#Textile chemistry

2020-08-27

Leading textile tech innovators unite to create garment fully powered by HEIQ VIROBLOCK

The upshot of a collaboration among 2A-NYGUARD, COATS, HEIQ, VAGOTEX and SITIP, JUST 5 is an ingenious ‘viroblocked’ jacket that provides the best garment solution for resuming normal life by protecting the wearer, loved ones and everyone encountered.

JUST5 is a multi-functional and fashionable jacket with every component powered by HeiQ Viroblock to protect them from spoilage by contaminating microorganisms in just five minutes. The treatment does not protect the wearer or others against food-borne (or disease-causing) bacteria. But the jacket sets up a highly effective barrier to shield the wearer from spoiling contaminants in the surrounding.

Designed and developed for the unstoppables

JUST5 is an initiative by 5 leading material manufacturers and features many life-enhancing gadgets. All the components of JUST5 jacket have been developed by leading companies in textile innovation. All components are individually available for any apparel or home textile brands to create their own innovations.

5 innovative components

2A-NYGUARD NYSHIELD zippers – Zippers are touched often throughout the day. These self-sanitizing zippers will restore its usability in just 5 minutes after every touch. 2A is a pioneer in zipper production in Europe since the 1930s, now leader in sustainable and innovative solutions for textile fasteners.

Coats ProtectV–Sewing thread from the world’s leading industrial thread company add anti-microbial and anti-viral properties to every stitch.

HeiQ Viroblock Swiss antimicrobial fabric technology – HeiQ Viroblock was originally developed to treat face masks registered by Swiss Medic as a medical device. Respirator masks treated with the same technology are authorized by US FDA under EUA. HeiQ is the world’s leader in textile technology innovations.

SITIP warp-knitted fabric – Elastic fabric for the extendable cuffs of JUST5 to shield the hands when touching potentially contaminated surfaces. Warp-knitting is fabric technology that prevents a yarn from laddering after a tear and SITIP is a world leader in this.

Windtex Vagotex fabric – breathable, water-repellent and wind-resistant fabric. Windtex Vagotex S.p.A. is a leader in lamination and processing of technical fabrics for sports- and footwear.

Carlo Centonze, co-founder and CEO of HeiQ Group said, “It is a super team comprised of our industry’s five most innovative companies. I am thrilled and looking forward to the launch of HeiQ’s first commercialised high-tech garment. More importantly, Any brand can now simply take parts from these suppliers and make their own, 100% ‘viroblocked’ garments!”

Ronan Cox, President, Performance Materials, Coats said: ‘Together we have demonstrated the power of industry collaboration. By pooling our expertise we have developed a solution to the challenge of people wanting to restore normality to their everyday lives but also be protected. Coats is passionate about innovation and is proud to be part of this first in garment technology.’

A crowdfunding campaign starts at 11:00 Eastern Standard Time, 17:00 Central European Time on 26 August on Kickstarter for people interested in supporting the idea and place their pre-orders. Finished jackets are expected to be available end of Autumn.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1209419941/just5-the-jacket-100-made-of-hygiene-preserving-materials

HEIQ expands in ASIA with BIG SUNSHINE as key partner

HeiQ, a global leader in materials and textile innovation, is strengthening its presence in Asia by onboarding BIG SUNSHINE CO., LTD. as a key full-service partner in the region. This collaboration aims to further improve HeiQ’s overall service capabilities in Taiwan and across the wider Asian region, furthering its vision of global expansion and footprint in Asia.

HeiQ announces return to private company structure

HeiQ, a leading innovator in materials technology, announced its decision to return to private company structure from the London Stock Exchange as part of a strategic move to focus resources, streamline operations, and accelerate growth, effective November 19, 2024 (LSE:HEIQ). HeiQ shares will continue trading on the JP Jenkins securities or a similar matching platform from November 20, 2024.

HeiQ and GQ Apparel bring biobased cooling to denim in Thailand

HeiQ, a global leader in textile and materials innovation, proudly announces a strategic cooperation with GQ Apparel, a premier Thailand-based tech apparel brand. GQ Apparel enhances it denim offering with HeiQ’s advanced cooling solution, marking a significant milestone in the Southeast Asian market.

HeiQ expands application of HeiQ Allergen tech to upholstery fabric through collaboration with CULP

HeiQ partners with Culp to apply HeiQ Allergen Tech, a 100% biobased* solution that reduces allergens on textiles, onto interior upholstery fabric. HeiQ announces the extended application of HeiQ Allergen Tech to bring the benefits of this biobased textile technology to the interior upholstered furniture market, marking a unique launch into this segment.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

European Flax-Linen & Hemp step into advanced manufacturing: Enabling filament winding, 3D printing and high-performance composite processes

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp announces a new wave of technological advancements demonstrating how flax-linen and hemp fibres are now being successfully integrated into advanced composite manufacturing processes. These developments mark a transition beyond traditional hand lay-up techniques, positioning natural fibres as credible, scalable solutions for high-performance industrial applications.

SETEX turns dyeing and finishing data into daily production control

At ITM 2026, SETEX will show how textile mills can use machine, recipe, quality and energy data for more reliable daily production decisions — not as another reporting layer, but as part of the running dyeing and finishing process. With OrgaTEX X3 MES, E390x/C390x controllers, CamCOUNT and FabricInspector Portable, SETEX connects planning, machine execution and fabric-related quality insight within existing mill structures.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.