World Plastic Sector Briefing March 19, 2008
Posted by wenbi in : Plastic and Rubber , add a commentAnnual global production of plastics is estimated at 273.3 billions pounds. The plastics processing industry is prominent in every aspect of modern life. As new polymers and composite materials
are introduced by the chemical industry , so the industry is constantly refining and adding products to those that have been made over many decades. In its early years, the plastics industry greatly benefited from the substitution of plastic for other materials including various metals , wood , paper, glass, cardboard and natural fibres, etc. However, as a mature industry, the possibilities for substitution are limited, leading to greater dependence on economic growth and the expansion of demand in plastic’s existing markets. The industry is also vulnerable to volatility in the global price of oil and gas feedstocks, used by the chemical industry to produce its raw and semi-finished materials.
Plastics Largely Demanded from Vehicles
Plastics are widely used in automobiles today. According to statistics, automobiles contain some 100 plastic parts of different size and materials, weighing 10-15% by weight with a clear tendency to grow. In past two decades, the use of plastics in cars has jumped by 114 percent. It is surveyed that without plastics today’s cars would be at least 200 kg heavier. Plastics are loved mainly due to their lightweight property, which enable the automobile industry to save weight and thus, build energy-efficient automobiles. By statistics, 100 kg of plastics parts in cars reduces oil consumption by about 12 million tones each year in Europe, reducing CO2 emissions by 30 million tones a year.
In China, it is predicted that there is a 400 percent increase in vehicle production between 2004 and 2020, and those vehicles will need a lot of plastic parts. Thanks to exploding demand for plastic materials in recent years, China has become the world’s top market for plastics production machinery, accounting for 16.4% of the worlds’ total consumption. As demand for plastic products has increased, the plastic processing industrial sector has grown in response. The demand for high-tech, high precision plastic production machinery has risen. Local products cannot meet the rapidly growing demand in terms of quality and technology. China needs to import a great deal of equipment annually, accounting for around 56% of the total market. China’s importation of plastics production machinery has remained high in recent years.
US Plastic Container Sales Expected to Exceed 165 Billion Units in 2008
Plastics features lightweight, resistance to breakage and affordability, which makes them superior to glass, paperboard and metal as containers. Thanks to the property in packaging application superior to paperboard, metal and glass, plastic container demand in US is predicted to surpass 165 billion units in 2008, namely requiring more than 14 billion pounds of resin. By 2008, the demand for plastic bottles will approximate 110 billion units, universally boosted by the fast penetration of plastic bottles into smaller container sizes because of advances in barrier properties and consumer preferences for convenient and portable containers.
Besides, cans, squeeze tubes and trays also have promising prospects. Plastic cans are favored from wider applications like coffee, snack food and paint packaging, with a trend to take the place of metal ones. Plastic cups, bowls and tubs, mainly in polypropylene are increasingly demanded basically in single serving forms, such as fresh fruit, gelatin, pudding, dry snack foods, cereal, baby food and soups.
Among resins, HDPE, mostly-applied plastic container resin, continues to decline while PET and polypropylene celebrate robust growth due to speedy expansion in beverage applications. Polypropylene, with cost and weight reduction advantages over HDPE in dairy product containers and even cheaper than PET, is becoming more and more popular as the fastest-growing resin, widely applied in tubs, cups and bowls, trays, bottles and cans. The advantages of polypropylene bottles also include good clarity, natural translucency, moisture and impact resistance, chemical inertness, lightweight, durability and excellent dimensional stability. The demand of polypropylene resin for container production is predicted to climb 6.3% per year to 965 million pounds in 2008.
Global Plastic Pipe Output to Hit 6.3 Billion Meters by 2007
The building and construction (B/C) industries are major pipe users. Due to its low cost, durability, strength and easier for extrusion, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lasts to govern plastic pipe market as the most-frequently used resin, enjoying over two-thirds of plastic pipe demand. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes celebrate robust demand all over the world, favored by increasing uses of small-diameter pipe in natural gas transmission, as conduit for electrical and telecommunications applications, and as corrugated pipe for drains and sewers.
Global demand for plastic pipe is predicted to grow more than 4 percent per year through 2007, topping 6.3 billion meters. Although battling with other materials such as concrete, metals and vitrified clay thanks to its durability, ease to install and low cost, plastic pipes will continue to outpace growth for overall pipe demand, accounting for 47 percent of the total. General speaking, the growing momentum comes from some developing regions such as Latin America, Africa/Mid-east and the Asia/Pacific region due to ongoing infrastructure development. U.S. is the biggest consuming nation, with demand expected to increase 2.5 percent per year through 2007 to 15.5 billion feet, spurred by improved fixed investment activities, continued highway and street construction, and the rehabilitation of aging or obsolete sewer, drainage and municipal drinking water systems. In EU, the spending on construction will bode well thanks to improved economic conditions. Farewell to zero economic growth, Japanese plastic pipe demand will pick up, reversing years-long declines. China has become the world’s pipe manufacturing center, and is a major exporter of products to the U.S., as are other Asian producers.
In recent years, consolidation, restructuring and retrenchment in manufacturing and other industries also have adversely affected the pipe industries.
Just Do It Yourself with Hand Tools January 31, 2008
Posted by wenbi in : Tools , add a commentIn recent months, the sluggishness in house prices, and consumer confidence, hammered by ongoing mortgage market crisis especially in the US and the UK, has taken a toll on home improvement expenditures. Although the US government manages to restore consumer confidence and revive the overall housing market by announcing a plan to freeze rates on certain adjustable-rate sub-prime mortgages, the homeowner spending for home improvement and remodeling activities will be thereby influenced with a certain ripple effect.
