caftan pattern: Made in California

Made in the USA: California Contractor, Ball of Cotton

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqHtJOvxJ6V6H-lFh3uG2J2D2dh-S-OrR9or2erQGz9ngGeLAptkYlyn1wg_cvnVlJ9FXC4H13egFfhfRMQRzVDzk14lzSCB863KOEso_IYr9NLfUFQR7z68J28jdKILIen6L5lQkOFuo/s1600/R.Lauren.Olympic+Sweater+sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqHtJOvxJ6V6H-lFh3uG2J2D2dh-S-OrR9or2erQGz9ngGeLAptkYlyn1wg_cvnVlJ9FXC4H13egFfhfRMQRzVDzk14lzSCB863KOEso_IYr9NLfUFQR7z68J28jdKILIen6L5lQkOFuo/s400/R.Lauren.Olympic+Sweater+sketch.jpg" /></a></div> In less than a month, it seems like the Olympic sweaters from Ralph Lauren's collection have come and gone, yet the story behind those cotton knits is worth a closer look. From a knitting business in southern California that produces high quality knits, the Olympic sweaters were hand assembled by the "Ball of Cotton" company. A local company for more than 20 years, the owners Eddy and Elizabeth Park produce their own brand, along with private label jobs such as the Lauren label for the Olympics. Eddy Park has developed a manufacturing process that keeps all of his production state side but still maintains a high capacity of 6,000 sweaters per month, so it's not a little mom and pop outfit, but rather an option for designers who want high quality knits made under local supervision and production. An interview with the couple can be seen <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/02/04/southland-company-making-olympic-opening-ceremony-uniforms/">HERE</a> While New York city would like the public to believe that the city is the center for US apparel, in fact it is southern California that leads the US in employing the most apparel manufacturing workers (43,000) in the nation. What make the LA/Orange county region successful is that nearly 7,900 apparel contractors are in business (2011). Additional 'boutique' contractors are often so small as to not be counted along with the large businesses, yet they contribute towards regional success. The businesses In southern California are often geared towards higher production values, turnover and methods. This is something the less expensive off-shore manufacturing process often does not do successfully. As more contractors build up manufacturing that is independent from offshore production, such as Eddy and Elizabeth Park have done, we will be able to find more apparel available to us that is made in the USA from concept through production. <a href="http://www.ballofcotton.com/about.php">Ball of Cotton Website</a> Additional information on the southern California industry: <a href="http://www.apparelnews.net/news/2014/feb/20/california-economy-predicted-improve-next-year-and/">California Economy Predicted to Improve Next Year and Grow Modestly, By Deborah Belgum | Thursday, February 20, 2014 a recent economic forecast released by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. </a>

Made in the USA: California Contractor, Ball of Cotton

In less than a month, it seems like the Olympic sweaters from Ralph Lauren's collection have come and gone, yet the story behind those c...

