From the Sector

Trützschler’s next-generation carding machine entered the market in January 2024. The machines have achieved great results during tests with customers in Türkiye and in other countries. It achieved up to 40 % higher productivity while reducing energy consumption by up to -18 %.

Higher productivity, less energy consumption
Mayfil Tekstil is a leading company in the Turkish textile industry for the production of textured yarn. It is headquartered in Nilüfer/Bursa. Founded in 2005, it has grown rapidly by prioritizing customer satisfaction. In 2022, Mayfil invested in a modern vortex airjet spinning facility that can produce up to 35 tons per day. And the company was keen to take a close look at the TC 30i for man-made fibers to explore its potential to drive progress toward Mayfil’s ambitious growth plans. In February 2024, Mayfil Tekstil conducted tests with the TC 30i. The next-generation carding machine produced 140 kg/h viscose, which is more than 40 % higher than the 95 kg/h Mayfil produces with the current benchmark. The new carding machine also decreased electricity consumption by 18 %. Based on these results, Mayfil is purchasing further TC 30i cards.

Results confirmed
Göl Iplik Şeremet Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., located in Inegöl Bursa, operates three factories that deliver a variety of high-quality products, with a specialization in blended yarns. Investment in modern equipment and pioneering new products that expand its portfolio are at the heart of Göl Iplik’s success across almost four decades. Göl Iplik also tested the TC 30i for man-made fibers in early 2024. This Trützschler customer took a close look at the TC 30i during rigorous viscose trials. The TC 30i achieved a 40 % higher productivity rate with the same level of quality, while consuming 15 % less power. Göl Iplik now intends to include the TC 30i in its future investment strategy.

Benefits of the TC 30i

1. Best quality from any raw material: High levels of productivity and yarn quality thanks to 35 % more active flats, the longest carding length in market and the T-GO automatic carding gap optimizer.
2. Operator-independent performance: Consistent results without relying on manual operators thanks to automatic, real-time optimization of the carding gap with T-GO.
3. Value-adding waste handling: Innovative waste suction system collects and separates different types of waste. More than 50 % of card waste can be reused or sold to third parties for an attractive price.

The German companies Brückner, Groz-Beckert, the Karl Mayer Group and Thies invite representatives of the Brazilian textile industry to a symposium with presentations and discussion panels in Blumenau, Brazil, on August 21, 2024. The event will be held at NS Armazém, Fortaleza, Blumenau and will focus on the current demand trend for warp knitted elastic fabrics.

The aim of the symposium is to provide a platform where knowledge can be exchanged and cooperation intensified. The symposium offers a wide variety of technical presentations as well as best practice examples and showcases cutting-edge technologies and innovations in warp knitting technology.

Interactive sessions and discussion rounds promote exchange among participants and provide networking opportunities. The event language is Portuguese.

Those interested in attending the symposium may contact the sales representatives: Frank Bernhard or Fabricio Rampani (Brückner, Thies & Karl Mayer), or Diomar Gomes Vieira (Groz-Beckert) to register.

Archroma is collaborating with Zydat Inc. to bring the complete Color Atlas by Archroma® color library to the Vivid Color Library Management (CLM) color-matching platform for faster and more accurate inkjet digital printing of fashion and textiles

Archroma’s Color Atlas is the textile industry’s largest library of engineered color standards, with more than 5,760 color references formulated to comply with leading eco-standards and deliver consistent and accurate color reproduction.

With these colors available within Vivid CLM’s online color palette optimization and correction tools, designers can more quickly and easily create and share their color palettes for more accurate inkjet printing. This can reduce the burden of pre-production color proofing and streamline the color management process to help deliver high-quality printed fabric and apparel in a fast and economical way.

Vivid CLM was launched by Zydat in February 2024. It offers a unique and designer-oriented solution to color matching with a proprietary algorithm that translates complex spectral data into a Red-Green-Blue workflow and allows the user to print, scan and check the color, with automatic adjustments to improve accuracy. The solution’s palette storage system allows colorists to share palettes across the ecosystem.

In addition to accessing all of the 5,760 colors in the Archroma Color Atlas portfolio as digital standards within Vivid CLM, users of the software may also choose to refer to Archroma’s physical color library in multiple formats. They can also tap into Archroma’s expertise around the world for technical support with sustainable coloration systems and achievability on alternate substrates.

