#Spinning

2023-06-07

Renewcell X Inovafil X Saurer – the story of a sustainable fiber’s journey to ITMA

At ITMA in Milano, on the Saurer booth in Hall 2 B 101, visitors can experience what happens when three innovative companies which are all focusing on increasing sustainability in the textile value chain, meet, and decide to showcase how a new innovative sustainable fiber is turned into yarn. Renewcell’s circulose fiber, prepared by Inovafil for Saurer, is being spun simultaneously in three different spinning applications: air, rotor and on selected days also on ring.

The ITMA2023 motto “Transforming the World of Textiles” is excellently chosen, as the upcoming European Union (EU) directives as part of the EU textile vision 2030 set a framework for driving positive change and creating a more sustainable and resilient textile sector within the European Union. The textile industry will look for new sustainable solutions and new business models. New fibres, using textile waste as raw material, are being developed and brought into the markets. This is especially true for Scandinavia with its long history of paper production. This industry has fostered a deep understanding of pulp processing techniques, equipment, and technologies. The extensive knowledge in pulp processing has given the region a head start and empty paper mills have offered space where discarded textiles are given a new life.

One of the frontrunners in the new textile recycling development and the first for industrial scale up of production is Renewcell from Sweden. Founded by innovators from Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 2012, the award-winning, Sweden-based sustaintech company’s vision is to make fashion circular. Through its patented process, Renewcell is able to recycle cellulosic rich textile waste, such as worn-out cotton clothes and production scraps, transforming it into a pristine new material called CIRCULOSE® which is then processed to fibres and spun into new yarn for textile production. Inovafil in Portugal is one of these spinners in the early stages of commercialization.

Inovafil Fiação, S.A. spinning mill was founded in 2011 in Portugal. The company’s CEO Rui Martins is convinced that circular textile fashion can only be achieved with collaboration in all process steps. Therefore, he set up a platform to promote partnerships for closed loop textile projects and to generate groundbreaking ideas for new textile applications. Inovafil has been a Saurer customer from early on, trusting Saurer’s Autocoro rotor spinning machine for recycled fibres.

For decades, sustainability has been an important part of Saurer's vision for the future. As the only manufacturer of spinning machinery for all five end-spinning application for staple fiber, Saurer is today already prepared for processing recycled and regenerated fibres. When Saurer launched the new air-spinning machines Autoairo for field tests, Saurer relied on Inovafil’s expertise for the continuous development, shipping one of the very first machines to Inovafl. Recognising the potential for highest processing efficiency, Inovafil was spinning viscose made with CIRCULOSE® successfully on Autoairo.

The Saurer Autocoro spinning machine at Inovafil factory © 2023 Saurer

When the team from Inovafil, Renewcell and Saurer met to share ideas, the ITMA Milano quickly was chosen as the right stage for showing the potential of the new sustainable fibre. Thanks to Renewcell’s kind support and the excellent fibre preparation of Inovafil, the visitors at ITMA can see CIRCULOSE® being spun daily on the Air- and Rotor-spinning machines, and on selected days on the ring-spinning machine as well. Renewcell has proven over and over again with its partner that the CIRCULOSE® is suited for a multitude of textile applications. Saurer is grateful for the opportunity to show the flexibility of the fiber on its spinning portfolio, recognising again what a great source of inspiration our innovative customers are.

Saurer Technologies Twisting Solutions at ICFE 2026

Saurer Technologies Twisting Solutions, a global leader in textile machinery innovation, will be present at the International Carpet and Flooring Expo ICFE 2026. Join us January 6–9 at the Istanbul Expo Center, Türkiye, as industry leaders, manufacturers, and innovators gather to explore the latest breakthroughs in carpet and flooring technology. Let’s meet at the new established global Center of the Carpet Sector in hall 3, booth 300!

Saurer’s leading technology for the yarns of tomorrow at ITMA Asia 2025

Saurer, is looking forward to presenting the latest innovation highlights at the ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 in Singapore on booth C 301 in hall 3. The spinning, twisting, and automation solutions are underlining the commitment to driving efficiency, sustain-ability, and digitalisation in the textile industry, paving the way for the yarns of tomorrow.

Trusted by experts and driven by innovation – Autocoro 11

Saurer's Autocoro 11 revolutionises rotor spinning with pioneering innovation and automation. This state-of-the-art, fully automated rotor spinning machine sets new industry benchmarks by significantly reducing energy consumption, maximising efficiency and ensuring unparalleled operational independence. In the Recycling Xtreme edition, the machine is capable of processing the shortest mechanically recycled fibres with an extremely high raw material efficiency. Since its launch in 2023 and first installations in 2024, customers worldwide have experienced the transformative power of the Autocoro 11. Hear directly from industry experts as they share their insights and success with this game-changing technology.

Efficiency reimagined: economical, precise, compact

At this year's PaintExpo in Karlsruhe (April 14–17), Barmag will present an optimized design of its paint metering pump (Hall 3, Booth 3344). It impresses with its low weight, increased productivity, and extended service life. Specially developed for compact robot arms, the pump enables high-precision and economical paint application – ideal for industries such as automotive, aerospace, and renewable energies.

Barmag's new texturing machine impresses the market

Since its premiere at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, the eFK EvoSmart texturing machine has achieved impressive market success. The innovative technology is winning over yarn manufacturers worldwide who are committed to energy-efficient and economical production processes. A total of 84 machines has already been sold – including in China, Turkey, and Indonesia – a clear sign of the industry's confidence in this forward-looking solution.

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.

European business associations celebrate the signature of the EU-Mercosur FTA

The 17th January marks a historic milestone with the signing of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, creating the biggest trading block in the world. European business – represented by more than 28 associations across a wide range of sectors – warmly welcomes this signature. It sends a strong and timely signal that the EU remains open and is committed to rules-based global trade. In a time of global uncertainty, this agreement is a key growth booster.