INTERNATIONAL
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Shri Shaleen Toshniwal has been elected as the new Vice-Chairman of The Synthetic & Rayon Export Promotion Council ( SRTEPC ) at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on May 6,2023. Welcoming the new Vice Chairman , Shri Bhadresh Dodhia, Chairman of SRTEPC said that “Shri Shaleen Toshniwal brings with him over 23 years of experience in the field of Textiles and Clothing Sector which will be extremely beneficial for the Council” . Shri Shaleen Toshniwal oversees exports of Yarn , Fabrics and Garments at Banswara Syntex Ltd in addition to HR functions and General Management of the Company . He has got deep product knowledge in dyed synthetic spinning, woven and knitted fabric manufacturing and garment manufacturing. Shri Shaleen Toshniwal has also got to his credit of launching Direct to Consumer Digital first brand ready to wear line called “One Mlle” in 2023. “In these rapidly changing ecosystem, as Vice Chairman of SRTEPC , Shri Shaleen Toshniwal’s expertise, knowledge, vision and guidance will certainly go a long way in increasing exports of the entire value chain of Manmade Fibre Textiles and Technical Textiles” , according to Shri Bhadresh Dodhia.
Source: Textile Value Chain
About 45 textile entrepreneurs from Surat visited China as a part of a study tour, Ashish Gujarati, president of Pandesara Weavers Co-op Society told KNN India. The tour was organised by Qingdao Haijia machinery Ltd and it was coordinated by their Surat representative Sandeep Kedia of Janki Tara group. The Indian delegation of 45 entrepreneurs are manufacturing Home textile, Technical textile and high fashion ladies garment fabric. They visited the airjet weaving factory and waterjet weaving factory. The entrepreneurs learned that 1000 waterjet and airjet weaving machines were functioning under one roof. “One operator was handling 24 machines. The salary of one operator was Rs 1.25 lakh per month. The power cost is almost the same as in India. But their production efficiency was minimum 95 per cent and here in India is maximum 85 per cent,” said Gujarati. He observed that Chinese work culture is to produce export oriented fabric, even for the local consumption. “The rate of interest is lower than in India. Also the raw material cost is lower than India. Qingdao Haijia machinery Ltd has invested 600 crore in fully automatic robotics plants to manufacture weaving machines,” he said. This plant was installed by Siemens Germany. They produce 16000 machines per year. This plant is operated by only 20 workers. Earlier in the semiautomatic plant 300 workers were required. The President of Pandesara Weavers Co-op Society Ltd informed that all the textile industry stakeholders and textile association togather should arrange a detailed study tour and prepare a GAP analysis report. The experts and joint secretary from textile ministry should be part of this study tour. “Surat textile industry have a potential to compete with China and achieve the production efficiency of more than 95 per cent and to produce export oriented textile,” he added.
Source: KNN
India is pressing the European Union for a mutual recognition agreement for its carbon certificates and exempt MSMEs in certain sectors to insulate the domestic industry from the burden of the EU's carbon tax, which would kick in from October this year, a government official said. The EU is introducing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) from October 1 this year. CBAM would translate into a 20-35 per cent tax on select imports into the EU starting January 1, 2026. From October, domestic companies from seven carbon-intensive sectors -- including steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium and hydrocarbon products -- would have to seek compliance certificates from the EU authorities to comply with the CBAM norms. Under the mutual recognition agreement, India has asked the EU to give recognition to its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), which is under preparation by the power ministry. Acceptability of CCTS by the EU would help Indian companies to reduce additional burden in the form of carbon taxes on exports of these products. "India is dealing with the issue both at bilateral and multilateral levels. Bilaterally, we are asking the EU to have a mutual recognition agreement with us, and make a carve-out for MSMEs and if possible for the country as has been done in the case of some other countries," the official said. All these issues came up for discussion during a meeting of top officials of different ministries, including finance, commerce, power, mines and steel, and industry leaders from the steel sector on Tuesday, they said. The meeting was chaired by commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal. In the meeting, the industry was suggested to be ready for this carbon tax and take steps to deal with it. According to a report from the economic think tank GTRI, from October 1, India's iron, steel and aluminium exports to European Union countries will face extra scrutiny under the mechanism. From January 1, 2026, the EU will start collecting carbon tax on each consignment of steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen and electricity. In 2022, India's 27 per cent exports of iron, steel and aluminium products worth USD 8.2 billion went to the EU. At the multilateral level, India and certain other countries have flagged their concerns to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on CBAM. India submitted a paper on the subject to the WTO in February. "In today's meeting, the government told the industry about what is happening on the issue at the domestic level. The industry also has certain tasks and that includes having an MRA with the EU," the official said. India is likely to raise these issues in the forthcoming meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Brussels on May 15-16. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw would participate in the TTC. Though the 27-member European Union (EU) is claiming CBAM to be a part of their climate action efforts, countries like India are of the view that it is a trade-related measure. Domestic companies from different sectors, such as steel, are taking steps like setting up a captive solar power plant and following climate-friendly manufacturing processes to reduce carbon emissions. The government is also taking steps like afforestation and promotion of the use of renewable energy. "We are engaging both at bilateral and multi-lateral level with the EU so that our industry is not hurt," another official said. India and the European Union in February announced the setting up of a new Trade and Technology Council (TTC) that is expected to facilitate the exchange of critical technologUiens relating to an array of domains, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors and cybersecurity. The TTC pact with India is the European Union's second such technology partnership after the first one with the US that was firmed up in June 2021.
Source: Economic Times
PM Modi has always emphasized on our farmers as our ‘Annadatas’. Various initiatives have been furthered by the Modi Government that has aimed at benefitting and uplifting farmers. Another, aspect of PM Modi is his ability to innovate and integrate, enabling the creation of supply and production chains creating an overall ecosystem facilitating trade and exports. Maheshkumar Jogani, Businessman from Surat narrates one such incident showcasing PM Modi’s innovative capability when he was the CM of Gujarat. Leader from Gujarat narrates an interesting incident involving PM Modi. As Surat is renowned for its ‘Fabric Industry’, the ‘Fabric to Fashion’ exhibition was held in Surat which was inaugurated by PM Modi when he was the CM of Gujarat. Post the inauguration when PM Modi addressed the event, he spoke about his innovative vision, which changed the landscape of the textile industry in Surat, Gujarat. Jogani ji further narrates that PM Modi, suggested “Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Fabric, Fabric to Factory, Factory to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign.” This suggestion showcases PM Modi’s ability to innovate and to create a complete value chain based ecosystem integrating all the sectors of our economy with a focused attempt at exports and incoming of foreign currency. This particular innovation enabled the further development of the textile industry in South Gujarat that empowered not only the state economy but also the various stakeholders involved in this ecosystem enabling them remunerative earnings in the entire process. This also further enabled the growth of the Indian Economy which was benefitted through increased exports and incoming of foreign exchange. This particular incident not only showcases PM Modi’s ability to innovate but also the vision he possesses as a leader to enable the integration of all the sectors of the economy, so that a holistic ecosystem is created facilitating growth and development of the country. This particular attribute can also be seen through PM Modi’s initiative of ‘Make in India’ that has enabled Indian Economy to reach greater heights.
Source: The Narendramodi.in
India and UAE are celebrating the first anniversary of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, jointly inaugurated the events to commemorate the first anniversary of the entry into force of the CEPA. For India, the CEPA with UAE is the first in the region and for UAE, it is their first ever CEPA. Since the entry into force of CEPA, bilateral trade between India and UAE has witnessed tremendous growth of 20 per cent when compared to the previous year. India’s exports to the UAE also recorded a remarkable growth of 12 per cent, reaching US $ 31.3 billion in 2022-2023. The visit of Secretary, DPIIT to UAE is his first official trip abroad since the assumption of office in April 2023, indicating the significance India attaches to a close relationship with the UAE. As far as India’s apparel export to UAE is concerned, India presently commands 43 per cent share in UAE’s apparel imports which makes UAE one of the major buying destinations for the Indian apparel export industry. Due to CEPA India does not face 5 per cent duty on textiles and garments, which is a big advantage for Indian companies. Though looking at the overall scenario, so far there has not been much positive impact on ground level, but in FY ’24, the results are estimated to be profitable Also Read: FY ’24 will show the positive impact of India-UAE’s CEPA (https://in.apparelresources.com/business-news/trade/fy-24-will-show-positive-impact-india-uaes-cepa/) As part of the CEPA celebrations, Rajesh Kumar Singh inaugurated the Kerala Pavilion at the Annual Investment Meeting in Abu Dhabi and also held meetings with the senior leadership of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala, the top UAE investors in India.
