From the Sector

From 26/10/2021 til 29/10/2021 PFAFF INDUSTRIAL has participated at thw A + A fair in Düsseldorf/Germany - one of the few IN-PERSON-EVENTS in 2021. The A + A event is the leading International trade fair for safety, security and health at work. 1,204 exhibitors from 56 nations and more than 25,000 trade visitors travelled to Düsseldorf, Germany to attend the sector’s most relevant trade fair. PFAFF INDUSTRIAL showcased several industrial sewing- and welding solutions on a common booth with Duerkopp Adler.

PFAFF 1591:
Electronic postbed shoe machine with new programmable thread tension device. The machine is stepping motor driven - no tolerance of the stitch lengths at different speeds. Top-quality for all assembly and decorative seams are ensured.

PFAFF 3590:
CNC Large-area sewing unit (500 x 400 mm sewing area) for full-automatic topstitching of work shoe uppers. The machine guarantees accurate seam quality due to the intermittent feed (feed stop when needle enters material); shifting of the material in the work clamp is avoided and wear on the hook is reduced. The vertical hook system ensures excellent multi-directional sewing properties.

PFAFF 8303i:
Hot-air taping machine for welding continuous seams on water-resistant, waterproof and breathable materials. The fair machine has been shown with post from back which is predestinated for the show production.

PFAFF 8323:
Hot-air welding machine for welding of reflective strips on work, sports, protective and saftey wear with up to 70% time savings compared to conventional processing

PFAFF 8311 (005 001):
Ultrasonic welding machine with sonotrode (steel) and automatic welding force control.

PFAFF 8311 (105 001):
Ultrasonic welding machine as C&S DUAL version – Cutting and welding a second seam in ONE operation. New and key feature of this version - the cutting wheel can be switched on and off via the touch control panel.

• CHIC Shanghai successfully completed under high safety and hygiene conditions
• The trend hotspot for the Chinese sales market: Lively interest of more than 20,000 trade visitors in the new collections of the 487 brands at the NECC in Shanghai
• Sustainability in great demand in all areas
• CHIC Shenzhen focuses on trading in the strong sales region of South China and the international clusters Hong Kong and Macao: Date postponed from November to December due to current Covid-19 cases in China

The fashion world of China met at the physical event CHIC Shanghai from October 9-11, 2021 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai

487 exhibitors presented themselves in clearly structured segments on 50,000 square meters. Maximum compliance with the security measures determined the course. Against this background the exhibitors welcomed more than 20,000 trade visitors and reported cheerful orders.

The 487 exhibitors were also satisfied with the business activity and reported successful orders.

Perfect presentation platform: the CHIC Matching area
The expanded matchmaking events at CHIC were also enthusiastically received.
In total, over 37 matchmaking events took place in the specially set up matching area consisting of several presentation platforms and private negotiation rooms at the fair. From company presentations by industry giants such as Shein, through trade fair tours to selected one-on-one discussions, CHIC brought exhibitors and visitors together in a targeted manner. More than 600 participants have been matched by this CHIC event. Among them visitors such as Shein, Walmart, Wang Yi Yan Xuan, Tiktok, BAILIAN GROUP, LIQUN etc, parts of the organizer's broad network.

Continuing growth: sustainable productions
Sustainability is one of the most important consumer trends in China. CHIC played the theme in all exhibition areas; from womenswear, kidswear and menswear to accessories, sustainable collections were represented in all segments.

Design talent and traditional styles
In the IMPULSES area, innovative designer brands showed inspiring trends, high-quality collections and fashion variety like Kmusso, MIJA or Yu Jian Tian with its new design collection made by natural materials such as mulberry silk and wool, presenting the unique traditional Chinese style.

CHIC Shanghai presented the entire range of the fashion business in a total of 12 exhibition segments. This year's acclaimed visual concept, created by lava beijing, has been awarded the Bronze Award of the Hiiibrand Awards 2021 in the Identity category.

Digital tools and physical events
In addition to the on-site trade fair offer, CHIC is expanding its reach through the consistent use of digital tools. The CHIC app combines all the functions needed for a successful trade fair participation, from the digital trade fair catalog and matchmaking to direct appointments and live chats for all participants who cannot be on site.

