Textiles

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  • April growth modest but sustains pattern - 2012-05-15 15:53:21 | ...

    Zibb.com: Textiles/Textile Business/Textile Industry Finance (Industry News & Blogs)
    15 May 2012 | 10:53 am
    Washington - Although sales were somewhat soft, April marked the 22nd consecutive month of year-over-over sales growth, according to the National Retail Federation.

  • Traders gain from govt's flip-flop cotton export policy - Fibre2fashion.com

    fibre2fashion - Google News
    16 May 2012 | 5:08 am
    Fibre2fashion.comTraders gain from govt's flip-flop cotton export policyFibre2fashion.comSpeaking to fibre2fashion, Dr. NP Hirani, Chairman of Maharashtra State Cotton Growers' Co-Operative Federation, said, “The Union Government's decision to lift the ban on cotton exports is a welcome one, but it has come too late, as small farmers had and more »

  • UK:River Runway Fashion by McArthurGlen’s Swindon

    Free Textile and Fashion Industry News RSS XML Feeds - Fibre2fashion
    16 May 2012 | 12:43 pm

  • hayama art festival

    PataPri News
    Yuko
    29 Apr 2012 | 7:07 pm
                        hayama art festival has started yesterday!it's a unique festival that local artists, shops are opening up their place to public doing exhibit, workshop, music shows, selling thier goods and etc...im doing workshop and open little patapri shop in my living room.4 kids and their moms came for screen printing workshop, and i had so much fun printing together!

  • Polymer Group narrows loss in 1Q

    Textile News
    16 May 2012 | 11:55 am
    Polymer Group Inc. has reported a net loss of $265,000 for the first quarter, a dramatic improvement from the $54.4 million loss it posted in the same period last year.
 
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    fibre2fashion - Google News

  • Traders gain from govt's flip-flop cotton export policy - Fibre2fashion.com

    16 May 2012 | 5:08 am
    Fibre2fashion.comTraders gain from govt's flip-flop cotton export policyFibre2fashion.comSpeaking to fibre2fashion, Dr. NP Hirani, Chairman of Maharashtra State Cotton Growers' Co-Operative Federation, said, “The Union Government's decision to lift the ban on cotton exports is a welcome one, but it has come too late, as small farmers had and more »

  • Duty on VFY import to hit Surat powerloom weavers - Fibre2fashion.com

    16 May 2012 | 3:43 am
    Duty on VFY import to hit Surat powerloom weaversFibre2fashion.comFederation of Gujarat Weavers Association (FOGWA) Chairman, Mr. Ashok Jirawala, told fibre2fashion, “Powerloom weavers and yarn importers in Surat would be greatly affected due to the levy of anti-dumping duty on the import of viscose filament yarn

  • India's denim capacity to surpass 1.2bn m by 2015 - Fibre2fashion.com

    14 May 2012 | 6:47 am
    Fibre2fashion.comIndia's denim capacity to surpass 1.2bn m by 2015Fibre2fashion.comIt would touch 1.2 billion metres per annum by 2015,” Mr. Rajesh Dudeja, founder of Denim Club of India (DCI), told fibre2fashion. “It would mean that there would be a sea-change in production capacities of denim in North India during the coming years.

  • Indian jeans label Live-in set for extensive growth - Fibre2fashion.com

    11 May 2012 | 2:38 am
    Fibre2fashion.comIndian jeans label Live-in set for extensive growthFibre2fashion.com is to strive to become a leader in jeans and semi-formal wear category in the country by innovating in styles and products to ensure customer satisfaction,” Mr. Tirtha Bhowmick, National Sales Manager, Federal Brands (Live-in), told fibre2fashion.

  • Indian textile & clothing firms make loss in FY12 - Fibre2fashion.com

    10 May 2012 | 3:09 am
    Fibre2fashion.comIndian textile & clothing firms make loss in FY12Fibre2fashion.com cotton and other fibres on one hand, and for yarn and other textile products on the other, led to huge erosion of working capital in the industry and demand destruction in the markets,” Mr. DK Nair, Secretary-General of CITI, told fibre2fashion.
 
