The Textile
and Apparel Industry
Great
Careers!!!
Introduction:
 | One of the best ways of considering a career in Textiles and
Apparel is to spend a little time reviewing the types of companies that are involved in
the business. |
| The "Textile and Apparel Pipeline" consists of companies
that are
 | Involved with fibers -- the building
blocks of textile materials. |
| Primary textile manufacturers, who
produce yarns and fabrics, as well as add coloration and finishes -- they create the
materials used in fashion and other technological applications. |
| Apparel Manufacturers -- businesses
such as women's wear, children's wear or menswear. |
| Retailing enterprises -- where the
textile product interfaces with the consumer. There are numerous ways for retailers
to function, including stores, catalogs, television and the internet. It's important
to note too, that retailers often manufacture their own products, thus becoming apparel
manufacturers themselves! |
|
| What follows for the rest of this page is a brief description of
some of the various firms that participate in the "Textiles and Apparel
Pipeline," and the links to their websites. We invite you to "surf"
around those company sites to learn more about textiles and apparel, then come back to us
to consider studying at the University of Northern Iowa! |
Industry Links: Fiber
|
Invista,
a spin-off company from DuPont
is one of the most sophisticated fiber/chemical companies in the world. In fact, many of the leading synthetic fibers were
invented by DuPont and our now produced by Invista. For example, nylon, polyester, acrylic, and the specialty aramid
fibers Kevlar and Nomex were all created by DuPont Scientists. Click on the word
Invista and sail onto their site. Under the heading of "products" you can find all kinds of great information about their fiber products! |
|
Cotton Incorporated represents all the cotton growers in
the United States. Since cotton is the predominant natural fiber used in textiles
and apparel, it is an exceptionally important agricultural commodity.
Cotton
Incorporated promotes cotton fiber and has a research program focused on improving the
properties of cotton as a textile fiber. They have a great website. Remember
to come back here... |
Industry Links: Primary Manufacturing
|
Milliken and Company is one of the largest
privately
owned textile manufacturers in the United States.
They are probably the most sophisticated textile manufacturer in the world.
As a company they are exceptionally innovative and efficient. Considered one
of the best companies in the U.S. to work for. They produce yarns and fabrics, as
well as dye and finish.
Milliken and
Company has a tremendous product range too, spanning
from floor coverings, to fabrics for
military applications, tennis
ball covers, automotives, interiors, and apparel
fabrics. They also have a very informative
website. |
|
Springs Industries, Inc. is a fairly large, highly
sophisticated textile manufacturer that produces fabrics and finishes them. They are
primarily involved with home furnishings. |
Industry Links: Apparel Manufacturing
| Liz Claiborne is one of the larger manufacturers of
women's apparel in the United States. This company is a great example of a designer
driven women's wear firm that subsequently spread into accessories and menswear too.
They have a self-stated goal of being the world's preeminent designer of fashion
apparel and accessories.
|
| One of the earliest manufacturers of men's
ready-to-wear apparel was
Levi Strauss & Co. During the Gold Rush days
in the early-middle 1800's, Levi Strauss arrived in San Francisco with a consignment of
French fabric call "de nime." His intention was make tents for the miners,
but instead he was inspired to produce work trousers! Thus was the blue jean born
from a fabric that would soon be referred to in its American vernacular "denim."
The fortunes of
Levi Strauss & Co. have waxed and waned since then,
but they remain a significant apparel manufacturer in the world today!
|
|
Carter's is one of the more recognizable
children's wear apparel manufacturers in the United States.
Carter's places great value on their reputation
for producing high quality
children's clothing at a fair price. Founded
in 1865,
Carter's is the number
one children’s brand, selling over 10 products for every child born in the
U.S. They have a childlike point-of-view that
reflects thier heritage of innovation and
expertise.
|
Industry Links: Textile and
Apparel Retailing
|
The Gap is a specialty retail enterprise focusing
primarily on trendy sportswear. By definition, specialty stores have a rather narrow
constituency of consumers that they serve.
The Gap founder Don Fisher opened the first Gap store in
1969, on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco with a young baby boomer market in mind. The store,
which sold jeans and records, was named after a cultural phenomenon that was the talk of
the times: the generation gap. In 1991Gap again focused on that earlier era with its
instantly recognizable campaign, "For every generation there's a Gap."
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|
Eddie Bauer, Inc. offers distinctive clothing,
accessories and home furnishings for today’s active, casual lifestyle through three
retailing concepts: Eddie Bauer®, A|K|A EDDIE BAUERTM and Eddie Bauer HomeTM. In its
79-year history, Eddie Bauer has evolved from a single store in Seattle to an
international company with more than 600 stores, 120 million catalogs and its web site,
www.eddiebauer.com.
|
| Macy's is one of the more well known department stores,
which by definition offers a broad range of textile and apparel products to a broad
spectrum of consumers. Macy's
products will include men's, women's, children's wear, accessories, cosmetics, and items
for the home. Macy's like many department stores is owned by a larger corporation
that manages a variety of department stores
anchoring shopping malls around the country. Macy's is a member
of the larger Federated Department Stores,
which includes Bloomingdale's also.
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