Denimandjeans | Global Trends, News and Reports | Worldwide

Category: News

  • Phablet Fashion | Bigger Pockets Coming For Jeans For iPhone 6 Plus?

    Phablet Fashion | Bigger Pockets Coming For Jeans For iPhone 6 Plus?

    Jeans originated as workwear and over its long journey have transformed into a fashion wear as well . However, the roots of a utilitarian apparel holds biggest attraction for the jeans lovers . One of the major factors for the success of jeans has been its high level of adaptability to changing life styles of the people around the world. We have seen jeans change from a rough and tough work wear to a fashion wear and now turning into an active wear. These mutations continue and jeans continue to evolve to suit the demands of the consumers.

    So what happens if Phablets – the large sized phones(phone+tablets) – gain popularity with consumers around the world. Whether it is 5.5 inch iPhone 6 plus or Samsung Note 4 or many other similar smart phones become popular around the world . How will the consumers be able to carry these instruments ? Will they want their jeans pockets to be large enough to hold them ? Or will the consumers adapt themselves to hold the phablets in their hands without desiring a change in their jeans design . This question is specially important for skinny jeans for women and  men. The iphone 6 plus are already becoming a victim to #bendgate – bending of the phone in jeans pockets !

    Will the designers of denim brands look at options of changing their pocket designs to make space for these monster phones.  A number of brands spoke to different media sites to give their views .

    Uniqlo recently told Quartz :

    “We are having conversations currently with the product development team regarding technology overall, and how our clothes can provide compatibility from a user perspective. Jean pockets is one of those conversations.”

    Mashable also heard back from five fashion brands, looking at re-engineering their pants around bigger tech. Though the brands are non-committal , but the question is already under their design discussions:

    • American Eagle: “Currently our men’s pockets already accommodate the larger phones including the iPhone 6 [and 6 Plus]. Women’s is still being evaluated.”
    • L.L Bean: “Within certain product lines, such as our men’s active apparel for instance, (specifically cargo/utility style pants that have side pockets that are natural spots to carry phones), we do use iPhones and Samsung phones in our fit sessions to ensure that the pockets are large enough to accommodate these larger phones. The iPhone 6 would fit in the pockets now.”
    • J.Crew: “Throughout the design process, we try to consider every aspect of the way our customers live their lives, and changing mobile technology is no exception. We think about all of these details – whether it’s introducing new tech accessories for the new iPhone 6 – or special interior pockets to carry the various generations of iPads or tablets.”
    • Lee Jeans designer, Whitney Neary, says her company started discussing pocket size as soon as the iPhone 6 Plus debuted: “It’s something that we always are considering, in terms of the functionality of our garments. Of course, we’re always going to make sure that we’re going for something that’s flattering for the consumer…but we’re always thinking about how she wears the garment, what occasion she’s wearing the jeans for and what she needs to just make them work for her everyday life.”
    • Levi’s:  Head of Global design Jonathan Cheung says “Without being iPhone 6-specific, our mantra, like [Steve Jobs’], will always be to design products that make people’s lives a little better.”

    Though we do not see any major immediate effects on the designs of jeans by major brands, but the brands are already watching closely at what consumers are looking for in their jeans related to these smart phones. And we can probably look for some design customizations in some of these brands as the phablets become more popular. !

     

    iPhone 6 Plus : Denimsandjeans.com

    Samsung note 4 : Denimsandjeans.com

    Sponsored link

    image

  • Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year 2015

    Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year 2015

    We take this opportunity to wish all our readers, friends, visitors, associates, partners and all others a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and Best wishes for A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015. May you have a year full of Health, Happiness, Prosperity and Peace and may God shower his blessings on all of you! .

    psst – may I add for the denim aficionados  that may we see more of denim innovation in  2015 !!!!!

  • Arvind Denim SS`16 Collection

    Arvind Denim SS`16 Collection

    Arvind Denim  launched their SS’16 collection at Denim by PV , Barcelona , bringing some interesting products from their stable. Their product development team shared with us the details of their latest SS’16 collection. We bring below some of the information on the new collection shared with us.

    image

    Performance Stretches

    Women’s power stretches for high performance and  comfort made in dual-core Dynamo Denim and dual-Fx® technology by Lycra® brand. Denim fabrics with dual-FX® technology by LYCRA® brand have high stretchability but have a high degree of dimensional stability so that jeans retain their shape and fit over time. These super-stretch jeans are supposed to provide  comfortable and free-movement and yet have the look and feel of natural denim.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Performance Stretches

    Soft & Easy Stretches

    These include a  brew of both basic core and easy soft-stretch denims. They are hard wearing and make a great durable pair of denims to stay for long. Classic yet trendy they are now being offered in all new rousing textures, shades, wash-down casts and weights.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Soft & Easy Stretches

     

     

    Mutant Jeans

    A combination of construction methods to achieve a denim effect using dobby structures. Almost identical to woven denim in terms of appearance, it has the desirable comfort properties of natural stretch and air permeability.Arvind Denim SS16-Mutant Jeans

    Men’s Classics

    Stretch denims with improved  recovery and with property to retain  the look of non-stretch rigid denim . This is a product with a poly-spandex and cotton combination with clear twills giving a clear texture and can be stoned, bleached or distressed.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Men’s Classics

    Arvind Denim SS16-Men’s Classics

    Arvind Denim SS16-Men’s Classics

    Neo Denim

    The deep dark denims about which the PD team at Arvind says  :

    “…These are  real dark blue denim that hides a lot more below the surface to be discovered and excite you! An answer to a true denim fan’s desire. Truly deep dark blue denims which wash down gradually offering great contrasts at every level giving jeans a luxurious and super rich look. Jacquards, prints, soft stretches, core, neo dying here sets a new character for all…”

    Arvind Denim SS16-Neo Denim

     

     

     

     

    Linen Denim

    Linen Denim is made out of non-elastic flax yarn and is synonymous to its properties of exceptional comfort, luxury, durability and its unique cooling attribute in hot and humid weather. It can be identified with a high natural luster and a thick and thin character with a crisp and textured feel to it.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Linen Denim

     

     

    Denim Gabardine

    CLean and subtle, this is the  category of products  for a tailored look.
    The Arvind team feels that “:

    “ It is the most premium category of fabrics with fine slubs giving a clean and bespoke look. Constructed in mid to heavy weights this category of denim offers highly durable, rich in color and lustrous denims.”

    Arvind Denim SS16-Denim Gabardine

    Boomerang Denim

    It is high-stretch denim with extra softness and  shape retention quality. This denim savors slim body curving silhouette with perfection making it easily one of the hottest denim trends on today’s denim landscape. The significant snapback and extra pliability makes it bounce back to its shape after every wear making it a perfect choice for super skinny jeans; hence fulfilling the desire for comfort and fit paired with fashion trend.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Boomerang Denim

     

    Spice Denim

    As per Arvind team, Spice Denim has intelligence built into the fabric that gives it the property to be dyed in garment form. It dyes to a natural texture of denim in an eco-friendly process. Spice gives denim a newer dimension making it capable to be seasonally played and experimented with, in terms of colors, textures and wash downs. The weft is not dyed and the surface gets wash dimensions like denim.

    Arvind Denim SS16-Spice Denim

    Denim Shirts

    Deep dyed and  light-weight denims for shirtings and other tops.  In Over-dyed, Neo or Chambray versions to enable multiple washed looks .

    Arvind Denim SS16-Denim Shirts

    arvind ss16 denim shirts

    Neo Bubble ultra light denims

    For these light weight denims, meant for ladies dresses and tops , Arvind team enthusiastically mentions:

    “Feathery and airy, light-weight Denims for women’s tops, dresses and men’s summer shirts. This is a collection of young statement dobbies and prints on Ultra-Light Neo Denims. Stories are created with alluringly exotic inspirations for Spring/Summer 2016. Bohemian, grungy yet feminine, it celebrates summer with vintage floral prints and patterns with a vibrant color palette ..”

    Arvind Denim SS16-Neo Bubble ultra light denims

    arvind ss16 denim shirts1

    arvind neo bubble

  • Guess & Orta Unite Fashion With Denim Technology To Create `Guess Power Curvy`

    Guess & Orta Unite Fashion With Denim Technology To Create `Guess Power Curvy`

    As comfort , softness and flexibility become increasingly important for female customers, GUESS and  ORTA Anadolu (Turkey)  and  have come together in order to create jeans that targets to offer  comfort and flexibility  to female customers and keep them happy !.  GUESS POWER CURVY – Created from ORTA FITSWELL’s 7845 and 8000,  would like to be a  second skin for the females with an excellent recovery performance including no bagging out and hold their shape all day long, retaining a super slimming effect.

    Today, female consumers are demanding jeans that offer comfort and protection. They want their jeans to provide flexibility, moving with their body in perfect harmony. They are looking for jeans which keep them looking great throughout the day, despite the pressures of their routine. ORTA and GUESS have come together to cater to such demand of the female consumers. This is also a sign of fabric manufacturers and brands coming together to co-brand a technologically savvy product and appeal to the consumers.

    A Silky soft tencel/polyester blend fabric made by Orta and supported with their AlchemyOne® finish, creates a soft and luxurious touch.

    Both the  companies are gung ho about this new jeans collection and say :

    “GUESS POWER CURVY Jeans are an absolute must for women on the go, beautifully tailored, good to your skin and luxurious inside and out. They perform well all day long, from your early morning business meeting, to the time when you kick them off to go to bed at night.”

    GUESS POWER CURVY is available in all GUESS stores in Europe, online at guess.eu, some selected department stores and multi brand stores .

    ORTA guess powercurvy

    Main Spring

    Main Spring Collection

    Main Spring Collection

    Main Spring Collection

    Pre Spring

    Pre Spring Collection

    Pre Spring Collection

    Pre Spring Collection

  • Adriano Goldschmied Works To Create Revolutionary Denim- An Interview

    Adriano Goldschmied Works To Create Revolutionary Denim- An Interview

    Adriano Goldschmied needs to introduction. Often referred to as ‘Godfather of Denim’ he is revered by denim community worldwide . With a career in denim spanning over 35 years, Goldschmied took jeans from work wear and made them fashionable. He is the founder of iconic brand Diesels , AG, Goldsign etc and played important role in development of a large number of important brands like Replay, Goldie, Evisu etc. He has never rested on his laurels and has made continuous efforts to bring the denim industry to the next level  . Lately he has been working on a new stretch fabric which he feels will turn the fortunes of the denim industry. The ‘Active Denim’ fabric which he feels is revolutionary , is made by blending cotton, nylon and polyester and is already being taken up by some important denim brands. We got the opportunity to interact with the legend and to ask him more about how the active wear segment is affecting the denim industry and how his new development is  industry’s answer to this segment’s onslaught on the denim market, besides his views on general movements in the industry.

