From the Sector

During the second quarter of 2023, the orders index for textile machinery, as compiled by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, dropped significantly compared to 2022 April – June 2022 period (-30%). In absolute terms, the index stood at 85.1 points (basis 2015=100).

This drop is the result of a reduction in the collection of new orders recorded by manufacturers both domestically and on foreign markets. The decrease in orders in Italy amounted to 21%, whereas a 31% downtrend was observed abroad. The absolute value of the index on foreign markets settled at 81.9 points, while in Italy it stands at 117.2 points. New orders for the second quarter amounted to 4.1 months of guaranteed production. ACIMIT’s data also shows that the use of production capacity by Italian manufacturers was 70% for the first half of 2023. This percentage is expected to remain stable for the second half of the year.

ACIMIT president Marco Salvadè stated that, “The orders index for the second quarter elaborated by our Economics Department clearly shows a decline in new orders both in Italy and abroad compared to the previous year. The decline that usually precedes an event such as ITMA, the international textile machinery exhibition held last June in Milan, however, is part of a negative trend that has been going on for several quarters”.

Uncertainty appears to be weighing heavily especially on markets abroad, where foreign trade statistics updated to the first quarter of 2023 are marked by a slackening in Italian sales in some important reference markets, such as Turkey, China, the United States and Pakistan.

Salvadè added that, “Feedback from over 400 Italian companies that took part in ITMA is positive. It’s now necessary for the many contacts made during the event to materialize and for the demand for machinery in the main textile machinery markets to resume a path towards growth.”

The PREMIUM and SEEK teams around Anita Tillmann and Jörg Arntz prove their skills with the success of the new Trend and Event Platform. The format, newly shortened to just two days, showed a total of 450 curated, international brands of the new generation, with 250 brands at PREMIUM and 200 brands at SEEK. The motto was quality over quantity. In addition to the brands, the focus was clearly on the know-how of experts from sustainability, tech, and business. If you didn't discover or learn anything new in the last two days you missed out. Visitors from all over the world came to Station Berlin to see what the Premium Group had come up with for this edition - and it did not disappoint.

PREMIUM reinvents itself
The newly curated brand portfolio with many international and unexposed brands were very well received by the community and invited buyers and visitors to explore a diverse, exciting, and coherent brand landscape. The atmosphere was characterised by lightness, lots of sunshine, and good conversations.

For the first time, PREMIUM and the Fashion Council Germany joined forces to present the showroom "CURATED by Fashion Council Germany" with avant-garde designers from Germany and Ukraine. The tech format Yonnaverse addressed the most important innovations for profitability and sustainable growth through digital progress. The event took place physically, digitally, and in the Metaverse.

Iranian artist and milliner Maryam Keyhani showed what surrealism marketing and tangible art can look like with her oversized hat, which floated happily over the grounds and caused surprised faces. The installation by the Italian designer Innerrraum from Berlin was dedicated to Anita Tillmann in gratitude for her international success. Artists such as Sophie Douala from France, Claudia Gillies from New Zealand, and Grycja Erde from Ukraine were a welcome addition in making the PREMIUM visit an experience.

The diverse portfolio also included a range of beauty brands and the beauty lounge offered much-loved make-up, hair and nail touch ups. There were also many new things to discover in the retail sphere. Vintage & Rags presented a new retail concept for second-hand fashion and SPSR showed how to take retail entertainment to the next level through unique live consumer engagement. On the Content Cube stage, Daniel Steindorf, the former owner of Überfahrt, spoke with Inga Klaassen from J'N'C about hospitality fusion, community, and retail, next to other speakers.

SEEK put a stronger focus on sustainability
As in previous editions, a relaxed and positive mood prevailed at SEEK. The community was happy to finally fall into each other's arms again. SEEK convinced with high-quality and original brands and an even stronger focus on sustainability. For the first time, SEEK's brand portfolio consisted of 50% sustainable brands, further strengthening the Conscious Club and allowing it to flourish. The Conscious Club was supported by the sustainability experts from studio MM04, whose 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit Denim Pop-up ensured a full Content Cube.

Decision-makers and fashion professionals discussed the learnings of the denim transformation, the new green claims of the EU textile strategy as well as pragmatic solutions on how to remain and act more sustainable and competitive as an industry and individual brand. As a counterpart to Black Friday, Cold Friday, initiated by Dojo Cares, was presented as the "biggest awareness campaign since sales days have existed". Fair fashion and fair working conditions were the focus of the final conference of the "Good Clothes Fair Pay" press conference by Fashion Revolution, which was also part of the Conscious Club. On top of a lot of sustainability inspiration, for the first time there was a space for D2C brands such as VGB and ADR Atelier Roupa, who were involved both as brands and as speakers in the content programme. For two days, two stages were filled with talks and panels with the most relevant themes from fashion, lifestyle, culture and business. Gen Z, Gen Y and Gen Alpha met for espresso martinis and club culture vibes at "Platte raves the Ground" to discover and stage the coolest styles of the scene.

From 9 to 11 August 2023, IFCO, Istanbul Fashion Connection will be held for the fourth time at the Istanbul Expo Center at 6 Halls. The fashion fair is organised by ITKIB Fairs, a subsidiary of Istanbul Apparel Exporter's Association, the umbrella organisation of the Turkish fashion and apparel industry.

IFCO has developed into a hub for fashion enthusiasts, designers, buyers and trendsetters and has established itself as an important international platform for the global fashion industry. IFCO brings together around 400 exhibitors from all product groups of the apparel and fashion industry under one roof in six clearly structured halls: womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, denim, sportswear, evening and occasion wear, bridal wear, lingerie, hosiery, leather and fur, shoes and accessories.

From high-end tailoring to streetwear and sustainable fashion, the fair will present a wide range of styles and trends. IFCO Brands present market leaders such as İpekyol, Climber, Damat, Kiğılı, B&G Store, Lufian, Jakamen, NaraMaxx, Giovane Gentile and Lee Cooper using IFCOto further expand their international network.

THE CORE ISTANBUL, successfully launched at IFCO in February, once again features a fascinating mix of established and emerging important Turkish designerswith their creative and innovative creations.

One focus of the fair will be the topic of sustainability. Companies will show their innovations. Ekoteks, the association's sustainability laboratory, supports the development of sustainable production and will also have a stand at IFCO to present the latest developments in this area.

The extensive supporting program with fashion shows and trend zones inspires visitors with the latest fashion trends and styles, while the seminars and workshops address current topics in the fashion industry such as digital transformation, smart clothing, technical textiles and sustainability.

30,000 visitors from more than 100 countries are expected at the upcoming IFCO, mainly from the EU, UK, Eastern Europe, CIS, North Africa, Middle East and the USA. The show also offers networking events, such as B2B Speed Dating, which brings together fashion designers, brands, manufacturers, buyers and industry experts to exchange ideas and forge potential business relationships. This is an important aspect of the fair that has helped to position Istanbul Fashion Connection as a key meeting place for the fashion industry.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that registration is open for FiltXPO™ 2023, Oct. 10-12, 2023, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois USA. More than 130 exhibitors from the filtration supply chain will showcase their solutions, technologies, and innovations to over 1,200 global professionals. FiltXPO will also feature a three-day technical program covering new technology, products, and research.

Exhibit stand reservations have been brisk, exceeding the prior two editions of FiltXPO. “We are pleased to see the strong interest in exhibiting at FiltXPO. It speaks to the strength of the industry and that filtration products continue to evolve for clean air and water, as well as safer food, beverages, and biopharmaceuticals,” said Joe Tessari, Associate Director of Exhibit Sales.

An important part of the FiltXPO event is the 1.5-day Filter Media Training Course. Participants will learn about the physics of filtration, how nonwoven media is designed and used in air and liquid filtration, the latest market trends, which applications have unmet needs, as well as testing standards.

Following their entry into the fibres and textiles sector, as announced at K 2022, recycling machine manufacturer EREMA launches the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV - which has been specially developed for PET fibre-to-fibre recycling - at ITMA in Milan from June 8 to 14. Thanks to its especially gentle material preparation and efficient removal of spinning oils, the rPET produced can be reused in proportions of up to 100 percent for the production of very fine fibres.

