Coats Group plc, the world’s leading industrial thread and consumer textile crafts business, is launching Coats Signal thread, an innovative reflective thread, at Texprocess, the international fair for the processing of textile and other apparel materials, to be held in Frankfurt, Germany, from May 4 to 7, 2015 at the Coats stand (hall 5.1, stand B30).

The specially developed premium thread has a high level of retro-reflectance when illuminated in dark or low visibility conditions.

Coats Signal thread is silver and designed primarily for fashion applications. It can be used as an embroidery thread to differentiate products by creating decorative reflective features in logos, stitching patterns and seams. While it is mainly decorative, when sewn on outdoor and active wear it also helps enhance visibility at night time or in difficult weather conditions. Coats Signal thread combines the tenacity of a polyester filament cover with a retro-reflective core and has excellent strength and durability, the company informs in a statement.

The embroidery thread has a special lubricated finish to protect it from needle heat and ensure smooth sewing, so it retains its reflectivity after the intense sewing process during apparel production. When used in the top cover of flatseams, the combination of an intricate stitch formation and reflective property of the thread gives an eye-catching appearance to the seam which also adds a premium look to the product.

Rajiv Sharma, Global CEO, industrial, Coats Group plc said, “At Coats, we understand the production challenges apparel manufacturers can face when using innovative new types of thread. Using that knowledge we have created a unique thread which can withstand the rigours of the sewing process and still retain its reflective functionality in the end product.” (GK)