Managing Garment Merchandising

Introduction

The textile and garment industry is booming in India, especially after elimination of the global quota system. Presently India is exporting garments to more than 100 countries including US, EU, Latin America, and Middle East. Last year, garment export was nearly 00 million and about 1200 million pieces. The main competitors of India are countries like China, Korea, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Sri-Lanka.

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The Indian garment industry is gaining ground in the world market at breakneck speed, but still not flourished at its fullest extent. Although the resources are available plentiful with a powerful foundation of fabric and spinning sector to support. The key factors behind this are low technological development, lower output, cut throat competition, high raw material cost, inadequate infrastructure, traditional productivity, unfavorable regulatory policies, and globalization impact. However, there is a fair list of the producers, suppliers, and exporters that are fully acknowledged with regulatory policies and formalities, international marketing policies and procedures. The only concern is in executing their productivity initiatives, and meeting with order deadlines.

Now days, major companies are adopting merchandising concepts, which comply with all procedures to execute and dispatch the shipment on time, considering quality, cost and time. Merchandisers are serious in the success of any garment retail business. They provide the right products at the right time, enabling a company to match with latest market trends and meet the market demand. In the merchandising concept, time management is a gig to manage one's time properly, so he can focus on value adding actions.

Today's garment merchandisers have to move with frequent changes in demand and the developing technologies utilized in manufacturing and production. To find out customer requirements, they regularly visit retail outlets, and come up with latest updates from frontline staff. In order to keep an eye on developments in sourcing, site visits are made every week to mainland factories to meet suppliers and study production.

In garment merchandising, there is no specific rule, so it's important to be able to think on one's feet.

The main procedures of merchandisers are as followed:
Understanding Sample Order

Merchandiser has to understand the buyer's requirements after receiving specification in the sample order. In many cases, there are modifications pertaining to the specifications in the order to dispatch on time and the right quality.

He has to talk with the in-house veterans on the execution problems of sample orders, as the right information is required in decision making.

Managing order route card and production timetable

Merchandiser has to manage every single production schedule and order route card that helps to follow-up the execution in the planned way. It is expected to be acknowledged of the various descriptions like: design, no. of modules, no. of operators, how many processes, date of dispatch, quantity, output capacity, and deadlines in the schedules.

The sub-ordinates are normally assigned to follow-up with execution of the plan. Merchandiser plans the activities depending on the essentials or non-essentials, and top priority are given to the most essential tasks. This is customary that the essential activities are handled personally or with the support of junior merchandisers/sub-ordinates.

In a "daily schedule", merchandiser has to carry-out and categorize which is the most significant and urgent task. The activity that has to be focused with full attention to sweep-off non-essential activities and have to be to be corrected by prioritizing to meet the deadlines.

Using route card to reschedule activities

To get updated on the current status on the order, the route cards should be utilized. The latest status can be fed into the computers. In case, the buyer ask for the goods prior to the deadline, then merchandiser has to reorganize the schedules to accomplish tasks, output capacity, no. of pieces to be produced daily, substitute arrangements, time availability, supply time, scheduling critical ratio, etc.

Submitting pre-production samples

The pre-production samples should be provided on time to the concerned buyers. Quality of the sample must be verified. If required, revised samples should be made available to the buyers. Merchandiser should adjust to the required changes demanded by the buyer. The execution of bulk orders should be made only after samples are approved by the buyer.

In-process inspection denote between any tasks in order-execution. In case of non- conformation, it is better to focus on the concerns of quality. Merchandisers that works on complete orders have to check deviation to the production teams so that any amendments can be done to avoid the non-conformities.

Solving shortage problem

The merchandiser should know about the dearth of any commodity such as fabric, yarn, etc... from the beginning. Actions should be taken immediately to arrange required materials, after discovering the shortage. It is expected that the merchandisers should verify quality of the goods prior to execution of the order. If the material is found unavailable, the superior should be informed about the concern.

Communicating with associated people and buyer

It is essential to communicate with the buyers regarding the order. It is expected to give some time to the buyer to read the sent messages. Merchandiser should to go through the messages received from the buyer and reply on time. In many cases, merchandisers have to provide order status to the buyers. Also, merchandiser has to communicate with the people that are in-house, venders, contractors and job-workers. Only through the right communication can one meet deadline for the concerned orders.

Conclusion

Apart from the above mention procedures, merchandiser has to assign subordinates to help him in the order execution, and direct the procedures. He has to revise his knowledge from time-to-time to know current market trends. To record preferences for all the planned activities, use daily or time log systems.

The Merchandiser should find out exact reasons for time consumption. It is necessary to keep record of time value and keeping it safe, as it is going to be shared with concerned parties/buyers. It is certain that merchandising jobs need huge time planning.

Last but not least, KEEP YOUR EYES & EARS OPEN.

Managing Garment Merchandising

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Tips In Turning Out To Be A First-Class Textile Manufacturer And Dealer

The quest to turn an industrial fabric manufacture into great wholesale fabric supplier not only involves perseverance and self-assurance as well as a full awareness of textiles and weaving. It is also supremely important that one be aware of the well used and unpopular textiles which include cotton and wool hybrids, polyester and wool hybrids (which are classic examples of man-made strands), and the developing fabrics prepared out of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers. Knowing the qualities amongst the diversity of weaves and yarns, such as alpaca and cashmere, will also be help you in getting cheaper looms to manufacture these fabrics.

To be a successful producer and manufacture excellent fabrics you have to know the basic fabrics. An individual has to be a good executive decision maker in order to evaluate the differences in all kinds of fabrics, sources of supplies and materials, quality equipment and work spaces, and preparations for promoting your products.

Textiles

You ought to also have a creative mind when it comes time to advertise your products to other retailers, dealers, and import-exporters. The vast majority of parts for textile production have become fully computerized. Familiarize yourself with supervising the apparatus and catalog their rates of production and mending.

At some point in study take note of professionals in the fields in mathematics and engineering, they are important to be aware of and are useful to develop an insight into the market. Supervising the manufacturing of goods needs negotiation and communication abilities. It's a big advantage if you are an excellent representative that has an influence on profitable planning in various main manufacturing areas.

The talent and skill in manufacturing textiles comes from an extremely acute understanding in the supply and demand of the marketplace. It requires flexibility and a capability to analyze, plan, and think productively. You must go on with producing first-class products created with the most modern developments in technology. To do well in textile production a person needs to have sound choices such as where to build a store and consider the local, national, and global textile market conditions.

