News for June 2006

BASF and Stork Digital Imaging Launch Co-Branded Pigment Ink Solution at ITM Istanbul 2006
Ludwigshafen, Germany and Boxmeer, Netherlands: Two major players in the textile printing industry – BASF, a leading chemical company, and Stork Digital Imaging, leading supplier of printing solutions for the textile and graphic industries – combine their expertise to develop a complete, easy-to-use, high-performance pigment ink solution for the digital textile printer. The new pigment ink solution makes its world début at ITM 2006 in Istanbul taking place end of June.
The newpigment ink has a larger colour gamut and higher speed performance. The external ink system guarantees a smooth, uninterrupted and stable ink supply, so nozzle performance is optimized throughout the longest of production runs.
The new pigment ink is calibrated for the Stork PrinterServer software, ensuring reproducibility between individual print runs, along with an extensive back-up from BASF and Stork’s global support networks.
Comments Dr. Gernot Diehlmann, head of BASF´s Ink Jet business: “With Stork's excellent reputation and extensive system integration expertise, we have found an ideal partner for the further evolution of digital textile printing."
This collaboration signifies the first step towards a long-term partnership between the two corporations, with the aim of further enhancing the joint textile pigment ink programme.
Fred Boes, managing director of Stork Digital Imaging, comments: “Our machine knowledge coupled with BASF’s know-how in pigment ink forms an ideal strategic fit. We are delighted to be pooling our resources in this way, and look forward to building a long standing relationship that will help us both deliver enhanced solutions to the textile printing industry.”
6/27/06

OptiTex Unveils a New Technology for Flattening Of   Three-Dimensional Objects
Petach Tikva, Israel, - OptiTex, a leading provider of software for the fashion and textile industries, today announced that it has developed a new technology, which enables the flattening of three-dimensional objects. The technology is applicable to a broad range of industries and applications, including textile and manufacturing, car seats for the automotive industry, aeronautics, filmmaking, computer gaming and more.
OptiTex's new technology enables on-screen transformation of three-dimensional objects' surface into two-dimensional patterns that make up the upholstered object. Currently, the traditional way of upholstering car seats in the automotive industry is achieved mainly by manual techniques that involve the use of a piece of fabric or paper and a chalk or pen to trace the segments off the actual seat.
The new technology allows the user to delineate the target areas of the object on screen and then perform an accurate and fast calculation of the two-dimensional shapes needed for production.
"The new technology strengthens our competitive edge by providing production-supporting solutions to the textile industry and for other related applications and industries," said Ran Machtinger, CEO of OptiTex. "The development process has been completed and this technology is now being implemented into our future products," he added.
6/26/06

NCSU Partners with Datatex to Support ERP for Textiles
  Alpharetta, GA - Datatex TIS, Inc., an ERP solution provider specializing in textile and apparel applications, will be partnering with North Carolina State University’s School of Textiles to install the J2EE, object-oriented version of their ERP package in the Textile Management Sciences Lab on the NCSU Centennial Campus.  This new version of the package is marketed under the NOW brand, an acronym for Network Oriented World.  The NOW product is designed to work seamlessly on all platforms (including AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, MS Windows, OS/400 and i5/OS) and will be the first truly integrated open solution available for textile and rolled-product applications.  It also has been designed to utilize open middleware products such as IBM’s DB2 and Websphere.
The software will be teamed in the Management Sciences Lab with an IBM x-series server, utilizing dual Xeon processors, DB2 database and Websphere application server and a number of client PC’s.  Along with the network described above, the lab will feature data-collection equipment and RFID readers to simulate live applications involving both manufacturing and product distribution.  It will be used to teach courses on the undergraduate and graduate level and to host seminars for managers employed in the target industries.  These seminars will be organized around ERP and manufacturing systems’ overviews, or could be tailored toward specific topics or demonstrations to meet the needs of a company or manufacturing segment.  The flexibility of the Datatex package, in combination with the expertise and experience of the NCSU faculty and students make a complete range of applications possible.
“We want to offer both students and industry practitioners the opportunity to see a world class example of ERP for the textile industry and like products,” states Dr. George L. Hodge, Associate Professor of Textiles for NCSU, “which is why we chose to partner with Datatex.  We have used their software in the past, and with the introduction of their new, J2EE version, we feel that we will provide all participants an opportunity to understand the functionality and capabilities of a world-class solution.”
6/15/06

