December, 2013
December 2, 2013
December 6, 2013
December 27, 2013
Global Demand for Cotton is Good
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, December 02, 2013)—The global demand for cotton all over the world is
good, said Wallace Darneille, President and CEO of Lubbock based Plains Cotton
Cooperative Association (PCCA).
Speaking today at the 2013 Cotton Achievement Award luncheon in Lubbock, USA
Wallace said that the stockpiling of cotton in China has been going on for a while. “It
hasn’t been a recipe for disaster”, said Darneille. Although China has started selling its
reserves since Thanksgiving Day, Nov 28th, according to Mr. Darneille, China is buying
more than selling. Chinese cotton sold now is older crop and of low quality. According to
him, China needs to have a measured exit from stockpiling.
Cottons’ demand is good and the price continues to be decent. Speaking to the scribe
on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Darneille, who has firsthand insight on cotton market
stated China needs to sell its reserves because of its own loan policy.
In his speech, PCCA president emphasized the importance of innovation in the cotton
industry which makes the US cotton farmer to produce consistent quality cotton year
after year.
This year, the Cotton Grower Achievement Award given by the Cotton Grower magazine
went to Floydada, TX based producer Mr. Eddie Smith, who is the 44th recipient of this
yearly award.
Wearable and Flexible Textile Battery Developed
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, December 06, 2013)— Smart textiles containing electronic materials have been talked about for more than a decade. The lack of textile characteristics such as drapability and wash durability has deterred the greater market penetration of electronic textiles.
New research endeavors are ongoing to overcome these practical difficulties. A team of scientists from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) report in a recent issue of Nanoletters, the advancements in textile battery structures which exhibit comparable electrochemical properties with metal foil cells and at the same time have features of textiles. KAIST scientists coated Nickel on to woven polyester fabrics using electroless deposition method. This approach enabled them to have good drapability or in other words folding-unfolding capability enhancing the wearability of such structures. These electronic textiles performed better than aluminum foiled batteries where the battery layer started to disintegrate after single folding and unfolding operation.
Textile structure which is three dimensional (3D) in nature seems to be the key in providing the necessary mechanical robustness and drapability unlike metal foils. The scientists report that 3D textile structures developed could withstand hundred mechanical folding and unfolding cycles. The new findings from the KAIST scientists show that the basic current collector structure, i.e. textile fabrics play an important role in the development of wearable textile batteries. Additionally, the coating technique employed to provide electrochemical characteristics to base textiles also plays a significant part.
Although these new developments push electronic textiles to the next level, the field still offers significant challenges with regard to wider acceptability as day-to-day textile materials owing to cost and performance issues.
Nonwoven hygiene Sector to grow in India
by Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Aruppukottai, India, December 27, 2013)— Multinationals are planning investments in India due to potential growth in hygiene products like diapers and incontinence products.
Speaking to this scribe recently at the Nonwovens Training Workshop organized by USA based INDA in Mumbai and tutored by this scribe, Ms. Britt-Marie Helmberg, Sourcing Manager at SCA Hygiene Products AB, Gothenburg, Sweden said SCA will invest about Rupees 150 crores in building a diaper plant in MIDC, Ranjangaon, Pune, India. Initially, SCA Hygiene Products Pvt. Ltd., will have one line producing baby diapers. The production of Libero brand diaper will begin in early 2015, according to Ms. Helmberg.
Already, SCA has started promoting its brands in major Indian cities like Mumbai. Another multinational Unicharm is also planning expansion of its hygiene business in India.
November, 2013
November 4
November 12
November 19
November 21
November 27,
November 29
UV Fabric Technology is a Spin-off from NASA
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 04, 2013)—Many spin-off technologies from space research are helping the society.
Although today, the United States spends less than 0.5% of its federal budget for space, many new technologies come out of space research by NASA and their collaborators.
Brooks Kimmel, a contractor with NASA in his keynote address at the latest IFAI Expo in Orlando gave many examples of how technologies that were meant for space are finding its applications in the society.
According to Kimmel, Polybenzimidazole (PBI) fiber was originally developed for space suits and today it is used in auto racing suits. Tri-axial fabrics developed for space applications today find applications in air craft evacuation slides, life vests, sail cloth for boats, etc. UV fabric technology which is a NASA spin-off is finding many applications such as cooling suits for children who have life threatening sun sensitivities.
In answering a query, Kimmel advised that NASA is constantly looking for new materials for suits such as new materials for emergency blankets, metallized materials, etc. Kimmel pointed out that the current economic situation can be a blessing for new innovations and stated “difficult times are when greatest discoveries most often arise”.
