Rub, Stretch or pinch the fabric online

Now feel clothes online

July 16, 2011 (UK)

A new technology is being developed that will enable consumers purchasing clothes online to feel them. A team of scientists at the Brunel University, London is working to develop apparatus for tablet computers and smartphones to represent fabrics in a way that would give the feel of the real touch, while running their hand on the touchscreens. Shoogles, the interactive fabrics, are being created using a method similar to stop-frame animation used for creating the illusion of movement. The technology will enable users to rub, stretch or pinch clothes as if they are doing it in real, but they would not be able to actually feel them with their fingertips. The team is also trying to develop a method to measure people’s physiological responses when they touch, as it would help in finding out what the shoppers like or dislike. These techniques are now in their final stages of development and long before we know it, they may be put to effective use. In fact, major retailers are showing significant interest in working with new processes and tools that would enable them to get closer with their consumers, and even get insight into their perceptions about the products.

Chinese garment firms consider Philippines for relocation

Owing to the rising cost of labour in their country and visible irregularity in other offshore operations, the garment producers in China are preparing to outsource the production jobs to Philippines. An expert from China, while speaking on the sidelines of the "Doing Business for the China Market" conference, recently held in Philippines said that, by using skilled workers Philippines can help China in building a brand image and also in marketing its apparels to the global buyers. The expert further said that, it is not that they are considering Philippines for outsourcing production jobs, but rather the country is also a good place for investment. Though they need to think about various other features like the cost of labour, government policy, but then the Chinese firms have enough potential to invest in markets abroad, he added. Prior to this the Chinese firms had never took trouble to look upon Philippines as a site where they can relocate themselves, but now owing to the rising cost of labour in the homeland as well in the other low-priced garment producing countries like India and Vietnam, they are doing so. Here, a Filipino expert informed that, the labour rates in China now stand at somewhere around $500 to $600 per month, and are likely to go up by around 15 to 20 percent over the next three years. As against this, the labour rate of over $300 prevailing in Philippine market seems to be comparatively lower. He further stated that, while the wages have gone up by almost two times in Vietnam to touch $180 to $200, and the same is expected to register a rise of another 20 percent over the next one year, whereas the wages in India are likely to grow to double over the next five to six years. Even with the recent revision in the pay structure, the wages in Philippines are quite affordable and provide a cost advantage to the country. The Filipino expert even stated that, the country apart from having a huge team of middle level managers, quality assurance staff and industrial engineers, also offers skilled labour, and that helps it to maintain stability in the production in garment industry. Philippines is famous for the quality of its goods, timely delivery and flexibility but then it cannot be tagged as one of the countries offering products at cheapest rates and that too particularly in the larger markets where it lost its market share since withdrawal of the ceiling on exports in 2005.

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Iron On Tee-shirt Transfer Design Softwares

How to start a t-shirt line with a tee-shirt design software? The most popular software to design tee-shirts is Photoshop, simply because it allows to create all types of logos and modify all aspects of any picture.  With Photoshop, you can crop, resize, flip a picture, use gradients and more. This software originally used to work on camera pictures is also the most used software by new designers starting their fashion line.

If you don't have Photoshop installed on your computer and don't wish to purchase the license, then here are some alternatives:  T-shirt factory deluxe 3.0  usd 29.95 at http://www.novadevelopment.com/software/tshirt-factory-deluxe-129022  package includes 28000 graphics (sounds good!), over 6000 ready made designs (don't know how good they are..), some transfer paper (don't know how much transfer paper you get..), one t-shirt Fruit of the Loom (100% cotton - size XL).

Online tee-shirt design software LiveArt1 
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Desktop t-shirt creator 1.1 
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- Transfer tricks and recommendations. 
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Information about iron on t-shirt transfer design softwares. 

Fit to Emphasize: Fashion 2011

Fashion is no different. Time to ditch the skinny jeans, raid your mom's closet, and do some shopping, as well-known designer Rajo Laurel and Preview magazine fashion editor Daryl Chang list the "in" cuts, colors and designs for 2011.

"Hide, keep and store your skinny jeans. Wide-leg pants are going to be the key shape for trousers for 2011," Laurel said in an interview on ANC's Headstart.

The color of the year is honeysuckle, a shade between peach and lavender, Laurel said, citing international fashion forecasts.

He notes that this may be a good year for Filipinos as the vibrant color suits our skin tone.

Other must-have shades this year include clover (deep green), amaranth (reddish-rose), amber (orange-yellow), pumpkin (a color that resembles the gourd-like squash), aqua (halfway between green and blue), iceberg (a pale tint of blue) and jade green (same color as the gemstone).

Neutrals -- such as black, white, ecru and navy -- meanwhile, are here to stay.

"The trend always begins with the fabric, which serves as our (designers') canvas. People who produce fabrics internationally dictate the colors," Laurel said.

Designs, cuts

The bigger the print, the better, as these will be the in thing this year, according to Laurel. Think fruity, floral and space prints matched with flats and platforms.

Other top fashion trends for 2011, as mentioned by Chang, include:

Vintage boudoir. High-waist bottoms, covered-all-over body suits -- pin-up style.

Skate skirt. Pleated skirts and flared hip dresses that smack of figure skater inclinations.

Ladylike blouse. Think silks and sheers. Top off a skirt or a pair of trousers with this for instant polish.

Paper cut fringing. Paper shredder leather creates a swingy yet boldly structured version of the omnipresent boho trim.

Pattern splice. Clash print against print by mixing textiles of different design families and contrasting, equally bold color stories.

Aerographic prints. African-inspired prints get a modern spin with digitized versions and print-on-print patchwork.

Dyed fabrics. Tie-dyes grow up with a fiery texture unlike the circular-patterned rainbow splashes of yore.

Refurbished jumpsuits. Patchwork, sleeve cutouts and jewel necklines breathe new life into the Bohemian wardrobe staple.

Thigh splits. Show off the newest erogenous zones with an up-to-there slit that will have you doing high kicks on the style radar.

Online Shopping Trends as of July 2011

Online Shopping Facts

eBay Philippines, Philippines’ Leading eCommerce Marketplace, shared key online shopping trends in the Philippines at a media roundtable at Manila. Mr. Ambareesh Murty, Country Manager, eBay Philippines & Mr. Abhimanyu Lal, Business Head, eBay Philippines briefed the media that Filipinos are active online shoppers in a variety of product categories.

Mr. Ambareesh Murty informed the media that the Philippines is showing healthy trends of an active eCommerce market with entrepreneurial sellers and enthusiastic online shoppers:

Trend#1: Filipino women are active online shoppers: Over 50% of registered users on eBay Philippines are women.

Trend#2: Lifestyle is the category of choice for Philippines: As many as 74% of online shoppers bought in the Lifestyle Vertical followed by in Technology.

Trend#3: Metro Manila has the most active online shoppers: The most active buyer cities in the Philippines are Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cabanatuan & Baguio.

Trend#4: Filipino sellers are extremely entrepreneurial: Over 3000 eBay sellers in the Philippines make their primary or secondary income from their eBay sales.

Trend#5: Filipinos are savvy shoppers with an eye for a great deal: Consumers in Philippines are always looking to stretch their budget by snagging a great deal. In fact, on eBay’s group buying site Kuponan, Filipinos have so far saved 6.7 mn peso through the great deals on products & services.

Trend#6: Filipinos prefer brand new fixed price products: Online shoppers in the Philippines prefer brand new fixed price products as opposed to second hand or auction format.

Mr. Ambareesh Murty, Country Manager, eBay Philippines said, “We are delighted with the response from both buyers and sellers in the Philippines to eBay’s focus on providing the best safe, easy deals in the market. We will continue to increase our efforts to evangelise eCommerce to more Filipinos. ”

eBay Philippines is a vibrant eCommmerce marketplace. A piece of women’s clothing sells every 3 minutes. A health or beauty product sells every 3 minutes. A toy sells every 4 minutes. A women’s handbag sells every 6 minutes. A piece of jewellery sells every 6 minutes. A collectable sells every 8 minutes. A mobile handset sells every 10 minutes. A book or magazine sells every 14 minutes.

Online Retailing Solutions

Retailers do not need to start from scratch!
July 3, 2011 (Philippines)


Madison Retailers Inc. opens its doors to the internet-savvy locals with its premium apparel brands, Van Heusen and Izod. By creating a website for these brands, MRI will be able to provide a venue for their customers to look at their latest collection as well as allowing them to process transactions from ordering, payment and delivery within a few clicks.

MRI affirms that the present day lifestyle of their market is largely influenced by emerging Internet technologies. MRI will be offering quality service to complement the activities of individuals who are highly dependent on the Internet for work and leisure.

Online retailing is no longer just an added service feature offered by retailers, but a necessity in capturing market share in this highly volatile, highly competitive industry. "Madison Retailers decided to launch vanheusen and izod so that its loyal customers can gain access to our community and share their thoughts and concerns," says Joanne Rivera, MRI Marketing Manager. "It is also important for us to make MRI products available for people that do not have easy access to our physical store locations. The company also strives to have the best online retail store in the Philippines and create a large online social network devoted to its growth and to spread awareness about its advocacies," she added.

With Mozcom PayEasy online payment system, customers will be able to choose a payment option that is most convenient to them. PayEasy supports transactions for major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB), BancNet and MegaLink ATM cards, PayPal, China UnionPay, Globe G-Cash, Smart Money, Western Union, over-the-counter bank deposits. With online bank debit support in 24 countries around Asia, North America, Oceania and Europe, even relatives or friends abroad can easily buy gifts for local delivery to their loved ones.

Matt Lopez, Marketing Manager of Mozcom, delights in welcoming brands Van Heusen and IZOD aboard the exciting world of online retailing. "The Internet is a very rich medium that is continuously evolving and presenting potential opportunities for growing businesses. Mozcom PayEasy is very pleased with Madison Retailers for taking a leap with technology by making their products readily available to their customers online. Mozcom offers a turn key solution that aims to help local merchants jumpstart their presence online," says Lopez. By 2011, it is estimated that one-third of retail businesses will be venturing into e-commerce. With Mozcom's online retailing solution, retailers do not need to start from scratch.

Get Money's worth through Philippines Online Shopping

Today, most people are so busy with their lives. They have many responsibilities and tons of work to finish. They barely have the time to go out and shop around. That's basically the reason why online shopping became so popular not only in the US but also in the Philippines.

For years, Filipinos have been practicing this online shopping thing. They find it easy and convenient. No traffic jams to get caught in, no crowds to get lost in and definitely, no waiting in long lines to pay for something.

Online shopping is getting more and more popular every single day. Even in social networks, people buy and sell stuff. Take for example, the fast growing social network called Facebook, has millions of users all over the world. These members or users post pictures of different items and they sell it there. Now, that's already considered online shopping. I told you it's that easy.

There's no fuss in online shopping. You can browse the catalogues and find the stuff that you want to buy without hassle. You can shop for clothes, bags, shoes and other different stuff online. All you need is an account and a credit card.



The items you bought online will be delivered to your doorstep after completion of the payment. It doesn't matter where your location is, the seller will just ship what you purchased. Online shopping in the Philippines is definitely a growing trend.

There are even foreigners who shop online in Philippine sites. They usually buy Philippine-made stuff like the native bags and accessories because of the very good quality and the not so expensive price. Plus, these items are only available in the Philippines. Isn't it great that you can purchase native stuff without spending too much?

I guess what I am trying to say is, online shopping is the new trend today. Most people would rather shop online than go to the malls to buy stuff. They would rather wait for the things to be delivered to their homes instead of driving down the busy and crowded streets.

Plus, when you shop online, you will find a lot of good buys. There are discounts everywhere. Just be patient enough to look around before buying.



Word of advice, you just have to be a little careful though because there might be some people out there who will take advantage of you. But other than that, online shopping is well and good.

Online shopping Philippines means a lot of bargains and discounts, try experiencing Philippine online shopping now and see what I mean. You will definitely get your money's worth.