H&M USA Provides More Than $2 Million In Product For Communities Impacted By COVID-19

NEW YORK CITY — April 15, 2020 — H&M USA is providing relief for communities around the country affected by COVID-19, as well as allowing customers additional ways to contribute to the effort.

H&M cares about the health and wellbeing of not only its customers and colleagues, but the community at large, especially those affected by the current pandemic. Therefore, H&M USA will make an in-kind donation of more than $2 million of product to organizations like Children’s Defense Fund, GLAM4GOOD, Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Nashville Rescue Mission. The product donation will include bedding, sheets, children’s and adult clothes among other pieces, to help these communities meet their needs in this hard time.

Also beginning today, H&M USA is partnering with Givz so that for every $60 spent on hm.com/us, H&M USA will donate $10 to charities providing support and relief to those on the front line of the pandemic, for a total donation of up to $150,000. Customers can choose to donate to a myriad of organizations like CDC Foundation, Direct Relief, Meals on Wheels and GLAM4GOOD amongst others.

In addition to these efforts, H&M Group has taken actions in the previous weeks to help aid in the fight against COVID-19 around the world. In March, H&M Group began quickly arranging for its supply chain to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) to be provided to hospitals and health care workers around the world. In addition, H&M began letting global aid organizations utilize H&M social channels to spread the message of health and safety around the COVID-19 pandemic to followers around the world.

Alongside these actions, H&M Foundation made a $500,000 donation to the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: H&M

Norwex® Donates One Million Masks to Frontline Healthcare Providers

DALLAS — April 15, 2020 — Norwex today announced it will provide one million face masks to healthcare professionals fighting the spread of coronavirus on the frontlines around the world. Its “A Million Masks. A Million Thank Yous.” initiative was created to help alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) by distributing masks to hospitals in some of the hardest-hit areas.

Norwex, through its global supply network and manufacturing partners, quickly secured one million face masks to help increase the protection of frontline healthcare professionals.

“Whether donating time, money or goods, charitable efforts are part of who we are, and this is our way of offering support and saying ‘thank you’ to our frontline medical professionals in a practical and tangible way,” said Judy Letain, global CEO.

This initiative will take place in North America in partnership with organizations including DonatePPE.org in the US and through Provincial Health Departments in Canada. Shipments of the donated masks will be sent directly to distribution centers, where they will be passed on to areas identified as the most in-need.

“Generous donations like the Million Masks initiative are invaluable to our cause to help healthcare heroes fight coronavirus on the ground,” said Deyu Kong, founder, DonatePPE. “Without proper protective equipment like face masks, our doctors are at high-risk and are unable to fully protect themselves from COVID-19. Thanks to companies like Norwex, we can operate on a much larger scale and have a significantly greater impact.”

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Norwex

Gerber Partners With 3DLOOK To Offer Unique Digital Customer Experience

NEW YORK CITY — April 14, 2020 — Gerber Technology and 3DLOOK, The Body Data Platform are proud to announce their partnership and integration to offer a fully-connected, digital remote supply chain experience. In a retail world in which fit is essential and working remotely due to the COVID-19 situation is the new normal, this partnership will facilitate consumers receiving personalized, high-quality garments by leveraging a fully connected, on-demand workflow.

To support demand from smaller, made-to-measure companies whose businesses have relied on the traditional way of measuring customers in person, 3DLOOK has developed a special package with very quick and easy integration. The goal of the integration is to give small businesses the digital tools they need to operate online and meet customer demand, all while remaining digitally competitive and forward-thinking in an era that requires constant technological evolution, regardless of business size.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with 3DLOOK to offer worldwide brands and retailers a fresh, digitally innovative way to collaborate,” said Ketty Pillet, vice president of marketing at Gerber Technology. “For companies to truly offer their customers the best quality products, they need to ensure that their clothes fit perfectly.”

The Body Data Platform maps body data to product data, transactional data, and product return data to deliver analytics related to measurement, shape, 3D model accuracy, and fit, as well as customer profile insights through a dynamic dashboard. Customers take two photos while fully clothed, and a computer vision algorithm then detects the human body and renders 3D models and body profiles. The algorithm measures the 3D models to compute 65 ISO-compliant measurements. By using 3DLOOK’s platform, customers can easily understand how the garment will fit on their unique body shape.

“We see this partnership as the first step towards providing brands, manufacturers, and retailers with the digital tools needed to support a full end-to-end customization platform which meets the needs of customers increasingly focused on products personalized to their fit and preference and who also care about supporting more sustainable supply chains and business models,” said Whitney Cathcart, CSO & co-founder of 3DLOOK. “By integrating our widget into Gerber’s “Made For You By You” flow we are enabling a simple way to digitize measurement capture and automate the workflow process.”

