Dick’s Sporting Goods Relaunches Iconic Tommy Armour Golf Brand With Renewed Focus On Innovation

PITTSBURGH — March 15, 2018 — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S.-based, full-line omni-channel sporting goods retailer, announced today the relaunch of the iconic Tommy Armour golf brand, with a renewed focus on innovative golf club technology that promotes both forgiveness and distance. Men’s, women’s and senior drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters are all included in the new offering. Tommy Armour will be available online and in-stores exclusively at DICK’S and Golf Galaxy starting March 18.

DICK’S partnered with Designworks, a subsidiary of BMW Group, to develop a premium set of game improvement woods and irons for mid-to-high-handicap golfers that are offered at a lower price point than comparable products. One standout innovation is the TA1 Driver, featuring a DAT 55G titanium face, which is a high tensile strength material that provides longer distance and more forgiveness and is not widely available in the US market.

“We set out to honor the history of the Tommy Armour brand and build a product that golfers at any level would want to use,” said Scott Hudler, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “From the early feedback we’ve received, these clubs are ones that you’re just going to have to try to really experience the difference they deliver in both distance and feel. We think this brand will be a game-changer for any player looking to improve their game.”

Named after World Hall of Fame golfer and instructor, Thomas Dickenson Armour, the return of the brand is nostalgic for players of any generation. First launched in the 1970s, Tommy Armour achieved significant recognition in the 1980s with the introduction of its 845s line of irons – selling more than 600,000 sets.

“Participating in the re-launch of an iconic brand is an exciting and inspiring opportunity,” said Laura Robins, Director at Designworks LA Studio. “Drawing on our experience working across a number of industries on a wide range of performance-based products enabled us to deliver unique design and technology insights for the new Tommy Armour clubs, resulting in a product which provides golfers with a truly premium experience.”

With the addition of Tommy Armour, DICK’S continues to focus on the expansion of its in-house private label brands like CALIA by Carrie Underwood, Field & Stream, Top Flite, Maxfli, Walter Hagen and many others.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc.

Sears Expands Exclusive Apparel Lines With Celebrity Brand Icon Jaclyn Smith

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — March 15, 2018 — Sears has strengthened its appeal as a fashion destination for the modern, sophisticated woman with the introduction of the Jaclyn Smith Ready to Wear collection from celebrity branding pioneer Jaclyn Smith. The collection – inspired by Smith’s everyday life with all women in mind, and perennially popular for decades at sister retailer Kmart – is available now with top items in select Sears nationwide and the full assortment at Sears.com/Jaclyn.

Smith was one of the first celebrities to develop a fashion brand, launching her Kmart collaboration and clothing line more than 33 years ago. Ever since, more than 100 million women have purchased clothing or accessories bearing the Jaclyn Smith name. Awareness of the Jaclyn Smith brand for women 35-60 years old is above 80 percent, making it one of America’s most recognized brands.

“It’s a privilege to work with a hands-on business partner like Jaclyn Smith, whose savviness and ability to anticipate women’s fashion trends for so long in the constantly evolving fashion world is remarkable,” said Greg Ladley, president of apparel and footwear at Sears Holdings. “More than five million Shop Your Way members have purchased Jaclyn Smith collection products in Kmart over the last 12 months alone, so we look forward to building Jaclyn’s current brands and extending her powerful reach and brand loyalty across to the Sears community.”

The Jaclyn Smith Ready to Wear collection is known for its elegant, on-trend design and offers women affordable and timeless styles with print and color that feels cheerful, tasteful and occasionally bold.

“From sleek silhouettes to bold prints, my Ready to Wear pieces are designed for every woman looking to express her personalized style,” said Smith. “That’s what makes my collaboration with Sears the perfect fit. Like me, Sears understands who its members are and genuinely cares about what they want – to look their best, whether at work or enjoying a night out, with statement-making looks, great details, quality, comfort and style for women of all sizes.”

