#Textile chemistry

2024-10-17

Archroma brings “PLANET CONSCIOUS+” innovations to PERFORMANCE DAYS 2024

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, will showcase innovations that advance sustainability for functional fabrics at PERFORMANCE DAYS 2024 in Munich this month.

“To compete effectively today, brands in the sportswear, sports fashion, athleisure and workwear markets have to combine functionality and aesthetics in products that are also better for people and the environment. Archroma supports the industry to adopt cleaner chemistries that not only save water and energy, but also boost end-product performance and factory productivity,” Lee Howarth, Director of Strategic Marketing & Brand Engagement, Archroma, said.

“PERFORMANCE DAYS is the ideal platform for us to share how innovations under our ‘PLANET CONSCIOUS+’ concept are advancing what’s possible for sustainable functional fabrics.”

Announced last month, “PLANET CONSCIOUS+” is a roadmap designed to support apparel and textile brands and mills to chart their sustainability journey. Built on a commitment to innovation and partnership, it has six dimensions: powerful end-to-end SUPER SYSTEMS+ that combine processing solutions and intelligent effects; the SAFE EDGE+ compliance platform and beyond-compliance product portfolio; the ONE WAY+ value chain mapping and Sustainability Improvement Program; the advanced COLOR MANAGEMENT+ color design and development solution; global INNOVATION+ research and development initiatives; and transparency-driven COMMUNICATION+ solutions.

The innovations being showcased at PERFORMANCE DAYS 2024 under the “PLANET CONSCIOUS+” vision include Archroma’s Conscious coloration range. It features the ERIOFAST® reactive dyes for intense shades and excellent fastness on polyamide (PA) and PA/elastane blends; robust TERASIL® W/WW disperse dyes for outstanding results for polyester and its blends, even for deep and very deep shades; and the award-winning AVITERA® SE dye range for high-performance cellulosic dyeing that is both economical and environment-friendly. Archroma is also presenting its patented EarthColors® technology, which creates high-performance dyes from food and agricultural waste.

Drawing on its extensive portfolio of intelligent effects, the Archroma team will also highlight fluorine-free durable water repellents from the PHOBOTEX® and ZELAN® product ranges and advanced odor-neutralizing solutions from the Sanitized® Odorex™ product family. Featured systems included coldblack®, a finishing technology that imparts reliable UV protection and keeps the wearer cool, even for dark fabrics, and POWER COTTON, which delivers five times the abrasion resistance of cotton while preserving its natural softness.

Meet the Archroma team at PERFORMANCE DAYS 2024

Focusing entirely on new innovations and trends in functional fabrics, PERFORMANCE DAYS is held twice a year to support seasonal sourcing. Around 3,000 specialist visitors, including designers, product managers and purchasing professionals, are expected to attend the October 2024 edition of the fair in Munich, where more than 530 international suppliers will be exhibiting. The event also attracts online attendees from around the world.

Visit Archroma in Munich at Booth T16 in Hall A2, Messe München for PERFORMANCE DAYS 2024 from October 23-24, 2024.

Archroma and Lameirinho partner in pioneering deployment of InOneGO single-step dyeing

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, and Lameirinho, a leading home textiles manufacturer based in Portugal, are collaborating to bring InOneGO by Archroma, a new single-step dyeing process, into commercial production. Lameirinho’s first InOneGo bedlinens collection is now available worldwide.

Archroma wins ICIS Innovation Award for sulfur dye breakthrough

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has won a coveted 2026 ICIS Innovation Award for Best Product Innovation from a Large Company for FiberColors®. These high-performance sulfur dyes are synthesized from pre-consumer wool waste, reducing industry reliance on petroleum-based inputs while contributing to the circular economy by upcycling unwanted wool that farmers would otherwise pay to dispose of.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.

ZymoChem secures $4 million in renewed federal funding to advance U.S. biomanufacturing of critical materials and their supply chains

ZymoChem, the specialty chemicals company dedicated to bringing decarbonization, sustainability, and supply chain resiliency to the chemical industry through innovative biological manufacturing, today announced the resumption and expansion of its federal research portfolio. The company has been notified that previously paused work under a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program is officially back on, to be joined by continuing collaborations with three of the nation's premier national laboratories.

Fashion for Good launches DW(O)R-X to navigate the emerging landscape of PFAS-free finishes

Fashion for Good announced the launch of Project DW(O)R-X, a collaborative initiative designed to benchmark PFAS alternative durable water- and oil-repellent (DW(O)R) chemistries. Responding to growing market demand for alternatives to PFAS‑based finishes, the project aims to generate reliable, comparable data that can support informed sourcing decisions and the assessment of emerging chemistries.

YKK subsidiary Golden Hill Tower Limited marks 25 years of operations in Myanmar

Golden Hill Tower Limited, a subsidiary of YKK Corporation, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a ceremony in Myanmar on September 21, 2026. The event brought together approximately 230 guests, including senior executives from the YKK Group, to commemorate the company's development since the launch of its serviced apartment business in November 2000.

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase digital product creation at Apparel Sourcing Week

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Apparel Sourcing Week 2026 in Bengaluru, India next month. The exhibition provides a platform for the entire apparel value chain, bringing together manufacturers, brands, suppliers and solution providers in one location.

SNA GZ accelerates its on-demand production strategy with Kornit Digital

SNA GZ is leveraging the Kornit Atlas MAX PLUS to expand its music merchandise production, streamline e-commerce order fulfillment, and grow its print-on-demand business across Europe. This investment increases SNA GZ's textile production capacity by 150% (2.5×), enabling the company to meet growing demand and support its continued expansion.

NEUMÜHLE launches mono-material hoodie designed for textile recycling

With the Circular Mono Hoodie, Zurich-based label NEUMÜHLE introduces a new essential designed around a single-material principle. The textile construction is cotton throughout, right down to the sewing thread. Entirely free from elastane, the hoodie launches as a Limited Drop for CHF 139. Take-back, collection and existing recycling partnerships complement its circular design.