#Yarn & Fiber

2022-02-10

NILIT accelerates sustainable innovation with new leadership

NILIT, the global leader in high-quality Nylon 6.6 for apparel and owner of the SENSIL® sustainable consumer brand, has announced organizational changes that reinforce the company’s commitment to leading the textile and apparel industry to a more sustainable position in the global marketplace. Sagee Aran will lead product development and commercialization initiatives and Michelle Lea has joined the company to direct worldwide marketing programs.

New environmentally responsible Nylon solutions for apparel will launch in 2022

“I am happy to announce these new leadership positions in our organization. They will help us build on the significant progress we have made to establish NILIT as the most advanced provider of sustainable premium Nylon products,” says Ilan Melamed, General Manager of NILIT. “Sustainability requires creativity and collaboration throughout the value chain from fiber to the consumer. With this new structure, NILIT will more rapidly develop and implement sustainable premium Nylon innovations that appeal to today’s growing segment of conscious apparel consumers.”

NILIT recently launched multiple premium Nylon products in the SENSIL® portfolio. SENSIL® BioCare is specially engineered to decompose quickly in the anaerobic conditions in water and landfills, positively affecting the persistence of textile waste, especially in oceans. Sensil® WaterCare eliminates 100% of the water, chemicals, energy, and pollution risk associated with traditional textile dyeing wet processing.

NILIT is preparing to launch additional sustainable SENSIL® products in the coming months. The latest NILIT innovation is a ground-breaking premium Nylon that integrates renewable non-fossil biomaterials made from post-consumer waste. This first of its kind Nylon will be the foundation for sustainable apparel that repurposes waste and reduces CO2 generation without sacrificing performance, durability, or aesthetics. NILIT is working with several key brands to introduce this game changing Nylon.

As Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer, Sagee Aran will continue to expand the SENSIL® portfolio with environmentally responsible, value-added performance and fashion products and drive implementation through partnerships with mills, brands, and retailers.

In her new role as Vice President of Global Marketing, Michelle Lea will connect the SENSIL® portfolio to conscious consumers through the brands and retailers they support. Lea has brand marketing expertise developed at leading performance fabric and apparel brands at W. L. Gore and Reebok. She will continue the work to market SENSIL® premium Nylon products that inspire designers of sustainable fabrics and apparel.

“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.

“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

“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.

Next week’s focus: Intertextile Shenzhen & Yarn Expo Shenzhen fuse textile tradition with sustainable, digital trends

Fashion will not be left behind in one of the world’s undisputed tech and manufacturing capitals. Which is why next week, at Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026, the organisers have made special efforts to integrate textile topics such as materials innovation, holistic sustainability, digitalisation and AI. Yet, from 9 – 11 June at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, the platform also includes timeless tradition and heritage-inspired evolution in equal measure. Across both shows, over 600 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions are set to showcase everything from Peruvian alpaca wool fabrics to tea-derived fibres, while their fringe programmes will explore diverse solutions along the entire value chain.

From advanced fibres to eco‑focused yarns: Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 set to welcome global industry to Shanghai

From 25 – 27 August, Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 will return to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) to reinforce its role as a key meeting point for the global yarn and fibre industry. With over 22,000 visitors, the previous edition gathered nearly 580 leading exhibitors from 16 countries and regions, showcasing advanced developments and creative applications that support innovative, sustainable textile design. The upcoming edition will not only present an extensive range of fibre and yarn products, but will also feature a comprehensive fringe programme, including industry forums and trend display areas, providing innovative upstream enterprises with a stage to introduce next‑generation materials and sustainable concepts.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

As of June 1, 2026, Nico Pedretti has assumed the role of Managing Director Graf Group. With more than 20 years of international industrial experience and extensive expertise in Operations, Supply Chain Management, Finance and Controlling, he brings a broad range of leadership and business experience to support Graf’s continued success.

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.