Pakistan Textile Journal – September 2022

Dornbirn GFC Global Fiber Congress

Dates: September 14th to 16th 2022. Venue: Dornbirn Austria.

INTEX SOUTH ASIA 2022

Dates: December 8th to 10rd 2022. Venue: New Delhi, India.

FESPA 2023

Dates: May 23rd to 26th 2023. Venue: Munich, Germany.

Index 2023

IGATEX Pakistan 2022, Lahore

Dates: April 18th to 21th, 2023. Venue: Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland.

IGM 2022

Dates: September 8th to 6th 2022. Venue: Istanbul, Turkey.

Textile Asia 2022, Faisalabad

Dates: October 29th to 31th 2022.

Venue: Quilim Marquee, Canal Road Faisalabad, Pakistan

Textile Asia 2023, Karachi

Dates: March 11th to 13th 2023. Venue: Expo Centre, Karachi.

Dates: December 1st to 4th 2022.

Venue: Expo Centre, Lahore.

Intertex Tunisia

Dates: October 6th to 8th 2022. Venue: Tunisia.

iCADEX Pakistan 2022, Lahore

Dates: December 1st to 4th 2022. Venue: Expo Centre, Lahore.

Heimtextil 2023, Frankfurt

Dates: June 10th, to 13th, 2023 Venue: Frankfurt am Main.

ITMA 2023

Dates: June 8th to 14th, 2023. Venue: Milan, Italy.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2023

Dates: November 19th to 23th, 2023. Venue: NECC, Shanghai, China.

JIAM 2022 OSAKA

Dates: Nov. 30th to Dec. 3nd 2022. Venue: Osaka, Japan.

DOMOTEX Hannover 2023

Dates: January 12th to 15th 2023. Venue: Hannover, Germany.

ITM 2024

Dates: June 4th to 8th, 2024. Venue: Istanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul Yarn Fair

Dates: February 16th to 18th 2023. Venue: Istanbul, Turkey.

HIGHTEX 2024

Dates: June 4th to 8th, 2024. Venue: Istanbul, Turkey.

Founded in 1951 by Mazhar Yusuf (1924-2009)

Publisher

Nadeem Mazhar

Editor in Chief Amina Baqai

Associate Editor

Dr. Noor Ahmed Memon

Associate Editor

Nimrah Nadeem

Associate Editor

Shahnawaz Khan

Production Manager

Mazhar Ali

Hony-Editorial Board

Dr. Hafizur Rehman Sheikh Ph.D (UK) F.T.I. (UK)

Syed Mahfooz Qutab C.TEX, F.T.I (U.K), B.Sc. Fellow I.C.T.T Atlanta, GA; (USA)

Mian Iftkhar Afzal B.S.N.C State, M.Sc. (Leeds) C.TEXT.F.T.I (UK)

Dr. Zubair Bandukda PhD (Textiles), CText ATI

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Available on Gale and Factiva affiliated internat ional databases through Asianet Pakistan

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Published by Nadeem Mazhar from D-16, K.D.A. Scheme No.1. Karachi.

Vol. LXXI No. 09 September 2022 Rs. 565.00

EDITOR’S PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Textile sector loses US$ 1 billion export orders 2022

TEXTILE BRIEFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

NEWS & VIEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

AROUND THE WORLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

CORPORATE NEWS

Parkdale Selects Datatex NOW ERP system to replace TIM solution . . . . . . . . . .18

Oerlikon Group: Strong Q2 performance confirming growth strategy . . . . . . . .20

Top circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Ranga Yogeshwar presents third top 100 award to Mayer & Cie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Pakistani textile manufacturers learning more about U.S.Cotton fiber’s value . .24 Lacoste’s commitment to sustainability includes science-based traceability technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Print Against War: Delivering support to Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Sustainable Specialty Chemicals provider Perstorp Group to be acquired by PETRONAS Chemicals Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

DYES AND CHEMICALS

Huntsman textile effects introduces new PFC-free durable water repellent in performance breakthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Bluesign defines “sustainable attributes” for approved chemicals within its bluesign® FINDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS

61st Dornbirn GFC Global Fibre Congress 2nd Dornbirn GFC Startup Days . . . . . . . . . .36

FESPA Confirms European Event Calendar to 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Textiles Matter: Heimtextil Trends 23/24 define the future of home . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Intertex Tunisia: 4th International Exhibition of Textile Idustry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

9th Intex South Asia - Bangladesh Edition in physical format concludes . . . . . . . . . . .41

Sewing industry to converge at JIAM 2022 OSAKA – equipment and expert insights top the agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

FEATURES

The LYCRA Company introduces LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Allowing garments to adjust to each person’s needs, movements, lifestyle and body fluctuations for a better wearing experience

iTextiles® Welcomes representatives from The LYCRA Company to Pakistan . . . . . .45

“I feel at home here”: Nazer’s Akbar Affandi about his time at Mayer & Cie . . . . .46

Zero-tolerance contamination control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Uster solution gives nonwovens producers total confidence in demanding applications

Retech technology innovations underline its expertise in filament production . . . .50

Worldwide Shipments of New Textile Machinery 2021 were as High or Higher than Pre-Pandemic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Further successes for FET at Techtextil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

U.S. Cotton: Healthy soil is the basis of our growers’ livelihoods . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

MILL REPORT

Mimaki: Kardem Tekstil manufactures with Mimaki TS55-1800 for fashion giants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

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Textile sector loses US$ 1 billion export orders 2022

Claiming that over 300 textile mills have been closed due to a cut in gas supply, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Chairman Abdul Rahim Nasir on Wednesday urged the federal government to restore gas supply to the textile industry on an urgent basis, stressing that a loss of almost $1 billion in exports has already been incurred because of it.

Accompanied by Aptma North Zone Chief Hamid Zaman and Senior ViceChairman Kamran Arshad at a press conference, he said the 26 per cent upsurge in the export of textiles during fiscal year 2021-22 was made possible only due to the supply of energy at a regionally competitive tariff.

He stated that the textile industry performed admirably, increasing textile exports from $12.5bn in 2020 to nearly $20bn in 2022, a 60pc increase.

He claimed that the exponential growth in the textile sector has promoted investment of over $5bn and the establishment of 100 new textile units, which, after becoming operational, would result in fetching additional exports of $6.0bn per annum.

Mr Nasir pointed out that gas supply to the industry was suspended for a week, almost halting production in the whole value-added industry and causing a colossal loss to the economy.

He added that the large-scale closure of mills has resulted in massive layoffs and unemployment, spreading economic chaos.

He believes it is inexplicable that the exporting sector, which has pledged to increase textile exports to $25bn by 2022-23, is being denied energy and gas. He said that an incessant supply of gas was imperative for the industry to maintain momentum in exports.

Mr Zaman said that the textile sector has repeatedly delivered on its commitment to enhance exports and proven that they are a viable and longterm solution provider for the economic stability of the country.

He warned that more than 50pc of output would be lost this month, with a very high risk of permanent order loss and buyer diversion from Pakistan to its competitors.

He stated that the textile industry is currently producing goods for the upcoming Christmas, and any delay in the delivery schedule risks losing export markets for an indefinite period with little chance of recovery.

“If this momentum is lost due to energy supply and cost constraints, Pakistan will be forced to seek an additional $6bn in loans from abroad, which under the circumstances may not even be possible,” he said, stressing the immediate restoration of gas supply to the export-oriented industry.

Highlighting the importance of the textile sector in the mainstay of the country’s economy, Mr Arshad said that textiles have a 61pc share in the country’s exports and 40pc of manufacturing sector employment. The fragile economy of the country cannot sustain the consequences of the closure of mills in the wake of non-supply of gas

1In a meeting to review about the current situation of cotton the Ministry of Agriculture discussed the severity and nature of control of pests attacking on the cotton crop including IPM plots was reviewed.

2Country exported textile products worth $19.33 billion during fiscal year 2021/2022, showing an increase of 25.53 per cent when compared with $15.4 billion in the preceding fiscal year, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

3The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) believes export proceeds of the textile sector will go down by up to $3 billion in the current fiscal year because of the government’s policies that have “strangu-

lated” the largest dollar-earning sector of the economy.

4Finance Minister Miftah Ismail assured the Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association that their tax and other issues would be resolved soon, urging them to expand their export base. The (PHMA) apprised the Minister of the issues related to taxation, refund of sales tax, electricity, and gas tariff, etc.

5Readymade garments exports during the twelve months of fiscal year of 2021-22 grew up by 28.75 percent as compared to the exports of the commodity during the corresponding period of last year.

6The exports from the country in rupee term witnessed an increase of 40.11 per cent during the

Textile Briefs International

1Australians buy 14.8kg of clothing, or 56 new items, every year, a new report has found, making Australia one of the highest consumers of textiles per capita in the world. There are 1.42bn pieces of clothing –amounting to 373,000 tonnes of fabric – arriving in Australia each year, the report by the Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has revealed.

2Bangladesh's textile industry is currently facing major challenges due to the global recession and inflation as retailers in both European and US markets are either deferring the shipments of finished products or delaying orders due to soaring inflation.

3According to the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics

(Cepea/Esalq-USP) , which calculates the indicator together with the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), the Gross Domestic Product of Brazilian agribusiness dropped 0.8% in the first quarter of this year.

4President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi expressed his support towards the promotion of Egypt’s textile and readymade clothing industry at a recent meeting with his ministers. The country’s minister of public enterprise Hisham Tawfik also assessed their plans to set up the largest spinning factory in the world in the city of Mahalla.

5The minister of labour and vocational training announced that the pension scheme, which is a part of the National Social

current fiscal year 2021-22 as compared to last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

7The export of Pakistani textile commodities surged by 25.5 per cent during the fiscal year 202122 (FY22) as compared to the preceding fiscal year. These exports were recorded at $19,329.9 million in JulyJune (2021-22) against the exports of $15,399m JulyJune (2020-21), showing growth of 25.5pc, according to the latest data released by (PBS).

8Xinjiang cotton has comparative advantage and befitting lessons for Pakistan. Furthermore, adopting Chinese techniques of intercropping and double cropping is the way forward for Pakistani cotton farmers.

9Pakistan might have to import up to six million bales of cotton as domestic output would likely fall short of target mainly due to inclement weather and high cost of inputs over the last several weeks. Official cotton sowing data for 202223 season showed national level cultivated area at 2.01 million hectares, around 20 percent less than the target of 2.53 hectares.

10The APTMA has indicated that the Pakistan Textile Industry is expecting a notable increase in exports during FY23 with a growth rate above 20 percent given that the Government continues with the Policy of ‘Regionally Competetive Energy Tariffs’ for exports.

Security Fund (NSSF), The rate increases to 4 percent from the employee and 4 percent from the employer respectively. An additional 2.75 per cent will be added to the employee and employer’s contribution respectively for each subsequent 10 years.

6Rising costs and increasing competition will, in coming years, reduce the dominance that China has enjoyed in the cotton industry since joining the WTO in 2001, said an Agriculture Department report.

7India’s struggle to win global textile market is dependent on imported raw materials like man-made fibre (MMF), extra-long staple (ELS) cotton and raw materials for technical textiles. Government’s initiative of

Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme can fill the gap for only technical textiles.

8A textile industry group in Japan has said it has created guidelines encouraging companies to pay more attention to human rights abuses in supply chains. The Japan Textile Federation’s guidelines include a checklist for company executives to ensure their supply chains are free of various types of rights.

9Hyosung TNC Corp., a South Korea-based comprehensive fibre manufacturer, has reported a net income of 42.9 billion won in the second quarter (Q2) of fiscal 2022 (FY22), down by 85.7 per cent from a year earlier. The company’s sales increased 19.7 per cent to 2.56 trillion won in the second quarter of fiscal 2022.

Pakistan textile exports have fallen around twelve percent so far in the month of September compared to the same month of the previous year.

Textile millers have been struggling to increase their exports because of a host of issues, especially the non-opening of letters of credit for the import of spare parts and machinery.

This was disclosed by the textile industrialists in both Karachi and Faisalabad, the two main textile making centres of the country, when they were approached about hindrances in exports.

The high cost of cotton after its crop was severely damaged in Sindh because of flood has been also contributing to the hardships of the sector.

“Textile exports are down by 12 percent in the current month of this year over the corresponding month of last year,” Asif Inam, chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA)-South Zone told The News.

Faisalabad-based Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) was worried about the fall in the exports, while Karachi-based Zubair Motiwala, a textile miller, also predicted the downfall in exports in view of the crisis in the textile industry.

Pakistan’s textile sector was on a growth trajectory for the last few years, and even survived the onslaught of Covid19 when it managed to post growth in that difficult time.

But now, Inam said the textile sector was not only facing a liquidity crunch, but also problems in opening letters of credit, as banks were reluctant to issue the necessary guarantee documents for the import of spare parts, machinery and raw materials. He pointed out that the issues were worse for the spinning sector, with units being closed down.

Motiwala also reiterated that letters of credit were not being opened for raw materials and spare parts, which was hurting the expansion and modernisation plans of the sector. If expansion was not taking place that meant growth has halted, and it would also decreased the exports of textile goods, he said.

Gas crisis and high electricity bills were also to blame for the textile sector woes, he pointed out. “Textile exports can’t growth in the face of shortage and expensive gas and power,” he added.

Khurram Mukhtar, however said that matters regarding HS code 84 and 85 have been resolved by holding meetings with the State Bank of Pakistan, and it would pave way for the clearance of spare parts.

During the first two months of the current financial year, the textile sector’s total exports increased by 4.2 percent to $3.056 billion from $2.93 billion in the same period last year. In the financial year ended on June 30, 2022, the country’s textile exports registered 26 percent growth to $19.3 billion over the corresponding month of the previous year.

Pakistan’s textile exports hit record high at $19.33 bn in FY22

The country exported textile products worth $19.33 billion during fiscal year 2021/2022, showing an increase of 25.53 per cent when compared with $15.4 billion in the preceding fiscal year, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). In terms of value, the export of knitwear recorded an increase of 34.23 per cent to $5.12 billion during the fiscal year 2021/2022 as compared with $3.81 billion in the preceding fiscal year.

Meanwhile, foreign buyers purchased Pakistani cotton cloths worth $2.44 billion during the fiscal year under review as compared with $1.92 billion in the preceding fiscal year, showing an increase of 27 per cent. Similarly, the export of bed wear recorded an increase of 18.8 per cent to $3.29 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022 as compared with $2.77 billion in the preceding fiscal year.

Textile exports show a declining trend in September 2022

Zubair Motiwala,

The export of readymade garments exhibited an increase of 28.75 per cent to $3.9 billion during fiscal year 2021/2022 when compared with $3.03 billion in the preceding fiscal year. The textile exports contributed around 61 per cent to the total exports of $31.8 billion during the fiscal year 2021/2022.Textile sector plays a significant role in supporting the economy of Pakistan and continue to be in the spotlight owing to country’s dependence on foreign exchange. Pakistan has exported textile products worth $19.33 billion during the fiscal year 2021/2022 making a record high on annual basis. The analysts said that some factors are posing threat to the textile industry for the current fiscal year such as i.e., increase in export refinance rate.

In the fiscal year 2021/2022, cotton production stood at 8.3 million bales, which is 2.2 million bales lower than the targeted production. The government was eyeing to fetch textile exports of $25 billion for the fiscal year 2022-2023. Moreover, cotton shortage remains the key concern for the country as the demand for textile industry grows but cotton production has declined substantially over the last decade, mainly due to fall in cultivation area followed by lower yield resulting from water shortage and inconsistent rainfall. “Thus, due to the supply and demand gap, textile industry has to rely on imported cotton to meet the country’s demand, putting pressure on country’s import bill,” the analysts added. However, production has increased by 1.3 million bales compared to last year.

