H&M, the global fashion retail giant, is spearheading a transformative trend in custom embroidery by collaborating with Coloreel. This groundbreaking partnership empowers customers at the H&M Alexa store in Berlin to infuse their clothing with a vast array of unique and expressive designs. 

The venture is the inaugural step in an innovative in-store pilot developed by H&Mbeyond, offering a constantly updated library of diverse designs.

Coloreel, a trailblazer in embroidery technology, ushers in an era of unparalleled creativity with its ability to provide an infinite spectrum of colors at the push of a button. 

Moreover, it champions sustainability by reducing wastewater by a staggering 97% and incorporating recycled thread into its process.

Oliver Lange, Head of H&Mbeyond, emphasizes that this venture exemplifies H&M's dedication to enhancing the shopping experience through innovation, while Mattias Nordin, SVP Product Management at Coloreel, hails the collaboration as a redefinition of traditional embroidery.

This in-store service is available at the H&M Alexa store in Berlin during Q4 2023, and plans to extend it to customer's own garments are on the horizon, promising a positive environmental impact through garment longevity.

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) will hold its Textile Testing Workshop on December 6-7, 2023, at AATCC headquarters in Research Triangle Park, NC.

This intensive two-day workshop is designed for professionals responsible for product evaluation, specifications, and quality control. Attendees will learn how to properly perform essential tests and interpret results for textile materials.

The workshop will cover a wide range of topics. Attendees will also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with these testing techniques.

Reliable textile testing provides crucial data and insights that drive innovation while ensuring quality and safety. Testing substantiates that materials and products meet specifications, comply with regulations, and deliver promised performance. Standardized test methods allow objective evaluation and comparison of textile properties. 

Test data identifies opportunities to improve manufacturing processes and guides new product development. Testing also helps safeguard consumers by screening for harmful substances and verifying qualification for end use.

Investing in proficient textile testing capabilities allows companies to enhance quality, solve problems, validate claims, and develop better products.

Sri Lanka’s first multinational textile manufacturer Teejay Lanka PLC has expanded its collaboration with academia by entering into a partnership with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), the country’s second oldest university.

To Enhance Training, Research, Employment Generation

A five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizes the partnership, paving the way for creating mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration in training, research, employment generation, and greater alignment of course content with corporate sector requirements.

Teejay Lanka has undertaken to offer internships and training opportunities to undergraduates of the university’s Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce (FMSC), provide guest lecturers, explore opportunities for research projects and field visits, provide feedback on course content, and consider financial support for activities that improve the skills and attitudes of undergraduates.

The University of Sri Jayewardenepura will provide opportunities and facilities for Teejay to interview undergraduates for available opportunities, conduct training programmes for Teejay if requested, and get involved when required in the preparation and evaluation of business cases and special projects of Teejay Lanka.

The MoU was signed by Teejay Group CEO Mr Pubudu De Silva and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Senior Professor Pathmalal Manage. It envisages that the collaboration will engage students in different areas of study including Supply Chain, Research and Development, Customer Development, Marketing, Finance, Information Technology, Management Information System Studies, Accounting, Business Administration, and Human Resources.

Commenting on this latest collaboration with academia, Mr De Silva said that Teejay actively engages with leading academic institutions, playing a dynamic role in nurturing, mentoring, and guiding the next generation of leaders who will shape the company’s future and the broader business landscape. He added that these multifaceted collaborations synergistically leverage the strengths of each party.

Ranked the third best university in Sri Lanka in the World University Rankings for 2024, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura was founded in 1873 as Vidyodaya Pirivena and officially adopted its present name in 1959. The university was listed as a reporter-status university in the 2023 rankings and currently holds a world ranking of 1501+.

Teejay Lanka also has a long-standing partnership with the University of Moratuwa which is in its 11th year.

India is set to host the world's largest textile fair in Delhi in February 2024, a landmark event that will showcase the country's rich textile heritage and its growing position as a global leader in the industry.

The fair, which is expected to attract over 1,000 exhibitors from around the world, will showcase a wide range of textile products, from traditional handicrafts to the latest innovations in fabric technology. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the entire textile value chain, from raw materials to finished products.

The fair is a significant opportunity for India to promote its textile industry and to attract new investment and partnerships. It is also a chance to showcase the country's rich textile heritage and culture.

India is already the world's second-largest producer of textiles and apparel, and its exports are growing rapidly. The fair is expected to further boost the country's textile industry and to help it maintain its position as a global leader.

The fair is also a positive development for the global textile industry. It will provide a platform for companies from around the world to showcase their products and services, and to network with potential customers and partners.

Overall, the hosting of the world's largest textile fair in India is a significant event that is expected to have a positive impact on both the Indian and global textile industries.

With 25 years of expertise in corporate sustainability, institutional marketing, and public relations, Daniel Rufenacht has traversed both the public and private sectors. His career journey began within the Swiss government, where he identified novel market opportunities for sustainable trade from developing nations and pioneered Switzerland's inaugural sustainable textile label.

During an eight-year tenure as Operational Director of CSR, Compliance, Integrity, Marketing, and Communication for a prominent textile company, Rufenacht masterminded its transformation from a traditional clothier into a globally acclaimed sustainable brand. This brand now provides comprehensive product traceability.

Before assuming his current role as CEO of bluesign technologies ag, Rufenacht served as Group Vice President of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at SGS for over a decade. His leadership at bluesign has expanded the company's services to new market segments and geographies, fostering innovation.

Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal, has commended industry bodies in the textile sector for their significant role in organizing the forthcoming Bharat Tex 2024 event, the largest-ever textiles expo. 

Goyal expressed his enthusiasm during the curtain-raiser event held at Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi, highlighting that this event is not merely a showcase but a testament to India's dedication to becoming a global textile powerhouse.

