Green In at Material World Miami
Green textiles, product lifecycle management (PLM) software and Western Hemisphere trade will likely be the main stories emerging from the 10th edition of the Material World trade show, set for April 8–10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The show caters to buyers looking for fabrics, sourcing opportunities and technology products and is the only show in the United States with all three areas covered on a big scale under one roof.
Though the sun will likely be shining in Miami, the apparel and textile industry has had to deal with gray skies that come with a challenging economy, a weakened U.S. dollar and slowing consumer spending.
But that may be an even better reason to visit Material World, said Tim von Gal, executive vice president of Kennesaw, Ga.–based Urban Expositions, which produces the show in conjunction with the Arlington, Va.–based American Apparel & Footwear Association.
“When the economy is difficult, it puts more pressure on these industries, and the leaders of those industries can find answers here to be effective in producing their products,” von Gal said. “They can be on their way to determining what’s the best technology or the best way to source something.” Pre-registration is up for this year’s show, he added.
Eco central
Another avenue is finding the key fabrics, von Gal said. Material World will be brimming with eco-fabric resources, he said.
“[Eco] is almost transcending fabrics,” he said. “People are looking at every element of production. They’re demanding to work with environmentally sound companies and are scrutinizing every component of the industry, from how they monitor electrical usage to how they are packaging their supplies. We’ve been through several green waves over the years, but this one appears to have substance and permanence.”
Vendors will be showing fabrics made from eco materials including organic cotton, bamboo, soy and Ingeo corn fiber. Booths carrying such items will be marked with a green tree symbol.
Among them will be Carr Textile, which will introduce a new stocked line of 100 percent organic cotton twill in 24 colors. The cotton is grown chemical-free and is whitened with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach. In addition, the dyeing process of the fabric is also certified to be safe for the environment, meeting OEKO-TEX standard 100.
Even the printing industry is going green. Cerritos, Calif.–based Insta Graphic Systems will introduce its new PVC-free litho heat-transfer press at Material World. The machine is solvent and phthalate-free and uses a four-color process transfer designed for graphics that are photographic in nature and incorporate blended colors.
Solid Stone Fabrics has developed a new environmentally friendly technique for printing novelty and active apparel fabrics called E-Foil. It applies the same foil and films to fabrics with no harmful gases, and all byproducts are recyclable. The fabrics are machine-washable and produce a strong bond. The technique also allows base fabrics to be processed domestically, thereby reducing lead times and minimums.
Sourcing matchmaking
Visitors looking for offshore factories will be able to participate in a global matchmaking service launched last fall at the Material World New York show. Interested parties can register at the show or online, indicating areas of interest. At the show, they can visit the global matchmaking lounge and obtain a list of companies that match needs and then set up meetings.
The show features a strong contingent of Latin American sources, but factories from Asia, India and Africa will also be on hand.
Technology is up
Von Gal said this year’s show will also see one of the largest selections of technology vendors in the show’s history. They will be showcasing products in the Technology Solutions section, which will feature software and other products in addition to a seminar area, featuring educational events throughout the show.
PLM has been a bright spot for tech vendors as well as their customers. The software helps coordinate tasks throughout the pre-production stages and has proved to significantly trim lead times and costs.
New York–based Zweave Inc. will be among those debuting new PLM products.
“The PLM marketplace is growing, and product-development organizations will continue to invest in software that allows them to manage their businesses more efficiently, Chief Executive Officer Laura McCann-Ramsey said. The company will introduce the Zdesign Desktop, which supports traditional office applications, but also programs including Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign applications, which are popular with design teams.
Los Angeles–based GCL Distribution, the U.S. distributor for PAD System CAD software, is also rolling out its latest version, V4.8 PAD Elite. The company has reduced the price of the package to $4,500 from $9,500. It features PAD Opticut Plus Automarking, which employs a tool developed in Australia called ShapeShifter, proven to save 5 percent to 9 percent on marker yields.
“This is a huge money-saving feature,” Vice President Kristine Gloviak said.
More than 400 exhibitors will be on hand for the show. For more information, visit www.material-world.com.
—Robert McAllister
