Meeting the sustainability challenge with sustainable innovation
This year’s Dornbirn Man-Made Fibers Congress attracted around 720 participants from 34 countries.
By Geoff Fisher, European Editor
Innovation remains the “DNA” of the Dornbirn Man-Made Fibers Congress, which has taken place for the past 55 years in the city of Dornbirn in the Vorarlberg region of Austria.
This year’s event attracted around 720 participants from 34 countries and
Technical textiles market forecast to grow rapidly
By Geoff Fisher, European Editor
Sportswear that can measure heart rate and other performance metrics, and jackets that can control a smartphone are at the cutting edge of the burgeoning wearables sector. With a focus on technology, design and function, this trend is placing new demands on fabric makers developing e-textiles and other smart garments.
But the growing field of high-tech textiles does not solely involve integrating electronics into yarns and fabrics to produce trendy apparel; technical textiles are offering solutions in a wide range of end-uses using innovative yarns, fabric constructions and finishes.
Trade shows and exhibitions for 2016
Following the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt in May, and November’s ITMA 2015 textile machinery event in Milan, 2016 appears to be a relatively quiet year in the trade show, conference and exhibition calendar. However, for companies and organizations involved in the manmade fiber, nonwovens and technical textiles sectors there is still a myriad of global events focused on these sectors where delegates and visitors – and exhibitors – can top up their air miles.
Chinese coated fabric producer signs up to Covestro partner program
Chinese polyurethane (PU) coated fabric producer Kunshan Xiefu New Material has teamed up with polymer materials supplier Covestro (formerly Bayer Materials Science) by signing up to its Insqin Partner Manufacturer Program.
The two companies will now collaborate to promote sustainable PU materials in such sectors as fashion apparel and footwear, as well as technical textiles, including automotive interior materials.
Call for rational decisions on investment and overcapacity
By Geoff Fisher, European Editor
Europe’s manmade fiber industry leaders have called on their Chinese counterparts to base future investment decisions on rational economics and reduce senseless overcapacities, especially in polyester fibers.
Addressing the 54th Dornbirn Man-Made Fibers Congress held in Dornbirn, Austria, in September, Heinz Meierkord, president of CIRFS, the European Man-Made Fibres Association, described how Chinese overcapacity represented 25% of global polyester fiber capacity in 2015.