FW
Hanes Brands, manufacturer of Hanes and Champion activewear and graphic apparel, purchased Alternative Apparel in a cash deal valued at around $60 million.
This deal permitted the brand to create value and generate growth opportunities in support of its activewear strategy. “We will be able to leverage our global low cost supply chain, which is a recognised social, environmental and ethical leader, with another strong brand to expand our market and channel penetration, including online.” Hanes CEO Gerald Evans Jr. announced.
Hanes has been aggressively adding to its portfolio through the acquisition of licensed logo companies Gear for Sports — which sells through college bookstores — and Knights Apparel, which focuses on the mass tier. It also acquired GTM Sportswear — makers of custom high school team and fan apparel. Hanes also launched Hanes Ink, an online business that creates custom college and high school garments.
Hanes also released preliminary third quarter results where the company estimates net sales will be around $1.8 billion with earnings per share of 55 cents.
Alternative Apparel, which had been outsourcing, will now be able to tap into Hanes’ owned factories.
Starting operations in 1995, Alternative Apparel has been known for comfort. Hanes estimates the company’s full-year net sales will reach $70 million.
Alternative CEO Evan Toporek, will continue to lead the business, disclosed that he’s looking forward to scaling the business through the Hanes supply chain. “Partnering with a like-minded company that is a long time industry innovator and leader will benefit our employees, customers and brand as a whole.
“Alternative Apparel has an attractive business model, a very strong and differentiated brand, and a highly talented team of employees. Adding the Alternative brand and product line up further diversifies our sales mix as we emphasize growth across all channels, including online.”
Recently, Operation X journalists from a Danish TV program began investigating what H&M did with its new, unsold apparel which led them to Denmark-based waste disposal company KARA/NOVEREN where they allegedly witnessed H&M garments being delivered to the company prior to incineration.
The H&M Group is reported to have burnt approximately 60 tonnes of new, unsold garments since 2013. The retailer, however, has denied the allegations. “For H&M to send our products for incineration is very rare, it’s only done when they do not fulfil our safety regulations — if they are mould infested or do not fulfil our strict chemical requirements.”
Industry experts, note that H&M could be burning apparel due to overproduction. This is a common dilemma for fast fashion retailers, including H&M and Zara, who constantly bring out new styles.
The investigation revealed that H&M delivered these garments to the above mentioned facility about five times a year to be burned; items of clothing includes cowboy-themed trousers for children and dark blue women’s pants with price tags attached.
Earlier the investigating team managed to get two different pairs of pants sent to this agency, to be burned, and sent them to an independent laboratory. The team also bought two similar pairs of pants at an H&M store and also sent them to the lab to be tested, to find out if there were differences in the chemicals present in the trousers to be incinerated and the ones they purchased. Test results showed that the trousers sent to be burned didn’t possess any harmful chemicals and had normal amounts of bacteria.
H&M announced that most new and unsold apparel is donated to charity, or recycled and put back into the fashion sphere. The retailer said that it plans to have 100 per cent of its materials come from recycled or sustainable sources, including organic cotton, by 2030.
DuPon Sorona, Invistas Cordura brand, and DuPont Tate and Lyle Bio Products will be giving workwear brands a sneak peek of new developmental fabrics in the next chapter of a series of more innovative, enhanced sustainable textile solutions for workwear and outdoor wear at the A+A Show, in Dusseldorf, Germany. Now, designers of apparel, footwear and gear will have even more options when looking for built-to-last durable fabrics that incorporate high performance materials across multiple layers.
Invista’s Cordura brand and DuPont Tate and Lyle Bio Products have been collaborating throughout the year to create next-generation eco-efficient textile solutions. The series combines long-lasting abrasion resistance and bio-based Susterra propanediol coatings and membranes, inspiring consumers to embrace the Cordura brand ethos that sustainability begins with Products That Last. At A+A, the brands will unveil an innovative new softshell fabric development integrating DuPont Sorona bio-based, high-performance fiber technology.
Since the early 1900s, DuPont has been revolutionizing the world of fiber and polymers. From the first plastic-coated fabrics developed in the 1910s to groundbreaking fibers like rayon, and nylon 6,6, neoprene rubber fabric, and more, DuPont has spent over a century creating textile products that transform the way we live and work. With this latest collaboration, the DuPon Sorona brand, the DuPont Tate and Lyle Bio Products Susterra brand and INVISTA’s Cordura brand usher in the next chapter in textile innovation, combining long-lasting durability and bio-based, performance technologies.
