Sustainability is a fundamental strategic element for the KARL MAYER GROUP and the subject of its show at the 2018 ITMA. It will exhibit instances of best practise from all of its Business Units in a small sustainability gallery.
It is demonstrated for the warp knitting industry how well focused textile-to-textile recycling reduces the environmental impact of the textile value chain. A swimsuit was totally recycled after use, which included collection, shredding, spinning out into yarn using polymer chips, and reprocessing using a KARL MAYER machine into a fabric for swimwear, all in keeping with the motto “Rethink.Recycle.Reuse – Close the loop”. The LYCRA Company and Decathlon worked together on the project with the international player.
Flat knitting will display lightweight, supple, all-purpose T-shirts that impress with areduced carbon footprint. On a cutting-edge, recently invented STOLL machine, the front and back parts were produced in the highest gauge. The newcomer processed bio-based materials for all T-shirts and created prefabricated goods that could be put together quickly and with minimal waste to create the final product. Along with STOLL, other parties involved in the project were the Lenzing Group, Südwollgroup, and Gebr. Otto Baumwollfeinzwirnerei GmbH + Co. KG.
A nearly totally one-piece suit knit on a STOLL machine is another contribution to the discussion of low-waste production. The STOLL flat knitting machines are built for seamless 3D shaping. The additive technology produces fabrics in the desired shape right on the machine, similar to how 3D printing works. The suit offers greater sustainability along with the appearance of traditional woven rivals and the usual comfort stretch of knitted textiles. The Woolmark Company, Südwollgroup, Hugo Boss AG, and STOLL all worked together to make it.
The indigo yarn dyeing process, with its customarily large loads of chemicals and high water use, has been the focus of an innovation from the warp preparation industry. The enormous volumes utilised are reduced to a minimum using the nitrogen-based dyeing process BLUEDYE. The main environmental pollutants of the process, hydrosulfite and caustic soda, can be used with a requirement that is more than halved, and the amount of water needed can also be much decreased. Additionally, less waste yarn is created. Thus, BLUEDYE receives the same marks for both cost and environmental preservation. Operating expensesdecrease of up to 20%.
The BLUEDYE on the stand is the first device in the new BLUELINE category from the KARL MAYER GROUP. The cutting-edge market leader is dedicated to creating a textile sector that is more ecologically friendly and sustainable. All of its products and services that presently make a measurable contribution to sustainability will be listed under the BLUELINE category.
A brand-new approach to vertical city greening will be introduced from the world of technical textiles. The innovation’s main component is a net made by KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH using warp knitting machines with weft insertion. Flax makes up the structure of the warp knit grid. Fast-growing plants employ it as a climbing aid, and following the greening phase, inthe fall, can be recycled together with the plants as biomass in pyrolysis systems to produce electricity and activated carbon. In summer, the planted sails lower the ambient temperature through evaporation effects. In addition, photosynthesis produces fresh air and CO2 is captured. Other important advantages are low soil requirements and flexible placement in public spaces.
In addition to the focused performance show, the topic of sustainability is present at almost all other stations – whether for machines, textile developments, digital solutions or support offerings.
