From the Sector

The Trevira CS brand is celebrating its debut at Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW), which takes place in London from May 21-23 2024. The brand is particularly targeting interior architects, interior designers, and contract furnishers to present its innovations on sustainability. Trevira CS stands for flame retardant fabrics that have been tested for fire safety. They also offer numerous sustainable properties.

The London borough of Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else in the world, making it one of the most important design hubs in the world. To celebrate this rich and diverse community, Clerkenwell Design Week has created a unique opportunity to showcase the world's leading interior design brands. With more than 600 events in over 160 showrooms, more than 11 curated exhibitions, stunning installations, talks and a supporting program, CDW has established itself as the UK's leading design festival. The Trevira CS stand is part of the "German Collection - home to German Contemporary Design", which brings together a leading selection of renowned German brands.
 
The product range of flame-retardant Trevira® filament yarns now also includes 30 spun-dyed, UV-stable yarns, which are particularly suitable for outdoor use in fabrics in the hospitality sector and on cruise ships due to their high light fastness and UV resistance. They also score points for their sustainable properties, as the fabrics made from them can be produced in a more environmentally friendly way than textiles made from conventional yarns.

Trevira CS fabrics are also available in recycled versions. They consist of fiber and filament yarns that are obtained in various recycling processes. Fabrics made from these yarns can obtain the Trevira CS eco trademark. The prerequisite for this is a recycled content of at least 50%.

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.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles will mark its 30-year milestone at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) this autumn, from 14 – 16 August 2024. With industry players from around the world gearing up to join this year’s anniversary edition, the showcase will feature returning pavilions, a new product zone, and exhibitors with a wide range of fabrics and more.

30th anniversary celebration
With the ‘Intertextile’ brand present in the Chinese textile market since 1995, increasing market demand, both domestically and internationally, has contributed to the consistent upward trajectory of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition.

By utilising advanced technologies and abundant resources, China has earned its global reputation as one of the major manufacturing hubs for home textile products. Chinese home textile exports reached over USD 4.8 billion in the first two months of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 13.7%[1], demonstrating a welcome recovery. On the other hand, the country’s huge population, coupled with its increasing per capita textile consumption and home renovation projects, is providing a plethora of business opportunities for international suppliers to discover.

Featured zones and country pavilions
At this special edition, a new product zone will be unrolled for the first time–the Carpets & Rugs Zone. Set to feature various related products, the rising demand for these floor coverings has prompted the birth of this new featured zone. Meanwhile, the sought-after Designer Studio will return to help buyers achieve product-specific sourcing goals. Furthermore, with carpets, curtains, sun protection, leather, and many more home textiles all zoned accordingly under one roof, buyers will be able to source from a full range of products.

The Belgium and Türkiye Pavilions will once again showcase various product series from premium brands, alongside a comprehensive list of domestic exhibitors and multiple standalone international suppliers set to present their latest innovations and designs.

Beyond exhibitors’ booths, the fair’s anticipated fringe programme will showcase innovations and discuss market trends, such as broadly discussed AI and sustainability topics, to help fairgoers stay ahead of the curve. Simultaneously, the Danish trend agency SPOTT, founded by Ms Anja Bisgaard Gaede, also the leading trend agency for Heimtextil 2024, will be collaborating with the fair for the first time this year. The organisation will present an innovative trend area, set to illustrate design inspiration and industry direction for the upcoming season, through a series of creative displays. In addition, Mr Shen Lei, Founder and Design Director of Interior Architects Design, and the Chinese representative of the Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend Committee, will be returning this year to delve into design topics via his seminar.

^[1] Tnc.com.cn：Analysis of China’s home textile exports from January to February 2024. https://www.tnc.com.cn/info/c-001001-d-3742104.html

By establishing touchpoint textile, drupa has created a special forum to showcase pioneering applications in digital textile printing. The highlight will be the Digital Textile Micro Factory – a fully connected, integrated process chain starting with the customer enquiry and design through to large-format digital textile printing.

touchpoint textile represents drupa’s growing expansion into new markets comprising such segments as packaging production, large-format or industrial and functional printing next to packaging production. All of these segments are undergoing the same transformation processes and offer enormous growth potential. The special forum revolves around the opportunities and challenges of digital textile printing, brings together renowned exhibitors, industry partners and brand owners and provides scope for cross-industry cooperation, new projects as well as product and manufacturing ideas. The operational content partners of touchpoint textile include the German Institutes for Textile and Fibre Research Denkendorf (DITF), as Europe’s largest textile research centre, as well as ESMA, the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association.

