Y-Stuff, a fashion label for youth by Y-Films (Yash Raj Films)

Y-Films is committed to breaking a genre and creating and building an audience. The idea is to detonate boundaries. And most importantly, do it with style. Which basically means that Y-Films is more than just a film production house. It is an attitude. And if it is an attitude, it must be available in small, medium and large and it must be worn.

That’s how Y-Stuff was born. The official clothing line of the coolest film production house in Bollywood. The first collection from the label is inspired by our movie, Luv Ka The End.

The clothing range captures moments from the gory and bloody viral ‘Teddy Series’ and also echoes the rebellious spirit of the brand. Some really funny lines and sexy designs found their way to a whole range of merchandise like tees, boxers and bags.

Now that we had the stuff, we had to take it to the world. And we partnered with one of the biggest and most popular clothing retail chains in the country, The Loot stores. The Loot stores is a discount based chain that enables us to reach out to our audience keeping their pocket money in mind. Y-Stuff is now available in 60 Loot stores across India. But that is just on-ground. For a generation that spends most of its time online, we had to reach out to them there too. Y-Stuff is also retailed online via major online selling platforms such as Seventymm, Groupon, Bookmyshow, Fashion and u, and Naaptol. These platforms attract a total traffic of nearly 25 lakh users and that is a huge potential for us as a brand to spread the good word.

On the event of the launch of Y-Stuff, Ashish Patil, Creative and Business Head, Y-Films commented “You need not just see Y-Films… now you can wear it too”

Now that you know where to get it, go get your hands on it!

Y-Films is the dynamic, vibrant start-up at the intersection of films, creativity and youth culture that hopes to challenge the norm and detonate boundaries.

YRF Studios is spearheaded by Yash Chopra – a leading light of the Indian entertainment industry for the last five decades.

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Cotton production & consumption to expand in 2011/12

The first U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cotton forecast for 2011/12 projects growth in both world cotton production and consumption, with production exceeding consumption for the first time in 7 years. Global production is forecast to rise to a record of about 125 million bales, 10 million above 2010/11.

The nearly 9-percent growth rate for 2011/12 pushes the anticipated crop nearly 12 million bales above the 5- year average. Cotton production in 2011/12 is forecast to increase in most of the major producing countries, led by India, China, and Pakistan.

World cotton consumption for 2011/12 is projected at 119.5 million bales, 3 million higher than 2010/11 and the largest since 2007/08.

Growth similar to the long-term average is supported by improving global economic conditions, cotton product demand in developing countries, and the expectation of a bumper crop. Cotton mill use in 2011/12 is forecast to expand in the major consuming countries, led by China and India.

Original Source: Cotton production & consumption to expand in 2011/12 @ Fibre2fashion

Awareness program on ‘Silk Mark’ opens in Kerala

A seven-day silk awareness programme was inaugurated at north Paravoor in Kerala.

The programme has been organized by the Silk Mark Organisation of India together with Charutha silks. On display at the expo are natural silk items and weavings of pure silk.

A senior official of the Silk Mark, Babu Giridharan, stated that, the event has been organized with a view to generate awareness amongst people on the modes through which they can differentiate pure silk from imitation.

Experts from the organization would enlighten the visitors at the fair on various modes through which they can identify authentic silk.

Silk Mark is a mark for quality assurance that the Silk Mark Organisation of India provides, which is a society supported by the Central Silk Board, an apex body for development of silk industry in India.

Many able textile experts with proficiency in silk testing and industry experience are associated with the Silk Mark Organization, which operates 10 centres across India, with it’s headquarter in Bangalore.

The organization functions with an aim to safeguard the interests of the producers, traders and buyers of pure silk. Also, it proposes to create and develop brand equity for Indian silk.

On display at the fair are an attractive collection of silk saris, men’s wear, women’s wear and traditional wear. Further, the craftsmen are also showcasing their skills at the expo by giving a demo of weaving their intricate designs.

