textiles

2011-06-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

CLOTHING SECTION ON WAL-MART

The green-light for the entry of Wal-Mart into South Africa will no doubt have a negative and positive impact on the retail and clothing sector according to a survey conducted by The ReDress Consultancy.

The rigorous debates, arguments and public input about Wal-Mart's entry into South Africa are well documented. The ReDress Consultancy undertook a snap survey with owners of clothing companies and an industry body to excavate if there were any commonalities in regard to the clothing industry's view on Wal-Mart's entry into South Africa.

Edcon stated, [1] new "entrants to the market could result in lower prices and margins, or a decrease in [its] market share." The lowing of prices may be beneficial to the consumer but this decrease in retail price points could be passed onto manufacturers who are already struggling to meet buyers demand for low costs. Some of the respondents indicated that it was time that South African retailers faced completion from the likes of Wal-Mart.

"Using the most advanced systems of global outsourcing and stock management retailers have created sensational profits from making cheaply and selling expensively." Another respondent conferred, "Our existing chain-stores are making huge profits for their investors and shareholders", subsequently, Wal-Mart, will impact on this sector of the clothing value-chain.

One respondent said that each retailer would have "different views on the market share implications resulting from the Wal-Mart entry", but reiterated what every respondent said when he succinctly articulated, "If the authorities would apply the same vigor to limiting illegal imports as they did to investigating the Wal-Mart proposal we might have a stronger value-chain with broad based benefits for South African workers and consumers."

Another respondent said, "Leaders [are] hiding behind WTO rules and remain paralyzed in dealing with the illegal imports." He went on to say instead of trying to "hammer it out at the Competition Board, [government] should be studying ways of curtailing illegal imports."

There was mixed responses to the impact Wal-Mart would have on the clothing sector with a few respondents having encouraging expectations, while others, said inevitably it may bring the industry, union and bargaining council closer in finding amicable solutions that would make the sector more competitive. A respondent said, the industry is already "destroyed at price levels [so there may have little] impact on the lower end of the market", but due to South Africa's wage structures in the clothing sector and the influence of the union, "bordering countries [may] benefit", as Wal-Mart exercises its slick procurement systems in Southern Africa.

One respondent optimistically said if Wal-Mart does source from local clothing manufacturers it would provide new opportunities for clothing manufacturers and hopefully entice South African retailers to source more locally. The same respondent said job growth would escalate if the industry was able to become more competitive but in order to do this both industry and the union would need to revisit wages, the non-compliant issue and productivity.

However, one respondent cautioned being blinded by the size of orders emanating from Wal-Mart. Suppliers are "tempted by the order size, but [will] soon realize upon delivery of goods the discrepancies [will] wipe out any anticipated profit." It is more important said the same respondent for South Africa's clothing sector to compete on design, quality and productivity.

2011-06-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

ENERGY CONTROL

Energy audit is a preliminary activity towards instituting the energy control programs in an establishment. Energy audit increases awareness of energy related issues among plant personnel, making them more knowledgeable about proper practices that leads to cost reduction. A medium scale spinning mill at Coimbatore has been selected for the study and energy audit has been carried out in a most systematic way. Energy audit has revealed some important factors that affect the efficiency of motors, materials and energy balance and specific energy consumption at various level in that mill. The necessity of an information system for better energy conservation practice is one of the important findings of this work. This paper presents the possible methods of energy conservation that have been identified the spinning open lion, humidification and lighting, of a spinning mill.

The implementation of energy conservation programmes in spinning mills have gained wide acceptance in the background of the rising cost of commercial energy. The three major factors for energy conservation are high capacity utilization, fine tuning of equipment and technology upgradation. This paper concentrates on the application of these three concepts to a spinning mill,

The methodology adopted for conducting the detailed energy audit is:
¨ Basic data collecting on (i) list of power consuming equipment, (ii) production capacities of the major equipment and (iii) operating parameters.
¨ Measurement of operating parameters of various equipments to estimate their operating efficiency.
¨ Analysis of data collected to develop specific energy saving proposals.
· Presentation on the findings of the detailed energy audit. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The spinning mill considered for the study comes under medium scale category. Some important details of the mill are:
· Yarn manufacturing is carried out using state-cf-art textile equipment.
· Daily spinning capacity is 10 000 kg of yarn and number of spindles are 45 072.
· The mill operates continuously throughout the year.
· Major energy sources are electricity and high speed diesel (11513).

Generator power production is not separated and the calculations are done on units of energy consumed.
· Contract demand with Tarnilnadu Electricity Board is for 1800 kVA per month.
Major Consumption Points
· Ring frames
· Humidification plant
¨ Winding
¨ Carding
¨ Blow room
¨ Heating lamps
¨ Lighting· Classification of machines was carried out from the power rating of the load and type of load for which they are used.
· Information about the machines collected includes method of power transmission, loading sequence, sources of energy wastage and method of control.
· Energy against power rated data was used for the selection of machines for detailed energy audit.
· To identify the methods for energy conservation, following points were considered.
(i) alternate to reduce/avoid energy losses
(ii) alternate to reduce down time
(iii) alternate to optimum selection
Necessity of an Information System for Better Energy Conservation Practices
Energy cost is one of the largest component of conversion cost incurred by the spinning mill. At present, energy related data are collected manually in the spinning mills which involves considerable amount of lime, cost and possible inaccuracies. Online information, on the other hand. provides quick, continuous and accurate results, which will be very much useful in decision making.

DATA ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Power consumption pattern in the spinning mill is shown in Figure 3.
It shows that spinning is the major power consuming operation and uses 44.83% of total energy. The second largest use of energy (12.67%) is in humidification plant. The heating lamps use 9.54% of the total energy. Carding uses 7.44% of total energy and the share of the winding section is 6.21% of total energy. Drawing, simplex, doubling, lighting and other operations use the remaining energy.

The material and energy used in the spinning mill is shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. Considerable amount of energy saving can he done by the reuse of these waste materials. Such usage conserves both energy and resources by reducing the need for buying new raw material and associated processing and transport cost.

Specific energy consumption and cost fore= each energy consuming given in Table 3 which shows that ring frames use IA852 units Of electric energy per kilogram. ilia second largest consumer of electric energy is carding with a specific energy cons umption of 0.2088. Specific energy consumption of blow room is Q.1408.

Spindle of ring frames consumes 45% of power. Many manufac? turers have nowadays developed energy saving spindles having less weight and small wharf diameter. IL was observed that 10%.

Automatic Star-delta Connector (ASDC)
When three-phase motor has a star-delta starter, ASDC is fitted to sense the load current and if it is below set value, delta connection of phases is switched back to star. Thus, the phase voltage changes is from 415 V to 230 V. The magnetizing current reduces at lower load and PF is improved leading to energy saving

The use of soft start corn energy saver helps to save energy in the following ways.
· continuously senses the load
¨ applies voltage automatically in accordance with load factor
· supplies energy needed to perform work
· provides smooth accelerating facilities
A proposal was given to install soft start cum energy saver for the motors in the identified simplex machines.
Yarn production results in a variety of waste materials and the wastage reduction proposals suggested for this mill are:
· Good material handling practices.
¨ Educating the workers on the impact of waste on energy (the price of yarn and waste).
¨ Demonstration to the workers about waste saving methods7.

2011-06-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Textile Techniques

Since past there always had been an intricate connection between textile, clothing and jewellery. Jewellery gives a complete sense and adds beauty to whatever garments and accessories one is wearing. Whether it is costume jewellery or fine jewellery, it is the wearer's delight. Further it highlights their personality with the look that it adds to their ensemble.

Eco-Fashion Jewellery by the scrap textile material is a unique concept: and exhibits various jewellery categories- wrist accessories, ear ornaments, necklaces, etc.-and the numerous ways to make them better in terms of quality of design. So we can say that by joining the scrap we can make beautiful jewellery as well as we can save environment from threat.

Today, the choice of materials or metals used by designers depends absolutely on the price factor. This idea revolves around mixing the inexpensive with the exotic, as it creates an interesting mix. Therefore, if a customer is looking for new and unique designs, an unusual combination of textile scrap materials could do the trick.

Looking at affordable materials while designing jewellery, some alternatives could be used likewise large colored stone beads, enamel, wood or silver findings to form the base of textile scrap material. Basically, the choice of materials used for creating ornaments is usually theme-oriented. For instance, for a floral inspired collection, waste tissue fabric can be opted, with an exclusive golden colour; as it gives an original jewellery look.

2011-06-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Increase Brand Recognition

Corporate apparel remains one of the most in demand form of promotional products. If you are looking to grow your brand, then you may want to start doing so through apparel that speaks volumes about and for your business.

By implementing this technique, you can develop brand recognition for your company and start the campaign to let people become aware of your business. Promotional products have always been an effective means of calling focus on a brand. Thus, it is obvious that this is integrated into your marketing program.Being a business owner, you fully recognize the fact that one of your chief goals is to increase your sales.

For you to achieve this, you have to develop your brand so more people will become aware of its existence. Once they are able to identify your business, your sales prospects will considerably step up. Now you ask: How would you start informing folks that you have a brand they can count on? Answers to this question vary, but the most popular way is through the widely accepted approach, which is through corporate clothing. This is a practical strategy that lets a business improve its branding, improves brand image and encourages better rapport between the employer and its staff.

Corporate apparel offers many benefits for a business that wants to foster brand awareness. Firstly, it may be an expedient preference for corporate branding and can likewise be marketing merchandise in your business' ongoing marketing strategy. It helps increase your brand's visibility through a logo or design that is engraved on apparel worn around by recipients.

Corporate branding by means of apparel also offers a constant rendering of your marketing endeavours. It is without doubt an affordable way of retaining brand interest and leaving an endless impression. Corporate clothing likewise provides advantages for your employees. This strategy helps develop continuing company identity and encourages professionalism. Likewise, it engenders employee and employer allegiance and turns into an inspirational tool for your staff. It also gives the employees an added perception of belonging and dignity in their employer, while depicting a good image for the brand and for the company as a whole.

By executing the branded clothing program, your business gains the ability to send a message about your company and what it stands for. When you train your staff dressed in corporate clothing, they shall be instrumental at the same time in the distributing of your brand's message.

Furthermore, it lets your staff achieve influence while doubling as representatives of your brand. Together with a host of other promotional merchandise and products, corporate clothing can offer innovative solutions that take full advantage of marketing techniques.

2011-01-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

TEXTILE

The Finance Ministry has cut Customs duty on 539 manufactured items from Singapore.

This is part of an agreed tariff elimination package under a bilateral free trade pact.
The latest move will further stimulate trade in goods, which both sides want to double to $32 billion by 2015.

The tariff cuts on the 539 items are expected to bring down the import cost of a slew of manufactured goods, including mechanical appliances, machinery, textiles and textile articles, rubber and plastic articles.

It would, however, mean lower protection for the domestic industry in these sectors, industry observers said.

Since the bilateral free trade pact, officially known as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), was operationalised in August 2005, the two countries have opened up their trade in goods by reducing Customs duties. Both sides had, in May 2010, agreed to double their annual bilateral trade in goods from $16 billion to $32 billion by 2015.

The first review of the CECA took place in 2007 and India had then agreed to expand the tariff liberalisation package to 539 additional tariff lines within the trade in the goods chapter. Of the 539 tariff lines, India had agreed to eliminate tariff on 307 items in five equal cuts between January 15, 2008 and December 1, 2011. These 307 items mainly comprise base metals, machinery, chemicals, textiles and textile articles.

For another 97 items — mainly machinery and mechanical appliances, plastic and rubber articles, textile articles — tariff elimination is to be achieved in nine equal cuts between January 15, 2008 and December 1, 2015. For 135 products, tariff reduction to 5 per cent duty is to be achieved in nine equal cuts between January 15, 2008 and December 1, 2015.
With the latest round of Customs duty reductions (on 539 items), the import duty on as many as 307 items has been brought closer to zero and are well on course to be eliminated from December 1 this year.

On the foreign direct investment (FDI) front, Singapore is the single largest investor in India among the Asean countries and the second largest among all countries. The FDI inflows into India from Singapore during 2009-10 stood at $2.4 billion. The cumulative FDI inflows during April 2000 and March 2010 stood at $10.2 billion, official data showed.

2011-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

EFFECT OF NATURAL DYE

Nature expresses itself in a wide spectrum of colours all around as. It was the result of the quest of man for beauty of colouring his body which made him discover the colouring matter from natural sources such as plants and animals.

The discovery of synthetic dyes in the second half of the nineteenth century pushed the old Indian traditional art of dyeing textiles with natural dyes.

Natural dyeing is one of age old practice to dye textile materials. The natural dyes obtained from natural resources are non-pollutant, non allergic, ecofriendly, shade rich and warm. They are soft in colour, cool to eyes and are harmless to the body and pollution free.

Natural dyes are soft, delicate and give harmonized pastel shades of natural colours obtained from renewable resources The use of natural dyes amongst craftsmen is increasing due to its unique characteristics.

Apparel is one of the basic necessities of human civilization along with food, water, and shelter. The apparel industry reflects lifestyles of people and shows their social and economic status. At present, it is amongst the fastest growing industry segment and is also the second largest foreign exchange earner for the country.

The apparel industry accounts for 26% of exports. India presently has entered the second phase of growth and is witnessing a massive rise in the domestic demand. Keeping the above points in mind a study on Effect of Treated Natural Dyed Knit Mesh Material was conducted to apply the selected natural dyes in conjuction with mordants, wash and to analyse its performance of the treated natural dyed knit material objectively and subjectively.

2010-12-31T10:35:00.000-08:00

COTTON

COTTON, cool, soft, comfortable, the principal clothing fiber of the world. Its production is one of the major factors in world prosperity and economic stability. Cotton "breathes".

What would we do without cotton? Since cotton wrinkles, polyester was added to give it wash and wear properties for a busy world. In recent times, the consumer determined that polyester, although easier to care for, took away the cool from cotton and also added a "pilling" effect to cotton/polyester blends.

"Absorbent" cotton will retain 24-27 times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. This fiber absorbs and releases perspiration quickly, thus allowing the fabric to "breathe".

Cotton can stand high temperatures and takes dyes easily. Chlorine bleach can be used to restore white garments to a clear white but this bleach may yellow chemically finished cottons or remove color in dyed cottons. Boiling and sterilizing temperatures can also be used on cotton without disintegration. Cotton can also be ironed at relatively high temperatures, stands up to abrasion and wears well.

Mercerized cotton is treated to permanently straighten the cotton fibers which then becomes a smooth, rod-like fiber that is uniform in appearance with a high luster. Cotton is often blended with other fibers such as polyester, linen, wool, to "blend" the best properties of each fiber.

