From the Sector

Berlin - 200 exhibitors, around 1,000 visitors and over 20 speakers from Germany and abroad – the ATSG textile fair premiered in Berlin from 11 to 13 September 2019 brought together exhibitors, speakers and trade visitors from all over the world. Jason Prescott, CEO of JP Communications, said he was satisfied with the event at the Estrel Conference Center: "The first step has been taken, now we will establish the ATSG as an important event of the Berlin fashion and textile world".

The ATSG was the first fair of its kind in Germany. "There are many fashion trade fairs for sale from wholesale to retail. Berlin has so far lacked an event for companies of all sizes, including micro-brands and small fashion labels," continues Jason Prescott. The exhibited product categories included fabrics, technical clothing, mixed and knitted fabrics, home textiles, leather, natural and synthetic fibres, readymade goods and fashion accessories. Visitors to major European fashion brands as well as small, independent brands from the Berlin fashion scene were able to take a close look at raw materials and finished garments and discuss their ideas personally with the exhibitors. In parallel, China Textile Brand Show (Berlin), sponsored by Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), made its debut bringing in more than 150 superb Chinese manufacturers with their best collections for Germany and EU market.

Opening Ceremony, Lectures and Fashion Show

The ATSG was opened by Chinese government representatives and international association delegates. More than 20 lectures on the three days provided the latest impulses for thought and discussion. In their lectures and panel discussions, speakers from all over the world presented current positions on topics such as "All China? Or is there more to it?", "Application examples of artificial intelligence in the fashion industry", "Optimal logistics concepts for Europe", or "The importance of sustainability in the European fashion industry".

Wilson Zhu, COO at Li & Fung, one of the world's largest trading houses based in Hong Kong, explained in his keynote speech his view on the digitization of global supply chains: "From raw materials in the textile factory to consumer tracking: In retail, every step of the value chain is determined by digitization.

Companies need to be close to consumers and their supply chains must enable a seamless flow of data and information from start to finish". Customers and their requirements have also changed: "They want to know about origin, recyclability and production standards and use their information to adjust their purchasing behavior accordingly.” Other speakers included Jeff Streader of the brand investment platform Go Global and Salman Khokhar of Brand Lab Kollective Moda. The fashion show on the second day featured creations by local Berlin labels (Damur, Danny Reinke, Aline Celi, Yoona Tech) as well as Asian brands exhibiting at ATSG.

Successful kick-off

Exhibition organiser Jason Prescott draws a positive balance: "Looking back on the three days, I am very proud of what went well. Which has been confirmed for us: We're on an exciting path, have taken our first steps here in Berlin and will continue to develop the exhibition." The creators of ATSG 2019 are taking ideas for the year 2020 with them, especially from the many intensive discussions with exhibitors and visitors: "The ATSG has offered visitors and exhibitors a unique opportunity to identify new growth strategies, look around for market partners, learn from each other and establish networks. We are very pleased that the concept was used here in Berlin," concludes Chase Vance, Director of JP Communications.

Textilhersteller beteiligt sich an Prismatek

Mit Wirkung zum 1.7.2019 hat Schmitz Textiles Gesellschafteranteile des US-Unternehmens Prismatek International LLC erworben, um die nordamerikanische Expansion voranzutreiben. Im amerikanischen Markt ist das 1989 gegründete Familienunternehmen eine gesetzte Größe: Als einer der führenden Importeure und Großhändler für Textilien aus Europa ist Prismatek durch ein Partnernetzwerk und Showrooms landesweit präsent. Am Sitz in Cape Coral, Florida, befinden sich Lager- und Konfektionskapazitäten. Zukünftig wird Prismatek unter der Führung von CEO Anke Kondek als Schmitz Textiles firmieren. Dabei wird sie von den Schmitz Textiles Sales Directors Hubert Reinermann (drapilux) und Wouter Hof (swela) unterstützt.