Textile exports to dip by $3bn due to govt policies, warns Aptma

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) believes export proceeds of the textile sector will go down by up to $3 billion in the current fiscal year because of the government’s policies that have “strangulated” the largest dollar-earning sector of the economy.

“I can’t see (us) getting out of this perfect storm. It’d be a miracle if we’re able to retain our exports at the current level,” said Aptma Secretary General Shahid Sattar while speaking at a seminar organised by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics recently. Textile exports increased almost 26 per cent to $19.3bn in 2021-22, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Mr Sattar said the textile sector performed “pretty well” in the last two years as its foreign earnings increased by roughly $7bn. However, he said he’s become a “big sceptic” with regard to the immediate future of the textile sector given the severity of its working capital crisis. The national currency has lost more than two-thirds of its value of late, which means the pre-existing limits on textile mills’ working capital

Shahid Sattar; Secretary General, APTMA

have become redundant. “Exporters are facing huge issues in financing the export cycle, which lasts four to six months. You need double the amount of currency now to finance that cycle,” he said while criticising the sales tax that’s meant for domestic sales but results in mopping up liquidity from the export-oriented segment of the textile sector. “You collect Rs300-350bn a year and retain up to Rs60bn (and refund the rest). This has soaked up liquidity the Export Finance Scheme just doesn’t cover the lack of working capital. How can our exports grow if we don’t have working capital?” he said.

Pakistan Hosiery Association Discusses Tax Issues with Miftah Ismail

Finance Minister Miftah Ismail assured the Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association that their tax and other issues would be resolved soon, urging them to expand their export base. The finance minister also directed the relevant authorities to resolve the issues discussed with the representatives of the hosiery and knitwear industries. A delegation of the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) apprised the Minister of Finance and Revenue, Miftah Ismail, of the issues related to taxation, refund of sales tax, electricity, and gas tariff, etc.

Miftah met with the delegation of the PHMA headed by its Chairman, Mian Kashif Zia, at the Finance Division on August 10. The delegation highlighted the contribution of the hosiery and knitwear industries to accelerating and providing growth in all sectors of the economy. Moreover, issues pertaining to the response of commercial banks to the opening of letters of credit (LCs), the drawback of local tax and levies (DLTL), and the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) were also discussed in the meeting. The Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), a member of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and senior officers from the Finance and Commerce

Ministries attended the meeting. Mian Farrukh Iqbal, Dr. Khurram Tariq, Rana Altaf Ahmed, Hafiz Rashid Mehmood, and Mr. Tahir Rehman participated in the delegation. The Finance Minister, Mr. Miftah Ismail, expressed the resolve of the present government to promote business activities and facilitate the business community to attain sustainable growth in the country.

Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports during the month of June 2022 increased by 39.98 per cent as compared to the exports of same month of last year.

Readymade garments exports during the twelve months of fiscal year of 202122 grew up by 28.75 percent as compared to the exports of the commodity during the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-June 2021-22, Tobacco worth US $3,904,658 were exported as compared to the exports of US $ 3,032,812 during the same period of last year. According to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the exports of Knitwear increased by 34.23 percent, worth US $ 5,120,973 as compared to exports of $3,815,000 during the same period of last year.

Exports increase 40 per cent to Rs5.663 trillion in FY2022

The exports from the country in rupee term witnessed an increase of 40.11 per cent during the current fiscal year 202122 as compared to last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. The exports during July–June (2021–2022) were recorded at Rs. 5,663,089 million as against Rs. 4,041,927 million during the corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 40.11 per cent, according to provisional data released by PBS.

The exports in June 2020 were recorded at Rs. 596,433 million as compared to exports of Rs. 426,080 million during June, 2021.On month-onmonth basis, the exports increased by 16.16 when compared to the exports of Rs.513,475 million in May 2022.Main commodities of exports during June, 2022 were knitwear (Rs. 97,063 million), readymade garments (Rs. 75,350 million), bed wear (Rs. 58,049 million), cotton Cloth (Rs. 41,082 million), rice other than Basmati (Rs.35,268 million), cotton yarn (Rs.19,236 million), towels (Rs.18,643 million), madeup articles excluding towels and bedwear (Rs.14,089 million), rice Basmati (Rs.12,838 million) and fruits (Rs.9,699 million)On the other hand, imports, imports during July–June, 20212022 totaled Rs.14,281,447 million as against Rs. 8,982,442 million during the corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 58.99%. Imports into Pakistan during June, 2022 amounted to Rs. 1,610,327 million as against Rs. 1,325,001 million in May, 2022 and Rs. 991,914 million during June, 2021 showing an increase of 21.53% over May, 2021 and of 62.35% over June, 2021.

Textile exports surge by 25.5pc in FY22

The export of Pakistani textile commodities surged by 25.5 per cent during the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) as compared to the preceding fiscal year. These exports were recorded at $19,329.9 million in July-June (2021-22) against the exports of $15,399m July-

Readymade garments exports witness 28.75 pc increase

Miftah Ismail; Finance Minister

June (2020-21), showing growth of 25.5pc, according to the latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Commodities that contributed in trade growth included cotton cloth, the exports of which increased by 26.9pc to $ 2,437.9m during FY22 as compared to the exports of $1,921m in FY21.Other commodities that witnessed growth in trade included cotton, the exports of which grew by 18.67pc from $1,016.9m to $1,206.8m and raw cotton which grew by 714.9pc from 0.807m to $6.6.

Likewise, the exports of carded cotton increased by 2,450pc from $0.06m to $1.632m, and yarn other than cotton yarn by 98.4pc, from $33.4m to $66.2m whereas the exports of knitwear increased by 34.23pc, from $ 3,815m to $5,120.973m.Similarly, exports of bed wear increased by 18.8pc from $2,771.786m to $3,292.9m, towels by 18.5pc from $937.5m to $1,111.3m, tents, canvas and tarpaulin by 0.02pc from $110.389m to $110.4m, ready made garments by 28.75pc from $3,032.8m to $ 3,904.7m, art, silk and synthetic textile by 24.2pc from $370.4m to $460.1m, made up articles excluding towels and bead wear by 12.2pc from

$756.4m to $849.1m whereas the exports of all other export materials increased by 20.4pc from $632.5m to $761.4m. Meanwhile, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, textile exports from the country increased by 2.86pc by growing from $761.5 in June 2021 to $1,706.3m in June 2022.On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, textile exports from the country declined by 3.93pc during June 2022 as compared to the exports of $1,641.9m recorded in May, the PBS data revealed.

It is pertinent to mention here that exports from the country witnessed an increase of 25.5pc during FY22 as compared to the corresponding period of last year. PBS data shows that exports were recorded at $31.8bn during FY22 against the exports of $25.304 billion recorded during FY21, showing growth of 25.5pc. However, on the other hand, imports during the year under review also went up by 41.93pc by growing from $56.4bn in FY21 to $80 billion in FY22.Based on the data, the trade deficit during the period under review was recorded at $48.3bn, showing an increase of 55.29pc over the deficit of $31.076 billion recorded during last year.

Pakistan to see over 20% growth in exports: APTMA

Patron in Chief All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Dr. Gohar Ejaz in his statement has indicated that the Pakistan Textile Industry is expecting a notable increase in exports during FY23 with a growth rate above 20 percent given that the Government continues with the Policy of ‘Regionally Competetive Energy Tariffs’ for exports.

Textile Industry has posted record exports of $4 billion in FY22 with its expansion and investment plans of about $5 billion under LTFF and TERF schemes –YOY growth of 25 percent up till June 30, 2022.Earlier, APTMA stated that the growth was only possible due to the supply of energy at regionally competitive tariffs. Currently, textile is the only sector that continues to grow and bring foreign exchange to the country, gearing up to close at $20 billion in June 2022 compared to $15.4 billion in June 2021In Pakistan, Cotton yields have fallen by 26 percent from 880 kgs/hectare to 652 kgs/ hectare over the last 10 years, while in Punjab the decline has been more pronounced and productivity has fallen by 36 percent from 814 kgs per hectare (2012) to 520 kgs per hectares (2022).

AUSTRALIA

Australia has among the highest number of consumers of textiles per capita in the world

Australians buy 14.8kg of clothing, or 56 new items, every year, a new report has found, making Australia one of the highest consumers of textiles per capita in the world. There are 1.42bn pieces of clothing – amounting to 373,000 tonnes of fabric – arriving in Australia each year, the report by the Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has revealed. The report, funded by the Australian government, said the annual cost to consumers was $9.2bn, meaning Australians were paying on average just $6.50 for each item of clothing. The AFC has used the findings to call for a levy on clothing imports to reduce textile waste. The volume of clothing imports dwarfs local production, which sits at 38m units of clothing a year – or 3% of the import market.

At the other end of the fashion cycle, roughly 260,000 tonnes, or 10kg a person, reaches landfill each year, the lead author of the report, Peter Allan, said. “And in addition, all that we export, which is around four kilos per person, eventually reaches the same end of life,” he said. The report was launched by the AFC at the second town hall for the National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme – which is tasked with halving

national textile waste by 2030. Speaking at the meeting, the AFC chief executive, Leila Naja Hibri, said the fashion industry added $27b to the Australian economy each year and had a “deserved” reputation for its negative impact on the environment. “There needs to be a change in the way we design, produce, use and dispose of products,” she said. On top of the huge amount of landfill, the textile industry also relies heavily on fossil fuels and other chemicals. Globally, 98m tonnes of nonrenewable resources are used in the fashion industry, including oil to produce synthetic fibres, fertilisers to grow cotton, and chemicals to produce dye.In Australia, two-thirds of clothing is made up of synthetic fibres, which are often derived from petroleum.

BANGLADESH

& Mauritz AB claims that it depends on generators for at least 3 hours a day to power its dyeing and washing units in the manufacturing hub of Gazipur on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The cost of electricity from generators is three times more than power from the regional grid. At the onset of the Covid19 outbreak, Bangladesh garment orders worth USD 2.87 billion were cancelled as of March 31, 2020, according to a Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMA) estimate.

Bangladesh's textile industry is currently facing major challenges due to the global recession and inflation as retailers in both European and US markets are either deferring the shipments of finished products or delaying orders due to soaring inflation. The energy crisis in Bangladesh has increased the cost of the business in the country. One of the leading exporters that supply to Gap Inc. and H&M Hennes

This affected about 2.09 million workers and over 1,048 factories. In the first week of April 2020, RMG exports declined by almost 84 per cent. Since then the RMG exports could not pick up to the desire level of growth due to constricted demand and radical shifts in consumer tastes apart from Covid-19related obstacles. According to Policy Insights, a flagship publication of the Policy Research Institute in Bangladesh, the country's RMG has considerably grown in recent decades increasing from USD 120,000 in FY 1985 to about USD 34 billion in 2019.

However, all the growth came in with massive over concentration in a few products and few markets. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimate, Bangladesh's growth, which had declined to 3.5 per cent in 2020 due to covid-19 led disruptions recovered to 6.9 per cent in 2021.

Bangladesh textile faces major challenges amid global recession

EGYPT

President El-Sisi keen to develop Egypt’s textile industry

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi expressed his support towards the promotion of Egypt’s textile and readymade clothing industry at a recent meeting with his ministers. The country’s minister of public enterprise Hisham Tawfik also assessed their plans to set up the largest spinning factory in the world in the city of Mahalla. The factory will be inaugurated in 2023 and will cover an area of 62,000 sqm. The factory in Mahalla will be equipped with the latest industrial machinery similar to what major international companies use and deal with different types of cotton, especially long staple and extra-long cotton. It is intended to leverage Egypt’s competitive advantage in global cotton production thanks to its high quality and demand in international markets.

At the meeting, Tawfik mentioned in detail about a company formed by his ministry that was established especially

for the marketing, sales, and supply chain management of Egyptian textile products. President Al-Sisi also reviewed samples of the luxury cotton textiles presented to him that the company had been marketing. There were also discussions about implementing a bidding system for Egyptian cotton in collaboration with the Egyptian Commodity Exchange at the meeting.

CHINA

Rising After Reaching ‘PEAK COTTON,’ A Declining Role for China

Rising costs and increasing competition will, in coming years, reduce the dominance that China has enjoyed in the cotton industry since joining the WTO in 2001, said an Agriculture Department report. China is the world’s largest cotton grower, importer and consumer at present, but other Asian countries are growing in importance as importers. At the end of this decade, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan would account for a

combined 47% of world cotton imports, according to USDA’s long-term baseline. China’s share would be 24%, about the same as in recent years. Imports crested at 24.5 million bales in 2011, fell to 5 million bales in 2015 and are projected by USDA for 10 million bales in the trade year that began on August 1.

“China’s cotton production, consumption and imports peaked between 2005 and 2013,” wrote ERS economists Fred Gale and Eric Davis. Beijing uses a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) to restrict imports, as a step to avoid reliance on foreign-grown cotton, and it depends heavily on production in the Xinjiang region, more than 2,000 miles from textile manufacturers in coastal and central China. Some Chinese officials envision cotton production and consumption holding steady in the near term.

“China shifted cotton production to Xinjiang as growers abandoned the laborintensive crop in eastern and central China in favor of more profitable crops or higher-paying jobs in factories. About 12 million Uyghurs, an ethnic minority, live in Xinjiang. Human rights groups accuse China of abuses that include unfairly

detaining more than a million Uyghurs. Complaints include conscripting Uyghurs to harvest cotton. “China’s use of forced labor in Xinjiang attracted more attention to the textile industry,” said the ERS report. During 2020-21, the United States barred imports of cotton and cotton products from entities in Xinjiang using forced labor, and in January, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act instituted a broader ban on cotton grown in Xinjiang and on products made with the cotton.

INDIA

raw material

India’s struggle to win global textile market is dependent on imported raw materials like man-made fibre (MMF), extra-long staple (ELS) cotton and raw materials for technical textiles. Government’s initiative of ProductionLinked Incentive (PLI) scheme can fill the gap for only technical textiles. Such schemes are the need of hour for Indian textile sector. According to statistics imports of raw materials increased in previous years with the rise in exports. It means the country spent large amount of foreign currency on raw materials to sustain export growth. Therefore, net export earnings reduced which could be avoided. India’s textile & apparel imports reached $8.1 billion in 2021 from $5.5 billion of 2020. It is pertinent to mention

that foreign trade was disrupted in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The imports were $8.3 billion in 2019, $7.3 billion in 2018 and $6.6 billion in 2017. The import was $3 billion in January-April 2022.India’s exports performance was similar in the previous years. The exports of textile and apparel reached $41.5 billion in 2021 from $29.7 billion of 2020. The export was $35.5 billion in 2019, $37.2 billion in 2018 and $37.4 billion in 2017. The export figure was recorded at $15.8 billion in first four months of 2022. India secured fourth position in global textile exports in 2021 with the market share of 4 per cent. China is still dominating player in the market despite its soared relation with the western world, which is the largest market for the sector.

JAPAN

Japan’s textile industry urges firms to pay close attention to human rights in supply chains

A textile industry group in Japan has said it has created guidelines encouraging companies to pay more attention to human rights abuses in supply chains. The Japan Textile Federation’s guidelines include a checklist for company executives to ensure their supply chains are free of various types of rights abuses, such as forced labor, child labor and harassment. Specifically, the checklist said that attention needs to be paid to long working hours and delays in wage payments.

