From the Sector

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.

Trevira CS is exhibiting for the first time at CSI Miami (Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas). Taking place on 6 – 7 June, 2023 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, CSI will bring together buyers and suppliers involved in cruise ship interiors, including interior designers, architects, outfitters, shipyards and suppliers.
 
On the Trevira CS stand, visitors can get an idea of the wide range of flame retardant fabrics suitable for use on board cruise ships. 53 fabrics from 20 Trevira CS customers will be on display that either have IMO certification and/or have been tested to the fire safety standards (FTP Code) required in the marine sector. Trevira CS fabrics are inherently flame retardant, meaning that their flame retardant properties cannot be washed out or lost through aging or use. This is due to the chemical structure of the polyester fiber: the flame retardant properties are firmly anchored in the fiber and cannot be altered by external influences. A surface-applied flame retardant finish is therefore not necessary.

In the marine sector, the demands placed on textiles are not only high in terms of fire protection, but also with regards to light resistance and durability. This is particularly true for textiles used in outdoor applications. These must be extremely robust, as they are exposed to moisture and sunlight. To meet these requirements, Trevira CS has launched a range of 30 new spun-dyed, UV-stable filament yarns. Besides color depth and durability, spun-dyed yarns offer another advantage: They are more sustainable because the fabrics made from them can be produced in a more environmentally friendly way than textiles that are dyed in one piece or consist of brightly colored yarns. In fabric production, a large share of resource consumption goes to the dyeing and finishing of fabrics as well as the use of chemicals and water. However, with spun-dyed yarns, these processing steps are unnecessary – the yarn immediately comes out of the spinneret in the desired color, reducing the products’ environmental impact.

The topic of sustainability is also taken up in other Trevira CS products. For example, Trevira CS fabrics are available in recycled versions. They consist of fiber and filament yarns obtained in different recycling processes. Filament yarns are produced using recycled PET bottles, they contain 50% post-consumer recycled material. Recycled fibers are obtained using an agglomeration plant and in further processing steps from residual pre-consumer waste from production. They consist of 100% recycled material (pre-consumer recycling). All flame retardant recycled Trevira® products are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified.
Fabrics made from these yarns are marked with the Trevira CS eco trademark. The prerequisite for this is a recycled content of at least 50%. Among the fabrics presented at the Trevira CS trade fair stand are 8 fabrics bearing the Trevira CS eco brand.

The long-term goal in developing sustainable products is undoubtedly to enter a circular economy. For this new path, an innovative Trevira CS product development was launched, producing flame retardant fibers and filament yarns from chemically recycled raw material. In this case, the basic raw material for the chemical recycling was PET bottles, but essentially it could be most any other PET recyclables, such as packaging material or even textiles. Chemical recycling involves depolymerization, a sequence of chemical reactions in which the polymer chains are broken down again into their original components, i. e. the monomers. In a further processing step, impurities are removed. Before the polymerization process is initiated, a small amount of MEG (mono ethylene glycol) is added.

The same technology used to produce the original (virgin) raw material for Trevira CS is also used here. The flame retardant modification is added during polymerization. In this way, the flame retardant properties are indelibly anchored in the polymer.

By recycling valuable materials such as packaging material, waste can be avoided. The raw material obtained from the recycling process is comparable to the original material can be used again in high-quality products.

With four months until the technical textiles and nonwovens show opens its doors, floor space booked by international suppliers is already more than double the area of the previous edition, which attracted 366 exhibitors from eight countries and regions. Taking place from 19 – 21 September 2023 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, this year’s fair will see the European Zone return to the fairground. The high-traffic zone is set to welcome a number of new and returning exhibitors eager to showcase their products to a business-hungry domestic market.

