From the Sector

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Indian sales representative Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services, Ltd., will participate in the upcoming Garfab-TX Surat exhibition, an international trade show on embroidery apparel technology, fiber, yarn fabrics and accessories, to be held in Surat, India from 13th to 15th September 2024.

Surat is known as the textile hub of India, especially in terms of man-made fibers, and while it has been mainly an industrial center for wovens, there has been recent interest by manufacturers in the region to expand into new areas, including knitting.

As inventor and pioneer of WHOLEGARMENT®, the company is exhibiting its MACH2®XS WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine. Featuring 4 needle beds and SHIMA SEIKI’s original SlideNeedle™, MACH2®XS is capable of producing high-quality fine gauge WHOLEGARMENT® products in all needles. Representing the cutting edge in conventional shaped knitting is the N.SVR®123SP machine featuring a loop presser bed that permits inlay technique for producing hybrid fabrics with both knit and weave characteristics. N.SVR®123SP furthermore features i-Plating® inverse-plating capability for increased patterning capability, including the production of jacquard-like patterns in light-weight plain jersey stitch. Both machines feature such SHIMA SEIKI innovations as DSCS® Digital Stitch Control System (with “intelligence” on MACH2®XS), spring-type moveable sinker system, stitch presser, yarn gripper and cutter, and takedown comb.

SHIMA SEIKI’s SDS®-ONE APEX4 3D design system will be available for demonstrations on the creative side of fashion, from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual sampling is a digitized version of sample making, accurate enough to be  used effectively as prototypes. By replacing physical samples, virtual samples reduce time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. Digital prototyping using virtual samples on SDS®-ONE APEX4 help to digitally transform the fashion supply chain for realizing sustainable manufacturing. Simulations are available not only for flat knitting, but for weaving, pile weaving, circular knitting and embroidery as well.

adidas Originals and Edison Chen present the next chapter of their collaboration with the debut of an updated CLOT Gazelle in linen khaki and blue. The ongoing collaboration debuts its first global apparel range with the CLOT August Collection by Edison Chen.

As Edison Chen continues to build bridges between East and West, Chen brings together renowned Spanish football players, Vicky Lopez and Mapi Leon, and Tino El Pingüino, an influential rapper in the Latin music scene, to celebrate this new collection through a campaign that opens the door to their own imaginations. Coming together as one, each collaborator invites to experience a taste of their daily reality and the adventurous paths they tread along the way, igniting creativity and inviting consumers to step into new realms through the creative lens of Edison. With this campaign, Edison Chen was inspired to bring together fashion and cultural impact through the sport of football and music, all inspired by Chen’s extensive travels throughout Europe. The campaign embarks on a journey to create something new out of a classic with an untraditional execution for sportswear.

The CLOT Gazelle by Edison Chen arrives with premium nubuck details on a jute upper and an espadrille sole now adorned with blue stripes. The espadrille gives the shoe a luxurious touch while the khaki coloring achieves a playful, relaxing tone. Derived from the study of traditional Espadrille-making and inspired by classic Espadrille artisans, the stitching was applied to the final construction of the CLOT Gazelle, with special attention given to how the upper is assembled to the bottom. The cotton tape is all custom engineered for the shoe and beaded using an intricate process inspired by Eastern influence. Finally, the midsole is custom engineered for maximum support, highlighting the new construction process.

Flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at the Brazilian Textile Industry Fair (FEBRATEX 2024) between 20th - 23rd August 2024. On display will be a roundup of SHIMA SEIKI computerized flat knitting technology, represented by the latest WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, conventional shaped knitting machines, glove knitting machine and design software.

The SWG-XR® WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine features the company's original SlideNeedle™ on four needle beds supporting a wide range of high-quality WHOLEGARMENT® knitting in all needles. MACH2®VS and N.SVR®183 are conventional V-bed machines capable of WHOLEGARMENT® knitting in every other needle. N.SIR®123SP features a special loop presser bed and is capable of producing woven-like hybrid fabrics as well as technical textiles. The SVR® and N.SSR® workhorse machines set the industry benchmark for shaping machines, with SVR®202 featuring tandem knitting capability for flexible operation. N.SSR®072 is a new machine that specializes in knitting of collars, shown for the first time in Brazil. The SFG® fully automatic glove knitting machine rounds out the comprehensive lineup.

