#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-09-23

Texon launches its first insole made with 100% recycled content

Texon today launched Ecostrobe, its first insole made with 100% recycled content. Produced using recycled PET – and a special fusion-bonding technology that completely removes the need for chemicals or water – Ecostrobe offers game-changing possibilities for footwear designers that want to integrate sustainability into strobel applications, without compromising strength and performance.

Ecostrobe is the enviro-conscious choice for strobel applications

Unveiled on day one of Lineapelle, Ecostrobe is the ultimate insole solution. Suitable for use in high-performance footwear, including athletic, casual and outdoor shoes, this revolutionary product is designed to have minimal impact on the planet – while delivering all the physical properties expected from a top-quality insole material.

Ecostrobe is strong and durable and has excellent moisture absorption and dispersal qualities. Plus, when evaluated against comparable products, Ecostrobe is 20% lighter; and its production requires 50% less energy.

Boyd Mulder, Group NPDI, Sustainability and Marketing Director at Texon, said: "We continue to work hard to protect the environment, creating today, to sustain tomorrow, through product innovation and conscientious process management. We are leaders in eco-friendly materials for the footwear industry, and as part of our sustainability strategy, have adapted our production processes to ensure the recycled composition and recyclability of our products. Ecostrobe is evidence of that commitment. We've calculated that for every one million pairs of shoes containing Ecostrobe, more than 2.1 million bottles will be diverted from landfill, making Ecostrobe the ultimate enviro-conscious choice for strobel applications."

Ecostrobe is also 100% closed-loop, with the cutting waste being 100% recyclable into more of the same product, without loss of quality.

Visitors to Lineapelle in Milan, Italy from 20 to 22 September can find out more about Ecostrobe at Texon's exhibition stand C7-9 and D8-10 in Pavilion 24. Alternatively, email sales@texon.com for more information today, or visit: http://www.texon.com

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Managed workwear services are providing a blueprint for the circular textile economy

Managed workwear service providers are demonstrating how commercial success and circularity can go hand in hand by extending garment lifespans through repair, laundering, reuse and recycling, according to “Managed workwear services—a circular textile economy ahead of the game”, a new 14‑page report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Eco-design as the foundation of circular textiles

Based on the results of an extensive European analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is currently developing three practice-based training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. This was preceded by a comprehensive company survey and a joint analysis conducted by the project partners under the leadership of IVGT. The results show that the greatest challenges lie not so much in a lack of technology as in skills gaps.

Usha Yarns secures growth equity investment from Fullerton Carbon Action Fund

Usha Yarns Limited (“Usha Yarns”), a producer of high-quality recycled yarns with advanced, well established production processes, announced a growth equity investment from the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund (“Fullerton”), a private equity strategy managed by Fullerton Fund Management that backs established mid-market companies across Emerging Asia to accelerate decarbonisation.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 Shanghai showcases intelligent and sustainable manufacturing

From 20 to 24 November 2026, the textile machinery industry will gather in Shanghai for ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, Asia’s leading business platform for textile machinery, to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The exhibition will occupy seven halls, with a total gross exhibition area of about 180,000 square metres. The exhibition has expanded by 10% over the last edition which reflects the continued industry interest in the region.