Quarterly magazine of the Society of Dyers and Colourists
Standards SDC International Design Competition Textiles-UK
www.sdc.org.uk
Issue 4 / 2010
Welcome
From the top
Governance
Welcome to this issue of The Colourist which focuses on standards, as well as all our regular features. Standard Colour Fastness and Colour measurement is important to the textile industry as it provides a base line for quality and customer satisfaction. By usin ing a st standa dard rd me using standard method the results of tests are comparable both between dyed samples and also between different suppliers ensuring confidence in the product. The SDC supports these standards by running the secretariat for both BSI and ISO 105 series and SDC Enterprises plays a vital role in providing good quality consumables which meet all standards and help us deliver our work in this area. We are also delighted to report back on ‘Textiles-UK – Wool the Cloth of Kings’, our first national conference delivered in partnership with the Worshipful Companies of Dyers and Clothworkers for our members based in the UK. Held at the amazing Clothworkers Hall on 5 October the day was a huge success with a varied programme and lots of new faces attending from Savile Row to Elgin in the north of Scotland! We hope to run the next Textiles-UK in Spring 2012 to tie in with the London Olympics. We also held our International Design Competition Final and brought together country finalists from across the world. For the first time Singapore participated and we were delighted to welcome their finalist to the UK. For several of the finalists, it was the first time they had travelled out of their own country - this was true of our finalists from Australia, India and South Africa, all of whom came to London on their own. The awards dinner, sponsored by Clariant was a lavish affair and at the end the winner was announced and from the smiles on everyone’s faces a great time was had by all! We have reached crunch time on implementing the new Content Management System (CMS), the staff; particularly Tracy, Clare and Amanda have been working against the clock to get the new software in place so that we can run membership renewals through the system. The whole thing will go live in the New Year. We are still focusing on the delivery of our business plan and in this issue you can find an interview with me about my first two years as CEO. We also have some new faces to welcome at SDC – a new General Manager - Operations, Abhijit Naikdesai, at SDC India and a new member of the technical team, Alex Foster who will shortly take up his post as Technical Manager. Susie Hargreaves, SDC chief executive
Standards
Profile UKFT
SDC Competitions
SDC Update
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To contact the editor Tracy Cochrane, email: tracyc@sdc.org.uk
Issue 4 | 2010
Design & print: The Ark Design & Print Ltd T: 0113 256 8712 www.thearkdesign.co.uk To discuss advertising opportunities within The Colourist please call Mick Tonks on +44(0)113 256 8712 or email: mick@thearkdesign.co.uk
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Textiles-UK Review 12–13
International Update
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Diary Dates
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Front cover image: Laduma Ngxokolo The winner of the SDC International Design Competition Cover image credit: Amanda Crowther. © Society of Dyers and Colourists 2010 PO Box 244 / Perkin House / 82 Grattan Road Bradford / BD1 2JB / UK Tel: +44 (0)1274 725138 Fax: +44(0)1274 392888 www.sdc.org.uk
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Printed on: 9Lives 80 which contains 80% recycled fibres
Adrian Abel Chair of the Trustee Board The Board is a year old and the initial euphoria and good intentions are giving way to realism but still 8 of the 9 trustees attended at least part of the September meeting. Finance: Last year’s £43K profit (budget was for a loss of £250K) was a great result, due mainly to reductions in spending and an increased profit from Enterprises. January -June 2010 showed a deficit of £24K against budget, partly due to scheduling of payments but also training and consultancy income performing below budget. With any new venture, phasing is difficult, but the 3rd quarter is almost back on track and we anticipate the year will come in within budget. The 2010 budget is negative, as investment is needed to help the Society meet the current challenges. Future management accounts will identify training and consultancy adding greater transparency, helping us satisfy our charitable objectives. Finance Committee: A Finance Committee has been formed, chaired by Treasurer Peter Flesher, with a Trustee (John Easton), a local member (Stuart Wilkinson), our finance consultant, CEO and staff with financial responsibilities. SDCE: John Bone continues working with Enterprises on a marketing plan, to grow existing and develop new markets. SDC has increased its investment in Enterprises with additional working capital, thus allowing future growth. SDCE continues to out-perform its budget with good sales progression. Education and Qualifications: Prof. Roger Wardman proposed that Chartered Colourists must show 30 hours annual professional development, from courses, lectures and committee work in the coloration or textile fields. The Society will list all CCols on its website. A six module examination route to the ASDC qualification is also proposed. Day of Celebration 2011: After taking into account feedback from the members, 2011 will return to the more
traditional structure in Bradford City Hall on Friday 13th May, with the AGM in the morning, the awards ceremony in the afternoon and the evening in the Midland Hotel, where the new President will speak. Chief Executive Report: Susie Hargreaves had set targets on sponsorship and trust funding. Sponsorship from suppliers to the industry has exceeded targets. The Dyers and Clothworkers companies donated 20K plus the use of the Clothworkers Hall. However, obtaining money from Trusts is more difficult as we are seen as having sufficient reserves. CIWT donated £10K and may double it if we can satisfy their requirements. Some officer responsibilities are changing. The Technical Officer post is redundant but a new role of Technical Manager created, with more external contacts to support the technical director. Wiley Blackwell is assuming responsibility for many of our publications. As more information transfers to electronic communication, we are looking for the best way of handling this change, but the salary costs will all be within the existing budget. Rakesh Sachdev introduced a business plan for the Society in India which gained much acclaim from Trustees. A new team in Bangladesh is ensuring the Society there is growing in numbers and activity. The China region is also being regenerated under Prof. Fang helped by Keith Parton, from the Hong Kong region. Thailand is benefitting from our consultancy scheme, delivered by Andrew MacDonald. The area around Perkin House is deteriorating - adversely affecting PH’s value. Eido, a local development company is evaluating how the SDC can catalyse a transformation of the area and will report to the November meeting. Technical Report: Colour Experience has delivered 97 “experiences” to 3000
