From the Sector

• Session "Recycling and Other Alternative Feedstocks"

Cellulose fibres are a true material miracle as they offer a steadily expanding, broad range of applications. Meanwhile markets are driven by technological developments and policy frameworks, especially bans and restrictions on plastics, as well as an increasing number of sustainability requirements. The  presentations will provide valuable information on the various use-opportunities for cellulosic fibres through a policy overview, a special session on sustainability, recycling and alternative feedstocks, as well as the latest developments in pulp, cellulosic fibres and yarns. In addition, examples of non-wovens,  packaging and composites will offer a look beyond the horizon of conventional application fields.

The fourth session, "Recycling and other alternative raw materials", will cover topics ranging from textile recycling - both cotton and regenerated cellulose fibres - to the use of hemp shives as raw material. Self-initiated cooperation and waste management pave the way to a fully closed European material loop where textile waste is collected, recycled and reprocessed into new raw materials.

The speakers will demonstrate the importance of cooperation in recycling fabrics already in circulation, perfectly following the topics and discussions of the previous conference day.

• Heikki Hassi - SciTech-Service (FI):  Textile Recycling and MMCFs; Systemic Challenges, Market Opportunities and Advancing Technologies
• Valerie Langer - Canopy (CA): The Perfect Storm – A Five Year Feedstock Shift Forecast
• Helena Claesson - Södra (SE): Two is better than one – Lenzing and Södra together Face the Challenge of Recycling of Textiles
• Marina Crnoja-Cosic - Kelheim Fibres (DE) and Harald Cavalli-Björkman - re:newcell (SE): Sustainable Cellulosic Fibres from Recycled Raw Materials – A Solution for Europe
• Frank Meister - Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung (DE): Lyohemp Fibres Made of Dissolving Pulp Based on Hemp Shives
• Miguel Sanchis-Sebastiá - ShareTex (SE): Expanding Textile Recycling Beyond Cotton: Innovations to Recycle Regenerated Cellulose Fibers

The 2022 Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is set to return to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from 9 – 11 March 2022. The fair, once again held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, Yarn Expo Spring, CHIC and PH Value, will continue to offer a one-stop trading platform for businesses during the traditional peak sourcing season of the Chinese home textile industry.

The fair provides an opportunity for suppliers to tap into the fast growing Chinese home textiles market and allows prospective buyers to meet their sourcing needs. Following the success of the 2021 edition, which attracted 18,951 trade buyers and 216 exhibitors to participate in this leading industry event, the upcoming spring fair will once more focus on finished products. Nevertheless, a wide range of items are also on offer including bedding & towelling, rugs, table & kitchen linen, home textile technologies, textile design and more.

The Home Textile Products for Campus & School Zone, as well as the Feather & Down Product Zone, will roll out again in the spring show after they were launched in the last edition. The Campus & School Zone was introduced to fulfil the rising market demand for domestic student bedding: “The current demand in China for student bedding is high. There are around 8 million new university students and 16 million secondary school students each year, and nearly all university students and 70% of secondary school students need bedding, equating to over 19.2 million sets needed each year,” Mr Shi Xiangyu, Department Manager at Yantai Pacific Home Fashion Co Ltd, a 2021 exhibitor, outlined.  

Helping businesses to reach their target buyers
Ms Weiqing Peng, Trade Department Supervisor of Wujiang City Yunjie Textiles Co Ltd commented on how the 2021 fair has helped them during the challenging times caused by the pandemic: “We treasure this opportunity to communicate with customers face to face. Buyers usually need to touch the fabrics in person. Many domestic companies are enthusiastic about exhibiting here, and we’ve been really busy as many new and old customers came to our booth. This fair is very popular with the whole industry supply chain.” Mr Leo Chen from Yantai Pacific Home Fashion Co Ltd also applauded the fair for helping them to “reach some big brands in China and explore more cooperation opportunities.” 

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles concluded its 27th autumn edition in early October. Held alongside four other concurrent textile shows, the fair was the only major event for this sector able to take place in China during this season, providing a much-needed business platform for 735 exhibitors and 20,106 trade buyers. The fair was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd expressed: “Due to the valuable cooperation of many parties and the continued support of our exhibitors and other partners, we were able to hold the fair as scheduled despite a number of challenges. Since the pandemic situation was brought under control in China last year, we have expended considerable resources to ensure our textile fairs still take place to provide trading platforms that connect the global industry. This edition was especially important as it was the only major fair to take place in the country at this time.”

