Textiles Review |

Textile Exchange Publishes The Final Criteria For Its New Materials Matter Standard, Marking A Pivotal Shift In Connecting Certification To Impact

2025-12-30T10:00:00+00:00

The criteria were developed over five years in close collaboration with a designated International Working Group made up of brands, retailers, suppliers, producers, NGOs, and technical specialists. Two publicly consulted drafts and a pilot version, tested in key material production regions from Peru to Italy, have helped refine the framework, alongside extensive work to ensure alignment with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems.

The first version of the Materials Matter Standard includes all materials currently covered by Textile Exchange’s Responsible Animal Fiber framework, including wool, alpaca, mohair, as well as recycled materials, as currently covered in the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claims Standard (RCS). Organic cotton, which has long been an integral part of Textile Exchange’s standards system, will continue to play a central role through a gradual transition pathway for the Organic Content Standard into the Materials Matter System. This pathway will preserve essential functions such as traceability while strengthening the system to enable more holistic, farmer-centered outcomes.

Looking ahead, Textile Exchange intends to expand the system through partnerships with credible programs that align with their shared vision for climate and nature impact. This includes exploring pathways for fibers such as cotton produced through preferred production systems and man-made cellulosic fibers. By collaborating with established partners and bringing efforts together under one framework, Textile Exchange aims to reduce duplication, ease the burden on suppliers, and enable brands to more easily source materials that deliver measurable benefits on the ground. This partnership-driven approach is designed to broaden opportunity and impact across the industry while accelerating progress for climate, nature, people, and animals.

Today, the publication of the final criteria marks the first phase of the transition. The Materials Matter Standard will become effective on December 31, 2026, meaning that sites can start to get certified, and will be mandatory from December 31, 2027. Organizations may continue using Textile Exchange’s current standards until this date to ensure a smooth shift for certified sites globally.

Ultimately, the goal of the Materials Matter Standard is to provide brands, suppliers, and producers with a credible mark that links production practices to measurable outcomes—supporting the industry’s move toward integrity and accountability at scale. To support this transition, Textile Exchange has also released the Materials Matter Claims and Labeling Policy, which guides brands in communicating certification to the Materials Matter Standard with clarity and accuracy, strengthening consumer trust and ensuring claims remain grounded and responsible.

Together, these documents form the basis of a transparent and trusted framework that provides certification users with a reliable way to substantiate the environmental and social information they share about their products. In the coming months, Textile Exchange will continue to provide its community with practical information on certification to the new standard through the release of further policies and guidance, as well as close collaboration on piloting certification procedures.

Today, the launch of the final Materials Matter Standard criteria represents a significant step toward Textile Exchange’s vision: a world where materials have lasting value, leading to thriving communities and landscapes.

Claire Bergkamp, CEO of Textile Exchange, said:

“The Materials Matter Standard is more than a certification; it’s a commitment to driving measurable impact at the very start of the supply system. By aligning expectations and outcomes across the industry, this standard accelerates progress toward climate and nature goals and ensures that sustainability becomes a shared responsibility.”

Ashley Gill, Chief Standards and Strategy Officer at Textile Exchange, said:

“The Materials Matter System strengthens integrity, reduces complexity, and connects best practices to real outcomes. By consolidating our existing standards into one system, we’re creating a clearer, more scalable pathway to systemic change across the textile and apparel industry.”

ExxonMobil, Milliken And Ravago Collaborate On High Performance PP Compounds Incorporating Recycled Content For Automotive Standard

2025-12-30T10:00:00+00:00

OEMs have interest in rPP compounds that can meet application requirements for impact resistance at various temperatures and stiffness benchmarks. Those compounds must also be designed for fast injection molding cycle times which can help address cost concerns.

Additionally, aiming to make the automotive sector circular and maximize the efficient use of resources to protect the environment, the European Commission proposed a new regulation on end-of-life vehicles (ELV) in 2023. The new rules include circular design of vehicles to facilitate removal of materials, parts and components for reuse/recycling, and mandate the use of recycled plastics in automotive applications.1

This ask seems reasonable, but the reality is that this is not easily achieved: rPP content, even when originating from ELV waste, typically struggles to meet such demanding automotive OEM specifications.