2010-12-26T00:04:00.000-08:00

ORGANIC COTTON

Buying organic cotton doesn't mean you are depriving a farmer in the developing world of food crops, says Eliza Anyangwe of Pesticide Action Network. Rather, it's one action every ethical consumer should take deciding to factor in the social and environmental costs of your consumption is like opening Pandora's box or venturing into Room 101: no one is quite sure what they'll find there but it almost certainly won’t be pleasant.For the ethical consumer, food choices alone are a quagmire of considerations.

First, produce has to be deemed good for you and of good value, then the following questions need to be answered: what is its carbon footprint? Is it seasonal? Is it organic or grown or reared as sustainably as possible? Can the dots be connected back from the store shelf to the producer? Buying clothes is an even more complex process, as the garment supply chain is probably the most convoluted of all. It is difficult enough tracing a cotton t-shirt back to the factory where it was sewn, let alone trying to pinpoint where the cotton in the t-shirt came from.

This distance from field to final product means that of all commodities, the cotton t-shirt is the least associated with the soil. It is easy to forget that, like green beans or roses, cotton is a crop, grown across the world and mostly by farmers who are vulnerable to changing climates, trade restrictions and environmental degradation from the use of chemical pesticides.

Cash crop
Cotton is one of the most popular cash crops grown in the developing world, and the cotton industry employs more than a million people. In Benin, for example, where Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) works, it accounts for a significant proportion of agricultural production and of the country's GDP. But cotton is just that – a cash crop. The conventional farmer (often a man, as the health risks for women are too great for communities to take) cannot eat it and so has to sell it at a profit if it is to be sustainable, environmentally and economically. But the problem with conventional cotton is that it is often not sustainable. Cotton is one of the most pest-prone crops grown, and in parts of the world like West Africa, where the cotton is rain-fed (not irrigated), chemical pesticides and insecticides account for much as 60 per cent of the farmer's costs.

But the loss in fertility of his intensively farmed soil, the subsidies paid in other countries that price him out of the market and the high risk of pesticide poisoning, mean that even if the farmer can sell his cotton he is unlikely to make a profit. He then ends up spiralling into debt as money is borrowed at usury rates to start the process all over again in the next growing season.None of that information is new. Ethical consumers have for some time now been aware of the environmental and social costs of cotton production, and increasingly recognise that organic cotton is a sustainable alternative.

Organic cotton eliminates the need for expensive agrochemical inputs, which immediately cuts costs and demands a higher market price, meaning the farmer stands a better chance of working his way out of poverty. It is this knowledge that has driven the demand for organic cotton, now available in some product lines on most of the high street. But questions remain for the ethical consumer who is still trying to work out the combined impact of her choices.

Fibre and foodAdd the 'cash crop' nature of cotton to increasing reports of food insecurity in the developing world and it is difficult for ethical consumers not to decide that there is something selfish about driving the supply of cotton through their demand for it.

2010-12-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

AFRICAN DELEGATION

Delegates from eight African cotton growing countries which include Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe were in India for a fortnight to study the cotton textile value-chain in India.On the last leg of their visit, they were in Gujarat for three days in which in the first two days they visited cotton ginneries, a handloom centre, met cotton growing farmers, met state government officials and also paid a visit to the garmenting facility of Arvind Ltd, the textile major in India.

On the last day of their tour, a meeting between these African delegates and those from across the cotton textile value-chain, beginning from seed producers to exporters was hosted in Ahmedabad.

The representatives from Gujarat got an opportunity to meet and discuss various business opportunities sitting across the table with members from the African delegation.Speaking about his experiences to fibre2fashion, the team leader from Kenya, Mr Micah Powon, CEO - Cotton Development Authority – Kenya said, “The cooperative movement in Gujarat is very strong and the cooperation between farmers, ginners and spinners is very good.

We got to see and learn firsthand a lot of things over here and since the cooperative movement in Kenya is not very strong; we can implement the same model in our country.“Secondly, there is a huge potential to export raw cotton from Kenya to India and also on our visit to a textile mill in Ahmedabad, we saw a huge potential as it produces world-class textile products which can be imported by Kenya as well as we would also like to collaborate with them.

2010-12-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

AUTOMATION IN RING SPINNING

Transport of roving bobbins to the ring frame: This would be a very useful step. Installations enabling this are becoming available.

Exchange of roving bobbins in the creel of the ring spinning machine: This would also be useful step but raises difficult problems; the first installations for the purpose are also now becoming available.

Threading rovings and piecing roving breaks: It is difficult to design appropriate automatic devices and the operation itself does not arise very frequently. Benefits would be inadequate in relation to costs.

Take up and removal of waste: This has been put into practice already in thread break aspirators.

Piecing end breaks: This is desirable but involves complex solutions which still can not bring 100% piecing success. At present the cost/benefit ratio is often unfavorable.

Stopping roving feed when an end breaks: The devices currently available tend to be complex.
Doffing: Doffing has been solved satisfactorily and is already normal practice.

Cleaning: Cleaning has been largely solved by use of traveling cleaners.
Although quality of performance is not fully satisfactory.
Repair and maintenance: Effort involved has been reduced in comparison with the past but much still has to be performed manually.
Transport of cops to the winder: It represents the next major step in automating the ring frame.
Machine monitoring.
Production monitoring
Quality monitoring: This probably can not be achieved directly because of the large number of individual producing units. Recently clearing systems solve this problem while the spinning processes continuous.

The Equipment of The Ring Spinning Frame
End break aspirators,
piecing devices
cleaning devices,
roving stop devices,
travelling cleaner,
monitoring,
automatic cop transport.
End break aspirators

End break aspirators removes fibers delivered by the drafting arrangements after an end break and thus prevents a series of end breaks on neighboring spindles. At another level, it enables better environmental control, since large part of the return air — flow of the air conditioning system is led past he drafting arrangement, especially the region of the spinning triangle. Today, 50% of the air conditioning plant via the end break aspirators.

Piecing devices
Fitting each spinning position with its own piecing device would be too expensive. Travelling piecing carriages are provided on rails fitted to the machine. The piecing carriages has to perform mechanically the same rather complicated operations as the operative performs manually.

The complete process is carried out as follows: During patrolling movement along the ring spinning machine, each individual position for an end down. If a yarn is present, the patrol is continued and the next position is checked. If a broken end is detected, the device stops in front of the spindle, swings out a frame carrying the operating elements and centers it further operating unit is lowered onto the ring rail and follows its movements during the subsequent operations.

The broken end is blown from the cop upwards into the trumpet – shaded opening of a suction tube; prior to this step, the broken end may be located anywhere on the wound circumference of the cop. A hook grasps the yarn between the top of the tube and the thread guide, in the same way as the operative’s hand in manual piecing. This hook lays the yarn on the ring, and the piecing arm joints the yarn to the fiber strand at the front rollers of the drafting arrangements. The superfluous yarn section is severed and sucked away. The success of the operating is monitored by a photocell. If necessary, the joining operation is repeated once or twice.
If a thread breaks on the ring frame, the fiber strand continues to run from the drafting arrangement, usually into the aspirator. The strand licks around a roller and forms a lap. This can damage top rollers and aprons, deform bottom rollers, and cause ends down on neighboring spindles. Removal of a lap is complicated and troublesome. It would therefore be desirable to interrupt the flow of fibers from the time an end break occurs until piecing is carried out. The roving must be automatically threaded into the drafting arrangements. Roving stop motions can be provided as part of a travelling device or as assemblies at each individual spinning positions.

The complete process is describes as follows:
The optical monitor checks the running yarn. In the event of an end break, the optical unit (1) and the electronic unit (2) cause the wedge (3) to interrupt roving feed. The feed table, and possibly twist spin pins (4), hold the roving securely in the break draft field.
After the broken end has been made ready, wedge (3) is retracted manually by means of the roving blocking device (5). Roving is delivered again and piecing can be carried out.

Travelling cleaners
On the ring frame, most fly and dust (up to 85%) is released in spinning triangle and the main drafting field. The remainder is set free mainly at the balloon and traveller.
Cleaning devices can be typed as follows:
· Stirrers,
· Blowing down devices,
· Suction devices,
· Combined blowing and suction devices.
Stirrers

There are simple fans with short blowing nozzles, driven by a small electric motor and running on power supply rails above the machines

Blowing / suction devices
The most widely used form of device today works in the same way as the stirrer, although with much greater power input.

The device also has several hoses which hang down the ground. One or two of these hoses per side work as blowers and the other sucks up material which has been blown down onto the floor.
Where suction devices are in use, a filter and a filter cleaning device also required.

Automatic Cop Transport
Batches of material should flow along the shortest possible paths in time with the rhythm of production and from one production position always to the corresponding next position in the line.

This description can hardly be applied to a spinning mill. Current mill production has three serious disadvantages:
High expenditure on transport,
Long material through flow times,
Intermediate storage of a great deal of material.
Equipment enabling automatic transport between the ring frame and the winder can be considered under two headings:
- intermediate transport,
- direct link.

Intermediate transport
In this system, an automatic transport installation is provided between the ring spinning room and he winding room. At the ring spinning machine, the transport device takes up cop boxes coded according to their contents and brings them to a distribution station controlled by microprocessors. This station directs the boxes to their intended destination. The empty tubes are deposited in other boxes and returned via a second conveyor system to the ring spinning room.

Intermediate transport systems are very flexible; they enable operation will small lots, they are rapidly adaptable.

They can be rather complex, costly and liable to faults, also the conveyor equipment can form obstacles.

Direct link
Two machines, ring spinning frame and winder, can be linked to form a production unit. In an installation of this type the cops doffed at the ring frame are passed via the shortest path to the winding machine. Transfer speed is slow, corresponding to the operating speed of the winding units. Empty tubes are returned to the loading station of the autodoffer at the ring spinning machine. Directly linked systems are therefore optimal when they can be applied as far as possible to production of only one yarn count.

2010-12-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

Thailand's Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited

Thailand's Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited has signed agreements with Korea's SK Chemicals Company Limited to acquire the entire issued capital of SK Eurochem Sp. z o.o., in Poland and PT SK Keris together with its subsidiary PT SK Fiber in Indonesia.

The acquisitions will consolidate Indorama Ventures (IVL) position in the two important emerging markets of East Europe and Southeast Asia with Polyethylene Terephthalate resin (PET) and Polyester Fibres and Yarns businesses. SK Eurochem is a 140,000 tons per annum PET manufacturing facility while SK Keris is a 160,000 tons per annum PET and Polyester Filament Yarn manufacturing facility and SK Fiber Indonesia is a Polyester Filament Yarn manufacturing facility with a capacity of 36,000 tons per annum.

Mr. Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures Pcl, said, "The business and markets of these SK Chemicals' assets are in new and attractive geographic regions that Indorama has been keen to develop. These acquisitions will allow the Company to build upon its objective of expanding its global platform by entering emerging markets with high long-term potential for demand. This will also strengthen our value proposition to our regional and global customers and stakeholders alike, while further reinforcing our ongoing focus on the Polyester value chain.

"Indorama Ventures has built up a strong brand with cost leadership position in the Polyester value chain. The acquisition in Poland is virtually integrated with a third party supplier of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), further consolidating the Company's low cost structure.

The Indonesian assets very much mirror the earlier announced acquisition of parts of Invista in USA and Mexico, in that they produce differentiated polymers and fibres that complement Indorama Ventures portfolio of speciality products. Indorama will now be amongst the largest producer of polymer for films to serve markets in Asia, Europe, USA and Latin-America.

2010-09-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

SUSTAINABLE COTTON INDUSTRY

Sustaining cotton’s place in the world requires taking steps to assure that the social, environmental, and economic aspects of cotton production are sustainable in each country.

Mr. Wallace Darnielle, President and CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, presented a report on sustainability of cotton production. Cotton removes the equivalent of about 7 million cars’ carbon dioxide emissions from the air each year through sequestration of carbon into the plant and its products, and it uses less than 3% of all agricultural water consumption globally.

Contrary to claims made by some, cotton accounted for 6.8% of world pesticide use in 2008, and cotton production has reduced insecticide active ingredient use by 23% globally since 1996, leading to a 28% decrease in environmental impact.U.S. cotton manufacturers use 45% less water to grow a kilogram of cotton today than 25 years ago. Conservation tillage has greatly reduced soil erosion.

Insecticide applications declined by 50% since 1996, helped by the use of biotechnology and other modern technologies. In Texas, the cotton industry sustains about 25,000 direct jobs, and many more in supporting industries and trades.All jobs comply with minimum wages and social benefits mandated by local laws. In order to support employment in rural areas globally, production of cotton fibres and other natural fibers should be promoted rather than production of man-made fibers, which are produced in capital-intensive industries dependent on non-renewable resources.

Economic sustainability of cotton production is constrained by farm prices and the costs of production, and demand at the retail level. Biotechnology has improved yields and qualities, but advances in drought and salt tolerance varieties and in nutrient absorption will further improve the economic sustainability of cotton production. On the demand side, promotional efforts of cotton should be upscaled worldwide to improve the economic sustainability of cotton production.

2010-09-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

FABRICS

Muslin is a sheer to coarse plain woven cotton fabric. Muslin comes in "natural" color or is dyed.
Organdy is a very thin, transparent cotton with a crisp finish.

Outing flannel is a soft, twill or plain weave fabric napped on both sides. Used for baby clothes, diapers, and sleepwear.

Oxford is shirting fabric with a lustrous, soft finish. It is characterized with narrow stripes and can be woven in plain or basket weave. Also a term used for wool fabric that has black and white fibers.

Percale is a light weight, closely woven, sturdy fabric that can be found printed in dark colors.
Pima Cotton, from Egyptian cotton, is an excellent quality cotton fabric.

Polished Cotton is either a satin weave cotton or a plain weave cotton that is finished chemically to appear shiny.

Poplin is a plain weave fabric with a cross-wise rib.
Sailcloth is a very strong, heavy canvas or duck made in plain weave.
Sateen is a satin weave cotton fabric.

Seersucker is a lightweight cotton fabric crinkled into lengthwise stripes.
Swiss is a sheer, very fine cotton that can be plain or decorated with dots or other designs.
Terry Cloth is a looped pile fabric that is either woven or knitted. Very absorbent and used for towels, etc. French terry cloth is looped on one side and sheared pile on the other.

Velveteen is an all cotton pile fabric with short pile resembling velvet.
Whipcord is a strong fabric with a diagonal round cords that can also be produced in wool.

COTTON, cool, soft, comfortable, the principal clothing fiber of the world. Its production is one of the major factors in world prosperity and economic stability. Cotton "breathes". What would we do without cotton? Since cotton wrinkles, polyester was added to give it wash and wear properties for a busy world. In recent times, the consumer determined that polyester, although easier to care for, took away the cool from cotton and also added a "pilling" effect to cotton/polyester blends.

