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traditional craft skills

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 PortraitsSupply Chain

Fabric of London: London Cloth

The story of London Cloth is a rather engaging one. It all boils down to a rather single minded fascination for looms, mechanical ones specifically. 2 years on, the hobby has become a proper weaving shed with both mechanical and power looms, and clients such as Ben Sherman.
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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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Future TechMaterials

Signs of innovation – the example of Spider Silk

The current fashion and textile landscape is fairly limited in terms of what types of materials are being used. Innovation is key, and products such as Tencel, Sorona and Ingeo proof that industry is investing heavily in R&D. Spider Silk may be one of the few natural fibres of the future yet to see it hayday.
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Brand Portraits

Araisara: Connect the dots, create the future

5 years ago one Araisara's customers brought in a long Miyazome-dyed handkerchief. The designer fell in love with this beautiful dye technique. As soon as she could, she visited the Miyazome-dye atelier in Utsunomiya City in the northern Kanto region, some 2 hours from Tokyo on the Shinkanzen bullet train. The atelier was run by just one man, who was well into his 80s.
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