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Brief annotations of some research articles used for the presentation

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Brighton Rock Movie Clip - Mods & Scooters

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Group presentation - Politics and attitudinal influences in 1960's

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Contextual Studies Subcultures - The Parka Jacket

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Changes in Mainstream culture in 1960's Britain

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Changes in Mainstream culture in 1960's Britain

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This article was used to research some changes that occurred during the 60's in Britain. There were many changes in politics, law and media as people began to stand up for their rights.

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The 1960s was a decade of change in Britain.

Shifts in law, politics and media reflected a new individualism and growing appetite to live in a more liberal 'permissive society'. People began to stand up for their rights, both civil and at work, and express themselves in new ways.

Here are 10 ways Britain changed in the 1960s.

1. Affluence

In 1957 British Prime Minister Harold Macmillen remarked in a speech:

Indeed let us be frank about it - most of our people have never had it so good.

Go around the country, go to the industrial towns, go to the farms and you will see a state of prosperity such as we have never had in my lifetime - nor indeed in the history of this country.

This idea of having "never had it so good" earmarked an age of affluence that many historians feel drove social change in the next decade. After the economic hardship of the 1930s and the massive strain caused by World War Two, Britain and many other large industrial economies were having a resurgence.

With this resurgence came important consumer products that changed lifestyles; while we might take refrigerators, washing machines and telephones for granted, their introduction into the home on a mass scale from the late 1950s onwards had an important impact on people's everyday lives.

In terms of income and expenditure, in general, British people earned and spent more.

Between 1959 and 1967 the number of incomes below £600 (around £13,500 today) per year dropped 40%. On average people were spending more on cars, entertainment and holidays.

2. Law changes and the 'Permissive Society'

The 1960s was an important decade in liberalisation of the law, particularly in relation to sexual behaviour.

In 1960, Penguin won a 'not guilty' verdict against the Crown, which had brought an obscenity prosecution against D. H. Lawrence's novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover.

It was seen as a watershed moment in the liberalisation of publishing, with the book going on to sell 3 million copies.

The decade saw two major milestones for women's sexual liberation. In 1961, the contraceptive pill was made available on the NHS, and the Abortion Act of 1967 legalised termination for pregnancies under 28 weeks.

Another significant change was the Sexual Offences Act (1967), which decriminalised homosexual activity between two men over 21 years old.

There was also liberalisation of laws affecting prostitution ( Sexual Offences Act, 1956) and divorce ( Divorce Reform Act, 1956), while capital punishment was abolished in 1969.

3. Increasing secularisation

With a rise affluence, leisure time and media viewing habits, populations in Western society began to lose their religion. This could be felt in the drop in the number of people engaging in religious customs and practices.

For example, between 1963-69, Anglican confirmations per head dropped by 32%, while ordinations fell by 25%. Methodist membership also dropped by 24%.

Some historians have seen 1963 as a cultural turning point, pointing towards a 'sexual revolution' encouraged by the introduction of the pill and the Profumo scandal (see number 6 on this list).

4. The growth of mass media

Immediate post-war Britain saw only 25,000 houses with television. By 1961 this number had risen to 75% of all homes and by 1971 it was 91%.

In 1964 the BBC launched its second channel, the same year Top of the Pops began broadcasting and in 1966 over 32 million people watched England win the football World Cup. In 1967 BBC2 broadcast the first colour broadcast - the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

During the decade the number of colour television licences grew from 275,000 to 12 million.

In addition to mass television viewing, the 1960s saw big changes in radio. In 1964 an unlicensed radio station called Radio Caroline began broadcasting in Britain.

By the end of the year the airwaves were filled with other unlicensed stations - mainly broadcasting from offshore. The public were drawn to the young and free-spirited disc jockeys who played "Top 40" hits. Unfortunately for listeners, these stations were outlawed in 1967.

However, on 30 September of the same year, BBC Radio made some major changes. BBC Radio 1 was launched as a 'pop' music station. BBC Radio 2 (renamed from BBC Light Programme) began broadcasting easy listening entertainment. BBC Third Programme and BBC Music Programme merged to create BBC Radio 3 and the BBC Home Service became BBC Radio 4.

Almost every household in Britain owned a radio during the 1960s and with that came the spread of both news and music.

5. Music and the British invasion

British music changed significantly, with widespread introduction of rock and roll music and creation of the pop market.

The Beatles defined British music in the 1960s. Both Britain and the United States were swept up in "Beatlemania". With their formation in 1960 and break up in 1970 the Beatles bookend the 1960s musical revolution.

By August 1964, the Beatles had sold around 80 million records globally.

The Beatles were just one part of the "British Invasion" - bands such as the Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and The Animals were becoming popular in the United States.

These bands topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and appeared on popular talk shows such as the Ed Sullivan Show. It was one of the first times British music had made its mark on America.

5. The waning of 'the Establishment'

In 1963 the Minister for War, John Profumo, denied having an affair with Christine Keeler, a young aspiring model. Although Profumo later admitted he had lied to the House of Commons about the affair and resigned his post, the damage was done.

As a result, the public lost a degree of trust in the establishment and by extension, the government. Harold Macmillan, the Conservative Prime Minister, resigned his post in October 1964.

With the rise of mass media and television, people began to hold the establishment to a higher standard. The personal lives of politicians were under scrutiny like they never had been before.

It is was later revealed that Harold Macmillan's wife was having an affair with Lord Robert Boothby.

The satirical news magazine Private Eye was first published in 1961, while comedian Peter Cook opened The Establishment comedy club the same year. Both took to lampooning politicians and people of apparent authority.

6. Labour's general election win

In 1964, Harold Wilson became the youngest Prime Minister in 150 years - winning a narrow victory over the Conservatives. This was the first Labour government in 13 years, and with it came a wave of social change.

Home Secretary Roy Jenkins introduced a number of liberalising legal changes that decreased the states role in people's lives. Extra university places were created along with polytechnics and technical colleges. More people had access to further education than ever before.

Wilson's government also built over a million new houses and int roduced subsidies for people on low-income, helping them to buy houses. However, the economy suffered under Wilson's spending and Labour were voted out in 1970.

7. Counterculture and protest

With a growing distrust of the establishment came a new movement. The term counterculture - coined by Theodore Roszak in 1969 - refers to the world-wide movement which gained momentum as issues of civil and women's rights took centre stage.

Protests swept the globe during the 1960s and counterculture was a driving force behind these. Student protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons were especially popular.

In London, the UK underground originated in Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill.

Often connected with the "hippie" and "bohemian" lifestyles, the underground was influenced by beatnik writers such as William Burroughs and held benefit gigs where bands like Pink Floyd performed.

The underground also produced its own newspapers - notably International Times . The counterculture movement is often connected with more open drug use - particularly cannabis and LSD. This in turn lead to a rise of psychedelic music and fashion.

8. Fashion

Throughout the decade people were finding new ways to express themselves.

Designers such as Mary Quant popularised new styles. Quant is famous for "inventing" the mini-skirt and bringing mass production of affordable fashion to the public.

Quant's simpler designs from the 'Ginger Group' were available in 75 outlets in the UK to those on a more modest wage. On 4 February 1962, her designs graced the cover of the first ever colour Sunday Times Magazine cover.

As well as the rise of the mini-skirt, the 1960s saw women wearing trousers for the first time.

Styles such as drainpipe jeans and capri pants were popularised by influential figures like Audrey Hepburn and Twiggy. Women became increasingly comfortable asserting their equality with men.

10. Increase in immigration

On 20 April 1968 British MP Enoch Powell gave a speech to a meeting of the Conservative Political Centre in Birmingham. The speech criticised the mass immigration Britain had seen in recent years.

Powell said:

As I look ahead, I am filled with foreboding; like the Roman, I seem to see 'the River Tiber foaming with much blood'.

Powell's speech reflects how both politicians and the public considered race in the 1960s.

The 1961 census found that 5% of the population were born outside of the UK. About 75,000 immigrants a year were arriving in Britain in the mid-1960s and overcrowding became a problem in many areas. Racist incidents were part of everyday life - s hops would put up signs denying entry to immigrants.

However, partly due to the introduction of the Race Relations Act of 1968, post-war immigrants had more than before. The act made it illegal to refuse housing, employment or public services to a person on the grounds of colour, race or ethnic origins.

Immigration steadily increased over the coming decades and boomed in the 1990s - creating the multicultural society we live in today.

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10 Key Cultural Changes in 1960s Britain

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The 1960s was a decade of change in Britain. Shifts in law, politics and media reflected a new individualism and growing appetite to live in a more liberal 'permissive society'. People began to stand up for their rights, both civil and at work, and express themselves in new ways.

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This article helped build my knowledge on who the Mods were and a brief history of the evolution of the Parka Jacket.

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Lambretta, Parka, new french line haircut and Royal Air Force logo. With such a variegated and distinctive symbolism, it was easy to build the collective imagination that helped to identify the Mods generation. Yet, beyond the emblematic recognizability and the almost caricatural symbolism, the Mods have been much more than all of this. Not just a simple movement, but the first real post-war subculture, capable of sinking its roots in the most disparate artistic and cultural areas, giving rise over the decades to numerous subcultures strictly connected to the Mod phenomenon.

Mods were born in the late 50s in an England that had recently witnessed the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on live TV. Mod is in fact the abbreviation of Modernist, which derives from the favourite musical genre among the early Mods: the Modern Jazz, very widespread in Soho in the late 50s and first original feature of the original subcultural group. But being a Mod did not mean just perceiving a collective identity around a musical genre, because the development of the first aggregations revolved around a very specific purpose, which provided for the explicit desire to detach from the way in which the previous generation lived, fathers and mothers who were just struggling to realize the impact of the economic boom that developed in the post-war period.

The look of the Early Mods

Take the distance and take a different approach in everyday life, through the identification of a highly distinctive style. And how to do it, if not going to break down the traditionalism of previous generations? The first Mods took inspiration from Italian style, looking for finely elaborate and sharp dresses, in contrast with the style adopted by parents and peers. They wore dry and clean tailored dresses to show off in the frequent gatherings on board of Vespe and Lambretta decked out with lights, mirrors, and accessories, to catch the attention and make the group intentionally flashy as they pass through the streets of London. Drawing inspiration from the Italian look meant to embrace the distinctive elegance of a globally recognized and appreciated style. In terms of clothing, accessories, and vehicles. The unique features of the Italian scooter have provided the Mods an exclusive tool to increase their degree of recognition. The Times, after the introduction of the Vespa on the market, described it as "an entirely Italian product, one like that we have not seen for centuries since the Roman chariot". And it is this unanimous approval that led the first Mods to make it as a real manifesto of the movement, linking it even more to the typical Italian style in the post-war period. In the novel by Colin MacInnes Absolute Beginners - considered the first true reference of the subculture - there is an accurate description of the look of the protagonist Dean Swift, placing aesthetic and stylistic parameters that coincide with those of the mod generation:

"College-boy smooth crop hair with burned-in side part, neat white Italian round-collared shirt, short Roman jacket, very tailored (two little vents, three buttons), no-turn-up narrow trousers with 17-inch bottoms and absolute maximum, pointed-toe shoes, and a white mac folded by his side".

The distinction with "the others" and the rest of the world has created a deeply elitist and exclusive culture amongst young people, which, however, has not raised social barriers that could increase the development of the group in a classist perspective. A system so stigmatized that it led to the creation of dichotomous conflicts, such as the one with the Rockers, an openly antagonistic subculture of the Mods, both from a stylistic and aesthetic point of view (leather jackets and white t-shirt, ankle boots, iconic motorcycles instead of lambrettas) and from the musical one (much more related to rockabilly and rock 'n' roll).

Despite the initial habit of wearing designer clothes, the social origin - even if, as mentioned, the phenomenon was generally transversal - was much closer to the working class, as witnessed by the desire to change the aesthetic level and with the explicit intention to improve their position within society. This kind of behaviour led to the formation of this subculture, in the continuous search for the improvement of their own style and their way of life.

The evolution of the Mods in the '60s

In a short time even some of the distinctive elements that marked the original formation took a different turn. Starting from the look, with a slight turn towards a more casual and practical style compared to the early Mods. The choice of shoes generally fell on the classic desert boot (Clark's style) or alternatively on the fringed loafers with tassels. But the true symbol of the stylistic refinement of the Mods is the American Parka, which paradoxically becomes the symbol of the Mod. "On loan" by the American soldiers during the war of Korea of the early 50s, Parka M51 becomes part of the wardrobe of the subcultural aggregation, soon becoming a distinctive feature of an entire generation. To complete the image of the iconic look, there are also three-button jackets shirts and short-sleeved polos.

The entrepreneurial success of Fred Perry in these terms is due in large part to its huge success among the style of Mods, who became involuntary testimonials of the clothing item created in 1952 by the former English tennis player. With its typical double-edged collar and its traditional Laurel Wreath, the Fred Perry Polo has become a true symbol of the British subcultural uniform. In addition to the parka, the legendary G9 of Baracauta, better known as Harrington Jacket was also popular, becoming famous for being worn by icons such as Elvis Preseley or, later, Joe Strummer, and widely used by Mods and in the following subcultures.

In addition to the style, in the early 60s things began to change also from a musical point of view, with the original modern jazz that is flanked by numerous genres such as reggae, rhythm 'n' blues and ska. The Mod phenomenon enters into close contact with British music, influencing numerous performers and bands that end up becoming true icons and artistic representations of the subculture itself - The Small Faces (a typical example of early mods), the Who, the Kinks, the Yardbirds and the Creation, but also the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Accompanying the exponential growth of the phenomenon, the original Mods began to detach themselves from the strong commercialization that influenced the subculture.

The revival of the 70s

Due to the homogenization and commercialization of many cultures and subcultures, Mods+lkoegin began to feel the need to rediscover a more genuine and essential style to refer to. The Who were the forerunners of this movement. In 1973 they released their sixth album titled "Quadrophenia", which subtly became the emblem of the revival in progress because it narrated the story of Jimmy, disillusioned mod and resigned to seeing himself far from any shape of personal success. Other great artists who re-embraced the Mod style in all its facets are the Jam by Paul Weller (nicknamed, not by chance, "The Modfather"), true icons of the revival of the early 70s. Starting from the look, dry and very sharp, characterized by suits paired with thin ties, with the clear intent of reaching out to the style of the first Mods. Parkas and RAF logos return, but above all the new French line haircut, perfectly symbolizing the desire to go back to the origins. In their limited period of activity, the Jam resumed numerous typical elements of the early Mod period, helping to bring it back to the top of the stylistic and cultural interest of the time.

I'm still a mod, I'll always be a mod, you can bury me a mod (Paul Weller)

From Mods to Punk through style

The gradual detachment from this transformation led to a contextual dissipation of the phenomenon itself, which on the end of the 60s almost disappeared, surviving only within other subcultural groups. Towards the end of the decade, several movements were born in which many Mods and former Mods converge, giving rise to real closely connected subcultures. Between the '60s and the '70s, the Skinheads gained more and more identity status taking shape around the most radical current of the Mods, the hard Mods. With a stigmatized and tough look, Skinheads detach themselves from the "mother" subculture, starting from the stylistic choices adopted during the decade. Tailored clothes, parka and Clark's lose their supremacy in favor of black boots Dr.Martens - a symbol of the London working class -, bomber MA-1, braces, and Levi's Red Tag or 501.
Even if the real stance against the Mods, remains the haircut: a distinctive feature is the shaved head, in open contrast with the hairstyle of the early Mods. A large part of the skinhead look comes from the Jamaican Rude Boys, a Jamaican subculture that deeply influenced the birth and style of the Skinheads. It's from the Rude Boys that Skinheads inherit braces and flat hats, in use especially among the original formations. Many skins in the mid-'70s converge in the other subculture that begins to take hold in England on US influence. Braces, Dr. Martens and jeans also remain with the advent of the Punk phenomenon, that deeply bonds with the skinheads' style.

Another subculture strictly connected to the Mods are the Casuals, a subculture that takes shape next to a football context, instead of a musical one. Casuals are born to detach themselves from the "aggressive" look of Skinhead, wearing branded tracksuit - from Adidas, Fila, Ellesse, Kappa, and Sergio Tacchini - to blend into the crowd in stadiums and go unnoticed by the bobbies perpetually trying to stem the hooligans' phenomenon. From being a pure football reality, the Casuals have ended up influencing entire generations, spreading in music (one of the best examples is Blur frontman Damon Albarn) and laying the foundations for the development of other subcultures, like the Chavs, born under the deep influence of the Casuals phenomenon.

The legacy of the Mods

Around the mid-80s, the Mod phenomenon slowly begins to dissolve, leaving room for new styles and musical genres, even if it does not completely disappear. The look that characterized entire decades has survived flowing into the Britpop. Oasis (Gallaghers brothers in particular) are the perfect example, with their traditional hairstyle very similar to the early Mods and the frequent use of parka, even during live events. Mod look can be also found in bands like Blur, as well as in groups like Verve, Supergrass, Arctic Monkeys, and Ocean Color Scene or, more recently, Miles Kane and Jake Bugg, latest references of a style which never really disappear, not even from a fashion point of view. Because if it is true that the Gallaghers helped to actualize the collective imagination through the iconic parka, there are still many fashion-related examples connected to the British subcultures of mod derivation.

Brands such as Stone Island are having an unexpectedly positive impact on English subcultures, getting in touch with peculiar social realities. Stone Island settled in this context, both for entrepreneurial spirit and for random and involuntary ties. Rivetti (owner of the brand) said in an interview that a couple of appearance of Cantona on TV helped the brand to increase its success, unaware testimonial of a brand symbol of subcultures (above all, the Hooligans and Casuals, but also the non-British "Paninari") and ready to become a real icon. For many reasons, for different coincidences. But brands like Osti's, or CP Company, are inheriting all of this mainly because they are aware of their workwear roots, of their producing practical and comfortable garments to go to the stadium. Close to street culture and perfect interpreters of the contemporary streetwear.

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Lambretta, Parka, new french line haircut and Royal Air Force logo. With such a variegated and distinctive symbolism, it was easy to build the collective imagination that helped to identify the Mods generation. Yet, beyond the emblematic recognizability and the almost caricatural symbolism, the Mods have been much more than all of this.

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This research article taught me about how climate change has impacted the way retailers have designed and produced parka jackets. The materials they use have been affected by the warmer weather as retailers are now designing thinner parka jackets.

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Veilance's creative director Taka Kasuga says he prefers the term "global weirding" to "global warming." Climate change is creating weather systems that are unpredictable, causing chillier temperatures in Vancouver, where Kasuga lives-but weather across Europe and Asia so friendly that Kasuga packed only a carry-on for a recent three-week trip that spanned Paris, Berlin, and Tokyo. Kasuga is the creative director of one of menswear's most tech-forward, future-looking outerwear brands, so it's not a surprise that this weirdness has been top of mind for him: it affects what he designs, the types of coats he's thinking about, and the materials Veilance seems to beam in from space. Kasuga isn't alone in his quest, either. Dramatic changes to the climate means that making and selling a winter coat requires more thought than ever from retailers and designers.

Because, without a doubt, global temperatures are rising: 2019 was the second-hottest year ever recorded (2016 tops that list), and the '10s are the warmest decade ever. Headlines detailing how this place- Alaska-and that- the U.K.-are experiencing higher-than-ever temperatures are increasingly commonplace. And on a practical level, freakishly warm temperatures mean that many of us no longer get those single-temp days requiring us to really start dressing, turning instead to lighter jackets in early January when we would typically be bundled up. After another springy day in the beginning of January spent wearing an unusually light outer layer, I wondered: is our warmer weather killing the winter coat industry? Or are those most invested in its success at least girding for its potential collapse? The answer is perhaps surprising. The winter coat industry is doing just fine.

The explanation is extraordinarily simple: when it gets cold-and it still does, if not as frequently and intensely-people buy coats. "If the cold snaps on a Friday, you have a phenomenal weekend selling outerwear," says Sam Lobban, the vice president of designer ready-to-wear at Nordstrom. "The first big cold snap of the winter is always, if I'm honest, a massive relief for the retail world." The biggest difference is in coat-buying habits, Lobban says. Now, retailers like Nordstrom are adaptable enough that winter coats no longer sit out when customers don't want them in the early twinkles of winter. Now, September-through-November is set up to sell mid-layer pieces, and when the cold finally whooshes in in December, January, and February, the big coats hit the floor. Lobban compares it to a store pushing its umbrellas to the entrance when it starts to rain. But even with the shift, the net effect is the same: temperatures may be climbing, but in the world of retail, winter is coming. "We had a really good year this year selling coats," Lobban says.

More holistic results show that Nordstrom isn't the only one selling coats despite climate change. Global coat sales are steadily growing, according to figures provided by Euromonitor: in 2015, retailers sold $100.4 billion worth of coats, and by 2018, sales were up to $107.8 billion. That number jumped again last year to $110.7 billion. (Sales just in the U.S. stuck around the $20 to $21 billion range over that same span.) But why are coat sales sustaining in the face of rising temperatures?

Part of growing (or at least unchanged sales) comes down to brands designing more carefully. "The old great days of really cold winters are gone," Andrea Cané, the creative director of coat-brand Woolrich, says a little wistfully. "Adapting to changing environments is now the standard to developing garments in our industry." Over the decades, Woolrich was the coat maker of record for "lumberjacks" and "Alaskan pipeline workers," says Cané. Now, it makes coats for, say, creative directors who need a coat to pop down to the bodega for more mango-flavored Juul pods. Woolrich has just the thing: new parkas coming out of the brand's design studio emphasize breathability and lightweight materials. Lobban adds that all the brands Nordstrom stocks are pivoting to making coats with "multiple different end uses"-meaning a heavy jacket only useful for battling arctic colds won't cut it anymore.

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Is Climate Change Making the Big Winter Coat Obsolete?

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Veilance's creative director Taka Kasuga says he prefers the term "global weirding" to "global warming." Climate change is creating weather systems that are unpredictable, causing chillier temperatures in Vancouver, where Kasuga lives-but weather across Europe and Asia so friendly that Kasuga packed only a carry-on for a recent three-week trip that spanned Paris, Berlin, and Tokyo.

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Another retailer who talks about the history of the Parka Jacket. This retailer also speaks about male and female Mod fashion.

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In the incredible 1960s, a group of youngsters rebelled. "We are Mods" was their motto. They wanted more, better jobs, a better life and better clothes.

In the incredible 1960s, in the United Kingdom, there was a group of young people who wanted to be different. They were fed up with the post-war generation, their parents with their modesty and "proper" behaviour.

The Mods were rebels on Vespas wearing parka jackets, Mods culture wasn't really good behaviour.

They wanted to befinancially independent of their parents and wanted better (paid) jobs. It may sound silly to a person living in the 21st century, but 60 years ago, they were changing the world.

Mods shared not only political views but the same lifestyle, loved the same music, arts and rode the same scooters.

The movie Quadrophenia is an excellent portrait of a typical mod life

They also shared the same addiction; they liked using amphetamines. That probably made the rebel spirits even more restless and got them into more fights with their arch enemies - the rockers, another subculture that emerged at the same time.

There are a lot of aspects of Mods culture, but we'll focus on fashion. After all, they were the ones that embraced the parka jacket.

The Mod Fashion

Sixty years ago, it was vital to visually stand out to show you're different, that you belong to a group of people that listen to the same music and share the same views.

That could only be achieved by dressing up the same (all of the 20th-century subcultures had their fashion guidelines). The Mod fashion standard started with early members in the late fifties, people who gathered around modern jazz boom, watched French movies and looked into Italian magazines for style inspiration.

Tailored clothes and shoes, Italian style, was from the beginning the core of Mod fashion. (Seems weird from the perspective of now, that rebels wore tailored suits). The image of the mod man is still the image of the subculture's fashion, but the mod women also had their fashion guidelines.

The Mod Man Fashion

The tailor-made suits Italian style in the Mod era included narrow lapels and check patterns. Ties weren't a must-have, but if they wore them, they were thin.

Mod men wanted to be slick and sophisticated, so even if they weren't wearing their button-down collar shirts, they wore wool or cashmere jumpers.

The dress code for shoes were loafers, bowling shoes or chelsea boots.

The one thing thatmade them uniformed was indeed the parka jacket. The military green fishtail parka, the P-53 parka, along with the Vespa, became their symbol. It was a perfect choice as it was longer, kept heat and was water-resistant. All that meant the parka could keep the expensive clothes clean when they roam on their scooters.

COAT INSPIRED BY THE MOD CULTURE, THE P 53 HERITAGE PARKA

The way Mods dressed wasn't so rebellious (like their hooliganism). On occasion, some of the Mod men put eyeliner or eye shadow to show they don't agree with the gender norms.

The Mod Women Fashion

Like Mod men, the women shared their attitude and wanted to be independent. In the beginning, girls took over the boy's look.

They wore similar trousers, shirts and flat shoes and parkas. But, as Mods spread from the underground to the mainstream, a more feminine touch was added to the Mod women style.

THE STANDARD FOR MOD WOMEN BECAME "AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE"

As short as possible, that was the moto, so miniskirts and mini dresses became the standard.

Like a lot of subcultures that were breaking the rules, the mods culture revolved around changing the world around them. When, after a decade, they proved their point and grew up, they blended in society. Some of them joined another cause and became a part of the hippie movement while some turned to ska and reggae and became skinheads.

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In the incredible 1960s, a group of youngsters rebelled. "We are Mods" was their motto. They wanted more, better jobs, a better life and better clothes. In the incredible 1960s, in the United Kingdom, there was a group of young people who wanted to be different.

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Designer brands are re-introducing parka jackets into men's fashion.  Examples of some different styles of parka jackets used are brands such as Burberry, Dior and Tommy Hilfiger.

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As anticipated in our guide to men's jackets for Spring, the go-to waterproof jacket to wear right now is definitely the parka. The much loved outdoor garment has been revisited in original and innovative ways by fashion designers. Courtesy of its comfy silhouette that adapts to the body's movements, the parka jacket stands out for a number of key elements, like the ever-present hood, the sporty raglan sleeve, the hip-length (typically) and the large patch pockets.

The parka jacket from Burberry's new Spring collection by Riccardo Tisci stands out for its bright orange hue and workwear-inspired detailing, like the rubber coated ribbons that add to its waterproof function. The Dior jacket from the Spring 2021 collection designed by Kim Jones features an extra matte surface for additional refinement. The slightly puffed silhouette is embellished with subtle details like the metallic drawstring with silver-tipped laces.

The Spring jacket from the new Tommy Hilfiger Collection is a color-block preppie style number featuring logo and embroidery details that celebrate the brand's heritage. Color block is a go-to also for MSGM and JW Anderson: while Massimo Giorgetti on his shiny nylon waterproof jacket toys with clashing contrasts, juxtaposing red, green and purple, Anderson goes tonal, embracing nuances of grass, dark, aqua and sage green.

Keep scrolling to check out the other parka styles for Spring and the hottest waterproof jackets selected by Vogue Italia from the new men's collections for 2021.

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The parka jacket is the men's trend to wear now

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As anticipated in our guide to men's jackets for Spring, the go-to waterproof jacket to wear right now is definitely the parka. The much loved outdoor garment has been revisited in original and innovative ways by fashion designers.

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North face using Goose down fill as thermal insulation and how it is beneficial for coats used for cold weather.

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Thermal Insulation

The North Face is committed to improving animal welfare and traceability in the goose down and feather supply chain. We created the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) to help to ensure that our down does not come from animals that have been subject to any unnecessary harm, such as force-feeding or live-plucking, and to provide a traceability system to validate the original source of down used in The North Face products.

RDS-certified down will be rolled out this fall in select products with the ultimate goal of converting all of our down products to RDS-certified down by 2017.

To learn more about our commitment to the Responsible Down Standard, visit our Innovation section.

Using only the highest quality goose down in all of our products, The North Face® tests each lot of down at three stages of production for loftiness, moisture resistance and ability to regain loft after compression.

The fill power of goose down is an indicator of two important features: warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility, both critical to retain warmth and furnish comfort. True fill power is measured by placing one ounce of goose down in a graduated cylinder and measuring the volume the down occupies in cubic inches. The North Face® products are insulated with exclusive, high-fill power goose down ranging from 550 to 900 fill, which represents the highest quality down commercially available.
BENEFITS

Superior Warmth and Comfort

Lightweight Insulation

Increased Loft Than Lesser Fill Downs (900 + 800 only)

Highest Quality, High-Fill Power Goose Down

Goose Down Fill 900

900 fill down is the highest quality down commercially available and considered the absolute gold standard of insulation-with an unmatched warmth-to-weight ratio, it is highly compressible, ultralight and amazingly warm. Available in extremely limited quantities, The North Face® utilizes 900 fill down exclusively in its premier Summit Series® outerwear and gear, where minimal weight and maximum warmth are paramount.

Goose Down Fill 800

Outstanding warmth from a high cluster-to-feather ratio, 800 fill down features increased loft and compressibility for superior warmth and performance.

Goose Down Fill 700

700 fill down features a strong warmth-to-weight ratio and provides lightweight insulation across a range of temperatures.

Goose Down Fill 600

600 fill down is warm, lightweight and durable. Ideal for general outdoor and day-to-day use.

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Thermal Insulation The North Face is committed to improving animal welfare and traceability in the goose down and feather supply chain. We created the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) to help to ensure that our down does not come from animals that have been subject to any unnecessary harm, such as force-feeding or live-plucking, and to provide a traceability system to validate the original source of down used in The North Face products.

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How the Parka jacket has changed through time and how it was suited to the army in the Second World War and Korean War. The development of the materials and composition of the jacket. What the modern day parka is used for and how it used.

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The parka is a true wardrobe staple when the colder months take over, but what exactly defines the parka, what are its origins and what makes the parka-style coat such a popular winter option?

The Origins of the Parka

As legend has it, the parka was invented by the industrious, Arctic-bound Caribou Inuits - a people residing in what is today called Nunavut, the biggest and most northern state of Canada - who originally referred to the now-ubiquitous cold-weather jacket as an

However, the amauti is only one variation, and across the Arctic Circle there have been numerous examples of original parkas, each relevant to the diverse indigenous tribes of the Arctic Circle and each made to address different elements, such as climate, animal population, local industry, tradition, etc.

But aside from the near-impossible question of "who wore what first", two things are certain: 1) the original parka looks nothing like the parka we know today, 2) the parka-style overcoat is (and has been for centuries) a popular choice of clothing for anyone roaming the Arctic Circle, due to some of the harshest weather conditions on the planet. So let's take a closer look at some of the more traditional parkas, and what made them indispensable in cold climates.

Unlike the military service parkas from WWII, the traditional amauti didn't have an open front, and, as such, was more similar to what we know today as an anorak, another style of jacket with Arctic origins. Amautis were typically made of caribou or sealskin, densely packed with outward-facing hollow fibers of hair. As previously explained in our article on linen[linked], the hollow core of the hair works as an insulator to trap heat, and the trait is a natural adaptation for many animals living in sub-zero degrees, such as polar bears, caribous, alpacas, etc.

The Twentieth Century Parka and Military Innovation

Although traditions are still kept up in some tribal communities around the Arctic Circle, it's no surprise that most modern parkas are no longer made solely from animal skin and fur. But now that we've learned a bit about traditional iterations, let's lay down some basic features that denotes a parka, and features that are relevant to the modern day interpretation:

The cut is longer [than a jacket] for extra warmth: mid-thigh, but can be knee-length.

The cut is over-sized to allow both for layering underneath and to trap heat for insulation.

The hood is lined with fur or pile to protect the face and keep the wearer warm.

The full zipper, or button-closure, fastens all the way up to the top and secures around the neck to protect from the cold (sparked by the invention of the N3-B).

The parka is an overcoat intended for extreme cold weather.

The length and capacious cut of the parka, its many cargo pockets, the weather-resistant shell and adjustable fur (or pile) lined hood all make it a practical companion in the field. So, it's no wonder that the parka-style overcoat was adopted by the US military in the mid-twentieth century as the optimum choice for pilots and foot soldiers stationed in cold climates. Both a great insulator and a practical storage option for food, medical supplies, ammunition, etc., the parka-style overcoat was the best bet for keeping warm in spite of the harsh elements the soldiers were facing. It was roomy enough to wear on top of bulky military uniforms, too.

