INTERNATIONAL
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In a momentous initiative, the Indian textile industry, in collaboration with industry bodies, is set to host "Bharat Tex 2024," heralded as the world's largesttextiles event. This mega exhibition is scheduled to take place from February 26 to February 29, 2024, in New Delhi. Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal, unveiled the event during a curtain raiser at Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi, read the press release issued by the Ministry of Textiles. The initiative marks India's dedication to becoming a global textile powerhouse, combining innovation, collaboration, and the "Make in India" spirit. Bharat Tex 2024 represents India's 5F vision, encompassing Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. It emphasizes the nation's readiness to take on global competition in the textile sector, creating products not only for India but the entire world. Minister Goyal encouraged the industry to build globally recognized brands while simultaneously developing "Brand India", read the press release. The event was attended by industry associations, textile sector leaders, and senior government officials. During the ceremony, Minister Goyal unveiled the fair logo, website, and video, emphasizing the significance of showcasing India's strengths across the textile value chain and in sustainability initiatives, read the press release. Bharat Tex 2024 aims to position India as a mature, competitive global sourcing destination within the textile industry. "Bharat Tex 2024" is anticipated to be a comprehensive representation of the entire textile industry value chain, encompassing India's rich cultural heritage, traditional textile practices, and the latest technological innovations, read the press release. With over 1,000 exhibitors and more than 30,000 visitors from 40 countries, the event will feature knowledge sessions, seminars, conferences, CEO roundtables, B2B and G2G meetings, strategic investment announcements, product launches, and global collaborations that will reshape the textile industry. In addition to these, the event will showcase live demonstrations, cultural events, fashion presentations, designer and brand exhibitions, fashion shows, sustainability workshops, and expert talks. Rachna Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textile, expressed that the textile industry has a substantial opportunity to increase exports, making "Bharat Tex 2024" a timely event, read the press release. The event aims to bring together key players in the Indian and global textile sectors, emphasizing opportunities, infrastructure, incentives, and benefits available in India for global investors and buyers. "Bharat Tex 2024" will also serve as a platform for global investors and buyers to explore India's potential as a global manufacturer and consumer market. This industry-led initiative will be organized jointly by 11 Textile-related Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and other industry bodies, read the release. The Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), Naren Goenka, and the Chairman of the Manmade and Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL), Bhadresh Dodia, presented detailed plans for the upcoming fair, read the release. "Bharat Tex 2024" signifies India's commitment to reshaping the global textile landscape, showcasing its multifaceted strengths, sustainable practices, and unparalleled creativity.
Source: Economic times
The EU and India last year revived negotiations to forge a free trade agreement that could act as a counterbalance to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, but the bloc has deemed India's proposals so far as too soft to lead to a comprehensive pact. "We've felt a political impetus on India's behalf and we want to reinforce the negotiations," said Mendez who represented the Spanish rotating presidency of the European Council at a meeting of trade ministers in the Spanish city of Valencia. "There is an enormous interest from the member states, but only if there will be an access to the real market, without which the deal would be emptied." The EU is seen wanting greater access to Indian markets for its cars, alcoholic drinks and agrifood products such as cheese, while India is seen benefiting more in services and would like easier visa access to the EU for Indian professionals. The European Union also expects to reach an agreement with the United States on steel trade by the end of the year, said Mendez. "We knew it wouldn't be possible to reach a solution today (at an EU-U.S. summit in Washington)...The solution has to be sophisticated and complex. The main proposal is to finalise the deal with the United States before the end of the year," she said. The United States has suspended import tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, but on condition that both sides agree by the end of this month on measures to address overcapacity in non-market economies, such as China, and promote greener steel. Mendez said the sides reached a definitive solution on the issue of duties, as opposed to a temporary fix, but were still negotiating on the problem of excess capacity and decarbonising the industry.