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    PataPri News

  • hayama art festival

    Yuko
    29 Apr 2012 | 7:07 pm
                        hayama art festival has started yesterday!it's a unique festival that local artists, shops are opening up their place to public doing exhibit, workshop, music shows, selling thier goods and etc...im doing workshop and open little patapri shop in my living room.4 kids and their moms came for screen printing workshop, and i had so much fun printing together!

  • PAtaPri's Happy 5th Birthday!

    Yuko
    11 Apr 2012 | 8:57 am
    hello!PataPri is 5 years old now.thank you so much for support for all these years. :)i made the special eco bags for every one who purchase at my etsy.i made 40 bags, so no hurry. :)lots of blankets, towels, and place mats are available now.Please stop by!Thanks again for your support.im very happy that im still doing what i love to do.yuko

  • tepee.

    Yuko
    19 Mar 2012 | 1:48 am
    when i went to the little lion lily, i saw a cute small tepee.there are one with printed fabrics, but i bought the white one.over the weekend, between printing blankets and towels, i printed my own design onto it.i love how it turned out. :)my non working fireplace has a good space for my new tepee.i think my cat who is finally coming from chicago to japan in june will enjoy nap inside the tepee!

  • spring is here?

    Yuko
    19 Mar 2012 | 1:20 am
    hi,march is ending and my nose is running because of tree allergy. :(i had a flu and was in the bed for a week, since i live alone i fear the lonely death. haha but seriously i do.well im fine now and back to printing! yay!last week, i visited the shop that carry my towels " little lion lily" in kamakurayama.it was my first time visit to the shop and i had wonderful time. its flower shop + cute stuff, and owner rika and her mom is such a sweet people. i met some of the customers who like my work. :)i love flowers!i brought home many flowers that day. please stop by when you are in the…

  • blankets!

    Yuko
    8 Feb 2012 | 7:01 pm
    hello,i just listed blankets in my shop.that was lots of sewing!! phew!i hope you like them. :)i also made the PataPri original wrapping paper just for blankets!i cant wait to wrap blanket with it and ship to you!i was also working hard for the event im participating starting next week.my work will be selling at Shinagawa station ecuteits a shop inside the JR Shinagawa station.its starting on Feb 15th to March 15th.the even is organized by giant mango and 10 women's art and craft will be sold there.i cant wait to shop for myself too.i will be there on Feb 17th afternoon.say hi if you see me!
 
 
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    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics

  • Mother (a personal story)

    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics
    13 May 2012 | 7:21 am
    I was told during my teen years that I would have trouble having children - more than likely not be able to. Without going into the nitty grittys, my ovaries starting being uncooperative when I was around 10 years old. I have had problems with them ever since, but I do love them so. Apparently they aren't the most attractive ovaries around, but they did end up giving me my wonderful boys. I grew into adulthood not really thinking about children, as I'd accepted I wouldn't have them. On top of that, I am not the most girly girl around and wasn't overly maternal, either...so, all was well in…

  • A week past...

    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics
    7 May 2012 | 6:37 am
    This is an ode to a growing beard that is now lost. Somehow a 'tired from moving fabric to new work room' Justin used bare clippers on his beard instead of his usual 'just trimming' length. He is now talking to his little stubble, begging it to grow faster and telling it off for being so grey. What has made the beardless one ever so happy is finding a rogue jar of Marmite at the back of the cupboard. The Marmite factory was damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and there is now huge shortage...you can't buy the stuff anywhere. Not that I care - I am a Vegemite gal, but Kiwi Justin can't…

  • All but signed, sealed and delivered - the Retro Age Work + Showroom

    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics
    3 May 2012 | 7:19 am
    There has been much going on in the land of Retro Age - and that of our own lives. If you follow (or stalk quietly) our Facebook page you would know the past two weeks have been our worst yet for 2012- with further storm damage, an acute arthritis attack that put me on my back for five days and largely being offline due to electrical damage. On top of that there is more, more, more - what was use is it to live life looking at the negative, I say? Let's look at the massive positive! On a super high note we are all but moved into a wonderful extra large and extra bright space - it's a huge…

  • Should we or shouldn't we?

