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Corporate Highlights
US Group boosts water savings through International Water Stewardship Standard
Pakistan denim and jeans manufacturer US Group, based in Lahore, has reported 254,356m3 of water savings in 2020 – the equivalent of 100 Olympic-size swimming pools – by certifying to the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard.
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The textiles sector remains one of the largest manufacturing industries in Pakistan, employing 45 per cent of the country’s workforce, yet it is a resource-intensive sector that requires large volumes of water, whilst adversely affecting water quality.
US Group is the first textiles company in the world to certify their sites to the AWS Standard (Core Level) – a holistic approach to managing water sustainably both at a site and catchment scale. Two of US Group’s sites were certified in March 2020.
Implementing the AWS Standard has led to several water-related actions, including the installation of systems for measuring water usage and routine sampling of effluent discharge from their facilities.
The Standard not only requires good water management; it also requires good water stewardship, meaning that a site works beyond its own fence-line and engages with other major water users to take positive action at both the site and catchment level.
Riaz Ahmad, Vice President Compliance of US Apparel & Textiles, said: “We are proud to become a
global industry leader in acquiring Alliance for Water Stewardship Certification. Implementing the AWS Standard has enabled us to go outside our own premises, build awareness within our factories and supply chain, and engage with businesses, communities and public departments to identify water risks and challenges – and work together to address them.”
US Group also created awareness amongst employees and the community about water stewardship, including the importance of clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), using simple communications materials in both English and Urdu languages. Looking ahead, US Group is developing plans to ensure access to safe drinking water for local communities.
The US Group believes that implementing the AWS Standard has strengthened their understanding of water risks in the catchment, which in turn has improved their ZDHC and Higgs Index scores; both key indicators of sustainability for retailers sourcing textiles and apparel. The group supplies to major brands around the world including H&M.
Ziaur Rahman, Regional Country Manager, South Asia & Africa Region, H&M, said: “At H&M Group we are committed to ensuring that water is used responsibly throughout our company’s supply chain. It is important for us to contribute to protecting the environment and to secure the availability of water for people. We applaud US Group for showing leadership on water stewardship and congratulate them for becoming one of our first suppliers to achieve AWS certification. We hope that this will generate significant impact and inspire others.”
US Group began their water stewardship journey in July 2018, when they signed a commitment to implement the AWS Standard with WWF-Pakistan as their implementing partners under the International Labour and Environmental Standards Application in Pakistan SME’s (ILES) project, funded by European Union. This signalled their public commitment to work on water stewardship.
The AWS Standard required them to work through five key steps to improve Good Water Governance; Sustainable Water Balance; Good Water Quality Status; Important Water-Related Areas; and Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for all.
Sohail Ali Naqvi, Head Freshwater and Senior Manager ILES Project at WWF-Pakistan said: “Textile businesses have started adopting the water stewardship approach. WWF-Pakistan is assisting the sector to implement the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard. As an example, it encouraged US Group to certify to the AWS Standard – the first textile enterprise to do so globally on a core-level.
“WWF-Pakistan facilitated this enterprise in implementing the Standard since the beginning. This is a very pertinent milestone in WWF-Pakistan's water stewardship journey as the textile sector is now ambitiously working towards the cause. We continue
to support and collaborate with more enterprises to transform the sector by working together and going beyond the fence line to address shared water challenges.”
There is now a growing number of sites in the textile industries that have registered for AWS certification, including AGI denim, Yunus Textiles Mills Ltd., Artistic Milliners and Gohar Textile Mills Pvt. Ltd., all of which face different contextual water risks. Two sites of Soorty Enterprises were recently certified, with one attaining Gold-level certification. The implementation of the AWS Standard on all these sites will be key to driving sustainable water use in the textile sector, both in Pakistan and globally.
Maheen Malik, Alliance for Water Stewardship Coordinator, Pakistan, said: “This is exactly the type of local and global leadership that is needed to ignite credible water stewardship. We are now building momentum in the textiles sector, and transparency is critical to motivate others and scale up good work. Pakistan is setting an example for the rest of the world.” Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is a global, multi-stakeholder membership organization whose mission is to ignite and nurture global and local leadership in credible water stewardship that recognizes and secures the social, cultural, environmental and economic value of freshwater. AWS are custodians of the AWS Standard, which provides a multi-stakeholder developed and endorsed best-practice framework for businesses to either implement water stewardship at their own sites or to leverage action at their supplier sites. The AWS Standard was created through a global, multi-stakeholder development process, involving experts from around the world with experience in civil society, the public sector and the private sector. As such, the approach set out by the AWS Standard is recognised globally as international best practice on water stewardship, supported by over 150 AWS Members.
The Standard can be used by any water user, anywhere in the world. It takes the user on a journey to assess and understand their site and catchment water risks, set contextually appropriate targets, develop a water stewardship plan and then evaluate and communicate transparently about activities undertaken. Through independent third-party verification, certification against the AWS Standard
SCADA metering system on Water extraction, Consumption and Disposal points SCADA metering system
allows a site to make credible claims related to their water stewardship activities.
The five steps of the Standard enable the implementer to understand their site’s reliance upon, and impact on, water resources. Crucially, it also steers the site through a process to identify other risks and opportunities that might exist outside the site itself, within the wider catchment (or watershed). It is through this comprehensive approach, moving beyond water management to stewardship, that implementers contribute towards the five AWS outcomes: Good Water Governance; Sustainable Water Balance; Good Water Quality Status; Important Water-Related Areas; and Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for all.
Sector Standards and Initiatives As part of a three-year project* to tackle water challenges in the textile and apparel sector, AWS is working to raise awareness amongst brands and their suppliers about the need for water stewardship, and identify opportunities for collaboration and alignment with others interested in working on water within the textile sector. Given the many initiatives and standards that are already active in sector, efforts to catalyse greater uptake of water stewardship need to build on existing approaches.
Two key examples include the Roadmap to Zero programme by ZDHC (aimed at reducing the sectors use of chemicals) and the Higg Index by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (aimed at providing a suite of tools that enable businesses to standardise how impacts are measured and managed across the sector). AWS is undertaking research to assess how to build on these and other approaches to enhance water stewardship across the sector.
E uent Treatment Plant
*Putting Water Stewardship to Work: Tackling Water Pollution in the Textile and Apparel Value Chain (2020-2022) is a five-partner consortium project, which AWS is part of, together with partners Aid by Trade Foundation, CDP, Solidaridad, and Water Witness, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The US Group is a Lahore, Pakistan-based company that creates denim and jeans for clothing brand leaders who require reliable quality and delivery. By specializing in denim, US Group provides state-of-the-art fashion jeans solutions.