The parka-style overcoat was issued in various versions, both with and without fur, which was later replaced with pile due to wartime rations. The parkas issued to the Army were typically made with a tightly-woven cotton poplin outer shell, and would include detachable liners from around 1943 onwards. The Air Force parkas, however, were different in fit and composition, typically a little bit shorter in the body with an outer shell made from cotton blends (often nylon) and, in some cases, additional down-wadding to replace the use of blanket lining.

And in the United States Air Force, the parka has been a loyal companion for many decades. Before the war even broke out, a Washington-born, civilian outdoor supplier named Eddie Bauer created a flight suit intended for bush pilots stationed in Alaska. The flight suit became so popular with pilots that they would pay for it out of their own pocket, as it was both lighter and warmer than their military issue.

Sparked by the popularity of the flight suit, Eddie Bauer would go on to develop the B-9 Down Parka for the USAAF during WWII, which is still, to this day, a phenomenal example of an extreme cold weather parka. Crafted with a more weather-resistant cotton/nylon-blend, the B-9 is still sought after by collectors. Eddie Bauer wasn't the only supplier contracted to make B-9's for the military, but undoubtedly the most famous.

Like the B-9, it was a three-quarters length-style parka, issued to aircrew personnel working in extremely cold conditions, like the low temperatures of open bomber planes at the time. The outer shell of the Snorkel parka was made from a DuPont flight silk nylon and padded with a wool blanket material that could keep the wearer warm in temperatures as far down as -60F (-51C).

Throughout the '50s the field parka developed too, and changed noticeably during the Korean War. Out of climatic necessity emerged the invention of the , called such because the split tail looked like the tail of a fish. This innovation paved the way for a new jacket design and a new military issue, which became known as the Fishtail parka , a designation that covers three different issues: the M-48 (the first, and only produced for about a year), the M-51 and M-65 (the original's more famous younger brothers). The length of the fishtail parka was traditionally about knee-length, and thus cut longer than the USAAF parkas. The true innovation, however, came from the drawstring at the end of the fish tail that the soldier could tie around each leg, which trapped more heat and, ultimately, kept them warmer in the cold climates of Korea.

Post War Parkas and Synthetic Substitutes

With the end of both the Second World War and the Korean War, these military issue parkas were suddenly available to civilians at various Army Surplus stores. In particular, the mod-movement of the UK found an interest in the M-51 and M-65 styles, but the broader availability also meant that the designs could be picked up by designers who would then go on to develop their own respective versions of the parka.

Compositions have changed too, with the help of new innovation in the field. In 1976, for instance, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Services Centery (NSSC) helped develop Gore-Tex, which is a very popular weather-resistant fabric used in contemporary parkas, like those made by the innovative Canadian outdoor brand Arc'teryx. But because the term "parka" is more frequently used nowadays, it's also one that's been applied to more and more models that are unrelated to the original design elements and characteristics that defined it in the past.

Luckily for those who like tradition, however, there are a long list of brands that stay true to the heritage of the military parkas. Brands like The Real McCoy's and Buzz Rickson's both make excellent examples of B-9, N3-B, M-51 and M-65 parkas. And if you want one that's a little less army-related and available in other colours than sage green, the '60s brand Rocky Mountain Featherbed - since bought by Japan's 35summers - produces some excellent down-wadded mountain parkas, true to the heritage of the brand.

And remember to also look out for vintage Eddie Bauer down parkas, e.g. parkas with the so-called "Sundowner" label. Those can occasionally be picked up for a reasonable sum on eBay, and, if you're familiar with the collaboration Nigel Cabourn did a few years back, reproducing those pieces in the twenty-first century isn't exactly cheap.
Lead image via Imgur user Ratpackking.

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From Amauti to M-51: The Complete History of the Parka

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The parka is a true wardrobe staple when the colder months take over, but what exactly defines the parka, what are its origins and what makes the parka-style coat such a popular winter option?

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How the use of Omni-channel and Multi-channel has changed due to COVID-19. The discussion of future multi-channel retail trends and it's challenges.

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It's no surprise that the adoption of multichannel shopping behavior by consumers has risen during the pandemic. In both the US and Europe there was rapid adoption and growth in buy online and pick up in-store services, partly because many retailers quickly introduced things like curbside collection during lockdown.

During the pandemic, in the US the best online channel growth rates were achieved by more traditional retailers like Walmart and Target employing multichannel services, many of whom are now growing at a faster rate than online focused retailers like Amazon. ( GlobalData).

Ecommerce has seen rapid growth during the pandemic, rising by over 31% in just three months in the US ( U.S. Census Bureau), and shoppers are frequently using multiple platforms before making a purchase.

Rapidly changing consumer behaviours

Multichannel retail is constantly changing, especially during the uncertainty of last minute lock-downs and quick changes in shopper habits. Therefore, staying agile, responsive to change and creating an easy seamless shopping experience are vital for success.

Online and offline shopping channels are no longer considered separate, consumers simultaneously shop across channels, interacting with many touchpoints before making a purchase, expecting each interaction to be seamless.

In the US, over the course of 2020, the online non-food spend supported by physical stores has risen by 2.6% since the start of the year. And 71% of consumers said that not being able to visit stores during the height of the pandemic reduced the overall amount of money they spent on non-food. ( GlobalData). However, ecommerce has had massive growth and 58% of consumers said they expect to do more online shopping after the pandemic than they did before it ( Salesforce Survey). Online shopping is clearly on the rise, but don't discount the role physical shops have to play alongside their online counterparts.

The challenge of consistency across platforms

Many retailers have quickly adapted to the "new normal" by bolstering their online presence and embracing new platforms. The challenge now is staying consistent across these channels and effectively implementing multichannel marketing along with multichannel selling. This can seem daunting, but having a skilled team of experts ready to project-manage with enthusiasm and scale using innovative technology will make the process fast, effective and straightforward.

With budgets being cut, and the peak Christmas season almost upon us many brands and agencies are now partnering with an offshore company for all their multichannel marketing needs, such as We Are Amnet. Taking advantage of the cheaper prices, exceptional quality and faster turnaround times that are on offer for their multichannel campaigns.

Future multichannel retail trends

This year retailers are reporting a correlation between traditional advertising, such as off-the-page ads, and an increase in online sales. So even though there has been an uptake in the use of shoppers using digital platforms and ordering through ecommerce sites, don't discount traditional print media outlets either. Direct mail, PPC, influencer marketing and social media marketing all seem to be working well this year (IMRG).

If you haven't already, now is the time to fully optimize your ecommerce website. Adobe have projected that of the overall online holiday spend (Nov 1 - Dec 31) in the US 42% of purchases will be made on smartphones. This will be an increase of $28.1 billion over 2019. Not only that but holiday spend in the U.S. is projected to reach $189 billion throughout the season-a 33% year-over-year increase. ().

Consumers expect a unified shopping experience and streamlined platforms, using multiple devices as well as shopping in store. Its not enough just to look visually unified with the same tone of voice and visuals, shoppers details should be saved across platforms, two of the top five reasons for customers abandoning their shopping carts in the US is because of having to re-enter their address or credit card information ( Statistica).

We Are Amnet has been working with brand and agency partners for over two decades, managing their creative production needs for multi-channel campaigns as well as website and app development.

If you're looking for that perfect partner to deliver unmatched creative production services, whether it's for your global advertising campaigns, Out of Home (OOH) advertising, digital, print or retail PoS, We Are Amnet can fully support you. We Are Amnet provide expertise for your mass-market or personalised communications.

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Has COVID-19 changed the landscape for multichannel retail, and if so what will the future bring? - We Are Amnet

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It's no surprise that the adoption of multichannel shopping behavior by consumers has risen during the pandemic. In both the US and Europe there was rapid adoption and growth in buy online and pick up in-store services, partly because many retailers quickly introduced things like curbside collection during lockdown.

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News article about how outerwear industries are using 'Ethical down' in their jackets and the continued concerns over animal cruelty with the "so called" ethical standards.

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This year's El Niño-inspired warm winter is probably a source of frustration for anyone who shelled out hundreds of dollars on a down coat last year, and was looking forward to showing it off again. Last year, Canadian jacket-maker Canada Goose became so popular that the company experienced a problem with counterfeiting, and the company says it's on course for US sales to grow 50% in 2016. You can be sure that when the temperature finally drops (and it's starting to), the ubiquitous Canada Goose logo will probably regain its place on every other sleeve in America.

Other brands, such as North Face and Patagonia, are also finding plenty of takers for their down coats, despite the often eye-watering prices confronting shoppers. But animal welfare groups warn that consumers should be careful over their purchases due to increasing awareness of the suffering that can go into the production of warm jackets with down, the soft fluffy feathers that lie next to the skin of geese and ducks.

Five years ago, it was revealed that birds were plucked of their feathers while alive in Hungary, with the down ending up in Patagonia's jackets. The company subsequently undertook an investigation and found that geese in its supply chain had also been force-fed so their ballooning livers could be used as foie gras. Other businesses suddenly realised they also had a problem.

Some have now put policies in place to ensure their down is ethically sourced - North Face's responsible down standard, for instance, has been shared with other industry players including H&M.

But concern lingers that cruelty is still occurring, with the added dimension of China becoming a leading supplier - the country now produces 80% of the world's down. A recent investigation by Peta found that of 66 Chinese suppliers contacted by phone or email, nearly half still sold live-plucked down wholesale.

"Birds would be pinned down while they are literally ripped apart for their feathers before being sewn back together with no painkillers," said Anne Brainard, Peta's corporate affairs manager. "There's just no way a consumer can tell whether down has come from a live-plucked bird or a goose force-fed for foie gras. The reality is it's impossible to conduct audits across the whole global supply chain with the thoroughness to ensure that birds aren't having their feathers yanked out while alive or tubes shoved down their throats."

There's just no way a consumer can tell whether down has come from a live-plucked bird

Anne Brainard, Peta

But the retail brands insist they are on top of the problem. Wendy Savage, who oversees animal welfare at Patagonia, said the company was "shocked" at what was going on in its supply chain and has strived to avoid a repeat.

"There were no standards around live-plucking and force-feeding so we thought we needed to create our own," Savage said. "We listened to what animal welfare groups were saying. Even though they were attacking us they had uncovered some things."

Patagonia ditched its wayward supplier and set up a new system where its own staff and external auditor NSF International - which is looking to sign up other retailers for its nascent oversight service - would monitor the supply chain from the egg to the slaughter. This traceable down standard was applied to a lightweight jacket in 2013 before expanding to Patagonia's entire range last year.

Daniel Uretsky, president of down supplier Allied, said eliminating cruelty has become a major focus for the industry. Uretsky's company is the largest supplier in North America and provides insulation for North Face, Patagonia, Helly Hansen and others.

Allied's down comes from China, where an office oversees the supply chain, as well as eastern Europe. Uretsky said he is confident no live-plucked or force-fed animals end up providing down for Allied's clients.

"Typically that material would be higher quality, quite expensive, it's not something suppliers will just give to you unless you ask for it," he said. "It's not accepted now, so it's done less and less. I don't think it's as prevalent as it has been made out to be by some of the NGOs."

Uretsky said consumers can now track the down in their coats with a new QR code application that shows where the down was sourced. But he conceded that this check wasn't universal and that it's still not entirely certain where unbranded coats get their down from.

With several different standards out there, the industry lacks a universal welfare assurance that shoppers can easily note. This patchwork set-up means that some brands are doing much better than others - animal welfare group Four Paws, which exposed cruelty in Patagonia's supply chain, has produced a ranking system that places Fjall Raven and Patagonia near the top, Kathmandu and Marmot at the bottom.

"Given the lack of information it can be hard to know if the risk is high or low when you buy a coat," said Nina Jamal, a campaigner at Four Paws. "Only a few brands have taken full responsibility for their supply chains. Most of the fashion and sports brands have not started going back to the farms, they depend upon certificates from slaughterhouses. It's a way for brands to wash away their responsibility, basically saying that they don't care about the welfare of animals before they are slaughtered.

"North Face don't go as far back as the parent farm, where birds are kept for four or five years. There is a great temptation to live-pluck these birds because the quality of the down gets better as birds age. And Canada Goose say they work with just one supplier, but that they source the down globally."

That one Canada Goose supplier, Toronto-based Feather Industries, insists its staff conduct checks along the supply chain and do not tolerate any cruelty. A full traceability program, with an external auditor, is currently being set up.

Alex Pryde, spokesman for Feather Industries, said force-fed geese aren't used for two key reasons: "The quality of the feather is poor, and the practice itself is abhorrent and inhumane as far as we are concerned."

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for North Face said the company aims to have fully certified, responsibly produced down across all products by 2017.

"We believe there should be a universal standard and that is the purpose of the responsible down standard," she said. "We are incredibly excited to see the adoption of the RDS across industry and competitive boundaries. We would support the introduction of a universal standard like the RDS to help further the charge to transform the down supply chain for the better."

But this isn't enough for some campaigners who argue the entire process of raising, transporting and slaughtering birds is inherently cruel and that there can never be a 100% guarantee of an ethically sourced down jacket.

"The only way to reduce animal suffering is for retailers to go for synthetic rather than natural down," said Peta's Brainard. Peta has already managed to convince firms such as Marriott Hotels and Pottery Barn to either reduce or eliminate their natural down use.

"Synthetic down is allergen-free, it doesn't collect dust and mould. In many ways it is better. Modern technology means that companies can be innovative as well as compassionate."

This is the point where the industry parts company with animal welfare groups. Clothing retailers and suppliers alike insist natural down is here to stay.

"It would be a huge mistake to move away from down," said Uretsky. "Down is a superior material in terms of warmth and weight. It's environmentally friendly. It's also a byproduct of the food industry - if it wasn't being used by apparel companies it would still be there because people are eating the birds. The campaign groups sometimes forget that."
Topics

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'Ethical down': is the lining of your winter coat nothing but fluff?

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This year's El Niño-inspired warm winter is probably a source of frustration for anyone who shelled out hundreds of dollars on a down coat last year, and was looking forward to showing it off again.

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Before coming across this website, I had never heard of the Parka jacket brand Gloverall. Their website included a page where they have story's about the history of the parka jacket and how it has evolved into todays fashion. this helped with providing the relevant information on my timeline.

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Originally created by the Caribou Inuit to keep warm in the Canadian arctic, the parka was originally made from seal or caribou skin and often coated with fish oil for waterproofing. The word "parka" is thought to come from the Nenets language, translating as "animal skin".
Source: Vancouver Maritime Museum - Leonard McCann Archives // Inuit Women
Parkas were adopted by the US military, for pilots and soldiers stationed in cold climates, with their oversized fit enabling them to be worn over bulky uniforms. Hoods were lined with fur for added warmth, and later replaced with pile due to wartime rationing. The large pockets made it a practical garment with room for storing food or ammunition.
Source: The National WWII Museum // US soldiers in Reykjavik, 1943
In 1951, the fishtail parka was created for soldiers to wear during the Korean war. It featured a drawstring in the hem which allowed the coat to be tied around the legs to trap more heat in.
Source: Unknown // Mods at Brighton Beach, 1964
After the war, mods bought military surplus parkas, customising them with patches and badges. The loose fit meant they could be easily styled over a slick suit, keeping it protected from dirt on the road when riding. The release of Quadrophenia in 1979, celebrated mod style and cemented the parka as a key style. The advent of Britpop in the 90s saw the parka return, famously worn by Liam Gallagher.

Inspired by the classic military parka, our Charlie Unisex Parka is available in navy and khaki, with a colourful contrast blue lining and finished with red Gloverall tape trim. For a lightweight take on the parka, our E. Tautz X Gloverall Parka features bold colour-blocking and a focus on refined details.

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Created to keep warm in the Canadian arctic, by the Caribou Inuit, the parka was originally made from seal or caribou skin and often coated with fish oil for waterproofing. The word "parka" is thought to come from the Nenets language, translating as "animal skin".

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Examples of Liam Gallaghers best parka jackets, when they were worn and why they worked for the time.

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Liam Gallagher is Britain’s most effortless style icon

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In celebration of Liam Gallagher’s 50th birthday, we’ve sourced 14 of his most iconic looks. Invest in one of these pieces and you’ll be on the road to supernova style

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This research article helped me understand how retailers can start recycling to sell sustainable clothing. I found out that zippers can be made from recyclable ocean plastics which can reduce carbon emissions as the zippers require less energy to produce than virgin materials.

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Working to address the problem of marine plastic, component company YKK announced its new Natulon Ocean Sourced collection of zippers made from "ocean bound" plastic. The collection of zippers is made from plastic waste that has been collected off the coastline of Sri Lanka, where waste management systems are not fully functional.

Natulon Ocean Sourced zipper tape offers the same strength, durability and functionality as conventional zippers made from virgin polyester, YKK said. At the same time, the new product is helping the company achieve its goal of further reducing carbon emissions in its manufacturing processes. The zippers require less energy to product than virgin materials. Globally, YKK reports it has achieved an 8 percent reduction in carbon emissions since 2013 at its production sites.

YKK will present the new concept this month at ISPO Munich in Germany and Outdoor Retailer in Denver. The collection will be available for purchase this spring.

The diversion of ocean bound plastic from waterways and waste streams helps to address the environmental crisis occurring in the world's oceans and reflects YKK's efforts to become more sustainable.

"YKK has a long history of environmental stewardship, which is an integral part of our 'Cycle of Goodness' philosophy," said Takashi Tsukumo, vice president of YKK Corporation's global marketing group, referencing the company's core values.

Natulon Ocean Sourced is the latest addition to YKK's portfolio of eco-innovation. The company created the first zipper made from recycled PET bottles and polyester remnants more than 25 years ago.

YKK's sustainable components includes the GreenRise zipper, the first in the industry to use plant-based polyester, thereby achieving a 30 percent reduction in petroleum usage; organic cotton zippers; and the original Natulon zipper, which recycles approximately 3,600 plastic bottles per 10,000 zippers.

The company also offers zippers made using Eco-Dye, a dyeing technology that eliminates water from the dyeing process, and sustainable snaps and buttons made using Acro-Plating, a plating technology that uses fewer resources to manufacture and does not use harmful plating chemicals.

Last year, YKK announced plans to launch Environmental Vision, a long-term direction for environmental initiatives like water conservation, climate change and renewable resources. The program will go into effect in April 2021.

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YKK Wants to Save the Ocean One Zipper at a Time

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Working to address the problem of marine plastic, component company YKK announced its new Natulon Ocean Sourced collection of zippers made from "ocean bound" plastic. The collection of zippers is made from plastic waste that has been collected off the coastline of Sri Lanka, where waste management systems are not fully functional.

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I found out the benefits and disadvantages of virtual fitting rooms and why retailers should use them. How the technology works and examples of virtual fitting rooms in retailers.

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Shoppers can virtually try on clothing items or beauty products without physically touching the item itself. The augmented reality (AR) or artificial intelligence (AI) technology places the item over live imaging of the customer, so they can check the size, style, and fit of a product they're thinking of buying.

It's predicted that the global virtual fitting room market will grow from $3 million in 2019 to $6.5 million by 2025. That's a compound annual growth rate of 13.44%.

Interested in creating your own virtual fitting room? In this article, we'll walk you through how virtual fitting room technology works (with examples), and the advantages for retailers.

What is a virtual fitting room?

A virtual fitting room allows shoppers to try on items without touching them. It works by overlaying an item on a live video feed of a customer. The shopper can see the size, style, and fit of an item before they buy it.

Also known as virtual dressing rooms, this type of technology has become more popular since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clothing products saw a 43.5% decline in retail sales during the pandemic-the most dramatic decline of all sectors. Global lockdowns meant shoppers were unable to buy products in-store. Even when those retail locations opened up again, people were more hesitant to try on clothing items, worried it increased their risk of exposure to the virus.

Virtual fitting rooms, however, reduce that risk dramatically. People don't touch the items they're virtually trying on but still get the chance to see what a product looks like on their own body shape.

How virtual fitting room technology works

Most virtual fitting rooms work using augmented reality. In this case, a webcam scans a person's body to create a 360-degree 3D model.

Other virtual fitting rooms are powered by artificial intelligence. Similar to augmented reality, AI uses algorithms and machine learning to create full-body 3D models of the shopper standing in front of the camera.

The 3D model created by AI or AR is combined with radio frequency identification (RFID). This is another technology that scans the products a shopper has taken to the virtual fitting room.

Virtual reality technology overlays the scanned products on the 3D model of the shopper. That way, they can see what the item looks like on-without needing to physically try it on.

Various retailers are creating their own software to do this. Apple's augmented reality platform, ARKit, can be used to create virtual fitting rooms for iOS applications. Amazon also reportedly patented its own " blended-reality" mirror, which works using augmented reality.

The benefits of virtual fitting rooms

There are multiple benefits a virtual fitting room can provide for retailers.

Support online sales

Some 40% of shoppers would be willing to pay more for a product if they could experience it through augmented reality. Another 71% would shop at a retailer more often if it offered AR technology.

Retailers can take advantage of this and install virtual mirrors in their brick-and-mortar stores. There's no need to dedicate valuable retail space to changing rooms. Instead, that space can be used to showcase stock and create visual merchandising displays.

It's estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to ecommerce by five years. Virtual fitting room technology is excellent for retailers trying to bring their brick-and-mortar business online.

Configure in-store virtual fitting rooms to ask for a customer's email address or social media login when they start a new session. Or, add the items a shopper tried on to a customized online dashboard for them to purchase later.

Either option creates an omnichannel shopping experience -which has been proven to nudge in-store shoppers to spend 4% more and online shoppers 10% more.

Convenience

Did you know that 97% of consumers have abandoned a shopping purchase because it wasn't convenient enough?

Choosing the correct clothing size from the hanger, walking over to a physical changing room, and swapping their clothing is inconvenient. Virtual fitting rooms, on the other hand, eliminate all of that. Shoppers can walk over to a virtual mirror and quickly see what the clothing looks like on them-no changing needed.

Build connections with customers

Customer loyalty is a long-term goal for most retailers. We've all seen the statistics that prove it.

Increasing customer retention by just 5% boosts profits by 25% to 95%.

To build long-term relationships with customers, you need to first build a connection with them.

Virtual fitting rooms play a role in that process. Research shows that half of all women and men no longer feel safe trying on clothes in fitting rooms. If you're allowing shoppers to try items on virtually in the comfort of their own home or in the middle of a safe retail store, you're solving a huge problem for them.

If you needed any more convincing: 34% of shoppers think virtual fitting rooms make online shopping more fun. That's a surefire way to get customers coming back.

Reduce return rates

High return rates plague fashion brands. It's an administrative headache and cuts into profits (especially if you're offering free returns).

It's estimated that 30% of ecommerce returns happen because the size is too small. Another 22% happen because the customer ordered the item in a size that's too big.

my biggest pet peeve is when I buy clothes online and it lists literal measurements in inches for the sizing guide, I pick the appropriate size, and it still doesn't fit right, despite the measurements on the site saying that it will
- Amber @ Storyboard Artist (@ambattii) May 23, 2020

Offering a virtual fitting room helps solve that problem. Shoppers-regardless of whether they're trying on in-store or online-get to see what the item looks like on their body...without needing to touch it.

Yael Vizel, co-founder of Zeekit, a retail technology company, says Zeekit has seen a 36% reduction in return rates since using virtual fitting rooms.

The limitations of virtual fitting rooms

Customers still can't physically touch items

If you're using a virtual fitting room for your ecommerce store, there's still a risk that people won't buy the items they're trying on.

Some 82% of shoppers said they want to view and touch products before buying them online. While virtual fitting rooms help shoppers see what items will look like on their body, they're unable to feel the fabric.

Will people adopt this technology post-pandemic?

There's no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic changed shopping habits. There's a fear amongst retailers that any technology they implement now will be irrelevant post-pandemic, when shoppers return to in-store browsing.

However, up to BOPIS and contactless payment) even when the pandemic is over.

Distrust of virtual items looking the same

Ever bought something online that looks totally different to the item that arrived in the mail?

While virtual fitting room technology is advanced, some shoppers still don't feel confident in its ability to portray items how they'd look in real life. They fear that items overlaid on a human body may be altered-and won't look the same when they've bought it and try it on for the first time.

The technology can seem complicated

Virtual reality technology only became popular within the retail industry over the past decade. Retailers like Adidas, ASOS, and Macy's are employing virtual fitting rooms in their stores and ecommerce platforms.

Because of this, there's an idea that virtual fitting rooms would be an out-of-reach investment for smaller companies. Terri-Anne Turton, founder of The Tur-Shirt Company, explains:

"I'd not considered a virtual fitting room because I saw it as something the big brands do-not small businesses. I'm a small company with a limited marketing budget, and thought AR technology was too big of an investment for me to make."

I've quickly realized by being a unique, innovative small business that I absolutely should use a virtual fitting room, and that it is accessible to my brand. We shouldn't assume something is out of reach just because the big brands are doing it.

Terri-Anne Turton, Founder, The Tur-Shirt Company

The easiest way to get started with AR retail is to use a premade application. There are several available through the Shopify App Store, including Hero, YouCam Makeup, and Jewelfie.

Sell the way your customers shop

Only Shopify POS unifies online and in-store sales and makes checkout seamless. Get all the tools you need to break free from the counter and sell wherever your customers are without worrying about your tech stack, integrations, or fragmented sales reports.

5 examples of virtual fitting rooms

Warby Parker

Warby Parker is a DTC retail company that sells eyeglasses exclusively through its website. In a bid to make shoppers feel more confident in their online purchase, it launched a virtual try-on feature through its iOS app.

The feature uses Apple's ARKit and TrueDepth technology to show glasses on a shopper's face. They get a 3D model of the product to see whether it suits them before committing to buying it.

This will make it easier for returning customers to buy glasses without trying them on, but we're really excited about it as a tool for people to narrow down their home try-on choices.

Erin Collins, VP of Ecommerce at Warby Parker

Knix

Before COIVD-19, Knix did most of its business through two showroom stores.

The retailer prided itself on giving incredible customer experiences that helped customers find their perfect fit. However, lockdowns meant it had to move its business online. Knix created a virtual fitting room for ecommerce customers to get the same service as visitors to its physical stores.

Now, Knix's website hosts thousands of virtual fittings every month. The vast majority (97%) of available time slots to date have been booked.

Gucci

Luxury retailer Gucci partnered with long-term AR pioneer Snapchat to create its first four AR shoes after shopping malls closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

It created a virtual lens that overlaid a digital version of the shoe onto a shopper's foot. Tied with a Shop Now button that directed shoppers to its online store, Gucci reached 18.9 million Snapchat users and reported a positive ROAS from the AR campaign.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren also experimented with augmented reality. The retailer installed virtual mirrors in its in-store fitting rooms.

Cameras inside the mirrors use RFID technology by Oak Labs to detect which items a shopper has brought into the fitting room. The technology combines this with product data-like available sizes, alternative colors, and product recommendations if the ones they're virtually trying on aren't quite right.

Ralph Lauren said its virtual mirrors have an engagement rate of 90%. It can also use data from the virtual fitting rooms to tweak its retail strategy.

Charlotte Tilbury

It's not just fashion retailers that can use virtual fitting rooms to engage in-store shoppers.

Beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury installed a virtual mirror in its flagship London store. Shoppers could walk up to the mirror and see one of 10 famous makeup looks on their own face. They could take a photo of the makeup look and email themselves a list of products used to create it.

"All the looks are simulated using Holition's highly advanced real-time tracking and realistic visualisation in combination with skin tone detection and a recommendation process for suggesting a best look. Each look takes into account the customer's skin color and tones, thereby achieving a perfect natural blend."

After using the virtual mirrors, Charlotte Tilbury found shoppers were more likely to purchase cosmetics in-store.

Get started with your own virtual fitting room

The key to succeeding in modern-day retail is giving customers the shopping experiences they want.

Long gone are the days of visiting a store, queuing for a fitting room, and changing clothes. People want convenience-something a virtual fitting room delivers, regardless of where the shopper is browsing. They'll reduce return rates, build connections with shoppers, and support online sales.

Try Shopify POS for omnichannel selling

Bring your in-store and online sales together with Shopify POS. Gain insights about your business from one view so you can work smarter, move faster, and think bigger.

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What are Virtual Fitting Rooms and Why Should Retailers Use Them?

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Shoppers can virtually try on clothing items or beauty products without physically touching the item itself. The augmented reality (AR) or artificial intelligence (AI) technology places the item over live imaging of the customer, so they can check the size, style, and fit of a product they're thinking of buying.

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I have found out that Canada Goose are working towards sustainability and how they use sustainable materials such as 'down' in their jackets.

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Individual Skill Assessment: Stress Management 

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Individual Skill Assessment: Stress Management 

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Levis have their own page dedicated to the materials they use on their products. This helped me understand the base of the type of products they use, and how I can incorporate them into my garments and what item they would be best used for.

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Learn about all the unique fabrics we use to make our iconic Levi's® clothing, including Tencel, Slub, Sherpa, Chambray, Dyneema and more.

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This article from WGSN was what helped me capture the idea of my trend. The information abstracted from this article was used as the base of my trend report. I also gained more of an understanding on the trend and the ideas behind my trend.

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This article helped me understand the different types of sustainable fabric innovations that have helped with the fashion industry. The 6 types of sustainable fabric innovations are:

- Hemp fibres
- Stinging nettle fibres
- Coffee ground fibres
- Pineapple fabric pinatex
- Banana fibres
- Lotus fibres

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Bananas, coffee, pineapple, lotus, stinging nettles and hemp - what sounds like the ingredients on an exotic shopping list are actually all natural resources that can be turned into sustainable textiles. 'How' will be explained below; 'why' should be obvious: In view of dwindling resources, especially through resource-intensive natural fibres like cotton and the environmental impact of petroleum-based fibres like acrylic, polyester, nylon and spandex, it is about time for the textile and apparel industry to look for sustainable alternatives and to prove that the production of textiles and clothing does not have to pollute the environment. On the contrary. FashionUnited has found six interesting alternatives.

1. Hemp fibres

One of the most versatile natural fibers can be obtained from hemp - hemp fibers, which are antibacterial, durable and resilient, and work as a natural air-conditioning system. In addition, hemp is a fast-growing plant that consumes very little water and does not require herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or GMO seeds. 'What's not to love?' one could ask, and also why this super plant has not already become the standard in textile processing.

The reason is the connection of the Cannabis Sativa plant with recreational drugs. Even though the only high that the production and use of industrial hemp generates is the knowledge of doing something for the environment, cultivation has been severely hampered, especially in the western world. The situation is different in China, where the industrial use of the cannabis plant was never prohibited. Thus, China currently accounts for more than 50 percent of the global hemp production and holds more than half of the more than 600 international patents on hemp fibers and textile production. This needs to change.

2. Stinging nettle fibres

The common stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a widely used plant that is easy to grow. For the production of the fibers, the nettles are harvested in the summer and the stalks dried well. This removes the sting. After drying, the stalks are broken to separate the woody parts. Then, the plant is hackled to separate the fibers and to remove the leaf attachments. After that, the fibers are spun wet and then dried. Twisting them increases tear resistance.

Similar to hemp fibres, stinging nettle fibres are versatile, keep the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer, and can be grown with far less water and pesticides than cotton. Thanks to new spinning techniques and hybrid plant species, nettle plants with super high fiber content are obtained, which are strong and flexible and have a good spinning length. Unlike hemp, there is no legal problem with the cultivation of nettles, which has made the plant a viable and legal market fruit.

3. Coffee ground fibres

Most coffee drinkers simply throw away coffee ground after making their coffee. But it is an important raw material that can be used to make coffee ground fibres. Taiwanese textile company Singtex's technology combines the post-patented processed coffee ground with polymer to create master batches before spinning it into yarn. The resulting coffee yarn is multi-functional and can be used in a variety of products, from outdoor and sports performance wear to household items used every day.

Fabrics made out of coffee ground fibres like S.Café by Singtex shown here offer excellent natural anti-odour qualities, in addition to UV ray protection and a quick drying time. The coffee grounds used to create the yarn are taken and recycled from some of the world's largest coffee vendors, like Starbucks. In this way, the company gives a second life to coffee grounds which would have otherwise ended up in the trash. As we have seen, coffee ground fibres have many advantages. Now, the challenge remains in taking the fibre global and ensuring more apparel brands incorporate it into their collections in lieu of conventional fabrics and that it extends its reach to outside of the fashion industry.

