Raja Ramji

1
From Fiber to Finished Product

• Presented by
• Raja Ramji

2
Who we are -

• Based in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Developed organic cotton program in 1996
• Focused on Organic Cotton apparel products
• Offer One Stop Shop A fully integrated supply
  chain for knit woven fabrics and garments, both
  in 100 organic blended

3
Our Goals

• Support Sustainable Development
• Use Certified Organic Cotton
• Commit to Environmental Social Responsibilities
• Compliance with Organic Processing Standards
• Adherence to Fair Trade Labor Practices
• Guarantee Product Quality Production Capacity
• High Quality Products Innovation
• Large Capacity Long Term Sourcing Reliability
• Provide Integrated Supply Chain Management
• Excellent Service to Existing Customers -
  Pre-empt falling between the cracks problems
• Cost Effective One-Stop-Shop Sourcing
  Facilitate smooth transition to organic lines
  for New Customers

4
Our Record

• Pioneered a 100 organic cotton woven fabrics
  program in a large integrated weaving mill in
  India in 1997
• Pro-actively implemented operating practices to
  meet organic production standards (OekoTex-100,
  ETAD OFC)
• Established a 100 organic cotton knit fabrics
  garments program in a world-class knit mill, with
  an integrated garmenting unit, in India in 2001
• Acquired a woven garmenting facility in India in
  2002
• Currently supplying a wide range of woven knit
  fabrics womens mens apparel for
  active/outdoor wear, yoga/meditation wear,
  business/street casual wear, lounge/sleep wear,
  personal wear
• We are a recognized supplier of Organic Cotton
• Fabrics Garments to major U.S. U.K. customers

5
Cotton Consumption
6
Organic Traceability

• Organic Fiber to Fabric Tracking
• Segregated storage and pre-cleaning of raw
  organic fiber
• Organic fiber prep steps (i.e. opening,
  cleaning, drawing, etc.) done in batch mode with
  thorough pre-cleaning of the processing equipment
  
• Dedicated carding and combing equipment
• Ring spinning section organic yarn, isolated by
  physical barrier to prevent cross contamination
• Designated looms and knitters for 100 organic
  fabric production
• Organic fiber yarn handling and storage
  equipment color coded
• Organic fabric from looms, knitter, dyeing
  finishing machines tagged with requisite tracking
  data

7
Organic Processing

• Natural Origins has pro-actively implemented
  operating practices at its mills to ensure
  conformity to Organic Fiber Processing Standards
• Cornstarch used for sizing
• Softeners and surfactants containing prohibited
  materials, (alkyl-phenol compounds) are not
  used in scouring
• Hydrogen Peroxide bleaching process used
• Low Impact Reactive and vat dyes used are Eco-
  Dyes, certified by DyeStar to meet OekoTex-100
  and ETAD Standards
• Maximum recovery and recycling of chemicals
  (permitted under Organic Standards Materials
  List) used in processing
• Three stage (aeration, chemical biological)
  effluent treatment process ensures waster water
  meets stricter than local municipal standards

8
Environmentally Responsible Dyeing

• Bleaching Hydrogen Peroxide bleaching process
• Dyeing Low Impact Reactive dyes for organic
  cotton fabrics
• Technical benefits of Reactive dyes
• High color fixation factor results in excellent
  colorfastness properties
• Good color uniformity and reproducibility
• Good washing characteristics gives better long
  term colorfastness
• Environmental benefits of Reactive dyes
• Elimination of Azo, Sulfur and Heavy-metal
  compounds
• High dye absorption reduces quantity and lowers
  dye content in the effluent
• Less complex treatment process and maximum
  recovery of process water

9
Customer Inputs

• Fabric/Garment Selection - Application
  Information
• Technical Specifications Fabric
  textures/composition/ colors, garment CAD
  drawings/patterns/ grading specs, etc.
• Styling Guidelines Fabric garment samples and
  color swatches help minimize iterations and
  reduce lead time.
• Approval Procedures - Lab dips, testing
  requirements, production samples, etc.
• Labels/Hang Tags Artwork/copy other
  requirements.
• Lead Time Planning - Contingency allowance
  (Murphys Law)
• Logistics Planning Shipping modes
  destinations, freight forwarding documentation
  requirements.
• Organic Certification Organic bale certificate
  requirements.

10
Supplier Inputs

• Fabrics/colors Fabric options Lab dip
• Pre-Production Prototype, Photo Sales samples
• Bulk Production Lead time planning for fabric
  and garment production, testing approval,
  transit time for shipping, allowance for customs
  clearance delays, etc.
• Milestone Reporting Production schedule
  reports, early warning system to flag potential
  production problems
• Logistics Shipping schedules, freight
  forwarding /clearing arrangements, local delivery
  coordination
• Documentation Testing organic certification,
  bank shipping documents, customs/security
  clearance documents.