PET is regarded as a key material for the production of synthetic fibres. Around two thirds of the total volume of PET goes into the production of PET fibres for the textile industry. This highlights the importance of high-quality recycling solutions for the circular economy. By combining proven INTAREMA® technology with a new IV optimiser, EREMA succeeds in processing shredded PET fibre materials heavily contaminated by spinning oils in such a way that the finest fibres can be produced again from the recycled pellets. The system, which now joins EREMA's machine portfolio as the INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV, is characterised by a longer residence time of the PET melt. This is an essential factor for achieving high quality recycled pellets, as it allows the spinning oils and other additives used to improve the handling of the fibres during manufacturing to be removed more efficiently than in conventional PET recycling processes. Following extrusion, by polycondensation the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the PET melt is increased in the new IV optimiser and under high vacuum to the precise level that is needed for fibre production. "Including filtration the output quality that we achieve with this recycling process is so high that ultra-fine fibres of up to 2 dtex can be produced using these rPET pellets, with an rPET content of 100 percent," says Markus Huber-Lindinger, Managing Director at EREMA. Waste PET fibre from production processes can therefore be further processed into rPET filament fibre, carpet yarn and staple fibre.

While the focus of the fibre and textiles application is currently still on PET fibre recycling, EREMA is committed to driving forward the recycling of mixed fibre materials from classic textile recycling collection in a next project phase. In order to accelerate development work, the EREMA Group opened its own fibre test centre, where a cross-company team is working on recycling solutions for fibre-to-fibre applications. The centre also operates a fully equipped and variable industrial-scale recycling plant. It includes the peripheral technology required and is available to customers for trials.

At ITMA 2023 in Milan from June 8-14 this year, Monforts is organising two free-to-attend seminars and discussions on the potential of green hydrogen as a new energy source for textile finishing, drying and related processes.

Monforts is currently leading a consortium of industrial partners and universities in the three-year WasserSTOFF project, launched in November 2022, that is exploring all aspects of this exciting and fast-rising new industrial energy option.
The target of the government-funded project is to establish to what extent hydrogen can be used in the future as an alternative heating source for textile finishing processes. This will first involve tests on laboratory equipment together with associated partners and the results will then be transferred to a stenter frame at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

To be considered “green”, hydrogen must be produced using a zero-carbon process that is powered by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar. Currently, the cleanest method of hydrogen production is electrolysis, using an electrically-powered electrolyzer to separate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The purity of the hydrogen is also important, and impurities must be removed via a separation process.

“Despite all its advantages, there are obstacles to overcome on the way to widespread, economically-feasible green hydrogen use,” explains Monforts Textile Technologies Engineer Jonas Beisel. “Until there are widely available, reliable and economical sources of this clean power, the cost of producing it will remain prohibitive. The infrastructure is not yet there, and hydrogen also has a tendency to make steel brittle and subject to fracture, which is something that requires further investigation in both its transportation and use in industrial processing.
“Green energy’s potential as a clean fuel source is tremendous, but there is much we need to explore when considering its use in the textile finishing processes carried out globally on our industry-leading Montex stenter dryers and other machines.”

At its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Mönchengladbach, Monforts will be carrying out intensive tests and trials to assess the reliability of both processes and final products when different natural gas and hydrogen mixtures – up to 100% green hydrogen – are employed. The results will be closely analysed by the consortium partners because there are many parameters that at this stage remain unknown.

The aim, Beisel adds, is to both reduce CO₂ emissions and – following the rising prices and industry turbulence experienced by manufacturers over the past year or so – to further reduce a dependency on natural gas.

The three-year WasserSTOFF project is sponsored by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and with Monforts at the helm brings together industrial partners Pleva and NTB Nova Textil, with academic input from the Hochschule Niederrhein and the Technical University of Freiberg.

With a current booking level of almost 90% for the international fabric trade show MUNICH FABRIC START, KEYHOUSE, THE SOURCE and BLUEZONE, Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH is starting the new season for Autumn.Winter 24/25 on a strong footing. From the organisers' point of view, the main reason for the high level of acceptance is the rebalancing of the July dates.

