TRSA Holds Annual Conference In Napa

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — November 7, 2018 — TRSA recently held its 105th Annual Conference & Exchange from October 16-18 at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa, Calif. Nearly 250 linen, uniform and facility services executives and guests gained insights from presentations on technology and family business, plus thought-provoking panel discussions and break-out sessions. They also participated in social events and in the recognition of industry leaders at the Annual Industry Awards Dinner.

Attendees raved about the program, which drew a net promoter score of 74 (anything above 50 is considered excellent). “TRSA’s Annual Conference is an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new connections in the industry, celebrate those who have contributed to our industry and learn about new best practices,” said Jim Buik, president of the Roscoe Co., Chicago. Gerard van de Donk, managing director of ABS Laundry Business Solutions/LSI Inc., added that the conference offered attendees a prime opportunity for networking. “Every time it is valuable to meet and talk with the executives in our industry,” he said. “That is helping us to define our road map toward creating history together.”

The conference began with a keynote address by Vivek Wadhwa, a technology expert and columnist for The Washington Post and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Wadhwa’s speech looked at technological innovations. Specifically, he examined how those advances are disrupting industries today and how they will continue to do going forward. From the outset, Wadhwa promised a stirring glimpse of what’s to come. “I’m going to take you on a tour of the future,” he said. “I’m going to tell you why this is the most amazing and scary time in human history.” He proceeded to do just that, elaborating on a range of topics from medical/genetic engineering breakthroughs to progress in robotics, water treatment, nanotechnology, energy and more. For example, he noted that the cost of solar energy is dropping exponentially. Within five years, he predicted that the costs for both solar technology and battery storage units will drop by 50% or more.

Breakout sessions were devoted to current topics including:

  • Textile Services Bottom Line Performance, with Andrew Wittmann, CFA, senior research analyst, institutional equities and research, Robert W. Baird & Co. Wittman reviewed trends in textile service markets, including employment rates and the pace of business expansion by commercial laundries.
  • Employment Law Trials, Tribulations and Best Practices: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, with Joseph Shelton, partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP. Shelton gave an overview of trends in personnel issues such as sex discrimination and how employers can avoid lawsuits and maximize compliance with overtime rules and other mandates associated with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The panel “Global Opportunities and Challenges in the Linen, Uniform and Facility Services Industry” featured Enrique Jacques, COO, LAVARTEX SAPI de CV, Mexico City; Jose Luis Jacques, CEO, LAVARTEX SAPI de CV, Mexico City; Joe Sullivan, national technical operations manager, Spotless Laundries, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and Chris Sander, CEO, Johnson Service Group. Due to flight delays, Sander was unable to attend the conference. Joseph Ricci, president and CEO, TRSA, reported on the European linen, uniform and facility services market based on a report submitted by Sander. Topics ranged from uncertainty over the recent election of a new president in Mexico to Australia’s 27 years of recession-free growth – fueled largely by exports of mineral ores. In addition, the panel addressed concerns among European operators over rising labor and environmental-compliance costs.

The Annual Conference also included the announcement of two top award winners, including:

  • Steve Larson, vice president of the North America Division of Alsco Inc, who received the Operator Lifetime Achievement Award, TRSA’s highest honor for a linen, uniform or facility services executive, and
  • David Hart, CEO of Mountville Mills Inc., who received this year’s Maglin/Biggie Lifetime Achievement Award, the association’s highest honor for an associate member executive.

Both men received their awards during conference’s Annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 17. They spoke briefly to thank customers and colleagues, while reflecting on the factors that fueled their respective career success stories.

Also recognized for their contributions to TRSA and the industry were outgoing Board Member Alexis Miller, Regent Apparel; and outgoing TRSA Chairman David Potack, Unitex. Potack now assumes the post of immediate past chairman, while Buik advances from vice chairman to chairman of the TRSA Board of Directors.

The winners of other awards, including those for Years of Service, Clean Green Innovation and SafeTRSA Safety Excellence, will be announced during TRSA’s Legislative Conference on March 20-21, 2019.

