Levi Strauss & Co - apparel and textile industry company news 
In the money: First plans emerge from new JC Penney CEO
17 May 2013
Mike Ullman, the man who has returned to turn around department store retailer JC Penney following the departure of Ron Johnson last month, has outlined the first of his plans to improve the ailing business.
just-style's research roundup
13 May 2013
Featured reports from just-style's research store this week include an overview of the 2013 UK Customer Satisfaction Index for footwear, a look at specialist apparel retailers in Ukraine, and a report on trade and trade policy in five emerging markets.
US: Hampshire Group Q1 loss widens
10 May 2013
Apparel maker Hampshire Group has seen its first-quarter losses widen on the back of lower sales at its Rio Garment Honduran manufacturing plant and restructuring charges.
BANGLADESH: Buyers call for action on factory safety
30 April 2013
Representatives from more than 40 apparel brands and retailers have called for a credible action plan to address workplace safety in the Bangladesh clothing sector as the death toll from last week's Rana Plaza building collapse climbs to 386.
just-style's most read stories this week...
26 April 2013
The most read stories on just-style this week include the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh, the extension of C&A's RFID project to 25 stores, and campaigners urging Foot Locker to cut ties with Adidas over its failure to pay former workers redundancy pay.
US: Levi Strauss wins red tab trademark dispute
24 April 2013
Levi Strauss & Co has won a trademark dispute over a piece of red fabric stitched onto the seam of the back pocket of its jeans.
US: Levi Strauss taps Bagattini for Asia Pacific operations
24 April 2013
Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co has appointed Roy Bagattini as president of its commercial operations in the Asia Pacific region.
EUROPE: Study urges re-think on apparel trade policy
23 April 2013
A new study into the impact of the branded clothing sector on the European economy is calling for a shift in thinking when it comes to setting out trade policies to include the full breadth of the industry.
HONG KONG: Shippers seek other routes amid port strike
23 April 2013
As a strike by dockers at the Port of Hong Kong enters its fourth week, shippers are working on contingency measures to ensure distribution doesn't grind to a halt.
INDONESIA: Fashion brands linked to polluting textile factory
19 April 2013
New research released this week has linked international fashion brands to a textile plant in West Java that is accused of dumping industrial wastewater containing a cocktail of toxic and hazardous chemicals into a local river.
HONG KONG: Water discharge monitoring service launched
19 April 2013
A new water discharge monitoring service has been introduced to help textile manufacturers eliminate pollution of waterways and demonstrate their environmental credentials.
CHINA: Li Ning names former Guess exec CFO
19 April 2013
Chinese sportswear retailer Li Ning has appointed former Guess Inc and Levi Strauss executive Terence Tsang as its new chief financial officer.
US: Levi Strauss Q1 earnings more than double
10 April 2013
Levi Strauss & Co saw first quarter net earnings more than double as the jeans brand said margin improvement offset a slight decline in sales.
Spotlight on...Ron Johnson's tenure at JC Penney
9 April 2013
Since Ron Johnson was appointed chief executive officer of department store retailer JC Penney just 18 months ago, the company has suffered a string of losses and has been forced to make a number of U-turns as it tried to make headway on its turnaround plans.
Philippines garment exporters seeking SAVE Act
27 March 2013
America's Save Our Industries Act, also known as the SAVE Act, which would give a range of Philippines-made apparel duty-free access to the US, looks increasingly likely to be implemented. And the Filipino clothing and textile sector is happy.
US: Hampshire Group FY losses widen
19 March 2013
Apparel company Hampshire Group has seen its full-year losses widen amid efforts to focus on its Rio Garment business, as well as its Dockers and Panama Jack licences.
Question marks over new zero discharge roadmap
7 March 2013
Leading fashion brands and retailers have joined forces to issue an update on their joint “roadmap” aimed at securing zero discharge of hazardous chemicals in their supply chains by 2020. But the revised plans have already come under fire.
US: Quiksilver makes senior management appointments
5 March 2013
US surf wear brand Quiksilver has announced a series of senior management changes as part of efforts to turnaround the business, following the appointment of a new president and CEO in January.
In the money: JC Penney in promotions U-turn
1 March 2013
US department store operator JC Penney has been forced to abandon a central part of its turnaround plans after the strategy failed to gain traction with consumers.
US: Coach adds two executives to creative team
27 February 2013
Upscale footwear, handbags and accessories retailer Coach Inc has added two executives to its creative team to help it develop into a global lifestyle brand.
US: JC Penney rolling out new designer collaborations
22 February 2013
US department-store retailer JC Penney Company is hoping to ramp up its fashion credentials with a number of new designer collaborations being launched this spring.
CAMBODIA: Campaigners call on brands to back wage rise
20 February 2013
Ahead of talks scheduled to take place next week on a potential rise in the minimum wage for workers in Cambodia's garment and footwear factories, campaigners are urging fashion brands to support an increase.
US: Crailar in development deal with Cotswold Industries
13 February 2013
Crailar Technologies has entered into an agreement with Cotswold Industries to develop sustainable pocketing and waist banding for its apparel customers.
US: Levi Strauss Q4 profit up 20% despite revenue drop
8 February 2013
Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co has seen its fourth-quarter and full-year net profit rise after a tax benefit and lower cotton prices helped offset a fall in sales.
Outlook 2013: Other issues to watch
4 February 2013
Generally, 2013 is seen as being another challenging year for the apparel industry – although there is cautious optimism for an improved business environment. Issues such as compliance, sustainability and product safety are likely to come to the fore, and keep a close eye on trade talks to expand duty-free opportunities such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Outlook 2013: Apparel industry opportunities
4 February 2013
Opportunities the apparel industry should focus on this year include developing strategic relationships to improve flexibility across the supply chain; a focus on adding value through design, innovation and branding to protect margins; and the use of technology to integrate the multichannel experience.
Outlook 2013: Lessons that should have been learnt
4 February 2013
What should apparel firms have learnt from the upheaval of the past couple of years - and what should they be doing now if they want to remain competitive into the future? They need to remain nimble enough to respond to changing buying patterns, develop strong partnerships across the supply chain, and focus on a sourcing portfolio that balances costs and risks.
Outlook 2013: Apparel industry challenges
4 February 2013
Uncertainty is perhaps the biggest challenge facing the apparel industry in 2013. The economic situation in Europe and the US, a combination of rising production costs and flat prices, the pressure to improve working conditions, a lack of new production centres and low volume growth in fashion all add up to a worrying year.
The Flanarant: Compliance campaigns set to take a new direction
1 February 2013
Two campaigns carried out over the past two years by two groups of activists have achieved very different results. Whereas Greenpeace has successfully corralled major brands and retailers into its Detox programme, the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement (BFBSA) campaign has struggled to make a mark. Mike Flanagan looks at what the Bangladesh factory fire row tells us about the future of compliance.
US: Limited Brands makes toxic-free fashion pledge
22 January 2013
Apparel company Limited Brands, owner of lingerie brands Victoria's Secret and La Senza, has become the 14th major business to pledge to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its supply chain and across all products by 2020.
