#Knitting & Hosiery

2020-02-20

A bralette full of promise

A new bra concept developed by Lisa Bahr makes use of the possibilities offered by the JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE.

Modern technology and fresh, new ideas produce stylish designs and offer production advantages. Lisa Bahr has shown how this can be done in her work for her master’s degree. This student of Textile Products/ Textiles at the Hochschule Niederrhein (University of Applied Sciences, Niederrhein) has developed a completely new bra design and associated bralette using the features offered by the JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE machine – based on the motto, “smart and speedy”. This innovative item of lingerie is made from just two lace pieces with two seams joining them together to produce the final garment – and moulding, pads or underwiring are no longer required. The shape of the cup is built into the textile itself. “I wanted to give the bust the best possible shape, so I focused on the concept of two-way elasticity. Conventional lingerie lace is only stretch in one direction.

When used in a design that requires very little making-up, the circular shapes are flattened out. The effect is the same as that of a sports bra or minimiser.” To put her idea into practice, this young designer relied on the expertise and knowhow of KARL MAYER, and on the performance of a high-bar JACQUARDTRONIC® LACE machine. As with normal lingerie fabrics, she processed all-over elastane on the high-performance lace raschel machine, but combined the uncovered yarn with a covered yarn as the pattern yarn.

“The stretch, core-spun yarn can be processed better in the pattern guides. It also retains the textile characteristics of the fabric,” explains Lisa Bahr. This student was inspired by the organic shapes of floating bubbles when creating her design, which features circular motifs in a subtle interplay with transparent and opaque effects. The result is a bralette with a seductive look, a comfortable fit with few seams, a short time-to-market, and low production costs. A special little trick was used during production, i.e. the design of the back section of the bralette can also be used to produce the matching briefs.

The new RDJ 7/3 defines the design footprint of modern athletic shoes

Stylish, functional, and efficient to produce – spacer fabrics are the all-arounders among textile materials. These versatile fabrics are particularly in demand in the sports and casual footwear sector, as they combine comfort, breathability, and design freedom. At the same time, this industry is trend-driven, dynamic, and price-sensitive like few others. Innovations are therefore a decisive factor for success. With the RDJ 7/3, KARL MAYER offers a solution specifically tailored to these requirements. The particular strength of the new double raschel machine: its exceptional flexibility, thanks to its three jacquard bars.

More Jacquard. More functionality. More fashion.

With the addition of another member to its successful RASCHELTRONIC® family, KARL MAYER is opening up new possibilities for creative product development for warp knitting mills and brands. The RJ 4/2 EL offers with two stitch-forming Jacquard bars entirely new design options for functional sportswear and bi-elastic lingerie. Available in gauges E 28 and E 32, this new model helps manufacturers set their collections apart from the competition. The fine E-32 gauges, in particular, impress with their clean surface, a pleasantly soft feel, and an exceptionally elegant look.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

ITM 2026: Mayer & Cie. Global presents itself successfully at international industry trade fair

Mayer & Cie. Global has used ITM 2026 in Istanbul for its first major international appearance since the restart. Together with the Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik, the company presented its premium circular knitting machines "Made in Germany", explained its future positioning within the group of companies and held talks with customers and representatives from numerous markets. The response to the restart was positive. The clear orientation of the company, the reliable worldwide network of representatives and the resumption of service and spare parts supply were welcomed by customers.

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

Indorama Ventures advances circularity tthrough PETValue Philippines' “Zero Waste to Landfill Partnership” with Republic Cement

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is advancing the circular economy through a new Zero Waste to Landfill initiative at its recycling site PETValue Philippines, further demonstrating how collaboration across industries can maximize resource efficiency and reduce waste.

Networking Day 2026: Industry stakeholders unite around textile recycling

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.