Africa & Middle East Textiles 2 2016

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ISSUE TWO 2016 DEUXIÈME EDITION 2016

The globalisation of counterfeit African prints La globalisation de la contrefaçon d’impressions Africaines

ITMA 2016 show preview Equipment developments Spotlight on South Africa

Avant-première de l’ITMA 2016 L’expansion du secteur textile numérique Pleins feux sur l’Afrique du Sud

New machinery launches at ITMA 2016

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CONTENTS Developments

4

News, updates and market reports

Developpements

4

Infos, nouveautes et doessiers du marche

The economics of fashion

6

AfDB launches Fashionomics initiative

L’aspect économique de la mode

6

AfDB lance une initiative de 'fashionomics'

A ban on used-clothing

9

The consequences of an import ban for Africa

Une interdiction concernant les vêtements usagés 9 Les conséquences d’une interdiction des importations pour l’Afrique

The globalisation of counterfeit prints counterfeit prints

15

A growing number of Africans are turning to Chinese replicas

La globalisation de la contrefaçon d’impressions Africaines

15

Un nombre grandissant d’Africains se tournent vers les imitations chinoises

ITMA 2016 show preview

16

A round-up of exhibitors and new products

Avant-première de l’ITMA 2016

16

Un rassemblement d’exposants et de nouveaux produits

Digital fabric printing

22

The growth of the digital textile industry

Impression numérique textile

22

La croissance du secteur de l’impression numérique textile

16

6

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Editor: Hiriyti Bairu, hiriyti.bairu@alaincharles.com Editorial and Design team: Prashant AP, Sejal Bhat, Miriam Brtkova, Kestell Duxbury, Ranganath GS, Rhonita Patnaik, Rahul Puthenveedu, Zsa Tebbit, Nicky Valsamakis, Vani Venugopal and Louise Waters Head Office: Alain Charles Publishing Ltd University House 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place London SW1W 0EX, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7834 7676 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7973 0076 E-mail: post@alaincharles.com

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AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

Middle East Regional Office: Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLC Office 215, Loft 2A PO Box 502207 Dubai Media City, UAE Telephone: +971 (0) 4 448 9260 Fax: +971 (0) 4 448 9261 E-mail: post@alaincharles.com

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NEWS IN BRIEF Nigeria spends US$4bn to import textiles annually

TEXTILE CALENDAR / CALENDRIER

Nigeria speNds Us$4bN to import textiles yearly, according to the general secretary of National Union of Textile and garment Workers and chairman industrial global Union sub-saharan africa, Comrade issa aremu. aremu made the statement during the study visit of group one, senior executive course (seC) 38 participants of the National institute for policy and strategic studies (Nipss), Kuru to Textile Labour House, national secretariat of the union in Kaduna recently.

“Nigeria currently spends more than Us$4bn annually importing textiles and readymade clothing when it has the potential to produce for the local market and even export to the eCOWas market of more than 175mn people, as well as to the developed world such as the United states under agOa and eU gsp scheme which Kenya, ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar and a number of african countries are already exploiting,” said the general secretary of national union of textile and garment workers and chairman industrial global union sub-saharan africa, Comrade issa aremu.

10-12 Moda & Textile Autumn Novosibirsk http://www.sibfashionautumn.ru/en-GB/home.aspx

New South African fabric range to be launched

16-17 Performance Days Munich www.performancedays.eu

Munich, Germany

23-25 Textech Indonesia www.cems-textech.com

Jakarta, Indonesia

THe CreaTOr Of her own, bespoke, interior fabric collections, designed and printed in south africa, Tanya sturgeon, spoke on the new Jungleow fabric range she recently launched at the gfi gallery in port elizabeth, south africa.

The designer, who launched silk & Co, now runs T& Co, a firm which specialises in fabric and artful design, with support from her daughter, Chloe, in sandton. following some time trading in Victoria Junction, greenpoint, sturgeon’s passion for fabric and textile design bought her back to south africa’s design district and Johannesburg. a love for interior objects and stunning pieces of furniture inspires her and as the mother and daughter duo share a passion for fabric they have showcased a number of vibrant colour, design and decor pieces in their showroom.

New investment opportunities for Rwanda’s textile sector

THe rWaNdaN gOVerNMeNT has signed agreements with two investors to launch new clothing and shoe factories at the 'apparel Manufacturing Zone' in the Kigali special economic Zone.

The first deal was signed between the Ministry of Trade and industry and prime economic Zones Ltd, for five hectares of land.

The second was signed between the ministry and two investors in the apparel manufacturing industry. This year the south african government through the Ministry of finance and economic planning increased taxes on used clothes from $0.20 to $2.50 per kg. Claver gatete, with an aim to increase local production by attracting more investors into the country's textile industry.

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October 4-5 Texcare Forum Russia www.texcare.messefrankfurt.ru

Moscow, Russia

11-13 Yarn Expo http://www.hk.messefrankfurt.com/hongkong/en.html

Shanghai,China

12-14 Cinte Techtextil China http://cinte-techtextil-china.hk.messefrankfurt.com/

Shanghai, China

18-21 exintex Puebla http://exintex.com/

Puebla, Mexico

18-21 IFAIExpo http://www.tradefairdates.com/IFAI-Expo-M1842/Charlotte.html

Charlotte, USA

November 8-10 ATF Cape Town http://atfexpo.co.za/

Cape Town, South Africa

11-12 Destination Africa Cairo http://www.destination-africa.org/

Siberia, Russia

Cairo, Egypt

December 3-8 India ITME Mumbai http://india-itme.com/

Mumbai, India

January 25-27 Pitti Immagine Filati http://www.pittimmagine.com/ 23-25 Texworld

Milan, Italy

New York, USA

February 1-2 Orderstart DOB & HAKA http://www.mgcwien.at/startseite/ 6-9 Apparel Sourcing Le Bourget www.apparelsourcing.messefrankfurt.com 24-27 Morocco Home Casablanca

Vienna, Austria

Paris, France

Casblanca, Morocco

March 9-11 Balkan Textile Belgrade Istanbul,Turkey http://www.tradefairdates.com/Balkan-Textile-M12360/Belgrade.htm 15-17 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Shanghai Shanghai, China https://intertextile-shanghai-apparel-fabricsspring.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shanghai/en/visitors/welcome.html Further information on these events can usually be obtained from the Embassy (Commercial Office) of the country in question.

Des renseignements plus complets sur ces évènements peuvent être demandés de l’Ambassade (Bureau Commerciel) du pays en question

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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NEWS IN BRIEF Cotton Made in Africa up by 71 per cent

COTTON Made iN africa (Cmia) is an initiative of the aid by Trade foundation that helps african smallholder cotton farmers in africa to improve their living conditions with 67 spinning mills. This year the use of cotton is up a sizeable 71 per cent over last year’s 408,415 tonnes. roughly 30.5mn textiles went to market with the Cmia seal. Therefore, thousands more are to be helped by charities success through sustainable employment.

Cmia published its interactive annual report discussing progress and profits for 2015 recently, which stated that this year more people are using cotton that helps support african smallholder farmers than last year. as of 2015, the company has trained more than 750,000 smallholders, a 57 per cent increase over last year’s 476,450. The training ensures both an increase in yield and income, establishing a solid foundation for the future of the individual smallholders’ and their careers. despite its sustainable label, Cmia said that because of the demand alliance it has built, textile companies can buy Cotton Made in africa at going global market prices. This is one of the supporting reasons why Cmia has grown so quickly in the last year as demand has outgrown supply in some wealthier markets in the global arena. and despite challenging conditions in the european markets, characterized by high price sensitivity among companies and even lower awareness of sustainable textiles among consumers, Cmia held its ground well on the international stage.

This year, Cmia added asOs and danish bestseller group, to the list of companies using the cotton, and both are using the cotton and processing it in africa. projects like this are set to grow throughout africa, and potentially across the world as similar projects have been founded in india and in the far east.

