Jute Fashion Industry Overview: Past, Present and Future

The rising global campaigns to ensure a pollution free world has forced the environmentalists to launch a number of innovative ways to implement. Even the world of fashion doesn't seem to be untouched from this make-everything-eco-friendly wave.

Thus many steps have been taken to give this fashion world a much needed “green” face. This revolution has given an unseen pace to the use of fashion apparel made of natural fibers. That is why the production of jute, commonly known as the “Golden Fiber”, apart from organic cotton, is the latest fashion buzzword.

The most acclaimed and important step to motivate the production and use of jute has been taken by UN General Assembly. Wonderfully, the Assembly has declared the coming year(2009) as the International Year of Natural Fibers.

Many world jute bodies concerned with the use and development of jute are supposed to take the responsibility of speeding up this initiative by organizing numerous programs worldwide. Some of them are: The International Commodity Body(ICB) for Jute, The International Jute Study Group(IJSG) etc.

Despite being the second cheapest textile fiber after cotton, it has been one of the most neglected fashion fiber. The reasons could be many such as; the utter disinterest shown by the officials as well as the common consumers of fashion products etc.

PAST

The basic problem lies in the lack of technological advancements in the installation of better spinning machineries and scarcity of fund to initiate further research. As a matter of utter disgust, no innovation in the machinery has been noticed after 1950's. The last such thing happened years ago when twisted “roving” was replaced by silver spinning. Moreover, many machines installed during 1930-40 are still being used in many parts of South Asian countries.

PRESENT

Since 90's, however, the jute industry has seen a bit of development as various world bodies related to the upliftment of jute fashion has started providing monetary, technological and research based help. The biggest beneficiaries are the South Asian countries. One of such examples is the financial help provided to many jute growing countries under a UNDP project. Most of the money is spent to buy more equipped jute-spinning machines.

FUTURE

The potential market trends related to jute fashion is quite bright. Thanks to the growing concern of people about the welfare of the eco-system. In coming decade, the production of jute-specific fashion products is estimated to be doubled-up. Most importantly, the key to the development of this industry lies in the modernization of the machinery as consumers are waiting for jute-products like never before.

Important Steps for the Better Promotion of Jute Fashion

Since it is an economical fiber which can be recycled too, it can take a centrestage if the promotion of jute fashion is taken carefully.

• As the jute has got, naturally, a rough surface so it may not be the number one choice for apparel. But the use of machinery and processes which makes jute smoother can be a better option to make it suitable for fashion.

• Though jute has got a natural golden tinge, it must be developed and processed in a way which can explore all the most popular colors worldwide too. This will make it more fashion-friendly fiber and colorfully vibrant.

• Mostly it is used by men. The use of jute by women is confined to the handbags only, most of the time. It has to be more women-friendly to end the men's monopoly.

Ethical Fashion Show: 2008

Here comes a completely different type of fashion show bred by a completely bizarre form of fashion trend. The trend of ethical fashion show which started back in 2004 is set to see its next tantalizing edition in the coming month of October.

Apart from making the fashion world greener, its basic aim is to instill in the heart of fashioners a sense of awareness and sympathy towards those who are related to fashion indirectly.

The show solely aims to inspire us to take care of certain social reasons before donning any fashionable stuff. It mainly motivates us to use those clothes which are made paying sufficient wages to the workers. We know that the farmers in cotton fields and weavers work in inhuman conditions in almost all the third world countries.

Further, the extensive and uncontrolled use of pesticides in those fields make a fashion apparel on our body no less than a sack full of poison and toxic elements. Thus, this fashion show also tries to tell that wearing of fashion apparel could be a possibility even if we don't use pesticides while growing cotton.

Since it has been launched in 2004 by Isabelle Quehe, this ethical fashion show has turned out to be a great hit. Fashion designers from all round the globe has taken it with great enthusiasm and vigor.

In this fashion show names like Veja, Nu streetwear(France), Eco Logica(Australia), Pachauti(UK), Pau Brasil(Brazil) etc. are going to take active participation.

Though it will go on for four days, its schedule has been devised very judiciously. The first two days( Oct. 9^th and 10^th) are reserved for trade shows while next two days are assigned for general public. All these four days are set to be full of showrooms, runways and conferences.

This edition will see a concentration of almost 100 fashion designers from all the four corners of the world. The best ethical designer will be given an award buy a jury of fashion and trade fair professionals.

