Textile n Fashion

Regional Manufacturers Tour Brandix Green Plant

2008-10-10T23:17:00.002+05:30

The Brandix Group’s world-first Platinum rated Green Factory provided a learning experience to apparel sector manufacturers in the region recently when it was chosen by global giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) for a factory visit by several senior apparel sector executives from India, and Bangladesh as well as the United Kingdom.

The visitors led by Marks & Spencer’s ‘Plan A’ Director Richard Gillies along with his Associates Paschal Little and Ian Morris as well as Ravi Seshadri the Regional Head of Technology for M&S South Asia undertook a two hour tour of the Brandix Eco Centre at Seeduwa for a first-hand look at how the plant has been redesigned to achieve global benchmark ratings in energy and water conservation, solid waste management and low carbon emissions.

Represented at the visit were well known apparel sector companies such as Orient Craft, Arvind Mills Limited, Farida Shoes, Crystal Martin, Hela Clothing, CREW BOS, Thomas Kershaw, MMS UK, and Marks & Spencer operations in UK, South Asia and Sri Lanka.

“Brandix takes great pride in its credo of being an inspired solutions provider for branded clothing, and we were very pleased to host several of our peers from the region,” Brandix Director AJ Johnpillai said. “We hope our efforts will be an inspiration to others to seek the highest achievable levels of environment-friendly manufacture.”

The Brandix Green Factory in Seeduwa is the first and only apparel manufacturing facility in the world to be rated Platinum under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The 130,000 square-foot complex is Brandix Casualwear’s lead manufacturing plant for Marks & Spencer, and supports M&S’ ‘Plan A’ a five-year, 100-point 'eco' plan to encourage suppliers around the world to make their supply chains carbon neutral through Green manufacturing processes.

Formally inaugurated on April 25 this year by Marks & Spencer CEO Sir Stuart Rose, the plant converted into an Eco Centre at a cost of US $ 3 million has achieved a reduction of carbon emissions by 80 per cent, an energy saving of 46 per cent, a reduction of water consumption of 58 per cent and zero solid waste to landfill, eco-friendly indicators as yet unmatched by any re-designed Green Plant anywhere in the world.

Brandix pioneered the concept of total solutions in the Sri Lankan apparel industry and has been recognized as Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter by the Export Development Board for the past two years. Comprising of 25 fully-integrated manufacturing facilities backed by strategically located international sourcing offices, the Brandix Group specializes in casual bottoms, intimate and active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing. Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s best brands, including Gap, Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret, NEXT, Lands End, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger.

Brandix supports National Safety & Health Week as Principal Sponsor

2008-10-08T20:23:00.002+05:30

The country’s top apparel exporter Brandix, a Group that provides direct employment to more than 25,000 people, has lent its might to make occupational health and safety the focus of attention in Sri Lanka this week, to support the National Safety and Health Week campaign of the Ministry of Labour Relations & Manpower.

As Principal Sponsor of this annual event targeting employers and employees alike, Brandix is supporting a series of events organised to create greater awareness on occupational safety and health in work places across the island, and has encouraged its own associates to participate in these activities, a spokesman for the Group said.

Themed ‘Health & Safety for Happiness of Life,’ the highlights of the campaign are an island-wide poster competition, street dramas that will be enacted at the export processing zones in Biyagama, Katunayake and Avissawella, a Safety Walk at Horana and a National Seminar at the BMICH on Thursday, 9^th October.

“Brandix has been at the forefront of efforts to improve safety and health in workplaces,” the Group’s Compliance Manager Dhammika Abeygoonawardhane said. “Our commitment to occupational safety and health has been recognised by many awards at national level, and we are happy to extend this commitment beyond the Group by supporting national campaigns of this nature.”

“It is our hope that wider participation in these events will in time lead to better conditions, processes and practices. There is no greater asset to a business than a happy employee, and workplace safety and health are key contributing elements to a contented work force,” Mr. Abeygoonawardhane added.

Brandix Daredevil Nilantha Sets Another Abseiling Record

2008-08-21T15:09:00.004+05:30

A fascination for scaling heights at speed has landed Nilantha De Soyza a 10^th abseiling record in Sri Lanka, but the Brandix daredevil is not about to hang up his trusty ropes.

Nilantha’s latest feat of abseiling down the ‘mini world’s end’ at the Knuckles Mountain range in complete darkness on the 8^th of August has won the young man the admiration of his peers as well as his superiors at the country’s largest apparel exporting group.

Congratulating Nilantha on becoming the first man to abseil the 800 foot precipice at night, Brandix Activewear CEO Ms Ranga Ranmadugala said: “We are proud of Nilantha’s courage and conviction in his chosen sport. It is risky, but he takes calculated risks with careful preparation and assessment, much in the same way we progress in our business. Nilantha, who is a part of our production team at Koggala, shows great diligence in accomplishing his tasks in a structured way.”

Having chosen to make his attempt at eight minutes and eight seconds after 8 pm on the 8^th of August, Nilantha completed the abseil in just 45 seconds, setting a daunting challenge for any fellow climber who may follow him. This was his second abseiling record in 2008, having climbed down the Diyaluma Falls at Koslanda in just one minute and 25 seconds on Independence Day in February this year, beating his own previous record of 6 minutes and 12 seconds set in May 2004 by a huge margin.

