From the Sector

The international fashion sourcing platform Source Fashion, taking place from 12th – 14th February at Olympia London, has announced a compelling line-up of country pavilions and over 150 audited, quality manufacturers from around the world including Peru, India, China, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Macedonia,  the UAE, Madagascar, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, the UK and many more who will join the inaugural show, which runs parallel to Pure London.

Bringing a textile pavilion to the UK for the first time, the Peru Pavilion will showcase six manufacturers specialising in high-quality alpaca wool from the raw material right through to garment production, as well as cotton and other natural mixtures.

The main Indian Pavilion at this year’s Source Fashion, in collaboration with the Wool and Woollens Export Promotion Council, will showcase 20 established garment and textile exporters specialising in wool, woollen and acrylic fibres. The exhibitors will be showing full garments including men’s, women’s and kidswear as well as a selection of fabrics and raw materials. These exhibitors are regular export partners to the UK retail industry and already work with some big retailers in white label production.

The China Pavilion will present a selection of high-quality Chinese manufacturers ranging from full garment manufacturing through to raw materials, fabrics, cashmere and components.

Other producers and manufacturers attending Source Fashion from across Europe and the UK include:

• Mivania - an Italian knitwear manufacturer producing garments in 100% cashmere and cashmere blends.
• SATCoL (Salvation Army Trading Company) - a charity-owned textiles collector in the UK, actively working with retailers to reduce their carbon footprints.
• Kusilas - a Spanish company monitoring all the stages of the production process.
• Prime Casual - based in Leicester, UK, they specialise in the design and manufacture of ladies clothing from fast fashion, wholesale to bespoke tailoring.
• Athos Pallas - a fashion and textile agency located in Thessaloniki, Greece.

First insights, first new materials and trend highlights: On 29 and 30 November 2022, the European premium fabric sector will meet for an important exchange with international producers at VIEW in Munich to find out about the first colour and material trends for spring/summer 2024 at the earliest possible time. A selected range of around 300 pre-collections will be on show at the MVG Museum. This means that VIEW will once again be strong and business-relevant this season.

The past VIEW Premium Selection in June 2022 was a great success. Completely booked out and more international than ever, the Preview Textile Show of Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH was an important contact point for the buying and design teams of companies such as Akris, Baldessarini, Bogner, Calvin Klein, Cinque, Comma, Drykorn, Escada, Hugo Boss, Lala Berlin, Lagerfeld, Laurél, MAC, Marc Cain, Marc O'Polo, Riani, Schumacher or Strellson. The trend towards an increasingly international range continues in November. Numerous buyers, designers and product managers from European ready-to-wear manufacturers are expected in Munich the week after next, looking for new material innovations and trends at VIEW and the parallel ISPO.

International exhibitor portfolio with many new names
Material influences from Europe to Asia bring a highly exciting mix for the trend research of the new collections. Exhibitors from Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain and Turkey are among the participants.

The newcomers and returnees include, in addition to others:
AGNSTR / ALA CAMPOLMI / BAIRD MC NUTT / BELL & THUNDER / CB STILE / COLORA / EKOTEN / FABRIC LAB / GUARISCO / JECA LIMITED / KING BUTTON / LANIFICIO CAVERNI / LIMONATA EAST / M.T.T. MANIFATTURA / MANTERO / MILIOR / MTP PIEROZZI / PADROCASAS / PIZVAL / RIBBONTEX / SITIP / TEKSTINA SINCE 1828 / TEXMODA / VIVOLO und WAY.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg) as a leading specialist in woven, knitted and non-woven interlinings and thermal insulation, presents sustainable solutions for sportswear and related product segments of all kinds in Munich.

Trade show visitors will experience a wide range of innovative and sustainable interlinings for active sports outfits, stretch interlinings for yoga wear, Pilates & Co, and thermal insulations that combine perfect outdoor wearing comfort with high warmth retention. With comfortemp® brand thermal insulations and the Active Range, Freudenberg presents a complete package for outdoor and sportswear for winter sports: thermal insulations, interlinings, tapes, lining fabrics and adhesive solutions.

