By Rosana Rosales President/CEO Sybarite Ltd. (Hong Kong) Sybarite Inc. (USA)
Making The Connection
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 – especially since I am from Houston. I started my career at Neiman Marcus and found my way to New York where I enjoyed a great career in producing women’s fashions. Today I own a sourcing company in Hong Kong, and I understand the importance of quality fiber. My company makes highly embellished fashion apparel using the highest quality materials. We only use cotton, wool, cashmere or silk. We do not like to use synthetics, such as polyester or spandex.
In the case of cotton, the higher the quality, the better. – Rosana Rosales
Importance Of Quality
In the case of cotton, the higher the quality, the better. Quality cotton helps us to make high quality fabrics, which we then bead and embroider to produce our expensive high fashion garments. For sure, customers respond to designs and details, but they demand that fabrics be made to the highest standards – beginning with the fiber.
I have heard people talk about FiberMax cotton, but I never knew that Texas had half the cotton acreage in America. Even more, I recently heard about e3 cotton, and I’m intrigued about the ability of retailers and brands to market both sustainable cotton and a transparent supply chain. The e3 program really gives FiberMax an added level of appeal for clothing companies.
Finally, like FiberMax, e3 cotton is certified. Buyers know who grew the cotton and under what conditions. It’s great that Bayer CropScience stands behind this program, but what is really helpful is that sourcing companies can rely on a verifiable supply of cotton that is backed by established production practices. It really does make the sourcing of cotton so much better.