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Settimana 16: 22-04-2016
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SOMMARIO
Olimpias
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Wasatex, un progetto italiano per il riuso “totale” delle acque reflue
nella filiera tessile
Innovazione made in Italy: riduzione dell’impatto ambientale della
depurazione tintoriale
Competitor
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stampa
Settore
•
•
•
•
•
Sourcing Snapshot: Everything That’s Happening in 2016
Computers will soon be in our clothes
Ultra-thin electronic thread empowers smart clothing
Al via la rivoluzione dei super telai hi-tech
Bollettino ITMA Aprile 2015
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Olimpias
Wasatex, un progetto italiano per il riuso “totale” delle acque
reflue nella filiera tessile
[14 aprile 2016]
L’acqua, risorsa di inestimabile importanza per la qualità della vita sul nostro Pianeta, è fortemente
minacciata dai processi di inquinamento globali e dal cambiamento climatico: dell’oro blu ce n’è
sempre meno, ma la sete dei processi industriali continua a crescere. Per trovare la quadra, come
noto, è necessario disaccoppiare l’utilizzo della risorsa con la crescita economica.
Il progetto Wasatex, opera della padovana Europrogetti srl e realizzato nell’ambito del programma
UE Eco-Innovation da Olimpias Group, Europrogetti e Aspel, si concluderà entro e va verso questa
direzione. L’innovativo sistema di depurazione, premiato nel corso dell’ultima edizione di Smau tra
i vincitori del premio Innovazione, è stato testato presso lo stabilimento di Olimpias Tekstil Doo a
Osijek in Croazia, specializzato nella lavorazione di maglie e capi confezionati.
«Prima di rinnovare l’impianto di depurazione – ha dichiarato Silvano Storti, titolare e anima di
Europrogetti srl – lo stabilimento utilizzava 1.600 m3/giorno di acqua di cui solo il 5-10%
proveniente da trattamenti di recupero. Oggi, grazie alle innovazioni introdotte, la percentuale
riutilizzata è salita a circa il 70%, pari a 1.000 m3/giorno. Oggi il prelievo di acqua dal pozzo è
quantificabile in meno di 600 m3/giorno. Per dare un’idea del valore del risultato ottenuto basta
pensare che 1.000 m3 di acqua sono l’equivalente dell’utilizzo quotidiano di una popolazione di
7.000 individui. E poiché a risparmio di acqua corrisponde risparmio di energia, lo stabilimento
tessile di Osijek è oggi in grado di risparmiare molta CO2». Proprio l’ammontare evitato di
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CO2equivalente indotto dall’utilizzo del nuovo impianto è oggi tema di attento monitoraggio,
perché solo osservando costantemente i dati è possibile individuare ulteriori elementi migliorativi.
Già oggi, i tecnici che operano a Osijek hanno potuto apprezzare la qualità dell’acqua in uscita dai
trattamenti e pronta per essere riutilizzata nei bagni di tintura, nella sbianca e in tutti quei processi
industriali dove sono richiesti parametri con salinità e durezza molto basse. I colori sono risultati
più stabili, superiore per solidità alla luce. Questo ha consentito migliori rese del colorante, minor
uso di sequestranti e di agenti chimici nei bagni di tintura e finissaggio. In altre parole riduzione di
formulati chimici. Anche l’operazione di sbianca è risultata molto più efficiente e stabile nel tempo,
dato che non si depositano sali alcalini sulla fibra, e si ottiene anche una riduzione dell’utilizzo
dello sbiancate ottico.
Ma quali sono i principali elementi di innovazione che consentono di ottenere l’obiettivo del riciclo
totale dell’acqua?
Ottenere tali risultati, spiega Storti, è stato possibile solo grazie ad un approccio sistemico: «Nel
corso del progetto Wasatex abbiamo adottato un approccio integrato e coerente con la complessa
tipologia delle emissioni e dei reflui. Abbiamo provveduto a potenziare il sistema biologico del
depuratore mediante un Bioreattore a membrana, in grado di separare totalmente i solidi sospesi, la
biomassa, i batteri ed i microbi presenti nel bacino di ossidazione, filtri a resine decoloranti, per la
rimozione del colore, COD e tensioattivi residui e addolcitori e torre decarbonatativa, per rimuovere
la durezza di calcio e magnesio e l’alcalinità. È stato poi studiato un sistema a Osmosi Inversa per
eliminare i sali solubili quali solfati, cloruri, oltre al residuo COD, silice, alcalinità, colore, etc.,
supportato da Nanofiltrazione per trattare le reiezioni del sistema RO e separare i sali monovalenti,
come il cloruro di sodio, da altri composti contenuti nell’acqua trattata, ottenendo una salamoia che
può essere riutilizzata sia come agente salino per i bagni di tintura dei reattivi, sia per la
rigenerazione delle resine di addolcimento. Il sistema OX infine consente di distruggere e
rimuovere le molecole complesse ad alto peso molecolare, come COD e colore. Il risultato è
un’acqua non solo pulita ma stabile quindi più adatta all’utilizzo industriale».
Adesso, dopo la Croazia da Padova si stanno istallando nuovi depuratori in India e in Brasile.
«Sorprende un po’ constatare – chiosa amaro Storti – che in Italia si continui a sversare l’acqua
depurata in fogna senza considerare l’enorme valore ambientale ed economico del suo riuso».
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Innovazione made in Italy: riduzione dell’impatto ambientale della
depurazione tintoriale
13.04.2016
WASATEX E LA TECNOLOGIA EUROPROGETTI (PREMIATI A SMAU 2016): Nel corso
dell’ultima edizione di SMAU -la fiera multimediale dell’innovazione e della tecnologia che si è
svolta a Padova tra il 10 e il 12 marzo scorso- è risultato tra i vincitori del Premio Innovazione
il Progetto Wasatexche punta al riciclo totale dell’acqua utilizzata nei processi della filiera
tessile.
