What Customers Want

Finding The Right Source United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) members – fashion brands, retailers, importers and wholesalers based in the United States and doing business globally – are industry leaders in terms of ethical sourcing. While our members have always...

By Andrew Olah CEO/Olah Incorporated Founder of Kingpins Show New York, N.Y. Quest for Quality Cotton I have just returned home from the first Global Denim Awards event, which was conducted on Oct. 30 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and I’m more confident than ever that...

Less Cotton in China? Several years ago when I was working for the Globecot News Network (www.commoditynetwork.com), I wrote a story detailing the decline of China’s cotton production in lieu of the need to “import what you wear and plant...

The University of Rhode Island's Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design graduates students with all they need to be successful in the wide range of careers open to them. Beyond the obvious knowledge inherent in the major, its graduates are equipped to think critically and be prepared to meet changes and challenges that will inevitably arise over their working lives.

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) is the voice of the U.S. domestic textile industry in Washington, DC. With more than 150 current members, NCTO represents manufacturers from every major sector of the industry, including fiber, yarn, fabric, home furnishings and finished apparel producers. NCTO is focused on influencing federal policies, programs and regulations that advance the interests of the U.S. textile sector.

Quality sets cotton apart from most agricultural commodities. That is, a bale of cotton possesses a unique set of characteristics that renders it suitable for certain uses, and less so for others. Producers are familiar with these characteristics as they show up in premium and discount tables and recap prices. Consumers see quality reflected in premium prices for high-end textiles and garments made from Pima, Sea Isle or others.

Physical parameters are no longer the only indicators for the quality of cotton. New characteristics have come into play when referring to quality. Sustainability, transparency and social compliance are increasingly important to the end consumer today although the definitions and understanding of these terms can vary considerably. During my 10 years of working in the jeans industry, critics often question how clean our supply chain is. Those brands and retailers that are motivated to continuously reduce their environmental impact are a strong force. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are pushing toward this continuous improvement.

What Customers Want by Michael Morrell, President, Olah, Inc. New York, NY Quality Still Counts I just returned home from the Kingpins denim show in Amsterdam, which was produced by my company, Olah Inc. Cotton was widely discussed by both exhibitors and...

By Xi Jin, Manager of International Cooperation, China National Cotton Information Center Beijing, China Value In Brands The premium of cotton partly exists in quality, but mostly in brand. Tagging the cotton brand onto the end products will boost the value...

Our business is about making high fashion cotton garments. Yet, in my 25 years in the industry, I have never met a farmer or anyone from the cotton business. I wonder if the wine industry could survive if there was no connection to the grape. The disconnect between the apparel producer and fiber supplier is more than a little peculiar to me, so it is very satisfying to learn about the FiberMax impact and business in the United States

I have worked in the clothing business for many years, and I have seen several changes in the production and marketing of jeans. Today, we have new finishes and treatments that give designers a wide range of looks from which to choose. We also have a new appreciation for products that do not harm the environment and utilize sustainable production practices.

BY LAWRENCE ROMAN DIRECTOR OF MARKETING APPAREL PRODUCTION, INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. Substandard Conditions? As I write this article about quality cotton, I’m thinking of this past week. While Pitti Uomo showed menswear in Florence, Italy, the Las Vegas Consumer Electronic Show sure made...

BY ANDREW OLAH PRESIDENT/CEO, OLAH, INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. Stoneville’s Quality We all know that once upon a time there was a Mr. Levi Strauss, who came to America from Bavaria and started selling jeans to miners in San Francisco. We also know...

By Laurent Aucouturier Partner/Gherzi Textil Organisation AG Zurich, Switzerland Laurent AucouturierQuality – A Generic Term? Through numerous consulting assignments spanning more than eight decades, Gherzi Textil Organisation has been able to monitor profound changes in the textile industry related to the textile purchasing...

By Gus Floris Editor Apparel Insiders Monitoring Cotton Trends As editor of a major apparel news service, I have opportunities to speak with dozens of clothing companies and retailers about their products, the demands of their customers and how they plan on meeting...