Material Is Your Business

Nylon 6.6 fibers and thermoplastics with Nilit…

Judy Russell, Global Marketing Strategist for Nilit (a privately owned, international manufacturer of nylon 6.6 fibers and thermoplastics headquartered in Migdal HaEmek, Israel – (bio)) joins Samanta Cortes, Stephanie Benedetto, and Rob Sanchez on location at TexWorld USA in New York.

Responding to the marketplace, sustainability, and athleisure

Russell shares how she started career at DuPont company (which invented nylon, the original synthetic silk) in the IT department, materials started as an interest and became a career. The consumer is driving what is happening in the industry, responding to the marketplace vs. trying to change it, looking at sustainability not just in product but in terms of waste, packaging, shipping, marketing, materials, recycled fiber, more responsible use of ingredients, and is part of the core mission and social and environmental responsibility. How athleisure is creeping into wardrobes, the goal of helping to make life better, and the trend of investing in a core wardrobe that will do more. Getting awareness of products to consumers .

Marketing downstream, fibers as brands, and proprietary yarn

The change in malls and physical stores, why Nilit is finding opportunity, and marketing downstream. Being able to see origins of materials works as a marketing strategy, people want to know what they are putting on their bodies just like what they put in their bodies. Do fibers have to become brands in their own right? Bridging look and feel, an absence on line, getting started in “sense-based” brand. Proprietary level is inherent in the yarn, and the Nilit nylon is primarily filament, seeing aesthetics and style play a bigger role, like in electronics, and a focus on the right brain and left brain coming together.

Strategizing regionally, Barbie dolls, and Beethoven

A global message, an inability to compartmentalize any strategy regionally, Nilit’s breeze and cooling effect, and consideration of how to be balancing local attention and consideration of marketing of culture and style trends. Personal questions in a round of Remnants cover a cradle of world history, practicing French, creating clothing for Barbie dolls, Beethoven, and a house full of music.

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Allergen and Irritant Standards And Certifications for materials and textiles…

Dr. John McKeon, Cofounder/CEO of Allergy Standards Ltd. (a physician-led global certification company that prepares independent standards for testing a wide range of products to determine their suitability for asthmatics and individuals with associated allergies – (bio)), joins Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes on location at TexWorld USA 2017 in New York.

The evaluation process, from the ER to TexWorld, and avoiding triggers

McKeon discusses his background as an ER Doctor, how the types of textiles used, floor coverings, devices and more can impact the quality of health care, attention to irritants in textiles and materials such as formaldehyde, avoiding allergens and asthma by creating a certification system, and tying to specific conditions people have. The evaluation process including considering physical performance criteria, chemical performance criteria, looking for harsh chemicals, the physical attributes of comfort physiology, and allergen testing. The journey from orthopedic surgeon and ER doctor to attending a textile sourcing conference, a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, and being able to create jobs and wealth in society with a focus in patient education and environmental control. How moving from command and control to managing and maintaining wellness and avoiding triggers can be reduction on medicine and ER visits.

The Whole of House approach, collaboration, and the next evolution of product choice

Running certification as a product testing process, going across industries, and how there must be a “whole of house” approach. How indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. The physician led team, the importance of actionable insights, and a joint collaborative venture with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The app works with bar code of certified products and get info on why the product is certified and what it means to you, and other educational info, affiliation with product lines for Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren, tackling broader sustainability issues like manufacturing at the source, decision hierarchy in choosing certain products, how the next evolution crosses over with health, inflammation and indoor air quality, and next generation healthy fabrics. The importance of early ambassadors, the democratization of information and why the power isn’t only with doctor.

Creating public expectation, team and innovation, and an Alcatraz swim

How to get these standards in public consciousness and expectation, education from brands, and high search rankings. Personal questions with Remnants cover how McKeon depends on his team, teaching innovation, being an entrepreneur at heart, triathlons, rugby in Ireland, and open water swimming from Alcatraz.

 

#forahealthierhome

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Reducing waste through creativity…

Bunny Yan, Materials Upcycling Specialist and Founder of the Squirrelz (an app allowing designers and marketers to tap into the designer community and benefit from the unused materials they’ve left over – (bio)) joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

From Shanghai to New Jersey, 25 million tons of waste daily, and success stories

Yan shares why her name is Bunny, why the company’s name is the Squirrelz, her background as born in Shanghai and raised in NJ, art, drawing, design, FIT, and being in fashion/marketing for 18 years working for urban wear companies, and designing for Busta Rhymes. Reducing waste through creativity, working with brands and turning their materials or marketing waste into products or providing them to others who can, such as trimmings, buttons, extra material waste etc. The first shared economy and free marketplace of its kind, and why Yan wants it to be free right now. How landfills receive 25 million tons/day of wasted materials. How it could be another resell platform. The process of downloading the app, browsing through, finding material you like, and then you match it to a place and then pick up the material. No money need, just sign in via social platform, promoting hyper local community-building in NYC, with an aim to be global. Stories of success such as someone claiming a recorder for their autistic daughter, and a design student who became a sewing teacher for another designer’s daughter, creating a job.

