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HONG KONG, Nov. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Karl Spilhaus, President of the CCMI called for greater protection of the cashmere name through education and enforcement directed towards reducing the instances of mis-labelling. "Furthermore, the CCMI is working with Italian, Japanese and Korean research institutions and laboratories to develop enhanced fiber identification tools," he said. The President of the CCMI delivered the keynote address to open the Cashmere World Forum 2014, which took place in Hong Kong from the 25 - 26 September. The Forum was held concurrently with the Cashmere World Fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Welcoming the resolve of the international fine fibre industry to act decisively, Spilhaus called for efforts to target fraudsters who recurrently mis-label cashmere and other fine fibre products and to develop unwavering and affordable technologies to test and guarantee their integrity.
In addition to CCMI's legal efforts to protect the integrity of fine fibres, the President underscored the development of objective methods for identifying cashmere, calling them a breakthrough.
Talking on behalf of the non-profit association Mohair South Africa, Marketing Executive Anle Marais unveiled the soon to be launched Mohair Mark - a symbol designed to be used to indicate that a product contains at least 10 percent of the natural fibre. "Mohair South Africa identified the need to make the Mohair fibre recognisable, and allow consumers to identify the products that contains Mohair," Marais said. South African Mohair is frequently blended with other fibres and Marais called for increased collaboration between different fibres, between businesses, between international institutions and different countries.
One such commendable initiative is the collaboration between the Thailand Textile Institute and Mongolian cashmere brand Gobi. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relationships between the two countries, the two entities developed a collection of garments using Thai silk and Mongolian cashmere, under the design supervision of the Italian fashion consultant, Elementi Moda and with the support of Thailand's Ministry of Industry. Introducing the initial 3-year programme, Dr. Chanchai Sirikasemlert, Director of the Thailand Textile Institute's Technology Promotion Department said the collaboration had contributed to revive Thailand's dying silk industry. The collection has been well received so far and Sirikasemlert said the next stage was to find distribution channels, especially in Europe.
Entering the Era of E-Cashmere
Speakers unanimously agreed that cashmere and other fine fibres are in dire need of rejuvenation. Introducing trend forecasts for 2015-16, Ornella Bignami, Creative Director of Elementi Moda, Italy said that playing with fresh colors, avant-garde motives, different volumes and special effects; blending it with different fibers and materials and even combining it with technical, connected devices will give cashmere a more casual image and will make it more attractive to younger generations. "Thanks to new spinning technologies and processes, it is now possible to spin finer yarn and make lighter garments that can be worn throughout the year and by the whole family," she said.
Technical treatments such as self-cleaning capabilities developed by the City University of Hong Kong; quick drying, and higher resistance to pilling are making cashmere easier to care for than ever, also making it suitable for casual and even sportswear. "As an increasingly high performance fibre, cashmere is more related to modern lifestyle," Bignami concluded.
No forum about cashmere and fine fibres would be complete without introspection about the impact of the industry on the environment. While China Water Risk Director, Debra Tan, warned the audience that 85 per cent of cashmere is produced in water challenged region, in presentation "from the yurt to the shops", Daniel Mauroy introduced the agro-ecology philosophy of the Ar Arvijin Delgereh co-operative in Mongolia.
Forum speaker and the longtime active Advising Committee member of the Cashmere World Forum, Abdul Basir Hotak, President of Herati Cashmere updated the audience on the progress of cashmere production in Afghanistan, while Sabyr Toigonbaev, Business facilitator of Chon Alai Helvetas Swiss Inter-cooperation in Kyrgyzstan, described how cashmere goat producers in the country are being assisted by international development projects.
Opening up to new frontiers and to new fine fibres is the on-going objective of the Cashmere World Forum. Its next edition will take place alongside the Cashmere World Fair, from 7-9 October, 2015 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). For more details, please visit http://www.cashmereworldfair.com/.
Notes to Editor
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About China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA), China (http://www.cccfna.org.cn/)
The China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-Products was established in September 1988. It has industry development as well as regulatory responsibilities, helps to implement policies and serves as a bridge between the industry and the government. At present, the chamber has 5,000 corporate members across the country, with 43 national-level sub-chambers covering all agricultural products. The Cashmere Sub-Chamber is one of these and has a history of more than ten years. Major members include the top 15 organisations which form the core of China's cashmere industry and whose export accounts for half of the national total.
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