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“It’s an excellent machine,” says Hugotag Director Lyon has historically been associated with silk fabric
General Philippe Magat. “The key parameters for us production, and all of Hugotag’s fabrics are still
include homogenous drying over the length and woven locally. Piece-dyeing was introduced in Lyon
width of the machine and precise control of the and became an industrial process in the mid-18th
tension of the fabric, because the silk has a natural century and for a long time remained a speciality of
elasticity, even without the addition of elastane. The the region. Screen-printing is meanwhile sometimes
Monforts stenter allows us to completely control the
tension from the fabric entry right through to the known as ‘a la lyonnaise’ because Lyon is
winding machines – and we have special units for acknowledged as the first region to industrialise the
winding onto small rolls too.” process during this same period.

The latest Monforts Montex 8500 “The fabrics are very delicate and require a sensitive And although there still remain other silk finishers in
France, Hugotag is one of only two to carry out the
treatment when being pinned into the stentering
‘degumming’ of the silk fabrics using ‘Marseilles
chain, as well as very gentle drying – without the
stenter is providing major fabrics ever touching the nozzles and with Soap’ – a chemical-free formulation based on 100%
olive oil, developed long before the concept of
absolutely no air turbulence in the dryer.”
sustainability was even known.
benefits for Hugotag “The humidity of the air inside the stenter is crucial “It’s a very specific treatment and because the
for ensuring a perfect quality fabric feel,” adds
The French luxury brands fabric supplier renowned for its know-how in silk finishing French representative for Monforts, Christophe fabric is so very delicate it’s very difficult to do on an
Monel, of Monel Industrie Services. industrial machine, but we can now do it successfully,”
says Philippe Magat. “More than anything, however,
Hugotag is finishing some very fine silk fabrics zero defects are our objective, and this is something
indeed – sheer muslins that can be as light as 14 the new highly-automated and computerised Monforts
gsm, along with chiffons, and heavier satins and line is allowing us to achieve.
twills. The weights of the more delicate fabrics are
usually between 20-50 gsm, and produced in “We don’t need to run at high speeds, and average
average widths of 90 centimetres to a maximum of 15-20 metres per minute, because the priority is
1.9 metres on the 3.2-metre wide Monforts finishing perfection. Our customers are very discerning and
range. In haute couture fine fashion, of course, they even the smallest of defects can result in returns,
command very high prices.
which we simply can’t afford to allow to damage our
reputation.”
As a result of the extremely specialist nature of
handling such delicate fabrics, the Monforts line has The human touch
been equipped with a number of additional features, It is reassuring to know, however, that there are still
including special needle chain devices for dealing some things that highly-automated and
with knitted silk fabrics, a steamer unit, a computerised computer-controlled machines like the Montex 8500
weft-straightening device and associated controls, and still can’t do – and perhaps never will.
a horizontal combined chain.

Hugotag still relies on the keen eyes of its specialist
The stentering chain is completely sealed – to avoid
any grease or oil coming into contact with the quality fabric control inspectors who have many years
fabrics at any time – and fitted with long-lasting of experience, rather than digital optical inspection
Intuitive automation and surveillance are provided via the Monforts Qualitex 800 system lubricated bearings. systems that are readily-available on the market.
Quality is the number one requirement for Hugotag, merger and consolidation of the companies at the Special attention has also been paid to energy “At this level of quality, it’s a skill machines are
a specialist French finisher of silk fabrics to many of Fourneaux site, including advanced digital printing recovery, with low energy consumption IE3 motors simply unable to replace,” Philippe Magat
the world’s most prestigious luxury brands. Now a machines, as well as the installation of a finishing and the integration of a full heat recovery system into concludes. “Through many years of experience I am
member of the Chanel Group, the company in its line centred on the latest Monforts Montex 8500 the line. Philippe Magat confirms that this is now
present form represents the merging five years ago stenter and a Matex padder. The five-chamber providing Hugotag with significant energy savings. able to spot even the smallest detail that the
of two former silk businesses – Tag, founded in Montex 8500 machine at the Fourneaux plant is average eye simply can’t see – and so can the
1974 in Fourneaux, close to Lyon, and Hugo Soie, a equipped with newly-developed 24-inch Historic legacy specialist team working here. Our exclusive
St Etienne-based company with a 200-year history. visualisation monitors, providing total, intuitive Like its equally famous counterpart in Italy – Como – customers would expect nothing less.”
automation and surveillance via the Monforts
Investment in new equipment has followed the Qualitex 800 system.

January/February 2018 January/February 2018