The Color Atlas by Archroma® is part of the Archroma Color Management+ design and development solution for more sustainable textiles and fashion through fast color selection and creation, consistent and accurate color reproduction, and reduced environmental impact.

ISKO is taking part in the Kingpins Show in New York City. At the event taking place on 17 and 18 July at Pier 36, Basketball City, ISKO presents a selection from its diverse collections.

Attendees have the opportunity to explore a selection from ISKO’s main collection, alongside some of the company’s most innovative technologies and products. Each piece exemplifies ISKO’s commitment to blending sophisticated designs with sustainable practices.

The Main Collection is organized into five main macro groups:

• Inflexible: a range of rigid fabrics for contemporary needs, true to denim’s original heritage.
• Motion: combining comfort and an authentic look for good old rigid denim with freedom of movement.
• Extended: traditional denim aesthetic and its ultimate stretch expression. Elegance, treatments, and 4-way-stretch technologies.
• Elite: fabrics families where softness, shine, and silky feel reach their full potential.
• Momentum: unique finishes, intricate constructions, colored coatings, and special denim features.

Other highlights are:

• Casual Line: the premium experience showcasing a versatile and innovative woven fabric collection made with FSC® certified viscose and certified postconsumer recycled polyester.
• ISKO™ Luxury by PG: curated by Paolo Gnutti, this collection merges classic tastes with contemporary visions.

Finally, as ISKO’s FW 25-26 collection features RE&UP fibers, visitors can learn more about the circulartech company that recycles cotton, polyester and polycotton textile waste and transforms it into high-quality Next-Gen fibers, becoming the go-to alternative to virgin options.

Polartec, a Milliken & Company brand and premium creator of innovative and more sustainable textile solutions announced the launch of its newly revamped website. Designed to deliver a seamless and engaging browsing experience for all, the site now caters more effectively to the company’s brand partners and its growing base of direct consumers. It also makes it easier for users to discover the Polartec performance guarantee.

The new website features a fresh new look and feel, along with significant enhancements to improve the user experience. With a strong emphasis on accessibility and user engagement, the revised site ensures that visitors can quickly find the information they need, whenever and wherever they want it. Key features include:

• Modern Design and Structure: The site’s intuitive navigation and streamlined design allow our users to access vital information quickly and easily from any entry point.
• Dynamic Animation: Integrated modern animation enhances engagement and facilitates the interactive and highly enjoyable browsing experience.
• Optimized Content: Overhauled and strategically optimized for SEO, the new content reflects our refreshed positioning while ensuring high visibility in search engine results.

Just as Polartec is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of textile innovation while prioritizing the planet, the new navigation menu reflects this commitment by ensuring fast, easy access to primary sections and important information. And, by highlighting sustainable practices, groundbreaking fabrics and exclusive textile technologies, the new website meets the needs of renowned sportswear apparel companies, top-tier athletes and everyday users alike.

• Fabrics: Explore Polartec’s extensive range of high-performance fabrics.
• Sustainability: Learn about Polartec’s commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
• Brands: The newly named Products section features our partner brands and their products
• News: Stay up to date with the latest information and company news.
• About Us: Gain insights into Polartec’s company values and mission.

With the fully recyclable 100% polyester trunk side trim, Autoneum is putting the rear of the vehicle at the center of its efforts for a more circular economy in the automotive industry. The latest addition to Autoneum’s growing portfolio of sustainable monomaterial products made entirely from polyester is based on the existing Pure technology Propylat PET. The component demonstrates an excellent environmental performance in terms of recycled content, waste-free manufacturing and end-of-life recyclability.

New regulations such as the revised End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in Europe are accelerating the automotive industry’s transition from a linear to a circular economy. In this context, the recyclability of vehicles at the end of their service life is becoming increasingly important. This in turn raises the demand for automotive components that have an excellent environmental performance across the product life cycle and at the same time meet the highest standards of material quality and technical performance. Autoneum’s new 100% polyester trunk side trim helps customers achieve their ambitious sustainability targets while offering optimum durability, design flexibility and aesthetics.

As with Autoneum’s environmentally friendly monomaterial carpet systems, the new 100% polyester trunk side trim is fully recyclable. Production cut-offs can be reclaimed, processed and reused, ensuring a closed material loop. Thanks to Autoneum’s high-value recycling concept, the recycled fibers can also be granulated and spun into new fibers, which reduces the need for virgin raw materials and thus conserves natural resources. The carrier material is based on the lightweight Autoneum Pure technology Propylat PET and contains at least 50% recycled fibers. Like all variants of Propylat, the technology features a high proportion of recycled material and can be produced waste-free thanks to its complete vertical integration. In addition, Propylat PET consists of 100% PET and is therefore fully recyclable. The new monomaterial trunk side trim made exclusively from polyester is also available under the Autoneum Blue sustainability label. Blue products feature at least 30% recycled PET that was collected from coastal areas, thus making an important contribution to preventing plastic pollution in the oceans.

Autoneum’s sustainable concept for 100% polyester trunk components is not limited to side trim but can also be applied to tailgate and other trunk trim. Thanks to their unique material composition, the Propylatbased trunk trim parts are lightweight and sound-absorbing, thus contributing to the attenuation of tire and rear e-motor noise. In addition, their geometry can be tailored to individual customer needs while the textile surface improves the overall aesthetic of the parts and at the same time offers a high resistance to scratches. Autoneum’s eco-friendly 100% polyester trunk trim is available in Europe, North America and China.

Finishing machinery specialist Monforts will exhibit at the upcoming Febratex textile machinery exhibition taking place in Blumenau, Brazil, from August 20-23, along with Uniferro, its new regional partner.

This new alliance follows the retirement of Herbert Erdmann of the service agency Euro Texteis, who has worked with Monforts over more than 30 years to secure a leading position in the region for Montex stenter dryers, Thermex dyeing ranges and associated finishing technology.

With offices in Sao Paulo and Ceara and sub-agents across Brazil, Uniferro has been active in the textile industry for over 50 years.

coaTTex
At Febratex, Monforts will introduce its latest coaTTex coating unit exclusively dedicated to air knife and knife-over-roller coating. For single-sided application with paste or foam, the versatile coater is suitable for both incorporation into existing finishing ranges as well as installation with new Monforts Montex stenter systems.

A wide range of coatings can be applied to fabrics for providing functions such as waterproofing, liquid and gas protection and breathability, in addition to foam lamination and black-out coating.

Denim hub
Brazil remains a buoyant hub for textile manufacturing with a particular stength in the denim dyeing and finishing sector and many Monforts Thermex hotflue dyeing systems are already operational in the region, reaping the benefits of the Econtrol® process.

Econtrol® is a continuous process for the dyeing of woven cotton and cellulosic fabrics, especially denim, in which reactive dyestuffs are fixed into the fabric in a one-step dyeing and drying process with a controlled combination of steam and air. The entire pad-dry process takes just two-to-three minutes.

“Differentiation is the key in the highly-competitive denim fabrics industry, whether through the successful incorporation of new fibres, accommodating new fabric constructions or exploring the many options for how to treat them at the finishing stage, to gain a market advantage,” says says Monforts Regional Sales Manager Achim Gesser. “Our lines allow users to be extremely versatile and respond quickly to market demand, while also allowing very short production runs.”

Because finishing is a particularly energy-intensive part of the textile production chain, it is exactly where convincing results can be achieved, he adds, and Monforts has developed a wide range of energy-saving. These included a range of heat recovery systems, such as the Universal Energy Tower and the ECO Booster. Both can also be retrofitted to existing ranges to make production more resource-efficient and economical, yet without having to invest in a new machine.

“Energy costs tend to be high in Brazil and can account for up to 70% of production costs for our customers, so there is great demand for ways of saving money,” says Gesser. “Cutting energy usage also helps in terms of global warming and reducing carbon footprint, of course, so these latest technologies are a win-win for fabric finishers. As we look forward to a promising partnership with Uniferro in Brazil, we would like to extend our thanks and best wishes for the future to Herbert Erdmann for his hard work over the years.”

TradeBeyond, a provider of supply chain solutions, has announced its latest AI-powered innovation, its PO Line Risk Rating. This toolset revolutionizes quality management and risk assessment by leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze thousands of historical data points, providing businesses with accuracy and efficiency in managing their supply chain’s quality risks.

Part of TradeBeyond’s Pivot88 platform, its PO Line Risk Rating functionality uses advanced machine learning algorithms to continuously improve risk assessments for quality failures. By employing predictive analytics to evaluate multiple risk factors such as product type, materials used, country of origin and many others, the system assigns a percentage risk score to each purchase order line, indicating the likelihood of quality issues or delays. This allows businesses to proactively identify and address high-risk PO lines.

This functionality provides critical insights and reporting on the most significant risk factors affecting each PO line. Risk ratings are displayed as part of users’ existing workflows, enabling better planning and prioritization of inspections and audits. Customizable risk thresholds allow quality managers to set their own parameters for risk levels, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and strategically.

The 2nd Textiles Innovation Conference held by KARL MAYER North America proved to be a complete success. The trade event took place from June 25 to 27, 2024 at the headquarters of the KARL MAYER GROUP subsidiary in Greensboro, North Carolina. The conference boasted a turnout with over 200 attendees, exhibitors, and keynote speakers. While the majority hailed from many states across the USA, the event also attracted a global audience, including participants from Italy, Canada, Mexico, and other countries. The central theme: the importance of textiles made in the USA, their value and influence on global markets.

The conference brought together leading industry brands and academic institutions to delve into the future of product development and sustainability in textiles. KM.ON, Black Swan, Meta, and Supreme shared a convergence of ideas, challenges, and groundbreaking advancements shaping the textile landscape. NC State and Kent State universities highlighted their efforts in developing local talent and enhancing research capabilities to meet industry demand for regional supply chains. Manufacturing Solutions Center, Southern Textile Association, and AFFOA (Advanced Functional Fabrics of America) explored research capabilities and technology testing to foster funding opportunities and generate ideas for the future.

The recipe for success also included a lecture program. The conference kicked off with a keynote speech from New Balance, a brand that empowers people through sport and craftsmanship. New Balance MADE U.S., their premium collection manufactured domestically, reflects their commitment to quality and community impact. On day two Kenny Wilsey, Sourcing Director at Dillard’s, shared his expertise to ensure adherence to quality standards and social compliance requirements for private label brands. To complete the speaker series, Allison Hicks, Lead Knit Engineer at Under Armour, inspired attendees with her innovative approach to performance footwear, apparel, and accessories.

Important topics at the conference were sustainability and digitalization: Unifi showcased high-performance fibers made from recyclable materials and pre- or post-consumer waste management initiatives. KM.ON, the digital solution company of the KARL MAYER GROUP, displayed artificial intelligence applications for quality control, supply chain optimization, and predictive maintenance for warp knitting and knitwear production.

The Textile Innovation Conference program was rounded out by an exhibition of selected textile supply chain partners. These business partners supplemented the information about innovation presented in the lectures and performance demonstrations of the latest STOLL flat knitting and KARL MAYER warp knitting machines.

The first installations of the Trützschler Card TC 30i and the Trützschler Integrated Draw Frame IDF 3 are now complete – and the first customers have finished rigorous testing in direct spinning applications.

The Italian company Marchi & Fildi, headquartered in Biella, was one of the first to test the new IDF 3. The company specializes in producing pure and blended yarns made from natural or man-made fibers for flat knitting, circular knitting and weaving. Its products are used for fashion, furnishings and technical applications worldwide. It also places a strong focus on reducing its environmental impact.

Marchi & Fildi’s first trials were carried out with different fiber blends. This included a blend of 70 % soft waste cotton and 30 % polyester as the raw material for rotor direct spinning, with a yarn count in a range of Ne 8 to Ne 12 and Ne 30.
Later tests involved fiber blends of 50 % PET and 50 % recycled cotton from hard textile waste for rotor direct spinning with a yarn count of Ne 30. Experts at Marchi & Fildi stated that this material blend is typically very challenging. Processing secondary fibers made from hard textile waste requires very high competence in yarn production, which Marchi & Fildi impressively demonstrates. It also requires advanced technologies. This is due to technological challenges such as significantly lower fiber length. Trützschler’s IDF technology has a special drafting zone geometry that ensures reliable fiber guidance and controls floating fibers. It generates lower drafts than a conventional draw frame passage and avoids the risk of false drafts and count variations.

Decades of experience with the IDF technology have demonstrated that the higher the short fiber content, the better the result with IDF compared to conventional two draw frame passages. In combination with the TC 30Ri, a variant of TC 30i that has been specifically equipped and configured for processing recycled fibers, the IDF 3 delivers maximum possible quality for the production of sustainable yarns.

Overall, the company’s results showed a 75 % increase in productivity over the previous card model and a 14 % reduction in energy consumption at higher production rates. Combining the TC 30Ri and IDF 3 also enabled Marchi & Fildi to skip the drawing stage from its process, which boosts quality while saving resources and cutting costs.