TW Special Report

Textile industry associations want the textile industry to know they are talking. With a desire to work more collaboratively on industry initiatives and events that are beneficial to all their respective members, 11 associations — Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), American Textile Machinery Association (ATMA), Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN), American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry (INDA), the Nonwovens Institute (NWI), North American Linen Association (NALA), SEAMS – The Association & Voice of the U.S. Sewn Products Industry, Southern Textile Association (STA), Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), and Synthetic Yarn & Fabric Association (SYFA) — recently got together to discuss ways to benefit the industry.

“We all represent various segments of the textiles and sewn products industry,” said Maggie McDonald, vice president, Communications, SPESA. “But we all agree that collaboration and building on synergies is what will propel our industry into its next chapter.”

This “Alphabet Soup Collective,” as the group has affectionately named itself, was officially launched during Techtextil North America held in Raleigh August 20-22, 2024. One of the first ideas for the collective was to co-host a social event open to all members of the textile industry including current association members as well as non-members wanting to learn more. The result, the inaugural Alphabet Soup Shindig, was held at the Whiskey Kitchen in Raleigh, Wednesday, August 21, 2024. This first-of-its-kind, sold-out event gathered people from all aspects of the industry in one place at the same time to network, learn and collaborate. Attendance far exceeded expectations, illustrating a hunger for these types of cross-industry networking opportunities.

Twelve sponsors were instrumental in making the shindig happen, and the organizers are very grateful to these companies:

• American & Efird;
• Asheboro Elastics Corp. (AEC);
• Baxter Mill Archives;
• Better Than Found;
• Coker & Associates;
• Contempora Fabrics;
• Danbartex;
• Gribbin Strategic;
• Itema America Inc.;
• MajorSage Business Coaching;
• MMI Textiles; and
• North Carolina Textile Foundation at NC State University.

Ben Talbert, president and CEO of Greenville, S.C.-based Better Than Found Search Group, one of the event sponsors, said: “Better than Found Search Group (BTF) was proud to sponsor this event. A big thank you to Devin Steele with STA and Maggie McDonald with SPESA for putting together one of the best trade show social events I have attended. The textile community is a family, and this felt like our reunion.”

Organizers also shared the following event feedback posted on Linkedin by Graham Page, co-founder and president of iAtelier Corp. and principal at AlchemyX LLC. “That was hands down, the best industry networking event I have ever attended,” Page said. “Where else can you connect with the entire industry from start to finish, from fiber to retail? The energy was palpable. This sort of thinking is exactly what is needed in these difficult times in our broader industry. Innovation happens when you mix people and ideas to address big challenges. Kudos to the team that pulled this together.”

As McDonald noted: “Good people, good networking, good vibes, AND good weather. Doesn’t get much better.”

The Alphabet Soup Collective will continue its conversations as it looks for ways to collaborate, streamline events and gather the industry in productive, beneficial ways for all involved. Questions, suggestions, feedback and ideas all are welcomed.

1 of 4

August 27, 2024

TW Special Report

The Charlotte, N.C.-based Synthetic Yarn and Fabrics Association (SYFA) recently held its annual spring conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte.

The conference, entitled “Creativity, The Economy and Policy In 2024,” covered topics on the economy, technical fiber developments and trade.

Outgoing SYFA President Hardy Sullivan of Thies Corp. opened the event with a review of recent SYFA activities. The association also conducted a business meeting where it installed new President Meredith Boyd of Unifi Inc., as well as new board members (See sidebar).

On behalf of the membership, SYFA Secretary and Treasurer Alasdair Carmichael thanked Sullivan for his service to the organization, particularly during the celebration of its 50th anniversary, which occurred during his tenure.

A Variety Of Presentations

The event’s first speaker was Piedmont Crescent Capital’s Mark Vitner, whose “Economic Update” presentation reviewed the economic climate the industry is facing. Vitner, a well-known economist in U.S. textile circles, was realistic about the economic challenges facing textiles and the challenges of a global environment in a post-pandemic election year.

