ShirtsGoneWild Blog

The Manifest Of A Well Made Men’s Dress Shirt.

Belly Armour

Protecting your unborn baby from radiation is a must. This year I was lucky enough to research the 2010 Expo this year running into this futuristic yes practical and savvy baby safety product.  Talk about preventative health, this is it.

Low energy radiation is the type of radiation we encounter daily, from our microwaves, portable media devices, mobile phones and computers.  This is where the Belly Blanket comes into play.  The Belly Blanket not only protects mother and baby from low energy radiation emissions, but its soft as a baby’s butt cotton feel and lightweight design make it a fun, must have accessory for the new mom to be.

What I really loved most about this item is how simple it is to fold into a square and pop in your bag or even store conveniently at your location. With the modern mom busy at work sometimes right up to her delivery day, this is a definite way to help do all you can to protect your baby from even the anti matter we can't feel or see.

All electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation. Your personal radiation exposure depends on three things:

·         Strength: The strength of the radiation sources in your proximity

·         Distance: Your distance from EMF and radiation sources.

·         Time: The duration you spend exposed to that radiation emitted.

Here are the common everyday radiation sources with close estimation assessment of the radiation risk. The risk assessments are estimates are derived from devices and typical usage. It is based on 1-10. Your personal exposure depends on the particular sources in your environment and your personal habits.

Mobile Phones

Usage tips:

• Use mobile phones that emit lower radiation.
•  Use a Bluetooth or earpiece.
• Use a landline when you can
• Carry your cell phone at least two inches away from your body and don’t go to sleep next to your mobile device on.
• Evade work areas that use wireless networks and wireless phones when you are able to.
• Cap the use by children of phones.
• Protect children in the womb and infants from mobile phone radiation by using Belly    Armour products.

Laptops & PC Exposure

Laptops and computers are major sources of everyday radiation exposure, because high frequency and long duration of use. Adapters and power outlets can also be major sources of radiation. Our exposure to laptops and computers has grown significantly over the past 20 years.

Computer screens (especially CRT monitors), power cords, and charging batteries cause most of the radiation from computers. Laptops are of particular concern because of the proximity to your body.

Usage tips:

• Make sure distance from the rear and sides of someone else’s monitor/laptop or pc is done.
• Do not place laptops directly on your lap while working, or use belly armor blankets.
• It is best to use your laptop on a desk with an attached mouse and attached keyboard
• Buy a laptop with a 3-pin plug. If it is not possible to get a 3-pin plug, ground the chassis of the laptop. This will eliminate the electric field caused by the ungrounded laptop
• As an option, use an LCD monitor instead of a CRT.

PDAs

Similar to mobile phones, PDA’s are primary sources of everyday radiation because of the proximity and duration of exposure to the unit.

Usage tips:

• Limit the duration and proximity of exposure
• Carry your PDA at least an inch away from your body or regularly rotate it around the body
• Do not sleep next to your PDA while it is on
• Shield children in the womb and infants from PDA radiation by using Belly Armor products
• Do not sleep with your boom boxes or music players on.
• If you carry one, make sure its 2 inches away from the body.

 Power Electric lines/ Mobile phone towers

Radiation from power lines and cell phone towers is very high at the source. However the further away you are from the towers the less likely there is to be a problem.

Usage tips:

• Avoid living, driving, or walking near high voltage power lines, mobile phone transmission towers or any other radio/TV transmitter when at all possible.

TV & Monitors

Televisions emit the same electromagnetic radiation as that of computer monitors. Though usually placed far enough from the body, it is a cause for concern because of the long hours we use them.

Usage tips:

• TV’s with LCD are better for emission of radiation.
• Turn off the TV when not in use.

Microwaves

Microwave ovens emit 60-Hz fields of several hundred milligauss, and microwave energy inside the oven that is at a much higher frequency (about 2.45 billion Hz). We are shielded from the higher frequency fields inside the oven by its casing, but not from the 60-Hz fields.

Usage tips:

• Avoid sitting near microwaves because of EMF. 

DVD players / Gaming systems

These items pose little threat unless exposed for long periods of time.  

Usage tips:                                      

• Make sure wiring and adapters are away from your body
• Turn off all equipment.

Vacuums/ Salon Hair Dryers/ Juicers/ Food Processors

Select appliances appliances that need speedy circulating parts or air flow may cause high levels of radiation. The good part is, exposure is usually for a short time only.

Autumn-Winter Fashion 2011

As we draw close to autumn/winter season we are realizing the new era of the fast paced changing world of fashion being ever so close. We have all come to the conclusion that re-inventing ourselves and exploring our inner being has come to fruition. We are being autodidact with ourselves and the fashion worlds studious fashion methods. New ideas and new escape from the frightened child, to an extrovert fashionista has evolved. We use less and re-cycle and utilize all kinds of apparel and, from button hooks to plackets. Patchwork has become accessory, not a fix.

This makes it a season of different flavors and alternatives, a time to be in front not follow, and making a clear path for one self is paramount. To have fusion and be diverse is to have the fashion scope one needs to be on top and stand out. Being unique is at the forefront of fashion. Color will be efficient and powerful for the mogul of clothing. Having warmth and strength in color and shade is in for our 2011 fall winter season. The sense of sheen will be to outshine from within, yet subtleness is oh so wonderful. Materials and yarn will be turned, twisted and dyed to give opulence for blending with hair. Winter will be the time to be expressive by looking and not having to talk. Fabric manufacturers will be more understanding through close relationships emerging with designers.