Solution

Milliken & Company and ExxonMobil have a long history of working together. As a leading supplier of transformative chemical solutions that deliver essential performance, Milliken routinely helps brands and converters balance and enhance the properties and processability of mechanically recycled polypropylene content. ExxonMobil manages a portfolio of performance products that can provide the building blocks to help meet growing global demand for essential products.

Critical automotive OEM parts, such as wheel arch, and front fascia deflectors , must meet flexural modulus (stiffness), tensile strength, and impact strength specifications, so formulations that incorporate rPP content would have to meet these physical property requirements without compromising final performance or negatively impacting the injection-molding process.

Each company brought a unique skill set to help address the challenge. The companies developed trial formulations built around Milliken’s DeltaMax® performance modifiers and ExxonMobil’s Exact™ polyolefin elastomers (POE).

The technical team conducted several compounding trials using up to 25% Exact POE enhanced with DeltaMax® and post-consumer rPP content containing approximately 15% polyethylene.

These compounds were molded into dumbbell-shaped samples, which were then tested for flexural modulus, tensile strength, impact strength at 23 °C and at –20 °C, and for melt flow rate (MFR).

Results

The test results showed a Notched Charpy impact of 50 kJ/m2 at 23°C and 4 kJ/m2 at -20°C could be achieved with a flexural modulus of approximately 900 MPa and a tensile strength significantly above the target from various OEMs — passing the first hurdle of balancing mechanical performance. The MFR was improved more than two-fold over the initial rPP content compound, which has the potential to help reduce part processing costs. This can be achieved by decreasing operating temperatures and lowering cycle time, which can lead to lower energy consumption in the manufacturing process and a lower carbon footprint of the final part.

These results come from the innovative formulation enabled by Milliken and ExxonMobil’s collaboration:

The rubber-like behavior of Exact™ POE can help improve impact strength and limit drops in stiffness compared to other impact modifiers.
DeltaMax® performance modifiers can help improve flow rate and help boost impact further over recycled PP with Exact POE through compatibilization of the matrix-rubber interface, thus helping to facilitate particle dispersion and small particle size.

Following the successful initial trial, ExxonMobil and Milliken collaborated with Ravago, one of the leading compounders and recyclers, to evaluate a new formulation designed to meet the evolving requirements of the automotive industry.

The trial featured a blend of 20% Exact POE, 1% DeltaMax® performance modifier, and Ravapura®, a compound incorporating 25% certified post-consumer recycled (PCR) content — including 6.25% ELV material — in compliance with the new EU regulations.

Benchmarked Ravapura® grade meets the new ELV content thresholds and is suited for specific applications/parts in cars. The enhanced formulation demonstrated significant performance gains:

Melt Flow Rate (MFR): Improved by 200%
Charpy Impact at Room Temperature: Increased by 660%
Charpy Impact at -30°C: Increased by 200%

Although the addition of Exact POE slightly reduces flexural modulus, it substantially enhances impact resistance — bringing performance levels close to those of virgin materials like Exceed™ Tough PP8285E1. Trial results demonstrated that the formulation delivers comparable flow and impact performance to Exceed Tough PP8285E1, under both room temperature and extreme cold conditions (-30°C). This positions the solution as a strong candidate for OEMs and compounders seeking to balance regulatory compliance, sustainability, and mechanical performance in automotive applications.

“We’re excited to see the compound that incorporates rPP achieves similar (and even exceeds) performance as virgin materials,“ said J Dow, Global Market Development Manager for Polyproplylene, Vistamaxx™ and Exact™ at ExxonMobil. “This well demonstrated the value and power of collaboration that we can unleash possibilities by working together to help our customers meet stringent regulations.”

“The creation of viable compounds that incorporate rPP content is a major win, and we’re proud to play a role in solving this challenge together with our collaborators at ExxonMobil,” added Dr. Philippe Scheerlinck, Senior Market Development Manager for Milliken’s Chemical Business.

