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Industry News
----------------------------------------------------------- Building the Performance Cluster
in North Carolina
North Carolina State University College of Textiles Launches Focus Group
North Carolina State University’s College of Textiles held its inaugural focus group dedicated to developing a performance textile cluster this month. North Carolina is the location of many global companies competing in performance textiles. This group, comprised of 53 participants, representing 34 North Carolina textile-related companies. Participants included industry leaders, consultants, association representatives, NC State faculty and graduate students, and North Carolina Department of Commerce project managers.
The morning session began with a Welcome from Dr. Blanton Godfrey, Dean of the College of Textiles. Dr. Nancy Cassill, Principal Investigator, and Holli Nelson, the research study’s graduate student, presented a short PowerPoint presentation discussing the research study’s objectives, expected results, and definitions related to performance textiles and subsector breakouts. The underlying theme of the presentation was to identify the specific needs of the performance textile industry in order to enhance global market competitiveness.
Questions focused on four distinct areas vital to understanding the performance textile industry and its subsectors: industry requirements, cluster formation, trade and expertise, and information needed for competitiveness. Performance textiles were defined as textile materials and products manufactured primarily for their technical and performance properties in addition to their aesthetic or decorative characteristics.
A few of the of discussion topics focused on the following:
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A lack of established industry standards relating to performance textiles can make it difficult to compete, differentiate, and “sell” your product.
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Industry requirements also include social, ethical, and environmental responsibilities. A method for differentiating is to promote and market that US companies meet these social, ethical and environmental responsibilities.
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With “power” existing further downstream, it is imperative for companies to connect with customers. Close partnerships are needed through the supply chain including the retail sector and end-use consumers as well as with non-retail customers. Future focus groups should also include customers (retail, non-retail organizations).
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Companies must know the competition, including the competitive environment, competing companies, and market dynamics, including opportunities for product differentiation and niche markets.
• Value is often misunderstood by the consumer. There must be a way to market value and performance attributes to consumers (and customers) in a way that they understand and will be willing to pay more for the product.
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To compete in the performance textiles global market, companies must compete backwards and forwards. Companies must make sure suppliers are innovative and understand consumer demands, as well as understand the newest performance technologies.
What can NC State College of Textiles and the North Carolina Department of Commerce Do to Assist?
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The group believes that these companies need a neutral meeting site that can be used for knowledge and information resources.
Stay tuned to more details concerning this ongoing effort.
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