 | November 17, 2009 |
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Economy
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Monday, 16 November 2009 13:23 |
 Last night I had a heated, but friendly, discussion with my Uncle Tony Greco about our national economy. Tony turned 89 last July and like his parents and brother, my father Domenick, grew up in and established careers in the apparel industry, then known as the clothing business. Tony was a manufacturer of boys' jeans in the 50s and 60s in Philadelphia with a NY showroom. He recalled selling denim jeans at $15.98 per dozen, including fabric, and made .05 per pair on 3,000 dozen per week.
In 1969 he closed his business and blamed very low price competition coming from Hong Kong. Previously he had been able to have his union shop be efficient enough to compete with non-union labor from southern factories. But the Far East was just too much. Tony continued as a jean contractor into the 70s and closed and retired after a few years when demand dried up. At the same time, I ran a sport coat factory on the same loft floor in North Philadelphia. I had 60 people employed during what became my first recession of 1973 to 1975. We made a few lots of Nehru jackets and then closed that factory. I had decided to continue in the business and due to a shortage of sewing machine operators was then drawn in 1985 to starting production in the Dominican Republic under the Caribbean Basin Initiative.
Since that time I have increased the sourcing capability in both breadth and depth by manufacturing a variety of products from headwear to footwear along with uniforms and career apparel. We source in various countries including the USA, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua and China. Back to the discussion between Tony and me, with Tony contending that the ruination of the US economy was solely from imports: While from his perspective, his business did decline due to foreign competition, he had not taken steps to transition his manufacturing experience to other realms.
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Last Updated on Monday, 16 November 2009 14:16 |
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Economy
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Monday, 16 November 2009 13:42 |
 Since 1992, when it first published its Green Guide, the FTC has regulated green environmental claims such as "environmentally friendly," "recyclable," and "biodegradable." To meet FTC standards, the Green Guide provides that the marketer, including manufacturers and retailers, must possess reliable scientific evidence substantiating any green claims.
The standards are surprisingly tough; for example, in order to validly claim a product is biodegradable, the marketer must possess credible scientific evidence that the product will completely break down and return to nature within a reasonable short time after customary disposal. If the customary disposal is into municipal trash, the scientific evidence must substantiate that the product will completely decompose in a landfill. Yet landfills are typically lined with impermeable material, meaning that most consumer products customarily disposed in municipal trash will not meet this standard.
While these standards have been on the books for well over a decade, it is only recently that the FTC has aggressively pursued their enforcement. Since August, 2009, for example, the FTC has targeted clothing manufacturers that make deceptive "green" claims regarding the processed bamboo contained in rayon clothes. The FTC charged four companies with making deceptive claims when the companies stated their rayon clothes were made of "100% bamboo fiber," retained bamboo's "antimicrobial" properties, were "biodegradable," or were made from an "environmentally friendly" manufacturing process.
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Last Updated on Monday, 16 November 2009 14:19 |
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Companies
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Written by Jackie Rosselli
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Monday, 16 November 2009 11:42 |
 When asked what distinguishes his company from the rest, Mike Marmor responds without hesitation. "We have a passion for patches, and it shows in our products" says the president of Hero's Pride. Looking for a realistic buffalo for a state patch? Look no further. And if you need a historical figure – "We make a great George Washington," he insists. "Very crisp and vivid."
Attention to detail has catapulted the Van Nuys emblems and badges manufacturer to the forefront in its market space. So too, has its unyielding commitment to customers. In an industry where the phrase "excellent customer service" has become clichéd, Hero's pride has earned bragging rights.
Case in point: Every order is backed with a "satisfaction guaranteed" clause, even on the custom side. "Returns are low because of the quality," notes Marmor. And like Federal Express, if a customer absolutely needs an item by a specified date, Hero's Pride delivers. "When it comes to on-time availability, we're the most reliable in the business," says Marmor.
The accomplishment comes at a price. The company has invested heavily in stock at a time when many are reducing their inventories because of the recession. "We won't compromise our customers' needs," explains Marmor. While workable for the privately held Hero's Pride, the practice is often shunned by those with an eye on Wall Street. "If all we had to think about was this quarter's profits, it would be a nightmare," Marmor says flatly.
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Last Updated on Monday, 16 November 2009 14:17 |
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November 17, 2009
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