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3. Futuristic Twisting
Futuristic Twisting
Twisting Solutions
Twisting Solutions
Textiles
Textiles
FIBC Threads
Belting Fabrics
Dipped Cords
Geo Textiles
Bullet Proof Jackets
direct twisting +
precision winding
Tapes / Twines / Multifilament
Meera Industries USA, LLC
209, Swathmore Ave, High Point
NC, USA 27263
Meera Industries Limited
2126, Road No.2, GIDC, Sachin, Surat
394230 Gujarat, INDIA
+91 98795 97041 | sales@meeraind.com | www.meeraind.com

6. For QUALITY Products from Europe and EFFICIENT Services in India
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We represent in India the following Textile Machinery & Accessories manufacturers for
Technical Textiles :
LACOM GmbH, Germany : Hotmelt Laminating and Coating Systems – Multi
Purpose, Multi Roller, Gravure Roller and Slot Die for complete range of
Technical Textiles (Website: www.lacom-online.de)
MORCHEM S.A.U., Spain : PUR Hotmelt Adhesives for Technical Textiles, Solvent
Based, Water Based adhesives, cleaners and primers. (Website:
https://www.morchem.com/markets-and-solutions/textile-lamination/ )
Fibres, Waste Recycling & Nonwovens :
Margasa, Spain: Textile Hard Waste Recycling Lines -complete with preparation,
cutting, Storage, feeding, tearing, filtration and fiber packing. Peripheral
equipment, for nonwovens waste. Complete lines for “Airlay Nonwovens” with
thermo or resin bonding. Cotton Waste Cleaning Lines.
(Website: http://www.margasa.com)
FARE' S.p.A., Italy : Complete Lines for Spunbond / Meltblown nonwoven
products /complete line to produce all type of fibers including mono and
bicomponent including PET and PET fibers. Machines for producing Tapes and
Rafia (website : www.farespa.com)
Conventional :
Mariplast Spa, Italy : All type of Yarn Carriers for spun and filament yarns -
Cylindrical Tubes, Roving Bobbins, Ring Frame Bobbins, Cones and one time use
and Reusable Dye Tubes (Website: www.mariplast.com)
C + L Textilmaschinen GmbH, Germany : Reeling (Yarn Hank Forming) Machines,
steaming, Bulking and Banding Machines for yarns ( Rep.for Western and
Southern India) (Website: www.croon-lucke.com)
Contact : ASTRA TECH INDIA E-mail : info@astratech.co.in Website: www.astratechindia.co.in
Contact Person : Mr. Hemant Dantkale
Mobile : 98201 06018 Phone No.: 022-28516018 E-mail : hdantkale@astratech.co.in
HEAD OFFICE:
406, “Kaveri” Jagannath Mandir Marg, Opp. Holiday Inn, Near Sakinaka Metro Station,
Mumbai–400 072
Regd.Office:
B-404, Monarch Manor, 90 Feet Road, Dsouza Nagar, Kurla (West), MUMBAI – 400 072
Branch Office : Coimbatore : email: Coimbatore@astratech.co.in

7. COMING SOON
SSMS
PRODUCTION LINE

9. CONTENTS
ADVERTISER INDEX
COVER STORY
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
Back Page: Raymond
Back Inside: Raysil
Front Inside: Rimtex
Page 3: Meera Industries
Page 4: Colorjet
Page 5: LRT
Page 6: Astra Tech
Page 7: Sidwin Fabric
Page 8: Liva
Page 69: Savio
START-UP FOCUS
MANUFACTURING FOCUS
EXPORT FOCUS
FASHION FOCUS
9
RETAIL FOCUS
11 PIVOTAL:Innovative Strategic Relook at
Multiple Fibres - Mr. Suresh Kotak
14 Organic Cotton: A Sustainable Solution for
the Fashion Industry - Ms. Somasree Roy
16 Orange Fiber: The Fabric From Fruit- Ms. Annu
Jain
18 Clothing from Vegan Wool Fibres - Dr. N.N.
Mahapatra
21 Sustainable Fabrics to Transform the Fashion
Industry for Good
30 How Spinning And Recycling Go To-
gether At BB Engineering
PROCESSING FOCUS
37 Indian Stock Market Entering a New Era with
Start-ups Listing in Domestic Market
3910 Essential Skills to Become a Successful En-
trepreneur
41 Role Of Textile Smes In Achieving The Target
Of US $1 Trillion In Merchandise Exports -
Dr. Jagat Shah
28 Sustainability Via Innovation Is Huntsman’s
Major Focus
EVENT CALENDAR
23 Branding: The Main Component Of Textile In-
dustry - Dr. Sudha Anand
26 Signs Of Demand For Textile Industry Picking
Up: Rathi Laxmikant
INTERVIEW
32 Caustic Circularity-A Game Changer for The
Textile Industry - Mr. Vinay Patil
34 Hurdles and Roadmaps for the Manufactur-
ing Industry
SME FOCUS
36
Why Exclusive Emphasis On Manufacturing
Firms In MSME Sector Is Imperative To Trans-
form Indian Economy - Mr. Ronak Chiripal
STOCK MARKET
68Show calendar
43 Digital Fashion Trends and Avatars: The New
Era of Fashion
45Mexico’s Sustainable Fashion
POST EVENT REPORT
47Predictions 2021: How Vcom Can Change
Shoppers Behaviour
48ITAMMA Accepts New Normal Digitalized
World to overcome COVID
53Conference On Export And Market Opportu-
nities For Ichalkaranji Cluster
59Asian Textile Fibre Prices Move Higher In Oc-
tober
61Surge in Home Textile Imports of India
60MMF- Trade statistics
India’s Textile Machinery Imports Witnessed a
Hike
64
Natural Fibers Report
66
MARKET REPORT
Page 72: Sitex
Page 73: Yarn Expo Turkey
Page 74: Trutzschler
Page 75: Amritlakshmi
Page 76: Unitech
Page 77: Bishnu Texport
Page 78: Omax Cotspin
Page 70: Non Woven Tech
Page 71: Yarn Expo

10. JIGNA SHAH
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
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EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
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EDITORIAL TEAM
10
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
The Planet environment changes are affecting the health
of the population of the world; this is impacting the econ-
omy and the way of doing business worldwide, this is im-
pacting socio-cultural changes, overall affecting human
life. There are many “New Normal” that have come ear-
lier and more will come, and business will change its dy-
namics from time to time. As humans we need to change
and upgrade ourselves at all stages of life.
Economy comprises 3 business activities ie. Manufactur-
ing, Trading, Services.All the 3 businesses have their own
importance and can’t exist without one another. World is
becoming digital where integration of all 3 is very im-
portant. Manufacturing industries have a power, as they
have more capital investment in machinery, infrastruc-
ture, manpower and many more; Technical knowledge
requirement is of prime importance in manufacturing.
Today many corporates are outsourcing manufacturing
to SMES/clusters units and Corporates are mainly fo-
cusing on branding since that is a major tool to sell and
position a product in the market. Corporate Manufactur-
ing industry indirectly moving towards trading who are
focusing on selling the products brands through different
marketing channels. Common Facility Center for manu-
facturing is the new normal for Industry where SME /
Cluster based manufacturing units can take advantage
of the same. Trading in manufacturing function ie. con-
tract based manufacturing where the company is making
some other company products exists for marketing and
branding which only sells the products. Trading busi-
ness is done by individual entrepreneurs / self employed
who sell the manufactured product to domestic market
or international market , and marketing and sales intel-
ligence is required in trading business. Service industry
is the service requirement to run manufacturing and
trading industry of all business functions, service needs
more human touch, healing power and marketing skills.
Today, the Digital Era, where new Trading platforms cre-
ate a lot of marketing and selling opportunities and cre-
ated by online markets, manufacturers are increasingly
dependent on new channels, online platforms and many
more. Online platforms have their shares but currently it
is less than 10% on buying habits. Major chunk of busi-
ness is offline buying, and many online platforms are
also reversing their value chain by having physical stores
like nykka, chumbak and many more. Online Platforms
which are purely service oriented, timely distribution is
the most important key.
Industry dynamics are changing , so we are… !!!
E D I T O R I A L
Manufacturing
and
Brand Power
CREATIVE DESIGNER
Ms. Manali Bhanushali
CONTENT WRITER
Ms. Somasree Roy
ADVISOR - EDITORIAL & MARKETING
Mr. Samuel Joseph

11. 11
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
PIVOTAL:
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIC RELOOK
AT MULTIPLE FIBRES
The reimagining the Global Textile In-
dustry and the opportunities for India
is timely and also critical. It is also im-
perative for us to assess and think in
this direction right away. We must get
into the state of sufficient and efficient
desire for excellence and get our right-
ful place in the global participation
prominently.
The government has rightly initiated
multi measures from all directions to
enable and empower this industry to
come up to global standards and be-
come a vital part of International tex-
tile chain with pre dominance.
The aim is to become alternative sup-
plier to cater to the global requirements
in terms of reach out, capacity building
and meeting global competition in tex-
tiles.
Various measures are in the direction
of positive initiations and encourage-
ment - technological upgradation, in-
frastructure scaling, adding and im-
provisations. It also addresses the skill
deficiencies and emerging environmen-
tal cautions, sustainable requirements
and adaptation to emerging world after
Corona pandemic.
The emerging geo political and environ-
mental requirements have been also
conducive for changing the dynamics of
Indian Textile Industry.
Very aptly and appropriately the tex-
tile community and the government
are thinking harmoniously to give total
uplift to the textile industry and make
it viable and acquire a significant sup-
plier role of textiles in the global con-
text. The new textile policy is also in
the wings.
Production Link Incentivization (PLI)
Augments Efficient Diversified Textile
Products
We have now significant encourage-
ments in various government schemes
along with PLI i.e. Production Linked
Incentivization. This is cardinal
scheme.
One of the most important considera-
tions which is being contemplated is
Focused Product Incentive Scheme
(under PLI). This would lead to prod-
uct diversification which is a sine – qua
– non to MAP and MATCH the global
product requirements. Global product
requirements are highly diversified
and specific.
This step could revolutionize our total
textile scenario and will make our tex-
tile industry SAMARTH and SAKSH-
AM to meet the global challenges.
The production oriented incentive ap-
proach of government is directionally
correct.
I believe that efficient supply which
gets clearly into diversification of the
products in terms with HS Codes de-
liberations with study of different prod-
ucts globally traded could be immense-
ly transformational.
I am also reminded by my relook at
economists JB Say’s law “Supply Cre-
ates Demand”. This reinforces my view
that strengthening supply chain is im-
perative, keeping in view the demand
axis. These measures will address itself
to the buyers requirements also.
The enhanced production capabilities
will satisfy the global requirements.
The result for India will be --- that
which is being sourced just now only
from one country will be alternatively
sourced from India also.
My endeavoured niched study in fol-
lowing paragraphs is more oriented
towards the Fibre Profile of India in
above context. The fibres strength is
pivotal for the resurge, reform and re-
boot of our textile industry. We have to
also introspect about our fibre endow-
ments which can really give us very
fundamental strength to come up to
greater and greater heights.
I need not emphasize but the raw ma-
terials are very foundational of any in-
dustry, not only textiles.
Rich Fibre Endowments of India
The strength of multi fibres that we
have today needs optimization and re-
search orientation will enable India to
come up with the grips and lead the
way to become an alternative textile
supplier to world markets.
In India’s case we have many strong
points about our fibre endowments. You
need to appreciate that our good fibre
endowments are PIVOTAL and FORE-
MOST for achieving dynamism in tex-
tile industry.
In the following paragraphs I would
like to invoke some thoughts on our Fi-
bres Endowments and how to invoke an
internal rise these strength as growth
proponents.
Chairman ,
Kotak Commodities
MR. SURESH KOTAK