The guidelines also said it is important that textile companies make internal rules and human rights policies. The guidelines came amid allegations of forced labor over cotton production in China’s Xinjiang region. “We hope that the guidelines will be used to make the industry more attractive for workers,” Masanao Kanbara, president of the industry group, told a virtual news conference. The government plans to draw up guidelines this summer on human rights due diligence. The textile industry is lagging behind in addressing human rights abuses. In textile manufacturing in Japan, which is costly compared with foreign rivals, the way in which some foreign technical trainees are treated has raised concerns over human rights abuses.

India needs more schemes to enhance production of textile

KOREA

South Korean firm Hyosung’s net income down 85.7% in Q2

Hyosung TNC Corp., a South Koreabased comprehensive fibre manufacturer, has reported a net income of 42.9 billion won in the second quarter (Q2) of fiscal 2022 (FY22), down by 85.7 per cent from a year earlier. The company’s sales increased 19.7 per cent to 2.56 trillion won in the second quarter of fiscal 2022.

In the textiles division, Creora profits fell due to higher downtime at customers amid COVID-19 lockdown in China, further hit by one-off charges.

The division witnessed a steadily strong price of major raw materials in the second quarter of fiscal 2022. PET/NY remained in the red mainly on strong raw material cost, the company said in a release.

TAJIKISTAN

Tajikistan's cotton exports to Uzbekistan increase

Tajikistan's cotton exports to Uzbekistan vastly increased from January through June 2022, Trend reports with reference to the Customs Service of Tajikistan.

According to the agency, cotton exports from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan in the reporting period amounted to $17.3 million, which is almost 3.3 times higher than in the same period of 2021 ($5.3 million).Tajik exports of cotton to Uzbekistan from January through June 2022 reached 6,607 tons, which is an increase of 23.4 percent compared to the corresponding period of last year (5,352 tons).

The main Tajikistan's export goods to Uzbekistan in the first half of 2022 were: Cotton ($17.3 million), Cement ($14.1million), electricity(12.2 million), aluminum($10.6 million). At the end of June, the Uzbek delegation of Uztekstilprom, as part of a working visit to Tajikistan, discussed with the heads of local authorities of Khatlon and Sughd regions the prospects for creating a joint venture for processing cotton.

USA

66.2% of USA clothing import comes from top six countries (all Asian) in H1 ’22

During the first half of 2022, the USA sourced garments worth US $ 49.58 billion, noting 40.14 per cent yearly growth. The demand for clothing in the country outpaced the growth attained in the same period of 2021 signaling the minimal impact of inflation on the consumers’ spending on garment products.

Particularly in June ’22, the imports valued US $ 8.64 billion, up 40.30 per cent on Y-o-Y basis, while the growth noted on monthly basis over May ’22 was 1.52 per cent. As per OTEXA data, analysed by team Apparel Resources, top six Asian countries (China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Cambodia) together supplied US $ 32.82 billion worth of garments to USA in H1 ’22, which is 66.20 per cent of total import values of the USA.

China remained the top shipper to the USA in the period with US $ 10.25 billion worth of apparel exports, growing by 40.15 per cent on yearly basis.

Vietnam shipped US $ 9.19 billion worth of apparels to USA in H1 ’22, noting 35 per cent yearly growth, while Bangladesh (US $ 5.02 billion) and India (US $ 3.20 billion) upped their shipment by 60.30 per cent and 57.27 per cent, respectively.

Indonesia stayed on fifth position and couldn’t surpass India despite a flurry of orders the country has witnessed in 2022. The South-East Asian nation shipped US $ 3 billion worth of garments to USA, noting 60.27 per cent yearly jump.

VIETNAM

Vietnamese textile exporters to focus on traceability

The textile industry in Vietnam is busy adapting to new requests from international clients related to traceability of raw materials as companies right now are facing much difficulty with the rise in such demand. A lot of global brands are now requesting that all their products

have to be produced with sustainable cotton materials by 2030.Cotton traceability is something that every company must account for when bringing their product to the world, according to Vo Manh Hung, head representative of Cotton Council International (CCI) in Vietnam.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) told a recent conference in Ho Chi Minh City that more and more international textile and apparel companies are pursuing green production and that is posing a big challenge to Vietnam’s textile firms, which also need to satisfy transparency requirements related to origin, domestic material use, labour, and environment commitments. Companies trading in markets with whom Vietnam has signed a free trade agreement (FTA) have to ensure that the materials used to make their products are in line with the FTA’s environmental regulations in the importing countries. Officials of the textile industry are now working with the country’s ministry of industry and trade to build industrial compounds with wastewater treatment systems to ensure environmental protection. Textile firms, especially original design manufacturers (ODM), should carefully research Vietnam and the importing countries' traceability rules and standards, the conference was told. The conference was held as part of the International Exhibition of Textile and Garments and Fabric and Garment Accessories (SaigonTex and SaigonFabric), which continues until August 6.

Parkdale selects Datatex NOW ERP system to replace TIM solution

Datatex is happy to announce that Parkdale Inc. has selected NOW as its next generation ERP solution.

Parkdale is a leading manufacturer of spun cotton yarns and cotton consumer products. Parkdale’s success hinges on its ability to deliver customer value through exceptional yarn quality, unparalleled service and innovation.

Parkdale’s culture of embracing innovation, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing is fundamental to its future, hence the decision to replace its ERP system from the Datatex TIM solution of more 15 years to Datatex NOW ERP.

“We are excited about our investment in NOW as we believe it gives

us a competitive advantage in productivity and cost containment — while improving our capabilities to meet our customers’ needs” says Parkdale Inc. Chairman and CEO Anderson D. “Andy” Warlick.

Warlick further explained: “Datatex has been a valued partner to Parkdale over the past 15 years. After thorough market due diligence, we felt like Datatex NOW was the best enterprise system in the market for our future needs.“

“Parkdale is an innovation leader in the industry.” said Datatex CEO Ronen “Ronnie” Hagin. “This vote of confidence in our systems, people, and our technology direction with web-based solutions, confirms to us that we made

and continue to make the right investment to remain the leading supplier of software solutions to the textile and apparel industries.”

Parkdale also will implement the Datatex NOW solution in its U.S. Cotton LLC business — a manufacturer of cosmetic and beauty aid products all made in the U.S.A.

Datatex is happy to represent the best enterprise system in the market for Parkdale’s future needs as well as to keep on supporting the optimization of the innovative American textile industries, providing them the best of breed solutions using the latest technologies.

Strong Q2 performance confirming growth strategy

Second-Quarter and Half-Year 2022 Results

Group orders +19%, sales +17%, operational EBITDA +15% vs. prior year.

Polymer Processing Solutions orders significantly increased by 40%, sales by 24% and operational EBITDA by 33% year-over-year, driven by strong execution.

Surface Solutions sales increased by 10% vs. prior year. Operational EBITDA improved by 4%. 2022 Group guidance confirmed.

Pfäffikon, Schwyz, Switzerland –August 3, 2022 – “Our strong growth confirms the strategy of focusing on innovative and sustainable solutions,” said Michael Süss, Executive Chairman, Oerlikon Group.

“In Surface Solutions, we experienced improved demand, even as many of our end markets still face supply chain challenges. While macroeconomic uncertainties increase, we have not seen any unanticipated impacts to date. We are closely monitoring the situation and focusing on further improving our cost competitiveness,” added Süss. “Polymer Processing Solutions continued to execute and delivered another strong quarter of sales growth and margin improvement, driven by filament and non-filament.”

Strong second quarter

Group orders increased by 19.5% to CHF 773 million, driven by strong demand in both the filament and nonfilament business in Polymer Processing

Solutions. Group sales increased globally by 16.9% to CHF 734 million, attributed to growth in both Surface Solutions and Polymer Processing Solutions. At constant exchange rates, Group sales increased by 19.7%.

The operational EBITDA for the second quarter improved by 15% yearover-year to CHF 128 million, corresponding to a margin of 17.4%.

Operational EBIT for Q2 2022 was CHF 72 million, or 9.8% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 58 million, 9.2%). Q2 2022 EBITDA was CHF 125 million or 17.0% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 112 million, 17.8%), and EBIT was CHF 68 million, or 9.3% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 56 million, 9.0%).

Oerlikon Group 2022 half-year overview

In the first half of 2022, the Group’s order intake increased by 21.2% year-onyear to CHF 1 563 million, and sales were up 19.7% to CHF 1 432 million. Operational EBITDA for the half year amounted to CHF 247 million, corresponding to a margin of 17.2%. Operational EBIT was CHF 135 million, or 9.4% of sales. EBITDA was CHF 237 million, or 16.6% of sales (HY 2021: CHF 200 million, 16.7%), and EBIT was CHF 125 million, or 8.7% of sales (HY 2021: CHF 95 million, 7.9%). The reconciliation of the operational and unadjusted figures can be found in the tables below.

The net result for the first half of the year increased by 23% to CHF 88 million, driven by EBITDA growth. As of June 30,

2022, Oerlikon had CHF 513 million of net debt, representing a net debt to operational EBITDA ratio of 1.0. Cash flow from operating activities for the first half of the year was CHF 22 million, compared to CHF 36 million in 2021, mainly due to the increase in inventories.

The Surface Solutions Division saw a 10% increase in sales, driven by general industries, energy and aviation. Automotive continued to be impacted by supply chain shortages, particularly in China and South Korea. Shortages are expected to moderate in the second half of the year. The division’s order intake slightly increased in the second quarter by 1% to CHF 348 million, while orders for the half year increased by 8% to CHF 724 million.

Q2 operational EBITDA improved by 3.6%, corresponding to a margin of 17.7%. The margin was impacted by transitory shortages in high-margin businesses, temporarily offsetting positive operating leverage and cost efficiency. Operational EBIT was CHF 24 million, or 6.8% of sales. EBITDA was CHF 61 million or 17.3% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 62 million, 19.2%). EBIT was CHF 22 million, or 6.2% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 20 million, or 6.1%).

The Polymer Processing Solutions Division continued to grow profitably in the second quarter. Q2 2022 order intake increased by 40% to CHF 425 million. Sales increased by 24% to CHF 383 million yearover-year, driven by structural

demand for filament equipment, flow control systems, plant engineering solutions and a recovery in demand in the U.S. carpet yarn market.

Operational EBITDA improved by 34% to CHF 65 million, or 17.1% of sales, driven by positive operating leverage, cost control and the INglass acquisition. Operational EBIT was CHF 51 million, or 13.3% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 38 million, 12.2%). Second-quarter EBITDA was CHF 65 million, or 17.0% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 49 million, 15.8%), and EBIT was CHF 50 million or 13.1% of sales (Q2 2021: CHF 38 million, 12.2%).

Additional information

Oerlikon will present its results during a conference call today beginning at 10:30 CEST. To participate, please click on this link to join the webcast.

About Oerlikon

Oerlikon (SIX: OERL) is a global innovation powerhouse for surface engineering, polymer processing and additive manufacturing. The Group’s solutions and comprehensive services, together with its advanced materials, improve and maximize the performance, function, design and sustainability of its

Table I: Reconciliation of Q2 2022 and H1 2022 Operational EBITDA and EBITDA1

In CHF Million

Q2 2022 Q2 2021 H1 2022 H1 2021

Operational EBITDA 128 111 247 202

Income/expenses related to restructuring 0 1 -1 1

Expenses related to discontinued activities -1 -3 Expenses related to acquisition and integration costs -2 -1 -5 -3 EBITDA 125 112 237 200

Table II: Reconciliation of Q2 2022 and H1 2022 Operational EBITDA and EBITDA1

In

CHF

Million Q2 2022 Q2 2021 H1 2022 H1 2021

Operational EBIT 72 58 135 99

Income/expenses related to restructuring 0 1 -1 1 Expenses related to discontinued activities -1 -4

Impairment charges 0 -2 0 -2 Expenses related to acquisition and integration costs -2 -1 -5 -3

EBIT 68 56 125 95

customers’ products and manufacturing processes in key industries. Pioneering technology for decades, everything Oerlikon invents and does is guided by its passion to support customers’ goals and foster a sustainable world. Headquartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, the Group

Division Overview, Surface Solutions Division

operates its business in two Divisions –Surface Solutions and Polymer Processing Solutions. It has a global footprint of more than 12 000 employees at 202 locations in 37 countries and generated sales of CHF 2.65 billion in 2021.

Key figures for the Surface Solutions Division as of June 30, 2022 (in CHF million) Q2 2022 Q2 2021 Δ H1 2022 H1 2021 Δ

Order intake 348 345 1.1% 724 672 7.8% Order backlog 219 168 30.4% 219 168 30.4% Sales (to third parties) 352 320 10.0% 680 624 8.9%

Operational EBITDA 63 60 3.6% 121 115 6.1%

Operational EBITDA margin1 17.7% 18.8% -110 bps 17.8% 18.3% -50 bps

1Based on unrounded figures and total sales, including intercompany sales.

Polymer Processing Solutions Division

Key figures for the Polymer Processing Solutions Division as of June 30, 2022 (in CHF million) Q2 2022 Q2 2021 Δ H1 2022 H1 2021 Δ

Order intake 425 302 40.4% 839 618 35.9%

Order backlog 619 537 15.3% 619 537 15.3% Sales (to third parties) 383 309 24.0% 752 572 31.5%

Operational EBITDA 65 49 33.5% 124 82 51.2%

Operational EBITDA margin1 17.1% 15.9% 120 bps 16.4% 14.3% 210 bps

1Based on unrounded figures and total sales, including intercompany sales.

Top circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Ranga Yogeshwar presents third top 100 award to Mayer & Cie.

Albstadt-based Mayer & Cie. has been named a Top 100 award-winner for the third time as one of Germany’s most innovative small and mid-range businesses. The jury made special mention of the circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer’s innovative processes. At the centre of the family firm’s further digital development is on the aim to boost its customers’ productivity. Last Friday, members of the Mayer & Cie. management received the award from the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar at the SMB summit in Frankfurt am Main.

Claim to leadership a deliberate decision

“We are delighted to receive the Top 100 award for the third time this year,” said Sebastian Mayer, Chief Digital

Officer and member of the Mayer & Cie. management. “2019 and 2020, characterised by a slump in demand and the pandemic, were not easy years for our company. Yet we deliberately worked on improving our processes in order to hit the ground running once the market recovered.

We thank all of our employees for supporting this development and driving the change forward.”

Progress is digital for SMBs too

For some time now, the focus of development work at Mayer & Cie. has been on lean management in assembly processes, on optimisation of aftersales service, including setting up an online shop for spare parts, and on product lifecycle management, or PLM, which

stands for a concept of seamless integration of all the information that arises during a product’s lifecycle.

A clean data structure is the basis for these measures. Sebastian Mayer likes to call it the “digital backbone”. “Basically, what it means is that all product data is processed in he same database and all information is available only once and can be downloaded immediately,“ he explains.

Boosting the customer’s productivity

Customer benefit is the sense and purpose of Mayer & Cie.’s digital development work. “Our aim is to boost the productivity of customers who work with our circular knitting machines,” as Sebastian Mayer puts it. Their main point of access to the company’s development

Benjamin Mayer (left) and Sebastian Mayer (right) are receiving the award from Ranga Yogeshwar in Frankfurt/Main on Friday.

work is the “knitlink” IIoT platform, where machine data is to be recorded and evaluated. Spare parts sales is then automated via the online shop and support is available from the platform round the clock. In future, a 3D model of every machine – a kind of digital twin – is to be available on “knitlink”.

