Denim Club Newsletter : Issue April 2, 2014

Latest Denim News & Updates from Across the Globe

Your Window To The World Of Denim

Newsletter

02 April 2014

www.denimclubindia.org

Archroma to Highlight Eco-Advanced Archroma to Highlight Eco-Advanced Denim Production At Indigo 2014Denim Production At Indigo 2014Archroma to Highlight Eco-Advanced Denim Production At Indigo 2014

New store opened and SS'14 range New store opened and SS'14 range unveiled by Monte Carlounveiled by Monte CarloNew store opened and SS'14 range unveiled by Monte Carlo

VICUNHA returns with ‘blue gold’ VICUNHA returns with ‘blue gold’ denim range for Ss14denim range for Ss14VICUNHA returns with ‘blue gold’ denim range for Ss14

Kewal Kiran Clothing - Financial ReviewKewal Kiran Clothing - Financial ReviewKewal Kiran Clothing - Financial Review

Italian Companies Embark On Italian Companies Embark On Commercial Mission In BangladeshCommercial Mission In BangladeshItalian Companies Embark On Commercial Mission In Bangladesh

Levi Strauss to axe about Levi Strauss to axe about 800 jobs to cut losses800 jobs to cut lossesLevi Strauss to axe about 800 jobs to cut losses

Denim Industry Who’s Who

Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai, Arvind Ltd., India

Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Pak Denim, Pakistan

Denim Industry

Who's Who

Arjun Kapoor is the New Brand Arjun Kapoor is the New Brand Ambassador for Flying MachineAmbassador for Flying MachineArjun Kapoor is the New Brand Ambassador for Flying Machine

Denim Club : Your Window To The World Of Denim

Inudstry Event

DENIM CLUB INDIAApril 2014 03

Archroma to Highlight Eco-Advanced Denim Production At Indigo 2014

A r c h r o m a , a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, and the former textile, p a p e r a n d

emulsions businesses of Clariant, will reveal inspirational design possibilities achievable with eco-advanced denim production at InDIGO-3, the denim B2B expo being held from 24-26 April, 2014 at Expocentre, Sector 62, NOIDA.

Archroma will be demonstrating how fabric producers and brands can benefit from its "Advanced Denim" concept to expand color horizons, create soil-resistant finishes and significantly reduce the impact of denim manufacturing on the environment.

Using Advanced Denim technology based on “Denim-Ox” and “Pad/Sizing-Ox” processes, water consumption can be reduced by up to 92%, up to 63% of the usual cotton waste can be avoided, and up to 30% can be saved in energy costs compared to traditional denim processes. Advanced Denim technology received the prestigious 2012 ICIS Innovation Award and Innovation with Best Environmental Benefit Award.

Visitors to InDIGO-3 can look forward to prototypes and garment collections featuring the latest developments of Advanced Denim (Booth #32):

Latest “illustration collection” showing “blue ideas come true”:The newest garments in the Advanced Denim collection illustrate how the approach supports designers’ creativity and ideas with the right combination of dyestuffs and effects. Colors, wash-downs, fabrics, etc. can be played together by those innovative denim brands and professionals constantly in search for eco-advanced denim solutions that help them stay true to their values.

“Soft colors” made easy with new Optisul® C: Colors other than blue have been tricky to achieve in the past. Archroma’s original Diresul® RDT dyes offered a first solution to this issue. At InDIGO, Archroma wi l l show den im manufacturers how they now can expand their color horizons with a new range of six dyes especially designed to produce soft denim colors in continuous dyeing processes: Optisul® C dyes. These affinity-free sulfide-free* dyes, suitable for GOTS** and bluesign®1 approval, can be combined with each other at low concentrations to obtain collections of jeans in a wide array of easily achievable and reproducible soft colors - all while using the most sustainable Advanced Denim technology.

Technology meets lifestyle with Archroma’s finishing products: Combining functionality and lifestyle is a challenge that is constantly influencing the development work of designers and brands across the world, especially when they long for eco-advanced solutions. With Archroma’s innovative products, denim lovers can indulge their favorite attire from dawn to dusk, wherever they are, whatever they do. Archroma’s water and soil management finishing technology, such as C6-based Nuva® N4547 and Nuva N1811, or fluorine-free Arkophob® FFR, are designed to help denim stay clean and fresh, whilst Archroma’s Arkofix® ELF provides just the right amount of 3D effects that make that much sought-after effortless chic look so good.

