FW
Adidas T-shirts will be made using sewbots. This is a major breakthrough in the automation of garment assembly and will enable the production of eight lakh T-shirts a day.
Using cameras to map the fabric and robots to steer it through the sewing needles, the system will handle soft fabrics and make the T-shirts for Adidas on the system which is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of next year.
The technology developed in the US by Atlanta based brand SoftWear Automation, was launched in 2012. It is being used by a Chinese company to supply European sports brand Adidas with T-shirts made in the US by robots. This is a major breakthrough in garment automation. From fabric cutting and sewing to finished product, it takes roughly four minutes. When fully operational, the system will make one T-shirt every 22 seconds.
The sewbots use a combination of patented high-speed computer vision and lightweight robotics to steer fabrics to and through the needle with greater speed and accuracy than a human. With complete automation, the cost for each T-shirt is roughly 33 cents. Around the world, even the cheapest labor market can't compete with this.
Spinexpo to be held in Shanghai from August 29 to 31 will feature latest yarn, fiber, knitwear, knitted fabric and active wear collections. Top Chinese and global companies are ready to present their latest production. For example, China-based Diyang Merino Textile, a high-quality knitter with dyeing and finishing capabilities, will present its latest fabric technology. The company specialises in fine micron merino wool for circular knitting to more than industry customers worldwide, with a focus on outdoors and sportswear markets. The company’s patented technologies Hydro-duct, Wooloft and Merino Ultimate are meant to enhance the unique property of merino wool for outdoor sporting activities.
Aquafil will present Dryarn, an innovative microfiber said to be one of the lightest fibers in the world, water-repellent, breathable, bacteriostatic and dermatologically tested. Dryarn is ideal for a wide range of uses, such as first and second layers of clothing, fashion and sportswear. Dryarn performs best when used in its purest form or in high percentage blends with other raw materials. It can prevent the absorption of moisture and is highly permeable for water vapor. This can give the fiber exceptional breathability: perspiration evaporates quickly without soaking the fabric, thus ensuring that the skin is always dry. Invista is introducing latest Coolmax technology solutions.
US outdoor brand Patagonia is launching a line of workwear made with Iron Forge Hemp canvas, a blend of industrial hemp, recycled polyester and organic cotton which, it is claimed, is more durable, abrasion resistant and comfortable off-the-rack than conventional cotton duck canvas. The workwear is targeted at farmers, builders, ranchers, foresters and environmental activists with a collection of function-specific workwear which uses less harmful materials without sacrificing functionality.
The Patagonia Workwear line is underpinned by the Iron Forge Hemp canvas, a heavy-duty 12.9-oz blend of 55 per cent industrial hemp, 27 per cent recycled polyester and 18 per cent organic cotton. Using the long bast fibres that surround the core of the hemp stalk, Patagonia's Iron Forge Hemp canvas is claimed to be 25 per cent more abrasion resistant than conventional cotton duck canvas.
In addition to the Iron Forge Hemp canvas styles, the Workwear collection offers seven durable, comfortable, utilitarian pieces made with synthetics and natural fibres that provide warmth and protection from the elements.
The eight hemp styles are made in a Fair Trade Certified facility, so for every product made, Patagonia pays a premium directly into a fund that workers can use as they choose. The certification also ensures that the garments are made in a way that meets Fair Trade USA's strict standards for safe and healthy working conditions.
Pakistan is offering incentives for the modernisation and development of textile sector. The aim is to reduce the cost of doing business, leading to a boost in trade and commercial activities. Import of textile machinery will be made easier to enhance the capacity of textile sector. About 16 new varieties of cotton have been introduced.
The high cost of energy has hit the textile industry. Gas and electricity tariffs in Pakistan are around 30 per cent higher compared with regional countries’, rendering Pakistan’s exports uncompetitive in the global market. The industry is also facing a severe liquidity crunch due to delay in payment of sales tax refunds.
The trade deficit for last financial year was recorded at an all-time high of $32.58 billion with exports of $20.45 billion, the lowest since 2009-10. Between fiscal year 2016 and 2017 Pakistan’s exports of textile products fell two per cent. Although raw cotton, cotton yarn and cotton cloth registered a decline in exports, there was an increase in shipments of knitwear, bed wear and readymade garments. Exports to the US fell one per cent. Exports to China fell 15 per cent and to the UK 0.6 per cent. On the other hand, exports to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands rose.
Techtextil will be held in Mumbai from September 13 to 15, 2017. Contingents from Germany, China, South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, Belarus will present the latest technologies in technical textiles, nonwovens and garment machinery.
Apart from pre-arranged buyer-seller meets, a conference will bring together participants representing the entire cross section and all stakeholders of the industry. It will discuss market outlook, trends, developments, opportunities and challenges in the industry. Specific topics to be highlighted during the event are: protective agrotextiles– advantages and future prospects, textiles in aerospace applications, fiber innovations for functional and value added nonwovens, among others.
Another important feature is the launch of Texprocess Pavilion. Manufacturing technical textiles demands specific raw materials, machinery and equipment that are not readily available in India and importing those materials are expensive. The launch of Texprocess Pavilion give garment machinery manufacturers a great platform to display their innovations and build a new and strong client base while at the same time allowing Indian market to see how these solutions can help expand their existing capabilities.
