From the Sector

Dilo, a leading equipment supplier of complete lines for staple fibre nonwoven fabric production, will exhibit at IDEA 2022 in Miami, end of March.
 
The most recent machine concepts from DiloGroup companies DiloTemafa, DiloSpinnbau and DiloMachines will be promoted with the emphasis on new equipment components which improve product quality, increase line capacity and also enable new opportunities in nonwoven production.
 
DiloTemafa will promote the improved bale opener series “Baltromix Pro” with design features for the operating assistance with the I4.0 components “Bale Timer”, cleaning control, better accessibility for maintenance and the “DI-LOWATT” system for energy savings in fibre transport. The proven carding willow with modified workers and separate drives to create the prerequisites for a good fine opening will also be part of the presentation as well as the fine opening stage which may be installed over the material box of the new card feeder FRS-P to achieve a high dosing accuracy in cross and longitudinal direction.  
 
DiloSpinnbau has a new “Unifeed” card feeder (VRS-P) which combines the principle of volumetric charged feeding with the characteristics of a chute feeder but without the conventional overhead trunk which allows for lower ceiling height requirement. The fibre flock matt is condensed by a vacuum delivery apron to give better uniformity of mass distribution. The distribution over the working width is controlled by additional flaps. This feeder can be adapted for medium/fine, coarse/medium or long staple fibres.
 
The “VectorQuadroCard” by DiloSpinnbau incorporates a modular transfer group between breast and main section. The quick change facility of this roller group provides different carding options. The delivery system is also flexible to provide parallel laid, random or condensed web. The preopener section on this card has 4 worker/stripper pairs with five pairs on the main cylinder. Emphasis is on high throughput with good web quality.
 
The revised HyperLayer NT offered by DiloMachines presents the latest state-of-the-art highspeed precision layering technique setting new standards which play an important role especially in hydroentanglement lines. In this application, it is important to achieve layering speeds up to 190 m/minute using sophisticated viscose fibres and a layering width of about 4 m while at the same time having a high layering precision in cross and longitudinal direction.  
 
DiloMachines will also present its portfolio to improve quality and reduce costs. The FutureLine study “3D-Lofter” – first presented at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona – is part of this programme. In this study individual web forming units can deposit fibre masses on freely programmable spots in longitudinal and cross direction thus saving overall fibre mass in applications such as deep moulded parts for the automotive interior. This ability reduces costs in production and operation. The “IsoFeed” concept for a more even flock mat for direct cards and aerodynamic web forming is another interesting field of web mat quality improvement.

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. has received two European Digital Press (EDP) Awards from the European graphics arts trade press, a prestigious technical awards programme that recognises innovative advancements in digital print production. The EFI™ VUTEk® Q5r roll-to-roll UV LED printer beat competition in the large/wide- format printing systems category for printers above 350-centimetres wide. EDP judges honoured EFI Fiery® software integration with finishers as the top solution in the awards programme’s category for software automation tools.

Automation, quality and value with award-winning roll-to-roll technology
The EFI VUTEk Q5r printer is a roll-to-roll display graphics printer, capable of running at speeds of up to 672 square metres per hour. The 5.2-metre-wide printer delivers a full system solution from file submission to a finished print with options such as in-line quality inspection, in-line slitting and cutting, roll and tape collection, auto-calibration, automated backlit printing, automated blockout printing and much more.
 
EFI VUTEk Q series printers, which include both the Q5r and a 3.5-metre wide VUTEk Q3r model, are available with up to nine colours including white and clear, and feature EFI UltraDrop™ Technology with native 7-picolitre printheads and multi-drop addressability for high-definition quality. Benefits include smoothness in shadows, gradients, and transitions, as well as precise and sharp 3-point size text with a true resolution of up to 1,200 dots per inch.

Fast, flawless finishing
EFI Fiery software integration with finishers, the winner in the EDP Awards category for best software automation tool, offers advanced integration with in-line or offline slitter/cutter/creasers. Operators can define cut, crease, and perforation locations on the job content in the Fiery software solution, which then communicates the configuration to finishing equipment, eliminating operator touchpoints and errors from incompatible layouts.

EFI Fiery software integration with finishers is offered in two different EFI Fiery software products: Fiery Impose and Fiery Finishing Designer.

ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers. For example, in terms of fabric producers ROICA™ has been working alongside industry leaders such as Brugnoli, Candiani Denim, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Eusebio, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Inter Jersey Milano, Lauma Fabrics, L/E Textile, Maglificio Ripa, M.I.T.I., Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Piave Maitex, Sitip S.p.A., Sofileta, Taubert Textil, Tessitura Colombo, TINTEX Textiles, TVB Textil-Vertrieb-Beratungs.

See attached document to read more about the current wardrobe stories.

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from the Swiss-Russian key converter Laboratoire Naturel and the ZetTechnology group of companies, based in Kaluga, Russia, to deliver their first complete neXline spunlace line. Start-up is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022.

The high-capacity line is designed to process various types of fibers, especially polyester/viscose and cotton blends, and is dedicated to the production of high-end hygiene and cosmetic wet wipes to serve private label clients. The ANDRITZ spunlace line with its CPC design (CPC: Card – Pulp – Card) will enable to process a multilayer spunlace fabric including wood pulp as a raw material. Such a configuration will allow Laboratoire Naturel and the ZetTechnology group of companies to produce fabrics from 30 to 60 gsm. In addition, the line configuration will enable the production of bio-wipes.

Laboratoire Naturel and the ZetTechnology group of companies have been pioneers in the converting industry and manufacturing of wipes in Russia since 1996. The two companies were the first manufacturer of wipes for the Russian hygiene market. The ANDRITZ line will address the local Russian market for wipes end-uses as well as more than 20 countries in Europe and Asia.

Daniel Manzke ist Co-Founder und CTO beim Berliner B2B-SaaS Venture yoona.ai. Daniel verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrungen im Produkt Management, Entwicklung von skalierbaren Plattformen und Aufbau von ganzen Organisationen aus verschiedenen Führungspositionen.

Vor seiner Tätigkeit bei The Female Company war er als CTO bei dem Startup Delivery Hero tätig, wo er die Restaurantplattform erfolgreich auf- und ausbaute.  Als Co-Founder und CTO bei yoona.ai wird es seine Aufgabe sein, das Produkt und die Technologie mit den Unternehmen zu verbinden und eine Architektur zu schaffen, die die weitere Entwicklung dieser bahnbrechenden Plattform unterstützt.

yoona.ai bietet eine End-To-End-Lösung, die Unternehmen durch Daten basierte Designgestaltung hilft, bis zu 80% der Zeit in der Entwurfs- und Kollektionsentwicklungsphase zu sparen und näher am Trend und Kunden zu designen, entsprechend die Kosten zu senken und Wegwerfprodukte oder eine Überproduktion zu vermeiden. Neueste Technologien wie neuronale Netze, automatisierte 3D-Generierung- und Augmented Reality wurden in diese Design-Software integriert. Nutzer:innen können ihr Design erstellen, es in 3D-Bilder umwandeln und mit Augmented Reality projizieren. Eine Plattform von der Idee bis zur Produktion.

Hypetex®, a leader in colouring carbon fibre materials, is delighted to announce that its Hypetex® Kromaskin™ field hockey stick for adidas has been selected as a finalist for the 2022 JEC Innovation Awards.

Hypetex® was commissioned by adidas to develop a market leading hockey stick differentiated from existing equipment not just by its unique pigmented carbon fibre finish, but also by its game changing hitting power and consistency. The patented range of Kromaskin™ sticks, created with support from project partners Textreme® and Marque Makers, was found to outperform competitors in a benchmark study against eight other premium hockey sticks carried out by Loughborough’s Sports Technology Institute (STI).

Hypetex® lead the design, engineering, materials, and production process development for the adidas field hockey stick project. By incorporating the stick’s finish colour within the outermost carbon fibre layer, the stick mould could be adjusted outwards, placing the highly structural spread tow materials right at the outer extremities of the mould cavity, increasing mechanical performance and maximising the structural benefits of the composite materials used.

Whilst the Kromaskin™ surface provides a stunning depth of colour with minimal finishing required after demoulding, the Hypetex® technology, including an epoxy based expanding microsphere system used in the core, delivers significant performance gains on the hockey pitch. In tests at the STI, adidas Kromaskin™ sticks had up to 16% higher coefficient of restitution (COR), meaning they will return more energy and the ball will travel faster. In addition, through the production led design and materials used, the variation in COR was 70% less than the other sticks on test, a significant reduction in the production inconsistencies common with the manufacturing of performance sporting goods.