„Die Beteiligung ist eine klassische Win-Win-Situation“, erklärt Anke Kondek. Schmitz Textiles war auf der Suche nach einer Beteiligung auf Augenhöhe. Prismatek strebte eine nachhaltige Zusammenarbeit mit einem vollstufigen Hersteller von hochwertigen Textilien ‚made in Germany‘ an. „Es ist ein großer Vorteil für uns, dass wir zukünftig mit der Power eines deutschen Mittelständlers im US-Markt agieren können“, erläutert Kondek weiter. Für Schmitz Textiles bietet die Beteiligung Chancen im US-Markt. „Wir möchten das Wachstum außerhalb unserer starken Basis in Europa fördern und somit die weitere Entwicklung des Unternehmens absichern“, bekräftigt Stefan Ruholl, Geschäftsführer von Schmitz Textiles. Bisherige Erfahrungen im US-Markt hätten jedoch gezeigt, dass dies nur mit einer engen Verbindung zu einem Partner in den Vereinigten Staaten möglich ist, da die Marktgegebenheiten und Mentalitäten sich sehr unterscheiden. Mit Prismatek sei genau dieser Partner gefunden worden. „Insbesondere für unsere Marken drapilux und swela sehen wir großes Potenzial in den USA“, ergänzt Stefan Ruholl.

Market and technology analysis confirms big potential for tape inserts in the injection molding process. Following the finalization of a major consortial project led by the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) and the Institute for Plastics Processing at RWTH Aachen University (IKV), the result is clear: tape inserts offer enormous potential for injection molding parts. For suitable components, product costs and component properties can be positively influenced.

In cooperation with 20 industrial partners, the two renowned Aachen research institutes AZL and IKV carried out a detailed analysis of tape inserts in injection molded components over a period of eight months. The tapes, which are a few tenths of a millimeter thick, are continuous fibers, typically made of glass or carbon, completely impregnated and embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. The tapes can be precisely aligned to the loads in a component and are used primarily in high-performance applications with the aim of weight reduction. The aim of the conducted analysis was the identification of potential applications and the estimation of a wider range of applications.

The project was divided into several phases: Phase I was used to identify the current status. In 20 interviews with representative companies of the injection molding industry, the researchers gathered why tape inserts have rarely been taken into account so far, when defining the material concepts to be analyzed. The lack of information about the material class, the procedure and tools for the development process and the necessary production technologies were cited as major challenges. This is where the consortium will take action and provide comprehensive information during the “Technology Information Day” on the extensively prepared state of the art and the high degree of maturity of the supply chain. Based on the status quo, they developed a methodology for analyzing the technological and economic potential of tape inserts in injection molding applications.

Both the previous results and the planned follow-up projects are the subject of the “Technology Information Day" at K 2019, to which the companies involved in the study, the AZL and IKV, invite all companies along the value chain, from raw material manufacturers to injection molders to OEMs. (Date: 18th October 2019, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm, Trade Fair Düsseldorf CCD South, Room 002).

The consortium, amongst others consisting of Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH, BASF SE, Borealis AG, BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites GmbH & Co. KG, ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH, Huesker Synthetic GmbH, LG Hausys R&D Center, Mitsui Chemicals, Nippon Electric Glass, Polyscope Polymers BV, POLYTEC GROUP, Simcon kunststofftechnische Software GmbH, SABIC and Toray International Europe GmbH, is inviting to the “Technology Information Day” at K 2019. The goal is to inform about the technology and to identify topics for future collaboration.

Die 70er Jahre liegen wieder voll im Trend und so zieht auch Cord wieder in die Kleiderschränke ein. prAna setzt ebenfalls auf das Retro-Material und stellt drei Damen-Styles aus geschmeidigem Microcord vor. Merrigan Jacket, Merrigan Skirt und Merrigan Pant – mit klassischen Schnitten und umweltfreundlichem Material zeigt prAna, dass Trendteile auch nachhaltig sein können.

Nachhaltige Mode am Puls der Zeit –  prAna setzt in diesem Herbst auf lässige Teile aus Cord. Inspiriert vom Trendmaterial der 70er Jahre präsentiert der kalifornische Hersteller von Sport- und Lifestyle-Bekleidung drei neue Styles für Frauen, die es modern und umweltfreundlich mögen.

Die Merrigan Kollektion bestehen zu 98 % aus umweltschonender und wassersparender Biobaumwolle. Beim Anbau der Faser werden weder genetisch modifiziertes Saatgut noch chemische Pestizide, Insektizide oder Düngemittel verwendet. Der Unterschied ist fühlbar: Biobaumwolle ist weicher als herkömmliche Baumwolle und liegt flauschig auf der Haut. Für Allergiker und Menschen mit empfindlicher Haut eignet sie sich ganz besonders. Der Elastan-Anteil von 2 % sorgt für den nötigen Stretch und extra Tragekomfort. Der 90er Vibe wird durch die Vintage-Waschung des Microcords verstärkt.

