X-Bionic combines expertise with passion to deliver products that enhance performance and comfort, and led by industry veteran Kris Kuster, formerly of Nitro Snowboard and Mammut Sports Group, who heads up the company as North American president and co-owner while the North American office occupies the iconic space at Battery 621 in Denver, a hub for high performance outdoor brands.

Overseeing the sales distribution and based out of the stunning X-Bionic showroom at Battery 621 is the experienced Global Sales Guys team, led by Marty Carrigan and Dave Rosenberger who have built and represented premium European brands in the United States and Canada for more than 30 years. With the guidance of Carrigan and Rosenberger’s team, X-Bionic is working to establish itself in key and specialty retailers including general sport emphasizing run and snow.

Another key hire is former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympian Heidi Voelker, who has been named head of Key Partnerships, and comes from previous positions including Ambassador of Skiing at Deer Valley Resort for almost three decades, and as Western Region Manager with US Ski Team. X-Bionic inked a deal with the Park City Ski and Snowboard Team as the first official North American ski-industry partner to be representing X-Bionic, focusing on award-winning engineered socks and base-layers for product positioning.

“Entering the North American market enables us to connect with a community that shares our commitment to innovation, passion and quality,” said Kuster. “Our mission is to empower athletes of all levels with top-tier performance wear, and we’re thrilled to bring our X-Bionic vision to life in the US and the Americas as a whole. With top professionals and passionate sports enthusiasts themselves on our team, we ensure our brand offers best in class customer service, omni-channel experience focusing on Specialty Retail, to truly understand and  elevates the athletic experience.”

The FW24 product line includes snowsports and winter running apparel and gear crafted with moisture-wicking fabrics, ergonomic designs, and durable materials that withstand the rigors of intense workouts. Each piece has been meticulously crafted for an unrivaled experience in thermoregulation and with partial compression for flexibility, breathability, and support, ensuring that athletes can focus on achieving their best.

These collections are refined into Discover, Perform and Expert levels of performance for the socks collection, award-winning base layer systems such as Energy Accumulator, Symbio Merino, and InventFX, as well as recovery and premium sportswear line; X-Ential.
X-Bionic products can be found at x-bionic.com and at select retailers.

Posted October 22, 2024

Source: X-Bionic

The EUDR aims to prevent deforestation by ensuring products entering the EU do not contribute to deforestation or environmental degradation. To comply, companies must provide full traceability to the plot of land, and ensure their EU-bound products are free from deforestation-related practices. This is poised to have significant impacts across the retail industry, as widely used materials like rubber, wood, and leather fall within its scope.

“For businesses, navigating the complexities of EUDR is daunting; they are under immense pressure to produce granular traceability data, which makes compliance practices challenging since they need to integrate new processes into existing frameworks,” said TrusTrace CEO and Co-Founder Shameek Ghosh. “This is where our new Deforestation Compliance Solution comes into play. It is designed to seamlessly integrate into the existing processes, ensuring that EU-bound products in the brand’s supply chain are compliant with EUDR requirements. The solution is part of the TrusTrace platform, which harmonizes data collection and actions for efficiency and proactive compliance, enabling brands to leverage the collected data to adhere to a broader set of regulations.”

The TrusTrace Deforestation Compliance Solution, which was co-designed with leading enterprise brands to validate that it meets industry needs, enables shipment-level deforestation compliance with ease. The solution employs sophisticated automations to enable users to send hundreds of data collection requests with a single click, perform geospatial deforestation analysis in real-time, and generate pre-formatted due diligence statements for instant submission. The collaboration with OpenAtlas, a leader in geospatial analysis, ensures the highest quality satellite imagery and analysis, combining multi-spectral satellite imagery with state-of-the-art AI.

To aid EUDR compliance, TrusTrace encourages users of the platform to obtain an FSC Certification and ensure certification of their supply chain all the way back to the forest level. Material sourced from FSC-certified forests and plantations is largely aligned with EUDR requirements, providing assurance that strict requirements for sustainable forestry have been met in the country of origin.