“The production demand and consumption of denim-wear in South Asia is increasing at an extremely rapid pace. With “Advanced Denim”, Archroma offers possibilities to meet this

demand using dyes, finishes and processing technology that respect both our planet and the economic priorities of denim producers in the region’s local markets,” comments Nirmal Punjabi, Head of Business Development & Competence Centre Dyes, Archroma, India.


Apparel - Collection


Source : www.fibre2fashion.com

I n n o v a t i o n m e e t s sustainability with Archroma’s ONE WAY sustainability service

Archroma’s ONE WAY is recognized for its game-chang ing app roach to tex t i l e manufacturing based on the strong conviction that both ecological and economic benefits are reachable. ONE WAY is designed to help customers meet their sustainability targets in a fast and reliable manner. It is a 3-step systematic approach to the selection of chemicals and production processes that once completed, gives customers calculation results that assess the cost, performance and environmental profile of the evaluated products and processes.

The visitors to Archroma’s booth #32 at InDIGO-3 will be able to experience the

ONE WAY selection and calculation tools that support the shift toward more eco-advanced technologies.

ONE WAY has been honored with the prestigious ICIS Innovation Award for Best Business Innovation 2013.

Website: www.archroma.com

M o n t e C a r l o F a s h i o n s h a s u n v e i l e d i t s Spring/Summer

2014 collection for women, men and tweens.

The company a part of Nahar Group has also launched a store in Agartala, Tripura and the new store offers Monte Carlo’s complete range. Speaking on the occasion, Swapan Datta, President, Retail, Monte Carlo Fashions said, “We constantly observe consumer behavior in different geographies, so sensing consumers’ inclination for branded trendy apparels, we decided to launch a new store in Agartala.” The new store also has sub brands like Platine for men, Alpha for women and Tweens for children.

The Spring/Summer Alpha collection of dresses, tunics, kurtis, jeggings, T-shirts, colorful denims for women have an array of designs like graffiti prints, floral prints, digitally-inspired prints etc. The range incorporates fresh colours such as yellow, watermelon, okra, aqua, green, electric blue and white. The Platine collection for men spans smart

formal shirts and trousers in different colours. Monte Carlo’s new collection for men also has ultra-comfortable cotton T-shirts, lightweight linen shirts and kurtas, club wear collection, denim, bermudas, three and two piece T-shirt set, sportswear etc. The colour tone for this summer includes slate blue, cyan mint, barley, olive along with lemon lime and aquafresh.

This season Monte Carlo has launched rugged denim, having double the life of normal denim. The company is also offering jeans which are water resistant with special treatment on the surface and ironing retains its properties for longer time. There are also 100 per cent linen kurtas and Nehru jackets in two colours.

The Tweens Monte Carlo, catering to the age group of 8-14 years has T-shirts, shorts, Bermudas, skirts, tops, denims and is available in different colours. The colour palette for the season are dazzling blue, tangelo red, navy, white, cream, tan, camel, taupe and beige.

New store opened and SS'14 range unveiled by Monte Carlo

Source: www.fashionunited.in

Website: www.montecarlocollections.com


Apparel - Collection


VICUNHA returns with �blue gold� denim range for SS14VICUNHA confirms the return of the “blue gold” and not only for the spring/summer 2014. The international sales results of autumn/winter 2014/15 and spring/summer 2015 show that denim is clearly rising on the European market.

“Our blockbuster products consist mainly of qualities for stable transitory items and revenue guarantors at the POS. We offer fashionable basic qualities, which satisfy the needs of a well-mixed market for consistent products with longer expiration dates“, summarizes Thomas Dislich, director for Europe.

“Intelligent denims, raws, stretch qualities and flowing weaves are doing particularly well. Our permanent advantage: a high storage capacity worldwide and a delivery time of three days from our warehouse!”

Despite all its growth, VICUNHA still is, and will continue to be flexible regarding its different markets. “VICUNHA is a diversified fashion company with a high level of expertise in fashionable qualities that are required in high quantities. And this means an accurate trend barometer that truly satisfies the needs of this indispensable source of revenue”, Dislich added.