“The support and sponsorship of Brandix has been an invaluable source of inspiration to me,” the young adventure sports enthusiast said. “I like to believe that in my own way, I represent the spirit of Brandix, of seeking and overcoming challenges with determination and courage.” He said there are many other new abseiling challenges that are now beckoning him.

Among the other abseiling records held by Nilantha De Soyza are World’s End – Nuwara Eliya (1 hour), Pahiyan Gala – Matugama (18 minutes, 23 seconds), Mini World’s End – Badulla (15 minutes, 45 seconds), Bambarakanda – Badulla (5 minutes, 20 seconds) and Knuckles in day time (40 seconds).

A consistent supporter of sporting teams and individuals who represent Sri Lanka, Brandix has sponsored Sri Lanka’s champion weight lifter Chinthana Vidanage, the Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Team that competed at the recent Asian Schools Swimming Championship in Malaysia, the Sri Lanka Men’s and Women’s Golf teams, and an eight-member contingent of exceptional undergraduate athletes from the University of Kelaniya that participated at the World University Games (Universiade) in 2007. Sri Lanka’s colourful fast bowling sensation Lasith Malinga is also employed by Brandix.

Brandix Boost For Ace Weight Lifter Chinthana Vidanage

2008-07-23T15:43:00.000+05:30

Champion weight lifter Chinthana Vidanage, one of just eight prospects from Sri Lanka at next month’s Beijing Olympics, received a valuable morale booster from his employer Brandix Lanka Limited when the country’s largest apparel exporter presented the athlete with a token of its support.

Less than two weeks before he leaves for the greatest challenge in his athletic career, Vidanage was presented with sports gear and an assurance that his 25,000 colleagues at Brandix would also be bracing their muscles with him when he embarks on his medal quest in China on August 12^th.

“Chinthana symbolises the aspirations and the determination to excel that have been instilled in employees of Brandix at all levels,” said Pravin Kalpage, CEO of Brandix Casualwear, who conveyed the Group’s best wishes at the presentation of the sponsorship. “All over Sri Lanka, associates of Brandix will be watching his progress at the Olympics with great intensity.”

The holder of eight Sri Lanka weight lifting records, Vidanage who has consistently exceeded 300 kg lifts in training for the Olympics, will compete against 23 other lifters in the 69 kg Class in his first round on August 12^th. The weight lifting events take place over three days.

A consistent supporter of sporting teams and individuals who represent Sri Lanka, Brandix recently sponsored the Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Team that competed at the Asian Schools Swimming Championship in Malaysia. Earlier this year, the company became the clothing sponsor for the Sri Lanka Men’s and Women’s Golf teams. Other recent commitments to sport include the sponsorship of an eight-member contingent of exceptional undergraduate athletes from the University of Kelaniya to participate at the World University Games (Universiade) 2007. Sri Lanka’s colourful fast bowling sensation Lasith Malinga is also employed by Brandix.

Brandix Eco Centre Hosts Beauty Queens

2008-06-28T16:09:00.002+05:30

The Green Plant of Brandix, Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter, recently hosted two reigning beauty queens on a familiarization visit.

Miss Netherlands Melissa Sneekes and Miss Sri Lanka Mariyah Colombage toured the three eco-friendly manufacturing facilities that make up the Brandix Casualwear complex at Seeduwa and were briefed on the remarkable savings it had achieved in energy and water consumption and the reduction of carbon emissions by 80 per cent, through a redesign of the building and the installation of eco-friendly air-conditioning.
Commenting on what she saw, Ms Sneekes said: “Concern for the environment is very high in Europe, and I am most impressed by the efforts made by Brandix in Sri Lanka to switch to Green Manufacturing. The Brandix Green Plant at Seeduwa was an eye-opener for me. Besides being one of the most eco-friendly apparel factories in the world, it also provides a very comfortable working environment.”
“It is very pleasing to see that garments reaching stores in Europe come from such well-designed and environment-friendly manufacturing locations. Congratulations, Brandix.”
Ms Colombage added: “There can be no better example of Sri Lanka’s commitment to environment-friendly manufacturing than the Brandix Green Plant at Seeduwa. The commitment and effort that has gone into creating a showpiece of clean manufacturing is truly commendable. Sri Lanka can be proud of facilities such as this, which demonstrate that we can be world leaders in eco-friendly apparel manufacture.”
The 130,000 square-foot Brandix Casualwear factory at Seeduwa is the Group’s lead manufacturing plant for top international retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S), and surpasses internationally-stipulated Green factory standards for energy consumption, water conservation, solid waste management and carbon emissions. The pioneer of the concept of inspired solutions for branded clothing, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s best brands, including Gap, Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret, NEXT, Lands End, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, intimate and active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

Deutsche Bank Joins Brandix To Support Water Project In NCP

2008-06-10T23:15:00.005+05:30

Unique CSR collaboration to help 2000 families at risk of kidney & other water-borne diseases

Colombo, Tuesday, June 10, 2008: At least 2000 families exposed to the threat of chronic kidney and water-borne diseases in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province are to receive special water filters in a new community outreach project funded jointly by Brandix Lanka Limited and Deutsche Bank AG.

