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Tag: Distributor Machine Richwood, KY - The U.S. industrial supply buying guide, Buy American, a division of the Industrial Leaders Group, announced recently a Richwood, Kentucky-based distributor of machine tools and manufacturing machinery has been approved to be promoted on its Web site at http://www.IndustrialLeaders.com/reviews/. According to Nick Jacobs, spokesman for the company, the site includes offerings for a broad variety of machine tools, CNC machines, metalworking equipment, plastic molding machinery and allied products.Jacobs said companies looking to buy or sell machine tools in Kentucky and other Southeastern states as well as nationwide are able to post and explore offerings for various kinds of new and used manufacturing equipment on the company's Industrial Classifieds site at http://www.IndustrialSAVER.com/classifieds/.Buy American recently included offerings from manufacturers and distributors of machine tools serving North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio. Including companies with the capability to rebuild, retrofit and service any machine as well as controls and components for Mitsubishi, Fanuc, GE, Allen Bradley, Yaskawa, Dyna Path, Milltronic and other machine tools and equipment manufacturers."

Tag: Plastic Additive  Diamant is teaming up with leading bottling companies in North America to carry out further tests on the use of its oxo biodegradation technology in the manufacture of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. The company said that its iron-based additive helps to break down the plastic material, leaving only water, carbon dioxide and environmentally safe biomass. Initial results from research undertaken in Europe on Diamant's proprietary additive have indicated that it will work to degrade plastic bottles. The company now wants to test the additive's integration suitability for North American plastic bottling manufacturing systems; if it proves compatible the company said it will seek Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to develop a commercial product.The identity of Diamant's industry testing partners has not been disclosed but regulatory and consumer pressure to reduce the impact of packaging waste has been forcing processors to seek more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Diamant said that rendering PET plastic bottles biodegradable would contribute to solving the plastic waste problem in the US and provide companies with an effective and economical way of disposing of single plastic products.PET plastic containers are now being used to package a range of shelf-stable products, including salsas, barbecue sauces and jams as well as bottled beverages such as sodas and water.

Tag: Liquid Soap A natural blonde, a paleoconservative and George H. W. Bush walk into a bar. "Do you know what we all have in common?" the blonde asks the barkeep."You're all 41!" he replies."Nope," replies the blonde. "We're all retronyms." A "retronym" is a word created to distinguish an old object, concept or person from a new one. When liquid soap came along, for instance, regular soap was dubbed (actually, rubba-dub-dubbed) "bar soap" to distinguish it from the new kind. Likewise, computer searches spawned "eyeball searches" and bottled water uncorked "tap water."And without bottle blondes, we'd have no "natural blondes," without neocons we'd have no "paleocons" (traditional conservatives) and without George W. Bush we'd have no George H.W. Bush, who was known simply as "George Bush" pre son-shine. (Of course, biologically speaking, without George H.W. Bush, we'd have no George W. Bush.)Technophobes like me love retronyms. The emergence of a retronym for a device I still use — "black and white TV," "land line" and "dial-up Internet" — fully certifies my dinosauric status. That's why I'm looking forward to Feb. 19, 2009, when full-power TV stations begin broadcasting in digital format only; it gives me the chance to savor the retronym for my old, rabbit-eared box — "analog TV."Fast-changing technology has spawned retros galore: "terrestrial radio," necessitated by satellite radio; "broadcast TV," by cable TV; "full-frame format," by letterbox format; "desktop computer," by the laptop computer.Retail retronyms and their protonyms include "brick-and-mortar store" ("online store"), "sit-down restaurant" ("fast-food restaurant"), "skirt suit" ("pants suit"), "cloth diapers" ("disposable diapers"), "paper ticket" ("e-ticket"), "natural turf" ("artificial turf"); "single-wide trailer" ("double-wide trailer").In sports, the popularity of water polo, recumbent bicycles and above-ground pools has produced "horse polo," "upright bicycles" and "in-ground pools." But if you really want a retro fest, try the "summer Olympics" in "mainland China" featuring "indoor volleyball" and "racquet tennis," courtesy of the winter Olympics, Taiwan, beach volleyball and table tennis, respectively.Some retronyms simply repeat the name of the original. Tired of e-books? Read a "book-book." Don't want to tee off with a metal driver? Use a "wood-wood."But perhaps the most depressing retronyms are those I see at the gas station: "Full-service island" and "free air."Rob Kyff is a teacher and writer in West Hartford. Write to him in care of The Courant, Features Department, 285 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06115, or by e-mail at WordGuy@aol.com.

Tag: melamine resin This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Polymeric Foams in Thousands of Metric Tons.The specific product segments analyzed are Polyolefin Foams, Polystyrene Foams, Polyurethane Foams, PVC Foams, and Others (includes phenolic foams and fluoropolymer foams). The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual forecasts are provided for each region for the period of 2000 through 2015. The report profiles 438 companies including many key and niche players worldwide such as American Excelsior Company, Armacell LLC, BASF Plastics, Bayer MaterialScience Polyurethanes, British Vita, Bubble and Foam Industries N.V., Celotex Limited, Fagerdala World Foams AB, Foamex International, Inc., Huntsman Corporation, Inspec Foams, Inc., JSP Corporation, Recticel, Rogers Corporation, Sealed Air Corporation, Sekisui Alveo AG, Tegrant Corporation, Tekni-Plex, Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, and Woodbridge Group. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are mostly extracted from URL research and reported select online sources.

Tag: Glass Silicone Sealant As summer beckons a new season of fishermen and recreational boaters, many marine enthusiasts may not realize that their watercraft may be constructed not with bolts or rivets, but with a revolutionary new silicone-based sealant technology (PDF = 324 KB) from Dow Corning Corporation.“Until recently, manufacturers of marine products had limited choices when it came to joining parts together without trading off productivity, performance, quality and cost,” said Ross Noel, senior application engineer, Dow Corning. “Silicone sealants offer a better choice (PDF =186 KB) for both manufacturers and customers.”Traditional boat assembly with screws and bolts requires holes to be drilled. This can provide an avenue for water to leak into the instrument panels, cockpit cabinets, cabin and hull. These holes create pockets for moisture and debris to accumulate, which can lead to leaks, corrosion, contamination, and even loosening of the screws and bolts. Bolts and screws also concentrate tension into stress points that can result in fatigue, crazing and cracking.To solve these problems, marine manufacturers are turning to new Dow Corning hot melt silicone adhesive sealants. They do not require drilling so holes and their consequences are not an issue, and because they are more flexible than mechanical fasteners they absorb much of the stress caused by thermal expansion and mechanical stress.Manufacturers are also realizing productivity and environmental advantages. The new hot melt sealant forms a strong bond almost immediately, which eliminates bottlenecks in manufacturing caused by waiting for sealants to cure. In addition, silicone sealant adheres well to materials commonly used in boat assembly such as metal, wood, painted surfaces, glass and plastics.To view a video on Dow Corning’s Hot Melt Silicone Sealant technology, please go to http://dowcorningvideos.com/video4.html.About Dow CorningDow Corning provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than 7,000 products and services. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States.For further information: Please direct inquiries to one of our media representatives.

