Rassegna Stampa Olimpias
Transcription
Rassegna Stampa Olimpias
Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 SOMMARIO Olimpias • • 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 Gentile utente, non ci sono aggiornamenti in questa sezione della rassegna 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 Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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 Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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». Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 “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? Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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/ Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 Competitor Gentile utente, non ci sono aggiornamenti in questa sezione della rassegna stampa Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias • 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 "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. Wabi comunicazione d’impresa Rassegna Stampa Olimpias Settimana 16: 22-04-2016 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: [email protected] 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.