Unifi Visit

On Tuesday, I visited Unifi. Unifi produces, textures, and dyes all types of filament (and works with many spun) yarns for multiple industries. Since my research is focusing on color, we visited the dye house in Reidsville, NC. This was a great opportunity for me to refresh my color chemistry memory as well as learn something new (or a lot of somethings). By speaking with my contact there and learning about the processes involved in color matching, the dyeing process, and documenting this information for future reference and consistency, I picked up on several helpful hints for how to record my color observations from the automotive fabrics. He also spoke in detail about the history of the industry since he's been involved and the dynamics between all levels of the automotive supply chain.

In the hay-days for automotive textiles, from the mid 1980's until the mid 1990's, yarns were being packaged dyed. Unifi led this evolution by developing all procedures to dye polyester yarns, along with other filaments, such as nylon (which at the time was supposedly "impossible" to dye). This meant more business for Unifi, but it also meant more control by the designers and represented a time that automotive fabrics represented quality and luxury.

In the mid 90's, one of the OEMs demanded that costs be cut by piece-dyeing yardage, and everyone else fell in line. Rather than designers controlling design, all control was given to purchasing and the result has been the bland grays and neutrals you'll find yourself sitting on today. It was at this point that companies began refusing to pay more that $100 to upholster the entire interior. Not only did switching to piece dye limit design capability, but there was a lot of "corner-cutting" by the OEMs. For example, take a good look at your "leather" seats. Chances are the only leather is inlay, the very center of each seat. The bolster, on the edges, is almost always vinyl, and its all coated with acrylic. The same is true in fabrics. Its ironic that cost-cutting has landed the automotive industry in the financial crisis we are experiencing today.

While so much has changed, not just in the past 10 years...but in the past 10 months, with this industry, it is necessary to review what has changed since the most successful times in order to be successful again. The de-evolution from package dyeing to piece dyeing is just 1 example at 1 level of this industry. There is much to learn, but I hope that my research will contribute to increasing success through value, quality, and design.

Repreve!

During my Unifi trip, I also learned about their newest product:

Repreve is a 100% recycled yarn that is produced at extraordinarily low energy and water consumption rates. To make Repreve, Unifi uses materials that might otherwise go on to the landfill, such as yarn and materials scraps, as well as post-consumer products, such as PET plastic bottles. Repreve is available in Polyester and Nylon and is a perfect example of a company moving in the right direction! Check out their website: www.repreve.com as well as the video featured on Discovery Channel's How It's Made (link found at bottom right corner of Repreve website).

Racing the Clock

I woke up this morning with the reality of having exactly 2 weeks before I begin interviewing nearly 70 professionals in the automotive textile industry.  Every day is now part of the count down!

This Week

I'm giving myself 1 more week to focus on researching the factors that have influenced trends in body cloth motif, scale, and color.  During these past few weeks, I have also been researching trend cycles.  Although this information will not be presented in the interviews, I hope to compare previously observed trend cycles with those I have uncovered.  I have found some very unique historical research such as that by Richardson and Krobler, which tracks women's fashion through 3 centuries of changing dress width and length, or Robinson's studies on men's facial hair and American automobile size.  Other trends that I'm sure have impacted this industry include national and expendable income, increase in globalization and the impact of foreign automotive markets, and times of war and natural disaster (just to name a few).  I hope to learn about much of this through the interview process, which I'm sure will also reveal many factors I may not have considered.

Analysis

In order to discover factors, I am first acknowledging the cycles, peaks and troughs of motif, scale, and color trends.  I am looking for critical dates and asking the question, "what made this happen?".  The potential factors are limitless.  By noting critical dates first, I should be narrowing my scope to only the factors that had noticeable effects.  

Also this week, I have become a manager (what?).  I have realized that I've gone in a little too deep with the amount of time remaining before I begin interviews.  

How did I get here?  Well, I'm usually wonderful about over-estimating the time it will take to complete a task, and I have been so generous  with each of my due-dates.  I have also been careful about reevaluating my goals with the time remaining at each step.  Reaching out to contacts, however, is what did me in.  Since March, I have been in light contact with a few key players who have helped me organize my list and collect information.  July 1 is the date I set to send initial contact letters to potential interview participants.  It is 3 1/2 weeks later and I am still spending a few hours each day on the phone, replying to emails, or searching for contact information for emails that have bounced back and retirees who have moved.  I knew this would happen- but certainly not to this extent!    

What's the new plan?  The solution was quite simple (although costly).  I have hired 2 of my  very wonderful friends from the College of Textiles, who are well-versed in color, to work with the color analysis, Sara Yasin and Emily Hanhan.  A few weeks ago I created a color table classification system (shown a few posts back) and a spreadsheet for the data to be recorded.  I ran about 7 trial years and realized that my eye was being far too picky and taking far too long.  Sara and Emily are working from 2 different ends of the time spectrum and will meet in the middle.  This process is a simple matter of classification and counting, but it is "mind-numbing" and time-consuming and I just don't think I could be prepared for what August and September have in store for me without their help.  (Thanks ladies!)

So now I have a fun-filled weekend of playing "what are the factors?" and have the goal of leaving the apartment a total of 1 time (yes, I've become a bit of a hermit).  I guess next week I will update on what's in store just 1 week prior to interviews.  Thanks for the support!

Also...I apologize for not adding images of my trend cycles.  We'll all just have to wait until my thesis has been submitted and approved for publications so that I'm protecting myself from all that legal whoop-la.  August 16th you can expects lots of pictures of lots of really amazing cars from Pebble Beach!

Color Marketing Group

Wednesday, after presenting to the College of Textiles S.T.E.P. students, I took off for Washington DC to visit Color Marketing Group.  I spent a half day on Thursday at their executive office in Alexandria searching through their archival color trend forecasts.  

Color Marketing Group is a nonprofit organization whose goals are to connect color experts from a variety of industries in order to develop current and forecasted color directions.  CMG members are Color Designers involved in the use of color as it applies to the profitable marketing of goods and services.  CMG provides a forum for the exchange of non-competitive information relating to all phases of color marketing: color trends and combinations; design influences; merchandising and sales; and education and industry contacts.

CMG's major focus is to identify the direction of color and design trends.  CMG members then interpret that information into salable colors for manufactured products across all industries.  CMG's primary forecasting opportunities are in the form of Conferences held twice annually, during which CMG members forecast Color Directions(R) for all industries, manufactured products or services.  These Consumer and Contract products include: Action/Recreation, Consumer Goods, Technology, Home, Visual Communications, Transportation, Juvenile Products, Fashion, and environments for Office, Health Care, Retail, Hospitality/Entertainment and Institutional/Public Spaces.  Major presentations, panels and Workshops are held at these Conferences to exchange information on color, marketing and design issues.

This information and more can be found on the CMG Website!

Thanks to my wonderful hosts!

www.colormarketing.org

3D Spacer Fabrics

Good morning textile enthusiasts! 

Keeping this blog is all about reporting on topics I find most interesting as well as serving of an account of my activities and research during my final semester of graduate school.   This semester I am taking a class in Woven and Knit Structures and Properties.  As a requirement of this class, we have been assigned a topic paper and presentation from a variety of categories.  I selected spacer fabrics, specifically for automotive usage.  I have been very interested in this construction technique because I believe it gives a fresh, funky, and innovative spin on the automotive seat.  My research has converted me into even more of an enthusiast as I have uncovered the extreme benefits of using this material over conventional seating components.  I have included my slide below, but these only touch on the surface of my research.  As always, if you'd like more information on the topic or have any questions, please feel free to contact me by posting a comment or emailing me directly.