India:Handicrafts to get makeover and new global markets

Exports of handicrafts from the country have been affected deeply due to the ongoing recessionary trends blowing across the world. To add to the crisis, was the Mumbai fallout, which has led to a lower number of tourists visiting India in the peak winter season, who are also one of the biggest buyers of Indian handicrafts.

To help the sector in arresting fall in sales, the government has come out with some important measures like hiking incentives to the sector, product diversification, modernizing equipments and looking for new markets in a bid to make the handicraft industry survive through the throes of the crisis.

The government is contemplating exploring markets which have very good potential, but have not been touched till now. Among those regions are the Latin American countries, where promotional events will also be held in a bid to capture the minds and hearts of the consumers.

Recently a buyer-seller meet was held in the capital of Columbia which helped the Indian side to promote handicrafts to the local buyers of handicrafts. A similar event is being planned for the Middle East country; Oman.

The government is also mulling over giving a new touch to Indian handicrafts by diversifying product design by taking help of international designers. The global slow down according to sources, is affecting the lives of nearly 7 million artisans involved in the sector.

 

USA:Paula Levy appointed as Sr VP (S&M) at TradeStone software

TradeStone Software, the retail industry’s leading provider of private label and global sourcing solutions, today announced Paula Levy as senior vice president of sales & marketing and Tim O’Brien as vice president of finance. With double digit growth in 2008, TradeStone’s expanded management team will boost sales, marketing and finance operations to serve a rapidly growing Fortune 500 customer base. The new executive appointments are:

Paula Levy, a proven retail executive who has held sales and sales management positions with Lectra, Lawson and STS Systems, joins as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Levy brings to TradeStone her distinguished track record of more than 25 years of selling and messaging to the top retailers in the Americas and abroad. Her strategic vision and experience executing programs that increase revenue and market share will be instrumental as TradeStone continues to expand its dominance in the retail industry.

Tim O’Brien, formerly with Applix and Deloitte & Touche, comes to TradeStone with more than 10 years of experience in financial and operational management positions. O’Brien will play a critical role in building the financial and internal control infrastructure to support the growth of TradeStone by managing cash flows of business operations and ensuring compliance with domestic and international regulations. He will also provide strategic financial planning and operational guidance.

“TradeStone had a banner year in 2008 that included a 50 percent growth in revenue, expanded operations, and exciting new developments to our Merchandise Lifecycle Management suite,” said Sue Welch, CEO, TradeStone Software. “These new appointments reflect our commitment to continuing to deliver the most innovative and robust private label and global sourcing solutions to the retail community. We value the impressive breadth of experience Paula and Tim bring to our executive team and we look forward to the new milestones they will help us achieve in 2009.”

About TradeStone Software, Inc.:
TradeStone provides merchandise lifecycle management software that enables the world's most successful retailers to bring innovative and highly profitable private label products to market at record speeds. TradeStone's Merchandise Lifecycle Management suite, which consists of TradeStone PLM for Retail (TM), TradeStone Global Sourcing (TM), TradeStone Quality Management (TM), TradeStone Global Order Management (TM) and TradeStone Supplier Management (TM), deliver radical results - 200 to 400 basis points to the bottom line; sales increases of 3 - 6 percent; average consumer spend increases of seven percent; and sell through at margins of 78 percent.

TradeStone marquee customers include American Eagle Outfitters, Boots, Circuit City, Deutsche Woolworth, Guitar Center, Kohl's, Macy's, NBrown Catalog Company, Pacific Sunwear, Regatta, Shoprite, The Children's Place and Urban Outfitters. TradeStone Software is headquartered in Gloucester, Mass., with offices in Atlanta, Bangalore, Hong Kong and London.
 

Denmark:Maya Organic & Organic Company to come at CIFF with ethical profile

An increasing number of exhibitors at CIFF incorporate sustainability and social responsibility into their products. CIFF will take place during February 5-8.

One of these is Maya Organic, a new exhibitor at CIFFKIDS that produces handmade, organic and sustainable toys. An interesting story is to be found behind the company's fine toys. Maya Organic functions as an umbrella organisation for small manufacturers in India, where many Indian families and small business owners have a proud tradition of producing wooden figures. They practice this craft with noble originality, forming the figures by hand and painting them with plant-based colouring.

Maya Organic is located in Bangalore, India and was founded in 1989. The organisation provides many Indian small business owners with the ability to provide for their families and escape poverty.

Meet Maya Organic at stand H-030.

Another new exhibitor at CIFFKIDS with an ethical profile is the Organic Company, whose mission is to add splendour to honest ecology and bring organic products into more beautiful homes with their 100% organic products.

Joy Vasiljev is the founder of the Organic Company. She started the company because of her great passion for environmentalism and "good energy".