Source: Apparel resources
An exhibition showcasing India’s women-led initiatives, titled “ECHO” – Economy with safe climate and health leads to greater opportunities was organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs on the sidelines of the 3rd G20 Development Working Group Meeting at Goa. The theme "Echo - reflects the impact of women-led development and its significant role in sustainable development. Curated by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, the exhibition cast a spotlight on the importance of women’s leadership and how “women-led development” is the cornerstone of a genderjust and sustainable future. The exhibition reflects the impact of women’s critical and indispensable role in global economic growth and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG5. Products conceived, designed, and made by women entrepreneurs, such as handloom and textile items; handicrafts; tea, spices, ayurvedic products, and millet-based food products were displayed at the exhibition. Other highlights of the event included an immersive digital experience with 3D holograms of women making toys, weaving, working with technology, etc.; live demonstration by artisans; a tasting zone; and prakruti check by ayurvedic doctors. Women representatives of different states of India, the National Skill Development Corporation, Ministry of Textiles, APEDA, Tea Board, Spice Board, Ambi Udyogini Prathisthan, Eunnati Foundation, Kalyashastra, women self-help groups, and women-led start-ups and enterprises—such as Sea6, Jal Sakhi, and Digital Sakhi—participated in the exhibition.
Source: PIB
The government has asked the industry to get ready for the “carbon tax” that European Union (EU) has said it will impose on import of products with carbon emissions higher than the prescribed threshold. However, it said efforts will be made for a legitimate waiver from this tax for sections of the industry. While the tax will be imposed by the EU on imports from January 1, 2026, New Delhi will engage with the 27-country group to make the transition as smooth as possible, a senior official said Tuesday. “The government sees carbon tax as a trade issue, and not an environmental issue. It has raised objections to it at the World Trade Organisation also but the industry has to be ready for the new regime, so that exports can continue unhindered,” the official who did not wish to be identified said here on Tuesday. To start with, the tax will be imposed on seven products whose production is carbon intensive – iron, steel, aluminium, cement, electricity, hydrogen and fertilisers. The carbon tax or Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which cleared all hurdles in April this year before coming into force, seeks to impose tax on imports of products into the EU from geographies where carbon emissions at production stage are higher than what the rules of the mechanism will prescribe. The mechanism will enter into the transition phase on October 1, 2023. During this period, importers of seven products in the EU on which this tax will initially be imposed, will just have to report greenhouse gas emissions embedded in their imports without making financial payment and adjustments. Gradually, the tax proposed will be extended to finished products too. Even indirect emissions like carbon emitted while producing electricity, which ultimately is used by a factory to make any of the products on the carbon tax list, will be taken into account while determining the tax. The EU says it has imposed this tax to bring parity between domestic producers and imports which tend to be cheaper because they have to follow lower standards of carbon emission in their home countries. The official said that the tax impact of the CBAM on India’s exports to the EU will be substantial at around 20-35%. To help reduce the burden on the industry, the government will press the EU on mutual recognition of certification on emissions and recognition of its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), which is under preparation by the ministry of power, the official said. If India’s CCTS is accepted, then payment of tax for emissions beyond prescribed threshold will be determined on the basis of price of credits on Indian carbon exchange and not price of credits on EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). “India is dealing with the issue both at bilateral and multilateral levels so that our industry is not hurt. Bilaterally, we are asking the EU to have a mutual recognition agreement with us and make an exception for MSMEs when the carbon tax on products kicks in,” the official added. The UK, which is out of the EU, is independently working on a CBAM like mechanism. It also proposes to follow the timelines that the EU has adopted for implementing its carbon tax. Domestic companies from sectors like steel are taking steps like setting up captive solar power plants and following climate friendly manufacturing processes to reduce carbon emission. The government is also taking steps like afforestation and promotion of use of renewable energy. “These measures will be stressed upon while negotiating with the EU,” the official added. India’s exports to EU countries grew 15.19% on year to $74.84 billion. In the calendar year 2022, India’s exports of iron and steel to EU stood at $5.28 billion and aluminium at $2.22 billion. India does not export cement, fertiliser, electricity and hydrogen to the EU.