US Group engaged with businesses, academic institutions, residential communities and public departments. This led them to develop a ‘water stewardship plan’ for the site and catchment based on shared water risks. Team TEXtalks International had a conversation with Irfan Nazeer Ahmad, Managing Director, US Denim Mills to know more about their sustainable goals.
TEXtalks: What was the main requirement for achieving the Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard (AWS Standard) certification? Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: The main requirements of AWS program was to adopt a five-tier plan in order to: • Gather data and understand the challenges that we face as a shared community • Commit ourselves, as an institution, to the cause of saving water and make a strategic plan • Implement the plan in true spirit with clearly defined objectives, and with responsible persons nominated to achieve targeted objectives by defined dates • Evaluate the performance on periodic basis • Communicate and disclose our efforts on water stewardship to all stakeholders, including data.
TEXtalks: Describe the key steps you have taken to improve water sustainability?
US Group to reduce water consumption by 50% within 3 years SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE 2022
Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: Water quality: The first key step to improving water quality is to start testing it. We get raw water tested from EPA- approved labs every quarter. The wastewater is tested monthly. Results are compared with NEQS standards and are found to be well within the acceptable NEQS limits.
Efficiency: To improve on efficiency, the first and most important step is to start measuring it. US GROUP has installed a comprehensive metering system, SCADA, on its water extraction point, consumption points and disposal points. Through this metering system we are able to effectively monitor our water usage. As a matter of fact, we have set ourselves to reduce water consumption by 50 per cent within three years under our internal plan of “SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE 2022”.
Important water-related areas: We also recognize important water-related areas that must be considered, such as the Safari Park Lake.
Water governance: To improve water governance, we involved various stakeholders, both those within the facility as well as outside, and talked about our shared water risks.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): We ensure clean drinking water, access to sanitation for all our employees and further intend to provide access to clean drinking water to those in our catchment.
TEXtalks: How do you see the results in water saving, after the implementation of AWS?
Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: Results are quite encouraging. We feel proud to share that US DENIM is the first organization in the textile world that has achieved AWS Certification in March last year.
Inspired by our Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) saying, “DO NOT WASTE WATER EVEN IF YOU WERE AT A RUNNING STREAM” we have taken lot of initiatives to reduce, reuse and recycle process water.
In terms of reduction, our product development and R&D teams at US GROUP are continuously making efforts to develop new products based on such recipes that would use less water. Similar focus is on the machines and technology, using less water, that we would be investing in future.
In terms of re-use, US DENIM MILLS was able to save 18 per cent of water through the following initiatives during the year 2020: soft water recovery from finishing; alkaline water recovery; and hot water reused from the condensate recovery system (CRU).
TEXtalks: How has certification to AWS Standard improved your company’s ZDHS and Higg Index scores? Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: We saw a significant improvement in our ZDHC score that improved from 25 per cent to 67 per cent. Higg Index score improved from 63 per cent to 67 per cent. Just for your reference HIGG Index focuses on seven different parameters and, water is just one of those seven parameters.
TEXtalks: What role can the private sector play in managing the water resources and how important it is for business continuity? Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: The private sector has a significant and important role to play. Both, on-site and off-site. First of all, we need to raise the awareness level on this subject with all stakeholders and make them realize about the water scarcity, water availability and water quality.
A sense of emergency needs to be declared based on the data available which is quite alarming. All industrial units, as a starting point, must install flow meters / SCADA to capture the actual data. Unless we have the real numbers available we will not be able to make any conservation / improvement plans. The business community must invest in the kind of technologies that use the least amount of water possible. Furthermore, new products should be developed based on fibers and recipes that consume less water. We are already collaborating with Agriculture University Faisalabad to develop HEMP as one of the fibers to be used in our product range. It is a natural fiber and, as per initial estimates, consumes one third water, as compared to cotton, during its growth.
The business community must invest more and more on such R&D related projects.
TEXtalks: Besides AWS, what other sustainability initiatives is US GROUP taking? Irfan Nazeer Ahmad: As a responsible supplier and stakeholder of our society US GROUP initiated a 8-points strategic plan named “SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE 2022” at the start of 2020. According to the plan, the entire management of US GROUP committed itself to certain targets to be achieved within three years, starting from 2020. Water was one of the most important segments of this plan.
Just for reference, here are the key areas of our SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE 2022, with targets clearly defined, to be achieved by 2022: i) Water management: Reduce by 50% through process improvement and conservation, reuse and recycle WWTP ii) GHG emissions: Reduce by 40% iii) Energy management: Reduce consumption by 45% iv) Renewable energy: 20% should be from Solar (7MW) v) Chemical management: 100% comply with MRSL and RSL; Reduce usage by 20% vi) Waste management: Reduce Waste by 25%; Reuse & recycle; Hazardous waste to landfill must be ZERO vii) Materials & technology: Use sustainably grown materials by 10%; Use recycled materials (5%). viii) Health, safety and well-being: Continuous improvement in total recordable injury rate; lost time injury; training man hours; capacity building; and clean drinking water for all as per WHO standards.
Significant improvement has already been made in these areas during the year 2020. We will be publishing the achieved numbers on our website in coming weeks. The declared data would be auditable by third parties.
Team TEXtalks International thanked Irfan Nazeer Ahmad for his valuable time and it was great to learn more about the sustainable initiatives taken by the US Group and paid best wishes for the future steps to make the world more sustainable.
The new Truetzschler card TC 19i for Recycling
Turning textile waste into sustainable success
The intelligent card TC 19i for Recycling Gentle but e ective tuft opening with the new WEBFEED: new WEBFEED: 1) Three licker-ins 2) Carding segments 3) Coated pro les 4) Special separating recycling knife
The market for recycled textiles is growing rapidly – because fashion is faster than ever, environmental regulations are stricter than ever, and the consumer focus on sustainability is sharper than ever. That’s why companies around the globe are seeking solutions to the key challenges involved in turning textile waste into high-quality yarn. Truetzschler is now launching an intelligent card that is specifically designed for this application. It’s called the TC 19i for Recycling.
Sustainability is transforming every aspect of the way people live and work, from renewable energy or electric vehicles through to packaging-free supermarkets. In the textile industry, the market for recycled fibers is growing at high speed because it taps into two contradictory trends: First, consumers buy more clothes but throw the clothes away much sooner; this is known as “fast fashion”. And second, consumers are increasingly eco-conscious and want more sustainable textile products.
Due to this high demand, as well as lower raw material costs and potentially higher profit margins, many companies are now exploring ways of producing high-quality yarns from recycled fibers – but it’s a difficult task. Waste from yarn or garment production, as well as used textiles or garments, present a wide range of challenges in spinning preparation, where the later quality of the yarn is being determined. Known as “hard waste”, secondary fibers from torn waste contain unwanted
yarn or fabric particles that reduce the quality of the final output and can impair the carding performance. They also contain a high amount of short fibers, which can have a negative impact on yarn strength.
