ten dollars september 2007 - FMMG.com

textile REPORTED
new cotton harvester debuts
The world’s first commercially available modulebuilding
cotton harvester rolled off the line July
16, 2007, at the Case IH manufacturing plant in
Benson, Minn.
The machine is the Case IH Module Express
625, and it is advertised to allow growers to save
capital, fuel and labor by combining cotton harvesting
and module building into a single operation.
The Benson plant is ramping up production
to fill orders for the Module Express in time
for the upcoming fall harvest.
Known as the “Old Red,” the Case IH
Module Express has the potential to transform
the cotton industry because it is designed to fit
the needs of ginners as well as growers, according
to Trent Haggard, Case IH marketing manager
for cotton harvesting.
“In the development process, we listened to
input from the industry. Our engineers made sure
that the Module Express fit with existing cotton
production practices, with no additional handling,
logistics or costs,” Haggard said. — D.C.
texas hosts p.i.e
Texas played host to the 2007 Cotton
Foundation Producer Information Exchange
(P.I.E.), in July. Cotton producers from all over
the world gathered to explore advances in cotton
production in the host region and to share their
technology and farming methods with the goal
of improving yields and fiber quality — L.D.
unifi closing kinston facility
Yarn manufacturer Unifi, Inc., has announced
that it will close its Kinston, NC, facility. The
closing will affect about 260 employees.
The Kinston facility produces partially orientated
yarn (POY) for internal use and third
party sales. Unifi will now buy its commodity
POY needs from external suppliers for conversion
in its texturing operations. However, Unifi
will also continue to manufacture POY at its
Yadkinville, NC, facility for its specialty and premium
value yarns and certain specialty yarns.
“While complicated to execute, it comes down
to a simple make-versus-buy decision,” said
William Lowe, chief operating officer and chief
44 SEPTEMBER 2007 BODY • WWW.FMMG.COM
BY DEENA CAMPBELL, LIBBY DOWD AND DERRICK MITCHAM
financial officer of Unifi. “In addition to the savings
expected from this decision, we gain needed
flexibility in our texturing operations. Over
the last nine months, Kinston’s inability to operate
below a certain minimum has put undue
pressure on our texturing operations.”
Additionally, Unifi, Inc., closed its texturizing
facility in Dillon, SC, which cost 355 jobs.
— D.M.
veltex canada hires cfo
Veltex Corporation hired Robert St. Amant to
be the new chief operating officer for Veltex
Canada. St. Amant goes to Veltex with more
than 15 years of experience in the textile business
in Canada.
“Mr. St. Amant will handle all aspects of the
Veltex Canada business and allow corporate
management to concentrate on broader corporate
interests and the continued re-organization
of the various subsidiaries that make up Veltex
Corporation,” said Javeed Martin, CEO of
Veltex Corporation. “As a result of Veltex’s continued
growth, further management restructuring
announcements can be expected in the near
future companywide.”
Veltex Canada continues to steadily grow. The
company now has more than 1,400 clients and
more than 40,000-square-feet of office and
warehouse space in Toronto.
The company also has announced that it will
be sponsoring this year’s America’s Baby Cancer
Foundations fundraiser golf tournament at
Sherwood Country Club, which will take place
on October 15, 2007.
The event will feature golf, tennis, a cocktail
reception and a charity dinner with auction to
benefit America’s Baby Cancer Foundation’s
assistance to families that have children diagnosed
with cancer. — L.D. & D.M.
eco-friendly fibers for china
Because of to demands from overseas clients,
many fabric and clothing enterprises in China
are applying for ecological textiles identification.
A number of Chinese textile enterprises have
‘Oeko-Tex Standard 100,’ which is a uniform
testing and certification system for textile raw
materials, intermediate and end products at all
stages of production.
As a sign of China’s desire to for a uniform testing
system, Raimar Freitag, General Secretary of
International Environmental-Protection Textile
Association, recently participated in the Green
Textiles meeting held in Beijing.
It is anticipated that during 2008 Beijing
Olympic Games, many foreign visitors will
come to China, and purchase locally made textile
and clothing products, with ecological textiles
identification. — L.D.
unifi: post-consumer waste
Unifi, Inc., is a diversified producer and processor
of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured
yarns and related raw materials that uses
post-consumer waste in the production of
Repreve. But they also use their own pre-consumer
waste during production, which helps
conserve energy in the process.
Because Repreve offsets the need to reproduce
virgin polyester, the equivalent of a half-gallon
of gasoline is conserved for every one pound of
Repreve yarn produced, as opposed to other
methods, which require virgin polyester.
Additionally, Unifi has engineered a yarn that
adheres to the same quality standards as Unifi’s
virgin polyester. The 100 percent recycled content
of Repreve is now certified by Scientific
Certification Systems, Inc. (SCS), a leading
third-party provider of certification, auditing
and testing services, and standards.
Unifi has made Repreve available worldwide in
order to maintain program quality and consistency
wherever the product is manufactured.
For more information about Repreve visit
www.unifi.com. — D.C.
dan river’s bed-in-a-bag
Textile company, Dan River, has debuted its new
printed bed-in-a-bag program. The new campaign
is marketed to first-time apartment buyers.