What’s in a name, monetizing, and re-purposing material

Why the name The Squirrelz — because they gather, and in contaminated areas you don’t see squirrels. Why they thought about changing their name and then didn’t. Why brands put so much material in landfills or burn them, remaking things into something else in current form, inspiring creativity, samples, and lab dips. How they monetize, with programs and partnerships with bigger brands, such as Tom’s Shoes providing defective shoes they previously had to burn, working with schoolchildren to paint on the shoes. No logistic, no storage, get marketing piece, and a tax write off. Banners and window clings after ad campaigns are always discarded, created line of bags with them. Discovering a what particular material does (i.e. fold, wrinkle burn, make a sound) and what can you make of those qualities and turn into something else that shares those characteristics in a better way.

Outsourcing sustainability, moving the 1%, and saved by a monk

How a mistake can become a success, working on what part of waste to get rid of first in a way you can benefit customers and continue to work within companies, outsourcing the sustainability department. The extraordinarily massive waste each year, playing connector to facilitate brands with designers, realizing talent and providing jobs while solving problems for brands. Upcycling as a part of bringing manufacturing back to the US, its ability to be an entire new industry, how it can allow more areas to access more desirable materials, and the opportunity for retails stores to upsell. And the goal to move 1% of material waste from landfills. Being saved by a monk when clapping bring terrifying cats in Japan, resisting a math scholarship for art leads to fashion education tips, and why ability doesn’t equate to destiny.

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Surface design and embellishments in scarves and loose apparel…

Elizabeth Gillett, Founder/Creative Director of Elizabeth Gillett (luxury, contemporary scarves & cover-ups for women, designed exclusively in NYC – bio), joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

A lost scarf starts a business, limited runs, and infinite possibilities

Gillett discusses her success in spite of no background in fashion or business, being and expert in surface design and embellishments, how she started the company, the desire for an oversize, tactile, soft, comfortable scarf, how she got her first orders and fulfilled them, and transitioning her business one scarf at a time. Stephanie and Samanta receive gifts of personally selected limited run scarves, and how craftsmen allow Gillett to do small run artwork in the form of scarves. Soft accessories allow anyone to easily to bring something for someone. From an idea in Gillett’s mind to being worn by someone. Transitioning from hand application to printers and mills. How as a fine artist the toolbox is infinite, how textiles offer a 2D plane to explore possibilities because the material changes the design when it is applied. Knitting required help working side by side.

Producing in India, transitioning the business, and producing-to-order

Why India became an inspiring resource, low minimums, the process from concept to manufacturing, how weather changes in India affect design choices, how Gillett thinks in the finished project, and the value of seeing the manufacturing in India in person. The best go-to colors and techniques, woven MicroModal, and a delicious and surprising snack. Moving her studio from her bathtub to The Garment Center then to China then to India, why she stayed in India, the cost of transitioning a business, what happens to unused designs, producing-to-order for efficiency and being waste-free, the boutique part of business as a testing ground, and issues with grey goods and stability and dependability.

Speed to market, inviting naked people, and the fuel of inspiration

The see now/buy now impact on business in shrinking of timeline, and retailers taking longer risk by waiting longer and purchasing items with shorter turnaround, speed-to-market and supply chain shifts, the most difficult parts of the business, why numbers matter, and keeping it simple. Personal questions with “Remnants” cover inspiration, sharing with others, bracelet sales lead to candy, entrepreneurialism leads to social interactions, the draw of New York City, inviting naked people to a party, the fuel of inspiration, and a survival anniversary.

 

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Material technology, sustainability, and 3D knitting…

Caroline Cockerham, a technology and sustainability focused textile designer/developer with a special interest in 3D knitting – (bio), joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

A family-inspired love of materials, mill vs. brand development, and proving materials before design

Cockerham discusses her focus on apparel, textiles, technology, sustainability, and materials development, her background with a family that picked cotton and a great grandfather who was a dyemaster, and how she was always in love with textiles even as a kid. Falling in love with mills, rapid prototyping, material development in a mill vs. a brand, the importance of companies making sure employees understand holistically how things are made, why material development should start before design, tested and proven before being put in a product, and athletic companies leading the way on this.