Consumers now often request "100% Cotton". Permanent finishes also added to the all cotton fabric gave a wash and wear property to cotton. cotton. The cotton fiber is from the cotton plant’s seed pod The fiber is hollow in the center and, under a microscope looks like a twisted ribbon. "Absorbent" cotton will retain 24-27 times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. This fiber absorbs and releases perspiration quickly, thus allowing the fabric to "breathe". Cotton can stand high temperatures and takes dyes easily.

Chlorine bleach can be used to restore white garments to a clear white but this bleach may yellow chemically finished cottons or remove color in dyed cottons. Boiling and sterilizing temperatures can also be used on cotton without disintegration. Cotton can also be ironed at relatively high temperatures, stands up to abrasion and wears well.

2010-09-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

COTTON

Scientists are calling for the long-term risks of GM crops to be reassessed after field studies revealed an explosion in pest numbers around farms growing modified strains of cotton.
The unexpected surge of infestations "highlights a critical need" for better ways of predicting the impact of GM crops and spotting potentially damaging knock-on effects arising from their cultivation, researchers said.

Millions of hectares of farmland in northern China have been struck by infestations of bugs following the widespread adoption of Bt cotton, an engineered variety made by the US biotech giant, Monsanto.

Outbreaks of mirid bugs, which can devastate around 200 varieties of fruit, vegetable and corn crops, have risen dramatically in the past decade, as cotton farmers have shifted from traditional cotton crops to GM varieties, scientists said.

Traditional cotton famers have to spray their crops with insecticides to combat destructive bollworm pests, but Bt cotton produces its own insecticide, meaning farmers can save money by spraying it less.

But a 10-year study across six major cotton-growing regions of China found that by spraying their crops less, farmers allowed mirid bugs to thrive and infest their own and neighbouring farms.

The infestations are potentially catastrophic for more than 10m small-scale farmers who cultivate 26m hectares of vulnerable crops in the region studied.
The findings mark the first confirmed report of mass infestations arising as an unintended consequence of farmers using less pesticide – a feature of Bt cotton that was supposed to save money and lessen the crops' environmental impact. The research, led by Kongming Wu at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, is published in the US journal, Science.
"Our work highlights a critical need to do ecological assessments and monitoring at the landscape-level to better understand the impacts of GM crop adoption," Dr Wu told the Guardian.

Environmental campaigners seized on the study as further evidence that GM crops are not the environmental saviour that manufacturers have led farmers to believe.

"This is a massive issue in terms of the environment, but also in terms of costs for the farmer. The plan with GM crops was to reduce costs and environmental impact, but neither of these things seem to be happening, because over time, nature takes its course, and that was bound to happen. The supposed benefits in yield can be cancelled out by unintended consequences like this," said Kirtana Chandrasekaran, a food campaigner at Friends of the Earth.

In the past decade, farmers in India and elsewhere have noticed that herbicide-tolerant GM crops have developed resistance to pesticide sprays, again reducing the benefits of the crops, Chandrasekaran said. "Reliance on GM is not sustainable. We need to get back to using local varieties of crops that are adpted to the conditions, and develop an integrated system of pest management."

While many countries around the world have embraced GM crops, they have never taken root in Britain, where multinational companies have faced protests and vandalism to crop trials in recent years. Britain's large-scale field trials of herbicide-tolerant GM crops in 2003 found changes in herbicide use had an impact on weeds and insects that might also affect country wildlife.

Dr Wu's team monitored insecticide use from 1992 to 2008 at 38 farms throughout the six northern Chinese provinces of Henan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong and Shanxi. They also kept records of mirid bug populations at the farms between 1997 and 2008.
Before switching to GM cotton, farmers used more broad-spectrum insecticides to kill bollworms and other pests. But as more farmers began growing Bt cotton, their use of sprays declined, leading to a steady rise in pests, including mirid bugs.

Over the decade-long study, cotton farms flipped from being a grave for mirid bugs to a source of the pests, where populations grew rapidly and then spilled out to feed on a variety of flowering crops in neighbouring farms.

Bt cotton is modified to produce a natural insecticide that is made by a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis. The toxin specifically targets bollworms, which can devastate cotton yields.

2010-09-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

COTTON

Cotton farmers could be about to enjoy the best of both worlds, members of the National Cotton Council’s board of directors were told.

Cotton farmers are looking at one of their best crops in years at a time when prices have been moving higher due to “encouraging” developments in the world market, according to Gary Adams, vice president for economic and policy analysis for the NCC.

“USDA’s latest numbers show that 62 percent of the U.S. crop was rated good to excellent,” said Adams. “The percentage of poor to very poor has been increasing in the Southeast in the last few weeks. But overall this is shaping up to be a very good crop.”

Adams, speaking at the Council’s board meeting in Memphis, Tenn., said cotton prices have been moving back up in recent days due to a good export report. When Adams went to the podium at the Peabody Hotel, New York December futures were trading at 86.25 cents per pound. The A Index, a barometer of world cotton prices, has been around 90 cents per pound.

As a result of relatively good growing conditions, U.S. production could reach 18.5 million bales in 2010. That would be nearly 6 million bales higher than 2009’s crop.

U.S. cotton exports, meanwhile, could reach 15 million bales or 3 million bales due to continuing restrictions on India’s cotton exports, reports of flood damage in Pakistan’s growing region and the possibility of China buying cotton and adding it to its dwindling cotton reserves.

2010-08-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

INDIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance .... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."

The day when India woke up to freedom back in 1947 was a day of great celebration. A country got rid of her foreign yoke and became a sovereign nation, she celebrated her sovereignty on this day - the triumph of numerous martyred souls. It was a day of fulfillment, it was the day of a new beginning, a birth of a nation.On the stroke of midnight, a country came into life again as the british handed over the governance of India to the Indian leaders.The long and difficult struggle had borne fruit at last, though the happiness was marred by the fact that the country was divided into India and Pakistan and the violent communal riots had left the countries permanently scarred. That was the price that India paid for her dearly bought freedom. The british government declared the country independent and left for their own shores.

On the 15th of August, 1947, India became completely independent. It was on this historic date that Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian tricolor on the ramparts the magnificent Red Fort, symbolically marking the end of the british colonial rule.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks. Thomas Jefferson

You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence. Abraham Lincoln

Mickey Mouse is, to me, a symbol of independence. He was a means to an end. Walt Disney

The Declaration of Independence I always considered as a theatrical show. Jefferson ran away with all the stage effect of that... and all the glory of it. John Adams

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. Henry Ford

True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Injustice in the end produces independence. Voltaire

There is no more independence in politics than there is in jail. Will Rogers

The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves. Walt Whitman

I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America. Alexis de Tocqueville

2010-07-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

Vintage Denim

Readymade garment sector is booming world wide & specially in 3rd world countries, and garment processing has emerged as one of the important production routes towards meeting quick changing demands of the fashion market. In this article we look at processing of denim garments & its impact on environment.

Brands seeking to improve their environmental credentials can look beyond the use of organic cotton to a range of new products and technologies that lower the levels of chemicals, stones residue, rivets, buttons, hand tags, water and energy needed to manufacture denim fabric & garments.

The spread of denim culture, all over the world brought with it a trend of fast changing fashions. One after another, several washes were introduced such as stone wash, acid wash, moonwash, monkey wash, show wash, frosted wash, white wash, mud wash, distressed wash etc. Over the last 6-8 years, India has probably seen the most dramatic and exciting changes in the washing of denim garments.Although the denim industry has long been known to be resource intensive, a full picture wasnt known publicly until Levi Strauss & Co. shared results of its life cycle assessment on what went into making one pair of its iconic Levis 501 style.
Examining the 2006 production year for jeans headed to the U.S. market, Levis found that making one pair of 501s required almost 920 gallons of water, 400 mega joules of energy and expelled 32 kilograms of carbon dioxide. Levis said this was equivalent to running a garden hose for 106 minutes, driving 78 miles and powering a computer for 556 hours.

Faded, ripped scrunched and distressed to the ultimate degree are very costly denim garments for well-known brands cost USD 100 plus for a pair! However, hot this distressed denim might appear on the runway there is an more depressing tale to tell apart from the overpricing, regarding the production of denim in general and the techniques and practices employed in the stonewashing and distressing process with various chemicals.

There are huge ecological and ethical concerns as this business is an enormous affair. To give an example , more than 520 million pairs of jeans are sold in USA alone each year. The majority of which will have been coloured with dyes, acid bathed, sandblasted and chemically doused to give the aged , worn in look we all so desire.

The life cycle of denim starts with the cotton boll, amid the vast cotton crops recorded as covering 2.4% of the worlds farm land. If not organically grown the valuable crops will be drenched in toxic pesticides to protect them from insects and weeds. Organophosphates are used which are poisonous and ultimately pass into the soil and reek havoc with wildlife.
Cotton fibres are spun into yarn and the denim yarn is "sized" using starch to give it strength and "mercerized" in caustic soda. Starch is biodegradable but if released into the rivers the microbes that devour it also consume the oxygen. This in turn kills off the aquatic life in the water as does the toxic caustic soda.

Other shocking facts are that it takes 1,500 gallons of water to produce 1.5 lbs of cotton needed to make one pair of jeans.

To achieve the correct blue shade, the denim in doused in vats of synthetic indigo.

Environmental regulations are not upheld in many developing countries. Apart from the initial dyeing the stone washing or distressing of the denim is achieved by repeated washing and rinsing and bleaching, chemical blasting with such toxic substances such silica, dye stripped or bleached with potassium permanganate. All toxic to wildlife if let into the waterways and to the workers who breathe it in.

Very recently we came to know similar situation of untreated water was going in to rivers & waste was spread every where on streets in Lesotho. Worldwide many water sources and land are affected by untreated water from Laundries & Denim plants.

2010-07-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

DYE FASHION

When it comes to fashion, we mostly want to come up with a very fashionable style. From accessories, garments and dresses, we make it a point to be seen by the group and later be one with the gang. That is why, as much as practical we usually wish to be fashionably updated or else we finish up in the shadows, or worse, we become the shadow itself.

Speaking of fashion, a uniquely trendy tie dye dresses is a sure hit in the fashion industry these days. These dresses won't be as beautiful as other styles of dresses are, but thanks to the unique and inventive process in which they were made and their unique appearance, these tie dye dresses may be employed as a fashion statement and wearing them would make you seem like a living piece of art. What a wonderful compliment!

With this, we'll take a glance at the process of making tie dye dresses which is named tie dyeing. Tie-dye is the practice of dying fabrics by utilizing a specific resist dying process. It's a strategy in which selected areas of fabric are bound or tied in a specific pattern with rubber bands, clamps, or strings so as to resist color when the material is immersed in a dye bath. Thereafter, dye is then applied to the material not being bound with string or rubber bands. With this, the banded area will withstand the dye, making a certain pattern on the material.

Additionally, making and wearing tie dye dresses has advantages too. These advantages include :
Tie dyeing gets your creative energies flowing. The process may sound simple but in actual fact making it trendy and wonderfully designed depends upon your creativity to think and make a design or a pattern.
Timeless. With the undeniable fact that tie dye dresses never fades, this element of fashion is timeless which means you'll never be out of fashion wearing this.

Fun surprises. Since each design is always different and one can't forecast the end result with certainty, the surprise is an element of the excitement. Fold here and there and be shocked with the design you get resurrects clothing. Tie-dyeing is a good way to give new life to an old or stained t-shirt. In other words, this process gives a new face to your old clothes and is also a great way to recycle.

2010-07-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Ed Cotton: Lessons From Aol, Starbucks And NPR

At the recent Wired Business Conference, it was fantastic to be able to hear Steve Case of AOL and Revolution Health, Howard Schultz of Starbucks and Vivian Schiller of NPR talk about the changing world of business and its impact on their brands.

Case was clearly championing “The Long View” explaining just how long it takes to convince people to change behavior and adopt new practices. He told stories of investment bankers who never believed the internet would add up to anything and of PCs without built-in modems. His overall philosophy was to go for the masses, even if the digital elite were poking fun at his “internet with training wheels”. He seems equally passionate about the opportunity to transform the landscape of health in America by focusing on wellness and prevention. However, he’s a realist and knows this is no easy task, he know it might take 10 years to make progress, given the protectionist approaches of the incumbents.

However, Case isn’t just about the “The Long View” and the mass-market, he also appreciates medium term opportunities and sees hope in the niches, that’s why he’s a leading investor in Zipcar.

Vivian Schiller had a different story, she was all about responding to changing times and about embracing digital platforms as rapidly as possible. She was proud that NPR’s radio listeners are at an all-time high (60% increase in the past 10 years), but yet NPR is rapidly embracing all things digital.

One of her most interesting ideas was to ensure all 300 journalists at NPR received digital training, so they knew how to integrate digital elements into their stories.

Schiller impressed with her push for innovation at NPR, which clearly must be full of challenges, she told us how the NRP iPad application has received 350K downloads and used the conference to announce the launch of a digital public media platform with dozens of contributing brands and an open API.

One surprising thing, was when asked about the percentage of programming consumed through the internet, she had to admit that she didn’t know and this wasn’t ignorance, but due to the lack of data, apparently Arbitron’s people meters don’t measure those that listen with headphones!
Schultz was probably the most passionate about brand of the three, he clearly seems like a CEO who’s decision to step back into the limelight has been vindicated by the turnaround in the brand’s fortunes. He has a good grasp of the contemporary challenges most brands face and understands that social and digital are today’s pathways to build a greater bonds with the customer.

More than this, there aren’t many CEO’s who see brands the way Schultz does. He told an interesting story of an institutional investor who in the middle of the financial crisis suggested it was the perfect moment to get rid of the company’s health care plan and save $300 million, that investor cut their holdings in half 3 weeks later when Schultz refused to back down.
He firmly believes the mission of Starbucks is bigger than selling coffee and is aware of its enormous power in the area of fair trade, values transparency, believes in the power of the brand within its local communities and is keen to gather input from consumers to help shape the future of the brand.

While Starbucks has dabbled with entertainment in a way that seemed very loosely connected to the brand, its latest initiative of a digital content hub seems a better way to go. Available in 17,000 stores on its upcoming “free” Wi-Fi access points, this new digital hub provides tailored content at a local level and will be integrated into the existing loyalty program by offering the most loyal customers access to special content.

In summary, it was fascinating to see three people with very different approaches to corporate leadership and branding, driven by the own personal values and the specific challenges each of their brands faces.

Perhaps, it’s an unfair comparison to suggest that one approach or leader is better than the other, but maybe there are lessons from each that can be learned.

2010-05-02T04:29:00.000-07:00

JEC COMPOSITES SHOW

Lectra, the world leader in integrated technological solutions for industries that use soft materials—textiles, leather, industrial fabrics and composites—, is pleased to announced the release of its new VectorTechTex FX 100 cutting solution for industrial fabrics and composite materials.

