Bayer MaterialScience, bluesign Join Forces

Germany-based Bayer MaterialScience now is a certified partner in the bluesign® system, administered by bluesign technologies AG, Switzerland. The waterborne polyurethane dispersions in Bayer’s Impranil® line have been tested and now are certified under the bluesign system. The two companies report they will focus on sustainable coated textiles and safe production processes and working conditions along the textile value chain.

“We are very pleased to welcome a worldwide leading raw materials supplier like Bayer MaterialScience as a bluesign systems partner,” said Peter Waeber, bluesign initiator and CEO. “The company increases the range of certified substances that customers in the textile industry can use to achieve production operations that are compatible with both people and the environment. Bayer also supports our goal of further establishing the bluesign system as a global standard for a sustainable textile industry with the best possible consumer protection.”

November/December 2014

Ahlstrom Sells Its Suominen Shares; Introduces Pleat2Save™, VaporCool™

Finland-based Ahlstrom Corp. has sold its 26.9-percent shareholding in Finland-based Suominen Corp. to AC Invest Two BV, a company within the Ahlstrom Capital Group. Each share was sold for 0.50 euros (62 cents) bringing the value of the sale to 33.3 million euros ($41 million). The sale will result in a non-recurring gain of approximately 11 million euros ($14 million) in Ahlstrom’s fourth quarter 2014 interim results.

In other company news, Ahlstrom has introduced two new products. The Pleat2Save™ portfolio of filtration media is designed for residential, commercial and healthcare heating, ventilation and air conditioning applications. According to the company, Pleat2Save offers improved durability compared to other filtration products. Ahlstrom reports VaporCool™ is a soft, textile-like dynamic spunbond/meltblown/spunbond fabric designed for surgical apparel. The fabric offers moisture management properties, working with the body to relieve discomfort whether the wearer is too hot or too cold. When hot, the fabric is capable of boosting evaporation to provide a cooling effect. When cold, the fabric holds in moisture and acts like an insulating layer.

November/December 2014

The James Heal Titan – Universal Strength Tester Offers Increased Capacity Up To 5,000 Newtons

HALIFAX, United Kingdom — December 2, 2014 — James Heal has substantially increased the tension and compression capacities of its latest model of its Universal Strength Tester – the Titan now provides the capacity to accommodate tests up to 5,000 Newtons (5kN).

The extensive range of tool-free specimen grips available for the Titan, for many different standards, test methods and materials types, has been further augmented by the introduction of five new tools, including tools and grips to test Elastane, Rivets, Studs, Press studs (also known as snap fastener and poppers), Velcro and leather products.

This increase in capacity, in conjunction with the existing and new enhanced range of tooling, offers laboratories the potential to significantly increase the number and scope of tests they can offer. With the new Titan Labs will be able to comply with more Standards, perform a wider array of tests on a wider range of product types, which could give them the opportunity to open up new markets, creating greater opportunities for increased business and to also improve efficiencies of their operators and instrument.

An Increase In Applications
The applications for the Titan are numerous. Product types which can be tested on this instrument includes woven and knitted fabrics, leather, coated fabric and nonwovens, in various forms such as yarn, fabric, garments, attachments to garments and attachments to children’s toys.
 
The diversity of  tests which can be performed  includes Seam Slippage and Seam Strength, Stretch and Recovery, Security of attachments, Compression Testing including Ball Burst, Puncture and Crush Resistance, Yarn strength, including Single Strand and Skein/Hank Strength, Tear Strength and Delamination, Tensile Strength and Elongation, the Baumann tear strength, hank (lea) strength and tests for buttons and zippers.

New tooling for the Titan enables specific testing of Studs and Buttons and for additional tests for Yarn. Additional tooling also includes a grip, the OctoGrip, which is complementary to the T12 grip. This tool has 8 claws to enable very small items, which  would otherwise be extremely difficult to hold with the T12 jaws, to be held securely for testing. Further new tooling enables the Coefficient of Friction (COF) to be measured. This is used to ascertain the ratio of the force of friction between two surfaces and the force acting between them and has applications for packaging material and for products such as cork flooring and other sheet materials.

Automated Processes Increase Efficiencies And Improve Accuracy
One of the many beneficial aspects of using Titan is the simplicity of operation. This is further enhanced and supported by the easy to use and intuitive test analysis software known as TestWise™.

TestWise has many features to make the testing process easier for the operator but also significantly increases efficiencies and accuracy of the testing process.  For example, TestWise incorporates an ever expanding library of pre-loaded standard and test methods which can easily be located through the ‘Filter’ option. Additionally, Standards which are used regularly within the laboratory can be saved within ‘Favourites’ for instant access.

Furthermore, TestWise software transfers the test parameters, specified within the selected Standard to the instrument, which subsequently automatically sets-up the required parameters such as the gauge length, the number of specimens to test, the pre-tension requirement and the speed that the jaws are required to move apart during test.

