Sleeptech / Nov-Dec'14 by Sleep Tech

November - December 2014 www.sleeptechmagazine.com

Sleep Well Expo Istanbul 2015 shaping up well! page: 68

FROM THE EDITOR

w w w . s l e e p t e c h m a g a z i n e . c o m Publisher

ISTMAG Matbaacılık Gazetecilik İç ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. Adına sahibi H.Ferruh IŞIK

Sleep phenomenon! Maybe all living creatures good sleep times to continue their lives. Almost all of them sleep at night. For a good night’s sleep, the basic necessity remains to be a good quality mattress. The pre historic man used to sleep on piles of natural soft materials. With time, the material that was used to make the mattresses, changed to cotton and wool fluffers, cotton fiber, horsehair and rags. In early nineteenth century, many small manufacturers started producing mattresses commercially. They used fabric remnants, discarded by tailors, as stuffings of their mattresses. In mid 19th century, a significant development was made in the form of mattresses with stabilized interior springs. The mattress got firm and resilient with a uniform texture all over. These innerspring mattresses used to be made by placing a set of uniform springs inside the layers of upholstery. Today there are mattresses made from metal springs, wooden mechanisms functioning as springs, memory foams, water, air, etc. America is number one in manufacturing, export, variety, quality and quantity. Turkey is not as big and good as America or China or as the UK or Germany but it is a respectful manufacturer and supplier as you can see in Sleep Tech magazine, the only source to show the Turkish sleep products industry. As the last issue of the current year Sleep Tech magazine will be more active next year which has two interzum fairs, the mother in Cologne and its Chinese version in Guangzhou. Sleep Tech will have stands in both to distribute free copies and to cover the most important events of the industry.

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Boyteks............................................. Back cover Boyçelik................................ Inside back cover Ümit Makine......................... Inside front cover Ümit Makine...................................................... 1 Durak Tekstil....................................................... 3 Latexco.............................................................. 5 Veysel Kütüklü.................................................... 7 Bekaert............................................................... 9 Elektroteks........................................................ 12

Turkey expected to be the fastest growing economy of OECD

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Greater security for people allergic to dust mites

Küçükler........................................................... 26

Ersan Madeni Eşya.......................................... 28 Boyteks............................................................. 33 Kırayteks........................................................... 35 Feryal Fermuar................................................ 37 IMS Makine...................................................... 41 Giz Group......................................................... 42

Mattress manufacturing processes

Kayteks.............................................................45 Özen İplik......................................................... 47 Jakarteks.......................................................... 49 Felturc............................................................... 51 Şiteks................................................................. 53

Turkish exports continue to increase in 2015

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Histeks............................................................... 63 Nerteks.............................................................65 Artin Techs....................................................... 67 SleepWell Expo................................................ 75 Karas................................................................. 89 Interzum Çin.................................................. 105 Unimet............................................................ 122 Doğuş Ofset................................................... 131 Salteks............................................................ 133 Sefox............................................................... 135

Sleep Well Expo Istanbul 2015 shaping up well!

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Turkey’s new logo introduced

A new logo, “Turkey; discover the potential” that replaces the old “Made in Turkey” symbol on exported Turkish origin goods was introduced at a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) in Istanbul on September 28. ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a new logo would be used on products produced in Turkey. at the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly’s (TIM) presentation on Sunday. President Erdogan said, “We will promote Turkish products all around the world with this new logo and with “Turkey Discover the Potential” slogan.” Calling the new logo and slogan a symbol of ‘The New Turkey’s self-confidence, Erdogan pointed out the growth trend of Turkish economy and exports and praised TIM members for their efforts to reach the major export target of Turkey; USD 500 billion by 2023. “Turkey should build up new global brands in order to compete with the world,” Erdogan advised, and stressed that major economies like the U.S. or Japan keep their economies strong with their global brands. Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci also made a speech at TIM’s presentation and pointed out that the Turkish foreign trade volume rose up to 475 billion USD from 5 billion USD in early 1980’s. Nihat Zeybekci stated that average export price per kilogram for Turquality – a government funded program to increase and strengthen Turkish brands – firms was USD 3.28, while for the rests of Turkish exports the average was USD

Turkey expected to be the fastest growing economy of OECD Turkey’s impressive economic performance over the past decade has encouraged experts and international institutions to make confident projections about Turkey’s economic future. According to the OECD, Turkey is expected to be the fastest growing economy of the OECD members during 20122017, with an annual average growth rate of 5.2 percent. Together with stable economic growth, Turkey has also reined in its public finances; the EU-defined general government nominal debt stock fell to 36.3 percent from 67.7 percent between 2003 and 2013. Hence, Turkey has been meeting the “60 percent EU Maastricht criteria” for public debt stock since 2004. Similarly, during 2003-2013, the budget deficit

decreased from more than 10 percent to less than 3 percent, which is one of the EU Maastricht criteria for the budget balance.

Significant improvements in such a short period of time have registered Turkey on the world economic scale as an exceptional emerging economy, the 16th largest economy in the world and the 6th largest economy when compared with the EU countries. The Turkish economy has shown remarkable performance with its steady growth over the last decade. A sound macroeconomic strategy in combination with prudent fiscal policies and major structural reforms in effect since 2002 has

integrated the Turkish economy into the globalized world, while transforming the country into one of the major recipients of FDI in its region.

The structural reforms, hastened by Turkey’s EU accession process, have paved the way for comprehensive changes in a number of areas. The main objectives of these efforts were to increase the role of the private sector in the Turkish economy, to enhance the efficiency and resiliency of the financial sector, and to place the social security system on a more solid foundation. As these reforms have strengthened the macroeconomic fundamentals of the country, the economy grew with an average annual real GDP growth rate of 5 percent over the past decade.

Turkish government announces ambitious economic targets The government aims at fostering local production capabilities of Turkey by defining and implementing diverse range of action plans ANKARA-The Turkish government has announced the first nine programs of a detailed economic transformation plan that is aimed at reaching ambitious economic goals and boosting the economy. “Our aim is to increase our GDP from $800 billion to $1.3 trillion by 2018, decrease the rate of the GDP’s current account deficit from 6 percent to 5.2 percent and decrease the unemployment rate to 7 percent from around 10 percent,” Prime Minister Ahme t Davutoğlu said at a press conference. In attendance were of a number of ministers, including Deputy PM Ali Babacan, who is responsible for economic affairs. The plans announced include nine of the 25 transformational programs, mainly focusing on boosting the real sector. The remaining programs will be announced in the future. The first nine-point plan includes 417 action plans. The plans were announced as Turkey prepares to take over the

presidency of the G-20 for a year, beginning on Dec. 1. “Our transformational process will be based on five pillars. The first of them is to maintain the balanced relationship between political stability and economic predictability,” said Davutoğlu. The second element of this structural transformation will be to foster human development and human sources, while the third includes the Turkish real sector adapting to the latest production technologies, he said.

“The fourth element will be an integrated and holistic economic approach, and the fifth will be the full integration of the Turkish economy into the global economy,” he said. “During this period everyone will see that Turkey’s economic capacity and intellectual level is capable of guiding the global economy for a year,” Davutoğlu said. Nine transformational points The government aims at fostering local production capabilities of

Turkey by defining and implementing 417 action plans in line with the nine transformational programs, said Davutoğlu. The first of these programs aims at decreasing the Turkish economy’s dependence on imports. The government plans to launch new subsidies for several regions, encourage the production of energy equipment by local means, stimulate the production and the use of electrical cars and increase the capacity of agricultural seeds in Turkey, among others. The second program focuses on the commercialization of prioritized technological areas. The government plans to support new enterprises and research and development centers by means of new funds. In line with the defined third transformational program, the government plans to enable Turkish companies to take part in more public tenders by making some changes to the existing

Public Procurement Law, and to develop more technologies. The other two programs focus on developing domestic energy production. “Turkey aims to produce 35 percent of its energy needs through domestic resources by 2018 by making more investments in renewable energy and giving more credit to energy saving projects,” said Davutoğlu. Another program is based on the development of more efficient ag-

ricultural policies. The government plans to increase the number of modern irrigation systems by 10 percent annually. “We also plan to make breakthroughs in the medical sector by encouraging local medication production. We should meet 60 percent of our medicine needs by local means,” said Davutoğlu. The government also aims at boosting health tourism and the logistics sector in Turkey.

European Development Bank upgrades Turkey’s year-end outlook ISTANBUL – Turkey’s year-end growth forecast was upgraded to 3 percent, the European Reconstruction and Development Bank said in statement.

The statement

“The Bank is predicting growth of 3 percent in 2014, compared with a forecast of 2.5 percent in May. It left its forecast for 2015 unchanged at 3.2 percent,” the statement said.

posure to global

The bank attributed the upgrade to “a stronger-than-expected performance so far this year which was driven mainly by rising exports and also supported by a reduction in the central bank’s interest rates.”

read that “a vulnerability to external factors and a large exliquidity conditions remained the largest risks that Turkey faced,” despite the fact that the European Reconstruction and Development Bank has said that Turkey has weathered similar challenges in the past with relative ease.

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Mitsan invests in elastic foam production â&#x20AC;&#x153;Foam mattresses will be preferred more in about ten yearsâ&#x20AC;?, says Mustafa Cetinbulut, chairman of Mitsan company which produces foam, felt and mattresses. He informed about his company.

Mustafa Ă&#x2021;etinbulut, Board Member of Mitsan

On kinds of foams produced We produce foams in various densities, viscoelastic and common foams. Density of foam is a good measure of product quality. We have different type of foams for different needs, softer, harder, more or less comfort.

Manufacturers was thinking that viscon was a fad We began to produce visco elastic products. The interest in this product has recently begun to increase. It was thought as a fad. Now, it has a good share

in market and it still grows. Foam mattresses will be demanded more in the future. Its labor costs are less when the product was sown. Companies like us will expand their markets more. By now, foam mattresses were more costly than spring kinds. The costs are down. I expect that in ten years share of foam products will be higher. It has serious share in European markets including France and Germany, as was the case for latex products.

What are the differences between them in Turkey and in the world? Source of raw materials is important. We import them from Europe. In this regard the situation is the same in Turkey as in Europe. It is also depends on marketing efforts of the producers. Both sides sell their arguments. They were made of different raw materials. We produce MDI base visco elastic foam products. This is softer than that and more comfortable. Customers liked the sense of touch in our products. In short, there are no

meaningful difference between Turkey and Europe. Europeans have advantages of proximity to raw material source.

On innovativeness in visco beds There are many opportunities to develop new solution using visco gels. However they are costly and used in upper segment products. We emphasize on our supply capacity. Products targeting to A class customers produce

more profit for distributors.

On exports We deliver felt and foams to about 30 countries, especially to those in North Africa. We have other target markets, to replace ones in the neighboring region. Markets are more transparent now. Price stability, product quality and services are important. We keep an eye on farther markets to expand our coverage.

Greater security for people allergic to dust mites

Hohenstein Institute sets new standards with its realistic test for mattress and pillow encasings Special encasings can be used to ensure that sufferers from dust mite allergies enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep. They form a barrier between the dust mite excrement and the sleeper’s respiratory passageways and thus reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. © Warren Goldswain/Shutterstock

BÖNNIGHEIM – In Germany, unfortunately one person in ten suffers from an allergy to dust mites. It is the excrement from the dust mites that has an allergenic effect on people. Unfortunately for allergy-sufferers, dust mites particularly like living in mattresses and beds. Therefore, it is common for the people affected to experience a blocked nose or itching first thing in the morning. Special covers for mattresses and beds known as encasings are intended to help combat the problem. They act as barrier

textiles, preventing any contact between the dust mite excrement and the person’s respiratory passageways. Manufacturers face the challenge of designing the covers technically in such a way that they remain proof against dust mite excrement even as people move about in their sleep. Scientific studies show that this kind of encasing can reduce the number of allergens. However, it is essential that the product is of a high quality. If the quality is not good enough, there is a risk that critical amounts of the

allergens in the excrement could pass through the covers and trigger allergic symptoms in the sleeping person. The Hohenstein Institute tests the resistance of encasings to allergens to assess how excrement-proof and effective they are. The Hohenstein Institute now offers the allergen-resistance testing of mattress and bed covers using real dust mite excrement as an accredited service. In the test, all components of the encasing, that is to say the textile surface, the edge

Image of a dust mite. Their excrement can cause allergies. © Hohenstein Institute

seams and the zip fastener, are covered with dust mite excrement and the movements of someone sleeping on it for eight hours are simulated. The volume of allergens from the dust mite excrement that passes through the textile, seams or zip of the encasing is measured. This allows exact information to be obtained for the first time about whether the critical level of two micrograms of allergen – what is called the sensitization threshold – is exceeded during the night, thereby posing a risk for allergy-sufferers. The Hohenstein Institute is one of the few laboratories in the world that is able to carry out tests with living dust mites and their allergy-inducing excrement. For the manufacturers of mattress covers, testing the seam, textile and zip separately has the advantage of allowing the weak points in a product to be identified so that they can be rectified. Testing encasings with real dust mite excrement is setting new standards and attracting interest from around the world. Jeffrey D. Miller

fabric and seams to the dust mite allergen.”

The Hohenstein Institute can now award the “House dust and dust mite barrier” quality label to encasings that have been tested for their allergen-resistance. © Hohenstein Institute

M.D., President of the encasing manufacturer Mission: Allergy Inc. (USA) and member of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, says: “We were happy to have our allergen-barrier encasings studied by the Hohenstein Institute. The studies performed on our allergen-barrier encasings by the Hohenstein Institute confirmed the impermeability of the encasing

The Hohenstein scientists in the department of Hygiene, Environment & Medicine endorse materials that have been tested for allergen-resistance with the “House dust and mite barrier” quality label. The label can be awarded to encasings which have been proven to keep the dust mite allergen “Der P1” away from a sleeping person so effectively that the sensitization threshold is not reached during any phase of their sleep. This provides allergy-sufferers with a reliable aid to decision-making when they are selecting a medically tested mattress or bed cover. Businesses in the hospitality industry, such as technically advanced hotels can now benefit from this testing. The Hohenstein quality label can now be used for the benefit of customers to highlight bedding that is suitable for allergy-sufferers in that it has passed a realistic test and really minimizes the risk of an allergic reaction in sufferers from dust mite allergy.

Kayseri Serbest Böl. 6 Cad. No : 12 Melikgazi / KAYSERİ Tel : + 90 352 321 13 79 Fax : + 90 352 321 10 17 export@ersanmadeni.com www.ersanmadeni.com

CIFF to host largest furniture and mattress show 32

Asian flagship furniture exhibition attracts global business opportunity

As Asia’s most comprehensive woodworking machinery, furniture production and interior decor trading platforms, CIFM / interzum guangzhou will be stepping into a new decade in its coming edition. The new beginning also welcomes some changes with the exhibition period extended by one day to five days, and new show dates from March 28 - April 1 in 2014. CIFM / interzum guangzhou will be held once again in conjunction with the China International Furniture Fair (CIFF). Total exhibition area will reach 130,000 square meters, across Area B and Area C of the Pazhou Complex venue. Over 1,000 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, nine overseas pavilions and more than 60,000 professional visitors from over 140 countries and regions will be expected to join the landmark event of the industry. There are many excellent brands join in this event, such as Biesse, Wellex, Nanxing, New Mas, Yuantian, Guangzhou Lianrou, Homag, and Leggett & Platt in machinery sector and DTC, Taiming, Huali Industries, Xiongyi, Opike, Guangdong Dongrong, Guangdong

Zhongqiao, Sikai, Sh-Abc,Union Star in furniture raw materials sector. This edition has no lack of longterm enthusiastic support of international brands, such as IMA, SCM, FGV, Titus, Cyber Lock, Okin Refined, Boyteks Tekstil, Bekaert, Latexco, Deslee Clama, H.B. Fuller, Schattdecor, Rehau, Hanstar, Internet Wood Glue, Zhulian, Repon and Xinyada (random). Coming into the mix to up the show’s offerings are a slew of new exhibitors including Wood-Mizer from Poland, Lion Rock Group from the U.K., Tuoch from the U.S. and ICA from Italy. The country pavilion lineup looks strong, boasting major wood and quality furniture accessories exporting nations with the likes of Germany, USA / Canada, Italy, Turkey, Chile and Spain as well as the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). After a year’s absence, the Canada Wood pavilion will be back this year, promising to up the ante. Making its maiden appearance at both interzum guangzhou and in South China, the Swedish pavilion aims to carve out a market of its own with its nordic offerings.

CIFM / interzum guangzhou – Asia’s flagship furniture production, woodworking machinery event attracts global business opportunity. It’s a great event that you cannot miss.

The fast growing furniture and mattress markets worldwide The world furniture market was worth US$ 463 billion in 2013 (at producer prices). According to CSIL forecasts, consumption will grow by more than 3% (in real terms) by the end of the year 2014. The outlook is for stability in Western Europe, moderate growth in North America and fast growth in many emerging market economies, particularly in Asia. China is taking advance from this situation, with over one third of furniture traded globally being of Chinese origin, both in the home furniture and office furniture sector and particularly in upholstery production. China became also the world leading mattress producer in

the year 2011. CSIL, Italian leading furniture market research center, together with CIFF, the world’s largest furniture fair, and Edimotion, marketing communications company specialized in the furniture sector and good experience in the Chinese market, will present its forecasts concerning

the furniture market worldwide and will comment on the fundamentals regarding furniture production and trade. Findings will be discussed with selected keynote speakers from North America, Europe and China with expertise in product design, market trends and internationalization issues.

Mattress manufacturing processes 36

With special focus on innersprings and boxsprings …

Many of the textile machinery manufacturers have been manufacturing some quilting or mattress machines especially in Europe. In Turkey, mattress machinery manufacturers are generally dominating on full lines of mattress machinery and there are some good and prestigious names such as Ümit Makine, Mert Makine, Elektroteks, Veysel Kütüklü, Katermak, etc. When we look at the world we see some manufacturers’ names most common such as MPT Group, Black Bros, Masias Maquinaria, Mammut, Albrecht,

Amelco, Atlanta Attachment, Global Systems Group, Edgewater Machine, etc. The latest terminology for contemporary and innovative mattress machinery have features such as being “multifunctional,” “nimble” and “digital”. Still, the machines from the previous generation are still widely in use. The way beds

are built has changed significantly thanks to advances in machinery. Assertive and competitive companies have been trying to develop new high-speed, problem-solving machines that make building today’s more complicated mattresses. Stretch knits, memory foam and gel foam all are components that got

their start in specialty sleep, but now are commonplace in innerspring models, as well. Each poses particular challenges to mattress manufacturers, and machinery companies have worked hard to find solutions through decades. Innerspring - the basic unit of mattress Innerspring is the basic unit of a mattress. A foundation mattresses or boxsprings lie directly beneath the mattress, resting on the frame of the bed. There are different varieties of boxsprings. In some of them, spiked coil configuration is used where there is a spring system while torsion bars are used for giving support in others. In yet another type of boxspring, no springs at all are used and it consists of a built-up wooden frame. From among these, the boxsprings having spiked coil design are the most common ones. The spiked coil design boxspring is made by attaching the bottom of each coil to a flat wooden frame. A wire grid is placed on top of the springs in an aligned manner and is locked manually. A thin layer of upholstery is attached at the top. If, however, the intended boxspring contains no springs, it consists of a wooden frame that may or may not have a layer of upholstery attached

to its top. The frame is usually inserted into a pre-sewn cover that encases the top and sides of the unit, regardless of the internal composition. A matching fabric border is applied to the sides, and a dust cover is also added to the face. In most of the cases, a mattress manufacturer does not make the innerspring units. The work is outsourced and these units are made by the specialized firms. Once these completed innerspring units

are received, the work of at the mattress factory begins. The textile furnishing layers are affixed to the innerspring manually. There are essentially two upholstery layers, the insulator and the cushioning layers. The insulator is affixed directly onto the innerspring and prevents the next layer, the cushioning layer, from molding to the coils. While the insulator used is almost standard, the number of cushioning layers differs widely in number. These

cushioning layers range from two to eight layers and from a quarter inch to 2 inches (0.63 to 5 cm) in thickness. These cushioning layers determine the feel and comfort of the end product. The core mattress is given an attractive exterior by decorative mattress cover. The cover is manufactured with the help of quilting machines having a multitude of needles that stitch the cover to a layer of backing material.

The quilted fabric is cut into panels that are attached to the top and bottom of the mattress. The side panels are often cut from the same quilted fabric but sometimes it is made separately on a border machine. Flanges are the connecting panels that are attached to the quilted cover of the mattress with the help of hogs rings which are large, round staples. The flanges are attached to the top and bottom panels with the help of a specially modified sewing machine and the hogsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rings are stapled to the flanges. During the closing operation, the hogsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rings are secured to the innerspring unit. Closing operation is very critical which needs highly skilled execu-

tion. A movable sewing head that is mounted on a track is used for the closing operation. The Tape edge operators manually feed the top, bottom, and side panels and a heavy duty binding tape into the sewing machine as it moves around the mattress. It highly depends on the skill of the operators to feed just the right amount of each material into the machine in order to get the end product of a professional standard. Some of very high quality mattresses may also have a pillow-top on them. A panel filled with soft upholstery is attached to the top panel of the mattress. Pre-quilted pillow top is, then, taped to the mattress.

Turkish exports continue to increase in 2015 “Russian market is crucial and the timing is favorable at the moment. With the positive developments in energy prices, the current deficit will be much lower next year.”

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan announced that Turkey’s mid-term economy program and comments have continued. Economy Minister Minister Nihat Zeybekci responded to questions during his visit to Japan and evaluated the program. Minister Zeybekci said, “We believe the $106.5 billion (TL 238 billion) estimated for total exports will be closer to $162 billion, which will contribute to a higher growth rate.” While 4 percent growth rate was targeted, this year the growth rate will be around 3.3 percent,

Nihat Zeybekci Turkey’s Economy Minister

Ali Babacan Turkish Deputy Prime Minister

Zeybekci said that he believes the domestic market will contribute to the growth rate in the last quarter. “Exports will account for 2.5 percent of the growth rate at the end of the year,” said Zeybekci. He further underlined the significance of the fight against inflation and how that fight should be realized through more production, growth, employment and supply. “We have focused too much on shrinking demand. That is why we couldn’t achieve the growth target of the Mid-Term Economic Program,” said Zeybekci who noted that although demand shrank, if more financing and loans could have been offered to production, SMEs and investments, the growth figures would have been different. “Another positive development in the program is observed in the current account deficit. While the

is revised to 5.7 percent. When the current account deficit drops below 5 percent, there will be nothing to worry about. With the positive developments in energy prices, the current deficit next year will be much lower,” said Zeybekci.

target was 6.4 percent for the end of the year, the deficit is likely to drop down to 5-5.5 percent. Now the target in the program

Zeybekci also touched on global interest policies and noted that concerns about the decisions of the U.S. about interest rates have been relieved due to improving trade with the E.U. “Therefore, we will continue to keep interest rates at a level acceptable for markets, investors and tradesmen. Hopefully, in the next term with the contribution of the improving economic relations with the E.U., we will continue to lower interest rates and continue to fight inflation,” said Zeybekci.

Stating that exports to Iraq improved in September and October and recovery is expected to continue till the end of the year, Zeybekci said that the approximate $3 billion loss could be recovered. Zeybekci said that Iraq was the second largest export market for Turkey, but due to the recent clashes and turmoil, it is now the third largest market; however, if exports recover this month, Iraq might again become the second largest export market. In 2014, Russia and Turkey tried to overcome obstacles hindering trade between the two countries, and in 2015, by signing preferential trade agreements, economic cooperation between the two countries could improve. Noting that the Russian market is crucial and the timing is favorable at the moment, Zeybekci said that he believes this economic cooperation will provide various opportu-

nities for the 2015-2016 Mid-Term Economic Program. “Hopefully, we will increase per capita income to $12,750, the high-income group, by the end of 2016. Zeybekci said that they have “been very brave and generous with investment incentives” and added that they have noticed a few fields in

which they should have provided more incentives, such as metallurgy. “We will use all incentives available both strategically and regionally in the metallurgy field. Anyone who wants to make an investment should apply to us, and we will try to meet their needs,” said Zeybekci.

Innovative reusable operating theatre clothing and patient bed covers

Medical textiles such as bed covers and operating theatre clothing are classed as licensed medical products and are subject to all kinds of textile technology requirements under the European DIN EN 13795 standard. BÖNNIGHEIM – A current research project sponsored by the Alliance for Industrial Research and running until the start of 2016 is working on developing innovative reusable operating theatre textiles which are more comfortable to wear and at the same time more durable because they can be cleaned in a gentler pro-

For every patient and day in hospital, about 3.2 kg of textiles that need to be professionally disposed of are generated. Optimizing reusable operating theatre clothing can significantly help to reduce waste. © Kzenon/Shutterstock

cess. With this project, the wfk – Cleaning Technology Institute e.V. and the Hohenstein Institute are complying with the requirements of the Closed Cycle and Waste Management Act (KrWG) and also increasing the competitiveness of the German textile industry.

The KrWG, as implemented in the Waste Framework Directive RL 2008/98/EC, has been part of German law since 2012. The reform states that, in order to avoid waste, materials should remain in the production cycle for as long as possible. However, in health care, and especially in hospitals, the trend is in the opposite direction.

especially of disposable clothing, is a secondary consideration. To offset the relatively high procurement cost of reusable protective clothing, it must be able to withstand about 50 to 70 cycles of use and reprocessing. Consequently, the wearing comfort of reusable textiles always suffers – yet comfort is precisely the characteristic for which, in addition to environmental performance, they are superior to disposable textiles.

Numerous tests have been carried out in realistic conditions in the climate-controlled chamber to study the interaction between body, climate and clothing.

The Hohenstein Institute uses the Skin Model to test the thermo-physiological properties of textiles.

In the interests of ease of handling, guaranteed sterility at all times and – apparently – cost considerations, the proportion of disposable operating theatre clothing that is used in hospitals is increasing all the time. The resulting waste amounts to about 3.2 kg of textiles per patient per day which have to be disposed of correctly, equating to an annual mountain of waste of about 1200 kg for every hospital bed. Medical textiles such as bed covers

and operating theatre clothing are classed as licensed medical products and are subject to all kinds of textile technology requirements under the European DIN EN 13795 standard. These include, for example, mechanical resistance, microbiological purity and a barrier effect against fluids. These numerous standards, designed to ensure the safety of the wearer, mean that the thermo-physiological wearing comfort of operating theatre clothing, and

In the light of this problem, this joint research project is developing innovative reusable operating theatre textiles which offer not only greater comfort but also an extended service life. In the project, the Hohenstein Institute is optimizing the materials used for reusable protective textiles to ensure the best possible thermo-physiological wearing characteristics. The research team led by Dr. Bianca-Michaela Wölfling is currently studying the operating theatre clothing that is available on the market with regard to its textile technology and clothing physiology properties. They are looking especially at the interaction between body, climate and clothing, since an imbalance between the production and the transport of body heat not only makes the surgeon and operating theatre team feel less comfortable as they work, but can also impair their alertness and performance. Studies are being carried out using both the Hohenstein Skin Model and volunteers in a climate-controlled chamber, in a range of realistic conditions. Proposals for how operating theatre textiles could be further developed will be produced on the basis of the research results. At the same time, the wfk is researching cleaning processes which would minimise

More comfortable, more environmentally friendly

Innovative reusable protective clothing offers greater comfort combined with a longer service life. © Zurijeta/Shutterstock

the thermal and mechanical wear on the protective textiles in order to extend their working life. To make sure that their work is also resource-efficient, the researchers are focusing on pre-activated disinfectant systems and enzymes which are particularly active even at low temperatures. The reduction in the washing temperature and the mechanical stresses, together with specially developed cleaning and disinfecting routines, have resulted in an innovative cleaning process. Firstly, it enables the protective and thermo-physiological textile functions to be preserved better than under the current method. Secondly, it results in an improvement

of about 25% in the lifespan of reusable operating theatre textiles. To sum up, this research partnership is creating better market opportunities for reusable protective clothing in hospitals. It is also ensuring compliance with the KrWG by avoiding waste in the textile medical product sector. The innovative reusable protective textiles offer both improved wearing comfort and a longer service life thanks to resource-efficient cleaning processes. However, in addition to the ecological benefits, the economic benefits of the research project should not be overlooked. Expanding the market for reusable operating theatre textiles increas-

es international competitiveness and so helps to safeguard jobs in the German textile industry. At the same time, hospitals can potentially save about 12.9 million euros as a result of the extended usability of protective textiles. We are grateful to the Research Association the Textile Research Council, Reinhardtstraße 12 - 14, 10117 Berlin for its financial support for IGF project 17976 N, which was provided via the AIF as part of the program to support “Industrial Community Research and Development” (IGF), with funds from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) following an Order by the German Federal Parliament.

MILKAY active in recycling

Nursacan, “The mattress industry should prove its independence identity. It should not be squeezed under other industries!”

