#Knitting & Hosiery

2024-10-24

Benefit from the growing trend for sun protection

KARL MAYER has developed sun protection textiles that strike a chord with the times like no other comparable product. The innovative articles are produced on an HKS 2-S in the new fineness E 44, guaranteeing an excellent Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) and offering unique wearing comfort. In addition, with a daily output of 200 kg of fabric the productivity of the HKS 2-S is just perfect. With this performance, the E 44 tricot machine is set to new trends, particularly in the outdoor fashion sector, and was a highlight at the KARL MAYER stand at the recently concluded ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 in Shanghai.

The comfortable sun protection fabrics from an HKS 2-S, new in E 44, giving new drive to outdoor fashion © 2024 KARL MAYER

“Our E44 tricot machine and its products for the Outdoor sector underlined by its excellent UVA protection, to has peaked great interests among trade fair visitors,” says Xu Ying, Regional Product Owner Tricot machines at KARL MAYER (CHINA), during the trade fair.

This is not without reason. Temperatures are continuing to rise worldwide. In the summer of 2024, the Copernicus Climate Change Service registered the hottest June, August and day since records began. /1/

Effective sun protection during outdoor activities is therefore becoming increasingly important, especially for mountain sports. When hiking, climbing, or cycling, UV radiation increases by 2 to 3 % with every meter of altitude. At an altitude of 2,000 meters, there is already around 40 % more electromagnetic radiation. /2/

Sun protection products are therefore booming. In China, it is estimated that the market for UV protection products will grow from USD 10.3 billion in 2023 to USD 95.8 billion in 2026. Sun protection clothing in particular is extremely popular. On the e-commerce platform Taobao, sales of items from this segment for women amounted to a quarter of the total annual turnover for 2023 in May 2024. /3/ So it's no wonder that the HKS 2-S in E 44 with its extraordinary products was a top topic of the KARL MAYER presentation at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024!

The smooth fabrics make outdoor fashion of a completely new quality possible. For outdoor activities in particular, the fine warp-knitted fabrics offer two decisive advantages compared to their circular knit counterparts with an almost identical fabric weight: their breathability is around 30% higher, making them significantly more comfortable to wear in terms of clothing physiology, and they absorb the sun's UV rays better. Due to the dense structure, the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is more than twice as high. The lightweight textiles also show how a note of luxury, familiar from high-end clothing, can bring a touch of pep to the outdoor area. The soft fabrics are smooth, cool and silky against the skin, do not crease when worn and are highly resistant to pilling. And they ensure a carefree stay outdoors!

And they ensure a carefree stay outdoors!

Demonstration of sun protection fabrics at KARL MAYER booth at ITMA Asia + CITME 2024 © 2024 KARL MAYER

KARL MAYER is looking forward to lively discussions about the development of new product ranges with its customers, but also with international sportswear brands. “We, Global Business Development at KARL MAYER, can push communication and collaboration with the brands. We offer a comprehensive range of expertise and equipment to support the successful development and implementation of innovations within Textiles," says Rachael Higgins, Vice President Global Business Development at KARL MAYER.

/1/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/panorama/klimawandel-sommer-wetter-hitze-hoechstwert-copernikus-100.html

/2/https://www.wetter.de/cms/uv-index-wo-und-wann-ist-die-sonnenbrandgefahr-besonders-hoch-5091724.html

/3/https://www.shine.cn/biz/economy/2408152993/

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.

Mayer & Cie. Global is getting ready for ITM 2026

ITM 2026 marks the beginning of a new chapter for Mayer & Cie. Global. For the first time, the company will present itself to the international textile machinery industry in its new setup: combining proven circular knitting technology engineered in Germany with a clear commitment to its Albstadt headquarters and an internationally shaped, agile management approach.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.