APEXFiz® subscription-based design software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual sampling is a digitized version of sample making, accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes. By replacing physical samples, virtual samples reduce time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. APEXFiz® thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain.

As part of the European Erasmus+ project AddTex, the partner organisations organised several hackathons at the universities of Boras (Sweden), UPC (Spain), PIN (Italy) and TUS (Ireland) in May. The aim is to connect students with real challenges in the industry and promote innovation in the areas of ecology, sustainability, digitalisation and design. The participants had received basic information in advance through the 45 training videos and training sessions of the free and public Smart, Digital and Green Skills Academy at https://addtex.eu.

The hackathon at the Italian university PIN (Polo Universitario Città di Prato) was organised and held together with the technical textiles department of the Industrieverband Veredlung - Garne - Gewebe - Technische Textilien e.V. (IVGT). Eight teams competed to develop innovative, sustainable ideas in just a few hours for the German family business Schmitz Textiles GmbH & Co. KG, Emsdetten. Schmitz Textiles, an expert in complete textile solutions for indoor and outdoor use for over 100 years, plans to offer exclusively sustainable products in the medium term and is looking for solutions to continuously increase the existing recycled share of yarns to 100 per cent.

Stefan Schmidt from IVGT presented the challenge via Teams Conference: "We are looking for a new business model for textile recycling at awning manufacturer Schmitz-Textiles in order to increase the existing proportion of recycled yarns and go beyond the exclusive use of recycled PET bottles. Schmitz Textiles has had an awning fabric made from 100% recycled polyester in its range since the end of 2023. The medium-term goal is to switch the entire range of awning fabrics to 100% recycled yarns. The company is looking for suitable solutions to achieve this.

In small teams, the 30 students specialising in eco-design, textiles/sales and textiles/technology developed proposals and presented them in five-minute online pitches. Ralf Bosse for Schmitz Textiles and Iris Schlomski for the IVGT acted as the jury and assessed the individual presentations in the categories of degree of innovation, presentation, industrial application potential and potential for commercial success. Each idea presented and each presentation scored more or less points in the individual categories. In the end, the points scored were added up to determine the winning team, which can further develop its idea together with the company. For Schmitz Textiles, these are Eleonora Boccherini, Ilaria Ioja, Giorgio Gacci and Marianna Butera.

Flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Argentinian representative TEMCO ARGENTINA S.A., will participate in the SIMATEX exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina (21st - 23rd May 2024).

SHIMA SEIKI will exhibit a wide range of products, including proposals in seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as an alternative to labor-intensive manufacturing in the South American market. Three MACH2®VS machines, capable of knitting WHOLEGARMENT® knitwear using every other needle, will be shown in 12, 16 and 18 gauge. N.SVR®122, shown in 5 gauge, is the industry benchmark for shaped knitting, featuring such innovations as the R2CARRIAGE®, WideGauge® knitting, spring-type moveable sinkers, DSCS® Digital Stitch Control System, stitch presser, yarn gripper and cutter, and takedown comb.

Demonstrations will be performed on SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system. SDS®-ONE APEX4 provides support throughout the supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design, to machine programming, production and even sales promotion. Especially effective is the way SDS®-ONE APEX4 improves on the product planning and design evaluation process by replacing physical samples with digital prototypes based on photo-realistic simulations. These virtual samples realize significant savings in time, cost and material, contributing to sustainable manufacturing.

adidas introduces its 15-piece SS24 Paris Collection ahead of the 2024 clay season. Built to help players adapt to clay court conditions, the collection includes a core 8-piece range of apparel and footwear to help raise awareness of adidas’ annual Move For The Planet activation.

Designed to be played in seasonably warm Parisian temperatures, the collection features HEAT.RDY technology – breathable and lightweight fabrics that maximize airflow, to help keep players feel comfortable on court. Meanwhile increased mobility is unlocked thanks to adidas’ FreeLift Construction – a paneled fabric structure under the armpits – that enables greater freedom of arm movement during play while preventing the hems from riding up.