The jaw separation distance is also determined by the TestWise software and, like the other parameters, is automatically set-up on the Titan – no steel ruler is required to measure the distance separation on a Titan. This distance is calibrated – it is precise and repeatable. And as these parameters are preloaded, the risk of human error is eliminated, therefore the test has total conformance with the selected Standard presenting results which have total accuracy with greater reliability and repeatability.

The Standards Editor within TestWise also enables laboratories to create user-defined Standards for their own specific needs and/or their customer requirements.

These features dramatically reduce the time to start the test with obvious opportunities for increased efficiency of production through-put and time savings. The training time is also substantially reduced.

‘SMART Button’
Once the relevant standard is selected, using the TestWise software on the PC or Laptop, a multi-functional ‘SMART button’, conveniently positioned on the base of the instrument, aids the loading of the sample and is used to start the test. As the sample set-up and start test can be actioned directly at the instrument using this Smart button, the need to constantly return to a PC or Laptop is eliminated. This Smart button makes the whole testing process simpler, extremely productive and user friendly.

Quick Change Load Cells
A further innovation on the Titan are the quick change Load Cells, which are available up to 5000N capacity, these also have an auto-recognition facility. This end-user focussed design innovation also helps make the process easier, saving time which also has the potential to increase efficiencies and laboratory through put. The range of cells available include a 1000 N or 500 N and a 100 N or 200 N, which in addition to the 5000 N cell, increases accuracy of results and flexibility of testing different materials.

Quick Change Jaw Face Cells
As those who work in a laboratory will know different tests require different jaw faces, as specified within the relevant Standard, so the ability to change the jaw faces quickly, and without the need for tools, is a very useful time saving benefit of our instrument.

With the Titan, to change the jaw faces from, for example, rubber coated to line contact or to bare metal or to jaw faces with different surface area dimensions, it is always a very simple and efficient process.

Built-in Safety Features
Whenever James Heal design an instrument such as the Titan the safety of the operator is paramount, therefore effective safely measures are built in. For example, when the operator loads a sample the instrument will initially apply very light pressure, called a ‘Soft Close’, which is sufficient to grip the sample but not strong enough to damage fingers accidentally left in the jaws. Once the operator’s hands are moved away from the jaws, the start button can be pressed and the pressure will increase from 1 bar to 8 bar to firmly hold the sample in place ready for the test to start. Likewise a pressure sensor on the retractable bottom jaw will automatically stop the instrument if the sample breaks when working in tension which prevents impact damage to the operator as well as the tool and the Load Cell.

These safety features help to avoid disruption to the laboratory, instrument downtime and repair and tooling replacement cost, but more importantly, they significantly reduce the chance of injury and create a safer working environment.

A Clear And Efficient Working Environment
All the pneumatics, the electronics, the foot switch cabling and the power supply of the Titan are neatly integrated into the instrument and housed in a robust case to protect the cartridge and the precision load cells. There are no ugly bolt-ons, extras or messy cabling to create a trip hazard or hidden additional costs. The Titan offers a clean and efficient work area and as it has an instrument footprint, which compares very favourably with other instruments of this type, valuable laboratory bench can be saved.

Summary
With  introduction of the 5kN Titan James Heal have taken Universal Strength Testing to a new level and continue to set the standard for testing instruments.

The increase strength capabilities of the instrument, combined with the extended range of tools and grips, enhanced and user-friendly TestWise software and automated processes, offers laboratories the opportunity to increase the range of services undertaken and to perform tests with far greater accuracy, reliability and repeatability. Consequently creating the potential for improved labour and instrument efficiencies and to increase revenue within a productive, clean and a safe working environment.
 
Posted December 2, 2014

Source: James H. Heal
 

An Industry Gathers In Minneapolis

Minneapolis proved to be a tough sell in attracting interest from the technical textiles industry for the combined 2014 IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo and Advanced Textiles Expo. The recent event, organized by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), took place at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Although no official numbers were released, IFAI President Mary Hennessy said in a post-show press release that 2014 attendance was off by 20 percent. Last year’s total participation, including both attendees and exhibitors, was 5,300, meaning this year’s event attracted about 4,200 people. The number of participating exhibitors also was down about 10 percent from 2014, falling from 407 to 363. The amount of space, too, was noticeably smaller, about 85,000-square-feet (ft2)compared to 102,000 ft2 the previous year.
 

(left to right): Dave Clarke, IFAI chairman of the Board; Mary Hennessy, IFAI
president; and Congressman Keith Ellison, D-Minn.
Photo courtesy of IFAI. ©2014 Mark Skalny Photography

Numbers don’t always tell the story however. Many visitors Textile World encountered on the show floor were happy with the expo. “This year’s expo met or exceeded our expectations for all categories,” said Roy Chism, president, The Chism Company, San Antonio, Texas. “The trade show offered a good match for specific machinery needs, textiles for new product offerings, and services for the enhancement of our operations.”

