[TC]² Bi-Weekly Technology Communicator
[TC]² Upcoming Seminar Offerings
Supply Chain Best Practices February 18
In today's environment of demanding and discerning consumers, the process of creating and delivering products through the soft goods supply chain can be improved and the time shortened with new technology and techniques. In this seminar, the attendees will have the opportunity to see the dramatic results achieved through best practices such as collaboration and rapid response supply chain models. A discussion of Fast Fashion vs. Speed to Market is incorporated in the program.
March Educational Programs
Grading for Fit March 2-4
Proper grading ensures good fit of a manufactured garment. Learn basic principles of fit and grading. Hands-on projects include deriving grade rules and manual grading of three basic garments.
Lean Strategies for Product Development March 12
Learn basic lean principles, terminology and concepts.
Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing March 23-27
[TC]²’s signature course provides a great overview of the manufacturing process, its techniques, its systems, and its business strategies.
Seminars will be held at [TC]²’s facility at 5651 Dillard Drive, Cary, NC.
A complete description of these programs and others can be viewed at http://www.tc2.com/what/seminars.html
For additional information or to register, contact Debra Gill at 919.653.3501, or via our contact form.
Connecting Through Creativity, Technology and Business
Designers and Product Developers Meet the Challenge
August 12th and 13th, 2009
Philadelphia University, Philadelphia PA
Co-Produced by
[TC]², AATCC, and Philadelphia University
[TC]², AATCC and Philadelphia University announce ‘Connecting Through Creativity, Technology and Business’, a symposium for professionals in the design and product development field that will bring together a diverse range of speakers and participants from the textile, apparel, home furnishings and related soft goods industries. This event will take place August 12th and 13th, 2009 on the campus of Philadelphia University and speakers will address topics and issues related to:
• Sustainability |
Call for Papers:
Symposium organizers invite abstracts for presentations that address the topics listed. Abstracts and related questions can be submitted via email to Kerry King at kmaguir@tc2.com. The deadline for abstract submission is February 6th, 2009. Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified by March 6th and asked to submit a paper in support of their presentation by June 19th. The papers will be distributed to attendees in electronic form. The papers will also be reviewed for potential publication in the AATCC Review and [TC]²’s on-line publication, techexchange.com.
Organic Wool
By Kim Anderson, [TC]²
When we consider organic fibers, the first fiber most people think of is cotton—and for good reason. Cotton always has been, and remains, the largest selling organic fiber. According to the nonprofit trade association, Organic Exchange, the global market for organic cotton clothes grew by $1.4 billion—700 percent—between 2001 and 2007. Although it is considered to be a much smaller market, organic wool is also growing in demand. But just what is organic wool?
Since wool comes from an animal, not only are there regulations concerning the processing of the fiber, but also the animal’s environment and everything it ingests must be regulated as well.
According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in order for wool to be certified as “organic,” it must be produced in accordance with federal standards for organic livestock production. Federal requirements for organic livestock production include:
• Livestock feed and forage used in the last third stage of gestation must be certified organic.
• Use of synthetic hormones and genetic engineering are prohibited.
• Use of synthetic pesticides (internal, external and on pastures) is prohibited.
• Producers must encourage livestock health through good cultural and management practices.
Organic livestock management is different from non-organic management in the following two ways:
1) Sheep cannot be dipped in parasiticides (insecticides) to control external parasites such as ticks and lice.
2) Organic livestock producers are required to ensure that they do not exceed the natural carrying capacity of the land on which their animals graze.
There are also federal requirements concerning the processing of organic wool fiber. In conventional wool processing, a cocktail of chemicals may be used. Although not all wool producers process wool with harsh chemicals, in some cases strong scouring agents and bleaches are used to clean and whiten wool. Formaldehyde, dioxins, conditioners, moth-proofing agents, harsh chemical dyes and other, often toxic, additives may be used in finishing processes. Chemical dyes frequently include toxic heavy metals such as chrome, copper, and zinc, and sometimes contain known or suspected carcinogens.