Sustainability, 3D knitting, and the sweater you can run in

Opening the door to sustainability in future, and the importance of the 3D knitting machine. APEX CADD system simulates garments to avoid errors and waste and time and money and materials, an amazing technical product of wool open knit zig zag structure with a shell, the sweater you can wear to dinner or for a run, needs to make sense as a business perspective for sustainability, and how it can be profitable.

Paying attention, cool fibers, and risk

Personal questions with Remnants telling ancestors what to do differently, the need to pay attention how things are made, and very cool fibers, and the need for risk.

References:

SHIMA SEIKI machines

 

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Entrepreneurialism and making a difference…

Producer’s note: Recently our producing team sat down for an interview that was so intriguing and informative, we thought it would be valuable to entrepreneurs  in any industry. Thus, we are sharing it with you here.

Eli Ostreicher, serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker and Founder/CEO to eleven travel and luxury companies (2x INC 500 #1 in Travel) including Regal Wings, Regal Jets, Regal Card, Regal Solutions, GeeFi, One Bag Tag, GTTFP, Regal Engraving (bio) joins “Travel Is Your Business” hosts Pavan Bahl, John Matson and Marc Raco for Part 1 of a raw and candid interview — along with some sushi – about travel, entrepreneurialism, being successful “in spite of”, and “saying no to political correctness” at the MouthMedia Network studios.

A rags to riches journey to success at 33, One Bag Tag and Regal Engraving, and an uncle rescued

Ostreicher brings sushi, reveals why he went into the travel industry, his rags to riches journey that came from a lot of pain, being successful in against all odds, how focusing in one industry led to success and being narrow and deep, why Monday is the best day, and heading in direction of luxury instead of travel. The revolutionary idea of the One Bag Tag to eliminate all paper luggage tags. LVMH as a client, Regal Engraving as the newest company and the plan for 55 luxury engraving kiosks with master engravers in malls worldwide, largely by referral by other retailers, two years of talks with Visa, targeting the 1%, the Regal Collection of companies, Regal Wings (first company) and Regal Jets, and the rescue of his uncle Jacob Ostreicher.

Eccentricity vs. capability, Vaynerchuk vs. Ostreicher, and the unique nature of entrepreneurs

How Ostreicher appears eccentric, but people end up respecting him for his business savvy and the relationships become meaningful. Ostreicher vs. Gary Vaynerchuk, a possible reality show in development, Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, Ostreicher is good at accents, videos putting out #GTTFP, the unique nature of true entrepreneurs, an interest in becoming more of a speaker with the goal of giving back and sharing knowledge, and a challenge for a speech.

Systemization, building the right way, and the role of a CEO

Building a company, walking away and having someone else operate it, how to identify the moments and opportunities, identify them, build, and know when to walk away to the next project, how day to day the companies still requires his focus and attention, and why systemization is critical. Hiring the right people, how Ostreicher can have 11 companies he cradles until the right moment but never really lets go, being like a firefighter to put out fires, cleaning things up. The collection of events in his life that shaped him, balancing market opportunities vs. a crossover in various companies. And the value of data and analytics to fine tune the marketing and messaging and efficiency of a company.

Andy Morris

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Smart textiles and wearable tech with Interwoven Design Group…

Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, Founder of Interwoven Design Group, LLC and Adjunct Associate Professor at Pratt (bio), joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

Loving fabric, a tool for athletics, and what a wearable can be

Pailes-Friedman discusses specializing in wearable tech and smart textiles, how she loves fabric and worked for years with athletes for their clothing, looking at clothing as a tool for athletics. How she started working in smart textiles beyond clothing to objects that measure biometrics, wrote “Smart Textiles for Designers”, and is looking at what a wearable can and should be, with a focus on making life better.

A glove, a TV show, and Mars

A weightlifting glove, a stint on reality TV with “America’s Greatest Makers”, a prediction that we won’t always be carrying a phone in hand, working on getting people to Mars, working on spacesuits, and the critical nature of collaboration.

Students and professors, trust, and a superpower

Personal questions with “Remnants” reveal meaningful moments with students, trust between professors and students, and a superpower.

 

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Trims and embellishments with Trimworld…

Louis Nunez, Owner of Trimworld, Inc. (a full service fashion embellishment-manufacturing studio located in the heart of New York City Garment industry – (bio)) joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

Madonna, baseball, and FIT

Nunez discusses how Trimwold work with almost every major designer on trims and embellishments, including Madonna, and has been working almost every type of material, and his favorite is leather. Laser cutting, fringes, a background in professional baseball, learning at FIT, opening up a shop at 29 years old, and how the experience has been wonderful ever since. How the shop set up as a studio and 3,000 feet of factory space, and being in the process of making Olympic Patches.

