Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. (UTSC) Expands Premium Value-Added Product Offerings with SORBTEK® Staple

SUZHOU, China — October 16, 2014 — Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. (UTSC) continues to evolve its array of premium value-added (PVA) product offerings with the Company’s latest development, SORBTEK® staple fiber, which provides permanent moisture management through a proprietary Catch, Move, Release™ technology.
 
The Sorbtek technology works by absorbing moisture, moving it away from the skin, and releasing it for quick evaporation, and it is incorporated into the staple fiber, making its moisture-management properties permanent.

This allows the wearer of garments made with Sorbtek staple to remain cool, dry and comfortable. In addition to moisture management, Sorbtek staple fiber provides inherent soil release properties to protect against everyday soils, such as sweat and grass. Other benefits of garments made with yarn spun with Sorbtek staple include soft drape, enhanced color retention and wrinkle resistance, making it easier to create garments with the comfort of cotton in conjunction with the functional advantages of polyester.
 
“Sorbtek staple is an important part of UTSC’s commitment to providing customers with multiple options for value-added products,” said Ed Wickes, president of UTSC. “Most staple offerings focus on just the hand, but Sorbtek staple combines a cotton-like touch with moisture management and soil release properties.”
 
Sorbtek staple can be used in a variety of knit and woven apparel products including t-shirts, pants, jackets, polo shirts, sweaters and socks. It is also available for use in heather colors. Initial programs being launched with Sorbtek staple include Meng Na out of China, among others.

Posted October 21, 2014

Source: Unifi
 

Nilit To Purchase Invista’s Americana, Brazil, Nylon Plant

AMERICANA, Brazil and MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel — Oct. 16, 2014 — NILIT®, a manufacturer of nylon 6,6 for thermoplastics and apparel applications, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire INVISTA’s Americana, Brazil, manufacturing site with intent to continue the site’s nylon 6,6 operations. 
 
The parties anticipate the transaction will close in the fourth quarter of 2014 pending receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction were not publically disclosed as both Nilit and Invista are privately held. 
 
“I want to extend thanks and appreciation to all Invista employees in Americana for their dedication through this process,” said Dave Trerotola, president of Invista Apparel & Advanced Textiles. “We believe the Americana site’s nylon 6,6 operations will enhance Nilit’s global manufacturing presence, and we wish them well as the Americana site opens a new chapter in its history.”
 
Fabio Kahn, Managing Director, Nilit Fibers Division, said: “In addition to our sites in the U.S., China and Israel, this acquisition complements Nilit’s global nylon 6,6 manufacturing operations. South America in general — and Brazil in particular — both represent a key opportunity for Nilit. We have been active in this market since the early 1990s and have developed an excellent reputation for quality and service, with a growing number of active customers. We plan to increase our DTY capacity and to reinforce our local presence.”
 
Zion Ginat, General Manager, Nilit Group, said, “The valuable assets at the Americana site will allow Nilit to increase the value we provide to our customers. With this acquisition, we can significantly reinforce Nilit’s commitment to the Brazilian market, enabling us to expand sales to other customers, especially in the circular and warp knitting segments, by taking advantage of a very efficient, well-maintained and highly established site. A local production presence will guarantee a fast market penetration and, in addition, a footprint in Brazil, which will allow further potential expansions. We look forward to cooperating with the local workforce.”
 
Trerotola added, “Invista Apparel remains very much committed to Brazil, and this transaction will allow us to focus our energy in Brazil on our growing Lycra® spandex business. We are making very significant investments in our Paulínia, Brazil, spandex manufacturing operation and in marketing initiatives in Brazil.” 

Posted October 20, 2014

Source: Nilit
 

The Rupp Report: Technical Textiles Still Lead The Way

For the Western textile industry in general, and for the European textile industry in particular, technical textiles were and still are the main anchor of survival over the past 25 years. Growth rates continue to rise, especially for nonwovens.
 