Tag: Cyclamate Sodium The present invention relates to the use of various ferulic acid amides as pungent compounds and aroma compounds having a heat-generating effect in preparations used in nutrition, oral hygiene or consumed for pleasure.Inventors:  Ley; Jakob Peter (Holzminden, DE), Krammer; Gerhard (Holzminden, DE), Muche; Sylvia (Holzminden, DE), Kindel; Gunter (Hoxter, DE), Rei.beta.; Ingo (Holzminden, DE) Assignee: Symrise GmbH & Co. KG (DE) Chewing gums containing the ferulic acid amides of the present invention generally contain a chewing gum base, that is to say a gum base becoming plastic during chewing, of sugars of various types, sugar substitutes, sweeteners, sugar alcohols, humectants, thickeners, emulsifiers, stabilizers and flavors.The preparations containing the ferulic acid amides of the present invention can be prepared in such a manner that the ferulic acid amides are incorporated as the substance alone, as a solution or in the form of a mixture with a solid or liquid carrier into the preparations consumed for nutrition or pleasure.To produce the preparations, the ferulic acid amides and if appropriate, other constituents of the preparation of the present invention can also be incorporated in advance into emulsions, into liposomes, for example starting from phosphatidyl choline, into microspheres, into nanospheres or else into capsules made of a matrix suitable for food and drinks, for example of starch, starch derivatives, other polysaccharides, natural fats, natural waxes or proteins, for example gelatin. The ferulic acid amides can be complexed in advance with suitable complexing agents, for example with cyclodextrins or cyclodextrin derivatives, preferably .beta.-cyclodextrin, and used in this form.Further constituents which can be used for the preparations of the present invention consumed for nutrition or pleasure are customary base materials, aids and additives for foods and drinks, for example water, mixtures of fresh or processed, plant or animal base materials or raw materials (for example raw, fried, dried, fermented, smoked and/or cooked meat, egg, bones, cartilage, fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, vegetable or fruit juices or pastes or mixtures thereof), digestible or indigestible carbohydrates (for example sucrose, maltose, fructose, glucose, dextrins, amylose, amylopectin, inulin, xylans, cellulose), sugar alcohols (for example sorbitol), natural or hardened fats (for example tallow, lard, palm kernel fat, coconut fat, hardened vegetable fat), oils (for example sunflower seed oil, peanut oil, maize germ oil, olive oil, thistle oil, fish oil, soybean oil, sesame seed oil), fatty acids or their salts (for example potassium stearate), proteinogenic or nonproteinogenic amino acids and related compounds (for example taurine, creatine, creatinine), peptides, native or processed proteins (for example gelatin), enzymes (for example peptidases, glycosidases, lipases), nucleic acids, nucleotides, taste-modulating substances (for example sodium glutamate, 2-phenoxy-propionic acid, hydroxyflavanones), emulsifiers (for example lecithins, diacylglycerols), stabilizers (for example carageenan, alginate), preservatives (for example benzoic acid, sorbic acid), antioxidants (for example tocopherol, ascorbic acid), chelators (for example citric acid), organic or inorganic acidulants (for example malic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid), additional bitter substances (for example quinine, caffeine, limonin), sweeteners (for example saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, neotame, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, sucralose), mineral salts (for example sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium phosphates), substances inhibiting enzymatic browning (for example sulphite, ascorbic acid), essential oils, plant extracts, natural or synthetic colours or colour pigments (for example carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyans, chlorophyll and derivatives thereof), spices, and odour compounds, synthetic, natural or nature-identical flavor and taste compounds.Preferably, the inventive preparations can also contain a flavor composition in order to round off and refine the taste and/or odor of the preparation. Suitable flavor compositions contain, for example, synthetic, natural or nature-identical flavor compounds and odor compounds, preferably other pungent or hot-tasting substances.The present invention further relates to the use of the preparations as semi-manufactured products for flavoring preparations fabricated therefrom as finished goods.The present invention further relates to the use of the preparations as odor, flavor or taste composition or as a seasoning mixture.