An intelligent card for high-quality recycled textiles “At Truetzschler, we are always seeking solutions to the latest market trends – and we are passionate about sustainability,” says Thomas Schmitz, Head of Development Fiber Preparation at Truetzschler. “The TC 19i for Recycling empowers our customers to make the most of recycled material by optimizing opening and cleaning processes. It also offers a gentle, but effective treatment of short fibers and ensures no unnecessary waste is produced.”
Here’s how the TC 19i is able to achieve these results: • Gentle but effective tuft opening: Our new WEBFEED has components such as the wired licker-in with stationary carding segments and improved profile geometries that are specifically designed for recycling applications. The recycling knife ensures the removal of disruptive particles and minimizes the loss of good fibers. • Robustness and reliability: Secondary fibers from torn waste may adhere to the surfaces of material carrying parts and lead to fiber blockages. With TC 19i for Recycling, this cannot happen because all material carrying parts consist of stainless steel. Moreover, the robust design and innovative coatings of key parts guarantee reliable performance in almost any application. • More value from waste: Our gap optimizer T-GO for Recycling uses sensors and algorithms to monitor and automatically adjust the ideal carding gap for the material involved, even under changing production conditions. In this way, it maximizes quality and productivity during recycling. • Flexibility: Our MULTI WEBCLEAN system enables fast, flexible and customized adjustments to recycling applications. Eight elements in the pre- and post-carding zone can be configurated either as carding or cleaning element or cover profile. This flexibility empowers customers to achieve the best possible configuration for their specific process. • Good advice and hands-on service: The TC 19i for Recycling, as well as Truetzschler installations for recycling as a whole, stand out due to their high number of possible configurations. Truetzschler supports each customer with recommendations for ideal settings and makes sure that customers’ production goals are actually realized.
Staying ahead of consumer demand and regulations “By producing high-quality sliver from recycled fibers for new yarn, our customers are able to make progress toward their targets for sustainability, while also staying ahead of rising regulatory pressure and increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products”, says Markus Wurster, Head of Global Sales. The TC 19i for Recycling is an intelligent card that helps companies in the textile industry to embrace sustainability and turn this megatrend into a mega opportunity.
About Truetzschler recycling solutions Truetzschler offers complete solutions for the recycling of cotton waste from spinning preparation, as well as the recycling of secondary fibers from torn textile waste: From blowroom technology for ideal opening, cleaning and blending to advanced carding and draw frame solutions. The TC 19i for Recycling and the integrated draw frame IDF 2 are benchmark in the direct spinning of rotor yarns from recycled materials. Truetzschler also provides a wide portfolio of card clothings specifically developed for recycling applications. Digital solutions and fast, reliable service complete our offer and help customers to turn waste into sustainable quality yarns.
Secondary bers of torned denim
Enrique Silla: “after COVID, the next global crisis will be the water crisis”
In 2020 Jeanologia saved about 15.5 million cubic meters of water, the amount needed for the annual human consumption of a city like Amsterdam
• Textiles are responsible for 20% of water pollution, which is why it is necessary to change production processes immediately • With H2Zero the company is rewriting the future of the industry of jean finishing by being able to recycle 100% of the water used and guarantee zero discharge • The main objective of the company is its MissionZero: to dehydrate and detoxify the industry by 2025 and all of its technologies are focused on that goal
It is known that the textile industry is responsible for 20% of global pollution. Within textiles jeans is one of the most sold garments and with the biggest environmental impact throughout its production. That is why it is necessary to change production processes immediately bringing together the efforts of all those involved in the chain.
Water is fundamental for combatting climate change and this depends in large part to the proper use of water. To do this Jeanologia has made a set of technical solutions available, creating an ecosystem of collaborators, accompanying them on their way to producing with Zero discharge.
The main objective of the company is its MissionZero: to dehydrate and detoxify the industry of denim finishings by 2025. All of the technologies they have developed over the years have been focused on this goal. technologies from the material to finishings and the software EIM (a tool for measuring environmental impact) achieves a true revolution by completely changing the operating model.
However, the company is rewriting the future of the industry and jean finishing with one of the key technologies: H2Zero, the first circular water treatment system which allows the same amount of water used in the process to be reused, creating the perfect circle.
H2Zero is able to recycle 100% of the water used and guarantees Zero discharge. This is how it reduces water consumption, energy use and eliminates discharge, saving more than 10m3 of water per hour.
“We have installed H2Zero in 19 plants across the globe and the test of concept is valid. This technology is revolutionizing the textile industry converting it into an industry free of water and creating a model of transparency, innovation, and sustainable practices”. Said Silla, the CEO at Jeanologia.
15.5 million cubic meters of water saved in 2020 For World Water Day each year, Jeanologia makes public the results of its ecological saving account with which it measure the cubic meters of polluted water that is no longer poured into the planet’s rivers and seas, thanks to its technology. It is of note that, despite the current situation, in 2020 the company saved around 15.5 million cubic meters of water, the same amount for the annual human consumption of 844,815 people. The population a city like Amsterdam has.
H2Zero: 100% recycled water and Zero discharge Jeanologia has been a leader in the way that jeans are designed and produced with the integration of its
Diamond Fabrics Ltd implements BMSvision MES solution in its denim division
Diamond Fabrics, part of Pakistan’s premier vertically integrated Sapphire Group, has selected Belgian based BMSvision as a partner for its prestigious MES project, keystone in the roadmap towards a I 4.0 company.
Tayyab Abdullah explains: ”We were looking for a solution that goes far beyond the traditional production and machine monitoring. In order to prepare for an I 4.0 compliant manufacturing operation, we need a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) that can manage and track the entire production flow, from yarn to finished fabric. Furthermore, the system needs to seamlessly integrate with the SAP ERP system in place. After a thorough market research and various demo’s and workshops, we selected BMSvision as our partner because of their vast experience in the industry and the turnkey project approach including hardware, software and services”.
In a first phase of the project, the warp preparation department including ball warping, sizing and rebeaming as well as the complete denim finishing department are covered. These are the most challenging operations within a denim mill. In a second phase, all looms will be connected. Each machine in the preparation and finishing department is equipped with a state-of-the-art touch screen based DU11 data collection terminal with wireless barcode scanner. Once the production orders are released by the SAP system, the planning department uses the BMSvision scheduling software (PlanBoard) to assign the orders to the individual machines. Orders are started at the machine by scanning the barcoded batch travel card. The PlantView application visualizes the complete production process in real time and highlights any possible deviation from standard. A powerful reporting tool featuring interactive reports and charts, allows the users to create their own calculations and reports. After each production step, the MES systems prints a barcoded ticket and all relevant production data is transferred to the SAP system. Diamond’s request to monitor and document the flow of goods throughout the whole production chain, to be able to trace all materials used and to know the current status Work in Process all the time, is handled by BMSvision’s traceability module.
Besides managing the production flow, Diamond Denim also implements the BMSvision EnergyMaster solution. Tayyab Abdullah: “Energy consumption is becoming a very important factor in the overall operating cost of our factory. With ever rising energy prices and increasing environmental legislation, energy management has become a very critical success factor to run our business in a profitable way. The EnergyMaster system makes all our energy streams transparent and allows to allocate the exact energy cost to each production batch”. The finishing lines are equipped with power meters and various flow meters to monitor consumption of compressed air, steam, water, gas and caustic. All these meters are connected to the DU11 data collection terminal and combining consumption with production data allows correct calculation of the energy cost for each production batch. Excessive consumptions or consumptions while the machine is idle, are immediately detected and highlighted.
Online visitor registration for ITMA Asia + CITME 2020 which will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai is now open. Visitors who purchase their badge at www.itmaasia.com and www.citme.com.cn will enjoy special online rates. Early-bird rates available till 6 June are RMB 60 for a five-day badge and RMB 30 for a one-day badge. Standard onsite rates cost RMB 100 for a five-day badge and RMB 50 for a one-day badge. Visitors who register online will be also given access to the exhibition e-catalogue.
The show owners and organisers are committed to working closely with the authorities, such as the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council and the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association (SCEIA), to implement preventive and social distancing measures to enable the combined exhibition to be held safely.
“We would like to assure that the safety of our participants, partners and staff during the exhibition is of utmost importance to us. Strict safety measures will be implemented onsite. Visitors should purchase their badge online to avoid onsite queues and allow better and smooth entry process,” urged Mr Ernesto Maurer, President of CEMATEX.
“Taking into consideration the needs of the industry, we have decided to continue with the staging of the combined exhibition. Since the certificate of admission and stand details were issued last December, many exhibitors have responded positively to the news that the combined exhibition will be staged as planned,” said Mr Wang Shutian, Honorary President of China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA).
He added, “The pandemic has created pent-up demand for quality machinery for sectors such as nonwovens and technical textiles as there was a lack of sales and marketing opportunities last year. Therefore, our machinery manufacturers are eager to reconnect with the market.”
Despite the ongoing Covid-19 challenge, the seventh edition of the combined exhibition is expected to feature a gross exhibition space of 170,000 square metres. To-date, it has attracted the participation of 1,500 exhibitors, including many established machinery manufacturers from 24 countries.
ITMA ASIA + CITME is owned by CEMATEX and Chinese partners - the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and China Exhibition Centre Group Corporation (CIEC), and organised by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co Ltd and co-organised by ITMA Services. Japan Textile Machinery Association is a special partner of the combined show.
The last combined show in 2018 attracted the participation of 1,733 exhibitors from 28 economies and registered a visitorship of over 100,000 from 116 countries and regions.
Clear choice: security, prevention and flexibilit New Uster Quantum 4.0 yarn clearer offers spinners the best of both worlds
Uster Quantum 4.0 – The connected yarn quality assurance system
New customer-centered user interface with a 16:9 touchscreen on control units
Which yarn clearing technology should spinners choose? Now there’s only one answer, as Uster launches the new Quantum 4.0 clearer generation. This world-beating innovation combines both capacitive and optical sensors in one – delivering comprehensive security, prevention and flexibility.
The Smart Duo system offers the best of both worlds for intelligent yarn quality control and optimized profitability. It means mills can now focus on meeting the fast-moving market challenges, instead of pondering technical options.
Security and reliability: the basis of yarn quality Quantum 4.0 is like a dream come true for the industry. For years, spinners have wished for a way to bring the best of different technologies together, for secure quality and maximum flexibility.
Spinners can now access full security in quality
control, ensuring the best clearing mode is applied. The Quantum 4.0 enables this through a simple Capacitive/Optical switch. This allows greater flexibility in the types of yarn which can be produced, while also dealing with factors such as humidity variations.
Intelligent sensors in tandem The capacitive and optical sensors work intelligently in tandem through an innovation known as Cross Clearing. This locates and eliminates hidden defects by means of a double check, in which the main sensor’s signal is supported by the assistance sensor. This deals with issues such as unnoticed fluff events, which might otherwise cause breaks downstream.
Today’s market trends show strong demand for compact yarns. Here, spinners can trust Quantum 4.0 to tap this potential and deal with any quality issues. The density feature, for example, protects mills from substandard cops caused by ring spinning malfunctions such as blocked compacting zones, or twist problems. The Smart Duo has the advantage of monitoring yarn density continuously and after every splice. “No matter where density variations originate, be it compacting, different twist levels due to slip spindles or otherwise, Uster Quantum 4.0 takes care of it – and this is a real technical innovation,” says Katrin Hofer, Product Manager at Uster Technologies.
No more material mix-ups A further valuable innovation with Quantum 4.0 is the Blend Mix-up option, which now enables mills to identify mix-ups of different types of raw materials. This long-awaited market request detects any wrong raw material in greige and white yarns, combating the infamous, but serious, barré effect in fabrics. Cop mix-ups can happen in mills, since differences are hardly visible to the human eye. But Quantum 4.0 stops the problem before it becomes an issue, thanks to significantly improved hardware and software – all underpinned by the Smart Duo.
The higher processing power of the new sensors brings additional benefits such as the enhanced Continuous Core Yarn option, which detects both missing and off-center core continuously.
Innovations in Quantum 4.0 also focus on contamination, with deeper analysis of polypropylene and foreign matter. A new PP classification gives users the overview of polypropylene content, while the Advanced FD classification now shows extra classes below the 5% lines. Both these features add to the value of the contamination function, together with Total Contamination Control (TCC).
Quantum 4.0 gives spinners the ultimate confidence through the intelligent interaction of capacitive and optical sensor technology. It achieves ‘one of a kind’ security levels in basic clearing, while also cutting only what’s necessary.
Prevention pays off As well as identifying defects at winding, preventing defects at source is also in focus with the clearer’s new Expert System. The new Quantum Expert is now included in the product offering. Thanks to many added intelligent analytical features, the Uster Quantum Expert enhances process control and prevention of defects, through Total Contamination Control, Ring Spinning Optimization and the RSO 3D Value Module.
Latest innovations in the new clearer protect spinners from claims and waste – but enabling business success is the real purpose of Quantum 4.0. Latest clearing technologies work with Uster’s unique data analysis to enable flexible data-based decisions using Application Intelligence. “Failure prevention is the key to success and tackling issues at source is the way to do it. Uster Quantum 4.0 plays an important role in this, offering options to strengthen it,” says Hofer.
Secure and user-friendly The secret of true innovation is how well it is designed through to the point of user interaction. No matter how much data – in terms of quantity and different parameters – is collected for analysis, Uster Quantum Expert manages the complexity, while staying as intuitive as ever.
With Quantum 4.0, a new central Smart-Limit button enhances flexibility, since operators can adjust all available smart limits with a single tap, based on the unique Yarn Body concept. Each individual limit can be simply fine-tuned as preferred.
Users enjoy the established Quantum workflows and embrace the new customer-centered user interface with a 16:9 touchscreen on the 7th generation control units`.
Nothing gets in the way of success with this prevention strategy. Uster recognizes that today’s challenges are tough, can be overcome with prevention, security and flexibility on your side – and Quantum 4.0 on your winding machine.
Fabrics of the future Swiss weaving machinery manufacturers are in the forefront of novel application development
Textile Calculator (© 2021, Jakob Müller)
Shoes and electronic calculators are probably not the first products people would associate with the textile weaving process. But they certainly signpost the future for woven fabrics, as two examples of the ever-wider possibilities of latest technology in the field. Fashion and function already combine in the increasing popularity of woven fabrics for shoes, and this is a present and future trend. Calculators in fabrics? That’s another story of ingenious development, using so-called ‘meander fields’ on the back and keys printed on the front of the material.
These glimpses of the outlook for modern weavers are among the highlights of developments now being pioneered by Swiss textile machinery companies. All weaving markets require innovation, as well as speed, efficiency, quality and sustainability. Member firms of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association respond to these needs at every point in the process – from tightening the first thread in the warp to winding the last inch for fabric delivery. They also share a common advantage, with a leading position in the traditional weaving industry as well as the expertise to foster new and exciting applications.
Technology and research cooperation The concept of a ‘textile calculator’ was developed by Jakob Müller Group, in cooperation with the textile research institute Thuringen-Vogtland. Müller’s patented MDW® multi-directional weaving technology is able to create the meander fields which allow calculator functions to be accessed at a touch. A novel and useful facility, which suggests limitless expansion.
Today, the latest woven shoes are appreciated for their precise and comfortable fit. They score through
their durability, strength and stability, meeting the requirements of individual athletes across many sports, as well as leisurewear. Stäubli is well known as a leading global specialist in weaving preparation, shedding systems and high-speed textile machinery. Its jacquard machines offer great flexibility across a wide range of formats, weaving all types of technical textiles, lightweight reinforcement fabrics – and shoes.
It’s possible to weave new materials such as ceramics, mix fibers such as aramid, carbon and other, and produce innovative multi-layers with variable thicknesses. Such applications put special demands on weaving machines which are fulfilled by Stäubli high-performance TF weaving systems.
Great weaving results are impossible without perfect warp tension, now available thanks to the world-leading electronic warp feeding systems of Crealet. Some market segments in weaving industry today demand warp let-off systems which meet individual customer requirements. For example, the company has recognized expertise to understand that geotextile products often need special treatment, as provided by its intelligent warp tension control system. Individual and connective solutions are designed to allow external support via remote link. Crealet’s warp let-off systems are widely used in both ribbon and broadloom weaving, for technical textiles applied on single or multiple warp beams and creels.
Functional, sustainable, automated Trends in the field of woven narrow fabrics are clearly focused on functionality and sustainability. The Jakob Müller Group has already embraced these principles – for example using natural fibers for 100% recyclable labels with a soft-feel selvedge. It also focuses as much as possible on the processing of recycled, synthetic materials. Both PET bottles and polyester waste from production are recycled and processed into elastic and rigid tapes for the apparel industry.
For efficient fabric production environments, it is now recognized that automated quality solutions are essential. Quality standards are increasing everywhere and zero-defect levels are mandatory for sensitive applications such as airbags and protective apparel.
Uster’s latest generation of on-loom monitoring and inspection systems offers real operational improvements for weavers. The fabric quality monitoring prevents waste, while the quality assurance system significantly improves first-quality yield for all applications. Protecting fabric makers from costly claims and damaged reputations, automated fabric inspection also removes the need for slow, costly and unreliable manual inspection, freeing operators to focus on higher-skilled jobs.
Smart and collaborative robotics (cobots) offer many automation possibilities in weaving rooms. Stäubli’s future oriented robotics division is a driver in this segment with first effective installations in warp and creel preparation.
Control and productivity Willy Grob’s specialized solutions for woven fabric winding focus on reliable control of tension, keeping it constant from the start of the process right through to the full cloth roll. Continuous digital control is especially important for sensitive fabrics, while performance and productivity are also critical advantages. In this regard, the company’s large-scale batching units can provide ten times the winding capacity of a regular winder integrated in the weaving machine.
The customized concept by Grob as well as design and implementation result in great flexibility and functionality of the fabric winding equipment – yet another example of Swiss ingenuity in textile machinery.
There is even more innovation to come in weaving – and in other segments – from members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association in future! This confident assertion is founded on an impressive statistic: the 4077 years of experience behind the creative power of the association’s member firms. It’s proof positive that their developments grow out of profound knowledge and continuous research.
Multilayer Aramid (© 2021, Stäubli)
Coats joined Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) to become a net-zero emission company by 2050
Coats has also committed to a long-term target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the highest level of ambition on climate under the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi). Coats, the leading industrial thread company, has committed to set science-based emissions reduction targets across the entire value chain, consistent with keeping global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the company reports.
Coats joins a growing group of leading companies paving the way to a net-zero future under the Business Ambition for 1.5°C calls to action. Science-based targets provide companies with a clearly defined pathway to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, thus preventing the worst expected impacts of climate change while future-proofing business growth. SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses and approves companies’ targets. It collaborates between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Coats joining the SBTi follows on from it joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in January 2021. It is also a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series and a participant in the UN Global Compact. Coats says it is fully committed to the UN Global Compact Principles on Human Rights, Labour, the Environment and Anti-Corruption, and continues to implement these Principles in operations and across its supply chain. It also identified the most relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to its business operations. It will continue to ensure that its activities are contributing towards the achievement of its sustainability goals.
Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, one of the SBTi partners, said: “The climate emergency has led CEOs to act urgently and decisively to set science-based emissions reduction targets for their companies in line with a 1.5°C pathway. The movement to transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 is also growing rapidly, and we call on all business leaders to adopt concrete plans to realize this goal.”
TAKE YOUR SUSTAINABILITY CREDENTIALS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
JOIN THE ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP
Water pollution is not the only challenge facing the textile and apparel sector.
Water scarcity and a lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in communities are critical issues, too.
Water stewardship presents an opportunity to address water issues, by going beyond company fence-lines and working with other major water users for the benefit of all.
