On Monday, July 21st, Steven Moore, the Global Sales Director at Billion Rise Knitting, conducted a two-hour seminar on synthetic fabrics to a group of five apprentices from NEXT at the Fashion Technology Academy in Leicester.
Founded in 1999, Billion Rise Knitting is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated companies, specialising in the manufacture of synthetic materials for sportswear, swimwear, underwear, and lingerie products. The company’s products meet rigorous standards and have successfully passed the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which confirms compliance with globally recognised environmental requirements.
The following was covered in the seminar:
• Brief introduction of Billion Rise Knitting and Steve’s background in the textile industry
• In-depth look into the world of synthetic fabric, such as raw materials, knit and constructions
• The individual processes, such as knitting, dyeing, printing, and lab testing
• Discussing the various fabric hangers, garments, and the process of creating the fabric.
• Sustainability and future fabric innovation
• Pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled fabric
• GRS certification
• Different types of finishing on fabric
After the session Steven Moore said: “It was a pleasure to share my experience with the apprentices and to help inspire the next generation. They seem knowledgeable and to have a passion for our wonderful industry.
“I am sure each and every one of them will forge a career and be an asset to whichever brand or retailer they work for.”
The lesson was very informative and interactive. The feedback of the session was very positive from the apprentices:
“Really good guest speaker. Very informative about synthetic materials, how they are made, and the different types available. It’s good to see both end products and fabric hangers.”
“I found the workshop with Steven Moore to be very interesting, and I learned a lot. I gained a better understanding of the difference between pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled fabrics.”
“A knowledgeable guest speaker with many physical samples to understand each fabric and its use.”
“Undergarment fabric is a new area, so I had an in-depth conversation on that subject.”