SPINEXPO FALL/WINTER 2016-17 Knit Direction SPINEXPO F/W 2016-17Reporting on the newest yarn direction from the SPINEXPO Fall/Winter 2016-17 fair in Brooklyn, New York, highlighting dimension and innovation for new development. A new section of the Forum at SPINEXPO has been devoted to techno bers, hoping to look at design from an entirely new point of view. Instead of designing a collection and then sourcing the yarns, SpinActive is now starting with the yarn and exploring what to do with it. The fashion is actually evolving from the yarn instead of the other way around, said Eva de Laat of SpinActive. This is driving a tighter relationship between all members of the supply chain, from spinners to kniers to buyers.Increasingly, both the yarns and the machinery are equally important and there is a new creative direction coming from combining these two elements. Santorini, the Italian circular kniing machinery expert is investing heavily in exploring how to expand the capabilities of their machines. SPINEXPO has collaborated with BaliLab to create and design techniques that are key to creating unique, personalized apparel that brings one more dimension to the comprehensive and innovation forums. SPINACTIVE for SPINEXPO Circular kniing and seamless constructions are the core activewear developments. What started with a focus on apparel has now expanded into socks and legwear. Shanghai Tiqiao has developed Snugcare, a new yarn that has thermal properties and is also antibacterial. The core ingredient is Coral, a special ingredient developed by Tiqiao that has expanded surface area and allows for greater moisture absorption, helping the wearer feel warmer. SHANGHAI GALAXY originally comes from Japan and has an advanced laboratory for quality testing and development of new products. They are able to develop anti-oxidation lms, anti-friction lms, ma and formaldehyde free lms that are demanded by the industry. They are able to slit metallic lm into laments 1/254 in width and are combing them with viscose, nylon and pure silk producing extremely so metallic yarns. SHANGHAI HYWELL FIBRE INDUSTRY has created multifunctional and elastic core spun yarns for at or circular kniing.They use Invistas T-400, Coolmax and Thermolite bers, combining them with natural bers to create yarns that have thermal properties, as well as beer shape retention. Hywell is now bringing these developments into yarns so that they can be used to make shoes. FORMOSA NYLONS new developments focus on new stretch properties in yarns.Stretch has become a must-have property in almost all apparel.Formosa Nylon has worked on developing new yarns with enhanced stretch and recovery.Their NOVAR oers high elasticity, colors, zero knots and a natural hand feel. HIGHLIGHTS SPIN EXPO DIMENSIONS was the overall direction of the Spin Expo yarn fair for the fall season. As the expos website states, there is a growing desire for innovation and invention, looking for those individuals who have created breakthrough design concepts and clever new techniques. Designers need to have the ability to be more creative and unexpected with color, yarns, textures and forms, creating new dimensions and designs both intellectually and physically. There is overall growth in 3-D forms, with surfaces and structures being key elements to consider.Technical processes from 3-D printing to innovative manufacturing methods and enhanced nishes are allowing the body form to be more considered, where garments become sculptural and have a dimension of their own. KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Mixing metaphors with a modern tapestry of color, where the handmade is enhanced by technology.Modern hybrid interpretations of embossing and molding structures are being developed, creating new quilt paerns and dimensional pieces that require space around them to be appreciated. Yarns are furry, diused through surface hair, plush and velvet, as well as maed and slightly felted with a subtle use of shine. Nature inspired textures extend into ribbons, cords and compact looking novelties that are light as air. Hybrid surfaces shimmer and glow, are lightweight yet warm, protective and deceptively strong. A feminine touch plays with devor as well as silky nishes, built up over layers of various dimensions. Deeper dimension with metals is developed from burnished, oxidized and rusted, taking on a new hybrid persona worked with wools, suedes and other luxury fabrics creating a tapestry of their own. Traditional yarns such as tweeds, marls and twists are modernized by taking on so and light properties, using unexpected color combinations. Intense plush chenille and wool are compacted through felting or stretch, new dying and printed techniques. Lustrous shine creates a multidimensional feel of tactile layers. Stretch, chenille, eyelash, mohair, clean merino, silky sheens, bi-colors, chainees, marls, irregular surfaces with technical additions of nishes, structures and cores create a limitless message. HIGHLIGHTS YARNS: Loop yarns boucl with fuzzy textures YARNS: Hairy mohair and mohair blends YARNS: Thick, corded and chain yarns YARNS: Metal or plastic YARNS: Tweeds, marls, heathers, mlange, nubs, slubs and multicolored donegal tweeds YARNS: Thick and thinMIXED: Yarns and stitches STITCHES: Dimension STITCHES: Fine gauge. Mixed stitches STITCHES: Needle punch. Seamlessly combine a knit to woven STITCHES: Pointelle and openworkSTITCHES: Jacquards EMBELLISHMENTS: Embroidered, seed beads, bugle beads and sequins Shiny accents SHINE: Yarn, foil or metallic coating SPIN EXPO FALL/WINTER 2016-17 Knit Direction