One encounters technical textiles at every turn in daily life. Knowledgeable people only have to look around to see technical textiles everywhere — used for truck tarpaulins or protective apparel of all kinds, for example. Today, there virtually are no areas where technical textiles cannot be used in any form.
 
One can almost describe it as a platitude: The Western textile industry only survived thanks to technical textiles and cutting-edge nonwovens. However, there are a few important things to consider in order to succeed in this very competitive sector. Successful trade shows such as Techtextil in Frankfurt and in the United States, show that the field of textiles for industrial applications continues to grow.
 
Increasing Turnover
Everyone talks about increasing sales for technical textiles, but few can provide substantial and consistent facts and figures. Today, it still is very difficult to obtain reliable consumption figures because technical textiles are usually sold as a finished product. Technical textiles are not classified in the same way as the traditional textile and apparel industry, where the fiber and yarn consumption can be tracked.
 
Zurich-based Gherzi Textile Organisation is a global company that conducts all kinds of extensive studies as part of its consulting activities. As a courtesy, Gherzi provided to the Rupp Report valuable data that clearly shows how much technical textiles climbed up the stairway of sales and turnover.
 
Apparel Continues To Drop
Table 1 targets Germany as an example, and clearly shows clearly how fiber consumption has shifted from the traditional textile and apparel industry towards technical textiles since the 1990s.
 
Table 1: Fiber Consumption Germany (kilotons)

Sector 1990 1995 2005 2010 2012 2015*
Apparel 386 250 184 164 159 146
Home Textiles 331 303 252 206 202 188
Technical Textiles & Nonwovens 241 267 357 446 378 400
Total 958 820 793 816 739 734

Source: Gherzi Textil Organisation
* estimate
 
During the 1990s, a solid 25 percent of all fibers were used in technical textiles; today the number is already more than 55 percent. Gherzi predicts that after an exceptional year in 2010 followed by the subsequent sales collapse, the growth of this sector again will level off at 2 to 3 percent per year. Likewise, it is clear to see that even fabrics for home textiles have overtaken apparel fabrics.
 
As shown in Table 2, it is equally clear that fiber processing is shifting more towards technical textiles. During the period from 1990-2012, the ratio of man-made fibers increased from 68 percent to 91 percent.
 
Table 2: Fiber Consumption Germany (kilotons)

Sector 1990 1995 2001 2005 2010 2012
Cotton 305 220 180 94 66 69
Man-made Fibers 653 600 605 699 750 670
Total 958 820 785 793 816 739

 Source: Gherzi Textil Organisation
 
Nonwovens
Very interesting in this context, is the market for nonwovens. This sector is undoubtedly the fastest growing technology for industrial applications, and the numbers are staggering.
 
Table 3: Growth Rates For Nonwovens In Industrial Applications

Year CAGR* Million tons US$ billion Billion sqm
1997 +7.7% 2.7 11 61
2011 +7.8% 7.6 26 205
2016** — 11.1 38 305

Source: Gherzi Textil Organisation
* CAGR: Compound annual growth rate/Production
** Estimate

Of particular importance for the machinery industry is the table below, which shows how the respective raw materials and the individual web forming and bonding technologies are applied.
 
Table 4: Applied Raw Material And Web Forming And Bonding Technologies

Raw
Material		 Web
Forming		 Bonding
Technology
Staple fibers Drylaid (airlaid/card) Chemical
(Adhesion bonding)
Chips/flakes Spunmelt
(spunlaid/meltblown)		 Thermal (cohesion bonding)
Calendering
Air-through drying
Drum and blanket (little)
Sonic bonding (little)
Short fibers Wetlaid Mechanical
Needlepunching
Hydro-entanglement (spunlaced)
Stitchbonding
Chips/flakes Others Flashspun
Electrostatic and force spinning

 
Gherzi sees five main areas as further growth drivers for the application of nonwovens:

  • The global growth of the population and its demands for hygiene, medical applications, consumer goods, etc.
  • The industrialization of emerging markets with more automobiles, geotextiles, protective apparel, etc.
  • The further industrialization of the agriculture with covers for seed, mulch mats, drainage, shading, etc.
  • The displacement of fabrics in the areas of filtration, protective apparel, roofing membranes, geotextiles, etc.
  • A growing environmental awareness, which drives more products for filtration, oil absorbents, landfill-backings, etc. 