The sets include a 200-count sheet set and a
poly-cotton comforter. Dan River also showed
an array of print designs, including contemporary,
textural looks, strips, patchwork florals,
monochromatic plaids and more. B — D.M.
costume REPORTED
j. valentine’s dancer costumes
J. Valentine, a dancewear manufacturer known
for offering top quality design, is ready for the
Halloween season with the some of the sexiest
costume styles.
This season, designer Judy Valentine is delivering
new and updated looks for dancers.
“The looks are very sexy they can be worn at a
party but are also great for dancers,” said sales
manager Kat Gutierrez. “Dancers want the pin
up, sexy look. They also want to stick with a
brand they know.”
Popular costumes have been carried over from
last season such as a flirty mouse, sailor and
police officer. While those styles will remain
best-sellers for the company, Valentine has
added a few innovative ideas that are sure to
please. This year’s collection includes the
Geisha Girl, a kimono style wrap top with waist
cincher and skirt, and the Bad Apple, a Snow
White style corset top dress.
Durability is a major selling point for J.
Valentine costumes.
“We are mainly a dancewear company and
costumes are something we know that dancers
are going to need,” said Gutierrez. “Our customers
know us and trust us, they know our
stuff is well made. If a girl has three parties this
Halloween, her costume won’t fall apart before
the second one.”
Prices for costumes run slightly higher than
other manufacturers because of the care that is
put into each item. Wholesale prices start at
$29.50 and run as high as $44.50. To view the
styles visit www.jvalentinecatalog.com. — L.D.
new costumes at la casa
Costume retailer, La Casa de los Trucos,
which translates to “The House of Tricks,”
has added some new costume styles to its
mass of guises.
The company’s newest costume is The
Pimpette, which puts women in the role
primarily dominated by men. The costume
features a knee-length silver coat with
plush trim and pom poms, topped off, by a
silver-sequined pimpette hat. Carmen
BY LIBBY DOWD AND DERRICK MITCHAM
Torres, manager of the store, reports that
the pimpette has been selling well.
“We received a few and they all sold the same
day we got them,” said Torres.
Also new to the La Casa are the mafia, pinup
sailor girl and boxer girl costumes.
“The Playboy-licensed costumes, which hit
the market last year, are best sellers for the company
as well,” reports Torres. “The Fantasy
Fairy, modeled on the package by one of
Playboy’s own Girls Next Door, and Masked
Bandit costumes are a couple of the very sexy
and high quality Playboy-related costumes that
customers can find in the store. For some reason,
people like sexy costumes. I don’t blame
them.”
Other popular costumes the year-round store
carries include pirates, nurses, storybook characters
and Asian-themed costumes, such as
geishas. Costumes can run anywhere from the
twenty-something range, all the way up to the
hundreds of dollars range for more elaborate
designs. For more information on the company
and its costumes, visit
www.crazyforcostumes.com. — D.M.
12X for delicate illusions
Costume wholesaler Delicate Illusions will be
focusing on plus size costumes for the upcoming
season. The company will introduce sizes all
the way up to 12X for
the woman unable to
sport the “queen” size
costumes so commonly
produced by many
manufacturers.
“Our customer does
Shereen Loth
not simply fit in a
‘queen’ size that most
manufacturers make…so we offer our sexy
styles up to 12X,” said Shereen Loth, president
of Delicate Illusions.
The company’s other focus for the season will
be to continue to produce items that are multipurpose
and can be used year-round. The costumes
come with accessories that can be worn
and removed at the user’s discretion.
“The included accessories put the customer
into character for Halloween or theme parties,
but without the accessories,” said Loth. “The
outfit can be worn throughout the year.”
The company, which focuses mainly on
“Queen of ” styles, has expanded into new foils
prints and embellishments which include flames
for devil costumes. The fairy, pimpstress and
devil costumes remain the favorites among customers,
and Loth foresees no change in trend
for the future. The new collection will see
updated renditions of the pirate, dragon lady,
Snow White and prison inmate costumes,
which Loth believes will see an increase in popularity
due to the recent incarceration of
socialite Paris Hilton.
New Costumes will begin shipping on
September 1, while past styles are currently
available. They range in price from $25 to $45
depending on how elaborate the costume, and
can be purchased from the company’s website,
www.delicateillusions.com. — D.M.
holiday surprise from pierre’s
Rich Williamson, president of Pierre’s
Costumes is gearing up for a very merry holiday
season. As the season approaches, Williamson
expects to see a lot of
Christmas oriented
styles lining the
shelves.
“As a trend, I think
that Christmas is going
to be huge as
always...and lingerie
Rich Williamson
and sexy costumes has
been such a huge part
of Christmas. With men wearing sexy Santa
costumes, women want to get involved too.
They want to look sexy, but not bedroom sexy.
Sexy Christmas is going to be big!”
Additionally, hinted at some big news that
would be coming up soon for the company.
“There is probably going to be a big media
event in Philly soon,” said Williamson. Body
Magazine will provide more information as
soon as it is available. B
— D.M.
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