#ITMA Asia + CITME 2018

2018-10-15

James Heal has revealed a new Light Fastness Tester with Weathering at ITMA Asia + CITME 2018

UK-based materials testing instrument manufacturer, James Heal, is exhibiting at the ITMA Asia + CITME Exhibition, from today until 19 October, 2018, at the new National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai.

Today, taking centre stage on their booth H5-F50, an exclusive launch of their next generation TruFade light fastness tester, now with on-board Weathering, has given visitors the opportunity to view this machine for the first time, watch live demonstrations, and speak to their team of experts to discuss physical and colour fastness testing challenges.

An exclusive product launch

"TruFade with weathering was unveiled for the first time as part of an exclusive product launch event at ITMA Asia this morning," says James Heal Managing Director, Amanda McLaren. "Its represents a significant investment for James Heal, both in terms of product development, innovation, and customer research".

James Heal's original Trufade Xenon Arc Light Fastness Tester has an excellent reputation at global reference sites for its reliability, superior build quality and simplicity of use, emphasizes Innovation Director, Neil Pryke: "We’ve taken our existing instrument; and using customer feedback, have made several upgrades - most notably, with the addition of on-board weathering. During product development, extensive testing emulated operation in typical environmental conditions, so customers can be assured that TruFade will perform in line with light fastness & weathering testing Standards in any environment."

Testing colour fastness to light and weathering conditions for a range of materials

Now with Weathering, a range of tests can be performed for the light fastness of textiles, leather and other materials. "With the next generation TruFade, our aim was to simplify a notoriously difficult area of colour fastness testing, to deliver consistent and accurate results. TruFade is ideally suited for independent laboratories and in-house factories where space can be maximized from the small footprint of the instrument," adds Neil Pryke.

From intuitive touch-screen controls (similar to using a smart phone); to tri-sided sample holders that allow up to 27 specimens to be tested at a time - TruFade, like all James Heal instruments, is designed to simplify the user experience.

Developed with James Heal's simple and intuitive TestWise™software - for faster, more intuitive testing.

Routine testing can be started with only three touches of the screen, and the software effortlessly tracks the fading progress of samples, as well as the life of the lamp and filters with a 'traffic light' system that shows their status at a glance. SoTruFade can be operated with minimal training, saving time and reducing the potential for operator error.

Affordable: complete confidence at a competitive price

Save time: minimal operator training needed, start testing in minutes
Tri-sided sample holders: increase the usable exposure space to up to 1640cm2, so more testing can be done at once
Credible and reliable: reference locations in the best independent labs and factories globally
Meets ISO and AATCC standards
Lamps and optical air filters easy to replace – reduces maintenance costs and maximizes return on your investment
Accurate and consistent results – every time

James Heal is showcasing their range of testing instruments for physical and colour fastness testing on booth H5-F50, including:

Titan 10 – 10kN Dual Column Universal Strength Tester
TruBurst – Pneumatic Bursting Strength Tester
ElmaTear – Digital Elmendorf Tear Tester
Martindale – Abrasion & Pilling Tester
ProMace – Mace Snag Tester
FlexiFrame – Stretch & Recovery Tester
Impulse – Random Tumble Pilling Tester

YKK subsidiary Golden Hill Tower Limited marks 25 years of operations in Myanmar

Golden Hill Tower Limited, a subsidiary of YKK Corporation, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a ceremony in Myanmar on September 21, 2026. The event brought together approximately 230 guests, including senior executives from the YKK Group, to commemorate the company's development since the launch of its serviced apartment business in November 2000.

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase digital product creation at Apparel Sourcing Week

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Apparel Sourcing Week 2026 in Bengaluru, India next month. The exhibition provides a platform for the entire apparel value chain, bringing together manufacturers, brands, suppliers and solution providers in one location.

SNA GZ accelerates its on-demand production strategy with Kornit Digital

SNA GZ is leveraging the Kornit Atlas MAX PLUS to expand its music merchandise production, streamline e-commerce order fulfillment, and grow its print-on-demand business across Europe. This investment increases SNA GZ's textile production capacity by 150% (2.5×), enabling the company to meet growing demand and support its continued expansion.

NEUMÜHLE launches mono-material hoodie designed for textile recycling

With the Circular Mono Hoodie, Zurich-based label NEUMÜHLE introduces a new essential designed around a single-material principle. The textile construction is cotton throughout, right down to the sewing thread. Entirely free from elastane, the hoodie launches as a Limited Drop for CHF 139. Take-back, collection and existing recycling partnerships complement its circular design.