From the Sector

JIAM 2022 OSAKA, organised by the Japan Sewing Machinery Manufacturers Association (JASMA), will soon be held at INTEX OSAKA from 30 November – 3 December 2022. Under the theme of “It all connects at JIAM – the forefront of technology and master craftsmanship”, the 12th edition brings together leading sewing machine suppliers and apparel manufacturers, making it a must-attend event for textile professionals. In this era of change, an international platform to facilitate business and information exchange is essential. The 2022 edition will showcase apparel manufacturing solutions catered to each and every need, combining high-level skillsets and time-tested knowledge with the latest modern-day technology.

As of October, 144 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions (China, Greece, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand) have signed up for JIAM 2022 OSAKA to showcase their latest products and services. Of these, 39 companies (21 domestic, 18 overseas) will be joining the fair for the first time. In addition, two pavilions from Germany (VDMA; Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) and Taiwan (TSMA; Taiwan Sewing Machinery Association) will bring even more product diversity to the show floor. The previous edition of JIAM OSAKA in 2016 welcomed 258 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions as well as 15,257 visitors from 72 countries and regions, mainly from Bangladesh, China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

A wide variety of special seminars
11 special organiser seminars will not only provide relevant industry knowledge, but also offer practical skills for daily work:

• Manufacturing industry and digital technology
  Mr Atsushi Yasuda, Manager of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Manufacturing Industries Bureau,Industrial Machinery Division
• Skills training seminar
  1. Twist Jacket (Lapel) pattern and matching sewing (front and shoulder seams)
  2. Shoulder keeper (prevent shoulder collapse) cherish a piece of clothing
  Mr Susumu Inarida, Emeritus Professor of Bunka Fashion Graduate University (BFGU) / Specially Appointed Committee Member of Japan Modelist Associate / Contemporary Master Craftsman Certified by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
• "Mottainai!" sustainable initiatives from Osaka!
  Common points between Senshu Towl and OSAKA KABAN and the future
  Mr Eiji Shinoda, President of Shinoda cCorp
  Mr Kenji Fukuroya, Representative Employee of Fukuroya Joint Company etc.
• About the sustainable fashion community “NewMake”- Upcycling initiatives in collaboration with brands
  Mr Tac Hosokawa, CEO of Story & Co.
• Win - win strategy on underwear sewing, viewpoint of BISEI SANGYO Co., LTD
  Mr Toru Miyawaki, Managing Executive Officer of BISEI SANGYO Co.,LTD / Chairman of Hikoneseni Cooperative

Home Sewing Machine Zone
Catering to the B2C market, the Home Sewing Machine Zone, will feature major domestic household sewing machine suppliers. To promote the joy of sewing, a special workshop will be organised by Brother Industries Ltd, Janome Corp, JUKI Corp and JASMA covering topics such as the use of upcycled materials. As part of JIAM 2022 OSAKA’s sustainable development goals, visitors will be taught to sew “cup sleeves” using discarded items and materials from the DIY brand WHTATNOT. Attendees will also learn about upcycling, the process of upgrading unwanted items into new products that are useful. Another highlight will be the awards for JASMA’s “42th Home Sewing Competition for Elementary, Middle, and High School Students”.

Inspired by this innate desire to experience nature and a shared vision, adidas TERREX has teamed up with fashion-forward Japanese outdoor label and wander on a collection that will take hikers from city centre to mountain top (and back again) in style.

Since its inception, adidas TERREX has focused on providing people with the clothing and apparel they need to realize their individual goals in the outdoors and enjoy the benefits of nature.

Tokyo designers Keita Ikeuchi and Mihoko Mori, meanwhile, launched their own outdoor label and wander in 2011 to bring more creativity to outdoors wear. By pairing high-fashion design with the practical requirements needed for adventure, theirs is a modern approach to apparel that works both in the wild, and on the streets.  

Together, adidas TERREX and and wander have collaborated on a multi-seasonal collection that ties these philosophies together to help people enjoy more outdoors experiences.

With a striking visual update, the lightweight TERREX Free Hiker 2 offers grip on a range of surfaces, and a responsive BOOST midsole that delivers incredible energy return. With a breathable upper and a sock-like fit that adapts to every step, this supportive shoe made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic is ready for adventure, anywhere.

With the TERREX Free Hiker 2 taking care of the feet, the TERREX XPLORIC and wander COLD.RDY Down Jacket is a functional essential with eye-catching design. COLD.RDY insulating material help keep the warmth in, while prominent TERREX x and wander reflective prints on the jacket and detachable hood help it stand out. With an array of pockets and adjustable features for the right fit, this versatile jacket’s natural habitat is everywhere. It’s also made in part with recycled materials.

adidas TERREX x and wander graphics and reflective detailing have been worked into the rest of an adventure-ready outdoor clothing collection that also includes a TERREX Fleece Jacket, loose-fit unisex TERREX Graphics Hoody and TERREX Pants.

