[TC]² Bi-Weekly Technology Communicator
Intro to Apparel Manufacturing Seminar
[TC]², Cary, NC - September 17-21
Seats Still Available!
[TC]²’s Intro to Apparel Manufacturing course offers an overview of the entire manufacturing process from fibers to the finished product. Featured topics include: textile fundamentals, fiber formation and fabric design, fabric characteristics, material utilization, spreading and cutting theories, and much more. Key apparel terms and concepts are explained, along with standard terminologies for seam and stitch formations.
Join other industry professionals in this popular and informative program. To register or for more information, click here.
Pattern Development Seminar
October 9-11
Pattern Development is a comprehensive course guiding each participant through the basics of developing patterns and applying grade rules.
Introductory principles of fit, pattern development, and marker making are featured. Hands-on activities include flat pattern manipulations, fabric critique, and garment investigation.
The instructor, Elizabeth White, shares: “The course is designed for beginning patternmakers and others who need to understand basic patternmaking theory and techniques. Flat pattern and drafting exercises comprise the majority of seminar time.”
Grading for Fit Seminar – November 14-16. This 3-day course provides basic principles of fit and grading. Proper grading ensures good fit of a manufactured garment. Hands-on projects include deriving grade rules and manual grading of basic garments.
For complete course descriptions please go to: http://www.tc2.com/what/seminars.html.
To register, or for more information, click here.
Prospects for Conducting Business in Guatemala
Part 1
By Kim Anderson, [TC]²
In 2005, Guatemala became the third country after El Salvador and Honduras to approve legislation implementing the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The geographical location of Guatemala allows for relatively quick turnaround on apparel products—but is Guatemala equipped with the necessary tools to accommodate the voracious U.S. appetite for clothing products? A two part series will take a closer look inside Guatemala’s textile and apparel industries and evaluate the opportunities, weaknesses and potential threats of doing business in Guatemala.
Guatemala
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gt.html
Guatemala is known for its coffee, sugarcane, and bananas. Although relatively small, it also has a growing and increasingly important textile and clothing component to its economy. In 2004, Guatemala exported $1.96 million worth of clothing to the U.S. In fact, Guatemala has more companies dedicated to the production of textiles and clothing than any other Central American country and the U.S. is its leading customer—in 2004 the U.S. imported 94.1% of Guatemala’s clothing exports.
Labor Force
Guatemala has a readily available labor force, 70% of the population is less than 30 years old and the literacy rate is 65%. Due to the country’s rough terrain, a large portion of the population live in the capital, Guatemala City, or the surrounding areas. The manufacturers in Guatemala City employ 39% of all textile and clothing workers in the country. Eighty-seven percent of the textile and clothing firms are based in and around Guatemala City.
The textile, clothing and related accessory and services industries employ 146,772 people, which represents about 73.5% of the people employed in a manufacturing industry. Of the 146,772 people, 77.2% are employed in clothing factories and 12.6% in textile plants. Under Guatemalan labor legislation the standard working week is 44 hours for day shifts and 36 hours for night shifts. By law the average minimum wage is $4.27 per day. According to the US International Trade Commission published in 2003, the average hourly wage was $1.49. The average monthly wage for a sewing operator is $200. Maternity leave is 84 days.
Weather
Guatemala is susceptible to serious natural disasters. There are numerous volcanoes in the mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes. The Caribbean coast is often threatened with hurricanes and tropical storms.
Member Profile - Apparel Magazine
By Karen Davis, [TC]²
Apparel Magazine, an Edgell Communications publication, provides technology and business insight – from concept to consumer – to leading apparel brands, retailers and manufacturers. In addition to publishing monthly, Apparel hosts industry conferences including the Apparel Sourcing Summit at MAGIC, the Apparel Executive Forum, and the Apparel Tech Conference. Apparel also conducts educational web seminars and produces an e-newsletter, apparelmag.com and a variety of research reports and studies.
For more than two decades, Edgell Communications has delivered quality, targeted content to a quality, targeted audience. Its print [magazines and print extensions] include: RIS News, Consumer Goods Technology, Hospitality Technology, Vertical Systems Reseller, Apparel and Mobile Enterprise. Apparel has been published continuously for 48 years, and was previously named Bobbin.