learners. Contact with schools is being maintained, including a group from Zaragoza who visited Haworth. Work is continuing to develop the Dye section of the Colour Index, especially in China, where Prof. Shen is actively promoting it. Meanwhile sales of the Colour Index are growing modestly, with 16 new subscribers, (from 10 countries). It was agreed that a review be made on subscription pricing. Thirteen training courses have been held in various parts of the world from April to August 2010, others are planned in India, China and the UK. Enquiries for courses have been received from Singapore, Turkey and Australia. One consultancy is complete, one nearing completion while other consultancy opportunities are being pursued. Marketing Director’s report: Contracts for the new CMS system have been signed and we are on schedule for launch, requiring a heavy work load of data transfer. Clare Moore provided us with some membership statistics. They show a decline in membership, mainly from members just not renewing their subscription. However, with the installation of the new CMS system, the team can start to focus on membership retention and growth. All UK Regions are experiencing problems, but finding a consensus as to what needs to be done is proving illusory. Peter Diggle called together all interested parties to find a way forward and there will be a further meeting to progress. Several events have been held in various parts of the world, including Textiles-UK, which attracted about 120 delegates and included the final of the 2010 design competition. The 2011 design competition has been launched with the theme “Reduce, recycle, reuse”. Another event was aimed at the history of textiles in Bradford, gaining us some new members! There is no let up in activity with a packed programme for the future. Issue 4 | 2010
governance
News from the SDC Board of trustees
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standards
The Role of SDC in Colour Fastness and Colour Measurement standards By Andrew Filarowski
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Consumers expect what they buy to be value for money and to look good. They expect it to keep its appearance for a relatively long time. Any changes in appearance will be noticed and the biggest change is a change in colour. This also affects the retailer who is trying to satisfy the consumer and is always waiting for the next sale to that same person. Just as reputations are built by word of mouth so they can fall even if just one range of garments out of hundreds is faulty. These problems are international. Each of the agents that can affect the colour of a garment during its life can be tested for by a suitable method designed to be the best fit for what happens during the life cycle of the textile. This offers the retailer guidance regarding the suitability of the fabric after dyeing and finishing for its intended end use. It also provides the retailer with a way of setting the specification for the dyer/supplier. It provides the dyer with a means of testing production to ensure compliance to the specification, allows dye Issue 4 | 2010
manufacturers to specify dyes based on their colour fastness properties to a recognised standard which the dyers can use to choose the correct dyes for a particular end use. This all in turn means that the consumer, you and me, can purchase a product that is fit for purpose. This is also true with other aspects of textile testing be it stability, pilling, or flammability but the Society with its remit in colour is concerned with colour fastness. So this is why it matters to the whole textile supply chain. But what is the Society’s involvement in this process? In 1927 the Fastness Test Committee (FTC) was set up and in 1934 it produced its first report that described methods for testing for light, perspiration and washing. By 1948 the number of test methods had grown to 33 and the SDC standards were being used by the UK manufacturing industry and therefore by their customers for setting specifications, ensuring that production matched this specification. For the first time
a common language was being used that allowed communication between dye manufacturers, dye users and although less so than now, with buyers and users of textiles. This was a major turning point. At the time the Ministry of Defence specification was that ‘the shade shall be to the pattern and equally fast’ and this was a common phrase on all specifications. The Society provided the first measure for the colour fastness of textiles. As far back as 1984 there was no formal BSI committee for colour fastness but all work on this matter was done by FTC of the SDC and an agreement was reached to publish their work as the BS 1006 series of test methods. A BSI Committee now exists (TCI 81) and the secretariat of this is held by the SDC which means we as an organisation support the development and relevancy of these standards for all in the UK. This support is in offering facilities and financially supporting the work of the committee. As part of this work the Society developed the consumables for use in
Part A11: Determination of colour fastness grades by digital imaging techniques
the tests. We continue to sell these to support us in our work on standards and also our charitable aims and objectives. These products are sold through our trading subsidiary SDC Enterprises www.sdcenterprises.co.uk In 1948 the first meeting was held of ISO TC 38 the international standards committee responsible for textiles. SDC represented the UK on colour fastness in the form of FTC. At this point there was no committee solely responsible for colour fastness but when this was formed ISO TC 38 SC1 the SDC took on the secretariat of this with AATCC to ensure the continuity of leadership that the industry expected. The Society’s involvement continues to this day by still offering the secretariat to TC 38 SC1. Reluctantly AATCC had to give up their involvement in the secretariat in 2010 and the SDC has agreed to work going forward with SAC, the Chinese standards organisation. The next time you buy any textile just consider that the Society has had a part to play in its production. Without our continued involvement and support maybe the quality of that article would not meet your expectations. If you are a buyer or specifier, or know one, point out that without the Society they would have a problem specifying what they require. As a dyer or dye manufacturer try to imagine how you would choose your dyes if colour fastness standards did not exist.
In 2003 a set of 4 papers (1-4) appeared in Coloration Technology that highlighted the possibility of using digital cameras for assessing colour fastness grades. The papers showed that the results that could be obtained by this method were comparable if not better than that achievable by human assessors. The results were accepted by the UK committee and submitted to ISO as a NWI (New Work Item) which was accepted. As part of the process the whole trial had to be conducted again in at least 5 different countries which the UK took the lead in coordinating. With a large number of samples and clear instructions on how to assess and report back this was a massive feat of logistics especially as the machines had to be transported to various countries as well. The results were collated and found to have good correlation to the earlier UK trial and so the standard could begin to be written. This standard has just one more round of votes to go through to become a recognised international standard. This has all been possible with the support of the SDC and the members of BSI TCI 81 colour fastness and colour measurement committee. This is supported by the SDC in its role as secretary ensuring that the high levels of accuracy and competence the Society set for its own standards and which were later adopted by BSI and ISO are maintained. This high level is renowned throughout the world as the pinnacle of what can be achieved and the way that standards, if written correctly and carried out correctly can be beneficial to trade and customer satisfaction.