Theatre, 3D printing molds, and restaurants

Working around trims and embellishment rules, working with theatre companies and how prepared they are, how innovation of machines and technology has affected the industry, how 3D printing has helped reduce cost of molds, the influx of sustainable materials over last 8-9 years, and Nunez’s restaurants.

Fashionable mother, cooking, and committing 100%

The personal questions in a segment of “Remnants” covers Nunez’s mother as a fashion forward woman, why a lack of cooking ability led to opening restaurants, and committing 100% to what you love.

Mambo Tea House

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Materials in architectural models with Kennedy Fabrications…

Michael Kennedy, Owner/Creative/Engineering Director of Kennedy Fabrications (Interactive real estate development displays, retail / museum installations and architectural model fabrication – (bio)), joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

The impact of 3D printing, machines to cut and shape, and model-making as a career

Kennedy discusses his architectural model shop making high-end residential architectural models around the world for more than 25 years. How he had one of the first 3D printers, dealing with the change in architecture shapes, how 3D printing is very useful, the changes in material technology and changing polymers, and looking at a blueprint sand instantly knowing how to build a model. The complexity of using machines to cut and shape, why there aren’t a lot of people who start companies in the model-making industry, how people just want something interesting and awesome, and model-makers need years of training and what matters is an artistic eye in the end.

Lights vs. data, working with the best architects, and function vs. form

The collaborative ways technology can be used to light a unit while creating tracking data, changes in LED technology, the number of projects Kennedy can work on at the same time, working with some of the best architects in the world and the rigorous process to get engineering material structure, looking beyond structure, and how function precedes form.

Vacuum-forming, Dubai is Disneyland, and sticking to your guns

How models affect the process of choosing or changing materials, a vacuum-form machine forms polymers into a custom form and softens edges. Traveling with his son, why Dubai was like Disneyland, who sees his job as one normal people had, trips to many countries, creating comfort with traveling, new buildings coming up, great architecture, avoiding isolation from creative people, and listening to other people but sticking to your guns.

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Computerized grading and marking of materials…

Paul Cavazza, Owner of Create-A-Marker (a computerized grading and marking company serving a range of industries – (bio)) joins hosts Stephanie Benedetto and Samanta Cortes at the MouthMedia Network Studios.

Grading and Marking, three generations of factories, and efficiency goals

Cavazza discusses how many industries bring a pattern in, Create-a-Marker digitizes the pattern, and provides a cuttable fabric width of the item, and how the designer or company must provide all the information about the fabric and pattern. He talks about grading the pattern, proportioning it into different sizes, how designers commonly design things that cannot be done, how his company likely has the most software systems for marking of anyone in the US, giving the most compatibility with users’ softwares and also overseas, so the company doesn’t have to turn down business. He looks back at three generations of factories, being in factories his whole life, cutting fabrics since he was 13 years old, and how the industry doesn’t like to change things. In 1993 decided to open of Create a Marker to create a computerized grading and marking service. How they shoot for an 80-85% efficiency marker, and if the manufacturer estimates a certain about of fabric the efficiency must be right or you can ruin a manufacturer. If you come down on estimated yardage, the manufacturer needs to know.

Manufacturing in NY, 3D fitting and pattern-making, and maximizing accuracy

Co-founding the Save the Garment Center, bringing back manufacturing in NY, and a strong push back for Made in NY. Pattern-making coming back to NY which means grading coming back to NY. 3D pattern-making and 3D fitting will be coming in next few months, how Cavazza is excited, one of the largest costs is making samples, fit models, and needing even more samples to get it right. A 3D avatar can show how a garment and pattern looks and put it in action and see how it looks in movement, and a designer can look at it on 3D to see if they really like how that garment or fabric looks and make adjustments, streamlining designs and focusing on the garment. Once fitted on avatar you can cut to 99% accuracy, minimizing waste in process and reducing cost.

Multiple industries, a goal for the future, and the best pizza in NY

Other industries, medical, (i.e. crutches) automotive (i.e., car seats, steering wheels), a nine feet tall teddy bear, sails, and parachutes. What creates complexity, size and special placements within specific design of fabric. Upholstery and furniture businesses, very global, and stuffed animals. Best practices and tools for students, teaching at FIT because he is seeing more and more people coming into the industry that never took fashion design, how there is amazing technology out there, such as sewing machines with laptops in Germany. Cavazza’s four companies including a paper company and a converting operation for converting paper, and how Create-A-Marker could open a computerized cutting room as a goal, building a state of the art factory that would blow minds, with nothing in NYC, and Europe currently having an edge. What happens after you cut the marker, the Amalfi Coast, not sleeping in Italy, the most surprising best pizza in NYC, bridal marking, going after technology and changing business, and not resisting change.

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