Currently, the 17 million meters capacity includes 15 indigo dye lines which are complemented by additional lines for flat-weave fabrics. The production is distributed among five manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina.

The company is supplying to around 600 clients throughout Europe and North America, including Asian production sites of European brand manufacturers in the Asian region. These are small markets, if compared to the global players, but nevertheless essential. There are approximately 3.500 clients in Brazil, which are

supplied twice a month in average. An another 1,500 clients are in Latin America which are supplied by their o w n b r a n c h e s i n several countries.

T h e b u s i n e s s i s growing continuously in the Asian region with the new warehouse in Sri Lanka and this branch is also crucial for the European market and its local production plants. “With our good, suitable qualities and a “3 days service” we are absolutely unique when it comes to intelligent fashion denim in high quantities“, Dislich concludes.

The trend highlights in the new season are well-known qualities as well as new developments such as:

ATHLECTIC DENIMAn extraordinary composition that provides a maximum of comfort due to 76% stretch content. A mixture of urban denim look on the outside and workout feeling on the inside.

TRANSFORMING DENIMBlue denim becomes a real piece of art and is mixed up with thrilling bright colours. Thanks to different colour shades achieved by chemical treatment there are no limits to creativity. SUPER POWER STRETCHThe classic remains a blockbuster within the qualities. With an elasticity of up to 67% in different weight categories from 7oz to 10oz Super Power Stretch is one of the top price favorites.

Source : www.fibre2fashion.com


From The Denim Directory


Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar BaigPak Denim, Pakistan

Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, is a renowned industrialist and Chairman of Baig Group, a multinational conglomerate operating in diversified fields in Pakistan, UAE and Morocco for the last 26 years. He has done his Masters in Marketing and Doctorate. He is a businessman par-excellence represents a rich background of international exposure to the realms of finance and banking.

He is the recipient of various awards including prestigious civil award Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, and gold medals from the President of Pakistan in recognition of his meritorious services in the field of banking and finance as well as FPCCI Special Export Merit Trophy Award for the last 16 consecutive years for high export performance of denim fabric.

Dr. Baig is also a diplomat. He was instrumental as Federal Advisor on Textile for the formulation of five years first National Textile Policy 2009-14 announced by the government for the Textile Industry of Pakistan. Dr. Baig has been elected as Director on Board of World Federation of Consuls (FICAC).

As a Chairman Pakistan Denim Manufacturers & Exporters Association, Dr. Baig is Chairman, FPCCI Standing Committee on Banking, Credit & Finance for the last 12 years, he has been Chairman Pak- UAE Business Council.

He has been nominated on the Prime Minister constituted Business Persons Council (*BPC). He is also the Hon. Secretary General of Make-A-Wish Foundation Pakistan, an NGO granting wishes of the terminally ill children.

Mr. Sanjay LalbhaiArvind Ltd., India

Sanjay Lalbhai is the Chairman and Managing Director of Arvind Ltd, a 1 Billion Dollar Indian conglomerate. It was under the able leadership of Mr. Lalbhai that Arvind has become one of the largest manufacturers of woven textiles in India, and one of the largest denim fabric manufacturers in the world.

He was also responsible for acquiring India’s first denim brand – Flying Machine – in 1981 and for guiding the process of building Arvind’s current impressive apparel brand portfolio.

He serves on the Board of Adani Ports Ltd. – one of India’s largest Port companies. He also served as an Independent Non Executive Director at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. from 2003 to July 26, 2013.

Mr. Lalbhai also serves on the board of several premier educational and research institutes. He is the President of Ahmedabad Education Society and Ahmedabad University, and is a member of the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a member of the Council of Management of the Physical Research Laboratory.

He is also Chairman of CEPT University, Mr. Lalbhai is a member on the Governing Body of Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management.

Mr. Lalbhai holds a Bachelor's Degree in Science from Gujarat University and a Master's Degree in Management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. He is married and has two sons Punit and Kulin.

Denim Industry Who's Who


Apparel - Corporate


The stock of apparel retailer Kewal Kiran Clothing has shot up 62 per cent in six months. Kewal Kiran has an expansive network of exclusive outlets and also retails through multi-brand showrooms. The low debt of the company gives it an edge over other retail companies such as Future Retail.

But at �1,188, the stock is at 23 times trailing 12-month earnings, a huge premium to its five-year average of 16 times. On estimated earnings for 2014-15, the stock is at 18 times.

The stock’s swift rise came on the back of a sharp growth in revenues in the June and September quarters. A low base contributed to this growth but the December quarter numbers are comparatively sedate.

The company’s growth prospects, therefore, seem priced in at this stage and it is an opportune time for investors in the stock to take money off the table. Its small-cap standing — the market cap is at �1,436 crore — subjects it to higher risks as well.

The apparel market is crowded, especially in the mid-to-premium price bracket that Kewal Kiran operates in. The company hasn’t been able to shake off its dependence on a single brand in ‘Killer’ and a single product category in jeans either. This can limit its growth.

Reliance on KillerKewal Kiran has a strong brand in Killer. Integriti, Lawman Pg3, and Easies are the other brands in its basket however, these brands — especially Easies — have not made great strides in the past few years and offer limited support to the company’s brand portfolio.

Killer accounts for more than half the sales, a reliance that hasn’t diminished over the years. It accounted for 53 per cent of sales in 2012-13, the same level it was at in 2009-10.

Kewal Kiran’s addition to its own store network is good — from 252 stores in 2011-12 the count has now risen to 351 (including franchisees). But despite this rising own-store count, Kewal Kiran still gets over half its sales from multi-brand outlets.

With global players making a beeline for Indian shores, competition in the choc-a-bloc branded apparel space is only likely to increase.

Besides, Kewal Kiran’s other main advantage of a solid presence in smaller towns and cities is also being chipped away with domestic companies such as Shoppers Stop moving to smaller cities as Tier I cities get saturated. Further, the jeans category accounts for half the sales as well and this segment has seen sales growth lose steam over the years. The December 2013 quarter, for example, saw the segment’s growth shrinking 16 per cent. The category’s growth was 17 per cent for 2012-13 and 25 per cent the fiscal before.

Growth slowsSales in the June and September 2013 quarters grew 31 and 27 per cent compared with the year-ago period. But this strong growth was partly due to a lower base — the April to September 2012 period was a poor one for Kewal Kiran when sales dropped 13 per cent. Volumes were also down 12 per cent in that period.

This low-base effect will cool off in the coming quarters. For the December 2013 quarter, sales grew 12 per cent. Higher sale prices compensated for the 1.7 per cent shrink in volumes.

Since Kewal Kiran manufactures most of the apparel it sells, margins are higher than other retail peers.

Source: www.thehindubusinessline.comWebsite: www.kewalkiran.com

Kewal Kiran Clothing - Financial Review

Industry : Event



Source: www.textileworld.com

Italian Companies Embark On Commercial Mission In BangladeshThis week five Italian companies involved in the denim value chain are in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on a commercial mission entitled “Italian DNA | Creativity and Innovation, the Italian Way to Sustainability.”

The goal of the mission is provide information on the latest developments and technologies with regard to fabrics, materials, equipment and trends — with an eye to promoting an eco-friendly business model. Bangladesh is an important textile production country, and Italian companies have been work ing wi th Bangladeshi apparel production companies for years. Participating Italian companies include vertically integrated denim mill TRC Candiani Denim S.p.A.; denim producer ITV Industria Tessile del Vomano S.r.l.; garment finishing technologies provider Tonello S.r.l.; textile auxiliaries producer Nearchimica S.p.A.; and Okinawa S.r.l., a vertically integrated designer and producer of fashion accessories and materials. Additionally, Bangladesh-based casualwear manufacturer Pacific Jeans Ltd. and garment

producer M&J Group have teamed with the Italian companies to coordinate the mission. “In a competitive market like the current one we believe it is important to present ourselves with interesting projects and a strong impact on the various markets recognizing the value of each of them,” the companies stated. “With this mission, we hope to increase the opportunities for our European and American customers to find services and products that are up to date and in line with the latest trends in Bangladesh while acknowledging and appreciating the special features of the distinguished Made in Italy quality.

Levi Strauss to axe about 800 jobs to cut lossesLevi Strauss & Co. is planning to cut about 800 jobs, almost 20 percent of its non-retail

and non-manufacturing employees, over the next 12 to 18 months.

