In the dynamic and global textile fiber industry with its various manufacturing processes and end-uses, news and information is breaking on a daily basis. International Fiber Journal is tracking stories relevant to our industry from manmade to natural to bio-based fibers, innovations in nonwoven, woven, braided and technical textiles, technologies for additives, bonding, coatings and polymers, and applications from apparel to hygiene to transportation, and more. Here we will post news stories relevant to textile fibers and their downstream applications on an ongoing basis. Please check back for regular updates. If you have news that you feel should be added to this summary report, please email it to Ken Norberg at ken@ifj.com.
Most recent update: November 18, 2025
New Testing Protocols for Body Armor Comfort and Mobility Assessment
DuPont announced the launch of three innovative testing protocols that set a new benchmark for evaluating the comfort and mobility of soft ballistic body armor. Developed in collaboration with independent textile research and testing institute Hohenstein, the testing methods are designed to simulate real-world movements and situations to identify discomfort levels and mobility constraints faced by law enforcement and military personnel.
Police officers often reference lack of comfort as a key reason for removing their body armor on duty. Additionally, restricted mobility leads to body fatigue, which weakens focus, slows reactions and increases the risk of injury.
“Maximizing comfort and flexibility in soft ballistic solutions is essential to address the critical needs of law enforcement and military personnel,” said Christophe Djololian, Global Market Development Leader at DuPont. “By taking into account body movement and specific end-use scenarios, we have developed solutions that more objectively evaluate discomfort and mobility constraints from the wearer’s perspective.”
Three Comfort & Mobility Tests have been developed:
- Lower Costal Bending (LCB) Test simulates upper body bending motions common in active duty, and measures energy loss due to armor stiffness, which can lead to accelerated fatigue in the field.
- Double Curvature Compression (DCC) Test replicates a bent torso to assess how well ballistic materials conform to the body’s complex curves. High conformability = enhanced freedom of movement.
- Edge Pressure (EP) Test evaluates localized pressure points at the vest edges, such as the lower abdomen, neck and arms, which are often causes of discomfort.
These test methods were developed in collaboration with Hohenstein, a German-based research institute with strong expertise in textile testing and ergonomics.
Lenzing To Invest EUR 15 Mln To Boost Premium Viscose Fiber Capacity
Lenzing AG, a producer of botanical cellulosic fibers, announced that it will invest approximately 15 million euros to expand its production capacity for premium viscose fibers at its site in Lenzing, Austria.
The investment forms part of the company’s broader 100 million euros program aimed at strengthening the long-term competitiveness of its Austrian production sites, which was recently announced.
The expansion focuses on increasing capacity for the trilobal cross-section fiber VEOCEL Viscostar, which delivers superior absorbency performance for feminine care applications.
The company said the move will help meet rising demand from key customers while maintaining high-quality standards.
ExxonMobil Signature Polymers and Partners Advance High-Performance Foamed Products with Recycled Content
ExxonMobil recently launched its new ExxonMobil Signature Polymers portfolio brand, which focuses on delivering best-in-class service and partnerships within the polymers industry. ExxonMobil Signature Polymers unifies ExxonMobil’s polyolefin products under a single brand, simplifying portfolio navigation and promoting enhanced collaboration across the value chain.
The plastics industry faces challenges when incorporating recycled content into foamed products, particularly for building and construction. Recycled materials can compromise consistency, mechanical strength, and overall product performance, making it difficult to achieve both recyclability and structural integrity. To tackle this challenge without sacrificing performance, ExxonMobil Signature Polymers led a collaborative effort with global plastics recycling systems leader EREMA, foam injection molding innovator Moxietec LLC, and top injection molding machine manufacturer Engel.
For this partnership, EREMA processed a mixed stream of recyclates – 95% PP rigids and 5% PE film – into high-quality pellets using its advanced filtration and degassing system, while Moxietec applied its innovative foam technology to create lightweight locking blocks for construction applications to ensure impact strength was maintained where conventional foaming often falls short.
ExxonMobil Signature Polymers contributed Vistamaxx™ performance polymers to enhance the mechanical properties of the foamed products:
Vistamaxx™ 3020 – Boosted foam impact strength by approximately 10% over EREMA foam alone.
Vistamaxx™ 6102 – delivered an even greater enhancement of around 17%, making it the preferred choice for the final formulation.
Engel brought these elements together by integrating recycled materials and foaming technology into its injection molding systems to produce thick-walled foamed blocks. Designed for the building and construction industry, these blocks offer flexibility for single walls, double walls, and corner structures, combining durability with strength and design versatility.