Realizzato nell’ambito del programma UE Eco-Innovation da Olimpias Group, Europrogetti e
Aspel, Wasatex si concluderà entro l’anno ma i risultati sono già apprezzabili.
L’innovativo sistema di depurazione è stato testato presso lo stabilimento di Olimpias Tekstil Doo a
Osijek in Croazia, specializzato nella lavorazione di maglie e capi confezionati. E’ opera della
creatività ingegneristica di Europrogetti srl, società di ricerca e impiantistica con sede a Padova
che ha in attivo oltre 380 impianti industriali e civili installati in Europa, Cina, Usa, America
centrale e meridionale, Sud Africa, Medio Oriente e Asia ed in grado di trattare volumi di acque
reflue da 50 a 300,000 m3/giorno.
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“L’impianto di Osijek evidenzia concretamente quanto sia vantaggioso per l’ambiente e per le
imprese adottare impianti di depurazione in grado di riciclare interamente l’acqua di processo –
ha dichiarato Silvano Storti, titolare e anima di Europrogetti srl – Prima di rinnovare l’impianto di
depurazione lo stabilimento utilizzava 1.600 m3/giorno di acqua di cui solo il 5-10% proveniente
da trattamenti di recupero. Oggi, grazie alle innovazioni introdotte, la percentuale riutilizzata è
salita a circa il 70%, pari a 1.000 m3/giorno. Oggi il prelievo di acqua dal pozzo è quantificabile
in meno di 600 m3/giorno. Per dare un’idea del valore del risultato ottenuto basta pensare che
1.000 m3 di acqua sono l’equivalente dell’utilizzo quotidiano di una popolazione di 7.000 individui.
E poiché a risparmio di acqua corrisponde risparmio di energia, lo stabilimento tessile di Osijek è
oggi in grado di risparmiare molta CO2. ”
Inevitabile cogliere il valore ambientale di questo risultato, specie in un momento in cui l’acqua,
risorsa di inestimabile importanza per la qualità della vita sul nostro Pianeta, è fortemente
minacciata dai processi di inquinamento globali e dalle alterazioni climatiche.
Ma quali sono i principali elementi di innovazione che consentono di ottenere l’obiettivo del riciclo
totale dell’acqua?
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Storti li sintetizza così: “Nel corso del progetto
abbiamo adottato un approccio integrato e coerente con la complessa tipologia delle emissioni e
dei reflui. Abbiamo provveduto a potenziare il sistema biologico del depuratore mediante un
Bioreattore a membrana, in grado di separare totalmente i solidi sospesi, la biomassa, i batteri ed i
microbi presenti nel bacino di ossidazione, filtri a resine decoloranti, per la rimozione del colore,
COD e tensioattivi residui e addolcitori e torre decarbonatativa, per rimuovere la durezza di calcio
e magnesio e l'alcalinità.
E’ stato poi studiato un sistema a Osmosi Inversa per eliminare i sali solubili quali solfati, cloruri,
oltre al residuo COD, silice, alcalinità, colore, etc., supportato da Nanofiltrazione per trattare le
reiezioni del sistema RO e separare i sali monovalenti, come il cloruro di sodio, da altri composti
contenuti nell'acqua trattata, ottenendo una salamoia che può essere riutilizzata sia come agente
salino per i bagni di tintura dei reattivi, sia per la rigenerazione delle resine di addolcimento. Il
sistema OX infine consente di distruggere e rimuovere le molecole complesse ad alto peso
molecolare, come COD e colore. Il risultato è un’acqua non solo pulita ma stabile quindi più
adatta all’utilizzo industriale”.
I tecnici che operano a Osijek hanno già potuto apprezzare la qualità dell'acqua in uscita dai
trattamenti e pronta per essere riutilizzata nei bagni di tintura, nella sbianca e in tutti quei
processi industriali dove sono richiesti parametri con salinità e durezza molto basse. I colori sono
risultati più stabili, superiore per solidità alla luce. Questo ha consentito migliori rese del colorante,
Wabi comunicazione d’impresa
Rassegna Stampa Olimpias
Settimana 16: 22-04-2016
minor uso di sequestranti e di agenti chimici nei bagni di tintura e finissaggio. In altre parole
riduzione di formulati chimici. Anche l’operazione di sbianca è risultata molto più efficiente e
stabile nel tempo, dato che non si depositano sali alcalini sulla fibra, e si ottiene anche una
riduzione dell’utilizzo dello sbiancate ottico.
Quale il prossimo passo?
“Il progetto di Osijek non è concluso. In questo momento stiamo quantificando il risparmio di
CO2equivalente indotto dall’utilizzo del nuovo impianto perché solo monitorando costantemente
i dati possiamo individuare ulteriori elementi migliorativi. Naturalmente Europrogetti è impegnata
anche su altri fronti. Stiamo istallando nuovi depuratori in India ed in Brasile. Sorprende un po’
constatare che in aree del mondo meno industrializzate rispetto all’Europa il concetto di riciclo
dell’acqua sia già fortemente radicato nella cultura legislativa e industriale mentre in Italia si
continui a sversare l’acqua depurata in fogna senza considerare l’enorme valore ambientale ed
economico del suo riuso”.