Speaking at the fair’s previous edition in 2021, Mr Roberto Galante, Plant Manager of FMMG Technical Textiles (Suzhou) Co Ltd, said: “The Chinese market is a big opportunity for everybody, because every day the market is demanding more. The potential here is incredible, and there is more demand for overseas brands. These brands are known for their very high quality, and while China’s industry has developed very well in the past few years, it still needs support from overseas brands with high quality products. This fair is good for us, and we exhibit here every year.”

Multiple domestic and international exhibitors have confirmed their participation at Cinte Techtextil China 2023, with the European Zone playing host to FMMG and other key industry players, such as:

• Bekaert, Belgium
• Fil Man Made Group, Italy
• SANITIZED, Switzerland
• SCANTECH, France

Outside the European Zone, additional international suppliers will showcase their diverse product applications at the fairground, with categories including Coating & Bondtec (Stahl); Fibre & Yarn (Barnet); Nonwovens Equipment (Dilo); Technology & Machinery (Picanol); and Testing Equipment & Certification (TESTEX). Other European exhibitors in these categories include Autefa Solutions, Reifenhauser Heinsberg, Reifenhauser Reicofil, and SICAM.

Chinese suppliers set to complement international contingent
A comprehensive range of domestic exhibitors are eager to meet new buyers and renew old business connections at this year’s fair, including:

• Shanghai Shenda Kebao New Materials
• SIJIA New Material (Shanghai)
• Zhejiang Jinda New Materials
• Zhejiang Hailide New Material

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

KARL MAYER GROUP will be presenting a WEFTTRONIC® II G at the ITMA with new features and upgrades for greater efficiency. This warp knitting machine with weft insertion produces lattice structures from high-strength polyester, which are firmly established in the construction industry in particular. With a working width of 213", it offers productivity and further advantages through design innovations. New features include weft thread tension monitoring, management and the new VARIO WEFT laying system. The component for the weft insertion aims at maximum flexibility. It allows the patterning of the weft yarn to be changed quickly and easily electronically, without mechanical intervention during yarn insertion and without limits on repeat lengths. In addition, there is less waste.

The KARL MAYER GROUP also supports its customers with well thought-out Care Solutions. The new support offers include retrofit packages for retrofitting control and drive technology for weft insertion and composite machines, and service packages that bundle various services. These include machine inspections and the replacement of all drive belts. The customer benefits from fixed prices that cover the costs of technician assignments, various discount options and transparent services.

A new solution for the vertical greening of cities is presented from the field of application for technical textiles. The core of the innovation is a grid textile produced on warp knitting machines with weft insertion by KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH. The knitted lattice fabric is made of flax. It is used as a climbing aid for fast-growing plants, and after the greening phase, in autumn, it can be recycled together with these plants as biomass in pyrolysis plants to produce electricity and activated carbon. In summer, the planted sails lower the ambient temperature through evaporation effects. In addition, photosynthesis creates fresh air and binds CO2. Other important advantages are low soil requirements and flexible placement in public spaces. The greening system was developed by the company Micro Climate Cultivation, OMC°C, with the support of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien.

The KARL MAYER GROUP will also be exhibiting a sustainable composite solution made from natural fibres. The reinforcing textile of the innovative lightweight material is a multiaxial non-crimp fabric, which was also produced from the bio-based raw material flax on a COP MAX 4 from KARL MAYER Technische Textilien. The boatbuilding specialist GREENBOATS uses natural fibre composites to achieve sustainable products. The fact that it succeeds in this is shown, for example, by the Global Warming Potential (GWP): 0.48 kg of CO2 per kilogram of flax reinforcement compares with 2.9 kg of CO2 per kilogram of glass textile.

Epson hat auf der diesjährigen Fespa an seinem Stand seinen neuen DTG-Drucker SureColor SC-F2200 vorgestellt. Der neue SureColor SC-F2200 wurde speziell für die Bedürfnisse von Start-ups und Unternehmen mit bis zu mittelgroßen Auflagen entworfen, die für ihre Produktionslinien Flexibilität sowie hohe Präzision bei niedrigen Durchlaufzeiten erwarten.

Der SureColor SC-F2200 wurde speziell für den Druck komplexer Designs auf vielen Textilien entwickelt. Seine Epson PrecisionCore MicroTFP Druckköpfe sorgen für eine hohe Druckgeschwindigkeit, was sich in einer Produktivitätssteigerung von bis zu 25 Prozent  gegenüber seinem Vorgängermodell SC-F2100 niederschlägt. Dabei wird die ohnehin schon gute Druckqualität des F2100 noch verbessert.

Sein kompaktes Design und flache Oberseite ermöglichen seinen Aufbau auch in beengten Umgebungen. Im Lieferumfang enthalten ist Software Epson GarmentCreator Version 2, die zusätzliche Designmöglichkeiten eröffnet. So erlaubt sie nicht nur die Wahl zwischen DTG- und DTF-Film-Druck, sondern verbessert auch die Wiedergabe feiner Linien und kleiner Schriften.

Der SC-F2200 bietet eine Reihe weiterer Funktionen für eine einfache Bedienung. Dies ermöglicht es Unternehmen, auch ohne spezialisiertes Personal ein hohes Produktions- und Qualitätsniveau zu erzielen. Der Status eines Druckauftrages kann mithilfe des transparenten Deckels sowie der integrierten Beleuchtung jederzeit und unkompliziert kontrolliert werden. Das Gerät lässt sich über einen 4,3 Zoll (10,9 cm) großen Touchscreen intuitiv bedienen. Dank der automatischen Höhenverstellung des Druckbereiches arbeitet der SC-F2200 bei nur minimalen Eingriffen des Benutzers zuverlässig. Selbst der Bedruck dicker Kleidungsstücke wird auf diese Weise schnell und einfach erreicht, weil sich die Höhe der Druckfläche auch von Hand verstellen lässt.

Am 18. und 19. Juli 2023 feiert die ausgebuchte, internationale Denim Trade Show BLUEZONE runden Geburtstag. Über 100 Denim- und Sportswear-Spezialisten verwandeln an dem neu positionierten, frühen Juli-Termin die Münchener Zenith- Area in einen blauen Hotspot. Parallel zu MUNICH FABRIC START und THE SOURCE und mit einem umfangreichen Rahmenprogramm wird das Gelände an der Münchener Lilienthalallee zum Treffpunkt der internationalen Fashion Community.

2023 ist nicht nur das Jubiläumsjahr der BLUEZONE: Die Patentierung der Jeans jährt sich zum 150. Mal, Orta feiert 2023 seinen 70. Geburtstag und Denim-Ikone Ruedi Karrer begeht den 50. seines The Jeans Museum in Zürich. Vicunha feiert den 55. Geburtstag. Die BLUEZONE würdigt deshalb Denim in allen Facetten. CONNEXXION lautet deshalb das Leitmotiv der kommenden Veranstaltung.

„Wir haben ein Line-Up, das die zwei Tage fast sprengt: Neben international relevanten und namenhaften Ausstellern wie Calik, Denim Authority, Isko, Kurabo, Naveena Denim, NDL, Orta, Royo, Saitex und Sharabati werden wir in der komplett ausgebuchten Zenith-Area einen 360° Grad Denim-Erlebnispark haben,“ so Frank Junker, Creative Director & Partner, Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH. Was die Besucher hier unter anderem erwartet: zwei Seminarsessions der Transformers Foundation sowie Panels und Talks mit Women in Denim, Mohsin Sajid und The 5 Denim Senses der AMD Düsseldorf, zusätzlich Installationen wie die Fotoausstellung „The World‘s best Denim Fades“ von Bryan Szabo, Gründer der Indigo Invitational, die Ausstellung der Designerin Ksenia Schnaider und eine Sonderpräsentation des „The Jeans Museum“ Zürich, durch die Ruedi Karrer Führungen geben wird.

Erstmals wird die BLUEZONE in diesem Sommer zu einem früheren Daten am 18. und 19. Juli stattfinden und nicht wie in der Vergangenheit Ende August / Anfang September. Mit diesem terminlichen Schritt reagieren MUNICH FABRIC START und BLUEZONE auf veränderte Order- und Kollektionsrhythmen und positionieren sich zukünftig zu Beginn der Einkaufs- und Sourcingphase.

Dafür rückt die ebenfalls von der Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH veranstaltete, exklusive VIEW Premium Selection auf den bisherigen MFS-Termin und wird am 13. und 14. September – dann erstmals ebenfalls auf dem Zenith-Gelände – dem Markt als RE:VIEW eine zusätzliche, spätere Ordermöglichkeit anbieten.

In the run-up to ITMA, VDMA is presenting an overview of the textile recycling technologies offered by member companies exhibiting at ITMA. VDMA and its members are committed to a responsible use of all resources used in textile production. VDMA members create the technical prerequisites for the efficient reuse and recycling of textile raw materials.

In the spirit of the circular economy, VDMA companies offer solutions for the entire processing and production chain. The production programme and services include equipment and technologies for recycling textile production waste, textiles, textile auxiliaries or waste heat and for processing recycled materials into textiles.

An overview of the available technologies is provided here: Way2ITMA-Recycling
The short descriptions of the solutions offered by the member companies are structured according to the following headings:

• Recycling of textile production waste and textiles
• Recycling of caustic soda and waste heat
• Processing of recycled materials

As a global provider of sustainable woodfibre products, Sappi will be showcasing its solutions for the garment industry under the theme “Fashion meets Forest” at ITMA 2023 – with sublimation papers and its dissolving wood pulp, used for the production of garment fibres under the “Verve” brand name.

How can the woodfibre industry support a more sustainable garments market? Sappi is eager to answer this question at the ITMA and has created a “knowledge trail” for visitors to explore under the motto “Fashion meets Forest”. Visitors to the stand can follow the journey from wood via cellulose and fibre to the finished yarn and the printed garment.

Sublimation papers: Expanded production capacity in Carmignano
Sappi’s Transjet sublimation papers stand for fast, uniform ink transfer and minimal ink consumption. As a premium supplier, Sappi is constantly striving to meet its customers’ needs. So, at this year’s ITMA, various sublimation papers with optimised qualitative properties will be on show.

Sappi maintains the high quality of its coated Transjet and uncoated Basejet sublimation papers by regularly investing in new, state-of-the-art technologies. At the end of April, a new warehouse has been inaugurated at the Carmignano mill in Italy. In the next month’s, Sappi will further invest in two new converting machines with a width of 1.9 meters and 3.2 meters as well as in a fully automated packaging line. All the investments will support the company’s vision of having a complete in-house solution for the sublimation industry, have a positive impact on CO2 emission, satisfy the increased demand of their customers as well as further improve lead times.
 
“Verve” dissolving wood pulp for high-quality textiles
Sappi will also be showcasing its dissolving pulp (DP) brand “Verve”. DP provides the feedstock raw material toward producing rayon fibres such as Lyocell and viscose and further into yarns and fabrics. Textiles produced from wood based cellulosic fibres are noted for their breathability, colour fastness, softness, drape, absorbency and biodegradability. In addition to the garment industry, dissolving pulp is also used in various household and pharmaceutical products.

Nach zwei Jahren pandemiebedingter Pause ist die China in-store, Shanghai‘s International Trade Fair for In-store Design & Solutions, wieder zurück. Sie findet in diesem Jahr vom 29. November bis 1. Dezember 2023 im Shanghai New International Expo Center statt.