The international fabric trade show MUNICH FABRIC START (18 to 20 July), the innovation hub KEYHOUSE, theb one-stop sourcing platform THE SOURCE and the international denim trade show BLUEZONE (18 and 19 July) will move ahead and at the same time increase their relevance in the international trade show scene. For a large part of the visitors, the earlier date is closer to the collection rhythms and offers more time for further developments.

What's new?
Due to the early date of MUNICH FABRIC START and BLUEZONE, the Munich trade show duo with KEYHOUSE and THE SOURCE formats will function even more strongly as an impulse generator and leading international event. The Munich location will also be strengthened by the relocation of the DMI Fashion Day from Düsseldorf to the Bavarian capital. The first DMI FASHION DAY LIVE will take place the day before the next MUNICH FABRIC START at the MOC.

The course will also be set anew in September: The date, which remains important for the industry, will in future be occupied by reVIEW - the new format of the VIEW PREMIUM SELECTION for follow-ups and trends as well as new market developments. On an area of around 2,500 square metres, the first reVIEW Autumn.Winter 24/25 will be held on 13 and 14 September 2023 on the Zenith grounds in Motorworld.

With many trade fairs restarting their event schedules worldwide, and China notably relaxing border restrictions for travellers entering the country, global industry players are looking forward to the return of the Asian home textile show.

The Autumn Edition, which is more targeted towards international participants, will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from 16 – 18 August 2023. Due to easing travel restrictions and the promising home textiles market, the organisers expect to welcome more overseas exhibitors and visitors to the upcoming show.  

With China’s reopened borders the latest step in the global home textiles industry getting back on track, international suppliers have been actively seeking ways to reinvigorate business growth stunted by the pandemic, and participating in reputable trade fairs is a common choice.

According to TexPro, the global home textiles market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.5% between 2020 and 2025, with the market size to reach over USD 151 billion by the end of the forecast period. Regionally, China is expected to remain the world’s largest home textiles market with a share of over 28%.

As an important sector for the home textiles industry and the global economy in general, China has announced several policies to facilitate business and trading activities that involve foreign companies. One of the most important is the ease of the travel regulations when entering the country.

735 exhibitors and over 20,000 buyers joined the previous edition, and participants can expect a comprehensive platform in autumn. The fair will comprise a wide range of home textile products, including bedding & towelling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, upholstery & curtain fabrics, editors, home textile technologies and textile design. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

Kornit Digital LTD. (NASDAQ: KRNT) ("Kornit" or the "Company"), a market leader in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production technologies, announced its partnership with VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub, Zalando, and Unity – creating an "alliance of the willing" to transform the industry via "phygital" fashion with a circular approach.

Nine designers were challenged to create fashion capsules in eight weeks utilizing the latest technology innovations from the three alliance partners – combining digital product creation, web3-based design, digital printing, immersive circular design, 3D rendering and avatar development. All collections are on display exclusively at Berlin Fashion Week from Wednesday, January 18 to Friday, January 20 at Bikini Berlin.
 
The challenge follows standing room only Kornit Fashion Week events across the globe, displaying how on-demand, digital production creates a fashion world of nearly endless creativity. Hosted at the Impact Hub Berlin, the VORN Academy Program offered creators access to a holistic technology toolset - including the advanced Kornit Presto MAX single-step solution for direct-to-fabric sustainable printing. Some of the prominent designers taking part include costume and fashion designer Alexis Mersmann, Judith Bondy, AR and NFT artist Ann-Britt Dittmar, Berlin-based director Tanja Bombach, Nina Jurcic, Olga Boncheva, digital artist, and fashion designer Schirin Negahbani, Johann Erhardt, and Israeli designer Idan Yoav.
 
"This collaboration across four industry leaders is so unique because the result is a sum so much greater than each of its individual parts. It's a true 'alliance of the willing' that opens doors to 'phygital' collections built at the intersection of digital fashion, 3D design, and on-demand production," said Omer Kulka, Chief Innovation Officer at Kornit Digital. "We're honored to team with VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub, Zalando, and Unity during Berlin Fashion Week to demonstrate what's possible as the physical and virtual fashion worlds come together."
 
