News for January / February 2006

Gerber Technology Showcases Software Solutions Designed  for the Fashion Industry at
MAGIC 2006
Connecticut, USA– In its first appearance at Sourcing at MAGIC (held February 21-24, 2006) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Gerber Technology is presenting its broad array of software solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the fashion industry, including its newest product offering, Fashion Lifecycle Management. 
Gerber Fashion Lifecycle Management extends WebPDM’s product development management capabilities into a robust, enterprise-wide tool to manage and improve global product development. Retailers, brand marketers, suppliers and factories can use Fashion Lifecycle Management to speed products from concept to market by enabling web-based collaboration and global schedule management on all operations of the fashion lifecycle and enable precise, real-time communication of product information from pre-production throughout the supply chain to reduce errors and lower development costs.
At MAGIC, Gerber will also showcase the following solutions:  WebPDM 5.0; AccuMark software;  and AccuMark V-Stitcher.
“We are excited about participating in MAGIC, the largest apparel sourcing show in the United States,” said Bud Staples, regional director, North America North/Canada, Gerber Technology. “It is a prime opportunity for us to demonstrate to apparel retailers, brand owners and manufacturers how Gerber’s automation solutions address the challenges facing the fashion industry, namely shortening development cycles and time to market, reducing costs, and improving communication throughout the product lifecycle.”
2/21/06

eWarna to Offer Pay-Per-Use Pricing for Enterprise Color Solutions
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – eWarna,  a resource for online color collaboration solutions, announces creative new pricing and packaging options aimed at solving the challenges that fashion retailers, brands, and agents face in collaborating on color approval and quality with their package suppliers, factories, fabric mills, dye houses, middlemen, and other color supply chain partners.
Effective immediately, eWarna will provide color “specifiers” - companies that define color specifications, request color match samples (lab dips), and monitor color consistency across their supplier base - with new pricing and packaging options that will greatly simplify and accelerate the deployment of its web-based color solutions across entire color supply chains.
Specifically, the new deployment models will benefit retailers, brands, and other specifiers by quickly establishing secure, online color collaboration with their entire supplier base. Under the arrangement, specifiers may leverage eWarna’s strong Asian presence and local services to certify, deploy, and train their suppliers in as little as two weeks time.  Suppliers of all sizes will benefit from the innovative new pay-per-use pricing plans that will allow them to economically add value through participation in their customers’ digital color processes, regardless of the volume of business they conduct with that customer.
“Fashion companies have embraced the global sourcing model,” noted ManHon Shiew, CEO of eWarna. “Their success is no longer based solely on their internal capabilities, but on their ability to synchronize their supply chain for performance. Our web-based color solutions are already proven enablers, but we saw an opportunity to better align to our customers’ fast and flexible models by making our solutions more accessible, portable, and cost-effective. These new options will help specifiers greatly improve the performance of their color networks by allowing even their smallest, most remote suppliers to participate in their streamlined digital color process.”
2/15/06

[TC]² Announces 2006 Summer Internship Program
[TC]²’s highly acclaimed student internship study program for rising seniors in apparel and textile management programs at U.S. universities is being re-established this year.  Commencing May 30th, the eight week program will include seminars and hands-on training in various subjects including lean manufacturing concepts, sourcing, pattern development and grading, merchandising, product costing, seams and stitches classifications, and much more. The main focus areas will include Supply Chain Strategies, Product Development, and Business Planning.
Eighty interns participated in similar programs from 1989 to 2000, and many of these individuals are still active in the industry in various capacities. The selected students for 2006 will receive paid travel to Cary, NC, housing, and a stipend during the course of the eight-week internship.  Final selection will be made by the AAFA Human Resources Leadership Council.  Deadline for application submission is March 15th.  To obtain an application, contact Karen Davis at 919.380.2177, or use this form.