The next CHIC in Shanghai will take place in March 2022.

DyStar, a specialty chemical company with a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation is exhibiting at the 21st China Interdye 2021 from 17 to 19 November at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

China Interdye is the largest global exhibition for the dye-chem industry. The trade event will consist of technical seminars, conferences and events organised by exhibitors and relevant industry associations respectively.

DyStar’s managers will discuss various sustainable solutions which they offer to the textile supply chain. They will also be showcasing our latest product innovations for visitors from Brands and Retailers, manufacturers, and production houses to enhance their manufacturing process and improve end-product quality.

Customers can expect to find the following highlighted products and concepts at the event:

• Full collection of 11 Cadira® modules
• Evo® Soft Range
• Dianix® XF2 Range
• Jettex® Ink Ranges
• Remazol® SAM Series
• WOPAPAN Items
• Color Library from Color Solutions International (CSI)

The Crypton Companies (Crypton LLC and Nanotex LLC), leaders in high-performance fabrics for contract and residential interiors, has partnered with Hologenix®, LLC, whose CELLIANT® infrared technology is an ingredient in world-class brands across many categories. The two have collaborated to create a new textile innovation, Crypton® CELLIANT®, the first woven upholstery fabric with CELLIANT.

CELLIANT, ethically sourced minerals embedded into fibers, reflects natural body heat back to us as infrared energy. It has been clinically tested and proven to increase cellular oxygenation for improved energy, stronger performance, faster recovery, better sleep and overall enhanced wellbeing. With the tagline “easy care meets self-care,” the new Crypton CELLIANT fabric additionally offers Crypton’s performance characteristics. These include moisture-resistance, stain-resistance, spill-repellence, odor-resistance and cleanability. Both Crypton’s contract fabrics and its Crypton Home lines will offer collections of this innovative blend of Crypton performance along with CELLIANT’s energy-enhancing properties.

Crypton CELLIANT is exclusively woven at The Crypton Mills at Broad River, the firm’s own mill in Cliffside, North Carolina, and enhanced with performance technology in its research and manufacturing facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, to the highest environmental standards. Like all Crypton products, Crypton CELLIANT is GREENGUARD® Gold Certified. Crypton CELLIANT will be introduced to market through distributors in early 2022.

With enthusiastic participant registration and continued strong growth projected in absorbent hygiene & personal care markets, excitement is building for the seventh edition of Hygienix as it returns as an in-person event just weeks away, Nov. 15-18, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

INDA reports that more than 300 participants have signed up to attend the conference with participation expected to approach pre-pandemic levels in the 500 range.

The Hygienix conference program will focus on compelling topics including New Options for a Responsible End-of-Life; Product and Process Innovation in Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs); Haptics: Four Approaches to Assessing Feel, and E-Hygiene Advancements; Absorbent Hygiene Products Market Stats, Trends and Policy Insights; Feminine Care: Challenges to the Status Quo; and New Approaches and Unmet Needs in Baby and Incontinence AHPs.

The conference will also feature two nonwovens workshops, a welcome reception and opportunities for 60 tabletop displays with receptions.

Hygienix Innovation Award Finalists
Among the conference highlights will be the selection of the Hygienix Innovation Award™. The three finalists are all tapping into key trends that are driving growth in this segment – innovation and sustainability – with products that promote health and a healthy environment.

Award finalists making presentations include:

• Expandable Core Wrap from Curt G. Joa, Inc. – Chris Nelson, Business Development Manager, will provide an overview of this new patent-pending expandable core wrap design that allows the core to expand within the containment wrap as the product is insulted, regardless of the blended fluff and Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP) ratio.    
• GlatPure™ Back Sheet from Glatfelter – Vishal Bansal, Ph.D., Vice President, Innovation, will share how this product differs from most back sheets in today’s market that are made from plastic film and nonwovens such as Polyethylene (PE).
• Kudos Diapers from Kudos – According to Kudos Founder & CEO Amrita Saigal, a typical baby spends over 22,000 hours in diapers before potty training, making the material that touches their skin matter. Kudos is the first and only disposable diaper where baby’s bottom touches 100 percent doctor-recommended, carbon-negative, sensitive-skin-friendly cotton all day versus fossil-fuel-derived plastic

Members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – are proving instrumental in pioneering new sustainable processes for the dyeing, finishing and decoration of textiles.