Data from tests performed by or on behalf of ExxonMobil

EDANA Wraps Up Its Sustainability & Policy Forum 2025

2025-12-30T10:00:00+00:00

The Forum opened with a powerful keynote address by Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-Founder & Chair of the Systems Transformation Hub. Addressing the theme “Social & Environmental Tipping Points,” she challenged attendees to unpack the reality of today’s geopolitical situation and identified the “elephants in the room” regarding current sustainability strategies. Her presentation underscored the urgent need to “hack humanity and values back into our policy and economic activities” to navigate the systemic challenges of the 21st century.

Following the keynote, the conversation turned to the practicalities of business leadership under regulatory pressure. Ulrika Kolsrud, President & CEO of Essity, led a pivotal session on “Sustainability priorities in the age of simplification and competitiveness”. Joined by Murat Dogru, Kolsrud explored how the European industry can maintain its ambitious sustainability goals while simplifying regulations to foster investment and innovation. The session highlighted that while sustainability expectations are rising globally, legislation must remain proportionate to ensure the continued competitiveness of essential European industries.

The programme featured intensive sessions tackling the industry’s operational challenges, featuring a diverse roster of experts:

Moving beyond compliance was a key theme. Krishna Manda (Lenzing) and Anna- Stina Reuter (Sphera) discussed how sustainability reporting can drive business value and resilience. They were joined by Pia Hildén (Suominen), who encouraged companies to use the CSRD as a strategic tool rather than a mere obligation, and Ralf Weis (Freudenberg Performance Materials), who highlighted the importance of providing clear, relevant data to customers in the durable nonwovens market.

A panel featuring Lutz Walter (Textile ETP), Mireille Kong – Van Rekum (Indorama Ventures), and Christian-Yves Crépet (PETCORE Europe) debated the intersection of textiles and nonwovens. Their consensus was clear: circularity in Europe cannot be achieved in silos and requires shared infrastructure and aligned policy frameworks.

The afternoon sessions explored specific technical frontiers. Dominic Byrne (Plastics Europe) and Thorsten Bies (Schlegel und Partner) examined the future of chemical recycling policy and technology. Meanwhile, Tatiana Dias, PhD (DuPont), addressed the healthcare sector, advocating for the legal recognition of mass balance methodologies to unlock circularity in medical packaging

Day 1 concluded with an exclusive networking dinner at the prestigious Musée BELvue. Surrounded by Belgium’s rich history and elegant architecture, participants utilized the evening to unwind and connect, reinforcing the relationships that are vital for cross-industry collaboration.

The second day shifted focus directly to advocacy and policy implementation. Hugo Maria Schally, a former EU official, provided an insider’s perspective on the “EU Toolbox,” explaining how product policies are drafted within DG ENV and how the industry can engage effectively without compromising safety or performance.

A highlight of the event was the interactive EU Advocacy Workshop. Attendees split into smaller groups to dissect EDANA’s current policy files, fostering an open exchange on issues ranging from the Waste Framework Directive to the Single-Use Plastics Directive.

One participant noted the value of this hands-on approach:

“The advocacy workshop was an eye-opener. Instead of just listening to updates, we were able to actively debate the implications of the legislation with peers. It clarified exactly where the industry needs to present a united front to be heard in Brussels.”

In a move to bridge the gap between legislation and industry, the Forum concluded with a visit to the European Commission at the Conference Centre Albert Borschette. Participants engaged directly with Commission representatives, including Vincenzo Gente (DG Environment) on the Waste Framework Directive and Ewa Malz (DG Environment) on environmental policy simplification.

Reflecting on the visit, another attendee shared:

“Walking into the Commission and hearing directly from the people drafting the Green Deal policies was invaluable. It demystified the process and showed us that there is a genuine willingness to listen to technical realities if we present them with credible data.”

The EDANA Sustainability & Policy Forum 2025 has set a clear trajectory for the coming year. As the industry faces the release of new legislative packages from the Commission, EDANA remains committed to helping members anticipate developments and align on credible, science-based approaches to climate and circularity.

Brückner showcases Future-Proof Textile Finishing at ITMA ASIA 2025 in Singapore

2025-12-20T10:00:00+00:00

Brückner Textile Technologies is presenting German engineering expertise and energy-efficient line concepts at this year’s ITMA ASIA in Singapore. The family-run company has been a leader in customized technologies and solutions for textile equipment for over 75 years. The focus is on energy efficiency, automation, and maximum productivity.

