Marketing of Man-Made Fibers

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Man-made fibres Market analysis:
Man-made fibres are marketed as commodities, as brand name fibers or as controlled brand name fibers. Fibers marketed as commodities are used without identification of source and are sold to any buyer in the open market. A dress labeled 100% Polyester has been made with commodity polyester fibers. Brand name man made fibers are identified by source through the brand names used. The fiber producer spends much Promotion money to establish his brand name and expects manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers down the line to take advantages of it. The man made fiber producer, however, frequently does not have complete control over the use of his brand name after the mill buys the finer. It is possible that a quality fabric could be used to make a poorly constructed garment and that this article would carry the fiber brand name on a label or hang tag. He controlled brand name approach enables the fiber maker to rigidly control the selling and subsequent use of the fiber.

Relationships are established with specific textile mills and fabric users who will utilize the fiber properly. A quality control program by the fiber producer insures that only products, which have satisfactorily passed various tests related to the end use, are allowed to use the fiber brand name. Unfortunately, consumer is usually unable to distinguish between a controlled brand name fiber and an uncontrolled brand name fiber.

Most of the fiber companies will sell their regular type fibers as a commodity as well as with a brand name. Under a licensed brand name or trademark program, the licensing company allows its brand name or trademark to be used by other companies in return for a specified remuneration.
In some cause, the product made by the licensee is carefully checked for quality by the licensor, but in other cases, it is not.

Man-made fiber producers license their Fiber brand names to certain mills that buy their fibers. The fiber brand name hangtags are later attached, for examples, to garments or draperies made from the licensed mill’s fabric. The fiber producer is compensated by receiving a slightly higher price from the mills than if the fibers were sold unbranded.

A licensed controlled brand name or trademark program means that the product also has satisfactorily passed various tests related to its end use before the brand name can be used. The tests are specified by the licensor. Such a program requires the maintenance of a quality control program to insure that the comp anises to which the trademarks or brand names have been licensed are making products that meet certain levels of quality.

In this way, the licensor can best attempt to insure that the brand name or trademark will not lose its value. Unfortunately, the levels or quality are not the same for each program and the consumer frequently does not know which controlled brand names indicate the best quality products.

The licensed controlled brand name programs of the textile industry became important in the early 1930’s when Cluett, Peabody & Company started to license their fabric shrinkage processes using the name Sanforired and Joseph Bancroft and Sons started to license their Everglaze Process, which insured fabric luster. In the 1960’s, the Celanese Corporations became the first major proponent among fiber producers of the licensed controlled brandname programs. Fabrics, as will as garments and other articles containing its branded fibers, had to pass specified quality tests before a Celanese hang tag would be placed on t he item. The program is still continuing.

The following are some of the textile licensed controlled brand name or trademark programs presently in use to market of man made fibre:

A. Polyextra ® textured polyester yarn program for upholstery fabrics—BASF Corporation.
B. Sanforized ® program for shrinkage control of woven fabrics and Sanforized Plus- 2 ® which is durable press program – Cluett, Peabody & Company;
C. Trevira ® polyester program for fabric quality – Hoechst Celanese Corporation;
D. Zepel ® program for fabric water and stain repellency quality
E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company. Inc.

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FABRIC RESOURCES

Primary Sources of Fabric
A primary source of fabric is a company that makes or creates the material. The Firms in this category are mills and mills and converters. Some of the mills produce woven fabrics exclusively; others make only knit fabrics, while some of the giant mills manufacture both.

In the Primary fabric market, most sales are based on contracts with shipments to be made months later. The converters and mills work closely with their customers designer’s and merchandisers to create designs and working samples. Sales of fabric either in inventory or about to be ready for sale (called spot or nearby goods) also occur, but on a much smaller scale. Unusually, very small orders will not be take, this being the function of the jobber.



 Fabric Resources (Mill)
The mill is a company that owns textiles machinery and makes fabric. The large textile mills are vertically integrated. They not only make the fabric, but also produce their own yarn and perform the finishing processes required after the fabric has been completed. However, they do not make their own fibers.
The mills sell their finished fibroin to various customers. The converter, discussed in the next section, is a major buyer.

Garment and home furnishings manufacturers use fabrics in making their products. Jobbers, who help dispose of excess or surplus merchandise for the mill, are another customer. Large retail stores, which in turn sell to the home sewer, also buy from the mills. Most of the staple fabrics are sold by the mills. A staple fabric is one, which is produced continuously each year with no change in construction or finish, and includes poplin, taffeta, tricot and sheeting. There are, however, many fancy or novelty fabrics also offered for sale by the mills.

The converter is an individual or organization that buys greige (or grey) goods (unfinished fabric), usually from mills, has the fabric dyed or printed and finished buy other companies, and then sells the finished fabric. All aspects of the fabric, including construction, design color and finish, are determined by ther converter.

Fabric Resources (Importer)
Many textile fabrics (and yarns) are made overseas and then imported into the United States. Since about 1980 the volume of textile imports has risen dramatically and today accounts for a large percent of the fabrics used domestically. While the greatest amount of textiles and textile products comes from the Far East. They are also received from many other parts of the world.

The textile importing companies are of two types. The direct importer buys fabrics or manufactured textile products (e.g.., clothing or soft luggage) from a foreign mill or other supplier. The other type, the import mills, is a foreign company that owns textile machinery and makes the fabric (or yarns) that is then exported. A secondary source of fabric is a company, which buys cloth and then sells it. Such a company is not involved in the making or creating of the material. Therefore, any seller of fabric other than mills and converters is considered a secondary source.

Fabric Resources (Jobber)
The jobber buys from mills, converters and garment manufacturers and other users. Although their purchases of a specific fabric type. Print or color are usually relatively small, jobbers nevertheless are valuable customers of the mills and converters. Jobbers often buy mill or converter fabrics that would otherwise be difficult to sell, including discontinued styles and colors and mill overruns. ( A mill overrun or tailing occurs when a mill produces more dyed, printed or finished fabric than the order specified . An overrun occurs for various reasons, including allowances for damaged yardage and short pieces unacceptable to the customer.) The jobber also sometimes buys fabric from users who have excess cloth. The excess cloth usually results from a decline in anticipated sales.

Fabric Resources (Retail Store)
Fabrics sold in the retails store are called over the counter sales and are bought by home sewer for their own needs. Put-up is the tern used to indicate the way fabric is packaged when it is sold. Most fabrics sold to garment and other manufactures are in a rolled, in either open width or tubular form. Some fabrics are doubled and rolled. Such fabrics are folded in half lengthwise, and then wound around a flat piece of cardboard. Cloth when sold to retail stores is usually in this put-up, in under 30 yard lengths. Velvet and other plush fabrics are usually not rolled because.

The resulting pressure would flatten the surface. The fabric is placed on a frame so the surface3 doses not contact any other part of the cloth. Pieces of woven fabric less then 40 yards in length are called shorts. These pieces are usually sold in either 20 to 40 yard pieces ( called 20 ‘ to 40 ‘s ), 10 to 20 yard pieces ( called 10 ‘s to 20’s ) or 5 to 10 yard pieces (Called 5’s to 10’s). Jobbers normally are the buyers of these short pieces of woven fabric.

Pound goods are usually very short pieces of fabric (often containing pieces less than one yard in length). They are sold by the pound and not by the yard. Fabric that cannot be sold in nay other manner is sold this way. These goods are bought at the buyer’s risk and receive the lowest price. End cases include stuffing for furniture and clothes for dolls.


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GARMENTS SPREADING AND SPREADING EQUIPMENT

Objectives of garments spreading:

 -Garments Spreading equipments and surfaces

 -Examine the role of fabric control devices of garments spreading.

Basic garments spreading equipment consists of:

(i) Spreading surfaces,

(ii) Spreading machines,

(iii) Fabric control devices during spreading, and

(iv) Fabric cutting devices.

Many firms operate productively with manually operated equipment, while other firms find the automated, high-tech equipment to be cost-effective for their operations. Under-standing the parts and complexities of spreading equipment provides insight for troubleshooting problems and better preparation for the process.

Spreading Surfaces:

The appropriate type of spreading surface is determined by the fabric type, spreading equipment, cutting method, cutting equipment, and the firm's quality standards. Spreading requires a flat, smooth surface. If the spreading surface doubles as a cutting surface, it also must be level. Spreading and cutting may be done on the same surface, but automated cutting often requires spreading and cutting to be done in adjacent but separate locations.

Spreading and cutting surfaces are available in standard widths that correspond to fabric width. Narrow fabric can be spread on a wider table. A spreading surface needs to be about 10 inches wider than the fabric. Spreading tables may have tracks or rails placed along one or both sides of a tabletop or just a few inches off the floor. This track helps guide and control the spreader as it moves up and down the length of the table. With some types of equipment, the table tracks are geared to synchronize the movement of the spreading machine with fabric unrolling, in order to regulate tension.

Spreading tables may also be very specialized for certain types of fabric and cutting equipment. Pin tables have rows of pins located below the surface that can be extended through slats to hold fabric in a precise location for accurate matching of pattern repeats. Vacuum tables are used to compress lay-up and prevent shifting or movement during cutting. A spread is covered with a plastic film that forms a seal over the lay-up when a vacuum is applied. A lay-up of quilted fabric can be compressed as much as 75 percent when the vacuum is used. This allows more plies in the lay-up and restricts the movement of slippery fabrics for more accurate cutting.

Cutting equipment may be moved to a lay-up as another lay-up is prepared further down the table, or fabric can be spread on one surface and then transferred to the cutting surface. Air flotation tables, when activated, allow easy movement of a lay-up onto an adjacent cutting area. A layer of air between the table surface and the bottom layer of paper reduces friction and allows a lay-up to be moved easily without putting stress on the fabric or the operators.

Spreading tables with conveyorized surfaces carry the fabric to the cutting machine so that no time is wasted. Ideally one lay-up can be cut while is being spread. Conveyors may be used with computerized cutting systems, large die presses, and laser cutters.

Garments Spreading Machines:

Automatic Spreading Machine with fabric control devices

The fundamental purpose of spreading machines is to superimpose layers of fabric in a smooth, tension-free manner for accurate and efficient cutting. Manually operated spreading machines can be as simple a roll bar mounted on four wheels that is pushed up and down a spreading table by an operator. Manual spreaders travel only as fast as an operator moves them, while some of the faster automated machines can spread 100-150 yards per minute. Spreading speed can only be utilized on long spreads with few defects. Spreading speed may affect productivity, quality, and cost of the operation, but it should not be the primary focus for purchase of new equipment. Manual spreading machines may be used by small firms as the primary spreading device and by large firms for short spreads. As spreading machines become more sophisticated, they are motor driven and have fabric control devices included increasing productivity, decreasing variability, and making spreading more cost-efficient.

Fabric Control Devices during garments spreading:
Fabric control devices are mechanisms that control fabric as it is carried up and down the table and unrolled by the spreading machine. These devices include:
(i) Tensioning mechanisms,
(ii) Positioning devices, and
(iii) End treatment systems.

(i) Tensioning involves synchronizing the rate of spreading with the rate fabric is unrolled. A positive feed system utilizes a covered roller that is driven and timed to the movement of the machine. It prevents the momentum of a large roll from continuing to unwind when the machine slows down or stops. Roller covers of different materials may be used to give better gripping power for different types and weights of fabric.

(ii) Positioning devices and sensors monitor position and control fabric placement during spreading. These devices improve the quality of a spread. Electronic edge sensors monitor selvages as fabric is spread. A deviation from the proposed alignment triggers a motor that shifts the roll to the correct position. Alignment can be held to one-eighth inch tolerance with these devices.

(iii) Width indicators may sound an alarm to alert the operator whenever fabric becomes narrower than the established width. Width variations are analyzed to determine where in the marker they fall, whether the fabric will still fit the marker, or whether the variation should be treated as a defect and removed.

(iv) End treatment devices are used with spreaders but are separate and placed at the end of the spread. The specific end treatment equipment needed depends on whether the spreading mode is face-to-face or face-one-way. A face-to-face spread utilizes an end catcher and folding blade that work together. These are mechanical parts, mounted at opposite ends of the marker to catch and hold the fabric as the blade shapes and creases the fold. An overfeed device may be built into the spreading unit, which automatically feeds extra material when a fold is to be made. End treatments have a major impact on fabric waste. There must be enough fabric at the end of a lay to retain it in place, but any fabric beyond the end of the marker is wasted.

For F/O/W spreads, a knife box is needed along with an end catcher. A knife box contains a cutting unit (usually a small rotary knife) that operates in a track and cuts across the fabric width when engaged. With face-one-way spreads, each ply must be cut from the roll at the end of the marker. The catcher simply holds the fabric end in place for cutting. As multiple plies are spread, the fold blade and/or knife box must be elevated to the height of the top ply in order to fold or cut the fabric.

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