#Denim

2021-11-25

Loepfe interview with Steve Maggard President CONE DENIM LLC, USA

With its roots in Greensboro, NC, and its denim heritage dating back to 1891, Cone Denim has been an iconic supplier of denim fabrics and leading denim fabric innovator ever since. Guido Wieland, Loepfe’s Head of Product & Solutions had the opportunity and pleasure of talking to Steve Maggard, President of Cone Denim, about Cone’s manifold innovations, the challenging production of dual-core stretch yarns, and Cone’s mission and vision in terms of innovation and sustainability.

From performance denims and superior S Gene® technology to vintage re-creations of their Cone® Deeptone Denim reaching back to the early 1900s, Cone Denim offers unique collections of performance, stretch, selvage, and natural indigo denims crafted out of their very own Cone® 3D R&D incubator.

With mills strategically located in China and Mexico, Cone Denim is excellently positioned to make a strong contribution to their long-term strategy of providing customers with innovative and market-driven denims and services from a global network of manufacturing platforms.

Promoting sustainable practices in its operations and development of new denims, Cone Denim delivers unparalleled expertise and advanced denim capabilities that service and inspire the global market.

As part of Elevate Textiles, a distinguished collection of global brands, Cone Denim is redefining the world of textiles by providing global solution to a constantly evolving industry.

Interview

Loepfe: Quality has always been a key factor for Cone’s success, why did you put all on it from the beginning?

SM: Clearing technology is a key component in achieving yarn quality. Loepfe has been a key vendor for Cone Denim in yarn clearing technology, providing advanced flexible clearing capability.

Loepfe: To produce the reliable quality that the market demands for always means investing in the latest technologies and knowing the market trends. What are your inducements for this?

SM: We have chosen Loepfe for the reliability and flexibility in the clearing technology. The ability to clear fancy yarns and monitor splicing quality are key factors that we consider when we chose our clearing technology.

Loepfe: Cone Denim has created a new global standard for stretch denim – The S Gene® dual-core technology. Can you tell us more about its inventor(s), the specific characteristics and the resulting benefits of it?

SM: The S Gene technology was invented by our product development area. Lead developers included Allen Little, Cone Denim’s Director Product Development; Reuben Hart, Technical Support Specialist; and former Cone Denim developer Ralph Tharpe, who were all part of the original team that worked to create the revolutionary S Gene® technology. S Gene® technology changed the performance of stretch denim creating not only superior stretch but never before seen recovery, eliminating baggy knees and waistbands and improving fit and comfort throughout the day. The advanced S Gene® technology led to tremendous growth of stretch technology in denim.

Loepfe: In your winding process, you build on Savio Polar machines and trust on Loepfe Zenit+ yarn clearers. What are the main challenges in manufacturing dual-core stretch yarns and what benefits did you achieve by integrating Loepfe yarn clearers?

SM: Dual core stretch yarns are manufactured using both normal and slub yarn patterns. The ability to monitor and clear both yarn types with precise clearing technology is a must for our quality standards. Splice monitoring and quality clearing are of the utmost importance and the Loepfe technology allows us to monitor and remove any splices that do not meet our quality parameters.

Reuben Hart, co-inventor of Cone Denim’s S GENE® dual core product line © 2021 Loepfe

Loepfe: Denim is a huge trend and enjoys a constantly growing demand. Because of that, more and more new companies are entering this sector. How do you see the development of the denim market over the next 2-5 years?

SM: We feel that denim customers are moving to a more sustainable approach for both the manufacturing of denim and garments. We at Cone Denim have a long history of sustainable manufacturing spanning over 128 years. We continue as a global leader focused on developing and investing in technologies to improve our manufacturing processes and minimize our environmental impact. We know this is increasingly important to our customers and we are proud to be a valued partner in achieving their innovation and sustainability goals.

A tradition of innovation celebrated at ITMA 2025 in Singapore

For 70 years, Loepfe has embodied precision, technological excellence, and uncompromising quality. Join us as we proudly celebrate seven decades of innovation at ITMA 2025 in Singapore. Founded in 1955 by two visionary brothers, Helmut and Erich Loepfe, the company has been a pioneer in yarn quality control – continuously pushing technological boundaries to meet and exceed industry expectations.

Leadership transition at Loepfe

Loepfe Brothers Ltd. has embarked on a new chapter with the appointment of Markus Kleindorp as the new CEO, ushering in a fresh era of leadership. Former CEO Ralph Mennicke's departure prompts restructuring, including the addition of Gregor Stalder as CFO. With this seasoned team, Loepfe aims to maintain its excellence in the textile industry.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.

ISKO brings conscious color, texture, and tactile evolution to Bluezone Munich

At Bluezone ISKO is debuting its FW 27–28 Collection, structured around a trio of core sensory pillars: color, texture, and touch. This season, the textile leader showcases a creative vision where emotional connection and advanced technical innovation come together. The entire range is anchored by a dedicated commitment to eco-conscious material creation, utilizing patented processing technologies and high-quality Next-Gen materials powered by RE&UP.

Jeanologia brings “Billy” to China, the AI transforming denim design

The denim industry is turning its attention to Hangzhou this week, where a new edition of Kingpins, the leading international trade show for the sector, takes place on May 21 and 22. There, the Spanish company Jeanologia, a global leader in sustainable technologies for the textile industry, is introducing its latest innovation to the Chinese market: “Billy”, the first artificial intelligence specifically developed for denim finishing design.

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.