#Software

2021-12-16

Gerber Technology hosts hybrid ideation conference

In October, 1,700 people virtually attended Gerber Technology’s annual ideation conference, which marked the beginning of Gerber and Lectra becoming stronger together as one company. Gerber and Lectra announced interoperability between Lectra’s Modaris and Gerber’s AccuMark software as well as the launch of new AccuMark and YuniquePLM v9 releases. Lectra’s Retviews, Kubix and Fashion OnDemand solutions were also introduced to the Gerber audience for the first time during the event.

ideation 2021 was made possible by 25 technology, media and industry association partners who sponsored the event, inducing WhichPLM, 3DLOOK, and Kornit Digital. “This year’s ideation marked the official uniting of two companies with rich histories in innovation,” said Ketty Pillet, Vice President of Marketing, Americas for Lectra. “This is only the beginning of what we’ll be able to accomplish together to help our customers perform better and respond to market challenges faster.”

Each year ideation is the place where the fashion, furniture, technical textiles and sign and graphics industries meet to discuss announcements, innovations, and latest trends and challenges that are shaping the future. This year’s ideation kicked off with introductions from Lectra CEO, Daniel Harari and a keynote address from Deborah Weinswig of Coresight Research.

One of the main highlights of this event were the Fashion and Sign and Graphic industry round tables. These discussions hosted some of the top industry leaders and focused on what is going on in the industry and how we can navigate for the future. Participants in the fashion roundtable included: Colleen Hau from Carhartt, Mike Todaro from Americas Apparel Producers Network, Matthew Wallace from DXM Inc. and Leonard Marano from Lectra.

“Favorite part was the Fashion RoundTable forum,” one participant said. “I took so many notes from those industry leaders and their knowledge! Awesome that they answered questions people were asking in the live time too.”

This year’s conference also marked Gerber’s first-ever Pitch Competition. Six teams developed collections using Gerber and Lectra solutions and pitched their collection to a panel of judges composed of fashion experts, which included Bob D'Loren, Chairman and CEO of Xcel Brands, Jeff Karly Drouillard, Parsons Alum and Recent CFDA FFGS20, Sebrie Springs and Kimberly Carney, FashWire, and Christina Liedtke, Founder, Astouri. The two winners, FRWL by Nicole Lee from the Brooklyn Fashion Incubator and Virago Lorica Segmentata Collection from FABRIC, walked the runway for a live fashion show at the Gerber Innovation Center during a Customer Appreciation event.

Gerber and Lectra also hosted an Executive Forum which gathered 35 executives from various companies, including Steve Lamar from AAFA, Isaac Presburger from Preslow S.A., Goor Moshe from Twine, Michael McDonald from SPESA, Karen Williams from Savitude and Sherri Barry from FABRIC, to discuss what’s currently happening in their industries and how they see the future evolving.

“Two years ago, Gerber’s ideation conference introduced me to their microfactory that they were displaying in their Innovation Center,” said Sherri Barry of FABRIC. “ideation ended up being life changing for me because there were people of likeminds there that were willing to share and collaborate and help me and our fashion incubator come up with a solution for our designers where they could sustainably manufacture using technology. Fast forward two years, the microfactory and OnDemand manufacturing is a reality at FABRIC.”

Registrants are still able to access all the sessions through the ideation platform.

Coats Digital appoints Himanshu Mehrotra as Managing Director to lead next phase of cloud and AI-driven innovation

Coats Digital is delighted to announce the appointment of Himanshu Mehrotra as Managing Director to lead the company’s strategic direction, innovation agenda, and global growth as it accelerates the development of its cloud-native, AI-powered software solutions for the global apparel and footwear supply chain.

Tunicotex Group boosts OTDP to 85%, cuts planning time by 25% & expands production capacity by 40%

Coats Digital is delighted to announce that following the implementation of FastReactPlan, leading Tunisian premium knitwear manufacturer, Tunicotex Group, has significantly improved its on-time delivery performance from 75% to 85%, reduced planning time by 25%, minimised delays and penalty costs, and unlocked 40% additional capacity to take on more customer orders and support sustained business growth.

Suzhou Tianyuan boosts costing accuracy to 98% with Coats Digital’s GSDCost

Coats Digital is delighted to announce that Suzhou Tianyuan Garments Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of high-quality sportswear and functional apparel for global brands such as Adidas, FILA, ANTA, and The North Face, has achieved remarkable productivity and cost management improvements following the implementation of Coats Digital’s award-winning method-time-cost optimisation solution, GSDCost.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

STEELTOP®: A new benchmark in flat tops for spinning preparation

Modern carding generations achieve higher production performance, placing significantly greater stress on flat tops. Higher cylinder speeds and increased fiber density, combined with tighter carding gaps, create more demanding operating conditions. At the same time, poorer raw material quality and the increased use of recycled materials further intensify these challenges. With STEELTOP®, Trützschler introduces a new full steel flat top series developed for these demanding modern carding processes.

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.