In another popular program at the Annual Conference, attendees participated in a lively discussion with industry veterans who spoke as part of a “Legends of the Industry panel.” They included:

  • Bruce Boynton, former senior vice president of operations, UniFirst Corp.;
  • Alan Bubes, former president & CEO, Linens of the Week;
  • Bill Evans, former CEO, AmeriPride Services Inc.;
  • Tom Storm, co-founder, Washing Systems (WSI); and
  • Donald Struminger, chairman of the board and CEO, Mohenis Services Inc.

The closing keynote address was delivered by family businessman and vintner Michael Mondavi, founder of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate. Mondavi reviewed key milestones in the development of the California wine industry, Napa Valley and the challenges and opportunities associated with running a family business.

In addition, nearly 20 laundry decision-makers sat down for direct talks with 15 supplier-company counterparts during two rounds of TRSA’s Executive Exchange program. Operators said they appreciated the concise and focused discussions these meetings provided. Vendors said the exchange meetings provided excellent opportunities to share industry solutions with prospects and current customers. Vendor participants in the exchange meetings included:

  • ARCO/Murray;
  • Automation Dynamics LLC;
  • Ellis Corp.;
  • Ecolab Textile Care Division;
  • Fashion Seal, a brand of Superior Uniform Group;
  • Girbau Industrial;
  • Kemco Systems Co. LLC;
  • Hunt Textiles Inc.;
  • JENSEN USA Inc.;
  • M&B Hangers;
  • Leonard Automatics Inc.;
  • Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc.;
  • M+A Matting;
  • Softrol Systems Inc.; and
  • WSI.

TRSA’s 106th Annual Conference will be held September 17-19, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor in Boston.

Posted November 7, 2018

Source: TRSA

INVISTA Introduces THERMOLITE® T-Down EcoMade Insulation At Outdoor Retailer Winter Market

WILMINGTON, Del. — November 7, 2018 — INVISTA, owner of the THERMOLITE® brand, announced today that synthetic insulation manufacturers Shinih Enterprise Co. Ltd. of Taiwan, and Mainland China based Ziran Non-Woven Co. Ltd. will be exhibiting the first commercially available THERMOLITE T-Down EcoMade insulation at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Show in Denver, Colo. With its 500+ fill power, this insulation delivers lightweight warmth to cold weather outerwear, sleeping bags and accessories.

THERMOLITE T-Down EcoMade insulation delivers the look and performance of down while offering brands, retailers and consumers a sustainable alternative at a lower cost. This latest EcoMade product, which has earned Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification, is a synthetic down replacement made from 100-percent recycled fiber that has been transformed into high-performance insulation.

“Today’s outdoor enthusiasts want outerwear that offers the latest technologies to help them stay warm, dry and comfortable longer, but they are also seeking out products made with sustainable materials,” said Joyce Chien, CEO of Shinih Enterprise Co. Ltd. “This movement to create environmentally responsible apparel in the active outdoor segment continues to grow and we’re very excited to work with Invista to bring this innovation to market.”

This newest generation of down replacement fiber, from an industry leader in sustainable insulation technologies, Thermolite T-Down EcoMade insulation offers several key benefits over down feather insulation. Thermolite T-Down EcoMade insulation dries faster, has better moisture resistance, higher compressibility with rapid recovery power, higher loft and CLO value when damp or wet. Thermolite T-Down EcoMade insulation is breathable, offers excellent wash durability and soft hand.

“The power of Thermolite brand and its track record for sustainable innovation made the decision to develop Thermolite T-Down EcoMade Insulation an easy one — as well as enhancing our company image and creating an opportunity to offer our customers a variety of exceptional sustainable insulation solutions,” said Shanghai Shi, general manager of Ziran Non-Woven Co. Ltd. “We expect this development to significantly increase our global market share.”

“As a global leader in sustainable innovations, we developed Thermolite T-Down EcoMade insulation to meet consumer expectations for environmentally responsible, high-performance outdoor gear for a variety of cold weather activities,” said Huw Williams, Invista global segment director, active and outdoor. “Our latest Thermolite EcoMade insulation will enable licensees and brands to differentiate their products and capitalize on the Thermolite brand’s high global consumer recognition and reputation for high-quality products to help drive sales.”