Digital Textile Micro Factory: on-demand and virtual products – on the path towards sustainable production
In cooperation with 12 partners from industry and research the DITF will demonstrate a Digital Textile Micro Factory live at drupa and, hence, a fully connected, integrated process chain from design to finished product. This will present new possibilities for digitalisation and direct customer involvement, for instance in the form of 3D apparel simulations complete with links to design networks for creative input. Digital workflows and virtual products are integrated directly in the manufacturing process. As a special highlight for all trade visitors the technology partners of this Micro Factory will demonstrate an automated on-demand production, textile printing, cutting and sorting – without any manual interaction. Such decentralised and digitally connected design and production chains will enable the textile industry to respond to customers’ requests and trends in a more targeted manner in future. This means, touchpoint textile 2024 technologically points the way to a future without shelf-warmers. In addition, the carbon footprint for the complete process from virtual development to finished product will be modelled and presented at the trade fair.  

2024 will see the design competition “drupa – textile design talents” being held for the first time. This was conceived of by the DITF and will be implemented by the partner Mitwill. This provides up-coming textile designers and newcomers with a unique opportunity to introduce their ideas and visions to a professional audience.

Broad industry support
A project as comprehensive as the Micro Factory requires many strong partners. The companies “on board” here include: Assyst/Germany (3D simulation for digital apparel twins), Mitwill Textiles Europe/France (creative design network), D.G.I. Digital Graphics Incorporation/South Korea, Multi-Plot Europe/Germany (large-format textile printing), LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung/Germany, Zünd/Switzerland (digital cutting), robotfactory/Denmark, Asco/The Netherlands (presenting an innovative buffer solution between digital printing and cutting, automated sorting of cut parts from the cutter by robotfactory) as well as Brother/Japan (for small-format textile printing and bonding technology). Vaude and berger textiles will be sponsoring the touchpoint. Another key partner is the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University that is supporting the project as a conceptual sponsor and which has set itself the clear mission to incorporate these new topics into its curriculum. This means the staff of the future will be geared up to the new challenges ahead.

Another partner of touchpoint textile is the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association (ESMA), which is responsible for the lecture programme. ESMA represents industrial, functional and specialist printing and acts as an organiser of educational events in the field of textile printing. At drupa speakers from research, development, and industry will address issues related to printing and finishing techniques, workflows, market developments and sustainability, to name but a few. The focus will also be on trends and applications that unlock ever new potential through the interplay of digital printing and textile printing substrates. The lectures are divided into the categories Research, Finishing, Print Systems & Hardware, Substrates, Inks & Chemistry and Software & Electronics. Assyst, for example, will deliver talks on the virtual development of apparel as well as the research project ECOShoring, which is funded by the “Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt” – DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation) and focuses on personalised and on-demand sustainable manufacturing. Other speakers represent Adobe, Balta Group, Barbieri Electronic, Brother, Centexbel, CST, DITF, Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, HS Albsig, Kornit Digital, Meteor Inkjet, Mimaki, Mitwill, Multiplot, Print-Rite, RWTH Aachen, Seiko Instruments, Tiger Coatings, Xaar, Zünd and the list is updated on regular basis.

drupa will be held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 28 May to 7 June 2024.

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt, the Chairman of the Walter Reiners Foundation of the VDMA, Peter D. Dornier, presented awards to six successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability prizes were awarded in the categories bachelor/project theses and diploma/master theses. Academic theses in which, for example, solutions for resource-saving products and technologies are developed are eligible for the sustainability prizes.

The Walter Reiners Foundation awarded Anna Markic a sustainability prize worth 3,000 euros in the Bachelor's category. The topic of her thesis, written at Reutlingen University, was the recycling of carbon fibres.

Mark Zenzinger, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, received a 3,000 euro promotion award in the Bachelor's category. His topic was the automation of the process chain for the production of welded textile hard goods.
 
Lena Fink from the TU Dresden received another promotion award worth 3,000 euros. Her construction engineering project work focused on a device to simplify the maintenance of braiding machines.

Fabio Bussmann from RWTH Aachen was awarded a promotion prize in the Master's category, worth 3,500 euros. In his thesis, he analysed the life cycle assessments of alternative semi-finished products for geotextiles.

Katharina Maria Ernst, TU Dresden, was honoured with a sustainability prize of 3,500 euros in the Master's category. Her work focused on the development of a suitable process for the treatment of chitosan fibres as an alternative starting product in the production of carbon fibres.

Lennart Hellwig, RWTH Aachen University, was awarded a 3,500 euro prize in the Master's category. He focused on the topic of machine learning using the example of a nonwovens plant.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris opens its doors from 1 to 3 July at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. More than a thousand exhibitors from the world's major sourcing countries will be offering inspirational sources for building collections for 2025-2026. This season's show will focus on suppliers of innovative products and solutions for high-performance and sustainable fashion.

