D y e i n g • F i n i s h i n g • P r i n t i n g • C o a t i n g

INTERNATIONAL
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 Contents

4. COMMENT
What’s next for the textile
•
effects sector?
26
6. EDITOR CHANGEOVER
• End of an era

8. INDUSTRY NEWS
• Graphene development reaps rewards
• UKFT and STLA become one
• Boardroom overhaul to spark
fresh ideas
• Dangers posed by flame retardants
• UK textile industry suffers setback
• Partnership to combat colour
inconsistencies

14. LOCAL COLOUR

• New government urged to improve
competitiveness
• Vietnam strives for eco-friendly
textile industry
• Growing dyeing operations in the US
• Responding to a British skills gap

20. DYES & CHEMICALS

22. RESEARCH:
WOOL DYEING
• Continuous dyeing of wool fabrics in
solid colours

26. TECHNICAL BRIEFING:

FINISHING
• A kinder combination
42. TECHNICAL TEXTILES 51. SUSTAINABILITY
• New solutions featured at
30. TECHNICAL BRIEFING: • HeiQ launches HeiQ XReflex Colombiatex
PLASMA • Improving sleep quality • Sustainability-focused technology
• Plasma applications for textile finishing through textiles • A stringent approach to chemicals

• Alfredo Grassi showcases

34. PROFILE: 53. MACHINERY &
graphene-enhanced workwear SERVICES
INTECH DIGITAL
• Pushing boundaries in outerwear • DTG developments for large and
performance small producers
37. PROFILE: • Mixed response to latest solution
COLOR DIGITAL • Embee presents “innovative”
46. REGULATIONS Laserbird technology
40. TECHNICAL BRIEFING: • Launch of new Test Materials
RUB FASTNESS 48. PROFILE: TEXBASE
• Ensuring compliance
55. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
• Cost-effective rubbing
fastness improver

2 International Dyer & Finisher

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 Contents

51

6
37

COVER IMAGE D y e i n g • F i n i s h i n g • P r i n t i n g • C o a t i n g

The North Face has launched FUTURELIGHT technology, a new

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 COMMENT
What’s next for the textile
effects sector?
Market analysts agree that in the next few
years, the textile chemicals market will
maintain a steady growth rate, of between
three and four percent, and will exceed a
mammoth US$30bn market value by 2023. But
where is this growth coming from and what
can the sector expect in terms of innovation to
catalyse it?
As International Dyer & Finisher readers
know well, textile dyes and chemicals do not
merely make up a vertical segment of the
value chain. They impact on fibre creation,
fabric colouration and performance, and
garment decoration, to name only a few key
areas. Not only this, but the textile chemicals
market is currently driven by a combination of
emerging high-growth end-user sectors and
sustainability goals.
INTERNATIONAL
DYER
FINISHER
Editor: Tansy Fall
tfall@wtin.com
Digital Editor: Madelaine Cornforth
mcornforth@wtin.com
Assistant Editor: Joseph Link
jlink@wtin.com
Technical Editor: Dr Christian Schumacher
Cshumacher@wtin.com
North America Correspondent: John Mccurry
Editorial Design: Jay Faulkner
Advertising Sales: James Wilson
jwilson@wtin.com
P 4 Comments.indd 4
Both areas are as challenging as they are As the new editor of this esteemed publication,
promising. Conforming to ever stricter I want to wish you all a prosperous 2019. We all
regulations means businesses are having to have an ITMA to look forward to this year and I
adapt quickly and be more innovative. The look forward to meeting many of you there.
good news is that this innovation is not only
benefitting the planet, but it is also leading to Editor: Tansy Fall
better fulfilment of end-market requirements. tfall@wtin.com
@TFall_WTiN
In this year’s International Dyer & Finisher
issues, we will therefore focus in on these
end-markets more than ever before, and the
changes the industry is making to fulfil their
needs alongside regulatory compliance. All of
your favourite sections of the magazine will
remain, but they will be bolstered by a focus on
the performance-wear market, the protective-
wear market, denim and outdoor textiles. We
welcome any article submissions and coverage
suggestions.
Subscriptions: Maggie Kaminska Advertisement Sales Offices © World Textile Information Network Ltd. 2019
mkaminska@wtin.com Main  Office: James Wilson All rights reserved. WTiN and World Textile
World Textile information Network, West One, Information Network are registered trademarks.
Managing Director: Mark Jarvis 114 Wellington Street, ISSN 0020-658X
Leeds, LS1 1BA, United Kingdom.
W TiN
International Dyer & Finisher is published by Tel: +44 (0)113 819 8155 ®
World Textile Information Network E-mail: jwilson@wtin.com
West One, 114 Wellington Street,
Leeds, LS1 1BA Subscriptions (6 issues)
England Worldwide £365.00
Tel: +44 (0)113 819 8155 For subscription details and directory availability,
e-mail: info@wtin.com please contact Maggie Kaminska at
Website: www.wtin.com World Textile Information Network
+ 44 (0)113 819 8155
E-mail: mkaminska@wtin.com
Website: www.wtin.com
25/01/2019 10:33:54
 S.

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 Editor changeover

End of an era
As International Dyer & Finisher passes to a new editor, we celebrate the
work of its outgoing editor of 18 years, John Scrimshaw. New editor
Tansy Fall reports.

For almost two decades, four ITMAs, and

countless rounds of textile industry innovation,
International Dyer & Finisher (née International
Dyer) has been edited by textile industry celebrity
and WTiN’s Godfather of digital textiles, John
Scrimshaw. As John mentioned in his final
comment piece of 2018 – his last as editor of this
publication – for the past 18 years John has born
witness to the dynamism that is offered by the
textile dyeing and finishing sector. He has covered
a myriad of emerging technologies – including
2001’s state of the art digital textile printers
running at 6m/hr, a far cry from the 90m/min
of the latest single-pass solution – and has also
reported on the industry’s more turbulent times.
In the early 2000s, for example, the dyeing
and finishing sector in Europe suffered crisis
as manufacturing began to flourish in Asia.
Quotas were relaxed and then eliminated, and
whilst Europe’s reputation for high-quality
manufacturing sustained, price competition
John Scrimshaw has spent two decades at WTiN during which time he has overseen a “myriad of changes” in the textile
saw brands and retailers increasingly sourcing
dyeing and finishing sector
from Asia. This led to numerous European
factory shutdowns in a very short amount of waste-water creation and CO2 emissions in looking forward with a lot more confidence
time and John recalls that there was almost a textile manufacturing. about its future. It will be a new industry of
sense that the industry might disappear from Limiting of substances, such as flame personalisation and on demand production, and
the continent completely. retardants and fluorinated waterproofing a really strong technical textile manufacturing
However, testing as this period was it chemicals, has also been challenging for the base with a secure future.”
also saw the textile industry become more industry, John says, but he adds that this has New technologies that John has reported on
globalised and more inventive. In Asia, the textile also encouraged new R&D. And, as the full in International Dyer & Finisher over the past
manufacturing industry was and is a key sector implications of REACH haven’t yet been seen few years are to play a significant role in this
fuelling growth in developing countries, and in more innovation is certainly yet to come. new industry; plasma and laser applications,
Europe the traditional industry found solace in the graphene, low-water and waterless dyeing,
burgeoning technical textiles sector. John recalls: and inkjet thread colouration, to name only a
“There was enough of the core of the industry “the industry is now few. And with these innovations, we are seeing
to support a resurgence over the last five years,
which we would never have expected 10 years
looking forward with a textiles enter into new end-markets, with
lightweight and flexible properties required for
ago,” adding, “the biggest influence has been in lot more confidence...” contemporary engineering and architecture.
the area of sustainability.” Whilst John won’t be directly reporting on
Pressure on the industry to become more what’s next for this sector, he will certainly
sustainable has come from both the retail end Looking ahead still be involved in WTiN’s efforts to bring all of
of the market and also from the dyeing and John comments: “For a decade we only talked you in the industry the latest on progress and
finishing sector itself, particularly in relation to about decline but in the early 2010s there innovation. On behalf of all of the WTiN team, I
water pollution. This has been combined with were signs of optimism coming back into would like to thank John for all of the insights he
the effect of the REACH regulations in Europe, the industry, and investment. We’ve seen has given the industry in his time as editor, and
the most notable global standards to come the reintroduction of vocational training for for the guidance and support he has provided to
into force, which aim to reduce water usage, textiles in Europe and the industry is now the rest of us looking to do the same.

6 International Dyer & Finisher

P 6-7 Tribute.indd 6 24/01/2019 15:44:43

 Editor changeover

Issue 112019
Issue 2019 7

P 6-7 Tribute.indd 7 24/01/2019 15:44:43

 Industry news
Graphene development reaps rewards
Directa Plus, a producer and supplier of
graphene-based products for use in consumer
and industrial markets, is on the verge of
major breakthroughs in both the textile and
environmental markets.
Giulio Cesareo, CEO of Directa Plus, recently gave
an interview with Proactive Investors, mentioning
the company’s latest financial situation and
important orders.
“Graphene is finally moving forwards and I
foresee that next year will be a great year for all
graphene producers,” says Cesareo.
“We are absolutely in line with our business plan
and we expect to make around €2.3m turnover this
year compared to the €950k turnover we had last
year, which is an approximate 140% increase.”
In textiles, Directa Plus has extended its
relationship with Indian jeans group Arvind with a
new co-operation agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Directa
Plus and Arvind will collaborate to expand their
existing co-operation in textiles products to include
advanced composite materials and water treatment
services, using Directa Plus’ G+ branded graphene
products and the company’s Grafysorber product.
Products
Directa Plus has several products which include
its G+ technology. Depending on the application,
products that contain G+ may be stronger, more
absorbent, able to conduct heat and electricity, or
enjoy properties such as barrier effects, low friction
and better resistance to wear.
The company’s graphene technology can be used
to enhance fabrics by various means depending
on the requirement. For example, Directa Textile
Solutions, a subsidiary of Directa Plus, offers unique
technical membranes, designed to target different
textile applications from sportswear to fashion and
wearable technologies.
Graphene market
The global graphene market is expected to reach
US$278.47m by 2020, with a growth rate of
42.8% from 2015 to 2020, according to Markets
and Markets.
The energy application market is the largest for
graphene, yet other markets such as the textile and
environmental sectors are providing promise to
company’s such as Directa Plus, too.
The global market is apparently scattered and
unorganised due to the large number of suppliers
and buyers across the globe, yet Directa Plus
reckons it is ahead of the game: “We look and
analyse the competition and as a company we
think we are around 18-24 months ahead of the
8 International Dyer & Finisher
P 8-13 Industry News.indd 8
“This is going to be a huge industrial transformation which could benefit both humankind and industry and it starts
here,” said HRH The Duke of York at the opening of the GEIC
competition,” says Cesareo.
While the company is continuing talks and
negotiations with other global players, Cesareo
explains that it is the Middle East where the
company is keeping a close eye regarding
future opportunities.
New graphene centre
Graphene’s development has also been noted in
the UK. In Manchester, where the material was
isolated by University of Manchester professors
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, a new
state-of-the-art facility has been opened by
HRH The Duke of York. Named the Graphene
Engineering and Innovation Centre (GEIC) the
facility complements the National Graphene
Institute’s (NGI) international research focus
by concentrating on multi-faceted industry-led
applications development.
The key areas within the new building include
pilot productions, characterisation and material
development. The GEIC will accelerate the
commercial impact of graphene and help realise
its potential to revolutionise countless industries.
It has been made possible by the generous
support of the venue’s sponsors: Masdar,
Research England, Innovate UK, ERDF, and the
Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, HRH The
Duke of York, said: “It is a great pleasure to be
back at The University of Manchester and to
come and see the next stage in the development
of graphene.
“This is an excellent place for businesses
who may suddenly find that graphene or a 2D
material is in their interests, and just from my
short visit today, the ideas seem to be limitless
in how you can apply them. This is going to be
a huge industrial transformation which could
benefit both humankind and industry, and it
starts here. I wish you all every success.”
Developers hope that the GEIC will play a
crucial role in maintaining the UK’s world-leading
position in advanced materials. “The GEIC is a
key component of the university’s strategy for
Graphene@Manchester. With the ecosystem
we are creating here in Manchester we can
accelerate the commercialisation of real-world
applications and transition graphene and other
2D materials from the lab to the marketplace.
We are reaching a tipping point now where
the expectations for graphene are becoming
reality,” says James Baker, CEO of Graphene@
Manchester.
The GEIC has already created more than
40 jobs, in addition to academics, to grow the
university community to over 300
C
graphene-related staff. International partners,
including First Graphene, have also located their
European base of operations at the GEIC and have
recruited additional staff in Manchester. C
“I am delighted that we have been able to
support the completion of the GEIC with £5m
from the local growth fund. The innovation led H
by the GEIC will secure the UK’s position as the P
world-leader in this cutting-edge technology,
putting Manchester and the Northern A
Powerhouse on the global stage,” says Jake Berry
MP, minister for the Northern Powerhouse and
O
Local Growth scheme.
av
sa
25/01/2019 11:32:45
 Industry news

UKFT and STLA become one

A unanimous vote by Textiles Scotland members and the subsequent discussions between the two
organisations, has resulted in the UKFT acquiring the organisation. The takeover came into effect at the
beginning of 2019.
The UKFT and STLA have strong historical links and the move provides new
opportunities for Scottish companies by being part of a wider network while
retaining a national, Scottish focus.
The Textiles Scotland branding
will be continued, as will the
Scottish focus of the activities,
support and government
lobbying.
“UKFT’s commitment to
working with the industry to deliver
our current plan of activity, while
plugging into a wider fashion,
leather and textiles network
makes it a perfect partner for
Textiles Scotland,” says James
Lang, chairman of Textiles
Scotland.
“This new partnership allows us
to focus on high-value growth opportunities in international
markets and adopt an industry-wide approach which is genuinely committed to innovation and best practice to ensure
future success.”
From 1 January 2019, existing Textiles Scotland members were transferred to a new company, called UKFT Scotland.
UKFT Scotland has joined the main UKFT board, and UKFT CEO Adam Mansell has joined the Scottish Industry
Leadership Group.
UKFT will be working with the industry to develop a new membership offer that will help Textiles Scotland become a
self-sustaining organisation, including using its expertise to develop an export strategy and a skills strategy for Scottish
members.
“We are delighted to welcome Textiles Scotland into the wider UKFT community and look forward to expanding
our support services to address the needs of our new Scottish members, focused on leadership, innovation,
internationalisation, skills and investment,” adds Nigel Lugg, chairman of UKFT.
“This transaction will ensure that Scottish companies have a national and international voice and significantly furthers
our aim of creating a highly profitable and productive UK fashion and textiles industry.”
UKFT’s members include some of the UK’s most well-known fashion and textile brands, heritage success stories and
emerging designer labels, alongside the manufacturers and suppliers that turn those designs into a reality.
Like the businesses it represents, UKFT has transformed in recent years to meet the demands of today’s vibrant,
dynamic industry and its most important task is to ensure that the right environment for the fashion and textile sector is
created to thrive for many years to come.

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P 8-13 Industry News.indd 9 25/01/2019 11:32:45

 Industry news
New digital textile development facility
CMYUK plans to build a new digital textile
development facility in Shrewsbury, UK.
The construction, which will be an extension of
their existing industry-renowned demonstration
and training centre, will showcase digital textile
printing equipment and associated technologies.
The new facility will enable CMYUK to expand
on its growth in the digital textile print market
regarding both production equipment and the
development of new textile materials for the décor,
design and fashion markets.
This business division has already established
close product development programmes
with a number of key textile and equipment
manufacturing partners and that drive for product
innovation will increase significantly once the
Centre is on stream in 2019.
Director of CMYUK Group, Robin East, says:
“We’re really excited to announce this further
investment into our infrastructure, setting out
our stall to become the UK’s market-leading
supplier for digital textile production equipment
and materials.”
CMYUK recently announced the appointment of
Brett Platt as digital textile division manager. Platt
A computer-generated image of what CMYUK’s digital textile development facility will look like
Dangers posed by flame retardants
A study at Indiana University has found toxic
flame retardants in newly-manufactured
children’s car seats, sparking concerns about
children’s health. Of the 18 children’s car seats
tested, 15 contained new or traditional hazardous
flame-retardant chemicals, according to the
research.
“New replacement flame retardants, often
marketed as safer alternatives, are lurking in
children’s products without rigorous safety testing
and may pose risks for children’s health,” says
Marta Venier, associate scientist at IU’s School of
Public and Environmental Affairs and principal
investigator on the study. “The abundance of
emerging flame-retardant chemicals in children’s
car seats, and the key role these products play as
10
P 8-13 Industry News.indd 10
will work closely with Michael Crook, commercial
director, and Joel Willcock, who is entrusted with
textile material business development, establishing
the research and development infrastructure to
bring new fabrics to market. The centre will enable
CMYUK to evaluate new products for a wide range
of textile printing technologies, the company says.
“Our objective will be to develop a
comprehensive range of natural and man-made
fabrics from cottons, linens and polyesters,”
says Platt. “We will be a one-stop supplier for
equipment and material for companies of all sizes.”
CMYUK will be developing and proving coatings
to support their expanding range of natural fabrics,
working closely with chemical companies to
formulate solutions. Research and development
will play a large part in the growth of the new
division, including advancement with pigment
printing that will help customers achieve the best
possible colour and fixation when printing directly
onto natural fabrics.
This suggests a shift towards a more
sustainable future for CMYUK. Both pigment
printing and natural fabrics are key in easing the
textile industry’s impact on the environment.
potential sources of chemical exposure, is a cause
for concern.”
The research was conducted in conjunction
with the Ecology Center, an independent
non-profit organisation in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
US. The car seats tested in this study were
purchased by the Ecology Center and shipped to
Indiana University for analysis. All of the car seats
were manufactured between January 2017 and
February 2018 and were made in China, Canada
and the US. In total, the researchers tested 36
different fabric and foam samples from 18 car
seats.
For the first time, two cyclic phosphonate
esters (PMMMPs) were measured at high levels
in North America, suggesting their use as a
Pigments are effective in the production
process because they do not require a finishing
process other than drying. Cleaning up the
manufacturing process with innovative inks is
one thing, but the quantity of man-made fibres
going to landfill, namely polyester, which can
take centuries to decompose, is concerning
many experts.
Nevertheless, education plays an important
role in making the industry more sustainable
and CMYUK believes its new digital textile
development centre will help people better
understand the intricacies of the evolving
market which, as well as fashion, is increasingly
influencing the home furnishings industry. This
was demonstrated by a number of world-leading
digital textile machinery OEMs exhibiting at
January’s Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt.
East says: “We will also be partnering
with designers and production companies to
showcase solutions for textile market sectors
including contemporary wall and ceiling systems,
décor and fashion, hosting many innovation
days for customers within the business and
educational sectors.”
replacement flame retardant for compounds that
are known to be harmful. PMMMPs were found
in 34 of the 36 car seats sampled at levels much
higher than those of traditional flame retardants.
Little is known about their health effects. Two
other emerging flame retardants (tris(2,4-di-t-
butylphenyl) phosphate (TDTBPP) and resorcinol
bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP)) were also
measured in baby products for the first time.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
were observed in 75% of the samples tested,
despite being phased out of use in the US in 2013
over health concerns. However, PBDEs were
detected at such low levels that it is unlikely they
were added intentionally. They may have been
impurities or found in parts containing recycled
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 11:32:45

materials. Conversely, decabromodiphenyl ethane
(DBDPE) was detected in four samples at high
levels, suggesting that it was intentionally used.
DBDPE is a brominated flame retardant known to
cause oxidative stress, hormone disruption and
thyroid problems.
Unlike other baby products, children’s car
seats are required to meet the flammability
standards for car interiors outlined in the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 302, which was
created in 1971 by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration. Flame retardants are
routinely used as a cost-effective way to meet this
standard. However, flame retardants have been
Strategic alliance announced
The Lubrizol Corporation, a leader in speciality
chemicals, has announced an alliance between its
Engineered Polymers business and Vidalia Denim
for sustainably-produced denim.
The alliance with Vidalia Denim, a division of Vidalia
Mills Co, will incorporate Lubrizol’s X4zol(TM)-J
elastomeric fibre in the production of Vidalia’s stretch
denim fabrics, maximising the performance and
eco-friendly benefits sought by leading brands and
consumers alike, the alliance says.
Lubrizol’s X4zol-J thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU) fibre is created using a proprietary
solvent-free reactive extrusion process that is more
sustainable and produces a finer and stronger
elastomeric fibre than traditional stretch fibres
such as spandex, the company says. This results
in a unique 360-degree smooth stretch and
breathability for superior apparel comfort and fit,
Lubrizol adds.
Rob Richardson, global business director
for Performance Apparel solutions at Lubrizol,
underscores the benefits of the relationship with
Vidalia, stating: “We at Lubrizol are truly excited
about teaming up with Vidalia to incorporate
UK textile industry suffers setback
Family-run Richard Hough, a supplier and
manufacturer of a specialist range of rollers
for the finishing and processing of paper and
textiles, is transferring its industrial roller
technology to KWF Hilger GmbH & Co based
in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Richard Hough will cease manufacturing
operations at its UK plant in Bolton, UK, and
merge its technology with KWF Hilger before
the two well-established companies unite.
Issue 1 2019
P 8-13 Industry News.indd 11
linked to a variety of negative health effects, such
as impaired brain development, liver damage and
cancer. Children are more susceptible to these
effects than adults because of their smaller size
and their tendency to put their hands and objects
in their mouths.
Children can be exposed to flame retardants in
car seats by breathing in chemicals that leach into
the air out of fabrics and foam. This is especially
problematic for children during the summer
months, when heat increases the rate at which
flame retardants enter the poorly ventilated,
semi-closed car environment, scientists say.
Children can also be exposed to flame retardants
our X4zol-J technology into their denim fabrics.
While X4zol-J has already been adopted by many
strategic global denim brands, we see this as
an essential next step in helping to advance the
apparel industry’s sustainability agenda.”
The collaboration with Vidalia will enable brands
to work locally in North America to deliver high
performance denim fabrics for consumers, says
Richardson.
He continues: “This alone takes miles and
months out of the supply chain. Plus, the powerful
combination of X4zol-J’s favourable material and
recyclability profile, along with Vidalia’s sustainable
manufacturing processes, will help brands achieve
lower scores using Higg Index tools available
through the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.”
“The production of stretch fabrics holds
such an important place in the denim industry
today. Vidalia’s decision to work with Lubrizol
as a preferred supplier of stretch fibres furthers
our mission to build the most efficient and
environmentally-friendly denim mill in North
America,” adds Dan Feibus, CEO of Vidalia Mills Co.
“Lubrizol provides us with an innovative
Richard Hough and KWF Hilger say they
both look back on the last 180 years as
proud manufacturers and latterly as one of
the world’s leading developers of innovative
technology in the paper finishing, textile
finishing and metal rolling process, the
companies add.
KWF Hilger will now be offering the roll
types Simtex, Roberto, Super-elastic and
Nollapp from its Düsseldorf plant along with its
Industry news
by ingesting the dust which accumulates inside
the vehicle, through skin contact or by chewing
on their car seats.
“We found that car seat manufacturers are
intentionally moving away from certain toxic
chemical compounds that they know to be
harmful, which is good news,” says Yan Wu, a
postdoctoral researcher at Indiana University
and the lead author of the study. “However, we
know very little about the replacement chemicals
they’re using. Car seats are vital for protecting
children during a vehicle crash, but more
research is needed to ensure that those seats are
chemically safe as well.”
state-of-the-art solution for a sustainably-
produced, high-performance stretch fibre, and
represents a key element in the evolution of
great denim products. Lubrizol is a global leader
whose commitment to constant innovation
and sustainable manufacturing is a perfect fit
for Vidalia, and we are extremely excited to be
working with Lubrizol on this project.”
Vidalia Denim says it will also use e3 sustainable
cotton exclusively in its operations. Its cotton will be
sourced from across the US farm belt from farmers
enrolled in the e3 sustainable cotton programme.
The denim brand, Wrangler, is currently
in discussion with Vidalia Denim about the
development of fabrics for its 2019 product
collection.
Roian Atwood, director of sustainability for
Wrangler, says: “This mill is pushing the standards
for sustainable denim fabric in North America. At
Wrangler, we are excited about the opportunity
to work with Dan (Feibus) and his team and the
e3 cotton growers committed to sustainable
agriculture practices to produce good-looking denim
that utilises innovative manufacturing methods.”
established cotton and paper-filled fibre rolls.
Richard Hough specialises in
manufacturing bespoke calendering rolls,
squeezing rolls and cotton calender bowls
for the textile industry. At the 2015 edition of
ITMA held in Milan, the company showcased
its, at the time, new Simtex calender roll,
but will arrive at the 2019 instalment of the
exhibition, which takes place on 20-26 June in
Barcelona, under a new guise.
11
25/01/2019 11:32:45
 Industry news

