From the Sector

• Product development and production teams are on cloud nine, thanks to Lectra’s all-new Quick Estimate and Quick Nest apps

Paris – Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather releases its first of a series of cloud-based applications conceptualized for product development and production teams. Quick Estimate and Quick Nest will be launched in France and Italy and will then become available progressively in other countries.

As part of Lectra’s Industry 4.0 strategy, Lectra collaborated with its leading, digitally-attuned customers to develop apps that empower decision-makers to respond in an instant. Quick Estimate revs up product development efficiency and is instrumental to managing costs. Quick Nest provides easy access to automatic marker making and capitalizes on cloud technology to handle heavy volumes of calculations in parallel, maximizing productivity and marker efficiency.

Leveraging the industrial Internet of Things, lean development principles and cloud-based computing, Lectra aims to provide anytime, anywhere access to business enhancing applications. Gone are the days of limited storage space and slow calculation speed. These well-packaged, light cloud applications will redefine the way fashion customers store and process data.

Fabric often accounts for as much as 60% to 70% of the cost of a garment. Quick Estimate allows product development teams to calculate fabric requirements instantly from their Modaris®—Lectra’s 2D/3D patternmaking and grading solution—working environment with direct access to the cloud applications. Pattern developers now have the flexibility to make pattern adjustments more quickly to optimize costs, while protecting the brand’s quality and assuring speed-to-market.

Quick Nest can be accessed through Diamino®, Lectra’s marker-making solution. During the production development stages, Quick Nest users will be able to process more detailed markers faster. Quick Nest can also be used by production teams to treat lists of markers automatically in record time via the cloud.

These apps will also ensure enterprise-wide transparency as management teams gain full visibility of consumption needs for all products in development and production, thanks to viewable access of consolidated data for approval and reporting purposes.

“The end-goal of our new strategy is clear: we want to put our customers at the core of our business. We want them to thrive in this new digital era. Our latest Industry 4.0-friendly apps will serve as growth catalysts for their businesses by enabling them to make sound decisions based on real-time information,” explains Daniel Harari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lectra. “And this is just the beginning. More innovative apps are yet to come.”

• Oerlikon integrates automation solutions for largescale plants in technology portfolio

Remscheid, Germany / Pfäffikon, Schwyz, Switzerland - Oerlikon announced today that it has acquired Germany-based AC-Automation GmbH & Co. KG, an engineering company specializing in large-scale plant automation solutions for the textile and packaging industries. The two companies have been partnering since the early 1980s. The integration of AC-Automation in Oerlikon expands the market-leading technology portfolio of its Manmade Fibers Segment. It also marks a milestone in Oerlikon’s ongoing quest to offer innovative, fully automated and digitally networked Industry solutions in the manmade fiber industry.

The 60 employees at AC-Automation’s Bernkastel-Kues and Augsburg locations will become part of Oerlikon’s Manmade Fibers Segment, which includes the leading brands Oerlikon Barmag and Oerlikon Neumag. The move will expand the Segment’s business model, adding another key core component to its current offering of production plants and technology solutions from melt to yarn, fibers, andnonwovens. Ultimately, Oerlikon will be able to offer customers a total solution from a single source, including automation logistics for packaging, high-bay storage, and other areas, which complement its current market-leading spinning and process technologies for the textile industry.

"We see our expanded overall offering as an Industry solution, reflecting the future of an even more efficient, digitized and profitable chemical fiber industry, especially for large-scale plants with daily production capacity of several hundred tons of polyester, nylon, polypropylene, or other manmade fibers,” explains Georg Stausberg, CEO of the Manmade Fibers Segment. Manmade fiber producers from China — the world’s most important market, generating more than 70 % of worldwide manmade fiber production — as well as companies from other fast-growing markets such as India, Turkey and the USA are also relying on automated and networked Industry total solutions.

"The acquisition and integration of AC-Automation’s automation solutions will provide new opportunities for our manmade fiber business. It enables the Segment to increasingly position itself as an Industry solution provider in combination with our own digitization solutions,” says Oerlikon Group CEO Dr. Roland Fischer. “As a leading provider of advanced materials, surface solutions and materials processing including the engineering and production of polymer plants, this acquisition marks another milestone in Oerlikon’s strategy to strengthen its businesses and thus sustain profitable growth.”

