[TC]² Bi-Weekly Technology Communicator
May Seminar Offerings at [TC]²
Register Now!
May 1 – Accurate Costing to Build a Profitable Supply Chain
Attend this seminar to get the best price on an apparel product. Whether buying or selling you will be able to make better informed decisions. The cost of a sewn product drives decisions at both the Manufacturing and Retail end of the supply chain. The common understanding derived from this seminar should help create contracts and partnerships that are beneficial, in the short and long term, to all parties involved.
May 7 – Supply Chain Management
In today's environment of demanding and discerning consumers, the process of delivering products through the soft goods supply chain can be improved and the time shortened with new analysis tools and techniques. In this seminar, the attendees will have the opportunity to see the dramatic results achieved through case studies and collaborative supply chain models.
May 21-22 – Ensuring Quality Products by Integrating Sewability Factors and Quality Anaylsis Techniques
The desired end results of garment manufacturing are acceptable appearance and durability. Many facets of each of these aspects are directly related to the combination of appropriate fabric pieces cut from correctly designed patterns, finally assembled to specification using the correct seams and stitches. The techniques used to identify and correct problems throughout the process are of equal importance.
The seminars will be presented at [TC]²’s new facility at 5651 Dillard Drive, Cary, NC.
For additional information or to register, contact Elizabeth Salisbury at 919.653.3507, or use this contact form.
To download or print a copy of [TC]²’s seminar offerings for 2008, click here (pdf).
[TC]² Relocates
[TC]² has successfully moved to its new location at 5651 Dillard Drive, Cary, NC 27518. Telephone numbers will remain the same
(main number 919.380.2156), and one fax number will be utilized by all departments – 919.380.2181.
The new facility is 22,000 sq. ft. containing a large conference room area, two smaller meeting/workrooms, a computer training classroom, the demonstration center, and technology development lab areas, in addition to office space for 35 staff members. We welcome all who are traveling to North Carolina to arrange a tour.
Apparel Companies Pursue Green Strategies with a Vengeance
By Kim Anderson, [TC]²
To keep up with global demand, textile and apparel production has been growing at an accelerated rate. As production has increased, the negative impact on the environment has increased. Environmental issues arise at every stage of the textile and apparel supply chain, therefore green strategies can be implemented anywhere, including the processing of raw materials, yarn and fabric formation, dyeing and finishing, apparel assembly, distribution, consumption and maintenance or disposal. As public awareness concerning the environment grows, many apparel companies have begun to implement green strategies.
Few companies really know how big their carbon footprint is and there is no universal standard for measuring it. Since many apparel companies have numerous suppliers from different regions, measuring their carbon footprint is challenging. Regardless of these difficulties some companies are making strides.
INTERFACE
Interface is a large U.S. based company that produces carpet tiles. When Interface was founded in the early 1970’s its environmental policy was to comply with the law. Driven by consumers’ concerns about the environment the company’s CEO, Ray Anderson, vowed to eradicate Interface’s environmental footprint—a daunting task for a business that is dependent on fossil fuels. Today, Interface defines environmental sustainability as “take nothing from the earth that is not rapidly and naturally renewable and do no harm to the biosphere”—a bold and aggressive mission.
Since1994, Interface has cut its dependence on fossil fuel by 45% and its water and landfill use by 80%. Interface’s sustainability efforts saved 60 million dollars in the first 3 years and more than 300 million in approximately fourteen years. Interface is focused on achieving a closed loop production—a strategy explained in Paul Hawken’s 1999 book Natural Capitalism. The strategy is a production model which seeks to emulate nature—where waste from any system provides food for another.
AMERICAN APPAREL
American Apparel, located in Los Angeles, is known for producing quality T-shirts domestically, offering competitive pay and great employee benefits. The company has also steadily been devising ways to reduce their negative ecological impact. In the operations area, American Apparel has focused on waste reduction and prevention and recycling. To increase energy efficiency they are utilizing a sustainable technology known as daylight harvesting—using daylight as a primary source for illumination to support human activity. The technology has also been shown to have a positive effect on employee’s attitudes.
GAP
The Gap, based in San Francisco, California, has control over only a small part of its supply chain, namely the retail store. However, the Gap is second only to Nike in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The Gap exerts influence on its suppliers all along the supply chain from raw materials, fabric and garment assembly by encouraging them to conserve energy and reduce waste. In 2005 the Gap joined the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a collaborative global process that promotes sustainable cotton cultivation.
In the last three years the company has reduced energy usage in its U.S. stores by 8.7%. The management is also exploring the potential for sustainable design in its products and buildings.