Boardroom overhaul to
spark fresh ideas
The Board of TANATEX Chemicals underwent a shake-up in early
January which resulted in Jørgen Vendel becoming the new CEO,
Calvin Qiu CFO, and Paul Oude Lenferink filling the CTO position.
TANATEX says the changes mark the start of a new era for the
company, which was formed in 2007 following a management
buyout of the company from Lanxess. For more than a decade, it has
developed a robust, sustainable textile processing chemicals business
and became part of the Transfar Group in 2016.
Following the leadership of CEO Marco de Koning and CFO Arthur
Hopmans, for the past 11 years, the duo decided to depart TANATEX
Chemicals and give room to new ideas. They leave the company in the
hands of former CCO Vendel.
“The past 11 years with TANATEX have been a highly-rewarding and
exciting journey,” says Koning. “Our aim was to build an international
textile chemical company which offered solutions instead of mere
products. With the talent and enthusiasm of all the people in the
company, that is exactly what we have done. My passion for our business
remains as strong as ever and it is with pride that we hand over the reins
to our new team who will bring their own vision and enthusiasm to take
the company on to the next stage in its development.”
New CEO Vendel joined TANATEX in early 2017 before earning his
promotion. Vendel has previous experience in the global chemicals
industry, having held local and international senior management roles
at The Linde Group and BP Oil. TANATEX admits that the CCO position
is still presided over by Vendel until a suitable replacement is found.
“I am excited to build on the considerable achievements of the
past,” Vendel says. “When I joined the company, it was the start of
a new adventure for me, one which has proven exciting, challenging
and deeply fulfilling. In the years ahead, we will continue this
adventure together with the great team at TANATEX and Transfar,
which continually strives to exceed expectations in a world where
environmental awareness is growing.”
Meanwhile, Qiu has been working during the past 18 years for
multinational companies including: China Eastern Airlines; Cisco
Systems; Shell; and most recently AkzoNobel, in various senior global
business and financial roles. TANATEX says that Qiu brings to the
company a unique combination of financial expertise and commercial
acumen with a background across China and the Netherlands, both
professionally and culturally
“I am excited to join TANATEX and embrace the opportunity to
grow the TANATEX business together with colleagues, partners and
customers from TANATEX and Transfar. I look forward to taking part
in this journey and will strive to unlock the value for stakeholders
including employees, customers and shareholders.”
In the continued pursuit of TANATEX’s strategic objectives, the role
of CTO has been elevated to Board level, recognising the importance
of technological competence, innovation focus and product
stewardship. Lenferink was appointed CTO having previously been
responsible for R&D and technology developments during the last
eight years within TANATEX Chemicals.

Partnership to combat
colour inconsistencies
Datacolor, which specialises in colour-
management technology, has announced a new The ColorReaderPRO tool
partnership with a provider of colour standards
and colour communication tools for the textile
industry, Color Solutions International (CSI).
Using Datacolor’s portable colour-
measurement device, ColorReaderPRO, fashion
and apparel brands can now precisely select and
identify colour from multiple colour libraries.
The implementation of CSI’s branded
version, which includes the ColorWallTM and
the ability to add a brand’s own colours on
the ColorReaderPRO, offers tremendous time
and cost savings to the textile industry by
eliminating the need to manually search and
match textile colour samples with swatches or
colour codes.
“Speed to market remains a driving influence

12 International Dyer & Finisher

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 Industry news

upon the fashion and apparel industry, making
it essential that brands spend less and less
time on colour development and matching,”
says Tim Williams, marketing manager,
CSI – a division of DyStar. “Through this
partnership, we’re answering our customers’
call for a solution allowing them to easily and
quickly select existing colours in their library
or to choose a colour from our 3,700-plus
ColorWallTM during the colour palette creation
process. Thanks to the compact, simple-to-use
ColorReaderPRO, industry professionals will
dramatically speed up their seasonal colour
palette development process.”
The solution allows brands to accelerate
palette creation, reduce the cost of colour
development and ensure colour quality and
evaluation throughout the supply chain
using the hand-held, Bluetooth-connected
ColorReaderPRO tool – helping keep these
brands competitive in the fast-paced fashion
industry, Datacolor says.
“We are excited to debut this solution
with our long-time partners at CSI and offer
the textile industry yet another innovative
colour-management solution,” says Dustin
Bowersox, textile marketing manager for
Datacolor. “With the simple push of a button,
designers can now match any colour to the
closest CSI colour standard, or their existing
custom colour library, effectively eliminating
the need for manual colour look-up. Boasting
industry leading colour-matching accuracy,
the ultra-portable ColorReaderPRO lets users
capture and quickly share inspiration colours
and associated palettes, while improving
component matching with on-the-go colour
pass/fail checks.”
The product was officially unveiled at
Premiere Vision in New York where the
partnership showcased the product at the CSI
booth on 15-16 January.

Investment in new thread

dyeing technology
Industrial thread manufacturer Coats has
become a strategic investor in Twine Solutions,
an Israel-based technology start-up that has
developed a revolutionary digital thread dyeing
system.
Coats is investing US$5m for a 9.5% share in
the company and a seat on the Board.
Twine has created the world’s first
standalone digital thread dyeing system which
applies the features of small-scale digital
printing to the traditional dyeing process.
The plug and play machine dyes thread using
digital printing technology and can produce
any length and colour, whenever or wherever
they are needed. The technology is based on
waterless dyeing and will feature inbuilt colour
software integrated with Coats ColourStitch,
says the company.
Rajiv Sharma, group chief executive, says:
“This is an exciting and innovative strategic
move. We are investing in future technology Digital thread dyeing from Twine
which will improve our industry and its
sustainability by directly addressing the key Coats, which employs 19,000 people across six acquisitions: Patrick Yarn Mill, Gotex, and FRS.
needs of our customers: speed, innovation continents and achieved US$1.5bn worth of Twine has now completed its growth stage
and sustainability. The disruptive technology revenue in 2017. investment round, which was co-led by New Era
has the potential to revolutionise the thread Alon Moshe says: “We are bringing high-tech Capital Partners and Maverick Ventures Israel.
industry and Coats will work closely with Twine to a low-tech industry by providing a unique As well as Coats Group, HP Tech Ventures also
to commercialise this opportunity.” solution to the most basic problem for one of invested in the company, as did Twine’s existing
Coats and Twine will now work together the largest and oldest industries. To have the shareholders Landa Ventures and Gefen Capital.
on an exclusive commercial partnership to world’s leading industrial thread manufacturer lrit Hillel, partner at HP Tech Ventures, says:
market the technology which will be launched as a backer brings immeasurable strength and “Twine’s unique technology positions the
mid-2019. opportunity to our offer.” company to be a major player in the digital
Twine Solutions was founded in 2015 by A key part of Coats’ strategy for development transformation of the textile industry, which we
brothers Alon and Erez Moshe, who have and growth is to collaborate with companies believe is ripe for disruption. We are excited to
significant digital printing expertise, but with unique capabilities that can leverage join Twine’s mission to improve the industry’s
the seat on the Twine Board will be taken by off the existing Coats network. The strategic efficiencies, foster creativity and make a
Michael Schofer, chief supply chain officer at investment in Twine follows three successful sustainable impact on the world.”

Issue 1 2019 13

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 Local colour
New government urged to
improve competitiveness
By Saeed A Baloch
Pakistan’s textile sector, encouraged by the
new government’s reforms to gas pricing, is
now seeking exemptions from duties and taxes
on imports of raw materials – and requesting
the long-awaited release of refunds by the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The Pakistan Readymade Garment
Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(PRGMEA) met with Razzak Dawood, an advisor
to Prime Minister Imran Khan on commerce and
textiles, on 24 December last year.
There, PRGMEA central chairman Mubashar
Naseer Butt demanded: rationalisation of
duty structures and taxes on imports of raw
materials for the value-added textile sector;
simplification of the Duty and Tax Remission
for Export (DTRE) regime; and measures both
to discourage export of raw materials and to
encourage shipment of value-added goods. He
urged the advisor to give unconditional 100%
drawbacks on value-added exports in addition
to the clearance of refunds held by the FBR.
This follows the changes to Pakistan’s gas
pricing, which came into effect in October
2018, when the government reduced
the tariff to US$6.50 per MMBTU
(1 million British Thermal Units
– an internationally accepted
gas measurement)
from US$12.50 per
MMBTU for five
14
P 14-19 Local Colour.indd 14
exporting sectors: textiles, leather, surgical,
sporting goods and surgical items.
Dawood assured Butt that the government was
taking all possible steps to improve the industry,
including changing tax and duty arrangements.
Anis ul Haq, secretary general of the
APTMA, reveals that his industry’s demands
for such reforms are fair and the newly-elected
government of Prime Minister Imran Khan
must take them into serious consideration
for the sake of competitiveness and viability
of the industry. However, he points out that
this cannot be done until, and unless, the
government develops a comprehensive textile
policy and implements it in both letter and
spirit. “The new government should especially
focus on reviving elements of the textile
industry that have been forced to close because
of recent cost increases and trade difficulties,”
Haq adds.
Former APTMA chairman Gohar Ejaz stresses
that the revival of the
Pakistan textile
industry
needs
immediate attention. “During the last five
years, as many as 150 textile mills have closed
operations due to loss of viability,” he claims.
If the government wants an increase in
exports, it will have to resolve the issues of
the textile sector on ‘war-footing grounds’, he
states.
Recently, the APTMA leadership hosted a
lunch reception for Prime Minister Khan to
apprise him of their problems. Addressing the
function, Khan said: “I am well aware of the
problems being faced by the textile sector and
want to see the industry develop and prosper.”
He added that, despite the many economic
challenges currently facing his government,
enabling the textile industry was a priority –
although he did not reveal specific plans.
According to Haq, Pakistan’s yarn exports
have been falling because the government is
restricting the export of surplus raw materials.
He suggests that, if the government wants
to discourage raw material exports, it should
first increase the capacity of the downstream
textile sector processing such inputs,
working to attract more investment
to the sector.
Continues on page 16
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 18:46:46
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 Local colour
Continues from page 14
Endorsing the PRGMEA chairman’s pleas
to allow 100% duty drawbacks without having
to increase exports and for the government
to ensure the early payment of tax refunds,
Haq says such measures will increase the cost
effectiveness of Pakistan’s textile industry.
Mixed response to initiative
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s textile and clothing
sector representatives have expressed
conflicting views over an International
Finance Corporation (IFC) initiative aimed at
supporting textile industry efforts to reduce
energy consumption with a view to improving
sustainability.
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association
(APTMA) termed the IFC move, “a very positive
step for Pakistan’s ailing textile sector.” In
contrast, the Pakistan Readymade Garments
Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(PRGMEA) claimed the plan would not work
because it doesn’t provide remedies for the real
issues of the textile sector.
The IFC, part of the World Bank, last month
Vietnam strives for eco-friendly
textile industry
By Jens Kastner
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the
Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS)
have endorsed a project named ‘Greening
Vietnam’s textile sector through improving
water management and energy sustainability’
with the declared aim of transforming the
Vietnamese textile industry into one which is
more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
To be implemented from 2018 to 2020, with
a focus on Vietnam’s textile-manufacturing
heartland in the Mekong and Dong Nai
river Deltas, the project entails engaging
manufacturers to improve water and energy
sustainability.
WWF lists international brands with suppliers
in Vietnam, factories around the country,
financial institutions, development partners and
other relevant initiatives as key project partners.
However, industry observers are doubtful as
to the degree of receptiveness among Vietnam’s
textile-apparel manufacturers. Sheng Lu,
an associate professor at the Department of
16
P 14-19 Local Colour.indd 16
signed an agreement with the US-based
clothing chain GAP Inc to help Pakistan’s
textile industry, especially the clothing sector,
to resolve energy-related and environmental
issues.
Saima Zuberi, project manager, IFC Pakistan,
says: “Initially, we have nominated GAP Inc
to undertake this exercise although we could
directly approach the suppliers like PRGMEA
and other stakeholders like APTMA. What I can
say right now is that we would be providing
advisory services to the textile sector in
Pakistan.”
Under the agreement, it is understood that
GAP will hold seminars and training workshops
for the industry stakeholders letting them know
how to reduce energy consumption and achieve
sustainability.
PRGMEA secretary Hina Asif says that while
she was aware of the IFC-GAP agreement, she
had yet to hear full details. APTMA secretary
general Anis ul Haq, however, welcomed the
development, saying it would definitely help
Pakistan’s industry to achieve sustainability and
tackle environmental issues.
Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University
of Delaware, US, pointed out that it is hard to
say whether it will make the wider Vietnamese
garment sector more competitive. “The term
‘eco-friendly’ is a judgment call, and its impact
on pricing is uncertain,” he says.
A recently-published book (released
in August) ‘Where to buy eco fabrics: for
production in Vietnam’ by Ho Chi Minh
City-based garment-sourcing advisor Chris
Walker suggests that the WWF/VITAS project
will have a lot of work ahead. It shows that only
5% of the 6,000 textile-apparel manufacturers in
the country have earned any eco-certification by
international organisations.
Specifically, Walker counted 300 enterprises
with the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX
certification; six with Global Recycle Standard
(GRS); four with bluesign; and only three each
with Sustainable Textile Production (STeP) by
OEKO-TEX and Global Organic Textile Standard
(GOTS).
Muhammad Ijaz Khokhar, coordinator for
PRGMEA, comments that work on energy
saving for the industry was already ongoing
with the help of GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit) – a German
donor agency.
“Our real and burning issue is how to
enhance productivity of the industry and, for
that purpose, we need upgraded technology
for the small-to-medium-sized entrepreneurs,
which account for 95% of our total garment
industry,” adds Khokhar.
He says the Pakistan garment sector’s
productivity is 30-32% less than that of
Bangladesh, and it could only be enhanced by
investing in technology and workforce training.
Currently, Pakistan’s textile and clothing
industry delivers 57% of the country’s total
exports, but since 2012 they have been almost
stagnant with just a 3.7% increase. Khokhar also
hints that a marketing strategy, to rival those
of China and Bangladesh, is required in order to
sell what Pakistan’s textile industry has to offer
the global market, but currently investment is
lacking for that.
That said, multinational assurance
organisations Intertek and SGS have fabric-
testing laboratories in Vietnam that can
conduct eco tests, for example for azo dyes and
formaldehyde. Also, while “there are not many
eco fabric sellers in Vietnam…eco fabrics can be
imported into Vietnam for garment production,”
says Walker.
“Among the most noteworthy examples of
Vietnamese eco fabric makers is Thao Vu, a
designer who has all her dyeing, weaving, batik
drawing and calendaring done by nearly three
dozen women artisans in four separate ethnic-
minority communities across Vietnam,” he adds.
Walker goes on to explain that Thao Vu’s
labour-intensive work entails, for example, a
single batch of cotton fabric being dipped in
indigo twice a day over a period of two months.
According to a note from Marc Goichot, who
is responsible for water programmes at WWF’s
Continues on page 18
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 18:46:46
ITA AMERICA'S HOUSE AD 2019.indd 2 23/01/2019 17:04:54
 Local colour

Continues from page 16
Greater Mekong South-East Asia branch, in the
long run his organisation wants to see factories,
industrial parks and other factors come together
to take more proactive collective actions to
address risks and impacts beyond their factory
fences and more responsibly manage shared
resource uses across sectors. “With more than a
decade of working with the textile industry’s top
exporting countries such as Bangladesh, China,
India and Pakistan, WWF believes that we can
help Vietnam to create a big positive change for
the sector,” says Goichot.
The joint project between WWF and VITAS is
part of the “driving impact reduction through
the textiles value chain” project sponsored by
HSBC, but the exact amount of funding has not
been released.

Growing dyeing operations

in the US
By John McCurry
The owners of a yarn dyeing operation founded
in New England, US, six years ago, hope to take
their company’s production to a higher level
as it works through the challenges faced by a
start-up manufacturer.
Attorney Claudia Raessler and her husband,
Ken, founded Maine Dye & Textiles in
Biddeford, Maine, in 2012, buying the assets
of a defunct dye house, with the help of a few
partners. The operation has evolved several
times since then, including moving to a larger
facility in Saco, Maine.
Initially known as Saco River Dye House, the
Raesslers changed the company’s name more
than a year ago to more closely identify with
the textile heritage of New England. They also
coined the company slogan ‘Putting the colour
of Maine back into textiles.’
The fledgling firm has since seen steady
growth, evolving into a dye house that mostly
serves technical textile markets. Rope &
cordage is the company’s primary industrial
market. Maine Dye hopes to expand to other
Inside the Maine Dye and Textiles facility
areas in the coming years, for example Raessler
is currently doing sampling in technical wear range of fibres. Currently, Maine Dye & Textiles Maine Dye is a small business working hard
with fire retardant (FR) material. supports skein and cone dyeing, finishing services to create a positive impact within the textile
In 2016, the Raesslers spent US$750,000 and sampling. Both the equipment purchased in supply chain.”
in private money to buy two Bellini dyeing 2012 along with the new technology acquired in As many other recent start-up textile and
machines, two Fadis winders and an RF System 2016, support all phases of its operations for both apparel firms have discovered, a significant
drying machine. That equipment allowed them natural and synthetic yarns. obstacle is finding skilled workers. That is true
to move into the technical textiles market. As the dye house moves forward, Raessler in Maine despite the state once being a major
The investment was used to replace vintage says focus will remain on providing customer- centre of textile activity. Most of the major
equipment that dated back to the 1930s. It also centric services; building a workplace manufacturers closed during the first decade
helped reduce the environmental impact of the environment supporting cultural diversity and of the 2000s. Equally tough, especially in
company’s production. employee growth; and a production process North-Eastern USA, is finding industry-specific
From its founding, Raessler has viewed her that cares about environmental improvements. training programmes.
dye house as a unique opportunity to create and “No one claims providing quality dye services Raessler has had discussions with the local
serve well-defined markets where support is for textile manufacturing is easy,” says Raessler. community college system about developing
needed for the production of high value-added “Whether it is the expertise required for colour a curriculum. Another option is online
textiles, sampling for new product development, development or the skill to work with new programmes through the North Carolina State
or where expertise is required to handle a wide materials. As an industry resource, however, University College of Textiles.