"When we launched the Berlin Fashion Hub, our intent was to create a B2B environment to spark unmatched fashion and sustainability innovations. As Berlin is one of the world's most important fashion and textile centers, there is no better place to demonstrate economically succesful circularity in the fashion industry," said Professor Marte Hentschel, Co-Founder at VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub. "Together, we're changing fashion to drive sustainability and harness the creative power of both the physical and virtual. We're proud of what's been accomplished in conjunction with an incredible group of designers, creators, and partners."

The Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH announces the programme for the upcoming editions of MUNICH FABRIC START (24 to 26 January 2023) and BLUEZONE & KEYHOUSE (24 and 25 January 2023).
From 24 to 26 January 2023, visitors can expect a range of the latest trends, fabric, accessories and denim highlights from around 900 international exhibitors, an event programme with expert panels, keynotes and trend lectures, as well as numerous networking opportunities.

Economic Environment
Conflicts, inflation, recession, energy crisis, massive inequality, climate change - how companies can position themselves securely in a volatile market environment - this is deciphered by trend analyst David Shah in his key note "Self-Empowerment" and numerous industry experts, futurologists and leading fashion editors in the lecture series "The Status Quo of Fashion" by strategy and communication consultants Alex Vogt and Jana Kern.

Next to David Shah (View-Publications), the panel will include Siems Luckwaldt (CAPITAL and BUSINESS PUNK, RTL Germany), Shamin Vogel (WeAr Global Magazine), Ben Hanson (The Interline), Maria Cristina Pavarini (The SPIN OFF) and Carl Tillessen (DMI)

Digital Era
From digital colour apps, digital twins and virtual models to 3D simulation and virtual dressing rooms - the world of digital fashion will not only be discussed in numerous lectures in Munich, but also brought to life in the new Assyst Experience. Whether it's Carola Seybold, Head of Global Key Accounts at Pantone, Jan Hilger from Roland Berger, Arndt Johannes from Verce, Dr. Stefan Hauswiesner, CEO of Reactive Reality or the experts of the panel "Textilfabrik X.0 - New Marketing Buzz Words or One Step Ahead": everyone will be looking at virtual fashion from a different angle and providing insights into the latest state of the art. In her trend presentation "The weird & wonderful world of fashion cores" at BLUEZONE, Angela Velasquez (Rivet) sheds light on how viral TikTok trends are reshaping denim merchandising.

Sustainable Future
Digitisation and sustainability - the third major theme of the event programme - could not be more closely intertwined. Lisa Lang, Director of Policy & EU Affairs Orchestrator of EIT Climate KIC in an interview with Muchaneta ten Napel (Shape Innovate) kicks things off about the importance of a green transformation for the industry. Other topics in focus: Liv Simpliciano from Fashion Revolution gives an overview of where the world's biggest fashion brands and retailers stand in terms of transparency. Tricia Carey from Renewcell, David Shah (View-Publications), Lien van der Schueren and Guy Buyle (CISUTAC & HEREWEAR), Mateusz Wielopolski (Circulix) and Mario Malzacher (Circular.Fashion) critically discuss whether the circular economy is really the solution for everything or just a placebo. Circular ecosystems are also presented by Franziska von Becker from Hachmeister & Partner.

The race of the new sustainable materials of the future will be opened by Kirsi Terho from Infinited Fiber, Kuben Edwards from Onezero8, Marianne Uddman from Trustrace and Simon Angel, Sustainable Innovations Curator of MUNICH FABRIC START in a panel discussion with Muchaneta ten Napel (Shape Innovate). New products for a sustainable future in the denim industry will be discussed at BLUEZONE.
Another highlight: In cooperation with the Transformers Foundation, an expert panel will also be held at BLUEZONE on both days of the trade show.

Trends Spring.Summer 2024
Gerd Müller-Thomkins, Carl Tillessen and Niels Holger Wien from the Deutsches Mode Institut (DMI) see a "vibe shift" - a turning point. They will analyse what this means for fashion in their trend presentation on Wednesday. The Women's Fashion Trends SS 24 with the must haves of the season will be analysed by Karin Schmitz from the Trend Forecast Institute Peclers Paris - from the glamorous appearance in everyday life, to the play with gender identity, to simplicity combined with functionality and mobility.