The company works diligently with certification and uses vast resources on selecting the perfect suppliers. In addition, the products are even more environmentally-friendly than standard requirements. For example, they do not use standard batting in their quilted blankets because they could not find it in organic quality. Therefore, real cotton has been used as the filler, which gives the blanket some added benefits. Furthermore, the Organic Company does not feature any buttons, velcro or polyester in the series at all. Even the washing labels are made of organic cotton. The products are also packaged in biodegradable bags and are packed in large quantities. Every detail has been carefully considered!

Meet the Organic Company at stand no. H-23E at CIFFKIDS. 

USA:Phoenix Custom Apparel to continue as uniform provider to NHRA

Phoenix Custom Apparel has renewed its multiyear agreement with NHRA to continue its association as the official uniform of NHRA. The terms of the agreement call for Phoenix Custom Apparel to provide NHRA with hats, firesuits, shirts, event-winner jackets, and other special apparel items.

"This extension represents the beginning of our seventh year of providing our products to the NHRA. It is a mutual expression of the satisfaction of both parties with what we have meant to each other over these past six years," said Phoenix Custom Apparel President Bruce Bowler, an avid drag racer since the 1950s and a former NHRA division director.

"At a time in our country's economy where there is a lot of fear and uncertainty, we are pleased to be moving forward in this positive manner as the NHRA's official uniform supplier."
In addition, Phoenix Custom Apparel outfits crewmembers, employees, and sponsors of many of motorsports' most high-profile teams.

"Phoenix Custom Apparel has a rich history with the NHRA, and we are pleased to continue this great relationship, which has proved to be beneficial to both parties," said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president-sales & marketing.

Phoenix Custom Apparel is a self-contained apparel manufacturer with a superior, experienced staff to take a customer's needs from concept to a physical reality. Located in its manufacturing plant in Denver, its art-designing, digitizing, pattern-making, cutting, embroidery, and sew-line personnel provide top-quality products to clients throughout the world.

Its constant search for improvement in technology, processes, and product has resulted in a wide array of available products, including its premier sublimated crew-uniform shirts and jackets, the finest in custom-made embroidered leather and wool jackets, a complete line of SFI-certified driver suits, and a full line of embroidered and screen-printed corporate appare
 

UK:Fallen Hero triples online sales with Eurostop retail system

Fallen Hero has invested in Eurostop’s retail management systems, e-rmis, e-pos and e-commerce for its high street and online stores. Fallen Hero stocks some of the most desirable and sought after branded fashion clothing available; G-Star, Replay, Goi-Goi, Duck and Cover, Luke, Fred Perry, Religion, Ben Sherman, Lacoste, Baracuta, Levi’s, Truth, Retro Sport, Teddy Smith.

The retailer has integrated its bricks and mortar stock with the webstore, resulting in a centralised, dynamic stock management system that offers customers more choice. Since launching its new website, the company claims it has more than tripled online sales in just twelve months.

The company selected Eurostop’s solutions following a review of several competitive solutions. The company chose Eurostop for its proven expertise in the retail sector and flexible, customer focused approach.

Still firmly committed to its high street store, Fallen Hero recognised growth potential through internet sales and has rapidly expanded its business through the newly developed website. Eurostop developed the new system to utilise an integrated stock system, enabling the retailer to offer a wider range of stocks and sizes to customers.

The company is also planning to utilise the customer loyalty features, providing regular customers with in store promotions and vouchers, as well as targeted email promotions to online buyers.

According to Des Comerford, Managing Director at Fallen Hero; “There is no doubt that since implementing Eurostop’s system, our e-commerce business has grown far more quickly than we anticipated. Our turnover compared to this time last year has tripled, from investing in advertising, marketing campaigns and the new system.

“We have been able to offer our customers a wider choice and access to a great portfolio of brands – and we expect the system to pay for itself by Spring 2009.”

Denise Proctor, Sales Executive at Eurostop said; “In today’s difficult times it is really important for retailers to focus on their core business and make sure they keep their customer base loyal by delivering what they want. We are delighted that Eurostop’s retail system has been instrumental in the success of Fallen Hero’s online business. It supports their business goal to offer customers a wide range of premium brands with effective, easy to use e-commerce systems.”

Fallen Hero is a fashion concept store based in Lincolnshire, retailing some of the most desirable and sought after branded fashion clothing available: G-Star, Replay, Goi-Goi, Duck and Cover, Luke, Baracuta, Retro Sport, Lacoste, Truth, Levi’s, Fred Perry, Ben Sherman Teddy Smith. 

Global:Garmenting Accessories Expo’ 09 taps massive response

Garmenting Accessories Expo’ 09 – the 45 days online trade fair event at fibre2fashion is in the works. While it has been less than a month after making the first-hand announcements about the event, the current popularity chart is largely high and still increasing. This second edition of its yesteryear’s version, Trims Supplement 08, is seeing immense response from both, the exhibitors’ as well as the visitors’ side.

