Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is a great product and a great fiber, no chemicals on one of the most chemically intensive crops in the world, what a great story. Before you purchase make sure your supplier can certify the source of the fiber and their certifications. Bottom line: make sure your organic cotton has integrity. Companies such as MantraMeds a U.S. manufacturer of fashion medical apparel, takes the approach of purchasing Texas Organic Cotton  and following the flow of the fiber. Like many other companies their comfort level is in knowing the farmer, seeing the Department of Agriculture certifications, and working closely with the spinner.

Recycled Cotton

The concept of recycled cotton is to take good fibers out of waste and in turn reduce the need to actually grow more cotton. In a lot of ways recycled cotton is much better than organic cotton; it reduces the acreage of cotton grown. It’s important to remember however that the process of reclaiming fibers is difficult on the integrity of the fiber itself. You simply cannot make a fine count yarn out of short fibers, but you can make beautiful blends and coarse counts. Patrick Yarns (www.patrickyarns.com) is a domestic leader in placing recycled cotton in the correct market

Bamboo

Bamboo is the source of cellulose in rayon; it’s not the fiber. Rayon can be phenomenally harsh in manufacturing with the cellulose put in a slurry of acid and then extruded into fiber. Rayon was originally made in the U.S. out of wood pulp, but economics and environmental issues stopped domestic production. One item of note is that it is against FTC regulations to label a product as just “bamboo,” it must be labeled as “cellulose” or “rayon.”

Modal and Tencel are cellulosic fibers but made by Lenzing in a close loop system. If you like cellulosic fibers such as bamboo, it’s imperative to ask your supplier about Modal and Tencel. These fibers have the attributes of rayon, including the great “hand,” plus more, and all are done in an environmentally friendly way.

Recycled Polyester

Recycled polyester (rpet) is a fiber that is making great strides for all the right reasons. RPET saves energy, reduces our dependence on oil, and can save millions of plastic bottles from our landfills. Much like organic cotton it’s imperative you trust your source. One leader in the industry is Unifi with their U-Trust third party verification on their Repreve brand of recycled poly. One of the most attractive aspects of RPET is that the fibers have all the attributes of virgin polyester, but with a great environmental story.

Earthspun Apparel  has just launched an intriguing new RPET that is the color of the feed stock. Brown recycled plastic bottles make brown fiber, green/green, blue/blue, etc. The color of the garments are derived without the water and energy consumption of the conventional dying process.

There are many other fibers on the market with some very unique features. Fibers today are being made from unique products like coconut shells and corn sugars,  each new fiber has its own set of attributes and each has a great story. The best way to understand the products you purchase is to ask the simple questions, and to build a relationship with your vendor.

Jack Miller is a partner with SustainTex LLC, and he would be delighted to discuss sustainable fabrics and practices in more detail during Atlanta Apparel Market.

There are additional ways in which designers and manufacturers can approach the eco-fashion trend including: designing with eco-friendly materials, creating zero-waste manufacturing methods (or patterns), analyzing alternative power sources for manufacturing process and identifying local distribution options for lowering the carbon footprint of fashion products. A few accessory companies, such as Fibre Arts Design,  Palo Alto, CA have adopted many of these eco-friendly practices for their handbag line. For instance, they design and cut zero or low wasted patterns for manufacturing to lower or eliminate the waste in the manufacturing process. Many items are actually constructed using fabrics rewoven from cutting room waste. In addition, all the power for Fibre Arts Design is purchased from Wind and Solar power sources. Many communities have begun to offer these “green” or alternative power options to businesses. It may cost more to purchase green power, but the result is a lower carbon footprint product. In addition, Fibre Arts is in discussion with some Atlanta folks to explore setting up an eco-friendly manufacturing plant on the east coast to offer even lower carbon footprint shipping options to retail partners in the Eastern US.

Find out more about Wo and Fibre Arts Design studio here: http://www.fibreartsdesign.com/

Plus, be sure to visit Fibre Arts Designs at their booth in Premier on the 2nd Floor, booth #2-114.