12. 12 C O V E R S T O R Y
Cotton
Today, India ranks as the biggest pro-
ducer of Cotton in the world. It also has
the highest acreage devoted to cotton
production but sill it has to import cer-
tain extra length staple cotton as well
as certain extra strength cotton and
contamination free cotton regularly.
We need to address our self to remove
this lacuna as well as other persisting
lacunas.
We need to ingest our strength of this
biggest and precious most raw material
endowment – raw cotton.
Cotton is not only of civilizational or
social value but also has immense eco-
nomic value which is unrealised and
not operationalized.
It has been researched by Techno Eco-
nomic Researchers that Cotton has
great potential power to resurge our
national eco system Metamorphically.
Cotton is a multi-component produce
and it has elongated utilizable supply
chain. This chain extends backward
and forward. The economics of this
value chain is still underutilized or not
sufficiently unfolded.
The cotton essentially is a bi-compo-
nent product. The cotton comes in an
unginned form having 2/3rd in form of
cotton seed and 1/3rd of raw cotton fi-
bre. Thus, it is a forward and backward
supply chain – one of cotton i.e. 33%
and 67% of oil bearing cotton seeds. A
Cotton seed is a huge oil economy and
it enriches cotton eco system. The total
cotton seed production averages 10mil-
lion tonnes of cotton seeds.
We need to appreciate work of CIRCOT
in this connection. CIRCOT, is a gov-
ernment organisation established in
1926 and has been relentlessly working
in the direction of cotton and other fi-
bre applications in different ways and
increase fibre efficiency in applications.
it researches in the technology aspects
with a view to develop, innovate fibre
applications.
CIRCOT works for different blends of
fibres with cotton and thus developed
wide spectrum fibre uses in association
with Cotton.
CIRCOT has many new innovated tex-
tile products for differing textile ap-
plications which can kick start many
many new textile goods unit, unique-
ness of which can give us primacy in
international; area.
I recommend everybody concerned with
fibre and textiles to become familiar
with CIRCOT and benefit. Even cot-
ton residues, plant residues like Stalks
have multiple uses as researched by
CIRCOT.
The residues in cotton chain like lint-
ers or seeds are highly utilizable and
can create enormous wealth and value.
The latest research is Nano Cellulosic
Material of high technical multiple ap-
plications out of cotton residues.
There is also an attempt by CIRCOT to
develop naturally coloured cotton.
I am connected with ISCI (Indian So-
ciety for Cotton Improvement) and In-
dian Fibre Society where retired and
active scientists of CIRCOT and other
fibre institutions work together with
industry and farmers to create condi-
tions and cultural promotion for our
fibre endowments.
Other Natural Fibres
India has endowment in various other
natural fibres such as Bamboo Fibre,
Fruit Fibres from Banana and Pine-
apple. Tree Fibres, like Kapok and
Ankund and coconut fibres like Coir
and some others. We also have animal
fibres like Wool and Silk. Bast Fibres
like Jute, etc. kindly refer to the total
fibre chart given at the end of fibre dis-
cussion to appreciate the rich over all
fibre endowments in India with prima-
cy of cotton.
All these natural fibres are document-
ed by FAO in a global meeting in 2009,
where I attended as Indian Represent-
ative and presented our heritage of dif-
ferent fibres. WE NEED TO UTILIZE
ALL THIS and develop very competi-
tive applications in development of in-
novative textile products.
Cellulosic Manmade Fibres.
We have pulpy woods which give us
cellulose and we are producing rayon
fibres out of that. The ongoing develop-
ments are that we can utilize natural
residues of Cotton, reutilization of tex-
tile fabrics (Lenzing has already done).
Mineral Fibres
The most important mineral fibre
which is derived from Hydrocarbons
is well known Polyester and other as-
sociative fibres like Nylon, Poly ethane
Acrylic and so on. There is a huge de-
velopment in this and it has captured
as a principal fibre globally.
INDIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST
PRODUCER OF MANMADE FIBRES
with world class organisation like Reli-
ance and Indo Rama, we produce good
amount of Polyester Fibre. WE ARE
QUITE ADVANCED IN THIS AREA of
manmade fibre production we still need
to develop many speciality manmade
fibre for our technical textiles and in-
dustrial applications.
This area of fibre is also our present
Strength to give diversified products
and production.
With all the advantages of having one
of the largest base of fibre availability
of different kinds, its applications in
terms of blend and product innovations
and its proper utilization is to be ad-
dressed without any delay or hesitancy.
We can augment our diversified re-
source advantage rapidly. The resource
advantage that we have, no other coun-
try has.
Refocus on Cotton as High Priority -
Significant most – pivotal material for
our textile economics.
With all this I recommend to enhance,
use and utilization of Cotton as piv-
otal fibre which has versatile uses and
untapped applications. We need to re-
search and innovate in this area by use
of genomics and other instruments of
bio technology, etc.
It is lamentable that our cotton endow-
ment has still not been taken full ad-
vantage of utilization and applications.
Indian cotton has the largest area un-
der single crop. It has a great propen-
sity to raise its productivity from 500
to minimum 2000kg per hectare. Actu-
ally the highest productivity has been
achieved upto 2000kg in Brazil, about
1200kg in China and in Pakistan hov-
ers around 900kgs.
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

13. India also has a great advantage in hav-
ing all the variety Cotton of different
counts but still we suffer on account of
contamination, adulteration and lower
parameters as compared to global cot-
ton for same count, etc. these lacunas
should be removed in the right earnest.
The cotton as a fibre is always open to
greatest degree of achievement and the
organic cottons can support bio diver-
sity and biological cycles
Organic Cotton
India can lead in the organic cotton. To-
day we are producing 59470 metric ton
i.e. 51% of global production, china with
22521MT which is 19%, Kirgizstan with
8019MT which is 6.8%, Turkey 7741MT
which is 6.6%, Tajikistan with 6405MT
which is 5.4%, USA with 4%, Tanzania
with 3%.
Organic farming in India is certified
under the NPOP i.e. National Program
for Organic Production. There are 200
producer goods in 8 states. The total
area under organic cultivation is 1,
72,180 hectare.
Let us realise that cotton has much
greater economics than presently seen.
It is not only a fibre crop but also an oil
producing crop. And each part of cotton
is commercially usable with great util-
ity and applications.
What an enormous amount of textile
opportunities we can create out of cot-
ton – our richest fibre endowment, we
still have to visualise comprehensively,
directionally and strategically.
Conclusion
The last world trade organisation’s eco-
nomic conference in Davos in 2018 has
defined the coming times of economic
change as setting of fourth industrial
revolution.
We have to realise that we have entered
the era of circular economy (reference
Davos 2018 McKenzie) the sustainabil-
ity and regenerative abilities of natural
fibres will play a great part and due to
environment demand is more of organic
natural fibres. Here cotton is already
well entranced in fabric of Indian econ-
omy can play pivotal dominant role.
We need to appreciate that the fibres
of synthetic origin requires enormous
level of energy and are manufactured
by different processes producing vary-
ing levels of greenhouse gas omission.
The global consumers are increasingly
becoming concerned about the environ-
mental impact on their lifestyle and
consumption pattern and are willing
to pay premium for textiles of organic
material.
It has been recommended that carbon
based products obtained by synthesis-
ing chemical or petroleum products
needs to be discouraged and go for more
of reuse of that material.
However, we should still utilize all the
fibres judiciously, aptly and with dis-
criminations and lead the spectrum
of fibre availability to invigorate our
new era for radicalization of our textile
power.
Total Fibre Chart – could be available in India
13
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

14. As people become more
aware of the environmental
impact that synthetic fibres
create, sustainable and en-
vironment-friendly materi-
als are being developed. The
development of these fibres
that can substitute synthetic
fibres has piqued the curios-
ity of researchers. As a result
of our collective awareness of
the fashion industry’s ecolog-
ical consequences, business-
es have begun to embrace
sustainable materials.
One of the most dramatic
changes has been the shift away from
traditional cotton. As an environmen-
tally friendly option, sustainable and
socially responsible businesses are now
adopting organic cotton fabric as well.
The process of production is less dam-
aging to the environment and humans.
Unlike the traditional style, which uses
synthetic pesticides and hazardous
chemicals, organic farming has a low-
impact approach.
What is Organic Cotton?
Organic cotton is a type of cotton that
has been grown naturally without us-
ing synthetic agricultural agents like
fertilisers or pesticides. In addition,
the crop is farmed without the use of
genetically-engineered organisms. Or-
ganic cotton cultivation’s ingredients,
agricultural procedures, and manu-
facturing techniques are environmen-
tally friendly as opposed to traditional
cotton growing. It was first cultivated
in the 1980s as a means of ensuring
sustainable, environmentally friendly,
and organic farming. Organic cotton
benefits human and environmental
health by promoting and enhancing
biodiversity, soil biological activity, and
biological cycles. Organic cotton is the
most skin-friendly, relaxing, and safe
natural fabric.
Application
• Organic cotton, unlike ordinary cot-
ton, is never sensitive to infant skin.
It’s the perfect material for covering
and cleaning newborns, especially for
producing garments, bandages, clean-
ing and disinfecting injuries, baby crib
bedding, baby outfits, towels, and a va-
riety of other items.
• It is used in making clothes. Bedding,
T-shirts, underwear, and even footwear
are all made using it. Ear swabs, cotton
pads, and sanitary napkins are among
the personal care products that contain
this substance.
• It can also be used effectively in pro-
cedures where infection from any cause
is potentially lethal.
• Organic Cotton Seed Oil, a residue
of organic cotton production, is widely
used in snacks and livestock feed.
Market Demand
Consumers are searching for apparel
that can exhibit more sus-
tainable manufacturing
practises. According to the
Textile Exchange’s Cotton
Demand Insights Report,
demand for organic cotton
would climb by 84 percent
by 2030, relative to a base-
line year of 2019/20. This
shift to organic cotton is a
positive step forward for
the fashion industry.
Tanzania (5%), Tajikistan
(4%), and the United States
were the top seven organic
cotton-producing countries
in terms of output, accounting for 95%
of global output (3%).
In 2019–20, two new nations — Uzbek-
istan and Myanmar — were added to
the list of organic cotton growers, with
at least three more likely in the coming
years.
Tanzania and Kyrgyzstan were the two
countries that contributed the most to
global growth in 2019–20, followed by
Uganda, the US, Pakistan, India, and
Turkey.
The Benefits of Organic Cotton Eco-
friendly
1. Eco-friendly
It is the outcome of a technique of agri-
culture that is both ecologically friendly
and efficient. Organic cotton production
emits less carbon since it consumes less
fuel and energy. It also minimises con-
tamination of water since it is produced
without using chemicals. The workers’
health is also not affected. Finally, the
production of organic cotton doesn’t in-
clude the excess usage of pesticides and
fertilizers, which damage the environ-
ment irreversibly.
14 C O V E R S T O R Y
ORGANIC COTTON – A SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTION FOR THE FASHION INDUSTRY
MS. SOMASREE ROY
Textile Value Chain
Key Points
• Organic cotton 1st cultivated in the 1980’s
• The process of production is less damaging to the environ-
ment and humans
• Organic cotton is a type of cotton that has been grown natu-
rally without using synthetic agricultural agents
• Organic cotton is the most skin-friendly, relaxing, and secure
natural fabric.
• Tanzania (5%), Tajikistan (4%), and the United States were
the top organic cotton-producing countries
• Uzbekistan and Myanmar were added to the list of organic
cotton growers in 2019–20.
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