Segui il progetto Wasatex sul sito web: http://wasatex.eu/it/
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SETTORE
Sourcing Snapshot: Everything That’s
Happening in 2016
by Tara Donaldson
Posted on April 15, 2016 in Trade
We tend to consider sourcing in a constant state of flux, and right now that may be truer than ever. The
sector is seeing a rebalancing of trade, shifts in global merchandise trade flows, capricious currencies and
shipping rates at critical lows.
In a robust report sizing up the global sourcing landscape by key issues and countries for its Global Retail
Sourcing Report 2016, CBX Software delved into some of the conditions that are going to shape sourcing in
the coming year.
Here’s a look—by major market indicator—at what’s going on in the world’s leading low-cost sourcing
locales.
New orders, output, PMI
Subdued was the word CBX analysts used to describe manufacturing conditions so far this year with several
countries posted sub-50 readings in Markit’s purchasing manager’s index (PMI), which points to contraction.
“Conditions in the global manufacturing sector remained subdued heading into Q2, with small increases in
output and new orders,” the report noted.
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Production levels were near stagnant in Asia, with nominal increases in China, Taiwan, Indonesia and
Japan. Things looked a little better in the Americas with Mexico experiencing output expansion. Europe also
saw an uptick.
For comparison’s sake, see below for March PMI’s by country:
•
China – 49.7
•
India – 52.4
•
Indonesia – 50
•
Mexico – 53.2
•
Turkey – 49.2
•
Vietnam – 50.7
In China, manufacturing production and output inched up (from 48 in February) for the first time in a year, but
more so in domestic demand that in exports.
Vietnam, which has all eyes on its market considering the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), saw
modest growth into the second quarter (February PMI was 50.3) with more new orders and increased
exports, namely by consumer goods producers.
Imports and exports
In looking at exports and imports across key low-cost sourcing countries, CBX said export figures (as of
January 2016) are “relatively soft” heading into Q2 and commodity and input costs are higher thanks to the
super dollar.
•
Bangladesh – exports grew 8.3% to $19.3 billion, mostly from ready made garments
•
Cambodia – exports of garments and footwear in 2015 were up 6.7% to $6.3 billion
•
India – India’s exports were down 13.6%, but inflows of foreign investment in fiscal 2015/16 were up
nearly 40 percent
•
Indonesia – exports were down 20.7% to $10.5 billion
•
Pakistan – exports of textiles and garments fell 5.3% to $1 billion
•
Vietnam – exports at the end of last year were up 7.9%
Wages
Wages are on a general upswing as most emerging markets have either already committed to pay hikes or
are under increasing pressure from unions to do so.
“With greater visibility into social conditions in low cost countries, currency fluctuations, increasing unrest and
union pressure, wages in traditional low cost sourcing countries are on the rise across the board,” CBX said.
Here’s a look at current average wage rates (per month) as of April 1, 2016.
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•
Bangladesh – $68
•
Cambodia – $140
•
China – $137-$639 (based on province)
•
Egypt – $114
•
Ethiopia – $35-$40
•
India – $40-$130
•
Indonesia – $92-$230
•
Malaysia – $233-$253
•
Myanmar – $67
•
Philippines – $110-$220
•
Thailand – $254
•
Vietnam – $107-$156
Settimana 16: 22-04-2016
Container freight rates
Shipping rates are at alarming lows—according to Xeneta, which provides analysis based on shipper data,
rates on key Asia-European trade lanes and Asia-North America trade lanes are down more than 60 percent
over the past year.
“Factors driving the rate slide include softer consumer demand, a slowdown in Chinese economic growth,
overcapacity of shipping and also a trend towards mega container ships,” CBX said.
To ship a 20-foot container from Hong Kong to Hamburg today costs $580, compared to $840 last year.
Sending one from Shanghai to Antwerp is down to $590 from $910 last year. A container going from
Shanghai to Los Angeles cost $1,580 last year and now costs a lower $1,150.
“While many ships are idling, this has not impacted rates as expected,” according to CBX.
Currency
Currency shifts have upset markets in recent months and changes in China have been leading the charge.
“After a strong 2015, in Q2 the U.S. dollar hit its lowest level in five months against a basket of currencies,”
CBX said. “At the same time, the EUR has continued to make gains against both the USD and RMB.”
The euro gained nearly 5 percent against the dollar in the first quarter and it’s expected to hold its ground
through the year. Against China’s RMB, the euro has seen steady gains—a trend that continued into the
second quarter.
China’s yuan is expected to remain relatively stable in the near term with some depreciation over the year,
and the dollar is expected to lose some value in the second quarter and into the rest of 2016.
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Computers will soon be in our clothes
By Tim Sandle Apr 16, 2016 in Science
The advance of wearable technology continues. In a new development, technologist report they
have embroidered circuits into fabric with 0.1 mm precision, sufficient to house a microcomputer.
Whether the advances in wearable technology are outstripping what the public might
actually want is an area for a different discussion; at the moment, the technological
advances continue to be impressive. The latest news is a significant step towards having a
computer fully integrated into clothing.
The step forward in electronics has come from The Ohio State University. Here,
technologists have developed embroidered antennas and circuits down to a precision level
of just 0.1 milimeters. At this micro-size it is possible to integrate electronic components,
including computer chips and sensors. This would mean textiles — your everyday clothes
— that could collect, store, or transmit digital information.
What could someone do with this? Such technology could lead to:
• Having built-in antennae that goes with you wherever you go. This could be linked
to your smartphone or table, so you’d never lose a signal.
• Devices that collect information about your fitness levels, more accurately than any
fitness watch.
• The collection of vital signs in relation to health data.
• Bandages that signal to a medic if a wound is healing.