Confidence And Quality
Technical textiles appear to have no limits. Yet, a producer who doesn’t want to work with upstream and downstream stages would be forced to operate the whole production chain. However, in most cases, this is not possible, especially in the supply of fibers and yarns. What is the alternative? The producer needs reliable partners or suppliers who provide exactly the raw material to produce the requested high-tech products. For example, to produce fire resistant protective apparel, it takes a whole lot of specialists, including:
 

  • Fiber and yarn producers;
  • Weavers;
  • Finishers;
  • Apparel manufacturers; and
  • Retailers. 

It’s always the same old story: one just needs to talk to the one next to him.
 
October 14, 2014
 

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 Breaks Exhibitor Record

HONG KONG — October 14, 2014 — Breaking last year’s record exhibitor figure of 3,751, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 will reach a new high with over 3,800 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions taking part in what also doubles as the fair’s 20th anniversary edition. Domestic and overseas suppliers will showcase their apparel fabrics and accessories in 15 halls covering 175,020 sqm of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 20 to 23 October 2014.
 
To mark the 20th year of the fair, a number of special events and displays have been planned, many of which are centred on the 20th  Celebration Corner. The fair’s fashion show designer, Walter Ma, has created a special 20th anniversary gown which has been designed to showcase the very essence of the last two decades of the show. In addition, the Fabric Wall, created from fabric swatches of different exhibitors, creates a visual record of the show and captures the spirit of the 20th anniversary. Offering a glimpse into the collaboration and creativity developed over the last 20 years, the Wall is an embodiment of the diversity and flair of past, present and future apparel fabrics.
 
Visitors to the 20th Anniversary Celebration Corner can also take in the celebration video which offers a retrospective take on previous editions of the fair – from steady development in the 1990’s, through strong growth in the 2000’s, up until the present day and the recognition of the fair as the premier event in the worldwide apparel fabrics industry.

15 halls featuring full range of apparel fabrics and accessories

With so much on offer at the fair, a number of pavilions and product zones have been created to help buyers streamline their sourcing experience.  The three and a half international halls (W1 – half of hall W4) include:
 
SalonEurope (hall W1): pavilions from Germany, the Milano Unica Pavilion from Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the UK, as well as the France zone feature here
Verve for Design (hall W1): showcasing collections from Australia, France, Italy, Korea, Spain and the UK
Premium Wool zone (hall W1): featuring premium and luxury wool fabrics from France, Italy and the UK
Country & regions pavilions (halls W2 – W4): from India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand
Group pavilions (halls W2 & W3): including Birla Planet, Cotton Council International, DuPont, Hyosung, Invista, KTC, KTTA and Lenzing
All About Sustainability zone (hall W4): including an Educational Zone and ecoBoutique display area along with the Oeko-Tex Pavilion featuring wool knitted, knitted, woven and yarn eco fabrics and lace & embroidery.
Further halls include:
 Beyond Denim hall (hall W5): expanded this year to cover an entire hall and revamped by renowned French studio the NellyRodiTM Agency, this hall features around 150 domestic and international denim exhibitors and a new Beyond Denim Forum to highlight the latest wash innovations, new technologies, sustainable practices and a range of premium denim fabrics.
Accessories halls (halls E6 & E7): over 550 international and domestic suppliers will showcase their garment and fashion accessories
Domestic exhibitors can be found in halls W4 – W5, E1 – E5 and N1 – N3, and have been grouped together by product end-use:
 
Shirting fabrics (W4)
Suiting fabrics (E1 & E2)
Casualwear fabrics (E3 & E4)
Functional wear / Sportswear fabrics (E5)
Accessories (E6 & E7)
Lingerie and Swimwear fabrics (N1)
Ladieswear fabrics (N1 – N3)
Fringe programme features something for everyone

