Receive our weekly Newsletterand set tailored daily news alerts German spinner develops yarn from cotton and virgin hemp in local supply chain Clothing/​Footwear, Sustainable The textiles manufacturer is moving toward CO2 neutrality by focusing on short supply chains and environmentally friendly innovations A prime example is its newly developed yarn from a blend of hemp and cotton hemp requires much less water and can thrive in various climates processed by a regional partner and spun with organic cotton into two prototype yarns we are committed to sustainability in our operations," says Andreas Merkel whose family has led the company since 1901 "But sustainability isn't just an end goal for us." Mr Merkel cites the expansion of the solar power system at the Balzheim plant Otto is also progressing with plans to expand its solar park further The company’s renewable energy sources including hydropower from a Dietenheim turbine active since 1901 contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in every Otto product “Compared to yarns made elsewhere with fossil fuels Otto yarn is much greener,” Merkel adds This approach also shields the company from future energy price fluctuations Otto's commitment to sustainability also extends to regional partnerships minimising transport costs and CO2 emissions while enhancing flexibility and transparency The company sources its cotton from trusted suppliers in Spain and Israel This local approach ensures compliance with the Supply Chain Act Regional sourcing is also integral to Gebr The company has been working on a cotton-hemp blend for several months using organic cotton and virgin hemp cultivated in Germany Hemp is gaining attention in the textile industry due to its minimal water requirements and its ability to grow in diverse climates “Hemp fibres are coarser and more robust than cotton a local partner developed a process that allows Otto to obtain individual fibres from hemp being 8 to 12 centimetres in length and considerably longer than cotton fibres Even extra-long staple cotton does not reach more than 35 to 38 millimetres The ‘cottonisation’ of hemp allows Otto to mix 25% German winter hemp with 75% organic cotton "We’ve already received several sampling inquiries at Techtextil," Merkel notes adding that the blend has drawn interest from both flat and circular knitters as well as weavers is one of Europe's leading suppliers of textile solutions the company's focus has been on high-quality cotton yarns and twists which are produced in its own yarn spinning customer-specific portfolio of technical and medical yarns and textiles at its two locations in Balzheim and Dietenheim Own brands such as Piumafil and recot² are proof of this claim as are a large number of awards and certifications Gebrüder Otto is still an owner-managed family business today Otto generated sales of around 30 million euros in 2023 www.otto-garne.com Otto aiming for 50% cotton waste in new yarns Neueste Erkenntnisse aus der Geschäftswelt Hier informieren wir die Presse über alle wichtigen Themen unseres Unternehmens Über aktuelle Entwicklungen und Innovationen zu den Trendthemen The Deloitte Legal team led by corporate/M&A partner Dirk Hänisch (Düsseldorf) and employment law partner Dr Charlotte Sander (Hanover) has again advised the Czech Winning Group a.s will take over the business operations of insolvent automotive supplier Räuchle GmbH + Co KG in Dietenheim from insolvency administrator Dr had to file for insolvency for the second time in October last year due to the massive slump in orders from customers triggered by the worldwide shortage of microchips business operations are being continued at the site as part of the Winning Group with almost the entire workforce Some of the employees were given the opportunity to transfer to a transfer company The acquisition is part of Winning Group's strategy to build a diversified multi-technology component supplier in the automotive supply industry offering its customers high-quality components in the eMobility sector "We are very pleased that we were able to come to an agreement with the insolvency administration," said Sebastian P CEO and Chairman of the Board of Winning Group a.s "This purchase is a significant step forward for the Winning Group and its growth path in the automotive industry We would also like to thank customers and suppliers for their continued support and patience and special thanks to the Räuchle's workforce for their contribution in supporting the transaction and ensuring the turnaround of the operation We are confident in our ability to effectively develop the operation and create of effectively evolving operations and creating significant market share growth." The purchase illustrates Winning Group's focus on manufacturing innovation and advanced process capabilities "I am very satisfied that we were able to find such an excellent solution for Räuchle in such a short time," said insolvency administrator Holger Leichtle about the takeover "Thanks to the enormous commitment and the great and goal-oriented cooperation of everyone involved the location is now ready for the future again and the employees have a sustainable prospects." Deloitte Legal regularly advises Winning Group on M&A transactions most recently on the acquisition of automotive suppliers Linden GmbH and Sächsische Metall- und Kunststoffveredlungs GmbH (SMK) which was completed in early February 2022 Alexander Röhl (both Corporate/M&A Düsseldorf) Throughout every stage of a transaction - from its negotiation and structuring to its execution Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/de/UeberUns to learn more about our global network of member firms Short distances and regional partners in both procurement and further processing a priority is now supplying EUCOTTON-certified yarns based on fibres produced from cotton harvested exclusively in Greece and Spain by the European Cotton Alliance (ECA) “A local approach is becoming increasingly important for us and both Greece and Spain have a long tradition of cotton production and extensive know-how,” says Otto managing director Andreas Merkel “The EUCOTTON initiative is contemporary and forward-looking for many reasons.” only a quarter of the cotton