Covering the entire value chain and displaying latest technologies in technical textiles, nonwoven and garment manufacturing machinery, Techtextil India and Texprocess Pavilion together will aim to be a reliable platform for business and sourcing.
Fi-Tech will take over as Mayer & Cie’s sales and service representative in the United States. i-Tech replaces Mayer Industries. Mayer & Cie expects the handover to boost its presence in the US and provide easier access to new customers. It felt with several employees in the circular knitting department leaving retiring, handing over its US representation to a well-established, professional agency was the right step forward.
Fi-Tech has engaged two senior members of Mayer Industries’ circular knitting team to ensure knowledge and expertise are maintained for several years and to assure the smoothest possible transition.
Fi-Tech was founded in 1972. Its initial focus was on synthetic fibers and nonwovens, but Fi-Tech has since expanded its portfolio substantially and now represents European equipment manufacturers in dyeing, finishing and surface finishing. The geographical focus of its business is on the United States and the NAFTA member-states.
In Mayer & Cie Fi-Tech now has the first greige goods manufacturer in its portfolio. With a circular knitting machine manufacturer Fi-Tech is expanding its portfolio. With its wide-ranging networks Fi-Tech will be able to introduce Mayer beyond the traditional circular knitting machine market.
Germany-based Mayer & Cieis a leading international manufacturer of circular knitting machines.
Shri Damodar Group, a Mumbai-based textile giant, is planning to expand its linen yarn production capacity at Amravati unit. This is to meet the growing demand for linen yarn in India, which is not produced sufficiently within the country and is hence, imported from China., Anuj Biyani, Chairman, Shri Damodar Group point out linen spinning unit at Amravati was started last year with an investment of Rs 90 crores and now they are looking at expanding the same product category in the coming year.
The parent company Shri Damodar Group, Damodar Industries had mentioned in its 2016-17 report that it is setting up an automated fancy linen yarn spinning unit at Amravati. The total cost of the project (including production enhancement plans) is estimated at Rs 140 crores.
The unit is expected to start commercial production by next year. The annual sale from this plant is expected to be around Rs 250 crore. Damodar Industries is well established in textile business with companies like Shri Damodar Yarn Manufacturing, Monopoly Yarns and Golden Fibers.
Hyosung’s leads the world textile industry with its spandex, polyester and nylon yarns. The company produces various differentiated polyester and nylon yarns from regular to high functional specialty yarns to create high value for customers. The last two years were excellent for Hyosung’s global spandex business. It increased capacity in China and Vietnam. Vietnam expansion was aimed at meeting the growing demand from Southeast Asia, including India.
Hyosung is the largest producer of spandex in the world with its brand ‘Creora’. It expects to reach 2,30,000 metric tons by the end of this year. Creora is being used on intimate wear, denim, knitwear, woven garments and swimwear. Creora has many classified products to meet various requirements. Hyosung has six regional offices in India and now it plans to invest in a spandex factory in the country.
The company launched anti-odor spandex and now is looking to penetrate the denim market since Creora spandex can add value on denim garment. In addition to regular spandex, Creora has various kinds of specialty yarns. To meet consumer need for perfect fit and comfort from four way stretch denim, Hyosung launched Creora Fit2, and some Indian denim mills testing this product.
During the second quarter, sales of German fashion brand Hugo Boss in the US rose two per cent; sales in China jumped 14 per cent. Hugo Boss is known for its smart men’s suits. After a string of profit warnings, Hugo Boss slashed prices in China to bring them closer to European and US levels, making efforts to appeal to younger customers, investing in its website and closing loss-making stores. The strategic realignment had its effect.
Online sales, which had fallen in the first quarter, rose nine per cent after the company took steps to speed up loading time of its website, improve its ranking on search engines and offer more lower-priced garments. Net profit jumped fivefold reflecting year-ago restructuring costs.
The spring/summer 2018 collections for its revamped core brands Boss and Hugo were well received at recent fashion shows, with particularly strong demand for its athleisure and casual wear. Hugo Boss confirmed its outlook for stable sales in 2017 and a low double-digit percentage increase in net income. It expects growth of sales and earnings in 2018 and for sales to outpace the market beginning in 2019.
A recovery in tourism in Europe and stronger Chinese consumption are expected to lead a rebound in the luxury sector this year.
Three years after its creation, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles is losing members. This is a German initiative aimed at improving global textile manufacturing – from production of raw materials to disposal. An alliance was formed where every member was to regularly present a list of measures it had decided upon itself. The main thrust of these measures were to improve working conditions in the countries where companies' garments are actually being produced.
Yet, disillusionment has set in. Some large companies do not want to uphold certain social and environmental standards and do not want to be told which guidelines they have to follow. The Partnership's steering committee, which represents members from various production sectors, had determined that members must present concrete plans listing their self-declared obligations, so-called roadmaps, by the end of March 2017. But some 40 companies and associations refused to go along with the plan. They presented no specific steps to establish controls, and thus were forced to leave the Partnership.
In early 2017, some 190 members, including clothing industry giants such as Adidas and Gerry Weber as well as a number of unions and NGOs, belonged to the Partnership. Now it has 148 members.
