Sympatex Makes Use Of The Holistic Trade Fair Concept Of Performance Days

UNTERFÖHRING, Germany — September 29, 2023 — From 4 – 5 October 2023, membrane manufacturer Sympatex invites you to Perfor- mance Days Munich. The brand is using the new trade fair concept to showcase in- novations in both the textile and footwear sectors (Textile booth: Hall A6, Stand B10 ; Footwear booth: Hall A5, Stand S06).

The ecological footprint of a garment depends very much on the choice of material. Membrane manufacturer Sympatex is convinced of this and is therefore expanding its product portfolio every year to include laminates made from fibre2fiber recycling. Sympatex invites visitors to its two trade fair stands to see what adjustments are al- ready possible today to reduce the impact on the planet.

Interesting for everyone, because the entire textile and outdoor industry is called upon to reduce its footprint immensely within the next few years.

“A circular economy is the most effective solution for reducing the ecological foot- print, along with product longevity, conscious consumption and, of course, the elim- ination of certain chemicals such as PFAS,” says Dr. Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex.

“Our focus here is on polyester. As a fibre, polyester has many advantages. Polyester fabrics are very durable and can be recycled in a closed-loop system. The production of polyester, especially recycled polyester, uses less water than many other fibres, and by working closely with our suppliers we can ensure that production is done in the most sustainable way possible,” Dr. Fox adds.

At the same time, a circular economy only works if everyone participates. The imple- mentation is complex. Companies that previously acted separately from each other must now cooperate. Sympatex is demonstrating that this is possible in various pilot projects. The membrane manufacturer has been working for years to drive change in the industry. For example, Sympatex is explicitly dedicated to the topics of design-to- recycle, digitalisation, recyclability through monomaterial, the development of a product portfolio based on recycled textiles, water and CO2 savings and the use of bio-based contents.

“We strive for innovation projects, cooperation and trend-setting collaborations that ideally accelerate our efforts towards a circular economy. This year’s motto of the fair “From Membranes to Carbon Story” is certainly particularly exciting for us. Now that the use of PFAS is finally banned. We cordially invite you to join us in the ex- change. It is particularly wonderful that we can show our expertise in both segments, textiles and footwear, this year”, says Kim Scholze, CSMO Sympatex.

Performance Days Munich offers an ideal platform for industry experts, brands and retailers to network and collaborate. Sympatex welcomes all participants to engage in meaningful discussions about the future of sustainable performance apparel.

“Choosing the right ingredients is vital for successful recycling,” explains Lisa Polk, Circularity Expert at Sympatex.

That is why Sympatex has developed an Eco Design Guide to pass on this knowledge to all brand partners.

Performance Days Munich is the place to be for designers, product, sourcing and ma- terial managers interested in the latest trends and innovations in the textile – and footwear industry. The Performance Days always coincide with the seasonal sourcing schedules in April / May and October / November, offering sustainable fabrics for sportswear, workwear, sporting event and athleisure collections. Free entry for trade fair visitors.

Posted: September 29, 2023

Source: Sympatex Technologies GmbH

NCTO Commends Bipartisan Group Of Senators For Calling On President Biden To Crack Down On China’s Predatory Trade Practices And Help The U.S. Textile & Apparel Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — September 29, 2023 — National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas issued a statement today, applauding the actions of a bipartisan group of senators who are raising alarm about the impact of China’s predatory trade practices on the U.S. textile and apparel industry and calling on President Joe Biden to lead a multi-agency effort to substantially step up enforcement and develop a strategic plan to combat it.

In the letter to President Biden, the senators warned that without immediate and improved enforcement against these predatory trade practices, the U.S. textile and apparel sector faces a “coming disaster.”

The letter, led by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), was also signed by Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ted Budd (R-NC), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, said: “I want to thank Senator Tillis and Senator Brown for leading these efforts and strongly commend the bipartisan group of senators for taking the lead in calling on President Biden and the administration to take urgent action to address a wide range of illegal trade practices that are severely impacting the U.S. textile and apparel industry.”

“The industry is being overwhelmed by a multitude of compounding factors, including a lack of effective customs enforcement, unfair trade practices fueled by a loophole in U.S. trade law known as ‘de minimis’ shipments, import fraud undermining our free trade agreements (FTAs) and their rules of origin, and forced labor in our supply chains making their way into the United States and through other markets,” Glas said.

The senators’ letter calls on the administration to take the following specific actions:

  • Step up enforcement of forced labor subsidized textiles and apparel flooding into our FTAs
  • End duty-free treatment for clothing made with forced labor under de minimis
  • Review all executive authorities to hold China accountable for its predatory trade practices

“To maintain the industry’s operations and competitiveness, the administration must take immediate steps to increase its enforcement activities and crack down on systemic abuse that is undermining the very fabric of our domestic textile supply chain and its workforce,” Glas added.