The pieces have been intentionally paired back, using zero prints to allow other bolder design features to make maximum impact, through striking color blocking, engineered paneling and textured fabrics. White and black panels on the garments emulate classic tennis court lines, highlighted by black bonding seams, meanwhile a stimulating Orange ‘Spark’ is used throughout to foster a sense of joyful energy for players during high-pressure games.

The collection will be worn by athletes including Caroline Wozniacki , Elina Svitolina, Xinyu Wang, Dana Mathewson, Jessica Pegula, Maria Sakkari, Stefanos Tsitsipas , Felix Auger Aliassime, Jason Wu and Martin de la Puente.

Carbitex – a leader in flexible carbon fiber composites focused on footwear, travel, and accessories – announces the appointment of Filippo Sartor to Vice President of Global Sales and Sam Gardner to the role of Vice President of Engineering and Operations. After a restructuring of manufacturing operations and the return of Carbitex founder, Junus Khan, as company president in 2023, the brand welcomes two strategic hires to catalyze the next phase of the leading materials brand.

With over 20 years in the footwear industry, including nearly 11 years as the Global Senior Sales Manager at JV International, official worldwide licensee for Michelin Soles, Sartor brings high level sales expertise within performance footwear and material innovation. With extensive focus on building new business in the US and Far East, and based in Milan, Italy, Sartor is uniquely positioned to help propel Carbitex globally into the next chapter.

Gardner, based in Renton, Washington, will manage product development and manufacturing at Carbitex. With time at Square One Distribution - a long-time Carbitex brand partner in the wake and waterski segment - and most recently as VP for Union Aquaparks, Gardner has considerable experience designing new products and managing sourcing, logistics, and supply chain. His background will help Carbitex strengthen both factory and brand partner relations and push product innovation.

These recent hires position Carbitex to better serve strategic brand partners, achieve forecasted growth in the short and long term, and expand global market presence.

ACG Kinna Automatic and ACG Nyström – members of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – have delivered the first microfactory for the production of fully finished filter bags to an international filtration industry customer, in cooperation with JUKI Central Europe.

The microfactory’s configuration is based on two separate interconnecting modules – the Smart Filter Line (SFL) and the Filtermaster 2.0. The SFL handles the fabric feeding from rolls and its folding prior to seam construction, which can either be by automatic sewing, welding or with sewing and taping, depending on specifications. Very rapid changeover of the modular seaming methods can be achieved during product changes. The specific size of the now fully-tubular fabric is then precisely cut to size for each individual unit and further folded ready to be fed into the Filtermaster 2.0. The Filtermaster 2.0 then automatically attaches the reinforcement, bottom and snap rings onto the filter tube with a second Juki sewing head on a robotic arm, to form the fully finished filter bag ready for packaging.

Filter bags are employed in a wide range of industrial processes and while they may be largely under the radar as products, they represent a pretty significant percentage of overall technical textiles production.
They are used in foundries, smelters, incinerators, asphalt plants and energy production plants. Other key manufacturing fields – often where dust is generated – include the production of timber, textiles, composites, waste handling and minerals, in addition to chemicals, food production, pharmaceuticals, electronics and agriculture.

As a further example of the scale of the industry and the high volumes of fabrics involved, one supplier has delivered a single order of 30,000 filter bags to be used for flue gas cleaning at a European power plant. The bags can also be anywhere up to twelve metres in length and frequently have to be replaced.

Turkey's leading garment machinery manufacturers and representatives have collaborated with Teknik Fuarcılık for GarmentTech İstanbul Garment, Embroidery Machines Spare Parts and Sub Industry Exhibition to host the first GarmentTech İstanbul Exhibition.

The GarmentTech İstanbul Exhibition will be held at İstanbul Expo Center (IFM) between June 25-28, 2025 and brings together all the technologies used in garment and ready-to-wear production.

The ready-to-wear and garment sector is among the locomotive sectors of the Turkish economy with both employment and export income. With 22 thousand 640 exporters and 42 thousand 434 manufacturers, the sector is among the priority sectors in the country's employment with approximately 700 thousand people working in production. Together with the retail and ready-to-wear sectors, total employment exceeds 2 million.

