Demand for Safer, Eco-friendly Textiles Accelerates as the Industry Urges Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility Post-Covid
FRX Innovations (TSXV:FRXI) (FSE:W2A) (“FRX” or the “Company”), a leader in eco-friendly flame retardant solutions, is pleased to announce that Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the world’s largest producer of polyester staple fibers and filament yarns[1], will use FRX Innovations’ Nofia® technology to enhance the sustainable edge of its well established Recron FS, fire-resistant polyester.
Nofia’s unique polymeric phosphorus-based chemistry helps make Recron FS more sustainable and technically superior for polyester textile applications. Nofia additives are certified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 for textile applications and other sustainability certifications such as ChemForward, Green Screen and TCO accrediting that the technology meets these global standards of safety and sustainability.
Mr. Hemant D. Sharma, Sector Head – Polyester Business, RIL said, “Recron FS is manufactured at state-of-the-art facilities, having one of the most environment-friendly conditions and is a part of the responsible care products offering from RIL. We are very proud in bolstering Recron FS on safety and technical parameters with FRX’s Nofia technology. We are committed to deliver exceptional fire safety without compromising health, environment, and aesthetics.”
Marc Lebel, CEO of FRX Innovations commented that, “We are very proud to have been selected by the world’s largest polyester fiber and filament yarn producer. For years now, consumer interest in sustainability has been steadily increasing. It is rewarding to see Nofia being deployed in such high visibility consumer products. With ever-increasing pressure to deliver sustainable products to the market, we believe that FRX Innovations is well positioned to grow with sustainably minded customers around the world such as Reliance.”
As the world is coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic impact, sustainable textiles have seen a resurgence in demand as many leading textile companies are embedding their environmental and social responsibility goals as a part of their post Covid-19 growth strategy. To meet the goals of a circular economy (including the 3Rs of the waste hierarchy: reduce, recycle, and reuse), textile manufacturers are relying on innovative technologies, such as FRX’s Nofia that enable sustainable products. The global textile flame retardants market size was valued at USD 519.5 million in 2021 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6% from 2022 to 2030.[2]
RIL is seeing increasing interest from leading global textile companies for more sustainable, eco-friendly, fire-retardant technologies. Recron FS is a part of RIL’s extensive R&D achievements in attaining its commitment to launch new products that are completely sustainable throughout their lifecycle and responsibly using natural resources.
Furthermore, Reliance conducts sustainability due diligence and audits of its suppliers, which entails a rigorous screening and assessment process in both the pre-award and post-award stages to ensure adherence of standard processes across the value chain. Sustainability in the textile value chain has never been more urgent and RIL’s organization-wide efforts to address environmental and social concerns are captured in the annual publication, the Business Responsibility Report 2021-22.
To achieve this mandate in their polyester yarns, which are well known for giving manufacturers unlimited creativity in design, color, texture and performance, Reliance developed a new fire-resistant polyester solution, Recron FS, with FRX Innovations’ Nofia®, technology at its core. FRX Innovations’ Nofia polymeric phosphorus additives deliver improved tenacity in RIL’s polyester textiles and is the only flame-retardant technology that allows for the use of recycled polyester as a feedstock to contents above 60%, with the capability of reaching above 90%.
The ability to use it with recycled polyester makes it a sustainable technology which is proving to be of interest for multiple end-uses. The new technology also enables adjustable flame retardancy from levels of 7000 ppm to 25000 ppm of phosphorus, depending on end user needs making it an attractive solution in multiple markets.
Recron FS is well established name in transportation, hospitality, and home décor industries’ customers. Recron FS based fabrics are used by Indian Railways in seats and curtains due to its unique blend of cost effectiveness, fire safety and durability.
Additionally, the Charles de Gaulle terminal 2 airport, recently unveiled its interior refurbishment featuring Recron FS polyester in its new airport furniture. Moreover, a Spain-based furniture designers, Happers has specified Recron FS yarns in their new collection of lounge chairs citing its beauty, safety, and sustainability attributes.
Thanks to their knowledge creating new elegant textures in yarns, Reliance Partner, Medesfil SA played an important role in both projects. Medesfil CEO, Jorge Pascual said, “Recron FS based textiles are highly regarded throughout the textile industry for their safety, elegance and sustainability features and the quality is unbeatable”
Mr. Quico Climent, Happers Chief Executive Officer said, “For long time, we were in a search of fabric that met key criteria of safety against fire and sustainable, at the same time elegant. Now we have zeroed in on Recon FS to meet our requirement of providing safe, sustainable and superior aesthetic experience to our customer. We could not be more pleased to base this new line of TV loungers on Recron FS.”
Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 792,756 crore ($104.6 billion), cash profit of INR 110,778 crore ($14.6 billion), and net profit of INR 67,845 crore ($9.0 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2022. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail and digital services.
Currently ranking 104th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to feature in Fortune’s Global 500 list of “World’s Largest Companies” for 2022. The company stands 53rd in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of “World’s Largest Public Companies” for 2022 – top-most among Indian companies. It features among LinkedIn’s ‘The Best Companies to Work for in India’ (2021).
