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Fur Baby Boutique operated for the Dover pop-up
DOVER – The Downtown Dover Partnership (DDP) announced on Tuesday that Sherry Shupe, owner of Fur Baby Boutique, has been selected to fill the retail space at 136 W. Loockerman St. for the “Last Minute Shoppers” pop-up store. until 2021 holiday season.
Fur Baby has been operating in Milford for 10 years and recently opened the Fur Baby Pet Resort which offers full pet services such as day care, boarding and spa grooming, as well as a retail business with a natural grocery store. for pets and human gifts. Shupe will bring the retail component to the Dover pop-up store, including hand-made natural treats, natural USA-made toys, chews and fun, unique human gifts and clothing for pets and animal lovers.
âI am delighted to be associated with the DDP and to be able to occupy this magnificent historic building in downtown Dover. And we want to know what types of pet products the local public would like to see, âShupe said in a statement.
Many Dover clients who frequent the Milford site have asked him to consider opening in the Dover area. So Shupe believes she’ll see some familiar faces as soon as they open later this week.
On Monday, she signed a lease until Dec. 31 and was also required to submit a $ 200 fee, refundable security deposit, and liability insurance, and pledged to be open at least three days a week. for the short term retail opportunity. on Loockerman Street. While a successful pop-up experience will allow her to take advantage of shoppers buying in the physical store, Shupe’s active interaction on online social media will strengthen a potential long-term business in Dover. This holiday opportunity will allow him to test the market and the location of Dover.
Shupe was selected from 15 applicants who applied to be considered for the Pop Up Last-Minute Shoppers program, where a qualified retailer would be chosen to quickly occupy a 400 square foot space through the end of 2021.
âWe chose Sherry for several reasons; she has been operating very successfully and even expanding her current business for 10 years, she has products, equipment and people available to quickly seize this opportunity, and she offers a unique product line, âsaid Diane Laird, Executive Director of DDP in a press release. “We also believe that its niche products will complement products available in nearby stores and draw people to the downtown area from the Dover community as well as the greater Maryland-Delaware area.”
Officials believe its pop-up store will be a retail destination for visitors.
âHer business is unique in that it is both a gift and a grocery store, which suggests that buyers will come back often. This is similar to the new craft market just half a block away, âLaird added.
Not wanting to lose the opportunity presented by the additional inquiries received, Tina Bradbury, Director of DDP Operations and Supervisor of the Capital City Farmers Market quickly explores the offer of an outdoor last-minute Pop Up Shoppers market for those looking to buy. gifts in the week leading up to Christmas.
“The weather is expected to be unusually warm for the season, and that would be a great way to give an opportunity to the many candidates who have quality products,” she said. âWe encourage the community to make sure to support all of our local merchants, including the new Fur Baby pop-up store at 136 Loockerman, just down the street from Loockerman Way Plaza.â
The DDP invites vendors, including food trucks who are interested in participating in the Pop-Up Market to get in touch with Tina immediately at the following address: [emailÂ protected] For more details on the Last Minute Buyers Initiative, including opening dates, times and times, visit: tinyurl.com/DoverLastMinuteShoppers and on Downtown Dover on Facebook for lives, photos and updates.


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James Cameron at the opening of the new plant protein research facility in Vanscoy, Sask.
Canadian grocery retailers may soon be able to stock their shelves with high protein, pea-based products if research at a new pea processing plant in Saskatchewan comes to fruition.
Investors, including movie director and environmentalist James Cameron, are committing tens of millions of dollars to the venture, according to a Globe and Mail story. The research is taking place at a new food plant in Vanscoy, Saskatechewan, operated by Verdient Foods. Cameron was on hand at the plant opening a few months ago.
Researchers say that dough made from pea flour yields bread that resembles any other for look and taste, but offers more protein and lower carbohydrate and gluten content.
It will also capitalize on the rising popularity of plant-based protein. The market for plant-based foods could reach $5 billion by 2020, and peas are one of the “wonder foods” of this new trend. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says 170 new food products containing pea protein were launched in 2015, 32 of them in Canada, where about a third of the global crop of pulses (peas, lentils, beans and chickpeas) is grown.
Other players have entered the market in a big way. Last September French food corporation Roquette committed $400 million to build the largest pea-processing plant in the world, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
The plant protein trend is being driven by two huge demographic cohorts – baby boomers and millennials – who are concerned about their own health and that of the environment. A turn to plant-based foods could help reduce the environmental impact of meat production, say environmental groups. Food producers and retailers are aware of the strengthening market presence of food products that are healthy, good for the environment and free of animal products.