18 International Dyer & Finisher

P 14-19 Local Colour.indd 18 24/01/2019 18:46:48


Responding to a British skills gap
By Jessica Owen
Although the UK is no longer a leader in global
textile manufacturing, the industry is by no
means dead.
According to UKFT, there are around 4,200
textile manufacturing companies that employ
65,000 people across the British Isles. To maintain
these employment figures, the industry relies
on formal apprenticeship training to ensure the
workforce is skilled to the highest level, and as many
knowledgeable and skilled workers are reaching
retirement age, it is important to ensure this
experience is not lost.
In the UK fashion and textile industry, there are
many apprenticeship programmes available from
garment technologists to sewing machinists, to
bespoke tailors and cutters, to textile technical
specialists and more.
Established in 1767, Joshua Ellis is a British
manufacturer of cashmere, wool, camelhair and
vicuña.
The company sources the fibres from countries
including Mongolia, China and New Zealand.
Afterwards, Joshua Ellis dyes, spins on commission
and finishes everything else in house.
“In total, there are 61 people at Joshua
Ellis, around 41 of which are involved with
manufacturing in the mill,” said Oliver Platts,
Issue 112019
Issue 2019
P 14-19 Local Colour.indd 19
managing director at Joshua Ellis, in his
presentation at the Make it British Forum.
“The average working life of someone in our
factory at the moment is more than 35 years, so we
have an ageing workforce and an awful lot of skill in
our company.”
As a result, the business has an active policy
on apprenticeships. There are now six full-time
apprentices in the mill, all working towards their
certificates and NVQs through the Textile Centre of
Excellence.
“We have an aggressive plan to make sure that
the skills stay in the industry,” added Platts.
In Scotland, Johnstons of Elgin is a textile
manufacturer focused on taking natural fibres
from their raw state and turning them into
finished products. The company was established
in 1797 and focuses primarily on cashmere and
fine merino wool.
To date, Johnstons of Elgin employs more than
1,000 people in the country, making it one of the
largest textile manufacturing employers in the UK.
The company enrols 103 people with more than 20
years’ service, some of which have more than four
decades of experience.
“Skills are paramount and pose the biggest
challenge at the moment, so we have put 104
Local colour
people through the Modern Apprenticeship
programme,” said Simon Cotton, CEO at Johnstons
of Elgin, during his presentation at the 2018 Weaving
Group Conference in Huddersfield, UK.
“We are now a Scottish qualifications agency
authorisation accreditation centre, so we can
actually train and accredit our own people. We have
23 trainers, 20 assessors and six internal verifiers, so
this has been quite a big investment.”
Cotton continued to explain that the company
puts training at the forefront of the business
because “the latest technology is only as good as
the people who are running it.”
Johnstons of Elgin offers Modern Apprenticeships
to people as young as 16 and to those over 60. At
present, over 100 apprentices are either qualified or
in training. Additionally, the company has previously
been awarded SDS Youth Employer of the Month.
From big names including Burberry to smaller
brands such as Hiut Denim Co, there are many
apprenticeship programmes around.
Organisations such as the UK Fashion and
Textile Organisation and the Textile Centre of
Excellence have a lot of information regarding the
apprenticeships available, the different training
providers and the skills and qualifications that
can be gained.
19
24/01/2019 18:46:49
 Dyes & chemicals

Sensient launches latest

sublimation ink
Sensient Imaging Technologies, a subsidiary of Sensient Technologies Corporation, has launched
a new range of high-performance digital dye-sublimation inks for low-viscosity Epson print heads:
ElvaJet Opal SB inks.
Following the success of ElvaJet Opal SC inks for mid-viscosity print heads, Sensient says ElvaJet Opal
SB ink addresses the needs of low viscosity print heads and allows customers of wide-format digital
textile printers to benefit from the revolutionary technology. ElvaJet Opal SB ink fulfils the need for a
plug and print solution in this market, according to the company. ElvaJet Opal SB ink is also certified for
Eco Passport for OEKO-TEX, epitomising Sensient’s commitment to sustainability and responsible use of
chemicals in the supply chain, the company adds.
Sensient says that, when it launched ElvaJet Opal SC ink in January 2018, this pioneering ink
gave users unparalleled benefits in terms of colour, sharpness, and superior release from coated
and uncoated transfer papers as low as 18 gsm in weight. ElvaJet Opal SB ink defines ease of use
with simple start-up, minimal maintenance, and maximised printing up time with further unique
benefits for users, the company continues.
“Users of wide format and industrial printers in the same print shop can now reproduce the
same output on all machines because ElvaJet Opal SB and SC inks use the same colour reference,”
comments Dr Simon Daplyn, marketing manager of Sensient’s inks division.
“This standardisation offers unique options for production flexibility
and a reduction of consumable costs. Early market tests show
significant ink savings can be achieved by new customers switching to
ElvaJet Opal SB ink.”
“By focusing on the needs of the market and our clients, ElvaJet Opal SB
inks enhance the value of our offerings to print shops,” adds Mike Geraghty,
president of Sensient’s Color Group. “Product that delivers peace of mind for
our users is key. We are delivering reliable printing with outstanding results in terms of batch-to-batch color
consistency, sharpness of print detail, colour intensity, and high release from the paper, all with Eco Passport
status providing further reassurance of brand compliance and sustainability in the supply chain.”
The digital sublimation inks developed under the ElvaJet Opal platform are designed and manufactured
in Morges, Switzerland, and have been formulated for use in Piezo-based printers for applications such as
fashion, sports apparel, home textiles, and sign and display.
The company has recently entered into a distribution agreement with Spot Uluslararasi Tekstil for the
Turkish market. Founded in 1991 and based in Istanbul, Spot Uluslararasi Tekstil will help promote Sensient’s
range of digital textile inks throughout Turkey, including its latest ElvaJet Opal SB and SC offerings.

Phosphate methacrylate agent comes to

market for FR and anti-corrosion
Evonik has announced its plans to market
2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphate as
an anti-corrosion agent and flame retardant
under the brand name VISIOMER HEMA-P 70M.
Typical product applications of this methacrylate
monomer will include fibre coating.
The substance serves as a reactive diluent or
as a co-monomer bonded within the polymer
backbone,the company says, and as such
it does not migrate like conventional flame
retardants. VISIOMER HEMA-P 70M further
improves flame retardancy in combination with
non-polymerisable flame retardants, Evonik adds.
Dr Martin Trocha, head of Evonik’s Application
Monomers Product Line, explains: “VISIOMER
HEMA-P 70M offers new options for customers
with special requirements for flame-retardant and
anti-corrosion properties. This monomer adds a
specialty methacrylate with particular functionalities
to Evonik’s portfolio and underscores our role as a
solution provider for innovative customers.”
VISIOMER HEMA-P 70M is said to be a highly-
versatile monomer that contains 30% methyl
methacrylate and is particularly easy to process
because of its low viscosity. Thanks to its low
colour index, the specialty monomer is particularly
well-suited for optical applications in acrylate and
methacrylate systems. This enables the use in
applications with high demands for transparency
and surface quality, such as surface coatings,
plastics or adhesives. Moreover, the monomer
protects against static charging and has an emulsion
stabilising effect.

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 Dyes & chemicals

Crypton debuts at Heimtextil

US-based provider of performance fabric
technology, Crypton made its European debut
at January’s Heimtextil trade show. Lance
Keziah, CEO of Crypton, commented at the
show: “We see expansion into Europe as a
natural fit; one with tremendous potential as
we embark on bringing Crypton to important
emerging global markets.
“We have long been evaluating Europe as a
growth platform and have spent considerable
R&D efforts to provide best-in-class performance
that meets the stringent European test
requirements. We’re excited to enter the market”
Crypton fabrics, for both the residential
and contract markets, will be made in Europe
and warehoused in Belgium. The company will
be affiliating with carefully-selected fabric
production facilities and brands for distribution
of Crypton performance textiles throughout
Europe.
Crypton introduces the European design
community to an entirely new category that
offers broad new possibilities, the company
says, adding that it offers beautifully-designed
performance fabrics that resist spills, stains and
odours permanently while being people and
planet-friendly. look forward to connecting with prospective
Crypton fabrics are engineered with an European distributors, mills and jobbers, as well
integrated barrier that prevents liquid stains as dialoguing with designers and specifiers.
from penetrating to the cushion, resists flame Given how soft, textural and on-trend our
spread, and maintains fabric flexibility. The textiles are, designers are astonished when
company also claims to offer: they see Crypton’s amazing performance
• 25 years of trusted performance in the US demonstrations and discover its strength and
• Greenguard Gold certified to the most durability.”
stringent indoor air quality standards Thanks to its many patented technologies
• Extended life of furniture by five to seven years and first-to-market innovations, the 25-year-old
longer than traditional fabrics company says it is the most specified brand of
• a tremendous reduction in greenhouse gas indoor performance fabric for the hospitality,
emissions and fossil fuel consumption institutional and healthcare markets in the US
The expansion into Europe is spearheaded for over two decades.
by Hardy Sullivan, executive vice president, Crypton has demonstrated success across
who is overseeing this initiative and all of other categories as well, with millions of yards
Crypton’s international operations. He says: of its spill, stain and odour-resistant fabrics
“There is great opportunity for our performance installed in residential, transportation, retail
fabrics in Europe,” says Sullivan. “There’s and workplace designs throughout the US
nothing quite like Crypton, and it satisfies as well as in homes, hotels, resorts, spas,
the growing demand in certain sectors, restaurants, hospitals and residential facilities.
specifically, hospitality and healthcare, for a Crypton will be distributed primarily through
high-performing textile that meets key Fire contract and residential distributors serving
Rating (FR) standards for European upholstery.” the healthcare, hospitality, commercial and
Guy Parmentier, vice president of residential marketplaces, according to the
international sales for Crypton, adds: “We company.

Aiding sleep deprivation with textiles

Devan Chemicals NV, the Ronse-based developer of finishing
technologies for textiles, showcased some of its latest health and
wellness solutions at Heimtextil, held in Frankfurt, Germany from 8-11
January.
As millions of people suffer from sleep deprivation, due to disorders
like insomnia, Devan has looked into ways in which it can help.
Revitalising the body through sleep is a key component of a healthy
lifestyle and to help with this Devan has added cannabidiol (CBD) to its
R-Vital sleep promoting range of microencapsulated active ingredients
that enhance textiles with anti-oxidative effects, the company says.
This rich CBD tincture or extract, Devan adds, has a balancing effect
that helps facilitate a good night’s sleep.
Originating from ancient civilisations in Asia, CBD-rich hemp has
long been used for its positive health benefits. Devan believes it has
succeeded in encapsulating this CBD, which is extracted from hemp, a
non-psychoactive type of cannabis.
Devan has applied its expertise to encapsulate active ingredients or
extracts such as CBD and valerian root for use in its sleep-promoting
R-Vital range of products. These can be applied to everything from
bedding to sleepwear fabrics. When the skin touches the fabric,
the resulting friction causes the capsules to break, releasing the
ingredients to the body.
Since skin is the body’s largest organ, Devan has utilised it to
transport these ingredients, adding comfort, care and well-being to
the body while sleeping, the company says.
Meanwhile, the benefits of argan oil from the Moroccan Desert are
only just been realised around the world despite the fact that Berber
women have been harvesting the oil for around 3500 years because it is
an important element in haircare for Muslim women who wear hijabs.
Devan has now added argan oil to its Health & Wellness range.
Sleeping on a pillow containing argan oil capsules can help to
hydrate and nourish the hair and scalp, the company says. Devan has
leveraged its R-Vital range to create its own blend for specific and
unique solutions, including for pillow covers, bed sheets, cover sheets
and sleepwear.
Elsewhere, during the recent Performance Days fabric trade fair
in Munich, a specific member of Devan’s R-Vital range of functional
finishes - a blend of “Ubiquinol (Q10), sea kelp and thyme oil” - earned
praise from the jury, which awarded it a “100% Jury Like” stamp. That
designation means that all members of the jury selected the sample, a
recognition granted to only a handful of the 1,400 applications.
Devan says the Q10 blend offers sports recovery through textiles.
It reinforces the body’s antioxidants, thereby disarming damaging
free-radicals and having an overall anti-aging effect, the company
adds. Devan collaborated on the development of this product with
Japanese pharmaceutical company Kaneka Corp.

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 Research: continuous wool dyeing

Continuous dyeing of wool

fabrics in solid colours
Is continuous dyeing in solid shades a viable technology for wool fabrics?
Steven McNeil and Samuel Leighs, of the Textile Team at AgResearch New
Zealand, describe the results of laboratory tests

Introduction Abstract
Continuous dyeing of wool fabrics in solid shades Continuous dyeing of wool fabrics has the potential to reduce water, chemicals, labour, and time.
offers several advantages over conventional batch Dyeing in solid shades may be less technically demanding than printing patterns, especially with
processing, such as savings in water, chemicals, regards to pretreatments. The investigation reported here looked at four issues with the potential
labour, and time, but does require greater capital to cause problems for low-water, continuous dyeing of wool in solid colours: the viscosity of highly
investment.1,2 This approach includes rotary concentrated dye liquors; the wetting of fabrics (untreated and pretreated); the resistance of sprayed
and roller printing, padding and spraying, and is liquors to dripping from fabrics; and the composition of spray-applied dye liquors required for good
attracting attention. For instance, Boling et al. steam fixation.
achieved promising results using an airbrush to None of the issues investigated proved to be a problem and the potential of continuous wool printing
apply reactive dyes to wool.3 was confirmed. A pretreatment involving the pad-dry application of a re-wetting agent showed some
Consumers who choose wool products tend to be promise as an alternative to chlorination. AgResearch seeks to engage with the industry to develop
conscious of the environment and well-informed, this approach to wool colouration.
and the wool industry has endeavoured to stay Keywords: Wool fabric, continuous dyeing, spraying, padding, printing
at the forefront of sustainability by, for instance,
developing technologies to reduce the footprint of
8
wool products,4 investigating the high-profile issue
Add-on ofliquor
Add-on of liquor
of aquatic biodegradation as far back as 1994,5 and (%omw)
ome)
(%
enhancing life cycle analysis to more realistically
include use6 and social dimensions.7 6 25 50
on (%omw)
(% omw)

Continuous printing of wool fabric with patterns

75 100
is an established process; however, it requires that
the wool be given a chlorination pretreatment to 125 150
increase hydrophilicity and ensure good dye fixation 4
addon

and print definition.8,9 Chlorination adds to the

add

cost and environmental footprint, which has led to

Dye

investigation of alternatives such as those based on

2
Dye

polymers,8 sulphitolysis/surfactant,10 plasma11 and

enzymes.12 These alternatives do not appear to be
in commercial use. The pretreatment requirements
may be significantly less for solid shades than for
0
printed patterns.
As part of its support for the global wool
0 10 20 30 40 50
industry, AgResearch conducted a preliminary DyeDye
concentration
concentration inin liquor
liquor (g/L)(g/L)
investigation into continuous dyeing of wool Figure 1: Requirements of dye concentration and liquor add-ons to achieve dye add-ons
fabrics in solid colours and attempted to identify
technical issues requiring further research. fabrics held vertically; and (iv) the composition of 1. Materials and fabric
Four topics were investigated: (i) how very high spray-applied dye liquors required for good steam pretreatments
concentrations of dye effect the viscosity of dye fixation and migration. All measurements were 1.1 Fabric
liquors; (ii) the wetting of fabrics (untreated and repeated between three and ten times. Three The fabric employed was 100% wool, 300 g/m2,
pretreated) and the spread of liquids; (iii) the fabrics were used: untreated, chlorinated, and plain woven from worsted yarn (sourced from a
resistance of sprayed liquor to dripping from pretreated with wetting agent. local manufacturer), a common construction for

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 Research: continuous wool dyeing

upholstery fabric. The fabric was scoured with
non-ionic surfactant (0.1 g/L, Teric GN9, Orica,
Australia) then thoroughly rinsed. Fabric was
pretreated by chlorination and application of a
re-wetting agent.
1.2 Dye and colour measurement
Optilan/Sandolan Red MF-2BL was chosen,
as it is a member of the standard trichromat
for Optilan/Sandolan MF dyes, which are
intermediate between acid milling and acid
levelling types. Liquors were prepared with
Glauber’s salt (10 g/L), Lyogen MF (1 g/L,
Clariant) and sodium acetate (1 g/L) at pH 5.0
(acetic acid). Dye was added at 1, 10, 20 and
30 g/L, and the liquors referred to as 1, 10, 20
and 30 respectively. The lowest concentration
of dye was comparable to that used in
conventional batch/jet dyeing of wool. Fabric
colours were measured with a Colour-guide
45/0 spectrophotometer (Mahlo, Germany) with
D65/10° illuminant/observer.
2. Viscosities of highly
concentrated dye liquors
Low-water dyeing requires that the concentrations
of dyes in the dying liquors (ie the liquids applied
to the fabrics) are significantly higher than
those employed in batch dyeing. Therefore, it is
of dye only slightly raised the viscosity; thus, it
is unlikely that the viscosities of any of the dye
liquors would be high enough to cause problems in
application.
3. Fabric wetting
3.1 Single droplet applications
Distilled water and dye liquors 1 and 30 were
applied to the three fabrics drop-wise and the
time taken for the droplets to wet into the
fabrics determined. When applied to untreated
(ie scoured-only) fabric, the water and dye liquor
1 beaded noticeably more than dye liquor 30,
suggesting the dye had a small wetting effect.
None of the liquids beaded on the pretreated
fabrics, and all of them were absorbed within a
few seconds.
3.2 One millilitre applications
To further assess the behaviours of the
dye liquors and water on the fabrics, 1 mL
applications were made, and their spread
measured after various times (Figure 3). On
(cP) (cP)
untreated fabric (not shown), each liquid spread
17mm at all three times. All the liquids gave
their greatest spreading on the re-wetted
fabric, followed by the chlorinated fabric. The
differences in spreading between the various
liquids, on a given fabric at a given time, were
small. For the two pretreated fabrics, but not the
untreated one, the liquids continued to spread
after 30 seconds.
This simple experiment demonstrated that on
untreated wool fabric, the dye liquors spread to
the same extent as water. It should be noted that
the dye liquor did not contain wetting agent,
but this would warrant investigation in the
future. The results also show that the re-wetting
treatment gave faster and more extensive
spreading than chlorination.
4. Resistance of spray applied
liquors towards dripping
Water and dye liquors were sprayed on to
one side of fabric pieces that were suspended
vertically. Spaying was continued until at least

necessary to know if high concentrations of dye 14

would increase the viscosity of the liquors to such
12
liquor

a degree that it would cause problems for spray

10
dyeliquor

and pad applications.13 The highest practicable

dye concentration could limit how low the liquor-
to-wool ratio could be for a given add-on of dye
8
of dye

(Figure 1). 6
Viscosityof

As the viscosity of a fluid increases, it will tend 200

)
Viscosity

4
to form larger droplets when sprayed, reducing 150 rpm
(
the uniformity of application and requiring more
2 100 eed
p
es
sophisticated spraying equipment. The viscosities
50
of dye liquors were measured with a Brookfield 0 ndl
Rheometer at 22oC (Figure 2). For comparison, the 1 10 20 30 S pi
viscosities of water, milk and olive oil are around 1, concentration in (g/L)
Concentration of dye dye (g/L)
3 and 120 cP at 20oC. Increasing the concentration Figure 2: Effect of dye concentration on viscosity

Chlorinated fabric Re-wetted fabric

100 100
5 sec 30 sec 5 min 5 sec 30 sec 5 min

80 80
Spread (mm)

60
Speard (mm)

60

40 40

20 20

0 0
Distilled water 1 g/L dye 30 g/L dye Distilled water 1 g/L dye 30 g/L dye
Figure 3: Liquid spreading on different fabrics (diameter of liquid on fabric)

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 Research: continuous wool dyeing

five droplets fell from the fabrics; the add-ons 50 50U* 100 150
of the liquids were determined from the weight Required liquor add-on to fabric (%) 50 50 100 150
changes of the fabrics. The liquids had been Dye concentration in liquor (g/L) 40 40 20 13
heated to 65oC before application to the fabrics,
Dye concentration in liquor (%) 4 4 2 1.3
to approximate likely industrial practice.
Dye on fabric (% omw) 2 2 2 2
Both the chlorination and re-wetting
pretreatments increased the weight of each * included 100 g/L urea
Table 2: Dye liquors and applications used in steaming trial.
liquid that could be applied to fabric without
dripping (Table 1). Liquid that built-up on the
Dye liquor Control Chlorinated Re-wetted
surface of the fabrics dripped. Thus, increasing
50 1.5 1.1 4.4
the rate and amount of the fabrics’ adsorption
of liquid meant that more liquid could be 50U 1.4 0.2 0.9
applied before dripping commenced. For the 100 0.6 0.5 1.8
fabrics that wetted quickly (ie the pretreated 150 0.2 0.8 2.1
ones), there was negligible difference between
Table 3: Colour changes (Delta E) due to washing of the three fabrics, measured on the fabric face to which dye had
the water and the dye liquors, suggesting the been sprayed.
Lyogen MF (in the dye liquors) was not having
an effect. In contrast, with the untreated fabric, Dye liquor Control Chlorinated Re-wetted
the dye liquors were significantly more resistant 50 12.3 13.0 8.8
to dripping than the water, suggesting that the 50U 19.7 16.2 15.0
Lyogen MF or small increases in viscosity (Figure
100 2.2 8.5 6.2
2) were increasing the resistance to dripping.
150 3.1 7.0 8.1

Fabric Distilled 1 g/L dye 30 g/L dye

Table 4: Colour differences (Delta E) between faces of steamed-washed fabrics.
water
Untreated 49 70 104
Chlorinated 136 142 138
was applied to the fabrics at the point that 5. Water requirements of liquors
dripping commenced. The average add-on of for effective steam fixation
Re-wetted 143 133 149
the chlorinated and re-wetted fabrics for the A new set of dye liquors was used in this part of
Table 1: Liquid add-ons at the onset of dripping (%). three dye liquors was around 140%. Therefore, the study, because of the requirement to apply
the add-ons of dye were around 0.14% omw a given level of dye (2% omw) to the fabric,
Even the liquor with the lowest concentration and 4.2% omw respectively for the 1 g/L and 30 with different levels of water (Table 2). The dye
of dye (1 g/L) imparted a strong colour to the g/L dye liquors. Even allowing for a reduction liquors also contained Glauber’s salt, Lyogen
chlorinated and re-wetted fabrics and a pale in add-on of, say, 10%, to reduce the risk of MF, sodium acetate and acetic acid, as per the
colour to the untreated fabric (Figure 4). It is dripping, it is clear that significant levels of dye dye liquors used in other parts of this study,
worthwhile to consider the amount of dye that can be applied without dripping. and were heated to 65oC before application.
One liquor also contained a high level of urea,
an important component of many printing
formulations.
The four dye liquors were each sprayed on
to the three types of fabric that were held
vertically. Dye liquor was only applied to one
face of each fabric, to enable the extent of
penetration to be gauged. The spraying was
done more slowly than in the Resistance to
Dripping study, and in some cases continued
beyond the point at which dripping started,
to achieve the required application levels.
Immediately after spraying, the fabrics were
steamed for 30 minutes with dry steam. The
fabrics were then air dried, and their colours
measured. The fabrics were then washed in a
domestic top-loading washing machine using
a 40oC ‘woollen’ wash cycle, with Wool Mix
detergent (30 mL) and cotton make-weights
(1.3 kg). The fabrics were washed in small woven
polyester mesh bags, to minimise fraying, and
washed in three lots to keep the fabrics that had
Figure 4: Spray dyed fabrics after drying. Rows (from top): untreated, chlorinated and re-wetted fabrics. Columns received the different pretreatments separate.
(from left): dye liquors 1 and 30. Photographed on the side to which dye liquor had been applied After washing, the fabrics were air dried and

