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Fibres/​Yarns/​Fabrics

RadiciGroup, presents at Apparel Costs Rising: And Its Not Just Cotton

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, a major American trade show held in Salt Lake City, Utah, concluded on Sunday, 23rd January. Among the participants were prestigious retailers from the outdoor sports sector (sportswear, equipment, footwear and accessories) and manufacturers including RadiciGroup, a presenter at the seminar ‘Apparel Costs Rising: And it’s Not Just Cotton’. The event, held on Friday, 21st January, was organized by the American Appar

2nd February 2011

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Salt Lake City, UT

Sports/​Outdoor, Clothing/​Footwear

Out DoorThe Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, a major American trade show held in Salt Lake City, Utah, concluded on Sunday, 23rd January. Among the participants were prestigious retailers from the outdoor sports sector (sportswear, equipment, footwear and accessories) and manufacturers including RadiciGroup, a presenter at the seminar ‘Apparel Costs Rising: And it’s Not Just Cotton’.

The event, held on Friday, 21st January, was organized by the American Apparel Producers' Network (AAPN) and focused on the rising costs all along the apparel production and sales chain. “What is happing now to cotton has inevitable repercussions on all the other natural and synthetic fibres. But what is going on with this product? A reduction in cotton cultivated areas and poor harvests due to adverse climate conditions have decreased supply, while market demand for the product, particularly in Asia, is experiencing strong growth. The result has been a huge price surge (a 136% increase over 12 months was recorded). To this, we must add that cotton producing countries have shifted their focus to value-added products and are trying to export semi-finished (yarn) or finished goods (fabrics), thus penalizing cotton processing countries”, organisers said.

The raw materials price rise is said to be having an effect on all finished products worldwide, from cotton to wool and man-made fibres, with an inevitable, strong impact on the entire textile and apparel industry. These issues were discussed by Mike Todaro - Managing Director, AAPN; Brian Meck - VP Sales & Marketing, Fessler; Kurt Cavano - CEO, Tradecard; Jack Mathews - VP Fabric Sales & Marketing, American Cotton Growers; Randy Harward – Sr. Director of Quality and R&D, Patagonia; Rick Horwitch - VP Solutions Business Development & Marketing, Bureau Veritas; and Kim Hall - Marketing Manager, Radici Spandex Corporation, a US RadiciGroup company engaged in the production and sale of Radelast elastane fibres.

“After participating last December 7 in the first Virtual Design Center LIVE, a virtual interactive seminar produced by US Outdoor Retailer,” Kim Hall said, “we wanted to bring our experience and present our point of view at the seminar, Apparel Costs Rising: And It’s Not Just Cotton. It was a very interesting meeting of ideas. On our part, we discussed the aspects related to the rising costs of raw materials and the consequent increase in manufacturing costs for man-made fibres, from spandex to polyester and nylon.”

“Other non-apparel markets can pay a higher premium for their component raw materials because their final products command a higher price and, therefore, increased margins. In our case, since we are not able to recoup the raw material price increases but want to remain a stable and reliable supplier, we must inevitably pass along such price increases. Retail needs to understand that.”

“In 2008 the financial crisis upended the market,” Ms. Hall continued, “and in 2009 the crisis in the real economy brought about a slump in purchases and investments. Today the worst is behind us, and we want to be optimistic. We are firmly committed to continue focusing on innovation, research and the quality of our products, as well as on improving manufacturing efficiencies and the flexibility of our organization. We think that these are the aspects that will, once again, make a difference in the textile and apparel business, in particular.”

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