A Mild Upturn in Home Improvement
By a survey, in the US, homeowner remodeling spending for 2007 dragged and is projected to be 2.3% lower than 2006 while homeowners become increasingly jittered about falling house prices and a slowing economy. They spent nearly $233 billion on home remodeling in 2007, marking a modest 1.9% increase from the record $228 billion spent in 2006. The growth is bolstered by a lag time of three to six months when remodeling activity follows home building. Homeowners can¡¦t delay a major repair like a leaky roof or a broken faucet after the houses are purchased. In 1997, the home improvement marketplace was estimated to be a $135 billion industry. However, that number has increased to $185 billion in 2007. Some economists predict that remodeling activity in 2008 is expected to grow by 2.8% and may reach another record-breaking year by 2009.
DIY Tools Smile with Growing Female Users
As mounting new houses are built, here come in a renewed passion for do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. As we¡¦ve mentioned before, it is women that drive 75% of the home improvement purchasing decisions in a household. The trend of single women purchasing homes is one of the most notable in real estate market. They regard their houses as valuable long-term investments, which require upkeep and renovations. Instead of hiring a worker to replace a faucet or put up drywall, most female homeowners prefer to do it themselves and save money. We are seeing increasing female shoppers to join the queues in front of home centers. More and more women are getting stuck into DIY than ever before. According to a survey, as purchasing holiday gifts, 48% of U.S. women choose home improvement items, such as hand tools, compared to 39% prefer apparels or jewelry. Now more end-consumers, either male or female, are tackling the work themselves and enjoying doing their own home repairs and renovations. Meanwhile, tool suppliers are adding more features and functions to their products, brainstorming new ideas to make DIY tools more comfortable, easier to use, efficient and safer and aiming for greater productivity, higher quality work and less stress on the users. Experts expect that a real estate slump would reduce the purchase power of professional tool users, but the DIY market would remain higher growth as ever.
Go Home and Do It Yourself
“Homing” trend is still on the move. People is poised to make their home a warm and cozy place furnished with recreational equipments and ambience-oriented materials such as decorations, a flat-screen TV integrated in a piece of furniture, printed screens or elegant lighting fixtures that are inevitable to the taste and quality of modern lifestyle. In the other hand, Always, things in home will break and need repair. And quick, inexpensive and user-friendly DIY tools not only fix the problem, but also add the beauty of a home. Beside the price, DIY tool quality is increasingly promoted to value-added professional tool grades and comes with growing focus on ergonomic, intelligent and long durability designs.
Hand Tools- Practice Makes Perfect
DIY projects by hand tools are often time-consuming. But many of the tasks are traditionally done exclusively with hand tools as much more efficiently and quickly than with power tools. DIYers believe doing your own home improvement projects gives them all the control, and can ensure the project turns out exactly as you want it only for pennies on the dollar. They also have fun and enjoy a sense of achievement when their projects are finished by continuous practices and improving skills. Nowadays, there are so many reference resources available for the do-it-yourselfers, including popular print and web-based resources and classes at home improvement stores. Apart from an increasing use on home improvement projects, vehicle average lifespan is longer also promote the sales of hand tools in automobile after-sales market. Electronic products forging tools are in great demand, especially adjustable wrenches. The common problem of annoying “external rust” on tools has spurred the application of special stainless steel on tools, which is underlined by innovations such as a novel combination spanner series without galvanized surface treatment and welded fully from stainless steel screwdrivers and bits.
Power Tools- Smarter Ideas for Housing Renovation
Powered by electricity, batteries or air for use in building, construction and home improvement, power tools are can accomplish almost any task a hand tool can do and improves the speed and efficiency of the craft. The differences between DIY power tools and professional power tools are on function and design. Basically, the professional models have increased power and the ability to perform under more stress than consumer tools and can withstand heavier workloads. Power tools are big business. In the US market, the sales are predicted to surpass $11 billion by 2010 by driven by strong demands on electric saws and pneumatic nailers and cordless power tools. The technological improvement and innovation spotlight on dust collection, laser-enabled products, ergonomic enhancements, high-tech anti-theft technologies, the inclusion of lithium-ion batteries, and redesigns allowing multiple tools to share the same battery source. Advances in Lithium-Ion technology have revolutionized cordless power tools making them lighter, more powerful and more reliable.
Fabrics Moving Toward Trend-consciousness October 18, 2007
Posted by wenbi in : Fashion , add a commentttnet.net - [2007/05/04]
Fashion comes and goes too often. Now, people are rethinking the good old values, traditions, class and style, looking back in time and reinventing these old treasures while diving into the past looking for something to reposition themselves, cherish historical costume couture art and translate it into contemporary fashion. We therefore see a more contemplative vision than a quick jump into trends and hypes. As doing this, we have the enough reasons for nostalgia trends, retro-trends, romanticism, Bohemian moods, echoes of folk and ethnics, and country life, new upper class luxury with reduced opulence, the classics in styles, conservatism styled with elegance and class, translated into very feminine styles. After a long period with too much opulence and colors, we need something peaceful, elegant, sophisticated and differently luxury. Sophisticated sporty looks in luxury glamorous fabrics grab attentions of fashion-sensitive shoppers.
Futurism & Metallics
Here comes a fashion transition happening at the moment with romance in dress, versus futurism in dress. Coming seasons follow futuristic space age looks, gleaming shining iridescent fabrics, romantic folkloric delicate softness, sporty slouchy looks, body conscious sculpting and an 80s neon color vibe. Futurism is an up-and-coming trend that will lead us into 2008. The metallic fabric, either in silver or gold sequins, becomes personal decorative jewelry. That¡¦s because with the metallic shimmer look, consumers need minimal jewelry. Cream jacquard fabrics enable expensive looking matching dresses and coats. This year, hemlines have been rising steadily. Lace is used as a border technique on clothes and helps create the illusion hemline.