Dart drop impact testing showed a 10% improvement in impact strength over conventional solid parts.
Final foamed parts were approximately 30% lighter than conventional solid parts.
The addition of Vistamaxx™ polymers further enhanced toughness and impact resistance.
Foam exhibited a fine, uniform cellular structure, with no compromise from polymer additions.
By leveraging complementary expertise across the value chain, this partnership demonstrates the ability to deliver innovative foamed solutions that meet demanding performance requirements and optimize material use.
Archroma Awarded EcoVadis Gold Rating
Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, has been awarded a Gold rating by EcoVadis for the second consecutive year. This places Archroma in the top 5% of more than 150,000 companies assessed globally across 150 countries and 250 industries.
EcoVadis, the leading provider in business sustainability ratings, evaluates companies against stringent criteria covering environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. The Gold rating reflects Archroma’s continued progress in integrating sustainability across its operations and value chain.
Rajiv Sharma, CEO, Archroma, said: “As a company built on sustainable innovation, this recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to lead with purpose. Our strategy – from innovations to operational excellence – is centered on delivering measurable impact and long-term value for our customers, communities, and the planet.”
In a further step towards transparent ESG reporting, Archroma has recently completed a double materiality assessment under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This assessment considers how sustainability risks and opportunities affect Archroma’s business and how our operations impact the environment and society. The insights gathered will guide the company’s future sustainability strategy and will be publicly disclosed in the FY2025 Sustainability Report.
Toray Develops Recycling Technology that Retains Carbon Fiber Strength
Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has developed a recycling technology that can decompose diverse carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) made from thermosetting resins while retaining the strength and surface quality of those fibers. The company drew on this technology to create a nonwoven fabric employing recycled carbon fibers.
Toray has started providing prototype samples to customers with a view to them developing performance and decorative materials for diverse applications, such as automobiles, construction, electricals and electronics, and daily necessities. The company will push ahead with technical assessments matching customer needs.
CFRP applications include aircraft and wind turbines. Chemical recycling as a reducing agent in steel furnaces is gaining traction for recycling CFRP. Technologies are emerging pyrolyzing waste CFRP at high temperatures to recover and reuse fibers, with the market expanding particularly for injection molding applications. To broaden applications, there is a need for technology that can suppress thermal damage to recycled carbon fibers and control resin residue and that can be applied to diverse types of waste CFRP.
Toray applied its accumulated expertise in organic synthesis and polymer polymerization to innovate a decomposition agent that breaks down degradation-resistant, three-dimensionally crosslinked thermosetting resins at lower temperatures than conventional methods. The company used this agent to decompose CFRP waste from aircraft, wind turbines, automobiles, and other sources. The recycled carbon fiber from this process retains over 95% of the single-fiber tensile strength of petroleum-derived virgin carbon fiber. Toray expects carbon dioxide emissions from this technology to be less than half those from manufacturing virgin carbon fiber.
Freudenberg Launches Unique Binder-Free PLA/Wood Pulp Wetlaid Nonwovens
With its new 100% bio-based PLA/wood pulp materials that use no chemical binder, Freudenberg Performance Materials has achieved a technological breakthrough with sustainability benefits. These innovative materials combine the advantages of both components, addressing the needs of specific segments within plant propagation systems, packaging, filtration, apparel and healthcare.
Freudenberg’s innovation lies in combining the water absorption and biodegradability characteristics of wood pulp with the high strength and hot sealability of PLA. The entire product is 100% bio-based and binder-free.
This unique combination is achieved using the wetlaid process. It represents a technological breakthrough compared to conventional PLA nonwovens, which are made using spunlaid technology. While spunlaid nonwovens can only be produced from polymeric raw materials, wetlaid nonwovens can be manufactured with a mix of polymeric and non-polymeric materials.
These innovative PLA-based wetlaid nonwovens have a variety of applications in markets such as horticulture, packaging, filtration and healthcare.
Francois Guetat Joins Suominen as COO
Suominen has appointed Francois Guetat, M.Eng., as Chief Operating Officer, and member of Suominen Leadership Team effective November 3, 2025.
Francois Guetat brings over two decades of global experience in operations, supply chain, and manufacturing excellence. Most recently, he served as SVP of Integrated Supply Chain at Kalmar, where he led business across sourcing, manufacturing, logistics and strategy. His leadership has been shaped by 22 years at Volvo, where he held key roles in Sweden, USA, and Poland.
“I’m pleased to welcome Francois to our team. He has consistently driven results through transformational programs, systematic continuous improvement deployment, strong commitment to total quality, safety and sustainability, and great people leadership skills”, says Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Suominen.
Suominen’s Chief Operating Officer Darryl Fournier has decided to leave the company to pursue other professional endeavors. He will continue with Suominen until end of January 2026, focusing on strategic projects.
Chryso Launches Synthetic Fibers for Concrete Reinforcement
Chryso, a global leader in sustainable construction solutions and part of Saint-Gobain Construction Chemicals, recently announced the launch of the Adfil®Strux 3000 Series, a new line of macro synthetic fibers.
The portfolio debuts with two products – Adfil®Strux 3040 and Adfil®Strux 3032 – both designed to deliver consistent 3D reinforcement across a wide range of applications including slab-on-ground, precast, elevated decks, and tunnel linings.
Their flat-packed puck format nearly triples pallet storage capacity, improves transportation efficiency, and simplifies handling, all while ensuring uniform 3-dimensional reinforcement with no risk of corrosion.
The Adfil®Strux 3000 Series introduces new advancements paired with proven high-performance reinforcement features:
New Features Specific to the Strux 3000 Series:
- Achieve better finishability and smoother surfaces, ideal for slab-on-ground, precast, elevated decks, and tunnel linings.
- Cut packaging waste and landfill impact with fully box-free pucks, while nearly tripling concrete coverage per pallet to lower freight emissions and maximize resource efficiency.
- Support sustainability goals by significantly reducing the CO₂ footprint compared to steel reinforcement.
Ahlstrom Launches Flame-Retardant Paper
Ahlstrom, a global leader in fiber-based specialty materials, has introduced a new flame-retardant paper enhanced with Flame-Gard™ technology —engineered to meet the demanding fire safety and durability needs of spray-painting booths and industrial workshops.
Certain versions of this specialty paper can serve as protective coverings for walls, ceilings, and floors in workshop environments while others can be converted into filter components for spray painting booths—each tailored to meet the specific demands of their application. When exposed to fire, the paper chars without combusting and self-extinguishes once the flame source is removed, offering a critical layer of safety in high-risk areas.
Beyond its flame-retardant properties, the paper delivers excellent mechanical strength and dimensional stability, helping maintain surface integrity during installation and use. It also achieves a rare balance between high flame resistance and low water absorption—making it ideal for environments where moisture and overspray are common.
Indorama Ventures launches Skin-Friendly Range of PET Fibers, Filament Yarns
Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, recently launched a new skin-friendly range of PET fibers and filament yarns for apparel, tested against 17 harmful chemicals and certified to standards like OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, DIN EN 71-3, and ISO 17294-2.
Under the product brand deja™ Care, the company uses more environmentally friendly chemicals during the PET polymerization process. That enables customers and brand owners to offer skin-sensitive solutions like certified maternity wear, underwear, infant and children’s wear, school uniforms, or simply essential fashion that touches consumers’ skin every day.
All deja Care fibers and yarns are manufactured in fully integrated, in-house facilities in Asia, ensuring end-to-end control and traceability. Having already proven their performance in hygiene applications like baby wipes & diapers, these products now offer apparel brands a clear path towards responsible fashion. Fabric makers also benefit from cleaner, thus less polluting wastewater and lower sludge generation and disposal during fabric manufacturing. That supports more eco-friendly production practices.
New American Fabric Seeks Partner for Breakthrough Antimicrobial Textile Technology
After years of collaborative research and more than $300,000 in grant funding and institutional support, New American Fabric (NAF), a Texas Tech University startup comprised of textile and antimicrobial researchers, announced the successful laboratory-development of a next-generation organo-selenium finishing compound for cotton and other natural fibers.
The technology now moves from the laboratory to the marketplace, and the team is seeking a commercialization partner to license and scale the innovation for consumer textile applications.
Developed through a partnership between Dr. Noureddine Abidi, Interim Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation and Managing Director of the Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute, and Dr. Ted Reid, a National Academy of Inventors (NAI) senior member and internationally recognized expert in selenium chemistry, the compound represents a major advance in durable, cost-effective antimicrobial textiles.
The finishing compound is applied using standard textile-finishing equipment and processes, enabling seamless integration into existing cotton textiles finishing lines. Once cured, the treatment demonstrates robust antimicrobial performance comparable to AATCC100 standards in laboratory settings, providing long-lasting protection against odor- and infection-causing microbes.
Unlike conventional silver-based antimicrobial treatments, which carry high material costs, this organo-selenium finish delivers a superior level of performance at a fraction of the cost. The selenium compound establishes covalent chemical bonds to cellulose in cotton fibers, therefore avoiding the issues of leaching and staining associated with silver, ensuring durability through laundering and wear.