To be implemented by the Community Water Supply & Sanitation Project (CWSSP) of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, the project will involve the distribution of filters that remove pathogens and harmful minerals such as fluoride from the drinking water in selected areas, the training of recipients in the correct use of the filters and arrangements for their maintenance.

Funding for the procurement of the filters will be shared by Deutsche Bank with a contribution of Rs 2 million, and Brandix with a contribution of Rs 1.8 million. The project will be executed by a network of village-level Community Based Organisations (CBOs) built up by the CWSSP over the past 15 years in districts vulnerable to water-borne diseases.

Announcing the collaboration between Deutsche Bank and Brandix at a news conference, Rohan Rodrigo, the Bank’s CEO in Sri Lanka said: “We are aware that there is a high incidence of chronic renal failure and other water-borne diseases attributed to the high levels of fluoride in the water in parts of the North Central Province and the North Western Province. Brandix has done some excellent work to help communities tackle this problem, and Deutsche Bank is pleased to support this project and work with Brandix to improve the quality of life of people in affected areas.”

Anusha Alles, Head of CSR at Brandix said: “A strong and caring partner like Deutsche Bank will generate greater interest in our own community projects conducted under the theme ‘Water is Life.’ This partnership could be the start to many good projects and be a precedent for more partnerships among corporate entities for projects that result in tangible and meaningful interventions in poor rural communities.”

Speaking on behalf of the CWSSP, Consultant Mr U. Sapukotana said the Brandix-Deutsche Bank Water Purification Project would directly benefit families chosen on the basis of their exposure to water-borne diseases. The community-based organisations of the CWSSP had, with the assistance of medical practitioners, identified people most affected, he said, disclosing that priority had been given to families where at least one member had already developed renal problems due to bad drinking water.

“There are more than 3,000 people registered with kidney diseases at the Medawachchiya Renal Care Centre alone,” Mr. Sapukotana said. “Large numbers of families in Medawachchiya and Thalawa in Anuradhapura desperately need fluoride filters but cannot afford them.”

Already, more than 40 people from affected communities in the North Central Province have been trained at the Brandix Water Research & Training Centre in Anuradhapura on the importance of filtering drinking water and the use and maintenance of the filters specially designed for the areas affected by contaminated water. These persons will in turn train the recipient families on how to use and clean the filters. The Community-based organisations will monitor the use and maintenance of the filters distributed, while Brandix has undertaken to periodically conduct random tests of the quality of the filtered water to ensure that the beneficiaries are being protected against health complications.

Contaminated drinking water has been scientifically linked to the high incidence in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province of Dental Fluorosis, Chronic Renal Failure and other health hazards. Research carried out by several agencies including the Water Resources Board, has revealed that one in every 10 people living in the NCP suffers from a kidney disease as a result of drinking water contaminated with heavy metals and agro-chemicals and the use of low quality aluminum containers to store water.

In September last year, Brandix donated to the government of Sri Lanka a Water Research and Training Centre purpose-built and equipped at a cost of Rs 25 million to help address this problem. The 7,000 square-foot Laboratory and Training Centre at Anuradhapura is dedicated to reducing the occurrence of such health problems through a combination of awareness and training programmes on water purification, conservation and management and the manufacture and distribution of low cost household water filters across the province.

Deutsche Bank believes it is important to contribute to the communities in which it operates. To this end, the Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation has been involved in a wide range of charitable initiatives in Sri Lanka, including microfinance projects; a contemporary art charity event; housing construction; health screening projects; and a large scale redevelopment of a UNESCO world heritage listed site in Anuradhapura. In response to the 2004 tsunami, an extensive relief effort included building 22 pre-schools in the District of Hambantota, which supported over 350 children in the district.

Brandix pioneered the concept of total solutions in the Sri Lankan apparel industry and was once again recognized as Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter by the Export Development Board at a ceremony held on the 6th of June 2008. The Group’s CSR efforts are driven by the central corporate theme ‘Water is Life’ and constitute a long term commitment to increasing the availability of water and the provision of safe drinking water to those most in need. The Group’s community outreach initiatives also include providing water through desalination plants, wells and pipe-borne water to communities in and around its manufacturing plants and the improvement of sanitation facilities in needy areas

EDB Ranks Brandix Sri Lanka’s Largest Apparel Exporter

2008-06-06T22:41:00.002+05:30

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, June 6, 2008: Brandix, Sri Lanka’s inspired solutions provider for branded clothing has once again been recognized as the country’s largest apparel exporter by the Export Development Board (EDB).

Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar receives the award from Minister
Prof. G. L. Peiris

A ranking of Sri Lanka’s top exporters on the basis of export turnover for 2007-08 was released by the Board this week, at a meeting convened for Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G. L. Peiris to felicitate these companies and meet their representatives.

