The denim world is changing

Colzate, Friday 12 April 2019 – Itema held the first Itema Denim Day on the 12th of April, a full day dedicated to deepen trends and challenges throughout the denim sector, with a special focus on how to meet sustainable perspectives by presenting and introducing new business models and innovations.

The event, which took place at the headquarters of Itema Group in Colzate, Bergamo province, provided the unique opportunity to share ideas, experiences and best practices. The Company, a worldwide leading manufacturer of best-in-class weaving solutions, succeeded in organising an event that represented an exclusive and rare occasion for the industry to enter into a fertile and sparkling debate involving all the actors of the denim supply chain.

Thanks to the support of in-house Itema professionals’ skills, assisted by an exclusive panel of speakers consisting of international experts and pioneers in the world of denim, this one-day event shed light on the most recent green innovations through a market and Customer- oriented approach. The whole supply chain was the centre of a lively debate which highlighted the connections between ethics and business, the most recent product and process innovations, key technologies, as well as a survey of the digitalisation in the value chain for the textile sector.

The agenda Many elements have contributed to making the 1st ITEMA DENIM DAY a unique event.

– An in-depth overview of Itema and a detailed introduction of the top innovations in terms of cutting-edge machinery and technologies introduced by Carlo Rogora – CEO Itema Group. – An exclusive panel to discuss the topic “Evolving sustainability in the denim chain. Towards a new business model, generating profit while creating value”. International standing speakers took part in the debate, including Kutay Saritosun – Director of Fashion Brands, bluesign technologies AG | Marco Lucietti – Senior Adviser, Copenhagen Fashion Summit | François Girbaud – Founder and Owner, Marithé + François Girbaud, considered a “guru” of indigo fabrics | Federico Corneli – Founder and CEO, haikure / CEO, CS Jeans | Alessandro Bondavalli – Merchandising Director Apparel, Guess Europe | Christian Straubhaar – Sales and Marketing Director, Itema Group. – A lecture entirely devoted to the topic of “Digitalization within the textile added value chain” with Giuseppe Gherzi – Gherzi Textile Organization.

The event also highlighted the most recent rapier, air-jet and projectile weaving innovations designed and developed by Itema exclusively for denim fabrics.

Itema is actually the only manufacturer in the world to produce all the top three weft insertion technologies. The innovations presented by Itema, tailored and customized for denim production, attracted great interest from denim mills delegates attending the event, impressed by the considerable costs saving, user-friendliness and unparalleled innovative content of the Itema looms.

Among the several technical developments in the spotlight, it is worth mentioning one of the most interesting – and absolutely unique in the industry – technologies developed by Itema: iSAVERTM, a device installed on the Itema rapier R9500-2denim.

iSAVERTM: the ideal “green” instrument for denim weaving

This new technology, designed by ItemaLabTM, the Itema advanced innovation department with headquarters at Kilometro Rosso, is the only one in the sector able to completely eliminate the waste selvedge on the left side of the fabric, thus allowing to insert the weft yarns into the fabric without the need of additional yarns. iSAVERTM leads to substantially reducing the waste of raw materials, with tangible benefits in terms of loom efficiency, cost reduction and energy saving. Suffice it to think that the weaver will save about €2.000 a year on each loom, and our planet will gain even more. Indeed, for the first time in the history of weaving industry, a sustainable approach when choosing the machinery to be installed is possible. Thanks to iSAVERTM, one thousand kilos of cotton per loom a year will be saved – i.e. 3% of total raw materials – which will prevent wasting 20 million litres of water.

As underlined during the panel discussion by Christian Straubhaar, Sales and Marketing Director/ Itema Group – “In terms of technologies applied to rapier looms, iSAVERTM is a real watershed and one of the major innovations implemented on R9500-2denim, the second generation of the Itema rapier machine designed exclusive for denim weaving. It is a concrete example of how to translate the concept of sustainability into tangible and concrete benefits, not only in terms of saving energy and resources, but also reducing costs and improving efficiency. This constitutes a major step for textile machinery manufacturers in order to generate all-round value throughout the denim supply chain”.

Technology and education as drivers for a better future, in all senses

During the panel discussion the main emerging focus appeared to be the need to precisely pinpoint new topics for innovation which should aim at becoming truly sustainable and widespread. This means planning and constructing some restyling processes at strategic level, in order to create development models which are not just ethical, but also economical and profitable. Sustainability is thus seen as a driver for business in the future, integrated within a company’s corporate vision, with raising education and awareness playing a key role. This should lead to a process able to translate sustainable change into performing outputs and technologies, allowing for improvement of the end product on the one hand, and of working conditions on the other side for many employees in this sector, especially in developing countries. A real journey to be started with coordinated actions in terms of innovation, research and business, to generate added value as never seen before all along the supply chain.

Itema Denim Day featured top executives from more than 50 denim mills in as many as 13 countries, resulting in a profitable opportunity for exchange and a unique chance for discussion. Itema not only introduced its weaving solutions exclusively designed and developed for denim manufacturing, thus achieving an unparalleled technological leadership in the sector, but also helped connect the various players along the supply chain, making available for denim manufacturers participating in the event its resources and spaces to provide them all-round consulting services, testifying to the company mission which involves the delivery of cutting-edge technological solutions as well as being a partner fully committed and dedicated to meeting and exceeding its Customers’ needs.

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About Itema

Itema is a leading global provider of advanced weaving solutions, including best-in-class weaving machines, spare parts and integrated services. The Company is the only manufacturer in the world to provide the top three weft insertion technologies: rapier, air jet and projectile, with an ample product portfolio and a commitment to continuous innovation and technological advancement of its weaving machines. The Company is also unique in its sector with two R&D units, of which one – ItemaLab – is dedicated entirely to breakthrough innovations and the development of the “loom of the future.” For more information about Itema, please visit www.itemagroup.com.