The Vendor Compliance Guide Irons Out Wrinkles
New York - Fashiondex has published The Vendor Compliance Handbook, a manual of compliance guidelines and procedures for product development and apparel production. The Vendor Compliance Handbook is a how-to guide detailing everything from sample procedures and measurement specs to testing, labeling and UPC code standards, care symbols, and garment-audit inspection procedures.
Bursting at the seams with information, The Vendor Compliance Handbook ensures that apparel producers and manufacturers get it right the first time, and are therefore able to avoid charge backs and returns. The handbook also covers letter-of-credits, packaging and shipping standards, quality control and non-compliance details.
Templates of production forms, including size specifications sheets, fabric info sheets, purchase orders, packing lists, airfreight authorization, color way sheets, cost breakdown, letters of credit and more are included.
2/10/06

OptiTex Announces a New Distributor for Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Tel-Aviv, Israel - OptiTex Ltd, a developer of innovative, easy-to-operate Fashion Design Software, has recently appointed Kuris Spezialmaschinen GmbH of Germany to represent OptiTex in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In recent years OptiTex has been actively engaged in increasing its market share and expanding its distributor cycle in Asia, Europe and the US.
"Kuris is a valuable addition to our distributors' team", says Mr. Natan Mossak, VP Marketing and Sales for OptiTex. "With over 100 years of experience in this business, Kuris will further strengthen our presence in Europe and raise our market share thus improving revenue."
Kuris General Manager, Mr. Gerd Wiedmann said, "We are very excited with our new partnership with OptiTex. It will allow us to offer a more complete solution to our customers' cutting rooms".
2/7/06

NILIT of Israel to Purchase Interest in INVISTA European Nylon Apparel Business
INVISTA to focus on its LYCRA® spandex market leadership 
London – Nilit, a producer of Nylon, based in Israel, signed an agreement with Invista to acquire its nylon apparel facility in Oestringen, Germany and to buy Invista’s nylon apparel product, from Gloucester, U.K. 
Invista will continue to operate the apparel facility in Gloucester and sell all of its production through Nilit. Under the deal, Invista will grant NILIT an exclusive license for the trademarks Tactel, Cordura and Supplex in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“I am personally very committed to our agreement with Invista. The combination of Invista’s apparel fiber production, including its premier brands, with Nilit’s innovative Sensil specialty polyamide yarns, customized polymers, unique spinning techniques, innovation and history of long term relationships is very promising. It will help all our customers better meet the growing demands of an increasingly sophisticated consumer” said Michael Levi, Chairman of Nilit.
1/30/06

SDL Atlas Named Exclusive Agent For Tinius Olsen Universal Test Machines To Global Textile Industry
Charlotte, N.C.  – High-performance Tinius Olsen universal testing machines (UTMs) are now available exclusively to the global textile market through SDL Atlas. The distribution agreement was signed recently in London, U.K. 
Tinius Olsen offers UTMs in both single- and dual-column configurations. Designed for easy, accurate testing of tension, compression, flexure, shear and peel on all types of materials, the UTMs are factory-programmed with powerful TexMAT Pro testing software. The software contains actual test specifications, machine setup instructions and report formats for nearly 300 international textile testing methods.
1/30/06

Concept III Using TEXbase Marketing Manager to Maintain Personal Connection with Customers and Increase Speed to Market
Bozeman, Mont., - Established in 1983, Concept III Textiles, a world-wide resource for the development, sourcing and production of textiles and textile-based finished apparel products, has has implemented TEXbase Marketing Manager to strengthen its tradition of bringing innovation to the marketplace and to make it easier for its customers to build successful products.
With the integration of TEXbase Marketing Manager, Concept III will provide its geographically dispersed clients with access to its fabric library in real-time, via the Internet.  This online resource will enable customers to search for fabrics by construction, fiber, weight and technical features.  Customers can create their own swatch books that contain images and in-depth fabric specifications allowing for clear and concise communication with other team members and supply chain partners.
TEXbase Marketing Manager enables companies throughout the supply chain to capture mind share and increase market share.  This exclusive, online service provides companies with an internal tool used to manage customer and product data while dynamically integrating with a secure, self-service portal where customers can access information from the company's website. With the Marketing Manager Solution, companies are able to accelerate speed to market while helping to preserve brand integrity and build brand equity. 
TEXbase President, Joe Walkuski: "By using Marketing Manager, Concept III will be able to affect its bottom line with an increase in revenue and a reduction in data management costs.  It's a robust solution that can meet the needs of virtually any business competing in today's textile industry."
1/30/06

