The Needle's Eye... Trends and Technologies Driving the Sewn Products Industry
April 1948 Front Cover
The Needle's Eye – April 1948
Around the world with The NEEDLE’S EYE... yes, it was literally true in April 1948. The NEEDLE’S EYE was finding its way around the globe and saluted its far-flung friends by dedicating an issue to each continent.
Continuing our theme of "Around the World with Union Special," with this issue we salute our friends across the Atlantic.
From Glasgow, Brussels, Stockholm and many other cities come reports of renewed activity in the needle trades. There is keen interest in modern-designed machines and equipment, and awareness of the important part which improved, up-to-date production methods can play in increasing the volume of goods available for domestic use and export.
The ladies on the front cover are modeling all-wool, British-made out-fits fashioned for cycling —a favorite European pastime as well as a practical mode of travel.
Many of the countries abroad are leading producers of wearing apparel and other seed articles, so it is not surprising that the name "Union Special" is as well known there as in any part of the globe. Locations of some of Union Special's representatives are designated on the map forming the background of our cover.
Cover photo courtesy British Information Services
Textile cutting - productive and economical: Knitted, woven, non-woven, fleece, felt - the range of technical textiles is broad and so are their demands on cutting. Zünd's cutting solutions are consistently geared towards processing these types of materials. A powerful vacuum system reliably holds down porous materials on the cutting surface.
Industry Opinion
Is Sewing a Dying Skill?
By Marilyn Sheridan, theportugalnews.com
Do youngsters choose to throw away rather than 'make or mend'? Garments were once constructed out of animal skin sewn together with bone, antler, and ivory using sinew (animal tendon) as ‘thread’. For millennia, sewing was done completely by hand.
With the arrival of the sewing machine came a boom in garment production, which led to mass production and the fast fashion we see today. Now, many different types of sewing machines and attachments have made garment manufacturing faster and cheaper than sewing by hand. Read More
Industry News
Classic Fashion, Garment Maker to Walmart, Opens First U.S. Plant in Santa Ana
The Walmart team was in Santa Ana, California, to celebrate the opening of @Classic Fashion's first U.S. production facility.
Classic Fashion, a Jordan-based maker of sportswear and casual clothing for Walmart, Target, and other big retailers has opened its first U.S. production facility in Santa Ana, California. Classic Fashion invested $4 million in the new facility, which is already in operation and expected to be in full production by mid-November.
Walmart leaders joined Classic Fashion executives and elected officials at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Classic Fashion’s first U.S.-based production facility. For the next five years, the new Santa Ana site will cut and sew apparel exclusively for Walmart, reinforcing the commitment of both companies to Made In USA. With this facility, Classic Fashion will create 125 new jobs by 2023, supporting the existing workforce, and an additional 225 by 2027 totaling 350 new American jobs over five years. Read More
One Year On: Garland Factory Alive
By Chris Berendt, cberendt@clintonnc.com
In 2020, the Garland Shirt Company (120 West Warren Street, Garland, North Carolina 28441) shuttered, leaving a void in the town and hundreds of residents without work, dimming a longstanding manufacturing behemoth. The next year, Garland Apparel Group stepped in and acquired the former site of Brooks Brothers, officially reopening the doors in October 2021. A year on, the factory shines like the beacon it once was.
When the shirt factory closed in 2020, approximately 150 people lost their jobs. Even more significant, it meant the end of a long chapter of garment manufacturing that served as Garland’s heartbeat, the cut-and-sew factory serving as the rural community’s largest employer for decades — some 70 years.
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C and C Enterprise has teamed up with JACK, one of the world’s finest industrial sewing machine manufacturers, to form Jack of the Americas. Jack of the Americas distributes JACK machines throughout North America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Basin. When you buy from Jack of The Americas, we don’t just ship you a box! We help you get set up and answer any questions you may have! With over 100 years of combined experience in the industrial sewn products industry, we are proud to say that we are one of the world’s leading industrial sewing products authorities and are here to serve you!