    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics
    23 Apr 2012 | 5:57 am
    I am leaning towards we should... I can't bloody wait!

  • What we've been up to...

    Retro Age Vintage Fabrics
    18 Apr 2012 | 9:28 pm
    Kids looking like angry birds...   One of the whippets making a pillow out of their favourite boy...night after night after night.. Making sure I take time out to enjoy the grass in my toes and upside down trees behind me... Packing all of our remnants... The whole family got a crappy virus - which meant crappy family times... Spending time at the skate park with both boys and their scooters and skate boards...   Finding lovely things at auctions.... Enjoying Easter, Easter family times and the good stuff the Easter bunny brings...
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    Black Threads

  • Women of Color Quilters Guild in Dayton, OH Stitch Harriet Powers' Lost Lord's Supper Quilt

    Kyra
    12 May 2012 | 3:30 pm
    There are times when I am just speechless and extremely humbled.As you may know, I've been researching Georgia quilter Harriet Powers for the last few years and wrote a book about how her two known Bible-themed quilts survived more than a century to be housed today at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Smithsonian American History Museum. In the course of my research, a copy of an 1895/86 letter by Mrs. Powers was uncovered in Keokuk, Iowa.  Mrs. Powers wrote that in 1882 she "... composed a quilt of the Lord's Supper from the New Testament." For reasons outlined in the book, I…

  • Limited Time - Free Kindle Yo-Yo Flags Quilt pattern eBooklet

    Kyra
    12 May 2012 | 2:49 pm
    For a limited time only - you can download this free YoYo Flag Quilt Pattern by Mary Lou Danielson.  Note: Though free at the time of posting, prices may change at any time. Please verify that the “Kindle Price” is $0.00.  Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or you can download a Kindle Reading App for free for your computer or smartphone!  Enjoy!

  • Secrets & Stories exhibit at the Visions Art Museum in San Diego

    Kyra
    30 Apr 2012 | 11:07 am
    If you are in San Diego, do take a moment to visit the "Secrets & Stories: Narrative Quilts by Nine Artists" exhibit at the Visions Art Museum. The show is open from May 4 - July 22, 2012.  The artist include Rachel Brumer, Michael Cummings, Karen Cunagin, Wendy Huhn, Carolyn Mazloomi, Lori LUpe Pelish, Wendeanne Ke'aka Stitt, Susan Shie and Anna Torma.  Enjoy!P.S.  This quilt in photo is by Weneanne Ke'aka Stitt and is titled "Birdland".

  • Senior Crafters Earn Online

    Kyra
    30 Apr 2012 | 10:58 am
    Thanks to the article "Seniors Get Crafty for Online Fun and Profit" by Rebecca Rivas, we get to meet seniors like Ioni Dodson, who in retirement, is combining ecommerce and her crafts to showcase her work on etsy.com.  Also featured in the article is Dabanga dos Santos, another sister crafter who is sharing her work online.  Enjoy!

  • Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria - Free Kindle Copy

    Kyra
    27 Apr 2012 | 6:50 am
    For a limited time only - April 27 - 29, 2012 - you can download a free eBook copy of Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria to your Kindle.  Note: Though free at the time of posting, prices may change at any time. Please verify that the “Kindle Price” is $0.00. If you see a price for “Prime Members” or “read for free,” then the book is NOTfree any longer.Click here to download from Amazon for the Kindle: FreeDon’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or you can download a Kindle Reading App for free for your computer or smartphone!  Enjoy!Update: Thank you!  I…
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    Valerie Hearder on the art and soul of quilting

  • Dessert with an Extraordinary Quilter

    threadlink
    27 Apr 2012 | 9:41 am
    Every year the Mahone Bay Quilters prepare an amazing feast of desserts that cover 2 banquet tables. We invite an Extraordinary Quilter to be our speaker and so, it’s the perfect combination of desserts and quilts. This event “Dessert with an Extraordinary Quilter” started 12 years ago and was the brainchild of Barb Robson.

  • Heart

    threadlink
    14 Feb 2012 | 3:18 pm
    Here is my Valentine's Day heart. I'm very taken with wool these days. It's a dream to stitch and the hand dyed colours are lovely. I'm lucky to have two rug hooking stores in my town. The wool they supply is called Dorr wool. It's a thick, luscious weave that doesn't fray when cut. I'm stitching a series of hearts. Happy Valentine's Day.

  • New take on the sampler quilt.

    threadlink
    15 Jul 2011 | 2:30 pm
    Marianne and I have a lot in common. Besides both being quilters, we are both originally South African.

  • Fantasy landscape challenge

    threadlink
    31 May 2011 | 7:14 pm
    I had fun putting together this sampler of landscape fabrics from my stash. It was the prize offered on my Landscape Quilt Group.

  • Northcott steps up!

    threadlink
    29 Mar 2011 | 2:48 pm
    This just in from patti Carey of Nortcott Fabrics in Canada: Northcott has been contacted by several interested and concerned quilters asking if we would be able to assist in getting quilts to the earthquake/tsunami victims in Japan. The answer is YES. At this point, we have agreed to collect quilts until end April. We will then ship them to Japan, to the editor of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin Magazine. The quilts should be NEW, and anything from crib to twin/double is acceptable, though twin is preferred. Due to the difficulty in shipping quilts across the US border, we are asking...
 
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    Art Journal---A Creative Journey

  • Wax and Collage

    kathy
    9 May 2012 | 12:31 pm
    No name for these yet….Paper collaged on cradled wood, then coated with beeswax/damar resin mix, then I “drew” in the wax and colored with paintstiks.  Then I used a tracing paper to make marks.  Love this whole process.

  • What I’ve Been Doing…

    kathy
    9 May 2012 | 12:23 pm
    Last week, inspired to play…I got out some watercolor ATC cards and began to re-create some of my doodles from the past year with ink and then to color them with gouache watercolors.  I had sketches of apples falling into a bucket or a basket, bird families on an outing and even some on a “picnic”.  My mood and aim is playful, whimsical, something I don’t usually engage in in my fiber work.  I think I will reserve that for my watercolor sketches. Bucket of Apples Bird Family Picnic   Bird Family Outing

  • Paducah

    kathy
    26 Apr 2012 | 9:57 pm
    So I went to Paducah this week.  I changed things up a bit this year.  I only went for one day and it was Tuesday! (The quilt show starts on Wednesday.) But Tuesday is the day to go downtown and see Fantastic Fibers at the Yeiser Art Center….and visit the downtown stores and see friends… That looks like a realty sign up there on the roof of the gray building.  I wonder who that is up there for?  People flying overhead? I recently made a new online friend named Deborah Bein who somehow managed to get three pieces of her fiber work juried into Fantastic Fibers.  Three is quite…

  • Quilt Festival

    kathy
    26 Apr 2012 | 9:12 pm
    Yeh, I know it’s two weeks after the fact.  I do have a few photos of our trip to Ohio.  We went to the spring quilt festival on Friday, April 13. The entrance to Duke Energy Convention Center. The aisles. Show goers learning something new at a class. A 3-D village in fiber. Fellow bus travelers. And the twins.

  • Review: The Natural World – By Martha Sielman

    kathy
    3 Apr 2012 | 9:16 pm
    Graced by the cover art of Barbara Barrick McKie,  Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World titles this latest work by Martha Sielman and delights us with 192 pages of eye candy.  Included are 19 featured artists with “photos of their quilts as well as essays about their creative process and signature techniques”. These artists each receive 4-6 pages dedicated to their work and processes. Featured artists are:  Katherine K. Allen, Melanie Kane Brewer, Betty Busby, Paula Chung, Nancy G. Cook, Sally Dillon, Ginny Eckley, Patricia Gould, Annie Helmericks-Louder, Ruth B. McDowell,…
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    Shibori Girl

  • just dreaming…of indigo and Japan

    shiborigirl
    15 May 2012 | 1:46 pm
    Recent ribbon dyeing has kept me away from the indigo (but also keeping the bills paid-thank you!) but while I have been wrapping and dyeing, the indigo has been growing! It’s about a foot tall now. Which leads me to wondering..as usual.  What if I harvested this indigo and set about composting it?  How will I compost it?  Apparently, it takes 100 days according to Rowland Ricketts.  He has completed construction of a composting shed (so cool!) but I have no such shed at my disposal nor will there be one.  But in usual Shibori Girl form, I will figure something out.  Perhaps in…

  • survey-just a few questions for the class…

    shiborigirl
    10 May 2012 | 11:46 am
    Take Our Poll Take Our Poll I actually meant for this poll to be on the student dye forum blog but mistakenly posted it here.  Instead of deleting it thought I would just leave it and let people answer it here as well-  will have to go and re-do it over on the other blog. But as long as I am here, and I was meaning to get to a post here today sometime, I guess now is as good a time as any… I recently took a short break to drive up north and see some musical performances at SJSU where one of my sons goes to school. It was SUCH a pleasure to see and hang out with these kids and teachers…

  • indigo and mandala workshop announcements

    shiborigirl
    26 Apr 2012 | 7:22 pm
    Just a couple of quick workshop announcements- The Indigo Mandala Workshop is now open for registration. The class is being co-taught by  Richard and myself-a collaboration from two sides of the world. We will both be active on the blog and answering questions.  Click on over to the shop link above to read the details of the class.  It will post June 1 and continue.     Then, I am taking reservations for a new in-studio 2 day indigo workshop.  We will work with all 4 of the indigo vat types I have going here.  We will practice various shibori techniques-itajime, arashi, and…

  • this and that

    shiborigirl
    25 Apr 2012 | 6:33 pm
    Some days, the only thing to do is to clear the fog from your head with a walk on the beach.  Even if it’s foggy there- and doggy, as in dog beach.  So I did (or we did). And when it’s time to get back to work even if the silk doesn’t want to sew itself and looks like the fog in your head and the fog at the beach, it isn’t. It’s just silk and it’s slippery and finally you manage it somehow even with your very lacking sewing skills and a crappy machine.  Not bad. So when it turns out that you base dye it purple and discharge it, and overdye it with every…

  • indigo shop update…

    shiborigirl
    19 Apr 2012 | 4:16 pm
    Yes, it’s time for a shop update! A few things have already flown the coop-or maybe I should say vat, since this update is mainly for new indigo pieces. there is (or was) some silk… and then some cotton, with some patches stitched with silk. and a silk velvet moon.  a great summer weight scarf for casual wear.  boro-inspired- a reminder that no scrap is too small to use or dye. and then some more silk…double edge ombre’d of course!   100% silk, a japanese narrow width open weave~ ~double arashi plus ombre on a silk cotton blend. the ombre is across the width, not…
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    downunderdale

  • Finally here in Victoria

    15 May 2012 | 4:02 pm
    After our marathon 40 hour trip, we have arrived - 4 planes later. We left LA on time and arrived in Vancouver slightly ahead of time, rushed as fast as we could (the customs lady told us to slow down, calm down) then we headed to check in and got to the little plane (a Dash 8 I think) and 15 mins later arrived in Victoria. Met by Ann - thank you so much Ann - who drove us to the university where a little comedy of errors meant we finally got a room where we could le horizontal and sleep. This morning they were ever so good in getting our real room ready for us.There a re fabulous…

