Search Results for "CPSIA"
By Kathleen Fasanella on Aug 14 at 9:14 am
Hello lovelies, how has this week been treating you? Is everyone geared up for Magic? It’s that time of year again. I think if I am truly fortunate, I will never have to go again. Some people are invigorated by all the people-energy but it really drains me. I do well enough to handle the crowds at the grocery store.
Nothing much in the way of news to report -oh wait!- I finally made good on my threat to start a new pattern making forum. Specifically, it is an Optitex user’s group. If you have Optitex pattern making software or are considering purchasing it and want to know what its users think, do stop in. We only have three members so far (Ann V, Kerryn T and me), this being the first public announcement. Heck, I didn’t get the site up until late yesterday afternoon. It is open to the public but you’ll have to register to post. Also, the site is not officially affiliated with Optitex but I did tell them I was going to do it and they were fine with it. I suppose I should have warned them before I told you -which only proves why I should never be in charge of mangling managing anything.
As ever, if you are trying to catch up on content, here are the entries published on this site over the past five years -with more in the archives. Have a great weekend.
August 6, through August 12, 2005
Couture Pattern Puzzles
Why We Buy
Alternatives in women’s sizing
Bariatric patients for sizing surveys?
How to find investors for a clothing line pt.1
No comments /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Jul 30 at 7:45 pm
In theory, Julys are slow but it’s picked up around here. I hope that’s a sign of the economy recovering. I think people have decided it’s gotten as bad as it will so it’s time to start moving forward after having recalibrated. I remain behind. Typical. It’s time to turn it up a notch.
Maybe you saw the article in which I was quoted for the NYT, I posted about it. Bloggers do that. We want to make sure you know how smart you are to invest your time reading our stuff. I spoke to the reporter at length. Hers is not a job I want; it’s an incredible amount of work and then after it’s published, a lot of people says hateful things about you (not that she said that, I googled her). She didn’t write 1/20th of what she had to have learned from writing that story, that I knew about anyway from talking to her. Writing is easy, sit down and open a vein (via).
It rained nicely here last week. This week, all the grass decided to reseed itself -a good idea in my opinion. I cut Ms. Humming’s Nest out of the tree. I have it in my office. I have bare studs on one wall with some horizontal bracing, making for shallow, irregularly shaped cubbies. I put her nest in one of those.
…and if you want to catch up with some of this week’s resources from the archives, here’s your chance. Have a great weekend.
July 23, through July 29, 2005
Lean Dream Teams
Lean Homework
Zara’s 300 designers
Zara and Lean Retail
Why American Apparel has the best line sheets
CAFTA
Wholesale Fabric Show
22692 Bagging Tutorial #1
No comments /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Jul 28 at 3:22 pm
Children’s products producers take note. Your prompt response is required, these surveys will be taken down this weekend.
I rarely do this but here’s the cut and paste because it’s better than a summary I would write:
The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) Wants You!
Many have pointed out to the CPSC that the additional testing costs mandated by the CPSIA have been extremely burdensome on companies and have even caused many to either shut down or abandon the children’s product market. [ ] Concrete examples [of] Casualties of the Week are here, here and here.
Some are still not convinced. CPSC Commissioner Adler made the point at a recent CPSC briefing that “anecdotes are not evidence.”
The AAFA has been collecting information (”evidence”) from companies to see exactly how the testing rules have impacted their businesses. This information is important to help document to CPSC and Congress the economic impact of CPSIA.
To continue gathering data, AAFA recently published two surveys online to gauge the impact of consumer product testing. One survey is for manufacturers, wholesalers and suppliers and the other is for retailers and licensors.
3 comments /
CPSIA /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on May 21 at 5:29 pm
Rick sends important news:
I wanted to let you know that I will be featured as part of a 60 Minutes segment on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) phthalates ban. The segment will air this Sunday (May 23) on CBS and is entitled “Are They Safe?”. If you miss it, you can watch it later on the 60 Minutes website. This is a very important development in our continuing effort to force change in the CPSIA. 60 Minutes is the number one news program in the world and one of the most watched programs in the United States of any kind.
My interview was filmed last September at Learning Resources’ office. I was interviewed by Lesley Stahl for this feature. We have not seen the segment yet (we will see it when you see it) and hesitate to predict what they will say. I believe I was the only businessperson interviewed. The focus of my interview was the “unintended consequences” of the phthalates ban, of which there are many… We are hopeful that 60 Minutes will draw attention to the doubtful and wasteful impact of this law on law-abiding companies like ours.
1 comment /
CPSIA /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on at 4:21 pm
I returned from the SPESA show in Atlanta late last night. Did you miss me? I missed all of you very much. Apparently lowest-rate-interest loans missed me the most, they left 33 comments. Detox foot spa was pining my absence with eight. Radu had glowing accolades for my opinions (on two archive posts) as did Nike sportshoes, and Australia’s complete health. Portugal Vacation Real Estate thanked me on behalf of their membership for CPSIA updates. Tebonin was solicitous of my recovery with helpful suggestions for cut-rate tinnitus vertigo tabs. Holandii was succinct saying “Ciekawy artykul, bede wpadal na twoja stronke czesciej zapewne” and Niemiec concurred with “Gdzie mozna pobrac template ktory uzyles na swoium blogu?” Designer Sunglasses regretted not being able to meet me in Hong Kong but constructively suggested I update my graphics template. How about the rest of you? How did your week go? Do tell me all about it.
I uploaded some photos to a web album if you want to see some of us. There is some prime blackmail material in there. Most of it involving a belly dancer. I’d have more blackmail candidates but Sarah Bosch and Mr. Fashion-Incubator insisted on monopolizing her time. There are many more photos but I’m waiting on Mr. F-I to upload those. He also shot quite a few videos.
Speaking of videos, Eric shot one of the welt pocket machine in action. It’s impressive, you almost want to clap when it’s done. In passing, the man demonstrating remarked that perfect welts could only be done by the welt machine, never “by hand” meaning step by step with a lockstitch machine. All at the same time, three (four?) of us said that you could, that we’d all done it. He repeated his comment, insisting it was impossible. Then we all laughed in chorus. Good naturedly, not maliciously, it was funny. I reiterated that each of us had made perfect welt pockets, even the one of us who couldn’t sew and who’d said it was so simple it was almost stupid. I told the machine demonstrator that the trick was to do it exactly the way the machine does it only step by step (with a self-made jig) and that I’d put the instructions on my website which I offered to send him later. In the end I think he suspected we were telling the truth because he abruptly walked away with an annoyed expression on his face. One could presume that not only am I intent upon preserving my near perfect record of ensuring I won’t be invited to any industry cocktail parties, I’m bent on having my friends roundly excluded too. Minimally, you have to give me credit for being efficient about it.
More to come next week!
8 comments /
Machines & Equipment, Trade Shows /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on May 15 at 7:15 am
Jay Arbetmen gave me a brief report from last week’s wholesale fabric and trim show in Chicago. He says the show was mobbed, that he and his reps were insanely busy both days. He says the show needs a larger venue next year. Just thought to mention this as it is very good news for those of you in the Midwest. Who knows, maybe the show will become popular enough to draw from the southern Midwest? Dallas lost its show.
Speaking of shows, yours truly and kindred will be in Atlanta next week for SPESA. We have 30 confirmed F-I members going but I strongly suspect we’ll end up with at least 40 once we’re there. I won’t be as accessible as usual -actually, as many of you know, I’ve been tied up lately and also ~sigh~ dealing with personal matters- but I’m looking forward to getting back to normal soon.
Posting will be spotty in the upcoming week and it will take longer than usual to approve comments held for moderation so I appreciate your patience. If you must reach me, call me on my cell (otherwise, please never use that number, I hate that phone) or send an email. I hope your week is a great one. And as usual, here’s this week’s entry from the archives.
May 7, through May 13, 2005
Boy’s B-day
Push-Pull Manufacturing
May 7, through May 13, 2006
Sally, Amy and me
Producing a catalog
Goverment agencies raid sewing charity
A question of thoracic shaping pt.2
Lazy pattern making
1 comment /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Apr 30 at 2:43 pm
The walks like a duck, quacks like a duck but is not a duck fashion incubator in Chicago aka the AIBI is holding their annual fabric and trim sourcing show May 13-14, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM on the second floor of the Merchandise Mart Conference Center. Entry is free but you must register. Early reports say exhibition space is sold out as is the foyer and that another venue is likely next year. Great news surely. If you want to meet any F-I members who will be attending, be sure to post in the forum.
