Toray Synthetic Textile Cluster’s soybean protein fiber “Aminos” to be extensively promoted.

The sectional committee for naturally-occurring fiber of Toray Synthetic Textile Cluster has developed soybean protein fiber "Aminos" and will promote it extensively for 2007 spring/summer from December this year. Its applications will be blouses, shirts, dresses and jackets to start the promotion, men's outerwear and innerwear for men and women are to be promoted later. It plans to sell 100,000 m in the first year and 1,000,000 m (150cm width, total amount of shipping volume from the Cluster participating companies) in the third year. A total of 37 companies, of which 8 are manufacturers from dyeing, 14 from weaving, 13 from knitting and 2 from spinning, participate in the sectional committee for naturally-occurring fiber of Toray Synthetic Textile Cluster.

“Aminos” adopted for ladies' wear

1900 companies from Italy and 2000 companies each from France and Germany expand into China.

According to news from the Confindustria reported in Italy, 1900 manufacturers from various industries in Italy have expanded into China, and so have over 2000 companies each from France and Germany. On the other hand, Japanese companies' advances into China have decreased in the first half of this year compared to last year(Based on information from the Chinese source).

Italian manufacturers hold business networking event in China
arranged by Confindustria.

According to news reported in Italy, Italian manufacturers from various industries held a business networking event in China arranged by the Confindustria.

Japanese textile chemical manufacturers begin steps to cultivate Indian market.

Japanese textile chemical manufacturers have started to develop the Indian market. In India, exporting textile and apparel products to the EU has had more emphasis put on it, and it is conspicuous that Japanese textile chemical manufacturers are researching into preferences for finishing agents in India.

Patent for bamboo-based material is cancelled.

It has been revealed that the patent for bamboo-based material which Nomura Sangyo (H.O.: Ichinomiya) had been contending for has become void. Nomura Sangyo had been seeking to overturn the ruling of the Intellectual Property High Court after they received the declaration of invalidation of patent in April 2005. It has been Nomura Sangyo and 4 fiber material manufacturers which jointly developed, sold and promoted bamboo-based material so far. However, this ruling of invalidation of the patent makes it possible for any manufacturers to produce and promote textile products with bamboo-based fabric.

Chinese provincial governments target dyeing and printing to enhance international competitiveness with environmental management.

According to the magazine of the China Dyeing and Printing Association, each government of provinces in which a number of dyeing and printing firms are located has set reduction targets on emission of water pollutants from July 21 based on a national conference on water pollution control.

In accordance with this, conditions of water discharge in about 3200 dyeing and printing firms over a certain scale will be monitored to induce 10% or more reduction of COD in 5 years. This aims to enhance international environmental competitiveness. Smaller dyeing and printing firms cannot seem to ignore the regulations.

Japanese machinery and textile chemical manufacturers anticipate greater demand for antipollution related products in China with Prime Minister Abe's visit.

Japanese environmental machinery and textile chemical manufacturers have started to intensify preparations for introducing their products to China which they expect to go along with China's recent enhancement of environmental management ability, anticipating a political thaw with Prime Minister Abe's visit.

As an example, a lot of sulfide dyes and vat dyes are used in China, and for these dyestuffs, sulfur including reducing agents such as sodium sulfide and hydrosulfite are used for dyeing as in other countries around the world, which is considered to be a cause of problems in drainage measures in China later, and in response to this, textile chemical manufacturers in Europe and China have started to consider supplying alternative chemicals. There are many Japanese chemical manufacturers which focus attention on new reducing agent areas now. It is because they expect that developing new reducing agents has good possibilities to gain greater exports to China.

Japanese New Textile Vision will be finalized by May - June 2007.

Japanese New Textile Vision which is jointly worked on by governments and private sectors will be fully finalized in May-June 2007. At the first gathering, held in Tokyo, of the textile vision task force jointly managed by governments and private sectors, they came to agreement over the outline.

127 companies from China and 108 companies from India exhibited
in Texworld held in Paris in September.

Scene from Texworld

Texworld (international trade fair for apparel fabric and related products) was held for 4 days from September 18 to 21 in Paris. In this exhibition, all kinds of textiles from high-grade ones for high-end products to low-cost ones were presented. It attracted a total of 17,099 visitors from about 100 different countries/regions mainly from Europe, including textile/apparel manufacturers, buyers' groups and distributors. Exhibitors were 689 companies in total, and of that China had 127, the most of all. It was followed by India with 108, Korea with 93, Turkey with 77 and Thailand with 47.

Ciba sells Masterbatch business to Clariant.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals (H.O.: Basel, Switzerland) announced on October 4 that it had signed an agreement to sell its Masterbatch business to Clariant (H.O.: Basel, Switzerland). The divestment is expected to be concluded in the fourth quarter of 2006 after the necessary regulatory approvals.

All of the approximately 300 employees who belong to the division will transfer to Clariant.