The textiles and clothing industries occupy a strategic place in Bangladesh's economy, contributing to more than 88% of total export earnings. The sector, a real economic engine, has been able to reinvent itself aiming to help improve living conditions, reduce poverty and promote gender equality across the country.

However, the Bangladeshi textiles and clothing industries face major challenges - political stability, preventing social unrest, dealing with the shortage of skilled labour and competing with low-cost countries. To meet these challenges, textile and garment manufacturing companies are investing in sustainability, improved working conditions and the integration of advanced technologies in order to maintain their leading position in the global market.

Against this backdrop, the Swiss flat knitting machine manufacturer Steiger and its Chinese partner Cixing recently organised an exclusive evening, bringing together 600 customers around a demonstration of machines capable of knitting items in 3D. The event was enriched by a fashion show showcasing creations designed and knitted in Cixing-Steiger Shanghai Design Center.

“The successful evening of sharing marks an important step in strengthening the Cixing-Steiger presence in this strategic market,” Steiger CEO, Pierre-Yves Bonvin said.

Steiger, founded in 1949, which is now part of the Cixing Group – the world’s largest manufacturer of flat knitting machines – celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2019 and is still manufacturing at its plant in Vionnaz, Switzerland, as well as in China.

The company produces industrial flat knitting machines for three market segments - the fashion industry, the medical sector and technical knitting. At its factory in Vionnaz, Switzerland it produces machinery for the European market for the production of high-quality knitwear.

At last year’s ITMA 2023 in Milan, Steiger launched a brand new four needlebed computerised flat knitting machine for the production of complete garment knitwear. The company showed the Chinese built Steiger branded four needlebed latch needle KS3-60MC-II machine in 18 gauge for the first time at the world’s leading textile machinery event, which attracted over 1700 exhibitors and 110,000 visitors.

www.steiger-textil.ch