Source: Otexa

The total textile and apparel imports into US in 2010 were about $104 billion and those in 2011 (Jan-Nov) have touched $106 billion. Also when we compare with 2009, the imports increased from $90.5 billion significantly rose to $104 billion in 2010 and continue to rise in 2011. This reflects the inherent strength of the US market that  inspite of the economic recession the textile and apparel imports continue to rise .Though the increased cotton prices may have played some role in increasing the value of these imports, still the sentiment for imports seems positive for the entire industry..

Also, it is interesting to note that almost 15% of all imports fall under the various Free Trade Agreements like CAFTA, AGOA etc. The govt. has been maintaining this figure at around 15% for last 2 years .

What is the % of denim apparel imports out of these total imports ??
Its around 4% !. Though it looks small, denim is still an important apparel category when viewed in comparison to other categories.

For denim executives that are trying to anticipate the next big fashion trend, there are clear indications of what that trend will be. The indications are that denim in a wide range of colors is emerging as the most promising path to significantly improved denim business by 2013. These are other than the pure Indigo blue, sulfur bottoms, sulfur tops and black shades that dominate the denim market. The availability of denim colors in the world market is presently very small because only a very few denim companies have overcome the technical challenges of dyeing colors on standard denim equipment. These problems along with the route to success in producing colors will be explained in following article.

The technical aspects of controlling colors on Indigo machinery consist of:

1) Understanding affinity factors( the velocity of dye particles) of indigo and sulfur dyeing

2) Control of reduction potential(millivolts) and alkalinity(pH) of indigo and sulfur dye

3)Dye box volumes( larger boxes are better for Indigo, smaller are better for sulfurs)

4) Control of wet pick-up where dyes are applied to dry cotton and the concept of “liquor exchange” where dye is applied to wet cotton

5) Effective washing for maintaining color consistency

6) Control of oxidation, especially with sulfur dyes to avoid strength loss with blacks and the extreme color variation with colors other than black. These will be addressed in detail in the following article.

These color denims are appearing in increasing volumes in higher-fashion retail stores such as Dillards in the U.S. as well as in Europe and Japan. These include yarn-dyed denims with the white weft preserved and garment dyes which can be produced with sulfur dyes, reactives, directs or pigments. One constant in yarns dyed by Indigo machinery is that there will be an undyed, white center in the yarns regardless of which class of dye or dyeing method is used. The reserved, undyed cotton in the center of the yarns is responsible for the unique brightness of denim garments. Light is reflected from the dyed fibers on the outside of the yarns, but also from the white fibers in the center which results in a special brightness that has been described as “blooming”.

Sulfur dyed garments seem to have greater appeal because of the more natural looking “earth tones” that are generated. Reactives have a more intense appearance because of the higher chroma, but are more expensive and are perceived as being artificial. Direct dyes are the lowest cost to use and there are pink and light greens that have penetrated the market, but present colorfastness problems in dark shades. Pigments are relatively easy to apply and since they are a surface coloration, can produce a distressed look, but also present colorfastness problems in darker shades and have a harsher feel than dyed garments. Sulfur colors offer easy application, are very low cost and can produce a wide range of colors that imitate colors in nature which have a more durable appeal in the higher-fashion markets. The basic procedure for producing sulfur dyes is to take “any organic compound with color and react it with sulfur”, so any naturally occurring material can be used to produce sulfur dyes. When sulfur dyes were introduced in the 1870’s, the first colors were brown dyes produced from sawdust, animal blood and horse manure reacted with sulfurs. More sophisticated methods since then have resulted in a full palette of colors with sulfur dyes.

The expression “sulfur colors” refers to colors like browns, greens, yellow, violets, greys, pinks and oranges, colors that will stand out in stores and catch the attention of retail consumers that are ready for something fresh to wear, but are in the unique denim fabric constructions.

The presence of white weft-yarns behind the colored weft yarns makes for a brighter, cleaner appearance and because the weft yarns have not been affected by dyes or chemicals, the feel of natural cotton against the skin is one of the important reasons for the appeal of denim.

Denim colors first became a huge success in the fashion denim area about 20 years ago, when U.S. companies invested in research programs to solve the mysteries of the physical chemistry involved in continuous dyeing on Indigo machinery, which none of the dye suppliers was able to solve. A serious effort is required which involves a basic understanding of color science, the chemistry of dyeing, especially the selection of reducing agents and special buffers to maintain stability in the large dye boxes of Indigo machinery, but the profit margins to be realized will make the effort financially worthwhile, especially for smaller, more flexible and technically capable denim companies.