This report was also featured in our sister magazine, african review of business and Technology - www.africanreview.com

Ethiopia’s next steps towards industrialization

eTHiOpia is WOrKiNg tirelessly to boost a variety industries in the second growth and Transformation plan that will support the countries journey to industrialization. The country has climate suitable to support animal fibre and cotton production. This could open up ethiopia's economy to more textile production. young people should benefit from this sector Textile villages could become a common expansion. To support this, sight. (Photo:Svetlana Eremina/Shutterstock) industrial villages are being built all over the country. Hawassa industrial park (Hip) in one of these new villages and cost around 5bn birr (Us$22.5mn) to construct. These villages could be crucial to ethiopia's textile sector expansion. This situation allows also for technological advances. but, foreign business investors and managers will be required to help ethiopia compete on the world stage. according to fasil Tadesse, managing director of Kebire enterprise and african Cotton, garment and Textiles federation board and ethiopian Textile industries associations president, competing globally is not a preference, but an obligation for the people of ethiopia. according to Tadesse, expanding industry villages has a number of benefits. These include attracting companies of varying sizes, involving governmental bodies and accelerating business efforts across the country.

These villages could be the building blocks of ethiopia’s journey towards greater industrialization and development towards becoming a major textile producer, in africa and across the globe.

UAE accounts for a quarter of Arab textile trade MINISTRY OF ECONOMY showcased the United Arab Emirates’ trade and investment opportunities at the 5th ChinaEurasia expo on 25 September 2016. HE Addullah Bin Ahmed Al Saleh, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade and Industry spoke to the conference explaining the UAE’s aims in both the Chinese and European markets in the current years. There was a focus on the textile and clothing sectors when the undersecretary spoke on investment opportunities in the UAE. H.E. Al Saleh explained that the UAE recognises the important role of the textile industry in supporting the UAEs economic growth and non-oil trade, providing job opportunities and increasing of reign currency earnings. He shared that the UAEs total textile trade was at around US$15bn in 2015 to top all Arab countrires. The figure accounted for about 25 per cent

share of total worldwide imports.

He went on to explain to the audience the importance of cooperating with China and its market. It is estimated that China exports around a third of the worlds textiles. China is the largest provider of such goods to the UAE, accounting for as much as 36.6 per cent of the state’s total fabric imports.

In addition to this, H.E. Al Saleh stated that the UAE was currently foucsing on ‘other vital economic sectors’ in order to build a diversified knowledgebased economy in line with the UAE Vision 2021. This vision has a particular emphasis on technology, small and medium sized enterprises and renewable energy to diversify the countries energy sector away from just the oil sector.

It was estimated that the UAE accounted for a quarter of Arab textile trade at around US$15mn in 2015. According to the 2016 Top Markets Report for Technical

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

Textile, designed to be a market assessment tool for U.S exporters should that the Middle East is the smallest market in the world for textiles, but there is strong growth potential.

According to the report, the UAE was the third largest market of protective apparel from the US, likely to be because the country’s energy production sector has expanded over the years. The UAE grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 per cent between 2008 and 2015. In addition, the UAE is the largest market for technical textiles in the Middle East, and the Africa region. This has increased 40 per cent from 2013 to 2015. This shows the potential growth in the Middle East and African regions, which could be lucrative for potential foreign investors in and outside the industry. However, there is also a risk that the regions become serial importers and do not produce, particularly with the textile ban coming.

UAE’s textile sector shows promising potential

abUgHaZaLeH TradiNg COMpaNy (abCO), a dubaibased fashion store, announced that the Uae’s textile industry is second only to oil.

Midhat M abu ghazaleh, the CeO of abCO, has estimated that the Uae exports textiles to over 50 countries in africa, the Middle east, south asia and europe, while major exporters are China, south Korea and Japan.

“The Uae textile industry has a diversified product portfolio. some of the textiles produced in the country are car seats, tents and curtains, in addition to clothes. The knitted fabric is most in demand in Uae, accounting for around 49.7 per cent, followed by woven fabrics,” stated the head of abCO. Contributing factors to this growth is the relatively cheap labour in the Uae and lowering input costs, of which reduces the overall cost of the manufacturing of the cloths. The sector is set to keep growing.

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INVESTMENT IN FASHION

The economics

OF FASHION

The Fashionomics initiative aims to increase transparency in Africa’s fashion sector.

(Photo: Africa Fashion Week London)

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched Fashionomics, an initiative to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MPME) in the fashion and textile industry in Africa.

I

N AFRICA, THE fashion industry is predicted to generate US$17mn in the next five years, according to a report by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The entire textile/clothing market in sub-Saharan Africa is already worth more than US$34bn and accounts for the second largest number of jobs in developing countries, following agriculture. It is also an industry whose vast majority of workers are women and young people.

The AfDB which is working towards holistic development of the African Economy with its High 5 mandate recently launched an initiative called Fashionomics (the economics of fashion). The initiative, which aims to support the African fashion industry, will offer the Bank’s support to micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MPME) in the fashion and textile industry in Africa. By using technology as a driver for the development of the skills and capacity of African creative industries, the Bank aims to stimulate job creation on the continent, especially for women and youth.

Challenges in the African market In the initial phase of the project, feasibility studies were conducted in different African markets. From the feasibility study conducted, the Fashionomics team identified the big challenges for the sub-Saharan Africa apparel sector.

Some of them are that textile production facilities are missing in most of the countries as they require more investment than apparel/clothing facilities, small-scale producers and designers cannot access industrial production, skills shortage and lack of industry-specific training facilities, constrained access to financing for entrepreneurs and SMEs, limited local and regional input suppliers and export companies, difficulty coping with changing end-market requirements (seasonality, costs, quality, volume, deliveries, styles, lead times), lack of institutional and government support to the sector in many subSaharan Africa countries, lack of intra-African exports and markets, limited access to information, including trends, buyers, market data, regulatory issues (tariffs) and exchange rates affect exports and poor infrastructure – water, waste, energy, ports, roads, customs.

The entire textile/clothing market in subSaharan Africa is worth more than US$34bn.

Online B2B platform Following the initial feasibility study, Fashionomics has begun work on its next project – a dedicated website, a networking platform for all the links in the value chain including designers, suppliers, brokers, distributors, as well as investors to share knowledge in the textile and fashion sector.

This B2B website, named Fashionomics, will become operational in the first quarter of 2017. The objective is to help members of the industry develop and boost their businesses. The website will be bilingual – English and French.

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AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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INVESTMENT IN FASHION

The goal of the Fashionomics platform is to enable African women and youth designers to create and grow their businesses. The specific objectives of the platform are four-fold: increase access to markets, increase access to finance, provide mentorship and networking opportunities and develop the skills of the target group. The platform will, among other things, facilitate access to finance, not only by connecting designers with commercial banks and established investors but also by tapping into alternative financing channels, such as crowdfunding mechanisms, and linking them to angel and venture capital investors.

The platform will facilitate access to finance, by connecting designers with commercial banks and established investors.

According to AfDB, the Fashionomics initiative intends to contribute to the African fashion sector by increasing transparency in the sector and providing market information, ensuring financing for entrepreneurs and SMEs, increasing productivity, developing skills and providing training tools, putting suppliers and buyers in touch and generating more intraAfrican business.

The Fashionomics platform also aims to contribute to improving women’s financial inclusion in the fashion sector in Africa through education and training on business and financial matters adapted to the sector and the provision of market information and access to markets and suppliers.

The architecture of Fashionomics AfDB has revealed that the Fashionomics platform will have five sections – News, Training, Sector organisation and information, Communication and Showroom. The News section will carry sector news and Africa blogs from users. The training section will provide information on fashion schools,

universities and academies, tutorials/online courses and other educational materials/specific training. Sector organisation and information will have an archive of companies, fashion associations, information on the sector, job opportunities, research reports, events, fairs and other business opportunities.

The communication section will contain a public forum where professionals will be able to interact on selected topics. Additionally, the whole platform will be linked to Facebook as it is the most used social media tool on the continent.

The Platform section will allow each company and entrepreneur to have a section on the platform to showcase their products in order to generate business leads. Consumers will be able to contact entrepreneurs and companies regarding their products. For the second phase of the project, the platform will include the option of allowing consumers to buy the products and have them delivered at home.

The way forward The deployment of Fashionomics, however, has its challenges. Africa has the lowest e-commerce penetration rate in the world. In 2013, Africa and the Middle East accounted for only 2.2 per cent of global business-to-business e-commerce.