The Jaclyn Smith Ready to Wear collection is curated of classic, sophisticated clothing, with quality fabrics, and ease of fit – all starting at $10.00. The collection features elegant essentials – from comfortable knit separates to woven staples like her best-selling blouses that are must-haves for transitioning from daytime to evening. Other highlights include a stylish selection of celebration dresses featuring silhouettes like curvy sheaths and classic A-lines, as well as jeans, tees, swimsuits and more available online.

Complementary line extensions like accessories and handbags are available online at Sears.com. The line joins the Spencer by Jaclyn Smith layette collection, which was introduced at Sears stores last fall. Spencer by Jaclyn Smith was created in partnership with Smith’s daughter, Spencer Margaret, in 2017 with inspiration from Smith’s granddaughter, Bea. Spencer by Jaclyn Smith features ultra-soft 100 percent cotton and cotton blends, affordably priced from $19.99 to $29.99. For a limited time, Shop Your Way members will receive $10 CASHBACK in points when they spend $25 or more on Jaclyn Smith’s new line in-store at select Sears.*

*Valid 3/14/18-3/17/18, in-store only, at select stores where her new clothing line is sold. See store for full details.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

KBS Fashion Group Limited Announces A New Long Term Contract

SHISHI, China — March 15, 2018 — KBS Fashion Group Limited (“KBS” or the “Company”), a vertically-integrated casual menswear company in China, today announced that its China-based subsidiary, Anhui Kai Xin Co., Ltd (“Kai Xin”) entered into a long term strategic cooperation agreement with Hangzhou Zhi Yin Apparel Clothes Co., Ltd., a major producer of children’s apparel in China (“Zhi Yin”), under which, Kai Xin will act as a long term supplier of down jackets to Zhi Yin.  It is estimated that pursuant to the agreement, KBS will generate an additional RMB 25 million (approximately US$ 4 million) of revenue in fiscal year 2018.

Located in Hangzhou China, Zhi Yin is a leader in the design and online sale of baby and children’s apparel, with a focus on down jackets.  Owning the Marc & Janine brand, Zhi Yin is one of the three largest down jacket online sellers in China.

Mr. Yan, Chairman and new CEO of KBS, commented, “The cooperation with Zhi Yin, one of China’s largest apparel companies is consistent with our company’s business strategy of offering high quality products and services to our customers. We have a highly experienced team at our factories in Anhui that produces high quality clothing.”

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: KBS Fashion Group Limited

Nester Hosiery Promotes Jason Nester To Vice President Sales

MT. AIRY, N.C. — March 15, 2018 — Nester Hosiery, a U.S. manufacturer of performance merino wool socks, announced that it has promoted Jason Nester to vice president, Sales.

“In the thirteen years Jason has been with Nester Hosiery he has managed various facets of our business, and the skills and experience he has acquired have positioned him well for this leadership role.”,” said Kelly Nester, Nester Hosiery CEO.

Nester joined the family business in 2005 as a sales associate.  In 2014, he was promoted to director of Key Accounts handling the company’s private label business.  As vice president, Sales, Nester will continue to manage existing customers while also overseeing demand planning for the company.

“Nester Hosiery is a true 21st century manufacturing company,” added Jason Nester.  “We develop propriety software tools for manufacturing and continuously improve our efficiencies for the world’s best brands. I enjoy playing my part.”

Nester Hosiery currently produces socks for over two dozen leading brands and retailers and holds the sock license for the Woolrich brand and Rocky Brands’ divisions of Rocky Outdoor, including Georgia Boot and Durango.  In 2013, Nester Hosiery launched its Farm to Feet brand.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Nester Hosiery

GST Achieves Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Unique Partnership With Lectra

PARIS — March 14, 2018 — A unique partnership enabled Lectra to test its revolutionary laser-cutting technology in a real production environment while delivering sustainable competitive advantage to the world’s leading supplier of airbag cushions.

Reaching The Next Level Of Growth And Performance

Global Safety Textiles (GST) is the leading independent producer of airbag fabric and airbag cushions and supplier to the majority of airbag manufacturers. Recognized for its long tradition of research and development, GST uses state- of-the-art technology to manufacture technical textiles for a variety of passive safety applications.

