It is rare today that a person spends their entire career servicing one industry. This is something people in the industry recognize of Sam Simpson who announced his plans to retire from Gerber. “When someone spends more than 47 years in an industry, it becomes a part of them”, stated Sam Simpson, vice president of global strategic accounts at Gerber.

Even though Simpson will retire from Gerber, he will continue to serve as a consultant to the company providing insights on customer needs and trends, maintaining and strengthening key partnerships, providing oversight on software compliance, as well as serving as a special advisor to the CEO.

“It has been a privilege to work alongside Sam and learn about the industry”, said Peter Morrissey, senior vice president global sales at Gerber. “Sam’s knowledge of the industry, customers and markets is unparalleled and we thank him for his years of service.”

Sam will continue to hold his position as chairman for the Sewn Products Equipment Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), a position he was elected to in 2016. SPESA is one of the organizations he has supported throughout his career by representing Gerber on the board since 2000.

Sam’s retirement comes after a long and prosperous career in the sewn products industries. He began his career at G&H Manufacturing Co., a division of Genesco, where he participated on the team that pioneered the first automated grading and marking system, including the development of the first laser cutter for apparel applications. Sam joined Gerber through the acquisition of Hughes Aircraft Company AM-1 system. Throughout his tenure at Gerber, he held various positions including vice president/general manager of the Americas, vice president of global sales, director/general manager of the international division and several technical and marketing roles. Sam was integral in the expansion of Gerber’s international business activities in the European, Asian and Latin America regions.

About Gerber Technology
Gerber Technology delivers industry-leading software and automation solutions that help apparel and industrial customers improve their manufacturing and design processes and more effectively manage and connect the supply chain, from product development and production to retail and the end customer. Gerber serves 78,000 customers in 130 countries, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies in apparel and accessories, home and leisure, transportation, packaging and sign and graphics.

Based in Connecticut in the USA, Gerber Technology is owned by AIP, a New York-based, global private equity firm specializing in the technology sector and has more than $3.0 billion assets under management. Visit www.gerbertechnology.com for more information.

Het bericht After Nearly 50 Years of Leadership, Gerber’s Sam Simpson Retires verscheen eerst op IAF.

Now a days it is essential to keep up with the new technologies that surge in order to advance and grow in an ever-changing market. For this reason, the theme that will inspire the twenty-eighth edition of Colombiamoda is ‘The New Game’. An invitation for entrepreneurs to adopt new technologies and methods that facilitate the interpretation of a changing consumer and the prediction of the markets, favoring innovation and the evolution of each brand’s DNA.

We extend an invitation for you to join us for an event full of life, culture, fashion, and experience on July 25, 26, and 27, 2017. Go to our website, www.colombiamoda.com, and fill out the registration to get your badge. In case you cannot make it, you can stay up to date with Colombiamoda on our website as well. We sincerely hope to see you there!

Het bericht   Colombiamoda verscheen eerst op IAF.

A series of fashion shows and exhibition booths will be held concurrently during the Macao Fashion Festival 2017. Through this series of activities, we are going to show the latest fashion developments and trends in Macau to the world.

Fashion shows and Booths are now accepting applications until 01^st Aug, 2017. Brochures and application details can be downloaded from www.cpttm.org.mo .

Please contact Ms Laney Ng and Ms Ian Mak at 8898 0701 or email: cfi-laney@cpttm.org.mo , cfi-ian@cpttm.org.mo  for enquiry.

Het bericht “Macao Fashion Festival 2017” now accepting applications verscheen eerst op IAF.

• 38% state that they follow these instructions in order to avoid washing problems such as
  shrinking, in the first place
• 31% follow them in order to preserve their clothes and keep them longer, as a second reason

Overall, Europeans consider labels as too cumbersome and 62% admit cutting them out: for 74% of them, the labels itch and irritate their skin and for another 55%, they are often too long and uncomfortable. These results can differ from one European country to another. However, the presence of the label is a real purchasing criterion since 80% of Europeans state that they would never or rarely buy a piece of clothing without a label.

Internet and smartphones: true virtual partners for textile labels
Here’s from a positive perspective: when solving a specific washing issue or when faced with symbols that they don’t understand, 53% of respondents are curious about their meaning and automatically look them up on the Internet: 39% use a computer and 21% use their smartphone.

Ironing and washing symbols are the most recognized by Europeans!