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With too many marketing professionals, formulating a social media presence is treated the same way as eating pizza - when it's good, it's good, and when it's bad, it's still pretty good.
Because of the buzz around platforms such as Twitter it seems crucial to get involved, but too often little attention is paid to the quality or appropriateness of a firm's social marketing.
The role of marketers in this situation should be to assess how a business should shape its online presence, drawing on whatever metrics are available to make their judgement.
Vincent-Wayne Mitchell, professor of consumer marketing at Cass Business School, recently wrote that many companies remain relatively uncertain about how best to harness the power of social media, despite its high-profile presence in industry journals and discussions.
Writing in Marketing Magazine, he suggested there need to be clear reasons to invest in social media before a business commits to it, warning against simply charging blindly ahead and following the crowd.
First and foremost, he argued, businesses should only opt for social media marketing if they feel they have the time, technological expertise and funding to commit to it fully - a half-baked presence is often worse than none at all.
Other reasons to avoid opting for social are "when social media does not fit with your brand image and if early adopters of social media within your market have taken up much of the target audiences' attention," declared Mr Mitchell.
He argued that utilising a trial period of three months or so and working out the best way to go about setting up a presence on Facebook and Twitter can often be a good step for firms - this might lead them to utilise lesser-known platforms that better suit their brand, or indeed to avoid the world of social altogether.
Ultimately, social media is like skinny jeans. Yes, they're very popular - but that doesn't necessarily mean everyone is going to look good in them.


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It appears that the Corporation did not get things right at the new Flower Market. First it was the issue of finding shopkeepers to let on rent the shops there and now it is evicting those shopkeepers on charges of failing to pay the rent.
The Corporation at Rs. 3 crore constructed 27 retail shops and 18 wholesale shops along with an auction hall on Mettupalayam Road to enable flower vendors carry on their business with ease. But for a long time the Corporation was not able to let on rent the shops. People interested would turn for auction but would not pay the required amount to confirm the deal.
This time, though, the Corporation had encountered a problem in that those who had taken on rent the shops had paid the prescribed 12 months rent in advance as deposit but had not cared to pay the rent for the subsequent months.
The Corporation informed the Council on Wednesday last that the persons who had taken on rent shops 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and in Block I and shops 19, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 37, 41, 42 and 45 in Block II had not paid the rent. And had not occupied the shops, either. And it planned to initiate action against those shopkeepers and also call for fresh bids to those shops. Sources in the Corporation said that the tenants had not paid rent for eight to 10 months.
This was against the rules that allowed the Corporation to seal the shops if the tenants had not paid the rent for two months and re-auction the shops if the tenants had not paid the rent for six months.
The sources said that they suspected a cartel to be behind such actions.
The cartel had earlier tried to force the Corporation to reduce the rent of shops by preventing outsiders from taking on rent the shops.
The Corporation had struggled with fixing rent for the shops in the market and this came to the fore in December 2011 when members of the Finance and Taxation Committee expressed anguish over the way the civic body dealt with the issue.
The sources said that the Corporation would adopt a wait and watch approach to see the response to the next few tenders to let out the shops.
If it was not encouraging, it would go ahead and throw open the flower market for all kinds of businessmen and not just the flower vendors.


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Funko Inc (NASDAQ: FNKO) surged more than 6 percent in the week after reporting a first-quarter beat. Its 16-cent bottom-line far surpassed an 8-cent consensus forecast.
The hype didn’t seize all investors, though, as one analyst still remains on the sidelines.
BMO Capital Markets analyst Gerrick Johnson maintained a Market Perform rating and raised his price target from $20 to $21.
Funko didn’t just beat on profits. It beat on sales, gross margins, operating expenses, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).
Even so, management declined to raise annual guidance. Operational investments scheduled for 2020 will now be realized at the end of 2019, and those costs will weigh on this year’s EBITDA and bottom line.
While revenue per property declined this quarter, product sales and total properties expanded. BMO Capital wants to see further expansion before buying in.
“The company’s flagship product, Pop!, is about two-thirds of sales and is enjoying phenomenal popularity, with a product life cycle that has outlasted our original expectations,” Johnson wrote in a note. “We are cautious, though, as we view Pop! as a fad and we think the onus is on the company to diversify and generate new streams of income before the Pop! phenomenon, well, pops.”
At time of publication, Funko shares were trading up 1.8 percent at $22.16.
BMO Upgrades Hasbro, Eyeing Strong Box Office Tie-Ins
Funko Shares Rally After Q4 Print, BMO Lifts Price Target
Photo courtesy of Funko
Latest Ratings for FNKO
|Mar 2019||Maintains||Market Perform||Market Perform|
|Nov 2018||Maintains||Market Perform||Market Perform|
|Aug 2018||Maintains||Market Perform||Market Perform|
View More Analyst Ratings for FNKO
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Monthly Archives: April 2017
Posted: April 27, 2017
Turnology built an S54 BMW M3 engine featuring JE pistons and Pro Seal head gaskets, check out the story here!
Posted: April 21, 2017
Mike Silva's Nova started out as a street car and now is a multi-time champion. We take a look inside his 2017 engine combination.