Not sure if Jack is right for you? Click on the button below for a short video showing off some of our machines. Watch it and see what Jack can do for you!
Not sure if Jack is right for you? Click on the button below for a short video showing off some of our machines. Watch it and see what Jack can do for you!
Amazon Shuts Online Store Fabric.com in Cost-Cutting Move
Amazon is shutting down a subsidiary that’s been selling fabrics for nearly 30 years, the latest move by the online retail giant to cut costs. In a note posted on its website, fabric.com said it will no longer sell products and directed customers to shop on Amazon instead. Thursday is the last day customers can place orders on the fabric site. Read More
Gas Supply Crunch Stifles Bangladesh Apparel Industry
by Syed Mahmud Onindo, bdnews24.com
Fatullah Dyeing and Calendering Mills was once abuzz with activity round the clock but it now remains operational only eight to nine hours a day and its production more than halved in September due to a gas crisis. Its owner Fazlee Shamim Ehsan fears losing the confidence of foreign buyers for the delay in delivering goods.
He said the factory now gets gas at a rate of 1.5-2 pounds per second when it was supposed to be 15 PSI. “The highest was 3 PSI in the last week. We’ve failed to make shipments on time.”
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Fashion-Tech Start-Ups Stitch 3D and Hatch Join Forces as New Company Stitch
Both start-ups are consolidating years of fashion-tech expertise and real-world learnings under a new company called Stitch, bringing the Digital Showroom, the 3D Hub, and transformation services in one unique offering to help brands future-proof their value chain.
Fashion-tech start-ups Hatch and Stitch 3D, backed by PVH Corp, owner of a portfolio of iconic brands including TOMMY HILFIGER and CALVIN KLEIN, have decided to join teams, products, and operations to create an integrated company, Stitch. The new venture aims to provide fashion brands with a consolidated portfolio of technology solutions and services. Read More
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Sonobond Becomes Part of Inductotherm
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Sonobond Ultrasonics, based in West Chester, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been integrated into the Inductotherm Group, having existed as its subsidiary for the past 30 years. “Sonobond and its customers will now have greater access to advanced power supply technologies, global service resources, and expanded supply chain resources,” said president Janet Devine. Read More
M&S to Make "Responsible Exit" from Sourcing in Myanmar
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has announced that it will be making a "responsible exit" from sourcing in Myanmar. Over the next six months, Marks and Spencer will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders including the Ethical Trading Initiative throughout the consultation process, to ensure that its suppliers adhere to national laws and that human rights are upheld. Read More
How a Global Brand Preserves a Carolina Legacy
There was a time when North Carolina was a world leader in textiles. Thanks to industrial innovations, a plenitude of accessible waterpower, and readily available raw materials, by 1921 the state boasted 341 mills producing $191 million worth of textiles annually. This booming industry not only ushered in an era of growth but reshaped the landscape into company towns, and industrial communities throughout North Carolina’s Piedmont and foothills. Places like Cliffside, a hamlet located in southern Rutherford County along the Broad River, are known for being the largest gingham mill in the South. But the dawn of the twenty-first century, with its globalization and consolidation, nearly erased all of it. The good news now is that some companies are finding a way to rebound. Read More
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The Pathfinder M-Series® range of automated cutting machines is known for precision, very high productivity, reliability, and lowest power consumption. All 16 models are easily configured to suit most cutting applications, and, thanks to clever design, Pathfinder cutters require very little maintenance to continually deliver exceptional cut quality over a long working life.