Tag: Jacquard Carpet On behalf of the seller, Mohawk Industries, Inc., Binswanger is pleased to announce the sale of a 99,232 sq. ft. building on 18.5 acres in Dalton, Georgia, to US Floors, LLC. The property is located at 3580 Corporate Drive. Sale price was not disclosed. Mohawk Industries, Inc. is the world-leading producer and distributor of flooring in all major categories, including carpet, rugs, hardwood, ceramic and vinyl. The company ceased the jacquard weaving operations of its Home Division at this facility in October. The buyer, Dalton-based US Floors, LLC, the US leading bamboo, cork and natural flooring importer, is further expanding its operations with the addition of this new corporate headquarters facility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., Binswanger is an international full-service real estate organization with offices worldwide throughout the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico and South America, the U.K. and Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Tag: Hand Knotted Carpet emma gardner design, llc, makers of contemporary heirloom quality rugs, will debut six new designs at the 2008 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). Designs will include three new hand-knotted rugs, Palace, Fish Tail, and Whole Baby Fish, as well as UnderSea, a new color and construction of Gardners popular Chinese River rug. Two hand-tufted rugs, Istanbul and Constantinople, will also be introduced. ICFF will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on May 17 - 20, 2008. The rugs will be available at showrooms and through custom order starting this summer.The rugs we are introducing are all very different from each other, as were my inspirations for them, said Emma C. Gardner, chief designer and principal of emma gardner design, llc. One of the common themes in the collection was my interest in reinventing and having fun with some classic design types - framed damask, for example, in Constantinople and Istanbul, and the playful version of a more archetypal layout with Palace. It was a fulfilling creative process which I hope will inspire designers and consumers to be bold and creative in their interior spaces.Released in 2007 as a hand-tufted wool rug, Chinese River incorporates butterflies in flight with Asian-inspired elements such as leaves, water, spirals and flowers. For 2008, the rug will be introduced in all silk and in the colorway UnderSea, a soft blend of blues and greens. We were very excited by the idea of an all silk rug, says Gardner. I was playing with the UnderSea color palate and Chinese River seemed like the perfect design for it. Many elements in the design seemed to change in the course of my experimentation: the lines in the river came out, and the field got broken up into flowy blocks so there was an opportunity to put similar colors next to each other and allow the properties of the silk to shine through even with no wool to serve as a counterpoint. It gives the whole thing a water color-like blending effect.Chinese River is hand-knotted of Chinese Silk with 100 knots per square inch and a 5 mm. pile. The rug will retail at $200 per square foot and is available in standard and custom sizing and colors.The new hand-knotted Fishtail and Whole Baby Fish both feature stylized fish motifs. I wanted to capture the iridescence and shimmer of fish scales, adds Gardner. Though the fish are represented quite literally, I wanted the scales to be the focus and stand out enough to be almost abstract. I used all silk strips at the edge of each scale, then a blend of wool and silk inside the fish design and all wool as the background to give that sense of how fish scales flash with color as they move through water.The third hand-knotted rug design is Palace. The design is inspired by vintage carpets and tiling with symmetrical floral and abstract patterns. I love the intricacy of these old-fashioned designs but wanted to create my own shapes to make a more modern and playful rug that could just as easily go with contemporary furnishings as with a transitional design, says Gardner.Fishtail, Whole Baby Fish, and Palace are all hand-knotted Chinese Silk and Tibetan wool constructed with 100 knots per square inch and a 5 mm. pile. Fishtail is offered in Chocolate Fossil, Whole Baby Fish in Acid, and Palace comes in Sandalwood and Midnight. These rugs will retail at $150 per square foot and are available in standard and custom sizing and colors.In the hand-tufted category, emma gardner design will introduce Istanbul and Constantinople, inspired by Turkish design elements such as damasks and pottery, with ornate repeat patterns and dramatic color combinations. I was creating various framed damask designs for another project and began to consider versions of those designs as rugs, comments Gardner. I'd been inspired by Turkish pottery I saw at an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London last summer, so it was a nice chance to finally combine that inspiration with some interesting new colors. We experimented with flat versus a varied pile on both of these designs, and decided without a doubt that the latter was better, giving the rugs a sculpted look that allows the design and the colors to stand out crisply. I used some of the new palette colors we're bringing out this year, including some true blues, grey blues and antiques roses and mauves.Istanbul and Constantinople are constructed with New Zealand wool with a combination of 8 and 10 mm. piles. Istanbul is offered in Midnight, Robins Egg and Dusk, and Constantinople in China Blue, Night Forest, Mocha and Larimar. These rugs will retail at $50 per square foot and are available in standard and custom sizing and colors.emma gardner design, llc is a design and development company that produces fine contemporary interior products for use in residential, hospitality and contract spaces. Based in Litchfield, Connecticut, the companys products are available at showrooms throughout the United States. emma gardner design, llc is a proud member of the RUGMARK Foundation, a global non-profit organization working to end child labor. Honors in 2007 included an Interior Design Best of Year Merit Award for Jewels in Sand and IIDEX/Neocon Innovation Awards for Bamboo Blossoms and Flowers on Water. For more information visit emmagardnerdesign.com.

Tag: Decorative Tablecloth NEW YORK—The New York International Tribal & Textile Arts Show, which took place May 15-18, has been around under various names since 1995. After seven years in the Park Avenue Armory uptown, the fair returned this year to its roots at the 69th Regiment Armory at Lexington and 26th Street. The move to the smaller of the armories — occasioned by a tremendous increase in rent and fees uptown as well as scheduling difficulties — took place with some trepidation, but this year’s edition looked better than ever. Many of the 75 exhibitors decorated their booths with felt walls (as opposed to cheaper paper ones) and chose striking background colors such as black or a reddish hue reminiscent of laterite, an iron-rich soil found in tropical Africa. Show organizers Bill Caskey and Elizabeth Lees reported the highest-ever attendance — some 700 people — at the fair’s preview, on May 14. Unfortunately, overall attendance was down from last year. A few notable trends emerged from dealers’ comments to the show organizers at the fair’s conclusion. First, English and European exhibitors found the American market extremely soft compared to recent sales activities at home, whereas American dealers found the fair somewhat better than their recent sales activity. Second, the dealers reported that while the top of each field seems strong, the middle and lower range of material has gone soft. According to London dealer Esther Fitzgerald, the New York market was in “very weak shape compared to the U.K., especially at the low end.”   TextilesThe wonderful selection of textiles at the fair is always a draw for dealers, decorators, and collectors, and this year was no exception, though sales were spotty. Esther Fitzgerald had a ca. 1928 cream-colored linen tablecloth and six-napkin set made by Italian designer Maria Gallenga (1880–1944) for her boutique in Paris on the rue de Miromesnil. The modernist tablecloth is embroidered in cotton with a whimsical motif featuring pairs of long-legged animals and stick-figure people frolicking. “It is rare to find amusing textiles,” says Fitzgerald of the $13,500 item, which did not sell. New York dealer Gail Martin showed a rare late-19th-century decorative silk hanging (Ilgich) made by the Lakai people of Central Asia. The hanging is one of a group of 14 that are being sold together for an undisclosed five-figure price. “It’s the best collection of Uzbek nomadic material around,” says Martin, who sold a similar group to collectors Jack A. and Aviva Robinson, who donated 97 of the hangings to the Minneapolis Institute of Art in 2007.   Joss Graham from London had a stunning collection of kilims and sold one of woven wool from Southwestern Iran on the opening night. Graham also had some extremely decorative pieces that could appeal to collectors and noncollectors alike, such as two groups of Ethiopian mounted pilgrim staffs, well priced at $3,850 and $4,500, and five bamboo ladders, which went for $1,800 each. Gebhart Blazek, an Austrian dealer specializing in Berber carpets and textiles, said he had his most successful opening night ever.

Tag: Tufted Carpet Access Australia  offers range of flooring covering products including carpet and carpet tiles. Karndean, Signature Floor coverings, Victoria Carpets, Godfery Hirst, InterfaceFLOR, Norman Ellison Carpets, Westwools, Gibbon Group manufactures the carpets and carpet tiles supplied by Access Australia. The carpet and carpet tiles from Godfery Hirst supplied by Access Australia is soft and are created with outstanding craftsmanship. These carpet and carpet tiles are durable and comes in various colours, prints, textures and designs. The Godfery Hirst carpets and carpet tiles are ideal for commercial, hospitality, health, retail and education sectors. Access Australia supplies range of carpets manufactured by Victoria Carpets that are ideal for residential and commercial sectors. These carpets from Victoria Carpets are versatile and cover several advantages to the living environment. Comprehensive range of tufted crafts provided by Victoria Carpets to Access Australia includes pure woollen carpets and synthetic carpets. Tufted carpets provided by Victoria Carpets ensure to impart warmth keeps the house interior cool in summer as well as warm in winter season. Access Australia supplies carpet tiles from Signature Floorcoverings are modular and easy to install. These carpet tiles are ideal for residential and commercial purposes and can be used for rooms that are irregular in shape. Signature Floorcoverings offers variety of carpet tiles for residential use such as Waves, Zodiac, Highlands, City Square and Traffic.

Tag: Viscose Fiber Grasim Industries Ltd., India's third-biggest cement maker that also produces viscose-staple fiber, posted a 41 percent gain in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit, helped by higher demand for cement and yarn.Net income rose to 6.67 billion rupees ($165 million) in the three months ended March 31 from 4.74 billion rupees a year earlier, the company said in a statement today. Sales rose 10 percent to 27.4 billion rupees.Increased production of cement and fiber used to make yarn helped Grasim to counter rising fuel and chemical costs. The company's income from sources other than its main businesses surged to 1.19 billion rupees, compared with 775.8 million rupees a year earlier.The rise in input costs will continue to erode earnings, the Mumbai-based company said. Cement sales at Grasim, which sold its stake in Shree Digvijay Cement Co. to Spain's Cimpor Inversiones SA, rose 9 percent to 4.27 million tons in the quarter.Grasim shares fell 66.15 rupees, or 2.5 percent, to 2,609 rupees at 2:45 p.m. in Mumbai trading. The shares have declined 30 percent this year, compared with a 14 percent drop in the benchmark Sensitive Index.

Tag: Printed Organza Moody, n'est-ce pas? And well it might be. This, after all, is a straight-off-the-catwalk look courtesy of Miuccia Prada. Here's what she had to say backstage after her show in Milan last September, with regard to a fashion moment that is rather darker than might be expected, given that this is the summer season, traditionally a time of high spirits and blithe prints and colours to match: "This is the first time I've gone soft. There is nothing straight in this collection – like there is nothing straight in nature." Of course, Prada's idea of soft is not of the fluttering, bias-cut petticoat variety. "Before, I wanted to show women as tough and powerful so I used thick fabrics," she continued, "fabrics with dignity. Shapes were vertical to represent strength. But I discovered women like soft, they like pretty. It was hard for me because if you use soft fabrics and cut on the bias, it is boring, all it does is show the body. So I did a new soft with experimental prints and fabrics."As is often the case, this represents something of an about- turn from her concerns the previous season – it's small wonder that the rest of the world struggles to keep up with this designer. Last season, as any fashion trainspotters out there will doubtless remember, the first lady of fashion worked with materials that were generally stiffened and stood away from the body, and with tufted alpaca, which, she announced breezily, she knew wasn't particularly flattering but she didn't actually care. Colour, meanwhile, was what she herself described as "violent" – chemical orange and blue and green.Fast-forward six months, and for spring/summer, Miuccia Prada says she was also focusing on women's private fantasies: "It was all about fantasy, and about fantasising also. I was not thinking of a particular woman's imagination but of women's imagination in general." She is, of course, aware that such fantasies are far from simple, or indeed steeped in anything as nice as sugar and spice, so there is a profound, if slightly twisted, romance to this vision of the inner woman and her meanderings. This can be seen nowhere more clearly than in the case of the shoes – a completely different hand-finished pair was worn with each exit on the catwalk – finished with highly stylised flowers and ranging from the resolutely flat and brown, to the garden-coloured with sculpted spike heels.In a season that will go down in history as being rooted in all things natural and even bucolic, Prada's was certainly the most Gothic interpretation of the theme. A more than passing nod to the 1970s, meanwhile, brings to mind a time in history when the first wave of feminism was in full flow, and with it the insistence on a female's right to express her desires, however complex or indeed unorthodox they might be. And that is something the designer herself experienced as a young woman first hand. There is something subtly sexual implied, then, both in the exaggerated curvilinear surface of clothing, and the intensely beautiful, predominantly muted colour palette. Organza is the principle "soft" fabric of the Prada spring/summer season – and, indeed, of the spring/summer season as a whole – most instantly recognisable cut into wispy and decidedly whimsical dresses appliquéd with flowers, which fall somewhere between The Magic Roundabout and an Arthur Rackham illustration in appearance. The silk-cotton knitted waistcoat in a signature sludgy shade of green pictured here represents a more characteristically urban aesthetic – as well as Prada's ongoing love affair with sweater dressing – but even this is teamed with printed organza trousers that are significant not only for their diaphanous quality but also because they are flared. Yes, flared. This, too, might not unreasonably be considered something of a controversial move, given that the uniform on the street – the odd pair of wide-legged jeans aside – has, for some seasons, been so resolutely skinny that anyone over a size eight, say, has struggled to wear it. Max Wall, anyone? An unlikely fashion icon if ever there was one.Prada's flared trousers bring to mind not only flower power and the 1970s, but also the chic, wide-legged pyjama dressing favoured by Hollywood stars of the Thirties and Forties. They are far more feminine than the drainpipe, particularly given their weightlessness.Where this particular designer leads, others always seem to follow, so a 1970s flavour, and flared trousers to match, have since sprung up everywhere, from D&G to Burberry for next autumn/winter. The serious fashion follower would do well, therefore, to start wearing them now.

