National Safety Apparel (NSA) — a Cleveland-based manufacturer of industrial protective apparel — has introduced the CARBONCOMFORT™ FR line of flame-resistant (FR) workwear for men and women.
The workwear is constructed using a soft, inherently FR fabric that will not melt, drip or ignite; and it offers advanced moisture management, breathability and drying rates, NSA reports. All styles in the line meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E®: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace® requirements under Hazard Risk Category 2; NFPA 2112: Standard on Flame-resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire; and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1910.269 requirements.
All garments in the Carboncomfort FR line feature tagless shirt collars and FR exterior labeling that cannot be removed. Styles include long-sleeve T-shirts, Henleys, polos, button-down work shirts, coveralls and pants.
June 17, 2014
NSA Introduces CARBONCOMFORT™ FR Workwear
PerformanceScrubs.com To Open Manufacturing Facility In Florence, Ala.
PerformanceScrubs.com — a company of Nashville, Tenn.-based Performance HealthCare Products Inc., a designer and manufacturer of medical scrubs/uniforms and sleepwear, as well as sportswear — has invested $4 million to move its Cullman, Ala., manufacturing operations to a 50,000-square-foot, high-tech manufacturing facility in Florence, Ala. The company is offering all of its Cullman employees jobs at the new facility, and hopes to have at least 50 to 60 positions filled by the end of the year.
PerformanceScrubs.com designed a high-tech, on-demand manufacturing system at the facility that automates and integrates almost every component of the manufacturing process, from order entry through delivery, and allows for on-demand customization. According to the company, its proprietary workflows and complex software will enable it to manufacture millions of garments in any quantity on-demand while reducing inventory costs and streamlining the supply chain. While the facility initially will be focused on manufacturing scrubs and sleepwear, PerformanceScrubs.com says the factory model can produce any type of garment.
“We’ve spent years planning and designing our comprehensive system that has the potential to revolutionize how clothing is made,” said J. Kirby Best, CEO, PerformanceScrubs.com. “The rich history of garment manufacturing in Florence/Muscle Shoals makes this the ideal location to launch a state-of-the-art facility. The overwhelming warm welcome by so many makes it feel like home — we are delighted to be here.”
PerformanceScrubs.com’s medical scrubs and sleepwear feature moisture-wicking, antimicrobial material and are resistant to wrinkles, stains and fading, the company reports. All of its garments, including components, are 100-percent Made in the USA.
The Florence facility is expected to begin operations in July.
June 17, 2014
Södra Invests To Increase Pulp Production At Mörrum
Växjö, Sweden — June 17, 2014 — Södra’s Board has decided to invest approximately SEK 700 million to increase pulp production at Södra Cell Mörrum. A new wood-chip plant will be constructed and one of the mill’s two pulp lines will be upgraded.
In February of this year, Södra’s Board decided to invest just over SEK 4 billion to increase capacity at the Värö pulp mill. Investments are now also being made in the Mörrum pulp mill, where Södra currently operates two parallel pulp lines for the production of softwood pulp and textile pulp (dissolving pulp).
“This is another investment that strengthens our market position and competitiveness for market pulp. The expansion of pulp production is a key part of our Group strategy and a crucial feature of our efforts to develop our operation,” said Lars Idermark, CEO of Södra.
The existing facility at Mörrum currently produces a total of 380,000 tonnes annually. The investment is expected to increase production to about 425,000 tpy.
“The investment will enable us to meet the growing demands of our customers for softwood pulp and the increasingly popular textile pulp. It will enhance our energy efficiency, result in even higher quality pulp and improve the working environment,” commented Gunilla Saltin, President of the Södra Cell business area.
The project includes a new wood-chip plant with two separate wood lines, one for softwood-chip and one for hardwood-chip production, in addition to a refit of the softwood line, where the existing washing equipment will be replaced.
The first phase of the project is scheduled to be carried out in 2014-15 with completion expected March 2016.
Södra Cell Mörrum currently produces high-quality pulp and is the only Södra mill to produce textile pulp, for which demand is growing rapidly. Södra Cell is one of the largest players in the world in the area of softwood pulp and operates three pulp mills in Sweden: Mörrum, Mönsterås and Värö.
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: Sodra
Optitex, Alvanon Collaborate to Take Sizing and Fitting Digital
NEW YORK CITY — June 12, 2014 — Optitex, a leading 2D & 3D CAD and virtual prototyping software provider and Alvanon, the global leader in integrated fit solutions for the apparel industry, announced today a collaboration that will enable apparel and fashion companies to use a digital version of their custom-designed Alvanon body forms in Optitex’s cutting-edge 3D Suite.