4. Pineapple fabric Piñatex

Although the idea may sound unbelievable, there is a vegan alternative to leather, which is made from pineapple leaves. London-based Ananas Anam has developed a natural and non-woven textile out of pineapple leaves, known as which is remarkably similar to leather. The revolutionäre pineapple fabric is made from pineapple leaf fibres, a by-product from the pineapple harvest in the Philippines. During a process called decortication, the fibres are extracted from the leaves. The fibres then undergo an industrial process to become a nonwoven textile, which is the base of Piñatex. A by-product derived from the manufacturing process is biomass, which is converted into organic fertilizer or bio-gas and used by the farming communities, thereby closing the loop of the material's production.

Piñatex is the result of years of work and the search for an alternative to leather; a new type of natural tissue, which is 100 percent vegan and sustainable. In addition, it is also a strong, yet versatile, breathable, soft and flexible, material which can be easily printed on, stitched and cut, making it suitable for a number of fashion products. It has also won a number of awards. The next big step is to popularise Piñatex further and to continue developing and stabilizing its supply chain to meet the growing demand for its pineapple leaf, in a way that does not compromise its mission and fundamental values concerning environmental, ethical, social and economic sustainability.

5. Banana fibres

Banana fibre is one of the world's strongest natural fibres. It is made from the stem of the banana tree and is incredibly durable and biodegradable. The fibre consists of thick-walled cell tissue, bonded together by natural gums and is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Banana fibre is similar to natural bamboo fibre, but its spin ability, fineness and tensile strength are said to be better. Banana fibre can be used to make a number of different textiles with different weights and thicknesses, based on what part of the banana stem the fibre was extracted from.

Similar to coffee ground fibres and pineapple leaves, the material cycle is closed when producing banana fibres as they are made from waster products: from recycled banana stems, which the farmers would throw away otherwise. Banana fibres can be used to make ropes, mats, woven fabrics as well as handmade papers. Green Banana Paper, a company based on the island of Kosrae in Micronesia, is using banana fibre to make vegan wallets, purses, beads and paper. However, extracting the banana fibre from the banana stems is not an easy, or simple, process but a labourintensive one. Banana yarn or cloth is made by boiling strips of the sheath in an alkaline solution to soften and separate them. Once this is done, the fibres are joined together to create long threads which are then spun wet, in order to prevent them from breaking. Afterwards, the threads can be dyed or weaved.

6. Lotus fibres

Using lotus fabrics and textiles may sound exotic to western ears, but in countries like Thailand and Myanmar, for example, lotus fibers have been used for special garments for centuries. Not surprisingly because the manufacturing process produces a luxurious fabric that feels like a mixture of silk and raw linen that is also stain-resistant, light weight, soft, silky and extremely breathable. 'What's not to love?' one may ask again. In this case, it is the complicated and lengthy manufacturing process that is the biggest hurdle when using lotus stems.

After harvesting the lotus stems, they are cut open at the end to extract the long, thin fibers. This must be done within three days of harvesting to achieve optimal results. The fibres thus obtained are washed and hung to dry before hand-woven on traditional looms. The quality of the lotus fabric is so superior that there have been attempts at commercial use; Jaipur-based Hero's Fashion Pvt Ltd from India, for example, has already found many followers with its white NoMark Lotus shirt.

It remains to be seen how commercially viable and suitable for large scale production each of the six sustainable fibres - hemp, nettles, coffee, pineapples, banana and lotus - portrayed here is. Specifically hemp, nettles and coffee have huge potential for the mass market, whereas fabrics made out of lotus stems and pineapple should be interesting for the luxury market.

Photos: Coffe ground fibres /Singtex Industrial CO. LTD.; hemp jacket/Patagonia website; Netl products via tumblr; coffee fabrics/ Singtex Industrial CO. LTD.; Piñatex; products made of banana fibres/ Green Banana Paper; lotus fabrics by Samatoa Lotus Textiles

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6 sustainable textile innovations that will change the fashion industry

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Bananas, coffee, pineapple, lotus, stinging nettles and hemp - what sounds like the ingredients on an exotic shopping list are actually all natural resources

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An article about banana fibres being used for denim jeans and why it is eco-friendly

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An article about banana fibres being used for denim jeans and why it is eco-friendly

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The most interesting sustainable fibre in my opinion was banana fibres. This article goes into depth on the fibres are used, and the process of turning them into clothing fibres. It also compares banana fibres to cotton as it mentions that this could be a future alternative. Along with this, it mentioned the types of products that banana fibres have been implemented in at present.

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A fabric made out from banana fiber could well be the next green apparel of the future. The fabric, say, researchers, can be cheaper than cotton and linen if produced on a mass scale. Researchers of clothing and textile have designed woven and non-woven fabrics of the fiber obtained from the pseudostem of the banana plant.

Bananas are much different than anything we are accustomed to. The stem of the plant is what looks like the trunk of the 'tree', but it is actually tightly packed leaf sheaths that overlap as it grows. The fascinating aspect though has to be the creeping underground stem and root system. It allows five or more generations of fruit-bearing banana stems to simultaneously grow at once.

The plant is categorized as a 'tree-like perennial herb' because the parent stem dies naturally after it bears the fruit and a new "sucker" takes over as the parent plant. This is sometimes hard to visualize, but this image shows the smaller offshoots already emerging from the soil waiting for their turn to bathe in the sun.

With exponentially growing populations and fashion trends coming and going faster than ever, we are beginning to realize the effects of our industrial explosion from the past 100 years. Fashion is now the world's second leading cause of pollution trailing only oil.

While cotton was gaining popularity as a cheap textile for centuries, banana fiber usage was all but forgotten. At the current scale of manufacturing, the unnatural process used to make clothing from cotton is causing landfills to overflow.

After being treated with chemicals, the cotton no longer continues to decompose as it would naturally. In many places around the world, leather manufacturing also continues to poison environments and the humans that work in the factories. This remains true for many massively produced textiles in modern society.

In a show were wallets, purses, small bags and a range of stationery items fashioned out of paper and card made from banana fiber. They were a great hit with visitors to the company's booth at the event. "We were pleased to find that NewZealand's market prioritizes fair trade and investment that caters to new-to-market businesses from all around the Pacific.

The value New Zealanders place on eco-friendly and sustainable products and processes. Consumer consciousness on sustainability and social impact is high in New Zealand and products made from natural materials in a sustainable way such as our wallets and purses are clearly preferred over the same type of

products made from leather.

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Banana Fiber and Eco Friendly | Denim Innovation

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A fabric made out from banana fiber could well be the next green apparel of the future. The fabric, say, researchers, can be cheaper than cotton and linen if produced on a mass scale. Researchers of clothing and textile have designed woven and non-woven fabrics of the fiber obtained from the pseudostem of the banana plant.

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1) Moisture resistant, hypoallergenic & breathable
2) Extremely sustainable
3) Does not require extra care
4) Can be used for many products

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Linen isn't just any piece of cloth. This fabric has been used for thousands of years and has remained a staple in the textile industry because of its strength, durability and breathability.

Made from fibers that are sourced from the stems of flax plants, linen is three times stronger than cotton, making it a great choice for fine linens , bedding, clothing and home textiles.

Perfected over the course of hundreds of generations, the process of transforming a flax plant is lengthy. However, this process produces a luxurious textile that is well worth the wait, making it a top choice for manufacturers and designers across several industries.

Here are 4 reasons why people love flax linen, and why you will, too.

1. Linen Is Moisture-Resistant, Hypoallergenic And Breathable

Linen comes from the cellulose-based fibers of the flax plant that are hypoallergenic, moisture-resistant and breathable. In fact, linen can absorb dampness up to 20% without even feeling wet. It's often hidden dampness that leads to bacterial growth, so this feature keeps bedding healthier over time.

Flax is naturally hypoallergenic and is considered to be a natural fiber that is friendly to a person's skin. Because linen is hypoallergenic, it is perfect for allergy sufferers.

For those who live in hot climates, linen is a great choice to keep you cool in the summer. Yet, it also has the ability to keep you warm in the winter, making this a great year-round textile for clothing and bedding.

Breathability is especially important in bedding because it allows for better regulation of your body temperature. This, in turn, impacts how well you sleep at night. In fact, Harvard University notes that your sleep environment can have a significant impact on your sleep and overall health, confirming the importance of a good night's rest.

And, there's even better news. Linen actually gets softer and improves as it ages ... even after cleaning it multiple times. This ensures that clothing, bedding and furniture stays fresher longer.

2. Linen Is Extremely Sustainable

Linen is known for being one of the most sustainable textiles available.

Flax is typically planted in a cool climate and harvested 100 days later. Fibers from the plant are separated, and the leaves and seeds of the plant are removed. Flax fibers located inside the dried stems are also removed.

When growing flax, very little water is required so farmers do not need to irrigate or fertilize during this process. Flax typically requires little to no pesticides, herbicides and fungicides as well.

As mentioned above, very little is wasted with flax. Other parts of the plant, such as its seeds, can be used to produce oil or flax seeds for consumption.

And, because linen is extremely durable, it has a longer lifespan. When discarded, linen is biodegradable.

3. Linen Doesn't Require Extra Care

One of the best features customers love is that linen does not require extra care. Washing and caring for linens is pretty straight-forward, making this fabric an attractive choice and selling point.

Linen can be cleaned and dried in an individual's washing machine and dryer, though it can also be hand-washed or dry-cleaned using professional services.

Our article, How To Wash Linen, explains the various washing and drying methods you should use when caring for linens, but in general, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Hot water may cause linen fabric to shrink or may weaken the fibers.

Never twist linen fabric or scrub it, since this can damage the fibers.

Bleaching is not recommended for linens since it can discolor the fabric and weaken the linen fibers.

Dry on low heat and remove linens while they are somewhat damp, or iron on a low to medium-hot setting while the fabric is still somewhat damp.

There is one final note to keep in mind. For linens located in high-trafficked areas, regular maintenance is important to retain the fabric's fresh feel.

4. It Can Be Used For Many Products

Because of the benefits mentioned above, linen is highly sought after for use in many products.

Companies that manufacture clothing, bedding, window treatments, furniture and home goods regularly use linen for their products because of the fabric's durability, high quality and moisture-resistant features.

However, linen is also used in many other products in the market, including:

Rugs

Rope

Curtains

Bandages

Dolls

Luggage

Books

One more fun fact...Linen is even combined with cotton to make paper currency.

So, as you can see, linen is a special textile. Considering it's been used for thousands of years, it's no surprise how popular linen has remained across many generations.

To learn more about the fascinating process behind flax linen production, check out our article, What Is Linen Made From?

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Linen isn't just any piece of cloth. This fabric has been used for thousands of years and has remained a staple in the textile industry because of its strength, durability and breathability. Made from fibers that are sourced from the stems of flax plants, linen is three times stronger than cotton, making it a great choice for fine linens , bedding, clothing and home textiles.

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In this article, it explains the differences between Tencel and Model and what their uses are. It helped me get a better understanding of eco friendly brands love using them. It also explains the process of how each of these are made. The concluded understanding of this article was that both of these products are biodegradable.

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More information about Lyocell/ Tencel. Whilst Lyocell is known to be the generic name, Tencel is more or so the brand name for this fibre that retailers use.

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First produced commercially in Mobile, Alabama almost 30 years ago, lyocell is currently enjoying a lot of attention as a plant-based fibre used for clothing. Both luxury and high street labels are investing in the buttery-soft textile: Swiss loungewear brand Hanro recently released a shirt made of 100% lyocell, London label Mother of Pearl uses it and Zara, Mango and H&M have also placed their bets on it. Selfridges calls it a "miracle fabric". So what exactly is it, and is it really that good?

How is lyocell made?

It all starts with wood. Mostly, it's eucalyptus, though oak and birch will also do. After being harvested, the wood is cut into penny-sized pieces and ground into a pulp, dissolved by the chemical amine oxide. What remains is raw cellulose - a sticky, viscous liquid. The mixture is pushed through spinnerets, and bright, white lyocell fibres emerge, which, after washing and drying, are ready to be spun into yarn and eventually woven into fabric.

Eucalyptus trees in Western Australia. Photograph: blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo

What does it feel and look like?

Lyocell can have many different textures, but the basic fabric is soft to the touch. It is hypoallergenic and doesn't cling. Lyocell is also 50% more absorbent than cotton, which means it's often used for activewear. "That softness, the friendliness for the skin, but also the moisture management are really the three key advantages that lyocell brings versus a lot of other alternatives," says Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of Lenzing AG, an Austria-based company that produces a large part of the lyocell worldwide and has been at the forefront of the fibre's innovation.

Why is it sustainable?

It goes back to the source: eucalyptus trees grow quickly, without irrigation and virtually any pesticides, on land no longer fit for food. The production of lyocell doesn't use toxic chemicals, and 99.5% of the dissolving agent can be used repeatedly. Compared to cotton, lyocell has the potential to use less than half as much water in production. The fabric's breathability is also great for the planet, as it doesn't start smelling as quickly and can be washed less frequently, saving water.

A lyocell made jumpsuit from Mother of Pearl. Photograph: PR Handout

There's a big but, though. "So the material has potential, very good potential. But who is producing it?" asks Professor Susanne Sweet, research manager for the Sweden-based Mistra Future Fashion programme. "One of the major impacts in production is the energy use and the climate impact. So if you produce it in countries where they use fossil fuels or coal or something, it is going to be really bad. It's understanding the system - it's not just the material," she cautions. This means that when buying lyocell, it's worth checking if it can be tracked all the way back to the source.

Lyocell, Tencel, Newcell, Excel - what's with all the names?

Lyocell is the generic, widely used name for the textile, but it's not the only term you will see in your clothes labels. The "cel" comes from it being a cellulosic fibre. Tencel is the brand of lyocell sold by Lenzing AG, which was invented by the textile company Courtauld in Britain - the "ten" stands for tenacity. The futuristic Newcell was one of the earlier variants of the textile, and the unfortunately named Excel is lyocell manufactured by textile company Birla.

What is lyocell used for?

In fashion, "100% Lyocell" labels mostly grace athleisure and wardrobe staples made to last. Amy Powney of London label Mother of Pearl, known for her focus on sustainable and whimsical designs, likes using it for casual dresses, shirts and summer basics, because, she says, it's perfect to "just sort of roll up and put in your suitcase".

A lyocell t-shirt from Mango. Photograph: PR Handout

What does it cost?

Fast fashion versions are available from under £30 (though sustainability is another question there), and Hanro's new "Balance" shirt, made from 100% lyocell, is £57. Mother of Pearl's polka-dotted lyocell cami retails for £185, and the Tentree "Kayaker" T-shirt, made of lyocell blended with organic cotton and recycled polyester, is available for £28.99.

Can it replace materials such as cotton and viscose?

Hanro CEO Stephan Hohmann sees it like this: "Tencel will replace viscose certainly in the future. Cotton, however, still strongly stands for most consumers for a natural material and its superior wearing comfort." Powney prefers it to cotton and, she says, citing the easily creasing nature and larger environmental impact of viscose: "We want to use lyocell as much as we possibly can instead of viscose."

"The growth of it will be much more in blending with other fibres," says Van de Kerkhof. Lyocell can blend well with cotton, polyester and even silk, which adds properties like shine that it doesn't have on its own."

"It can, to a certain degree, replace cotton," says Sweet, adding that "cotton is a wonderful material, but it has a huge environmental impact".

Is lyocell susceptible to greenwashing?

"Yes, of course," says Sweet, underlining the importance of transparency when it comes to where and how the lyocell is manufactured. "I think for a lot of brands it's quite an easy box to tick," agrees Powney, "because the world is changing, and because customers are demanding more and brands knowing that they have to change, I think it's just such a go-to solution."

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Pulp fabric: everything you need to know about lyocell

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It's got a scientific name and a heavenly silkiness - but is the material that is showing up everywhere, from catwalks to your wardrobe, really as sustainable as we are led to believe?

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This article explain the benefits of bamboo fabric, as many designers have started using this in their products as a form of a trend to continue being more sustainable. With modern manufacturing, we have been able to create bamboo fibres that is used to make yarn and fabric. Another fibre that has been compared to cotton.

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Benefits of Bamboo Fabric | Maintenance Of Bamboo Clothing | Comparison between Bamboo and Cotton | Fibre2fashion.com - Fibre2Fashion

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Read article about Read Article on Benefits of Bamboo Fabric, Maintenance of Bamboo Clothing and Comparison between Bamboo and Cotton. Bamboo fabric is similar to the softness of silk. Since the fibers are without chemical treatment, they are naturally smoother and rounder with no sharp spurs to irritate the skin, making bamboo fabric hypoallergenic and perfect for those who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibers such as wool or hemp - Article by Fibre2fashion.com and more articles about Textile industary at Fibre2Fashion

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Sustainable fibres that can be used for Windbreakers/Anoraks

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Sustainable fibres that can be used for Windbreakers/Anoraks

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By reading this article, I was able to understand the types of sustainable materials used for windbreakers or anoraks, which I previously was not aware could even be done. It swayed away the basic understanding of thinking that windbreakers can only either be made from Nylon or Polyester.

It also lists the retailers that stock windbreakers made from sustainable fibres, one of them including The North Face.

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When we are enjoying the outdoors, we want to make sure that we are not harming the environment, and that includes the outdoor clothing that we choose. You want your outdoor gear to be lightweight, yet warm and waterproof.

Whether you are looking for windbreaker jackets, winter jackets for women or a warm 3-in-1 parka jacket, these brands all create sustainable outdoor gear. Everything we wear has an impact, so we need to lessen the negative impact as much as possible.

To embrace the concept of sustainability, production processes need to be adapted to look after the environment. Eco friendly fibers need to be incorporated and that includes the use of recycled plastic and recycled fabrics. Plastic is a huge global problem, so take the plastic that is already in circulation and turn it into a useful fabric.

This guide has eco friendly outdoor jackets for any weather conditions and the brands all incorporate recycled materials in their range. Whatever your need, there you will find jackets that are suitable for skiing and snowboarding, mountaineering and hiking and everyday living.

United by Blue is an outdoor brand that was founded in 2010 with the mission to clean up our waterways. For every product that is purchased, a pound of plastic waste is removed from our rivers and oceans. More than three millions items have been sold, which equates to more than three million pounds of trash that has been taken out of our waterways and seas.

The range includes winter jackets for women and men, backpacks and bags and every day reusables. From windbreaker jackets to rain coats, parka jackets and everyday wear, all products are made from organic cotton, recycled polyester and bison fibers (B100 Bison insulation in jackets) The bison jackets come with a lifetime guarantee.

Bags and backpacks have water resistant recycled polyester shells and are stain resistant.

Materials that are exclusive to United by Blue are:

BisonShield - for the American Bison to stay dry and warm during some of the harshest winters on the planet, nature has provided them with a coat that consists of layers of compact, hollow and resilient hairs.

Bison fiber is basically considered a waste product and is discarded by the ranching industry. Through the United by Blue supply chain, the fibers that would have been discarded, is intercepted. No animal has been harmed in the process to get the hairs, it is an existing resource that is diverted.

It is used as either a yarn, or as insulation.

Benefits of Bison fibers include being temperature regulating, flexible, warm when wet, moisture wicking, hypoallergenic, lightweight and being a very soft fiber.

SoftHemp - hemp is a renewable resource that grows quickly and absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees. It is a hardy crop that grows almost anywhere and requires very little water.

There is no waste in hemp production as the stalks are used for fibers and oil and supplements are made from the seeds.

It is mixed with other materials to create SoftHemp yarn that is used in socks and other basics.

SoftHemp is sustainable, biodegradable and has four times the durability of cotton.

EcoKnit is created from sustainable organic cotton, hemp, yak and modal. Global Oragnic Textile Standard (GOTS) and OCS factories are used to manufacture these knits. This means that the highest social and environmental standards have been met.

(R)evolution is a range of bags and pet accessories that is made from recycled plastic water bottles. Recycled polyester yarn is derived from post consumer plastic bottles and prevents it from going into landfill or the ocean. These products do not require washing, so no micro-plastics are released into the washing water.

AllDayChambray is a lightweight sustainable fabric consisting of hemp, organic cotton and yak, that is strong enough for everyday wear and tear.

EcoDry is a blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester. It is a lightweight and moisture wicking fabric that will keep you dry and comfortable during any activity. This w ill be coming in Spring 2020.

Sustainable materials that are used include these:

Organic cotton keeps toxins out of your wardrobe and the environment .

Hemp is far stronger than cotton and is naturally grown organically, without pesticides and toxic chemicals.

Recycled polyester has a far smaller carbon footprint than virgin polyester and can be recycled numerous times. Nine water bottles are used to make one t-shirt. The bottles are shredded into flakes, melted to get pellets, which is melted to get the yarn, then knitted to create the textile.

Wool is a renewable and sustainable resource that doesn't hurt the animal. The fibers are versatile, breathable and biodegradable.

Tencel is the brand name for the cellulose fiber lyocell, which is deribìved from wood. Eucalyptus and beech trees, which are fast growing, is most commonly used. The trees require much less water than cotton and is lightweight and cool to wear.

Micro Modal - the inner pulp of beech trees is used to make this biodegradable and sustainable textile. It is breathable and absorbent and the trees have a yield that is ten times more than cotton. It is perfect for clothes that are next to your skin like underwear, pyjamas and bed linen.

Corozo is used for buttons. Corozo is obtained from the nuts that are produced by the Tagua palm tree. Each tree can produce as much as fifty pounds of nuts every year and continue for more than a hundred years. Corozo buttons are 100% natural and are washable and will not scratch or splinter.

Ethical manufacturing is achieved by using factories that have certified facilities for looking after their workers. Factories are in the USA, Turkey, Vietnam and China.

United by Blue is a certified B-Corporation business, their stores are LEED certified and they use office supplies made from recycled materials. They arrange clean-ups along the rivers in the USA, and you can join in to remove plastic bottles and vehicle tires from the waterways. See their range here.

North Sails was started in 1957 in San Diego by a world champion yachtsman, Lowell North. He was an Olympic medalist and an aeronautical engineer. Originally the company focused on building sails for yachts, but since the early 1980s, they have also been making outdoor apparel.

The range now includes clothing for men and women, bags and every day reusables. Today their motto of "Go Beyond", also lives on in their apparel.

Since early 2018, garments and products that are made from recycled plastic and upcycled and organic cotton, has been on the market. Reuse is a process of recycling sails and using recycled fabric and padding.

Windbreaker Jackets are made with a detachable vest. The outer is made from recycled polyester and the padding in the vest is Repreve, a waterproof recycled nylon fabric. The "free the sea t-shirt collection" is made using yarn made from recycled cotton and plastic PET bottles.

North Sails backpacks are 100% made from recycled materials. Not only the fabric, but also the shoulder straps, the handle, the classic front pocket and the zips.

It is no surprise that a business that is so closely involved with our oceans, sees conservation of our seas as very important. One percent of their revenue is given to the Ocean Family Foundation (OFF) to increase awareness of plastic pollution and fund conservation initiatives to save our oceans.

La Sportiva is an Italian company that was started in 1928. For more than ninety years they have been specializing in climbing and mountaineering boots and footwear, as well as outer wear like jackets.

With a view to greater sustainability, they have introduced a line where items are partially or totally made from recycled materials. Fabrics and padding are made with recycled polyester, obtained from PET plastic bottles.

Garments that have the label Recycled Fabric and Insulation, means that recycled polyester has been used, rather than new fibers made from petrochemicals. Approximately 35 plastic bottles are used for each jacket that uses the recycled materials. Have a look at their jackets here.

They have also introduced Tech Stretch Pro Eco fabric, which is made of 88% recycled polyester and used in the soft shell line. The Idro Breath Membrane has zero perfluorinated chemicals (PFC).

La Sportiva is working with a local company to convert their rubber waste into a material used in playground flooring. They are incorporating eco friendly practices like, eliminating plastic from their offices and events that they manage directly.

Designers at The North Face have developed a new technology called "Futurelight", which will be used for the waterproof membrane in jackets and trousers and also trainers. The membrane is made with various sustainable components.

So what is Futurelight technology? Nano-spun polymers are used where fibers are spun at two hundreds nano-meters of dimension. Nanospinnig creates nano-level holes which allows the membrane to be incredibly porous, while at the same time letting air move through.

From more than 200,000 nozzles, a polyurethane solution is deposited onto a surface. The membrane is created by collecting the solution in a random matrix. It is bonded to backing and face fabric to produce a waterproof, yet breathable membrane. The result is a porous yet waterproof film that is thin and light.

Technology has been developed by The North Face designers and will be used in Summit, Steep and Flight series, which included winter jackets for women and men.

The sustainable three layer windbreaker jackets uses recycled materials, no perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) durable breathable repellent (DWR) and is produced in factories that use sustainable practices.

Most three layer outerwear is bulky and heavy, but the jackets that have Futurelight technology incorporated, are lightweight, breathable and waterproof. It is warm enough to be used on the ski slopes, but versatile enough to be used for training and hiking activities.

The brand is committed to incorporating more recycled materials into their clothing and shoes. They also produce a waterproof and breathable DryVent shell for a jacket with a removable liner made from 100% recycled polyester.

They will incorporate the futurelight membrane into 3 of their trainers:

Ultra Fastpack IV Futurelight - a trekking shoe

Ultra Traction Futurelight - a running shoe for technical routes

Activist Futurelight - a trekking shoe for city and mountains

Go here to get your The North Face items at the best prices.

Everlane is an American brand that was founded in 2010 with sustainability at the core. They have released a range of outdoor clothing made from recycled plastic bottles and other reused materials.

ReNew is a range of outerwear made with recycled materials in the from of recycled plastic bottles, and recycled down in sustainable outerwear garments. Their ReNew windbreaker jacket is made with thirty-two recycled plastic bottles and the recycled polyester in their anorak is derived from twenty-eight plastic water bottles.

Insulation is a hundred percent recycled PrimaLoft, which is a solution to plastic waste. PrimaLoft insulation conforms to Bluesign criteria for environmental impact, so it is kind to the environment.

Only zippers and trims are not currently available made from recycled materials.

They have a completely transparent pricing policy and will give customers the exact breakdown of the cost of a garment, from the fabric cost to labor, trims and zips to the transport costs. Sustainability and transparency go hand in hand at Everlane.

Patagonia has been at the forefront of using recycled plastic in their clothing and outdoor gear. They are an American company and was the first outdoor clothing brand to use recycled polyester in their products. They produce high quality outdoor clothing using recycled and low impact materials.

Patagonia products use a wide range of fibers that include recycled nylon, recycled polyester, organic cotton, recycled wool, hemp, recycled feathers and other sustainable fibers.

Used plastic bottles is the source for recycled polyester, but yarn is also derived from unusable second grade fabrics and disused garments (including Patagonia products).

Windbreaker jackets, base layers, fleece tops and board shorts are amongst the garments that are produced using recycled polyester. The range caters for the whole family with winter jackets for women, men and kids.

Please read more about Patagonia at this post about the best brands that incorporate recycled plastic in their clothing.

The Spanish brand Ecoalf was started in 2009. Their range of clothing and footwear is made entirely from recycled materials. Post consumer waste like used plastic bottles, discarded fishing nets and old vehicle tires are recycled to produce eco friendly fabrics for outerwear and apparel.

Their parka jackets and anoraks are made from a hundred percent recycled polyester, which is breathable, waterproof and sustainable, and also free of perfluorinated chemicals (PFC).

Ecoalf incorporates recycled materials in their footwear and apparel. Read more here about the recycling materials and sustainable practices that Ecoalf follows, as well as the work that the Ecoalf Foundation is doing to remove trash from our seas and oceans.

The Ecoalf range includes outdoor clothing for men and women and the windbreaker jackets and anoraks are made from recycled polyester. Get your Ecoalf windbreaker jacket at the best price here.

Finesterre is a UK company that was founded in 2003. Although they are based in Cornwall, most of the production takes place in China. They produce insulated jackets made with recycled materials and organic cotton.

From waterproof windbreakers for everyday activities, to 3-in-1 parka jackets and functional fleeces, the garments are sustainably made using circular sourcing.

Natural fibers that they use include organic cotton, hemp, linen and wool that is locally sourced in England. Winter jackets for women and men are part of the sustainable range.

Regenerated fiber that is incorporated in the clothing is recycled polyester, obtained from post consumer and post-industrial waste. Recycled polyamide (nylon) comes from post-industrial waste that is collected from their spinning and weaving mills.

The Nimbus jacket is breathable and has a water resistant shell, made from a hundred percent recycled polyester, and PrimaLoft Silver Eco recycled insulation. So the insulation is free of down, and warm, windproof and water resistant.

They are a certified B Corp business, meaning they look after their workers as well as the environment.

Haglofs is a Swedish brand which promotes outdoor gear that is made from organic and recycled materials and sustainably made. They cater for the entire family with clothing for men, women and juniors, and includes outdoor gear, backpacks and accessories.

Their range of jackets covers windbreakers, mid layers, vests and fleeces. The L.I.M series is lightweight and can fold up to a small bundle. To reduce chafing and weight, the shoulders, sides and sleeves are designed without seams.

The Essence Mimic Hood is a lightweight insulated jacket that has a synthetic filling made from 100% recycled polyester. It is warm and light, even when wet, and emulates the characteristics of down. Pertex, a wind and tear resistant fabric which is free of PFC, is used for the outer shell.

Mid layers are made with 94% recycled polyester and 6% elastane.

Their range also includes waterproof trousers, backpacks, hiking boots and accessories. All the products are free of fluorocarbons and include recycled materials. This is where you can get your Haglofs products at the best prices.

You might also want to check out these sneakers that are made from recycled plastic.

If you have any comments or questions about eco friendly windbreaker jackets and outdoor gear that use recycled materials, please leave them below and I will get back to you.

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9 Best eco-approved Windbreaker Jackets | Eco World

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When we are enjoying the outdoors, we want to make sure that we are not harming the environment, and that includes the outdoor clothing that we choose. You want your outdoor gear to be lightweight, yet warm and waterproof.

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This was a very interesting article. I learnt about the different types of sustainable textile finishes. The most surprising one to me was the use of plasma processing for finishing.

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Sustainable Textile Finishing Techniques - Textile Learner

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Textile finishing determines a textile’s final appearance and aesthetic characteristics. Sustainable finishing processes in the textile industry

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New Ultrasound Based Finishing Technology

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New Ultrasound Based Finishing Technology

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An article about new technology which is useful for protection against viruses. This is especially important with covid-19 still ongoing. I learnt that this technology is used on hospital clothing, however they are trying to incorporate this into the fashion industry in the future.

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With COVID-19 pandemic lingering and proliferating in some parts of the world again, the need for anti-microbial textiles has been on the rise. The Israeli company Sonovia that develops industrial solutions such as sono-based technology, along with Germany-based Brückner Textile Technologies which makes fabric finishing machinery and technology developer, and Weber Ultrasonics which is an international manufacturer of ultrasound technology components, has developed a new ultrasound-based finishing technology that keeps textiles protected for a longer time against hospital infections and multi-resistant pathogens.

The new finishing technology meets the industrial requirements for wash resistance, making them remain effective for a longer period of time against viruses, including Corona.

The majority of the impregnations which protect materials from bacteria, viruses, and fungi use chemical binding agents. They deliver limited wash resistance and the protective effect lasts only a certain amount of time. Additionally, the chemicals and substances used can be harmful to the environment by remaining as polluting residues on finished products.

The new 'sono-finishing' process minimizes the environmental impact associated with conventional textile finishing.

Liat Goldhammer - Chief Technical Officer, Sonovia shares: "Ensuring antimicrobial textiles, used by medical workers, or as hospital linen and laundry, and oro-nasal masks, significantly reduce the risk of infection requires impregnation to be able to withstand the usual frequent laundering at high temperatures. They cannot lose efficacy over the course of their normal useful life."
Sono-chemical Process - The All-Textile Solution
In 2017, Sonovia began industrializing a patented sono-finishing process developed at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. The one-step sono-chemical finishing process is suitable for all types of textiles made from natural fibres like cotton, linen, and silk, synthetic materials, or a blend of both.

