Adidas football boots among boycott list in UK

Source: http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/Boycotts/currentUKboycotts.aspx

www.ethicalconsumer.org, a not-for-profit research co-operative alternative consumer organisation has placed adidas among boycott list for using kangaroo skin to make some types of football boots.

Ethical Consumer’s boycott list is widely regarded as the most comprehensive English-language list of progressive boycotts. We report on all the boycotts which have a registered headquarters. Inclusion in the list does not constitute an endorsement.

The boycotts list was last fully updated in May 2008. For the most up-to-date information on any boycott please get in touch with the listed contact.

Read further http://www.savethekangaroo.com/adidas/index.shtml

Vietnam’s footwear industry likely faces added woes

(Original Source: SGT) – Posted 4 July 08

03 July 2008

The Association of Footwear Producers of Italy as an EC member will likely ask the commission to extend the anti-dumping tariff deadline.

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s footwear industry, yet to relieve from the European Commission (EC) decision to strip it off the preferential tariffs, will likely face the added woes of extended anti-dumping tariff imposed on shoes with leather upper parts, an industry source said. Read further Story

The Association of Footwear Producers of Italy as an EC member will likely ask the commission to extend the anti-dumping tariff deadline, according to the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association, or Lefaso.

Lefaso chairman Nguyen Duc Thuan said that the anti-dumping tariff had been applied since 2006, and would be automatically removed on October 7 in case the EC receives no appeal from any of its 27 members by July 7 this year. He said that the Italian was preparing a formal appeal.

If the appeal is submitted, it is possible that the EC will reinvestigate Vietnam’s leather footwear products for 15 more months. And if this unwanted case occurs, it means that the country’s leather and footwear industry will continue facing the anti-dumping tariff for at least 15, more months, Thuan told the Daily.

On June 13, the country’s leather and footwear enterprises received unwanted news when the EC decided to remove Vietnamese-made footwear from its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) which will probably be implemented since early next year.

The removal of GSP for Vietnam is said to cause difficulty and negative impacts on domestic leather and footwear enterprises as their products win have to compete harsher with items from other exporting countries.

However, Thuan expressed his optimism, saying that the anti-dumping tariff might not be extended and recommended enterprises to keep calm. He added that Lefaso and officials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade have been in talks with EC officials to have the anti-dumping tariff removed as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, local makers are also seeking the Government’s approval for slashing import tariffs on shoe materials and accessories to as to bolster local enterprises’ competitiveness.

Diep Thanh Kiet, vice chairman of HCMC Shoes and Leather Association, told the Daily that the association last week had sent a petition to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to ask for a reduction of the import tariff on finished leather materials to 5% from 10%.

If the petition to halve the tariff is approved, it will help the city’s leather and shoes enterprises to overcome the hardship, especially when the GSP is removed early next year and in case the anti-dumping tariff is extended, according to Kiet.

“The reduction of import tariff on leather materials will make the country’s footwear and leather industry more competitive with the rivals in the region as well as in the world in the future,” Kiet said.

At the moment, Vietnam’s footwear industry is heavily reliant on outside materials, as some 75% of its demand for material is imported from other countries.

Last year, the industry obtained total export revenue of some US$3.9 billion, with the European market along contributing some 54%.

The country expected to reach total export turnover of US$4.5 billion in 2008, an increase of 17% compared to last year, and also expected to attain an export turnover of some US$6.2 billion by 2010.

Fashion flip-flop

Source: http://www.lowellsun.com/lifestyles/ci_9751185

Whether it’s crystal-encrusted or an old-school beach sandal, it’s summer’s must footwear

By Ashley Morris, Sun Correspondent

Article Last Updated: 01/07/2008

Back in the ’60s when flip-flops were called thongs, they were a simple summer accessory worn and sold only at the beach. Only within the last decade could they be found dressy and bedazzled for formal attire.Many consider the original shoes or sandals that people wore in the Egyptian period the original flip-flops.

Nowadays, the technological world has left its mark on this ancient summer footwear. The flip-flop has been upgraded to fit the expectation of a generation chock full of high-tech gadgets.

“I have a mild flip-flop obsession but that’s mostly because I hate heels and hate real shoes, other than sneakers” says Beth Stack, a 30-year-old teacher and mom from Lowell.

“I own over 25 pairs, mostly Teva and Reefs. Most of mine are casual or athletic ones. My favorite flops are my green Reefs with the bottle opener in the bottom-they’re my favorite color.”