The Echoes of Nature
The earth fascinates us with their natural expressions of textures and sparkles and enriches our inspiration to create the fashion textiles in more relaxed styles and designs. Natural fabrics like linen get mixed with silver or gold threads to capture that shimmer of the season. Fabrics patterned with blooms, roses, sprigs, botanical embellishment and floral trails, jungle plants or very bold prints with lush cabbage flowers are quite adorned. African and sepia animal prints tune with botanical and massed floral prints and futuristic textured fabrics. As combined with futuristic silhouettes, glamour zebra, leopard, tigers, cows and giraffes are all adapted as animal prints evolve into modern looks with a modern feel. These wildlife prints give a sense to get close to the nature. Green concept has been applied in performance fabrics. It refers to yarn manufactured from organic cotton and recyclable fibers. Today, however, a more environmentally conscious consumer not only is more receptive to these types of innovations, but also is demanding them. Consumers prefer the fabrics with natural, structured surface along with a handcrafted knit effect. Recent emphasis on ¡§green¡¨ has directed a highlight on bamboo as a natural fiber that provides luster as well as superior performance in terms of antimicrobial properties, dyeability, moisture absorption and breathability.
Healthy & Comfortable Wearing
New technology is applied to dress socks to provide moisture wicking, storing and releasing of body heat and destruction of odor-causing bacteria. Some new fabrics are designed to freely keep warm and release heat. Moreover, they are infused with silver particles to resist odors. Outerwear is made with new water-repellent finishes for cotton fabrics, yet, never reducing its breathability and durability. Spacer fabrics are increasingly used. The inner mesh of monofilaments crisscrossing between the fabric¡¦s two surface layers provides lightweight structural integrity, resilience and flexibility. Spacer fabrics also feature superior air and moisture permeability and temperature regulation and are easily washed and quick-drying to enable a hygienic wearing.
Fashion Palette
Strawberry ice, apricot gold, silver and blue are trendy colors for springtime. Colors of the forest after the rain, an infinite variety of greens and browns are seasonal hues for spring and summer. Brilliant blue is back. Sky blue, electric blue, brilliant ultramarine blue make a comeback to the fashion trends within the color palette. Golden apricot, sky blue, opal gray, clear greens and coffee cream as well as gemstone colors in rich slinky satins are hot for summertime. The chalky pastel colors work well with summer romance in lightest blues, mauves, orchid pinks and sweet wrapper metallic colors. Tangerine will linger to terracotta by autumn. Purple is welcome in spring but it has warmed into hollyhock tones that will move toward next autumn. The warm earthen tones plus golds, reds and violets will be key tone in the fashion palette through autumn & winter.
Household Textile
We see some new trends in home fabrics, curtain fabrics, tablecloths, bed linens, bathroom textiles and carpets. Generally speaking, household fabrics textiles emphasize on their functional qualities and, meanwhile their aesthetic glamour. For instance, blackout fabrics come in with more homely colors and eye-catching designs. Textiles with high smoke or noise absorption functions are also welcome. Curtains are gorgeously dressed up with trimmings. Simple, modern versions, in plain, clear colors are the mainstay. Plastic magnet curtain restrainers in graphic or romantic designs are used to secure the fabric in the desired position on both sides.
Trend-conscious tablecloths present Mediterranean, Asian or country house ambiance. We see table lines in graphic and floral elements, perfectly mixed for charming designs. Sixties-style bed linen is still hot. Checks and stripes, cream, caramel and stone are popular patterns and colors. Bathroom textiles come in the palette from pale pink to fuchsia red, from pale blue to deep midnight and from soft Reseda to bright grass green. Patterned towels come in stripe and check designs, floral and climber patterns or opulent Baroque and camouflage layouts. The latest carpet designs have lighter, softer shades like nougat, midnight blue, honey and putty as well as abstract floral designs and fluid stripes. Multicoloured stripes, carpets adorned with large puzzles are welcomed youthful furnishing style.
What’s Up in Gifts and Premiums
Posted by wenbi in : Gifts , add a commentttnet.net - [2007/04/11]
We got many clues of the up-and-coming gift trends from the renowned shows of Ambiente and Tendence Lifestyle held in Germany. Here, there are three major themes in the current trends: ‘metallic’ mixed with cool metal with warm wood, ‘folklore’, a comeback of the mystery of East Europe in natural shades and opulent colors and ‘white’ enabling a white-white field of tension between romantic decorations and chic modern styles. A brand-new mix-and-match look with Asian, oriental and Mediterranean styles sets the trend in gift-giving items. For example, we see the figure of Buddha alongside Moroccan screens and colorful Alpine farmer furniture stands below mussel shell lampshades. ‘Water’ is a crucial theme in many of the spring and summer collections while the new aqua trends include such items as baskets and carpets of sea grass or fish motifs on towels, tableware and floor mats. Natural theme is evergreen. Hot as summer sun are topical shapes and materials such as branch-shaped candlesticks, dishes in tree-trunk look, laminated coconut shells and jellyfish shaped bags and lamps, also dancing with organic forms in vogue for china and glass.
