BOSTON, Mass.— January 19, 2018 — Velcro Companies today announced that Robert W. Woodruff has joined the company as CFO. He will lead the global finance function as well as group human resources and information technology.
Woodruff will work closely with the regional presidents and other members of the Velcro Companies leadership team to sharpen customer focus, improve operating efficiencies, develop and commercialize new products, and identify strategic investments to propel growth.
Fraser Cameron, president and CEO of Velcro Companies, said: “Bob is an exceptionally capable financial and business leader with deep experience in developing a world-class finance function that can support a growing global business. His two decades of experience at Nike, where he ultimately served as CFO for its Converse brand, brings us valuable insights about creating a dominant global brand across multiple categories and reflects the scale of our ambitions. Importantly, Bob has an engaging personal style and a hands-on approach to building great teams, mentoring colleagues and partnering with business managers.”
Woodruff has more than 25 years of experience in senior finance roles and was most recently CFO for Alex and Ani, a privately held jewelry company based in Rhode Island. Prior to that he served in a variety of finance and strategy roles over a 20-year career at Nike. He was CFO of Nike’s Affiliate Brands business, including Cole Haan, Umbro, Bauer Hockey, Hurley, and Converse. In 2012, he was named CFO of the Converse business, helping to grow it to more than $3 billion in revenue. Earlier in his career, Woodruff held various corporate finance roles at RJR Nabisco.
Woodruff is a graduate of Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, where he played varsity ice hockey.
PEARL RIVER, N.Y. — January 18, 2018 — Anellotech, a sustainable technology company pioneering the production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass, today announced that Japan-based Suntory Holdings Ltd., a consumer beverage company, has invested an additional $9 million in Anellotech’s Bio-TCat technology. This latest tranche, which is part of a new $15 million package based on Anellotech achieving specific milestones, brings Suntory’s total investment in Anellotech to more than $25 million to date.
Anellotech’s Bio-TCat Process will produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals — benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) — from non-food biomass for use in manufacturing plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Anellotech recently announced the completion of the commissioning of its 25-meter-tall TCat-8 pilot plant, and has commenced the critical development program to validate process economics and obtain necessary data for commercial plant design.
The alliance with Suntory, one of Anellotech’s principal strategic investment partners, began in 2012 with the goal of enabling the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles. Suntory currently uses 30 percent plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 percent bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices.
“We have made significant progress achieving key milestones in commissioning the TCat-8 pilot plant, and are now ready to begin the next stage of the development program including the production of prototype test samples of renewable bio-chemicals for ultimate conversion to bio-based plastics,” said David Sudolsky, president and CEO of Anellotech. “Suntory is a leader in its commitment to environmental sustainability. With its continued investment in Anellotech’s technology, and together with our development partners, we will demonstrate a scalable and cost-effective route to bio-paraxylene production. Our innovative technology will advance the development and commercialization of the world’s first cost-competitive bio-based aromatics production for bio-plastics for consumer products.”
In 2014, the Suntory Group established its Environmental Vision toward 2050 and set targets toward 2020 to provide clear direction to its environmental management based on its corporate tagline “Follow Your Nature.” Suntory is committed to promoting innovative technology solutions to reduce environmental impact through the entire value chain in accordance with its mission – To Create Harmony with People and Nature. Suntory’s Environmental Vision will take on the following challenges toward 2050:
Preserving and regenerating the natural environment in Suntory’s major business countries; and
Halving the environmental impact generated by Suntory’s business activities by 2050 in such areas as water consumption at company plants, and CO2 emission throughout the entire value chain.
Suntory Group recognizes the social and environmental impacts that containers and packaging cause and considers the environment in the entire product life cycle — from planning and product design to transport and post-consumption recycling. The company has implemented a wide range of initiatives focused on dramatically decreasing the amount of resources that it uses and is actively introducing renewable resources as a measure to limit its environmental impact as much as possible. For plastic bottle containers, Suntory Group aims to replace petroleum-derived raw materials with renewable raw materials as much as possible.
“We are very pleased to play an important role in helping Suntory advance its environmental vision as the Bio-TCat technology will help enable Suntory to reduce its use of petroleum-derived packaging and reduce its carbon footprint,” added Sudolsky. “Anellotech anticipates that the Bio-TCat Process can produce renewably-sourced aromatic chemicals with significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to their identical petroleum-derived counterparts, helping brand owners and others achieve their corporate environmental sustainability goals.”
Sudolsky concluded, “Anellotech’s technology has end use applications for a range of consumer products, including clothing/textiles, food and beverage packaging, automobiles, adhesives, coatings, consumer electronics, detergents and tires. We look forward to partnering with innovative consumer product companies and brand owners that are seeking first mover advantage with a renewable technology that offers unique and compelling environmental and cost benefits, especially for benzene-chain bio-plastics which are complementary to Suntory’s interest in p-xylene.”
HIGH POINT, N.C. — January 18, 2018 — Mattress ticking company Culp Home Fashions, a division of Culp Inc., announced today it has entered the bedding accessories category, including mattress pads and protectors. This new product line is being offered under the brand name “Comfort Supply Company by Culp.” The company is debuting its initial offerings at the upcoming 2018 Las Vegas Market being held January 28 to February 1, 2018, in showroom B-1028.
