LOS ANGELES — Fashion designers, apparel manufacturers and retailers that make private label will be hard-pressed to find anything basic at next week’s Los Angeles International Textile Show at the California Market Center here.
To gain the upper hand with lower-priced competitors from China, exhibitors from the U.S., Canada and Europe said they are focusing on novel fabrics and adding extra features, such as stain repellency, to give customers more value. Still, others said that because it’s difficult to beat Chinese firms, they can join them by importing more fabrics from China and offering full-service packages where clients can have textiles cut and sewn into clothes at the same factory.
Whatever the tactic, textile producers and sales agents said it is crucial to rise above the competition and offer something for next fall and winter at the three-day expo starting Monday that customers can’t find anywhere else.
“Everyone’s tight with their money,” said Jeanne Brosseau, merchandiser for Montreal’s Telio, which will be making its fifth appearance at the trade event. “You’ve just got to find that special item.”
For companies that continue to produce fabrics domestically, the high-end market is key to survival. One example is Los Angeles’ Design Knit, which shifted tack to focus on the high-end market with blends of cashmere, bamboo and silk.
“We changed our strategy from being basic to fashion five years ago when we saw the effect of China on our business,” said Shala Tabassi, a principal of Design Knit.
Founded 21 years ago and catering exclusively to U.S. customers, Design Knit has been increasing the variety of its cashmere blends. In addition to offering cashmere mixed with rayon, the company also has cashmere blended with micromodal. Also, it expanded its cashmere portfolio from a single jersey to more than 10 styles ranging from single and doubleknits to thermal and pointelle weaves. The emphasis on fashion helped boost business by 20 percent in the last year. Tabassi declined to disclose exact sales figures.
Montreal-based Manoir Inc. also began moving into what it calls “enhanced basics” when its sales dropped due to escalating competition from China, said sales manager Patrick Regan. Although sales at the 35-year-old company have been flat, there have been signs of growth in the last three months, he said.
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To maintain that momentum, Manoir, which knits, dyes and finishes its fabric in Canada and specializes in organic fibers and better-grade cotton like Giza and Supima, aims to expand its business in the U.S., particularly in California. Customers include Lululemon, Puma and Tommy Hilfiger in Canada. Making its third consecutive appearance at the show, Manoir will unveil a micromodal and supima cotton blend. Customers are searching for fabrics with a soft hand, Regan said.
“A lot comes down to the hand and feel of the product,” he said.
One product that is gaining popularity is Tencel, which not only has an eco-friendly image because it is made of wood pulp but also shows durability in washings. After introducing plain Tencel last summer, Telio will debut a Tencel and wool blend.
“That’s what we’re really hoping to bank with,” Brosseau said, adding that Telio also will exhibit leopard-spot prints with colorful backgrounds, fake furs printed with foil, smaller geometric patterns and plaid prints.
Increased foreign competition hasn’t been the only challenge facing mills. Material costs continue to rise, as well. On Sept. 25, by the pound, cotton cost 55.40 cents, wool totaled $2.57 and polyester filament was 82 cents. Those prices reflected increases of 12 percent for cotton, 8 percent for wool and 14 percent for polyester filament from a year ago. Over the same period, however, the price of a barrel of crude oil decreased 6 percent to $60.55.
“Usually the most expensive thing in making a garment is the fabric,” said Maria Cervantes, a sales representative in the Los Angeles office of New York-based Malibu Textiles. “It’s not the cutting and the sewing and the trim.”
Though Chinese companies have become popular sources of textiles, European mills strive to hold their own by setting trends.
“They are the innovators, the Europeans,” said John Malone, president of a textile company bearing his name in New York.
Representing Malhia Kent, Setarium and eight other lines from France and Italy, Malone offers high-quality tweed, tulle and lamé, as well as his own beaded lace line called Lily. He said he noticed a trend for lamé and techy fabrics that have stretch and a slick metallic look. Tweed, which was big two years ago, is also making a comeback for next fall and winter.
“The last two seasons, I couldn’t give it away,” Malone said.
Malibu Textiles said it saw a surge in demand for lace and crochet. To get lower prices for its customers, some of which are junior clothing manufacturers that can’t afford to pay top dollar for superior lace, the company is increasing its use of imported fabrics from China.
Malibu’s Cervantes said that three years ago 95 percent of the company’s stock was made in the U.S. Now, 70 percent of the products are domestic and 30 percent are imports.