For many consumers, fit is a deciding factor in choosing which brands to buy from. In fact, according to Mintel, 81% of consumers who buy clothes that fit right are much more likely to buy from that brand again. It is critical for today’s fashion companies to prioritize fit in their design process to eliminate guesswork for their customer and reduce the number of returns. 3DLOOK’s Body Data Platform provides the insights and analytics to help brands optimize their fit and grading systems from broad segmentation based on historical surveys to real-time segmentation focused on their unique customers.

Thanks to the newly-added 3DLook integration, visitors to the virtual Gerber Innovation Center can access Gerber’s YOU website from anywhere in the world to customize garments to their individual fit preferences and measurements. These virtually customized garments can then be digitally brought to life — incorporating the customer’s preferences — through Gerber’s fully-connected microfactory, giving them a fully-realized, production-ready garment. Gerber’s partnership with 3DLOOK will enhance the overall fit of the final garment, offering customers an even more personalized digital experience.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Gerber Technology

Under Armour Names Lisa Collier As Chief Product Officer

BALTIMORE — April 15, 2020 — Under Armour Inc. today announced the appointment of Lisa Collier as chief product officer. With more than 30 years across global brand leadership, product development, supply chain and merchandising, Collier will provide multi-disciplined specialty retail expertise to Under Armour’s leadership team. She will report directly to president and CEO Patrik Frisk and is expected to start on April 27.

“Lisa is an exciting addition to our leadership team,” Frisk said. “Her strength as a retail leader will be invaluable as we continue to execute against our long-term strategies and work to deliver performance solutions you never knew you needed and can’t imagine living without.”

Collier joins Under Armour after leading NYDJ (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans) as president and CEO from 2016-2019. Prior to joining NYDJ, she held numerous positions over her 13-year career with Levi’s Strauss & Co., including senior vice president, Product Development and Innovation, executive vice president, president Dockers, and chief transformation officer. Earlier in her career, Collier held positions at Tarrant Apparel Group, The Limited and Hess’s Department Stores. She is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

“I look forward to joining Under Armour and working with a world-class team that will continue to advance the brand’s legacy to create innovative and stylish products that help consumers meet their fitness goals,” Collier said. “The brand has demonstrated commitment to evolution and growth, and from day one I will utilize the knowledge and experience gained over the course of my career to ensure the success of Under Armour’s mission.”

Collier will have oversight of the company’s category management model, product, merchandising and design functions. She will succeed Kevin Eskridge, who resigned as Chief Product Officer and will depart the company in August. Collier will work closely with Eskridge to ensure a smooth transition.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Under Armour Inc.

DuPont Launches #TyvekTogether Increasing Protective Garment Supply

WILMINGTON, Del.— April 15, 2020 — DuPont today launched a new program, #TyvekTogether, to increase the overall availability of Tyvek® personal protective garments in the company’s continued efforts to help combat the spread of COVID-19 and protect health care workers. At full capacity, this initiative could deliver 6 million additional non-surgical isolation gowns per month by enabling others to join us in protecting even more frontline responders.

“There’s a critical need for protective apparel, and we believe that working with other companies to convert their existing cut-and-sew manufacturing capacity to protective garment fabrication is the fastest way to protect more people,” said John Richard, vice president and general manager of DuPont Safety Solutions. “Our dedicated employees around the world are working 24/7 to make more Tyvek material and patterns available to more organizations, working together to protect those who are protecting us.”

DuPont has invested in equipment and technology to significantly increase its production of Tyvek and Tychem® garments globally to meet the ever-increasing demand for personal protection equipment (PPE). Since January we have increased production of Tyvek garments by more than 9 million garments per month specifically for COVID-19 response, which is more than double the amount produced for any prior crisis. The #TyvekTogether Program will introduce a new specialized Tyvek fabric to enable an increase in the amount of garment production for the COVID-19 response to 15 million garments a month.

The #TyvekTogether Program includes the following components:

  • A new #TyvekTogether fabric, Tyvek style 1222A, that has similar barrier properties to the core DuPont™ Tyvek 400 garment offerings with adjusted fabric drape and hand to optimize material usage.
  • Tyvek style 1222A is available in roll-good form to existing and new customers with available cut-and-sew capabilities to increase the total amount of Tyvek garments available as quickly as possible.
  • DuPont will provide garment designs — including patterns and virtual manufacturing support — for a non-surgical isolation gown and a coverall that are optimized for simple and productive manufacturing. With these patterns and technical assistance, we aim to accelerate the speed that new converters are able to begin producing PPE.
  • Partners can also use their own designs for coveralls and garments to meet local needs.
  • Additionally, DuPont will donate more than 57,000 Tyvek coveralls directly to the states in the US most impacted by COVID-19.

The DuPont Personal Protection unit of DuPont Safety & Construction remains committed to helping to protect those who protect others, especially as we strive to protect the dedicated workers on the front lines fighting COVID-19. For more information about the #TyvekTogether program, visit TyvekTogether.dupont.com.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: DuPont

Swift Brands Repurposes Its Factory To Meet National Need For Masks And Gowns

LOS ANGELES — April 14, 2020 — In response to urgent calls from federal, state and local leaders, Swift Brands’ manufacturing facilities have been repurposed to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) masks and gowns.

Swift Brands’ On-Demand factory manufactures all of its products in the USA and is uniquely poised to rapidly produce protective gear in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. While the masks are not N95 certified, they are made with anti-microbial micropoly and are moisture wicking and washable. They can be worn alone, or they can provide an added layer of defense when layered over a certified mask. They can be ordered in any color and can include a corporate logo or any graphic (using water-based inks).

“Swift Brands thanks its dedicated employees and acknowledges their tireless efforts to help us do our part to flatten the curve,” said Chelsea Grayson, Swift’s CEO. “We are happy to provide this offering to customers with no minimum order requirements, for their own use or for purposes of donating the gear wherever the need presents. We strongly believe that wearing a mask is like casting a vote for the pandemic to end.”

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Swift Brands

Brother International Corp. Supports Apparel Companies To Accelerate COVID-19 Mask Production

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — April 15, 2020 — Brother International Corp. announces today that it is donating up to 100 industrial sewing machines to support the efforts to manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to meet the growing demand. The first to receive donations, Los Angeles Apparel, Beverly Knits Inc. and SanMar, are part of a coalition of iconic American apparel brands and textile companies responding to the urgent call from the White House to fast-track the manufacturing of face masks in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Separate from the coalition, Brother will also be donating industrial sewing machines to Brooks Brothers to support their manufacturing efforts. The Brooks Brothers partnership developed in reply to a request on LinkedIn regarding factories reopening to produce PPE and the need to ramp up operations.

“Brother remains committed to aiding our communities during these challenging times,” said Don Cummins, president, Brother International Corp. USA. “Given the severe and growing shortage of personal protective equipment, Brother is proud to donate our products to support these stalwart manufacturers with their efforts in making masks for our frontline workers.”

The apparel companies are receiving Brother industrial sewing machines free of charge as a donation in support of their efforts to manufacture much-needed personal protective equipment. Brother’s industrial sewing machines will help increase the capacity of these companies to meet the growing demand for face masks and other PPE to help in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control currently recommends all persons wear face masks in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and certain jurisdictions, such as Los Angeles, have mandated them as mandatory.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Brother International Corp.

ZF Partners With Detroit Sewn To Manufacture 100,000 Face Masks For Community

NORTHVILLE, Mich. — April 15, 2020 — ZF North America has partnered with Pontiac, Mich.-based manufacturer Detroit Sewn to help with the fight against the Covid-19 virus. A shipment of 100,000 face masks is expected to be delivered to Detroit Sewn by the end of April.

Developed for frontline healthcare workers and individuals in the community with high risk for infection, such as soup kitchens, nursing homes and other essential organizations, these masks will contribute to the fight against the contagion as ZF shifts production of some of its normal automotive safety products to this now critically needed item.

“The world is facing a situation unlike anything our generation has seen before and while the challenge may seem impossible, now more than ever, it’s the support of each and every individual and company working together that is truly making a difference,” said Martin Fischer, president of ZF North America and member of the board of management of the ZF Group. “It’s an honor for us to join in the fight to help protect frontline healthcare workers and everyone who is caring for others during this difficult time. We hope we can not only do our part to make a difference, but to encourage others to contribute as we get through this together.”

ZF’s Passive Safety Systems division operates 42 locations in 19 countries with nearly 40,000 employees including its joint ventures. The division specializes in occupant protection systems that help protect passengers in a crash. These include seat belt systems and airbag systems that work in conjunction and adapt to the characteristics of a crash. ZF has longstanding expertise in inflatable restraints including driver, passenger, side, curtain, knee and interaction airbags and designs, develops and supplies all aspects of an airbag system including specialized cut and sew capabilities to shape and produce air bag designs customized to the application.

Traditionally a full-service cut-and-sew manufacturer, Detroit Sewn recently restructured its operations to focus solely on the production of masks and gowns that protect healthcare workers and other essential service workers against Covid-19. The company employs 25 people on two shifts and is also supplying fabric to other manufacturing organizations like ZF that have industrial sewing expertise and who can assist with the fight against this disease.

“We are proud and grateful that seven manufacturing and sewing partners including ZF have joined with us to fulfill the urgent need for masks that meet CDC guidelines,” said Karen Buscemi, CEO of Detroit Sewn. “With our partners’ help along with support from G1 Impact, our nonprofit fiscal sponsor, we have the infrastructure in place to produce more than 300,000 masks in the short term — and the orders continue to roll in daily from health systems and nonprofits.

“ZF’s longstanding reputation for advanced cut-and-sew capabilities makes the company a valuable addition to our effort. And we are thrilled with their rapid onboarding.”

Detroit Sewn and the Glamorous Moms Foundation have also partnered to create the Michigan Mask Donation Center at 71 N. Saginaw in Pontiac. The center is distributing home-sewn donated masks to community groups in need. More details can be found at detroitsewn.com.

According to the CDC, fabric masks are a crisis response option when other supplies have been exhausted. These masks are NOT intended to replace N95 masks.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: ZF North America Inc.

Felix Schoeller Group Responds To Corona Pandemic With Targeted Measures

OSNABRÜCK, Germany— April 15, 2020 — International company Felix Schoeller Group is responding to the weakening market demand caused by the novel coronavirus with a package of measures. The company has adjusted its capacities for the production of specialty papers. Short-time working is being implemented in all German plants following the Easter holidays. Approximately 2,100 of the 3,600 employees worldwide are affected. Positive signals are coming from the Chinese joint venture. Production is currently being restarted at the Chinese plants.

Order decline is cushioned

Having started 2020 on track, the Felix Schoeller Group is increasingly feeling the effects of the corona pandemic from the markets. The number of orders received is declining, which is having an impact on machine occupancy. The company is preparing for this by systematically shutting down paper machines and finishing units.

To react flexibly to the change in demand, short-time working was announced at the German plants.”Our current sales situation presents us with great challenges. We are reacting to this by flexibly adjusting our production volume to demand. In this way we are creating important conditions for the further economic stability of the company,” says Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp.

Extensive measures to protect employees

“The protection of our employees is our top priority. We took a number of measures early on to contain the risks of infection with Covid-19,” says Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp, CEO, Felix Schoeller Group. The company has adopted an activity plan for all its German sites, strengthened hygiene standards, expanded cleaning chains, and set rules for meetings and social interaction. A large number of employees work from home.

China gives first signals of recovery

The Felix Schoeller Group is optimistic about developments in China. “We are also seeing the first signs of a market recovery in our joint venture in China. After a two-month production cutback, our plants are picking up speed again,” reported Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp. All machines of the Chinese joint venture have been producing according to plan since March 2020.

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: Felix Schoeller Group

TRSA: EMI Helps Create Opportunity For Industry Rising Stars

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — April 15, 2020 — When attendees of TRSA’s 56th Annual Ehrlich-Stempler Executive Management Institute (EMI) gather this August in the Washington area, they’ll access unmatched educational, networking and professional-development opportunities through this unique course for leaders of the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

Enrolling a promising manager or two in EMI, set for Aug. 9-14, 2020 at the University of Maryland, Hyattsville, Md., drives home your willingness to invest in training that will create a greater opportunity for industry leadership success. Once a week for four years, attendees of EMI return to the University of Maryland to experience cumulative skill building over four days, taught by university-level instructors. Sessions are divided as follows (brochure details at www.trsa.org/emi):

  • Session I – Management Development
  • Session II – Advanced Management
  • Session III – Personal and Interpersonal Relationships
  • Session IV – Business Management in Linen, Uniform and Facility Services

EMI draws attendees from all segments of the linen, uniform and facility services industry, whether the company is a launderer or a supplier of equipment and services to laundries. EMI has a well-rounded attendance of independent companies’ owners, executives and next-generation leaders to chains’ headquarters (including HR/administration) and plant- and depot-based management (GMs, branch and department heads). Individuals who have achieved TRSA’s Certified Professional Laundry Manager (CPLM) certification typically receive 31 credit hours toward recertification by attending EMI.

EMI is hosted concurrently with TRSA’s Roger F. Cocivera Professional Management Institute (PMI). Now in its 31st year, PMI program participants spend free time, meals and evening social outings (this year’s currently planned outings include watching the MLB 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals at Nationals Park and an evening exploring National Harbor) with EMI attendees. These activities and events create unique opportunities for professional networking and camaraderie among leaders in the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

Early registration is now open at www.trsa.org/emi ; you’ll save a minimum of $400 when registrations are processed before June 26. An invitation to EMI participation is a smart decision as the institute provides a solid return on employee investment. It’s no secret that linen, uniform and facility services businesses traditionally experience a high annual turnover. EMI’s 56-year tradition of applying modern techniques to management issues aids those who attend in tackling high-priority tasks and long-term workplace challenges specific to the industry.

EMI is an all-inclusive program, with one fee covering all educational components, meals, lodging, and transportation to and from evening events

Posted April 15, 2020

Source: TRSA

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