With its expansive vertical platform, Culp Home Fashions offers a speed-to-market alternative going directly to bedding accessory retailers that is unlike anything else available on the market. Comfort Supply Company by Culp will include both Made in USA finished products, as well as globally sourced items produced through Culp’s expansive global platform. All products will be manufactured at Culp Home Fashions’ facilities.
“Comfort Supply Company by Culp will introduce a highly stylized, design-driven element to products in this category,” said Iv Culp, president of Culp Home Fashions. “Many of our products will offer special features, bringing exclusive benefits to the bedding accessories category.”
Home textiles professional, Kyle Borreggine, recently joined Culp Home Fashions and will lead the company’s foray into the bedding accessories market.
Borreggine commented, “The potential of what we can bring to the market is unique, and I am excited to be a part of this opportunity.”
“We are pleased to have someone with Kyle’s experience, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the category lead the charge for us,” said Michael Cottonaro, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Culp Home Fashions.
SEATTLE — January 18, 2018 — Alaska Airlines and fashion designer Luly Yang debuted a modern, West Coast-inspired, custom-designed uniform collection today. At a fashion show this afternoon inside Alaska’s Sea-Tac hangar, employee models walked the runway, showcasing over 90 garments and accessories to thousands of employees. The design, which has been more than two years in the making, will clad 19,000 Alaska, Virgin America and Horizon Air uniformed employees starting in late 2019.
“Luly’s designs perfectly capture our fresh, West Coast vibe and we’re absolutely thrilled with the collection,” said Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing. “Like our refreshed brand, launched in early 2016, our new uniform collection includes bright pops of color, clean lines and stunning finishes, creating a stylish yet approachable look.”
Echoing Woerner’s remarks was Justin Fitzgerald, a flight attendant who worked for Virgin America and now Alaska Airlines. “The Virgin America uniform has been such a sleek and modern look that I thought it would be so hard to top,” he said. “Seeing Luly’s designs brought to life has been super exciting! Ms. Yang has taken a lot of our input and has created a very cool, classic yet modern, West Coast vibe!”
The uniforms make their official debut next week, with 130 employee wear testers — flight attendants, pilots, customer service agents and lounge employees — putting the uniforms through their paces for the next 60 days.
West Coast Modern Design
Yang opened her first studio boutique in downtown Seattle in 2000. Today, she is an internationally known designer headquartered in Seattle, whose portfolio has expanded to include red carpet couture gowns, bridal collections, cocktail attire, bespoke menswear and hotel uniforms. Yang’s Luly Label ready to wear, cashmere knits and leather accessories are available online and in her showroom for the general public. She is known for her timeless design solutions and signature fit, cultivated over years of experience. Her past career as an architectural graphic designer inspired her mantra of the perfect marriage between “Form and Function.”
More Than Two Years In The Making
Alaska began the project by surveying thousands of uniformed employees; following up with focus groups and work site visits to understand the features different workgroups wanted to see in their new uniforms. Overwhelmingly, the top requests from employees were more pockets and designs that look great on all body shapes and sizes, as well as performance over a range of climates. The collection is designed to be layered so that employees can self-regulate comfort while working in the freezing temperatures of Barrow, Alaska, to the balmier weather of Mexico.
Using this research and information she gathered from face-to-face interactions with employees across the system, Yang spent two years designing and creating a signature silhouette for the Alaska program. Her focus on fit and function enabled additional touches including water resistant materials, active wear fabrics, longer shirt tails that don’t untuck from skirts and trousers, and flexible textiles that move with the body.
“Working on the Alaska Airlines custom uniform program has been one of the most complex and rewarding challenges of my career,” said Yang. “With 45 sizes per style and 13 very distinct work groups, this was the ultimate puzzle to solve. My hope is that employees feel that they were heard throughout this process, love the collection and wear their uniforms with pride.”
Seeking high quality and transparency in the manufacturing of their uniforms, Alaska selected uniform supplier Unisync Group Limited of Toronto. An industry leader, Unisync is one of the largest uniform suppliers in North America.
Working in close partnership with Yang, Unisync produced custom fabrics, buttons and signature accessories for the new program working to ensure the garments provide optimal on-the-job performance, while also reflecting Alaska’s refreshed brand.
“Unisync is thrilled to be the selected partner of Alaska. We’re looking forward to contributing our experience and expertise and providing the best program possible for Alaska’s 19,000 employees,” said Michael Smith, Unisync’s senior vice president of service and supply chain.
Alaska adopts industry-leading safety standards
Before the designs, before the first stitch, and before the first button sewn, Alaska took steps to ensure that employee uniforms were safe and high in quality.
Alaska Airlines, in partnership with Unisync and OEKO-TEX, will ensure that every custom uniform garment receives STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification. This standard was developed in 1992 by the International Oeko-Tex Association, a consortium of 15 textile research and testing institutions in Europe and Japan with offices in more than 60 countries. Oeko-Tex STANDARD 100 is one of the most progressive textile standards in the world and is known for ensuring that textiles are free of potentially harmful substances and allergens. This standard is used by retailers, including Pottery Barn, Calvin Klein, Under Armour and children’s-wear company Hanna Andersson.
