FAIRFIELD, N.J. — February 18, 2021 — As more and more people in the US are wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, SGS has announced a new way for consumers to know if reusable fabric masks conform to industry and regulatory requirements.
Indeed today, SGS, a global testing and certification company, launched an independently checked mark to help consumers wade through the various claims with respect to masks and face coverings.
“Consumers need reassurance from manufacturers and retailers that the reusable fabric masks they are using are performing as intended”, said Matthew McGarity, senior PPE technical manager for SGS North America. “They also need to know important criteria such as how many laundering cycles their masks can go through until they are no longer of use.”
SGS worked with leading experts in textiles, filtration and restricted substances to draft various domestic and mask/face covering guidelines. The Independently Checked Mark (IC Mark) may be used to indicate that the subject mask has been tested for certain characteristics including breathability, particle filtration efficiency, labeling, strap/attachment strength, service life claims, restricted substances and flammability.
In particular, the new IC Mark tests and qualifies utilizing key performance attributes from a newly published industry consensus standard, ASTM F3502 Standard Specification for Barrier Face Coverings. SGS and other industry experts helped draft the new standard which includes criteria such as design, minimum performance, and care/use instructions.
A key benefit of the new IC Mark for manufacturers, retailers and consumers is the increased transparency it creates. It is a clear demonstration that the manufacturer has chosen to focus on critical quality and performance characteristics, creating a product that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the ASTM F3502 standard.
Samples are drawn at random and sent to one of SGS’s global network of independent laboratories to be tested. Test results are published online, with each IC Mark including a Quick Response (“QR”) code on the packaging which consumers can scan using their cell phones to get instant access to the test results.
Consumers can find a brief description of the product with an image, the date and scope of the test, the test criteria and results, plus the approval number. It also provides details of the manufacturer and any applicable retailers.
USTER, Switzerland — February 18, 2021 — It starts with a handshake, or a signature on a sales contract. That’s when the USTER After-Sales Service team springs into action to support the customer. Its expert staff will make sure every piece of equipment is installed perfectly and running smoothly. But that’s only the beginning of a relationship that lasts the full lifespan of the new equipment, guaranteeing rapid technical backup whenever and wherever it’s needed – even in the remotest of market regions.
Today’s customers rightly demand the highest standards when they invest in quality equipment, and After-Sales Service is an essential element in that, as feedback from customers in emerging markets confirms. Their expectations can be summarized under two categories: hard facts and soft skills…
Five Uster customers (left to right): Shamimul Haque, Matin Spinning Mills Ltd.; Ulugbek Kadirov, Global Textile Solutions; Suresh Chander Pal, FE Indorama Kokand Textile JSC; Majibur Rahman, Envoy Textiles Ltd.; Phan Duc Le Hoang, Tri Viet Spinning
The hard facts – technical support
Customers from Bangladesh, Vietnam and Uzbekistan always acknowledge that the reputation of Uster technical support has had some degree of influence on their purchasing decisions. And that makes them even more demanding. “Our customers expect yarn deliveries in the required quality — every time, all packages, no exceptions. Therefore, we must assure reliably running processes in every aspect, as well as efficiency in our production. That’s where After-Sales Service must come in,” said Phan Duc Le Hoang, director at Viet Tri Spinning JSC in Vietnam.
Majibur Rahman, senior general manager at Envoy Textiles Ltd. in Bangladesh, agreed: “We understand that we need excellent machinery, knowledgeable staff and a trusted partner who combines expert consultant and troubleshooter in one person. After-Sales Services help us for continuous and sustainable improvement.”
Fast-response, accurate service, suggestions for problem-solving and improvements … the list of customer requirements is almost endless. It all needs to be delivered urgently and to a high-quality standard.
Customer surveys praise the technical qualification of Uster service engineers and the effective solutions they propose. “The suggestions are beneficial and add value to our process in maintaining final yarn quality,” said Suresh Chander Pal, head of Quality Assurance at FE Indorama Kokand Textile JSC in Uzbekistan.
