Exclusive Collaboration Agreement with Arvind

RNS Number : 8927N

Directa Plus PLC

14 May 2018

 

14 May 2018

Directa Plus plc

("Directa Plus" or the "Company")

Directa Plus and Arvind Limited Sign Exclusive Collaboration Agreement

India's leading textile-to-retail-and-brands conglomerate to produce graphene-enhanced smart denims using Directa Plus' G+ products

Directa Plus plc (AIM: DCTA), a leading producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, is pleased to announce it has entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement with Arvind Limited ("Arvind"), India's leading textile-to-retail-and-brands conglomerate, to infuse the high-performance benefits of Directa Plus' G+ graphene-based products into their denim fabrics.

Directa Plus' graphene-based products can be used in a variety of ways to alter or enhance the properties of conventional Denim fabrics, and to produce 'smart' clothing for different purposes and environments. By incorporating G+ products within fabrics and textiles, end-users benefit from the thermal and electrical conductivity and bacteriostatic properties of G+, such as thermal regulation, heat dissipation, energy harvesting, data transmission and no odour effect.

The pioneer of the denim revolution in India, Arvind Limited's business is built on the pillars of design, innovation, sustainability, and customer centricity. Over the years, the company has evolved into an IP-led design house with several patented technologies and products to its name. The collaboration with Directa Plus will further enhance its capabilities in innovation and research and accelerate its transformation into a technology-driven company.

Each year Arvind Denim produces over 100 million meters of fabrics and 6 million pairs of jeans. It is amongst a few organisations worldwide with a portfolio of brands that are distinctive and relevant across diverse consumers including Cherokee, Excalibur, Flying Machine, Gant, Levi's, Nautica, Pier Cardin Paris, Tommy Hilfiger and Wrangler.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Aamir Akhtar, CEO - Denims, Arvind Ltd., said, "Technology plays a vital yet invisible hand in determining the performance, fashion quotient, and functionality of the Denims we develop. The use of graphene in Denims is absolutely new and will yield some of the smartest, most widely used fabrics in the years ahead. We are excited about the opportunities it presents, and we want our Key Customers to be amongst the first to experience and enjoy the advanced, new-age clothing we will create with Directa Plus."

Mr. Giulio Cesareo, CEO of Directa Plus plc, added, "We are delighted to have signed this significant collaboration with Arvind as they have the same ethos and passion about sustainable innovation that is able to bring positive change to the world. The incorporation of our Graphene Plus will further differentiate Arvind's denims by providing unique features and performance enhancements. Consumers can enjoy these advantages safe in the knowledge that our products are hypoallergenic, non-toxic and sustainably produced. We look forward to working with Arvind to develop technically-advanced denims and further innovations leveraging our Graphene Plus."

With product categories like BLUE NATIVES™, NEOBUBBLE™, BOOMERANG™, Arvind Limited is renowned for using innovative technologies to deliver better products for its customers. The use of these sophisticated technologies under the guidance of world-renowned designers has enabled Arvind to transform itself from a textile company to an end-to-end partner across some of the leading businesses across the world.

Enquiries:

Directa Plus plc
Giulio Cesareo, CEO Marco Ferrari, CFO	[phone]
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Marc Milmo, David Foreman (Corporate Finance) Alex Pollen, Caspar Shand Kydd (Sales)	[phone]
Luther Pendragon (Financial PR)
Harry Chathli, Claire Norbury, Alexis Gore	[phone]

Notes to Editors

About Arvind Limited:

Arvind Limited is a $1.5 billion conglomerate with interests in textiles, branded apparel and accessories, engineering and real estate. Today, Arvind employs 28,000+ people directly and has evolved as one of India's largest textile conglomerate having presence across the chain from yarns to finished goods. Arvind Limited manufactures and sells about 300 million meters of fabrics and over 30 million pieces of ready-to-wear apparel. Its denim, woven and knit products are innovative and sustainable, and sourced by some of the most iconic apparel brands around the world. 

About Directa Plus plc:

Directa Plus is one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets worldwide. By incorporating Directa Plus' unique graphene blends, identified by the G+ brand, its customers can enhance the performance of their end products without significantly increasing their cost. Directa Plus graphene-based products are natural, chemical-free, sustainably produced and tailored to specific customer requirements for commercial applications such as smart textiles, tyres, composite materials and environmental solutions. 

Established in 2005, the Company has a patented technology process and a portfolio of product and application patents. It produces its graphene-based products at its own factory in Lomazzo, Italy, with a scalable and exportable manufacturing model enabling the set-up of additional production at customer locations to reduce transport costs, waste and time-to-utilisation. Directa Plus partners with customers to enable them to offer the high-performance benefits of graphene in their own products.

 

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