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Industry Conference Inaugural PCIAW Summit pulls in a crowd


The professional clothing sector descended on the Montcalm Hotel in London on Tuesday, June 17 to attend the very first Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide Summit. P&P editor Melanie Attlesey attended the summit to get the low down.


T


he PCIAW was launched last summer as the voice for the rapidly growing professional clothing industry and its supply chain. Speaking at the time of the associationʼs launch, industry stalwart and PCIAW CEO, Yvette Ashby, said: “I have watched the industry evolve into the thriving trade we see today, and I have witnessed the development of the diverse sectors within it. I am proud to have been involved with some of the innovative advances made and continue to be inspired by those I am proud to call my peers. It is vital to our sustainability that responsible growth and progress remain at our core and to do that we need a body to represent the industry and support the professionals within it. The PCIAW will do that, and more.”


Very first summit


Now 12 months later the association has hosted its very first summit, with speakers from across the industry talking about everything from recycling textile waste, to Virgin Galacticʼs space suits, to ethical supply chains. First up on stage was Adam Mansell, CEO of UKFT, who had the difficult job of explaining the effect that Brexit will have on the textile industry. At the time of going to press, members of the Conservative Party were in the midst of voting for the UKʼs next Prime Minister (Note: the new Tory leader was announced on July 23, so we should have a new Prime Minister by now!), which was causing greater uncertainty about the UK leaving Europe as neither candidate, Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt, could agree on how best to leave.


Adam provided an overview of the promises that had been made by Government for the textile industry, but explained that no actually policies had been passed through Parliament yet. In a nutshell he said he could provide no concrete answers to the situation. Adam took to the stage later on in the day to talk about the UKFT, whatʼs planned in the future and how buyers and professional clothing suppliers will benefit going forward. Next up was Chris Murray, vice president of agility logistics, Defence and Government Services, Europe, who drew on his experience from 36 years in the British Army and the Royal


Logistics Corps to outline how to streamline the logistics in any business.


He referenced the


2011 Japanese Tsunami where many industries around the world suffered complications when factories in Japan ceased operation as a result of the disaster. This showed a serious weakness in their supply chain, because they were reliant on a sole supplier. He warned that it is always best to have a contingency plan and to always be


Adam Mansell, CEO of UKFT, discussed Brexit’s impact on the textile industry


on the lookout for your own tsunami. “Donʼt be an ostrich,” he said. “Not doing anything about your supply chain is likely to kill some companies.”


Sparking interest


Cyndi Rhoades took to the stage next. In her capacity as CEO of Worn Again Technologies, she spoke about her belief that a waste-free, circular resource world is in reach. She outlined in detail the emerging polymer recycling technology that her team is developing that will see new clothes being made from virgin materials to make polyester and cotton. The process can separate,


decontaminate and extract polyester polymers, and cellulose from cotton, from non-reusable textiles and PET bottles and packaging and turn them back into new textile raw materials as part of a continual cycle. Cyndi expects this process to become commercially available within the next three years. This topic sparked a lot of interest among the delegates, as many were interested in how to make their own businesses more sustainable in the long-term.


The audience were fully engaged with the speakers and asked plenty of questions


| 18 | August 2019


The next couple of talks and speakers involved a lot of discussion about the tender process, health and safety legislations, standards and policies. Although compelling to listen to, there was so much detail involved there just isnʼt the room to delve into each subject here. Karen Sparrow, spaceline apparel manager for Virgin Galactic provided another exciting presentation when she took to the stage to talk about the companyʼs collaboration with Under Armour. The two companies are working together to make commercial space travel a reality. Utilising Under Armourʼs expertise in technical apparel and footwear to ensure that astronaut customers and staff are fully equipped to maximise personal performance. Another topic that proved of great interest was the importance of an ethical supply chain. Dan Murray, commercial director of SEDEX, outlined briefly what SEDEX is and what the


www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk


Factoids ● The workwear garment industry in Europe is


estimated to be worth €40 billion. ● There are around 51 million wearers of workwear


in Europe, with 11 million in the UK and Ireland alone. ● The Western European corporatewear market is estimated at €3.4 billion with 44 million wearers.


*Source: PCIAW


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