Brückner stenter POWER-FRAME SFP-2

The new POWER-FRAME SFP-2 stenter frame generation is being presented, which is particularly attractive for finishing fabrics with a high cotton content. This machine can be used for drying and heat-setting processes, is easy to clean thanks to horizontally arranged lint screens, and features an intelligent split-flow air circulation system, a vertical circulating transport chain, and energy-efficient motors and gas burners. With this machine, Brückner offers an alternative to the high-tech POWER-FRAME SFP-4 stenter, which is efficient, requires lower investment costs, and has short delivery times.

Of course, the POWER-FRAME SFP-4 stenter, which is unmatched in terms of energy efficiency and ease of maintenance, will also be presented for challenging processes and finishing of technical textiles. Here, Brückner will introduce new features such as electricity- and hydrogen-powered heating systems and intelligent software solutions for optimizing recipes. In addition, heat-recovery and exhaust air purification systems help to save energy and comply with environmental regulations. A new feature here is a fully automatic cleaning system that significantly reduces maintenance and personnel costs. The cleaning programs are flexible and freely configurable, and production does not have to be interrupted for cleaning purposes.

Brückner relax dryer POWER-DRY PD-1

In principle, new Brückner systems can be equipped with various intelligent assistance systems on request, which help machine operators to quickly find the optimum machine settings for each process. The new ExperTex simulation tool uses artificial intelligence to simulate the desired drying or heat-setting production process on a computer. Various KPIs can then be compared with each other, e.g., throughput times, energy consumption, CO 2 footprint, and production costs. This innovative system allows for precise pre-calculation of orders, opens up productivity increases and/or energy savings, and enables “right-first-time production” by means of pre-optimized recipes. This tool and much more is available to customers in the new myBrückner customer portal. All important machine information, access to digital services, and a service system are bundled there and can be accessed at any time.

Another new product is the POWER-DRY PD-1, a completely newly developed relax and shrink dryer for finishing knitted fabrics. This dryer is suitable for both open and tubular fabrics and can be easily integrated into an existing line concept. Customers benefit from maximum evaporation capacity in the smallest possible length, optimum shrinkage values, excellent accessibility thanks to space-saving sliding doors, horizontal lint screens, low maintenance and cleaning times, and an energy-saving suction zone. The system can also be heated using a hybrid system or even CO 2-free using a high-temperature heat pump. The system has been specially designed for high-quality goods with a soft and voluminous hand, e.g., polo shirts, nightwear (interlock), single jersey T-shirts, or lining fabrics such as sweatshirts.

Customers can also look forward to a new unit in the coating sector: the OPTI-COAT 2in1 coating unit combines the advantages of floating knife and knife over cylinder, thus ensuring maximum flexibility. With a high-precision coating cylinder and a perfect ground coating knife, excellent results can be achieved for paste and foam coatings. In addition, the unit’s special design ensures optimum accessibility for cleaning and maintenance purposes.

If you would also like to benefit from these advantages or learn more about the optimization potential in your textile production, you are cordially invited to visit the Brückner team at ITMA ASIA 2025 in Singapore. In hall 7 at booth A-102, their experts will be happy to meet with you for a personal discussion and provide you with individual advice.

What to say ?

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

The country in which I live has been devastated by horrendous bush fires that has resulted in death of people and volunteer fire fighters, loss of property and decimation of forest and wild life, not to mention the loss of business and livestock. I live about 100 kms from the worst of it, but my house has been shrouded by the smoke from the fires, so that I could barely see the houses across the road- and yes that is uncomfortable- but nothing like what people have had to endure in affected areas. I refer you to an article by Jackie French in the SMH about what it has been like for people. I have friends who have lost houses , whose health has been affected by the inundation of smoke, who are still desperately preparing their properties for the onslaught of tomorrow which is predicted to bring more terrible conditions. The pain and stoicism of people is palpable. Even if you do not believe in climate change, what is exactly wrong with trying to make the planet a better place? And then there are the trolls- why in a time like this are there such negative horrible people out there ? It is like social media unleashes the worst in some people- and yet on the other hand good things come out of social media too- knowing people are safe, sending support because you know what is needed, the donations to help recovery. And people who have been dealt this blow are so incredibly brave, their stories remarkable- their sense of community so strong, their willingness to help others worthy of hero worship.