The independent jury has nominated the 100 percent biodegradable thermal insulation comfortemp® nature Lyocell HO 60x, made from Lyocell regenerated fibers, for the Textrends Award fall/winter 2024/25 season. The award is given exclusively to innovative products that are groundbreaking for the development of the textile industry. comfortemp® nature Lyocell HO 60x has a variety of extraordinary performance characteristics as a high warmth retention, bacteria inhibiting and fast drying, furthermore water repellent. High wearing comfort and the assurance of a perfect moisture balance characterize the volume fleece as ideal for the application in sportswear.

Freudenberg is presenting its entire European and global product portfolio from its "House of Sustainability" at ISPO. The "House of Sustainability" supports Freudenberg in minimizing its ecological footprint and maximizing its ecological handprint. For this purpose, the company's own manufacturing processes are designed to minimize the impact on the environment. In addition, products are developed to help customers produce more sustainably.

From 7 – 9 December 2022, Cinte Techtextil China will welcome visitors sourcing solutions for 12 application areas of technical textiles and nonwovens at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

A number of countries and regions are represented at the fair’s International Zone, with companies from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the US. Standout international exhibitors include:

• TESTEX, an international, independent Swiss institute which specialises in the testing and certification of textile and leather products. The organisation is a founding member and official representative of the OEKO-TEX® Association, and will present their certification services at the fairground.
• Cotton Council International (CCI) is a non-profit trade association that promotes US cotton fibre and manufactured cotton products, with their COTTON USA™ Mark. At this year’s fair they will showcase cotton spunlace fabric, wipes, kitchen tissues, facial masks, cosmetic removers, and more, with their products particularly applicable to Agrotech, Clothtech, Medtech, and Sporttech.
• Graf + Cie AG is a subsidiary of the Rieter Group, and a leading supplier of clothing for carding and combs for combing machines in the short- and long-staple spinning industry. This year, the Swiss company will showcase stationary flats, and metallic card clothing for roller cards.
• At the returning German Pavilion, buyers can source sought-after technical textiles and nonwovens that are renowned for their quality. The companies and expertise on display at this pavilion are endorsed by the Federal Republic of Germany, with several exhibitors highlighted below:
• Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co KG has developed machinery for the textile industry since 1949. Today, the company offers complete line systems for the dry finishing of both woven and knitted fabric, as well as for technical textiles, glass fibres, and floor coverings.
• Perlon (Zhejiang) Co Ltd is part of a global group of companies that specialises in the manufacture of synthetic filaments, with factories in China, Germany, Poland, and the US. Their products have a diverse range of potential uses, largely categorised in the Agrotech and Indutech application areas.
• IBENA Textilwerke GmbH produces various functional fabrics for Protech. At the fair, the company will be showcasing insulative, flame retardant (FR) textiles for firefighting and search & rescue services. Developed with DuPont™ aramid material, their FR properties will not diminish after washing or repeated use.

This year’s fair also sees the return of the Taiwan Zone. With support from the Taiwan Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association, the area will showcase a range of industry leading nonwoven products and services, by brands such as KNH Enterprise, Nan Liu Enterprise, Unique Pretty Ind, and Web-Pro Corporation.

As a world’s largest manufacturer of technical textiles, China is home to a vast array of companies responsible for innovative products. Some domestic exhibitors to look out for are:

• CTA Hi-Textiles Co Ltd, a high-tech enterprise controlled by China Textile Science Research Institute. In recent years, the company has developed several new textile composite materials, and their products are widely used in sectors such as national defence, policing and public security, medical protection, and engineering and manufacturing.
• Sateri is one of the world’s largest producers of viscose fibre, with an annual capacity of 1.8 million metric tonnes. At their mills, they make yarn and fibre products applicable to sectors such as beauty, hygiene and personal care, medical, wipes, and protective wear.

To help international buyers stay connected with the Chinese market, Match Plus, the fair’s online business matching platform, will support foreign buyers achieve their sourcing goals despite travel limitations. Further information on Match Plus will be available at a later stage.

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions.

Well-known as the “Festival of composites” each year in Paris, JEC World is the event dedicated to composite materials, their manufacturing technologies and application markets. It will take place in Paris Nord Villepinte from April 25th to 27th, 2023, giving once again the opportunity for professionals to meet with the worldwide composites industry.

Six months prior to the show, the program of the 2023 edition starts to unveil.