Source: Business-Standard
The US has emerged as India's biggest trading partner during the first half of the current financial year despite global economic uncertainties and declining exports and imports, according to government data. According to the provisional data of the commerce ministry, the bilateral trade between India and the US has declined by 11.3 per cent to USD 59.67 billion during April-September 2023 against USD 67.28 billion in the same period last year. Exports to the US have come down to USD 38.28 billion during AprilSeptember 2023 from USD 41.49 billion a year ago. Imports also declined to USD 21.39 billion during the first six months of the current fiscal compared to USD 25.79 billion in the same period last year. Similarly, the two-way trade between India and China also dipped by 3.56 per cent to USD 58.11 billion. Exports to China contracted marginally to USD 7.74 billion during the first half of the current fiscal from USD 7.84 billion in the year-ago period. Imports fell to USD 50.47 billion from USD 52.42 billion a year earlier. Trade experts believe that though exports and imports are declining between India and the US due to global demand slowdown, the growth rate will enter a positive zone soon. Despite this, the trend of increasing bilateral trade with the US will continue in the coming years as New Delhi and Washington are engaged in further strengthening the economic ties, they said. Chairman of the CII national committee on EXIM Sanjay Budhia has earlier stated that an early solution for restoration of GSP benefits by the US to Indian exporters is the need of the hour as it would help further boost the bilateral trade. Mumbai-based exporter Khalid Khan said that going by the trend, the US will continue to be the biggest trading partner of India despite the global challenges. Ludhiana-based exporter SC Ralhan said that the trade between New Delhi and Washington will continuously grow in the coming years. "The US should seriously consider restoration of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits to domestic exporters as it would significantly help boost trade," Ralhan noted. America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. The US was India's biggest trading partner in 2022-23. The bilateral trade between India and the US rose 7.65 per cent to USD 128.55 in 2022-23 against USD 119.5 billion in 2021-22. It was USD 80.51 billion in 2020-21. Earlier, China was India's top trading partner from 2013-14 till 2017-18 and also in 2020-21. Before China, the UAE was the country's largest trading partner. In 2022-23, the UAE, with USD 76.16 billion bilateral trade, was the third largest trading partner of India, followed by Saudi Arabia (USD 52.72 billion) and Singapore (USD 35.55 billion). During April-September 2023, the bilateral trade between India and the UAE stood at USD 36.16 billion.
Source: Economic Times
Union Minister of Textiles, Piyush Goyal, has said that Indian textile and apparel industry has strength to create strong impact at global level. India is not afraid of global competition now and Indian industry should take lead as we have best products and deliver value compare to any other. He exhorted the industry to build their brands that are globally recognised and simultaneously build India as a brand. Addressing the curtain raiser of “Bharat Tex 2024” event, in Delhi the minister said that Indian textile and apparel industry should invite investors from across the globe and Bharat Tex 2024 can be a good platform for this. Bharat Tex 2024, scheduled to take place from 26th-29th February 2024 at Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhumi (New Delhi) is envisaged to be the biggest textile event at the global level. The event, having an entire supply chain, is expected to have 3500 exhibitors and 3,000 buyers from over 40 countries and 40,000 domestic visitors. Designers as well as brand exhibitions, fashion shows, sustainability workshops and expert talks shall be the other highlights of the event. Bharat Tex 2024, supported by Ministry of Textiles is proposed to be organised jointly by the 11 Textile related Export Promotion Councils (EPCs). Rachna Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textile urged the industry to take part in the event. Naren Goenka, Chairman, AEPC and Bhadresh Dodia, Chairman Manmade and Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL) and Rakesh Kumar, are the chairman, Co-Chairman and Secretary General of the consortium of the EPCs organising the event.