However, the emphasis on material is very important, but not dissolved in a complex blend. Specialty yarn can also be created by taking a brave sentiment on the fiber, be it the separation of mohair, the sumptuousness of Ahimsa silk or the translucence of shiny metallic patterns and new high tech interjections.

Nobody will play it safe in the fashion industry. It is time for the designers to show uniqueness for their overwhelming power to change what we wear and how we look. For once you will own yourself through your love for design and apparel.

Yes, it has come to the time of risqué fun. To wear is to love and just move on with your day. Life is what you make it and so is your fashion.

Fashion and Science

It seems like new high technology is taking over the board rooms in today’s fashion businesses. Shops, email-mail order conglomerates, manufacturers and distributors are finding an ever-growing market for apparel, ranging from non wrinkle dress shirts that will hold a crease all day and night to jackets that are lightweight but hold in bio heat and block wind movement.

“These will become my new work uniform”, said John Kerry of Workplace Mechanics, after being soiled with transmission fluid.

“Clients keep telling us they want more of these products,” says Daniel Rossi, VP merchandising for ShirtsGoneWild  of UK based shopping giant specializing in Men’s designer shirts and women’s tops known for their everyday buy 1 get 1 free offers.

They’re getting that in a vast many ways:

Many manufacturers such as Malden Mills out of Massachusetts are retailing and wholesaling synthetic fabrics. These wrinkle-free fabrics are the wave of the future. They make over 200 different synthetic materials for fashion mongers. Levi Strauss has even expanded their lines in this growing field of comfort and the “Just put it on” look. Most of these efforts are in place because of the motivation of performance fabrics.

These have come from mainly the outdoor group of purchasing individuals for the need to have strong clothing when rock climbing and other adventurous demanding fun venues. Now we are seeing these meshing with the street clothes of the now crowd.

The mains difference between wrinkle free and no iron fabrics is time. Usually no iron will last bit longer. While the descriptions sound similar, there is a difference. It can be seen in how the shirt looks eight hours after you put it on your body.

Changing the structure of manufacturing is the difference. Wrinkle-free materials are treated before cutting and sewing to give it a cloth that won’t wrinkle, but will lose its crease and crisp-looking appearance.

No-iron shirts get cut first then are treated afterwards for a smooth feel and look. They are made to be worn from the dryer, and regain their freshness by spending time on a hangar or line. The idea is easy care clothing. People just want to eliminate dry cleaning. Ask any teenager or 20 something how often they take a trip to the dry cleaners in the neighborhood.

Companies like DuPont are and have been treating clothing with chemicals, but what is different is new green companies such as ShirtsGoneWild offering Bamboo and ahimsa silk treated with a natural glycerin based no-iron treatment. Chemicals derived from natural entities are definitely the way to go. On the other hand, he says. Some companies are offering Nano wrap around which are sprayed onto the clothing. This will maintain the same feel as when it was in its original state. The objective is to be attractive but practical.

Most people nowadays are wash n go types. Business dictates what one need for garb. Most just want to get to their respective hotels and hang everything up and be done with it.

The only problem is who has a budget of $99.95 for a shirt that’s non wrinkle or no-iron. Shirtsgonewild and Lands End are the top 2 in this department. Some of their shirts are have spill can travel. Just wipe it off and you’re out the door.

.Many products on today’s market are made from 2.5 layers to 3.0. These are waterproof and have a breathing layer connected to the shell of the main material. What this comes to as an end result is fabric and treatment. This is where the mind of fashion is at this moment in regard to this high-tech fashion in dress and casual wear. Fortunately, there isn’t any limit to advances in technology.

Knitting machines

Fabrics today have hand methods or machine manufacturing for creating different fabrics and materials. In this article I will explain the automated method. A knitting machine is a device utilized for creating fabrics in automated fashion.

There are many knitting machines around from the simple kind to high tech and complex machinery. They all produce many types of fabric, whether it is tubular form or flat form. There are labyrinthine byways of modern technology and most is in fact either semi-automated or completely automated.  Today patterns can be hand stitched or by electronic cards or by push-buttons and dials.  The ultimate reader is the computer today.

The simplest is the spool. This uses a spool and 4 nails to produce fabric in a tubular shape or form. The French called it French corking. These are used for small mats or shag rugs. If you add more nails to this spool you can make apparel. After the cork comes knitting boards and looms, which consist of basically two rows of pins mounted in two parallel rows approximately half an inch to an inch depending on manufacturer. Once you get to mass apparel and garments, it is much faster to use industrial machines with flat beds. These produce rectangular and tubular fabric as needed.

