Earth Day 2011

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TexED Wire Goes Green for Earth Day - Special Edition!

Upcoming Events

Evolving Textiles: Competition. Innovation. Transformation.

The Evolving Textiles: Competition. Innovation. Transformation. conference at the College of Textiles in Raleigh, NC is only three weeks away and the day's program is quickly taking shape. We are pleased to announce the addition of two speakers for the day as well as a new member of our morning round table:

Nicole Bassett, the Director of Sustainability for PrAna and principal of Sustainability in Review – a supply chain and sustainability consulting firm, will join us to provide you with insight on how apparel brands select vendors and evaluate their sustainable practices.
David Bennell, Executive Director of Textile Exchange, will share with you several model sustainable textile manufacturing facilities from around the world.
David Flowers, Director of Distribution at Belk, joins our morning roundtable, Growing a Competitive Edge Through Innovation and the Transformation of Your Business, to answer your questions on how retailers are implementing sustainable practices in their organizations.

We are still accepting your questions for our moderated round table discussions. E-mail your question to Marissa_Langford@ncsu.edu and help us build a conference that addresses your needs.

Learn More...

Earth Day Registration Special!

To help you celebrate Earth Day 2011, we are pleased to extend a special Earth Day discount on conference registrations between now and April 30th. Register before April 30 and pay only $275 per person. Already registered? Call us, 919-513-2663, before April 30 to receive a special Earth Day Guest Registration discount for your coworkers who would like to join you for the conference.

Be sure to visit us on Facebook to submit Ask the TEXperts topics, discuss
the articles and
keep in touch with classmates.

May Events

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Core
May 3-6, 2011
& June 7-10, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

Evolving Textiles: Competition. Innovation. Transformation.
May 12, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

American Society for Quality - World Conference of Quality and Improvement
May 16-18, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA
Visit us at booth #821

Forensic Discovery and Recovery Workshop
May 16-20, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

Forensic Image Processing and Analysis
May 23-26, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

Fundamentals of Textile Testing
May 31 - June 2, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

June Events

Textile Manufacturing Laboratory Workshop
June13-17, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

Introduction to Nonwoven Products and Processes
June 20-23, 2011
College of Textiles
Learn More and Register

Earth Day News

NC State University's Colleges of Design and Textiles
Bring "Upcycling" to the Runway

Students from NC State University's Colleges of Design and Textiles collaborate each year to show off student apparel designs at the annual Art to Wear fashion show and design competition. This year's show featured a recurring theme of "upcycling," using recycled materials to produce couture apparel pieces, in many of the design collections. Some of the upcycled materials seen included price tags, pennies and industrial air filters.

A past designer from the 2004 Art to Wear show, Ashley Newsome, who graduated in 2005 with a degree in art and design and a minor in apparel technology, has made upcylcing her business. She is now an owner of her own sustainable fashion supply and custom clothing design business in Savannah, GA, - Haberdashery Eco Fashion Supply. Newsome finds and sells fabrics from various sources, including vintage fabrics from renewable sources and leftovers from high-end designers.

Art to Wear was started in 2002 by Faculty Advisor Vita Plume and several Anni Albers scholars, which is a dual degree program between the College of Design and Textiles. This year's show, the 10th anniversary show, was held in Reynolds Coliseum for an audience of over 3500.

See the Designs...

FTC Issues New Guidelines for Green Labelling

As Reported in USA Today

On many store shelves across the country, consumers see an abundance of product labels claiming to be green, environmentally friendly or energy efficient, but are consumers being mislead? Numerous complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission, FTC, about misleading labeling on eco-friendly products has prompted the agency to update its guidelines, last updated in 1998, for environmental claims a year early.

In January of this year, the FTC began requiring that all products labeled with the Energy Star logo submit to third-party testing to prove efficiency claims. Prior to this year, only some products required additional testing.

Additionally, the FTC is targeting vague wording on labels, such as products labeled eco-friendly, and is warning marketers to use more specific language to describe the product's environmental benefits. The hope is to provide more clarity for consumers, because while it's rare that companies blatantly lie about their products, many "green" marketing claims exaggerate or are vague about the benefits of the product to entice unwary consumers into selecting their products over another company's.

Read the Full Article...

Learn More About Earth Day and What You Can Do