From the Sector

The German Pavilion is confirmed to return from 19 – 21 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. For the first time since borders reopened, industry leaders gathering under the banner will bolster the fair’s innovation and sustainability with a comprehensive showcase, from raw materials to machinery, complemented by diversified fringe events across the fairground.

Located in a prime area of the International Hall, the German Pavilion is set to draw crowds with its reputable products and technology. Assembling under the pavilion this year will be some new and returning German exhibitors, having made their names in the sub-categories of automotive nonwovens, industrial-use monofilaments, weaving machinery, and many more. After confirming their participation, Hansa Industrie-Mixer, J.H. Ziegler Nonwovens and New Materials, Lindauer Dornier, Monosuisse, and Perlon will showcase their expertise together with other highlighted exhibitors, including:

• Autefa Solutions – A full-service provider for turnkey nonwoven lines and machines, the company offers machines for fibre opening and blending, carding, crosslapping, needle punching, spunlace, thermobonding, amongst others. At the fair, the company will showcase technology spanning 10 application areas.
• Emtec Electronic – The company develops specialised test devices for the nonwoven and textile industries. An innovation said to quantify handfeel, its TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer objectively measures the softness, smoothness and stiffness of textiles and nonwovens, as well as their recovery and elongation.
• Neuenhauser Group – The Neuenhauser Textile division provides fully-automated cleaning systems, transport automation solutions, winding technology, high-performance can coilers and weaving machine accessories. With decades of experience, the Group will debut at the fair with various innovative Agrotech, Buildtech, and Geotech solutions.
• Reifenhauser Enka Tecnica – A specialised provider of spinnerets and precision components to the man-made fibre industry. The company manufactures a broad spectrum of spinnerets and spin packs for all spinning processes, as well as premium jet strips for hydro-entangling with extra-long service life.
• Reifenhauser Reicofil – A well-known provider of spunbond, meltblown and composite lines for nonwoven applications in the hygiene, medical, filtration and industrial sectors. Offering a wide range of machinery at the show, the company is developing technical solutions for sophisticated and sustainable applications, with a strong focus on machine intelligence and energy efficiency.

New fringe events to further advocate innovation and sustainability
At this year’s fair, AiDLab^[1] will present its AI-based Textile Inspection System (AiTIS). A world first, AiTIS automatically and accurately detects material defects in nonwovens (especially for mask making), and various textiles, reflecting the collaborative efforts of AiDLab and a Hong Kong healthcare brand. At the event, Professor Calvin Wong, CEO & Centre Director of AiDLab, will introduce the system. This will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with independent consultant Mr Eric Sham and moderated by AiDLab’s Mr Barry Tai, including insights on how advanced technology is reshaping the textile industry landscape.

Going beyond innovation, the fringe programme will also for the first time include Econogy Talks^[2] and sustainability tours to reflect Messe Frankfurt’s commitment to a sustainable future. Fairgoers can also visit the Innovation Showcase Area for outstanding industry achievements, with the focus this year on cutting-edge technology, green development and high-end applications. Product submission is now open. Contact us to submit your products, or register here for your visitor badge.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

Cinte Techtextil China will be held from 19 – 21 September 2024.

^[1] The Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design, jointly established by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the UK’s Royal College of Art, under HKSAR government funding
^[2] ‘Texpertise Econogy’ – the umbrella for Messe Frankfurt’s sustainability activities at its more than 50 textile trade shows worldwide

With the MAX GLASS ECO, the KARL MAYER Technical Textiles Business Unit offers a production machine for the economical manufacture of standard reinforcement textiles made from glass fibers, in particular non-crimp fabrics for the wind power industry. The newcomer can be adapted to the requirements of different application areas thanks to various optional functions and combines short amortization times. At a maximum speed of 1,800 min-1, it produces up to 410 m/h at a working width of 101". This performance is very well received on the composite market. Since the launch of the MAX GLASS ECO at JEC World in March this year, several purchase agreements have already been signed.

Some machines are going to India, and a larger number has been ordered by Chinese customers. Even the demonstration models in the KARL MAYER GROUP customer centers in Changzhou and Chemnitz have already been sold. However, the MAX GLASS ECO at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien in Saxony can still be used for processing trials and performance tests until September.