My heart blanket became more and more about the bushfires as the days went on- how we need to have empathy for people who struggle not only through disasters like this, but in their daily lives through illness or circumstance. We are a community of humans, we have to live together and to do so we need to have empathy for those who live next to us, across the road , across the city, across the sea, on the other side of the world- and we need less of the “ I am alright Jack attitude”

Background stitching is going in, with a very lightweight thread.

I am still working on the “one World” blanket although progress on it has been a bit slow- there have been distractions worrying about friends, my mum, and my country.

I seem to have acquired a rescue cat, Portia Bull’s Eye ( because of her patterning). It is lovely to have a creature here but the timing is a bit awkward, but she needed rescuing and I have missed having a cat in my life. So I will definitely need a house sitter. So if anyone is interested in living in my house for 2 months from April until June you are most welcome. Unfortunately I cannot afford to pay you ( to be perfectly honest i was a bit shocked that people get paid- I have done house sitting for nothing in the past unless people insist on paying me. )

And I have finally hung the gum leaves I created for the Aussie bush project in my windows in the lounge. I think I need to make some more for the other window as well- I quite like the effect

And I have made a new linocut of an octopus- they are such fascinating creatures and I believe the health of our sea has a lot to do with the health of our land. I will be printing this linocut on different fabrics- print measures 24 cm x 30 cm and if you are interested in purchasingemail me.

Travelling

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

It has been the longest time since I have blogged since I started blogging 19 years ago. The longer it went the less I thought I had something to share or say. I was also super busy, so busy my garden got quite neglected and it took me some time to find a house sitter to look after Portia my rescue cat. After my exhibition at Meeniyan Art Gallery finished I plunged into a round of creating for my exhibitions at Patchwork & Quilt Dagenin Rijswijk, The Hague in the Netherlands and then to Nantes for Pour l’Amour du Fil. Both were busy events. In the Netherlands I did catch up a little with family but the event was busy so I had little time to do anything.

Some new work I created for Europe:

I must admit I faced the further planned travel with a sense of trepidation or was it anxiety ? I just felt that after more than four years I might have forgotten how to travel, how to catch planes and trains and buses. My youngest daughter was with me for some of the time as she embarked on a 3 week European holiday and we traversed the continent. From Nantes we went to Paris, Venice (on the night bus a journey which I had not looked forward to but proved to be better than anticipated), Florence, Rome and Pompeii and back to Rome where I farewelled my daughter and headed onto Perugia. Venice, Florence and Rome were crazy busy and as my daughter had never been to Rome she wanted to see everything. I had been warned that Pompeii gets crazy busy but in the end it proved not too bad and though we ascended Mt Vesuvius by bus to where you get out and walk the rest of the way, I forewent that joy as it was windy and cold and looking at the incline I was not sure I would make it all the way up.

I will be staying in Perugia for two weeks and am really enjoying it thus far. I rented a small apartment downhill from the old town, but the historic centre is easy to get to with the Minimetro which stops just behind the apartment block. I have spent two days wandering, visiting the Gallery Nazionalewhich is hosting a wonderful Perugino exhibition which I will go back and see, early in the morning, before the groups of school children arrive. And I am in Madonna heaven to be honest- I have never seen so many painted madonnas in one place. I love seeing how the faces change with the fashion and techniques of the time, and the times that the face of the model starts to hold a place in the composition. I also love the Perugino exhibition because you can get close to the paintings and there is a definite development of his work until he reaches his peak, and here and there the work of contemporaries or students of his have been added into the mix. The collection of the gallery itself is also interesting with some more wonderful madonnas and a beautiful portrait by Suor Plautilla Nelli of Santa Caterina and said to be the likeness of Caterina de’ Ricci.

