Anicon Clothing Company is bringing the Comet UK brand in India

Europe's leading custom sports and fashion wear brand, Comet UK was recently launched in India. Comet is the official custom apparel supplier to a number of sports clubs, across Europe. The current product portfolio of Comet UK consists of sweatshirts, cardigans, jogging trousers, T-shirts, PE striped shorts, polo shirts, denim trousers and jackets. The fabrics developed by Comet using popular acrylic, cotton, polyester and mixed fibres are hard wearing, colour fast and specially designed to withstand the rigors of everyday use. Through an emphasis on R and D, Comet has patented a number of washing technologies. Under the arrangement, Comet will transfer its washing and other patented chemical treatment technologies to Anicon Clothing Company. Comet range in India will initially be available at multi brand outlets. Eventually, plans are afoot to open Comet flagship experience shop, with the theme “come and create your style.”

SPIDER SILK-NEW INNOVATION

A team of Japanese researchers at Shinshu University, led by Professor Masao Nakagaki, have made a path-breaking invention by designing a pair of socks from spider thread and silk. This creation is not only comfortable but also durable.According to the researcher, “Spider silk is either very strong or very elastic, which are the two basic properties. Meanwhile, ordinary silk is very beautiful but not very strong. Considering these facts, they realized that it would be most amazing if developed a thread which has combined properties. Thus, after long research of ten years Professor Nakagaki was, finally, able to devise the spider silk.”By genetically modifying the silkworms, Nakagaki succeeded in creating spider silk consisting of 10 percent spider proteins and 90 percent silk.Professor got raw material from genetically engineered silk worm, which produces spider silk, so as to develop the genetic silk worm. This silk worm produces cocoon, mixture of spider silk and pure silk.”Experts say these threads are stronger than steel and lighter than existing artificial fibers, used for bullet-proof vests. But spider fibers are difficult to mass-produce due to the limited amount that spiders can make.However, researchers are aspiring for mass production of spider silk, as it is strong and have good elasticity, and expect to introduce these socks in market by 2010.

New Zealand : Shapeshifter innovates software to cut on textile wastage

A small Christchurch company, Shapeshifter Technology won an award for best innovation at the New Zealand Incubators Awards in Auckland on Wednesday night. Working from Christchurch's Canterbury Innovation Incubator, ShapeShifter Technology makes software that can be used in textiles industry to find out best ways of cutting fabrics.This software helps cut on wastage and adds 10 percent to a textile company's profits.With an estimated 100,000 textile factories in the world, Hamish Dean, the owner of Shapeshifter Technology plans to take the world in his stride.

Trident Group Launches its first Lifestyle store - Trident Homescapes.

Trident Group Launches its first Lifestyle store - Trident Homescapes. The group is envisaging opening 30 more stores in India in the first phase with an investment of Rs 20 crores and another 100 stores in the next financial year adding up to 300 stores by next three years. Trident Homescapes with its emphasis on aesthetics, contemporary designs, quality and elegance will offer a reinvigorating experience for the consumers. Moreover as a one-stop shop, the Trident Homescapes will save the shoppers the inconvenience of checking out different stores for different lifestyle products. The first store opened up in Sec-9, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh on April 20, 2008. Another store to be opened shortly is at West End Mall, Ludhiana.

Courtesy Bharat textiles.com

Nanotechnology in cotton fabric

Fashion designers and fiber scientists at Cornell have taken "functional clothing" to a whole new level. Featured at the April 21 Cornell Design League fashion show, contain cotton fabrics coated with nanoparticles that give them functional qualities, designed by Olivia Ong '07 in the College of Human Ecology's Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design, the garments were infused with their unusual qualities by fiber science .They have designed a garment that can prevent colds and flu and never needs washing, and another that destroys harmful gases and protects the wearer from smog and air pollution.
Apparel design assistant professor Van Dyke Lewis launched the collaboration by introducing Ong to Hinestroza several months ago.The dress contain nanoparticles with antibacterial and air-purifying qualities.
Hinestroza said that "We think this is one of the first times that nanotechnology has entered the fashion world." But the garment price is very high about $10,000 for one square yard of nano-treated cotton. Ong's dress closer inspection -- shows an army of electrostatically charged nanoparticles creating a protective shield around the cotton fibers in the top part of the dress, and the sleeves, hood and pockets of the jacket.
"It's something really moving toward the future, and really advanced," said Ong. Fabrics were created by dipping them in solutions containing nanoparticles synthesized in Hinestroza's lab. The resultant colors are not the product of dyes, but rather, reflections of manipulation of particle size or arrangement.

It is created by positively charged cotton fibers using ammonium- and epoxy-based reactions, inducing positive ionization. The silver particles, about 10-20 nanometers across (a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter) were synthesized in citric acid, which prevented nanoparticle agglomeration.
Courtesy: Bharat textile 18.2.2008