The procedure uses zinc oxide nanoparticles as an active medium and is based on the physical phenomenon of acoustic cavitation: when exposed to ultrasound, small bubbles continuously form in the solution mixed with the nanoparticles, which then expand and collapse within split seconds. This creates high energy microstreaming patterns, which move at around 500 meters per second. These carry the particles with them and embed them firmly in the textiles.

Goldhammer explains: "With sono-finishing technology, the particles are mechanically embedded, so the antimicrobial properties remain in place for a long time. The formation of cavitation bubbles via ultrasound is crucial to ensure the reliable application of the antimicrobial zinc-oxide particles. Standard ultrasonic systems cannot be used for this."

This eliminates the polluting binding agents and the use of chemicals by up to 50%.

Strong Partners

Industrializing the solution materialized with the help of the R&D department at Weber Ultrasonics which came up with a made-to-measure ultrasonic concept, while Brückner developed and built a corresponding application unit that can also be integrated into a wider, continuous finishing process.

Interestingly, the first system prototype for the sono-chemical process has been in use at Brückner's technology centre since 2019.
Advantage - Technological, Environmental, and Cost

The innovative solution enables maximum process reliability, productivity, sustainability, ease of maintenance, and cost effectiveness.

Compared to conventional textile equipment, the new procedure not only offers the benefits of longer lasting antimicrobial properties and being more environmentally-friendly, it also allows for cost savings.

Goldhammer says: "Although still under development, initial conservative calculations suggest potential savings of around 10% from the reduction of chemicals used."

The new application unit, which is similar to a padding mangle, can easily be integrated into existing plants and lines. It can be used for finishing both woven and knitted fabrics, as well as nonwovens and carpeting.
Protection Against Corona Virus
Sonovia conducted testing together with renowned international textile research and certification institutes to prove lasting and reliable antimicrobial efficacy of sono-chemical textile finishing. The tests confirmed that the finished fabrics still retained their full antimicrobial properties even after multiple wash cycles at high temperatures.

Sonovia now manufactures and sells antimicrobial oro-nasal masks made out of textiles that use this technology. Tests carried out in summer 2020 revealed more than 99% efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, the mask filters 95% of 3 microns particles, the particle size which has been identified by WHO as relevant to the spread of COVID-19.

The new technology's proven lasting protective effects, in addition to the user-friendly and sustainable process, make it an optimal solution for finishing clothing for medical and care workers and laundry, linen in hospitals, senior homes, and hotels, as well as many other areas where hygiene and infection control are critical.

The fashion and sportswear industries, as well as the automotive sector and railroad car fitters are also interested in sono-chemically finished textiles. Relevant tests are set to be carried out at Brückner Textile Technologies' technology centre starting in the second quarter of 2021.

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New finishing technology assures longer protection from viruses

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With COVID-19 pandemic lingering and proliferating in some parts of the world again, the need for anti-microbial textiles has been on the rise.

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Levis speak about their involvement in Better Cotton Initiative. In this article I learnt that they have been a part of this movement since 2008 when they realised they need to do more to reduce the environment footprint.

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Levi Strauss & Co. is a founding member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), having joined the initiative in 2010. As BCI celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, BCI caught up with Michael Kobori, Vice President of Sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co., to discuss the fashion industry's shifting attitude toward cotton production and sustainability.
What led Levi Strauss & Co. to become a member of BCI?
In 2008, Levi Strauss & Co. completed an environmental product lifecycle assessment. We saw that cotton had a rather significant impact on our environmental footprint. As a company, we were actively looking for ways to reduce those impacts. The Better Cotton Initiative addressed many of the issues that we were concerned about in cotton production including water use, chemical use and farmers' ability to improve their livelihoods. Being a member enables us to support farmers directly by investing in improved practices at field level. BCI's system of mass balance also means we can continue to source cotton from around the world without disrupting our existing supply chains.
What do you think has contributed to BCI's success over the past decade?
It struck me straight away that BCI was a truly global and multi-stakeholder initiative. In early meetings, we had people from different organisations and industries coming together - from farmers to NGOs and retailers - to work towards the same objective. Everyone was committed to the end goal of making global cotton production more sustainable. BCI has also had the right leaders at the right time in its Executive Group and on the BCI Council, driving the initiative in the right direction. I'm delighted to have been elected to serve on the council until 2022 and look forward to contributing to shaping BCI's future. I'd also say that funding and support from IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, has been invaluable in helping BCI to grow and expand its programme.
How does being a member of BCI create value for retailers and brands?
Being a member of BCI demonstrates to consumers and shareholders that an organisation is committed to sourcing sustainable raw materials and supporting sustainable cotton. At Levi Strauss & Co., cotton accounts for 93% of all the raw materials we use for products, so it is a critical commodity for us. BCI has been crucial to both helping us reduce our impact on the environment and bringing that story to our key stakeholders.
Where do you see BCI heading in the next decade?
BCI is on a great trajectory. Better Cotton is going mainstream and is a commercially viable option for retailers and brands. I'd like to see more retailers and brands come onboard, source Better Cotton, and really help push BCI past its target to account for 30% of global cotton production by 2020. Then BCI can focus further on utilising technological advances to reach greater numbers of farmers with field-level training and capacity building. I would also like to see the Better Cotton Standard being adopted and integrated into governmental agricultural programmes and really embedded within cotton production practices.
Where will retailers and brands focus their attention in the coming years?
Some retailers and brands are setting and achieving targets to source 100% of their cotton as more sustainable cotton. Some organisations already source 100% of their cotton as Better Cotton. They may now be exploring where they go next and how they integrate other sustainable fibres into their sustainable materials portfolio. It's likely that new innovative fibres will emerge in the coming years. For example, at Levi Strauss & Co., we are beginning to experiment with cottonised hemp, which is hemp that's been altered to feel like cotton. There is definitely an opportunity for BCI in the long-term to expand the Better Cotton Standard System to other crops and fibres, not just cotton.
The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) - the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world - aims to train 5 million farmers worldwide on more sustainable agricultural practices, and account for 30% of global cotton production by 2020. Learn more here.

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Why We're Invested in the Better Cotton Initiative - Levi Strauss & Co

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Editor's Note: The following Q&A was originally published on the Better Cotton Initiative's blog. Levi Strauss & Co. is a founding member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), having joined the initiative in 2010. As BCI celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, BCI caught up with Michael Kobori, Vice President of Sustainability at Levi Strauss &...

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A brief History of Levis. Levis is actually named after the an previous immigrant called Levis Strauss, and named the brand after himself.

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What started as an invention for the American worker became the uniform of progress. Worn by miners, cowboys, rebels, rock stars, presidents and everyday men and women, these functional pieces were the clothes people not only worked in-they lived their lives in, too. But Levi's® are more than that. They're the purest wearable form of authentic self-expression. They bear the markings of life, the shapes of our bodies, the memories of our adventures. Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest apparel companies and a global leader in jeans. We have some 500 stores worldwide, and our products are available in more than 100 countries. The Levi's® brand is just part of our story. We're also home to Dockers® and Denizen®.

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About Us - Levi Strauss History | Levi's®

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The official Levi's® GB website has the best selection of Levi's® jeans, denim, and clothing for men, women, and kids. Shop the entire collection today.

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How Levis have started using digital printing in their products to make the brand more future proof. In this article I learnt that using F.L.X technology is a more sustainable way of printing as it reduced water wastage and overproduction.

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Levi's has been running in one form or another since 1853, but it wasn't until 1873 when Jacob Davis partnered with Levi Strauss to introduce the patented rivet that now features throughout the company's designs. After producing overalls for miners for around 20 years, it developed the epochal 501 jean in the 1890s. To this day, it remains the undisputed king of denim, something that is so ingrained in daily life that we can safely assume almost all of us have a memory associated with it.

Now, the brand is looking to the future. Do you think you could tell the difference between an original pair of jeans and ones made using a laser? We think you might be hard-pressed to tell. Using its F.L.X. technology (which stands for future-led execution), Levi's is bringing back vintage pairs of jeans using the most contemporary technology around, all while reducing water wastage, combating overproduction, and making sure it can react to trends almost immediately.

F.L.X. can recreate the look and feel of vintage denim - and there's more to than just that. Its purpose is not to replace the thousands of pairs that frequent thrift stores globally, but to make us think about what we buy, how we wear it, and what to do with it once we're done with them. To find out more about Levi's' F.L.X. project, HYPEBEAST spoke with Bart Sights, Senior Director for Technical Innovation at Levi's, for our latest installment of What the Tech?, digging deeper into the future of the dynastic denim brand.

The History of Levi's Denim

HYPEBEAST: What is the usual design and production process of making a pair of Levi's jeans?

Bart Sights: All of our inspiration for new designs and finishing, and in some ways fit, comes from vintage and heritage. We have a fantastic archive, and as you know, the world is filled with old Levi's. From a finish standpoint, inspiration comes from old jeans, and the way the market is now, we have to come up with a couple thousand different shades every year to supply the demand. The designers throw a pair of [vintage jeans] on the floor and say, "do this." So, we traditionally write a recipe that chains together a lot of machine and manual applications: washing machines, ovens, driers, spraying, oxidizers, sandpaper, Dremel tools, razor blades. We have a lot of experience and when we see vintage jeans we know how to build that recipe, it's a lot like cooking.

It's a long and laborious process to develop one finish. From a manufacturing standpoint - once that's developed - you need to transfer that and scale it. You have to go to the factory and teach as many as 800 people how to draw that pattern on with sandpaper and Dremel tools, and make that exactly the same every time. We've been doing it that way for 35 years, and F.L.X. was a radical departure from that.

The What, Why, and How

Does F.L.X. follow the same idea of a recipe?

It's simplified. Everything we do is rooted in authenticity, so we're still inspired by vintage jeans and we still go through the same process of design choices, and then we replicate that. The difference with F.L.X. is once we throw the jean on the floor, instead of using a recipe that has 20 steps, we create bases.

When I started in this industry 35 years ago, there were three finishes: dark stonewash, medium stonewash, light stonewash. We took ourselves back to that and we stage bases of dark, medium, and light, and then we draft a recipe from that. Instead of someone trying to mimic with sandpaper the wear patterns and damage holes [of vintage jeans] with manual tools, we scan that jean in a way that we can lift all of those attributes digitally. The software we built allows us to manipulate that and highlight and lowlight and build a digital file the laser can read and then mark.

Traditional finishes were 18-20 steps, F.L.X. is three steps: we create a base, we mark with a laser, and then we post wash which gives us an opportunity to make more variation from that base, with tints and bleaches. It's very sustainable, and we're not having to create everything from scratch every time.

The denim and fashion industry is not inherently sustainable, while things such as hand-distressing is arguably a more eco-friendly approach than machine methods. How is F.L.X. more sustainably-minded than traditional methods?

We consider sustainability in two areas: social and environmental. F.L.X. checks both boxes. From a social side - as I mentioned before when we scale a finish - we have to teach that to hundreds of factory workers. Those hand-sanding and spraying jobs are the least desirable jobs in the factory, I've done those jobs for a living and there's a lot of repetitive motion, if you're not protected well you can breathe stuff that you shouldn't, you'll blow your nose and it's all blue. We're trying to get rid of those jobs, and we're trying to get rid of exposing those jobs to different things that are put into the air when we create a finish. One of the things we use in almost all finishes [traditionally] is an oxidizer called potassium permanganate, and we're on a path to eliminate that from our supply chain because it's not a great chemical.

On the environmental side, because we are able to make so much variation from a few bases, we avoid using as much water as we used to and then the big thing is chemicals. When we started F.L.X., we took the chemical list from every factory that we use - all the chemicals we use - and that number adds up to over 1,000 different chemicals. We're able to provide as much variation as needed with F.L.X. with only a few dozen chemicals because we're letting the laser do the work.

Is F.L.X. more productive?

The biggest thing it does is shorten the process. Fast can be taken out of context, we don't want to be considered fast, but we do want to be considered closer to the selling point. If you think about the process I described at the beginning, that's pushing our design point more than a year back before we sell it. A denim finish is dangerous to design a year before we sell it because the trend can change. With F.L.X., we create a process that is much more benign and faster, and because it doesn't need an army of people and lots of logistical support, we can do it anywhere - even in-market. We create bases and then ship them out to markets and wait to see what we need and what the consumer is telling us for looks.

People buy Levi's because they're seen as the original in authentic denim, but here it's a laser doing all the work. How does F.L.X. play into or work with the idea of authenticity?

Authenticity is our core. Mr. Strauss invented the jean. The finishing that we've done, the treatment of raw denim over the past 35 years, you could argue that none of that is authentic. Truly authentic for real denim heads - I'm probably one of them - was to wear a jean from rigid, off the shelf and create all that yourself. That takes a special type of consumer and wearer, and it's a small percentage. I'm still in that percentage, even though I've worked in finishing for a very long time I've never worn a finished jean. You have to have a lot of patience and have to truly appreciate a lot of aspects and attributes. 99 percent of the consumers aren't like that.

We've been creating versions of [vintage jeans] for the whole time that finishing has been around, and we've done that with sandpaper and Dremel tools. To do that with a laser, and it looks and feels the same and you can't tell them apart, it's a hard argument for me to accept that it's more authentic to do it with sandpaper than with a laser. All-in-all, they're all duplicates or knock-offs of something that's truly authentic and worn for many years.

Is F.L.X. less or more personal for the consumer?

I'd say more personal. It's so easy to do and you can do it anywhere. We set up a shop in Miami last year and unfortunately with COVID-19 we've had to close it, but we had an incredible time with consumers making their own finish and we did it right in front of them. That offers a great personalization play. With traditional finishing, we created in mass these jeans before we knew what the consumer truly wanted, compared to now when we are reacting and doing it in a sustainable way to give them what they want when they want it, I think that's more personal.

The Future of Levi's

Could the denim industry ever be fully sustainable?

We've started a new campaign that talks about buying in a way that's more responsible. The tagline is "Buy Better, Wear Longer." I think that's a great message for the consumer, because durability is at the core of the value of our jean, and durability is the core of our values. Mr. Strauss built those jeans because of the need for durability, he built it with materials and patented processes that hadn't been used before - the pants miners were wearing out after a few days, so he built something that lasts. That carries through until today.

Consider durability, buy well, buy smarter, and buy something that's going to last. With human nature today, if you're tired of wearing something, consider how to wear it differently, or repair it, sell it.

We're also working on recycling to really close the loop. It's a journey, and things like F.L.X. are contributing - not just from a sustainable standpoint as far as reducing the number of pants we need to make - to better match supply and demand.

With all this in mind, what does the future of Levi's look like?

The future is very bright. We are continuing to put ourselves at the center of culture and create experiences and products for future generations to enjoy and live in our products, like past generations have. The most important thing is that we're approaching it in a way that continues to be more responsible and think about the experience and lives of our consumers and life of the planet, and that's why sustainability is a huge part of everything that we do.

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Levi's has been running in one form or another since 1853, but it wasn't until 1873 when Jacob Davis partnered with Levi Strauss to introduce the patented rivet that now features throughout the company's designs. After producing overalls for miners for around 20 years, it developed the epochal 501 jean in the 1890s.

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Levis and its Good, Better, Best Strategy

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Levis and its Good, Better, Best Strategy

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How Levis are trying to use good, better, best for to improve their marketing strategy.

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Levi Strauss, the 167-year-old blue jeans company, is fast-tracking its brand-business strategy to address our changing retail habits. The venerable brand has a great deal of incentive to do so, as many retail establishments are struggling or are facing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Levi Strauss has several plans that focus on how we will be shopping from now on into the future. As with other retailers, coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the implementation of these strategies.

Our expectations have changed. Retailers must focus on our changed perceptions of value. Retailers must recognize that value-seekers are not a market segment. Everyone seeks value. Different people just value different things. We are all "value" shoppers.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Levi Strauss' CFO spoke about the brand's clothing lines and the pricing differences between third-party retailers (Target, e.g.) and its direct-to-consumer sales. The CFO said, "If you think about product hierarchy, there's a better product and a best product. The good product is the jeans ( sic) for about $40. The better product is anywhere between $60 and $80. And the best product is upward of that. Wholesale in the US is largely a good product market. Our direct-to-consumer business is more of a better and best product."

A good-better-best strategy price-tier strategy can be death-wish marketing. It can kill the most wonderful brand-business strategies. A good-better-best price strategy is all about price and not about value. Price segmentation is a manufacturer's approach. Manufacturers decide the price. But, customers decide value. Price and value are not the same. For example, the lowest price tier is designed to appeal to "price-conscious" customer. While, the implication of the highest price tier appeals to customers who care about price.

Price segmentation is a risky strategy. It is easy to do and easy to explain. Just carve up the marketplace by price point. Sometime the price points are given names such as mid-market, up-market, and premium. The automotive industry is great at this: entry-level, mid-range, mid-luxury, near-luxury, luxury and premium. Hotel marketers have a similar approach... limited service, entry-level, mid-scale, upper-mid-scale, upscale, and luxury.

Labels such as these make no sense from the viewpoint of customers. The best approach is to create strategies that are focused on customer perceived value.

Organizing by price point reinforces the misperception that marketing is all about price. It confuses price and value. Which is the better value? The lowest price? The highest price? Or is the mid-price the best compromise?

It is an unfortunate occurrence that the word "value" is becoming synonymous with "price." Some brands say they target their low-price "value brands" for the so-called "value-conscious" consumer. Do these brand leaders think that if we pay a premium price we are not value-conscious? Mercedes buyers believe they purchased a good value for their needs. Kia buyers feel also feel they purchased a good value. For some of us, in a certain situation feel that a glass of Prosecco is the best value while for others, in a different situation a glass of Moet is the best value.

All of us are value-conscious, and this includes those of us who pay super premium prices. People value different things for different needs in different situations. What price-point strategies fail to take into account is the fact that all of us want to think we have purchased the best value for our particular need in our particular circumstances within the set of brands we can afford.

As Professor Robert H. Frank said in one of his Upshotcolumns for the New York Times, "Clearly many rich people like to display their wealth. Yet, generally, they think they know value when they see it." He continued," The rich, of course, are willing to spend more, often a lot more, for products that deliver quality improvements they value. But, few of them want to throw money away."

A price focus demeans the brand. It is price management rather than brand management. Price segmentation sets the stage for third-party online shopping channels that sort brands by price from lowest to highest within a set of specifications and without regard to brand differentiation. For example, sites like Expedia lead to the unintended consequence of brand commoditization driven by price-focused segmentation.

Price segmentation is not customer-centric. Customer-focused segmentation should be focused on situation-based needs, not merely on price. Which brand promises and delivers the best value for satisfying my needs in this situation? Value is in the eye of the customer.

Levi Strauss' CFO indicates that they understand its customers varied needs. Shoppers want positive branded experiences that they value. This is why Levi Strauss is retaining many brick and mortar establishments. Levi Strauss strategy is to implement a needs-based segmentation approach to channel management.

Levi Strauss has a hybrid strategy that addresses online clothing ordered directly from a brick and mortar store, brick and mortar store sales and wholesale to other retailers such as Target, Macy's and Kohl's. However, every price point must be a great value. In our uncertain times, we want the best value for our money regardless of price point.

... Read More

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Levi Strauss And Its Good-Better-Best Strategy

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The Levi Straus CFO said, "There's a better product and a best product. The good product is the jeans (sic) for about $40. The better product is anywhere between $60 and $80. And the best product is upward of that. A good-better-best price-tier strategy is death wish marketing.

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Levis sustainability campaign and what they are doing to become a more sustainable brand.

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Building a Better, More Sustainable Future

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We’re not shy about confronting the clothing industry’s effect on the planet. We’ve made terrific progress behind the scenes. With you involved, we can do more and we can do better.

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An article about how Levis sued a factory in China for their replicating their trademark logo. What can be done to avoid this in the future?

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Levi Strauss & Co is suing two companies in China over trademark infringement for using its iconic double arch on jeans.

The company is seeking the destruction of the products and $47,000 in damages.

The lawsuit comes as the US eyes China's endemic intellectual-property theft, which many believe President Donald Trump wants to take action against shortly.

Levi's was recently pulled into threats of a trade war by the EU which said it would put tariffs on the company if Trump moves ahead with steel and aluminum tariffs.

Levi Strauss & Co is suing two companies in China over trademark infringement, as talk of a trade war that could directly affect the US denim icon heats up.

The company confirmed to Business Insider that it began legal action last year over Chinese companies using an arch-like curve, a trademark stitch pattern that Levi's sews onto the back pockets of its denim jeans.

"Levi Strauss & Co. can confirm that it filed a lawsuit on November 20, 2017 against third parties in China in relation to a trademark infringement of its trademarked 'arcuate' stitching design," the company told Business Insider, adding that it is a "pending court case."

The local Beijing court handling the matter posted details of this week's proceedings on its WeChat page. Levi's appeared to be suing China Business Management Co. Ltd and Guangzhou Shenglian Garment Co. Ltd. for using the "same or similar logo," according to the court.

Levi's is seeking $47,000 in damages and is asking for the goods to be destroyed and for the manufacturers to publish a statement in a Chinese intellectual-property periodical.

The US company has had success in the past in defending its trademark in China.

In 2012, Levi's won its first stitching infringement case in China against a local brand that used a similar design. The company sought $150,000 in damages but, because it could not prove the number of infringing jeans that were sold, it received a third of that.

Over the last few decades Levi's has applied for at least 11 trademarks of its pocket stitch design, according to one trademark database searched by Business Insider. Only two have been approved.

Aside from expected categories like clothing and accessories, the company applied to protect the design being used on false hair, wedding dresses, printer-ink ribbons, rosaries, and fitted toilet lid covers. It also sought to have dozens of businesses, including bookkeepers, vending-machine rentals, and veterinary medicine wholesalers, prevented from using the symbol.

The Levi's case spotlights US accusations of China's intellectual property theft

The scope of Levi's applications is standard practice in trying to prevent other companies from using another brand's intellectual property, a practice which is commonplace in China. Two former senior US defense officials told The New York Times last year that Chinese intellectual-property theft costs the US as much as $600 billion a year.

And while US-China relations are currently focused on steel and aluminum tariffs, US President Donald Trump intends to target intellectual property theft next.

Last year, a US Trade Representative report accused China of "widespread infringing activity - including trade secret theft, rampant online piracy and counterfeiting, and high levels of physical pirated and counterfeit exports to markets around the globe."

And on Thursday White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said Trump will get recommendations on China's theft in coming weeks.

"This will be one of the steps - one of the many steps - that the president is courageously going to take in order to address unfair trade practices," Navarro told CNBC Television.

But even before discussion begins on tackling intellectual property theft, Levi's itself has been targeted in a potential trade war.

In response to Trump's tariffs, the president of the EU's governing body, Jean-Claude Juncker, said it would put tariffs on iconic US products.

"We will put tariffs on Harley-Davidson, on bourbon and on blue jeans - Levi's," said Juncker.

It's a smart move if only based on the politics of their headquarters. The two companies are based in Wisconsin and California, whose House representatives include, respectively, Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - exactly the sort of leaders that countries want to pressure into changing Trump's tariffs.

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Levi's is suing Chinese companies for trademark infringement as trade war talk heats up

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Levi Strauss & Co is suing two companies in China over trademark infringement for using its iconic double arch on jeans. The company is seeking the destruction of the products and $47,000 in damages. The lawsuit comes as the US eyes China's endemic intellectual-property theft, which many believe President Donald Trump wants to take action against shortly.

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An article about how Levis adapted the brand into sustainability and how they have become a leading brand in their efforts to make the fashion industry more environmentally friendly.

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How do we make the fashion industry more sustainable? For Paul Dillinger, head of global product innovation at Levi Strauss & Co, it's not enough to simply plant a few trees to offset carbon dioxide or use less toxic dyes. To make a real impact in the world, you need to help change the way people think about clothes.

Levi's has always been a leader in sustainability. In 1991, it established "terms of engagement" that laid out the brand's global code of conduct throughout its supply chain. This meant setting standards for worker's rights, a healthy work environment, and an ethical engagement with the planet. "It wasn't an easy thing to do," Dillinger says. "At the time, we were worried that doing this would drive up our own costs and prices." In fact, what happened was that these practices were quickly adopted by other companies, who used it as a template to write their own rules. "We were actually leading industry toward new standards," he says.

These days, Levi's continues to focus on how it can push the envelope when it comes to being green. Dillinger believes that part of the solution is encouraging people to stop thinking about clothes as disposable. As a designer, his goal is to create durable jeans that customers love and feel good wearing because this increases the likelihood that they will care for them better and keep them longer. In this Creative Conversation, we discuss what it will take to create a real paradigm shift in people's thinking about fashion.

You're tasked with creating a product that is fairly timeless and less subject to trends. Are you intentionally changing the narrative about consumption?

Yes. In my wildest dreams, we'd be helping to cultivate a Levi's consumer who values durability and demonstrates a real attachment to an object. We'd be nurturing the person who doesn't purchase because of immediate seasonal change, but who purchases for lasting value. This would mean there are shared values between our brand and our consumer.

This seems to run counter to the fashion industry, which values new looks and trends.

Yes, most companies are focused on convincing the consumer that they are not pretty unless they radically change their look; they're not going to be in, attractive, or cool. They create a false appetite that directly leads to a pattern of hyper-consumption. If someone is pushing boyfriend jeans on you real hard this season, they're probably going to be pushing a super skinny jegging on you next season. This radical oscillation in silhouette preference is going to make you feel that the thing you just bought is no longer valuable.

Instead, what we're trying to do is encourage our consumer to be conscious that when they purchase a pair of jeans, that is not an isolated event. The garment had an impact before they purchased it, in terms of people that made it and the waste that was involved in creating it. And its going to exist long after they're done owning it.

What would happen if we could change culture in such a way that consumers imagined the end of life of the product they bought? So, what if we said that you could mulch your jeans, put them in your garden, and see how the decomposition of your Levi's could feed the food that you were growing. That's conceivably how we might dispose of garments in the future. That would prompt the consumer to think about little details like how the color was applied to the garment in the first place. Would the chemicals in the dye affect the garment, my food, and my body? This is the kind of holistic thinking we want to spur in our customers. Fundamentally, asking them to take into account the impact they're responsible for in the whole system, from the supply chain to the eventual disposal of the garment.

How do you cultivate that consumer?

It starts with the product. Take the 501: It is an anchor product that has endured over time. Sure, it has evolved in some ways, but we don't offer radical changes in silhouette. We're owning the history and the provenance of our brand that makes essential, archetypal pieces of clothing.

"What would happen if we could change culture in such a way that consumers imagined the end of life of the product they bought?"

What we do is we try to maintain a fit portfolio where we ensure that we have the fit you feel best in, not the one you've been told to feel best in. Then we make that product available consistently. When you love a pair of jeans, you develop an emotional connection not just with that object, but with the brand. You know that the brand has served you well. If we can make clothes that are really worth loving, then hopefully people will love them longer and care for them better.

We're choosing not to participate in the fashion cycle. Instead, we're choosing to cultivate long-term relationships with the consumer and deliver against their needs. And hopefully that participates in the recalibration of consumption broadly, though that is a lofty goal.

You're known for your forward thinking when it comes to incorporating technology into fabrics. How do you do this, but also ensure that you are making these classic garments?

Technology is a loaded word: It implies gadget. We're engaged in scientific dialogue with a lot of different people, but not all of it lights up the way you'd expect when you think of tech. There are ideas that we're bringing to market that you might never notice. One that comes to mind is coming out in the next six months. A lot of people expect performance from clothing now. It's one of the reasons that yoga pants are winning the market. The solution for performance has often been a mechanical or chemical application to a garment, often in the form of a synthetic fiber blended in. Often these technologies really flatten and dull the vibe of a jean. It starts to look like franken-jean: a jean from an unhappy future.

"We're choosing not to participate in the fashion cycle. Instead, we're choosing to cultivate long-term relationships with the consumer and deliver against their needs."

How do you bring that performance to a garment that is, in many ways, very similar to its original archetype that is now almost 150 years old? We've been working on this for two and a half years. The proposition is to bring jeans to market that will be 100% cotton, but that have hollow yarn architectures. We had a polyester that was woven into the yarn, but after weaving the [yarn] together [to make the denim], we were able to dissolve it out. What happens in that process is that we have the ability to wick away moisture and hold in warm air, but the jeans look and feel the way an authentic pair of Levi's should.

But I imagine that it is hard to create profound change as one isolated company.

Yes, absolutely. If you look at how the food industry has evolved and shifted, it's not one chef, or one farmer, or one supermarket choosing to align itself around different values. It's a whole evolving system of consciousness. Personally, I can only take responsibility for my own behavior and advocate for these values.

But I also think there are other likeminded people that we can seek out. We have a program called the Levi Strauss Collabatory where we bring small designers who share our values and help them integrate sustainability into their young new businesses. We give them the support they need to bring that to life. So we can help nurture the ecosystem.

As a large company, what are you doing to make your manufacturing process more sustainable?

I think it's important to focus on making products sustainable in every place that we manufacture. It's very important not to use offshoring as a way to hide the way that we are manufacturing. We believe in transparency. It's incumbent on us to know that water is a precious resource everywhere in the world. And it's important for everyone across the entire supply chain-from the farmers to the factory workers to the people disposing of the pr

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Levi's Is Radically Redefining Sustainability

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How do we make the fashion industry more sustainable? For Paul Dillinger, head of global product innovation at Levi Strauss & Co, it's not enough to simply plant a few trees to offset carbon dioxide or use less toxic dyes. To make a real impact in the world, you need to help change the way people think about clothes.

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Different Technologies being used in Retail in 2021

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Different Technologies being used in Retail in 2021

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An article about the different types of technology that retailers have been using during pandemic and have continued to use after lockdowns.

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Much of the world we live in today depends primarily on technology. It influences nearly every aspect of our lives, from how we communicate with one another to the way we conduct our businesses.

At the same time, technology is ever-evolving, shifting to make our lives more convenient and enjoyable. As new technology trends emerge, the wisest decision for any business is to keep up and adapt. This is especially crucial for those in eCommerce and retail, as it's those technological advancements that keep customers coming back for more due to differentiated shopping experience.

2020 put retailers in quite a unique position as they learned how to stay afloat while keeping customers safe and satisfied amid a global pandemic. During 2020 alone, eCommerce sales have increased by 32.4%, while physical stores expected sales to fall by 3.2%. This year will prove to be just as interesting for Ecommerce as the world continues to navigate through COVID-19.

Consider these top retail technologies when it comes to updating your business, and gain the upper hand among competitors.

What's new in retail technology in the post-COVID era?

Conducting business in 2020 required integrating necessary changes to business models and creating a new norm for both the company and its customers. These new retail trends include but are not limited to:

Social distancing: Retailers practiced social distancing by either closing brick-and-mortar locations indefinitely or reducing the business's capacity by up to 75%.

Location independence: In most office settings, it takes the rollout of teleconferencing solutions to work remotely. In the retail world, location independence looked more like eCommerce (buying or selling a good or service over the internet).

Need for Speed: Thanks to the uncertainty brought on by an unexpected global pandemic, business executives have had to learn to adapt quickly. For the sake of being prepared should anything like COVID-19 ever happen again, companies had to learn how to implement critical decisions more quickly.

: To learn more about the latest retail trends of 2023 check out the predictions of 48 industry experts.

To learn more about the latest MarTech trends for 2022 check out the predictions of 48 industry experts.

Which trend is the most promising in the retail industry for 2021?

Of the retail technology trends that emerged or gained new levels of popularity, Q-commerce, or quick commerce, has proven itself to be exceedingly useful in 2020 and will no doubt continue to do so in 2021.

Q-commerce is the next generation of eCommerce, playing into customers' needs for convenience and simplicity. How fast the retailer can deliver its product to its customer has become one of the most appealing aspects of a business' online sales.

According to Andrew Lipsman, a principal analyst at eMarketer, events of 2020 led the United States to its biggest jump in the e-commerce share of retail sales in a year, up 11% percent from the previous year.

Quick transactions and deliveries encourage customers to continue buying from a company and pushing retail sales to rise throughout the year.