Tahir Nursaçan Milkay Textile General Manager

Established in 1995 Milkay has been operating in recycling business gaining 90 tons of textile wastes annually to the economy and exporting to over 50 countries. Having a daily felt production capacity of 150 tons the company is growing in exports, too. Mr. Tahir Nursacan, general manager of Milkay, says that the sector is a good industry for recycling. Nursacan detailed the problems of the industry and offered solutions for them in an exclusive interview he granted to Sleep Tech. Full text of the interview follows:

Could you outline your activities? How do you contribute to the recycling industry? Our company was established to serve the furniture sub-industry twenty years ago. We only had felt production line when we first started this business. We later continued to develop and grow. As the final step we installed our seventh production line with our own opportunities and facilities. The felt industry was a tough business for us because it is not a practical industry for recycling. In Turkey, the recycling business is unfortunately not respected very much. You, for instance, buy the wastes of textile workshops in Istanbul and carpet factories in Gaziantep and add value to them but you are not respected for this. Others don’t know the value of this work. Besides, you face some difficulties. One of these troubles is a problem that we face in differentiation of raw materials. People consider the raw materials

as trash and throw any harmful materials which eventually stop your production, damage your machinery or cause similar big problems during manufacturing. We are also struggling with these types of problems. On the other side, some people see that we gain money from trash they consider increasing its value. You have to pay 30 kurus to throw trash in Kayseri today. For instance, we have to pay TRL 2.20 this year for carpet waste which we would buy for 1.30 Turkish Lira last year. We pay this difference but we couldn’t reflect this over our felt prices. Ours is a sector having these types of problems and our industry is squashed under the furniture industry. This is not something wrong we should admit. The price of raw materials to be thrown to the trash has been very high today.

Turkey grasped felt production from Italy Italy quit felt production. We keep hearing that companies left felt production every day. As Turkey we

achieved this and we manage the sector. We are almost capable to compete with China in this. But the labor costs increased too much at our side. These can be overcome but we hope that our competitors support the industry and our sector will progress better.

The usage of recycled materials yield a fact that we really buy those products for less cost. The added value of those products is low. However, the usage place is right over the springs. If you don’t use felt at this level you will have to use an alternative and that will cost three times more. The prices of synthetic products were dropped down in recent years. But unfortunately we pay 60% when we buy recycling materials. The government should manage this and should motivate the industry.

Is felt an unhealthy product? We made measure of this. Can a product heated 220 degree be unhealthy? Besides, we have dust-absorbing systems at our production lines. All bacteria are whipped away until the final process of production. We have reports and documents from various universities proving that our products are produced from natural and synthetic fibers and that they don’t contain any hazardous or carcinogenic materials. Being unhealthy

of a mattress is totally up to its usage format. If you don’t change your mattress after 2 or 3 years, there will be bacteria and the mattress will naturally be unhealthy. In addition, in order to mention felt’s being unhealthy, we should be talking about felt’s disperse and air should be circulate through and you should be breathing that air. It is a fact that if you open a mattress that our felt was used after ten years, you will see that the felt stays securely. We guarantee this.

Innovation in felt There has been a friend asking us “Can you produce felt with chocolate aroma?” You have to

innovate in line with expectations according to the usage places of the product. If it were at a place where human body touches you would have more expectations. But instead, since it is used a few layer below the touchable level, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to smell at all. But we are considering if we could use 100% cotton instead of polyester in the felt. We are conducting these types of R&D studies.

What makes you different from other companies? The major factor with us is that we stand behind our product.

All customers both at domestic and international markets know this fact. There is no product which we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand behind. For felt is a strategic product. This is something which can cause returning the mattress. We have never experienced a case like this until now. Our season starts in May and continues until December. Activity is less during the period from January till May. We prefer the companies which work with us throughout the year. The process requires loyalty and honesty. Other companies purchase periodically. Companies not acting like this

are against the standard ethics of trade and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prefer working with those types of companies.

We are passengers in the same boat Those who are familiar with me know that I never accept making the work which somebody else is doing. I strictly follow my cultural, ethical and spiritual rules. But whoever produces a product that Turkey is importing, I respect him. But still, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to play with one another to do this. We are travelling in the same boat. Turkey is a market. There are around 1400 flour factories at this market for instance and most of them are wasted investments. If the market needs only 500 flour factories, why should we build more? The government and chambers of industry should control this. We cannot develop further unless we do such works and controls. We should produce the products which we import.

We will realize innovations rather than growing We are not considering growing in the sector from now on. This volume is enough for us. Instead, we will consider what we can innovate in the sector and what other sectors we can do something. We export even to America today. We are planning to choose more lucrative

type of customers and do more profitable business with them.

Everybody owns his own product There is no one else to keep an eye on your product in the sector. Unfortunately there is no respect for the product made. I can say this very confidently. Sellers should respect the production of the supplier

so that the companies can develop better. Another point I would like to comment on is about fairs. The fairs are very important from the standpoints of countries and exports. The government should do its best to motivate the Turkish companies to exhibit at international fairs held in abroad. The officials should visit those fairs and should consider how to increase attendance. I would like to mention one of my experiences at this point. I had gone to a show as a visitor. There was only one Turkish firm at that fair. I was affected very much to see the Turkish flag there. I congratulated the exhibitor. The number of Turkish exhibitors in that fair increase in the following years and I was very happy to see this.

Turkey is bigger than Istanbul capital A foreign company has participated in another fair with 150 personnel

and a space of 2,500 square meters. A few Turkish companies could find small spaces for themselves in that same fair. I believe the state officials would be very upset if they had seen that situation. We wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t experience these types of problems if we support our producers and we grow better. Our country is not only consisted by Istanbul market. The smaller companies in

Anatolia should be noticed as well.

A final remark Turkey is at an important position and has a promising future. We should get rid of problems among us. As the motto reads, united we stand, divided we fall. We should carry the national position to better places altogether.

CIFM/interzum guangzhou 2015 launches new Hall 12.1, focusing on upholstery & bedding

Eight overseas pavilions to be expected

Following the news of the addition of a new exhibition hall to Asia’s largest and most comprehensive woodworking and furniture production trade fair, the organizers of CIFM / interzum guangzhou recently revealed the purpose of the added space. Slated to happen from March 28 – April 1, 2015 the 11-year old event will continue to be held alongside the China International Furniture Fair. This will be the first time Hall 12.1 of the Pazhou Complex is activated for the event, boosting the

total exhibition area to 140,000 square meters, which is expected to host over 1,200 exhibitors and more than 62,000 visitors. The upholstered furniture market demand is closely tied to the real estate market, and with the accelerating urbanization, growth in urban population and the intensifying residential development in emerging markets in recent years, the region is increasingly becoming the world’s new growth market for upholstered furniture. The booming of the upholstered

furniture industry in China has brought about the upholstery equipment manufacturers’ rising demand to participate in CIFM / interzum guangzhou. In 2015, show organizers will open up Hall 12.1, and will focus on product category revolving around Bedding Materials / Bedding Machinery / Cutting Machinery / Sewing Machinery and Woodworking Machinery. The new hall is expected to offer an opportunity for more quality brands to participate in CIFM / interzum guangzhou 2015.

Despite injecting nearly 10,000 additional square meters, the event is still heavily oversubscribed. Spaces at international halls 11.1, 12.1, 13.1, 14.1 and 15.1 have all been snapped up. Leading companies to be showcased at the event include:

Woodworking Machinery & Tools: IMA, Vollmer, Duerkopp, Beland, SCM, HSD Mechatronic, Leitz, Paolino Bacci, Dimar Precision, Fengchaou, Wood-Mizer, Freud, Baomo, GreCon, LEUCO, AKE, Homag, Wellex, KDT, Nanxing, Biesse, Leggett & Platt, Lianrou;

Materials and Equipment for Upholstery & Bedding: Okin Refined, Boyteks Tekstil, Boycelik, Gentherm, Ateja Tritunggal, Bekaert, Jacquard Textile, eMomo, Zhulian, Xinyada, Lion Rock Group, LINAK, Limoss, Zahonero, TiMOTION, Bodet & Horst, Tianye Jacquard, Aidefu, Richard Pieris;

Hardware / Components & Fittings: FGV, A-ZUM, Q-Fit, Repon, Titus, King Slide, TAKACHIHO KOHEKI, Hanstar, Litong, Cyber Lock, Reggar, Italiana Ferramenta, Moonju, Lianxun, Ming Tat Hong, CNSC, Cermag, Torrini, Sige, Dongtai, Zhongqiao, Taiming, Sikai, Union Satr, Salice, Fit Art, Rodi;

Wood Products / Adhesives: H.B. Fuller, Internet Wood Glue, Rocky, AHEC, Canada Wood, Franklin, Kleiberit, Jowat, Pollmeier, Urufor, Fibromade, Taiqiang;

Materials and Equipment for Interior Design: ICA, Tuoch, Schattdecor, Orchard, Talent, Surteco, Tece Dekor, Rehau, Huali, Xiongyi, Sionwolf, Dehua TB. Among the overseas pavilions from the American Hardwood Export Council, Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and the US/Canada, the Canadian Wood and ProChile pavilions will see bigger representations than before in 2015. Canada and Chile, both renowned for their abundant forest resources are poised to provide more high quality wood selections for buyers. The clear product segmentation, series of fringe activities, and

professional service of CIFM / interzum guangzhoug have always been major factors contributing to the positive atmosphere for all at the event. The 2015 edition will continue to offer the Piazza Lounge providing complimentary internet

services, refreshment and meeting venue, as well as hosting of industry forums and seminars. Details will be available and published on the event webpage in early November.

Sleep Well Expo Istanbul 2015 shaping up well! 70

After the successful start of the fair in 2014, it was scheduled to be at the same venue but instead of 2 halls and the big foyer, there will be an extra hall at the second edition, October 22-25, 2015.

The Turkish sleep products industry has been prospering fast at all aspects from mattress to machinery, from pillows to quilts, from bed base to headboards. It adapts the latest trends and technologies. As the first and the only fair in its field in Turkey, SLEEP WELL EXPO is a show bringing mattress main industry, sub-industry, machinery and components industry professionals together. The fair is an excellent platform to launch and to see the latest technologies, innovative products and latest collections. To be held on October 22-25, 2015, the fair was introduced in 2014 and the premiere edition was welcomed very well by the industry. The show brings all professionals of the sleep products industry together and visitors come from all parts of the world especially from the neighboring countries. The fair attracted especially the interest of those world brands who want to sell to

the Turkish market, and those who want to invest in and penetrate into Turkish market. The CEOs of the world mattress industry, top officials, purchasing managers, manufacturers, consumers, domestic and foreign representatives and dealers all attend the fair. The Sleepwell Expo Show embraces and brings all collaborators of the sector together. It is a real trade platform for all branches including the main industry, the supply industry, machinery and equipment industrialists. As the only specialty fair in its field in Turkey, Sleepwell Expo has been an ideal venue for the whole industry in its 2014 premiere edition with the participation of 67 exhibitors of which 8 were foreigners and 5,171 visitors. Turkey is en emerging and stabile market with its fast growing population, advantageous location and developing economy. The mattress industry, mattress machinery and equipment are among the fastest growing sectors in Turkey. The developments experienced in the sector and the innovations, the collaboration among industrialists are the important factors motivating the improvement of the mattress and bedding industry in Turkey. All these positive developments urged a fair in the industry and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how SLEEPWELL EXPOâ&#x20AC;? show was born. It is held at the opposite side of Istanbulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous international airport, Ataturk International Airport from where you can get the exhibition grounds in a few minutes. It is almost very clear that the fair will be one of the strongest fairs in the bedding industry worldwide in the very near future.

The industry imports a lot, too. Turkey is a good market for machinery, some types of mattresses and raw materials. The first and only fair dedicated to the sleep products industry in Turkey, SLEEP WELL EXPO ISTANBUL was held April 17-20, 2014 and recorded a huge success which almost all industry professionals applause. Now the second edition of the fair is shaping up. Over 70% of exhibitors have already booked their spaces according to the officials of Voli Fair Organization, the organizers of the show. The fair was scheduled to be at the same venue but instead of 2 halls and the big foyer, there will be an extra hall at the second edition, October 22-25, 2015. Stating that the fair attracted a great deal of interest from domestic market and by companies from different countries, Omer Faruk Gorun, Project Manager of Sleep Well Expo outlined, “Sleep Well Expo covers the mattress main industry, sub industry, machinery

and equipment. The venue of this important fair is Istanbul Expo Center, which is exactly facing the Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. When an exhibitor or a visitor arrives at Istanbul by air, he or she could even walk to the exhibition ground. The premiere edition of this annual event will be April 17-20, 2014. As the first of its kind in Turkey, Sleep Well Expo will contribute to Turkey’s being a production hub for the mattress industry. Sleep Well Expo will host a professional platform where the latest technologies and products will be showcased altogether. Because of ever increasing value of mattress and other sleep products the fair will be an important organization which will bring leading companies and reps of the industry together. Many international companies doing business with Turkey in this industry have already shown their interest in the fair which will bring together CEOs, top level officials, purchasing managers, producers, consumers, foreign and

domestic dealers and representatives. Product groups of the fair include Turkish mattress producers, mattress importers, furniture and mattress stores, foreign mattress producers, sub-industry products, mattress and quilting machinery and equipment, etc. The visitor portfolio includes experts and high-level officials of the private sector, buyers from different sectors to realize projects, businessmen, investors, mattress industry authorities, dealers and representatives, chambers of commerce, associations, furniture manufacturers, purchasing officials of tourism, hotel and hospitality industry, etc.”

Most powerful media sponsors The main media partners of the fair are Sleep Well and Sleep Tech magazines. Other media partners include TGRT Haber TV, Ihlas New Agency, Turkiye Daily Newspaper, TGRT FM Radio, and sector magazines such as Home Textile Exports, Décor, Curtain & Curtain Accessories, etc. There will be seminars and different activities related to new products, technologies and applications. Istanbul unites its natural beauties with its historical

and cultural wealth and modern infrastructure, ascending in world league as the new favorite city for international organizations. Istanbul has an historical and cultural heritage acknowledged by the whole world. Apart from its historical and natural beauties the city is quite assertive with its hotels, fair, congress and meeting halls at world standards. The visitors coming for meetings, congresses and fairs have the opportunity to experience the eastern and the western cultures together amongst the artworks reflecting a history of thousands of years.”

BrandSource uses ® ‘REVEAL Custom Brand’ program to develop ‘You Sleep’ Mattress Profile System BrandSource is a purchasing group with 4,500 locally owned appliance, electronics, bedding, home furnishings and floor covering stores in North America.

the You Sleep system helps differentiate the BrandSource dealer from others in their market place. YouSleep is a great addition to any BrandSource store looking to grow their mattress business and market share.”  Easy to set up and designed to be used in-store, the You Sleep system uses customized software and wireless technology to create unique pressure mapping systems. You Sleep is durable and designed for busy store environments. The customer can view their pressure profile on-screen and gain a better understanding of what “comfort” actually looks like. The selection process is unbiased and shows clients the mattress options that best suit their body and sleep style.

BrandSource launches ‘You Sleep’ at the recent annual BrandSource Convention for its members. You Sleep is a new mattress profile system that uses REVEAL® by XSENSOR’s innovative pressure imaging technology, a sales tool designed to help shoppers find the best mattress for their body type. XSENSOR Technology Corporation is the leading innovator of advanced pressure imaging with their REVEAL mattress recommendation system.