Source: Apparel Resources
The two-day expo of hand weaves and natural dyes, Prakruti, is back in Coimbatore with 25 stalls. The second edition of the exhibition at Padmavathi Ammal Cultural Centre on October 21 and 22 has weavers from different States, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh displaying fabrics. Sreeram, a 46-year-old tailor from Munnar, has developed a wide range of Indigo-dyed fabrics and plant leaf dyed materials. Having learnt the art of Indigo dyeing, he has created different patterns on fabrics. There are also natural dyed purses, hair bands, and hair clips. Bakr Society of Kochi has displayed t-shirts that have natural-dye prints made by inhouse developed screen printing techniques. Royal Brocades from Gujarat, which supplies fabrics to the Thailand Royal Family, not only makes stoles and sarees of the traditional Ashavali designs, but also trains women from non-traditional weaving families in making the traditional Gujarati brocade designs. Stoles made by these women are also on display. Arup Rakshit of MG Gramodyog Sewa Sansthan says it takes about three days to weave one metre of muslin cloth. The organisation has displayed muslin fabric, desi cotton fabrics, and sarees made by tribal women. It is also training tribal women make muslin fabrics. Abdul Jabbar from Kutch, a ninth generation weaver, has silk sarees with Ajrakh (Kutch block printing). His family also trains people in block printing. Badsha Miyan of Jaipur, a fifth generation handloom weaver, says they make silk sarees in 50 natural shades. The expo also has eri silk, ahimsa silk, silk and cotton blend fabrics, natural dyed yoga mats. Kanaka Ananth’s Maniams, a Coimbatore-based company, has exhibited wooden toys inspired by traditional kolams, lamps, and art forms.
Source: The Hindu
Delivering the inaugural address at Kautilya Economic Conclave 2023, the minister said benefits under more than 50 government schemes are being directly transferred into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, and PMJDY has played an important role. She also said when the scheme was launched, a certain section of people had made “snide” remarks saying public sector banks would be under pressure as these are zero balance accounts. However, these accounts have a balance of more than Rs 2 lakh crore, Sitharaman said. In her address she also spoke elaborately on climate financing and challenges associated with it. The minister also said that multilateral institutions including Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have become less effective in the current global situation. Sitharaman also highlighted the challenges posed by global terror and stressed that investors and businesses will have to take into account such factors while making investment decisions. She further said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is conscious of the debt situation and has undertaken fiscal management to ensure that the coming generation is not burdened.
Source: The State times.in
which was around US $ 81 million in the last financial year. But an Indian apparel exporter is in the limelight as it takes a stand for peace and refuses to work with Israel. Maryan Apparels Company, a Kannur-based uniform manufacturer has declared that it will no longer accept orders to produce Israeli police uniforms until peace is restored. The company has been supplying over 1 lakh uniform shirts to the Israel Police annually for the past eight years. The organisation, having annual turnover of up to Rs. 80 crore, decided to fulfill previous uniform orders until December, but will not accept new orders from Israel until the conflict comes to an end. Thomas Olickal, MD of the company emphasised that their dedication to universal humanity outweighs financial gains, especially given the deeply troubling events unfolding in the region. He added that due to this step, the company will have a substantial financial loss, but it is a commitment to peace and a concern for the humanitarian consequences of ongoing conflicts. “We took the decision after seeing reports on the war, especially the one on the deaths of women and children at a hospital in Gaza which caused us severe pain. Although both sides are denying their roles in it, we thought it is better on our part not to have a direct or indirect connection with it. We are stopping the business agreement only till the war is over as it’s a moral responsibility. We don’t have any affinity towards either side. If Palestine gives us an order now, we won’t take that either,” he said. The company supplies uniforms to corporate companies, hospitals, schools and oil rigs. It also works with police and defence forces in all of the Middle East countries and to some in Europe.