The Thermolite brand has more than 30 years’ experience driving innovation in the warming space, adding value and lasting performance to its customers’ collections. Launched in 2010 in response to the textile industry’s global effort to develop more sustainable products, the EcoMade platform is marketed under the LYCRA®, COOLMAX® and Thermolite brand names.

Posted November 7, 2018

Source: INVISTA

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Begins Scale Up Of Second Generation Dragon Silk

ANN ARBOR, Mich.  — November 7, 2018 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. announced today that it has begun the scale up of its recently announced second generation Dragon Silk.

Consistent with the company’s history of creating performance driven recombinant spider silk, this new material was specially designed at Kraig Labs’ Michigan research headquarters for application in protective textiles, where increased strength and decreased flexibility are expected to provide improved protection.

Scale up of Dragon Silk 2.0 is well underway, with the production team already raising tens of thousands of the new transgenic silkworms at the company’s U.S.-based pilot production facility. Over the next 30 days, Kraig Labs anticipates scaling up production volumes of this new silkworm strain into the millions, as it prepares to create the first silk threads and fabrics made of this next generation recombinant spider silk.

Further, the company is laying the groundwork to partner with experts in multicomponent thread design and spinning, to develop new specialty threads blending the performance spider silk with other traditional materials. This work is expected to develop threads and fabrics focused specifically on products for the performance wear and other closely linked market segments.

“The ability to rapidly scale up this newly announced material, from initial testing to pilot scale production, is a major differentiator in our approach, which utilizes silkworms and the existing global silk infrastructure,” said COO Jon Rice. “The current global infrastructure, equipment and skilled labor, is able to produce more than 150,000 metric tons of conventional silk per year. Our recombinant spider silk silkworm technology is a direct drop-in replacement for traditional silkworms and allows us to move quickly, with minimal investment, to bring new products to market.”

Future scale up of Dragon Silk 2.0, as well as the company’s other lines of recombinant spider silk silkworms, is expected to be transferred to the company’s subsidiary Prodigy Textiles and its operations in Vietnam, while the company’s U.S. facility remains focused on the development of next generation materials.

Posted November 7, 2018

Source: Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc.

INDA Honors Professional Engineer, Ralph Moody With 
Lifetime Technical  Achievement Award

CARY, N.C. — November 7, 2018 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, recognized Ralph Moody, PE, senior director of R&D, Berry Global Inc. with its prestigious 2018 Lifetime Technical Achievement Award November 6, 2018, in front of 500 nonwoven and engineered fabric professionals November 6, 2018, during at the association’s annual Hygienix Conference, in Orlando, Fla.

INDA’s Lifetime Technical Achievement Award honors those individuals with long established technical careers in the nonwovens industry and an accomplished history of technical innovation.

“Ralph was selected by INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, a group of technical professionals from member companies, as most deserving for this year’s Lifetime Technical Achievement Award based on an evaluation of his career accomplishments and the Award criteria.  Certainly, they were impressed with Ralph’s eleven patents, multiple machine start-ups, and leadership role on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University.  He is truly deserving of this prestigious award recognizing his career of service to the nonwovens industry,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President during his presentation of the award.

Moody was recognized for his critical expertise in process development and R&D in several commercially successful substrates and their production processes.  Over his three-decade career, his key major product contributions, and multiple product commercializations over the years, include:

  • Installation & Commercialization of the first MEF (Modified Entangled Fiber) spunlace line for Chicopee Food Service wipes;
  • Commercialization of APEX® technology for NuGauze® – J&J’s first Nonwoven “gauzelike” sponge;
  • Miratec® Durable APEX® nonwoven material for textile replacement applications;
  • Swiffer®, joint development with P&G and PGI to produce an imaged scrim reinforced dry dusting nonwoven substrate;
  • Kirkland® brand APEX® imaged scrim reinforced Cotton enriched baby wipe;
  • Spinlace®, Berry’s spunmelt based wipes substrate;
  • Arium™, Berry’s submicron fiber technology; and
  • Nuvibond® Berry’s Ribbon shaped spunmelt fiber substrate for barrier.

Moody holds 11 patents in the nonwovens field and has been involved in the design and startup of 10 nonwoven production lines (six in the United States, two in Europe, and two in China). During his career, he held critical roles in Johnson & Johnson (Chicopee), PGI Nonwovens, and now Berry Global.

