#Composites

2024-01-25

Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp to host extended natural fibre composites village at JEC World 2024

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp will continue to expand its partnership with JEC Group, hosting a Natural Fibre Village at JEC World 2024 that will showcase the activities of the Alliance and ten of its members in an enlarged 250m2 area dedicated to natural fibre composites.

JEC World 2024 will see longstanding Alliance member Libeco join for the first time, providing 2D woven flax reinforcements for the composite sector, whilst CultureIn and Texinov Tech, both new to JEC in 2023, have also signed up again for 2024. In addition, long term Alliance members Bcomp, Demgy, Depestele, EcoTechnilin, Flipts & Dobbels, Safilin and Terre de Lin will exhibit a wide range of flax raw materials and composite products aimed at the automotive, aerospace, marine, sporting goods, design and lifestyle markets. On the JEC Mobility planets, Depestele, in partnership with GREENBOATS, will also display the natural fibre composite GREENLANDER van structure that has been nominated as a finalist in the 2024 JEC Innovation Awards.

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp will also present its latest scientific work package – adding reliable environmental impact data for European Flax™ fibre to the version 3.10 ecoinvent materials database. This is the first time European Flax™ long and short fibre data (representing 3/4 of global production) has been included in the ecoinvent database allowing flax users, industrials, and brands to move forwards with truly representative and reliable data.

Furthermore, as part of the JEC Composite Exchange, Dr Gilles Koolen, Postdoctoral Researcher at KU Leuven and Expert of the European Scientific Council of Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp alongside Alliance directors Marie Demaegdt, Sustainable Director and Julie Pariset, Innovation & CSR Director, will present a session titled Flax and Hemp: the natural fibres for composite solutions within the industry. The conference will highlight recent developments of flax-linen & hemp as advanced materials for the composite industry and will provide an update on the environmental trajectory for European Flax-Linen focusing on fiber and processing data co-construction, availability, and granularity. The session will take place on 5 May at 4.00PM on the Agora Stage in Hall 5.

"2024 promises to be another strong year for flax and hemp in composites", says Julie Pariset, Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. "At JEC, we can already see the impact that natural fibre composites have created across the composite sector. With European Flax™ fibre data now added to the ecoinvent database, we can provide the composite sector with accurate, scientifically proven data that will allow them to refine their own environmental trajectory.”

SHERPA Tiny Home © Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Circulose restarts commercial-scale production at Ortviken plant in Sundsvall

Circulose today announced the restart of its commercial-scale production plant at Ortviken in Sundsvall, Sweden, marking a significant step in scaling next-generation materials for the global fashion industry. The company plans to resume production of CIRCULOSE®, a recycled pulp made entirely from discarded cotton textiles, in the fourth quarter of 2026.

VIATT 2026 to debut German Pavilion, strengthening European participation alongside key Asian textile hubs

Vietnam’s textile and garment sector continues to be a major contributor to the country’s economic growth, with export revenues expected to reach USD 46 billion in 2025, a 5.6% increase from 2024 . From 26 – 28 February, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is set to contribute to economic growth opportunities by accelerating digital transformation and green transition across the entire textile value chain. The upcoming edition will respond to the rising demand for advanced technologies and sustainable materials with the introduction of the German Pavilion, alongside strong exhibitor participation from key Asian sectors, as well as several high-profile fringe events.

Sustainable, lightweight, and sound absorbing: Polyester-based front trunk solution for BEVs

As car manufacturers look to further reduce their carbon footprint, Autoneum has developed an innovative front trunk solution for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), made entirely from polyester-based textile. The Ultra-Silent Frunk offers significant weight reduction, improved acoustic and thermal insulation, and uses up to 70 percent recycled material, supporting sustainable and efficient vehicle design. Autoneum, global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, has already received orders for the new frunk from three major OEMs in Asia and Europe to be built in three BEV models. Series production for two BEVs has been underway in China and Germany since last year.