Fashion and Sustainability-Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 

Many things are wrong with the fashion industry. Trends go as fast as they come, pressuring us to buy the next best thing which will be the second best next month. We are left with cluttered closets, nothing to wear and our wallets a little bit lighter, yet we still can’t help but want more

It’s fairly common knowledge that the fast-fashion industry is shady. Money appears to be the name of the game when taking a critical look into the corrupt side of the industry. Low wages, unsafe working conditions, lack of regard for the environment and, in some cases, child labor are used to drive production costs as far down as possible. A bargain price often means someone somewhere else is picking up the rest of the tab.

How can we take a stand against unethical practices in the fashion industry and the negative effects of thoughtless shopping patterns while still expressing our unique style?

One of the easiest ways to fight unethical fast-fashion practices is to stop buying from companies and brands which are not sustainably or ethically produced. According to a study by the Fashion Revolution, Topshop, Forever 21, Zara and Victoria’s Secret, among others, are popular fast-fashion brands implementing unethical and questionable production methods.

Think twice about brands that aren’t transparent in their production methods and environmental footprint. Apps like Good On You, Avoid and Good Guide can help you track ethical brands. TenTree, People Tree, Patagonia, Levis and Kings of Indigo are brands currently setting the stage for sustainable fashion.

The corporate giants that dress much of the world need to be held accountable for what is happening behind closed doors in the fashion production and manufacturing process. The fast-fashion industry, paired with a deeply ingrained consumerist mindset, is hurting people, our planet and our pockets.

In order to contribute to worldwide sustainability efforts and to improve countless individuals’ quality of life, we need to start taking an active role in educating others about the impact of unethical fashion practices. Everyone has the power to implement small changes in their lives in order to make a big impact. It’s not hard to win the ethical shopping game; you just have to decide if you are going to play.


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Spring/Summer'18 Fashion Trends

The spring/summer 2018 fashion trends are nothing if not bright, bold and Extravagant prints. 

Discover S/S 18's fashion trends, from colours to prints, key pieces to new details:-

Colors:

Match summer brights with summer brights and, duh, more summer brights. 

Soft Neutrals / Pastel Shades / Pale on Pale / Natural Colour / Muted Texture / Faded Softness / Delicate - Report by PatternBank

Outfits:

The baggy look dresses had been welcomed this season.In these sunny days black string bikini is funky and easy to wear.

JumpSuits:

Jumpsuits are going to be a staple item in our wardrobe this spring. There’s going to be one for every taste and body shape. 

Print on Print:

To remain in the theme of mixing and matching, another trend we are loving this spring/summer 2018 is the mixing of different prints and patterns in the same outfit.

Scarves:

Sophisticated Scarf Placements, Enlarged Scale, Asymmetrical Tropica Scarf Prints, Striped Scarf Borders, Solid Colour Fills- Report by PatternBank

Internet and Textile Industry

In today's age, it's sometimes easy to forget that the internet is not just for networking and entertainment. It has a purpose and a vast reach; when used correctly, the internet has the potential to educate, transform, and drive change.

The retail sector in Textile Industry is the evident example of this.

With the help of SEO you can increase your value to millions of people through online without going here and there for brand promotion.

87 per cent brands prefer digital marketing,says Digital Marketing Industry Report. Social networking site Facebook was preferred by 89 per cent brands for taking up digital promotion, while search giant Google came second with 78 per cent. 

The online fashion sales have been increased by 185% and will continue to increase more.

Fashion trends change and they change even faster than the advancements in the digital technologies. 

• Consumer-centric is the Winner:-

              Fashion online marketing in the digital world is all about being informal with potential and existing customers. Business etiquette and polite communication is still important, but consumers are much more attracted to fashion stores that appear more humanly while online interactions. Therefore, a good social media presence is important when it comes to the fashion industry.

• Social Media Continue to Rule Fashion Industry:-

              Social media is the current trendsetter when it comes to fashion.

• Content Marketing is Must for Fashion Industry:-

              Fashion stores and brand have crafted online updates and blog posts regarding their fashion styles and businesses have seen a massive upturn in user engagement.

A JOURNEY FROM PRINT TO DRESS

 

Designing process have a big influence on the final outcome of the style...  it evolves from an initial idea that often is better than imagination.

• Design & Print

The proces starts with the selection of prints per the styling.

• Fabric

The design process starts with the fabric quality.....which depends upon  the Weather of the respected Country as well as the fall of the dress.

• Fabric Cutting

The skill comes into cutting and placement of the print to ensure efficient use of the fabric.

• SEW & ARTISANSHIP

Our clothing Artisans bring the quality by adding necklines and other Accessories like, belt, studs, crystals, laces.

• Finishing

Once assembled, the dresses go through finishing, where they are turned inside out and checked for loose threads, pressed and, finally, packed

UPRISING SWIMWEAR MARKET

 The swimwear market has started pacing with the considerable growth rate of 35% past year to the tune of Rs 1000 to 1200 cr.

• The styles available under high end brands are great with hand embroidered features, luxury beading, hardware features, and so much more.

• The premium swimwear manufacturers and designers focus on the comfort level of premium swimwear as it has a high impact on the consumer’s purchase decision. 

In fact, most of the designers working to make the perfect luxury swimwear believe that engineering a tiny swimsuit is more complicated than designing a dress. 

The trend to shop for crush-free, breezy fabrics like silk, lycra-silk, chiffon-silk, crepe and interesting blends has seen an upswing.

Foreign tourists at Indian beaches, increasing preference for beach destination weddings, etc. are also emerging as a market opportunity for Indian beachwear designers making the resortwear market a strong and independent industry today.

Manufacturing excellence: The only way

With fierce competition in the market, the requirement of low cost products has increased. Unfortunately, cheap labour is not the only requirement to achieve this goal. Cost advantage comes through superior product quality, innovative design, customisation, on-time delivery, technology innovations and finally admirable after sales service. All these factors culminate to customer satisfaction. The ability to deliver on these parameters is what constitutes manufacturing excellence.

The key components of manufacturing excellence are as under:

1. Operational excellence: When we talk about manufacturing, we need to consider that technology is very important in the industry; in many cases, technology is taking over jobs that people used to perform. This trend makes managing quality even more important because we are removing the human ability to control that quality. 

The future of operational excellence for manufacturing is not in words like productivity, efficiency, and standardization. It will be in concepts like growth, innovation, and customization.

 2. Manpower: Manpower flexibility, involving a flexible attitude, multiple skills, and ability to perform a variety of jobs, facilitates uninterrupted work and optimal utilization of resources.The problem faced by the manufacturers is to retain the tailors as they are not paid enough salary because of the advancement in the technology.

 3. Market Intelligence: The apparel industry is very dynamic in nature, as in this industry every season sets off with a new trend. For example:- in Middle East the weather remains the same throughtout the year therefore the demand of production is less but in Europe, the season changes rapidly. There the demand of production depends on the season. There are latest designs and technologies being introduced everyday, which has changed the approach towards merchandising and production. It has become important for apparel manufacturers to adopt the latest technologies and styles of production to establish their credentials in the market

4. Continual Improvement: Continuous improvement is all about leading by doing and empowering employees to make continuous improvement.

To remain competitive in the international market it is important to simultaneously improve quality and productivity on continual basis