#Knitting & Hosiery

2020-02-20

A bralette full of promise

A new bra concept developed by Lisa Bahr makes use of the possibilities offered by the JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE.

Modern technology and fresh, new ideas produce stylish designs and offer production advantages. Lisa Bahr has shown how this can be done in her work for her master’s degree. This student of Textile Products/ Textiles at the Hochschule Niederrhein (University of Applied Sciences, Niederrhein) has developed a completely new bra design and associated bralette using the features offered by the JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE machine – based on the motto, “smart and speedy”. This innovative item of lingerie is made from just two lace pieces with two seams joining them together to produce the final garment – and moulding, pads or underwiring are no longer required. The shape of the cup is built into the textile itself. “I wanted to give the bust the best possible shape, so I focused on the concept of two-way elasticity. Conventional lingerie lace is only stretch in one direction.

When used in a design that requires very little making-up, the circular shapes are flattened out. The effect is the same as that of a sports bra or minimiser.” To put her idea into practice, this young designer relied on the expertise and knowhow of KARL MAYER, and on the performance of a high-bar JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE machine. As with normal lingerie fabrics, she processed all-over elastane on the high-performance lace raschel machine, but combined the uncovered yarn with a covered yarn as the pattern yarn.

“The stretch, core-spun yarn can be processed better in the pattern guides. It also retains the textile characteristics of the fabric,” explains Lisa Bahr. This student was inspired by the organic shapes of floating bubbles when creating her design, which features circular motifs in a subtle interplay with transparent and opaque effects. The result is a bralette with a seductive look, a comfortable fit with few seams, a short time-to-market, and low production costs. A special little trick was used during production, i.e. the design of the back section of the bralette can also be used to produce the matching briefs.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

ITM 2026: Mayer & Cie. Global presents itself successfully at international industry trade fair

Mayer & Cie. Global has used ITM 2026 in Istanbul for its first major international appearance since the restart. Together with the Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik, the company presented its premium circular knitting machines "Made in Germany", explained its future positioning within the group of companies and held talks with customers and representatives from numerous markets. The response to the restart was positive. The clear orientation of the company, the reliable worldwide network of representatives and the resumption of service and spare parts supply were welcomed by customers.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.