Consumers are looking for romanticism, security and warmth, something like rich décors grace porcelain, glass, textiles and furniture. Even though the shapes last to be plain, the décor and details often impress us a Baroque feeling, frequently seen on glass and mirror components. The mounting nightmare of inflation brings nostalgic elements back. Rich shapes with floral patterns and pictures of angels on vases, plates, cushions or screens are still fashionable. Light tones such as white and green are welcome. Green in all variations plays a leading role on the palette. Black is a must as it comes to luxurious ambience in combination with decorative patterns or sequins and tulle. We see a return of old-styled gifts from Biedermeier era and accessories from our grandmother¡¦s era, including well-decorated biscuit dishes and elaborately printed tablecloths. The original ideas for premiums lies on their charm of giving things away for free, helping spark some kind of ongoing relationship with recipients- one in which the name of the company or product sticks in the mind. Here we see a soaring demand from premiums and giveaways sector as the expenditure of corporate advertisement partly shed to cheaper promotional giveaways and incentives. These gimmicks are in possession of all-pervasive influence penetrating to the full spectrum of our daily life, contriving some commercial missions, and usually coming to fruition. There is a widespread increase in smaller ad hoc pieces. The slogan of premiums is quite simple- it’s free for all. However, they are no more than the servants for brand names. Industry players are requested to diversify product lines so that they can accommodate their customers’ needs by personalizing with given logos and/or messages.
Electronic gadgets are always fun, and new technology, adding the bonus of more variety in designs, features and sizes. Flash dish drives, mp3 players, LED flashlights, clock radios and calculators are available in nearly any shape, size or combination. Mousepads in particular have become popular in the premiums sector. Not only are they lightweight and affordable, but they offer an ideal platform for corporate messages and logos. Thanks to updating technology, makers regularly launch new products to help them retain their premiums market share and offset thinning profit margins on older models, whose prices are declining by 5 to 10 percent. Ergonomic mouse are popular as they reduce fatigue and discomfort associated with repetitive motion, great for gaming and surfing. Cordless mouse, optical mouse or hybrid mouse are stealing the hearts of receivers. The premiums market accounts for 30 to 50 percent of production for most manufactures of electronic goods. Some companies supply to this market exclusively with hundreds of low-price electronic novelties.
In use of miniature components, a key chain is added with multifunctional features such as key lock light, laser pointer, quartz clock, calculator, message recorder or vibrating or sound-emitting plush-animal toy. Besides, multifunction key chains are in fancy designs with more gender-neutral and practical usages. The newest products include musical items in molded resin, and window units that are palm-size calendars or photo frames.
Stationery Market in the e-Century
Posted by wenbi in : Stationery , 2 commentsttnet.net - [2007/02/05]
The stationery market comprises a wide spectrum of products from writing instruments, paper products, back-to-school stationery, office stationery to computer stationary, etc. A broad portfolio of products include paper stationery, plastics office/school supplies, writing ink, writing utensils, staples, crayons, letter openers, pencil cases, chalk boards, memo boxes, file rings, push pins and adhesives. In term of materials, five key categories of stationery are consisted of, namely plastic, metal, ink and paint, pen and paper products for professional and fashion markets. All these varieties have undergone different changes with time by the virtue of new international and modern classifications. Writing InstrumentsWriting instruments, such as pens, pencils and markers, have long been part of our daily life. Handwriting highlights the value of legibility, attention to detail, neatness, and correctness, also enables us to reveal our thoughts, add intimacy to a letter and detail our personality. However, the advent of computers and relevant technologies largely reduces the use of writing instruments. People often use computers, e-mail, msn or, even VoIP to communicate for better efficiency and convenience. Yet, we type to express ourselves with the same fonts and fixed sizes, which makes communications lack of personal touches. Writing and receiving a beautiful hand written note is the ultimate expression of luxury communication. By this, it seems there is nothing that will ever replace the sincerity and individualism delivered through the handwritten words. In fact, we see many innovations on appearance designs or on functionality, adapting to ever-changing demands in evolving modern society.New pens spotlights on “comfort” benefit through ergonomic designs, namely on elaborate grip zones and smoothly flowing pigmented ink. Ball pens are developed in two major categories: giveaways or collectibles. High-quality ball pens in colorful designs often steal the hearts of young generations. Popular are quality-sensing colors, like honey, bois de rose, chocolate and Persian blue. Recently, a new automatic pencil is launched to offer uninterrupted writing without the need to push for refills. Highlighters are must-have writing instrument while taking a note. Markers are added with licensed comic figures Paper ProductsThe increasing use of computers, printers, internet and email is boosting the demand for office papers although the call for “paperless office” is still loud. Perhaps, the bare visibility is not enough while the tangibility could be more reliable and secured while making a backup. Major paper products focuses on the themes with a feeling of romantic nostalgia, retro-style and exotic destinations and in pastel colors such as honey, sky, tangerine, mint and pink contrast with intense black. They are often made in materials such as handmade, glossy or matte paper or rice paper, brushed metal, transparent plastic, high-sheen glass, and faux metal or suede and decorated with mini or compose designs, stripes, marbling and clouds, fake flora and fauna, imitation snake, reptile or crocodile skin, and historic symbols from the worlds of architecture. The comeback of the renaissance of traditional methods of production is to be seen in that part of the world of written communication. The growing motives to preserve memories and respect family lives will raise the sales of journals, scrapbooks and photo albums. Back-to-school StationeryAccording to a survey, school children tend to spend their own money on back-to-school stationery such as writing instruments, folders, notebooks, binders, backpacks and organizers if their parents aren’t willing to purchase. They are quiet trend-sensitive and prefer to buy things that can express their sense of style in functionality and colorfulness. Private labels are also crucial in decision-making, the brand awareness is sourced from advertising. Office StationeryModern offices are added with high-tech senses. Office stationery follows the consumers’ desire for luxury and makes use of material from top quality plastics, wood, metal in gold, silver or bronze form, textiles, leather and suede to glass and transparent materials, which are seen in desk pads, rolodex files, filing boxes, scissors, binders, calendars, etc. in trendy dark shades and colors including fire, khaki, ochre, baize green and indigo. Quality brand stationery has been echo-friendly among consumers due to their quality-sensing look, multi-functionality, brand-new designs and environmentally-friendly approach. Computer Stationery
PC peripherals as stationery include optic disk storage boxes, mouse pads, wrist rests, footrests, armrests, document holders, keyboard trays and more. As computer price tends to sink with time, computer stationery at lower price and of more options is offered. The ergonomic designs are welcome as PC users are aware of the importance of avoiding computer-related health problems, often attributed to repetitive use of the hand and/or wrist on operating mouse or keyboards. These discomforts include eye and vision problems, stress, aching backs, carpal tunnel syndrome, and even more. Nowadays, the ergonomics has widely applied in the designs of PC accessories for the user-friendly benefits on effort-saving and more comfortable operation.