“We have the trifecta of excellence in our uniform partners,” said Ann Ardizzone, vice president strategic sourcing and supply chain for Alaska Airlines. “We knew that the unique combination of Luly’s vision, in partnership with the discipline and depth of Unisync and Oeko-Tex, would yield great things. By building safety into the sourcing of materials and applying that standard throughout the process, we’re able to deliver a uniform that not only looks beautiful, but is safe for our employees.”
STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex ensures that substances used in textile production of a garment meet or exceed global safety standards; it also requires suppliers gain certification to produce each garment component, down to the color, material, thread and dyes.
“Achieving STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex certification requires a rigorous commitment to safety and supply chain excellence; it’s a long-term investment in the future of this program,” said Ben Mead, representative of Oeko-Tex. “In order to become certified, every single component from the buttons to the thread in every single garment has to be tested at the supplier source — it’s truly a foundational program. We’ve conducted 1,200 safety tests to date and will continue through the entirety of the program.”
Throughout this process, Alaska’s leadership team has demonstrated a firm commitment to producing a high quality uniform that adheres to an industry leading safety program, the STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex,” said Michael Smith, Unisync’s senior vice president of service and supply chain. “Unisync is proud to be a part of helping Alaska achieve such a rigorous standard.”
In total, Alaska’s new custom uniforms will incorporate more than 100,000 zippers, over 1 million buttons, over 500,000 yards of fabric and will use well over 30 million yards of thread in the final program.
LONG BEACH, Calif. — January 18, 2018 — Epson today announced its next-generation direct-to-garment printer — the SureColor® F2100. Designed exclusively for direct-to-garment printing, the SureColor F2100 offers an entirely purpose-built system for high-quality prints at production speeds. Leveraging the Epson PrecisionCore® TFP® printhead and UltraChrome® DG garment ink technology, the SureColor F2100 achieves up to twice the speeds of the previous generation DTG printer1. Successor to the renowned SureColor F2000, the new SureColor F2100 offers four color ink technology, plus White ink, to deliver improved image quality, speed, and efficiency. Additional improvements, including a quick-load platen and robust Epson Garment Creator Software, take productivity even further, while the all-new integrated self-cleaning system means less downtime.
“The SureColor F2000 is the number-one selling direct-to-garment printer in the market and has helped customers increase efficiency on short-run orders and expand product service offerings. We listened to our customers and addressed common direct-to-garment pain points with the new SureColor F2100,” said Tim Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “The SC-F2100 delivers on reduced maintenance, while providing increased speed and efficiency with newly developed print modes to help customers increase business needs.”
Building on the industry leading SureColor F2000, the new SureColor F2100 leverages an all-new integrated inline self-cleaning system designed for reliability and reduced maintenance time. The SureColor F2100 transports cleaning solution through the printhead, allowing the printer to perform daily maintenance to reduce downtime. In addition, White ink is triple filtered before reaching the printhead, designed to help reduce White ink nozzle clogging for greater up-time and reliability.
The SureColor F2100 touts Epson PrecisionDot technology designed to create output with smoother tonal gradations, improved image detail and preservation on the garment. Newly developed print modes, including Light Garment Mode, and Highlight White mode, offer consistent print quality. All-new Highlight White mode achieves brighter White ink output by applying a second coat of White ink, while simultaneously printing color ink for improved print speeds. Touting a new garment grip pad, the SureColor F2100 allows users to quickly load and unload garments on the printer platen to help reduce traditional hoop platen load times.
More about the SureColor F2100
With the ability to print directly onto garments ranging from 100 percent cotton to 50/50 fabric blends – t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, tote bags, and more – the SureColor F2100 offers advanced features for the direct-to-garment industry, including:
High-Quality Direct-to-Garment Printing – Epson UltraChrome DG inks* are durable, vibrant and safe, with outstanding color performance, plus equal pricing for color and White inks;
Up to Twice as Fast – Newly developed print modes, including Light Garment Mode, offer consistent print quality at up to twice the speed of the previous generation;
Highlight White Ink Mode – Developed exclusively for the SureColor F2100, this unique feature offers simultaneous printing of White and color inks on the color pass for greatly improved image quality, speed, and efficiency;
Fast Loading for More Productivity – The easy-to-use, all-new quick-load platen reduces traditional hoop platen load times;
Intuitive, Easy-to-Learn Workflow – Improved Epson Garment Creator Software, available for macOS® and Windows®, includes powerful tools for layout and text, color management, ink control, cost estimation, plus hot folders;
Designed Exclusively for Direct-to-Garment Printing – An entirely purpose-built system featuring Epson’s PrecisionCore TFP printhead, Epson UltraChrome DG ink system and robust hardware;
Reduced Maintenance Time and Operational Cost – Featuring a fabric wiper and an in-line cleaning cartridge, the integrated self-cleaning system allows the printer to perform daily maintenance to reduce downtime; and
Backed by Industry-Leading Support – Includes a 1-year limited on-site warranty with U.S.-based phone support; an optional extended on-site service place is available.
Support & Availability
The SureColor F2100 (MSRP $17,995) offers a standard Epson PreferredSM Limited Warranty, limited on-site warranty with U.S.-based phone support; an optional extended on-site service plan is available. The Epson SureColor F2100 will be available in March 2018 through Epson DTG Authorized Professional Imaging Resellers.
STONY BROOK, N.Y. — January 18, 2018 — Applied DNA Sciences today announced it will introduce a GeoTyping™ Beta Program, for the month of February, to brands and retailers interested in identifying country-of-origin in cases of cotton fiber substitution. Applied DNA is asking those interested to provide cotton samples suspected to contain cotton from Uzbekistan.