This new solution enables companies to cut wide pieces and meets the needs of professionals looking to diversify their offer by covering a broader spectrum of applications. In a tense economic context, in which companies must confront significant changes in their activities and business environment, VectorTechTex FX 100 helps ensure greater flexibility and contributes to increased profitability."The ability to process a wide variety of industrial fabrics with a single, unique cutting solution is now essential to the survival of many companies.

By extending the range of possible activities open to them with the VectorTechTex FX 100, these companies will be able to target new markets and, consequently, limit the risks tied to a decrease in volumes," said Daniel Harari, Lectra CEO.VectorTechTex FX 100 is the most advanced solution available to deliver the flexibility required by professionals working with industrial fabrics and composites.

Adaptable and reliable, it is particularly well-suited to short runs and tight production deadlines. By allowing for wider cuts (up to 2.54 meters), VectorTechTex FX 100 stands out from the competition as it can process a wider variety of pieces, all of varying sizes and shapes, while limiting fabric scraps. Material consumption is thus optimized.

This cutting solution broadens Lectra’s VectorTechTex FX range by considerably extending the variety of materials that can be handled, from pre-preg carbon fiber to multi-layer cutting of dry materials such as fiberglass and honeycomb fabric.With VectorTechTex FX 100, manufacturers and subcontractors can enter new markets under optimal conditions for profitability, thereby enlarging their order portfolio, thanks to a solution that meets all their needs.Securing the cutting process: an essential requirementThe VectorTechTex FX 100 meets rigorous safety criteria.

It is perfectly adapted to meet the stringent safety requirements that professionals in industrial fabrics and composite materials may face due to the hazards created by certain materials used.

In particular, it integrates a new feature to vacuum away dust produced during cutting, greatly reducing the dispersal of particles that may affect the health of operators and limiting the impact on both the environment and the equipment.

2010-04-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

COTTON IS THE FABRIC

Consider this T-shirt: It can monitor your heart rate and breathing, analyze your sweat and even cool you off on a hot summer's day. What about a pillow that monitors your brain waves, or a solar-powered dress that can charge your ipod or MP4 player? This is not science fiction - this is cotton in 2010.

Now, the laboratory of Juan Hinestroza, assistant professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Design, has developed cotton threads that can conduct electric current as well as a metal wire can, yet remain light and comfortable enough to give a whole new meaning to multi-use garments. This technology works so well that simple knots in such specially treated thread can complete a circuit - and solar-powered dress with this technology literally woven into its fabric will be featured at the annual Cornell Design League Fashion Show on Saturday, March 13 at Cornell University's Barton Hall.

Using multidisciplinary nanotechnology developed at Cornell in collaboration with the universities at Bologna and Cagliari, Italy, Hinestroza and his colleagues developed a technique to permanently coat cotton fibers with electrically conductive nanoparticles. "We can definitively have sections of a traditional cotton fabric becoming conductive, hence a great myriad of applications can be achieved," Hinestroza said.

"The technology developed by us and our collaborators allows cotton to remain flexible, light and comfortable while being electronically conductive," Hinestroza said. "Previous technologies have achieved conductivity but the resulting fiber becomes rigid and heavy. Our new techniques make our yarns friendly to further processing such as weaving, sewing and knitting."
This technology is beyond the theory stage. Hinestroza's student, Abbey Liebman, was inspired by the technology enough to design a dress that actually uses flexible solar cells to power small electronics from a USB charger located in the waist. The charger can power a smartphone or an MP3 player.

"Instead of conventional wires, we are using our conductive cotton to transmit the electricity -- so our conductive yarns become part of the dress," Hinestroza said. "Cotton used to be called the 'fabric of our lives' but based on these results, we can now call it 'The fabric of our lights.'"

COTTON

2010-03-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

COTTON

Historically, “light” and “airy” were not often used by outdoor enthusiasts to describe their cotton apparel. But thanks to advanced technologies, the fabric is charting new territory in the activewear category.Though cotton has been the go-to fabric in most apparel categories for the last 40 years, it was typically deemed a “foe” by hikers and serious runners, due to its strong absorbency and weight.

These days, that is no longer an issue since tech features– like TransDRY™, Storm Cotton™ and Storm Denim™ – put cotton on equal ground with synthetic fibers. Polarmax®, a brand of Longworth Industries, is on board with the movement, rolling out a new line of PMX technical base layer T-shirts and undergarments with the patented TransDRY™ moisture management technology. This high-performance moisture management application allows 100% cotton fabrics to transfer perspiration away from the skin or across the surface of the fabric and dry faster, keeping wearers dry during varying levels of exercise intensity. “People love cotton, and the way it feels,” says Polarmax’s Roger Maxey, national sales manager. “They just didn’t like the way it performed. Cotton would absorb moisture, get heavy and boggy, and wasn’t treated with anti-microbial in the past. We have a product that’s 100% cotton, it wicks moisture, is fast drying and anti-microbial – and is very comfortable.”

An impressive 82% of females say cotton and cotton blends are their favorite fiber or fabric to wear, according to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ survey. That figure remains steady regardless of a woman’s age or salary—whether she is 13 years old or70, or has a household income under $25,000 or more than $75,000.When it comes to performance apparel, Monitor stats show cotton is again a favorite, with most women saying they prefer cotton for apparel that features moisture management (66%) and water repellence (51%). Furthermore, “Our own Sports Apparel data tells us that more than 90% of people who said they preferred synthetic athletic apparel would be willing to try or would even prefer to have cotton athletic apparel,” says David Earley, Senior Director, Supply Chain Marketing at Cotton Incorporated.

Of course, outdoor activities run the gamut, from walking the dog, to taking the kids to the park to hiking trails, and even riding a motorcycle. And all activities stand to benefit from specially-designed performance wear. More than one-third of female Monitor respondents (36%) say they are “very/somewhat likely” to purchase denim that has moisture wicking features, and 68% of them are willing to pay more for it, too.

Additionally, 26% are “very/somewhat likely” to buy waterproof denim, with 60% of those women willing to shell out extra for the feature.The same can be said for cotton tees with moisture management features: women are “very/ somewhat likely” to purchase both moisture wicking (45%) and fast-drying (44%) T-shirts, and pay more for the features (77% and 59%, respectively).Price wise, the Polarmax pieces are more expensive than a regular cotton T-shirt, but comparable to synthetic technical tees.

They are available in both heavy and light weights.Eddie Bauer, a powerhouse in the outdoor apparel arena, has cotton blend pieces in its current Travex line, a collection that boasts UPF and wicking properties. The women’s pieces include a cotton blend vest, parka and jacket.“They’re meant to be worn for traveling, hiking, trekking, and the like, but they’re also fashionable enough to wear to the café,” says a spokesperson.Eddie Bauer also offers a “Canoe” coat, made of 100% cotton Expedition cloth, which breathes and is moisture-resistant; as well as ComfortCloth™ 100% cotton shirts for men with moisture wicking and wrinkle resistance.

Almost eight out of 10 women (79%) say cotton and cotton blends are the fibers best suited for today’s fashions, according to the Monitor survey.Cotton continues to be far and away the most widely used fiber in apparel, according to Earley. According to the Cotton Incorporated Retail Monitor™ survey, 74% of apparel contains cotton. In athletic apparel, cotton is found in 46% of products and has been making steady inroads.

“Cotton is gaining ground in the athletic apparel category, largely due to innovative technical finishes and consumers’ general preferences,” Earley adds.Maxey says the Polarmax base layer apparel appeals to cold weather athletes, particularly snow boarders. “In the sports market, cotton got pushed out as a next-to-skin fabric because people would get sweaty wearing it downhill, and then would be wet and cold going back up the lift because the fabric didn’t wick moisture away.”

COTTON

2010-03-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

COTTON
Most important of the vegetable fibers, and the plant from which the fiber is harvested.

The Cotton Plant
The cotton plant belongs to the genus Gossypium of the family Malvaceae (mallow family). It is generally a shrubby plant having broad three-lobed leaves and seeds in capsules, or bolls; each seed is surrounded with downy fiber, white or creamy in color and easily spun. The fibers flatten and twist naturally as they dry.

Cotton is of tropical origin but is most successfully cultivated in temperate climates with well-distributed rainfall. All western U.S. cotton and as much as one-third of Southern cotton, however, is grown under irrigation. In the United States nearly all commercial production comes from varieties of upland cotton (G. hirsutum), but small quantities are obtained from sea-island and American-Egyptian cotton (both belonging to the species G. barbadense). G. arboreum and G. herbaceum are the chief cultivated species in Asia.

Cotton is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Malvales, family Malvaceae.

Planting and Production
Cotton is planted annually by seed in furrows; the plants are thinned and weeded during the spring growing season. Diseases and insect pests are numerous; of these the most destructive has been the boll weevil, which has caused enormous losses. Genetically altered strains of cotton are being developed that can resist infestation by some insects and damage by application of herbicides.

Mechanical harvesting is preceded by a chemical-defoliant spray to remove the leaves, leaving only the cotton bolls. In the ginhouse the cotton is separated from the seeds by a cotton gin and then baled. The usual plantation bale, weighing 500 lb (227 kg), is covered with jute and bound with iron hoops. The U.S. Dept of Agriculture has established standards for grades of cotton. The manufacture of cotton cloth involves many processes—carding, combing, and spinning—which transform raw fiber into yarn or thread strong enough for weaving.

Uses of Cotton
Innumerable commodities are made from cotton. From the lint (the fiber separated from the seed) come the major products, chiefly textile and yarn goods, cordage, automobile-tire cord, and plastic reinforcing. The linters (short, cut ends removed from the seed after ginning) are a valuable source of cellulose. Cotton hulls are used for fertilizer, fuel, and packing; fiber from the stalk is used for pressed paper and cardboard.

Production of the chief byproduct, cottonseed oil, has grown into a separate industry since its establishment in the late 19th cent. The oil content of cotton seeds is about 20%. After being freed from the linters, the seeds are shelled and then crushed and pressed or treated with solvents to obtain the crude oil. In its highly refined state, cottonseed oil is employed as salad and cooking oil, for cosmetics, and especially in the manufacture of margarine and shortenings. Paint makers use it to some extent as a semidrying oil. Less refined grades are used in the manufacture of soap, candles, detergents, artificial leather, oilcloth, and many other commodities. Cottonseed oil is increasingly important to cotton growers as cotton fiber meets competition from cheaper and stronger synthetic fibers.

History
Early History
Cotton has been spun, woven, and dyed since prehistoric times. It clothed the people of ancient India, Egypt, and China. Hundreds of years before the Christian era cotton textiles were woven in India with matchless skill, and their use spread to the Mediterranean countries. In the 1st cent.

Arab traders brought fine muslin and calico to Italy and Spain. The Moors introduced the cultivation of cotton into Spain in the 9th cent. Fustians and dimities were woven there and in the 14th cent. in Venice and Milan, at first with a linen warp. Little cotton cloth was imported to England before the 15th cent., although small amounts were obtained chiefly for candlewicks. By the 17th cent. the East India Company was bringing rare fabrics from India. Native Americans skillfully spun and wove cotton into fine garments and dyed tapestries. Cotton fabrics found in Peruvian tombs are said to belong to a pre-Inca culture. In color and texture the ancient Peruvian and Mexican textiles resemble those found in Egyptian tombs.

Effect of the Cotton Gin
The invention (1793) of the cotton gin, a machine for separating seeds from fiber, and the mechanization of textile production in the Industrial Revolution enabled cotton to supersede flax and wool textiles. Cotton has played a significant role in history. Britain's need for imported cotton fiber encouraged its accession to the Monroe Doctrine; Britain's need for vast African and Indian markets for its cotton manufactures influenced its role as an imperial sea power. Beginning in North America in the Jamestown colony (1607), cotton cultivation became the basis of the one-crop, slave-labor economy of the Deep South and a principal economic cause of the Civil War. The end of slavery and the exhaustion of the soil pushed the Cotton Belt to the west.

Cotton Production Today
Today the leading cotton states are Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, North Caroline, and Louisiana. From the early days of the republic until recent years the United States was the world's leading cotton producer and second only to Great Britain in the manufacture of cotton goods. In the 1990s China was the leading cotton-producing country, followed by the United States and the republics of the former Soviet Union.

Other important cotton producers are Pakistan, India, Brazil, and Egypt. China and India are the leading cotton manufacturers, followed by the United States, where cotton mills have relocated from New England to the Southern cotton-producing states. Historically, all cotton-producing nations have depended on cheap labor; although mechanical cultivating and picking devices have long been known, they have been widely used (especially in the United States) only since World War II.

Cotton Fabrics and Weaves

2010-03-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

Cotton Fabrics and Weaves

Glossary of Cotton Fabrics and Weaves

Diaper Cloth is a twill, dobby or plain woven absorbent cotton.
Dimity is sheer, thin, white or printed fabric with lengthwise cords, stripes or checks.
Drill is a strong twilled cotton fabric, used in men’s and women’s slacks.
Duck is a heavy, durable tightly woven fabric. Heavy weight drill is used in awnings, tents, etc. Lighter duck is used in summer clothing.
Flannel cotton is plain or twill weave with a slight nap on one or both sides.
Flannelette is a soft cotton fabric with a nap on one side.
Gauze is a sheer, lightly woven fabric similar to cheesecloth. Is also made in silk.
Gingham is a lightweight, washable, stout fabric that is woven in checks, plaids or stripes.
Lawn is a plain weave, soft, very light, combed cotton fabric with a crisp finish.

Cotton

COTTON, cool, soft, comfortable, the principal clothing fiber of the world. Its production is one of the major factors in world prosperity and economic stability. Cotton "breathes". What would we do without cotton? Since cotton wrinkles, polyester was added to give it wash and wear properties for a busy world. In recent times, the consumer determined that polyester, although easier to care for, took away the cool from cotton and also added a "pilling" effect to cotton/polyester blends. Consumers now often request "100% Cotton". Permanent finishes also added to the all cotton fabric gave a wash and wear property to cotton. cotton. The cotton fiber is from the cotton plant’s seed pod The fiber is hollow in the center and, under a microscope looks like a twisted ribbon.

"Absorbent" cotton will retain 24-27 times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. This fiber absorbs and releases perspiration quickly, thus allowing the fabric to "breathe". Cotton can stand high temperatures and takes dyes easily. Chlorine bleach can be used to restore white garments to a clear white but this bleach may yellow chemically finished cottons or remove color in dyed cottons. Boiling and sterilizing temperatures can also be used on cotton without disintegration. Cotton can also be ironed at relatively high temperatures, stands up to abrasion and wears well.

Mercerized cotton is treated to permanently straighten the cotton fibers which then becomes a smooth, rod-like fiber that is uniform in appearance with a high luster.

Cotton is often blended with other fibers such as polyester, linen, wool, to "blend" the best properties of each fiber.
Muslin is a sheer to coarse plain woven cotton fabric. Muslin comes in "natural" color or is dyed.
Organdy is a very thin, transparent cotton with a crisp finish.