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their colours measured again.
Changes in colour during washing are
shown in Table 3. Increasing the amount
of liquor (which was predominantly water)
from 50 to 100% reduced the colour change
during washing of the three fabrics; whereas,
increasing it from 100 to 150% had a negligible
effect. The re-wetted fabric tended to give
the greatest colour change during washing,
unless urea was in the dye liquor. The high
level of urea employed significantly increased
the fastness of colour to washing for the
re-wetted and chlorinated fabrics, but not for
the control fabric. Reasonably strong colours
could be achieved on untreated wool when
the dye concentration was high (Figure 5). For
instance, an add-on of 104% omw, of a liquor
containing 30 g/L of dye, gave 3.1% dye omw.
  It is important that dyes migrate well
during steaming. Increasing the level of
water tended to reduce the differences in
colour between the faces, indicating better
migration (Table 4). Interestingly, the smallest
colour differences were on the untreated fabric,
suggesting that poor initial adsorption of dye
enabled it to migrate well during steaming.
In contrast, the dye was less mobile during
steaming of the pretreated fabrics.
6. Conclusions
Increasing the concentration of dye from 1 to
30 g/L only gave a slight increase in viscosity,
so is unlikely to cause problems for spray or
pad applications. Simple wetting experiments
showed that the dye liquors spread to the
same extent as water on untreated fabric. The
re-wetting pretreatment significantly enhanced
wetting and spreading, suggesting it warrants
further investigation.
The amounts of liquids that could be
sprayed on to fabrics held vertically before
the onset of dripping ranged from 49% to
149% omw, depending on the liquid and
fabric. Both pretreatments hindered dripping
by a speeding-up the penetration of liquids.
Significant levels of dye, ie up to 4.2% omw,
could be applied to both chlorinated and
re-wetted fabric, imparting deep colours
and thereby suggesting that the dripping of
spray-applied dye liquors would not be an
impediment to low-water, continuous dyeing of
wool fabrics.
The spray-steam-wash investigation showed
that a level of water below 50% omw was too
low for either good penetration to the back of
the fabric or good colour fastness to washing.
There was little advantage in applying more
than 100% omw of water. Good colours and
migration were achieved, even on untreated
fabric. Urea in the dye liquor did not enhance
Issue 1 2019
P 22-25 Spray Dyeing.indd 25
Research: continuous wool dyeing
Figure 5: Spray dyed-steamed fabrics, after washing. Rows (from top): dye liquors 50, 50U, 100, and 150. Columns
(from left): untreated fabric, chlorinated fabric, re-wetted fabric. Photographed on the side to which dye liquor had
been applied.
penetration, but it did increase the colour to assist the continuous printing of wool in
fastness to washing of the chlorinated and solid colours. For instance, thickeners, wetting
re-wetted fabrics, although not the untreated agents and dye solvents could reasonably be
fabric. expected to enhance printing. Well-engineered
This work has confirmed the potential of formulations and processes would reduce the
continuous wool dyeing. AgResearch seeks demands made on the pretreatment, increasing
to engage with industry for further research the likelihood of an alternative to chlorination
into this approach. Many aspects of current being developed, or allowing pretreatments to
printing technology may be usefully employed be dispensed with altogether.
References
1. Shore J. Economics of dyeing processes. Rev. Prog. Color.: 1981; 11, p. 58-73.
2. Jaeckel SM, Jones RL, Potts BD. Costs of reactive dyeing of cotton using winch, jet or pad-steam
equipment. J. Soc. Dyers Colour.: 1982; 98(7‐8), p. 234-242.
3. Yu B, Hong B, Yu L. Spray dyeing on cotton and wool fabrics. Int. Dyer: 2003; Jan. p. 12-14.
4. McNeil SJ, Sunderland MR. Technologies to enhance the environmental profile of wool
floorcoverings. Vlákna a Textil/Fibers & Textiles: 2016; 23(3) p. 138-143.
5. Brown RM. The microbial degradation of wool in the marine environment. Thesis, University of
Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1994.
6. Laitala K, Klepp I, Henry B. Does Use Matter? Comparison of environmental impacts of clothing
based on fiber type. Sustainability: 2018; 10(7), paper 2524.
7. Lenzo P, Traverso M, Salomone R, Ioppolo G. Social life cycle assessment in the textile sector: An
Italian case study. Sustainability: 2017; 9(11), paper 2092.
8. Bell VA. Wool Printing, p. 332-362. In Lewis D, Wool Dyeing, 1992, Society of Dyers and Colourists,
Bradford, UK.
9. Broadbent PJ, Rigour LA. Wool Printing, p. 393-430. In Lewis DM, Rippon JA, The Coloration of
Wool and Other Keratin Fibers, 2013. John Wiley & Sons/SDC, Bradford, UK.
10. Bell VA, et al. Investigation into new pretreatments for the printing of wool and
wool-blend fabrics. In Book of Papers-National Tech. Conf.: 1983, p. 289-293.
11. Ratnapandian S, et al. Effect of atmospheric plasma treatment on pad-dyeing of
natural dyes on wool. J. Fiber Bioeng. Inform.: 2011; 4(3), p. 267-276.
12. Pant S, Sail S. Effect of enzymatic pretreatment and selected speciality
chemicals on wool printing. Int. Dyer: 2011; 196(1), p. 11-13.
13. Smith BA. Rheology and textile printing. Int. Dyer: 1995; 180(3), p. 29-31.
25
25/01/2019 11:38:34
 Technical briefing: textile finishing
A kinder combination
Benevolent new chemicals in combination with the latest
advanced technologies are revolutionising the fabric finishing
industry, writes Adrian Wilson
While it may have been unwelcomed, there
can be little doubt of the effectiveness of the
Greenpeace Detox campaign against the use
of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), launched
against water-repellent coatings in 2011.
By that time, PFCs were already known to be
bio-accumulative and some substances within
the group to also be hormone-disruptive, yet
they were not banned substances and there was
initially some resistance to change.
Swift reaction
The outdoor clothing industry, however, proved a
very visible and vulnerable target for the campaign
and had to react swiftly, initially moving to replace
C8 chemistries to C6 alternatives. In addition,
leading apparel brands instigated their own
independent bans and produced supplier lists of
acceptable alternatives to all fluorocarbon-based
treatments.
Making the switch was without doubt a headache
for the brands, who already faced
tremendous
pressures
in
26
P 26-29 AW-Finishing.indd 26
terms of ensuring compliance across huge supplier
bases. Fluorocarbons have been used since the
1950s and had very much become a part of the
industry’s status quo. Transitioning to PFC-free is
also complicated, since the new technologies have
to be implemented and fine-tuned at so many
manufacturing sites in different countries around
the world.
Nevertheless, it has been achieved quickly by
many companies and effective PFC-free coatings
have been introduced from the likes of Archroma,
Daikin, DyStar, HeiQ, Huntsman, Rudolf Chemie
and Schoeller. And they are improving all the time.
The Detox campaign perhaps inadvertently
also served to foster an even greater spirit of
transparency and openness throughout the
outdoor clothing chain as these solutions were
adopted.
REACH
Meanwhile, within the European Union, the
third phase of the REACH regulations aimed at
reducing the impacts of hazardous
chemicals has come
into force
this
Huafeng is now employing a
selective additive manufac-
turing process to eliminate
cutting waste in the coating
of up to two million Hap-
tic-branded knitted sports
shoe uppers annually
year, sparking a chain of global events that
has led to a widespread shortage of many of
the chemicals required for the synthesis of
dyes and finishing formulations in 2018, with
unprecedented price hikes and uncertainty of
supply being the end result.
The work that has been required to be
in compliance by the remaining European
manufacturers of textile dyes and chemicals has
been onerous, to say the least.
REACH has been introduced in phases, with
a first deadline in 2010, a second in 2013 and the
third taking effect from 1 June 2018. The third
phase applies to all listed chemical substances
manufactured and marketed into the EU in
quantities of over one tonne (1,000 kg) and as
such, has required significantly greater attention
than the previous two. Even for the major global
manufacturers of differentiated textile dyes
and chemicals such as Archroma, DyStar and
Huntsman Textile Effects, the task has proved
daunting.
€2 billion cost
Archroma says it has made an investment of
some US$14.5m to register just 135 substances for
this third phase of REACH, and DyStar estimates
it has cost the industry in total around €2bn in
additional tests and the production of over
80,000 new registration documents.
According to Huntsman, 20,723
registration dossiers for substances were
submitted to ECHA (the European Chemicals
Agency) by the 2010 deadline, covering 3,400
substances and a further 9,084 registration
dossiers were submitted by the 2013 deadline,
covering a further 3,000 substances.
“In the beginning we started with the
registration of some rather big volume items,
but at the end, the handling of dozens of small
but nevertheless important items all needed to
be managed in parallel,” says Dr Clemens Grund,
Dystar’s senior director of global technology and
ecology, adding that the workload at the testing
institutes was very challenging and the ECHA now
expects the dossiers to be regularly updated at
six-month intervals.
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 19:06:47
 Technical briefing: textile finishing

Relocation
It is questionable, however, whether the dyes
and chemicals that are now being supplied to the
market are any less hazardous than they were
back in 2010, since they are now largely produced
in Asia, where supply chains are still opaque and
pollution remains rife.
“The prohibitively expensive REACH
registration fees that would have been payable
for thousands of dyes, pigments and intermediate
products have forced almost the entire chemical
industry to relocate from Europe to Asia over the
past decade,” observes Stefan Thumm, technical,
environmental and innovation officer at German
textile association Südwesttextil. “This took place
in parallel to an increase in pollution in China and
India. As a result, clean EU production processes
were replaced by over-polluting operations in
Asia, which are now being closed down by decree
from Beijing and New Delhi.”
China, however, is now imposing sweeping
new measures across its industrial base in a bid
to tackle this pollution, which has led to a wave
of chemical manufacturers being closed down,
in addition to a vast swathe of the country’s
textile dyeing and finishing industry. India is also
instigating similar reforms.
Turkey already introduced its own REACH-like
legislation in 2017, representing a further
challenge for the globalised manufacturers,
and China, India and South Korea are also now
Solution-dyed nylon Cordura Truelock fabrics allow complete colour consistency to be achieved, for example in army
reported to be planning similar programmes. uniforms and equipment

Technology Eco Applicator substrates for membranes hydrophilic on their inner

So how can technology help? It’s all about resource
efficiency in the first place, since the less chemicals
or dyes employed – in addition to reductions in
water and energy usage – the more realistic the
margin in textile finishing operations becomes.
The potential of Industry 4.0, in combination
with the drive to reduce waste and minimise raw
materials usage, has led to some significant new
developments by finishing technology specialists
such as Germany’s Monforts.
At the recent ITMA Asia + CITME in Shanghai,
the company showcased its latest Qualitex
800 control system, which along with the
Web-UI app, allows the remote visualisation of
Monforts technologies via smart phones and
tablet devices. “We are already embracing many
Industry 4.0 principles in our approach to new
machine concepts and the Qualitex 800 has all
the intuitive features operators will be familiar
with from touchscreen devices,” says Monforts
vice-president of sales and marketing Klaus
Heinrichs. “It is making navigation extremely
easy for operators, cutting down the time
required for becoming familiar with a new system
and allowing complete control of all machine
parameters.”
Customers such as the Swiss fabric innovator
Schoeller Textil have already recognised the
benefits of the Monforts Eco Applicator for water,
energy and raw material savings. Manufacturing
in Switzerland naturally comes with heavy
environmental responsibility – the country has
consistently ranked number one worldwide in
the Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
As a consequence, Schoeller has had to meet
standards even higher than in surrounding
European companies.
Everything its manufacturing plant does is strictly
regulated, including the land, water and air that is
used, but Schoeller was an early responder in this
respect, having become the first textile company
in the world to receive bluesign certification back
in 2001 – indeed, the company was instrumental
in establishing this highly-successful sustainability
system.
Bluesign excludes all environmentally harmful
substances from the manufacturing process, sets
guidelines and monitors their observance for
environmentally friendly and reliable production. A
new Monforts Eco Applicator has been integrated at
the start of a Montex stentering line at the Schoeller
plant in Sevelen its prime function is to make
side and hydrophobic on the outer side in a single
pass – although a further 20-25 different finishing
treatments are also carried out on the line.
Minimal application
“It’s not possible to finish the layers individually,
prior to hot melt laminating so the fabrics and
membrane films are dyed separately prior to
being laminated, and then finished together by
the Eco Applicator before going to the stenter,”
explains Michael Killisperger, manager of
Schoeller’s finishing and coating department.
“The Eco Applicator is designed for minimal
application, and we can measure the moisture
humidity at the entrance of the unit and then
after both the first and second passes through it.
“Most of these membranes are highly elastic so
high control of the fabric tension is also required
to prevent the creation of stripes. This can also be
controlled at various points within the unit.”
The installation is part of an on-going programme
that has seen over 25 million Swiss francs invested
in new technology at the Schoeller plant over the
past decade and has led to further new product
developments such as the introduction of upcycled
Econyl yarns (by Aquafil SpA) and the PFC-free

Issue 1 2019 27

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 Technical briefing: textile finishing
ecorepel Bio technology, based on renewable raw
materials, as new components for the company’s
industry-leading membranes.
Dry fabric finishing
Meanwhile, new developments with PFC-free
products are going even further than Greenpeace
could have envisaged as a result of new
technology. Earlier this year, for example, US
outdoor brand Marmot launched a version of its
Phoenix Jacket that is not only PFC-free, but the
first-ever garment to be made entirely without any
water – as well as the generation of any hazardous
waste – at any stage of its production. It is based on
solution-dyed yarns and the new Clean Chemistry
technology, a dry fabric finishing technique
developed by Green Theme International (GTI),
headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and
with a rapidly-expanding manufacturing operation
in Pingzhen, Taiwan.
Durability
“Our finishing chemistry is entirely free of
perfluorinated chemicals and in tests has been
proven to outperform them in terms of water
repellency,” says Gary Selwyn, president and
founder of the company. “Compare GTI’s finish
Gary Selwyn of Green Theme International at the company’s Taiwan plant
28
P 26-29 AW-Finishing.indd 28
to any other C6, C8 or C0 DWR (durable water
repellent) and you’ll find it exceeds in durability
because it’s permanently hyper-fused to the
individual fabric fibres, and there’s no reason to
ever refresh the jacket with an additional spray or
wash-in finish.”
The dry finishing technology is based on
gravure coating, spraying and batch curing of
the fabric rolls. Black Diamond Equipment, the
well-known manufacturer of equipment for
climbing, skiing and mountain sports, is the latest
brand to partner with GTI for its spring 2019
apparel collection.
Truelock
The sustainable benefits of the solution dyeing
of fibres and yarns are also now being exploited
to the full by Invista, following the expansion
of its Camden plant in South Carolina. This has
accelerated progress in the development of
new solution dyed nylon (SDN) capabilities to
complement the facility’s existing high tenacity
nylon 6.6 filament fibre manufacturing processes
and leading to the launch of the new Truelock
range of fabrics from Cordura.
“The solution dyeing of Invista’s nylon 6.6
multi-filament fibres locks colour in at the molten
polymer extrusion level to create deep, durable
colour throughout the entire fibre structure,”
explains Cindy McNaull, Cordura’s global brand
and marketing director. “There is a very positive
message here in terms of reducing energy and
water, as well as in the need for less dyes and
chemicals during textile processing.
“With TrueLock, we can save over 470,000 litres
of water for every 250,000 metres of fabric that’s
produced. At the same time, that production
saves 408,000 mega joules of energy, which is
enough to run an old-school 60 watt electric light
bulb for 216 years.”
The colour achieved is abrasion and UV
resistant, she adds, with inherent stain resistance
too. Also, the colour doesn’t bleed or crock.
With colour-fastness locked in at the fibre level,
excellent shade consistency and long-lasting
vibrancy are guaranteed.
Solution-dyed Cordura TrueLock fibre is now
available in six colours and plans currently being
put into action at the Camden plant include
expansion of the Cordura TrueLock filament
product range to introduce additional standard
colours and deniers. This will provide Cordura
with the flexibility to work to smaller minimum
order quantities and custom colourways in direct
response to the needs of its customers today.
Additive process
Meanwhile, a selective additive manufacturing
process involving multi-layer screen printing is
being employed by China’s Huafeng Textile Group,
which is a major supplier of Haptic-branded
sports shoe uppers for major customers, including
Adidas and Nike. This technology is providing
products with a wide range of new surface effects,
including 3D patterning, gloss and enhanced
colours, while eliminating cutting waste.
In addition, the company is working with
the latest safe, high-solids, fully water-based
chemistries to provide high film build-up in fewer
process steps, while reducing waste, labour,
drying time and energy, in an environment that is
completely safe for those working in it.
Huafeng, which has recently been ramping
up its capacity with the installation of a new
headquarters and innovation centre in Putian,
as well as additional plants for knitting, dyeing,
digital printing and finishing in China and
Vietnam, can now produce some two million
Haptic pieces annually. “Huafeng’s model is
proving successful with the brands, in providing
fully finished upper shoe components from a
single supplier who is fully accountable for quality
and delivery, considerably streamlining the
supply chain,” says Thomas Schmidt, Huafeng’s
director of innovation. “We are now planning to
expand the applications for our Haptic products to
apparel, bags, caps and accessories.”
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 19:06:52
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DT channel.indd 1 16/01/2019 10:50

 Technical briefing: plasma
Plasma applications for
textile finishing
By Dr Christian Schumacher
Introduction
Since the introduction of plasma technology
in the 1960s, industrial applications have
been established in various industries, for
microelectronic etching and surface treatments
in metals and polymers. In textile applications,
research institutions have examined plasma
technology for surface modifications for
more than 20 years. Plasma technology is
considered to be a dry, environmentally friendly
alternative to wet finishing, saving water and
energy, without causing any pollution. Due to
increasing environmental concerns in many
wet finishing processes plasma technology has
gained more awareness in recent years.
What is plasma?
Plasma is a partially ionised gas, in which
electrons are released from molecules to form
ions and free electrons (Figure 1). Plasma
generation is achieved by applying energy
30
P 30-33 Plasma.indd 30
through electric fields. People conventionally
think there are three states of matter: solid,
liquid and gas; but there are actually more.
Plasma is considered the fourth state of matter.
Plasmas are the most common state of
known matter in the universe; more than
99% of all matter in the universe is plasma.
Essentially, stars, including our sun, are big
balls of plasma. There are different methods to
induce the ionisation of plasma gas for textile
treatment: Through glow-discharge, corona
discharge and dielectric barrier discharge.
For textile applications, preferably atmospheric
plasma systems are used. They can be operated
in continuous mode and are more economical
than vacuum plasma systems. Corona discharge
is an electrical discharge in a non-conducting
fluid (Figure 2), such as air, by applying voltage
between two electrodes. Dielectric barrier
discharge (DBD) operates, at atmospheric
pressure, by applying a pulsed high voltage
between two electrodes covered by a dielectric
(insulating) layer. The machine and electrode
designs allow rapid, non-arc micro discharges.
Plasma can generate radicals and ions and initiate
chemical reactions on the surface of materials at
low temperatures, without excessive heat and
without causing substrate degeneration.
Plasma technology for the
textile industry
Comprehensive books and numerous research
papers on plasma treatment for textiles have
covered this exiting topic. In conventional
wet processing, chemicals penetrate deeply
into fibres. Plasma only reacts with the
surface, respectively the superficial layers
of the substrate, and will not affect the
internal structure of textile fibres. Thus,
plasma treatment does not alter the physical-
mechanical properties of the substrate in a
significant manner.
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 11:07:55
 Technical briefing: plasma

Incidents on textile surfaces due

to the action of plasma
Plasma treatments modify the surface properties
of textile materials. In a vacuum, in presence of
inert gases – such as noble gases (Helium, Argon)
– surfaces are cleaned, impurities removed,
etched or activated for subsequent finishing steps.
In presence of reactive non-polymerizable
gases, functional groups are attached to the
surface of fabrics. For example, oxygen plasma
can introduce hydroxy groups on the surface of
textiles. In presence of reactive polymerizable
gases, functional coatings can be introduced
by depositing polymer material on the surface
(Figure 3).
The functionality of textile materials can
be modified by the plasma technology in
various manners. Plasma can turn hydrophobic
Figure 1: Plasma is the fourth state of matter, in a higher energy state than solid, liquid and gas, consisting of
surfaces to hydrophilic and hydrophilic ones to partially ionized gas and electrons. Source: Bombay Textile Research Association, Presentation ITMA 2015
hydrophobic, depending on the type of plasma
gas and processing conditions.

Soil and water repellency

Cotton is a hydrophilic fibre. After treatment with
oxygen plasma, the specific surface is increased,
and a hydrophobic finishing can be achieved. In
presence of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) or
hexafluoroethane a smooth surface is obtained
by forming a polymer layer on top of the cotton
surface. Due to significantly increased contact
angle of water a strong hydrophobiation effect is
obtained (Figure 4). Self-cleaning surfaces, dirt
particles being removed by the action of water
droplets, a so-called Lotus effect, can be achieved.
The result is soil and water repellency.

Figure 2: Model of corona discharge, plasma generation at atmospheric pressure. Source: Softal17

Figure 3: Incidents happening in plasma treatment of

textiles1

This process of using plasma treatment to

deposit a silicon polymer layer may be a viable
alternative to wet chemical finishing with
fluorocarbon chemicals. This is very important
since certain types of perfluorocarbon (PFC)
chemistry, especially long chain PFCs like
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which are still
used for soil and water repellent finishing,
have been put on the black list by ZDHC
Figure 4: Hydrophobic finishing of cotton. Left: untreated, right: treated with HMDSO plasma. Source: Bombay
Textile Research Association
brands and Greenpeace, and are banned from and wool, an improved wettability has been
intentional use. observed after plasma treatment. Wettability is
the ability of these fibres to retain moisture on
Wettability their surface. In particular, on synthetic fibres
On various fibres, polyester, polypropylene such as polyethylenterephthalat (polyester) or

Issue 1 2019 31

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 Technical briefing: plasma

polypropylene the hydrophilicity of the surface

is greatly increased, due to uptake of oxygen on
the surface.3

Shrink-resistant and anti-felting

wool
Conventional anti-felting treatment
has negative effects on hand feel and
environmental issues. Oxygen plasma provides
an anti-felting effect on wool without incurring
traditional issues. 4 The surface of natural wool
is highly hydrophobic. As a consequence,
in aqueous medium wool fibres there is a
tendency to aggregate, and under mechanical
action they move to their root ends. Felting
and shrinkage is thus observed. However, with
the plasma treatment, the hydrophobic layer is
oxidised and partially removed; the result is an
anti-felting and shrink resistance effect. Figure 5: Felting densities of plasma treated wool of differently treated wool in comparison with untreated and
Chlorine/Hercosett treated material5
Traditionally, wool is processed using an
aqueous chlorine solution. The anti-shrinkage
effect of plasma is less than with the
traditional treatment, however, in combination
with resin finishing, it is acceptable (Thomas,
Figure 5). As environmental benefit goes,
plasma treatment does not release any organic
halogen compounds (AOX) since it is free of
chlorine.

