Explore ideas, evidence and developments across the textile value chain.
617 articles · latest first · 217–240
Wang Tiankai has been elected unanimously as president of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) for the next two years.
Mobile phones are being used by workers in Marks & Spencer supplier factories to enable the company to gain more insight into factory environments and give a higher profile to workers’ voices.
CSR (corporate social responsibility) is here to stay and must be integrated into financial results rather than seen as a softer benefit. That is the view of Adrian Elliott, Coats plc. Speaking at the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry conference, Mr Elliott said multiple CSR approaches that protect brands and deliver economic benefits were needed.
The Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTex) and LIMRA Trade Fairs & Exhibitions Pvt Ltd are organising GarTex, a three-day international exhibition of the garment and textile machinery sector.
Retailers must consider the political, ethical and technical risks when sourcing garments in an increasingly complex environment. Speaking at the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry conference, Lorna Ward, director retail, Price Waterhouse Coopers, said retailers typically focus on four areas to manage supply costs. These are supplier location, management, technology and managing costs.
Tanatex Chemicals has officially opened its new production plant in Thailand. By building this local facility, the Dutch company endorses its focus on developing business in Asia. Tanatex said it will be able to react more quickly and cost effectively to the demands of the region’s textile industry. The prominent building offers state of the art technology, including computer controlled production, said Tanatex.
News22 Oct 2014Saurer Group has appointed Dr Martin Folini as CEO of Schlafhorst and Zinser with effect from November, 1. These two brands cover roving, ring spinning, rotor spinning and winding, employing 2,000 staff globally. Jan Röttgering will take over the position of general manager Rotor Spinning within the business unit, allowing a greater focus on individual product lines, said Saurer.
FMP Technology GmbH – a corporate spin-off of the German University of Erlangen – has developed two innovative application systems for pretreatment, dyeing, impregnation, finishing and coating of textiles including non-woven fabrics, fibres, yarns and multifilaments.
GTTES-2015, organised by India ITME Society in Mumbai, is to take place in January. This textile technology event will cover spinning accessories and spare parts; weaving machinery; processing machinery; nonwovens and technical textiles; digital printing machinery; garment, knitting and embroidery machinery; textile chemicals and dyes; fibres and yarns; jute machinery; accessories, spare parts and components; and waste water management and green technology.
More than 6,000 visitors from 41 countries and regions attended Interstoff Asia Essential. This edition also marked the end of an era, with the organisers deciding to cease holding the fair from next year. “Interstoff has facilitated the expansion of the fashion industry in Hong Kong over the past 27 years; however, textile manufacturing and buying offices have steadily relocated to Mainland China in recent years.
Itema is to exhibit at two trade shows held in the south of Turkey, OTM in Gaziantep and KTM in Kahramanmaras. Itema, in partnership with Bilol agency, is exhibiting its rapier R9500 loom, launched two years ago and said to be responsible for a significant share of the Italian-headquartered company’s turnover.
Profile15 Oct 2014Contifibre has celebrated 20 years of production in France. At an evening event held recently, 100 representatives of customers from across France and Belgium enjoyed a dinner and catwalk show charting the history of women’s lingerie and hosiery from the 1800s to the latest trends for coming seasons.
Hidden costs in the textile and clothing supply chain and managing risk were key topics at yesterday’s Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry conference held in Leeds, UK. While securing suppliers that can deliver the required quality at the right time and price is the goal of most buyers, being too focussed on achieving the lowest price in negotiations can have unintended consequences. These include missed opportunities to sell due to long delivery times from distant manufacturing destinations, quality and compliance issues. Lack of trust between buyer and seller can lead to corners potentially being cut with the resultant effect on quality, which can undermine customer satisfaction, leading to further lost sales. Non-compliant factories may be exposed by the media leading to undermining of customer trust in the retailer and lost sales. It is of concern that some retail buyers are proud of the fact that they regularly change supplier, possibly even annually. While it is important to review suppliers to ensure efficient running of the retail business and maximise margins, such a strategy or regular change means suppliers are unlikely to build a collaborative relationship and go the extra mile. As competitive pressure grows for faster and faster delivery times, a good relationship with suppliers and other stakeholders in the textile and clothing supply chain can be vital in achieving these. Technology also has an important part to play in improving efficiency of the supply chain. It is increasingly possible to monitor where a consignment of goods is in the world and more accurately forecast delivery time. Software is available that covers aspects of the supply chain including yarn development, product planning and design, production and sales promotion. Virtual sampling, for example, has the potential to significantly cut sampling times, facilitating faster delivery of product to market. As labour costs rise, there is also a school of thought that investment in textile machinery, particularly ways to automate processes currently done manually, will grow and textile manufacturing could become more akin to automotive manufacturing, for example. In an increasingly competitive market, retailers undoubtedly need to look at their hidden costs and with an increasingly complex global scenario, software seems increasingly necessary in order to be able to do this. Where suppliers have the technology and know-how, they could also communicate these to retailers, emphasising where they add value, as part of their marketing strategy.
Viscose speciality fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres has reached the final of the ITMA Future Materials Awards in two categories. With its new speciality fibre Bramante, the company applied for the award in the category “Best innovation - Medical textiles”.
Weaving technology manufacturer, Picanol is organising an open house in Daegu, Korea, from Monday 6 October until Wednesday 8 October 2014. This event, which is aimed at Korean weavers, will see Picanol demonstrating its latest rapier technology and offerings for technical textiles, with a specific focus on its OptiMax machine.
Euratex, as the main voice of the European textile and clothing industry, is deeply involved in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations and sees them as an opportunity for facilitating trade to the mutual benefit of European and American companies, in particular SMEs.
