Blends are everywhere: pressure on prices has driven many collections to strengthen the blends and this has brought additional creativity to the collections from 200 spinners and 25 knitwear manufacturers exhibiting at the upcoming SPINEXPO Shanghai.

An abundance of mohair – pure or in blends, denim look knits and yarns and many functional yarns and mélange yarns with high contrast were among best-sellers at the recent SPINEXPO New York July. In knitwear, mixes of sheer and transparent sections on fine gauge knits (14GG to 18GG), the persistence of printing on knits and many denim inspired knits and yarns were also well received.

This season’s concept of “Sensing the Motion” was born out of fusing the two key influences seen around us today: the integration of active wear into day wear and the increasing presence of more tactile, individual yet technologically crafted textiles. Fashion is removing restrictions and the discomfort of tight tailoring and stiff fabrics. The use of stretch and knit in fabrics brings a more relaxed look, with many total knit dressing trends in focus.  

This all has a huge influence on the emerging yarns and the way they are used. There is a move away from mass consumerism. Consumers–young or old-want to seek out the uniqueness and the appearance of creations that are made by hand.  Classic type yarns are fuzzy and soft, fancy yarns are made of marls, twists, tweeds and boucle textures with intense surface hair, glossy sheen and shimmering shine.

The coming SPINEXPO Trend Area is full of these “hand-made” and “artisan” swatches: hand techniques such as crochet and hand embroidery and fabrics with multi-stitch and colour textures, or 3D looks created using Shima machine technology-all pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in knitwear today.

Knitwear is clearly on the rebound!

In today’s era of competitive pricing, innovation and creativity is required to differentiate one’s products from the competition. While demand is improving, price pressure is still prevalent, and for knitters, there is no easy solution. Fighting back with new techniques, additional creativity is the solution for a number of knitwear manufacturers exhibiting at SPINEXPO.

 
Digitally printed dip-dye sweaters offered byJabaGarmindo

This exciting new method allows customers to use more than one colour to create a dip-dyed effect on the sweater, while also allowing unparalleled control over the placement of the colour.  Instead of the conventional dip-dye look, this method allows customers to place the gradation of colour anywhere on the sweater–from the top of the shoulder, at an angle, or even in a wavy pattern!  In fact, with this method, sweaters can also achieve a washed look in addition to the dip-dye effect with high consistency between each piece.

DESIGNER SHOWCASE

SPINEXPO Shanghai is hosting 25 knitwear manufacturers at the special pavilion dedicated to knitwear.  They will exhibit their collections close to The Designer Showcase, a brand new area in SPINEXPO created to spotlight capsule collections from talented knitwear designers who are already established with their own fashion knitwear collections.  

Each designer has picked a strong theme to showcase their ideas, all very diverse and yet all with the same underlying message and current trend for technological driven crafting

Steven Oo used rubberized molds to create patterns and connected them to knitwear, bringing something new to the world of knits.  He is sponsored by Regal, Armonia/Sinfonia and Zhongding.

Paula Cheng looks at rock biker chic with tailored knitwear combined with leather jackets as outerwear and super feminine draping underneath. She is sponsored by Yarns &Colors.

Catherine Andre, designer for an established French brand, brings a highly creative and artisanlook with an expressive use of colour.  She is sponsored by Consinee, Biella Yarn by Suedwolle and Xinao.

Sophie Steller and her team drew inspiration from a darker Baroque side of lace and embellished extravagance, with layers of opulence translated into complex structures and ornate embellishments.  She is sponsored by Topline and Consinee.

New products and new collections at SPINEXPO: companies not to be missed!

Perfectex 3Plus Collection ? is all about features, advantages and inspiration.It targets a new elegance, an informal look made without sacrifying the finest luxury, with new products that are getting more specific and customized through high-tech production and a new use of materials.

After two years of unsatisfactory performance, the global industry of spinning seems to have  re-opened to favourable dynamics in 2014. The “Plus Collection” was born two years ago with a range of precious yarns in pure and noble blends able to illustrate the fusion of technique and creativity: the yarns are conceived for generous and creative surfaces with sparkling textures, compact textures and consistency and are presented in six groups of products.

Relaxing and Elegant: a mix of art and fashion, high-tech materials and comfort stretch; super fine angora and baby yak mingle with high-tech fibres, viscose, polyamide and polyester multi-ply.

Wrap around with personality: fancy yarns rich in irregularities, flamed, boucle with contrasts of colour. Baby alpaca, kid mohair, extra fine merino worked with multi-filament fibres such as polyamide, cellulosic, to create suggestive surface effects, and knots for mesh metal effects.

Comfortable sweetness: mohair again, very bulky, fluffy and soft, with added up silk filaments or cotton twisted with viscose.

Rich and Refined: intense nuances with a sense of magical lightness using baby camel, a blend of wool/viscose and de-haired angora, extra fine wools blend with linen and cotton, and a novelty yarn using wool wrapped in linen for a denim effect.

Research and functionality: a predominant part of this theme is represented by the tubular branded yarns “Softair” that are produced with the use of modern technologies through high-tech production systems. Merino wool, baby alpaca, angora, super kid mohair and rayon multi-ply.  Very important is viscose Broccato in mohair/polyamide in which the fibres are cut.

Structural fancy in relief: yarns are shaded by oxidized sparkles with jaspe and metallic effects, chiné and structured, light and fluffy; using recycled cotton blended with Merino, alpaca, soft kid mohair and polyamide for knots effects, multi-tones and new structures.