LAVAL, Canada — September 10, 2024 — Gerard Fres Ltd. (GFL), a sweater manufacturer founded in France and based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has adopted Pivot88, a TradeBeyond company, to optimize its quality inspection processes. Pivot88’s innovative supply chain platform will enable Gerard Fres to streamline quality management, ensuring higher standards of product quality and compliance.
Established in 1997 and known for its focus on sustainability and ethical production, Gerard Fres has been a pioneer in the knitwear industry, specializing in pullovers and exporting around 6 million pieces annually to various countries including France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. By incorporating Pivot88’s technology, Gerard Fres aims to further its mission of ensuring supply chain efficiency from product design to end-consumer satisfaction, while maintaining consistent quality and ethical and sustainable production principles.
“Pivot88’s Resilience solution aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver top-quality knitwear while upholding our ethical responsibilities and commitment to sustainable production,” said Elliott Fres, managing director at Gerard Fres Ltd. “This partnership will empower us to streamline and improve our quality management processes, which are critical to ensuring the highest standards of quality in our garments.”
Pivot88, known for its robust compliance, quality testing, and traceability solutions, will provide Gerard Fres with a platform that offers real-time oversight and comprehensive data analytics. This will enable Gerard Fres to conduct more effective and efficient quality inspections, ensuring compliance with the highest industry standards.
“Our collaboration with Gerard Fres is a testament to the versatility and effectiveness of our solutions in enhancing supply chain management and quality assurance processes,” said Michael Hung, CEO of TradeBeyond. “We are excited to support Gerard Fres in their journey toward greater operational excellence and sustainability.”
The integration of Pivot88’s into Gerard Fres’s quality inspection processes will bring significant improvements in operational efficiency and product quality, further solidifying Gerard Fres’s position as a leader in the knitwear industry. Pivot88’s solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly into existing supply chain management systems, providing real-time analytics and insights. This allows for proactive decision-making and more effective risk management.
By implementing Pivot88, Gerard Fres joins a prestigious roster of global leaders in the apparel and footwear industry, including renowned names like Hugo Boss, Adidas, and Oakley. This move signifies Gerard Fres’s commitment to innovation and excellence by leveraging the same platform that has been instrumental in enhancing the supply chain operations of these industry giants.
LONDON — September 10, 2024 — Coats Group plc has been selected for the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production™ List by Great Place To Work® and Fortune magazine.
Great Place To Work and Fortune annually select top workplaces in Manufacturing and Production that are dedicated to creating exceptional workplace cultures. The team at Coats has once again been recognized for its commitment to prioritizing its people, fostering a culture of trust, and empowering colleagues worldwide to achieve their full potential.
The Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production award is based on analysis of survey responses from over 96,000 current employees at Great Place To Work Certified™ companies in the manufacturing and production industry. The survey also considers the breadth and impact of company workplace programs. Organizations are assessed on their efforts to create great workplaces and positively impact people and communities across multiple countries.
Farnaz Ranjbar
“We are proud to have once again been recognised as one of the top workplaces worldwide, reflecting the strength and value of the inclusive culture fostered across Coats,” said Group Chief Human Resources Officer Farnaz Ranjbar. “Our commitment to create a more inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace at Coats is unrelenting, and it is thanks to our dedicated employees from all around the globe that we have been placed on this list. We remain focused on forging strong long-term relationships and delivering value for all stakeholders.”
“Congratulations to the Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production,” said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “These companies not only outperform the average for their industry but have created workplaces that outshine the average in every category, proving the importance of building trust with workers, no matter the industry.”
Great Place To Work selected the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production by analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 1.3 million employees in the U.S. in 2023 and 2024. Coats India and Honduras were also named among the local Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production, reaffirming the successful impact of the company’s approach to culture.
Coats was named one of the United Kingdom’s Best Workplaces for Women™ in 2024 and among the World’s 25 Best Workplaces™ in 2023 by Fortune and Great Place To Work.
