Textiles and Apparel Blog

Just a small party...

tforcucci — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:12:06 GMT

I love this idea. It's over the top and full of bravado. Diesel, the well known Italian based brand founded by Renzo Rosso is pulling out all the stops to celebrate it's 30th anniversary. One day, 17 cities, top venues, all streaming live online. Hey Diesel...don't forget to send those tickets to us for the Zurich event at Kaufleuten - our people in Geneva aren't that far....

Diesel World Event

France Leads in Organic Fabric and Apparel Demand

tforcucci — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:28:04 GMT

Organic Apparel has been on the scene now for some time and it continues to grow as consumers demand their product to be "green". According to the Organic Monitor, France has taken the lead as the largest market for Organic products and this certainly bodes well for Suppliers that specialize in Organic Clothing and Organic Home Textiles such as linens and towels. After France, we find the USA in second place and the UK in third. I think American based suppliers of Organic apparel and home textiles should capitalize on this. There are plenty of brands in the USA searching for Organic suppliers and these same American suppliers can add to the mix that France and the UK can source in the states now relatively inexpensively due to the Euro/Sterling/Dollar relationship.

Elevator to Space

tforcucci — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:28:25 GMT

This is one of the more interesting things I've seen lately and it just so happens to involve the commercial use of textiles so incredible I had to post it here for you to see for yourself. Japan is working on an elevator to outer space using tension cable made of textile fibres:. Here is a quote from the article:

"The cable must be exceptionally light, staggeringly strong and able to withstand all projectiles thrown at it inside and outside the atmosphere. The answer, according to the groups working on designs, will lie in carbon nanotubes - microscopic particles that can be formed into fibres and whose mass production is now a focus of Japan's big textile companies."

Here's the link: Japan's Space Elevator

Sourcing Online: Connecting local suppliers to international buyers

tforcucci — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:03:02 GMT

Like so many businesses, the business of sourcing has been rapidly changing. Whether we are discussing apparel, custom machined parts, electronics, or virtually any other manufactured product, we have sourcing technology available today that simply did not exist even a few short years ago that can make the work of sourcing much more efficient is a host of ways.

However, it is not enough to simply use computerized systems to connect buyers with suppliers. Both the buyer and supplier should and can go much deeper. There are a few key points that both the Supplier and Buyer need to understand in order to truly be effective in serving both of their interests. Let’s focus on two such points:

1. What kind of computerized system to use to solve the main sourcing issues of Apparel Buyers and Suppliers.

2. Why Buyers and Supplier need to be able to actually transact business via computerized systems, a.k.a. “Going Deep”

Example of using computerized systems and why that in and of itself does not get the job done.

When you really think about it the main goal of a Supplier is to keep the machines running. This means servicing current clients and having a way to connect with the right new customers at anytime.

Buyers on the other hand are on the hunt for the right suppliers with the right capabilities at a particular moment in time. For Buyers and Suppliers the right technology via the internet is the solution.

Typically a buyer goes through something like this in order to source any particular garment; Get designs ready, prepare a tech pack with specs, email designs to a handful of factories, and request quotes back from factories. The buyer then might receive a handful of quotes from different sources in different formats – spreadsheets, faxes, quotes at LDP, quotes at FOB, etc… Now the buyer has to compare disparate quotes from different sources and try to figure out what is the best deal in price, geographic location, landed, picked up etc…

Doing that once you might say is worthwhile and perhaps the only way. Doing it repeatedly however is a real headache for both the Buyer and the Supplier.
The internet offers various “solutions” for local suppliers to connect with international buyers. Upon further inspection however most of the options serve only as “brochure-ware” or directories of suppliers that a buyer must navigate to find a source. Then the buyer has to most likely go through a series of phone calls or emails to attempt to qualify the suppliers that maybe could do the work at hand. This is not that much different than a buyer pulling out the yellow pages and thumbing through to find a supplier.

The real value in connecting local suppliers to international buyers lies in a transactional online sourcing platform. In order for local suppliers to truly get connected to international buyers, the supplier has to have far more control of the situation and not simply be listed in a giant directory. Imagine a Chinese apparel factory joins a large sourcing site and gets listed in the directory with a profile. The buyer on the other side of the planet does an online search for “jeans factory in China” and receives a site with a directory of thousands of Chinese Denim factories. Now what? The buyer starts his processes of trying to find the right supplier. If you are the supplier and are listed on page 2 of the directory, you might never even get seen. Imagine being on page 257 of the directory!