To meet the needs of as much of the industry as possible, this year’s fringe programme contains a wide range of events and displays. Providing ideas for autumn / winter 2015-16 fashions, a total of five Trend Forums can be found at the fair, including the international-focused Intertextile Directions Trend Forum (hall W1), and the domestic Fabrics China Trend Forums for suitings (hall E2), casualwear (hall E4) and ladieswear (hall N2) and accessories (hall E7). These Trend Forums use exhibitor’s fabrics to interpret what will be popular next season, while product display zones also feature exhibitor’s latest products: Beyond Denim (hall W5), Linen / Ramie chic (hall E3) and the ecoBoutique (hall W4).
 
In hall E5, Innotex Space (hall E5) features with the support of the Department of Science and Technology Development of the China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC) to highlight a wide range of new applications, and innovative technologies and products.
 
The fair also features the winning entries of the China International Fabrics Design Competition and China International Fabrics Creation Competition. This year there are 29 winners awarded in the design competition and 3 winners awarded in the creation competition. These are the only professional design competitions in the Chinese textile fabrics sector and visitors to the fair will be able to see the winning overseas pieces displayed in the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum in hall W1, while the domestic pieces will be displayed in Fabrics China Trend Forums along with the video broadcasting in hall E1 rest area.
 
This year’s seminar programme promises to be highly popular again, with design and trend presentations led by representatives from Huafu, Milano Unica, the NellyRodiTM Agency, Peclers Paris and others. Speakers from Control Union, Jintex Corp, Lineapelle, Oeko-Tex Association, SGS, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, TESTEX and Unifi will conduct seminars on sustainability issues. And other presentations will be made on market information and business strategies, technology and solutions, and legal issues. Product presentations by exhibitors including Birla Jinwei Fibres Co Ltd, Hohenstein Institute Hong Kong Laboratory, Jintex Corp and Far Eastern New Century will also be held.
 
In addition to Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, two other fairs are held concurrently from 20 to 22 October in halls N4 & N5: Yarn Expo Autumn 2014 and PH Value 2014 (previously known as the China International Knitting Trade Fair).
 
Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre.

Posted October 14, 2014

Source: Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.
 

Starlinger Introduces IQ, FX 6.0 Circular Loom Series

VIENNA, Austria — October 3, 2014 — Is this about measuring the intelligence of a machine? Almost. The Indicator of Quality (IQ) is a benchmark that Starlinger & Co. GmbH is introducing together with the new FX 6.0 circular loom series.

Following the successful launch of the RX looms in 2012, Starlinger is presenting the next level of high-tech circular weaving: The new FX 6.0 series. After thorough testing in the company’s own technical center as well as with customers out in the field, the new loom is now ready for serial production. Its main distinguishing feature: an IQ of 350 meters. This benchmark figure indicates the meters produced on a loom divided by the number of warp breaks. The Indicator of Quality serves as a means of evaluating and comparing the loom performance and fabric quality. In this case it means that a warp break on the FX 6.0 occurs on average only every 350 fabric meters, while conventional looms on the market have warp breaks every 80 – 120 meters.

Intelligent Production
Less warp breaks translate to reduced machine downtime and better fabric quality. High-quality tape fabric, in turn, reduces waste in the follow-up processes, e.g. sack conversion, and avoids problems due to leaking sacks during the product filling process. Starlinger has integrated the intense research and know-how build-up of the last years in the new FX 6.0 looms and is setting a new level of circular weaving technology. With a weft insertion rate of 1,200 picks/minute as well as an efficiency of more than 90 % and a patented warp monitoring system on the creels, the FX 6.0 sets the stage for intelligent woven packaging production. Woven packaging producers do not only profit from the unprecedented fabric quality and minimum width variations of ±4 mm, the FX 6.0 loom also achieves the lowest production costs per square meter of fabric.