There is also great interest in Eastern Europe. At Techtextil 2024 in Frankfurt, for example, the new composite machine was a topic of numerous meetings with Ralf Schramm, Sales Manager at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien for this region. "I held many orientation discussions about the machine's performance. But there were also customers with specific purchase requests, including the Polish manufacturer of high-quality, professional solutions for the composites industry, Rymatex," says the sales professional.

The summer edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris welcomed nearly 1,200 exhibitors from 26 countries. This season event was characterised by a number of new features and the dynamics remained satisfactory. Next event: February 10, 2025, in a partially renovated Paris-Le-Bourget exhibition centre for a session rich in initiatives.

The latest edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, offered in its full version with the Avantex and Leatherworld sectors, ended on July 3 with attendance levels down on the July 2023 session. Over and above a possible "Olympic Games effect" and its consequences on transport and accommodation costs in the capital, the current economic situation is prompting the show's organizers to explore all alternatives to adapt the offer to market demand. However, these results do not seem to have had any impact on the flow of business between visitors and exhibitors, who reported a fairly positive overall climate.

The dynamic on the booths remained steady and the exchanges satisfactory, as shown by several manufacturers particularly well established on the European market. Indian shirt manufacturer Sheraton Apparel, for example, made around thirty solid contacts over 3 days, and reported several serious approaches to African distributors. The same goes for SMIT, a Turkish company specialising in Made in Turkey sourcing, which was able to see its main European customers and open up new contacts with Canadian and Brazilian buyers.

An expanded offering
At the Near Sourcing Hub, the phygital sourcing space connected by QR Code to the B2B digital platform of Messe Frankfurt France partner FourSource, inquiries to exhibiting companies remained much the same as in 2023. The visitor profile, on the other hand, focused on buyers from networks of small multi-specialist boutiques looking for an original mid-to-top-range offering. It was in response to this market demand for differentiation that the show organizers decided to extend Apparel Sourcing's range to include new categories in the fashion accessories sector, such as jewelry and bags.

High-profile initiatives
Other innovations were also on show this summer. The yarn pavilion - a first conceived in collaboration with Yarn Expo, originally a Shanghai show run by Messe Frankfurt - showcased the expertise of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and Taiwanese companies, while at the same time highlighting upstream products and services. At Avantex, where some twenty suppliers of solutions for more sustainable fashion were grouped together, the new Designer Hub enabled designers and buyers to discover some original initiatives, such as that of stylist Jean-Luc François' association, supported by Messe Frankfurt's Texpertise network, which trains people who are far from employment, or the 3D design studio Scotomalab.

Materra wins 2024 Avantex Fashion Pitch award
The Avantex Fashion Pitch jury has awarded the 2024 prize to Materra. This British start-up, founded in 2019, designs solutions to support the cotton cultivation adapted to climate change. At the other end of the chain, it offers brands a service designed on a Cotton-As-A-Service model that encourages them to source from the producers it supports. Materra will benefit from a €2,800 stand at Avantex Paris 2025 donated by Messe Frankfurt France, plus €2,000 from Texpertise Network, the textile sector network of the Messe Frankfurt Group, and 1 year's incubation at Foundry donated by IFA Paris, official partner of the competition.

A trendy area at Leatherworld
New for 2024, the Leatherworld sector inaugurated its Leather Trend area, developed in collaboration with publisher Edizioni AF and the Arsutoria School design centre. Designed around the expertise of Italian companies specialising in the manufacture of leather shoes and bags, this inspirational space presented the autumn-winter 25-26 trends through 4 creative axis built around the expression of simplicity, nature, dynamism (sportswear collections) and finally romanticism. Leather Trend was also an opportunity to discover the new leather tanning technology developed by Ecotan, which avoids the use of metals (Chrome) and chemicals in the leather preparation stages thanks to the use of vegetable tannins.

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.