Mayer & Cie. in award-winning company

In all, 436 companies, including about ten per cent from machinery and plant engineering, competed for the Top 100 seal of innovation this year. Nearly 300 were successful and were congratulated in person by Ranga Yogeshwar at the SMB summit. He noted that the award winners set a role model example. “Innovators are thought leaders; they are always pioneers too,” said Yogeshwar, who mentors the competition. “They put their products to the test and ask themselves what an ecological society and a climate-oriented world will require of them. And they check the opportunities and challenges that increasing digitisation will bring for forms of cooperation, social relationships and, with them, for employee retention.”

About Mayer & Cie.

Mayer & Cie. (MCT) is a leading international manufacturer of circular

knitting machines. The company offers the entire range of machines required for making modern textiles. Fabrics for home textiles, sportswear, nightwear and swimwear, seat covers, underwear and technical uses are made on MCT knitting machines. Furthermore, Mayer & Cie. regularly develops new approaches underlining its leadership in technology.

Since 2019, Mayer & Cie. has augmented its portfolio by braiding machines which produce sheathings for hydraulic tubes used in aviation,

automotive industry as well as in further, very specific fields of applications.

Founded in 1905, Mayer & Cie. generated sales of EUR 103 million in 2021 with about 450 employees worldwide, according to preliminary figures. In addition to its headquarters in Albstadt, Germany, where around 350 people work, and subsidiaries in China and the Czech Republic, sales partners for circular knitting and braiding machines in around 80 countries represent Mayer & Cie.

The Mayer & Cie. assembly line in AlbstadtTailfingen Photo: Ralph Koch for Mayer & Cie.

The development department at Mayer & Cie. in Albstadt-Tailfingen: with around 50 of the firm’s 400 employees Sebastian Mayer drives the SMB’s digitisation forward. Photo: Ralph Koch for Mayer & Cie.

Pakistani textile manufacturers learning more about U.S. Cotton fiber’s value

Textile executives representing 21 companies from Pakistan should gain a deeper understanding of why U.S. cotton is the world’s preferred fiber when they travel across the U.S. Cotton Belt.

This COTTON USA Special Trade Mission is coordinated by Cotton Council International (CCI), the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) export promotions arm. With total cotton consumption estimated at 11.1 million bales in 2021-22, Pakistan is the third largest cotton consuming country after China and India.

This trade mission’s participating companies collectively consume about 4.4 million bales annually. For the 2021-

22 marketing year, U.S. cotton export sales (as of mid-July) to these tour participants is 1.5 million bales.

CCI President Carlos Garcia, a Texas cooperative executive, noted that many of the mills on this tour have expansion plans, so the COTTON USA Special Trade Mission “is an ideal opportunity to grow U.S. cotton sales now and in the years ahead in this important market. We also want these textile executives to see firsthand U.S. cotton’s first-class production and processing operations and efforts on environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.”

The Pakistan delegation will begin its tour in Savannah, Ga., with briefings

from CCI and Cotton Incorporated staff before touring the Port of Savannah and a local cotton farm. Later, they will tour the USDA cotton classing office in Bartlett, Tenn., and visit a cotton farm, gin and warehouse in South Texas.

The group also will meet with exporters in the Cotton Belt’s four major regions and with these other industry organizations: AMCOT; American Cotton Producers; American Cotton Shippers Association; Southern Cotton Growers; Lubbock Cotton Exchange; the NCC; Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.; Texas Cotton Association; Western Cotton Shippers Association; and Supima.

Lacoste’s Commitment to Sustainability Includes ScienceBased Traceability Technology

Building on its current sustainable development strategy, Lacoste partnered with Oritain, global leader in forensic verification of origin as part of its efforts to sure up its supply chain.

Lacoste’s mission towards Durable Elegance focuses on three core areas: people, communities and planet. Each is guided by a sustainable development strategy and helps to improve the social and environmental impact of their products, ensuring local prosperity and benefiting populations on the ground. With all this effort in place, Lacoste wanted to find a way of protecting it and supporting it through irrefutable evidence.

As Lacoste started looking for a way to prove the traceability of their supply chain, it came across Oritain: everything that is grown, reared, or made, absorbs a unique ratio of isotopes and trace elements. This is what Oritain measures; using world leading-edge science and statistical models to analyse the data and create an ‘Origin Fingerprint’ for each product.

The Origin Fingerprint enables brands to test their products and raw materials

both for provenance and for the absence of provenance, to monitor and verify compliance with their supply chain. In the case of Lacoste, they can ensure their products are made from the high-quality cotton they source, whilst remaining free of high-risk cotton—a particularly important attribute considering the prevalence of forced labour in some supply chains.

“Oritain uses science to help truly committed brands continuously evolve in their value chain transparency journey. We are proud to have been working with Lacoste for the past 2 years, helping them

verify the origin of their cotton to guarantee that it is not only the highest quality, enables them to accurately monitor the sustainability impacts at the raw material level, but are also free from unethical labor practices.” Oritain’s Chief Commercial Officer, Rupert Hodges.

Through concrete knowledge, comes accountability and real, long-lasting change—something Lacoste is driving in order to prove that elegance really can be durable.

About Oritain

Oritain is a world leader in using forensic science to trace the origin of products. It works with Mother Nature and doesn’t rely on barcodes, packaging or other tracer systems. Everything that is grown, reared, or made, is a product of its environment, absorbing a unique ratio of elements and nutrients depending on where in the world it comes from. This is what Oritain analyses, using a unique combination of forensic science and statistics to accurately verify the origin of products.

Print Against War: Delivering support to Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with lives being lost and thrown into turmoil, properties and infra-structures destroyed, and millions of livelihoods being threatened every day. It is our duty as humans to provide support and assistance as best we can to the citizens of Ukraine in their deepest time of need.

This new initiative, Print Against War, is calling upon printers and converters, pub-lishers, influencers, and suppliers to the printing and packaging industry to join forc-es to support their colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Beyond the war in Ukraine, the organization’s goals extend to an ongoing ability to help restore the socioeconomic fabric of printing in any region affected by war.

What is Print Against War?

Print Against War, a nonprofit initiative of the Meaningful Print Foundation, will help Ukrainian printing and packaging companies continue to operate, or provide support when they can again start up their productions. Together, Print Against War and the Meaningful Print Foundation are designed to mobilize the global printing and pack-aging industry to help stakeholders cope with wars, natural disasters, epidem-ics/pandemics, and other damaging and disruptive occurrences. In addition, the Meaningful Print Foundation will work on long-term projects empowering the printing industry to make a positive impact on the planet by addressing gender equality, car-bon neutralization, sustainable manufacturing,

education for students in need, and inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce.

How will Print Against War raise resources?

The program is open to offers of help from vendors, printers, and any other printing community members. To encourage the collection of donations from a broad base of users, Print Against War proposes that online printing and packaging businesses add a voluntary checkout donation option to their eshops. This will allow a broad base of designers, agencies, print-service providers and individuals around the world to contribute. In addition, you can make direct donations or offer other forms of material help (e.g., provide

consumables, paper, etc., for free or at special pric-es). Finally, Print Against War is working to create alliances between printers in the European Union and those in Ukraine so that the former can share jobs with the latter, making their survival possible.

How will Print Against War allocate resources?

The Meaningful Print Foundation is setting up an application system to make re-source allocation transparent. Through its supervisory board, it will evaluate case by case the eligibility of the applicant and the goodness of the projects to be support-ed. All funded projects will be made visible.

Print Against War testimonials

Within the initiative and on the website, Print Against War intends to make visible reports from the field, give voice to Ukrainian printers through written and video interviews, and collect messages of solidarity from personalities, print champions, and print enthusiasts.

Among them:

WhatTheyThink, a leading independent US-based printing industry media organization — “We stand in solidarity with those who are trying to fight this kind of war and oppression, and we stand for democratic values. Free speech, communication, and print have always been a huge part of that.”

Marcus Timson, co-founder of Future Print — “We encourage anyone in

the printing sector, anywhere in the world, to help our brothers and sisters in Ukraine rebuild their businesses and get behind this fantastic initiative.”

Alon Bar-Shany, chairman of Highcon and former general manager of HP Indigo — “Because in the end, the war ends. And life comes back. As a print industry, I think we want to help our colleagues.”

The organization has also asked duomedia, a leading PR agency, to help increase its visibility and gain additional support.

“Beyond the humanitarian efforts that individuals, families, and businesses are mak-ing to support the Ukrainian population and refugees, we believe that an industry-wide response is essential,” says Lorenzo Villa, co-founder of the Meaningful Print Foundation. “Print Against War is the first global outreach and support project to a regional printing and packaging market in need. We count

it as just the first that the Meaningful Print Foundation will be able to coordinate in the future.”

The platform has already engaged in conversations with several Ukrainian opera-tions. We invite you to read more about their stories here.

To lend your support, please join the Print Against War global community here.

About Print Against War

Print Against War is a nonprofit initiative aimed at helping Ukrainian printing and packaging companies continue to operate or providing support when they can again start up their productions. Soon it will be backed by the Meaningful Print Founda-tion, managed and overseen by a group of respected global print enthusiasts.

Sustainable Specialty Chemicals provider Perstorp Group to be

acquired by PETRONAS Chemicals Group

Perstorp Group, a leading sustainability-driven global specialty chemicals company, today said that it is to be acquired by PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG). PCG announced today that it has signed a Securities Purchase Agreement on 14 May 2022 to acquire the entire equity interest in Perstorp Holding AB. The agreement was signed with Financière Forêt S.à.r.l, a company under PAI Partners, a European private equity firm.

Jan Secher, President and CEO of Perstorp said, “We are excited to become part of the PETRONAS family. I see a strong commonality in values and priorities for how to take our respective businesses forward, meeting the challenges and opportunities of the

future. By tapping into PCG’s strength and market leading position in the Asia Pacific region, we are confident that Perstorp can continue to develop into its next phase of growth. Being part of PCG means Perstorp gets the scale to increase the pace of innovation and accelerate our sustainable transformation, which is at the forefront of the chemical industry. PCG’s and Perstorp’s businesses complement each other very well.”

“Perstorp is an outstanding strategic fit for PCG and enables us to participate in attractive end-markets such as paints and coatings, construction, plastic additives, personal care and food, feed & nutrition, paints and coatings that share a robust growth outlook. This acquisition will also provide us critical talent, know-

how, technological platforms and proven customer channels to address the pressing needs of the market for more eco-friendly and sustainable solutions,” said PCG Managing Director and CEO, Ir. Mohd Yusri Mohamed Yusof.

Established more than 140 years ago, Perstorp is a leading niche specialty chemicals player that develops sustainable solutions with focus on the Resins & Coatings, Engineered Fluids and Animal Nutrition markets. The company has a global sales presence, seven stateof-the art manufacturing sites in Europe, US and China (the 8th plant will be ready in India in 2023) and three research and development (R&D) centres worldwide with approximately 1,500 employees serving more than 2,600 customers

globally. Perstorp is highly regarded among its customers for its product quality and application expertise, supply reliability, customer centricity and ProEnvironment products and solutions.

“We find Perstorp attractive for their expansive range of products, established customer base as well as their market leadership in selected chemicals, which are complementary to PCG. It is our intention to make Perstorp our growth platform into the Specialty chemicals field. With Perstorp’s holistic and innovative approach to reduce environmental impact in line with PCG’s aim for positive environmental and social contribution, we are confident that together we can accelerate our sustainability journey towards circular economy and carbon neutrality by 2050,” concluded Ir. Mohd Yusri.

PCG’s journey to achieve its vision of becoming the preferred chemical company providing innovative customer solutions is based on a clear strategy; to strengthen its basic petrochemicals portfolio, and to selectively diversify into derivatives, specialty chemicals and solutions.

In the execution of this strategy, the acquisition of Perstorp group marks the creation of a significant specialty

chemicals portfolio, while enhancing PCG’s overall earnings. This transaction follows the acquisition of BRB Group in 2019, a leading global independent producer and formulator of silicones, lube oil additives and chemicals, which launched PCG into new areas aligned with its long-term growth ambitions.

“I am convinced that Perstorp and PCG can learn from each other’s capabilities to ensure we bring the best of our two companies to our customers and our employees. I am confident that PCG will provide the best possible ownership for Perstorp in the years to come,” concluded Jan Secher.

The acquisition values Perstorp Group at an enterprise value of EUR 2,300.0 million.

The completion of the acquisition is subject to relevant regulatory and shareholders’ approvals.

Huntsman textile effects introduces new PFC-free durable water repellent in performance breakthrough

SINGAPORE – Huntsman Textile Effects has released PHOBOTEX® R-ACE, a breakthrough PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) that makes it possible for mills and brands to deliver highperformance outdoor and extreme sports apparel and everyday wear while meeting stringent environmental standards and optimizing production flow.

PHOBOTEX® R-ACE delivers excellent water repellence on all types of fibers. In addition to its outstanding performance on synthetic fibers and blends, PHOBOTEX® R-ACE offers excellent compatibility with resin finishing to ensure even application with unmatchable performance on cellulosic fibers. It offers outstanding rain and splash protection for garments that are water repellent and windproof, even under the toughest conditions. Additionally, it repels everyday stains, such as mud, coffee, ketchup and juice, so that garments stay cleaner for longer. Textiles treated with PHOBOTEX® RACE are breathable, retain their soft handle and continue to look good and perform well through repeated laundering and drying.

“There is growing worldwide demand for garments that deliver highperformance weather protection and stain-resistance with improved sustainability. Achieving these attributes in concert has been challenging, as traditional non-fluorinated DWR technologies can have undesired side effects that impact fabric quality. Drawing on Huntsman Textile Effects’ research expertise and global operational experience, PHOBOTEX® R-ACE is a true breakthrough that helps mills and brands deliver excellent water repellence with minimal impact on fabric performance,” said Lutfu Okman, Vice President of

Global Revenue, Huntsman Textile Effects.

The robust chemistry of PHOBOTEX® R-ACE achieves high repellency with significantly less chemicals added on to the fabric as compared to the typical PFC-free DWRs in the market. This helps mills minimize unwanted consequences like chalk marks, seam slippage issues and harsh handle. The breakthrough DWR also offers best-in-class runability, for faster trouble-free production and good reproducibility. Its excellent compatibility with resin finishing ensures even application with unmatchable performance on cellulosic fibers.

Critically, PHOBOTEX® R-ACE meets current and upcoming industry standards. The new DWR is PFCfree and formaldehyde-free PHOBOTEX® R-ACE meets the bluesign® criteria (imminent approval pending) and will be published on the ZDHC Gateway with

Conformance Level 3, and suitable for STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified textile products. It also meets new bluesign® restrictions on 2Butanone oxime in chemical products, which will come into effect in June 2022.

Textiles treated with PHOBOTEX® RACE qualify for the High IQ® Repel Performance Assurance scheme.

With PHOBOTEX® R-ACE, Huntsman Textile Effects is affirmed as the leader of the industry’s DWR transition. The innovation continues more than a decade of DWR breakthroughs from the Huntsman research labs team and partners, including PHOBOTEX® R, a pioneering PFC-free C0 technology introduced in 2010; ZELANTM R3, Chemours’ renewably sourced PFC-free DWR, launched in 2015; and the marketleading PFC-free PHOBOTEX® RSY range, introduced in 2017 for extreme DWR performance.