Capital to start the business is essential of course. Financial source system can help you get off your feet and hit the ground running. Excellent credit documents can assist you while searching for money to fund your business. Take advantage of the special or extended credit lenders may offer a new textile manufacturer with a good credit score.

Tips In Turning Out To Be A First-Class Textile Manufacturer And Dealer

David Textiles, founded in 1985 on the philosophy of providing quality fabric by the yard at competitive prices. We are a textile manufacturer offering a wide range of licensed and exclusive fabrics. We are a leader in the design and execution of a variety of base cloths. Customer Satisfaction is, and always will remain, priority number one at David Textiles.

Ben Cohen
David Textiles Inc.

Dangers of Dust in the Workplace

Millions of workers are at risk because of dust for two reasons; the danger of combustion, and dust-related illness. Dust can cause explosions if there is a concentration cloud of dust and a source of ignition, and it is only through careful management and risk-minimisation that there are relatively few injuries caused in this way in the UK.

Dust-related illness is a much bigger problem for workers, and has been found to be one of the largest occupational killers in the UK. In 2003, there were around 4,000 deaths from industrial illnesses caused by dust such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and silicosis.

Textiles

Workplaces where dust may cause health problems
These are some of the places of work in which workers may be exposed to large amounts of dust:

- Mines (coal dust)

- Quarries (silica dust and flint dust)

- Textiles (leather dust)

- Mills and bakeries (flour dust)

- Building sites (cement dust and asbestos dust)

- Agriculture (grain dust)

- Wood-related work (wood dust)

There are 65,000 people who work with flour who are thought to be at significant risk of industrial illness as a result of poor dust control. Over 70 bakeries have been served with notices to improve working practices over the last 3 years as a result of low levels of health and safety regulation compliance.

Dust-related illnesses

Most dust-related industrial illnesses take many years to develop, with people not realising they have them for up to 40 or 50 years in some cases. Pneumoconiosis is the name given to dust-related disease that affects the lungs, of which there are a number, including silicosis and asbestosis. Silicosis and asbestosis cause inflammation of the lungs and scarring of lung tissue, and symptoms such as weight loss, coughing, and severe breathing difficulties may also be present.

Other illnesses that can be caused by dust include:

- Skin conditions

- Eye damage

- Nose damage

- Cancer

- Asthma

How to reduce the risk of dust-related injuries and illnesses
The general health and safety regulations which protect employees from dust include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Factories Act 1961, and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988. There are other regulations which may apply to specific industries, such as The Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations 1975, that provide extra protection for workers.

These are some ways in which employers can help make a cleaner, healthier environment for their employees:

- Installing an exhaust ventilation system, where dust is removed from the site of generation

- Installing a dilution ventilation system, where dust is spread evenly throughout the area

- Ensuring employees wear proper protective clothing and are aware of the importance of it. Nuisance dust masks are not considered adequate protection by the Health and Safety Executive, with respirators a much more effective solution

- Ensuring employees undergo regular health checks to pick up any early signs of possible illness

What to do if you have been diagnosed with a dust-related illness
A compensation claim against your employer or former employer may well be a possible option, and one that should be explored within 3 years of diagnosis (or of the accident, in the case of an explosion caused by dust).

Employers have a duty of care for those working for them, and if they failed to ensure the well-being of staff and injury was caused as a result, then it is likely the injured worker will be entitled to compensation.

The first step to making a compensation claim is to obtain legal advice from specialists in industrial illness and accident at work compensation who will have experience and knowledge of claims similar to yours. The legal advice should be free and without obligation so you can make the decision of whether to proceed with the claim.

Dangers of Dust in the Workplace

Editorial notes: YouClaim are experts in personal injury law who provide a no cost, no fee compensation service to people in the UK who have been injured through no fault of their own. For more information, please see http://www.youclaim.co.uk or call 0800 10 757 95.

Author notes: Alexandra Gubbins of http://www.youclaim.co.uk

Leather Options For Promotional Keyrings

Most promotional keyrings are made from plastic, metal, or leather. Each of these textiles has a distinctive look and feel-plastic is hard and brittle, for example, and plastic keyrings are available in a wide variety of bright colors. Including novelty plastic keyrings in several colors or shapes is the ideal way to add some fun to your promotional range, without adding too much expense. If that is not the look you want to achieve, leather may be an excellent alternative.

A good quality leather keyring projects a very different image from that of plastic-a leather keyring has a much more classic appearance, and the item feels more expensive even if it does not cost much more than a plastic one. Leather does not have the feeling of fun that a brightly colored novelty plastic keyring does, but there are plenty of occasions where you will want to give a gift that has the luxurious feeling that leather provides.

Textiles

If you would prefer the more elegant look of a leather keyring, there are several options available, including some attractive leather medallion keyrings that include a metal element too. Each of these is both attractive and affordable-there are some half a dozen options for less than ¤1.30 per item. This is a great way to give a luxurious, elegant gift without blowing your budget.

Leather-look keyrings are very affordable, with pear-shaped Vivella keyrings available from just ¤0.33. Vivella is a manufactured textile made from a combination of polyurethane and pressed fiber that looks and feels very much like leather-if you prefer the elegance of leather but have budget restrictions, Vivella is an excellent alternative. Vivella keyrings are available in pear-shaped, rectangular, and circular styles.

These three promotional keyrings can be upgraded to genuine Finecell or Tuscana leather if you prefer-starting at ¤0.58 for Finecell and ¤0.69 for Tuscana leather. These are very luxurious-feeling textiles, and both look very elegant when paired with a foil blocked design. Each keyring is available a variety of colors, including black, burgundy and red.

If your budget will extend a little further, there are several options available for hybrid leather and metal keyrings. Each features a leather tag inset with a polished stainless steel medallion that is satiny-smooth to the touch. Each medallion is die stamped and printed to create a very attractive and high-quality item. These styles are very affordable, starting at ¤1.05 per item. For a little more--¤1.28 per item-the metal inset can be coated in a hard-wearing epoxy resin, to provide a much more durable printed message.

The price of each leather keyring includes the price of a foil blocked or single color printed design. Additional print colors can be obtained for as little as ¤0.15, so a colorful design is very affordable. The elegance of leather keyrings makes them very popular executive gifts-"thank you" gifts for attending product presentations or for valued clients, incentives or rewards for employees.

Leather Options For Promotional Keyrings

Tina Rinaudo is one of the leading lights in the UK printed keyrings industry. Tina is a key member of YesGifts, the UK's fastest growing online promotional items resource specialising in promotional pens, mugs, mouse mats, umbrellas, conference items and much more.

Why Choose Bamboo Towels?

