SPINEXPO^TM is the indispensable meeting place for anyone using yarns and fibres and developing knitwear garments.  It addresses knitters, weavers, hosiery manufacturers and ready-to-wear brand manufacturers with collections of flat-bed and circular knits.

SPINEXPO^TM brings to Shanghai the world’s most comprehensive and selective international offer in the field of creative yarns and fibres, knitwear and knitted fabrics.

All in one Jumpsuit : or how exceptional cashmere yarns and no waste design can cohabitate

ERDOS is a leading China cashmere luxury brand well established all over the world, and a flagship to China brands.  The partnership between SPINEXPO and ERDOS brought a lot of brainstorming during the last AW session followed by a visit at the state-of-the-art R & D complex of the company, in Erdos, Inner Mongolia.

Both Eva deLaat, our activewear specialist and Karine Van Tassel worked with the R & D team to find an idea that would be rejuvenating and modernizing, using Alashan cashmere originating from the surrounding grazing lands of Inner Mongolia.  We selected colours and patterns fitting SPINEXPO trend directions and worked around a concept featuring all techniques developed by the exhibition trend team: woven, knitwear and circular knit with one idea in head: “no wastage in a Lifestyle environment”.

Integrating cashmere in the circular knit developments has been a challenge as this noble fibre is much more used in knitwear, and occasionally weaving techniques. We developed, on the basis of a no wastage idea, a bonded reversible kimono with madras checks on the outside and baroque damask velvet on the inside, to be worn over a jumpsuit of the same combination.

This mini collection will be on display at the main trend area, in the SPINACTIVE section.

Erdos Cashmere characteristics

Erdos products are pilling resistant and anti-static by combining organic conductive fibre with cashmere fibre.  Use of high-tech compound technology by application of an independent patent technique allows to keep the fabric anti-static characteristics intact more than 50 washes.

Other characteristics make the yarns exceptional, such as a nanometre technique that interface with the surface of the fabric so that, at normal temperature, the liquid water drops or edible oils cannot directly contact the fabric surface and stain proof functions are achieved.

Electromagnetic radiation shielding function is also achieved by combining cashmere products with silver-coated fibres or fabrics. The products have ultra-strong anti-electromagnetic radiation function without changing the original hand feel of the product.

New in the show from Japan, Shinnaigai: a truly eco-oriented spinning mill

The Shinnaigai Spinning System has established the production of consistent, performing fabrics including the production of high tech, sustainable ranges such as Botanicaldye by Colorball. These qualities and fabrics are based on Tencel^®, organic cotton and organic bamboo materials.

Botanical dye is the latest, highly innovative and original patented Japanese technology.  It combines the best of nature with the new, cutting edge technology to create beautiful, dynamic and aesthetically fascinating, yet still truly responsible fabrics that have a completely new and unique color perspective.

Nature is filled with many colours, there are 500 000 or more species of plants, and Shinnaigai uses at least 3000 for its range.   Classified into “a rainbow-colored fruits collection” including dye made from strawberries, apricot, lemon, avocado, blueberry, fig, grape, cherry, rose, sunflower, carnation, gardenia, pansy, lily of the valley, fragrant olive, hollyhock black, lilium;  or “Herb Tea Collection”, including lavender, mint, chamomile, juniper, hibiscus; “The tea collection” including Assam, Darjeeling, and Earl Grey; “The Green Tea Collection” with 3 different colours of leaves, and the “Coffee Collection” using degrees of beads roasting: light roast, medium roast and fullcity roast; to finalise with the Bamboo Charcoal grey for mental purification!   A spiritual collection that all stylists at SPINEXPO have wanted to use.

‘Lifestyle’ Replaces Mall Mania

After years of relentless shopping, mall crawling fatigue has set in.  Today consumers want something more ‘experiential’ than simply buy another garment. Now it’s all about lifestyle – the newest buzz word amongst retailers and brands.

Many yarn suppliers agree that the lifestyle trend is becoming one of the fastest growing directions in fashion. “During the past two years, we can see that sportswear and lifestyle brands are coming up very quickly,” said Tina Lee, Deputy General Manager of Marketing Department at Huafu Top Dyed Mélange Yarn Co.  “There is great potential in this direction.  It is a new market and we are paying close attention to it and working intensively to get a foot into the door,” she said.

“It is more important now to understand your customer and build a collection that caters to the total person,” said Niro Amerasekera, Import Coordinator at, a mid-sized Los Angeles-based retail with two of its own brands, Willow & Clay and Matty m.

The lifestyle concept also offers increased opportunities for brands and retailers, who can now expand their reach into home furnishings, in addition to new apparel categories.  The result will be stores that are more interesting and allow shoppers to discover unique items and enjoy a more personalized experience.

“There is a real opportunity for brands that offer a curated lifestyle concept,” said Ty Bhojwani, President and CEO of Brilliant Global Ltd., a leading knitwear manufacturer, discussing the importance for brands to have a ‘story’ with which consumers can identify.

The brand story is all part of a total lifestyle concept that in turn resonates with a particular customer segment.  To make it work requires close cooperation throughout the supply chain, with creativity going hand in hand with the more technical aspects of production.  

As consumers search for richer experiences rather simply more clothing, the brands and retailers who can best execute this concept will have a clear market advantage.

SPINEXPO has worked in this direction for the past year and will continue to develop this trend in the show trends presentation integrating Home Design into the main trend area starting with the AW 2017-18 session.

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