The new solution specifically offers:

• Shipment-level traceability: Brands can map farms and collect EUDR-required traceability data including GPS coordinates and FSC certificates for each EU-bound shipment efficiently, ensuring full traceability of products.
• Precise risk assessment: Brands can automatically benchmark country-level risks, conduct detailed risk assessments, and instantly verify compliance with geospatial analysis powered by OpenAtlas satellite images – all at shipment level for precise evaluation.
• Real-time risk and compliance monitoring: The solution provides a comprehensive overview of data, insights, and reports for each shipment on an intuitive, easy-to-use risk and compliance dashboard, which enables users to monitor and mitigate risks while maintaining full visibility into compliance status.
• Automated DDS generation: Brands can automatically generate due diligence statements in the required format for each shipment, and easily submit them to the European Commission via API integration.
• Access to supplier support and policy teams: TrusTrace provides support on the customer and supplier level. Policy and regulation experts keep customers up to date on the latest regulatory developments, and dedicated trainers will help suppliers efficiently share their data.

While the EUDR is top-of-mind for businesses around the world, the reality is that they are under pressure to comply with a host of regulations. Within deforestation alone, the UK Environment Act and the US Lacey Act are planned to be amended, and multiple laws require supply chain traceability and due diligence.

According to Ghosh, TrusTrace is the perfect solution for brands to rely on to manage risk and compliance across-the-board. “TrusTrace’s proprietary data collection framework for risk and compliance enables companies to leverage the data collected across regulations,” Ghosh said. “This means that they have the data foundation in place to easily comply with current and future demands, without the need for multiple individual solutions,” he concluded. “With our cutting-edge technology solutions and partner network, we are uniquely positioned to help brands achieve full supply chain visibility and meet global compliance standards.”

Posted October 22, 2024

Source: TrusTrace

The exact terms of the deal are undisclosed. This news follows unspun’s recent closing
announcement of its Series B funding round.

DECATHLON Pulse intends to collaborate with unspun as an industrial partner to expand 3D
weaving throughout Europe serving multiple European brands. unspun aims at deploying
Vega machines to pioneer local, low-waste, and low-inventory production in the region.
unspun’s state-of-the-art 3D weaving technology, Vega, revolutionizes the manufacturing
process by weaving semi-finished products directly from yarn.

This collaboration with DECATHLON Pulse represents a significant milestone in unspun’s
mission to provide 3D-woven apparel products to European customers.

Walden Lam, CEO and co-founder of unspun, expresses enthusiasm for the partnership, stating: “Decathlon has been a great partner from the very beginning. This collaboration enables us to provide apparel products that have been produced in a more sustainable way to mainstream customers in Europe. Collectively, we are contributing to carbon neutrality objectives on millions of garments in a bid to help the fashion industry reduce waste from the supply chain. Our Vega technology is a key step on this journey to bring fast, low-impact, circular, and cost-effective production in low operating volumes to Europe.”

unspun’s vision extends beyond reducing carbon emissions in fashion, as the company pioneers innovative garments and production methods. Vega unlocks scalable potential for on-demand production, allowing brands to establish micro-factories for localized and automated manufacturing. With the EU’s Waste Framework Directive regulations on the horizon, unspun’s approach and technology offer brands better management of finished goods inventory levels, reducing waste from unsold inventory. By addressing overproduction and emissions, unspun’s low-inventory method is crucial in combating the growing global waste problem, projected to increase by 70 percent by 2050.