The start to the premiere of the CHINA WAVE pavilion at Pitti Uomo 106: the first stop of the "2024 China National Garment Association Overseas Programme" was a complete success for the participating designer labels from China. The Chinese brands impressed the international fashion world with their exclusive and extraordinary collections at the Costruzioni Lorenesi in the Fortezza da Basso in Florence. The famous fashion journalist, Suzy Menkes, was also impressed by the creations.

The styles and current looks from from VALLEYOUTH, KB HONG BY K-BOXING, RAXXY, JDV, FENGGY, BLACKHEAD, KEYONE BY HATTERSHUB, TYPETAIL impressed buyers, fashionistas and media representatives alike with their design expertise, creativity and product quality. The combination of contemporary styles with traditional Chinese elements, as seen in the collections of KB HONG by BY K-BOXING, JDV and VALLEYOUTH, among others, attracted international audience from Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, Mexico, Canada, Australia and many more.

Among those welcomed to the pavilion was Suzy Menkes, who emphasised the combination of tradition and modernity in collections such as those from KB HONG by BY K-BOXING and VALLEYOUTH in the CHINA WAVE pavilion. VALLEYOUTH's new collection was presented by fashion photographer Acielle from style du monde at Vogue World, while fashion blogger Augusto Ferretti commented on the brands' designs as "artistic sculptures". The appearance of the famous Chinese actor and singer AYUNGA as a testimonial for the new KB HONG by BY K-BOXING collection at Pitti Uomo attracted particular attention.

Further stops of the "2024 China National Garment Association Overseas Programme" are Who's Next in Paris and TheOne Milano in Milan in September.

The next CHINA WAVE presentation at Pitti Uomo is planned for January 2025.

Maintaining a focus on innovation despite the uncertainties that characterize the current international scenario was emphasized during the General Assembly of ACIMIT, the Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association, held in Milan on July 9. ACIMIT president, Marco Salvadè, showcased the data of the Italian textile machinery industry. In 2023, production decreased by 16%, settling at a value of 2.3 billion euros, as did exports, which also fell by 16% (2 billion euros).

China, Turkey, India, and the United States remain the main destinations for Italian textile machinery manufacturers. In 2023, demand for machinery in these markets was weak, but some positive signals emerged in the first quarter of the current year, especially from the Chinese market and again from Egypt, Pakistan, Brazil, and Japan. “2024 will still be a year characterized by many uncertainties,” commented Salvadè, “mainly due to the uncertainty of the geopolitical situation and fluctuations in final demand”.

In an especially difficult international scenario and with a still sluggish market, the Italian textile machinery sector remains a leader alongside a few other Countries, such as China, Germany, and Japan. “Our sector is renowned worldwide for its reliability, know-how, and the uniquely Italian ability to combine tradition and innovation,” noted the ACIMIT president. Accelerating innovation remains crucial, particularly to meet the challenges that await Italian manufacturers in supporting textile companies on their sustainable transition journey.

To highlight the opportunities that the European green transition opens up for technology suppliers, the public section of the ACIMIT General Assembly addressed a very current issue: textile recycling. The EU’s legislative guidelines aim to accelerate the green and circular transition of the textile sector with various actions: from ecodesign to EPR, from waste export regulation to green claims. Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for recycled textile fibers driven by the sustainable policies of brands that should not be underestimated.

Thus, technologies play an important role in providing solutions to companies engaged in the new circularity supply chain: from sorting and selection of garments to preparation phases and recycling processes. During the event several speakers agreed that the experience and capabilities of the Italian textile and textile machinery sector should be fully leveraged at this crucial stage for the entire supply chain. As President Salvadè noted, “Textile machinery companies intend to increase R&D activities in this area, collaborating with their textile customers in the belief that the circular transformation of business models also represents an opportunity for technology suppliers to increase their competitiveness.”

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.

After navigating the challenges of 2023, Vietnam's textile and garment exports have been gradually recovering. Additionally, foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam during the first five months of this year reached USD 11 billion, a 2% year-on-year increase, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). To cater to Vietnam’s renewed business opportunities, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will return from 26 – 28 February 2025 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC).