First New Fx 6.0 Looms To Be Installed In Turkey
The first machines of the new series are presently being installed at Has Sentetik Çuval ve Tekstil San., a producer of woven bags for industrial and commercial use as well as FIBC fabric in Gaziantep, Turkey. “A decade ago we were the first ones to install the successful Starlinger alpha 6 looms here in Turkey, and now we will be pioneering the installation of the new FX 6.0 series”, said Tamer Özmermer, Member of the Board at Has Sentetik.

In the course of the past decades Starlinger has supplied more than 1250 circular looms to textile packaging producers in Gaziantep, one of the main centers of the Turkish textile industry.

Posted October 14, 2014

Source: Starlinger

Yarn Market: End Of The Year: Flourish Or Founder?

By Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

The last three months have been head scratchers for many spinners. The heady business that put the industry on solid footing for the past 18 months has slowed significantly, but – at least not yet – alarmingly.

As one well-placed insider said, “We haven’t come to the stop sign, but the yield signs are making us proceed with caution.” Added another: “It is certainly not that business is bad; it isn’t. It is just different from what it has been. For the past year and more, we’ve looked at quarter to quarter. Then, beginning about June or so, we started looking month to month. Now, it’s week to week. The business is there, but the pipeline isn’t. I know what I am doing next week, but not so sure about the week after. Thankfully, at least so far, it played out well.  I am just a little concerned that that there might be a week where that changes.”

So, what is the difference between October and six months ago? By and large, most economic indicators are pretty solid. As of September 30, the unemployment rate in the United States was 5.9 percent — the lowest since 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But, despite a relatively stable economy, consumer confidence unexpectedly dropped in September. The Conference Board, a private research group, had expected its monthly Consumer Confidence Index to edge up to 92.8. However, economists were surprised when the figure came in at 86, its lowest reading since May. The Consumer Confidence Index is a survey by the Conference Board that measures how optimistic or pessimistic consumers are with respect to the economy in the near future.

“Despite the expectations of increased confidence, there is one definite red elephant in the room,” said one informed observer. “While fewer people are unemployed, those that are working are not making any more money. Wages are stagnant across the board, and that makes people cautious about discretionary spending. They tend to buy only what they need and hold off on anything that isn’t essential.”

Wages in the United States, according to a US Bureau of Labor statistics data analysis by Bloomberg, reveals that, since 2009, the real value of compensation per hour has increased by only 0.5 percent, the weakest growth since early 1940s.

“When customers aren’t spending a lot of money, our retail customers are very conservative in their orders,” said one yarn broker. “They got stuck a few years ago with a lot of inventory and weak sales. So what we are seeing are smaller programs that are meeting minimum needs. That explains, at least for the moment, why we are seeing steady business, but few large programs.”

Cotton Prices Beginning To Rebound
After falling from more than $2.00 per pound in 2010 to the low $0.60s this year, spot cotton prices seem to be inching back up. For the week ended October 10, spot cotton quotations averaged 236 points higher than the previous week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 64.11 cents per pound, up from 61.75 cents the previous week.

Spot transactions totaled 8,094 bales for the week up from 6,214 bales the previous week. The ICE December settlement prices ended the week at 63.94 cents, compared to 61.85 cents the previous week.

October 2014

Successful Upgrade Of The soft-TRD Series By Thies Textilmaschinen

The range of uses for synthetic fibres continues to grow: for instance, man-made fibres are used for the production of functional clothing or technical textiles.

Technical textiles are used in the automotive industry, agriculture, in medical and health technology, and also in the construction industry  for buildings and infrastructure. Innovations and new application functionality — especially in the field of technical textiles — present dyehouses with ever greater challenges because these fibers and the resulting materials have to be made and processed according to very specific requirements.


Thies’ soft-TRD SIII was recently redesigned to be more energy efficient.

Universal equipment and machinery is therefore required to allow a flexible reaction to constantly changing market demands. For decades, the soft-TRD series developed by Thies GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, has offered customers successful processing options for a broad range of applications: the long chambers and the intensive penetration zone of the transport pipe of this series ensure maximum qualities and reproducibility.