    Why is active wear as a segment getting more important from denim perspective?.

    There is an important change of life style. In the past the active wear was mostly limited to people making sport, today is expanding to people that do not, and they just feel more comfortable and they like to be ideally more close to a look that is more healthy and active. They have been jeans "aficionados" .

    Yoga pants  seem to be highly popular . Are they taking share away from the denim market ?

    They are, and they definitely are taking space and consumers from the denim brands. But it is not only about this, the yoga pants are just the top of a big iceberg. In my opinion the market in general, including denim, is going in a direction that is not the traditional one where we been working for decades. Consumers are going into new fabrications that are  much more comfortable also in the classic five pocket. The knit denim, the real one, made with the circular machines, is substtituting the woven denim including the fake knit woven that has stretchability only in one way. We will see in those fabric not only yoga leggings but also training pants, boyfriend jeans and classic five pockets.

    You have been working on creating new game changing stretch fabrics made with blended cotton, nylon and polyester which have been creating ripples in the denim market. Pl tell us know more about these fabrics. How do you think they will help denim industry to grow further.

    As you probably know in the past I been working a lot in fabric innovations, bringing stretch abilities never seen before and mixing fiber and making blends in order to make the jean more comfortable. I arrived to a point when I developed the two way stretch that I understood that it was the right time to invent something totally new. This was not an evolution but a revolution. I started thinking that people love the indigo but there was a need of new constructions. So,now  bringing the circular machines in the denim world we change completely the industry. I been working in a new generation of fabrics that all the time are stretch at 360 degrees. Basically I been working in two directions in the same family of products. I take the indigo ropes and instead going to the looms I use the circular machines. The first family is with a very high stretch performance as i mix the cotton indigo yarns with nylons or polyesters creating a product that is in between a denim and a performance fabric for the more active design The second direction is still with the indigo yarn but developed in more stable knits that can substitute the classic denim in more traditional fits.
    I strongly believe that the denim industry survives all the time because we bring innovation that is keeping the attention and the interest of consumers. In this case this revolution will be probably bloody but very beneficial..

    Are these knit denims dimensionally stable  and are these products  tested by brands? What kind of fibers have been used in such fabrics..

    Most of them are on a poly base in the back that is giving a lot of stability. They are in development at many brands and they  will be in the market in January. In general they are 60% indigo yarn, 30% Poly or Nylon and 10% Spandax.

    Do you think this direction could take a sizeable portion of denim market in coming times ?

    It is very early to forecast the size of this business, for sure we need to have a test in the market but I feel it will be really big. This is a product that can be very important and be used from denim brands but also for sport brands. In addition we don`t have to forget that making a legging is much cheaper then making a Jean. So for sure they will be an opening price that naturally will generate a serious volume. What I have in my mind is that in the future could be 30% of the women denim business.

    You are often referred to as ‘Godfather of Denim’. What do you think about the broad directions the industry seems to be taking.

    I don`t care about how they call me.. What I care is about bringing more interest and business to our industry. I feel that this new direction will add a lot to our segment. We don`t have to forget that today we are under "attack" from the sport giants and new sport brands and I feel that is crucial to have anadequate answer and get back our market.

    Eco Sustainability – it seems to be becoming a buzzword in denim . Though brands/retailers like Levi’s ,M&S and H&M are taking it seriously still a very small portion of world denim is eco friendly.  Do you think we might reach a stage in next few years where a small % of total denim would be eco sustainable making a visible impact on the environment..

    Regarding eco sustainability, we started small and it will be big as long we all understand that it is not just a marketing tool but a practice that we use every day in everything we do. It is our next big challenge and we need to be winners.

  • Bangladesh Targets $50 Billion RMG Exports by 2021

    Bangladesh Targets $50 Billion RMG Exports by 2021

    bangladesh के लिए चित्र परिणामA 3 day apparel summit was recently organized by  BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association)  –‘Bangladesh RMG 2021- 50 billion USD in 50 years’- with Alliance, American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), German Development Council and others to chalk out a sustainable road map for the ready made garment industry to reach this ambitious target by 2021 when Bangladesh would be celebrating its 50th anniversary . Garment exports have been the mainstay of Bangladesh’s exports for last many years and have been rapidly growing and forming the major part of the exports from the country. The following table brings out figures of exports of apparel from Bangladesh in the last over 2 decades. From a 32% share in exports from Bangladesh in 1989, the RMG exports now constitutes over 80% of all exports . All the figures have been taken from the data published in an article by the BGMEA President – Mr Md Atiqul Islam- during the apparel summit.