So what are the benefits of using a digital camera system to assess the colour fastness? ■ Reliable, Repeatable and Replicable - supplying unequivocal data. ■ Ambiguity and subjectiveness removed - leading to speedy
agreement of claims. ■ Quicker - enabling reduced time to market and less costs. ■ Increased laboratory throughput – experienced staff used for the testing not the grading. ■ The images and results can be sent electronically saving shipping of samples.
standards
BS ISO 105-A11 Textiles Tests for colour fastness
So what are the benefits of having this as an international standard? Because this will soon carry the EN ISO tag as well as that of all participating countries e.g. BS, DIS etc the process of carrying out the method as stipulated in A11 will be recognised as having been written by experts and analysed fully. This will make it instantly acceptable as a method under ISO 17025 by any national accreditation body. It is however important that all parties accept the results from this piece of equipment before it is implemented. 1. Cui G, Luo MR, Rhodes PA and Dakin J, Grading Textile Fastness: Part 1: Using a Digital Camera System, Coloration Technology, 119, pp212218, 2003. 2. Cui G, Luo MR, Rhodes PA and Dakin J, Grading Textile Fastness: Part 2: Development of a new staining fastness formula, Coloration Technology, 119, pp219-224, 2003 3. Cui G, Luo MR, Rhodes PA and Dakin J, Grading Textile Fastness. Part 3: Development of a New Fastness Formula for Assessing Change in Colour, Coloration Technology, 120, pp226-230, 2004. 4. Cui G, Luo MR, Rhodes PA and Dakin J, Grading Textile Fastness. Part 4: An Interlaboratory trial using Digieye systems Coloration Technology, 120, pp231-235, 2004. This is not yet a standard but it is fully expected that this will be the case in 2011.
Issue 4 | 2010
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standards
Light Fastness testing Best practice and developments By Andrew Filarowski and Karen Skorski At the recent TC/38, SC1 International Standards Organisation (ISO) meeting in Paris it was agreed to include the use of flat bed machines into the proposed new draft ISO 105 B02. This new draft standard will allow flat bed technology to be used in methods one, three, four and five. Method two needs a further ring trial to assess the suitability of flat bed machines. The Society and the UK Light and Weathering panel were instrumental in the initial work. The UK panel took a lead role in this major ring trial. The trial uncovered what we feel is a lack of understanding of the process of using the current standard for light fastness testing of textiles. The ISO 105 B02 standard covers many different exposure cycles for a wide variety of materials and end uses. This standard uses Xenon arc test chambers throughout all the five methods and exposure cycles, so the details of machine set up, sample mounting etc need to be clearly understood. Flat bed machines will soon become accepted by ISO for light fastness testing when the new version of the standard is published. A point of interest is that flat bed technology has already been accepted for use in the soon to be published ISO 105 B10 standard for Artificial Weathering which was developed to test clothing which will be worn at high altitudes e.g. skiwear.
So how much do any of us understand about the process and key points of light fastness testing?
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Evidence suggests that the current method is not always carried out properly for various reasons e.g. the wrong method has been selected, the machine has not been set up correctly, the tester may have not stopped the test at the correct end point or the samples may not have been assessed correctly. Together with a number of other key points, these errors have highlighted a need to improve the standard and help people understand the method. Issue 4 | 2010
Below are a series of things to look for whilst carrying out ISO 105 B02 light fastness testing. ■ Make sure you have the up to date version of the standard test method and are working to the correct method required for your customer or end user. ■ Ensure that your light fastness equipment is maintained according to manufacturer’s instructions and calibrated regularly. The Xenon lamp is changed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the optical filters are replaced in accordance with the standard. ■ The Black Standard Thermometer (BST) or Black Panel Thermometer (BPT) used in the equipment is calibrated. This controls the temperature profile of the samples on exposure. This is not to be confused with the air chamber temperature setting. ■ The standard requires the use of the red azoic humidity test control fabric. This is used to correctly set the humidity at the surface of the sample under test and is known as Effective Humidity. This is not to be confused with the humidity setting on the machine which sets the Relative Humidity. ■ Samples should be mounted on OBA free card and attached to the card with staples or doubled sided tape. Care should be taken to avoid glue under the exposure area as this may interfere with the test result. ■ The European Blue Wool References range from number 1 to 8. Number one is the lowest light fastness and number 8 is the highest. These should not be confused with the America Blue References which range from L2 to L9 as the results of the two sets of blue references are not interchangeable. Select the number of blue references depending on which method of B02 is being used. The blue references should be mounted on OBA free card in a similar manner to the sample. ■ Set the machine to the correct test conditions. After Effective Humidity is verified with the red azoic humidity
control fabric (this should be checked periodically) you can begin to carry out the test. The method should be followed taking care to observe any early changes to the sample especially hue (colour) changes. ■ Most of the methods require areas of the sample and blue wool references to be covered at different stages of the test. Care should be taken that the sample has reached the end point before the cover is changed. Also make sure the sample is not left in the machine for too long or the sample will be over exposed. ■ At the end of the test allow the samples to condition back before assessment is carried out as this may affect the result. A visual assessment is required at the end of the test so it is important that a trained assessor makes the assessment as this is a subjective test and it is not unusual for experienced assessors to vary by 0.5 of a blue scale grade between assessors. ■ Finally the test report should contain the standard test method nomenclature including method number e.g. ISO 105 B02 method 1, IS0 105 B02 method 2 etc. The Blue reference result is usually referred to as the blue scale result. This can be expressed as either a whole grade (e.g. blue scale 4) or midway between two grades (e.g. blue scale 3-4) together with any hue change (e.g. yellower, redder, greener or bluer). It is also very important to report any deviations from the standard method.
