Page 76 - TEXtalks International July/August 2022

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Moonlight New York-based Moonlight Technologies has
announced a significant breakthrough and the release
of its new 100% plant-based and natural black dyes.
Technologies to present This discovery comes only months after Moonlight
Solutions announced the launch of five new,
sustainable, plant-based technologies, including
100% plant-based & various natural colors.
natural black dyes Two key barriers to using natural dyes are the limited
color spectrum, the inability to employ a natural black
dye, and the high cost of natural dyes. Humans are
exposed to synthetic compounds derived from artificial
colors through the air, skin, and water, as well as
through the consumption of contaminated fish and
plants. Because most synthetic dyes are not
biodegradable, the dying process may release
numerous toxic chemicals through contaminated water,
resulting in the loss of aquatic life, soil degradation, and
the pollution of drinking water.
These plant-based and natural black dyes are priced
comparably to other synthetic powdered dyes. These
dyes are sustainably sourced, non-toxic,
biodegradable, and can be applied to any fabric type,
synthetic and natural, using regular production
procedures. The product lifecycle of Moonlight
Technologies is not only carbon neutral but also carbon
negative. A key component of Moonlight Technologies
is to nurture nature. The company ensures that all its
formulas are created with environmental preservation in
mind, and all ingredients are safe & clean.
MIT researchers introduce a
smart textile that recognizes a
user’s motion
Researchers from MIT have developed a that track the gait of someone who is learning to walk
comfortable, form-fitting fabric that recognizes its again after an injury or socks that monitor pressure on a
wearer’s activities, like walking, running, and diabetic patient’s foot to prevent the formation of ulcers.
jumping. By incorporating a special type of plastic
yarn and using heat to slightly melt it — a process They used this process to create a “smart” shoe and
called thermoforming — the researchers were able to mat and then built a hardware and software system
significantly improve the precision of pressure to measure and interpret data from the pressure
sensors woven into multilayered knit textiles, which sensors in real-time. The machine-learning system
predicted motions and yoga poses performed by an
they call 3DKnITS.
individual standing on the smart textile mat with
about 99 percent accuracy. Their fabrication process,
The technique could have many applications, which takes advantage of digital knitting technology,
especially in health care and rehabilitation. For enables rapid prototyping and can be easily scaled
example, it could be used to produce smart shoes up for large-scale manufacturing.
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Adidas launches its first product in
collaboration with Spinnova
The adidas TERREX HS¹ is the first knitted product to be made
in part with Spinnova technology. At least 30% of the fabric in
this mid-layer hiking hoodie comes from wood-based
SPINNOVA® fibers (other fibers) and 70% from cotton
(organic). Spinnova is on a mission to transform the raw
material base of the global textile industry by providing radically
sustainable and high-performance textile materials.
Adidas is committed to helping End Plastic Waste via a
three-loop strategy that uses recycled materials, materials that
can be made to be remade, and in the case of Made with
Nature, products created in part with natural ingredients, such
as the adidas TERREX HS1. The product also works with the
material’s natural color. Since no dyeing or bleaching is applied,
this uses less water than the standard dyeing process.
By learning from others and questioning its own material
choices, adidas TERREX aims to drive better product solutions
for adventurers. A limited number of the adidas TERREX HS1
has been made commercially available on adidas.com and in
other selected retail outlets from 15th July in Europe and
globally from 1st September. The adidas TERREX HS1 is a step
forward on adidas’ journey to designing the future in balance
with nature.
Primark introduce
RColorBlend on
a global scale
cotton producer Recover™ and will become the first
Primark is expanding its partnership with recycled to close the loop on fashion.
high-street retailer to use Recover’s unique RColorBlend is produced by blending Recover’s
RColorBlend fiber on a global scale with the launch colored recycled fiber from textile waste – from
of a new leisurewear range. The partnership supports factory floor cutting waste or used clothes – together
Primark’s commitment, through its Primark Cares with a recycled carrier fiber. Color accuracy is
strategy, to increase the amount of clothing achieved by mixing the two types of fibers together,
containing recycled materials and builds on its with no additional dyeing treatment and limited water
ambition to make more sustainable fashion and chemicals to reduce the environmental impact.
affordable for all. The range is made using recycled cotton and
recycled polyester fibers and includes t-shirts priced
Recover™ is a global producer of low-impact, at £6 and sweatshirts priced at £11 in a range of
high-quality recycled cotton fiber and fiber blends, colors including grey, blue and pink. It will launch in
including RColorBlend. The company transforms selected stores across 14 markets in Europe
textile waste into recycled fibers and blends, helping and the US.
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