"After such a long partnership, we are excited to be able to benefit even more in the future as part of a global player in the textile industry. Our market access will further improve with the help of the Oerlikon
Group's sales and service network. For my employees, I am very pleased to be able to bring them into an international Group, in which there would be new opportunities and perspectives for them personally,”
said Rolf Gänz, AC-Automation’s Managing Director.

• Visit Archroma at China Interdye 2018, Booth A100, April 11-13, 2018, at the ShanghaiWorld Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, Shanghai, China

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, will present at China Interdye 2018 its latest technologies, under the motto: “Enhanced solutions for color and performance, it's our nature”.
With a heritage of more than 130 years, Archroma provides solutions that combine performance, safety and low impact on resources. The company can draw on its extensive formulation and technical know-how to offer a constant flow of eco-advanced and innovative new in dyestuff and pigments, as well as process and functional chemicals.
Solution packages for innovation

Visitors at Archroma’s Booth A100. will be able to ‘experience’ Archroma's innovative solutions, in particular:

• EarthColors, traceable from nature to fashion
  The EarthColors patented range of “biosynthetic” dyes for cotton and cellulose-based fabrics, which are made from waste left over by the agricultural and herbal industry after extraction, such as almond shells, saw palmetto, or rosemary leaves. The latest NFC technology used on the end-product hangtags enables transparency and traceability through the supply chain to consumers.
  The EarthColors have been adopted by brands such as Patagonia, Kathmandu and G-Star, and won an OutDoor Industry Award 2017.
   
• Color Atlas, a game-changing system for fashion design
  The Color Atlas by Archroma® is a groundbreaking platform specially devised to address the needs of designers, brands, retailers, and manufacturers, enhancing creative possibilities for the industry as well as manageability and time to market through key complementary tools: The six-volume ‘Color Atlas Library’ with 4,320 color swatches and cotton poplin samples, the ‘Color Atlas Compact’ in two volumes for increased portability, and the ‘Color Atlas Online’ allowing to capture an inspiring image using a smartphone and immediately identify the closest Color Atlas shade palette, with the possibility to purchase a color sample instantly.
   
• ‘Zero add-on’ formaldehyde finishing and coloring solutions
  Since January 1, 2016, formaldehyde is classified by ECHA5 as “may cause cancer” (Carc. 1B). Archroma offers a unique proposition combining: Fixapret® Resin WFF, a “zero add-on” formaldehyde anti-wrinkle finishing system and Helizarin® EcoSafe a “zero add-on”4 formaldehyde printing system. With Fixapret® Resin WFF, and Helizarin® EcoSafe, consumers can enjoy end-products that look good, whilst saving on precious resources and being gentler on the skin.
   
• Sanitized® Odoractiv 10, active odor control function for polyester textiles
  Visitors at the booth will be able to experience a new unique dimension of odor control function for functional polyester textiles. The newly developed wash-resistant Sanitized® Odoractiv 10 has a dual-action effect: on the one hand it prevents the bacteria from docking on the textile, and on the other, it adsorbs odors whilst the garment is being worn.

Spotlight on automotive solutions
Having acquired a 75% stake in the M. Dohmen group, a specialist in textile dyes and chemicals for automotive, carpet and apparel, Archroma is now in the position to extend its offer in expert products and services. M. Dohmen will be present at the show at Booth A118.

Solution packages for sustainability
Brand owners and retailers around the world are taking action to evaluate the environmental impact of textile treatment, dyeing and finishing processes in response to consumer concerns.
Archroma recently introduced the ONE WAY Process Simulator, the last update of a calculation tool that supports its ONE WAY Sustainability Service introduced back in 2012. The new, online software can be used to mimic and compare products and processes, and thus calculate the ecological and economical profile of the final end-product.

Asahi Kasei ROICA™ premium stretch fibre has received the prestigious Senken Shimbun Synthetic Fiber Prize with the sustainable GRS certified yarn.
ROICA™ specialties captured the attention of Senken Shimbun, a daily Japanese fashion newspaper, based in Tokyo, Japan.  Founded in 1956, today provides news, research data and new business ideas, and has a great influence over the fashion business in Japan. It helps fashion products throughout Japan to be distributed in Japan's domestic market, and serves as a platform targeting overseas markets.
The award is limited to Japanese companies. This year ROICA™ GRS certified yarn was selected in the Sustainable category thanks to its unique sustainable characteristics.