Improved dyeability
Plasma technology can also enhance dye
affinity of textile materials. Therefore,
plasma treatment could potentially address
some areas of concern in conventional wet
applications. Of the numerous potential
applications just a few are summarised here:

• Polypropylene (PP) is a fibre that is

difficult to dye due to lack of
proper functional groups. When treated
with a dielectric barrier discharge plasma
and subsequent grafting of acrylic acid
polymer, PP showed significantly
improved dyeing properties by using
conventional acid dyes.
• Polyester/cotton blends are typically
Figure 6: Example for a plasma generation device applied for textile fabrics. Source: Grinp/Italy
applied in a long and tedious two-step
process. The blend can be dyed in a single
bath application with noticeably groups. Some researchers have consumption (at lower temperatures) in
increased colour intensity after successfully used plasma treatment shorter time with better colour
pre-treatment with corona discharge to attach amino functions on the surface, exhaustion after corona plasma
and chitosan, using reactive or direct in order to improve the dyeing properties treatment during pre-treatment stage of
dyes as a single dyestuff class.7 of cotton for colouration with reactive the processing.7
• Cellulosic fibres, especially cotton, often dyes. Both direct amine plasmas, and
have unsatisfactory fixation yields and activation with argon plasma followed by Since the effects of plasma treatments are
low exhaustion rates. Many attempts immersion in amine solutions, exhibit restricted to the surface, certain fastnesses
have been made to improve its dyeability significantly improved colour depth, as such as rubbing and contact staining fastnesses
by cationisation, which implies creating does plasma treatment using epichloro are expected to be impaired, compared to
cationic centres in the fibre, typically hydrine trimethylammonium derivatives. conventional dyeing methods. However, in
achieved by the incorporation of amino • Wool can be dyed with reduced energy many cases acceptable fastness was reported.

32 International Dyer & Finisher

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 Technical briefing: plasma

Desizing Dow Corning Plasma Solutions in Ireland; Ahlbrandt, risks of pinholes, uniformity of the treatment and
It is also important in textile processing to Mageba, Softal and Diener in Germany;8 US-based durability of the effects after frequent washings.
remove sizing material made of polyvinyl APJeT and Tri-Star; and AcXys in France. The latter concern is addressed by cross linking of
alcohol (PVA). The PVA polymer is broken polymers.
down in smaller particles which are more Conclusion However, as the industry is gaining confidence
water soluble. Plasma technology can be So, what is holding back plasma technology? There with more and more successful pilot installations,
applied to remove PVA sizing material from are commercial aspects. Plasma technology requires the environmental benefits from dry short
cotton fibres. capital expenditure on new machines, in a new processing, without pollution, saving energy
technology in which the textile industry is seriously and water, will boost the implementation of this
Protection of aramid fibres lacking know-how. technology across the industry in the future beyond
Aramid fibres such as Nomex or Kevlar are Other concerns in the industry are potential niche markets.
high performance fibres used in technical
textiles due to high tensile strength and flame
retardancy. However, they are susceptible to References
hydrolysis. This weakness can be overcome
1. “Plasma Technologies for textiles”, Woodhead Publishing in Textiles, edited by Shishoo, R.,
by plasma treatment which can deposit a
protective diffusion layer. For this purpose, Cambridge (2007)
a hexafluoroethane/hydrogen plasma can be
2. Kan,C.W., Yuen,C.W.M., “Textile modification with plasma treatment”, Research Journal of Textile
applied.4
and Apparel 10/1 (2006), 49-64
Functional finishing 3. Morent.R. et al., “Non-thermal plasma treatment of textiles”, Surface & Coatings Technology 202
By variation of plasma gases different
(2008), 3427-3449
functionalities can also be introduced to
textile materials. Numerous papers have 4. Höcker,H., “Plasma treatment of textile fibers”, Pure Appl. Chem. 74 (2002), 423-427
been published on this subject. For example,
5. ZDHC group, “Manufacturing restricted substance list”, version 1.1 (2015), https://www.
on natural fibres like cotton, effects such as
flame retardancy, UV-protection, resistance roadmaptozero.com
to bacteria (anti-microbial finishing) can be 6. Thomas, H., “Plasma modification of wool”, chapter 9 in reference 1
applied through plasma technology.
7. Shahidi,S., Wiener,J. Ghoranneviss, M., “Surface Modification Methods for Improving the
Industrial usage Dyeability of Textile Fabrics” in Eco-Friendly Textile Dyeing and Finishing, edited by Gunay, M.
As of today, industrial application of plasma is
(2013) Intech, Leeds, 33-52
still limited in the textile industry. Most of the
efforts are still in the research & development 8. Özdogan,E. et al., “A new approach for dyeability of cotton fabrics by different plasma
stages and feasibility has been demonstrated
polymerization methods”, Color. Technol. 118 (2002), 100-103
by various EU funded research projects in the
last decade. Some applications have entered 9. Patino,A., et al., “Surface and bulk cotton fibre modifications: Plasma and cationization. Influence
industrial stage by first adopters for niche on dyeing with reactive dye”, Cellulose 18/4 (2011),1073-1083
applications. Examples for plasma technology
10. Shah,J.N., Shah,S.R., “Innovative Plasma Technology in Textile Processing: A Step towards Green
installations are:
• Avondale, USA, for stain and water Environment”, Res. J. Engineering Sci. 2(4), 2013, 34-39
repellent cotton and cotton/polyester
11. Gotmare,V.D. et al., “Surface Modification of cotton textile using low-temperature plasma”,
blends
• Freudenberg Forschungsdienste KG, International Journal of Bioresource Science 2/1 (2015), 37-45
Germany, for functional coatings 12. http://www.indiantextilejournal.com/articles/FAdetails.asp?id=5444
• Action Laundry, India, for jeans fading
• Kullu Angora Cottage Industry, India, for 13. http://www.woolnews.net/news/sudwolle-group-expands-with-naturetexx-plasma-wool-
angora. treatment/
• Suedwolle, Germany, for shrink
14. Hossain,M., Grabher,G., “Anwendung von Niederdruck-Plasma in der Textilveredlung“, Melliand
resistant wool.
• Textilveredlung Grabher, Austria, for Texilberichte 2/2011, 97-99
manufacturing of technical textiles.
15. http://www.grabher-group.at/de/seiten/plasmabionic-gmbh_3
• Schmitz-Werke GmbH & Co KG,
Germany, uses atmospheric plasma 16. Förster,F., Bosse, R., “Atmosphärendruckplasma-Veredlung technischer Textilien“,
treatment for the manufacturing of Textilveredlung 11/12 (2011), 11-14
awnings.
17. https://plasmatreatment.co.uk/industries/plasma-treatment-textiles/
Technology and system providers for plasma
treatment include: Europlasma, based in Belgium; 18. https://www.softal.de/en/solutions/surface-treatment-of-textiles/
UK companies P2i and Henniker; Italy-based
19. https://www.plasma.com/en/plasmatechnik/
Mascioni, Grinp, HTP Unitex and Arioli (Figure 6);

Issue 1 2019 33

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 Profile: Intech Digital
s environmental awareness increases,
the use of pigment inks in digital
textile printing is rising. However,
the price of pigments remains high
– according to WTiN Intelligence:
Digital Textiles – yet the quality is seen as lower than
reactive and dye-sublimation inks. Aiming to change
the latter, Hong Kong’s Intech Digital has engineered
a way in which the quality of its pigment print is of
photo-realistic quality, with soft natural hand-feel and
durability.
With 18 years of experience in digital printing with
pigment inks, Intech Digital has developed a ZERO-D
fashion solution for cotton and natural fabrics. Standing
for Zero-Dye, Zero-Discharge, ZERO-D utilises the
company’s water-based Reactive Pigment technology
and digital inkjet technology to
show the world that ZERO-D is
Zero dye,
“a beautiful, comfortable, and
sustainable market-responsive
colourant technology that
the fashion industry has been
looking for.”
zero discharge
The company is a solutions
enterprise, offering key
products to the textile
printing industry, in two parts.
Firstly, it has its own printing
business, printing fabric on
demand with its own ink and Madelaine Cornforth talks to
machines. Secondly, it also
has an Industry 4.0-ready
Dalton Cheng, sales and head of technology
micro-factory system with at Intech Digital, about the company’s
printing solutions for brands
or substantial wholesale ZERO-D digital pigment ink technology and
and retailers, who require
production in house, says the
sustainability in the textile industry.
company.
Intech Digital says that
users can design without
limits with the ZERO-D solution. Colours are as
vivid and vibrant as standard reactive dyes, but
with such sharpness that even digital photographs
can be printed direct to the PFD natural fabric with
photo-quality beauty and value, the company adds.
The Reactive Pigment printing solution can be used
universally on a wide variety of natural fabrics such
as cotton, linen, silk, Tencel, modal, rayon, viscose,
acetate, blends and stretch and DUAL FX. Intech
Digital claims the substrate remains soft, breathable
and natural and crocking is unmatched. ZERO-D
also allows for no MOQ (minimal order quantities)
printing and ultrafast turnaround times, which saves
profoundly on sample development, production,
and inventory management costs. In addition, it is
zero discharge. As the technology is dye-free, it does
not require steam finishing and washing, and can be
accurately described as zero pollution.
Dalton Cheng PhD, sales and head of technology
at Intech Digital, says: “The team leveraged its
34
P 34-36 Intech.indd 34
near two decades of experience with pigment
inks in digital printing to develop this technology
in-house. It was an incredible technical challenge,
but we’ve done what many considered improbable:
to produce a water-based pigment ink system
that likes water and hates water at the same time;
can print nonstop without blocking print heads;
produces colours that rival traditional textile dyes;
has limitless print design capabilities; and has
excellent crock resistance and durability while
maintaining the soft natural fabric feel.”
One thing that Cheng and the team were able to
pull from its long experience with digital printing with
pigments was Intelligent DOT GAIN, also developed
by Intech. “In our company’s long experience with
digital printing, printing at 300x300dpi vs 600x600dpi
or higher does not necessarily mean the increase in
resolution will be reflected on the print substrate
– such specifications for a system are only for
reference,” he adds. “However, in our system, we’re
printing digital photographs that look real, direct to
the fabric, in real-world production. That means we
can print just about any design, on-demand, on the
fabric of your choice.”
Solving a problem
ZERO-D is a disruptive technology, and Cheng
argues that it is “probably the disruptive technology
that many brands and manufacturers have been
looking for,” as it solves environmental issues,
waste issues and improves cost efficiency in terms
of utilities, though the pigment inks themselves are
more expensive than other textile ink types such as
reactive, acid, VAT dyes, disperse or dye-sublimation.
“On the production side, as a roll-to-roll fabric printing
technology, ZERO-D solves the general issues with
dyes such as response times, over-production,
colour consistency, inventory issues,” says Cheng. “In
addition, production is dry – we don’t need any water
in processing; we’re zero discharge.”
Design possibilities are also improved with
enhanced colour strength and detail. This, coupled
with a more sustainable production process and,
according to Cheng, fast turnaround times, makes
for a more optimised digital textile printing process.
Cheng adds: “When we are discussing printing, we
are not just talking about how it looks; we are talking
about how the printed fabric feels and the prints’
durability in normal use and in the washing machine.
“When we’re printing photographs direct to the
fabric, we are essentially printing what you can
see with your own two eyes, with strong colours
such as reactive dyes and
incredibly sharp details like
a photograph, down to the
smallest speck of sand, the
finest strand of fur, the colour
gradient in the skin tone from
the curvature of a model’s
face, etc.
“That means you print and
can produce exactly what
you see on the computer
screen, whatever you design
in Photoshop, Illustrator etc,
direct-to-fabric, roll-to-roll,
everything simply looks
accurate and real. So, for
example, we can produce
the variety of denim looks
and washes, pollution-free.
After the printing, the entire
fabric still has the soft natural
breathable qualities of natural
fabrics. Then, in normal use
and in the washing machine,
you see little to no colour loss.”
With its Reactive Pigment technology, ZERO-D
presents a radical new way to manufacture, to
produce designs that are impossible for dyes, and at
the same time, “it happens to produce the cleanest,
most sustainable garments on the planet,” argues
Cheng. With the textile industry, spurred on by
fast-fashion (which is often of poor quality), being
one of the world’s largest polluting industries notes
that Intech can provide a solution to these problems.
“We can achieve fast fashion with low minimums,
high quality and zero pollution compared with any
current production method,” he says.
With these benefits, the growth forecast for
pigments rises dramatically. Cheng says that, with
dyes, manufacturers are limited by the dyeing
chemistry and processes, along with printing,
weaving and knitting technology. And, he says, “the
market is completely saturated with dyes and is
limited by what dyes can do. ZERO-D offers a whole
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 10:53:51
 Profile: Intech Digital

A print using Intech Digital’s

pigment technology

Issue
Issue 112019
2019 35

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 Profile: Intech Digital
new world of design possibilities.” With consumers
increasingly demanding sustainability and solutions
to high pollution levels, social responsibility is helping
to drive the demand.
“In the past, sustainability was generally marketed
with sustainable fibres such as US Cotton, and fibres
from Lenzing and NAIA from Eastman Chemical,”
says Cheng. “But that was only one half of the story.
The second half with sustainable dyeing simply
didn’t exist, with respect to cotton, Tencel, and other
natural fabrics, because whenever you use dyes on
these natural fibres, you always have large amounts
of water pollution, and when you get down to it
the only way to sustainably dye is not to dye. We’re
not talking about cutting 25% or 50% of water use.
We’re talking about cutting
it out 100% across the board.
ZERO-D now provides the
second half of that story.”
The average consumer
has very little knowledge of
just how much of a pollutant
the textile, and particularly
the dyeing and finishing
industry, is. Yet Cheng argues
that market research shows
sustainability is increasingly
being the key driving force
for sales in retail for clothing.
“Brands and retailers have
the responsibility to truthfully
educate their consumers
and as the world starts to
understand the effects of
their dyed garments, going
dye-free with pigments will
be a very attractive solution,”
he says. ZERO-D is Oeko-Tex
ECO PASSPORT, REACH, Sustainability is important to Intech Digital
RoHS, and ZDHC approved.
Issues with pigments themselves, in terms of
dispersion stability within the ink formulation,
can lead to blocked print head nozzles and
lower-quality prints with reduced wash fastness and
uncomfortable hand-feel. The growth of pigments
in the textile printing industry has not been as fast
or as large as first expected. Cheng says that using
Intech’s pigments can eliminate these problems. “It
is generally believed that pigments lack the colour
strength to compete with dyes, are not colourfast,
and produce a hard hand feel to the fabric. This is true
for the most part with pigment printing technologies,
but ZERO-D is none of these things - in fact, it
maximises everything that needs to be maximised,
and minimises what needs to be minimised, in order
to enhance the value of the final garment to the
consumer.”
As a result of patents, Cheng cannot discuss
much about how the pigment technology, with its
binder, works. However, he notes that the inks have
36
P 34-36 Intech.indd 36
wide-ranging implications across the entire textile
industry, not just apparel. “We’ve had customers
come to us from so many markets in the textiles
industry and our one technology works for them all,”
he says. “We’re currently printing for customers, and
we’re exploring sales of our printing solution.”
Dye crisis
The global dye crisis, caused by an increase in
regulations both in China, by a government
crackdown on production facilities, and in the EU, by
the demands of the final phase of the EU’s REACH
legislation, has had an enormous effect on the textile
industry. Purchasing raw materials for inks has
become more and more challenging, while the cost
has skyrocketed. “If a dye has doubled in price, count
yourself lucky, it could be up to four times higher
– if there is any stock at all,” says Andrew Gesh,
sales director for the UK dyes supplier, Avocet. The
higher prices of dyes make pigment inks seem less
expensive, in comparison.
“This dye crisis has forced brands, manufacturers
and retailers to start to pay attention to sustainability,
namely water,” says Cheng. “Sustainable fabrics have
been around for decades, but textile dyeing is where
the real pollution in the industry has been coming
from all this time. With the imposition of strict water
quotas and the dye crisis resulting from government
intervention, everyone in the business is already
seeing costs rise. As a result, we’ve seen interest and
business pick up.”
He notes that, further enhanced by the dye
crisis, there is a recognition in the industry
that sustainability will be the driving force
in retail sales in the near future. “We see our
technology as critical to being competitive,
bringing together the highest quality print
design possible, with the fastest response
time, at no MOQs, with the highest level of
sustainability possible. It would be meaningless
with just one of these, but by bringing them all
together, ZERO-D holds the key to the future of
the industry.”
Intech Digital has been working with some
global fabric and denim mills that are currently
exploring what they can do with Intech’s
technology in terms of design and capabilities.
“Their comment is that, yes, our process is
a bit more expensive up front than standard
non-digital printing processes, like rotary and
silk screen printing, but in
both design possibilities and
production, ZERO-D offers
incredible quality, flexibility
and speed which equates
to unparalleled response in
sample making and getting
to market. As the cherry
on top, it is zero pollution
sustainable,” says Cheng.
Additionally, Intech is
an Innovation Partner with
Cotton USA and is already
working with other leading
fabric mills in China, and
global brands.
Challenges
Despite these positives, cost
is always going to play the
primary role in technology
adoption. And although dyes
in general are increasing
in price with tightening
regulations, Intech’s
waterless, zero pollution pigment technology still
comes at a higher cost. Cheng says: “Pigment
printing is more expensive compared to dyes, no
matter what you do or where you are in the ink
supply chain. Therefore, printing costs are going to
be higher compared to rotary and screen printing.”
Though, as the gap between the ink prices
narrow, Cheng says that if all the things that
ZERO-D printing can do is compared to what
dyes cannot do, in terms of design possibilities
and pollution and energy usage, the higher cost
can be an afterthought. “We recognise that the
printing upcharge with ZERO-D is considered
high today, but if utilised correctly apparel
produced with ZERO-D should stand out in a
retail field of dyes and indigo. What can be done
with dyes probably has already been done. The
key point here is to be competitive and attract
consumers, marketing apparel with the best
design, backed with the best marketing story.”
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 10:54:05

Colouring a
digital solution
Gerd Willschütz, COO, ColorDigital, talks to Madelaine Cornforth about the
company’s digital colour palette and enhancing the digital workflow
When it comes to sourcing colour palettes
and materials a lot of time, energy, resources
and cost can be wasted as colours are tested
out and samples are sent across the world.
And in an industry where margins are small,
costs are high and sustainable production is
becoming increasingly sought after, sampling
and sourcing colours and materials can pose a
challenge.
Around 2008 Gerd Willschütz started working
on trend colour cards for the German Fashion
Institute (DMI). “I kept asking myself what
could enable us to communicate those colour
cards in a digital way in order to integrate those
colours in the emerging digital workflows,” he
says. “It seemed absolutely clear to me that
this would be needed in the industry sooner or
later.”
By exploring technical possibilities with
different technology providers and visiting
a lot of members of the DMI, the concept of
Issue 1 2019
P 37-39 Color Digital.indd 37
pure colour information was extended on to
materials. “During those visits it was also quite
easy to see how much a digital solution was
needed, as most companies worked in terms
of sourcing colours and materials like they did
the last 50 years, wasting time, resources and
money,” says Willschütz.
Thus, ColorDigital was born in Cologne,
Germany in 2013. The company is considered a
pioneer in accurate and expedient colour and
surface communication for designers, product
developers and producers. The company’s goal
is to fully optimise the production of colours
and surfaces with agile software development.
Pantone
The company is partnering with X-Rite and
Pantone to make a full, classic Pantone colour
palette available in digital format.
Through a process of continuous
convergence, as well as the implementation of
Profile: ColorDigital
interfaces, X-Rite and ColorDigital have brought
Pantone and the DMI on board.
Adrián Fernández, vice president and
general manager, Pantone, says: “Pantone
is a design-focused company with steady
attention around the importance of connecting
innovative physical and digital solutions.
We are committed to offering designers an
integrated workflow and partnering with
ColorDigital gives users direct access to the full
Pantone Color Libraries, to ensure the seamless
communication of colour from design through
production.”
The sourcing and communication workflows
for Pantone colours, which were previously
analogue-based, have been fully integrated
into the digital process development of the
supply chain to offer full benefits for customers
in the fashion, lifestyle and consumer goods
industries. Pantone provides a universal
colour language used by more than 10 million
37
24/01/2019 16:57:56
 Profile:
Profile:ColorDigital
ColorDigital
Materials using ColorDigital technology
designers and producers around the world,
across various design sectors such as fashion,
graphic, product and packaging.
Communication 4.0
The ColorDigital system works using the DMIx
Cloud. The DMIx Cloud opens up new pathways
for colour and surface communication. To supply
the palette through the cloud, the company works
with the DMI as the DMIx Cloud itself has no
colour palette.
“The German Fashion Institute is first of all
an association of the textile industry and there
is a strong desire to push digital standardisation
and workflows by its members,” says Willschütz.
The Institute shares the digital trend colour cards
over the DMIx Cloud. “What took weeks and
weeks before, producing the printed card with
textile swatches can be done via the cloud almost
instantly after board meetings, for example,” he
adds. “As a result, their clients are able to get a
very precise piece of information up to six weeks
earlier.”
However, digitalisation for product
development only makes sense when it is taken
seriously, according to Willschütz. “We are not
talking about word processing. We make sure that
the digital appearance of a product, a material,
a colour, matches as good as possible to the
38
P 37-39 Color Digital.indd 38
real world and is based on data that can be used
instantly for production,” he explains.
ColorDigital believes that there is not one
solution or one player to solve the challenge of
growing demands and complexity in the textile
market. “Product development and sourcing can
only be as effective as needed when companies
can use integrated workflows to meet the
special requirements of different software and
production solutions that need to interact on a
local and global level. With the DMIx Cloud we
offer the solution that is able to connect different
workflows, local demands and to cross company
boundaries on a global scale,” says Willschütz.
And this can be used across technologies and
integrated into existing workflows, enabling a
new, more streamlined way of communicating.
“What we strongly believe is that we are
enabling people and companies to work quite
easily with the necessary digital data and this
will result in less unnecessary physical sampling,
enabling and speeding up processes regardless of
time and place.”
Importantly, Willschütz notes that the system,
as it can be fully integrated, does not pose a
problem in terms of its implementation and
set-up. Customers can be “up and running in less
than two months,” he says. From there, he adds
that “the positive effects of the DMIx Cloud starts
immediately.”
The main benefit for users in all industries is
that they need precise information on colours
and materials along the supply chain, and with
this technology that demand is met. “Typical
examples are the lab dipping process, digital
salesman samples and graphics and pattern
making, etc. The possibilities are endless and can
reach up the POS,” says Willschütz.
Additionally, the sustainability impact can be
huge. Willschütz continues: “Each sample that
is not produced saves on logistics, water, energy
and waste costs. We are not saying the industry
can work without tactile feedback, but we do
believe that we can reduce sampling by more
than 50%.” As a result, designers could potentially
see just one or two samples for pre-production,
instead of five, for example.
“By defining clear digital standards, the whole
communication is enhanced instantly, eliminating
endless rounds of sampling. Just think about all
the physical sample cards that are produced.
With the DMIx Cloud, users can rethink the whole
concept of that by creating client-orientated
real-time updated digital libraries.”
Partnerships
Another good example is the company Mammut,
a multinational mountaineering and trekking
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 16:57:57
 Profile: ColorDigital