The GeoTyping™ Beta Program uses a known library of biomarkers that designate the DNA fingerprint of the cotton cultivar, including genus, species and one of 70 different geographic-cultivar-dependent genotypes. In 2017, Applied DNA identified two biomarkers for Uzbekistan cotton, and has continued to advance its DNA assays and broaden the validation of the GeoTyping program.
It is an expansion of Applied DNA’s end-to-end SigNature® T cotton traceability system, enabling the identification of the country of origin for cottons that may be substituted for the cotton specified on labels. For example, “Grown in America” cotton might be substituted by an inferior quality of cotton sourced off-shore. This technology ensures the country-of-origin is properly identified on labels, and can help to prevent the entry of cotton cultivated by human rights abusers.
“Our SigNature T cotton traceability system provides substantial advantages over current supply chain management authentication, such as RFID, data dots or ‘certificates of authenticity’,” said Dr. James A Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA. “Today, uncertainty of cotton supply chains remains if there is no way to physically trace the fibers to their source, and verify through DNA testing at yarn, fabric and finished goods. You cannot put an RFID on every single fiber and expect it to remain on the finished good. SigNature T combined with the GeoTyping Beta Program, provides full traceability that is seamless, economical and exact.”
“Our high-resolution cotton GeoTyping assays can provide proof of the sourcing crimes and human rights abuses in the CASH Investigation expose.” Hayward continued. “GeoTyping complements SigNature T tagging. Should non-compliance be suspected in a SigNature T-participating textile, GeoTyping serves as the means to identify the source of cotton fiber substitution.”
Recent reports have scrutinized hidden human rights abuses in global cotton supply chains. On November 28, 2017, on prime time French television, the CASH Investigative Team reported Uzbek cotton was handpicked by forced labor organized on a large scale — approximately 1 million people — by the Uzbek government. A significant amount of this cotton was shipped — some with missing or misleading statements of origin — to Bangladesh manufacturers that supply products to many U.S., U.K. and E.U. brands. The report also showed that suppliers who manufacture in South Korea, China and Europe also received Uzbek cotton.
Posing as a European importer, the CASH team also captured a conversation on hidden camera in which an Uzbek cotton product manufacturer offered to designate the country of origin — as opposed to Uzbekistan — that the buyer would prefer be stated on the origination documents. The Uzbek exporter stated this was a very common measure undertaken for companies purchasing Uzbek cotton products, and that the risk of being caught falsely stating that the product was manufactured in Bulgaria, for example, was almost non-existent.
Many of the potentially affected brands had publicly pledged to boycott Uzbek cotton in compliance with government laws, or were participating in global cotton initiatives that promulgate sustainability credits and ethical purchasing standards. Nonetheless, these brands were wittingly or unwittingly using manufacturers in their supply chain who were buying Uzbek cotton, providing the opportunity for cotton obtained via human rights abuse to enter their supply chains.
GeoTyping is meant to complement, not replace, SigNature T tagging. The cost of this assay is comparatively higher due to the equipment, reagents, and maintenance associated with maintaining the extensive and annually-changing library of genomes against which single samples must be compared. SigNature T tagging provides a method to trace any fiber tested in a dedicated supply chain back to the intended original source; it can also be assigned meaning such as year, gin, or other attribute not possible from cotton’s inherent DNA. Should non-compliance be suspected in SigNature T-participating textiles, GeoTyping can serve as the means to identify the source of cotton fiber substitution.
Applied DNA in concert with The Himatsingka Group utilizes an integrated cotton DNA authentication platform that incorporates a physical molecular tracer combined with genotyping. Together these technologies serve to preserve the integrity and purity of the cotton fiber at its precise point of origin – the date, time, place and the social and environmental practices used to produce the cotton. The collaboration with The Himatsingka Group provides for tagging at source, testing compliance at every step in the supply chain, and tracing of fabric and finished goods to the original source. This SigNature® T platform includes an IT tracking framework that is blockchain-ready, and permits the brand-owner, retailer or consumer to confirm the content and origin of the cotton fibers contained within their home textiles and garments. Nine cotton gins participate in the US.
“The Himatsingka Group is pleased with the commencement of the ‘GeoTyping’ project which will ensure global cotton mapping capabilities and further enhance transparency across the cotton value chain, thus bringing greater value to the consumer,” stated Shrikant Himatsingka, Managing Director & Group CEO, Himatsingka Group.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — January 18, 2018 — VF Corp., a global supplier of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, today announced that it will open a new distribution center in Jonestown, Pa., in early 2019. VF is investing up to $52 million in the project and bringing more than 175 new full-time jobs to the area over the next three years.
“As our direct-to-consumer business continues to grow, we see the consumer-focused opportunity to expand our distribution operations so that we can more quickly service our consumers in the Northeastern U.S.,” said Steve Rendle, VF’s chairman, president and CEO. “Jonestown is the ideal place for our new distribution center and warehouse given its skilled workforce and geographic location. We’re excited about expanding our operations in Pennsylvania and are appreciative of the efforts by the Governor’s Action Team to help make today’s announcement possible.”
VF will lease a 500,000-square foot facility in Jonestown to support the distribution of products for its Vans®, The North Face® and Timberland® brands.
