#Knitting & Hosiery

2024-11-01

Year-end sprint with the STOLL and KM.ON training program

For the fall/winter 2024 season, the KARL MAYER GROUP has once again prepared a comprehensive training package for its flat knitting customers. The offer includes an online training course on CREATE DESIGN and a new e-learning course on the basics of flat knitting, primarily for designers. There is also an in-house training course on CREATE PLUS for M1plus® switchers. Susanne Eisenlohr, Head of the STOLL Academy in Reutlingen, is delighted with the positive response.

The course dates for the flat knitting industry for November and December 2024

“CREATE PLUS offers new possibilities compared to the previous software and is a real benefit for flat knitting companies. We provide former M1plus® users with the knowledge they need to fully exploit the potential,” says Susanne Eisenlohr.

CREATE DESIGN - turning knitting ideas into digital reality

The online course on CREATE DESIGN from KM.ON and STOLL lasts two days. It requires an installed CREATE DESIGN license and is aimed at designers with basic knowledge of flat knit structures, stitch-forming techniques and yarns. Participants will learn how design-to-market workflows can be significantly shortened through the virtual development of flat knitted products. They will gain knowledge of the basic functions of the software, how to create different knitting structures, how to work with digital yarns and how to export virtual knitted fabrics for further use in external 3D clothing programs.

The next date for the hands-on course is December 5-6, 2024. Registration can be made via an informal email to create@kmon.net. The training courses are limited to a maximum of 10 participants and have been very popular since their launch in early 2023.

“The participants particularly appreciate the intensive learning in small groups and the opportunity to engage in direct dialog with me as their coach,” says trainer Goran Sidjimovski.

CREATE PLUS for switchers - handling and pattern creation

The CREATE PLUS training course covers the new features and changes in the new patterning software compared to the previous version M1plus®. It lasts five days and requires experience in using M1plus®. The course focuses on how CREATE PLUS works and on pattern creation with knitting elements. Participants will learn about various knitting techniques - structure, jacquard, intarsia, Stoll-multi gauge® and 1x1 technique - using the software's extensive application options. They will also learn more about the possibilities of creating fully fashion patterns as line shapes and working with the different types of knitting elements, which are the basis of CREATE PLUS. The date for the next classroom course:

- from November 4 to 8 in German

- from November 8 to 22 in English

If you would like to register, please email the STOLL Academy directly at training@stoll.com

Basic e-learning course in flat knitting - available at any time and free of charge

Starting this fall, a new, no-fee e-learning course will provide basic knowledge about flat knitting. The training course was developed by KM.ON together with STOLL, lasts just over three hours and comprises six chapters in which participants learn about basic and more advanced flat knitting techniques and how they can be used in products.

The target group is technology beginners from the creative sector: fashion and textile students as well as designers that want to learn how flat knitting works and how it can be used in product development. This course is also a foundation course if you are interested to continue with the CREATE DESIGN course for digital knitwear development. Participation is very easy via the KARL MAYER GROUP's Learning Management System (LMS). It only requires a registration code, which can be obtained by sending an e-mail to create@kmon.net.

The new training dates for the first half of 2025 will also be available here from the end of November 2024.

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.

Bremen Cotton Exchange: Fritz A. Grobien re-elected as President

The members of the Bremen Cotton Exchange have re-elected Fritz A. Grobien as President during the association’s 152nd General Assembly on June 18, 2026. The election confirms the organization’s commitment to maintaining its role as a leading international platform for the cotton and fiber industry amid a period of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

Organic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road ahead

Organic cotton occupies one of the most contentious spaces in global agriculture. While praised by brands and consumers for its environmental ideals, it also faces persistent questions about yield stability, certification integrity, and scalability. The current edition of The ICAC Recorder cuts through the ideology to deliver a rigorous, evidence-based assessment of both sides of the debate.

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.