The wasteful processes involved in these manufacturing stages are only one component in the development of viable circular supply chains for textiles that are now being established in Sweden.

At the recent Conference on Sustainable Finishing of Textiles, held across three separate afternoons on September 30^th, October 1^st and October 7^th, delegates heard that Sweden will introduce extended producer responsibility (EPR) for waste textiles and clothing at the beginning of 2022, ahead of the adoption of a similar European Union-wide EPR system in 2025.

New fibers
Swedish companies are also active in the development of new fibers derived from waste clothing, building on the country’s legacy leadership in pulp and paper production.

At the Sustainable Finishing of Textiles Conference, however, it was said that all of the environmental gains made by such sustainable new fibers can potentially be cancelled out in the further processing they are subjected to – and especially in resource-intensive conventional dyeing, finishing and decoration.

TMAS members Baldwin Technology and Coloreel have both developed solutions to address this issue.

TexCoat G4
During the conference, Baldwin’s VP of Global Business Development Rick Stanford explained that his company’s TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology significantly reduces water, chemistry and energy consumption in the finishing process. It consistently and uniformly sprays chemistry across a fabric surface and applies it only where needed, on one or both sides.

Instant coloring
Coloreel’s CEO Mattias Nordin outlined the benefits of his company’s technology which enables the high-quality and instant coloring of a textile thread on-demand and can be paired with any existing embroidery machine without modification. This enables unique effects like shades and gradient to be achieved in an embroidery for the first time.

INDEX™20 opened its doors, after an 18 month’ wait, delighted to welcome the nonwoven industry back to Geneva with open arms. The exhibition floor was busting with activity and anticipation at the prospect of new business.  

Over 500 exhibitors from 44 countries were present at the event, premiering their latest innovations. The resounding message was one of a positive outcome and an inspiring vision of the industry’s future across the spectrum of applications sectors.

The industry continued to evolve dramatically during the pandemic, and expectations were high as players from across the industry worldwide came together for the first time since 2017. Exhibitors said their expectations were exceeded, citing the high quality of the visitors present, converging on INDEX™ to conclude new business projects.

Over 9,300 visitor entries were recorded on-site, and over a thousand on the virtual platform. 

As the industry’s first hybrid industry event, many attendees made the most of the interactive INDEX™ virtual platform by arranging video meetings and messaging as well live exchanges. It also meant those unable to attend personally benefitted from the rich Sector Seminar programme and a wide variety Exhibitor Product Presentations.

The Innovation Lab opened its doors for the first time, demonstrating the sheer diversity of applications in which nonwovens are employed. The spotlight was on nominees of the INDEX™ Innovation Awards, and the winners presented with their coveted bronze statues designed by Belgian artist Olivier Strebelle. This initiative demonstrates the innovative properties and uses of nonwovens across a wide range of sectors, demonstrating the exciting future of the industry and its suppliers.

INDEX™23 will take place from 18 to 21 April 2023.

2050 is the year when adidas plans to achieve climate neutrality. It’s also the year when it’s expected that our oceans will contain more plastic than fish, that is, if we don’t act now. Adidas' solution to help end plastic waste and achieve climate neutrality? Sustainable innovation.

Last year adidas announced the Three Loop Strategy – their roadmap to help end plastic waste. At the heart of this is Circular Loop – Made To Be Remade.

The concept behind Made To Be Remade (MTBR) is simple: when one piece of plastic has fulfilled its purpose, it must be remade to fulfil another. Their attitude is that the end of one thing equates to the beginning of the next, and that their products’ lives can be extended by remaking them into new products.

Adidas' Circular Loop creation process has come a long way since they introduced FUTURECRAFT.LOOP – their first running shoe made to be remade – in 2019. From what started as a beta program of just 200 pairs has developed into a concept within the business that spans across multiple categories and in April this year saw the first commercial launch – Ultraboost Made To Be Remade.