As time moved on in the 20th century, American models used 200-250 latch hook needles for a more refined gauge needle.. A cam box is passed over the bed of needles affecting the needle movements needed to produce each next stitch. Various methods were used; e. g. punch boxes or more high tech needles, which made pathways through the cam box. The needles will knit and the unknitted yarn lies under to be held by the latch hook. This is called a tuck stitch. Once this is done, it is held in place allowing short row shaping. These days it is replaced by computers. Automatic patterning machines are able to knit much faster for Fair Isle patterns. These machines have stitch pattern features as flat weaving or plating. Plating refers to knitting with two threads of yarn that are held so that one is in front of the other strand. Plated effects can be particularly striking in a ribbed fabric. Knit-weaving is a technique in which a separate piece of yarn, often heavier than the knitted fabric, is lifted along and caught between the stitching to give an effect like weaving. With knit-woven fabric, the chapper side is the right side of the fabric. The fine and normal gauge models have the option of a carriage of lace, where stitches can be transferred from one needle to the next. The yarn tergiversates through a tensioning mechanism and down through the weave carriage, which feeds the yarn to the needles as they knit strokes.

These Patterns are the forefront of the fashion industry as we see it today; however we all know how quickly a trend can last. New innovative technologies are here to stay and get more highly advance as time moves into the future.

Why a Love Affair Between Designer Brands and Consumers is a Must.

In 2011 the digital era has brought fashion into a catch up status so fierce that losing sight of what customers needs is. Of course having videos, blogs and social media sites so readily available the basics goals have changed little. The brands and the consumer can both benefit by having human needs and wants. Psychological brain storming in the fashion industry is what it comes down to. The basic idea is how brands and designers fit into the lives of their consumers. Communication is paramount to reach an intimate level with clients.

It is important for designers to be conversant with the simple human necessities so they can develop strategies that help them satisfy the needs of their consumers. Once designers and brands acknowledge that most of consumers interests are not today are wants, but rather historical and traditional needs, we can all move on and ultimately profit.

There is a demand for certain commodities such as food apparel, housing and security to name a few. What most brands need to do is simply figure out why competitors choose one product or service over others. They need to integrate their ideas with the consumer in a genuine manner to get their point across. This is where vlogging, video and social media sites and high end classifieds come into play.  Brand conglomerates have many venues to choose from so it is important and it would be prudent to utilize these methods.

Humans are love and emotional creatures that like to part of something good and organized. This is what makes us human. This is a good viable effect and is why the face book social site and many many others are doing so well in rankings from Google and other search engines. People like to connect to other people. Even the niche sites do well in ranking such as Twitter.

Most brands are now catching on to the social site scene now, but some are still in the slower stages.  Modern times are here and it’s time for the thinking caps to be on.

Humans require a sense of control and power.  Knowledge, Education, self-esteem and achievements are all important components of these elements. People are savvier now that the internet is offering higher education, better communication and overall life experiences.

Because crowd sourcing has made strides consumers understand the power they have attained, and with the interjection of social media this is a strong army of customers which brands need to grasp.  Company’s need to heed these trendy transitions, and help put some of the power into their client’s fingertips.

People like freedom of choice in order to feel independent and safe.  With modernization and democracy has brought about many freedoms, and we are all aware of the many choices available offline as well as online. People like autonomy and want to enjoy their own individuality.  When people are free, they tend to feel better about themselves and others, just look at what is happening in the Middle East.

Fashion brands and others, should nurture and be aware of their customers need for options by providing selection whenever possible.  This means connecting to the potential clients and understanding their needs.  In order to build brand loyalty companies need to integrate their goals with the customers.  Even bringing in consumer engagement will create a sense of loyalty. After all, people want the ability to make choices and pursue the things that make them fulfilled and joyous.

People want and need fun. Even in business. People are at work at jobs everyday playing face book games or from other companies. By nature, people want pleasure and avoid hardship.  Today, it is a fast paced work force and many people like to have leisure time for themselves. At the same time, no matter how old we get, our inner child still likes to play.

This is why media is focusing on it and social networks have caught on. They have figured out it is a basic need. And it certainly is a goal in meetings every Monday morning at most companies in 2011.  This is why we see new games on Face book and other similar sites.  It’s the reason some overnight successes have some about recently. This is why millions of people embrace these companies and it is important for companies to realize it and take advantage of it while it is out there. Quite frankly, sometimes people just want to have fun and enjoy life.  Entertaining customers is the name of the game for years to come. This will enhance brand-customer relationships and make the retail entities and fashion world a much more fun destination.

Want to buy a mens quality shirt but not sure of what fabric or style?

In today’s fast paced society, businessmen just don’t have the time to try on tons of shirts to be fashionable. We here at Shirtsgonewild have compiled some fabric fashion hints to make the right decision on what material might work best in the warmer spring and summer months.

There are a few important objectives; one needs to know to look their best. Visual appearance, feel, comfort, and value. All of these elements will give you what you need out to have fashion and style.

Decide whether the look of the shirt should be a print or a solid color. This will depend where you are going and what you are doing. If you are going to lunch on the pier a nice island print would work against the sun reflecting off your mens silk camp shirt. If you are going to the museum or art gallery a solid works much better for blending purposes. One would not want to have a psychedelic print or paisley look while looking at a bright colorful piece of artwork.  Button down shirts will work well for these semi-formal events.

