Product News

Cotton Incorporated has introduced an interactive series of educational programs on CD-ROM that cover every aspect of the knitting, weaving and dyeing and finishing processes. "The Art of Knitting" and "The Science of Dyeing and Finishing" will be joined by "The Art of Weaving," "Color Science" and "The Art of Printing" in late 2003 and early 2004. Geared toward sourcing professionals, the interactive programs show how to transform raw cotton to fabric through actual manufacturing operations, 3-D animation of intricate processes, easy to understand technical illustrations and a glossary of terms.

Kathy Brannigan ? 212-413-8306 ?ReaderLink #114



Endeca, a provider of navigation and search solutions, has released version 3.5 of the Endeca Navigation Engine?. While Endeca's roots are in navigation tools for business-to-consumer (B2C) e-tailing sites, Version 3.5 features expanded "enterprise search" capabilities, which are designed to allow a company's associates to search for and access information housed on corporate intranets, databases, software applications, etc. This information can include images and PDF files. For instance, one Endeca client is using the software to enable employees to search for product information captured in its JD Edwards ERP and its PTC Windchill PLM systems. Version 3.5 also offers business-to-business (B2B) functionality, including Custom Catalogs. Endeca reports that Custom Catalogs enable companies to restrict the search and navigation views on their B2B Web sites to specific vendors or customers without IT-intensive programming or the setup of multiple databases. For B2C and B2B applications, the new version offers geo-spatial search and navigation capability, which can be used for store locator services on e-tail sites, or for B2B sourcing purposes. As an example of the latter, a company could search for fabric and production resources according to suppliers' geographic proximity.

Phil Braden ? 617-621-4931 ? ReaderLink #115



Enhanced Retail Solutions has introduced the Desktop Analyst software suite. Designed to help merchandise suppliers better analyze data provided by retailers, the solution maximizes current inventories, projects future sales, controls inventory markdowns, predicts retail gross profit for items sold on guaranteed gross margins and creates opportunities for salespeople to identify and take reorder business. The Sales and Inventory Predictor calculates the user's buy needs by month throughout the season. It also shows cumulative sales for the next 30 to 180 days. The module also documents the need for re-orders by store. The Weekly Analyst offers a quick, but concise look at the previous week's performance by item and season to date. The Demographic Profiler takes an item's sales by location (zip code) and compares that item to 18 demographic factors compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Season Analyst shows the history of an item at retail, including total missed business in the aggregate and also on an individual store basis. This documentation can be used to build bigger future orders with an account. The Buyer's Analytic tool calculates projected gross margin. The module also allows the user to enter actual sales data to allow performance monitoring of the item throughout the season.

James Lewis ? 214-544-2864 ? ReaderLink #116



Fairchild Publications Inc. has released "Apparel Merchandising, The Line Starts Here," by Jeremy A. Rosenau and David Wilson. This textbook traces the evolution of merchandising in the apparel industry from concept and planning to execution and the future. Chapters cover such topics as market knowledge, planning and control, line development, costing and pricing strategies, quality, supply chain management and the sourcing process.

Laura Sonora ? 800-932-4724 ? ReaderLink #117



Glenoit Fabrics has introduced a sample line of inspirational laminations, and is stocking the styles in limited quantities for sample making. The line ranges from popular cropped shearling pile/faux suede for lightweight, economical and highly realistic shearling products to entirely new parings for Glenoit's pile fabrics to corduroy, specialty knits, silky jacquards and more. Laminated fabrics, which are reversible, allow the manufacturer to cut and sew the lining and shell at the same time.

Joe Zeoli ? 12-391-3930 ext. 8414 ? ReaderLink #118



Insta Graphic Systems has introduced LabelTrans? heat transfer labels designed to replace sew-in labels and tags. The solvent-free labels offer a soft hand, quick application time, hot peel, good opacity and detail and low temperature application. LabelTrans is available in cut pieces and rolls.

Bob Black ? 562-404-3000 ext. 230 ? ReaderLink #119



NextLinx has begun targeting the apparel industry with its NextLinx Trade Collaborator software, which recently was selected by VF Corp. (see "Issues & Updates" in this issue). A Web-based application designed to manage global shipments, Trade Collaborator includes a database of global export controls, import controls, product classifications, duty rates and document templates. It is set up to support commerce that complies with global trade agreements, and to enable collaboration between U.S.-based apparel firms and international brokers, banks and freight forwarders. NextLinx CEO Rajiv Uppal told Apparel the key strength of the system is its ability to easily integrate with other software, including ERP and warehouse management systems. NextLinx has built standard interfaces with systems from SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft and Manhattan Associates, among others. While Trade Collaborator is targeted to firms with $500 million or greater in annual sales, NextLinx offers "Trade Wizards" Web-based services designed to enable smaller firms to automate their import/export documentation, access dynamic trade data and obtain quick answers to complex trade questions, the company reports.

Rajiv Uppal ? 866-315-9500 ? ReaderLink #120



Pacific Sportswear & Emblem Co. (PSC) has designed and is manufacturing three specialty patches in support of U.S. troops. Each patch is 80 percent to 100 percent embroidered and features up to 10 colors of thread and iron-on backing. The company also has created FDNY, NYPD and Space Shuttle Columbia patches to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11 and on the space shuttle mission. Patches are sold in packs of 50 and a portion of the proceeds will be contributed to OperationMilitaryPride.org to help defray shipping costs of care packages to the troops.

Rich Soergel ? 619-281-6688 ? ReaderLink #121



Sussman Corp. has developed a curing oven for use with 100 percent cotton wrinkle free shirts. The company has added programmable digital temperature indicating controls to properly heat and cure the chemical additives during the curing cycle. The oven also features an adjustable overhead air delivery system that saturates the shirts top-to-bottom within precise temperature limits with repeat accuracy. Sussman batch ovens are shipped factory tested and ready to be installed. Both electric and gas heated models are available, with capacities of up to 700 shirts per hour.

Richard Sussman ? 800-238-3535 ? ReaderLink #122



Thermopatch Corp. has introduced three new heat seal machines to address the need for larger platens: the NL17 manual opening head with a 16" x 20" platen; the NL18 pneumatic opening head with a 16" x 20" platen and the NL19 cap sealer. The company reports that all three machines are high quality, extremely durable and simple to operate.

Bob Fudge ? 800-252-6555 ? ReaderLink #123



YKK has introduced a new lightweight No. 45 corespun zipper for jeans customers in the overdye industry who dye their garments as they receive orders. Made with a smaller element, it is more cost effective and takes up less room in a jeans fly than the larger No. 5. In addition, because it is fabricated with polyester threads wrapped in cotton yarn, this product's tape holds up better after dyeing than a cotton-only tape. Finally, its cotton fibers allow it to absorb color more uniformly than nylon/cotton tape zips.

The company has also introduced the Super NYD zipper to increase the life cycle of zippers sewn into white uniforms. This product gets its added strength from its cord, now made of a proprietary material that is highly resistant to the frequent bleaching required to keep white garments looking their brightest.

Jack Sasaki ? 770-427-5521 ? ReaderLink #124



TRACY HAISLEY is associate editor of Apparel and may be reached at thaisley@apparelmag.com.