Woolmark Woos Woolgrowers and Youth With a New Logo

The Australian Wool Industry is set to experience a major facelift and makeover. The wool organization, in order to regain a refreshed momentum in the fashion industry, has decided to replace the 44 year old logo with a curved swirl which represents the head of a ram.

The new logo is believed to draw the attention of the youth and the tired woolgrowers. Please note that the last 4-5 years have seen a huge decline in the production of merino wool. The woolgrowers, around Australia, seemed to have lost their interest in its production.

The chairman of Australian Woolgrowers Association, Martin Oppenheimer looked excited and said, “...what we needed was a launch like this to excite woolgrowers so they know more about the product and have more confidence that there's a strong demand for it.'' Hopefully, the new logo will inject a fresh hope and vigor among those woolgrowers.

On the other hand, the organisation is equally interested to share its pie in the booming fashion apparel industry for youths. The new design of the Woolmark logo will make the youths believe that the use of wool for fashion can be luxurious too, apart from being qualitative. Definitely, the organization has made the logo more standardized and visually attractive.

The youths have been specifically prescribed to use merino woolen sporting gears and other fancy dresses. Interestingly, Australian Wool Innovation chief executive Craig Welsh believed that the new logo would woo the younger generation comprehensively.

He said, “...the younger generations don't know what that quality means. They don't know merino wool can be light, soft and extremely comfortable. It can be used as a luxurious evening wear material or in sporting clothes.''

The logo has got two new labels: Superior Merino and Australian Merino. Though former's use is limited to the production of streetwear for youths, the latter label targets the big players of the fashion world including the fashion retailers and designers. Also, the launching function of the new logo saw the display of Merino evening wear and sportswear. Most profoundly, we too have seen the launch of a new “woolen” era.

Australian Wool Production Set to Experience a Decline in 2008/09

According to the latest updates of the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) and other reports, the Australian wool production will experience a 4% dive in the 2008/2009 season.

The insufficient rainfall in Eastern Australia and the rising food prices have caused to reduce the sheep population. Therefore,the wool production will see a slight but alarming decline.

The situation could have become worse, had the production of wool not surged moderately in New South Wales and Queensland.

The southern region, the state of Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia have entered the new wool season with a below normal autumn rainfall. This has led to an increased sheep slaughtering and exports.

The heightening global food prices have compelled the farmers in Western Australia to go for harvesting extra winter crop.That's why, they have abandoned sheep grazing temporarily.

The production forecast in the fresh season is 385 mkg greasy as compared to 400 mkg greasy in 2007/2008 season. After a detailed survey, a statewise wool production forecast has been issued.

However, the fresh low is just an another chapter in the history of continuously deteriorating Australian wool production.The production has experienced a regular fall in the period of last five years or more.

The following record issued by Australian Wool Innovation Limited will clarify the “falling trend” in the wool production further.

But as a matter of content, the global woolmarket will notice a marginal growth worldwide, according to IMF latest updates. Though it predicts a global slowdown in the world economy, it sees no pitfalls in the wool market and its consumption in the global apparel industry.

The balance will be provided by India and China-the two major exporters of wool apparel to the west. Also they are the biggest buyers of Australian greasy wool.

Mode à Paris : The most organized fashion federation

If July comes, can haute couture and fashion shows in Paris be far behind? The month of July sees the Paris fashion professionals organizing a dozen of haute couture and fashion shows.

Most of the fashion shows are based on men's wear.However, coming October will see almost forty to fifty women's wear fashion shows. It is interesting to find out how efficiently such a great event is organized.

It is great because more than a thousand press personals as well as local and foreign buyers make an unending queue to see the latest trends. Thankfully, there is a federation called “The Fédération française de la couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode”.

For ease you can call it Mode à Paris. Since 1973 it is working successfully and pockets a number of success stories to its credit.

The federation chooses the famous locations in and around the city to organize the fashion galas. The places like Jardin des Tuileries, Cour Napoléon, and spectacular Cour Carrée are few of them.

But since 1994 the Carrousel du Louvre is being used as the main point for the fashion purposes. The choice of the Carrousel is far more feasible as it is close enough to other show related locations. This building, apart from other benefits, is helpful to reduce the transportation time between two locations.

The federation decides a strongly structured schedule for the fashion shows to ensure the maximum presence of media and visitors. It also takes enough care to make sure that no fashion week collides with other important fashion shows around the globe.

Official Website: http://www.modeaparis.com/

Mode à Paris at a glance: