We talked about how this happens, what the success of the enterprise depends on and what the Russian market can offer today, with an analyst, an expert in the textile industry, the founder of Solstudio Textile Group, a lecturer at Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry named after Sergei Stroganov, a lecturer at the Higher School of Economics, head of projects related to the restoration of textile and ornamental heritage of Russia, by Alexandra Kaloshina – according to a long tradition, the Solstudio Textile Group company created by Alexandra has become a partner and participant in the INTERFABRIC exhibition.
– Alexandra, last time we talked during the "INTERFABRIC-2023.Autumn" exhibition, what has happened in your company in these six months?
– We are re-equipping our factory. We are doing this quickly and seriously, we have devoted the whole year to this task. We are currently installing a large flushing line by a team of Turkish specialists. It will allow us to increase the speed and footage of our products, increase the convenience of our work, and improve the washability of the fabric.
– Are there any new projects?
– We have teamed up with the Russian cannabis manufacturer Dom Tekstil. These are our Russian entrepreneurs Maxim and Alyona Uvarov, who sowed 15,000 hectares of cannabis. They have their own processing plant, where 240 people work. They reach the thread, then hand it over to the weaving industry. And now we have already printed a whole collection on hemp fabric. It turned out to be stunningly beautiful. Samples could be seen at our stand at the INTERFABRIC. This product is already completely, 100% manufactured in Russia – from the field to the fabric with a beautiful design. This inspires us very much, because for the first time we saw that Russian fabric can be printed well and efficiently.
– Is printing possible on other domestic fabrics?
– We also work with other Russian manufacturers. With the Vologda Textile Plant, we have sealed a large array of very different products, ranging from waffle fabrics. It turns out very well. We have outlined a number of joint steps so that they can produce beautiful new products. I hope that we will also be able to work with the Shuisky Calico. In general, we are developing the Russian fabric market in every possible way.
– At the "INTERFABRIC-2023.Autumn" exhibition you have presented your new product – printing on silk, wool. Was this idea a success?
– Yes, we continue printing on these fabrics. Of course, this is not the most in-demand product, since it is a premium, luxury material, there cannot be much of it. But the requests are coming, and we're typing all the time. One day a week, sometimes two, the machine works exclusively on silk or wool with silk.
– How much production does your company have today?
– We are designed to make 800 thousand linear meters per year. Now we have introduced new capacities, new machines, while the process was underway, the load dropped by 50%. We are waiting for the launch of the line. As it was, we were already approaching 70%.
– What are your impressions of the last spring exhibition?
– Of course, we are adherents of "INTERFABRIC" and every season we see how the exhibition changes. Pay attention to how it was decorated this time, how the stands were decorated. There is a huge competition for the consumer at the exhibition. The big players came, we almost got lost between three huge stands. Everything is developing, and this is good news.
– Did you adhere to tradition in the design of your stand or did you come up with some kind of highlight of your own?
– We used a work of art that we spied at a textile factory near Vologda. These are the workers who go ahead and carry what they produce. We associated ourselves with them, and this image became our main banner at the exhibition.
– What else did you participate in the business program of the exhibition with this time?
– It was a lecture on "The main trends in textile design, SS 25 season". She aroused great interest. There were 100 people, if not more. Everyone looked at our tissue samples with interest and asked a lot of questions. This is because such products can really be in demand.
– What are your plans for the future?
– Probably, we are making our future now by increasing our printing capabilities. I would like to go beyond Russia. We focus on print quality, including on synthetic fabrics.
– Are any foreign partners working with you now?
– Only for the purchase of fabric. But on the contrary, not yet. We would like to print for all countries – silk, for example. We do it better than our competitors. But for now we are exploring the Russian market. After the expansion of production, we will already look in other directions.
– Alexandra, last time we talked during the "INTERFABRIC-2023.Autumn" exhibition, what has happened in your company in these six months?
– We are re-equipping our factory. We are doing this quickly and seriously, we have devoted the whole year to this task. We are currently installing a large flushing line by a team of Turkish specialists. It will allow us to increase the speed and footage of our products, increase the convenience of our work, and improve the washability of the fabric.
– Are there any new projects?
– We have teamed up with the Russian cannabis manufacturer Dom Tekstil. These are our Russian entrepreneurs Maxim and Alyona Uvarov, who sowed 15,000 hectares of cannabis. They have their own processing plant, where 240 people work. They reach the thread, then hand it over to the weaving industry. And now we have already printed a whole collection on hemp fabric. It turned out to be stunningly beautiful. Samples could be seen at our stand at the INTERFABRIC. This product is already completely, 100% manufactured in Russia – from the field to the fabric with a beautiful design. This inspires us very much, because for the first time we saw that Russian fabric can be printed well and efficiently.
– Is printing possible on other domestic fabrics?
– We also work with other Russian manufacturers. With the Vologda Textile Plant, we have sealed a large array of very different products, ranging from waffle fabrics. It turns out very well. We have outlined a number of joint steps so that they can produce beautiful new products. I hope that we will also be able to work with the Shuisky Calico. In general, we are developing the Russian fabric market in every possible way.
– At the "INTERFABRIC-2023.Autumn" exhibition you have presented your new product – printing on silk, wool. Was this idea a success?
– Yes, we continue printing on these fabrics. Of course, this is not the most in-demand product, since it is a premium, luxury material, there cannot be much of it. But the requests are coming, and we're typing all the time. One day a week, sometimes two, the machine works exclusively on silk or wool with silk.
– How much production does your company have today?
– We are designed to make 800 thousand linear meters per year. Now we have introduced new capacities, new machines, while the process was underway, the load dropped by 50%. We are waiting for the launch of the line. As it was, we were already approaching 70%.
– What are your impressions of the last spring exhibition?
– Of course, we are adherents of "INTERFABRIC" and every season we see how the exhibition changes. Pay attention to how it was decorated this time, how the stands were decorated. There is a huge competition for the consumer at the exhibition. The big players came, we almost got lost between three huge stands. Everything is developing, and this is good news.
– Did you adhere to tradition in the design of your stand or did you come up with some kind of highlight of your own?
– We used a work of art that we spied at a textile factory near Vologda. These are the workers who go ahead and carry what they produce. We associated ourselves with them, and this image became our main banner at the exhibition.
– What else did you participate in the business program of the exhibition with this time?
– It was a lecture on "The main trends in textile design, SS 25 season". She aroused great interest. There were 100 people, if not more. Everyone looked at our tissue samples with interest and asked a lot of questions. This is because such products can really be in demand.
– What are your plans for the future?
– Probably, we are making our future now by increasing our printing capabilities. I would like to go beyond Russia. We focus on print quality, including on synthetic fabrics.
– Are any foreign partners working with you now?
– Only for the purchase of fabric. But on the contrary, not yet. We would like to print for all countries – silk, for example. We do it better than our competitors. But for now we are exploring the Russian market. After the expansion of production, we will already look in other directions.