On March 14th, 2018 Senken Shimbun organized an event to conferee the awards and in this occasion ROICA™ displayed unique fabrics and garments created with this awarded ROICA™ yarn by premium producers as Iluna Group S.p.A (IT), M.I.T.I. (IT), Tessitura Colombo Antonio(IT), Tintex Textiles(PT)  and international top level brands as Cosabella (US), Maloja (DE) and Triumph (CH.
 
MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS AWARD WINNING PRODUCT
The Senken Award winning ROICA™ yarn is part of the ROICA™ Eco-Smart family, a world-first range of unique innovative and responsible made premium stretch fibers, that today can offer 2 real sustainable solutions. For time, one of the two types was awarded! The ROICA™ yarn certified GRS (Global Recycled Standard by TEXTILE EXCHANGE) version 3 certified yarn with more than 50% pre-consumer recycled content.

Two of the companies above: M.I.T.I. and TINTEX already garnered a huge recognition at ISPO last February also thanks to the uniqueness of this smart ROICA™ yarn:
M.I.T.I. Spa presented at ISPO Green Soul, a new fabric line made with fully recycled fibers. Ten different fabrics belong to this products line whose composition is both polyamide/ROICA™ Eco-Smart family and Polyester/ROICA™ Eco-Smart family offering a 100% recycled fiber warp knitted stretch fabrics. The winning Bluesign certified fabric is called Thermal Green and is a high-end brush back warpknit fabric, made with recycled Polyamide and ROICA™ Eco-Smart family.Tintex Textiles Garnered Its Second ‘ISPO Best Product Award’ In TexTrends in the SOFT EQUIPMENT category with a circular economy centric material, branded B.Cork™, a unique technology that sources certified pre-consumer cork waste.  Following a patent pending hi-tech lamination of a water based, formaldehyde and solvent free coating, a breathable, natural and waterproof supersoft touch is achieved. And last but not least is using ROICA™ Eco-Smart family premium stretch qualities  to fulfil fit and comfort needs.
 
 AWARD WINNING ROICA YARN IN BRANDS COLLECTIONS

• Maloja, an outdoor speciality brand with its roots in nature and  wellbeing, Maloja is presenting  many lines using ROICA™, and  here we present a new mid layer  technical x-country ski set with  fabrics from MITI, using the GRS  certified yarn part of the ROICA™ Eco- Smart family of responsible Stretch.
   
• COSABELLA produced by Collezioni SRL: The brand sells in over 100 countries, with a premium collection of 2000 styles for every sector of lingerie and leisurewear. Latest styles use the Eco-Lace by Tessitura Colombo Antonio fabrics made with ROICA™ Eco Smart family for their more luxurious upscaled lines.
   
• TRIUMPH LINGERIE: whose latest designs use the new stretch lace from ILUNA Group and the GRS certified yarn part of the ROICA™ Eco Smart family, slips and lingerie sets for the Essence by Triumph collection.

• A unique partnership enabled Lectra to test its revolutionary laser-cutting technology in a real production environment while delivering sustainable competitive advantage to the world’s leading supplier of airbag cushions.

Reaching the next level of growth and performance
Global Safety Textiles (GST) is the leading independent producer of airbag fabric and airbag cushions and supplier to the majority of airbag manufacturers.
Recognized for its long tradition of research and development, GST uses stateof- the-art technology to manufacture technical textiles for a variety of passive safety applications.
With operations on four continents, the German group has a workforce of more than 5,000.
The company’s worldwide operations and resources enable it to fulfill high volumes of orders promptly, providing the global automotive industry with a steady supply of airbag fabrics and cushions.To address GST’s main business challenges and meet their demanding manufacturing specifications, the group evaluated the performance of FocusQuantum OPW for one-piece-woven (OPW) airbag fabric together with Lectra in the pre-launch phase of the advanced laser airbag cutting solution. Following successful testing of Lectra’s advanced airbag cutting technology in a real production environment in Poland, the group then decided to acquire FocusQuantum OPW for implementation in China.