By bringing 100% accurate AlvaForm avatars into Optitex’s 3D environment, the resulting solution will offer a viable, realistic, and highly cost-effective virtual alternative to traditional product prototyping and development.
“The Fashion and Apparel industry is constantly looking for ways to optimize the product development process, and that is driving more and more products to be prototyped digitally.” said Asaf Landau, CEO of Optitex. “Our partnership with Alvanon highlights the industry’s evolution into the digital arena, with the world’s leading size and fit experts supplementing their existing physical tools with virtual ones. We are proud that they are doing so in Optitex’s 3D environment, and are happy to be collaborating with such industry leaders.”
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: Optitex
Polartec Announces 2014 APEX Award Winners
LAWRENCE, Mass. —Jun 12, 21014 — Polartec, LLC announces the winners of its annual Polartec APEX Award, recognizing the finest Polartec-based products available to consumers fall 2014 and spring 2015. Judges selected winners based on the style, function, workmanship, and overall design of garments with the most innovative and appropriate uses of Polartec fabrics.Over 100 apparel and accessory brands from around the world submitted their most innovative products. Judges selected 39 Polartec APEX winners ranging from lightweight next-to-skin layers, to breathable “puffy” products for active warmth using new Polartec® Alpha®, to fully waterproof garments that maintain high breathability with Polartec® NeoShell®. These winning garments are being recognized following close collaborative development with Polartec as an innovative solutions provider.
The winners are:
- 66ºNorth Kjölur Alpha Collection (Shorts, Shacket, and Women’s Shirt)
- Arc’teryx Argus and Gaea Jackets
- Ariat International FR Work Tek Pullover Hoodie and Baselayer ¼ Zip
- Athleta Overcast Coat
- Bluesmiths Kula Hoody
- Bomber Gear® Palguin Dry-Top
- Choucas Glide Hat
- Descente Women’s Polartec Power Dry Hot Grid Parka
- Eider Blow Alpha Gloves
- Giro Wind Guard ¼ Zip
- Grifone ATUK Jacket with Hood
- Houdini C9Loft Jacket (men’s and women’s)
- KJUS Men FRX Equilibrium Jacket
- KJUS Men FRX Polo
- Louis Garneau Course Wind Pro LS Jersey and Arm Warmers
- lululemon athletica Fleecy Keen
- Makers & Riders Dispatch Rider Weatherproof Trouser
- Marmot Cataclysm Glove
- MEC Obsession Jacket
- Millet Touring Insulated Neo Jacket (men’s and women’s)
- Montane Axion Neo Alpha Jacket
- Montane Fast Alpine Neo Pants
- Mountain Force Fancy Jacket
- NFM Garm All Weather Lightweight Jacket and Pants
- NFTO HS-01 Jacket
- Norrøna lofoten Alpha Jacket (men’s and women’s)
- Northland Darcy Alpha Padded Coat (men’s and women’s)
- Patagonia Diamond Quilt Snap-T Pullover
- PING Soft Shell Hoody Jacket 2way and Soft Shell Pants
- QOR Alpha Waxed Cotton Jacket
- Rab Neo Guide Jacket and Pant
- Reebok ReebokCF Anti-Freeze Mock
- rh+ PW Alpha Jacket
- rh+ PW Beta Glove, Hat, Bibtight and Jacket
- Simms® Fjord Fleece Pant
- Strafe Cham Jacket and Cham Pant
- Sugoi Alpha Hybrid Jacket
- Ternua Women’s Kush and Men’s Rumtse Jacket
- Teton Bros Glory Jacket and Pants
- Vaude Bormio Jacket and Bormio Pant
- Wild Burnside Alpha
- wings + horns Bunker Jacket
“The Polartec APEX Award is all about recognizing excellence in innovation, function and design, and encouraging this type of collaboration with our team as Polartec continually expands the limits of what fabric can do,” says Allon Cohne, Polartec global marketing director.
This year is the 16th season of the Polartec APEX Awards, and to celebrate the designers, Polartec will create videos profiling the designers, their craft, and their award-winning products made of Polartec. Each winning partner brand will be honored with a Malden Trophy—the Polartec APEX Award—at special award ceremonies in the Polartec booth at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen and Outdoor Retailer Summer Market shows July 10, 2014 and August 6, 2014, respectively. Winners receive sales support with custom hangtags and marketing materials, and cross-promotional support to generate awareness and ultimately drive sales of these standout products.
