California Apparel News

Dyntex, a developer and manufacturer of functional materials in Austria, has brought its first functional textiles made from recycled car tires to the market. Dyntex recovers a polyamide polymer from old tires using its thermochemical process to turn the polymer into fine yarn, which is then processed and used to make an ultra-light functional fabric. The recycled fabrics meet the same standards as fabrics made from newly produced polyamide, and the ultra-light aspect makes the textiles ideal for sportswear, lifestyle and workwear fashions. Dyntex originally put its first functional textiles made from biosynthetic yarn and biodegradable fabric on the market in 2020. “Our sustainable, functional textiles caused a commotion in the industry two years ago. Our collection that uses recycled car tires as a base material is going to be another milestone,” said Alexander Gächter, head of sales at Dyntex.

Lucidworks recently surveyed customers who shop for apparel in the United States and the United Kingdom and found respondents observed a noticeable increase in “out-of-stock” messages during the pandemic but were open to relevant substitutions that matched their taste, preferred fit and price range. Some 76 percent of shoppers said they would sometimes or always buy a substitute but weren’t always offered relevant substitutions, leading shoppers to a “no results” page, meaning they were leaving without purchasing anything. Nearly a quarter of shoppers said that even though they would shop for substitutes they would still like to know and are willing to wait for the item they actually wanted. The survey also said that proactive messaging and notifications, such as notifying when an item will be back in stock or alerting when an item is low in stock, can be effective ways to ensure shoppers can get what they want.

Product Innovation Apparel has revealed the agenda for its upcoming PI Apparel New York show, set to be held June 28–29 at The Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. PI Apparel New York will bring together leaders in the fashion, apparel and footwear industries to discuss digitization, scaling assets, sustainability and innovation strategy in an effort to advance digital-product creation. Attendees will be able to browse a floor of exhibitors as well as attend a variety of panel discussions and speeches on different topics in the digital space. The metaverse and digital products will be a hot topic at the event with such key speeches as “The Metaverse: Why the Fashion Industry Should Care and Fashion 2025: The Year Physical Clothing Becomes Obsolete” further explaining the capabilities the technology has in the apparel industry.

Archroma has launched its first-ever ready-to-use swatch book dedicated to creating sustainable black and dark-color basics for faster time to market to support its Deep Dive 2.0 system. The system results in a shorter dyeing process combining right-first-time productivity, improved fabric quality, and reduced water and energy utilization resulting in up to 31 percent less water usage and 34 percent less energy used. The new swatch book is meant to be a tool to help bridge the gap between “art and science” and help designers avoid issues with color that lead to lengthy delays and compromises in function, performance and/or color. Medium to dark shades are popular with consumers, so the 48 shades swatched in the Deep Dive 2.0 book have been selected based on that information. Customers can use the colors as presented or as inspiration, whereby Archroma can create and match new customer colors using the system.

Future Fabrics Expo has announced the exhibitors for the 10th Future Fabrics Expo held at Magazine London June 28–29. Attendees will be able to see and source a variety of traceable yarns, sustainable initiatives and best-practices suppliers as well as explore emerging innovations in the textile and fabric space. Fabrics on display include regenerative agricultural farming systems; alternative skin materials; regenerated cellulosics; recycled textiles, both natural and synthetic; textiles from pre- and post-consumer waste: organic cottons; low-impact wools and animal fibers; sustainable silks, linens and bast fibers; responsibly produced leather; innovations from mycelium and next-gen viscose; and fabric for small-order quantities. Core exhibitors include UPW, Bananatex, Recyctex, Bossa, Imbotex, Nova Kaeru and Clerici Tessuto.

Green Theme Technologies has launched EMPEL DSR with PFAS-free chemistry that provides durable stain protection across a wide range of textiles. Researchers applied stains such as mustard, red wine and coffee on polyester and acrylic fabrics and let them sit for 24 hours. After a laundry cycle, the post-laundry scores showed excellent results following the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ 130 stain standards. EMPEL DSR encapsulates each fiber in a yarn with a protective polymer that prevents stains contacting the fibers. The stains are actually more easily released in a cold-water laundry cycle. EMPEL DSR was certified by OEKO-TEX for general environmental safety and as PFAS-free by Bureau Veritas.

Noble Biomaterials has announced the launch of its latest collection, Wash Minus-, in partnership with Hong Kong–based Crystal International Group Limited. Crystal Denim, the international division leading the collaboration, uses Noble’s Ionic+ Durable antimicrobial solution at denim’s finishing stage. Wash Minus- aims to educate consumers on the power of antimicrobials by reducing water consumption. Applying the topical form of Ionic+ to denim reduces the need for frequent washing and saves energy and other natural resources while increasing the life of the fabric.

Tiare Hawaii launched its first sustainable collection on Earth Day 2022, Tiare Hawaii Naturals. The collection features products made with fibers created from banana, bamboo, eucalyptus, pineapple and mulberry-bark silk, resulting in soft, natural and breathable pieces. Piña, a textile fiber created from pineapples, provides a delicate but durable fiber that gives off vibrant colors. Mulberry silk is a 100 percent natural vegan silk that does not involve the use of silkworms to make the fabric. The resulting products are plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free and organic. All of the packaging is made from biodegradable materials—even the hangtags—to help others see sustainability in action as well as reduce waste.