JingleNog’s booth at the Spring Atlanta Gift, Home Furnishings & Holiday Market caught the eye of judges, who were tapped to identify the best displays in the Market Temporaries, with an unexpected and fresh take on holiday product. The winner of the AmericasMart “Best of Show” Visual Display Award this spring, JingleNog showcased the best use of space, product arrangement, lighting, flooring and signage overall.

JingleNog’s handmade glass ornaments are the product of owner and creator Melissa Byrne’s stories and drawings. The glass blown ornaments showcase her twenty years of experience in the Christmas and Gift Industry, as well as the tradition of European glassmaking.

The JingleNog booth brings the product packaging to life as a whimsical, winter circus wonderland on a green and cream palate. Against the candy green striped curtains lining the space, white wire display trees and unexpected faux-grass flooring, JingleJog ornaments came to life and transformed this temporary booth into a fanciful fairytale.

This outstanding and unique display showcased JingleNog’s creativity and supported the playful nature of their product. Congratulations, JingleNog!

Be sure to join us for more creativity and excitement next Market!

As this year’s hottest category, accessories have gained the spotlight at Atlanta Apparel. These products that sell—and fast—will dominate Market. Supporting this trend is an educational seminar with forward-thinking speakers tapped to address how and when to add accessories and shoes to your business.  Accessories are crucial for a successful product mix, and this Market, Atlanta Apparel raises the stakes in variety of product offerings with hundreds of lines in jewelry, handbags, watches, belts and more–in styles fit for every buyer.

Plus, don’t miss the Daily Strut Fashion Shows, taking place every day at noon and 3 p.m. These mini-runway events highlight the premier trends of Market and support Friday night’s Style Runway Fashion Show, taking place at 6:30 p.m. on Floor 2.

Atlanta Apparel is your destination for trends, events, education and fun for the upcoming retail season. Prepare to be immersed in the fashion forward excitement tomorrow, Feb. 3 beginning at 11 a.m. with a Light-Up Lip Gloss Giveaway!

To read the entire Market release, click here.

Find Market details here.

Being that I have spent some serious time there both shopping for fun and shopping for work I have some tips for making the most out of your AmericasMart experience.

1. You MUST wear comfortable shoes. It is not an option, it is a necessity. You will walk forever and you need to be comfortable (or you could just buy cute flats somewhere in Building 3.)

2. Get a map/directory and hold on to it! If you are coming for the first time you might get disoriented but a campus map and the directory will get you where you need to go.

3. Bring business cards. As a designer this should be automatic, but it is the easiest way to hook up with showrooms. Give an associate your business card and ask them to send you whatever you need to set up an account/line list/etc. This way you don’t leave with 5,000 brochures, unless you’re into that.

4. It also doesn’t hurt to keep a copy of your Tax ID and Business License in your bag. I carry mine around and I pull it out more then you could imagine.

5. Bring a small notebook that can fit in your bag. You will need it.

6. Have your camera ready and charged. Of course always ask if you are allowed to take pictures, but I find that snapping a photo of what it is I like and then jotting down where it is from, is the best way to keep track of what I see. There are so many showrooms and options that if you like a piece, snap a photo, get the info, then send that photo to your showroom rep and chances are they can hook you up with the rest of the line.

7. Utilize the Coat Checks! You will have your hands full, you will have a bag, maybe a cart as well, they will get full and cumbersome. There are coat checks located in each building near the lobby or registration area, ditch your coat, it’s one less thing to struggle with.

8. Market Wednesdays are awesome. If you can’t make it to Market or if the idea of fighting ATL traffic downtown on a busy Market Week isn’t appealing, hit up Market Wednesday. They are typically every other month (check www.americasmart.com for exact dates) and most showrooms are open specifically on those dates. Sometimes showrooms are open every day, some are only open during Market, etc. But most vendors make and effort to be open for Market Wednesdays.

9. Coffee. If you need coffee like I need coffee (or water and sustenance in general) you can find it in every building! Specifically: Building 1, floors: 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19. Building 2, floors: 8, 10, 12. Building 3, floors: 1, 2, 5, 6.

10. Strategy: I like to work from the top down and walk the loop in each building. It helps to have an idea of where you want to go and what you are looking for in advance, that way you make the most of your time. If you aren’t up for chatting with vendors or showroom staff and just want to get through as much as possible, I like taking my directory and noting each showroom that looks appealing and then contacting them for information later. That way I can see as much as possible and still get the information I need when the time comes.

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If you don’t see Niki on the Home floors, you can find her at the “Blogging, Business and Bites” panel on Saturday, January 15. She, along with three other blogging peers, will give insider tips on how blogging can build your business. It all starts at 4 p.m. in Building 1, floor 14, 14-D-9.

The January Market will feature more than 150 of the industry’s leading gourmet and houseware companies spotlighting more than 300 lines. Plus, the product center will showcase new product launches, line debuts and company introductions.

New to AmericasMart this January are BIA Cordon Bleu, Messermeister, Chantal Cookware, Epicurean Cutting Boards, Guzzini, and Jura Capresso . Several manufactures and retailers such as The Connection, The Ryan Group, Delectable Samplings, Joel Kasperzak, Ben Tally, Coastline Imports, Diligence and Lynn’s Concepts have decided to expand their space at AmericasMart in order to showcase more product in Atlanta. In addition to the companies that make up the permanent product center, there are more than 250 lines that are part of the Gourmet Market Temporaries, which are located on floor 2 of the building.

Attendees will also  have endless access to the industry’s biggest names and most sought-after chefs and education at Market. AmericasMart Building 2 houses a gourmet state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, which is located at the heart of the product center. This January, it will host celebrity chefs and renowned gourmet and housewares leaders. Making an appearance at the January Market:

• Ace of Cakes’ Food Network star Duff Goldman
• Marcel Vigneron, season one finalist of Bravo’s hit TV show “Top Chef” and “Top Chef All-Stars”
• Virginia Willis
• Celebrated local chefs Gerry Klaskala
• Patricia “Sister” Schubert
• Helen Chen
• Linton Hopkins
• Several exhibitor-sponsored events and educational presentations.

Don’t miss out on the first market of the New Year and the best collection of Gourmet/Housewares product, resources and entertainment! For more information about the January Market, click here. To read the entire release, click here.

The energy at Market was high on day one with exciting events and the opening day of the new swim and resort category called SPLASH on floor 3.

The Daily Strut, which takes place everyday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., has highlighted the styles retailers can find right now during Market.

Plus, the Friday night hit, the Style Runway fashion show, drew crowds from every floor of the building. Everyone gathered in the atrium on floor 2 to watch the show featuring Montreal Collections. And, Montreal Collections featured one of their hottest designers, Samuel Dong. Samuel Dong presented 30 outfits from his Spring 2011 collection, followed by other Montreal lines. For the show’s grand finale, other Atlanta Apparel exhibitors and designers showed their lines and collections after the debut of Montreal Collections.

And, there’s still more to come. It’s only day two of Market! Be sure to experience all at the last Market of the year!

The cocktails start flowing at 6:30 p.m. so be sure to hop over after your day ends at Market.

Market Kick-off Part
6:30 p.m.
Bar Eleven at the Loews Atlanta Hotel
1065 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 745-5000

We have enterntainment and food recommendations, the Top 50 things to see/do in Atlanta, what’s happening in October in Atlanta and more! Check it out and start making plans before you arrive. Click here and enhance your Atlanta trip!

If you want to wait until you’re at Market, we can still help! Just go to the registration lobby on the second floor and look for the “experience Atlanta” booth. We’ll have brochures and information on all the fabulous things to see, do and eat in Atlanta.

Atlanta is just around the corner for you! Start thinking about what you’re going to do while you’re here.

Want to know who will be here and who’s new? Find out the featured new lines here.