New Innovations in Fabrics and Textile Materials | Our Discoveries at Première Vision

Première Vision Paris is returning to its historical agenda with two complementary and distinct editons: Savoir-faire in February and Innovation&Tech in September. Nearly 30,000 international professionals from 126 countries representing over 13,000 companies, gathered in Paris to find the latest innovations of 1,100 exhibitors from around 40 countries (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Japan, UK, Belgium, South Korea, Turkey, China…) 220 international decision-makers took part in the Hosted Guests program, with 1,500 business meetings organized through the Matchmaking program. But, what was really new in the last edition? Enjoy with us the gallery of new developments.

NEW SUSTAINABLE FABRICS AND TEXTILE MATERIALS YOU SHOULD KNOW

As the European Union prepares to introduce a series of regulations to regulate eco-design, with an emphasis on sustainability, recycled content, and recyclability, innovative and responsible alternatives are emerging that integrate circularity into the design process. Get to know the new names we found in the show.

ORGANIC SUPIMA ®

Supima® cotton, whose name is derived from “superior Pima”, accounts for just 1% of Pima cotton production. The trademark was registered in 1954 and applies only to this type of traceable, US-origin cotton. Known for its extra-long fibres, Supima is synonymous with softness, strength, and long-lasting colour. When grown according to organic standards, it combines these premium qualities with cultivation practices free of pesticides, chemical fertilisers, or GMOs, thus preserving soil fertility and reducing the impact on local ecosystems.

WETURN

Weturn transforms the unusable textile waste of fashion and hospitality brands (offcuts, unsold or defective products, dormant stock) into new, recycled, and traceable raw materials. Thanks to a mechanical recycling process based in Europe, these textiles are broken down into fibres, then transformed into yarn or fabric, giving textile waste a second life while reducing the need for new resources.

RECYCLED LEATHER PELINOVA

Pelinova®, an innovative material developed by Recyc Leather™ and Lenzing, is made by collecting recycled leather fibres from pre-consumer waste, then hydro-projecting them onto a fabric composed of Tencel™ Lyocell fibres. This unique process creates a soft, flexible, and durable material, while reducing environmental impact. The production of Pelinova® uses 70% less water than traditional leather manufacturing methods and reduces CO₂ emissions.

NEW RECYCLED SYNTHETICS

• EAQUAL® – A polyester recycled using mechanical procedures, composed of 10% marine litter, collected as part of the Seaqual Initiative, and 90% post-consumer PET. The Seaqual® threads contain a DNA tracer, which guarantees the presence of marine plastic collected by the initiative.
• REPREVE® – A range of mechanically recycled polyesters and polyamides, developed from plastic bottles.
• ECONYL® – A regenerated polyamide made from fishing nets, through a process combining mechanical and chemical recycling, capable of retaining its original properties and being recycled multiple times.
• NEW LIFE™ – A traceable recycled polyester filament, obtained through the mechanical recycling of PET bottles, with no chemical additives.
• Q-NOVA® – A mechanically recycled polyamide.

PEELSPHERE

A supple bio-material, an alternative to PU and leather, made from food-industry waste such as banana or orange peel, coffee, or seaweed. The transformation process is based on non-toxic solvents and bio-sourced adhesives, ensuring reduced energy use, minimized waste, and lower GHG emissions. The material is closed-loop recyclable and dyed using Natural or Oeko-Tex certified dyes.

SHIBATA

Still using agri-food by-products, Shibata offers plant-based dyes made from rice, onion, olive, and even wine extracts. These dyes, which can be applied to synthetic fabrics, are showcased on 100% recycled nylon. Another pigment, BioBlack TX, is derived from FSC-certified wood waste and guarantees full traceability throughout production and distribution. It is available in black printing ink and dye formulations.

SPIBER: Laboratory-Fermented Fibres

Spiber has perfected Brewed Protein™ technology to develop protein fibres in the laboratory through the fermentation of plant-based ingredients.

The specific components of the materials are analyzed to form a database, and then DNA and amino acid sequences are designed to replicate the characteristics needed for different applications. A fermentation process using micro-organisms then transforms the protein structure into fibres. The resulting polymer is extracted and purified, before being processed into fibre, yarn, or film.

Brewed Protein™ fibres have been tested to biodegrade in seawater, while Brewed Protein™ fabrics disintegrate completely in soil.

NOOSA™

NOOSA™ is a polylactic acid (PLA), 100% sourced from sugar and starch derived from corn, sugarcane, and wheat, that are unfit for consumption and free from GMOs. The NOOCYCLE™ technology is able to separate the NOOSA™ fibres from all the other components (dyes, additives, coatings, and other fibres), recovering fibres of the same quality as virgin fibres, and creating a closed-loop system.

NANEA

NaNea by Ocean Safe has been developed as a synthetic material designed to avoid releasing persistent microplastics. This biodegradable additive-free fabric breaks down in soil and marine environments and is Cradle to Cradle Gold certified.