Also available in the adidas TERREX x and wander collection are breathable Merino Wool Hiking Socks made with COLD.RDY technology for snug hiking , a quilted Winterized Bucket Hat, and a lightweight AERO.RDY Hiking Backpack that is loaded with features to look after outdoor essentials.

The Gleaming line by the Marchi & Fildi Group includes a wide range of metalloplastic yarns for the most varied of uses. Reflex, the new range of reflective yarns, will join the line.

In addition to uses in the worlds of fashion and furnishings, for fancy yarns, decoration and accessories, an important application for the Gleaming collection is in the sector of technical clothing with high-visibility features.

Reflex, used for the production of fabrics and tapes, able to reflect the light and ensure good visibility for people wearing them in low-light situations, is augmented by new colour shades in addition to the traditional greys.

The innovative reflective yarns in white, black, and light and dark multicolours offer new possibilities for:

• tapes, external labels and accessories;
• technical fabrics for work clothing with specific safety standards;
• uniforms, sports clothing and accessories;
• hosiery, gloves, bibs and hats for night use, for winter clothing and for northern markets.

The latest addition to the range, with an important functionality, is the Reflex stretch yarn, which, apart from in the sectors described above, also finds application in flat bed or circular knitting and sewing. Its composition makes it softer and more versatile in comparison to traditional reflectives.

The Gleaming line represents a completion of the range of yarns produced by the Marchi & Fildi Group. The yarns are available in various thicknesses, widths and types in both metallised and transparent versions, and iridescent, reflective and phosphorescent effects. Also articles are included with particular features of resistance to chemical and dyeing treatments.

Amongst the most recent innovations is the line of metalloplastic yarns in 100% polyester obtained from post-consumer recycling with GRS (Global Recycle Standard) certification.

The identification of profitable new niche markets has been central to the success and continuous expansion of Germany’s Dolinschek, a leading knitting, dyeing and finishing specialist, located in Burladingen in Baden-Württemberg.

“There is so much more to textiles than just clothing,” says Theo Dolinschek, who runs the company with his brother Erwin. “We handle many different technical materials such as automotive components, geotextiles and wallcoverings, but also those for more unusual applications such as inlays for extractor hoods, cut protection fabrics and even wool felts which are employed as insulation on wind turbines.

“We have also recently started to produce compression stockings in a variety of colours, because not everyone wants them black, beige or skin coloured. The most important product areas for us now are in sportswear, corsetry and lingerie, as well as orthopedic and medical products, workwear and protective clothing, but in addition, many other technical applications.”

The Dolinschek brothers moved their business to the historic site of the former Ambrosius Heim textile company in Burladingen in 2001 in order to expand. At the time, the company – founded by their father in 1980 as a textile wholesaler before moving into dyeing – employed just 13 people. Within a year, the company had bought additional space at the site.

Now, with Theo in charge of technology and sales, and Erwin responsible for production, the company employs almost 100 people and operates on an integrated site of 35,000 square metres.

In 2005, a laminating department was established by the company and since 2012 investment in knitting machines has been ongoing.

“The further we went into vertical integration, the more of our own products we were able to position on the market and so we were also able to make ourselves more independent,” says Theo. “We have continued to develop and today we can produce high-quality fabrics for many fields, with 42 knitting machines, 36 dyeing machines, three stenter frames and many other production and processing machines.”

Dolinschek has also developed its own proprietary TMG dyeing machines which have subsequently been successfully sold to many other companies all over the world. There are currently 11 of these machines  in operation at the Burladingen site and around 45 installed at other companies.

For finishing technology, however, the company relies on Monforts, and has installed a new seven chamber Montex TwinAir stenter range with a Montex®Coat coating unit in knife execution, enabling the coating of dimensionally stable knitted fabrics with polyurethane or acrylate. Another unique feature is the Teflon-coated (non-stick) transportation belt through the system.

The Montex line is also equipped with integrated heat recovery and exhaust gas purification to ensure the most resource-efficient processing available on the market. The exhaust air goes from the Monforts heat recovery system into an existing air/water heat recovery system and then into an electrostatic precipitator.

Highly-intuitive Monforts Qualitex visualisation software allows all machine functions and process parameters to be assessed and controlled easily.

The first Cradle to Cradle Certified^® clothing collection is on the market one year after the collaboration platform for Swiss textile labels was launched. The Circular Clothing cooperative has succeeded, in close cooperation with European suppliers, in gaining access to circular materials and equipment and using this for the Black Denim Collection by the ethical fashion label “the Blue suit”. An important step for the cooperative, which receives funding from the Migros Pioneer Fund, is the development of an online assessment tool which can be used to help check the readiness of textile labels to operate in a circular manner.