Andrew Talarico and Taylor Greene from Circ Inc. in Danville, Va., discussed the challenges of developing a circular product lifecycle that captures and recycles textile waste throughout the supply chain and at garments end-of-life in their presentation named “Addressing Textile Waste — a Blueprint for an Industry Wide Shift.”

Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), offered a presentation on designing polylactic acid (PLA) blends titled “Promising Materials Development Using PLA.” He noted that for this sustainable fiber to be an option in nonwovens, there needs to be an emphasis on elongation properties that enhance performance.

Fibers That Promote Health

With “The Future of Health and Wellness is…,” Jordan Schindler, C2 Clothing 2.0, discussed developments in using textiles for controlled delivery of therapeutics, as well as the bright horizon for new product development beyond what is currently available in the marketplace.

“Neolast Stretch Fiber from Celanese” was presented by Celanese’s Rick Tobar. This new polyester development offers elastane-like stretch characteristics and performance, while mitigating elastane’s sustainability issues (See “Quality Fabric: NEOLAST: A New Way To Stretch,” TW, this issue).

Jasmine Cox offered a “Textile Technology Center Overview” of Gaston College, highlighting the Textile Technology Center’s focus on training and newly created in-depth programs that were developed to support manufacturing.

SYFA board member Bart Krulic, Palmetto Synthetics LLC, explored opportunities offered in synthetic fiber development in a presentation titled “For Staple Fibers…What if?” Krulic focused on product development and innovation by considering the “what if?” idea of creating performance fibers using an array of polymers.

Michael Hubbard of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), presented “Opportunities in International Markets.” Hubbard, well-known for his long history with the industry, offered companies a look at unlocking new opportunities by exporting their products. He also introduced new EDPNC hire Jeri Barutis, highlighting her expertise in trade and textiles.

The final presentation of the conference was delivered by Pete Mento with DSV Air and Sea Inc. His discussion, titled “Shifting Economic & Geopolitical Issues Continue to Create Challenges for Supply Chains,” was dynamic and his background in standup comedy certainly helped him engage the crowd on less-than-exciting economic issues.

Conference sponsors included Diamond Sponsor Premier Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsor Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Goulston Technologies Inc., Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Unifi Inc.; Bronze Sponsors Burlington and DAK Americas LLC; and Patrons Milliken & Company and Polyspintex Inc. Gaston College Foundation also hosted an exhibit table at the conference.

1 of 12

A Forward Focus

Closing remarks were given by newly instated SYFA President Boyd. She has been an active member of SYFA for many years, and a generosity and willingness to share her knowledge and experience of the fiber industry have always been a great asset to SYFA.

SYFA will hold its fall conference October 24-25, 2024, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.

2024 Quarterly Volume III

The SYFA’s fall conference took a deep dive into recycling and sustainable technologies in the man-made fiber sector.

TW Special Report

The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) held its 2023 fall conference recently at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C. The format differed slightly from typical meetings. It began with single presenters speaking on a variety of topics under the theme “Reimagining Fibers, Factories and Waste.” The intent of the conference was to take a deeper dive into recycling and sustainable technologies in the man-made fiber sector.

Laura Murphy, Wood Mackenzie, kicked off the presentations with a data-driven “Fiber and Yarn Update.” She was followed by Parkdale’s Cheryl Smyre who presented an update on CiCLO® technology to attendees in her talk titled “Biodegradable Technology to Reduce the Impacts of Synthetic Microfiber Pollution.” After a networking break, Dave Kasper with Canada-based General Recycled, talked about his company’s unique recycling process developed to keep non-biodegradable flame-resistant (FR) garments out of landfills. The presentation, titled “Closed Loop Recycling of Aramid Garments at the End of Their Lifecycle,” provided an interesting look at the process that begins with FR garments at the end of their lifecycle and ends with new FR garments made using recycled aramid yarns. Rounding out day one of the conference was Lee E. Moritz Jr. with the NC Military Business Center who provided attendees helpful information on how to go after Federal contracts in his presentation “Introduction to Federal Contracting.”

