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sourcing

IPE Brand Map
Future TechOpinions

Value(s) of Personal Communication in the digital era

Digital tools and IT systems are a great enabler for more data, more stringent channels of how to communicate what the different players in the chain do, and how they do it, over large distances and across operations and organizations.Yet – digital tools are more human than we think they are … because they, in the end, are representatives of the values and the world view of those that have built them.
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GlobalisationSupply Chain

Sourcing Destination: Brazil – A Latinamerican Powerhouse

For retail, Brazil is the ‘next hot’ place to go to. For a variety of reasons: For one, the country’s economy has been for a long time up and raising. Brazil is one of the 4 BRIC countries – the 4 most dominant raising economies, and ranks forth among them. Its retail sector is expected to boom tremendously over the next few years owing largely to the two major global sport events – the 2014 FIFA World Cup and Rio 2016 Summer Olympics that will take place in the country.
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Brand ReviewMaterialsSupply Chain

Better Business series: C&A

C&A, part of the Cofra Holding that owns C&A Europe, Brazil, Mexico and China, has been a family business since 1841. The company is quite conservative in communicating corporate responsibility achievements. Their style of communication appears to be more emotional than factual. The company has been awarded the Textile Exchange Future Shaper award in 2012 recognising the company’s commitment to promoting the analysis and certification of organic cotton and textiles.
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Brand ReviewMaterialsSupply Chain

Better Business series – Nike

In the 1990s Nike was caught in a sweatshop scandal showing poor working conditions in the Asian factories of its suppliers. Today Nike wants to “bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. The evolution of the company’s mission is powerful because it adds meaning and purpose to its existence: from “produce”, to “help” to eventually “inspire and innovate”.
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GlobalisationSupply Chain

Sourcing Destinations: Nigeria – hot bed of opportunities or riddled with challenges?

Nigeria’s textile industry used to be – possibly still is – the African continent’s third largest after that of Egypt and South Africa. For one reason or another, the first two are fairly well established among brands of all colours and types as potential – and actual – sourcing destinations. Egyptian cotton is well renowned, as is their industry for jersey goods. Also ‘Made in South Africa’ is not uncommonly found in clothing labels.
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MaterialsTrade Shows

Review: Future Fabrics Expo 2012

The second Future Fabrics Expo was hosted at the London College of Fashion on November 7th – 9th 2013, and was attended by a rather large number designers, buyers and students. Roughly 650 fabrics with a reduced environmental impact stemming from around 50 textile mills world-wide, were showcased, along with inspirational and/or interactive videos and information panels.
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LuxuryMaterialsSupply Chain

Luxury & Endangered Species

The reaping (black market) trade in reptile skins for the luxury fashion and accessories market is an openly talked about, albeit ugly, reality of the present. The recently published UNCTAD BioTrade report and toolkit provides useful and pragmatic info for designers.
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