15. 2. Aids farmers in providing food for
their families.
Organic farmers always cultivate other
crops along with their cotton to achieve
a steady system on their farms that fur-
ther helps in keeping the soil healthy,
supporting wildlife, and conserving
topsoil. Cotton farmers may use these
crops to create a more secure, conveni-
ent, sufficient, and varied food supply
as well as an additional means of reve-
nue for their families and communities.
3. Less Water Consumption
When compared to traditional cotton,
the method of cultivating and growing
organic cotton uses less water. It also
minimises nutrient loss and soil degra-
dation, both of which contribute to wa-
ter contamination. Furthermore, the
organic system relies heavily on rain-
water for the growth of the crop.
4. High Ethical Standards
Organic clothing is safer since it is
made according to more stringent pro-
duction standards. It is done not just to
reduce adverse environmental impacts,
but also to ensure customer satisfaction
by adhering to high ethical values like
Fairtrade Cotton, the Better Cotton In-
itiative, FLO International, and other
global movements that support organic
cotton.
5. Ideal for people with Allergies and
skin problems.
Organic cotton fabric contains no chem-
ical residues, so anyone with allergies
or particular chemical sensitivities will
benefit substantially from wearing or-
ganic cotton clothes. It feels great on
the skin if you don’t have an allergy or
chemical sensitivity.Furthermore, most
people who swear by organic cotton
clothing claim that it smells good com-
pared to conventional cotton.
6. Extremely adaptable
You’ll be happy to know that organic
cotton textiles are a very natural fi-
bre that requires minimal care and is
highly adaptable when used in mak-
ing clothes. The durability of the cotton
fabric and threads is what makes them
excellent for all forms of apparel, so you
may use organic cotton for practically
any form of clothing. Organic cotton
is an excellent choice
for designing summer
outfits, t-shirts, and
blouses.
Drawbacks of Organic
cotton
• It’s possible that the
yields will be lower than
with regular cotton.
Lower yields can have a
variety of economic and
sustainability-related
implications and adverse reactions.
• In other cases, organic cotton may ne-
cessitate extra human labour.
• Converting to organic certification
can be a lengthy process (specifically
for farm conversions).
• Just a small proportion of all cotton
farmed is organic (because the demand
for organic cotton is also lower).
• Organic cotton clothes that are pur-
chased in stores may be more costly
than non-certified or normal cotton
clothes.
• Growing, producing, supplying, and
selling certified organic cotton may
pose some business risks for farmers,
manufacturers, and sellers.
Eco-friendly Techniques Used in Or-
ganic Cotton
• Synthetic fertilisers, insecticides,
herbicides, growth regulators, and
seeds with biotech characteristics are
forbidden and not used in the growing
or harvesting of organic cotton. Be-
cause organic cotton growers are not
allowed to use the same techniques as
traditional farmers, organic cotton re-
quires more effort.
• Every crop cultivation, including cot-
ton cultivation, necessitates fertile soil
with organic carbon. Crop rotations
with legumes, cover crops to preserve
soil during harvesting one crop and
growing the next, composting green
plant material to produce organic fer-
tiliser, and mulching are all methods
used in organic systems in order to im-
prove soil fertility. Fertilizer derived
from natural sources may be used to
boost fertility, while synthetic fertilis-
ers must be avoided.
• Organic cotton cultivation is a farm-
ing strategy that promotes the growth
of biodiversity in order to meet the re-
quirements of the crops. The use of lo-
cally adapted pest-tolerant varieties,
legume-based crop diversification, crop
rotations, and intercropping to preserve
soil health, organic sources of fertiliser,
and pest control based on prevention
by the use of natural enemies and trap
crops are all foundations of organic cot-
ton production.
The Future of Organic Cotton
Concerns about living a life free of in-
credibly hazardous chemicals, the need
for an environmentally friendly agri-
cultural and industrial culture, and a
growing consciousness about the deple-
tion of natural resources and their re-
percussions are all factors that are in-
fluencing people’s lifestyles around the
globe. The significance of organic cotton
is highlighted in this perspective.
Despite these obstacles, rising concerns
and laws about ecological sustainabil-
ity and safety will boost the market for
organic cotton. Customers are also get-
ting more prepared to pay for organic
items as they seek out more sustaina-
ble practices. As demand and prices for
cotton are once again increasing, the
future market for organic cotton looks
bright.
References:
• https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/
organic-living/fashion-textiles/organic-cotton/
• https://www.sustainme.in/blogs/news/8-bene-
fits-of-organic-cotton-clothing
• https://indiantextilejournal.com/articles/fade-
tails.asp?id=644
• https://bettermeetsreality.com/pros-cons-advan-
tages-disadvantages-of-organic-cotton/
15
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

16. Introduction
Textile fibres could be made from natu-
ral and synthetic materials. Natural
fibres generally known as could be ani-
mal or plant fibres such as silk, mohair,
cashmere, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, coir,
etc., while synthetic would be nylon,
rayon, polyester, etc., which consti-
tute man-made fibres that are manu-
factured by artificial processes. There
have been others, like banana fibres,
from the plant but heavily processed to
make them usable to weave cloth. One
of the latest to join the bandwagon is
orange fibre, made from waste material
or the peel of the orange.
Orange Fiber is the first patented mate-
rial made from citrus juice by-products.
Citrus fruits are healthy and tasty, and
the worldwide production of oranges
is steadily increasing. However, in the
citrus fruit industry, processing that
float, for example to make it into juices,
also generates huge amounts of waste.
Lightweight Citrus cellulose yarn can
be used in its entirety to make a 100%
citrus biodegradable fabric that is soft,
silky, and lightweight.
It can also be blended with other ma-
terials and be opaque or shiny accord-
ing to the designer’s needs.The fibre is
made through a process that was inno-
vated in collaboration with Politecnico
di Milano University. [2]
Current Uses of Orange Peel Waste
•Oil Extraction
•Dyeing
•Antimicrobial finishing
•Mosquito repellent finish
•Print transfer medium
•Water purification
•Textile effluent waste
•Bio-adsorbent
•Biogas
•Bio-char [3]
The Process
• The peels are processed with a pat-
ented method to extract the cellulose
that is spun to form the final yarn. The
fabric looks and feels like silk: soft to
the touch and with a shiny appearance.
The biodegradable yarn can be spun
with any type of existing yarn.
• Orange Fiber’s patented process
breathes new life into the pastazzo,
which is an atechnical term for what
is left over after squeezing the citrus
fruits.
The wet citrus residual, pastazzo, is
processed to be able to extract the cel-
lulose that will form the final yarn.
• A biodegradable material like silk is
produced: soft to the touch and shiny in
appearance, it is suitable to be woven
with any type of existing yarn.
Benefits of the orange fiber
• Orange Fiber is created from citrus
ORANGE FIBER -
THE FABRIC FROM FRUIT
Key Points
• Orange Fiber is the first patented substance obtained from citrus juice waste.
• Citrus cellulose yarn is lightweight and can be used in its entirety to create a
100% citrus biodegradable fabric that is soft, silky, and lightweight.
• The company made three prototype fabrics like lace silk, cream coloured satin
and Viscose fabric
Faculty,
Department of Textiles and Apparel Designing, Sir Vithaldas Thackersey
College of Home Science (Autonomous), SNDT Women’s University
MS. ANNU JAIN
Image no 1 - Salvatore Ferragamo Collection using Orange Fiber
16 C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

17. juice by-products that would otherwise
be thrown away. This means that hun-
dreds of thousands of tonnes of orange
peels find good use as ethereal fabrics
perfectly suited to high-quality textiles
and fashion.
• Organic Orange Fiber Fabric is won-
derfully soft, cuddly, and strong. It
drapes beautifully, is anti-wrinkle, and
a plus point is that it comes in lots of
ranges and types, e.g.,crepe, satin, cot-
ton, etc.
• From the perspective of safeguarding
the interests of the environment, the
world’s production of waste materials
in the form of orange peels exceeds 700
tonnes per year. By utilising this waste
productively, it offers a solution.
•While a textile made from food may
seem a little unusual at first glance, the
idea has environmental and social ben-
efits as well as being a positive addition
to the fashion and textile industry. In
addition to being good for the environ-
ment, the textile is good for the body as
well, containing health properties.
• As it is made from citrus, the natural
oils within the fabric contain vitamins
A, C, and E.
Upon contact, these vita-
mins are released and ab-
sorbed through the skin.
• Aside from looking pretty
and feeling nice, the orange
yarn has an additional ben-
efit:
thanks to nanotechnology,
the material still contains
essential oils and vitamin C
that are present in the cit-
rus fruit peel.
• The skin absorbs these oils
and is nourished by them,
making the fabric a wear-
able body cream. According
to Orange Fiber, despite the
oils, the fabric does not feel
greasy. The oils are guaran-
teed to last at least twenty washing cy-
cles, but the company is experimenting
with recharging methods using special
fabric softeners.
• The company made three prototype
fabrics. The first is a lace silk in black
and white, the second is a cream-color-
ed satin from which clothes such as
summer dresses can be made, and the
third is a viscose-like fabric from which
clothes such as shirts can be made.The
citrus peel yarn has won several na-
tional and international awards.
• An orange fibre blended with silk pro-
vides a silken-feeling thread that looks
and functions just like real silk.
• The orange fibre can be dyed, printed,
and coloured to create whatever look
and feel we want.
• The new vitamin-enriched textile
represents a brand new opportunity in
high-quality textiles and fashion.
Conclusion
As per the call of the current scenario,
sustainable fibers are the need of the
hour. Orange Fiber & Fabric is the new
development made which is suitable as
per the market trends and also sustain-
ability & environmentally friendly. This
fiber which has also been used by Well
known Designer Salvatore Ferragamo
for his collection seems like the fiber of
the Present Time. Also these Sustain-
able fibers are indeed the fibers of the
Present & growing Future.
References
1. Fabrics from Oranges - interesting
and exciting. Retrieved fromhttps://
www.unnatisilks.com/blog/fabrics-
from-oranges-interesting-and-exciting/
2. Future of fashion: Innovative fabric
- Orange fibre. Retrieved fromhttps://
amberoot.com/blogs/blog/future-of-
fashion-innovative-fabric-orange-fibre
3. Sachidhanandham S. (2020). Textiles
from orange peel waste. Science & Tech-
nologyDevelopment Journal, 23(2):508-
516. DOI : 10.32508/stdj.v23i2.1730.
Retrieved from https://www.research-
gate.net/publication/340927840
4. Sheena S. (2019, October 13). Orange
Fiber - Sustainable Fashion made of
Orange Peel.Retrieved from
https://en.reset.org/blog/orange-fiber-
sustainable-fashion-made-orange-
peel-10142019
Image References
Image no 1 - Salvatore Ferragamo
Collection using Orange Fiber https://
www.livekindly.co/italys-orange-fiber-
sustainable-vegan-silk-cruelty-free/
Image No 2 - Process of Making Orange
Fiber -
https://www.unnatisilks.com/blog/
fabrics-from-oranges-interesting-and-
exciting/
Image no 3 - Fruit to Fiber -
https://www.linkedin.com/company/
orange-fiber-s.r.l./
Image no 4 - Orange Fiber process -
https://www.unnatisilks.com/blog/
fabrics-from-oranges-interesting-and-
exciting/
Image no 5 - Properties of textiles made
from orange peel waste https://www.re-
searchgate.net/publication/340927840
Image No 2 - Process of Making Orange Fiber
Image no 3 - Fruit to Fiber
Image no 4 - Orange Fiber process
Image no 5 - Properties of textiles
made from orange peel waste
17
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

