India to invest Rs 1bn in advanced Bt cotton project

India’s Ministry of Agriculture has given its nod for developing an advanced version of Bt cotton that will be resistant to multiple pests and diseases.

The Rs. 1 billion project aims to not only provide the cotton crop with viral immunity, but also create genes that are resistant to jassids – a leaf hopping pest.

A portion of the fund would also be utilized to develop farm tools including cotton-picking machines.

Speaking to fibre2fashion, Dr. Swapan Kumar Datta, Deputy Director General (Crop Science) at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said, “There is a proposal for working on the latest technology of Bt cotton and combining it with the other genes of traits that are required for cotton improvement, in partnership with the private sector, agricultural research universities and ICAR.”

Elaborating further, he says, “It will be a national programme and this project will address all issues of advancements of biotechnology in organic cotton as well as indigenous cotton varieties. Many of our varieties that do not have Bt technology are not in demand owing to preference for Bt cotton that provides protection against several pests and diseases. As a result, many of our indigenous varieties are not being used by the farmers.”

Explaining the rationale for the new project, he says, “There is huge demand from Europe for organic cotton and they love to receive organic cotton from India. This issue needs to be addressed so that we can have an integrated approach for research in cotton and the value added product will always fetch higher price. Eventually, this will benefit farmers as they will get higher prices for their superior quality cotton.”

For more details please visit : India to invest Rs 1bn in advanced Bt cotton project @ Fibre2fashion

NatureWoven Compostable Signage is now available

Need a sign? Say goodbye to petroleum-based synthetics and embrace a new digitally printable eco-friendly solution. NatureWoven now offers a picture perfect solution to the digital imaging industry that is environmentally friendly and compostable for today’s world.

NatureWoven products can be used for indoor and outdoor applications and are manufactured from 100 percent natural plant fibers and latex. These materials require a fraction of the energy to manufacture compared to synthetic products and absorb large amounts of CO2 during growth.

As consumers are inundated with billboards, banners and point-of-sale signs, NatureWoven reduces the toxic waste and offers environmental signage materials for brands.

“Our products begin life as plants, become signage and then complete their lifecycle as natural fertilizers that improve soil quality,” said Matt Devlin, NatureWoven’s VP Business Development – North America.

“This fundamental shift towards sustainable raw materials in printing options has never been done before and should be embraced by the industry. It’s refreshing when brands such as Patagonia and Whole Foods use our products simply because it’s the right thing to do.”

For more details please visit : NatureWoven Compostable Signage is now available @ Fibre2fashion

Jharkhand govt sanctions Rs 69.5mn to boost tasar silk

To boost tasar silk production, the government of east Indian State of Jharkhand has sanctioned Rs. 69.5 million.

The funds were approved at a meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Arjun Munda.

During the current fiscal, the government would spend Rs. 53 million on developing and rearing silkworm varieties that produce good quality tasar silk.

The remaining amount of 16.5 million would be released next fiscal, according to Cabinet Secretary Aditya Swaroop.

Jharkhand is one of the leading sericulture States in India. The State government’s support is expected to help in research and development of high-yielding silkworm varieties.

For more details please visit : Jharkhand govt sanctions Rs 69.5mn to boost tasar silk @ Fibre2fashion

ABY Indonesia will ramp up its capacity by 20%

ABY, the Overseas Spinning Business of the Aditya Birla Group, a US $35 billion corporation headquartered in India, has set itself on a growth drive. The business growth will be driven by expansions in volume and by the penetration of higher-value segments through its recently launched portfolio of branded products.

With 5 manufacturing units spread across 3 countries - Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, ABY has a strong presence in the global cellulosic yarn trade. This growth initiative is in sync with the strategy of developing value-added products to meet customer requirements worldwide.

According to Mr. Vikram Rao, Business Director, Overseas Spinning and Acrylic Fibre Businesses, Aditya Birla Group, “Around the core of our operational excellence, our endeavour is to build a sustainable business through innovation and deliver added value to our customers, keeping the end-consumer in mind. We believe that this position helps us to further build on our differentiation in the market space.”

For more details please visit : ABY Indonesia will ramp up its capacity by 20% @ Fibre2fashion

100% Made in Italy Partnership for XLA Elastomeric Fiber

Aquafil, Europe’s market-leading and second worldwide player in the production of Nylon 6 for textile flooring, and Carvico, leading manufacturer of warp-knitted stretch fabrics, announced the new XLAnce Fibre Italia Joint Venture.

Following its creation, XLAnce Fibre Italia has completed a transaction with The Dow Chemical Company and its affiliates (“Dow”) to purchase the trademarks associated with XLA polyolefin based stretch fiber and to acquire an exclusive license under the related intellectual property for crosslinked polyolefin based stretch fiber for woven and knitted textile articles.

The transaction also includes the acquisition of Dow’s XLA fiber production lines, machinery and equipment based in Dow’s Tarragona (Spain) site.
In the coming weeks XLAnce Fibre Italia will transfer to Italy the production lines acquired from Dow. The beginning of production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2012.

The new joint venture, 50/50 owned by each company, is strategic for both Carvico and Aquafil as it will allow the re-launch of XLA, a particularly innovative fiber with an important growth potential.

