jeans, fostering circularity in its production process.
Compared to virgin cotton, the use of recycled fibers significantly reduces the carbon footprint and lowers costs in clothing production.
“It has been a pleasure to work with ANDRITZ on this reXline installation, which helps us to build our responsible supply chain,” said Syed M. Tanvir, managing director of Pacific Jeans. “Bangladesh’s dynamic clothing industry has great potential for post-industrial waste recycling. By transforming our cutting waste and reusing this recycled fiber in fabric production, we aim to close the loop and move the fashion industry towards a greener future.”
Founded in Bangladesh in 1984, Pacific Jeans Group is a global leader in the production of sustainable premium jeans. The group is committed to driving positive change through innovation, circularity, and sustainability to achieve net-zero climate impact.
PORTLAND, Maine — May 14, 2025 — Cycling shorts are the foundation of every ride. They support your body, regulate temperature, and protect your most sensitive areas. Pinebury spent years developing this new bib with the most advanced merino wool technology available: Nuyarn® performance wool.
These are the first cycling bib shorts ever made with Nuyarn® merino wool, featuring a proprietary fabric developed exclusively for Pinebury. Compared to traditional wool, Nuyarn offers greater durability, superior stretch and recovery, and dries up to five times faster—all without sacrificing the natural comfort and breathability that makes merino ideal for endurance riding.
Thoughtfully constructed for long hours in the saddle, these bibs feature a supportive, ride-tested fit and a multi-density, high-performance chamois pad designed for lasting comfort. Two side cargo pockets and a rear pocket offer secure storage for long days or minimalist setups. A 2-inch elastic ‘Power Grip’ is integrated into the inside hem of the leg openings to keep the shorts securely in place without restricting movement.
Made in the USA in small batches, with a focus on quality, performance, and detail. Pushing boundaries in performance and material innovation—without compromising on purpose or integrity.
Crafted from natural, renewable, and biodegradable RWS Certified Nuyarn® merino wool—a performance fabric rooted in responsibility.
Technical Features
Made from proprietary Nuyarn® merino wool, developed exclusively for Pinebury
Greater durability, faster drying, and superior stretch vs. traditional wool
Multi-density, 6+ hour high-performance chamois pad made in Italy
Supportive, ride-tested fit for endurance riding
Two side cargo pockets + one rear pocket for storage
2” internal elastic “Power Grip” leg grippers for a secure, non-restrictive fit
RWS Certified merino wool: renewable, biodegradable, and responsibly sourced
MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — May 14, 2025 — It’s no accident, for example, that the advanced denims which have dominated the show’s Most Sustainable Product (MSP) displays over the past four years are from mills employing resource-efficient Monforts technologies including MONTEX stenters, MONFORTEX Shrinking ranges, ECO LINE denim finishing systems and THERMEX dyeing ranges.
Monforts Head of Denim Hans Wroblowski
“Monforts MONTEX stenters are the industry standard in denim finishing and many of the over 900 Monforts THERMEX dyeing systems operational in the main textile producing countries are also devoted to this sector,” said Monforts Head of Denim Hans Wroblowski. “New performance and lifestyle denims are achieving success on the market by exploiting multifunctional spray coating and thermo-stretch and skew technologies on our ranges for more efficient production and significant increases in energy savings.”
While the Kingpins MSP is not a competition, these fabrics are singled out both for their thoughtful and eco-conscious construction and ease of converting into fully-fashioned denim jeans.
Eight of the ten fabrics in the 2025 MSP showcase were manufactured by the Monforts companies Arvind (India), Diamond Corduroy (Pakistan), Isko (Turkey), Naveena Denim (NDL), Orta (Turkey), Saitex (Vietnam), Soorty (Pakistan) and Textil Santanderina (Spain).
Bowie Klassens design in the House of Denim’s ‘Stretch Yourself’ exhibition.
Stretch Yourself
Seven of the world’s most progressive denim mills — all of them Monforts customers — also provided the advanced denim fabrics for a design exploration project by 30 fashion students at the House of Denim Foundation’s Jean School in Amsterdam — the first and only denim educational institution in the world — in cooperation with The Lycra Company.
This project resulted in the ‘Stretch Yourself’ exhibition at Kingpins 2025, with fabrics supplied by Turkish companies Bossa, Calik and Orta, Naveena and Soorty from Pakistan, DNM Denim in Egypt and China’s Advance Denim.
“What excited me about this project was that we started with an educational segment on sustainability and innovation involving all the mills and kept it open for the students to design whatever they felt like,” said Mariette Hoitink, co-founder of the House of Denim. “The mills provided the students with super special fabrics and the students worked day and night to come up with the final results and took a totally unexpected take on stretch denim.”