    RMG Exports from Bangladesh 1989 to 2014

    Year Export of RMG Total Export from BD % of RMG Export to Total Number of Garment factories Employment in Millions
    1989-90 624 1,923 32.45 759 0.34
    1994-95 2,228 3,472 64.17 2182 1.20
    1999-00 4,349 5,752 75.61 3200 1.60
    2004-05 6,417 8,654 74.15 4107 2.00
    2009-11 12,496 16,204 77.12 5063 3.60
    2010-11 17,914 22,924 78.15 5150 3.60
    2011-12 19,089 24,287 78.60 5400 4.00
    2012-13 21,515 27,018 79.63 5400 4.00
    2013-14 24,492 30,186 81.13 4536* 4.00**

    All figures in US$ millions
    * A number of least compliant factories have closed down after the incidents in last 2 years.
    ** Latest figures to be updated

    During its growth over last 2 decade and more, the RMG exports from the country has grown well over 15% and has overcome (and is overcoming) many of the challenges that are coming in the way including child labour, MFA phase-out , social compliance etc. The tragic incidents in the last 2 years has further provided the impetus to overcome major challenges that come up as a part of growth in most developing economies. Despite adverse publicity after the Rana Plaza incident, the RMG exports growth during 2013 was about 13.8%.
    The report published by BGMEA sites a number of important reports published by  international organizations bringing out the positive sentiment on sourcing from  Bangladesh.

    MckinseyForecast , Summer 2014
    McKinsey & Co. surveyed 29 chief procurement officers in 2013 at leading apparel companies responsible for a combined purchase of Euro 29 billion. They found that Bangladesh remains at top of the list of apparel –sourcing markets expected to grow in importance in the next few years.

    US Fashion Industry Association Forecast, June 2014
    The ‘Benchmarking Study’ published by the US fashion industry in June 2014 mentions that 60% of the respondents say they expect to somewhat increase sourcing from Bangladesh in the next two years .

    HSBC Trade Confidence Index , Sept 2014

    The trade confidence index rose sharply from 103 in 2013 to 141 in H1 2014 as per HSBC . This index is second highest in a sample of 23 countries. The authorities are introducing more safety regulations to the garments sector and this appears to have provided an additional boost to confidence.

    The China Factor

    Gradual reduction of bulk apparel production by China as rising costs, socio-economic and livelihood uplifts, shift to high tech industries has made large apparel buyers concerned to shift their sourcing from China to other countries . Bangladesh has become the biggest beneficiary of this outcome. China occupied (as per WTO) a 37.35% share in global clothing exports in 2011 whereas Bangladesh occupied about 4.83% (which has increased slightly now). This huge gap is also reflecting on a huge opportunity for Bangladesh as it strengthens its position as second largest exporter and positions itself to take a large part of the ‘ China apparel export cake’.

    New Markets

    It is interesting to note that Bangladesh is also exploring new markets and diversifying its exports and going beyond the traditional exports to EU and US. The share of apparel exports to markets other than EU and North America was 6.88% in 2008-09 and increased to 14.71% in 2013-14. The new markets include Japan, China, India, South Korea, South Africa, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Chile. The duty free access and preferential market access by countries like India, China, Korea and Malaysia have helped this process.

    Export Components

    The product wise  exports from Bangladesh given below – indicating that the highest share is occupied by  Trousers , followed by T-shirts and Jackets while sweaters and shirts follow. Over the last 5 years , however, the highest growth has been in the exports of shirts and jackets. In the period of about 4 years from 2009-10 to 2013-14 , jacket exports increased by over 120% whereas exports of shirts increased by about 118%. Trouser exports increased by about 87% .

    Product-wise Exports from Bangladesh

    Year Shirts Trousers Jackets T-Shirt Sweater
    2009-10 993.41 3035.35 1350.43 3145.52 1795.39
    2010-11 1566.42 4164.16 1887.50 4696.57 2488.19
    2011-12 1733.54 4686.39 2231.16 4713.11 2340.34
    2012-13 1972.89 5185.48 2634.28 5143.22 2620.73
    2013-14 2173.73 5690.78 2973.16 5863.81 2932.94

    Note:Figures in US$ million

    Challenges

    To achieve the target of $50 billion, there will be significant challenges which Bangladesh will have to overcome , specially related to infrastructure. Lets see how it stands among other Asian countries in Global Competitiveness . The ‘Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15 (World Economic Forum) evaluates important apparel exporting countries on their Infrastructure quality.

    Comparison of Infrastructure Quality : 2014-15

    Country
    /Region    		 Country Ranking Overall Infrastructure Score Electricity Roads Railroads Port
    Bangladesh 109 2.8 2.5 2.9 2.4 3.7
    India 71 3.7 3.4 3.8 4.2 4.0
    China 28 4.4 5.2 4.6 4.8 4.6
    Cambodia 95 3.4 3.0 3.4 1.6 3.6
    Myanmar 134 2.3 2.8 2.4 1.8 2.6
    Pakistan 129 3.3 2.1 3.8 2.5 4.4
    Sri Lanka 73 5.0 4.8 5.1 3.7 4.2
    Thailand 31 4.1 5.1 4.5 2.4 4.5

    The above table shows the areas where Bangladesh still needs to work in relation to infrastructure improvements especially Roads and Electricity . Besides, availability of skilled work force would be another important aspect which would be very important for growth. Investment in education and training would be paramount to raise a large and skilled work force.