Pictured during her visit to ETV is Germany’s Economics and Climate Protection Minister Mona Neubaur (third from left), with members of the ETV and Monforts management teams, including Dirk Tunney (far left) and Gunnar Meyer (far right). Image courtesy ETV.
TW Special Report
At a time when European commission finishers are finding it increasingly difficult to operate due to extremely high overheads, ETV, based in Gescher, Germany, is going from strength to strength — and alert to new opportunities going forward.
Founded in 1950, the privately held company is currently installing a third Monforts Montex 8500 finishing range with a working width of 3.2 meters, fully equipped with a Montex®Coat coating unit, an EcoBooster heat recovery unit, crash calender and computer-controlled winders and unwinders.
Longevity
For ETV managing director Dirk Tunney, the company’s longevity is in part due to a timely move away from traditional textile applications such as clothing and home textiles 25 years ago, to focus on adding value and functionality to technical textiles, films and membranes.
“The large discounters now dominate the procurement markets, particularly in the home textiles sector,” he says. “Stationary retail hardly exists anymore and the market is characterized by the price structure of cheap imports from non-European countries.”
Since repositioning itself in 1999, ETV has grown into a powerhouse in its selected fields, dyeing and finishing around 1,500 tons of yarn and 1.6 million linear meters of fabric each year. In addition, the company annually prints around 4 million linear meters of fabrics, foils and membranes, along with coating up to 40 million linear meters of fabrics and nonwovens.
ETV was also early in addressing the need for sustainable processes with a thermal exhaust air aftertreatment unit, a printing paste recycling station and the use of 100-percent recycled industrial water as a result of its own in-house water and sewage treatment plant.
Energy costs
Escalating energy costs in Germany, however, have understandably been a cause for concern for the company.
“Up to and including 2020, our energy expenditure was less than 10 percent of our total overheads which ensured we were competitive on the market, but at their peak in 2022, gas prices in Germany had increased tenfold and electricity prices increased fivefold,” Tunney said. “Our industry today has to live with electricity prices that are approximately twice as high and gas prices that are approximately three-and-a-half times higher than before 2021. In the future, we are assuming a level of 12 to 13 percent so we are talking about additional expenditure of up to 400,000 euros depending on our future product production program, which as a contract processor we have only a limited influence on.
“Energy is certainly no longer cheap in Germany and we have moved from being an exporter of electricity to an importer and will no longer be able to supply ourselves in the future if we don`t change anything. It’s worrying that without our European neighbors our lights would sometimes go out.”
Industry standard
Monforts Montex tenters are now industry standard for the fabric finishing industry, providing many advantages in terms of production throughput and especially in energy efficiency and savings.
The Monforts Eco Booster, integrated into the chamber design of ETV’s Montex tenter, is a single heat recovery system with automatic cleaning that can further save up to 35 percent in energy costs. The Eco Booster consumes only minimal amounts of water during the cleaning cycle and the entire process is controlled and monitored automatically.
The Montex Coat serves a very diverse number of markets and enables full coatings, pigment dyeing or minimal application surface and low penetration treatments to be carried out. Knife coating, roller coating or screen printing can also all be accommodated with this system. In addition, the Montex Coat provides the ultimate in flexibility and the ability to switch quickly from one fabric run to the next, without compromising on the economical use of energy or raw materials.
“We certainly anticipate energy savings in addition to increased productivity and process reliability with this latest line and in addition, we will be working with Monforts on alternative energy options,” Tunney said.
Green hydrogen
Monforts is currently leading a consortium of industrial partners and universities in the three-year WasserSTOFF project, launched in November 2022, to explore all aspects of this fast-rising new industrial energy option.
The target of the government-funded project is to establish to what extent hydrogen can be used in the future as an alternative heating source for textile finishing processes. This will first involve tests on laboratory equipment together with associated partners and the results will then be transferred to a tenter frame at the Monforts Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Germany.