The Lenzing Group will present the Young Scientist Award for outstanding research in the field of fibers and textiles for the first time in 2022. The Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress (GFC Dornbirn) is an ideal platform for the recently launched research competition. Bachelor’s and master’s degree students will have the opportunity to submit their scientific work in the categories of fashion and the circular economy, textile recycling and the innovative use of biobased fibers to a jury of well-known industry experts.

The jury consists of Karla Magruder (Founder of Acceleration Circularity), Friedericke von Wedel-Parlow (Beneficial Design Institute Berlin) and Dieter Eichinger (Head of Standardization and Innovation, Secretary-General of BISFA). The winning project will receive a prize of EUR 5,000. The aim is to promote the students’ work and create a platform for networking with the textile and fiber industry.

The Austrian Fibers Institute is the organizer of the 61st Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress on a not-for-profit basis. The event, due to take place from September 14 to 16, 2022, will offer an ideal setting for the presentation of the Young Scientist Award prize.

You can read more about the Young Scientist Award and the submission in the attached document.

• Based on high-tech finishing, responsible materials and certified partnerships
• With multicolored flock, zero water printing, chenille and metallic effects, the company is at the forefront in establishing a responsible lace supply chain

Legend has it that a sailor brought his beloved a seaweed from distant seas as a gift. The woman, wanting to preserve its beauty, replicated the design and holes with needle and thread. And so lace was born. Since that moment, lace has lived within the walls of churches and castles, visited race tracks and catwalks, changing shape and color according to seasons and times.

Among the companies involved in writing a new chapter in the history of lace, Iluna Group definitely stands out. Founded in 1970 from an idea of its founder Luigi Annovazzi, over the years Iluna has responded to the challenges posed by the market in terms of technology and sustainability.

Since 2017 Iluna has been using only sustainable and certified ROICA™ stretch yarns from the ROICA Eco-Smart™ family, while the percentage of sustainable references has risen from 3% in 2018 to 52% in 2021.

There are four main proposals presented by Iluna Group during Milano Unica:

• Flock in flounce or allover entirely made with recycled ingredients and equipped with endless printing possibilities, with 3D and multicolor effects that allow the inclusion in fashion, underwear and athleisure looks. All certified GRS (Global Recycled Standard).
   
• Continued investment in both the Green Label and Bioline, two collections totally dedicated to innovative and responsible aesthetics. Both include lace made with the responsible 6.6 polyamide yarn Amni Soul Eco® and the degradable stretch fiber ROICA™ V550, combined with natural vegetable dyes with OEKO TEX and GOTS certifications.
   
• The union of a chenille yarn blended with FSC-certified viscose and Renycle® yarn, a product obtained by recycling nylon 6, a high-value material with excellent strength, dyeing, softness and versatility, gives life to surprising new Textronic. The embossed designs with 3D effect create a cloud effect that, combined with Lurex, gives unexpected glows.
   
• GRS-certified tulles printed with GREENDROP technology, the new GOTS-certified digital pigment printing system, with lower energy consumption and low water waste, thanks to an internal closed-circuit process for water recycling.

adidas and IVY PARK CEO Beyoncé announce IVY HEART, a new capsule collection inspired by love , just in time for Valentine’s Day, from the ongoing adidas x IVY PARK creative partnership.

As with previous adidas x IVY PARK offerings, this latest collection features distinct looks with inclusive and in gender-neutral sizing in fashion styles, performance gear, footwear, and accessories. The line is available online at adidas.com on February 9th and February 10th in selection stores globally.

The Campaign
The campaign focuses on the guiding thematic color behind the collection. In the Western world, red is commonly associated with love , romance and sensuality. While in the East, red is attributed to good fortune and joy. Wherever you are, it’s clear that this color represents positivity. The concept is centered around bringing people together from all different backgrounds through this one color that’s sentimental to so many. This theme is illustrated through enhanced lighting, bold yet minimal production design, elevated styling and most importantly the international cast. Cultural cues from specific iconography and symbols are explored in visual motifs with sensitivity and intention. IVY PARK pays homage to various cultures inspired by this color, incorporating red through a futuristic yet authentic lens.