Have you hear of bamboo towels? Generally bamboos are common for furniture but not for clothing and textiles, right? However, they have developed a system to make towels and other related products from bamboo, as major raw materials.

In fact, the demand for this quality of products is escalating for so many reasons. First its popularity for being the first choice to natural fabric is due to its quality. It is best alternative option for cotton. Its properties are very versatile while its fabric is acclaimed to be extremely soft, smooth and very comfortable.

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The bamboo towels are oftentimes compared to the quality of silk when it is tapped to your skin. It is likely to be odor free while it stays fresh for longer period of time. Its fabric also has the ability to quickly absorbs and disperse the sweat.

The maintenance and caring tips for bamboo towels are not really complicated. It is easily washed on gentle setting. In fact, cold water is enough to rinse these towels. As it is quite delicate, the use of bleach and fabric softener is not advisable. It causes damages to the material. After you wash it, simply hang it to dry.

When ironing the bamboo towels, opt for the lowest settings. If you are not very picky, you can escape the ironing process because you can hardly find creases and wrinkles after it dries. This is the reason that it is good to take this for backpacking or trekking activities.

With these tips, this product is low maintenance. This allows you to save from spending extra money for bleachers or fabric softener. More so, you are saving energy because there is no need for ironing and it requires minimal energy when washing it.

The most important reason for choosing this product is its impact to the environment. Bamboo belongs to the family of grass thus it makes these product more eco-friendly.

Why Choose Bamboo Towels?

Learn more about bamboo towels, please visiting http://www.gsyywz.com/shopping/how-bamboo-towels-are-made/

Retro Style - Re-Discovering Vintage Barkcloth Fabric

Barkcloth gets its name from a primitive fabric which is made from the fibers of tree bark found in tropical and subtropical countries. The outer bark is stripped from the tree and then the inner bark is separated with the outer bark. Next the inner bark is beaten with wooden beaters or steel tools on an anvil to spread the fibers. Often water and soaking may be introduced to soften the fibers. Larger cloths are made by layering and felting smaller pieces together during the beating phase. Sometimes a starchy glue-like substance derived from tropical plants is used to attach small pieces together. Primitive barkcloth was used for clothing and wall hangings.

Barkcloth made is way to France in the 1920's and was made using cotton mixed with rayon. Our introduction to barkcloth was the imported material from France known as cretonne, a woven cloth with a nubby texture. By the late 1930's barkcloth was being manufactured in America. During the colorful era (1940's-1950's) barkcloth, a generic term to describe nubby fabric with a bark-like texture dominated American households. From upholstered furnishings to window treatments barkcloth was favored because of its durability and dense weave. I have heard people claim that barkcloth is so strong that it is cat proof. ....I have my doubts.

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Florals, country scenes, geometrics, abstracts, botanicals, landscapes, leaves and birds are all common designs found on barkcloth. Today there are many design houses reproducing barkcloth using older designs. When buying barkcloth be sure to ask if what you are buying is vintage or new. Atomic era barkcloth with geometric and abstract designs by noted artists in large quantities is very hard to find. If you discover a website that shows so much inventory that you think you have gone to heaven and back...beware...you are probably looking at a reproduction studio. Most times, you will find a yard or two here and there. It's not common to hit the jackpot anymore with these vintage textiles. Expect to pay .00-25.00 a yard for vintage barkcloth.

Retro Style - Re-Discovering Vintage Barkcloth Fabric

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

If you would like to contact Dianne, email her at Dianne@CDianneZweig.com or visit her website at http://www.cdiannezweig.com/

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Textiles Applications in Automotive Industry

With the rising level of automobile production and its corresponding worldwide stocks based on the rapid industrialisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America plus the rising demand in Eastern Europe, the proportion of textiles in a motor car is increasing in response to more stringent comfort and safety needs in industrialised countries like the USA, Japan and Western Europe.

Automobile textiles, which are non apparel textiles, are widely used in vehicles like cars, trains, buses, aircrafts and marine vehicles. Hence, the term automobile textile means all type of textile components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the fabric used in automobiles.

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Nearly two third of the automobile textiles are for interior trim, i.e. seat cover, carpets and roof and door liners. The rest is utilized to reinforce tyres, hoses, safety belts, air bags, etc.

It is projected that nearly 45 square meters of textile material is utilized in a car for interior trim (seating area, headlines, side panel, carpet and trunk). According to a survey, the percentage of textile in a motor car amounts to 2 per cent of the overall weight of a car. Apart from this, visible textile components, eliminating hidden components such as in tyres and composites, hoses and filters; amount to 10-11 kg per vehicle in absolute terms. Industrial textiles are largely utilized in vehicles and systems including cars, buses, trains, air crafts and marine vehicles. In automobile textile industry, four types of fabrics are used, namely:

. Air bag fabrics

. Fabric used as a basis for reduction in weight of body parts

. Tyre cord fabrics

. Automotive upholstery and other textile fabrics used inside the vehicle

The airbag and seat belts used as safety measures are one of the latest types of textiles in automobiles and have a potential market for technical textiles that has a considerable scope for growth and development. Because of government legislation and consumer interest, the applications have been extremely successful over the last ten to fifteen years.

In the last decade, airbags or inflatable restraints have received noteworthy significance as a safeguard for the driver and the passengers in case of an accident. Initially, the bags were made for head-on collision, but now, there are many other safety devices like side impact bags, knee bolsters, side curtain, etc, available for safety in any type of crash. Because frontal collisions are a main reason of accidental deaths, airbags are being presented as a standard product in vehicles by legislation, which has given the quick increment of airbags business in the last decade. NHTSA and HHS report that airbag systems have played an important role in saving thousands of lives since 1985. In 2002 alone, due to the airbag system a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities resulting from fatal collisions has been observed.

In 1999, there were 55 million vehicles with 81 million airbags. In 2004, the number of frontal airbag units was nearly 100 million and the number of side-impact airbags nearly 65 million. In the same year, nearly 23 per cent of the new vehicles in North America had side airbags for chest protection and 17 per cent had side airbags for head protection. By 2005, this has increased to 180 million airbags and 65 million vehicles.

Fabric application demand has increased to 325 million square meters in 2005, and 83 tons of fibre, mostly nylon has been used.

The world airbag market is estimated to rise from 66 million units in 1996 to over 200 million units in 2006, a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent. Over this decade, Europe will put in 60 million units, Asia-Pacific 30 million units and North America 24 million units.

While North American and Western European markets are growing, considerable development is also seen in the international market. As new applications are developing for airbags, including rear seat bags, inflatable seat belts and an outside airbag system for pedestrians, new fabrics and combinations are being applied. The front and passenger bags have different requirements because of the distance from the occupant, but they both have rapid increment and deflation in a very short time span.