The soft-TRD series recently has been redesigned and upgraded with the aim of offering resource-saving technology with even greater energy efficiency. High water consumption — which leads to an excessive use of chemicals — electricity and thermal energy, now can significantly be reduced according to Thies. The application engineers at Thies have succeeded in achieving liquor ratios of 1:4.5 for polyester woven fabrics.

The dyeing vessel has been redesigned so that it no longer needs to be fully flooded during processing. The fill level is freely selectable, and the fluid level can be adjusted according to the type and quantity of the textiles being used.

In partially filled systems, the temperature distribution is unfavourable as the liquid heated by the heat exchanger heats the textiles and also the dyeing vessel unevenly (See Figure 2). By using an intelligent vessel-wall temperature regulator, it is possible to achieve uniform and, more importantly, simultaneous heating of the product, the liquor and the vessel-wall (See Figure 3). This improved regulation also can help reduce the deposition of oligomers during polyester dyeing.
 


Figure 2: Thermal image of the soft-TRD SIII vessel without regulation

Items that are crease sensitive or have delicate surfaces can be treated gently at speeds of up to 600 meters per minute (m/min). The free material flow and the low-mounted intensive penetration zone of the transport pipe allow optimum relaxation, free shrinkage and a uniform treatment of the entire fabric rope in the chamber. The intensive penetration zone of the transport pipe has also been redesigned, avoiding excessive twisting of the rope. An automatically adjustable vario-nozzle provides additional flexibility as numerous articles can be successfully treated.

The soft-TRD SIII is designed for operating at temperatures of up to 140°C. Thanks to the new integrated vessel pressure regulation, the use of compressed air has been significantly reduced. The liquor can be drained at a temperature of less 92°C.

The nominal load of the soft-TRD SIII is 100 kilograms (kg), 150 kg and 200 kg per chamber. The modular design makes it possible to combine up to four chambers. Individual chambers can be locked off if required. This allows the processing of custom batch sizes.
 


Figure 3: Thermal image of the vessel with regulation

The drive reel has a reduced take-off height. This is particularly beneficial when treating items with a large elastic fibre content.

The continuous analysis and monitoring of the transport reel identifies stoppages immediately and reliably. The drive is stopped automatically within a second if required. The reverse drive makes it possible to remove knots and the process is then resumed automatically. This prevents abrasion and the quality of the finishing process is assured.

Chemicals, dyes and textile auxiliaries are used during the finishing of various types of materials. The soft-TRD SIII is equipped with two side- tanks: one for powdered chemicals and one for liquids. Powdered chemicals can be directly added without the need for time-consuming pre-solution of the treatment liquor in the dyeing vessel. This is because the soft-TRD SIII is equipped with an injector. One side tank is used for dissolving and dosing of liquid chemicals and textile auxiliaries, as well as dyes. These agents are diluted with liquid from the dyeing vessel in accordance with the guideline parameters and directed into the plant. The side tanks and the dyeing vessel are connected with the preparation tank. It is possible to prepare complete treatment baths and preheat them to the required temperature. Bath changes can then be carried out without wasting time.

A self-cleaning automatic filtration system has been installed in the circulation line to ensure permanent cleaning of the liquor. Fibre residues, threads and impurities are filtered out to reduce the risk of blockages in the liquor nozzle. An uniform nozzle pressure during the entire duration of treatment is ensured. The filter is also automatically cleaned after every programmed drainage process. Time-consuming manual changing and cleaning of the filter basket is thus no longer required. A spray system is integrated for optimum cleaning of the interior of the vessel. The use of this spray system during every drainage process ensure a good bath separation.

The soft-TRD SIII is equipped with a water meter to measure the consumption data. Measuring devices for electric and heat energy can be bought in addition. To keep a closer control over actual usage, the soft-TRD SIII can be fitted with measuring instruments for water quantity measurement and for measuring electricity and heat energy consumption, if required. The evaluation of the consumption can be seen directly on the machine controls or be viewed on the parent system. All machine and process parameters are displayed and logged online. The archived batch logs can also be displayed. Any possible faults or (manual) interventions are also logged and evaluated here.