JOIN US: A4WS.ORG/TEXTALKS
We are the Alliance for Water Stewardship: a global membership organization including businesses, NGOs and the public sector.
We are custodians of the International Water Stewardship Standard (AWS Standard) – a universal framework for sustainable water use.
Our vision is of a water-secure world that enables people, cultures, business and nature to prosper, now and in the future.
Devan launches range of bio-based fragrances for textiles
The range consists of Natural Lavender, Menthol, Wild Mint, a Citrus Blend and will be expanded over time
Textile innovator Devan is launching a new range of bio-based fragrances, named SceNTL®. The range uses traceable raw materials and an external lab has confirmed that the bio-content of the fragrances is above 85%.
SceNTL® is a unique and wide range of encapsulated fragrances that can be integrated onto the fabric and are gradually released over time. Upon release, the fragrances appeal to the senses, promoting relaxation, wellbeing and feel-good sensations.
While synthetic fragrances are composed of synthetic, man-made ingredients, natural scents and oils are created by isolating natural aroma components from raw plant materials. This also explains why every SceNTL® batch can have a slight variation in smell. As natural conditions differ from time to time, every harvest is a little different from the previous one.
Although aromatherapy is still a young and understudied domain, recent studies have shown that essential oils can indeed have neurological effects. Linalool for example, a component found in Lavender and rosewood, is found to enhance sleep, while Limonene, a component found in the peel of citrus fruits, is clinically proven to have an uplifting effect.
At this moment, the SceNTL® range is intended for low-wash items such as mattress ticking, decorative pillows, upholstery, curtains, carpets, etc. It can also be used as a natural ‘masking scent’ for products that have a strong artificial smell caused by the production process. The company is already looking into further development of other scents and broader application use.
Devan Chemicals is a worldwide developer of speciality chemicals for textiles, headquartered in Belgium and with offices in the UK, Portugal and the USA. The company was founded in 1977 and has a strong focus on innovation, research & development and sustainability. Devan is a leading innovator in the fields of protection (flame retardants), performance (odour control & stain release), thermoregulation (PCM’s and cooling technologies such as Moov&Cool®), health & wellness (aromatherapy, R-Vital™ and allergen control) and fibres and yarns (functional masterbatch technologies).
Picanol Group has acquired a minority stake in Rieter Holding AG (SWX: RIEN), amounting to a total of 467,236 shares for a price of 45.4 million EUR (or a price per share of 107.5 CHF). Rieter is the world’s leading supplier of systems for short-staple fiber spinning. The company develops and manufactures machinery, systems and components used to convert natural and man-made fibers into yarns. As a result of the transaction, Picanol Group is now holding 10% of the share capital of Rieter Holding AG. With the financial participation in Rieter Holding AG, Picanol Group wants to further diversify its activities in the textile industry and secure a stable shareholding for Rieter Holding AG in the long term.
Rieter (SWX: RIEN) is the world’s leading supplier of systems for short-staple fiber spinning. Based in Winterthur (Switzerland), the company develops and manufactures machinery, systems and components used to convert natural and man-made fibers and their blends into yarns. Rieter is the only supplier worldwide to cover spinning preparation processes as well as all 4 end spinning processes currently established on the market.
Picanol Group is a diversified industrial group and it is active worldwide in the fields of mechanical engineering, agriculture, food, energy, water management, the efficient (re)use of natural resources and other industrial markets. Picanol Group realized a consolidated turnover of 2.2 billion EUR in 2019. Picanol Group has approximately 7,000 employees worldwide and it is listed on Euronext Brussels (PIC) via Picanol nv.
YarnMaster Prisma – Precise Yarn Clearer and Loptex Exa – Accurate Sorter for Contamination Detection
Partnership extends vision for yarn contamination detection
Loepfe Brothers Ltd. and Loptex SRL have announced a distinguished strategic collaboration targeted at further improving yarn quality and productivity for spinning mills.
Both companies have a long track record of supporting spinning industry customers withlatest technology to improve their performance and profitability. Today, this new collaboration brings Loepfe’s YarnMaster Prisma and YarnMaster Zenit+ yarn clearers together with Loptex Exa and Centra sorters for a complete solution supplied by Loepfe.
This integrated offering combines the advantages of eliminating contamination at the opening stages of production with additional refinement of the yarn further down the line at the winding stage. The net result for spinning mills is production of the highest quality yarns while generating less waste, greater machine efficiency and less energy consumption. Loptex CEO Renato Gerletti commented: “We welcome this collaboration which harnesses the strengths of both the Loptex and Loepfe products for our customers. There are many synergies between the approaches of our two companies, not least of these being our dedication to using leading edge technology to deliver great results for spinning mills everywhere.”
Loepfe CEO Dr. Ralph Mennicke added: “We are looking forward to working with the Loptex team. Next to our in-house R&D commitments, this is a complementary partnership that puts customer needs first and will deliver a vital combination of top quality and greater productivity to textile mills. As the industry emerges from one of the most difficult trading periods in living memory, we continue to be committed to rolling out new and innovative solutions over the months and years to come.”
Role of Education in the Revival Pakistan’s Textile Industry
Professor Dr Tahir Shah, PhD, FTI, FRSC (UK)
Textile and clothing industry is the most important sector of Pakistan’s economy with around 60% share in the country’s annual exports and accounting for 8% of country’s GDP and more than 40% of the industrial workforce. Pakistan is ranked 5th in the world for cotton production and 3rd in cotton yarn production. The fact is that the Pakistan textile industry, which was once a fast developing and lucrative national industrial sector, is now in perpetual decline and is facing considerable challenges. The reasons for this deterioration in the national state of the textile industry are manifold but here we shall mention only some of the main issues and challenges that have plagued the industry. The first issue is related to the global perception of the Pakistani textile industry, which is worsening, except for a few manufacturers and exporters of textile products that have maintained good product quality and service standards.
International importers of Pakistani textile products are often hesitant to place repeat orders with Pakistani suppliers. The main reasons for this are the variation in the consistency and the quality of the textile products and non-adherence to the agreed time frames for the delivery of the goods. This is directly related to the shortage of skilled and appropriately qualified manpower and obsolete production
machinery. The situation is deteriorating as many of the capable employees are leaving the textile industry due to the prevalent uncertainty related to the future of the industry. The other important reasons for the decline in the textile industry are the lack of efficiency, low product innovation, non-enterprising environment and obsolete management practices.
A strong need to make advances One of the major issues, which the textile industry must tackle, is its almost total reliance on cotton fibre. Cotton may be the most popular textile fibre due to its abundant availability and desirable properties, however, if we examine critically, the regular cotton is one of the least sustainable and environmentally favourable fibres. Its cultivation requires a considerable amount of water, pesticides, fertilizer, labour and land. Furthermore, processing of cotton-based textile products requires large quantities of water, chemicals, dyes and bleaches. For countries that are water-stressed, such as Pakistan, cotton production may become unsustainable not too far in the future. Additionally, the quality of Pakistani cotton is not amongst the best in the world.