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KARACHI: Abid Nisar, the former vice chairman of the All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association and former chairman of the Import and Anti-Smuggling Subcommittee of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has urged the government to subsidise the paper and printing industry so that students could get textbooks and copies at reasonable prices.
He said that the cost of doing business has already increased enormously due to high electricity rates, continuous increase in the value of the dollar, and political instability that has caused difficulties for the business community.
He appealed to the government to grant subsidy to the paper and printing industry to save it from destruction, and pointed out that the value of dollar has reached a high level.
Abid Nisar said that the crisis the industry is facing has intensified due to the profiteering of the local paper mills, while the prices of books and copies have skyrocketed due to the increase in paper prices.
As a result, a majority of the students will be deprived of textbooks and copies despite the start of the new academic year. Thus, the dream of making the nation educated will not be fulfilled.
He pointed out that due to the huge increase in the price of paper, textbooks and copies have become so expensive that they are beyond the reach of the common man. So the government should ponder over the problem.
He was of the view that exports are decreasing, but the government does not care. Rather the politicians are bent upon sinking the economy over the issue of who should occupy “the chair”.
Because of the serious economic crisis and the current situation in the country, members of the business community are worried about how they will manage the affairs of their establishments in the coming days.
Karachi is the economic hub of the country, but unfortunately the city is badly neglected, he said. Whichever government comes, Karachi is treated like a stepmother. Consequently, the city’s infrastructure is in a very bad state.
He said that packages are announced for Karachi, but unfortunately the funds are never released.
He requested the government to take serious measures to save trade and industry from being destroyed so that the economy may be brought out of the crisis. “Pakistan has given us a lot; we should give something (back) to this country. We have great honour in the world and we have to keep this honour high,” said Abid Nisar.
He added that dams should be built to prevent wastage of water. The water thus saved could be utilised to increase power generation and provide cheap electricity to industries as well as irrigate crops.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022


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Pre-orders for the next Rockstar saga will begin in November.
In contrast to the annual or biennial release schedules of many popular franchises, new entries in the Grand Theft Auto series seem to come out whenever they damn well feel like it. Nearly five years since Grand Theft Auto IV graced store shelves, Rockstar has revealed it will be ready to lay the fifth numbered GTA installment at our feet in Spring 2013.
No firm date has been offered up, but at least knowing that the game is (hopefully) less than six months away should be enough to drum up some excitement. Fans who simply can't wait to throw down some cash for the upcoming title will be able to pre-order the game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 starting on November 5th. No release details were given regarding the PC version of the title.
GTA V was first revealed in October of last year in a tweet by Rockstar. Since then, an extremely slow trickle of information and game artwork has been all we've seen of the game. This is the same strategy that the company employed before the release of GTA IV, so while the release window announcement promises "a host of new information" coming next month, we expect the game will continue to be teased in nibbles rather than mouthfuls.