goods company based in Switzerland. “Our

entry point with Mammut was the material
management,” says Willschütz. “Within a month
we enabled the significant units at Mammut to
work with standardised digital colour information
inside the company accomplishing a very effective
workflow. Today, Mammut is working together
with its major suppliers together on the DMIx
Cloud generating less and less samples and saving
up to 50% in terms of time in some cases.”
Working in all areas of the textile industry,
ColorDigital also has a partnership with Epson,
developing software to build bridges between
technologies, communicating with the RIP
software. Willschütz comments: “Epson was a
strong supporter right from the start which makes
absolute sense. If you feed the wrong input to
any machine how can you expect any reasonable Colour swatches using ColorDigital technology
output? We make sure that our users are able to
produce data that can be processed by various
applications and machines. For colour-correct appearance capture scans for 3D textures as a that is easily accessed by most major Product
paper printing we can offer a One Button solution service by using high-end Xrite machines,” says Lifecycle Management (PLM), Computer-Aided
together with the Mirage Rip Software.” Willschütz. The Total Appearance Capture (TAC) Design (CAD), and state-of-the art rendering
ColorDigital also works with Human Solutions/ ecosystem is an award-winning appearance applications. The result is highly-accurate files
Assyst. The Assyst software Vidya is a perfect solution that enables realism and efficiency in and reduced time for manual adjustments, the
example of a fully-integrated workflow. “We digital material capture and 3D design, according company continues.
are able to connect different suppliers with the to the company. It aims to bring product designs When it comes to integrating new
company’s fabric catalogues via the DMIx Cloud to life with digital material representations technologies such as these, it can be difficult for
to the Vidya 3D software. If, for example, a weaver that have the same visual appearance and companies, especially in a traditional industry
is able to produce weaving simulations the DMIx characteristics as their physical counterparts, such as textiles, to fully get behind the digital
Cloud converts those into 3D textures that can like a digital twin. transformation. But with energy, cost and time
directly be used in Vidya just by dragging them The technology accurately and consistently saving as significant as 50% in places, as with
out of the browser into the application. This is a shares material appearance information across Mammut, it is obvious that those who do not
completely virtual workflow based on production every step of the product development process get onboard will fall behind if not fall altogether.
data,” explains Willschütz. to reduce design approval cycles and accelerate “In the end, the customer needs to start a
In terms of weaving, ColorDigital is looking time to market, says ColorDigital. transformation inside the company that affects
to work more with weaving OEMS and yarn The TAC7 Scanner efficiently measures and learned processes,” says Willschütz. “In terms
manufacturers, as it is such an integral part stores colour, size, texture, gloss, transparency, of technology, the questions are mostly easy to
of textile development. However, with talks and other appearance characteristics for even answer. The challenge is to get the right people
currently ongoing, the company cannot disclose the most complex materials, says the company. with a positive mindset and a strong support
information about that project at the moment. Scanned results are captured and shared from the top management in order to reach
The company has also added a new service, via an Appearance Exchange File (AxF), a a ‘critical mass’ that fuels the process for the
the Appearance Lab. “We are now offering total vendor-neutral file format whole company.”

Materials from Appearance Lab

Issue 112019
Issue 2019 39

P 37-39 Color Digital.indd 39 24/01/2019 16:57:58

 Technical briefing: rubbing fastness

Cost-effective rubbing
fastness improver
By Dr Naresh M Saraf and Dr Sanket P Valia, Sarex – India
1. Introduction
Colour fastness is the resistance of a material Abstract
to changing its colour or transferring its Recent years have witnessed a drastic change in the textile processing industry, with greater
colorants to adjacent materials, or both. consumer awareness and demand for better quality textile garments. To survive in this competitive
Generally, fastness properties are expressed arena, the processor has no other options but to meet the demanded quality standards – particularly,
in ratings of fastness and they range from very good overall fastness and, specifically, wet rubbing fastness. It is a well-established fact that
rating 5, which means unchanged, to rating dyed cellulosic fabrics with proper washing-off of unfixed dye can improve the wash fastness of dark
1, which means major changes. Rubbing is shades to rating 5 but corresponding improvement in wet rub fastness cannot be achieved. This
the transference of small dye particles from paper gives a brief technical introduction to the rubbing fastness improver product (Rubfast-467)
dyed textile material to different surfaces, developed by Sarex. The treated fabrics were assessed for their rubbing fastness property using a
mainly by action of rubbing or abrasion. The Crockmeter and confirmation of the hypothesis was done using scanning electron microscope.
rubbing fastness can be determined by using Keywords: Rubbing Fastness, Crockmeter, Indigo dyed denim, Sulphur dyed, SEM
an instrument called a Crockmeter, which
works on the principle of abrasion. In wet
rubbing, unfixed dyes will dissolve in water
and then be transferred to the test fabric,
hence resulting in poor wet rubbing fastness.
In wet crocking, both colour and the coloured
short fibres are transferred to the crocking
cloth. Through microscopic examination it
has been established that under wet rubbing
conditions, samples get damaged and
microscopically small dye particles stain to
adjacent white fabric. Achieving good wet rub Indigo dyed denim Camouflage fabric Pigment printed fabric
fastness is always more of a challenge than Understanding the requirement of the end users, Sarex has developed a speciality finishing agent Rubfast-467 to im-
dry rub fastness. Staining is more prominent prove dry and wet rub fastness for all types of dyed and printed fabrics and their blends. Also, denim fabric finished
with Rubfast-467 exhibits excellent wet rubbing fastness.
for emerised or micro-sanded, dark shades of
cotton fabric.
Colour fastness to rubbing is always
important for every dyed or printed fabric.
In dyed and printed textile materials, the
unfixed dye particles are mechanically held
on the surface and these particles are rubbed
off easily by the wearer or any other cloth of
contact.
In dry rubbing, initially the periphery of the
coloured specimen gets ruptured, so that the
loosely or unfixed dye particles are removed
and adheres to the surface fibres of the
crocking cloth. In wet rubbing, unfixed dyes
will dissolve in water and then it is transferred
to the test fabric, hence resulting in poor wet
rubbing fastness. In wet rubbing, both colour
and the coloured short fibres are transferred
to the crocking cloth.
Although, both dry and wet rub fastness
tests are conducted in a similar manner, in Fig. 1: Rubbing fastness results of fabrics treated with Rubfast-467

40 International Dyer & Finisher

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Fig. 2a: Unfinished abraded cotton fabric
case of wet rubbing the crocking cloth is in a
wet condition. Invariably, in all cases, moisture
introduced into wet crocking cloth deteriorates
wet rub fastness in comparison with dry
rubbing. Due to the moisture present in the
crocking cloth, the coefficient of friction in wet
rubbing is nearly double that in dry rubbing
tests, therefore the wet rubbing ratings of the
same sample are always poorer than the dry
rubbing. This is the reason why the processor’s
fabrics are rejected by the customer on the
grounds of poor wet rub fastness.
When the Crockmeter finger with test
fabric slides over the specimen, due to friction
there is colour transfer from the coloured
specimen to the white crocking cloth. Due to
the abrasion the deep dyed fibres break into
micro fibrils and stick onto the crocking cloth
permanently. Rubbing can occur under dry and
wet conditions.
1.1 Unique features of Rubfast-467
• Improves wet and dry rub fastness by bleached cotton fabric saturated with water, ie
1.5-2 units on various substrates with 100% pick-up, was clamped on the finger and
different classes of dyestuff
• Suitable for direct, reactive, sulphur, to lower wet rubbing fastness. Also, this film
indigo and pigment dyed fabrics
• Formaldehyde free
• Does not hamper washing fastness of the fabrics treated with Rubfast-467 was carried out
fabric
2. Materials and Methods
2.1 Application procedure of Rubfast-467 on
textile substrates
Different cotton fabrics dyed with direct dye or
reactive dye, as well as vat-dyed camouflage
fabric, pigment-printed cotton fabric and
indigo-dyed denim, were treated with 30gpl
Rubfast-467 by padding, with 70% expression,
and dried at 160oC for 2 min. The padding
bath was prepared by taking 0.3-0.6 g/l acetic
acid. To this, 30gpl Rubfast-467 was added and
mixed uniformly. The total volume was made
Issue 1 2019
P 40-42 Rub Fastness.indd 41
Technical briefing: rubbing fastness
Fig. 2b Finished abraded cotton fabric
to 100 by adding water of pH 5.8-6.2 and the
solution was mixed uniformly.
A solution of 30 g/l Rubfast-467 will appear
slight hazy and turbid with pH 3.7-4.2.
2.2. Colour fastness to rubbing – ISO
105-X12:2016
A Crockmeter consisting of a circular rubbing
surface finger measuring 16mm in diameter,
exerting a downward force of 9N, was used for
the testing of dry and wet rubbing fastness.
A specimen was mounted on a holding clamp
parallel to the rubbing track on the baseboard.
The specimen was laid flat on the baseboard
and two tests were performed, one along the
direction of the warp and other of the weft. A
white bleached dry rubbing cloth was mounted
on the finger of the Crockmeter and rested on
the specimen. The specimen was rubbed back
and forth over a straight track of 100mm long
for 10 cycles. The procedure for wet rubbing
remained the same, only in this case a white
rubbed back and forth for 10 cycles.
2.3. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Surface analysis of the finished and unfinished
using a scanning electron microscope (JEOL,
Japan). The samples were sputter coated with
gold layers and images were recorded using the
scanning electron microscope.
3. Results & Discussion
Figure 1 shows the dry and wet crocking
fastness of: direct dyed cotton knit with
2% Scarlet 4BS; reactive dyed fabric with
4% shade; indigo dyed denim; vat dyed
camouflage fabric; and pigment printed
cotton fabric, respectively, before and after
treatment with Rubfast-467. From Figure 1 it
is clearly seen that the treated fabric shows
improvement in dry and wet rubbing fastness
in all the substrates. There is a significant
improvement of rating 1-1.5 units in all the
treated fabrics for wet rubbing fastness,
which is very significant. This may be due
to the chemical Rubfast-467, which may be
forming a transparent film on the surface
of the fabric and thus protecting the dye
particles from leeching out due to an external
abrasion force. The film formation on the
fibre has been proved by chemical charac-
terisation technique, ie by Scanning Electron
Micrograph.
Figures 2a and 2b shows the scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) of the cotton surface and it
is seen that Rubfast-467 aqueous emulsion had
the ability to stabilise the structure. Figure 2b
shows that Rubfast-467 formed a uniform thin
film on the surface, which had good mechanical
properties and which protected the fibres from
fibrillating and abrading during the dry and wet
rubbing action, thus giving a better rating than
the unfinished fabric. In unfinished fabric (Figure
2a), it can be seen that the fibre structure gets
ruptured and fibrillation takes place, thus leading
protects the dye on the fibre from resolubilising
and leaching out when in contact with wet
abrading material.
4. Conclusion
Not all dyes are suitable for all kinds of fabric.
A dye must have all the important properties
of fastness. Among all fastness issues, the
most frequently encountered is undoubtedly
rubbing fastness. Rubbing fastness depends
on factors such as material characteristics,
selection of dyes/depth of shade, and dyeing/
printing procedure. In this article Sarex has
successfully developed and showcased the
performance of Rubfast-467 as a solution for
improving the rubbing fastness of different
dyed and printed substrates.
41
25/01/2019 10:03:41
 Technical textiles

Biomimicry-inspired
nanofibre carpets
Inspired by the characteristics of polar bear
fur, lotus leaves and gecko feet, engineering
researchers have developed a new way to
make arrays of nanofibres that could bring us
coatings that are sticky, repellent, insulating
or light emitting.
“This is so removed from anything I’ve
ever seen, that I thought it was impossible,”
says Joerg Lahann, a professor of chemical
engineering at the University of Michigan and
senior author of the paper, which appears in
the journal Science.
Polar bear hairs are structured to let
light in while keeping heat from escaping.
Water-repelling lotus leaves are coated with
arrays of microscopic waxy tubules. And the An electron microscope image of two arrays of fibres curving in opposite directions

nanoscale hairs on the bottoms of gravity-

defying gecko feet get so close to other surfaces
that atomic forces of attraction come into play.
Researchers looking to mimic these
superpowers and more have needed a way to
create the minuscule arrays that do the work.
“Fundamentally, this is a completely different
way of making nanofibre arrays,” says Lahann.

Accidental success
The researchers have shown that their
nanofibres repelled water like lotus leaves.
They grew straight and curved fibres and
tested how they stuck together like Velcro –
finding that clockwise and counter clockwise
twisted fibres knitted together more tightly
than two arrays of straight fibres.
They also experimented with optical An electron microscope image of banana-shaped nanofibres templated with a liquid crystal

properties, making a material that glows. The

team believes it will be possible to make a
structure that works like polar bear fur, with
individual fibres structured to channel light.
But molecular carpets weren’t the original
plan. Lahann’s group was working with that
of Nicholas Abbott, at the time a professor
of chemical engineering at UW-Madison, to
put thin films of chain-like molecules, called
polymers, on top of liquid crystals.
Liquid crystals are best known for their use
in displays such as televisions and computer
screens. They were trying to make sensors that
could detect single molecules.
Lahann brought the expertise in producing
thin films while Abbott led the design and
production of the liquid crystals. In typical
experiments, Lahann’s group evaporates
single links in the chain and coaxes them
to condense onto surfaces. But the thin
polymer films sometimes didn’t materialise as
expected.
“The discovery reinforces my view that
the best advances in science and engineering
occur when things don’t go as planned,” adds
Abbott. “You just have to be alert and view
failed experiments as opportunities.”
The technique
Instead of coating the top of the liquid
crystal, the links slipped into the fluid and
connected with each other on the glass slide.
The liquid crystal then guided the shapes of
the nanofibres growing up from the bottom,
creating nanoscale carpets.
“A liquid crystal is a relatively disordered
fluid, yet it can template the formation of
nanofibres with remarkably well-defined
lengths and diameters,” says Abbott.
And they didn’t only make straight strands.
Depending on the liquid crystal, they could
generate curved fibres, like microscopic
bananas or staircases.
“We have a lot of control over the chemistry,
the type of fibres, the architecture of the
fibres and how we deposit them,” says
Lahann. “This really adds a lot of complexity
to the way we can engineer surfaces now - not
just with thin two-dimensional films, but in
three dimensions, too.”
The research was supported by the Army
Research Office.

42 International Dyer & Finisher

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 Technical textiles

HeiQ launches HeiQ XReflex

Humans lose around 60% of their body heat
through thermal radiation, so in order to stay
warm insulation made from down, synthetic or
fleece is typically used in outerwear. The thicker
the insulation, the less heat loss and the warmer
the person is. For the active person or traveller,
the goal is to find the same warmth without all
the bulk.
HeiQ XReflex reportedly does just that – the
innovative radiant barrier technology allows
outerwear, midlayers or sleeping bags etc to
maintain the required level of warmth while
reducing bulk by as much as 50%. With an
ultra-thin reflective surface applied through
a high-tech vapour deposition process, HeiQ
XReflex reflects the body’s radiant heat, increasing
the thermal resistance and allowing maximum
breathability, according to the company.
Matched with a specific insulation, this
combination is said to create the optimal heat
retention required for the product. By using one
layer of HeiQ XReflex, a saving of 25% in bulk can
be expected. And with two layers, the bulk can
be reduced by up to 50% while maintaining the
same level of thermal resistance. The technology
is also beneficial in terms of environmental
footprint savings – one insulated jacket will save
6L of water, 280 g of CO2 and 10MJ of energy,
according to HeiQ.
HeiQ XReflex has been created through a
collaboration between HeiQ and Xefco, an
Australian textile technology company that is
a partner of the Royal Melbourne Institute of
Technology and Deakin University. “Warmth
without bulk is the best of both worlds for the
active consumer,” says Christian von Uthmann,
chief sales officer at HeiQ Materials AG. “This
technology reduces insulation bulk to create
thin, lightweight, breathable products, which
in turn consume fewer raw materials for more
sustainable products,” he adds.
HeiQ XReflex offers multiple options of fabrics
and insulations to create the ideal warmth
needed for various activities, says HeiQ who will
present the new technology at ISPO Munich on
HeiQ XReflex fabric back side with reflective surface
3-6 February (Hall C5, Booth 402). (left) and front side (HeiQ)

Improving sleep quality

through textiles
By Jessica Owen
In order to get a good night’s sleep, the body needs
to cool prior to going to bed. To cool the body,
glands in the skin secrete sweat onto the surface to
increase heat loss, but for cooling to be effective,
this sweat then needs to be removed.
Now, James Smith, a former advertising
executive, has created a range of sleepwear that
has been physiologically and psychologically
proven to increase sleep quality, leading to
improved health and general wellbeing.
“The sleepwear we have created really does help
you get a better night’s sleep, meaning you are
more refreshed to face the day ahead,” says Smith.
What’s the problem?
Smith spent three years researching sleep and
sleepwear before creating sleepdeep. He spoke
with leading experts to understand the science
of sleep and discovered the critical role that body
temperature plays in ensuring a good quality sleep.
Studies show that room temperatures in homes
now exceed 18.3°C, which is above the accepted
optimum temperature for quality sleep, with the
Issue 1 2019
hottest rooms being those in a flat, semi-detached
or end of terrace home.
“Room temperatures in our homes have risen by
nearly 6° over the last 50 years and this causes us
to be too warm to sleep properly. Sleeping naked
is not the answer as sweat stays on the body and
causes hot and cold spikes throughout the night
that leads to poor quality sleep,” adds Smith.
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation or
bad quality sleep can contribute to a whole range
of diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart
disease, mental health issues and high blood
pressure, costing businesses and the NHS billions
of pounds.
SOMNOTEC
To improve sleep quality Smith developed a new
fabric called SOMNOTEC, which is made from a
blend of 94% natural fibres.
The innovative fabric combines ultra-fine merino
wool known for its natural thermoregulatory
properties with a plant-based fibre extracted from
eucalyptus trees, which is capable of wicking sweat
three times faster than merino alone.
Together, the fibres work efficiently to wick
away sweat during the night and keep your body
temperature at an optimum level for good quality
sleep. The plant-based fibre is also twice as smooth
as silk and gives sleepdeep an ultra-soft feel
against the skin.
“The problem with traditional sleepwear is that
many of the fabrics used are not good at managing
thermoregulation,” says Smith. “Synthetic fabrics
such as polyester are very poor at absorbing
moisture, while natural fabrics such as cotton
or silk are poor at evaporating moisture, so we
created something that worked.
“I tried to find something that would help me
sleep but while there was plenty on offer that
tracked sleep quality there wasn’t much that
improved sleep quality, so I set about changing
that. I wanted to create something that you would
naturally wear for bed that helped you sleep and
sleepdeep does that.”
Continues on page 44
43

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 Technical textiles

Continues from page 43
Scientifically tested
Sleepdeep was tested on volunteers who clocked
up more than 1,000 night’s sleep before the right
blend of fibres was found. The science behind the
sleepwear was led by professor Vincent Walsh, a
neuroscientist and sleep expert.
They found that the people wearing
sleepdeep fell asleep 53% faster, woke up 75%
less during the night, and experienced 64%
more deep sleep.
Participants also kept sleep diaries and
subjectively rated their sleep quality as 2.5
times better than when they slept naked or
wore traditional sleepwear.
Sleep research shows that as adults our
sleep quality gets worse as we get older, and
the outlook is particularly bad for women, who
are twice as likely as men to suffer from poor
quality sleep.
“Insomnia is known to be a bigger problem
for women, but historically over 90% of sleep
research was, and still is, carried out on male
subjects,” says Smith. “This is because the
menstrual cycle makes it harder to measure the
effects of sleep. Our scientific research ensures
that sleepdeep works for everyone because it
was developed on both men and women.”
Cognitive improvements
They also assessed the cognitive effects of
wearing sleepdeep on women, and found
that there were significant improvements on
concentration, emotion, perception and decision
making after wearing sleepdeep sleepwear.
“I was initially sceptical about the idea that
sleepwear could improve sleep quality,” says
Walsh. “After the first phase of scientific testing,
the physiology and psychology of sleep were
clearly improved by the absorbency and wicking
properties of the textile. In addition to improving
sleep quality, further testing showed significant
improvements in concentration and other
cognitive functions after wearing sleepdeep.”
“Finally, we carried out tactile tests – how
does the fabric feel? The results of this were
overwhelming. sleepdeep was chosen as the
preferred fabric to the touch by 94% of our
testers. At the end of the process I think it’s
the most clearly applicable piece of scientific
research I’ve done in 30 years, and the only one
to cause me to invest in a company of any kind.”
Other significant investors in sleepdeep
include Tim Ashton, one of the founding
investors in British cycling brand Rapha
“sleepdeep performance sleepwear works
with the natural body clock that governs
thermoregulation. It helps to maintain the
cooling of the body during the night by wicking
moisture from the body and preventing hot or
cold spikes. During the night, a part of the brain
called the hypothalamus works to cool the body
in preparation for bed and continues the cooling
through most of the night. sleepdeep assists
this process.
“It’s not rocket science, it’s sleep science.”