The new THIES soft-TRD SIII is suitable for a wide range of textiles including multi-filament textiles, high-density products, mixed fabrics with varying elastane and polyester contents. In addition, high-quality woollen items can also be treated. The treated woven and knitted fabrics as well as non-woven textiles are characterised by their soft, voluminous feel.

October 14, 2014

Business & Financial: Improved Bottom Lines

By Robert S. Reichard, Economics Editor

More good news on the profit and margins front. To be sure, significant demand gains still are a bit hard to come by. And import totals remain at or even slightly above year-ago levels. But despite these less than ebullient trends, textile mill bottom lines are still moving higher — a continuation of the increases that started nearly two years ago. Newly released government numbers provide the details. During the latest available three-month period (Q2 2014), mill after-tax profits jumped to near $750 million. That’s about a 50-percent improvement over the year-earlier reading. Profits per dollar of sales show equally upbeat gains, with domestic mills at last report making about 7 cents on every dollar of sales. Again, that’s well above the 5-cent figure reported only a year ago. Another widely monitored margin yardstick — profits per dollar of stockholders equity — is similarly encouraging, with the latest 17-cent-plus estimate again running well above the near 12 cent figure of 12 months earlier. What makes this last number especially impressive is the fact that the domestic mill return on equity is now actually above the some 15 cent estimated return for all U.S. manufacturing activity. Indeed, this could be the key reason why mill executives are continuing to invest more than a billion dollars per year for modernization and expansion. True, profit estimates for downstream apparel manufacturers are not quite as bullish. Nevertheless, the numbers in this sector, as in the case of textile mills, are still running above levels prevailing just a few years back when many domestic firms were hard put to just break even.

Behind The Improvement
A series of factors — most notably continuing cost containment — are behind this increasingly rosy profit and margin picture. For one, cotton fiber costs, as noted in a recent column, have been dropping significantly — leaving them at last count, better than 10 percent under levels prevailing just one year ago. And man-made fiber averages have barely moved over the same period. Add in the combination of steady-to-slightly-lower labor costs — thanks to the combination of relatively small pay hikes and continuing productivity gains — and it’s easy to see why the overall cost share of the average mill and apparel shipment dollar has actually been declining. Industry prices, meantime, also appear to be another industry profit contributor. They’ve held up well and in some cases, have actually inched up. For mill shipments, this can be best appreciated by looking at the accompanying chart. It’s pretty much the same when it comes to apparel quotes. Finally, two other pluses for bottom line performance also deserve mention. First, there’s today’s intensifying producer emphasis on more profitable niche products and less on highly competitive commodity lines. And last, but not least, there’s the role played by increasingly savvy supply-chain-management strategies. More and more companies are becoming increasingly active in this area. Indeed, one recent study finds that some 90 percent of today’s firms have supply chain management teams aimed at lowering operating costs, improving quality, and speeding up responses to customer demand changes.

More Gains Ahead
With all these positive factors expected to continue, the profit outlook for the next few years looks to remain equally encouraging. Indeed, IHS, one of the nation’s prestigious economic forecasting firms, is anticipating further increases well into the future. Its estimates, based on projections of dollar shipments less material and labor costs, suggest the following: Mills making basic textile products like fibers and fabrics should post better than a 20-percent earnings increase for 2014, with smaller 2.5-percent annual advances projected for 2015 through 2017. As for mills making more highly fabricated products like carpets and home furnishings, projections call for 3- to 5-percent gains for both 2014 and the following few years. And for apparel manufacturers, IHS forecasts suggest a rather impressive 35 percent profit jump this year, followed by around 5- to 15-percent increases over the 2015-17 period. Going out another three years to 2020, IHS sees small average annual gains of 2 to 3 percent for both basic and fabricated mill products, with apparel makers ending up with slightly higher 5-percent increases. If nothing else, these numbers would pretty much seem to confirm recent TW forecasts pointing to continued industry strengthening — not only over the current year, but also well into the foreseeable future.

