Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT), Vancouver, Canada, has granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to Mt. Pleasant, N.C.-based Tuscarora Yarns Inc., under which Tuscarora will design and manufacture specialty yarns containing blends of NAT’s CRAiLAR® Flax fiber with cotton or other fibers. The yarns are being developed for sale and distribution to third-party Crailar licensees. NAT expects the partnership will open avenues for the fiber’s use in heretofore-unexplored apparel and home furnishings sectors.
“Tuscarora is one of the most innovative yarn spinners in the world, and has the ability to prepare us for entry into several unexplored categories such as couture fashion, sports performance, extreme weather gear, and certain sectors of home furnishings,” said NAT CEO Ken Barker. “This agreement will seek to push the applications of CRAiLAR beyond our first phase of cotton blending and establish new market sectors for this unique and sustainable natural fiber.”
Crailar technology comprises an enzymatic process that converts bast fibers such as hemp, flax, jute and kenaf into materials that are as soft as cotton but more durable and eco-friendly, according to NAT. These bast fibers can be blended with cotton and other fibers; and can be processed using existing spinning, weaving, knitting or other fabric-forming processes. Applications range from various apparel and home textiles products to industrial textiles. To read the full story please click here.
Along with that forecast, the Report also published its list of the top 10 corporations using organic cotton. Just a quick glance reveals that the list is filled with industry-leading apparel companies who wield strong taste-making influence, from athletic brands like Nike and adidas to big box retailer Target or mall fashion brand Zara.
At the top of the list is Sweden’s H & M, which used more than 15,000 tons of organic cotton in 2010. According to CSR Product Manager Henrik Lampa, by creating demand for organic cotton, H & M is incentivizing cotton farmers to adopt sustainable cultivation practices.
Of course, there are many experts who think that cotton, as a crop, is too difficult to sustainably grow. Given that opinion, we won’t be surprised when next year’s edition of the Report begins to track the rise of organic cotton alternatives, such as flax and hemp.
This past weekend, the Los Angeles Times did a three-part feature on cotton and alternative fibres. We were included in one of the three stories. Have a read to find out what they have to say about CRAiLAR and other various fibres such as tencel, hemp and bamboo.
Much as they’re trumpeted by so-called eco-designers, plant-based alternatives to cotton are a minuscule piece of the fashion puzzle. Dwarfed by cotton and synthetics such as polyester, spandex and rayon, textiles made from flax, wood pulp, hemp and bamboo make up less than 2% of the market. But that percentage is growing due to consumer and corporate demand, as well as technological advancements that make natural fibers easier to transform into wearable fabrics.
Earlier this year we announced that we’d signed a trademark licensing agreement with the good folks at Patrick Yarns. Under the terms of the non-exclusive, non-transferable license, Patrick Yarns will make and manufacture CRAILAR Organic Fiber yarns and related products for sale and distribution in North America to third party licensees of Crailar.
Our CEO, Ken Barker, had this to say about the agreement, “Through our partnership with Patrick Yarns we will start to develop markets in denim, work wear and related apparel markets, as well as the home furnishings and carpeting industries. We are very excited to be working with Patrick Yarns, one of the foremost spinning experts in the country, in a partnership that allows us to create a pull through marketing strategy with fabric and finished goods brands. The company has an incomparable track record of partnering with its customers to develop yarns that create brand awareness and market share.”
Based in the King Mountains of North Carolina, Patrick Yarns is a family owned spinning plant with over 50 years of experience and cutting edge technology.
Where other companies have been laying off workers, Patrick Yarns remains strong with 170 employees. The companies president, Gilbert Patrick, firmly believes that their specialized business strategy and their willingness to offer above average wages and employee benefits are a direct contributor to their continuing success.
Their strategy? Instead of aiming to please all markets, they’ve chosen to partner with customers to that are looking to develop innovative and profitable products that incorporate challenging components – naturally we knew this would be a good fit!
To find out more about Patrick Yarns, check out this great article in Time Magazine.
In 2004, NAT began working with a leading biotech scientist with the NRC, Dr. Wing Sung, who has developed a commercially successful and environmentally friendly biotech enzyme process for bast fibers (primarily hemp) for use in fabric and composites. To read more, click here.
