LOS ANGELES — With the rise in the price of oil inflating the cost of everything from synthetic fibers to diesel fuel for delivery trucks, textile vendors are caught in a price squeeze.
As they prepared for next week’s Los Angeles International Textile Show, some of the 300 expected exhibitors said, so far, they’d largely absorbed the effects of the 53.5 percent run-up in the cost of petroleum over the past year — prompting several rounds of price hikes by synthetic-fiber makers — but are now going to need to offset the margin pinch by raising their fabric prices.
New York-based Saxon Textile Corp., which specializes in technology-driven fabrics and sells to companies such as Patagonia and Paul Frank Industries, said the extra costs are taking their toll.
“We’re eating a 3 percent increase across the board since last September,” said Gail Strickler, president of Saxon, who said her company will likely soon raise prices by that much. “We’ve held off as long as we could.”
Prices for polyester staple fiber, used to insulate coats and quilts at North Kansas City, Mo.-based Fabri-Quilt Inc., have skyrocketed 40 to 50 percent, said president Adlai Kunst.
“We try to pass it on to our customer, but it’s a tough increase to swallow,” he said. “We’re not competing with people in the U.S., but with China.”
Designers said they’ll weigh the increases on a case-by-case basis.
“We’ll pay more if it’s a new and interesting item, but if it’s not, then we’re not willing to pay,” said Mari Forge, creative director of juniors’ resource Speechless, who said luxury fabrics for holiday wares, such as antique-looking laces and textured and crushed velvet, were on her shopping list.
Some high-end apparel vendors said they’re willing to take a gamble on higher-priced fabrics since their customers appear willing to pay premium prices.
“I’m buying piece goods that cost 20 percent more and I’m surprised to say the strategy is working,” said Barbara Lesser, design director and co-owner of Barbara Lesser Fibers, a misses’ apparel vendor in Los Angeles. “They’re willing to pay for it when it looks great.”
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That appears to be particularly true for fabrics going into high-end jeans lines, said Ron Kaufman, a sales representative for Los Angeles-based textiles firm Robert Kaufman Co., which sells to True Religion, Juicy Couture and other contemporary lines.
“Denim is the silver lining,” he said. “The premium-priced clothing business continues to thrive.”
For spring, the print stockhouse is moving beyond its traditional retro prints to offer cotton lawn prints and striped and iridescent yarn-dyes in dressier fabrics, such as shirt-weight cloth, canvas and voile, to use in peasant blouses, tunics and camisoles.
With both the holiday season and early spring in mind, D&N Textiles in Beverly Hills plans to offer luxe goods with embroideries and appliqués, done in tulle, mesh, spandex and organzas, in leather, sequins and beading. Color palettes range from rich plums to earthy tie-dyes.
“Business is on the uptick,” said Michael Shapiro, president of D&N, which sells to customers such as Cynthia Steffe and Bruno Duluc. “The luxe category is really boosting us.”
Novelty fabrics are a key seller for Hyman Hendler & Sons Inc. in Los Angeles. Mesh with holograms, jacquard prints for pillows and suiting, and solid satins will be on display, said Shelley Hendler, a partner in the firm.
The growing activewear business and appeal of eco-friendly clothing are giving a sales boost to directional, technology-driven textile companies.
Taiwanese mill Eclat Textiles, known for its circular knits, will showcase a new fabric made of bamboo-based yarn for spring 2006 in yarn-dyed shades. The bamboo yarn offers strong moisture-wicking properties and a soft hand, said national sales manager April Booth. The mill also plans to show varieties of bamboo and nylon fabrics that have been treated to inhibit odor buildup.
Booth said those in the active market take their clothing seriously.
“People who work out aren’t just buying garments anymore, they’re checking hangtags and want their fabrics to function for them,” Booth said. “The fabrics cost a bit more and they’re willing to pay for it if it makes their lifestyle better.”
Another beneficiary of the activewear trend is Saxon, which has seen demand for its performance fabrics designed for the outdoor, medical and military fields trickle down to the sportswear world. At the show, Saxon will offer a new antimicrobial polyester and microfiber nylon blend made with silver treatment that Strickler asserted inhibits the buildup of bacteria.
Strickler said the fabric, dyed in teals, jades, deep blues and plums, can be used for running clothes and even salon robes.
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