“Originally founded in Pennsylvania, VF has a long history in our state,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. “We’re pleased that VF has chosen to expand on this successful foundation by bringing more than 175 good-paying jobs to families in Lebanon County. Pennsylvania continues to attract leading, global companies like VF given our exceptional business climate and strong infrastructure.”
VF’s lease will begin in July 2018. The company expects to begin hiring in mid-2018, with plans to be operational in the new facility by early 2019. The new jobs will include full-time positions in the distribution center and adjacent office location, and will include a variety of roles, including operations, human resources, shipping and logistics, maintenance, safety, managerial, clerical, among others.
“This is outstanding news for the people of Berks, Lebanon and Dauphin counties. VF Corporation’s commitment to base a key distribution center in the area will have a very beneficial impact on the area, both economically and with increased employment opportunities. I also applaud their commitment to using an existing facility,” said Congressman Charlie Dent.
The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.
Challenge: Founded in 1972, Romanita is one of Romania’s biggest apparel manufacturers, producing clothing for an impressive list of international brands that includes H&M, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Primark. The company employs 800 people at its 3,800m2 production facility and produces 8,000 pieces a month. Romanita had built a reputation for rigorous standards and an ability to deliver high-quality clothing at relatively low production costs, but after more than 40 years in business, the marketplace had changed. Between shortened deadlines and shrinking profit margins, the company was struggling to turn orders around quickly enough to keep up with demand. They needed to make their cutting room more efficient to minimize unnecessary losses and continue delivering on time, so they could keep the trust of their customers, which they had worked so hard to earn.
Solution: Romanita’s first priority was to reduce fabric waste and improve operational efficiency by finding ways to cut large volumes of fabric faster and more accurately, and reducing machine downtime related to technical issues. After consulting with Lectra’s experts, the company decided to begin using markermaking software Diamino to create more fabric-efficient markers, and invested in two Brio automatic spreading machines and two Vector cutting machines for its cutting room. The new equipment and changes to their process cut down significantly on wasted time and material, reducing their error rate by 25% and saving them 2% in fabric. Romanita is so happy with the results that they have decided to replace their existing CAD solutions with Lectra’s patternmaking software Modaris, which will allow them to speed up their product development process.
Markets: Menswear, womenswear
Location: Romania
Lectra Solutions: Brio, Vector®, Diamino® and Modaris®
Romanita CEO Iuliana Tihon Dinoiu
Romanita is first and foremost a family business, and many of the 800 employees at its factory have parents who used to work in the same space. The company has come a long way since its humble beginnings and now boasts one of the largest and most technically advanced clothing factories in the country. As the Romanian group sets its sights on attracting more international customers, CEO Iuliana Tihon Dinoiu knows that finding better ways to work will be crucial. “If you want to have a future in this business, you have to invest in technology,” Dinoiu affirms.
Making The Cut
Romanita knew that it needed to modernize its cutting room if it wanted to continue delivering quality product on its customers’ tight timelines — but how to choose the right technology partner from the myriad of options on the market? “We looked at and compared a lot of different cutting systems, both abroad and in Romania. In the end, performance and rapid service were the deciding factors,” explains Dinoiu. “Our customers are working on a fastfashion schedule; orders have to be processed as soon as they come in, without errors, and quickly. Technical problems in the cutting room need to be solved right away because any delay in the process not only causes production losses, but also costs us credibility if we can’t deliver when we say we will. Lectra has a comprehensive service program and they are committed to providing us with the support we need, when we need it.”
Producing More With Less
After consulting with Lectra’s experts, Romanita decided to install two Brio spreading machines and two Vector cutting machines at its production facility. The new technology allowed them to cut larger volumes of fabric accurately in a shorter amount of time, with fewer quality issues and errors, so that less time was lost to time-consuming redos. The machines also reduced the number of personnel required to do menial tasks in the cutting room, which meant they were available to perform more added-value tasks elsewhere. Next, the company began using Lectra’s marker-making software, Diamino, to generate markers that made the most efficient use of fabric, attacking waste in pre-production before orders even hit the cutting-room floor. The changes have made a huge difference. “Our cutting is more precise, faster and better, and with Diamino, we’re consuming less fabric and making fewer cutting errors,” attests Dinoiu. “We estimate that we’ve reduced our error rate by 25%, waste by 3%, and fabric consumption by 2%. Our clients are thrilled.”
A Full-Package Solution
As Romanita continues to grow its business, it has begun expanding its offer in response to customer demand for fully developed clothing collections, rather than straightforward production runs. With this in mind, the company has now turned its attention to optimizing its product development process and is in the process of replacing its current CAD system with Lectra’s patternmaking software Modaris. “It makes more sense to use solutions that can communicate with one another, so that we are working on a common platform,” explains Dinoiu. “Brands are increasingly requesting full-package sourcing from suppliers; this will enable us to meet that challenge head on.” As for its future with Lectra, Romanita has become one of the tech company’s biggest advocates in the region. “We would like to become Lectra’s ‘showroom’ in Romania, and open up our manufacturing site to customers who are interested in learning more about the latest in fashion hardware and software technology. If other companies want to know more about the ‘how to’ behind clothing manufacturing, they can visit Romanita to see how we’ve optimized our Lectra solutions, and get a first-hand look at the ‘best in class’!” smiles Dinoiu.
