BENTONVILLE, Ark. — February 27,2018 — Spring style has sprung at Walmart as the retailer today introduced four new apparel private brands for women, men and kids. Customers can now strut the latest seasonal fashions from Time and Tru, Terra & Sky, Wonder Nation and George, exclusively available nationwide in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com starting March 1. The latest looks elevate Walmart’s apparel category and represent the retailer’s commitment to quality and delivering stylish fashion at an incredible value.

Each brand will help customers dress to impress with hundreds of new pieces across apparel, shoes and accessories, delivering on the fresh, seasonal styles, ultimate comfort and uncompromising quality customers are looking for – all at the prices they expect from Walmart. New brands include:

• Time and Tru: A new brand for women with styles that let her authentic, true self shine through, offered in an inclusive size range from XS-XXXL. Time & Tru includes timely, versatile looks that can be pulled together for women on the go and are on-trend with unexpected details and fabrics that make the classics feel modern and complimentary.
• Terra & Sky: A new brand created specifically for plus women, with effortless style and a fit that flatters, available in sizes 14W-30W. Terra & Sky has well-made pieces with on-trend styles that show off curves in comfortable, ultra-soft fabrics.
• Wonder Nation: Walmart’s first kid-centric brand that lets kids take on all of their adventures in style, available in sizes 4-18. Built with fun, comfort and durability in mind, Wonder Nation lets kids be kids while feeling and looking great wear after wear, wash after wash.
• George: Exclusively for men, George brings style, comfort and durability, offered in an inclusive size range from S-XXXL. With enhanced details in every single piece, George keeps men looking good effortlessly, with updated classics and relevant trends.

“We listened to our customers and are proud to deliver apparel choices that meet at the intersection of everything they desire: on-trend styles, comfort and quality, all at unbeatable prices,” said Deanah Baker, senior vice president of apparel, Walmart U.S. “These new brands are a thoughtful reflection of current trends and styles, while considering our customers’ busy, on-the-go lifestyles.”

The new apparel brands deliver comfort and quality with improvements such as stretch where it matters, soft fabrics, tagless garments and adjustable waistbands. Prices range from less than $5 to $30 to fit everyone’s budget.

Walmart is partnering with celebrity stylist Elizabeth Stewart to launch the new brands this week. She will share insights on apparel trends for the season and what customers will find available at Walmart to keep them dressing to impress, answering the apparel needs for the entire family.

“From statement-making details, like ruffles, peasant styles and denim for women to trending patterns and colors for men to bright, happy colors like cobalt for kids, customers should be excited for what’s in store!” said Stewart. “Whether you want to dress to make a statement or feel good in your every day, look no further than Walmart for the latest spring trends at great prices.”

Walmart, making itself a destination for apparel, is also making improvements to its apparel departments to help customers find style inspiration and shop new looks for everyone in their family. Beginning in early March, apparel departments will include signage with stylized photography to inspire looks from each new brand. By fall 2018, the majority of stores will make upgrades to apparel displays and include more signage throughout the departments. Select stores will be remodeled to include open floor plans for visibility and shopping ease, and upgraded fitting rooms to better serve customers trying on clothes in stores.

Posted February 27,2018

Source: Walmart Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO — February 27,2018 — Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today announced a transformative new operating model that will create a more sustainable supply chain and a cleaner jean. Called Project F.L.X. (future-led execution), this new model replaces manual techniques and automates the jeans finishing process, allowing the company to reduce the number of chemical formulations used in finishing from thousands to a few dozen.

Traditionally, denim finishing — which creates worn, faded design elements on jeans — has been a highly manual, labor-intensive and chemical-reliant process. Digitization enables a responsive and sustainable supply chain at an unparalleled scale.

“Thirty years ago, jeans were only available in three shades: rinsed, stonewashed and bleached. Today those three shades have exploded into endless variations, all produced with very labor-intensive jobs and long lists of chemical formulations,” said Bart Sights, vice president of technical innovation at Levi Strauss. and head of the company’s Eureka Innovation Lab. “We’re designing a cleaner jean for the planet and the people who make Levi’s® jeans, and we’re doing it on a scale that no one else has achieved to date.”