All the reference materials or control fabrics referred to above can be purchased from SDC Enterprises: www.sdcenterprises.co.uk The ISO 105 B02 standard method can be obtained from British Standards Institute (BSI). The Society can offer guidance and help in carrying out light fastness testing. For further info: andrewf@sdc.org.uk
By Eric Musgrave You would think that Evan Davis, one of the BBC’s leading business journalists would be well informed. Yet in a recent radio interview with Dragons’ Den panellist Deborah Meaden he expressed genuine surprise that she recently had bought the Fox Brothers wool flannel mill in Somerset. “I didn’t think we still had any textile mills in this country,” said Davis, with a note of incredulity in his voice. I had a similar experience when I met with the CEO of one of our leading women’s fashion multiple groups. He too genuinely did not know that we still made textiles in the UK. As the CEO of the UK Fashion & Textile Association, this sort of ignorance concerns me. There is a perception, worryingly shared by groups as varied as politicians and consumers, that “everything is made in China these days”. But we at UKFT estimate that there are at least 100,000 jobs in the UK still involved directly with manufacturing in clothing, apparel textiles, interior textiles and related services to the sector. There is also widespread ignorance even within the fashion industry about the complexity of the production chain. It would be an unusual young retail buyer these days that had any great appreciation of the work of, say, the dyeing sector. Clothing manufacturers regularly bemoan the fact that fashion design graduates know very little about the mechanics of making clothes. Technical knowledge and an appreciation for “the big picture” of the supply chain are remarkably thin in many areas. It seems as though in this age of information overload, we have forgotten a lot of what we used to know. One of the aims of UKFT is to help increase the knowledge between the
Eric i Musgrave
various sectors of the fashion and textile industry. We see that we have a role as a networker, a facilitator, a bringertogether of different, but related, parties, such as the dyers and the clothing manufacturers, or the weavers and the retail buyers. This is why I was delighted to chair the SDC’s recent conference on wool, which brought together many aspects of the industry, from colleges to retailers. Promoting, encouraging, supporting and connecting the entire chain are the primary activities of UKFT. Formed in 2009 by the alliance of a number of long-standing industry bodies including the British Clothing Industry Association and the British Apparel and Textile Confederation, UKFT acts under the slogan “One industry. One voice”. Our membership includes several hundred design-led companies that join us for the expert help we can give them in learning how to export. We also have almost 20 federated members, such as the SDC, The Textile Institute, the British Interior Textiles Association, Savile Row
Bespoke, the British Fashion Council and Textile Services Association, which bring many hundreds more companies into our network. UKFT is an independent, selffunded body that receives no direct grants from Government (although we do administer several schemes for Government departments). We are committed to preserving manufacturing jobs in the UK and a new initiative from UKFT is Let’s Make It Here, a database of British-based textile and clothing manufacturers that sits within our website, www.ukft.org. There are something like 400 companies listed already. UKFT also sits on many important national and international committees relating to Standards and environmental regulations. It also administers the UK government’s Climate Change Levy scheme, which aims to encourage manufacturing units, including dye works, to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions. We have helped the sector eliminate the emission of more than 250,000 tonnes of CO². Most of our members, however, no longer make here, so we are also interested in matters affecting the global supply chain. These are exciting times for UKFT. We have recently organised a new structure that will have the organisation run by a small, nimble and flexible management committee drawn from the industry. We have also moved to very smart new offices in the Bloomsbury district of central London. We have organised the formation of an all-party group of Westminster MP’s to champion the textile and fashion sector. We value very much our relationship with other dynamic trade and technical bodies like the SDC and we believe that together we can raise the profile of the entire industry and make it better understood and appreciated. Even by BBC journalists. Eric Musgrave is Chief Executive Officer of UKFT eric.musgrave@ukft.org Issue 4 | 2010
UKFT profile
Networking the fashion and textile industry
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By Tracy Cochrane SDC Marketing Director
AMANDA CROWTHER
SDC competitions
SDC International Design Competition won by Laduma Ngxokolo from South Africa
SDC International i Design i Competition i i fi finalists i
fascinating, energetic and earthy feel. Laduma was heavily influenced by his creative family; his mother was a seamstress, his grandfather an artist and his sister is also a textile design student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Laduma goes home with the SDC Colour Design Award 2010, £1,000 cash and the Veronica Bell trophy. Laduma commented: “I feel incredibly honoured to have won this international competition and I dedicate this prize to my mother, who passed away eight years ago. She inspired me to be creative from
AMANDA CROWTHER
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Laduma Ngxokolo, a textile design student from South Africa, is the winner of SDC’s International Design Competition 2010. The announcement was made at a prestigious awards evening at the Clothworkers Hall in London, held as part of Textiles-UK. Laduma, aged 24, a student at the Nelson Mandela Metroplitan University in South Africa, was chosen over eight other finalists representing Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore and the UK. As well as using colour as an integral component of the design process, this year the students were asked to incorporate some aspect of thinking around social responsibility. Laduma’s work, entitled ‘The Colourful World of the Xhosa Tribe’, was inspired by the people of the Xhosa Tribe of South Africa who have a very rich cultural heritage and have played an important part in the development of South Africa; the most famous member of the Xhosa is Nelson Mandela. The most common colours used in Xhosa dress are off white, blue, turquoise, dusty pink and red and the colour palette of Laduma’s mohair knitted textiles in his winning designs consist of strong colours which create a
an early age and taught me how to knit. I want to use the prize money to set up as an entrepreneur and take my knitwear around the world, designing collections using mohair and South African merino wool. I hope to become known for my ethnic inspiration and that my cutting edge, traditional collections will be embraced around the globe.” “I would like to thank you for honouring me with the trophy and the grand prize… the trip was inspirational and an eye opener into the textile and fashion design field. The trip also presented me with the opportunity to meet SDC participants from all over the world which has created friendships which I will pursue. This trip will stand out in my memory and hopefully this will not be the last time London will see me, I have big plans for my future, and you have greatly contributed by exposing me on your international platform. Thank you for this wonderful competition and opportunity.” This is the second consecutive year a student from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University has won the competition; in 2009 the winner, Moipone Qekisi, was a textile design student at the University and since winning the competition has launched
Laduma Ngxokolo the winner of the SDC International Student Design Competition
Issue 4 | 2010
SDC competitions
AMANDA CROWTHER
Colour Management The winner and runners up with Brad Coates from Clariant
To achieve the certificate the candidates had to pass written exams and undertake practical assessment of their knowledge and satisfy the SDC of their knowledge. The importance of understanding the role that colour measurement has in the textile supply chain is important. Using the technology correctly and understanding it can make a significant difference to the approval of both sample and bulk lots of fabric. For further information please contact Karen Skorski karens@sdc.org.uk
CSI Colour Award winner! Amy Long, a woven textiles student from Loughborough University, is the winner of the CSI Colour Award 2010. This new award, which was promoted by SDC and sponsored by Color Solutions International, invited students to design a trend card using CSI Color Search software. The theme was ‘environment’. Amy’s entry, which was entitled ‘Grow your own’, took garden allotments as her inspiration: ‘allotments have somewhat dilapidated and makeshift environments that create unusual
structures and surface qualities, whilst the division of land creates a great sense of pattern. The sites combine unusual colour palettes of fresh, bold colours in sharp contrast to the dull rustic tones’. Amy beat off competition from students in India, Pakistan and Singapore. She was presented with a stunning glass trophy and cheque for £500 at Textiles-UK by Dr John Easton of DyStar, who is also a member of the SDC Board of Trustees. Congratulations to Amy.
AMANDA CROWTHER
her own design company, EM Design. Joint-runners-up were Sinead Geraghty, aged 30 from Ireland, a recent graduate from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, who impressed judges with her submission ‘Natural Honest’ which includes various fabrics constructed entirely from hand dyed natural fibres and India’s finalist, 25 year old Swaroopa Adusumilli, a student at the College of Home Science in Nirmala Niketan whose piece ‘Inventions from squander’ was inspired by working with local reelers and weavers in rural communities on eco-friendly textile solutions. The competition, which is sponsored by Clariant, was open to undergraduates registered on fashion/textile design courses and was judged by a panel of experts including journalist, author and television reporter Lucy Siegle, who specialises in ecological and ethical lifestyle matters; Rob Phillips, Creative Director of the School of Design & Technology at the renowned London College of Fashion and Annie Sherburne, a pioneer of feltmaking. Annie’s patterned felt hats have been shown in the V&A and the Musee Des Modes in the Louvre in Paris. Comments Susie Hargreaves: “At the SDC we work hard with educational institutions across the world to ensure that the next generation of fashion, textile and design students has a clear understanding of colour. The competition is growing each year and this year we had more than 500 entrants from 100 colleges representing nine countries. It is always exciting to see the competition entries and this year the standard has been incredibly high. On behalf of the SDC, I would like to congratulate all the students on innovative and creative designs.”
The SDC with SGS Hong Kong held a course for Target Corporation from 13-15 September 2010. 15 people from the organisation were awarded the Certificate of Colour Management of Textiles. They attended this 3 day course which consisted of 3 modules: Module 1: Princicples of colour development, assessment, communication and approval Module 2: Practical visual assessment of textiles Module 3: Practical instrumental colour measurement of textiles
Amy Long with John Easton from Dystar
Issue 4 | 2010
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Here she, and the Executive Team, Andrew Filarowski, Technical Director and Tracy Cochrane, Marketing and Communications Director talk to Jane Ordaz Stubbs, Freelance Journalist, about their work.
AMANDA CROWTHER
SDC update
It’s two years since Susie Hargreaves took up the position of Chief Executive of the SDC
SDC Chief Executive Susie Hargreaves
JS: How have the last two years been for you? SH: Two of the best and most challenging years of my life. It’s no secret that the Society I joined had real problems – a declining membership, an operational deficit which would put us out of business within 5 years, unwieldy governance arrangements, no business plan and to top it all a major world recession! JS: So why did you apply? SH: I saw that this was a hugely important organisation which had played a vital role in the history of textiles. JS: Some people have commented on the fact that you came from outside the textile sector. SH: That’s true. However, I have other relevant experience. For over 25 years I have worked in charities and have set up and led membership organisations. I have specialised in business development, membership and marketing. Some of my achievements include being awarded a prestigious ‘Clore Leadership Fellowship’ in 2006/2007; and being a finalist for European Woman of Achievement Award in 2004 for my work setting up a European marketing network. I am also a Trustee of Northern Ballet.
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JS: So when you arrived what did you do first? SH: I commissioned qualitative and quantitative research to understand our members’ needs and views of the Issue 4 | 2010
Society and this informed our five-year business plan. The Board agreed a business plan based on a number of principles (i) a programme of investment to support modernising the society, (ii) creation of new income sources, and (iii) clearing the operational deficit to present a balanced budget by the end of 2012. We agreed to focus on our role as a Technical Society and in support of this objective Andrew was promoted to Technical Director and my Deputy. Another big change was the creation of a senior marketing position as clearly if we were going to communicate and market ourselves effectively we needed a level of marketing expertise not previously available within the Society. JS: What are you most proud of? SH: The amount of work and the results we’ve delivered in a very short time scale are extraordinary. Andrew, Tracy and I have a strong working relationship as an executive based on respect and trust and considerable shared responsibility. I’m particularly proud of the feedback I get from members and companies from around the world, who see us as an important, respected and knowledgeable organisation. I’m also incredibly proud that last year although we had budgeted for a loss, we had a surplus, even before we included the additional profit made by Enterprises’ fantastic year, due partly to our spending less than we did in 2008. This year we again look like achieving budget, even if Enterprises only achieve their budget profit, which incidentally they look like significantly exceeding. JS: So what have been the major challenges? SH: It’s been difficult to lead a programme of change and take everyone along with us. I’ve tried to keep the needs of the majority of the members at the forefront and to be honest, sometimes I’ve made mistakes. Some members have felt the pace of change has been too fast and we still
have some way to go in uniting the membership behind our new strategy. JS: You’ve mentioned you’ve made mistakes; do you want to share some? SH: One of the major mistakes I made was to look at everything with a ‘business head’. The UK regions are a good example. I think everyone agrees we need to do something about how they develop in the future. I’m sorry that at the time I didn’t talk to each region in turn to ask them for their ideas about moving forward. I should have been more respectful to all the people who have given so much and who are the backbone of the society. We must make it clear there is no agenda to get rid of the regions in the UK and they are built into the business plan for 2011 and 2012. We now have a group of people working together to look at options going forward. JS: What about the criticism that ‘there is lots of secrecy’? SH: On this I don’t agree. Our communications have never been so frequent and open. Our systems like management accounts and budgets are straightforward, we have targets and objectives that we report to. A major change has been going from 55 council members to a smaller group of 9, this means decisions made by a democratically elected body are more focused and more informed than was previously the case. JS: Can you tell me about your overseas work? SH: The future of the society is as a global organisation and I include the UK in that. We now have an office in Mumbai and 3 staff there to run our Asia operations and real demand for our work in new areas like Thailand and Bangladesh. However I still spend over 80% of my time in the UK. A lot happens for the UK membership; regular events, the quarterly special newsletter, partnership building and lobbying for the UK sector.
AMANDA CROWTHER
JS: Finally, do you like your job? SH: I am passionate about our work, I don’t just like my job: I love it!
impossible trying to find the information you need on them. The new CMS will provide one central, automated system, with one website and much improved search functions; it will give members much easier and fuller access to the huge technical knowledge base of the Society. JS: Tell me about another key area you’re working on? TC: Events! This year we’ve organised, and worked with partners on organising major events in Bangladesh, China, India, Hong Kong, Thailand and the UK. Our events are a great way of enabling members to access the latest thinking and best practice, and raising the international profile of the Society; they are also fantastic networking opportunities. Many of our regions also offer regular events – for example there is a monthly lecture programme in Mumbai. Our International Design Competition goes from strength to strength – we had a record number of entries this year.
JS: I know the decision to rebrand was a controversial one, what would you say about this? TC: Yes it was controversial, although I have to say that the positive feedback we’ve received far outweighs any negative comments! The decision to rebrand was made by the board as a response to comments made by members and others outside the Society. Our new identity is helping us reposition ourselves and be known as the modern, professional society we are.
JS: You don’t have a technical background. How do you deal with this? TC: That’s absolutely true, but I do have over 20 years of marketing experience, most of it spent working for charities, educational organisations and membership organisations, so I bring some really useful experience to SDC. I’m lucky in being able to call on colleagues, members and others for the technical expertise needed. This collective knowledge, coupled with my marketing background, means we are really able to use the principles of marketing to best effect for the Society.
JS: You’re implementing a new IT system at SDC. What difference is this going to make? TC: It will make a huge difference, both to staff at SDC, and most importantly to members! This is a major project and we’re investing a considerable sum of money in it (over £100,000). The new IT system, or content management system (CMS), will provide the framework that underpins our entire infrastructure. At present all our systems are manual: it takes our membership team almost the entire year just to process renewals! Also, we have five separate websites, and I know from talking to members that it can be almost
JS: Andrew, what’s your role? AF: I am the Technical Director and I’m also Deputy Chief Executive. Our vision is to make sure that we are seen SDC Technical Director primarily as a Andrew Filarowski technical society. I am responsible for making sure that happens. I ensure that the technical content of everything we do is accurate. I do this in collaboration with our
SDC Marketing and Communications Director Tracy Cochrane
members because the subject matter is so vast. JS: What does building the profile of the technical department mean and why is this important? AF: We are trying to build a stronger internal team of people who understand the technical processes within the textile industry, and who can answer and direct people to the information they require. We need this technical excellence to be able to deliver quality in training, education and consultancy.
SDC update
JS: What do you think the opportunities are going forward? SH: The main opportunity is to reposition ourselves as the international authority on colour science and we can do this by making sure we deliver first class benefits to our members, top class training and qualifications, events, publications and consultancy. We also need to continue to support the development and growth of our excellent trading company, SDC Enterprises.