A one-off join testing collaboration on customer premise
The result of a mutually beneficial collaboration between Lectra and its longstanding customer, specifications for laser OPW airbag cutting solution FocusQuantum took into account GST’s exacting requirements. Once the development of FocusQuantum OPW was completed, both companies agreed to conduct joint
testing. “We came to the idea of joint testing when we visited Lectra’s R&D center in Bordeaux,” says Uwe Zimmermann, COO, GST.
“We discussed taking validation of our specifications to the next level. The idea came up to do it directly in a manufacturing environment.”
The extensive testing enabled GST’s experts to certify FocusQuantum as a proven technological platform for the mass production of airbags. “Process capability was a formal part of validations at GST Poland,” recalls Piotr Siwek. Manufacturing Engineering Manager. “It was verified and confirmed that FocusQuantum meets GST’s targets. The biggest improvement over the previous solution was the software, which we also helped Lectra develop. FocusQuantum Suite is one of the biggest advantages.”

Worldwide standartisation and rollout in China
As a result of the successful joint testing, GST decided to proceed with implementation in China. “Because GST aims to become a major player in Asia,
implementation of FocusQuantum in China is the next logical step for us,” explains Zimmermann. “Standardization of all our equipment worldwide is mandatory for us. That’s why we decided to work with a global player like Lectra.” With more than twice the productivity of the previous solution, FocusQuantum
has exceeded GST’s performance targets. The significantly higher level of process capability has both improved cutting quality and reduced the number
of defective cut parts.
“When we compare the unit output and unit cutting cost, we see a real improvement over the previous generation, so we are quite satisfied with the machine,” notes Sky Yang, General Manager, GST China. “It’s more reliable and productivity is significantly higher.”

• JEC Group pays tribute to the winners at JEC World 2018

The 2018 session of JEC World, the reference trade show organized by JEC Group, is in full swing and the focus is on innovation!
The JEC Innovation Awards ceremony, which took place on the Agora stage on Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm, opened with a presentation by Yves Rossy, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack. Then the jury revealed the names of the composite champions up for a JEC Innovation Award. Eleven winning innovations were chosen, out of the thirty finalists that had been previously selected from more than 100 applications from all over the world.

“JEC Group supports innovation. In 1998, it created the first award dedicated to composites, as a way to promote and reward the sector’s champions. Thanks to the work of JEC Group’s teams, the program has become an international benchmark. Each year, we receive more than a hundred applications from all over the world. Selection is now based on criteria like the level of involvement of the innovation’s partners in the value chain, the technical nature of the innovation, or its commercial applications,” explains JEC Group President & CEO Frédérique Mutel.
A new feature this year is that the jury revealed the winners during the ceremony, and the public could choose their favorite innovation before, during, and after the ceremony. So there is still time to vote! Votes are opened until Thursday March 8th, 5pm http://innovationawards.jec-world.events
Did you miss the ceremony?

11 AWARD WINNERS:
AEROSPACE APPLICATION
Winner:
AeroComposit, JSC (Russia) and its partner Solvay (United Kingdom)

• Infusion technology for an aircraft wing

The use of infusion technology to manufacture primary structural components for an aircraft wing. The technology makes it possible to create extra-long, integrated composite structures with complex aerodynamic shapes.

AEROSPACE PROCESS 
2 tied winners!
Winner: Airbus (Germany) and its partners, BMW Group (Germany), Technical University of Munich (TUM) (Germany), Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH (Germany), Werkzeugbau Siegfried Hofmann GmbH (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Foldcore GmbH (Germany), Neenah Filtration (Germany) and SGL Carbon GmbH (Germany)

• Complex structural applications for MAI sandwich technology

Cost-effective production of a complex 2.5D structure made of thermoplastic composite sandwich, with very short cycle times: under 5 minutes for aerospace materials and 2.5 minutes for automotive materials.

Winner: M. Torres Diseños Industriales SAU (Spain)
Moldless process to manufacture one-piece parts
A new manufacturing process for oversized one-piece reinforced composite structures, without requiring the use of complete molds.

AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION
Winner: Ford Werke GmbH (Germany) and its partners, Gestamp (United Kingdom), GRM Consulting (United Kingdom) and University of Warwick (United Kingdom)

• Lightweight composite automotive suspension part

Structural suspension part made of lightweight composite, using a brand-new patented process for prepreg/SMC/steel overmolding that was designed using a new computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology.