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: Polartec
NCTO, CANAINTEX, CECATEC-RD Rally For Strong Rules In The TPP On Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 12, 2014 — On June 10, U.S. textile manufacturers joined with their counterparts throughout the Western Hemisphere to communicate to congressional leaders the importance of adopting fair and reasonable textile rules in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The event brought together the trade associations for U.S., Mexican, and Central American textile and apparel producers, CEOs of regional manufacturers, and trade representatives of CAFTA-DR governments. Meetings highlighted the strong growth in trade and investment in textile manufacturing as a result of the NAFTA and CAFTA-DR trade agreements.
The group met with House and Senate leadership offices, including aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker John Boehner, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and staff for the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees, and leaders of the House Textile Caucus. Discussions focused on the need for a strong “yarn forward” rule of origin, robust customs enforcement, and reasonable tariff phase outs for sensitive products in TPP.
“Mexico is a key textile and apparel producer in the Western Hemisphere and is a critical part of the supply chain for many American textile and apparel companies,” said Nora Ambriz, Executive Director of CANAINTEX. “Ninety-six percent of Mexican apparel exports are shipped to the United States each year and Mexico is the leading export destination for U.S. textiles and apparel. NAFTA has created this dynamic and integral relationship between the U.S. and Mexico’s textile and apparel sectors and it is critically important that TPP does not damage the Western Hemisphere supply chain in this sector.”
“A final TPP must contain provisions that have been the foundation of U.S. trade agreements over the past 25 years: fair rules of origin, common sense market access rules, and strong customs enforcement provisions,” said Jay Self, Chairman of NCTO and President and CEO of Greenwood Mills. “The NAFTA and CAFTA-DR free trade agreements have created a sustainable and competitive manufacturing platform for U.S. textile and apparel companies which allows us to compete in the global market. It is imperative that U.S. trade policy continues to foster the economic growth seen under these agreements by building on the successful rules they contain.”
“The U.S. and the CAFTA-DR region, including the Dominican Republic, have created a prosperous and sustainable integrated manufacturing platform,” said Karin de Leon, Executive Director of CECATEC-RD. “This partnership provides hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs throughout the CAFTA-DR region, and is responsible for billions in two-way trade with the United States.”
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: NCTO
AirDye Solutions Announces The Acquisition Of Cheran Digital Imaging And Key Executive Hires
NEW YORK CITY and GAFFNEY, S.C. — June 13, 2014 — AirDye Solutions LLC and Cheran Digital Imaging and Consulting Inc. announced today the acquisition of Cheran Digital by AirDye. Jesse Leskanic, the Founder and President of Cheran Digital, has been named the Chief Technology Officer of AirDye.
The acquisition combines the patented, water-free fabric printing and dyeing capabilities of AirDye with the patent-pending color management software of Cheran Digital. AirDye will apply the Cheran software to its existing printing and dyeing processes, as well as newly acquired digital printing assets to offer the textile market fast and accurate color matching across both processes.
“We immediately recognized the power and uniqueness of the color management approach that Jesse has invented and that Cheran has commercialized in this software,” said Evan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of AirDye Solutions. “Jesse is a true genius, a fourth-generation textile veteran who taught himself computer programming and developed this color management capability over the last decade. This software is globally unique. It enables us to mathematically direct textile coloration to immediately achieve the artwork and color selection of our customers, across different coloration processes. Nothing else can do this. Combined with our disruptive printing and dyeing technology, we now have the ability to shorten the textile supply chain and deliver tremendous economic and environmental efficiencies.”
“This is an industry ripe for change, and we expect to lead that change,” said Jesse Leskanic, the newly appointed CTO of AirDye. “The industry operates today much as it has for the last four centuries, full of delays and waste. The fundamental cause of this is very poor color management from design through bulk production. We are dedicated to changing this. AirDye has been making aggressive investments in disruptive technology innovation, and I felt that combining our companies would create a transformative force in the textile supply chain, which has been the goal of my career.”
AirDye Solutions was formed from the purchase of the assets of Transprint USA/Colorep Inc. in October of 2013 by Fuller Smith Capital Management LLC. The company provides textile design and coloration services, and is developing and acquiring innovative textile technologies.
AirDye used the occasion of the Cheran Digital acquisition to announce a number of recent executive hires. Jeff Tyrrell joined the company as the Vice President of Operations; Mark Lynch was hired as the Vice President of Human Resources; Ben Hanson was hired as the Vice President of Information Systems; and David Michael was hired as the Chief Software Architect, leading a team of software developers that were key contributors to Etsy, Bloomberg L.P., and Sony, among others.
“These new executive hires bring manufacturing optimization and turn-around expertise, as well as leading software development, systems architecture, and database management capabilities,” said Evan Smith. “We believe that the current applications of this color management software and our printing hardware are only the tip of the iceberg. The team that we have assembled will help us to both execute on our core business and to create entirely new business models for the company and for this industry. These are exciting times for AirDye and we look forward to bringing more innovation to the market.”
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: AirDye Solutions
GIZ And Huntsman Textile Effects Cooperate To Raise The Bar For The Textile Industry In Bangladesh Through Chemical Environmental Management
DHAKA, Bangladesh — June 16, 2014 — Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a German federal agency that promotes sustainable development around the world, and Huntsman Textile Effects, the leading global provider of high-quality dyes and textiles chemicals, are cooperating to raise industry standards in the management of chemicals by textile mills in Bangladesh. Ten mills have so far signed up to the partners’ GIZ Chemical Environmental Management for Competitiveness Program.
The cooperation was formalized today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Huntsman Textile Effects and Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards (PSES) a textile industry initiative jointly developed by the governments of Bangladesh and Germany, and implemented by GIZ.
The GIZ Chemical Environmental Management for Competitiveness Program will include managerial and technical training, audit and consultancy services and implementation support from local and international Environmental Management System experts from GIZ and Huntsman Textile Effects. Working closely with the local textiles sector, the two partners will support the development of industry-wide chemical management (CM) best practices in Bangladesh and accelerate the adoption of these practices, with the ultimate aim of supporting the industry’s environmental and economic sustainability.
Bangladesh’s textile industry is the nation’s largest export sector. The ready-made garment (RMG) sector was worth US$19 billion in 2012, when more than 5,000 garment factories employed about 4 million people and accounted for 45% of all industrial workers. To remain internationally competitive, local textile mills and RMG factories increasingly have to demonstrate that they operate in a socially and environmentally sustainable way.
Mr. Magnus Schmid, PSES Program Coordinator, said “Textile factories in Bangladesh are now taking environmental issues more seriously as regulatory requirements become stricter and the economic benefits of sustainability become more widely recognized. PSES has already made a great impact with our CM training program and other initiatives and we look forward to doing even more through our new partnership with Huntsman Textile Effects. With Huntsman, we are committed to helping the industry eliminate hazardous substances from the production process in order to achieve a cleaner and safer textiles sector.”
GIZ has actively supported the development of the textile sector in cooperation with the Bangladesh government for several decades. Through PSES, it has already trained more than 60 consultants from 20 service organizations in the use of its CM tool. This CM tool covers the proper handling and storage of chemicals and seeks to improve workplace safety and compliance with environmental laws and achieve cost savings. Huntsman Textile Effects will support this ongoing work, contributing expertise in the optimization of washing and dyeing processes. It will also provide audit and consultancy services to local mills under its Productivity Improvement Program (PIP).
Mr. Peter Gregory, Brand & Retail Marketing Director of Huntsman Textile Effects, said, “Huntsman Textile Effects has a long established presence in Bangladesh. As a global leader in the transition to a more sustainable textiles sector, we are pleased to join hands with GIZ in Bangladesh to help local factories optimize their production efficiency and environmental compliance whilst also building local competence to enable continued adoption. Our international staff will also receive training from GIZ on its CM toolkit so that we can extend our efforts to factories in other countries as well.”
The cooperation with GIZ is part of Huntsman Textile Effects’ commitment to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals programme. This global initiative of 18 leading apparel and footwear brands and retailers intends to eliminate hazardous chemicals from textiles production by 2020.
Note on statistics:
5,000 factories & 4 million workers from Deutsche Welle
Other stats from “Textile Industries in Bangladesh and Challenges of Growth” Research Journal of Engineering Sciences paper (Feb. 2013)
Posted June 17, 2014
Source: Huntsman Textile Effects
Business & Financial: A Long Look Ahead
By Robert S. Reichard, Economics Editor
The U.S. textile and apparel industries — even after factoring in continuing foreign competition — are looking increasingly healthy — not only for the next year or two but also over the really long pull. That’s the consensus of a growing number of studies that essentially mirror Textile World’s own upbeat outlook. To be sure, no one, including TW’s editors, anticipates any really big gains — the kind that would dramatically recoup previously lost market share. On the other hand, the feeling now seems to be that industry erosion is pretty much over — and that in certain sectors, especially where new niche markets are being developed, there could even be some modest increases. One new study that probably best sums it all up is provided by Global Insight, a top business-forecasting firm. Its economists, for example, now see a steady to slightly higher level of textile mill dollar shipments for both this year and 2015 — with any losses after that, if they indeed to do occur — expected to be minimal. And the story told in another just-released publication — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2014 Occupational Outlook Handbook — isn’t all that much different. Again, zero in on textile mills — this time measured in terms of production, a physical volume concept — and the average annual rate of slippage for the next decade is again put at under 1 percent. Moreover, translate this production into Global Insight’s dollar shipments yardstick — which includes some modest price increases — and some fractional gains could be in the cards.
