Geoff Krasnov offers apparel/clothing/garment manufacturing and sourcing news.

Friday, September 01, 2006

NEW KNIT FABRIC TRENDS

Last year was the year of rayons. Meryl, Lyocell, Model, etc both in 100% and blended with cotton. Most popular was the model/supima fabrications for womens tops (primarily baby rib and jersey). These fabrics offered superb buttery hand with silky drape. They were pricey, however, running from the low $4 to $7 a yard.

This year it's all about organics and natural fibers. Bamboo has been very popular, mostly in bamboo/cotton blends incorporating spandex. Bamboo with organic cotton has also generated alot of interest. The bamboo fabrics have similar hand to the rayons yet are considerably less expensive (mid $3- low $4) . We have seen a run on organic fabrics as well, especially the 100% organics. People are beginning to realize that many of the products claiming to be organic only have 4-6% actual organic fiber. Be sure to ask the % organic content when buying!