SEATTLE — April 5, 2017 — A revolutionary new fit-focused shopping experience enabled by Fitcode, a fashion-data company that specializes in women’s denim, launched today on agjeans.com.

“We are very excited to integrate with AG,” says Rian Buckley, Fitcode co-founder and CEO. “Fitcode loves partnering with brands and retailers looking for innovative ways to differentiate and personalize the customer experience, so AG was a natural fit.”

The integration provides style-conscious women with an easy way to find AG styles best-suited for their unique body types.

For the denim brand, integration promises to drive sales and cut returns. Fitcode’s results from past integrations demonstrate that consumers are three times more likely to purchase Fitcode-recommended styles.

Visitors to agjeans.com can take the Fitcode fit quiz and shop curated denim recommendations within their Fitcode. Fitcode’s Jeanius team hand measures and fit tests each style and provides denim details on variables that impact fit, like stretch, fabric content, and inseam.

“Because AG offers such a wide range of denim in different silhouettes, fabrics, and washes, we constantly look for innovative ways to help our customers find the perfect fit for their body shape,” says Vutha Chheng, director of ecommerce at AG. “Not only does Fitcode help fill this need, the service is also very intuitive and easy to use.”

Fitcode previously integrated with hudsonjeans.com in Fall 2016 and jagjeans.com in February 2017. Supported retail and denim partners also include Nordstrom, NYDJ, 7 For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, J Brand, JOE’s Jeans, Paige, FRAME Denim, Kut from the Kloth, and Blank NYC.

Posted April 5, 2017

Source: Fitcode

CANTON, Mass. — April 4, 2017 — Today, global fitness brand Reebok announced its “Cotton + Corn” sustainable products initiative, which will bring plant-based footwear to the market later this year.

Cotton + Corn is an initiative developed by the Reebok Future team to create shoes “made from things that grow.” The first release will be a shoe that has an upper comprised of organic cotton and a base originating from industrial grown corn (a non-food source).

“This is really just the first step for us,” said Bill McInnis, head of Reebok Future. “With Cotton + Corn we’re focused on all three phases of the product lifecycle. First, with product development we’re using materials that grow and can be replenished, rather than the petroleum-based materials commonly used today.  Second, when the product hits the market we know our consumers don’t want to sacrifice on how sneakers look and perform. Finally, we care about what happens to the shoes when people are done with them. So we’ve focused on plant-based materials such as corn and cotton at the beginning, and compostability in the end.”

“We like to say, we are ‘growing shoes’ here at Reebok,” said McInnis. “Ultimately, our goal is to create a broad selection of bio-based footwear that can be composted after use. We’ll then use that compost as part of the soil to grow the materials for the next range of shoes. We want to take the entire cycle into account; to go from dust to dust.”

For the Cotton + Corn initiative, Reebok partnered with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, a leading manufacturer of high-performance bio-based solutions. DuPont Tate & Lyle has developed Susterra® propanediol, a pure, petroleum-free, non-toxic, 100-percent USDA certified bio-based product, derived from field corn. Susterra propanediol is used to create the sole of the Cotton + Corn shoes.

“Reebok’s philosophy is to ‘Be More Human,’ and sustainability is a core part of that belief. As human beings, we have a responsibility to leave this planet as we found it for future generations,” said Reebok President Matt O’Toole.  “Unfortunately, the fact is most shoes just end up in landfills, which is something we are trying to change. As a brand, we will be focusing on sustainability with the Cotton + Corn program as well as other initiatives we have in the works.”

The Reebok Future team is Reebok’s innovation department dedicated to creating new technologies, ideas, techniques and prototypes.

“Reebok has a long history of innovation and of being a socially responsible company,” said O’Toole. “The Reebok Future team was created to innovate not only the products we make, but also the process by which we make them. Cotton + Corn is another great example of this, and one that can have a long-term positive impact on the world.”

Posted April 4, 2017

Source: DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products

SEATTLE — April 4, 2017 — Tommy Bahama is back with its highly successful line of officially licensed Major League Baseball apparel for the 2017 MLB season. The collection of premium apparel for this season offers a variety of vintage-inspired options for true baseball fans, as well as Tommy Bahama enthusiasts.

The collection includes:

MLB Team Vintage Panel-Back Camp Shirts — Slide headfirst into comfort (figuratively, of course) with this ballpark-friendly oxford weave camp shirt. The detailed artwork embroidered on the back panel with mixed stitch types to give depth and texture conveys the nostalgic feeling of a vintage baseball card collection. Available in select MLB teams. Retail: $168
Same artwork available in collectible bandanas. Retail: $32

Dugout Crewneck — This must-have two-tone French terry crewneck sweatshirt will keep you cozy and comfortable all season long in the stands or in your home. Contrast stitching and the embroidered logo on the chest pay tribute to your home team.  Available in select MLB teams. Retail:  $88

Trikala Keys Camp Shirt — This baseball jersey inspired camp shirt in a colorful tropical print is a real home run!  The baseball tape on the inside neck and down the inside placket and embroidered logo on the chest is a great complement to the print.  Available in select MLB teams. Retail: $158

Palm Print Pro Polo — Show your team pride and your love of tropical style with this subtle-yet sophisticated palm print pattern polo. Made from super soft cotton with embroidered team logo on the left sleeve. Available in all 30 MLB teams. Retail: $98

MLB League T-Shirt — Knock your casual look out of the park with the pima cotton, slightly distressed Americana-inspired baseball graphic tee. Retail: $58

The Tommy Bahama 2017 MLB collection of premium, collectible apparel for the true baseball fan is available at Tommy Bahama stores, online at tommybahama.com and at select specialty retailers across the country. Additionally Tommy Bahama will be debuting two new in-stadium retail spaces this season.

Tommy Bahama Debuts in Atlanta Braves SunTrust Park  – Tommy Bahama will be part of a new shopping concept at SunTrust Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves. The ballpark has created a unique shopping experience called the Club Collection.  Located inside the INFINITI Club, walls of glass display windows will include a select offering of Tommy Bahama Atlanta Braves co-branded products.  Featuring the Braves logo as well as the Club Collection logo, the Tommy Bahama apparel will be featured in four of the dramatic displays located on the first base line.  Fans will be able to window shop and then have a sales associate assist them with their purchase.  This distinctive shopping experience and striking display of co-branded team merchandise is expected to open in April for the 2017 season.

Tommy Bahama Shop at the San Diego Padres Petco Park  – Tommy Bahama has also teamed up with the San Diego Padres to introduce a new shopping experience at Petco Park, home of the Padres. The newly designed 300-square foot space, located in the Lexus Home Plate Club, will carry exclusive Tommy Bahama Padres apparel for men and women. The new shop debuts in April, just in time for baseball’s opening month. The co-branded apparel will also be available in the Padres Majestic Team Store, located inside the iconic Western Metal Supply Co. Building.

Tommy Bahama’s line of officially licensed MLB apparel was introduced in 2009 with the launch of the first “Collector’s Edition” shirt to celebrate the World Series, followed by the first collection of team shirts for the 2010 MLB season. This complements an established array of Tommy Bahamalifestyle products, which include apparel, footwear, accessories, home furnishings, restaurants & bars and retail stores. Tommy Bahama’s MLB collection epitomizes the natural affinity that exists between these two brands. Baseball players and fans alike embrace Tommy Bahama products as well as the company philosophy to “MakeLife One Long Weekend™.”

Posted April 4, 2017

Source: Tommy Bahama

STOCKHOLM, Sweden/WASHINGTON ­— April 4, 2017 — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) today launched a joint partnership to boost the use of clean, renewable energy in the garment sector, while also slashing greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable energy already powers 96 percent of H&M’s own global operations, and this partnership aims to expand this climate-friendly approach to the independent garment factories that produce its fashions throughout the world. H&M products are manufactured by around 790 independent suppliers, indirectly creating jobs for around 1.6 million people, of whom about 65 percent are female.

H&M will partner with IFC to guide its strategic tier one and two suppliers in China, India and Bangladesh in adopting renewable energy solutions, thereby improving environmental sustainability within the H&M global supply chain. H&M and IFC will develop a platform for implementation of practical renewable energy solutions on the ground to achieve meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through adoption of clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro power; an approach that will be initially taken in three countries of high importance to H&M but which can ultimately be replicated in other markets.

Climate change poses a fundamental threat to economic development, and per the World Bank, could push an additional 100 million people into poverty by 2030.

“H&M has an ambition to work with a climate neutral supply chain (Tier 1 and Tier 2) by 2030 and we see IFC as an important partner in this journey. IFC’s vast experience working with renewable energy and climate related topics in several developing countries will be very valuable in driving this agenda together with our business partners. We believe that this partnership will not only have a positive climate impact on H&M’s supply chain but also on the fashion industry as a whole” said Pierre Börjesson, Sustainability Business expert – Climate Change and Water Stewardship, H&M

H&M is committed to a goal of 100 percent renewable energy usage in its own operations, and is one of the first companies in the industry to start setting climate-change and renewable energy goals along its value chain.

“Cutting greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for the environment, but importantly, this project will create a low-carbon roadmap that shows how it makes good financial sense for firms too,” said Milagros Rivas Saiz, Global Head Advisory at IFC.

IFC has a proven track record of supporting the development of renewable power. Since it started tracking climate-related investments in 2005, IFC has committed more than $7.6 billion for renewable energy from own account. This includes almost $5 billion in large-scale on-grid renewable energy generation, $500 million in renewable energy component manufacturing, and $2.2 billion through financial intermediaries and other sectors.

IFC Senior Energy Specialist Jeremy Levin added “In several countries distributed solar power can be cheaper than grid-provided power, and is far less costly for those suppliers who have to rely on expensive diesel generator sets to meet their power needs. This roadmap will provide direction on how to capture these savings.”

Posted April 4, 2017

Source: IFC and H&M Hennes & Mauritz