3DLOOK's Virtual Fitting Room YourFit Achieves Lower Retail Return Rate
3DLOOK, a global leader in AI-first mobile body measuring and virtual try-on solutions, announced that they have achieved a 47% lower retail return rate for size-related reasons in a 6-months case study in partnership with internet-famous TA3 SWIM. Read More
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Dürkopp Adler Established as a Manufacturer of Universal Sewing Drives for Third-Party Machines
“This marks the beginning of a new era, “ says Sebastian Kinnius, Head of Product Management at Dürkopp Adler. As a traditional manufacturer of innovative industrial sewing machines, Dürkopp Adler has gained comprehensive know-how in the development of controls and drives over the last decades. Now it is time to open this expertise also for an even larger platform: From now on, the well-tested DAC classic technology can also be used to drive third-party machines for the medium-heavy application range.
"In particular, this is interesting for all users who have a heterogeneous machine park, as the cross-manufacturer DAC classic control system is compatible with almost all sewing machines," adds Kinnius. In addition to the simple operation and the reliable sewing drive package, Dürkopp Adler's new offer opens the doors to digital and networked production with QONDAC for all manufacturers in the field of industrial sewing technology.
Even more remarkable is the announcement that the DAC classic control packages can be ordered for new machines as well as being available as retrofit sets for existing machines. Read More
C and C Enterprise is the United States agency for Highlead sewing machines. These high quality machines are available for your sewing needs and are sold only through local dealers and distributors. If you want more information on the Highlead brand, please feel free to contact us. www.candcenterprise.com
BGMEA, Tonello to Partner in Promoting Green Technologies
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Tonello, a garment finishing technology company, will join hands with BGMEA to support the RMG industry in adopting innovative technologies and solutions for denim and garment washing, dyeing, and finishing to become more efficient and sustainable.
During her latest mission to Bangladesh, Alice Tonello, Tonello's marketing and R&D director, met with Faruque Hassan, president of BGMEA, to forge an agreement to support the Centre of Innovation, Efficiency and OSH in Dhaka and make Bangladesh market increasingly technologically advanced and efficient in terms of environmental responsibility. Read More
Canadian Defence Minister Announces Investment of Up to $3.7 billion to supply Operational Clothing and Footwear to Canadian Armed Forces
The Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand, announced that Logistik Unicorp based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, has been awarded a contract to provide operational clothing and footwear to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This contract, valued at up to $3.7 billion over 20 years, will support over 3000 jobs in Canada’s clothing, footwear and textile industries. Read More
SCHMETZ...your manufacturer of household and industrial sewing machine needles. The product and service spectrum of SCHMETZ covers a complete range of the individual requirements of over 47 sectors in the sewing and textile processing industry, as well as for workshops and the hobby sector. Placing the highest demands on the materials used, the processing techniques, and product quality, combined with the goal of developing tailored solutions for every application, are both the focus and the mission statement of the company.
Industry Technologies
A Brief History of the Sewing Machine Needle
It is a little-known fact that the needle was one of humankind’s first tools. Over the centuries it developed from a simple craft item to a precision tool for modern sewing machines and has constantly been adapted for new industrial applications and requirements. The use of sewing machines today does not stop at garments and furnishings but is equally important for automotive, aerospace, marine interiors, airbags, and industrial and recreational sectors meeting high technical safety standards. The sewing needle has played a major part in the development of our civilization and our standard of living.
Ancient sewing needles
The most ancient sewing needles, which date back to 28,000 BC, did not have an eye but a split end that gripped the thread to be sewn (often raffia, gut, or sinew).
Needles from later than 17,500 BC already had the two features characteristic of the hand-sewing needle today – the eye at one end and the tapering point at the other end.
They were made from the materials available to human society at the time, for example, bones and antlers. Read More
Today’s Sewing Needles
The needle is the key element for a sewing operation both for hand-sewing and machine sewing. A sewing machine needle and a hand-sewing needle are not the same at all. The sewing machine needle has the eye close to the tip whereas a hand sewing needle has the eye at the butt end of the needle. The hand-sewing needle is designed for making loop stitches or continuous stitches and passes completely through the fabric on every stitch.