PHOBOTEX® R-ACE Raises the Bar for DWR Performance and Trouble-free Production

Bluesign defines “sustainable attributes” for approved chemicals within its bluesign® FINDER

By defining “sustainable attributes” for bluesign® APPROVED chemicals registered in the bluesign® FINDER, Bluesign is furthering its ability to provide more sustainable solutions by providing specified search functions to help chemical suppliers and the textile industry make better informed decisions. The bluesign® FINDER is a web-based, advanced search engine for manufacturers. It contains a positive list of preferred chemical products. Today more than 20,000 bluesign® APPROVED chemical products are registered in the bluesign® FINDER.

Bluesign® APPROVED chemical products already meet the stringent bluesign® CRITERIA for chemical assessment. That means that the approved chemicals are produced

following best occupational health and safety (OH&S) practices with less environmental impact and excellent Product Stewardship following the principles of Input Stream Management and sustainable chemistry. Textiles processed with bluesign® APPROVED chemicals meet the highest level of consumer safety.

Sustainable chemistry is a holistic concept that strives to remediate or minimize negative impacts and enhance positive impacts on the environment, economy and society (including the protection of human rights), throughout the life-cycle of a chemical product. Sustainable chemicals should be designed for the circular economy, should accelerate the use of sustainable feedstocks, increase resource efficiency in

downstream applications and contribute to the longevity of consumer products, while avoiding inherent properties that are harmful to human health and the environment.

Now, in addition to the existing functions within the bluesign® FINDER, bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER chemical suppliers can claim selected sustainability attributes for their bluesign® APPROVED chemical products that will be displayed within the bluesign® FINDER. Sustainability claims will be verified by Bluesign during on-site assessments and through chemical assessments. Requirements and data provisions will be laid out in the criteria: bluesign® CRITERIA for chemical assessment

ANNEX: Sustainability attributes for bluesign® APPROVED chemical products. (see webpage)

The bluesign® FINDER will be amended with search functions starting this year with the below first priority attributes:

Renewable feedstock (biomass* or bio-based)

The sustainability attribute ‘Renewable feedstock (biomass or biobased)’ is intended for use with any chemical product that contains at least 20% biomass content by weight in the form of biomass-derived carbon.

Sustainably sourced renewable feedstock (biomass* or bio-based)

The sustainability attribute ‘sustainably sourced renewable feedstock (biomass or bio-based)’ is intended for use with any chemical product that contains at least 20% biomass content by weight in the form of biomass-derived carbon. The biomass content shall originate from land that is certified sustainable.

Recycled content

The sustainability attribute ‘Recycled content’ is intended for use with any

chemical product that contains at least 20% recycled content by weight. For the calculation of the recycled content only the dry content of the chemical product shall be regarded, excluding water.

This year bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER chemical suppliers can start to register these selected sustainability attributes for their bluesign® APPROVED chemical products. The bluesign® FINDER will evolve and a comprehensive online search engine for sustainable textile auxiliaries and dyes will be implemented.

In addition to these selected attributes further sustainability attributes are under discussion with the relevant stakeholder groups and subjected to future provisions. These attributes are also one of the puzzle pieces in the Sustainability Index for chemical products developed by SCTI™ in cooperation with Bluesign (for further information see bluesign webpage).

*Biomass and bio-based refers to material(s) of biological origin, excluding material embedded in geological formations or transformed to fossilized material (e.g. fossil fuels), and excluding peat. This includes material (both living

Dyes and Chemicals

and dead) from above and below the ground, e.g. trees, crops, grasses, algae, animals, and waste of a biological origin, e.g. manure.

About bluesign technologies ag

The bluesign® SYSTEM is the solution for sustainable textile production. It eliminates harmful substances right from the start of the manufacturing process, and it sets and controls standards for environmentally friendly and safe production. This not only ensures that the final textile product meets very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide but also gives consumers confidence in purchasing responsibly produced products.

bluesign technologies ag was founded in 2000. Since then, the bluesign® SYSTEM has been adopted by worldwide leading textile and accessory manufacturers. Various significant key players in the chemical and machine industry rely on the bluesign® SYSTEM, and well-known brands in the outdoor, sportswear and fashion industry trust the extensive knowledge and services of Bluesign.

61st Dornbirn GFC Global Fibre Congress 2nd Dornbirn GFC Startup Days

The 61st anniversary of the Dornbirn GFC Congress will take place LIVE this year and we are expecting a high number of participants as usual.

Further, the exhibition of young innovative companies in the Dornbirn GFC Innovation Hub form meanwhile an integral part of the innovation network at the congress.

Top level Keynote speakers on the Opening Day from:

Board Members of Lenzing and Indorama, the biggest global players from the fibre industry, the CEO of Paboco, the most innovative company in the packaging industry and a highly reputated professor from Oxford University will open the congress. Further, top companies from the digital sector like Servicenow and PwC will show us how they will support to create a sustainable future for the industry.

Key topics will be innovation, sustainability & circular economy and the and the final panel discussion “CEO Panel” with the above leaders will show us the way forward and how current and future challenges will be managed.

93 expert lectures from industry, universities and research institutes:

Top lectures on latest innovations will take place in parallel in 3 lecture halls.

20 pitches of young growing companies:

A dedicated lecture hall will provide all necessities for young companies to present their innovations and business models to the relevant parties – an active matchmaking is granted as Dornbirn GFC, RWTH Aachen, PwC, Vagabond and other collaborators will accompany the young companies on their journey of success.

Exhibition area and Innovation Hub: 20 established exhibitors and ca 20 young innovative companies are using their booth as contact point & advertising space

Dornbirn GFC 2022 Topics: # Fibre Innovations # Sustainability and Circular Economy

Machinery & Equipment

Smart & Functional Surface

Nonwovens & Technical Textiles

Sustainable Packaging

Apparel & Sports

Thanks to our ambitious partners and sponsors, we are able to attract a global audience. This will foster the global exchange of ideas and innovations in the fibre industry and along the value chain of textiles and nonwovens and well into the packaging industry.

Oher interesting ideas and topics will follow. Please join us and register: www.dornbirn-gfc.com

FESPA Confirms European Event Calendar to 2024

FESPA has confirmed the dates of the FESPA Global Print Expo and co-located European Sign Expo for the next two years, heralding a return to two of the events’ most popular host cities and venues.

In 2023, the events will take place from 23 to 26 May at Messe Munich, Germany – previously the stage for successful FESPA exhibitions in 1999, 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2019.

The following year the exhibitions will fall in early Spring, occupying the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands from 19 to 22 March 2024. Amsterdam also has a very positive track record as a FESPA venue, having hosted exhibitions in 2006, 2009, 2016 and 2021.

“We’re delighted to have fixed dates for our next two flagship events in Europe, and to be returning to excellent venues which are tried and tested for our exhibitors and visitors”, comments FESPA

Head of Global Print Expo, Michael Ryan.

“Both Messe Munich and RAI Amsterdam offer world-class exhibition facilities that are appreciated by our suppliers and contractors, and have the advantage of familiarity for many returning exhibitors. For visitors, these European capitals are brilliantly located for travel by air, rail and road, and there’s a great range of accommodation and hospitality options to make a visit affordable and enjoyable.”

The 2024 event will also incorporate Sportswear Pro, the dedicated event for sports and leisure garment production and decoration. The launch event was due to have taken place in March 2020 in Madrid and was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

Michael Ryan says: “We had gathered great momentum behind Sportswear Pro for 2020, with a strong line-up of exhibitors and a carefully curated educational programme, focused

on the hot topics in garment printing, from near-shoring and just-in-time production to customisation and waste reduction. In the intervening two years, the market for sportswear and athleisure has been heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, sharpening those trends and escalating demand for more agile production and distribution models. Based on exhibitor feedback we anticipate a healthy level of interest for 2024, and are looking forward to finally realising our vision with this highly targeted event.”

FESPA Mexico will return also in 2022 from 22 – 24 September 2022 at the Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City; FESPA Eurasia will take place from 1 – 4 December 2022 at IFM - Istanbul Expo Center, Istanbul, Turkey; and FESPA Brasil 2023 will kickstart 2023 with its event from 20 – 23 March 2023 at Expo Center Norte, São Paulo, Brasil.

FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo return to Munich and Amsterdam; revival of Sportswear Pro in 2024

Textiles Matter: Heimtextil Trends

23/24 define the future of home and contract textiles

The Heimtextil Trend Preview 23/24 presented future-oriented design concepts and inspiration for the textile furnishing sector. Under the motto ‘Textiles Matter’, Heimtextil 2023 sets the benchmark for tomorrow’s forward-facing and sustainable textile furnishing. Hence, the focus is on circularity. From the Flemings Hotel Riverside Frankfurt, Marta Giralt Dunjó of futures research agency FranklinTill (Great Britain) presented the design prognoses for 23/24. At the coming Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main from 10 to 13 January 2023, the presentations of progressive new products will generate stimulating impulses in the Trend Space.

The Heimtextil Trends are a must for international visitors. Based on concentrated analyses and expert knowledge, the Heimtextil Trend Council – consisting of FranklinTill Studio (London), Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Denmark’s SPOTT Trends & Business agency – offers insights into the future of the national and international market. The focus is more than ever before on sustainability and the circular economy, the main factors in setting the trends for the season 23/24.

“We are delighted to offer a foretaste of and a guide to tomorrow’s textile furnishings at our Heimtextil Trend Preview 23/24, which reveals opportunities and solutions for the sector on its way into a sustainable future”, reported Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.

Textiles Matter: bear responsibility

Textiles are an integral part of modern life. The material applications and the manufacturing processes are no less multifarious than user expectations. And this represents a great challenge for the international textile industry, which obtains its raw materials from a broad spectrum of sources and uses numerous processes to make a huge variety of products. This offers a great potential for the sustainable development of the textile

industry in the future. The Heimtextil Trends show ways in which this potential can be untilized and sustainable developments promoted. Under the motto ‘Textiles Matter’, visitors can explore concepts for increased circularity,

which will generate new impulses for the sustainable market of the future.

"Considering the state of environmental emergency we are currently living through, the textile industry has a responsibility to examine

its processes, and change for the better. That is why for this edition of the Heimtextil Trends we are taking a materials first approach, and focusing on the sourcing, design, and sustainability of materials. Textiles Matter showcases the potential of circularity and celebrates design initiatives that are beautiful, relevant and importantly sustainable”, explains Marta Giralt Dunjó of FranklinTill.

Change via circularity

The Trend Space at the coming Heimtextil 2023 will revolve around ideas and solutions for circularity in the textile sector. How can textiles be produced in a sustainable way? What recycling options are there? What does the optimum recycling of textile products look like? Within the framework of the circular economy, materials are continuously reused. On the one hand, this reduces the need for new raw materials and, on the other hand, cuts the amount of waste generated. In the technical cycle, inorganic materials, such as nylon, polyester, plastic and metal, can be recycled with no loss of quality. In the biological cycle, organic materials, such as linen and bast fibres, are returned to nature at the end of their useful life. This is the basis of the four trend themes: ‘Make and Remake’, ‘Continuous’, ‘From Earth’ and ‘Nature Engineered’.

Make and Remake

Pre-used materials, deadstock and remnant textiles are given a new lease of life with the focus shifting to the aesthetics of repair and taking the form of a specific design element of the recycled product. Bright and joyful colours and techniques, such as overprinting, overdyeing, bricolage, collage and patchwork, result in new and creative products. Layered colour patterns and graphics lead to bold and maximalist, yet conscious, designs.

Continuous

The Continuous trend theme describes closed-loop systems in which materials are recycled into new, wastefree products again and again. Putative waste materials are separated out and reprocessed as new fibres, composites and textiles. Thus, synthetic and cellulose

yarns can be produced zero-waste. Thanks to technically advanced reclamation processes, the materials retain their original quality and aesthetic. Practicality, essentialism and longevity determine the design of Continuous products.

From Earth

This theme focuses on the natural world and harmony with the nature of organic materials. Natural colours communicate warmth and softness. Imperfect textures, signs of wear and irregularities create ecological and earthborn aesthetics. Earthen and botanic shades, natural variation and tactile richness dominate the From Earth segment. Unrefined and raw surfaces, unbleached textiles and natural dyes celebrate materials in their original states.

Nature Engineered

A reinterpretation of the concept of “natural”: Nature Engineered uses

mechanical means to elevate and perfect organic materials, such as bast fibres, hemp, linen and nettles. Cutting-edge techniques process natural textiles into sophisticated and smart products. Combined with shades of beige and brown, clean lines and shapes are the distinguishing features of this theme.

Forming the heart of the fair, these sustainable and future-oriented trends will be shown systematically in the Trend Space area of Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main from 10 to 13 January 2023. The trends provide orientation and offer insights into the future of home and contract textiles for visitors from all over the world.

Heimtextil

International Trade Fair for Home and Contract Textiles The event Heimtextil will be held from 10 to 13 January 2023.

INTERTEX Tunisia: 4th International Exhibition of Textile Idustry

6 - 8 October 2022 Foire Internationale De Sousse Sousse, Tunisia

Intertex Tunisia Fair, which has provided great sales growth and export value to all its participants since its first edition will unite textile industry leaders under one roof between 6 - 8 October 2022 in Sousse for the 4th time. Intertex Tunisia Exhibition attracts thousands of professionals of Textile buyers mainly from African countries and also Europe and Middle East.

In the previous edition which took place between 14-16 October 2021, Intertex Tunisia welcomed 182 exhibitors/brands and 8240 professional visitors from 18 countries. The event brought professionals together from all sub-sectors of the textile such as raw materials, fabrics, yarns, accessories, dyes, and chemicals.

Intertex Tunisia also hosted a special section for denim manufacturers. “Blue Zone” hosted local and international denim and denim accessories manufacturers to introduce the latest trends in the denim industry.

Why Intertex?

Intertex Tunisia is an international platform where sector professionals are able to meet each other and develop their network.

Intertex Tunisia is the only and the biggest platform to enter into this market and participants will be able to take advantage of all these opportunities with the buyers.

Delegations and professional visitors from 18 countries; not only from neighboring African countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria but also from European countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, etc.

Intertex Tunisia exhibition is full of opportunities for exhibitors and visitors to do business on a global scale.

Intertex Tunisia is the where that you can discover thousands of trendy products of widely known brands and chain stores.

Over 10.000 industry professionals come together at the same platform with over 300 specialized B2B meetings.

You can meet with new suppliers, customers, and business partners.

Buyer Programme?

The concept of Intertex Tunisia is focused on work with retaliers and wholesale buyers. We work constantly to create new and extend existing Buyers Programme to improve the efficiency of your work at the exhibition.

We are ready to provide you with all necessary information about the participants and arrange in advance interesting appointmens with potential partners.

Why Tunisia?

Tunisia is emerging as one of the major production sites of clothing

products in the Euro-Mediterranean zone. It’s the sixth largest supplier of textile to Europe; more than 95% of Tunisian exports go to Europe. In 2018, France, Italy, and Germany took 80% of all Tunisian exports.

Being among the most competitive economies in Africa and the Arab world, the Tunisian economy offers businesses an environment of higher quality than those found in main competing countries.

The Textile & Clothing sector is positioned as a pillar of Tunisian industry and retains a prominent place in the national economy and maintains a strong contribution to the socio-economic balances of Tunisia.