Next up is the feel or texture of the shirt. Don’t be shy when it comes to how a shirt will feel on your body against your skin. Especially in the warmer weather, being as cool as possible is the most important aspect. Ahimsa silk is an amazing peaceful material manufactured in a non violent nature. Made outside the cocoon, Ahimsa silk was created in the nineties. These men’s silk shirts are amazing to the touch and quite honestly supersede the regular silk process. Organic cotton shirts are another wonderful feel to the body. Both can be purchased at finer stores. Linen is absolutely amazing for summer wear however one must remember the wrinkling of the material. It is much better to have a linen-silk mix or linen cotton mix. These can be purchased at ShirtsGoneWild or other fine mens shirts outlets. Wearing a wool or flannel would not be the way to go in the warmer weather even if it does get colder at night. The beauty of cotton silk mix fabrics are the fact that it keeps a person warm or cool depending on the climatic conditions.

Finally, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on men’s designer shirts for opulence. Many boutiques or department stores are charging way too much for high quality shirts and it’s just not necessary. A high quality mens designer shirt should set you back no more than $89-$99 at most. To spend three hundred dollars for an Armani mens polo or dress shirt is just bad decision making. For best deals on authentic mens brand name Italian made shirts shop around. ShirtsGoneWild has many amazing prices and have a buy 1 get 1 free policy and free shipping. This should give you a very good start on purchasing your next men’s casual or dress shirt.

Flannel

Flannel is a woven fabric that has various degrees of fineness and feel. Flannel was originally derived from wool or worsted yarn. Now it is made from synthetic fiber, cotton or wool. Flannel can be also brushed to create finer soft material. This process is mechanical and done primarily with a metal brush. Flannel has either a single or double nap (raised fiber) on 1 or both sides of the fabric. Usually, Flannel is used in bedding and clothing.

The true origin of Flannel is unknown, but it is suspected to have come from Wales. Subsequently the French and Germans used the fabric in the 17^th and 16^th century. Cotton was used in many smaller areas of Wales for face washing mostly, but it found a home in the bathroom as time moved on in many European communities.

In the 19^th Century, flannel moved evolved to clothing manufacturing. During the early part of the 20th Century, wealthy socialites were purchasing Flannel for beach outfits and towels. As time moved on that job went to cotton.

Finally, the clothing industry still makes shirts for casual use made from napped Flannel. This end product is warm yet cool and many consumers have noticed its reliability in the washing machine. The best setting for washing is on warm water.

Bamboo is one of the most incredible plants on our earth today. It is used in a variety of industry settings from construction to fashion. Although basically a simple structured plant, bamboo is stronger than oak and has roots that spread deep and wide in the soil and can be grown from sea level to ten thousand feet in the mountains.

Bamboo has many benefits. It is used in so many industries because of its quick growing ability. All this amazing plant needs is water and sun. Bamboo in the fashion industry feels like silk on your body but it is much stronger and won’t shrink. Caring for it is easy just put it in the washer and dryer or air dry it and you are ready to go. Bamboo also releases 35% more oxygen than its tree counterparts. Bamboo is used for food to feed most of Asia. The Chinese eat two hundred thousand metric tons each year. This plant also feeds many animals from Koala bears to ground hogs. Another environmental effect is the fact that Bamboo holds 2 times the water than trees do and can keep soil to a nutritional maximum.

In the construction industry Bamboo has great history as well. Because of its strength during earthquakes it can withstand many times the shake down of a 7.9 on the Richter scale. The roots spread and thus expansion is widened to maintain an even layer throughout the soil.  Even hardwood furniture is made from Bamboo. Much flooring and Asian style futon couches are made from this wood. This plant can withstand over 50,000 pounds per square inch of pressure which almost as strong as soft steel. You can imagine the strength in your furniture.                                                                                            

Bamboo also has a healing effect. The secretion from the plant called Tabasheer is used to treat pulmonary coughing and asthma. Black Bamboo treats Kidney disease. The root and leaves of Bamboo treat Venereal disease and Cancer. Finally, in its history, Bamboo can be seen on body armor on the Romans to pool lining during the Thomas Edison age. And although it has amazing uses and a place in our world, it is not perfect. Bamboo is broken down by caustic soda for textile use and fabric conversion. Not the best organic method considering caustic soda is a chemical. In our new days ahead in our wonderful future with this Earth given entity, we will see new natural processes as we have seen in the silk industry utilizing the Ahimsa process, which allows us to make silk shirts and apparel non-violently.

Spandex process and its fashion uses

Spandex is used in many different ways in the world and is produced in basically four methods. Melt extrusion, reaction spinning, wet spinning and dry spinning. The name spandex aka Elastane (Europe) has more longevity than rubber. This material was invented by Joseph Shivers at DuPont Company. The word spandex is an anagram of the word expands.

Dry spinning is the most preferred method for making spandex and is over 94% of the world’s process. All these methods are used with the pre-polymer reaction. Spandex fiber has multiple uses from Apparel to orthopedic applications. Wet suits, swim suits, ski pants, hosiery, leggings, and many other uses. National Aeronautics Space Agency utilizes this fiber for its strength.  Comic book heroes such as batman and robin, Superman, amongst others are also avid users of this amazing material. In the early to mid seventies many rock bands used spandex for comfort and movement on stage because of its elasticity to the human body. During the making of Star Trek and other well known movies, spandex was the desired fabric for the most outrageous clothes made for these top notch scientific thrillers.