Another respondent, Ulugbek Kadirov, chief mechanic at Global Textile Solutions in Uzbekistan, puts loyalty to customers at the top of his requirement list. “We absolutely trust the loyalty of the Uster team,” he says. Comparisons of Uster service teams with those of other suppliers also produce a positive result, rating them “very good” for their prompt and professional work. “We judge based on results and we are satisfied,” Kadirov said.
Soft skills – the relationships
Customers are naturally committed to maximizing the value of their investments, and their comments show that many recognize the value of good relationships with service teams in this respect. “Staff appreciate equipment from Uster and its timely upgrades with innovative ideas,” said Shamimul Haque, chief production officer at Matin Spinning Mills Ltd., Bangladesh. When describing the contacts of Uster After-Sales Service, each customer response included “friendly” — seen as a pathway to reliable and open knowledge sharing.
Knowledge transfer is said to be another Uster benefit much appreciated by customers. “Uster provides know-how enriched by important technical experiments and data, which is of course valuable to us,” Rahman said. Sharing quality information is also viewed as extremely beneficial by Viet Tri Spinning JSC’s Le Hoang: “Knowledge transfer is very helpful. Uster service engineers take time to transfer knowledge. We would definitely like more time invested in this,” he said.
Customers clearly place great importance on many aspects of the After-Sales Service – but would they go as far as recommending Uster as a partner? Yes, was the verdict from those questioned, based on various reasons: reliability and global acceptance of test results (by FE Indorama Kokand Textile JSC, Uzbekistan), quality assurance guidance (by Envoy Textiles Limited, Bangladesh; by Matin Spinning Mills Ltd., Bangladesh; and by Global Textile Solutions, Uzbekistan) and proven excellent reputation (by Viet Tri Spinning JSC, Vietnam).
Raising the bar
The positive responses from Uster customers proves they are satisfied with their service packages — but also still demanding. “Service packages may incorporate options like automatic software upgrades, as well as customized parts exchanging,” says Haque, of Matin Spinning.
After-Sales Service is as important to Uster as to its customers. The four regional and 29 local service centers are manned by some 225 qualified engineers and technologists, many of whom have been with the company for ten years or more. This underlines the quality of Uster’s After-Sales Service and is acknowledged by customers recognized. “Based on this stability, we develop strong bonds which help both parties,” says Indorama Kokand’s Pal.
Suresh Kris, the Uster Technologies vice president for Global After Sales & Service, affirms that dialogue with spinning mills worldwide is vital in helping to raise the bar continually towards even higher levels of service provision and customer satisfaction: “We value practical suggestions from customers. It helps to elevate the level of our services and to define them according to needs,” he said. “Strong bonds such as these create a win-win situation. What more could we want?”
REMSCHEID, Germany — February 18, 2021 — German company BB Engineering combines its VacuFil process with the directly-connected VarioFil spinning system, hence creating a one-step process for recycling and inline spinning of post-consumer and post-production polyester (PET) waste into partially oriented yarn (POY) or fully drawn yarn (FDY).
Manufacturing polyester fibers for demanding textile applications from recycled PET (rPET) granulate — particularly using the inline spinning process — is an extremely challenging task. It requires recycling know-how and spinning plant expertise. The starting material has to be continually processed into an homogeneous, spinnable melt.
All processing steps must ensure the required melt properties and keep these stable throughout the entire process runtime. For numerous textile applications, parameters such as viscosity and homogeneity are decisive and must be subject to the only the minutest fluctuations. In other words: using recycled polyester within the textile segment requires suitable pretreatment processes in conjunction with precise process management.
BB Engineering, a subsidiary of Oerlikon Textile, has decades of experience and know-how in the development of spinning plant components and systems. And it was this spinning plant expertise that was decisive for the successful development of the VacuFil PET recycling system. On this basis, the company developed a Liquid-State Polycondensation recycling system for further processing post-production spinning waste and post-consumer bottle flakes, optimally aligned to the textile further processing of the recycled materials in the spinning plant (patent currently pending).
