Textile Insight - November, 2008
IFAI Expo 2008 Featured Innovative Fabrics
The current global economic crisis hasn’t tempered interest in the specialty fabrics industry. Enthusiastic buyers filled the Charlotte, NC Convention Center October 21-23 to see the largest concentration of suppliers under one roof, covering the ent...
Function in a Flash
In the past protection was all about combating foul weather conditions and out-smarting Mother Nature. New fabrics were designed to either protect from the cold, wind and rain, or materials were engineered to keep athletes cool on hot, sunny summer d...
Design and Deliver
Beyond Stretch: Compression Garments Offer a Multitude of Benefits
It’s easy to forget, but compression used to be seen by many as “those tight shorts” that only the geeky cyclist down the street wore. With brands such as Under Armour and Nike leading the way with product and marketing, tight fitting spandex garment...
Achieving Unifi
“Five years ago, we were not sure where the bottom was going to be. How much contraction would the U.S. market experience and how much would move entirely to Asia? But now our strategy is clear.” ~ Roger Berrier, EVP Unifi
On a sunny day last September well over 1000 people turned out for a party at Unifi’s Yadkinville, NC manufacturing facility. Employees jammed the parking lots while helping themselves to barbeque and enjoying a festive afternoon in honor of the comp...
Bold Moves
Allen Gant Dares to Transform Textiles for Today’s World
Although deeply rooted in domestic textile country, with a heritage that dates back to the Civil War, Glen Raven has in recent years taken intrepid international steps to establish a global footprint that now extends far beyond the United States. ...
Global Impact
Shaking up sourcing strategies for footwear and apparel brands.
During a chat about fashion trends with a senior VP for a leading surf and activewear manufacturer way back in July, the key fashion trend he pinpointed for ’09 was that “things are going to cost more.” As we head towards the new year, that predic...
East/West Collaborations
Effective supply chains change according to how and where the market moves.
The textile industry has been bemoaning the fact that for the last several years the production of garments -- followed by textiles -- has shifted off-shore to lower-cost countries. The move to Asia became so common that some companies developed a “i...
A New Spin On Recycled Yarn
Finding the right partner for success in a market niche
In today’s challenging textile business one of the best paths to success is to produce fibers and fabrics that can’t be easily knocked off by Pacific Rim competitors. Hickory Throwing Company, a North Carolina yarn-twisting company that dates back to...
Sure-Fire Fabric Strategies
It’s not easy to engage a teenage boy on the topic of textiles, especially on a Saturday afternoon with college football on TV. But I knew I had my son’s attention last weekend when I asked if he’d like to light some T-shirts on fire. In the house. R...
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