Source: Apparel Resources
INTERNATIONAL
Bangladesh International Garment & Textile Machinery Expo, will begin on October 26 at the International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka. Industry Minister, Mr. Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, MP is expected to inaugurate the exposition on October 26 at 12:00pm which will continue until October 28. RedCarpet Global Limited, the organizer of the BIGTEX expo, disclosed details about the mega exhibition at a press conference on Sunday (October 22) at the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) auditorium in the city. The organizers said targeting the entire Textile, Garment & Apparel industry, they are organizing 5 international exhibitions simultaneously at the same place – named Bangladesh International Fabric & Yarn Expo, Bangladesh International Printing, Packaging & Signage Expo and Bangladesh International Dyes, Pigments & Chemicals Expo and 3P Expo – Bangladesh International Paper, Printing & Packaging Expo. These exhibitions will also play an important role by showcasing latest machineries, technologies, dyes/chemicals, yarns, fabrics available for Bangladesh on display with manufacturers/suppliers from the world available to our Industry at the doorstep. Also the expo will provide an opportunity to experts, engineers & technicians in the field of textile to have a practical knowledge of the recent technological advancements available, without going abroad. Ahmed Imtiaz, CEO of Redcarpet Global, mentioned that the expo will have almost 160 stalls from 12 countries including Asia and Europe. Bangladesh holds the position of 2nd largest apparel exporter in the world & forecasted a target of $100 billion export by 2030, it needs quality Garment & Textile Machinery, Equipments, Technology, Printing & Packaging Machinery, Signage, Yarn, Fabric, Trims, Accessories, Dyes, Pigments, Chemicals at best Price. This expo will help manufacturer & dealers to showcase their products, where Bangladesh garment & textile factory owners & apparel exporters can get in touch with them, he said. Besides, the participants will be able to identify business contacts with prospect of entering into subsequent business negotiations, he said. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association are the associate partner of the exhibition and Image Group is the Powered by partner of the Printing expo. This expo is supported by Bangladesh Paper Mills Association, endorsed by Bangladesh Sign Materials and Machineries Importers Association (BSMMIA) & Bangladesh Digital Printers Owners Association (BDPOA). Mr. A.K.M Ahamed Ullah, Secretary, Bangladesh Digital Printers Owners Association, Mr. Md Manik Dewan, Secretary, Bangladesh Sign Materials and Machineries Importers Association, Mr. Md. Abdus Salam, CEO, Images Ltd, Mr. Mohammad Ashraful Islam Riyadh, Editor & Publisher, Textile Focus also spoke about exhibitions in the press conference. This Expo will be open for general & trade visitors from 10:30 am to 7:30pm every day.
Source: Textile world
The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative and sustainable fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry exhibited its latest advanced technologies for stretch denim and wovens at Kingpins Amsterdam, 18-19 October. The invitation-only trade show took place at the SugarFactory in Halfweg, Netherlands. “With all the concerns in the world today around matters such as climate change, geopolitical tensions, and inflation, consumers seem to be focused more on what really matters, and when it comes to their clothing they value flexibility, durability and sustainability,” said Ebru Ozaydin, The Lycra Company’s global strategic marketing director, denim, wovens, and ready-to-wear. At Kingpins, Lcyra showcased innovative fibers designed to meet these needs including Lycra Adaptiv fiber and Lycra XFIT fiber technology for denim and wovens, he added. Lycra Adaptiv fiber has helped revolutionize garment fit by providing enhanced comfort in motion and easy stretch without restrictive compression. The innovative idea behind this technology is to offer consumers an enhanced garment solution for all body shapes by adapting to accommodate weight fluctuations or size changes over time. Brands and retailers will also appreciate the unique benefits of this fiber. By enabling inclusive sizing and fit forgiveness, Lycra Adaptiv fiber has the potential to help reduce costly consumer returns and makes it possible to undercut patterns to help reduce waste, simplify sizing and decrease SKUs. Kingpins Amsterdam was the European launchpad for a new advertising campaign promoting Lycra Adaptiv fiber. Ads were displayed in the Lycra brand stand and digital ads featuring the tagline, “Game Changer. Now, for all.” will run on trade websites this autumn. This season, The Lycra Company will also share collaborations highlighting Lycra XFIT fiber technology, which is a patented innovation offering exciting new design opportunities in bi-stretch denim. Garments designed with this solution have 360-degree stretch and exhibit less compression when compared to traditional bi-stretch jeans. This fiber reduces bagging and sagging to ensure a better fit and size consistency, while also offering an extended wearing experience. Lycra XFIT fiber technology provides an authentic vintage denim look and soft feel thereby avoiding the undesired “gummy” touch of traditional bistretch fabrics. The Lycra Company also promoted its sustainable solutions for performance denim at Kingpins. This includeed cooling and warming technologies made from preconsumer recycled materials like textile waste under the COOLMAX EcoMade and Thermolite EcoMade brands.
