OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — December 7, 2018 — The textile machinery manufacturer KARL MAYER is participating more and more in shows concentrating on applications and end-uses. “We want to pick up customers at key textile areas and introduce them to something new by offering innovative textiles and concepts,” said Oliver Mathews, sales manager of the Business Unit Warp Knitting, when speaking about the aims behind this decision. The next important date in Karl Mayer’s diary of events is ISPO Munich. Karl Mayer can be found here on stand 408 in hall C4 of Messe München — right at the center of the exhibition’s trends hub. Karl Mayer will be demonstrating the performance features of warp-knitted textiles on an area of 120 m², surrounded by the latest fabrics, styles and accessories.

TEXTILE-CIRCUIT shows how electrically conductive yarns can be incorporated directly into the textile in a single step during fabric production. The positioning of the electrically conductive yarns is done to meet the requirements of the intended end-use. For example, this can produce warp-knitted textiles having sensor functions, which are opening up completely new potential applications in the sportswear and outdoor sectors.

Textiles that can do so much more are also at the focus of solutions in the field of active sports. With their functional zones, which are also integrated directly during manufacture, these new articles provide breathability and compression following the principles of body mapping. They, therefore, deliver maximum efficiency when producing high-performance activewear for ambitious athletes.

LEISUREE.FASHION is a futuristic concept for producing sporty athleisure wear and comfortable, everyday clothing, as well as conventional underwear and lingerie. The fabrics offer all the comfort of sportswear with the soft support of activewear and also produce a sophisticated look with zones featuring decorative lingerie elements – the perfect combination of style, sportiness and comfort.

Gabriela Schellner, head of Textile Product Development at Karl Mayer, is convinced that the products on show will familiarise the sportswear and outdoor sectors with warp knitting technology. In particular, she intends to come into even closer contact with brand manufacturers at ISPO. She wants to learn more about their ideas and requirements for new product developments, and to develop new solutions with them.

Posted December 7, 2018

CARLSTADT, N.J. — December 6, 2018 — Pantone, provider of professional color standards and digital solutions for the design industry, today announced PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral as the Pantone® Color of the Year 2019, an animating and life-affirming shade
of orange with a golden undertone.

We get energy from nature. Just as coral reefs are a source of sustenance and shelter to sea life, vibrant yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.

In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy.

Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolizing our innate need for optimismand joyful pursuits, Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression.

Representing the fusion of modern life,Pantone Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.

“Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities and this is particularly true for Living Coral,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “

With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial Pant one Living Coral hit a responsive chord.

”Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive, display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, Pantone Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color.

“Color enhances and influences the way we experience life,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute.

“As a shade that affirms life through a dual role of energizing and nourishing, Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral reinforces how colors can embody our collective experience and reflect what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time.”

In Social Media
An organic shade, Living Coral is striking in digital mediums, evoking the same inspirational feeling ignited by our natural surroundings. Living Coral’s vibrancy and buoyancy
captivates our attention in social media and digital design.

In Fashion and Accessories
Living Coral inspires experimentation and playful expression in both men’s and women’s  street and runway styles. The warm shade suggests comfort and positivity in simple color stories, but becomes more explorative and effervescent in patterns, textures and even
monochrome looks. An appealing accent shade, Pantone Living Coral provides a striking contrast across the color spectrum.

In Beauty
As a life-affirming hue that complements all skin tones, Pantone Living Coral brings natural
color to beauty in blush, eye and lip. Uninhibited, playful looks are also emboldened by Living Coral, which, as the center of a kaleidoscope of color, encourages experimentation
in beauty with palettes, textures, shimmers and sheens.

In Product Design
Living Coral is naturally suited for product across all ages and genders. Materials with texture and convivial colors such as Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral appeal to our desire for products exhibiting humanizing and heartening characteristics.

In Interior Décor and Furnishings
When used as a bold statement in settings and décor, Living Coral fosters immersive experiences such as pop-up installations and interactive spaces, tied to a playful spirit.
As a color linked to tactility and human connection, Pantone Living Coral in shag rugs, cozy blankets and lush upholsteries create a warm, comforting and nurturing feeling in the
home.

With its ebullient nature, Pantone Living Coral adds a dramatic pop of color to any room setting whether in decorative accessories, tabletop, or on the wall.

In Packaging Design
Living Coral is naturally ideal for packaging applications. Warm and welcoming, this life affirming shade invites us to reach out and touch.