With operations on four continents, the German group has a workforce of more than 5,000. The company’s worldwide operations and resources enable it to fulfill high volumes of orders promptly, providing the global automotive industry with a steady supply of airbag fabrics and cushions.

To address GST’s main business challenges and meet their demanding manufacturing specifications, the group evaluated the performance of FocusQuantum OPW for one-piece-woven (OPW) airbag fabric together with Lectra in the pre-launch phase of the advanced laser airbag cutting solution. Following successful testing of Lectra’s advanced airbag cutting technology in a real production environment in Poland, the group then decided to acquire FocusQuantum OPW for implementation in China.

A One-Off Joint Testing Collaboration On Customer Premises

The result of a mutually beneficial collaboration between Lectra and its longstanding customer, specifications for laser OPW airbag cutting solution FocusQuantum took into account GST’s exacting requirements. Once the development of FocusQuantum OPW was completed, both companies agreed to conduct joint testing. “We came to the idea of joint testing when we visited Lectra’s R&D center in Bordeaux,” says Uwe Zimmermann, COO, GST. “We discussed taking validation of our specifications to the next level. The idea came up to do it directly in a manufacturing environment.”

The extensive testing enabled GST’s experts to certify FocusQuantum as a proven technological platform for the mass production of airbags. “Process capability was a formal part of validations at GST Poland,” recalls Piotr Siwek. Manufacturing Engineering Manager. “It was verified and confirmed that FocusQuantum meets GST’s targets. The biggest improvement over the previous solution was the software, which we also helped Lectra develop. FocusQuantum Suite is one of the biggest advantages.”

Worldwide Standardization And Rollout In China

As a result of the successful joint testing, GST decided to proceed with implementation in China. “Because GST aims to become a major player in Asia, implementation of FocusQuantum in China is the next logical step for us,” explains Zimmermann. “Standardization of all our equipment worldwide is mandatory for us. That’s why we decided to work with a global player like Lectra.”

With more than twice the productivity of the previous solution, FocusQuantum has exceeded GST’s performance targets. The significantly higher level of process capability has both improved cutting quality and reduced the number of defective cut parts.

“When we compare the unit output and unit cutting cost, we see a real improvement over the previous generation, so we are quite satisfied with the machine,” notes Sky Yang, General Manager, GST China. “It’s more reliable and productivity is significantly higher.”

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: LECTRA

Texas Tech Advanced Materials Expert Awarded Prestigious Fellowship, Oration

LUBBOCK, TX — March 14, 2018 — Seshadri Ramkumar, a professor in the Texas Tech University Department of Environmental Toxicology and lead investigator in the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory, has recently been awarded two of the most prestigious honors in the textiles field: a fellowship with The Textile Institute in the United Kingdom and the 2017-18 Professor W. B. Achwal Oration from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India.

“These two international honors are based on my research activity carried out over 19 years at Texas Tech University,” Ramkumar said. “This showcases the collective effort of students who have worked in my laboratory and the continued support Texas Tech has provided me all these years. I feel it is a recognition for all of us involved.”

Steve Presley, chair of the Department of Environmental Toxicology, said the awards recognize Ramkumar’s significant contributions to the textile industry at the national and international levels.

“The importance of such international recognition of Dr. Ramkumar’s career-long scientific achievements and contributions to the textile industry are far-reaching and reflect the world class innovative faculty of the Department of Environmental Toxicology at Texas Tech University,” Presley said.

Fellowship

Founded in 1910, The Textile Institute, located in the United Kingdom, is the oldest chartered professional body in textiles and fiber science and, to this day, maintains an international reputation for excellence.

“Fellowship is one of the highest professional recognitions for scientists/technologists,” Ramkumar said. “The honor from this century-old, well-established body is an endorsement of the research and academic efforts at Texas Tech, which our global peers have considered worthy.”

