California Apparel News

NEW YORK—SpinExpo was scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on July 18.

“This morning at 9:15, we had a queue, so we let them in,” said Karine Van Tassel, founder and organizer of the show.

Now in its third year, SpinExpo New York, held July 18–20 at The Metropolitan Pavilion and The Altman Building, is the sister show to the much larger 9-year-old central show in Shanghai. Founded to showcase the latest yarns and trends for knitters and sweater designers, SpinExpo emphasizes the creative side of the business.

“It’s quite a technological field. You forget the fashion side,” Van Tassel said. “We have concrete requests from visitors. They want us to focus on real inspirational information, new stitches and silhouettes on mannequins to be able to study the construction. They need to find their own ideas. If I had to give up the trend area for more exhibitors, I’d give up the extra exhibitors.”

The show drew representatives from several large brands, including Levi Strauss & Co. and Nike. They shopped a mix of international and domestic yarn vendors.

New to the show this season was Sebastopol, Calif.–based Alchemy Yarns. The nearly 10-year-old family-owned company has been selling its hand-painted fibers to hand-knitters and yarn shops.

“We’ve been approached by 7th Avenue” in the past, said co-owner Austin Wilde, who was manning the booth with his two daughters. His wife, Gina Wilde, is Alchemy’s creative director.

Alchemy offers 150 hand-painted colors and custom colors, as well. In addition, the company has hand-painted lace and fabrics.

Early in the show, Alchemy was drawing attention with its brightly colored booth and its richly shaded silk and silk-blend yarns.

Another first-time exhibitor was Leicester, England–based yarn spinner Wykes International, which produces “support yarns for anything that does not have its own natural recovery,” said Mick Siddons, sales and business-development manager.

The company came to SpinExpo with two new developments. Bilorex 7338 is an ultra-low power and ultra-fine plating-support yarn. “So you can make really super-lightweight fabrics,” Siddons said.

Wykes also introduced its patented Spinarex production process, which makes stretch knitted yarns that re-create the look of plaited, or cable-knit, fabrics.

Using Spinarex, plaited fabrics can be made using machine speeds up to 40 percent faster, according to the company, and the process also allows for plaiting on stretch jacquard, intarsia and pointelle knits.

Philadelphia-based Huntingdon Yarn Mill returned to the show with new programs. The company is now package dyeing yarn, as well as skein dyeing. Huntingdon is also carrying yarn inventory in a wide range of colors, which allows the company to fill small and quick-turn orders.

“We have customers who we sell one cone to, and we have customers who buy year round and have a standing order,“ said President Majid Jaraha. “We cater to almost every industry in the United States but mostly furniture and apparel. Furniture takes a long time to develop, but it lasts a long time.”

Returning to the show for the second season was El Monte, Calif.–based sweater knitter Andari.

“Most of our customers are West Coast–based. We want to get more East Coast [business],” said Ilona Wang, marketing director, who added that last year, the company picked up several new customers at SpinExpo. “This year, we’re hoping to get more,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know they are able to produce sweaters domestically.”—Alison A. Nieder