The core component of this process is the vacuum filter, with which the viscosity can be separately controlled and monitored. To this end, the required melt properties can be achieved inline in a reliable and reproducible manner and controlled during operation. In various spinning trials, the rPET granulates manufactured at the Oerlikon Textile R&D Center using the VacuFil produced convincing results.
Virgin PET reference
Bottle flakes
Indian customer
Bottle flakes
European origin
Fiber waste POY
Input IV
0.66 dl/g
0.81 dl/g
0.80 dl/g
0.624 dl/g
Output IV VacuFil
0.646 dl/g
0.66 dl/g (±0.06)
0.643 dl/g (±0.05)
Quality No.
22.1
22.8
21.8
20.9
Frays / 10,000m
0.65
0
0.75
0.41
Yarn breaks / 1t
0
0
0
0
Dyeing uniformity
(1: best – 6: worst)
1-2
1-2
>4.5 (gray scale) AA
1-2
The results of the various spinning trials demonstrate that the new VacuFil technology is so effective that the rPET produced is of outstanding quality and comparable to that of virgin material.
The granulation step can be dispensed with if you combine the VacuFil with BB Engineering’s rPET-compatible VarioFil* R+ compact spinning system (or other direct spinning systems capable of processing rPET). The waste material is recycled and directly spun in a single seamless process – in superlative quality thanks to optimum melt treatment. [Anm.: Den folgenden, englischen Part hat der Kunde so abgesegnet. Bitte nicht verändern.] Eco Spindles – a Sri Lanka-based customer of BB Engineering – has been so convinced by the VarioFil R+ spinning system with VacuFil extrusion that it is investing in a further rPET VarioFil system. Dr. Anush Amarasinghe, managing director of Eco Spindles, produces POY from bottle flake material and explains: “Our clients are increasingly asking for recycled fibers and we of course wish to fulfill their requirements and demands. For this reason, expanding our portfolio to cater to this has been an important step for us. Bottle recycling is still a niche market in Sri Lanka and we have been determined to maintain our high quality standards. We have special requirements and needed a cutting-edge partner for this project. A few years ago, we opted to purchase a BBE VarioFil R+ compact spinning system to allow us to manufacture POY from bottle flakes. We wanted to first test the set-up – also due to the fact that the bottles collected from beaches are in part problematic starting materials. However, the extremely good customer feedback and the fact that our product is profitable have prompted us to invest further. We have decided to acquire a further VarioFil R+ line with VacuFil recycling system. What is particularly great is the fact that the entire process is completely coherent. We are able to produce extremely homogeneous, viscosity-stable rPET melt and spin it directly into high-end fibers.”
In the case of Eco Spindles, this is a flexible VarioFil R+ compact spinning system with upstream VacuFil inline recycling unit with a direct feed. It has been designed to manufacture using recycled bottle flakes, recycled chips and virgin chips. On the one hand, this is possible as a result of the drying system that is suitable for both flakes and chips. On the other hand, the vacuum extruder can be operated without or without vacuum and is therefore able to melt recycled and virgin starting materials. The experience acquired from >20,000 sold units has influenced the extruder design. As a result of the gentle melting, BBE extruders form the basis for absolutely-homogeneous melt, as required by the spinning plant. The single-screw technology ensures the robustness necessary in recycling. Last but not least, the special metering system for several components also provides producers with flexibility: either two additives can be fed into the melt simultaneously or the metering unit can be used for fast dye switches. With 6 positions, this VarioFil configuration achieves product throughputs of up to 150kg/h and offers a broad end product range with final titers of between 50 and 150 den (DTY) with a DPF range of between 0.7 and 4.0 dpf. In other set-ups, the VarioFil R+ covers a range of 20-600 den POY or 30-500 den FDY with recycled PET.*
With this, the VarioFil is not only a versatile spinning machine for the most diverse applications, it also caters to the constantly-rising demand for rPET fibers. Leading textile-processing businesses and corporations — be these fashion brands, sports apparel and furniture manufacturers or those operating within the automobile industry — are increasingly focusing on sustainable products and products made from recycled materials. Today, they are already telling suppliers of filaments, fibers and nonwovens that they will be switching from exclusively virgin polyester to recycled polyester — in some cases up to 100 percent — for the manufacture of their textile products in the near future.