In the fashion industry many designers are using spandex cotton mixes in their designs because of durability and fit. JoeyJ maker of Ahimsa silk for ShirtsGoneWild has now 2011 mens casual shirts for this purpose. Most of the manufacturing of these shirts are done in Italy or Croatia where the Ahimsa silk farm is for the mega outlet. It would seem from a retail environment that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. This is typical for the clothing and apparel world.

In conclusion, Spandex will be around for ions simply because it is so versatile and comfortable. Many industries will benefit from this expandable fiber material.

Leather

Leather is one of the most pliable and long lasting materials on the market today. It can come in many forms and is used widely in the fashion industry and for other industries such as ropes and string to furniture.

Generally speaking, leather is sold in four forms: full-grain, top-grain, corrected-grain and split.

Full Grain-This is referred to as not having any separation in layers from the top grain or split. It is very strong and durable and is used in leather shoes and for furniture made of leather. It usually comes in two finishes and aniline and semi aniline. (Organic compound) This is the highest quality of all leathers as well.

Top Grain-This is the second best quality leather being made at the moment. The “split” layer is separated and is more flexible than full grain leather. It has a finish applied to it so it cannot breathe as other leather and has more of a soft plastic feel to it. It also is cheaper and has a much better to resist certain stains if not all. This type of leather is used in the fashion industry as well as home furnishing.

Corrected Grain-This leather is applied leather. It is artificially surfaced with grain. It is not first grade leather and has the hides sanded off and then a new artificial one is introduced. After, oils and more finishes are applied to it. Most of these leathers are used to make pigmented leather. Although many uses are in affect this is not the most sought after type of leather.

Split-This leather is produced by separating the fibrous area of the hide after separation. Depending how thick the hide is, leather can be split into multiple layers for more splitting. At this point a grain is applied to the leather for added strength. Suede is produced this way for the fashion industry during this process. Suede is made from full-grain from the manufacturers.

There are less common leathers such as deerskin, buckskin, and patent, but these are not much on the market anymore. Many of these manufacturers are using fake leathers because of cost for handbags etc…

Finishing leather to fashion is a tedious process and is mostly imported from China and India in the modern day because of inexpensive costing and lax pollution laws. The finest of leathers is imported from Italy. Wherever it is made, leather has its fashion.

Nylon The Most Valued Fabric

Nylon is a thermoplastic material used for many items and combined with heavy duty double treated threads in a vast variety of products throughout the globe. Everything from Fashion to bullet proof vests has the honors of being end products.  Also known as Polyamide, nylon has proven itself to be stronger than most fabrics.

First discovered by a DuPont employee as a replacement for silk in WW2, it replaced the silk fibers for parachutes and flak vests. Nylon is now very abundant for a multi-purpose vision many had in mind. Commercial nylon is made simply by combining the chemical threads and melting them into one. Orlon and Dacron are off-shoots of nylon used extensively in the fashion industry. The most popular being Polyester. Everything from shirts to skirts can be seen on many from the disco era of the seventies.

Nylon drastically affected the couture of the French fashion scene. DuPont played a huge role in the industry change. Once the organic fibers became more widely used the nylon material fell a bit off, however many realized other uses for this fantastic fabric. Engineered fibers took hold in the early eighties making competition fierce.

Additionally, the fashion guru’s considered adding polyester to many of the new apparel lines, which added more spice to the industry. New and improved they called it. The fashion houses have made many new modern shirts from the early seventies through the nineties.  Unisex designers made many ruffle dresses and cuffs for the rich and famous as late as 2002.  There are many industries depending on the nylon product for their needs in the current market and will do so for many years to come. More and more end product users have many uses for this valued fabric in more methods of manufacturing than ever before in time.

Condensation polymerization, Melt spun Fiber, and Drawing.

Condensation Polymerization - This is when alcohol and acid are reacted at very high temperatures. After this they are extruded and onto a trough in the form of ribbons or string-like forms. In the end of this process the ribbon is hardened and cooled to be cut into chips.

Melt-spun Fibers-This is where the chips are completely cooled and melted. Cylinders are used to wrap the ribbon around it.

Drawing-At this stage the poly fibers are stretched to reduce the thickness of the ribbons. The beauty of Polyester is the shrinkage and wrinkle percentage is much lower than most fabrics on the market today.

So all this in plain English is chemicals are added to petroleum based fibers and melted stretched into fabric. After this is all done they are cut into long strings for material in apparel and other commodities to be made.

Polyester can be utilized in many industries. Many in the outdoor category love it because of its strength and warmth as for climbers & naturalists. As far as clothing is concerned, polyester is wrinkle resistant and stain resistant, and is very popular for the apparel and fashion industry. One of the most popular uses is for plastic bottles throughout the globe, due to its efficiency and inexpensive cost. Home use is largely apparent by the makers of Mylar. DuPont makes balloons and other home use products with poly mixes.

The uses for this end result material are infinite and should be a desired commodity for many industries throughout the world.

Polyester fabric became the fashion industry way back in 1941. The many uses of this fabric are still ongoing even today as new technologies come about and are tested with this chemical entity. It is a manmade fiber derived mainly from petroleum. Basically there are 3 steps to its manufacturing and synthesizing.

Condensation polymerization, Melt spun Fiber, and Drawing.

Condensation Polymerization-This is when alcohol and acid are reacted at very high temperatures. After this they are extruded and onto a trough in the form of ribbons or string-like forms. In the end of this process the ribbon is hardened and cooled to be cut into chips.

Melt-spun Fibers-This is where the chips are completely cooled and melted. Cylinders are used to wrap the ribbon around it.

Drawing-At this stage the poly fibers are stretched to reduce the thickness of the ribbons. The beauty of Polyester is the shrinkage and wrinkle percentage is much lower than most fabrics on the market today.

So all this in plain English is chemicals are added to petroleum based fibers and melted stretched into fabric. After this is all done they are cut into long strings for material in apparel and other commodities to be made.

Polyester can be utilized in many industries. Many in the outdoor category love it because of its strength and warmth as for climbers & naturalists. As far as clothing is concerned, polyester is wrinkle resistant and stain resistant, and is very popular for the apparel and fashion industry. One of the most popular uses is for plastic bottles throughout the globe, due to its efficiency and inexpensive cost. Home use is largely apparent by the makers of Mylar. DuPont makes balloons and other home use products with poly mixes.

The uses for this end result material are infinite and should be a desired commodity for many industries throughout the world.   

Cotton and silk are usually the most sought after fabrics on the market today in the clothing industry. This new mix is usually compiled of 70% cotton to 30% silk. Although there is not any particular ratio in manufacturing this upstart material, it is fast becoming the “go to” fabric of choice by European designers. This soft yet pliable material is a brazen move for designers, who usually, use the mainstream fabrics such as Silk, Egyptian cotton, Linen, and Poly’s. Because it is lightweight and absorbent, it is less expensive, yet high end. The top designers as JoeyJ for example uses Ahimsa silk in their manufacturing process (non violent) then adds the cotton afterwards in a barrel method, invented by a Croatian farmer in the late nineties. The cotton is imported from America to Croatia then made in Italy with the silk from the Tustin shirt makers.

Designers use locals and their families only who have over fifty years of apparel manufacturing experience behind them. Most were utilized by Armani in the early sixties. The clothiers have grandfathers and great grandfathers worth of expertise in the fashion industry in Italy.

One of the most unknown specifications in the shirts manufacturing is soaking the material for 24 hours in a secretive vat of liquid. No one knows what it is but we suspect due to the softness to the touch of some of these shirts, a natural compound is used to agitate the protein fibers in the silk part of the cotton silk mix formulation. We do know that it works. Sergio Franchete of Florence said,”to make a perfect garment is all Italians way of life”.  Interesting point he makes, since Italians are infamous for having the best dressed people on the planet, bar none.

Finally, the more the new fabrics hit the North American market, the more we spend. The designers see what the market will tolerate in the ever expanding and changing industry of fashion and apparel.

Technology tells us that Wool has over 175 proteins. Each of these proteins is not indigenous to one particular area of the wool fiber. This will give the regions in the wool makeup different chemical workloads. The protein in wool is basically made up of amino acids (-nh2) and acidic carboxyl (-cooh). In wool single polypeptide chains join together to form proteins by a variety of chemical bonds which we call crosslinks in the science world.

Once the growth process (keratinisation) takes effect, it becomes much stronger and insoluble to many attacks from external factors. What this means for finishing wool products is more strength and dye ready for fashion industry, for example.

In addition to the chemical nature of wool, the physical aspect of it is much different than other fibers. For example, Australian Merino wool has internal cells as well as external cuticle cells. This relates to strength and keeping dry when wet. Typically this wool is thicker in diameter than most of its counterparts. These cell structures are very dense and are extra padding for the wool fiber. New Zealand has much of its Merino Wool exported for this reason in retail outlets throughout the world of Fashion. Many of the exquisite men’s designer dress shirts are made from the material.

Much of these fibers are spring-like giving it flexibility and pliability. Another reason for a wonderful finished apparel product.  Designer JoeyJ has wool mens dress shirts and some of the finest wool tops for men on the market today for example. Most of these outlets such as ShirtsGoneWild and others are more fashion tuned as to the chemical makeup for an edge in the industry for top end result men’s fashion or ladies clothing.

Men's Fashion-The Italian Connection

Fashion for men has an amazing history in Italy. Most men had the town tailors take care of all the fashion needs for themselves. Back in the early 20th century, Castangia was the most well known house of fabric. This was before the unified Italy came to fruition. Some wore very shiny outfits, almost costume-like, while more astute men went to the city square known as Savile Row. These males were more subtle, yet spared no quality. Today, Castangia still rules in Italy in the world of men's fashion.

Things changed in early 1910, wen the textile school House of Zegna opened up in Biella italy. High quality fabrics and no minimum orders made a big success for la casa di tessuto. In the 30's followed House of Canali, Vincenso Attolini and Corneliani. The Largest impact on the fashion industry though was Brioni. Run by Nazareno Fonticoli, this was a powerhouse for the Italians. In the 1960's came along the well known movie La Dolce Vita which inspired many to purchase Italian made suits and the Italian shirt revolution was born. From these events and a shy yet swagger Savoir Faire came about in mens designer shirts made from silk.  The end result as in women's fashion, men's fashion came across the Atlantic to America. Armani still dress the police force in Italy as of today.