11
A Case Study

• Initial discussions with Early Winters on woven
  pants shorts program mid 2002
• Fabric selection August 2002
• Purchase order September 2002
• Lab dips and color selection September 2002
• Fabric production completed November 2002
• Garmenting completed December 2002
• 1st consignment shipped on time January 2003
• Total order delivered in 4 lots Jan - July
  2003

12
A Case Study

• Highlights
• The original Early Winters garments were made
  from conventional cotton, pigment dyed washed
• The new garments are made from 100 organic
  cotton, reactive dyed and washed to match
• The finished garment costs allowed EW to hold
  price levels, while meeting margin targets
• Sourcing Organic Cotton Apparel is a team effort
• between the customer supplier. Success depends
• upon full and timely communications in both
  directions

13
Partial Customer List

• Existing Customers
• Patagonia
• Early Winters
• Prana
• Mountain Equipment Coop
• Hanna Andersson
• Sierra Club/ISDA
• Utilikilts
• Under The Canopy
• Indigenous Designs
• Sundance/Quick Feat
• Cotton Plus
• Marks Spencer
• Katharine Hamnett

New Customers (Sampling) Timberland Gaiam Inner
Wave Lululemon Ecoganik Earth Creations Blue
Canoe Kavu T.S. Design Serenity Seats
14
Woven Fabrics

• LIGHT WEIGHT FABRICS (3.5 to 7 oz/sq yd)Best
  Suited for Womens Blouses/Dresses/Other
  Tops/ Pajamas/Under Garments Mens
  Shirts/Pajamas/Under Garments Fabric Options
  Chambray, Damask, Oxford, Plain, Poplin, Percale,
  Rip Stop, Satin, Twill   
• MID WEIGHT FABRICS (6.0 to 8.5 oz/sq yd) Best
  Suited for Womens - Pants/Shorts/Suits/Blouses/
  Dresses/Skirts Mens Shirts/Pajamas/Under
  Garments Fabric Options Bedford Cord, Canvas,
  Denim, Dobby, Duck, Gabardine, Matty, Oxford,
  Ottoman, Rip Stop, Satin, Tussore, Twill    
• HEAVY WEIGHT FABRICS (9.0 to 12.5 oz/sq yd)
  Best Suited for Women's Men's
  Jackets/Pants/Shorts/Skirt/Suits Hand Bags
  AccessoriesFabric Options Bedford Cord, Bull
  Denim, Canvas, Denim, Dobby, Duck, Matty, Oxford,
  Ottoman, Satin, Twill

15
Knit Fabrics

• LIGHT WEIGHT FABRICS (3.5 to 5 oz/sq yd )
• Best Suited for
• Women's Men's - T-Shirts/Under Garments
• Women's - Blouses/Camisoles/Tank Tops
• Fabric Options
• Single Jersey, Interlock, Rib
• MIDDLE WEIGHT FABRICS (6.0 to 8.5 oz/sq yd)
• Best Suited for
• Women's Men's - Polo Shirts/Sweaters/Sweat
  Shirts/Sweat Pants Shorts/T-Shirts/Turtle Neck
• Women's - Cardigans/Dresses/Pants/Shorts/Skirts
• Fabric Options
• Single Jersey, Interlock, Rib, Pique, French
  Terry, Fleece
•  HEAVY WEIGHT FABRICS (8.0 to 12.5 oz/sq yd)
• Best Suited for
• Women's Men's - Jackets/Sweaters/Sweat Pants
  Shorts/Sweat Shirts
• Women's Cardigans/Dresses/Leggings/Pants/Shorts/Sk
  irts/Unitards
• Fabric Options
• Single Jersey, Interlock, Rib, French Terry,
  Fleece

16
Garments

• WOMENS MEN
• PajamasPants ShortsPolo
  ShirtsShirtsSweatersSweat Pants ShortsSweat
  ShirtsT-ShirtsUndergarments 

• WOMENS 
• BlousesCardigansCamisolesDressesSkirts
  LeggingsTank Tops Yoga TopsUnitards

17
Embroidery Printing

• Embroidery CAD System Up to 12 Colors Up to
  1 Meter Width 75 Coverage Over 1,000
  In-house Design Options Custom Designs
  Accepted  
•  
• Printing Roller, Table Discharge Printing
  Up to 8 Colors Low Impact Reactive Printing
  Ink Engineered Prints