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In 2021, Merrow, a 183-year-old, 8th-generation family-owned company based in Fall River, Massachusetts, with centuries-long expertise in sewing and textiles, expanded its wholesale supply business by acquiring the assets and business operations of Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC. Through this acquisition, Merrow positions itself as the largest wholesale supplier of technical parts and supply items for the sewn products industry in the Western Hemisphere.
Superior Sewing will be run as an independent company with its Headquarters in Fall River, Massachusetts, and offices in Miami and Los Angeles. It is fully committed to providing independent dealers and distributors worldwide with extraordinary customer service, one-stop shopping, and the most extensive portfolio of in-stock products in its market.
Superior Sewing will be run as an independent company with its Headquarters in Fall River, Massachusetts, and offices in Miami and Los Angeles. It is fully committed to providing independent dealers and distributors worldwide with extraordinary customer service, one-stop shopping, and the most extensive portfolio of in-stock products in its market.
Industrial Sewing Thread Needle Sizes - Which Is Best for Your Sewing System?
By Dane Hatcher, Service Thread
Having the correct needle-to-thread configuration is essential for running a cost-efficient and effective performing application within your sewing system. Though this practice is often overlooked, choosing the correct needle for your sewing application is absolutely critical to flawless performance.
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Visit the digital world of sewing and discover the wide range of products offered by Groz-Beckert. From seam to needle — Use our Needle Finder to get needle recommendations for different seams on your product.
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At Grindle Marketing Communications, we believe the right marketing strategy helps you win. Developing it comes from investing time to understand your customer's needs, your competitive landscape, and your brand's strengths, weaknesses, and goals. For 30 years the founder of Grindle Marketing Communications has helped start-ups, mid-market, and fortune 500 companies to conduct research, build strategies, and tactical plans which build trust and differentiate brands from their competition leading to growth.
US Department of Defense Partners with OROS for Next Generation Tactical Shelters, Cold Weather Apparel
OROS, the leading innovator of next-generation thermal materials, has been selected by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM SC) to develop the next-generation aerogel textiles for both extreme cold weather apparel and, in collaboration with Kostas Research Institute at Northeastern University, tactical shelters.
Aerogel is a substance used by NASA to insulate spacecraft and a technology pioneered by OROS to be used as the foundation for their proprietary materials innovation. Read More
Always in the comfort zone with AlphaTauri
After successfully launching the Heatable Capsule Collection (HCC 1.0) in 2020, Italian brand AlphaTauri is this year introducing a new range of smart, heatable apparel with upgraded technology, in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom and Schoeller Textil AG. Read More
YKK Develops AquaGuard NATULON, An Environmentally Friendly Water Repellent Zipper
YKK Corp. has developed an environmentally friendly water repellent AquaGuard® NATULON® zipper. Beginning this month, YKK will spend about one year gradually replacing the conventional water-repellent AquaGuard zipper with the environmentally friendly AquaGuard NATULON zipper, which has a tape made of recycled PET plastic.
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Industry Leaders
In Memoriam Harry van Dalfsen — Past President IAF
With the unexpectedly sudden death of Dutch entrepreneur Harry van Dalfsen (72) on October 18, the International Apparel Federation (IAF) is losing one of its most remarkable past presidents. Enjoying life with his wife Karin in his holiday home in Portugal, he was seized by an infection that had a devastating effect on his body within just a few days. His death marks the departure of an outstanding industry personality.
Starting a business in interior textiles some 50 years ago he created with his great entrepreneurship a group of companies active in textiles, waste management, etc., and legal services. Next to that, he was very active on boards of different associations. Read More
Sustainability
Next Innovative Recycling Product by Ecoalf from Spain: Created from Coffee Grounds
The first two Ecoalf outdoor jacket models made from S.Café yarn and recycled plastic bottles, "Mandu" (women) and "Katman" (men), are proven on water repellence, and breathability and claim to offer natural protection from UV rays, bind unpleasant odors and dry quickly. Photo: Ecoalf
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
Along with its clearly defined mission to create the first generation of recycled products instead of using natural materials with the same quality and design as the best non-recycled Ecoalf from Spain presents its next innovation for textile and apparel. To give coffee waste a second life, Spanish fashion brand Ecoalf has developed a new, unique yarn made from coffee grounds.