Source: Tecoya Trend
According to ITMF’s (International Textile Manufacturers Federation) 22nd Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) conducted in the middle of September 2023, survey participants exhibited a cautious sentiment regarding the current business situation. The indicator for the business situation stood at -27 percentage points (pp) because companies in the entire textile value chain were struggling with rising costs and weak demand. Business expectations have remained unchanged since July at around +20 pp. They have jumped into positive territory in January 2023 based on the assumption that the Chinese economy would give an additional boost, but this hope did not materialise. The analysis indicates that a hard landing of the global economy is not in sight.
The entire textile value chain is running on minimum levels of orders Order intake recovered in May 2023, but flattened in July and remained very weak in September (-28 pp). The entire textile value chain is running on minimum levels of orders. It is stated that as long as brands and retailers do not increase orders, the entire value chain will continue struggling. Order backlog slightly increased globally, from 1.9 months in July to 2.2 months in September 2023. This indicator has been on a falling trend since the end of 2021. The average capacity utilisation rate dropped again globally (69%). Textile manufacturers expect this rate to remain low in six months’ time as well.
The major concern in the global textile value chain is weakening demand Weakening demand has been the major concern in the global textile value chain for a year. In September 2023, this concern grew even stronger due to high inflation rates measured in the last few months, a phenomenon fueled by high energy and high raw material prices. Nevertheless, participants seem not to be concerned by order cancelations and inventory levels remain average along the textile value chain.
Source: Textile Gence
This year’s ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 trade show appearance of the Oerlikon Group will focus on current challenges that the entire textile industry has to deal with: creating a circular economy within the textile value chain, providing energy-efficient technologies, using digital solutions to support a sustainable production, processing new materials, and finally the traceability of all products and the recycling of raw materials used. And there are certainly many more subject areas that the visitors of the ITMA Asia -CITME 2022 will have questions about. Oerlikon therefore invites all trade fair visitors to engage in a dialog with all its experts at its booth in hall 7, A55. On more than 225 m², Oerlikon will give answers to the urgent questions of the present and the future. “At Oerlikon, we contribute with our innovative technologies for resource-saving use in almost all manmade fiber spinning mills in the world. Our promise for the future is to continue to expand the zero-waste production approach and thus take care of achieving our customers’ and our own sustainability goals”, says Georg Stausberg, CEO of the Polymer Processing Solutions Division and Chief Sustainability Officer of the Oerlikon Group. This sets out the claim of one of the world’s leading suppliers of machinery and plant solutions for manmade fiber production not only for this show: In the future, it will be solely a matter of sustainable innovations.
Circular Economy and recycling? Enabling customers to achieve more with less Textiles are becoming an increasingly big polluter. To tackle the growing mountains of used clothing, it is above all European politicians who are developing a comprehensive strategy for a regulating circular economy. And the textiles industry is also making its mark with innovative technologies for recycling manmade fibers. However, there is still a long way to go before we have a sustainable textile world. According to the European Environment Agency, the consumption of textiles is already the fourth-largest source of negative environmental and climate change impacts within the European Union (EU). A major reason for this is relentless textile growth: the Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that the global production of textile almost doubled between 2000 and 2015. And the annual consumption of apparel and shoes is expected to further rise by 63 percent by 2030 – from currently 62 million to 102 million tons – adds the European Environment Agency. With this market development in mind, Oerlikon is intensively involved in Worn Again Technologies. The British partnership is focusing on a solvent-based recycling technology, with which both end-of-life textiles comprising polyester and polycotton blends and PET plastics can be converted into circular raw materials and fibers (polyester and cellulose). For this, a large demonstration system for upcycling 1,000 tons of textiles per annum is being created in Switzerland. “We are supporting technological innovators such as Worn Again Technologies because we believe their solution is extremely promising and because they are driving cooperation between the individual producers within the value chain. Recycling only works when all players cooperate in a circular system”, emphasizes Stausberg. He is already looking to the future: “The time for closed-loop strategies and the corresponding sustainable technologies is now – let’s talk about it at ITMA Asia + CITME 2022.” In terms of sustainability, however, Oerlikon also sets itself high goals. Stausberg: “It is no surprise that we have applied high standards of innovation to our own operations and practices. For