Another challenge is the huge capital investment that textile production facilities require. This was one of the factors that led to the downfall of the textile industry in Nigeria. From over 175 functioning textile mills in the 1980s to less than 30 operational mills in 2016.

Based on the data from the case studies, it was found that the banking system is not very developed in most parts of Africa and the microfinance sector but it does not play a relevant role in the sector today. Access to credit, therefore, is very difficult and poses a major challenge to entrepreneurs in the sector.

Regardless of these challenges, the growth prospect of the fashion industry in Africa is promising. AfDB’s Fashionomics initiative is an import step towards unlocking the potential of MPMEs in the fashion and textile industry. J

The Fashionomics platform is expected to improve women’s financial inclusion in the fashion sector.

(Photo: Monkey Business Images)

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AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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TEXTILE IMPORTS

African factory workers will be more common after the ban. (Photo: MichaelJung/Shutterstock)

Why the ban on used-clothes imports

T

could severely affect Europe and Africa

Dr. andrew Brooks, a lecturer in development geography at King's college London, uses historical evidence to explore the economic consequences of a ban.

he easT african community (eac) have directed member countries to buy their textiles and shoes from within the region with a view to phasing out imports by 2019. Most of these imports of second hand items are sent from europe and the Us. The aim of the importation ban is to boost local manufacturing and, generally, help the economies of the region. however, there are many opponents of the ban. according to andrew Brooks, in his book clothing Poverty, second hand garments account for 81 per cent of all clothing purchases in Uganda currently. however, hygiene issues have been called into question, as the second hand sales of undergarments were banned in Ghana in 2011 and a proposed ban was introduced in Uganda in 2015.

These clothes commonly come from countries such as the UK, were Brooks estimates that more than 70 per cent of UK reused clothing goes abroad where they are sold on. according to the United nations comtrade Database, the exportation of second hand clothing is worth billions. The Us exported Us$687mn in 2013, although more of this exportation stayed in the americas. however, the UK exported Us$612mn, where Ghana was the second biggest beneficiary, with Us$65m entering the country. Kenya, a member of the eac, received Us$42mn from the UK's second hand market in 2013. in total, six of the largest ten exporters of second hand garments are in europe.

This is why the ban may not be in the best interests of european markets.

What leaders may have neglected to realise is that, although second hand goods do not need

producing, they do need to be ready for sale. for example, many markets, particularly large markets such as Gikomba, nairobi, will need a great number of employees. Those who wash, clean, sanitise cloth and leather, particularly shoes, are required for the industry to tick over and make the second hand market tenable. Moreover, the affordability of the second hand markets may actually allow more people to buy from, thus generate more money than new markets. however, it is clear to see the intentions of the eac. in the 1970s, the clothing manufacturing sector employed hundreds of thousands of people, but when the 1980s and 1990s debt crisis hit, the local economies crumbled and many were left

“What leaders may have neglected to realise is that, although second hand goods do not need producing, they do need to be ready for sale.

�

unemployed. Today, most of the remaining factories are geared towards exports. in Kenya, the sector currently employs around 20,000 people - a drastic change from the nearly half a million that were employed by clothing producers in the country previously. When discussing the idea of the ban, Dr. andrew Brooks, had previously said that, "if people think it is impossible for east africa to have clothing factories, then all they have to do is look in the history books or speak to older people in the society. With some careful economic

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

policy, i think that you could revive that industry," Brooks stated.

"To achieve that, you may need to reverse some of the orthodox economic thinking in the region.

You may have to do some things that are against free trade. You may have to implement some protectionism. You may have to do some things that you know will not be popular with decision makers elsewhere. What asian countries, such as china and south Korea did, they had big spurts of development, they protected their own industries, and that was key to their industrial growth and development." This fundamentally supports the overall intention of the eac leaders, but the execution may be flawed, and drive the markets into shock, causing severe economic consequences. another issue with the ban is that some nations, such as Tanzania, have cotton shortages. What that means is that factories may not be able to compete with the quality of the second hand clothing. This means that the markets may look towards the cheaper asian clothing market, such are china, india and Bangladesh.

Of course, the opposition to this is that the eac may give economic stimuli to faint the initial blow of the loss of the second hand market. Brooks has previously gone on record to suggest a slower process of weaning off second hand textiles, and perhaps this stimuli may be the cushion that moves the eac market into the next age of production. however, the second hand market and its employees are in a period of uncertainty, and until all the processes are realised, we will have to wait and see how the markets react to the ban. â??

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PRODUCT NEWS Smart textiles to contribute US$130bn by 2025 sMarT TexTiLes is revolutionising the textiles and fashion industry and is expected to contribute worth more than Us$30bn by 2025, according to the recent report from technology consultancy cientifica.

The expansion of nanotechnology has led to a a range of textile–based technologies with the ability to sense and react to the environment. according to cientifica, the increasing u smart textile technologies can lead to less use of the current generation of wearables from apple and samsung, while offering huge opportunities in the sportswear market. rather than attaching a sensor to a garment, garment cleverly becomes a sensor itself, providing significant opportunities in health and wellbeing, sports, medical monitoring, fashion and entertainment. The report tracks over a hundred of the leading companies in a sector predicted to show triple digit growth, and examines issues ranging from data acquisition to energy storage and generation.

“With most people never out of Bluetooth range of their smartphones, the use of smart textiles makes the idea of miniaturising a subset of smart phone components and wearing it on the wrist completely unnecessary. as a result, wearables will become disappearables,” said Tim harper, report lead author. advances in fields such as nanotechnology, organic electronics and conducting polymers are creating a range of textile–based technologies with the functionality to sense and react to the world around them. This involves assessing biometric data such as heart rate and respiration, or environmental factors such as temperature and the presence of toxic gases.

These textiles also have the ability to provide real time feedback in the form of haptic feedback, various in colour, temperature or electrical stimuli.

The report looks at threegenerations of textile wearable technologies. first generation is where a sensor is attached to clothing and is the approach currently taken by major sportswear brands, including adidas, nike and Under armour. second generation products embed the sensor in the garment as seen by products from samsung, alphabet, ralph Lauren and flex. in third generation wearables the garment is the sensor and more and more companies including advanPro, Tamicare and BeBop sensors are developing pressure, strain and temperature sensors. The report found that third generation wearables present a huge opportunity for new and established textile companies to add huge value without having to directly compete with apple, samsung and intel.

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Saurer Group to showcase full product rangeat ITMA Asia

saUrer GrOUP WiLL present its technologies in fibre processing from raw material to a wide range of yarns and finishing at this year’s iTMa asia + ciTMe trade fair that is taking place 21-26 October 2016.

The saurer group offers complete automation, including roving with an interspersed transport system, ring spind and linked winding. The group’s spinning brands schlafhorst and Zinser, the twisting brands of allma and Volkmann pre-spinning brand Jintan and the saurer embroidery brand as well as the saurer components division will present their latest products.

Zinser will present future-oriented strategies for personnel-free, process-oriented and highly efficient production, with its autoflow automation solution, Zinserspeed 5a roving frame, as well as Zinser 72 and 71 systems. Zinser will also be demonstrating how flexibly the Zinser 71 and 72 can be integrated into autoflow systems.

With its new autocoro 9, featuring individual spinning position technology, the company aims to set new records for energy consumption, productivity, economic efficiency, simplicity of operation and quality in the fully automated machine segment. according to the firm, it is a strong driver of optimised textile value creation in the textile process chain, with 25 per cent lower energy consumption, 19 per cent reduction in spinning costs, proven rotor speeds of 180,000 rpm, take-up speeds of 300 m/min and a 60 per cent lower servicing outlay. allma and Volkmann will be presenting innovative products and solutions in the following segments: staple fibre yarns, carpet yarns, tyre cord, industrial yarns and glass filament yarns. saurer embroidery, a leader in embroidery production systems, will present its epoca 7, the innovative embroidery system, at the exhibition. The epoca 7 achieves an embroidery speed of up to 700 rpm, and is therefore up to 18 per cent quicker than the previous generation.

The business unit, saurer components, will showcase solutions for staple and manmade Smart textiles offers significant fibres at iTMa asia + ciTMe opportunities in various 2016 such as accotex accosmart sectors such as in sports. sandwich cot, Texparts PK2600 (Photo: Huntsman) series ready for compact spinning.

