Croatian National Section
from the unpublished 60 years IFKT chronic
For the 60th aniversary of the IFKT a chronic has been written by the different members of the organisation. Unfortunately this chronic has never been published. In order to honor this great work, we are now publishing it step by step as part of the 70th aniversary
Croatian Textile and Clothing
Industry
In 2015 the Croatian economy and industry employed about 260,000 workers of which the textile, clothing and leather industry employed about 25,000 people. The Croatian textile and clothing industry was very developed in the period from 1960 to 1990. That period is therefore often called the golden period of the textile industry.
For example, in 1980 the Croatian textile and clothing industry employed about 100,000 employees and another 20,000 in the supporting services related to the textile trade and education. Out of the total number of the employed population in Croatia, the textile and clothing industry employed approximately 6% of all the working people. Until 1995 the Croatian textile industry was very appealing to the large European department stores and retail chains which ordered textile and clothing products from Croatia. In that period the Croatian textile industry presented a significant development branch and had an annual surplus balance of payments.
Textile exports from Croatia were recorded significantly higher than its imports. In that period we had about 15,000 employees in the spinning branch, about 20,000 employees in knitting, around 25,000 employees in weaving, approximately 30,000 employees in the clothing manufacture and roughly 10,000 employees in other textile sectors. The largest textile plant in Croatia
was Varteks in Varaždin, which had about 13,000 employees and it mainly processed wool and its
blends. Men’s suits were the primary production program. They were made from the firm’s own
woven fabrics. The wool was imported from Australia and New Zealand. The factory had about
4,000 employees in the spinning mill, 3,000 employees in the weaving mill, 2,000 employees in the finishing department and about 5,000 employees in the clothing manufacture. Suits and high-quality fabrics were mainly exported to the European countries, primarily to the German, English and French markets. Another major textile producer in that period was Pamučna industrija Duga Resa which manufactured diverse cotton products. The factory employed about 4,500 workers. The main production line included woven and knitted fabrics made of cotton as well as various cotton garments. The factory used about 50 circular single bed knitting machines and ten double bed and
interlock knitting machines which were used to manufacture knitted fabrics for making men’s, women’s and children’s underwear and diverse leisure clothing. It exported its products to the
developed European countries. Textile machinery manufacturing was not developed
in Croatia.
[1] Knitting machines in the laboratory of the Faculty of Textile Technology where students perform their practical training [2] The Building of the Faculty of Textile Technology where the headquarter of the Croatian Section of the IFKT is located [3] Prof. Dr. Miroslav Srdjak the first president of the Croatian Section from 1993-2008
Croatian Knitwear Industry
In the already mentioned golden period of the Croatian textile industry knit wear manufacturers were especially successful in the manufacturing of modern knitted garments. In Croatia there were about twenty highly specialized manufacturers of knitted garments which exported their knitwear into the European market. The biggest knitwear manufacturer was Međimurska trikotaža Čakovec (MTČ) established in 1923. From 1960 to 1995 the factory employed about 2,000 employees. It sold its high-quality knitwear mainly to the German market. The factory had its own knitting mill with around one hundred circular single bed, double bed and interlock knitting machines. One of its departments had about ten warp knitting machines. Circular single machines were mostly used to knit plain knit fabrics which were patterned by printing and were used to make lightweight summer knitwear. Some machines were used to make pajamas and children’s collections. Cardigan fabrics as well as fleece lining inlay fabrics for making women’s garments were mostly manufactured. Plush fabrics for manufacturing winter pajamas and spring/autumn children’s collections were also manufactured
on about 10 knitting machines. Great success was achieved with striped plush fabrics for manufacturing mostly children’s and women’s garments. One part of the collection was made from classic plush fabric and the other part of the collection was made from sheared plush. In that period Međimurska trikotaža Čakovec was an important designer of plush knitwear, especially children’s plush knitwear in Europe. The warp knitting machines were mostly used to manufacture swimwear fabrics. Several warp knitting machines were used to manufacture fabrics which were combined with interlock fabrics in producing diverse sports tracksuits for professional athletes and recreational clothing. The factory worked in three shifts, very often over weekends in order to deliver the demanded products. Matching the capacities of the knitting mill, the finishing department and clothing manufacturing and the laboratory were of paramount importance because they constituted a
flexible unit which could quickly adjust to a new product. Market liberalization and the import of cheap knitwear from the Asian countries caused Međimurska trikotaža Čakovec to gradually reduce
its production and to close individual manufacturing plants. Small sized family businesses were established by several employees who had left Međimurska trikotaža Čakovec. In this way they continued with the knitwear production in the Čakovec region. After the Second World War Međimurska trikotaža Čakovec helped to establish another knitwear factory Galeb Omiš in 1951. The production program included the manufacture of men’s, women’s and children’s cotton underwear. This manufacturing plant is not located in one place. The knitting house and the finishing department are in one part of the town, whereas the administration building and the clothing manufacturing plant are located along the seashore. All manufacturing plants owned by Galeb also produce knitwear. Since its establishment the factory exported cotton underwear to the renowned French department stores and also to the Soviet Union which was a Galeb customer for many years. Knitwear producer Galeb developed several brands such as: Galeb, Adriatik and GLB which can be found on the European markets even today. After the privatization the factory developed other production programs and collections of diverse light-weight knitwear for spring/summer collections. Today, Galeb does good standing firm and employs about 300 employees. The knitwear manufacturer Nada
