TTNA Highlights Innovation for a Circular Economy

Techtextil 2023 Provide Platform for Companies to Attract the Sustainably Minded

Market-leading innovations from over 350 exhibitors from 30 countries combined with thousands of attendees gathered for Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas in Atlanta, held at the Georgia World Congress Center in May 2023.

The Techtextil Symposium was wellattended, highlighting functional fabrics, circular economy, medical textiles, aerospace and defense applications and nonwovens. Tech Zone Talks were presented by exhibitors, and the Tech Zone talks were mini-sessions on specific niches like ChatGPT and Design, PFAS, Circular Polyment, Biocatalytic textiles, and more.

Focusing on two key Techtextil symposium discussions, the advancements and solutions to tackle textile’s welldocumented environmental challenges were on aplenty from platforms and show floor presentations, spilling over into exhibitor booth discussions.

Key Symposium Notes

In Innovative Fibers for a Circular Economy, reducing plastic consumption was a high priority during one opening session for Techtextil North America. Diana Wyman of ATTCC moderated a panel that included Sonja Salmon, Ph.D., associate professor of textile engineering, chemistry and science, North Carolina State University; Harrie Schoots, consultant for Fibers52; and Andrea Ferris, CEO, Intrinsic Advanced Materials.

With expertise in bio-based textile materials and processes, Professor Salmon focused her comments on her research, Enzymatic Conversion of Cellulosic Textiles for Recycling.1 The project resulted in the successful separation of cotton from polyester in blended fabric. “We can separate all of the cotton out of a cottonpolyester blend, meaning now we have clean polyester that can be recycled,” said Salmon. “In a landfill, the polyester is not going to degrade, and the cotton might take several months or more to break down. Using our method, we can separate the cotton from polyester in less than 48 hours.”

Harrie Schoots discussed his work with Fiber52, a company focused on sustainable dye solutions for cotton. “There is a lot of talk today about recycling fibers which is good, we need to do more of this,” he said, focusing his discussion on cotton fiber as a go-to fiber with enhancements. “A lot of water is being used in today’s cotton scour and bleach process and dyeing and finishing. Fiber52™ comfort cotton brings a patent-pending technology that minimizes the use of resources at this phase.” The technology allows textile manufacturers to continue using the same machinery, but replace harsh chemicals with inexpensive bioproducts, and achieve the same quality results. There is also savings on heat, energy, water, and time.

Intrinsic Advanced Materials CEO Andrea Ferris discussed the company’s advancement to eliminate micro plastics. “CiCLO® is biodegradable technology aimed to reduce the impacts of fugitive synthetic microfiber pollution in the oceans,” she said. “Our seas are truly sick. Biodegradability of plastic doesn’t always make sense, such as small single use straws, etc., but there are times when biodegradability is essential. We have an upstream solution that balances durability and sustainability.” CiCLO® technology is a sustainable textiles ingredient in the form of an additive that is combined with polyester and nylon during melt extrusion at the very beginning of the fiber-making process. When CiCLO®-enhanced fibers end up in environments where biodegradation can occur naturally, microbes are attracted to the fibers and can mineralize them at rates comparable to natural fibers, such as wool. (Read more about this in our interview of Ferris on page 10.)

Delving into Nonwovens Advancements, the session was moderated by Behnam Pourdeyhimi, executive director of the Nonwovens Institute, with expert panelists Charles Vaillant, CTO/CDO, Mann+Hummel Group; Bryan Haynes, Ph.D., Technical Director Global Non- wovens, Kimberly Clark; and Jeff Strahan, Ph.D., Sustainability and Compliance, Milliken & Company.

Charles Vaillant led the discussion with vehicle filtration. Filtration support is a challenge of today’s society with the increases in air quality and regulations, notes Vaillant. “They are tightening the regs on what is acceptable for humans. Pollutants need to be reduced. Europe and North America have the cleanest air in the world, but other countries are not so good. Ultra-fine particles are numerous, invisible, and dangerous – the lungs are not capable to deal with them and they end up in bloodstream. Mann+Hummel is focusing efforts on Smart Cabin Air Filter systems, where sensors to determine the air quality inside and around the vehicle. This leads to a lasting improvement in air quality, while at the same time reducing energy consumption. They are utilizing HEPA filtration of ultrafine particles (<0,1 µm), combined with sensors that continuously control the system and monitor the air quality, making for cleaner and safer cabin air. “The traffic jam is where you need protection,” Vaillant notes. Moving towards EV filtration, M+H’s Intelligent FreciousSmart cabin air filter system provides clean air and simultaneously reduces power consumption, something the company says is a perfect concept for electric vehicles.