More Productivity Gains, Too
The Occupational Outlook Handbook study just referred to contains long-term employment as well as production estimates — numbers that together can provide some hints on textile and apparel efficiency gains. In the case of domestic textile mills, for example, the only fractional declines expected for output are being accompanied by a projected 2.5-percent annual decline in the number of anticipated jobs. That’s pretty much a confirmation that recent productivity gains will continue. And the scenario for domestic apparel manufacturers is even more positive. This time, a similar less-than-1-percent annual rate of expected slippage in production is being accompanied by an eye-opening 8-percent drop-off in the number of projected workers. To be sure, the implied 7-percent or so jump in annual productivity that this implies might be on the high side. But even if you reduce this expected efficiency gain a few percentage points, it still points to an increasingly competitive domestic apparel industry. It might also be pointed out that these productivity gains are actually a bit higher than those projected for the entire U.S. economy, where the annual efficiency increase is put at only 1.5 percent. Credit several reasons for why the two industries are likely to fare better than average. But the key factor here is clearly the willingness on the part of U.S. producers to continue shelling out more than a billion dollars a year for new, state-of-the-art plant and equipment. See “More Positive Numbers,” TextileWorld.com, May/June 2014, for a more detailed discussion on industry capital spending.
A Brightening Import Picture
Meantime, still other new government data — this time on trade — are also giving industry executives something to smile about. Specifically, incoming shipments of textiles and apparel on a square-meters-equivalent basis have actually edged a bit lower in some recent months. And that’s on top of the leveling-off of the past few years. Since 2010, for example, import totals have remained relatively unchanged after rising more than 35 percent over the previous 10 years. Again, it should be emphasized that nowhere are domestic producers about to regain any meaningful portion of previously lost markets. On the other hand, these new numbers clearly represent an encouraging shift —one that is likely to continue, given such other recent signs as sharply rising overseas supplier labor costs, the now considerably lower U.S. energy tabs, consumer preference for domestically produced goods, and the growing interest on the part of U.S. companies to bring some production back to U.S. shores. Other things being equal, the combination of these factors suggests that the U.S. industries’ relatively upbeat 10-year production and shipment projections that were outlined above could actually be somewhat on the conservative side. In any case, the changing scenario would seem pretty much to assure vibrant and profitable domestic textile and apparel industries through the foreseeable future.
June 2014
Pulling Double Duty: Phifer Insect Screening Outfits African Screen Structures In Malaria Research Operation
TUSCALOOSA, Ala., — June 11, 2014 —A popular Phifer insect screening product commonly used for pool enclosures in the U.S. is serving as a tool to aid in malaria research abroad.
The Ifakara Health Institute, one of Africa’s eminent health research organizations, is using Phifer’s 18×14 Fiberglass Insect Screening to cover large screen house structures for malaria research in Tanzania, East Africa. While building these structures, the IHI realized a need for a strong, durable screening with a specific mesh count as well as UV resistance, and Phifer’s 18×14 screening met the call.
“The screen houses allow us to test our eradication techniques in a ‘natural’ and safe environment with uninfected mosquitoes,” said Jason Moore, IFI project manager. “Such research is cutting-edge in the field as results are far more representative of what happens in nature compared to the usual, small caged experiments.”
Woven from permanent glass yarn, Phifer’s fiberglass screen is coated with protective vinyl to ensure lasting color and flexibility and produced under the most exacting conditions to meet rigid specifications. This screen will not rust, corrode or stain.
Located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the IHI conducts a wide range of health-related research, including biomedical and environmental studies, drug trials, vaccines and diagnostics, health-systems research, monitoring and evaluation. The institute is best-known for its contributions to malaria research.
The work in the IHI’s entomology department centers on researching and combating malaria, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, affects more than 200 million each year and killed more than 600,000 in 2010, mostly in the African region. Work focuses on finding ways to control the disease with the goal of malaria eradication.
Posted June 12, 2014
Source: Phifer
