ALAMEDA, Calif. — October 10, 2016 — Fifty years after its first store opening in the North Beach neighborhood, apparel, equipment and footwear leader The North Face has opened a concept shop in San Francisco aimed at the city explorer. The discreet storefront in the Jackson Square neighborhood is the first of its kind in the United States, and will focus exclusively on the label’s premium streetwear range. A similar space will be featured within The North Face New York Flagship store opening on 5th Avenue later this month.

Open for a limited time only, the Urban Exploration shop will be devoted to protective gear suitable for the modern urbanite. New product will be regularly dropped in-store in the coming months, including collaborations, and curated pieces from the brand’s Japanese and Hong Kong collections.

The shop will feature exclusive and limited edition product like the Original Daypacks and Soft Duffels reissue. In honor of the company’s 50-year tradition of making handcrafted outdoor gear, The North Face revived some of the first-ever packs sewn and sold at the company’s original location.

Made entirely in the U.S., The North Face worked with a third-generation factory in Chicago and the Horween Leather Co., one of the oldest tanneries in the nation. The throwback bags were crafted for durability down to the last detail and feature 17-ounce waxed cotton canvas, double reinforced panels, riveted stress points and premium leather trims. The collection includes: ’68 Daypack ($225), ’78 Duffel – Small ($250) and ’78 Duffel – Large ($300). These originals are available now in extremely limited quantities only at the San Francisco shop, but will be sold online and at the 5th Avenue location beginning Oct. 13.

Posted October 10, 2016

Source: The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc.

TROY, N.C. — October 10, 2016 — Alandale Knitting LLC, a commission circular knit manufacturer, is celebrating a half-century of continuous operation at its Troy, N.C., operations. Founded in 1966 by prolific textile industry innovator Alan Gutschmit, the company has transformed itself to successfully navigate a constantly changing domestic textile industry. Over the years, the mill has expanded to more than 225 machines with a production capacity of over 500,000-pounds per week. The key to this success is the company’s commitment to flexibility and speed that allows it to offer the wide range of capabilities, sizes and complex construction types needed to meet the diverse requirements of fashion, automotive, protective gear, industrial and technical textiles applications. The company will mark the milestone with a gathering of employees, suppliers and friends on October 29 at its 120,000 square foot facility.

According to Alandale Knitting President Don Trexler: “While the U.S. textile industry has clearly had its ups and downs over the years, Alandale Knitting has always been recognized as the go-to provider for new and difficult constructions. Our ability to quickly deliver high quality, complex knit programs enables us to fulfill the needs of both new brands that are focusing on Made in USA goods and established companies that are looking for specific technical capabilities, extra capacity, or the benefits of reshoring. We are, of course, also accomplished in providing greige fabric programs to serve the needs of our clients that produce in the NAFTA and CAFTA-DR regions.”

Alandale Knitting has long benefited from the many inventions and process innovations set in place by its original founder. Upon his passing in 2001, Gutschmit had amassed eighteen U.S. patents for textile production systems that include the Filter Flow™ lint cleaning system, tools for detecting broken hooks and needles, a yarn threading apparatus, machine efficiency monitoring devices and more. All of these advancements remain in use at Alandale Knitting and support the company’s impressive speed, efficiency, quality, cleanliness, and flexibility.

Posted October 10, 2016

Source: Alandale Knitting

COLUMBUS, Ga. — October 7, 2016 — DNA Technical Fabrics, a division of DNA Textile Group, is pleased to introduce their new collection of INHERENT PLUS+ FR Denim fabrics.
DNA’s Inherent Plus+ FR denim collection utilizes a patent pending dual FR technology to provide layered FR protection with comfort, performance, and premium styling. “DNA’s Dual FR Technology was developed in response to customers’ requests for an innovative FR denim that can be laundered in premium fashion washes and maintain the same level of flame-resistant protection currently offered in the market,” according to Marty Odum, vice president of Technical Fabrics.

Inherent Plus + FR Denim can be enhanced through premium laundry applications including hand sanding, whiskers, enzymes, and stonewashing to achieve a range of fashion wash effects. Products in the new collection contain 13% to 20% stretch, from 11 to 13.5 oz, with added moisture wicking and improved drying to increase comfort.

DNA’s INHERENT PLUS+  FR Denim fabrics are compliant with NFPA 2112, NFPA 70E, and ASTM F1506.

Posted October 7, 2016

Source: DNA Technical Fabrics, a division of DNA Textile Group

NEW YORK CITY — October 5, 2016 — During PI Apparel Berlin, Browzwear will demonstrate how its 3D digital technology together with Dassault Systèmes’ Product Lifecycle Management solutions can streamline the way fashion companies design, develop and manufacture products. The demonstration will show how Browzwear’s 3D Apparel models can be integrated to Dassault Systèmes’ “My Collection” industry solution experience, a world class PLM solution for fashion, consumer goods and retail companies.

It will also show how apparel designers and developers can leverage managed assets from “My Collection” and later share finished garments’ Bill of Materials in Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This makes it far simpler and more efficient for fashion designers and developers to make use of available assets, and focus instead on the creative process.

‘My Collection’ was developed with 3D in mind from the very beginning. And with Browzwear 3D and Dassault Systèmes, product teams can share realistic 3D Apparel models and technical specifications from the earliest stages of the development processes to dramatically improve communication and collaboration with a variety of stakeholders of the development stream. “Visitors at PI Apparel in Berlin will see how the combination of 3D Asset & PLM workflow is enabling leading brands to shorten time to market and enhance creativity while delivering products that reflect the Voice of the Customer,” said Avihay Feld, Chief Product Officer at Browzwear.

“Using visually compelling and technically accurate 3D models for apparel from early development extends collaboration with designers, and streamlines manufacturing. It enables companies to meet market requirements and enhance creativity in a way that was not possible with traditional 2D workflows. We are very excited to demonstrate this capability with Dassault Systèmes at the event.”

Posted October 6, 2016

Source: Browzwear