SHOW CHANGE
Techtextil N. America, Texprocess Americas to change cycles
(Posted March 1, 2021)
LEGISLATION
Reps. McHenry, Pascrell introduce American PPE Integrity Act
(Posted March 4, 2021)
ACQUISITION
Milliken & Company buys Germany-based Zebra-chem
(Posted March 4, 2021)
AATCC
Annual event name changed Textile Discovery Summit
(Posted March 3, 2021)
New format for spring committee meetings announced
(Posted March 3, 2021)
INDA
Board of Directors welcomes seven new members
(Posted March 3, 2021)
GERBER TECH
Fashion industry prepped for success with software updates
(Posted March 3, 2021)
FABRICS
Bally Ribbon Mills unveils line of advanced textile products
(Posted March 4, 2021)
BEDDING
Soft-Tex International introduces lines for Home Textiles Week
(Posted March 4, 2021)
UPCYCLING
Herman Miller introduces sustainable line from plastics
(Posted March 4, 2021)
COMMODITIES
Global Impex releases weekly cotton report
(Posted March 3, 2021)
ITMA 2023
Application process for exhibition space opens
(Posted March 3, 2021)
GOTS
Certifications reach five figures in 2020 for first time
(Posted March 4, 2021)
COATS
Sustainability Report raises ambitions for pioneering future
(Posted March 4, 2021)
HOHENSTEIN
Entity is only one of a few labs accredited to test textiles for GMO
(Posted March 3, 2021)
Precise digital material parameters key to realistic 3D simulation
(Posted March 4, 2021)
PEOPLE
Millinor named Valdese Weavers president; Shelton to retire later
(Posted March 4, 2021)
Milliken & Co. Textile Division adds Ballenger as director
(Posted March 4, 2021)
OERLIKON
OEM aims for climate neutrality by 2030: Sustainability Report
(Posted March 4, 2021)
USTER
Upgraded yarn clearer offers security, prevention, flexibility
(Posted March 4, 2021)
REMEMBRANCE
Accel Lifestyle reps participate in living memorial for COVID victims
(Posted March 4, 2021)
WEB EVENT
World Congress on Textile Coating highlights sustainability, more
(Posted March 4, 2021)
TRADE FAIR
JEC World composites show postponed until March 2022
(Posted March 4, 2021)
BCF SUPPLIER
Integrated Fiber Solutions to invest $30M in Georgia
(Posted February 25, 2021)
GROWING
Eastex relocates to accommodate rapid growth, additional PPE
(Posted February 24, 2021)
STARTUP
TreeToTextile builds demonstration plant for sustainable textile fiber
(Posted February 25, 2021)
NCTO
Council sends letter supporting USTR nominee Tai
(Posted February 22, 2021)
ECO-FRIENDLY
Elevate Textiles joins Sustainable Apparel Coalition
(Posted February 25, 2021)
ETHICAL HONOR
Milliken & Co. makes global list for 15th straight year
(Posted February 24, 2021)
HanesBrands makes list of World’s Most Ethical Companies
(Posted February 24, 2021)
YARN DEAL
Barnet, The Filament Factory form partnership for distribution
(Posted February 24, 2021)
PEOPLE
Milliken adds Benji Bagwell as VP in Textile Division
(Posted February 24, 2021)
MMI Textiles hires industry vet Zeledon as director of quality
(Posted February 24, 2021)
DUPONT
Sorona® unveils brand website, customer portal
(Posted February 25, 2021)
DENIM
Lenzing unveils TENCEL™ Modal fiber with Indigo Color technology
(Posted February 25, 2021)
FUTURES
Global Impex USA releases weekly commodities report
(Posted February 22, 2021)
AAFA
Extension of tariff exemptions on Chinese PPE imports requested
(Posted February 25, 2021)

BUILDING A ‘HEMPIRE?’
Bear Fiber on leading edge of creating U.S. hemp fiber value chain
A North Carolina company is on the leading edge of helping build a hemp farm-to-fiber-to-finished good value chain in America. Bear Fiber was created in Wilmington, N.C., by one of the world’s preeminent authorities in the hemp field, Guy Carpenter, who brought decades of experience working with the fiber around the globe and understanding the benefits brands and consumers are interested in.
Along with hemp subject matter expert and business partner Patrique Veille, he co-founded the company in 2017 in order to “be on the forefront of hemp fiber engineering to yarns and textiles and consumer products,” Carpenter said. “We want to be a reliable supplier of consistent hemp fiber in multiple grades to the spinning industry.”

Unifi execs extol virtues of REPREVE® brand
Jay Hertwig, senior vice president of Commercialization at Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., presented “The REPREVE® Difference” during an Outdoor Retailer webinar last week.
Unifi’s REPREVE brand is a performance fiber made from 100 percent recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste. They are also certified and traceable.
Since the brand’s launch, the Greensboro, N.C., company has transformed more than 20 billion bottles into REPREVE fibers, Hertwig said. Starting with two brands – Patagonia and Polartec – in 2007, Unifi now has more than 700 brand and retail partners using the product globally, he added.

Experts: CBP’s import suspension may bode well for W. Hemisphere
Last week, the Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) hosted its latest Fireside Chat, “Traceability and Transparency” that covered the recent issuance of a Withhold Release Order (WRO) by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP).
The WRO pertains to all merchandise containing cotton or cotton products from Xinjiang, and the impact this will have on trade to and within the Western Hemisphere.
Subject matter experts included Nicole Bivens Collinson, president of International Trade & Government Relations at Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., and Chuck Rogers, Americas director of Technical Consulting & Supply Chain Solutions at Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services. They both explained the reasons the recent ruling could offer competitive advantages in this hemisphere for those entities that put in place the right tools to increase visibility and measure supply chain practices.

Contempora Fabrics: TS Designs’ latest stop on supply chain tour
Part 4 of TS Designs’ supply chain journey occurred this week, when company founder and President Eric Henry stopped at circular knitting partner Contempora Fabrics in Lumberton, N.C.
As part of the company’s 10,000 Pounds of Cotton initiative, launched late last year, Henry is putting to action words that he speaks frequently – that is, having a transparent, traceable and local supply chain. This week’s iteration of TS Designs’ webinar series, “The Harvest: A Gathering of Conversations for the Future of Cotton,” featured Alex Whitley, Contempora Fabrics’ vice president of sales.

STA remains virtual (but valuable) to members as 2021 cranks up
The Southern Textile Association (STA) remained “virtual” in 2021 while remaining valuable to its 500+ members through its educational, information and networking events.
The latest was its annual Winter Technical Seminar, with one speaker presenting each day last week as part of the STA’s Lunch & Learn Series.
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