The Reef’s fanning flip-flop has a built-in bottle opener just in case your beverage is not a screw-top. The Reef Stash flip-flop also has a style with a built-in compartment in the sole where one can store money or a credit card. This is perfect for men or women who hate taking pocketbooks to the beach and is available at Reef.com.

For those of you who did not lose that 20 pounds you promised yourself and realized summer was here last Friday, here’s something to ease your bikini-baring anxieties. The Bath and Body Works’ fit flop claims to improve muscle tone, increase circulation, improve balance and posture as well as burn calories.

“I’m burning calories and starting to see more definition in my calves,” says Dagny Runyan, a 28-year-old swim coach from Lowell.

Even Swarovski Crystal has jumped on the flip-flop bandwagon. Designer Stewart Weitzman is selling “Indiana Jelly” flip-flops with crystal detail for $155. They come in clear and gold and can be purchased at Bloomingdales.com.

There is a wide variety of price ranges when it comes to flip-flops. Old Navy still sells your basic summer flop for under $4. Wal-Mart sells its own brands, Faded Glory and Sand Sun, for around $5. Reebok, Nike and Adidas can usually be found on sale from $15 to $25. These sports brands come in a variety of styles and colors. Adidas makes Ayuna 2, a flip-flop with a fitFOAM cushion that molds to your foot. It’s lightweight comfort that comes in a variety of eye-catching colors.

After surveying a group of people on their stance on flip-flops and what brands or styles they prefer, the results are split. half really like their inexpensive, simple flip-flops. “I buy my flip-flops at Wal-Mart,” says 19-year-old Megan McLellan of Lowell.

Whether you love them or hate them, favor the expensive brands or a simple pair of Old Navy’s flip-flops, the super-casual footwear isn’t going anywhere, at least until September. Millions are sold annually and with new features to catch the eye of buyers, it’s more likely that flip-flops will be an ongoing success rather then a super flop.

CHINA: 100-store target for China Shoe

30 June 2008 | Source: just-style.com

Footwear maker China Shoe Holdings has provided more details of its retail expansion in China, where it hopes to open up to 100 stores in the Shanghai region this year followed by a nationwide roll-out programme next year.

As of today the company has opened nine stores under its CCR brand with six more underway, and two stores under the company’s Kanggies brand. Read more…

Nike Unveils Team USA’s Most Innovative, Lightest Footwear and Apparel Designs Ever

July 01, 2008

Source:  NikeBiz

Read Story

EUGENE, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nike athletes, including Lauryn Williams, premiered Nike’s USA Track and Field (USATF) uniforms, which will be worn by members of the 2008 Olympic Team for Track & Field, before a sold-out crowd of 20,000 fans at the University of Oregon’s historic Hayward Field during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.

Nike was born in Eugene, Ore. and first introduced its iconic Swoosh on Hayward Field at the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials. Over 30 years and hundreds of medals later, Nike continues to innovate for the world’s top athletes.

Nike’s USATF uniforms feature new Nike Swift materials, reducing weight to achieve less drag and faster times, and also include Nike Aerographics and the “We the People” graphic. With seven percent less drag than the Athens version, wearing the new Nike Swift Suit translates to a benefit of about .02 of a second in the 100m.

Nike Swift System of Dress

The Nike Swift System of Dress lets athletes customize what they’re wearing while increasing aerodynamic advantages on key parts of the body. Socks, gloves and arm coverings — an entire system of dress — were developed by Nike so sprinters could run faster. For example, the Nike Swift gloves and arm coverings have dimpled fabrics like a golf ball to cut wind resistance and allow arms to slice through the air faster. In testing, the design team found that compared with bare skin, the gloves and arm coverings reduce drag by 19 percent and the socks by 12.5 percent.

“Our new innovations are truly game changing and industry defining. It is the lightest footwear and apparel we’ve ever created,” said Sean McDowell, Nike’s Footwear Design Director. “The world’s top Nike athletes are wearing Flywire technology at the trials because they want gold.”

“The difference between making the team and not making the team comes down to mere hundredths of a second,” said U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. “Nike’s ability to deliver ground-breaking apparel and footwear with cutting-edge technology has been incredible. We are proud to have worked so closely with Nike to develop this amazing, innovative and eye-catching Olympic collection.”

Nike Track and Field Footwear

The uniform also features footwear with Nike’s industry-leading new Flywire technology. Nike athletes Kara Goucher and Bernard Lagat will perform in the Zoom Matumbo, Nike’s lightest distance track spike. Lagat will also wear the Zoom Victory Spike, currently Nike’s lightest middle distance track spike. Both shoes are lighter than Michael Johnson’s famed gold spikes from the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

For the first time, Nike is making more athlete innovations available to consumers with footwear such as: The LunaRacer+, LunarTrainer+, Zoom Victory+, Zoom Matumbo and Zoom Victory Spike. Now, every runner can benefit from Nike’s Flywire and Lunarlite technology. This footwear is available to consumers beginning in July and rolling out through October, 2008.

Skills & Low-cost Benefits Underpinning China Footwear Industry

July 1, 2008

Source: PR Minds/ For complete Report

With advantages of low production cost and technical skills, China is expected to remain the world’s largest producer and exporter of footwear, says RNCOS report.

According to “China Footwear Market Analysis”, a new market research report by RNCOS, the footwear production industry is now shifting towards Asian countries due to the huge availability of raw material and low cost of production in these countries, especially in China, the largest footwear producer.

As per the report, a large pool of skilled labor available at substantially low cost in China is proving advantageous, particularly for the labor-intensive industries such as footwear and leather goods manufacturing. Also, China is one of the lowest cost footwear producers among the major footwear producing countries, says the report. In addition to low-cost, the country also boasts of the largest technically-trained human resources in leather craft across the globe.

Apart from this, operating conditions in the Chinese footwear industry also distinguish it from other countries. The footwear industry is not restricted by ethical issues and red tape and gains from the protective political rule with rather compliant workforce and low labor unrest.

Supported by the technical skills and low cost benefits, China has gained a competitive edge over its competitors, becoming the largest exporter of footwear worldwide. And in the absence of a close competitor, the country is expected to retain its status of the largest footwear exporter in near future.

The research study “China Footwear Market Analysis” provides detailed analysis and data on the footwear industry of China to help client in identifying the opportunities to tap in the Chinese footwear industry. It presents a rational and objective forecast on per head disposable income and volume of footwear retail sales in the country. The forecast given in the report is based on a correlation between past market growth and growth of base drivers and gives a direction to clients in which the industry is likely to move.

Spencer`s goes for image makeover – Plans Footwear Range

Source:

June 30, 2008

According to a new report in Business Standard Spencer’s Retail is planning for private labels in fashion accessories as well as footwear brand Mark Nicolas for men and women

Read complete Story Business Standard Report

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Pradipta Mukherjee / Kolkata June 30, 2008

Spencer’s Retail, the Rs 800-crore retail arm of the RPG Group, will expand its range of fashion merchandise with the launch of private labels as well as foreign apparel brands, in an attempt to revamp its image as a fashion-centric brand instead of just a food retail chain.

“We have always been known as a food and retailing brand. We now intend to change our image and tap the fashion segment as well,” Samar Singh Sheikhawat, vice-president (marketing), Spencer’s Retail, said.

Currently, the sale of fashion merchandise makes up 10 per cent of the total revenues of Spencer’s Retail.

“We expect sale of fashion merchandise to contribute 25-30 per cent to the overall revenues by the end of March 2009, when the company will have a turnover of Rs 2,000 crore,” Sheikhawat said.

Spencer’s fashion offerings will be positioned as ‘affordable’, with prices in the range of Rs 199 to Rs 1,000.

To begin with, the fashion merchandise will be available only in Spencer’s large-format stores. It will allocate 25 per cent of the 25,000 to 70,000 sq ft space in such stores to fashion merchandise, up from 10 per cent now.

The company will introduce its private labels in apparels like Island Monks (casual wear for men and women), Mark Nicolas (formal wear), Scorez (sportswear), Detailz (basic wear), Asankhya (ethnic and fusion wear), Puddles (for children up to two years of age) and Little Devils (for children between 2 and 14 years).

Spencer’s will also launch private labels in fashion accessories under the brand U n I, comprising bag, junk jewellery, leather items, belts, etc, as well as footwear brand Mark Nicolas for men and women. It will also launch larger sizes for plus-sized adults.

The company is restructuring its marketing team to include more designers and people with experience in fashion merchandise retailing. “The designers will be selected from design schools in India, while the manufacturing will be handled by third-party contract manufacturers,” Sheikhawat said.

Going forward, Spencer’s also plans to host fashion shows of the stature of ‘Lakme Fashion Week’ or ‘Wills Fashion Week’.

Apart from its private labels, the firm is also looking at bringing two apparel brands from the UK and the US to India this year, one of which will be for children and the other for grown-ups. Both the brands will be allotted close to 2,500 sq ft each and will be retailed in a shop-in-shop environment inside Spencer’s large-format stores.