Lenzing’s Application Innovation 25 Collection.
Cellulosics
Cotton remains king in denim production, but Lenzing’s Tencel and Ecovero cellulosic fibers are increasingly finding favor in denims for providing soft hand feel fabrics.
In Amsterdam, Lenzing Hong Kong showcased its Application Innovation Collection 25 developed with mill partners including a variety of sustainable new styles from Monforts customers including Advance Denim, Naveena, Soorty, TCE Jeans (Vietnam) and US Denim Mills (Pakistan).
“Our team continues to communicate with the industry — from supply chain partners to brands and designers — to exchange marketing information and participate in trend developments,” said Dennis Hui, business development manager at Lenzing Hong Kong. “This latest collection is based on meeting demand from global brands with a variety of outfits with different wash effects.”
Sensitive fibers
Monforts ECO LINE range concepts for denim enable the processing of high-quality and reproducible fabrics which are stretched and skewed far more gently than with conventional range combinations, which is advantageous in processing more sensitive fibers.
The ‘double rubber’ version of a Monforts Denim ranges comprises two compressive shrinkage units and two felt calenders in line, for super elastic and bi-elastic materials. Additionally, the combined drying, stretching and skewing functions for denim fabric are possible with the ThermoStretch unit, which can also include a Monforts EcoApplicator unit for the minimum application of necessary finishing chemicals.
Denim in production on an integrated Monforts range.
Econtrol®
Monforts denim customers are also reaping the benefits of the Econtrol®* and Econtrol®* TC-A continuous process for the dyeing of woven cotton, cotton/synthetics and cellulosic like Tencel fabrics in which reactive and other dyestuffs are fixed into the fabric in a one-step dyeing and drying operation with a controlled combination of steam and air.
The entire pad-dry process takes just two-to-three minutes at a temperature of between 120-130°C and a relative humidity volume of 25-30 percent.
“Many of our denim customers are now using their existing Monforts technologies within integrated finishing mills to develop new in-house processes and further improve their ecological performance,” Wroblowski observed. “We continue to work closely with them on a variety of interesting new projects that eventually result in many of the forward looking denim jean styles that are to be found at successive Kingpins shows around the world.”
* Econtrol® is a registered mark of DyStar Colours Distribution GmbH, Germany.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — May 14, 2025 — Lululemon — global performance apparel, footwear, and accessories company — has publicly committed to achieving a 50 percent renewable electricity target across its core suppliers by 2030. The commitment is being applauded by Stand.earth because it represents an important step in Lululemon’s work to demonstrate a pathway toward delivering on its Net Zero goal. Stand.earth will monitor progress and urges Lululemon to continually prioritize rapid implementation and strong climate ambition.
This development follows Stand.earth’s multi-year campaign urging the apparel maker to transition its supply chain away from fossil fuels and toward clean, renewable energy sources. Stand.earth is excited to see this milestone, and looks forward to seeing more detail about Lululemon’s energy transition strategy in future climate transition plan disclosures and progress reporting.
Lululemon’s steady action and the 50 percent renewable electricity target represent meaningful progress. Stand.earth emphasizes that implementation and accountability determine the true climate impact of this commitment. Stand.earth applauds Lululemon for signaling a prioritization toward high-impact renewable electricity solutions that lead to tangible climate benefits. Its intent to minimize the use of lower-impact Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) where possible demonstrates a commitment to meaningful climate action. In turn, this prioritization needs to be realized into action with clear policies and investment to support suppliers to make the transition.
“Setting a 2030 renewable electricity target is a meaningful step forward on a long road, and we believe Lululemon has what it takes to go the distance,“ said Todd Paglia, executive director at Stand.earth. “This announcement reflects years of dedicated effort from community members, advocates, and consumers who want to see real climate progress from their favorite athleisure brand. Following steady signs of progress by Lululemon, Stand.earth is ending its public campaign, will monitor progress and transition to working with the company and other brands on implementing new and existing commitments.”
Lululemon’s renewable electricity target aligns with growing consumer demand for climate accountability from global fashion brands. While pleased to see this commitment, Stand.earth also notes that the overall energy mix is more than just electricity. Heat-based processes like dyeing — which are not included in this specific sub-target — represent the majority of manufacturing emissions, and while the company has a commitment to eliminate on-site coal by 2030 and demonstrates steps to support action from its suppliers, it must increase its transparency when it comes to phasing out coal, and prioritize transitioning its thermal processes to renewable energy.
“Lululemon has the power to deliver an effective, thoughtful, and lasting energy transition across its global supply chains by meeting this commitment with long-lasting investment and support for its suppliers,” said Rachel Kitchin, senior corporate Climate Campaigner at Stand.earth. “We have seen pragmatic action from Lululemon, and the true impact of this commitment will depend on whether Lululemon continues this pace, and ensures that this shift is scaled throughout its supply chain operations, including fully phasing out on-site coal. Moments like this make us hopeful, and we’ll continue to expect ambitious and actionable climate solutions from every major fashion brand, including Lululemon, to ensure this progress scales and accelerates.”
Lululemon’s actions and this new commitment set a strong pace for the company and builds on its ongoing work, which includes key partnerships and investments, such as the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) Clean Energy Procurement Academy, Asia Clean Energy Coalition (ACEC) and material innovators like Geno, Samsara Eco and ZymoChem.
Fashion remains one of the world’s most polluting industries, responsible for at least 4% of all climate pollution. Emissions for the sector are forecasted to increase, but actions like those committed to by Lululemon today can and must reverse this trend. With many major brands pursuing renewable energy and transitioning towards sustainability in their supply chains, Lululemon’s new target will be a major momentum-builder toward shifting the sector, making it increasingly difficult for the laggards to ignore their responsibilities. Stand.earth’s upcoming 2025 Fossil-Free Fashion Scorecard will provide a detailed analysis of industry-wide progress, building on its foundation of evaluating brands’ energy use, circularity, materials sourcing, and shipping transparency.
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. — May 14, 2025 — Cybertrol Engineering, an provider of plantwide automation systems and information solutions, today announced the relocation of its headquarters from Plymouth to Maple Grove, Minnesota. The modern office is centrally located for employees and local clients, supporting Cybertrol’s commitment to service excellence. In addition to its new headquarters, Cybertrol Engineering maintains offices in Madison and Marshfield, Wisconsin.
Opening on May 22, 2025, the headquarters at 6550 Wedgwood Road N, Ste. 300, Maple Grove, MN 55311, becomes the new home of Cybertrol’s former Plymouth operations. The facility features a UL508A/698A certified panel shop, along with dedicated spaces for team collaboration, client meetings, training classes, and materials storage. The Maple Grove office, led by President Jeff Reust, specializes in designing, implementing, and maintaining advanced control systems that optimize efficiency, enhance productivity, and ensure the seamless operation of industrial processes.
“Our strategic relocation to a more aesthetically refined and appropriately scaled office supports our primarily hybrid work model,” Reust said. “This enhanced space was created to optimize engagement and foster collaboration during key in-office days.”
“I am excited about our move from Plymouth to Maple Grove,” said Cybertrol Engineering Executive Vice President Tim Barthel. “After recently streamlining our processes and operating systems, the Maple Grove space offers us a fresh start after being in the same building since the late 1990s. It has an open layout with plenty of collaborative spaces, making it easier for our team to stay connected and it is convenient for both our employees and existing clients.”
The move to a more modern headquarters reflects Cybertrol Engineering’s continued growth and commitment to delivering advanced automation and information solutions. The new space also embodies the company’s Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)-driven focus on maintaining a multi-disciplined staff and a unified, purpose-driven culture.
Cybertrol Engineering continues to serve chemical, food and beverage, and life sciences industries, with a growing emphasis on pharmaceutical and biotech applications that align closely with the company’s long-standing expertise in sanitary process control. The company recently launched BatchWorks™, a proprietary MES software for enhanced batch control and recipe management. Additionally, Cybertrol delivers a closed-loop manufacturing system by integrating its BatchWorks and PalletWorks® software solutions with PLEX MES by Rockwell Automation providing greater efficiency, traceability, and quality management for sanitary process control environments.
Cybertrol Engineering offers comprehensive services in plantwide control and information systems that help clients maximize operational efficiency, quality, and insight. As a Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork™ Gold System Integrator, Cybertrol delivers proven automation and information solutions across a range of industries.
WASHINGTON — May 14, 2025 — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) applauds Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and the House Ways and Means Committee for advancing tax provisions that support U.S. manufacturing, drive innovation, and promote long-term certainty and job creation.
“We appreciate Chairman Smith’s commitment to strengthening the manufacturing sector and advancing key provision that helps businesses reinvest, expand, and create jobs here in the United States,” said Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of PLASTICS. “America continues to lead the world in manufacturing excellence, and reinforcing that leadership through pro-growth tax policy is essential to sustaining long-term innovation and competitiveness.”
“The plastics industry plays a foundational role in the U.S. economy, supporting more than one million jobs and contributing over $548 billion annually. Pro-growth tax policies provide the certainty our companies need to drive further progress — whether through packaging innovations, investments in advanced recycling, or expanded domestic manufacturing. These provisions are vital to accelerating our industry’s impact and leadership,” concluded Seaholm.
The legislation includes several top priorities for the plastics industry and the broader manufacturing economy:
Restores full and immediate expensing for R&D—allowing companies to accelerate product development, improve sustainability, and remain competitive.
Extends 100% bonus depreciation for capital equipment purchases—supporting modernization of manufacturing lines, including high-efficiency and precision machinery.
Preserves the globally competitive 21% corporate tax rate—essential for attracting investment and maintaining U.S. manufacturing leadership.
Enhances the Section 199A pass-through deduction—providing meaningful tax relief to the small and medium-sized manufacturers that make up the bulk of the U.S. manufacturing industry.
Protects interest deductibility rules—ensuring continued access to capital for plant upgrades and facility expansions.
PLASTICS urges Congress to build on this progress and move swiftly to enact measures that deliver certainty, reward investment, and protect American manufacturing jobs. PLASTICS looks forward to continued engagement with lawmakers to advance pro-growth policies that strengthens American manufacturing.
Posted: May 14, 2025
Source: The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS)
TRENTO, Italy — May 13, 2025 — The New School’s Parsons School of Design, the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Aquafil have launched a textile exhibition called “Passage Patterns”, which interprets displacement and migration data through textile design. The Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) of the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, challenged Parsons MFA Textiles students to translate data from DTM’s displacement and migration reports that included histograms, graphs and pie charts, into textiles.
The IOM is part of the United Nations System as the leading intergovernmental organization promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. DTM is IOM’s primary data collection programme, gathering and analyzing data on the mobility, vulnerabilities, and needs of displaced and migrant populations in over 100 countries to inform context-specific assistance. These innovative textiles made with Aquafil’s ECONYL® regenerated nylon visualize DTM’s data of displacement and migration patterns from different parts of the world.
“In an era where global migration shapes our world’s social fabric, this collaboration stands at the intersection of sustainable design and humanitarian care,” said Preeti Gopinath, associate professor of Textiles at Parsons School of Design. “At Parsons, valuing humanity and the environment through conscious making and innovation, we harness the power of textiles to raise awareness and transform art, industry and society.”
The textiles will be featured at various shows throughout the year to engage audiences in dialogue around migration issues and trends. The first show is in New York at Parsons in May, then the show continues to Chicago where pieces will be featured at Aquafil’s showrooms at both NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days in June. Finally, the collection heads to the United Nations offices in London and Geneva to reach European stakeholders.
“We are excited to see designers from the Parsons MFA Textiles program bring these displacement and migration stories and data to life,” said Laura Nistri, DTM Global coordinator from the Displacement Tracking Matrix. “Throughout history people have migrated in search of better lives. Addressing displacement is central to confronting today’s global challenges — from conflict and crisis to natural hazards. Safe, dignified migration and mobility are essential parts of the solution. These textile works powerfully capture the human impact of displacement, making it tangible in a way we were proud to showcase.”
Examples of displacement and migration data featured in this textiles exhibition include:
2,317,254 people temporarily displaced across 11 districts of Sindh province in 2022 after heavy monsoon rains caused widespread flooring and landslides across Pakistan;
55,290 individuals displaced across central and southern Iraq due to climate change and environmental degradation; and
57,562 migrants apprehended by the Turkish Coast Guard while attempting to cross the sea to reach the European Union.
“Our team is excited to continue our partnership with Parsons School of Design and the MFA Textiles program for the fourth year in a row to create textiles that are not only sustainable, but create a shared human experience and understanding of one of the most pressing issues of our time–migration,” said Maria Giovanna Sandrini, chief communication officer for Aquafil Group. “We truly value the work that the UN IOM and Parsons are doing to raise awareness about these critical social issues, and that they chose to create these pieces with sustainability in mind.”
ASPEN, Colo. — May 13, 2025 — Known for their forward-thinking and technical mountain apparel, Strafe Outerwear has just announced the launch of their first down piece — the Palisade Down Insulator.
Created in partnership with industry leaders Pertex, NetPlus, and ALLIED Feather + Down, and staying true to their commitment to sustainability and performance, Strafe continually pushes the limits of design and development. The Palisade Down Insulator delivers on that commitment with cutting-edge materials, exceptional warmth, and lightweight comfort.