Equally optimistic about the show was Kevin Kelly, MFC, IFM, president, Globe Canvas Products Co., a division of Humphrys CoverSports, a Philadelphia-based fabricator of products made from technical textiles. “We had a great Expo,” Kelly said. “We saw dozens of our vendors and covered a lot of ground. We saw new equipment, new fabrics, and established new personal relationships that we could not have done as economically in any other way.”

There were a number of exhibitors, too, satisfied with the show’s results.

Annelie Wester, marketing manager for Sweden-based Forsstrom High Frequency AB, was pleased with the show. She said the company sold two of its high frequency welding machines right on the show floor, something that usually never occurs at the IFAI Expo.

Jamie Nute, West Coast director of sales, Miller Weldmaster, said the merger of the Sinclair Equipment Co.’s wedge welder equipment lines into Miller Weldmaster and the new relationship with JTE Equipment have both been well-received by the industry. The Miller Weldmaster booth appeared to be very active during much of the trade show.

The busiest booth spots on the show floor seemed to be the Nike IHM and Higher Dimension Materials Inc. (HDM) stands. The IFAI Advanced Textiles Expo marked the first time Nike IHM, an independent subsidiary of Nike Inc., exhibited at a trade show. Its display of thermoplastic polyurethane fabrics attracted a great deal of interest. HDM also was very busy showing its line of durable and lightweight fabrics marketed under the name SuperFabric®.

Perhaps summing it up best were the remarks by Bill Christmann, vice president of Sales, Gehring Tricot Corp. “This year, for the first time I can recall, the majority of the show was filled with very involved exchanges where actual business plans were detailed out, which ultimately allows for the best chance for quickest turn on business growth. As diverse as Gehring Tricot is for a U.S.-based vertical mill, the fellow exhibitors and attendees are densely populated with existing partners, those who supply us as well as those we supply; so, the less hectic pace allowed for much more time to speak with these folks as well. This made for a very productive show on every possible level.”

Throughout the course of the four days in Minneapolis, there was a lot going on besides the trade shows. A two-day Advanced Textiles symposium was held October 13-14 that featured both Safety and Smart Textiles education tracks. These programs attracted a significant new type of attendee for IFAI – the researchers and product developers in cutting-edge markets. In the traditional areas such as marine and awing fabricators, visitors could attend business seminars and workshops/tours included sewing and welding equipment hands-on participation.

IFAI Business Meeting
IFAI uses the Expo event as the location to gather its membership and to recognize industry leaders, professional certification achievement, and the skillful work of the end product fabricator.

IFAI conducted its 102nd Annual Business Meeting during the show’s opening night reception. It was probably not the best idea to have a business meeting entangled with a noisy cocktail reception but if you listened closely you heard a good story. David Clarke, IFAI’s Chairman of the Board, reported on the association’s projects, financial condition and its future plans. Most important, he reported the association was in solid financial condition.

Other presentations followed Clarke, including the announcement of the IFAI’s newest Honored Life Members. These individuals were Peter McKernan, IFM, Herculite Products; Frank Sinclair, Sinclair Equipment; Nora Norby, MFC, Banner Creations; and, Seymour Hyman, Health Chem Corporation (now Herculite Products).

The evening’s final event was the announcement of the winners of the association’s 2014 International Achievement Awards competition. Winning projects in 30 categories were showcased on screen during the presentation, fantastic projects ranging from tensile structures to geosynthetic projects to marine exteriors.

Major gatherings like the IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo also bring news of transitions in the industry. Those retiring by the end of 2014 include Robert McGilvray, president at Serge Ferrari North America; Harry Butler, Vice President of Marketing at Tri Vantage; and, Frank Sinclair, Founder and President of Sinclair Equipment Company.

Looking Ahead
Next year will bring the addition of another distinct show-within-a-show. In addition to IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo and IFAI Advanced Textiles Expo, the IFAI Shade Expo will be introduced as a concentrated focus on all things sun protection made using technical textiles. The combined IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo/IFAI Advanced Textiles Expo/IFAI Shade Expo will be held October 7-9, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. The Advance Textiles education tracks will begin October 6, a day before the trade shows begin.

November/December 2014

Bulletin Board

Kinetex, a textile composite flooring product manufactured by Dalton, Ga.-based J+J Flooring Group, was named a grand prize winner in the flooring solutions category in Buildings magazine’s annual Product Innovations Awards.
 


Kinetex flooring from J+J Flooring Group

Minneapolis-based G&K Services Inc. has introduced a new line of enhanced-visibility garments featuring GlenGuard FR® from Glen Raven Inc., Glen Raven, N.C. The line, manufactured by Workrite Uniform Co., Oxnard, Calif., includes 4.5-ounce work shirts and coveralls, and 6.4-ounce work pants.

Klüber Lubrication, Londonderry, N.H., has introduced Klübertherm HB 88-182 for the long-term lubrication of rolling bearings.