While a number of international exhibitors participated this year with individual booths, the Belgium Pavilion presented home and contract products and five Chinese regional pavilions from Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Huzhou, Haining, and Tongxiang also featured. Two trend forums also provided inspiration for 2022, while the IKASAS Japanese Home Design Gallery, New Voices of Top Youth Upholstery Designers City Roving Exhibition and China International Fiber Art Exhibition gave further insights into various aspects of the industry.

Fair’s fringe programme highlights sustainability, design and more
As with all of Messe Frankfurt’s textile fairs around the world, sustainability is a big focus. A number of events under this focus took place in the fair’s fringe programme, including a half day forum titled How Sustainable Fashion is Reshaping Lifestyles, with a range of innovative companies and prestigious universities participating as speakers.

The Design Talk session featured a series of presentations from leading international designers, including from China, Japan and Europe, to share their design insights. And a new concept this year, titled New Voices of Top Youth Upholstery Designers – Intertextile Upholstery Design and City Roving Exhibition, showcased the work of six groups of young local designers from across China who presented the interior design ideas of their generation through displays and a forum. And reflecting the changes that continue to accelerate in the industry, a number of e-commerce and cross-border trade events took place, including sessions from the likes of JD Home, AliExpress and Tmall.

The 2022 Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition will take place from 9 – 11 March, while the Autumn Edition is scheduled for 23 – 25 August 2022.

• DiloGroup looks forward to participating in the Techtextil India show 2021.

DiloGroup offers tailor-made production systems from one supplier and will inform at this forum in the German pavillon about its portfolio and the latest equipment developments from fibre opening to the finished felt.

A new, simplified elliptical needle beam drive makes Hyperpunch technology also attractive for standard application. Hyperpunch HαV allows a more uniform stitch distribution in the preneedling process especially in combination with the new needle pattern 6000X. In a complete needling line this felt homogenization process can be improved further by using the new needle pattern 8000X which is a milestone in the needle pattern development process and results in endproduct surfaces with low markings over a wide range of advances/stroke.

The “3D-Lofter” which was first presented during ITMA 2019 in Barcelona offers a wider range of nonwovens applications by exploring the third dimension. A series of single web forming units which work according to the aerodynamic web forming principle deliver defined fibre masses in varied patterns on a base needlefelt. A stress oriented production of technical formed parts resulting in fibre savings or patterned DI-LOUR or DI-LOOP felts are two examples for this technology which explores new application areas for needlefelts.

The 3D-Lofter technology may also be used “inverted” for filling up bad spots in web mats and thus achieves a better homogeneity of e. g. spunlace, thermobond or airlay products. The DiloLine 4.0 concept offer I4.0 modules which not only support the user but also facilitate quality control and maintenance by a maximum data transparency in production and control of operation. The Dilo solutions “Smart Start” for a fully automatic start of the production line or “DI-LOWATT” for energy savings are accompanied by Siemens solutions which can be selected via App or Data Cloud “MindSphere”.

With more than 370 installations delivered to the nonwovens industry worldwide, DiloGroup has the necessary know-how and the complete equipment portfolio to engineer the perfect production line for any product specification. The efficiency of Dilo production lines is the result of long-term research work and experience. Apart from machines for needling technology we offer in cooperation with partner companies also production lines including thermobonding and hydroentangling components.

From the 09-11^th of October, CHIC will take place with around 500 fashion and lifestyle brands on 53,000 sqm in the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai and offers a perfect overview of the fashion innovations in all fashion areas of the next season.

Chinese consumers place increasing value on sustainable products, the topic of "sustainability" is present in all areas of CHIC, in cooperation with WGSN the latest trends in sustainable fashion S / S 22 are shown. Together with China Fashion and WWD, companies that produce particularly sustainably are honored as part of the "Pursuer of excellence in sustainability" event.

The organizers put a special focus on the expansion of digital tools for the trade fair participants, which were used in the run-up to the trade fair for intensive visitor marketing and at the trade fair to optimally network supply and demand, WeChat plays a central role here. The CHIC WeChat mini program has been expanded and integrates the CHIC e-catalog, tailored to the needs of exhibitors and visitors.

The next editions of CHIC will take place from 3-5^th of November 2021 in Shenzhen and from 9-11^th of March 2022 in Shanghai.