Jesta I.S. releases its latest Vision Merchandising solution, expanding the organizations ability to meet the needs of a wider range of retailers
New York, NY – Jesta I.S., a supplier of business solutions for the soft goods and specialty markets, announced today its latest release of Vision Merchandising which has been certified on Oracle’s 10g Application Server. New and improved functionality includes the ability to manage leased departments and consignment merchandise, promotional pricing models, expanded vendor and purchase order management features, additional replenishment algorithms for hard goods and, advanced features for decentralized buying.
Leslie Belcher, President of Jesta I.S. said, “This release of Vision Merchandising is a big step for Jesta and includes many features that allow us to expand our footprint to work with both domestic and international retailers with consignment, leased department, and hard goods requirements.”
1/13/06

Jesta I.S. announces modules for Quality Control and Social Compliance in its Supply Chain Management solution
New York, NY – Jesta I.S., a supplier of business solutions for the soft goods and specialty markets, introduces two new modules, Quality Control and Social Compliance. Vision SCM is compliant with the NRF size and color codes, and synchronizes information between Vision SCM and the other applications within the Vision Suite (Vision Merchandising and Vision Sourcing and Demand Management). This information can include delivery dates, actual quantity of product in production as well as each stage of production based on user defined workflow paths. The Application has also been certified on Oracle’s Application Server 10g.
“Vision Supply Chain Management (Vision SCM) enables partners throughout the supply chain to collaborate, track procedures, manage the bidding process, and now ensure the quality of products and that production facilities meet the social standards of today,” stated Leslie Belcher, President of Jesta I.S.
The Quality Control module is designed using workflow paths with quality checkpoints as user-defined steps to validate that goods are meeting associated quality ratings. This is critical to product sell-through, and to the reputation of the brand owner and retailer. The main objective of the Quality Control module is to provide insight into the quality of product by setting up processes to monitor and report on quality levels and approval thresholds resulting in reliable supplier ratings.
1/13/06

Textile Management Software Increases Speed of R&D for New Army Materials and Fabrics
Bozeman, Mont. -- At US Army Natick Soldier Center, a new software product developed by TEXbase of Bozeman, Mont., has been developed and tested. The software can reduce direct labor by 55 percent and greatly improve the speed with which new textiles can be engineered for Army use.
Under the cooperative R&D CRADA (cooperative research and development agreement), TEXbase supplied its novel software, installed the database, and provided training in its use to the lab personnel. Natick provided feedback on the utility, functionality, and special needs of the laboratory and helped TEXbase customize its product for the site. In the latest analysis of the project, the TEXbase Advance Textiles R&D software had improved Natick's speed of R&D, project reporting, and analytical capabilities of management. The net effect of these improvements is an increase in the efficiency of operation and a reduction in the overall cost of engineering new materials for the Army. TEXbase was also able to introduce and implement tablet PC compatibility along with the Advanced Textiles R&D software for Natick. Tablet PCs allow users to directly input information into a personal computer by using a pen to enter data on a special computer tablet. Overall, the step-saving software and tablet PC compatibility resulted in a 55 percent reduction in direct labor required to test, document, calculate, and report findings in the engineering of new Army materials.
1/13/06

[TC]² Announces Participation in MAGIC
Cary, NC - [TC]² will present seminars focusing on 3D measurement extraction technologies and improving customer service levels during MAGIC, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 20-24 ,2006.
On Tuesday, February 21st at 2 p.m., “Improving Fit Using 3D Technology” will provide an understanding of current 3D software for custom apparel applications. The 3D to 2D automatic pattern generation application converts 3D scan data into a flat pattern for slacks, and prepares slopers for skirts and blouses. This product is available as an extension of [TC]²’s 3D Body Measurement System software.
“It’s All About Service”, presented on Tuesday, February 22nd at 1 p.m., will discuss methodologies to improve service levels and gain greater customer satisfaction and retention.
Seminars will be held in the South Hall, First Level, Room MS114. [TC]² will also have booth space in the Info Hub area of the Sourcing Zone. For more details on MAGIC, visit www.magiconline.com.
1/12/06