produced in Greece and Spain has been processed in Europe with the rest exported and then returned to the EU as textile end products “This makes little sense for ecological reasons,” says Merkel “Even against the backdrop of increasing trade restrictions and problems in global supply chains It should be our concern to process the majority of European cotton in Europe especially since it is of exceptionally high quality.” The high quality of EUCOTTON yarns is based on advanced production methods including exclusively mechanical harvesting Careful harvesting processes ensure that the fibres are almost free of contamination by foreign fibres and state-of-the-art technology is also used for cleaning and ginning The cotton is also exceptionally uniform in terms of fibre length strength and thickness which also contributes to spinnability and ensures EUCOTTON delivers important benefits in terms of ecological and social responsibility GMO-free seeds protect the ecosystem and natural resources while advanced water management measures include drip irrigation and the use of pesticides and insecticides is minimised high-quality cotton is also grown elsewhere in the world but it it will then embark on a six-to-eight-week voyage before arriving in Germany,” Merkel explains “EUCOTTON travels reliably by truck to our doorstep in five days and for many years we have attached great importance to such short We are also increasingly seeing a desire among our customers to offer transparency to end customers.” family-owned Gebrüder Otto’s traditional focus has been on high-quality cotton yarns and twists produced at its own yarn spinning twisting and dyeing mill and the company has established a growing customer specific portfolio of technical and medical yarns at its two locations in Balzheim and Dietenheim Otto generated sales of around €30 million in 2023 The EUCOTTON initiative  involves a number of cotton associations and textile industry partners Ridgefield, CT Andrew Vill, 86, of Ridgefield, husband of the late Angela (Chetcuti) Vill, died on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at Danbury Hospital. Andy was born on August 24, 1935, in Dietenheim, Southwest Germany to the late Andreas and Maria Vill. In 1949, after WW II, and at the age of 14, on a chance meeting on the street in his hometown, he was offered an opportunity to immigrate to Esperance, NY to work as a farmhand. He later relocated to Stamford, CT, and took a job at Pitney Bowes where he remained employed for over 40 years. In Stamford, he met and married Angela Chetcuti, also an immigrant, from Malta to whom he was married for 52 years until her passing. Together, they purchased a home in Ridgefield, CT in 1960 where they raised five children. He remained there until his passing He was a founding member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church of Ridgefield. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, his garden, but most of all, spending time with his family and longtime friends, and a good martini. He was especially proud of his German heritage and sharing his family traditions and enjoyed many return trips to Germany as well as the Island of Malta. He is survived by his children Andrew (Angela), Elizabeth (Robert) Cole, Anthony (Linda), Jeffrey (Joan), Melinda; 10 grandchildren Catherine, Joanna, Fr. Andrew, Joseph; Matthew (Kirsten), Alison (Ryan); Daniel, Derek (Lindsay); Zachary; Justin; great-granddaughter Matilda, many nieces, nephews, and his friend Sharon Daniels. In addition to his wife and parents, Andy was predeceased by an older brother Anton of Germany, and a grandson Christopher. A Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, September 13, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 520 Ridgebury Rd., Ridgefield with Fr. Andrew Vill, grandson of the deceased, as the main celebrant. Friends will be received in the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., Ridgefield on Sunday, September 12, 2021, from 3 PM to 6 PM. Donations in his memory can be made to Dream Come True of Western CT, 26 Kenosia Ave., Danbury, CT 06810, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306. ***Due to the concerns facing us all at this time regarding COVID-19 & Social Gatherings, Masks and or Facial Coverings will be required at Kane Funeral Home and St. Elizabeth Seton Church.*** HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected. Don’t miss what’s happening in your community.Subscribe to receive a daily digest of the people, places and things that make our community great. Copyright ©2025 HamletHub™ Modified spinning method ensures the safe embedding of the kapok fibres Interiors The kapok fibre is still used by native tribes along the Amazon River in blowgun darts this fibre – the lightest known in the natural world – forms a perfect seal that allows enough pressure to be created to blow the dart considerable distances through the tube of the gun The kapok tree is most heavily cultivated in the rainforests of Asia Its flowers are an important source of nectar and pollen for bees and bats and its fibre has been widely used as a filling material in seat cushions stuffed toys and insulation for many years but it has proved notoriously difficult to spin over the years near Ulm in Germany admits that when it first began attempts to spin kapok at the request of a mattress-making customer its mill looked like a pillow fight was taking place building on its 120 years of spinning know-how the family-owned company succeeded in developing what has now become a very successful yarn called Piumafil The company uses a modified spinning method to ensure the safe embedding of the kapok fibres within cotton and while the kapok mass ratio content is just 15% its actual volume ratio is 50% of the overall yarn as a result of its lightness Piumafil yarns have a silky feel and are both thermo-regulating and breathable kapok can be dyed with the same dyestuffs as cotton Otto has developed gentle processes for retaining its hollow fibre structure at its own dye house Otto’s success with Piumafil perfectly illustrates the company’s motto that “nothing is impossible” Benefits of new EUCOTTON yarns range from Otto direct to your inbox.Be the first to know.