A denim jean is not just defined by the fabric, finishes and washes, but also at times even more by the trims and accessories it is associated with, such as leather label, zippers, threads, metal buttons and rivets. Imagine a denim jean without a precisely finished metal button, metallic zipper, double needle stitching on outseam or attached back pocket. Even the specialized sewing technologies play an important role in ‘brand denim’ and also add value to the product, for example, the double colour stitching technology from Vibemac for attaching back pockets and neon colour sewing threads, have been mentioned by international brands such as Levi’s in techpacks given to manufacturers. Similarly, the functional aspect of a stretch denim jean would be undermined if the sewing thread doesn’t have equivalent amount of stretch. Hence, the presence of companies pioneering in manufacturing such sewing solutions and accessories at the Denim Expo were of equal importance as was that of fabric companies.
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[tab title=”1) A&E offers an innovative line of sewing threads for denim jeans”]
As one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of sewing threads and industrial yarns, A&E’s presence at the Denim Expo was a sign of the American pioneer’s thought process which runs parallel with the fast developing apparel industry of Bangladesh. “Denim manufactured in Bangladesh is gaining popularity worldwide because of the washing capabilities the apparel manufacturers have acquired in the country, and as a thread supplier we are supporting the denim jeans industry move up the value chain by providing innovative threads,” asserts Angelo Leanage, Managing Director, A&E Bangladesh. With thread manufacturing facility in Dhaka, A&E offers a range of sewing threads specifically for sewing denim jeans.
Aneflex, a twisted multifilament thread made of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT), has been at the forefront of A&E’s sewing threads for denim jeans. Due to its highly elastic nature, the sewing thread is suitable for stretch denims with Lycra content. Withstanding the harsh finishes and washes given to denim jeans after sewing, A&E has the Perma Core NWT polyester core polyester wrapped sewing thread, with the ability to minimize thread breakages after processes such as enzyme, stone washing, hand sanding and sand blasting. Due to its strength, the sewing thread is also recommended for sewing operations done by automatic sewing machines. Another offering for sewing denim jeans from A&E is D Core RFD from the already popular range of D Core premium core spun sewing threads. The D Core RFD is a cotton wrap polyester core thread developed for garment dyed products.
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[tab title=”2) FBN Zippers shows its new products: Y-Type & multi-colour polyester zippers”]
Opting to manufacture one of the most critical accessories in a garment – zippers, way back in 1989, Tazul Islam, a visionary and founder of Fabian Group proved his mettle, and today produces all types of zippers… metal, nylon and plastic under the FBN branding. With strong emphasis on innovation, Fabian does not hesitate to invest in research and development to launch new products at frequent intervals. “We have just introduced a Y-Type zipper, which is a new technology and gives more strength than normal metal zippers,” shares Md. Maidul Islam, Director of the company. The other interesting product launched recently is the multi-colour polyester zipper in which the teeth are in one colour, while tape and sliders are of different colours. Even in the teeth there are two-three colours and in the tape we have given upto five colours. These zippers are used majorly for girls and ladies wear.
“We have some products which usually one does not find with other manufacturers; also how smoothly the zippers work, how strong is its puller or how good is its locking system or the teeth, are differentiators in quality of the zippers,” adds Maidul.
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[tab title=”3) Vibemac keeping the growth upward with focus on training to support its automated solutions”]
Bangladesh has come up as the third biggest exporter of denim apparel to the US, after Mexico and China; and second biggest to the EU after China. This growth of the country has made the presence of sewing technology manufacturer Vibemac in Bangladesh imperative, by making available to the apparel industry suitable sewing solutions focused at automation and product upgradation. Endorsing this image of itself at the Denim Expo, the Italian pioneer in manufacturing sewing machines and automates for jeans, Vibemac was present with its range of automates for back pocket attachment and back pocket creasing. “We started our operation in Bangladesh in the year 2000 and have sold more than 4,000 machines ever since,” shared the ever vibrant Enrico Guerreschi, Sales Director, Vibemac.
