#Man-Made Fibers

2023-11-20

EvoSteam staple fiber process from Oerlikon Neumag bluesign® verified

The revolutionary new Oerlikon Neumag EvoSteam staple fiber process is bluesign® verified © 2023 Oerlikon

The new polyester staple fiber process EvoSteam from Oerlikon Neumag receives the bluesign® test label "bluesign® VERIFIED DATA". For this, the innovative, energy and resource-saving EvoSteam process had to undergo strict data verification. It impressed with savings in energy, water and raw material consumption, as well as a reduction in operating costs (OPEX) and the CO2 footprint.

All relevant process data was compared with the conventional drawing process and analysed. The results are impressive: "I am delighted that, following intensive development work on the new EvoS-team process, we have been able to reduce the total energy consumption for steam and electricity by up to 8%. In addition to reducing production waste by up to 50%, we expect to save around 3.2 million litres of water per year. For the operators of our plants, these are considerable cost savings while at the same time reducing impact on the environment by reducing the CO₂ footprint by around 6%," says Dr Friedrich Lennemann, Head of Technology Development at Oerlikon Neumag, summarising the result. By receiving the bluesign® VERIFIED DATA label, Oerlikon Neumag is not only emphasising its commitment to sustainability. All polyester staple fibers produced with the EvoSteam process will actively contribute to the bluesign® SYSTEM in the future.

bluesign® VERIFIED DATA

For the EvoSteam process, Oerlikon Neumag received the bluesign® VERIFIED DATA label for the first time. The label includes the verification of impact data such as water, spinning preparations, thermal and electrical energy as well as the CO₂ footprint by means of a plausibility check of the supporting records for the EvoSteam draw line, the central element in the EvoSteam process. The reported data was assessed as 2.1 - fair - in accordance with the defined methodology.

EvoSteam process for sustainable staple fiber production

The EvoSteam process was presented to the global public for the first time at ITMA 2023 in Milan. Visitors to the trade fair spoke of a major development step, as the EvoSteam process dispenses with liquid baths. The function of the immersion bath is assumed by a carefully-coordinated setup of godets and pulsed spray nozzles. With this, the moisture is metered precisely and added according to the needs of the process. This completely dispensing with liquid baths generates significant savings in terms of water, energy and finishes, while also increasing occupational safety and cleanliness at the production line.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions hosted successful Technology Day 2025 in India

Oerlikon Manmade Fibers Solutions recently hosted its highly anticipated Innovation and Technology Day at the Deltin Hotel in Daman by end of January 2025. The event attracted over 300 participants, including industry experts, partners, and stakeholders, who gathered to explore the latest advancements and trends in the manmade fibers industry in India.

Carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre proves its worth – NRW Minister for Science Mona Neubaur congratulates ITA start-up TERNAfil

MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.

Spinnova’s partner NZ TEX GROUP supports scaling of SPINNOVA® fibre

NZ TEX GROUP, Spinnova’s long-term woven fabric manufacturing partner based in Bangladesh, supports the scaling of SPINNOVA® fibre by joining the Spinnova ecosystem. NZ TEX GROUP and Spinnova have jointly developed fabrics, including denim, over several years, and the partners are now formalising and strengthening their cooperation through the ecosystem model.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.

DTF vs DTG Printing - The technologies shaping today’s custom merchandise market

From sportswear to branded tote bags, custom merchandise continues to grow in popularity across sectors, driving print shops to cater to short runs, personalisation, and rapid turnaround. As print providers look to this market, two printing technologies often stand out: Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) and Direct‑to‑Garment (DTG). Each offers its own benefits, and understanding these differences helps determine the most suitable production method for print service providers.