Lycra Sheer Sensation technology is designed to put an end to the “unpleasant sensation of sticky tights” caused by static electricity with materials such as viscose or polyester.

In 2020, a Kantar survey of 286 pantyhose wearers in the UK found that 58% of tights wearers in the UK recognised static electricity as an irritating problem. While, 63% would be willing to buy tights that reduce or eliminate static electricity.

The Lycra Company says its Sheer Sensation technology has proved its effectiveness in neutralising the effects of static electricity in tights, permanently integrated into the fibre during the production process, offering static-free products.

In summary, the key benefits of Sheer Sensation technology:

• Tights made with Lycra Sheer Sensation technology retain their sheer appearance without compromising comfort or performance.
• Anti-static durability: The anti-static properties of tights are durable even after repeated machine or hand washing.
• Uniformity and invisibility: Sheer Sensation technology raises the standards for everyday tights, offering perfect uniformity and invisibility of the elastane fibre.
• Vibrant colours: Sheer Sensation fibre improves the absorption of dyes, making it possible to manufacture tights with no adhesion and saturated colours to suit all skin tones.
• Sustainable approach: Tights made with Sheer Sensation technology offer ecological benefits by reducing water consumption during the manufacturing process.

The Lycra Company recently developed a technology that helps socks retain warmth. The technology traps the wearer’s body heat and stores it in hollow fibres in the sock to provide warmth without excess weight.

All good things must come to an end, and it is with mixed emotions that I say goodbye tomorrow (27 June) to an industry I have had the incredible pleasure of being a part of for nearly a decade.

I joined Just Style from our sister publication Just Food close to ten years ago, and shortly after the Rana Plaza tragedy. Since then, the industry has navigated a global pandemic, Trump’s trade wars, Brexit, military coups and geopolitical tensions, earthquakes, and is now battling the constraints of inflation and weakened consumer demand, to name just a few.

But it’s not all been doom and gloom. The desire by the industry to improve its sustainability credentials has been tremendous, right across the supply chain, with investment in more sustainable raw materials and revolutionary fibres, an increase in the number of textile waste initiatives, investment in new technology, the implementation of legislation to promote circularity, and an increase in collaboration to tackle the more challenging aspects of sustainability. There has also been a noticeable shift in the mindset of consumers as they become more engaged in how brands are working to clean up their supply chains and produce more sustainable clothing, with rental now increasing in popularity. But I’m sure the industry will agree, we're only at the start of a very long journey.

The tragedy of the Rana Plaza disaster highlighted the sheer lack of safety for garment workers in the global supply chain and since then we have seen a shift in thinking around transparency, with brands now taking more responsibility for the welfare of workers.

Elsewhere, there has been phenomenal growth in online, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) models are also becoming popular as consumers look for more personalised and convenient shopping experiences. The industry has also experienced a rapid digital transformation, using technology to streamline operations, improve transparency and the customer experience. Covid certainly helped in this respect. And we have seen China’s dominant sourcing role diminish in favour of suppliers in Vietnam, India and Bangladesh.

I could go on, but you, of course, know all of this! I don’t know what the future holds for the global apparel industry but I expect to see artificial intelligence and automation playing key roles, further investment in supply chain efficiency, more innovation in tackling textile waste, and further diversification of global sourcing. Achieving affordable sustainability will also be key.

It has been a rollercoaster of a ride for me, and I will genuinely be sad to disembark tomorrow. I leave a wonderful team – Laura, Hannah, Shemona and Isatou – but equally, I am looking forward to new challenges. I hope our paths will cross again.

Thank you, it has been a pleasure.

Michelle Russell
Deputy Editor

Top stories on Just Style last week...

‘Collective shift’ to other sourcing countries dampens China's growth
Apparel imports from China into the US grew 22.1% between 2016 and 2022 according to a new report from Descartes.

Deal Focus: Why PE firm Transom bet big on babywear SME Aden & Anais Inc
With private equity firm Transom Capital Group's recent addition of Aden & Anais Inc to its company portfolio, we dive deeper to analyse if collaborative models/or franchises are the way forward for baby and maternity apparel brands.

M&S, Dune amongst firms ‘named and shamed’ for minimum wage breach
Fashion retailers Marks & Spencer, Dune and Chanel are among over 200 companies to have been named and shamed by the UK Government for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage.

VF Corp names Bracken Darrell CEO
VF Corporation has appointed Bracken Darrell as president and CEO following the retirement of Steve Rendle last year.

European Fashion Alliance announces survey to establish state of fashion in region
The European Fashion Alliance (EFA) hosted its first political fashion round table in Brussels to announce a Europe-wide industry survey which will result in a report on the status of fashion in the region.

Key ITMA 2023 takeaways minus the empty sustainable marketing spiel
Here are the real takeaways from this year's ITMA 2023 conference when you physically take away the empty sustainable marketing that filled most of the exhibition's halls, writes Robert P. Antoshak, Gherzi Textile Organizations partner.

Frasers Group takes larger stake in Boohoo as part of growth mission
Frasers Group has announced a strategic investment in fast fashion e-tailer Boohoo, taking its ownership stake to more than 5%.

UFLPA enforcement ramps up for apparel, textile industry
US Customs has already detained more than $13m worth of apparel, footwear, and textile shipments under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) but there is a way to prevent delays, writes TradeBeyond's senior vice president Eric Linxwiler.

The 202 employers range from major high-street brands to small businesses and sole traders. Publication of the list is seen as a clear message from the UK Government that “no employer is exempt from paying their workers the statutory minimum wage”.

According to the Department for Business and Trade, those companies named, which include Oasis and Warehouse Ltd, were found to have failed to pay their workers almost £5m (US$6.4m) in a breach of National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, leaving around 63,000 workers out of pocket.

“Paying the legal minimum wage is non-negotiable and all businesses, whatever their size, should know better than to short-change hard-working staff,” said Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, Kevin Hollinrake.

“Most businesses do the right thing and look after their employees, but we’re sending a clear message to the minority who ignore the law: pay your staff properly or you’ll face the consequences.”

The businesses named in the list have since paid back what they owe to their staff and have also faced financial penalties. The investigations by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs concluded between 2017 and 2019.

Marks and Spencer failed to pay £578,390.79 to 5,363 workers; Dune Group Limited failed to pay £21,088.48 to 339 workers; Chanel Limited failed to pay £70,413.59 to 250 workers; and Oasis and Warehouse Limited failed to pay £10,963.70 to 996 workers.

The Government says that, whilst not all minimum wage underpayments are intentional, there is no excuse for underpaying workers.

Bryan Sanderson, chairman of the Low Pay Commission, an independent body that advises the government about the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, said the minimum wage acts as a guarantee to ensure all workers without exception receive a decent minimum standard of pay.

He added: "Where employers break the law, they not only do a disservice to their staff but also undermine fair competition between businesses.”

He suggests regular naming rounds would be a useful tool in raising awareness of underpayment and helping to protect minimum wage workers.

M&S, Dune Group and Chanel were all contacted by Just Style but did not return a request for comment at the time of going to press.

Use of the technology through the partnership with Fashion-Enter supports N Brown’s sustainability goals by helping product teams to be more efficient, reduce the volume of physical samples, lower return rates and increase customer satisfaction.

Across its portfolio of brands, which includes JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo, N Brown specialises in clothes that fit and flatter in a broad range of sizes. In 2019, the group invested in 3D body scanning technology to support this aim and further improve the fit of its products.

With 20 sensors recording over 150 body measurements, N Brown’s scanner has enabled its team to analyse body shape and sizing, facilitating 3D product development. To maintain an up-to-date, accurate representation of customers’ body shapes, N Brown regularly invites members of the public to be scanned.

On 27 and 28 June, the N Brown 3D scanner will be at the FC Designer Collective shop in Islington, London. N Brown is particularly interested in collecting data from individuals that are a UK size 18 and up and is offering a free garment as a thank-you for participating.

As a supplier to N Brown for the past three years, Fashion-Enter Ltd has worked closely with the group on manufacturing and repurposing of clothes. An example of this is work to shorten long sleeve shirts to short sleeve shirts by Fashion-Enter Ltd Wales. The data collected over the two-day event will be used to create master patterns and 3D avatars for product development, providing a more accurate reflection of customers’ body shapes, facilitating further improvements and consistency of fit for N Brown customers.

Jenny Holloway, CEO, Fashion-Enter Ltd commented: "Working with N Brown over the last three years has been excellent. They were able to support Made in the UK through the worst of the pandemic and now, during this time of economic hardship, they continue to do so by repurposing garments.

“We are delighted to now be able to support N Brown in its mission to review customer sizing from our FC Designer Collective boutique at the iconic Fonthill Road in Islington. N Brown has also kindly provided garments for recycling classes that will take place over the two-day event. A great opportunity for our customers to create their own designs and receive free garments.”

Angela Gaskell, group sourcing, sustainability, quality and fit director at N Brown added: “We’re delighted to be strengthening our partnership with Fashion-Enter Ltd with this two-day body scanning and upcycling event. We have a ‘think circular and right first-time approach’ to product design. This relies on our customer body scanning data to create our 3D design avatars, so events like this are hugely important to improve product fit further.”

Otrium and Vaayu have partnered to publish a comprehensive analysis of the avoided carbon emissions and waste of modern off-price business models. Using these science-backed insights, fashion retailers will be able to harness generative AI and machine learning technology to calculate emissions in real-time, and then lower them.

Vaayu has used its proprietary AI and machine learning technology, alongside its team of in-house Life Cycle Assessment experts, to gather insights from over 45 fashion brands (both available on and off Otrium) and data from almost five million fashion products live on Otrium to calculate carbon at a granular science-based level.

“In 2015, we founded Otrium to play a part in reshaping how fashion is produced and ultimately sold,” says co-founder Max Klijnstra. “Our business model is a first step in solving the growing challenge of unsold inventory. As a next step, the results from our Otrium 2022 Impact Report will inform and strengthen our sustainability strategy and climate targets. We will also use it to transparently communicate our progress with our community, brand partners and the fashion industry. At Otrium, we will be working steadily towards improving our impact one step at a time.”

The research explores the broader role that modern outlet business models like Otrium can play in enabling a more circular fashion industry by providing an alternative to waste streams for unsold stock. It represents a new contribution to understanding the end-of-life phase of fashion products as one of the largest data sets on unsold stock practices.

In 2022, based on these calculations, Otrium says it prevented 6,496 tonnes of carbon emissions (CO₂e) and 104 tonnes of waste by providing fashion brands with a profitable solution to clear unsold inventory, compared to an alternative scenario in which off-price businesses like Otrium do not exist. That’s the equivalent of 2,219 round-trip flights between Amsterdam to NYC for one passenger or throwing away 130,524 pairs of jeans.

Otrium partners with over 400 fashion brands like Filippa K, Mara Hoffman, Everlane, Outerknown and Closed to reach new consumers for every item of clothing produced and extend the life of their collections. Now, with the help of Vaayu, Otrium has access to live carbon tracking at a product and brand level, enabling the business to monitor across transactions and use this data to drive real-time decision-making around impact.

Envisioning a future where all clothing produced is worn and no new clothing ends up in landfills, Otrium says it aims to empower its brand partners to take a more demand-focused approach to production and innovative ways to reach new consumers. Through data-sharing and customer insights, Otrium encourages more accurate forecasting.

To support its five million members globally in making informed choices outside trend and seasonal models, Otrium is working with sustainable and ethical brand rating organisation Good On You, which benchmarks the brands on Otrium based on its social and environmental impact. Otrium also revalues damaged items like returns, repairs them and feeds them back into the cycle.

Marlot Kiveron, head of sustainability at Otrium, explains: “Our ultimate goal is to have a net positive impact. This means giving back more than we take through our business model, and operations. Creating impact is constant. The goal of this report is to measure our progress and to stay accountable by sharing this externally. Understanding the impact of both our business model as well as our operations in real-time, helps us to accelerate positive change.”

Namrata Sandhu, co-founder and CEO of Vaayu, adds: “We’re at an inflection point when it comes to the climate and new research shows that we’re currently not on track to keep global warming below 1.5C. Retailers have long been transitioning reactively; thinking about systems change and circularity, and wanting to truly understand and lower their impact. But Vaayu actually enables them to work proactively, by harnessing our generative AI and machine learning technology to calculate emissions in real-time, and then lowering them using these science-backed insights. Our work with Otrium is the first of its kind to investigate the carbon emission and waste-saving potential of off-price business models.”

Darrell took up the position on 17 July, taking over from Benno Dorer, who has served as VF Corp’s interim president and CEO since 5 December 2022.

Formerly president and CEO of Logitech International since 2013, Darrell is credited with a turnaround of Logitech’s business by expanding into new categories and improving market share through the introduction of new and innovative products and the elevation of design as a pillar of the company’s strategy.

Prior to Logitech, Darrell held international leadership roles of increasing responsibility at Procter & Gamble where he was president of Braun globally, the Whirlpool Corporation where he was president of EMEA, and General Electric.

Early in his career, upon graduating business school, Darrell held brand management roles with Procter & Gamble and is credited with leading the turnaround of the Old Spice brand.

Richard Carucci, a VF board member since 2009 and interim chair of the board during VF’s recent leadership transition period, has been named chair of the board of VF.

“VF’s board of directors couldn’t be more pleased with our appointment of Bracken as VF’s 12^th CEO in the company’s 124-year history,” said Carucci. “We conducted an extensive search and determined that Bracken has all the attributes to excel in this role. He is a transformational and visionary business leader with a strong track record of performance across multiple industries. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding ability to enhance design capabilities, delight consumers, and accelerate revenue growth and margin expansion. His broad executive management and deep international experience make him uniquely suited to partner with and guide VF’s executive team and 35,000 talented associates around the world to fuel an exciting new future for the company. We are highly confident that under Bracken’s leadership, VF will achieve new levels of success that will make its associates, investors, and stakeholders proud.”

In its last financial year, VF Corp revealed a 2% drop in revenues to US$11.6bn, while fourth-quarter sales were down 3%. Margins, meanwhile narrowed 200 basis points for the full year.

In its earnings call, CFO Matt Puckett outlined the “aggressive action” VF Corp is taking to improve inventory management and forecast accuracy, which Dorer said is helping to improve supply chain performance.

The Mango seaweed and wood cellulose initiative with Pyratex is in celebration of World Ocean Day and is part of the company's commitment to its sustainability strategy.

Pyratex is a Spanish textile supplier that specialises in innovative fabrics. Together with Mango they will launch a solidarity t-shirt and a pair of trousers. All profits from the sales will go to Asociación Vellmarí, an organisation led by the Marine biologist Manu San Félix, to promote a pioneering project for replanting posidonia (neptune grass), an aquatic plant local to the Mediterranean Sea that is in danger of extinction.

The collection of two items will be sold under the slogan “From the sea for the sea”. The t-shirt and the trousers, designed exclusively in Barcelona and manufactured in Morocco, are on sale in selected stores in Spain, the United States, Croatia and Greece, and via Mango’s website in Spain.

The initiative forms part of Mango’s commitment to its sustainability strategy, Sustainable Vision 2030, which aims to implement measures to reduce the company's impact on the planet through four key policies: climate change, water consumption, packaging and a strategy to protect biodiversity.

Just last month, Mango announced it was ramping up its expansion in the US, followed by news it was also opening 13 new stores in the UK.

In December Mango took its sustainability vision one step further as it looked to strengthen its supplier relationships. In an exclusive interview Mango's global director of sustainability and sourcing, Andrés Fernández, explained how the company is working with its vendors to boost circularity and transparency across the supply chain.

The global fastening products manufacturer said 31 of its locations globally now use 100% renewable energy. YKK has been working to reduce GHG emissions both within the company and in its supply chain as part of its Sustainability Vision 2050.

Under the plan, YKK aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, in addition to the ten SDGs relating to the five themes of Climate Change, Material Resources, Water Resources, Chemical Management, and Respect People.

Regarding the theme of climate change, YKK is aiming for a 50% reduction in Scopes 1 and 2, as well as a 30% reduction in Scope 3 by 2030 (from a 2018 baseline year).

As part of its measures to reduce GHG emissions, YKK is increasing the use of electricity from renewable energy, and as of FY2022, 31 of its locations worldwide have completed the changeover to 100% of their electricity being purchased from renewable energy sources. The company has been installing solar power facilities at each of its locations as part of its efforts to increase the use of electricity derived from renewable energy at the company, including the introduction of solar power facilities at the Min Hang and Lin Gang Plants of Shanghai YKK Zipper Co., Ltd.

The status of efforts in FY2022 toward achieving the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, including greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, will be disclosed in the YKK Integrated Report, ‘This is YKK 2023’, scheduled to be published in August 2023.

YKK says it will continue to work with local communities and customers to reduce GHG emissions and accelerate efforts to realise a sustainable society.

In China, all manufacturing sites have achieved 100% renewable energy for purchased electricity. In addition, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recognises manufacturing companies that demonstrate excellence in environmentally friendly activity such as energy conservation through its “Green Factory” certification system.

YKK Zipper (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. and Shanghai YKK Zipper Co., Ltd. received the highest level of National Green Factory certification in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Each week, Just Style’s editors select a deal that illustrates the themes driving change in our sector. The deal may not always be the largest in value, or the highest profile. But we select it because of what it tells us about where the leading companies are focusing their efforts, and why. We pick apart the deal itself, and the industry theme behind it. This new, thematic deal coverage is driven by our underlying Disruptor data, which tracks all major deals, patents, company filings, hiring patterns and social media buzz across our sectors.

The LVMH Nutri Ivo deal 

LVMH Métiers d’Art, which has a presence in the leather, exotic skins and metal sectors, has assumed majority ownership of the Nuti Ivo SpA Group, an Italian company specialising in leather products. The deal was made for an undisclosed sum.

Nuti Ivo has established itself as one of the most prominent leaders in the international tanning industry. The company has long-standing traditions in the manufacturing sector and joins the select group of international companies that are part of LVMH Métiers d’Art.

Why it matters?

Founded in 2015, in order to protect, develop and ensure long-term access to raw materials and artisanal savoir-faire on a global level for luxury players, LVMH Métiers d’Art ensures constant management over the process of creating goods from start to finish, ensuring the sustainability of its supply chain.

GlobalData analyst Louise Deglise-Favre tells Just Style exclusively LVMH Métiers d’Art acquiring a majority stake in Nuti Ivo, a renowned Italian leather manufacturer, fits with its long tradition of using premium Italian leathers for its luxury goods.

She explains: “With this acquisition, LVMH partially vertically integrates a supplier into its value chain, allowing it more control over manufacturing processes. It will also help LVMH expand its production, which will allow it to match the heightened demand it has experienced for its luxury leather goods in the past few years.”

The detail

Nuti Ivo SpA was founded in Santa Croce sull’Arno in 1955. The group is managed by the second generation of the Nuti family, with four production facilities throughout Italy that employ over 300 people.  

The company, thanks to a continuous commitment to research, has introduced numerous technical and procedural innovations to the world of tanning and kept its machinery and structures up to date in accordance with modern technology. Nuti Ivo produces in its Tuscan territory of origin and exports 85% of its production abroad. These factors allow Nuti Ivo Group the opportunity to work with the world’s leading luxury brands as their clients. The Nuti Ivo Group has also distinguished itself over the years with investments in sustainability and innovation.  

“We are excited to integrate Nuti Ivo Group within LVMH Métiers d’Art and look forward to the opportunities it will unleash,” explains Matteo de Rosa, CEO of LVMH Métiers d’Art.

He continues: “With the addition of Nuti Ivo Group, we complete our operations in the leather business, expanding our savoir-faire, product offering while ensuring traceable and sustainable sourcing.”

Fabrizio Nuti, president and CEO of Nuti Ivo adds: “Becoming part of a group like LVMH Métiers d’ Art is a natural evolution towards our future. After more than 40 years of collaborations with the best brands in the world, it is a great recognition – says. – For us it is a new beginning, a new departure, which serves as an incentive for us to grow and improve in all areas of our savoir-faire, guaranteeing a future for our history and our company, thanks to the support of LVMH Métiers d’Art.” 

More research:

Apparel Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Deals by Top Themes in Q1 2023 – Thematic Intelligence

LVMH - Company Profile

The GOTS cotton project, to be carried out under ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme, will train artificial intelligence (AI) to use ESA satellite data to detect cotton fields across India and automatically classify them according to their cultivation standard.

By integrating standardised yield metrics, this innovative approach will also enable GOTS to generate realistic estimates of organic cotton yields in specific areas.

Integrated with existing GOTS measures, this project will enable GOTS to further enhance the integrity of organic cotton by developing advanced risk assessment technology for organic certification and preventing fraud from the beginning of the supply chain.

The project's anticipated impact extends beyond identifying certified organic cotton fields. It is expected to also empower GOTS to recognise cotton fields that have not yet obtained organic certification but possess the potential for a seamless transition to organic cultivation, thanks to their utilisation of traditional and ecologically friendly farming practices. This would enable GOTS to bring a greater number of farmers – particularly those of a smaller size – into the certified organic sector and supply chains, creating new economic opportunities for small-scale farmers and their communities while also helping the textile sector to meet growing consumer demand for organic cotton.

The project will run across the distinct cotton growing regions in India, with first results expected by the end of 2023.

India project builds on successful Uzbekistan feasibility pilot

The project is co-financed by GOTS and ESA, in collaboration with Marple, a German software development firm that developed the CoCuRA (Cotton Cultivation Remote Assessment) software with ESA BASS and successfully piloted it in a feasibility project in 2021 in Uzbekistan.

That venture showed how the trained AI was able to accurately differentiate cotton fields from other crops using only satellite images and sensor data, as well as whether the cotton fields were cultivated organically.

This spurred considerable interest from GOTS, which has committed to the development of cutting-edge technologies that can improve the integrity of the organic textile sector, especially cotton.

GOTS managing director Claudia Kersten said: “It is an honour and very exciting to be a partner in this ESA Demonstration Project, and it is living up to our claim to be pioneers serving the sustainable textile sector to enable continuous improvement. Technologies like this will be a game changer regarding the integrity and promotion opportunities of organic cotton.”

Guillaume Prigent, business development and partnerships officer at the European Space Agency added: “This project highlights how space solutions can have a positive impact on the world and is the kind of innovation that ESA supports through its Business Applications and Space Solutions programme.”

Marple co-founder Dr David Scherf said: “All our projects strive to leverage advanced technology for a positive impact on the environment and society. We are therefore delighted that our CoCuRA technology, which emerged from a moonshot research project, is being applied in a practical and impactful way. We are excited about the opportunity to work with the exceptional team at GOTS and further strengthen our successful partnership with ESA.”