There is a lot of history in this city, like so many Italian towns and many of the churches date to the 15th and 16th centuries. When you walk around the old part of the city there is a sense that this city is still lived in and though there are tourists it isn’t the thousands of Rome, Florence and Venice. The food has also been very good at the two different restaurants I have tried ( although I have rented an apartment to minimise eating out costs, however could not resist the first two days and tomorrow is a farmers/ bioproduce market).

I love the poster for the bio market with its pomegranate trees and the lovely rounded shape of the tree.

The image is ofMaramao Pane & Vinwhere I had a most enjoyable meal. One thing I have noticed now that I don’t drink anymore is that so much food and eating out in France and Italy is all about the wine with the meal- these days I drink fizzy water and it does not quite feel the same.

And some images of the Perugia Historic centre.

Tifaifai- A New Book

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

The working title at present, but I am just in the process of signing a contract with Editions de Saxe to create a book about all the new Tifaifa’s I created for the new on-line course which I first ran earlier this year. Of course this means it will be published in french like most of my books. This will be my sixth book and one of these days I intend to write fiction which was my dream as a young woman. I decided to add one more project to the book which of course now has to be made yesterday rather than tomorrow and I am totally bereft of any ideas and it is too cold and wet to dye fabric today which is usually something that triggers creativity.

My morning walks have dwindled a bit as well, thoough I have recommenced as it is both good for body and soul. The little bushland reserve where I walk has a dazzling variety of fungi springing up out of the undergrowth and I am besotted by fungi and have been since childhood, I could spend hours there but it is a bit chilly at the moment , and a cold climate is not one of my favourite things.

I wish I knew more about fungi, and I am sure I have spotted some edible mushrooms- but I am not 100% sure so better to leave it. But they are really otherworldly with their delicate pleats on their undersides.

I have also become the Gallery Co-ordinator at ARC Yinnar- a pretty township about 10 minutes from Morwell where they have converted an old butter factory into an artists co-op with studios and a dedicated large gallery space, a small gallery and retail space for members to sell their creations. The co-op encompasses a wide range of artistic practices including ceramics, printmaking, scultpure, painting and drawing, some textiles, and music. It is only a part time position- very part time- but I am excited to be involved in this long standing co-op. My first exhibition to oversee is an Open Call for Entry with the Theme Close to Home. Anyone can enter an art piece- the entry fee is $12.50 for a non member or $10 for a member. The deadline is 12 June. Email me if you would like an entry form. The exhibition runs for a month and of course your work can be for sale. The gallery opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The main gallery is booked out for the rest of the year but I do have the thinking cap on for a dedicated group textile event for 2022.

I will be having an exhibition in the small gallery in October this year- it is a cosy space not without possibilities and I will be making work inspired by my morning walks and also creating a chap book ( I hope)- I have been playing with ideas for this, but for now I have to concentrate on the tifaifai book.

In thinking about creating a chap book I did a workshop with Amy Bodossianlast weekend as part of the Latrobe Literary Festival. There were only four of us in the workshop- lucky us- it was so much fun. I highly recommend her workshop ( she is doing a workshop in Melbourne- Brunswick running from June 10 on Thursday evenings there is a link on her website). I also came out with quite a lot of writing given it was a one day workshop and what a delight she is when delivering her own work. Lots of food for thought , it was the first time I had ever done a poetry workshop, and some new poets to explore to boot.

On Sunday we did a water colour workshop out at ARC Yinnar as part of the family health exhibition that is on there at present, withPolyannaR. We had a lot of fun with that as well, lots of laughter and a few water colour images made. Polyanna’s background is large scale black and white photographs and she has made one of the longest photographs around. Polyanna is also opening a small gallery in Morwell in Commercial Road and the opening will be in June with an exhibition of her works.

Been doing lots of reading about walking and writing by all new writers to me but who seem to be touching on writing and ideas i have been engaged in for the longest time . The first book ,”Wanderers” by Kerri Andrews ( reviewed here ) which is about women walkers over the centuries who wrote about walking. It is fascinating reading and I am in awe of the miles that these women covered on a daily basis and one wonders what foot wear they had available to them and what shape their feet were in after some of their longer walking tours. I am enjoying it immensely and must admit I also obtained a book by Nan Sheperd “The Living Mountain” ( written abouthere) which i also enjoyed a lot and was awed by her ability to walk so much at altitude and to write about it in such a compelling way. She walked the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland all her life.