Commenting on the group’s achievement and its contribution to the national economy, Brandix CEO Ashroff Omar said: “The concluded year was one of the most challenging ever, but it was also the year in which Brandix launched the highest number of projects. We remain committed to investing in future growth and it is heartening to see that our contribution to the export economy of the country has been noted by the policymakers.”

Among the significant new projects in 2007-08 was the conversion of the Brandix Casualwear Seeduwa factory into a Green plant, for which Brandix is aiming to secure the highest global certification, Mr. Omar said. The Group also plans to make all of its manufacturing operations eco-friendly and has set itself the target of reducing its carbon footprint by 35 per cent by 2012.

One of the highlights of the concluded year was the opening in January 2008 of Brandix Mercury, a Shared Services Centre, and the migration of virtually all the Group’s financial accounting processes to the unit, transforming the way service functions are performed.

Comprising of 25 fully-integrated manufacturing facilities backed by strategically located international sourcing offices, Brandix provides direct employment to over 25,000 people. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, intimate wear, active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers as well as wet processing, finishing and fabric printing.

Apparel icon Brandix to reveal latest designs at ‘Colombo Vogue’

2008-06-02T22:36:00.004+05:30

Top international & local models take the catwalk on June 1, with

‘Free spirit of Brandix’

Colombo, Thursday, May 22, 2008: The ‘Free Spirit of Brandix’ will soar on a Colombo catwalk on Sunday, June 1, giving local audiences a rare and exclusive preview of some of the hottest new designs from Sri Lanka’s iconic apparel manufacturer.

Some 60 unique garments in lingerie, loungewear and casual wear designed by the Brandix creative team will be modelled by top international and local models on the second day of ‘Colombo Fashion Statement’ one of the highlights of the ‘Colombo Vogue’ lifestyles weekend.

The Brandix design collection put together for the show is themed ‘Free Spirit of Brandix’ and comprises of pieces inspired by current trends and fashion with an emphasis on eco friendliness, in keeping with the theme of Colombo Vogue, Mihiri de Silva, Head of Design at Brandix Intimate Apparel Ltd., said.

“Some of the garments are made out of eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo fabric, 100 per cent cotton knits and linen, and illustrate the versatility and design capability of our designers. We have also made some of the garments more catwalk-like to add more flavour to the show,” she said.

This second exposition in Sri Lanka of exclusive Brandix designs will include dresses, yoga pants, knit tops, camis, chemises, bras and briefs, pants, shorts and skirts. Some of the new designs are based on designs presented by Brandix at recent buy meetings in the US and would represent the latest high street fashion trends in the west, Ms de Silva said.

“Design and development is currently one of the most important areas of focus in the global apparel market, and Brandix Lanka has invested substantially in developing local design capabilities to service the needs of key export markets. This collection will also be a revelation for local audiences,” she added.

Brandix is the Platinum Sponsor of ‘Colombo Vogue,’ a three-day (May 30 – June 1) lifestyles weekend organized by the Rotary Club of Colombo Regency. The second and third days of the weekend are devoted to fashion shows by leading Indian and European designers. The fashion shows will feature the reigning Miss India for Miss World, Miss India for Miss Earth, Miss Sri Lanka, Miss Israel as well as 10 models from India and eight models from Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter and the pioneer of the concept of inspired solutions for branded clothing, Brandix is a preferred solutions provider to some of the world’s best brands, including Gap, Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret, NEXT, Lands End, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger. The Group specializes in casual bottoms, intimate and active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers and also offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.

CONTACT:

Chamika Wickremasinghe

Manager - Corporate Communications

Brandix Lanka Ltd

Phone: +94-11-4727000 ext 2010

E-mail: chamikaw@brandix.com

Photo Caption:

Exclusive Brandix designs at last year’s show

Brandix dons Sri Lankan golf hat

2008-02-27T07:29:00.002+05:30

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, February 25, 2008: A quartet of top Sri Lankan golfers leaves for Bangladesh this week on a quest to annex the Dhaka Open trophy dressed to win by the national team’s first clothing sponsor Brandix.

The two-member Sri Lanka Women’s Team comprising of Niloo Jayatilake and the Holy Family Convent student Dhanushi Senadhira and their male counterparts Tissa Chandradasa and Mithun Perera take on the region’s best in Dhaka attired in distinctive new Sri Lanka team T shirts provided by the country’s largest apparel exporter.

As the national golf team’s Clothing Sponsor for 2008, Brandix will provide Sri Lanka’s high-flying golf stars with distinctive T shirts in four colours, Red, White and two shades of blue in a demonstration of support to the game which has scaled new heights in recent years.

Welcoming Brandix’s support to the team, Niloo Jayatilake, the reigning Pakistan Ladies National Amateur Champion said: “It is very encouraging to have an organisation of the calibre of Brandix as a sponsor of the national team. This is a great start to 2008 for Sri Lanka’s golfers.”

Brandix Chairman Ken Balendra said: “We consider it a privilege to support Sri Lanka Golf, which has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the region. Brandix already has a significant presence in India and Bangladesh, and we are proud to be associated with the achievements of our golfing stars.”