18. 18 C O V E R S T O R Y
CLOTHING FROM VEGAN
WOOL FIBRES
Instead of wool, you can wear some of the
many natural vegan fabrics that don’t in-
volve punching and stomping on sheep.
Recently, we’ve seen a surge of high-per-
forming vegan fabrics that are the perfect
combination of soft and sustainable.More
and more clothing brands are opting for
these materials that don’t support the
cruelty of the wool industry.
In recent years, designers and clothing
manufacturers have partnered with bio-
tech to begin offering more animal-free
alternatives: synthetic spider silk, ar-
tificial duck and goose down, high-tech
faux fur, and vegan leather derived from
everything from pineapples to winemak-
ing waste. But there is currently no alter-
native wool on the market.Wool is one of
the oldest textiles in human history.Wool
clothing dates back to 10,000 years ago
and its use spanned across the ancient
world—from Ancient Peru to Egypt to Si-
beria.
Wool is a natural animal fiber, primar-
ily the fleece of sheep, but we can also
get wool from many other animals: goats
(such as cashmere and mohair), alpacas,
rabbits (Angora wool), and even camels.
Traditionally, wool is a sustainable fibre
in the sense that sheep are part of the
natural carbon cycle, consuming the or-
ganic carbon stored in plants and convert-
ing it to wool. Fifty per cent of the weight
of wool is pure organic carbon.
While most fabrics that make up the
world of sustainable fashion deserve a
bit of scrutiny, wool not only calls into
question its impact on the environment
and labourers, but its impact on wool-
producing animals. It’s durable, warm
yet breathable, easy to dye, and absorbs
water without feeling clammy. But the
process of obtaining the wool—factory
farming and shearing sheep—can be
inhumane. Animal rights organisation
PETA has released videos of sheep shear-
ers kicking, cutting, and throwing sheep
as they attempt to shear as much wool as
quickly as possible.
Then an idea came: Can we make wool
without using sheep at all?
Yes. Textile scientists have come up with
two brilliant ideas to make vegan wool.
The first one is that’s what a group of
Colombian students have done, devising
a wool alternative made from hemp and
coconut fibers treated with mushroom
enzymes. Calling their product Woocoa,
they hope it might make farming sheep
for wool unnecessary. It isn’t widely com-
mercial yet, but it’s an exciting develop-
ment for the future. It is very interesting
how hemp, coconut, and mushrooms wind
up becoming wool. The students found
that there are 114 different vegetable
fibers that are used in artisanal crafts.
Coconut fiber is an agricultural waste
that could economically benefit communi-
ties on the Caribbean coast of Colombia,
where hemp could be grown.
10As a clothing material, wool has a lot
going for it. It’s durable, warm yet breath-
able, easy to dye, and absorbs water
without feeling clammy. But the process
of obtaining the wool—factory farming
and shearing sheep—can be inhumane.
Animal rights organisation PETA has re-
leased videos of sheep shearers kicking,
cutting, and throwing sheep as they at-
tempt to shear as much wool as quickly
as possible. The students, from the Uni-
versidad de los Andes in Bogotá, recently
won a PETA-sponsored contest for the
best “vegan wool,” or wool-like material
made from non-animal fibers. So how did
the mushrooms wind
But while coconut fiber and hemp met
the requirements for sustainability, they
did not feel at all like wool. So the team
began experimenting with making the
fibres softer. Consulting professors from
the biology, chemical engineering, and de-
sign departments of their university, they
found they could use mushroom enzymes
Dr.N.N. MAHAPATRA
Business Head (Dyes)
SHREE PUSHKAR CHEMICALS & FERTILISERS LTD.
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1
Key Points
• Wool is one of the oldest textiles in human history.
• 50℅ of the weight of wool is pure organic carbon.
• Colombian students found that there are 114 different vegetable fibers that are
used in artisanal crafts.
• Calotropis Gigantea & Calotropis Procera grow abundantly all over India.
• Pod fibres are extremely soft and light in weight
• Stem fibres are immensely strong and almost impossible to break with bare
hands.
• Milky sap is widely used in Ayurveda to cure numerous diseases nool” in Tamil
means both a book and a thread.
• Production of this vegan fabric is mostly done by hand

19. to degrade lignin, the organic polymers
that make plant cells hard and rough.
This made the coconut fiber and hemp
much softer and more wool-like. It also
removed their natural colours by scour-
ing and making the material suitable for
dyeing.
While the team still has a ways to go be-
fore the material has the exact properties
they desire and the scalability for com-
mercial production, they think their proof
of concept is an exciting start. The prod-
uct certainly resembles wool and can be
stretched and woven in similar ways.
It’s an eco-friendly solution that gener-
ates job opportunities in Colombia and
can help mitigate the environmental
impact of the textile industry. But most
importantly, we will have a future where
no sheep are harmed to make a sweater
anymore.
Another approach was to create vegan
wool with Kerasynth, a vegan “skin” with
wool-producing follicles developed by the
Maryland Institute College of Art.The
researchers behind it hope their process
can one day grow hair from many differ-
ent animals, not just sheep, as well as
produce coloured wool in an array of fan-
tastical tones. They have named it “Were-
wool.” From New York’s Fashion Institute
of Technology, it is a faux wool fibre that
students created by isolating and ex-
pressing a protein from their own DNA—
no animals (except humans) needed.
An entrepreneur based in a village named
Kuilapalayam in Tamil Nadu (near Au-
roville) has found a unique solution. The
34-year-old is the founder of “Faborg,” a
company that makes vegan wool derived
from Calotropis, a wild flowering shrub
that is found in dryland areas and is com-
monly known as milkweed. Faborg has
launched an alternative to wool fabrics
called “Weganool.”
Then there’s Nullarbor, a vegan wool
made from coconut by-products. Other
e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y
sound wool replace-
ments include Ten-
cel, organic cotton,
bamboo, hemp, soya-
bean fabric, linen,
and recycled fibres.
Back home in India,
the call for creating
a sustainable, ve-
gan wool alternative
that’s not only warm
and luxurious, but
cruelty-free and eco-
friendly too, has been
answered by South Indian fabric purvey-
or Faborg.
Weganool, meaning Vegan plus wool,
uses a hollow cellulose fibre grown in
abundance in arid areas of South India,
without the need for fertilisers or pesti-
cides. Although Weganool has the proper-
ties of traditional wool, the fabric is made
entirely from plant sources — 30 percent
calotropis and 70 percent organic cotton.
In Hindu culture, calotropis (also known
as Bowstring Hemp) flowers are offered
to Shiva and Ganesha. In Ayurveda, it
has been used for its medicinal proper-
ties. In farming, it has been used as an
effective bio-compost and insecticide. In
clothing, calotropis has been used since
ancient times to make clothes for children
and the nobility. Calotropis Gigantea &
Calotropis Procera grow abundantly all
over India.
Calotropis does not need water, attention,
pesticides, or replanting. It is a pioneer
plant that revives biodiversity and the
ecosystem and enables the forest canopy
to grow back. It grows back in 6 months
after harvesting, giving a yield 2 times
per year. It is an age-old fertilizer, fun-
gicide, and pest-repellent that farmers
have been using for ages.
It provides two unique hollow cellulose
fibres that have wool-like characteristics
– the pod fibre and the stem fibre. The
unique quality of Calotropis fibre lies in
its natural hollow cellulose structure,
which is similar to hollow protein fibres
like the finest cashmere.
The pod fibres are extremely soft and
light in weight. Since these fibres are hol-
low, they behave like tiny air balloons and
are able to carry the heavy seeds far away
from the plant. Because of their softness
and natural shine, fabrics made from
these fibres have a very luxurious feel
and are often compared with cashmere.
The stem fibres are immensely strong
and almost impossible to break with bare
hands. The function of stem fibres is to
carry and distribute acidic sap to the pods
and leaves. The milky sap is widely used
in Ayurveda to cure numerous diseases,
but can be toxic in large quantities.
Separating the fibers from the plant takes
a lot of time and includes many steps.
Once the plant is harvested, the stem is
separated from the plant. The fibrous bit
inside the stem is extracted and boiled in
water. After this, it is sun-bleached and
then turned into yarn.
Weganool comes from a wild plant called
Calotropis, which is widely grown in In-
dia. Calotropis fibers have a more similar
character and hollow structure to high-
quality wool than any other plant fiber.
Weganool sounds a lot like vegan wool – a
sustainable plant-based wool alternative.
Furthermore, “nool” in Tamil means both
a book and a thread. Weganool is like a
guidebook for sustainable textile manu-
facturing.
Carefully extracted Calotropis fibres are
mixed with 70% of certified organic rain-
fed cotton and spun into delicate Wega-
nool yarn by Faborg. The operations for
Faborg are carried out at a 2000 sq. ft.
unit in Pondicherry.
Currently, they have about five people
working here while weaving is carried out
by weaver clusters in Karur, Tirupur, and
other places.
Calotropis Plant
19
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