Tag: Polyester And Nylon Unifi Manufacturing is closing its Staunton facility Sept. 30, a move that will eliminate 145 jobs that area economic leaders are hopeful of replacing.Unifi manufactures polyester and nylon textured yarns and related materials worldwide.Tom Caudle, vice president of Unifi operations, said in a Wednesday letter to area government officials that the Staunton facility is being closed to consolidate operations and reduce operating costs.Caudle says the Staunton plant work will be transferred to the company’s Yadkinville, N.C., facility.“By announcing the decision at this time, we are providing all employees with at least 60 days advance notice of their job termination,’’ the letter says.Bill Hamilton, Staunton’s economic development director, said the loss of jobs for the area is not good news. Those losing jobs will receive help in developing resumes and assistance from the Virginia Employment Commission in locating new jobs, Hamilton said.Hamilton said Staunton’s unemployment rate of 4.5 percent is now high enough to attract industrial prospects who might previously have looked elsewhere.“This will help us some with industrial prospects who have viewed us as a tough place to consider when we had unemployment rates around 2 percent,’’ he said.The Morris Mill Road building that Unifi is vacating is about 170,000 square feet, large enough to accommodate an industry with room for growth, Hamilton said. And he said the facility is in a good location, on the west side of Staunton near the 262 loop.Hamilton said he had talked with Unifi in the past year, and said the discussions never included talk the company was leaving.Ron Smith, Unifi’s chief financial officer, said the primary function of the Staunton plant has been to take the company’s manufactured yarns and put them on 4-foot to 6-foot beams and ship the beams and yarn to customers.Smith said many of the company’s customers are located in the Southeast. Unifi products are used in both the automotive and apparel business.“The automotive business has been impacted by the economy,’’ Smith said. And he said the transfer of the Staunton work to Yadkinville will save the company fuel costs.“We have a lot of customers in the Southeast and that’s part of the rationale. Gas prices are a part of it,’’ Smith said.The Staunton operation is the company’s only one in Virginia. The remainder of Unifi’s domestic operations are in North Carolina. Domestically, Smith said the company now employs about 2,500. The Unifi closing is indicative of an economy that is slowing down, but not one in a recession, said Ben Carter, president and CEO of the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce.“Even though we have some businesses closing, the economy is still good in this area,’’ Carter said. He said the Shenandoah Valley is holding its own.Hamilton said Staunton’s recent economic news has included some positives, including the expansion of Carded Graphics in the city’s Green Hills Industrial Park that will add 35 jobs. He said the good news indicates the local business environment is still strong.The other March unemployment numbers for the area showed Waynesboro at 5.1 percent and Augusta County at 3.6 percent.

Tag: Non Woven The non-woven and technical textile sector in India is poised to grow by 13.3 per cent annually, with the country making steady strides in the segment, according to research carried out by Texas Tech University.    Though a late entrant in the sector, India produces non-woven and technical textiles close to $8 billion, registering six to eight per cent of world production, Seshadri Ramkumar, Assistant Professor of the University, who conducted the study, said.    The future annual growth in the sector would be more than twice the annual five to six per cent expected growth patterns in USA and Europe, he said.    With domestic annual demand of 60,000 tonne of non-woven textile, India has to gear up to meet the huge demand, both domestic and export, within two years, he said.    Though India has made a slow beginning in the export market, the new initiatives of the government would see the growth rate being much faster in the next two decades,he said.    The study, in this era of globalisation, would be useful for the US textile industries to seek Joint Ventures and collaboration with the emerging market, he said adding that "by 2035, the growth rate of non-woven and technical textile industry will be exponential".    The steps initiated by India toward establishment of four centers of excellence - medical, geotextiles, agrotextiles and protective textile, would offer business opportunities for US and European textile industries to expand and seek new markets, Ramkumar said.

Tag: Ladies Shirt Dinner and a movie sounded like a good idea to the women at the Ozark Senior Center, but it didn't occur to them that they'd be breaking the law-copyright law."On Tuesday nights we have recreation night and everyone comes and plays pool," said Senior Center Director Carolyn Harris. "Well, the ladies wanted to do something of their own, so they decided to show a movie and have a potato bar. They charge for the potato bar, but not just to watch the movie."No sooner had the seniors gathered around the television set, then the next thing Harris knew the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation issued a letter of warning about the copyright infringement.Sal Laudicina with the organization said MPLC handles copyright licenses for the National Institute of Senior Centers, a national organization of which the Ozark Senior Center is not a member.Harris said a representative from MPLC told her that no more than five people can watch a movie at a time; and if they do it's illegal. It makes no difference whether the movie is rented or owned, Harris said, and it also doesn't matter if the group showing the film is a non-profit group like the Senior Center."It's a $750 to $150,000 fine if you get caught," Harris said. "The license is $265 each year."But Laudicina said MPLC is not an enforcement agency; he said that is up to the U.S. government."We do not have the right to litigate," he said. "We assume that most people want to abide by the law."According to information found on its Web site, the MPLC explains that DVDs and home videocassettes are "intended for home use only and the public performance of these videos requires a separate license."Laudicina said it is their business to help organizations comply with copyright law."Our objective is to provide a low-cost license," he said. "We aggregate the rights and we get paid, and in turn we pay (the owner of the copyright)."According to information in the letter Harris received from MPLC, the Senior Center can buy a license for the annual $265 fee. Even with that, the license will not cover showings where admission is charged or if the movie title is publicly advertised.While the MPLC claims the license is inexpensive, Harris said that's all relative, and that the Senior Center Board is weighing the options."We are hurting as it is because of prices going up the way they are," she said. "(The board) had debated on whether to ask everybody to pay a dollar to help pay for the license. They (discussed) every which way trying to decide what to do."And so far, the center hasn't decided how to handle the expense, if at all."We haven't resolved anything," Harris said.The Senior Center's situation isn't unique. It is incumbent on organizations that show movies to comply with copyright law.The Ozark Parks and Recreation Department shows movies in the Finley River Park during the summer at no charge. Park employee Pat Anthony said the department secures its license from Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. on a title-by-title basis."We had to go through a distributor who does that," Anthony said. "Swank, it's out of St. Louis. You pay for the movie."The parks department pays $270 for each showing, Anthony said.Swank and MPLC are private companies that navigate the quagmire of copyright laws that protect intellectual property. According to information found at its Web site "Swank is the world's largest non-theatrical distributor of motion pictures for public performance and the acknowledged leader in the field."According to information found in its Web site, MPLC issues "blanket or umbrella licenses, which allow(s) an organization an unlimited number of showings of titles from all MPLC authorized producers for a flat, annual fee."

Tag: Beading Knitted Top I recall seeing my first documentary at Toronto's Hot Docs Festival back in 1994. It was a small lineup on College Street and we settled into a community theatre that no longer exists (replaced by a condo building back in 2000).When the projector began, my friend and I were transformed by the film on screen - it was Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media by Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick, two Canadian filmmakers who would go on to do additional highly acclaimed films.Since its modest beginnings 15 years ago, Hot Docs has blossomed to become North America's biggest documentary festival.After 11 days and 172 films representing 36 countries, I have whittled down my list of favourites from the 2008 festival, which wrapped up on April 27. By the way, my list is rather limited because I was unable to see all the films.I'll begin with some home-grown talent. Club Native by Tracey Deer is a whimsical, illuminating examination of who gets to call themselves a member of the tribe – literally. Deer, a filmmaker with pop culture esthetic who made a name for herself with 2004's Mohawk Girls, uses humour, some animation and compelling female characters to chronicle their struggles to retain or attain band membership. Deer manages to weave texture, depth and emotion into a rather dry topic. You will not forget the testimony of Olympian Waneek Horn Miller as she recalls the 1990 Oka crisis and her struggles to reconcile her Mohawk heritage with falling in love with a white man. (For those of you in Toronto, Club Native will be featured at the NFB Cinema on June 21, 23, 24 and 25).Next up, Murray Siple's Carts of Darkness almost defies description – a former snowboarder now strapped to a wheelchair because of a car accident, Siple decides to take a closer look at the homeless men who surf like the Crazy Canucks on shopping carts down the hills of North Vancouver. As Siple slides into their lives, we are given a profound but brief glimpse into their psyche. The film brims with "outlaw energy" (as described by a character in the film) and the point-of-view shots are astounding.Meanwhile, Shock Waves by Quebecois journalists Pierre Mignault and Hélène Magny, chronicles the dangers encountered by the reporters of Radio Okapi in the Congo. Facing violence or death, these plucky reporters give "voice to the voiceless." Shock Waves captured the CIDA prize at Hot Docs.And while we are in the Congo, the gorgeously filmed Victoire Terminus, by Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye, is a triumph of documentary and spirit. The French filmmakers follow four feisty female boxers, intertwining their hard knock lives with the country's unstable political situation. Images, sounds and dialogue are seamlessly knit together in a documentary that represents the best of the genre. For these women, "boxing washes away bad memories" and protects them from abusive men, but, as we discover, the real thuggery is done in the political ring.Remaining in Africa, you'll never be prepared for what unfolds in The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins. This unwavering portrait of eccentric artist Vanessa Beecroft and her overwhelming, and rather questionable, desire to adopt twin brothers from the Sudan takes dips and dives into her psyche and issues of post-colonialism. Kiwi director Pietra Brettkelly has created a film that pokes into uncomfortable territory – what are our true attitudes towards Africa and Africans?Another film examining post-colonial conditions is An Island Calling, directed by Annie Goldson – who made the critically acclaimed Georgie Girl in 2002. Based on a book, Deep Beyond the Reef by Owen Scott, the documentary tells the tale of the brutal murder of Owen Scott's brother John and his lover Greg Scrivener, who were living in Fiji. Not a straightforward story by any stretch, the film delves into the Scott family legacy in Fiji and the treatment of homosexuals. Politics, sexuality and emotions combine into a potent cocktail.Moving from old colonial ties into the post-Communist world, we end up in the Czech Republic and the Ukraine.In Citizen Havel, we are treated to the behind-the-scenes machinations of politics as the film takes you on a rollicking ride into the 10-year tenure of poet president Vaclav Havel. Always the jokester, Havel manages to maintain his humanity and sense of justice throughout his time in office. Fabulous moments include the minutiae of getting ready for diplomatic events, meetings with Bill Clinton as well as the Rolling Stones (!) and, always, Havel's colossal personality: "I am the President of Truth, not of Lies." Havel emerges as luminous and human. By the way, this film broke box office records in the Czech Republic.The English Surgeon, made for the BBC, lands us in a busted Ukraine with its sad blocks of grey buildings, poverty and masses of people in dire need of healthcare. British brain surgeon Henry Marsh has been going to the Ukraine for 15 years to perform free surgeries. He is extraordinary – providing "failed hope" to the masses with his brilliant skills, Marsh is haunted by the memory of a failed surgery on a Ukrainian girl. Marsh asks the key question: "What are we if we don't try to help others? We are nothing." This film was named top picture at Hot Docs.Lastly, I am haunted by the Iranian doc, It's Always Late For Freedom by Mehrdad Oskouei. Given 10 days to shoot in Iran's top rehab facility for boys under age 15, Oskouei finds five of the most enthralling boys with heartbreaking stories of abuse and drug use.Damaged but defiant, the boys spout clever commentary as Oskouei follows their long, boring days in the facility punctuated by fights, television, beading (?!) and counselling sessions. His access is unprecedented and your heart will be shredded by the scene of one boy as he is released. “Why are you crying?” the director asks. "I am afraid my father will beat me when I go home." As the boy waves goodbye, his arm in the firm grip of his father, you wonder where the world went wrong. Oskouei was rightly handed the trophy for best mid-length documentary.It was difficult to come up with this list, so I have some honourable mentions to include: Steypa from Iceland and Cyanosis from Iran. Here's to the next 15 years at Hot Docs.

Tag: Zipped Hood Longtime Killeen businessman and civic leader Tommy Joe Mills died at his home Saturday, surrounded by friends, after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.Known for his straight talk and homespun humor, Mills was a fixture in downtown Killeen as co-owner of Modern TV & Appliance, a store he opened in 1957 with Bill Mills and Bill Turner.The store on Avenue C, which underwent expansion and renovation last year, celebrated its 50th anniversary in December.Bill Turner, who was not only Mills' business partner but also his brother-in-law, said Saturday, "This is very emotional for me. He has left a big hole in Killeen. ... Tommy Joe's been involved in so many things, helped so many people throughout the years. He was a true friend to me. He is a one-of-a-kind guy who did so much behind the scenes and never took credit."Though Mills never served in the military, he was an ardent supporter of the Army and Fort Hood, working tirelessly through channels in Washington to bring needed projects and federal dollars to Central Texas.In 1986, he was appointed as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for North Texas. Later, he was appointed as civilian aide at-large and was currently serving as civilian aide emeritus.Bill Shine, who succeeded Mills in the civilian aide's post, praised Mills' work on behalf of the Fort Hood community."T.J. and I served together as civilian aides to the Secretary of the Army for 12 years," Shine said. "I learned so much from T.J. during that time about caring for soldiers and their families. His only hobby was serving the Fort Hood community. T.J. Mills was my mentor and of most importance, he was my close, personal friend, and I will miss him very much."III Corps and Fort Hood commander Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, reached in Washington, D.C., Saturday, praised Mills' commitment to the Army and Fort Hood."What T.J. has done for years for all our soldiers and families has been incredible," Odierno said."He's been a great friend to all our soldiers and their families. All the things that have been done at Fort Hood over the last 20 years, T.J. has had a hand in. The growth of Fort Hood and III Corps are in large part due to his efforts. More importantly, though, we have lost a great man and a great friend, and we will miss him."U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, who worked closely with Mills on issues pertaining to Fort Hood, eulogized him in a statement Saturday:"If Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to civilians who had gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the U.S. Army, Tommy Joe Mills would deserve to be its first recipient."Tommy Joe Mills has done more for Fort Hood, its soldiers and families than anyone could ever imagine. For 12 years with Congressman Marvin Leath and for 18 years during my service in Congress, Tommy Joe has had his fingerprints on every major construction project at Fort Hood, including the III Corps headquarters, the Soldier Development Center, the Soldier Service Center and new housing and barracks, just to name a few."Tommy Joe loved the Army, and at its highest levels, the Army loved him. I will miss him greatly, because for the past 18 years, he has been my close personal friend and my tutor and mentor on Fort Hood and Army issues."For decades to come, every soldier and every Army family stationed at Fort Hood will be the beneficiary of Tommy Joe's deep commitment to a better quality of life for those who serve our nation."Retired Lt. Gen. Pete Taylor, former III Corps and Fort Hood commander, echoed Odierno's sentiments, saying, "This is a tremendous loss to the community – he was not only a great leader but a great friend. He has contributed a lifetime to make sure that our soldiers at Fort Hood have the facilities they need and deserve. He was a great man and we'll miss him."After traveling to Washington, D.C., on an Association of the United States Army trip in the early 1960s, Mills was introduced to the district's congressman, the late W.R. "Bob" Poage. He later helped with the campaign of Leath, Poage's successor, and was instrumental in advancing the candidacy of Leath's successor, Edwards. Over the years, these Capitol Hill connections proved vital to the interests of the Killeen-Fort Hood community.It was through his longtime association with Edwards that Mills met Sam Murphey, Edwards' district director. Murphey, of Harker Heights, said Mills shaped his political life as well."I considered T.J. a mentor, a confidant, a close friend," Murphey said. "He was instrumental in my making the decision to get into the District 55 (state representative) race."He has made a huge impact on my life. He could talk to you and show you a solution, a clearer pathway."The beauty of T.J. Mills is he had a unique way of going to Washington and knowing who to talk to and getting lawmakers involved in the projects we got here. We have an enduring installation now, largely due to his efforts. We owe him a great debt."Mills was born Nov. 17, 1929, to W.T. "Bill" and Oma Mills on a farm south of Killeen. After graduating from Avenue D School, he enrolled in trade school in Fort Worth.He married his high school sweetheart, Lawanna, in 1949.That same year he started a job at Killeen Electric, where he worked delivering and servicing appliances. Over the next nine years, he got his education in the appliance business, as he later said in his grandson's book, "Me and T.J.," which was published last year.After borrowing family money, Mills purchased some appliance inventory and started Modern TV & Appliance in late 1957. His son, Billy Jay, joined him in operating the business in the early 1980s.Mills, who sold a television to Elvis Presley when the singer was stationed at Fort Hood with the Army in 1958, endured the advent of big-box stores and maintained a successful business for five decades in the same downtown location where it started.Tommy Wallace, senior vice president of First National Bank and a longtime friend, said Mills' emphasis on customer service was a large part of his success."Because of his attendance to personal service, he has been successful," Wallace said. "Your word was good for him. He didn't need things in writing. That's the way he did business."As Mills told the Herald in 1989, "We try to trust everyone until they prove different to us."Regarding Mills' contributions to the community, Wallace said, "How can you count the measure of Tommy Joe Mills when you look at what he has done for so many people? He was a giver. He never had to be asked if something needed to be done."Marge Reinhardt, who met Mills in 1959 and worked as his personal secretary and head bookkeeper for more than 30 years, said, "It was truly a privilege and honor to work for him. He was an outstanding businessman and even more outstanding as a friend. Our friendship resulted in T.J.'s influencing my husband, Chuck Reinhardt, to open Zip Cleaners in 1967. T.J. will be missed by both of us."Mills was heavily involved in civic affairs in the Killeen-Fort Hood area. He was a former executive director of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Killeen Industrial Foundation, former chairman of the Downtown Killeen Reinvestment Zone, served two terms as president of the Association of the United States Army and served as a trustee on the boards of both the Killeen Independent School District and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. He also served on several other boards and committees.Mills was a past grand master of the Killeen Masonic Lodge and was a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Shriners.In 1994, the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce presented Mills with the Roy J. Smith Award in recognition of his lifetime of community service.Earlier this month, Mills was awarded the Lifetime Service Award by D.R. Horton Inc., for his efforts working with the homebuilding company.Allen Cloud, a former Killeen mayor and longtime friend, said of Mills, "I have seen him open up doors in Washington and work on behalf of the Army and Killeen. His enthusiasm and determination were unmatched. He was always there plugging for our community.""He was a great friend, a great Killeenite and great American – a kind and loving man who really cared for his community," Cloud said. "He was a treasure."The family will receive visitors from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Killeen, where Mills was a lifelong member.Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Merrill J. Luman and Dr. Randy Wallace officiating.

