PARIS — September 19, 2014 — Texworld and Apparelsourcing Paris closed their doors on Thursday evening after four vibrant days in which the highlights were the launch of the new “Shawls&Scarves” feature; the exploration of rich creative “Impulsion”, the Texworld winter trends 2015/16; designer catwalk shows and the Sustainability Days, with the noteworthy talk on the responsibility of the textile industry by Jason Kibbey, speaking on behalf of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

The event ended on a positive note, with both the exhibitors and the organisers expressing their satisfaction. Numbers visiting the trade fairs were up 5.16%, with 15,034 visitors from 109 countries coming to see the 2015/16 winter collections shown by 1166 exhibitors.

The rise confirms the movement in fashion consumption in Europe. “We are delighted by this rise, which could have been greater, as a lot of visitors could not attend because of strikes at Air France”, stressed Michael Scherpe, CEO of Messe Frankfurt France.

Both regular and first-time exhibitors were delighted by the amount of business done and the calibre of visitors, like Mr Bang Moy, of the Chinese woollens company Intertextiles. “This was our first time, so we were not expecting our collection to be so well received by European buyers, but we took a large number of orders from some major fashion houses. They were attracted to our trendy, elaborate prints and weaves.”

Mrs Oya Dizdaroglu of the Turkish spinning and weaving company Tekstil, was enthusiastic: “We are very happy with the quality of the visitors who came to see us. We always do well for orders at Texworld, but this time it was even better because we met a lot of new buyers, particularly from Japan, Poland and Germany.”

The visitors were just as enthusiastic, particularly the designers, like Fred Sathal, a designer showing during Paris Haute Couture Week. “I was won over by Texworld making agreements with exhibitors to offer to sell small quantities to couturiers. I also liked the care given to organising the fair. This initial visit enabled me to source good-quality Japanese-made silks and textiles.”

Taking the figures continent by continent, Europe recorded a rise of 4.39% and Asia made a great leap forward, up 18.32%. More good news is that the Americas are crossing the Atlantic again, up 0.3%, with a double-digit increase for Brazil (10%)! Africa was down 11%, reflecting the crises by which the continent is once more plagued.

Visitor figures from the six major countries were up, with a noteworthy resurgence by Italy (+23%), whilst recovery was evident in respect of France (+4%), Turkey (+4%), Germany (+3%), Spain (+1.5%) and the UK (+1.5%).

Three European countries stood out this season because of their double-digit growth: Ireland, where the economy is recovering (+22%); Poland, which is in rude economic health, with a strong performance by its clothing industry (+20%); and Norway, which has returned to explore international potential in Paris (+25%). Bulgaria, up 64%, deserves special mention.

Asia also supported the fair, with the return of Japanese buyers (+9.5%), greatly appreciated by the exhibitors, whilst South Korea (+33%) and Hong Kong (+21%) showed their interest. China, with 8%, is now coming to buy for its domestic market.

Posted September 23, 2014

Source: Messe Frankfurt
 

GREENSBORO, N.C. — September 22, 2014 — International Textile Group (ITG) is excited to introduce Hendry Bishop, a unique one-stop collection of fabrics that combines fabrics from the Burlington® and Cone Denim® brands ranging from worsted wools to denim to performance fabrics, and blends designed for the modern active lifestyle.

The Hendry Bishop collection presents clothing from a unique point of view, with no traditional paradigms or preconceived ideas. Drawing from the comfort of cotton, elegance of wool, and performance of synthetics, the Hendry Bishop collection combines these substrates with advanced chemistries and sustainable processes to give apparel designers freedom of choice, function and creativity.

“Gone are traditional boundaries,” said Peter Baumann, senior vice president merchandising, Burlington Menswear.  “Today’s consumer wants his clothing to make a statement about how he lives his life, not be defined by other people’s ideas of what is appropriate clothing. ITG is bringing together the best of its Burlington and Cone Denim fabrics to create the Hendry Bishop lifestyle collection.”

The Hendry Bishop line offers men’s apparel and specialty brands a diverse canvas from which to create clothing using fabrics of different fibers, textures, and functions without conventional limitations. “Fabric shouldn’t limit clothing but rather open up endless possibilities for people to carry forward their lifestyle to any occasion,” said Gary Kernaghan, executive vice president global business development.  

“We designed the Hendry Bishop collection to transcend preconceived definitions of the past and open new styling and design options that fit today’s lifestyles.”

The Hendry Bishop collection is launching for Fall 2015 targeted to modern men’s lifestyle brands and specialty apparel.  The creation of the collection comes from the collaborative efforts of the Burlington and Cone Denim product development teams which bring together global leadership in worsted wool, cotton, synthetics, and innovative fabric constructions.  Samples are available for immediate viewing.

Posted September 23, 2014

Source: ITG

TRION, GA — September 15, 2014 — Mount Vernon FR continues to expand its selection and variety of flame resistant (FR) denim fabrics with the introduction of Phoenix TC denim. Phoenix TC denim is a new Tencel^® and cotton blend, developed to enhance the softness and comfort of FR jeans without a tradeoff in durability. Bulwark, a leading manufacturer of FR apparel, is adopting this new technology in upcoming denim jeans.

Tencel and cotton are ideal partners for denim. Tencel is a cellulosic fiber like cotton, yet it is the strongest cellulosic fiber available and is used to make fabrics softer and more comfortable without sacrificing performance. Despite the added strength, denim made with Tencel feels lighter than its true weight. The smooth surface of Tencel makes fabrics inherently softer and more comfortable without the reliance on chemical softeners, which may not be durable.

“We are committed to designing, developing and distributing the best FR garments, without compromise,” said Robert Grimes, Managing Director for Bulwark. “Phoenix TC denim adds a greater level of comfort to the durability and protection that are expected in our FR denim jeans. Bulwark garments made with Phoenix TC denim will be a great option for our electric utility and oil and gas customers, and they will provide real solutions to some of the challenges being faced by safety professionals.”

According to a recent study of 400 environmental, health and safety professionals, conducted by Mount Vernon FR in conjunction with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), 91 percent of all respondents rated the combination of comfort and durability as important to their purchase of FR fabrics. However, only 58 percent of respondents say that they are satisfied with the comfort of the FR fabrics they are currently purchasing, and only 57 percent are satisfied with the durability. The results of the survey represent nearly a half-million employees that wear flame resistant clothing (FRC) on the job.

“Our research shows that safety managers may be making some compromises when it comes to the comfort and durability of FR apparel, which they shouldn’t have to do,” said Mike Woods, vice president of FR fabrics for Mount Vernon FR. “Phoenix TC denim gives them more of what they want in FR jeans – both comfort and durability, without having to make any tradeoffs. FR jeans made with Phoenix TC denim may well be the most comfortable pair of jeans workers will wear.”

Phoenix TC denim is component certified to NFPA 2112 standards and is ASTM F1506 compliant.

Posted September 22, 2014

Source: Mount Vernon FR