Source: Financial Express
The state's textile industry, which suffered last year due to high cotton prices and low demand, is again witnessing production cuts. With a reduction in the orders being placed, many textile processing units in the city are running at 40% capacity and have begun observing two-day production cuts. Similarly, weaving units are also operating at lower capacity. While spinning mills are running at around 90% capacity, stocks are also piling up. Experts believe that soon, spinning mills too will slash production for a day every week. Jayesh Patel, vice president of Spinners' Association, Gujarat (SAG) said, "Currently, most spinning mills are running at more than 90% capacity. However, the demand is not strong, and stocks are piling up. We fear that spinning mills will have to stop production for at least a day every week. The spinning mills in south India are operating at 60% production capacity and those in the north have also cut down on production. At present, combed yarn costs Rs 260 per kg and the prices are not competitive in the exports market; even the domestic demand is slowing down." The impact of decline in retail demand for apparel is felt on the entire value chain of textile industry. "With a delayed summer, the demand for summer collection is comparatively low. Moreover, retailers have a huge chunk of unsold inventory from the winter collection. Due to this, the dealers are facing cashflow issues as a result of which the volume of fresh orders has declined," said Rahul Mehta, chief mentor, Clothing Manufacturers' Association of India (CMAI). "Overall, in both domestic as well as export markets, the demand has gone down as a result of cautious discretionary spending. This could trigger a reduction in capacity utilization in textile as well as garment making units," he added. Cotton is priced at around Rs 61,000 per candy, but owing to poor demand from the garments sector, the industry is badly hit. Bharat Chhajer, former chairman of Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL), said the industry had been witnessing a steady revival with cotton prices stabilizing. Naresh Sharma, former vice president of Ahmedabad Textile Processors' Association (ATPA) said, "Textile processing units which saw some surge in demand have again been struggling for the past one month. Many units are running at around 40% capacity and most of them observe holidays for two or three days a week." The orders for grey fabric dyeing and printing are also few because the retail demand is weak, he said. "However, the situation has changed in the last one month and the processing units do not have enough orders and so they have been observing two-day offs a week. The weaving sector is also hit by poor demand. We believe the retail demand is weak and that the normal operations will resume only after garmenting activities gather pace," he added.
Source: Times of India
The free trade agreement between India and the UAE has transformed the partnership between the two countries by promoting two-way commerce at a healthy rate, an official statement said on Tuesday. The agreement came into force on May 1 last year. Addressing a business gathering in Dubai, Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Rajesh Kumar Singh said that initial gains of the pact have already started accruing with bilateral trade growing at around 20 per cent and touching an “all-time” high of around USD 84 billion during 2022-23.Singh, along with Juma Mohammed Al-Kait, Assistant Undersecretary for International Trade, Ministry of Economy, United Arab Emirates and Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE, inaugurated the International Jewellery Exposition Centre in Dubai. Around 100 companies from India and UAE, including representatives from Export Promotion Councils from India, have participated in the expo.The secretary also held one-on-one meetings with senior representatives of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Mubadala Investment Company. The two-day visit to the UAE of the Indian delegation led by the DPIIT secretary concluded on May 9. “The visit took place in the context of the joint celebrations being organised by the UAE and India to mark the important milestone of the first anniversary of the Implementation of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA),” the commerce and industry ministry said.
