From the Sector

Trevira will be joining the first BCFA Open Berlin pop-up exhibition, which will be held at the British Embassy on 6 May at the same time of Berlin Design Week (4 – 10 May 2020). The one-day fair is being organised by the British Contract Furnishing Association (BCFA), and members of the association will have the opportunity to display their products in the atrium of the post-modern embassy building.  

At the exhibition, specially invited interior designers and furnishers, along with purchasers from the contract market, will be able to find out more about the collections and products of high-end British manufacturers and textile houses, and attend interesting talks by two top specialists of the sector.

Trevira will be showing a selection of Trevira CS fabrics which were on display earlier this year at the Heimtextil 2020, where they featured in the special exhibition ‘Textile Future by Trevira CS’. These fabrics are permanently flame retardant and can be deployed in a wide range of applications, as Berlin design company studio aisslinger impressively showed in the exhibition at the Trevira stand. For the Heimtextil fair, the prestigious studio aisslinger design team worked together with Trevira, creating a concept that revealed just how attractive and playful Trevira CS fabrics can be in a variety of settings on the contract market, including hospitality, healthcare, workspaces, public spaces and transport.

Designers and architects who are interested in taking part in the event are welcome to register their details with Trevira.

Focus on Sustainability and Climate Change

Passion for Cotton: The 35th International Cotton Conference Bremen starts on 25 March in the Hanseatic city’s historic Town Hall. But before subject-specific questions are discussed in depth in the individual sessions, the concise and inspiring keynotes by leading business experts from science and industry will draw attention to the current trends and challenges in the industry at the start of the conference. A large part of the presentations is shaped by the current discussion on environmental and sustainability issues and the resulting consequences for the global economy.

Climate Change and Sustainability

“Climate change - a storm in a teacup?” asks Kai Hughes, Executive Director of the International Cotton Advisory Committee, Washington D.C., USA, in a provocative speech. The aim of his presentation is to work out the challenges of climate change especially for agriculture and cotton production. This should form the basis for later discussion on concrete approaches and solutions within the cotton community.

With his lecture “The HUGO BOSS sustainability programme ... and what our customer has to do with it” Andreas Streubig, Director of Global Sustainability at Hugo Boss AG, Metzingen, Germany, rolls up the textile value chain from a different angle, starting at the consumer level. As a representative of a premium brand for women's and men's clothing, Streubig discusses sustainability as a strategic element of the corporate strategy and provides information on how elements of the strategy are being implemented at Hugo Boss.

Rüdiger Senft, Head of Sustainability at Commerzbank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, looks at the changing role of banks in financing the cotton market. In addition to a general introduction to the topic of sustainability and banking regulation, Senft's presentation deals with the financing of the cotton trade from a social and ecological point of view.
The opening session on 25 March is hosted by Bill Ballenden, founder and owner of Dragontree, Swindon, UK, an online auction platform for the cotton trade. As a former cotton manager for Louis Dreyfus in Europe and Asia, Bill Ballenden has many years of experience in the industry.

Cross-Cutting Issues: Digitalisation, Gender, Value Chains

The subsequent session in the conference programme with the headline “A Wider View” is devoted to currently defining trends and important cross-cutting issues in the industry. This goes far beyond classic cotton themes.

A lecture by Mark Messura, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Marketing for Cotton Incorporated, Cary, North Carolina, deals with the role of cotton in an increasingly digitally controlled supply chain. Significant keywords here are faster delivery times, vertical integration, transparency and traceability.

The presentation by Roger Gilmartin, Managing Director of Tri-Blend Consulting, Charlotte, USA, entitled “The secret recipe for timely, cost-optimised and high-quality cotton clothing” promises exciting and enlightening insights. Tri-Blend Consulting conducts studies on the performance of different cotton varieties during the entire consumption process to the finished yarn and evaluates them from an economic point of view.

Amy Jackson, from the Better Cotton Initiative, London, UK, presents ICA Liverpool's “Women in Cotton” initiative. With this commitment, the initiative aims to increase the influence of women in the cotton industry and give them a stronger voice, for example by building networks in cooperation.

Navdeep Singh Sodhi, International Strategic Management Consultant at the Gherzi Textile Organisation, Switzerland, gives an insight into the current development of the value chain for cotton, textiles and clothing in Africa. Looking ahead to the coming decades, also in view of population growth, Africa is seen as having a high potential for building economic structures to improve income and prosperity.

Thomas Schneider, Professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin and active in the field of production planning and control, textile materials and materials testing will host the session. A leading light in his field, Thomas Schneider has more than 30 years of experience in scientific and application-oriented research in the textile and fibre sector, including at the Fibre Institute Bremen e.V.

DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR (March 24-26) – the leading trade show for carpets and floor coverings in the Asia Pacific region - expands the design and conference area and welcomes new and returning brands.

Shanghai - For the 22nd edition, each flooring sector will have a theme. The highlighted product category in wood is solid wood for ground heating systems. The category is taking over the entire hall showing new technologies, new designs and new products in floor heating. Solid wood for ground heating systems is growing in China – according to China National Forest Products Industry Association, around 80% of China's wood flooring brands have developed the product.

At the same time the market share is increasing by more than 30% annually. It is expected that by 2025, the market size of solid wood for ground heating systems will reach RMB 10 billion (approx. 1.4 billion USD). The international and local market leaders, such as Junckers, Foglie d’Oro, Edelholz, IBF, Teclic, Nature, Fudeli, Bloor, Jinyi, Licher, Nuogao and Moganshan have already confirmed their participation at the show. Also in this hall we see the latest developments in the market in the dedicated InnovAction campaign.

The resilient flooring section will be spread out to 69,500 sqm gross, featuring Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) flooring. Among the resilient halls, there will be an “Inspiration Hall”, housing InnovAction campaign and design forum, where famous interior designers will educate the audience on using resilient flooring in interior. The InnovAction will be upgraded by showcasing the new products within matching interior spaces. This new way of presenting the InnovAction products is ideal for both manufacturers to share the ideas and for visitors to keep up to date with the market trends.

Carpet section will promote carpet as a driving force for interior design, with a dedicated hall being the epicenter of home and design carpets and the host hall for the Luxury Brands Carpet Show – a showcase of the most sought-after international high-end carpet design brands. After the successful first edition in 2019, Chinese Original Carpet Design Show comes back to promote the works of young Chinese carpet designers. Country pavilions from Germany, Belgium, Iran and Turkey will also showcase their products among the carpet halls. Traditionally DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR has been focused on B2B, however due to the market changes, the end users are more and more welcome to the show. In order to give the oriental carpets and rugs the spotlight and follow the trends, Indian and Afghanistan pavilions will be creating a new area - “Treasure of Orient”.

In 2020, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR will cover more than 185,000 sqm of gross space, taking up 16 halls at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. Five of the exhibition halls will be dedicated to carpets and rugs, four to wood, bamboo and other hard floors, 2 to FLOORTECH asia and 5 halls to resilient floor coverings. In 2019, the show gathered 1,579 exhibitors from 36 countries and attracted 66,875 trade visitors, of which 15,092 international, coming from 107 nations.

Heimtextil will launch the new 2020/2021 trend season with the general theme “WHERE I BELONG”. For the official Heimtextil Trend Preview, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam director Anne Marie Commandeur  introduced the new design themes. The presentation in the run-up to Heimtextil (7-10 January 2020) took place at the Textile Museum’s Textile Lab in Tilburg, the Netherlands on 11 September 2019 and was streamed worldwide.

This season, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam is responsible for the Trend Book content and Trend Space implementation at the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles. Alongside Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, London-based studio FranklinTill and Danish agency SPOTT trends & business contributed to the 20/21 global forecast for perspective-related interior design. Together with the Heimtextil management team, these Trend Council participants gave insights into future styles during a workshop.

At the annual international Trend Council workshop, identity was an ever-present topic: part of a broader discussion on gender and cultural diversity, on tolerance and curiosity. Today, the self-identification process seems more complex than ever. Identities are now formed through experiences that take place simultaneously, on different levels. Locally, nationally, globally, both online and offline. Identity therefore can consist of many different layers. In fact, individuals can all have multilayered identities.

Heimtextil Trends 20/21 Overview:

MAXIMUM GLAM

Pleasure seekers revel in layering theatrical influences and glamorous showtime aesthetics, forging a fantastic marriage between the crafted and digitally rendered. Textiles show a ‘more is more’ attitude through a mash-up of glam, gradients and spectrums, fake fur, pile and fringe, jacquard weaves and fantastic prints. The flashy, kitsch colour range becomes brutally glam thanks to electric sheen, synthetic shimmer, digital glitch and artful blur. A riot of clashes and rebellion.

PURE SPIRITUAL

Idealists seek perfection and purity, restoring equilibrium by connecting with the uber-natural. They embrace technology for good while shifting between realism and mysticism in pursuit of a personal haven. To address a renewed bond with nature, organic matter, raw materials and pure textiles are selected which show nature’s traces, organic structures and irregularities. Shades are created from the earth and cultured by man. An elemental and pure range reflects the source of their existence.

ACTIVE URBAN

Urban dwellers confront the challenges of the fast paced, shape-shifting, man-made environment by searching for utilitarian, adaptable solutions. They value tech performance while making smart use of  available and renewable resources. Functionality is prioritised, while looking cool and working well remains key. Interior/sportswear hybrid textiles show smooth surfaces and a fun mash-up of graphic textures. The palette shows uniform blue, asphalt grey and caterpillar yellow.

HERITAGE LUX

Preservers of historic legacies treasure sensuousness alongside the uncanny, enlightenment together with darkness, for a whole new immersive experience. This new narrative translates to a love for luxury and splendour, decoration and embellishment. Finding beauty in history and nature through ornamental patterning and alluring surface enhancement. Reflecting on ancient history results in a palette featuring enigmatic blood red, sapphire and a lustrous mother-of-pearl.

MULTI-LOCAL

Hyper-locals go global, celebrating inclusivity over appropriation, honouring traditional craftsmanship and adjusting the world’s gaze to embrace exchange, creative integrity and diverse identities. Indigenous style meets global influences. This is a celebration of crafted and decorative pattern, from tribal and folkloric to geometric and abstract. Textile colours become part of a wider cultural narrative, linked to local community, cultural heritage and private identity.

You can find more Information here

The international home textiles industry has enjoyed a promising start at Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main, which finished Friday, 11 January. The challenging economic situation and uncertainty in the retail sector were countered by a positive and confident mood at the world’s leading trade fair.

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’. [*For comparison, 2018: 2,975 exhibitors from 64 countries; 68,584 visitors from 135 countries, FKM-tested)]

3025 exhibitors from 65 countries* took the international trade fair for home and contract textiles to a 15-year high: ‘Exhibitors and visitors accepted the new trade fair concept with great enthusiasm and confirmed the trade fair’s position as the world’s most important meeting place for the industry. The quality of the decision-makers impressed the exhibitors, as did the number of new business contacts from 156 countries, especially international ones – thus enabling Heimtextil to set a new benchmark’, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. ‘Around 67,500 visitors* ensured that there was a busy atmosphere in the halls, despite a slight decline due to various reasons, such as difficult travel conditions on account of the storms in the alpine region and airport strikes in Germany’.

One topic that occupied both exhibitors and visitors was the current and future economic situation. A further challenge is the increasingly evident changes that are happening in trade. Increasing revenues and revenue shares in online retailing stand in the way of the efforts made by the stationary retail trade to maintain their inner-city businesses. ‘The small business specialist trade, but also department stores and multibrand stores, and thus the heart of our visitor target groups, are under pressure from the constantly increasing levels of e-commerce. With Heimtextil and our consumer goods fairs in general, we offer these retailers in particular clear perspectives and diverse inspiration in an ambiguous world’, continues Braun.

Heimtextil made it easier for its visitors to access valuable inspiration and business momentum thanks to an optimised trade fair concept and the associated new hall structure. ‘The new concept brought more visitors to the stand’, was the feedback from Andreas Klenk, Managing Director of Saum & Viebahn from Kulmbach in Franconia about hall 8.0 which offered textiles editeurs and manufacturers of curtain and sun protection systems a common platform for the first time. ‘It was the right decision to merge the different segments. We had high quality discussions with respect to both export and domestic business, and are satisfied with the trade fair’.

As part of the new concept, Heimtextil expanded its unique product range across the entire exhibition site and also included the new hall 12, which has been an additional architectural highlight on the Frankfurt exhibition grounds since September.

Top international companies from the Bed & Bath Fashion segment presented their wares here. For the company Curt Bauer from Aue in Saxony, the première of the new hall was a successful one. ‘We're very enthusiastic about the new hall 12. The product range there was very well received. We are very satisfied with the quality of visitors to our stand. In addition to a good frequency of German visitors, we are particularly pleased about growth from China and Russia’, says Managing Director Michael Bauer.

Natural materials, PET and ocean plastics 
Heimtextil set a standard in terms of sustainability: after the first global climate protection agreement for the textile industry was signed by 40 leading fashion companies, organisations and associations at the World Climate Conference in Katowice last December, the focus in Frankfurt was also on environmental progress in the textile industry. Numerous exhibitors presented progressive solutions, for example in the recycling of PET bottles and ocean plastic as well as in the use of certified natural materials. ‘Sustainability was the theme for us at this year’s Heimtextil. Major media players visited us and the 'Green Tour’ guided tour stopped by. We presented many things, including our first vegan duvet and fair silk products, all 100 per cent produced in Austria’, says Denise Hartmann, Marketing Manager at Hefel Textil. The topics of water consumption in the textile industry and microplastics also increasingly came to the fore. The exhibitor directory ‘Green Directory’ alone contained around 150 progressive companies listing sustainably produced textiles. The offer was supplemented by its own lecture series as well as theme-specific tours, which provided valuable impetus and
underpinned the pioneering green position of the trade fair.

Sleep becomes new lifestyle theme
Heimtextil also focused on sleep as one of the upcoming lifestyle trends. While a balanced diet and sufficient exercise are now a natural part of a healthy lifestyle, restorative sleep is still neglected* although it is one of the most important building blocks for long-term physical and mental well-being. At Heimtextil, a number of new products and aspects came to the fore that help people become sensitised to and analyse their sleep behaviour and promote healthy sleep. Around the redesigned hall 11.0 and in the adjoining lecture area ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’, representatives from the national and international bed industry enjoyed attractive product presentations and superb speeches on the topics of sustainability, hospitality, sport and digital.

In addition to the renowned trend show, the trade fair also focused on contract business, particularly in the hotel and hospitality sector, as well as decorative and upholstery fabrics, digital printing solutions and wallpapers.

The next Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main – its 50th edition – will take place from 7 to 10 January 2020.

*According to a forsa investigation commissioned by the Techniker Krankenkasse

Bobingen - Trevira GmbH, Germany, is again participating as an exhibitor at this year’s Building Healthcare show in Dubai, from 2-4 October. The manufacturer of high-value polyester fibres will present a large variety of fabrics made by 12 partners from inherently flame retardant Trevira fibres and yarns.

Modern furnishing concepts for healthcare environments are making increasing demands in terms of quality, functionality, colouring and hygiene. Perfectly matched materials and colour concepts in the interior not only help to provide good orientation for the residents, but also create more attractive spaces. In addition, the use of appropriate textiles such as curtains, drapes, blinds and sliding panels, fabric-covered dividing panels, upholstery and bedding textiles, can improve the room acoustics, protect your privacy and let the room appear in a pleasant light. In healthcare environments where hygiene and cleanliness are of particular importance, antimicrobial textiles may be used.

Trevira CS® and Trevira CS Bioactive® create a safe, attractive and comfortable environment in hospitals, clinics, spas, care homes and all other sectors in the contract sector.

Trevira CS Bioactive® contract textiles combine flame retardant and antimicrobial functions, which makes them the ideal material for use in healthcare facilities. They inhibit the growth of bacteria, prevent the formation of odours in/on the fibre and keep the textiles fresh for a longer time. The permanent flame retardant and bioactive properties of their fibres is integrated at molecular level, meaning that they remain unaffected by repeated washing, abrasion and ageing. This gives them an advantage over textiles with only a supplementary surface finish.

Trevira CS® and Trevira CS Bioactive® fabrics for the healthcare sector presented at the show stand come from these suppliers: Delius, Dina Vanelli, Fidivi Tessitura Vergnano, Gebrüder Munzert, JAB, Mattes & Ammann, Pugi, Rubelli, Rudolf Breuer Mechanische Weberei, Schmitz Textiles/drapilux, Subrenat, Verotex.

Trevira CS® and Trevira CS Bioactive® fabrics meet the requirements of the relevant international fire safety standards and can be certified according to the IMO regulations for the maritime sector. All Trevira fibres and yarns carry the Oekotex Standard 100 certificate. They are manufactured in accordance with the highest standards for sustainable products. A broad variety of collections with thousands of designs are available in Trevira CS® worldwide.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has always been at the forefront of the China and Asia markets for participants to find the latest products from around the world and learn about the current market trends. This year, a series of fringe programme events together with some new show features will inspire fairgoers throughout the four-day fair.

New features for contract business

Given the growing demand for textile solutions for architecture, interior design and the hotel industry, the coming August fair will highlight leading contract upholstery suppliers with distinctive labels. In addition, the show will feature a showcase area at hall 5.1 which displays quality contract upholstery from exhibitors. The area will be decorated by interior designers, demonstrating the functionalities of different contract textile products.

To introduce the opportunities that the textile industry can capture from contract business, both domestic and international architects, hoteliers, interior designers and industry experts have been invited to share their insights about design, market, materials and project management on the Contract Business Days, on 28 & 29 August.

Naima A Khan, founder and interior designer from The Green Design in UAE, for instance, will be speaking on The Art of Sustainable Interior Design. She has worked with many international home fashion retail store developers, as well as textile and interior companies, and is experienced in using therapeutic colour schemes, sustainable materials and sunlight in different design projects. Another guest, Esra Lemmens, who is also a designer and active speaker at design events, will talk about the expanding importance of design throughout Dubai as well as her suggestions for doing business in Dubai.

Other speakers also include Martin Oliu from the international design company, Harmony World Consultant and Design (HWCD). He has participated in a broad area of design such as architectural construction & interior design and is responsible for various luxury residential and hotel design projects. Professor Thomas Charles, who has been working on industrial product design and research for user experience & consumer behaviour study, business strategy and branding designs will give a talk on ‘The Power of Innovative Design’. Trevira CS will also participate in the Contract Business Day through their Chinese representative, Jenny Zhang, who will share how the permanently flame retardant Trevira CS textiles can fit into contract business.

Digital printing and technics remain a focal point

The Digital Printing Micro Factory concept was first introduced in the 2017 edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, and received much attention and positive feedback. To cater to the growing demand for efficient, one-step textile solutions, Global Fortune Limited from Hong Kong will work jointly with Kornit Digital and Bullmer to set up a Micro Factory at this August’s fair. An advanced digital printing system – Allegro & Cut by Kornit Allegro – will be introduced. The system streamlines the entire production process by combining printing and drying together so multiple machinery is not needed. It is also eco-friendly as one single ink set suits various fabric types, and designs will be printed in shapes and sizes that are ready for cutting. Visitors can learn more about the complete production process from printing and cutting to sewing via the onsite demonstration.

In addition to forums discussing how digital printing helps flexible production, there will also be an array of forums where some top domestic industry players will share their experience in resolving  technical problems in productions and satisfying requirements in different product tests.

Forward-looking events to ignite inspiration

The trend committee formed by international trendsetter the NellyRodiTM Agency has developed three themes, namely Caring Future, Crazy Future and Emo Future for the 2019 International Lifestyle Trends. Apart from the trend area where product displays are located, visitors can get a better understanding about the future living styles from the panel discussion and trend area tour. The agency’s creative director, Vincent Grégoire, will guide tours to explain the trend concept. He will also join other industry experts in the panel discussion on consumer lifestyle trends.