Paxar Teams Up with Ultra Distributors, Inc. to Provide a Complete In-plant Printing System for Mattress Labels
White Plains, NY – Paxar, a provider of merchandising systems including bar code, RFID and identification technologies for leading apparel manufacturers and the retail supply chain, has teamed up with Ultra Distributors, Inc. to develop a complete mattress labeling system.  The partnership allows customers to print mattress labels in their own plants, affording greater flexibility, faster turnaround time and lower cost.
“This partnership allows us to offer customers a complete turnkey system comprised of labels, ink ribbons, machines, and software,” said Chris Eng, Product Manager for Paxar Corporation.  “Together, we are installing printers, training staff, and offering long-term maintenance and service packages to the world’s major retailers, brand apparel companies and contract manufacturers.”
The labeling system includes Paxar’s VantagePoint and PCMate Platinum software.  VantagePoint allows customers to receive data, manipulate information and transmit data to remote locations, while the PCMate Platinum software creates label layouts, plugs in variable data from print files and sends data to printers.
1/3/06

Lectra implements its new PLM solution at Mango
Paris - Lectra announces the signing of a major contract for the deployment of its
latest, comprehensive product lifecycle management (PLM) solution with Mango, an
international designer, manufacturer and retailer of women’s clothing and accessories. Intended to manage all collection development processes and optimize the collaborative work of all participants in the value chain on an enterprise level, Lectra’s leading-edge PLM solution will enable Mango to better develop, manage and control its collections. The solution will be implemented in close collaboration with Mango's specialized teams to ensure its perfect adaptation to the specific needs of the brand.
Entirely dedicated to the global fashion industry, Lectra’s new PLM solution offers the broadest capabilities for managing the full scope of activities across the product lifecycle in today’s permanently renewing collection process. Its strategic, transversal approach to information and process management places it at the heart of a company’s development.
With this new PLM offering—which will be officially launched at the beginning of 2006—Lectra brings a powerful response to major challenges, such as the multiplication of product lines and consideration of the number and geographical location of collaborators involved in collection development.
“We are very pleased that Mango has chosen us to be the partner of its impressive expansion,” said Lectra’s CEO, Daniel Harari. “PLM is a strategic priority for Lectra. This breakthrough technology is the result of our unmatched experience in the global fashion domain and is powered by more than 100 PLM-dedicated R&D engineers. Our new PLM offering is representative of all the added value that Lectra brings to its customers: market expertise, a profound knowledge of their processes, an understanding of the new challenges to their business models, and the ability to deliver innovative, state-of-the-art technologies that help companies meet their strategic objectives.”
1/3/06

Yunique Solutions to Deliver eWarna Color Functions inside PLM
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and New York, NY – eWarna, a provider of  online color management solutions (CMS), and Yunique Solutions, a developer of product lifecycle management (PLM) and digital asset management (DAM) solutions for the fashion and related industries, announce an integration and distribution agreement that paves the way for Yunique to market and deliver advanced online color collaboration tools powered by eWarna’s patented Online Color Exchange (OCX)™ as an integrated component of its popular plmOn™ solution.
eWarna's on demand web services will allow Yunique plmOn customers to seamlessly store, retrieve, compare and share precise digital color information in the eWarna OCX. Using plmOn’s proven collaboration and workflow tools, users can then communicate digitized color standards, receive/submit color submissions (lab or bulk dips) through industry standard file formats, set approval tolerances and keep detailed records of all color approvals. These color-specific capabilities are critical to driving time and cost out of the product lifecycle of apparel and other fashion-related products.
1/3/06