By Dipl. Ing. Kurt van Wersch, Senior Consultant, A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH
Rapidly changing fashion trends constantly make new demands on textile finishers with ever newer specifications, particularly for the finishing of denim.
Finished denim fabric in wide-open form is a further opportunity for the finishers for the future.
Definition Of Shrinkage, Sanforization
Textile producers and finishers understand shrinkage as any form of negative change in dimensions of textile products under the influence of water and/or heat.
The term sanforization is used to refer to pre-emption of shrinkage by suitable mechanical and/or hydrothermal finishing processes.
Shrinkage potential after different treatment processes:
Woven fabrics
Greige fabric, depending on fabric weight up to 10 percent;
Greige denim (after stretching) up to 18 percent;
Washed denim fabric up to 10 percent;
Bleached fabric approx. 5 percent;
Dyed fabric approx. 5 to 8 percent; and
Shrunk (sanforized) fabric less than +/- 1 percent.
Knitted fabrics
Dyed fabric approx. 7 to 15 percent; and
Shrunk (sanforized) fabric less than 5 percent.
Figure 1Figure 2
The heart of a shrinkage range is the rubber belt shrinkage unit, while felt calenders are used as dryers (See Figure 1). The principle of compressive shrinking (sanforizing) is shown in Figure 2.
The fabric is dampened with water and steam;
Pressing rubber belt 1 against the cylinder 2 causes an elastic elongation of the rubber belt (pressure zone);
The extent of elongation is determined by pressure roll 3;
The fabric is fed into the pressure zone;
After the pressure zone, the rubber cloth relaxes again and goes back into its original form, taking the fabric with it; and
Consequence: Shortening of the warp threads and hence compression of the weft threads. Shrinkage has taken place and is stabilized by tension-free drying
Figure 3
Figure 3 shows an original rubber belt shrinkage range
Fundamentals Of Denim Finishing
Greige denim fabric is characterised by one special feature. Although sanforized denim twill fabric no longer shrinks, it does have the characteristic that the finished legs of jeans tend to twist during washing. This means that treatment to prevent the twisting is also necessary here. Denim greige fabric is therefore subjected to the following four classic step treatment process on special denim finishing ranges.
Singeing — twice on the blue side;
Stretching — longitudinally to set the desired fabric width;
Weft straightening — pulling the weft threads to prevent twisting; and
Compressive shrinkage.
Today, however, only a fraction of the denim production is processed directly from greige fabric. Denim open-wide fabric can be washed, desized, mercerized or over-dyed before shrinking.
Figure 4
Figure 4 shows the treatment possibilities and processes. All the treatments always finish with the shrinkage process. Before the shrinkage process, a washing test should be performed prior to each fabric batch to be shrunk in order to determine the shrinkage potential. The fabric shrinkage in warp and weft direction and the degree of skewing are measured. The washing shrinkage in warp direction and the degree of skewing provide indicative values for the setting of the denim shrinkage range.
Classic Denim Ranges With Stretcher And Weft Straightener
Monforts denim ranges are tailored to the customer’s needs and are in operation with many leading denim producers. Sophisticated denim concepts are offered, from individual machines through to full-scale finishing ranges
The classic configurations include:
Padder-stretcher-cylinder dryer-shrinkage range version; and
Energy-saving foam applicator-stretcher-shrinkage range version, whereby
today the foam applicator can be replaced by the Matex ECO Applicator. This also eliminates the need for a foam mixer.
Figure 5
Figure 5 shows the principles of the three range variants.
For example, a denim fabric comes from the weaving shop with a greige width of 157 centimeters (cm) and is later to have a finished width of 151 cm. In order to achieve this value, the fabric is stretched with high force — for a 14.5 oz/yd² article, up to 4000 Newtons (N) and sometimes even more — so that its width is reduced.
At the same time, the rolls in the stretcher are inclined in order to create the weft skewing. In greige fabric, the weft skewing can be as much as 8 percent —approximately 12 cm.
Figure 6
Figure 6 explains the weft skewing, shows optimum values and what is tolerable and not tolerable. Two stretcher types are used in classic denim finishing ranges — simplex stretcher and duplex stretcher. The simplex stretcher is still frequently used today by Monforts competitors (See Figure 7).
Figure 7
A disadvantage of these stretchers is that stretching tension is built up between the padder and the tension roller of the stretcher, placing extreme loads on the rubber coating of the padder rolls. Monforts therefore changed over to the duplex stretcher from any early stage.
Figure 8
This stretcher has two independent holding points separate from the other range components. The force required for stretching and skewing is built up between the draw roller pair and the tension roller pair of the stretcher (See Figure 8).
This range type with foam applicator and steaming drum was the first step towards saving drying energy by eliminating the cylinder dryer.
Modern Denim Ranges With Stretcher And Weft Straightener
Innovative further developments of the Monforts denim ranges have led to new ecological and economical denim finishing ranges being successfully marketed today.
Figure 9 shows the Eco version of a present-day denim finishing range.
Figure 9
Several ecological and economical features are implemented in this range concept, including:
An Eco-Applicator that is employed as liquor application unit. The Eco-Applicator is a minimum application unit that applies the finishing liquor in a controlled manner to both sides of the fabric. The minimum moisture is sufficient for stretching and skewing the fabric.