Source: Financial Express
India and Canada will review India-Canada CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) negotiations. At the last MDTI meeting in March 2022, both Ministers launched the CEPA negotiations with the possibility to have an interim agreement or EPTA (Early Progress Trade Agreement). Since then, seven rounds of negotiations have been held. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, and Textiles, Piyush Goyal is in Canada and along with Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, Government of Canada, he will co-chair the discussions for the sixth India – Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment (MDTI) in Ottawa. MDTI is a bilateral mechanism that provides an institutional mechanism to discuss a broad spectrum of trade and investment-related issues and cooperation areas. The dialogue will focus on various themes including strengthening the Bilateral Trade Relationship between India and Canada, Investment Promotion and Cooperation, Green Transition – including new areas of Cooperation such as promoting B2B engagements.
Source: Apparel resources
INTERNATIONAL
The scheme will encourage local retailers to design and sell clothes made from natural fibres, as well as promote textile recycling for both industry and consumers. It received a $1 million federal government grant for its development and is expected to be operational by July 2024. Industry leaders say the local initiative could be undercut by the influence of overseas online fast fashion behemoths, such as Chinese-owned Shein which adds an estimated 6000 to 10,000 new styles to its website every day. Such brands are popular in Australia, particularly with Generation Z. “We need to completely move away from the Shein business model, and say that is not acceptable,” said Leila Naja Hibri, CEO of the Australian Fashion Council and a sustainable fashion advocate. “We refuse to accept the export of ‘illicit drugs’ into our country … we have the ability as a society and with government to stop this.” A large part of these brands’ popularity is their lower cost: Shein’s website lists thousands of items – largely polyester designs ranging from activewear to work blouses and pants – for less than $10. A report commissioned by those working on the stewardship scheme estimated more than half (52 per cent) of new clothing purchased in Australia in 2018-19 was made from polyester, which releases carbon dioxide when made and is difficult to recycle. The low cost of these garments encourages customers to purchase more than they would when shopping at a conventional fashion boutique, Naja Hibri said. The hashtag #SheinHaul, where people post videos of the several items they receive in a single order from the brand, has more than 9.7 billion views on TikTok. Dr Lisa Lake, the director of UTS and TAFE NSW’s Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion & Textiles, agreed that the local push for sustainable design needed to acknowledge the impact of the overseas market. “We need to think about what kind of fabrics we are allowing on our shores. I would greatly welcome stronger regulation,” said Lake, who is not involved in the development of the stewardship scheme. As well as their choice of materials, concerns have also been raised about the conditions in which large online fast fashion retailers manufacture their clothes. Shein’s own 2021 sustainability report acknowledged more than 80 per cent of its warehouses and factories had “mediocre” to “very poor” risk performance, requiring “corrective action”. A 2022 Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report rated Shein a “zero” score for failing to pay its workers a living wage. However, some local brands, including Sheike and shoe brands Wittner and Nine West, scored the same mark. Last year, Australia followed other countries by passing a Modern Slavery Act to hold brands more accountable for their supply chain. Lake said further work was needed to ensure transparent supply chains for clothes purchased by Australians. Australians spent $34.7 billion on fashion and apparel in 2022, according to Australia Post’s 2023 eCommerce Industry Report, of which 32 per cent were online sales. Rose Bay and Bondi Beach in Sydney were the two postcodes that recorded the highest number of online fashion purchases. Asked if the impact of overseas fast fashion might undercut the impact of the stewardship scheme, federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she would be watching closely “to see whether the stewardship scheme is a success and whether fashion across the board steps in and takes responsibility for the waste they produce”. Pilbersek promised further regulation would follow if the voluntary scheme does not achieve its aims.