To become a fellow, each applicant’s work is first verified by three references. A committee of academics and industrialists then reviews the application and makes the award, which is ratified by the institute’s governing council.

“The Textile Institute was founded to promote professionalism and disseminate knowledge within textiles,” said Rebecca Unsworth, executive director of The Textile Institute. “Fellowship is the highest professional qualification that can be awarded by the institute’s governing council and is reserved for those members who have made a major personal contribution to the textile industry. Professor Ramkumar was awarded the fellowship for his outstanding achievement in innovation and academic research.”

Oration

On Feb. 20, Ramkumar delivered the Professor W. B. Achwal Endowed Oration, titled “An Odyssey with Technical Textiles,” at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, which is recognized as an elite institution by the Maharashtra Government of India. His lecture focused on the status of the emerging technical textiles sector and highlighted the research of two doctoral students in the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory who are alumni of the Institute of Chemical Technology.

“In the fiber science field, this oration is deemed most coveted, as it is named after the now-deceased Professor Achwal, a most famous textile chemist,” Ramkumar said.

Ramkumar attributes the award not only to his research contributions, but also to a longstanding partnership between his laboratory and many institutes in India.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Texas Tech University

Unicharm Honored With The OUTLOOK™ Asia Award 2018

SINGAPORE — March 14, 2018 — EDANA, the leading association and voice of the nonwovens and related industries, is pleased to announce Unicharm of Japan as the winner of the OUTLOOK™ Asia Award.

During the OUTLOOK™ Asia conference, companies shortlisted for the award were invited to present their innovation to delegates and the winner (selected by attendees) was announced during a walking dinner on the first evening of the conference. Unicharm were recognised for their latest diaper designed for premature babies, the Moony Preemie. Specifically designed to provide a gentle but snug fit for any baby, regardless of the size, the Moony Preemie is a true world first in infant absorbent hygiene.

Takahisa Takahara, President & CEO of Unicharm was honored by the recognition of his peers “We are delighted to receive this award for the Moony Preemie baby diaper, as we have worked very hard with our entire team for a long time to develop it, and this is adding even more recognition to a very strong market approval of this specialty product designed for a small but very critical segment of the new born population in Asia. This product brings enormous emotional relief to the parents of preemies, and also complements medically-sound solutions for them”

“With this award, we sought to showcase the commitment to innovation in our industry across the region. And we believe producers appreciate this as an indispensable requirement to thrive in the marketplace – and consumers expect it,” said Pierre Wiertz, General Manager of EDANA

The awards were organised within the framework of the 4th edition of OUTLOOK™ Asia held at the Parkroyal on Pickering Hotel 14 – 15 March 2018 in Singapore. Asia’s premier nonwoven personal care and hygiene products conference is recognized as the ideal platform for key professionals around the globe to network, do business and catch-up on the exciting potential of the Asia Pacific region.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: EDANA

ITM 2018 Exhibitor Preview: Baldwin

ST. LOUIS — March 15, 2018 — Baldwin Technology Company Inc. is pleased to showcase the TexCoat G3 for the first time in Turkey during the ITM tradeshow, held in Istanbul from April 14 to 17, 2018. This groundbreaking Precision Application Technology product—which will be demonstrated in hall 12 at booth 1213—enables a sustainable textile and nonwoven finishing process, with low energy consumption, reduced water and chemistry waste, and substantial savings of production time and costs.

Launched in 2017, the innovative TexCoat G3 already has been installed at major textile finishing facilities worldwide, with proven positive results, including:

  • Reduced water and chemistry usage, up to 50 percent
  • Reduced total changeover time, up to 85 percent
  • Reduced chemistry waste, up to 95 percent

“We are immensely proud to showcase the TexCoat G3 in Turkey, one of the leading markets for innovation and productivity in the textile industry,” said Simone Morellini, Baldwin Sales Manager-EMEAR. “We see great potential for our Precision Application Technology products in this region, and our goal is to help customers improve productivity, while saving valuable resources and contributing to a sustainable future.”