several years, Oerlikon has been creating pilot initiatives that we intend to implement company-wide to the greatest extent possible. For example, we are committed to achieving CO2 neutrality in all our locations by 2030 as we have already done at our site in Liechtenstein that provides our blueprint for meeting this commitment. Our goals also include obtaining 100% of our electrical energy from renewable sources and achieving the standard of ,Zero Harm to People’”. In addition to regulatory initiatives, technical innovation is required to connect the beginning and the end of the linear textiles industry and to close the loop. One decisive circular technology here is fiber-to-fiber recycling. Only a few years ago, this process was used to recycle around just one percent of used clothing worldwide into fibers for new apparel. McKinsey market researchers are now talking about 18 to 26 percent being recycled by 2030 – if the full technical recycling potential is utilized and more textiles are collected. For this, manual processes will have to be automated, clothing waste qualitatively sorted, buttons and zips removed, and fiber compositions unambiguously identified – and all less expensively. Separating mixed fibers still represents an obstacle as well. Finally, the and be able to be further processed, i.e., dyed. Despite these challenges, there are promising solutions on the horizon, even though some processes are not yet ready for commercial exploitation. Oerlikon Barmag is offering technological solutions for rPET that enable customers to save million tons of CO2 per year. In 2022, Oerlikon Barmag introduced, a homogenizer recycling line specifically for customers in China and Asia where bottle flakes and film waste can be agglomerated, extruded, homogenized and melted to produce polymer melt or chips. It enables the polymer quality of recycled bottles or film waste to be precisely adjusted to the requirements of different downstream extrusion or injection molding processes. Another rPET solution is the VacuFil system from the Oerlikon Barmag joint venture, BB Engineering. VacuFil is a unique and innovative PET recycling line, uniting gentle large-scale filtration and targeted intrinsic viscoscity (IV) regulation for consistently outstanding rPET melt quality. In 2022, BB Engineering launched a patented key component of the VacuFil system, the Visco+ filter as a separate and easily integrable upgrade component that enables precise IV setting and pure melt with the help of vacuum. IV is the central quality characteristic in PET recycling and rPET processing. It determines the melting performance in the production process and the properties of the end products and is thus essential in the recycling process. The Visco+ process is reliable, verifiable and 50% faster than conventional liquid-state polycondensation systems.
Energy Efficiency? EvoSteam process revolutionizes polyester staple fiber production There is a huge demand for textile fibers: population growth of around 3% per annum, fast fashion and many other factors are fueling this demand. According to international studies, global demand for staple fibers made from polyester will total 20 million tons in 2025 – this is approx. 33% more than the production volume recorded in 2013. In view of noticeable climate change and its impact on people and the economy, resource- and environmentfriendly manufacturing methods are absolutely crucial for the future. High production costs are currently eating into the margins of fiber producers. Noteworthy here are above all massively increased energy and polymer prices, but water is also an important resource today – very frequently scarce and consequently expensive. At this year’s ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 in Shanghai, Oerlikon Neumag will be unveiling its new EvoSteam process to interested trade visitors, viewed by many process experts as an enabler for more sustainable staple fiber production in the future. The objective of the new development is to lower both operating expenses (OPEX) and the carbon footprint with minimal consumption of energy, water and polymer – simultaneously with the excellent fiber qualities demanded by downstream processes and high production volumes.
New Materials? Looking back at the regulations of the European Union, among others, there are also major challenges for new materials. In that regard the Green Deal can only be realized if new European Union policy frameworks create certainty for future investments. “In the polymer processing industry, we have to come to a sustainable, closed circular economy for packaging materials and textiles, for example, while simultaneously intensively expanding the recycling of the materials used. Here, new materials also offer opportunities – opportunities that we as a machine manufacturer and plant engineering company will exploit. However, compared to non-biodegradable, petrochemical-based polymers such as PE, PET and PP, the prices for bio-based polymers like PA 5.6. and biodegradable polymers like PLA, PBAT and PBS are not yet competitive. In contrast, the properties of bio-based materials used for consumer products, especially those used in the packaging industry, are already competitive. It appears compostable textiles will remain a niche market”, explains Stausberg. “But one thing is certain: utilizing current Oerlikon technologies and future innovations, we will be able to transform virtually any raw material into an ecologically attractive end product. The economic questions will ultimately be answered by consumers. Technology is once again enabling us to create a better world”, says Stausberg.