Tradecard Helps J. Jill Automate Payment Processes, Cut Costs, and Standardize Global Trade
New York– TradeCard Inc., a provider of on-demand supply chain automation products, announced today that multi-channel retailer J. Jill has gone live on the TradeCard Platform to optimize financial transactions in its global supply chain. J. Jill’s rollout was completed in less than 90 days.
TradeCard’s offering of technology, extensive trade network, financial services and global support enables its users to obtain complete visibility from procurement to payment, streamline discrepancy negotiation and better manage payment authorization.
“J. Jill is a forward looking retailer that has clearly grasped the TradeCard vision of synchronizing the physical and financial supply chain to optimize the flow of cash and goods,” said Kurt Cavano, CEO of TradeCard. “TradeCard automates payments based on terms set up by the user and allows suppliers to know what day they will get paid for a shipment. As a result, all parties involved in a transaction are better able to forecast cash requirements. Financial services available on TradeCard enable paperless invoice financing programs that help suppliers get paid faster, including cash management tools that provide central access to information and opportunities to further reduce costs.”
The TradeCard Platform provides flexibility and scalability to implement strategic initiatives in the future, such as early payment programs, to further improve margins. Users are able to easily add new suppliers to their systems.
6/13/06

You Wear US Well™ is Focus of Foreign Buyer Program at MAGIC
The US Department of Commerce is organizing a Foreign Buyer Program August 28-31 in Las Vegas during MAGIC. One of its main stops will be the “You Wear US Well™“ booth sponsored by The Hosiery Association (THA), the Hosiery Technology Center (HTC), and SEAMS (The National Association for the Sewn Products Industries).  ”We feel that this is a fantastic opportunity to show off the capabilities of the US industry in the areas of quality and quick delivery. This is a unique joint effort between different segments of the US sewn products industry working together for the greater good. We at the HTC are proud to be a part of this initiative,” offered Dan St. Louis of the HTC.
The sixteen US based apparel and hosiery companies will be exposed to foreign buyers, representatives, and distributors from all over the world recruited by the Department of Commerce (DOC) US Commercial Specialists staff from their offices in more than 150 cities overseas. Additionally, DOC will provide these participating companies access to hundreds of current international trade leads, hands-on export counseling, marketing analysis, matchmaking services, and the use of an on-site International Business Center.
6/12/06

Kessler Earns Innovation Award at IMB
Atlanta, GA – The Kessler Group of Companies was officially acknowledge for its contribution at the Innovation Awards held at the world-famous Cathedral in Cologne, Germany. Kessler submitted an ergonomic worktable, both electrically adjustable in height and tilt angle of work surface – simply by pushing a button.
Kessler is a provider of top quality ergonomic machine stands, sewing machine pedal systems and components. The modular design of products enables hundreds of configurations as well as customized solutions for various industries.
6/8/06

OptiTex Launches Comprehensive Solution for Computer-aided Garment Design and Visualization on Virtual Models
Petach Tikva, Israel - OptiTex, a provider of software for the fashion and textile industries, announced a comprehensive industrial solution for the production and evaluation of customized garments. The solution allows to simulate the look of the finished garment, including the fall of the fabric, with the help of virtual models, as well as to design virtual catwalks by means of immediate, intuitive interface. The solution was debuted at the mega textile exhibition IMB in Köln, Germany. A clip demonstrating the system is available on OptiTex's website.
The new OptiTex system, which integrates the different OptiTex modules into a unique solution, is designed to shorten the garment production cycle, simplify processes and minimize production costs. It consists of four key elements: A CAD (Computer-aided Design) for pattern design; Modulate Made-to-Measure, a parameter-based modeling tool which enables the customization of basic patterns to varying parameters; 3D Runway – a virtual "try it on" system that simulates the worn garments on three-dimensional mannequins according to user defined parameters and an animation engine which allows the creation of virtual catwalks and motion sequences for the dressed virtual models.
"Time to market plays an increasingly important role in the fast-changing ready-to-wear industry. This makes OptiTex' advanced solutions a necessity so to survive in today's market," said Ran Machtinger, CEO of OptiTex. "In addition to providing an excellent tool for precise design of production process, the new solution is an effective marketing and sales aid to the various departments" he added.
6/7/06