Gelvenor to develop commercial use of textile technology GELVENOR TEXTILES, A South African fabric engineering company, has plans to develop applications for commercial use of its textile technology. The firm is set to partner with The Innovation Hub's OpenIX and will explore business ideas from a number of companies competing for an opportunity for the two firms to develop and market their products.

Using high tenacity nylon yarn, coated with a silicone elastomer, the plain weave K27 fabric is woven. The specialist fabric is able to self-repair, it is puncture and tear resistance, it features shape memory and is chemical, water and UV resistant.

The company has already identified a number of applications of the fabric, which include creating protective wear for marine and military personnel, camping equipment and selfhealing linings for water containers and gas tanks. The K27 fabric can also be used for making patient transfer slides, parachutes, wing suits, hot air balloon envelopes, PPE for factory and healthcare workers and more.

The companies are welcoming proposals from small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) and research groups. Participants based in or willing to carry out operations in the South African province of Gauteng will be given priority, however, innovative proposals from other locations will also be considered, Innovation Hub said on its website.

Solution providers situated in Gauteng meet the requirements for proof of concept funding from The Innovation Hub to support the development of their product and business plan.

The Innovation Hub noted that the solutions presented will be assessed on their value propositions and scientific merits. The SMMEs involved will also be expected to use data to support their claims and are expected to be willing to work in a team.

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PRODUCT NEWS Rieter Components Group's new components for ring and rotor spinning machines

sUessen, nOViBra, BräcKer and Graf, members of rieter components Group, have launched new technology for spinning mills that will be showcased at iTMa 2016 in shanghai, china. sussen, a manufacturer of spinning systems and components for spinning machines, will unveil a range of new components for ring and rotor spinning machines, while novibra, a firm that specialises in spindle technology and the largest exporter of spindles globally, will showcase a number of innovative solutions for spinning mills. also attending the show is Bräcker, a leading specialist for key components in ring spinning machines and part of rieter Premium Textile components, will have a number of new products on show, including new travellers and spinning rings. in ring spinning one of the highlights will be the eliTe compactset advanced, a compact spinning system, which can be installed on nearly all types of ring spinning machines. The system includes various innovations aiming to deliver better yarn quality and increased productivity.

Graf, a leading manufacturer of clothings for flat cards and roller cards, will also be at the show presenting new products for hipro metallic card clothings, flexible flat clothings and the combing process.

Nano Dimension uses multilayer 3D printing technology

nanO DiMensiOn, a LeaDer in the field of 3D printed electronics, has carried out a successful test for 3D printing of conductive traces onto a treated fabric together with a leading european functional textiles company.

The test was carried out using nano Dimension's agcite silver nanoparticle conductive ink and the Rieter (Photo: Rieter) Dragonfly 2020 3D printer platform. Under the requirements of the european company, nano Dimension altered the printing process so print electronics and sensors are an integral part of the fabric. according the firm, conductors were printed in various patterns in order to perform functionality tests, such as conductivity, elasticity and rubbing. The results indicated that the printed silver conductors had high enough elasticity to match the properties of the fabric. The experiment aims to provide evidence that nano Dimension's technology can successfully print conductors on a fabric, thus enabling the creation of "smart" functional fabrics without limitations resulting from motion, folding and wearing.

“Today, the functional textile industry is grappling with how to produce smart textiles that combine the production process of both the electronics and textile fields. The 3D printing production processes and nanomaterials developed by nano Dimension have the potential to resolve this challenge and help to create an efficient production technology for smart textiles,” said the company.

The smart textile market today is estimated to be worth Us$800mn and is expected to reach Us$4.72bn by 2020, with a yearly caGr of 33.58 per cent by 2020. This style of printing is useful for military use, and industrial and medical needs, while other uses of this technology could include the creation of smart bandages, virtual reality gloves, wearables with sensor and heat technology, safety equipment designed for the defense industry, unique sportswear that controls body temperature, medical equipment, automotive, aviation and aerospace accessories, and more.

Busi Giovanni launches medical terry pantyhose machine ITALIAN HOSIERY KNITTING machine provider Busi Giovanni will showcase the company’s latest technology at the upcoming ITMA Asia + CITME trade fair for textile machinery that will be held from 21-25 October 2016 in Shanghai.

At the exhibit, the company will showcase the Busi Medical Terry Pantyhose high-production single-cylinder sock machine, equipped with Rimaglio device for automatic stitch-by-stitch toe closing.

Busi Medical Terry Pantyhose is a high-production single-cylinder sock machine with latch needles in the dial for the production of true rib, plain stitch or terry medical compression socks and stockings in Compression Classes 1, 2 and 3.

The machine is equipped with full electronic control and features two feeds, for plain and rib fabric, as well as for laid-in elastic fabric. The compression graduation is achieved both through the automatic stiffening that can be activated on all step motors and through the graduation of the covered elastic yarn feed. The machine is equipped with a terry device for the production of the sandwich terry that is designed to enable a fully automatic switching from plain stitch to half terry and to full terry.

The Rimaglio device enables a typical classic linking to be achieved straight on the machine in a completely automatic way, the company reported. The automated device is situated at the side of the knitting machine, it downloads the sock from the machine, after completion of the knitting operation, and it transfers the sock to the linking device, where it is sewn loop by loop.

The sock is turned inside out, so that the linking remains on the inside of the sock, resulting in a perfect traditional-looking linking.

After being sewn, the sock, already reversed to the right side, is removed from the machine and is ready for the next boarding operation.

Since 1958 Busi Giovanni has specialized in the design and construction of single-cylinder machines with rib needles in the dial for the production of high-quality stockings, socks and tights. Today, Busi is recognized worldwide as one of the most inventive producers of machines for high-performance and high-tech socks.

The company is a supplier to the most important producers of stockings, socks and tights, for the men's, women's and children's markets - classic, patterned, sports, technicalsports, as well as medical, with special solutions for graduated compression.

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Brückner develops new application unit

BrücKner, a firM which supplies consulting services and lines for the field of textiles, technical textiles, nonwovens and floor coverings, has developed a new minimum application unit, which works with a minimum liquor tank of around 2.5 l for each metre of working width. The minimum application quantities require less water evaporation in processes such as drying or curing, which is said to have a positive knock on effect on the energy requirement at the respective dryer.

Moreover, there is no waste or prodigality of chemicals and no costly disposal is required as the contents of the liquor tank can be used almost completely, the company stated. This year in shanghai, the company said it will present an extensive and varied programme.

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COLORANTES Les fabricants de colorants ont continué d'innover et ont introduit de nouveaux colorants pour l'industrie du textile. (Photo: Mrs_ya)

Teintures et produits chimiques : Un marché en expansion par Ian Holme Selon les estimations, l'industrie textile utiliserait jusqu'à 1,3 million de tonnes de colorants, de pigments et de précurseurs de colorant par an. Ces produits sont tous à base de produits pétrochimiques et représentent un marché d'environ 23 milliards de dollars américains.

ELON TRANSPARENCY MARKET Research, ce marché mondial devrait atteindre les 29 milliards de dollars américains d'ici 2024.

Les colorants et les adjuvants représentent une part importante de ce marché mondial derrière les produits chimiques de revêtement et de dimensionnement, tandis que le secteur des produits chimiques de finition a connu la plus forte expansion en termes de volume en 2015. La Chine et l'Inde sont des acteurs majeurs dans la région Asie-Pacifique, qui a été le plus gros consommateur de produits chimiques pour matières textiles en 2015 (55

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% à l'échelle mondiale sur ce marché).

L'Europe arrive à la seconde place des plus gros consommateurs de produits chimiques pour textiles en 2015, boostée par la

“

croissance des textiles à usage technique en Allemagne et en Turquie. Transparency Market Research a estimé un taux de croissance annuel cumulatif de 3,7 % pour l'industrie mondiale entre 2016 et 2024.

Nouveaux colorants

L'Europe arrive à la seconde place des plus gros consommateurs de produits chimiques pour textiles en 2015”

Même s'il y a eu quelques baisses de la production de colorants à cause des réglementations environnementales toujours plus strictes en Inde et en Chine, les fabricants de colorants ont continué d'innover et ont introduit de nouveaux colorants pour l'industrie du textile.

