The invention aims to improve the manufacture of flexible goods, such as garments, through the temporary modification of the physical properties of the components to be assembled, facilitating their handling and manipulation later on in the manufacturing process. Attributes that can be affected by this process are the stiffness of the material, the presence of mechanical or physical markings, the density of the material, the air or fluid permeability of the material, the responsiveness of the material to magnetic fields, or the adhesive nature of the material.

A method for marking references on a flat article includes providing a model having at least a through-opening and exhibiting the same peripheral profile as a flat article to be marked; detecting the peripheral profile of the model and storing that profile in a memory; detecting a profile of the through-opening and the relative positioning with respect to a reference system; detecting a peripheral profile of the flat article; replicating the peripheral profile of the model so as to superpose it on the peripheral profile of the flat article; replicating also the profile of the through-opening of the detected model, taking account of the relative positioning with respect to the reference system and of the positioning of the peripheral profile of the model with respect to the peripheral profile of the flat article. Contactless marking of at least a reference on the flat article is made at the profile of the through-opening which has been replicated.

A method for marking references on a flat article includes providing a model having at least a through-opening and exhibiting the same peripheral profile as a flat article to be marked; detecting the peripheral profile of the model and storing that profile in a memory; detecting a profile of the through-opening and the relative positioning with respect to a reference system; detecting a peripheral profile of the flat article; replicating the peripheral profile of the model so as to superpose it on the peripheral profile of the flat article; replicating also the profile of the through-opening of the detected model, taking account of the relative positioning with respect to the reference system and of the positioning of the peripheral profile of the model with respect to the peripheral profile of the flat article. Contactless marking of at least a reference on the flat article is made at the profile of the through-opening which has been replicated.

An apparel printing system for printing on regions of tubular fabrics with repeating patterns includes a textile printer having a print head and a tubular platen that includes features on the platen surface to retain and register the tubular fabric on the platen surface during printing.

An apparel printing system for printing on regions of tubular fabrics with repeating patterns includes a textile printer having a print head and a tubular platen that includes features on the platen surface to retain and register the tubular fabric on the platen surface during printing.

A device for processing a flexible sheet includes a worktop for placement thereon of a flexible sheet to be processed, a processing means provided above the worktop and positioning means for positioning the processing means on the flexible sheet and moving it along a straight processing line in the plane of the flexible sheet. The device also includes orientation means for setting the orientation of the processing line as desired.

A device for processing a flexible sheet includes a worktop for placement thereon of a flexible sheet to be processed, a processing means provided above the worktop and positioning means for positioning the processing means on the flexible sheet and moving it along a straight processing line in the plane of the flexible sheet. The device also includes orientation means for setting the orientation of the processing line as desired.

A manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method for manufacturing a three-dimensional filaments-linked structure includes: divided weight information acquisition means which records divided weight information acquired by dividing weight distribution in a height direction of a person in a height axis direction, in correlation with a distance from a top of a head of the person; and three-dimensional linked structure formation means which tangles and fuses filaments of a thermoplastic resin material extruded from an extruder in a three-dimensional net shape, and forms a three-dimensional filaments-linked structure which is long in a product streaming direction, and the three-dimensional linked structure formation means includes filament density control means which controls filament density in the product streaming direction based on the divided weight information. As a result of the configuration, it is possible to promptly, reliably, and efficiently manufacture products with desired specifications for customers who request products with made-to-order specifications.

A manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method for manufacturing a three-dimensional filaments-linked structure includes: divided weight information acquisition means which records divided weight information acquired by dividing weight distribution in a height direction of a person in a height axis direction, in correlation with a distance from a top of a head of the person; and three-dimensional linked structure formation means which tangles and fuses filaments of a thermoplastic resin material extruded from an extruder in a three-dimensional net shape, and forms a three-dimensional filaments-linked structure which is long in a product streaming direction, and the three-dimensional linked structure formation means includes filament density control means which controls filament density in the product streaming direction based on the divided weight information. As a result of the configuration, it is possible to promptly, reliably, and efficiently manufacture products with desired specifications for customers who request products with made-to-order specifications.

There is provided a fabric element (20) comprising a TiO.sub.2 additive, the fabric element (20) including a mark (22) formed in or on a surface of the fabric element (20), wherein the mark (22) includes a higher titanium oxide than TiO.sub.2.