It is far more interesting and effective for both the supplier and buyer to collaborate on a true online sourcing platform whereby a buyer can provide the designs to a marketplace and a supplier in the marketplace can hand pick the production it wishes to secure.

From a supplier’s perspective it is far more effective to be able to peruse a continuously updating marketplace of buyers with actual production needs exactly when the buyer is looking and has the capacity.

From a Buyer’s point of view it is far more effective (and clearer) to be able to tell the marketplace what it is looking for and receive several competitive quotes back from suppliers in an apples to apples format. From there it is easy to compare quotes and make decisions.

At that point the buyer and supplier can connect by other means – email, telephone etc.. knowing there is a good chance that the fit makes sense as they start to do business together.

Local suppliers are truly connected to international suppliers on an online sourcing platform that allows the parties to transact business together.

Article: The Shape of Things to Come

tforcucci — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:38:03 GMT

Recently I came across this interesting article in the Wall Street Journal Magazine which featured an interview with designer Roland Mouret wherein he touched upon an interesting point. He said "I don't think China is a panacea. Just like everywhere else clothes are made, the location of production and producers keeps on moving to whoever provides the cheapest solution. As an industry, we have to work towards fair trade, legitimate, regulated working conditions and a living wage". He concluded with "The Internet will provide the answer". He is right on the money with this. I find these sort of comments particularly relevant to what we do at MFG.com via the internet deeply connecting producers worldwide with designers and sourcing pros. Here is the article: The Shape of things to come

Any Major Dude Will Tell You...

tforcucci — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:54:11 GMT

Here in Las Vegas, amongst the handshakes, the meetings, and conversations I have noticed that brands and sourcing pros are looking to manufacturer more and more in the USA instead of going overseas. While certainly the volume of production going offshore is enormous the word on the street is that "speed to market" is often overtaking other factors when it comes to deciding where to product garments and with the costs rising in places like China domestic sources are starting to become more in demand. Moreover, domestic quality is very good - premium denim production for example in Los Angeles is almost nonpareil. Ironically, so much of the cut & sew work that has gone overseas in the past 10-15 years left a fairly large hole in places like California where demand for production is now growing again. My prediction.... look for USA garment production to make a recovery over the next few years.

Live from Las Vegas

tforcucci — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:52:10 GMT

There is something in the air in Las Vegas this time around for MAGIC more than I have ever noticed in past editions. There is a power struggle going on amongst MAGIC and a host of competing shows. Brands are looking more than ever to be in the place where they can attract the most attention. MAGIC has it's crowd and there is certainly activity, but each time MAGIC happens it seems there is another, more niche show competing for the exhibiting brands and attending buyers; MAGIC, Project, MRket, ENK Vegas, Curve, Pool, and the new (status quo shaking) show called "When I Move You Move" put out there by Christian Audigier of Ed Hardy. When I first heard the name of WIMYM it sounded odd but the name grew on me over the past two days to the point when I couldn't help laugh and admire the sheer hutzpa (and upon further reflection genius) of this move on a host of levels. Here are the shots:

Medellin Wrap Up

tforcucci — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:35:27 GMT

Back from Medellin, the factory visits and Colombia Moda 2008. The trip was a great experience and we got to know the right factories to bring into the MFG.com Textiles marketplace. Look for them here soon to service the needs of the MFG.com Fabric and Apparel buyers/brands. In the meantime, here's the equivalent of about 13,000 words to tell a story of what's happening in Medellin right now.

Colombia Moda 2008

tforcucci — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:40:37 GMT

Just spent two days at Colombia Moda in Medellin. The show is very important in the local market and is recognized as one of if not the most important shows for Latin America... Uribe even showed up. We were in town to meet with those Colombian factories that would be a great fit in the MFG.com Textiles marketplace and also to meet in person with the people that make the industry tick in Colombia. We did and we did. Here are the shots.... By the way - the mannequin is not a mannequin.