After a long break, the international nonwovens industry will meet again in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 19 to 22, 2021 on the occasion of INDEX. DiloGroup offers tailormade production systems from one supplier and will inform about its portfolio and the latest equipment developments from fibre opening to the finished felt.

A new, simplified elliptical needle beam drive makes Hyperpunch technology also attractive for standard application. Hyperpunch HαV allows a more uniform stitch distribution in the preneedling process especially in combination with the new needle pattern 6000X. In a complete needling line this felt homogenization process can be improved further by using the new needle pattern 8000X which is a milestone in the needle pattern development process and results in endproduct surfaces with low markings over a wide range of advances/stroke.

The “3D-Lofter” which was first presented during ITMA 2019 in Barcelona offers a wider range of nonwovens applications by exploring the third dimension. A series of single web forming units which work according to the aerodynamic web forming principle deliver defined fibre masses in varied patterns on a base needlefelt. A stress oriented production of technical formed parts resulting in fibre savings or patterned DI-LOUR or DI-LOOP felts are two examples for this technology which explores new application areas for needlefelts The 3D-Lofter technology may also be used “inverted” for filling up bad spots in web mats and thus achieves a better homogeneity of e. g. spunlace, thermobond or airlay products.

The DiloLine 4.0 concept offer I4.0 modules which not only support the user but also facilitate quality control and maintenance by a maximum data transparency in production and control of operation. The Dilo solutions “Smart Start” for a fully automatic start of the production line or “DI-LOWATT” for energy savings are accompanied by Siemens solutions which can be selected via App or Data Cloud “MindSphere”.

Apart from machines for needling technology we offer in cooperation with partner companies also production lines including thermobonding and hydroentangling components.

SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., Italian subsidiary of a leading Japanese computerized knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD., will exhibit at the 89th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati exhibition in Florence, Italy from the 28th till the 30th of June. Because this edition of Pitti Filati will be a fusion of physical venue and online exhibit via Pitti Connect, increased importance is sure to be placed upon digitalization in the presentation of yarn.

In order to further support efforts in DX in the fashion industry, SHIMA SEIKI is presenting new online services at Pitti Filati. APEXFiz™ is SHIMA SEIKI’s first subscription-based design software and yarnbank™ a digital yarn sourcing web service for the knitting industry.

APEXFiz™ is the latest addition to SHIMA SEIKI’s proven SDS®-onE APEX series design system lineup, but with a big departure from the past. Whereas previous APEX-series design systems were offered as an all-in-one hardware/software package, for the first time in its nearly 40 years of design system development, SHIMA SEIKI has released its new APEXFiz™ as subscription-based design software that can be installed on customers’ individual computers. Maintaining proven functions that have made the APEX series so popular with fashion designers, with APEXFiz™ those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments including teleworking and telecommuting. APEXFiz™ software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual samples are a digitized version of sample making that are accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes, replacing physical sampling and consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. APEXFiz™ thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain. APEXFiz™ is furthermore available in 5 different product variations that can be selected according to the customer’s needs, from APEXFiz™ Design Jr. to APEXFiz™ Design Pro.

APEXFiz™ is supported by another web service to enhance its user experience even more. yarnbank™ is one of the world's first online platforms for searching and downloading digitized yarns, developed in cooperation with yarn companies from around the world. Registered users can download yarn data for free, for use in fabric simulation and virtual sampling on APEXFiz™, avoiding the need to scan yarn on their own.

The PERFORMANCE DAYS summer edition took place as a Digital Fair Week from May 17 to 21, 2021. By extending the event to an entire week of the fair, the PERFORMANCE DAYS team, in cooperation with the Functional Fabric Fair by PERFORMANCE DAYS, was able to provide even more opportunities for intensive networking and interactive exchange for industry insiders to catch up on the latest innovations and participate in exciting expert talks, supplier workshops and panel discussions.

Informative, innovative and international: new sourcing platform THE LOOP
The Digital Fair Week was introduced for the first time at the summer edition as part of PERFORMANCE DAYS LOOPS. The sourcing platform was launched in the first half of 2021 together with US Partner Functional Fabric Fair by PERFORMANCE DAYS. With much success, as proven by the great enthusiasm shown by exhibitors, trade fair visitors and fabric manufacturers. The MARKETPLACE area, which showcased some 10.000 products and around 400 curated, sustainable fabrics and accessories from more than 170 international exhibitors, enjoyed particular popularity as part of the Digital Fair.

