Textile Insight

INNOVATION / FUTURE FABRICS EXPO NYC 12 • Textile Insight ~ Winter 2025 textileinsight.com "It's a twofold situation happening with the future fabrics space," shared Malvina Hoxha, U.S. marketing director at Hyosung. "It showcases both material evolution and consumption evolution. On the personal level, sustainability is getting stronger and on the textile level more companies are connecting the dots. How to scale, how to make, how to build partnerships and how to boost investment is the broader conversation." FFE is the right space for Hyosung to exhibit, explained Hoxha. "We're making great strides in innovation and making an investment in the future of Hyosung." Hyosung's newest developments included RCS-certified, 100 percent recycled regen Spandex made from reclaimed waste from its production process and regen BIO Spandex made from renewable resources.. During the show a cohort of designers from Faherty, eory and Ralph Lauren stopped by the Hyosung booth, along with an assortment of start-ups and students from nearby universities. Getting Rid of Plastics Amidst a myriad of newness at the show, Simplifyber stood out as offering a new way forward in a manufacturing process. "What injection molding did for plastics, Simplifyber is doing for natural fiber based so goods," stated Maria Intscher-Owrang, Simplifyber CEO, during a panel on bringing innovation to market. She added, "What our team is doing is shiing the status quo of a huge industry." Based in Raleigh, NC, Simplifyber is vertically integrated with its own supply chain from start to finish. It begins in a lab with liquids made from natural cellulosic fibers. Instead of spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing, the Simplifyber manufacturing platform accepts a wide range of natural inputs from FSC-certified wood, to recycled textiles, to agricultural and post-consumer waste. By pouring the material slurry into a system of molds, both the material and manufacturing processes combine to create products from footwear to dashboards for cars. e Simplifyber process uses less water, replaces a chunk of the traditional textile system and the product is cost-competitive with plastics, according to Intscher-Owrang, who wore a pair of eye-catching Simplifyber shoes made in partnership with European brand Ganni. Dealing with Hype and Hurdles Frustration about next-gen materials being overly publicized, alongside worry about whether the category can live up to expectations, was a hot topic at the event. Intscher-Owrang weighed in: "e hype has been great. Not long ago no one knew about sustainable fashion. But hype with the general public is tricky. Sustainability is complex. Sustainability is not a soundbite." Innovators face challenges to achieve growth and commercialize. Price sensitivity about materials made from waste is a hurdle, along with re-assessing market strategies. Hannes Schoenegger, CEO, Bananatex, stated, "We need to keep doing our work. But when brands try to 'boil the ocean' it won't succeed. You must pick a lane and be really good at one thing." Responsible materials makers cannot go it alone. e community will have to find a way to co-exist within the textile eco- system; at's the key to future growth. n The Innovation Corner was a hot spot at the show. Simplifyber x Ganni bio-based, 3D-molded shoes.

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