Commenting on the potential applications, lead researcher John Volakis, who is the
director of the ElectroScience Laboratory at Ohio State, said: “A revolution is happening in
the textile industry.” He refers to the materials as "e-textiles."
The most important part of the meshing of fabric with electronics, Volakis explains, is the
shape of the embroidery determines the frequency of operation of the antenna or circuit.
The research is published in the journal IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation
Letters. The paper is headed “Fabrication of Textile Antennas and Circuits With 0.1 mm
Precision.”
In related news, there have been some important advances with self-cleaning fabrics. With
these, it is now possible to make a dress or t-shirt that self-cleans when exposed to
sunlight. Digital Journal has covered this impressive development.
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Ultra-thin electronic thread empowers smart
clothing
14 April 2016
By Jack Loughran
The new thread integration of circuitry into clothes
Electronic thread just 0.1mm thick has been developed that can be embroidered
into fabrics, opening up new possibilities and applications for smart clothing.
The technology could lead to shirts that act as antennas for your smartphone, workout clothes
that monitor your fitness level, sports equipment that monitors athletes' performance, a bandage
that tells your doctor how well the tissue beneath it is healing, or even a flexible fabric cap that
senses activity in the brain.
Brain monitoring devices using the ultra-thin circuitry are already under investigation by a team
from the ElectroScience Laboratory at Ohio State who hope to make brain implants - commonly
used to treat conditions from epilepsy to addiction - more comfortable by eliminating the need for
external wiring on the patient's body.
"A revolution is happening in the textile industry," said John Volakis, director of the
ElectroScience Laboratory.
"We believe that functional textiles are an enabling technology for communications and sensing
and one day even medical applications like imaging and health monitoring."
The prototype ‘e-textiles’ are partly created on a typical tabletop sewing machine which would
allow them to be manufactured on a large scale relatively easily using many of the machines that
already exist in textile factories.
The sewing machines embroider the thread into fabric automatically based on a pattern loaded
via a computer file. The researchers substitute the thread with fine silver metal wires that, once
embroidered, feel the same as traditional thread to the touch.
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"We started with a technology that is very well known - machine embroidery - and we asked: how
can we functionalise embroidered shapes? How do we make them transmit signals at useful
frequencies, like for cell phones or health sensors?" Volakis said.
"Now, for the first time, we've achieved the accuracy of printed metal circuit boards, so our new
goal is to take advantage of the precision to incorporate receivers and other electronic
components."
The shape of the embroidery determines the frequency of operation of the antenna or circuit. For
example, a broadband antenna consists of more than half a dozen interlocking geometric
shapes, each a little bigger than a fingernail, which form an intricate circle a few inches across.
Each piece of the circle transmits energy at a different frequency, so that they cover a broad
spectrum of energies when working together. The malleability of the embroidered circuitry allows
it to be adapted for many different uses.
Flexible electronics were also demonstrated earlier this year that can be stretched up to four
times their original length for a number of possible uses including artificial skin, body sensors and
clothing.
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Wabi comunicazione d’impresa
April, 2016
ITMA Bulletin
In this issue:
•Strong Support for
ITMA Asia + CITME 2016
•EU Textile and Clothing
Trade Rose in 2015
•Oeko-Tex Revises Criteria
for STeP Standard
•Green Agenda Drives
Largest ITMA Participation
•New Ideas in Sustainability
•Celebrating Innovation
in Materials
•Digital Print Comes of Age
Overview
ITMA Milan – A Memorable
Success
In this special ITMA Bulletin we reflect on
the spectacular success of ITMA Milan,
whose energetic ambience lingers in the
memory of everyone who was there. The
high level of participation, matched by high
visitor attendance, is testimony to the textile
industry’s resilience and forward-looking
agenda. Clearly, global industry players have
understood the importance of investing in
innovations that are both planet-friendly
and deliver a strong contribution to
enhancing the business bottom-line.
ITMA visitors have demonstrated once
again that they are serious about investigating innovative manufacturing solutions,
especially when they offer a competitive
edge. Once again ITMA has lived up to its
reputation as the world’s ‘must visit’, futurefocused showcase of the best and most
innovative textile technology.
The value of the latest ITMA was enhanced
by a number of new features – not least
the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Awards
and the ITMA-sponsored Future Materials
Awards, both of which gave a deserved
public showcase to some of the industry’s
most inventive minds. The distinguished
list is recorded below. ITMA 2015 was also
remarkable for the explosion of interest in
digital textile printing, a trend we highlight
in the Bulletin.
We are grateful to our exhibitors and
industry partners who have put their faith in
the ITMA brand. The key to ITMA’s success
is its ability to reinvent itself and remain
relevant to the industry that it serves.
Now our attention turns to October’s ITMA
Asia + CITME in Shanghai, which – as the
following report indicates – looks set to be
another lively chapter in the ITMA story.
Charles Beauduin,
President, CEMATEX
www.cematex.com
Published by World Textile Information Network Ltd on behalf of:
CEMATEX
PO Box 248
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE7 7WY, UK
Tel: +44 7967 477305
Web: www.cematex.com
Editor - John Scrimshaw
Tel: +44 (0)113 360 9909
Email: jscrimshaw@wtin.com
Design - Rob Cubbon
Web: www.wtin.com
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA Bulletin
Textile Topics
Textile Topics
Strong Support for
ITMA Asia + CITME 2016
The fifth edition of ITMA Asia + CITME is gearing up
for a positive show, with domestic and international
textile machinery manufacturers showing great interest
in the combined exhibition. China is continuing
its push for higher-quality products with greener
technology as it rolls out its 13th five-year plan, and
leading manufacturers are keen to be involved in the
anticipated growth.
Over 1,300 manufacturers have applied for a space at
the show, which is owned by CEMATEX, China Textile
Machinery Association (CTMA), the Sub-Council of
Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex) and China Exhibition
Centre Group Corporation (CIEC).
Gu Ping, vice-president of CTMA, says: “We have seen
a greater number of Chinese manufacturers signing up
to exhibit at the combined show this year. Interestingly,
nearly 30% of the applicants are first-time participants.
This attests to the reputation of the combined show as a
leading industry platform.”
Textile machinery manufacturers are leveraging on ITMA
Asia + CITME 2016 as a strategic platform to showcase
their latest technologies and products to buyers.
Under the strategy set out in China’s five-year plan
(2016-2020), the textile industry will focus on industrial
transformation and upgrading. Structural adjustments
will continue to be made in all sectors, thus expanding
opportunities for the further development of textile
enterprises and in areas such as technical textiles.
According to CTMA, China’s textile industry has been
making greater investments to stay more competitive.
There were 15,235 new projects in 2015. From January
to November 2015, fixed asset investments in textile
projects of more than RMB 5m each amounted to RMB
1.09tn. This represents a 2% jump from the same
period in 2014.
“In view of the positive trends, which will spawn
demand for better technologies, and the resounding
success of the 2014 combined show, we are confident
that participation in the upcoming event will be
outstanding,” says Mr Gu.
Textile Yarn Market Worth
$12bn by 2020
The textile yarn market is predicted to reach a value of
US$12.64bn by 2020, at a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2015 to 2020, according to a
recent report from Markets and Markets.
Product types such as silk, hemp, and viscose have been
in demand, owing to the popularity of high-value fabrics,
and a shift in consumer preference to more comfortable
and affordable clothing. The market demand for blended
varieties has also experienced higher than average
growth, as they combine the useful characteristics of
natural and artificial yarn.
Artificial textile yarn products have been projected to lead
the market in terms of volume. Polyester, a sub segment
of the artificial textile yarn market, is likely to dominate
the overall market, and is predicted to grow at a comparatively higher CAGR than most natural textile yarn types.
The artificial textile yarn products are likely to face stiff
competition from natural textile yarn such as hemp and
silk yarn, as these segments have been fast growing,
owing to the demand for hemp in industrial uses and silk
for fabric.
The polyester sub-segment of artificial textile yarn
products accounted for the largest share in the textile
yarn market in terms of volume in 2014. However, other
artificial textile yarn sub-segments, such as viscose, are
projected to grow at a comparatively higher CAGR due to
EU Textile and Clothing
Trade Rose in 2015
The European Union’s textile and clothing exporters
gained an additional 3.6% market share in developing
countries, according to Europe’s Textile and Clothing
Information Centre (CITH). While on the imports side,
EU imports rose 9.6% in value terms, due to sharp
increases from Asian countries.
But imports from the Mediterranean area (Turkey,
Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia) achieved a modest
growth or even decreased over the period. The
2015 evolution impacted the overall trade balance
of EU member countries with a deficit widening by
14%, which included 29% for textiles and 13% for
clothing, CITH said.
Textiles sales to the US, EU’s top market, recorded
a growth of 16%, thanks to a favourable exchange
rate. Moreover, among the EU’s top 10 customers,
moderate expansion was recorded by Hong Kong and
China (7% and 6% respectively). On the contrary,
exports to Russia fell 27% and exports to Ukraine
slipped 1% on the back of depressed economy in
those markets.
Textile imports from the EU’s top 20 suppliers were all
up, except from Egypt, Thailand and Australia. Among
the main suppliers, the US witnessed the highest
growth with 16% followed by China, Pakistan and
Vietnam with 11%.
Clothing imports coming from most Asian countries
recorded double digit growth rates. The top supplier,
China, recorded a 6% increase over 2014 with 30
billion clothing articles sold to the EU market.
increasing demand from the apparel industry.
The report also states that countries in Asia-Pacific, as
well as Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle
East are thriving in terms of growing contribution of the
apparel industry towards GDP, with high levels of product
development and marketing. The rising population
levels have also created the demand for clothing and
home furnishing products globally. Increasing per capita
disposable income in the regions is another driver for the
textile yarn market.
The EU recorded an increase in both imports and exports of textiles in 2015
Combining the characteristics of natural and artificial yarn is a popular trend
among textile manufacturers
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA Bulletin
Textile Topics
ITMA 2015 Review
Oeko-Tex Revises Criteria
for STeP Standard
Oeko-Tex has revised and made modifications to the
latest version of its STeP standard (3.0), which came
into effect 1 February, 2016.
STeP gives brands, retailers, and manufacturers the
opportunity to have each area of their company
facilities analysed and assessed according to environmental and social criteria by an independent body.
The STeP list of excluded harmful substances for textile
production like Manufacturing Restricted Substances
List (MRSL) now complies with the requirements of the
ZDHC initiative, said Oeko-Tex.
In the Environmental Performance module, the
previous requirements have been expanded to include
an additional point on handling sludge from waste
water treatment. Sludge must be stored by companies
with STeP certification in a way that rules out any
ground contamination. Oeko-Tex has recommended
that sludge residues of this type always be disposed
of by professionals in accordance with environmental
protection regulations.
In the new STeP standard, the Social Responsibility
module contains minor amendments to further improve
employee working conditions. For instance, certified
companies in the future will have to satisfy statutory
regulations relating to a suitable level of maternity
protection. Also new is the need for a plan that clearly
highlights all of the areas of the company in which
chemicals are supplied, stored, and used. Facilities must
also prove that chemicals are being transported safely.
Emergency equipment now has to be checked by
companies at least once a year instead of the previous
interval of every two years.