Franck Vigo, CEO of DECATHLON Pulse, stated: “We are thrilled to team-up with unspun. This partnership will enable Decathlon to reduce waste within the manufacturing process and strengthen our commitment to sustainability. By leveraging the potential of 3D weaving, we are working to revolutionize the garment manufacturing process and offer consumers customized, recyclable, and locally-produced products.”

unspun’s technological capabilities and vision for the future of fashion have landed the company on America’s Top Greentech companies 2024 by Time magazine, Vogue 100 innovator’s list, Newsweek’s Climate Change Innovators, TIME’s Best Inventions, and Fast Company’s World-Changing Ideas.

Posted October 15, 2024

Source: unspun

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — October 15, 2024 — Diversified global manufacturer Milliken & Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Marcio Manique as senior vice president of protective fabrics for its textile business. In this critical role, Manique will oversee the fire service, workwear, and napery businesses, in addition to managing Westex: A Milliken Brand.

“Marcio has an impressive background and proven track record of driving growth and innovation across various industries,” said Allen Jacoby, executive vice president and president of Milliken’s textile business. “His expertise brings a level of excellence to the protective fabrics space that will be reflected in every corner of our business.”

Manique has previously held leadership roles at E.I. DuPont de Nemours and DSM. Most recently, he served as a Global Business Director at Avient Protective Materials. He holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from FEI-Brazil, an MBA from São Paulo University, and a postgraduate degree in materials science from the University of São Paulo-Brazil. Additionally, Manique is a certified Six Sigma Master and Black Belt and has completed the Authentic Leader Development program at Harvard Business School.

“I am honored to join Milliken’s longstanding legacy of innovation and especially look forward to collaborating with our talented and passionate team of experts,” Manique said. “Together, we will continue Milliken’s tradition of protecting workers and those who protect us, advancing innovation, performance, and sustainability in the markets we serve.”

October 15, 2024

Source:Milliken & Company

TW Special Report

With sustainability now the primary driver in all consumer product markets, SGS — a testing, inspection and certification company — examines the demand for sustainable fashion and the importance of certifications like the bluesign® PRODUCT label for combating greenwashing.

In the global fashion industry, projections indicate that the sustainable segment is expected to grow steadily over the next few years, with a 1.4 percentage point increase between 2023 and 2026.¹ This growth is partially driven by younger generations who define themselves as environmentally conscious and are reaching economic maturity.

Barriers to sustainability

Choosing a product that is truly sustainable can be a challenge for consumers. Markets are flooded with products that claim environmental credentials, but how many of these claims can be trusted?

In a 2022 survey of US consumers, 54% stated they found it confusing to identify which fashion items were environmentally friendly, with only 5% strongly disagreeing and saying they felt it was easy.² Part of the difficulty is that many consumer product markets are now blighted by ‘greenwashing’, defined by the European Union as, “the practice of giving a false impression of the environmental impact or benefits of a product, which can mislead consumers.”³

The proliferation of claims and labels can make it challenging for the eco-conscious consumer to find a product that genuinely meets their requirements. What they need is reliable certification, provided by a trusted and independent verifier, that confirms a product meets clearly defined standards for sustainability.

bluesign® PRODUCT

The bluesign PRODUCT label provides consumers with assurance that the product they buy adheres to the highest safety standards, meets minimum requirements for environmental and human impact, and is made using responsibly sourced materials. This label can be applied to:

• Clothing, including denimwear;
• Home textiles, excluding carpets and textile wall coverings;
• Equipment – tents, luggage, etc.; and
• Footwear, excluding brown shoes.

Certification is achieved following a rigorous assessment of the product and its supply chain, evaluating factors such as energy, water and chemical consumption, CO2 emissions and waste generation. Supply chain impact data for these parameters is collected from brands, materials manufacturers and chemical suppliers, providing a clear overview of the environmental performance of the inputs, facility and product.

The criteria for bluesign® PRODUCT certification are complex, building confidence in the assessment process and label. Certified apparel must meet the following requirements:

• Possess a textile character;
• At least 90 percent of the fabric used in the apparel must be bluesign APPROVED;
• At least 30 percent of the accessories used in the apparel must be bluesign APPROVED (rising to 40 percent from 2027);
• All components (fabrics or accessories) not bluesign APPROVED must be supplied by a qualified supplier and must meet the brand’s restricted substances list (RSL); and
• If an additional claim is applicable for the certified apparel (e.g. organic cotton), third-party certification must be available.

