#Textile chemistry

2021-04-01

2021 Ultrasuede® x Labelhoood Innovation Award Winner chosen

Toray Industries, Inc., and Labelhood today announced the selection of Jacques Wei as the winner of the 2021 Ultrasuede® x Labelhood Innovation Award. He is the founder of his namesake women’s fashion brand. The award was in recognition of the highly accomplished and forward-thinking approach in Mr. Wei’s design, which combines classic elements with simple, contemporary silhouettes. His ethos is in keeping with Toray’s commitment to the ongoing evolution of the Ultrasuede brand.

JACQUES WEI will unveil its Fall/Winter 2021 collection incorporating Ultrasuede on April 10 at a Labelhood event during Shanghai Fashion Week.

In its third year, this award is in collaboration with Labelhood, a fashion incubator for young independent designers in China. The two created this award program in keeping with their complementary visions. Toray’s is to foster social prosperity and a better future for generations to come. Labelhood’s is to invigorate the Chinese fashion scene.

Toray brought out Ultrasuede in 1970. Over the years, applications for this stylish, high-performance material have extended from fashion to encompass everything from automotive, aircraft, and other interiors to accessories for mobile devices.

Toray looks forward to collaborating with Mr. Wei in expanding the potential of the Ultrasuede brand in China’s vibrant fashion scene. Toray looks to continue driving the evolution of this beautiful material.

About the award recipient

Jacques Wei brought out his women’s label in 2019. Its inspiration is the enduring influence of traditional French fashion brands. He has garnered acclaim for combining classic elements and contemporary silhouettes in his designs. His off-the-rack apparel employs the precise and meticulous tailoring and other intricate techniques of haute couture and menswear and features glamorous and delicate materials in clean, simple lines that accentuate urban feminine chic.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

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.

European Flax-Linen & Hemp step into advanced manufacturing: Enabling filament winding, 3D printing and high-performance composite processes

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp announces a new wave of technological advancements demonstrating how flax-linen and hemp fibres are now being successfully integrated into advanced composite manufacturing processes. These developments mark a transition beyond traditional hand lay-up techniques, positioning natural fibres as credible, scalable solutions for high-performance industrial applications.

SETEX turns dyeing and finishing data into daily production control

At ITM 2026, SETEX will show how textile mills can use machine, recipe, quality and energy data for more reliable daily production decisions — not as another reporting layer, but as part of the running dyeing and finishing process. With OrgaTEX X3 MES, E390x/C390x controllers, CamCOUNT and FabricInspector Portable, SETEX connects planning, machine execution and fabric-related quality insight within existing mill structures.