And then completely by accident I stumbled across the work ofKate Zambrenoand I am completely absorbed. I am reading “Heroines”- loosely the lives of Vivienne Eliot, Zelda Fitzgerald, Jean Rhys, Virginia Woolf and other literary women who were considered minor (( except Virginia Woolf of course)in comparison to their more famous husbands/lovers ,who discarded them either to mental asylums or poverty where they died at relatively young ages. Entwined in these stories is her own quest to write and to find her way into a writing career. She expresses what I have felt for so many years ( I adore the writing of Jean Rhys and have read all of her books) that the patriarchy continues to control and did control the canon of writing in such a heavy booted way that it is almost criminal. I know in my uni years I felt that DH Lawrence was a mysoginist ( I read most of what he had to write and also biographies etc) and tried to prove it in an essay I wrote in English lit- it was not well received and I went on to study Australian History instead. It also loosely ties into the women writers who walked- whose writing about walking was not received in the same way as the writing about walking by men- and their writing is so different. I can’t wait to read “Drifts” her most recent book. In fact I am having to wrest myself away from reading to do some of my own writing…but but…I love a well written book.

Textile Exchange Publishes The Final Criteria For Its New Materials Matter Standard, Marking A Pivotal Shift In Connecting Certification To Impact

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

Claire Bergkamp, CEO of Textile Exchange, said:

Ashley Gill, Chief Standards and Strategy Officer at Textile Exchange, said:

Techtextil India 2025: Weaving India’s Journey Toward Global Functional Textile Leadership

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

The integration of advanced manufacturing technologies, sustainability practices, focus on circularity and innovative fibers has become a necessity. Techtextil India 2025 plays a crucial role in driving this evolution by bringing together stakeholders across the value chain, fostering dialogue on policy and technology and accelerating industry-wide transformation. This year, the show takes a significant leap forward with its multi-functional approach, integrating new features under one roof — the Dornbirn Global Fiber Conference Asia, which will be held on 18th November 2025, the launch of Sporttech Pavilion, the feature of German Pavilion and a Techtextil India conference powered by Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA). Together, these additions will enable participants to explore advanced applications of technical textiles across various sectors, including sports, automotive, defence, healthcare, construction, and sustainability.

India’s textile industry is undergoing a transformative shift driven by government reforms and industry-led innovation. Acknowledging the sector’s pivotal role in the national economy, the Ministry of Textiles has recently introduced significant amendments to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, with a focus on revitalising the man-made fiber (MMF) and technical textiles segments. The revision aims to enhance ease of doing business, attract new investments and generate employment, while aligning with the government’s broader vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

Commenting on the upcoming edition, Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, stated: “The Indian textile industry is witnessing a remarkable transformation driven by government support, technological innovation and global demand for sustainable materials. Techtextil India 2025 will not only showcase the latest in technical textiles and nonwovens but also serve as a knowledge-driven hub connecting policy with practice. Our new initiatives – the Dornbirn Global Fiber Conference Asia, Sporttech Pavilion, German Pavilion and ITTA Technical Textiles Seminar – align perfectly with the nation’s textile growth mission, enabling participants to explore next-generation materials, solutions and business collaborations. We are proud to support India’s vision of becoming a global textile powerhouse.”

The show will present credible developments in the fabrics for sports and activewear (Sporttech) category, leading to a dedicated Sporttech Pavilion organised in partnership with Concept N Strategies. A dedicated conference titled – ‘India’s activewear revolution scaling without compromise: Building a 360-degree ecosystem for premium, high-quality active wear that competes globally’ will spotlight high-performance fabrics and materials revolutionising sportswear and outdoor applications. The show will also house a conference on recycling, ‘Creating tomorrow’s circular supply chains: Technology, collaboration and capital for textiles and plastics.’

