Karine Van Tassel, the founder and organiser of the leading Shanghai and New York based SPINEXPO shows gives us a sneak preview of the forthcoming SPINEXPO Shanghai. Already established as the leading yarns show in terms of creativity in Asia, this year’s show promises to be even more interesting and exciting than previous editions.

“Indisputably an international show in terms of exhibitors, the 17th session of SPINEXPO Shanghai will feature the latest collections from 146 world renowned producers and promoters of fibres and yarns for knitwear, lingerie and hosiery; yarns for apparel and interior wovens; spinning and knitwear manufacturers, innovative knitwear machinery and style offices.

The event, organized by Well Link Consultants, will take place March 8-10, 2011 at the Shanghai Pudong Expo, Shanghai, China and will usher in Spring/Summer 2012 season with an exciting offering of latest collections and developments in yarns and fibres.

With a focus on creativity, the trend forum will stage a presentation of the key points and colour ranges for the Spring/Summer 2012 season together with the knitting, weaving and accessories trends and innovations in textiles, underscoring SPINEXPO’s commitment to innovative design.

Presentations and seminars

Presentations and seminars on emerging trends and knitting techniques further enhance the offering. A complimentary trend brochure conceived and developed by SPINEXPO, will be available to all attendees.

“Unveiling The Future”, the title of the Spring/Summer 2012 trend area, reveals a refreshed positive mood and unveils a season that promotes optimism, indulgence, contradiction and most of all modernism.

This sense of unveiling offers an air of translucency, not just as fine sheers, but also chunkier counts; new blends are created to overcome the cost of raw materials; the appearance of lightness and openness offers freedom of movement and fluidity of shape.

Spring/Summer 2012 trends and collections speak of intense shine and glossy finishes, chiffon fine layerings, chains and tapes weightless and light. Yarns are about quality, finish and handle. Whether smooth and polished, soft handled and peached or dry and crisp, the final finish and appearance must have its own clear look and identity to fit with the strong colour message. The focus is on maintaining a harmonious balance of bright colours from deeply saturated through to whitened and muted pastels, punctuated by strong warm neutrals and clear graphic monochromes.

Blending is key for cotton producers in order to achieve creative results at market price. Blends with PET (high quality fibre made from 100% certified recycled plastic bottles); Modal, a bio-based synthetic made from reconstituted beech trees via a renewable process 100% biodegradable, luxuriously soft and 50% more absorbent than cotton, anti-pill and resistant to fading; bamboo, linen or hemp.

Recycled cotton, or “eco fibre’, is also an alternative, made from recovered cotton that would otherwise be cast off during the spinning, weaving or cutting process. There are no harsh chemicals used in the processing of this fibre.

The upcoming session puts a special focus on performance textiles. Antimicrobial fibres, anti-static technologies, microencapsulation, vegetable dyeing, seamless knitting and stitch free technologies are a few of the new creative developments in fibres.

Well being

A “Well Being Trend Area” will specifically highlight developments in textile production that improve personal and global well being. This exciting research display explores ways we can improve the way we produce and maintain our clothing while helping maintain the world we live in. The key focus is looking at what can be done in the processing stages, such as dyeing and special finishes.

New techniques to discover include natural dyeing, an ancient craft using herbs and vegetables to create dyes instead of chemicals and without the harmful substances that were used in the past to fix these dyes. A particularly interesting application uses Indigofera leaves to achieve a completely natural indigo process. The plant itself is widely used as soil-improving ground cover. In China, the roots and leaves are used to treat depression, swollen glands and heat rash.

Microencapsulation has been used for thermoregulation, and in aromatherapy and the controlled release of fragrances. Anti-microbial and deodorising finishes offer great potential for freshness retention during wear for intimate apparel, and for garments worn during periods of strenuous activity.

Developments made with these techniques, yarn and fabric developments such as organic, bamboo, copper, silver, indigo.... will be on display in the “Well Being trend area”. With a wealth of new yarns and innovations from spinners, further developed by a larger, diversified trend team, the SPINEXPO Trend Forum will showcase an exciting creative display that offers something for everyone from high end luxury, the latest in trendy fashions, to classic and casual.”

SPINEXPO Shanghai

International Yarns & Fibres Trade Exhibition

17th session

8-9-10 March 2011

Shanghai Pudong Expo, Shanghai, China

www.spinexpo.com