A new textile engineering laboratory specialising in innovative flat knit engineering has opened in Los Angeles under the slogan ‘Just what you need: The world is flat, green, and lean.’

Fabdesigns Inc., a textile engineering company with a world class reputation for innovative knit engineering and pioneering technology in knitted footwear, has reopened its private textile laboratory in California to offer consulting and development proof of concepts in footwear, technical, industrial, and highly advanced performance knitted textiles.

The company which is based in the Los Angeles district of Encino, recently took delivery of some new flat knitting technology and officially opened its doors for business yesterday.

Engineering complex products since 1989

The re-launch comes after securing multiple functional patents for its clients in footwear and medical products, and the expiration of several years of exclusive non-compete contracts and NDA’s (non-disclosure agreements). The company which has been engineering sophisticated and complex textiles since 1989 currently develops confidential intellectual property in the USA for film, military, medical, aerospace, home furnishings, and high-end fashion.

“Flat knitting, gives the factory the ultimate control of its resources,” Bruce Huffa, Fabdesigns’ executive engineer, says, tying up yarn on his electronic flat knitting machine.

“Optimizing efficiency with our technology has been proven time and again to enhance the particular company’s economic growth potential, increase the company’s prosperity and make them more competitive – all while minimizing waste, using less energy, and building their manufacturing knowledge.”

“In a world where most manufacturing waste is a huge problem, an overlooked point that many manufacturers fail to consider in calculating the real costs, is both the financial and environmental impacts, of manufacturing. Our type of mass customization is a glove fit, or a shoe fit,” he adds.

Bruce’s wife and engineering partner of 25 years Connie Huffa says: “We’re located in a richly creative environment – Los Angeles.”

”Film, fashion, and technical expectations here in Los Angeles are created for the taste makers of the world. Knowing that our clients expect the bar set high, we advocate best practices that promote healthy safe working environments with reliable consistent production methods. Though we have many differing types of clients, materials, and types of projects, we are sensitive to their need for confidentiality, exclusivity, and security; therefore we keep access to the lab at a need to be here basis. Our clients also prefer that we don’t publicize who they are. We also prefer that policy since they have their own marketing claims that speak for their respective industries and carbon footprints.”

Bruce continues. “We make very complex, high quality products for our clients, and use much less of the planet’s resources, regardless of the size or location of the company they designate for manufacturing the product.”

“Engineering products as ‘Just What You Need’, seems truly the next lean step after JIT.” Bruce Huffa.

“Saving materials, by using just what’s needed, is also a perfect fit for companies like aerospace and medical products where the raw materials can cost several hundred dollars per pound,” he says pointing to several spools of Kevlar and extruded silicon."

“We use real production equipment to create manufacturable prototypes and establish lean global best practices and processes that address material usage and minimizing the company’s carbon footprint, starting from the supply chain. We minimize labour through finishing edges in the knitting process, integrating features like pockets, tunnels, and cables, then eliminating as much cutting and sewing as the customer will value.”

“Having control of production also means simplifying manufactured inventories and stocking only raw materials. Engineering products as ‘Just What You Need’, seems truly the next lean step after JIT, (Just in Time).”

Fabdesigns, privately held since 1989, evolved from a high end R&D firm to a California engineering corporation in 2000.

Contact

Bruce Huffa

Fabdesigns, Inc.

4963 Haskell Avenue, Encino, CA 91436, USA

Tel. +1 818-510-0814

[email protected]

www.fabdesigns.com

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