He emphasized the 5F vision - Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign - which encompasses innovation, collaboration, and the 'Make in India' spirit. Goyal's hope is that Bharat Tex 2024 Expo will propel industry growth and underscore India's potential as a mature, competitive global sourcing destination in the textile industry.

The marquee event is scheduled for February 26-29, 2024, at iconic locations in New Delhi, with over 2,00,000 sqm of exhibition space. With exhibitors and buyers from more than 40 countries, Bharat Tex 2024 will showcase the entire textile industry value chain, from India's rich cultural heritage to the latest technological innovations. This mega event will include knowledge sessions, seminars, CEO roundtables, and more, redefining the global textile industry.

Bharat Tex 2024 will serve as a unique platform for both Indian and global textile players to explore investment opportunities, infrastructure, and incentives in India, highlighting its potential as a manufacturing and consumer market. 

This industry-led initiative is supported by various textile-related Export Promotion Councils and other industry bodies. Naren Goenka and Bhadresh Dodhia presented detailed plans for the fair during the curtain-raiser event, attended by industry leaders and senior government officers.

Frankfurt, Germany, is set to host the sixth 'ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING in the Textile Industry' symposium on November 8, 2023. 

This event, a part of the international trade fair Formnext, will spotlight the transformative potential of additive technologies, especially 3D printing, in the textile industry.

Industrial 3D printing promises to revolutionize textile manufacturing by allowing swift integration of design and functionality into fabrics while streamlining prototyping.

Michael Kieren, New Business Development Product Manager at Karl Mayer Group, emphasizes that these advancements can reduce environmental impacts associated with value-added processes.

Karl Mayer Group has pioneered a technology that combines warp-knitted textile production with 3D printing, a development co-organizing the symposium alongside Textile Research Institute Thuringia Vogtland and the Saxon Textile Research Institute.

The event's diverse program will encompass lectures and a trade exhibition, highlighting materials, manufacturing technologies, and applications in protective gear and architecture. 

Symposium attendees will also receive a four-day pass to Formnext, extending from November 7 to 10, 2023, to explore the latest in additive manufacturing. This symposium promises to be a game-changer in the textile industry, pushing the boundaries of innovation.

The event will focus on the latest practical news and research in the field. Topics include new materials, innovative manufacturing technologies, and future-oriented applications.

8th November 2023

Formnext, the international trade fair for additive manufacturing technologies in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The symposium is organized by the KARL MAYER GROUP, the Textile Research Institute Thuringia Vogtland e.V. (TITV Greiz), and the Saxon Textile Research Institute e.V. (STFI).

This series of events focuses on a topic with far-reaching implications for the textile industry. Additive technologies, particularly 3D printing processes, offer completely new potential for developing innovative textile solutions and customized products, as well as for designing processes.

Highlights

Science and industry lectures on new materials, innovative manufacturing technologies, and future-oriented applications.

Accompanying trade exhibition where companies with experience in working with additive manufacturing processes can present their products and services.

Elena Redaelli's "Seabilia," a sculpture created from waste fabric from Sitip's production processes, will be on display at Sculpture by the Sea 2023 in Sydney, Australia. The work is a reminder of the fragility of the environment in the face of human activity.

Redaelli created "Seabilia" using waste Native-Cosmopolitan Kyoto fabric, a post-consumer recycled circular knit fabric composed of 89% recycled polyester (PLR), 11% elastane (EA), and weighing 240 grams. The fabric is Bluesign, GRS (Global Recycled Standard) and OEKO-TEX certified, attesting to Sitip's commitment to environmental responsibility and protection.

The sculpture is inspired by the tiny creatures that inhabit the deepest, least explored parts of the ocean. A place where the rhythm of life is marked by silence and obscurity, while waves and tides agitate the surface above. The life of the ocean, such a vast and imposing environment, is impacted every single day by human activity, slowly weakening its delicate balance.

Redaelli hopes that "Seabilia" will serve as a reminder of how precious yet extremely fragile the balance of nature is, and how humans must become more aware of the consequences of their actions.

Sustainability Report

The Group also gained ISO 50001 certification and officially joined the UN Global Compact initiative.

The Sitip Group's commitment to sustainability is evident in its work with artists like Redaelli, who are using its waste fabric to create works of art that raise awareness of environmental issues.

The Pure London x JATC show, the London festival of fashion, will host a dedicated Sustainable destination from February 11-13, 2024. This destination will feature an array of new and emerging brands who are making a positive impact on the industry by addressing their environmental and social impact.

The Sustainable destination uses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to assess the impact of all exhibitors, who must demonstrate that they are tackling specific key issues to exhibit within the destination. This is a destination that is growing season upon season as consumers and the fashion industry become more aware of the importance of safeguarding the planet.

Some of the brands that will be joining Sustainable for the first time in February 2024 include:

Humanity Centred Designs: A Material Innovation Hub that transforms textile waste from marginalized apparel manufacturing factories into innovative recycled textile materials.

Tina Aileen: Offers ready-to-wear as well as bespoke made to measure fashion. Their dedicated approach to sustainability stems from innovative functionality and ingenious designs.

Nudea: A sustainable underwear and sleepwear brand that creates a functional and comfortable collection from natural and recycled materials.

Noema: An Irish brand showcasing considered designs made from natural and biodegradable native fabrics.

Peachaus: An Australian underwear and lifestyle brand that is passionate about beautiful, well-fitting underwear and loungewear that is humanly and environmentally responsible.

Feel Fit: A growing lifestyle brand that encompasses an award-winning range of sustainable gym and leisure wear, the first eco-powered fitness studio and store, fitness coaching programme and leisure retreats.