JS: You’re a member – from the member perspective how do you think the SDC is developing? AF: The Society has for many years been on the brink of change but has never in the past taken the leap to ensure its future as a relevant organisation fit for purpose. It needed to look at how people work, learn and develop their careers, how they network and stay connected with the world. Hopefully the steps it is now taking will retain and grow the membership. JS: What’s the rationale behind consultancy? AF: There is a financial imperative to diversify and grow our income sources. The SDC is in a unique position to provide objective and independent consultancy and training as we have access, through our members to the world’s specialists in coloration. These are areas where we can provide a superior service with unparalled integrity, compete on cost and also generate income to support the charitable activities. JS: Is there a market for SDC services and qualifications? AF: I think a level of professional qualification will become more important in the future, when the industry realises the complexity of what it is trying to achieve in dyeing a piece of cloth with tighter environmental controls. The industry will realise that using knowledgeable educated people can benefit a company financially, as well as ecologically, and the Society’s qualifications and Continued Professional Development programme will be recognised as a pre-requisite for all professional dyers. Issue 4 | 2010
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Textiles-UK review
Textiles-UK: Wool – The Cloth of Kings
AMANDA CROWTHER
by Ian Holme
Peter Ackroyd from Campaign for Wool
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This pioneering conference on wool was co-hosted by the SDC, Dyers’ Company and the Clothworkers’ Company and held in the magnificent Clothworkers’ Hall in the heart of London. The delegates were welcomed by Alan Burdon-Cooper (Prime Warden, Worshipful Company of Dyers) and the conference was chaired by Eric Musgrave (Chief Executive Officer of ukft). Malcolm Campbell said wool was a versatile fibre, a blend of science and nature in which crimp, lustre, colour, comfort, quality and style were combined to produce luxurious fabrics. Finer wool, finer and lighter cloths and clothing, simpler construction as well as products that were more complicated to produce were in development. A new generation of consumers needed to look better, feel better, work better and play better by appreciating the new marketing messages on the benefits, Issue 4 | 2010
comfort and value of wool. Peter Ackroyd (Vice-President IWTO and Steering Committee Member of the Campaign for Wool) discussed wool – the sustainable choice. The five year marketing Campaign for Wool (Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales) was supported by over 100 retailers and brands focusing on wool as a natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre. The campaign would target key markets for wool clothing, supported by a further marketing push aimed at the growing numbers of Chinese luxury consumers. This was the Gold Woolmark Campaign. Rebecca Sharp (Australian Wool Innovation Ltd) said AWI owned the Woolmark and identified how consumer lifestyle trends are driving their activities and innovations. The Innovation Collections were two collections a year for Merino wool woven / knits driven by the three key trends:
■ A desire for luxury (premiumisation) ■ Casualisation ■ Ecological awareness Three product areas were identified as: ■ Merino Touch ■ Merino Casual ■ Merino Cool In addition to these were Merino Vintage – a wash down, faded, pre-worn and relaxed look, 3-D Merino-unique patterned textured effects on woven fabric using screen printing, and Casual Chic – defining a cashmere touch and a casual style. Peter Duffield (Global Textile Associates) showed how sustainability could be achieved in the wool supply chain. A discussion of current eco and organic textile standards, various process-specific issues, design and performance limitations, and the costs of conformance then followed. Total organic wool production in Australia was only 500-600 tonnes (2005) so that
AMANDA CROWTHER
Textiles-UK review
Left to right, Eric Musgrave, Peter Ackroyd, Malcolm Campbell and Alan Burdon-Cooper
alkaline peroxide / surfactant (patented by Perachem Ltd as Peralana). The latter could be carried out in a continuous or batchwise process. Using Drimarene K (difluoromonochloro-pyrimidine) reactive inks, the ink formulation could be stabilised against hydrolysis for up to a year by treatment of the colorant with p-hydroxybenzenesulphonate. Fixation could be achieved by steaming for 30 minutes or by interleaving with a moist cotton wrapper and batching overnight. Following wash off at 80°C prints of high colour fastness were attained and this approach could stimulate print design studios to print / fix short run lengths. Bruce Montgomery (Design Consultant) posed the question: what is the future of fashion? The challenges that he considered important were: ■ Increased amounts of clothing supply and demand ■ Limited resources ■ Striving for fairness, codes of conduct ■ Luxury versus the High Street (the gap narrows) ■ Designing for a cyberspace vacuum
■ ■ ■ ■
Make products more precious Make less, better Touch wool! Give better explanations to the consumer ■ Combine well-being, comfort and function with creativity in wool products ■ Embrace science and technology A panel discussion on the Retailers’ Perspective featured Craig Ferriday (Baird Group), Mark Yates (Marks and Spencer) and Sue O’Brien (Karen Millan) who provided a thoughtful and forward looking approach to wool in the retail sector. Richard Jonas (Master of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers) closed this stimulating conference in which there had been something for everyone.