The Sri Lanka Golf Union is to send players during the year to Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore to name a few, and the women’s team of Niloo Jayatilake and Dhanushi Senadhira is scheduled to take wing to Japan in May 2008 to represent Sri Lanka at the Asia Pacific Ladies Invitational Team Championship, the 30th Queen Sirikit Cup.

Sri Lankan golfers excelled in the international golfing arena in 2007, with K Prabagharan winning the All India National Championship, Niloo Jayatilake clinching the Pakistan Ladies National Amateur Championships and young team mate Dhanushi Sendahira emerging the runner–up. Sri Lanka’s men team comprising Mithun Perera, Tissa Chandradasa and T. Prabadharan won the 9th SAARC championship held in Katmandu, Nepal and Mithun Perera won the overall individual event beating many experienced players. The women’s team comprising once again of Niloo and Dhanushi did well at this tournament to emerge runner–up to India.

The national men’s and women’s teams represent a unique blend of youth and experience. Mithun Perera is the son of the legendary Nandasena Perera. Winner of the 119th Sri Lanka Amateur Championship, Mithun was placed 3rd at the 46th Pakistan Amateur Championship and placed 5th at the 105th Malaysian Amateur Championship the same year. Tissa Chandradasa was the holder of the Dubai Order of Merit from 2002-2005, Runner up at the Dubai Amateur Open in 2003, Winner of the Dubai Amateur Open in 2004 and also the Winner of the Abu Dhabi Open that same year. Both were members of the Sri Lanka golf team to the Asian Games held in Dubai.

Brandix pioneered the concept of total solutions in the Sri Lankan apparel industry and is Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter with a consolidated annual turnover of over US$ 320 million. Recent commitments to sport include the sponsorship of an eight-member contingent of exceptional undergraduate athletes from the University of Kelaniya to participate at the World University Games (Universiade) 2007, and support to Sri Lanka’s champion weight lifter Chinthana Vidanage and fast bowler Lasith Malinga, both of who are employed by Brandix.

Courtesy: Brandix Apparels, Sri Lanka

International Nanotech & Smart Textiles Conference

2008-02-22T21:17:00.002+05:30

As the textiles industry matures, the development of new and smart textiles with novel functionality, and also new environmentally clean processing technologies will be critical. Such functionality can be brought about by nanotechnology and also by adding other smart innovations. There is enormous opportunity here and industry and fashion alike should be searching for ideas and opportunities to capture.
The Institute of Nanotechnology’s ‘3rd International conference on Nanotechnology and Smart Textiles for Industry, Healthcare and Fashion’ provides a venue and breeding ground for industry development personnel and university and other research personnel to get together to both present new ideas, learn what the industry wants and to make linkages.
The IoN’s forthcoming textiles conference should be seen by the industry as the key international venue where new ideas and developments are presented and industry challenges are tabled. It should indeed be regarded as the venue for bringing together new science and technologies into the industry arena.
Conference aims:
* To raise awareness of the potential for advanced technologies and the opportunities they present for the future success of the textile industry
* To showcase novel textile technologies
* To consider the implications of advances in technology on maintaining the competitiveness of the industrial, healthcare and fashion textile industries
* To bring together a multi-disciplinary delegation, to encourage discussion and advance collaborative opportunities

Click for more information.

Courtesy: Insititute of Nanotechnology, UK

sQuba Car To 'Bond' with 'James'

2008-02-15T21:47:00.006+05:30

Strähle + Hess GmbH is an innovative company that has contributed in the making of the sQuba car brought out by Swiss design company Rinspeed recently.

This car is said to ride of the street, swim water and 'believe it or not' - become a submarine under water.

Among the several companies that supported this unique 'sQuba' car project - Strähle + Hess GmbH makes up of the only company from the technical textiles to sector.

Kudos this company for participating in this prestigious project and being a true representative of the 'sunshine' technical textile

About Sellner Group Company:

Founded in 1926 the company manufactures highly specialised technical textiles for vehicle interiors. The company headquarters are located in Althengstett near Calw, 40 km west of Stuttgart.

Here 150 employees design, develop and produce state-of-the-art seat components and textiles for coverings and sealing systems. With its wide-ranging experience and technical knowhow; with numerous patents and need-based engineering services the company is today one of the world's leading providers of specialist textiles for interior and exterior applications in the car manufacturing segment.

The innovative and versatile company has been part of the Sellner Group since 2007 and has thus realized another goal in its long-term strategy of further development within the market.

Courtesy: Rinspeed & Sellner Group

Nanotech 'power shirt' harvests energy

2008-02-15T20:33:00.009+05:30

Atlanta (February 13, 2008) —Nanotechnology researchers are developing the perfect complement to the power tie: a “power shirt” able to generate electricity to power small electronic devices for soldiers in the field, hikers and others whose physical motion could be harnessed and converted to electrical energy.

Georgia Tech Regents’ Professor Zhong Lin Wang
holds a prototype microfiber nanogenerator.
(Georgia Tech Photo: Gary Meek)

The February 14 issue of the journal Nature details how pairs of textile fibers covered with zinc oxide nanowires can generate electrical current using the piezoelectric effect. Combining current flow from many fiber pairs woven into a shirt or jacket could allow the wearer’s body movement to power a range of portable electronic devices. The fibers could also be woven into curtains, tents or other structures to capture energy from wind motion, sound vibration or other mechanical energy.

“The fiber-based nanogenerator would be a simple and economical way to harvest energy from physical movement,” said Zhong Lin Wang, a Regents professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “If we can combine many of these fibers in double or triple layers in clothing, we could provide a flexible, foldable and wearable power source that, for example, would allow people to generate their own electrical current while walking.”

The research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Departm

ent of Energy and the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology.

The microfiber-nanowire hybrid system builds on the nanowire nanogenerator that Wang’s research team announced in the journal Science in April 2007. That system generates current from arrays of vertically-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires that flex beneath an electrode containing conductive platinum tips. The nanowire nanogenerator was designed to harness energy from environmental sources such as ultrasonic waves, mechanical vibrations or blood flow.

Microscope image shows the fibers that are part of the
microfiber nanogenerator. The top one is coated with gold.
(Image courtesy Zhong Lin Wang and Xudong Wang).

The nanogenerators developed by Wang’s research group take advantage of the unique coupled piezoelectric and semiconducting properties of zinc oxide nanostructures, which produce small electrical charges when they are flexed. After a year ofdevelopment, the original nanogenerators – which are two by three millimeters square – can produce up to 800 nanoamperes and 20 millivolt.

The microfiber generators rely on the same principles, but are made from soft materials and designed to capture energy from low-frequency mechanical energy. They consist of DuPont Kevlar fibers on which zinc oxide nanowires have been grown radially and embedded in a polymer at their roots, creating what appear to be microscopic baby-bottle brushes with billions of bristles. One of the fibers in each pair is also coated with gold to serve as the electrode and to deflect the nanowire tips.

“The two fibers scrub together just like two bottle brushes with their bristles touching, and the piezoelectric-semiconductor process converts the mechanical motion into electrical energy,” Wang explained. “Many of these devices could be put together to produce higher power output.”

Wang and collaborators Xudong Wang and Yong Qin have made more than 200 of the fiber nanogenerators. Each is tested on an apparatus that uses a spring and wheel to move one fiber against the other. The fibers are rubbed together for up to 30 minutes to test their durability and power production.

Schematic shows how pairs of fibers would
generate electrical current.

So far, the researchers have measured current of about four nanoamperes and output voltage of about four millivolts from a nanogenerator that included two fibers that were each one centimeter long. With a much improved design, Wang estimates that a square meter of fabric made from the special fibers could theoretically generate as much as 80 milliwatts of power.

Fabrication of the microfiber nanogenerator begins with coating a 100-nanometer seed layer of zinc oxide onto the Kevlar using magnetron sputtering. The fibers are then immersed in a reactant solution for approximately 12 hours, which causes nanowires to grow from the seed layer at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. The growth produces uniform coverage of the fibers, with typical lengths of about 3.5 microns and several hundred nanometers between each fiber.

To help maintain the nanowires’ connection to the Kevlar, the researchers apply two layers of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) to the fiber. “First we coat the fiber with the polymer, then with a zinc oxide layer,” Wang explained. “Then we grow the nanowires and re-infiltrate the fiber with the polymer. This helps to avoid scrubbing off the nanowires when the fibers rub together.”

Finally, the researchers apply a 300 nanometer layer of gold to some of the nanowire-covered Kevlar. The two different fibers are then paired up and entangled to ensure that a gold-coated fiber contacts a fiber covered only with zinc oxide nanowires. The gold fibers serve as a Shottky barrier with the zinc oxide, substituting for the platinum-tipped electrode used in the original nanogenerator.

To ensure that the current they measured was produced by the piezoelectric-semiconductor effect and not just static electricity, the researchers conducted several tests. They tried rubbing gold fibers together, and zinc oxide fibers together, neither of which produced current. They also reversed the polarity of the connections, which changed the output current and voltage.

By allowing nanowire growth to take place at temperatures as low as 80 degrees Celsius, the new fabrication technique would allow the nanostructures to be grown on virtually any shape or substrate.

As a next step, the researchers want to combine multiple fiber pairs to increase the current and voltage levels. They also plan to improve conductance of their fibers.

However, one significant challenge lies head for the power shirt – washing it. Zinc oxide is sensitive to moisture, so in real shirts or jackets, the nanowires would have to be protected from the effects of the washing machine, Wang noted.

The research is supported by the NSF’s Division of Materials Research through grant 0706436. “This multi-disciplinary research grant enables materials scientists and engineers from varied backgrounds to work together toward translating basic and applied research into viable technologies,” noted Harsh Deep Chopra, NSF’s program manager.

Cotton futures to go soft predict analysts

2008-02-13T21:58:00.003+05:30

Cotton analysts have softened on earlier predictions that December 2009 cotton prices could reach a dollar or more, due to a market that just doesn’t seem to want to move higher. USDA added to the lower price expectations on Feb. 8 when it increased estimates for world production and decreased estimates of world use for old crop cotton.

“That combination of lower use and bigger supplies increased world stocks by 2.58 million bales and bumped the world stocks-to-use ratio up to 45 percent. This indicates we don’t have a lot of market support to go up,” Carl Anderson, Texas A&M professor Extension specialist emeritus, said at the Ag Market Network’s Feb. 12 teleconference.

At the same time, USDA increased estimated 2007-08 foreign stocks (world stocks minus U.S. stocks) by 2.28 million bales over January with nearly all of the increase coming from exporting countries. “Export nation stocks went up, foreign stocks went up and Chinese and U.S. stocks went up. Most importantly, the Chinese crop for this current season increased 1 million bales, while its use decreased by 1 million bales.”

The result is decreased U.S. export market potential, according to Anderson. “We’re expecting that exports will not do as well as we had hoped. They’ve been dragging, averaging 200,000 bales per week. We need to export 275,000 bales weekly to reach the USDA forecast of 15.7 million bales.”

Lower prices in the near term may help some, according to Anderson. “March futures have already backed off some, and I think they will continue to lag. We also have a high level of certificated stocks, and that usually will hold the market down to more of a supply and demand relationship, in the neighborhood of 65 to 67 cents.

“If we lose momentum in March, producer equities are going to remain weak. With carryover climbing to 9 million bales, equities will be based on technical moves. Don’t give up on your equities if you have cotton in the loan. There will be days when the market will make some good rallies.”

Declining acres

Anderson noted that the National Cotton Council’s annual cotton planting survey indicated that in early January, U.S. producers intended to plant 9.5 million acres of cotton in 2008. That would produce a 15.4-million-bale crop, assuming average yields.

“But we have to remember that planted acreage could be less than 9.5 million acres,” Anderson said. “I believe it’s going to be closer to 9.3 million acres, which trims the crop down to 14 million bales.”

Much attention will be focused on Texas this season, where over half of U.S. cotton is expected to be grown. Since two-thirds of that crop is dryland, the state could lose significant acreage due to drought or another weather problem. “At this time, we are simply short on subsoil moisture around the Lubbock region,” Anderson said. “However, all we need are a few good rains up until May. But it does leave us with a lot of volatility in the future of our market.”

If U.S cotton producers make the crop they’re supposed to make, foreign countries buy what they’re supposed to buy, and the domestic cotton industry uses up to 5 million bales, U.S. carryover for new crop cotton could drop to 4 million bales.

“That constitutes a pipeline supply of cotton, and we should see higher prices in December 2009 futures. For 2009, we need to plant 10 million acres of cotton, provided that foreign production continues to lag use.”

Softening demand, however, could be a huge wet blanket, Anderson says. “If the United States heads into a recession or slowdown, cotton goods sales will slow down considerably, which will work its way back to China and they won’t need as much cotton.”

On the supply side globally, “India has found new varieties and they will be increasing their production much faster than they increase their textile use. Brazil’s cotton crop is off to a good start, with expected production of around 7 million bales. They use about 4 million bales, so they’ll have some to export.”

Pricing strategies

Anderson says growers should watch technical rallies closely. “If December 2008 futures reach 80 to 85 cents, I would consider that an excellent rally based on the supply and demand fundamentals of today. Consider buying a put option at 5 cents out of the money. At 80-cent futures, find a strike price of 75 cents at 3 cents to 3.5 cents. That would give you a floor and the top would be open.

“You can combine that strategy with selling a call 10 cents higher than the market is trading at the time. So on Feb. 11, you could have sold a 90-cent call for 1.94 cents, with a net outlay (buying the put and selling the call) of less than 2 cents. You would have a floor in the market of close to 70 cents and a ceiling of around 90 cents.”

Anderson said the market seems resigned to the fact that the United States is simply going to produce more grain this year.

That could have an adverse impact on cotton yields, according to O.A. Cleveland professor emeritus, Mississippi State University. He believes that USDA’s production estimate for the 2008 cotton crop might be high considering how much true cotton land could come out of production in favor of grains.

“The true cotton land has a base yield of 1,000 pounds to 1,400 pounds per acre. When farmers start thinking of soybeans at 80 bushels an acre, the risk of cotton versus soybeans, and the fertilizer price, it’s a lock that much of this cotton land is going to be in beans.

“This takes down our average yield, so I come up with a crop on the lower end, as low as 14 million bales. I would take the carryover down to about 3.5 million bales.

“In the short term, the market is not going to do much. Still I remain very bullish with respect to December 2008 and December 2009 futures. I think we’ll see 90-cent cotton in December 2009, but I don’t know if we’ll get to a dollar or not. As Yogi Berra said, ‘Prediction is difficult, especially when it’s about the future.’ But I’m still bullish on this market once we get past the planting season.”

Courtesy: Elton Robinson, Delta Farm Press, USA

College of Textiles, NC State University holds open house

2008-02-13T21:39:00.004+05:30

The College of Textiles, located on NC State's new Centennial Campus, is home to the most modern, state-of-art textile classrooms and laboratories in the United States . Throughout the open house, tours and demonstrations will be conducted including the latest in Apparel Design and Production, Body Scanning and Measurement, Fabric Comfort, Digital Printing, Yarn Spinning, Weaving, Whole Garment Knitting, Dyeing and Finishing, and Fabric Engineering, and Management, Marketing, and Merchandising.