Another inspiring event during the show is the Future Talk in which representatives from different industries including fashion brand Shiatzy Chen, home appliance giant Haier, gourmets and lifestyle experts will share their perspectives on the future trends.

The show will be held from 27 – 30 August in the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. 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).

To find out more about this fair, please visit: www.intertextilehome.com.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2018 cooperates with the international trendsetter NellyRodiTM Agency again in offering the latest trend forecast to the home textile industry. Integrating different knowledge, inspirations and visions of trend evolution among the experts in the trend committee, three themes namely Caring Future, Crazy Future and Emo Future are established.
As the leading home textile trade fair in Asia, participants can always expect to see the latest items and discover the forthcoming market direction. To fulfil this, more than 1,000 suppliers from China and across the world will showcase a wide variety of products covering the whole spectrum of home furnishing, while the trend forecast, which is introduced during the show, provides both exhibitors and buyers with insight and guidance to stay ahead of the market.

This year, the show works together with the experienced international forecasting firm the NellyRodiTM Agency to form a trend committee consisting of different fields of expertise in order to gain the latest comprehension of international lifestyle forecasts. They have picked ‘FUTURE’ as the keyword of the season and three themes have been developed to illustrate this keyword.

• Caring Future: Now greener, more moral and socially oriented, creation draws from alternative imaginations to protect natural and cultural resources. It pulls inspiration from new eco-gestures and good altruist sense with a new credo – take care of nature and man
• Crazy Future: It plays on whimsical surrealism and petulance, the master of light-hearted insouciance. It plants a seed of madness in creation. Gaiety and fantasy amuse rational souls and titillate a taste for risk
• Emo Future: The need to console our cherished earth revives the emotion its immemorial beauty inspires. New nostalgia for the origin of things reconnects us to the essential. Neo-mysticism consecrates the elements and celebrates spiritual, benevolent nature. It inspires the perpetuation of the Traditions and rituals our ancestors practiced, in all their wisdom and humanism, to glorify nature 

These three themes will be demonstrated and discussed throughout the four-day fair in a series of events, while exhibitors’ products that resonate with the themes will be displayed in the Trend Area. Trend Forum tours will also take place, allowing show attendants to learn and discuss with designers and trend experts about the lifestyle trends.

Committee members with distinct specialties
The committee has contributed their expertise on retail experience, contract markets and new technologies, together with the sociological insights from an international consumer study in developing the themes. The following is an overview of the committee members.

• Mr Vincent Grégoire (France): Creative Director of NellyRodiTM Agency. Studied both interior and industrial design at the École Camondo in Paris, has been the artistic director and designer of exclusive products for the decorator Agnès Comar
• Mr Sun Yun (China): Partner and Design Director of Hangzhou Interior Architecture Design, founder of fashion brand HYSSOP Cornerstone
• Mrs Béatrice Brandt (France): Graduated from the Aix-en-Provence Graduate School of Management in Management Sciences with a major in marketing, 20 years of experience in marketing and innovation, now works as the CEO at Le Jacquard Français
• Mrs Hélène Pasteur (France): Purchasing Manager of Homeware/Leisure, Les Galeries Lafayette/BHV. Graduated from business school, entered Galeries Lafayette’s buying office in 1986 for the beauty, children’s wear, menswear, and accessory markets, managed the project that transformed BHV into BHV MARAIS from 2011 to 2014, now returns to the homeware department

More details of the trend programme will be released closer to the fair. The show will be held from 27 – 30 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai

Paris, February 20, 2018 – Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, is pleased to announce its partnership with Dual through the signing of a global agreement covering the Korean automotive supplier’s fabric seating and airbag businesses.

Backed by world-class research and development, Dual strives to meet evolving customer needs by offering innovative new automotive interior materials and advanced safety textiles. The supplier’s automotive trim and airbag divisions serve Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, the fourth largest automaker in the world. Currently undergoing rapid expansion, Hyundai-Kia is counting on Dual to increase its manufacturing capabilities in the high-growth regions where the group operates, including China, Eastern Europe, Turkey and South America.