Indian Cotton Crop Estimated to be Higher than Last Year
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 12, 2013)—Cotton Association of India (CAI) released its latest cotton projection today for this year’s cotton crop for the current season beginning October 1st.
Total production is estimated to be 38 million bales (170 kg each) as against 35.6 million bales for the last year (2012-13). This estimates released by CAI more or less match with the latest estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released on November 8th.
The opening stock for this season has come down and the total cotton supply in India for this season is estimated to be 43.87 million bales. According to CAI figures, there will be an available surplus of 13.8 million bales this year.
India’s organized mill consumption will be 26 million bales, which is approximately one million bales higher than last year. Although the production estimate is positive there is a panic in the industry with regard to possible minimum support price operation in states like Andhra Pradesh. This is because of the lowering of seed cotton prices, which has raised the possibility of MSP kicking in, according to a statement by the President of the CAI.
Recently, the USDA estimated India’s production for 2013-14 season beginning August 1st to be 37.14 million (170 kg each). According to this estimate, India’s production for this year has not changed much as against the last season’s (2012-13) production of 36.5 million cotton bales of 170 kilogram each.
DARPA to Develop Warrior Web Clothing
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 19, 2013)—Developing lightweight under-suit to enhance physical performance is a primary focus for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
At the last week’s’ “Smart Clothes” symposium, which was web cast live and organized by Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Dr. Joseph Hitt from the DARPA made presentation on the Warrior Webs program of DARPA, which was initiated in September 2011.
Dr. Hitt said, soldiers these days carry about 48 kilograms of load, which results in many musculoskeletal injuries. Therefore, lightweight and smart under-suits are being developed to reduce these injuries and enhance the performance of warfighters. This integrated smart suit technology program is a thirty months effort and involves leading universities, industrial organizations and defense contractors such as Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Delaware, SRI International, Boston Dynamics, to name a few.
According to Dr. Hitt, some of the challenges with such new technologies are acceptance by the user, comfort and transport properties and acceptability by the ever changing human nature.
Warrior Web program focuses on three main aspects such as fatigue, form and force.
Radcliffe’s “Smart Clothes” symposium also featured talks on topics such as vapor printed devices, exoskeleton natural armors and many smart clothing related emerging R&D activities.
Next Generation Waterproof Materials
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 21, 2013)—Biomimetics has been the subject of curiosity recently to develop new materials that could mimic nature for applications varying from medicine to textiles.
A team of United States’ scientists lead by Professor Kripa Varanasi from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has today reported a new development in super hydrophobic materials. Publishing today in Nature journal, the scientists demonstrated that they could reduce the theoretical contact time by designing super hydrophobic surfaces which redistributes the liquid so that the surface dries quickly. According to Professor Varanasi, if the liquid drops could be made to bounce faster on the surface it can lead to many applications.
Varanasi’s group defied conventional wisdom and showed that by increasing the surface interaction in a specific way, the contact times between the liquid droplets and the surface can be brought down by 40% than the current limiting values. This new surface technology could be created on fabrics as a replacement for current waterproof coatings whose safety is under examination by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, said Varanasi in a press release from MIT.
The surface texture reshapes the droplets and changes its symmetry so that they can bounce faster according to James Bird, a co-author of the study who is currently with Boston University. Such new hydrophobic mechanisms will have applications in chemical protective clothing, outdoor and recreational textile structures.
New Biocidal Surface Inspired by Nature
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 27, 2013)—The development of broad spectrum and cost effective biocides is a major challenge for the textile and related industries.
A team of Australian and Spanish researchers led by Elena Ivanova of the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia have borrowed inspiration from nature and have developed nano black silicon biocidal surfaces that has shown to have effective biocidal capabilities against Gram-negative and Gram- positive bacteria and endospores.
The team of researchers has reported in yesterday’s Nature Communications Journal, the first biocidal activity of black silicon surfaces. These black silicon surfaces have nano-protrusions created by reactive ion etching technique which mimic the nanosurface features of dragonfly wings.
The scientists report that the structure helps with the mechanical biocidal activity which is independent of chemical characteristics. The experiments were verified using Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, vegetative cells and spores of Bacillus subtilis. The killing rates reported were about 450,000 cells/min/cm2.
The interesting feature of their study is the comparison of biocidal activities of nano black silicon and dragonfly wings which show that they have similar antimicrobial characteristics. Biocidal activities of both nano black silicon and dragonfly wings on Gram-positive bacteria was the highest while biocidal capabilities with spores was the lowest.