  • Made it to Auckland

    14 May 2012 | 12:35 am
    Here we are in the Koru Club at Auckland airport - can't see though the windows but rain is dropping down at great pace. We arrived at 5.30am - had a sleep and breakfast and her and then caught the bus to downtown Auckland for a bite of fish. Off to Los Angeles at 7.30pm and after crossing the time zone should arrive about noon today - that is before we even leave here. Crazy stuff - we will get that missing day back when we return.I have typed in koruclub and oamaru so many times today I shall dream this password.Loving the rain though especially as I don't have to go out in itLocation:Koru…

  • hiddee hoddee off to Canada we go

    13 May 2012 | 12:10 am
     Today is the day we go to Canada - catch a flight to Auckland at 7.20pm - arrive at 5.50am - have a leisurely lunch in downtown Auckland and a snooze and relax in the Koru Club - fly to LA at 7.40pm  - arrive same day at 12.55pm - fly to Vancouver at 10.43pm and cross fingers we get on our flight to Victoria an hour later. Otherwise Tuesday morning. Ian assures me is about 40 hours. Fortunately our box is safely in a garage waiting for us but not without angst and UPS - useless parcel service - showing their true colours.  Above is Harley's cat door - perspex - she could go…

  • 2 more sleeps

    11 May 2012 | 4:37 am
     Only 2 more sleeps until we fly off to Canada - getting organised but really not needing the hassle which good old useless parcel service (aka UPS) is providing. I think Ian had steam coming out of his ears today - I was too stressed by it to even think about it. Last time UPS caused us drama was in London and I cracked knee open. Needed a holiday in Europe afterwards to recover if I remember correctly.Anyway back to the real world - I spent hours printing out stuff for my workshop - naturally every colour ran out and in the middle I inadvertently kicked the plug out and that wasted a…

  • SAQA Oceania Studio Blog Hop

    8 May 2012 | 6:40 pm
     Welcome to my beautiful studio in our garden. I am very lucky to have my own place in which to work and the garden between our house and the studio is where we live most evenings in the summer. The studio was designed to blend in with the two eucalyptus trees you can see the trunks of and I enjoy the colours and the way they change during the year. Inside it is not a neat and tidy place because if I put everything away then I cannot find things quickly and it feels like my soul is hidden - or something. That is my excuse. For many years I have worked in the corner of our bedroom but…
 
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    Textile Goddess

  • I promised you colour

    Helen Cowans
    8 May 2012 | 3:58 pm
    I promised some colour on here, too long ago. Time seems to be speeding faster than ever atm, did someone press fast forward? Amongst other tasks I have been up to my elbows in paint and enjoying it immensely.The paintings start like this; After a few more stages; Almost finished; Finished –a “tighter” painting style than the ones above…..(some of which aren’t going to stay on the stretchers. More later!)

  • Happy Birthday to me!

    Helen Cowans
    6 May 2012 | 4:48 pm
    Last Thursday was my birthday – I love to have a “special” day and I spent the morning happily painting. In the afternoon the sun came out and I grabbed the camera to photograph one of my favourite flowers – the Cherry Blossom which is flowering along the drive (always reminds me of 1. My grannies front garden and 2. Happy May Day BBQ’s at 12a – my student days). I went out chatting to friends and in the evening the boys and I went to Roughting Linn then out for a meal and back to cake and candles (thanks Carol!)It was good to have a break from the constant work atm.  I got…