“The BrandSource You Sleep product was very well received at the convention,” says Richard Brass, Vice President of Business Development, North America. “The You Sleep system delivers in two very important areas, customer satisfaction and increased ROI for the retailer. When BrandSource stores use technology as part of their sales process their average ticket increases, their close rate goes up and returns decline. In addition,

XSENSOR offers the option of using the REVEAL® mattress recommendation system brand or using REVEAL® technology with your own customized branding and product recommendation. REVEAL® Custom Brand gives retailers the freedom and flexibility to connect to their customer’s unique sleep needs, differentiate their products, and build their brand value, loyalty and recognition. XSENSOR® Technology Corporation is an award-winning innovator in the field of pressure imaging for use in sleep research, automotive testing, and pressure ulcer prevention. For over 15 years, XSENSOR® has developed pressure imaging technology that delivers the practical, real-world benefits of personal comfort and patient safety.

Spinks Springs supplies the footwear industry with unique micro pocket springs

The mattress for your feet Award winning UK pocket spring manufacturer, SPINKS SPRINGS has been working over the last 18 months with new footwear company SPRINGURU, to develop an exciting new casual shoe concept. The shoes feature innovative micro spring technology, which is only Âžâ&#x20AC;? high and is embedded into the sole of the shoes. These conical springs are precision placed and pre-compressed in

their fabric pockets by an ultrasonic welding process. Each pair of SPRINGURUs contains 34 micro pocket springs. SPINKS SPRINGS are part of the Harrison Spinks Group of companies who also manufacturer in the USA through their joint venture with HSM Solutions. SPRINGURU is launching with one distinctive

unisex design for both men and women. The lace-less upper is made of a stretch ballistic nylon which is tough and breathable and custom conforms for a perfect fit. The shoes look as ‘springy’ and ‘comfy’ as they feel and the outsole design is a nod to the mattress heritage of the pocket spring component. “This is such an exciting project for Spinks Springs, we have been testing and developing our springs for some time now, so it’s great to see them in the finished shoe.” noted Darren Marcangelo, Spinks Springs commercial director. “Not only do the shoes look great, but they feel absolutely superb, unlike any other shoes.” The micro spring concept in footwear has been extensively tested at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in the UK through a government funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

Other shoes provide a cushioning or ‘damping’ effect by using EVA in the midsole. However SPRINGURUs midsole construction deploys a ‘spring and damper’ arrangement, much like you would find in a car suspension system. Jim Richards, Professor of Biomechanics at University of Central Lancashire, says, “This is a much more efficient arrangement and can lead to reduced impact forces and improved loading rates”. The concept is being launched on the crowd-funding site, Kickstarter. Backers can pre-order a first edition pair to be amongst the first people in the world to experience SPRINGU-

RU’s unique ‘spring in your step’ sensation.

About Spinks Springs SPINKS SPRINGS is part of the Harrison Spinks Group, which encompasses three quality UK bed brands -- Harrison, Somnus and Spink & Edgar -- as well as the SPINKS SPRINGS component brand, the trading name for Harrison Spinks Components. With high-end bed and mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks, the company makes and designs high- quality comfort microcoil pocket springs for sale worldwide through its components business. Harrison Spinks employs nearly 400 people, operates five factories in Leeds, along with a 300-acre farm, where it grows natural, non-woven materials, such as hemp, flax and wool for mattresses.

MaterialTransformation - a new platform is the perfect way to bring companies and universities together. interzum launches platform for promoting young design

Interzum sets design student-industry collaboration

Yet another service for interzum exhibitors to take advantage of: with the MaterialTransformation concept, Koelnmesse is offering a networking platform where companies and industrial design students can find as suitable a match as possible in a quicker, more efficient manner. Interzum 2015 -to be held 5-8 May- will present the results of these collaborations at various interiors trade fairs. ORGATEC 2014, took place in October, has been the first event, presenting insights into the collaboration between GERA Leuchten (GERA Lighting) and the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle. Pure functionality is not good enough: whether it’s fittings or machinery, industrial design is becoming more and more important for suppliers of the furniture industry. MaterialTransformation, the new platform established by Koelnmesse, now allows universities for industrial design and interzum exhibitors to come into contact in a more efficient and above all, simpler way, with an emphasis on the know-how-transfer going both ways. Inspiration for the Initiative: For an individual company, the effort required to embark upon a project

with a university is often relatively intensive. Gathering the basic information alone is difficult: who is the contact at the university, which education centers have the appropriate training goals, how is the actual collaboration organized and what are the legal terms and conditions? Now, with the MaterialTransformation platform, interzum will take on the role of intermediary, where requested. This special service improves the prospects of a mutually rewarding collaboration - and for exhibitors at the world’s leading fair, the service is completely free! Industrial design is an extremely important topic for the furniture supplier industry. “Industrial designers are trained in many different sectors, have their own perspective on products and materials and can transfer these skills into other areas very well,” says Iris Laubstein, project manager of MaterialTransformation. “Therefore, collaborating with industrial designers is really worthwhile for furniture suppliers. And even more so with the next generation of design, who have even more completely new ideas and fresh approaches. Sometimes we see long-term project work developing out of these early collaborations.”

At ORGATEC, the first results of this type of collaboration were presented at the “interior of innovation” area, a special “piazza” for architects and designers. Visitors to the fair received information on a project currently taking place, “Lichtkörper” (lighting fixtures) run by GERA Leuchten (GERA Lighting) and the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle. Over a period of six months, eighteen design students gained an insight into product development and production at GERA Leuchten and were then invited to turn their own design visions into product ideas, presented at the fair. “With this collaboration, we are offering many young talented people a wonderful opportunity to get a feel for the real business world early on,” says Henning Pölitz, managing partner of the lighting specialists from Sankt Gangloff/Thüringen. “And we gain just as much from the collaboration. Because every student approaches our products and potential future

Fair exhibitors will be brought together with suitable universities

scenarios of lighting, furniture and rooms with a completely open mind and comes up with solutions that we - completely caught up in the operational side of the business would not think of associating with them.â&#x20AC;? Contact partners represented other universities open to such collaborations at ORGATEC, in October 2014. The industrial design department of the Folkwang University of the Arts, Essen, UWID University of

Wuppertal Industrial Design and the HTW, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin presented product design samples and presentations giving an insight into their work. After ORGATEC, the new networking platform MaterialTransformation will be presented at interzum in May 2015 with yet more projects. In addition, a website will be launched which will regularly publish information on on-going projects and will also serve as a contact forum.

Las Vegas Market continues to enhance gift & home offerings for winter 2015  LVM is the leading furniture, mattress, home decor and gift marketplace in the western U.S., presenting more than 2,200 gift, home décor and furniture resources in an unrivaled market destination. LAS VEGAS, NV --- Visitors to the Las Vegas Market can “experience it all,” Sunday, January 18, through Thursday, January 22, 2015, with more furniture, gift and home resources than ever before with both new and expanding showrooms and record-breaking number of temporary exhibitors, the 3rd annual Las Vegas Market CEO Summit and a full slate of dynamic educational programming presented by industry thought leaders, as well as world class amenities and travel deals.   “Las Vegas Market is experiencing strong and sustained growth within in gift and home décor, as well as strategic expansion into new categories, including lifestyle merchandise, specialty tabletop and better home décor,” said Dorothy Belshaw, president of Gift & Home Décor, International Market Centers. “The addition of many new-to-market exhibitors as well as the accelerating pace of renewals signals the industry’s continuing

confidence in Las Vegas Market as the leading furniture, home decor and gift destination in the western United States.”   As Las Vegas Market continues the second phase of its three-year gift and home décor strategic growth plan – complementing the existing strength in furniture and bedding resources – new resources and expanded showrooms are expected to debut in virtually every category. With record numbers of gift and home décor vendors flocking to Winter Market, newcomers JURA Inc., Papaya, Portman Studios, Precious Moments, Papaya, Swahili Imports and Young’s Inc. join a dynamic roster of industry-leading companies at the Las Vegas Market.   In addition to the category enrichment created by these new additions, Las Vegas Market continues to build density with expansion by current tenants. Companies planning larger showrooms for the winter market – Anne McGilvray, Grace by Catherine Sullivan and Melrose International – join the ranks of others who recently have demonstrated their commitment to the Market by expanding their

showroom sizes.    For the Winter 2015 edition, Las Vegas Market is expected to house record-breaking numbers of temporary exhibitors, positioned within 14 categories on five floors. Temporary exhibitors in the furniture category will be located on B2; and four floors in Building C will be organized thematically: Gallery, Home, Style, Textiles and Veranda on C5; Couture, First, Gourmet, Gift, Vintage, Made and Trend on C11; the Lifestyle Collection on C10 incorporating both permanent and temporary presentations; and a cross-category collection of leading specialty

tabletop and better home décor resources on c-ONE.    “The strategic growth plan in gift and home décor is a natural complement to the existing furniture offering that has been gaining momentum since its launch almost 10 years ago,” explained Bob Maricich, president and CEO, International Market Centers. “The comprehensive nature of this Market is in perfect alignment with the evolving retail environment, providing a more lifestyle-oriented product assortment.”   Las Vegas Market continues to serve as the only major home furnishings market in the Western

United States and the largest bedding market in the country, home to the top 15 bedding producers.   A highlight of the Las Vegas Market’s winter slate is the third annual Las Vegas Market CEO Summit, an executive level discussion about the critical issues and opportunities facing today’s gift and home furnishings business leaders, scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, and Wednesday, January 21, 2015. Buyers and vendors attending Las Vegas Winter Market also will benefit from its synchronicity with the second annual Las Vegas Design & Construction Week™

(DCW), which is bringing together five of the leading design and construction industry trade shows in what is expected to be the largest-ever residential construction exposition in the nation. Beyond product resources, the Las Vegas Winter Market also plans a full schedule of seminars, events and buyer amenities. Winter Market highlights include naming of colorful design legend Carleton Varney as the 2015 Design Icon, continuation of the Market’s successful “First Look” preview presentation; and presentation of a series of free educational seminars addressing “New Harmonies: Changing Themes in Color and Design Trends for the Home in 2015,” “Secrets of Great Style: Tips on Creating Lifestyle Environments That Lure Customers, Online and In Stores,” “Display Trends: Move more merchandise by positioning products to sell!” and “Leveraging social PR – The New Way to Get Media Attention.”    Attendees also will enjoy an array of market amenities including free Wi-Fi on campus, complimentary shuttle to/from host hotels, free parking in an onsite parking garage, fully-equipped Internet lounges and convenient café and food kiosks.    Las Vegas Market is the leading furniture, mattress, home decor and gift marketplace in the western U.S., presenting 2,200+ gift, home décor and furniture resources in an unrivaled market destination. Las Vegas Market features thousands of gift, furniture and home décor lines, allowing for cross-category commerce among these industries. The Winter 2015 Las Vegas Market runs January 18-22, 2015, at World Market Center Las Vegas.

The Hohenstein Institute uses skin sensory testing to assess how comfortable a textile feels when in contact with the skin. © Hohenstein Institute

Hohenstein Institute on skin sensory functions Scheduled on 12 February a free webinar will be useful to measure the skin sensory comfort of textiles that will be in direct contact with the skin, for example underwear and sleepwear, T-shirts, pullovers, bed linen and towels.

BÖNNIGHEIM - The Hohenstein Institute will be holding its new webinar, “Feeling good means … wearing comfortable clothes!” on 12 February 2015. This one will be about skin sensory functions. The free webinars, in German at 13.00 hrs (CET) and in English at 16.00 hrs (CET), will introduce the Hohenstein Institute’s testing for skin sensory functions. This offers an objective way of measuring how textiles feel on the skin, and also indicates any potential for improving the products being tested. As well as the tests themselves, the webinar will also introduce the “Skin sensorial comfort vote” qual-

ity label. The quality label shows the mark awarded to a product that has been tested, giving consumers a useful indicator of the skin sensory comfort of the textile. This is particularly useful for online and mail-order retailers, as it gives the customer an objective assessment of how the products will feel to wear, without him or her having to try them on. Anyone who is interested can sign up for the online event at www. hohenstein.com/skinsensory-webinar. The technical requirements for taking part in the webinar are a PC connected to the Internet and loudspeakers or a headset.

When measuring stiffness, the Hohenstein Institute tests how well a textile adapts to the shape of the body. © Hohenstein Institute

The number of points where a textile material contacts the skin is measured via the surface characteristics. In order to receive a skin sensorial comfort vote, a textile must not only pass skin sensory tests but also thermo-physiological tests. Here, the Skin Model is used to measure water vapor resistance (i.e. breathability) and thermal insulation.

The free desktop application GoToWebinar, which is available from the Hohenstein Institute, must be installed before the webinar starts. The Hohenstein Institute Press Office will be happy to help with any technical questions about this. The Hohenstein Institute has been measuring the comfort of textiles for about two decades. It uses various skin sensory and thermo-physiological tests to assess how textiles feel on the skin. The test methods were developed by the Hohenstein Institute itself. The test process was validated in numerous wearing tests using volunteers, so that subjective sensations could be measured objectively. The results of these tests are used to produce a comfort vote indicating the skin sensory comfort of a textile. The various figures are obtained by measuring skin sensory parameters. These include the stiffness of a textile and the wet cling index, i.e. how much a textile clings to sweaty skin. The sorption index shows how quickly a textile absorbs sweat from the skin. The

Textiles which passed the skin sensory and thermo-physiological tests can be assigned the quality label “Skin sensorial comfort vote”. © Hohenstein Institute Hohenstein Institute also uses the surface index to measure whether the surface of the test sample is too rough or too smooth or neutral from a skin sensory point of view.

It is especially useful to measure the skin sensory comfort of textiles that will be in direct contact with the skin, for example underwear and sleepwear, T-shirts, pullovers, bed linen and towels. Especially with these textiles, whether they feel comfortable on the skin is an important purchasing criterion for the consumer. To help with this, the Hohenstein Institute can also suggest ways in which comfort could be improved during product development. This, and a reduction in the number of complaints thanks to improved skin sensory comfort in textiles, are just two of the benefits resulting from skin sensory testing at the Hohenstein Institute.