Outing flannel is a soft, twill or plain weave fabric napped on both sides. Used for baby clothes, diapers, and sleepwear.

Percale is a light weight, closely woven, sturdy fabric that can be found printed in dark colors.
Pima Cotton, from Egyptian cotton, is an excellent quality cotton fabric.
Polished Cotton is either a satin weave cotton or a plain weave cotton that is finished chemically to appear shiny.

Poplin is a plain weave fabric with a cross-wise rib.
Sailcloth is a very strong, heavy canvas or duck made in plain weave.
Sateen is a satin weave cotton fabric.
Seersucker is a lightweight cotton fabric crinkled into lengthwise stripes.
Swiss is a sheer, very fine cotton that can be plain or decorated with dots or other designs.
Terry Cloth is a looped pile fabric that is either woven or knitted. Very absorbent and used for towels, etc. French terry cloth is looped on one side and sheared pile on the other.
Velveteen is an all cotton pile fabric with short pile resembling velvet.
Whipcord is a strong fabric with a diagonal round cords that can also be produced in wool.

Plant hormone increases cotton yields in drought conditions

2010-03-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Plant hormone increases cotton yields in drought conditions

A naturally occurring class of plant hormones called cytokinins has been found to help increase cotton yields during drought conditions, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists. Cytokinins promote cell division and growth in plants. In cotton, cytokinins stimulate the growth of the main plant stem and branches. Commercially produced cytokinins are routinely applied in apple and pistachio orchards to promote fruit growth.

John Burke, director of the ARS Cropping Systems Research Laboratory in Lubbock, Texas, found that applying cytokinins to cotton crops can increase yields in water-limited environments with reduced irrigation or no irrigation. Burke was granted a patent for his discovery.

Half of the U.S.-produced cotton is grown in the arid high plains of Texas. In addition to a short growing season, 60 to 65 percent of the acreage in the area is dry land and relies on rainfall for soil moisture. Young cotton seedlings have small root systems, making it difficult for them to reach available soil water.

Cytokinins trick the young plant's water stress defenses, prompting the plant to quickly build a bigger root system to access deep soil moisture. They also stimulate the growth of a protective wax on the surface of the plant that helps reduce water loss.

Tests conducted by Burke found one application of cytokinins produced a 5 to 10 percent increase in yields under water-reduced conditions. Additionally, tests determined that cytokinins didn't help or hinder yields under fully irrigated or rainy conditions, making it safe for use in all weather environments. There is also no extra work involved for the grower because cytokinins can be applied when conducting normal weed-management practices early in the season.

To be effective, the cytokinins should be applied at a relatively low concentration to cotton seeds or to cotton plants at an early stage of development. ARS is working closely with commercial companies to make this material available to cotton growers in the future.

Strengthening Rupee and Inflation on Textiles

2010-02-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Strengthening Rupee and Inflation on Textiles

During the first week of the New Year 2010, the Indian Rupee touched a new high against the US Dollar to reach 46.22 per Dollar. Although this was a good New Year greeting from the Rupee to importers in India, it may not have pleased the exporter so much. Since then the Rupee has been hovering consistently around 46.2 Rs. values and in the recent weeks, it has appreciated overall. You may check the latest conversion rate here.

In this article, we will concentrate on the Indian textile exporters. Hardly anyone understands the variation in foreign exchange rates better than the Indian textile exporting community as their bottom lines routinely depend on this factor. With globalization and opening of global textile markets under the World Trade Organization, this variation has been affecting their businesses more frequently than ever before. In the recent time also, the appreciation of the rupee against the USD, a currency widely used in trade from this part of the world, has hurt the textile exporters. According to Apparel Export Promotion Council, the adverse effect on margin has been in the range of 8 to 10%.

The variation in exchange rate that adversely affects the textile manufacturers' profits may be due to seeming unrelated factors such as increase or decrease in capital inflows in the form or Foreign Direct Investment or Foreign Portfolio Investments or RBI intervention as the case may be. The woes of the exporters aren't limited to the rise of Rupee against the USD. Domestic inflation and rising raw material prices exert further strain on already dwindling profits. For instance, there is a rise in cotton prices globally which makes the procurement of good quality raw material, expensive.

Simple calculation of currency realization per meter of exported fabric will reveal the loss or gain of profits with unit variation of the foreign exchange rate. But the real question to ask is why the Indian textile exporters are so dependent on these factors for his survival? A simplistic explanation is that they are competing on price. Of course, technically any exporter will get affected by rising of domestic currency value but for this variation to become a life threatening issue, is a matter of high concern.

The roots of this issue lie in the formulation of corporate strategy and business strategy and have to do with value proposition of the company. Companies which failed to either innovate or move up the value chain in the long run, so that they can command a premium on their product rather than playing a volume and price game, often find themselves in this situation.
Traditionally, China has been known to compete heavily on price and it successfully dragged manufacturers from other countries such as India, Bangladesh etc in the price competition. It would be unfair to blame everything on the Chinese because fact of the matter is that we had to give in, for the lack of a stronger value proposition.

Supply and demand factors which determine the price of raw cotton which fall under the broadly traded commodities are beyond the control of an average exporter. Although India has strong credentials as far as installed manufacturing capacity and past performance of textile exports in concerned, a lot more remains to be done in terms of having control over the market, which is an agreeably challenging task.

Macroeconomic factors or indicators such as inflation and agricultural yield as a percentage of GDP may not be influenced directly by individual textile exporters but business can surely do well to reorganize their value proposition. In the long run, two solution that will help businesses sustain themselves are innovation and moving up the value chain.

Fabrics

2010-02-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Fabrics

Most people try to save as much money as they can on the things they buy or sell; may that be a car, a house or even clothing. Most of them have a tendency to shop their items from discounts and sales. In the present condition of our society, living has become very tough. The expense of our daily usable items has reached a great height. People have to spend a lot of money for all the important work they need to do. Decorating and rearranging a person's house costs one a huge amount of money. This cost can be very easily minimized by purchasing all the fabrics from any discounted fabric wholesaler. In United States, people can find a lot of discounted fabric stores.

Most people buy their required fabrics at the retail prices, which costs them quite a lot. If you want to save your money you should go for the fabric wholesalers. But there are some limitations in such cases.

Most of the wholesalers have a minimum cut off amount, below which you won't get any discount. If you want to buy good fabrics at lower price, you have to spend much more than this initial amount. This amount is quite large and it is not helpful for people who want to buy very few amounts of fabrics. These wholesale rates are good only for those people who have to buy a lot of fabrics. If a person buys one or two types of fabrics, he won't get the discount from the fabric wholesalers. For receiving a huge amount of discount from the fabric wholesalers, people have to buy a lot of fabrics.

However, it is often very hard to find a good fabric wholesaler. The dealers and distributors, who are supplied with different types of fabrics from these wholesalers, often do not disclose the wholesaler's name. They keep it a real secret so that no one else can get fabrics at such less cost. But, if you manage to find one and buy a lot of different types of fabrics like the organza fabric or chiffon fabric, then you cut quite a huge amount of cost from your purchase. A cool way to find out the name of the wholesaler is look in the fabric itself; the name of the wholesaler is often printed on the fabric.

Before choosing a fabric wholesaler, try to gather adequate information on them. It will be very helpful if you find a wholesaler which sells textiles all through the country and even overseas. You can trust them and also get fabrics from them at much lower rates. These companies will definitely provide high quality fabrics, which are often difficult to find in any ordinary store.

If you have any known person, who has previous experience of buying fabrics from that particular wholesaler, you can get a lot of information about their policies, quality of the fabric they provide and the price at which they provide the fabrics. However, you must be careful while buying products from any fabric wholesaler; you may end up lots of unnecessary fabrics.

Parka Jacket That Flatters

2010-02-06T22:33:00.000-08:00

Parka Jacket That Flatters

When you hear the word 'parka' do you think bulky and unflattering? If so, this list of fabulously feminine designs in parka jacket is worth viewing this winter season. These hot looks in a parka jacket will not only keep you warm, but also will accentuate your figure and keep your style quotient up!The Soia & Kyo Dora jacket is a great choice for $220.00.

This jacket is a parka with a duffle front toggle closure. The faux fur trims the removable hood and the side snap pockets keep your personal items safely stowed. The channel quilting on the hem adds to the design detail that went into the construction of this coast while the fully lined material will keep you extra warm as the temperature continues to drop. Offered in down and down alternative linings, this jacket is built for your customization.

The only downside to this jacket is that it must be dry-cleaned.For a sporty, yet chic, look in jackets, pick up The North Face Menlo jacket for $279.00. This standard fit parka features a snap-off, insulated, adjustable hood. The center front zipper features a snap-down flat over closure with two patch cargo pockets and side entry hand pockets.

The removable, adjustable self belt and internal media pocket are great features for the urban woman on the go. This jacket features a 550 fill in goose down for that hard to replicate warmth. Go from your warm bed to this jacket and barely notice the difference!

Embrace the cold weather with this fabulous design!The Marc Ecko Posey jacket is a great choice for the woman who seeks a slightly roomier design that still provides the utmost in warmth. This satin jacket features a faux fur hood and zip-front with toggle button closure wind flap to lock out the cold. With a multitude of pockets, patches, and a plaid lining, this jacket is constructed in 100% nylon with acetate lining and cotton yarn dyed flannel hood lining.

All in all, this jacket is an incredible steal for some major style. Your boyfriend or husband will find themselves wishing they could fit into this great design!For a rustic and military inspired choice, pick up the Golden Goose Long Parka. This distressed canvas jacket features a snap-off hood.

The seven-snap and zip closures at front and drawstring at back are really amazing features that add some femininity to this otherwise masculine design. The zip and snap flap pockets are incredibly innovative and will keep all your personal items safely stowed without fear. The 11' zip off panel allows this jacket to be a shorter choice that hits right at your hip.

All in all, this jacket also features an insulated lining that can be worn as a separate puffer jacket. What an incredible design! Everyone will be envious of this beautiful look.For a simple parka that will be perfect for work, pick up the Cole Haan Parka. This jacket is a packable parka, so this is a great choice to bring along with you on those business trips to not so desirable climates. With a built-in recycled eco tote bag, this jacket also features a hidden zip and snap front closure with a funnel collar and removable hood.

The side pockets have a flap detail while the belted cuff detail creates a fabulously tailored look that will blend great with your sheath dresses and pencil skirts. Keep yourself warm in this 100% recycled polyester and wool blended material, but remember to dry clean this choice only!

Your professional wardrobe will remain intact, even in the freezing weather this winter!

2009 cotton season

2010-01-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

2009 cotton season

The 2009 crop season was one to forget for cotton producers, but it’s unlikely that many will — at least not any time soon. With that, here’s one more look at the mostly ugly 2009 growing season, from Tennessee Extension Cotton Specialist Chris Main, speaking at the 2010 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in New Orleans.

Southeast
Cotton acreage increased for Virginia, Georgia and Florida in 2009, acres while in the Carolinas and Alabama declined. Southeast yields were very similar to Mid-South yields in that yields increased from south to north, according to Main. “Most of this is due to the weather we saw across the southern portion of the country. In Georgia, they had late planting, a lot of wet weather at harvest and a lot of immature bolls in the top of the plant that they were not able to harvest.”

Throughout the Southeast, Palmer pigweed resistance to herbicides “is becoming more and more of an issue every year and is beginning to move into other parts of the Cotton Belt.
On the sandy Coastal Plains soils, “Georgia is beginning to see more problems with leaf spot diseases due to nutrient deficiencies, particularly potassium,” Main said.
Another challenge in the Southeast is identifying new cotton varieties for 2010-11 and beyond. “Over the past two years, over 82 percent of the acres in Georgia have been planted to DP 555 BG/RR. With that variety exiting after this year, there are in the neighborhood of 700,000 to 800,000 acres in Georgia up for grabs. Over the last two years, no other variety has had more than a 3 percent market share in that state.”

Alabama Extension Cotton Specialist Dale Monks summed up the cotton situation in the state in one sentence, “It rained a lot, then it didn’t, then it rained a lot, and it’s still raining.”
Cotton acreage is expected to rise in Florida, where cotton acres had risen to 85,000 acres in 2009. “That is with the caveat that they can get the 2009 crop out of the field, because a lot of it was still there in early January,” Main said.

Mid-South
Cotton plantings decreased for Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri and increased slightly in Louisiana and Tennessee in 2009. Like in the Southeast, yields increased as you moved from south to north, Main said.
“The Mid-South suffered through a very wet spring. We planted late, and had a cooler and wetter than average summer for the most part. What made it strange was that we had August weather in June and June weather in August.”

Despite the less than ideal start, almost every state “had extraordinary crop potential on Sept. 1. Then beginning Sept. 12, it started raining, and it didn’t stop until the first week of November. There were intermittent periods when it stopped raining where we tried to harvest corn and soybeans and get defoliant on our cotton. We had very little sunshine during this period, and it dramatically impacted our cotton crop.”

Main noted that even early cotton was penalized by the weather. “It didn’t matter if we planted early or had an early-maturing variety, we lost a substantial amount of cotton to hard lock.
“On our late-planted cotton, many producers didn’t get planted until the first week of June. We had a lot of immature bolls due to wet weather at the end of harvest season.”
Weed resistance also hit the region with a vengeance. “You’d be lucky to find a field from Clarksdale, Miss., north that did not have Palmer pigweed in it.”
Main says in many fields, 350 pounds to 400 pounds of cotton never made it into the picker due to hard lock, boll rot and immature bolls. “Then when the sun did come out, the seed sprouted which hurt our fiber quality.”

Arkansas cotton yields regressed to “levels of the mid-1980s” Main said. “Louisiana losses in cotton amounted to $81 million. They’re growing 23 percent of their acreage high from the mid-1990s.”
Main said another concern is the potential for loss of cotton infrastructure as cotton acres decline. “If cotton does make a comeback, we’re going to have a hard time getting that infrastructure back after a few years.”

Southwest
Cotton yields in the Southwest “were fairly good, considering some of the challenges they saw in 2009,” Main said. “J.C. Banks (Oklahoma cotton Extension specialist) says the state ‘had a strong summer, but a weak finish. In both irrigated cotton and dryland, there were a lot of immature bolls that never filled out.’
“In the Texas High Plains, conditions were very similar. They had a cool September, with early freezes in many areas. As they continue to gin, they’re finding that micronaire values are declining and bark contamination is trending higher.”
In south Texas, cotton producers faced extremely dry conditions early, then weather turned wet late in the year, Main said. “They’ve continued to have problems with volunteer crops coming up where they were growing cotton in rotations.
“In the south-central area, the Coastal Bend and the Upper Coast took a dramatic hit on yield and bale production in 2009.”