Baldwin’s Precision Application Technology product line provides customers with more flexibility, fewer production steps and increased uptime. With individual nozzle control and automatic volume adjustment, the TexCoat G3 ensures precise and uniform application in various process conditions and capacities. Adjustments can be set in relation to cloth width, g/m2 and textile characteristics, allowing for complete control of the amount of water and chemistry applied.

Furthermore, the TexCoat G3 is versatile, managing a wide range of low-viscosity chemistries—such as water-repellent, softener and anti-microbial finishing—as well as single- and dual-sided applications, various textile characteristics and wet-on-wet applications. Plus, it significantly reduces changeover times to less than five minutes, thanks to fully automatic flushing, and its mist containment covers encapsulate and prevent aerosols from escaping, securing a healthy working environment.

Leading apparel producer HanesBrands recently invested in 19 TexCoat G3 systems from Baldwin. “We have had outstanding results in productivity increase, and we can clearly see that this technology will make a great contribution to our future efficiency and sustainability savings,” said Mike Abbott, HanesBrands Global Director of Research and Innovation.

Spot Ltd., under the leadership of Cengiz Kahraman, has been representing Baldwin’s Precision Application Technology product line for the textile market in Turkey since 2016. The two companies collaborate closely and are committed to revolutionizing the textile finishing industry.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Baldwin Technology Company Inc.

19 Years Of Successful Cooperation: Loepfe Talked To Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana, General Manager Of Ibrahim Fibres Limited (Textile Plant 2), Pakistan

WETZIKON, Switzerland— March 15, 2018 — Ibrahim Fibres Limited was founded by Sheikh  Mohammad Ibrahim together with his sons Sheikh Mukhtar Ahmed and Sheikh Sardar Ahmed in August 1968 as “Ibrahim Agency Pvt Ltd” that later became instrumental in establishing one of the largest textile businesses in Pakistan, the Ibrahim Group.

Loepfe: What are IFL’s main products and on which key markets do you focus?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: Main products of Ibrahim Fibres Limited include; Polyester-Cotton combed blends (count range Ne 10-45) and Polyester-Viscose blends (count range Ne 18-66). The products offered by Ibrahim Fi-bres Ltd. are known and appreciated for their versatility as the produced yarn is perfectly usable for the weaving and knitting process. The experts at IFL are focused on providing quality conscious customers in the local mar-ket with the best. At the same time, we pay attention to the quality demands of our clients including all major fabric manufacturers & exporters.

Loepfe: What are the challenges to IFL today and in the future?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: IFL believes that nowadays cost-effectiveness and market competitiveness are the two key factors for the growth of any organization. Overall, we can say that the lack of digitalization and modernization of plant equipment is the fundamental factor for crises in Pakistan Textile Industry. By adapt-ing to modern equipment and techniques as well as the advanced philosophy at IFL, we are able to satisfy our customers with valued products while maintain-ing cost-effectiveness in operations. Moreover, IFL is also working purposely towards “Industry 4.0”. Other initiatives under consideration at IFL include multi-source self-power generation (HFO, Natural gas, Coal & National Grid). The possibility to mix sources for power generation makes it more economical.

Loepfe: IFL has a very interesting, for a spinning mill quite unusual, management philosophy. Could you please explain to us he main pillars of this philoso-phy? As an example, preventive maintenance is taken very seriously at your mill. What are the reasons and what kind of benefits results from it?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: Ibrahim Fibres Limited is based on the philosophy of “Exceeding customer expectation and strive for excellence in all spheres of our activities, and to manufacture high quality products through the use of advanced technology operations.” IFL is proud to be known as the leading manufacturer of staple fibers and yarns with consistently excellent results. Achieved through the “no compromise on quality” phi-losophy. To deliver high quality, IFL places an emphasis on selecting the best raw materials available. For exam-ple, world’s best Viscose from Lenzing and PSF from Ibrahim Fibres are used and processed with European technology. At the same time, emphasis is placed on the development of staff.

