Newsletter No.27      05 August 2016

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New ownership for Spectrum Textiles

On the 1st July 2016, Han Kuilderd took over ownership of Spectrum Textiles.

Spectrum has been the leading garment dyeing operation in South Africa for close on 30 years. First started by Berry Willemsen in the 1980s it is today a well-established garment commission dye house.

Han Kuilderd brings vast experience obtained over many years in South Africa and over the last 18 years Worldwide. He is the 4th generation in textiles and has been exposed to all aspects of manufacturing, including spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, finishing and printing. He was previously the dye house manager at Ninian and Lester in the 1990’s and has had many years’ experience in the garment industry. And from 1998-2003 he headed up the global technical team at AVEBE in The Netherlands, one of the largest potato starch manufacturers to the textile industry. Then from 2003-2015 he was head of technology at Novozymes, a Danish based company, the largest enzyme producer globally and it was here that Han developed several new patented products and process. One of these key technologies is now being used at Spectrum to provide customers with unparalleled quality garments.

After 18 years overseas, which included living and working in China, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Denmark and the UK Han returned to South Africa in June 2016. During his time abroad Han worked with people at all levels within the textile field including chemical/dye suppliers, fabric and garment manufacturers and recently with a variety of retailers in the UK. Han was instrumental in the introduction of StayNEW at Marks and Spencer which has also now been adopted by Woolworths.

Going forward Spectrum Textiles will continue providing the outstanding dyeing services it is known for and this will be augmented by providing unique and bespoke techniques and finishes by working with some of the top fashion developers in Europe, including the processing of denim articles.

Kenya to revive Textile mill with Indian grant

Kenya has put in place elaborate measures to revive its ailing cotton industry as well as modernise the state-owned Rivatex Textile mill with the help of a 2.9 billion Kenyan Shilling ($ 30 million) grant from India.

The latest initiative is aimed at providing farmers with high yielding variety of seeds from Israel that produce quality cotton lint for better returns and offer investors better margins. It also entails upgrading the Eldoret-based textile miller, Rivatex with latest technology, said Julius Korir, Industry and Enterprise Development Principal Secretary.

The government has launched a pilot programme under which hybrid cotton seeds from Israel would be sown on 500 acres of land in Bura, Tana River County and plans to scale it up to other cotton-growing areas once it becomes successful, Korir said.

The first planting will begin in September. Korir said adding that the upgraded Rivatex will offer a ready market to the farmers.

The budget for modernization of Rivatex was 40 billion KSh or $40 million, of which $ 10 million has been factored over the last two years by the Kenyan government and Ksh 2.9 billion ($ 30 million) had been secured from the Indian government, Korir said.

“We signed an agreement with the Indian Government for an extension of about Sh 2.9 billion funding to Rivatex so that it can now modernise. We hope that in the next two years, Rivatex will be a state-of-the art factory,” he said.

The cotton industry in Kenya slumped from its high in the 1970s and 1980s when the sector used to receive subsidies from the Government. It was liberalised in the early 1990s. About 78,000 bales of cotton lint were produced annually before liberalisation. These have since gone down to a paltry 4,000 bales nowadays, media reports said. (SH)

Fibre to Fashion

10 Quick Fashion Tips for Men

1. Fit is King – The most dramatic improvement you can make in your style is to make sure everything fits impeccably. Most guys wear clothes that are too large. Make sure everything you wear is almost hugging the shape of your body – without being tight. Bad fit is an epidemic. We call it “Bad Fit Disease”…

2. Keep it simple – You want a wardrobe that looks great on you, but don’t overdo it. Don’t wear more than three pieces of jewelry or more than three colors. Don’t dress like a rock star unless you’re in a band. If you want to be flashy, a simpler but stylish look would be sporting a black striped dress shirt with a white blazer, a dark pair of jeans, a dressy belt, and your sharpest dress shoes. You could also add a flashy watch or a simple accessory like an interesting necklace, but nothing more.

3. Change the way you see casual – casual doesn’t have to be boring. Have fun with collared shirts, or take some inspiration from those who approach casual a bit differently.

4. Pay attention to your supporting pieces – Some sweaters are lean and others are big and chunky. The first rule of thumb is that your top and bottom halves need to match. If you’re wearing a big, chunky, rugged fisherman knit sweater, your bottom needs to be rugged, too. Don’t wear a fisherman’s sweater with a beautiful silk-and-wool suit pant. Instead, wear it with something as casual as cargos or jeans, or dress it up with a Harris tweed blazer.

5. Never go shopping alone – Most of the time, it’s tough to trust the sales people because they usually work for commission. Shop with a friend who will give you their honest opinion. Also, read about shopping on a budget.

6. Stay a notch above – Don’t overdo it to a fault, but dare to take some risks. It’s always better to be a little bit overdressed than underdressed in any setting. All you have to do is think about where and who you’re going to be with and just step it up one notch. But make sure you’re not better dressed than someone who is more important in a certain setting, like your boss.

 7. Never underestimate the power of details – The last thing on is usually the first thing noticed. So mind the details instead of throwing together the main parts of your outfit. “Details” can include a scarf, a subtle pocket square, or the way you tie your tie knot.

8. Invest in a superb pair of shoes – If it’s one thing that women will notice, it’s your shoes. Especially how clean and sharp they look. It’s easy to wash and press the rest of your clothes to keep them looking new, but most guys disregard their shoes. Show that you’re a man of taste by getting a great pair of shoes and keeping them in pristine condition.

9. Fashion Tees with logos – When you’re going around with a big logo on your shirt, you risk looking like a walking billboard. Lose the lame Coca-Cola shirt and go for a classic v-neck tee or something artsy.

10. Disregard trends – Beware of buying something just because it’s “in” right now – stick to what you truly like. A lot of people rush to get in on the latest trend and end up with a bunch of clothes they don’t wear. It’s better to learn to build a versatile and timeless wardrobe first – then bring in your own twists with some of the new fashion. This one tip will save you so much money!

PR Officer

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Did you Know…….

Clothes Rationing In Britain During The Second World War

·        Clothes rationing was announced on 1 June 1941

The British government needed to reduce production and consumption of civilian clothes to safeguard raw materials and release workers and factory space for war production. The imposition of clothes rationing was announced by Oliver Lyttleton, President of the Board of Trade, on 1 June 1941. Making the announcement just before a Bank Holiday allowed the Board of Trade time to brief retailers before the shops reopened. The news came as a complete surprise to most people. As with food rationing, which had been in place since 1940, one of the other reasons for introducing civilian clothes rationing was to ensure fairness. Rationing sought to ensure a more equal distribution of clothing and improve the availability of garments in the shops.

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