West
In the West, Arizona cotton acres increased slightly in 2009, while Upland and Pima acreage declined. “What amazes me is the yield they were able to get, a 1,700 pound estimated average for California and 1,450 pounds for Arizona,” Main said. “They make a lot of cotton and a lot of quality cotton.
“Arizona had excellent conditions for getting crops in the ground, a cool beginning to summer, but then, heat returned with a vengeance. They ended the year with higher than average yields and quality.”
Main said declines in dairy and forage crops could mean a lot of that acreage shifting back to cotton in Arizona.
California cotton producers “continue to be plagued by water issues. The cities want the water, and they’re trying as hard as they can to take it away from farmers. But California is expecting a little bit of an increase in cotton acres in 2010.”

Main said that a high point in 2009 has been the steady increase in cotton prices. “World demand is increasing, and mills are starting to buy more cotton. World production was lower in 2009 because there were weather problems in the rest of the world.

STORING YOUR YARN

2010-01-23T16:08:00.000-08:00

STORING YOUR YARN

When you begin a crafting addiction, you never expect it to take over like it does. However, one skein of yarn turns into ten. Pretty soon ten morphs into a pile that fills a bin and the bin joins others on a shelf. Before you know it, you need a dedicated room for all your yarn! While you're not exactly sure how that happens, you suspect that they are actually breeding behind your back.

However it is that all that yarn got there, the odds are that you're not going to get to all your projects right away and you'll need to store it somehow.If you're like most fiber aficionados, you use several yarn suppliers to pad your stash. It's likely that you are not only shopping at your local craft, fabric and fiber store, but also ordering from your favorite online shops. You need a quick and accurate way to sort and store each purchase.

First, you need to know what the fiber content is. Wool yarns have different properties than cottons, for example. It is best to store each type together. You also may want to further distinguish between color families or planned projects if your stash of yarn is that extensive. It's also a good idea to put your most used yarns in the most accessible part of your storage system.There are several different ways to store yarn. The ideal will depend on your craft area and even your own preferences.

The main concern is to keep your skeins out of direct light and away from moisture. You also need protection from pests. Moths love wool and mice can easily chew an entire skein of cotton yarn. If you don't indulge in your fiber hobby frequently, you will probably want to use a type of covered storage like bins. Keep them in a cool dark place, definitely not your garage. If you do knit or crochet frequently, you will probably be okay with a more accessible system like shelving or racks. You can easily see what is available and also keep an eye on potential damage.

When it comes to storing your supplies, there's really no right or wrong way. As you progress in your hobby, you'll get a feel for the most convenient method for your own needs. In fact, you'll likely change systems as your craft evolves. Your yarn suppliers should clearly list fiber content, so keep an eye on that and try to put like items together. Other than that, have fun and happy crafting!

TEXAS COTTON

2010-01-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

TEXAS COTTON

West Texas cotton farmers likely will maintain or increase acreage this year, but many will adjust production routines to take better advantage of diminishing water supplies and to increase efficiency.

Several summed up the 2009 season and discussed 2010 plans during a Deltapine new variety rollout in Charleston, S.C.

“Cotton acreage will be up and corn acreage will be down this year,” said Ryan Williams, Farwell, Texas. “We’ll probably plant 1,000 more acres of cotton and 1,000 less acres of corn. Cotton looks like a better option than corn.”

Williams, who farms with his father, Mark, also has wheat planted for grazing and grain. The rotation is an important part of the operation. “We rotate to help manage water, which is our No. 1 limiting factor. We graze wheat, cut some for grain and fallow wheat ground in the summer. We strip-till cotton into wheat stubble the next year. We plant very little wheat that we don’t follow with cotton.”

He and Mark have strip-tilled cotton for five or six years. “We like it. We always get a uniform seedbed and every field is the same. We set the planter and we know what the field conditions will be like.

“We also save a lot of trips across the field with strip-till.” They also save water. “With strip-till or minimum-till, if we get a heavy rain the wheat stubble soaks it up like a sponge. Strip-till has changed the way we farm and allows us to farm more acreage. Roundup Flex also has been a big advantage.”

They’re irrigating about as efficiently as they can, too. They considered subsurface drip irrigation but say early May conditions are often too dry to provide adequate moisture to germinate cotton seed. “It’s hard to get the crop up,” Williams said. “And we’re at 4,100 feet elevation so we have to get the crop planted and get it up fast.”

They use low energy precision application (LEPA) irrigation. “With drag hoses, we’re 95 percent to 96 percent efficient and it’s cheaper.”

Efficient water use has become more critical over the last few years. “Just five years ago, we had wells pumping 400 gallons a minute. Now, some of those are at 50 gallons. We still have good water in areas, but the distribution of good water is getting narrower.”
Some areas, he said, may revert to “just cattle water.”

They’re watching weed problems. “Marestail is getting harder to kill. We have to get out early with Dicamba or 2, 4-D. We also use residual herbicides, Treflan or Prowl, maybe Dual, Direx or Diuron.”

They hope cotton markets remain strong into the season and like the option of contracting some cotton at 8 cents above loan value. “That looks like a good option,” Williams said. “Last year our loan value was 53 cents a pound and we hope to see 70 cent cotton in 2010.”

He said another advantage to production efficiency has been adding GPS equipment. “Since we started using GPS we can’t stand to be even 8 inches off,” he said.
Ryan and Mark each have separate operations. “We own our own equipment, but we farm together.”

Steve Chapman, Lorenzo, Texas, will keep cotton acreage about the same in 2010, as will Bret Hogue, who farms near Brownfield, Texas.
“We have a rotation program in place so we are pretty much locked in,” Hogue said.
“We may reduce irrigated acreage,” Chapman said. “Water levels are low.”
“We’ve already reduced irrigated acreage by 50 percent,” Hogue said.
They said bankers and landlords might not always agree, but concentrating water on their best fields makes economic sense.

Hogue plants half cotton and half wheat, but is looking to switch to milo and cotton as a less expensive combination. “It’s less expensive to grow milo than it is to grow wheat,” he said. “And a late freeze always seems to hurt the wheat crop.”

He’s also using a no-till system. “We run over our cotton stubble before we plant wheat.”
Chapman has been using no-till since 2003 and says he’s beginning to see some weed problems, especially marestail. “We’re not using a yellow herbicide, but it wouldn’t help. Marestail is a winter weed. This may be the biggest disadvantage of no-till.”

“We’re also seeing some other problem weeds,” Hogue said. “We may need to do some tillage, perhaps run a chisel plow prior to planting wheat.”

Chapman is considering zone tillage. “We may rip and strip till and then run a minimum till cultivator in the summer. We could take out volunteer cotton, too. But we have to have moisture to plow.”
They hope a new herbicide from BASF, Sharpen, will help control marestail. “It’s worth looking at,” Chapman said.

Chapman puts most of his cotton in a marketing pool.
“There have been some pretty good contracts available,” Hogue said. “I haven’t signed anything yet.”
Chapman said his 2009 crop was “above average, but I spent a lot of money on it, mostly to irrigate. It was dry early and we had to water a lot. And our water is going down.”
He said 114 acres of drip irrigation may not make what he’d like. “It was hailed out and we had to replant. That hurt it.”

DYED YARN WITH KOOL AID

2010-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

DYED YARN WITH KOOL AID

You should choose enough yarn to complete the project you have in mind, since it will be fairly difficult to duplicate the results exactly. If you think you might want to repeat a color in the future, then you’ll need to make notes regarding exact quantities, times, and temperatures of everything you do.

If your yarn comes in a center-pull skein, you’ll need to rewind it into a twisted skein or big loop. This allows the dye to come into contact will all parts of the yarn. (It’s amazing how protected the yarn at the center of a ball can be!) You’ll be handling the yarn a fair amount at rinse time, so tie the skein in several places to avoid having a snarled mess when you’re done.

Pre-wet the yarn by soaking it in cool water for about 20 minutes, then squeezing it out. This allows for quicker, more even dye penetration. If you want to try for a mottled look, you can skip this step and start with dry yarn, but it will take longer for the dye to saturate the wool.
Choosing and Mixing the Dye

You’ll also need some packets of unsweetened Kool-aid or other brand drink mix. The colors are fairly predictable – for red, try strawberry or cherry. For purple or blue, try grape or blue raspberry. For orange, try orange or tangerine. For green, try lemon-lime. For yellow, try lemonade. For other colors, try mixing different flavors together. Feel free to experiment with whatever flavors you can find – that’s part of the fun. Some colors are harder to come by than others, and you may have to substitute or supplement with the kind of food coloring you can buy in the spice section at the market.

How many packets you need is largely a function of how much yarn you want to dye and how dark you want to dye it. For a sock or scarf-size amount of wool and a light to medium color, one or two packets should suffice. It’s difficult to give exact formulas for the dyes, since so many variables besides amount of dye can affect the final result. The entire process is subject to a fair amount of trial-and-error, but that’s where the fun is.

Remember that in almost all cases, you will be mixing the flavors in a much stronger concentration than you would to drink them. If you still can’t get a color you like, try adding a few drops of food coloring. In general, when you mix the dye you want to have enough liquid to cover the yarn. If the yarn isn’t completely immersed, the results will be mottled (a nice look, too), and having an excessive amount of liquid will dilute the color and waste the dye.
Finally, for best results, add about ¼ cup of white distilled vinegar per quart of water to make the pH of the solution acidic. This step isn’t necessary, but wool accepts dye better under acidic conditions.

Baggie Method
So, let’s get started. I like to do this in my kitchen, but I do put down a layer of newspaper, plastic, paper towels, or whatever on the counter to minimize messes. Kool-aid may also stain fingers, mouths, and clothing, so wear clothes you don’t care about.

The easiest, most child-friendly method is to empty a packet of Kool-aid into a large zip lock baggie, add about a quart of cold water, put in the yarn (enough for a scarf or socks), and seal the bag. You can then squeeze it around until it’s well mixed and place it in the sun for several hours or all day if possible. The reason for placing it in the sun is that heat will help to set the dye, but it’s not so hot that little fingers will get burned.

Allow the bag to cool as much as possible before taking the yarn out and rinsing it in cool water until the water runs clear. The reason for this is to avoid temperature shocking the yarn, which could result in some unwanted felting or shrinkage. Squeeze out the excess water and hang the yarn up to dry, out of direct sunlight if possible. This method will result in a single-color yarn, possibly with some variation in color saturation.

If you’re not happy with the color, you can re-dye it with the same or another color, or use the dip-dye technique described below.
Stovetop Method
Cooking the mixture on the stovetop will set the dye better and more quickly than letting the sun cook it in a baggie. Simply place the dye mixture in a saucepan and add the yarn before turning on the heat. Heat the mixture to a gentle boil for 5 to 10 minutes, squeezing the yarn with a spoon or other implement to saturate it with dye. Be careful not to slosh the hot liquid on yourself.

Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before removing the yarn and rinsing with cool water until it runs clear. As before, hang the yarn to dry.

Dip-Dye Method
The dip-dye method will allow you use two or more colors on the yarn. Keep in mind when you select your colors that they will overlap and form a third color for a short area. So, if you choose blue and yellow, you will also have a section of green where these two dyes blend.
Use a separate bowl or jar of the same height for each dye color. Add the dye, place the jars right next to each other, and put half the yarn in each jar. If the section of yarn that’s out of the dye remains uncolored, you can “rotate” it part way through the process. Allow the yarn to sit in the dye for several hours, or until the dye is “exhausted.” The dye bath is exhausted if all the dye adheres to the yarn, leaving virtually clear water behind.

If you like the color after only a short time, by all means remove the yarn from the dye and finish processing it. Remember that some of the color will rinse out, and the remaining color will probably dry a shade or two lighter.

After the dye bath, you can simply rinse the yarn in cool water and dry as before, or you can “cook” it to further set the color. To do this, place the yarn in a baking pan in the oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes. After removing the yarn from the oven, allow it to cool to room temperature before rinsing in cool water and drying.

2009-12-26T22:18:00.000-08:00

Rising cotton prices to buy a million acres

Recent strength in cotton prices could result in an increase in U.S. acreage in 2010, including California and Arizona, according to Jarral Neeper, president of Calcot, speaking at the Ag Market Network’s December teleconference.

“This year, California planted 190,000 acres, and it’s completely within reason that we could get close to 300,000 acres in 2010. It could be more if we get adequate water. We also could see an increase in Arizona cotton acreage, perhaps to as high as 200,000 acres.”

Neeper says that total U.S. cotton acreage “could be up by as much as a million acres this year, maybe more depending on where prices go in the spring. But I don’t think we’ve seen prices get high enough yet.”

A million-acre increase in cotton acres with modest abandonment and a 1.4 bale yield on the additional acres, “would give us an additional 1.4 million bales of cotton and a crop approaching 14 million to 15 million bales.

“Fifteen million bales combined with an expected carryover of 4.5 million bales comes to 19.5 million bales, which won’t be terribly excessive for the 2010 crop year.”

On pricing, Neeper says growers “have a little time to wait before they do anything. The nearby contract is going to stay high enough to keep new crop elevated. If we go into the early part of 2010, and the nearby contract – March or May – continues to 79 cents to the low 80s, it’s going to help bring new crop up with it.”

Mike Stevens, with Swiss Financial Services, says this bull move is different from the one in 2008. “Fundamentals continue to follow the market up. Investors and speculators are comforted that they are not buying into a bubble that will pop like it did in the 2008 debacle.

“Then again, you can’t discount the track record of (hedge funds). Most days, we’re not trading old fashioned supply and demand fundamentals, but the flow of money seeking a return against a reasonable risk.”

Stevens said Deutsche Bank, a major international bank, “released a report Dec. 11 called, ‘Ten Reasons to Go Long Agriculture.’ The report included a chart valuing commodities in real terms. They listed 20 commodities from expensive to cheap in relation to their prices in 1972. Guess what they rated the cheapest in real terms, you guessed it, cotton.

“Speculators, investors, fund managers all take note of this kind of research, and they’re the ones driving this boat. From my perspective, cotton prices seem stretched out and a bit overbought, but yesterday (Dec. 14, when prices spiked higher) showed me wrong. The market has some room to move to the upside. It would be foolhardy to not realize that it could stay in an overbought condition for a long while.”

The market has an upward bias, added Carl Anderson, Extension economist, Texas A&M University. “I would be cautious about fixing a price for your entire crop. Right now, I’m comfortable with these prices, and I’m not really pushing to fix prices beyond 15 percent to 20 percent of the crop.”

Anderson says that new crop futures prices would likely have to exceed 80 cents per pound to entice Delta farmers to plant more cotton in 2010, “unless the price of soybeans falls sharply. I think March will have to buy some acres, so in several months, I think we could see the mid-80s or possibly the high-80s if the speculators jump on board.”

Stevens feels that the potential for increased cotton acreage in China will pressure December 2010 prices. “But I think it will be pulled up close to 80 cents.

