Textile Insight

textileinsight.com May/June 2019 ~ Textile Insight • 19 A t its recent Spring Conference, the SEAMS organization, with strategic partner the Reshoring Initiative, announced this year's winners of the Sewn Products National Reshoring Award. Unionwear was presented with the Cut & Sew Manufacturers Award. Unionwear's reshoring initiatives included re-engineer- ing and redesigning reshored products, generating over 70 additional jobs in the U.S. and over $4 million in annual revenue. The Textile Award was pre- sented to Contempora Fabrics. Contempora's reshoring initiative was driven by Walmart's com- mitment to purchase by 2023 an additional $250 billion in prod- ucts made, sourced, or grown in the U.S. Contempora supplied the fabric used to manufacture employee vests for all Walmart U.S. stores, generating over $13 Million in sales in the U.S. over five years. The Mara Hoffman Brand was presented with the Brand Award. Mara Hoffman designs and manufactures garments using responsibly sourced organic, recycled and regenerated materi- als whenever possible. In 2015 the company moved textile printing and cut & sew back to the U.S. gaining better transparency in their supply chain and providing jobs for their community in NYC "I am excited to deliver to these three progressive companies the first ever Sewn Products Reshoring Awards at the SEAMS Spring Conference. They are all setting a great example for our industry on what's possible to make in America again," stated Harry Moser, president, the Reshoring Initiative. l A merican & Efird (A&E) has introduced a new line of advanced iden- tification threads, branded "Integrity," that offer greater visibility and transpar- ency throughout the textile value chain. The product line is a col- laborative effort with Applied DNA Sciences, a New York-based firm specializing in molecular technologies that enable supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft technology. Use of Applied DNA Sciences' CertainT platform will ensure authenticity to support A&E and its customers in apparel, footwear, automotive, military and other markets. "One of the big challenges brands face today centers around authenticity. Loss of revenue, reputation, and brand trust are some of the potential outcomes of counterfeit products," said A&E president Chris Alt. l Awarding Domestic Makers For Reshoring Efforts A&E Debuts "Integrity" Molecular- Tagged Thread Solution The retroreflective materials specialist has heeded the call of fashion by developing a new range of on-trend colours for the active sportswear and athleisure markets. French-Italian retroreflective materials manufacturer JRC-REFLEX has re cently expanded the range of available colours in a move to address the grow ing influence of fashion trends on sportswear and the current fascination for sports seen in fashion spheres. The company has introduced seven new reflective colours that correspond to key trends. "As the use of reflective fabrics and trimming expands, we felt the need to offer more colours for brands that seek to target crossover fashion and sports uses", says company CEO Celine Cugeronc. These new referenc es are available in large width rolls as well as tapes and piping. JRC-REFLEX expands its color range For active sports end-uses that require higher levels of breathability, JRC-REFLEX has also introduced a new stretch reflective fabric with perfo rations that will enhance the comfort of users. For accessories and specifically bags, the company has developed a new mechanical stretch woven reflective fabric that features improved abrasion resistance properties. This reference comes with a 100% recycled polyester backing material. About JRC-REFLEX: JRC-REFLEX is a manufacturer of high-quality retro reflective fabrics and trimming. Founded in 1988, the company is based in Romans, France. Its state-of-the-art factory is located in Bergamo, Italy. Contact: Celine Cugerone, Tel: +33 475 025 770 Email: info@jrc-reflex

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