Nature, Retro-style, Ethnic Jump on Fabrics
Posted by wenbi in : Fashion , add a commentttnet.net - [2007/01/04]
Somewhat weary of too opulent luxury, consumers shy away from all the loud colors and the glitter trends of the last few seasons. We see more subdued looks in 2007, full of natural colors, animal prints, retro-styles and ethnic themes. The summon of nature draws people getting close to it and see natural beauty as it comes. People not only see a heaven in a wild flower, but in an inset, an animal, a mineral and even a stone. These natural creations tickle our inspiration to create exciting new waves for fashion textiles.
The romantic aesthetics in fashion also includes ultra-feminine silhouettes and makes apparels full of excessive shapes and styles such as the A-lines, the strapless poufs, shifts, columns and trapeze shapes. The shift spurs our needs for the materials used to render continuous elegance, feminine looks and poetic style.
The up-and-coming apparels will be less opulent but more functional, comfortable and oversized. We start to yearn for those “good old days” at the 1950s and 80s, the times when everything was simpler, yet sweeter and more enjoyable. Retro-style classic harmonizes with contemporary materials in a pure, simple and joyful way. Some have a vintage look yet are also renewed with a touch of craft and art.
Here come the echoes of folk and ethnics of several countries. The images of folk remind us of country life in large castles and in mansions surrounded by wide land. Ethnic themes abound with exotic beauty and romance. Oriental dressing is typically characterized with coats, jackets, evening pants and dresses, made of fabric filled with the embroidery, print or damask weave of exotic birds, feathers, chrysanthemum blooms, luscious peony forms, leaves and heraldic forms.
Color Accents
Black and white is just right for spring. All shades of blue ranging from icy blue to peacock blues and teals are for summer. And warm earthen tones, gold, red and viola colors are the choices for fall and winter seasons. Bright colors are still welcomed, especially when accentuated by bright shots of color. White continues to be a popular color, especially as paired with black or splashes of color. Lime, yellow, purple, cobalt blue and light blue are more often used on dresses. Deep warm, tone-in-tone colors usually alternate with strong color accents. Growing popular are earthy tones with sun dried rich ochre, sandy light and dark, warm and cool neutrals, naturals and skin tones; humid blue ocean and frosty colors. Pink is still around, yet it is either warmer becoming more coral or watermelon toned. Unusual hues from blue-gray to golden taupe to earthy red give a light of mystery. Retro style leads to the inspiration translated into essential basic colors, grays, taupe, and black & white together with clear color accents.
Patterns & Prints
Ethnic theme is seen on those prints with raw edges, tropical vegetation and exotic birds such as toucans and parrots. The love for nature also incurs a passion for animal prints such as leopard, cheetah motives. However, pattern combined with prints such as spots with chevrons compete with animal prints. The love of animal print has not abated with animal print trench coats, animal print shoes and cuffs. Retro prints, usually abstract imagery, come in multiple design motifs, making print fabric a geometric quality. The oversized floral textiles around have the effects seen in impressionist qualities. A pointillist approach enables overblown flower prints exotic and fantasy like. New classic with comfort features graphic form details.
Fabric Focuses
Yarns are becoming more rustic, yet having a lightweight looking in autumn/ winter fashion. For a more feminine spirit, silk is treated in a sophisticated, even extravagant manner. Rich satins in the jewel tones are the fresh fashion fabric trend for autumn. For spring and summer seasons, clean qualities of poplins, crêpes and denim are in wool, linen, cotton and blends. One of the strongest textural uses of yarn is definitely the revival of the cable knit pattern. Light, natural, refined materials such as cotton, summer wool and linen are in pure or mixed versions. Layering and blending of textures are moved up to a new art form with the use of organza, gorgeous feather-light knits and gossamer chiffons. All played a hand in giving clothes a sumptuous, light touch.
Cottons are important, yet are often combined with nylon or polyester, for a touch of modernity. Cotton and linen are reinforced in a fresh, slightly rustic mood. Clean qualities of canvas, gabardine, denim and poplin for fresh cotton hands. Canvas is captivated by new whimsical prints of flowers, dots and stripes. The dry, rougher looking fabrics yet in skin-friendly qualities are made by blending with natural fibers such as linen and jute, straw and raffia in sophisticated technology. Lace theme sticks to the hole like meshes, crochet and macramé. Lace, crochet and embroidery render clothes with romantic expression and, meanwhile, a modern feeling.