The fair’s inaugural edition attracted 409 exhibitors and 17,262 visits from 17 and 55 countries and regions respectively. Building on this solid foundation, VIATT 2025 will continue to showcase the latest industry trends, and expand its focus on various pertinent areas. This will include the fair’s new Econogy Hub, a dedicated zone to advance the topic of sustainability in the textile industry, and to relate it closely to the demands of economic and social change. Together with the evolving environmental landscape, the fair will also help industry players adapt to the rapid adoption of new technology in the business world with the debut of the Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone. This zone will allow exhibitors to unveil the latest technology and solutions such as AI design, digital manufacturing, big data analytics, and more.

Concurrently, VIATT 2025 will continue to present a diverse range of exhibitors across the apparel, home textile and technical textile sectors, with positive feedback received from many quarters at the fair’s inaugural edition.

Apparel Fabrics & Fashion
In the first four months of 2024, textile and garment exports grew 6.3% year-on-year to over USD 10 billion. The US remains Vietnam’s top export market, followed by the EU, South Korea, China, and Japan. To meet this demand, Vietnam's textile industry continues to import a significant amount of raw materials. At VIATT 2024, yarns, fibres and fabrics for casualwear, sportswear and uniforms, as well as garment accessories, were in high demand.

Home & Contract Textiles
Vietnam’s home textile market is projected to undergo a steady CAGR of 2.4% from 2024 – 2032, driven by the rising need for modern and stylish home textiles, e-commerce expansion, and favourable government initiatives. At the fair’s previous edition, product groups included bedding, loungewear and bathroom textiles, curtains and curtain fabrics, upholstery and sofa fabrics, and home textile accessories.

At VIATT 2025, exhibitors can additionally present their latest offerings in the Home Textiles Display Zone or at dedicated product presentations, to maximise their visibility to potential buyers.

Technical Textiles & Technologies
Across the textile industry, investors are now focusing on optimising production capacity, streamlining supply chains, and enhancing product quality to maintain competitiveness in both domestic and international markets. With the new Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone to supplement the textile technology category, VIATT 2025 is set to play host to providers of textile and nonwoven machinery, CAD/CAM, CMT, and technology for embroidery, knitting, sewing, printing, and more. Exhibitors can draw more attention to their latest solutions by participating in the fair's new innovation showcase area.

The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE), covering the entire textile industry value chain. The second edition will be held from 26 – 28 February 2025.

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Sioen Technical Felts to supply a complete needlepunch line for its production plant in Liège, Belgium. The new line will enable Sioen to produce heavy fabrics in a single step.

Sioen’s Liège plant specializes in the production of technical fabrics used mainly in industrial applications such as pipe lining (CIPP), acoustics, and filtration. The ANDRITZ equipment will allow the customer to produce fabrics of more than 3,500 gsm in a single step, using different types of fibers (recycled PET, OxPan, bicomponent,…) and finenesses. Normally two or three layers have to be needled off-line in a second step to achieve such a fabric weight.

The single-step process results in a higher quality end product by minimizing the risk of delamination, i.e. the separation of layers during use. It also increases productivity by reducing the need for fabric handling.

The ANDRITZ DF-4 needleloom, which can operate in double and single stroke modus, gives Sioen high flexibility to process fabrics with different mechanical charasteristics. Operators can easily switch modes via the remote-control touch screen. The line will be equipped with ANDRITZ’s latest fabric weight profiling technology, ProWin™, to ensure maximum weight evenness.

Start-up of the new needlepunch line is scheduled for Q1 2025.

Dilo Temafa, a specialist in machinery and equipment for fibre preparation and natural fibre processing, announces the sale of a line extension to Eco-Technilin. The machines will complement an existing flax fibre preparation plant in France to enable higher fibre quality.

Eco-Technilin, a producer of sustainable materials, has chosen the machines to expand its production capacity and increase its efficiency. The plant expansion is specifically designed to efficiently clean flax scutcher tow and meet the high demands of modern manufacturing, while increasing process stability and plant availability.

Dilo Temafa has been active in the field of natural fibre extraction for more than thirty years and has supplied numerous systems for the processing of bast fibres, e.g. flax and industrial hemp. The fibres obtained are used in various industries, including the construction, automotive, nonwovens and textile industries, and make a contribution to minimising the ecological footprint.