3:55 PM

Made in Los Angeles: Branding Local Fashions

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqzhdxJP8J-s-8rPuUehAzAJeJ12bJ8uWy1WC5jo3S4TdSpXtUcU_7Oap4o7pru0JwK8kRSI7tlaXQfyhfv1C4IIvX8-sKEfI7uS0M7xAgxPBiJPlYKqnpNcRm_EgzoYwS-fl64GcfkQV/s1600/Made+in+LA+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqzhdxJP8J-s-8rPuUehAzAJeJ12bJ8uWy1WC5jo3S4TdSpXtUcU_7Oap4o7pru0JwK8kRSI7tlaXQfyhfv1C4IIvX8-sKEfI7uS0M7xAgxPBiJPlYKqnpNcRm_EgzoYwS-fl64GcfkQV/s400/Made+in+LA+logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> While the idea of promoting domestically produced apparel seems like a great idea, the reality of organizing, marketing and implementing any such program is much more involved and political that it seems on the surface. We can all agree that we want to know more about where our apparel comes from. 'Country of Origin' tags inside our clothes help to list that for us, but hang tags can emphasize that even more. Over the past decade, Los Angeles has become a top of apparel design and manufacturing region. While labels here may produce their product locally, at this time there isn’t any local hang tag to note that for the shopper. Some brands do carry the “Made in California” logo, but the actual state region is not listed. In an attempt to brand the city of Los Angeles as a fashion capitol for design through manufacturing, the mayor has released a new logo promoting L.A. fashion. Intended as a label or hang tag, it boasts “Designed & Made in Los Angeles”. Behind this label is a new program to promote Los Angeles’s apparel industry, create resource guides, and other means of support for local companies. The “Made in California” program already exists, and for some companies that is a strong branding tool that some aren’t in a hurry to trade off for the new localized tag. Another concern is that manufacturing in the Los Angeles region spreads wider than the city boundaries. The new “Made in L.A.” logo must be supported by performing all design and manufacturing functions with-in the city limits. Rozae Nichols, who designs and produces her high end fashions in the city and is a well known proponent of local design and manufacturing injected a note of reality to the proposal to comment that for her, to produce off shore isn't always bad for her business. Trina Turk also commented that she is already using the "Made in California" logo. She also noted that her customer is more concerned about style and fit when making their purchase. Turk’s line has long been designed locally and a significant portion of the products are manufactured in the region. She went on to point out that because of labor costs, she can only produce her more simple garments in the city. Items requiring more labor are made off shore. This is essential for keeping her price points in line with the market. There is a concern that this new program has the requirement for all design and production to be Los Angeles city based. This is where simple to manufacture T shirt and sport clothing manufacturers such as American Apparel can be successful, while garment designers whose product is more complex must still seek off shore production. This creates a ‘split’ manufacturing concept with both local and off-shore production. Will brands with this method of manufacturing be able to carry the tag? Will various products by one label be tagged, while other items in the line are not? These and other questions remain to be answered. Many local but California designed and produced brands will be ‘out’ in this game. By confining the hang tag to companies located only in Los Angeles many labels designed in the city but manufactured in the San Fernando valley (where many are located in what had been the center of the aerospace industry in the mid-century), and the vast areas of L.A. county’s industrial belt will be ‘out’. This could make selecting a contractor tricky at best for the L.A. based design house. It is important to understand that many companies have design rooms located in the city core, but the manufacturing process might be located further away in other cities and unincorporated county sites that offer less expensive locations to rent and maintain. Another concern is what the hang tag will mean as a brand. Los Angeles produces a wide and diverse selection of apparel. This range covers items that will be sold at low price points on up to nearly couture level garments. How will the localized branding cover this stretch in quality and price points? It may be difficult to ‘sell’ the idea of a regional tag to the higher priced design companies, since cheaply produced apparel will be able to carry the same hang tag along with their higher priced labels. The city logo won’t be able to signify high quality or design superiority. Perhaps the mayor’s announcement (timed with the Spring Fashion Week in L.A. in October) was premature. The obvious support such an initiative requires, such as a web-site and resource lists and more importantly a large team of labels and manufacturers on board for support are as yet unformed. With only 19 out of 10,000 companies supporting this logo, most are taking a ‘wait and see’ position on this new concept. To read more: <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/21/image/la-ig-lamade-20121021">Los Angeles hopes to make a fashion statement</a> October 21, 2012|By Adam Tschorn and Booth Moore | Los Angeles Times A PDF file of this article can be found <a href="http://www.cccfcs.com/uploads/Fashion/Fashion%202012-13/LA%20Fashion%20Statement.pdf">HERE</a>:

Made in Los Angeles: Branding Local Fashions

While the idea of promoting domestically produced apparel seems like a great idea, the reality of organizing, marketing and implementing an...

9:48 AM

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Made in the USA: California Contractor, Ball of Cotton

Made in Los Angeles: Branding Local Fashions

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