*VarioFil is the name given to BB Engineering’s compact spinning systems product family. In general, VarioFil systems are able to process PET, PA6, PA6.6, PP, PLA, PBT, PTT and bi-components into POY, FDY or IDY. The VarioFil R+ system has been designed especially for rPET and bottle flakes.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — February 17, 2021 — Barnet — a global manufacturing, recycling, and trading company, specializing in a wide range of fibers, polymers and yarns — recently formed a partnership with Germany-based The Filament Factory (TFF) for the sales and distribution of its yarns in North America.
TFF recently launched a new product line and makes a significant contribution to the protection of ecology and sustainability.
With the signing of the certified manufacturing agreement with the cooperation partner CiCLO®, TFF starts the production of a new product group Ec0PET.
In this product line, TFF uses Ciclo’s proprietary technology to accelerate the biodegradation process of the polyester (PET).
The CiCLO additive technology is an inherent upstream solution that allows polyester fibers to degrade similarly, even better, than natural fibers such as wool. With the use of this novel technology, the biodegradation process is accelerated, which in turn contributes to the reduction of plastic waste in landfills and plastic pollution from man-made microfibers in our oceans.
The long-term tests according to ASTM D5511 and ASTM D6691 in aerobic (seawater) as well as anaerobic environments (sewage sludge and landfill, respectively) show a biodegradation of more than 90 percent after a short period of time, while a standard PET hardly degrades significantly.
At the same time, ongoing research shows that Ec0PET exhibits no strength degradation after one year under normal storage conditions.
“Our unique process ensures permanent and uniform embedding of the additive in the polymer matrix, so we can also use this highly innovative technology for virgin PET or r-PET,” said Yasar Kiray, business development manager, TFF.
The properties of the new high-performance functional multifilaments are comparable to current PET filament yarns. Strengths of 60 cN/tex with elongation at break of 20.0 percent and free shrinkage values (180°C; 15min) below 4 percent are achieved, enabling the production of textiles with special properties. In addition, individual customer requirements can be tailor-made.
Due to the two-step manufacturing process, the properties, such as shrinkage, specific strength/elongation are extremely constant.
Applications for these new Ec0PET high tenacity filament yarns may include, in particular, exhibition stand construction, nets, advertising banners, retail products, packaging, ropes, shoe and apparel industries, and many more.
The new yarn family will be available in titers from 76 dtex up to 6600 dtex and will also be offered with twist >S/Z60 depending on requirements.
For more information on Filament Factory yarns visit thefilamentfactory.de. For contact information visit www.barnet.com
TEL AVIV — February 18, 2021 — Delta Galil Industries Ltd., the global manufacturer and marketer of branded and private label apparel products for men, women and children, as well as leisurewear, activewear and denim, has launched a strategic partnership with retail-tech Solutions Provider ByondXR to integrate its new web software solutions. The partnership will enable Delta Galil to elevate its virtual platform, including its digital showrooms and remote sales capabilities, using ByondXR’s unique technology.
Isaac Dabah, CEO of Delta Galil, said: “Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are absolutely reliant on the fastest, most dynamic and advanced remote technologies. So, it is essential that we find the highest-quality solutions to ensure our company can maintain its competitive edge and continue to deliver the innovative products our customers have come to expect. We are very pleased to have partnered with a leader like ByondXR, whose technology effectively addresses our need to create exceptional online visual presentations, while reducing product delivery costs and saving time.”