The business cycle in fashion has always demonstrated that the fabric supplier who enters the market first with an entirely new product gains the greatest share of the profits form product development. Those who try to catch up and wait to follow the leaders will continue to struggle.

This is a guest post by Harry Mercer. Mr. Mercer has 30 years experience in the denim business including 3 prominent U.S. denim companies : Cone, Swift and Graniteville. He is an expert colorist for measurement and color matching as well as textile testing and is considered to be a leading authority  for denim dyeing, finishing and fashion denim development.To contact him, email him or  leave comments below.

In celebration of 2012 – Year of the Dragon, a limited edition hand painted RYU (Dragon) Jean were released exclusively at the new EVISU London Boxpark Store.

Available in limited supply of 30 pairs only at £300 each, EVISU artists once again pushed  boundaries on raw denim, expertly painting traditional Japanese dragons together with its famous Seagull, creating this unique and one-off range of customised denim especially for the arrival of the Year of the Dragon.

The 2012 RYU Jeans were be personally customised and skillfully hand painted by EVISU artists at its London Boxpark Store on Sat,January 28th 2012 from12:00 GMT. Each jean will have the option of a personalised colour scheme together with the RYU 2012 print on the leather patch authenticating the jeans exclusivity.

Here are some more looks from the latest denim collection from Evisu.

Evisu has always been a little different from most other denim brands using motifs and paintings as an integreal part of their denim jeans . Of course , it does not appeal to all , but there are some die hard fans of the brand – though the brand is nowhere near its peak of popularity in early 2000’s

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Though the USP of Paige has been ‘FIT’ , it has never lost sight of the need to use great fabrics coupled with latest wash trends . The Spring/ Summer 2012 Denim Collection for women and , in some cases, even for men , is a splash of rainbow colors – though we have already  seen in some other denim brands. The collection is full of fun colors ,   tie-dyes etc.  For women, the colors include oranges, pinks, reds, and a wide variety of other colors in lightweight sateen and super stretch denim and of course jeggings are quite visible alongwith flare fits.

The men’s denim collection has soft washes in the Doheny range while bold colors are offered in Normandie slim fits.

a) List of countries from where the denim fabric is being imported into India either for re-export in the form of garments or for local use .

b) The quantity of fabric coming from major exporting countries.

c) The  value and average prices of fabrics coming from each destination.

Though India has a large manufacturing base for denim, denim has started coming into India from various countries around the world. The denim is mainly being imported due nominated orders from final garment customers in the West . But now local brands in India have also started to have a taste of premium denim from other companies around the world and are trying to import the same despite high duties.

Some of the countries from where denim is coming from are mentioned below for the period April to Oct 2011 . Also given are average prices , quantities coming from each country.

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Normally , it is difficult to find such an association.

Orta Anadolu (Turkey) is one of the most reputed denim mill around the world and it is one of the very few companies which has made such an  association for denim – successfully. Through their social arm – Orta Blu – Orta Anadolu is trying to make an impact on the lives of poorest of people. It has undertaken a number of social missions around the world to in this direction. As Orta describes :

“Social Missions are a new form of charity in which the donor’s product becomes the catalyst of the operation. Denim is what we know how to do well. Using denim we have launched a series of initiatives that are helping local NGOs in 3 different continents to sustain their programs. We travel to the field, roll our sleeves, and approach the problems with the determination to make a difference and the know-how of an international business. We train the local people , we spend time with them. We share their everyday lives to better understand how we can help. As we try to solve a problem, many others come up. We go back and look for partners whose business could help solve the new problems. We call it the life loop. We don’t recycle just denim. We try to recycle life too and help people get a fresh start..”

One of the missions among the various undertaken by Orta ,   is “ THE SCHOOL UNIFORM PROJECT “

Many African children do not send their children to school because they cannot afford to buy  a school uniform.  Orta Blu launches a School Uniform Design contest with SCAD , Savannah School or Art and Design.

The winning design is used to manufacture free school uniforms for children around the world.

Now , the other part of this story . The Women’s Association is a small NGO that’s a part of a UNICEF programme in a Lebanese village. It had to shut down its literacy programme because of lack of funds. Orta Blu , under the supervision of UNICEF , supplied them with denim , new equipment , and training to manufacture school uniforms.

After this process of uniform manufacturing is over , Orta Blu purchases the uniforms and delivers them to children locally and in Africa.

Besides the African children getting the uniforms ,  20 jobs are created with the manufacturing of the uniforms . The money from the sale of the uniforms allows the Lebanese Women’s Association to restart their literacy programme and enroll a number of children.

So this programme has  created many jobs, helped many  children stay in school through a literacy program, and has made it affordable to attend school for hundreds of more children in 2 continents. It has created a large online community made of the most diverse people. Its globalization at its best !

