Index Activities at MAGIC in Las Vegas Mass Customization Symposium Innovate or Disintegrate [TC]² Activity - Lectra Trains [TC]² Staff Member Profile - Coats North America Important Dates A Look Ahead

Activities at MAGIC in Las Vegas – August 28-31

Fast Fashion for Retailers and Suppliers Seminar
Learn what processes and company culture enables the fast fashion cycle from design to point of sale in 4-6 weeks. Fast Fashion examples of successful companies like Zara in Spain and New Look in the UK are presented by leading UK retail consultant, Ken Watson, with an introduction to Fast Fashion technologies by Jim Lovejoy. The seminar is presented by [TC]² and Industry Forum at the MAGIC Show in Las Vegas in 2 two hour parts August 29 and 30 in room MS114, South Hall.

Register now with Elizabeth Salisbury at 919-653-3507 (or use this form to contact us). Tuition is $100.

Zara® is a registered trademark of Inditex S.A. The Fast Fashion Seminar is not affiliated or associated with Inditex in any way.

You Wear “US” Well
SEAMS, The Hosiery Association, the Hosiery Technology Center, and [TC]² will be presenting a free seminar on “Speed to Market with US Manufacturing” with speakers from American Apparel, Carolina Apparel, Creative Outlet, Twin City Knitting, and Fox River and moderated by [TC]². The seminar will be on August 30 at 12:30pm in Room MS114, South Hall.

Apparel and hosiery “speed to market” products from 16 domestic manufacturers will be on display in booth # OD20945, South Hall, under the banner “You Wear US Well”.

	Mass Customization Symposium November 3-4, 2006 Albuquerque, New Mexico

[TC]² is co-producing a three day event which will bring together a small, exclusive group of executives for a program focusing on mass customization technologies and how they can be applied to improve business strategies. Facilitated interactive workshops and case studies with practical applications will be presented by experts from academia and industry.

For more details (PDF file), click here, or visit www.abusinessaffair.com/mass_customization for a copy of the agenda and discussion topics.

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Innovate or Disintegrate
By Kim Anderson, Ph.D., writer/reporter for [TC]²

Today’s consumer is more finicky than ever. They can now pick and choose from a wide array of inexpensive products. To compound the problem, consumers are spending less on apparel—choosing to spend their disposable income on healthcare, electronics, education, and travel and leisure. To capture today’s elusive consumer, it is more important than ever to innovate!  Recent developments in fibers and finishes are spicing-up commodity products.

Cocona Natural Technology™
Once cast to the trash, but not anymore—coconut shells are being transformed into high performance yarns. Cocona, activated carbon derived from coconut shells, is combined with polyester during the extrusion process to produce yarn. Polyester embedded with Cocona produces a multi-functional fabric with excellent wicking properties, the capability to trap and remove odor molecules and the ability to protect the wearer from harmful UV rays.

Excellent Wicking Properties	Ability to Trap & Remove Odors	Protects Against Harmful UV Rays
	Courtesy of Traptek™

Cocona polyester is now being combined with cotton. CloverTex, LLC is the official spinner of Cocona polyester/cotton yarns. Target markets include sports, intimates and hosiery. Clovertex has recently joined up with Cone Mills to transform the durable yet hot denim fabric. Using Cocona/polyester yarns in the filling imparts superior moisture management properties to denim, keeping the wearer cool even in the heat of summer.

Micro Encapsulation
Micro encapsulation is one of the latest technologies used to impart an array of unique characteristics to a garment. Particles filled with active ingredients can be applied to fabric or garments for long lasting effects.

SEM Magnification of Micro Encapsulated Particles on Polyester and Cotton Courtesy of Cognis

Active ingredients run the gamut including moisturizers, aloe, vitamin E, therapeutic smells and insect repellant.

Micro encapsulation technology is also being used to create garments with built-in temperature control systems. Originally developed for NASA, micro encapsulated phase change materials or PCM’s can be applied to the fiber, fabric or garment.

Outlast® Thermocules® PCM’s Shown Integrated into the Fiber and Coated on the Fabric Courtesy of OUTLAST®

The concept is based on the endothermic/exothermic transitions. When ice melts heat is absorbed from the environment (endothermic transition). When liquids solidify, heat is given off (exothermic transition). Phase change materials are capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy. The PCM stores the body’s excess heat as it’s created and releases it as it’s needed.