DTV-Mitgliederversammlung 2019 in Hamburg

Im Rahmen des  Jahreskongress in Hamburg fand am 14. September die Mitgliederversammlung des Deutschen Textilreinigungs-Verbands (DTV) statt. Mit Rainer Heinrichs, Dr. Thomas Neyers und Anja Seidel wurden von den Verbandsmitgliedern drei zusätzliche Vertreter in das DTV-Präsidium gewählt.

Im vergangenen Jahr hatte die Mitgliederversammlung beschlossen, die maximale Anzahl der stimmberechtigten Präsidiumssitze von 9 auf 11 Sitze zu erhöhen, um nach dem Zusammenschluss mit dem WIRTEX-Verband dessen Mitgliedern auch ein Mitwirken im DTV-Präsidium zu ermöglichen und so die Repräsentativität aller Branchenteile im Präsidium des DTV zu gewährleisten. Nun wurden mit Rainer Heinrichs (MEWA, Wiesbaden) und Dr. Thomas Neyers (Alsco, Köln) zwei Vertreter des ehemaligen WIRTEX-Verbandes in das DTV-Präsidium nachgewählt. Auch Anja Seidel (Seidel Textilservice, Garbsen) wurde ebenfalls offiziell in das Präsidium gewählt, nachdem Sie im vergangenen Jahr erfolgreich hospitiert hat.

Dem Präsidium gehören damit aktuell an:
•    Friedrich Eberhard (Alpirsbach), Präsident
•    Beate Schäfer (Walldorf), Vizepräsidentin
•    Holger Schäfer (Beverungen), Schatzmeister
•    Rainer Heinrichs (Wiesbaden)
•    Joachim Krause (Rödental)
•    Dr. Thomas Neyers (Köln)
•    Anja Seidel (Garbsen)
•    Richard Sterr (München)

Kraft ihres Amtes gehören dem Präsidium zudem an:
•    Beiratsvorsitzender Henrik Bier (Mühlhausen)
•    TATEX-Sprecher Ralph Rouget (Landstuhl)
•    Ehrenpräsidiumsmitglied Gustav Jöckel (Lauterbach)

Die neuen Präsidiumsmitglieder freuen sich darauf, die anstehenden Aufgaben und Herausforderungen gemeinsam mit den bisherigen Präsidiumsmitgliedern anzugehen. Themen wie die Ausbildung, Nachwuchsgewinnung, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für die Branche oder Standardisierung und Normung stehen beispielsweise aktuell im Fokus der Verbandsarbeit. „Ich freue mich über den Zuwachs im DTV-Präsidium durch erfahrene Branchenkollegen. Gemeinsam mit den Mitarbeitern der Geschäftsstelle und den Mitgliedern des Verbands möchte das nun größer gewordene Präsidium diese Themen verstärkt angehen“, so DTV-Präsident Friedrich Eberhard.

Artisan craft, experience and high eco-technological specialization: the great tradition of fabrics for shirts which styles the future.

Search for quality, the ability to interpret elegance and a product inspired by tradition, though always trendy: these are the distinctive traits which define the vocation of Canclini 1925, a point of reference worldwide for shirt fabric manufacturing. This expertise is implemented through dynamic creativity and 100% Made in Italy artisan  craft. These are the foundations which make the history and capability of Canclini 1925 unique, as standard bearer for everlasting style.

All this results from an authentic family tradition which, for three generations, has been the driving force of the company, shaping each collection. This passion is at the service of tireless search in terms of style and technology which underlies the whole Canclini 1925 innovative approach. The goal is to offer, through its fabrics, an inimitable experience, “creating wellbeing” and emotion through touch alone, respecting the environment and humans.

Founded in 1925, Canclini has always been a company able to combine extraordinary creativity and product care, established as a silk factory in the Como region. This tradition was renewed in the 1960s with the shift to the cotton sector, aiming more and more at customer service, developing a partnership and trust relation. Working with Canclini 1925 means reaching into the tradition of a family which has always been passionate about its work, dynamic, creative and focused on continuous innovation.