Denim is ever popular, pared with in every style. Washed jeans have passed in favor of denim jeans that look like a brand-new one. Plaid fabrics are strongly bold in larger than usual scale in black and white. Surprising bursts of color mean there will be red tartans which par well in taffetas. Taffeta textiles are used to create flamenco ruffles. Fabrics made from earth-friendly materials, especially in bamboo, are gaining interests from eco-conscious customers.
Fabrics in Ritzy yet Understated Manner
Posted by wenbi in : Fashion , add a commentttnet.net - [2006/10/05]
As minimalism faded away, women are now confident to dress up and to experience luxury. This encourages them in use of more luxurious fabrics. We continue to see the mélanges of natural ingredients blended with technical outcomes in fiber development. For example, we see a comeback of using heavier weight woolens, brushed finishes and decorative details for a more opulent and fantasy approach. In pursuit of new opulence, people snap up luxurious fabrics including duchesse satin, elaborated jacquards, richly textured brocades, organza moiré and silk jersey. Some bygone techniques tend to revive, including old handcrafts and fabric manipulation, shaping entire fashion landscape throughout 2007.
The rising concerns about chemical toxicity in our surroundings have led to a call for “healthy” textiles, no matter it is clothing, bedding, or upholstery. Consumers are demanding healthier textiles that take the overall production process into account to ensure no chemical residue on the finished products.
Colors & Shades
Colors are in motion; they spice the season. In coming season, one color will have multiple tone nuances, namely printed mixes to generate special effects with the textiles. Thus, no single color can dominate seasonal palette. Colors with dark shades go on. For instance, black will be black yet with stronger visual impact. The neutral hue not only sustains but also grows more significant, rendering an escape for life’s complexities. Designers embrace consoling shades with occasional splashes of rich, vibrant colors to complement an exotic feature the neutrals in their fashion catwalk collections. They highlight the most colors should be basic, warm-hearted but easygoing tones. Colors will be highlighted with a feeling completed through classic neutrals as a keynote, vivid in exuberant hues. The mélange of pale khaki and red mahogany has a touch of classics. White makes women more girly looks especially with lace effect. Orange in warm tone is accented with an umber undertone in elegant manner. Browns last from sepia through brownish red. Teal will be a rare shade that generally adds all skin tones as a beautiful color for pleasing designs. Mineral red against a base of purely taupe, details a fundamental but enjoyable neutral.
Patterns, Prints & Textures
Classical designs are a hit among the patterns as we see a return of Baroque. These designs come in herringbone or hounds-tooth, often reminding us of fine hand-woven patterns. A big transition in the fashion print cycle moves towards retro motifs from 50s to oversized 60s geometrics. Such a fashion textile print is rather evident and even bold as compared to some wispy pastel prints of the past seasons. Long-established woven patterns mixed with simple or bolder checks make a comeback in casual looks of cowgirl and cowboy trends in fashion.
Fabrics with special treatment to create dimensional textures or layering effects continue to draw attention, the same as the metallic effects, which enable more natural sense and the mineral-like effects, giving a used and rough outlook as if found and discovered in rocky ground. Zigzag and geometric oval and octagonal patterns harmonize with black and white background. Exotic print jersey fashion fabrics also become more popular. Oriental designs of floral can be a stereotype as just in black and white. There are lots of striped fabrics in soft-touch, lightweight and woven cotton. Bright stripes and patterns, such as swirls and oversize florals, are big hits for outdoor fabrics. Many designers love to blend up patterns, putting stripes on the sofa, floral on the ottoman, and checks on the cushions.
Fabrics Spotlight
Denim is intensely dyed, hardly washed out and some have a smoother surface while the darkness of denim is matched with the softness of the finest white voiles and batiste. Chiffons of the same ilk, with the glimmer of golden lamé, contest with golden threaded denim. Lightweight airy tweed fabrics still abound, yet more frequently lightened with the sparkle of golden metallic threads. Metallic fabrics take the place of the used-to-be popular beading of past seasons, as distressed leathers, particularly in military-inspired apparels, had a modern-sensing look.
Fleece has long beloved due to its aesthetical appeal and quality-sensing value. One of the things that differentiates fleece from past years is the new anti-static finish now applied to it. The use of the new carbon technology is the other innovation on fleece, enabling softer aesthetics. By means of body-mapping technology, which is a jacquard process that is introducing textures to a fleece garment, we can determine the pattern that will be in a particular part of the garment just like mapping out a picture. The lighter micro-fleeces are much finer and more sophisticated looking.
Household Textile
Household textiles are hued with optimistic colors such as gold, quite often mixed with turquoise blue, along with bold patterns. Red is everywhere in all shades from Chinese red to burgundy, pink and fuchsia. Dark shades are overwhelming, especially in mocha, nougat, anthracite and black, which are used on large surfaces as background. The color mixes are more untraditional and bolder than ever. For instance, pink, turquoise, yellow and mint are blended in the patterns of many fabrics to create a bright, cheerful atmosphere in the room. Floral motifs are evergreen favorite for designs. Stripes are largely used, added with diamonds and ranges of plain colors.
For safety reason, we see more household fabrics made in flame-retardant yarns, however they look and feel like natural fabrics thanks to new technology. Other up-and-coming “high-tech textiles” function to fend off harmful compounds or with anti-bacterial and anti-static features.
In a Mood to Decorate with Lightings
Posted by wenbi in : Lighting , add a commentttnet.net - [2006/01/24]
Modern life is often stressful. People prefer to relax themselves by enjoying the home comfort, especially a warm candlelight meals. In the US, about 7 in every 10 households loves to use candles in their house. More designs come in Christmas figurines, musical fruit shapes, scented models, and heat-resistant wax candles with dried flowers squeezed onto the surface. Candles of red, especially natural wax color, is a come-back trend.