These days, more and more scientists are mimicking nature to develop functional properties such as waterproofing, changes in surface adhesion and biocidal characteristics. Textile sector can benefit from these R&D activities in developing next generation functional textiles.
India and Bangladesh are the leading producers of jute in the world.
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, November 29, 2013)—India’s jute products are predominantly used as packtech materials. Government of India supports this sector by regulating its use in packaging.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of India has recently approved the mandatory packaging regulation for the current jute year (July 2013-June 2014), according to yesterday’s news release from Government of India. The general mandatory regulation stipulates that 90% of food grains produced and 20% of sugar produced have to be packed in jute bags. However, the regulation gives exemptions for the non-use of jute package for items such as export categorized sugar but not exported, sugar with vitamins and commodities that are exported. In general, jute packaging is stipulated for bags that weigh between 25 and 100 kilograms.
According to Government of India, this mandatory regulation will support 370,000 workers in jute and allied mills and 4 million farm families.
Government of India emphasizes that the use of jute in packtech will protect the environment as jute is biodegradable and reusable fiber.
October, 2013
October 3
October 11
October 16
October 18
October 21
October 22
October 28
October 29
October 30
October 30
Nonwoven Capacity Addition in India
by Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Mumbai, India, October 3, 2013)—Capacity addition is currently taking place in the nonwovens sector in India.
High end nonwoven capacity increases are expected by the first quarter of next year. Two such projects will add nearly 26,500 metric tons of roll goods to the existing nonwoven capacity in India.
Speaking to this scribe on the first day of the TechTextil India exposition in Mumbai in India, executives from Global Nonwovens, Ltd., and Welspun India Ltd., briefed about their new and expansion plans.
Global Nonwovens will bring online its first five bean Reifenhauser spunmelt line by April-May 2014, which will have a capacity of 20,000 MT per year. The company is targeting export markets and hopes with high quality product and cost savings expected due to production in India, they can be attractive in the global market.
Welspun India will add another card to their existing spunlace line to double its production capacity to reach 13,500 MT per year by January-February of 2014.
Hygiene and medical markets are expected to pick-up quite rapidly in India, which is reflected in these nonwoven capacity additions.
India Needs Additional Raw Material Sources to Boost its Technical
Textiles Sector
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 11, 2013)—India has huge potential in technical textiles sector but needs time to mature.
In his address at the recent Techtextil Symposium in Mumbai on October 4, Giuseppe Gherzi, a post-graduate from the North Carolina State University, stated that India is limited in supply of raw materials for boosting the domestic technical textiles industry. While India’s PET capacity is good, other technical fibers such as aramids, PPS and flame retardant viscose are basically nonexistent.
In speaking to this scribe on the sidelines of the Techtextil symposium, Gherzi stated that raw materials supply will be a barrier for the immediate growth of technical textiles sector in India, while admitting India’s huge potential in this sector.
Technical textiles represent 27 % of worldwide textile production. While in Germany, technical textiles contribute about 50% of the total textile production.
According to Gherzi, as of 2012, the volume for global traditional textiles was 59 million tons and the technical textiles volume was 22 million tons. Among the different sectors of technical textiles, composite and nonwovens are expected to grow at 6% per annum, while wovens, braided knitted, yarn type textiles, nets, ropes and carpets are expected to grow at 4% per annum.
In the Indian technical textiles sector, jute acquires the predominant place followed by synthetic fibers such as polyolefines and polyester. While in the worldwide sector, polyolefines and polyester each occupy 25% share followed by glass and jute fibers.
India’s technical textiles sector is dominated by packtech followed by clothtech, while in the worldwide market, mobiltech and indutech are the prominent segments.
Indian Company to Build Cotton Spinning Plant in the United States
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 16, 2013)—India based textile manufacturer will build its first U.S. facility to produce carded cotton yarns in the State of Georgia in the United States.
Shrivallabh Pittie Group will build its textile plant in Screven county Industrial Park in the State of Georgia, USA by investing 70 million US dollars.
Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia announced yesterday that the spinning facility will create 250 jobs. The spinning plant will manufacture different counts of carded yarn, with state-of-the-art machinery.
Market opportunity, skilled workforce, accessibility to quality cotton fiber, reliable power supply and world-class infrastructural capabilities have enticed Shrivallabh Pittie Group to invest in its first facility in Georgia said Vinod Pittie, Chairman of Shrivallabh Pittie Group.
