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The Futuristic Technology behind C&A’s Factory for Innovation in Textiles
Fashion retailer C&A has announced the opening of its Factory for Innovation in Textiles (“C&A’s FIT”) in Mönchengladbach, Germany, set for autumn 2021. The state-of-the-art production site will initially focus on manufacturing jeans using the latest digital technologies in a carbon-neutral production site. We got exclusive insights into the automation of C&A’s FIT and can’t wait to share it with you!
The German fashion company is working with scientists from Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, the North Rhine-Westphalia Textile Academy and RWTH Aachen University, as well as pioneering start-up companies, on the new development.
FIT will first focus on the production of jeans. The ambitious plan is to initially produce around 400,000 jeans per year in Mönchengladbach, and later it will be 800,000. The first jeans will be available in stores in 2022.
With this opening, C&A is generating new impulses for the textile industry in the middle of Europe. Besides, it makes the bold statement that sustainable fashion must not be a niche product – which is why this manufacturing site is about production in larger numbers.
Betty Kieß, Head of Corporate Communications Europe C&A, exclusively shares with us some examples of automation used at C&A’s FIT:
- Fully automated pocket setter: A machine that automatically folds and sews the back pocket while the employee only inserts the fabrics.
- Automatic magazine: In the area of warehousing of raw materials, a magazine which automatically stores the materials and returns them to production when required is used. All materials are also digitally inventoried.
- Industry 4.0: All machines are designed for Industry 4.0 and can communicate production data with one another.
- Decorative stitch carousel: The decorative seam is automatically sewn onto the back pocket by a stitch carousel.
Betty Kieß also tells us that they are working closely with the universities in the field of robotics with the goal of eventually using robots to feed parts into the production.
…definitely exciting news coming soon!