IFL carries out regular maintenance checks with routine observations and condition monitoring. The experts at IFL are keen to ensure and identify the problematic areas and parts to avoid any kind of technical issues which could lead to delivery delays or lower product quality. To ensure the quality standards, IFL also works with scheduled replacement of quality related genuine parts.

Loepfe:  Pakistani cotton has serious contamination issues, how do you see Loepfe will be effective for Pakistani cotton?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: With no doubts, modern markets are concerned and highly sensitive about the quality of products. In such situations, contamination in Pakistani cotton is nothing less than a nightmare for the spinners. Despite the integration of automatic contamination sorting machines in opening and cleaning lines, foreign matter are still making their way up to the winding process. Therefore, it is indispensable for us to include optical based foreign parts detection sensors of Loepfe within our winding process.

Loepfe:

  • Why have you continuously chosen to work with Loepfe?
  • Did the principal of optoelectronic yarn monitor-ing, which measures, independent of changing ambient conditions, influence your decision?
  • Apart from the technology and development of the yarn clearers and related central monitoring systems, perhaps there are also other decisive factors (service, people and support)?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: IFL believes that as a leading manufacturer of optical yarn clearing systems Loepfe is not only efficient in dealing with all types of yarn faults but also provides vital information regarding the yarn produced with precisely tailored reports which in turn leads to optimization of the entire process. Being a leading blended yarn manufacturer, we know that the optical yarn sensors made by Loepfe are less affected by TDO (Titanium dioxide) which is present in the polyester fibers.

Apart from all the technical product features and benefits, quick and easy access to support and service are also key factors enhancing the productivity of any plant.

Loepfe:

  • Being the top of the line mill in Pakistan, IFL never compromise on quality.
  • Could you please share with us your approach to yarn quality?
  • How do Loepfe yarn & mill monitoring systems impact to further enhance IFL yarn quality?

Mr. Zafar Iqbal Rana: Consistent yarn quality with minimum defects has always remained a prime requirement of customers. For this reason, IFL always believes in using the latest quality control equipment on its machines. IFL believes that the detection and removal of yarn faults regardless of critical conditions and the unique foreign parts detection & removal tech-nology will surely serve to fulfill our commitments. In this regard, standard reports from the MillMaster TOP system are quite helpful in terms of quality monitoring. Here, we compare the data in both tabular as well as graphical format.

Thank you for the good cooperation and the valued and open communication. It’s always a constructive and interesting exchange which makes it easy to suggest & provide the right solutions. We are looking forward to many more years of this pleasing cooperation and hope that the crystal from the Swiss mountains delights you.» Mr. Joerg Mueller, Sales Manager Loepfe.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Loepfe Brothers Ltd.

Emglare Smart Clothes With Built-in ECG And Heart Rate Measurement

SAN FRANCISCO — March 15, 2018 — Emglare introduces smart clothes designed with special sensors for monitoring ECG and heartbeat. Emglare smart clothes directly communicate with the mobile phone application where all health information is available, thus bringing a completely new look to clothing as we know it.

“Our goal is to create the best smart clothes in the world that are not only super smart but mainly comfortable and suitable for everyday wearing,” said Jiří Pastor, CEO and founder of Emglare. “Our products are developed by a group of specialists from different disciplines – healthcare, informatics and fashion industry.”

The company’s first commercial product is the Emglare Heart mobile application, compatible with its uniquely designed smart clothes with built-in ECG and heart rate sensors. This is the first type of clothing that not only monitors health condition but can also be recharged directly with a wireless charger. Emglare has designed products for both men (an undershirt and a sports t-shirt) and women (a sports and regular bra). The products are suitable for daily use – one of the company’s aims was to produce smart clothes that are natural and comfortable even when worn all day. All data are transferred into the mobile application, immediately available for the users.

Emglare is currently preparing all materials to run a Kickstarter campaign where consumers will be able to see a promo video and also pre-order their products.

Posted March 15, 2018

Source: Emglare

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