For the production of the so-called S.Café yarn, the coffee grounds are first dried and de-oiled. The coffee powder is then converted into pellets and incorporated into plastic filaments under high pressure.
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Glimpse into Glamorous
"Gucci Twinsburg" on the Milan Catwalk. Fashion Spectacle with a Bow Toward Ohio
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
Milan at the end of September 2022 — The NEEDLE’S EYE Senior International Correspondent Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh personally observed that the Italian fashion metropolis with Milan Fashion Week once again offered the scenario for a great appearance of the legendary Italian traditional houses. Whether Fendi, Prada, or Versace, they all know how to reinvent themselves again and again.
They are setting a course for the future, based on powerful brand potential and, unquestionably, their available capital. The Gucci brand, which belongs to the French-listed luxury products group (until 2013: PPR for Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), came up with a fashion spectacle of a very special kind at the fall shows this year.
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Tribute at the Gucci runway as well to many civilizations whose components enriched and enhanced the narrative for the show. Photos: Milan Fashion Week
They are setting a course for the future, based on powerful brand potential and, unquestionably, their available capital. The Gucci brand, which belongs to the French-listed luxury products group (until 2013: PPR for Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), came up with a fashion spectacle of a very special kind at the fall shows this year. Read More
What to Wear on Mars? Designer Experiments on Space-Durable Textiles
According to Anurita Chandola, the key aspects to keep in mind when designing apparel for the neighboring planet are sustainability, gravity, and reusability.
Amid all the speculations of billionaire Elon Musk leading humanity to the next phase of space exploration, and possibly even to Mars, has the thought of what an astronaut wears--apart from the hi-tech suit--as part of their regular clothing during the space pursuits, ever caught your fancy?
“Since a one-way journey to the planet takes about seven months, it is important to ensure that the products used in the clothes are reusable and lightweight,” she says. Read More
Industry Events
JIAM 2022 Osaka
November 30 – December 3Intex OsakaOsaka, JapanJIAM 2022 OSAKA (Japan International Apparel Machinery & Textile Industry Trade Show) will take place on November 30 - December 3, 2022, after a six-year interval. JIAM 2022 OSAKA is an international trade fair that provides a global business platform. The show introduces innovative solutions by combining existing high-level skillsets that have been created through drastic market change and presents the latest technologies from a range of industry sectors. Bringing apparel manufacturing, textile processing, textile-related equipment, materials, products, information, and services under one roof, JIAM will showcase the most advanced equipment, systems, and services to the world.
Texprocess Americas / Techtextil North America
May 10-12, 2023Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Texprocess Americas 2023, co-produced by SPESA, creates an opportunity for retail, brand, manufacturing executives, and professionals involved in the sewn products industry to meet with leading international manufacturers and distributors of machinery, equipment, parts, supplies, systems, technology, supply chain solutions, and other products and services used for the development of sewn products. Held in conjunction with the exhibit hall, the Texprocess Americas Symposium is structured to address the most pressing issues faced by today’s sewn product industry.
Texprocess Americas co-locates with Techtextil North America.
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IFAI Expo is Now Advanced Textiles Expo
November 1-3, 2023Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida USAThe Advanced Textiles Expo is organized by the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA). For a century, IFAI Expo has been the industrial fabrics industry’s flagship show. As the premier textiles event, Expo is the place where industry stakeholders and leaders connect, learn, and make purchases in order to grow their businesses. Connect with industry experts and peers, discover new products and applications, and advance your business with insights on market trends. Registration goes live in the spring of 2023.