Posted: September 29, 2023

Source: National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Acteev Expands Brand With Launches Of Acteev TOUGH, Acteev FREE And Acteev BIOSERVE

HOUSTON, Texas — September 28, 2023 — Award-winning textile technology Acteev® is growing beyond its anti-odor roots, parent company Ascend Performance Materials announced today.

Acteev has grown into a collection of long-lasting solutions for textile and soft goods applications. A new high-tenacity nylon, an anti-static fiber and a certified bio-based nylon have joined the successful odor-fighting offering.

Acteev’s flagship anti-odor line is now labeled Acteev FREE. It allows the creation of athleisure, outdoor wear, intimates and more with fabrics that combat odor. Acteev FREE can be combined with other fibers to create custom blends, and it allows for dyeing without limitations.

Acteev TOUGH is a high-tenacity, low-DPF nylon 6,6 staple fiber designed for rugged applications such as workwear, footwear, backpacks, straps and climbing ropes. It is fit for everything from industrial coveralls to military and law enforcement tactical gear. As a staple fiber, it is suitable for intimate blends and integrates well with cotton and wool for looks requiring uniform dyeing.

Acteev CLEAN is a fiber with anti-static properties that repel hair, dust and lint on textiles for clothing and household goods such as upholstery. Acteev CLEAN’s functionality is embedded within the fiber itself and requires no finishes or chemical treatments, making it ideal for next-to-skin applications. Effective at low loading, it can be spun into yarns with other fibers and still provide static-free performance.

Acteev BIOSERVE is a nylon derived from plant sources aimed at helping brands achieve their sustainability goals without sacrificing performance.

Finally, Acteev MED is available, with form factors including fibers for next-to-skin applications such as compression garments, nonwovens for moisture management in wound care, and filaments for sutures.

Each member of the Acteev line is available in a low-carbon offering.

The Acteev team will debut the new line at four upcoming trade shows: Performance Days in Munich, Germany, from October 4-5; Functional Textiles Shanghai from October 16-17; the Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show from October 17-19; and Functional Fabric Fair, which runs November 1-2 in Portland, Oregon.

The brand’s various offerings can be combined to create unique solutions, said Nikki Huffman, global business development director for Acteev.

“Our textile scientists can work directly with brands to create a material that solves their customers’ biggest challenges,” Huffman said. “For example, a maker of athleisure might want a no-odor garment that can go from gym to street while also repelling pet hair at home. We can combine our technologies to deliver that, and even make it plant-based and low-carbon.”

Proud recipient of two ISPO Textrends Top 10 Awards and the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award, Acteev is working with high-fashion designers, entertainment personalities and professional athletic brands to bring innovative, sustainable visions to life. Currently, major brand partner collections include sustainable, high-performing tennis, yoga and golf athletic wear from InPhorm; odor-free socks created by puberty-positive, Gen-Z-favorite OOMLA; odor-free and UV-resistant Suray sun shirt by Coalatree and more. For more information on the new line of Acteev textile solutions, go to Acteev.com

Posted: September 28, 2023

Source: Ascend Performance Materials

Construction Underway On Huntsman’s 30-Ton Pilot Plant For MIRALON® Carbon Nanotube Materials

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — September 26, 2023 — Huntsman Corporation today announced construction has commenced on the 30-ton MIRALON® carbon nanotube materials plant, originally announced at Huntsman’s 2021 Investor Day event. The new plant, which converts methane gas to carbon nanotubes and clean-burning hydrogen, will be one of the largest of its kind in the Americas. It represents a major step forward in the commercialization of the innovative MIRALON® technology and another step closer to an industrial-scale production facility. A video on the MIRALON® process is available on our YouTube channel.

“Our business prides itself on bringing advanced materials to market to help our customers solve difficult engineering challenges through innovation,” said Scott Wright, President of Huntsman’s Advanced Materials division. “Today marks a significant step forward in the development of a new class of valuable, sustainable material.”

Construction Underway On Huntsman’s 30-Ton Pilot Plant For MIRALON® Carbon Nanotube Materials
Huntsman’s MIRALON® carbon nanotube materials plant, which converts methane gas to carbon nanotubes and clean-burning hydrogen, will be one of the largest of its kind in the Americas.

MIRALON® structural carbon products are carbon nanotube-based advanced materials, which can be produced as sheets, tape, yarn, or additives and dispersions. Thinner than a human hair and up to 25 times stronger than steel, MIRALON® carbon nanotube materials are lightweight and electrically and thermally conductive – attributes that can benefit a wide variety of applications in aerospace, automotive, construction and other industries. MIRALON® carbon nanotube materials can be used in electric vehicle batteries, high-performance composites, engineered thermoplastics, conductive adhesives, specialized concrete, and longer-wear tires.