“As for external trade, the textile and clothing sector continues to be characterized by a strong dependence on foreign markets because foreign markets provide supplies of raw materials and capital goods needed for production and the marketing of its products. The low level of integration in the foreign market which is the result of the unavailability of local raw materials is explained by a considerable flow of imports of intermediate products, such as cotton, yarn, and textile fabrics as well as the Tunisian Textile and Clothing sector purchase of articles for final consumption.”

9th Intex South Asia - Bangladesh Edition in physical format concludes with resounding success!

The 9th Intex South Asia – Bangladesh Edition concluded on a positive note in Dhaka. Intex South Asia, the biggest international textiles sourcing show for fibers, yarns, fabrics, trims and more for the apparel industry was held from 16-18 June 2022, at the International Convention City Bashundhara, Dhaka.

The show was the first post-pandemic international textile sourcing platform and was attended by 4,860 trade visitors from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy, Germany and more.

Today, Bangladesh is considered a trusted sourcing partner across the world due to its perseverance in maintaining supplies even during difficult times. With the increase in purchase orders in 2021, many entrepreneurs have made new investments to cope with the rise in demand by increasing factory capacity. These capacity building measures have in turn, seen an increase in demand for raw materials and Intex South Asia – through its international sourcing platform – aims to fulfil these industry demands.

The 3rd Edition of Intex South Asia Bangladesh was inaugurated in the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Textiles & Jute, Mr. Golam Dastagir Gazi, Ministry of Textiles, Government of Bangladesh. Present on the occasion was Mr. Upendra Prasad Singh, the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles of the Government of India. Also present were Mr. Faruque Hassan, President of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA); Mr. K.I. Hossain, President of the Bangladesh Buying

House Association; Mr. Mohammed Hatem, Executive President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Mr. Manoj Kumar Patodia, Chairman of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL).

On this occasion, Minister for Textiles & Jute, Mr. Golam Dastagir Gazi, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of Bangladesh said, “We are delighted that this expo was held in Dhaka. I proudly recall the first edition of Intex South Asia, which was held in Dhaka in 2019 with an excellent participation from different nations. We believe Intex South Asia platform will boost the economy and create opportunities for textile and apparel industry of Bangladesh and other participating countries.”

Country pavilions from India, Bangladesh, China, Korea & Thailand at the show attracted many visitors. This year, the India Pavilion saw the biggest ever participation in Bangladesh. More than 75 Indian companies joined the exhibition to showcase their latest collections of Cotton and MMF textiles (fibers, yarns & fabrics) for export as well as domestic markets and connected with potential buyers from Bangladesh and other international markets that visited this show for three days. The hybrid textile showcase from China, Thailand and Korea receive good response from the visitors where buyers previewed the innovative and trendy textiles and made enquiries for their interested products as well as showed interest to organise B2B meetings after the show.

The trends showcase at Intex South Asia had representations from Italtex, an Italian Trends Studio that showcased Fabric Trends for Fall Winter 23/24 & Spring Summer 2024 Collection; PANTONE Connect with Live Colour Swatches on display for visitors and Fashion Snoops USA with their trends forecast. Also present were the Bangladesh Handloom Board showcased “Dhaka Muslin” with other traditional textiles and the BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT) whose students presented innovative and sustainable fashion “Made in Bangladesh”.

Ms. Arti Bhagat, Director of Worldex India and organiser of Intex South Asia said, “We can confidently say that Intex South Asia is truly the industry’s strongest business and market intelligence platform, bridging the gap between India, Bangladesh, South Asia and the world.”

Intex South Asia Bangladesh is endorsed and supported by International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), Korea Textile Center (KTC), Thailand Textile Institute (THTI), The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCOCIL), Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Malaysian Knitting Manufacturers Association (MKMA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association (BGBA) and others.

Sewing industry to converge at JIAM 2022 OSAKA – equipment and expert insights top the agenda

JIAM 2022 OSAKA, organised by the Japan Sewing Machinery Manufactures Association

(JASMA), is set to be held at INTEX OSAKA from 30 November – 3 December 2022. An estimated 109 exhibitors from 6 countries and regions will showcase their products, bringing state-of-theart-technology and master craftsmanship together. The show will provide solutions catering to each and every need in the sewing industry, combining high-level skillsets that have survived drastic market changes in the past with the latest technology built on knowledge and history.

The fair opens its doors in less than six months, welcoming 109 exhibitors, of which 82 are returning exhibitors (72 domestic, 10 overseas). 27 companies (14 domestic, 13 overseas) will be joining the fair for the first time. The show will welcome overseas exhibitors from 6 countries and regions, including China, Greece, India, Taiwan and Thailand. The organising team is looking toward to the upcoming fair with a positive mindset now that the pandemic seems to be under control in many countries, and international companies are beginning to resume their normal business operations. The fact that many international suppliers have applied to participate at JIAM 2022 OSAKA, even as immigration restrictions remain in place, indicates the high expectations placed on the fair as an international business platform. The theme for the 2022 edition is “It all connects at JIAM – the forefront of technology and master craftsmanship”.

Workshops to focus on upcycling in the sewing industry

The apparel industry is facing serious environmental challenges as a result of mass consumption. According to data from the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, an average of 1,300 tons of

clothing is disposed each day in the country. In response to this situation, the Ministry of the Environment has proposed sustainable fashion as an initiative to make the industry more ecofriendly for companies and consumers.

In this regard, a special workshop will be organised by Brother Industries Ltd, Janome Corp, JUKI Corp and JASMA covering topics such as "Sewing experience with upcycling material: Responsibility to Manufacture, Responsibility to Use". Public visitors will be taught to sew reusable bags using upcycling fabrics from “Coelman tent”. Fairgoers will also have the opportunity to learn about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) initiatives, particularly with relation to the apparel industry.

Comprehensive seminar program

Eleven seminars and panel discussions are scheduled to be held during the fourday fair. Of these, the most notable are

"The Forefront of Asian Apparel: 10 Years of Struggle and the Future of Japanese Garment Manufacturers" on November 30 (Wed.) at 3:00 p.m. and " Challenging the Factory Era: Opening Up Japanese and Global Markets through Manufacturing" on December 1 (Thu.) at 1:30 p.m.

Social media and e-commerce have made it possible to directly connect manufacturers and consumers, allowing suppliers to communicate with consumers about their high level of craftsmanship and commitment to their products. Now that the market has expanded beyond Japan to the rest of the world, manufacturers are truly being tested on their output. Taking on the challenge of direct to consumer (D to C) marketing, factory brands representing the knitwear, women's wear, and cut and sewn clothing industries will share their knowledge and discuss challenges and future prospects.

JIAM 2022 OSAKA key details

Name: JIAM 2022 OSAKA Japan International Apparel Machinery & Textile Industry Trade Show

Organiser: Japan Sewing Machinery Manufactures Association (JASMA)

Date: 30 November–3 December, 2022

Venue: INTEX OSAKA,Hall 4, 5, 6

Exhibitor profile:

Planning, design, CAD, cutting, spreading, CAM, sewing equipment, embroidery, printing, laser design processing, finishing, laundry, inspection, testing, home sewing, supplies, accessories, fiber, sewing products, weaving, knitting, dyeing, textiles, fibers, non-woven fabrics, automotive and aircraft related, interior, furniture, housing, fashion accessories, household goods, sundry industrial textiles, IT-information technology, distribution, logistics, facilities, equipment, environment, education and human resources, information services, others.

Visitor profile:

apparel manufacturer, sewing industry, textile manufacturers, textile processing industry, machine manufacturer and sales industry, embroidery and printing, manufactures and dyeing and finishingindustry, automotive, aircraft and aerospace industry, cleaning laundry industry, supplies and accessories, fashion, accessories and household goods dealers, interior goods manufacturers, distribution and logistics, retailers, specialty store retailer of private label apparel, trading companies, governmental agency and association and embassy, students, others

The LYCRA Company introduces LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber

Allowing garments to adjust to each person’s needs, movements, lifestyle and body fluctuations for a better wearing experience

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in innovative solutions for stretch and performance technologies for the apparel industry, introduces a breakthrough technology, LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber. This fiber allows garments to have a better fit for various lifestyles, movements and across a wider range of body shapes and sizes. The accompanying new brand identity—LYCRA® ADAPTIV—was created to communicate these new and beneficial motion attributes.

Made from a revolutionary polymer, this patent-pending, adaptive fiber has a unique chemistry that allows it to adjust to a wearer’s functional needs in a hybrid manner. This means that when the wearer is at rest; the polymer adapts its holding force to deliver the right fit, shape and control. And when the wearer is in motion; as the wearer’s needs change, the polymer then adapts its elastic modulus in a way that delivers what’s needed: improved comfort in motion, inclusive sizing and second skin effect.

"Consumers are seeking garments that offer greater versatility—from work to leisure to social, and also from season

to season and year to year", said Steve Stewart, Chief Brand and Innovation Officer at The LYCRA Company.

"They want garments that can adapt to their individual needs and lifestyle as well as ones that can adapt to their unique body type, even when their body size or shape may change or fluctuate. LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber is the answer to satisfy all of these consumer needs."

The LYCRA Company has conducted internal studies to assess wear

performance by comparing fabrics and garments containing LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber versus the same fabrics and garments containing only generic spandex. Results show several advantages in using LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber including comfort-in-motion and second skin performance accompanied by shape retention and greater freedom of movement with a comfortable hold. Size inclusivity is also a key benefit in that LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber promotes onesize-fits-more. The softer stretch within

the wearing zone allows for a widened fit window that covers a broader range of body shapes within a given size. This makes the one-size-fits-more approach, and the potential reduction of SKUs, a practical possibility.

“Consumers have different body types, and this can impact garment fit and comfort," said Fabrizio Maggi, Commercial Director South Asia and EMEA Distribution, The LYCRA Company. "By offering greater shape tolerance, LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber has the potential to reduce apparel returns and manufacturing waste by enabling the undercutting of patterns."

The LYCRA Company worked with DIP agency to develop a new LYCRA® sub-brand identity that communicates the “adaptive” nature of this new fiber. The global agency FCB was selected to develop the campaign “LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber Adapts to your world.”

The campaign leverages computergenerated graphics to promote the adaptive nature of this groundbreaking spandex (elastane) fiber innovation.

About The LYCRA Company

The LYCRA Company innovates and produces fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its innovative products, technical expertise, sustainable solutions, and unmatched marketing support. The LYCRA Company owns leading consumer and trade brands: LYCRA®, LYCRA HyFit®, LYCRA® T400®, COOLMAX®, THERMOLITE®, ELASPAN®, SUPPLEX®, and TACTEL®. The LYCRA Company’s legacy stretches back to 1958 with the invention of the original spandex yarn, LYCRA® fiber. Today, The LYCRA Company focuses on adding value to its

customers’ products by developing unique innovations designed to meet the consumer’s need for comfort and lasting performance. For more information, visit www.thelycracompany.com.

About iTextiles®

iTextiles® is the sales representative of The LYCRA Company in Pakistan. it is a multi-disciplinary textile solutions company that creates, manages, and innovates the entire value chain in performance textiles. Started in 2006 as a trading concern for fibers, the company has rapidly evolved to become a leading value chain manager in the region, supplying raw material to and representing some of the biggest international companies and their brands.

LYCRA® is a trademark of The LYCRA Company.

iTextiles® Welcomes representatives from The LYCRA Company to Pakistan

It was a pleasure for iTextiles® to welcome Mr. Fabrizio Maggi, Apparel Commercial Director, South Asia & EMEA and Ms. Ebru Ozaydin, Global Strategic Marketing Director – Denim, Wovens and Ready to Wear, from The LYCRA Company for the very first time in Pakistan. This marked an amazing week, meeting with representatives from The LYCRA Company and our esteemed customers across Karachi and Lahore. All the stakeholders shared their valuable thoughts and ideas for promotion of new

innovations of The LYCRA Company. They also brainstormed and strategized for future projects.

Over the years iTextiles® has played a vital role developing LYCRA® brand value in Pakistan. The LYCRA Company and iTextiles® will continue to serve Pakistan market with a mutual principle to remain consistent in our performance and continue raising the benchmarks to provide a delightful consumer experience along with a sustainable future.

During this short visit, iTextiles® team also arranged a Corporate Dinner for The LYCRA Company representatives and its valuable customers from Karachi. During the dinner our guests from The LYCRA Company Team shared new innovative LYCRA® products with our valuable guests and had a great networking experience.

iTextiles® would also like to express its deep gratitude to its honored customers for their trust and loyalty with LYCRA® fiber and moving with us.

“I feel at home here”:

Nazer’s Akbar Affandi about his time at Mayer & Cie.

Dear Akbar, thank you for talking to us today. Can you please introduce yourself, your job and the company you work for?

I am a textile professor of knitwear technology and I teach at a textile university in Karachi, Pakistan. Before that, I had already taught at other universities. However, I am only a parttime professor: In my “everyday job” I am a technical sales manager at Nazer. I have been working there for about 15 years. The technical aspects are, in addition to the customer negotiations, my specialty: technical requirements, technical advice and pre-sales consulting.

Nazer in Karachi employs 46 people. In addition to Mayer & Cie., we also represent other companies: Brückner, Stoll, Karl Mayer and Osthoff. This gives us a considerable market share in the premium segment.

How long have you been working in the textiles industry?

For more than 30 years, for my entire life it feels. I got an M. Sc. In Textile Technology.

When was the first time you got in touch with Mayer & Cie.? Do you remember the occasion?

That was in 1995 when I did my first training course at Mayer & Cie. Back then, it was about creating patterns on the computer. That was completely new to me. Until that time, we had worked with sample drums. These were the first steps towards digitization.

I also remember a party that I celebrated with Rainer Mayer. The occasion was selling the first MCPE 2.4 in Southeast Asia. We also sold many of the OVJA 48 E. That was during the jacquard boom, when everyone wanted a Mayer machine because the technology was a unique selling point.

Today, Mayer machines are again, still, in demand. The majority of circular

knitting machines in Pakistan today comes from Asia. The remaining market share is small, but the premium segment remains European, as customers realize that the cost-benefit ratio is right. Looking at the application side, interlock and fleece fabrics are popular. In addition, the casual sportswear sector is developing in a high-quality direction.

You’ve been at Mayer & Cie. for a week for training. What did you learn?

Funnily enough, my training was again about patterning, as it was back in the 90s. Today, everything has long been running digitally. I learned to work with MDS1 design software to make mattress cover fabrics, spacers and shoe uppers. This is important because shoe uppers are an important field of application for circular knitting in Pakistan.

Digitalization is also an important topic overall. Mayer has done a lot here. The development department works very precisely and customer-oriented anyway, implementing customer wishes in the best possible way and further develop products with regard to market requirements. If something doesn’t work, a solution is worked on.

That’s something that makes me proud anyway: the fact of representing a company that is constantly evolving, that never stands still. I was speechless about how much has changed since my last visit – okay, that was in 2001 – but still. There are worlds in between!

What I like best is the personal side: I feel at home here, a member of the team, a family member.

Zero-tolerance contamination control

Uster solution gives nonwovens producers total confidence in demanding applications

Drylaid nonwovens producers operate to the most stringent quality levels –with zero-tolerance standards for defects bigger than 1 mm. In this nonwovens segment, end-product quality depends absolutely on the efficiency of contamination sorting, early in the process. Uster’s exclusive solution ensures best-possible initial inspection and removal of contamination.