We must look seriously into the development and use of other cellulosic fibres, such lyocell, which can replace the regular cotton fibre. However, the first step in this direction could be to develop a focus on the production of organic cotton, which does not require the use of harmful chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides. Hemp and Jute fibres can also be good natural alternatives to cotton, if an appropriate focus is placed on the cultivation and development of these fibres that are much more sustainable than cotton. With efforts of the National Textile University, the Government has legalised controlled cultivation of fibre grade Hemp in the country. This may be the first step towards the development of a sustainable natural textile fibre, which could play an important role in the progress of the textile sector in Pakistan.
Another daunting challenge that the Pakistani textile industry will face in the near future is related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC project is mainly related to the development of transport infrastructure such as roads, bridges, ports and railways, and energy projects such as gas pipelines and power plants. However, China is also adding a considerable new textile production and export capability to its already very sizeable textile production capacity. Many of these developments are taking place in the Chinese provinces next to Pakistan. It is therefore vital that the Pakistani textile industry modernises and develops strategies and capabilities - with the help of the appropriate Governmental organisations, to compete and prosper in consideration of the CPEC developments.
The textile industry must modernise in terms of textile production technologies, well-qualified and trained manpower, and the ability to innovate and diversify the product range. The industrial organisations in the textiles and other related sectors in Pakistan must improve the production efficiency and the quality of their products if they are to succeed in the face of the growing regional and global competition.
In the future, the traditional textile industry in Pakistan must evolve in terms of time-to-market, flexibility, product quality, productivity and resource efficiency. The industry must also move towards more promising and emerging textile technologies, which include but are not limited to nonwovens; technical textiles; coatings; micro-encapsulations; enzyme; plasma; laser; ultrasound; ultraviolet treatments; spraying; ink jet techniques; nanotechnology (processes on the nanometre scale); three dimensional (3D) printing, and integration of ICT with textile structures for the development of interactive textiles.
Planning for a competitive future However, the government and other stakeholders will need to develop appropriate strategies at the national level for the development and promotion of technical textiles and other high-value textile products that will have a considerable impact on the export revenue of the country. The textile industry needs to make a planned shift from the commodity products to the knowledge-based speciality products, oriented towards niche market segments to avoid fierce commodity price competition.
Moreover, the industry should also move steadily from mass production to customisation, which will require, among other things, better capturing, understanding and managing customer needs and preferences. Sophisticated CAD and virtual prototyping solutions, flexible customized production systems, intelligent logistics, IoT, and internet-based communication systems between manufacturers, distributors and end-users must be developed and adopted by the national textile sector.
There is another important area of futuristic perception to be considered by the textile educationists and the industry – the advent of machine learning and robotics, which will have a strong impact on all aspects of our lives. Textile production will not be immune to this fast-growing automation because of
the need for reproducible product quality and reducing the cost of production. The industry must be ready to adapt to this change and assess how many new jobs will be created and displaced due to the various levels of automation.
Readying a new generation of experts A comprehensive study on the socio-economic impact of automation in the textile industry can provide valuable data for the government agencies and the industrial organisations for planning the way forward and determine optimum levels of automation required in this highly labour intensive sector of the country. The universities must also develop courses, training programmes and research portfolios to enable the industry to prepare and meet the current and future challenges related to automation. It is important to understand that any stagnant system or organisation that does not keep the pace with the changing needs of the time is bound to fail and cease to exist because the way we learn and work is always evolving. We must create the environment in which the ability of the students and workers to learn, grow and perform in the fast-changing world is enhanced.
Therefore, universities must prepare the students and researchers with the skills and knowledge they will need not just today but also for the future requirements of highly ‘intelligent’ and automated working environments. The teaching courses must be designed according to the needs of the industry and must be flexible, innovative and interdisciplinary in content and mode of delivery. This can be achieved by engaging the students and researchers in a modern, entrepreneurial and innovative environment.
The economic prosperity and social wellbeing of a country are very much dependent upon the strength and sustainability of the wealth-producing businesses. As stated earlier, Pakistani businesses, particularly in the textile sector, are confronting tough challenges in the face of increasing global competition. There is a need for innovation in product development and increase corporate efficiency. There must be a strong focus on securing, retaining and developing talent amongst the workforce.
A thriving knowledge-based national economy depends upon the outputs of the universities – the entrepreneurial culture that is developed amongst its graduates and the application and utilisation of the research outputs. Academia must work hand-in-hand with the corporate sector to identify the requirements of the industry for the type of courses and research programmes that are needed in order to create graduates, researchers and technologists who can then understand and solve the wide-ranging and complex issues faced by the textile industry.
National Textile University (NTU) is the only federal university in Pakistan that is dedicated to textile education and research. The University has served well to provide adequate facilities for the delivery of training and teaching programs for many decades, and has played a key role in the provision of the educated human resource to Pakistan’s Textile Industry.
Now the University must move to the next level of progress in order to deliver education and research & development programmes that are fit for the future and will help the Pakistan’s textile industry modernise and compete in the international market. It must be part of the NTU’s vision to create a culture and environment in which innovation and commercialisation of its research can play a very
significant role in the future developments in the textile industry and other related sectors.
In the fast-changing world and in view of the considerable challenges faced by the national textile industry, the academia must help and support the industry in addressing these issues and offer a way forward for the revival of, and development of an enterprising and prosperous textile sector in Pakistan. For this purpose, the National Textile University needs to establish a purpose-built, modern and state of the art campus in order to provide the environment and facilities, where innovative and entrepreneurial graduates and researchers, with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and leadership capabilities can thrive. The qualified workforce can then help industrial organisations to address the challenges and succeed in a highly competitive global textile marketplace. The establishment of a world-class campus will also encourage international students and faculty to study and work at the university.
Leading Pakistan’s textile revolution It is important to attract talented and bright students to textile education by offering them a modern and attractive study environment and high-quality purposeful courses, leading to excellent employment opportunities and prospects. The textile industry in Pakistan must modernise by investing in the new technologies and well-qualified workforce. It must be emphasised that education is a fundamental necessity to increase the economic proficiency and wellbeing of a society, as it adds tremendous value to the efficiency of the workforce, and helps to create a knowledge-based economy, which is the key for the establishment of a sustainable, progressive and competitive textile industry.
The National Textile University has been making a valuable contribution to the education and training of the staff for the textile industry for many decades, and now it must provide the facilities and environment that are required to create the graduates, researchers and technologist of the future. NTU is probably the only national university in the world that has its fundamental focus in the field of textiles. The revival of the national textile industry is an absolute necessity as it is the most important sector for the economic security of the country and only through the provision of world-class education and research can we build a strong and knowledge-based world-leading textile industry in Pakistan.