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COLORANTES

Everlight (Taïwan) a présenté cinq nouveaux colorants réactifs à la teinture à chaud avec leur gamme Everzol FC (fashion colour). Les teintures Everzol sont extrêmement brillantes et sont conçues pour fournir une gamme de couleurs plus vaste que les teintures classiques, afin de minimiser l'écart entre les substrats cellulosiques et synthétiques. Les teintures Everzol assurent une coloration résistante avec une chromaticité élevée, la gamme comprenant les colorants flavines, oranges, écarlates, rouges et bleus.

Everlight a également lancé ses teintures Everzol CS pour solutions colorantes critiques. Les colorants jaunes, oranges, rouges brun, olives et gris Everzol CS sont non-photochromiques et offrent des performances d'égalisation ainsi qu'une résistance à la lumière et à l'eau chlorée exceptionnelles.

CHT / Bezema (Allemagne) ont présenté leur colorants BEZAKTIV GO à haute intensité et réactifs. Ceux-ci sont applicables via des processus très courts d'épuisement et de foulardage-enroulement à froid. Les teintures BEZAKTIV GO sont approuvées par Bluesign et comprennent les couleurs jaune or, orange, écarlate, rouge, bleu et bleu foncée. En outre, il existe aussi des teintures bleues marine, noires et pour velours noir, pour une forte tenue des couleurs. Les teintures BEZAKTIV GO se fixent totalement après 6 heures voire moins par foulardage-enroulement à froid. La teinture par épuisement à 40-60°C permet aussi d'éliminer les hydrolysats à 40-60°C après 2 à 4 rinçages. L'efficacité du rinçage est optimisée par l'application de Cotoblanc SEL lors du deuxième rinçage.

DyStar a lancé Realan Navy MF-RRN pour remplacer les teintures bleues marine par mordançage. Ce colorant fournit une teinte claire éclatante. Il ne contient pas de chrome ou ni aucun autre métal. Realan Navy MF-RRN est entièrement compatible avec l'Oeko-Tex Standard 100. Il est également approuvé par Bluesign.

Archroma a lancé EarthColor, une gamme de nouveaux colorants à base de soufre biosynthétique, créés à partir de déchets agricoles comme les coques d'amande, les baies du palmier nain, les feuilles de romarin et autres produits naturels qui sont généralement enfouis. La gamme EarthColor produit des couleurs rouges, marron et vertes riches sur les substrats en coton comme les jeans et les vêtements de sport.

Huntsman Textile Effects a lancé deux nouvelles teintures néons pour les fibres polyamides, qui sont utilisées pour les maillots de bain, les vêtements de sport, la lingerie et les vêtements fonctionnels élastiques. Erionyl Flavine FF et Rhodamine FF offrent des performances dans les règles de l'art, avec une tenue de couleur incroyable et une intensité de couleur significativement supérieure. Pour une application sur les polyamides, Huntsman recommande de combiner leur utilisation avec la solution tampon pour pH Albatex AB-45 et Erional FRN, qui améliore la tenue des couleurs, ou encore le nettoyant machine Invalon.

Huntsman Textile Effects a développé Avitera Black SE, une teinture réactive noire qui ne contient pas de para-chloroaniline, une substance dangereuse. La gamme complète Avitera SE est exempte d'arylamines. Avitera Black SE peut

Dyehouse a augmenté sa productivité tout en gardant ses équipements et sans changer ses formules de teinture. (Photo: Rehan Qureshi)

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COLORANTES

Il est prévu que le taux de croissance annuel pour l'industrie du texile mondiale s' attendra 3,7 pour cent entre 2016 et 2024. (Photo: SL-Photography)

permettre de réduire de moitié la consommation d'eau et d'énergie, et d'émettre plus de deux fois moins de CO2. Ce nouveau colorant noir réactif offre une tenue de couleur optimale exposé au chlore et une bonne résistance à la lumière comparé aux autres colorants noirs actuellement disponibles sur le marché. Avitera Black SE est conçu pour les teintures avec des rapports de bain très faibles et quatre rinçages à 60°C degrés maximum. Par rapport aux teintures noires habituelles, Avitera Black SE peut faire baisser la durée de traitement globale et booster la productivité de 25 % ou plus. Cette nouvelle teinture noire peut être utilisée pour toutes les teintes de noir foncé, ainsi que pour les teintes de gris de moyen à foncé.

DyStar a intégré son nouveau module Cadira Reactive dans son programme d'utilisation efficace des ressources (Ressource Efficiency Program). Cadira Reactive est un processus de teinture par épuisement optimisé pour les fibres cellulosiques, qui fait appel aux teintures réactives Levafix et Remazol et à un processus de lavage spécial avec le très performant Sera Fast C-RD. Le concept Cadira de DyStar permet de réduire considérablement la consommation d'eau et d'énergie, ainsi que les déchets. Pour un lot d'une tonne teint en noir avec un rapport de bain à 1:5, la consommation d'électricité a été réduite de 22 %, l'utilisation de vapeur de 31 % et le temps de traitement de 24 %, par rapport à une teinture réactive classique.

Cadira Reactive utilise des teintures à forte tenue d’intensité de couleur ainsi qu'une bonne technique de lavage.

DyStar a également lancé Cadira Polyester, un processus de teinture par épuisement écologique pour le polyester, qui fait appel aux

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colorants dispersés Dianix et aux adjuvants de traitement Sera. Le processus de teinture est optimisé grâce au système Optidye PES de DyStar, qui permet d'optimiser le profil température/temps pour la teinture du polyester. Grâce à Optidye PES, la coloration de teintes pales sur le polyester permet une augmentation de 35 % de la productivité avec une performance optimale du premier coup.

34 % d'électricité, 5 % de vapeur et 25 % de temps sont économisés lors du processus, pour une économie totale en termes de coûts de 17 %.

DYEFAST réduit de 33 pour cent le temps de traitement, ce qui permet d'atténuer considérablement l'impact sur l'environnement.

HeiQ a lancé une nouvelle technologie qui pourrait révolutionner la teinture du polyester. Il s'agit de DYEFAST, un nouvel accélérateur de coloration qui permet une teinture plus rapide du polyester, tout en utilisant les machines de teinture habituelles.

DYEFAST réduit de 33 pour cent le temps de traitement, ce qui permet d'atténuer considérablement l'impact sur l'environnement.

Dyehouse a augmenté sa productivité tout en gardant ses équipements et sans changer ses formules de teinture. Cette nouvelle technologie permet d'accéder à un niveau de teinture supérieur et de réduire dans le même temps le risque de salissure. La méthode est censée donner une meilleure

tenue des couleurs au lavage et potentiellement prolonger la durée d'utilisation des matériaux en polyester.

DyStar a lancé Levafix Eco Black, une teinture réactive qui ne contient absolument pas de para-chloroaline et autres arylamines contrôlées. Créée à partir de nouveaux produits chimiques, Levafix Eco Black est une teinte noire neutre avec une bonne tenue de couleur lorsqu'exposée à la lumière du jour ou à des sources de lumière artificielles. Cette nouvelle teinture réactive est plus résistante à l'humidité et à la lumière que les teintures réactives noires habituelles, grâce à ses nouveaux éléments chimiques. Levafix Eco Black empêche la formation de tâches marrons sur les fibres polyamides, que l'on constate avec des nombreuses teintures noires réactives. Levafix Eco Black permet un meilleur lavage oxydant et résiste à la lumière.

Cette teinture résiste également très bien à plusieurs lavages.

Kothari Info-Tech (KITL) a sorti sa nouvelle gamme Charu Fashion d'encres dispersées de sublimation à haute énergie, pour une impression directe sur les tissus en polyester. La gamme Charu Fashion comprend des couleurs fluorescentes : cyan brillant, magenta foncé, jaune citron, noir foncé, rouge écarlate, bleu roi, orange, violet, magenta clair, cyan clair, gris, cyan fluorescent, jaune fluorescent, magenta fluorescent et rouge fluorescent.

Cette nouvelle gamme d'encres dispersées permet de donner des couleurs foncées, saturées et claires, notamment des couleurs fluorescentes, pouvant être imprimées de manière numérique sur les tissus en polyester.