Emerging Online Retail Technologies

Thanks to the stay-at-home orders in 2020, businesses were left with no choice but to rely more heavily on their eCommerce presence. Even in the post-COVID world, online shopping will continue to rise in popularity, so maintaining a relevant digital space is of utmost importance to any retailer.

1. Omnichannel Customer Engagement

Customers interact with businesses over various channels - online searches, social media, phone calls, chats, etc. - making it difficult for a company to synchronize the channels to get a consistent view of customers, not to mention tailoring a personalized experience with each. Therefore, omnichannel customer engagement is necessary for any business dedicated to intentional interactions with customers and it is very important to watch out for upcoming omnichannel retail trends to help your business grow. Companies like ContactPigeon have made it their business to work with retailers to implement this trend effectively.

2. Integrated Customer Data

Customer data integration (CDI) keeps a current record of customer information across a business's platforms and channels. Integrated customer view has proven to improve sales and customer service (as employees can use the stored data to understand a customer's specific concerns better).

For example, Domino's Pizza created AnyWare to serve as a single point for tracking orders from smartwatches and uses this information to improve overall business performance.

3. Virtual Fitting Rooms

Virtual fitting software allows retailers to create custom-sized charts enabling customers to find sizes and style profiles that best fit the customer's needs. This technology is especially beneficial for apparel companies, granting customers the ability to "try on" and purchase clothing without having to leave the comfort of their homes.

Big retailers like Macy's and Adidas are taking advantage of it with positive results. According to virtual fitting room software company Zeekit, their services have effectively reduced retailers' return rates by 36%.

4. Livestreaming

In-person shopping is a valuable part of the shopping experience. Yet, with recent social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders, buying products from brick-and-mortar storefronts is not always possible. That is where live-streaming shined in 2020, with services like Amazon Live and Popshop Live being perfect examples.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau predicted that Livestream-generated sales would reach $120 billion worldwide in 2021.

Why is that so? As much as digital customers value purchasing a quality product, they also want to be connected to a company. Livestreaming allows them to show up without being physically present while experiencing the product through another host. Companies use live-streams to demonstrate how a product works, answer customer questions, and launch new products in real-time.

5. Integrated Loyalty Program

Any business owner knows loyalty is key, and a loyalty program proves to be an effective method of building relationships with customers.

Swimwear retailer Cupshe is an example of a company that found success with an integrated loyalty program. In just three months, the brand increased customers' spending by 53% and boosted the repeat purchase rate by 42%.

6. Total Experience

This business trend combines multi-experience, customer experience, employee experience, and user experience to solve complex business challenges.

Gartner uses the example of a company starting an online appointment system to highlight this trend's effectiveness. When customers reached a certain distance to the store, a notification was sent to their phones, guiding them through check-in protocols. Employees could then use a tablet to guide the customer through the process without touch or physical interaction - something particularly helpful during a pandemic.

Emerging physical retail technologies

For businesses that continue operating in-person, its owners must know what technology is used in retail stores to continue operating safely and effectively in the current times while also ensuring future growth.

1. In-Store Customer Analytics

Gathering in-store analytics is gathering information from customers' behavior while visiting a storefront. Analytics includes noting things like the number of visits per time of day, the volume of new and returning customers, and how different advertisements affect customer visits.

Such technology, such as Cisco's Merakis helps retailers better understand how customers behave in-store and allows retailers to make more informed decisions and create a more intuitive in-store shopping experience.

2. Cashierless checkout

When the human touch is as limited as possible, it greatly benefits retailers to utilize as many touch-free practices as possible. For this reason, Amazon has begun selling cashierless checkout technology to other retailers.

This specific technology uses an app and sensors to scan each item that a customer picks up. Once the shopping is complete, the customer can walk out of the store knowing that her credit card will be charged automatically. There's no need to wait in a long line or have a cashier touch any customer's products, guaranteeing a cleaner and more convenient retail experience.

3. Two-way QR Codes

It's predicted that, by 2022, redeeming coupons by QR code will surge to 5.3 billion, meaning that this is a technology trend well worth taking advantage of.

Two-way QR codes, patented by ContactPigeon, benefit retailers with their versatility and enhance customers' overall shopping experience while collecting data on customers' behavior at the same time.

Rather than simply scanning a QR code to receive standard information, the 2-Way QR code provides a more interactive experience by returning information relevant and specific to the scanner. For example, a customer who scans the QR code may receive personalized product recommendations based on his last interaction with the retail brand.

4. Touch-free Technology

Though the need for maximum safety and cleanliness led to a boom in the use of touch-free technology in 2020, this trend appears to be here to stay.

Motion and gesture-based technology, along with voice and facial recognition features, boast benefits such as better hygiene and accessibility for a broader range of patrons, including those who are differently-abled.

For example, multi-brand retailer Showfield developed an app called Magic Wand that lets customers interact with each part of the store without having to touch anything, and PayPal QR codes are yet another way companies can conduct business with reduced or eliminated touch.

5. Artificial Intelligence/Hyperautomation

Gartner defines Hyperautomation as the idea that anything within a business that can be automated should be automated.

Though it may be tempting to cling to "old-fashioned" methodology, speed, efficiency, and agility have long been linked to business success. Automation brings each of these components to the table. This includes implementing technologies such as Robotic Process Automation, Intelligent Business Management, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to take the digital space by storm, and luckily for business owners, its benefits will be far-reaching in the retail space. The use of AI makes the shopping experience more convenient for customers and cost-effective for businesses.

For instance, AI can provide instant support for customers, directing them to a product's exact location in-store while suggesting related items that may interest the consumer. AI can also provide access to a broader inventory, perhaps including items not currently available in the physical location.
Tip: check our 20 Brick and mortar marketing strategies that (actually) work to learn more about using digital and technology for your in-store activities
Technologies underlooked in retail

How has technology improved retail? Short answer: convenience. Retail shopping used to require human interaction of some sort. While interpersonal communication has proven to play a crucial role in one's overall well-being, it doesn't always make for the quickest, cleanest, or most efficient shopping experience.

However, we don't just have technological trends developed in 2020 to thank for a new and improved shopping experience. Pre-existing technological trends have changed the retail industry for the better, and many do not often get the credit they deserve. A few worth highlighting include:

1. QR codes

Though the trend was not as well-received as businesses hoped when it was first introduced, Apple's iOS update that allowed users to scan a QR code directly with the camera made it more convenient for customers to adopt. Some may be wary of utilizing this digital trend given its age; however, the sheer convenience has kept QR codes relevant for years.

QR codes can have many retail applications, from providing instructions or product information for customers to linking straight to the business's webpage. The margin for error is minimal as customers no longer need to input any info. There's no chance of a customer typing in an incorrect URL or ending up on a competitor's site, as the digital barcode will direct customers to the assigned landing page every time. Just be certain any link a QR code directs users to is mobile optimized, so consumers will find the feature worth using.

A QR code link also eliminates the need for print-based marketing. A print flyer or brochure has limited real estate for information, but a QR code that leads customers directly to a target landing page can provide all the information needed. By eliminating paper advertisements, QR codes effectively cut down on unnecessary costs to boot.

2. On-Demand Manufacturing

According to the National Retail Federation, on-demand manufacturing is expected to make a comeback in 2021. Today's shopper values sustainability and zero-waste, and creating products only as orders are placed is an effective way to cater to those needs.

You can't afford to miss these retail technologies

There's no denying that many are still reeling from the emotional and economic toll 2020 & 2021 brought and likely will continue well into 2023. Consequently, it's imperative for retail businesses to make the most of the technology available to them.

Accordingly to Yelp, 163,735 businesses have closed during COVID-19 and 60% of them will not be reopening. Unfortunately, the sudden surge of coronavirus left business owners and managers no time to plan or adapt. But now, after having survived the initial waves of the pandemic, there is no better time to use the most impactful and emerging retail technologies to stay afloat in 2023.
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Analyzing and investing in the above technological trends, retail business intelligence tools (and more) is worthwhile in the long run, especially if one or more of these tools stands between a business and a permanent closure.

Despite the way COVID-19 drastically altered the retail experience last year, thriving in this "new normal" is, in fact, possible. A combination of developing reliable partnerships, utilizing top technological trends, and cultivating a strong company culture will pave the way back to economic success, profit, and growth.

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The Top 15 Retail Technologies to Watch in 2023 - ContactPigeon | Blog

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Much of the world we live in today depends primarily on technology. It influences nearly every aspect of our lives, from how we communicate with one another to the way we conduct our businesses. At the same time, technology is ever-evolving, shifting to make our lives more convenient and enjoyable.

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How are Levis using new technology in their brand? An article about Levis have been improving their use on technology for consumers, easier shopping and in store excellence.

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Levi Strauss & Co. is rocking and rolling. The 166-year-old retailer (wait, what?) celebrated its 2 nd IPO and $8 billion valuation in March, and Levi's brand recognition is at an all-time high. The iconic red tag is still as ubiquitous and leather patch in back still considered as cool as ever.

Levi's success isn't just anecdotal. Having spearheaded Levi's revival, visionary CEO Chip Bergh is focused on modernization. The retail giant recently announced plans to open about 100 new company-owned stores, just as other apparel sellers in Levi's cohort, like Abercrombie & Fitch, are shuttering them. The brand recently opened its largest store to date, optimized with the latest and greatest tools (including CB4) from Levi's technology arsenal.

Here we'll take a look at the technology that's helping Bergh deliver on his promise of helping Levi's become the "leading world-class omni-channel retailer."

Indigo, an AI-powered Chatbot

In 2019, Marc Rosen, Levi's EVP and President of Global Direct to Consumer, was named The Robin Report's Radical of the Year. One of Rosen's most notable accomplishments was creating Indigo, Levi.com 's chatbot, which the brand uses to converse with shoppers to determine their fit and style needs. His work on Indigo contributed to "11 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth for the direct-to-consumer business," according to The Robin Report.

Indigo isn't your average chatbot. It sticks with shoppers while they shop, helping them sift through styles and locate them in-store or online. They can see promotions, trending items, or talk to a customer service agent.

This friendly bot sets a new standard in the world of virtual communication.

Levi's Technology for Product Innovation

Levi's isn't innovating in just the digital world. The new Eureka Lab, nestled blocks from Levi's San Francisco headquarters, is the brand's hub devoted to product innovation. Since its inception, the lab has been churning out new products and features that cater to shoppers' desires.

To date, the Eureka lab has incubated a series of profitable innovations including:

Four-way stretch denim: Fabric that recovers quickly and doesn't sag at the knees helped rebound the women's business and increased sales from less than $800 million to $1 billion annually since 2015.

Wearable Levi's technology: Levi's celebrated the 50th birthday of their iconic trucker jacket with Levi's Commuter x Jacquard by Google Jacket. The garment, inspired by bike commuters, lets wearers control their iPhones from the jacket's sleeve. Later, Levi's optimized the technology for ride sharing, road noise monitoring, and location sharing.

We'll be watching to see how Levi's continues to innovate on their product post-IPO.

Levi's Technology for Supply Chain Enhancements

More than one executive at Levi's helm is earning industry-wide recognition for outstanding accomplishments. Liz O'Neill, Levi's Executive Vice President of Product, Innovation, and Supply Chain was named one of Fast Company 's "Most Creative People of 2019."

"Speed to market and sustainability are two of the biggest challenges in the [apparel] industry," says O'Neill, who's headed Levi's supply chain since 2013. She managed to overcome obstacles to both speed to market and sustainability with Project F.L.X. (short for "future-led execution").

Project F.L.X. is a game-changing operating model that uses "digital prototyping and lasers to automate the process of applying finishes to jeans"-in other words, making them look distressed, faded, and otherwise cool. Levi's shares that Project F.L.X. "ushers denim finishing into the digital era" and the brand has shared plan to scale this technology to 50% of the company's jeans.

This Levi's technology will help the retailer:

Replace manual techniques that are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and chemical-reliant, making this stage of the process 20-40x faster.

Create photo-real finished garments digitally, cutting finishing design and development time in half, improving speed to vendor.

Capitalize on on-demand and hyper-local production, reducing lead times from months to days.

Eliminate thousands of chemical formulations, propelling Levi's goal of achieving zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020.

These are innovations that promise to transform not only Levi's business but the apparel industry at large.

Levi's Technology for In-Store Excellence

Levi's appetite for innovation doesn't there. The retailer is using the last mile, their brick-and-mortar stores, to transform the customer experience with even more digital advances.

First, Levi's is investing in customer-facing innovations that take hyper-locality and customization to new heights. The brand's new 16,902 square-foot Times Square flagship offers every Levi's collection Levi's, plus a selection of New York-centric merchandise and a large Authorized Vintage section. The store also features a 500-square expert tailor shop with sewing machines, direct-to-garment printing capabilities, and iPads for customers to browse designs from branded designs from tailors across the globe.

Once shoppers are ready to give garments a try, they're treated to spacious fittings rooms with Levi's style advisers just a call button away-typical fitting room woes, not included. The store also has large-format immersive LED screens and mobile POS systems.

But Levi's isn't satisfied roll out the technology red carpet only for shoppers-they're giving associates next-gen tools to help them serve customers and drive sales. At all US stores, Levi's is leveraging CB4's app (and its proprietary AI algorithms) to understand each store's unique demand patterns. With this tool and others like it, Levi's enables store teams to provide customers in each market with the products they want most. These efforts help Levi's ensure a consistently outstanding in-store experience across all stores.

Levi's isn't the only major retailer that uses CB4 to drive revenue in stores. Check out this video of Barnes & Noble Chief Digital Officer, Bill Wood, talking about how CB4 has empowered the book seller's retail workforce.

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Staying on Top: Highlights of Levi's Tech Infrastructure - CB4

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Levi Strauss & Co. is rocking and rolling. The 166-year-old retailer (wait, what?) celebrated its 2 nd IPO and $8 billion valuation in March, and Levi's brand recognition is at an all-time high. The iconic red tag is still as ubiquitous and leather patch in back still considered as cool as ever.

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How Levis launched their master tailors at the flagship Regent Street store in London. This was done to provide customers with a chance to recycle their old Levis clothing to create a different look which suits their needs and individuality.

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Levi's is introducing made-to-order jeans for the first time in Europe at its London flagship store on Regent Street. The new selection of tailored denim, called Levi's Lot No. 1, aims to make the Levi's Regent Street flagship become the definitive destination for denim tailoring in the UK capital.

The new tailoring service offers customers the opportunity to have a pair of custom Levi's jeans made by the brand's in-house master tailor characterised by the ultimate fit and style. Customers can select their desired fit, weight and colour, as well as customize the design details. The special models are available in different fits including mid, high or low rise and any style of leg including straight, tapered and skinny. They are available in different denim variants, including five weights and colours of selvedge denim from the best-selected mills in the world. Plus they are completed by different details, that is 20 different thread colours, 12 leather patches and seven button and rivet colours.

"The idea for Lot No. 1 came from our in-store alterations services in London, New York and San Francisco where we started to see a desire amongst our loyal clients to create something that was unique to them. For denim aficionados who want something truly tailored and customizable, Lot No. 1 allows them to play a collaborative role in the creative process," said Richard Hurren, Managing Director Levi Strauss & Co. UK & Ireland.

At Levi Strauss & Co. they have been assigning 'Lot' numbers to their garments since 1890 to identify their product type. Levi' 501, for instance, is the most famous of these lot numbers. According to the company, Levi's made-to-order jeans are the ultimate, most premium expression of their products, which is why the service was given the Lot No. 1 name. Levi's Lot No. 1 jeans celebrate the brand's heritage in craftsmanship and know-how when it comes to making jeans. Each pair of jeans is hand-made on site in the heart of London by Levi's master tailor, 'editioned' and delivered in their own hand-made packaging. Lot No. 1 jeans are by appointment only, take 5-6 weeks to create and cost £500 per pair. In addition to Lot No. 1, Levi's Regent Street flagship store also continues to offer a range of alteration services.

The London launch follows on the footsteps of the successful made-to-order service at the brand's New York Meatpacking and flagship Market Street San Francisco stores and is the first time it will be available in Europe. The Levi'sLot No. 1 made-to-order jeans are available from beginning December 2013 at:

Levi's London flagship store
174-176 Regent Street,
London W1R 5DF ‎

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Stories: Levi's launches made-to-order jeans at London flagship store

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Levi's is introducing made-to-order jeans for the first time in Europe at its London flagship store on Regent Street. The new selection of tailored denim, called Levi's Lot No. 1, aims to make the Levi's Regent Street flagship become the definitive destination for denim tailoring in the UK capital.

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How Levis have been using Omni-channel experiences for improvement on customer service during the lockdown. An article on how they managed to boost sales through online shopping.

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Like most apparel retailers, Levi Strauss & Co.'s (LS&Co.) second quarter has been defined by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout. The company slashed 15 percent of its global non-retail and non-manufacturing workforce and suffered a $364 million net loss for the quarter.

But there are glimmers of hope and opportunity as Levi's finds its omnichannel grove and consumers return with a new set of values that resonate with timeless and enduring denim.

Retail scene

In the earnings call Tuesday, LS&Co. CEO and president Chip Bergh said the company is "cautiously optimistic" about the trends it is seeing at reopened stores and in its e-commerce business. The company has roughly 90 percent of its stores opened globally, and performance during the reopening phase has tracked better than expected.

Recovery will continue to rely heavily on e-commerce-which grew 25 percent for the quarter-and a hybrid of digital and physical retail.

With virtually all of its retail stores and most wholesale doors closed for the vast majority of the quarter, LS&Co. was forced to accelerate its e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities.

Some of these steps, Bergh said, have been in the works and others Levi's quickly launched in response to consumer preferences.

During the brick-and-mortar closures, the company turned its stores into micro-fulfillment centers leveraging its ship-from-store capabilities to fulfill online orders and move through inventory.

In total, Bergh said 30 percent of Levi's online demand was fulfilled by stores in the month of May, contributing to e-commerce growth of 79 percent that month. The company pushed forward with curbside pickup, too, which is now available at 80 percent of Levi's stores.

For consumers who wanted a more hands-on approach to virtual shopping, Levi's introduced a virtual concierge during the quarter, offering shoppers the chance to have one-one-one interactions with store employees from the comfort of home. Bergh said the company is seeing strong conversion rates through this channel.

Now that stores are reopening, the LS&Co. is adjusting this concierge concept by testing appointments in select stores. This allows consumers to "skip the line" and get immediate access into the store, and in the next few weeks the company will begin piloting same-day delivery for consumers.

All of this work, Bergh added, has continued into Q3 as the company rolls out the option to buy online, pick up in store at all of its U.S. locations in the coming months..

Data drive

In order to be more agile and responsive to consumer demands, LS&Co. has experienced somewhat of a "digital transformation" during the quarter.

Bergh said the company is leveraging the use of data, analytics and machine learning in more aspects of its business, including applying a data-driven approach to determining optimal promotion levels.

During an e-commerce promotion event in Europe, he said the company was able to "amplify" revenues, units sold and profits four times the results from the previous year.

Artificial intelligence is also being used to enhance LS&Co.'s omnichannel operations.

The company is using AI in its U.S. stores to ensure it is "optimizing margins in fulfilling orders in the most efficient ways," which Bergh said has been critical with the recent rollout of ship from store.

Denim demand

LS&Co.'s U.S. data for denim shows that current demand for jeans is flat, which is arguably positive as greater attention has been placed on loungewear and at-home fashion during the pandemic.

"Denim has maintained its share of apparel sales and it's unchanged if we just look at the three-month period post-COVID versus the same three month period a year ago," Bergh said, "That percentage hasn't changed."

The pandemic and subsequent economic crisis, however, are causing changes in consumer preferences. Consumers, Bergh said, will want value, which he pointed out does not necessarily mean consumers will trade down.

"The pandemic is convincing more and more people, especially young people, that it's better to buy fewer, more versatile, higher-quality products of value-items that consumers can imagine wearing for years, like a Trucker jacket, before handing it down to their grandchildren," he said.

As a result, value, sustainability and conscious consumption will be the pillars of Levi's fall marketing campaign. Marketing efforts will center around WellThread, an expanded range of products made with cottonized hemp, including Levi's popular jean fits, Trucker jackets and denim shirts.

The brand will also address the casualization of fashion with looser denim styles pulled from the '80s and '90s, and more relaxed tops.

Though Levi's is a standing giant in the denim category, the recent slew of bankruptcies that have swept across the category, including Lucky Brand, True Religion and G-Star Raw's retail unit, could bode well for the heritage brand's market position.

"I am really confident we are going to build share through this," Bergh said.

The company, he added, will be "aggressive in pursuing incremental and diverse distribution opportunities" with a focus on elevating Levi's in premium doors and on expanding distribution in the value channel, where Bergh said the company has "significant opportunities to capture market share."

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Omnichannel Experiences Are Key to Levi's Post-Pandemic Rebound

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Like most apparel retailers, Levi Strauss & Co.'s (LS&Co.) second quarter has been defined by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout. The company slashed 15 percent of its global non-retail and non-manufacturing workforce and suffered a $364 million net loss for the quarter.

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An article about the campaign that helped increased consumer awareness about Tommy Hilfiger as a brand and how they used this campaign to broaden their customer segment.

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Here’s How Tommy Hilfiger Sparked Societal Reform and Got Everyone ‘Moving Forward Together’

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An immersive campaign that provoked social change

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This article speaks about how Levis will be implementing new technology into the way consumers shop - without words, and using images.

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A picture is worth 1,000 words-or, in Levi's case, 1,000 search terms. Next month, the denim company will debut new technology on its e-commerce site that makes it possible to use images-not words-to search for products.

The "computer vision" feature makes it easier for consumers to find pieces that match certain styles from mood boards, social media sites or photos from friends. After uploading an image to the site, shoppers will be presented with relevant products across Levi's assortment. The feature will be piloted in the U.S. in November and expand to Europe in early 2022.

Levi's is also ramping up artificial intelligence (AI) and automation efforts across its site to make online shopping a more personalized experience ahead of the holiday season. Using neural-network-based machine learning, the site will deliver search results tailored to the user's previous interactions. For example, a search for "jeans" will pull up products that fit the gender, color and fit of their past search results. The more a user interacts with the site, the more personalized the search results. The company is currently testing the feature in select regions and plans to expand it globally in the coming year.

Artificial intelligence has been a top focus for Levi's, which in July launched an AI bootcamp that gave employees across all of its departments the chance to learn more agile thinking skills and increase the use of technology and data throughout the organization. The following month, it organized its first-ever virtual hackathon to encourage tech-fueled innovations to benefit the company and its customers.

The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly played a role in Levi's accelerated digital focus. According to the company's latest Unzipped blog post, "searching and finding inspiration online takes a slightly different approach since perusing racks isn't an option." Like many of its peers, the company has doubled down on its digital capabilities in recent years-and it's finding significant success in doing so.

Levi's direct-to-consumer (DTC) business has taken off, with a reported 34 percent increase in DTC-specific revenues in Q3 2021 compared to Q3 2020 and a 4 percent increase since Q3 2019. During an earnings call in April 2019, CEO Chip Bergh told analysts that its DTC channels-which include the brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce sites it operates-had grown by double-digits for 12 consecutive quarters, signaling that the pandemic only accelerated what was already in the works.

During its latest presentation with investors, Levi's said strong DTC sales are what helped improve margins even as results in Asia faltered. Net revenues through all digital channels grew 10 percent from last year and 76 percent since 2019. Digital sales represented approximately 20 percent of total third quarter revenues.

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Levi's Upcoming Search Functionality Won't Require Search Terms

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A picture is worth 1,000 words-or, in Levi's case, 1,000 search terms. Next month, the denim company will debut new technology on its e-commerce site that makes it possible to use images-not words-to search for products. The "computer vision" feature makes it easier for consumers to find pieces that match certain styles from mood boards, social media sites or photos from friends.

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How Calvin Klein and the brand have become so popular and consumed by many. This article speaks on how CK have made the sales they have in the past, and the first thousands they made as a brand.

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Copy and paste the Ray ID when you contact the site owner.

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A brief history on Tommy Hilfiger as a brand and where inspiration behind the brand has come from. This article taught me that they started off as a menswear brand and branched out to womenswear as well as kids wear.

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Founded in 1985, Tommy Hilfiger delivers premium styling, quality and value to consumers worldwide under the TOMMY HILFIGER and TOMMY JEANS brands, with a breadth of collections including HILFIGER COLLECTION, TOMMY HILFIGER TAILORED, men's, women's and kids' sportswear, denim, accessories, and footwear. In addition, the brand is licensed for a range of products, including fragrances, eyewear, watches and home furnishings. Founder Tommy Hilfiger remains the company's Principal Designer and provides leadership and direction for the design process.

Tommy Hilfiger, which was acquired by PVH Corp. in 2010, is a global apparel and retail company with more than 15,000 associates worldwide. With the support of strong global consumer recognition, Tommy Hilfiger has built an extensive distribution network in over 100 countries and more than 2,000 retail stores throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region. Global retail sales of the TOMMY HILFIGER brand were US $8.5 billion in 2018.

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Founded in 1985, Tommy Hilfiger delivers premium styling, quality and value to consumers worldwide under the TOMMY HILFIGER and TOMMY JEANS brands, with a breadth of collections including HILFIGER COLLECTION, TOMMY HILFIGER TAILORED, men's, women's and kids' sportswear, denim, accessories, and footwear.

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Why sustainability is so important for Levis

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Why sustainability is so important for Levis

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This article discusses how and why sustainability is so important for Levis as a brand. Their core values are dedicated around sustainability and they speak on the reasons why the fashion industry has caused the climate crisis we are currently in today.

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2025 Water Action Strategy

LS&Co. has a long history of leadership in water use in our industry. In 1994, we were the first apparel company to establish strict water quality standards for suppliers. In 2011, we began implementing the Water<Less ® process in our design and manufacturing pipeline. And in 2019, we introduced our 2025 Water Action Strategy, which set contextual water use targets for suppliers and mills that will help us to reduce water use in manufacturing by 50 percent in water-stressed areas by 2025; enhanced the definition of Water<Less ® to signify products that come from facilities that meet those targets; and called for collective action to fortify surrounding watersheds in places we operate. Shop Water<Less®.

Screened Chemistry

In 2013, we released Screened Chemistry to help understand the potential health and environmental impacts of chemicals before they enter the supply chain, and to find alternatives for anything deemed unsafe. Three years later, we open-sourced the program, and in 2019, we converged the Screened Chemistry protocol with other apparel brands, including Nike, H&M and C&A, to define a single standard for chemical screening that is now overseen by the ZDHC Foundation, creating a holistic approach to tackling issues of hazardous chemicals and driving innovation in the apparel industry. At the end of 2019, 120 of our key garment and fabric suppliers and 200 chemical suppliers were implementing Screened Chemistry in their facilities. Learn more.

Project F.L.X.

Since it was first introduced in 2017, we have continued to refine and expand the use of our Project F.L.X. laser-based finishing technology, which simplifies chemical management by helping to reduce the number of chemicals required in the finishing process from more than a thousand to around a dozen, and which now powers our customizable Future Finish online consumer option. Learn more.

Worker Well-being

Launched in 2011, LS&Co.'s Worker Well-being (WWB) initiative aims to improve the lives of the women and men who make our products with factory-based programs that address issues related to health, financial security and gender equality. We set a goal to reach 200,000 workers in our supply chain through our WWB programs by 2020. We surpassed that goal in May 2019, and by year's end, we had reached 219,000 workers in 113 factories in 17 countries, representing more than 65% of total product volume. Learn more here.

Gender Equity in the Workplace

In recent years, we have expanded our work to combat gender inequality in the supply chain, building on the Gender Equity Report published by the Levi Strauss Foundation in 2018. We work with industry experts to pursue impactful systemic changes that address the power imbalances between largely female workers and predominantly male managers. To improve the assessment process, we require that all assessment teams include female members and, where possible, female leaders, and we continue to collaborate with partners such as Better Work in Cambodia, Swasti in India, and GEAR in Bangladesh to advance the effort.

Expanding PaCT to new markets

A key facet of our work to meet our science-based targets on climate is our ongoing partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and its Partnership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT), through which the IFC provides low-cost financing to suppliers seeking to improve their water and energy use performance. Starting in 2017, we piloted this work with six suppliers in four countries. In 2019, seeing both the sustainability and the financial gains achieved in participating factories, we started to expand our work with IFC/PaCT to 46 of our biggest suppliers and mills across 10 countries.

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2025 Water Action Strategy LS&Co. has a long history of leadership in water use in our industry. In 1994, we were the first apparel company to establish strict water quality standards for suppliers. In 2011, we began implementing the Water<Less ® process in our design and manufacturing pipeline.

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Taken from theTommy Hilfiger website, they explain how not only are they trying to become more sustainable, but they are making more efforts to give people a voice for change.

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At Tommy Hilfiger, we have always believed that with hard work and a positive outlook, anything is possible. So we're taking action to play a role in creating a future we can all look forward to - by wasting nothing and welcoming all.

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A very brief history of what Armani Exchange is known for.

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The modern wardrobe as only Giorgio Armani could envision it, Armani Exchange embodies the youthful spirit of a new generation. A|X takes a playful, urban approach to apparel and accessories.

Launched in 1991, A|X Armani Exchange retails fashion and lifestyle products and is known for its occasionally provocative ad campaigns. Targeted as the more accessible Armani brand, it is inspired by street-chic culture and dance music.

To accelerate the development of Armani Exchange, in 2005 Georgio Armani co-established the joint venture company, Presidio Holdings Ltd alongside Como Holdings, the company owned by Singaporean tycoon Ong Beng Seng that, since 1994, has held the production and distribution license for A|X Armani Exchange in the United States, Canada, Central and South America and Asia-Pacific.

Initially, the Italian company held 25% of Presidio Holdings, the remaining 75% in the hands of Como Holdings. Giorgio Armani had nothing to do with the brand itself other than the owners using the name 'Armani'.

In 2008, Giorgio Armani acquired an additional 25% stake. In 2014, he acquired the remaining 50% ensuring full ownership of the brand.

Year after year A|X evolved with the latest lifestyle trends and modes of expression, becoming increasingly more global.

Today Armani Exchange is the symbol of a reinvented 'city style', where the modern, creative and 'all-digital' spirit of the metropolitan youth meets with Italian flair and creativity.

Armani Exchange products are available exclusively in 270 stores in 31 countries, on the brands website and now online at Mainline Menswear. The first A|X store opened in September 1991 in the SoHo District of Manhattan and is considered the flagship store.

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The modern wardrobe as only Giorgio Armani could envision it, Armani Exchange embodies the youthful spirit of a new generation. A|X takes a playful, urban approach to apparel and accessories. Launched in 1991, A|X Armani Exchange retails fashion and lifestyle products and is known for its occasionally provocative ad campaigns.

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The different types of Armani lines and who they appeal to. This article speaks on why each line is so important to the brand and how they all target a different consumer.

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You'll be forgiven for getting a little confused when it comes to the different labels that sit under the If you've ever wondered, what is Armani umbrella. Armani Exchange? Or even where the brand is from, w e're here to give you a clear breakdown on all that is the Italian fashion house, and why the brand should most definitely feature in your wardrobe.

#1 Where is Armani from?

Famed for being one of fashion ' s most influential, Giorgio Armani founded Armani in 1970's Italy. The brands varied product offering is a key contributor to the success gained throughout the decades. Providing for all markets with premium fashion, footwear , fragrance and accessories for both men , women and children. The brand is still to this day based in Milan and all produce is exclusively manufactured in Italy, adding to the premium brands aesthetic.

#2 Armani History

Starting his working life in the military during the 60's, founder Giorgio Armani shortly left and worked as a window dresser. He g ained extensive knowledge of fabrics, patterns and design and went on to work for Italian men's fashion label Hitman. After developing and refi ning his skills here, in 1975 Giorgio left to design his own menswear line . This was then followed by a womenswear line which went on to transfor m the workwear wardrobes of women across the globe, from the floral skirts of the 60's to the chic pant suits of the 70's and 80's .

After a decade of working on mainline A r mani, diffusion lines Emporio Armani , Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange A/X Armani Collezioni and Armani Privé were born and sold in over 200 stores worldwide. Throughout the 1990's the Armani kingdom continued to expand with new ranges of makeup, haute couture and the creation of sportswear line EA7 .

