TABLE OF CONTENTS

Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2001 "Globalization of the Textile and Apparel Industries"

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THE POLISH CONSUMER'S CONCEPT OF PRICE AS A MARKETPLACE CUE

Marguerite Moore, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Tennessee
Karen M. McGowan, Ph.D., Time Warner, Inc.

As globalization continues, companies will face both opportunity and risk when participating in foreign markets. Cross-cultural research seeks to inform academics and practitioners about consumer behavior across national markets. The current study examines whether Polish consumers recognize price as a cue in apparel purchasing decisions. Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that Polish consumers (N=355) recognize four dimensions of price including the price/quality schema, prestige sensitivity, price mavenism and sale proneness. Directions for measurement development and future research are offered.

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A MICROMECHANICAL MODEL FOR BLENDED YARNS WITH FRAGMENTED LOW-ELONGATION FIBERS

Thomas A. Godfrey
US Army Soldier & Biological Chemical Command
Natick Soldier Center, Natick, MA

John N. Rossettos
Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering
Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Often, fibers with significantly different elongations-to-break are combined in blended yarns. During yarn extension, the low elongation-to-break (LE) fibers undergo a fragmentation process, whereby the LE fibers develop multiple breaks along their length. The interaction between the LE fragments and the high elongation-to-break (HE) fibers is key to the load-extension behavior of such blended yarns. In this work, a micro-mechanical model for the interactions in a mixed array of elastic fibers representing the microstructure of a blended yarn undergoing axial extension is adopted and modified for the assumption of hexagonal fiber packing. The present results, which represent essentially an upper bound on the mechanical behavior that can be attained by increasing packing density, are compared to previous results for the assumption of square packing. It is shown that increased packing density provides for better reinforcement of the yarn by the LE fragments.

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THE RACE TO FREE TRADE IS ON!
Exclusive Article for JTATM (December 2001)

Sid Smith
(former) President and Chief Executive Officer of The Hosiery Association and
JTATM International Editorial Board Member

When the gavel came down on the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on November 14 in Doha, Qatar, the Western world woke up the next morning to the announcement that another round of worldwide trade negotiations had been launched. The previous round, known as the Uruguay Round was started in 1986 and concluded in 1994. It involved the negotiation of tariff reductions on almost all items of trade, including textiles and apparel, as well as the dismantling of the textile and apparel quota system. Most of the tariff cuts negotiated in that round will be in place by 2005, as well as the removal of the quota system. With the end of these phased changes in sight, many people around the world, particularly the U.S. government began the slow, arduous process of getting the next round of trade liberalization talks underway.

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HONG KONG FASHION INDUSTRIES IN THE NEW ECONOMY

Yi Li and Lei Yao
Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

In this paper, the sustainable competitiveness of the Hong Kong Fashion industry (textile and clothing industry) in the new economy is investigated through a comparison study and model simulation. We find that the competitiveness of Hong Kong will decrease without intensive investment to develop key knowledge-based core competencies in facing intensive competition from developing and developed countries and the threats of regional trade blocs and increased bargaining power of overseas buyers. To capture the business opportunities and develop sustainable competitiveness in the new economy, it is essential for the Hong Kong Textile and Clothing industry to invest and develop knowledge-based core competencies in the areas of product innovation, design and original brand marketing.

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GLOBAL SOURCING IN THE U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY

Gary Gereffi
Duke University, North Carolina, USA

This article analyzes the sourcing patterns of the U.S. apparel industry using a global supply chain perspective. Retailers, marketers, and branded manufacturers are the lead firms that organize the bulk of apparel imports into the U.S. market. U.S. apparel sourcing patterns are shifting, with an increased emphasis on imports from Mexico and the Caribbean Basin rather than Asia.

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RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE ROBOTIC STITCHING TECHNOLOGY FOR
TEXTILE STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES

Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Wittig
ALTIN Nähtechnik GmbH, Berlin, Germany

Dry preform production is gaining increasing importance due to the widespread availability of modern resin infusion techniques. This requires reproducible structural preforms of high accu-racy which have to be manufactured on automated systems at low costs. Shaping of the struc-ture, fixation of patches or layers and reinforcement of the parts in z - direction are the main tasks for this process step. Stitching is therefore the ideal solution. ALTIN Naehtechnik has de-veloped a stitching process, where 3-dimensional preforms can be produced by the application of unique stitching technologies. For the achievement of high accuracy numeric controlled in-dustrial robots are used to carry special designed stitching heads along the seam path. The ex-changeable heads are designed to operate with all modern high performance yarns including carbon. The patented One Side Stitching- and the Tufting - heads allow to stitch and to rein-force special structures with access from only one side. The paper gives an overview of major developments and achievements in preform stitching.

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Nancy B. Fair, Ph.D., Ann E. Fairhurst, Ph.D. and Carol A. Costello, Ph.D.
Department of Consumer and Industry Services Management

The recent events since September 11, 2001 have affected us all in different ways. Much has been reported in the media about consumer concerns with such issues as the economy, national security and the possibility of future attacks. The September 11 events not only had an impact on consumers but also the service industry. There is continued apprehension about where and when to shop. Mall traffic fell 6.8% in September and October. The travel and tourism industry experienced a huge downturn in business affecting airlines, hotel/motel operators, restaurant owners, travel agents, even taxi drivers. New data from the Travel Business Roundtable show positive signs that consumers are resuming travel and entertainment plans to some degree, but evidence indicates that the travel downturn will remain.

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Robert P. Antoshak, Chief Information Officer
Globecot, Inc., Nashville TN USA

In a last-ditch, eleventh-hour effort, delegates to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on November 14 agreed to start a new round of global trade negotiations despite a lack of consensus concerning textiles. The agreement was made at the WTO Ministerial Meeting held in Doha, Qatar, and sets the stage for global trade negotiations much like the Uruguay Round of negotiations that created the WTO in the 1990's. After nearly a week of hard bargaining, delegates from the 142 member countries of the WTO announced a deal that was heralded by many of the participants as a much-needed boost to the flagging global economy. At the same time, the deal restored some credibility to the WTO, which has had to endure two years of embarrassment since the failure of the last Ministerial Meeting in Seattle two years ago. That meeting ended in disarray after protesters disrupted the city of Seattle and made the prospects of a deal to proceed with global talks doubtful.

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THE INFLUENCE OF TRADE ISSUES ON THE WORLD COTTON DEMAND

R. Michael Tyndall
Cotton, Incorporated, North Carolina, USA

For any business to be successful today, globalization is a trend and a key term one must become familiar with. When evaluating the risks and benefits of becoming a global player, there are many factors that influence the business opportunities available. Historically, cotton has been traded globally. With the recent changes in trade agreements and the impact of global economic and political situations, keeping abreast of these developments are crucial. This report will review those changes in trade legislation, political and economic issues and the supply/demand situation for cotton as each continue to be a major factor in world trade.

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