News & Press Releases
IndustryFocus:
Technology
By Robert
McAllister Technology Editor
Published on March 12, 2004
Gaining
Easier Access to Technology at FBI
Technology can sometimes be an
intangible resource for small and start-up apparel companies, given
its cost and often high learning curve. Los Angeles–based apparel
industry association Fashion Business Inc., with the
help of some of its corporate members, is trying to tear down those
barriers.
The trade organization opened a new
resource center last summer at The New Mart building
in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District. The new
center houses state-of-the-art design and production wares, meeting
spaces, and showrooms for Southern California’s many start-up
apparel companies. The nonprofit organization, which helps apparel
designers and other production staff garner business skills, has been
boosting its investment in technology.
 FBI
recently received an infusion of computers, software, plotters and
digitizers, thanks to companies including Tukatech Inc., AIMS
and Gerber Technology Inc. Visitors now have access
to CAD design stations, ink-jet plotters, digitizing tables, labeling
equipment and a photography studio.
With the new equipment, FBI can expand
its educational programs in computer-aided design and other production
skills. “It’s for understanding the basics,” said Frances
Harder, FBI’s president. “We’re trying to help them recreate
blocks from existing garments and go from there.”
The first seminar, conducted in
February, was deemed a success. Visitors learned how to “knock
off” a garment using Tukatech’s CAD product. Harder said interest
came not only from young designers and companies but also from
established designers and merchandisers looking for recurrent
training. The event was the first of a series.
The center also doubles as a
TukaCenter, giving industry workers opportunities to rent
equipment at nominal fees. The stations have access to TukaWeb,
Tukatech’s Internet-based production service, which allows users to
upload files to process markers, do grading and even get samples
processed at cut-rate fees. “Outsourcing in the garment industry has
grown so much, and there’s a big need for this,” said Tukatech
Chief Executive Officer Ram Sareen. “A lot of
companies don’t have enough people to keep up with all the product
specs. There are so many more styles to produce now. Yet, buyers are
buying smaller quantities.”
While Tukatech’s equipment handles
the production side of the apparel business, AIMS’ order management
software handles the business side “They don’t teach a lot of this
side of the business in the design schools,” explained Henry
Cherner, an FBI board of advisors member and co-founder of
AIMS. “We want to give them the tools to better learn the business
side of the apparel business.”
Cherner will conduct demos and seminars
covering business management and EDI (electronic data interchange) and
has launched a Web-based version of AIMS that allows small companies
to use business management programs via the Internet for a manageable
monthly fee, rather than paying more than $4,000 for the complete
program.
AIMS’ program covers invoicing, order
management, cost sheets, bills of materials, credits and returns, and
UPC and bar codes. It also integrates with EDI and other accounting
programs, such as Intuit’s QuickBooks.
Participation from private companies
continues to filter in. Color forecaster Design Option,
a new FBI member, is donating yarn boxes for new subscribers. Malibu,
Calif.–based Shapely Shadow Inc. recently donated a cyber dress form
to help students learn the art of sizing. The form was originally
developed from a 3-D laser scan of a Kenneth Cole fit
model.
“We’re trying to communicate how
fit develops brand loyalty and how [students can] develop a niche and
develop a target market,” said Shapely Shadow Chief Executive
Officer Ilona Foyer.
Next month, Los Angeles–based
Progressive Label Inc. will donate label-printing hardware to the
center. And a new photography studio is allowing FBI members to
produce line sheets, catalogs and other tools for sales and marketing.
Harder said the resource center is the
perfect example of how the public and private sectors can create a
win-win situation. The city of Los Angeles and the Department
of Water and Power financed planning and construction of the
center. The Eisenberg Trust, owner of The New Mart,
donated five years of free rent.
Article reprinted with permission from
from ApparelNews.net
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