Ă&#x2013;zdemir Group exports to over 50 countries in 5 continents

As an exportoriented company Özdemir Group exports different products with the motto of “from A to Z” to over 50 countries in 5 continents

Erdal Özdemir General Manager of Özdemir Group

Starting its business life with furniture paints in 1986 Özdemir Group took its place in the sector with a different vision by adding furnishing materials to its product range in 2000. The company quit the paint business those days and started to produce shock absorbers for the mattress and furniture industry. Özdemir added textile, packaging and nylon type of products to its product portfolio later on and reached a broad range of supply products for the mattress industry. Erdal Özdemir, general manager of the company said that they export these products to over 50 countries and to every city in Turkey. He outlined their success story:

About Özdemir Group “Özdemir Group was founded in 1986 with four brother for give best service with high quality products to furniture market and bedding

market. Ozdemir Group is the biggest company that provides all kinds of demands for biggest furniture and bedding producers in domestic and international market. “A quarter century ago everything started in one small shop and in 90s our range of product increased with new investments and in 2000s Ozdemir progressed with new factory investments. Today our company is a solution partner for our clients operating on an area of 120.000 m2 with 7 production factories. Ozdemir Group is determining all quality standards in the market with thousands of clients in domestic market and international markets. We have satisfied clients in more than 47 countries in 5 continents all over the world. Some of those countries are Brazil, Costa Rica, Romania, Spain, Iraq, İran, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Moldavia, England, etc.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ozdemir Group is one company which has a glory history with too many success stories in market and we owned all our good story from our special and %100 satisfied clients. Our mission is always to deliver high quality products and friendly way to help for the success of our trade partners in their business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As Ozdemir Group since 1986 we are in domestic and international markets. Our values are deeply rooted within the company and reflect our internally disciplined character. Ozdemir Group is committed to being a well-managed, results-oriented, engineering-driven organization whose people have a passion for progress and a commitment to excellence. We constantly strive to be better partners with our customers and to be more connected, more forward-looking, and more customer-focused than our competitors.â&#x20AC;?

About Özdemir Malzeme “As Ozdemir Group since 1986 we are in domestic and international market. Our values are deeply rooted within the company and reflect our internally disciplined character. Ozdemir Group is committed to being a well-managed, results-oriented, engineering-driven organization whose people have a passion for progress and a commitment to excellence. We constantly strive to be better partners with our customers and to be more connected, more forward-looking, and more customer-focused than our competitors.”

About Özyay “Özyay is our brand name for produce our high quality spring coils, bonnel spring coils, pocket springs and zigzag springs with high carbon steel wire and high quality raw materials. The bonnell spring system is the classic spring unit which has been used for years and has defi-

nitely proven its worth. Using our glass shaped springs which are all connected with a helical wire and bordered with a strong thicker wire. This system is very reliable and is still considered the best. We are also trading steel wire. Since 2006 we are in spring market with less delivery time and our competitive prices. Our springs are all around the World in 5 continents. Our mission is give always less delivery time with high quality products. We can produce also special size springs. Available in 5 turn and 6 turn and 4 turn all the spring units.”

About Özde “Ozde was born in 2007 and its aim is to develop an innovative product for furniture seating comfort. Our factory located in Kayseri where is the capital city for furniture industry in Turkey. Ozde is maintaining a leadership in the upholstery furniture area in Turkey and Middle East market. We have engineered and developed new

and innovative narrow products to be used in the future of the textile industry. Our dyeing and finishing abilities allow us to provide our customers with a custom quality product and uncompromising service.

fields with TSE product certificate and TUV EN ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Certificate. The secret of our achievement is hidden in the trust of our customer sharing the quality of Qzdemir Gas Springs.

“We are the company what has special design and engineering new innovative products with many different colors for the furnishing, automotive, medical, home industry and industrial uses. Our basic products are elastic webbing, jute webbing, narrow webbing, mattress edge tape.”

“Flexlift is a development partner of important producers from the furniture, automotive. Flexlift is a customer-orientated manufacturer of gas springs and it’s accessories focused on %100 customer satisfaction with high quality raw materials and flawless engineering technics. Our gas springs quality-certified to fulfill the highest requirements for industries such as furniture, automotive and more! Flexlift maintains many international quality certification in many different markets. Our quality is registrated by our clients more than 42 countries.”

About Flexlift “Özdemir Gas Spring is serving to furniture, automotive and the other industrial sector with its registered brand name “Flexlift” “Özdemir Gas Springs, with its high technology, experienced technical staff and high quality, focuses on 100% customer satisfactory. For this purpose, Ozdemir Gas Spring proved its quality in international

Gas Springs “By our experience gathered over many decades, FLEXLIFT gas springs can meet your individual require-

ments for the opening, closing, tilting and damping of flaps. The gas spring (often also called gas pressure spring, gas damper or gas pressure damper) is superior to other solutions in many points and offers many advantages. Flexlift gas springs provide an excellent solution for opening hinged panels and various other products. Doors, lids and windows can be raised and kept open without assistance, yet can be smoothly and easily closed. Our various mounting brackets and fastening devices make installation quick and simple. Whatever the designer’s problem with “opening” may be, Flexlift has the answer!”

Innovation “Our production range covers nearly all dimensions and forces which are required for your specific application. Flexlift gas springs are used anywhere in the industrial field. Besides the automobile and furniture industry, there are innumberable applications in the machin-

ery and equipment design. We can also offer special solutions for your all kind of demands. The continuous production of special sizes and our extensive stock enable us to meet nearly all requirements within a remarkable short time.”

About Flexline “Staple is a one product that must used in production for upholstery and furniture. Staples is the best friend of furniture assembler for show their magic. Thats why the reason they would same quality for each staple. Flexline is our registered brand what known in sector with best quality for each wire and special for our clients. Flexline has 80-92-100 and P88/18 series for upholstery/furniture industry and can be used perfectly for all kind of staple gun with it’s high quality.”

Export to 5 continents “We are especially active in countries which follow the trends in Turkey such as Middle East, Balkans, Caucasus, South America and North Africa. We actively export to 50 countries in 5 continents. Our motto is to export products from A to Z. We ship around 20% of our production to foreign markets but this share goes up to 50% in textile products. “When it comes to domestic market we ship specific products mainly to Aegean, Marmara and Black Sea regions. 70% of our production is shipped to different regions nationwide.”

Change of the mattress industry “There is a big gap in the production of mattresses. Producers start-

ed to produce luxury mattresses rather than economical mattresses in recent years. The demand of the consumers is also focused at this point. It is a big advantage that Turkish manufacturers can produce mattress from every kind of raw materials. Our country is very strong and developed at raw materials. There have been some companies which produce only mattress and they parted mattress away from the furniture industry in recent years. This is a big step for the mattress industry to be an independent sector because until now the mattress industry has stayed at the shade of the furniture industry. I believe that independency of the mattress industry will be built up better in the meantime.”

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Sismanoglu Textile keeps growing

A producer of bed cords and sofa bed ventilation capsules, printed ribbons and fabric restoration sticks to bed spacer; Sismanoglu Textile company has a factory of 1000 sqm in Beykoz, Istanbul. General manager, Tahsin Sismanoglu informed about his company.

On company We established the company in 2004 having a small workshop. Then in 2012 we expanded it up to one thousand sqm. We produce about 3.5 million meters of narrow band wick bed and sofa bed ventilation capsule, printed ribbon and fabric restoration stick to bed spacer monthly. We

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emphasize on dependability, timely delivery and developing new models. No other product is used for 7 to 8 hours a day, like bed. It is one of the important part of our lives. Consumers should be careful while selecting right product for their health. We try to develop new designs and to meet every demand and desires of our customers. We even visit our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; premises to develop special designs and productions.

On exports We aim to improve our efforts for exporting our products. In the future we sell our products in abroad.

Presently our products are sold in Rumania, Russia, Tunis and Azerbaijan. Turkey is a good position in textile field. However, competition is harsh

because of longer periods of payments. Shortening cash returns may help us to improve our competitiveness. We aim to be a dependable and respectful supplier for mattress producers.

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Base production base from BKB

Started to produce bases for mattresses, BKB furniture company began to produce beds lately. One of the suppliers of the largest bed manufacturer, who sold 90 % of production to this company, BKB exports the rest. Enver Gozupek, operations manager of BKB furniture, explains his views:

On BKB furniture Co.

Erdal GĂśzĂźpek Business Manager of BKB Mobilya

In our factory of 3,000 sqm. equipped with latest machinery in Kayseri Organized Industrial Zone, we have been producing mainly bases and headboard for beds since 2010. We try to be distinguished with our innovative products and service quality. Behind the quality lays the dedication to participation of all our staff in the manufacturing processes and our attention to detail in production. Starting with procurement quality management system has

been running smoothly up to the end point where our products meet with their end users. With the advantage of producing on assembly line, the company can manage all quality control processes and increase the efficiency. Daily production run can be reached up to 500 pieces and that makes us the leader in the city.

Customer focused production Meeting the expectations of its customers and needs the company offer products and services beyond their expectations in the future. We aimed to increase the performance level one more step up. We also keen about environmental issues in production.

Other products for mattress manufacturers Hard felt, soft felt, cotton felt and wool felt are our major products.

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Our buyers use them in the production of high segment products. Cottons are for summer type beds, wool fillings used on the winter side of the mattress. We use 100 percent merinos washed wools. We buy them from domestic producers.

Production doubled in line with exports We export some products including felts to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Angola. We got a new equipment for pressing and vacuuming of felts to reduce the volume and cost of transportation. We increased our production capacity from 250 tons to 500 tons. We produce two kinds of felts. One is made by needles and other is made through air flow. We are one of the few companies having TSE standards in production.

Construction industry fuels bed sales Like construction sector, textile is a generic industry. Both run in parallel while growing. Each home sold means more demand for furniture and beds. Demand for them do not change much in the short run, however, they are replaced in the mid term. There is no trend in mattress. Demand for our production is directly related with sales of furniture and beds. Production process is the same for about 20 years. Waste and by products of textile industry are our input for production. Thus we are somehow in recycling business. We keep our records to document the transaction of polyester and cotton mix raw materials that were then sold as hard felt.

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Infection preventionputting antimicrobial products and hygiene precautions to the test © Hohenstein Institute ® Prof. Höfer, Director of the Department of Hygiene, Environment and Medicine at the Hohenstein Institute, Bönnigheim.

Using antimicrobial textiles is an option anywhere where it is important to avoid infection by pathogens, so especially in the healthcare and personal care sectors. In those contexts, antimicrobial textiles may be used for bed linen, towels or the uniforms of doctors and care workers.

The Hohenstein Institute tests antimicrobial products and hygiene precautions for their effectiveness and benefit in the context of preventive health care and the fight against pathogens. BÖNNIGHEIM - According to a study by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, every year about 3.2 million people fall ill with a hospital-acquired infection. For that reason, hygiene plays a very important role, both in healthcare institutions and in private households, in preventing illness and infection. Germs such as fungi or bacteria can survive on surfaces for

several months. That is why it is important to take measures to combat them in order to break the chain of infection. Antimicrobial products can play an important role here. We talked to Prof. Höfer, Director of the Department of Hygiene, Environment and Medicine at the Hohenstein Institute, Bönnigheim, about the use and effectiveness of antimicrobial products. Prof. Höfer, at your institute you test the antimicrobial effect of products. What do your tests consist of? We test products that incorporate antimicrobial technologies for their

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compliance with international standards and certify their effectiveness on the basis of type testing. Textile and non-textile products with an antimicrobial function are tested and evaluated in standardised, independent test procedures. In addition to this kind of certification, we also offer our customers realistically designed tests so that the effectiveness of the product in question can be tested in use. In a number of different studies, we are also researching specific issues relating to antimicrobial effectiveness using specially adapted practical trials. Which sectors do the products come from that you test? The range of sectors from which products are tested is very wide. In general, we test all textiles, surfaces, consumer goods and other products which claim to contain substances that combat microorganisms. Products with an antimicrobial effect may be hygiene products, cleaning materials, outdoor products, functional textiles, workwear and personal protective equipment. However, domestic and wellness textiles, technical textiles, healthcare products, paints and varnishes, coatings and plastics may also contain antimicrobial substances. In what kind of areas can antimicrobial textiles be used? These products are often used in infection prevention, but also in industrial and domestic hygiene, or to reduce odors or prevent corro-

The transmission of pathogens poses an increasing health risk for both care workers and people in need of care. ÂŠ Alexander Raths / Shutterstock.com

sion. Using antimicrobial textiles is an option anywhere where it is important to avoid infection by pathogens, so especially in the healthcare and personal care sectors. In those contexts, antimicrobial textiles may be used for bed-linen, towels or the uniforms of doctors and care workers. If surfaces and objects in communal facilities have an antimicrobial function, this can help reduce the transmission of pathogens by killing or deactivating the microorganisms. How is the antimicrobial effect achieved in products? In the case of antimicrobial textiles, these are normally products containing biocides. Biocides are substances that inhibit the growth of microorganisms or kill them. Such biocides include, for example, silver and copper, because silver ions and certain copper alloys are toxic

to microorganisms. Products with an antibacterial effect kill bacteria. Antimycotic substances inhibit the growth of fungi, while antiviral substances have a deactivating effect on viruses. Textiles incorporating antimicrobial technologies can therefore certainly help combat bacteria, viruses and fungi. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t antimicrobial products that kill bacteria also damage our health? In order to help our customers assess the quality of an antimicrobial treatment and develop new products, we also offer them, in addition to the effectiveness tests, safety testing, for example on human skin flora. By skin flora, we mean the dense colonization of human skin with microorganisms. They play an important role in defending our bodies. We test whether strongly antibacterial products have a negative effect on the naturally occurring bacteria on

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the skin. Products which have no negative effects on the bacteria in healthy human skin flora are certified with the quality label “Skin flora-neutral”.

dence for the use of antimicrobial textiles. Secondly, we hope to help improve public perception of the use and effectiveness of antimicrobial textiles.

According to the Society for Hospital Hygiene, 30,000 people die every year from hospital-acquired infections. The German Hospital Federation says that 2000-4500 of these infections are avoidable. Wouldn’t the use of antimicrobial textiles in the healthcare and care home sectors be of considerable benefit in preventing infections?

What do you see as the next steps, if your research project is successful, and whom will it benefit?

The Hohenstein Institute is currently carrying out an independent research project to find out how effective antimicrobial textiles are in breaking infection chains in care situations. We are conducting this in cooperation with hospitals, care homes and the textile industry. In this way we can obtain realistic results from our study. What exactly is the purpose of this research project? The aim of the project is to examine in practice how antimicrobial textiles work in a healthcare context. We are paying particular attention to breaking infection chains and to the practicality of the textiles. We hope that the project will, firstly, provide scientific evi-

If the field trials are successful, we will produce a matrix for the use of antimicrobial textiles in healthcare situations. This will indicate the kind of performance data for textiles that would suggest that antimicrobial products could be expected to be effective in a healthcare situation. If the transmission of bacteria can be significantly reduced by using antimicrobial textiles, that will be an additional hygiene benefit to supplement standard hygiene precautions. The application matrix will therefore be very important for the industry. With the help of this information, products can be developed and optimized. We are confident that, as a result, the acceptance and use of antimicrobial textiles in both healthcare institutions and domestic situations will increase. Do you also offer tests that could help prevent infection? Yes. Another area in which we offer testing is the monitoring and

evaluation of textile hygiene. That includes testing the microbiological purity of laundry and the disinfecting and hygienic effectiveness of washing procedures, for example for the detergent industry. We also test and assess the hygiene measures taken in laundries’ technical facilities and the barrier function of uniforms and operating theatre textiles used in hospitals. Improved hygiene can prevent infection for both care workers and the people receiving care.

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Sleep Better with Runtastic SAN FRANCISCO – Runtastic – an innovative suite of apps, products and services that track and manage health and fitness data to motivate individuals to improve their overall health – announced the launch of its first ever sleep-focused app, Sleep Better. The app, available today on iOS and Android, boasts a myriad of features, including: Smart Alarm & Wake-Up Window, Moon Phase Tracking, Dream Notes and complex Sleep Tracking (Duration, Cycles and Efficiency) which work even when a device is in airplane mode. Users are also encouraged to track typical daily variables, such as caffeine and alcohol consumption, workout habits and stress levels, to see how these factors uniquely affect their sleep quality.

platform which allows health and fitness apps to work seamlessly together, and provides users with the ability to access all of their health and fitness data and view it on a comprehensive dashboard.

Sleep Better is fully integrated with Apple’s new iOS 8 HealthKit, a highly customizable

Scientifically-engineered, yet easy and fun to use Sleep Better is the result of dedicated work over

“If we’ve learned anything in recent years, it’s the importance of a balanced, 24-hour approach to overall health and fitness,” said Florian Gschwandtner, Runtastic co-founder and CEO. “The Sleep Better app is our first, dedicated foray into helping users achieve better sleep quality. We are very excited to launch Sleep Better, and believe that integrating with Apple’s HealthKit will have a profound impact on improving users’ sleep habits and achieving a healthier lifestyle.”

the course of several months, during which the Runtastic team not only developed the app, but also perfected sleep algorithms by spending countless nights in sleep labs and gaining insights from sleep specialists, doctors and individuals struggling with sleep quality. The result is a unique, high-quality app, packed with features that will help users fall asleep more easily, achieve higher sleep efficiency and awake at the perfect moment during light sleep cycles – ensuring a smooth transition into the day. Additional features include:

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• Track sleep duration, cycles and efficiency

These numbers come on the heels of Runtastic’s fifth birthday, which was celebrated in mid-October.

• Develop a better understanding of light and deep sleep cycles, as well as time spent awake • Use the Smart Alarm to wake up at the ideal time within your personalized Wake-Up Window • Enjoy a variety of alarm sounds and snooze functions • Enter daily habits & variables, such as caffeine consumption, exercise info, alcohol consumption and stress levels, to determine the effects of these variables on sleep quality • Monitor moon phases • Use Dream Notes to learn what you dream about most and what percentage of your dreams are good, bad or neutral • View sleep history, including daily stats and overviews for longer time periods (i.e. a selected week or month) • Filter history taking daily variables into account to determine when you’re sleeping best In order to use the app, users simply activate a sleep session with the press of a button and set their mobile device on the

bed (next to their pillow). The sleep session will end when the Smart Alarm sounds or the user manually ends the session with a quick swipe. “All sleep tracking is not created equal,” said Gschwandtner. “Sleep Better is the ideal app for those who want to learn more about their sleep and how their daily activities may influence the quality of their sleep. The app also adds to the robustness of our entire ecosystem and will help users continue to lead a better, more aware lifestyle.” Expansion of ecosystem coincides with major company milestones In addition to the Sleep Better launch, Runtastic announced today that the company surpassed 100 million mobile app downloads. In 2014 alone, the company witnessed an average of 140,000 downloads per day.

About Runtastic Founded in 2009, Runtastic has rapidly grown into an innovative suite of apps, products and services that track and manage health and fitness data to motivate individuals to get in shape, stay healthy and improve overall fitness. With more than 100 million downloads and 45 million registered users on Runtastic.com, Runtastic’s mobile applications sync directly with proprietary hardware to track distance, speed, pace, time, heart rate, calorie consumption and route traveled (via maps) when running, biking or engaging in other exercise activities. Results can then be viewed directly within the apps, via Runtastic GPS devices or on Runtastic.com where users can view their online training log, get detailed data analysis and compare with others. Whether you are a novice or an athlete, Runtastic makes exercise easy and fun. Runtastic is available on iPhone, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry.

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“Invest in a good pillow and mattress” “Think ergonomically” Experts say that we don’t often think about our spines when we’re lying in bed. They emphasize that our sleep posture can determine our spine wellness – and whether or not we experience back pain. “American Academy of Spine Physicians” listed “30 Tips For Better Spine Health” Some of them are as follows:

Invest in a good pillow and mattress: The average individual spends approximately one third of life sleeping, therefore; proper support of the spine and head during this period will strongly influence

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spine health. A good pillow and mattress will also facilitate more restorative sleep. In some instances an individual may benefit by the use of more the one pillow. There are different types of pillows. When you sleep you do not have conscious control over your body position. A good mattress will support the spine no matter how many times one moves during the night.

Good sleep support: Sleeping on a supportive mattress. Do not sleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to reduce rotation of the low back. If you sleep on your side, try to keep your legs bent at the knees and at the hips, a position which reduces the stress on the low back.

Invest in good chairs: Individuals spend the majority of their lives in a sitting position. Chairs greatly influence sitting posture. Poor chairs contribute to

chronic spine problems; well- designed chairs promote spine health.

Think ergonomically: Seek the optimum work environment. This requires an adjustable workstation to properly support the extremities and the spine. An efficient work environment will include proper phone equipment, an adjustable chair, an efficient keyboard and adjustable monitor. The work surface should have adjustable height. It will also require proper lighting. A footrest will contribute to reduced stress on the spine. Assume a relaxed yet supported posture.

Use products that promote good posture and spine health: Utilize products which support the spine from the ground up. Use support-enhancing products that can be added to poorly designed furniture and seating. For furher information please visit: http://www. spinephysicians.org/

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Turkish Central Bank: Price stability could enable real interest rates to be much lower Increasing savings are needed to accelerate and sustain growth, Turkish Central Bank Governor Erdem Başçı has said. “Different from many other countries, the fundamental factor that will enable growth in Turkey is increasing savings,” Başçı said, addressing the Fourth International

Economy Conference held in Kemer in the southern province of Antalya. “We aim to maintain growth in Turkey through increasing savings, so the efforts will be in this direction,” he said during the meeting organized by Turkish Economy Institution. The Central Bank’s top contribution to the balanced growth, meanwhile, will be maintaining price stability,

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which has been designated as the top target of the institution, Başçı also said, adding that price stability could enable nominal and real interest rates to be much lower, thus paving way for higher growth. The slowdown in EU growth and geopolitical tensions have restrained external demand. Despite waning external demand, exports continue to support the balanced growth. Regarding the developments in the Turkish economy, the recent global financial volatility has affected Turkey in a way similar to other emerging economies. In the

third quarter, Turkey’s risk premium indicators fluctuated on par with those of other emerging economies In the third quarter of 2014, the uncertainty over advanced country monetary policies led to a partial volatility increase in global financial markets. While the US Federal Reserve (Fed) ended its quantitative easing program, uncertainties regarding the timing and size of a policy rate hike continued. In this period, the European Central Bank (ECB) cut its policy rates against the risks of an economic slowdown and deflation and announced a

kind of quantitative easing program of buying covered bonds and asset-backed securities. In the second and third quarters of 2014, indicators for global economic activity performed lower than expected, causing growth forecasts for this year to be revised down. Financial market volatility and falling global growth rates led to some fluctuation in capital flows to emerging economies. Following the weakening global growth outlook, commodity prices dropped markedly as well.

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Las Vegas Market accelerates launch of new C5 Showroom floor New Boutique Home DĂŠcor, Textiles & Accessories Floor Debuting in January

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a hybrid of permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits. “Las Vegas Market’s continued leasing momentum will allow us to introduce C5 six months earlier than originally scheduled,” said Dorothy Belshaw, President Gift+Home Decor, International Market Centers. “Ultimately, C5 will feature an additional 30 new home textiles and home décor showrooms for Winter 2015, with over 60 more permanent showrooms to be added for Summer 2015, which significantly reinforces Las Vegas Market’s position as the leading furniture, home decor and gift destination in the western United States.” For the Winter 2015 debut, C5 will feature a hybrid presentation of boutique showrooms featuring innovative, design-driven and artisanal home textiles and accessories resources, alongside home-focused

LAS VEGAS –Las Vegas Market announced that high occupancy levels on existing better home décor floors, increased interest from vendors and overall leasing momentum will accelerate the planned launch of C5, a new floor for high-end home décor, home textiles, and accessories, to occur during the Winter 2015 market, Sunday, January 18 through Thursday, January 22, 2015. Originally planned for Summer 2015 as part of the third, and final, phase of Las Vegas Market’s three-year strategic growth plan, C5 will premiere in January 2015 as

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temporary exhibits in five categories. The home fashions product mix on C5 will include top of bed and coordinating bedroom ensembles, portable lighting, wall art, decorative accessories, floor coverings, accent furniture, decorative pillows and other accessories. The C5 launch will be anchored by vendors transitioning from temporary exhibition spaces into permanent showrooms, as well as newcomers to Las Vegas Market. Boutique resources confirming their intent to participate to date include: Amity Home; Festoni; Gold Leaf Design Group; Mitchell Black; Oliver Gal; Phylum; Pillow Bar; Ro Sham Beaux; Softline; Tommy Mitchell; and Watson & Co. In total, some 25 new showrooms are expected to debut in 40,000 square feet. Four categories of home-focused temporary exhibits –GALLERY, HOME, STYLE and TEXTILES – will remain on C5 for the winter 2015

market, before relocating in Summer 2015 to the Pavilions, existing permanent tent structures on the Las Vegas Market campus. The C5 temporary exhibitors will include 425 South, Arther Galerias, Cotton Belle, Cozy Nomad Designs, Downright, Fabulous Furs, Forty West Designs, Greenington Inc., Heather Ann Creations, Irons and Thread, Karma Living, Lands Downunder, Light In Art, Loom and Mill, Northwood Collection, Torre & Tagus, Urban Trends, Vahallan Papers Inc., Vertuu and Woven Workz. Charter tenant Darren DeMatoff, principal of Gold Leaf Design Group, said, “More than any other market, Las Vegas has provided huge growth opportunities, both in the U.S. and internationally. Each show, we meet substantial numbers of new buyers and open new accounts. We have been tremendously pleased with our results from Las Vegas Market, and are looking forward to opening our first permanent showroom on the West

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Coast on C5 for the Winter Market.” The redesigned C5 moves Las Vegas Market substantially closer to the completion of its three-year strategic growth plan, a phased realignment of showroom spaces designed to create an unparalleled presentation of furniture, gift and home décor in the western United States. The final phase of this planned evolution, which will take place at the Summer Market in July 2015, will form a comprehensive, multi-dimensional buying platform designed to appeal to today’s cross-category buyers and suppliers. The final phase will include the launch of a new permanent showroom floor for gourmet housewares, tabletop and gift suppliers on floor C11, and the relocation of temporary exhibits from C5 and C11 floors to the Pavilions, a dedicated, free-standing venue on the Market campus. Since embarking on the threephase growth plan in 2013, Las Vegas Market has experienced

dramatic increases in the furniture, home décor and gift product categories, adding more than 850,000 square feet of new and expanded showrooms and more than 1,200 new lines. The first two phases of its strategic growth have included the successful introduction of c-ONE, a curated collection of tabletop and directional cross-category resources in temporary and permanent showrooms ; launch of C10 The Lifestyle Collection showrooms and market-time “boutiques”; re-merchandised and expanded better home décor and gift resources; and record-setting growth in temporary exhibits in Building C. Las Vegas Market is the leading furniture, home decor and gift marketplace in the western U.S., presenting 2,200+ gift, home décor and furniture resources in an unrivaled market destination. Las Vegas Market features thousands of gift, furniture and home décor lines, allowing for cross-category commerce among these industries.

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Ministry of Health tightens controls in bed and pillow manufacturing

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Tests carried out by authorities of Ministry of Health showed that some products that have anti-bacterial product label do not conform to the standards. Sanctions will imposed on the companies, the ministry sources said. According to the news published by Daily Dunya, Ministry of Health increased controls in pillow and quilt manufacturing companies, including the larger ones. It was alleged that products that are sold with labels of anti-bacterial product category, actually do not conform to the labels. Samples were collected from sellers to test, in case the products have problems, companies will be subject to sanctions and penalties.

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Representatives of the industry says that the products labeled as anti-bacterial should be conformable to the regulation called Biocidal Product, that was prepared in conformity to 98/8/EC directive of European Union and regulation 528/2012/EU. Published in the Official Paper on 12 March 2014 the biocidal products are defined as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Products that contain one or more

active materials, offered to sale as end product, having any kind of chemical and biological effects on hazardous organisms or any active materials that limits, keeps away, protects or removes them.â&#x20AC;? Authorities said that, biocidal products should have been certified on their conformity to the conditions and specifications for classifying, labeling, packaging, and safety, and their promotion as shown in

the regulation. Customers are advised to check the authenticity of the products and their conformity to the certificates and labels of the products. Representatives of the industry point out the fact that one third of human life is spend in sleep. During this long period, sleep products touch the skin of people. So the materials used in the manu-

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facturing of sleep products, such as beds, pillows, and quilts, bear vital importance. Polimer fibers obtained by recycled materials are major inputs for bed and sleep products manufacturing. In case that they are not inspected regularly they may contain hazardous chemical and dye residues that may cause harm on the body through inhalation and perspiration.

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Relax 2000 with seat & feet lifting mechanism is the best comfort for your wellbeing. 45 patented threedimensionally supported special spring elements make sure that you spend your night in the Relax bed system as if you were floating.

The sink-in depth of 70 mm provides best adjustment to your body and relief of the spine during the night. Thanks to the special spring elements, you can adjust your bed with the provided tension rods according to your personal needs. Special relief for shoulders and pelvis can be effortlessly achieved by taking out or tensioning the tension rods that are arranged in the centre of the special spring elements. This bed system fits into any existing bed with lateral support rails. Naturally, our metal-free Relax solid wood beds would be the best choice. The special spring element

45 three-dimensionally supported solid wood plates (for a bed size of 90/200 cm) that are supported on a patented special spring element form the centrepiece of the Relax 2000 bed system. These special spring elements are equipped with tension rods that can be used for adjusting the firmness according to your personal needs. The Relax Naturflex bed system will give you the relaxation you need as it resilient at the shoulders and the pelvis, supports the other zones of the body, thus providing special relief for your back muscles. Depending on the individual build and needs of your body, you can

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take out the bottom hardwood lamellas in the shoulder and pelvic area to reduce counter pressure. You thus achieve perfect resting comfort. Naturflex is a slatted frame consisting of 42 hardwood lamellas (9 mm thick), of which 17 hardwood lamellas are arranged in the shoulder and the pelvic area (5.5 mm thick) that are supported by durable elastic latex elements. Naturflex is a slatted frame consisting of 42 hardwood lamellas (9 mm thick), of which 17 hardwood lamellas are arranged in the shoulder and the pelvic area (5.5 mm thick) that are supported by durable elastic latex elements.