Percentage of Europeans who correctly associate the symbol with the corresponding care instruction:
 Ironing: 97%
 Washing: 91%
 Bleaching: 33%
 Drying: 32%
 Professional cleaning: 21%

The study reveals that the ironing and washing symbols are the ones that are best understood by our neighbors: scoring respectively 97% and 91%.
The three other symbols remain unclear to consumers:

• The professional cleaning symbol is the least understood with
  21% Europeans who interpret it properly
• 39% do not know what the bleaching symbol stands for
• 45% do not know what the drying symbol means

The same is true for special features such as underscores under the symbols, noticed by only 1 out of 4 Europeans.
On the other hand, the dots inside the ironing and/or the dryer drum symbols go more noticed, with one out of two Europeans (54%) who actually see them.

Eco-care, a major issue for European consumers!
The IPSOS study reveals that 84% of Europeans feel concerned about water and energy savings. And among Europeans who feel concerned, 90% take specific eco-actions when caring for their textile products.
It is worth mentioning that European consumers already seem to adopt the proper eco-habits when caring for their textiles.

• 62% choose “natural drying as soon as possible”
• 61% do “mainly low temperature washes”
• 44% use the “Eco program”

GINETEX values eco-caring for textiles, in particular via its clevercare.info logo, already used by a number of major international brands, in addition to the 5 textile-care symbols. With its own site dedicated to the general public, this logo’s objective is to raise awareness and to inform consumers about the simple and easy actions to adopt for textile eco-caring. “The results of this GINETEX-IPSOS barometer are positive and encouraging. They reflect the fundamental role of GINETEX and that of our international committees who work to increase the understanding of textile care symbols. Our mission is to work on a long-term basis – an effort also confronted with obstacles such as the misinterpretation of symbols and the removal of labels.

Together with our member brands, we must continue to reinforce our actions with the general public to ensure all our symbols (and special features) are understood by all, throughout the world. Our permanent goal of standardizing and harmonizing our textile care labeling system worldwide contributes to this improvement every day”, says Adam Mansell, President of GINETEX.

Study Methodology:
In this study, a sample of 6,000 people from Ipsos’ Online Access Panel, aged between 18 and 65 and representative of the European population was surveyed for the following countries: Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The survey was conducted online in December 2016.

About GINETEX
Ginetex, the International Association for Textile Care Labelling, was first founded in Paris in 1963 following several international Symposiums for Textile Care Labelling at the end of the 1950’s. GINETEX has devised an internationally applicable care labelling system for textiles based on symbols. The pictograms used are registered trademarks and are the GINETEX property. The care labelling system gives consumers and textile companies the correct information on the care treatment of textile products. The processes indicated by the symbols will avoid any irreversible damage to the product. GINETEX is composed by 21 national organisation members. These organisations represent all interested parties concerned with textile care and labelling.

Het bericht In partnership with IPSOS, GINETEX presents the outcomes of its European barometer: “Europeans and textile care labeling” verscheen eerst op IAF.

The U.K. lies in 3rd place when ranking the EU27s most important trade partners in textile and clothing goods. On average the U.K. imported products almost 10 billion € worth from the EU 27, while its exports amounted to 6.2 billion € in the same period (2014 – 2016). The textile and clothing industries of the EU 27 and other European neighbouring countries on the one hand and the U.K. on the other hand are closely interlinked in terms of supply chains, foreign direct investments and exchange of workers. It is thus in the common interest of the U.K. and the EU27 industries to plead in favour of a smart and smooth BREXIT, enabling the current highly integrated supply chains to keep on working smoothly from fibres to end products.

Read the full Euratex Position paper on Brexit here.

Het bericht Euratex Brexit Position Paper: FOR A SMART AND SMOOTH BREXIT verscheen eerst op IAF.

Ideally, the need for speed starts with the brand and/or retailer reacting to consumer demand. Getting apparel to consumers quickly is in itself meaningless. A consumer doesn’t care about the duration of the journey from cotton seed to shelf of the product he or she buys. A consumer wants to find the right products for the right price in the store. Depending on the role of a product within a total collection, making this happen requires different supply chain logics. The basic white shirt in the collection can take a little more time to reach the store, but the unexpected high demand for purple shirts must be met quickly. So speed is used only when necessary.

New ZARA disctribution centre in Zaragoza

And when it is necessary, speed is mainly achieved by creating smarter and more agile supply chains. Simply trying to do everything faster is a recipe for creating unsustainable stress, mostly on manufacturers. A smarter and more agile supply chain can only be made through collaboration between the buyer and the supplier. It requires mutual investments and a longer term outlook. But if done correctly, the right use of speed is sure to deliver extra value to the supply chain. Rather than creating unsustainable stress it creates financial room also for manufacturers to invest back in labour conditions.

