Hanesbrands to trial Crailar hemp-based fibres

US: Hanesbrands to trial Crailar hemp-based fibres

By just-style.com | 5 August 2009

T-shirt, hosiery and underwear maker Hanesbrands Inc is to look at ways of incorporating hemp-based organic fibres in its apparel knit products.

As part of a new deal signed with Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc (NAT), it plans to develop a processing facility to produce organic apparel-grade yarns.

It will use technology developed by Crailar Organic Fibers (a unit of NAT) and The National Research Council of Canada (NRC), which transforms straw-like textile bast fibres such as hemp and flax via a patented enzyme bath into soft, white fibres similar to organic cotton.

NAT will retrofit existing dying equipment at a Hanesbrands facility to develop a commercially viable use of the 100% organic fibre.

"We are eagerly working with NAT to incorporate Crailar Organic Fibers into our production process," confirms Michael Faircloth, Hanesbrands' vice president of global supply chain support.

"Our interest in developing Crailar's potential for applications in the knit apparel market grew out of the impressive performance-enhancement characteristics it demonstrates, as well as the economic and environmental benefits it offers."

Crailar Organic Fibers have already been successfully spun on existing cotton systems at North Carolina State University - but the agreement with Hanesbrands is a significant step forward in commercialising the technology.

In the first phase of the project, the companies will jointly develop a processing facility to produce organic apparel-grade fibre for use in commercial apparel products.

The second phase will focus on commercialising the product across the whole of the supply chain.

Sectors: Apparel, Fibres & fabrics, Manufacturing

Companies: Hanesbrands