A reminder about the SPESA show (sewing and equipment) coming up May 18-20 in Atlanta. If you are attending and wish to be included in our activities, you must post to the forum thread to be added to the notification list. Many people have emailed me or sent messages on Facebook but I don’t have time to post for you (one of the Lisa B.’s has volunteered to facilitate). Thus far, we have about 30 but I suspect we’ll end up with at least 40 when it’s all said and done. I’m really looking forward to meeting with so many of you I’ve only corresponded with. Fun times to come! We had a great time at the last show and learned a lot.
And as ever, here’s this week’s entry from the archives. Have a wonderful weekend.
April 23, through April 29, 2006
Twelve acres
Freelance designing
History of women’s sizing pt.3
Chinese bras and sizing
Nothings, news and links 1
How to hire a fashion illustrator
Intruder
Silence lends consent
No comments /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Apr 2 at 9:47 pm
It’s late. I couldn’t sleep. Kitty cats are being silly, running around, causing a ruckus -and it’s not as tho the head instigator- my alpha male, boy cat Right (that’s his name, Right- the other one was named Left in case you wonder but he died a few years ago)- isn’t already running a deficit on lives -and then he’s practically ancient. He’s nine. Nine isn’t too old for a cat but those are hard lived lives. Like a quarterback, they don’t live long either. But that’s beside the point. I’m awake. I didn’t post today. Kitties have created an inhospitable sleeping environment so I may as well talk to you. How are you doing?
Talk of the sewing tubes this week: There was an article in the Wall Street Journal about truckers taking up sewing. Yeah, big burly guys are buying Singers and paisley prints. They roll into Paducah for pit stops. I went to Paducah. It was cool. Those truckers are cool. One day I want to be cool too.
You know I’m going to say it so here it comes: Here’s this week’s entry from the archives. Have a great weekend.
March 26, through April 1, 2005
Brief notes
Vintage pattern design update
The legalities of labeling
March 26, through April 1, 2006
Why Barbie dumped Ken
Grading Management pt.1
ABC Retailing
Jeans to pray for
Size is a matter of opinion?
A failed experiment
Straw into gold
4 comments /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Mar 20 at 9:32 am
California Apparel News says the mood at this week’s fabric show was upbeat and optimistic, always good news. The only cloud on LA’s wholesale fabric shopping events is the annoyance/expense difficulty of the two competing shows being held too close together -or not close enough. The situation is moving toward improvement next year when they’ll be held back to back with a bit of overlap. Better for attendees but not so good for vendors. If it’s not good for vendors (who need to bear the expense of having two booths and staffs for each show), it’s not good for you either.
In other news, CAN reports the demise of a flagship store that focused on independent designer goods. Ioanna, a visitor to F-I’s Facebook page says there’s more to the story:
“avant-guard and irreverent” often translates to overpriced and unwearable. It’s been a LONG time since I was in that store but the collection it featured then included vintage fur and human hair… they haven’t updated their website since like the year 2000. I’m just saying, not everything independent is good and well-run.
I suspected this might be a reason. Creativity only gets you so far, it’s execution that matters.
And now, here’s this week’s archives entry. May your weekend be fun and relaxing.
March 12, through March 18, 2005
My new toy
March 12, through March 18, 2006
Yet another fitting “system”
My kingdom for a tie
Gemba Keiei chapter 14
Field trip to a cotton gin
Reverse engineering standard work pt.9
Legislating fashion protection
Snippets
On reviewing pattern books
March 12, through March 18, 2007
Blogland news 3/12/07
Jews and the garment industry pt.2
How do you grow before you grow?
1 comment /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
By Kathleen Fasanella on Feb 5 at 7:06 pm
With the monster snow storm headed for the eastern coast of the US, my complaints last week about snow really sound juvenile. All it takes for me to weep and gnash my teeth is a light dusting you can still see the dirt still through. But snow is not all that’s going on this weekend, there’s a football game too. I love Super Bowl weekend. It’s the only weekend I can go shopping in peace. Be it snow or Super Bowl, enjoy one or both of them this weekend. Cuddle, be warm and till we meet again, here’s this week’s entries from the archives.
January 29, through February 4, 2006
Bias match-stripe
Piece rate is good
Sending patterns off for correction
Organic clothing blog
How to make a line sheet pt.2
Analyzing sales by size
Analyzing sales by size pt.2
Budget Marketing Materials: Large Format Postcards
Thomas and Eleanore pt. 2
6 comments /
Admin /
Email to a friend
/
Trackback