This new operating model is a major step forward in LS&Co.’s commitment to achieving zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020 and accelerates the elimination of many chemical formulations that the company’s Screened Chemistry program identified as “phase outs.” Among the chemicals that will be eliminated is potassium permanganate, an oxidizer that is used industry-wide to replicate authentic vintage finishes.

“This is a significant win for the industry,” said Robert Strand, executive director for the Berkeley-Haas Center for Responsible Business. “It’s inspiring to see how LS&Co. used constraints to drive innovation, paving the way for a more sustainable apparel industry. This is an important step forward that I hope others will follow.”

Beyond eliminating many chemicals, Project F.L.X. is expected to reduce textile waste by more accurately making what the market needs and may also provide the opportunity to save water in the future. The company has already proved it can use nearly 100 percent recycled water in the final manufacturing stages with Project F.L.X. and is exploring the possibility of rolling out this water recycling capability more broadly over time.

To help unlock the benefits of digitally enabled design and development, LS&Co. turned to long-standing partner Jeanologia, a leader in eco-efficient solutions for fabric and garment finishing. Since 1993, Jeanologia has operated with the ambition of advancing sustainable apparel manufacturing by delivering disruptive technologies, including ozone, laser and e-flow finishing systems. The company’s like-minded focus on scalability was essential to supporting LS&Co.’s end-to-end, transformative vision.

Posted February 27,2018

Source: Levi Strauss & Co.

STONY BROOK, N.Y. — February 27,2018 — Applied DNA Sciences Inc. (Applied DNA) today announced that it is collaborating with American & Efird, (A&E) to utilize its CertainT® platform to develop secure sewing threads for brand protection.

“The CertainT Program is an innovative solution for brands and retailers in their supply chain. A&E and Applied DNA Sciences together are creating new security applications for sewing thread benefiting from revolutionary SigNature® T DNA and Beacon® technology,” Les Miller, CEO, A&E, stated. “Our customers are increasingly more vigilant and security minded. DNA technology can protect a wide range of products, from luxury consumer brands to industrial applications where integrity of components is mission critical. We are excited to be collaborating with Applied DNA Sciences and developing cutting edge technology solutions for our customers.”

A&E has a long history of leading the thread industry, particularly working with the U.S. government to ensure supply of Berry Amendment-compliant products, industrial and consumer brands that require stricter controls on product quality and integrity, and working with stakeholders globally to ensure they meet their corporate sustainability goals.

“Many products, from running shoes, to performance athleisure wear, to luxury brands, can benefit from a secure sewing thread. A&E’s extensive portfolio of products combined with the CertainT platform provide a powerful opportunity to provide a trusted solution for customers who need a true anti-counterfeiting brand protection solution,” stated Dr. James Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA.

Posted February 27,2018

Source: Applied DNA Sciences

PITTSBURGH — February 27,2018 — Revtown, a new denim brand, recently launched its first collection of hand-crafted, premium jeans, exclusively available at www.revtownusa.com.

Revtown Jeans are built with DECADE DENIM™, the brand’s patented fabric that is infused with four-way, dynamic stretch, and constructed with the strongest fibers in apparel design today.

“We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Revtown,” said Henry Stafford, Founder and CEO of Revtown. “With Decade Denim, we’ve created a level comfort, fit and feel that hasn’t been experienced in a pair of jeans. Two months in, we’re off to a great start. And we’re proud to deliver our jeans directly to the consumer for less than half the price of a typical pair of designer jeans.”

This first Revtown collection is designed for men. A women’s collection is in design for next year.

Revtown was founded by a group with extensive experience in the apparel world. Stafford and Steve Battista, Revtown’s chief marketing officer, worked together for nearly a decade at Under Armour as leaders of product, and brand, respectively. Stafford was chief merchandising officer at American Eagle Outfitters before spending more than six years at Under Armour, overseeing product and all of the company’s North American business. Battista served as Under Armour’s head of brand and creative, among other leadership roles over 17 years.

