#Yarn & Fiber

2021-04-08

“Oroblù Save the Oceans”: sustainable wearables

A collaboration between RadiciGroup and CSP International results in the first Oroblù-branded tights made in Italy from recycled plastic bottles.

Creating a high-quality, fashionable textile product that is also sustainable, owing to its limited impact on the environment. That was the challenge taken on by the Bergamo-based Italian multinational RadiciGroup – a world leading manufacturer of polyamides, synthetic fibres and engineering polymers with applications in a variety of industries, mainly in the textile/fashion sector – and the high-end hosiery brand Oroblù owned by CSP International – a group engaged in the production and sale of hosiery, men’s and women’s intimatewear and swimwear, headquartered in the province of Mantua, Italy. The aim was to be the first in Italy to produce tights using yarn made from recycled PET bottles.

The two companies, both of which are innovation- and sustainability-oriented and recognized as symbols of Italian excellence, decided to combine their know-how to create a high-performance, stylish and eco-friendly product.

It is with this idea in mind that “Oroblù Save the Oceans” was created: black, 50-denier tights made of Repetable, a new RadiciGroup polyester yarn derived from post-consumer recycled PET bottles. This process reduces CO2 emissions, as well as the consumption of water and energy.

After a careful study and evaluation of the material, Oroblù chose RadiciGroup Repetable yarn for its unique properties and high technical performance characteristics, which fully meet the Save the Oceans project requirements. Repetable yarn uses no virgin material and is coloured by solution-dyeing, a method that saves water and electricity during production.

“Our product strategy,” Angelo Radici, president of RadiciGroup, pointed out, “is increasingly focused on expanding the use of recovered raw materials without compromising the performance of the products we propose to our customers. We have worked side by side with Oroblù to bring to market beautiful, high-quality and eco-friendly tights – a product capable of meeting the needs and demands of even the most environmentally conscious customers. And we are very proud to work with a company of excellence in our region.”

RadiciGroup: 21st Sustainability Report published

RadiciGroup has published its 21st Sustainability Report, covering the year 2024, confirming more than two decades of transparency and measurement in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. From its first Social Report in 2004 to the current reporting aligned with the GRI Universal Standards, the Group is now preparing for its next challenge: the adoption of the criteria that will be set out by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Twenty years of Sustainability Report for RadiciGroup

The RadiciGroup Sustainability Report reaches an important milestone this year: twenty years have in fact passed since the Group published its first Social Report in 2004, qualifying it as one of the pioneering companies in the realisation of voluntary non-financial reporting. The document measures the Group’s achievements and the actions it has taken to reduce its environmental impact, respect social values, and implement good business management practices.

Yarns and technologies in symbiosis: Biella Yarn presents Fall/Winter 2027/2028 collection “New Romance_”

Biella Yarn, the flat knitting brand of Suedwolle Group, launches new Fall/Winter 2027/2028 collection, inspired by the symbiosis of yarns and technologies – elements that blend, adapt and evolve together, forming something new without losing their origin. The name “Neu Romance_” reflects the emotional and neurological dimension of the yarns: a connection that engages the senses, experienced through material, touch and interaction. The collection is further brought to life through design collaborations, featuring selected yarns used in different design approaches.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.