Fast forward to the modern day and Armani now has condensed his labels into three main lines, Giorgio Armani, Armani Exchange and Emporio Armani of which EA7 sits within.

Splitting Armani into its three main lines allowed the brand to target specific customers needs. With Armani Exchange designed to capture a more youthful and style conscious audience with their designer ready to wear collections at more affordable prices. The collection spans a variety of pieces and caters for both men and.

Founded in 1991 the sub label offers customers wardrobe staples with a touch of luxury in their quality fabrics and designs. Filled with trend led pieces like Armani Exchange T-shirts, bags and jackets as well as more casual essentials like sweaters and joggers. The versatility of the collection is one of its many strengths. Choose contemporary designs for both your work wardrobe as well as when running your errands on the weekend.

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What is Armani Exchange? | Armani Labels Explained -The Hut UK

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You'll be forgiven for getting a little confused when it comes to the different labels that sit under the If you've ever wondered, what is Armani umbrella. Armani Exchange ? Or even where the brand is from, w e're here to give you a clear breakdown on all that is the Italian fashion house, and why the brand should most definitely feature in your wardrobe.

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Tommy Hilfiger & Calvin Klein Target Market

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Tommy Hilfiger & Calvin Klein Target Market

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An article about the two PVH brands and who their target markets are. It explains on how each of these brands targeted a specific customer through advertising and campaigns.

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Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are two renowned and successful names in nowadays fashion industry. These clothing brands are mainly engaged in the manufacturing of apparel, accessories, perfumery, etc. The production of these brands is sold in free-standing retail stores and department stores. Undoubtfully, customers have a crucial impact on the success of these brands, and choosing the right segments to target can make the future more promising. So, let's find out what markets are the targets for these Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and understand the reasons behind their choice.

Let's begin with Calvin Klein and discuss a campaign example.

Let's start with one of the brand's epic campaigns.

One of the most epic and successful campaigns of Calvin Klein was the #myCalvins campaign that they launched in 2014. The idea behind it was encouraging everyone to post looks on Instagram wearing any item from the brand with the #myCalvins hashtag. This campaign made the brand even more popular on social platforms and has become an inseparable part of Calvin Klein. The brand uses this campaign to this day and builds on it by doing changes in the narrative to keep up with time, trends, and values.

Let's discuss a recent example of an upgraded #myCalvins campaign that was launched in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nJloNKdtgo

The tagline of this campaign is "I Speak My Truth in #myCalvins", featuring several extremely influential and popular artists. Each of them is sharing their truth in short video series aiming to encourage others to speak their truths with the #myCalvins hashtag. Among these influential characters are Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes, Noah Centineo, Bella Hadid, Kendal Jenner, and many more.

This group of people was not chosen by chance. These young, successful, and outstanding personalities have an immense role in the formulation of tastes, preferences, and choices among youth nowadays. Working with them is a strategic step to engage the audience, spread a word about the brand, encourage participation, self-expression, uniqueness, and diversity in outlooks.

Now it's time to go through the communication strategy of Calvin Klein.

"Calvin Klein, or nothing at all"

Throughout the years, Calvin Klein didn't have any exact slogan. There were different lines from the commercials of the brand that were taken and considered some kind of motto for the brand. One of these iconic lines was "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." but considering this as a slogan for Calvin Klein won't be so accurate. In 2017, Calvin Klein revealed a new underwear collection for women. During this launch, the brand presented its new slogan "Calvin Klein, or nothing at all". This slogan was revealed at the end of the commercial starring Kirsten Dunst.

The slogan shows us how confident is Calvin Klein in its quality, production, and popularity. You can feel strength, power, and intrigue in these lines. The slogan puts Calvin Klein's name above all other brands in the market depicting the brand incomparable and one of a kind. The slogan makes you think that nothing can replace the production of Calvin Klein and if you try it once you won't look for any substitutes.

Now it's time to understand the segmentation strategy of Calvin Klein.
To do so, let's watch the following commercial .

The commercial is very vibrant, dynamic, and full of multiple, diverse details and actions. It depicts different people in the same age group who are independent and at the same time connected somehow. Clearly, young, attractive, energetic, and confident people are the focus of the commercial. Each of them is doing something quite typical for their age group.

All young people in the commercial listen to the same song in different contexts throughout the video. Every character wears a different type of production by Calvin Klein like a shirt, underwear, jeans, etc. All they seem remarkably positive, sociable, and passionate.

Young characters of the video enjoy life and the company of many diverse personalities who surround them. All of them are good looking, stylish, fit, and appealing. We can see successful and popular singers and actors among all the characters who have an extremely strong influence on today's youth, their preferences, and tastes.

The group of young people in the video symbolizes the segment that Calvin Klein wants and tries to target. After watching the commercial by the brand, discussing and analyzing it, we can surely say that Calvin Klein targets and gives immense importance to the segment called Chardonnay s.
Who are Chardonnays? Lifestyle and Values
People belonging to the Chardonnay segment are very energetic, yes oriented, and have a positive, optimistic, and practical outlook toward life. People belonging to this segment are known to be adventurous, open, and spontaneous in life. Their attention is easily driven to engaging, interesting, and new things. Their appearance has an excessively big importance for them and Chardonnays take care after the way they look to always stay attractive. They can spend hours getting ready and known to be stylish and trendy.

Chardonnays try to always keep up with time, but despite these values and heritage have a big and special place in their minds. Representatives of this segment mainly are young professionals or students. They tend to live in urban areas as they enjoy the drive and diversity of big cities and love the active social life there. Chardonnays mainly have from the middle to high income, and therefore good career and financial stability have significant importance for them.
Attitude to Shopping
Chardonnays take care of their appearance very much, and they consider shopping effective means to do this. Shopping is like a lifestyle for this segment as it is one of their favorite ways to spend their time. Chardonnays are driven to trends, novelties in the market and are trying to always be stylish.

For Chardonnays, the quality of the products they buy is a priority. They can spend much, buy less, but be confident in the quality of the purchased product. Also, they are attracted to interesting and engaging advertisings that can be associated with them.

Some interesting facts about Chardonnays

Internet is an inseparable part of their lives as Chardonnays use it to get information, make new connections with people, and share their lives, photos, etc.

Chardonnays enjoy watching TV and mainly give preference to entertaining programs such as sitcoms where the characters are associable with them.

The role of friends in their lives is extremely vital and often they give more importance to them rather than to the family. Chardonnays are very emotional, loyal, and tend to commit to relationships.

Let's move on to discussing Tommy Hilfiger and look at the brand's marketing strategies.

In 2016, Tommy Hilfiger launched a new adaptive clothing line for children with disabilities. Through a couple of years, the brand came up with an adaptive clothing line for adults as well. It is very often extremely hard for people with disabilities to get dressed on their own. There were big demand and growth perspectives in the market in this direction. With this launch, Tommy Hilfiger becomes the first brand to create fashion-forward, trendy, and professional styles for disabled people.

Let's go through a campaign video representing the Tommy Adaptive clothing line.

This campaign is extremely powerful, diverse, engaging, and positive. Tommy Hilfiger not only featured but also engaged people from different age groups with different disabilities to create and realize this campaign. We can see disabled people wearing pieces from the brand in the video talking, encouraging others like them to stay optimistic and positive. We can see disability influencer Lolo Spencer, who suffers from ALS. She calls everyone to embrace themselves, chase their dreams, and move forward in life.

This campaign has a big role in the way how society perceives the brand. It calls for more inclusive fashion, diversity, self-expression, confidence, encouragement despite anything. It shows that people of all ages and abilities can find something for them in the production of the brand. Thanks to this campaign people will perceive Tommy Hilfiger's brand image more positively and will always have in mind the fact that this brand is doing something great and positive for diverse groups of people.

Moving on, let's discuss the communication strategy of Tommy Hilfiger.

To do so, let's have a look at their logo.

From the very beginning, Tommy Hilfiger was presenting its mark as preppy-inspired and nautical. The shape of the brand's logo was taken from the International Code of Signals. The original meaning of the symbol used in the logo is different but Mr. Hilfiger chose this emblem to symbolize his surname "Hilfiger" with the "H".

The logo of Tommy Hilfiger has 3 colors that remained unchanged throughout continuous evolvements and updates. These 3 colors are red, blue, and white borrowed from the US flag. They symbolize America, the origin, heritage, and background of the brand.

The logo of Tommy Hilfiger hasn't changed much since first being introduced in 1985. The color of letters is now blue, in contrast with the white before. The other change that was made is very minor, hard to notice, and addressed typeface that is narrower now.

By analyzing the logo of Tommy Hilfiger, we can say that the initial origin of the company had a great influence on the brand and continues to play an immense role in its way. The 3 colors used in the logo are present in all the collections made by the brand. The founder of the company plays the most important role in the evolvement of the brand. The brand carries his name and presents the vision of the founder to this day.

Now, let's identify the target markets of Tommy Hilfiger .

Let's start by discussing the following commercial featuring Zendaya.

The commercial represents the capsule collection of Tommy Hilfiger created together with Zendaya. In this case, Zendaya is not only the co-creator but also a collective character who represents the segment that Tommy Hilfiger is trying to target. She presents the collection together with other female characters in the video. She looks very energetic, dynamic, powerful, successful, and confident.

Zendaya is a bold, beautiful, and strong character, who looks neat and trendy. All her looks are carefully chosen and perfectly matched. Zendaya is in an urban environment surrounded by everyday buzz and dynamism of a big city. Combining all the discussed details it becomes clear that Tommy Hilfiger puts its focus on a segment called Carpe Diem.
Who are Carpe Diems? Lifestyle and Values
Representatives of the Carpe Diem segment are extremely active, outgoing people who like to fill their lives with dynamism and variety. They tend to spend their time in upscale places. Carpe Diems love spending time with friends and overall enjoy life. These people want to be independent both financially and in any other possible way. Thus, people belonging to the Carpe Diem segment understand the importance of having a good career very well.

They are ready to sacrifice a lot and even time with family to reach the top of their career and be successful. Carpe Diems focus on the present and try to get as much as possible from every moment. They are adventurous, spontaneous, like challenges, and taking risks.

Appearance has crucial importance for the representatives of this segment, and they tend to keep up with novelties, trends in the market, and always look neat. Carpe Diems have a strong bond with culture, and are very often visit museums, exhibitions, and cultural events.
Attitude to Shopping:
Carpe Diems are brand-oriented people. They usually tend to choose high-quality products and value quality over quantity. People from this segment rarely switch between brands they choose and are extremely loyal to their initial choices and brands. Their shopping habits do not change in general.

They seek personal ensure whenever making a purchase. Carpe Diems find the shopping process and spending money very pleasing, enjoyable and want to make sure that they got the best deal.
Some interesting facts about Carpe Diems

Reading books is a very favorable activity for Carpe Diems. When reading they prefer biographies and literary books.

Carpe Diems are not interested in watching TV. Nevertheless, whenever they do watch it, they give preference to something mainstream like movies, sports, music, etc.

The Internet is something they use all the time. Carpe Diems use the internet not only for entertainment but also for making new connections with people.

Both Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are remarkably successful and passionate about what they do. Undoubtfully, these two brands will continue growing and pleasing customers with their trendy and high-quality products. That's it for these brands and their strategies. Check out the main page of our website for more posts like this.

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Target Market of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger

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Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are two renowned and successful names in nowadays fashion industry. These clothing brands are mainly engaged in the manufacturing of apparel, accessories, perfumery, etc. The production of these brands is sold in free-standing retail stores and department stores.

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An Article from the Business of Fashion explaining what PVH as a brand are trying to do to improve their sustainability. This applies to brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.

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By BoF Team August 19, 2020 14:29

In Partnership With

NEW YORK, United States - As global stakeholders - investors, employees, communities and consumers alike - apply increasing pressure on brands and businesses to address fashion's social and environmental damage, some influential businesses in the fashion industry are seeking to improve the industry's operations and use its collective power to achieve positive impact.

Last year, PVH Corp. announced its Forward Fashion Corporate Responsibility (CR) strategy - to transform "how clothes are made and (re)used" - with its three focus areas: reducing negative impacts to zero; increasing positive impacts to 100 percent; and improving the 1 million+ lives across their supply chain.

These areas are broken down further into 15 trackable, timebound priorities, including eliminating carbon emissions and hazardous chemicals to innovating for circularity and sourcing ethically, as well as amplifying worker voices and advancing living wages, empowering women and fostering inclusion and diversity.

From their signature on the UN Fashion Charter for Climate Action to their involvement with the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, the company and its brands, including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, have committed to furthering their CR ambitions despite the disruption of the pandemic, while also providing transparency on how they are doing so. The company publishes workforce diversity, supply chain wage, and single-use plastic data, among other metrics.

By setting out corporate responsibility strategies in annual reports for the past 12 years and embedding them within the central business objectives of the company, the New York-based conglomerate, with $9.9 billion in revenue in 2019, is filtering down its social and environmental targets to its brand portfolio.

PVH's Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Van Heusen all sit within the top 8 percentile of the 250 brands evaluated by Fashion Revolution - a non-profit with an annual index that has become an industry benchmark for sustainability - with a score of 54 percent, up 13 percentage points since 2019. Its portfolio also includes Izod, Arrow, Warner's, Olga, Geoffrey Beene and True & Co., and employs 40,000 associates operating in over 40 countries worldwide.

Marissa Pagnani McGowan, PVH's Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility | Source: Courtesy

Now, BoF sits down with PVH's Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Marissa Pagnani McGowan, to hear more about the conception and implementation of their CR strategies, as well as the mission and the methodology behind PVH's activities in light of the disruption shaping 2020.
What overarching strategies are the CR team focused on this year?
Last year, we announced Forward Fashion - our new strategy for corporate responsibility. Forward Fashion is an evolution of our longstanding work in this space, with an increased level of ambition and transparency to set ourselves up for the next 5 to 10 years. We have 15 time-bound targets to drive accountability, but it's the work behind the targets that matters most.

This was our first year publishing supply chain wage data, workforce diversity data and a waste baseline, which includes single-use plastics broken out. We have to do the hard work of measuring and understanding where we are today, to be able to innovate and improve.

Forward Fashion and the platforms built internally and externally to support the work allowed us to activate a number of partnerships and set up initiatives within a short time frame to navigate Covid-19 more responsibly, whether that was targeted strategic donations through our PVH Foundation, leveraging our supply chain to produce PPE, driving and participating in the International Labour Organization's call to action to protect garment workers, or baselining our inventory and material liabilities to ensure nothing ended up in a landfill. We also signed two climate initiatives, UNGC and Science Based Target initiatives, asking governments to integrate more climate-friendly strategies into their business plans as they build back up.
How do you work across the business to integrate other teams and their CR-focused goals?
Our approach as a CR team is one of partnership and collaboration. You need to understand what another person or group is trying to accomplish and how by listening first, sharing your goals and ideas, and then co-creating solutions. Whenever we work with a team we haven't before, it's like pushing on an open door - the willingness is there. But we have to understand their processes and challenges and help them understand what the issues are and then work together.

The PVH University is also one of the perks of being a PVH associate. The content is easily navigable, rich and accessible, covering a variety of subjects. We took an idea to the PVH U team, for example, to launch circularity training with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation both in-person and online. It connected the dots between resources and applied learning resources with practical work so that many more people in the organisation are informed about how we are literally weaving sustainability into products.
How is the CR team working to improve PVH's inclusivity and diversity?
At PVH, we are proud of the work we've done to create an inclusive environment but also recognise that we have a long way to go. There are endless opportunities for correcting some of the ills of the past. Inclusion and diversity is certainly one where the open and frank conversations happening now about inequality, the fragility of systems, the interconnectedness of issues begin to offer a real commitment to setting goals, enabled by our collection and publication of data.

When you roll up the numbers, they look good. But when you break them down, there's a challenge there. By being transparent, we want to be accountable and give ourselves the baseline from which we can improve. There's also the education and awareness component so that everyone realises they have a role to play.

Whenever we work with a team we haven't before, we have to understand their processes and challenges, then work together.

Our CEO Manny Chirico and our President Stefan Larsson are committed over the coming months to setting clear, timebound priorities and goals on how we're going to achieve the representation and type of diversity we want to see at all levels of the organisation and how we're going to support that, like through enabling pipelines of talent by building on our relationship with Howard University to work more closely with historically Black universities and colleges, looking at how we're looking at hiring and promoting as well as unconscious bias training.

We have partnerships with Howard University and Fordham University so we can actively work with these educational institutions to train the next generation of business leaders to be socially and environmentally responsible.
How has Covid-19 impacted and evolved the CR strategies?
Covid forced us to develop products, work with our suppliers and go to market in a digital environment - all of which have sustainability benefits. As a global society, we are having a collective experience, whether that's adjusting to Zoom calls or having a family member fall unwell. As a result, collectively, many of us want to use our dollars to make a positive impact, to be more thoughtful about what and how we buy.

We've been watching consumer sentiment since Covid hit and there seems to be a real desire for sustainable fashion and an understanding, by both consumer and journalist communities, of how connected the issues that fall under the corporate responsibility umbrella are. How these different pieces - inclusion and diversity, environmental sustainability, human rights in the supply chain - connect and how driving fashion forward for good translates through all different areas of our business. Historically, CR teams sat on the fringes of business but to create transformational change, it needs to be inside business strategies.
How has PVH sought to protect its supply chain amidst the pandemic?
Luckily, we have a tight strategic supply chain and we have weekly calls with all our suppliers. We had about 1000 people on a call this month from our strategic supply chain. Our COO/CFO gave an update on the state of the business and updates on a supply chain perspective to keep the dialogue open. We're really trying to understand their challenges, help them understand our challenges and work together to get through this. We also rolled out global training that leveraged guidance from the World Health Organization and international best practices from the International Labour Organization on maintaining a safe and healthy factory environment.

Historically, CR teams sat on the fringes of business but to create transformational change, it needs to be inside business strategies.

Alongside partners across the industry, PVH helped drive - and participates in - a global call to action published by the ILO that brings together key stakeholders in response to the social and economic disruption that has affected workers throughout the supply chain, their families and their communities. Through this endorsement, we hope to work together to establish a more just and resilient garment industry better equipped to manage the impacts of Covid-19 and other future crises.
What do PVH's external partnerships enable?
Achieving lasting change requires partnership and cooperation within our industry and across sectors. We work with other organisations across all of our priority areas to help measure and share our progress, improve how we design, make and operate our business, and innovate new solutions. We participate in ambitious global initiatives, like the G7 Fashion Pact and the United Nations Global Compact. We also align our work with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, a global roadmap for businesses, governments and civil society to achieve a more sustainable future.
What developments excite and inspire you moving forward?
I am excited to be part of what building back better means as a company and as an industry. Circularity is a huge opportunity right now and it's about durability, material choices and designing to be designed again. I'm also excited about the conversation around stakeholder capitalism. It's a buzz term right now, but are we going to start getting questions from investors about our longer-term strategy on sustainability and how that relates to the long-term health of our brands and business?

I love to be challenged, to continue to learn and to feel a little uncomfortable every day. But more so than anything, it's the people I work with that inspire me the. Doing something collectively, and collaborating with people that bring their own unique backgrounds, perspectives and inputs, can sometimes be hard. But when we get to a result that we could never have achieved alone, whether that's as a team, company or industry, that is always the most rewarding thing.
This is a sponsored feature paid for by PVH as part of a BoF Careers partnership.

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Inside the Corporate Responsibility Strategies Shaping PVH

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By BoF Team August 19, 2020 14:29 In Partnership With NEW YORK, United States - As global stakeholders - investors, employees, communities and consumers alike - apply increasing pressure on brands and businesses to address fashion's social and environmental damage, some influential businesses in the fashion industry are seeking to improve the industry's operations and use its collective power to achieve positive impact.

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PVH Corporate Responsibility Report 2020

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PVH Corporate Responsibility Report 2020

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PVH have released this report regarding their Corporate Responsibility. In this report it shows the few steps they are taking as a company to improve on sustainability.

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This article explains how Tommy Hilfiger have been using marketing techniques to target a specific consumer. I learnt that they have done this through their vision for the brand as well as their mission.

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In the year 1985, famous designer Thomas Hilfiger established Tommy Hilfiger Corporation and now it is a popular brand. The range of products sold under the brand is women's wear, kid's wear, and men's wear and has a range of products like eyewear, accessories, apparels, watches, fragrances, bags, furniture, etc. They have 1400 outlets in 90 countries.

It is one of the top brands that is doing well across markets and its top sales charts in the casual wear segment across the world. The brand brought American culture into the world.

It has an extensive distribution network in more than 100 countries and the global retail sale of Tommy Hilfiger was the US $7.4 billion in 2017.

STP in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

Under demographic segmentation of the market, the segmentation is done according to age, gender, and income. Tommy Hilfiger which is the main product line of the corporation and is influenced by classic American style and targets customers between the ages of 25 to 40 years.

The brand Hilfiger Denim is more casual in style, Hilfiger Collection is the brand for women and targets the women from age 25-40. Tommy Hilfiger Tailored has products targeted towards men and the products are described to have rich colors, precision cuts, and luxe details and targets the men between the ages 25-40.

Depending on the different customer requirements the corporation has come up with different. Tommy Hilfiger brand is targeting the upper-middle-class people. The brand has a unique positioning in the market with an inviting atmosphere and unique twists that shoes the brand's heritage of being an all-American brand.

It is positioned as the brand that celebrates the 'classic American cool style'.

Vision

We are guided by a vision to drive innovation through our sustainability practices, in order to increase operational efficiency while reducing our environmental impact.

Mission

Tommy Hilfiger's mission is to be one of the leading sustainable designer lifestyle brands through how it creates its product, manages its operations, and connects with its communities and stakeholders.

Competitive advantage in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

1) Brand image

Tommy Hilfiger is one of the leading designer brands that is doing extremely well in the market. It enjoys a unique position in the premium designer brand. The brand has a wide range of products that give the brand extremely high brand visibility.

The ranges of products include eyewear, watches, fragrance home furnishings and women's wear which is marketed extremely well. The brand's global retail sale amounted to $7.4 billion in 2017.

Tommy Hilfiger has good quality, stylish designer products that people want to be associated with.

2) Innovation

The brand recently announced the highest tech collection called Tommy Jeans XPlore that uses Bluetooth technology to track how often a consumer wears the product and also where the consumer wears the product.

The brand seeks to find micro-community of brand ambassadors with this initiative and also offers rewards based upon each of the usages of the item. The main idea was to offer more from the brand to its loyal consumers. The app-based feature would also increase the points the customer gets when they would pass through certain locations.

These technology-based initiatives have increased the brand loyalty of consumers.

3) Global marketing strategy

Tommy Hilfiger being one of the world's leading designer brands engages customers through various marketing and advertising campaigns the marketing strategies are comprehensive 360° which focuses on digital marketing experiences and innovative experiences.

In the year 2018, Tommy Hilfiger celebrated the designer's love towards pop culture, fashion, music through different brand partnerships and celebrity collaboration driving the high number of sale and also engaging new customers and making it attractive for the millennial consumers.

In 2017, the total expenditure on marketing was $180 million globally for marketing and communication initiatives.

BCG matrix in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger Corporation was bought by Phillips-Van Heusen in the year 2010. Phillips-Van Heusen owns brands like Arrow etc. The Tommy Hilfiger brand falls under the category of star brand. It was also listed as the world's most innovative companies.

The brand has created multiple campaigns and has created meaningful collaboration with pop artists across the world to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity that exists for the brand across the world. Celebrities like Hailey Baldwin and activist Winnie Harlow are associated with the brand.

The brand was ranked #8 out of the 77 brands in the L2 Global Fashion IQ index of 2018. It was also ranked as "the Most Innovative Company " by Fast Company. Tommy Hilfiger has huge potential and thus comes under the star category of the BCG matrix.

Distribution strategy in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

The global brand has more than 15000 associates working for the brand worldwide. Tommy Hilfiger has built an extensive network for distribution in over 100 countries with more than 1800 retail stores throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and North America.

The company has a franchise as well as owned stores model for retail. The flagship stores are the location in the major cities of the world, making it an extremely valuable brand. The stores are in Paris, Tokyo, London, New York, etc.

Brand equity in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger has a brand image of being a premium and accessible brand. Throughout its existence it has established itself as a brand that designed products that are "classic American cool with the preppy twist" and now it is looking forward to being a more global brand.

The brand has expanded into newer markets throughout Europe and Asia and is widely available. It is focused on reaching the next generation of consumers.

The brand is becoming extremely popular among the youth. The parent company PVH spends around $175-$185 million on the annual marketing and advertising initiatives to enhance the brand equity of Tommy Hilfiger.

Tommy's strong presence in Europe could also be used as a platform for PVH to grow brands like Arrow and Izod, which currently generate little to no revenue in Europe

Market Analysis in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

The fashion industry is worth $ 3 trillion and has been growing consistently. Tommy Hilfiger has been taking advantage of this well-defined ecosystem. The signature style of the brand has made a reputation for itself. The main competitors are Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Gucci, Carolina Herrera, and Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani, etc.

However fast fashion companies like Forever21, Zara, and H&M have turned the table in the apparel sector and have a lasting impact on high-end brands. However Tommy Hilfiger increased its business to 22 percent to $1.1 billion, the brand is doing well through collaboration with high-end celebrities.

Labels such as American Apparel, Abercrombie & Fitch are shutting locations across countries due to lackluster sales. Coach and Ralph Lauren are facing plunging profits and are using strategies to cut back discounts.

Tommy Hilfiger's international sales were $93 million greater than US sale. Tommy Hilfiger's is facing huge competition from the fast fashion companies thus must stay innovative and continue its marketing efforts to make the brand more attractive to the customers.

Customer Analysis in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

The brand targets a wide demographic and targets and attracts younger customers. It has a children's line and also clothes designed for older customers. According to Hilfiger, he wants to keep the brand younger and keep it cool.

The recent collaboration with Gigi Hadid helped the brand get access to her 30 million fan base and it was seen that brand was able to generate double-digit sales growth after the collaboration. The brand finds an innovative way to engage and entertain the millennial consumers across the world, to become their choice of fashion.

Promotion in the marketing strategy of Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger brand follows a very aggressive marketing strategy and uses multiple channels to reach out to the target customers and has extremely high brand visibility. It uses newspapers ads, billboards, magazine ads, etc. for promotions and has famous celebrities as brand ambassadors like Gigi Hadid.

A new promotion strategy was introduced which allows consumers to become the brand ambassadors of the brand by creating a micro-community of brand ambassadors. The brand also offers various discounts and offers during offseason and year-end special occasions.

The point of sale promotions is used efficiently by the brand by making the store look preppy fashion. The stores are designed to demonstrate the classic cool style of the American lifestyle. The virtual reality store experience in 2015 was also a great hit.

The consumers could see the products in 360-degree reality from the front row and immediately shop for the collection. Even though it was presented only in a few flagship stores. The brand also uses online promotions to sell their products sending emails to its customers updating them about the latest collections an offer.

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Marketing Strategy of Tommy Hilfiger - Tommy Hilfiger Marketing Strategy

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In the year 1985, famous designer Thomas Hilfiger established Tommy Hilfiger Corporation and now it is a popular brand. The range of products sold under the brand is women's wear, kid's wear, and men's wear and has a range of products like eyewear, accessories, apparels, watches, fragrances, bags, furniture, etc.

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In this article, I learnt that Armani are working towards their sustainability which I was not aware of. This brand is working towards becoming more transparent which beneficial for them to potentially improve the brand name.

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Armani Exchange Mobile Strategy and Target Market

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Armani Exchange Mobile Strategy and Target Market

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Armani Exchange explains how they have made profit off mobile advertising which appeals to younger people.

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Armani Exchange's target demographic centers on the 18-28 range and is focused on city-dwellers.

"Our mobile strategy is based on being customer-focused, offering our customers a seamless brand experience whether they are shopping shop in store, online or on the go while they're out on the street," said Tom Jarrold, senior vice president of global marketing and communications at Armani Exchange, New York.

"We have a young, forward-thinking, wired demographic," he said. "Last year we found that 40 percent of our customers had an iPhone or BlackBerry, and I'm sure that's even higher now.

"It's ultimately about responding to our customers wherever they are so they can touch the brand in a lot of different ways."

A|X Armani Exchange was launched in 1991 aimed at a new generation of young, fast-fashion consumers-a collection from Georgio Armani offering urban, individual style.

Tech-savvy demo
"The core group we're targeting is pretty urban-centric young people in college or right out of college, working their first job, living a social life in the city, gregarious," Mr. Jarrold said. "They like to go out, listen to music and be social, and their digital lifestyle helps foster that.

After the success the brand has had with online advertising, Armani Exchange decided to try mobile advertising as a key tactic to driving traffic to its mobile site.

In June of last year, A|X promoted the launch of its mobile shopping site with a campaign across AdMob's mobile ad network.

"It was a big mobile advertising campaign, and it was really, really successful," Mr. Jarrold said. "We got a ton of click-throughs and some pretty good engagement.

"The No. 1 focus of the campaign was getting consumers to click to view videos," he said. "That kicked it off, and now a lot of the traffic comes from people searching for us on their smartphones and being redirected to the mobile site.

"Now they get a site that's a lot more navigable."

Multichannel marketing
Armani Exchange's goal is seamless integration of its various consumer touch points. The retailer has continued to promote its mobile site at the store level via handouts and other materials to remind customers that they can buy online and via their phone.

"We want to encourage the cross-pollination of different channels," Mr. Jarrold said.

In 2008, Armani Exchange tapped Distributive Networks for the launch of an SMS program to build a mobile database of its tech-savvy demographic. The text-messaging club currently has more than 60,000 subscribers.

"We've got a great text program-it's been something we've marketed online and in-store, and it's been enormously successful," Mr. Jarrold said. "We use it to promote new collection announcements, specials products like a new A|X music CD and special offers.

"Conversion rates are fantastic, because it is a super-engaged, brand-loyal demographic," he said. "We can localize events and blast out promotions at, say, our New York City store, and run contests, for example, the first 20 people to text back get a free A|X totebag.

"We get thousands of texts back immediately, which is astonishing."

To sign up, consumers can text the keyword AX to the short code ARMANI (276264), although the retailer uses different keywords as well.

Consumers can show the mobile coupon at the cash register to redeem it, and that lets A|X track how many people responded to the offer.

A|X executives are also considering a mobile application for one or more smartphone platforms, but no plans have been finalized as of yet.

The center piece of its mobile initiatives continues to be the mobile commerce Web site.

"The ecommerce aspect really launched during the holidays, and we're very happy with it-we've seen a lot of traffic on the mobile site, and sales have been quite strong," Mr. Jarrold said. "Also, we get the non-quantifiable aspect of customers interacting with the brand on the go, which may lead to a sale in store or on the go.

"It's been successful from a number different perspectives," he said.

The luxury apparel retailer tapped the MarketLive Mobile to power its mobile commerce Web site that is optimized for viewing on all smartphones with a focus on Apple's iPhone ( see story). Armani Exchange recently upgraded its mobile commerce Web site to bring more immediate service and style to on-the-go customers ( see story).

This past holiday season, A|X launched an in-store pickup feature letting consumers enter their ZIP code and hold an item and click a button to pay with a credit card or cash.

"We're responding to customers' needs and how they want to shop, and mobile is integral to our overall marketing strategy, as it's the future," Mr. Jarrold said. "It's the way A|X customers want to interact with the brand-the days of the traditional stand-along bricks-and-mortar retailer are over.

"We're making the brand accessible via mobile whenever and wherever they want it," he said. "They can use the mobile site to save time, try to find what's available, shop efficiently or maybe they're waiting in line and want to waste some time.

"Whatever the reason, they can interact with the brand in a way that's engaging and that otherwise they wouldn't have the opportunity to partake in."

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Armani Exchange outlines mobile strategy

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Armani Exchange's target demographic centers on the 18-28 range and is focused on city-dwellers. "Our mobile strategy is based on being customer-focused, offering our customers a seamless brand experience whether they are shopping shop in store, online or on the go while they're out on the street," said Tom Jarrold, senior vice president of global marketing and communications at Armani Exchange, New York.

