#Yarn & Fiber

2023-03-19

100% naturally sourced yarn: RadiciGroup launches Biofeel® Eleven

Biofeel® Eleven is a natural-sourced yarn born of a story that begins in India. In Hindi, "Eranda" is a small bean from which the perfect oil is extracted for the bio-polymer from which everything begins. And it is Castor oil that is the source of these new 100% sustainable yarns, which can be used for fabrics and fine garments in many sectors, from fashion to sports, from automotive to home textiles.

RadiciGroup, the only European producer of this material, has chosen the "Performance days" trade fair (that took place in Munich on 15 and 16 March) to unveil this yarn with excellent technical and environmental performance.

At Performance Days, the new sustainable product for luxury garments, sportswear and workwear

Today, 80% of the world's castor-oil plantations are in India , particularly in the Gujarat region, due to its favourable climatic conditions. In this area, local people can earn an additional income by cultivating semi-arid land that does not compete with food production, and by applying the skills they have acquired over time to this work. Over the years, thanks to research, development and innovation in the value chain, the seeds from which the oil is produced have been selected and certified to ensure the finest quality, also in terms of end uses.

Castor beans contain around 45% oil, rich in ricinolein, from which the bio-polymer polyamide 11 is derived. This is the polymer RadiciGroup uses for its Biofeel® Eleven yarn. What remains after the first pressing is a highly effective bio-fertiliser that is returned to the soil. In short, a true example of circularity and “zero waste”.

"Biofeel® Eleven - underlines Marco De Silvestri, sales and marketing head of the Advanced Textile Solutions Business Area. - has unique and special properties, such as low water absorption, increased lightness and improved strength properties. . This means being able to produce fabrics that are both durable and comfortable to the touch and skin. This translates into a wide range of applications, from sportswear to workwear, from fashion garments to textiles for luxury cars."

Biofeel® Eleven can also be solution dyed, i.e. dyed at the yarn production stage, saving a great deal of water and energy and also providing greater colour stability.

100% bio-based and 100% recyclable, this yarn contributes to an increasingly sustainable textile sector that respects the principles of the circular economy.

""We have always stressed the importance of working as a team with all supply chain players, concludes De Silvestri - and we are delighted that Arkema, a multinational chemical company and our bio-polymer supplier, has chosen RadiciGroup as its exclusive European trusted partner to spin this valuable material. Biofeel®Eleven is not just yarn, it is a clear choice of environmental and social sustainability".

Significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Biofeel® Eleven have been demonstrated through the ISO 14040 based LCA* (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology, which scientifically, analytically and systematically measures the impact of a product throughout its life cycle.

*LCA study 2022 of Arkema polymer PA11

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.

Geogreen inaugurates a new photovoltaic plant: over 5,000 solar panels to produce 5.5 million kWh/year of clean energy

Geogreen and RadiciGroup are speeding up their photovoltaic development with the inauguration of a new solar plant in the Municipality of Isola Dovarese in the Province of Cremona. Participating at the official ribbon cutting were the Geogreen shareholders including President Angelo Radici, the mayor of the Municipality of Isola Dovarese and other local officials.

RadiciGroup teams up with Sitip and Tessitura Vignetta to foster more conscious consumer choices

A navy blue nylon dress, providing elegance and comfort to the wearer while simultaneously highlighting the entire Made in Italy production chain: this is the new project RadiciGroup is presenting at Milano Unica, from July 9th to 11th at the Innovation Forum (HALL 3 Booth IN24) promoted by the TexClubTec section of Sistema Moda Italia.

Better, faster, bio-based: Functional new Plastic alternatives

How can new bio-based and biohybrid materials with improved features be developed faster? Six Fraunhofer institutes are jointly exploring this question in the SUBI²MA flagship project, using an innovative bio-based polyamide developed by Fraunhofer researchers as a model. Its specific properties make it a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics.

Compact, powerful, cost-efficient – KARL MAYER launches its HKS 2-SE TWO

KARL MAYER is launching a new two-bar tricot machine for the elastic sector at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025. This newcomer is called HKS 2-SE TWO, stands for double customer benefits, and offers even more advantages than the predecessor model. With this innovation, the leading textile machinery company is once again asserting its top position in the market.

VDMA members at ITMA ASIA + CITME in Singapore

With 69 exhibiting member companies, ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 is once again marked by a strong presence of VDMA companies. Altogether 82 companies from Germany will exhibit at the show, covering about 3,500 square meters of exhibition space, topped only by China and Italy. VDMA initiated a German Pavilion with two group stands (spinning in hall 4 and finishing in hall 7) with a total of 30 exhibitors.

Marzoli unveals its new textile ecosystem at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 at Singapore

With the claim “Designed to Impact”, Marzoli showcases its evolution into a complete engineering company for the textile industry. By combining advanced machinery, digital intelligence, science of materials and innovative services, the company enables textile manufacturers unlock new business opportunities, and accelerate their path to innovation and differentiation.

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.