The Pandemic Era and Innovations in Knitting
Despite difficulties in the machinery market because of the Pandemic, knitting technology manufacturers still innovate and help their customers provide value. Highlights of the knitting inventions are:
OVJA 2.4 EM circular knitting machine by German based Mayer & Cie Company is ready for the market. The fully electronic model is designed for mattress
cover fabrics with high output and a wide pattern variety. This ready-for-market version builds on the model introduced during ITMA 2019 with the addition of a new thread fluctuation control system positioned on every second feeder. A controlled air stream maintains constant yarn tension, especially at high revolutions per minute, which helps avoid thread loops and dropped stitches.
OVJA 1.6 EE/2 WT double jersey jacquard machine by Mayer & Cie also offers multi-colored designs and
microstructure elements, including tuck structures and spacer fabrics. The machine features three-way electronic needle selection in the cylinder and
two-way technology in the rib dial. When special needles are employed, the device can knit yarns up to 1,200 denier in gauges as coarse as E16. Applications include mattress covers, upholstery, transportation seat covers, shoe uppers, and outerwear.
RD 7/2-6 EN double needle bar raschel machine by Karl Mayer offers some new technologies for the knitting sector. According to the company, the new device offers up to 30-percent higher speed than its
predecessor, the RD 7/2-12 EN. The machine can knit 3D fabrics using a trick plate distance of 2 to 6 millimeters. Its EN pattern drive and maximum shogging movement of 1 inch allow patterning variety with up to 12,000 stitch repeats. The machine is available in working widths of 138 and 77 inches in gauges E 18, E 22 and E 24. Fabrics may be used for footwear, clothing, and mattress applications.
HKS 3-M ON by Karl Mayer is one of the first machines connected with its digital solutions. The machine can directly download pattern data from the KM.ON secure cloud and does not need to use pattern disks, which allows for easy pattern changes found with EL gears at the speeds associated with N pattern drives. According to the company, the machine recently was issued in a wider working width of 300 inches for wider or side-by-side production and is up to 15 percent faster than its predecessor. Karl Mayer offers three interchangeable options for purchasing lappings for the HKS 3-M ON, SwapKnit 36, and SwapKnit 36 Flat for designs up to 36 stitch courses, as well as a variant developed for pattern repeats of more than 36 stitch courses. Patterns for the machines are downloaded from Karl Mayer’s Webshop Spare Parts and loaded on the knitting machine for fast and flexible pattern changes. According to Karl Mayer, the hybrid unit combines the patterning possibilities of a typical N and EL pattern drive in a single knitting machine.
DNB/600-2B by Jakob Müller Group company Comez International is a high-speed mechanical double needle bed machine for warp knitting. The machine has been designed for the mass production of items, including earloops for masks and sportswear accessories. The low stitch density
required for such articles and the high operating speed of the machine equates to very high productivity, according to Comez. Equipped with two mechanically controlled guide bars, the DNB/600-2B can process all yarn types into double face fabric structures. A compact design and reduced working width result in fast changeovers.
DNB/EL-32-12B by Comez International was first introduced at ITMA 2019. The electronically controlled warp knitting machine is designed for sample production using any yarn in all possible gauges on a single, compact unit. Items produced using the DNB/EL-32-12B include technical textiles,
medical textiles, shoe uppers, and apparel textiles. The machine has 12 guide bars. An electronic long-throw device with a stroke capacity of 560 millimeters allows more advanced technical fabrics to be produced, such as reinforced fabrics, fabrics with continuous weft insertion, and technical furnishing fabrics.
800 ACO/EL by Comez International is a crochet knitting machine that features compound needles, electronically controlled yarn tension, and stitch density regulation. Comez reports the machine is suitable for the production of elastic and rigid fabric and tapes. It is ideal for products requiring a
lock-stitch structure, such as medical and orthopedic textiles. The machine is equipped with eight weft bars and is available with an 800-mm working width.
SAN™ SF needle by Germany-based Groz-Beckert KG is a new product in the market. The particular application needle is used for knitting staple fiber yarns with increased fiber fly on large diameter
circular knitting machines. The SAN SF needle and SNK SF sinker were designed to reduce dirt accumulation and extend required cleaning intervals to minimize machine downtime. The staple fiber needle features a closed shank on the back of the needle, and cushions to support the cylinder walls. According to the company, the needle also enhances uniform loop structure.
Sustainability was the highlights of Taipei Fashion Week
Taipei Fashion Week AW 21 launched "Taipei Sustainable Collections" that centered around sustainability. Taipei Fashion Week is Asia's first one-day joint show centered around sustainability. The showcase highlighted Taiwan's continued innovation in eco-friendly and sustainable textile and fabric development - including, but not limited to, water and energy-saving solution dye techniques and fabrics and textiles created from post-consumer PET bottles, recycled scrap tires, fish scales, and oyster shells.
Taipei Fashion Week's sponsorship by the Taiwan government emphasizes an increasing dedication to protecting the environment and changing the fashion industry by combining innovative manufacturing power with emerging designers' visions. Taipei Sustainable Collections is a platform for young
designers who balance care for the environment with a humanity-first approach to design to find the intersection of style, innovation, and social responsibility.
Various brands with existing sustainable practices will utilize these textiles and fabrics to create new concepts and raise awareness, demonstrating how the link between the local textile industry and fashion designers can write a new chapter in Made-in-Taiwan style. Participating brands include DAMUR, Claudia Wang, DYCTEAM, JUST IN XX, oqLiq, and WEAVISM.
The highlights included: Claudia Wang utilized 3D virtual technology to minimize waste and present a pattern of eco-friendly designs made from fish scale yarn, biodegradable light fabrics, and recycled nylon.
The DYCTEAM collection featured recycled materials, eco-friendly processed natural cotton, reusable three-layered nylon, down alternatives, and biodegradable insulation layers reinvented in the brand's image.
DAMUR showed Taiwan's latest metallic membrane and lamination technology to combine bold design with a realistic epidemic prevention context.
JUST IN XX presented recycled fabrics transformed from plastic bottles, industrial wastes, and non-toxic remade fabrics to showcase Taiwanese craftsmanship through crocheting and laser-cutting fabric scraps for his Taiwan Olympic uniform.
oqLiq has previously explored new fabric technologies and design applications, including leather made by dam sediment and multifunctional materials made from oyster shell powder mixed with plastic pellets created from recycled PET bottles.
WEAVISM has woven functional fabrics out of unconventional natural materials such as beeswax and banana leaves, where clothes can merge with the earth after being buried in the soil.