Another extremely popular and particularly well-attended attraction was the 3D FORUM, which tested hand-selected fabrics for their material properties as part of the digital fair week, to be visualized ultimately as a 3D scan.
Also for the spring/summer 2023 season, the jury presented two awards for outstanding fabrics – so in addition to the presentation of the PERFORMANCE AWARD, won by Trenchant Textiles, the ECO PERFORMANCE AWARD was presented to the winner, Utenos Trikotazas.

Professional, versatile and informative: Program with Expert Talks
A total of 17 live talks from 30+ speakers followed by a question-and-answer session, under the guidance of moderator and freelancer Astrid Schlüchter, formed the basis of the digital fair supporting program from May 17 to 19. All talks, webinars and panel discussions are available on demand via THE LOOP platform.

The PERFORMANCE DAYS Team has once again succeeded in providing the industry with an almost real trade fair experience despite being held digitally. Via the Digital Fair Platform, which was activated explicitly for the trade fair week, trade fair visitors can enter into interactive exchange, including matchmaking and networking activities.

The premiere of the Functional Textiles Shanghai by PERFORMANCE DAYS fair takes place in Shanghai in September 28-29 as well as in Portland in October 27-28, 2021, with the planned hybrid event in Munich scheduled for December 1 and 2, 2021.

With the spring textile trade fair season in China just around the corner, a number of leading domestic and international suppliers are confirmed to take part in Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition. The fair will now take place at a slightly later date of 17 – 19 March. Together with the concurrent fairs Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Yarn Expo, CHIC and PH Value, these five events will form the first major in-person gathering for the textile industry this year.

From bedding and towelling, rugs and table & kitchen linen to home textile technologies and textile designs, buyers will have a wide range of the latest collections to source from this month at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center. International exhibitors such as Lenzing and Cotton Council International as well as leading domestic brands including Coolist, Luolai, Soluffy and Yunjie Textile are amongst those signed up to take part this year.

Exhibitor highlights

• Lenzing Fibers: will showcase their flagship brand for textiles, TENCEL™. Used for a variety of highly specialised applications, TENCEL™ fibres are soft to the skin and excellent in thermal regulation and moisture absorption.
• Cotton Council International (CCI) is a non-profit association that promotes US cotton fibre and cotton products throughout the world.
• Zhangjiagang Coolist Life Technology: this Chinese company designs and produces a range of functional pillow collections including their Filmless Gel, Hydrophilic, Air, Flexible and Organic pillow series. Their unique Coolist design features patented technology, and is made from organic and environmental-friendly materials.
• Anhui Million Feather: located in Anhui province’s Lu’an city, known in China as the ‘Kingdom of Geese’, the company produces a range of down and feather products and various bedding items.
• Wujiang City Yunjie Textiles: specialising in wide-width fabrics including microfibre, satin and suede.
• Yantai Zhonglian Industry: their main products include sheets, pillowcases, quilt covers, bed skirts, comforters, coverlets, pillows and more.

• ITM of TU Dresden – your research partner in the field of virtual product development at ISPO Munich
• ISPO Munich Online 2021 – the world´s leading sports business platform from February 1st to 5th 2021

The Chair of Assembly Technology for Textile Products of ITM presents itself for the first time at ISPO Munich Online 2021 – showcasing its expertise in the field of virtual product development. Its know-how in the determination of material parameters, digital data processing, and data transfer will be presented as well as its competencies in 3D/4D body shape recording via scanning, data animation for the 3D product development for functional clothing, and simulation for wear comfort/usage visualization. The Chair of Assembly Technology for Textile Products of ITM has manifested its leading global position in the virtual product development sector by successfully completing a variety of national and international interdisciplinary research projects.

Researchers of the Chair of Assembly Technology for Textile Products have been actively involved in the preparation and digital representation of material samples for the ISPO Textrends Forum. Thus, the material parameters of the ISPO Textrends Award textiles were determined for 3D fit simulations in Vidya (Assyst/Vizoo), automatically analyzed, and digitally processed by the specially developed "Material Analyzer" software. This software in addition to other state-of-the-art CAE infrastructure, such as the recently installed 4D Scanner Move4D, are essential for the further establishment and promotion of its leading position in the field of digitalization and virtual product development for garments for high-tech applications.

The researchers involved eagerly await future collaborations in this promising field of research. This pilot project presented at ISPO 2021 was coordinated by the company FOURSOURCE Group GmbH, thus enabling the characterization and 3D visualization of the award-winning materials that are presented to all visitors at ISPO 2021.