    The target of $50 billion is very  ambitious but still not entirely unachievable if one sees the growth achieved in last 5 years as exports doubled from $12 billion to $24 billion. However, the country needs to work really hard in improving its infrastructure and ensure a larger supply of a skilled workforce to reach the magic milestone.

    Denim Exports From Bangladesh

    Denim apparel is becoming an important part of exports from Bangladesh . In 2013 , the combined exports of denim jeans and related apparel to US and EU were over $ 1.2 billion with about 65% going to EU and balance to US. If we consider exports to other nations, the value would be still higher. The exports are set to increase further as Bangladesh overshadows Chinese exports to these regions in next 2 years and becomes the number 1 exporter of denim apparel. Already its exports of men’s jeans to EU is greater than that of China.

  • Denim by PV SS’16 Trends

    Denim by PV SS’16 Trends

    Denim by PV held at Barcelona on 19th and 20th Nov had 2 busy days  with about  100 companies participating and over 4000 visitors coming from around the world. Though some felt that the May show was better, most of the exhibitors and visitors seemed happy with the show.
    The exhibiting companies brought out their latest collections to the show for SS’16 season. Some trends emerged from these collection, one of the important one being the strong desire of denim companies to board the Athletic Wear band wagon and to beat Yoga pants and other competing products  at their home turf. Companies invested in technologies to bring out lighter denims with high stretchability – going upto 100% – with very good recoveries and low growths. Primarily to enable the denim to be used as a highly functional garment competing with all kinds of athletic wear.

    Softness is in : Super soft fabrics were highly focused on as manufacturers tried to bring out various technologies in yarn, weaving and finishing to give that ultra soft touch to the consumer . The knit (jersey) denims are a very important part of the soft brigade as companies take the knits to next level with better stretches , comfort , function and distressability. To many, knit denims shall continue as a base staple fabric on which other value additions will be done.

    Advanced Coatings : Many companies invested in advanced coatings to be done on lighter weight and high stretch fabrics and to give that shiny and pearly look to the fabric. These coatings are technology intensive as normally it is difficult to sustain them on high stretch fabrics.

    Eco sustainability mantra continues with increased vigor. Crailar fiber is being used by a number of exhibitors as an upcoming eco sustainable alternative to cotton and to give that non-uniform linen like effect.

    Selvedge denims seem to be getting more popular as middle rung brands also looking at them for their niche products. Most of the producers of selvedge seemed full and happy. Selvedges have been developed further to bring in more variations including blacks, stretches, dyed wefts and other combinations.

    We now cover some of the companies we visited. It will not be possible to list all though we will try our best to cover as many.

    Cone – USA

    Cone denim brings out ConeFlex – denims that stretch in four directions using stretch warp yarns and Cone’s patented SGene yarn technology in the weft.  Cone Touch introduces soft hand denims with added benefits of enhanced performance . The fabrics with Catch-Move-Release technology catches moisture move it away from body and releases for quick evaporation. Conegard fabrics are durable water repellant fabric engineered to add functionality and protection against elements. This is done without a coating process and does not interfere with cotton’s inherent capacity to breathe for natural comfort.

    IMG_1150

    Orta – Turkey

    Orta Science of Stretch Collection presented in Denim by Premiere Vision on 19-20th December, 2014 in Barcelona is tailor-designed to serve both the active, as well as the fashion-conscience. Experimenting with different yarn blends, Orta brings out various categories of products including Sensual having Tencel and Modal fibers, Flexible for high stretchability , Ultraflex for a body lifting and slimming effect. Comfort Squared creates a better range of motion for active men and women who require both form and function simultaneously , D-Craft for 100% cotton look with comfort of stretch and more.. Orta also presented some yoga performers and some skaters while wearing their garments.

    image

    Arvind – India

    Arvind brings
    Performance Stretches made in Dual Core Dynamo denim and Dual Fx technology.
    Mutant jeans is created with as a combination of construction methods to achieve a denim effect using dobby structures with desirable properties of natural stretch and air permeability.
    Neo Denim brings the truly dark blue denims which wash down gradually offering contrasts at every level on different products like Jacquards, prints, soft stretches , neo dying etc.
    Boomerang denim – the high stretch denim come with high extra softness and high shape retention quality.
    Neo bubble – feathery and airy , light weight denims for women tops , dresses and men’s summer shirts.

    image

    Prosperity – China

    The new S/S16 collections presented by Prosperity Textile,  is based on premium cotton quality, and with many innovative performance fibers.Re-Invent denim seeks to save upto 85% water consumption in dyeing, and more than 75% energy and electricity consumption as well.