Over the past year, Delta Galil has utilized ByondXR’s solutions to streamline and expedite its sales cycle, present remotely, reduce sample production, and easily update catalogs and styles in real time. The technology enables Delta Galil to create virtual showrooms that allow sales reps to quickly personalize the journey for each buyer and shorten time to market. Additionally, the technology fully integrates with Browzwear’s VStitcher 3D design software, also used by Delta Galil, allowing the creation of 3D models that can be easily accessed throughout the sales journey.
“We are delighted to have partnered with Delta Galil, a company that has embraced the values of innovation and dynamism,” said Noam Levavi, CEO of ByondXR. “We believe that ByondXR will become the corporate standard for B2B sales and help the company grow its business with its various clients.”
ByondXR’s platform includes visual cloud-based tool sets that allow buyers to instantly view entire collections. Buyers can then interact with line sheets and individual products and build their own assortments and order lists. ByondXR’s analytical engines track buyer behavior to allow showroom optimization and gather relevant insights about seasonal collections and interest from various buyers.
ByondXR was founded by Noam Levavi and Eran Galil with a goal to help brands, retailers and wholesalers transform into the 3D digital era and create immersive selling experiences that increase engagement and conversion.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — February 18, 2021 — Forecasts for linen, uniform and facility services growth in critical demand sectors in the wake of COVID-19 economic turmoil highlight Textile Service Market Analysis: United States and Canada. This report excerpts from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU’s) recent TRSA-commissioned global study to guide the industry’s investment, expansion and strategic decision making worldwide.
Demand for the past five years and the five going forward is quantified for textile services from the construction, energy (oil and gas), healthcare, hotel and manufacturing sectors. The Analysis portrays the combined impact of shifts these businesses and anticipates influence of other demand generators and supply factors on the industry, such as corporate consolidation, automation, product line diversification and sustainability.
U.S. and Canada overall industry profiles forecast annual growth rates for each sector and contrast these with overall national economic growth projections. Sectors’ projected gross value added (output) and employment growth are factored into demand assessments for flat linen and workwear. Recommendations are offered for technology investment, sustainable practices adoption, vertical integration and market specialization.
Key players in each country are identified. Conscious and informative assessment and insight are provided into four U.S. and Canadian public companies: Aramark Corp. (Philadelphia), Cintas Corp. (Cincinnati), K-Bro Linen Systems (Edmonton) and UniFirst Corp. (Boston).
EIU is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, sister to The Economist newspaper. A world leader in global business intelligence, EIU helps businesses, the financial sector and governments understand how the world changes, creating opportunities to be seized and risks to be managed.
To purchase Textile Service Market Analysis: United States and Canada or Global Textile Services Market Analysis (covers all continents and provides detailed forecasts for 13 countries), visit www.trsa.org/store.
PHILADELPHIA — February 17, 2021 — Braskem today announced the launch of Dansko’s new line of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) clogs made with more than 50 percent of Braskem’s renewable I’m green™ carbon negative EVA biopolymer.
Mark Nikolich, Braskem America CEO, commented, “As the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas, Braskem is focused on partnering with clients that share our commitment to advancing the manufacture of more sustainable products with our I’m green portfolio of eco-friendly materials. Our relationship with Dansko exemplifies this, as they introduce their new Kane clog which is made from over 50 percent Braskem’s I’m green bio-based EVA. I’m green offers the same features of a conventional resin, such as flexibility, lightness and resistance, while helping support renewably sourced materials and reducing carbon emissions in the fight against global warming.”
Dansko’s new “Kane” footwear offers consumers a new lightweight clog that is perfect for everyday wear. The Kane clog is the first Dansko product to be made with over 50 percent of Braskem’s carbon negative I’m green bio-based EVA. This new clog provides excellent shock absorption and features a removable foot bed, which incorporates Dansko Natural Arch® technology for added support. The new spring 2021 casual shoe is eye-catching and durable as well as being lightweight and comfortable. The channeled outsole provides both durability and long-lasting wear. The Kane is easy to clean and the uppers are perforated for ventilation, making them the perfect shoes for indoor and outdoor summer activities. The Dansko “Kane” clog can be purchased online www.dansko.com/kane-blue-eva-clog.