3P’s Grand Format Products Now Available in the US
Germany - 3P InkJet Textiles takes 98” and 122” wide TruColor fabrics into American stock. 3P has found best practice delivery solutions for their customers,  ensuring product protection for transport by careful packing and short time delivery at minimum costs via overnight or three-day shipping for larger width fabric.
TruColor fabrics are the right textiles for printing with solvent, eco-solvent, UV-curable inks or solvent-based direct sublimation ink. 3P’s TruColor line is famous for ease of use, detailed printing and luminous colors.
6/7/06

Dream Digital Announces its Fully Vertical, High-Speed Digital Fabric Printing Facility
Orangeburg NY, – Dream Digital Fabric Printing Service has launched the first fully vertical, high-speed fabric printing facility in North America located in Orangeburg, NY, just north of New York City.
The facility currently houses two Reggiani Dream machines. This advanced system for digital fabric printing increases traditional printing speeds by more than ten-fold, topping 100 square meters per hour on 72-inch widths. The printing system is suitable for a wide range of textile applications, including banners, wallpaper and display fabrics or the more traditional applications for home textiles and the fashion industry.
“This new printing facility will revolutionize the ability to produce printed fabrics in North America,” noted Victoria D’Angelo, product development director, Dream Digital. “In terms of capacity and speed, it is the first application of production level digital printing available as a service bureau, opening up a myriad of new possibilities and product applications for a wide variety of industries. We are no longer subject to the previous limitations of traditional digital printing equipment.”
The ability to immediately customize images on longer length fabrics or full fabric rolls elevates the world of digital fabric printing to a host of new applications, not limited to ‘sample cuts.’ It also opens the market to fully finished, short-run production applications.
According to D’Angelo, Dream Digital will have a tremendous impact on the North American market because of its ability to offer high-speed production and sample printing domestically. She believes this will result in new support services and product development specifically for high-speed digital printing.
6/6/06

Tukatech Now Positioned to Support Explosive Growth in Sri Lanka
Colombo-Sri Lanka - Tukatech has opened a new training, support and service center in Colombo. Remarked Miss Thushara DeSilva, Managing Director, TUKAgroup, Sri Lanka,  “Our new TUKAcenter is ideal for smaller companies who cannot afford expensive plotters and digitizers or do not have their use for the full day. So many small companies are signed up for training and services, too.”
6/6/06

New Covert Security Technologies for ComfortTag™ Heat Transfers Include DNA Option
Westlake Village, Calif.—Avery Dennison ComfortTag™ heat transfers used in apparel, footwear and linens can now be sourced with one of several new ink-based, covert (non-visible) security technologies that defend against counterfeiting and diversion. The technologies include an option whereby security ink is loaded with a DNA component.
The covert technology was introduced by Avery Dennison Retail Information Services in support of a growing trend among brand owners to migrate from woven and printed labels to tagless labeling, a category that includes heat transfers. It complements overt security techniques, such as microline coding, which entails the application of codes in microscopic print.
“Brand owners can now choose to identify their merchandise with the high definition and brilliant imaging of ComfortTag heat transfers without sacrificing the covert security they enjoyed with more conventional labels,” reports Sharon Dalton, product marketing manager for Avery Dennison Retail Information Services. “Or they may opt to employ a combination of overt and covert securities or periodically switch from one security technology to another. Loss prevention experts advise switching security technologies or changing the location of security devices at least once every year to help thwart counterfeiting. The use of additional security devices, such as security-enabled hang tags, is yet another way to enrich the security mix. Avery Dennison RIS’ new ink-based security technologies, including the DNA option, can be deployed with hang tags, woven labels, printed fabric labels and most other conventional labels.”
6/6/06