The 2007 Apparel Tech Conference, to be held November 7-8 at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, will feature two keynote presentations from industry thought-leaders, plus more than 30 educational sessions over a 2-day period. Content focus includes: Design and Product Development; Manufacturing; Information Technology; Sourcing, Logistics, Transportation; and Retailing. The opening keynote presentation will be “Apparel Retail 2010: How IT Will Drive a Better Consumer Experience,” by Janet Suleski, Senior Research Analyst, AMR Research Inc. The second keynote will be a panel moderated by Dr. Michael Fralix, President and CEO of [TC]², on “Top Apparel Tech Strategies.” Panelists will include Paul Lanham, Former CTO & EVP, Jones Apparel Group; Jay Scussel, SVP of MIS, Goody’s Family Clothing; Philip Giusto, CIO dressbarn; and Martin Schneider, VP, Global Business Technology & CIO, VF Corporation.
Leading vendors will exhibit at tabletops both days of the conference, previewing new solutions, products and services designed to drive apparel and retail companies’ competitiveness.
Susan Black, publisher of Apparel Magazine, comments, “I highly recommend The Apparel Tech Conference for those executives who want to stay abreast of how major technologies are helping companies in our industry succeed. The format is very conducive to meeting one-on-one with our industry’s leading vendors and to informally network with industry peers.”
For more information on the 2007 Apparel Tech Conference, to subscribe to the Apparel Magazine, sign up for Apparel’s newsletter, or for general information, visit www.apparelmag.com.
Material World New York
Material World New York Announces The Ultimate Sourcing Solution:
Global Matchmaking @ Material World
Taking advantage of the unparalleled scope of international garment producing and fabric resources exhibiting in the New York edition of Material World this September, registered attendees will now be able to match their needs directly with suppliers prior to stepping onto the Material World show floor. By simply completing the online Ultimate Sourcing Solution form, registered attendees will receive a comprehensive list of appropriate sourcing opportunities exhibiting at Material World, September 25-27, 2007; matching their needs by production and/or fabric category and geography. As the leader of bringing sourcing managers and fabric purchasers together with the best suppliers from around the world, Material World continues to be the leader in the most important aspect of industry trade events: commerce.
For more information, visit www.material-world.com or click here to register for the September 2007 event.
23rd IAF World Apparel Convention to be Held in Taipei: October 24 – 26, 2007
Zeist, The Netherlands - The Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF) takes pleasure in hosting the 23rd IAF World Apparel Convention in Taipei (October 24~26, 2007). This year, the convention will focus on the theme of “Asia: An Emerging Consumer Market from Global Production Base.” There are four sessions to be presented under the theme, including Trade Liberalization vs. Barriers, Asia Market: Risks & Opportunities, Capacity Growth vs. Profitability, and Technological Development and it’s Application to Production and Marketing.
The intent of this forum is to provide the apparel chain with an inside look at what is happening in Asia, and particularly how the rapid growth of Asian markets are affecting current global trade policy of the apparel industry. These areas are becoming more and more critical in sourcing decisions.
TTF will also be hosting an exclusive and unprecedented IAF Designer Award 2007 on October 25th. For the first time in history, this event will take place in the form of a Fashion Runway Show in front of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
For further details concerning the IAF World Apparel Convention, including the agenda, visit the special convention website: www.iaf2007.com.tw or the IAF website: www.iafnet.com.
For more information please contact Nadia van Staden, vanstaden@iafnet.com International Apparel Federation, P.O.Box 428, 3700 AK Zeist, The Netherlands Tel +31 30 232 0908, Fax +31 30 232 0919
Important Dates
September
17-21 |
Intro to Apparel Manufacturing; Seminar at [TC]². For more details, click here. |
21-22 |
SEAMS Fall Meeting at [TC]². For details, visit www.seams.org. |
25-27 |
Material World, Jacob Javits Center, New York. For more details visit www.material-world.com. Visit [TC]² at Booth 838. |
October
2 |
[TC]² Board of Directors Meeting, Cary, NC |
7-9 |
Apparel Executive Forum, Key Biscayne, FL. For details visit www.apparelmag.com. |
9-11 |
Pattern Development Seminar at [TC]². For more details, click here. |
16 |
Sewability: Sewing Quality Improvement. Seminar at [TC]². For more details, click here. |
16-18 |
Pattern Making with Telestia Workshop, for more information click here.(PDF) |
18-19 |
Ergonomics: Create a Program. Seminar at [TC]². For more details, click here. |
24-26 |
23rd IAF World Apparel Convention, Taipei, Taiwan. For information, go to www.iaf2007.com.tw. |
For detailed information about industry events, visit www.techexchange.com
Thanks to the techexchange site sponsors
Apparel Magazine, Gerber Technology, Lawson, Lectra, Methods Workshop and Reach Technologies.
A Look Ahead in the Newsletter
Material World
SEAMS Fall Meeting
View previous editions of this newsletter
[TC]²
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Phone: 919-380-2156
Fax: 919-380-2181
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