This is one of the commendable social missions undertaken by Orta Blu . They have undertaken many other such missions .Want to know more about their social missions ? Contact Orta here

Sponsored :

Hi Andreas. Welcome to Denimsandjeans.com ? Its a pleasure to have you with us. Please tell us something about yourselves and your company – Akari Enterprises..

I have worked in the fashion business all my life, since 1985, first with Hugo Boss in Germany, then with various companies in the US: Diesel, Versace, Ralph Lauren and then I became CEO of 7 For All Mankind in Los Angeles. Since 2006 I have my own consulting firm Akari Enterprises. I work in three areas: global business development for my clients (mostly premium denim companies), M&A and Executive Search. Currently, I work with Joe’s Jeans, Agave Denim, Kuyichi and Robert Graham. My site is www.akarienterprises.com.

You have held some of the most senior positions in the denim industry ..What do you think really is the moving spirit behind this product ?

It’s all about the product and particularly in denim, about the fit and the fabric and wash. Jeans will never go away and are the most versatile piece of clothing that goes through life with you and tells your story. Jeans are something very personal. They represent a lot of things for many people: adventure, rebellion, youth, sex appeal, independence, etc. Jeans bring up emotions in people, that’s why they are here to stay.

How do you think it is going to evolve in the future..?

Jeans will always be an important part of everyone’s wardrobe, however, the way people look at jeans is changing and it will be more important in the future for jeans to more conscious of the environment. Many brands have now incorporated the use of organic cotton and/or switched to laser wash techniques, which use much less water and no chemicals. Some companies, like Kuyichi, use only organic cotton and the new denim line from Girbaud is entirely made with their WattWash technique (with Laser and Ozone).

Despite regular recessions and downfalls, denim refuses to bow down.. Do you think this product has an eternal life ?

Denim will never go away. It is the most versatile garment and can be used for the office and for leisure and going out at night. Jeans are loaded with sex appeal and that will always be an important factor or wearing them.

Many companies and celebrities want to jump into the denim bandwagon by launching a denim brand . What do you think about such a trend ? Can the market sustain and absorb such an increasing number of brands?

The number of denim brands has significantly decreased since the crises in 2008. The bigger companies have benefited from this by growing their market share and the entry into this market for newcomers has become much more difficult. It used to be easy to come up with a pair of jeans, get some celebrity to wear it and become an overnight success. That is not so easy anymore with the consolidation that has taken place. Buyers are more cautious and concentrate on the brands that have made them money in the past.

Its sometimes said that whatever needs to be done with denim has been done . Do you think this is a gross  underestimation of denim potential ?

I think there is revolution going on right now with denim and we are just beginning to see a new era of denim from many points of view: alternative fabrics (tencel, hemp, etc.), organic cotton, laser wash techniques, ozone treatment. Cotton in itself already uses a lot of water to grow and the washing techniques used so far account for an enormous amount of water being used and polluted with all the chemicals. All of this is about to change in a big way. Sandblasting has already been prohibited by many big brands and more developments in this field will follow. That is very encouraging .

Coming to ‘Premium Denims’. There is a lot of confusion regarding the definition itself . How do you define it ?

Premium denim is foremost referring to superior material: sturdy quality yet soft at the touch. The best material comes from Italy and Japan. It’s like with food. If you want to make a great meal, you have to have great ingredients. Then the washing is obviously very important and the keen attention to fit. There is a noticeable difference between premium denim and other denim jeans and consumers are willing to pay the difference.

What do you think would be the market size of Premium Denims in US ?

The US market for denim is about $16.5bn. Premium denim (jeans that retail for $100 and more) makes up about 5% of that, so roughly $1bn. In 1990, when the LA premium denim boom started, the total market was only $11bn and the premium market then was only 1.8% or roughly $200m at retail. There has been an explosion of both the total market and of the premium denim market from 2000 – 2007 and since 2008 things have slowed down considerably, but the big brands are, for the most part, still growing their business and market share.

Some experts say that in recession it is the lowest priced and the highest priced products that sell well . Do you subscribe to this view ?

In the good years, from 2000-2007, there was a clear high-low market development: the segment below $50 and the segment above $100 grew at the expense of the middle market from $50-$100, however, since the crisis, the middle segment has picked up again and jeans that retail for about $85-$140 have become stronger again.

How long do you think would it take for mid priced retailers to really give a serious challenge to the high priced denims from premium denim brands ? Current efforts by retailers like Gap have had mixed responses ..