Rollover bags must remain inflated for five seconds. In addition to new uses, expected trends include lighter fabric for use with newer "cold inflators," blended with materials like fabric and film, new coating polymers (Silicone now dominates having replaced neoprene).

Growth of safety devices in the car interior

Increasing electronics and safety devices require more space in the interior together with new concepts for arrangement.

Worldwide market for PA airbag yarns

The fibre manufacturer Accordis Industrial Fibres BV, Arnhem/ Netherlands reported that the global market for PA airbag was 84,000 tons in 2005.

Airbags

Airbags were first introduced in the late 1960s, but it is only in the 1990s that their use increased amazingly and it is set to grow further. This validates the research and development still being made on design, deployment and base fabric material.

The prospects for the textile and making-up indus¬tries are huge in the area of airbag production. This is due to its large requirement particularly in view of the legislation, which is already imposed by many countries.

Around 1.42 meter2 of fabric is required to produce driver¬ side airbags on light trucks. This estimation gives the idea that the airbag market is of great importance for the use of technical textiles. Airbags are normally made by coated or uncoated fabrics of PA 6.6 yarns with lesser air permeability.

A fabric cushion is included as a part of textile ingredient for an airbag, which is folded into the center of the steering wheel (for the driver) or in the glove compartment (for the front seat passenger). Generally, the bag is woven by nylon 6, 6 filament yarns, which are in demand in huge quantities because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, favorable elongation, adequate thermal properties and relatively low cost of production. Other properties required are high tear strength, high anti-seam slippage, controlled air permeability and be capable for being folded into confined places for over ten years without deterioration.

Function

A triggering device sets-off explosive chemicals when it senses an accident above 35 km/h is about to occur. These chemicals hold back and cushion the car occupant from collision with harder objects. The fabric from which the bag is made must be competent for withstanding the strength of the propellant chemicals. More over, the hot gases must not penetrate the fabric and burn the skin of the car occupant.

For airbags to perform their protective function, each function in the system must work with reliability and predictability. In frontal airbag initiation, the cushion begins to deploy within 20 ms after collision and is fully set up in 50 ms. Within this period of time, the bag has to spread through the plastic cover, blown up and fill the space between the dashboard and occupant.

Material applications

Airbags are generally made from high tenacity multifilament nylon 6, 6 in yarn quality fineness from 210, 420 to 840 denier, although some polyester and even some nylon 6 is utilized. As Nylon 6 is softer, it is used to lessen skin abrasion. Airbag fabric is not dyed, but has to be scoured to eliminate impure substances, which could encourage mildew or other problems. Airbags are created in compact size, plain woven fabrics.

The amount of fabric required to make an airbag depends on its location in the car and the market it serves. The fabrics utilized to produce a driver's and a passenger's airbag are quiet different. Most drivers' side airbags are coated by using lower denier yarns that give strong and light-weight fabrics. The looser weave has been permitted by stronger nylon 6, 6 yarns that create fabrics with lighter weight, less stiffness and better packagabiIity.

The fabric which is used to produce passenger airbags is generally uncoated. These kinds of passenger bags are larger so they create lower gas pressures, have longer inflation times, and possess gas which is cooler. The constituent yarns are of relatively heavy denier. Normally, airbag fabrics are made by rapier weaving machines or air jet looms with electronic dobbies.

Airbag fabrics varieties

The earliest airbags were Neoprene coated and woven Nylon 6, 6, but later lighter and thinner silicone coated versions followed. Afterwards, though, uncoated fabrics have emerged. The majority of these fabrics are coated with an elastomeric material such as neoprene or silicone. The long lasting popularity of coated materials for airbags has been seen because of its capability to work as a heat shield and the comparative ease that design engineers can expect wider performance in their use.

Though, there are some intrinsic problems with coated airbags, which cover their large thickness, incapability to be folded into small spaces and inclination of decay over time. Coated fab¬rics are simple to cut and sew and the air porosity can be well managed.

The drawbacks linked with coated airbags and their subsequent substitution with uncoated materials has warranted significant developments from two sectors of the industry. The uncoated airbags can be recycled in a simple manner. The first development has come from the yarn and fabric producers, who have concurrently developed the performance of the fabrics. Their gas permeability has fallen under specific scrutiny since the way an uncoated fabric discharges gas and establishes the capability of an airbag to resist impact. The second development has gained from the inflator producers, who have started to substitute the original inflators, which release air, with devices that emit air like argon and helium. This is greatly helpful because these gases are equally as effective at lower temperatures and discharge less hot particles.

Finishing procedure of airbag fabrics

After weaving, the airbag fabric is scouring to reduce size. To gain accurate air permeability, the airbag fabric can be calendered. Apart from influencing the air permeability by weaving and finishing, accurate permeability control can be achieved by coating. When the airbag material has been finished, it is sewn together; the best practice is by using it with a laser.

Airbags are sewn with Nylon 6, 6, polyester, and Kevlar aramid yarns, the sewing patterns and densities being selected to maximize performance. When a bag is sewn it is folded inside its cover. Packing should permit for tethers connected to the bag to manage operation. Finally, a cover can be set up over the bag to safeguard it from abrasion.

Airbag sizes

Airbags are available in various sizes and configurations depending on the type of car and steering. Moreover, the driver's side airbag is smaller than the front passengers by about 65 liters capacity upwards.

Suppliers

In airbag systems, there are mainly five suppliers of the airbag module itself, representing 32 per cent of the value of the airbag system. The key airbag control unit has four suppliers representing 24 per cent of the value, and the seat belt portion of the system has two suppliers with a 31 per cent contribution. Yet, the remaining part with only 13 per cent of the value of the airbag system has over 40 suppliers.

Two years back INVISTA, formerly DuPont Textiles & Interiors, had expanded nylon 6, 6 fiber production capacity, totaling 7.5 kilotons (kt.) at two facilities; one in Qing Dao, China, and the second in Gloucester, UK.

A wide range of highly specialized polyamide 6.6 airbag yarns, Enka Nylon, are made by Polymide High Performance at its Obernburg (Germany) and Scottsboro (Alabama/USA) plants.

Zapata Corporation in December, 2005 announced that it completed the sale of all of its 4,162,394 shares of Safety Components International, Inc. to private equity investor Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. for nearly .2 million. Zapata's stake stands for nearly 77.3 per cent of Safety Components' total outstanding common stock. Safety Components is an independent producer of air bags and the company's fabrics are largely utilized for automobile safety air bags and in niche industrial and commercial applications. Safety Components headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, has plants situated in North America, Europe, China and South Africa.

Takata is a manufacturer of automotive seatbelts. Takata started researching seatbelt technologies in 1952. After eight years of research and development Takata became the first safety company to offer seatbelts as standard equipment to the Japan market in 1960. In the early 1970's, Takata worked with NHTSA to satisfy new high speed crash test requirements and supplied the first energy absorbing seat belt system to pass a 30 mph crash test. Irvin Automotive is another company within the Takata Corporation. Irvin makes armrests, cargo covers, molded consoles, seat covers and sun visors.

Narricot Industries, LP, located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, is a producer of woven narrow fabrics in North America. With manufacturing facilities in Boykins and South Hill, Virginia, Narricot is the number one supplier of seatbelt webbing to the North American automotive industry.

Autoliv is a manufacturer of airbag, seatbelts and other automotive safety devices. Autoliv has nearly 80 wholly or partially owned manufacturing facilities in 30 vehicle-producing countries. Autoliv and its joint ventures and licensees make over 80 million seat belt systems annually.

Toray Industries, Inc, that makes nylon 6, 6 fiber and textile for use in automobile air bags, plans to start manufacturing base fabric for automotive airbags at its Czech textile subsidiary in January 2006. The company plans to invest in the necessary equipment to its subsidiary Toray Textiles Central Europe. The production output is projected at 600,000 meters in 2006 and 4 million meters in 2010. At present, Toray makes the fabric in Japan, Thailand and China mainly for airbags used in Japanese cars.

Performance tests and standards

Many individual tests carried out with airbag yarns and fabrics is said to number over 50. The ASTM, the SAE and the Automotive Occupant Res¬traint Council (AORC) have established various standards that express appropriate tests for airbags.

Seat belts

The seat belt is an energy absorbing device that is designed to keep the load imposed on a victim's body during a crash down to survivable limits. Basically, it is designed to offer non recoverable extension to decrease the deceleration forces that the body comes across in a crash. Non recoverable extension is significant to prevent the occupants from being restrained into their seats and sustaining whiplash injuries right away after a collision. To prevent more webbing from paying out after an accident, the automatic belt has a locking device known as inertia reel. An efficient seat belt will only permit its wearer to move forward a maximum of about 30 cm to avoid contact with any fixed parts of the car.

It is believed that the seat belts were invented concurrently in America as well as Sweden. The only difference was that the American belt was a strap to encircle the waist and the Swedish belt was a diagonal band made to defend the upper body. Now, a blend of the two designs is a most prevalent arrangement and is called the 3-point belt, which is secured by two fittings on the floor and a third on the sidewall or pillar. Racing drivers wear other patterns, particularly two shoulder straps and a lap belt. The earliest automotive seat belts were set up and were adjustable so that they could fit the wearer manually. The automatic belt superseded this pattern by providing the wearer more space to move.

Seat belts are available in multiple layers and are woven in narrow fabrics in twill or satin fabrication from high tenacity polyester yarns, generally 320 ends of 1100 dtex or 260 ends of 1670 dtex yarn. These structures permit highest yarn packing within a given area for highest strength and the trend is to utilize coarser yarns for good abrasion resistance. For ease they require to be softer and more flexible along the length, but rigidity is needed along the width to facilitate them to slide easily between buckles and retract smoothly into housings. Edges require being scuff resistant, but not disagreeably rigid and the fabric must be resistant to microorganisms. Nylon was utilized in some early seat belts, but due to of its higher UV degradation resistance; polyester is now widely used worldwide.

Performance standards

Normally, the performance standards require a seat belt to restrain a passenger weighing 90 kg involved in a collision at 50 km/h (about 30 mph) into a fixed object. Straight pull tensile strength should be at least 30 KN/50 mm. Other tests include accelerated ageing and in the made-up form, resistance to fastening and unfastening 10,000 times. The seat belt must be long lasting without any significant deterioration. In many cars, after ensuring the inclusion of the airbag, efforts have been made to link the function of the two devices (seat belt and airbag).

Conclusion

No doubt that the airbags help to save lives, but at times they can also be a source of serious injury. The search for a uniform smart airbag, which can perceive the size of the passenger or whether the seat is empty and react in that manner, is in progress. Such a 'smart' airbag will incorporate sensors to judge the weight, size and location of the car passengers and hence deploy more appropriately.

In addition, incorporated safety devices associated with the seat belt along with other safety items, particularly for child passengers, are under development. The trend towards uncoated fabrics is anticipated to continue and so is the improved trend towards more airbags per car and fuII-size bags. There is also a technical challenge of producing the bag by using more rational techniques and related specifications made by the automotive industry.

Textiles Applications in Automotive Industry

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Color Palettes and Trends For Your Home

Color palettes will change over the years. One thing is for certain, that you can usually identify what style trend could be next by taking a peak into the past. What colors and textiles work for the upcoming season is being revealed through TV shows and magazine articles. There seems to always be a trend setter. Where it starts no one really knows.

So here's the question, "What's the hot color palette this season?" One color that really seems to be favored this year is gray. Essentially gray is becoming the new beige, especially in wall paint. It seems drab on its own but the right tone of gray has a great way of transforming a room. Paired up with citrus colors, cool blues and warm browns and greens, gray adds a fresh look to your design.

Textiles

Creams and whites seem to be making a comeback especially in the use of furniture and bedding. There is an heir of sophistication when you blend white and creams with more saturated accents around your room. Light ivories and pearl tones are easy to combine with any color so it's actually quite easy to pull off. If you want a cleaner contemporary look use one or two accent colors. Black and charcoal gray are common contemporary colors but if you add a surprise or punch of citrus or fuchsia, you can make your room more interesting.

For those who lean toward the traditional side of design, there are ways to still incorporate these hot palettes in such a way that it's not so contemporary but more modern traditional. When I think of traditional, I think of dark leather furniture, heavy drapes with tassels and ornate rugs. Try to imagine those draperies in a lighter weight fabric and softer color. Silk fabrics are great for bouncing light around the room especially chosen in lighter tones like pearl and gold. Shear curtains are also a great choice.

Leather furniture is fine but don't overload your space with too much of it unless it's a lighter tone of leather. If you don't plan to purchase new furniture let your fabrics give the modern touch you need. For instance, a heavy brown couch with cream or taupe upholstered fabric pillows will make the room feel open.

Remember, dark colors tend to absorb light while the lighter you go in tone the more airy the room feels. Stay away from matching every piece of furniture. Take time looking for specific pieces that have the same tonal quality that you are trying to express but have their own unique design quality from other items in the room. This will give you a modern traditional room with way more individuality and flare.

This season's color combinations for you to consider include:

• Creams with accents of turquoise, jade greens, reds or fuchsia
• Grays with accents of citrus yellows, citrus greens, bright blues, blacks and reds
• Salmon or corals (orange) with accents of browns, reds, yellows and greens

Remember to incorporate pattern and stripes into your design palette. These will help bring depth and dimension as well as add more flavor and zest to a room.

Color Palettes and Trends For Your Home

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Textile Products - A History

Webster's Dictionary defines Textiles as: "Pertaining to weaving or to woven fabrics; woven, capable of being woven; formed by weaving."

This definition extends to a wide variety of clothing, bedding, and fabric related products. Articles of nightwear, hosiery, sportswear, and apparel are all considered textile products.

Textiles

Chinese textiles, China and India currently dominate the international market for textiles.

Material of composition can be silk, wool, man-made fibre, cotton, lace, leather , furskins and even rubber and plastic.

Textiles manufacturing can be either materials production, processing and finishing or textiles and clothing design or manufacturing of made-up articles.

Materials production and processing includes preparing and spinning raw textile fibres, weaving textiles like cotton, wool and silk, and the manufacture of other textiles, such as carpets, rope, and textiles using man-made fibres.

In the textiles sector, a range of factors are playing a significant role in shaping the industry's development. These include:

1. globalisation - with increased sourcing (particularly of finished clothing) from lower-cost overseas countries
2. environmental legislation - rules affecting the development, use and disposal of chemicals can have a significant impact in the textiles sector (a major consumer of dyes, pigments and oils)
3. technology and research and development - including streamlined production processes, and the development of new fibres and textiles (including high-value technical textiles and technical fabrics).

In the UK, the sector runs a trade deficit, the UK imports more textiles goods than it exports. There is a long tradition behind this.

The success of English textiles in overseas markets, between perhaps 1150 and 1250, was destined not to last.The cloth trade of Flanders expanded during the 13th century, English cloths were gradually driven out and Flemish cloths invaded the English home market.

13th-century Flemish ascendancy was then undermined by the superior finance and business organization of Italian firms, and the reign of Edward I may be thought of as an age of Italian hegemony in the wool trade. Being able to control large funds of money, Italians often lent money to English wool producers on the security of the wool crop, thereby gaining control of large supplies of wool at a good price even before the sheep were sheared. The Italians supplied English wool to the cloth-makers of Flanders, and from the late 13th century, to Italy itself.

One expanding market of the later 14th century was Gascony, a specialized wine-producing region; it paid Gascons to export their wine in return for good quality cloths which they could not produce so advantageously themselves. This market was one which English merchants, especially those from Bristol, captured from the Flemish after 1350. As the declining export of raw wool implies, English merchants of the 15th century were much more likely to be enriched by the profits of the textile trade than by exporting wool. By 1500, cloth merchants, or clothiers as they came to be called, were often significant employers, putting out wool to be spun and yarn to be woven in private households. London handled over 80 per cent of total cloth exports by the 1530s.

The British in India and the textile trade

The British East India Company - named to distinguish it from British trade in the West Indies - was founded in 1599 mainly to counter Portuguese domination of the spice trade. As soon as the British set up trading settlements in India, however, they were impressed by the quality of the textiles they found there. These had normally been used as goods for barter with the spice producers of Indonesia.

The painted and printed cottons, known as chintzes, were especially admired, as they had fast, bright colours superior to anything produced in Europe at that time. It was textiles, therefore, rather than spices which soon came to dominate trade between India and Britain.

The local designs on the painted cottons were considered unsuitable for British tastes, and specifications came from England as to how they should be modified. The result was a hybrid 'exotic' style, usually based on flowering tree patterns, which was used on wall-hangings, bedspreads and clothing throughout the eighteenth century.

Rivalry for trading privileges between the East India Companies of Britain and other countries, especially France, was so strong that the Companies set up their own armies to defend their interests. Conflict between Britain and France during the Seven Years' War in Europe (1756-63) led to hostilities in India too, and the two countries began to wage war for control of southern India.

Robert Clive, now known as Clive of India, led the British armies to victory and effectively ended French influence in South India, while offering protection to the local rulers who had supported him. Clive also overcame both the French and local rulers to take power in Bengal in eastern India.

The Company grew immensely wealthy, and created great cities at Calcutta, Madras and, later, Bombay. During the eighteenth century, British merchants and administrators commanded luxurious households, and elegant furniture was made by Indian craftsmen to European taste.

By the mid-nineteenth century, Britain had annexed huge areas of India. British administrators imposed stringent taxes and laws and damaged the livelihood of Indian craftsmen by importing cheap mill-made cloth from Lancashire. Widespread discontent erupted among Indian troops in 1857, and the Company's troops lost control of much of northern and central India. In the wake of the revolt, the East India Company was abolished by the British Government, who took over direct responsibility for governing India. The last vestiges of the Mughal empire were also abolished, and in 1876 Queen Victoria was named Empress of India.

India became a key part of the British Empire, and Victorian influence on the Indian way of life, architecture and craftsmanship was very strong. Objects in the ornate Victorian taste were made for export to Britain, or for local rulers emulating the Victorian style in their palaces. Indian skills drew widespread admiration at the great international exhibitions that took place during the nineteenth century. The apparent placidity of the British Raj - a Sanskrit word meaning rule - was short-lived, however.

With independence came renewed pride and interest in traditional crafts which, in many cases, had almost died out through lack of patronage. The textile arts in particular came to symbolise national self-sufficiency as European imports were rejected, and a new Indian middle class evolved to take the place of the Mughal and British patrons of the arts.

By the early 18th century, a complex network of colonial trade had also been established over the North Atlantic Ocean. This network was partially the result of local conditions and of dominant wind patterns. It was discovered in the 15th century, notably after the voyages of Columbus, that there is a circular wind pattern over the North Atlantic. The eastward wind pattern, which blows on the southern part, came to be known as the "trade winds" since they enabled Atlantic crossings by merchant vessels. The westward wind pattern, blowing on the northern part, came to be known as the "westerlies".

Since sailing ships were highly constrained by dominant wind patterns, a trade system followed this pattern. Manufactured commodities were exported "clockwise" from Europe, some towards the African colonial centers, some towards the American colonies. This system also included the slave trade, mainly to Central and South American colonies (Brazil, West Indies). Tropical commodities (sugar, molasses) flowed to the American colonies and to Europe. North America also exported tobacco, cotton, furs, indigo (a dye) and lumber (for shipbuilding) to Europe. This system of trade collapsed in the 19th century with the introduction of steamships, the end of slavery and the independence of many of the colonies of the Americas.

Wind the clock on to the 18th and 19th centuries and Manchester, and the towns of the region, generated much of Britain's 19th century wealth, as well as pioneering much of its technological groundbreaking achievements. Methods in spinning, weaving and dyeing had become fully mechanised by the middle of the 19th century, through inventors like Samuel Crompton, and his spinning Mule, James Hargreave's Spinning Jenny, Richard Arkwright, and many other's works of invention. Steam and water had made power plentiful and still cheap, coal came from just down the road at Worsley through Lord Egerton's Bridgewater Canal, the new railways and the Ashton & Rochdale Canals had made transportation close and convenient. Mass production methods were gradually introduced and productivity was at an all-time high.

Only the American Civil War interrupted profitability. Raw Cotton from the Confederate Southern Sates was being blockaded by the Union North, and this resulted in a major depression in all the textile trades by the early 1860s - a period known as "the cotton famine". Nevertheless, many of the mills survived that period, and were in active and profitable manufacture until well after the Second World War, when they failed to win orders against cheaper foreign imports. Some of these mills are with us today. Several are derelict, most are converted to other commercial or industrial uses, though their tall, now smoke-free, chimneys still stand proudly, bearing witness to a time when they were important buildings of trade and commerce.

We are now in an era where the world has shrunk and the economical viability of textiles from countries in the Far East where labour is cheap determines our consumption.

Textile Products - A History

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Fashion Industry: Ready To Face The Future

The fashion industry is very complicated. There are no standard fashion companies. They come from a wide spectrum of enterprises working in the apparel, footwear, home textiles and accessories markets.
The industry is made up of various kinds of companies like retailers, design source and selling companies, companies with their own manufacturing facilities and other companies who outsource production but retain control over parts of the production process.

Moreover, companies functioning in the high fashion segment often face a different kind of pressure as compared to those functioning with commodity fashion goods.

Textiles

All of these aspects combine to make the fashion industry one of the most complicated industry. Yet, various issues can be noticeably recognized as common across the industry.

. Consumers have the power

. Supply chains are complicated

. Product launching and delivery takes time

. Companies must be able to manage a product mix

. Inventory control maintenance is important

. Impact of the latest technology on the fashion industry

. Copyright issues for fashion designs
Consumers have more power

Today's buyers have more purchasing power then ever before and are less tolerant due to increased time pressure in today's lifestyles.

They are more aware about environmental and human rights issues and have superior quality demands. They demand a huge variety and more frequent changes in the choices available to them. Moreover, they also expect immediate availability of perfect matching set of garments and accessories in their preferred color and size combinations in the same store.

In terms of satisfying the consumer's needs, retailers are the first in line, but all companies in the supply chain are driven by the prerequisite to anticipate the expectations and requirements of their customers. From design to production and to the final sale, all members of the supply chain need to check that stores are stocked with the correct requirements when the consumer needs to buy!

The companies that are quick to respond to the consumer requirements are those that will remain profitable in an environment of rapid global competition and increasing material and operational costs.
Supply chains are complicated

The fashion industry is distinguished by global supply chains and complicated logistics. Labor and transportation costs often determine where production takes place and outsourcing of all or part of production is common. Companies throughout the industry have to deal with global sourcing problems and need to regularly evaluate their sourcing strategies.

Production work is often done across multiple places, which may be also located in different countries. Setting up of cutting, sewing, subcontracting and transportation, and the synchronization with raw material supply, is a very tedious process.

Product launching and delivery takes time

While working through the many pre production steps, including yarn or fabric selection, garment development, specification and sampling, the industry takes a long time to introduce a new product in the market.

Both, the complex nature of the supply chain and the global nature of production add to the industry's long lead times. This arrangement of long time-to-market and long lead times does not correlate with the need to react immediately to changes in customers requirements.

The ever changing seasonal and trend driven nature of the industry depicts that the product life cycles are too short. Even for cyclic demands where the life cycle may continue further, there are often small changes to design, and color or size combinations may be changed. The logistics of managing the large number of styles and maintaining stock keeping units is a difficult practice.
Companies must manage a product mix

Besides long lead times, fashion producers are stressed to constantly design and develop new product lines to maintain retailers' interest and increase consumer sales. Producers have noted that in order to maintain this speed, raised flexibility and quickness to satisfy changing customer demand, which is quicker than ever before, it is very challenging for them to judge or come out with such types of products. Gone are the days when a perfect fashion trend direction decided what consumers wore. At present, many styles are available, and with rising globalization, consumers can approach fashion news through latest media tools.

Fashion products change frequently, from hosiery and basic underwear through medium-priced high street brands, to exclusive high fashion brands. Managing brand awareness and brand loyalty is a serious task in retaining the position in the market. Margins in repetitive basic products are low, so neither a retailer nor a manufacturer can ever afford being out of stock.

Shifting to the high-end fashion sector, margins increase and sales volumes are lower, but consumers demand an ever changing range of choices, forcing the companies to produce multiple collections per year.

Many companies have to put in efforts to overcome the added challenge of arranging a mix of repetitive lines and collection-driven products, and a requirement to segment their product range and arrange the different segments in a suitable way. From design to demand planning, sourcing, production, distribution and sale, the demand of various product segments must be separately tackled if companies need to perform well.

Companies require clarity about the sector of the market they are targeting, and they have to direct their business in that way.

Inventory control management is important

Companies try to keep inventory levels at a minimum in all industries. In the fashion industry the requirement to maintain inventory levels under control is worst due to less product life cycle. In this industry, there is only one solution to sell the goods.

For collection-driven brands, the entire floor sets must be in the retail stores when these products are introduced, otherwise the chance to sell the goods is missed and obsolescence exposure is a high risk.

For the products that are frequently in demand, it is crucial that retailers and suppliers do not undergo stockouts. This part of the market does not possess the same level of brand loyalty, and customers may well be attracted to shift brands if the color and size they required is not immediately available in the stores when they need to buy.

For all companies, the balancing action of keeping inventory at the necessary level to fulfill demand, while ensuring that they are not left out with obsolete inventory, is a main problem.
Latest technological impact on fashion industry

Recently, the Burton Amp jacket, what is depicted as "the world's first and only wearable electronic jacket with an integrated Apple iPod" was introduced.

According to some fashion experts the clothes will soon turn into accessories for your gadgets. Today new technologies are much involved with clothing and apparels that you can not judge whether you are wearing technology or whether technology is wearing you?
Besides, electronics will keep decreasing in size to such an extent where we would no longer considerably need the objects to hold them. Hence, today the fashion industry is experiencing new challenges: "intelligent textiles", "smart clothes", "i-wear" and "fashion engineering" and are only a few of the trends which will transform the entire fashion industry within the next decade.

Nowadays, many new materials and technologies are applied in textiles and accessories when they are still too costly or primitive for other applications. A wide variety of electronic devices can already be made into clothes and this will rise. New fabrics are already being developed to offer power generation - by using solar power, electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical means.

The combination of high-technology into textiles, e.g. modern communication or monitoring systems or the development of new materials with new applications, has just begun, but the branch has already moved in a gigantic expansion for this sector. Particular applications for the health and security sector, e.g. clothes with extern monitoring systems, already today exist in a large quantity.

Within the coming few years, we'll see a lot more new applications in garments with latest technology. Hence, there are many designing challenges for fashion designers and engineers for making most demanding fashionable wears.

Copyright issues for fashion designs

Fashion apparel is a multi-billion dollar business that has no national boundaries due to its global existence. Designers, retailers and consumers decide their statements according to international fashion trends. In the last decade, consumer awareness of particular designers has also raised dramatically. Magazines and newspapers also cover the fashion industry as a part of their national news coverage, concentrating on the dynamic world of creative designer expressions.

The common man is very much aware about names and faces of fashion models and the designers for which they model. At present many television channels and feature films involve the fashion industry. Consumers can now identify the various types of designers and designs.

Today, many designers find inspiration from street fashion, celebrities, vintage styles and other designers' work. Even though there are possibilities of duplication in products and designs due to easy accessibility of the latest printing and computer technology, and due to appearance of the regional or traditional designs in apparels worldwide, it can not be ignored easily. It is really a challenging task to cope with this issue globally.

Fashion Industry: Ready To Face The Future

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Copyright © 2006

Cleaning Oriental Rugs - Preserving Your Textiles

Cleaning your Oriental rugs is not necessarily difficult. Of course, all rugs will need a general cleaning, but how often will depend upon the heaviness of the walking traffic on it. Once a year, you will probably need to clean the whole rug.

If there is a large amount of dirt, you can follow a few simple steps to clean it. One way to check if it needs this yearly care is by lifting a corner and kicking the rug to see if a large amount of dust flies up. You can also check by rubbing your hand in an arc for a few minutes to see if your hands become dirty. One other way to check is to inspect the warp by folding a corner backwards so that you can see through the pile to the underlying threads.

Textiles

First, vacuum the loose dirt from both sides unless it is a silk rug. Silk is delicate enough that the high-speed brush of the vacuum will damage the fibers. After testing for color fastness on wool rugs, clean those that did not bleed with a mild rug shampoo and cool water to clean by brushing it in the direction of the nap without scrubbing too hard. Make sure it is completely wet with soapy water even through the fringes. Using clear water, rinse it thoroughly. Hanging it outside and using a hose is fine. To help squeeze all the water out of the rug, you can use a squeegee usually used for windows until no more water can be squeezed out. It should lie flat until the pile side is dry and then flipped to allow the back to dry thoroughly. To soften the pile again, lightly run a vacuum over the stiff pile. If it did bleed, do not follow these instructions; have it dry cleaned, instead.

For materials other than wool, special care must be given. Cotton fibers will turn brown easily, so a natural cleaner that has special detergents and sodium bisulfate will be needed. If it is silk, you should never get it wet. Silk tends to yellow, form water rings, and loose dye when it gets wet. Rayon fibers loose fiber strength and become damaged and warped easily. Keep silk rugs out of high traffic areas, and avoid rayon as rug material if you can.

To clean the fringes that often become gray, use a brush to cover them with your cleaning solution. Using some sort of pad beneath the fringe to protect the floor beneath it is a good idea. Make sure that you do not rub the fringe back over the wet carpet as it could lead to bleeding dye onto the fringes. Once they are clean, the fringes should be brushed out over wax paper to aid in drying without damaging the floor. Read more at http://www.introductiontoorientalrugs.com

Drying the textile is crucial to preventing water damage, browning, and dye bleeding. If the rug is not completely dry within 48 hours, it could lead to mold. One method to allow for faster drying is to place the Oriental rug on an elevated rack. Using blowers to help circulate the air and/or remove humidity is also helpful.

If your Oriental rug has suffered damage, professionals can do restoration. Do not try to repair water damage, holes, or other problems by yourself since this many only had to the problem that you will have to pay to fix later.

Cleaning Oriental Rugs - Preserving Your Textiles

Read more information about all types of Oriental Rugs including antique, modern, Persian and wholesale rugs at => http://www.introductiontoorientalrugs.com

Is Cashmere Addictive?

The question is, should the best cashmere clothing come with some sort of warning? Once you have experienced the sublime softness, the feeling of lightness and gentle comfort upon your body, it will be difficult not to become a cashmere addict. Owning fabulous pieces of luxurious cashmere can quickly become an obsession!

Once you have found your first cashmere "love" you will be forever looking for another, and then another as anything less will not satisfy in quite the same way. No longer will you feel weighed down by heavy fabrics in order to feel warm yet stylish. Your skin will breathe easily, and so will you as a result.

Textiles

Your cashmere will make a very user friendly travel companion, wherever in the world you may be venturing. Cashmere's snugly and comforting nature, as well as its ability to look good quickly, even after being screwed up and sat upon, means you will not want to go anywhere without it.

It does not matter how your cashmere addiction begins. It might start in babyhood with a baby cashmere blanket, which becomes a much loved comforter. It could start at any age with a cashmere hat or beret, a pair of cashmere gloves or socks or a cashmere hoody, cardigan or polo neck jumper. Once the love affair starts it will be a constant in your life. You may even start to have cravings for unusual cashmere items that are not easy to get, like cashmere pyjamas and bed sheets. If finances are tight you will search everywhere for bargains and probably drop big hints to family and friends.

The durable nature of the best quality cashmere means you won't need to replace the garments you own too often, so the addiction can be controlled if circumstances dictate. The downside is that there is probably no cure for this addiction - the upside is you are unlikely to want one. So, feel happy luxuriating in your addiction!

Is Cashmere Addictive?

If you need to feed your existing obsession, or indeed would like to start one, then you could visit cashmere specialists (and addicts) I Love Cashmere and buy some really good quality cashmere clothing and get properly hooked!

http://www.ilovecashmere.co.uk