AUTOMOTIVE PROCESS
Winner: Audi AG (Germany) and its partners, Voith Composites GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Dow Automotive (Switzerland), and Zoltek Corp. (United States)

• Series production of a rear panel module made of carbon composite

For the first time, the potential of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is used to full advantage in series production with a new rear panel module and cost-effective production technologies.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Winner: Komatsu Seiren Co., Ltd. (Japan) and its partners, Kanazawa Institute of Technology (Japan) and Nagase ChemteX Corporation (Japan)

• Cabkoma cable made of CFRTP

Komatsu Seiren has developed a cable made of molded carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP), using a very cost-effective process that consists in polymerizing a thermoplastic epoxy resin in situ.

MARINE
Winner: Uljanik JSC (Croatia)

• Composite cargo decks for a vehicle carrier

On the SIEM Cicero, a vehicle carrier with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, glass-fiber reinforced composites are used for a number of the structures for the cargo decks, thereby considerably reducing the ship’s weight, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

RAILWAY
Winner: ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd. (United Kingdom) and its partners, Alstom Transport (United Kingdom), Magma Structures (United Kingdom), the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), and the University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)

• A bogie frame made of optimized lightweight carbon fiber

This project has developed the very first carbon-fiber bogie frame that uses a recycled material, making it possible to overcome the obstacles to a commercial adoption of this type of structure.

SPORTS & LEISURE
Winner: BMW Group (Germany) and its partners EDAG Engineering GmbH (Germany), KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH (Germany), Chr. Karl Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), TUM-LCC (Germany), Automation W + R GmbH (Germany), and FHG-IGCV (Germany)

• A modular construction system for the rear swing arm suspension of a motorcycle

A modular system to produce a complex-shape swing arm suspension reinforced with carbon fiber. The system can adjust the mechanical properties on a case-by-case basis, for a competitive cost and weight compared to metal solutions.

SMART CITIES
Winner: MC Materiales Compuestos (Argentina) and its partners, Plaquimet (Argentina), Purcom (Brazil), IS Groupe - Composite Integrity (France), and G12 Innovation (Brazil)

• The Wet Core Pod composite housing module

The Wet Core Pod is a composite housing module with an industrialization potential that can facilitate the most complex, costly and difficult step in a construction project.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Winner: Cetim-Cermat (France) and its partner, CETIM (France)

• “3-in-1” line for producing recycled composites

A modular line that uses an innovative thermomechanical process to make large panels from recycled composites or plastics. The panels are then thermoformed into parts.
 

• Lectra – ESCP Europe ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair round-table event hears panelists emphasize the need for fashion companies to embrace Industry 4.0.

Paris, February 27, 2018 – Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, the French business school ESCP Europe and their joint ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair explored the impact of Industry 4.0 on fashion’s value chain during a recent insightful round table discussion at ESCP Europe’s London campus.
For the participants Robert Diamond, Founder and CEO, Fernbrook Partners; Dan Hartley, Global Head of Digital Commerce, AllSaints; Laëtitia Hugé, Vice-President, Product Marketing, Lectra; Pierre Mercier, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group; and Evelthon Vassilou, CEO, Alison Hayes, there was consensus. Industry 4.0 represents unparalleled opportunities to take the fashion industry forward.

From brand to manufacturer, panelists from across the value chain emphasized the necessity for the industry to embrace the alliance between man and machines to leverage massive benefits, from quicker decision-making to cost-reduction.
Exploring the advantages of Industry 4.0 technology, Evelthon Vassilou commented: “Interpreting the data of what is, and isn’t, selling should help to speed up decisions. You can react very quickly across the entire supply chain, and either stop producing something unsuccessful or ramp up production if successful. Data and data analytics is not sufficient, to succeed this also requires a high degree of trust and integration between retailers and suppliers.”

“It’s about using technology to deliver continuous improvement in everyday business,” said Robert Diamond. “People are not good at making a large volume of repeatable decisions with many different data inputs”. Identifying where machines, and where people, bring value is an important part of embracing Industry 4.0. “If the business decision, or the outcome of the resolution tomorrow, is pretty much the same as what happened yesterday, then there is a chance for machine learning to help improve the situation.”
For Pierre Mercier, technology propelled by Industry 4.0 is disrupting former sources of competitive advantage, “forcing companies to rethink how they want to compete in their respective industries, and how to use data to compete differently. The common denominator in the fashion ecosystem is that everyone is facing the opportunity for a step change and need to figure out where to double down and accelerate their transformation.”