The group photo from Left to Right.... Carlos from ProExport, Adriana Tieck from InexModa, Roque Ospina (Co-Founder of InexModa), Claritza Rojas Pinzon from ProExport, Clara Echeverri (Co-Founder of InexModa), Jorge Barrera from MFG.com, Ingrid Fitzgerald from ProExport, and Tony Forcucci from MFG.com

Fabricato (Factory Visit)

tforcucci — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:51:30 GMT

Paid a visit yesterday morning to Fabricato, the most well-known Textiles producer in Colombia and famous throughout the industry. We were offered an incredible tour of the facilities to see first-hand how raw cotton goes through the entire process to create fabric. Mr. Jorge Malabet was nice enough to give us a personal experience walking us through the various stages of the plant which is located in the valley of Bello. The production is cutting edge in all respects, from water treatment to cotton manipulation to raw denim production. We were impressed with Fabricato and they were interested in how MFG.com can be an excellent tool for the both on the Supplier side and as a Buyer for a huge amount of spare parts for the countless machines they have on hand. Here are some images:

Crystal (Factory Visit)

tforcucci — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:50:56 GMT

Not Crystal but "Kris-taal" in the local tongue. In our tour of the top Textiles and Apparel factories in Medellin, Crystal is hands down one of the finest. As we line up the right suppliers in Latin America for the MFG.com Textiles marketplace, we had a fabulous face to face meeting with Crystal's President Mr. Luis Fernando Restrepo followed by a tour of the facilities by plant manager Santiago that was a lesson in how to do it right. Crystal has several of their own important brands and is a supplier to major retailers such as Target back in the USA. There are several divisions and the one we visited specializes in socks. You would not believe how much goes into making socks and how incredible automated and technical this factory is. For example, this factory uses state-of-the-art machines that know in real time when a thread breaks and automatically fixes the situation. Look carefully at the images to try and get an idea of the scale of the production. On a curious note, Crystal keeps a fairly large collection of rare and beautiful birds on the premises such as Guacamayas because the original founder of the company was passionate about them. Here are the shots and look for Crystal in the MFG.com supplier network soon:

Making it happen in Medellin

tforcucci — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:58:43 GMT

We're here in Medellin, Colombia attending Colombia Moda, visiting several top textile and apparel factories. Yesterday there was an important event where the Mayor of Medellin honored Clara Echeverri and Roque Ospina, the founders of Inexmoda who are retiring this week. The event was a nice opportunity to not only meet them but also meet the new director of Inexmoda, Carlos Botero, and the Mayor of Medellin, Alonso Salazar. Medellin is going through a massive and ongoing "transformation" as the locals call it and there is a detectable energy in the people and the city. The results of hard work are everywhere and the people are fiercely proud of their city and what they call "Clusters". Clusters are the areas of business where Medellin (and the state of Antioquia) tend to excel (such as Textiles and Apparel). Here are the shots:

Colombian Retail

tforcucci — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:29:04 GMT

In Medellin, if you are looking for the latest threads you go to the two main shopping zones - Oviedo and El Tesoro. Just in case people have a certain impression of Colombia, you might like to see that the stores you frequent in NYC, London, or Barcelona are in here full force. Here's a glimpse of Puma, Americanino, Diesel, Kipling, Mango (Zara), and Marithé François Girbaud as only a few of the many retail fronts in Colombia:

Colombian Days

tforcucci — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:34:37 GMT

I am in Colombia for ColombiaModa (arguably the most important Fashion Trade Show in Latin America). I have been now to Colombia several times over the past 8 years and can tell you it has continued to improve on each visit and in fact is quite a happening place, especially Medellin which is moving very fast. Opportunities in real estate, retail, manufacturing are all around - you can smell the activity and a certain degree of optimism in the air. Had the chance yesterday to visit with 3 of the most important suppliers in Medellin for clothing production: CI Jeans, CI Expofaro, and the well known screenprinter Static Colors. Was discussing how MFG.com Textiles can be an excellent resource for each of them for securing new business/clients when they want to fill their open capacity. They all got it immediately and interestingly enough all three top suppliers saw how they can use MFG.com as a buyer as well. Check out these photos from our visit to CI Jeans.

Relative Cost

tforcucci — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:03:49 GMT

Hey factories >>> What does it cost you to get a new client? How long does it take? How do you get a new client? Up until recently most factories get business through word of mouth (which is always nice) , by getting on a plane and flying to visit a customer, by setting up a booth at a trade show, or some other costly way of knowing about the business that is out there (such as paying typical 10% commissions to agents to bring them the business). This is expensive stuff regardless if your factory is in Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, or Downtown Los Angeles.

Do you know that for less than the cost of a single business class ticket to most of the long haul destinations you would go to to find a client, you can have access to MFG.com Textile marketplace of buyers who have posted RFQs for products they need produced now. A business class ticket from Atlanta to Shanghai today is selling for $13,000 and that gets you one roundtrip. Textile and Apparel factories can have access to the MFG.com textiles marketplace for half that and the access to the buyers lasts you 365 days. Think about the relative costs of acquiring new client relationships and you will see that MFG.com is the best deal out there for factories that want to keep the machines running.