Meanwhile, the nearby market still has a lot of breathing room on the upside, according to Stevens. “Much to the chagrin of the mills, they’re going to have to do something. The speculators are continuing to take it up – 78 cents to 82 cents is a very reasonable target.”

2009-12-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

We are one ...... you are Me..... and I AM you. You (We) are perfect because of our eternal oneness.

You cannot be separated from yourself (from Me).

But you can "seem" to be separated , because as a man believes, so it "seems" to him.

As you understand our oneness - knowing that you are Me, you will Love Me more and more - and actually love yourself more and more - for We are One and the same.

Don't think of yourself as a mere creation of Mine or an example of Me.

Really and Truly - You ARE Me - Both from and to eternity.

Only We exist. You are as Holy, Divine, Righteous and Perfect as I (Jesus) Am, for you Are Me.

Stop trying to become more like Me....... you already Are Me.

I, Jesus Am both the giver and the receiver. I Am both the Child in the manger receiving gifts, and I Am the Three wise men giving gifts. I Am both Giver of all things and Receiver of all things. Only I (We) exist.

Actually this means, You (We) are both giver and receiver of all things.

When I see you.... I see Myself, and when you see me, you should see Yourself.
For this is the Truth.

2009-12-19T22:01:00.000-08:00

Cotton Prices

Fundamentals are starting to exert some influence on cotton prices again, according to cotton market analysts speaking at the Ag Market Network’s December teleconference.

In mid-December, old crop futures prices surged into the mid-70s, while on Dec. 14, December 2010 cotton closed at a little over 77 cents.

According to Jarral Neeper, president of Calcot, “USDA continues to provide the market with very supportive numbers, which gives much credence to the current price level. Since May 2009, USDA has reduced (old crop) world production by 4 million bales, increased world consumption by a million bales and reduced world ending stocks by 6 million bales, which are now at their lowest levels since 2003.

“World production is now projected at 103 million bales and world consumption at almost 115 million bales. The resulting deficit would be the largest in modern history, slightly surpassing that of 1980. If accurate, the foreign production-consumption deficit of 21 million bales would be the largest in history.”

As a result, “prices have rallied furiously since the beginning of this crop year, from a low of 54.97 on the nearby contract in August to the most recent high of 76.13 on the nearby. Whether we can move higher from here is on everyone’s mind,” Neeper said.

China is the principle reason for the foreign production-consumption deficit, according to Neeper, accounting for 15 million of the 21-million bale deficit in projected consumption. “Internal Chinese prices are trading at a dollar a pound, plus or minus a few cents. One has to wonder if the reality is something much more substantial.”

Neeper noted that the Chinese government has been auctioning off 12 million bales of cotton it purchased in 2008 to support internal prices and encourage plantings for 2009. Today, about a million bales are left.

“In addition, Chinese cotton imports have totaled 1.5 million bales between August and October.”

In spite of the imports and auctions, cotton prices have continued to rise, Neeper said. “On Dec. 8, China announced that it would distribute WTO-mandated quotas of 8.7 million bales, presumably prior to the end of 2009, with plans to issue another 4.6 million bales in April 2010, for a total of up to 13.3 million bales of import quotas.

“Part of the problem is that the Chinese crop harvest has been delayed due to weather. And believe it or not, there are speculators in China holding onto cotton in anticipation of even higher prices.”

One problem is that the average qualities of Chinese cotton are less than a year ago. “It’s entirely likely that the Chinese price appreciation is over, or very close to it. As such, it’s unlikely that U.S. futures prices have much further to go on the upside in the short-term.”
One reason for this is the uncompetitive price level of U.S. cotton, according to Neeper. “A year ago, between August and October, the United States had an import share in China of almost 60 percent. This year, it’s 38 percent. India, Australia and West Africa have replaced the United States for now.

“Moreover, total U.S. sales commitments of Upland cotton are the lowest since 2000 for this time of year, which was the last time we exported less than 10 million bales.”
USDA currently estimates U.S. exports at 11 million bales, based on the calculated needs of the Chinese. “So we have to wait until India and other countries run out of exportable supplies. How long we wait is difficult to know right now.

“It would be easy to think that New York futures need to retreat by some meaningful amount,” Neeper said. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen in the near-term. First of all, there is too much cotton sold on call that needs to be priced by mills. The March contract alone has roughly 2 million bales of unfixed cotton.”

Neeper says there is good demand for U.S. cotton “should we fall to the 68-72 cent range. Plus we’re approaching a new calendar year which should bring some adjustments by the hedge and index funds in the percentage of cotton owned versus the other commodities. I believe it will bring a net increase of buying into the market.”

The bottom line is that New York futures are about as fairly valued as they can be, according to Neeper, “which explains the narrow range of trading lately. And we’re entering the traditional holiday time frame when a natural decline in trading volume is more common.”
Further out, Neeper sees the potential for the March contract of 76-79 cents. “We hit that yesterday (Dec. 15) and it could go further. For the next several weeks, March is caught between a low of 68 cents on the downside and 79 cents on the upside, and more than likely we’ll be mired in a much narrower trading range.”

Supplies will be tight for new crop cotton, too Neeper says. “No doubt the job of the market this coming spring will be to pull acres and bales back into the system. If we don’t, things will get tighter.”

USDA projects a 9 percent increase in world cotton plantings in 2010 which would produce between 110 million and 112 million bales. With usage projected at 114.4 million bales or higher, ending stocks would continue to decline.

2009-12-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

ORGANIC COTTON

Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic chemicals and it is not exposed to chemicals after the growth process. The production and use of organic cotton provides an environmentally sound option. Conventional cotton crops are usually heavily sprayed with pesticides. These pesticides contaminate our air, soil and water, so it is best to use them as little as possible.

Because the production of organic cotton can be more labour intensive, it tends to be more expensive than other cotton fabrics. The price is well worth the satisfaction of knowing that organic cotton products are truly the most environmentally friendly choice.

Both undyed and dyed organic cotton items. Our dyed items are made with low-impact dye, which is gentler to the environment than conventional dye. Rather than chlorine bleaching our fabrics before dying them, ours are treated with non-toxic hydrogen peroxide or nothing at all.

Cotton is a material that will naturally wrinkle, unless it is chemically treated. None of our organic cotton products are treated with any wrinkle inhibitors.

This is the number of warp (vertical) threads per square inch of a woven fabric.

This is the number of ounces per square yard. Flannels and knits are usually measured this way.

Natural cotton is grown by the same methods as conventional cotton. During the growth process it is likely that pesticides are used. However, after the plant is harvested, the cotton is not chemically treated. Most cotton fabrics are bleached white with chlorine, treated with chemical flame-retardants and even rendered wrinkle proof by the use of formaldehyde. Natural cotton is great for those who prefer to cut down on the use of chemicals and for those who care about the environment.

Because it is less processed, organic cotton is often more durable than conventional cotton. Organic cotton is not treated with harsh chemicals that can wear down its fibres. A distinction here must be made between organic cotton and cotton/polyester blends. Cotton/polyester blends tend to be easy to care for and will last for a very long time. The reason is that polyester does not readily break down, even after it has been discarded.

All cotton naturally shrinks when washed. Most of our items are not pre-shrunk; however, they are cut large to allow for shrinkage. When washed and dried according to instructions, our organic cotton items will shrink to the size that is advertised.

Organic cotton is soft to the touch, and it is comparable in feel to other high quality cottons.

Nano-Finishing on Garments

2009-12-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

Nano-Finishing on Garments

The concept of nanotechnology was started over forty years ago and it also has real commercial potential it the textile industry. The use of nanotechnology in textile industry has increased rapidly due to its unique, valuable properties. The present status of nanotechnology use in industry is reviewed, with an emphasis on improving the properties of textile materials. The unique and new properties of nanomaterials have attracted not only the scientists and researchers but also the businesses, due to huge economical potential. With the advent of nanoscience and technology, a new area has developed in the area of textile finishing called "Nanofinishing".

The impact of nanotechnology in the textile garment finishing area has brought up innovative finishes as well as new application techniques. This advanced garment finishes setup an unprecedented level of textile performances of strain-resistant, hydrophilic, antistatic and wrinkle resistant and shrink proof abilities and protection methods. Coating the surface of textiles and clothing with nanoparticles is an approach to the production of highly active surfaces to have UV blocking, antimicrobial, flame retardant, water repellant and self-cleaning properties. As there are various potential applications of nanotechnology in the textile industry, only some of the well-known properties imparted by nano-treatment are critically highlighted in this paper. The nanotechnology comes from the Greek word nanos, which means dwarf.

Nanotechnology, a science that manipulates materials with atomic or molecular precision in a nanometer region, is regarded as the next basic technology to follow IT and bio-technology, i.e., through three-dimensional control of materials, processes and devices at atomic scale level. Nano-particles commonly used in commercial products are in the range of 1 to 100nm. Coating is a common technique used to apply nano-particles onto textile materials. The properties imparted to textiles using nanotechnology include water repellence, soil resistance, wrinkles resistance, anti-bacterial, anti-static and UV- protection, flame retardation, improvement of dye ability and so on. Conventional finishing methods used to impart different properties to fabrics and garments often do not lead to permanent effects, and will lose their functions after laundering or wearing. Nanotechnology can provide high durability for fabrics, because nano-particles have a large surface area-to-volume ratio and high surface energy, thus presenting better affinity for fabrics and lending to an increase in durability of the function. In addition, the coating of nano-particles on fabrics will not affect the breathability or hand feel.

YARN

2009-11-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

YARN

To begin, you'll need a quantity of wool yarn. One of the great things about wool (and other animal fibers) is that it takes dye so easily and so beautifully. It's really pretty hard to get bad results. Plant fibers such as cotton can be more difficult to dye, requiring a dye solution with a base pH, so these instructions are for wool yarn only.

The yarn you choose can be thick or thin, natural or dyed. If you choose a previously dyed yarn, you should select one in a fairly light shade, since you want the Kool-aid color to show up. Overdyes often result in a more subtle, sophisticated color effect. For example, you could place light blue yarn into a yellow dye bath, and the resulting green will be different than if you simply placed natural white yarn in a green dye bath. You should choose enough yarn to complete the project you have in mind, since it will be fairly difficult to duplicate the results exactly. If you think you might want to repeat a color in the future, then you'll need to make notes regarding exact quantities, times, and temperatures of everything you do.

If your yarn comes in a center-pull skein, you'll need to rewind it into a twisted skein or big loop. This allows the dye to come into contact will all parts of the yarn. (It's amazing how protected the yarn at the center of a ball can be!) You'll be handling the yarn a fair amount at rinse time, so tie the skein in several places to avoid having a snarled mess when you're done. Pre-wet the yarn by soaking it in cool water for about 20 minutes, then squeezing it out. This allows for quicker, more even dye penetration. If you want to try for a mottled look, you can skip this step and start with dry yarn, but it will take longer for the dye to saturate the wool.

2009-11-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

FABRIC TYPES

Fabricated textile products require joining fabric together by some means. A variety of methods include: sewing, gluing, thermally bonding, etc. This joined fabric is required to have similar strength at the point of joining as the original fabric. This method of joining is commonly called seaming. Seams are the basic element of structure of any apparel, home furnishing product and industrial textiles.

The main focus of this investigation is to study the joining parameters of fabric using a standard sewing machine. Two different seam designs will be investigated on three woven fabrics made from cotton, wool and silk. Textile products are produced from various fibers and different fabric construction, hence finding a specific seam that will best suit each individual product. Fabric seams are the most important parameter to maintain product integrity. Statement of Problem It is necessary to determine the most appropriate seam for each type of fabric to achieve a desired product quality.

Quality reflects the performance of the apparel or textile product. Distinct seams are suitable for particular fabrics because each fabric has its own unique properties. Fabric quality is related to physical property and performance features. The fiber content influences the overall characteristics of a fabric. Understanding the components of the fabric and the quality of the seam will ensure the best performance for that particular product.

Dyeing textile

2009-11-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

Dyeing textile

The invention provides a method which is particularly satisfactory, at least for the dyeing of ladies hosiery, in all of these regards and machinery for carrying out the method.The invention comprises a method for dyeing textile articles comprising confining said articles in bulk but in orderly fashion in a dyebath up to a level therein, loading the dyebath with dye liquor to cover the articles and circulating said liquor through forceful sprays directed towards the articles from above said level.

Pretreatment of the articles, including scouring and the application of dyeing assistants such as levellers and retarders, may be carried out in the dyebath with liquid circulated through said sprays.The articles may be packed in readily penetrable bags and a plurality of such bags packed in the dye bath. Hosiery articles such as stockings and tights may advantageously be packed flat in the bags rather than just being bundled in; the orderly packing avoids tight tangles resistive to dye liquor penetration, and facilitates unpacking.The invention also comprises apparatus for dyeing textile articles comprising a dyebath loadable up to a level with articles to be dyed and circulating means for circulating dye liquor through the dyebath including forceful sprays located above said level and directed downwardly at articles confined in the dyebath.

The dyebath may comprise an open topped container and a removable insert, the insert comprising a carrier for carrying the articles to be dyed in bulk but in orderly fashion and having a column from which extends, above said level, an array of perforated tubes constituting said sprays and connected via said column to forced circulation means for the container.The container may have a removable lid to prevent spashing out of liquor during the dyeing process, and the lid may be carried on the removable carrier

2009-11-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

SATIN

From flappers to hippies, fashion has taken a roller coaster ride over the past century. In an era of cohabitation and high divorce rates, weddings are still popular and still elegant. Hemlines and hair lengths have gone up and down but for the most part, wedding attire fabrics have kept an even keel. Satin has been a staple in wedding gowns for centuries. Satin supposedly originated in Zaytoun, China, which is now Canton. It became popular in Europe in the 12th century, in Italy in the 13th century and in England in the 14th century.

Satin, because of its construction and fiber content, is one of the most luxurious fabrics manufactured. Satin is most often made from low twist, filament yarns. It is usually constructed by floating the warp or lengthwise yarns over four filling or horizontal yarns. The long floats give the fabric luster. Silk is the premiere choice of fiber content for bridal satin fabrics. However, silk satins are more expensive than satins containing acetate or polyester.

Satin is found in apparel, lingerie, draperies, drapery lining fabrics and upholstery fabrics. Duchesse Satin A high yarn count satin that contains fine yarns. This type of satin has a crisp body to it. It is commonly used in bridal gowns. April Oakley, designer at Wild Ginger Software, Inc., designed and made her own wedding gown using a silk duchesse satin. April highly recommends this type of satin for wedding gowns because of the body it gives without a lot of weight. Duchesse satin can be found in couture wedding gowns. Styles & Colors Today many colors are seen in wedding gowns from black to hot pink. Designers have played on the recent increase in popularity of velvet by designing elegant gowns of satin accented by velvets. Teen brides of the 16th and 17th centuries wore pale green wedding gowns as a sign of fertility.