Ainsi, les imprimantes numériques peuvent imprimer plus facilement des teintes plus claires sur ce type de tissus. ❑

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GLOBAL REACH

The globalisation of counterfeit African prints As we enter Africa Fabric Month, Kestell Duxbury, discusses the evolution and globalisation of what have been titled ‘real-fake’ African prints.

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EPTEMBER IS AFRICA Fabric Month, and from cat walks to side walk, African culture in textiles is growing worldwide.

This is not just in clothing, but the cultural cloth is growing with home decor retailers and DIY stores around the globe. However, not only in Africa, but around the world, particularly in China, these cultural cloths are not being produced in their place of origin, but instead, 'fakes' are being mass produced elsewhere.

One of the more iconic cloths is Dutch wax prints. The cloth was originally devised by Dutch colonial companies who were attempting to mechanically reproduce handmade the Javanese batik cloth. These 'fakes' were taken to the South East Asian market, but were not selling, so the Dutch companies took them to West African markets where the patterns were modified to fit local tastes and they quickly became popular and recognised as quintessentially African.

These Dutch wax prints were quick to replace the original domestic textiles, which, in comparison, lacked the colourfastness and lightness of the material that eventually made the Dutch wax print the everyday must have for the West African market. This is having a detrimental effect on the 'original' producers of the cloth, but are trying to claw onto their market position by appealing to ides of originality and legal notions of authenticity.

However, consumers appear to be more interested in the quality and look of the cloth, which in turn reflects the wearer's tastes and social statuses.

Vlisco, originally a Dutch company, founded by Pieter Fentener van Vlissingen in 1846, but today, a multi-national organisation of fabric producers, has the tagline on their website, 'Vlisco, the true original.' This reflects the current state of the market, particularly in the wax Hollandais, or Dutch wax sector. Taglines like this are in order to sell themselves above competitors such as Hitarget, the current market leader among Chinese upstart brands. Despite leading the pack, Vlisco claim that Hitarget patterns are not 'original' Dutch prints, of which they claim legal and technical rights over. Since 2005, Vlisco has repeatedly attempted legal action over companies producing counterfeit cloth, but this has had a minor impact on the market.

This, therefore, places the African consumer in a difficult position. Particularly in the East where the second hand textile ban is due to come into force, consumers will be faced with the conundrum of

African wax prints on sale. (Photo saiko3p/shutterstock)

purchasing genuine print cloth or high quality 'fakes.'

In Togo, the market desire affordable goods and are willing to buy copies and/or counterfeits.

Many, according to Professor Nina Sylvanus of Northeastern University, utilise these copies as an investment as they generate desire and pride as they purchase items which perpetuate their culture and heritage.

“Instead of relying on labels, many use their senses to determine the quality of cloth, rather than how good the copy is.

”

" In recent years younger Togolese cloth traders, the so-called Nanettes, have launched their own Chinese-produced brands and labels: Binta Wax, Jolie Wax, and Wax Nana Benz, among others.

Although the upstart brand Wax Nana Benz has since disappeared from the market, it was the first to lay claim to Togolese authorship and ownership, namely by endowing its cloth with national (heritage) value." Sylvanus writes in her new book, Patterns In Circulation.

"This was done in part through use of the name “Nana Benz” (“Mama Benz” in other West African

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

countries), which refers to the old guard of Togo’s powerful women cloth traders who long controlled the regional wax-print trade and whose preference for driving Mercedes Benz cars gave them their famous name."

However, one should not believe that the market can be fooled. Instead of relying on labels, many use their senses to determine the quality of cloth, rather than how good the copy is. This is why Hitarget has captured a large share of the market.

The quality of cloth, colours and precision of design make extremely difficult to deceiver which is the 'authentic' and which is the 'copy,' with the copy often deemed to be of better quality.

This is why, in such a globalised industry like fashion, many can feel that cultural heritage and identity can be diluted. However, the African print market is one that demands specific products of which some external manufactures are meeting the needs of. What is important to remember that during African Fabric Month, is how much more there is to a cloth than meets the eye. The economics, geography and politics of the cloth is more visible than ever before. ❑ More can be found in N. Sylvanus's book, Petterns in Circulation: Cloth, Gender, and Materiality in West Africa, available from The University of Chicago Press Books.

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EVENTS The show is expected to attract around 100,000 trade visitors from around the world. (Photo: ITMA)

Innovation at the heart of ITMA ITMA Asia + CITME 2016, the fifth edition of the combined textile machinery show, will showcase products from a wide range of industry players in the field of textile and garment manufacturing.

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HE EVENT IS organised by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co Ltd and co-organised by MP Expositions Pte Ltd and features Japan Textile Machinery Association (JTMA) as a special partner association of the show. Cematex is the owner of the combined show, together with its Chinese partners – the sub-council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and China International Exhibition Centre Group Corporation (CIEC).

The show is expected to attract around 100,000 trade visitors from around the world according to the organisers of the event. Interest from the global textile and garment industry has been quite strong for months now. It has attracted at least around 1,600 exhibitors from 27 economies.

Maria Avery, secretary general of Cematex, said, “The combined show is now well-entrenched in the textile machinery exhibition calendar. It draws all the leading textile and garment manufacturers and is an essential showcase for the Asian market, offering plenty of business and networking

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opportunities. We would like to encourage our visitors to plan their trip early and purchase their badges online via PayPal.” The visitor promotion campaign is now gaining momentum. The organisers are forging partnerships with leading industry associations and buyer groups from the key industry segments, and establishing rapport with government officials from all the important textile and garment manufacturing countries.

Strategic tie-ups have already been formed with many of the world’s textile associations, including those in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, and road shows to these countries are also taking place. On the domestic front, the organisers have reached out to Chinese buyers in all the key textile hubs.

We have compiled some names for you, of exhibitors to look out for at the event as well as the products they will be showcasing.

China is arguably one of the most important markets for Swedish textile machinery manufacturers. There will be six Swedish textile machinery

manufacturers showcasing their latest innovations at the event, according to a report by Textile Machinery Association of Sweden.

With a high degree of automation and digitalisation, Swedish companies aim to meet the demands of a rapidly changing Chinese textile industry, Therese Premler-Andersson, secretary general, at TMAS noted.

Eltex of Sweden AB creates yarn break sensors and yarn tension monitors for textile machines.

The company will present the ‘EYE Compact’ yarn break sensor system for tufting, which is said to eliminate the need for manual monitoring of yarn thereby improving quality and efficiency.

IRO AB is a producer of yarn feeding equipment. At the ITMA Asia, their new developments for technical fabrics and extremely demanding applications will be shown to the Asian market for the first time. The company’s full range of all available products will also be widely represented on weaving machines throughout the exhibition.

ACG Kinna Automatic AB, manufacturer of textile machinery for fully automated production

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EVENTS of bed linen, will showcase its unique pillow closing machine designed to close the open end of the pillow using lock stitch. The machine has an output of nine pillows per minute, according to the manufacturer.

ES Automatex Solution AB is a leading manufacturer of automated machines for home textile production. The company will showcase several new machine concepts, such as Terry Towel crosshemmer, which is said to increase the production by 10 per cent (up to 1000 pcs/hour on the size 50x100 cm, 1 lane).

Eton Systems AB is the creator of the Unit Production System for material handling. They offer flexible solutions for apparel, home textile and other light industry. Eton Systems support industry with optimal utilisation of space, increased production, shortened delivery time, improved quality and increased profitability. Eton Systems latest development is ETONnote, a tool that further controls the production.

Baldwin Jimek AB provides solutions for finishing, remoistening, and water/chemical management. The system is said to offer many advantages compared to traditional methods of applying process chemistry. Some of these are reduced consumption of chemistry and water,

reduced waste of process chemistry and water, shorter drying times – less energy, quick change overs, 2-5 min compared to 15-30 in traditional methods, the company reported.

There will be companies from the rest of Europe as well. One such firm is Savio, an Italian textile winding machine specialist. The company will exhibit innovations in the winding segment by showcasing the new Eco PulsarS automatic winder, the drumless Multicone technology and the proven Polar winding machine.

“(The combined show) draws all the leading textile and garment manufacturers and is an essential showcase for the Asian market

”

Maria Avery, secretary general, Cematex Lonati group companies, Lonati, Santoni, Dinema and Technopea, will also present their latest machinery and applications at the event.