In addition, there are specific requirements for denim manufacturers regarding the use of indigo dyes, laundry practices and sandblasting. To be certified as a bluesign® PRODUCT, denim products must meet the following criteria:

• Outer fabric must be at least 90 percent denim;
• 100 percent of the denim fabric must be bluesign APPROVED;
• 90 percent of textiles must be bluesign APPROVED (rising to 40 percent from 2027);
• All components (fabrics or accessories) not bluesign APPROVED must be supplied by a qualified supplier and must meet the brand’s restricted substances list (RSL);
• Prohibited practices include chlorine bleaching, pumice stonewashing, sandblasting, and the use of potassium permanganate (PP) and powder-based enzymes;
• If an additional claim is applicable for the certified apparel (e.g. organic cotton), third-party certification must be available

In the case of footwear, alongside the requirements for additional claims and non bluesign APPROVED components, certification demands that 90 percent (by area) of skin contact materials (textile upper, lining and insole), midsole and outsole, and at least 30 percent of total accessories, must be bluesign APPROVED.

Consumer Benefits

Purchasing a bluesign PRODUCT provides consumers with assurance that the product meets exacting standards for environmental impact reduction and better working conditions in the supply chain. It guarantees transparency and trustworthiness in an era when greenwashing is a significant issue.

Consumers can easily identify the bluesign PRODUCT label, which can be found as a hangtag, sewn-in label or printed on the garment and/or packaging. They can also shop for bluesign PRODUCTs via the bluesign SHOP.

SGS & bluesign

SGS joined forces with bluesign in 2008 to develop its services and strengthen the independent bluesign SYSTEM solution. From fiber to finished product, bluesign partners with brands, manufacturers and chemical suppliers to promote safer workplaces and textile products that are less impactful on the environment and people.

References:

1 Global: sustainable apparel revenue share 2013-2026 | Statista

2 Confusion over sustainability of clothes U.S. 2022 | Statista

3 Stopping greenwashing: how the EU regulates green claims | Topics | European Parliament (europa.eu)

October 15, 2024

By Jack Yuen

SGS — a testing, inspection and certification company — works with manufacturers and suppliers of disinfectants, antiseptics, textiles, leather goods, plastics and furniture materials to help them assess the virucidal qualities of their products.

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant changes in the way we live and deepened our understanding of viruses. With the pandemic thankfully fading into the past, what can manufacturers do to ensure antiviral products continue to protect consumers?

Disease spread can be rapid in an interconnected world, crossing borders and significantly impacting global health and economies. Preventing virus transmission is difficult because disease can spread via several different vectors — aerosol, droplet, contact with a contaminated surface, etc. Alongside vaccination and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), effective utilization of hygiene products, such as disinfectants, antiseptics and antiviral surfaces in public spaces, is crucial for reducing disease transmission.

Heightened Public Awareness

Public awareness of how easily viruses can spread via everyday items was enhanced during the pandemic. Personal experience meant consumers were suddenly aware of the real risks associated with viruses and the fact some pathogens can linger for extended periods on surfaces like office doors, kitchen countertops, mobile phones and clothing. This led to greater demand for products with proven antiviral properties.

Antiviral Testing

Trust in antiviral claims can only exist if the claim is backed by rigorous testing. Several antiviral efficacy standards exist enabling manufacturers to verify the claims they make relating to antiviral properties. However, not all standards apply to all products and so manufacturers are advised to work with expert testing laboratories to select the appropriate internationally recognized standard for their product.