The privately held company said that its restructuring plan will help it become more competitive, lower costs and improve its financial health.

Last month, the company said that its fourth-quarter gross profit weakened because it had to increase markdowns due to a slower holiday season and softness in its Levi’s juniors and misses businesses.

Levi Strauss added that the cuts will primarily be management positions across the world. The company is also getting rid of what it considers duplicate roles. Levi Strauss, which also makes the Dockers and Denizen brands, further added

that final plans will vary by country, and estimates for headcount and the timing of the job cuts may change.

The company’s products are sold in about 2,800 retail stores and shop-in-shops globally, as well as online.

The job cuts are part of the first phase of a restructuring plan that is expected to result in about $75 million to $100 million in annual savings, before accounting charges related to those cuts. Those charges, which will total about $65 million, will mostly be recorded in the first quarter.

The entire restructuring plan is expected to deliver $175 million to $200 million a year in savings, the company said.

Levi Strauss, which is based in San Francisco, said that additional charges will be recorded in the future.

Source: www.dailyrepublic.com

Apparel - Corpoate



Arjun Kapoor is the New Brand Ambassador for Flying MachineFlying Machine, the iconic homegrown jeans brand from Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. has announced the signing of Arjun Kapoor as its new brand ambassador. A print and television campaign is being launched featuring Arjun Kapoor showcasing the new Spring Summer'14 collection. Flying Machine is the voice of contemporary, young India, not only through its fashion sensibilities but also through its innovative campaigns like "Sexy being Me" and "Don't Tag Us". "Catering to the fashion needs of a generation looking for instant gratification, the brand’s promise of “New Cool” resonates very strongly with its young fashion patrons," said Alok Dubey, COO Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. Commenting on the partnership with Arjun Kapoor, Mr Dubey said, "Flying Machine is the vanguard of youth trends and hence our next Brand Ambassador also had to be someone who’s seen and believed to be the new cool. With noteworthy performances behind him, quite a few big releases ahead and his zeal and commitment to be in the big league, we believe Arjun Kapoor is all set to be “The New Cool” not just in the film industry but with youth at large. He’s leading a cultural shift where bold new subjects are being taken to the target audience and a new youth culture is being defined. He’s definitely a youth icon with a real persona and that is a glove-fit for Flying Machine, a cult icon itself. '’

Sharing his excitement the Bollywood actor, Arjun Kapoor said, "I’ve always believed style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. It’s reflected across all the choices I’ve made be it films, events or otherwise. Flying Machine has historically spoken volumes be it with their trendy clothes or their stylish campaigns. I’m super-excited to be taking over as their new brand ambassador and with their trippy new campaign; I’m hoping we are able to really define ‘The New Cool’. Here’s looking at an exciting new ride!"

Urgent requirement for Denim designers

Denim Jobs

Source: www.businesswireindia.com

No. of Vacancies : 2

Salary : Rs. 18000 - 30000 per month

Location : Mumbai, Maharashtra

Job Description : Urgently required skilled and qualified designers having good experience in the field of Mens Bottom wear / Denims. Must be well versed in use of Corel Draw. Freshers welcome.

Company Profile: Designmandee is group of creative fashion designers, Graphic designers ,communication designers, having a good hold on the fashion market and its requirements. We bring together an unrivalled richness and artistic excellence, together with creative handling of embellishments and contemporary designs. Our designers keep abreast of the latest fashion trends and changes in the fashion market and designing is done according to the style that is in vogue.

Interested candidates should send across their resume along with design portfolio to [email protected]



Industry - Network

Mr. Vinay Pandit, Manager Marketing

Transpek-Silox Industry Ltd., Vadodara, India

Mr. Rajat Gupta, Asst. Vice PresidentOswal Denims, Chandigarh, India

Mr. Santojyoti Bhattacharjee, Sr. Mgr Mkting International

Oswal Denims, Gurgaon, India

Mr. Anil Kumar, LecturerState Institute of Fashion & Design, Rohtak, India

Mr. Sukesh Subramanian, Partner

Adamman, Thrissur, India

Mr. Javed Shaikh, Manager - Sales & DistributionSun Apparels, Mumbai, India

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