Jim Fox, CEO of Dansko, stated, “Dansko shoes are for people who strive to get the most from life. We make shoes that are simply good for your feet-all day, every day-in a range of styles that are just right for you. Our new Kane clog is constructed from materials you can feel good about. Braskem understands the lifestyle focus of our business and the I’m green material is ideal for this new product.”
Braskem’s I’m green bio-based EVA is sustainably produced from sugarcane, a renewable source that contributes to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by CO2 capture. For those who want to adopt Green EVA into a new product concept, it is ideal for use in footwear, toys, general foams and much more. Braskem’s Green EVA benefits include:
Renewable Source — Sustainably sourced and produced from sugarcane, a renewable raw material.
Drop-in Solution — Replaces the conventional resin without investments in new machinery for plastic transformation.
Recyclable — Green EVA can be recycled/reused in the same stream already developed for conventional EVA.
The I’m green brand represents Braskem’s sustainable portfolio, aligned with its commitment to the circular economy and features bio-based and recycled products. The goal is to combine innovation with sustainable development to achieve a better impact on the planet and society. Since its initial launch, Braskem’s I’m green sustainable portfolio of chemicals and polymers has expanded and now includes a range of solutions made from post-consumer plastic waste as well as responsibly sourced bio-based materials including green EVA, all reflecting Braskem’s commitment to innovation and the advancement of the Carbon Neutral Circular Economy.
NEW YORK CITY — February 17, 2021 — J.Crew today announced that 100-percent of all cashmere sweaters and non-apparel pieces from the newly launched Spring 2021 collection and onwards, will be produced using The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS) certified cashmere, a first-of-its-kind commitment among U.S. retailers.
GCS was developed by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), a non-profit organization aiming to improve the welfare of cashmere goats, the lives of farmers and farming communities, and the environment in which they live. Through its partnership with GCS, J.Crew is not only able to guarantee a sustainable cashmere supply chain but can also provide full traceability for certified cashmere pieces.
J.Crew also announced it is extending its partnership with the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) to empower women herders in Mongolia to improve their economic and social standing. The SFA promotes the sustainable production of cashmere, minimizes environmental impact, ensures high animal welfare, and safeguards herder livelihoods.
As part of its multi-year program with J.Crew, the SFA will support nearly 1,000 female herders (and their households) in Mongolia and will focus on the following areas:
Education: Female herders will be trained on how to better negotiate trades and contracts, handle cash, make decisions and secure higher economic returns for their cooperative.
Financial Incentives: Incentives will be provided to herding cooperatives that include females as their members and have a least one woman in their decision-making structure, and to those that develop social safety nets and offer collective support for vulnerable female-led families.
Fibre Sorting Program: Increased economic return for female cooperative members will be achieved through a fibre sorting program, which will create the opportunity for the herders to sell higher quality fibre at a premium price.
PHOENIX — February 17, 2021 — U.S.-based mattress manufacturer and retailer Brooklyn Bedding officially launched plans to expand its footprint in its home state, breaking ground today on a new state-of-the art manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Glendale, Ariz. The 648,165-square-foot building will be located on 42.8 acres at the crossroads of West Bethany Home and 52nd Avenue. At present, the company employs more than 250 employees in the Phoenix valley. With the completion of the new build slated for December of 2021, owner John Merwin hopes to add up to 150 employees over the next two years.
Family owned since 1995, Brooklyn Bedding originated with Rob Merwin delivering mattresses direct to customers’ homes in a refurbished Wonder Bread truck. Subsequently joined by his brother John, the Merwins then evolved their business by learning every aspect of mattress engineering — accumulating raw materials and equipment as they could afford them to build their own brand and passing on the savings to customers through a direct-to-consumer retail model. Recognizing the limits of brick-and-mortar in Phoenix, they sought a way to expand nationally. In 2008, John pioneered the bed-in-a-box concept in the United States, selling his first roll-packed mattress on Amazon. By 2015, Brooklyn Bedding had developed and constructed a 150,000-square-foot, full-scale factory in partnership with Brydant Real Estate. Less than four years later, with the hypergrowth of the brand in both retail and wholesale channels, Brooklyn Bedding had reached maximum capacity and acquired a secondary warehouse.