Tribute Portfolio x Pantone Color of the Year
Among the joyful pursuits that Living Coral symbolizes, travel tops the list — often creating experiences that enable human interaction and social connection. In celebration of Living Coral as the 20th Pantone Color of the Year, Pantone has partnered with Tribute Portfolio, Marriott International’s newest collection of independent and characterful hotels, to create a first-of-its-kind pop-up pantry that will allow people to experience an immersive tribute to color at select hotels around the world. Together, Tribute Portfolio and Pantone will introduce a series of interactive Pantone pantries in indie-spirited and creative communities around the world, beginning at Art Basel Miami at the Royal Palm South Beach Miami Resort and then traveling to The Alida Hotel in Savannah, Georgia and The Slaak Rotterdam, in The Netherlands next year.

Adobe Stock x Pantone Color of the Year 2019
For the second year in a row, Pantone has partnered with Adobe Stock to offer a curated Color of the Year collection to inspire and assist the creative community. Living Coral illustrates a natural, yet dynamic and energizing tone that is perfect for designers across verticals looking to energize and enliven creative elements with a softer edge. With more than 125 million visual assets, Adobe Stock is an amazing resource for creatives to seek visual inspiration and creative development.

Material ConneXion, a SANDOW company & Pantone
Across the Design industry, effectively bringing PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral to life in product design requires consideration of both color and the material to which it will be applied. To underscore the relationship between color and material, and increase efficiencies within the design process, Pantone has partnered with Material ConneXion, a global materials and innovation consultancy. By working with Material ConneXion, designers and suppliers can source the solutions that will meet consumer demands and deliver on their design vision while also supporting their business.

Limited Edition Pantone Color of Year 2019 Guides
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Pantone Color of the Year announcement, special collections of Pantone Formula Guides and Fashion, Home + Interiors Color Guides will be available for a limited time. Guides will feature commemorative Color of the Year covers, information on the 2019 selection and history of past Colors of the Year enclosed within the guide.

Posted December 7, 2018

Source: Pantone

GREENSBORO, N.C. — December 6, 2018 — VF Corp. today announced that Kontoor Brands Inc. will be the name of the independent, publicly traded company that will result from its previously announced separation of VF’s Jeanswear organization.

The separation is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019, subject to final approval by VF’s Board of Directors, customary regulatory approvals, and tax and legal considerations. The new company will comprise the Wrangler®, Lee® and Rock & Republic® brands, and the VF Outlet business.

“This is an exciting next step in our work to establish our Jeanswear organization as an independent, publicly traded company. Kontoor Brands — a creative variation of the word ‘contour’ — is a compelling company name that will preserve each brand’s unique identity while also providing the opportunity to evolve the company in the years ahead,” said Steve Rendle, VF’s chairman, president and CEO.

More information about Kontoor Brands, including the board of directors, executive leadership team, stock symbol and strategic vision will be shared before the completion of the separation.

“In choosing a name for the new company, it was important for us to select something that serves as an umbrella for our iconic Jeanswear brands and provides us with the opportunity to advance our portfolio in the future,” said Scott Baxter, named CEO of Kontoor Brands. “The selected name was inspired by the idea of a perfect fit, which speaks to the rich legacy and storied history of our brands. This name establishes a strong foundation for our future growth as a global leader in the denim and apparel categories, and I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Kontoor Brands as an independent, publicly traded company.”

Posted December 6, 2018

Source: VF Corporation

BÖNNIGHEIM, Germany — December 5, 2018 — With the opening of a textile testing laboratory in Gurugram, India, the testing service provider and research partner, Hohenstein, has again raised the bar for the textile industry. Just recently, in July 2018, the company opened a textile testing laboratory with a comprehensive service portfolio in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Starting in December 2018, Hohenstein India will also be able to offer its tailor-made services in one of the world’s textile hotspots.

“For more than 70 years, Hohenstein has stood for textile expertise along the entire textile production chain. With the new laboratories in India and Bangladesh, we’re growing a network of expertise from which everyone will benefit.” says Prof. Dr. Stefan Mecheels, who is managing in the third generation of the family run business. Good, consistent cooperation is very important for Hohenstein: close exchange between the laboratories in Germany, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and India ensures more customer proximity and faster order processing. “One thing is certain,” underlines Mecheels, “wherever the examinations, tests and analyses take place, our laboratories all work with the most modern equipment according to the same standards.”

The wait will be over on the 8th of December 2018: with a grand opening by Prof. Dr. Mecheels, the new laboratory in Gurugram will be launched and fully operational after a construction period of just eleven months. During tours, the visitors can get an impression of the local capabilities. With around 50 employees on a total of around 3000 square metres, Hohenstein India will offer textile manufacturers, brand suppliers and retailers a variety of textile technology and chemical tests such as performance testing, restricted substance list (RSL) compliance, harmful substance control, quality control and inspections, and expert report services.

Posted December 6, 2018

Source: Hohenstein Institute