The company’s operations in Bangladesh are managed by an experienced team of professionals with hands-on experience of the apparel industry. “In my 24 years of working in the sewing department of many companies in Bangladesh, I have worked with automatic machines from all companies, and Vibemac’s machines are not only easy to use but also low on maintenance,” shares Abdul Wahab, Technical Manager, Vibemac Bangladesh who can solve any machine-related issue over phone if given a complete description of the problem. Moreover, since the sewing automates do not require any skilled manpower, companies do not have to worry about operators working on automatic machines leaving the company as the new operator can be trained within a few minutes. “We focus on training the technicians and the maintenance manager of the company, who then trains the sewing operators,” concludes Abdul Wahab.[/tab]
[tab title=”4) Tonello making washes sustainable through ECOfree”]
The capabilities Bangladesh has developed for dry and wet processes of denim jeans is the major reason behind the overall growth of the exports in denim from the country. However, this expertise would not have been possible without partnerships with washing, dyeing and finishing solution provider Tonello. Through its presence at the Denim Expo, the Italian pioneer presented denim jeans washes and finishes with Tonello’s ECOfree finishing technology. “The latest technology that we are bringing to Bangladesh is mixing ozone in water for washing denim jeans and other apparel products, which reduces the water consumption of washing processes by 50% to 80%,” shares Denis Chiarello, Area Sales Manager, Tonello srl. The company’s sole agent in Bangladesh is Smart Technology.
In ECOfree, ozone is placed inside a washing machine and dissolved in water to remove the indigo during washing. This makes it possible to reduce both the number of baths and the treatment time, obtaining a bright contrasted bleach effect. The ozone is also completely neutralized in the machine, allowing the operator to handle the garments without risk. Present in Bangladesh since its inception in 1981, Tonello claims to have installed not its complete but also the most high-end range of finishing and washing machines in companies such as Standard Group, Pacific Jeans, Genesis Washing, Passion Jeans and DBL Group. “With the washing capabilities that Bangladesh has developed, the international buyers are now able to source high-fashion denims from the country at a premium price,” adds Denis.[/tab]
[tab title=”5) Juki urges industry to move towards automation as the next growth area”]
Denim jeans manufacturers in Bangladesh are asking for more quality and improved productivity, and have started demanding automated machines. Juki, a pioneer in manufacturing sewing machines, was present at the Denim Expo, showcasing its range of automatic machines for sewing denim jeans. “Bangladesh has developed the scales for sewing, weaving, finishing, washing and dry processing of denim, but still there is a lot of scope for improvement in terms of productivity and efficiency, and this should be the industry’s next focus area for growth,” avers Shamsul Alam , COO & General Manager, Juki Bangladesh.
Juki’s AP 876 automatic pocket setter is a fully automatic back pocket sewing machine with the ability to fold a pocket and place it on the jean panel while the machine is still engaged in the sewing of the pocket. The machine carries out a series of pocket setting processes at 9.9 seconds per pocket. It achieves 7.1 times as productive as general-purpose machines. The high-speed, 1-needle lockstitch zigzag stitch machine, with an automatic thread trimmer, has been adopted as the machine head for the AP-876, with maximum sewing speed of 4,000 stitches per minute. The AP-876 reduces the cycle time by 5% as compared with Juki’s conventional model. Negating the requirement of 7 operators, the machine reduces the process time by approximately 1 minute and gives an output of 2,237 pockets per 8-hour shift.[/tab]
[tab title=”6) Amann offering threads parallel to the needs of the denim industry”]
For more than 160 years, Amann has been one of the global leaders in the field of high-quality sewing and embroidery threads. Amann Bangladesh has now made its presence felt in the apparel industry of Bangladesh with its innovative sewing solutions for the industry. The company’s representation at the Denim Expo highlighted its depth in sewing and embroidery threads. “Market demand for denim industry is threads with high strength, elasticity, abrasion resistant and viable to all denim washing, shares Arshad Hasan, General Manager – Business Development, Amann Bangladesh. The company showcased Rasant, SabaC, Universal, Serafil, Sabatex, Isacord and Isamet threads along with sewing threads in neon colour shades which are in demon for kidswear and womenswear.
Amann Brands are very popular among various types of denim applications for its unique features. The brands of sewing threads such as SabaC, Rasant and Universal are suitable for high speed sewing operations and have excellent endurance to various treatments and harsh washing affects such as enzyme wash, bleaching and stone wash. Serafil is 100% continuous polyester filament thread, which is not only suitable for stone washing, chlorine bleaching and enzyme washing, but also remains lustrous after any kind of wash. Suitable for garment dyeing applications, Mercifil-Corneta is a 100% cotton sewing thread which is made from high-quality long staple cotton fibres. The mercerization process optimizes strength, lustre and dye affinity. Rasant is a polyester/cotton core spun thread which has excellent colour performance due to its cotton core.
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