Once a brand is in one particular segment it is hard to make an inroad into another segment and obviously the hardest thing to to is to trade up. When you are perceived as a low or middle priced brand it is nearly impossible to enter the premium denim market, even though your product may be equal or superior. At the end of the day, it’s also a lot about perception and branding.

Denim fabrics from Japan and Italy are reputed to be the best .. How far do you think mills in Asia are in comparison ? Do they have the right ingredients to take up the mantle ?

Other Asian manufacturers are definitely stepping up and will be more important players going forward. One example is Arvind. They are one of the largest denim manufacturers at low prices, but have also successfully gone into premium denim with what they call denim lab and have developed beautiful materials.

Something on your personal choices.Which is your favourite pair of Jeans and why ?

I have many different pairs of jeans obviously, but I keep coming back to my favorite: Citizens of Humanity. Their fit for me is perfect and the softness of the fabric, combined with great styling and understated styling is what I like the most. Jerome Dahan is doing a superb job and since a few years, he is working with Adriano Goldschmied, the godfather of denim and both of them just keep coming up with fantastic products. In terms of revolutionary washing techniques, I would have to mention Marithe+Francois Girbaud as the pioneer and my favorite socially conscious jean.

How many times do you wash a single pair of jeans in a year ? What advice would you give our readers on this ?

Wash as little as possible. I wash mine about 4 times per year, inside out and with cold water.

Thanks for being with us Andreas.. It was really a pleasure interacting with you..

Same here, thank you.

• 7 Billion people in 2011 / 9 billion people by 2050. Feeding, clothing, and providing shelter for everyone does not come free. Everything has a cost. This cost has to be borne by the environment.
• According to textile exchange , about 20% of industrial fresh water pollution comes from textile treatment and dyeing.
• About 2700 liter of  fresh water is used to make one cotton T-shirt.  About 920 gallons to make one pair of Levi’s 501(and similarly for other jeans) . Other textile products also consume huge amounts of energy and water in processing and finishing.
• 1 Trillion kwh used by the global textile industry . This equals  approx .10% of global carbon impact .

With this growing realization of need to have  sustainable products  and looking at this huge impact of textile industry on the environment – of which denim is an important segment – the natural way forward is only devising new products, ways and processes which can help in reducing the environmental footprint of textiles. A number of companies are contributing towards this end and we just interviewed Steffi Zhao of  Primagreen (Danisco)  to discuss their Flexible fading enzymes for denim which is a product in this domain contributing to reduced energy and water consumption.

Hi Steffi ! . Tell us a little about Flexible Fading for Denim from PrimaGreen®..

PrimaGreen® enzyme solutions from Genencor/DuPont are biodegradable, made from renewable resources, and manufactured using the latest biotechnology methods providing highest efficiency. The enzymes can replace corrosive chemicals such as caustic soda, potassium permanganate and  hypochlorite.  "Flexible Fading" for denim garments allows multiple looks on one basic denim fabric with PrimaGreen® EcoFade LT 100 laccase and  PrimaGreen® EcoLight 1 esterase.  Both solutions are more sustainable and controllable compared to traditional washing and deliver high-quality fabrics.

What is the difference between Traditional Denim processing and the processing done with Primagreen?

EcoFade LT 100 laccase is specific for Indigo fading while EcoLight 1 esterase technology fades sulphur black dyes. Compared to the traditional denim bleaching process, PrimaGreen® processing combines enzymatic denim abrasion followed by fading in a single bath with no drop and refill. These ready-to-use solutions provide excellent and reproducible effects in the fading of denim, -all at lower temperature and with less water. Meanwhile the enzymes allow designers to take one base denim fabric and create multiple looks with lowest fabric damage. That’s why we call this "Flexible Fading": Abrasion with IndiAge® cellulase and fading with PrimaGreen® laccase and esterase
 

The definition of ‘Environmental Friendly’ is sometimes vague.  How can a denim mill be assured that they really contributing to the environment by changing their processes?

  PrimaGreen® solutions provide significant, measurable reductions in environmental impact, including:
       • Lower processing temperatures resulting in reduced energy use.
       • Less fabric washing and rinsing resulting in reductions in water use and effluent.
       • Decreased energy consumption resulting in reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
These environmental benefits also allow for safer working conditions and reduce the total processing cost!

The final consumers- brands , retailers etc– are probably the most important in the value chain to help in awareness for  environment friendly products. Do you think they are doing enough in this direction?