After dinner, attendees heard from Keynote Speaker Augustine Tantillo from consulting firm SRG & Associates. Rieter’s Jerry Eskew, who is retiring, was also was recognized for his 47 years of service to the SYFA. For most of his time as a member, Eskew served on the association’s board.

The second day of presentations began with Bruno Langlois, business development and partnership director with France-based Carbios. He joined the conference via an online video call from France to deliver his presentation about “Enzymatic Recycling,” which focused on Carbios’ enzyme technology for depolymerizing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in a circular manner with no loss of quality. Carbios recently obtained building and operating permits for the world’s first biorecycling plant in Longlaville, France, which is expected to be operational in 2025.

Langlois was followed by Aaron Alvarado, with Germany-based Setex, a supplier of controls, sensors and camera measurement technology, and planning and manufacturing software for textile machinery manufacturers. Alvarado presented on the topic of “Transformation in Textile Manufacturing from Automation to Digitalization.”

The final session was arranged as a panel discussion led by moderator Alasdair Carmichael, a long-time SYFA board member and program director at the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). The panelists — Raymond Randall, WM (Waste Management); Megan Helton, Eastman; Chad Bolick, Unifi; and Sarah Coulter, Accelerating Circularity — offered expertise in collection and logistics, molecular and mechanical textile recycling, as well as ongoing actions downstream in the textile recycling sector. After each panelist gave a short presentation about his or her company and its recycling journey, the group discussed the ideas of collection, sorting and end-of-life treatment as it relates to textile recycling. Information shared and discussed included:

• It is estimated that 92 million tons of textile waste is generated each year by the apparel industry;
• Some 15 percent of all fabric delivered into the apparel supply chain ends up as waste on the cutting room floor; and
• Of all garments produced, 30 percent are not sold at retail and must be disposed of some way.

Moderator Carmichael warned attendees that legislation is coming and that the textile and apparel industry needs to be involved in writing the legislation or rules will be created that are not at all favorable to the industry.

Conference sponsors included Diamond Sponsor Premier Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsor Goulston Technologies; Silver Sponsor Pulcra Chemicals LLC; Bronze Sponsors Polyspintex and Unifi Inc.; and Keynote Sponsors Measured Solutions Inc. and Milliken & Company.

“On the heels of a successful 50th anniversary celebration last year, the 2023 Fall Conference shined a light on what’s ahead for the next few decades,” said SYFA President Hardy Sullivan. “The synthetic yarn and fabric industry has experienced an evolution of ways North American companies try to set themselves apart. Over the years we’ve seen a gradual transition of focus — from throughput to quality to recycled content; and now there is emphasis on minimizing resources and circularity. To recognize we’ve reached an inflection point, the conference theme was ‘Reimagining Fibers, Factories and Waste.’ We had a great lineup of speakers and panelists that revealed ways to modernize, expand into new markets, and make our industry more sustainable by using materials and processes that allow synthetics to biodegrade or be recycled at large scale. SYFA has reached its 51st year but, in many ways, we’re just starting a new chapter.”

The next edition of the SYFA conference will be held April 18-19, 2024, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel. The association is planning its second annual golf outing the day before the conference, on April 18, to raise money for the SYFA Scholarship Fund for Gaston Community College’s textile program. Lauren Eck, the first recipient of SYFA’s scholarship, was in attendance at the fall meeting.

1 of 13

November/December 2023

SYFA members produce technically advanced yarns and fabrics for use in important industries, such as health care, military, automotive, apparel, and furnishing sectors. “U.S. manufacturers need a talented workforce with the skills, know-how, and motivation to implement state-of-the-art technologies. Scholarships are a proven way for attracting talent that, otherwise, might have taken a different path,” said Hardy Sullivan, SYFA president.