Besides these key features, the expo has seen an expansion into Mobiltech, Buildtech and Oekotech segments. Through these categories, the exhibition aims to connect manufacturers, technology providers, investors and policymakers under one unified platform to share insights, explore business opportunities and discuss the future of advanced textile materials. The event’s focus on innovation, sustainability and collaboration complements the national agenda of achieving self-reliance and global competitiveness in textiles.

The show will have the presence of key domestic industry leaders, including Aditya Birla Yarns, Khosla Profil, Park Nonwoven, Pidilite, Reliance, Welspun, Sanathan Textiles, Sarex Chemicals, and Suntech Geo. Meanwhile, the international exhibitors include ACM, Inc., Autefa Solution Germany GmbH, Bettarini & Serafini SRL, Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG, Georg Sahm GmbH & Co. KG, Innovatec Microfiber Technology GmbH & Co. KG, Procotex, Pulcra Chemicals GmbH, R&M International Sales Corporation, Reifenhäuser Enka Tecnica GmbH, Ring Maschinenbau GmbH, STC Spinnzwirn GmbH, Textechno Herbert Stein, VEIT Hong Kong Limited and Zoltek.

As high-value, sustainable and globally competitive textile production is receiving renewed focus, the synergy between government initiatives and industry platforms such as Techtextil India 2025 will continue to strengthen India’s leadership in the global textile landscape. The show has become synonymous with India’s textile ambition — weaving together innovation, collaboration and opportunity to create a more resilient, future-ready industry.

The expo has garnered support from key industry bodies, including the Manmade & Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL), Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA), Department of Textiles (Government of Maharashtra), while the Dornbirn Global Fiber Conference has garnered support from the Government of Tamil Nadu as the Partner State.

Techtextil India is part of Messe Frankfurt’s Texpertise Network.

Swedish Innovation Behind New TexChroma™ Spray Dyeing

2025-12-18T10:00:00+00:00

The TexCoat® G4 Legacy

The introduction of TexChroma follows the runaway success of BW Converting’s Texcoat G4 finishing system in the past few years.

Rick Stanford, VP global business development at Baldwin

“TexCoat G4 spray technology was developed in Sweden from our off-set printing business, and we initially focused on installing units in Europe and the USA,” explains Vice President of Global Business Development for Textiles Rick Stanford.

“In the past two years, however, we have been very active in Asia, with 35 units sold — and many of these customers have been asking for a similar technology for the dyeing process.”

The first TexChroma will be installed at the plant of a very well-known Italy-based continuous dyer which is part of a larger textile manufacturing group, in order for it to be fully industrially tested before going into series production.

“Our first customer is close by our facility in Sweden, has the practical dyehouse skills we can learn from, and is a satisfied TexCoat G4 customer,” Stanford said. “We believe a major benefit of TexChroma will be in eliminating much rework which is common in dyehouses, but we’ve been very cautious about providing details on TexChroma too early. The dyeing process is unforgiving, and we must get it right the first time. The market has been ready for quite some time. And now, so are we.”

BW Converting is at stand B201 in Hall 8 at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025.

TMAS members in Singapore

Eltex (Hall 2, stand C203) has made an important breakthrough on its EyETM tension monitoring system for the heat setting, tufting, warping and winding sectors, with the addition of electromagnetic brakes in combination with the latest advanced sensors. These enable tension variation to not only be detected, but automatically adjusted in real time during operation, rather than manually changed as previously.

The company’s ACT-R unit can further significantly reduce the selvedge yarn waste from the weft insertion systems of rapier weaving machines, while at the same time maintaining equal and steady tension across all pre-winders.

Advanced weaving control is also the bedrock of business for Vandewiele Sweden AB (Hall 2, stand D301e), which supplies weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of the leading weaving machine manufacturers, as well as for retrofitting in working mills around the world The company will present its latest X4 yarn feeders with integrated accessory displays and has recently further strengthened its product portfolio with IRO Gaugepart modules. These are applied to tufting looms to determine the appearance of a carpet in terms of feel and structure.

Finally, the colarette machines of Svegea (Hall 6, stand D109) set the standard throughout Asia for the high speed production of tubular apparel components such as cuffs, collars and neck tapes and in Singapore the company will demonstrate its EC 50 and EC 200 with E-Drive II models, in addition to linked cutting systems.