Dimić was located in Zagreb and its surroundings. It produced light-weight knitwear, curtains and diverse trimmings and tapes used in clothing and footwear industries as well as in the furniture industry, military industry and in other technical fields. About twenty single bed warp knitting machines for several decades manufactured curtains for export to the Soviet Union. Today only one part of accessories is being manufactured, such as labels, trimmings and tapes for clothing and for military industry and technical fields. Arena trikotaža Pula (knitwear manufacturer) manufactured outer knitwear for decades. Dubied, Universal and Stoll flat knitting machines were used to make
outer knitwear such as cardigans, pullovers, waistcoats, skirts and other similar products. In Slavonia in eastern Croatia, there was a knitwear manufacturer, Mara. As Arena Pula, it also manufactured outer knitwear. After the factory closed its production, several small-sized family businesses were established which manufactured knitwear. Trikotaža Pounje in Kostajnica had two production programs. One manufacturing plant with warp knitting machines made ladies’ lingerie fabrics and the other had circular knitting machine to make knitted fabrics for women’s garments, nightgowns and pajamas. Today only the manufacturing plant with circular knitting machines and the finishing department still operates. In Croatia only a few strong companies manufactured all sorts of hosiery. Today, there is only one strong hosiery manufacturer Jadran Zagreb. It has two manufacturing plants. Automatic hosiery machines in one plant make socks, and in the other plant automatic hosiery machines make fine ladies’ stockings. There are about 200 automatic hosiery machines in the factory with 300 employees working in the company. The annual capacity of the production is about 15 million of most diverse pairs of socks and stockings. The other hosiery manufacturers have considerably lower production capacities. They are small sized family businesses employing up to 20 employees, and their daily production capacity amounts to 5,000 or 10,000 pairs of socks and stockings, or to 2 million of pairs per year. It is estimated that Croatia had a production capacity of 50 million pairs of different types of hosiery in 2015.
Croatian National Section of IFKT
Textile industry was very developed in Croatia. The manufacture of knitted fabrics had special benefits for development because it took place in small family-run businesses employing ten employees or bigger factories which employed up to 500 workers. In the early 1990s the development of new ideas and techniques allowed the use of modern technologies in the making of seamless garments. Many manufacturers of knitted fabrics bought new knitting machines which were used to knit seamless gloves and hosiery as well as seamless garments such as pullovers, sweaters, waistcoats, skirts, togas, tunics, trousers, bras, underwear and other products. Knitting experts regularly visited different European trade fairs where they presented new knitting equipment and machinery. University teachers (professors) participated in international congresses of the International Federation of Knitting Technologists. As a result of numerous meetings and contacts the Croatian Section of the International Federation of Knitting Technologists was founded. The founding conference was held on 16th June 1993 with about 30 participants. Mr. Ralph Innes represented the IFKT. Prof. Miroslav Srdjak, Ph.D. was elected to be the first president of the Croatian Section of the IFKT. Zlatko Vrljičak, Vladimir Lasić, Zvornimir Vojković, MIroslav Raljević, Dragutin Havranek and Ivica Birkaš were elected as members of the Croatian Section. Next year on 18th November 1994 the IFKT General Secretary Prof. Wolfgang Schaech paid a visit to the Croatian Section and gave a lecture under the title “Fully Fashioned Knitting”. Since its foundation the Croatian Section continuously participated in the work of the IFKT. It undertook intense activities at the 39th IFKT Congress which was held in Busto Arsizio near Milan in Italy. Five members of the Croatian Section represented Croatia with two presentations. Croatia stood as a candidate for the host of the 41st IFKT Congress. At the IFKT Congress in Budapest in 2000 Zlatko Vrljičak was elected to the position of the financial controller of the IFKT business operations. By 2012 he performed this job together with Fred Luketa from England, and afterwards with Alenka Pavko Čuden from Slovenia. Since 19 May 2008 Zlatko Vrljičak has been the president of the Croatian Section of the IFKT. The 41st IFKT Congress was organized in Zagreb by the Croatian Section. It took place from the 1st until the 4th October 2002 and hosted about 150 participants. 29 papers were presented on this congress and were published in the Book of Proceedings ISBN 953-96408-9-X. For the purposes of the Congress 10 Croatian knitted fabric manufacturers furnished the congress hall with their products. Various Croatian knitwear manufacturers presented their men’s, ladies’ and children’s underwear, pajamas, knitted nightgowns, cardigans, pullovers, sweaters, and various types of men’s, women’s and children’s hosiery as well as fishing nets. After the paper presentations a fashion show was held organized by the students of the Faculty of Textile Technology of the University of Zagreb. The Congress was organized by the Croatian Section of the IFKT with the support of the Faculty of Textile Technology where the Croatian Section of the IFKT is located, and with the aid of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia, the Zagreb Tourist
Board and also with the support of about 15 Croatian textile and knitwear factories.
Acknowledgment:
Edited by: Alenka Pavko-Čuden
Readership: Nina Zelenko Mijatović
And everyone who contributed to this chronic