Alfredo Grassi showcases

graphene-enhanced workwear
By Fiona Haran
It may be some time before graphene becomes a primary component
of everyday garments, but it is starting to creep its way into some textile
products, with protective wear being one key area of application.
Leading this development is Italian company Alfredo Grassi in partnership
with Directa Plus. Alfredo Grassi provides apparel for the construction,
military, fire service and law enforcement sectors.
The company’s latest collection, which was launched late last year, is led by
the company’s overall aim to not only protect the end user, but to incorporate
stylish elements such as comfort and fit, as function and fashion continue to
merge.
According to Alfredo Grassi’s R&D manager Daniela Ferroni, integrating
graphene into its garments achieves thermal comfort – ‘spreading heat
throughout to improve the performance’. The company believes that there
is a ‘real need’ for this particular function – not just in workwear, but across
various sectors such as sports and outdoor wear. “Thanks to graphene, we
were able to propose a solution,” says Ferroni.
The surface of the garments is printed with Graphene Plus and, according
to Ferroni, it can be applied on various fibres including polyamide, polyester,
aramid and so on. The graphene enables the homogenisation of temperature
– meaning that the thermal input can return to its original state.
The second property achievable through graphene enhancement is
electrical conductivity – a concept that Alfredo Grassi is currently developing.
And, together with various other properties the company’s workwear offers,
such as light weight, waterproof, ease of use and breathability, the addition of
graphene creates a ‘synergy’ of advanced technical functions, says Ferroni.
With the marriage of graphene and textiles still very much in its infancy,
Alfredo Grassi no doubt encountered ‘many’ challenges while producing
its workwear garments. Ferroni recalls: “We needed to understand all the
possibilities of graphene; we faced challenges right from the manufacturing
stage to the testing stage – as there are no ‘ready-to-use’ testing methods
(for graphene in textiles), so we had to search and speak with certified
bodies.”
The company also faced challenges adapting these testing procedures to
the end use. “In the beginning, it was difficult to identify proper methods to
characterise different uniforms,” says Ferroni. “Testing is the same across all
garments, but the challenge comes from adapting and engineering graphene
to the final application; each garment is a specific project – it all depends on
the type of fabric and factors such as stretch and durability etc.”
Alfredo Grassi conducts all its R&D in-house while working very closely
with its industry partners and considering the needs of its customers, says
Ferroni. It is the responsibility of the company, she adds, to show them the
capabilities of graphene.
“Generally, our customers are very interested in innovative materials, but
they needed to see this. So, our work is to demonstrate that, and we will
continue to work on that,” adds Ferroni.
The company also places a strong focus on sustainability, believing that
innovation cannot exist if it doesn’t consider the environmental impact
of its products. This is partly what sealed its partnership with Directa
Plus, as Graphene Plus has been independently certified as non-toxic and
non-cyotoxic, meaning chemical-free production. Ferroni says: “This way,
we don’t create problems for the user; only this type of graphene has these
performance attributes.”

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Pushing boundaries in
outerwear performance
The North Face has revealed its FUTURELIGHT
technology, a new breathable waterproof
material set to revolutionise the future of
technical fabrics.
Developed using nanospinning technology
and sustainable practices, it is the most
advanced breathable-waterproof so far, says
the company. “Right now, the expectation
from a waterproof product is something loud,
crunchy, muggy and unpackable,” says Scott
Mellin, global general manager of Mountain
Sports at The North Face. “With FUTURELIGHT
we can theoretically use the technology to
make anything breathable, waterproof and for
the first time, comfortable.
“Imagine a waterproof T-shirt, sweater or
even denim that you actually want to wear.
Today we start with jackets, tents and gloves,
but the possibilities could be endless.”
With FUTURELIGHT technology, The
North Face is also setting a new standard
in sustainability through new practices in
the fabric creation process. These advances
have allowed the brand to responsibly
create three-layer garments through the
use of recycled fabrics and production that
cuts chemical consumption, all while being
produced in a cleaner, solar-powered factory.
Pioneering technology
The nanospinning process used to create
FUTURELIGHT fabric has allowed the
brand’s designers to add air permeability
into the membrane of a fabric for the
first time. The process creates nano-level
holes, allowing for porosity while still
maintaining total waterproofness,
letting air move through the material to
allow for better ventilation.
Additionally, nanospinning gives
Issue
Issue 112019
2019
P 43-45 Technical Textiles.indd 45
designers the ability to adjust weight, stretch,
breathability, durability, construction (knit or
woven), and texture to match athletes’ and
consumers’ activity or environment. Designers
can customise the fabric for specific usage,
for example, by increasing breathability in
garments for aerobic pursuits or increasing
protection for harsh, wet climates.
“Disruption is one of the key elements in the
DNA of The North Face brand. It is what our
company was founded on and, to this day, we
still believe that disruption is the key to future
growth,” adds Mellin.
“Our teams are constantly thinking about the
future of our product technology portfolio and
how we can push the limits to create the next
best innovation for our athletes and consumers,
which is how FUTURELIGHT came to life and
why it will forever change what consumers
expect from their product.”
Athlete tested encouragement
FUTURELIGHT fabric was born in the
mountains, inspired by The North Face’s
global team of athletes looking for increased
performance and breathability in their
waterproof gear.
The material has since
been tested extensively by
the brand’s global athlete
team through expeditions
including the Himalayas’
Lhotse and Everest
mountains.
While testing
FUTURELIGHT fabric, The
North Face team alpinist,
Jim Morrison, climbed and
skied three 8,000m peaks
in 2018, including Everest,
Cho Oyu and the
Technical textiles
world’s first descent of Lhotse Couilor with his
partner Hilaree Nelson
“During the past two years, our world-class
team of climbers, skiers, alpinists,
snowboarders and trail runners has been
rigorously testing FUTURELIGHT across every
discipline to prove this technology in varying
weather conditions and climates all over the
world,” explains Hilaree Nelson, The North Face
athlete team captain.
“In all my years in the mountains, I’ve
never experienced a product that moved and
performed as well as FUTURELIGHT. It is
creating a new paradigm for what I expect out
of a waterproof material.”
Beyond The North Face’s athletes
internal testing labs, the brand worked
with third-party independent experts
including UL (Underwriters Laboratories) – a
world-renowned safety certification testing
organisation – to push the limit of the
FUTURELIGHT fabric.
UL predominately tests waterproofing
for the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), an organisation that certifies first
responder gear for firefighters, EMS and
hazmat responders. The test methods
developed were 50% more stringent than the
current standard for the outdoor industry.
“The liquid integrity test for FUTURELIGHT
is even more extreme compared to the
NFPA testing that UL conducts, proving
FUTURELIGHT is not only totally waterproof,
but also fit for the harshest expeditions the
outdoors has to offer,” says Michael Seward of
Underwriters Laboratories.
FUTURELIGHT fabric will first become
available to consumers in The North Face’s
autumn 2019 product line, the company
says.
45
25/01/2019 11:01:54
 Changing
landscape for
regulatory bodies
For decades, textile coatings were focused around
easy care and maintenance to meet the demands of
the consumer and, by appealing to the needs of the
end user, the all-important profit margins of textile
manufacturers, coatings specialists and retailers
were largely healthy.
But in recent years the textile industry’s priorities
have shifted towards sustainability in response
to damning research which has highlighted the
negative impact textile manufacturing is having on
the environment and ourselves. Other than high
water and energy usage, the industry has been
criticised for the production of man-made fibres and
its use of potentially harmful chemicals in the textile
finishing process.
There is no doubt that textile finishes are critical
to a fabric’s safety and performance but to ensure
they don’t cause harm or damage in other areas,
46
P 46-47 Regulations.indd 46
many regulations have been introduced.
Following its inception in 1992, Oeko-Tex has
become one of the leading certification systems
monitoring chemicals and fabrics used in the textile
industry and acts as a useful guide for chemical
producers. Recently, the substance benzene and
four amine salts have been included in the Standard
100 by Oeko-Tex and Leather Standard by Oeko-Tex,
and limit values have been defined. The substance
quinoline, which has been under observation by
Oeko-Tex since 2018, is now also regulated with a
limit value.
Meanwhile, In Annex 6 of the Standard
100 by Oeko-Tex, limit values have been
tightened for various parameters. This relates
to phthalates (softeners), alkylphenols, and
alkylphenol ethoxylates as well for per- and
polyfluorinated compounds. The even more
stringent requirements for residues in textile
materials will result in an overall lower impact
on the environment, workers, and consumers,
analysts say.
Meanwhile, because of an increasingly uncertain
political landscape, particularly in Europe with Brexit
looming, there is growing confusion regarding which
regulations UK textile manufacturers will operate
under after the 29 March deadline. This could impact
on UK chemical providers if they are no longer a
member of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA),
meaning their exports to any of the 27 remaining EU
states will not be permitted. ECHA has itself advised
British companies wanting to continue supplying
chemicals to mainland Europe to transfer their
existing Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registration to an
EU-27/EEA (European Economic Area) legal entity.”
International Dyer & Finisher
24/01/2019 17:00:40

EU clampdown on
nanoparticles in
finishing chemicals
By Keith Nuthall
European Union (EU) textile finishers and
their suppliers will, from January 2020, have to
check whether the chemicals they use contain
nanoparticles, and if they do, assess their safety
and report the results to the European Chemicals
Agency (ECHA).
This follows the release of a new EU regulation
on nanoforms amending EU chemical control
system REACH which will apply to all current
REACH-registered chemicals and any subject to
new registration applications. The law has been
passed after the EU concluded that nanoforms
of chemicals could have different environmental
health impacts than chemicals delivered in
standard-sized particles.
The new regulation’s preamble says: “Manufac-
turers and importers should assess and, where
relevant, generate the necessary information
and document in the chemical safety report that
the risks, arising from the identified uses of the
substance with nanoforms they manufacture or
import, are adequately controlled.”
And, an ECHA statement adds: “The new
requirements will enable both companies and
authorities to systematically assess the hazardous
properties of nanomaterials, how they are used
safely, and what risks they may pose to our
health and the environment. This information
will help authorities in the EU to identify if further
risk-management measures are needed.”
Widely used in finishing chemicals – for
instance antibacterial substances – nanoma-
terials must be between 1 nm (nanometre) and
100 nm to be covered by this new regulation.
Downstream users, such as finishers, have
a key role to play here, notes the regulation
preamble, because a use of nanoforms may
potentially change one nanoform into another
form, or generate a new nanoform. As a
result: “Downstream users should provide this
information up the supply chain to ensure that
the use is adequately covered by the registration
dossier of the manufacturer or importer, or
alternatively cover the specific use in their own
chemical safety report,” says the regulation.
Information could include data such as
nanoforms’ rate of dissolution in water as well as
in relevant biological and environmental media.
Moreover, unless human exposure is unlikely, tests
for toxicity should assess the impact of inhaling
nanoparticles, says the regulation.
Issue 1 2019
P 46-47 Regulations.indd 47
Changes to
Phthalates use
By Madelaine Cornforth
On 18 December last year the European
Commission published Regulation 2018/2015
which amends the Registration, Evaluation,
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
(REACH) Annex XVII entry 51 related to certain
phthalates including bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
(DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl
phthalate (BBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).
Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are esters of
phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasti-
cisers: substances added to plastics to increase
their flexibility, transparency, durability, and
longevity at a low cost. They are used primarily to
soften polyvinyl chloride. In textiles, phthalates
can be found in synthetic fibres, synthetic/natural
fibre blends and in print paste and finishing.
Some of the main changes introduced in the
amendments are that the restrictions will apply
to every article (unless specifically exempted),
not just for toys and childcare articles as was the
case previously. Also, one additional phthalate
has been added is DIBP (CAS N°84–69-5), while
current restricted phthalates include DEHP, DBP,
BBP. Additionally, clarifications have been added
to better define the meaning of “plasticised
materials”, “prolonged contact with human skin”
and “childcare articles.”
However, the restriction shall not apply
to certain articles, such as those exclusively
for industrial or agricultural use, or for use
exclusively in the open air provided that no
plasticised material comes into contact with
human mucous membranes or into prolonged
contact with human skin.
The regulation which entered into force on 7
January this year is the amended restriction for
DIBP in toys or childcare articles (entry 51.2).
Meanwhile, DEHP, DBP, BBP and DIBP in other
articles (entry 51.3) will apply from 7 July 2020.
Regulations
Workers benefit
from new plans
Through its Safety in Denim Finishing Working
Group, the American Apparel and Footwear
Association (AAFA) has teamed up with industry
professionals and outside consultants to release
a new set of guidelines and best practices for
denim finishing facilities that it hopes will create
a better industry for both workers and the brands
they represent.
The guide is specifically designed for denim
finishing facilities, giving facility managers - most
of which are independent and contracted out by
brands - a resource specific to their industry. It
includes safety protocols for common techniques
in denim finishing, like bleaching or creating
wear marks, that a more general understanding
of workplace safety might not properly cover
The guidelines aren’t meant to be a
substitute for local laws and regulations,
rather, the guidelines are an addendum, a way
forward for facilities to increase worker safety
and, in the end, production, AAFA said in
December last year.
Those tapping into the denim safety guideline
will find several indicators for success, the least
of which is an increased level of production and
return on investment for brands that should
come as a result of fewer production accidents
and employee illnesses. Not to mention, brands
have the added benefit of attracting better
workers and better press.
The resource itself is divided into three
sections covering the creation of a culture of
safety, processes and work task hazard identi-
fication and general hazard identification and
control. Each new guideline follows the same
strategy laid out at the beginning of the manual.
The AAFA provides a description of a common
work process and a summary of all hazards that
could come as a result, each time paired with a
host of recommended controls, practices and
examples of proper implementation.
It is understood that the AAFA will spend the
first quarter of 2019 promoting the guideline to
its members. Industry insiders expect “dozens”
of brands to swiftly adopt the initiative.
47
24/01/2019 17:00:40
 Sustainability: Texbase

Ensuring compliance
The struggle brands face in identifying their suppliers, especially after Tier 1,
often leads to uncertainty around product quality, regulation compliance and
CSR practices. Connected software platforms are looking to change this.
Tansy Fall talks to the founder and CTO of Texbase, Joe Walkuski, about the
company’s supply chain transparency

The merits of connected software systems

have been hotly debated. These Industrial
cloud-based systems are up against specialised
software for individual applications and it
is often difficult for businesses to ascertain
which software model to follow. Businesses
are looking to implement software for
improved data visibility, business efficiency and
ultimately profitability.
Large software businesses operating in
numerous vertical industries offer customised
platforms to meet the needs of each market,
however there can be a lack of understanding
around user needs. This has thus encouraged
the development of connected software
platforms specifically designed for the textile
and apparel sector, which are both specialised
and connected, that could be the answer to a
number of industry problems.
While much development in this area is
forthcoming from key industrial technology
providers, there are already some established
independent solutions that manufacturers and
brands alike can turn to. One such solution
provider is Bozeman, Montana, US-based
Texbase. The company has been established for
16 years and was founded by previous director
of R&D at outdoor clothing brand Patagonia,
Joe Walkuski.
Speaking of the genesis for the Texbase
solution, Walkuski explains that the product
began as a tool to enable Patagonia’s R&D
department to manage the R&D process,
harnessing useful data. He adds: “Texbase is a
software-as-a-service cloud-based system that
focuses on four key areas of functionality. One
is materials; everything from fibres to yarns,
fabric, to trims and components. The second
area of focus is testing, where we are very
strong at a granular level.”
A lot of data is shared via pdf documents
across the textile and apparel supply chain and
Texbase is focused on replacing this process
with direct, digital data sharing. Walkuski

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continues: “The third area is compliance.
We’ve built a lot of tools over the years that
solve problems across the broad spectrum
of compliance problems that the industry
is challenged with today; everything from
performance to chemical management,
regulatory requirements. The fourth area is in
colour tracking and approval, helping people to
get out of excel and manage that process.”
Texbase also incorporates a fifth element
into its service in the form of a native built
in collaboration platform. This helps brands
and retailers to connect with their supply
base, sharing vital product and process data,
from raw material suppliers to manufacturing
partners.
Issue 1 2019
P 48-50 Texbase.indd 49
Supply chain transparency
Within this collaborative platform, Texbase
offers numerous tools to expound the supply
chain. Walkuski says: “One of our compliance
tools is called ‘supply chain mapping’. You
have the ability to create visual maps of your
supply chains and understand the relationships
between the suppliers, all the way down to
materials.”
This level of supply chain detail is not
currently available in PLM systems that
are a primary resource for brands’ product
development processes. The Texbase system
can directly receive and share data with
these systems however, acting as an add on
tool. Walkuski adds: “We solve a different
problem compared to other systems. All our
big customers – whether it’s Patagonia, Under
Armour or Lululemon – they’re all running their
own PLM systems, but they also run Texbase
because we solve a different problem to PLM,
and ERP.”
Walkuski explains that enabling Texbase to
communicate with other systems has not been
a problem as software providers are
very open to integration. “We’re all
focused on solving the customer’s
problem,” he says. Application
programming interfaces (APIs)
thus enable seamless data sharing and
electronic integration is possible across the
supply chain.
Standards and regulation
compliance
A standout feature of the Texbase product is its
attention to regulation compliance. This area is
becoming increasingly important to the textile
and apparel industry as governments crack down
on chemical use and health and safety standards
are further developed.
Highlighting the protective textile sector as an
example of where compliance is vital, Walkuski
comments: “Safety in the protective market
is even more so concerned with [regulation
compliance]. Often, they are using materials that
require special treatments. […] All of these
high-functional requirements are predicated
on the use of chemicals. Consequently, to
achieve that level of functionality they
also need to make sure they’re doing
it in a way that meets the regulatory
requirements of the markets they’re
supplying.
“From a Texbase perspective, we
approach this from a very pragmatic
standpoint. The tool allows customers
to manage the master list of chemicals that
are important for their company and for their
marketplace, by geographic region. Depending
Sustainability: Texbase
upon the product, you often don’t have to test
for everything. So, you end up having to manage
a subset of the master list.”
This subset of chemicals can still be extensive
and chemical compliance needs to be monitored
carefully. Walkuski explains that Texbase allows
business to “define specific testing requirements
for specific materials that are directly related
to the end use application and the geography
that you’re shipping into. Then it’s simply a
matter of using those regulatory requirements
– defining the chemical name, defining the test
method that you need to use in order to quantify
performance – and clearly communicating
that to supply chain partners, as well as the
independent lab for testing.” In this way, every
party involved in the development of the product
is aware of what the requirements are.
Chemical management
Materials management goes beyond
compliance and standardisation and Texbase
is also committed to enabling more efficient
communication of product specifications
across the supply chain. The Connect element
of the company’s offering has therefore been
designed to allow brands to collaborate with
any supplier in any tier.
Walkuski adds: “We actually call it X Tiers,
because you can go to X levels deep in your
supply chain and create the connection to
them automatically within the tool, to bring
those suppliers on board. Once you’ve got that
connection made then you have the ability to
publish requirements and capture the data back.
That helps you to make business decisions based
on the data.
“You can go all the way down to the chemical
manufacturer […] and if you wanted to
specifically control that part of your manufac-
turing process then that’s the relationship that
you build the collaboration on and you capture
the production data. Even companies that have
historically been more commodity driven rather
than performance driven. Even these customers
are needing to pay attention now.”
Walkuski adds that whilst in the past brands
were driving compliance, this is now changing,
and responsibility is being taken across the
value chain. Suppliers are using the Texbase tool
internally as well as a means for communicating
with the brands, Walkuski explains, adding: “Cut
and sew manufacturers are accessing this data
to make sure the material has been tested and
approved to meet the customers requirements
before they cut it. Because if you cut it then you
own it and if you find a compliance issue after
that then the cost is much greater. The sooner
you catch it in your supply chain, the easier it is
to manage.”
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25/01/2019 11:12:32
 Sustainability: Texbase
Integration with independent
testing labs
In July 2018, Texbase announced the latest
update to its system with the addition of
integrated lab test data and lab test reports,
which can now be created by third party labs
and communicated via their Texbase accounts.
Independent testing labs, such as Bureau
Veritas Consumer Products Services, are able
to integrate directly with Texbase to transfer
field-level data electronically. This is aimed at
elimination of duplicate data entry, reduction
of error and empowerment of customers to
analyse data that would have previously been
locked in PDFs and emails.
Walkuski says: “The other important factor
is the independent testing lab. We connect the
brands to their suppliers, and the brands and
the suppliers get connected to the independent
testing lab. We have this triangular relationship
[…] it’s all inbuilt and available right out of the
box. Then you use our core lab testing engine to
publish the testing requirements, capture the
testing data and then bring that back into the
tool so the brand can understand that data and
how it relates to the regulatory requirements.”
Integrating with third party labs on the
Texbase platform streamlines business
processes, the company adds, and
automates data management,
providing both workflow visibility
and unique reporting throughout
the supply chain. Standard testing
methodologies are shared and test
data, not just documents, reside in one
central location
where Texbase
says data is
easily queried,
analysed and
reported. This allows the
incorporation of multi-tiered
workflows where a lab test can
be created at any
location and at
any stage of the
business process.
“The tool
automatically does a comparison with what
we call Auto Eval,” says Walkuski. “If you’re
testing for phthalates, testing for chemical A,
B, C or D, and you have defined requirements
and limits, after you’ve done your testing the
system automatically assesses it and ascertains
if it passes or fails. That allows the brand to
focus on the trouble spots. You’re managing by
exception. […] Where things fail you need to
understand more details and the tool provides
that information for you, so you can be more
effective at engineering the proper materials to
50
P 48-50 Texbase.indd 50
meet end use requirements and ultimately bring
better products to market faster.”
Bureau Veritas is the first independent lab
to participate with Texbase on a recent data
integration with Under Armour. Rick Horwitch,
VP, global strategy and supply chain solutions at
Bureau Veritas comments: “We’ve been sending
PDF test reports to our clients using Texbase…
but now we are able to deliver field-level test
results which allows for detailed analysis and
historical review.”
Craig Simile, materials lab senior manager
at Under Armour adds: “We’ve received an
overwhelmingly positive response from our
mills, knowing it will save them time. And we
win because it helps us speed up our process
and will give us accurate field-level data.”
Bottomline benefits
The benefits of implementing software such
as Texbase’s are often evident to the user, but
tangible return on investment of this kind is
often called into question. Case studies are
therefore needed to prove the value of software
to a business and Texbase has ensured it has
carried out investigations in order to provide
measurable data and testimonials of this ROI.
Walkuski says: “It’s often difficult in the
software world […] to determine return on
investment. However, we embarked on a
project with one of our customers a couple of
years ago whereby they were already using
our tool and seeing the value of it, but they
had a requirement that was an additional use
of the tool. […] We wanted to first quantify
the existing situation [without the Texbase
software]. We did a very detailed study on
their current process – the times and the cost
– that they were experiencing before they
used Texbase to solve the problem. Once we
applied the Texbase solution to that part of their
business, we measured the same things again.
We had a very controlled methodology to define
return on investment.”
The company in question was athleticwear
brand Pearl Izumi. The company employs a
technology strategy to support its development
processes and uses a combination of Texbase
with PLM and ERP software solutions.
The challenges that Pearl Izumi faced were
that its existing PLM and ERP systems did not
efficiently generate, track or retrieve material
testing data, thereby inhibiting Pearl Izumi’s
ability to effectively analyse the information
and make timely decisions. The test data was
confined to PDF files and required manual
entry into other systems.
Moreover, maintaining and managing
raw material developments across internal
customers and their global supply chain was
cumbersome, the company says. And, ensuring
quality, performance and
compliance initiatives were
met was difficult due to
resource issues associated
with these manual processes.
Pearl Izumi therefore implemented
Texbase as its global raw material platform
including sourcing, material development,
colour approval, quality/
performance specifi-
cations and lab testing and
leveraged Texbase Connect
to standardise communi-
cation with its suppliers.
Walkuski says: “The use of our automation
systems reduced their time to market and the
cost of that by 52%. The difference between
doing it manually and automating was a saving
of more than half.”
This is corroborated by Pearl Izumi. Carol
Little, senior materials development manager
for the company, says: “The value we see from
Texbase is absolutely quantifiable. It saves
time and money, gets us to market faster and
validates our compliance objectives.”
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 11:12:32
 Sustainability