The ThermoStretch stretcher is used as stretcher and weft straightener for drying, stretching, skewing and thread counting, aided by a structure detector with SD1 camera technology. The camera measures and controls the fabric width and the skewing. As an option, the weft threads are also counted by the SD 1 camera (See Figure 10).
Figure 10
This range configuration allows speeds of 35 to 40 meters per minute (m/min) to be achieved with a 14.5 ounce per square yard (oz/yd²) unwashed article. Lower denim weight classes and washed open-wide fabric can naturally be run correspondingly faster. Figure 11 shows the Eco version as a high-speed machine or double rubber.
This version that has been proven for years comprises two rubber calenders and two felt calenders and thus achieves a production speed of 70 to 80 m/min with a 14.5 oz/yd² denim. Here again, lower denim weight classes and washed open-wide fabric can naturally be run correspondingly faster.
Figure 11
Description of the ThermoStretch Stretcher And Weft Straightener
The ThermoStretch stretcher is a modified hotflue with reinforced and adjustable rolls with a diameter of 180 millimeters (mm). The stretcher can be heated and the fabric moisture at the exit is regulated to suit the shrinkage process.
Figure 10 shows schematically the function of the stretcher and weft straightener.
With their differently controlled speeds V1 and V2, the two tension rolls determine the longitudinal tension in the fabric, and hence the reduction in width, monitored and controlled by the Pleva SD 1 camera. The camera also measures the weft thread position, and monitors and controls the skew by skewing on side of the roll package in the ThermoStretch stretcher.
Figure 12
As the ThermoStretch has a large number of guide rolls and can also be heated, as shown in figure 12, the damp fabric can be stretched with a longitudinal tension of 200-300 N, instead of 4000 N as in the past.
The skewing of the rolls is adjusted in millimeters — rather than in centimeters as in the past — resulting in crease-free running of the fabric. The warm and damp stretching process requires far less force, making it gentler on the fabric and resulting in a better fabric appearance. Furthermore, the residual moisture in the fabric is measured and controlled so that it arrives at the actual shrinkage process with a controlled and constant moisture content.
The benefits of these innovations are:
Greatly reduced stretching forces;
Extremely low load on the fabric during the stretching process;
Skewing of the rolls in millimeters rather than in centimeters;
No creasing of the fabric during the passage;
Skewing takes place in a large number of small individual steps;
Higher production speeds on Eco Applicator ranges;
More precise residual moisture measurement and control upline of the rubber calender;
Wider range of possibilities for fabric treatment; and
Remarkable differences in the fabric quality by comparison with competitors’ products thanks to innovations and modern technologies.
Figure 13
Cost Savings From The Use Of Eco Versions
It is interesting to compare the state-of-the-art denim ranges with the new Eco versions. If we consider the costs for denim finishing in euros per running meter, we observe the following: The Eco versions are always less costly, as shown in figure 13. These cost calculations are based on prices in Germany and represent only a trend. Country-specific deviations are possible.
As can be seen, the Eco range with one rubber calender and one felt calender is more economical by 28 percent during the production of a 14.5 oz/yd² article, and the costs per meter of finished fabric on the Eco range with two rubber calenders and two felt calenders are 25.5-percent lower.
The Eco versions offer the user the following benefits:
More controllable process;
Better fabric quality;
Less steam energy;
Less electrical energy;
Lower water consumption
Fewer chemicals used; and
Lower costs per running meter.
Finishing Of Elastic Denim Fabric
Elastic denim fabric has already established itself in the denim industry with growing market shares. Many premium denim brands employ modern stretch denim. These articles today have a more natural appearance and are no longer as glossy.
These articles require a few treatment steps more than for normal classic denim finishing. The finishing process is therefore slightly more costly, but the prices that can be achieved are also somewhat better than for the classic denim fabric.
Apart from elastic texturized polyester — xpand from Trevira, for example — with approximately 20 percent stretch, yarns of elastane fibres with approximately 40 percent stretch are frequently used to maintain the form stability and to improve the wearing comfort. Of the elastane fibers Dorlastan®, Lycra®, Linel®, Glospun®, Roicka® and Teplon®, may be used in denim.
From its molecular structure, elastane is a fiber with a polyurethane hard segment and a polyether or polyester soft segment, whereby the soft segment is responsible for the properties of the fiber. As a large number of these fiber types are encountered, it is essential to observe the information provided by the respective fiber producers with respect to controlled shrinkage and proper fiber fixing.
The producer should be consulted on the deviation ranges of the elastane fibers to be used in order to create optimum conditions for finishing. When selecting the finishing parameters — pH value, treatment time and mechanical influence — care must be taken from the point of view of the elastane fibers that the intended finished product data of the article are not impaired. For denim articles, cotton blends with different percentages of elastane are used.
The Behavior Of Weft-Elastic Denim Fabric
A classic denim fabric without elastane content normally has a greige width of 157 to 159 cm. The washing tests on such articles show on average a shrinkage of -15 percent in the warp direction and -6 percent in the weft direction.
The weft-elastic denim fabric with elastane content may have a greige width of 180 cm and also shrinks during the washing test on average by -15 percent in the warp direction, but by -34 percent in the weft direction.
This means that the fabric still had a width of approximately 119 cm after washing. And that with a desired finished width of 151 cm. The weft-elastic denim fabric therefore always has to be stabilized.