Brian Haynes provided a historical perspective of plastics and textile pollution. How big is this, he asked? “First disposal product was invented in 1950s. We have spent the last 70 years producing 20 trillion pounds of plastic, enough to fill 8,000 football stadiums.” Why should we care? “We eat one credit card of plastic each week. It is everywhere.” He noted that if we continue, by 2040 plastic pollution is estimated to increase 300% by 2040. “It is an industry wake-up call,” he said, that requires a very strong industry response and aggressive plans to deal with plastics. He suggests that companies look for partnerships for innovation pathways.

At Kimberly-Clark, “By 2030, we want to achieve 50% reduction in our plastic use. Eventually, we want to get to circularity with packaging, product, and waste man-

Award-Winning Innovations

Shining a light on the industry’s cutting-edge advancements, the Innovation Awards 2023 revealed the front-runners of innovative textile technologies. “We are happy to bring the Innovation Awards to the U.S. editions of Techtextil North America & Texprocess Americas which will enable and encourage new market developments and is a testament to the ingenuity and vision of the brands participating at these shows,” says Kristy Meade, Vice President of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows for Messe Frankfurt, Inc. The awardwinning developments were presented to:

New Concept Winner: Henderson Sewing Machine Co. Inc. and Matsuya R & D For the development of “The Intelligent Robot Sewing Machine with Digital Image Processing System”

New Technology Winner: SPEC and Svegea of Sweden for the development of “SVEGEA EC-450XF”

New Application Winner: Pathfinder Cutting Technology for the Development of “FabricPro: Revolutionizing Fabric Spreading with Innovative Safety Features and Improved Operator Ergonomics”

New Product Winner: Stratasys for the development of “Stratasys J850™ TechStyle™ direct-to-textile 3D printer” agement systems. There is no silver bullet, it will take all the above,” he notes. Labeling it “coopetition,” he believes it is going to take a combined effort to address this in the years to come, with emphasis on bio-based feedstocks, recycling, composting pathways, and other combined efforts.

“All companies here at Techtextil will be required to have science-based targets in two years,” shared Jeff Strahan in his discussion. Net zero by 2050 goals are covered in the Paris Agreement, where the EU and 194 states, totaling over 98% of anthropogenic emissions, have ratified or acceded to the agreement. Interestingly, Science Based Targets (SBTi) is a

New Approaches on Sustainability & Circular Economy Winner: Henderson Sewing Machine Co. Inc. & Twine Solutions Ltd for the development of “Thread Digital Dyeing System TS-1800”

New Technologies on Sustainability & Recycling Winner: Dürkopp Adler GmbH for the development of “M-TYPE DELTA e-con”

New Technology & Digitalization winner: SEDDI For the development of “SEDDI Textura: Real Fabrics Digitized Brilliantly with AI” nonprofit that manages the net-zero data global data and regularly adds companies to their list at sciencebasedtargets.org, in blockchain style, on Scope 1 (direct fuel usage), 2 (indirect GHG emissions), and 3 (indirect emissions from downstream and upstream operations) stages of compliance. Milliken and Company is one of the first 50 companies to have verified net-zero targets by SBTi and is well on their way to meeting the 2050 goal. To date, they are on track to meet company Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions goals (50.4% by 2030), and Scope 3 goals (30% reduction by 2030), which include supply chain partners.

1https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666916123000117?via%3Dihub

INDA Opens Registration and Tabletop Reservations for Hygienix™ 2023

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that registration and tabletop exhibit reservations are open for the ninth edition of Hygienix™, November 13-16, New Orleans, Louisiana. More than 450 absorbent hygiene and personal care professionals from around the world will gather for four days of networking, presentations, and business opportunities.

The theme for this year’s Hygienix is “Shaping the Future of Absorbent Hygiene.” The event will focus on the market’s continued growth with presentations on sustainability, technology advancements, disruptive small brands, and market data and trends. Hygienix will also offer a workshop on absorbent hygiene systems led by Jim Robinson, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC, Monday, November 13th. The full Hygienix program will be announced at a later date.

INDA is also introducing a new element for Hygienix – pre-conference webinars. Carlos Richer, principal, Diaper Testing International, will present insights and trends in diaper design in the U.S. market and Heidi Beatty, CEO, Crown Abbey, LLC, will share her expertise in the absorbent hygiene sector.

More than 50 companies will showcase their innovations and technologies during the evening tabletop exhibits and receptions. Participants will be able to discuss their needs with technical leaders and source better solutions for their products, Nov. 14-15.

Nominations are being accepted through August 7th for the Hygienix Innovation Award™. Three finalists will be selected to present their absorbent hygiene products on Tuesday, November 14th to hundreds of senior-level professionals. The winner of the award will be announced at the end of the event, Thursday, November 16th.