The spring element Depending on the individual build and needs of your body, you can take out the bottom hardwood lamellas in the shoulder or pelvic area to reduce counter pressure. The insertion frame is supplied with every Naturflex spring element so that you can insert our spring elements in every bed provided with lateral support rails.

Naturflex The Relax Naturflex bed system will give you the relaxation you need as it resilient at the shoulders and the pelvis, supports the other zones of the body, thus providing special relief for your back muscles. Depending on the individual build and needs of your body, you can take out the bottom hardwood lamellas in the shoulder and pelvic area to reduce counter pressure. You thus achieve perfect resting comfort. Naturflex is a slatted frame consisting of 42 hardwood lamellas (9 mm thick), of which 17 hardwood lamellas are arranged in the shoulder and the pelvic area (5.5 mm thick) that are supported by durable elastic latex elements.

Naturflex is a slatted frame consisting of 42 hardwood lamellas (9 mm thick), of which 17 hardwood lamellas are arranged in the shoulder and the pelvic area (5.5 mm thick) that are supported by durable elastic latex elements.

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Improved hygiene protection for wool and other textiles containing wool Scientists develop wash-resistant antimicrobial treatment for protein fibers

Woollen textiles are washed less frequently than those made of other fibers because of their felting tendency. For that reason, an antimicrobial treatment can be very useful, for example on a business suit made of wool.

BÖNNIGHEIM - As part of an IGF research project, scientists at the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim and the Leibnitz Institute for Interactive Materials in Aachen have developed an antimicrobial treatment for wool and other textiles containing wool.

Many of the antimicrobial treatment substances available on the market today are very effective on cotton, polyester, polyamide and those kinds of mixtures of fibers. By contrast, antimicrobial substances are often not effective at all, or only to a very limited extent, on

wool and mixed fibers containing wool. And yet an antimicrobial protective treatment would be particularly desirable here, because textiles containing wool are generally washed less frequently than textiles made from other fibers, due  to the felting tendency of woolen

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Producing an SA/TSA colloidal complex: a) Stage 2 (adding drops of CaCl2 solution) b) Isolated SA/TSA (1:10) filtrate. © Hohenstein Institute

fibers. Especially in the outdoor and sports sectors, wool is currently experiencing a real renaissance, so Mihaela Szegedi, Project Leader at the Hohenstein Institute, sees that as a particularly attractive area of application for this innovative textile finish: “By combining the use of different antimicrobial substances and technologies, we have achieved a really wide range of effectiveness. This will

as “layer-by-layer” coating. The two research institutions pursued two different approaches in parallel. At the Hohenstein Institute, researchers concentrated on producing a

colloidal dispersion of mixed substances (a colloidal complex) in an aqueous dispersion medium. This is what a suspension is called

be especially of interest to manufacturers of high-quality functional textiles containing wool. However, we also see great potential for classic business suits or ladies’ suits made of wool or mixed fabrics containing wool, as well as domestic and furnishing textiles.” To find the best formulation, the researchers studied the combined use of ionic biopolymers, cationic polyelectrolytes, materials like silver and zinc and technologies such

Antimicrobial effectiveness of treatments consisting of colloidal layers (zinc, SA/TSA complex) after 5-25 wash cycles (domestic wash, 40°C) against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bioindicators. ©Hohenstein Institute

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By combining the use of different antimicrobial substances and technologies, the scientists were able to achieve an antimicrobial treatment that was widely effective.

in which the antimicrobial particles (1nm < size > 1μm) consist of two substances: the ionic biopolymer alginate (SA) and a type of silane quat (the cationic tetraoctadecyl silicon ammonium compound (TSA)). The experts at the Hohenstein Institute worked out the best ratio for the concentration of the two components, SA:TSA, and how to find the best way of applying and fixing ultra-thin layers to textile substrates.

and 1b) from different SA:TSA % weight ratios, the antimicrobial effectiveness of the SA/TSA colloidal complexes was studied. The interaction with the fiber substrates was tested by measuring zeta potential and the pre-prototype was optimized to improve wash permanence.

The DWI developed a hydrogel coating made of polyamines and silver colloids and studied the effectiveness of the silver-release layers that were produced in situ in the treatment of pure woolen fabric and in fiber mixes.

By using application techniques such as high-temperature exhaust and cold-pad-batch processes, followed by drying/fixing, alternating layers of the polyamine hydrogel, the silver colloids and the polyelectrolyte layers (SA, TSA) were applied and the range of effectiveness was evaluated at both research centers using different assessment matrices.

Following a two-stage gel cross-linking reaction to produce the colloidal complex (Figures 1a

The tests showed that by combining two active components (silver ions and Si- quats) the growth

of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) on wool and on wool and polyester blends could be greatly reduced. The application of silver-release layers (Ag/ polyamine), polyelectrolyte (SA) and Si-quat layers (TSA) resulted in a finish that had a synergistic effect. The disadvantages of a combined treatment based on silver-release layers and alternating polyelectrolyte layers are discoloring and limited wash permanence. In the research project, a treatment based on colloidal complexes was developed for the first time specifically for wool and WO and PET fiber blends. By applying colloidal layers of the SA/TSA complex (in a 1:2 ratio), together with a colloidal zinc- pyrithione formulation over the sol-gel coating, a strong antimicrobial effect was achieved

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Woollen test fabric treated with silver colloid and SA/TSA complex: pickled (left), untreated (middle), felt-free (right). ©Hohenstein Institute

which lasted even after 25 wash cycles (Figure 3). Here, too, in addition to the wash permanence, a wider spectrum of effectiveness against bacteria and fungi was noted as a result of combining the two active components. It was found that the effectiveness against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bioindicators can be increased by a higher proportion of TSA. Analysis by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ATR-IR spectroscopy indicates that the interaction of the anionic polyelectrolyte SA with the TSA silane-quat components leads to the formation of colloidal structures (micelles) or silesquioxane oligomers as a result of electrostatic interactions. Combining the use of the aqueous SA/TSA complex and colloidal silver in an exhaust process, or of commercial zinc-based colloids in a Fou-

lard process, leads to a wide range of effectiveness and excellent hygiene protection for products containing wool. This means that products based on animal protein fibers can be protected against the destructive effect of fungi, algae and bacteria. Woolen textiles that are frequently exposed to moisture can also be protected by this treatment from material damage such as mold or rotting. This kind of synergistic treatment for textiles with a high woolen fiber content can  be of great benefit to textile manufacturers (domestic textiles, upholstery materials), insulation producers, hosiery manufacturers and other fabric producers.

Companies in the technical textile sector, whose product range includes woolen fiber blends (car seats), will also be able to benefit from the advantages of antimicrobial protection. The specific formulations that are used are already licensed under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation and can therefore be used as a combined treatment (based on aqueous colloidal dispersions) by textile finishing companies.

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European Commission: Turkey’s GDP to move higher in 2015

Exports contribute strongly to increased growth and will improve by 5 percent in 2016

ANKARA-Turkey’s GDP will move steadily higher from 2015 through 2016, a European Commission forecast said. Turkey’s GDP grew at a surprisingly fast rate at the beginning of the year, but slowed down in the second quarter, according to he European Economic Forecast published in Brussels.

The report says growth is expected to increase by 3.3 percent in 2015, up from 2.8 percent growth in 2014, as domestic demand recovers gradually. Increasing demand will also drive growth higher in 2016 by 3.7 percent, the forecast says. The projected contribution from exports to GDP growth will re-

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The forecast projects that government debt will increase in 2014 due to much slower revenue growth, then drop over the next two years as economic activity and revenue growth pick up again. The report says that the employment rate will rise by 3.2 percent in 2016 compared with 3 percent in 2015.

main strong for the current year and will grow by 5 percent in 2016 compared with 4.4 percent in 2015.

Imports are also projected to rise by 5.5 percent in 2016, compared with 3.7 percent in 2015, up from -1.0 percent in 2014.

Turkey is the largest national economy in Central and Eastern Europe, a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still accounts for about 30 percent of employment. Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy has slowed in pace with the global economic slowdown in the past year.

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Iskeceli opens up in abroad

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We

have

spring

the

greatest

manufacturing

bag

facility

in Turkey,â&#x20AC;? says Serkan Kir of Iskeceli company, who aims to enter new markets in new year especially in America and in Asia with its registered brand Comfy. He introduces his company and operations:

Who is Iskeceli and Comfy? Iskeceli is the name of our company. Under its frame we produce steel wire in our four companies all having thousand tons of monthly capacity. Earlier the company was a trader of coach then started to produce steel wire and springs for furniture industry. Comfy is our registered brand for these products. We

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have invested about 2 million dollars in machinery inventory and increased product variety.

What is the difference between bonnel and bagged springs? Bonnel springs are the ones that were not put in a closed bag. The number of springs an a package is rather limited and all springs act as a whole. The mattresses made of this kind of springs are not comfortable since they do not get shapes of the body.

Bagged springs can move individually when put in the mattresses. The number of springs can be more in a bed. And diameters of wire can be lessened to adjust the strength. We can produce wires from 30 millimeters to 65 mm. These increase the comfort level of the bed.

bonding wires. Dimensions and heights of the springs can be adjusted to the order of the customer. In bagged springs metal wires are put in the fabrics and then glued in bags.

What is the production process of these products?

Wire is the main input that is imported. Other textiles products such as paddings and fabrics are bought from domestic sources. Glue is also imported and is important to keep its

Wires are curved in the machines and are spiraled and then tied to each other with

Where do you procure your inputs for the manufacturing?

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functioning for years. We import some special steel wire from Germany.

About your production facilities? It is located on 35 thousand sqm. land of which 8 thousand sqm. is covered. Employing 100 worker in two shifts it works round the clock. 95 percent of our production is exported. The rest is sold in Istanbul and delivered to a few sister companies.

On export markets? England is our major market. They are demanding more for improved spring systems. Other countries use standard products and they also started to rise their manufacturing standards. Besides, we deliv-

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er our products to Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Brazil, Balkans, Algeria, Iran and Japan. Our patented product Air-Flow is only sold to Japanese customer. Airflow is a special product that provides progressive support for the body. It offers two different strength level for men and women and can be formed depending on the body on it. Airflow has also higher ability for ventilation in the bed that rises the standard of the bed.

What is your opinion on fairs? We first go to fairs in target countries as visitors for market research. Annually we go to about 8 to 10 fairs with this aim. This year we will go to fair in Sweden, in France and in the USA. We made some business

contacts there. Paris fair was highly efficient for us.

How was the year 2013? We closed it with our patenting works and new investments on capacity and machinery. Our growth was 20 percent. The last part of the year was not so good, thus we produced for inventory. In 20014 we will launch new products. We produce different springs and bags. We will be interested in different products and variety of markets. We consider entering Korean market. Sweden and Denmark are also promising markets for us. We will keep growing with our innovations, investments and our 15 years of experience in the industry.

Mattress Industry Terms 140

Source: ISPA, International Sleep Products Association

Adjustable base: An electro-mechanical or manual bed frame construction that permits the raising and lowering of the head and/or foot portions of the mattress.

Backing: Any fabric or sheeting material that is used during quilting to anchor the stitches. Batting: See Cotton Felt.

Airbed: An air mattress with a core that is an air-filled vinyl bladder. Better airbeds are multichambered, covered with cushioning, upholstered with ticking and sold with a foundation.

Bedding: Commonly used as a generic term for a mattress and foundation set, but may also apply to accessory items such as blankets, sheets, pillows, comforters, mattress pads, etc.

Anti-microbial fiber and foam: Treatment that inhibits the growth of microbial contaminates.

Bedding ensemble: A complete sleep support system, consisting of a metal frame or a bed, a founda-

tion and a mattress set. Bed frame: A metal or wood frame with legs used to support a mattress and foundation. Conventional height is 7-1/4 inches and the low-profile version is 5-3/4 inches when measured from the floor to the bottom of the foundation. Generally a headboard can be attached. Metal frames are sometimes known as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;? frame. Bedsprings: Open-spring or wire fabric box springs without uphol-

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stery materials or cover. Binding tape: Fabric tape used to bind and close the mattress or foundation where the vertical and horizontal panels of outer ticking come together, providing the edge trimming for the mattress or foundation. See Tape and Tape Edge. Body impressions: Indentations occurring on the surface of a mattress over time, due to the compression of materials by the human body. Bonnell: A knotted, round-top, hourglass-shaped steel wire coil. When laced together with crosswire helicals, these coils form the simplest innerspring unit, also referred to as a Bonnell. Border: The vertical side or edge of a mattress or foundation. Prebuilt borders are constructed by stitching together the ticking, foam or other filling materials and a backing material. Commonly quilted or vertical-stitched. Border rod: A heavy gauge wire rod attached to the perimeter of

the innerspring unit (top and bottom) by means of a helical wire or metal clips. Boric acid: A chemical additive applied during the garnetting of cotton and/or other fibers to provide cigarette ignition resistance characteristics. Box spring: Also referred to as a “foundation.” A base for an innerspring mattress, consisting of coils or other forms of springs mounted on a wood or metal frame and secured with a wire-interlaced or welded-wire grid, topped with upholstery and insulating materials (felt, urethane or other resilient materials), and covered on the top and sides with ticking and on the bottom with a dust cover. It is an important part of a bed set since it serves as a shock absorber, distributes weight, and supports and interacts with the innerspring mattress to properly support the body. Box-top mattress: A mattress featuring a raised surface finishing treatment where a separate, sided

and rectangular encasement of soft materials–usually with a tape edge–is attached via a welt to the entire surface on top of existing cover and upholstery. Bunk bed: A two-tiered wood or metal frame designed to accommodate two mattresses, typically twin-size, one above the other. Some models allow the upper and lower units to be detached and used as separate beds. Bunkie: A mattress, usually twinsize, and platform base used on bunk beds. Cal 117: Refers to California Technical Bulletin 117, which specifies a vertical flame testing procedure for bedding and furniture component materials. Foam referred to as “Cal 117 foam” has passed this test. Carbon: The principal hardening element in steel. The higher the carbon content, the harder the metal and the more temper it will take, thus giving longer “memory.” Cellulose acetate pad: Woody fiber compacted into a pad and used