“Brooklyn Bedding has come a long way from the early days of selling overstock mattresses to now be in a position to triple mattress production,” said John Merwin, owner and CEO of Brooklyn Bedding. “Over the years, I’ve been asked to define our journey as an American-made brand. No one grows up thinking, ‘I want to build mattresses for a living.’ I read all the books. I went to all the seminars. Every expert said you’re supposed to find your passion and pursue it. While I was trying to figure out what I should be doing with my life, I was building stuff and doing what I loved. I finally woke up to the fact that that’s success. I try not to lose sight of the fact that I’m building mattresses for people who are waking up to their own potential every day, who are working and dreaming too.”
The new manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters will merge the capacity of both the company’s current factory and warehouse. The plan entails an investment of more than $72 million to make Brooklyn Bedding nearly100 percent vertically integrated. The company again tapped long-time partner Brydant Real Estate to spearhead the project. The latter brought together two locally operated companies, the development team of Alston Construction and the architectural team of Ware Malcomb, for the design-build phase.
“Our relationship with Brooklyn Bedding was founded on John Merwin’s passion to be the best, coupled with his uncompromising integrity,” said Scott Backes, president of Brydant Real Estate. “At the end of the day, that’s a vision we not only appreciate, but also live by. As a real estate consultant and developer, I get excited about working closely with a partner who is truly a pioneer. We’ve created extraordinary synergy and value over the years because we both know what it takes to build from the ground up.”
Pending completion of the new construction, Brooklyn Bedding will continue operations at its manufacturing facility at 4455 West Camelback Road and its warehouse at 4524 North 44th Avenue in Phoenix.
“We are incredibly pleased to not only welcome Brooklyn Bedding to Glendale, but also thank them for choosing Glendale for their headquarters and manufacturing,” said Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers. “With this significant investment, Brooklyn Bedding brings new life and spurs revitalization in Glendale’s Grand Avenue Industrial District with new employment opportunities for residents. Glendale looks forward to growing with Brooklyn Bedding as they continue to lead in their industry.”
UNION CITY, Ga. — February 17, 2021 — To answer the evolving needs of the Emergency Response community, TenCate Protective Fabrics is bringing to market a new finish completely free of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFAS) chemicals. This is in response to a growing movement in the fire service industry to completely transition away from products containing PFAS-based chemistry.
This new, ground-breaking innovation is called, FreeFAS™.
The TenCate Protective Fabrics team is working with supply chain and garment manufacturing partners to bring all NFPA 1971 outer shells finished with FreeFAS to market with phased commercial availability starting in Spring 2021.
“The safety and well-being of our end-users has always been the driving force behind our innovations. TenCate Protective Fabrics is paying close attention to the recent movement around PFAS-free finishes as we anticipate what comes next in the field of protective materials.”
Currently, all TenCate Protective Fabrics outer shells achieve Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certification to ensure next-to-skin safety compliance. The fabric manufacturer is committed to achieving this same, independent, third-party certification on all future outer shells made with FreeFAS as well, to help ensure end-user well-being.
FreeFAS will initially be offered alongside TCPF’s legacy Super Shelltite™ finish, and will replace legacy finishes as market demands for traditional solutions subside.
About TenCate Protective Fabrics: As the leading global producer of protective fabrics, TenCate Protective Fabrics enables millions of people worldwide to be great at what they do. Servicemen and women in industrial, fire, healthcare, military and police rely on our fabrics for safety, comfort and confidence. Supporting a world of evolving needs, our innovations lead the way in user-centered design, technology and sustainability.
