#Yarn & Fiber

2019-02-28

NAGNATA launches Merino wool activewear for conscious-minded women, in partnership with The Woolmark Company

In collaboration with The Woolmark Company, NAGNATA has launched a Merino wool range for SS19, with sustainable manufacturing, social responsibility and style at its core.

By blending The Woolmark Company’s specialised knowledge of Merino wool and its supply chain with NAGNATA’s design identity, the focus of this collaboration was to create a unique fabrication that’s sustainably made.

“As designers, we are driven by design and textile innovation. Our aim was to develop an innovative performance wool seamless knit fabrication that wasn’t already on the market and which could provide a super soft second-skin hand feel using the highest possible content of natural fibres,” explains NAGNATA’s founder and creative director, Laura May.

Circular knitting technology and an exclusive blended yarn has allowed the SS19 NAGNATA collection to concentrate on seamless garments, wherein no excess material is wasted in the construction phase and irritation next to the skin from seams is eradicated. This, combined with the high content of natural fibres blending Australian Merino wool with Tencel, allows for fitted, high-stretch workout clothes with minimal use of synthetic fibres and maximum breathability and softness.

“We wanted to work with Merino wool initially for sustainability reasons, as wool is a natural, biodegradable and renewable fibre. Merino wool is also one of the world’s most technically advanced fibres and works in total harmony with the wearer’s body,” explains May. “We believe style and quality does not need to be sacrificed in the pursuit of sustainably produced fashion.”

Designed for yoga, pilates, cycling, dance, cardio exercise and studio-to-street style, the Merino wool range is a performance-focused offering by NAGNATA. The Merino wool fibres are finer than traditional wool fibres, so they feel luxuriously soft next to the skin. They work in total harmony with the wearer’s body due to their excellent natural elasticity, odour resistant and moisture management properties and natural breathability.

“Our skin is our biggest organ and absorbs the toxins and chemicals from the textiles we wear on our bodies. Synthetic fabrics are mainly derived from petroleum and these petrochemicals are not something you want your skin absorbing, especially in yoga and breath-focused practices when your pores are so open.”

Staying true to NAGNATA’s directional design aesthetic, the SS19 collection explores relationships between the crafted and the technical. The designers drew inspiration from traditional men’s wool suiting fabrications creating a houndstooth knit jacquard pattern, combined with the brand’s signature colour-blocking and retro-sports details.

The Woolmark Company showcases Australia's commitment to India's textile industry at Bharat Tex 2026

Reinforcing more than five decades of commitment to India's wool textile and apparel industry, The Woolmark Company, alongside Austrade and the Australian High Commission, marked a strong presence at Bharat Tex 2026, one of the world's largest textile and apparel trade platforms. Through industry engagement, strategic collaborations, technical innovation and knowledge exchange, the participation underscored Australia's continued commitment to supporting the growth and transformation of India's textile ecosystem while highlighting the versatility and value of Australian Merino wool.

Merino wool moves into China’s high-performance sportswear market

China’s leading sportswear brands are beginning to treat Merino wool not as a lifestyle material, but as a performance input as natural fibres move from the margins of sportswear into elite technical applications. That shift is increasingly evident in the material strategies of major domestic groups such as ANTA.

Lenzing improves profitability as strategic transformation gains momentum

The Lenzing Group reported improved operating profitability in the first nine months of 2026 despite declining revenue and a challenging market environment. Revenue decreased by 2.3 percent to EUR 1.93 billion, while adjusted EBITDA remained stable at EUR 353 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin increased from 17.9 percent to 18.3 percent, reflecting progress in the company's strategic transformation under its “Grow Nonwovens. Reset Textiles.” strategy.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories launches performance yarn development program based on spider silk

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has launched a development program for high-performance yarns based on its recombinant spider silk technology. The initiative follows the company's first commercial shipment of a custom spider silk yarn to a performance apparel customer and includes the delivery of spider silk samples to a textile technology company with experience in aerospace-related material development.

Lenzing and Kaihara to debut REMOD denim collection at Kingpins Amsterdam

The Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, has partnered with Japanese denim manufacturer Kaihara Corporation to launch the “REMOD Collection”. The collection combines three of Lenzing's fiber offerings for denim applications: TENCEL™ Lyocell Standard, TENCEL™ Lyocell – HV100 and TENCEL™ Lyocell dtex 2.2.

Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.

DITF develops bio-based binding fibers for wood-fiber insulation materials

As part of the CelluWoodFlex project, the German Institutes of Textile- and Fiber-Research in Denkendorf (DITF) are developing bio-based cellulose ester fibers as alternative binding fibers for flexible wood fiber insulation materials. In addition to the spinning process and the production of suitable staple fibers, the institute is also investigating how wood and cellulose fibers can be separated and recycled at the end of their useful life.

Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

Magnera highlights HighPleat™ filtration media technology at FiltXPO 2026

At FiltXPO 2026, held on October 28–29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Magnera highlighted advances in air filtration media architecture, with a particular focus on its HighPleat™ platform for MERV 8–10 applications. The technology combines a lofted fiber structure with optimized pore architecture to address the challenge of balancing filtration efficiency, airflow resistance and contaminant-holding capacity.