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Buying and merchandising student with a demonstrated history of negotiation, administration, retail and fashion awareness. Strong support professional with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) focused in Business Management and Retail Marketing from University of Roehampton.

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Sham Umar - Renewals Consultant - LiFE Residential | LinkedIn

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Buying and merchandising student with a demonstrated history of negotiation, administration, retail and fashion awareness. Strong support professional with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) focused in Business Management and Retail Marketing from University of Roehampton.

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An article about how Jute fibres can be incorporated into clothing. Explains how it is sustainable and the process when washing garments that include jute fibres.

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100% natural fibre, perfect for many different processes: jute seems to be the solution for the future. Here is what you should know

It originates from the Malvaceae family, the same as for canvas and linen; jute - also called chorchorus - is a 100% natural, sustainable, biodegradable and even recyclable fibre. It is mainly produced in Bangladesh and India, although it can also be found in China, Thailand and Nepal. It can be spun in coarse and resistant threads, and this is why it is used in many business sectors, for many different uses.

What is jute and how is it cultivated

Jute is one of the best fibres on the market; it features bright golden reflections and for this reason it is also called the "golden fibre". It has a rigid, coarse and very resistant thread. For this reason, many jute garments are gently embroidered by hand or crocheted to turn the golden thread into bags, hats, dresses and even tapestry accessories.

The benefits of jute fabrics are evident: this fibre is completely biodegradable and features antistatic and insulating properties. At the same time, it has a low thermal conductivity and a moderate humidity retention, making it highly hygroscopic.

Jute garments are long-lasting also thanks to their tensile strength and low extensibility coefficient.

Jute fibre cultivations are sustainable and completely green: every hectare produced consumes tons of carbon dioxide and releases the same amount of oxygen. Jute plants do not require fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and they grow fast and spontaneously, without any chemical support. In addition, jute cultivations improve the quality of the soil, reintegrating nutrients and reducing the risk of parasites in the areas nearby.

Jute clothes, what you should know

Jute is employed to create fashionable and sustainable garments within the range of natural fibre apparel. It is often used to make bags, shoes and fashion accessories.

In order to make fine quality garments, it is used in combination with pure cotton and other natural fabrics to make them soft, light and breathable. It is not unusual to find hand-embroidered jute garments.

How should I wash a jute garment?

Jute, just like kapok, the fibre of the future is very fine, and washing delicate garments in your washing machine requires special attention. Jute can be washed easily in the washing machine by remembering to set a cold wash program and, possibly, turning off the spin cycle. Use a gentle detergent, and, once the wash cycle is over, remember to dry jute outside, and not in the drier.

To remove stains, soak it in water for a few hours with a neutral detergent, then dry it with two cloth towels before air drying it.

Jute's story will surely be useful to purchase fashionable fine garments!

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Jute clothes: what you should know about this sustainable fibre | Haier

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It originates from the Malvaceae family, the same as for canvas and linen; jute - also called chorchorus - is a 100% natural, sustainable, biodegradable and even recyclable fibre. It is mainly produced in Bangladesh and India, although it can also be found in China, Thailand and Nepal.

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An article about the different types of belt buckles. This article explains what metals are used in different types of buckles which helped with building my range plan item and identifying what the buckle on one of my garments is made of.

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The belt buckle goes back to the Iron Age when the gold 'great buckle' was one of the items that were interred by Sutton Hoo. Designed primarily as more of a decorative shield on the tongue, the buckle for belts were quite common as Anglo-Saxon grave goods.

At the time, the buckle was decorated elaborately on the shield portion of the belt, and associated with men, primarily. To put things into perspective, specifically on the belt buckle timelines, one of the elaborate belt buckle designed was found in Finglesham, Kent, in 1965, in one of the 7th Century graves.

This buckle bears the image of the naked warrior who stands between two spears, with only the belt and a horned helmet on.

Over the years, the designs of belt buckles have been refined significantly, and today there are different types of belt buckles that match different styles. These include:

Frame-Style buckles- these buckles boast the oldest buckle design with a frame-prong buckle design where the prong is attached to one of the belt's frame, extending away from the wearer via a hole in the belt.

Plate-style buckles- these feature three-hook clasps with 2 hooks that fit on one end of the belt and the third hook on the other end.

Box-out buckles- this buckle style is the oldest buckle style still around to date.

Box-Frame Buckles- these buckles are 20thcenturu military-style buckles, commonly fitted on the webbed belts. The buckles feature a front, post, and back, with an adjustable captive post sitting perpendicular to the belt, which presses against the outer part/ box.

The other types of belt buckles are snap/side release and D-Ring/ O-Ring buckles.

Belt buckles on the market today are made of different materials, with the best of these buckles made of nickel-free materials. Some of these materials used include:

Titanium is the most commonly used material for belt buckles because of the high strength to weight ratio, as well as its high level of corrosion resistance.

These features not only make titanium the ideal material for belt buckles, but titanium is also safe for the human body, making it an ideal metal choice. Topical reactions to titanium are quite rare.

In addition to these features, titanium is also used for buckles because it can be brushed, polished, and also bead blasted with different finishes.

It's up to 60% harder than steel but 40% lighter than steel. It's generally very durable.

The second kind of material preferred for belt buckles is carbon fiber, also known as carbon graphite or graphite fiber.

The reasons for the use of carbon fiber include its lightweight nature and stiffness - it's stiffer than steel. Carbon fiber is also hypoallergenic and ideal for persons with nickel allergies.

Thanks to the production of carbon fiber out of organic fibers that are drawn together into long fibers of long strings of carbon atoms, the carbon fiber fibers are easily woven into this tough fiber for the buckles.

Alternatively, the carbon fibers are combined with different materials then molded into belt buckles.

The other material used to make belt buckles is stainless steel, a metal alloy made of chromium, molybdenum, and nickel.

Chromium is the most important part of stainless steel because it makes it scratch-resistant; nickel offers a smooth, polished finish, while molybdenum boosts its level of hardness.

It is rust, stain, and corrosion resistant, lustrous, and durable.

Note that while surgical stainless steel contains some nickel, some of the surgical stainless steel formulations are designed to form a tight bond that stops the nickel salts from leaching out, causing nickel allergy reactions. But it's important to test out the stainless steel first.

The other metal often used to make belt buckles is zinc. Zinc is a common element that takes different forms - it's used in metals and also in supplements. Zinc is affordable, and since it works great as a base metal or a plating metal, it finds use in different areas.

When it comes to belt buckles, zinc isn't used on its own but as an ally of copper, magnesium, and aluminum, all with nickel-free plating.

Zinc works well for making buckles because of its softness compared to steel, a characteristic that allows for easy pouring of the zinc into casts or molds of different shapes.

Zinc is also hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant. ( but zinc alloy is not hypoallergenic) Zinc alloys are also resistant to breaking or flexing.

Though they may have small amounts of nickel, brass and bronze alloys are mostly nickel-free, hypoallergenic, and they have a nice, golden lustrous finish, making nice belt buckles.

Gucci belt buckles are made of the characteristic double (overlapping) G buckle design.

The spaces between the Gs is quite tight, with no gaps. The buckles are rather heavy and chunky, with no flaws.

The buckle is often made of different materials, including palladium-toned materials, brass, or aged gold, among others. You might want to check out Gucci's website for authenticity.

Louis Vuitton belt buckles stand out thanks to the characteristic LV buckle design.

This buckle is, unfortunately, often counterfeited. Most of the LV belt buckles are made of a silver and gold metal with a matte black finish on the edges.

These LV buckles are uniquely designed with space between the bottom V and the bottom L on the buckle's logo.

Ferragamo belt buckles are made of different metals and will vary in quality.

The most common metals used include copper, brass, brass, zinc alloys, and stainless steel.

Most of the Ferragamo buckles will have a palladium finish.

Hermes belt buckles are often plated with precious metals.

Note, however, that Hermes doesn't give out much about the specific details and the materials used to make the buckles.

However, most of their listings note that the buckle is made of Permabrass, which could be thought of as gold or platinum-plated brass.

The precious metal plating will, however, vary, affecting how fast the buckles wear off.

Most of the gold-plated brass is made of 18k gold plating and high-quality brass. Occasionally, the buckle is brushed with sterling silver, palladium, or ruthenium.

Most designer brands don't specify the materials used to make their belt buckles, but the information shared above should guide you to find the best buckles on the market.

Generally, when looking for a belt buckle, you should opt for buckles made of high-quality and durable metals.

This is important because there is nothing worse than a poor-quality looking buckle that starts to tarnish after some time.

For more information, please visit this page or this page. Thanks for reading. Hope this article helps you!

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What Are Belt Buckles Made Of?( 5 Common Metals)

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The belt buckle goes back to the Iron Age when the gold 'great buckle' was one of the items that were interred by Sutton Hoo. Designed primarily as more of a decorative shield on the tongue, the buckle for belts were quite common as Anglo-Saxon grave goods.

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- Understanding your trend
- Understanding your customer through customer profile
- Making sure the range reflects the brand
- Brand fit
- Balance of product range
- Balance of seasonal trends vs core drivers
- Price range - use Edited and COMP shop
- Store allocation, layout, display
- Launch date

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The Defender personality type is quite unique, as many of their qualities defy the definition of their individual traits. Though sensitive, Defenders have excellent analytical abilities; though reserved, they have well-developed people skills and robust social relationships; and though they are generally a conservative type, Defenders are often receptive to change and new ideas. As with so many things, people with the Defender personality type are more than the sum of their parts, and it is the way they use these strengths that defines who they are.

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Breaking down Sustainability in the Supply Chain

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Breaking down Sustainability in the Supply Chain

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How sustainability has been implemented into the supply chain for many retailers and why so many brands are going towards this approach. This article explains how brands should all be using sustainable approaches and how beneficial it would be for the planet if products were made from recycled items rather than raw materials - very interesting article.

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It's pretty safe to say by now that brands, mills and the supply chain have gotten a kick in the butt (more like a slap to the face) to ramp up both their digital presence and sustainability efforts. But with so many different approaches to creating a more conscious jean, it can get quite tricky navigating through all the "newest" and "best" tech out there, especially when we aren't able to take a gander through the trade show floors! We've been feeling your pain, so thats why I recently put together the Supply Chain 101 (a deep dive into the entire supply chain from raw material to the end of your jean's life) and Denim Dudes has put out THE DENIM DIRECTORY, a report showcasing all the latest yarn developments and blends, new sustainable advances and tech-based solutions, as well as new wash and finish directions. With Sustainability at the heart of this season's supply chain's ethos, I'm going to use my sustainability expertise and dig into this season's highlight reel to explore some of the advances that caught my eye, starting at fibre and leading all the way through to finish.

What we often forget is how long it takes new fibres to hit the mainstream. Think of those 100% plaid polyester pants from the 70s and how far polyester has come since then. It took some time! But our blue buddies and experts from other industries have been working extremely hard to make new sustainable fibre developments possible and economically feasible.

Imagine a world where our clothing was no longer made from raw materials, but instead recycled from our discarded wardrobes. This concept has been at the heart of the fiber story lately and is set to change the way we look at raw materials. Man-made Cellulosic fibers have been around for over 100 years (Viscose, Rayon, Lyocell, Modal and Cupro) but using the principle to extract cellulose from existing clothing is the game-changer that allows us to begin to close our apparel loop for good. Circulose is a fiber derived from chemically recycled waste textiles and engineered to create a totally new product. The beauty of these fibers is that they don't use trees, plants or oil and the resource they use is one that we want to eradicate: garments destined for landfill.

Renewcell is a Swedish textile-to-textile recycling company that launched Circulose in 2014, and by 2020, garments made from Circulose became available in the market, most notably from Levi's and H+M. Infinited Fiber offers a cellulose carbonate textile that uses a combination of used textiles, cardboard and agricultural waste to make new natural cotton-like fibre. Both processes extrude a new and improved fibre that is of the same or higher quality to its origin. We expect this market to explode over the next few years, and it's exciting to watch how it will impact the mill's and brand's future collections. This season both AGI Denim and Artistic Fabric Mills have explored this intriguing new technology that allows us to maximize the use of our raw materials and keep our jeans cycling through the system forever. Let's continue to extract that value!

Lenzing has been a pioneer in the Man-Made Cellulosics market and continues to lead the way with their new Refibra technology. is an innovative fiber made from cotton waste textiles combined with Lenzing's renowned Tencel fiber. I'd call this a match made in heaven! Cotton scraps are turned into a cotton pulp that is added to Tencel's famous wood pulp. This offers the industry a solution to move us towards a circular economy by creating the highest value for wasted textiles. All done in Tencel's signature closed-loop system, Tencel can capture, recycle and reuse over 99% of the water and solvents. Apart from production, the sustainably managed forests (from which the fiber comes from) only use rain-fed water to grow, meaning no additional irrigation is needed. Lenzing, we're a fan.

Aside from the emerging and technical circular market, there are plenty of other fibres that might not sound revolutionary, but in the denim textile world, they offer an alternative to cotton, which come with their own benefits; both environmental and physical.

Have you ever heard of silk cotton? Well, the Kapok tree produces seed hairs that pretty much replicate the feeling of silky cotton with synthetic properties, but all thanks to mother nature. The fibre is naturally water-resistant but quite brittle, so it needs blending for strength. But the amazing thing about this plant is that it grows wild, meaning that it isn't artificially watered and no pesticides are used. Indian mill, Arvind has tapped the Kapok fiber this season. Similarly, the banana fibre is often blended to achieve unique looks and tasty slubs. Just check out Japan Blue's 70% cotton 30% banana selvedge denim!

Rolling on with mother nature's finest, the craze about hemp is still much on the rise due to its ability to sequester carbon, nourish our soils, it's speedy growth rate, and it's ability to get rid of unwanted pests without any pesticides. But, to use this wonderful plant in our jeans, the fiber goes through a "cottonization" process, shortening the fiber length and making it soft to the touch like cotton. Despite rumblings in the industry around this cottonising process's environmental impact, we are seeing many mills experiment with different hemp blends to get the right balance between an authentic look and a soft hand. In particular, hemp / Tencel pairings are perfect for achieving that true denim character without hemp's inherent scratchiness. Atlantic, Prosperity, Blue Diamond, Calik, AGI and Artistic Milliners are amongst some of the mills experimenting with hemp blends this season and we're sure to see more and more offering their own hemp blends, as well.

Linen is like hemp's sister, that it isn't commonly found in denim or jeans. But, much like hemp, linen is an extremely durable fiber with amazing naturally occurring benefits. It's breathability and absorbability makes it ideal for the Spring/Summer season while adding a beautiful texture and slub to the fabric. Orta, Kilim and Stella Blu are amongst the few who have experimented with linen in blends, much the same way as hemp.

Now nobody's perfect, but we should always be aiming for rapidly renewable fibres that are low maintenance and require fewer chemicals during the cultivation or production stage. And as cotton has been dubbed for being one of the more resource-intensive crops (albeit based on flawed data at this time) we've also started to see many Zero Cotton blends offer a "healthy balanced diet of fibers," as Anne Oudard once told us.

Artistic Milliners have developed a 100% recycled fabric using no virgin cotton or cellulose and a Tencel blend for an authentic appearance and softer hand. In comparison, Soorty offers a 50% Tencel / 50% Ecovero alternative. Artistic Garment Industries has created a 70% 'not from virgin' denim and uses an element of post-consumer waste in most of their fabrics. All this fiber experimentation suggests that experimental blends, recycled or circulouse yarns and kinder raw materials seem to be driving sustainable innovation at the very first step of the garment's lifecycle. This is thrilling to see and shows us how the industry is taking action at every single step in the supply chain.

So now that we have explored fiber innovation we'll head into indigo territory. It almost seems paradoxical how indigo is in denim's DNA yet remains one of the most significant issues we have to solve to create a "clean" jean. But, there are many options out there claiming to be the cleanest and greenest. Archroma has been leading the way with the launch of their analine free indigo; Denisol Pure Indigo 30, which was launched a couple of years ago and has been tapped by many mills, but other concepts have joined the race.

Atlantic has launched their Quick Bleach Out that explores fewer indigo dips for those looking for mid-tone wash-downs, while Dubai's Desert Studios have introduced ECF finish. A special fabric processing treatment that allows for quick fades in the laundry, reducing process time and chemical use, while also eliminating the discharge of any wastewater.

Blue Diamond partnered with Tonello to showcase Smart Indigo this season: an electrochemical process in place of the standard petroleum-based products which results in 60% less water. Smart Indigo's only needs are indigo pigment, caustic soda, water, and electricity to produce a very consistent dye. And we all know how hard it is to be consistent!

Out of all these approaches to creating the most eco-friendly indigo dye, one common aspect is minimizing water use. But is it possible to dye without using any water? Tejidos Royo have spent ten years perfecting their DryIndigo solution for a number of its denim fabrics. This process eliminates 99% of water usage in the indigo dye process using a foam dyeing method. The foam is made from a water-like solution that includes a foaming agent and a dyestuff carrier. The yarns are then dyed in an oxygen-deprived environment that is sealed by a nitrogen hood. You can imagine why it took ten years to develop!

AGI have implemented a zero waste water dying system, whilst Artistic Milliners continues with their 3.0 version of Crystal Clear (reducing water use by 80%) and Arvind tapped their G2 Dynamic Ozone tech which explores significantly less water and chemicals with a brighter blue shade. Naveena introduced 'Nick Indigo' which uses less than 1% indigo, but produces 3-4% looking shades. And, we're also starting to see some going back to indigo's true roots: natural indigo plants.

One of the reasons natural indigo isn't used very often is the challenge of creating a consistent colour. But Artistic Garment Industries and Cone Denim both have natural indigo collections, proving it can be done for those purists out there. And in recent years, the industry's attention has begun to really focus on the power and possibility in the world of natural dying. Achroma's EarthColours range is one of the most comprehensive natural dye ranges out there. While most natural dyes have a low yield, they also compete with food production. But, EarthColours technology creates a fully traceable dye derived from the agricultural and herbal industries' waste products, meaning the apparel and food industries are working together to eliminate food waste. There are six dyes in the range derived from almond shells, cotton plant residue, bitter orange residue, beetroot, and saw palmetto.

Tonello has experimented with natural dyes through their machinery expertise and launched Wake in 2019. Wake uses 100% natural and organic materials from plant and vegetable waste like flowers, berries and roots. These are then left out to dry and then used to infuse at garment stage. You can almost think of using it like steeping your jean in a hot cup of tea. Check out this previous Denim Dudes article for more.

Can you imagine dyeing new garments with old ones? Yes, you read that question right! Officina+39 was fascinated by the idea of using waste as a resource and worked to produce a pigment made from recycled textiles called Recycrom. The dyestuff range is made from used clothing, fabric scraps and fibrous materials that is pulverized to a powder. So, the next bundle of used green t-shirts could soon become the source for your next green collection.

Not as colourful as the rest of the bunch, but we're starting to see non-toxic approaches to achieving a true black. During a Kingpins24 event, Sarah Ahmed, founder of Warp + Weft, said that it always irks her when she sees ladies in their black leggings at the gym because of all the nasty chemicals she knows are in that product. But, Nature's Coatings have developed a black pigment colouring derived from wood waste. The pigment is produced in a closed-loop system and does not emit a measurable amount of greenhouse gases. Now that is a win. A positive for the environment and your skin with 90-100% less Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, known as PAHs.

These innovations are only a glimpse into this season's sustainable technology and advancements but show us how dedicated the supply chain is to offer cleaner and greener processes. Diligent denim is here to stay. For an overview of each concept, plus many more fabric, fiber and finish trends, download this here.

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Simply Suzette: Breaking down sustainability in the supply chain

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It's pretty safe to say by now that brands, mills and the supply chain have gotten a kick in the butt (more like a slap to the face) to ramp up both their digital presence and sustainability efforts.

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An article about Nylon. This article helped me to make the decision to use recycled Nylon rather than virgin Nylon in my range plan.

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What is Nylon?

Nylon is a synthetic man-made fibre derived from petrochemicals, which is used extensively throughout the fashion industry.

Its first use was for the production of toothbrushes in 1938 whilst the most popular commercial use began in the 1940s, as it became the fabric of choice for women's stockings.

Nylon production increased from 3.74 million tonnes in 1990 to 5.4 million tonnes in 2018 with around 5% market share of the global fibre production market.

The simple maintenance, wearability and low cost of Nylon make it a fibre with a great likelihood of remaining in production and use.

Where does Nylon come from?

Nylon was invented by an organic chemist called Wallace Hume Carothers. Carothers was working at a DuPont company research location in the US and he was attempting to find a synthetic fibre that could replace silk.

Virgin Nylon manufacturers are mainly based in China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Malaysia, USA and West Europe.

Recycled Nylon suppliers and innovators are located in USA, Spain, Italy, Israel, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.

Polyamides and Nylon's varieties

Nylon is a generic name for several synthetic polyamides. Silk is a polyamide which can be found naturally whilst Nylon is man made in laboratories.

🔺 Polyamides are synthetic fibres obtained by spinning polymers, resulting from the reaction of adipic acid on a chemical product derived from petroleum.

There are several types of Nylons. The assigned names to Nylon are numerical suffixes which indicate the quantity of carbons.

Nylon 6 and 66 are two of the most popular types used in the plastic, automotive and textile industries due to their greater lightweight, strongness and durability.
🔺 It has higher impact resistance and quick moisture absorption which makes it easy to dye. 🔺 formulation consists of hexamethylene diamine, six carbon atoms and adipic acid. It is marked by sunlight resistance, excellent colour strength and abrasion resistance. is made from a single type of monomer, called caprolactam.
The difference in chemical structures make Nylon 6.6 better suited for industrial products while Nylon 6 is the chosen one by the apparel sector.

How is the Nylon fibre obtained?

The production of the fibre is made with a machine called a spinneret. The molten Nylon is pushed through tiny openings and as soon it is exposed to air, pieces are hardened into a filament.

🔺 During the drawing process, filaments are unraveled and winded into a spool, positioning the molecules in the filament in parallel lines.

Once they cool down, filaments can be stretched. Thanks to the drawing process, the Nylon fiber is provided with elasticity and strength.

What is Nylon used for?

From toothbrush bristles to military vests, Nylon is a very useful fibre for many applications. The fabric began to replace silk soon after his invention as an ingredient in parachutes and vehicle tires. Particularly due to its costs.

Items like strings for musical instruments, carpeting, bridal veils are commonly made of Nylon. The fibre is often used in manufacturing umbrellas and luggage.

Women's stockings and hosiery are made of Nylon. The fashion industry implies its use as a material for socks, swimwear, shorts, tracksuits, sportswear and windbreakers.

Ropes made of Nylon are the strongest ropes available and Nylon fishing nets are popular and they are famous for causing ocean plastic pollution.

What are the properties of Nylon as a textile?

Here there are some of the textile qualities.

1. It is very strong and elastic;

2. It does not require special care because of its colour retention properties;

3. As the fibres are non-absorbent and smooth, it dries quickly and retains its shape after laundering, ensuring longevity of the garment;

4. It is a responsive fibre and resilient. It resists dirt well and it is relatively resistant to heat, UV rays and chemicals;

5. High temperatures are able to melt Nylon. For this reason heat needs to be carefully settled when ironing and the item should be preferably turned into the opposite side.

6. With appropriate care, Nylon fabrics maintain their whiteness and do not require any bleaching.

7. Being chemical resistant, if the material should turn yellow or grey, a normal household bleach can be safely used.

Environmental Issues

The environmental impacts of Nylon are significant and should be explored.

Energy-intensive use. Nylon requires more energy to manufacture than polyester and it is also three times more energy intensive than cotton to produce.

Release of greenhouse gas. The production of Nylon results in the release of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that has a significant contribution to global warming.

Water pollution. Nylon is not suited to natural dyes and lowest impact chemical dyes. The process of colouring the fibre creates significant water pollution. With more Nylon being produced in countries with weaker environmental protections, thewarning is even higher when water insecurity increases in the developing world, where major amounts of raw material are extracted.

Microplastic pollution. Being a plastic-based product, Nylon is not biodegradable. Nylon will persist in the environment indefinitely if not disposed properly.

Aquatic environment. Due to microplastic pollution provoked by Nylon fishing nets and synthetic textile fibers that wear off during washing, microplastic pollution is increasing terribly in oceans.

What about recycled Nylon?

According to Textile Exchange, polyamide is much more difficult to recycle than polyester. That means the market share of recycled polyamide is much lower than the one of recycled polyester ( 13 percent in 2018).

Pre or post consumer waste are both opportunities for polyamide to be recycled through a process that can be mechanical or chemical.

Pre-consumer waste may be processing scraps.

Post-consumer polyamide is made from materials such as discarded fishing nets, carpets, or other used textiles.

By recycling polyamide, environmental issues can be greatly reduced. For example, to decrease dependency on fossil based raw materials, it has been estimated that 70,000 barrels of oil are saved per 10,000 million tonnes of regenerated Nylon.

To find certified suppliers of recycled polyamide you can check out this list provided by the Textile Exchange Database.

Commitment for a better textile

Recycling clothes is undoubtedly a great help in decreasing the footprint of the fashion industry. For a designer, recycling Nylon means getting the same functionality as fabric and at the same time achieving sustainability goals, contributing to a good environmental outcome.

Resulting from the research led by textile exchange, innovators producing recycled polyamide mostly use mechanical processes and pre-consumer waste resources. Other innovations include chemical recycling, the use of fishing nets from the oceans, recycling of post-consumer textiles and other feedstocks which are fair to the environment.

Some of the brands and retailers which are making commitments to replace virgin polyamide with recycled polyamide are the following.

Brooks Running, committed to use 100% recycled Nylon fibre by 2023.

H&M is committed to use only 100% recycled or other sustainably sourced materials including recycled Nylon.

Norrona has the goal that 75% of their Nylon should be recycled in 2020.

Prada has published their goal of converting all Prada virgin Nylon into regenerated Nylon ECONYL® by the end of 2021.

StellaMcCartney, same as Prada, has the goal to stop using virgin Nylon by 2021 and to replace it with ECONYL®.

Volcom is committed to increase their share of recycled Nylon to 20% by 2020.

What can we do for a better planet?

The solution is to buy clothes or items made from recycled Nylon which helps the reduction of waste in landfills, barrels of oil, water pollution and the emission of greenhouse gas, all elements which are seriously threatening the well-being of our planet.
https://www.technofashion.it/Nylon-caratteristiche-e-manutenzione/ https://sciencing.com/Nylon-8618074.html https://store.textileexchange.org/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2019/11/Textile-Exchange_Preferred-Fiber-Material-Market-Report_2019.pdf https://www.tortoiseandladygrey.com/2016/02/01/environmental-impacts-Nylon/ https://plastic.education/the-environmental-impact-of-Nylon-bags/
The persistent nature of Nylon means that it is infinitely recyclable. For this reason you should not trash your unwanted clothes as they can be involved in a circular economy system. Just donate them or give them a new life! Check out our website for more information.

Sources:

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What is Nylon? Nylon is a synthetic man-made fibre derived from petrochemicals, which is used extensively throughout the fashion industry. Its first use was for the production of toothbrushes in 1938 whilst the most popular commercial use began in the 1940s, as it became the fabric of choice for women's stockings.

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How Indonesia is becoming a popular supplier for many retailers and how they have become a 'hotspot' for manufacturing across global brands such as Calvin Klein, H&M and Uniqlo. Indonesia has been predicted to become the 12th biggest economy within 8 years.

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BoF investigates how the tropical islands of Bali, Java and Sumatra have become manufacturing hotspots for global fashion brands like H&M, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo.

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I used EDITED for my pricing architecture and procedure throughout my range plan. 

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https://app.edited.com/#market/dashboard/433950/new?analyse_as=avg_price&analysis_view=priceIndex&brands=levis&in_stock=true&is_second_hand=false&list_style=image&order_by=found_desc&price_type=current&primary_pivot=default&product_searches=138%7C146%7C180%7C221%7C535%7C553%7C554%7C561%7C562%7C572%7C887%7C962%7C1278%7C1302%7C1368%7C1939%7C1942%7C1945%7C2188%7C2192&secondary_pivot=none&show=prices&vertical=apparel&view=analysis

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An article about how ethical Levis really are and whether their Ethical values are actually incorporated into their processes. Levis labour conditions are said to not be up to standards with the health and safety of their workers.

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Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission-supporting the work we do. Learn more.
Levi's has been the go-to cool denim brand for over 50 years, and gets our middling score of "It's a Start" for its efforts, but there is still work to do. This article is based on the Levi's rating published in February 2022.
Cool and comfy, but not quite there

For over 50 years, Levi's has been a name synonymous with rock'n'roll, counterculture, and effortless style. It is proof of enduring brand power that its denim continues to trade high in the currency of cool. But is this household name doing anything to ensure its jeans are not just on-trend, but responsibly-made too? How ethical is Levi's?

With a reported revenue of US$5.8bn in 2021 by parent company Levi Strauss & Co, it doesn't require much imagination to picture the vast, global production machine behind these huge profits. Manufacturing on such a large scale is bound to have far-reaching consequences.

In 1991, Levi's developed Living Our Values -a Code of Conduct to guide responsible production throughout the denim giant's supply chain. Levi's claims the original document was landmark in the fashion industry, and has influenced many other apparel companies to adopt similar codes.

So, does it work? Let's compare principles with practice.

Environmental impact

A product life cycle study commissioned by Levi's showed that for one of its core products-Levi's® 501® Medium Stonewash jeans-37% of their climate impact and 23% of water consumption occurred during the consumer care phase. Levi's has taken this as a call to action to shift consumer attitudes away from fast fashion based consumption and encourage customers to treat Levi's jeans as a long-term investment. So how has this philosophy influenced its practices?

Levi's has made strong commitments to responsible denim production, including incorporating lower-impact materials like reconstituted cotton, and significantly reducing water use, saying in its 2025 Water Action Strategy report "we commit to reducing the amount of water we use for manufacturing in areas of high water stress by 50 percent by 2025 against a 2018 baseline." It has also set a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from its own operations and supply chain and it is on track to meet its target.

In 2012, Greenpeace named and shamed Levi's for connections to dangerous water pollution in Mexico in their Toxic Threads report. Levi's then pledged to reduce the hazardous chemicals used to dye and treat its clothing, and aimed for the elimination of hazardous chemicals by 2020, which it has now achieved with Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Group (ZDHC) across most of its supply chain. Thanks to all of this effort, we have given Levi's a "Good" rating for the environment.

Labour conditions

Levi's rates "Not Good Enough" for labour. It scored a mid range 41-50% in Fashion Revolution's Transparency Index, as it traces most of its supply chain including all of the final stage of production. It also implements gender equality and empowerment initiatives in its supply chain.

Despite these positive steps, there's an area of the Levi's supply chain that requires attention. Almost none of its supply chain is certified by labour standards which ensure worker health and safety, and Levi's has made little progress towards ensuring the payment of a living wage for its workers across the supply chain. Given its huge profits, we think the brand could be doing far better on this front.

Animal welfare

Levi's animal welfare is "Not Good Enough". It does not use fur, angora, or other exotic animal skin or hair. Its current Animal Welfare Policy insists that the supply chains for the sourcing of all animal products must be traceable where practicable to ensure humane practices. Despite this, it does still use leather, down feather, and wool without stating their sources, but states it supports wool from non-mulesed sheep and will work to "consolidate its wool sourcing accordingly, as it becomes commercially viable."

Overall rating

We rate Levi's as "It's a Start" overall based on our own research. Our rating reflects the company's ambition and ingenuity, particularly the continued headway it's making with regards to environmentally-responsible production methods. Levi's is committed to producing quality, hard-wearing products. With that in mind, along with some denim-care-know-how, investing in a pair of timelessly designed Levi's jeans can be a worthwhile investment⁠-especially if you find them second hand and extend their life. But if you want to invest in a brand that is more ethical and sustainable on all fronts, we have picked some alternatives for you.

Note that Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues, and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand's performance. For more information, see our page and our .

See the rating.

Shop Levi's Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

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Levi's has continued to trade high in the currency of cool for decades. But how ethical is this big name denim brand? We break it down for you.