Starting in the Spring semester 2023, the scholarship fund will cover $500 of one student’s tuition per year. To support ongoing funding, SYFA’s first fundraising event will be a golf tournament in April 2023.

The Textile Technology Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree program launched in the Fall 2022 semester. It prepares students to work as technicians in product development and testing, machine operation, fiber construction and other projects, and as textile designers. A bilateral 2+2 articulation agreement between Gaston College and the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State gives interested students a seamless pathway to pursue a bachelor’s degree at NC State University.

The Textile Technology AAS program is taught at the Textile Technology Center, located at Gaston College’s Kimbrell campus in Belmont, N.C. There, students get hands-on experience with the latest technology and equipment. Construction of a world-class Fiber Innovation Center will soon be underway on the Kimbrell campus.

SYFA Scholarship recipients will be selected by the Gaston College Foundation, administrator of 100+ scholarships that are awarded annually to Gaston students. “We are grateful to SYFA for the establishment of this scholarship,” said Luke Upchurch, executive director of the Gaston College Foundation. “The ability to provide this financial assistance makes our Textile Technology associate degree program even stronger for students who will become a vital part of the expanding textile industry.”

SYFA is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that holds conferences twice a year in Charlotte, N.C., serving as a forum to discuss product and process innovations, regulatory activities, and economic forecasts. Founded in 1972 as the Textured Yarn Association of America (TYAA), SYFA’s mission remains to advance synthetic yarns and fabrics through education and promotion of new technologies and end-uses.

The SYFA Scholarship is a visible way for the industry to demonstrate its enthusiastic support for Gaston’s new Textile Technology program, and it is a win-win for students and industry. The industry will benefit from a larger pool of technically trained associates while students will make career-shaping connections to globally competitive employers.

Posted: November 7, 2022

Source: Gaston College

The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) will celebrate its 50th anniversary during its fall conference with an enhanced schedule.

TW Special Report

The history of the Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) is an interesting one (See “A Time For Celebration: 50 Years Of Leadership In Synthetic Fibers,” TW, this issue). Established in the 1970s with the dawn of draw texturing as the Textured Yarn Association of America Inc. (TYAA), the organization is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Today’s SYFA comprises more than 265 individual and corporate members affiliated with the man-made fiber, yarn and fabric industry. Its mission “is to support the production and continued advancement of synthetic yarns and fabrics through technology and education and to promote both existing and new uses for these quality materials. Through our conferences and other events, SYFA provides members with a valuable forum for networking, discussion and presentations related to the development of synthetic yarns and fabrics and their downstream applications, as well as to explore current trade issues to find new solutions to the challenges that face our industry.”

SYFA’s fall conference, to be held November 3-4, 2022, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, will celebrate the milestone anniversary with some special features.

As usual, the conference will feature a slate of speakers with presentations from Consultant Jeff Dugan; Julie Rader, director, U.S. Manufacturing and Sourcing, Walmart; a speaker from the Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University; Laura Murphy, research director, Fibres, Wood Mackenzie; Nello Masciarelli, director of Energy, Gildan; and Alasdair Carmichael, program director, NAPCOR.

In addition, a panel featuring six of the textile industry’s top leaders — Leib Oehmig, CEO Glen Raven Inc.; Cameron Hamrick, CEO, Hamrick Mills; Jeff Price, executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives, Milliken & Company; Charles Heilig, president and CEO, Parkdale Mills; Eddie Ingle, CEO and director, Unifi Inc.; and Amy Bircher, CEO and founder, MMI Textiles — will sit together and share their thoughts on the “Past, Present and Future” — the theme for this anniversary event.

Several past TYAA and SYFA presidents will be in attendance as the association looks back over its 50 years.

At the end of Thursday’s session, all attendees will gather for a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by a sit-down dinner at 6:30 p.m. During dinner, Kim Glas, president and CEO, National Council of Textile Organizations, will deliver a keynote address.