Finally, it's no secret Italian made shirts are the envy of many men in America. Whether it's casual mens shirts or Big Pony by Ralph Lauren, affluent men, love their high end clothing.

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Milan just is closer to our heart as the Italian clothes are to our skin. As a tourist or local enters the Malpensa airport, one feels the fashion chill early on. The importance to luxury fashion is all around you visually. Once in baggage claim, you will notice the Dolce & Gabbana frame-work. These images give you a small glimpse of what is to come while entering the city of fashion. Powerful, rugged yet soft in some way, is the main theme. Exotic and sensual are more emotional for the avid fashion monger. If one is confident and well dressed, this is your city.

If you are coming in to the city via train, the advertising hits you once again. D&G and its sibling, Dolce and Gabbana being local, is no doubt, the King of its fashion city. Arriving in Milan, there is little doubt that you’re in the fashion centre of the globe. Milan has a sense of pride and significance to design and fashion on all levels.

There is a sense of competition amongst the city dwellers in Milan. A one-up on you so to speak. Milanese do not ever let an opportunity go by with the Passegiare. The golden quadrangle or as they say in Italian, “Quadrilatero d”oro is the sector for the high end and most notarized fashion companies of Italy. This was defined by Via Montenapoleone. Premiere fashion companies, such as Gucci, Missoni, Valentino, Armani, Albert Ferretti, Prada, Bottega Venetti, and Fendi, with other large conglomerates such as Dolce and Gabbana and Chanel, for which they keep company with. Most of these designers are featured at ShirtsGoneWild the Internets Premier Discount Designer Powerhouse.

Milan has an attribute of being expansive yet neat. Catering to all levels of value and price range. Few cities can match the variety of retail designers as Milan. This Italian market is characterized by its innovation and skilled workers to boot. This is in part achieved by its loyalty to its brands and concepts as well as its finish products. Milan is in fact commercial real and a fantastic place. Milan keeps its Italianism, for sure. If you are not wearing Italian, you are not wearing clothes.

Cotton is one of the most important commodities to the American fabric industry since the years of the Civil war and even as far back as the 14^th century. This article will give you the process from which fabric is made into a men’s designer shirt. Once harvested, a farmer shreds all the stalks and plows them into the rich mineralized soil, or leaves the cotton raw as it is on the top to prevent any erosion from taking place. Some cotton farmers plant the seeds in low ridges or “beds” as they are called in the industry. Some growers plant seeds in flat fields.

In The United States, most cotton farmers plant cotton in April or May. These growers use between four to eight row-tractor-mounted mechanical planters to open furrows in the earth’s soil. Next, they drop in the seeds and close the grooves up, after the fertilizer is applied. Then all that’s left to do is press the soil 200 lbs per square inch of soil. Basically this is all done is one sweep. Organic growers use Tobacco as a fungicide and for weed control at this point.

Most cotton farmers drop several seeds to begin with and then return at intervals not more than 10 inches apart, to add more. This is called Hill Planting. There are some farmers who drop two rows of seeds for more output. They do this by reducing the amount of space between the rows they have combined. Rows in the USA are normally 40-44 inches apart and grow between 30,000-60,000 plants on each acre.

In the ginning process, one must be detail oriented and as spiffy as one can be. This process is very important and can potentially ruin a bale. This ginning of cotton is taken seriously and is put onto a module pad. From there it is fed onto the conveyor belt then sucked into the gin building where two humongous fans air it out. The cotton goes through the separators first, which clean the cotton. Once this is done, it goes to the tower dryers then on to the incline cleaners to finish the cleaning job. The burr and stick machines are used to take out the burrs and sticks out of it. At this point the cotton is ready for the gin stands so the lint can be separated from the seeds. The lint cleaners are ready for the cotton at this point and is cleaned and pressed. Hydraulic presses are utilized which produce 5k-6k PSI.   It is tied with a fine 001.9 gauge wire and the cotton is weighed. An average bale might weigh between 400-600 lbs. It is taken to storage and kept there before it is sold. The seeds of cotton are not wasted, it is taken and hauled off by trucks to be used for motor oil cooking oil and feed for animals to just name a few end products.

Cotton is used throughout the world and is classified. When classifying cotton, workers grade it by checking grade, character and staple. Staple accounts for 30% of us crops domestically, and is used for many coarse textiles. Medium staple is the most prevalent and is about 70% of cotton. Grade will refer to brightness of shades and colors, and foreign matter to cotton. The highest grades in the US are good middling and strict middling. Six color grouping are defined as white to gray, and character indicates diameter, strength and body of the cotton lint. Uniformity and smooth fiber is a must.

Let’s look at the finished product. Businesses that make material use many kinds of machines. One can be called a spinning machine. This will spin the cotton into thread. The thread is now taken to another machine called a shreader. This machine applies corn syrup to the thread for added strength. If this is not done when knitting or weaving the fabric will break. After that it goes to the third machine which a called a loom. This weaves the thread into a finished fabric.