A key feature of the global agreement is Lectra’s commitment to help Dual optimize its manufacturing processes with the aim of improving its cost structure. Lectra’s most advanced technologies—Vector® for vehicle seating and FocusQuantum® for airbags—and unique expertise in cutting room processes are crucial to helping Dual reach its operational excellence objectives.

The agreement designates Lectra as sole supplier for high-ply cutting equipment and services for Dual’s seating and interiors business, and laser cutting equipment and services for the company’s airbag cushion business at six plants located in Korea and China.
For its operations in Korea and China, Dual will gain access to the full array of expertise, customer support and field services that Lectra provides worldwide. Lectra’s complete customer support structure enables maximum uptime through remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.

“Dual will benefit most from this agreement by containing costs in the cutting room,” remarks Ong Jae-Yeol, Fabric and Seat BU Executive Managing Director, Dual. “This is precisely where Lectra’s expertise can help us gain a competitive advantage.”
“We are pleased to enter into this global partnership with Dual, to support them—not only with our best-in-class cutting technology, but also with Lectra’s expertise in cutting processes,” states Javier Garcia, Senior VP Automotive Sales, Lectra. “Our unique know-how contributes to Dual’s pursuit of operational excellence—the source of sustainable competitive advantage for car seat cover and airbag cushion suppliers.”

TINTEX is pleased to present its latest fabric innovations at the above salons with a new range of more than 80 qualities and styles designed for the Sportswear, Athleisure, Fashion and Underwear market sectors. The collection focusses on three jersey fabric concepts: TIMELESS, FASHIONABLE & INNOVATIVE.

TINTEX is a modern industrial company based in the Porto region since 1998, producing market savvy fabrics for global designers and brands. TINTEX makes a truly sustainable range of precision, modern hybrid jersey fabrics that offer a better, Naturally Advanced choices to all its customers.

The new ‘Naturally Advanced’ position means “advancing beautiful, organic and natural materials to the next level combined with unique, hybrid ‘nature-tech’ smarts, with advanced, added value and creativity, thanks to dedicated investments that serve and secure our customer demands both now and in the seasons to come” says CEO Mario Jorge. New innovations, which include the ISPO Best Product Award i (SOFT EQUIPMENT category) in TexTrends for fall winter 19/20, maintain and upgrade the honest but hi-tech sustainable organics that is at the heart of the TINTEX DNA to create better, smarter eco-materials, always with new levels of performance and hi-tech smarts, thanks to its expertise in specialist dyeing and finishing techniques, coatings and applications. These are all researched, designed and made using the latest equipment and processes. This season the new TINTEX collection plays with new colour balance techniques that deploy the benefits of chromotherapy for welbeing alongside skin safe materials and finishings.

The collection uses up to 90% of new smart and sustainable materials and include: Tencel, Modal & Micromodal, Organic Cottons, Supima cottons, Seacell fibres, Natural organic linens and the new, full colour ECOTEC® yarns by Marchi & Fildi, a smarter cotton made from pre-consumer clippings that in manufacture save up to 79% water. This season TINTEX is also introducing the new ECOTEC® yarn Phoenix (50% ECOTEC®, 50% recycled polyester, NM1/50 GRS-certified) for open, light and dry textures. Wellbeing credentials are guaranteed with Tessile e Salute certifications, TINTEX also presents new developments using the ROICA™ Eco Smart family of ecosustainable stretch yarns with certificated credentials. This family of yarns claim the world-first GRS certified ROICA™ premium stretch yarn that comes at least 50% from recycled pre-consumer waste.

The newest introduction for second skin qualities and for products to the athleisure market within TINTEX collection is ROICA™ Feel Good family that promises a new level of performance with ‘feelgood comfort’ and freshness.

For colouration effects, we can use the ROICA™ Colour Perfect family of yarns to create a flawless and responsible finish to dyed performance stretch assortments. Colours to Tranquilize, to Activate the Senses, to Recharge, to Energize.

Key highlights include: changeant effects (yarn and dyeing solutions), thermosensitive (reds/ blues) coatings, UV sensitive coatings and colourful coated patterns, extra fine and semi-transparent jerseys, but also, compact and fluid qualities.