Useful testing standards include:

• Disinfectants and antiseptics: EN 14476 assesses virucidal activity against common viruses like Vaccinia virus, Human adenovirus 5, Human poliovirus type 1, and Murine norovirus strain S99 Berlin. Viruses are incubated on test samples under specific conditions set by the manufacturer and standard, such as contact time and temperature
• Textiles: ISO 18184:2019 evaluates the antiviral activity of textiles against viruses like H1N1, H3N2 and Feline calicivirus. Virus particles are applied to textile samples and reference fabrics, incubated, and the remaining viral load is quantified to determine efficacy
• Plastics and non-porous materials: ISO 21702:2019 is used to assess the virus-stopping abilities of plastics and other non-porous materials. The testing process is similar to ISO 18184

These tests allow manufacturers to confirm the virucidal efficiency of their products, which is especially important when items are used by multiple people and the risk of pathogen spread is increased.

Additional Benefits

For manufacturers, ensuring product effectiveness is paramount. However, applying these stringent test methods to relevant consumer products offers additional advantages. As consumers become more aware of the risks of viral transmission via surfaces, products that demonstrate proven efficacy will gain greater consumer trust and help build a brand’s reputation. Testing also reduces liability and enables market differentiation.

SGS Solutions

Delivered through a global network of state-of-the-art laboratories, SGS’s testing solutions cover the full range of standards, including EN 14476, ISO 18184 and ISO 21702. Whatever the consumer product, SGS services help to ensure goods are safe, high-performing and market ready.

Editor’s Note: Jack Yuen is Health & Nutrition Sustainability Development deputy director at SGS. Geneva.

October 15, 2024

The FabJet Pro is designed to meet the demands of ultra-wide format direct-to-fabric printing, accommodating widths of up to 3.2 meters. It delivers high productivity without compromising precision or print quality, seamlessly blending cutting-edge digital technology with high-performance industrial capabilities. Equipped with 32 Kyocera or 48 Konica Minolta Print heads and a sticky belt system, the FabJet Pro ensures unparalleled accuracy and clarity with every print.

Available in configurations offering 8 color options, the FabJet Pro delivers print speeds of up to 654 square meters per hour, enabling quick turnaround times even for ultra-wide applications. Its versatility makes it ideal for producing large textiles such as bed sheets, curtains, and more. The FabJet Pro offers vibrant, high-definition prints on a wide range of materials including cotton, viscose, silk, and wool, and is mainly suitable for the customized home furnishing textile segment, particularly for producers of home décor products like curtains, bed covers, and sofa covers,” the company said.

The printer’s innovative Sticky Belt Technology provides a superior grip on low GSM fabrics, allowing for a diverse array of fabric applications. Moreover, the FabJet Pro is designed with sustainability at its core, reducing water and energy usage, and supporting eco-friendly textile production.

“We are excited to introduce the FabJet Pro to the market,” said Arun Varshney, vice president and business head. “This innovative solution represents a significant leap forward for the textile printing industry, addressing two crucial needs: increased production capacity and sustainability. By offering exceptional print quality and speed, the FabJet Pro allows manufacturers to meet the growing demands of the market while maintaining the high standards that customers aspire to.

Join ColorJet at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 in Shanghai, where the FabJet Pro will make its grand debut. Witness firsthand how this iconic solution is poised to redefine the future of digital fabric printing.

Posted October 8, 2024

Source: ColorJet

KARL MAYER has further differentiated its range of double raschel machines and thus better tailored them to market requirements. The DM 6/2-6 EN is a new addition to the family of high-performance machines for the production of spacer fabrics. With a speed of 850 rpm, this newcomer offers the same working speed as its range neighbours, the RD 6/1-12 EN and RD 7/2-12 EN. However, thanks to its special technical focus on the production of lightweight 3D warp-knitted fabrics, it is significantly lower in price. The configuration on offer includes a trick plate distance of 2 to 6 mm and a working width of 138″ making the DM 6/2-6 EN ideal for the highly efficient production of spacer fabrics for the luggage and furniture sector. The flexible RD 6/1-12 EN is still the machine of choice for the production of technical spacer fabrics for home textiles and plush applications, while the RD 7/2-12 EN sets standards in the production of 3D articles with a wide range of designs for shoes and automotive applications.