Knitting is of course the most inexpensive method of making fabric. A circular knitting machine is good for stripes and designs on fabric so it is widely used. It has many larger needles used to grab the fabric as it goes up and down. Knitted fabric is more likely to tear than woven fabric. This method is used to make shirts and sweaters. It accounts for 55% of fabric in the USA.

Weaving is the other 45% in the US. Though more expensive it is stronger because of it’s more twisted thread. This will unlikely tear in the long run. This is where consumers see mens dress shirts price from $99.00 and up in retail stores. In this process the looms use two sets of threads. One vertically, then horizontally.  The machine pulls every other thread up or down. This creates the weave effect. Bear in mind, this is the simple method. There are others but in layman’s terms anyone can understand this. The fabric is now ready for sale for shirt manufacturing or other apparel.

Linen (Linen usitatissimum) is derived from the elongated fibers found behind the bar in the layers stem of the Flax plant. It is used around the globe for more than 18% of the apparel in the fashion industry as of the end of 2010. T understand the technical end of these facts, I have put the fabric in plain English as best I can. One must retrieve the fibers, which is encased in Pectin, which holds them together in clumps. First, however it must rot away. This, fiber, which is spinnable, is used for twine, or for the production of LT (linen thread). From this thread many dress fabrics are woven into apparel. 45% of this is used in shirt making. This is partially because Linen is a wonderful fabric to be worn in the summer season.

This Flax plant isn’t difficult to grow; basically one needs a humid climate but cool area. The best linen is made in moist soil. Even though technological advances have been made, parts of the removal process are still done by hand, so it is imperative to have labor costs under tight scrutiny.

Cultivation for Line fiber is mostly embarked by Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, and Spain. Belgium is considered the highest quality from most linen fashionistas. The United States does not harvest much Linen, but for some small, intricate businesses.  In fact over 96% is imported to the US.

History - Flax has been in cultivation for around five millennia. It began in ancient Egypt on paintings. They were done by the finest artists in the kingdom at the time. In fact, in 3,500 BC, it was woven to a finer thread than even today. They even used this for wrapping Pharaohs mummies around with it. The Greeks loved the value of it and held it in high regard for profit. The Chinese utilized it to mix with silk and cotton to make robes for their emperor at the time. Even Wool has been rivaled to the tedious yet profitable process from fiber to fabric. In the US in the 1800 Century, settlers would cultivate both because of its longevity. It has been chit chat that until the 1900th Century, Linen was the most important textile in the world.

Raw Material - In order to process fiber into Linen one must spin and weave the fiber into Linen with cellulose fiber from the stem. This will separate the fibers from the stalk and chemicals are used for this transition. All of it is washed away and none is left to hurt the end material.

Linen Fashion - Linen is extremely popular in fashion today. Many top designers use it because of it versatility and comfort in warmer climates. China is now out producing and exporting most countries as of the new millennia. Belgium and Ireland are renowned for its linen. The shroud of Tourin is to be believed to be made from natural Linen.

Wearing Linen - Linen can be worn for anything anywhere. When traveling Packing ones clothing made of Linen should be cared for. Some use saran wrap to put in between the apparel because of moisture flapping. Others buy Linen mix fabrics for less wrinkling of their clothing. Most linen today is made into men’s casual shirts. JoeyJ is a leading manufacturer of Ahimsa silk and Linen shirts for men’s clothes. Ladies also love Linen and JoeyJ is in mode for more this coming year with new Linen tops for women.

Linen Care - Most fashion conscious people use professional care services for their Linen clothing. Although some use home methods, it is suggested to follow instructions on your apparel labels for best results. JoeyJ owned by ShirtsGoneWild, now backs their linen product care so well that if a consumer destroys a shirt in cleaning they will send you a new one free of charge.

One of the most difficult forecasts today is the future, of the Fashion world.  It is intended by industry executives to sit around the corporate round table, think tanking the apparel of tomorrow.

To do this sort of advanced predictions, one must continuously understand the changing fashion trends almost by a dad by day basis. There are many different sectors to be included such as: supply chains, trending types of merchandising; new high tech ways of marketing; sourcing, and of course the governments involved.

In order to offer sensible and intelligent forecasts, proper assessment for large conglomerates and small businesses alike will need to be involved.

Let’s look at an intelligent hypothesis. Many factories are looking toward branching out from a unique location thousands of miles away in to have more satellite facilities. Quicker, local delivery is the fancy of many smaller fashion entities. While huge companies in the Far East are sending over thousands of containers of apparel, they will be losing out due to shipping charges and most importantly, time. There are many companies in the USA which are returning to home manufactured goods.

Tomorrow's arguments are actually quite simple. The governments are to be keeping out as much as possible. Tariffs can be reduced, but not eliminated. The US textile industry vs China is another factor. Multi-fiber agreements are on for major discussion as well. Fair trade and corporate responsibility is always an argument to most nations who have the power. And lastly the technology behind the driving forces of these countries.

It would be redundant to say, it’s only the Asian countries concern, considering the true partnership many corporate executives actually have with one and other. Take Japan, for example. A group of companies is stronger than one, so when negotiating with the USA, it’s always prudent to make a decision in unison, rather than for just one corporation. One for all, and all for one seems to be the correct phrase.

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