Santoni will launch its large diameter Jacquard

machine at the fair, whiles Lonati’s new model collection will be shown publicly for the first time in Asia.

A very novel concept will be introduced by Uster Technologies, a leading high-technology instrument manufacturer, who is offering spinners a new virtual assistant to make a real difference in quality management and business. With the data from the ‘total testing centre’, Assistant Q has an overview of all the processes in the spinning mill.

He examines test data from every production stage, alerting management to any potential issues. He directs alerts to the personnel responsible via their PCs (and in future to mobile devices) and also manages the process of solving the problem. He records when messages are acknowledged and tracks the history of the issue to its resolution. The assistant is also able to analyse data and make reliable predictions for knitted fabrics, where pilling is one of the key issues.

ITMA Asia + CITME 2016 offers an excellent marketplace for making valuable business contacts with partners, customers and potential investors in the industry. The show will be held from 21-25 October 2016 at the new National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai. The show opening hours are from 9am to 6pm daily. J

The show has already attracted at least around 1,600 exhibitors from 27 economies.

(Photo: MikeDotta/Shutterstock)

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SPOTLIGHT - SOUTH AFRICA

One of the goals of the CTCP is to assist local industries in upgrading production to combat completion from cheaper imports (Photo: MickyWiswedel/Shutterstock)

Stitching together a brighter future South African government’s Clothing Textile Competitiveness Programme (CTCP), which established a private public partnership cluster, has helped to revive a dwindling textile industry in the country.

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T THE TURN of the century, the South African textile and clothing sectors were fraught with challenges. Local textile and clothing manufacturers faced serious threat from the import of cheaper Chinese fabrics and finished products. This led to considerable loss of business with employment in the sectors falling dramatically and causing a loss of more than 100,000 textile and clothing jobs.

The South African government launched efforts to rescue the sinking textile industry. In order to drive increased productivity and employment in the sector, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) introduced the Clothing Textile Competitiveness Programme (CTCP). The programme was managed by the IDC and the CTCP Desk and was structured to drive competitiveness and increase opportunities in the South African textile and clothing sectors. The main objective of the CTCP was to assist industries in upgrading production, product and people developments to re-position it to compete effectively against other low cost producing countries.

Later, in 2011, as the DTI’s new CTCP programme started creating a positive impact in the sector, the South Africa Technical Textile Cluster (SATTC) was formed as part of the DTI’s initiative to increase productivity through a public-private partnership cluster. The SATTC is a vertically integrated value chain cluster with an interlinked and innovative product offering. This marketdriven partnership cluster currently includes

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companies like Gelvenor Consolidated Fabrics, Canvas and Tent, Stepahead Military Headwear Distributors, Fields Wear, Parachute Systems and Durban Overall.

increasing export markets from 13 to 25 countries globally and from one to 14 countries in Africa.

The cluster also achieved a comprehensive manufacturing value add (MVA) growth, which supports their high performance outcome.

Technological initiatives Since its inception, the SATTC has introduced a number of technological developments that have both increased productivity and product quality output. These include the installation of the Eton Material Handling System, a productivity improvement system, by Canvas and Tent and yielded significant improved productivity results.

SATTC also facilitated Gelvenor Consolidated Fabric’s investment in multi-axial machinery for energy-efficient fabric applications, which has created new product avenues, opened new international markets and has benefitted both Parachute Systems and Fields Wear in new innovative product applications. A recent report published by SATTC stated that efforts made by the organisation have led to a 12 per cent increase in employment, a 54 per cent growth in total sales and 126 per cent growth in total export sales since 2012, while also

Efforts made by SATTC have led to a 12 per cent increase in employment, a 54 per cent growth in total sales and 126 per cent growth in total export sales since 2012.

Industrial Development In terms of support for African industrialist development, the cluster has been instrumental in the establishment of two African-owned businesses, one on the supply side and one on the demand side of the value chain. The combined turnover of these businesses is already in excess of US$1mn per annum.

The SATTC has also launched the Technical Textile National Digital Resource Portal with the aim of expanding the South African technical textile sector into the digital realm. The portal focuses on building an international community of technical textile connections and customers that will benefit from sourcing South African technical textile products.

SATTC is currently focussed on steadily increasing the number of manufacturers participating in the cluster, both as core members and incubation members, and aims to develop BBBEE and women-owned SMME manufacturers in their own supply chains to facilitate their growth into full members of the cluster.

The SATTC has stated that it is dedicated to evolve into a sub-national cluster, with a mandate of growing the sector to increase export opportunities, innovative product development, employment opportunities and sustainability in the sector. J

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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SGIA EXPO

At the top tier

of the imaging industry The 2016 SGIA Expo held from 14 – 16 September at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, brought together the industry's widest array of qualified and educated attendees to experience the most innovative technology in the imaging industry.

The show has been advantageous to all the professionals in the imaging industry.

(Photo: Lunatictm/Shutterstock)

T

HE SHOW SERVED as a platform for interaction between the leading imaging professionals showcasing their top-notch technologies, methodologies and applications. The exhibitors included top executives, equipment experts, SGIA staff and industry gurus who discussed the process of growing imaging business in the best possible ways. The areas covered include digital imaging, screen printing, finishing, textiles, signs, decals, outdoor advertising, fleet and vehicle graphics, fine art, DTG inkjet, embroidery, pad printing, membrane switches, printed electronics and more.

The Expo offered critical networking opportunities at the Expo’s community receptions and educational presentations while exhibitors got the chance to present their products and services to all the visitors.

Apart from the exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations at the show, a major highlight at the event was the announcement of winners of the ‘Golden Image Competition’ along with the ‘best of show’ winners who represent the top tier of the industry. “The Golden Image award recognises the highest quality printers who achieve remarkable control and ability. Only the best in the industry are awarded this prestigious honour,” said Johnny Shell, SGIA’s vice president of technical services. The competition recognised the highest standard of imaging and covered almost every item in the specialty graphics industry and awarded gold, silver, bronze and honourable mention ribbons. Among the gold winners, the best of the best were chosen by members of the ‘academy of screen and digital printing technologies’ and given the sought-after ‘best of show’ award. The winners of this award

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

included DuraPlaq for their ‘Ship to Shore – David Mayhew’, The Half and Half for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ in the graphics category, Midi Print Co for ‘Hands of Miles’ in the garment category and Duraplaq again for ‘Dream of Circles’ in the Best of Creativity category.

This was also the first time for the ‘Product of the Year’ awards which allowed entries in a variety of output and non-output imaging categories. “Each entrant brought their A-game, and it was obvious they were here to win,” said Ray Weiss, SGIA’s digital imaging specialist.

“Those who took home a Product of the Year Award can proudly say that they are the best of the best.” The awards were given to winners in 42 categories and included names like Roland DGA, WSDispllay.com, LexJet, Fisher Textiles, Top Value Fabrics, M&R Companies, EPSON, Agfa Graphics and HP. J

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AFRICAN WAX PRINTS

Dutch wax prints is favoured in Africa over domestic textiles for its colourfastness and material lightness. (Photo: Alexander Sarla)

West Africans ditch Dutch wax prints for Chinese ‘real-fakes’ Since the early 20th century, Vlisco has produced African print cloth – otherwise known as Dutch wax prints. This vibrantly coloured and intricately patterned fabric dominates West African markets and is globally recognised as quintessentially “African”.

I

RONICALLY, THIS ICONIC bold cloth was originally forged by Dutch colonial companies attempting to mechanically reproduce handmade Javanese batik cloth.

When this failed to take off in Southeast Asia, Dutch traders began to sell the cloth in West African markets. The patterns were modified to fit local tastes and quickly became popular.

The rise of mass-produced, Dutch wax prints partially displaced domestic textiles, which lacked the colourfastness and material lightness that ultimately made wax prints an essential everyday consumer good.

But this is not where the story ends. Today, the majority of Dutch designs available on African markets are low-cost reproductions made in China.

The entry of these Chinese textiles has upset Dutch and local producers of “authentic” wax prints.

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These producers are trying to protect their hold on the market by appealing to ideas of “originality” and legal notions of “authenticity”. But consumers are more interested in the quality and look of the cloth, and the way it reflects the wearer’s taste and status.

“

Just like consumers of the global North, Togolese desire affordable goods and willingly buy copies and counterfeits.