If you want to see the performance of the DM 6/2-6 EN for yourself, you should visit the in-house show during the upcoming ITMA ASIA + CITME at KARL MAYER (CHINA) in Changzhou. This is where the new double raschel machine will celebrate its premiere.

The event begins on 13 October with the opening of the KARL MAYER GROUP’s new showroom and, in addition to the new double raschel machine, has six other machine highlights and numerous textile innovations in store for visitors.

Posted October 8, 2024

Source: Karl Mayer

Using a six-point assessment criteria, WCTD  made a longlist of 30 circular textile clothing products available on the shop floor today. We then tasked 30 international experts — including Adriana Galijasevic, founder & CEO Cocircular Lab, Amsterdam; Hannah Carter, ReSkinned, London; Dr. Hanna de la Motte, Tree to Textile, RISE, Sweden; Hannah Lane, Redress, Hong Kong; Hélene Smits, Stating the Obvious, Amsterdam; Dr. Serena Bonomi, Circular Economy Innovation Consultant, Berlin; Tamara Cincik, Fashion Roundtable & Bath Spa Uni; and Lewis Perkins, Apparel Impact Institute, San Francisco — to create a final shortlist of the Top 10, which will be revealed at our annual event on October 8.

Event Details

Facilitator: Becky Earley, co-founder of World Circular Textiles Day 2050, UAL Chair of Circular Design Futures, Design School, Chelsea

Panel 1: Circularity Perspectives

Global experts will discuss the Top 10 product shortlist, bringing unique perspectives to this year’s circular products and discussing how their work contributes to the ecosystem.

• Shelly Gottschamer, New York | Accelerating Circularity
• Tricia Carey, New York | Catalyzing Circularity
• Jai Prakash, Usha Yarns, Chandigarh, India | Manufacturing Circularity
• Ina Budde, Circle Fashion, Berlin, Germany | Verifying Circularity
• Kate Goldsworthy, University of the Arts London Innovation Lab, UK | Quantifying Circularity

Panel 2: Product Deep Dive

Introducing the Tree Jumper — what it is made from; how it was made; what were the challenges; what are the opportunities ahead for their companies and the industry as a whole.

• Anna Pehrsson, Engineer and R&D Partnership Lead, Texaid, Zug, Switzerland
• Robin Gnehm, Co-Founder & CPO at NIKIN AG, Lenzburg, Aargau, Switzerland

NewsRound: 2024

WCTD’s annual round up of breakthrough highlights from around the world and what others are doing to celebrate WCTD this year.

Join Us Online

Get your ticket via the Eventbrite booking form here. Zoom details will be sent by email 24 hours before the event.

Posted October 1, 2024

Source: World Circular Textiles Day

This strategic partnership began last year when Camilo Ontaneda Pinto, president of AITE met Tengiva’s team and its co-founder and CCO, Carlos Agudelo, at ITMA 2023. Ontaneda quickly realized that Tengiva, a technology company providing cutting-edge solutions for the textile supply chain, was the ideal partner to revive a major association project that had been put on hold for over three years due to the global pandemic.

Tengiva’s experts managed the onboarding and setup of AITE’s members’ product data into their new system, digitizing the products of all AITE members and integrating them seamlessly into their current operations, optimizing internal operations.

It took us three years to find the right solution, and Tengiva’s all-encompassing service has been a game changer for supporting our clients through their digital transformation,” said Camilo F. Ontaneda Pinto, president, AITE. “It’s not just their technology that makes the difference — it’s the exceptional service that comes with it which ensures a personalized onboarding for our members.”

Posted October 1, 2024

Source: Tengiva