Last year’s award recipient was Pads on a Roll™ by Egal Pads. “Participating in the Hygienix conference (and winning the award) was an incredible opportunity for Egal on so many fronts,” said Penelope Finnie, CEO, Egal Pads, Inc. “First, it was amazing to get such incredible validation of our product from those who have literally seen it all. As a newcomer to the industry, it was an incredible opportunity to learn from so many veterans. The connections that were created have really helped move us forward. I credit winning the award with providing much of that momentum,” Finnie continued. www.hygienix.org

Kelheim Fibres: Change in Management Team

After nearly 30 years with the company, Matthew North, Commercial Director at renowned viscose specialty fiber manufacturer Kelheim Fibres, retired July 1, 2023. Throughout his long and successful career, he has played a significant role in transforming Kelheim Fibres from a supplier of standard fibers to the European textile industry into a supplier of predominantly customized specialty fibers for the hygiene, specialty paper, and textile industries.

Craig Barker, CEO of Kelheim Fibres, said, “On behalf of the entire team, I would like to express our gratitude to Matthew for his outstanding work over the past decades. His wealth of experience, calm nature, and British humor will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best for his exciting new chapter in life. At the same time, we wish Mark von der Becke and Dr. Marina CrnojaCosic much success in the new responsibilities they have now assumed.”

Mark von der Becke will assume the position of sales director and become part of the management team at Kelheim Fibres. The 48-year-old brings extensive experience in sales, marketing, and key account management. He has held various leadership positions in companies such as Hoechst, Clariant, and DS Smith in Germany, Switzerland, and China. He is known for successfully developing and implementing strategy and change programs.

Dr. Marina Crnoja-Cosic, who has been serving as director of new business development and a member of the management team at Kelheim Fibres since 2020, will take on the responsibility for marketing and communications. She has already proven herself as a dedicated and competent leader and will now drive the further development of the marketing strategy and communication with customers and partners. www.kelheim-fibres.com

PFAS Alternatives Act

Several members of Congress recently introduced the PFAS Alternatives Act. The bipartisan bill would support the development of next-generation safety materials for firefighter turnout gear that are free of perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Globe Manufacturing Company, one of several U.S. companies that makes structural turnout gear for firefighters, supports the PFAS Alternatives Act because it will help the industry meet firefighters’ call for PFAS-free gear. msasafety.com

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TSG Finishing Amplifies Its Chemical Compound Offerings

TSG Finishing LLC recently announced the strategic expansion of its chemical compound sales. The move brings more than a century’s worth of specialized chemical and coating knowledge directly to its clients.

With a deep understanding of synthetic latex polymers such as acrylic, SBR, vinyl, polyurethane, and many more, TSG Finishing integrates raw materials from a wide range of manufacturers to create custom formulations. Their expertise extends to C6 and C0 DWR’s, flame retardants, and antimicrobials, as well as a host of non-standard products such as liquid absorption and stiffeners.

Said CEO Brian Rosenstein: “Our expansion into chemical compound sales underscores our commitment to fostering scientific rigor, innovation, and technical excellence within our clientele’s coating processes. Our custom formulations and compounds are meticulously crafted to meet each client’s unique needs.” www.tsgfinishing.com

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Compostable Wipes from Neutrogena

Lenzing has partnered with Neutrogena to transition the production of its market-leading makeup removal wipes to 100% Veocel plant-based fibers. The new wipes utilize Veocel branded fibers made with renewable wood from sustainably managed and certified forests. The makeup removal wipes can be composted at home in 35 days, eliminating waste which ends up in a landfill.

Conventional makeup removal wipes are popular because of how convenient they are – users simply wipe off makeup after a long day. However, popular makeup removal wipes mostly contain polyester, polypropylene, and rayon, making them unable to decompose. Their one-time usage means they are sent to landfills or many people flush them down the toilet, clogging the sewer system or leaking microplastics into waterways.

The goal of this new partnership is to develop a product that has moved on from synthetic materials to an entirely cellulose-based solution. These new Neutrogena makeup removal wipes are described as ultra-soft, while also retaining the same effective cleaning function of its predecessors, with oil-based technology and micelle-infused water.

www.neutrogena.com

Patrick Keese New Floor Covering Business President at Milliken

Milliken & Company, a diversified global manufacturer with a portfolio of textile, specialty chemical, floor covering and healthcare innovations, named Patrick Keese as its executive vice president and president of Milliken’s Floor Covering Business. Effective July 25, Keese will lead Milliken’s international floor covering operation, spanning four continents and 290 product collections.

Most recently serving as SVP and general manager of Altium Packaging, Keese has background in international business leadership. At Altium, he led more than 1,300 employees at 30 locations to produce plastic and packaging components.

Prior to this, Keese worked for Sonoco Products Company, a global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and healthcare packaging solutions based in Hartsville, S.C. He holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial management and marketing from Clemson University, as well as certifications in various executive development programs at Columbia University and the Rensselaer Hartford Graduate Center. www.milliken.com

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