”

New market players undercut originals Hitarget is the market leader among Chinese upstart brands. It is a thorn in the side of a number of competitors. These include the Dutch company Vlisco as well as the Nigeria and Ghana-based

manufacturers of popular African print brands like GTP, ATL, ABC, Nichemtex or Uniwax.

The majority of Hitarget patterns are “original” Dutch designs to which Vlisco claims legal and technical rights.

Over the past decade, Vlisco has repeatedly taken legal action by seizing counterfeit cloth. This strategy has had limited results.

More recently, the company has adopted an alternative, equally ineffective, response to the issue. In September 2014, Vlisco launched a major brand protection campaign in its African fashion markets, entitled Connoisseurs of Style.

The Vlisco Connoisseurs of Style web guide is designed to help female consumers identify the brand’s markers of authenticity. These include a trademarked monogram, an encrypted bar code, a label, a design number, and the word marks

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

S07 AFTEX 2 2016 West Africa_Digital Printing_Layout 1 29/09/2016 10:32 Page 21

AFRICAN WAX PRINTS “Guaranteed Dutch Wax Vlisco/Véritable Wax Hollandais Vlisco” printed on the cloth’s selvedge.

These signs mark the fabric as authentic according to the legal regimes that underpin the ideas of originality and brand ownership. But on the ground, attitudes towards authenticity are quite different.

Consumer standards and attitudes In my research in Lomé (Togo), once the largest textile market for Dutch wax prints in West Africa, I found that consumer evaluations of copies rarely match legal evaluations. Copies are technically pirates according to International Property law. But to buyers they can be both authentic and inauthentic, real and fake.

As anthropologist Elizabeth Vann notes in her work on Vietnamese real-fake goods, the categories of brand ownership and the intellectual property rules that uphold them cannot be taken for granted everywhere.

Just like consumers of the global North, Togolese desire affordable goods and willingly buy copies and counterfeits. Some copies have become investment pieces that generate sensations of desire and pride and necessitate cultural expertise to successfully choose and purchase.

Others, however, are considered faux or bad and are not valued as highly. Good copies do not

betray consumers, whereas bad or fake copies have the power to expose the unsavvy.

Instead of relying on labels and techno-signs of authenticity as per the Vlisco style guide, Togolese turn to the cloth’s material properties to establish its worth. Value is ascribed through the senses, by touching, smelling or even tasting the cloth.

Hitarget has become especially popular among younger consumers due to its affordability and high-quality thread count, colour palette, and design precision. Expert fashionistas can distinguish Hitarget from Vlisco by mere sight. Some even consider Hitarget to be “better” than the “authentic” print.

Even more amazing is the fact that Hitarget has recently also fallen victim to counterfeiting, making the distinction between real copies and real-fake even more challenging.

In Togo, societal norms of ascribing value to fakes and copies are at odds with global regulatory regimes that are based on a specific proprietary relationship between authorship and ownership.

Roots of intellectual property In a world where most things are produced with some level of human collaboration, intellectual property law inevitably raises complex questions about what constitutes “authorship” and “invention”.

Intellectual property law essentially manages the slippery tension between private ownership

and the public domain – the “commons”. It does this by granting temporary private ownership rights for a fixed term, after which the rights fall back into the public domain.

Copyrights, patents and trademarks – the basic tools of intellectual property law – are firmly rooted in 18th-century liberal thought. Rights were created to manage the conversion of ideas into property – with accompanying rights that could be protected, licensed, and ultimately turned into money.

Not surprisingly, to secure financial returns corporations push for extended rights of intellectual property so that their inventions, words and trademarks can be asserted and licensed as legal rights. It is in this way that they are converted into profits in competitive global markets.

They may also, as Vlisco did, create new markers of authenticity so that their intellectual property claims are recognised by consumers.

The historical twists and turns in the European and Chinese reproduction of African print cloth challenges the very idea and practice of intellectual property rights. After all, who legitimately creates and who illegitimately appropriates? ❑ Author: Nina Sylvanus, assistant professor of anthropology, Northeastern University (This article was originally published on The Conversation)

Lome, Togo was once the biggest textile market for Dutch wax prints.

(Photo: Denis Vermeirre)

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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DIGITAL PRINTING EFI unlocks African textile market with distribution deal ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING inkjet printers has entered into a distribution partnership with South African Graphix Supply World (GSW) as part of an effort to expand its presence in the wider African market.

The new agreement will have GSW distributing GSW EFI’s Wide-Format, VUTEk and Quantum printers to its African customer base.

GSW, which has offices in the South African cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, is a long established reseller in the country. The distribution deal also incorporates a wide range of countries backed by Graphix Technical Support (GTS), a specialist technical company within the GSW Group.

The agreement coincides with EFI’s recent appearance at the Print show FESPA Africa, which took place in Johannesburg. At the event, EFI showcased its EFI VUTEk GS3250lx Pro and VUTEk FabriVU 340,

The VUTEk FabriVU will be one of the EFI printers that GSW will be supply in the region. (Photo: EFI)

which are used in textile print jobs such as soft signage graphics. Both the printers are now available in South Africa through GSW. “EFI’s broad product portfolio gives us the perfect range of wide format printers that covers every budgetary and production requirement,” GSW managing director Robert Franco said. “This enables us to provide new

and existing customers with the most comprehensive choice from a single manufacturer.

Our customer base is becoming increasingly diverse in its needs. Our clients are now demanding the best inkjet technologies across, plus they expect from us robust, highquality and reliable machines, which we will definitely be able to offer through this new partnership.”

With the deal, GSW will now sell EFI inkjet product lines in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, DR Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya and Mauritius, as well as South Africa.

Paul Cripps, regional vice-president of sales at EFI said, “All of these areas are ripe for the migration to the latest printing technologies as the use of wide-format digital printers of all types is escalating rapidly through these countries.”

Innovation in dye sublimation ink DUPONT ADVANCED PRINTING has launched DuPont Artistri Xite S1500 dye sublimation ink, now available for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and printers. According to the company, Artistri Xite S1500 offers superior product consistency, jetting reliability and colour print performance.

Dye sublimation printing is a technique that uses heat sensitive inks. These inks turn into gas under the influence of heat and combine with a 100 per cent polyester medium. Since the ink becomes part of the structure of the material, the

images on the fabric do not fade or crack - even after multiple washings.

Dye-sublimation printing is increasingly finding application in the textile industry including sports merchandising, fashion apparel, soft signs, home furnishing interior décor, promotional items and personalised gifts.

The four major end-use segments of dye sublimation printing are garments, household textiles including carpets, wall coverings and upholstery, technical and visual communications textiles that cover displays and signage and

The new dye sublimation ink can be used for printing on polyester textile substrates.

(Photo: Amnarj Tanongrattana/Shutterstock)

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technical textiles, which include automotive textiles like seats, seat-belts, seat head lining, panels and sound absorption, bags, medical and scientific textiles, sails, tents, parasols/umbrellas, accessories and sports equipment.

According to a report by Smithers Pira, the garments segment is the largest end-use sector, with 75 per cent of the market share by value in 2016. The other segments each take 5-10 per cent of the market. “What is driving the market, in very basic terms, is the increasing demand for rapid customisation to create beautiful, unique clothing or household products,” said J D Hayward, author of the report.

Artistri Xite S1500 ink is a new dye sublimation ink offering for printing on polyester textile substrates. The ink is designed to work with coated dye sublimation papers, the ink meets the needs of quality conscious textile printers in multiple areas including garment decoration, fast fashion/couture, point of purchase signage and trade booth construction.

“We are excited to add Artistri Xite S1500 to our family of inks. This is an ink that delivers what our customers expect from DuPont — exceptional color saturation, printing efficiency and innovation. This is the next step as we continue to build our portfolio and meet the growing needs of the digital textile market,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager – Digital Inks, DuPont Advanced Printing.

DuPont Advanced Printing technical marketing manager Ken Hogrefe pointed out that the Artistri Xite S1500 achieves exceptional colour standards with deep, rich blacks and outstanding colour saturation. It also offers excellent jetting characteristics, which means less cleaning and ink waste, lower down time on press and a more trouble-free workflow.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST TEXTILES ISSUE TWO 2016

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