From the Sector

First insights, first new materials and trend highlights: On 29 and 30 November 2022, the European premium fabric sector will meet for an important exchange with international producers at VIEW in Munich to find out about the first colour and material trends for spring/summer 2024 at the earliest possible time. A selected range of around 300 pre-collections will be on show at the MVG Museum. This means that VIEW will once again be strong and business-relevant this season.

The past VIEW Premium Selection in June 2022 was a great success. Completely booked out and more international than ever, the Preview Textile Show of Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH was an important contact point for the buying and design teams of companies such as Akris, Baldessarini, Bogner, Calvin Klein, Cinque, Comma, Drykorn, Escada, Hugo Boss, Lala Berlin, Lagerfeld, Laurél, MAC, Marc Cain, Marc O'Polo, Riani, Schumacher or Strellson. The trend towards an increasingly international range continues in November. Numerous buyers, designers and product managers from European ready-to-wear manufacturers are expected in Munich the week after next, looking for new material innovations and trends at VIEW and the parallel ISPO.

International exhibitor portfolio with many new names
Material influences from Europe to Asia bring a highly exciting mix for the trend research of the new collections. Exhibitors from Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain and Turkey are among the participants.

The newcomers and returnees include, in addition to others:
AGNSTR / ALA CAMPOLMI / BAIRD MC NUTT / BELL & THUNDER / CB STILE / COLORA / EKOTEN / FABRIC LAB / GUARISCO / JECA LIMITED / KING BUTTON / LANIFICIO CAVERNI / LIMONATA EAST / M.T.T. MANIFATTURA / MANTERO / MILIOR / MTP PIEROZZI / PADROCASAS / PIZVAL / RIBBONTEX / SITIP / TEKSTINA SINCE 1828 / TEXMODA / VIVOLO und WAY.

Monforts will highlight its technologies for special technical textile applications at this year’s ITMA ASIA + CITME which takes place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, China, from November 20-24.

One of Monforts' developments is the Montex 8500 XXL stenter system for the production of technical fabrics in widths of up to 6.8 metres. Among the products made on this system are treated nonwovens for the geotextiles and filter media markets, tarpaulins, advertising banners, black-out curtains, membranes and many more.

On Montex©Coat coating lines, meanwhile, the possibilities range from the single-sided application of finishing agents for outdoor clothing and adding functionality to home textiles, to the creation of materials for sophisticated lightweight construction and automotive and aerospace components.

“Many more applications are possible, such as the overdyeing of denim, the creation of double-face coated materials, fabrics awnings, tents and medical drapes and the pre-treatment of substrates for digital printing”, explains Gunnar Meyer, Monforts area sales manager for China. “A range of different doctor blades and their combinations can be supplied to meet individual requirements, including air knife, roller knife, foam, screen and magnetic roller coating. The latter option is recommended for lines with working widths of over 2.4 metres.”

In addition, Monforts can provide the necessary explosion-proof ranges for solvent-based coatings and high temperature processes up to 320°C, such as the PTFE coating of nonwoven filter material. These lines are equipped with special burners, stenter chains, and insulation.

Leading computerized knitting machine manufacturer SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Turkish sales representative TETAS A.S., will participate in the CAITME 2022 Central Asian International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Tashkent, Uzbekistan next month.

This is the first time SHIMA SEIKI products are shown at the exhibition. Uzbekistan has been keen to convert its industry from raw material supplier to garment exporter, and therefore its market offers new opportunities for development and implementation of new technology.

To that end, SHIMA SEIKI will exhibit its WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology that can knit an entire garment and requires no post-process sewing. On display will be the MACH2VS WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine. The flexible and versatile MACH2VS is capable of knitting a range of production styles. As a conventional shaping machine, it is capable of all-needle knitting in its available range of 8 to 18 gauge, while WHOLEGARMENT® knitwear can be produced in half-gauge fabrics. The range of usable yarn and material has increased as well, thanks to i-DSCS＋DTC® as standard equipment. The R2CARRIAGE® system that yields quicker carriage returns for greater efficiency, now features a lighter carriage for even higher productivity. MACH2VS is even capable of gaugeless knitting whereby a number of different gauges can be knit into a single garment.