For more details please visit : 100% Made in Italy partnership for XLA elastomeric fiber @ Fibre2fashion

CITTA to Advise Andalusian Textile Companies

The Textile Technology Centre of Andalusia (El Centro Tecnológico del Textil de Andalucia or CITTA) has launched a new business advisory service for companies to help them improve their commercial position. Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain.

Under the new service, CITTA will prepare a comprehensive report about the position of the textile companies in the market and guide these companies to attune their production with customer demand, and thus enhance their efficiency.

The Innovation and Development Agency of Andalusia (IDEA) will be funding the project, which emanated from the need to set up a management model that works in the constantly evolving and changing textile market.

For more details please visit: CITTA to Advise Andalusian Textile Companies @ Fibre2fashion

Researchers in India Advise Farmers Not to Stock Cotton

Researchers working on the National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) in India have advised farmers not to stock their production and sell cotton at current prices.

NAIP has eleven partner institutes which work on the project for establishing and networking of agricultural commodity prices with market intelligence in India. The aim of NAIP is to increase the income of the farmers and creating awareness among them regarding the market scenario.

Researchers working on the project advise the farmers when to sow a certain crop and when to preserve or store the crop, keeping in mind the prices of the commodity likely to be available at the time of harvest.

Fibre2fashion spoke to Dr. RL Shiyani, Professor & Head and Prof. MG Dhandhalya, Assistant Research Scientist, at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU), which is one of the 11 NAIP partner institutions.

The researchers stated, “Our advice to farmers is to sell their cotton at current prices and not to stock their production, because there is no chance of increase in cotton prices in the next few months.”

Please visit Researchers in India Advise Farmers Not to Stock Cotton For more info. By Fibre2fashion

Octa Fibre From Teijin Offers Unique Properties

Teijin Fibers Limited, the core company of the Teijin Group's polyester fibers business, has developed an unprecedented polyester fiber with a unique, highly modified cross-section with eight projections aligned in a radial pattern around a hollow fiber.

The new fiber, named Octa after its octopus-like appearance, offers rapid sweat absorption and drying, low weight, heat shielding/insulation and useful bulkiness. Octa will be marketed from April 2012 for innerwear, fashion apparel and many other uses.

The voids between the eight projections result in a highly functional fiber for sweat absorption, rapid drying and bulkiness. The voids also improve heat shielding and insulation properties, as well as create the lightweight feel of hollow yarn at roughly half the weight of yarn of similar thickness. Octa can also be used in combination with other fibers through false twisting, combined filament processing and two-strand yarn spinning.

Modified cross-section fibers enable new functions to be added and the appearance and texture of original fibers to be altered. Teijin Fibers' lineup includes a polyester fiber with a triangular cross-section offering a glossy appearance, a hollow, thin-walled polyester fiber that traps large quantities of non-flowing air for thermal insulation, a polyester fiber with a cross-section of four flat peaks for superior sweat absorption and quick drying, and a false-twisted polyester fiber with an irregular cross-section.

For more info please visit : Octa Fibre From Teijin Offers Unique Properties @ Fibre2fashion

Cornell’s Scientists Fashioning Electronic Future for Cotton Fiber

The latest breakthrough in cotton fiber research has scientists envisioning hospital gowns that monitor medical patients and jerseys that test athletic performance, according to Cornell University fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza, co-author of a new study that reveals how everyday cotton can be turned into high-tech fabric.

Hinestroza, professor of fiber science in Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, is part of an international team that developed transistors using natural cotton fibers, gold nanoparticles and polymers. The research builds on his previous work indicating such technology is possible, and will be published in the December 2011 issue of the journal Organic Electronics.

The innovation represents a significant step forward because it lays the groundwork for creating even more complex devices, such as cotton-based circuits, Hinestroza said. This would allow fabrics to sense body temperature, automatically heat up or cool down, track heart rate and blood pressure in high-risk patients, and monitor the physical effort of high-performance athletes.


For more information please visit : Cornell’s Scientists Fashioning Electronic Future for Cotton Fiber @ FIbre2fashion

Giulio Bonazzi succeeds Andreas Eule as CIRFS President

Giulio BONAZZI, CEO of Aquafil, has been unanimously elected by the European Man-Made Fibres Association (CIRFS) members to take on the role of President.

He succeeds Andreas EULE, CEO of Cordenka, whose mandate has expired but who will remain a member of the Board as past-President.

Andreas EULE comments:
“I am delighted that Giulio BONAZZI has been elected to follow me as CIRFS President.

“He has been actively involved in CIRFS for several years, most recently as its Vice-President. He has a very successful record in the man-made fibres industry, leading a successful company which is the global leader in its products. Giulio BONAZZI understands the positive contribution that CIRFS makes to the industry’s development and how CIRFS can help the industry meet its current and future challenges.”

Giulio BONAZZI adds:
“Andreas EULE has given a strong lead to CIRFS in his period as President, in showing how it can continue to play a key industry role by constantly adjusting to changing needs. I look forward to carrying on this mission over the next three years.


More at : Giulio Bonazzi succeeds Andreas Eule as CIRFS President @ Fibre2fashion