#Yarn & Fiber

2024-04-25

RadiciGroup, a pioneer in physical and digital nylon traceability

RadiciGroup, the world leader in the production of advanced textile solutions, is proud to announce the launch of the first physical and digital nylon traceability project. The Group has chosen Techtextil (Hall 9.1 – Stand D28) – a key fair for the European textiles industry taking place from 23 to 26 April in Frankfurt – to present to the market this practical project for transparency in the textile value chain, along with its first actual application: a gilet made from the yarn manufactured in one of the Group’s European industrial sites, which, thanks to a QR code on the garment, can reveal its origin and display information about its production process.

Product traceability is a key element in guaranteeing transparency along the entire supply chain, as it means each stage of production – from spinning to weaving and from packaging through to retail – can be monitored and recorded.

The project, made possible by a partnership with FibreTrace, allows manufactured nylon yarns to be traced both physically and digitally. In fact, RadiciGroup inserts a tracer (an inorganic additive) that is uniquely associated with the yarn and remains identifiable throughout all stages of processing – on both the fabric and the finished garment. Naturally, the tracer does not alter the esthetical, functional and technical performance of the yarns in any way.

In terms of digital traceability, during the production stages a scanner detects the presence of the tracer and can transmit the data relating to provenance onto a dedicated digital platform.

Finally, the consumer, via a QR code, can access the digital platform that provides all information concerning the provenance of the product and its journey through the supply chain.

“This project is the result of almost two years’ work by our Research & Development team. We’re very proud to bring to the market the first physical and digital nylon traceability solution and we plan to extend this initiative to other fibres produced by the Group,” emphasised Filippo Bona, R&D Manager of RadiciGroup Advanced Textile Solutions.

Traceability boosts consumer awareness of where clothes are really produced so people can make more sustainable buying choices. Moreover, traceability helps combat counterfeit goods and encourage products that are made in Europe, in line with the principles of Digital Product Passport Regulations promoted by the European Union.

At a time when sustainability has become essential for the fashion industry, RadiciGroup is placing its know-how and chemical knowledge of materials at the disposal of the sector’s future workers. For this reason, several outfits created by the young designers at POLI.Design are exhibited at the fair. The school, part of the Politecnico di Milano, is an internationally regarded centre for postgraduate training.

The talented youngsters were asked to design garments with some of the Group’s innovative yarns, such as Radilon® Chill-fit and Biofeel® Eleven. The first of these is a new RadiciGroup yarn that optimises the comfort and freshness of textiles, ensuring “thermal regulation” without the need for additional treatments; this was why Anna Bertini selected it to create a cycling suit, which maximises breathability and protection from UV rays. Biofeel® Eleven, meanwhile, is a wholly natural yarn with unique technical performance qualities, such as reduced water absorption, greater lightness and increased resistance. Ya - Sheng Yu used it to create an outdoor jacket that combines fashion trends in its design and colours with durability and an attractive tactile sensation courtesy of the RadiciGroup yarn. At the fair the young designer is also showing an outfit made from Renycle® recycled nylon yarns.

This collaboration bridges the gap between emerging designers and producers of materials, such as RadiciGroup: while the young talents bring creative freshness and innovative perspectives, RadiciGroup offers its experience and cutting-edge technology in the field of sustainable yarns. The aim is to create garments that not only embrace contemporary fashion but also respect the environment and are long-lasting.

“With a view to a future where the textile industry has less environmental impact, we are positioning ourselves as a strategic partner for our customers in areas such as the circular economy and innovation, offering practical and applicable sustainability solutions,” stated Bernardo Staiano, Business Area Manager, Apparel&Technical, for RadiciGroup Advanced Textile Solutions. “This is a path we undertook several years ago, which we want to continue to strengthen, collaborating with all the players in the supply chain to offer the consumer quality solutions that have less environmental impact and are, of course, traceable.”

RadiciGroup is taking a leading role at the fair, with a speech entitled "Sustainability Made Real in Synthetic Fibres" taking place on 23 April at 1pm at “Denim Talks”, Hall 8.0 (hall 8, ground floor), booth D20.

RadiciGroup: 21st Sustainability Report published

RadiciGroup has published its 21st Sustainability Report, covering the year 2024, confirming more than two decades of transparency and measurement in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. From its first Social Report in 2004 to the current reporting aligned with the GRI Universal Standards, the Group is now preparing for its next challenge: the adoption of the criteria that will be set out by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Twenty years of Sustainability Report for RadiciGroup

The RadiciGroup Sustainability Report reaches an important milestone this year: twenty years have in fact passed since the Group published its first Social Report in 2004, qualifying it as one of the pioneering companies in the realisation of voluntary non-financial reporting. The document measures the Group’s achievements and the actions it has taken to reduce its environmental impact, respect social values, and implement good business management practices.

B.I.G. Yarns achieves EcoVadis Platinum Rating, ranking among top 1% of companies worldwide

B.I.G. Yarns, the carpet yarn brand of B.I.G. and a leading manufacturer of polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET) yarns for contract, automotive, and high-end residential applications, has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal, placing the company among the top 1% of more than 130.000 companies assessed globally.

Stability in volatile markets: Heimtextil 2026 launches with 3,000 exhibitors and design expertise from Patricia Urquiola

Heimtextil opens the new season with 3,000 exhibitors from 66 countries – maintaining stability while becoming even more international. The new hall layout increases visibility and connects supply and demand even more efficiently. At the opening, architect and designer Patricia Urquiola and Rosa Bertoli, Global Design Director of Wallpaper magazine, talk about AI, innovative materials and future-oriented design for modern living environments.

January 2026 marks Asahi Kasei’s restart of Bemberg production in restored sections of the Nobeoka facility

Beginning January 2026, production at the Asahi Kasei Nobeoka facility – Bemberg’s only production site – will gradually resume, marking a new chapter following the partial shutdown caused by the April 2022 incident. This progress is the result of significant investments and continuous work toreinforce safety measures, restore full operational capacity, and establish long- term stability.

MUNICH FABRIC START: Between Attitude and Sensuality

The future begins where we reimagine it. After seasons of restraint, Spring.Summer 27 marks a conscious counter-trend: optimism, sensuality, and creative freedom are replacing pragmatism and neutrality. Physical presence and individuality are regaining importance – as a response to uncertainty, exhaustion, and algorithmic predictability. The overarching theme of PLEASURE stands for fashion as an emotional space, as an expression of attitude and cultural reflection. Colours, surfaces, and materials become vehicles for self-confidence and joie de vivre.

organIQ seek: smart alternative to potassium permanganate

CHT Group announces new technical findings within its organIQ seek platform that significantly advance the transition toward permanganate-free denim bleaching. Through extensive industrial testing and application research, CHT confirms that organIQ seek can now be used with remarkable effectiveness as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach, while remaining aligned with sustainability expectations and cost realities in the European market. At the COLOMBIATEX in Medellín as well as at the Exintex in Puebla and the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam the CHT Group will present organIQ seek as an alternative to potassium permanganate.

PERFORMANCE DAYS: Focus topic shifts to the beginning of the value chain

Following the last Focus Topic in October 2025, which placed Textile-to-Textile Recycling at its core, PERFORMANCE DAYS continues to drive the conversation around circularity – this time with an expanded and more upstream perspective. The upcoming Focus Topic, “Textile to Textile: The Role of Collectors and Sorters,” presented during the spring edition on March 18–19, will spotlight one of the most essential yet often overlooked components of a functioning circular textile system: the efficient collection and sorting of post-consumer textiles.

Proven performance, optimised costs – the new RE 6 EL

Nowadays textile companies increasingly need to produce small production runs and respond to market changes with instantaneous pattern changes in order to operate profitably – meaning they require machines that offer maximum flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. KARL MAYER understands the challenges of the market and is launching its new RE 6 EL. The Raschel machine offers the core strengths of the classic RSE 6 EL and essentially the same performance parameters, but has been further cost-optimised largely due to local production advantages. This makes the newcomer an efficiency champion in production, especially when it comes to frequent pattern changes.