Source: The smh.com
Business is good this time around. Our trade volume may reach $1 million for this phase,” said Gauhar Mustafa, owner of Gohar Textile Mills from Pakistan, a participant at the 133rd China Import and Export Fair held in Guangzhou. The exhibition, also known as the Canton Fair, concluded its third and final phase on May 5. Over the past five days, textiles, fabrics and clothes were showcased alongside other products to attract international buyers. It is Mustafa’s fifth attendance at the fair. This year, he had sustainable, recyclable home textiles with him. “We are getting many customers worldwide,” he said, adding that as China’s epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage, it is easier for international traders like him to travel back and forth, and trade delegations find it better to fortify ties with their partners and peers and explore new opportunities. For Tayyab Rasheed, Director Marketing (Towel Division) AI Textiles, Pakistan, the story is even longer as being the seventhtime participant. The textile sector in Pakistan has an overwhelming impact on the economy, contributing 60% to the country’s exports. In today’s highly competitive global environment, the sector needs to upgrade its supply chain, improve productivity, and maximise value addition to be able to survive. However, Pakistan’s textile group exports declined by 14.2% during the first 10 months (July-April) of current fiscal year 2022-23 and stood at $13.71 billion.
Source: The Tribune.com
The Austrian machinery provider is showing its latest developments for sustainable woven sack production at ITMA in Milan. The highlight: the new circular loom FXa 6.0. For over 50 years, Starlinger has been a leader in the technological development of circular looms for the production of woven sacks from plastic tapes. With the new six-shuttle circular loom FXa 6.0, the company is introducing an even more efficient and user-friendly machine that produces polypropylene tape fabric of highest quality. “With the new FXa 6.0, we offer a circular loom with significantly reduced energy requirements and a low noise level,” said Harald Neumüller, CSO of Starlinger. “At the same time, longer spare parts lifetime ensures significant cost savings. By investing in new processes and innovative manufacturing methods for our in-house production we have been able to significantly minimise quality fluctuations in shuttle roller production and increase their service life.” Regarding machine control, a 7-inch touchscreen display and a high-performance CPU ensure convenient operation. “The FXa 6.0 also features a so-called IQ of 350. This means that on average there is only one warp tape break every 350 metres – an immense advantage in terms of machine downtime and work for the machine operators,” Neumüller added. The FXa 6.0 circular loom achieves a production speed of up to 1200 picks per minute and is designed for the gentle and energy-efficient production of light tape fabrics from 45 g/m² to 140 g/m². The circular loom will be shown in operation at the stand of Starlinger textile packaging in Hall 3. Closed packaging loops for woven bags made of PP and PET The use of recycled materials has become one of the leading topics in the packaging industry. In this respect, Starlinger is a pioneer when it comes to woven plastic packaging. With its “Circular Packaging” concept, the company has developed a closed packaging cycle for big bags, in which used big bags are turned into new big bags again. “As part of our “Circular Packaging” concept, big bags made of polypropylene fabric are equipped with a material passport that allows to trace their life cycle from production to use to return and recycling,” explains Neumüller. “This means that used big bags can be recycled without significant loss of quality and the regranulate used for producing new big bags – the packaging cycle is closed.” Fabric for big bags produced on Starlinger equipment with high shares of recycled polypropylene has the same specifications as fabric produced from virgin material and has been tested with standardised test procedures. With the technology for the production of tape fabric from PET and rPET, Starlinger has harnessed the great advantage of this material for woven packaging. Correctly processed, PET recyclate has properties like virgin material and can be recycled repeatedly. PET tape fabric is strong, food-safe, has excellent creep resistance and can be made from 100% recycled material. As with bottle-to-bottle recycling, “bag-tobag” recycling is possible in this case to close the packaging loop. This not only reduces raw material requirements, but also CO2 emissions and energy consumption. Both PET and rPET tape fabric are already being used successfully in the production of big bags. Post-consumer rPET for textile applications Starlinger recycling technology will be present at ITMA with its own stand in Hall 9, providing information on recycling solutions for fibre and filament production. In addition to recycling production waste, Starlinger also offers solutions for the use of recycled post-consumer plastics such as rPET in textile production. In order to be able to use recycled PET for the production of polyester filaments and fibres, it must meet the highest quality standards – any foreign particles and polymers must be removed before extrusion. In order to optimally clean the melt in the recycling process, Starlinger has developed a special cartridge filter for fibre applications, the so-called Rapid Sleeve Changer (RSC). It guarantees finest filtration of the melt down to 15 μm and achieves a throughput of up to 2000 kg per hour. The filter elements can be changed without interrupting production, which significantly reduces melt loss and machine downtime. For PET bottle-to-bottle recycling applications, Starlinger offers the new recoSTAR PET art, an energy-efficient and user-friendly recycling system. It achieves 15% more output with less maintenance and space requirements than the previous model and saves around 21% in production costs.
