Flávia Linden
Tini Tani
Nhi Py
Joana Gröblinghoff
Kellen Hofer
Levi Strauss & Co. is asking consumers to let all their good green laundry ideas hang out. Starting on June 1, green pioneers and inventors can submit original air-drying solutions as part of the company’s “Care to Air” contest, with the chance to win $10,000 in prizes. The company is looking for the next generation of air drying design ideas that will improve or replace the typical clothesline. Design ideas will be accepted from June 1- July 31, 2010, and winners will be announced on August 16.
According to Levi Strauss & Co.’s research about the lifecycle of its core products, line drying is one of the best ways consumers can reduce the climate change impact of their clothes. However, line drying clothes has become a thing of the past in America, as 92 percent of U.S. households have a dryer, according to Project Laundry List.
Levi Strauss & Co. is working to change that trend by encouraging consumers to think differently about their laundry habits with its “Care Tag for Our Planet” campaign. With its “Care to Air” contest, the company is working to spread the word about the positive environmental impact of line drying and encourage creative design solutions that may change the way people dry their clothes.
“We know that simple changes in laundry habits can have a big effect on the climate change impact of clothes – and none is more important than line drying,” says Michael Kobori, vice president for social and environmental sustainability, Levi Strauss & Co. “When we think about machines that use a lot of energy, cars and air conditioners quickly come to mind. It’s easy to overlook something as simple as a clothes dryer. With this contest, we’re looking for pioneering designs that will help future generations think differently about air drying.”
The Levi’s “Care to Air” contest will accept submissions with partner Myoo Create, an online crowdsourcing platform, from June 1 – July 31, 2010. Myoo Create hosts competitions that allow mass collaboration in pursuit of a better future. Anyone can participate in this open competition by either submitting a design or voting on a favorite submitted design.
Submissions will be narrowed down to five finalists in early August, including three “crowd favorites” chosen by the Myoo community as well as two all-around favorites chosen by a panel of eco-innovator judges. The five finalists will present their designs on August 16 in San Francisco to the judges.
The “Care to Air” contest is the latest initiative from Levi Strauss & Co. designed to engage with consumers about how simple changes in caring for clothes can help the environment. Earlier this year, the company launched the “Care Tag for Our Planet” campaign, changing the product care tags in Levi’s jeans to include instructions about ways consumers can reduce the environmental impact of their clothes after leaving the store.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest branded apparel companies and the global leader in jeanswear, marketing its products in more than 110 countries worldwide. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi’s, Dockers and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. brands. Levi Strauss & Co. reported fiscal 2009 net revenues of $4.1 billion
SKECHERS USA, Inc., a global leader in the lifestyle footwear industry, announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with Global Design Concepts to design, produce and distribute SKECHERS-branded backpacks, messenger and tote bags for men, women and kids.
Ready for Fall 2010 delivery, this new SKECHERS Bags line will include a wide range of products constructed with quality, durable materials branded with SKECHERS’ iconic logo. From small, trend-driven bags to larger, more functional backpacks, laptop and messenger bags, the collection will meet the needs of a wide demographic.
“It’s our goal to continue leveraging the branding power of SKECHERS to reach our consumers across an increasingly diverse assortment of product categories,” stated Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. “Global Design Concepts is an expert manufacturer and distributor in the bags category, and we’re excited that this partnership provides women, men, and kids with new, exciting ways to accessorize their SKECHERS footwear purchases.”
“We’ve wanted to partner with SKECHERS because the brand has a remarkably strong extensive reach,” said Dan Sabbah, president and CEO of Global Design Concepts. “SKECHERS is a perfect match for our quality product, and we feel consumers who love SKECHERS footwear will be very excited about the new line of branded bags launching soon.”
SKECHERS Bags will be available in department, specialty, sporting goods, and general athletic footwear stores throughout the United States and Canada.
“Global Design Concepts caught our eye with their exciting design flair,” explained Paul Flett, senior vice president of licensing at SKECHERS. “Combine that with a passion for innovation and great grasp of our brand DNA, and it’s clear why they represent a welcome addition to our growing portfolio of high quality licensees.”
In addition to Global Design Concepts, SKECHERS has partnered with licensees to produce a wide range of products including children’s apparel, sunglasses, legwear, medical scrubs, and leather accessories. The Company is currently negotiating with additional licensees both domestic and abroad and continues to seek out partnerships and opportunities that will bring the SKECHERS brand to new product segments around the globe.
Things are looking up in the Asia Pacific, a new survey shows, with most consumers saying they're confident about their jobs and the economy in the next six months, which is encouraging them to spend on luxury items.
The MasterCard Worldwide Index of Consumer Confidence for the region was higher in eight of the 14 markets surveyed as robust economic growth ignited a sense of optimism.
"The Asia/Pacific region rebounded in economic growth as early as the second half of last year, and regional recovery has continued to gain traction this year," said Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, MasterCard Worldwide's economic adviser for the Asia/Pacific.
"While consumers in this region were amongst the first to cut back drastically on discretionary spending 18 months ago, they now seem confident and ready to significantly increase their discretionary expenditures ... thereby contributing to the momentum of recovery," he said in a statement.
The survey, which in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific involved more than 10,500 people, gave the Asia Pacific an index score of 69.1 compared to 66.3 six months ago.
Leading the uptrend were China, Vietnam and Singapore, which showed the highest levels of consumer confidence in the region.
Singapore and the Philippines were the most confident their incomes would increase within the next six months and even pessimism levels in Japan, which is struggling to shake off an economic recession, were declining.
The survey, which was conducted from March to April this year, also found that younger respondents, aged below 30, were more optimistic than their older counterparts.
For the past 30 years, INVISTA's CORDURA brand team has set the standard for durable fabrics in the outdoor, workwear and military markets. As part of its effort to achieve greater consumer awareness globally, INVISTA has now launched an interactive Chinese Web site.
With the Chinese market demonstrating rapidly growing outdoor and travel segments, the CORDURA brand team is dedicated to expanding the brand's presence and equity in these target segments within the Asia Pacific region.
"The CORDURA brand team is dedicated to the China market and we wanted to create more ways to connect with Chinese-speaking visitors and give them the ability to interact with the brand," said Cindy McNaull, global brand and marketing director for INVISTA's CORDURA brand. "The imagery used on the site, now in Chinese, celebrates the individual durability of adventurers who, because of their lifestyles, hobbies or jobs, benefit from fabrics that are just as durable as they are."
The content-rich, user-friendly website enables worldwide manufacturers, retailers, and consumers the ability to connect with the CORDURA brand through targeted technical and merchandising tools. By highlighting the brand's four main segments – outdoor, workwear, 'on the go' and military – the site now allows Chinese customers and consumers to become more versed on the wide spectrum of durable fabrics in the CORDURA brand portfolio.
The Chinese version of the site includes everything from what the fabric is all about, to where to find products that are made with it, and even testimonial videos from leading brands as to why they chose CORDURA fabrics in their product designs.
Rugged, gritty images showcased throughout the site capture the essence of the CORDURA brand, bringing to life the sweat, muscle and determination experienced during limit-pushing situations. These vivid images of durability were captured by world-renowned photographer, Tim Tadder.
The company officially debuted the Chinese Web site on February 24 at the ISPO China tradeshow in Beijing.
As Obscene Jeans Corp readies its debut denim line for worldwide release, company president and CEO Robert Federowicz announced today that OBJE has successfully finalized negotiations with Beijing Beautyfresh International Trade Co. (Beautyfresh) for a global strategic profit alliance designed to give the hot new fashion firm professional distribution of its products in Asia and Europe.
Beautyfresh accepted Obscene Jeans’ term sheet to move forward with the strategic profit alliance agreement on Tuesday. One of very few government-licensed import/export entities in China, Beautyfresh is authorized by the Chinese government to export goods to Brazil, Australia, the U.S., Singapore, the Philippines, North and South Korea, Japan, Russia, Norway, Finland, The Netherlands, Kuwait and Dubai. Under the terms of the forthcoming agreements, Beautyfresh will import, market and distribute OBJE-branded products in China as well as export and market OBJE’s forthcoming cosmetic and beauty products in Greece, where the company maintains extensive business presence.
“We jumped at the opportunity to go into business with Beautyfresh without hesitation,” Federowicz said. “They will open up tremendous marketing opportunities for our brand, beginning in China and Greece and continuing to other markets around the world as quickly as possible.”
OBJE plans to announce the signing of the companies’ global strategic profit alliance agreement early this week, Federowicz said. The alliance will be a crucial milestone in the company’s efforts to market a growing product line across the globe. The public will receive its first sneak peek at Obscene Jeans’ outrageous new denim designs this month, but the company’s plans for world domination do not end with fashion.
“We’re striving to grow Obscene Jeans from a fashion company into an exclusive lifestyle brand,” Federowicz said. “Beautyfresh, with its extraordinary marketing reach, will help us make that dream come true.”
Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited announced the unaudited operating results of the Company and its subsidiaries for the three-month period ended March 31, 2011.
Under the China Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises, the Group's operating income for the Period amounted to RMB24.634 billion, representing an increase of 31.45% over the corresponding period of the previous year. Operating profit was RMB1.200 billion, up 4.74% year-on-year. Net profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company amounted to RMB0.912 billion, an increase of 1.85% year-on-year. Basic earnings per share was RMB0.127 (1Q 2010: RMB0.124).
Mr. Rong Guangdao, Chairman of Shanghai Petrochemical, said, "In the first quarter of 2011, China's macroeconomic situation improved further, leading to increases in the sales volume and unit price of products of the Company. As a result, operating income of the Company increased. However, unit cost of crude oil of the Company also rose as international crude oil prices stayed high, which resulted in an increase in operating costs. Faced with the pressure of oil refining cost, the Company will continuously optimize production and operation."
Shanghai Petrochemical is one of the largest petrochemical companies in the PRC and was one of the first Chinese companies to effect a global securities offering. Located at Jinshanwei in the southwest of Shanghai, it is a highly integrated petrochemical complex which processes crude oil into a broad range of products in synthetic fibres, plastics and resins, intermediate petrochemicals and refined oil products.
Newly wed: Prince William and his new wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, wave as they travel in the 1902 State Landau carriage along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace
Police officers stand in front of royal supporters on The Mall in London, along the Processional Route by the Palace moments before William and Kate emerged to share a kiss
Happy couple: The Aston Martin Volante is decorated with balloons and a 'Just Wed' registration plate, as William and Catherine emerge in the soft-top vehicle
Unexpected: William motors around Buckingham Palace with his new wife in his father's 41-year-old Aston Martin which Charles was given as a gift for his 21st birthday party