“Green hydrogen’s potential as a clean fuel source is tremendous, but there is much we need to explore when considering its use in the textile finishing processes carried out globally on our tenter dryers and other machines,” says Monforts Managing Director Gunnar Meyer. “Everybody knows that textile finishing is a high energy consuming process and to make the processes more efficient, we already offer several solutions, but as a technology leader we are also rising to the challenge of exploring alternative heating options to be ready for the future.”
ETV’s relative proximity to the Monforts headquarters in Mönchengladbach makes it an ideal site for the WasserSTOFF project.
“The project for a hydrogen-powered coating tenter frame is very suitable for our region,” Tunney said. “Germany’s textile industry has a long tradition and with more than 1,400 companies, is not unimportant to the country, but without support from politics, both ideologically and financially, something like this cannot be done.
“If we want decarbonization, paths must be identified and funds made available. We absolutely have to remain open to technology in order to position ourselves in the best possible way. Otherwise it will result in deindustrialization, which none of us want. We look forward to a closer collaboration with Monforts and its project partners going forward.”
On September 6 this year, Germany’s Economics and Climate Protection Minister Mona Neubaur visited ETV to get a first-hand view of how the textile industry is rapidly adapting to a changing landscape.
“The future of German industry will be decided in North Rhine-Westphalia,” she said. “This requires courageous companies to move forward. Innovative ideas strengthen our competitiveness and make a significant contribution to becoming the first climate-neutral industrial region in Europe. Green hydrogen will play an important role in this and I am very pleased that through companies like ETV and Monforts and their partners, we are now moving quickly from preparation to action.”
AMSTERDAM — September 10, 2024 — As the global demand for sustainable textiles continues to rise, Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) urges industry leaders, businesses, and stakeholders across the industry to take decisive action in supporting farmers transitioning to organic cotton. OCA is joining forces with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in the #BehindTheSeams campaign, highlighting the critical need to bolster the supply of organic fibers by supporting growers during the challenging transition from conventional to organic farming.
The #BehindTheSeams 2024 campaign, running throughout September, aims to offer unique insights into the people and practices behind organic textiles. It showcases the environmental and social benefits of organic-certified cotton, while calling on the industry to help scale the supply of organic fibers by empowering farmers.
Bridging the gap: supporting farmers during the in-conversion period
With a growing demand for organic cotton, the industry still faces a supply shortfall. The solution lies in empowering more farmers to grow organic fibers. #BehindTheSeams is spotlighting “organic in-conversion” farming and urging brands and the entire industry to support farmers during the critical transition period from conventional to organic. OCA and GOTS are highlighting this often-overlooked, yet vital stage of organic-in-conversion — the crucial period when farmers shift their practices to meet organic certification requirements. This transition, which can span up to three years, presents several challenges for farmers as they navigate fluctuating crop conditions and market uncertainties. During this time, they need unwavering support from the industry to succeed.
To support these farmers, OCA provides critical resources such as capacity-building, premium payments, and market linkages. During the 2023-2024 cotton season, OCA worked with over 35,000 in-conversion farmers in India and Pakistan, as part of a broader program that supports over 80.000 farmers. This impact has been made possible through the commitments of 16 brands participating in OCA’s Farm Program.
A win-win partnership for brands and farmers
Transitioning to organic farming requires significant knowledge and resources, and it`s an experience that no farmer should face alone. Brands that commit to purchasing in-conversion cotton invest in the additional support and inputs farmers require as they make the switch to organic practices. This commitment helps farmers navigate the challenging transition period, resulting in certified crops with significant environmental and economic benefits. OCA enables and facilitates this process, but more brands need to join OC’s Farm Programme to expand support for farmers. OCA’s Farm Programme addresses existing challenges in organic cotton farming by providing farmers with tools, expertise, and market commitments from buyers, ensuring higher earnings and a secure supply of organic fibre. The programme ensures that brands benefit from price clarity, verified impact data, and long-term supply commitments, all alligned with globally recognised organic standards. Joining the movement for organic cotton
The #BehindTheSeams campaign calls on brands, retailers, and stakeholders across the textile industry to act now by supporting farmers during this critical in-conversion phase. By joining OCA’s Farm Programme, companies can make a tangible impact on the future of organic cotton, securing not only a sustainable supply of organic fibers but also contributing to global sustainability goals.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — September 9, 2024 — Every year AATCC hosts workshops to provide hands–on learning for specific testing topics at the AATCC Technical Center. AATCC workshops limit the class size to allow ample opportunity to dive deep into the content.