Decorative lighting is much a personal choice and down to individual tastes, the importance of getting the right lighting in the right place cannot be overestimated to create a cozy home atmosphere. Lighting designers and manufacturers blend fashion with function to create decorative lamps and fixtures that do more than simply illuminate. Accordingly, it¡¦s not just about ceiling lighting such as chandeliers and recessed lights, but also wall lighting, table and floor lamps in a variety of shapes, mirror lighting, theatrical lighting strips, neon lights, special pieces of art with styles and finishes to transform a room from drab to dramatic with the flick of a switch.
FASHION LIGTHING
People are accessorizing their homes just like women accessorize a dress. Consumer tend to regard decorative lightings as home-fashion accessories rather than merely lamps for illuminating purpose. They usually purchase new decorative lightings every few years to decorate their houses. Decorative lightings shed light on people¡¦s own design personalities, which are subject to change according to, or, more precisely, harmonizing to surroundings like furniture and interior designs. Popular is informal style. For example, metal and hardwood bases mingle with angular shades in glass, mica or mica-patterned fabric to recreate the clean lines. Lamps made of handcrafted paper function as room dividers. Amorphous shapes are everywhere on products made of high-grade plastic, which are mixed with versatile new materials. In addition, geometrical lines grow beloved by gift designers. Different types of finishes result in styles to any form of lightings. Some popular options are brush nickel, brush chrome, antique bronze, antique stone, brown stone and taupe finish.
HOME LIGHTING
Table lamps and floor lamps are available in a wide range styles, catering to decorating needs. An adjustable table lamp intends to offer additional light to the desk and keyboard areas. Portable Lamps provide mobile benefit whenever users want. Small specialty lamps, such as clip-on lights, uplight cans, adjustable task lights, mini-reflector spotlights, desk and piano lamps fill a variety of task and accent light needs. These lamps make use of lighting source such as incandescent, tungsten-halogen, energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, LEDs, HB (high-brightness) LEDs or even OLEDs (organic LEDs). At the dressing table, an adjustable, lighted magnifying mirror will provide ideal lighting for grooming and applying makeup. In bathroom, it is indispensable to have shadow-free lighting for shaving, grooming, and applying makeup. Now, a new ¡§Intelligent¡¨ lighting systems are designed to be controlled simply through a remote-control device for greater convenience of home life.
FESTIVAL LIGHTING
Festivals and holidays are best timing for decorative lightings, which makes people feel joyful in these life¡¦s special moments. For festival moods, people decorate their houses with neon lights, tree lights, curtain lights, bulb strings, belt lights, mini bulbs and correlated lights.
With the stream of globalization, Christmas has become an international festival all over the world. In this occasion, all the sundry are giving themselves over to decorate the Christmas with Xmas trees, ornaments and gifts, especially in use of lightings. The latest Xmas trees focus on electronic function, which enables Xmas trees speaking, singing and glittering in concert with colorful light and revolving coincidently. Candles are not only for birthdays, but also for Christmas. The commonly used candles are the long & plain ones for dinner tables, while the floating and cup ones also prevail for quite a long time. Growingly welcome are exotic candles, decorated with flower-shell, featuring magical effect of colorful and transparent presentation as lighted up. Magical candles, above all, is a favorites as the cubic colorful painting of candles presents as floating cloud through candlelight.
Halloween is a festival for children, a festival more charming than Christmas. The growing popularity of Halloween brings forth an increasing amount of holiday-specific products. Pumpkin lamps are most typical ones.
Getting to Know Back-to-School & Office Supplies
Posted by wenbi in : Stationery , add a commentttnet.net - [2006/01/24]
What Trendies Say
Modern offices tend to be more colorful. We see a lot of orange and blue, red and spring green on synthetic products such as desks, punches and files. Writing utensils with gold ink are brilliant, enabling a deluxe sense. As seen in this years’ Paperworld show, less golden but vivid in colors like dark blue and orange are writing instruments. High-quality pens in colorful designs are more heart-stealing than those with metallic and black designs, especially for young generation users. They prefer to a whole array of colored writing instruments, even with very bold decorations and patterns such as Asian themes. Highlighters become a must-have writing instrument. Markers are added with licensed comic figures from the classics like Disney or Looney Tunes to Spiderman and, the very latest, The Incredibles to attract eyes of young consumers. The advent of computers and related technologies has yet to make writing instruments obsolete. Instead, the writing instrument industry embraces the evolution of technology by incorporating it into new products and using it to broaden business aspects and customers services.
Trendy paper product designs follow checks and stripes and floral patterns in different variants. The checks are common in red, pink, olivey, fresh green, orange and yellow colors while these compositions are also being used as stripes or as backgrounds for floral motifs. Mediterranean motifs, on serviettes, wrapping paper or accessories and cards are also popular. Greeting cards and calendars in themes and motifs of nature and people are ever loved. Diaries, notebooks and organizers turn to upmarket orientation as lavish hard-cover items and high-class paper are dominant. Photographic paper is sold well thanks to the prevailing digital cameras, not only for professional photographers but also for home users, consistent with up-and-coming homing trend. The tools used for conference presentation are no more classic display board but LED overhead projectors. These products are getting slimmer and more compact for easier to use and carry everywhere.