Is clothing losing its value? Profit drives the cheap clothing market, yet it is expected to perform. The key to providing connectivity with consumers is telling a story and improving quality with less concern for profit. For wool garments Bruce Montgomery concluded that we should:
AMANDA CROWTHER
reproducing a wool blend could create difficulties, and it took wool growers three years to convert to organic. The specific differences between the process requirements for dyes and auxiliaries for eco-dyeing and organic dyeing were also delineated. This led to some limitations on the shade gamut for organic wool in the bright greenishyellow to turquoise blue areas. John Morris (SDC President) introduced the afternoon sessions including Bill Macbeth (Textile Centre of Excellence) who discussed the Textile Futures Programme for Yorkshire and the Humber Region. The Textile Centre of Excellence had been instrumental in securing funding for ‘close to market’ research and development. Textile Futures was a collaborative activity and a partnership had been formed with the University of Leeds. The programme of feasibility studies (2009) included 3D weaving / composites, nanotechnology, plasma technology, product / brand protection using botanical DNA for anti-counterfeiting, and waste reprocessing. Professor David Lewis (University of Leeds) described new wool pretreatments for reactive inkjet printing of wool to avoid AOX (absorbable organo-halogen) and yellowing issues. Wool activation using sodium bisulphite / anionic surfactant, plasma treatment, and delipidisation using
Bill Macbeth
Issue 4 | 2010
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international update
Indian Update A number of workshops and symposiums have taken place over the last three months attracting over 400 participants. They include: a symposium on “Fabric Painting Techniques with Pebeo Colours” by Sankhya Trading Pvt. Ltd organised jointly with, and held at, the Fashion Department, B.D. Somani Institute of Art and Fashion Technology, Mumbai, a workshop on the “Importance of Forecasting in Fashion - Colour, Styles, Look and Fabric”, by Mrs Meher Castelino, Fashion Columnist and the “Importance of Colour Forecast in Fashion Trends by Dr. Madhu Kothari, Production Manager, UK, High Street Fashion. Other workshops that have taken place include “Speciality Printing” conducted by Pidilite Industries Pvt. Ltd and “Denim Washes”conducted by Sanjeev Mehra from S F Dyes. SDC jointly with Clariant India, organised an 11-day training programme in Panipat, and Mumbai on the ‘Application in Coloration and Wet Processing of Textiles’. The programme was attended by 15 participants in Panipat, and 13 participants in Mumbai. As part of the training, SDC conducted vision tests for the participants. Andrew Filarowski, Technical Director, SDC visited India in September and led a session for the students of AADTT (a joint initiative between DyStar India and Alok Industries Ltd.) Topics included were laboratory best-practices and their importance to manufacturing. SDC extends a warm welcome to Exim Knits Pvt. Ltd. They join the
The Dhaka Water Catastrophe 2020 Tuesday 30 November Dhaka, Bangladesh
SDC new General Manager in India Abhijit Naikdesai
SDC family as a three-year corporate member. New Trustee Elected: SDC EC is pleased to welcome Mr Naresh Bhatt as Trustee Elect. Mr Bhatt carries with him rich experiences in the field of systems and operations. Abhijit Naikdesai has joined SDC India as the new General Manager – Operations. Abhijit will be the single point of contact for all SDC India activities. He has a master’s degree in animal physiology and has hands-on experience in technical training for BPOs. An avid photographer, he loves working on colour-related issues in Adobe Photoshop. He can be contacted for all SDC related activities / queries via email admin@sdc.org.in or telephone (+91 97694 92244 / 22 22 2437 6856).
Water is the focus for SDC’s one day conference in Dhaka, which follows on from a number of smaller events we’ve organised in Bangladesh over the last year. We have a fantastic line up of speakers including Peter Johnson (Huntsman), Dr Bilal Haleem (Clariant), Rahul Bhajekar (Texanlab), Mark Astley (IKEA), Lars Doemer (H&M), Syed Nayeem Emran (IFC Advisory Facility), Khawaja M Minnatullah (World Bank), Amanur Rahman (Dysin), Dr Karthikeyan N.D (Intertek), and AKM Shamsul Alam (Legend Dychem Co). With a range of special guests, including Steve Barron (Chief Executive, DyStar), we are looking forward to a fascinating day.
We will be including a full review in the next issue of The Colourist. Contact marketing@sdc.org.uk for further information. The event is sponsored by DyStar and Texanlab (gold sponsors), Huntsman, Clariant, Kisco and Legend Dychem Co (silver sponsors), DysinChem and Intertek (bronze sponsors), with International Dyer as our media partner.
Pebeo colours
The Future for Textiles in our Thirsty World Friday 26 November Thai Textile Institute, Bangkok
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We are delighted to be hosting our first major event in Thailand, in association with ATDP (Association of Thai Textile, Bleaching, Dyeing, Printing and Finishing Industries). Looking at the environmental issues facing Thailand and the challenges facing the textile industry, the event focuses on dyehouse good practice and the benefits of getting it right.
Issue 4 | 2010
Speakers include: ■ Steve Barron, Chief Executive, DyStar ■ Peter Johnson, Huntsman Textile Effects ■ Arthur Welham, Dyehouse Doctor ■ Pilunt Dhammongkol, President of ATDP ■ Khun Sunt Uppaputthangkul, ATDP
At time of going to press we were anticipating the event to be fully booked! Look out for the review in the next issue. Contact: marketing@sdc.org.uk for further information. Sponsored by DyStar and with support from the Thai Textile Institute.
diary dates
Diary of SDC events and training courses 13 May 2011 Bradford, UK
3-4 June 2011 India
SDC AGM, awards ceremony, conference and presidents’ dinner. Contact: marketing@sdc.org.uk
Conference ‘New Frontiers in Coloration: Ushering Growth’. Contact: admin@sdc.org.in
Details of colour or textilerelated events to be sent to: marketing@sdc.org.uk.
SDC International Design Competition 2011
AMANDA CROWTHER
A reminder that the brief is now available for our 2011 competition. Please email marketing@sdc.org.uk to request a copy. The competition is open to undergraduate fashion and textile design students in Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, USA and the UK. With the emphasis on colour, this year’s theme is ‘reduce, recycle, reuse’. Great prizes! As well as a trip to a fabulous location for the grand final (details to be confirmed shortly), the winner of this prestigious, high profile competition takes home the SDC Colour Design Award, a cheque for £1,000 and the Veronica Bell trophy. If you haven’t entered the competition before, this is what the lecturer of our 2010 winner had to say… Gina Esterhuizen, Principal Lecturer, Department of Applied Design (Fashion Design), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Sponsored by Clariant.
2010 Competition Finalists
w would like to thank SDC for providing we the students with this wonderful opportunity, it really gives them a chance to pit their skills internationally and apart from the exposure, they learn so much at e. the same time. Gina Esterhuizen Issue 4 | 2010
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