Candiani: ITMA 2019 Sustainable Innovation Award Finalist
This summer marks the second iteration of ITMA’s Sustainable Innovation Award, and the governing body, CEMATEX, announced the finalists in late May. Finalists are eligible in two categories: the ITMA Industry Excellence Award, which celebrates the collaboration of ITMA exhibitors and their customers, and the ITMA Research & Innovation (R&I) Excellence Award for Master’s students of R&I Pavilion exhibiting institutions.
The Industry Excellence Award acknowledges textile and garment manufacturers who have leveraged technological innovations to advance business sustainability that benefit “people, planet and profit.” This year’s finalists include Candiani SpA, nominated for its REGEN fabric; Levi Strauss & Co, for its FLX Customization Studio that will soon be both in stores and online; and VF Corporation, for its All-in-One System that finishes its Wrangler® and Lee® denim with less water and energy waste.
IMTA’s R&I Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding post-graduate research in textile innovations, also has three finalists. Mathias Zidda, at Institut Für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, was nominated for research on the development of a gear driven 3D rotational braiding machine and its control concept; Pamela Massaccesi, Universidad De Buenos Aires, worked on research around TUTTI reusable food wrapping; and Sarika Sunil Borikar, D.K.T.E. Society’s Textile & Engineering Institute, explored greener approaches to the sanitary napkin.
“CEMATEX launched the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award in 2015 as part of its ongoing efforts to recognize outstanding industry members and post-graduate students for their contributions to the sustainable development of the global textile and garment industry,” said Fritz P. Mayer, president of CEMATEX and one of the judges of the Industry Excellence Award.
“Many of the submissions by the students have innovative concepts with the potential to be commercially viable when further developed and ready for the market,” said Vladan Koncar, Distinguished Professor at ENSAIT (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Industries Textiles) and a judge for the R&I award. “A number of them are also excellent sustainable solutions that answers the environmental and social concerns of today.”
“As the world continues to face sustainability challenges, it is heartening to see the successful collaboration between technology providers and industry users,” said Mayer, adding that industry collaboration “benefits consumers and has a positive impact on the environment and business bottom line.”
Alberto Candiani, CEO of Candiani Denim shared his team’s joy in being nominated. “TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ is the key ingredient to finalize our recycled and regenerated fabrics,” Candiani said. He continued, “to be named a finalist at ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award means that our efforts in making a better product are true, tangible and visible. We are transforming what was considered ‘a reckless blue fabric’ into an indigo flag representative of the highest level of sustainability applied to textiles.”
The winners of the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award will be announced at a prize presentation ceremony at ITMA 2019 on June 20. ITMA 2019 will be held from June 20 to 26 at Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via venue. The exhibition will feature over 1,700 exhibitors who will be showcasing the latest sustainable technologies for the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain.