From the Sector

• Circularity at the centre

PG DENIM, the designer project by Paolo Gnutti, is ready for several important events scheduled for the autumn with ground-breaking interpretations and a new – increasingly green – business model. The occasion is its participation in the Blue Zone at Munich Fabric Start (Munich, 3-5 September 2019), a space which is increasingly often reserved for companies and projects with a high innovation rate in the world of denim.

PG DENIM at the German exhibition will be presenting important product innovations, but most notably new concepts developed for the S/S 2021 season. The focus here is on circularity, seen from a dual perspective: the product with the no longer traditional alternation of seasons, and a sustainabilityoriented approach.

Seasons meet

The new PG DENIM approach is geared towards overlapping seasonality, with less and less marked separations between projects dedicated to the spring-summer and fall-winter lines. The collections by PG DENIM can thus be increasingly defined as a “mix of products without seasonality”. Its focal points are innovation alongside the concept behind the initial idea, as opposed to just the season. This trend, explains Paolo Gnutti, CEO and R&D Head at PG DENIM, is also due to registering the fact that seasonality – in terms of environment and trends – is changing at an increasingly rapid pace. As a response to this situation, the choice has been made to design new collections starting from macro-trends and presenting fabrics for garments which are “easy to wear”, suitable for both warm and cold temperatures, in a true melting pot  of weights and sizes.

The lines for the previous season are thus reintroduced and restyled playing with weights and sizes, within a range where flock meets ultra-light fabric bases, or where vinyl is combined with typically summer weights which shift the fabric towards the world of “paper” with crispy touches, resulting in extraordinarily lightweight and strong items at the same time. Also the GARAGE DENIM has been upgraded with fluid and smoothed touched for garments which are easy to wear and have a strong personality.

Partnership with The Denim Window

The PG DENIM season is also enhanced by its partnership in The Denim Window project, which has resulted in a limited series of Creative Capsule Collections, derived from the idea of bringing together companies which had already worked or were working together, trying to highlight – through small capsule collections – the best of what had already been produced by traditional businesses. This has resulted  in three trailblazing capsules, two of which designed in partnership by PG DENIM and companies the likes of M&J Group, Cadica and Greenwear. Several copies of these collections have been made to travel the world, and – after the official presentation in July – they will have a special corner, The Denim Window, in the Bluezone at Munich Fabric Start.

The “Circular Programme” and the five “Rs” of sustainability

Also the PG DENIM approach to accountability in production processes has been enhanced by implementing the “Circular Programme”. As part of our corporate vision, Italian-style production is combined with compliance with what have become known as “the five Rs”, that is to say key concepts underlying the design and manufacturing model: Reduce (everything you are not using), Repair (everything you can), Reuse (anything available to you), Recycle (all that is left), Respect (everything around you).

This is the philosophy underlying each individual process at PG DENIM, and leading to new specific programmes which have been its business focus over the past few months:

1) Reducing the environmental impact during the fabric dyeing phase in reaction and sulphurbased processes, where the use of chemicals has been reduced by 40%, water consumption by 50% and CO2 emissions by 60%, which has also resulted in better penetration and a better result in the crocking process. This has led to producing 10 new articles which will be launched on the market.

2) Recycling all waste from processing and after use, creating a range of garments where cotton is actually obtained from regenerating these two kinds of waste. In this regard, PG DENIM for now is the only company on the market able to process with a percentage of recycled product exceeding 60% of the total, whereas the average for this kind of manufacturing is generally about 35%.

As regards regular production, on the other hand, PG DENIM follows stringent international standards, including Dtox, Reach and Gots in all its processing phases, also using BCI cottons and the Organic Cotton Standard for raw materials. Last but not least, it was recently awarded the GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification.

Herr Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Yordan Kyosev wurde als Universitätsprofessor (W3) an der TU Dresden ernannt und übernimmt die Professur für Konfektionstechnik mit ihrer neuen Denomination „Montagetechnik für textile Produkte“ am Institut für Textilmaschinen und Textile Hochleistungswerkstofftechnik.

Herr Univ. Prof. Dr.- Ing. habil. Hartmut Rödel leitete seit 1996 die Professur Konfektionstechnik und wurde Ende März 2018 in seinen wohlverdienten Ruhestand verabschiedet. Bis zur Neubesetzung wurde die Professur kommissarisch durch Frau Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Sybille Krzywinski geleitet. Zum 1. August 2019 wurde Herr Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Yordan Kyosev als Universitätsprofessor (W3) an der TU Dresden ernannt und übernimmt die Professur mit ihrer neuen Denomination „Montagetechnik für textile Produkte“.

• Herzog: Organic start of Industry 4.0 scenarios with an app
• Mahlo: Better production results with digital help
• Lindauer DORNIER: An addition to personalized services

On the occasion of a VDMA press conference themed “ITMA countdown” in Frankfurt, speakers from member companies Lindauer DORNIER, Herzog and Mahlo showed how Industry 4.0 solutions are going to impact the textile process chain and what technologies visitors can expect to see at ITMA 2019. The products examples of the respective companies made clear that Industry 4.0 is no end in itself but helps to improve production processes and results and supplements the range of services.

Interview 1

Interview 2

At the 128th Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd. on April 4, 2019, 502 shareholders, who represent 63.8% of the share capital, participated. A dividend of CHF 5.00 per share was agreed. The shareholders approved the proposed maximum total amounts of the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors and of the Group Executive Committee for the fiscal year 2020.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bernhard Jucker, and the members of the Board of Directors This E. Schneider, Michael Pieper, Hans-Peter Schwald, Peter Spuhler, Roger Baillod, Carl Illi and Luc Tack were confirmed for an additional oneyear term of office.

Furthermore, This E. Schneider, Hans-Peter Schwald and Bernhard Jucker, the members of the Remuneration Committee who were standing for election, were also re-elected for a one-year term of office.

Shareholders also adopted all other motions proposed by the Board of Directors, namely approval of the annual report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements for 2018, and formal approval of the actions of the members of the Board of Directors and those of the Group Executive Committee in the year under review.

Gianluca Croci's priority will be to support Lectra's French customers in their transformation towards Industry 4.0
Lectra announces the appointment of Gianluca Croci as Managing Director, Lectra France. Based in Paris, Gianluca Croci reports to Fabio Canali, President, Southern Europe & North Africa.

Gianluca Croci has more than 20 years of experience in the fashion industry. He began his career in 1998 in the department store chain La Rinascente before joining the Giorgio Armani group in 2002, where he managed, from 2006 to 2015, the Belgian and French subsidiaries. Gianluca Croci later held management positions for major fashion and luxury brands, such as Roberto Cavalli and Marcolin, and was recently the Sales & Marketing Director for Technogym France, a designer of sports equipment.

Gianluca Croci will fulfil Lectra's promise to fashion companies in France: to facilitate the digitalization of their know-how in order to empower them to make a successful transition to Industry 4.0. This ambition is being realized by the 2018 launch of the revolutionary solution, Fashion On Demand by Lectra, which enables fashion companies to customize a garment or make it to measure. This end-to-end personalization offer—the first of its kind—complements a portfolio that is known to solve the pressing challenges confronting the fashion industry. The latest, Kubix Link, developed by Kubix Lab, a start-up acquired by Lectra in January 2018, is an innovative platform for managing product information.

"France is known worldwide for being a leader in fashion and technological innovation. It is a country where brands, retailers and manufacturers have already begun their transformation towards Industry 4.0. I am proud to support our customers’ pursuit of greater connectivity and collaboration in their operations, as well as in assisting them to make the shift to personalization," says Gianluca Croci.
Gianluca Croci and his teams are committed to providing their French customers with the high level of expertise and service that characterizes Lectra's value proposition.
Gianluca Croci's efforts are also tied to the dynamic activities of Lectra Southern Europe & North Africa. There are many synergies in the region’s fashion industry, ranging from the sharing of expertise between French and Italian companies to the integration into their ecosystem of the Moroccan and Tunisian subcontractors.

"Our regional organization enables us to be closer to our customers’ challenges and to provide them with the support they need to achieve their ongoing targets. Gianluca Croci will lead the French teams and contribute to the region's growth," says Fabio Canali. "His extensive experience with major Italian and French companies brings new energy to the development of Lectra France.”
Gianluca Croci is a graduate of the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), Fontainebleau (France), and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan (Italy).

Feb. 2019 Event Targets Laundry Execs, Upper Management Teams Serving Hospitality and Hotel Lodging Markets

Anthony Melchiorri, the renowned hospitality expert, creator and host of The Travel Channel shows Hotel Impossible, Hotel Impossible: Five Star Secrets and Hotel Impossible: Showdown once thought of opening his own hotel laundry when he was fresh out of the Air Force and entering the hospitality industry. Attendees at TRSA’s inaugural Hospitality Conference, Feb. 20-21, 2019, will hear about that and more when Melchiorri delivers the keynote address at the Walt Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Melchiorri’s 20 years of hospitality industry experience and resultant successes has provided a wealth of insights and actionable steps that he will share during his presentation, How to Build Your Personal Brand.

TRSA has added the Hospitality Conference to its growing professional-development opportunities in response to member requests for enrichment specific to this rapidly-growing market. Attendees for this event, which is targeted to laundry executives and their upper management teams who serve the hospitality and hotel lodging markets, will benefit from opportunities to build skills, learn best practices from industry leaders and spend time collaborating and sharing information. Agenda highlights include these general session topics:

• Contracting with Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs)
• Hospitality Market Research
• Understanding Hospitality Textiles

Panel discussions pay professional growth dividends in the form of networking and information-sharing. The TRSA Hospitality Conference’s agenda includes these interactive opportunities:

• CEO Panel: Hospitality Market Trends
• Customer Perspectives: Benefits and Challenges of In-House (OPLs) and Outsourcings
• Making the Case for Outsourcing Laundry Services and Closing In-House or On-Premise Laundries (OPLs)

Day two of the agenda will consist of tours at these state-of-the art central Florida plants: Walt Disney World Textile Services Resort Linen Plant and Hotelier Linen Service. Following the plant tours, management teams will offer debriefing sessions that allow for comparison of operations, thereby enriching the discussion of alternative approaches to similar tasks among conference attendees.

Early-bird registration pricing for this event is open now through Jan. 11, 2019. An additional 10% off registration for three or more who register from the same company is also available. Visit www.trsa.org/hospitality for additional information. The full TRSA professional development calendar for 2019 can be viewed at www.trsa.org/calendar.

The Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) has awarded two prizes to graduates of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University - the dissertation prize and the creativity prize of the Walter Reiners Foundation of German Textile Machinery 2018. ITA alumnus Dr Benjamin Weise was awarded the dissertation prize for the development of novel fibres for textile charge storage devices. For their work on a guide to 4D product design, Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal (both ITA students) were honoured with the creativity prize. The dissertation prize is endowed with €5,000 whilst the creativity prize contains a one-year scholarship of €250 per month. Peter D. Dornier, President of the Walter Reiners Foundation and Chairman of the Management Board of Lindauer DORNIER, presented the awards on the 18 September 2018 at the 18th Textile Machinery Forum in the Digital Capability Center in Aachen, Germany.

Graphene revolutionizes all-in-one - supercaps, reduction of terahertz radiation and antistatics

In his dissertation "Development of graphene-modified multifilament yarns for the production of textile charge storage devices", laureate Dr Benjamin Weise developed novel fibres made of polyamide and graphene and further processed them into textile surfaces. The newly developed polyamide graphene fibres are featuring a multitude of advantages:

• Due to their high performance in the charge storage area, they are predestined for use in double-layer capacitors, so-called super capacitors, or supercaps in short. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, supercaps offer significantly higher power density and a longer lifetime as no chemical reactions are taking place. towing to the graphene platelets in the filaments, it is now possible for the first time to integrate a charge storage device directly into a textile without having to sew in a rechargeable battery. This new fibre is therefore suitable for prospective use in smart textiles, for instance in a textile defibrillator.
• The new graphene-modified polyamide fibres can attenuate inident terahertz radiation up to 25 % of their original intensity. Terahertz radiation, for example, offers transmission rates of 100 Mbit/sec and is therefore of high interest for high-performance wireless communication. However, the radiation could damage sensible electronics as in aircrafts if this technology will be used widespread. Consequently, the shielding of the radiation is of high importance, e.g. in the form of fibre composite components in the aircraft, which protect the on-board electronics.
• As the fibres are showcasing a dissipative electrical conductivity, personal protective equipment is another prospective field of application.  

The development of a pilot process for graphene-modified fibres and the production of textile demonstrators are novel and disruptive attainments of Dr Weise’s PhD thesis and the reason for the award ceremony to him. Due to its outstanding properties, the European Union is funding research on graphene within the frame of the "Graphene Flagship" with an overall budget of one billion Euro (source: http://graphene-flagship.eu/project/Pages/About-Graphene-Flagship.aspx).

Modular product design of 4D products is now possible in simplified form

How can three-dimensional products change their shape over time and thus become "four-dimensional"? The students Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal provide answers to this question in their project work "Leitfaden zur Auslegung hybrider morphender Textilien am Beispiel eines Scharniers" (Guidelines for the Design of Hybrid Morphing Textiles Using the Example of a Hinge), for which they were awarded the creativity prize. In their work, the students offer a guideline for the development of a four-dimensional textile from the idea to the demonstrator. Four-dimensional textiles, for example, consist of a hybrid material of elastic textile on which three-dimensional structures are printed. The fourth dimension describes the change in shape and/or a property over a defined period of time (= morphing).  This change is caused by external influences such as light and heat.

Every year, the Foundation of the German Textile Machinery awards prizes for the best dissertation, diploma or master's thesis and the creativity prize for the smartest student research project. Further prizes were awarded to Eric Otto, ITM Dresden, and Susanne Fischer, Reutlingen University.

Recycelbare Schuhe oder Schuhe aus Abfallprodukten – bei der Präsentation neu entwickelter Schuhkonzepte im Fach innovatives Produktdesign im Masterstudiengang Textile Produkte Design setzten die Studentinnen das Thema Müllvermeidung ganz oben auf die Agenda. Die Studentinnen des Fachbereichs Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik der Hochschule Niederrhein zeigten dabei kreative Produktentwicklungen – und beeindruckten nicht nur ihre Betreuerin Prof. Ellen Bendt sondern auch Angela Mathis und Christoph Ruland von der Firma Birkenstock, die eigens aus Köln zu der Schuhpräsentation angereist waren.
 
„Jährlich werden weltweit 23 Milliarden Paar Schuhe verkauft. Dies entspricht etwa drei Paar für jeden Bewohner auf der Welt. Das Recycling bei Schuhen ist dabei besonders kompliziert, da diese aus vielen verschiedenen Materialien bestehen und diese extrem fest miteinander verklebt sind“, sagt Ellen Bendt. „Dieses Problem haben die Studierenden in ihren Arbeiten aufgegriffen und zum Teil auf beeindruckende Weise gelöst.“
 
Zum Beispiel das Modell „Saftig“ von Elise Esser. Ihr Schuh besteht fast zu 100 Prozent aus natürlichen Inhaltsstoffen wie Orangenschalen – natürlich ist er ökologisch abbaubar. Das Ausgangsmaterial für den Schuh fällt als Nebenprodukt der lokalen Saftproduktion an. Der Schuh selbst ist komplett genäht, nicht geklebt. Selbst die Sohle besteht aus einem Gemisch mit gehäckselten Orangenschalen.  
 
Dilara Dogans Modell heißt „Statement“. Zugrunde liegt diesem die Überlegung, dass 25 Prozent aller genutzten Papiere nicht recycelt werden können. Dies betrifft vor allem Grafik-Papiere aus hochwertigen Magazinen. Dieses Papier hat sie gesammelt und geschreddert – und mit Silikon verstärkt eine Sohle aus Papiergeflecht konzipiert. Diese ist gut sichtbar – schließlich soll sich der Träger offensiv zu seinem Umweltbewusstsein bekennen.
 
Ebenfalls auffallend ist der Schuh „Matchball“ von Tanja Fuß. Die Studentin, die in ihrer Freizeit gerne Tennis spielt, hat sich mit dem Problem der weggeworfenen Tennisbälle beschäftigt. 14 Tonnen Tennisbälle werden in Deutschland jedes Jahr entsorgt. Das muss nicht sein, sagt sie – und hat aus ausrangierten, aufgeschnittenen Tennisbällen gut dämpfende Sohlen entwickelt, die sie zum einen für einen Sportschuh, zum anderen für einen eleganten High Heel verwendete.
 
Angela Mathis und Christoph Ruland von Birkenstock waren von den Ideen der Studierenden durchaus angetan. Ein paar Wochen zuvor hatten die Studierenden die Möglichkeit gehabt, sich in den Produktionshallen von Birkenstock in St. Katharinen über die moderne Schuhproduktion „Made in Germany“ zu informieren.
 
 

Frau Dr.-Ing. Iris Kruppke, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Institut für Textilmaschinen und Textile Hochleistungswerkstofftechnik (ITM) der TU Dresden, wurde am 16. Juni 2018 zum Tag der Fakultät Maschinenwesen der TU Dresden mit dem Manfred-Hirschvogel-Preis geehrt. Der Preis ist mit 5.000 EUR dotiert und wird seit 2013 jährlich an allen TU9-Universitäten - den neun führenden technischen Universitäten in Deutschland - für die beste Promotion des zurückliegenden Jahres im Bereich Maschinenbau vergeben.

Im Rahmen ihrer Dissertation zum Thema „Entwicklung von Methoden zur Realisierung von maßgeschneiderten Adhäsionseigenschaften von faserbasierten Hochleistungswerkstoffen für Composites“ setzte sich Frau Dr. Kruppke mit der Oxifluorierung als Oberflächenbehandlungs-methode auseinander. Dieses hocheffiziente Verfahren, das zur Oberflächenfunktionalisierung eingesetzt wird, soll zukünftig insbesondere bei der Entwicklung neuer maßgeschneideter Carbonfasern zum Einsatz kommen. Frau Dr. Kruppke gelang es, das Thema der Oxifluorierung zum maßgeschneiderten Grenzschichtdesign von Carbonfasern im Rahmen der großen Forschungsinitiative „C³ - Carbon Concrete Composites“ innerhalb des BMBF-Programms „Zwanzig20 - Partnerschaft für Innovation“ mit starker Industriebeteiligung sehr erfolgreich weiter voran zu treiben.

Die Ergebnisse ihrer Dissertation, die Frau Dr. Kruppke Ende März mit der Bestnote „summa cum laude“ verteidigte, sind von enormer Bedeutung für die Herstellung von Faserverbundwerkstoffen. Sie eröffnen die Möglichkeit, Hochleistungsfasern in Hochleistungsstrukturen umzuwandeln. Solche Entwicklungen erfordern eine Anpassung der vorliegenden Grenzflächen dieser Hochleistungsfasern an neue polymerbasierte, z. B. thermoplastische und anorganische Matrixsysteme. Die besonderen Publikationsleistungen lassen erwarten, dass die bisher erzielten Resultate weiterhin als fester Bestandteil in die zukünftige industrienahe Carbonfaserforschung eingehen und somit ein neues Forschungsgebiet erschließen.

Gerade im wissenschaftlichen Bereich des Maschinenbauwesens sind Frauen in leitender Position bedauerlicherweise immer noch selten zu finden. Mit der erneuten Auszeichnung beweisen die Wissenschaftlerinnen des ITM ihr enormes wissenschaftliches Know-how, welches sie am ITM dank der exzellenten Infrastruktur erlangen und deren Ergebnisse auf renommierten nationalen und internationalen Konferenzen regelmäßig offeriert werden. Bereits 2017 wurde eine weitere Wissenschaftlerin des ITM mit dem Bertha Benz-Preis für ihre herausragende Promotion zur Entwicklung eines neuartigen Verfahrens zur Herstellung metallischer 3D-Strukturen auf Webmaschinen ausgezeichnet.

Manfred Hirschvogel Preis
Die Frank Hirschvogel Stiftung hat 2013 zum ersten Mal den Manfred Hirschvogel Preis verliehen. Der Preis wird zu Ehren des Lebenswerks von Dr. Manfred Hirschvogel vergeben.
Der Preis ist mit 5.000 EUR dotiert und wird seit 2013 jährlich an allen TU9-Universitäten - den neun führenden technischen Universitäten in Deutschland - für die beste Promotion des zurückliegenden Jahres im Bereich Maschinenbau vergeben.

Image processing system allows cost savings of more than 2,000 euros per year and weaving machine

MSc Marco Saggiomo from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) and graduate engineer Marcin Kopaczka from the Institute of Imaging & Computer Vision of RWTH Aachen University (LfB) developed an image processing system for weaving machines that provides comprehensive benefits for woven fabric producers. The image processing system enables the weaving machine to detect faulty pickings autonomously. The application of the image processing system leads to cost savings of at least 2,210 euros per year for each weaving machine in comparison to manual faulty picking repairs.

The researchers won the “Best Student Paper Award” within the framework of the 7th International Conference on Pattern Recognition Applications and Methods (ICPRAM) for their joint paper on “Fully Automatic Faulty Weft Thread Detection using a Camera System and Feature-based Pattern Recognition”. The award confirms the success of the co-operation of both institutes, ITA and LfB, which will be continued in future research projects.

The image processing system is part of the doctoral thesis of Marco Saggiomo. Marcin Kopaczka supported ITA with the development of the image processing algorithm.
The joint paper is based on the successfully concluded project WeftAlert within the framework of the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations. Further results of the WeftAlert project include the extension of the state of the art of image-based process optimisation of air-jet weaving, excellent outcomes in image processing as well as the validation of image processing systems in laboratory and industrial environments.