Introduction
With the emergence of the Middle Classes, the demand for Traditional garments has grown enormously in the past fifteen years. The cottage industries could not satisfy the rapid growth of the market and the production of these goods had to move into industrial scaled production.
The technical challenge is: how to transfer the decoration techniques into mass producible, automatic processes at an acceptable cost. Indian traditional garments are rich with decoration styles and techniques, just to mention: sequins, beads, rhinestones, mirrors, cording, chenille (Aari).
Technology challenge – machines and devices
Innovation in the embroidery machine technology started in Europe (Germany, Switzerland) more than a hundred years ago. These machines (Schiffli looms) were designed for fashion embroidery and only later became used for logos and badges.
From the 1960s the innovation expanded to Japan and Korea, those machines were mostly flatbed embroidery machines suitable for logo work. The global embroidery market rapidly grew to produce embroidery for military, company uniforms, corporate identification, marketing promotions.
From the mid-seventies our industry entered into the leisurewear market, sporting goods, tourism promotions.
The big wave of globalization started in the late 1980s, Western production facilities outsourced to Asia, resulting in a rapid industrial growth as well as a fast upskilling process, producing millions of well-trained industrial workers. By the mid-1990s the emerging markets started to have a massive Middle Class who’s demand for traditional garments outgrew the production capacities.
Chinese embroidery machines appeared in the Indian market from the late 1990s and rapidly took market share. The manufactures soon realized that the Indian domestic market requires magnitudes larger embroidery machine production capacity (increasing the number of heads per machine, also wide-frame) than the Indian export market that usually does logos. Manufacturers have been focusing on devices that can copy the traditional Indian garment decoration techniques and also can enhance them. The Rhinestone technology emerged with machines feeding multiple rhinestones automatically from up to 8 trays, The Sequin feeders initially provided only 1 type of sequin, then the Twin-sequin machines came, then the Quad-Sequin machines and now we have 8 sequin feeders. About 5-6 years ago we saw the first Bead feeders, now there are Quad-Bead feeders and the latest innovation is special feeders that can combine Sequins and Beads.
In summary, the current innovation for traditional garment decoration is driven by Chinese manufacturers.
Technology challenge – the softwre innovation
The embroidery design software has a few distinctive elements: CAD (Computer Aided Design) – this term was introduced in the 1970s. It allows the user to create designs in a graphical way. CAD systems were used in engineering, architecture, modellingand in many areas of technology. The CAD-part of the embroidery design software is to convert an artwork into embroidery shapes and then fill these objects with high quality stitches.
Specialised user interface – embroidery design software must be different from an architectural design software. We have specific embroidery functions and automated features.
Understanding Fabrics and Threads – Embroidery Software must have a built-in “knowledge base”, so it produces high quality stitches.
Know the embroidery machine – there are dozens of embroidery machine manufacturers around the world, the design software must be able to export a properly formatted design that knows the capabilities and special functions of the machine.
Support Special Decoration technology and new devices.
The Indian embroidery market is focused on sequin and beading techniques. Embroidery Software must support the creativity of the designers and provide a bridge between design and embroidery production the most efficient way. There are many new sequin techniques that are introduced in the latest embroidery software. Let’s review some of these: Sequin Split – fast way of creating decorative segments with simple cutting lines or Stamps. Import graphics to use as a “Carving Stamp”.
Assign sequins from a Sequin Palette.
Create Double Pattern Flip Sequin with only a few steps.
Sequin Swap – assign sequins in your design for different machines, where the same sequins are on different feeder – without changing your design. Very efficient graphics editing.
Export Sequin and Bead designs to preset specific machine profiles – or create your own profile. Even mixed sequin and bead feeders.
Examples are from Wilcom Embroidery Studio New Digital Edition Software Release – with Permission from Wilcom International Pty Ltd.
(By Janos Horvath, Wilcom)
