#Yarn & Fiber

2017-09-29

AMSilk CEO Jens Klein to speak at Synthetic Biology conference SynBioBeta 2017

AMSilk GmbH, the world's first industrial supplier of synthetic silk biopolymers, will be a participant in this year’s SynBioBeta 2017 in San Francisco. AMSilk CEO Jens Klein has been selected as one of the featured speakers at this year’s event, where he will present the manifold field of applications enabled by AMSilk’s silk biopolymers.

"The recent advances in synthetic biology have enabled the creation of functional, sustainable and high-performance materials unlike anything we’ve seen before,” said AMSilk CEO Jens Klein. “AMSilk’s silk biopolymers are just one example of such materials, and can already be found in a number of trailblazing products around the globe. It is a great pleasure to speak at SynBioBeta and present AMSilk’s products and R&D results on an international level. To bring together so many industry pioneers and innovative companies at one place is remarkable and very inspiring."

SynBioBeta, which is taking place from October 3 to 5 in San Francisco, brings together entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts to drive the Synthetic Biology industry forward. Over 60 industry leaders will discuss the responsible growth of synthetic biology, with featured presentations by molecular biologist and genetics pioneer George Church, the entrepreneur and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and the medical and biology engineer James Collins, one of the founders of synthetic biology. “We couldn’t be more excited for this year’s conference, which comes at a crucial moment for the synthetic biology industry as a whole,” said SynBioBeta founder and CEO John Cumbers. “In just the last ten years, the pace of innovation has increased dramatically, and the impact of biotechnology is beginning to be felt in all industries. “

Key themes at the SynBioBeta conference this year include biomaterials and consumer goods, cell factories for biopharmaceuticals, big data and artificial intelligence and innovations for ocean sustainability. Talks and panels will discuss the future of DNA synthesis, why protein is the killer app, investment opportunities throughout the industry and why all companies need to think about a Bio-Strategy in order to compete in the quickly evolving synthetic biology.

AMSilk and Ajinomoto Foods Europe expand partnership to enable industrial-scale production of silk proteins

AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader leader in biotech produced silk materials, today announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), marking a key step in scaling the industrial production of its silk proteins. Building on the collaboration first established in 2023, the two companies have now entered into a long-term manufacturing and supply agreement, enabling the transition from industrial validation to dedicated, large-scale production.

Christian Wichert appointed Chief Executive Officer to lead next phase of growth

AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader in advanced biomaterials made from silk proteins, today announces the appointment of Christian Wichert as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 June. The appointment marks a pivotal moment in AMSilk’s journey, as the Company advances from development through scale-up to commercialization.

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.

Trützschler brings intelligent fiber processing and automation to India ITME 2026

From December 4 to 9, 2026, the Trützschler Group will present its latest innovations in spinning, card clothing and nonwovens at India ITME in Greater Noida, India. At Hall 11, Booth B15, visitors can discover solutions designed to increase productivity, reduce operating costs and ensure consistently high product quality. Key highlights include the intelligent card TC 26i, the 12-head comber TCO 21XL, innovative card clothing solutions for improved fiber utilization and quality, as well as advanced nonwovens technologies for hygiene, wipes and technical applications.

Circulose resumes recycling of discarded cotton textiles and appoints interim CEO

Circulose today announced its restart of commercial-scale production plant at Ortviken in Sundsvall, Sweden, marking a significant step in scaling next-generation materials for the global fashion industry. The Ortviken plant is the world’s first commercial-scale chemical textile recycling facility. Its restart demonstrates that the fashion industry is seeking ways to scale proven solutions that move beyond pilots and into commercial production.

Itema brings textile versatility to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026

Itema announces its participation in ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, taking place November 20–24 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. In Hall 3 – Stand D06, the company will showcase two Galileo-RX rapier weaving machines weaving heavy denim and conveyor belt fabrics, demonstrating its ability to address different textile requirements with application-specific configurations. Five additional Itema machines at partner booths will extend the exhibition lineup to upper shoe fabric, label, Jacquard leno fabrics, and shirting, offering visitors a broader view of Itema rapier and air-jet weaving technologies.