Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas that are reshaping the materials sector. It covers the latest developments in how fashion is designed, engineered, and scaled—from emerging biomaterials and next-generation leathers to engineered fibers and sustainable alternatives.
Spinnova takes U.S. listing plans to the SEC
Spinnova has taken its U.S. listing plans from proposal to paperwork.
The Finnish fiber technology company has filed a preliminary registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of American depositary shares. It has applied to list the securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol SPNV.
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Spinnova’s shares will continue trading on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland under the symbol SPINN. Although the company described the move as a dual listing, its SEC filing confirms that it plans to issue and sell new depositary shares through a U.S. public offering.
The preliminary prospectus does not yet specify the number of securities, offering price or ratio of ordinary shares to each depositary share. Spinnova said it would use the proceeds to ramp up its Eteläportti demonstration facility, advance commercialization and fund working capital and other corporate expenses.
The company develops technology for mechanically producing textile fiber from wood pulp and waste inputs without dissolving the raw material. It expects the Nasdaq listing to take place in the fourth quarter, though completion remains contingent on SEC effectiveness, Nasdaq approval and market conditions.
Recycling takes the prize at ITMF
An enzyme system for nylon 6,6, chemically recycled polyester for automotive textiles and a silk project built around desert mulberry trees are sharing the podium.
The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) named Epoch Biodesign, Huvis and a team comprising Simabo Technology and Wuhan Textile University as the winners of its 2026 Sustainability and Innovation Award.
Epoch was recognized for its efforts to scale an AI-assisted enzymatic process that breaks down nylon 6,6 waste into chemical building blocks for new fiber-grade polymers. The British biotechnology company is moving beyond laboratory development, with a pilot processing nylon waste at multiton scale and a larger facility designed to handle hundreds of metric tons annually.
Nylon 6,6 is used across apparel, automotive and industrial products but its chemical stability makes it difficult to recycle. Epoch has also signed an agreement with polymer and fiber producer Invista to explore commercial production of recycled nylon 6,6 for those markets.
Huvis won for its work on chemically recycling polyester from automotive textiles. The South Korean fiber maker has used the recovered material in low-melt fiber, a heat-activated binder found in vehicle insulation and soundproofing. Its process breaks the waste down before spinning it into new fiber.
The third project, dubbed Desert-Mulberry, connects silk production with what ITMF described as an eco-regenerative cycle. The federation provided little technical information about the work by Simabo and Wuhan Textile University, leaving its farming model, bioactive properties and production scale unclear.
The winners will present their projects at the ITMF and International Apparel Federation conference in Fortaleza, Brazil, on Oct. 14 and 15.
Crocs gives fleece a foothold
Polartec fleece is finding its footing outside traditional apparel.
Crocs has teamed with Polartec and sole maker Vibram on the Tembo II RO, a cold-weather shoe that combines a removable Polartec Micro Series fleece bootie with a Vibram rubber outsole.
The bootie is secured inside the shoe with a nylon ladder system and can be removed for cleaning. Underfoot, Vibram’s XS Trek Evo compound is designed to provide grip, stability and durability across different surfaces. The result gives Crocs’ Tembo silhouette a narrower, more sneaker-like profile while adding insulation and traction.
“The Tembo II RO shows how trusted fleece performance can take on a completely different role,” said Karen Beattie, director of product management at Polartec.
The materials themselves are established. The newer proposition is their integration into a modular shoe that can shift between indoor comfort and colder outdoor conditions without turning Crocs into a conventional boot.
eVent tees up technical golfwear
Golf apparel is taking another page from technical outerwear.
Waterproof-laminate maker eVent Fabrics has expanded its partnership with Irish apparel brand HLINC Golf, bringing clothing made with its stormST technology to 45 links courses and 10 other golf courses across Ireland and the United Kingdom. When the partnership was announced in 2025, HLINC expected to launch at 19 links courses.
The growing lineup includes jackets, trousers, gilets and hats designed for the wet, windy conditions associated with links golf. HLINC also outfitted the caddies at the 2026 Walker Cup at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland.
StormST uses an ePTFE-free membrane that eVent describes as biobased and PFAS-free. Across the laminate range, the membrane can be paired with recycled or otherwise selected face and backer fabrics and a durable water-repellent finish. The latest announcement didn’t quantify the membrane’s plant-derived content.
“Golfers don’t stop playing because the weather changes,” said HLINC founderIan Forrester. “We wanted to build golfwear that performs like technical outdoor gear but still feels right on the course.”
Karl Mayer knits on a bigger canvas
Karl Mayer is widening warp knitting without taking its foot off the accelerator.
The German textile machinery manufacturer has introduced an extra-wide version of its HKS 3-M EL, a three-bar tricot machine designed to produce warp-knitted fabrics for sportswear, activewear, home furnishings and technical textiles.
The machine has a working width of 330 inches, or 27.5 feet, which can be expanded to 340 inches. Karl Mayer said it can operate at speeds of up to 2,800 revolutions per minute despite its larger format.
That combination is aimed particularly at high-volume production of fleece, brushed and napped fabrics, including textiles used in softshell garments. The machine can also produce denser constructions and a variety of surface patterns.
“With the HKS 3-M EL in 340 inches, we offer the most productive machine in this configuration on the market,” said Michael Ahrendt, global head of performance fabrics at Karl Mayer.
The machine is available in E28 and E32 gauges, corresponding to 28 or 32 needles per inch, and with four fabric batching systems. Its electronic guide-bar controls are intended to simplify pattern changes, while a multi-speed function gives manufacturers additional control over production.
Costa casts a wider net
Costa is taking its recycled-fishing-net material beyond sunglasses.
The eyewear brand has expanded its Untangled collection with its first apparel and accessories made using NetPlus, Bureo’s recycled nylon material derived from discarded fishing nets. The launch includes a water-repellent, quick-drying jacket, a convertible cargo style and a six-panel hat, alongside five new eyewear designs.
The jacket and cargo garment also feature reflective taping for visibility in low light. The hat incorporates NetPlus into its visor board, with recycled material used for its mesh sweatband and taping.
Costa has worked with Bureo since 2018, when it began incorporating NetPlus into eyewear frames. The company said the partnership has since repurposed more than 3.9 metric tons of discarded nets and avoided 6 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions compared with virgin material. Costa did not provide the underlying methodology or third-party verification for those impact calculations.
“The Untangled Collection has always been about finding better ways to build products for the water while helping protect the places that inspire us,” said Trevor McGowen, Costa’s senior director of brand marketing. “By expanding the collection into apparel for the first time, we’re taking that commitment beyond eyewear.”
The five new frame styles contain at least 75 percent post-consumer recycled fishing-net material. One children’s style also uses lenses containing at least 60 percent bio-circular content, according to the company.