How PCM’s Work Courtesy of OUTLAST®

Stain Resistance
Stain resistant finishes are no longer considered a niche market. Consumers not only want their work wear to perform, but their casual and evening wear as well. Studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay extra for stain resistant apparel.

Using nanotechnology, unique and permanent stain resistant finishes are being developed. Treatments can be applied to a number of fibers including cotton, polyester, silk and wool.

Nano-Tex, founded in 1998, has been one of the leaders in nano-treatments designed specifically for textiles. NanoTex has developed a treatment called Resists Spills. After the treatment is applied the fabric becomes both liquid repellent and stain resistant. Without ever penetrating the fabric, liquids such as coffee, wine, water and salad oil bead up and roll off the fabric.

NanoTex has also recently introduced Resists Static—the first permanent anti-static treatment for synthetic fibers. Not only does it repel static, NanoTex also repels statically attractive substances such as dog hair, lint and dust.
                       
Consumers today expect their clothes to do double and triple duty. Just like their handy cell phone is their life-line to their friends, family and colleagues—it will also take a picture, play their favorite tunes and get them up in the morning. Consumers want their clothes to be durable, comfortable and stain resistant. Today’s textile technologists are developing fibers and finishes that are intriguing to even the most discerning consumer.

To read more on this topic, visit http://www.techexchange.com/thelibrary/innovateor.html.

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[TC]² Activity

Lectra Trains [TC]² Staff

Lectra’s Modaris and Diamino software packages are now on display in [TC]²’s demonstration center. The Modaris CAD system was developed to assist in pattern making. The Diamino system was designed to maximize material savings in the marker making process. Other Lectra programs included in the demonstration center are U4ia, a textile design program, and KaledoStyle, a program designed to assist in the garment design process.

A week long training session with Lectra has been coordinated for [TC]²’s product development and design staff to fine tune their skills on Modaris, Diamino, U4ia and KaledoStyle.

A number of CAD packages have been designed to reduce product development times, provide a superior product and maximize material savings. [TC]² showcases a variety of CAD systems developed by its Associate Members. [TC]²’s mission is to bring the highest quality services and cutting edge technologies to its constituents in the demonstration center, and to showcase products in a vendor neutral setting.

To make an appointment to visit [TC]²’s demonstration center, use this form, or contact Karen Davis by phone at 919.380.2177.

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Member Profile

Coats North America is part of the Coats PLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of GPG (Guinness Peat Group) with headquarters in Sidney, Australia. With more than 35,000 employees worldwide, and manufacturing locations in more than 60 countries, Coats is the largest global supplier of sewing thread.

The first cotton sewing thread factory was opening in 1812 in Paisley, Scotland, by the Clark brothers, followed by James Coats, and by the 1840’s both companies had New York agents.  The Civil War created the need for manufacturing thread in the U.S., with the first mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1869. 

The company’s global presence offers specifiers and manufacturers world-class manufacturing, consistent color choices, ongoing research and development and superior distribution and technical service.

Coats North America also manufactures and distributes a wide array of products for home sewing, hand-knitting, and crafts projects through its Crafts companies Coats & Clark and Dimensions. Learn more about Coats' consumer products by visiting the Coats & Clark website at www.coatsandclark.com.

The industrial companies of Coats North America are organized to serve the unique needs of manufacturers sewing in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Charlotte, North Carolina-based Coats American produces more than 30,000 combinations of superior thread products and colors to meet the broadest range of sewing requirements. These products reflect the latest in thread technology and color science and are distributed throughout the North American region.  Other companies in the Coats America network include Barbour Threads in Alabama; Coats Bell in Canada; Coats Mexico; Coats Caribbean and Central America in Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

A variety of threads are available in cotton or polyester covered core threads; filament nylon and polyester; spun and textured polyester; and embroidery, with accompanying brands for each thread type. One of the most important inventions came in 1962 with the Dual Duty thread, a cotton-covered polyester core thread, strong enough for seat seaming and versatile enough for use in the whole garment.

The company’s web site (www.coats.com) contains a wealth of information on selecting the correct thread for each job, a glossary of terminology, and how to combat problems such as puckering.

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Important Dates

August

September

For detailed information about industry events, visit www.techexchange.com

Thanks to the techexchange site sponsors Apparel Magazine, Gerber Technology, Intentia, Lectra and Methods Workshop.

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A Look Ahead in the Newsletter


MAGIC Sourcing Show Review
Material World
SEAMS Fall Meeting

View previous editions of this newsletter

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