The black denim was developed by a renowned manufacturer in Italy. Since no toxic chemicals are used in the production process, this denim is safe for biological cycles and Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold. Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold certified material by the Swiss company OceanSafe was used for the lining of the jacket. Special innovative design elements and production processes, such as the printed lining, also meet the stringent Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold requirements. Currently, 1% of the material of the Black Denim Collection is Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze. In the next few months, this percent and thus also the whole garments should reach the gold level.

The Cradle to Cradle^® certification is based on the following five principles: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air & Climate Protection, Water & Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness. Depending on the extent to which all of these criteria are met by the manufacturing process, there are various levels of certification from bronze to silver, gold and platinum.

HeiQ will showcase some of its latest technologies at the Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show – TITAS 2022, from the 12th to the 14th of October, at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. A newly launched, upgraded formula - HeiQ Barrier Eco Dry New, is added to the company’s fluorocarbon-free water repellent technology range and will be one of the highlights.

As urbanization and modern lifestyles cause an estimated 40% of the global population to be afflicted by allergies, HeiQ recently launched HeiQ Allergen Tech, a finish based on bio-based synbiotic technology to combat inanimate allergens on textiles. It will also be introduced at TITAS.

HeiQ innovations driving change
The global call for sustainability has put the textile industry, as the second-highest generator of CO₂ emissions, under the spotlight. Most of the marine pollution is caused by non-degradable micro-and nanoparticle emissions from washing clothes, and tons of textile items pile up in landfills. Clothing a potential 8Bn global population by 2023 doesn’t have to be a problem, and HeiQ is driving change in the textile industry so that every player can be part of the solution. In response to the ongoing energy crisis, HeiQ will emphasize the use of HeiQ Clean Tech, a polyester dyeing auxiliary system that helps mills save energy by 30-35%, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the finished product.

• Partnership with Spectro Coating Corp. Expands Horizons for the World’s First In-fiber Sustainable Infrared Viscose

CELLIANT® Viscose, which converts body heat into energy, is a combination of nature and performance. It was developed by materials science leader Hologenix®, creators of CELLIANT, a natural blend of IR-generating bioceramics used in textiles, and Kelheim Fibres, a leading manufacturer of viscose specialty fibers. It is the world’s first in-fiber sustainable infrared viscose.  Now Hologenix has partnered with Spectro Coating Corp., the largest vertically integrated flock coating and flock fabric manufacturer in the world, to create the first flocked infrared material with CELLIANT Viscose.

Flocking is an application method in which tiny fibers are piled on to the surface of a textile, creating textures for both decorative and functional purposes. CELLIANT Viscose in a flocked material has many potential applications in the medical field for tapes, bandages, braces and orthopedic products, home textiles and decor, dog beds, clothing, and more.  CELLIANT features natural, ethically sourced minerals, which convert body heat into infrared energy for increased local circulation and cellular oxygenation.  These CELLIANT minerals are then embedded into viscose plant-based fibers. The Viscose fibers are then flocked onto a base material. CELLIANT Viscose provides all the benefits of being a viscose fiber — lightweight, soft, highly breathable, excellent moisture management — as well as the fiber enhancements from CELLIANT infrared technology.

CELLIANT Viscose is the first IR flocked material that Spectro is producing. CELLIANT Viscose also represents a further expansion into sustainable products for Spectro. In addition, Spectro products are made in the USA, as is CELLIANT’s mineral blend.

Pincroft, UK’s largest textile dyer, printer and finisher, developed a new camouflage pattern for the Dutch Ministry of Defence as part of their Defensie Materieel Organisatie’s (DMO) ‘STRONG’ programme that aims to supply combat clothing and equipment to all military personnel part of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Army, Air Force and Marechaussee.

The new fabric and camouflage pattern boast the new Netherlands Fractal Pattern and will be used in at least 480,000 sets of uniforms for soldiers worldwide. The camouflage pattern is being manufactured in a green or woodland style for the Army, Air Force, Marechaussee and Marines, while the Navy receives a blue or marine style design. Pincroft followed the guidelines of the new Netherlands Fractal Pattern (NFP) to create an eight-colour camouflage design that provides high levels of disruption to give soldiers better concealment when needed.

The fabric was created by global workwear textile manufacturer, Carrington Textiles, specifically following the Dutch MoD’s requirements on comfort and protection. The result is a lightweight yet durable textile of 210gsm with a composition of 50% cotton, 50% high tenacity nylon and Ripstop for added strength.

The high cotton content of the fabric creates a uniform that’s comfortable to wear due to its softness to the touch, and breathability, as well as providing moisture wicking properties, key elements for the tough conditions soldiers work in. The addition of high tenacity nylon to the fabric, provides added strength and durability, with the Ripstop properties of the fabric offering tear resistance.