October 2014

Harper Hygienics Begins Wipes Production Using Teknoweb’s Arvell Technology

CREMONA, Italy — October 14, 2014 — Harper Hygienics S.A., Warsaw, Poland has commenced production on a new range of wet wipes. The company selected Arvell converting technology from Cremona, Italy-based Teknoweb for the new production.

“After a very intensive and professional work together with our machine supplier Teknoweb, Italy, we can officially confirm the launch of a regular supply of products using Teknoweb’s Arvell,” said Robert Neymann, president, Harper Hygienics S.A.

“All work related to the development, testing and implementation of the new technology has been completed and we have commenced serial production of wet wipes using the Arvell substrate. From now on, all of our consumers will be able to discover the qualities of our innovative material themselves. Analysing the positive feedback from consumer tests, as well as the very positive reactions of our current and potential customers to Arvell, I am confident that the globally unique technology of manufacturing non-woven substrates developed in collaboration with Teknoweb, will bring a new and unique proposition to the market.

“I believe that the quantum leap which we have made with this project, in conjunction with the clear benefits on the cost side, will contribute to a rapid increase in the scale of Harper’s operations and soon will be clearly and positively reflected in the financial results of the company,” Neymann added.


Harper Hygiene manufactures a variety of nonwoven wet wipes products.

Posted October 14, 2014

Source: Teknoweb
 

Invista Announces New Lycra® Brand Campaign

WICHITA, Kan. — October 14, 2014 — INVISTA, owner of the LYCRA® fiber brand and one of the world’s largest integrated producers of fibers and polymers, launches its new consumer campaign today. This visually exciting initiative and associated co-branding and merchandising opportunities are now available to trade partners at a new business-to-business website—www.connect.lycra.com.
 
The new consumer campaign is the outcome of a two-year, multi-market research program. Its LYCRA MOVES YOU™ theme reinforces the emotional link millions of consumers have developed with the brand and its association with comfort and personal freedom across a wide range of garments.
 
A world-class campaign created and produced by the Sapient Nitro agency includes dynamic visuals shot by internationally acclaimed photographer Rankin, who likens the freedom and energy his models depict to the unique characteristics of Lycra fiber, as well as stylish TV and digital channel commercial from award-winning film director Philippe André.
 
Denise Sakuma, Lycra brand global director said: “We are excited to cause a Lycra brand movement at both trade and consumer levels globally. The Lycra Moves You campaign is the perfect message platform to communicate for the first time to consumers that Lycra is a brand of a fiber and THE magic component that gives wearers fit, comfort and the freedom to move. We are making the Lycra brand and fiber to be visible to consumers physically, emotionally and creatively.”
 
The added value and benefits of Lycra fiber will be signaled to consumers through new hang-tags and brand imagery. The iconic Lycra brand logo is supported by vibrant, versatile new imagery and designs in a range of stylish retail merchandising and advertising materials articulated through the campaign Lycra Moves You.
         
Bob Kirkwood executive vice president of Invista Apparel & Advanced Textiles, said, “The research showed that although awareness and respect for Lycra fibers is consistently high, consumers were sometimes confused about the multiple benefits it brings. The new brand architecture and positioning simplify and communicate the benefit propositions in ways that we believe will also increase levels of emotional engagement. “The new Lycra brand positioning and architecture should enable downstream partners from yarn spinners to retailers to better leverage its differentiating value. They can view all the elements of the new Lycra Moves You consumer campaign at www.connect.lycra.com where our new business-to-business website provides full information on the technology platforms and joint marketing opportunities that accompany it.”
 
From October onward, consumer communications will take the form of a collection of TV and online commercials, a distinctive new print campaign, a major digital and social platform, as well as new merchandising initiatives at point of sale. The campaign will roll-out progressively in the months ahead to enable trade partners in each region to take full advantage through co-branding initiatives, hang-tags, and joint merchandising programs.

Posted October 14, 2014

Source: Invista
 

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