What is causing the global Cotton supply problems?

There are several reasons:

• Floods in Pakistan
• Restrictions on exports by India
• Average yields from US and other countries
• Unprecedented demand from China

Pakistan and India
Not to get too deep here, it seems that Pakistan had a terrible crop due to floods.  India (for various reasons) decided to limit the export of fiber and to save that fiber for their internal mills and garment producers.  This provided some short term benefits for India garment manufacturers, but it could backfire if the local farmers decide to move to other crops.

Yields were up,  but not enough
US cotton producers had modest increases in production yield, but they were not enough to satisfy the increased world demand.

China
On Average, China’s consumers wear their clothes longer than US consumers, so they use only about 15% of the cotton fiber that we do per person per year. Now that is changing and we are seeing the start of a new era where the Chinese government will aggressively acquire commodities like cotton to supply their growing internal demand. This will be the big factor impacting commodities going forward.

For years, China has maintained a strategic reserve of cotton that shielded their mills and garment factories from supply issues.  In 2010, they exhausted this reserve and desperately started  acquiring fiber to maintain production.  They also want to replenish the reserve!  This means that their demand this year will be even greater than their consumption.  OUCH!

Now we are in 2011 and Brazil and Australia were supposed to provide relief for China and the rest of the world.  Brazil will still come in with a good crop in April, but the record floods in Australia are going to greatly reduce the “bumper crop” estimates that Australia reported in the first week of January.

BOTTOM LINE…

Here are some of the possible outcomes.

• Cotton supply could rise tremendously and world cotton prices could stabilize at .90 per lb. OR…
• China may well buy up the majority of Brazil’s cotton in April and global prices would stay around 1.50 per lb
• India may limit cotton fiber exports again to maintain their textile and apparel industries.
• North American, Central and South American supply chains may suffer under this scenario because of their inability to secure key commodities as efficiently and effectively as China.

What do you think will happen?  Give us your thoughts!

Links:

http://english.cri.cn/6826/2011/03/31/168s629831.htm

Basic Instructions and normal soil levels:

Step 1:  Wash inside out in warm water with detergent only.

• For stubborn stains, you can pretreat with Shout, Spray & Wash or Zout.   Also, washing in Hot water (120℉) may help.
  
• Riverside recommends Tide Liquid for normal soil levels.  The liquid version is great for removing oily stains. If you have a newer, front-loading machine, use the HE version of these liquid detergents.   Use the recommended amount of detergent.

• Note that washing inside out will provide longer wear life and may avoid streaking lines in FR denim, but it is not required for any FR reason.

Step 2:  Tumble dry warm.  Press if desired.

• Remove items immediately from the dryer for best wrinkle performance.
• Iron FR Cottons on high heat if necessary.  For Firewear, Reliant, Tecasafe and other modacrylic fabrics make sure to iron on a medium setting so that the fabric stays soft.

KEEP IT SIMPLE.  DO NOT TRY EXTRA STUFF!

• DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENERS.
• DO NOT USE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE OR CHLORINE BLEACH ALONE
  OR AS AN INGREDIENT IN A DETERGENT.
• DO NOT USE SOAP.  (Detergents and soaps are different.)

Note 1:  If garments are soiled with a flammable contaminant that did not come out after one wash (If you can still smell the contaminant), repeat steps one and two.  If the garment still has a noticeable smell of a flammable contaminant, dry cleaning is advised.  Garments that are soaked in a flammable liquid may need to be removed from service and destroyed.

Note 2:  Although not common, if you have very hard water, you should use a water softener or a detergent (such as Tide^® Liquid) that is meant for hard water to ensure that the garments are being cleaned properly and that the FR properties are not being masked.

Note 3:  ASTM has published a new guide for home laundering FR clothing (ASTM F2757-09).

Please refer to that document for additional information.

Embroidery on Flame Resistant clothes

One of the most common questions in the FR industry is whether or not company logos should be FR.

There are many options for putting logos on garments. Let’s discuss them.

While some people say “Yes-Always!” and some say “No-The standard allows Non-FR logos”, the answer is really in the middle. Although FR embroidery is not expensive, there may be other issues that may make Non-FR logos the preferred choice.

Valid reasons why people use Non-FR logos include:

• Particular corporate colors are not able to be reproduced in FR thread.
• The design is small and will not introduce much flammable material to the garment.
• The  logo is positioned such that it will not pose a risk.

Bogus reasons why people use Non-FR logos include:

• Cost. – Most FR logos should not cost more than 1.00 more than regular logos.
• The local embroidery or screen print shop does not want to fool with FR thread. – Go somewhere else!

What does OSHA say? Logos are not discussed in OSHA’s 1910.269. However, there is a letter of interpretation from 2006 (Show me) that basically states that the employer is responsible for choosing FR or Non-FR logo thread just like they are responsible for choosing FR fabrics. The letter suggests that ASTM F-1506-02ae1 can be used as a guide for this decision. That version of F1506 is now outdated and F-1506-08 says the same thing, so let’s look at it.

What does F1506 say? Here is an excerpt:

“X1.2.5 Logos, name tags, and other heraldry, such as flag patches and company award insignias, are used to identify the organization and individual. If these items are constructed of non-flame resistant materials (such as polyester or rayon), their overall area should be minimized on the garment. For example, large company logos across the back of the garment should not be applied. In addition, the use of several logos over the entire garment should be avoided.”

Remember, If you want the full story, you should purchase and read this standard. (Purchase a full copy here)

Riverside interprets this paragraph to mean that each case needs to be reviewed and that the customer must choose the appropriate option.

Embroidery: If there is an embroidered logo that is very small (like “Joe’s Electricians”),  it would be acceptable in non-FR thread. If there is an embroidery that is relatively large and has a solid embroidered background, that would need to be embroidered with FR thread.

We use a simple rule, if the embroidery has a greater filled area than a business card, it has to be FR thread. If it is under that, it is the purchaser’s call. Also if there are multiple large embroideries, they really should be sewn   with FR thread.

Screenprinting: This is another enhancement that many people use.  There are new FR chemicals that can be put into screenprint inks that  can make them flame resistant. Whether or not these chemicals are necessary will depend on the size of the screen print and the mass of ink that is being deposited. Of course, the purchasing company has the final say.

Heat Seal logos: Another popular option is to use heat seals. There are some new heat seal products that are FR, but they are still in the development stage. Therefore, it is important to minimize the size of these logos and the amount of solid filled area.

FR clothes are expensive and are subjected to harsh treatment. What are the various options to keep clothes in service?

REPAIRS: Most manufacturers will repair garments, but for  simple repairs, some users would rather fix it themselves rather than mail the garments off to be repaired.
So, if the end-user wants to stitch a small hole or tear, what are their options?

• Request FR repair fabric and FR thread from the distributor that sold them the garment. This is the standard way.
• Request an FR heat seal patch. These new patches are not discussed in any standard yet. The are great for repairs and are used by industrial launderies all across the USA. These will be discussed in the next revision cycle of ASTM F1449 and F2757 standards.

HEMMING:  The new care and maintenance guide for home laundered FR garments from ASTM (F2757-09) has greatly simplified home hemming. It allows end-users to hem their pants with regular NON-FR thread. This is a great step forward towards making the garments easier to work with.  This only applies to the end-user after the garment has be delivered.  Industrial laundries, distributors and manufacturers will still hem with FR thread.

OTHER ALTERATIONS: End users should not alter their garments without consulting with their FR clothing distributors.  Alterations may alter the protective ability of the garments and will probably void the warrantee of the manufacturer.

Permethrin (HEAR IT: Permethrin) should only be used to treat clothing, not skin.  The skin deactivates it within 20 minutes anyway, so it will not help.  Also, permethrin is a neurotoxin and is regulated by the EPA (like other pesticides), so following the safety precautions is very important.  Permethrin is supposed to repel mosquitoes.  This is true if the person is wearing head to toe treated fabrics.  In practical use however, Linemen rarely wear that much permethrin treated clothes.  Also, it appears that Permethrin does not bond well to many FR fabrics.  So Linemen will end up needing to supplement the protection with deet or another mosquito protection product.  The other claim of permethrin is that it repels and kills insects that come in contact with the treated fabric.  This is a true statement.  This is why Permethrin is so effective against ticks!

If the user decides that tick protection is important enough that they want to treat their garments with permethrin, we recommend that they spray water based permethrin on clothing for tick protection. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!!!  This decision to protect against Lyme disease must be weighed in light of possible long-term negative effect of Permethrin.  As stated earlier, it is not very effective against mosquitoes.   Also, most single layer FR fabrics are thick enough to deter mosquito bites (layered solutions work even better).

Here is a link to a water based permethrin product.   Sawyer

Deet protects exposed skin, and is great for repelling mosquitoes, but it causes rubber (Lineman gloves!) to become brittle, and can be flammable if applied to fabric, so we recommend Deet be used on the NECK ONLY and roll down their sleeves to protect their arms.  (Note: Do not use spray-on deet. It is too sloppy, can be flammable, and will end up in places where it can cause problems. Towelettes are best.  Wipe off your hands before working with rubber items.)

There is some evidence that deet applied to skin can cause the skin to absorb permethrin (from treated garments that touch the deet treated skin) and this has been linked to “Gulf War Syndrome”.   The main elements that were discussed (in this Gulf War Syndrome study) were Permethrin/deet, vaccines administered to provide defense against biological weapons, and severe stress. There was some speculation that these elements in combination caused the various health issues for the troops.  Of course, the military says this is not true.

We at Riverside are concerned that linemen (and other workers) could wear permethrin treated garments for 15 or more years and that they may develop real issues that might reasonably be linked with prolonged exposure to this long term exposure.  For that reason, we recommend using permethrin only when there is a real need for it.  Obviously, war deployments are one of those times when it makes sense.  Also, if someone is working a storm restoration in Virginia in the spring and the ticks are out, that would also be a good time to consider this.

So Permethrin is great for ticks and Deet is very effective for mosquitoes. Neither is good for both and using either of them may increase your risk for other long-term problems. So what do you do for daily protection?