Nonwovens applications such as medical, hygiene and cosmetics demand two non-negotiable rules: zero-tolerance and reliability. Contamination control is the supreme discipline in producing nonwovens for sensitive applications. The Uster contamination sorter masters this essential job with ease and security. It ensures customer satisfaction and a perfect experience for the final consumer

– whether the end-product is made of natural or synthetic fibers.

Natural and pure

Bio-cotton is a trend growing from the sustainability movement. Customers are willing to pay higher prices for ‘all natural’ products. It’s a promising business scenario, but a tricky one! Bales of cotton typically contain various kinds of contamination – none of which should get into the final product, and ideally should be removed at the earliest stage of production.

Eliminating contamination during fiber preparation – and before the contaminants are shredded into smaller particles by the further processes –absolutely improves the quality of the raw material and reduces waste. The

Uster Jossi Vision Shield N contamination sorter ensures the best possible detection and removal of contamination, right after the fiber opener.

Conventional camera-based systems cannot match the performance of the top-level spectroscope technology from Uster. The high-end Imaging Spectroscopes in Jossi Vision Shield N are backed by over 20 years’ experience. These spectroscopes can find contamination even within the ‘invisible’ range of IR and UV light.

The same expertise also works with bleached cotton. Fragments of contamination in light pastel colors and white are also no problem. The ‘Quick Teach’ feature automatically learns the correct color of each new raw material, to prevent false ejections when material lots are changed.

Synthetic and clean

Nonwovens producers expect high quality and no contamination when purchasing synthetic fibers. Control is the only secure method when operating a business in highly sensitive applications such as medical textiles. Durable or nondurable, the product must be super clean. Contamination is not acceptable, and snow-white color generally a must. Producers have the security they need with Uster Jossi Vision Shield N. Detection of tiniest contamination fragments, even in light pastel colors and whites is not a problem.

Slim and powerful

Uster Jossi Vision Shield N is the result of surveys, close collaboration with international nonwovens companies and countless hours of field tests. Installation is easy, since the fiber cleaner’s slim design fits perfectly into existing lines. The system readily copes with the pace of standard production environments – up to a capacity of 2,000 kg per hour. Stainless steel inserts, in areas which come into contact with the fibers, guarantee unmatched durability.

The future-oriented graphical user interface gives a quick overview of running performance in real time, on a large high-resolution touchscreen, showing the most relevant data at a glance. User-friendly, quick and intuitive navigation makes data handling easy.

No fault, no risk

Managing quality with Uster Jossi Vision Shield N at the fiber preparation stage gives manufacturers the total confidence that only contaminationcontrolled products are delivered.

The paramount need is to prevent defects from the production processes reaching the end-product – and the Uster system simply does that.

Uster Technologies has built experience and technological know-how over nearly three decades of fiber cleaning in spinning.

Contamination is unwelcome in yarn, just as it is in nonwovens! Worldwide, 5,000 installations of Jossi Vision Shield fiber cleaning systems in spinning mills underline Uster’s success.

About Uster Technologies

Uster Technologies is the world’s leading provider of quality management solutions from fiber to fabric.

High-technology instruments, systems and services cover quality control, prediction, certification and optimization. The portfolio comprises quality management, laboratory testing and inline process control instruments for fibers, staple fiber, and filament yarns, fabrics and nonwovens.

Uster Statistics, the unique global benchmarks for textile trading, complement a portfolio of value-added services that includes training, consultancy and worldwide after-sales.

The Uster philosophy aims to drive innovation forward by meeting market needs – always with ‘quality in mind’.

Uster Technologies is headquartered in Uster, Switzerland and operates worldwide. It has sales and service subsidiaries in major markets and Technology Centers in Uster (Switzerland), Knoxville (USA), Suzhou (China) and Caesarea (Israel).

Retech technology innovations underline its expertise in filament production

Meisterschwanden, Switzerland, 10 August 2022 – Perfection in drawing fibers is Retech’s simple goal. But achieving this for its customers demands sophisticated technology in temperature transmitters, monitoring devices and controllers, to allow precise heat management for high-quality products, while protecting machine investments.

Precise temperature measurement and control are basic requirements for the ‘perfect’ fiber – and absolutely crucial for high-performance yarns. Retech has the technology to secure the ideal temperature and control every aspect of it, even for the most demanding applications.

Every Retech development is the result of comprehensive research and practical expertise. Its trio of innovations for godet roll temperature management are typical: they are precise, reliable, easy to handle, and durable, supporting Industry 4.0 and securing the client’s

investment. No other godet roll manufacturer can match these sophisticated and smart temperature control solutions.

Technology for ultimate temperature accuracy

Temperature transmitters are mainly applied with multi-zone heated godet rolls. They work by contactless induction data transmission. The temperature modules transmit a rotating temperature signal to a stationary receiver. Retech temperature transmitters are proven to operate in the harshest electromagnetic environment. Pollution, high outside temperatures and aging don’t influence the precision of temperature measurement.

The Retech temperature measurement with godet rolls is based on a co-rotating sensor fork (this means PT100 temperature measuring elements and temperature transmitter rotor). The

sensor fork, its electronics and the control unit were recently revolutionized. Latest electronic and new materials compensate for disturbing influences which could tamper with the measuring signal. The changes mean that the measuring signal depends only on the accuracy of the PT100 element in use – and Retech applies PT100 elements of highest standard and DIN norm. During production, every sensor fork is separately calibrated to guarantee maximum precision. Single calibration offers an additional benefit compared to gauging the complete godet roll: in the rare case of a fault the affected sensor fork can be exchanged quickly without requiring a godet calibration.

A second feature ensures unadulterated temperature data. Measured values are transmitted contactlessly to the static part of the godet roll. This prevents contamination or wear and tear from influencing measuring data.

Secure way to Industry 4.0

For perfect data security, Retech offers the UTL monitoring device, which analyses the data and integrates it in the communication protocol. Benefits arise from a comprehensive view of all temperature aspects, visualizing and controlling temperature values at each zone, the bearings and the inductor via the host system. The UTL guides filament yarn producers toward Industry 4.0.

The combination of the temperature transmitter and the UTL monitoring device creates a unique safety system. It controls all relevant temperature aspects, enabling appropriate action in the event of a deviation.

In general, the transmitter measures temperatures in the godet roll at the individual heating zones. Normally, a godet has up to four heating zones. A key part of the safety system is the sensor fork for temperature measurement. Its amended electronics now have six PT100 values. Besides the heating zones, the additional two channels can be used to measure bearing temperatures (front and rear bearings), giving the possibility of more comprehensive control. In addition, the inductor temperature can be measured and monitored. This temperature is integrated into

the measuring circuit via UTL. If the inductor temperature rises above a critical level – at an individually defined threshold – the heating process will immediately be interrupted, or inductor cooling activated, to protect the system. Any critical condition can be identified at an early stage and damage prevented. The lifespan of the godet rolls extends significantly.

From control to self-optimization

Self-optimization is the major advantage from combining the system with the UCR-6 temperature control unit. UCR-6 independently monitors and regulates up to six different temperature

zones of a godet roll. Featuring a completely new control algorithm, the unit delivers the most efficient energy consumption, as it compensates losses at the heating zones.

UCR-6 continuously collects and analyses data from the mains frequency, so that it can correctly switch solid-state relay for resistive and inductive loads. The control unit can communicate with a PLC via Profibus or RS-485 protocol. Users appreciate the extra visualization of values and settings on the integrated controller display.

Retech’s new generation of UTR temperature transmitter and UCR temperature controller represent the summit of current technological developments. They make a great leap the whole godet system, in a

introduce more IoT options –

Worldwide Shipments of New Textile Machinery 2021 were as High or Higher than Pre-Pandemic

Ahead of its annual conference which is returning after three years as an inperson event and will be held in Davos, Switzerland, from September 18-20, the Zurich-based International Textile Machinery Federation (ITMF) has published its 44th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics.

This reveals a very buoyant market for sales of all textile machinery in 2021, after declines not just in Covid-19impacted 2020, but also in 2019.

In 2021, global shipments of spinning, texturing, weaving, knitting and finishing machines increased sharply compared to 2020. Deliveries of new short-staple spindles, open-end rotors, and long-staple spindles climbed by +110%, +65%, and +44%, respectively.

The number of shipped drawtexturing spindles increased by +177% and deliveries of shuttle-less looms grew by +32%. Shipments of large circular machines improved by +30% and shipped flat knitting machines registered

+109% growth. The sum of all deliveries in the finishing segment also rose by +52% on average.

The 2021 survey has been compiled in cooperation with more than 200 textile machinery manufacturers representing a comprehensive percentage of world production.

Spinning machinery

The total number of shipped shortstaple spindles increased by about 4 million units in 2021 to a level of 7.61 million. Most of the new short-staple spindles (90%) were shipped to Asia and Oceania, where delivery increased by +115%. While levels stayed relatively small, Europe saw shipments increasing by +41% (mainly in Turkey). The six largest investors in the short-staple segment were China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh.

Some 695,000 open-end rotors were shipped worldwide in 2021. This represents 273,000 additional units

compared to 2020 and 83% of global shipments went to Asia and Oceania where deliveries increased by +65% to 580,000 rotors. China, Turkey and Pakistan were the world’s three largest investors in open-end rotors and saw investments surging by +56%, +47% and +146% respectively. Only deliveries to Uzbekistan, the seventh largest investor in 2021, decreased compared to 2020 (–14% to 12,600 units).

Global shipments of long-staple (wool) spindles increased from about 22,000 in 2020 to nearly 31,600 in 2021 (+44%). This effect was mainly driven by a rise in deliveries to Asia with an increase in investment of +70%. In addition, 68% of total deliveries were shipped to Iran, Italy, and Turkey.

Texturing machinery

Global shipments of single heater draw-texturing spindles (mainly used for polyamide filaments) increased by +365% from nearly 16,000 units in 2020

to 75,000 in 2021. With a share of 94%, Asia was the strongest destination for single heater draw-texturing spindles. China, Taiwan and Turkey were the main investors in this segment with a share of 90%, 2.3% and 1.5% of global deliveries respectively.

In the category of double heater draw-texturing spindles (mainly used for polyester filaments) global shipments increased by +167% to a level of 870,000 spindles. Asia’s share of worldwide shipments increased to 95% and China remained the largest investor accounting for 92% of global shipments.

Weaving machines

In 2021, worldwide shipments of shuttle-less looms increased by +32% to 148,000 units. Shipments in the categories “air-jet”, “rapier and projectile”, and “water-jet” rose by +56% to nearly 45,776 units, by +24% to 26,897, and by +23% to 75,797 units, respectively. The main destination for shuttle-less looms in 2021 was Asia with 95% of all worldwide deliveries and 94%, 84%, 98% of global air-jet, rapier/projectile and water-jet looms were shipped to that region. The main investor was China in all three sub-categories. Deliveries of weaving machines to this country cover 73% of total deliveries.

Knitting machines

Global shipments of large circular knitting machines grew by +29% to 39,129 units in 2021 with Asia accounting for 83%. With 64% of all deliveries (21,833 units), China was the favoured destination. Turkey and India ranked second and third with 3,500 and 3,171 units respectively. In 2021, the segment of electronic flat knitting machines increased by +109% to around 95,000 machines with Asia accounting for 91% of them. China remained the world’s largest investor with a 76%-share of total shipments and a +290%-increase in investments. Shipments to the country rose from about 17,000 units in 2020 to 67,600 units in 2021.

Finishing machinery

In the “fabrics continuous” segment, shipments of relax dryers/tumblers grew by +183%. All other sub-segments rose by between 33%-88% except dyeing lines which shrank (–16% for CPB and –85% for hotflue). The global shipments of stenters is expected to have increased by +78% in 2021 to a total of 2,750 units.

In the “fabrics discontinuous” segment, the number of jigger dyeing/beam dyeing machines shipped rose by +105% to 1,081 units. Deliveries in the categories “air jet dyeing” and “overflow dyeing” increased by +24% in 2021 to 1,232 units and 1,647 units, respectively.

Further successes for FET at Techtextil

Fibre Extrusion Technology Limited (FET) of Leeds, England enjoyed another successful Techtextil in Frankfurt, with high quality enquiries from technical companies and organisations worldwide, but in particular from customers based in Europe.

The company’s principle theme at Techtextil was Sustainability, since FET extrusion systems are ideally suited for both process and end-product development of sustainable materials. These systems are designed to be material efficient, can be bespoke designed and offer both flexibility and a high level of processing capability. They are supplied as selfcontained units for ease of installation in a laboratory or small scale process evaluation environment.

FET’s enhanced Fibre Development Centre enables clients to develop and trial their own sustainable fibres and FET has now

successfully processed almost 30 different polymer types in multifilament, monofilament and nonwoven formats

The innovative stand at Techtextil was specifically designed to highlight FET’s total commitment to all aspects of sustainability. It utilised as many sustainable components as possible and met with much comment and approval from visitors.

Techtextil has always been an excellent fit for FET’s presence and aspirations in the high-end technical textile market. As the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, Techtextil attracts international blue-chip companies at the cutting edge of technology, seeking innovative solutions to technical challenges.

Healthy soil is the basis of our growers’ livelihoods

The quiet revolution

A quiet revolution has been happening across U.S. cotton farms. It is a revolution whose soundtrack is the gentle flutter of butterfly wings, the buzzing of bees, and a symphony of other wildlife, scented and colored by an abundant pollinating floral tribute. It is a philosophical revolution that promotes plant, animal and microorganism interaction above and below ground. It is the revolution of the inexorable march of biodiversity and regenerative practices that are spreading across American cotton farms, to the benefit of flora, fauna and farmer alike.

A whole-farm approach

Taking a whole-farm approach means thinking about biodiversity and cotton farming inclusively and together, rather than as mutually exclusive or even competing approaches. It’s about

appreciating the benefits — both evident and as yet unknown — that a wholefarm approach can entail.

As Sledge Taylor, a cotton grower in Mississippi put it, “it’s better to take a holistic approach on a farm as there are many benefits that we may not even understand yet. That’s why we’re incorporating biodiversity into a whole model.”

A whole-farm approach includes setting aside in-field corridors and buffer zones bordering cotton fields that are allowed to grow back wild with native plants.

These create natural habitats and food sources not just for bees, butterflies and small birds like quail, but also for larger species like deer. Implementing field borders with perennial grasses and wildflowers allows pollinator species to thrive and improves the habitat quality for adjoining cotton-farmed areas which

is beneficial for the crop itself. Typically, farmers may set aside land that is less efficient, or with more challenging terrain, which allows them to focus on the most appropriate land for cotton production.

Minimum-tilling and cover crops

In addition to setting aside land to promote natural habitats, U.S. cotton farmers are increasingly adopting minimum- and no-till practices, and the use of cover crops, both of which also have a massively positive impact on biodiversity and soil health. Minimum and no-till systems improve soil structure by promoting a diversity of micro-organisms that have a symbiotic relationship with the cotton plant roots. By leaving soil intact, and not turning it over carbon is retained, reducing the GHG impact. Combined with minimumand no-tilling practices, the use of winter cover crops also contributes to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The land is covered in plants all year round, doubling its CO2 extraction potential.

Cover crops are hugely beneficial to biodiversity and soil health in other ways, as well as reducing other inputs. For example, at planting time for cotton, the residue left over from the cover crop serves as a natural mulch to decrease evaporation, conserve moisture, and prevent soil erosion. “We see the difference for example in the heat of the summer between land that had been planted with cover crops and those without, where the land with residue

from the cover crops will be cooler and also have greater moisture retention,” as one Louisiana cotton farmer put it.

