RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — March 5, 2018 — Lakeland Industries Inc. — a global manufacturer of protective clothing for industry, healthcare and to first responders on the federal, state and local levels — today announced that its management is scheduled to participate in the 30th Annual ROTH Conference on March 13, 2018.

In its most recent financial results for the fiscal 2018 third quarter ended October 31, 2017, Lakeland reported a 19 percent increase in net income to $1.8 million, up from $1.5 million in the prior year period. Free cash flow increased to $2.6 million, up 24.5 percent from $2.0 million in the fiscal 2017 third quarter. Cash at October 31, 2017 increased to $21.5 million, or approximately $2.71 per share, from $10.4 million at beginning of its fiscal year. Total debt was reduced by 61 percent to $2.3 million at October 31, 2017, from $5.8 million at the beginning of the fiscal year.

Posted March 5, 2018

Source: Lakeland Industries, Inc.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — March 5, 2018 — The Specialty Interiors group of Milliken & Company, recently hosted a Love Good Color workshop to expand the way the team thinks about and approaches color. Led by Laura Guido-Clark, Love Good Color founder and creative director, this intensive workshop focused on providing Milliken team members with a new, more emotionally-driven way of thinking of and approaching color to help design and build the best fabric options for customers and consumers alike.

Begun in 2017, Love Good Color is an immersive training workshop and intuitive color navigational tool that helps tap into the emotional power of color. It is for anyone who wants to design, communicate and express himself/herself through color more easily, fluently and effectively. This workshop uses a proprietary system based on the spectral and emotive response of color and then provides a toolkit to help attendees pair, layer and navigate intentional palettes. While many textile designs begin with a consideration of the purpose of the material then reflect colors based on trends, the Love Good Color system flips the model to address the emotive power of color. It directs key desired attributes such as cutting-edge or traditional, energetic or serene, productive or relaxing, etc. through a primary consideration of color.

“Applying color to products and environments requires boldness, vision and the ability to execute on the right strategy with the right tools,” said Guido-Clark. “Smart suppliers like Milliken recognize this and go to great lengths to educate themselves to deliver greater value to their customers.”

The system also lines up well with Milliken’s strategy of purposeful and intentional design and efforts to work smarter to eliminate waste and enhance sustainability by choosing more targeted colors and patterns. “While many fabric manufacturers produce a large array of samples and see what sells, Milliken is committed to eliminating waste by offering a more limited selection of carefully chosen products and colors,” noted LeAnne Flack, marketing manager, Milliken Specialty Interiors.

When reflecting on the workshop, Milliken Specialty Interiors director of design and development, Dana Claire Larson added: “The LGC system has made us smarter in terms of focusing on outcomes rather than chasing trends, and it has also given our team a huge advantage. By harnessing the emotive and expressive qualities of color, Milliken associates are better able to layer in new dimensionality to our innovations and create more meaningful designs.”

Posted March 1, 2018

Source: Milliken & Company

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — February 16, 2018 — Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) is proud to announce a pilot advanced functional fabric (AFF) curricula development project with the Greater Lawrence Technical School (GLTS), the MIT Edgerton Center and the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Studio Education Foundation.

Over the past few decades, the U.S. has lost many of its manufacturing capabilities in fiber and textiles. Recent breakthroughs in fiber materials and manufacturing processes have allowed design and production of advanced functional fabrics that see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, regulate temperature, monitor health and change color. These technologies are positioned to create high-value added products which can revitalize domestic textile manufacturing and generate high quality jobs. However, manufacturing fabrics with advanced capabilities requires a workforce with a new combination of skill sets, which this program is designed to stimulate.

“We are excited about the AFF educational collaboration, not only because it will help prepare students for innovative skill building opportunities and careers, but also because it is an important milestone for all of us in our mission to catalyze a domestic, manufacturing-based, revolution of the textile industry into a value-added, high-tech industry by transforming traditional fibers, yarns, and textiles into highly sophisticated devices,” said AFFOA CEO, Yoel Fink.

The collaboration between AFFOA, GLTS, the MIT Edgerton Center and the STEAM Studio Education Foundation aims to develop the next generation of multi-skilled  workers by exposing students to a myriad of technical skills in the context of manufacturing advanced functional fabrics. The AFF curricula will integrate skills learned at AFFOA High Tech Fabric Discovery Center into an introductory-level curriculum that encompasses Fiber Design, Textile Design and Product Design of Advanced Functional Fabrics and will be piloted at GLTS.

“AFF offers students far more than an opportunity to pursue a career, it allows them to be part of a potential industry that will hopefully impact  the quality of people’s lives,” said John Lavoie, Superintendent, Greater Lawrence Technical School. “Students will be inspired and excited to be the first entrepreneurs to design and produce high tech clothes of the future,” he added.

The curricula will have two interwoven learning pathways that support the student’s ability to build a multi-skilled and multi-faceted framework: Machining, Manufacturing aimed at students interested in AFF production and Engineering Design aimed at students interested in AFF design. Together these pathways are expected to position the students for multiple degree programs and career opportunities in advanced manufacturing, functional fabrics and beyond. This program will also help AFFOA develop a model for scaling alike programs throughout the Commonwealth, in other states and Fabric Discovery Centers, as well as developing a standard for making program materials widely available.

“We have 20 years of experience working with middle and high school students on project-based engineering,” said Forbes Director of the Edgerton Center and Dean for Undergraduate Research, Prof. J. Kim Vandiver. “As part of the collaboration, we are excited to advance education in functional fabrics and to move the needle in workforce development in the textile industry and US manufacturing.”

Posted March 5, 2018

Source:  Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)