Reebok on expansion spree, to open 230 stores in FY’08

Source: PTI/ Economic Times/ Business Standard

New Delhi June 30, 2008

Link   Economic Times; Business Standard

Global sports wear brand Reebok today said it is on a major expansion in India which would see the company open one store in almost every two days, taking the total number of stores to 850 by the end of 2008-09.

“The company, which currently has 620 stores across the country, is going for a substantial increase in its distribution, which will see its sales going up by 30 per cent per annum,” Reebok India Managing Director Suvhinder Singh said.

“Besides consolidating our existing position in metros and tier I cities, we are also going for a major expansion in tier-II and tier-III and lower-tier cities, he added.

However, he refused to divulge any investment details.

“It is not the company’s policy to reveal investment and sales figures,” he said on the sidelines of the Pure & Play Retail Summit here today.

The company has grown six-time in the last five years and controls 53 per cent of Indian footwear market, Singh said, adding that they would be also bringing in new products.

“We want to maintain the current position and bring new innovation and formats in various segments. We are bringing out 20 new footwear models every quarter, besides a new apparel in every 45 days,” he said.

Reebok is also planning to open specialised junior stores for its young customers. As many as seven such stores will come up in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi among other cities.

The company would be aggressive on its marketing strategy as it plans to expand its business in the country.

“As part of our marketing strategy we have roped in Bollywood stars and cricketers as means of communication platform as Indian customers have a tendency to associate with them,” he said, adding that the company wants to utilise this for expanding into smaller cities.

Online ordering helps Office stride ahead

Source:

Published: June 29 2008 22:42 in FT

Office, the fashion footwear chain, in UK has emerged as one of the few clothing retailers to have escaped the fall-out of the consumer squeeze with rising sales and profits.

The company, owned by Sir Tom Hunter’s West Coast Capital, recorded a sharp increase in annual pre-tax profit from £3.6m to £5.5m, driven in particular by the growth of online transactions.

Read the complete story in FT Click for story

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According to Brian McCluskey, Office chief executive, there was “massive inflation” hitting the sector, which has experienced a decade of falling prices and they are holding to their margins but with great difficulty.

His comments follow a report last Friday from JPMorgan Chase, the bank, that painted a dramatic picture of inflation across the retail sector, coming from a variety of areas such as increased Chinese labour costs and higher fuel prices.

Simon Irwin, JPMorgan analyst, wrote: “We expect to see cost inflation for European apparel retailers of 2-6 per cent in 2009 and we expect them to try to pass this on in higher prices.

“Longer term, we see inflation as a positive for the sector, but short term it has come at a bad time.”

Office has seen like-for-like sales increase 6 per cent since the financial year-end in January, outperforming rivals, many of whom have seen sales fall, and improving on a like-for-like sales decline of 0.8 per cent in the previous 12 months.

Internet sales rose 200 per cent last year, contributing to overall revenue of £101m, up from £92.8m in the year to January 2007. “This year we’ll do £111m,” said Mr McCluskey.

Mr McCluskey attributed much of Office’s success to its team of in-house designers and a decision to bring most of its manufacturing back from China two years ago.

He said the Office designs had been so popular that four high street retailers had made direct copies.

LK Bennett to be sold in £100m deal

Updated: Monday, 30 June 2008

News in UK

High-end fashion chain LK Bennett is set to fall into private equity hands as early as this week as the finishing touches are made to a £100 million deal, according to a report.

Founder Linda Bennett is close to netting a multi-million pound windfall from the sale, which is being ironed out by reported preferred bidder Phoenix Equity Partners, the buyout group with a taste for luxury fashion, according to the Sunday Express.

The so-called “Queen of the Kitten Heel” hired advisers to run an auction at the end of last year and it is believed that Phoenix has seen off competition so far from potential rival bidders including fashion chain Hobbs, owned by private equity firm 3i, as well as several overseas investors.

Phoenix has a track record in the high-end fashion sector, having previously invested in footwear brand Jimmy Choo and handbag brand Radley.

A takeover would come four years after Bennett abandoned earlier sale hopes after offers reportedly fell short of a mooted £75 million asking price, with poor Christmas trading hampering its efforts to achieve the price tag.

The group was founded by Ms Bennett in 1990 with one store in Wimbledon village selling shoes and accessories.

She trained in footwear design at Cordwainers College in Hackney, but started out with a handbag label, selling to stores such as Harvey Nichols, before setting up the inaugural store.

The chain now has more than 70 stores across the UK and overseas, with international branches including stores in Paris and Dublin.

Neither LK Bennett nor Phoenix were available for comment.

(LK Bennett)