[TC]² Bi-Weekly Technology Communicator
June Seminar Offerings at [TC]²
Pattern, Grading and Marker Development - June 3-5
Would you enjoy taking a crash course in apparel patternmaking, grading, and marker making? [TC]² is presenting a condensed version of its popular Pattern Development and Grading for Fit 3 day seminars. A discussion of patternmaking terminology and principles coupled with the use of slopers and grade rules will provide an understanding of production marker-making.
Fast Fashion vs. Speed to Market Seminar - June 12
Hear how fast fashion retailers like Zara, American Apparel, and Chico’s use a continuous flow of new styles to entice customers to visit their stores more often and purchase more frequently. The financial results are impressive and have attracted world-wide attention. This seminar will investigate various strategies to manage the required ultra-fast supply chain.
3D Scanning Applications and Size USA Users Group - June 18
This one day seminar on 3D body scanning technologies for Apparel Product Development and Sizing Research will be held on June 18, 2008, combined with the SizeUSA User Group Meeting. The day will include a discussion and examples of creating models and avatars to be used in convincing simulations and possible web-based applications.
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 our contact form.
To download or print a copy of [TC]²’s seminar offerings for 2008, click here (pdf).
SizeUSA User Group Meeting
“Advancing Technologies and Next Survey”
June 18, 2008
By Jim Lovejoy, [TC]²
The SizeUSA User Group and Scanner Owners meeting will be held at [TC]² (5651 Dillard Drive, Cary, NC) on June 18, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Users will share some of their research and uses of the sizing information. To present research findings or project highlights on work conducted in the past year, please submit a brief description of the proposed program content. Some of the agenda topics include:
• 3D body scanning session update with new developments |
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• 3D Avatar creation from 3D body scan and use with |
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- 3D apparel applications |
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- Computer Graphics and Animation Programs |
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- Medical Evaluation and Health and Wellness Programs |
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• Manual Landmarking and measurement techniques with new NX-16 true texture capability for anthropometric measuring |
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• Automatic 3D scan measurement refreshers and overview of new measures |
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• Hosiery Sizing Breakthrough using Volume Data |
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• Men’s shirts and suits sizing |
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• The Next Survey 2010 Scope Discussion |
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The one day program is open to SizeUSA license holders, [TC]² 3D body scanner owners and [TC]² scanner distributors. Registration fees for attendees are $195 for SizeUSA license holders/scanner owners and $295 for non-license holders. A dinner will be held the evening of June 17th for attendees – more details to follow.
Accommodations are available at the Holiday Inn and Suites, 5630 Dillard Dr., Cary, NC ph. 919.852.1220. Ask for the [TC]² Group rate of $95/night. The hotel is across the street from [TC]²’s new location.
The meeting is open to all industry members. To register, or for more information, please complete the contact form.
A Sustainable Scorecard for Textile and Apparel Companies
By Kim Anderson, [TC]²
Although many textile and apparel companies would like to implement sustainable strategies into their business practices, it can be difficult to justify the effort and money it would take. Further complicating the issue is that textile and apparel companies are continually bedeviled by the battle for the lowest price. Expending dollars on seemingly unquantifiable strategies can be hard to rationalize. However, according to Denis Darragh, Chairman of the Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS), profitability and sustainability are complementary. Darragh keeps it simple—“sustainability increases corporate profits."
MTS, a coalition of leading sustainable product manufacturers, environmental groups and state and local governments, has created a SMART© Sustainable Textile Standard and a SMART© Textile Standard Scorecard. Now textile and apparel companies can articulate the once hard to measure concept of sustainability.
The main purpose of the standards is to provide a market-based definition for sustainable textiles, establish performance requirements for public health and the environment, and address the triple bottom line—people, planet and profit.
The goals of this SMART© Sustainable Textile Standard are clearly stated on the MTS website:
• Increase the economic value of sustainable textiles throughout the supply chain by enhancing market demand for sustainable textile products.