    • Everblue 57 represents the deep indigo color retention after repetitive washings, and also high  levels of color fastness.
    • Multi fiber fabric with REPREVE® fibers, Organic Cotton, Recycled Cotton and Hemp to create a eco-denim collection.
    •  J-Fit – 50% less forces needed to reach super stretch compared to commonly-used spandex/Lycra.  Generally, spandex fibers need 1.8 lbs to reach 20% stretch then increases significantly to 4.5 lbs for 50% stretch. With J-Fit, company claims,  one only need 1.9 lbs to get the same 50% stretch – means easier to stretch.
    • F2 denim collection is taking the trendy Jersey Denim(knit denims)  to the next level, with better fit and more functions.Adds a new fiber called Celliant to boost body energy level. The 13 minerals contained in Celliant absorb heat emitted by human body and covert into infrared light, which increases circulation, oxygen and blood flow, to deliver better rest and recovery.
    • 3D Denim, Dark/Dark color in warp and weft filling, plus Dark over-dye or coating, Prosperity’s new collection, 3D Denim, creates a statured deep dark color, and the distinctive high-low effect after wash.
    •  Feel It  Collection in this season is offering extremely soft hand feel. Super soft spun yarn, under innovative structure, not only provide the supreme touch like your cashmere, but also present a bold twill line and good drape. Prosperity’s DFTM finishing is also added to promote the suede look.

    Pizarro – Portugal

    Pizarro brought out some unique washes to the show . For the knits they had  Salt and pepper denim wash, crinkle effects on the knits. and Old Notura method of giving darkened seams.  For the piece dyeds, they had some cool denim looking washes and more.
    SS' 16 Looks from Pizarro - Portugal

    SS' 16 Looks from Pizarro - Portugal

    Calik – Turkey

    Tech it easy – Knit denims with higher level of resistance and more function so that they can be treated like 100% cotton denim.
    Extend Plus – New denims for men with stretch only in warp to give that extra movement space for the men.

    SS' 16 Looks from Calik

    Thinur and Skin Flex – Denim for the women to make them feel comfortable and supported with over 85% stretchability and high recovery. Skin flex – meant to be like second skin-  are very light weight denims with stretch for women.

    SS' 16 Looks from Calik
    Besides , Calik also had some cool fabrics made from Crailar flax combined with tencel adding anti microbial properties with Chitosan extract.

    Soorty – Pakistan

    Hipster collection , in Dual fx,  inspired by the most popular sub cultures of the world  , Modal dual fx for a better feel and stretch ,  360 collection with X fits,  Adamant collection of soft men’s stretches, Cowboy collection of vintage fabrics inspired by Japanese denims . In high stretches, company also came out with  Extreme collection with upto 80% stretch and strong recoveries.

    SS' 16 Looks from Soorty
    SS' 16 Looks from Soorty
    SS' 16 Looks from Soorty

     

    Artistic Milliners

    Artistic Milliners came out with technological advances including new shades ,new finishes , improved Dual Fx and better stretches to address newer needs of the market. Omer Ahmed , Director Artistic Milliners, speaks to us regarding the new collection here.

    Some of their latest products are :

    Aged –  a collection with newer and darker shades
    Hypnosis – A new kind of finish with more lustre for a premium look on denim while retaining shape.
    S1 Technology – an improvement on Dual Fx and gives comfort with cotton and two other fibers , low growth and high strength with stretchability going upto 80. Athleisure and Neoprene– Athletic wear becoming more imp, the company brings the knit denims in improved ways.  Neoprene fabrics go upto 100% elasticity with improved comfort for the consumers and placed against the yoga pants.
    IMG_1340

    IMG_1320

    Denim Clothing Company – Pakistan

    Concentrated a lot on getting some unique washes both from their Pakistan unit and from their desert studio at Dubai. They have been covered in more details here.
    Indigo Garments - Desert Studio

    Jeanologia – Spain

    Jeanologia brought about a new laser technology – Light Scrapers- to give a different character and hand brushed look to the jeans. The machine enables to give to a basic fabric a number of different looks including multi count, slubs and different fabric patterns  . Being eco friendly, the new technology targets to provide more options to the garment manufacturer to provide multiple finished looks on the garment.
    jeanologia

    Atlantic Mills- Thailand

    Atlantic Mills ,bring out bi-stretches, super soft structures and finishes , super stretches upto 80% and more , vintage looks for women wear . For selvedge denim, which the company mentions, it is the largest producer worldwide, had some new variations including those for women.

    Matesa – Turkey

    The Turkish company Brought out new technologies in yarn dyed fabrics which does not use indigo but fading effect is achieved similar to that of indigo. Besides stretches in modal and tencel combinations, knit denims in more comfortable inner structures, special prints on denims which are not visible before washing and bring out used looks after washing.

    SS' 16 Looks from Denim Clothing Company
    SS' 16 Looks from Denim Clothing Company

    US Denim – Pakistan

    US Denim  bring out some selvedge denims including linen selvedges , crailar flax fabrics, wet indigo look fabrics, multi fiber fabrics including cotton modal tencels , polyamide etc.

    SS' 16 Looks from Prosperity

    SS' 16 Looks from Prosperity

     Copen – USA

     

     

     

     

     

    Pocket linnings are becoming a more important part of the jeans as brands experiment with printed and self branded inners. Copen – US brings out some interesting solutions for such buyers.

    IMG_1410

    IMG_1420

  • Denim Apparel Import Into US Falls 7.5% in 2014

    Denim Apparel Import Into US Falls 7.5% in 2014

    Imports of denim apparel into US has fallen by about 7.5% in the period Jan-Oct’14 compared to the same period in 2013.  The imports fell by about 33 million pieces from 437 million pcs to about 404 million pcs during this period. The average price has also seen pressure with the same falling by about 8.6% from $8.12 per piece to about $8.03 per piece.