On the other hand, ready-to-wear and garment sector is the 3rd largest exporter in Turkey. Turkey is the 5th country in the world that exports the most ready-to-wear and garment. In 2023, the sector reached 19.3 billion dollars in exports and has a share of 7.5% in general exports.

Teknik Fuarcılık, which has more than 30 years of experience in exhibition organization and has made the ITM International Textile Machinery Exhibition a world brand, has taken action to make the success achieved by the garment and ready-to-wear sector sustainable. GarmentTech İstanbul Exhibition, which will be organized with the support of the members of the Garment Machinery Advisory Board and in cooperation with the Apparel Automation and Machinery Manufacturers Association (KOMİD), will host professional visitors and global buyers from all over the world.

The press conference of GarmentTech İstanbul Exhibition was attended by members of the Garment Machinery Advisory Board, Vice Chairman of Astaş Holding H. Kaya Aşçı, Astaş Juki Board Member and General Manager Turgay Aşçı, Chairman of the Board of Çatma Makine Yavuz Çatma, Chairman of the Board of Alba Makine Cengiz Albayrak, General Manager of Malkan Makine Alparslan Er, General Manager of Uğur Makine Temel Kamiloğlu, Tetaş Sales and Marketing Assistant General Manager Murat Eren, Malkan Makina Factory Manager Metin Kılıç and KOMID President Haluk Akın, TEMSAD President Adil Nalbant, KOMİD Members Serkon Makina Chairman İzzet Savaş, Robotech General Manager Hüseyin Çetin, Chairman of the Board of NewTech Machinery Nezir Yazıcı, LGM Foreign Trade Specialist Yiğit Sağdık Manav, Avtek Manager Oğuz Avcı and many sector representatives.

From 6 – 8 March 2024, over 330 exhibitors from seven countries and regions will convene at of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition to highlight a variety of home textile products. Buyers will be able to source the latest bedding, duvets, pillows, towels, carpets, rugs and many more.

Highlighted exhibitors

• Bedding – GSI Creos Corporation, Jjiangyin Hongliu Bedsheet Co Ltd, Zhejiang Eider Warmth New Material Co Ltd
• Down – Anhui Million Feather Co Ltd, Hangzhou Gaga Home Textiles Co Ltd, Shanghai Donglong Home Textile Products Co Ltd
• Functional pillow & mattress – Changshu Dafa Warp Knitting Co Ltd, Chuzhou Bray Smart Home Appliances Co Ltd, Zhangjiagang Coolest Life Technology
• Floor – Amore Textile (Suzhou) Co Ltd, Jingyi Fur Products Co Ltd, Shaoxing Jiaohui Home Textile Co Ltd
• Quilt fillings – Pujiang Boyue Home Textile Co Ltd, Pujiang Huayu Hometextile Co Ltd
• Textile design – Tela’s Design Lda
• Towelling – Nantong Dadong Co Ltd, Sunvim Group Co Ltd
• Loungewear & bath – Suzhou Huazhong Knitting Co Ltd, Zhejiang Demu Textile Technology Co Ltd
• Upholstery fabrics – Changshu Xinghan Hometextiles Co Ltd, Jiangsu First Home Textile Co Ltd, Shaoxing Chengchong Imp & Exp Co Ltd
• Home textile technologies – Nantong Mingxing Science & Technology Development Co Ltd, Sichuan Chnki Sewing Machine Co Ltd

Fringe programme
Complementing the exhibitor lineup, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles will feature events to keep attendees up-to-date with emerging developments, trends, and important intuition.
For example, one of the most essential yet often overlooked foundations for sustaining wellness is quality sleep. Throughout day one and two at the Bedding Seminar Area, sleep technology will again be a key topic of discussion, guaranteeing comprehensive insights on sleep quality while tapping into associated business prospects.
Traditional Chinese medicine will also take the spotlight, with talks linking various health issues to remedies. Crossover subjects include topical therapy’s role in a better night’s sleep as well as innovations blending medicinal properties with textile design.
An increasing number of people are choosing to use natural materials and green textiles for their bedrooms and throughout their homes. For this reason, the seminars falling under the "Textiles & Technology" theme will shed light on sustainability and what’s next in the industry.