The IAF is leading a project funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and carried out with Bangladeshi member BGMEA and with ILO Better Work. It is aimed at developing a training course on buyer – supplier collaboration and the element of speed to market will of course be a major element of this course. And with several of its association members the IAF works on strategic planning including knowledge transfer on achieving ‘the right kind of speed.’

Het bericht Speed to market: achieving ‘the right kind of speed’ verscheen eerst op IAF.

The IAF’s 33rd World Fashion Convention, to be held in Rio de Janeiro on October 16-18 2017, will feature a very strong and interesting line-up of speakers, many from the world’s major apparel retailers and brands. The theme of the Convention is ‘compliance and technology – key drivers for industry and retail’. Therefore, we are proud to be able to present speakers that will give delegates cutting edge examples of how the apparel industry is dealing with the most interesting advances in technology and sustainability.

PVH
Marissa Pagnani, PVH’s Group Vice President Corporate Responsibility will demonstrate why PVH has a leading role among large apparel corporations in the field of social responsibility and sustainability as recognized by the 2015 Corporate Responsibility Magazine “100 Best Corporate Citizens List,” with the #2 ranking in the Human Rights category. Fitting for a cutting-edge approach to compliance is PVH’s commitment to moving beyond compliance by enhancing remediation and capacity-building.

Esquel
Esquel is one of the world’s larger manufacturers with a production of over 100 million pieces and well over 57000 employees. The CEO of Esquel, John Cheh, will explain how Esquel today sets a positive example by proving that a company can be both profitable and committed to sustainability and worker welfare. Mr. Cheh will provide a great practical example of how technology can be used to achieve this goal and how a commitment to operational excellence stands at the heart of this strategy.

Hugo Boss
Joachim Hensch, Managing Director Hugo Boss Textile Industries and heading in this capacity Hugo Boss’s largest owned factory in Turkey is perfectly positioned to share with the Convention’s delegates how technology is driving operational excellence. Having presided over the excellence of the product itself Mr. Hensch now is devoted to the excellence of the manufacturing process. He will give us his vision of how industry 4.0 and particularly the digitalization of production processes is able to boost productivity and flexibility.

Sewbo
Jon Zornow is the owner and founder of Sewbo. He has shaken the apparel industry with his invention of a sewing robot that uses a revolutionary stiffening process. This allows panels of clothing to be handled by the robot as if they were car parts. Sewbo has made the industry realise that the future may very well bring a much more automised and less labour intensive apparel industry. Mr. Zornow will be able to share with us his vision of the apparel industry perhaps partly shaped by his own invention.

For more information and registration please visit https://www.iafconventionbrazil.com.br/
Please not that early registers who register before July 31^st receive a special discount.

Het bericht 33rd IAF World Fashion Convention Rio de Janeiro: Speakers verscheen eerst op IAF.

Read the full article on www.just-style.com/news 

Het bericht Netherlands and Italy sign garment industry MoU verscheen eerst op IAF.

This year, the IAF will host the convention in Rio de Janeiro, along with the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (ABIT). Founded in 1957, one of the most important industry associations in Brazil, representing an industry which directly employs 1.5 million people, generating an annual revenue of US$ 40 billion (2015).

Compliance and Technology – Key Drivers for Industry and Retail The theme of this edition is Compliance and Technology – Key Drivers for Industry and Retail The Convention has the function of informing, inspiring and providing a meeting platform for apparel executives from all continents. National and international speakers will present and discuss responsible business conduct (labor, social, environmental, legal), as well as technological megatrends and their possible impacts on the production and distribution chain. Naturally, also this year, the IAF Convention in more than a conference, with the IAF Golf Tournament, a great partner program and dinners and cocktails in a truly gorgeous setting, the Convention is still one of the world’s best networking opportunities for the global apparel industry.

Brazilian Textile and Apparel Sector The Brazilian Textile and Apparel Sector stands out in the world not only thanks to its professionalism, creativity and technology, but also by the size of its textile facilities: it is the fifth largest textile and the fourth largest clothing industry in the world and the second largest denim producer. Self-sufficient in cotton production, Brazil produces 5,5 billion garments per year, being a worldwide reference in beachwear, jeanswear, and homewear. Other segments are also gaining international market shares such as womenswear, menswear, children’s wear, fitness, and underwear.