AmeriPride Services Inc., Minnetonka, Minn., was recognized by the Textile Rental Services Association with the SafeTRSA Innovation Award and the Clean Green Innovation Award.

United Kingdom-based Federation of European Screen Printers Associations (FESPA) has relaunched its Planet Friendly Guide into one introductory guide and 10 subject-specific guides.

Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based AATCC, the Association of Textile, Apparel and Materials Professionals, still has small quantities of L2 lightfastness control fabric Lot 8 available. Lot 9 has been manufactured and approved, and will go on sale as soon as supplies of Lot 8 are exhausted.

Carmel, Ind.-based Top Value Fabrics has launched a new website, TVFMedia.com for its print media products.

Stockholm, Sweden-based Atlas Copco’s ZS screw blower range currently is celebrating its fifth year of production.

Italy-based RadiciGroup has released its 2013 Sustainability Report, the 11th such report published by the company.

November/December 2014

DAK Americas Announces Fibers Business Capacity Increase

Charlotte, N.C.-based DAK Americas has announced it will increase production capacity by 55 million pounds per year (lbs/year) for polyester staple fiber (PSF) at its Cooper River Site near Charleston, S.C. Phase one of the expansion is expected to be complete sometime in March or April 2015; the timing for phase two of the project will be determined once phase one is complete. Once the total expansion is complete, DAK will have a total capacity of 500 million lbs/year for PSF in the NAFTA region.

“We are excited to be increasing the capacity of the facility to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jorge Young, president and CEO, DAK Americas. “The capacity will serve the growing U.S. fibers market.”

November/December 2014

The Rupp Report: What About Cotton?

Over the past few weeks, the Rupp Report concentrated on reports from the recent ITMF conference in Beijing. Recent reports included some information about the global cotton situation including China’s cotton policy, and the some 10 million metric tons of cotton that are stored in China and are waiting to reenter the market.
 
However, how has cotton fared over the past few months? United Kingdom-based Plexus Cotton Ltd. wrote in its June 5, 2014, Market Report: “NY futures remained under pressure this week, as July gave up another 67 points to close at 85.48 cents, while December dropped 100 points to close at 77.38 cents. The market is in search of a solid bid, but with fundamentals and technical indicators both in bearish mode, the path of least resistance continues to be down for now. July has so far given up over 900 points since closing at 94.75 cents exactly a month ago, while December is more than 700 points below its high of 84.53 cents.”
 
A Rollercoaster
In its June 19th Market Report, Plexus reported: “NY futures closed mixed this week, as July rallied 274 points to close at 88.36 cents, while December dropped 70 points to close at 77.13 cents. … U.S. export sales continued to surprise positively, as a total of 258,700 running bales of Upland and Pima were sold last week, whereof 155,200 running bales were for June/July shipment. Indonesia (91,700 bales) and Vietnam (66,100 bales) were the most active buyers for nearby shipment and this seems to indicate that mills in the Far East still have a lot of holes to fill until new crop.” The rollercoaster continued when the NY futures came under further pressure a week later, “as December dropped 250 points to close at 74.63 cents,” according to the Plexus Market Report dated June 26.
 
More Competitive Chinese
China is trying to transform itself into a modernized society that is more competitive and produces better quality goods. This transformation also extends to China’s textile industry. For some time, China has imported a lot of cotton yarns; local products made of more expensive Chinese cotton were not competitive. However, this is changing now. As statistics show, Chinese yarn imports of 131,639 metric tons at the end of June were at the lowest level in eleven months. This is certainly because Chinese spinners are becoming more price competitive thanks to a drastic reduction in the domestic cotton price.
 
In early November, the situation changed again. According to the Plexus Market Report on November 6: “NY futures moved lower this week, as December lost 131 points to close at 63.19 cents/lb, while March dropped 74 points to close at 62.28 cents/lb. … Since October 6, the March contract, which as of today owns the highest open interest, has closed no lower than 61.71 cents and no higher than 63.27 cents, a range of just 156 points in 24 sessions! … The market seems to be boxed in between strong resistance stemming from a global oversupply scenario that is likely to persist for quite a while, while support comes mainly from government programs in the U.S. and India that keep supply pressures in check.”
 
The U.S. Influence
The November 6 Plexus Market Report said: “The U.S. marketing loan program pays growers 52 cents/lb for their cotton, which corresponds to over 80 percent of its current market value. The grower then has 9-10 months to redeem his cotton at the AWP [adjusted world price], which is determined by the A-index. … Paradoxically, the more bearish producers are, the longer they may leave their cotton in the loan in anticipation of a falling AWP.” To make it short, Plexus thinks that it may be more difficult to get cotton out of grower hands than in previous seasons.
 
And The Situation In India
As it is well known, India wants to play a more important role in the global textile industry in general, and the cotton industry in particular. Recently, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has started to procure cotton at the minimum support price (MSP) in several states, which has kept cash prices fairly stable just nearby 70 cents. Even if the government ended up buying only 10 percent of the crop, which would equate to around 4 million local bales, it would probably be enough to keep Indian prices well supported. According to Plexus, the psychological effect of these programs can be quite potent, “because the perception of a safety net will keep growers from panicking, while mills are more confident to buy near the MSP and traders are reluctant to undercut prices.” That makes a lot of sense.
 
Further Drop
By mid-November, the NY futures had dropped sharply. “New York futures dropped precipitously this week, as December lost 346 points to close at 59.73 cents/lb, while March fell 353 points to close at 58.75 cents/lb,” said Plexus in its November 13th Market Report. Plexus reported speculators are in the game. “The USDA report contained basically no surprises, apart from Burma being added as a previously unrecognized cotton producer and consumer with 630,000 bales in production and 700,000 bales in mill use. Other notable changes were production increases in the U.S. (+140,000 bales) and West Africa (+150,000 bales), while Central Asia (-120,000 bales) and Australia (-100,000 bales) saw their crop numbers lowered,” according to Plexus.
 
The report continued, “Global ending stocks are now predicted at a record 107.36 million bales, which are 5.63 million bales more than last season. More importantly, ROW [rest-of-the-world] ending stocks are expected to increase from 38.8 to 45.2 million bales, a jump of 6.4 million bales, as Chinese imports of 7.0 million bales won’t be enough to offset the ROW production surplus of 13.3 million bales. The only way to remedy this inventory overhang that now exists in China as well as the ROW is to discourage production and to stimulate consumption via lower prices.”
 
The most recent U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission report as of November 4 showed the trade at 6.0 million bales net short, while Index funds were 5.9 million bales net long and speculators had just a very small 0.1 million bales net long.
 
According to the Plexus Market Report for the week of November 20: “New York futures closed mixed this week, with the soon to expire December losing another 119 points to close at 58.54 cents/lb, while March gained 11 points to close at 58.86 cents/lb. … Although the market feels heavy, the unusually slow movement of the U.S. crop into marketing channels has so far prevented values from caving in. When we look at the latest EWR (Electronic Warehouse Receipts) report and the weekly export shipments we have more than just anecdotal evidence that farmers continue to withhold cotton in an effort to maximize their loan deficiency payments.
 
Holding Back Stocks
The November 20th Market Report continued: “As long as the AWP (Adjusted World Price) is trending lower week after week, growers will continue to hold back both their sold and unsold cotton in order to capture additional payment benefits. For our readers who are less familiar with the US loan program, a grower has the option to put his cotton into the government loan, for which he gets paid 52 cents, and he then has 9-10 months to buy his cotton back at the AWP (currently 46.12 cents) or at the loan plus carrying charges, whichever is cheaper.
 
“The AWP first dropped below the loan level in late September, or about the time when the US crop started to get harvested, and has trended lower ever since. AWP redemption values are always fixed for an entire week, from Friday to Thursday, and for the coming week the AWP is set at 46.12 cents, which is 245 points lower than in the previous week. That’s enough incentive for many growers and coops to hold on to their cotton a little longer.” However, Plexus said not all growers will benefit from this loan game.
 
Fewer U.S. Exports
“The EWR shows that 6.4 million bales of US new crop are currently listed as ‘open’ and that only a little over 0.8 million bales are ‘under shipping order’ to domestic and foreign destinations,” continued the November 20th Market Report from Plexus. “In other words, the cotton is there, but it is not being applied and shipped as fast as it should, which we attribute to the above-described situation. The US export sales report is another piece of evidence in that regard, as last week only 66,600 running bales got shipped. So far only 1.4 million statistical bales have been exported this season, which is over 600,000 bales less than a year ago.
 
“US export sales on the other hand were quite decent in the last two weeks, amounting to a combined 360,400 running bales of Upland and Pima cotton for both marketing years. Sales are not the problem, as total export commitments for the current season have already reached 6.6 million statistical bales or 66 percent of the expected total.”
 
Uncomfortable Situation
And now? “As long as the AWP keeps falling, it will be difficult to get enough US cotton into the system to alleviate the current bottleneck,” said Plexus. “Merchants are desperate to get their hands on cotton, especially for supplies they have already bought. The current AWP calculation of 45.86 points to yet another week of increasing subsidies, which would keep most cotton locked away.”
 
The heat is on! The Plexus experts see the market range bound in the near-term future somewhere between 57 and 62 cents.
 
December 2, 2014

T.E.A.M. Expands Woonsocket Manufacturing Facility

Woonsocket, R.I.-based T.E.A.M. Inc. recently broke ground on an expansion project at its Woonsocket facility. The expansion is expected to be complete by March 2015.

“This expansion will effectively double the size of our Woonsocket facility allowing us to better meet the growing needs of current programs while also giving us the added space to pursue additional opportunities,” said Steve Clarke, president and co-founder, T.E.A.M.

“We’re in the process of evaluating and acquiring new equipment, which will increase our 2-D and 3-D weaving capacity and expand our product capabilities,” added Jerry Moore, vice president and
co-founder, T.E.A.M.

The announcement follows a relocation and expansion project completed earlier this year at the company’s West Coast Division in Vacaville, Calif., which specializes in 2-D woven roll goods. “We relocated the company to a larger manufacturing space which allowed us to add additional equipment and improve upon current capabilities,” Moore said.

November/December 2014

Yarns & Denims In New York

Spin Expo had a mix of international exhibitors, and presented a spectrum of yarn companies, two producers of metallic fibers with a sprinkling of China-based knitted garment makers. Exhibitors showed yarns spun of cashmere and ultrafine merino at the high end; for greater volume there were blends. Yarns tended to be ultrafine and lightweight or deceivingly lightweight and bulky. Eco-friendly products also were on display.

China-based Yarns and Colors showed three collections. In the least expensive there are bouclés, fake furs and eyelash effects spun using a combination of natural and man-made yarns. “The duty on wool is one-half the duty on synthetics, so it is economical to put in more wool,” said Felise Erdal, Yarn Mavens, agent for Yarns and Colors. The mid-priced range has comfy, cozy brushed yarns that are not too hairy; chenilles; and a yarn cut from printed fabrics and wound onto cones. The high-end collection from Yarns and Colors is selling well for menswear. The company showed soft yarns with a slight luster spun using silk blended with cotton or linen. Some of the most popular yarns include cashmere/silk bouclés, baby alpaca blends and an ultralight, fine 100-percent camel’s hair yarn.
 


Trends at Spin Expo included luxury and metallic fibers.
 

There are three brands from the Germany-based Sudwolle Group that are selling products in the United States — Biella Yarns, Richter Yarns and Yarns in Motion. Biella Yarns is one of the world’s major merino wool yarn spinners. The line features a lot of cashmere as well. Yarns spun using extra-fine merino blended with cashmere and nylon, silk and cashmere or alpaca are soft and fine. A 100-percent cashmere yarn is soft-twist spun to give it a softer hand, improved recovery and reduced pilling.

Yarns in Motion produces a sportier line. Hans G. von Schuh, managing director, sales, showed an ultrafine T-shirt knitted using a 15/5 micron extra-fine merino wool, and a 100-percent wool woven sports shirt that is ultrafine and lightweight. Both yarns have a cotton touch and are machine washable. The Sudwolle Group’s Richter line primarily sells to the sock industry.

There is a lot of novelty in the line from Italy-based E. Miroglio. Extra-fine merino worsted yarns are blended with cotton, acrylic, nylon, viscose or stretch in ultralight and open bulky yarns, soft fuzzy yarns, bouclés, and hairy or cut yarns. There is a new collection of viscose and elastane colored yarns for knits or woven jacquards.

At Todd & Duncan Ltd., Scotland, there are 2/28 cashmere yarns available in 165 stock colors. New products include denim-look yarns spun using 100-percent cashmere, 2/36 cashmere, and blends with silk or lurex. Last year, Chanel selected a heavier 5/26 cashmere. Ultrafine lambswool, colored nub yarns, slub yarns, and marled yarns made using cashmere, lambswool, or blends are other favorites.

Lana Reale, agent for Canada-based Jacques Cartier and Italy-based Casa del Filato, showed eco-friendly lines from both companies. Jacques Cartier offers yarns spun using qiviuk, fiber from the Arctic muskox, which have been bought by Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Yarns made using qiviuk are lighter weight than vicuña, hypo-allergenic and do not pill. Casa del Filato offers novelties in recycled cashmere and wool blends including tweeds and furry yarns.

China-based Hongye Cashmere Co. Ltd. is styled by Italians. The company uses cashmere yarns from Alashan. Unfortunately, today many of the animals are used for meat, which cuts down the yarn supply. New for fall are lightweight heathered yarns that are fine spun using worsted cashmere or merino and cashmere. There is a huge range of stock colors available.  

China-based Consinee is styled by Jane Sked, an English woman who lives in Hong Kong. The company offers an enormous color range, including fluro shades, which are in stock service. Yarns are spun using cashmere and blends with baby wool and yak fibers. There are Donegal tweeds and slightly heathered heavier yarns that have a vintage quality and soft hand and are selling to both men’s and women’s wear. Top Line from the Consinee Group features fancy yarns with lots of stretch. There are smooth felted yarns, wool bubbles on mesh, denim looks, super fine gossamer yarns, neps, bouclés, tweeds and ultralight thick and thin yarns spun with cashmere, mohair, alpaca and blends.

China-based Hua Lian offers lightweight chunky yarns, tweeds, tone-on-tones, marls and eyelash effects spun using merino wool, cashmere, acrylic blends or cotton-rich yarns. The company spins one million yards of cotton/cashmere annually, and its best seller is a clean, lightweight yarn featuring fine slubs.

Heathered or mélange yarns are a specialty of China-based Huafu. Other styles include marled effects, space dyes, Donegals, flat nubs and metallic touches spun with Angelina. At Meadowbrook Inventions Inc., Bernardsville, N.J., Angelina producer, Roberta Rushmann said the company is developing new fibers and colors to add to its collection of aluminum, copper, silver and iridescent fibers. Angelina fibers have a cashmere-soft hand and are eco-friendly.

The United Kingdom-based Lurex Co. sells a range of metallic yarns for knitwear. Some are twisted and some are transparent. There is a huge color range on the metallized polyester color card. Lurex/wool and Lurex/rayon yarns are soft.

Kingpins
Two fiber companies, Invista and Cotton Incorporated, showed new denims and developments at Kingpins. Jean Hegedus, Global Marketing Director-Bottoms, Wichita, Kan.-based Invista, told Textile World the company is launching a new campaign titled, “Lycra® Moves You.” The campaign brings to life three key benefits of Lycra — freedom, comfort and movement. “Some menswear denims have 30- or 40-percent stretch,” Hegedus said.
 


Jean Hegedus, Global Marketing Director-Bottoms, Invista

Stretch denim fabrics Hegedus showcased are wovens that look like knits made by Pakistan-based Siddiqsons and Taiwan-based Knitindigo; flecked and resin patches finished by Garmon Chemicals, Republic of San Marino; denim featuring CoolMax® from China-based Advance Denim; and denim featuring Thermolite® for warmth from the Black Peony Group.

Theresa Zugay, executive account manager, Cotton Incorporated, Cary, N.C., presented a variety of denim treatments developed by its product development department. Treatments include a blistered jacquard double knit in an indigo friendly color with crinkled metallic foil, gel dyes that are waterless and create tie-dyed effects, sulfur-dyed black denim that turns mottled gray, and sanded and embossed denims enzyme washed using stones for a paler look.

Silvadur™, an antimicrobial sustainable application treatment from The Dow Chemical Co., featured in several denim fabrics at the show, which require less frequent washing. Dow reports its promise of freshness is especially good for travelers, and there is increased quality with less degradation over the lifetime of a pair of jeans.

Kara Nicholas, vice president, design and marketing, Cone Denim LLC, said the company has worked with Unifi to develop a new yarn that has a soft, cotton-like hand, stretch and all of the recovery and washing benefits of a man-made fiber. ConeTouch, based on Repreve® recycled bottle technology, is made into a 12.5-ounce-weight denim for men and 9.5-ounce denim for women. Another new product at Cone is VaraBlue™, a cationic pretreatment for the warp yarn that produces yarn-dyed and ring-dyed effects.

Spain-based Tavex S.A. showed four new technologies. The Aquasave denim dyeing process uses no water. Tri-blend Technology is a new development combining super stretch with super recovery and low shrinkage. Using the high stretch of Lycra and recovery properties of Lycra T400, denim fabrics feature super stretch, retain their shape and are comfortable to wear. Absolute Fit, a blend of cotton/polyester/spandex, is highly elastic and provides ultra slim fits. Fitness Denim, a blend of cotton and spandex, is for men and offers comfort and flexibility.

New stretch denims at Denimatrix provide comfort and performance. A new stretch denim uses Lycra dualFX®, new dye shades are dark and saturated with high and low contrasts, and a new tri-blend of cotton/spun polyester/spandex has less sheen, a soft hand and good recovery. Stretch denim has become important in the men’s market, especially for young men who are into skateboarding and other sports.

Spain-based Santanderina S.A. is weaving Tencel®/bamboo denims that offer a luxurious soft hand. Some fabrics look like jacquards. The company offers indigo-dyed knitted denim with high multi-directional stretch, Tencel indigo-dyed yarn featuring a soft hand, and Tencel/cotton/nylon stretch fabrics that are color coated and lighten when washed.

November/December 2014

Tukatech Launches Cloud Based Collaborative Solutions For 3-D Virtual Garment Development and Faster Approvals

Los Angeles — December 1, 2014 — Tukatech Inc. has taken another step forward to improve the digital communication in the field of development and approvals of samples over the internet. Many suppliers and vendors are already sending digital samples for approval of the FIT and Look via e-mails with video attachments. This still lacks the precise communication or “being in the same room” experience.  Tukatech has created a Cloud Based virtual sample room to close this communication gap and further accelerate the approval process.

“The CLOUD base Virtual Sample solution with the digital database ready to use again and again is a phenomenal breakthrough”, commented Ashesh Amin, Chief Operating Officer of Adrianna Papell. “What a great solution, it really brings everyone on the same page very quickly. The Tukatech team has done wonders for our business not only with varied end to end solutions but also business process reengineering. In such a short time, we make very complicated dresses. We were doing everything manually but Tukatech made us totally digital in a few months”, he added.

“The speed and ease (with TUKA3D) is amazing”, says Arshad Sattar, Managing Director of Timex Group, “we make almost 1,000 new styles per month. The dresses, blouses, pants and skirts require fit, understanding of fabric draping and we make for some of the biggest brands like, Elie Tahari, Maggy London, Polo, CHAPS – Ralph Lauren, NEXT, Stein Mart, Chico’s, M & Co., and dozens of other European, Canadian and American companies. Without getting faster design and approval, we simply could not be in the fashion business. Designers are looking at uploaded samples at their convenience anywhere using mobile or other devices. They can see the 3-D sample; zoom, pan, rotate the sample, just like they will in real life on a real person. In addition there is a video showing how garment and fabric drapes, in tension and X-RAY mode enabling the viewer to see if there are any fit issues. All the colorways, print and embroidery placement can also be viewed. Upon analyzing the 3-D sample and the video they can make comments, and the system automatically informs the pattern maker who can see and read the comments, make the required corrections and send the new sample almost immediately. The system informs the individuals or the designated group to view and approve the final garment. Once the garment is approved for production, it now goes in the Asset Library so designers can use it for future development,” added Sattar.

“The hardest thing is communicating fashion on paper with sketches and instructions. Tech Packs are open to interpretation first at the Tech Designer’s level who is trying to understand what the designer wants and then by vendors. The actual design process starts when the FIRST SAMPLE arrives and it almost always starts with a comment from a designer, “this is not what I wanted.” With a physical sample in front of the designer, the changes and the design process starts.  However by that time 20 to 30 days have passed and a lot of resources have been invested with no gain” says Ram Sareen, founder and CEO, Tukatech, “We wanted the entire supply chain to be visually connected and go back in time when we were able to design under one roof, where everyone communicated effectively. The designer spoke to the pattern maker many times referring to old styles.  New changes and somehow (based on old blocks, experience, understanding of fit model’s shape and size) the pattern maker made the pattern, got a sample cut and sewn and it was on the fit model’s body. During the fit session, the pattern maker and the sample sewer were present. The designer made changes if needed and got the FINAL SAMPLE, on the same day or by the next day. The cloud based VISUAL SOLUTION is a community based solution where all blocks in -3D samples reside by each division, brand, season and product type. The files are complete with 2-D flat pattern, fit model’s body, type of fabric, the measurement chart and all the integrated information, ready to use again to develop new garments”, added Mr. Sareen.

In El Salvador, Apparel Leaders Juan Zighelboim, David Ha, John Ha and Henry Kim of Appletree Group, OA Apparel and TexOps have been enjoying the benefits of 3D fit and prototyping since 2009.  As a result, their brand-retail partners have substantially increased their order bookings.  Shorter development cycle times have allowed for smarter buying decisions making win-win scenarios the norm, as reported by upper management of these three groups. “The Cloud Based Collaborative solution will further enhance our business model,” commented Zighelboim.

“TUKA3D and TUKAcad have brought tremendous efficiency to our design and development and helped us with growing our business. We are very excited to start with Cloud Solutions for one of our biggest customers, Tom Tailor,” said Devender Gupta, one of the founders of ASMARA, one of the largest sourcing and design companies with offices and factories all over Asia.

“We needed to shorten the product development time and TUKA3D and their Cloud Based solutions are a perfect fit for us,” added Dinesh Virwani, the Managing Director of the Hong Kong Based EPIC Group. “We make over six million garments per month in hundreds of styles, the only way we can grow our business is to have more developments in a shorter time period with fewer people. This is what TUKATECH has done with their solutions installed at all our facilities worldwide,” added Ranju Mahtani, CEO of THE EPIC GROUP.   

“Today, there are many eCommerce retailers using TUKA3D for designing, developing, and uploading their realistic looking digital assets. They do not require a photo shoot, inventory, or warehousing; the best part is no markdowns. This is “Demand Manufacturing”. This is the best way to be profitable and be ahead of everyone else. We are proud to be labelled as the “DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIST” and want our customers to be number one,” Sareen said.

TUKA3D comes with digital replicas of over 500 fit models of brands and retailers. These are developed from scans or sculpted from detail measurements. These are supplied to vendors approved by brands or retailers. There is a database of 150 pre-set digital fabrics and hundreds of appropriate motions for real time evaluation of fit. TUKATECH provides free services for making custom models with pattern slopers and custom motions for users during the warranty and software support period. The TUKA3D system comes complete with TUKAdesign, TUKAtailor, eFIT, eDESIGN and eCOMMERCE modules, training, implementation and support.

TUKA3D is the only 3D system with built-in motion simulator for FIT Development and verification of FIT with color tension Mapping, X-Ray vision, and many other features to simulate a real fit session. It compares to an actual fit session without making any physical samples. Many retailers have eliminated physical samples while approving digital samples to save time and resources.

Posted December 2, 2014

Source: Tukatech
 

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