This year, AATCC hosted a Color Management Workshop from August 14-15 and will be hosting a NEW Textile Testing Workshop for Specifiers from September 17-18 at the Technical Center.
The AATCC Color Management Workshop was met with overwhelming success, attracting a diverse array of industry professionals including merchandisers, retailers, manufacturers, product developers, color approval managers, and designers. Participants delved into crucial topics such as basic color principles, the effects of lighting on color perception, and strategies for developing cost-effective and fashionable color palettes.
The workshop’s comprehensive curriculum also covered the implementation of digital color programs with suppliers and techniques for controlling shade from concept to production. By bridging theory with practical application, attendees gained valuable insights and actionable strategies to enhance their professional capabilities in color management. The enthusiastic response from participants underscored the workshop’s relevance and AATCC’s commitment to providing timely, high-quality education to meet the evolving needs of the textile and fashion industry.
The Textile Testing Workshop for Specifiers is a new addition and aims to help people understand which tests are important for various product categories and performance claims—and which are required by law. This workshop is tailored to designers, product managers, marketers, and entrepreneurs who define the fit, function, look, and performance for the products that reach the market. AATCC understands that many of these individuals may never set foot in a lab but need the understanding of textile testing to accurately make claims, set requirements and approve reports. The knowledge and resources acquired will empower those to make informed decisions when selecting textile products. The intensive two-day workshop will teach professionals how to interpret results for textile materials. Attendees will gain an understanding of the significance of standardized testing, testing considerations for functional and performance properties, color measurement principles and more.
Attendees will benefit from direct access to the expertise of AATCC staff and members who specialize in standards development, textile testing, quality control, and claim substantiation. Participants will acquire practical tools and knowledge that can be immediately applied. Registration includes luncheons, breaks, and digital copies of the Analytical Methods for a Textile Laboratory and Selecting a Textile Testing Lab.
Reliable textile testing provides crucial data and insights that drive innovation while ensuring quality and safety. Testing substantiates that materials and products meet specifications, comply with regulations, and deliver promised performance. Standardized test methods allow objective evaluation and comparison of textile properties like strength, comfort, fit, durability, safety, and sustainability. Test data identifies opportunities to improve manufacturing processes and guides new product development. Testing also helps safeguard consumers by screening for harmful substances and verifying qualification for end use. Investing in proficient textile testing capabilities allows companies to enhance quality, solve problems, validate claims, and develop better products. AATCC has been providing essential textile testing education and resources since 1921 to help advance the industry.
WASHINGTON — September 9, 2024 — The nation’s major container ports are expected to see another busy month in September ahead of a potential labor strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
“This is a critical time as retailers prepare for the all-important holiday season, and we need every port in the country working at full capacity,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Many retailers have brought cargo in early and shifted to alternate ports as a precaution, but it is vital that labor and management at the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports actually sit down at the negotiating table and bargain in good faith for a new contract so we can avoid a disruption of any kind when their contract expires. A strike would be another blow to the supply chain as it continues to face challenges, and to the nation’s economy at a time when inflation is finally coming down and the Fed is poised to lower interest rates.”
The contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance covering East and Gulf Coast ports is set to expire on September 30. The ILA has continued to threaten to strike if a new contract is not reached by then. NRF last week renewed its call for both sides to come to an agreement before the contract expires, with NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay saying a disruption “would significantly impact retailers, consumers and the economy.”