Ultraboost Made To Be Remade will see the next generation released in November this year (2021). The shoe will be created in part from the previous generation. Featuring a torsion bar that contains 25% reused content from the Futurecraft Loop Gen 2.

W21 will see another adidas icon join the MTBR family - Stan Smith Made To Be Remade. Just like the Ultraboost model, Stan Smith MTBR has been created entirely from TPU – from laces to midsole and everything in between.

Adidas’s best-loved Outdoor products are also receiving the MTBR treatment. Alongside Stan Smith MTBR, October will welcome the TERREX Free Hiker Made To Be Remade, featuring a TPU knitted upper and TPU outsole, making it the first TERREX hiking shoe to use the technology. The shoe will be accompanied by the launch of the TERREX Made To Be Remade Anorak – their second-generation prototype following on from the FW20 FUTURECRAFT.LOOP Anorak, which will be commercially available in 2022.

Kornit Digital Ltd. announced the release of its Kornit Presto MAX system for sustainable on-demand production of apparel and other textile goods. The new system will make its live debut at Kornit Fashion Week Los Angeles + Industry 4.0 Event, which the company is hosting November 2-5 to showcase technology innovations, partnerships, and proven strategies driving the business case for sustainable, on-demand production of fashion and textile goods worldwide.

Kornit Presto MAX is the first digital print system to offer white printing on colored fabrics, enhancing decoration capabilities for dark colored fabrics more broadly. It is the only single-step solution for direct-to-fabric printing, delivering the highest quality and softest feel with brilliant whites and brighter neon colors. The system is ready to incorporate future iterations and evolutions of XDi technology—3D decorative applications to produce threadless embroidery, high-density, vinyl, screen transfer, and other innovative effects.

Kornit Presto MAX is compatible with natural fabrics, synthetics, and blends, and includes advanced algorithms for smart autonomous calibration, to deliver high-quality results with short cycle times and minimal manual interruptions or defects. The system was devised for compatibility with the KornitX global fulfillment ecosystem to enable anywhere, anytime production, supporting a true distributed production model that fulfills nearer the end consumer, eliminating time and logistical waste from the experience while empowering brands to ensure quality and consistency across all systems and production sites.

Kornit Presto MAX provides the cornerstone of a smart, efficient, sustainable EcoFactory that empowers producers to cover and integrate more parts of the process, from design to finished product, to decrease their carbon footprint, use minimum manpower, and generate less waste. This means eliminating excessive time, labor, and shipping throughout the value chain, enabling proximity production to meet the accelerated demands of a web-driven global marketplace—revealing new sales channels and clever business models to grow the business long-term.

Reifenhäuser Enka Tecnica will exhibit its wide range of replacement components for spunbond, meltblown, and composite lines at the world's leading nonwovens trade show INDEX in Geneva from October 19 to 22, 2021. The highly specialized custom manufacturer offers high-end technology "Made in Germany" that is 100% compatible with all globally installed lines.

Producers of nonwovens worldwide rely on Enka Tecnica components to manufacture products for complex applications in hygiene, medical or filtration to provide them with access to new profitable markets. Trade-show visitors will gain a detailed insight into the entire range of products, from meltblown and spunbond spinnerets to meltblown cassettes and complete meltblown spinning beams designed with an energy concept optimized for sustainability. The tips and capillaries assure consistent product quality and precision, allowing producers to meet their tolerance specifications reliably and avoid scrap at the same time..

With its refresh service for refurbishing used components, Enka Tecnica not only offers a cost-efficient alternative to new parts, but also extremely fast delivery times, a factor that is often decisive to maintain daily production targets. Visitors to Geneva will be able to see the quality of refresh components displayed at the booth - a meltblown and a spunbond spinneret, half of which has been refurbished. They will be able to see the condition of the capillary holes before and after the refresh through a microscope.

Another trade show highlight includes jet strips for hydroentangling nonwovens. Depending on the application, they are offered in Smart, Advanced, and Premium versions and have a special unique selling point – the strips are fully hardened, whereas competitor products usually only have a hardened surface. This quality advantage results in significantly longer service lives, which is why they are also known on the market as "The World's Hardest Strips”.