Moody has been an active INDA Member for more than 25 years. He has also been an active member in The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) at NCSU for more than 20 years, is the current Scientific Advisory Board chair at NWI, and participates as an Industrial Technical Advisor to Graduate students.

Posted November 7, 2018

Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

US Apparel Industry To Convene In Honduras

ATLANTA — November 5, 2018 — November 27-29, 2018, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a Who’s Who of U.S. activewear brands will assemble for the Apparel Summit of the Americas. The core event is a tour of the grand opening of the new United Textiles of Americas (UTEXA) man-made yarn spinning operation.

UTEXA is under construction in Choloma, Honduras. It is 500,000 square feet in size. As of this date, new state-of-the-art equipment, most of it of European design, is being installed to produce, texturize and finish massive amounts of yarn.

The event is being organized and promoted to the U.S. industry by the Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN). As of the date of this release, 230 people from 115 organizations have registered to attend, including nearly 20 US brands and retailers.

The Summit was initially inspired by the Honduras2020 plan, presented at the AAPN Annual Conference in 2016. This aggressive and comprehensive Five Year economic plan was so solid, forward looking and inspiring that it ignited high interest in Honduras.

After that conference Chuy Canahuati of Elcatex convened meetings in Honduras of producers from El Salvador and Guatemala to clearly coordinate the goals of Honduras2020 and how the results would significantly increase capacity for the exploding market in activewear in the United States.

As forecast by the plan, today Honduras is attracting many millions in foreign investment; creating thousands of new jobs; improving infrastructure and ports; enhancing education; building safe affordable housing; generating stable renewable energy; and above all else increasing the capacity for apparel production in the Americas.

What has attracted investment has been the political stability and productive institutions of Honduras, especially the industry group Asociacion Hondurena de Maquiladores (AHM). In preparing for this complex event where three hotels will transport attendees to the Copantl Convention Center and other locations, coordination in-country has been extremely productive.

The Copantl agenda will form the morning of November 28 and afternoon of November 29. Late the first day and early the next will consist of bus tours of a wide range of locations of production in and around San Pedro Sula.

The keynote speaker is Simon Mainwaring, a proven specialist in the critical topic of sustainability and purpose driven brands. The overall purpose and unique visionary plan of Honduras2020 is perfect for analysis by Mainwaring.

Other speakers include:

  • Ed Gribbin, CEO, Gribbin Strategic LLC;
  • Kurt Cavano, founder & president of GT Nexus, an Infor Company;
  • Anthony Anzovino, chief sourcing & merchandising officer, Haggar Clothing Co.;

In addition, Walter T. Wilhelm, CEO of WWA Advisors, will moderate an executive panel featuring:

  • Steve Cochran, CEO, Tegra Global;
  • David Ha, CEO, TexOps;
  • Aaron Ledet, vice president, Americas Sourcing, VF Corp.; and
  • Ricardo Pettenati, CEO, Pettenati Industrias Textil S.A.

On Wednesday evening, November 28, there will be a Fashion Show, Reception and Gala Dinner at the Club Hondureño Arabe. The fashions will all be produced within Honduras and neighboring countries.

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Americas Apparel Producers Network (AAPN)

Outdoor Performance Brand, Dark Peak, Launches Premium Lightweight, Insulated Jacket On Kickstarter

SHEFFIELD, England — November 6, 2018 — Today, Dark Peak launched its campaign on Kickstarter for the NESSH™ Jacket, a high-performance insulated mid-layer, with industry-leading specs and a reasonable price. It weighs only 12 ounces or 340 grams and features an innovative form-fitting design, a lightweight 10D ripstop nylon shell and comes in two premium insulation options; 850 Fill Power responsibly sourced, hydrophobic Goose Down or 3M Featherless FL700 Synthetic insulation. Dark Peak designed the jacket to compete with the best lightweight mid-layer jackets on the market, for a more reasonable price than well-known brands and with a socially responsible ethos at the heart of their business.

“Every year the most in demand item of clothing at homeless shelters are winter jackets. There are very few outdoor performance brands that have a buy one give one model, so we decided to be one of the few to give back,” said Dark Peak Founder Allen Holland. “We realized that by cutting out the retailers and distributors, that are common in the apparel market, and instead only sell directly to the customer [online], we can provide a premium performance jacket, for a reasonable price and then use some of our profits to give a jacket to someone who’s in need.”