Der Messe-Neustart kommt zum richtigen Zeitpunkt, da die chinesische Wirtschaft gerade ein starkes Wachstum erfährt und der Einzelhandel von der raschen Erholung des Verbrauchermarktes profitiert. So stiegen die Einzelhandelsumsätze mit Konsumgütern in China im ersten Quartal dieses Jahres um 5,8 Prozent gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Die gerade vergangenen Mai-Feiertage in China mit einem hohen Reise- und Konsumaufkommen beweisen ebenfalls die starke Dynamik im chinesischen Handel, so dass die Messe eine gute Plattform für den Austausch der wieder aufstrebenden Retailbranche bietet und als Impulsgeber für neue Retailtrends die positive Markttendenz in China weiter fungiert.

Auf der China in-store, ehemals C-star, die seit 2015 Teil der Messefamilie der EuroShop, The No.1 Retail Trade Fair, ist, können sich Branchenprofis aus dem Handel über In-Store-Lösungen, führende Retail-Designkonzepte und aktuelle Retailtrends informieren sowie innovative Technologien kennenlernen. Anbieter hochwertiger Ladenlösungen präsentieren hier ihre Expertise in Bereichen wie z. B. Ladendesign, Ausstattung, Materialien, Beleuchtung, Retail Technology sowie Retail Marketing.

Darüber hinaus bietet die China in-store ein interessantes Rahmenprogramm: Die Retail Stage und das Design Forum dienen dem Wissensaustausch und als Inspirationsgeber für die Branche, während der Branchen-Award ERDA China herausragende Ladenbaukonzepte prämiert.

Mimaki Europe wird auf der ITMA 2023 (8.-14. Juni 2023 Fiera Milano RHO, Mailand, Italien) seine auf Nachhaltigkeit und Kreislaufwirtschaft ausgerichteten Lösungen vorstellen. Neben der Präsentation neuer Drucker wird Mimaki auf der Messe auch seine internationalen Kooperationen im Designbereich hervorheben.

Nachhaltigkeit und Kreislaufwirtschaft sind heute für alle Unternehmen von entscheidender Bedeutung. Im Rahmen der Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) der Vereinten Nationen wird Mimaki auf der ITMA 2023 vollständig wasserlose digitale Lösungen für den Textildruck vorstellen, darunter Direct-to-Film- und Sublimationsdrucker.

Auf der Messe wird Mimaki seine neueste Lösung für das Segment der veredelten Bekleidung, den vor kurzem angekündigten Direct-to-Film (DTF) Inkjet-Drucker TxF150-75 vorstellen. Der Drucker, der ein auf Hitze basiertes Transferverfahren verwendet, eignet sich zur Herstellung hochwertiger, individualisierter Merchandising-Artikel, (Sport)bekleidung und anderer textiler Werbeträger.

Anwender, die ihren Textildruck ausweiten möchten, können am Stand von Mimaki den volumenstarken Sublimationsdrucker TS330-1600 erleben. TS330-1600, der mit einer 10kg-Tintenversorgungseinheit und einem verbesserten Einzugsmechanismus ausgestattet ist, hat eine maximale Druckgeschwindigkeit von 135m² /h und kann mit fluoreszierenden Tinten drucken, sodass sich Benutzer jetzt noch mehr Anwendungen erschließen können.

Auf der ITMA 2023 werden mehrere neue Modelle, darunter ein neuer Textildrucker, zu sehen sein, die auf dem bestehenden, branchenführenden Portfolio des Unternehmens und den Nachhaltigkeitsanforderungen des Sektors aufbauen. Die Textildrucker von Mimaki zeichnen sich durch eine hohe Druckleistung aus und basieren auf fortschrittlicher Technologie.

Am Stand des Unternehmens werden Kooperationen mit Designern aus aller Welt, darunter aus den USA, Australien und Italien, zu sehen sein, die Mimakis nachhaltige Drucklösungen eingesetzt haben. Als Teil der Zukunftsvision des Unternehmens arbeitet Mimaki mit solchen Künstlern zusammen, um sich neue Perspektiven zu erschließen und nah am Puls der Märkte und ihrer Bedürfnisse zu bleiben.