Pressure is growing to lessen the amount of water and energy used to produce textiles. The current approach is not sustainable given a world of finite fossil fuel resources and a growing carbon dioxide burden. There are always early adopters with the advent of any new technology and those that follow.  It is often difficult to get companies to change a practice that they have been doing the same way for years or even decades.  With the biotechnology resources we have at Genencor/DuPont we now have, within our reach, solutions to problems which we could not even imagine a few years ago. Fortunately, we see that brands and retailers take responsibility and look for more sustainable garment manufacturing practices. To do so, they need to fully understand these practices and this requires transparency within the total textiles supply chain. Initiatives such as "Textile Exchange", "RITE" and "Planet Textiles" allow direct communication between all involved stakeholders. As a positive result for us, garment brands are retailers are now starting to "prescribe" PrimaGreen® to the denim laundries, thus demanding more sustainable processing. Retailers that thrive in the future will feature the latest fashion looks produced with responsible processes; and consumers won’t tolerate anything less.

Black denim processing has , always , for various reasons not been the easiest. There are issues on color retention, rubbing fastness etc. How do you  address these issues ?

One of the main issues we see with the traditional chemical fading of sulphur black fabrics is reproducibility, or the lack of it. Additionally, it is difficult to achieve an even effect on the whole garment; it’s too reactive and there is no control. With EcoLight 1 enzyme different aspects of the washing process can be adjusted such as: working time, temperature or application recipe.  The milder -or more natural- processing conditions simply allow for more flexibility and highest reproducibility, resulting in the designed fading looks.

Reproducibility of effects on denim is a matter of great concern for processors and clients. How is the such consistency in fading effects created using your enzymes ?

Both PrimaGreen EcoFade and PrimaGreen EcoLight enzyme technologies provide reproducible fading effects, significantly reducing batch to batch color variations of treated garments. Our Textile Application experts around the world have conducted many trials, in our laboratories and in full scaled denim laundries, and optimized the washing processes with our customers. We have gained considerable experience with the products in different processing facilities with many different types of denim fabrics. And this type of collaboration-approach has become our approach to implement these new technologies, ensuring the best results. It’s a lot of work -preparing, conducting trials, evaluating- but the positive results are benefiting our customers and us!

Another important aspect is the processing of  ‘Stretch Fabrics’ . The loss of stretchability in various processes is well known. It affects the life and the looks of the garment. Is it possible to have desired effects on stretch fabrics without affecting the elastane?

That’s the beauty of enzymes: they work in mild conditions and that is always a benefit to any type of fiber and fabric. Yes, our above mentioned Primagreen products allow you to get the desired effects on stretch denims without any damage when compared to chemical bleaching processes.

What is the ‘Single Bath System ‘ ?

It means the denim washing step with cellulase for abrasion and the step of enzymatic fading can be combined into one bath, thus saving water and energy. As part of our commitment to innovation, we continue to invest in developing and optimizing enzyme products and one of the many requirements is combined processing. We just launched a new neutral cellulase for denim abrasion:  IndiAge® ONE. This is a super concentrated granular cellulase enzyme has a broad pH and temperature range and has the ability to attain high contrast and low backstaining on denim fabric upon formulation. It is the only enzyme you need to produce a wide range of denim abrasion looks in different working conditions.

What would you define as contribution to environment in terms of water and energy saved by the denim mills and garment processors using Primagreen ? Does it translate in any monetary savings for them as well ?

Due to single bath system and processing at low temperature compared to traditional chemical bleaching, PrimaGreen® "Flexible Fading" solutions can reduce water consumption and save energy. When working together with our customers we calculate the costs of the recipes, the use of water, effluent, and energy. Considering all these aspects, the benefit is cost reduction and therefore monetary savings for our customers. Of course this is a case-by-case evaluation, again emphasizing the need to work together with the brand, the retailer, the formulator and the laundry to find the best solutions.

To contact  Primagreen – click here

About : Naked & Famous is a denim brand from Canada. It claims that it uses only the most unique and rare denim fabrics from Japan.

In their own words

“ The prestigious mills in Japan, from which we import all our fabric, are committed to producing only the best (and most expensive) denim in the world. Throughout each step in denim production (weaving, dyeing, finishing…) the mills use a combination of old school and modern methods and practices. So much culture and history is poured into the fabric so that it can be appreciated by the denim purist. We keep all our jeans raw and simple. No washes, no embroidery, no gimmicks… just the best fabric in the world combined with modern fits. We have eliminated these costly (and in our opinion unnecessary) after-effects, and have stripped down our jeans to the core essentials. Now true denimheads and newcomers alike can enjoy these special fabrics at a reasonable price.

What’s in the name ?

“The brand name Naked & Famous is a satire of our celeb-obsessed culture. We aim to poke fun at “Hollywood” and “Glamour” brands that sell jeans for $300 and up solely because they are celebrity endorsed, and not because they are higher quality.”