Riverside can not recommend any solution as being totally safe. Companies that need to protect their workers must do their own research and arrive at a solution that they think is the best option for their particular hazards. We think that end-users should understand the risks and should do their own due diligence (and application) and that they explore natural alternatives where possible.

Some promising products are listed below.

http://www.bugband.net/bugband-store-towelettes.php

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/smartshield-sunscreens-spf-30-spray-with-insect-repellent

http://www.rainbowtech.net/products/view.php?cn=3924#technical

Please post your thoughts on this.

Riverside is proud to be the first USA manufacturer to produce and market  DRIFIRE Tubular knit T-Shirts WITH A POCKET!

A Perfect Match
DRIFIRE is a leader in fabric innovation and has many unique products and fabrics.  Riverside is also recognized for having top quality sewing, R&D and desig

n capabilities.  This combination will bring new garments to market that improve safety and compliance.

All Day Layering
The big story here is about improving protection.  Many users are not wearing proper FR due to heat stress.  Compromises are made due to heat stress. DRIFIRE under your standard lightweight Riverside woven shirts will make a BIG difference in the Arc Rating while actually improving the wearer’s comfort level.  Talk about a Win-Win!

How Much Does It Cost?  Can We afford it?
OK, Protection this good must cost a fortune.  NOPE!  In fact, the typical company will pay no more than $.05 to $.10 per hour.  Wow!

How do they fit?
Right now, we only have the desert sand shirts.  They come in Long and Short Sleeve.  Both styles have a chest pocket!   They fit like standard undershirts and there are Talls in core sizes.  Talk to your local Riverside salesperson (or your local distributor) to see how these garments can work for you.

Cotton undershirts can increase the protective capabilities of most FR shirts in many situations.
However, there are many reasons why we do not recommend them.

RIVERSIDE HAS ALWAYS WARNED AGAINST WEARING COTTON UNDERSHIRTS.  WHY?

The main reason is that in any given system, there are various arc energies that workers are exposed to.

Most companies do not have the detailed analysis to know what their real arc energies are in the various jobs.  These utilities and industrial facilities have the potential to to see 4 cal/cm² work in the morning and 15 or 20 cal/cm² work in the afternoon.

Wearing a non-FR cotton undershirt sounds like a great fix until the user is working in a 12 or 15 or 22 cal/cm² exposure.  At that point, the T-Shirt becomes one of the main issues because the FR shirt will allow the cotton shirt to burn.

Our testing of FRONTLINE shirts at Kinectrics Laboratory illustrates this point.  See the videos on our site.  Also, there are documented cases of T-Shirt ignition occurring in the real world.

HERE COMES OSHA
If OSHA does an inspection of a facility, they may ask to see the hazard analysis and the arc energy calculations that were done.  They will expect to see clothes that meet the hazards that were identified.

When the company indicates that they added cotton undershirts to their program in order to raise the protection level of their shirts, OSHA may request the details that they have to support this course of action.  At this point, the company has to prove that they know what the added protection is (not what they feel it is) and that their system does not expose the worker to arc energy levels that would break open the woven FR shirt and expose the non-FR cotton undershirt.

This means that the utility might need to do layering testing with cotton (before OSHA shows up) and that they would definitely need to have a detailed hazard analysis of every job.  In reality, few have done this level of detail work and most of the companies that have done the work have opted to use FR layering because the risks were too high with non-FR fabrics.

So who can “get away” with wearing non-FR cotton. Is there any use that can be justified to OSHA?

We can not say, but the best programs do not try to “get away” with shortcuts that work most of the time.

What do we tell our customers?
Riverside recommends layering multiple FR shirts as a way to tackle this problem.

There are two ways to do this layering:  Task Layering or Daily Wear Layering.

• Task layering involves a base knit shirt that is capable of handling most of the arc exposures that the employee will see in their day.  The employee only has to put on the extra shirt layer when they need more protection.
• All Day Layering is where the employee wears a lightweight FR undershirt under a woven shirt all day.  To be done properly, the two shirt fabrics will have been tested to give a System Arc Rating that is higher that any of the arc hazards that the person will see.  These two shirts can be more comfortable than any other system.  They tend to be lightweight and may have moisture wicking or other breathability enhancements such as vent panels.

These solutions are comfortable, vastly more protective, and can cost as little as $.05 to $.10 per hour per employee to implement.

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=27296

Now we have seen many users move to our newer, heavier weight fabrics that offer more protection and longer wear life. However, these fabrics are not as comfortable and many of our users wish that they still could wear the fabrics that they used to wear. Heat stress is a real issue and can lead to mistakes in the job.

Well now we are seeing more and more utilities that are re-examining their programs and their initial hazard assessments to see if the lighter fabrics can work for them. Over the last year, we have seen many accounts that have moved to more comfortable shirts that still meet their real arc hazard needs. They are also layering up to get great levels of protection when necessary. The result is improved protection, comfort and performance.

Talk to a Riverside sales professional and see what we can do for your particular Arc protection requirements.