About the convention The IAF World Fashion Convention is an annual event that brings together representatives of the main companies and their associations in the apparel industry, as well as authorities, academic institutions and major suppliers from all over the world. The conventions have the dual function of informing and inspiring delegates and of providing a meeting platform for industry leaders from all continents.

For more information and registration, please visit https://www.iafconventionbrazil.com.br

Het bericht Earlybird registration 33rd IAF World Fashion Convention verscheen eerst op IAF.

That’s the message Gerber Technology delivered at the 2017 Texprocess tradeshow in Frankfurt, Germany on May 9 through 12.

Though lagging a bit compared to other industries, the fashion industry is on the verge of a huge digital technology revolution. Today, everyone in the industry – from major players to small startup labels – is talking about the industry’s digital transformation and how it can revolutionize the way garments are designed, created, and purchased.

Mohit Uberoi, new CEO of Gerber Technology having taken office recently (s. separate press release), says the shift is driven by a more tech-savvy customer base, a faster “fast fashion” cycle, and the need to solve massive inventory and returns issues.

“For hundreds of years, the fashion and apparel industry has ’chased the needle’ in pursuit of lower costs,” Uberoy says. “Today, as fashion cycles get shorter and more customers buy online, companies are getting crushed by having the wrong inventory and customer returns. Now, with advances in technology especially for flexible materials, companies are turning to digital technologies to solve these problems.”

The event in Frankfurt was an opportunity for Gerber to demonstrate to industry leaders how easy it can be to connect systems, allowing data to flow seamlessly from design and development all the way through their supply chain, leveraging software and IoT technologies to enhance visibility and efficiency. To accompany and consult individual transformation processes at the single user is Gerber’s defined objective here. Therefore, Gerber has developed its Texprocess presentations around the theme of “Embrace Your Digital Reality.”

The new theme was developed as a way to show the industry that anyone can leverage digital technology and cutting-edge solutions. The ‘Your’ in ‘Embrace Your Digital Reality’ is critical. This is about the democratization of fashion and apparel so that anyone in the world no matter where they are, technology-wise, can reap the benefits digital solutions have to offer and it was that theme having been discussed as well over panel discussion on the occasion of Gerber’s press reception at Texprocess 2017 (s. separate fact sheet  – The Panelists for more information on that and photos attached.)

“Everyone is in a different place when it comes to technology. But we believe that Gerber can help all companies work to embrace these new solutions and move forward.” Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh adds that the globally present company has made it a priority to ensure that its technology solutions are within reach of anyone who wants them. “Our goal is to make these technologies easy to buy, easy to consume, and easy to use even if you are a small- or medium-sized company,” says the Marketing Director EMEA.

At this year’s Texprocess, Gerber showcased its Digital Solutions including the newest releases of YuniquePLM® product lifecycle management software, as well as AccuMark® the industry-leading pattern design, grading, marker making and production planning software, AccuMark 3D and AccuPlan. Since Gerber’s Digital Solutions architecture uses common file structures, data can easily be passed to the cut room, where smart machines, like the GERBERspreader XLs series and Gerber Paragon® line of multi-ply GERBERcutters®, can process the order with a simple barcode scan. A closed-loop, end-to-end Digital Solution like Gerber’s, that integrates software and smart machines, allows companies to automate their entire process and streamline data and workflow necessary to provide insight, maximize throughput, minimize errors and reduce labor costs to be competitive in mass production environments.

Presentations by Gerber experts at on-site supporting events during Texprocess included:

• Changing the Game – Extending the Boundaries of Supply-Chain-Visibility,
• Software Solution – Process – The Human Factor: How to get everybody on Board,
• Smart factory: Technology enabling digitization of the apparel industry,
• Technology and its Impact on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

About Gerber Technology

Gerber Technology delivers industry-leading software and automation solutions that help apparel and industrial customers improve their manufacturing and design processes and more effectively manage and connect the supply chain, from product development and production to retail and the end customer. Gerber serves 78,000 customers in 130 countries, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies in apparel & accessories, home and leisure, transportation, packaging and sign and graphics.

Based in Connecticut in the USA, Gerber Technology is owned by AIP, a New York-based, global private equity firm specializing in the technology sector and has more than $3.0 billion assets under management. Visit www.gerbertechnology.com for more information.

Het bericht Gerber Technology Makes it Easy to “Embrace Your Digital Reality” Company Will Showcase Digital Solutions at 2017 Texprocess Tradeshow verscheen eerst op IAF.