The company’s founders also include Matthew Maasdam and Chris Lust. Maasdam, Revtown’s chief digital officer, served 14 years as a Navy SEAL and later as the U.S. Navy’s aide to the President of the United States, before running e-commerce operations for Under Armour. Chris Lust, founder and partner of Dock Street Capital Management and SLC Capital Management, will serve as Revtown’s CFO.

The Revtown product team boasts some of the top designers and engineers from the most innovative athletic apparel brands today, complemented by a denim manufacturing team that has made over 150 million pairs of jeans, with a combined 100 years of denim production experience.

Revtown Jeans come in two styles, SHARP and AUTOMATIC. Sharp jeans are fitted with a refined look, more dress than casual, yet with the flex of DECADE DENIM™. Automatic jeans are for “any guy, any time, any place.” Automatic jeans are designed to be mobile, not baggy, providing ultimate comfort without having to size up.

Revtown also offers Revtown Shirts, made from world-class Pima cotton. Revtown Shirts come in four essential styles, including Crew, V-Neck, Henley and Polo. Also available as Revtown launches are Revtown Crates, offering two pairs of jeans and any three shirts for just $210.

Posted February 27,2018

Source: Revtown

PARIS — February 27,2018 — Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, the French business school ESCP Europe and their joint ‘Fashion & Technology’ Chair explored the impact of Industry 4.0 on fashion’s value chain during a recent insightful round table discussion at ESCP Europe’s London campus.

For the participants Robert Diamond, Founder and CEO, Fernbrook Partners; Dan Hartley, Global Head of Digital Commerce, AllSaints; Laëtitia Hugé, vice-president, Product Marketing, Lectra; Pierre Mercier, senior partner and managing director, Boston Consulting Group; and Evelthon Vassilou, CEO, Alison Hayes, there was consensus. Industry 4.0 represents unparalleled opportunities to take the fashion industry forward.

From brand to manufacturer, panelists from across the value chain emphasized the necessity for the industry to embrace the alliance between man and machines to leverage massive benefits, from quicker decision-making to cost-reduction.

Exploring the advantages of Industry 4.0 technology, Vassilou commented: “Interpreting the data of what is, and isn’t, selling should help to speed up decisions. You can react very quickly across the entire supply chain, and either stop producing something unsuccessful or ramp up production if successful. Data and data analytics is not sufficient, to succeed this also requires a high degree of trust and integration between retailers and suppliers.”

“It’s about using technology to deliver continuous improvement in everyday business,” said Diamond. “People are not good at making a large volume of repeatable decisions with many different data inputs”. Identifying where machines, and where people, bring value is an important part of embracing Industry 4.0. “If the business decision, or the outcome of the resolution tomorrow, is pretty much the same as what happened yesterday, then there is a chance for machine learning to help improve the situation.”

For Mercier, technology propelled by Industry 4.0 is disrupting former sources of competitive advantage, “forcing companies to rethink how they want to compete in their respective industries, and how to use data to compete differently. The common denominator in the fashion ecosystem is that everyone is facing the opportunity for a step change and need to figure out where to double down and accelerate their transformation.”

“Agility and flexibility are increasingly important for fashion players. Cutting-edge technology is supporting the fashion industry as it steps into the 4.0 era, ensuring businesses have the right solutions in their own ecosystems, to effectively harness the right data to make the right decisions,” stated Hugé.

At UK fashion brand AllSaints, valuable data harnessed from the net promoter score is paramount for their business. “We take customer feedback very seriously and we use it as a framework for our internal roadmap — from a tech and development point of view, through to design and fit, the customer is at the heart of everything we do,” stated Hartley.

In addition, he underlined that using technology across communications “will be huge going forward for AllSaints.  From supply chain to store teams, we aim to use a cloud-based system that works within our own eco-system, complementing our agile model.”

The round table was moderated by the co-director of Lectra-ESCP Europe ‘Fashion and Technology’ Chair Valérie Moatti.

Posted February 27,2018

Source: LECTRA