A demonstration of pyro-man , a favorite for attendees, will take place. Pyro-man is a mannequin with heat sensors used to test the latest in fire protective apparel used by fire fighters, armed services personnel and race car drivers. Attendees will be able to learn more about how to apply for admissions to NC State, undergraduate and graduate textile degree programs, scholarship and career opportunities, the state of the textile industry, and other specialty areas such as the Anni Albers Design Program and the new Medical Textiles Program.

Courtesy: College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, USA

Milliken & Company ranks in Fortune 2008 list of best cos

2008-02-13T21:32:00.001+05:30

FORTUNE has announced that Milliken & Company has been ranked #92 on the 11th annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Milliken is the only South Carolina-based company to make the list. Milliken also ranked #31 on the Best MEDIUM-Sized Company list. The full list and related stories appear in the February 4 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands January 28 and at www.fortune.com.

Upon notification, Dr. Ashley Allen, president & CEO, stated, “A key component of being a great place to work involves filling that place with great people. Milliken is quite fortunate to have a talented and creative workforce which continues to adjust to a changing world. This is great recognition for the company they helped create.”

Milliken informed associates of the recognition Thursday when Joe Salley, chief operating officer, made the announcement to a group of 250 company leaders at Milliken's Winter Management Conference in Spartanburg, S.C.

"Making FORTUNE's ‘100 Best Companies to Work for’ list for the fourth time is an exceptional way to cap a great year," stated Salley. “If you take into account the hundreds of thousands of companies that exist in the U.S., it is great recognition for our associates to be ranked among the top 100 of the FORTUNE survey.” Immediately after the announcement, Milliken released the news to its workforce of approximately 10,000 associates around the world.

A driving factor for the list this year is that these companies excel in creating jobs. The 100 companies on the 2008 list added 67,000 employees to their payrolls in the past year and employ a total of nearly 1.6 million employees; up 16% from the number employed by companies comprising last year’s list.

To pick the “100 Best Companies to Work for”, FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Of some 1,500 firms that were contacted, 406 companies participated in this year’s survey. Nearly 100,000 employees at those companies responded to a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries. Most of the company’s score (two-thirds) is based on the results of the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company. The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management’s credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The other third of the scoring is based on the company’s responses to the Institute’s Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts, etc. After evaluations are completed, if news about a company comes to light that may significantly damage employees’ faith in management, that company may be excluded from the list.

Courtesy: Milliken & Company, USA

Winds of Fashion at Yeşim

2008-02-13T21:20:00.003+05:30

YeşimTekstil which is the producer company of world-renowned brands such as Nike and Gap has prepared its autumn-winter collection.

Yeşim Tekstil’s design team which is to offer its new collection to the taste of its world-famous customers in USA and Europe starting from September has publicized this collection via a mini fashion show staged in the company.

Yeşim Tekstil which has established its own design department about three years ago in order to become differentiated in its industry in its competition with China market and other competitors has staged its 6^th collection to the managers of the company in a fashion show at the Company premises. The collection was prepared by the cooperation of Lourdes Mendoza, Company’s designer in USA, and Nejla Güvenç, Company’s designer in Istanbul, under the coordination of Melek Kazancıoğlu, leader of Yeşim design team.

The new collection whose works have kicked start in March includes a total of 125 products. Shades of black, gray and brown, as well as several shades of blue and red are also present in the collection. Women’s designs in the new collection, which uses fabrics with patterns and lines and also with different knitting on them, are remarkable with plaits, flounces and various volume details; whereas men’s designs have different details, emblems and printings on them. The collection used various fabrics developed by R & D Department, and also particularly organic and printed fabrics. Remarkable designs, voiles and cords which are all very remarkable also enrich the new collections.

Courtesy: Yesim Textil, Turkey

Avril Lavigne fragrances & clothing in the offing?

2008-02-12T22:45:00.000+05:30

Joining the celeb circuit launching clothing and fragrances brands, singer Avril Lavigne will debut shortly.

This noted Canadian punk & pop singer was spoken about in the public and private to bring her own line of fragrances and clothing making her fans wait eagerly for this news.

Lavigne was quoted in the media as saying, "The clothing line I've wanted to do for about three years, and a lot of times what people do is . . . a licensing deal and I didn't want to do that."

This award winning singer will join the ilk of Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Gwen Stefani and a whole lot of celebs.

SASPE Presents Esatta Warp Shearing Machine

2008-02-12T21:01:00.001+05:30

After several years of study and research, Saspe is now glad to introduce its brand-new machine
"Esatta Warp" featuring a worldwide innovative and revolutionary concept of shearing. This machine can split and shear loops and floating yarn into warp in one single step.

Up until now warp cutting technology has only seen discontinuous, old-fashioned, slow, imprecise, unreliable and very expensive systems which have severely limited design creation and application due to these configuration.

The main innovation offered by "Esatta Warp" is a revolutionary system which allows "vertical" operation to the shearer so as to split and shear loops, residual yarn and hair towards the fabric
sliding direction.

Courtesy: SASPE, Italy
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