Meanwhile the N.SSR112 computerized flat knitting machine offers leading technology in an economical yet reliable package. Featuring industry-leading innovations such as the R2CARRIAGE®, spring-type moveable sinker, DSCS® Digital Stitch Control System, stitch presser and takedown comb, Made-in-Japan quality, reliability, productivity, user-friendliness and cost-performance combine to satisfy the high expectations of the world's fashion industry.

Demonstrations will be performed on SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 design system. At the core of the company’s "Total Fashion System" concept, SDS®-ONE APEX4 provides comprehensive support throughout the production supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design, to production and even sales promotion. Especially effective is the way SDS®-ONE APEX4 improves on the design evaluation process with its ultra-realistic simulation capability, whereby virtual samples replace physical sampling, consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. Digital prototyping using virtual samples on SDS®-ONE APEX4 help to digitally transform the fashion supply chain for realizing sustainable manufacturing

International technology group ANDRITZ will be presenting its nonwovens production solutions at CINTE 2022 in Shanghai, China – one of the main trade fairs for technical textile and nonwoven products in Asia. ANDRITZ will show its product portfolio covering state-of-the-art nonwovens and textile production technologies such as air-through bonding, airlay, needlepunch, spunlace, spunbond, wetlaid/WetlaceTM, converting, textile finishing, recycling, and natural fiber processing.

ANDRITZ supports nonwovens producers in the move to sustainability with the aim of reducing or eliminating plastic components while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties. This applies to all types of sustainable wipes, such as flushable, biodegradable, bio-sourced, carded pulp or standard carded wipes. The latest development in this field is the ANDRITZ neXline wetlace CP line, which integrates the carded-pulp (CP) process. This is a fully engineered production line combining the benefits of drylaid and wetlaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes.

The neXline wetlaid aXcess targets smaller and medium production volumes and has been devised for new and existing lines. The line is easy and fast to ship due to the compact design, which also fits perfectly into containers. An operator-friendly configuration and versatile design ensure efficient production at affordable investment costs.

The aXcess range was specially developed at ANDRITZ (China) Ltd. Wuxi Branch to handle medium capacities. The facility in Wuxi has an experienced platform for production and service specially geared to serve the Asian nonwovens industry. With the aXcess range, ANDRITZ has developed a hybrid line combining European and Chinese machines, which is the ideal combination to obtain the best added value from each component in the line and be very flexible to accommodate different business cases.

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

Eton Systems, the inventor and world’s leading provider of automated production systems for apparel and other textile-based processes, has supplied a large amount of workstations to Brazilian companies over the years, and believes its newly-launched Opta system is good news for this market becoming more efficient and profitable.

Automation is also high on the agenda of ACG Kinna Automatic, which specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and also has extensive knowledge in areas such as bed linen and textile filters.

Given Brazil’s extensive forestry sector, the country is a key market for Texo AB, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of weaving machines for the production of paper machine clothing (PMC).

All paper manufacturing machines require a regular supply of PMC, which as large continuous engineered fabrics, carry the paper stock through each stage of the paper production process. With technologically sophisticated designs, they employ fibres and other polymeric materials in complex structures and each paper machine has an average of ten separate fabrics installed on it. Although the PMC business represents just a small proportion of the total cost of manufacturing paper, it can have a significant impact on the quality of the paper, the efficiency of a machine and machine production rates.

• Expert Speakers Delivering Key Region Market Updates

Industry leaders will gain a compelling region-by-region view of the nonwovens industry from experts presenting the latest nonwovens trends in their areas of the world at IDEA®22, March 29-31 in Miami Beach.

Speakers with the latest knowledge will deliver important nonwoven market updates, demand forecasts and research findings on the industry in China, Asia, South America, North America and Europe.

The conference will explore how each region has responded to the pandemic challenges and supply chain issues with new innovations and solutions, providing IDEA®  attendees with vital insights for decision-making.

