#Knitting & Hosiery

2024-07-11

Successful Textiles Innovation Conference by KARL MAYER North America

The 2nd Textiles Innovation Conference held by KARL MAYER North America proved to be a complete success. The trade event took place from June 25 to 27, 2024 at the headquarters of the KARL MAYER GROUP subsidiary in Greensboro, North Carolina. The conference boasted an impressive turnout with over 200 attendees, exhibitors, and keynote speakers. While the majority hailed from many states across the USA, the event also attracted a global audience, including participants from Italy, Canada, Mexico, and other countries.

The conference continued to build momentum as an important platform for the exchange and transfer of know-how between brands, designers, and manufacturers from the textile industry. The central theme: the importance of textiles made in the USA, their value and influence on global markets.

“Connecting the US-based textile supply chain to enable brands to compete and win with American-made products, this was the mission for the KARL MAYER STOLL 2024 Textile Innovation Conference. By presenting software to accelerate product development, demonstrating machine enhancements to improve productivity, and networking across all levels of manufacturing, we have been able to advance our mission,” said Mariano Amezcua, President of KARL MAYER North America.

The conference brought together leading industry brands and esteemed academic institutions to delve into the future of product development and sustainability in textiles. KM.ON, Black Swan, Meta, and Supreme shared a convergence of ideas, challenges, and groundbreaking advancements shaping the textile landscape. NC State and Kent State universities highlighted their efforts in developing local talent and enhancing research capabilities to meet industry demand for regional supply chains. Manufacturing Solutions Center, Southern Textile Association, and AFFOA (Advanced Functional Fabrics of America) explored research capabilities and technology testing to foster funding opportunities and generate ideas for the future.

Presentation at the conference © 2024 KARL MAYER

Presentations given by pioneers and trendsetters

The recipe for success also included a high-profile lecture program. The conference kicked off with a keynote speech from New Balance, a brand that empowers people through sport and craftsmanship. New Balance MADE U.S., their premium collection manufactured domestically, reflects their commitment to quality and community impact. On day two Kenny Wilsey, Sourcing Director at Dillard’s, shared his expertise to ensure adherence to quality standards and social compliance requirements for private label brands. To complete the speaker series, Allison Hicks, Lead Knit Engineer at Under Armour, inspired attendees with her innovative approach to performance footwear, apparel, and accessories.

Important topics at the conference were sustainability and digitalization: Unifi showcased high-performance fibers made from recyclable materials and pre- or post-consumer waste management initiatives. KM.ON, the digital solution company of the KARL MAYER GROUP, displayed artificial intelligence applications for quality control, supply chain optimization, and predictive maintenance for warp knitting and knitwear production.

Jessy Belle Kürig, Sales Manager at KM.ON, appreciated the many networking opportunities. “I felt very happy to get the chance to present KM.ON by KARL MAYER and to discuss the use of AI in the textile industry, as well as the growing importance of digital twins. Even more I enjoyed the subsequent conversations,” says the sales professional.

The Textile Innovation Conference program was rounded out by an exhibition of selected textile supply chain partners. These business partners supplemented the information about innovation presented in the lectures and performance demonstrations of the latest STOLL flat knitting and KARL MAYER warp knitting machines.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

HKRITA signs MoU with Jeanologia and Looptworks to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) yesterday officially signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two key global partners, Jeanologia and Looptworks, to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem – a first-of-its-kind collaboration to accelerate the large-scale recycling of blended textiles.