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as an insulator. May be glued or sandwiched between plastic netting to help hold it together. Coil count: The number of coils in an innerspring unit. Though the count can effect weight distribution, it is not the determining factor for firmness. The count is usually based on the number of coils in a full-size unit. Coils: The individual wire springs that form an innerspring unit. See Hourglass, Continuous and Offset Coils. Coir pad: An insulator pad made from coconut husk fiber, garnetted, needled, bonded and pre-cut to size. Comfort system: Refers to the upholstery layers of the mattress, generally consisting of a combination of materials (cover, cushioning, topper pad, insulators, etc.). Conjugate polyester fiber: Spirally crimped fiber that is crimped chemically rather than thermally. Is very durable and resilient. Continuous coils: An innerspring configuration in which the rows of coils are formed from a single piece of wire. Conventional bedding products: Mattresses and foundations in the conventional adult sizes of twin, twin extra long, full, full extra long, queen and king. Convertible sofa: A sofa with a bed folded beneath the seating surface, generally consisting of a mattress resting on a metal mechanism. Also called “sleep sofa” or “sofa sleeper.” Convoluted foam: Better known as “egg-crate” foam that is specially cut to produce hills and valleys, giving gentle softness and more surface comfort. Foam surface

treatment is available in multiple patterns. Cornell test: Devised by Cornell University School of Hotel/Motel Administration. Designed to test cosmetic performance of bedding sets, such as body impression or support firmness. Two round surfaces are pounded into the finished product 100,000 times and checked periodically for failure or changes. Corner guards: Molded plastic or metal, (sometimes upholstered) fittings secured to foundation corners to prevent material damage from the bed frame. Cotton felt: Produced by a garnett machine which combs cotton and other fiber binders into a continuous web or layer. Several such layers combined are called cotton “batt”. For compressed cotton felt, thick layers of garnetted cotton fiber are mechanically compressed to reduce body impressions. Cotton linters: The short fibers adhering to the seed after the long staple fiber has been removed in the ginning process. Used in making cotton felt. Cotton pickers: “Fall out” from ginning or garnetting. These shorter staple cotton fibers are blended with linters to produce cotton felt. Crown: A convex surface on a mattress. Mattresses with a half-inch crown are a half-inch thicker at the center than at the edges. Cushioning: Materials that lie above the insulator and below the fabric covering in an innerspring mattress. These materials are typically combinations of polyurethane foam, cotton felt, and/or mademade fibers. Damask: Woven ticking produced on a loom that has yarns running at 90-degree angles to each other,

the warp and the weft. The damask design is woven into the fabric rather than printed on the surface. Density: A measure of weight per cubic volume, usually expressed in pounds per cubic foot. Often referred to when discussing foam. Double tempering: Heating of wire components, usually in an oven, after they have been given shape or form and have been electronically stress-relieved. Refers to tempering coils as well as border rods and helicals in a complete spring unit. Dual-purpose: A broad term used to include all sleep pieces, which can be converted to other uses, including: convertible sofas, high-risers, daybeds, futons, etc. See Convertible Sofa. Dust cover: A woven or non-woven fabric attached to the underside of a foundation to prevent the collection of dust inside. May also be known as “sheeting” or “cambric.” Edge guard: Generally an extra component added to the edge of a mattress and/or box spring to give support on the sides. Engineered edge support: A special design where the coils on the outer edge of an innerspring unit are actually positioned under the border rod. Most units have the coils recessed from the edge, which can contribute to a “roll out of bed” feeling. Euro-top mattress: A mattress featuring a raised, squared-off surface finishing treatment filled with soft comfort layers and attached to the mattress upholstery at the tapeedge. Fabric cover: Cloth or textile material woven, knitted or felted of any fiber or mixture of fibers. Often referred to as “ticking” or mattress

143

fabric.

foam and covered with ticking.

Fales pad: Compressed cotton felt that is stitched together to better retain compression.

Foundation: Any base or support for a mattress, sometimes used as a generic term for box spring. A foundation may be made entirely of wood or a combination of wood and steel or steel springs. See Box Spring and Foam Foundation.

Fiber pad: Usually refers to manmade or natural fibers (wool, silk, etc.) that are garnetted, needled, carded and/or bonded together. Often used in quilting panels for mattress tops. Filler cloth: Refers to a plain fabric used on the top of a foundation instead of ticking. Commonly offers non-skid characteristics. Flanging: The process whereby a strip of fabric is sewn to the edge of the mattress cover and, in the assembly process, secured to the perimeter of the innerspring unit to prevent the cover and filling materials from shifting. Foam foundation: Consists of a built-up wood slat frame covered with a sheet of cardboard or similar material, topped with at least 2” of

Futon: A Japanese-style mattress construction, consisting of a cover and filling material, which is typically cotton but can be innerspring and/or foam. Garnetting: A mechanical process whereby short cotton fibers and/ or other fibers are combed into a specific orientation and formed into a thin web, which are then layered to create a batting used as an upholstery material. See Cotton Felt. Gauge, coil: A measurement of the diameter of the steel wire used in coil construction. Wire gauge for innerspring coils range from 12.5 to 17. The higher the gauge, the thinner the wire.

Gel foam: Generally a visco-elastic foam that is infused with beads or swirls of gel during the foam pouring process. Hair pads: Horse tail or mane, cattle tail or hog hair, which has been processed and curled for use as a mattress or upholstery filler. Hammocking: An undesirable characteristic sometimes associated with worn out or low-end mattresses. When weight is placed in the center, the corners tend to rise and bow in response to deep compression much like a hammock. Terms “dish” and “sagging” also used to describe this phenomenon. Hand: Term used to describe the touch or feel of fabrics (e.g., soft, smooth, etc.). Hand-tied: The process of hand-lacing the coils in a box spring together with twine. Seldom used, this process has been replaced with modern technology and new designs.

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Headboard: An upright unit of wood, metal, plastic, or upholstered material, to be attached at the head of a bed, usually with the bed frame.

designs.

Helical: A tightly-coiled, elongated wire used in the manufacture of innerspring units to join individual coils to each other and to the border rod.

Ideal weight distribution: Equalization of support in such a way as to eliminate pressure points that cause discomfort resulting in tossing and turning. Best achieved with coil on coil construction and properly designed insulation and cushioning material.

Latex: A flexible foam created from a water dispersion of rubber, either from the rubber tree (natural latex) or a man-made, petroleum-based product (synthetic latex). Most latex used in mattresses today is a combination of natural and synthetic latex rubber.

Innerspring unit construction (for mattresses): The spring construction used as the main support system inside an innerspring mattress. Some common types are: pocketed (see Marshall) and all metal (i.e., bonnell, offset and continuous wire).

LFK: An unknotted offset coil with a cylindrical or columnar shape.

High-contour mattress: Measures 9” – 13” thick. A mattress under 9” thick is considered “standard”; over 13” thick is considered “custom.” High riser: Usually a frame or sofa with two mattresses of equal size without a backrest. The frame slides out with the lower bed and rises to form a full bed or two single beds. Hog ring: Metal ring used to secure the insulator and flange material to the innerspring unit. Takes its name from its similarity to the metal ring in a hog’s nose. Hourglass coils: Coils that taper inward from top to middle and outward from middle to bottom, thus resembling an hourglass in shape. Employed in bonnell and offset coil

Hybrid: Commonly used industry term for a mattress that combines an innerspring unit with specialty foams such as visco-elastic or latex.

Insulator: Any material used on top and bottom of an innerspring unit to prevent the upholstery layers from cupping down into the coils. Some common types are: a fiber pad, non-woven fabric, netting, wire mesh or foam pad. Knit: A basic polyester or nylon ticking fabric produced through a

knitting process (tricot) rather than weaving. Designs are printed onto the surface. Lacing wire: Finer gauges of wire used to form helicals.

Link fabric: A wire foundation for bedsprings, cots, studio couches, sofabed mechanisms and gliders. So called because the fabric is a succession of metal links. Marshall: A type of innerspring construction in which thin gauge, barrel-shaped, knotless coils are encased in fabric pockets. Also known as “pocketed coils.” Mattress: A manufactured product to sleep on, consisting of various resilient materials covered with an outer ticking. Comes from the Arabic term “matrah” meaning to throw

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down. Early Arabs traveled with their bedding and threw it down on the ground or floor at night. Memory: The ability of tempered steel, foam or some fabrics to return to their original state after being compressed or stretched. Mesh: Plastic netting generally stretched across the face of an innerspring unit as an insulator. Microcoils: A low-profile metal spring unit, typically with individually wrapped coils, used in the top comfort layers of a mattress. Molded foam core (for mattresses): A core made of flexible foam is made in molds and used as the main support system in a foam mattress. Mounting: Attachment of a box spring unit to a wood or metal frame. Needlepunched fabric: A manufacturing process for which high strength, lightweight, non-woven construction fabrics are produced. These fabrics are produced by garnetting fibers, entangling or inner-locking these fibers together by a series of needles and then mechanically bonding or fusing them together via heat to produce a fabric without glue or binders. Needlepunched pad: A manufacturing process used to produce insulator pads and non-woven fabrics whereby loose, garnetted fibers are inner-locked by a series of “needles.” This process usually requires additional bonding to keep the fibers in place. Offset coils: An hourglass type coil on which portions of the top and bottom convolutions have been flattened. In assembling the innerspring unit, these flat segments of wire are hinged together with helicals.

Orthopedic: Generalized term to imply set gives proper postural alignment and support. Should not necessarily mean hard or board feeling. Proper support with a degree of comfort to contour to the body is best. Panel: The part of the ticking that constitutes the top sleep surface of a mattress, as well as the bottom of a mattress on a two-sided bed. Pedestal-type metal or wood bed frame: A low-profile bed frame with a solid pedestal base underneath each side of the frame, instead of legs. Pillow-top mattress: A mattress featuring a surface finishing treatment where a separate encasement of soft materials is attached to the entire surface on top of existing cover and upholstery. Plus 4 edge: Two border rods engineered with one inside of the other and designed so that they make the edge 4% firmer than the balance of the sleep surface to eliminate that “roll out of bed” feeling and edge sag. Pocketed coil: See Marshall. Polyurethane foam: See Urethane Foam. Print: A ticking fabric, which can be a woven or non-woven sheeting, commonly of synthetic fiber composition, on which a design has been printed. Quilting: The surface treatment in which the cover, foam and/or other fibers are sewn together, using various stitch patterns on quilting machinery, including scroll or panel quilters (single needle) and multi-needle quilters. Resilience: Surface liveliness and spring-back ability. Rollator test: An approximately

230 lb., six-sided roller is passed across a sleep set to determine the structural strengths or weaknesses of the set and components (i.e., foam or quilt failure, breaking of helicals and coils). The industry standard to duplicate the life of a mattress is 100,000 passes. Rollaway bed/cot: A portable metal bed/cot with a frame that folds in half with the mattress when not in use so it can be rolled away into a closet (or elsewhere) for compact storage. Sheeting: a woven or non-woven fabric other than knits that have a degree of sizing and are somewhat stiff. Side rail: A metal or wood rail, which hooks into the outside edges of a headboard and footboard to provide the support base for a foundation and mattress. Sisal: A product of the henequen plant formed into a pad and used as an insulator. Named after the. small port of Sisal in Yucatan. Slats: Narrow strips of wood used to support the coils in the box spring frame. Also used in a bedstead to support the box spring. Sleep Products Safety Council hangtag: Used voluntarily by bedding producers since 1987, the safety hangtag program provides critical consumer information about the safe use of sleep products. Manufacturers certify that they use the tag only on mattresses that meet the Federal Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads.The tag is available in a hangtag or permanent label. Smooth top: A plain surfaced mattress, neither tufted nor quilted. Also called button-free. Spring wire: Wire made from high carbon steel, characterized by

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toughness, strength and ductility. Typically furnished in 8 to 18 gauge for bedding industry applications. Steel unit construction (for box springs): The spring construction used as the main support system inside a box spring. Stitch bonded pad: See Fales Pad. Straightline deflection: Pertains to mattress innerspring construction and refers to the constant ratio between stress and strain, weight and movement. The benefit is that constant support is provided regardless of the weight applied. No bottoming out of soft spots. Basically it means that two people of unequal weight, sleeping on the same mattress, receive the same support. Stretch knit: A heavy-weight mattress ticking consisting of a top layer, bottom layer and filling material knitted together and intermittently stitched to keep the filling yarns stable. Super zoned box spring frame: A support, generally wood, attached longitudinally to the underside of a foundation for added support where the main body weight rests. Another important structural point is that the vertical slats are turned on edge for added strength. This is extremely important on queen sizes and for 4-poster beds where typically no center support is provided. Also known as a “center rail.” Tape: Fabric material that closes over the rough-sewn edge where the top and bottom panels are joined to the border of a mattress or box spring. Tape edge: A specified type of sewing machine designed to stitch

binding tape around the top and bottom edges of the mattress, joining the panels with the border and closing the mattress. Tempering: Heat treatment of wire to reduce brittleness. Accomplished by electric charge, oven heat or both. Also known as “stress relieved”. Ticking: Fabrics for covering mattresses and foundations. Common types include: stretch knits, woven damasks, knits and nonwovens. Torsion bars: A type of spring system used in box springs characterized by square-shaped wire forms. Trundle bed: A low bed that is rolled under a larger bed. In some constructions, the lower bed springs up to form a full bed or two single beds as in a high riser. Tufting: Consists of passing twine, cords or tape vertically through the mattress from top to bottom, knotting and securing the loops thus formed with tufts, buttons, or lacing. The purpose is to hold the mattress filling in place. Uniflex grid: A steel wire grid used to bridge the “mouth” of the coils on an innerspring unit to prevent “pocketing” of insulation down into the coil and to eliminate “coil feel.” Also helps to distribute the body weight of a person. Urethane foam: Synthetic (chemically foamed) flexible urethane used for mattress cores and as a cushioning material. As a core, it’s the main support system. Generic term covering both polyester and polyether foams. Ventilator: Metal or plastic screens attached to the sides and sometimes the ends of mattresses to permit the passage of air. Unnecessary with normal high quality

materials used today, except for hospital type mattresses with wetproof covers. Visco-elastic foam: Also known as “memory foam.” Slow recovery urethane foams that are temperature sensitive. They conform to the body and distribute pressure according to body heat and dynamics. Waterbed: A sleep system employing a water-filled vinyl bladder as its primary support system. Original models relied on rigid framing to contain the vinyl components and were known as a “hardside”. Newer styles consist of vinyl components (bladder and liner) typically encased in foam and made to look like a conventional mattress, usually paired with a regular upholstered foundation. Also called a “softside” waterbed. All versions are sometimes referred to as “flotation beds.” Welded grid top: Basic wire welded into a lattice to which box spring coils, formed wire or modules are fastened. Offers even weight distribution, yet allows some flex and give. Wood bed: A bed with a headboard and footboard made of wood, having side rails of wood or metal that support the foundation and mattress. Wood frame (for box springs): The wood frame in a box spring on which the spring construction is mounted. Woven stripe: A once ubiquitous woven ticking with colored stripes. The style was referred to as “ACA”, the traditional designation for the 8 oz. blue- and white-striped ticking that has mostly fallen out of favor and is seldom produced.