Shrivallabh Pithie Group has interest in textiles, finance, retail and real estate and its textile operations are in 13 locations in India, according to a news statement from the Office of the Governor of the State of Georgia, USA.
Cotton Leads in Responsible Production
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 18, 2013)— United States and Australian cotton industry have joined hands to increase the awareness among manufacturers, retailers, brands and consumers on how the industry leads in responsible production and having a balance of social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Towards this end, a major initiative was launched this week by the cotton industry of the United States and Australia, Cotton LEADSTM that is centered around five core principles that include: commitment to social, environmental and economic sustainability; a recognition that such an effort requires continual improvement, investment in research and development; a belief in cooperative effort to make cotton competitive in global markets; and the confidence in tracking and traceability of cotton from where it is produced.
In a conference call today, Mark Messura, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Marketing of Cotton Incorporated said, “United States and Australia have worked for decades on this theme and has launched this concerted effort to encourage companies to be a member in Cotton LEADSTM initiative”. Participation in this effort by brands, retailers and manufacturers would mean that they belief and support the five core principles of Cotton LEADSTM initiative for responsible cotton production and would also use cotton as a preferred fiber in their supply chain.
Although this program currently has United States and Australia, Messura hopes that some other countries will also join the effort. Messura clearly stated that the competition to the US cotton industry is not from cotton of other countries but is mainly from synthetic fibers.
The need to have more focused awareness has come because retailers, brands and manufacturers are these days interested in knowing from where their products come and in the case of cotton, how and where they are produced.
Many industrial organizations in the United States and Australia support this initiative such as Cotton Incorporated, National Cotton Council, Cotton Council International, Cotton Australia, Australian Cotton Shippers Association and Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Australia.
India’s Cotton Production Increases Amid Acreage Decline
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 21, 2013)—The Government of India’s recent data
shows that cotton planted during this Kharif season (2013 summer sowing) has been 28.34 million acres, while last year’s planting was 28.98 million acres.
However, the Cotton Association of India (CAI) today estimated the cotton crop for the new season beginning this October to be 38.1 million bales (170 kg each). Even though there is a slight decrease in the acreage of cotton planted, good rains and technological developments are enhancing the overall production of cotton, as this is evident from the CIA estimates.
“The late rains have resulted in a delay in arrivals of seed cotton. However, the available moisture is likely to help increase the yields and result in a larger than estimated crop. If the monsoon withdraws in the next few days, a better crop can be expected”, said Dhiren Sheth, President of CAI.
Gujarat will top cotton production this year with an estimated production of 11.35 million bales as against 8.32 million bales last year. The other states that will have good production are Maharashtra with 7.62 million bales, Andhra Pradesh 6.95 million bales, Haryana 2.26 million bales, Madhya Pradesh 1.78 million bales and Punjab 1.53 million bales. One Indian bale
equals to 170 kilogram of cotton.
The total domestic demand will come down this year by 8.3 million bales and is expected to be 30 million bales.
Overall, the supply of cotton will be 43.75 million bales this year (2013-14),
which is one million higher than the supply last year (2012-13).
Nonwoven Sector on the Rebound
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Orlando, USA, October 22, 2013)—The United States’ nonwoven sector is expected to grow at 4% per year for the 2012-17 period.
Speaking to this scribe at the Orlando Convention Center during the 2013 IFAI Expo, Brad Kalil, the new Director for Market Research and Statistics of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry-INDA said the rebound in the housing market is helping the nonwovens sector.
According to Kalil, the durable sector is expected to grow in the next five year at a rate of 4.8 percent. Disposable sector of the nonwoven industry will grow at a rate of 3.6 percent. Wipes belonging to the disposable sector will grow about 6%. Among different wipes, baby wipes which has huge volume will grow at about 1-2 percent. Household wipes which has high value will grow about 7 percent. Its volume share is also expected to increase.
Commenting of India, Kalil stated, it is a potential market. Since the recognition of India as a BRIC group member in 2001 by Goldman Sachs James O’Neill, India has been potential growth market but has not picked up yet with regard to nonwovens, stated Brad Kalil. Infrastructure, transportation and regulations seem to be barriers for the growth there said Kalil.
3D Printed Adsorptive Materials
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 28, 2013)—New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has funded University of Canterbury researchers to develop 3D adsorptive media.
Professor Conan Fee and Dr. Simone Dimartino have received about one million New Zealand dollars to develop 3D printed media that find applications in air filters, pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems, according to a report in the latest dition of Chronicle published by the University of Canterbury.