Organic wool is not chemically treated in any of the production processes—from the farm to the finished garment. The raw wool is scoured clean in an approved biodegradable cleansing agent before being carded and spun at an organic mill.
Not only are fewer chemicals used in the production processes, but fewer chemicals are used during the care of the sheep. For non-organic wool, the chemicals used to combat pests and promote growth are suspected to have negative effects on humans.
Compared to the U.S. production of non-organic wool which was reported to be approximately 35 million tons in 2007, organic wool production is quite small. A recent survey estimated that about 19,152 pounds of organic wool were produced in the U.S. and Canada in 2005. New Mexico, with 15,300 pounds, was the leading producer of certified organic wool in North America, representing 81% of U.S. and 80% of North American organic wool production, followed by Montana (2,400 pounds), Maine (520 pounds), Ontario (300 pounds), Vermont (200 pounds), and New Jersey (132 pounds).
Amount of Organic Wool Produced in 2005 in the U.S.
| State | Producers |
Total Pounds of Wool |
Colorado |
1 |
300 |
Maine |
5 |
520 |
Montana |
1 |
2,400 |
New Jersey |
1 |
132 |
New Mexico |
2 |
15,300 |
Vermont |
1 |
200 |
Total |
11 |
18,852 |
Of course the cost of organic wool is higher than non-organic wool. The cost is higher primarily because the production of organic wool requires more labor and management. In addition, certification costs are high.
Organic wool is used in numerous products. Some of the most popular products are baby clothes, blankets, coats, knitting yarns, socks, sweaters and throws. Although the U.S. market for organic wool is in its infancy, it is expected that the use of organic wool in the apparel industry will grow. Chances are that in the near future it will be used in a wider variety of products.
References
1. Agriculture Marketing Resource Center. http://www.agmrc.org
2. Australian Organic Wool, http://www.organicwool.com.au
3. Organic Clothing Blogs.com, http://organicclothing.blogs.com
4. Organic Exchange, http://www.organicexchange.org/
5. Organic Trade Association, http://www.ota.com/organic/woolfactsheet.html
To read more articles related to Sustainability and Environment, visit our newsletter archive.
Sponsor Profile
By Karen Davis, [TC]²
AlixPartners is a global business advisory firm offering comprehensive services to improve corporate performance, including a deep expertise in retail and consumer products. The firm’s specialty is urgent, high-impact situations when results really matter. It was the recipient of a record four awards from the Turnaround Management Association in 2008. The firm has more than 800 professionals in 13 offices across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Its service offerings include:
• |
Business Performance Improvement - including a proprietary assessment tool, called QuickStrikeTM, which identifies and focuses energy on high-return, fast-track actions in just a matter of weeks, plus deep expertise in such areas as working capital, asset utilization, supply-chain efficiency, customer and SKU profitability, overhead costs, asset sales. |
|---|---|
• |
Full-Company Turnarounds - including aligning costs with declining revenues or margins; identifying and managing away from risks; creating achievable business plans; communicating with key external and internal constituents; and implementing platforms for long-term corporate success. |
• |
IT Transformations - ERP rescue, IT due diligence, IT integration, IT outsourcing management. |
[TC]² gratefully acknowledges the role of AlixPartners in presenting Next Steps in Fast Fashion at FIT on January 14.
For more company details, go to www.alixpartners.com.
Important Dates
January
27-29 |
Colombiatex, Medellin, Colombia. To learn more, go to www.colombiatex.com. |
February
18 |
Supply Chain Best Practices, seminar at [TC]² . For details, click here. |
March
2-4 |
Grading for Fit, seminar at [TC]² . For details, click here. |
12 |
Lean Strategies for Product Development, seminar at [TC]² . For details, click here. |
23-27 |
Introduction to Apparel Manufacturing, seminar at [TC]² . For details, click here. |
24 |
Apparel Tech West Conference, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Irvine, CA. For information or to register, go to www.apparelmag.com. |
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
Colombiatex
View previous editions of this newsletter
[TC]²
5651 Dillard Drive
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www.tc2.com
Phone: 919-380-2156
Fax: 919-380-2181
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