Program highlights include:

• Overview and Green Innovation Development of China’s Nonwovens Industry,  by Guimei Li, Vice President, China Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) on March 29
• South America – Land of Opportunity or Land of Turbulence? The Recent History and Trends That Are Shaping the South American Nonwovens Market, presented by Mariana Mynarski, Corporate Marketing Manager, Fitesa on March 29
• Asian Nonwovens Production and Market Update by Chan-Hyou Park, Chairman, Asia Nonwoven Fabrics Association (ANFA) on March 30
• Understanding the State of the North American Nonwovens Industry and a Market Gone Mad presented by Brad Kalil, INDA Director of Market Intelligence and Economic Insights on March 31
• An Overview of Key Issues Facing Nonwovens on Top of European Market Trends presented by Pierre Wiertz, General Manager, EDANA on March 31

IDEA® Award Presentations
Another conference highlight will be the presentation of the IDEA® 2022 Achievement Awards in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, based on the results of online voting in six categories as well as the announcement of the first Sustainability Advancement Award on March 30.

IDEA® – the World’s Preeminent Event for the Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics Industry – will feature several hundred exhibitors from a myriad of industry sectors and is expected to once again draw an audience of several thousand senior-level buyers and attendees from over 60 countries to the Miami Beach Convention Center. A welcome reception will be held to officially kick off the event on March 28.

IDEA®22 Essentials of Nonwovens Training Courses
Product developers, marketing managers, technical sales, support and other professionals can expand their industry-focused knowledge by attending the IDEA®22 Essentials of Nonwovens Training Courses.

This vital training program will provide an immersive dive into the latest nonwoven technologies, industry segments and more with courses on absorbent hygiene cores, making nonwovens, industrial wipes and consumer wipes.

A must-attend educational session on patent searching on March 31 will cover the latest major changes in patent searches on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website that has been updated to enhance user experience. 

• A springboard for entrepreneurs in the composites industry

In a few years, JEC Composites Startup Booster has became a reference for entrepreneurship in the composites industry worldwide. Each year before JEC World, among the startups that submitted their application, 20 of them are selected. 20 finalists from all over the world who will join the leading composites trade show to pitch their project on stage before a panel of expert judges.

This competition is a unique opportunity to network and shine a light on what will be the future of the composites industry so save the date: the two pitches sessions will happen on May 3rd, and the winners will be named on May, 4th at 2.45 pm at JEC World 2022 in Paris as well as online on JEC World Connect platform. This year’s competition is sponsored by Airbus & Mercedes-Benz (Main Innovation Partners) as well as Magna Exteriors (Innovation Partner).

Launched in 2017, Startup Booster has been organized in three different regions (Europe, USA and Asia) and has already fostered the emergence of 500+ innovative projects from 50+ countries, 80 finalists and 30 winners, including Arevo, Continuous Composites, ComPair, Fortify and Vartega…
This challenge not only represents an opportunity to the winners of the trophy but to all the parts involved: participants, jury, official partners and the worldwide audience of JEC World. It brings the entire composites value chain together, creating future business opportunities.

The 20 finalists are divided into two categories:
• Process, Manufacturing & Equipment
• Materials & Products

The jury includes representatives from major manufacturers and investors:
Jelle BLOEMHOF, Head of Manufacturing Technologies of Composite, Airbus
Karl-Heinz FULLER, Head of Future Outside & Materials Mercedes-Benz AG
Florent ILLAT, Head of Safran Corporate Ventures, Safran
Brian KRULL, Global Director of Innovation, Magna Exteriors
Tim VORAGE, Founder and Manager Growth Garage Accelerator , Mitsubishi Chemicals Advanced Materials

Two pitch sessions of 10 presentations each will be held in the Agora stage (Hall 5), on Tuesday, May 3, from 10am to 11.25am (Category: Products & Materials) and from 4.30pm to 5.55pm (Category: Process, Manufacturing & Equipment). Three winners will be chosen by the jury and one winner for the sustainable aspects of the project. The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May, 4th at 2.45 pm.