The fabric is heat-set in order to achieve:
A desired stretch;
A desired weight per square meter;
A desired finished width;
A desired improvement in the dimensional stability; and
To avoid cold creep shrinkage.
Fixing ranges at 180 to 200°C lie in the order of 15 to 60 second dwell time. The fiber manufacturer’s recommendations have to be observed here. Within this range, the fabric reacts under optimum conditions. The times cited in this article are empirical values from the respective finishers.
The Discontinuous Finishing Method For Weft-Elastic Denim Fabric
After singeing, the weft-elastic denim greige cloth with a 180 cm fabric width undergoes hot washing on a washing machine where the fabric is washed and the majority of the size is removed. The fabric is then predried, padded — liquor application — and then dried and fixed on a tenter with a drying and fixing temperature of 190°C, tentering width 152 cm. The third finishing step is the compressive shrinkage process.
The fabric to be shrunk is sprayed with water, passed over a steaming drum, skewed on a weft straightener and then fed to the rubber calender with a defined rubber
blanket pressure before finally being dried on the felt calender. Instead of the spray system, the Matex ECO-Applicator can also be used for a selective moisture application.
The fabric width before the rubber calender is 150 cm; the fabric width after the felt calender is also 150 cm.
The washed shrinkage values after treatment showed a residual shrinkage in the warp direction of -1 percent and residual shrinkage in the weft direction of -1.5 percent, thus falling within the range of the international standards required by Levis, Lee, Wrangler, Maverick, Mustang and General, for example.
These respectable residual shrinkage values are achieved in three separate finishing steps as shown in Figure 14.
Figure 14
The Fully Continuous Finishing Method For Weft-Elastic Denim Fabric
When planning new denim finishing ranges, the wish is frequently expressed to be able to finish non-elastic and weft-elastic denim fabrics on the same range.
For non-elastic denim fabric, washing compartments have been part of the denim range for many years. For weft-elastic denim fabrics, however, not only the washing process but also the fixing process to stabilize the fabric is required.
Figure 15
Figure 15 shows a range configuration for normal denim articles with the possibility of continuous finishing of large production quantities of weft-elastic denim fabric. After unrolling, cleaning and singeing (1) the fabric is washed (2), squeezed and padded again (3) where a suction bar can increase the moisture difference for the second padder passage. The Matex ECO-Applicator can also be used instead of a second padder. While non-elastic denim fabric, stretched and skewed (4) is fed from the cylinder drier (5) with controlled residual moisture to the width control via the tenter (6) and then to the rubber and felt calender (7), the elastic denim fabric has to be heat-set on the tenter.
After the fixing process, the over-dried fabric is cooled and moistened again (8) so that the fabric again has the moisture necessary for shrinking. The delivery combination (9) with scray and Sochor winder ensures strain-free winding of the shrunk, weft-elastic fabric.
Compared with the discontinuous method, the investment cost for the fully continuous method are slightly higher, but this is the least expensive method in the costs per meter.
The following points favour the use of the fully continuous method for the finishing of weft-elastic denim fabrics:
Higher utilization of the range;
Higher production speed;
Lower space requirement; and
Lower personnel costs.
The Fully Continuous Finishing Method For Classic And Elastic Denim Fabrics
The most modern, most ecological and most economical denim range version is shown in Figure 16.
Figure 16
This range allows fabric webs of 100-percent cotton and of cotton blends with elastane to be finished. Different setting parameters are selected, depending on the quality.
After unrolling, the grey fabric is cleaned and singed. In the following washing compartments, the fabric is partly desized and the first shrinkage in the length and width of the fabric web takes place. Other processes can also be integrated, depending on the number of washing compartments. A high-performance squeezing unit optimally dewaters the fabric web for a wet-in-wet process. Minimal amounts of finishing liquor are applied with the ECO-Applicator. A concentration check of the finishing liquor, as is necessary with the wet-in-wet process with two padders, can be eliminated here. When using the ECO-Applicator, the finishing liquor is not diluted.
The fabric is then predried in the cylinder drier unit. Residual drying, stretching and skewing are performed on the ThermoStretch stretcher and weft straightener. The fabric is thereby carefully stretched in stages by passing it over rollers while skewing and stretching in small steps. The process takes place in a defined temperature and moisture climate and achieves better fabric appearances.
Compared with the conventional denim stretching technique this means: Significantly lower stretching forces, less fabric tension, better ‘look and feel’, Higher production speed and simpler residual moisture control.
The fabric width, skew and number of filling threads is monitored by a special camera and the measured values are converted into corresponding control pulses for the range control.
The following tenter with upline Matex ECO-Applicator and a coating range is then used either for finishing, drying of the coating or surface stabilization (fixing), depending on the article. The machine settings depend on the process to be employed. The fabric arrives at the range for the compressive shrinking process with a controlled residual moisture content or with moisture application using the Matex ECO-Applicator. Two rubber calenders and two felt calenders ensure a high production speed with gentle use of the rubber blanket and effective energy consumption.
Two rubber calenders and two felt calenders are required to produce denim of 14.5 oz/yd² with 1 to 2-percent residual shrinkage at speeds of at least 70 m/min.
Low-tension guidance of the fabric during rolling is important for the end of the process.
January 18, 2018
Article courtesy of Germany-based A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH
