California Apparel News

NEW YORK—The July 19–20 run of Kingpins, the boutique denim trade show organized by Olah Inc., stretched out this season across two floors of the Skyline Studios loft space in midtown Manhattan. Exhibitors included a mix of domestic and international denim resources, including denim mills, fiber companies and trim suppliers. “It’s nice to spread out,” said Linsey Hinkle, director of merchandising and development for Denim North America, the denim mill in Columbus, Ga.

Hinkle said traffic was good at the show but added she set up several appointments before the show.

“It’s nice to have one place where everyone can meet,” she said.

DNA recently launched a new yarn technology, called Everflex, which gives the wearer the comfort of natural fiber with the stretch and recovery of a synthetic. Developed in partnership with a Mexican spinner, Everflex features a dual-core polyester/spandex “encapsulated inside a sheath of cotton.”

In addition to Everflex, DNA was also showing a range of stretch denims, as well as a few 100 percent cotton styles.

Hinkle said she was seeing a growing interest in stretch denim from men’s brands. “It started with the premium brands, and it really trickled down quickly,” she said.

Showing for the first time in New York was Hong Kong private-label manufacturer Zamira Fashion Ltd., which specializes in innovative washes and treatments. Last year, the company moved its manufacturing from China to Sri Lanka, “when the cotton crisis started,” said Thomas Muller, Zamira’s managing director.

The 4-year-old company has gained access to the European market but decided to show in New York to try to capture some U.S. business.

“When we decided to go for the U.S. market, I looked for a platform,” said Muller, who said he definitely wanted to do the show again next season.

The company was showing both denim and jeans garment-dyed in bright colors and hand-finished with specialty jeans treatments. “The response has been color, color, color!” Muller said.

Kingpins is a gathering place for the denim business, said returning exhibitor Mark Ix, who does U.S. marketing for Central Denim, a denim mill based in Hong Kong.

“The show has been good—it’s the right customer,” Ix said. “They’re serious, and they want to do business. It makes my job easier.“

Show sponsor Invista was on hand with several new developments, including DualFX, a superstretch fiber featuring Lycra for stretch and Lycra T-400 for recovery.

The company also recently launched a stretch version of its durable Cordura fiber, which features Lycra T-400, and launched a new consumer marketing initiative, called Lycra Style, for the ready-to-wear market.

Several Kingpins exhibitors already developed product with DualFX, including Central Denim, Prosperity Textile, Artistic Fabric Mills, Itochu, Tavex, Kurabo and Quianjin Jeans Co.

Everyone agreed the mood among buyers at Kingpins was upbeat.

“It’s a little better now that cotton prices have started dropping,” said DNA’s Hinkle. Cotton talkFor the second season, Kingpins reprised its cotton panel discussion, featuring agronomists, farmers and fiber makers discussing the rise—and fall—and possible rise again—of cotton prices.

Speaker O.A. Cleveland, a professor emeritus from Mississippi State University, kicked off the discussion with the welcome news that cotton prices have fallen.

“Six months ago, cotton was trading at a dollar and a half—and it sailed past that,” he said. “We’ve come down 50 cents in just six weeks. “

Cleveland acknowledged that the seminar attendees had had a rough time coping with the rapid changes in cotton prices.

“You’ve been met with such hellip; price volatility,” he said. “I think we’ll continue to see such price volatility. I would anticipate that the market will be a bit more stable, but I think that anything from $1 to $1.10, you should be fairly aggressive. We are a bit low right now. Now’s the time to buy.”

Other panelists included Kater Hake, vice president of agricultural research for Cotton Inc.; Monte Christian, vice president, Western Hemisphere, for Bayer CropScience; and farmers Steve Newsom, who grows conventional cotton in Levelland, Texas, and Cliff Bingham, who grows both conventional and organic cotton in Meadow, Texas.

The panel discussion was live streamed, and a link will be posted on the Kingpins Facebook page.

The next stop for Kingpins is the Los Angeles show, scheduled for July 26–27. In addition to New York and Los Angeles, Kingpins hosts denim shows in Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as its newest addition, in India.—Alison A. Nieder