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World Apparel Fiber Consumption Survey by ICAC

The 2011 FAO/ICAC survey, prepared jointly by the Trade and Markets Division of the Economic and Social Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), is the third joint edition since the annual survey done by FAO alone was discontinued in 1995. The second joint edition covered the years 1992, 1996, and 2000 through 2004. The present FAO/ICAC survey covers the years 1992, 1996 and 2000 through 2008 for both developing and developed countries.

World fibre consumption has been steadily trending up over several decades. Per capita consumption was about 3.7 kilogram in 1950 and climbed to 104 kilogram in 2008. Given the nature of the final products of fibres, clothing and textiles, fibre consumption is sensitive to the global economic situation. The World Apparel Fibre Consumption Survey during 2004 - 2008 recently completed by the Economic and Social Development Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (EST/FAa) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) revealed the latest developments in world fibre consumption.

Global Economic Trends affected Fibre Consumption

Final products of fibres can be grouped into three major categories clothing, textiles for home and for industrial uses. These final products respond differently to changes in income and prices, depending on whether they are consumed as necessary goods, luxury goods, or durable goods. Therefore, world total fibre consumption is exposed to the influence of global economic developments.

Encompassing an annual average growth of the world gross domestic product (GDP) of 4.2% during 2000 - 2007, per capita world fibre consumption increased by nearly 35%, from 8.3 kilograms in 2000 to 11.1 kilograms in 2007. However, the economic stagnation in developed countries in 2008 resulted in a reduced rate of GDP growth for the world (3%), and a 64% contraction in per capita world fibre consumption, to 104 kilograms.

Read more on World Apparel Fiber Consumption Survey by ICAC @ Fibre2fashion

Bassett completes sale of International Home Furnishings Center

Bassett Furniture Industries Inc announced the successful completion of the sale of its interest in the International Home Furnishing Center (IHFC) in High Point, N.C. The total value of the deal was $275 million which includes $175 million in contemplated cash proceeds for Bassett and its partners, and the assumption of $100 million of existing IHFC debt by the acquirer. After set-aside escrows for an ongoing tax audit of IHFC and representations and warranties, legal fees and other transaction costs, Bassett realized a pre-tax distribution of approximately $74 million from the sale.

In the transaction, Bassett invested $2.4 million in return for a minority stake in the newly formed company, International Market Centers, L. P. (IMC). IMC's initial portfolio of assets consists of a total of 13 buildings encompassing more than 10 million gross square feet, including the IHFC and the Market Square Complex in High Point as well as all of the World Market Center buildings in Las Vegas.

This platform constitutes the world's largest network of premium business-to-business home furnishings, gift, and home décor showroom space. IMC is majority owned by funds managed by Bain Capital Partners and a subsidiary of certain investment funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Joining Bassett as investors in IMC are the Related Companies and affiliates of Network World Market Center.

Bassett made an investment in the IHFC, the world's premier wholesale furniture showroom, more than 25 years ago. That investment has paid off handsomely over the years, primarily in the form of IHFC dividends that were paid to its shareholders. Robert H. Spilman Jr., Bassett President and CEO, commented that "this transaction represents a successful conclusion to that investment and is a testimony to the sound management practices employed by the IHFC leadership and its associates, especially in a difficult period for the home furnishings industry.

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Arvind Ltd eyes 100 exclusive stores this year

Arvind Ltd., a leading denim producer and retailer in India, unveiled its first 'Arvind Experience Store' at Baroda in Gujarat, which is the firm’s eighth outlet in the country.

The company intends to launch in all 100 such outlets pan-India, through 2011-12.

Mr Sanjay Lalbhai, Chairman and Managing Director of Arvind Ltd. while speaking about the company’s future plans said that, they have already launched seven such outlets in Andhra Pradesh, and with launch of the first outlet in Gujarat, they are eyeing to launch another 92 outlets nationwide to take the total number of outlets to 100 by close of current fiscal year.