“Our invention uses 3D printing to reproduce computer-generated models so that we can devise, analyse and optimize new systems on the computer, then actually produce precise copies of these in the real world”, stated Professor Fee in the report published in the Chronicle. According to the report, 3D printed adsorptive materials can generate business of about hundred million New Zealand dollars a year from applications in purifying proteins.
Additional applications will also evolve in chemical reactions and filtration sectors, according to Professor Fee.
Technical Textiles is Having a Steady but Slow Growth
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 29, 2013)—Technical textiles is on a steady growth phase although the
size has shrunk from its 2008 levels.
Technical textiles market is coming back due to economic revival, said Jeffery Rasmussen, Market Research Manager of Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), USA. Among different sectors of technical textiles, smart and interactive fabrics market is projected to have 20% growth, said Rasmussen in his presentation at the recent Advanced Textiles symposium, in Orlando, FL.
According to Rasmussen, the world market for smart fabrics is projected to be 1.57 billion US dollars. This market has been growing since 2009 at 20 percent per annum. Strikingly, the US growth is about 30 percent and the US market is projected to be 396 million US dollars. Transportation occupies 42% of this smart fabric market size followed by industrial goods at
21% and then military by 20%. This industry is heavily R&D based and has good growth potential.
According to Rasmussen, although the applications of smart fabrics in advanced sectors such as
military is emerging, consumer acceptance is slow.
Nonwoven Investments on the Rise
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 30, 2013)—Owens Corning will invest in a new plant and
R&D unit for glass fiber nonwovens in Gastonia Technology Park, North Carolina,USA. According to Gaston County Economic Development Commission, Owens Corning will have an initial investment of 120 million US dollars and will employee about 110 people. The plant will be constructed by the end of 2014.
Investments such as these echo optimistic sentiments for continued growth in the nonwovens sector. Brad Kalil, Director for Market Research and Statistics of the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry-INDA recently briefed this scribe about the growth in the housing market, which will aid the nonwoven sector. The investment in the new glass fiber nonwoven plant by Owens Corning signals the confidence in the housing market. There is a growing demand for glass nonwoven products for the building market, according to Arnaud Genis, Group President of Owens Corning’s Composite Solutions Business.
The growth in the nonwovens and technical textiles is also evident from the number of exhibitors in the recent Techtextil India show, Mumbai in India. According to Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd., the total number of exhibitors in the latest show was 182 from 16 countries, which is a 40 percent increase from the 2011 show. This show also attracted over 5500 people. According to the Association of the Nonwovens Fabric Industry, the US nonwoven sector is expected to have a growth of about 4 percent, which is double the size of the expected GDP growth in the United States.
The recent Smithers Apex’s report projects the global nonwoven growth of about 7.5 percent per year to reach US $47 billion by 2018.
Ingredient Branding in Textile Marketing
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, October 30, 2013)—Ingredient branding is identifying individual components in the final product, which is becoming a powerful marketing tool.
The power of ingredient branding was evident in the keynote presentation made at the recent Advanced Textiles symposium during the IFAI 2013 Expo in Orlando,
Florida.
Dina Dunn of Blink, LLC and Denine Woodrow of dp woodrow & company, LLC presented the benefits of ingredient branding. As consumers are more knowledgeable and are engaged with brands, such new efforts in branding and marketing are needed, according to Dina Dunn. In their keynote presentation, many factors that emphasize the advantages of ingredient branding came to light, that include the emotional connection the consumers have with the brands of the ingredient components that make-up the final product. Furthermore, as manufacturers are becoming retailers, in order to product differentiate and out sell the competition, ingredient branding is needed. For example, brands like Gore-Tex that have emotional memory with consumers help with final products.
Ingredient branding is a mechanism to enhance marketability and also help the host brands to differentiate from competitors. In answering a question from this scribe about brand loyalty, Dina Dunn said, “In US people over the past two decades have accustomed to branding and they understand components are important”.
Textile industry can effectively utilize the power of ingredient branding and is already happening in this sector. In products such as socks, brands of ingredients such as antimicrobial components can make a difference. The US cotton industry is effectively utilizing the ingredient brand strategy by identifying the farm from which the bale comes, enhancing the sales-value of US cotton.
Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D. • Texas Tech University • Department of Environmental Toxicology
Box 41163 • Lubbock, TX 79409-1163 • 806.885.4567 • s.ramkumar@ttu.edu