“Import levels are being impacted by concerns about the potential East and Gulf Coast port strike,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. “This has caused some cargo owners to bring forward shipments, bumping up June-through-September imports. In addition, some importers are weighing the decision to bring forward some goods, particularly from China, that could be impacted by rising tariffs following the election.”
U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.32 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units — one 20-foot container or its equivalent — in July, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was up 8.1 percent from June and up 21 percent year over year for the highest July on record. Ports have not yet reported August’s numbers, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 2.37 million TEU, up 20.9 percent year over year and the highest level since the record of 2.4 million TEU set in May 2022.
September is forecast at 2.31 million TEU, up 14% year over year; October at 2.08 million TEU, up 1.3 percent; November at 1.92 million TEU, up 1.6 percent, and December at 1.89 million TEU, up 0.9 percent. That would bring 2024 to 24.98 million TEU, up 12.3 percent from 2023. The first half of 2024 totaled 12.1 million TEU, up 14.8 percent over the same period in 2023.
If the forecasts prove correct, 2024 will have seen a seven-month stretch of import levels at or above 2 million TEU, the longest since a 19-month stretch through September 2022. January 2025 is forecast at 1.96 million TEU, down 0.3 percent year over year.
The import numbers come as NRF is forecasting that 2024 retail sales — excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail — will grow between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent over 2023.
CLEVELAND — September 9, 2024 — Avient Corp., a provider of specialized and sustainable materials solutions and services, today announced the addition of MagnaPrint™ Hybrid Fusion Vibrant White to its MagnaColours™ portfolio of inks for the textile industry. This new ink offers screen printers a sustainable, water-based solution for digital hybrid printing, featuring an impressive cure profile and eliminating the need for a topcoat.
“MagnaPrint Hybrid Fusion Vibrant White is an exciting, PVC-free addition to the MagnaColours portfolio, offering a curing time that is half as long as the leading competitor’s water-based ink,” said Jake Ojeda, Global Marketing director and Americas sales director, Color, Additives, and Inks at Avient. “This efficiency not only allows for reduced energy consumption during printing but also enhances overall throughput, giving printers even more versatility in achieving their screen printing sustainability goals.”
Hybrid screen printing, also called digital hybrid screen printing, combines traditional screen printing with digital printing technology. This method is versatile and suitable for printing on various fabric types for a wide range of screen printing projects. MagnaPrint Hybrid Fusion Vibrant White offers a flexible, soft, high-opacity, water-based ink printing experience that can be used as a base for hybrid digital screen printing systems. This ink provides impeccable detail, vibrancy, and strong wash fastness without needing a topcoat or additives.
MagnaPrint Hybrid Fusion Vibrant White is certified to ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® with ZDHC Conformance Level 3 and GOTS approval and is now available from MagnaColours distributors.
MEMPHIS — September 9, 2025 — Citing worsening economic conditions impacting the nation’s farmers, the National Cotton Council led an effort that resulted in over 300 national and state groups sending a letter to congressional leaders today calling on them to pass the farm bill before year’s end.
Signatories included groups representing farmers, livestock and specialty crop producers, lenders and other essential stakeholders in agricultural communities across the U.S. Commodity and lending groups will head to the Capitol en masse this week to advocate for passage of the legislation with a stronger agricultural safety net.
“It is critical that Congress pass a new farm bill that strengthens the safety net as many producers are facing multiple years of not being profitable, and this is causing their overall financial situation to deteriorate,” the letter said. “Some will have challenges as they seek operating credit for the 2025 crop year.”
The farm bill is typically passed every five years and supports the nation’s farmers, ranchers and forest stewards through a variety of safety net, credit, conservation and other critical programs. The law was originally scheduled for reauthorization in 2023. Last November, Congress voted to extend the existing legislation to September 30, 2024. Since that point, the leadership from both parties on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees have worked to push the legislation forward.