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WASHINGTON – Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (search), the largest U.S. brewer, said on Wednesday quarterly profit rose, but domestic market share slipped and the company forecast a tough year for growing profit in its beer business.
Rising costs and increased promotions to stimulate sales volume will weigh on profit in the beer business, Chief Financial Officer Randolph Baker (search) said in a conference call with analysts. The company forecast 2005 earnings per share growth of 6 percent to 9 percent, excluding one-time items, below its long-term goal of a double-digit increase.
The brewer has been in a fierce battle with SABMiller Plc.'s Miller Brewing (search) for U.S. market share.
"Our focus in 2005 is going to be to restore our volume growth momentum," Baker said.
The brewer said fourth-quarter net income rose to $332 million, or 42 cents a share, from $294 million, or 36 cents a share, in the same quarter last year.
Earnings per share for the most recent fourth quarter were helped by a 1.8 cent per share gain on the sale of its stake in Chilean brewer Compania Cervecerias Unidas and a deferred tax benefit of 1.2 cent per share related to its Mexican Modela investment.
According to Reuters Estimates, analysts had forecast, on average, earnings per share of 39 cents -- excluding one time items.
Anheuser said fourth quarter gross sales rose to $3.9 billion from $3.7 billion. Net sales, which exclude the impact of excise taxes, rose to $3.4 billion from $3.2 billion.
The earnings per share forecast for 2005 was also lower than the company had first forecast in the fall.
"This is 100 basis points lower than the original range that A-B gave in October of 7 to 10 percent. Our current '05 EPS growth is 6.4 percent," said Citigroup analyst Bonnie Herzog.
"We would not have expected management to announce a reduction in its 2005 guidance so early in the year, but this confirms our thesis that the pricing environment that once long buoyed earnings could be challenging this year."
The year will be "a difficult year for beer segment profit growth," Baker told the conference call.
Anheuser-Busch expects revenue per barrel to be up 1.5 percent to 2 percent in 2005, with domestic shipment volume up 1 percent or more, Baker said.
Worldwide beer sales volume for the fourth quarter rose 8.8 percent to 27.6 million barrels.
The brewer said the pricing environment continued to be "favorable" as a result of which domestic beer revenue per barrel increased 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter and grew 2.5 percent for the full year.
It said it completed the first stage of its pricing plan for 2005 in October 2004 and the second phase would be implemented this week.
But Anheuser-Busch said its domestic market share, excluding exports, for the full year 2004 was 49.6 percent, compared with 2003 market share of 49.7 percent.
Sales-to-retailers were down 3.2 percent, hurt by abnormally wet weather in many markets, especially during the key summer selling season. The brewer also noted a general slowdown in consumer spending during the year, particularly among lower income consumers.
"We expect (Anheuser) to post decelerated net revenue per barrel growth as it seeks to help its volumes rebound, but we are also sure both A-B and number-two Miller have made increased commitments to marketing spend that necessitate pricing in-line with inflation," said Mark Swartzberg, an analyst at Legg Mason.
"Such pricing is also consistent with larger consumer realities, in our view."
Anheuser-Busch shares nosed into positive territory just after the results and were up almost 0.2 percent at $49.37 by the close on the New York Stock Exchange.


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It has been quite some time since T-Mobile kicked off its “Un-carrier” initiative, and the Magenta network is now preparing for its 8.0 event.
T-Mobile’s Un-carrier 8.0 event, or “live fireside chat” as the announcement says it will be, will take place at 10:30 am ET/7:30 am PT, and it will be just the carrier’s ... Read More »
Mark your calendars, folks, because we now know the date on which T-Mobile will announce its next Un-carrier move.
T-Mobile is now sending invitations for its Un-carrier 7 event, which will take place on September 10 at 1 p.m. PT, 4 p.m. ET. The big shindig is ... Read More »
Yesterday evening T-Mobile announced they were flipping the switch on their Voice over LTE network to 15 key markets, accessible to several existing phone models. Those phone models would have to be updated to be compatible with the new network, something T-Mobile is thankfully on top of.
Updates are rolling out to the Samsung ... Read More »
Since its first Un-carrier announcement, T-Mobile has been shaking up the market with non-traditional approaches to old norms. Today’s Un-carrier 5.0 announcement carries the trend onward with some unique features. The first we’ll talk about is network coverage, as T-Mobile is now expanding Wideband LTE and Voice over LTE (VoLTE) coverage. Wideband LTE will be ... Read More »
Ready for the next phase of Un-carrier?
T-Mobile announced today that it will be holding an event in Los Angeles on June 18 to announce Un-carrier 5.0. The invitation for the event includes the the tagline “We don’t play it safe and sound.”
So what is T-Mobile planning ... Read More »
The first of T-Mobile’s trio of new Uncarrier announcements was a Simple Starter plan with unlimited talk and text as well as 500MB of LTE data. T-Mo then followed that up with “Operation Tablet Freedom,” which knocks the price of LTE-enabled tablets down to equal their Wi-Fi-only ... Read More »
Hot on the heels of the announcement of its new Simple Starter plan, T-Mobile today revealed the second of the three Uncarrier announcements that it has planned this week.
T-Mobile’s new promotion is known as Operation Tablet Freedom and is aimed at getting more 4G LTE-capable tablets into the hands of ... Read More »
Ready for a stream of T-Mobile news? If not, you’d better prepare yourself, because T-Mo says that it’s got three big announcements coming in the next few days.
The first of the trio is T-Mobile’s new Simple Starter plan. Available beginning April 12, the Simple Starter plan includes unlimited talk and text, 500MB of 4G ... Read More »
T-Mobile has been in the habit of shaking up the market, and it seems as though its February 23 announcement will be no exception. After info leaked out yesterday regarding changes to T-Mobile’s JUMP! program, T-Mobile has confirmed that those tweaks will indeed be put in place on February 23. These changes ... Read More »