Around 480,000 trousers and jackets will be delivered to officers from the Royal Netherlands Navy, Army, Air Force and Marechaussee, during a uniform roll out part of the Dutch MoD’s ‘STRONG’ programme that aims to equip the armed forces in the next 18 months with versatile uniforms and equipment that are adjustable according to the assignment. The pack also includes a raincoat, combat shirt and baseball cap.

In cooperation with Platte Berlin, deadHYPE, Visionary Services and the Fashion Council Germany, The Ground invited to the Studio2Retail block party in Mitte. 950 guests, including creatives, influencers and the young Gen-Z Berlin fashion scene, came together for the first time since The Ground premiered in July to exchange and celebrate change.

The community had the exclusive opportunity to buy the limited pieces of the MUST-HAVE PEACE charity collection, which the Premium Group team initiated to support the people suffering from the war in Ukraine.

The collection includes 22 special items of clothing and accessories from 11 brands and designers from the Premium Group cosmos, of which 100% of the proceeds go to Be an Angel.

Be an Angel e.V. is an initiative of people from creative industries who are committed to the sustainable integration of people with a refugee background. Under the direction of Chairman Andreas Tölke, the team has been working intensively for the people from Ukraine for weeks, organising trips to Germany for refugees from Moldova, activating a nationwide network for accommodation and supplying hospitals in Odessa, Kyiv and Lemberg with medicine.

• Aims to tackle the immense textile waste generated in urban environments, on the back of import bans of waste materials
• Addresses the shortcomings of current textile recycling technologies, which are unsuitable for urban settings due to the use of heavy chemicals
• Technologies developed by the newly-formed RGE-NTU Sustainable Textile Research Centre will be test-bedded in RGE’s pilot urban-fit textile recycling plant, projected for completion as early as 2024

Royal Golden Eagle (“RGE”), a global group of resource-based manufacturing companies, which includes a world-leading viscose fibre producers Sateri and Asia Pacific Rayon (APR), is developing urban-fit, closed-loop textile-to-textile recycling solutions, through the newly-formed RGE-NTU Sustainable Textile Research Centre (RGE-NTU SusTex). This is a five-year research collaboration between RGE and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (“NTU”), to accelerate innovation in textile recycling that can be deployed in urban settings. The research centre will develop new technologies to recycle textile waste into fibre and create new, next-generation eco-friendly and sustainable textiles.

This move comes on the back of the tightening of waste import bans in countries such as China, India and Indonesia, which are among the world’s largest waste processors. The stricter import bans have left cities in need of viable local textile recycling solutions to tackle the immense textile waste generated.

RGE Executive Director, Mr Perry Lim, said, “Current textile recycling technologies, which rely primarily on a bleaching and separation process using heavy chemicals, cannot be implemented due to environmental laws. At the same time, there is an urgent need to keep textiles out of the brimming landfills.” He added, “As the world’s largest viscose producer, we aim to catalyse closed-loop, textile-to-textile recycling by developing optimal urban-fit solutions that can bring the world closer to a circular textile economy.”

Globally, an estimated 90 million tonnes of textile waste is generated and disposed of every year, with less than 1% being upcycled into new clothing or other textile materials. By 2030, the amount of global textile waste, which currently accounts for almost 10% of municipal solid waste, is expected to reach more than 134 million tonnes. The textile industry is also responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

At present, most of the available textile recycling technologies are open-loop, where textile waste is typically downcycled to lower-quality products (insulating materials, cleaning cloths, etc.) or be used in waste-to-heat recycling.

“Closed-loop textile-to-textile recycling processes, particularly chemical recycling, are still under development. Scaling up the technologies to industrial scale remains a challenge. A key bottleneck is that refabricating textile waste into fibre needs purity standards for feedstock. However, most of the clothes that we wear are made of a mixture of different synthetic and natural fibres, which makes separating the complex blends of materials challenging for effective recycling.

“Our aim is to address this industry pain point by developing viable solutions that use less energy, fewer chemicals and produces harmless and less effluents, and then potentially scale up across our global operations,” Mr Lim said.

To tackle the key challenges in closed-loop textile recycling, RGE-NTU SusTex is looking into four key research areas, namely cleaner and more energy efficient methods of recycling into new raw materials, automated sorting of textile waste, eco-friendly dye removal, and development of a new class of sustainable textiles that is durable for wear and, at the same time, lends itself to easier recycling.

Technologies developed by RGE-NTU SusTex will be test bedded at RGE’s pilot urban-fit textile recycling plant in Singapore, which is projected for completion as early as 2024. If successful, RGE has plans to replicate the plant in other urban cities within its footprint.