STeP gives companies the opportunity to analyse and assess their facilities by an
independent body
Pushing the Boundaries of Nanofibres
A new nanofibre project aimed at pushing the
boundaries of nylon 6.6 use has been launched by
two Italian companies.
Maglificio Ripa, a leading knitting company, is
collaborating with Fulgar, a producer of polyamide
6.6 and covered elastomers for the textile and
technical sectors, to focus on the creation of highly
technological fabrics.
Fulgar has Europe’s largest nylon 6.6 yarn plant,
and the aim of the project is to expand the use of
nylon 6.6 in underwear, beachwear, sportswear
and clothing. It is in response to demand for betterperforming fabrics that are also soft and silky, while
guaranteeing the highest breathability.
Green Agenda Drives
Largest ITMA Participation
Records were broken as the global
textile and garment manufacturing
industry converged at ITMA 2015 in
Milan, looking to source innovative
solutions to enhance their business
sustainability. At the end of eight
days, the 17th edition of the world’s
most established textile and garment
technology exhibition had attracted
almost 123,000 visitors from 147
economies.
The exhibition achieved a new
milestone, attracting the biggest
number of exhibitors since the
show’s launch back in 1951, with
dyeing and finishing the largest
industry sector, occupying 23%
of the exhibition space with 303
exhibitors. There was also a 20%
jump in visitor numbers compared
with ITMA 2011. And more
importantly, feedback confirms this
as one of the best ITMA exhibitions,
its message on sustainability
resonating strongly with buyers.
This achievement in textile engineering has been made
possible by cutting-edge nanofibre technology: 7μ-Ø
filaments that are capable of creating soft-handed
fabrics featuring lightness and excellent coverage.
“It is a project we rely on very much,” said Fabio
Cescon, marketing manager at Maglificio Ripa Spa. “It
moved us beyond the busiest routes for the purpose
of finding and offering a fabric that we could not
even think of until recently.
“We decided to step into the direction of an evident
luxury product able to combine a super-technological
soul with really silky hand and appearance,” he
continued. “Additionally, it guarantees high colour
resistance to washing and excellent breathability.”
Dyeing and finishing hall at ITMA
The effectiveness of this message
was confirmed by Regina Brückner,
CEO of Brückner Trockentechnik,
Germany, which exhibited at the
show. She said: “We felt for the first
time there’s a real understanding
and interest in energy efficiency and
green technology. There’s a trend
among our customers to want to
upgrade their very old equipment
because they understand the
necessity of a highly productive and
efficient production over the entire
textile production process.”
Visitors from Italy formed the biggest
contingent, accounting for 18%
of attendees. Outside Italy, the top
visiting countries were India (9%),
Turkey (8%) and Germany (7%).
Other countries which made it to
the top 10 list were France, the US,
Iran, Brazil, Pakistan and Spain. The
lifting of sanctions on Iran in the
near future has buoyed the country’s
textile and garment sector, resulting
in more visitors.
ITMA 2015 welcomed many groups
from the Indian sub-continent. There
were also delegations from Central
Asia – a region where the textile
and clothing industry is slated for
development as the sector has the
potential to create jobs. A 140-strong
Uzbekistan textile and garment industry
delegation spent three days at the
exhibition, coordinated by the Textile
and Garment Ministry of Uzbekistan.
In addition, there was a delegation
of 48 representatives from small
and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) from the textile and clothing
sectors in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The group was coordinated by
Geneva-based International Trade
Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the
World Trade Organisation and the
United Nations.
A Russian delegation of 60 members
was led by Evgeny Ryzhov, deputy
director of the Russian Ministry of
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA 2015 Review
Industry and Trade. “ITMA 2015
allowed our domestic companies to
learn about the latest technologies for
the light and textile industry, enabling
them to consider implementing them
in their own production, purchase
production equipment and to
exchange experience with foreign
colleagues,” he said.
Themed ‘Master the Art of
Sustainable Innovation’, ITMA 2015
featured several conferences within
ITMA Sustainable Innovation Awards
the sustainability agenda, as well as
the first ITMA Sustainable Innovation
Award, the rebranding of the
Research and Education Pavilion to
Research and Innovation Pavilion, and
many knowledge-sharing platforms to
drive home the sustainability message.
A series of complementary events
were organised to meet the needs
of textile and garment industry
professionals. These key events
included the second World Textile
Summit, the Nonwovens Forum,
Textile Colourant and Chemical
Leaders Forum, 2BFUNTEX Final
Conference, Better Cotton Initiative's
Responsible Sourcing Seminar, the
WTiN Digital Textile Conference,
the EURATEX Convention and the
Sistema Moda Italia Presentation.
MAKE A NOTE IN YOUR DIARY:
The next ITMA will be held in
Barcelona at Fira de Barcelona Gran
Via venue from 20 to 26 June 2019.
RWTH Aachen University won for
his Master’s thesis: ‘Development
& Assembly of a Test Bench for
the Analysis of Magnetic Weft
Insertion’.
The two other finalists were:
Jenifer Schneidereit, Hochschule
Niederrhein, for her Master’s thesis:
‘Sustainable Water Use in Textile
Wet Processing: Development of a
List of Improvement Measures for a
Self-Assessment Tool for Factories’;
and Moniruddoza Ashir, Institute
of Textile Machinery and High
Performance Material Technology,
TU Dresden, for his Master’s
thesis: ‘Development of Hybrid
Woven Structures for Lightweight
Applications’.
The ITMA Sustainable Innovation
Award winners received their prizes
from CEMATEX President Charles
Beauduin. The winner of the
Industry Excellence Award received
a cash prize of €10,000 and a
trophy, among other rewards. The
winner of the R&I Excellence Award
received a cash prize of €4,000.
R&I Excellence Award – Masters category winner Jan
Vincent Jordan, right, with Charles Beauduin
ITMA Sustainable Innovation Awards
New Ideas in Sustainability
The first edition of the ITMA
Sustainable Innovation Awards
threw a spotlight on some
of the pioneering companies
developing new techniques to raise
environmental performance in the
textile industry.
Levi Strauss & Co took the industry
accolade, winning the ITMA Industry
Excellence Award category ahead of
two other finalists: Berto Industria
Tessile and Gebrüder Otto.
Using the NoStone garment
washing technology from Tonello,
an ITMA 2015 exhibitor, Levi’s has
started preliminary development
work in its Plock facility in Poland.
Tonello’s technology provides Levi’s
with an important first step towards
solving an industry challenge in
denim finishing – the use of pumice
stones, which have environmental,
economic and mechanical
disadvantages.
Levi’s R&D product researcher
Franky Vangaever received the
award at the ITMA 2015 gala
dinner. He said: “We are very
excited to be the first winner of
the ITMA award. This success
is testimony of the strong
collaboration of two iconic brands –
Tonello and ourselves – in pursuit of
industry sustainability.”
CEMATEX launched the ITMA
Sustainable Innovation Award
as part of its ongoing efforts
to encourage and recognise
outstanding industry members and
post-graduate students for their
contributions to the sustainable
development of the global textile
and garment industry. The two
award categories were ITMA
Industry Excellence Award for
ITMA 2015 exhibitors and their
clients, and the R&I Excellence
Award for post-graduate students
of institutions participating in the
Research & Innovation Pavilion.
The Industry Excellence Award
recognises textile and garment
manufacturers who have leveraged
on technological innovations to
advance business sustainability
that benefit people, planet and
profit. The finalists have worked
closely with ITMA 2015 exhibitors
to introduce innovative solutions
to their production process or
products.
Finalist Berto Industria Tessile is
a leading vertically integrated
manufacturer of denim products.
It leverages on the Matex Eco
Applicator range by ITMA exhibitor
Monforts to significantly reduce the
amount of liquid needed in finishing
denim fabrics, leading to energy
savings and a huge reduction in
waste water produced.
Co-finalist Gebrüder Otto is a
leading yarn manufacturer which
implemented Mayer & Cie’s
spinitsystems to produce single
jersey fabric using up to 35%
less energy compared to the
conventional process.
For the R&I Excellence Award –
Masters category, Jan Vincent
Jordan, Institut Für Textiltechnik of
ITMA Future Materials Awards
Celebrating Innovation
in Materials
Innovators from across the textiles
industry descended on the Marriott
Hotel in central Milan to recognise
the best products, processes and
treatments developed over the
past year. It was an evening where
innovation was vaunted and success
was celebrated – in style.
More than 200 guests saw a host
of companies honoured for their
cutting-edge products, processes and
treatments. The headline triumphs
went to Covestro AG, which scooped
two awards, and Tonello, which took
the top prize of Launch of the Year.
Tonello’s victory was in recognition of
its Water Brush process, which uses
a chemical-free approach to achieve
an authentic vintage look on jeans.
Covestro won Innovator of the Year,
and tied with Separex on Sustainable
Process. Covestro’s two awards were
for its development of Impranil eco,
which is a new class of waterborne
polyurethane dispersions for textile
coating, built with biomass replacing
fossil-based feedstock.
Rewarding Sustainability
The FM Awards ceremony was held during ITMA 2015 at the Marriott Hotel in central Milan
Separex, a French SME specialising in
sustainable high pressure carbon dioxide
technologies, picked up a Sustainable
Process award for its approach to the use
of CO2 – Separex doesn’t produce CO2,
it makes use of it. Separex has been
developing a reverse dyeing process
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA Bulletin
ITMA Future Materials Awards
ITMA Future Materials Awards
using its technologies, which enables
discolouration of post-consumer or
industrial waste polyester textiles.
There was another tie, in the category
of Sports Textiles, where Coolcore
and Europlasma shared the
plaudits. Coolcore triumphed with its
performance fabrics for athletic and
everyday apparel, which have been
developed without the use of added
chemicals or topical agents. Europlasma
received recognition for PlasmaGuard,
a high-tech coating process for sporting
goods that uses no water and minimal
energy and chemicals.
Awards for Most Innovative Company
were split across Large, Medium and
Small firms, with Milliken & Company,
Polartec and TissueGen Inc respectively
picking up the trophies in each of these
categories.
Milliken & Company was established in
1865, and it has developed one of the
largest collections of patents held by
a private US company. The company
focuses its innovations on adding value
to daily lives, improving health and
safety, and helping to make the world
more sustainable.
Polartec, a global leader in premium
performance fabrics and textile
innovations, works directly with
outdoor sports, fitness, military, fashion,
commercial upholstery and healthcare
providers. Its Power Wool fabric positions
pure merino wool surface against the
skin and synthetics facing out against the
elements – the Polartec plated knitting
technique keeps a pure surface on either
side of the fabric.
For more than 40 years, TissueGen Inc
has worked to extrude biodegradable
polymer fibres with broad drug delivery
capabilities suited to advanced drug
delivery, nerve regeneration and
tissue engineering. With a portfolio of
issued patents on unique drug delivery
technology, TissueGen Inc has much to
offer the medical market.
MultiFun Co was named Best
Start-Up Company. An innovator of
multifunctional fibre composite materials
and associated technologies, including
end-to-end hardware, and analysis,
control and design software, MultiFun
designs products to alleviate four
major concerns of all transport vehicle
manufacturers and operators, including
operational costs, fuel consumption,
emissions and noise.
Covestro picked up two prizes on the night, including Innovator of the Year
Technical Textiles
In the medical textiles field,
Hohenstein Institute Textil
Innovation GmbH received the award
for Artus, a textile-based artificial
uterus. An actoric smart fabric, Artus
actively provides premature babies in
neonatal incubators with womb-like
motions and the mother’s voice and
heartbeat, in order to physiologically
stimulate the development of their
nervous system.
In mobile textiles, CeNTI (Centre for
Nanotechnology and Smart Materials)
won for its self-cleaning textiles.
They use a specific combination of
nanomaterials with an innovative
coating process, which enables them to
stay clean after exposure to UV or solar
radiation.
There were awards for Torcitura
Padana in home textiles, ViDi
Systems in industrial textiles, LeMur
SpA in protective textiles and Bonded
Logic in sustainable textiles. Torcitura
Padana won for its COEX project, a
100% natural fireproof material which
the company says “raises barriers
against flames”. ViDi Systems won
with ViDi Suite, a piece of software
that makes automatic inspection of
complex pattern fabrics simple by using
a self-training algorithm.
LeMur’s win came for its silicone yarn,
Muriel, which is elastic, flame-retardant,
non-toxic and light. Bonded Logic
has more than 15 years’ experience
manufacturing nonwoven products
from sustainable raw material sources.
In building and construction, Moya
Power was awarded for its Moya
sheets, which are lightweight and
flexible with filaments that generate
electricity when moved by the wind.
In clothing, Viz Reflective scooped
the gong for VizLite DT, which aims
to ensure worker safety by combining
retro-reflective and phosphorescent
technologies that offer extra protection
in low-light and dark environments.
In a new award category,
Druckprozess GmbH & Co KG and
Zschimmer & Schwarz Mohsdorf
GmbH & Co KG received an accolade
for Groundbreaking Partnership
Development. The award was made in
recognition of both companies’ work
in inkjet printing.
ITMA was the lead sponsor or the
awards, organised by World Textile
Information Network Ltd (WTiN).
For more information on the awards,
including the full list of nominees, visit
www.futurematerialsawards.com
Alberto Lucchin from Tonello (centre) accepts the Launch of the Year prize from FM Awards host Nadine Dereza and
CEMATEX president Charles Beauduin
Digital Textiles
Digital Print Comes of Age
One of the most notable features
of ITMA 2015 was its huge array of
digital textile printing technology
– indicating how this sector has
matured and expanded, even since
ITMA 2011 in Barcelona.
Around 1.2 billion metres of fabric
will be printed digitally this year
and this volume is growing at an
astonishing annual rate of around
25%. Already, the biggest single
producer nation is China. But Europe
was first in this market and remains
its focal point, with quality standards
that others strive to match.
No longer limited to luxury
fashion, strike-offs and short runs,
the technology has entered the
textile mainstream and is used in
production volumes by most of the
leading names on the high-street,
for whom it has slashed product
development times and allowed
in-season reaction to emerging
customer trends.
The latest technology can decorate
3,000 metres of fabric every hour,
switching instantly from one design
to the next, with superb detail,
The MS-LaRio was demonstrated at ITMA
bright colours and solutions for most
fibre types. Not only does digital
printing open new chapters in fabric
design; its lower energy and water
consumption and reduced waste
have been welcomed by retailers as
making a valuable contribution to
their sustainability targets.
ITMA Bulletin
Digital Textiles
SPGPrints PIKE single-pass printer
The control panel of EFI Reggiani’s flagship ReNOIR printer
It is a technology that is getting
faster and more economical.
Its workhorses are industrial
scanning-type printers, such as the
European-built Reggiani ReNOIR,
MS-JP series, Robustelli Mona Lisa
and Zimmer Colaris, challenged by
an increasing pool of manufacturers
from Japan, Korea, China and India.
Typically, each of these wide-format
machines can print around 3-500
square metres of fabric an hour,
with a printing width of 160-180cm,
or 320cm for home textiles. The
word ‘scanning’ indicates that the
print-head carriage traverses the
fabric, laying down colour as it
moves. It usually requires at least
two passes of the print head to
achieve the necessary colour depth,
so these machines are labelled
‘multi-pass’.
Quite recently, however,
competition has emerged in the
super-fast printing category known
as ‘single-pass’. Machines of this
kind have been commercially
available since 2011, when the
MS-LaRio entered the market, and
each has the potential to print
millions of metres a year. Wherever
they are installed, their effect is
to vastly increase the proportion
of production that it done
digitally rather than by traditional
screenprinting.
Single-pass printers achieve their
speed by eliminating the scanning
action. Instead they simply have a
very large number of print heads
in a static array across the whole
width of the fabric – usually one
array per colour. As industrial inkjet
print heads are sophisticated and
expensive electronic components,
speed comes at a cost – around €3
million for one of these machines.
However, this does not appear
to be a barrier. At ITMA 2015
the MS-LaRio was joined by the
SPGPrints PIKE and two further
single-pass printers were launched
but not shown there.
All these machines are competing
for sales in the space traditionally
occupied by rotary screenprinting
and the calculation of their
manufacturers is that they can
persuade major textile-printing
businesses to invest in them, either
as a substitute for their existing
plant, or as an additional capability.
The lesson to date of the digital
textile experience is that both of
these are persuasive options, given
the advantages of the technology
in turnaround times, lower inputs
(energy, water, space) and expanded
design possibilities, as well as the
‘sustainability’ message they convey
to retail and brand customers.