A bride in her twenties wore brown and some older women wore black during these centuries. White has been the most popular color for wedding gowns since Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840. Basically, the styles of the wedding gowns change some each year but they still, overall, retain the traditional appearance. Jen Deneberg, spokewoman for David's Bridal, states "In the bridal industry, you'll find more of an evolution rather than a revolution."

The style and color of a bride's wedding gown is influenced by her nationality and ethnic background. In the United States the traditional gown is long, white, as a symbol for purity, and has a hint of the Victorian era in it. However, in other countries, the traditional gown may consist of multicolored ornate robes

2009-11-23T16:53:00.000-08:00

Corn Fiber

In the last 20 years a dramatic rise in biotechnology innovations is leading to an escalating number of low-cost and effective biotechnology solutions in textiles processing and the discovery of exciting new fabrics.

To produce those fabrics, yarn and fiber manufacturers currently are experimenting with a variety of bio-based products that offer a three-fold market appeal - one is that the products are derived from a natural renewable resource, are more earth-friendly than synthetics and are far less dependent on petroleum-based ingredients.

The product that has emerged an as promising alternative to synthetic fibers is derived from corn. Biotechnology has been used in the textile industry for more than 100 years, since amylase enzymes from malt extract were first used to degrade starch-based sizes for cheap and effective desizing. In the last 20 years a dramatic rise in biotechnology innovations is leading to an escalating number of low-cost and effective biotechnology solutions in textiles processing and the discovery of exciting new fabrics.

Corn fiber is made using fermentation of simple plant sugar to create a range of textile products and applications. Although the fiber itself comes from corn starch, which generates a lactic acid (the basis for a polymer) by fermentation, it is not "natural" since there is chemical transformation. It is however considered 'renewable' since it does not come from a fossil product.

Acrylic Acrylic

2009-11-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

Acrylic Acrylic

History of Acrylic Acrylic was developed by DuPont in 1944 and was first commercially produced in 1950. Acrylonitrile, the substance from which acrylic fibers are produced, was first made in 1893 in Germany and was used as another chemical in research for the DuPont Company. First used for outdoor purposes, technology has allowed acrylic to come a long way, and it is now most commonly used in apparel and carpets. DuPont ceased production of acrylic in 1991, and only a handful of companies produce acrylic today.

Definition of Acrylic Acrylic is defined as a manufactured fiber in which the fiber forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of acrylonitrile units. Acrylic fibers create a fine, soft and luxurious fabric with the bulk and hand of wool. Production of Acrylic Acrylic fibers are produced from a petrochemical called acrylontrile and are dry spun or wet spun. In dry spinning, the polymers are dissolved in a suitable solvent, extruded into warm air, and solidified by the evaporation of the solvent. "After spinning, the fibers are stretched hot, three to ten times their original length, and then crimped, and marketed as cut staple or tow. In wet spinning, the polymer is dissolved in solvent, extruded into a coagulating bath, dried, crimped, and collected as tow . . . or cut into staple."1 Acrylic fibers are usually modified to create special properties best suited for their end-uses and are unique because of their uneven surface. Characteristics of Acrylic Acrylic has many appealing properties, and the sports world is just one industry that is increasingly taking advantage of them. Acrylic's high performance is making it one of the fastest growing fibers in the outdoor, performance apparel categories. For example, the NBA and NFL have made acrylic socks part of their official uniforms.

Athletes of all types are using acrylic because of its elasticity, shape retention, and moisture control. This fiber draws moisture away form the skin and quickly transports it to the surface making the wearer more comfortable. This wicking capability of acrylic is permanent and in a class by itself compared to other fibers. Other characteristics of acrylic include: quick drying time excellent color fastness UV resistance soft hand luxurious touch & drape warmth in thermal constructions easy care bulk without extra weight resistance to weathering durability resilience shape retention stain resistance wrinkle resistance and resistance to shrinking, fading, aging, chemicals, oils, moths, mildew, and fungus End Uses of Acrylic Acrylic not only has many appealing characteristics and advantages, but many apparel, home furnishings, and industrial end uses as well.

This fiber accounted for 5 percent of the fiber produced in the United States in 1990 with only three companies producing it at the time. Acrylic is used in apparel including sweaters, fleece fabrics, and socks and in home furnishings such as furniture, carpet, blankets, and upholstery fabrics.

2009-11-21T06:52:00.000-08:00

MENS SUITS

Men’s suits are forever kept completely buttoned. For single breasted Men’s suits, when standing, all buttons other than the bottom one are fastened. Either case of three button suits with lapels, which roll over the top button, the top button must not be build up. Under no situation fasten the bottom-most button of a single-breasted suit jacket. To put off "grouping," the single-breasted jacket must be kept fully unbuttoned while the wearer is seated. Tie – when it comes to ties it should be darker than shirt that you wear.

The bottom of the tie ought to just handle or just go over the top of the strap buckle. The shirt collar must not be the button-down range, even though this strategy is often ignored. It is also suggested that all buttons of the shirt, counting the top one are buttoned for an in order and neat appearance. Suitable colors for belt and shoes are generally brown and black. The belt and shoes must suit one another. The belt's buckle has to be silver or gold. Other metallic accessories worn with the men suit (like cuff links, tie bar, tie tack, and watch) must match the belt buckle. Where watches are of matter: the more official the occasion, the thinner your watch should be.

In the most official places, the watch has to be kept in one's pocket. Shoes must not carry rubber soles. Relatively, they could be made of leather. Some companies as well make dress shoes with timber soles. Your socks as well must suit the pant leg. This makes the leg look longer, also minimizes the capability of a too-short pant leg. If it is not possible to have a perfect match for pant leg, then get compatible socks for your shoes. However, it is more exact if it goes with matching pants. The typical traditional shirt colors are light blue or probably white and light pink.

Mosquito Repellent Finish

2009-11-21T06:38:00.000-08:00

Mosquito Repellent Finish

In Today's era of modernization of the textile industry, we are going through advancements of technology in every field of this industry. The world where this would lead us would be astonishingly hi-tech and materialistic. To ensure our security and safety from the future hazards, we need to equally development the technology for our protection.

Protective textiles are among one such smart application of smart technology in textiles. Protective textiles refer to those textile products which have a functionality of giving protection from something in some or the other sense. With regard to textiles, the protective textile field of the smart textiles has to fulfill this requirement. A Mosquito repellent textile is one such textile product. Mosquitoes classify as one of the deadliest pests known to man. In the tropical countries mosquito menace is one of the greatest problems faced by the people in their every day lives. Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism. Worldwide, however, mosquitoes transmit disease to more than 700, 000, 000 people annually and will be responsible for the deaths of 1 of every 17 people currently alive. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide as well as the warmth and humidity people give off-so subtle differences in body chemistry between people make some people more prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes than others..

Mosquitoes have complex methods of detecting hosts and different types of mosquitoes react to different stimuli. Most mosquitoes are active at dawn and dusk, but there are also mosquitoes that seek hosts during the day. You can avoid being bitten by making sure you aren't attracting mosquitoes, using attractants to lure mosquitoes elsewhere, using a repellent, and avoiding actions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent.

2009-11-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

CARPET

Unlike woven carpets, embroidery carpets are not formed on a loom. Their pattern is established by the application of stitches to a cloth (often linen) base. The tent stitch and the cross stitch are two of the most common. Embroidered carpets were traditionally made by royal and aristocratic women in the home, but there has been some commercial manufacture since steel needles were introduced (earlier needles were made of bone) and linen weaving improved in the 16th century.

Mary Stewart Queen of Scots is known to have been an avid embroiderer. 16th century designs usually involve scrolling vines and regional flowers (for example, the Bradford carpet). They often incorporate animal heraldry and the coat of arms of the maker. Production continued through the 19th century. Victorian embroidered carpet compositions include highly illusionistic, 3-dimensional flowers. Patterns for tiled carpets made of a number of squares, called Berlin wool work, were introduced in Germany in 1804, and became extremely popular in England in the 1830s. Embroidered carpets can also include other features such as a pattern of shapes, or they can even tell a story. Carpet can be made from many single or blended natural and synthetic fibers. Fibers are chosen for durability, appearance, ease of manufacture, and cost.

The most important yarn constructions are: Wool and wool blended with synthetic fibers: Wool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly abundant. When blended with synthetic fibers such as nylon the durability of wool is increased. Blended wool yarns are extensively used in production of modern carpet, with the most common blend being 80% wool to 20% synthetic fibre, giving rise to the term "80/20". Wool is relatively expensive. Nylon: Up until recent times this was the most popular synthetic fiber used in carpet production. Nylon can be dyed topically or dyed in a molten state (solution dying). Nylon can be printed easily and has excellent wear characteristics. In carpets Nylon tends to stain easily because it possesses dye sites on the fiber. These dye sites need to be filled in order to give Nylon any type of stain resistance.

As nylon is petroleum-based it varies in price with the price of oil. Polypropylene: This polymer is used to produce carpet yarns because it is cheap, although it is difficult to dye and does not wear as well as wool or nylon. Large looped Berber carpets made from this fiber are usually only suited for light domestic use and tend to mat down quickly. Berber carpets with smaller loops tend to be more resilient and retain their new appearance longer than large looped Berber styles. Commercial grade level-loop carpets have very small loops, and commercial grade cut-pile styles are well constructed. When made with polypropylene (also called Olefin) these styles wear very well, clean easily and are suitable for areas with heavy foot traffic such as offices.

Commercial grade carpets can be glued directly to the floor or installed over a 1/4" thick, 8-pound density padding. Outdoor grass carpets are usually made from polypropylene. Polyester: Also known as "PET" is used in carpet manufacturing in both spun and filament constructions. After the price of raw materials for many types of carpet rose in the early 2000s, polyester became more competitive. Polyester has good physical properties and is inherently stain-resistant because it is hydrophobic, and, unlike nylon, does not have dye sites. Color is infused in a molten state (solution dyeing). Polyester has the disadvantage that it tends to crush or mat down easily.

It is typically used in mid- to low-priced carpeting. PTT: (Polytrimethylene terephthalate) polymer, also called Sorona or 3GT (Dupont)or Corterra (Shell), is a variant of Polyester. Lurgi Zimmer PTT was first patented in 1941, but it was not produced until the 1990s, when Shell Chemicals developed the low-cost method of producing high-quality 1,3 propanediol (PDO), the starting raw material for PTT Corterra Polymers. PTT is similar to polyester, but its molecules have a "kink", similar to a spring, that makes the fiber more crush resistant, resilient, and easy to clean. PTT also does not have dye sites, and is inherently stain resistant because color is infused in a molten state. Carpets made with PTT dry quickly and are resistant to mold.

The binding in woven carpet is usually cotton. and the weft is jute.

Wear Fruity Clothing with Banana Fibres

2009-11-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

Wear Fruity Clothing with Banana Fibres

Banana plant is endowed with virtuous fibres which has versatile applications. Though, the plant is more popular for its fruit, it has been a source of high quality fibre which is used to manufacture textiles. Banana shoots produce fibres with varying softness used for making different products. This plant is a good source of quality textiles. Making of the Fibre: The stem of the banana plant is cut and processed. The skin is then peeled off, and fibres are extracted. The extracted fibre is cooked in a big pot of boiling lye, an alkali solution. After cooking for several hours, it is then washed to remove the alkali. Using a tool, the fibre is removed from the skin.

Soft fibres are used for weft, while the hard fibres are used for the warp. The fibres are immersed in water and squeezed lightly. They are then separated by running nails along the fibres from the root moving upwards. Individual fibres are joined together to make one continuous thread. This is a tedious and time consuming job requiring much patience. The extracted fibres are made wet to avoid breaking, and are spun in a spinning wheel. The thread is now dyed steamed and dyed.

After dyeing, the thread is laid out according to the design and passed through a temporary reed. The ward is wounded onto the beam and passed through the reed and heddle. The thread is moistened frequently to avoid breaking while weaving. Once the cloth is woven, it is washed, and boiled in an alkali solution. Later it is washed, dried, and neutralized in rice vinegar solution. Finally, the cloth is washed again, dried and ironed.

2009-11-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

DENIM

Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two (twi-"double") or more warp fibers, producing the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric.

A popular conception of the etymology of the word denim is that it is a contraction or derivative of the French term, serge de Nmes.

Denim was traditionally colored blue with indigo dye to make blue "jeans," though "jean" then denoted a different, lighter cotton textile; the contemporary use of jean comes from the French word for Genoa, Italy (Gnes), from which the first denim trousers were made.

A similarly woven traditional American cotton textile is the diagonal warp-striped hickory cloth that was once associated with railroad men's overalls, in which blue or black contrasting with undyed white threads form the woven pattern.

INNOVATION

2009-11-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

INNOVATION

Today's consumer is more finicky than ever. They can now pick and choose from a wide array of inexpensive products. To compound the problem, consumers are spending less on apparel-choosing to spend their disposable income on healthcare, electronics, education and travel and leisure. To capture today's elusive consumer, it is more important than ever to innovate!

Recent developments in fabric and garment finishing technologies are spicing-up commodity products.There are numerous reasons to add value to a product. The most obvious are to revitalize sales, achieve a premium price and differentiate the product from the plethora of others in the market. Less obvious but equally as important-retailers and leading brand labels see unique products as one of the best ways to expand and diversify their line.This depicts that innovative techniques help to have a consistent and profitable business.

Hence INNOVATION can be called a key for TEXTILE BUSINESS. Economic system in which textile goods and services are exchanged for one another or money, on the basis of their perceived worth. Every textile business requires some form of investment and a sufficient number of customers to whom its output can be sold at profit on a consistent basis.Process by which an idea or invention is translated into a good or service for which people will pay, to be called an "innovation".

2009-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

COTTON

Cotton is a white fibrous substances composed of the hairs surrounding the seeds of the cotton plant. It was first imported to England in the 16th century. Initially it was mixed either with linen or worsted yarn. By 1750 some pure cotton cloths were being produced in Britain. Imports of raw cotton from the West Indies and the American Colonies gradually increased and by 1790 it had reached 31,447,605 lbs.
The Cotton Industry developed in three main districts: North West England, centred on Manchester; the Midlands, centred on Nottingham; and the Clyde Valley in Scotland, between Lanark and Paisley. By the 1780s the industry was becoming more concentrated in Lancashire, with a considerable number of mills within the Oldham, Bolton, Manchester triangle. By the end of the 18th century a large proportion of the population of Lancashire was dependent on the cotton industry.
By 1802 the industry accounted for between 4 and 5 per cent of the national income of Britain. By 1812 there were 100,000 spinners and 250,000 weavers working in the industry. Production had grown to 8 percent and had now overtaken the woollen industry. By 1830 more than half the value of British home-produced exports consisted of cotton textiles.