#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2021-12-02

Toray develops Qticle™, a smooth and supple new fabric

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it has de-veloped Qticle™, a polyester filament fabric that combines the structure of hair and wool with a smooth and supple texture and functionality.

The company will offer Qticle™ for everything from casual medium-weight fabrics for men’s and ladies’ outerwear through cut-and-sewn items, broadening the design freedom and potential for high-end apparel in Japan and around the globe. Toray aims to commercialize this fabric for spring/summer 2023 collections. It targets annual sales of 200,000 meters in fiscal 2022 (through end-March 2023), and 500,000 meters by 2025.

Hair and wool comprise numerous protein layers. Their properties and structure deliver excellent elastic-ity and luster.

Qticle™ is a biomimetic fabric. Toray created it by em-ploying its proprietary NANODESIGN™ composite spinning technology to design an eccentric yarn with an ultrathin shell layer with which it combined fiber processing technology to create a crimped structure and fine surface irregularities. An eccentric yarn has a cross-section with two different pol-ymers, each with different centers of gravity.

Toray’s technologies have enabled it to attain natural, lustrous, and deep colors, a pleas-antly smooth and supple feel, and functional stretch for comfort and easy care.

In the years ahead, Toray looks to also offer a range with polymers made from recycled materials to cater to sustainability needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the need for fashion to learn from and respect nature, as ethical consumption and veganism do, rather than seeking to control and exploit.

Toray will continue to explore new possibilities for fashion through research and technolog-ical development that scientifically recreates the attributes of natural materials.

The company will continue to cater to and help enhance diversifying lifestyles by supplying innovative technologies and advanced materials.

Qticle™ overview

1. Features

(1) Natural, glossy, with deep coloration.

(2) Smooth, supple texture

(3) Stretchy for comfort and easy care

(4) Functional chemicals deliver exceptional performance and durability

2. Technologies

(1) Eccentric yarn with ultrathin shell layer incorporates NANODESIGNTM composite spinning technology

(2) Special yarn treatment for random thickness and crimp structure along fiber

(3) Ultrathin shell of fiber specially treated to form fine irregularities on surface

3. Launch timing: For spring/summer 2023 collections

4. Sales targets

(1) Volume: 200,000 meters in fiscal 2022 and 500,000 meters by 2025

(2) Applications: Including men’s and women’s outerwear, shirts, blouses, and cut-and-sewn garments

Toray develops recycling technology that retains carbon fiber strength and surface quality

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it has developed a recycling technology that can decompose diverse carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) made from thermosetting resins while retaining the strength and surface quality of those fibers. The company drew on this technology to create a nonwoven fabric employing recycled carbon fibers.

HEAD launches more sustainable(1) BOOM RAW racquet on Earth Day by using Toray’s bio-circular carbon fibers

HEAD continues to innovate with the launch of the BOOM RAW tennis racquet, an encouraging development in the search for a more sustainable future for racquet sports. All of the carbon fibers are bio-circular carbon fibers in the limited-edition and highly innovative BOOM RAW racquet, which offers the same explosive power - along with the same fun, feel and easy playability - as the regular, in-line BOOM racquet. The bio-circular carbon fibers are manufactured by Toray and its subsidiary Toray Carbon Fibers Europe.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.

Carrington Textiles publishes third Sustainability Report

Carrington Textiles has announced the publication of the third Sustainability Report from the RTS Textiles Group, highlighting another year of progress towards more responsible manufacturing across its global operations. The report outlines continued investment in technologies and initiatives designed to improve environmental performance and support long-term business resilience across the Group’s manufacturing facilities in the UK, Portugal and Pakistan.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.