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Warp & Weft - Cifra & Tefron in Seamless Partnership

In a sensational deal announced today, two of the world's market leading manufacturers of knitted seamless apparel are to collaborate to produce a new line of unique lingerie, bodyshapers, posture garments and sportswear products based on seamless warp knitting technology. Israel's Tefron Ltd, a leader in circular seamless garment production and Italy's Cifra SpA, a design led pioneer in warp knitted seamless production, announced today that they have signe

18th January 2012

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Milan & Misgav

Medical/Hygiene, Clothing/​Footwear, Sports/​Outdoor

Tefron CEO Amit Meridor and Cifra CEO Cesare Citterio after signing the contractIn a sensational deal announced today, two of the world's market leading manufacturers of knitted seamless apparel are to collaborate to produce a new line of unique lingerie, bodyshapers, posture garments and sportswear products based on seamless warp knitting technology.

Israel's Tefron Ltd, a leader in circular seamless garment production and Italy's Cifra SpA, a design led pioneer in warp knitted seamless production, announced today that they have signed a strategic cooperation agreement under which the two highly innovative companies will co-produce products which will be marketed to Tefron's customers worldwide.

Under the new agreement Cifra, using its extensive know how in the warp knit seamless field, will jointly design and develop products with Tefron, which will then be knitted on Cifra's state-of-the-art  double needle bar jacquard raschel knitting machines at its Verano Brianza plant in Milan.

A delighted Cifra CEO Cesare Citterio told Knitting Industry:  "Only those who can make innovations and realize new and complex high quality products can globally compete in all markets. We welcome Tefron as our partner and we feel that both companies have a huge opportunity leveraged by this agreement."

Tefron was also clearly excited about the agreement and told shareholders in a statement today:

"Tefron once again is leading the fashion market and announces a new line of products based on a seamless ‘warp knitting' technology that will allow Tefron to produce unique lingerie, bodyshapers, posture garments and sports products while creating a competitive advantage."

TefronCommercial breakthrough

Tefron CEO Amit Meridor said the deal was a real commercial breakthrough for both companies.

 "This is a commercial breakthrough. With Cifra's technology and our creative and sophisticated production solutions Tefron will be the only and largest player in the world market which offers circular and warp knit seamless solutions. I believe that the exclusive cooperation with Cifra will be a significant stage in the success of both companies," Mr Meridor said.

Cifra is well known for its innovative approach to seamless garment manufacture using double needle bar jacquard raschel machines. The Milan based company designs and produces seamless socks, tights, pantyhose and seamless garments for intimate apparel, active wear, bodyshapers, posture garments and swimwear for leading European and worldwide retailers and brands. With its 24 hour production schedule, the Italian company has the capacity to produce 150,000 pairs of stockings alone per day on its raschel machines.

Tefron is a market leader in the field of apparel, serving customers in the U.S. and Europe and focuses on developing, producing, marketing and selling underwear, bodyshapers, posture garments, sportswear, beachwear and swimwear. 

Its activities are divided into two business sectors: Seamless design, development, production and sale of underwear and sportswear; and Cut & Sew design, development, production and sale of underwear, swimwear and sportswear.  Design and production are mainly performed in Israel, Jordan and the Far East, while finished goods are sold mainly in the U.S. and Europe.

Tefron lists amongst its customers leading international players such as Hanes Brands, Reebok, Patagonia, GAP, Calvin Klein, Wal-Mart and Victoria's Secret.

The new agreement should result in a win-win situation for both companies. Tefron will be the only major design led company worldwide which can offer its customers both warp and weft knit seamless solutions.

Warp knit seamless has many possibilities which weft knit seamless cannot offer. Warp knit seamless technology for example offers the possibility to produce complex lace and openwork type structures as well as a wide range of fancy patterns at high production rates.

Cifra will benefit from being able to reach markets it does not currently reach such as sportswear. It will also benefit from Tefron's global distribution network and its considerable US customer base.

CifraTechnology exploitation

Cifra is one of a handful of companies in the world which has exploited the true potential of warp knit seamless technology to date. The machine technology was developed by Karl Mayer and its Japanese subsidiary Nippon Mayer some years ago but the past few years have seen greater interest in the technology after the addition of piezo jacquard technology extended the patterning and shaping potential.

Cifra runs a plant of mainly multi head double needle bar jacquard raschel machines which knit multiple garments simultaneously side by side. In recent years Karl Mayer introduced the short needle bar Seamless Smart concept where ‘smaller footprint' machines such as the RDPJ 4/2 and RDPJ 6/2 models are said to offer shorter set up times and greater flexibility in production. Cifra has been evaluating this technology.

Proof of the importance of the technology came when Italian machine builder Santoni, pioneer and world leader in the development of seamless circular knitting machines, recently entered into the warp knit seamless machinery market. In June 2008 the Lonati Group owned company, with a weft knitting background, shocked the knitting world when it launched its first ‘user friendly' double needle bar raschel machine for seamless garments, the SDW8. Santoni has been busy developing the technology which Cifra has also been evaluating.

The new Tefron-Cifra partnership looks really promising as the market, via Tefron and its customer base, will have access to some of the world's best seamless warp knit know-how and the very latest technology.       

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