20. 20
Green Theme Technologies Inc., a global leader in innova-
tive and sustainable textile finishing, has launched the
EMPEL platform in 2018 with the goal of eliminating
toxic PFCs (perflurocarbons) from textile processing. In
addition to being highly sustainable, EMPEL delivers the
highest water repellency and longest lasting protection
available.
The EMPEL Stain Release product encapsulates each
fiber inside a yarn with a molecular protective polymer,
which creates a barrier preventing stains from sticking
to fabrics.
According to GTT VP Martin Flora, “The purpose of the
EMPEL stain release is to extend the usable life cycle of
any fabric treated with EMPEL, to reduce the amount of
energy needed to launder fabrics, and to protect the fabric
from common deep penetrating stains that typically ruin
the appearance of furniture, upholstery and apparel.”
Tested by Oeko Tex, the chemistry is certified safe and
PFC-free. From outdoor furniture to children’s products
such car seats and strollers, GTT’s stain protection has
numerous applications across industries and around the
globe.
The six-month trials conducted in the GTT lab in Albu-
querque will move EMPEL forward as an extremely vi-
able option for mills to apply stain and oil protection to
many types of fabrics. The goal is to protect fabrics for
easier cleaning at lower temperatures. Stains, such as
ketchup, red wine, salad dressing, suntan oil, and motor
oil, were applied on poly and acrylic fabrics commonly
used in upholstery and outdoor furniture. Researchers let
the stain sit for 24 hours, then brushed off the residue.
The sample was then placed in a test washing machine
and run for a single cycle in cold water. The results are
rated using the ASTM standard.
Empel stain release is currently undgergoing trials with
select furniture brands.
GTT BREAKS NEW GROUND, ADDS STAIN PROTECTION TO ITS GROWING
EMPEL® PFC-FREE WATER REPELLENT TEXTILE TREATMENT OFFERING
At the unit in Pondicherry, the fibre is ex-
tracted, and the dyeing of the yarn also
takes place in Tirupur at the Natural
Dye House. Shankar points out that they
only use natural dyes derived from plants
like Kaddukai, which are used for yellow
dyes, while pomegranates are used for
red dyes.
Faborg manufactures about 150 kg of
yarn per month, which is being used by
brands and sustainable design brands
like Infantium Victoria, a German fash-
ion label that makes children’s clothing.
Moreover, Shankar mentions that they
have gotten inquiries from designer la-
bels like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Alex-
ander McQueen. Most of these brands
have liked the fabric’s cashmere-like tex-
ture, which is perfect for making woolens.
The first garments made from this plant-
based wool alternative include a hoodie, a
baby jacket, and a cape gown. The yarns
are suitable for a wide variety of end
products.
There are many end-products that can be
created with Weganool, such as scarves,
shirts, jackets, sweaters, etc. The brand,
Infantium Victoria, has been using Wega-
nool in their collection for over a year now.
Production of this vegan fabric is mostly
done by hand, and it empowers women in
rural communities too dry to engage in
traditional agriculture.
Once the necessary fibres are extracted,
the concentrated and fermented leftovers
from the plant are mixed with different
Ayurvedic herbs and made into some-
thing called Arka, which is a highly effi-
cient bio-nutrient and insect repellent.
Benefits of Vegan Wool Fibres ;
The following are the benefits
1. When compared to 100% cotton yarn,
the production of 1 kg of Vegan Wool yarn
saves 9000 litres of clean drinking water.
2.Cultivating the Vegan Wool plant can
convert dry, unusable terrain into profit-
able land for farmers.
3. Vegan wool cellulose fibre fabrics do not
shrink with each wash and are generally
easier to maintain than protein-based
wool fabrics.
4. Vegan Wool fabrics are environmen-
tally friendly at every stage of their life
cycle, from production and processing to
final disposal.
5.Scientific research confirmed that these
fabrics have antimicrobial properties
against most common skin diseases cre-
ated by staph bacteria and do not create
an itchy feeling.
6.It is cruelty-free.
C O V E R S T O R Y
NEWS UPDATE
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

21. SUSTAINABLE FABRICS TO TRANSFORM THE
FASHION INDUSTRY FOR GOOD
Textile Value Chain
Editorial Team
While the fashion industry is flourish-
ing, more attention is being drawn to
the industry’s extensive list of adverse
environmental effects. People are at-
tempting to make textiles and fashion
more sustainable and environment-
friendly since they grow more conscious
of the significance of conserving the
planet for future generations.
Shopping for sustainably created gar-
ments is one approach to assure a more
thoughtful purchase in the world of
conscious fashion. Because fast fash-
ion is produced at such a rapid speed to
satisfy demand, producers must rely on
virgin synthetic materials, which are
both inexpensive and quick to make.
But it is not only time to slow-down but
also to pay attention to our clothing la-
bels.
Now-a-days, several biodegradable
materials are being used to transform
the global fashion industry. These eco-
friendly materials and textiles are cre-
ated with cutting-edge technology that
eliminates the necessity of pesticides in
the clothing industry, also lowering to-
tal wastage of water, eliminating toxic
dyes and processing chemicals, and up-
cycling previously discarded fabrics.
To understand more about sustainable
fabrics let’s look at the definition of
‘Sustainable Fabric’.
What is Sustainable Fabric?
Sustainable fabrics refers to the fab-
rics that are created from natural or
recycled resources, such as sustain-
ably cultivated fibre crops or recycled
materials, with the goal of minimising
damage caused by the manufacturing
process, fibre qualities, or ultimate ef-
fect on the environment. Such fabrics
can also help with waste minimization,
conservation of water, carbon reduc-
tion, and soil restoration, as previously
stated, no fabric is completely sustain-
able.
With limited resources and fibres such
as acrylic, polyester, spandex and nylon
having adverse effect on the nature, it
is high time for the fashion industry to
take a glance at the sustainable solu-
tions and prove that textile and apparel
manufacturing is not going to harm the
environment from now on.
Even though there are numerous eco-
logically sustainable materials which
are revolutionising the fashion indus-
try, the following are some of the most
widely used fabrics in sustainable fash-
ion.
Hemp
Hemp is a type of cannabis plant that is
used for a variety of purposes. It grows
quickly, doesn’t degrade the soil, uses
a lot less water, and doesn’t need pes-
ticides. Hemp produces a long-lasting
fabric that does not cause irritation to
the skin and has a wide range of appli-
cations. It’s frequently substituted for
cotton and regarded as a carbon-nega-
tive raw material. Since this fabric has
a lot of benefits such as being naturally
UV resistant and antimicrobial, it is
usually more expensive and less acces-
sible to everyone.
Organic Cotton
Cotton farming uses a lot of harsh
pesticides, chemicals and significant
amount water only to make one clean-
ing item. There are nevertheless, more
environmentally friendly methods of
creating the fabric that consider the
larger ecology and natural habitats.
Organic cotton is one of such environ-
mentally sustainable fabrics available.
Organic cotton production utilises 62
percent less energy and 88 percent less
water than traditional cotton farming.
Organic cotton is grown without using
hazardous pesticides, synthetic fertilis-
Key Points
• Shopping for sustainably created
garments is one approach to assure a
more thoughtful purchase in the world
of conscious fashion
• Hemp produces a long-lasting fabric
that does not cause irritation to the
skin and has a wide range of applica-
tions.
• Organic cotton production utilises 62
percent less energy and 88 percent less
water than traditional cotton farming.
• Lenzing, the firm that invented TEN-
CEL™, uses eucalyptus wood, which
grows without the use of hazardous
chemicals or insecticides.
21
C O V E R S T O R Y
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

22. 22 C O V E R S T O R Y
ers, or seeds that have
been genetically modi-
fied (GMOs).
Linen
Linen is a plant-based
natural fibre which
has been used in the
production of cloth-
ing for centuries. The
grass-like fibres need
to be grown, treated,
and processed for
months before they
are soft and supple
enough to be weaved
into garments. When
discarded, Linen will
biodegrade, offering
a more environment-
friendly alternative.
It is a super soft and
breathable textile de-
rived from flax plant and is frequently
blended with cotton. Linen is regarded
one of the most sustainable fabrics used
presently in the production of clothing
and bedding.
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing,
regenerative plant which doesn’t need
fertilisation and is frequently promoted
as a sustainable fabric. Micro holes and
tiny gaps are there in the fibre, allow-
ing for better moisture absorption and
ventilation than other fibres. Sustain-
able brands prefer bamboo fabric since
it is extremely comfortable and absor-
bent. Just like Hemp.
Bamboo too absorbs more CO2 than
some trees. It doesn’t need a lot of re-
sources and can survive just on rainwa-
ter.
Tencel
TENCEL™ is one of the most innova-
tive fibres in the market today. Lenz-
ing, the firm that invented TENCEL™,
uses eucalyptus wood, which grows
without the use of hazardous chemicals
or insecticides.
TENCELTM is one of today’s most ad-
vanced fibres. Eucalyptus trees use
relatively require less land than cotton
to produce the same amount of textile.
TENCEL™ yarn is also made using
100% renewable energy and consumes
80% less water than conventional yarn.
Piñatex
Although it may seem impossible, pine-
apple leaves can be used as a vegan
substitute for leather. Ananas Anam,
a London-based company, has created
Piñatex, an organic, non-woven leather
substitute created from cellulose de-
rived from pineapple leaves that looks
and feels like leather. Pineapple leaf
fibres, a by-product of the Philippines’
pineapple harvest, are used to create
the revolutionary pineapple fabric.
Its manufacturing process is far more
eco-friendly and cruelty-free than tra-
ditional leather. It uses less water and
does not include any dangerous chemi-
cals that are damaging to wildlife in the
environment. The remaining leaf waste
is composted or utilised as fertiliser.
Modal
Another semi-synthetic fabric noted for
its superior comfort and breathability
is modal. It’s a cutting-edge fabric cre-
ated from spinning cellulose from the
beechwood tree. As beechwood trees re-
generate on their own, they’re regarded
as a long-term raw material for making
the revolutionary modal fabric.
The fabric is also 50% more absorbent
when compared to cot-
ton has a silky, smooth
texture, thus making
it a suitable option for
sports and underwear
manufacturers.
Modal’s manufacturer,
Lenzing, has also de-
veloped non-toxic and
ecologically friendly
techniques which al-
low it to recover up to
95 percent of the ma-
terials utilised in its
production, lowering
the textile’s overall
carbon emissions.
Final Thoughts?
Poor fabric selection is
a major contributor to
unsustainable fashion.
Many of the elements
that end up in our clothes are harm-
ful to humans or animals (sometimes
both). In addition to the toxic chemicals
and micro - plastics that they discharge
into the environment for years.
By stocking your closets with most of
the sustainable textiles featured here,
you can contribute to make the world a
better place by purchasing eco-friendly
and organic garments.
References:
https://www.thegoodtrade.com/fea-
tures/sustainable-clothing-fabrics
https://www.thewellessentials.com/
blog/5-sustainable-and-eco-friendly-
textiles
https://www.curiouslyconscious.
com/2019/12/which-fashion-fabrics-are-
most-sustainable.html/
https://www.sustainablejungle.com/
sustainable-fashion/sustainable-fab-
rics/
https://fashionunited.com/news/
business/6-sustainable-textile-innova-
tions-that-will-change-the-fashion-in-
dustry/2017100917734
Source: Luxiders.com
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1