The roots of cover crops like radishes help break through compacted soils, and the earthworms that abound because the mulch from cover crops provide them with shade and food, also loosen and naturally aerate the soil. This in turn allows for better water absorption and less water run-off. Species like hairy vetch extracts nitrogen from the air and makes it available for the cotton crop, and the early-spring-flowering crops are a boon for pollinators that proliferate wherever cover crops are routinely used.

As little as possible and as much as strictly necessary

Indeed in this whole-farm approach, pesticide usage is kept to a minimum. Taking a holistic approach to biodiversity, U.S. cotton farmers have learned not only how cover crops can help control pests, but also that they can tolerate some pests for some time. Growers carefully manage when and how they need to protect their crops from pests using an integrated approach. They track and identify pests that affect their crops and focus on prevention, using pesticides only as a last resort.

Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) technology allows farmers to identify and understand the very specific areas where intervention is needed. So instead of spraying a whole field with a pesticide, only the affected area identified through NDVI is treated

through a very surgical local application. “We’re talking ounces per acre,”, as Louisiana farmer Marshall Hardwick has put it. Keeping pesticide use to the strict minimum necessary through local spot application means it has a minimal impact on and helps enhance the farm’s broader biodiversity. And it makes good business sense too, when the cost of a gallon of pesticide can run into the thousands.

Tailoring efforts to farmers’ needs

Cognizant that every farmer’s needs are different, increasing biodiversity on American cotton farms can only be done in full conversation with individual farmers. It cannot be achieved through a blunt one-sizefits-all approach. That’s why organizations like Quail Forever and Pheasant Forever are working hand-in-glove with growers to help them develop the systems that are suited to their particular needs. Often, it’s as simple as discussing the benefits farmers and that enhancing biodiversity doesn’t mean adding costs to their operations.

For example, growers can get financial support to help them set aside land and increase the biodiversity on their farms through a range of conservation programs with the Natural Resources Conservation Service through the United States Department of Agriculture, meaning investing in biodiversity remains a win-win for all.

Reaping the rich rewards

And the payback is massive. Dr. Mark McConnell, assistant Professor of Uplands Birds at Mississippi State University reported an example where setting aside an additional 4% in habitat field borders resulted in a 23% increase in the wild quail population. Farmers who promote biodiversity report that wildlife is abounding – not only bees and butterflies, but rabbits and deer, turkey and quail, and “even Canada geese we’d never before seen this far south and many species returning that I hadn’t seen as a child”, as one Mississippi farmer has put it. Those include black bears, panthers, coyotes, and bobcats.

These rich rewards in biodiversity are motivating ever more U.S. cotton farmers, as stewards of the land for the next generations, to take on a whole-farm approach. And there are also some welcome knock-on economic benefits too. Not only in terms of fewer inputs like less irrigation or fertilizers, saving precious resources and money, but also in terms of productivity, with farmers reporting how better soil health achieved through biodiversity practices has resulted in higher yields.

So as they may say down in Louisiana, vive la revolution!

Kardem Tekstil manufactures with Mimaki TS55-1800 for fashion giants

Kardem Tekstil, producing garments for world-famous brands, achieves its digital printing advantages with Mimaki's price/performance-oriented TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer. TS551800, making an (r)evolution in textile production, turns into an ideal solution for Kardem Tekstil thanks to its high performance.

Kardem Tekstil, one of the most important suppliers of global fashion and clothing brands, increases its brand value with its successful market studies. The company, which started its activities in Istanbul with 30 personnel in 1990, has become a strong garment manufacturer with export-oriented studies and new investments. It has been producing through workshops for many years and opened its first factory in Smederova, Serbia in 2016. Kardem Tekstil opened Keşan Factory in Edirne, thus turning into a fully integrated garment manufacturer in 2017. Kardem Tekstil, serving global brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch,

Bershka, Inditex Group, H&M and Ralph Lauren, is considered one of the pioneers of the Turkish clothing industry with its vision and increasing power in the market.

Kardem Tekstil, with a monthly production capacity of 2 million pieces of clothing, makes a significant contribution to the Turkish economy by exporting 98% of its production. Keşan Factory, considered the production base of the company, has all the departments such as cutting, sewing, embroidery, printing, quality/control and shipment with 600 employees, mostly women. Factory Manager Raşit Akgör has said that the fabric bolts entering the facility come out as the final ready-to-wear garments. Akgör noted that they attach great importance to sustainability as well as quality production and said; “Our factory has reached a self-sufficient energy power by switching to 100% solar energy system in 2020. Being a 100% ecofriendly factory represents an important step. We continue to take the necessary

steps for 'clean production' and to become a sustainable vision partner for the major players of the fashion and clothing industry.”

Changing consumer demands necessitate digital printing

Raşit Akgör, expressing that there has been a serious transformation in both consumer preferences and production methods in the textile and apparel industry, summarized how they decided to invest in digital printing; “High volume production and the standard limited design/models it brought were the points of the question for a profitable business in the past. However, today, the volume of orders is lower, delivery times are shorter, and more diverse products are demanded than ever before. It is not possible to produce them through only traditional methods. Although the traditional screen-printing method continues, it is no longer sufficient for these increasingly special demands of customers. The efficiency of digital

printing at fast, high quality and low/medium volumes became a new solution for us. We have seen that Mimaki is the best in the market in this field after our research. We already have printers of numerous Japanese brands that we use in production. We have great confidence in Japanese technology and engineering. Therefore, we focused on which Mimaki model we should choose in the second stage.”

Akgör explained that the TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer is the most ideal solution for them, both with its print quality and efficiency and with its 1800 mm printing width, mentioning that the installation was carried out quickly by the Mimaki dealer in the first days of 2022. Akgör disclosed; “Production of planned orders is currently underway, so we have not used our new printer for final products yet. However, we started the trial prints on the TS55-1800 for the new season products after the installation. We create applications for the final products in these printers together with our design office and send these samples to the brands we work with. Frankly, I can say that this process went well, as expected. We have not received any negative feedback from our customers regarding our prints. We plan to use the TS55-1800 in the actual production of new orders from the second half of 2022 without interruption depending on the orders from our customers.”

Akgör stated that various products printed with the TS55-1800, such as dresses, tights, coats, sweatshirts and tulle, will meet with the fashion and retail market in the coming period.

Raşit Akgör expressed that the share of digital printing in their apparel production will initially be 5%, but this share will increase rapidly, and stated that digitally printed collections mean more options and less cost. Akgör said; “It is almost impossible to obtain a 50-colour design in a collection with screen printing, and the high cost and process that will result increase the difficulties. There is also the cost of waste resulting from the high amount of test printing to reach the correct colour value. On the other hand, digital printing offers us new possibilities with its short, fast and error-free production as well as an almost endless amount of colour options. The cost of digital printing is unbeatable for lowvolume or multi-colour jobs. The quality prints we obtained with the TS55-1800 at 1200 dpi resolution and the unit costs we

achieved show that we made the right investment.”

Akgör, stating that the 1800 mm printing width of the TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer provides an increase in productivity and a decrease in costs, explained the advantage they have achieved as follows; “The processes come to us with a width of 180 cm and we used to be able to use 160 cm for standard printers in the past, meaning a waste 20 cm of fabric at the beginning. This loss in the fabric edges has ended with the TS55-1800. In addition, the 180 cm width has increased our productivity as it allows us to print more pieces at once. This advantage will come to the fore even more considering the workload that will increase in the coming period.”

Akgör said that they were impressed by the strong performance of the TS551800 and underlined that this sublimation printer can work 24/7 with its strong structure. Akgör continued his words as follows; “Uninterrupted and unattended printing process saves us both time and money. Standard rolls need to be changed daily. It is necessary to constantly assign a staff for this. Yet, we can work without interruption for a longer period of time with a larger roll. This is where Mimaki Mini Jumbo Roll Unit came in. Thanks to this feeding unit, we have gained uninterrupted and unattended printing power for a longer period of time. TS55-1800 continues and completes its work even after the working hours are over and the staff leaves for home. We will need larger ink bottles in the next step. All our equipment will be ready for the printer to work non-stop with that.”

“Mimaki TS55-1800 was the right investment”

Mimaki original inks comfortably meet expectations

Raşit Akgör explained that they used Mimaki's original sublimation inks for printing and stated that they were very satisfied with the printing results. Akgör disclosed; “Ink is as important as the printer in printing on transfer paper. We have a very good printer and equally good inks. First of all, the saturation of the ink and the transition of the colours to the transfer paper and to the polyester fabric after the calendering process is quite successful. There is no distortion or fading in colours. We can achieve the glossy or matte colours we desire no matter how difficult it is, by adjusting the number of passes in printing. In addition, we do not experience cracking, shedding or similar problems after printing. The friction, perspiration and washing fastness tests we perform for use comfortably meet the success criteria we desire.”

Akgör, emphasizing that it became more important that the inks of TS551800 have the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX certificate because they are export-oriented, said that all documents showing that their products are sensitive to the environment and human health are presented to customers.

Saying; “As Kardem Tekstil, we do not manage quality, we produce quality from the first step,” Akgör added that in this process, the TS55-1800 increased both their capacity and print quality, so they placed an order to purchase another one of the same printer.

Kardem Tekstil, producing garments for world-famous brands, achieves its digital printing advantages with Mimaki's

price/performance-oriented TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer. TS55-1800, making an (r)evolution in textile production, turns into an ideal solution for Kardem Tekstil thanks to its high performance.

Kardem Tekstil, one of the most important suppliers of global fashion and clothing brands, increases its brand value with its successful market studies. The company, which started its activities in Istanbul with 30 personnel in 1990, has become a strong garment manufacturer with export-oriented studies and new investments. It has been producing through workshops for many years and opened its first factory in Smederova, Serbia in 2016. Kardem Tekstil opened Keşan Factory in Edirne, thus turning into a fully integrated garment manufacturer in 2017. Kardem Tekstil, serving global brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Bershka, Inditex Group, H&M and Ralph

Lauren, is considered one of the pioneers of the Turkish clothing industry with its vision and increasing power in the market.

Kardem Tekstil, with a monthly production capacity of 2 million pieces of clothing, makes a significant contribution to the Turkish economy by exporting 98% of its production. Ke an Factory, considered the production base of the company, has all the departments such as cutting, sewing, embroidery, printing, quality/control and shipment with 600 employees, mostly women. Factory Manager Raşit Akgör has said that the fabric bolts entering the facility come out as the final ready-to-wear garments. Akgör noted that they attach great importance to sustainability as well as quality production and said; “Our factory has reached a self-sufficient energy power by switching to 100% solar energy system in 2020. Being a 100% eco-

friendly factory represents an important step. We continue to take the necessary steps for 'clean production' and to become a sustainable vision partner for the major players of the fashion and clothing industry.”

Changing consumer demands necessitate digital printing

Raşit Akgör, expressing that there has been a serious transformation in both consumer preferences and production methods in the textile and apparel industry, summarized how they decided to invest in digital printing; “High volume production and the standard limited design/models it brought were the points of the question for a profitable business in the past. However, today, the volume of orders is lower, delivery times are shorter, and more diverse products are demanded than ever before. It is not possible to produce them through only traditional methods. Although the traditional screen-printing method continues, it is no longer sufficient for these increasingly special demands of customers. The efficiency of digital printing at fast, high quality and low/medium volumes became a new solution for us. We have seen that Mimaki is the best in the market in this field after our research. We already have printers of numerous Japanese brands that we use in production. We have great confidence in Japanese technology and engineering. Therefore, we focused on which Mimaki model we should choose in the second stage.”

Akgör explained that the TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer is the most ideal solution for them, both with its print

quality and efficiency and with its 1800 mm printing width, mentioning that the installation was carried out quickly by the Mimaki dealer in the first days of 2022. Akgör disclosed; “Production of planned orders is currently underway, so we have not used our new printer for final products yet. However, we started the trial prints on the TS55-1800 for the new season products after the installation. We create applications for the final products in these printers together with our design office and send these samples to the brands we work with. Frankly, I can say that this process went well, as expected. We have not received any negative feedback from our customers regarding our prints. We plan to use the TS55-1800 in the actual production of new orders from the second half of 2022 without

interruption depending on the orders from our customers.”

Akgör stated that various products printed with the TS55-1800, such as dresses, tights, coats, sweatshirts and tulle, will meet with the fashion and retail market in the coming period.

“Mimaki TS55-1800 was the right investment”

Raşit Akgör expressed that the share of digital printing in their apparel production will initially be 5%, but this share will increase rapidly, and stated that digitally printed collections mean more options and less cost. Akgör said; “It is almost impossible to obtain a 50-colour design in a collection with screen printing, and the high cost and process that will

result increase the difficulties. There is also the cost of waste resulting from the high amount of test printing to reach the correct colour value. On the other hand, digital printing offers us new possibilities with its short, fast and error-free production as well as an almost endless amount of colour options. The cost of digital printing is unbeatable for lowvolume or multi-colour jobs. The quality prints we obtained with the TS55-1800 at 1200 dpi resolution and the unit costs we achieved show that we made the right investment.”

Akgör, stating that the 1800 mm printing width of the TS55-1800 sublimation transfer printer provides an increase in productivity and a decrease in costs, explained the advantage they have achieved as follows; “The processes come to us with a width of 180 cm and we used to be able to use 160 cm for standard printers in the past, meaning a waste 20 cm of fabric at the beginning. This loss in the fabric edges has ended with the TS55-1800. In addition, the 180 cm width has increased our productivity as it allows us to print more pieces at once. This advantage will come to the fore even more considering the workload that will increase in the coming period.”

Akgör said that they were impressed by the strong performance of the TS551800 and underlined that this sublimation printer can work 24/7 with its strong structure. Akgör continued his words as follows; “Uninterrupted and unattended printing process saves us both time and money. Standard rolls need to be changed daily. It is necessary to constantly assign a staff for this. Yet, we can work without interruption for a longer period of time with a larger roll. This is where Mimaki Mini Jumbo Roll Unit came in. Thanks to this feeding unit, we have gained uninterrupted and unattended printing power for a longer period of time. TS55-1800 continues and completes its work even after the working hours are over and the staff leaves for home. We will need larger ink bottles in the next step. All our equipment will be ready for the printer to work non-stop with that.”

Mimaki original inks comfortably meet expectations

Raşit Akgör explained that they used Mimaki's original sublimation inks for printing and stated that they were very satisfied with the printing results. Akgör disclosed; “Ink is as important as the

printer in printing on transfer paper. We have a very good printer and equally good inks. First of all, the saturation of the ink and the transition of the colours to the transfer paper and to the polyester fabric after the calendering process is quite successful. There is no distortion or fading in colours. We can achieve the glossy or matte colours we desire no matter how difficult it is, by adjusting the number of passes in printing. In addition, we do not experience cracking, shedding or similar problems after printing. The friction, perspiration and washing fastness tests we perform for use comfortably meet the success criteria we desire.”

Akgör, emphasizing that it became more important that the inks of TS551800 have the ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX certificate because they are export-oriented, said that all documents showing that their products are sensitive to the environment and human health are presented to customers.

Saying; “As Kardem Tekstil, we do not manage quality, we produce quality from the first step,” Akgör added that in this process, the TS55-1800 increased both their capacity and print quality, so they placed an order to purchase another one of the same printer.