These are distinctive and qualifying elements in the Canclini 1925 approach. An approach which, in line with the research and development pathway on which the company has always invested substantial resources, also involves considerable attention the topic of environmental and social accountability. This commitment is confirmed by numerous and prestigious certifications in the company portfolio, starting from the careful selection of raw materials to its social commitment. More specifically, Canclini 1925 has been awarded the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), SUPIMA COTTON (the Pima “Gossypium Barbadense” cotton, classified as Extra-long Staple) certifications, following the Standard 100 by OECO-TEX®, BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) and GRS (Global Recycle Standard). A comprehensive range of tools which, combined with its in-house know-how and expertise capital, enhances the portfolio of Canclini 1925 branded innovations.

This accountability approach also encompasses the social area with the association “Un sorriso in più” (“One extra smile”). Founded and managed by the company, it is a non-profit organisation engaged in projects which include assistance in nursing homes to elderly persons without family ties, as well as in the support to children living difficult and disadvantaged family situations, focusing its activity on “human life quality”. The uniqueness generated by this meeting between tradition and innovation is the driving force behind corporate research, as well as the truly distinctive reason for its style and technology development. The high-performance looms and technologies used make the company strong and flexible enough for contemporary market requirements. The trademark passion of the Canclini family completes the picture within which the company operates, true to an approach which is at the same time artisan and high-tech, a point of reference in Italy and worldwide.

Thanks to its substantial manufacturing capacity, Canclini today is present on all of the most influential shirt markets worldwide, and – with its new Blue 1925 line - also in the denim world. In this way the company has succeeded in positioning itself among major players in textile manufacturing, authentically Italian because of its farsighted  business vision, care for details and production flexibility. It is the approach which – over the years - has allowed the group to take over important enterprises in the sector, for example Hausmann-Moos and Profilo Tessile, Maglificio Mida and Grandi & Rubinelli.
According to Simone Canclini, CEO of Canclini 1925: “What characterises the Canclini 1925 spirit is first and foremost genuine passion driven by our inspiring principles: quality, style and service. These elements have allowed us to become and remain a point of reference worldwide, to rediscover the everyday – basic and exciting – emotion of choosing a special shirt”.

Mönchengladbach. Ob digitale Produktentwicklung, Transparenz in der Lieferkette oder Smart Textiles – vom 23. bis 25. September beschäftigen sich 120 Textil-Studierende und Auszubildende der Textilbranche aus ganz Deutschland in der Textilakademie NRW in Mönchengladbach mit den Themen der Zukunft für die Bekleidungs- und Textilindustrie.

Möglich ist dies dank der ersten Summer School, die von der Wilhelm-Lorch-Stiftung der TextilWirtschaft (dfv Mediengruppe) zusammen mit dem Fachbereich Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik der Hochschule Niederrhein und dem Forschungsinstitut für Textil und Bekleidung gemeinsam veranstaltet wird. Anlass ist das Jubiläum der Wilhelm-Lorch-Stiftung, die seit 30 Jahren Förderpreise für Textilstudierende in ganz Deutschland stiftet. Studierende der Hochschule Niederrhein sind regelmäßig unter den Preisträgern.

Unter der Überschrift „Digitizing the Fashion Supply Chain“ kommen Teilnehmer aus ganz Deutschland zur Summer School auf dem Campus Mönchengladbach zusammen. In Workshops und Diskussionsrunden erhalten sie von Professionals Ausblicke auf Designprozesse, Technologie und Management von morgen.

Am 25. September findet abschließend ein Masterkongress statt, in dem Preisträger der Wilhelm-Lorch-Stiftung 2019 und Master-Studierende des Fachbereichs Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik ihre Arbeiten vorstellen. Als Dozenten agieren Vertreter von namhaften Unternehmen aus der Textilbranche sowie Professorinnen und Professoren sowie Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter der Hochschule Niederrhein.