Digitalization and Traceability? With its sustainable and closed loop-compatible textiles strategy, the EU plans to become a pioneer for the global circular economy as well. By 2030, textile products marketed within the EU are to become more durable and recyclable, predominantly comprise recycled fibers, contain no hazardous substances and be manufactured in compliance with social rights and in a manner that protects the environmental. This also includes the introduction of a digital product passport and the amendment of the European Textile Labeling Act: To implement the closed-loop principle and other important environmental requirements, players along the value chain must also fulfill new information obligations about the composition of textiles. At the show, Oerlikon will present own digital technology solutions and those that have been tested in collaboration with various partners for the use in Oerlikon technologies.
Looking into the future with the Oerlikon Barmag Digital Twin The term “digital twin” was coined in 2014 by Michael Grieves and John Vickers (NASA) and is used and interpreted for different scenarios: The simplest digital twins map a digital inventory list of a real machine, for example, in order to be able to supply exactly matching spare parts for a customer-specific plant. At the other end of the complexity scale are digital twins that map the kinematics and/or dynamics of a machine or plant. At ITMA Asia + CITME 2022, Oerlikon Barmag will present a complete WINGS POY winding head as a kinematic model as a digital twin. For this purpose, all essential machine components were modeled as rigid bodies and connected to each other via joints and contact bodies. The actuators present in the real world were simulated by forces and moments. Analogously, the sensors are simulated by contact bodies and corresponding collision bodies. With this kinematic model, it is now possible to map all the processes that occur during the operation of a winding head in virtual space. Customers can thus be offered faster and more costeffective production solutions.
Digital Academy – its just the beginning Interactive and customized, modular and flexible in terms of time – all features of a modern training concept. Adapted to the needs and general conditions of the respective student, training sessions should be independent of time and place and the contents should be tailored. This concept is being implemented within the Digital Academy at Oerlikon. The digital online training center, available through the myOerlikon.com e-commerce platform, comprises a collection of role-based e-learning modules on such topics as operation, maintenance and repairs – currently for the Oerlikon Neumag BCF S+ and S8 machines. Training is targeted at operating staff, process engineers and technicians, and quality assurance officers. The Digital Academy learning contents are available for the Oerlikon Neumag BCF S+ and BCF S8 systems. Further contents will be continually expanded and made available to all customers.
Oerlikon Barmag ACW WINGS How can an upgrade increase Oerlikon Barmag POY yarn manufacturing process quality while simultaneously cutting energy consumption, waste, time and personnel? At ITMA Asia + CITME 2022, Oerlikon will show its long-awaited upgrade: ACW WINGS drawing fields. Established technologies can always be made better. When the Advanced Craft Winder (ACW) was launched in 1998, it was truly convincing with its sophisticated modifications for initial string-up and yarn transfer. WINGS replaced it as the new benchmark in 2007. However, because Oerlikon Barmag technology last for decades, many ACW and WINGS winders are being operated practically side-by-side in some places. Customers asked Oerlikon: please build a WINGS drawing fields over our ACW winders! At ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 it will be shown in hybrid way – a WINGS drawing field in combination with virtual ACW Winder.
Oerlikon Barmag Wiping Robot Regular wiping of the spin packs is important for process stability and yarn quality. Automating the process with Oerlikon Barmag’s wiping robots, which can be retrofitted to numerous spinning plants, delivers considerable benefits, as it reduces the yarn break rate by up to 30%, improves process stability and reduces downtime. In addition, wiping robots help to indirectly reduce waste as a result of a 90% decrease in the use of silicone oil spray cans and a 15% to 20% decrease in total silicone oil consumption.
