FIBER INNOVATION: AT THE BEGINNING – RAW MATERIALS

 

 

 

Moderator, Karla Magruder presided over a fascinating Green raw materials panel discussion on July 19th at Texworld. With a focus on fiber innovations, the topics ranged from accountability to an interesting demonstration by Martex of how recycled fabric is reprocessed into new fibers.

Lensing, the makers of Tencel and Model, has developed an amazing new fiber they call TencelC. It is made from crab shells, of all things, and apparently has wonderful healing and soothing properties. The medical and Beauty markets use the fiber because it is beneficial to the skin. Now fabric textiles are being developed, for now, primarily in the intimate apparel area where the fabrics come into direct contact with the skin. Should be interesting to follow and see how this innovative fiber makes it’s way into other markets!

For the huge global Polyester market, Unify creates REPREVE a 100% recycled Polyester yarn.  Unify is serious about accountability. They place a tracer in the raw material, for instance, so their fibers can be tracked along the manufacturing and recycling process.

Independent certification organizations such as SCS have become an important part of the accountability and transparency policies of any company taking a Green road… and that goes a long way to both educating the customers and building real trust in the marketplace.

It’s great to see these large vertical industries taking big steps and investing in a green process.  One takeaway for me was that these companies see sustainability is a great business opportunity as well — one that can only be sustained with transparency, accountability and innovation.

Neville Bean teaches SXC 100 Color Theory and Culture, SXC 110 Color Discovery Interactive Workshop, and SXF 700 Demystifying Fashion Forecasting.