To help make this idea a reality, the brands engaged authorized apparel fabric mill, Everest, to develop this durable bio-based Cordura fabric soft-shell solution. Everest’s soft-shell laminate features a durable Cordura Naturalle fabric on the outer face, a middle layer polyurethane bio-based membrane containing more than 25 per cent renewable sourced materials by weight and a soft fleece backing. The integration of the lightweight Sorona fiber-based fleece helps provide cozy warmth and soft hand feel for day-in, day-out comfort. The result is a fabric engineered to help keep you comfortable through all of life’s durable adventures with eco-efficiency in mind.
Post over 110 years of continuous production, Cone Denim’s factory in the city of Greensboro is to discontinue operations.
Kenneth Kunberger, President and CEO of International Textile Group, Inc. (ITG) announced that it will shut down operations at the Cone Denim White Oak Plant on December 31 this year.
The company disclosed that over the years’ changes in market demand have significantly reduced volumes at their factory and correspondingly it also will not be able to sustain itself with higher manufacturing costs. This closure will impact 200 workers.
Mr. Kunberger said, “We truly regret having to take this action to close operations, and we deeply appreciate the loyalty and dedication of all current and former employees of the White Oak Plant. Their talent, effort, innovation, dedication, and customer focus all combined to create a White Oak brand, heritage, and legacy that will forever be the heart of the Cone Denim business.”
Greensboro’s Mayor, Nancy Vaughan said: “This loss is regrettable, as Cone Denim has long been an important part of our City’s history and heritage. That will not change, especially as International Textile Group will retain its headquarters, community involvement, product development and other corporate and division activities in Greensboro. We remain optimistic about Greensboro’s employment prospects, as we chart an aggressive path toward new economic development with our regional partners.”
Bemis Associates, bonding innovation and design partner to the world’s leading intimates, lifestyle, luxury, and sportswear brands, unveil Sewfree Elevation, a new adhesive for heat-sensitive fabrics that showed at Interfiliere Shanghai on October 10-11, 2017. Bemis also showcased the Lingerie to Live in Collection, its first intimate’s collection of bonded bras, panties, and men’s boxers in collaboration with Hong Kong-based intimates manufacture, Clover.
For more than 107 years, Bemis has developed the best in Sewfree products and technology alongside the most beloved brands in the U.S. and abroad. This latest foray into the intimates market coincided with a substantial consumer insights project that informed the design and fit of the entire collection.
Bemis’ newest technical innovation, Sewfree Elevation showed at Interfiliere Shanghai. Formulated specifically for heat-sensitive fabrics, this product provides best in class stretch and recovery, without compromising the hand feel of luxury fabrics such as lace. In addition to a better fit and wearing experience, Sewfree Elevation allows factories to assemble garments up to 52 per cent faster.
Bemis partners with world's great technical, performance, luxury and lifestyle brands to design, create and construct cool stuff. Collaborating closely with designers and developers, it devises solutions to help make their products higher performance, lower profile and better fitting.
As per Pakistan Bureau of Statistics the country's bed-wear textile export grew by 8.9 per cent to $355.554 million in July-Aug fiscal year 2018. Increase in bed-wear textile export now reaches $28.767 million in July-Aug of fiscal year 2018 from $384.321 million in July-Aug 2017.
Bed-wear textile export volume went up by 3.39 per cent or 2028 metric tons to 61,840 metric tons in July-Aug of fiscal year 2018 from 59,812 met ric tons in July-Aug of fiscal year 2017. In Aug 2017, Pakistan's export of bed-wear textile mounted by 15 per cent or $27.799 million to $213.878 million from $186.079 million in Aug 2016.
In term of quantity, the country's bed-wear textile export went up by 7.03 per cent or 2279 metric tons to 34,714 metric tons in Aug 2017 from 32,435 metric tons in Aug 2016.
The USA is known as a leader in many fields, but it lags behind when it comes to thinking about the environmental impact of purchasing clothing and sustainability issues.
When it comes to determining what makes an apparel eco-friendly, there is a broad consensus; one-third of all consumers say that fabric is “absolutely essential/extremely important” in determining sustainability, as per a Global Environment Survey. The survey found that consumers worldwide consider cotton (83 per cent), organic cotton (81 per cent) and wool (79 per cent) to be the safest fabrics. That compares to recycled polyester (45 per cent), rayon or viscose (41 per cent), polyester (38 per cent) and modal (37 per cent).
The majority of global consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of rayon since it starts out as a tree and is then processed and chemically converted into rayon fibre. Yearly, over 120 million trees are cut to produce rayon. Most shoppers are concerned to the point that three-fifths will check labels to avoid it. The avoidance of rayon fibre is highest in India and Mexico (both 91 per cent), according to the Global Environment Survey. That compares to lesser avoidance by American (71 per cent) and U.K. (72 per cent) shoppers.
It has been noted that there is definitely a movement toward natural fibre and consideration about numbers of wear and use. There’s also a growing trend of capsule collections as a response to increased consumer demand around sustainability issues. Brands including H&M, Zara and Banana Republic are in the beta testing stage to decide whether sustainable collections add value and further what resonates with consumers.
Just over three-fifths (61 per cent) of consumers worldwide say sustainability has a moderate or great deal of influence on their apparel purchases, according to the Global Environment Survey. But sustainability is much more likely to influence consumers in Italy (81 per cent), the U.K. and Mexico (both 69 per cent) and Germany (64 per cent) than the U.S. (59 per cent).
Consumers are part of the sustainability equation hence it is important for brands and apparel companies to create a culture of sustainability in line with business strategy.
Sutlej Textiles and Industries has recently announced the acquisition of design, sales and distribution business and brand of American Silk Mills (ASM) LLC based at Plains, Pennsylvania. The acquisition of American boutique designer and distributor of residential and contract furnishing textiles will add strength to Sutlej’s home textiles portfolio.
However, ASM will continue to design, develop and market its products under the brand name of American Silk Mills thus furthering its legacy as a leader in this field for over 120 years.
ASM offers strategic fit on its strength of original designs based on American sensibilities, innate understanding of customer markets and a unique product portfolio that include dobby, jacquards, velvets, suedes using variety of fibers like rayon, linen, cotton, polyester, silk and acrylic.
SK Khandelia, president, STIL says that American Silk Mills offers great synergy to access the American home textiles market using a sound platform of design and development combined with Sutlej’s scale and economics of production in India.
Founded in 1896, ASM is amongst the oldest and most established American textile brands which designs, weaves and distributes innovative textiles for the residential, contract, transportation, and specialty markets. These products include innovative indoor/outdoor performance fabrics, fine jacquard textiles, multiple grades and styles of velvets, the highest quality silks, and Sensuede, an eco-friendly synthetic suede noted for its durability, cleanability and long-lasting comfort.
Pakistan will sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Thailand in January.This aims at enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries.
Matters that have been discussed relate to trade in goods, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies, customs procedures, legal and institutional issues and trade facilitation.
Pakistan has relative advantages over Thailand in some 684 commodities including cotton yarn and woven textiles, readymade garments, leather products, surgical instruments and sports goods.
The ninth round of FTA negotiations would start between Pakistan and Thailand by November this year, in which both sides would presenting the complete offer list for reaching the final agreement.
The trade volume between Pakistan and Thailand stood at 952 million dollars at the end of 2015-16. Pakistan’s exports constitute107 million dollars while imports amount to 845 million dollars.
While negotiating a free trade agreement with Thailand, Pakistan is also looking to access a huge untapped market in the east Asian region. Pakistan already has free trade agreements with Malaysia and Indonesia.
Pakistan is working on a FTA with China. China has agreed to provide market access to 65 items, shared by Pakistan, besides providing concessions on all items included in the offer list.
Mango, the Spanish fashion major, has launched the second edition of its sustainable committed collection.
The brand’s ecological sustainable offering are designed for women and men. Their feminine collection has outfits such as the ‘tile power suit’ and the ‘maxi puffer jacket’ which incorporates details such as plastron pockets and aged copper rivets. Their men’s collection showcases utility details and has a choice of neutral tones such as navy, army green, ecru and tobacco.
Sustainable materials such as recycled wool, modal and lyocell fibres have been used in this collection.
Daniel López, the brand’s Vice Chairman in a statement issued by the company disclosed, “Mango is committed to making its business model more sustainable. The views of consumers and sustainability awareness have evolved exponentially in recent years in the same way that fashion has.”
This new collection as part of their Take Action Programme — under its Take Action Pledge — the brand has set it’s target to increase the percentage of sustainable fibres used in its collections. The brand is also committed to using 50 per cent of cotton from the sustainable origin by 2022.