PATAGONIA
Patagonia, a U.S. based company and manufacturer of clothing and sportswear, incorporates sustainable strategies at the very beginning—in the development stage. Its mission is “To make the best product, cause no unnecessary harm and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
Concern for the environment is not a new issue for Patagonia. In 1985, the company set up the Environmental Grants Program and committed 10% of its pre-taxed profits to grassroots environmental groups. Since 1985 Patagonia has contributed over 29 million in cash and in-kind donations to environmental activists.
Increasing pollution, shortages of clean water, depletion of fossil fuels and raw materials and climate change are issues of concern. However, the trend toward sustainability is unlikely to be led by the consumer. A recent Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor reported that being environmental friendly is the least important factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase apparel. Fortunately, innovative textile and apparel companies are taking the lead and diligently enacting aggressive sustainable business practices.
Reference:
“Green Textiles and Apparel: Environmental Impact and Strategies for Improvement.” Textile Outlook International. November-December 2007.
[TC]² Activity
Material World and Technology Solutions in Miami
By Jim Lovejoy, [TC]²
Last week in Miami Beach the industry gathered to network and seek out sources for materials and technology solutions. The highlights noted by the [TC]² staff that attended were:
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The shows’ attendees took advantage of the numerous seminars. Of particular interest was the “Sourcing Solutions for Small Manufacturers” seminar with a standing room crowd. Susan Power from Gibbs/RAGG talked about the things to know when sourcing fabric. John Anderson from the Textile Technology Center presented the extensive testing capabilities available at the TTC in Belmont, NC. SEAMS, an association of USA manufacturers and contractors, was mentioned as a good place to find smaller companies willing to help with a variety of services. Roy Rosenthal from Textile Industry Affairs presented a new guide to common care label requirements.
The weather was pleasant in Miami and despite the airline safety check issues, our group made it home on schedule.
Member Profile
By Karen Davis, [TC]²
Siemens Product Lifecycle Management software provides tailored IT solutions to enable efficient collaboration with networked partners, suppliers and customers from product development right through to recycling or reuse. PLM extends the scope and technical framework of the traditional product data management approach to cover the entire product lifecycle. It provides for web-based cooperation between all businesses including softlines, footwear, hardlines and accessories.
Siemens PLM Software solutions enable apparel manufacturers and retailers to rapidly react to rising consumer trends and quickly convert these trends into new garments that can be delivered to market on-time and on-trend. Equally important, these PLM solutions provide product and process visibility to everyone who participates in product development, including globally dispersed supply chain vendors and allied business partners.
Merchandisers, designers, production planners, quality control and supply chain participants leverage PLM so they can communicate and collaborate through a single product-driven and process-oriented knowledge base that enables a company to successfully launch its products on a systematic and repeatable basis. By allowing these team members to globally collaborate, PLM:
• Ensures timely completion of product development activities
• Improves the efficiency of individual development processes
• Drives consistent and continuous process improvement
• Increases organizational agility and speed-to-market
Siemens PLM Solutions, headquartered in Plano, TX, is a division of Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich), a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. For over 160 years, Siemens has exemplified technical achievements, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality.
[TC]² and AATCC Present
Innovative Textile Printing: Green & Global
September 17-19, 2008
Sheraton Imperial Hotel, RTP
Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
This educational symposium will highlight innovative approaches for textile printing and provide insight into the development and production of textile prints within the global supply chain. Digital textile printing will be highlighted as both an established solution for product development and an emerging opportunity for production printing of yard goods as well as finished garments. The symposium will also address the issue of sustainability and feature information regarding the need to develop printed textile products with environmental considerations in mind.
On September 19th, participants will have the opportunity to visit Cotton Incorporated for a tour of their digital print and textile processing areas. The tour will then proceed to [TC]², where visitors will gain insight into 3D technologies for product development and the integration of digital printing into the sewn product manufacturing environment.
For more information, go to www.aatcc.org.
Important Dates
April
21-25 |
Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing, seminar at [TC]². For details, click here. |
25-27 |
SPESA & SEAMS Annual Meeting and Networking Conference. Marriott Grand Dunes Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC. For information or to register, visit www.spesa.org or www.seams.org. |
May
1 |
Accurate Costing to Build a Profitable Supply Chain, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, |
7 |
Supply Chain Management, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, click here. |
13-15 |
Apparel Sourcing Show, Guatemala. For information, visit www.apparelexpo.com. |
13-16 |
JIAM, Singapore. For details, go to www.jiam2008.com. |
21-22 |
Ensuring Quality Products by Integrating Sewability Factors, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, click here. |
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
FESPA 2008 Digital Printing Conference
View previous editions of this newsletter
[TC]²
5651 Dillard Drive
Cary , NC 27518
www.tc2.com
Phone: 919-380-2156
Fax: 919-380-2181
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