New solutions featured

at Colombiatex
At Colombiatex 2019 Archroma presented what
it describes as new, innovative and sustainable
solutions for denim and casual wear manufac-
turers.
From fibre to finish, Archroma states that it
offers textile manufacturers and brand owners
the tailormade system solutions that they need
in their specific production process and market.
At the Colombiatex trade fair, which ran from
22-24 January, Archroma showcased its most
established and innovative technologies to
create authentic and dazzling denim looks in a
more sustainable and responsible way, it says.
One of those solutions is the Denisol range,
which is a newly-developed pre-reduced liquid
indigo solution, the company says, that is
manufactured in Archroma’s award-winning
zero liquid discharge plant in Pakistan.
Denisol Indigo 30 liq is compliant with major
official eco-standards and requirements from
retailers, brands and fashion leading companies
and helps to produce fabrics suitable for current
eco-labelling such as bluesign, GOTS and C2C, Denim produced using Archroma’s Arkofix formaldehyde-free resins
Archroma adds.
Responding to demands for a non-toxic
alternative to the dyes that are used for
the iconic and traditional indigo blue, that
consumers associate with denim and jeans,
Archroma has also announced the new aniline-
free Denisol Pure Indigo 30. The product can
be used together with Archroma’s dyeing
auxiliaries for customised dyeing system
solutions.
Such is the pressure on the textile industry
to become more sustainable, high-profile
companies like Archroma are striving to use
much less water. In Archroma’s case, the
company wants to achieve waterless denim
dyeing and will therefore be promoting its
award-winning Advanced Denim dyeing
technology, which it claims saves up to 92% in
water consumption, 87% in cotton waste and
30% in energy, compared to traditional denim
dyeing processes.
Archroma’s Advanced Denim technology is used with Diresul RDT blue specialties
Visitors to Archroma’s Stand AM148 at
Colombiatex also learned about Diresul RDT colour variation the company says. status quo in the deep belief that we can make
range of dyes which includes Ocean Blues Archroma’s denim book – which is divided our industry sustainable,” says John Florez,
and Fast Black. Finally, any visitor interested into four inspiration themes: Back & Beyond head of sales, brand and performance textile
in wrinkle textures could be attracted to Blue; Revolution in Blue; Black & Grey Denim; specialties, Archroma, Colombia. “We aim to
Archroma’s Arkofix formaldehyde-free resins and Colours for Denim – was also available to offer solutions that we design in ‘the Archroma
which can be used in 3D effects resistant to look at. The book includes 200 yarn swatches. way’ – which are safe, efficient and enhanced,
chlorine washing for a denim look without “At Archroma, we continuously challenge the because it is in our nature.”

Issue 1 2019 51

P 51-52 Sustainability.indd 51 25/01/2019 09:04:56

 Sustainability
Sustainability-focused technology
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) – the
leading association for the apparel, footwear,
and textile industry – has released the 2018 Higg
Facility Modules on Higg.org. The Higg Facility
Modules are part of the Higg Index, a suite of
sustainability assessment tools to address value
chain inefficiencies, resolve damaging practices, and
achieve the environmental and social transparency
consumers are demanding.
Factories can use the updated Higg Facility
Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and the Higg
Facility Social and Labor Module (Higg FSLM),
which is accessible online for the first time, to
evaluate value chain sustainability performance.
“We streamlined the functionality of Higg.org to
offer Higg Index customers improved navigation
as they complete the Higg Facility Modules,” says
SAC CEO Jason Kibbey. “They can now share
information more easily with supply chain partners.
We hope this will encourage more of the industry
to complete Higg assessments and support value
chain transparency.”
The Higg FEM assessment can measure a
factory’s environmental management systems,
energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, water
usage, emissions to air, waste management,
and chemical use and management. The new
web-based Higg FSLM introduces the industry’s
first standardised self-assessment for measuring a
factory’s social and labour performance.
Informed by the Social and Labor Convergence
Project, the SAC developed the Higg FSLM to
evaluate recruitment and hiring practices, working
A stringent approach to chemicals
Four major clothing manufacturers have agreed
to share their “screened chemistry” approaches to
alternative chemistries, with the aim of supporting
a unified approach to chemical management
across the apparel and textile industry.
Levi Strauss & Co, Nike, H&M and C&A – all of
which use similar methodologies in their efforts
to identify safe chemical alternatives when
eliminating hazardous chemicals – will be sharing
their screened chemistry tools with the ZDHC
Foundation to help the organisation create a
platform for developing safe chemical alternatives
and driving innovation in the industry.
Screened chemistry is the concept of evaluating
the human health and environmental impacts
of potential alternatives when eliminating
hazardous chemicals in order to avoid “regrettable
52
P 51-52 Sustainability.indd 52
hours, wages and benefits, employee health and
safety, and community engagement, among other
areas. The SAC is working towards accreditation as a
host of the converged assessment and will release a
scored version of Higg FSLM by the end of this year.
Upcoming features of Higg.org include improved
analytics and benchmarking of sustainability data.
Factories can review scores within the platform
and compare their own results to those of industry
peers. Higg Index customers can also use the
data from the assessments to identify near and
long-term performance improvement opportunities.
In early 2019, the platform will support Higg Index
verification, which is helpful for facilities wanting
to share verified scores with business partners. The
verification functionality enables factories, brands
and retailers to better communicate and collaborate
to identify actionable improvement opportunities
and develop performance improvement plans.
Historical data indicates that factories using
the Higg Index annually improve sustainability
performance, says its creators. The self-assessments
empower manufacturers to advance the industry
from one of compliance-based audits to self-reliant
sustainability management, which alleviates the
top-down tensions of traditional industry audits,
says the SAC.
“The Higg Index is a holistic tool that helps in
goal-setting and measurement. Higg FEM helped
us in eliminating the Sustainable Chemicals
Management audit for chemical management.
It imparts transparency to the value chain,” says
Sameer Bhand – vice president of sales, strategy
substitutions,” according to ZDHC, an organisation
focused on building a global centre of excellence
for chemical management in the textile and
footwear industries. The foundation has
established a task force for its Roadmap to Zero
program. The program expects to create a clear
process for identifying and evaluating chemical
alternatives with input from various stakeholders
across the industry.
“Although the efforts of Levi Strauss & Co., Nike,
H&M and C&A were not initiated together, the core
elements of their different Screened Chemistry
methodologies are remarkably similar, both in their
approach and ultimate goals,” ZDHC says. Levi
Strauss & Co’s screened chemistry program, for
example, scores chemicals based on their toxicity
to human health and the environment.
and sustainability – from SAC manufacturer
member Pratibha Syntex.
“When brands replace their bespoke audits
by the Higg Facility Modules, factories no
longer have to entertain 10 or more, mostly
redundant, audits a year,” adds Bernhard
Kiehl, brand sustainability leader from SAC
manufacturer member GORE-TEX. “This
encourages facilities to take full ownership of
their social and environmental performance
and to drive year-over-year improvements of
their Higg rating.”
The Higg Index encourages a transparent
value chain with improved communication
among business partners. Brands also recognise
benefits linked to equal partnership, which the
self-assessments promote.
The SAC also aims to support the growing
consumer interest in socially and environmentally
conscientious brands. “Consumers are asking
more questions about how their clothes are
made and the Higg Index can provide them with
valuable insight,” says Kibbey. “We are working
with members to develop communications for
external stakeholders.” Currently, the coalition is
testing Higg Index performance communications
and it will introduce consumer-facing Higg Index
information in 2020.
Factories can register to use the Higg Facility
Modules at Higg.org. The website is currently
available in English and as of this year will
also be available in Chinese, Italian, Japanese,
Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
The four retailers will form the core of the new
ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme Task Team
and will invite other brands and partners to join
the initiative.
Traditionally, in terms of reducing hazardous
chemicals in their supply chains, brands focused
on “restricted substance lists” (RSLs), which
identified the chemicals a company would not
permit in its products. These lists are useful
when it comes to ensuring compliance with
international chemical regulations but do little
to drive the use of more sustainable chemistries
in the apparel supply chain, Levi Strauss says. By
shifting to a hazard-based approach to chemical
management, and by sharing their approach
with others, the retailers believe they can drive
systemic change.
International Dyer & Finisher
25/01/2019 09:04:56

DTG developments for large
and small producers
Israeli-based direct-to-garment (DTG) printing
specialist Kornit Digital has introduced the
Kornit Atlas printing platform. Following the
success of its Storm HD6 and Avalanche HD6/
HDK machines, the Atlas provides garment
decorators and screen printers with a unique tool
for mastering the current and future challenges of
the textile supply chain, the OEM says.
The Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty system
created for super-industrial garment decoration
businesses. It was designed to deliver a typical
annual production capacity of up to 350,000
impressions, optimising both production
efficiency and cost of ownership.
The Kornit Atlas is aimed at highly productive
garment decorators, mid-to-large-size screen
printers and innovative businesses looking to
combine new digital technology into their operation.
The system is equipped with new recirculating
print heads and comes with a newly-developed ink,
NeoPigmentTM Eco-Rapid.
The Kornit Atlas features an enhanced version
of Kornit’s HD technology, is complemented by a
professional RIP software, and produces prints that,
Kornit claims, meet the highest standards of retail
quality and durability.
The Atlas also comes ready for Kornit’s future
release of its cloud-based business intelligence,
productivity analytics and optimisation software
platforms, scheduled to come to market in the
second half of 2019. These complementing
platforms will allow for the network connectivity
required to support fleet management and
optimisation of global multi-systems and multi-site
enterprises, the company says.
The new NeoPigmentTM Eco-Rapid ink is a
main driver of the Atlas’ retail quality prints, Kornit
adds. It provides an industry-leading white ink
opacity, claimed to match those of conventional
screen inks, and meets high durability standards
on multiple fabric types. Its increased colour gamut
and saturation allow for deep full tones and precise
spot colour matching, Kornit adds. The new ink
has been developed with sustainability in mind,
carries the Oeko-Tex Eco-Passport certification and
is GOTS pre-approved. The new Eco-Rapid ink will
be integrated with new Storm HD6 and Avalanche
HD6/HDK systems and will also be retrofitted
to existing Kornit HD systems. Kornit intends to
switch all existing HD customers to NeoPigmentTM
Eco-Rapid during 2019.
Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of marketing and
Issue 1 2019
P 53-54 Machinery and Services.indd 53
product strategy, says: “This is a huge leap
forward, not only for Kornit, but also for the
DTG industry as a whole. We have delivered the
Atlas on the collective feedback of thousands of
Kornit systems’ operators and on the experience
collected from hundreds of millions of printed
garments – simply put, the Atlas is the best and
most cost-efficient DTG printing technology
for high-quantity and high-quality production
requirements.
“On top of that, the Atlas has been designed
in a modular and future-ready way, driving quick
and easy implementation of new developments
in the future. At Kornit, we remain focused on
constantly introducing technology that allows the
industry’s leading brands to better connect with
their customers and to adapt to the rapid changes
in consumer preferences, impacting the fashion and
apparel industry and is driven by the talent in our
global research and development division.”
Another DTG solution, which will come to
market in April, is the Roland VersaSTUDIO
BT-12 desktop-sized solution. The printer is
targeted at businesses looking for new revenue
opportunities by offering an engaging in-store
experience to customers, Roland says.
DTG technology is growing in popularity
alongside the increasing demand for customised
apparel. And due to its A4-size printing capacity,
BT-12 is compatible for home use. The machine is
Machinery & services
The VersaSTUDIO BT-12 is
Roland’s first DTG solution which
will be available from April
also easy to use, Roland says, and is able to print
directly onto cotton substrates.
Roland says: “You can print full-colour graphics
including photos, logos, and text on a variety of
products, such as t-shirts, tote bags and interior
decoration items. Its compact size and affordable
pricing allow businesses to offer personalisation
services with a low initial investment and in
locations where space is limited, including
shopping malls, kiosks, apparel stores, hotel gift
shops and tourist destinations, or even at events.”
When combined with cotodesign, an optional
design and print management software recently
announced, the BT-12 can become a complete
design, order and print management solution to
open new business opportunities and increase
foot traffic at retail locations. Cotodesign
also supports additional Roland DG devices
allowing businesses to use it for a wide variety of
applications and events.
The BT-12 is affordably priced, allowing
businesses to explore new opportunities
with very low initial investment. Capable of
producing a product from start to finish in
as little as 10 minutes, the BT-12 is designed
for ultimate ease of use and can be operated
by virtually anyone with minimal training.
Cassettes are used for holding the items for
printing and finishing ensuring the safety of
operators and customers.
53
25/01/2019 11:19:10
 Machinery & services

Mixed response to latest solution

Manufacturer of measuring, control, and automation systems for the textile
and finishing industry, Mahlo has expanded its portfolio of high-performance
sensors for its quality control system Qualiscan QMS in order to better monitor
and control web-type products. Mahlo and its agency Toyo Machinery attended
the Converting Technology Exhibition (Convertech), which took place on 30
January - 1 February in Tokyo. During the event, Mahlo showcased its new
tech-infused solutions and promoted the importance of implementing the latest
in manufacturing technology.
Mahlo’s clients can benefit from additional options, where parameters
such as coating thickness, basis weight and moisture can be determined, the
company says. Those products are mainly put to use in the automotive sector
and for technical textiles manufacturing. At Convertech, visitors had the chance
Mahlo showcased a range of machinery at January’s Convertech Expo in Tokyo
to examine, in detail, the Mahlo sensors Infrascope NIR as well as the sensor
Optoscope WLI. Infrascope NIR measures the absorption of infrared energy and Optoscope WLI is used. With the help of the white-light interference
can identify basis weight and moisture at the same time. Due to its very high phenomenon, the sensor is able to measure varnish coats down to a thickness
spectral resolution, the sensors can distinguish between components with similar of 0.4 µm, Mahlo adds. The Optoscope WLI is able to determine extremely thin
IR absorption, Mahlo says. That allows for the highly selective measuring of a coats in the nm range indirectly with aqueous or solvent-based applications on
specific component or coat without affecting other elements. film, depending on the solids content. The sensor’s continuous development
With especially thin coats, where other systems reach their limits, the guarantees exact measurement results.

Embee presents innovative

Laserbird technology
At the recent GMMSA Expo, which got underway on 25 January, Embee
showcased a range of machinery, including Laserbird and Infinium, at the
four-day exhibition in Ludhiana, India.
Embee presented Laserbird, a solution that it describes as a “revolutionary
laser-stripping machine.” The solution uses laser technology, instead of
conventional technology, for stripping the rotary screen and therefore
enabling its reuse. “Lowest screen cost, no hazardous chemicals involved,
lowest stripping cost, energy saving, zero pollution, zero maintenance and
fastest payback are the major USPs of this product,” Embee adds.
The company says its latest innovation is deep rooted with their vision to
be a trusted leader in innovative technological solutions and is focused on
higher efficiency and returns for sustainable growth of all the stakeholders.
Infinium is Embee’s textile rotary screen-printing machine, a perfect
solution for modern-day textile print houses that are facing a number of
challenges and who are demanding a state-of-the-art machine which gives
high accuracy, sharp printing results, high volumes, high-speed printing and
all combined in one package, the company claims.
The GMMSA Expo is an initiative by Garments Machinery Manufacturers
& Suppliers Association Ludhiana, creating opportunities for investments,
joint ventures and technology transfers via international exhibitions and
conferences. The association is an interface between government, business,
academia, society and media, organisers say.

Launch of new Test Materials

SDL Atlas has announced the expansion of its Test
Materials selection and will now be producing the
majority of Test Materials directly.
“We decided that the best way to ensure
the highest quality, the best compliance to the
appropriate testing standards, would be to control
the entire Testing Materials production process
from manufacturing to distribution directly,” says
Chuck Lane, SDL Atlas president. “The quality that
we can now offer is guaranteed to be the highest
and falls within testing compliance for every item
we produce.”
Some of the items now directly produced by
SDL Atlas include Multifiber (both for AATCC and
ISO testing), detergents, greyscale, blue wool,
crocking squares and fabrics, abrasion and pilling
testing materials, and phenolic yellowing testing
materials. Each lot of Test Materials produced
by SDL Atlas is thoroughly tested to ensure
conformity and consistency from batch to batch
and supplied with a Certificate of Conformity
stating such, the company says.
SDL Atlas says it offers the broadest range of
test materials in the textile and home appliance
testing markets. Their extensive inventory provides
a single-source solution, plus they have technical
experts available to assist in making testing
efficient, precise and compliant.
The new Test Materials line is currently available
worldwide, and more items will be added before
the end of the year, SDL Atlas says.
Committed to providing customers with
confidence in standard-based testing, SDL Atlas
has offices and experts in the United States,
United Kingdom, Hong Kong and China, plus
agents serving over 100 countries. SDL Atlas is
ready to support its customers with instruments,
equipment, test materials, and services anywhere
in the world, it says.

54 International Dyer & Finisher

P 53-54 Machinery and Services.indd 54 25/01/2019 11:19:10

 INTERNATIONAL
DYER
FINISHER

2019 APRIL 2019

FEBRUARY 2019 9-11 IWTO 88th Congress
Venice, Italy.
26-28 Techtextil North America
Contact: IWTO
Raleigh, North Carolina. Tel: +32 2 505 40 10
Contact: Kristy Meade Fax: +32 2 503 47 85
24 European Digital Textile Conference
E-mail: info@iwto.org
show director, technical textiles Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via
Website: www.iwto.org
Barcelona, Spain.
sewn products, equipment & technology
Contact: Chinky Tyagi, WTiN
Tel: +1 678 732 2424 MAY 2019 Tel: +44 (0)113 360 9860
W TiN
®

E-mail: kristy.meade@usa.messefrankfurt.com Fax: +44 (0)113 819 8156

E-mail: dgreen@wtin.com
Website: techtextil-north-america.
Website: www.wtin.com
us.messefrankfurt.com

MARCH 2019
19-22 Techtextil Russia
1-3 Innovate Textile & Apparel Americas
18-20 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market
IEC Expocentre, Moscow. comprising: Textile 4.0 Conference
Denver, US.
Contact: Oksana Anikeeva Textile Business Futures
ReThink Materials Contact: Krista Dill
director, Techtextil Russia
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Tel: +1 (949) 226-5728
Tel: +74 956 498 775 (ext. 125) Contact: Chinky Tyagi, WTiN E-mail: Krista.Dill@outdoorretailer.com
Fax: +74 956 498 785 Tel: +44 (0)113 360 9860 Website: www.outdoorretailer.com
Fax: +44 (0)113 819 8156
E-mail: Oksana.Anikeeva@russia.
E-mail: dgreen@wtin.com SEPTEMBER 2019
messefrankfurt.com Website: www.wtin.com 11-13 Dornbirn-GFC
Website: techtextil-russia.ru.messefrankfurt.com Vorarlberg, Austria.
14-19 FESPA Global Print Expo Contact: Austrian Fiber Institute
Messe München, Germany. Tel: +43 1 319 2909 41
26-28 IDEA 2019 Contact: FESPA Fax: +43 1 319 2909 31
Miami, Florida, USA. Tel: +44 1737 240 788 E-mail: office@dornbirn-gfc.com
E-mail: info@fespa.com
Contact: Misty Ayers, INDA Website: www.dornbirn-gfc.com
Website: www.fespa.com
(Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics
JUNE 2019 OCTOBER 2019
Industry)
1-4 IFAI Expo
20-26 ITMA
Tel: +1 (919) 459-3700 Orlando, Florida.
Barcelona, Spain.
Fax: +1 (919) 459-3701 Contact: Sylvia Phua, ITMA Services Ltd Contact: Amy Collins, director of marketing
Tel: +65 9478-9543 Tel: +1 651 225 6970
E-mail: mayers@inda.org
E-mail: sylviaphua@itma.com E-mail: amcollins@ifai.com
Website: www.inda.org Website: www.itma.com Website: www.ifai.com

P 55 IBC - Diary.indd 51 25/01/2019 14:14:30

 Organised by

W TiN
®

european Co-located with

Digital
tex tile
c o n f e r e n c e • 2019 24 June 2019
Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via,
Barcelona, Spain

Right Speed, Right Price

As digital textile printing matures, it is clear that chasing speed for its own
sake is not always the best strategy. What matters is spotting the applications
where digital textile can be a commercial winner by delivering the right
quality, productivity and price. While ITMA 2015 saw the super-fast single-pass
machines meet head-on, ITMA 2019 is likely to have a focus on ink innovation,
and perhaps on the development of inkjet in other areas of textile finishing.
The WTiN Digital Textile Conference at ITMA will also explore the trend for
integration of on-demand print with downstream manufacturing processes.

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2019_EDTC.indd 1 25/01/2019 14:17:00