As the farm bill has faced delays, producers across the country have experienced headwinds, ranging from extreme weather to high input costs to uncertain global demand to supply chain disruptions.
Since the beginning of the year, the harvest price of major crops traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Intercontinental Exchange have fallen by an average of 21% while total production costs remain near record levels.
Farmers and their allies say these challenges have exposed areas of the farm bill that need to be strengthened.
“Since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law, we have realized considerable gaps in the farm safety net due to sharply changing conditions, including the trade war with China, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 and related supply chain challenges, rising foreign subsidies, tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and other harmful practices,” the letter said. “These conditions seriously tested the effectiveness of the 2018 Farm Bill, and it was only by the aggressive use of supplemental assistance that many farms survived.”
The letter noted that the outlook for farm country is even more daunting, as the USDA-projected market prices for the 2024 crop are well below costs of production, and current projections paint another bleak picture for 2025.
“The farm bill reauthorization provides an opportunity for Congress to address serious challenges in agriculture,” the letter said. “A durable farm safety net, along with risk management tools like a strong federal crop insurance program, voluntary and locally led incentive-based conservation programs, and enhanced international marketing and promotion programs, will be critical in shoring up America’s farm families and rural communities, which otherwise face an uncertain — and potentially calamitous — future.”
ST. GALLEN, Switzerland — September 9, 2024 — Storm Creek, an innovator in sustainable apparel within the promotional products industry, is proud to announce its official partnership with bluesign® as a system partner. This partnership marks a significant milestone, as Storm Creek becomes the first promotional products brand to join the bluesign system, setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry.
As part of this commitment, Storm Creek has pledged to use only bluesign® Approved fabrics by 2025. Their upcoming 2025 product catalog will already feature a range of products made with bluesign certified fabrics, demonstrating their dedication to reducing environmental impact and promoting safe, responsible production practices.
“This partnership takes our already strong commitment to sustainability to the next level,” said Doug Jackson, Storm Creek founder and president. “Our aim is to inspire and educate promotional products distributors to sell sustainably and increase the impact their end buyers can have. Storm Creek is proud to set the standard for the promo industry.”
Storm Creek’s partnership with bluesign aligns with their mission to deliver high-performance, sustainable apparel while minimizing environmental impact. By adhering to the rigorous standards set by bluesign, Storm Creek is not only ensuring the safety and sustainability of its products but also leading the charge in transforming the promotional products industry.
“We are thrilled to welcome Storm Creek as a promotional products brand to join the bluesign System,” said Daniel Rüfenacht, CEO of bluesign technologies ag. “Their commitment to using 100 percent bluesign-approved fabrics by 2025 is a bold and commendable step towards a more sustainable future. Storm Creek’s leadership in this area sets an inspiring example for the entire promotional products industry.”
CAESAREA, Israel — September 9, 2024 — Delta Galil Industries Ltd. — the global manufacturer and marketer of branded and private label intimate, activewear, loungewear and denim apparel for ladies, men and children — today announced the appointment of Yaniv Benedek as CFO effective October 9, 2024. Benedek, who joined the company in 2011, most recently served as CFO of Delta Israel Brands.
“Yaniv’s financial and management experience and success in driving the growth of our Delta Israel Brands business have prepared him exceedingly well for the role of CFO of Delta Galil Industries,” said Isaac Dabah, CEO of Delta Galil Industries. “We’re pleased to appoint a talented leader who has grown within the company and are confident his knowledge, track record and leadership capability will enable him to help guide our business to new heights.”
Benedek brings global experience across due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, strategic business development, and the establishment of new business initiatives to his new role. He initially joined Delta Galil in 2011 as an accountant and has held several key positions during his tenure, including vice president of Global Taxation and company secretary. He was promoted to CFO of Delta Israel Brands in 2021, when that company went public, to manage its financial system, spearhead business development, maintain investor relations and coordinate activities with the board of directors.