Oerlikon Nonwoven HycuTEC Oerlikon Nonwoven’s HycuTEC inline charging technology is used to create high-end charged meltblown filtration media. Introduced in March, it went on to win the 2022 FILTREX™ Innovation Award. One of the reasons HycuTEC won the award was that the meltblown media treated with the technology requires 40% less polymer (fabric weight) to achieve the same filter efficiency than the nonwoven material that was not treated. In other words, filter specification is easier to achieve while reducing waste in production. Compared with other hydro-charging concepts, the unit significantly reduces water and energy consumption due to the elimination of an additional drying process and the lower pressure drop in the filter material. HycuTEC is the first industrially manufactured hydrocharging solution that can be easily retrofitted to existing systems as a plug-and-produce component.
Source: Textile world
Spiders may be considered household pests to some, but to scientists they are the inspiration for a new method of producing soft fibers that possess qualities well-suited for the fabrication of smart and recyclable textile fibers. Researchers from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) developed a relatively simple fabrication method to make the materials, which are at the same time strong, able to stretch, and electrically conductive. In the past, creating materials with these properties together has been challenging and required complex conditions and systems.At the same time, the process can be easily replicated at room temperature and pressure to produce new fibers, the researchers said. It also uses less solvent and energy than previous fabrication techniques, making it more environmentally friendly and efficient. “Technologies for fabricating soft fibres should be simple, efficient, and sustainable to meet the high demand for smart textile electronics," noted NUS Assistant Professor Tan Swee Ching in a post on the NUS news site. "Soft fibers created using our spider-inspired method of spinning has been demonstrated to be versatile for various smart technology applications." Those potential applications include weaving functional fibers into a strain-sensing glove for interactive gaming purposes or sensing temperature changes in robots to protect them from environments with extreme temperatures, he said.
Mimicking Spider Spinning To create their process, the researchers identified two steps in the formation of spider silk—a highly efficient process that occurs in a natural environment—that they could mimic. The first is the transformation of a highly concentrated protein solution, known as a silk dope, into a strand of fiber. Identifying that the protein concentration and interactions in the silk dope increase from synthesis to spinning, the researchers then observed that the arrangement of proteins within the dope changes when triggered by external factors. This second step—known as liquid-solid phase separation—is what helps to separate the liquid portion from the silk dope, leaving the solid part, or the spider-spun silk fibers. The researchers recreated these two steps in the lab and developed a new spinning process they call the phase separation-enabled ambient (PSEA) spinning approach. This process spins soft fibers from a viscous gel solution—called the spinning dope—composed of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and silver ions, or PANSion, dissolved in the common solvent dimethylformamide (DMF). The spinning dope forms into a strand of soft fiber through the spinning process when the gel is pulled and spun under ambient conditions, the researchers said. They then exposed the PANSion gel to air, where water molecules trigger a reaction that causes the liquid portion of the gel to form drops and separate from the solid portion—called nonsolvent vapor-induced phase separation effect. When separated from the solid fiber, holding the fiber vertically or at an angle removes the liquid droplets using gravity. “This innovative method fulfills an unmet need to create a simple yet efficient spinning approach to produce functional 1D soft fibers that simultaneously possess unified mechanical and electrical functionalities,” Tan said.
Recyclable Textile Fibers: Applications and Sustainability The combination of the spin process and the gel allowed the researchers to fabricate soft fibers with mechanical strength, elasticity, and conductivity—all three of which the researchers tested in the lab to verify their performance. Researchers published a paper on their results in the journal, Nature Electronics. To test the fibers in real-world applications, the team also created a few—including the aforementioned smart gaming glove—to prove its efficacy. The glove could successfully detect human hand gestures and enable a user to play simple games. The researchers also fabricated a smart face mask that could monitor the breathing status of the wearer, something that could be used in a medical scenario to keep track of conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. Another key aspect of the PANSion soft fibers is their sustainability, as they can be recycled by dissolving in DMF and then converted back into a gel solution for spinning new fibers, the researchers said. In the future, the team plans to continue its work to improve this feature throughout the fibers' entire production cycle--from the raw materials to recycling the final product.
Source: Design News