What Market Insiders Say
US Back-to-School Market Snapshot
Despite of wider applications of computers, pens, pencils and markers still last to be staples of American life and indispensable for every day use. According to The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA), the sales of writing instruments soared to US$4.8 billion in 2004, an increase over the US$4.6 billion in 2003. Among them, pens account for 47% of the industry to US$2.5 billion while pencils representing 46% to US$0.84 billion and markers and highlighters combined for 7% of the industry or US$.39 billion in manufacturer sales. The Back-to-School season, typically from mid-July to mid-September, represents a US$6.997 billion market for school supplies during period. U.S. households spent US$123.37 in average on back-to-school items. Every August, millions of American families with school-age children prepare to shop for back-to-school supplies such as writing instruments, folders, notebooks, binders, backpacks and organizers. Today’s kids 6-17 are playing a more active role in consuming than ever before, influencing a wide variety of goods and services. These kids acquire brand knowledge as early as age two and their product savvy grows through their grade school years.
CHINA Stationery Market Snapshot
In terms of production and exports, China is the No.1 maker of pen and pencil and No.3 ranking for ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils in the world. The overall stationery output reaches US$3 billion and continues to enjoy double-digit growth every year since 2000, widely exported to Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.
China’s cheaper land and labors make itself the optimized sourcing for stationery, attracting myriads of overseas investment to set up manufacturing bases there, especially from Taiwan. Taiwanese factories have been investing in China to restart their second life. Meanwhile the growing OEM joint venture cooperation there will accelerate technological transfer from the world to China, upgrade innovation progress and promote the integrating of resources of China industries. Nowadays, there are more than 3,000 stationery manufacturers in China, mostly on OEM and/or ODM basis. Many of these are located in Yangtze River Delta area and Pear River area, the two of the country’s manufacturing hubs.
Business activities are busy here in China with the reform and opening to the outside world. Joint-venture enterprises are the big buyers for upmarket stationery. Thanks to the tendency of growing one child family, parents are willing to buy their children fancy stationery. In this case, foreign brands have been echo-friendly among consumers due to their quality-sensing look, multi-functionality, brand-new designs and environmentally-friendly approach.
Incentives Promote Warm-hearted Wills
Posted by wenbi in : Gifts , add a commentttnet.net - [2006/01/24]
The basic ideas for incentives lies on their charm of giving things away for free, helping spark some kind of ongoing relationship with recipients- one in which the name of the company or product sticks in the mind. Especially, when global economic climate continues to worsen, job fear to soar, income to shrink and oil price to skyrocket, marketers have to resort to tools in helping them optimize their resource to impress their branding image on consumers.
Here we see a rising demand from incentives and giveaways sector as the expenditure of corporate advertisement partly shed to cheaper promotional giveaways and incentives. These gimmicks are in possession of all-pervasive influence penetrating to the full spectrum of our daily life, contriving some commercial missions, and usually coming to fruition. There is a widespread increase in smaller ad hoc pieces. The slogan of incentives is quite simple- it’s free for all. However, they are no more than the servants for brand names. Industry players are requested to diversify product lines so that they can accommodate their customers’ needs by personalizing with given logos and/or messages.
More and more buyers signal to spend money on promotional activities and expect a lot in return. Nevertheless, the industry players those who can’t bring added value to the table will no longer have a seat. Incentives, a tough business, always render people with its very competitive price wise. After alternating years of tremendous highs and lows, we saw new players in and old out of business so drastically. All the winners stick to two easygoing principles: cheaper and faster.
Generally speaking, giveaways can be categorized into the three: renewable gifts, useful tools, and reference. However, almost anything free can be a giveaway, from pens, memos, staplers, keychains, mouse pads, mugs, placemats, calendars, watches, candles, tress balls, caps, T-shirts, radios, laser pointers, picture frames, filing-cabinet magnets and much more.
In plastic giveaways, popular are green products like recycled paper goods, PET recycled fiber goods, chemical-free goods, non-additive goods, natural goods, gardening goods and aroma-therapeutic goods.
Pens are great incentives as they are a must to not only students but also people of all ages. People are rare to cherish a fax copy or an e-mail. If needed, they may print it out and save it, yet, totally different from a card or a piece of paper handwritten. For office use, a great emphasis on ergonomics is never out of fashion. The pens with soft grips make for a light and fluent style of writing. Erasable ballpoint and felt pens in triangular designs are welcome among school children and trend-conscious young generation.
Plastic or acrylic tends to outsell metal as the material of choice for kitchen giveaways. Popular are green products like recycled paper goods, PET recycled fiber goods, chemical-free goods, non-additive goods, natural goods, gardening goods and aroma-therapeutic goods.
Absolutely, calculators won’t miss the great chance for promotion purpose, especially boosted by fierce price-cut. Aside from electronic functions, latest calculator releases also feature flip-top, computer-shaped and arched desk-set versions. Instead of making greater demands on the calculators’ memory, new functions offer non-keypad features. Most items perform basic calculations as well as function as a regular and world-time clock and alarm, calendar and thermograph. Other units also work as a countdown timer, pocket radio, phone-number index and Euro converter. Designs are inspired by the highly popular personal digital assistant, and recent releases imitate PDAs with features such as a touch screen, a stylus, added memory for a data based, and scheduling function.
Novelty meets practicality in keychains that are also voice recorders, calculators and sound- or light-emitting devices. A growing number of multifunction keychains are battery-powered devices with electronic instead of mechanical functions. Moreover, more functional designs, including quick release, LED-embedded flashlight, add values on products.
Living in stressful modern world, people love to relax themselves by enjoying the candlelight meals as well as by the help of aromatherapy products. Viewed as a relatively affordable and accessible fashion accessory for the home, in the US, about 7 in every 10 households loves to use candles in their house. More designs come in Christmas figurines, musical fruit shapes, scented models, and heat-resistant wax candles with dried flowers pressed onto the surface. Candles of red, especially natural wax color, is a comeback trend.