Aside from being one of the lightest insulated jackets in its class, the NESSH jacket is highly compressible, folding into its own pockets to provide the ultimate travel convenience. Not only keeping the wearer warm and toasty, but also conserving space in a suitcase or backpack. Dark Peak spent 18 months developing their NESSH 10D Ripstop nylon, one of the best lightweight jacket fabrics on the market, that is strong, super light and uses a tight weave that gives excellent wind resistance and down proofing. The fabric has a water-resistant DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish, helping protect the hydrophobic down (or 3M synthetic insulation) from moisture. Additionally, the NESSH jacket uses this premium fabric on both the outer and inner shell, unlike many well-known brands.

Down clothing ranges in Fill Power (FP) from 550FP up to 900FP. Higher Fill Power down traps more insulating air pockets than lower quality down (e.g. 550FP). Dark Peak chose to use 850 Fill Power down to provide industry-leading insulation, giving an incredible warmth to weight ratio and equaling or exceeding that used in the best jackets from big-name brands. All down used in Dark Peak jackets has been certified by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), ensuring that Down comes from animals that have not been subjected to an unnecessary harm. For those who are allergic to, or prefer to avoid, down, Dark Peak also offers the exact same jacket with a Premium 3M Featherless (FL700) Synthetic Insulation – considered the best synthetic, down-like insulation on the market.

The versatile 2-way YKK zipper allows users to unzip the jacket from the bottom or top, making it great for wearing over bulky items (like a climbing harness) and also allows the jacket to be unzipped slightly when sitting down, meaning the NESSH jacket will never bunch. The user is also protected from drafts through the zipper by an insulated wind guard. Two insulated hand warmer waist pockets, with zippers to keep all of a user’s essentials protected and provide easy access to keys or a wallet. Internal pockets include two deep inner waist pockets, perfect to store gloves or a map and an inner chest phone pocket.

The NESSH jacket features a form-fitting design, with Dark Peak’s innovative Verti-Stretch™ vertical side baffles, that expand or contract to better fit the user’s physique and give more flexibility when layering under the jacket. Wrist gaiters or mitts prevent drafts up the sleeves and they tuck away when not in use. The jacket design also features a longer than average length with an extended lower back and an elasticated hem, to keep the user’s mid-section warm. The insulated hood is helmet friendly, with an elasticated cord, while a non-hooded version is also available. The NESSH jacket is available in a variety of colors; men’s colors include black, blue, steel grey, red and maroon, and women’s colors include black, blue, steel grey and red.

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Dark Peak

Suominen Extends Its BIOLACE® Product Line With New Nonwovens For Hygiene Products

HELSINKI, Finland — November 6, 2018 — Suominen, a global nonwovens company, announces the launch of two new nonwoven products, BIOLACE® Move and BIOLACE Cozy. As members of the long-lived Biolace product line, both are spunlace products but made of renewable raw materials, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and cotton.

Both of these Biolace products are developed specifically to serve the absorbent hygiene product market, which is one of Suominen’s strategic focus areas.

Biolace Move for acquisition and distribution layers (ADL) offers exceptional dryness, thanks to its fast and steady fluid management properties. It is a superior material in stain masking and ghosting. For hygiene product converters, Biolace Move offers first-class convertability and it does not dust when converted. Changing a conventional ADL to Biolace Move is an easy way to make a hygiene product more eco-friendly.

Biolace Cozy is designed for topsheets. It is a superior material in softness compared to other topsheets, which guarantees unmatched user comfort. Biolace Cozy also excels in masking and ghosting stains. In fluid management, Biolace Cozy is the fastest eco-friendly topsheet available in the market and it also maintains its speed level, ensuring dryness. In addition, Biolace Cozy can be enhanced with Suominen’s unique and customizable high definition patterns, which offers brands differentiation that is unprecedented in the hygiene category.