The Collection
No matter how you define it, love - most importantly love of one’s self - is at the core of IVY PARK ’s newest drop. Bold and sexy looks are an integral part of IVY HEART, which is aptly decked out in a spectrum of vibrant reds, playful pinks, and nuanced neutrals. In colors that include Candy Paint (Shock Pink), Lipstick Smudge (Red), Raspberry Beret (Power Red), Red, Red Whine (Cherry Wood) and Cheeks (Off-White), the line is punctuated by tactile materials like velour, ribbed knit, and faux latex.  IVY PARK ’s latest collaboration with adidas is further complemented by performance fabrics and graphic prints, allowing ample designs to mix-and-match from work out to night out.

The capsule collection’s design touchpoints are rooted in Beyoncé’s love of athleticism and fashion, merged with adidas’ performance and innovation. The references culminate in a collection of silhouettes that are sporty, stylish, and above all, unique. Conceived around three pillars of foundation, active, and fashion, IVY PARK ’s latest collection is highlighted by the Velour Dress and Tracksuit, Faux Latex Puffer, Pique Jumpsuit and Sequin Duster. Accessories include a 5-Panel Hat, a clutch and a Heart-Lip Belt Bag.

Footwear consists of both on-the-court and off-duty models.  The range is highlighted by a new iteration of the classic Stan Smith sneaker in Cheeks (Off-White), with a rubber dipped midsole.  Additionally, the collection introduces a new silhouette, the IVP Superstar Plim, a mule style shoe inspired by the iconic adidas Superstar in Cheeks (Off-White).  The line also features a new colorway of the IVP Savage sneaker in Cheeks (Off-White), a IVP swim slide in Lipstick Smudge (Red) and the Ultra boost in Candy Paint (Shock Pink).

Swiss cutting system manufacturer Zünd Systemtechnik and Dutch composite automation company Airborne have expanded their collaboration. As a result of a new distribution agreement, customers will be able to benefit from state-of-the-art digital production solutions for automated processing of composite materials. Zünd and Airborne will jointly promote these production solutions through their sales and servicing networks.

Both companies are technology leaders offering solutions for composites manufacturing and processing – Zünd develops and manufactures digital flatbed cutting systems capable of processing reinforced fiber materials such as CFRP or GRP. Airborne, based in Den Haag in the Netherlands, provides fully integrated automation solutions for efficient composites processing.
 
The goal of this partnership is to make it easier than ever for customers to access state-of-the-art digital cutting and automation solutions. In that endeavor, the competencies of both companies complement each other perfectly. Their combined expertise manifests itself especially in the areas of fully automated cutting, preforming, offloading and sorting.

Airborne’s automated kitting solutions reduce operating costs by maximizing material yield through optimized nesting. At the same time, they resolve the challenges inherent in sorting and grouping cut parts from complex nested layouts into laminate-ready kits with minimal operator intervention. Airborne offer a portfolio of solutions tailored to meet the individual needs of customers from affordable entry-level semi-automated products through to fully integrated and high productivity systems. All systems are "plug and play" and require no additional special programming. Airborne’s software generates the required robotics code directly from information derived from the nesting data and permits static or dynamic nesting and a sorting solution that adapts “on the fly”.

Zünd has been designing, manufacturing, and marketing digital cutting systems for more than 30 years. Zünd high-performance modular cutters are now in use all over the world. The Swiss family-owned company now in its second generation has established a global network of Zünd sales and service organizations under the leadership of Oliver Zünd. “This is a situation where two strong partners complement each other in much the same way as in strong partnerships we have established in other industries. It is a continuation of a long-standing company strategy. Airborne has excellent know-how in developing and manufacturing automated solutions for processing composites. Together we can offer our customers state-of-the-art technology and provide a technological answer to the growing demand for high-performance, innovative production systems in the composites market."

Joe Summers, Commercial Director for Airborne agrees: "Our partnership with Zünd brings a great deal of added value to our customers. Zünd shares our goal of creating greater cutting-room productivity. The Zünd cutter is key to converting materials with the greatest possible efficiency and maximum material usage."