23. BRANDING: THE MAIN
COMPONENT OF
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
BKS Textile Company, a leading
manufacturer and exporter of made-
ups and cotton fabrics, was incorpo-
rated on February 12, 2004 with an
authorised capital of Rs. 99.80 lakh.
Located at Palladam in Tamil Nadu,
the BKS company is a pioneer in
home textiles and technical textiles.
BKS Textile Company, which is
family-run, was started by Sen-
thil Kumar, a well-known name in
the textile industry in South India.
Dr Sudha Anand, his daughter is
the Managing Director. Dr. Sudha
Anand, Medical Doctor by education
realised being an entrepreneur is
more interesting than a medical pro-
fessional joined her family business
in 2005. She virtually learnt
a lot of things about textiles
from her father and was tech-
nically trained by him. Sen-
thil Kumar originally started
BKS Textile Company in
1985 in Tirupur near Coim-
batore in Tamil Nadu which
today has emerged as a ver-
tically integrated manufac-
turer and exporters of home
textiles, mainly bed linen employing
over 1000 employees.
The Chairman and Managing Direc-
tor Senthil Kumar’s another daugh-
ter, Sangita Velkrishnan is also in-
volved in the working of the company
and Senthil Kumar who is involved
in strategy decisions, was formerly
Chairman of South India Mill Asso-
ciation (SIMA) and also he actively
participated in textile organisations
like TEXPROCIL, and many more.
Dr Sudha Anand replies to some vi-
tal questions about the company. Ex-
cerpts below:
Journey till now …
I started international marketing for
the company, with nearly 95%of our
business in exports, we have a lot of
international and long-standing cus-
tomers. The UK is a major market
for us and I continued my career in
marketing and branding. We devel-
oped a domestic brand called SVAS
in 2012 for the Indian market for
home decor and lifestyle products.
I did some courses in management
area and I am still learning because
learning can never stop. The journey
is quite interesting and our business
growth is quite stable and gradual
because we believe in sustained
growth. We are looking forward to a
great future.
Marketing Management Tech-
niques
We have unique selling points like
how we are different from our com-
petitors. BKS textiles is sustainabil-
ity-oriented company. We have ac-
quired a lot of company certificates
like ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and SA
8000 for social accountability. We
are a member of the BCI cotton and
many more. We have built the trust
among the customers, who always
look for reliability and trustworthi-
ness of suppliers.
All our manufacturing practices are
very responsible and we give more
importance to manufacturing prac-
tices. For instance, our dyeing
unit follows zero liquid dis-
charge (ZLD) principle and we
have also installed wind power
generating technology. Besides,
we also worked with non-profit
organisation for plantation and
are increasing green cover in
the city in our drive towards
sustainable manufacturing.
Communication and interac-
tion are very important. We stay in
touch with industry peers and keep
physical interaction with other in-
dustry. Moreover, we attend textile
forums and meetings so it will be
much helpful for getting ideas about
current issue or trend.
I totally believe in empowering peo-
ple who take their decision indepen-
Managing Director,
BKS Textile Company
DR. SUDHA ANAND
Key Points
•BKS textiles is a sustainability-oriented company
•Communication with customers stays as top priority
•Employees are given a say in decisions
•Research & development given due importance
•Marketing plays a key role in its success.
•Cost Cutting in difficult times is vital.
23
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24. 24
dently, and depending on their hi-
erarchy, they should be given right
skills and training to handle their job
effectively. Also, I believe in encour-
aging and energising people with the
best possible ways in this time.
Confidentiality is a big challenge
when you want to differentiate your-
self from the competitors. So, we
have non-disclosure agreement from
our employees who are involved in
product development, marketing and
sales. We have a strict NDA policy.
We choose people based on attitude
not only the skills. I believe people
with the right attitude always re-
spect confidentiality in the effort
that is gone beyond or behind inno-
vating some products or something
companies specialising in.
We have some controls in our soft-
ware wherein only particular people
get rights and access about certain
information. For example, market-
ing team can access only custom-
ers related information, production
team accesses only production re-
lated information so they won’t have
any other information access.
Technology helps to maintain Con-
fidentiality in the organisation like
give right information to right peo-
ple.
Covid times and BKS approach
During the 1st wave of COVID-19 no
one had any clue about what is go-
ing on. Even we don’t have any idea
about how to run a manufacturing
business in this difficult time and
Covid badly affected our company’s
reputation and mainly finance was
very much hit.
We decided to increase our inhouse
employees strength to about 70℅
against 30% for outside employees.
After the lockdown we were not al-
lowed to bring in people from out-
side. After learning a lesson from the
1st wave, we quickly adopted and in-
creased our recruitment of in-house
employees. Now we have 95℅ in-
house employees and we have proper
control over there. All facilities are
now available like vaccination for
getting proper protection.
This major move helped us in the
2nd wave. When there was a severe
lockdown, not only did our work kept
going, but we were ready to face
every challenge. We were in contact
with our customers catering to their
needs from time to time.
Motivation goes a long way. I always
believe in small appreciations. Any
bigger or smaller task, there will be
small appreciation from the company
or from the management. We totally
believe in challenging targets, but
achievable targets to our employees.
It is a very positive way to motivate
people or employees and it’s really
helpful.
Steps for success
Increasing efficiency and productiv-
ity of the company mean cost must
go down. In order to improve the pro-
ductivity, we have micro skill train-
ing to our employees, like sewing is a
micro skill so techniques under that
and how to place. After Micro skill-
ing productivity totally went up and
cost came down and also, we encour-
age production incentives and give
prizes which help to motivate people
to achieve more productivity. Once
productivity is increased then rev-
enue also goes up.
Other strategy is we always take
a call on a particular process -- ‘we
make or we buy’, whichever is cheap-
er we go with it so cost always mat-
ters. This choice helps in cost cutting
and increasing productivity.
Success means to me is to build sus-
tainable and profitable enterprise,
which is growing continually.
I believe strong branding is required
for company’s sustainability and so
the intention behind to starting our
own brand for Indian market. There
is a lot of B2B business brands to be
seen as a business competitors. We
focus more on branding and also con-
tinuous growth. If profitability is not
there and stagnancy in growth which
hit our business means failure to me
Being a director of this company
gives me lot of opportunity to meet
people and know things in the inter-
national arena.
It is very challenging and makes in-
teresting also. I am on this position
of being one of the directors of the
company to impact on many people
lives in a positive way. My every de-
cision impact everyone so that’s what
I like as being a director.
The Branding Strategy
Developing brands is the most im-
portant strategy. We are focusing
on developing domestic brand which
helps to see differently in custom-
ers view and also, we are present
on the strong, new E platforms and
we plan to diversify into neighbour-
ing countries with our brands and so
branding and digital presence and e
commerce selling platforms are very
important in these times.
We have a work management sys-
tem implemented in our team and
we have action plan once a project is
decided so there is a macro planning
as well as micro planning format.
Planning is important because it is
70℅ of a project and once planning is
done, execution has to be monitored
meticulously with regular reviews.
So planning and regular reviews are
very important.
Research & Development
We would like to go with sustainable
products so that all our product de-
velopment and research efforts will
go into that area.
We want to bring in more sustain-
able products under our umbrella.
We are in the process of building the
right technical team so that soon we
will be able to reach our goal.
Pandemic badly affected our busi-
ness. So, we are focusing on reduce
inventory and cost cutting and we
kept in touch with our customers on
regular basis.
We were not able to meet our cus-
tomers physically and so we were
having regular video conference
and meetings with our customers to
know what is the situation in their
country, in their company, or in their
State. We also explained our situ-
ation to the customers so that con-
stant communication between us is
I N T E R V I E W
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25. really helpful to keeping the rela-
tionship maintained during the pan-
demic time.
Once we know what’s happening in
the customers side then we will be
prepared in our side also. For e.g.,
(If the customer says his sales have
slowed then we delay the deliveries
and once the customer says his sales
have picked up, we will ramp up the
sales and improve the delivery dates)
The future growth measures
We want to increase our in-house
manufacturing capacity to keep con-
trol on quality and the cost and we
tie up with the more retail chains
and we like to develop our domestic
brand SVAS in the Indian market
and presence in digital platforms.
This is now top priority for us.
We want to diversify into wider with
processing which is underway and
we will be bringing the union corpo-
ration by mid of 2022 and we want
to increase our in-house sewing ca-
pacity. Due to these steps, we will
be increasing marketing footprint in
many countries.
Today, the young generation thinks
and feels that textile is a very old
fashion industry.
When I meet a person who is confused
about choosing between textile and
any other field, I will boldly say that
demand for the textile will never go
away as it is a product that’s required
by everyone in the world throughout
the year. Besides through the textile,
we give employment to many people
in India because textile is the second
most employment generation field
next to agriculture. This will give a
positive impact on their lives.
Today, there are many branches in
the textile field, including research
and development and innovation so
research and development going on
big way for e.g., a lot of new products
are coming up like carbon fibre, ba-
nana fibre, hemp, organic cotton and
so there is plenty of opportunity in
textile field. And technical textile is
very ancient in India so that young
generation can focus more on tech-
nical textiles because opportunity is
unlimited. Besides consumers prefer
less to buy from China so that India
stays as the second largest manufac-
turer and exporter in textile. India
has very good future in textile.
GKD GENERATES GREAT INTEREST IN ITS SOLUTIONS FOR THE
NONWOVENS INDUSTRY
NEWS UPDATE
Returning after an 18-month break, the
INDEX exhibition in Geneva enjoyed a
large number of visitors, a good over-
all atmosphere, and clearly discernible
investment interest. Over 500 exhibi-
tors from 44 countries showcased their
products at the world’s largest nonwo-
vens exhibition.
Special topography and short deliv-
ery times
The new GKD CONDUCTIVE 2215
process belt material – a cross twill
weave produced from special polyester
filaments for airlay and meltblown non-
woven forming – received extremely
positive feedback. Here, carbon-coat-
ed filaments ensure secure discharge
of unavoidable electrostatic charges
which occur during forming processes.
The innovative interaction of material
choice, filament diameter, weave tech-
nology, and air permeability also cre-
ates a special texture to the new form-
ing fabric from GKD. It guarantees
precise and homogeneous nonwoven
deposit, while at the same time deliver-
ing good extraction and a minimized
risk of fiber entanglement or loss.
Glass hybrid lightweights with anti-
stick coating
The glass hybrid fabric belts with anti-
stick coating for sophisticated thermal
bonding processes were a second attrac-
tion to visitors at the GKD trade fair
stand. Numerous existing and prospec-
tive customers took the opportunity to
learn about the reinforced fabric design