Yarn in the spotlight
Taking us further upstream in the industry and for the first time at the Parisian trade shows, a pavilion featuring yarn producers will be found at the exhibition. Co-organised with Yarn Expo, a Shanghai show in the Messe Frankfurt galaxy, this dedicated pavilion will feature companies from China, India, Pakistan and Taiwan.

A Leather trends area at Leatherworld, partnerships at Avantex
As in previous summers, this season’s show will bring together all the different aspects of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris. Leatherworld, the platform dedicated to leather sourcing, is announcing the return of a South African pavilion. This area will also host a Leather Trends area created and run by Italian publisher Edizioni AF, a specialist in the leather industry. Particular attention will be paid to the design processes and choice of materials used by Italian accessories and footwear manufacturers.

A number of new features are also expected in the Avantex innovations area: Partnerships with the IFA Paris fashion design school, the TCBL association and the TUV Rheinland certification body, which will showcase  solutions in sustainable fashion and textiles, and provide an opportunity to discuss these issues at expert round tables.

Furthermore, the fair will be showcasing Texpertise Econogy, the sustainable economy approach developed by the international Messe Frankfurt group to guide visitors in their sourcing choices. Following its launch in February, the upcoming event will continue to promote sustainability with a number of features and provide a platform for green pioneers.

Computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at the upcoming International Exhibition for Garment, Textile Machinery and Accessories (IGATEX Pakistan 2024) exhibition in Lahore, Pakistan.

On display will be SHIMA SEIKI’s N.SSR®072 14G computerized flat knitting machine and SDS®-ONE APEX4 3D design system.

Shown for the first time in Pakistan, SHIMA SEIKI’s new N.SSR®072 computerized jacquard collar machine can produce shaped collars efficiently based on computer-generated designs. N.SSR®072 is based on the workhorse N.SSR®112 garment shaping machine, and offers similar leading technology in an economical yet reliable package.

Design is demonstrated on SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system. At the core of the company’s "Total Fashion System" concept, it 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 minimize the need for actual sample-making, realizing significant savings in time, cost and material.

Zum Welttag für Sicherheit und Gesundheit am Arbeitsplatz am 28. April 2024 betonen die internationale Leitmesse A+A und die Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (Basi) ihr Engagement im Hinblick auf die Weiterentwicklung des globalen Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutzes. Mit dem Hashtag #WelttagfürSicherheitundGesundheit rufen die Messe und ihr Partner dazu auf, sich zur Zukunft des Arbeitsschutzes auf den sozialen Netzwerken auszutauschen. Es geht darum, Lösungen für die umfassenden Aufgaben in einer Arbeitswelt zu finden, die sich rasant wandelt.

Innovative Ansätze in einer sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt
Die fortschreitende Digitalisierung, der Klimawandel und die Entwicklungen der Arbeit 4.0 konfrontieren Unternehmen und ihre Beschäftigen mit neuen und komplexen Herausforderungen – darunter psychische Belastungen, beispielsweise durch Überforderung, verstärkte Flexibilität und Disruption (neue oder stark veränderte Geschäftsmodelle). Neben bekannten Gefahrstoffen wie Asbest entstehen als Folge neuer Produkte Gefahrstoffe, von denen häufig noch nicht bekannt ist, ob und wie sehr sie die Gesundheit der Beschäftigten beeinträchtigen können.

„Wir haben aktuelle Themen, Entwicklungen und Trends im Arbeitsschutz im Blick beim A+A Kongress, der zentralen deutschen Gemeinschaftsveranstaltung für Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit mit internationaler Ausstrahlung. Darüber hinaus laden wir regelmäßig zu Diskussionen über ausgewählte Themen ein. Anlässlich des Welttages 2024 befasst sich die erfolgreiche Online-Veranstaltung ,Die Basi im Dialog‘ am 25. April ab 15.30 Uhr mit den Vorteilen, die sich aus Normungsverfahren für den Arbeitsschutz ergeben“, erklärt Dr. Christian Felten, Geschäftsführer der Basi.