For 2023, JEC World is preparing a wide program of conferences and expert panels discussions focusing largely on sustainability and key challenges of our industry and application sectors. In aerospace, construction, ground transportation, health, design, energy (…): sustainable initiatives and greener mindsets are taking over the latest developments in high-performance composite technologies and applications.

The JEC Composites Innovation Awards
For 25 years, through the JEC Composites Innovation Awards, JEC Group has rewarded cutting-edge, creative projects which demonstrate the full potential of composite materials. Highly recognised worldwide, they offer the winners and their partners international recognition, a greater exposure during the JEC World show and throughout the following year, new business opportunities as well as an enhanced customer trust.
All companies, R&D centres and their partners can apply before December 16th, and the winners will be revealed during the ceremony, on March 2nd in Paris.

The JEC Composites Startup Booster, the leading startup competition in the world of composites and advanced materials comes back for a sixth edition. All entrepreneurs, SMEs, startups and academic spinoffs building innovative composites projects who want to get international visibility and grow their business with key players of the composites industry & OEMs are already signing up.

Following the call for entries (deadline January 15th, 2023), 20 startups will be selected by JEC Group and its partners Airbus and Mercedes-Benz. Out of the 20 finalists, 3 winners will be selected during the pitching sessions of the show: one in the “Materials & Products” category, one in the “Process, Manufacturing & Equipment” category and a special “Sustainability” award.

JEC Forum DACH‘s primary goal is to promote the DACH region’s dynamic composites ecosystem. Besides an extensive program of business meetings and conferences, innovation will have a special place in Augsburg from November 29 to 30, 2022 as attendees will have the opportunity to witness the JEC Composites Startup Booster and the AVK Awards. Winners of both competitions will be announced during a dedicated ceremony on November 29th.

The five finalists are:

BioWerkz: Closing the Loops
At BioWerkz a new bio-based, resource-efficient, and CO₂-negative material called “NEWood” is developed,  using only wood waste and agricultural waste bound using fungal mycelium; the root network of mushrooms as a natural binder without the need for any synthetic binders.

Bufo Technology – HARDCORK: High-Performance Biobased Composite – Superior by nature
Bufo Technology has developed the high-performance composite material HARDCORK® made from cork, fibers and a thermosetting matrix. HARDCORK® can be manufactured as a core material, sandwich panel or complex molded part.

Cavicore: Water soluble salt cores for the production of hollow carbon fiber parts
CAVICORE produces ready-to-use water soluble cores for the realization of hollow composite parts. Their “lost cores” have the advantage of being temperature-resistant, stable as well as eco-friendly and recyclable, as they consist of pure salts without binders.

Composite Recycling: Closing the loop on Composite Materials
Composite Recycling has developed a highly energy efficient and sustainable process to separate the resin from the fibres. With the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the team has designed a post-treatment to clean the fibres and make them reusable in new composites, closing the loop.

Microwave Solutions GmbH: Imagineering a sustainable future
Agile and modular microwave plasma and selective depolymerization technology for molecular recycling, fiber recovery and nanomaterial creation.

Following its deferral earlier this year, organisers announced that Cinte Techtextil China 2022 will take place from 7 – 9 December at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai. The coming edition will address the latest trends, technologies and applications that are shaping the industry and market in the region.

“We are excited that Cinte Techtextil China is going ahead this year,” said Ms Wilmet Shea, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “The technical textiles and nonwovens sectors are constantly innovating, and congregating regularly to share new materials and knowledge is essential for the industry. For this reason, this year’s fair has attracted international and domestic exhibitors from Austria, Belgium, Mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the US to grow their business in the enticing Chinese market.”

The Chinese market performance has remained strong amidst the pandemic. According to the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA), China’s nonwovens output has an average two-year growth rate of 14.8% despite the decreased demand for anti-pandemic materials. In addition, China strengthened its position as one of the key drivers of the global technical textiles market due to the rapid expansion of the automotive sector in the country which stimulates high demand for technical textiles.
To help international buyers stay connected with the Chinese market, Match Plus, the fair’s online business matching platform, will support foreign buyers achieve their sourcing goals despite travel limitations.

The fair is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA).