of this belt type, which was being pre-
sented at INDEX for the first time.
Thanks to their single-ply mesh de-
sign, employing stainless steel wires
in the weft direction and warp wires
produced from fiberglass strands, they
are energy efficient lightweights and
thereby particularly economical in use.
This cost effectiveness is achieved by a
significantly higher production speed,
a service life that extends over sev-
eral years, and minimized cleaning in-
tervals. The complete PFA coating of
wires, strands, and intersections espe-
cially qualifies this belt type for highly
adhesive products or those with great
shrinking forces. With the further rein-
forced fabric design – available in both
magnetic and non magnetic form – the
already excellent properties of cross
stability, tracking stability and service
life have been further improved.
Field-proven products for drying and
filtration
The seamless spiral belts produced by
GKD also proved to be popular problem
solvers at the INDEX exhibition.
The products showcased by GKD at the
exhibition were rounded off by metal
filter media for central filters and spin-
ning beams, as well as blower screens
for polymer filtration.
Many users and machine builders took
the opportunity to get a close up look
at the high performance product range
of the world’s leading technical weavers
and directly discuss concrete challeng-
es in nonwoven production with the ex-
perts from GKD.
25
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26. SIGNS OF DEMAND FOR TEXTILE INDUSTRY
PICKING UP: RATHI LAXMIKANT
The Ideal Group is a pioneer in the man-
ufacturing of spinning parts, which in-
cludes sipping tubes, bobbins and hold-
ers, and also dyeing cheese and cones.
The company recently returned from a
successful participation in a physical
exhibition, CAITME 21, in Tashkent.
In an exclusive and concise interview,
Mr. Rathi Laxmikant, President– Sales
and Marketing, Ideal Group, speaks to
the Textile Value Chain. excerpts
What has the response been to the
industry, and particularly to Ideal
Group’s products, now that you have
returned from the first physical exhibi-
tion, CAITME 21, in Tashkent, Uzbeki-
stan?
Rathi Laxmikant: Because of the over-
all good demand, the textile and cloth-
ing industries are having the best of
times. In the last 8–10 months, robust
demand has been observed across all
sectors and across all major markets.
Due to the positive business environ-
ment, there is a lot of enthusiasm in the
industry for innovation and new devel-
opments. The CAITME 21 was placed
exactly during this positive time and,
therefore, the response from the indus-
try was excellent.
Of course, the start was a roller-coaster
ride with a lukewarm response from
the exhibitors. There were many chal-
lenges due to COVID-19 protocols, like
travel restrictions, limited flights, etc.
But, the focused exhibitors decided to
go ahead and make it a huge success.
Ideal presented the following products:
• HIG and Slim HCC spinning tubes.
• The most reliable simplex bobbins
• The Millennium series bobbin holders
• The dyed cheese and cones
The products offer unique advantages
over their competitors. For example,
the bobbin falling from the Bobbin
Transport System is a unique issue,
and Ideal’s Millennium series bobbin
holders provide a complete solution to
the same. Similarly, the high-impact
ABS simplex has higher strength and
stability compared to the PP simplex,
which is used in this market.
Do you feel that physical exhibitions
will be a reality now, especially in
2022 and beyond?
Substantiate with what you saw on the
13th CAITME.
Rathi Laxmikant: Virtual exhibitions
can’t replace physical ones. The per-
sonal interactions add a lot of value
and create the perfect dialogue. During
CAITME 13, we could feel the custom-
er’s expectations and, thus, were able
to offer the best possible solutions. I
have no doubt that physical exhibitions
will be a reality in 2022 and beyond.
How did the Ideal Group fare during
the nearly two years when the pan-
demic CONVID-19 was at its peak
worldwide?
Rathi Laxmikant: The time was chal-
lenging, and such a time is the best
to introspect, take stock of the situa-
tion, and improve. I think challenges
like these bring new opportunities.
Key Points
• Due to the positive business environment, there is a lot of enthusiasm in the
industry for innovation and new developments.
• The products offer unique advantages over their competitors.
• The high-impact ABS simplex has higher strength and stability
• We have launched a completely new Millennium series of bobbin holders
• Central Asia is blessed with excellent quality cotton for coarse and medium
counts.
26 I N T E R V I E W
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27. Ideal has done a lot of work on prod-
uct and process improvement. We have
launched a completely new Millennium
series of bobbin holders along with
some other products. The upgrade of
the Hi-Tech lappet hook to Ultratech
brought in many more opportunities
too. Similarly, the use of digital com-
munication helped us spread our wings
in new markets.
How has the group fared in exports
during this time?
Rathi Laxmikant: We can call it a bless-
ing in disguise. We could get in contact
with different markets through various
digital channels and establish our pres-
ence there.
Which are the major segments, you
think, that hold good prospects in the
Central Asian markets?
Rathi Laxmikant: Central Asia is
blessed with excellent quality cotton
for coarse and medium counts. Invest-
ments in spinning will continue at the
same pace for the next few years. At
the same time, countries like Uzbeki-
stan have started encouraging invest-
ment in further processes to strengthen
the textile value chain. Investment in
knitting, dyeing, and also weaving will
gather more momentum in the coming
months.
Will your company be exhibiting at
major exhibitions in 2022? What is the
strategy for the near future?
Rathi Laxmikant: We are interested in
participating in major exhibitions like
India ITME, ITMA Europe, etc. and
displaying our new range of products.
What was the take-home message
from the CAITME 2021?
Rathi Laxmikant: CAITME was a suc-
cessful event due to the good participa-
tion from industry entrepreneurs and
technocrats. The COVID protocols en-
sured the safety of the participants.
ITALIAN TEXTILE MACHINERY:
THIRD QUARTER 2021 REMAINS POSITIVE FOR NEW ORDERS
NEWS UPDATE
The index of orders intake for Italian textile machines, as
compiled by ACIMIT, the association that groups together
Italian textile machinery producers, rose by 66% for the peri-
od from July to September 2021 compared to the same period
in 2020. The value of the index stood at 119.8 points (basis
2015=100). This growth has concerned both the Italian and
foreign markets, with an increase in domestic orders of 130%
compared to the same period in 2020, and up 54% for foreign
orders.
However, the index of orders intake shows a -17% drop when
compared to the previous quarter this year, due mainly to
the summer break and a demand for machinery that has sta-
bilized over the last few months.
ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi says regarding these
figures, “Overall, the numbers for new orders remain posi-
tive, in spite of a slight decline compared to the months
prior to the summer period.
This proves that Italian companies have been capable of
responding quickly to new market conditions, as has often
happened in other historical periods. The ability to adapt,
coupled with a remarkable flexibility, are part of our DNA as
Italian businesses, not just in our specific sector”.
This positive moment for Italy’s textile machinery sector is
expected to continue through to the year’s end, as ACIMIT’s
analysis notes. Indeed, Italian machinery manufacturers
are forecasting an increase in the orders intake for the last
quarter of the year, both abroad and domestically. ACIMIT’s
President concludes: “The resumption in trade show attend-
ance we’ve witnessed has improved the climate of confidence
among companies.
However, we need to make the most of this moment, since
the difficulties are not yet entirely behind us. In particular,
we must continue on the path of digitalisation and sustain-
ability”.
27
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28. Be it digital technologies or self-reliance, Huntsman Corpo-
ration, a leader in dyestuff industry, has made rapid strides.
Mr. Suhas More, Commercial Director at Huntsman Corpo-
ration speaks to the Textile Value Chain in an exclusive in-
terview about the steps the company has taken during the
present pandemic times, and also the future plans and strat-
egies.
Excerpts:
How did Huntsman manage during the pandemic times,
esp. what were the steps to overcome the crisis?
Suhas More: One thing the pandemic has taught us is that
being agile and flexible will always be critical. While the
Covid-19 outbreak has proven to be a huge disruptor, it has
also provided us with an opportunity to innovate and rein-
vent ourselves. For instance, we have leveraged technology
to remain connected with our customers and developed cus-
tomized products to cater to their evolving needs. As the cri-
sis continues, it has become evident that identifying effective
ways of working, collaborating, and challenging the status
quo is the only way forward for the chemical industry. To
become a USD300 billion industry by 2025, it is imperative
that we continue building on our R&D capabilities, invest in
the right talent, and leverage new opportunities as well as
technologies to ensure sustained growth for the sector.
The safety of our employees and partners remains our top-
most priority. With the situation now returning to normalcy
along with the administration of vaccines, we continue to
take all the necessary precautionary measures to help curb
the spread of infection.
What are the steps it took to automate/digitalise the com-
pany in the dyes & intermediates sector?
Suhas More: Applying digital technologies is becoming a
strategic imperative in the chemical industry, it opens up
a brighter future with ample opportunities for us. The first
and the most important step is to have a proper road map.
Leading companies are introducing new organizational ap-
proaches to digitalization, as they see value across their
portfolios and align their organizations to best capture the
advantages.
Digitization is the need of the hour and is inevitable the pro-
cess might be slow, but the goal will be achieved. With the
GOI’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, and Digital India.
The chemical industry saw a rapid wave of digital growth
during the pandemic which has accelerated the process of
digital adoption.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data have possibly the
most potential to disrupt every aspect of a chemical compa-
ny’s business model, from research and development to cus-
tomer interaction, operations to compliance and shareholder
value to social responsibility.
However, robotics and its adoption in Indian chemical indus-
try will be gradual given the economics and availability of
skilled/semi-skilled labor compared to developed countries.
Nevertheless, its value is evident in super skilled and high
precision work (viz electronics, auto, 3D printing, etc.).
What are the future plans & goals for the future?
Suhas More: In line with the government’s vision to make
India more self-reliant, we aim to continue expanding our
presence across the country, while further building on our
existing product portfolio to meet the needs of diverse mar-
kets across the globe. As always, we will continue supporting
our customers all over the world through the development
of innovative, ecological solutions that help reduce environ-
mental footprint and enhance resource optimization.
Key Points
• We have leveraged technology to remain connected with
our customers
• The safety of our employees and partners remains our
topmost priority.
• The first and the most important step is to have a proper
road map.
• We intend to continue expanding our presence across the
country in accordance with the government’s vision of mak-
ing india more self-sufficient.
• One of our key focus areas as a brand will be to continue
driving sustainability through innovation.
• India is a global dye supplier, accounting for 16% of global
dyestuff and dye intermediary production.
SUSTAINABILITY VIA INNOVATION
IS HUNTSMAN’S MAJOR FOCUS
28 I N T E R V I E W
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29. One of our key focus areas as a brand will be to continue
driving sustainability through innovation. It is not only
about developing new products, but also about ensuring
that production practices are sustainable. We will continue
to support our customers through the development of these
solutions to help them achieve better resource optimization
and cost efficiency.
