CLASS to Spotlight Sustainables

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/28/2008 12:00:00 AM

New York —

A group of international fiber producers is planning to open a showroom here later this year to highlight sustainable raw materials and products directed at the home textiles, apparel and design industries under the rubric CLASS (for "creativity, lifestyle and sustainable synergy").

The CLASS leading partners include:

• Birla Cellulose: Mumbai-based global producer of cellulose fibers, including a family of regenerated cellulose fibers that are 100% nature-based and sustainable.

• Ingeo: The first man-made fiber derived from 100% annually renewable resources rather than oil and produced from NatureWorks biopolymer in Blair, Neb.

• Filati Maclodio: Spinning company that offers two eco-yarns: Milkofil, derived from milk; and Lenpur, created from pure cellulose and dubbed by Filati Maclodio as "the first vegetable cashmere."

• Molina & CSpA: European producer of natural fiberfill.

• Lei Tsu: 52-year-old Italian producer specializing in synthetic and artificial continuous multi-filament yarns.

Additional partners are 2 Emme Spa, Brugnoli, Calamai, Centro Lino Italiano/Masters of Linen, Design & Source Productions Inc., Dinamic Leoplast, Euromaglia, Fantasie Trico, Filpucci, Gruppo Lineapiu, Italdenim, Marini & Cecconi, Mario Boselli Jersey, Mario Cuchetti Tessuti, Pontetorto, Thermore, Toray, and TRC Candiani.

The first showroom launched this past September in Milan during Milan Fashion Week. CLASS partners joined more than 40 fabric suppliers to showcase innovative textiles that used raw material such as Ingeo sustainable fibers, a new generation of heavy-metal-free Viscose, bio-linens, organic cottons, eco-wool, recycled polyester, Milkofil and Lenpur.

Additional information is available at www.c-l-a-s-s.org.