“Agility and flexibility are increasingly important for fashion players. Cutting-edge technology is supporting the fashion industry as it steps into the 4.0 era, ensuring businesses have the right solutions in their own ecosystems, to effectively harness the right data to make the right decisions,” stated Laëtitia Hugé.

At UK fashion brand AllSaints, valuable data harnessed from the net promoter score is paramount for their business. “We take customer feedback very seriously and we use it as a framework for our internal roadmap - from a tech and development point of view, through to design and fit, the customer is at the heart of everything we do,” stated Dan Hartley. In addition, he underlined that using technology across communications “will be huge going forward for AllSaints. From supply chain to store teams, we aim to use a cloud-based system that works within our own eco-system, complementing our agile model.”
The round table was moderated by the co-director of Lectra-ESCP Europe ‘Fashion and Technology’ Chair Valérie Moatti.
 

Paris, February 20, 2018 – Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, is pleased to announce its partnership with Dual through the signing of a global agreement covering the Korean automotive supplier’s fabric seating and airbag businesses.

Backed by world-class research and development, Dual strives to meet evolving customer needs by offering innovative new automotive interior materials and advanced safety textiles. The supplier’s automotive trim and airbag divisions serve Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, the fourth largest automaker in the world. Currently undergoing rapid expansion, Hyundai-Kia is counting on Dual to increase its manufacturing capabilities in the high-growth regions where the group operates, including China, Eastern Europe, Turkey and South America.

A key feature of the global agreement is Lectra’s commitment to help Dual optimize its manufacturing processes with the aim of improving its cost structure. Lectra’s most advanced technologies—Vector® for vehicle seating and FocusQuantum® for airbags—and unique expertise in cutting room processes are crucial to helping Dual reach its operational excellence objectives.

The agreement designates Lectra as sole supplier for high-ply cutting equipment and services for Dual’s seating and interiors business, and laser cutting equipment and services for the company’s airbag cushion business at six plants located in Korea and China.
For its operations in Korea and China, Dual will gain access to the full array of expertise, customer support and field services that Lectra provides worldwide. Lectra’s complete customer support structure enables maximum uptime through remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.

“Dual will benefit most from this agreement by containing costs in the cutting room,” remarks Ong Jae-Yeol, Fabric and Seat BU Executive Managing Director, Dual. “This is precisely where Lectra’s expertise can help us gain a competitive advantage.”
“We are pleased to enter into this global partnership with Dual, to support them—not only with our best-in-class cutting technology, but also with Lectra’s expertise in cutting processes,” states Javier Garcia, Senior VP Automotive Sales, Lectra. “Our unique know-how contributes to Dual’s pursuit of operational excellence—the source of sustainable competitive advantage for car seat cover and airbag cushion suppliers.”

• Confirming a Circular Economy focus
• 2 additional million investment in highly specialized process technology
• Launch of first ECOTEC® Smart Knitwear innovations
• New Market Partnerships

The ECOTEC® by Marchi & Fildi transformation into excellence yarns is back at Première Vision sharing amazing new steps in its journey towards smart innovation within a circular economy approach. 

First of all the company is proud to announce a 2 million euros investment in highly specialized process technology always aiming at improving ECOTEC® process and its yarn product range. This is another confirmation about the real ongoing commitment from Marchi & Fildi to position ECOTEC® as a key player in the world of responsible innovation.

On top of this, ECOTEC® is also widening its portfolio range thanks to the introduction of special yarns with counts and styles designed for Knitwear production: 

• ECOTEC® Moulinè and micromoulinè yarns: offering amazing colour effects and precious touch always fresh and cool. Considering that ECOTEC® yarns are not dyed, it is quite a smart look and achievement!
• ECOTEC® cable: soft twists for full body hand, authentic touch and amazing colour cards available. 

More technology, new applications… these facts are opening up the doors also to new ECOTEC® partners in the market. It is essential to offer brands and designers a wider and interesting choice in terms of ECOTEC® fabrics.

Based on this Marchi & Fildi is presenting:  

The ECOTEC® COLLECTION an exclusive seasonal range of ECOTEC® fabrics created by ECOTEC® partners including Ledatex (booth 5N29), Nalya (booth 5L52), 3C Company S.r.l., Sidònios Knitwear (booth 5P32-5R13), O’Jersey (booth 5N22) alongside longstanding accredited partners such as Lanificio COMATEX (booth 5H54, 5J53), Manifattura CBM, Euromaglia Srl (booth 5P17), Tessuti & Tessuti srl (booth 5M30), RDD and Tintex Textiles (booth 5N56, 5P55).

That is not all, this season ECOTEC® is proud to present an exclusive range of smart textile design solutions from the Marchi & Fildi research and development center in cooperation with the UK expert textile trend forecaster Sandy Mac Lennan.  It is called ECOTEC ® INNOVATION , and it is an  inspiring line  developed with the clear goal of highlighting ECOTEC® uniqueness with solutions that are real avant-garde in fashion trends. Pegasus (80% ECOTEC® cotton, 20% cotton), Chagall (50% ECOTEC® cotton, 40% cotton, 10% cashmere) and Phoenix (52% ECOTEC® cotton, 48% recycled polyester) are the fundamentals that gave birth to 10 exclusive innovative qualities. Nets, knits, patterned woven, degradè, plissè, new tonal summer plaids and bold stripings on fine grounds. An inspiring contemporary range, dedicated to ECOTEC® partners, which brings ECOTEC® at the forefront of textile design.  Something to explore at 360° degrees!

Recent ECOTEC® brand adoptions include Jan’n June, the German brand, founded in 2014, whose aim is to offer garments that are fashionable, affordable and environmentally responsible. Produced by a family owned company in Poland, Jan’n June operate s a strong transparency policy with printed QR-Codes on the hangtags to give its customer’s all the key information about fabrics, production values and certification for every garment.

Furthermore there is Mundotextil, a Portuguese home textiles manufacturer. Mundotêxtil, together with ECOTEC® has just launched, with great success at Heimtextil, a market-first, world unique and responsibly made cotton towel innovation that really saves on water use, energy and CO2 emissions.

The acquisition is the fifth strategic deal finalized by Imprima Spa , holding controlled by the Italian private equity fund Wisequity IV.

IMPRIMA S.p.A., the holding company of the multinational group dedicated to textile printing and finishing, announces the acquisition of City Prints and the twin company Premier Fabrics, both American companies specialised in printed textiles. 

Imprima, controlled by Wise SGR through the Italian private equity fund Wisequity, now strengthens its strategic positioning, consolidating its global presence as a leading player in the field of printing and textile finishing for international retailers and fashion brands.

City Prints and Premier Fabrics, founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York and Los Angeles, are specialized in textile printing for the programmed collection market. The companies supply printed fabrics, based on proprietary design, to major American retailers such as Walmart, Target and Macy's, to  fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and to online retailers such as Amazon. The companies serve retailers and brands through leading private label intermediaries, currently sourcing prints and garments mainly from China.  

As in the case of the previous acquisitions, the brothers Jason and Ryan Borg, co-founders of City Prints and Premier Fabrics, will maintain a leadership role in the management of the companies and become shareholders of IMPRIMA. 

 "Our entry into the IMPRIMA group is an excellent opportunity to consolidate and increase our commercial positioning in the market, through the introduction of IMPRIMA Group’s brands in the US market and the opening of a digital production facility within the US territory, relying on the technology know-how in digital printing and the financial support that IMPRIMA provides", said Jason and Ryan Borg co-owners of City Prints and Premier Fabrics, which currently show a consolidated turnover of over 23 million dollars.

“With this acquisition, IMPRIMA deals with the US market with the goal of becoming the first textile converter with full digital printing capability in this local market.  The current deep crisis of American apparel retailers is pushing the industry to reshape its current supply chain strategy, mainly based on sourcing from Far East, towards a European-like fast fashion model. IMPRIMA, through City Prints and Premier Fabrics, will allow local retailers to leverage the "Made in USA" banner to deliver a great creative experience through a local, reliable partner.", said President Valentina Franceschini, and Executive V.P. Gianluca Boni.

This acquisition of the US companies follows the recent acquisition of the Italian print converters SET, Guarisco and B-Blossom and of the German print converter KBC.