Survey of the European yarn fairs for autumn/winter 2019/20

摘要

The atmosphere at the European yarn fairs for the autumn/winter 2019/20 season was upbeat—especially among companies serving the top end of the market—as knitwear continues to be a high fashion item. For the Italian yarn industry as a whole, however, trading figures were not so favourable. In 2017 sales of yarn by the industry were at their lowest level for several years. Furthermore, the balance of trade in the Italian yarn industry was in deficit for the second consecutive year, and the deficit widened as exports declined by 0.4%.Knitwear for the autumn/winter 2019/20 season looks set to be warm but it will be made with yarns which are very light and fine. Indeed, lightness is extremely important, and many spinners are adopting air spinning techniques to create lightweight bulky yarns. There is also an emphasis on plush or lightly felted surfaces made from the finest raw materials. Fancy yarns are important and they can be used to create a variety of different surface effects, such as velvety or smooth plush effects, felted and brushed effects, or shaggy and furry effects. Chenille yarns are on trend, and there is also a variety of bouc'e yarns and tape yarns. Natural fibres are still the prime ingredients for the season, and the most popular noble fibres for the season include cashmere, mohair and, especially, alpaca. These fibres are also being offered in many combinations with other fibres, including polyester, polyamide, Tencel Lyocell and viscose. In addition, there is a focus on cotton, and several cotton spinners are experimenting and mixing cotton with a number of other fibres—including cashmere, micro-modal, silk and wool.There was a strong focus on environmental sustainability at the fairs as spinners reported that their customers are asking increasingly for a greater number of yarns which are environmentally sustainable and responsibly made. In response, a number of spinners have adapted their production processes, and have introduced yarns which are made from traceable raw materials and yarns which incorporate recycled materials. Yarns which incorporate recycled materials are especially important, as are yarns made from man-made fibres which have zero environmental impact.