Tag: Wall Skirting Q My combi boiler seems unable to give enough hot water in the morning for our two showers at once. It is a complete nightmare as my wife, two daughters and I all fall out over the trickle. What can I do?A Not a lot! A combi boiler can only cope with one appliance at a time.The only answer is to get a hot water tank fitted. Some combi boilers can be fitted to a hot water cylinder tank.Q I want to knock down an internal brick wall between my kitchen and dining room to create a large, open-plan area. What is involved?A You will need to consult a structural engineer to calculate what type of lintel you need to support the upper house.You will also need a building warrant.Once you have the OK, you can prop up the floor joists above the wall and knock it down. Install the lintel, allow the pads to set, remove the props, then plaster.Q My house has been broken into recently through my back window.Have you advice on the most secure and best-quality replacement window?A Everest (www.everest.co.uk) have probably the best windows I have seen, as they have a very strong locking mechanism. But quality windows are more expensive.Q I have a leaky cast iron gutter joint and now have a slimy algae patch on my paving. What can I do?A Wait for a dry day and clean the gutter with a wire brush. Then cover the joint with Unibond bitumen-based roof and gutter sealant. If possible, open the joint and pump sealant between sections.Q A builder gave me a quote for a new kitchen and it is far too dear.He now wants £300 for the quote.A Tell him to sling his hook. Under no circumstances pay for a quote - especially if he did not inform you from the outset it would cost money.Q I am fitting a new bathroom suite.The problem is with the pipework for my towel rail radiator, as the pipes have to be wall-mounted because the floor is concrete. These copper pipes are ugly next to my chrome radiator.Do you have any suggestions?A The easiest solution is to keep the pipes tight to the wall and below the height of a skirting board and box them in. On the face of the box-in, use a length of skirting that matches the rest. The pipes will be completely concealed.

Tag: T C Jacket Just in time for the Olympics comes a compilation to turn to during a lull in the archery rounds. Indeed, with most of these 120 translated stories sneaking in under 1000 words, you could probably whip through a couple before a loosened arrow even hits the target.Tempting as this might be, it would not be fair to the authors featured here. Flash fiction, or the “smoke-long story,” or the “skinny story,” as it is sometimes called in China, is short, true. But as anyone who has tried to write a thank you card knows, brevity ain’t easy.Nor is it truly fair to view this book as a kind of primer on all thoughts Chinese (or mainland China, for that matter – 19 are from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). After all, one doesn’t expect E. Annie Proulx’s work to bear much relation to T.C. Boyle’s, despite the shared vocabulary.Still, literature of language remains a convenient umbrella, broad enough to shelter lots of divergent stories. It’s the one the editor and translator of this book, Shouhua Qi, favors, and we’ll take his lead. How the authors, saturated in the wider world and their own traditions, feel about this label is a tale for a different day.To first impressions, then. Not surprisingly, the best authors here share a bond with flash fiction writers in any language. They have just enough story and description to give weight to their narrative, coupled with a grace and lightness of touch. The space around the words, the blank that the readers must fill in with their imagination, is as important as what is printed.In “The Story Outside My Window,” by Yide’erfu, for instance, a ragged peasant wearing an old white fur coat squats near the protagonist’s city window. The old man insists that he will be able to sell it as an heirloom to rich foreigners, and resists any argument:    “I want to try my luck. Someday I’ll be lucky.”    He is both ignorant and stubborn.    He comes here everyday to wait for his luck, but his luck never shows up.And in the end, he is still there.This sparseness, evocative of fable, is a feature of many in the collection. Often the subject is a simple event – a girl buys a yellow dress, an old man goes fishing, two play at a chess game – and the conclusion a twist of fortune. In the love stories, especially, poignancy plays a large role.On closer impression, one notes the difference between stories written in the 1920s and 1930s and those that followed. As with the rest of the world, the time before the war was a period of great creative ferment in China. The vernacular, long stifled by the use of classical language in literature, came into its own. Authors experimented with revolutionary ideas and theories, traditions were turned on their heads.Take Lu Xun’s “Theme,” written in 1925. In less than a page, the narrator explains how he dreamt of asking a schoolmaster how one establishes a theme. The schoolmaster counters with a parable about a baby being given auspicious comments. After two guests have blessed it with wealth and power, the third guest says the baby will die someday and is attacked for his pronouncement. The narrator is confused:    “I don’t want to tell lies, and I don’t want to be beaten, either. So, master, what should I say?”    “Okay, then, you’ll have to say, ‘Wow! This child! Oh my! How…indeed! Hahaha! Hehehe! Hehehe!’” This kind of writing, the idea of obscuring truth in language, seems distinctly 1920s, as if Woolf, Faulkner and Lu Xun were all secretly communing with each other.

Tag: Fashion Jackets It must sound daunting, “safari” fashion. You may wonder why an outfit better suited to watching wildebeest is necessary this far north of the equator. Then there's the image of intrepid tour guides in head-to-toe khaki, driving open-top Land Rovers. Sub-Saharan chic it certainly isn't.Those of us who watch African expeditioninspired clothes on the catwalk each season - your guides through the style wilderness - urge you instead to reference the fashion photographer Norman Parkinson.Picture Parkinson's most evocative shot: a light aircraft pokes into the frame, its propeller easing to a standstill in front of a dusty Kenyan plain. An enigmatic figure emerges from beneath the engine, clad in a perfectly pressed, knee-to-neck button-front dress, sleek and gathered high in the waist, with one crowning accessory: a delicate, wide-brimmed pith helmet. Yes, she's wearing a pith helmet and a pair of white magician's gloves - and damn, we still we want to mow her down in that plane and run off with the outfit.If you don't have a visa for Kenya or a pilot's licence, then Banana Republic is a safer place for you. Safari style's great USP is that it transfers incredibly well to office wear, which helps to explain why this American retail export has cornered the market. Evoked in an urban setting, safari has an uptown, American Vogue feel. It is held-together, unapologetically prim, conservative without being dated, and looks striking with pristine locks and big-as-a-bug's-eye sunglasses. In other words, it works better away from the dust, wind and wild animals.The look is dominated by the pencil skirt, belted jacket and razor-sharp tailoring, in a colour palette dominated by the inevitable khakis, olive greens and mustard yellows. To modernise a look that utilises postwar silhouettes, blend these camouflage colours with bite-size animal or geometric prints. Ikat is a method of fabric dyeing that is making its mark this season, as shops devour the trend for abstract prints. The Pollini skirt is an example, and it underpins how well tribal prints blend with safari-inspired pocket-front shirts. Similarly, leopard-print - better in colours never seen on an actual leopard - brings life to more muted shades.Belted jackets are popular this spring and a good job, too, because they are perfect for lovers of safari style. Yves Saint Laurent produced full-length and sleeveless options in navy and grey; Zara, ever the most praiseworthy imitator, mirrored designer Stefano Pilati's enthusiasm with a sleeveless cappuccino-coloured version. As these jackets are weightier, they suit all ages and figures, hiding a multitude of sins and hiking up the sophistication quota with each notch of the belt. Invest in one now - yes, even in these times of not-so-plenty. Because as sure as giraffe and zebra gather at the waterhole, the trend will reappear next year and for many years to come.