Explore ideas, evidence and developments across the textile value chain.
617 articles · latest first · 25–48
Insight24 Sept 2015Attracting new talent to the textile machinery industry remains difficult, agreed textile machinery manufacturers and educators at a recent debate at the Swissmem Press Conference, held in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland. Sonja Amport, director at the Swiss Textile School in Zurich said currently around 25 students a year graduated from her school in textile engineering. “They want to learn business or fashion. The question is how to find engineers.”
Insight23 Sept 2015It is difficult to believe that ITMA will shortly again but the show promises significant innovations in the knitwear field. Mayer & Cie recently launched an entirely new concept – the spinnit circular knitting machine – which combines the spinning and knitting processes. Taiwan-based Pai Lung is also active in this area of technology.
Insight15 Sept 2015Shima Seiki is demonstrating its confidence in the US knitwear manufacturing and consumer market by holding an ‘Advanced 3D Knitting Seminar and Workshop’ during the grand opening of its new Showroom and Training Center at the California Market Center in Los Angeles, California, USA, on September 21.
Insight14 Sept 2015With ITMA approaching in November, it is timely to look at how the textile machinery industry has fared over the last few years. There is no doubt that it remains a competitive and cyclical industry, but one where there is still plenty of scope for innovation.
Insight10 Sept 2015Mayer & Cie’s new spinitsystems spin-knit machine continues to push the boundaries with one spinning company that has been using a prototype nominated for an award. Yarn manufacturer Gebrüder Otto has been named, along with Levi Strauss & Co and Berto Industria Tessile SRL, as one of the three finalists for the Industry Excellence Award that is to be presented at this year’s ITMA in November.
Insight3 Sept 2015Performance characteristics, whether delivered by yarns, knitting techniques or a combination are no longer confined to sportswear. Recent exhibitions in the US, such as SPINEXPO and Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, as well as knitwear manufacturers, are confirming this trend.
Insight3 Sept 2015Design and diversity of product offering are credited with driving growth as US-based mattress and upholstery fabric manufacturer, Culp, reports its first quarter results. Culp saw net sales of $80.2m, compared with $76.1 million a year ago, for its first 2016 financial year quarter ended 2 August. The company reported net income of $4.7m for the first quarter FY2015, compared with net income of $3.3m for the first quarter of FY 2015.
Insight26 Aug 2015The favourable exchange rate of the euro, together with a focus on technical weaving lie behind a successful first half of 2015 for Picanol. Picanol Group realised a consolidated turnover of €259.8m, an 18% increase in comparison to €219.9m in the first half of 2014. Both divisions saw their turnover increase based on higher volumes in the first half of 2015.
Insight25 Aug 2015Lenzing’s 2015 first half results build on those of the last quarter when, after around two years of difficulties, mainly as a result of weak fibre selling prices, profits improved, albeit at a modest level. Consolidated revenue rose by 6.2% in the first half-year, from €900m to €955.4m.
Insight14 Aug 2015Slower economic growth in China is continuing to have an impact on textile machinery manufacturers with Cleantech Solutions, manufacturer of metal components and assemblies used in textile dyeing and finishing machines, the latest to announce that its quarter two revenues have fallen by more than 13% on a year ago.
News6 Aug 2015Oregon US-based Pendleton Woolen Mills, a globally celebrated American lifestyle brand, has installed new jacquard looms at the company’s original mill. These Italian looms from Itema and Swiss jacquard machines from Staubli are equipped with the latest technology and provide high-speed performance.
Insight5 Aug 2015Sportswear is becoming increasingly sophisticated with a running shoe which can collect data about an athlete’s stride as they run and advise on improvements to technique to maximise efficiency and minimise injuries, among the latest product launches in this market. The patent pending shoe, Altra IQ powered by iFit is from Altra Running, a company launched by a running enthusiast in 2011. It comprises a razor-thin, multi-sensor system embedded in the shoe’s midsole which tracks a range of running intelligence, such as exactly where a runner is striking on their foot.
Insight3 Aug 2015Latest figures compiled by the India Brand Equity Foundation show that India is the world’s second largest producer of textiles and garments, accounting for 63% of market share. India’s textile and apparel industry can be broadly divided into two segments - yarn and fibre and processed fabrics and apparel. It has the highest loom capacity - including hand looms - with 63% of the world’s market share.
Insight31 Jul 2015Myanmar (Burma) is beginning to attract the attention of overseas investors in knitwear manufacture. Relieved of sanctions in 2012 which had been imposed by the US, EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for nearly a decade for repression of democratic opposition, and enjoying duty free and quota free trade with the EU and Canada, it is now in a position to compete on the world stage.
Insight30 Jul 2015A recent improvement in relations with Iran following a deal earlier this month where it agreed to limit its nuclear industry in return for an easing of trade sanctions which had been in place for years is making the country once more an attractive destination for textile machinery exports.
Insight27 Jul 2015Adding value is often talked about in the Indian textiles industry. Failure to add value often means that Indian textile manufacturers don’t get decent returns. But a new initiative of the South India Imported Machine Knitters Association (SIIMKA) is set to change all that. The Tirupur knitwear cluster will get Rs 15.5 crore ($2.4m) worth of facilities for adding value to knitted fabrics, testing and training.
Insight17 Jul 2015Latest International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) figures show that in Q1/2015, global yarn production fell by 15% quarter-on-quarter after a decline of 29% in Q4/2014. The reason for the strong decline were exceptionally weak figures from Asia. Asian yarn production fell by 16% quarter-on-quarter. Output in Europe declined by nearly 10%, while in North America it rose by 4.4%.
Insight16 Jul 2015Last year saw EU exports of technical textiles grow by 6.2% in value (1.9% in volume), i.e. a 4.2% increase in the average unit price. These accounted for 36.8% of the total market in textile products (35.7% in 2013) against total exports worth €9.1bn.
Insight15 Jul 2015Despite a number of new initiatives aimed at rejuvenating the British textile industry in recent years including helping it to forge better relationships with retailers and promoting training and a career in textiles, there are still casualties. The latest is Moorbrook Textiles group’s mill in Peebles, Scotland, UK. Moorbrook Textiles owns Scottish textile brands Replin Fabrics and Robert Noble.
Insight10 Jul 2015Latest Euratex (European Confederation of Textiles and Clothing) figures show that in 2014 exports in the knitted fabric sector grew by +4.7% growth in value terms (+3.4% by volume), a clear improvement on 2013. Wide stretch knit fabrics which advanced +3.4% to attain a 28% market share. This is likely to have been due a weaker euro than in 2013 against the currencies of key importers.
