#Knitting & Hosiery

2024-11-14

New lace pattern with cotton in the jacquard sets new standards in high-end underwear and clothing market

KARL MAYER launches an innovative lace for the underwear and clothing sector. The new, rigid article combines an exceptionally clear fabric appearance with an unrivalled filigree pattern in the centre section and was created on an MJ 92/1 F from a very thin, super-combed, Ne 200/2 ring-spun cotton yarn in the jacquard.

Brilliant fabric appearance, highly filigree pattern design

The idea for this was conceived back in the 1980s and KARL MAYER lace expert Jamie Heather has now been able to realise it on a JACQUARDTRONIC® Lace in F configuration.

“The arrangement of the Jacquard bar at the front instead of the back, as in the B version, allows an almost vertical yarn feed. This significantly widens the yarn tension window for processing very rigid cotton yarns,” he explains. This has advantages for the design: the wider tension tolerance means that patterns with more variable thread consumption can be realised without thread breakage or sagging. The result is impressive! The floral motif sections of the new JACQUARDTRONIC® lace have been produced entirely without jacquard work behind the gimps and therefore show optimum effects when cross-dyed. Their appearance is exceptionally clean and clear. For the gimp threads, Jamie Heather has used only flat twisted yarns - 70 dtex pre-dyed lurex and 1/167 dtex viscose, matt - to get as close as possible to the Leavers lace look. The net construction in the central geometric part of the design shows off the cotton Jacquard well and gives the appearance that it has been worked by hand.

The new pattern was produced on an MJ 92/1 F with a working width of 134" in gauge E 24. It was created using cotton sourced from Gebrüder Otto Baumwollfeinzwirnerei in Dietenheim. With its high-quality yarn and carefully drafted design, the innovative lace meets the needs of the high-end underwear and clothing sector. “Many customers have the idea of using cotton in the jacquard, but are unwilling to take this step as it deviates from standard production,” says Sascha Müller, Product Owner Global Lace & Raschel at KARL MAYER, looking forward to the upcoming Interfilière and Première Vision in Paris. At one of the trade fairs, he and Jamie Heather plan to present the latest lace developments during their customer visits.

Customers can find out more about the new lace from their KARL MAYER support team.

ITM 2026: KARL MAYER presents new perspectives

KARL MAYER will once again showcase itself as a strong partner to the Turkish textile industry at ITM in Istanbul from June 9 to 13. At Booth 303 A in Hall 3 of the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center, the industry leader will exhibit solutions for warp knitting, warp preparation, and technical textiles – tailored to a challenging economic environment.

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

“We Believe in the Value of Textiles”: Successful Opening of the KARL MAYER TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

KARL MAYER inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) with a four-day opening week from April 21 to 24. The highlight of the week was the grand opening on Thursday, which drew a strong turnout from the international textile industry: around 220 customers, brands, and partners from across the textile value chain came to the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen for a first-hand look at the new high-tech development environment and lively exchange with industry peers.

“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

SHIMA SEIKI to show complete knitting and cutting workflow at ITM 2026

Leading computerized flat knitting technology provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Turkish representative TETAS IC VE DIS TICARET A.S., will participate in the ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye this month with a full product lineup. In addition to flat knitting machines and design software, visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the full range of SHIMA SEIKI textile machinery with its automatic cutting machine exhibit, all geared toward the fashion apparel market as well as non-apparel related businesses.

Mayer & Cie. Global is getting ready for ITM 2026

ITM 2026 marks the beginning of a new chapter for Mayer & Cie. Global. For the first time, the company will present itself to the international textile machinery industry in its new setup: combining proven circular knitting technology engineered in Germany with a clear commitment to its Albstadt headquarters and an internationally shaped, agile management approach.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

YKK invests USD 150 million in new manufacturing facility in India

YKK Corporation has announced plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in India, reinforcing its long-term commitment to one of the world's fastest-growing textile and apparel production hubs. The new factory will be built at Origins by Mahindra in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and will become the third manufacturing site of YKK India Private Limited. The facility is expected to be completed by February 2028 and represents an investment of approximately USD 150 million, covering land, buildings, machinery and equipment.