“With the Palisade Down Insulator, our intent was to blend innovative materials with a streamlined fit, creating a layering piece that works equally well under a shell as it does on its own, offering superior durability, fit, and warmth while also minimizing its environmental impact.” – Pia Halloran, vice president of Product & Design
The Palisade Insulator is created with NetPlus® recycled nylon made from discarded fishing nets collected from coastal communities around the world. These nets are cleaned, sorted, and transformed into high-quality 100-percent post-consumer recycled nylon through a recycling process. This initiative helps reduce ocean pollution and supports local communities by creating economic opportunities through waste collection and recycling while reducing the need to extract fossil fuels to create virgin nylon at no cost to product quality. NetPlus material boasts a fully transparent and third-party audited supply chain, ensuring traceability from net collection to the final product.
“We admire Strafe’s unwavering commitment to product quality and their drive to incorporate the most advanced materials available,” said David Stover, co-founder and CEO of Bureo. “Their team shares our vision to reduce environmental impact — a priority that’s more urgent than ever. At Bureo, we’re passionate about our connection to the mountains, and without meaningful change, the future of winter itself is at risk. Partnering with Strafe is a natural fit and one we are excited to continue.”
This jacket also features Pertex Diamond Fuse technology, which creates a more stable and tightly bound fabric structure, significantly increasing resistance to abrasion and wear while maintaining a lightweight and highly packable profile.
At the heart of the Palisade is 800-fill power goose down from ALLIED Feather + Down. Allied Feather is an RDS and GRS-certified down supplier, requiring certifications throughout the entire supply chain, verifying the source and content of every down lot received, and confirming adherence to their established criteria.
Treated with ExpeDRY™ technology, an industry-first innovation created by FUZE Technologies that leverages bonded gold particles to accelerate drying time and enhance moisture management, this technology ensures that the Palisade Down Insulator stays warm and dry in variable conditions, maintaining loft and performance through long days in the mountains.
Strafe’s dedication to sustainability and traceability extends beyond recycled materials. The Palisade Down Insulator is also PFAS-free, eliminating harmful chemicals traditionally used in water-repellent treatments while maintaining reliable protection in wet conditions. Pairing PFAs-free recycled nylon and traceable, sustainably sourced down feathers, this jacket is a testament to Strafe’s goal to innovate responsibly.
Offered in men’s and women’s sizes, the Palisade Insulator will be available for purchase at strafeouterwear.com and select retailers in FW 2025-2026.
VARALLO POMBIA, Italy — May 13, 2025 — A new chapter of creativity, performance, and freedom in denim fabrics comes to life in Milan on May 21–22 during PV Denim Milan – Superstudio Più.
Once upon a time, there was stretch denim. Now, there’s XLANCE®.
At the heart of the denim world, where innovation and style have long gone hand in hand, something extraordinary is rewriting the rules. Not just a fiber, but a vision. XLANCE is the game-changing ingredient that brings together advanced technology and high fashion. A silent yet powerful ally, engineered to support every movement and withstand every challenge.
What if your jeans never lost their shape, stretch, or spirit?
Introducing a new generation of stretch fiber built to endure time, washes, and even the most extreme treatments. XLANCE is a cross-linked polyolefin-based elastic yarn. Thanks to its unique combination of polyolefin backbone and chemical cross-links it delivers comfort elasticity together with superior thermal and chemical resistance. XLANCE stands up effortlessly to oxidizing agents like hypochlorite, laser, ozone, and intense wash cycles. Comparative tests consistently confirm its superiority over traditional elastomers, especially after aggressive industrial processing.
One material. Endless possibilities.
XLANCE is the bridge between performance and creativity. It enables a new generation of stretch denim fabrics designed to move endlessly, without ever compromising performance. This is more than elasticity: it’s intelligent reactivity. A fiber that adapts, responds, enhances. Designers are now free to push boundaries with advanced finishes, laser-etched vintage effects, custom patterns, and high-impact physical and chemical treatments —without sacrificing the fabric’s integrity.
Futuristic Fun, Creative Freedom.
XLANCE is more than a technical innovation—it’s a mindset.
In the world of XLANCE, jeans retain their original shape even after countless washes. Garments remain soft and comfortable, even after the harshest treatments. Every move is supported by dynamic, resilient stretch not passive elasticity.
It’s a universe of expressive and physical freedom. For creators. For wearers. For anyone who refuses to compromise on style or durability.
XLANCE is the future of unyielding stretch.
XLANCE is the future of comfort.
Stretching into the future: join us in Milan. On May 21–22 at PV Denim Milan, Superstudio Più, XLANCE®unveils its latest innovation. An opportunity to see and experience what was once thought impossible.
An invitation to enter a new dimension of denim: conceptual, fun, and boundary-pushing.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — May 13, 2025 — TRSA is accepting applications for its 2025 scholarship program, providing financial support to individuals pursuing higher education or professional development in the linen, uniform and facility services industry. The application deadline is May 31.
