Changes happening in the major garment supplier countries will have a big impact on buyers between now and 2015, says Mike Flanagan, CEO of leading garment industry trade specialist Clothesource.
The Chinese one-child policy, combined with improved health and longevity among the older generation will put pressure on the younger generation to stay close to aged parents, says Flanagan, reducing the mobility of the Chinese population and leading to labour shortages. This could mark the beginning of a new policy which develops high-tech manufacturing in preference to labour intensive garment production, he added.
Changes to customs rules, in particular rules of origin, could also have a big impact.
The Clothesource report is essential reading for anyone involved in garment sourcing and contains an analysis of 80 countries, and the impact that likely changes will have on their garment industry.
The report is available from Clothesource http://www.clothesource.net/go/our-publications/the-world-in-2012 and normally costs GBP500 but Clothesource is offering it at the special price of GBP400 till June 30th

Clothesource Limited, based in Charlbury, Oxford, UK and Bucharest, Romania, provides the world’s leading apparel retailers, brands and exporters with market intelligence on textile and apparel sourcing. Its website (www.clothesource.com) has probably the world’s deepest and mosty comprehensive information on apparel sourcing and manufacturing For further information, contact Mikle Flanagan at +44 1608 810153

Evoking a land of endless sky and sand, Saniya Khan’s collection at Toronto’s Fashion Week made it seem easy to take a vacation from your wardrobe.

Crafted with sumptuous fabrics and and loose-fitting lines, the designer, who is based in Toronto but notes that her roots are in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Eastern Persia, put together a no-fuss line that is nonetheless a departure from the everyday.

The melting pot of her ancestry extended to her unique mix of fabrics such as man-made tulle and fur with varying techniques such as ruching and embroidery.

“The goal was to mix — I love to mix textures,” said Khan after the show on Day 3 of LG Fashion Week.

The collection was created for a “contemporary woman,” she added.

Saturated hues of rust red and deep blue seemed to change colour with every new fabric that came down the runway, as they ranged from silk velvet to chiffon to wool to cashmere.

Floor-skimming flowing suits that allowed freedom of movement and tie waists that signified simplicity contrasted leopard-printed dresses of sheer fabrics to encompass the whole of a woman’s life.

Details that were almost Victorian in origin — embroidery, golden embellishments and long luxurious scarves — worked with style elements from other eras, like stitched patchwork, bell sleeves and pearlized buttons for a hint of glam.

The cuts were often generous, with flowing kimono-like sleeves, and blouses extending to the knee.

Khan’s background as a textile designer was apparent in the clothing’s artisanal quality, patchwork elements met with polish.

Toronto Sun

Models for show provided by ICON MODEL MANAGEMENT (TORONTO): http://www.iconmodels.ca

Bentley Prince Street, Inc. is looking forward to this year’s NeoCon World’s Trade Fair as an opportunity to introduce its new broadloom and carpet tile collections, as well as highlight its leadership in sustainability. Bentley Prince Street will showcase its newest collections Modern Block and Global Vistas and unveil the Hollywood Story, Domestic Alchemy, Pershing Square and Astronomie collections during the three-day event that welcomes over 40,000 attendees from the world of design. The company also plans to use NeoCon 2010 as a platform to educate the design industry about the seriousness of greenwashing in manufacturing, with three daily presentations called “The Truth about EPDs” (Environmental Product Declaration). NeoCon runs June 14-16, 2010 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois. Bentley Prince Street’s showroom is located on the 10th floor in suite #1060.

Sustainability Manager, Kimbrely Matsoukas, developed “The Truth about EPDs” to help educate attendees about the advantages of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for manufacturers and how some companies are greenwashing the truth. It will be presented daily in Bentley Prince Street’s Chicago showroom, suite #1060. (See bottom of release for scheduled times.) Attendees of the presentations will be entered into prize drawings, with winners announced daily. Prizes include Lenovo IdeaPad notebooks.

“Manufacturers who claim to be green without third-party certification must be held accountable,” says Anthony Minite, president. “NeoCon is an ideal stage to talk about what it means to truly be responsible about our industry’s environmental impact. I am extremely proud of what we have been doing at Bentley Prince Street, openly and voluntarily, for over 16 years. We are not just making beautiful carpet, we are making it responsibly.”

Bentley Prince Street’s NeoCon 2010 collection includes broadloom and carpet tile offerings, diverse in construction and color, that deliver coordinated solutions for every interior. Each of the highlighted collections plays to its individual strengths.

“Our goal is for everyone to see the inspiration behind every thread and every color in our featured products,” says an exuberant Valerie Ottaviano, VP of product design. “It’s the beautiful places, creative elements and diverse people who make up the ever-so-alluring urban landscape that is Hollywood.”

Bentley Prince Street chose a Hollywood theme for NeoCon 2010 as an ode to its Los Angeles heritage and its legacy of high-end design. Bentley Prince Street established roots in Los Angeles in 1979 – thus, the classic, California-inspired idea was conceived. This year’s stunning broadloom and carpet tile designs are Bentley Prince Street’s way of celebrating the City of Angels. Bentley Prince Street’s showroom is located on the 10th floor of the Merchandise Mart, in suite #1060. Presentation dates and times are listed below:

“The Truth about EPDs”
Monday, June 14: 10 am / 1 pm / 3 pm
Tuesday, June 15: 10 am / 1 pm / 3 pm
Wednesday, June 16: 10 am

About Bentley Prince Street
Defining style, color, quality and service for 30 years, Bentley Prince Street manufactures and markets award-winning broadloom and carpet tile products for commercial interiors across the globe. Bentley Prince Street is committed to sustainable commerce and innovations to integrate style and function with environmental practices through its Mission Zero goal of eliminating any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020. With the industry’s most comprehensive vertical carpet manufacturing facility, the company maintains third-party certification to the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System. Based in Los Angeles County, California, Bentley Prince Street is a subsidiary of Interface, Inc., a global provider of floor coverings. For more information, please visit www.bentleyprincestreet.com