  • Happy Beltane

    Helen Cowans
    1 May 2012 | 2:40 pm
    Its Beltane and we should be dancing barefoot in a meadow.  Wearing hawthorn blossom in our hair and being courted by a young knight in shining armour.  All bathed in golden, warm sunlight. Don’t you wish life was like this? When really it means starting the housework at 8.30pm because you have acrylic paint on your nails, in your hair and you’ve had a good day in the studio, but no one took you up on the offer of helping with dusting and hoovering *sigh*.And don’t tell me not to do the housework, its got to the point of SERIOUSLY NEEDING doing. Here’s a picture created…

  • Back to painting

    Helen Cowans
    27 Apr 2012 | 3:55 am
    The studio prepared for painting…DH commented ”It looks like a scene from Dexter”.I should have started with red paint.

  • Busy, busy…….

    Helen Cowans
    16 Apr 2012 | 9:26 am
      One 3,000 word essay to organise and submit Two textile commissions Three magazine articles Two exhibitions in the next two months – posters, press releases, planning, finishing off (OK and creating too) One web site to update Numerous business emails to reply to (tick, finished that task today) 3 business meetings to attend this week One painting course to finish What I’m really trying to say is that I might not be around much in the next few weeks! I’ll leave you with some pictures of Castlerigg taken last week. The new copyright notices are because of Pinterest and similar…
 
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    Leonie Barrie's apparel and textile industry blog - from just-style.com

  • Record inventories weigh on cotton prices

    14 May 2012 | 1:58 pm
    International cotton prices for July delivery fell to a low of 77.16 cents a pound last week after a US government report forecast record inventories for the second season in a row. While prices subsequently rebounded, they are still sitting at around one-third of the cotton price peak reached in March last year. Data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggested ending stocks would rise 10% to 73.75m bales in the 2012/13 season, which begins on 1 August. Inter-governmental group the International Cotton Advisory Council (ICAC) also said the projected accumulation of cotton…

  • How low can clothing prices go?

    9 May 2012 | 2:44 pm
    "Margin-slashing discounting cannot be sustained forever," is how the director general of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) this week greeted figures that showed the price of clothing and shoes on sale in UK stores continued their downward slide in April. Indeed, not only were they cheaper than this time in 2011, but prices fell by 5.4% in April compared with the same month a year ago. While this was slower than the 6.5% decline seen the month before, it contrasts with overall shop price inflation rate of 1.3% in April, according to the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price IndexFood inflation slowed to…

  • Apparel acquisitions see an upswing

    8 May 2012 | 12:46 pm
    After the warmer weather and early Easter helped US apparel retailers to higher same-store sales in March, it was perhaps not surprising there would be a slowdown in April. Add in tough comparisons with the same month last year, which was in turn boosted by a late Easter, and it's easy to see why many US retailers fell short of expectations. But retailers, private equity firms and even manufacturers are also making the most of the uncertain environment to boost their portfolios - with a number of acquisitions over the past week led by plans to buy Collective Brands in a deal worth $2bn. A…

  • Could Burma be the next sourcing frontier?

    30 Apr 2012 | 10:53 am
    In its constant search for cheaper and cheaper production bases around the world, there are few places the apparel and textile industry has left untouched. But could Burma be the next frontier? Discussions are set to intensify following last week's decision by the European Union (EU) to suspend most of its sanctions against the country for the next year. But while the EU's move is likely to open up Burma to renewed scrutiny from fabric and garment firms, industry executives seem to agree it is unlikely to present a major sourcing opportunity in the short term. Indeed, the US continues to…

  • St George's Day protests against A&F

    24 Apr 2012 | 11:38 am
    St George's Day - a celebration marking the patron saint of England famously slaying the dragon. The people of Chap magazine certainly celebrated in style - or at least they thought they did. Armed with briefcases and their British tailored tweed suits, ties, hats and placards, the group of chaps and chapettes staged a protest yesterday (23 April) against teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch's plans to open a children's store on Savile Row, London. The group started singing "All we are saying is, give three-piece a chance" adapted from John Lennon's original. Ironic really,…
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