We are also developing and introducing new products from
time to time to cater to evolving customer needs, while also
enhancing quality and enabling cost optimisation. Our in-
novative Novacron P range Dyes & Lyoprint printing range
auxiliaries meet key requirements, combining performance
and functionality with aesthetics and fashion. Together with
our long-standing expertise across Digital & Traditional
printing, we are well placed to support the current and fu-
ture needs of the textile mills, brands & retailers.
Throw some light on the various products for the textile in-
dustry. How do they fare in eco and sustainability terms?
Suhas More: The textile industry accounts for the largest
consumption of dyestuffs (about 80% of the total dye produc-
tion). 40-50% of dyes produced in the developed countries
find application in the paint industry, 30-40% in other in-
dustries, and less than 10% of the aggregate is used in the
textile sector. However, due to the growth in export and the
very high export potential of the dyestuff, the dependence
of this sector on the textile sector is slowly being diluted.
Further, the domestic demands for dyes are increasing due
to the growth of industrial paint industries, printing indus-
tries, plastic and tannery industries, which are also consum-
ers of dyestuff. The world market, which was traditionally
highly dominated by Europe and North America, is now be-
ing slowly taken over by Asia. Asian markets are growing
at a very rapid pace. Since European countries concentrate
on specialty products, they have continued to remain major
players in this industry.
Our textile dyes, chemicals and digital inks provide the lat-
est enhancing capabilities to finished textile of all major fi-
bres, including cotton, polyester, wool, nylon, silk and acryl-
ic. With respect to printing, we provide advanced digital inks
to textile printers of various fabric blends which help achieve
an unlimited array of complex colours and patterns while
offering cost savings and resource optimisation. Our portfo-
lio of digital inks includes our nextgeneration solutions NO-
VACRON ADVANCE and ERIOFAST VISTA, designed for
remarkable coloristic performance at reduced energy con-
sumption, LANASET and TERASIL inks, primarily used for
apparel and sportswear, and LYOSPERSE, TERASIL and
NOVACRON inks for apparel and home textiles.
We also have digital ink solutions that have been developed
keeping in mind the fast-growing segments of soft-signage
and technical textiles.
Adopting sustainable practices across the value chain, right
from procurement of materials to the processing and manu-
facturing of textiles, has gained much needed attention in
the last few years. These emerging technologies are enabling
manufacturers address the triple bottom line, balancing the
impact on people, planet, and profits. Sustainability matrix
is a complex array of multiple variables both internal and
external to the organisation.
What are the prospects of the dyes & intermediates sec-
tor? How do you think India can achieve greater perfor-
mance in this sector?
Suhas More: India is a global supplier of dye, accounting for
~16% of the global production of dyestuffs and dye interme-
diaries. India has a strong presence in the exports market in
the sub segment of dyes, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemi-
cals. The country exports dyes to Germany, the UK, the US,
Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Singapore, and Japan. The In-
dian dyes and pigments market is projected to reach US$
63.0 billion by 2022.
The Indian textiles and apparel market is growing at an un-
precedented rate and contributes to 7 percent of the coun-
try’s industrial output. As output grows, it is essential that
the sector comes together to minimise the impact of opera-
tions on the environment. The dyeing and finishing needs
of textile manufacturers in 36 countries around the globe,
including USA, Germany and China are met through our
manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. Nearly 35%
of the products manufactured at the site are used locally.
Digital printing offers high-resolution prints with unlimited
colour combinations and utilises less amount of ink, electric-
ity, and water as compared to other traditional techniques.
Huntsman Textile Effects is one of the leading providers of
integrated textile solutions for every aspect of digital print-
ing right from Preparatory and Digital Inks to finishing seg-
ments. Our Novacron XKS HD and NOVACRON ADVANCE
ranges offer superior performance and enhanced reliability
along with higher definition compared to similar inkjet prep-
arations.
29
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30. 30 I N T E R V I E W
HOW SPINNING AND RECYCLING GO
TOGETHER AT BB ENGINEERING
As a medium-sized German machine
construction business, BB Engineering
has been manufacturing components
and systems for synthetic fiber and film
production for more than 20 years. For
several years now, the company has
been concentrating on recycling sys-
tem development work. We discussed
just how the seemingly different busi-
ness units interact and how the recy-
cling business profits from the existing
extrusion and spinning systems know-
how with Dr Klaus Schäfer, Managing
Director, and Mr Matthias Schmitz,
Head of Engineering Recycling Tech-
nology.
Dr Schäfer, BB Engineering has its ori-
gins in the manufac-ture of extrusion
and filtration systems for synthetic fib-
er spinning equipment. How did you
come to open a new business unit
dedicated to PET recycling?
Dr Klaus Schäfer: You are funda-
mentally right. Our original business
was, and remains, focused on compo-
nents such as extruders and fil-ters
for processing the most diverse poly-
mers into synthetic fibers, but also into
films and on developing and distribut-
ing other products. Soon, our portfolio
was complemented by our own compact
spinning system – in the form of the
VarioFil. Our extruder and filters have
also been used for rPET for many years
now. We first supplied components for
rPET back in 2005. For these reasons,
PET recycling was not something com-
pletely new to us. In 2012, we unveiled
the VarioFil type ‘R’, which also spins
rPET granulate into high-end yarn.
And, in 2016, we went a step further
with the type ‘R+’: the direct process-
ing of bottle flakes using our compact
spinning system – in other words, re-
cycling and spinning in a single step.
The background to this was to dispense
with the intermediate step of producing
the granulate, hence saving lots of en-
ergy and cutting conversion costs, and
to create high-quality POY from bottle
flakes.
What potential benefits do you see in
the recycling of synthetic fibers?
Dr Klaus Schäfer: Apart from the social
responsibility of acting in a resource-
and environmentally-friendly man-
ner, we believe that recy-cling fibers
presents our customers with consider-
able com-mercial opportunities. Firstly,
there is production waste. De-spite
spinning technology becoming ever bet-
ter, there is al-ways waste in the form
of B-quality goods, caused by over-pro-
duction and during start-up and retool-
ing. Instead of simply disposing of this
– in view of constantly rising prices for
raw materials and decreasing avail-
ability – nevertheless val-uable mate-
rial, it is far more economical to process
it and re-turn it to the production pro-
cess. Yarn manufacturers can not only
cut costs, they also become more auton-
omous. Fur-thermore, general develop-
ments, such as increasing popula-tion
densities and fast fashion, are creat-
ing ever greater de-mand for polyester
and polyester fibers. Here, many major
textiles manufacturers have set them-
selves ambitious tar-gets with regards
to the utilization of recycled fibers. So,
you can now see that the potential ben-
efits of fiber recycling are tremendous.
So, VarioFil R/R+ was a huge mile-
stone for BB Engineer-ing. You are
now expanding your portfolio with the
VacuFil. What exactly is the VacuFil
and how does this system dif-fer from
the VarioFil R/R+?
Matthias Schmitz: The starting
point for the VacuFil was the aim of of-
fering our clientèle a zero-waste spin-
ning system with which they can reu-
tilize their own production waste. Very
much in line with the circular economy.
The VacuFil recycles this waste. The
VarioFil then spins the processed ma-
terial. Whereby the VacuFil stands on
its own, of course, and can also be com-
bined with a granulation process and
other further pro-cessing procedures.
Equally, starting materials other than
spinning waste can be processed as well
– such as bottle waste, trays, films, etc.
Matthias Schmitz, Head of Engineering
Recycling Tech-nology
Dr Klaus Schäfer, Managing Director of
BB Engineering GmbH
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31. On the one hand, these of course have
completely different properties and, on
the other hand, the requirements of the
subsequent recycled material also vary
depending on the end use. To ensure the
VacuFil is able to fulfill such changing
recycling tasks in a reliable and repro-
ducible manner, the flexible controlling
of the intrinsic viscosi-ty was the top
priority during development.
Where do you acquire your know-
how? Processing virgin material into
films and filaments and recycling pol-
yester are actually two completely
different processes.
Dr Klaus Schäfer: Of course,
these are two completely different pro-
cesses, but we view the necessary con-
version into recycled material from per-
spective of the end product. The desired
properties of the end product determine
the requisite quality of the starting ma-
terial and hence also the requirements
for the re-cycled materials and their
production. We come full circle. Hence,
we know precisely what is important
when recycling PET to ensure that fur-
ther processors are able to use it to cre-
ate high-quality products.
In theory, that sounds very promising.
What does the per-formance look like
in practice?
Matthias Schmitz: Our trials
have shown that – in the right config-
uration – our high-end extrusion and,
above all, our filtration technologies are
able to produce high-end rPET granu-
late for high-quality POY or FDY. Our
system creates an intrinsic-viscosity
build-up of up to 0.15 dl/g and homoge-
neity fluctuations of just ± 0.01 dl/g. We
have achieved outstanding results in
our tests. In part, the recycled materi-
als from our VacuFil systems even offer
superior spinning properties compared
to the virgin ma-terial used in the tests
– particularly with regards to spinning
breaks and lint formation. We offer our
test system to cus-tomers and other
interested parties for specific material
and process tests.
These are surprisingly positive re-
sults, considering you normally have
to accept compromises when using
recy-cled materials. How have you
achieved this? What is so special
about the VacuFil process?
Matthias Schmitz: F u n d a m e n -
tally, we use liquid-state polycondensa-
tion, which cleans more effectively than
solid-state polycondensation processes.
But the truly special feature with the
VacuFil is, above all, our Visco+ compo-
nent. With this, we have devel-oped a
unique vacuum filter system for viscos-
ity build-up and viscosity homogeniza-
tion. We currently have a patent pend-
ing here. Add to this the interaction
with high-end extrusion, large-area fil-
tration and the excellent degasification
technol-ogy.
Dr Klaus Schäfer: The right con-
figuration of these units is absolutely
decisive. We are proud that we have
succeeded here, drawing on our many
years of extrusion and filtration exper-
tise.
Mr Schmitz, you mentioned that the
VacuFil is compati-ble with various
further processing procedures. What
pos-sibilities do manufacturers actu-
ally have?
Matthias Schmitz: You can com-
bine the VacuFil with various pelleting
units. However, you can also feed the
recycled melt from the VacuFil directly
into the further processing systems, re-
gard-less of whether these are spinning
systems, film production units or other
manufacturing processes. There are
many possible options. BB Engineering
also offers several optional add-ons for
the VacuFil. For example, our 3DD mix-
ing sys-tem, which enables the recycled
material to be returned to the virgin
polymer flow in a polycondensation
system. This mixing system can also be
used to add additives, mas-terbatches
and similar to the rPET melt. Overall,
the VacuFil is extremely modular and
flexible.
A really exciting system. We wish you
continued success and thank you for
talking to us!
Dr Klaus Schäfer: We would also
like to thank you.
Matthias Schmitz and Dr Klaus Schäfer by the VacuFil test system at the company HQ in Remscheid
The VacuFil test system at the company HQ
in Remscheid is available for customers and
interested parties for material and process
testing.
31
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