“One of the interesting aspects of this project is that there are actually two valuable products created through the technology,” said David Hatrick, Vice President of Innovation and Strategic Marketing for Huntsman’s Advanced Materials division. “The first product is the MIRALON® carbon nanotube materials which have tremendous opportunity to create better products and new applications that don’t even exist today. The second product resulting from the process is clean hydrogen – a fuel in high demand as society collectively seeks to lower CO2 emissions and accelerate the energy transition.”

The manufacturing process produces clean hydrogen as a by-product, with little to no CO2 emissions. This can play an exciting role in energy transition by minimizing the carbon footprint of many industries, explained John Fraser, Commercial Director for MIRALON® technology and materials.

“The carbon footprint related to our manufacturing process can be up to 95% less, when compared to the traditional process of steam methane reforming (SMR), avoiding the majority CO2 emissions normally associated with hydrogen production,” Fraser said. “Co-locating a small MIRALON® manufacturing unit on a customer’s site, creates the opportunity to produce hydrogen right where our customers need it. This will allow companies to reduce their carbon footprint and benefit from the potential of CO2 sequestration/capture credits.”

The new plant is expected to be completed by year-end 2023, in line with commitments made at our 2021 Investor Day. In the meantime, our technical and commercial teams are engaging with customers looking to develop innovative solutions with MIRALON® materials. To learn more, or to get in touch with a MIRALON® representative, please visit www.miralon.com.

Posted: September 28, 2023

Source: Huntsman Corporation

DyeCoo And CleanDye CO2 Dyeing Technology Slashes Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 58 Percent Compared To Conventional Dyeing

DyeCoo And CleanDye CO2 Dyeing Technology Slashes Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 58 Percent Compared To Conventional Dyeing
DyeCoo and CleanDye CO2 Dyeing Technology Slashes Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 58 Percent Compared to Conventional Dyeing

NEW YORK — September 27, 2023 — DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing technology, operated by CleanDye’s factory in Vietnam, generated 58 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional textile dyeing vendors, an independent lifecycle assessment (LCA) commissioned by Adidas shows.

The LCA was commissioned as part of a program with Adidas to identify and certify low carbon textile coloration technologies.

As brands like Adidas reshape the apparel industry to address climate concerns, technologies such as DyeCoo’s supercritical CO2 dyeing that reduce both carbon emissions and water pollution are essential for sustainable fashion. Based on these results, Adidas will be incorporating CO2 dyeing into its supply chain.

The LCA was conducted by Sphera, a third-party consultant with a proven track record of producing reliable sustainability reports across several industries. Sphera compared CleanDye and DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing process to three of Adidas’ conventional fabric vendors and found that CleanDye and DyeCoo generated a 58 percent smaller carbon footprint versus conventional fabric dyeing technology.

This report coincides with increasing interest in DyeCoo’s technology from firms all over the world, including manufacturers in Turkey, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, and Central America and large international brands and retailers that seek to reduce their carbon footprint over the coming years. DyeCoo received enthusiastic feedback at ITMA — the world’s largest international textile and garment technology exhibition, which was held in Italy in June. During the exhibition, DyeCoo introduced a range of new CO₂ dyeing solutions, including a smaller fully electric CO₂ dyeing machine suitable for sampling and small-scale production, as well as an advanced lab system for R&D purposes.

“We are thrilled about this report — and that CO₂ dyeing is gaining momentum in textile manufacturing,” said Kasper Nossent, commercial director at DyeCoo. “We look forward to expanding our technology beyond our current customers to other factories around the world in collaboration with our brand partners.”

Besides the significant sustainable impact, DyeCoo’s CO₂ dyeing technology also provides a full color gamut and a very high batch-to-batch consistency in bulk production, without compromising on quality and cost.

Simon Weston, CleanDye’s chief executive officer, said, “The LCA is also a testament to our Vietnam facility, where we use DyeCoo technology to deliver high-quality, sustainably manufactured fabric at competitive prices.”

CleanDye has already produced fabrics for brands such as Decathlon, Tom Tailor, s.Oliver, Marco Polo, and Bonprix, and many other global apparel and footwear brands are in discussions to incorporate DyeCoo and CleanDye into their supply chains.

“After analyzing the LCA, CleanDye has made further improvements to our process, and we are confident that our carbon emissions are even lower than the already impressive LCA figures,” added Weston.

“We already knew that CO₂ dyeing technology dramatically reduces water pollution from textile manufacturing,” said Kenneth Katz, managing director & head of Asia at TAU Investment Management, a New York- and Hong Kong-based private equity firm that holds a controlling interest in CleanDye and a significant interest in DyeCoo. “Innovation like this is critical. Twenty percent of industrial water waste comes from textile dyeing. But this report is especially exciting since it demonstrates that DyeCoo’s patented technology and CleanDye’s purpose-built dyeing facility in Vietnam also dramatically reduce carbon emissions.

“We look forward to expanding the impact of DyeCoo and CleanDye’s innovation in the sustainable transformation of the fashion industry,” Katz said.

Posted: September 28, 2023

Source: CleanDye Vietnam Company Limited