‘Arvind Experience Store’ is a prototype for the fabric retail channel. The store supports a contemporary and innovative layout, and on display is the entire range of Arvind products. The store, offers tailoring and complete lifestyle solution.

The Baroda outlet is spread out on an area of 2000 sq ft and displays top-notch brands like Flying Machine, US POLO and Arrow.

Speaking further, Sanjay said that, Arvind Denim Labs, a concept unique to the Arvind outlet, for the first time would specially stitch washed jeans for their customers. Each of these orders would be specially customized as per customer’s preferences and specifications. Alongside this, the company also has launched hand-crafted bespoke denim in India for the first time.

The denim segment of these new Arvind stores would have a special section particularly catering to the youth and formal wear.

Original Source: Arvind Ltd eyes 100 exclusive stores this year @ Fibre2fashion

60 contract manufacturers @ Texprocess Source it!

The response to Texprocess Source it! has been very good: over 60 contract manufacturers have signed up to make presentations at the sourcing area of Texprocess, the new leading international trade fair for processing textiles and other flexible materials in Frankfurt am Main from 24 to 27 May 2011. The exhibitors are national pavilions and production companies from Egypt, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Lesotho, Kenya, Columbia, Mauritius, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam. The focus of the presentations will be on technical expertise and the sourcing situation in the individual countries.

For Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, this is a great success. “Particularly against the background of the upheavals taking place in the procurement markets, we offer the apparel industry access to future-oriented markets via the contract manufacturers from Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America represented at Source it!. The idea of generating synergies with a sourcing platform at a technology fair has borne fruit.”

Messe Frankfurt offers an opportunity to make optimum preparations for Source it! with an online platform called i-tex – apparel sourcing system. Before the fair, fashion companies can research into which companies are of interest to them on the internet.

To do so, they only have to register free of cost with the i-tex online portal and complete a profile outlining, inter alia, which products they want to have made, i.e., men’s wear, women’s wear, children’s wear, sportswear, home textiles, etc. They then receive a list of companies that match their criteria. Hence, they can get in touch with the contract manufacturers concerned and make appointments with them before leaving for the fair. The contract manufacturers taking part in Source it! also create a profile for the business platform.

Read more on 60 contract manufacturers @ Texprocess Source it! @ Fibre2fashion

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles Spring receives (+ve) response

Intertexitle Shanghai Home Textiles Spring 2011 fair received positive comments from exhibitors and visitors.

“To accommodate the sourcing period of the Chinese domestic market, the new fair was strategically held during the Spring season. The positive feedback received from the participants confirmed the show to be a success,” said Ms Wendy Wen, Director Trade Fairs for Messe Frankfurt (HK) Co Ltd, organiser of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles Spring. The fair held from 2 – 4 April 2011 at INTEX Shanghai and ShanghaiMart welcomed 9,755 visitors, as well as 219 suppliers from Austria, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and the USA.

Out of the 9,755 buyers, 96% were from China and the majority of them had come to source for their new home furnishing collections.

“We are a retail shop in Wuxi selling mid to high-end curtains. To meet with the demand of our customers, I find it necessary to source in the Spring market. This fair offers a good variety of choice; I have made many orders this morning. To fulfil my sourcing need, I see this is a must-attend event,” said Ms Qi Wen, owner of Wuxi Ruyi Curtain, China.

The majority of the exhibitors were also pleased with this arrangement. Mr Alex Wong from Hong Kong based Tatty Functional Textile chose this new fair to promote their newly designed 3D pattern upholstery fabrics which is unique in the home textile market. “We believe Spring, notably March is the best sourcing time in China as this is the time when the brands and manufacturers prepare for the next season’s collection,” said Mr Wong.

Same for the US based fibre company INVISTA, they used the fair to launch their new product DACRON. This material can be used in pillows and mattresses to provide extra warmth and comfort.

Read more on Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles Spring receives (+ve) response @ Fibre2fashion