The Calida Group, Switzerland, recently acquired Miami-based lingerie and loungewear brand Cosabella for $80 million including earn out. The family-owned business, managed by the second-generation, employs 50 people and generated sales totaling $29 million in 2021. The Calida Group hopes the acquisition will help pave the way for its Calida and Aubade brands to enter the U.S. market, and also will unlock Cosabella’s growth potential in both the United States and Europe.
“With the acquisition of the strong e-commerce brand Cosabella, we continue focusing
the Calida Group on its core segment while simultaneously enhancing its online growth,” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, chairman of the board of directors of the Calida Group.
Centric Brands LLC, New York City, reports it has acquired Daytona Apparel Group’s Hosiery Division. Daytona — a portfolio of retail brands owned by Windsong Brands — will continue to independently operate its other categories. According to Centric, the purchase expands its “retailer relationships and its private label and licensed businesses,” as well as adds license agreements with Stanley, Free Country, Real Tree and Umbro.
“Our scale and competitive edge in the accessories marketplace benefits from this transaction,” said Jason Rabin, CEO of Centric Brands.
New York City-based G-III Apparel Group Ltd. — which currently owns 19 percent of the fashion brand Karl Lagerfeld — has entered into an agreement to purchase the remaining 81-percent interest in brand for 200 million euros (approximately $210 million) in cash from a group of private and public investors.
“This transaction marks yet another significant milestone for G-III,” said Morris Goldfarb, G-III’s chairman and CEO. “Since acquiring a stake in the brand in 2015, G-III has built Karl Lagerfeld into an important and rapidly growing part of our North American business. Fully owning this visionary brand is a continuation of our successful partnership with the Karl Lagerfeld management team.”
TSG Finishing LLC, Devon, Pa., has started phase one of a modernization project to update its primary finishing equipment, which includes seven tenter frames. The company cites newer technologies for improved quality, efficiencies and safety as reasons for the upgrades. Phase one includes a tenter from South Korea-based Ehwha for its synthetics plant in Hickory, N.C., which should be installed beginning late summer.
“We vetted almost every tenter manufacturer and decided that Ehwha was the best fit for the wide variety of textiles we process on a daily basis,” said Michael Goldman, president. “In recent years, TSG has had to design numerous textile coating and handling methods, all of which must be retrofitted to one of our exiting tenters. This new piece of equipment will allow us to further expand our technical abilities and entertain programs that we currently cannot handle.”
St. Louis-based Baldwin Technology Co. Inc. recently completed the installation of a TexCoat G4 finishing system at Graniteville Specialty Fabrics, Graniteville, S.C. The coated fabrics producer selected the TexCoat G4 as part of a major facility upgrade.
“Anytime you change from a traditional process like padding, it is human nature to be a little skeptical,” said Doug Johnson, executive vice president of Development and Technical Services, Graniteville Specialty Fabrics. “Baldwin organized production-scale trials for us at a nearby TexCoat-equipped factory. We took the finished fabric and scrutinized the look and feel, and performed a battery of tests in our lab to American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists spray-rating and hydrostatic-head standards. The results were impressive.”
In other Baldwin news, the company recently partnered with the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE) at North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, Raleigh, N.C. The university now houses a TexCoat G4 in its dyeing and finishing lab that can be used as a pilot lab to test processes and products at industry scale. ZTE’s labs employ student workers who also can use the equipment for their capstone and research projects.
Monique Buch was named vice president, Global Nonwovens Business, for Austria-based Lenzing Group.
Austria-based Borealis has appointed Mirjam Mayer vice president of Polyolefins Transformation. She is responsible for leading the Borealis Polyolefins, Innovation & Technology and Circular Economy Solutions initiatives.
Toronto-based Canada Goose Holdings Inc. named Carrie Baker president.
Jeff Tsacoumangos
Culp Inc., High Point, N.C., promoted Jeff Tsacoumangos to Divisional COO for the company’s mattress fabrics division Culp Home Fashions.
Mathieu St-Arnaud Lavoie was named executive director of Montreal-based mmode, the Metropolitan Fashion Cluster.
John S. Madej has joined Web Industries Inc., Marlborough, Mass., as president. He reports to CEO Mark Pihl.
Denim and sportswear brand True Religion named Scott McCabe senior vice president, Ecommerce.
Cocona Labs, Boulder, Colo., recently announced Wes Burgess as chief product officer.
Ari Gasner
Ari Gasner has joined Hudson, N.C.-based Sattler® Outdura®, a division of The
Sattler Group, in sales for Outdura Contract.
Putnam, Conn.-based Dimension-Polyant has hired Jonathan Mersereau as the sales manager for its X-Pac® waterproof laminates.
Dearborn, Mich.-based Carhartt has promoted Katrina Agusti to chief information officer.
Dwayne Miller was appointed CFO of Techmer PM LLC, Clinton, Tenn.
Greenville, S.C.-based Delta Apparel Inc. has added Sonya E. Medina to its board of directors.
England-based PPT Group UK has promoted Neil Pryke managing director. The new role covers PPT Group companies James Heal and Mecmesin.
HanesBrands, Winston-Salem, N.C., has appointed Vanessa LeFebvre president of Global Activewear. In this role, she will drive growth for the Champion brand.
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing® (IACMI), Knoxville, Tenn., has named Dale Brosius interim CEO.
Dr. Janpeter Horn, managing director of August Herzog Maschinenfabrik, was named the new chairperson of the Germany-based VDMA Textile Machinery Association. The group also elected Regina Brückner, managing associate of Brückner Trockentechnik, and Verena Thies, managing shareholder of Thies Textilmaschinen, vice chairpersons.
Tom Doerr was named executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Kontoor Brands Inc., Greensboro, N.C. The company also appointed MameAnnan-Brown global head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).
Wise
Henderson T. Wise was promoted to president and CEO of A.B. Carter Inc., Gastonia, N.C.
Bedding manufacturer American Textile Co. (ATC), Duquesne, Pa., promoted Karen Rocco from vice president of finance to CFO. She is the company’s first female CFO and replaces John Riccio who retired after almost 30 years with ATC.
Chris Heard was promoted to president and CEO of Sage Automotive Interiors, Greenville, S.C. Former company president Dirk Pieper has transitioned to chairman of the board for Sage and a lead executive officer for Asahi Kasei, Sage’s parent company.
Russell E. Toney was elected to the board of directors at Albany International Corp., Rochester, N.H.
Boston-based BRUNT Workwear named Kevin Eskridge president.
Butler
Scott Butler has returned to Jones Family of Companies, Humboldt, Tenn., as COO. Butler is a third-generation employee who worked for the company from 1992 until 2018 before leaving for personal reasons.
Donna Anderson was promoted to vice president of finance for Nester Hosiery, Mt. Airy, N.C.
Under Armour Inc. CEO and member of the board Patrik Frisk will step down effective June 1. Company COO Colin Browne has been appointed interim president and CEO until the board identifies and names a successor. To support the transition, Frisk will remain with the company until September 1 in an advisory role.
Cone Denim®, Greensboro, N.C., has added Mental Health Awareness Selvage Denim to its Cone® Community Collection. The fabric, supporting Mental Health Awareness Month, features a bright Distilled Indigo™ shade and a green selvage ID.
Heathcoat Fabrics, England, was recognized with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation for its high-performance DecelAir Superlight parachute fabric that helped deliver NASA’s Perseverance Rover onto the surface of Mars.
TREW, Portland, Ore., has introduced a line of Nuyarn merino wool T-shirts.
DNA Technical Fabrics, Columbus, Ga., recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.
The Belgium-based European Committee Of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) has introduced an online business platform for ITMA 2023 participants. ITMAconnect complements the 2023 exhibition to be held June 8-14, 2023, in Milan, and enables exhibitors and visitors to build connections and source technologies prior to the show.
Brenntag, Reading, Pa., is now a distributor for Archroma products in the United States and Canada.
weaveRIGHT® Technology has licensed its patented weaving process to Standard Fiber, which now has the rights to develop and distribute bath products made using the technology to home retail and hospitality markets.
Delta Galil Industries Ltd., Israel, and adidas have launched a full-range Spring/Summer 2022 collection of underwear for adidas Originals and Badge of Sport.
Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, S.C., was named to the Forbes Best Employers for Diversity list for 2022. The company also recently published its fourth annual Sustainability Report, which includes progress towards its 2025 Sustainability Goals.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Elevate Textiles — comprised of American & Efird, Burlington, Cone Denim, Gütermann and Safety Components — recently issued its 2022 Sustainability Report. The report includes actions to advance its commitments and updates to the company’s 2025 Sustainability Goals, as well as progress on its Ten Threads of Sustainability.
The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), Cary, N.C., recently published the 9th edition of its North American Nonwovens Supply Report. The 75-page report, supplied to INDA member companies and associates, includes 36 figures and 11 tables.
Italy-based ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, has unveiled a new corporate identity. The association’s logo, website and brand book all feature new designs.
England-based workwear textile manufacturer Carrington Textiles recently received Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR) accreditation. This compliance system for suppliers to the defense, aerospace and security industries acts as a single source for pre-qualification and compliance information to improve efficiency of both the supplier and buyer communities.
San Francisco-based GAP Inc. recently issued its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. The report includes progress that the company and its brands — Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta — have made toward building a more sustainable and inclusive business.
Austria-based Zimmer Austria recently sold a Modus Loop Steamer to FlagSource, J.C.Schultz Enterprises in Batavia, Ill. FlagSource will use the steamer to finish digitally printed nylon flag material for its high-quality flag products.
England-based Sun Chemical has introduced ElvaJet Onyx SB sublimation ink for
digital textile printing.
Japan-based YKK Corp. has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network.
Glen Raven, N.C.-based Sunbrella® recently released its first ever Marine Trends Report. This insight tool for fabricators and manufacturers details influences defining new looks and feels in marine upholstery.
VitroLabs’ cell-cultivated leather offers an environmentally- and animal-friendly alternative to traditional leather.
By Rachael S. Davis, Executive Editor
Many man-made leather alternatives can lack the lasting, high-quality found in real leather and aren’t necessarily much more environmentally friendly than leather processing — an energy and water intensive processes that consumes many chemicals. There are companies in the marketplace working on plant-based leather alternatives and interest is picking up in such products.
One company new on the scene, VitroLabs, Milpitas, Calif., has entered the arena with a completely different approach. Aiming to design animal farming out of leather production, VitroLabs has engineered a cell-cultivated product that begins with a cow biopsy to harvest just a few cells. Using a specialized bioreactor along with the right nutrients and signals, those few seed cells become an animal hide in just a few weeks. That hide can then move straight to the tanning process, significantly reducing the environmental impact. The process is also much more favorable for animal welfare.
According to the company, those seed cells can be turned into billions of square feet of leather by reproducing the natural conditions required for those skin cells to regenerate indefinitely. The finished material contains a variety of proteins that are needed to produce a durable product with the luxurious finish and complexity of traditional hides.
“At a time when environmental stewardship is more important than ever, biotech companies have the opportunity to lead the way in changing how we produce materials and build supply chains, working hand in hand with existing artisans and craftspeople who are the cornerstone of the $400 billion leather goods industry,” said VitroLabs Co-Founder and CEO Ingvar Helgason. “By launching the first production of cultivated leather, we’ll hit a major milestone in fulfilling our mission to lead the shift towards a more sustainable future.”
Last fall, VitroLabs moved into a new facility designed for pilot production and featuring laboratory space. The company also recently raised $46 million in Series A financing that will help build and scale the pilot production facility. The funding was led by Agronomics, with Bestseller’s Invest FWD, Kering, Khosla Ventures, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, New Agrarian and Regeneration.VC also contributing.
“At Regeneration.VC, we view break-through applications of synthetic biology like VitroLabs as crucial to reimagining environmentally degrading materials like conventional leather,” said Michael Smith, general partner, Regeneration.VC. “There are near term shifts to enable the scaling of bioreactors along with improvements in growth media that point to the possibility of scaled production and significant margin potential in SynBio. We see a multi-billion-dollar opportunity to displace traditional leather supply chains. With a mission-aligned ecosystem of brands, manufacturers, and consumers, VitroLabs will leverage proprietary technology to unlock a next-generation material.”
