#Knitting & Hosiery

2021-04-14

Seizing opportunities in the crisis

The weaving mill in Pakistan is expanding and investing in machinery including KARL MAYER’s PROSIZE® and WARPDIRECT®

Pakistan’s economy was another to be hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but the textile and garment industry quickly showed signs of recovery.

“Things have been going crazy in Pakistan for some time now,” says Dieter Gager, Vice President Sales and Marketing at KARL MAYER’s Business Unit Warp Preparation. In particular, the PROSIZE® sizing machine combined with the WARPDIRECT® beam warping machine of the well-known global player is proving to be a bestseller: the order volume for these high-tech models was already considerable in 2020, but was surpassed once again at the beginning of this year.

Highest warp beam quality for maximum efficiency in the weaving mill

Most machines are destined for the textile strongholds of Karachi and Lahore, which are currently benefiting from a boom in high-end household textiles. Bed linen and terry towels from Pakistan are in great demand both in the domestic market and abroad. The latest generation weaving machines is used for the production of diverse articles, which require warp beams of the highest quality for their full performance.

This is where the PROSIZE® and the WARPDIRECT® come into play: the beam warping machine ensures same warping length for all warp beams, uniform thread tensions and an even winding structure. The sizing machine that follows in the process applies the sizing to the threads absolutely homogeneously and without affecting the elasticity, and requires very little water and very few chemicals to do so. In addition, the price-performance ratio of KARL MAYER’s products is just right. “Customers quickly realise that they can significantly increase the efficiency of their process chain with our models,” says Senior Sales Manager Peter Obrist following a business trip. In order to support his clients with their investment projects not only by telephone and video conference, he visited numerous clients in Pakistan at the end of last year – of course in full compliance with the strictest coronavirus safety requirements.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

SHIMA SEIKI to show complete knitting and cutting workflow at ITM 2026

Leading computerized flat knitting technology provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Turkish representative TETAS IC VE DIS TICARET A.S., will participate in the ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye this month with a full product lineup. In addition to flat knitting machines and design software, visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the full range of SHIMA SEIKI textile machinery with its automatic cutting machine exhibit, all geared toward the fashion apparel market as well as non-apparel related businesses.

New spinning package with two-step filtration for recycled yarns and more

At the ITM in Istanbul, BB Engineering unveiled its new, patented ValuePack spinning package for the first time, which features a two-stage filtration system. This is particularly beneficial for re-cycling processes. Until now, spinning packs have used either metal powder (“sand”) or filter candles as filter media. Both options are suitable for differ-ent applications, and each has its own specific advantages and dis-advantages.

ITMA 2027 gains strong momentum

In line with the theme "Co-creating the future of textiles", ITMA continues to strengthen its support for start-ups, recognising their role in driving innovation and shaping the future of textile and garment manufacturing. Through the Start-Up Valley, emerging companies gain access to a global marketplace where they can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, investors and customers.

Mongolia: Workshop on Italian textile technologies kicks off in Ulaanbaatar

The workshop dedicated to Italian textile technologies will kick off in Ulaanbaatar from 21 to 23 June 2026. Focused on the most advanced innovative solutions for the textile industry, the initiative will bring together 13 Italian textile machinery manufacturers, confirming the growing interest in strengthening industrial cooperation between the two countries and highlighting Mongolia’s strategic importance for Italian textile machinery producers.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.