    Imports of Denim Apparel | 2013-2014 (Jan-Oct)

    Details 2013 2014 Difference (%)

    Quantity (mn .pcs)

    		 437 404 -7.5%

    Price

    		 $8.12 $8.03 -8.6%

    It is worth noting that the imports of denim in US had increased in 2013 by over 4% compared to the year 2012 . However, the imports never touched the peak of over 600 million pcs that US achieved in 2005.

    Denim sales in US have been under pressure as there has been strong competition from Yoga and Athletic wear with female consumers strongly moving in favor of the latter due to their versatility and comfort . Pioneers of form fitting garments like Spanx have been working to create stretchy pants that look like denim and steal consumers away from denim . On the other hand denim companies are fighting back and coming out with products to compete with Yoga wear. High stretch abilities going upto 100% with strong recoveries and low growths with high comfort quotient are being brought out by innovative companies. But it will take time before denim can recover lost ground. As per NPD group , US, the sale of active wear climbed 7% while denim sales fell leading top retailers to increase their offering of athletic and leisure apparel.

  • Leeds Gold Certificate For Artistic Milliners’ Latest Garment Factory

    Leeds Gold Certificate For Artistic Milliners’ Latest Garment Factory

    Artistic Milliners , the denim producer from Pakistan, gets Leeds Gold Certificate for its latest garment factory in Pakistan.

    Developed by the US Green Building Council , the LEED is intended to help building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently.It  is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification.

    The company mentions that they are highly focused on sustainability and  in 2013 they produced over 2 million mtrs of denim with recycled polyester and over 2 million waterless jeans..

    We spoke to Murtaza Ahmed, Director Artistic Milliners , about this latest project and he mentioned that this is Pakistan’s first Leeds Certified Factory. He further says

    “We are very excited as a group and a company. We have done many initiatives in this unit. All our dry processes are solar powered. We shall be recycling 100% of our water. Our daily consumption is 500,000 gallons. 70% of this will go back to laundry and 30% will go for sanitation and irrigation even though LEEDS does not require us to recycle 100% water. Even the sludge is being used  for making bricks.  We are using technology and automation to make the processes more sustainable including using automated spray booths, laser machines, ozone machines etc….”

    Here is the video on our talk with him where he explains about the latest project and the thought behind it..

     

    Artistic Milliners

     

    Leeds Certified Factory by Artistic Milliners

    image

  • Light Scraper Technology By Jeanologia

    Light Scraper Technology By Jeanologia

    On a recent trip to Valencia where Jeanologia is based, it was fun to go around the research and development centre created by the company and to learn more about their latest developments.  Jeanologia has been continuously creating new technologies which help the industry in its eco sustainable initiative.

    One of their latest developments has bee the light scraper which they unveiled at the Denim by PV. It is a new generation laser which works  to,  not only create effect for and on garments but also ,create designs and patterns of the fabrics.  Basically, the laser can create yarn effects on denim garment which seem to originate  from the fabric structure. For instance, if a normal OE denim fabric has been used to create a garment , then the Light scraper can create different yarn patterns on the garment to give the looks of like Ring Slub , Cross hatch, Multi count etc.  So , instead of just giving a washed look to the garment, the laser will also change the look of fabric structure giving more options to the manufacturers to design their garments and create value addition.

    I spoke to Enrique Silla , President at Jeanologia, about the new technology and he explained

    “…This is a new technology which can create hand sanding or scraping look in the fabric. We can also create slub look from OE fabric , cross hatch look and other yarn looks. It is a complete revolution because from one fabric we can have the look of several fabrics and for the first time we can eliminate human hand completely. We have concentrated on 5 different kind of slub looks initially to be created on the garment….”.

    Here is a complete video of a talk with Enrique Silla

    jeonologia

    The image below shows the vertical slub looks created by Light Scraper machine of Jeanologia. (pl pardon the blurry visual !).

    light scraper denim

    The company also presented three key stories for upcoming  denim trends:

    a)Suiting up – Preppy and sartorial menswear inspire the feminine dandy trend with reviewed 70s flair.  Denim tailoring with retro aesthetics is the key point for men. Contemporary icons for this style are Rachael Zoe and Claudia Schiffer.
    b)Microbreaks and Ristipisto Evolution: From geometrical patterns, fluffy effects, cozy looks micro damages, animal skin look and pop up textures . Creating different images , textures and patterns with lasers.
    micro breaks by laser

    micro breaks by laser

    c. Illusory patches : Vintage and ragged looks created by laser usage.

    laser patches on denim

    We also had a a look at their fabric printing machine which enables to print different laser designs directly on the denim fabric – which is another cool innovation from the company .

    denim fabric laser

    Some other images of some laser treated products and from the research and development centre at Valencia.

    laser looks on denim

    laser looks on denim

    IMG_1762 washed looks with laser + r and d centre jeanologia

    And a cool print on denim of my name  by their nano laser . I seem to have missed my photograph which was also printed by this laser !

    sandeep agarwal laser denim

    Thanks to all at Jeanologia!

    carmen silla

    Note: Check out the latest denim videos from our video section !

  • EU Revokes 26% Duty on Women Jeans Imports From US

    After imposing a retaliatory duty of 26% additional duty on women’s jeans to be imported from US last year taking the total duty to 38% on such imports, EU decided to revoke the same few days back and bring the duty levels to 12.5%.

    This decrease of import tax wil great news for  the Californian garment industry, which  produces roughly 75 percent of premium made in the US denim. The tariff hike was previously introduced in retaliation for the Byrd Amendment (a law which allowed the US to impose additional duties on undervalued imports), despite the World Trade Organization ruling against it in 2002. The duties previously collected are still being handed out as precondition legal procedures are completed.

    In response the WTO has allowed each country to be affected to raise its tariff on items imported from the US in direct relation to the amount of AD or CV duties on the items from said country which were distributed over the previous year. This led EU to announce additional duties of 26% on the women’s denim jeans as a retaliation.

    Since the adding premium womens denim to the list back in 2013, the distribution amount for 2013 has reduced by nearly 50 percent, which led the EU to lower its additional tariffs on women’s jeans and other affected items. However , EU still has the option to impose  26 percent tariff next year.
    Various exporting companies from US have been hiring legal firms to claim refunds on various grounds including the arguments that “jeans do not fall under the definition of denim!!”.

    Did the duties made an impact on imports of women jeans into EU?

    It would be interesting to understand whether the imposition of duties affected the imports of women jeans into EU from US. Absolutely YES!!

    The imports in 2013 fell by over 31% as compared to those in 2012. This was a drastic fall and should hve affected the Californian jeans industry in not a small way. Lets take a look at the chart below to understand the actual figures of imports in 2012 and 2013 including volumes, prices , values etc.

    [private_special]

    Women’ Denim Jeans Imports from US in 2012-2013

    Particulars 2012 2013 Change%
    Quantity 869,000 598,000 -31%
    Value(million euros) 32.56 23 -29%
    Average Price (euro/pc) 37.46 38.39 +2.48%

     

    As we can see from the above table the actual shipments fell br 31% clearly showing the impact of duties. It is also interesting to see that the prices did not fall and in fact increased marginally indicating the preference of US exporters not to reduce their prices in response to duty imposition.

    [/private_special]

  • Denimsandjeans.com Bangladesh I– A Successful Debut Edition

    The   Denimsandjeans.com Bangladesh show  had a successful debut  with its first edition being appreciated by exhibitors and visitors alike. With 25  companies from 9 countries around the world as exhibitors, the show was an invite only show with visitors screened for their close association with buying activity in the denim supply chain. Over  1000 visitors from over 300 companies visited the show in the two days of 1st and 2nd March’14.    The show was brought in association with Denim Expert Ltd – a reputed denim jeans manufacturer from Bangladesh.

    The companies showcased their SS’15 and mid winter collections at the show and there was considerable interest from the visitors in the same. _DSC0060Buyers travelled from Europe, US, India and Far East to visit the show . A list of some of the buying companies who visited the show  is given at the end of the post.  The show had a unique eco friendly theme where all the booths were created with recycled wood and other natural materials – emphasizing our concern for eco-sustainability aspect in the industry.

    Another highlight of the show was a presentation ‘ A different Way to Wash’  by Vasco Pizarro of Pizarro of Pizaaro Laundries S.A Portugal. He spoke about the latest technologies in washing including Icelite  (Ice washing) and Eco Blast (an alternative to sandblast ).

    Vasco Pizarro1

    Denimsandjeans.com Presentation

    The success of the show encouraged us to go for the second edition of  Denimsandjeans.com Bangladesh    and the dates for the same are finalized.

    In this article you will further find a videos, presentations and images related to the show.  For those viewing this article in their email will need to go online to see full report (click on the title of the report). Though we would love to put a lot more pics in the article, but space limitations do not allow the same.

    bdshow denimsandjeans

    denimsandjeans.com bangladesh show collage1

           denim-collage-gif

    Denimsandjeans.com Presentation1   _DSC0068_DSC0136 _DSC0141 _DSC0146 _DSC0171

    _DSC0312 _DSC0066 _DSC0184 _DSC0196 

    _DSC0263 

    _DSC0343

    The visitors included buyers from various retailers worldwide – mentioning  some of the names below

    Benetton C&A Carrefour Celio CharlesVoegele Cortefiel Debenhams  Dewhirst El Corte Ingles Esprit Gloria jeans Grouppo Coin  H&M  HEMA  Hermes OTTO  Inditex  Kappahl Kmart  LCWaikiki(Tema) Levi Strauss & Co  Li & Fung    Marks & Spencer  Mondial  New Times  Next   Perry Ellis     PVH     Redpoint  
    S. Oliver    Sainsbury`s    Target    Tesco     Tom Tailor    UNIQLO   VF     Wal-Mart

    Besides the above all the major buying houses related to denim and  sportswear sourcing were present at the show apart all major apparel factories from Bangladesh who make denim and related garments.

    For more information on the Denimsandjeans.com Bangladesh –II  :  our second edition  pl contact us here