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Fiber Product Development and Marketing Lightweight fabrics are in high demand. Consumers want fabrics that move with the body. Textile producers have created â‚Źperformance' fabrics. These fabrics use innovative fiber blends and technical advances such as microfibers and other variants with unique characteristics. Special finishes improve performance, durability, and flexibility. These high-tech fabrics are the most important feature of today's sports and active wear. To meet consumer demand, fiber producers research product development. Textile marketers promote and sell these fibers to yarn or fabric producers. In the past, the promotional role of the natural fiber producers was relatively simple. The crops or animals were raised, harvested or sheared, and the fibers sold at local markets to wholesalers who sold the fibers at central markets. Sheep farmers and cotton growers were not concerned with fabric and garment promotion. Manmade Fibers The development of new marketing strategies and manmade fibers changed all that. Established chemical companies that produce manmade fibers invest a great deal of time and money in the study and improvement of new fibers and variants. This process takes several years. Numerous fiber companies may research fibers among yarn and fabric producers and apparel manufacturers with sales promotion and advertising, and to inform the consumer on the value and uses of these fibers. Natural fibers Natural fiber producers were forced to compete with manmade fibers forced and form associations to promote their own fibers. Supported by growers, they include Cotton Incorporated, The Woolmark Company, and The International Linen Promotion. At its headquarters in North Carolina Cotton Incorporated has a research and development center. In New York City they have a marketing division where it uses advertising and promotion to build demand for cotton. Although they are based in Australia, The Woolmark Company has a research facility in Ilkley, England, and offices around the world. Because wool represents less than 4% of global fiber production, the Woolmark Company's promotional activities are limited to research, development, and product advancement.
Natural fiber associations aim to expand fiber quality and processing, maintain fabric development, and endorse their fibers to the trade and consumers but they have had to cut back dramatically because their small market shares (other than cotton) do not support high market costs. Blends Natural and manmade fiber producers work together to study and progress fiber blends. Engineers in Textile discover the best properties of both manmade and natural fibers and combine them in suitable proportions to maximize their best characteristics. For example, cotton may be blended with rayon for softness, with polyester for easy care, or with spandex for stretch. These fibers will create new and interesting fabrics. To promote sales, fiber producers create marketing campaigns to promote public recognition of their products. The manmade fiber industry has concentrated on consumer brand recognition. Natural fiber associations also want the public to be aware of the attributes of their fibers. To prepare for international textile trade shows, fiber producers may have such fabrics and garments made up to display. These samples illustrate to yarn and fabric producers how the fiber may be used efficiently in a fabric. textile product development The Gulati Group, Inc. offers top quality, accessible clothing design and apparel sourcing solutions. For more information about textile product development, visit our website!