“There is a high demand among people for environmentally friendlier, safer and more sustainable hygiene products. These Biolace nonwovens were created to help offering those to the consumers,” says Johanna Sirén, Assistant Product Manager for Hygiene at Suominen. “The best thing in Biolace nonwovens is that they do not compromise anything: Consumer gets a product that performs as well as any conventional product but is also more sustainable.”

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Suominen Corp.

NIKE Names New Leaders For Asia Pacific And Latin America And Global Sales

BEAVERTON, Ore. — November 6, 2018 — NIKE Inc. announced today that effective December 1, Carl Grebert, currently the vice president, general manager of the Global Jordan Brand, will become the company’s new vice president, general manager of its Asia Pacific and Latin America (APLA) geography. In the last year-and-a-half, Grebert has led Jordan’s global product engines, marketing, merchandising and category GM teams for the brand, helping reset the business and marketplace for the next phase of growth.

Prior to his role with Jordan, Grebert was Ggobal vice presidetn, general manager of Young Athletes for more than two years, driving strong growth and alignment in this rapidly expanding category. Before this category role, Carl led the Japan geography team as vice president, general manger of Nike Japan. He has also held senior roles in marketing and ran territory business units in Europe.

Ann Hebert, currently vice president, general manager of the APLA geography, will become the new vice president, Global Sales. Hebert will be responsible for leading the company’s global sales teams and partnering with Nike Direct to build a seamless Nike network that will continue to elevate service to consumers around the world. Mike Best, currently in the role, has decided to retire after a nearly 30-year career with the brand.

Hebert has been with the company for more than 23 years in increasingly senior leadership roles. During her two-and-a-half years leading APLA, she integrated Nike Japan into the geography and consistently grew the business. Prior to leading APLA, Ann was vice president of the Global Nike Direct Partner business and led the North America sales team as the vice president, North America Sales.

Grebert and Hebert will report to Elliott Hill, Nike’s president of Consumer and Marketplace.

“Carl and Ann are both seasoned Nike veterans who will continue to drive growth and accelerate our consumer direct offense. We are well positioned for the future with their leadership,” said Hill.

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: NIKE Inc.

IFAI Expo 2018 Delivers Valuable And Engaging Event

DALLAS, Texas — November 6, 2018 — The 98th IFAI Expo attracted more than 4,350 verified registered participants from IFAI Expo and 500 scanned leads from CAMX to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for the three-day event.

Attendees had the opportunity to meet with over 800 different exhibitors, including those from CAMX, hear expert advice at more than 69 educational sessions and gain inspiration at a rousing keynote address. Thirty-one Campfire-style sessions on the show floor provided valuable information for the Advanced Textiles, Specialty Fabrics and Shade and Weather Protection segments, with many of the sessions enjoying standing room only crowds. In total, 66 countries were represented at IFAI Expo 2018, a 14-percent increase over last year!

IFAI Expo 2018 collocated with CAMX, the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, which offered attendees a look at the technology and products within the composites and materials industry. IFAI Expo and CAMX are of comparable size in attendance and number of exhibitors. Both shows benefited from product and attendee crossover, as proved through comparable numbers of badge scans from each.

“We attend IFAI Expo every year,” said Alex Petizian, Naizil Coated Fabric Inc., IFAI member for more than 25 years. “It is a great place to meet clients; we are constantly learning and teaching about our industry. Plus, it’s a great way to collaborate. Expo helps us innovate by finding new ways to manufacture and bring new products to the industry.”

Highlights at IFAI Expo included Industrial Fabrics Foundation Night, a brand new event that kicked off IFAI Expo, Casino-style, at Cloud 9, a revolving restaurant by Wolfgang Puck which makes its home among the downtown Dallas skyline; IFAI Expo’s Opening Reception featuring the textile industry’s band, Hangin’ by a Thread, where hundreds of reception guests enjoyed food, fun and rock n’ roll; plus, a keynote address from Emmy award winning, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Mark Scharenbroich, who talked about the importance of making connections in a disconnected world.

The Smart Fabrics Program at IFAI Expo 2018 offered many educational and hands-on opportunities on and off the show floor. Between sessions at the Pre-Expo Conference, campfires on the show floor and a dedicated e-Textiles workshop space, attendees were provided a wealth of information regarding fabric advancements and e-textiles content. Click here to learn more.