• New fibre with a circular economy footprint obtained from cotton linters through a closed-loop process
• September 22-25, 2022, WSM-White Sustainable Milano, Visconti pavilion

For the second time in a row Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei takes part to White Sustainable Milano, the first fashion trade show entirely dedicated to the research and focus on new materials and technologies able to lead to a real ecological transition, developed in collaboration with Giusy Bettoni, CEO and founder C.L.A.S.S., and Marco Poli, Founder of The Style Lift.

After becoming a leader in formalwear lining, in the latest decade this fiber by Asahi Kasei has been able to evolve towards new consumer needs and desires, moving itself towards many different applications such as intimate, fashion, formalwear and activewear. Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei arrives at WSM with a new step into its journey and evolution in contemporary style with a new Staple-fibre that unlocks creative paths towards mew aesthetics, touch and sustainability.

A new yarn range that expands the company’s realm of applications for the fashion and luxury industry, including also knitwear, jersey and casualwear. Indeed, the fibre comes with a circular economy footprint obtained from cotton linters through a closed-loop process. Bemberg™ also ensures certified sustainability credentials through its transparent and traceable approach.

At WSM fair, the company proves it by unveiling a collection of t-shirts developed in collaboration with the MagnoLab smart network of Italian companies. Circular economy and environmental responsibility meet aesthetic research with a collaborative imprint.

The new t-shirt collection created in synergy with MagnoLab, a network of Biella-based companies bringing forward initiative and collabs related to sustainability and circular economy. Staple-fibre is the top ingredient of the collection. The cut t-shirts are presented both in sheer and blends with other certified fibers, including GOTS cottons and RWS wools, capable of enhancing both the hand of the final garment and the performance of the brand-new yarn.

Monforts will highlight its technologies for special technical textile applications at this year’s ITMA ASIA + CITME which takes place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, China, from November 20-24.

One of Monforts' developments is the Montex 8500 XXL stenter system for the production of technical fabrics in widths of up to 6.8 metres. Among the products made on this system are treated nonwovens for the geotextiles and filter media markets, tarpaulins, advertising banners, black-out curtains, membranes and many more.

On Montex©Coat coating lines, meanwhile, the possibilities range from the single-sided application of finishing agents for outdoor clothing and adding functionality to home textiles, to the creation of materials for sophisticated lightweight construction and automotive and aerospace components.

“Many more applications are possible, such as the overdyeing of denim, the creation of double-face coated materials, fabrics awnings, tents and medical drapes and the pre-treatment of substrates for digital printing”, explains Gunnar Meyer, Monforts area sales manager for China. “A range of different doctor blades and their combinations can be supplied to meet individual requirements, including air knife, roller knife, foam, screen and magnetic roller coating. The latter option is recommended for lines with working widths of over 2.4 metres.”

In addition, Monforts can provide the necessary explosion-proof ranges for solvent-based coatings and high temperature processes up to 320°C, such as the PTFE coating of nonwoven filter material. These lines are equipped with special burners, stenter chains, and insulation.

Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg) will be presenting Evolon® eco-friendly microfiber reinforcement material for leather goods that is manufactured in Europe with no solvent and no chemical binder at the Lineapelle international trade show for the leather industry. Another sustainability highlight is binder-free strobel material made from 100% recycled PET for the shoe industry. The company will also be showing a nonwoven crimping material that meets the increasing demands of manufacturers and consumers alike in the footwear market.

Evolon® contains 80% recycled PET. It is produced at Freudenberg’s facility in Colmar, France, where the manufacturing process is highly sustainable: it is certified to STeP by OEKO-TEX® and fully complies with the DETOX TO ZERO by OEKO-TEX® criteria. In addition, shorter transport routes help to secure supply chains for players in the European leather goods industry.

The binder-free strobel material is made from 100% recycled PET. It is GRS-certified for reliable traceability. The GRS certification recognizes the share of recycled materials in the strobel material. This allows customers to calculate the total amount of recycled material in shoes. Moreover, the mono-component material itself is fully recyclable. In terms of performance, the material is lightweight and also demonstrates a high tensile strength.

Made from nonwoven fabric, the innovative crimping material optimally combines high permanent moldability and shape retention with flexibility and suppleness. This crimping material enables manufacturers to reduce their production costs, while consumers benefit from increased comfort. Compared to conventional knitted fabric-based crimping materials, the nonwoven crimping material offers multi-directional stretching properties, improved fitting, greater design freedom and reduced weight.