„Die A+A dient als zentrale Plattform für den Austausch und die Entwicklung von Maßnahmen, die Arbeitsplätze sicherer und gesünder gestalten", erklärt Lars Wismer, Direktor der A+A. „Am Welttag für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitssicherheit arbeiten die A+A und die Basi gemeinsam daran, durch gezielte Kommunikation- und Aufklärungsaktionen das globale Bewusstsein für die Umsetzung von Sicherheitsstandards zu stärken.“

Stärkung des Arbeitsschutzes durch globalen Vernetzung
Globale Vernetzung stärkt den Arbeitsschutz, indem sie den Austausch zu bewährten Praktiken und innovativen Lösungsansätzen über Ländergrenzen hinweg ermöglicht. Die Messe Düsseldorf unterstützt diesen Ansatz mit ihrem internationalen Messeportfolio Occupational Safety & Health, zu dem die CIOSH in Shanghai, die OSHA in Singapur und die TOS+H Expo 2024 in der Türkei gehören. Die Basi kooperiert im Sinne der Sache mit der Europäischen Agentur für Sicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz am Arbeitsplatz (EU-OSHA), der Internationalen Vereinigung für Soziale Sicherheit (IVSS) und der ORP Foundation (Occupational Risk Prevention, Vorbeugung von Risiken am Arbeitsplatz).

RadiciGroup announced the launch of the first physical and digital nylon traceability project at Techtextil 2024. A gilet made from the yarn manufactured in one of the Group’s European industrial sites, which, thanks to a QR code on the garment, can reveal its origin and display information about its production process.

Product traceability is a key element in guaranteeing transparency along the entire supply chain, as it means each stage of production – from spinning to weaving and from packaging through to retail – can be monitored and recorded. The project, made possible by a partnership with FibreTrace, allows manufactured nylon yarns to be traced both physically and digitally. In fact, RadiciGroup inserts a tracer (an inorganic additive) that is uniquely associated with the yarn and remains identifiable throughout all stages of processing – on both the fabric and the finished garment. Naturally, the tracer does not alter the esthetical, functional and technical performance of the yarns in any way.

In terms of digital traceability, during the production stages a scanner detects the presence of the tracer and can transmit the data relating to provenance onto a dedicated digital platform. Finally, the consumer, via a QR code, can access the digital platform that provides all information concerning the provenance of the product and its journey through the supply chain.
 
“This project is the result of almost two years’ work by our Research & Development team. We’re very proud to bring to the market the first physical and digital nylon traceability solution and we plan to extend this initiative to other fibres produced by the Group,” emphasised Filippo Bona, R&D Manager of RadiciGroup Advanced Textile Solutions.

Im Fokus des Messeauftritts Epsons auf der texprocess 2024 (23.4. bis 26.4., Messe Frankfurt) steht die Präsentation eines gemeinsam mit den Partnerunternehmen Summa aus Gistel, Belgien, und der Multi-Plot aus Bad Emstal aufgebauten Herstellungsprozesses von bedruckten Textilien. An den Ständen der Firmen sehen Fachbesucher:innen jeweils einen Abschnitt eines Produktionsprozesses mit reibungslos ineinandergreifenden Schritten. Der zentrale Teil des Workflows ist ein SureColor F9400H Drucker, der die textilen Motive auf Transferpapier druckt. Daneben zeigt Epson auf seinem Stand die Hybriddrucker SC-F2200 und SC-F1000 für Anwendungen aus dem DTG- & DTFilm Bereich. Der Auftritt Epsons auf der texprocess 2024 wird abgerundet durch eine Auswahl von Textilmustern, die von Druckern der industriellen Textildruckerreihe Monna Lisa angefertigt wurden.

Die Aufgabe des Epson SC-F9400H in dem textilen Workflow ist der Druck des Designs auf ein Transferpapier, das anschließend mit einem Kalander des Typs HJ 75 von Multi-Plot unter Einwirkung von Hitze und Druck in das gewählte textile Medium eingebracht wird. Nach der Kalandrierung des Designs auf dem Textil schneidet ein L1810 Laserschneider von Summa als letzten Schritt des Workflows das Material für eine Weiterverarbeitung zurecht.

Zum Druck des Designs selbst wird die Software „Epson Edge Print“ eingesetzt, die auch ein Farbmanagement ermöglicht. Dazu wird der neue Epson SD-10 Automated Scanning Table zusammen mit der im Lieferumfang des Scantisches enthaltenen Software „Edge Color Lite“ Software eingesetzt.

Der SD-10 Automated Scanning Table ist eine Lösung, mittels dem das Epson SD-10 Spektralphotometer automatisch Farbcharts einliest und so schnell und einfach präzise Farbprofile erstellt. Als Option für das seit letztem Jahr erhältliche SD-10 Spektralfotometer und der Software „Edge Color Lite“ bildet der neue SD-10 Automated Scanning Table eine benutzerfreundliche Komplettlösung zur Erstellung von ICC-Profilen. Auch ist mit dem SD-10 Automated Scanning Table und Edge Color Lite die Überprüfung und der Abgleich mehrerer Drucker desselben Modells möglich, sodass die Kalibrierung einzelner Geräte untereinander vereinfacht und beschleunigt wird.