One of the most popular features of IFAI Expo was the Manufacturing for Good demo area where sixteen IFAI member companies collaborated to manufacture a product right on the show floor! Thousands of attendees viewed live equipment demonstrations and live manufacturing of duffel bags to benefit local charity, The Bridge North Dallas, which helps people facing homelessness. For more information on the Manufacturing for Good program, click here.

“The excitement generated by this year’s attendees was palpable from the show floor to packed campfire sessions to the networking available,” said Steve Schiffman, CEO and president of IFAI. “Whether you are a canvas fabricator, an engineer working with geosynthetics or responsible for designing the next spacesuit, IFAI Expo is the only place where you can see and experience it all, learn from the industry’s top experts and stay at the forefront of innovation.”

IFAI Expo’s Pre-Expo Conference, hosted more than 46 total educational sessions on the day prior to the show opening providing valuable information on the Advanced Textiles, Specialty Fabrics, Shade and Weather Protection. Attendees enjoyed sessions from NASA Engineer, Shane McFarland who spoke on “Developing the Next Generation Space Suit for the Moon and Mars”, Connie Huffa, textile engineer and president of Fabdesigns, Inc. who presented “Digitalized Manufacturing: Will the Fourth Industry Revolution Transform Flat Knitting” and Hiroshi Aruga, Doctor of Agriculture, AGC; Nic Goldsmith, FAIA LEED AP, Senior Principal at FTL Design Engineering Studio who spoke on “Standing out with Tensile Structures.”

More than 300 attendees participated in 14 Market/Division “Open Meetings” where members and nonmembers came together to discuss challenges their market segment is facing, new opportunities and technologies. Another unique benefit of attending IFAI Expo 2018 was Mentor Meetings, where attendees scheduled one-on-one mentor meetings which paired an attendee with an industry veteran.

IFAI Expo wrapped up with its exclusive, sold out Shop Tours in which attendees experienced firsthand how shops are finding success through innovation and technology. Attendees learned about production, inventory control, lead generation, estimating projects and staffing at USA Canvas Shoppe and toured the anchor testing lab, the repair center and tested a few of their newest tools at Hilti North America Headquarters.

Mark your calendars, IFAI Expo 2019 is scheduled to be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla., in 2019 with show dates set for October 1-4, 2019. For more information, visit www.ifaiexpo.com.

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: IFAI

Creative Ticking Introduces New Design Department

GASTONIA, N.C. — November 6, 2018 — Creative Ticking, a Beverly Knits company headquartered in Gastonia, N.C., has recently restructured its design department as part of its strategic initiative to enhance the scope and direction of this integral component of the company.

Priscilla Peralta has been hired as design director. Peralta graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish language and literature.

Peralta’s extensive textile design experience includes working as a senior knit and jacquard designer at Global Textile Alliance Inc. and a knit designer at Culp Inc. In these positions, Peralta produced packages and designs for knit and jacquard textiles, interpreted customers’ needs to produce fresh lines and analyzed market fashion trends and forecasting.

Kathleen Kelly is Creative Ticking’s textile designer. Kelly graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and NC State with a Master of Textiles. While at NCSU, Kelly won the NC State University Pack Plaid Design Contest. The tartan design, registered with the Scottish Registry of Tartan, is used throughout the university on licensed clothing and other Wolfpack merchandise.

Kelly previously worked as a knit designer at CT Nassau as well as the sample department manager. Prior to that, Kelly worked as a project manager at NC State’s College of Textiles and a graphic designer and photographer for Mike Bayley Photography.

As design director, Peralta will lead the direction of original design concepts, provide project direction for the design team, assist the sales team with interpretation of customer requests and manage sample requests and inventory.

Peralta and Kelly will collaborate to create the company’s annual design portfolio, research and identify industry trends and develop original designs based on the visions of Creative Ticking’s customers.

“As a team, Priscilla and Kathleen share a high level of creativity and technical knowledge that will provide Creative Ticking’s customers with innovative products,” said Ron Sytz, owner and president of Creative Ticking. “They are both talented designers with a strong ability to interpret and develop the customer’s ideas making them invaluable to Creative Ticking and our customers.”

Posted November 6, 2018

Source: Creative Ticking


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