“There has been an explosion of companies that are developing alternative materials to leather,” Helgason noted. “However at VitroLabs, our cultivated animal leather preserves the biological characteristics that the industry, craftsmen, and consumers know and love about leather, while eliminating the most environmentally and ethically detrimental aspects of the conventional leather manufacturing process associated with its sourcing.”
For more information about VitroLabs alternative leather material, contact Ingvar Helgason, hello@vitrolabsinc.com; VitroLabsInc.com.
For more information on potential investment, contact info@regeneration.vc; regeneration.vc.
WASHINGTON — June 8, 2022 — The National Retail Federation (NRF) today announced it is launching the second phase of a seven-figure advocacy campaign with broadcast, digital and out-of-home advertising, urging the Biden administration to repeal tariffs on goods from China to lower costs for businesses and consumers who are being severely impacted by inflation. The ad campaign includes a 30-second television spot called “Lower Inflation Now by Repealing Tariffs.”
“No one is closer to the consumer than the retail industry, and retailers are doing everything they can to keep prices down despite the economic pressures of high inflation,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “We began a grassroots effort months ago and are now expanding our efforts with an ad campaign because the urgency for action grows each day.”
“We encourage the administration to work with our trading partners, particularly China, to roll back tariffs that contribute to the high cost of goods and services and provide much-needed relief for American consumers,” Shay said. “Tariffs are among the many costs out of retailers’ control that drive up prices paid by consumers. But unlike other costs, the administration can eliminate tariffs with the stroke of a pen.”
NRF’s new ad campaign builds on the organization’s advocacy efforts encouraging the administration to lower or eliminate tariffs that have cost U.S. importers $136.5 billion since 2018 and cost the average American household more than $1,200 a year.
NRF is also urging Congress to address the nation’s labor shortage and supply chain crisis as additional concrete solutions to lower inflation.
“While change takes time, repealing and lowering tariffs will help relieve pressure on American consumers,” Shay said. “We know this is only one of the solutions under consideration to rein in skyrocketing prices but we urge the administration to prioritize the repeal of tariffs.”
NRF’s Lower Inflation Now grassroots campaign began in April and has called on President Biden and Congress to make everyday necessities more affordable by repealing the China tariffs, easing the supply chain crisis by passing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, addressing the labor shortage by enacting immigration reform and lowering the cost to process transactions by increasing competition in the payments system.
ISSAQUAH, Wash. — June 7, 2022 — SanMar Corp., a supplier of wholesale accessories and apparel, today joined Vice President Kamala Harris’ Call to Action initiative, a multi-industry effort that has announced new commitments of $1.9 billion in new private-sector investments in Central America.
In May 2021, the Vice President launched the Call to Action for businesses and social enterprises to make major commitments to promote economic opportunity for people in Central America, as part of the current administration’s Strategy to Address the Root Causes of Migration.
The announcement from the Vice President builds on 2021’s foundation of more than $1.2 billion in private-sector commitments, bringing total investments for Call to Action to $3.2 billion. The initiative will be deployed to build greater opportunities and support better livelihoods for the people in this region, with a focus on enhancing employment opportunities for women.
“We are honored to join Vice President Harris’ Call to Action initiative,” said Jeremy Lott, CEO of SanMar. “We are thrilled to invest alongside like-minded partners and smart policymakers to grow our commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we do business.”
SanMar’s investments in Central America bolster the sourcing strategy that allows the company to deliver value to customers, maintain product inventory levels and support jobs in the United States. At the same time, the company’s regional operations strive to empower women in the workforce as another avenue of bolstering local economies.
“SanMar’s dedication to our communities doesn’t stop at the border,” said Melissa Nelson, general counsel at SanMar. “When we invest in Central America, we invest in a cycle that benefits everyone, bringing much-needed employment and economic growth that elevates lives across the region.”
The company’s investment in Vice President Harris’ Call to Action will also diminish its environment footprint through enhanced sustainability practices. For example, shipping a container from Central America to the United States versus from China can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent.
Learn how SanMar is writing the next chapter of the apparel industry at Canvas for Good.