Category “Products & Materials”
o Blackleaf (France)
o Dongnam Realize (South Korea)
o FibreCoat (Germany)
o FVMat (Israel)
o Ora Graphene Audio (Canada)
o Pangolin Defense (France)
o Phononic Vibes (Italy)
o Revolve (Germany)
o Smart Resilin (Israel)
o Space Walker (Japan)

Category “Process, Manufacturing & Equipment”
o Antefil Composite Tech (Switzerland)
o ANYBRID (Germany)
o Atomic-6 (USA)
o Carbon-Drive (Germany)
o Continuum (Denmark)
o Fibraworks (Germany)
o Herone (Germany)
o RVmagnetics (Slovakia)
o Touch Sensity (France)
o XARION Laser Acoustics (Austria)

Asia's largest fashion fair, CHIC SPRING SHANGHAI, will postpone the event planned for March to April 14-16, 2022. The latest worldwide pandemic developments due to the new virus variant Omicron prompted the CHIC organizers to take this step.

With this relocation, the organizers are also taking into account the interests of international exhibitors and visitors. In addition to various international joint stands, Germany will also be represented with a GERMAN PAVILION. The trade fair team is working on innovations at the trade fair with the highest priorities and will now focus the entire marketing on the new date.

CHIC SPRING is the showcase for the latest trend developments in fashion and offers trade visitors a concentrated overview. CHIC SPRING as a fashion and lifestyle fair shows the areas of womenswear, menswear, kidswear, denim, shoes and bags, accessories, designers and streetwear in clear segments at the National Convention & Exhibition Center in Shanghai.

CHIC is organized by Beijing Fashion Expo Co. Ltd. and China World Exhibitions, supported by the China National Garment Association, the China World Trade Center and the Sub-Council of the Textile Industry (CCPIT).

The EPTA – European Pultrusion Technology Association organizes in cooperation with the ACMA – American Composites Manufacturers Association - the 16th World Pultrusion Conference on 03 – 04 March 2022 in Paris, France (as a “hybrid event”, this conference will also have the option of online access). The conference is one of the leading pultrusion events in the world. The event takes place just before the JEC World 2022 in Paris (08 – 10 March 2022).

The presentations are to document innovations in the following subject areas of pultruded reinforced plastics:

● Market development in Europe, USA, Asia
● Innovative applications
● New Markets: Ideas for potential new applications with pultruded shapes or systems
● Sustainability: Technical possibilities, recycling, etc.
● Raw materials
   ○ Development of fibres
   ○ Development of resins
● Construction / Testing / Calculation
● Processes

The presentation language will be English. Deadline for paper submission (title, short abstract, speaker name and address) until 15th October 2021 to info@pultruders.com.
 
The European Pultrusion Technology Association was created in 1989 by a group of leading European pultruders with the mission of supporting the growth of the pultrusion industry by maximising external communication efforts and encouraging knowledge sharing between members. Since 2006, the association has existed under the umbrella of the AVK – Federation of Reinforced Plastics in Frankfurt, Germany. Membership of EPTA is open to all companies and individuals worldwide wishing to further the application of pultruded profiles. For further information visit http://www.pultruders.com.

Asia’s leading international trade fair for home and contract textiles returns for its 27th edition next month, offering suppliers and buyers a much needed boost with physical and virtual participation options. Buyers around the world can source from over 800 exhibitors both during the 25 – 27 August show period and online after the fair.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition will open next month following successful in-person editions last August and this March. This year the fair will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Yarn Expo Autumn, PH Value and CHIC at the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

To better cater to the needs of those who cannot travel to Shanghai, last year’s online buyer service returns again in 2021. Livestream presentations specific to product categories will be conducted each day of the fair, with online buyers able to communicate dynamically with the exhibitors, or follow up with them after the fair. An online matching programme will also be offered again, with buyers able to arrange virtual meetings with their desired exhibitors during and after the fair. For those buyers able to attend the fair in-person, a VIP buyer programme a free business matching service is offered.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition 2021 will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, Yarn Expo Autumn, PH Value and CHIC at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. 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).