Source: Textile World
This spring, Spectro Coating in Leominster, Mass., shut its doors. Spectro was one of the largest flock providers in the United States and several factors were involved with its decision to close. For one, the owners — Hemendra Shah and his son Raj Shah — decided to begin focusing their expertise on various flock consulting and sales projects and equipment installations in the United States and overseas. In addition, the flocking sectors that his company serviced — including traditional flock applied to upholstery and greeting cards — had begun to wane, and they had a fabulous offer on the building in Leominster where Spectro had operations. But as they say, when one door closes, another is bound to open. And in this case, others in the U.S. flock industry have benefited dramatically from the Shahs’ decision. Two well-known flock companies have taken over large pieces of Spectro Coating and Claremont Flock, a division of Spectro, and in the process are expanding manufacturing operations, hiring new talent, collaborating with scientists and engineers under NDA to explore new, high tech applications for flock and are opening up new product lines. Fifield Fabrics — which has offices in Hingham, Mass., China and Hong Kong — purchased laminating equipment from Spectro, and bought a great deal of its inventory. “We’ve taken over much of Spectro’s business,” said Todd Der Manouelian, president of Fifield Fabrics and National Velour. “We’ve increased our inventory by 50 percent and are now the only flock company in the US with a commitment to carrying stock rolled goods. With this expansion, we now are offering 14 lines of flock on our floor and all but one of these is manufactured in the US.” Fifleld is well positioned in what has become a growing sector of the flock industry — high end displays for companies such as Tiffany’s, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, and luxury shoe, handbag and accessory brands. Der Manouelian said they are also exploring other new, higher end markets. Cellusuede Products Inc., which is a large supplier of precision cut flock based in Rockford, Ill., purchased cutting machinery and inventory from Claremont Flock, a division of Spectro that sold precision and random cut flock to a variety of industries, including automotive. “We’ve always competed with Claremont, and now we are taking on $3 million in new business, while adding a second shift and looking for new talent,” said Andy Honkamp, company president. Although in business for 85 years, Cellusuede has started focusing on a number of new industry sectors that have begun opening up for flock in the US. “The projects we are working on are very exciting and we’re signing more and more NDA’s,” Honkamp said. This includes developing flock for 3-D printers, smart fabrics, bio sensors and shock-absorbing flock foam for NFL helmets. Honkamp added that they are even developing flock from aramid fibers — best known as Kevlar, which is used in body armor. “Aramid fiber is one that has a future,” he said. “It’s difficult to work with, difficult to cut, but we figured it out.” Douglas W. Russell Jr., president of Middlesex Research Manufacturing Co. Inc. also stopped by Spectro before it closed to purchase equipment. Middlesex is located nearby in Hudson, Mass. “In addition to its toll coating operations, Middlesex will continue to supply rolls of flocked goods to the jewelry box and table pad industries as well as selling cut and dyed flock by itself,” said Russell. “We have exactly the same capabilities that Spectro/Claremont had and are willing to run smaller minimums which can be attractive to some customers.” “All in all, it was a sad thing to see them fold,” Russell added, “but hopefully the rest of us can pick up where they left off and supply all of their former customers with the flocked and coated products they need so that American manufacturers can continue to source within the United States and avoid the temptation to purchase abroad.” “This truly is a sad day for those of us who have worked with Hemendra and his son Raj,” said Steve Rosenthal, managing director of the American Flock Association. “Raj is on the AFA Executive Committee, and word on the street has it that he will remain in the industry, consulting for one or more of our members. We hope this is true. We’ve even heard that he and his father may continue working together in this capacity. Their institutional knowledge and technical acumen can benefit the industry — especially now with so many new and fascinating flock applications on the horizon.” Honkamp agreed with Rosenthal’s assessment about that new horizon for flock. “There’s a lot of untapped product development potential out there,” he said. “There are so many things flock can be used for in a functional way.”
Source: Textile World
