California Apparel News

LAS VEGAS—Automated denim finishing, Web-based product development and 3-D design led a new wave of technology offerings at the MAGIC Marketplace show, which was held Feb. 21-24 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Growth within MAGIC’s Sourcing Zone area has attracted more technology vendors to the apparel industry’s biggest stage. The recent addition of industry leaders Gerber Technology and Lectra brought even more validation to the event.

But it was product that took center stage at MAGIC, led by Commerce, Calif.–based Jantex Inks & Beyond Inc., which debuted a new line of automated denim-processing equipment from Spanish manufacturer GFK. Jantex, which brought ozone wash treatments to the California denim market, is now using laser technology on denim to create antique effects that take minutes rather than hours.

The laser system is part of a range of equipment the company is marketing. The aim is to let machines do the work, rather than manual labor, which is prevalent in the Southern California denim market. With an emphasis on speed-to-market, that could add up to a lot of money in savings, said Jantex’s Louie Springer.

“A lot of the denim manufacturers are excited to see more automation. It takes the guesswork out of the process and you have fewer rejects. It’s a faster and better solution,” Springer said.

GFK’s 250 Flexi Marcatex system uses lasers to remove the dyes in denim to create a variety of effects from “whiskering” to creasing. The system works horizontally or vertically and is capable of embellishments such as engravings on leather and cutout designs on shirts.

Jantex is also distributing GFK’s fabric grinding machine, which creates antique frayed effects on denim in seconds using a rotating stone on a press.

“A lot of the denim finishers are using belt sanders. This is easier and faster,” Springer noted.

Among the new treatments GFK’s machines provide is a “popping” effect on denim, which offers a worn look by pulling out threads from a garment to create a rough texture. Other equipment such as the Scrunch machine can produce tie-dye shirts in seconds.

However, GFK’s Marcatex laser system has a price tag of more than $100,000. Many of the machines do require labor to operate them, but it’s less time-consuming and more efficient, Springer said.

Managing labor

Both Gerber and Lectra emphasized new offerings in PLM (product lifecycle management) software, a workflow management tool that allows companies to view all aspects of production via the Internet.

With most companies sourcing in multiple production bases around the world, managing workflow has become more challenging, but PLM is helping.

Tolland, Conn.–based Gerber gave demos of its upcoming Fashion Lifecycle Management (FLM) application. Lectra promoted its upcoming PLM solution, which will debut at the IMB show in Cologne, Germany, in May. The company has already placed the product with the Spanish retail chain called Mango.

“PLM is the buzzword in the industry right now,” said Richard Farb, Lectra’s director of strategic business development, apparel. “But a lot of the solutions out there aren’t apparel-based. You can’t always apply the way things are done in the automotive industry and engineering directly to the apparel industry. So we hope to do PLM the right way with an end-to-end solution that is apparel-based.”

Gerber’s West Coast director Rodney Harrelson said the company’s new FLM solution is also built especially for the apparel industry and works in sync with its popular WebPDM product data management application.

“A lot of companies are selling PDM and calling it PLM, so it can be confusing for companies,” he said. Gerber’s FLM, due for release during the second quarter, manages steps from concept to retail distribution. It gives users the ability to keep tabs on fabrics, trims and approvals and make adjustments along the way. The aim is to streamline production and increase speed to market, Harrelson said.

Gerber, Lectra and OptiTex also highlighted 3-D systems at MAGIC. Gerber’s V-Stitcher 3-D application uses lifelike avatars to drape patterns and allows users to visualize virtual samples. The avatar figures can be rotated, zoomed in and out to the point of seeing fabric texture and even stitching methods.

“It also has a tension map feature so you can see where the stretch points are on a garment,” explained Kristin Ritter, Gerber’s software product specialist.

“A lot of companies are positioning for 3-D. It’s kind of at the place where CAD was 10 to 15 years ago, but it will get bigger,” Harrelson added.

Other Sourcing Zone exhibitors included Los Angeles–based NewTech Display, which provide fixtures and visual display consulting. The company showed a range of products including its Face Outs adjustable wall rack systems. Another Los Angeles company, DigiFab, highlighted new treatments for nylon. —Robert McAllister