#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2020-01-15

New environmentally-friendly solution for waterproof, breathable textiles

BenQ Materials’ safe, effective advances for clothing and other applications recognized by ISPO (c) 2020 Xpore

BenQ Materials is pleased to announce the launch of Xpore, a ground-breaking new technology for waterproof and breathable textiles. Xpore is the first genuine innovation in waterproof and breathable technology for many years, providing not only comfort – with an unprecedented “beyond dry” experience – but also environmentally-friendly safety.

Xpore, a refinement of BenQ Material’s AirySektor concept, has almost limitless applications in performance clothing, home care, and medical care. Xpore technology is ideal for natural fiber fabrics, such as silk, wool, and cotton, and even for special fabrics requested by designers, such as leather.

Unlike existing products, Xpore technology is safe and free of harmful PTFE/PFCs (Polytetrafluoroethylene and Perfluorocarbons). Xpore technology also provides fully chemical solvent-free processes from membrane manufacturing to lamination. Xpore not only sets a new standard for eco-friendliness from production process to final product, but also offers true breathability together with waterproofing.

BenQ Materials's nano-porous membranes have been recognized as exceptional by the industry-leading ISPO Textrends jury panel of journalists, designers, and independent professionals. When selecting outstanding membrane and coating products, the ISPO jury placed two of BenQ Materials’ products in the top 10, and three of them in the selection category.

In independent tests, Xpore has demonstrated remarkable and significant advantages over the existing dominant technologies in this market. BenQ Materials’s membrane innovations now control moisture with 10 billion nano-pores per square inch – each 20,000x smaller than a water droplet and 200x larger than a water vapor molecule – to keep wearers dry and comfortable in all conditions. As a result, compared to competing products, BenQ Materials’ hydrophobic nano-porous membrane offers better moisture vapor transmission, breathability and durability; is impenetrable to bacteria and mites; and is lighter and faster drying.

Certification and approval

Xpore technology materials including nano-porous membrane and glue have already received critical SGS and ITS certifications. BenQ Materials’ factory facilities already have ISO approval. Bluesign, OEKO-TEX, and TAF of laboratory approvals are in process.

Xpore offers such a compelling alternative to existing fabric comfort technologies that it promises to make possible entirely new product categories. Xpore will be formally launched and demonstrated with a major press event on January 27, 2020, at ISPO Munich, the leading international sports trade fair. You are also welcome to visit the BenQ Materials booth at ISPO Munich’s Hall C2 Booth 207, where staff will be available to answer inquiries, and selected membranes and coatings will be exhibited.

Key Facts:

Date: Jan. 27, 2020 from 16:00-17:30

Location: Messe München Fairground Conference Room Press Center West 2nd floor

For more information about Xpore, please visit:

http://www.xpore-global.com and Xpore brand video at https://youtu.be/ncsQ61Bfbb4

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

KARL MAYER puts textiles centre stage

For KARL MAYER, textiles are much more than just materials – they express function, emotion and progress. And they are at the heart of its customers' activities. KARL MAYER is now focusing more than ever on its customers' needs and plans and therefore on the textiles made on its machines: WARP KNITS. At the upcoming ITMA ASIA + CITME, the company will demonstrate how textile solutions are providing new impetus in the categories of Fashion & Clothing and Technical Textiles.

Freudenberg accelerates local production for apparel market by expanding its site in India

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) celebrates the grand opening of a major expansion at its manufacturing facility in Chennai, India, on October 14, adding 20,000 square feet of production space and introducing new production lines tailored to the Indian apparel market. This strategic investment is aimed at significantly reducing lead times and enhancing the availability of high-quality, locally produced interlinings for the fast-evolving apparel sector in India and South Asia.

KARL MAYER develops seersucker WARP KNITS with even more character and style

Seersucker fabrics are icons of the clothing industry and assure their manufacturers' success. Just in time for ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025, the textile product developers at KARL MAYER have succeeded in creating brand new variants of this material. These fancy newcomers feature unique bubble effects and, with their new dimensionality, inject extra dynamism into the textile surface – and into the market.

Technical textiles for more and new business

KARL MAYER's composite machines and warp knitting machines with weft insertion produce technical textiles offering an impressive variety of properties and textures. The range of tasks these textiles can perform is as broad as the spectrum of their possible fields of application. Both newcomers with the right textile solution and already established players can trust their business will flourish, as demonstrated by the examples from KARL MAYER's Technical Textiles division at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025. The exhibition at stand A 301 in Hall 5 of the Singapore EXPO focuses on two areas: filtration and construction.

Rieter reports stable order backlog and strategic progress – outlook for 2025 adjusted

In its Investor Update 2025, Rieter announced an order intake of CHF 203.9 million in the third quarter and CHF 559.3 million after nine months, reflecting a continued cautious investment climate in the textile machinery sector. Sales totaled CHF 121.5 million in the third quarter and CHF 457.7 million for the first nine months of the year, while the order backlog stood at around CHF 590 million as of September 30, 2025.