First2Print Donates Digital Printing Services to Parsons The New School for Design Annual Benefit and Fashion Show Honoring Oscar de la Renta
New York, NY— First2Print, a supplier of large-format fabric printing services, collaborated with Parsons The New School for Design, for the school’s 58th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show  honoring Oscar de la Renta.  The fashion show featured the best collections of Parsons graduating fashion design students — with one of the top graduating senior projects digitally printed by First2Print on its silk charmeuse. 
"Our students are constantly pushing the limits of creativity," said Maura Jurgrau, fashion design digital coordinator for Parsons The New School for Design.  "With the digital fabric print services from First2Print, one of our outstanding seniors had the ability to not only design a show garment but to advance to another level by designing customized textiles as well."
“First2Print was pleased to participate in the highly regarded Parsons The New School of Design benefit program as the funds go toward scholarships and academic programs,” said Danielle Locastro, director of operations for First2Print.  “By donating our services and fabrics, we were able to give one of the top graduating seniors additional creative flexibility to take their garment project and truly customize it without design, color, or fabric limitations.”
6/5/06

Trident Launches New Fabricfast Ultra™ Pigment Ink Jet Inks
Brookfield, CT. - Trident announces the launch of its new set of FabricFast Ultra™ Pigment Ink Jet Inks with binders. This next generation, water-based, pigment textile ink jet ink is significantly improved from the previous FabricFast Pigment inks providing more brilliant colors and enhanced wash fastness on untreated fabrics, even cotton and natural fibers (wash fast rating of 4 out of possible 5). FabricFast Ultra is available in CYMK, cyan light, magenta light, grey, as well as spot colors orange, blue, red and green to further increase color gamut.
FabricFast ink provides the soft hand of dye-based inks with the wash fastness and light fastness of pigment inks in an ecologically friendly water-base. Unlike dye-based inks, these FabricFast Ultra inks require no expensive steamers to bind inks to the fabric and can be cured through simple heat fixation. This streamlines the curing process and enables better job to job consistency without the color differences experienced from the variability of the steaming process.
"FabricFast Ultra provides the textile market with the capability to produce brilliant textiles, even on natural fibers, simply and economically," says Steve Liker, Trident Business Manager for Textiles. "Trident has created this next generation of FabricFast based on experience gained with the original FabricFast pigments launched a year ago. By listening to our customer base we’ve further improved the color vividness and color gamut, significantly improved the wash fastness all on untreated fabrics and created a highly effective solution for the rapidly growing digital textile market."
6/5/06

AMR Research’s Kevin O’Marah to Deliver Keynote on Fast Fashion at Apparel’s 2006 Tech Conference
Columbia, SC —Kevin O’Marah, Vice President of Strategic Research for AMR Research, will deliver the opening-day Keynote, “Fast Fashion & Technology: Promise or Peril,” at the 2006 Apparel Tech Conference, to be held November 8-9 at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, NY.
“The term ‘fast fashion’ is heard so frequently as a supply-chain strategy to emulate, and at the same time, a variety of tools, from PLM to lead-time optimization analytics to ERP systems, is showcased as a means to achieve this speed,” said Susan Black, Apparel’s Publisher. “We are pleased to have someone with Kevin’s level of expertise to speak to the business promise of fast fashion, as well as to the potential pitfalls of misjudging the technology investments that are supposed to deliver it.”
O’Marah’s Keynote will kick off the Apparel Tech Conference on November 8 at 1:30 p.m. The Conference also will feature 32 educational sessions focused on the topics of Design and Product Development; Manufacturing; Information Technology; Sourcing, Logistics, Transportation; and Retailing. A Networking Reception for all attendees will be held immediately following the final sessions on November 8.
Leading vendors will exhibit on both days of the Conference, previewing new solutions, products and services designed to drive apparel and retail companies’ competitiveness.
[TC]² is an official endorser of the Apparel Tech Conference.
Registration for the Conference is free to apparel, retail and soft goods executives. A portion of the proceeds from the event’s sponsorships will benefit the scholarship initiatives of FIT’s Production Management program. To register or for sponsorship information, visit www.apparelmag.com.
6/1/06