Trade Show Basics

Hi everyone,

Last month has been a huge leap for our little brand. We decided to participate at two major industry trade shows in Las Vegas and in New York. For those of you who dont know much about trade shows, they are a huge gathering of buyers, press, designers from all over the country. There is good exposure, good contacts and sales that may not have happened otherwise.

This industry gathering obviously requires a lot of prep. To start, the money invested is pretty high. Be ready for a 5K investment/show which would include fees, booth setup, and even small things like hangars. This means you must be sure of the show you are participating in will give returns. Visit all if possible and ensure you understand the layout and the feel of the designers and attendees. Trade show venues charge for everything, I had to pay $95 just to have an outlet in our booth in Las Vegas. They will invite you to do promos (which obviously cost more)like being on a TV network or having a display, so pick and chose well.

Once you have chosen your show, you may need to apply to get in. Ensure your samples are ready and return shipping is paid for when you send everything to the committee. Usually the response is quick and I did not have any issues with samples that were returned. Once accepted, start prepping for the show including mailing lists, booth setup and selling.

Booth setup is another aspect that needs to be carefully thought through prior to show. You only have a few hours to set everything the day before. We planned our layout, furniture, fabrics etc for weeks prior to the show. Also be ready to improvise once at the venue, lot of things will seem different when you are there in person. The key is to make it inviting, open, and ensure there is adequate clothing that will catch buyers eye and make them stop and come in. A lot of buyers will walk by and if they see something they like will stop and pick a card or at least give feedback.

Last, but not the least, the selling process. This one is tougher than you think. I experienced that if we were too aggressive, buyers did not like it and avoided coming in. If we let them take their time reviewing the clothing from afar, we had a better chance of getting them in the booth. We also observed a lot of experienced salespeople around us and it helped us learn a lot. Take notes when you are sitting idle, which will happen for periods of time Also, ensure you wear your own clothes. Lot of people may talk to you when you are walking around the exhibition hall, it is key to always be ready to sell.

Attached are some of our pics of the booth in Vegas and NYC. It was a fantastic experience and we created great wholesale accounts and met good showrooms who will be taking our line further into the wholesale industry.

Eco-friendly fabric Bamboo

For some of my Fall'11 collection I had decided to use knit bamboo fabric to create fabulous textures and garments, that are soft and luxurious but do not harm the environment. As I was putting together this collection, I realized that a lot of people do not know about the advantages of using bamboo as opposed to cotton. I think it is a great fabric that is gaining popularity all over the world and it would be a good idea to educate people about it. I am attaching a list of pro's and cons from various sources in an attempt to shed some light on this fabric.

Pro's
1. Bamboo is a plant that grows very rapidly, average of 1 foot per month. It also releases a lot more oxygen while absorbing more green house gases.
2. Because of its rapid growth, it thrives without pesticides or fertilizers. It's roots also stabilize soil and reduce erosion.
3. The fiber is strong, lightweight and wicks moisture. It is soft and shiny as silk, yet has the comfort of cotton. It helps keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
4. The fiber breathes well and is also shown to block 98% of UV Radiation which makes it good for active wear.
5. Bamboo also drapes and dyes well, as was proved with some of our clothing.

Cons
1. The process to convert bamboo into fiber can use harsh chemicals and bleaching that can be harmful to the environment. However, its still less harmful than the cotton, that uses heavy pesticides, or nylon/polyester fabrics that are derived from petroleum.
2. Few suppliers of fabric makes the supply volatile and prices variable. Although, with gaining popularity there is a spurt in growers and manufacturers in places like China and India.

Despite these cons, Bamboo is still a great fabric to use in all kind of textile driven industries. With its growing popularity, there is a lot of research on the way to make it more greener and effective. I strongly believe that this is going to be one of the popular fabrics in the coming seasons.


Sources:
greensham.com
greenlivinggoddess.com

Naturally dyed Hand woven wool

Happy New Year!

As everyone knows, our brand Avni is all about uplifting the indigenous arts and taking them to new heights in fashion. One of our goals is to partner with the artisans on reviving their eco-friendly roots by helping them gain access to natural dyes. Many of them have already expressed interest in working with us on naturally dyeing fibers and fabrics themselves. A project we will continue to grow as more artisans express interest.

Here is one of our hand woven, Jacquard weave, wool fabric from Varanasi. Our artisans (shown weaving here) have handcrafted these for Avni so that we can naturally dye the fabrics to create a unique, rustic texture. Our wool skirt with pleats is dyed in pomegranate skin. See more of this fabric in our Fall'11 collection.