Mark your calendars to come network and reminisce with SYFA members past and present this November as the association celebrates its 50th anniversary.

For more information about the SYFA’s fall 2022 conference and to register for the event, please visit thesyfa.org.

September/October 2022

SYFA recently held a successful spring conference and is preparing for its 50th anniversary celebration this fall.

TW Special Report

The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) held its 2022 spring conference recently at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C.

The theme for the event was “Global Textiles … It’s a Small World After All.” Presenters came from companies and organizations including Stäubli Corp., Eastman Chemical Co., ClearTrackHR, Wells Fargo, the National Council of Textile Organizations, American Apparel & Footwear Association and Textile Technology Center at Gaston College.

Conference sponsors for the spring event included Gold Sponsors Premiere Fibers Inc. and Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Pulcra Chemicals LLC and Unifi Inc.; Bronze Sponsors Goulston Technologies, PolySpinTex, Milliken & Company and Avient; and Patrons The Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry (INDA) Milliken & Company (facemasks) and Measured Solutions Inc. (hand sanitizers).

The SYFA also introduced new board members — Nikki Brooks, Goulston Technologies; Bart Krulic, Palmetto Synthetics; and Bill Rothermel, Precision Fabrics — and outgoing board President Dan Sistrunk took a bow after serving the association for the past three years as president.

“At our last conference in the fall of 2021, I stated that it was good to be back and emerging from the post-COVID world to a period that resembled a more normal textile environment, but little did we know the next round of challenges that we were going to encounter,” Sistrunk said. “Since the last SYFA conference, we have faced a new set of challenges ranging from labor shortages and growing inflation to geopolitical destabilization. However, I firmly believed then and it remains true today that with these challenges there is great opportunity for the SYFA organization and the industry. By harnessing the power of industry organizations like SYFA, each member, through the networking and collaboration the organization provides, will be able to better understand, uncover, and tap into some of this opportunity amidst the chaos we are all currently facing.”

Incoming President Hardy Sullivan is ready to helm the SYFA for the next two years and had kind words to share about Sistrunk as he stepped down. “Like so many organizations that rely on face-to-face engagement, Covid was a real test,” Sullivan noted. “I’m so thankful for Dan Sistrunk’s leadership and the sustained effort by board volunteers. We maintained relevance by publishing technical and economic-focused papers quarterly, and we navigated the rocky waters of trying to meet virtually and safely.”

Sullivan is especially excited to celebrate the association’s 50th anniversary this year in the fall. “It’s exciting to think that an organization like SYFA can survive 50 years,” Sullivan noted. “The organization began with a focus on textured yarn, but, over time, its reach has broadened, spanning fiber to end-use. It’s a testament to, now as much as ever before, there’s real value in sharing technical, economic, and industrial knowledge.

“The needs for sustainability, innovation, and commercialization are here to stay, so this is just SYFA’s first 50 years. The board is planning a special ‘Past, Present, and Future’ celebration for the fall conference. It will be special and, as always, very worthwhile. We hope to see you there.”

The fall 50th anniversary conference will take place at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel November 3-4, 2022. Plans for the event include a panel discussion among top-level textile executives, and a cocktail reception followed by an evening sit-down dinner for all attendees. For more details as the event gets closer and to register, visit the association’s website, thesyfa.org.

May/June 2022

After hosting a successful fall conference — SYFA’s first in-person event in two years — the association looks to 2022 and its 50th anniversary.

TW Special Report

After back-to-back-to-back cancellations of its 2020 meetings and also its spring 2021 meeting because of “continued effects of the Covid-19 virus,” the Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) was excited to gather in person for the fall 2021 meeting held recently at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C.

The event focused on the industry’s current supply chain challenges under the title, “Identifying Solutions for Growth Amidst A Disruptive Supply Chain.” Presenters came from companies including Kuehne + Nagel International, Accelerating Circularity, Gap Inc., Hire Dynamics and Wood Mackenzie, as well as the Hohenstein Institute, Manufacturing & Textile Innovation Network and Kennesaw State University.

While attendance was slightly lower than for a typical SYFA conference, overall turnout was good and things look promising as SYFA looks to 2022 when it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“It was encouraging to see the strong in-person attendance, and so good to be back together as a group,” said SYFA President Daniel P. Sistrunk. “Think of what we’ve all been through over the last 18 months — a global pandemic, labor issues, a shipping crisis, supply chain disruption and more! Yet we, the SYFA and its members, are still going strong, which is a testament to the value of the organization and its importance to the industry. As we prepare for our next conference and the 50th anniversary of the organization in 2022, we are positioning ourselves to provide even greater value through our publications and conferences and continue to move forward in support of our members and the textile industry.”

Conference sponsors included Gold Sponsors Premiere Fibers Inc., Unifi Inc. and Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsor Pulcra Chemicals LLC; and Bronze Sponsors Goulston Technologies Inc. and Polyspintex. Patrons included Avient, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), Milliken & Company, Measured Solutions Inc., and the Furniture Manufacturing Expo.

SYFA will hold its next conference April 21-22, 2022, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.

November/December 2021

In a message to members, SYFA President Dan Sistrunk said:

“The SYFA Board regrets to inform you that we will be cancelling the upcoming conference on April 23rd-24th. Upon careful review and consideration, we believe it is the most prudent course of action considering the continued effects of the COVID-19 virus. Be assured that our utmost priority is to ensure the health and safety of individuals at our events and considering the dynamic nature of the situation we believe this is the most responsible course of action to ensure we in no way contribute to the further escalation of the COVID-19 situation.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and look forward to seeing you again at our fall conference November 5th-6th, 2020. If you have any questions regarding the cancellation or about the fall conference, please reach out to Rodney Turner (Rodney@thesyfa.org).

With Regards,
Daniel P. Sistrunk
President, SYFA

SYFA Office: 864-327-7169
rodney@thesyfa.org
www.thesyfa.org

Posted March 17, 2020

Source: The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA)<

After a successful fall event, SYFA is busy planning its spring 2020 conference, which will return to the renovated Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.

TW Special Report

The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association’s (SYFA’s) 2019 fall conference convened at the Renaissance Charlotte Southpark Hotel, Charlotte, N.C. The change in venue was necessary because its usual location, the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, was undergoing renovations.

The theme for the fall event was “Textiles Serving America – A Critical Component of Defense,” and presentations focused on military and defense topics. SYFA reported the conference was one of its highest-attended events with 152 participants.

Ron Houle, president of Pivot Step Consultants LLC, talked about the Department of Defense’s funding in his presentation titled, “Making (Some) Sense of the DOD Budget.” Nicholas Pence, director of sourcing services at Under Armour Inc., spoke about product development in his “Sustainability Driving Performance” talk. Roger Tutterow, professor and Henssler financial endowed chair, Kennesaw State University; and Kim Glas, president & CEO, National Council of Textile Organizations, gave an economic update and trade policy update respectively.

Other presenters came from companies including Wood Mackenzie, Pulcra Chemicals LLC, Burlington, Coolcore, Fiber Innovation Technology Inc., as well as the Textile Protective and Comfort Center at North Carolina State University.

Conference sponsors for the fall event included Gold Sponsor Premiere Fibers Inc.; Silver Sponsor Pulcra Chemicals LLC; Bronze Sponsors Burlington, DAK Americas LLC and Augusta Sportswear Brands; and Patrons & Exhibitors Sponsors Clariant Corp., The Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry (INDA), Jomar Softcorp International Inc., Lumat USA Inc., PolySpinTex Inc., Milliken & Company, National Council of Textile Organizations, Techtextil North America, and Unifi Manufacturing Inc.
SYFA’s spring conference will return to the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel April 23-24, 2020. Attendees may register at the association’s website, thesyfa.org.

January/February 2020