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A BBC article explaining that clothing is hard to recycle due to the multiple number of fabrics used in each item. It highlights that the fashion system tends to use non-renewable resources and an influx of water during the manufacturing process.

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The rise of fast fashion is largely behind the growing amounts of clothing we buy and throw away each year (Credit: Press Association)

Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothing being thrown away each year and has a huge impact on the environment, so can we turn our unwanted garments into something useful?

Open your wardrobe and be honest. How long was it since you last wore some of those clothes? Do you think it might be time for a clear out?

Languishing in the back of cupboards and bottom of drawers are outfits that don't fit any more, items that have gone out of fashion, or even clothes that have never been worn. In fact, according to research conducted by sociologist Sophie Woodward at the University of Manchester, on average 12% of clothes in the wardrobes of women she studied could be considered "inactive".

If you were brutal, you'll probably manage to fill a bin-bag or two with clothes you no longer want or need. But what then?

Around 85% of all textiles thrown away in the US - roughly 13 million tonnes in 2017 - are either dumped into landfill or burned. The average American has been estimated to throw away around 37kg of clothes every year. And globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year and the equivalent to a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second. By 2030, we are expected as a whole to be discarding more than 134 million tonnes of textiles a year.

Millions of tonnes of clothing, shoes and other textiles end up in landfill every year because very little is sent for recycling (Credit: Alamy)

"The current fashion system uses high volumes of non-renewable resources, including petroleum, extracted to produce clothes that are often used only for a short period of time, after which the materials are largely lost to landfill or incineration," says Chetna Prajapati, who studies ways of making sustainable textiles at Loughborough University in the UK.

"This system puts pressure on valuable resources such as water, pollutes the environment and degrades ecosystems in addition to creating societal impacts on a global scale."

There are good reasons to seek out alternatives to chucking clothes in the bin - globally the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, with textile production alone is estimated to release 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year. Vast amounts of water are also needed to produce the clothes we wear too and the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global waste water. ( Read more about the impact our fashion addiction has on the planet.)

At the same time we are buying more clothes than ever - the average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago. More than two tonnes of clothing are bought each minute in the UK, more than any other country in Europe. Globally, around 56 million tonnes of clothing are bought each year, and this is expected to rise to 93 million tonnes by 2030 and 160 million tonnes by 2050.

While most clothes with care will last many years, changing fashions mean their lifespan is artificially shortened by consumers changing tastes. Industry figures suggest modern clothing will have a lifespan of between 2-10 years - with underwear and t-shirts lasting just one to two years, while suits and coats last for around four to six years.

Would recycling our clothes help to reduce the toll our fashion addiction has on the environment?

Currently just 13.6% of clothes and shoes thrown away in the US end up being recycled - while the average American throws away 37kg of clothes every year. Globally just 12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled. Compare that to paper, glass and plastic PET bottles - which have recycling rates of 66%, 27% and 29% respectively in the US - and it is clear clothing lags behind.

Indeed, most of the recycled polyester being used now by leading fashion brands in fact comes from bottles rather than old clothing.

Much of the problem comes down to what our clothes are made from. The fabrics we drape over our bodies are complex combinations of fibres, fixtures and accessories. They are made from problematic blends of natural yarns, mand-made filaments, plastics and metals.

"For example, a 100% cotton t-shirt contains many other components such as labels and sewing threads which are usually made from another material like polyester," says Prajapati. "Similarly, a typical pair of jeans are made from cotton yarn which is generally blended with elastane, and other components such as zips and buttons and polyester sewing thread and dyed using a range of dyes."

Sorting clothing by hand is a time consuming task made more complicated by the many blends of man-made and natural fibres used in modern garments (Credit: Getty Images)

This makes them hard to separate so they can be effectively recycled. Sorting textiles into different fibres and material types by hand is labour intensive, slow and requires a skilled workforce. Growing use of modern fabric blends in clothing also makes it hard to do this mechanically too, although European researchers have been developing techniques that make use of hyperspectral cameras - which can see light beyond the limits of human vision - to better identify different fabric types. Once sorted, the dyes that have been applied to the fabrics need to be removed in order for yarns to be reused.

Currently, however, very few of the clothes that are sent to be recycled are actually turned into new clothing - a process known as "material to material" recycling. Old wool jumpers, for example, can be turned into carpets, cashmere can be recycled into suits. But as of 2015, less than 1% of used clothing was recycled in this way.

While of course there is a healthy market in second-hand clothes being sold online, perhaps the most popular way of disposing of old clothes is simply to give them away so they can be reused through charity shops. Increasingly, however, clothes donations are being used as a way of simply passing on the textile waste problem to others.

At Oxfam's Wastesaver clothes sorting and recycling plant in Batley, Yorkshire, UK, 80 tonnes of old clothes pass through the factory every week. Lorraine Needham Reid, Oxfam's Wastesaver manager, has worked at the plant for over 10 years. Over that time, however, she has seen a real decline in the quality of clothes that are reaching them, particularly when it comes to the materials used to make the clothes.

These days, most of what reaches Wastesaver will end up never being worn again. Over a third - 35% of the clothes - go to Oxfam's partners in Senegal to be sold. Between 1-3% go back into Oxfam shops around the UK to be re-sold.

The majority is sent for recycling in some way, but about six tonnes of the garments are of such poor quality they are simply torn up so they can be used as industrial cleaning clothes and stuffing for mattresses or car seats.

Fibre recycling technologies do exist, but they are only used on a small scale. Generally, the techniques can be separated into mechanical and chemical recycling.

"Blends are most suitable for mechanical fibre recycling, where fabrics are shredded and pulled to transform them into fibres of shorter length," says Prajapati. Shorter fibre length produces fabrics of lower quality and strength, so the results from this kind of recycling can't be used for clothing. Instead these tend to then be "downcycled" to produce other composite fibre materials such as thermal insulation or carpet for use in the building industry. Some researchers have found ways of creating noise insulation from old textile fibres.

Chemical fibre recycling for fabrics with large quantities of one type of fibre, for example polyester and nylon are well established, says Prajapati. "However, they consist of multiple processes and additional chemicals, making the process and resulting yarn or fabric costly," she says.

Treating cotton-polyester blends with enzymes from fungi can recover the man-made fibres for reuse (Credit: Getty Images)

There has been success on a smaller scale to effectively separate natural and synthetic blends and capture both types of fibres, without losing either fibre in the process. However, scaling up this technology to an industrial scale remains the challenge.

One group of researchers led by Carol Lin, a chemical engineer at the City University of Hong Kong, has developed a technique for recycling fabrics made from cotton and polyester blends by feeding them to fungi. The fungi Aspergillus niger - which typically forms a black mould on grapes - produces an enzyme that can break down the cotton into glucose that can then be used turned into syrup. The remaining pure polyester fibres can then be reused to make new clothing, they claim. Poly-cotton blends are now among the most popular fabrics for use in cheap clothing, commonly used in t-shirts, shirts and even jeans.

Lin and her team have since refined the process so it can be done on a larger scale using industrially produced cellulose enzymes, and have been working with the clothing retailer H&M to examine what impact this recycling process might have on its textile waste.

Austrian researchers have also developed techniques using enzymes that allow them to turn old wool clothing into a material that can be used as a resin or adhesive.

But if we ever hope to make our clothing sustainable, more fundamental changes to the clothing industry will need to be made. Fabrics, fibres and garments will need to be designed in ways that make them easier to recover and recycle.

"Recycling needs to be incorporated into the current system to make it more circular," says Prajapati. "Therefore, the way we design clothes needs to change, it needs to facilitate recycling."

One option is to create new types of materials altogether, from different sources, that either won't have the same impact on the environment or might be easier to recycle. Some are even looking at turning other types of waste - such as off milk - into clothing.

When milk turns sour, it separates into whey at the bottom and protein flakes on top. When you remove the whey, you are left with a kind of cottage cheese.

"This cottage cheese is put into a machine that works like a noodle machine," says Anke Domaske, founder of QMilk, a company that has been developing new types of biodegradable fibres in Hemmingen, Germany. "Together with water you create a dough. At the end there is a spinneret with holes so fine that you do not end up with noodles, but fine fibres that are thinner than hair."

The company then spins these fibres into yarns, which it says have a silk-like texture. These can then be used to make jersey or woven fabrics, or other textiles like felt. Crucially, when a garment made completely from QMilk fibres is no longer wanted, it can simply be composted at home, Domaske says.

QMilk isn't the only company creating textiles from unusual sources.

The dye that is added to clothing also needs to be removed before it the yarn can be recycled (Credit: Getty Images)

After working for years at a design company in Germany, Renana Krebs saw behind the scenes how poor the textiles and clothing industry is for the environment. She vowed to do something about it and in 2016, she started Algalife, making fibres and dyes from algae.

Algae is already widely used in the beauty industry, in certain foods and it is used to make biofuels. "After learning about all those industries, and the benefits that we get from algae, we asked 'why not to do this for textiles?'" says Krebs.

One benefit is the algae are harvested in a closed system, meaning there is no freshwater used in the process at all. All the algae need to grow is water and sunlight. By extracting natural colourings from different types of algae, Krebs and her team have been able to combine these with enzymes and fixative agents - which help to bind the pigment to a fabric - from synthetic and natural sources, including oak galls, pomegranate rind and juniper needles.

They have also been able to produce fibres that can turned into yarns by purifying proteins from the algae or even using them to produce a bio-oil that can be turned into bioplastic fibres.

Prajapati has also been working with colleagues at De Montfort University to produce enzymes that could potentially make the clothes dying process more sustainable.

Currently most textiles are coloured using synthetic dyes, which are petroleum derivatives, and patterned with complex processes. These processes can require temperatures of up to 100C for cotton, nylon and wool, but higher for polyester and other synthetic fibres. On top of this, the process requires high pressures, long processing times and the use of additional chemicals such as acids and alkalis, which are harmful towards the environment in large quantities.

Prajapati and her colleagues have been developing processes that use enzymes so that textile dyes and patterning of fabrics can be done temperatures as low as 50C, at atmospheric pressure and pH conditions around neutral without the use of additional chemicals.

"The key advantages over conventional methods include simpler processing of textiles, the elimination of pre-manufactured dyes and opportunities for multiple colours to be achieved through simple alteration of processing conditions," she says.

Pigments made by Algalife have similar benefits, plus the added benefit of being created from renewable sources, says Krebs. You can even drink the dye they produce, she says. Algalife is now working with a major retail fashion brand and hope to have clothes made from algae in stores by 2021.

Other major brands across the fashion industry are starting to pay attention to the demand for more sustainable practices. Companies like Adidas, that recently announced a range of trainers made from ocean plastic. High street retailer Zara also announced in 2019 that it would be using only sustainable materials by 2025.

The shredding process used by mechanical recycling methods leads to shorter, weaker fibres that cannot be resued to make clothes (Credit: Alamy)

"Using recycled, rather than virgin, materials offers an opportunity to drastically reduce non-renewable resource inputs and the negative impacts of the industry, like CO2 emissions, water and chemical use," says Prajapati.

But some are sceptical about how committed some large brands are to sustainability, accusing them of "greenwashing", which the companies deny.

Zara was one of the original inventors of the fast fashion system as we know it, says Clare Press, Australian Vogue's sustainability editor-at-large and author of the book Wardrobe Crisis. "Let's not pretend people shop at Zara for heirlooms to pass down through the generations," she says. "In the last 20 years the fashion system has changed completely, moving away from seasonal drops towards near-instant gratification. Waiting six months for a runway look seems crazy to a new generation of fashion fans raised on Instagram and 'see now, buy now'."

So while recycling and more sustainable fabrics will be a key part of the solution, consumers too will need to change their behaviour if we hope to lessen the impact that the fashion industry is having on our planet.

"We need to slow down, take a little time to reconnect with our clothes and appreciate them again," says Press. "Remember that whatever you are wearing, it took both physical and creative resources to make it."

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Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothing being thrown away each year and has a huge impact on the environment, so can we turn our unwanted garments into something useful?

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Why Levis decided to end their agreement with BCI and why they were not happy with the BCI standards in China.

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Levi Strauss's sustainability czar has exited the board of the Better Cotton Initiative, cutting short a four-year term that was scheduled to end next year, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

Jeffrey Hogue, who inherited the seat from his predecessor last year, is currently focused on building the denim giant's sustainability team and preparing the release of its first sustainability report and ESG disclosure, a spokesperson confirmed to Sourcing Journal.

Levi's maintains its status as a member of the cotton sustainability program, which features boldface names such as Adidas, Burberry, H&M, Ralph Lauren and Ikea on its roster, the spokesperson added. BCI, which declined to "provide input on this topic," updated its website early Friday to strike Levi's from its so-called BCI Council.

BCI's leadership, members of the Geneva-based not-for-profit told the Wall Street Journal, remains deeply divided over its response to suspected human-rights abuses, including forced labor, in China's northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of the watchdog group Human Rights Watch, intimated as much Friday afternoon, writing on Twitter that Levi's was vacating its spot because BCI has "gone soft on the Chinese government's use of Uyghur Muslims forced labor to produce cotton in Xinjiang."

BCI's engagement on what human-rights groups and several governments have dubbed "genocide" has continued to confound industry watchers. By pulling out of all field-level activities in Xinjiang on the one hand, and scrubbing all public references to why it was doing so on the other, the group has become a target of opprobrium from both China, which launched its own cotton certification scheme in retaliation, and anti-slavery campaigners, who in May slated BCI for "putting at risk any credibility it could have in its commitment to ensure that decent work is embedded across its global cotton sustainability program."

In June, Belgium-based retailer C&A said it wasn't satisfied with BCI's continued equivocation on the issue of forced labor in Xinjiang, where half a million ethnic minority workers are reportedly forced to pick cotton by hand through a state-sponsored labor transfer and "poverty alleviation" scheme.

"C&A [is observing] the current activities of the Better Cotton Initiative with high interest and we are not satisfied with the recent developments," Betty Kieß, head of corporate communications for the European retailer, told Sourcing Journal. "Whilst we still believe that BCI was and is an important organization to promote more sustainable cotton cultivation we believe it is now the time for a change."

Xinjiang cotton accounts for 85 percent of China's cotton, which in turn makes up roughly one-fifth of the world's supply. It's currently banned from entering the United States.

Taking a stand against forced labor in Xinjiang, which Beijing views as an attempt to interfere with its domestic affairs, has damaged the bottom lines of brands that have dared to speak out. These have included H&M, whose Greater China sales fell 23 percent in the three months through May to 1.6 billion kronor ($185 million), and Adidas, which saw its second-quarter revenues in the region tumble 16 percent to 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) as a result of state-media-incited consumer boycotts.

Levi's CEO Chip Bergh said in April, however, that the company hasn't had business dealings in Xinjiang for more than a decade, and that China accounts for a fraction of its total revenue.

"We will not tolerate and we do not tolerate any forced labor, and we also insist on the ability to audit our suppliers and be able to do that unannounced. And those two conditions have kept us out of Xinjiang Province for more than a decade," Bergh told CNN's Poppy Harlow. "Our commercial business in China is still very small. It's only about 3 percent of our total business. And we're trying to thread the needle to maintain a commercial business there while standing up for what we know is right with respect to the human-rights violations of China."

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Levi's Vacates Better Cotton Initiative Board Seat. Is Xinjiang to Blame?

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Levi Strauss's sustainability czar has exited the board of the Better Cotton Initiative, cutting short a four-year term that was scheduled to end next year, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people close to the matter.

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China Forces BCI Fashion Brands to be quiet over XinJiang

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China Forces BCI Fashion Brands to be quiet over XinJiang

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Further discussions on how China is forcing the fashion industry to not discuss using dirty cotton and the treatment of Ughyur muslims which go against Human Rights violations - related to why Levis left BCI

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WGSN: Women's Colour Collection Review SS22

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WGSN: Women's Colour Collection Review SS22

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An overview of the SS22 colours - this helped with my range plan. I used this article to back up my colour mix throughout my range.

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Customer Centric Reflective Blog from Project 2

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How Optitex technology has already started working with certain brands such as Roberto Cavalli and Underarmour. A new digital and sustainable way to the manufacturing process.

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End-to-End Digital Workflow

From concept to shelf, Optitex is your one-stop-shop for designing stylish virtual samples, developing accurate items, and producing stylish garments with maximum accuracy.

Top Quality Items

Create true to life virtual samples with perfect fit before cutting or sewing the first piece of fabric and produce accurate garments at top quality.

Advanced Collaboration Tools

Endorse seamless communication across the supply chain to save time and confusion with cutting-edge tools that connect teams, partners and suppliers through digital innovation.

High ROI

Improve your profits and save time, money and resources by leveraging the use of advanced digital tools to reduce physical samples and focus on quality on-demand production.

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From concept to shelf, Optitex is your one-stop-shop for designing stylish virtual samples, developing accurate items, and producing stylish garments with maximum accuracy. Create true to life virtual samples with perfect fit before cutting or sewing the first piece of fabric and produce accurate garments at top quality.

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AI Technology and Digital Customer Experience

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AI Technology and Digital Customer Experience

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How AI technology can be implemented into the customer purchase strategy.

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AI and Fashion - How technology can (re)shape the customer digital experience - ContentWise

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e-Commerce in the fashion industry has undergone massive changes over the last few years. After the remarkable online revenue increase registered during the pandemic, many apparel, retail and fashion brands re-allocated their budget to accelerate digitalization roadmaps. In this context, customer experience (CX) emerged as a clear strategic investment focus .

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Why Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Are a Top Choice For Fashion Brands

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Why Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Are a Top Choice For Fashion Brands

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Turkish manufacturers are becoming the top clothing supplier for a number of retailers. They have become 6th place for the worlds largest exporters in the world.

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How Turkey’s Political and Economic Outlook can Affect Apparel Companies

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How Turkey’s Political and Economic Outlook can Affect Apparel Companies

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An article explaining how politics and the Turkish economy has previously impacted brands who source from them. With their economy being politically unstable and going through fluctuation many brands who continue to work with them may struggle with their sourcing strategies.

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Is Turkey still worth it for apparel companies?

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Turkey can be an attractive location for the manufacturing of apparel and textile goods. Companies doing business in Turkey must keep in mind that certain challenges present can come with political and monetary costs.

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An article about sourcing from Turkey, and why fashion brands love to use them as their lead suppliers.

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Levis headquarters and architecture of the distribution centre.

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Roger Mears Architects | Architecture practice; Conservation Architects

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The 16,443 m2 UK flagship HQ & Distribution Centre, designed by ACP for the American multi-national Levi Strauss, combines a 3,443 m2 HQ office building with a 13, 000 m2 distribution centre. Sited on 4.9 ha at Northampton's Swan Valley Business Park, the scheme enjoys considerable visual prominence from the adjacent M1 motorway which is acknowledged through the distinctive form of the building.

The two-storey office element - offset from the northwest face of the distribution building - is articulated by a brick plinth, metal roof and glass curtain walling. A full length roof light shapes the internal spaces to provide a modern hi-tech open-plan layout, with cafe, fitness suite, and conference and meeting rooms. Designed to contain high volume handling equipment, the 154m long distribution centre incorporates a 20m high bay zone and a 10m low bay production area.

This project was led by Alan Brown as part of his work at Architects Co-Partnership.

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Levi's UK HQ & Distribution Centre | Roger Mears Architects

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The 16,443 m2 UK flagship HQ & Distribution Centre, designed by ACP for the American multi-national Levi Strauss, combines a 3,443 m2 HQ office building with a 13, 000 m2 distribution centre. Sited on 4.9 ha at Northampton's Swan Valley Business Park, the scheme enjoys considerable visual prominence from the adjacent M1 motorway which is [...]

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Plucky L.A. Startup XOS Plots A Multibillion-Dollar Future In Unsexy Electric Work Trucks

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Plucky L.A. Startup XOS Plots A Multibillion-Dollar Future In Unsexy Electric Work Trucks

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An article about eco-friendly transport - electric trucks. This article discusses how and where these trucks have already started being used and why retailers should consider them for a more sustainable supply chain.

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Xos Trucks, a Los Angeles-based electric truck startup that's going public in a few weeks, is convinced that shifting delivery trucks, armored cars, forklifts and other heavy work vehicles to battery power isn't a glamorous business-but it is one that will generate billions of dollars of future revenue and get some of the dirtiest exhaust and carbon emitters off the road.

"If we all woke up tomorrow and bought an electric passenger car for ourselves, we're only going to make so much of a dent in greenhouse gas emissions," cofounder and COO Gio Sordoni tells Forbes. "It's the last-mile delivery vehicles that are driving through our cities and past our schools and places of work and pulling up to our house 12 times a day that tend to be larger, dirtier diesel vehicles. That's really the area we want to focus on."

The five-year-old company looked like a long shot when it started showing off an electric big rig with a distinctive sculpted exterior around the same time Elon Musk unveiled his futuristic Tesla Semi in late 2017. Sordoni and fellow cofounder and CEO Dakota Semler were passionate twentysomethings (and Forbes 30 Under 30 alums) but lacked the billions of dollars needed to invest in a new commercial vehicle business that Musk commanded. But they won a contract from UPS to make customized medium-duty delivery trucks, followed by a surprising deal to electrify armored cars for Loomis-eliminating vast amounts of diesel exhaust produced by vehicles that constantly idle and are never switched off as they make their rounds. This month the company launched a new power train unit to help companies like Wiggins Lift make electric heavy-duty forklifts and other specialty vehicles.

A $20 million funding round last year helped it start to scale up but Xos' recently announced plans to merge with blank check company NextGen Acquisition Corp. and trade on Nasdaq as "XOS" will generate $515 million in net proceeds to help the lean young truckmaker set up flexible production lines in factory space leased from contract truck builders Fitzgerald in Tennessee and partner Metalsa in Mexico. It plans to build about 2,000 heavy-duty electric trucks at the two plants next year, up from 116 in 2021. By 2025 it intends to be shipping out more than 30,000 trucks and generating annual revenue of more than $5 billion.

The push to electrify cars and trucks is accelerating as the Biden Administration pushes policies that would create federal incentives for domestic production of advanced batteries and key electronic components, as well as the vehicles themselves. Every major automaker is announcing plans for new battery-powered models and companies including Ford, General Motors and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz are beefing up their electric offerings in the light-duty commercial space, with a particular focus on delivery vans.

To avoid going head-to-head with more powerful competitors, Xos is targeting the somewhat overlooked medium-duty market, which includes larger, heavier delivery trucks as well as a range of service vehicles used by utilities, at ports and moving shipments between warehouses and distribution centers.

"Given the explosive growth in e-commerce, if you're a last-mile delivery company, you're seeing more dense routes and larger parcel volumes," says Sordoni. "You're having these larger, bulkier goods in the back of these vans. So you will tend to need a larger format vehicle, and that's why we're focused on that larger van space."

Unlike rival EV startup Arrival, for example, which is also preparing to make electric delivery vehicles for UPS as well as transit buses, Xos is staying away from smaller commercial vehicles. "That's a more competitive space. A lot of people are going after that class of van. That's where the big guys go first. Ford and Mercedes will have electric versions of those products before they turn to larger volumes of any other commercial vehicles."

Xos recently shifted headquarters from North Hollywood to a new location on the border of Los Angeles and Glendale, rehabbing a former movie poster factory. In addition to offices, the 80,000-square-foot space also houses the R&D team, prototype and pilot production facilities and, for now, its battery-pack production line. Over time, higher-volume production of its proprietary battery modules, made with LG Chem cells, will shift to locations nearer where its trucks are built, says Dag Reckhorn, vice president of manufacturing.

Along with upgraded facilities, Xos is now adding experienced automotive and engineering talent like German-born Reckhorn, a veteran of Tesla and Volkswagen, and CTO Ron Ferber, who also worked at Tesla in its founding period, as well as at EV pioneer AC Propulsion and Virgin Hyperloop. Kingsley Afemikhe, its Stanford University-trained CFO joined last year after stints at UBS, Deutsche Bank and Swiss oil and energy company MET Group.

Because Xos already has potential orders for about 6,000 vehicles and has made arrangements to scale up production to about 10,000 trucks through 2023 with Fitzgerald and Metalsa, it shouldn't need to raise more cash beyond the SPAC merger in the foreseeable future, says Afemikhe.

"We wanted to make sure that we could raise enough money to get to cash-flow positive and really execute on our plan and not have to go back out to the market in a year, two years or three years and say, 'Hey, we ran out of money, we need more money,'" he says. "We're extremely confident in our planning to be able to get there."

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Plucky L.A. Startup Xos Plots A Multibillion-Dollar Future In Unsexy Electric Work Trucks

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The electric truck startup that's going public this year is convinced shifting delivery trucks, armored cars, forklifts and other heavy work vehicles to battery power will generate billions of dollars of revenue and get some of the biggest polluters off the road.

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Some advantages of Freight on Board Shipping and what type of brands this form of shipping is more beneficial for.

- Cost effective
- Includes custom clearance

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We recently published our Trade Finance Global Freight Forwarding and Incoterms Guide, and now it's time to talk about the best type of shipping between your company and your supplier.

When buying goods from an overseas supplier, the importer should always look at ways where payment terms, risk and transfer of risk is most favourable to them. This helps working capital and cash flow management, reduces times to wait for end payment, and when things go wrong (which isn't uncommon), the risk is minimised as best possible. As always, failure to plan is planning to fail, so it's always advised to do your due diligence and understand the ins and outs of shipping as an importer.
FOB shipping is one of the more favourable shipping terms (or international commerce terms) for the importer. How so?
FOB is a more cost effective way of shipping goods, as the importer has more control over their shipment.

Some of the more common shipping terms when importing from other markets are:

Broadly speaking, incoterms can be categorised into three buckets:

importer pays for just the value of the goods (EXW)

Importer pays for the goods and inland transport (in suppliers country) (FOB)

Importer pays for the goods, inland transport, and the shipping / delivery costs CFR / CIF / DAP / DDP)

Source: International Commercial Terms Guru, J Montezuma
TIP 1: EXW is not recommended for importers

Despite Ex Works giving most control to an importer over the goods, EXW poses considerable risk onto the importer, so much so that the seller isn't even responsible to loading goods onto the cargo.

Further to this, the supplier has no obligation to clear goods through export customs, or even unload them off their own trucks. Clearing export customs is often challenging, especially if the buyer isn't familiar with the legislation in the origin country of their goods.

TIP 2: FOB includes customs clearance

Suppliers are responsible for clearing goods through customs at export, including export clearance documents at the port or terminal under FOB, which could save an importer considerable hassle and further complications. This could also save money and time for the buyer.

TIP 3: FOB is the most cost effective term for shipping costs

You'll probably be aware that CIF and CNF gives the supplier the responsibility to transport goods to the port, airport or terminal in their country, whilst DAP or DDP takes this a step further and gives the seller the responsibility of getting the goods to your destination place.

Do suppliers charge more than it actually costs to ship the goods?

Quite often, yes. By charging more, a supplier can increase their revenues whilst keeping their product prices competitive. Inflated shipping fees are particularly apparent when margins are thin or the product is in competition with others on the market.

Furthermore, because suppliers need time to produce goods, by giving a higher / inflated estimate of shipping costs, they add a buffer in case their estimates are incorrect, or the goods are heavier than originally expected.

Is FOB a good logistics solution?

By using an independent professional freight forwarding or specialist logistics company who is independent from the seller, you'll likely save costs and ensure goods are safely transported to the end destination.

We'd always recommend getting quotes, researching the different transport options or transport terms, and also understanding where your risks and liabilities are.

To conclude, FOB is a good solution for bulk transporting goods from a supplier, as you have full cost control and the supplier is responsible for clearing the goods and export duties, which is one of the most complex and frequent mistakes first time importers make.

Read our freight forwarding guide to find out about all of the other forms of shipping, or, if you'd like to find out more about how FOB can be used for your business, read our FOB Guide here.

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What are the advantages of FOB shipping?

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We recently published our Trade Finance Global Freight Forwarding and Incoterms Guide, and now it's time to talk about the best type of shipping between your company and your supplier. When buying goods from an overseas supplier, the importer should always look at ways where payment terms, risk and transfer of risk is most favourable to them.

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Truck Freight

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Truck Freight

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Some advantages and disadvantages of using truck freight - information used for infographic.

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Truck transportation is the process or business of transporting goods using motored, wheeled, nonrail vehicles known as trucks. The two major categories of truck operators are for-hire carriers, including business organizations that provide truck transportation for a fee, and private carriers, who provide their own transportation by owning or leasing trucks. Private trucking operations are found in virtually all industries, and they range in size from a single truck to hundreds of tractors and trailers.

Truck transportation offers certain advantages:

1. It provides a complete "door-to-door" service.

2. It can be cheaper than other modes of transportation for short hauls (less than 400 mi, or 640 km).

3. It can be cheaper for small shipments regardless of distance.

4. It can be faster on short hauls.

5. It can provide frequent service.

6. It is highly flexible, able to go wherever there are roads and streets.

7. It offers a wide variety of equipment.

8. The freight can be loaded and unloaded quickly.

Some disadvantages of truck service are these:

1. It is more expensive for long hauls than some competing modes of transit.

2. It is too expensive for many low-grade and bulk commodities in intercity service.

3. It is limited somewhat as to what it can carry by the size of the vehicles used and by size and weight restrictions imposed by states.

4. It is affected by weather and road conditions and traffic.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Truck Transportation

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Truck transportation is the process or business of transporting goods using motored, wheeled, nonrail vehicles known as trucks. The two major categories of truck operators are for-hire carriers, including business organizations that provide truck transportation for a fee, and private carriers, who provide their own transportation by owning or leasing trucks.

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How Sustainability Drives the Future of Turkish Apparel Production

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How Sustainability Drives the Future of Turkish Apparel Production

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Sustainability initiatives that Turkey have started using in their manufacturing process and how they have used sustainable alternatives for more than 20 years.

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How Sustainability Drives the Future of Turkish Apparel Production

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Turkish apparel factories are focused on sustainable processes such as water treatment, energy reduction and the de-emphasis of dyes.

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How Sustainability Drives the Future of Turkish Apparel Production

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https://fashionretailacademy.careercentre.me/u/hls6nmcu

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Some advantages of sourcing from overseas and using international suppliers.

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Sourcing overseas refers to buying materials, products or services from manufacturers or suppliers that are located outside of your home country.

While domestic sourcing typically allows for quicker logistics, better production control and shorter time to market, sourcing overseas is generally considered cheaper.

Benefits of sourcing overseas

Cost-savings are one of the main advantages of global sourcing. Many foreign suppliers and manufacturers offer their services at a competitive price, especially in low-cost regions.

Manufacturing costs are generally lower and businesses can often buy goods at a lower unit price. For businesses with tight budgets, this can be a great way to maximise their bottom line. However, keep in mind that other factors can affect any potential cost-savings, such as costly international administration or communication, transport costs or duty rates.

Besides the often-cheaper unit price, other things can tip the scale in favour of sourcing overseas. For example:

availability of world-class technology that exists in certain markets

access to cutting-edge research, design or specialised knowledge

proximity to raw materials that may be unavailable domestically

manufacturing capabilities that may unavailable domestically

higher quality goods compared to domestic products

a great number of potential suppliers you can choose from

In addition, businesses that source overseas are often able to enhance their competitive position in the supplier home country by getting to know the market.

See how to find an overseas supplier.

Disadvantages of sourcing overseas

Global sourcing is typically more complex than purchasing supplies domestically.

While the advantages of sourcing overseas can be obvious, you must carefully consider and manage the unique issues and increased risks. For example, dealing with increased rules and regulations that apply in international markets, the various customs requirements, cultural and language differences, quality risks, currency fluctuations, complicated logistics, etc. These obstacles are often the reason why many businesses decide to remain with local suppliers.

To make sourcing overseas a success, you should take steps to scrutinise and understand all of the complexities involved. Read more about the challenges of sourcing overseas.

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Sourcing overseas refers to buying materials, products or services from manufacturers or suppliers that are located outside of your home country. While domestic sourcing typically allows for quicker logistics, better production control and shorter time to market, sourcing overseas is generally considered cheaper. Cost-savings are one of the main advantages of global sourcing.

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An article about how high speed rail can reduce co2 emissions and how this may be the future for transport which may also work in the fashion industry.

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The COP26 negotiations and discussions explained.