• Provide information that enables specifiers to sort out the complex information on sustainable attributes.
• Identify other consensus based standards and sustainable textiles.
• Educate and instruct all stakeholders in the textile supply chain.
• Encourage competition between manufacturers and their suppliers to seek out or develop environmentally preferable processes, practices, power sources, and materials
The intention of the SMART© Sustainable Textile Standard is to help raw material suppliers, converters, manufacturers and end-users accomplish the following benefits:
• Cost savings
• Design innovation
• Product differentiation
• Long term customer relationships
• Liability reduction
• Ecological restoration
The SMART© Textile Standard Scorecard gives companies a comprehensive measuring device. The scorecard has five categories. Each category is assigned points.
• Safe for Public Health & Environment (31 points)
• Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency (19 points)
• Biobased or Recycled (23 points)
• Facility or Company Based (18 points)
• Reclamation, Sustainable Reuse, & End of Life Management (22 points)
There is also a bonus category for innovation. The innovation category gives companies an opportunity to earn an additional 15 points.
Companies can evaluate their performance by the MTS Certified Textile Achievement rating.
• Sustainable 28-36 points
• Silver 37-51 points
• Gold 52-70 points
• Platinum 71-113 points
The goal of the MTS is to foster and accelerate the global free market transformation to sustainability. Creating standards allows companies the ability to articulate and measure the benefits that sustainable strategies can have on business practices. http://mts.sustainableproducts.com/standards.htm.
[TC]² Activity
Apparel Sourcing Show 2008
Guatemala City - May 13 – 15, 2008
By Arturo Rodríguez, [TC]² Industry Services for Latin America
For many years, VESTEX has put on a major Textile/Apparel/Sourcing show in the Central American region. This year opened a new era to do business in one of the world’s most competitive apparel regions…CAFTA-DR. Maybe that is why the show’s slogan was “CAFTA-DR Apparel Marketplace... Closer than Ever.”
For this 17th edition, Will Duncan and I, as well as Ivan Viera from the WRAP organization, traveled to this enchanting modern day land of the Mayas, the largest republic in the region. We were invited to be part of their conference track, with Will presenting “Lean Strategies for Product Development,” I presented “Lean is Green,” and Ivan was part of a panel on Labor Compliance called “A Key in the Guatemalan Exporter’s Strategy.”
As noted in a letter from Lucia de Sander of the event’s organizing committee, “The 17th edition of the Apparel Sourcing Show, recently held in Guatemala City, hosted 5,082 participants coming from 18 different countries.”
Guatemala, with some 13 million inhabitants in an area slightly larger than the state of Tennessee, has a long tradition in textiles and apparel that can be traced to its Mayan roots. Just take a walk in its central market in downtown Guatemala and you can see product examples.
Guatemala’s textile/apparel industry is by far the most diversified in the region and one in which the design element (so necessary for Full Package) is slowly emerging. Will’s presentation focused on how to incorporate Lean (“waste not, want not”- a way of explaining Lean in very simple terms) principles in the Product Development side of the apparel equation. It hits on how to increment the use of digital technologies when you design and then when you “expand” (product development) that original design.
Natalie Hanson of International Development Systems, Inc. provided some of her research findings on textile and apparel trade to include in this article. In 1990, while there where 180 apparel factories in Guatemala, production was mostly under the now defunct 807 rule, which was mainly exporting hand labor. Guatemala ranked 28th in total trade to the U.S. with a total export value of $205.7M USD. After 18 years of progress and many commercial agreements, preference treaties, etc., Guatemala has now enjoyed the first two years of CAFTA, under which it now boasts a 20th place in total trade with the U.S. and although it has now less apparel factories (169) it exports some 410.6 million SME (square meter equivalents) that gross $1,470.7M USD as of February 2008. This means that the country no longer depends on cheap labor to compete, but Guatemala’s apparel exports represent “value added” products. In fact it captures 48% of the total CAFTA trade with the U.S., even though its industry in sheer numbers is smaller than its counterpart in Honduras.
Guatemala is very lush and green, particularly in its rain forest area. In my “Lean is Green” presentation, I highlighted the fact that Lean is Ecological as a logical consequence. Just ask the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)… “The LEAN techniques create a minimization culture that is compatible with our environmental strategies.” The following picture graphically describes the war we are waging
In addition to the presentation on Lean is Green, I was also part of the panel at Tuesday’s (May 13th) plenary luncheon that centered on Sustainability….Energy, Fibers and Growth. Dr. Kater Hake, VP of Agricultural Research at Cotton Incorporated and Guatemala’s Vice Minister of Energy and Mining, Mr. Romeo Rodriguez Menendez, were also panel members.
Ivan Viera spearheaded the Labor Compliance panel that stressed the importance of Social Compliance as a key element for doing export business with the world markets.
Vestex signed a joint cooperation agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (known by its initials in Spanish, BID) in March 2007. This agreement, known as The Competitive Improvement Project for the Textile and Apparel Industry in Guatemala, will permit the industry to strengthen its foundations as it will develop local trainers, provide technological transfer of knowledge, bring about improvements in supply chains, and offer an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the apparel world markets.
Member Profile
Outdoor Industry Association
By Karen Davis, [TC]²
Founded in 1989, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the premier trade association for companies in the active outdoor recreation business. OIA provides trade services for over 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. It offers programs and services to benefit the entire industry supply chain – retailers, reps, manufacturers, suppliers and partners.
Outdoor Industry Association seeks to ensure a healthy and diverse specialty retail and supply chain based on quality, innovation and service. OIA is the champion of industry issues including sustainability, fair labor practices, and free flow of goods, ensuring the growth of future consumers.
OIA works diligently to raise the standards of the industry; increase participation in outdoor recreation to strengthen business markets; provide support services to improve member profitability; represent member interests in the legislative/regulatory process; promote professional training and education; support innovation; and offer cost-saving member benefits. Its members can obtain free reports on sales trends, operational benchmarking, consumer participation and more.
The Outdoor Foundation, a not-for-profit entity established by Outdoor Industry Association, was established to inspire and grow future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. The Foundation’s vision is to be a driving force behind a massive increase in active outdoor recreation in America. To learn more about The Outdoor Foundation and its programs, visit http://www.outdoorfoundation.org.
[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.
Textile & Sewn Products Industry Week 2010
Launched with Powerful Co-Location of Key Established Trade Events
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By Karen Davis, [TC]²
The organizers of the three key industry trade shows in the Americas – ATME-I/MEGATEX, an exhibition for textile machinery; SPESA Expo, a full range of equipment, technology, and services for all segments of the global sewn products industry; and Techtextil North America, an exhibition for high performance technical textiles and non-wovens – have jointly announced that they have reached a landmark agreement to co-locate and align their trade shows at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA on May 18-20, 2010.
The three shows will take place in adjacent halls during the same dates, providing tremendous value for textile and sewn products industry professionals at all levels of the textile and sewn products manufacturing and application supply chains. This new event will create a truly “must attend” industry event for the Americas in 2010.
The co-location and alignment means that attendees will be able to move freely between the individual shows and benefit from the industry-leading educational and networking seminars and special events all in the same venue.
To learn about these exhibitions, visit www.atme-i2010.com, www.spesa.org, or www.techtextilNA.com.
Important Dates
June
3-5 |
Pattern, Grading and Marker Development, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, click here. |
12 |
Fast Fashion vs. Speed to Market, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, click here. |
18 |
SizeUSA User Meeting and Advancing Technologies. For information, click here. |
July
9-10 |
Lean Manufacturing, Seminar at [TC]². To register or for details, click here. |
23 |
Accurate Costing to Build a Profitable Supply Chain, Seminar at [TC]². |
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
Intermoda
View previous editions of this newsletter
[TC]²
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Phone: 919-380-2156
Fax: 919-380-2181
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