Exhibitors include manufacturers, suppliers, and traders of - threads, laces, zippers, buckles, buttons, tapes, ribbons, beads, hooks, pins, bands, straps, cufflinks, interlinings, webbings, labels, brooches, embroidery, badges, elastics, trimmings, ropes, cords, sliders, patches, clips, and nets etc. as well as allied industries i.e. machinery manufacturers of Zippers, Buttons, Beads, Laces etc.

Seems, Garmenting Accessories Expo вЂ09 is set to derive great success for the mutual benefits of garmenting accessories manufacturers and the apparel manufacturers, from worldwide. It is around a fortnight away from when this online exhibition shall commence, and the organizers have already thanked their efforts for receiving a flush of exhibitor participations from companies across the globe. The industry is looking at this online trade fair on fibre2fashion as an excellent direct business generation platform.

Dulon Joelee Corporation, Korea has booked the tag of “lead sponsors” of the event, to serve the visitors with world’s finest zipper sliders. And a horde of exhibiting companies has registered their subscriptions too. The online expo, which is likely to have the regular bunch of interactive facilities plus some additional tools this time, promises to offer an exceptional medium of direct linkage for manufacturers, traders and suppliers of garmenting accessories with apparel-garment manufacturers to come together for mutual business objectives.

The organizer, fibre2fashion is the perfect host for the industry and hence, is an expert conductor of such online events where exhibitors and visitors come together to embark on a reciprocal and a professional environment of uninterrupted dealing and networking. Spokesperson, Ms. Chinky Raval confidently stated, “We are having a huge inflow of eager trade visitors as well as interested exhibitors from across the hubs like China, Korea, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc.; and of course we are ecstatic about the response generated”. “It is the time for a great boost to the industry and we are working hard to reward our exhibitors and visitors with helping them best achieve their ambitions”, she added.

The Garmenting Accessories Expo ’09, where interested companies are rushing to secure maximum advantages with their participation; on the other hand, buyers are keeping a regular watch and are closely observing the updates. The event page displays a list of buyers who are already onboard by having registered to take their visitors’ token. Well, the exhibitors’ registrations stop on 26th January, 5 days before the launch.

All this seems to be exceedingly living up the expectations of fiber2fashion’s 1.9 million monthly visitors; thereby, fibre2fashion once again promising to serve the industry in all possible wellness. Exhibitor registration is on and ball is rolling.

Click here for more updates on the Garmenting Accessories Expo.

 

USA:Unifi & TEXbase launch new online fabric certification program

Unifi, Inc. has partnered with TEXbase, Inc. to launch a new online fabric certification program for all Unifi branded products. The new system will automate and expedite the certification of fabrics, streamlining the development process for new and existing customers. Additionally, the new program will provide brands and retailers with a global online fabric library, where they can search for Unifi certified products.

The online certification system and fabric library were designed to simplify the certification process and increase speed to market for Unifi’s customers worldwide. The TEXbase software allows Unifi’s manufacturing partners to input fabric specifications on-line, automating the process and eliminating time consuming emails and static spreadsheets.

The product specifications are stored in one centralized database, ensuring data consistency and accuracy. The web-based platform enables brands and retailers to search previously certified fabrics by construction, fiber, weight and technical features. Customers can also check fabric certification status and request samples, logos and hangtags.

“Our partners are always interested in ways to shorten the product development cycle,” said Roger Berrier, executive vice president for Unifi. “The TEXbase system allows us to provide our partners a direct link into the certification portal and fabric library for real-time data input, searching and collaboration. In response to our customer’s needs, we’re making it easier for them to develop innovative, quality products more efficiently.”

The Unifi certification management system and the online fabric library will be launched at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show in Salt Lake City, Utah January 22-25, 2009. For more information or a live demo, stop by the Unifi Booth #62021 or TEXbase Booth #62045.

About Unifi:
Unifi, Inc. is a diversified producer and processor of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials. The Company adds value to the supply chain and enhances consumer demand for its products through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages.

Key Unifi brands include, but are not limited to: AIOВ® - all-in-one performance yarns, SORBTEK, A.M.Y., MYNX UV, REPREVE, REFLEXX, MICROVISTA and SATURA. Unifi's yarns and brands are readily found in home furnishings, apparel, legwear, and sewing thread, as well as industrial, automotive, military, and medical applications.

About TEXbase:
Created by industry experts with deep material development experience, TEXbase has become the standard for collaborative material management and development software. TEXbase leads organizations in the Apparel and Textile Industries by accelerating their material development to differentiate in an ultra-competitive global environment that is driven by innovationand integrity.

TEXbase software allows businesses to reduce operating expenses while increasing revenues by improving research and development processes, shortening product lifecycles, and improving brand integrity and product innovation.