• Reduction of material usage by up to 50 percent through innovative draping strategy in the production of fibre composite materials

In fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) production, stamp forming is one of the most economical processes for automated large-scale production, e.g. in the BMW i-series. However, the current processes are susceptible to draping errors and a high proportion of waste. An innovative process developed at the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University, short ITA, can now significantly reduce the scrap rate and reduce the waste rate of high-priced reinforcing textiles, such as carbon fibre textiles, by up to 50 percent. Sven Schöfer from ITA achieved this effect with his work "Development of a textile-based material feed to increase the preform quality during stamp forming of reinforcing layers". On 10 September 2019, he won the third AVK Innovation Prize in the "Research and Science" category at Composite Europe in Stuttgart, Germany.

Current process
In stamp forming, clamping grippers are usually used in industry to feed the stacked individual layers to the forming process and position them on the lower tool via a clamping frame or hold-down device. Due to the clamping grippers, the cutting proportion of cost-intensive reinforcing textiles is high, as additional material at the textile edge is necessary with clamping systems. Other approaches to feeding the reinforcing semi-finished product during forming and simultaneously improving the draping quality are also not economical: they are usually only designed for certain textile cuts, cannot be automated, are prone to errors or are expensive special solutions.

There is currently no system in the industry that can apply retention forces along a final contour with low waste and remains flexible in terms of geometry.

Innovative approach of Sven Schöfer
The innovative process developed by Sven Schöfer works with a detachable textile joint, a so-called tufting seam. It allows the single layers to slide off during the forming process under a retention force dependent on the seam design.

This reduces or completely eliminates draping errors in previously critical areas, even with complex preform geometries. This leads to a significant increase in preform quality and a reduction in scrap rates. The process is also highly efficient, as tensile forces can be applied to any component geometry on near-net-shape blanks. This reduces the material input by up to 50 percent.

ROICA™, premium stretch fiber for the modern wardrobe by leading material innovator Asahi Kasei and world’s leading wool manufacturer Reda have teamed up to elevate premium merino wool to a highest level of sustainability. At Première Vision, the companies present Reda Flexo, the new Reda Group smart stretch fabrics line interwoven with the cutting-edge ROICA™ V550, the new generation of stretch fiber.

As part of the ROICA Eco-Smart™ family, ROICA™ V550 is the world first range of responsible premium yarn: a non-toxic, veritable revolution in terms of sustainable elastic fibers, matching the need for elasticity and comfort with the request for sustainability and respect for the environment.

“Reda Flexo represents an innovative and technologically advanced alternative, allowing to widen business horizons, addressing Made to Measure, performing suits for both women and men as well as contemporary solutions which are ideal for a younger target.” Explain at Reda. “Reda Flexo is a Smart Stretch fabric able to cover different fashion market segments thanks to its technologically sustainable and high-performing nature.”

• Customer Story
• Technology takes uniform making to the next level
• To meet new challenges in the professional garment market and preserve over a century of savoir-faire, Balsan chose Lectra to modernize its production tools.

The challenge

A Groupe Marck company, Balsan designs and manufactures corporate and ceremonial clothing, tailored and customized uniforms, and personal protective equipment and clothing for the public and private sector which comply with international standards. The biggest challenge is to meet the new expectations of customers who seek increasing levels of customization with ever-shorter time-to-market deadlines.
The professional garment sector is subject to the same pressures as prêt-à-porter, and Balsan’s challenge was to produce customized clothing more quickly using intelligent manufacturing methods.

Results

Balsan was a pilot partner for the Fashion On Demand by Lectra solution. This alliance allowed Groupe Marck to take a new approach, involving not only the use of Fashion On Demand by Lectra’s connected cutter, but upstream software solutions as well, which are configured based on the company’s needs to best match its work methods while updating and accelerating the production process. “Using a measurement chart, Fashion On Demand by Lectra allowed us to generate well-adapted and customized patterns with which to produce our garments. The solution also provides extensive flexibility: we can send the model to the cutter, select the cutting orders and  even group them by fabric, and detect defects and launch re-cuts when necessary. This improves overall performance and delivers estimated productivity gains of 7%”. Stéphane Quiniou, Industrial and Quality Director, Groupe Marck

Lectra's response

Balsan was a pilot partner for the Fashion On Demand by Lectra solution. This alliance allowed Groupe Marck to take a new approach, involving not only the use of Fashion On Demand by Lectra’s connected cutter, but upstream software solutions as well, which are configured based on the company’s needs to best match its work methods while updating and accelerating the production process.