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Mercedes supports SIAM view of excluding auto sector from FTA
Sales of the company declined due to "some life-cycle issues" and it never chased absolute volume, he added.
"We want to be the number one again by 2016 in India in terms of products, brand, profit and also volume," Kern said.
He said the company's most of the future products will be in the entry level segment with prices starting from Rs 20 lakh and above.
Mercedes-Benz India will launch its premium hatchback A-Class in the country during middle of this year and it will be its entry-level car here, he added.
The company, which has already launched the petrol version of its smaller car B-class, will be launching the diesel version of the car this year.
"In our global roadmap, India is one of the most important strategic market. Looking at the size of the market and number of young people, India will become a big market for us in future," Kern said.
The company on Friday inaugurated one of the largest showroom for luxury cars in in the country in south Delhi. The showroom is spread over an area of 60,000 sq ft.
Be the first to comment.


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Digital TV News: Entropic Communications
RVU Alliance Expands to Include New Operators In Latin America
Jan 7, 2013 – The RVU Alliance has welcomed two new members, with Sky Mexico and DIRECTV PanAmericana, joining DIRECTV and Sky Brasil to the roster of Pay TV broadcast operators supporting the standard.
News categories: RVU Alliance, Sky Mexico, DIRECTV Latin America, Argentina, Caribbean, CES, Chile, Colombia, DLNA, Ecuador, Gateway, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, UPnP, Uruguay, Venezuela
Next Generation RVU Specification Now Available
Jan 7, 2013 – The RVU Alliance has announced that the next generation of the RVU specification is now available. The RVU 2.0 specification updates the Remote User Interface (RUI) standard, adding vector graphics commands.
News categories: RVU Alliance, CES, Digital TV, Gateway, Home Networking, Set Top Box
Entropic to reduce personnel by 6%
Dec 3, 2012 – Entropic (Nasdaq:ENTR), in an SEC filing, has said that it is reducing its personnel by 40 employees or approximately 6% of its workforce.
News categories: Entropic, Semiconductor
GlobalSat, Entropic Communications, and Rovi Team to Deliver Multimedia Packed Hybrid Set-Top Box
Sep 8, 2012 – GlobalSat has announced that it is collaborating with Entropic Communications (Nasdaq:ENTR) and Rovi (Nasdaq:ROVI) to deliver an advanced hybrid set-top box (STB).
News categories: Digital TV, IBCShow, Media Player, Semiconductor, Set Top Box
Entropic Communications Achieves CI+ Certification on IP4.tv Hybrid Set-Top Box
Sep 7, 2012 – Entropic Communications (Nasdaq:ENTR) has announced that by working with IP4.tv GmbH the Company has successfully achieved Common Interface Plus (CI+) certification for IP4.tv's latest IP+DVB-S2 Hybrid set-top box (STB).
News categories: Digital TV, DVB-S2, IBCShow, Satellite, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart card / CAM
EchoStar HD Satellite Set-Top Boxes Enabled by Entropic SoC and Demod
Sep 7, 2012 – Entropic Communications (Nasdaq:ENTR) has announced the deployment of its set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip (SoC) and demodulator technology in three EchoStar models, which are currently being deployed at Bell Canada, Dish Mexico and Telus.
News categories: Entropic, EchoStar, Canada, Digital TV, IBCShow, Mexico, Satellite, Semiconductor, Set Top Box
Entropic Set-Top Box SoC Featured in EchoStar Freeview+ HD Ultra Slim Box
Sep 7, 2012 – Entropic (Nasdaq:ENTR) has announced that its system-on-a-chip (SoC) has been selected for EchoStar's (NASDAQ: SATS) Ultra Slim Box, an advanced, high definition (HD) digital TV recorder combining Freeview+ HD and access to Smart TV entertainment.
News categories: Entropic, Echostar, Digital TV, IBCShow, Personal Video Recorder, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK
Experience the RVU Remote User Interface Client-Server Solution Throughout IBC2012
Sep 6, 2012 – The RVU Alliance has announced several demonstrations of the RVU Remote User Interface (RUI) solution at the International Broadcasting Convention being held Sept. 7-11 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
News categories: RVU Alliance, Gateway, Home Networking, IBCShow, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart TV
- South Africa's Cabinet issues statement on conditional access
- Mongolia's MNBC migrates to DVB-T2 with Thomson video headend
- Qualy TV DTH arrives in Costa Rica
- Elliptic Technologies announces hardware-enforced content protection for Microsoft® PlayReady®
- Marvell unveils SoC for Google Services for Smart TVs with Hisense
- Bosnia's m:tel to upgrade IPTV service with Motorola
- Gartner says worldwide semiconductor revenue grew 5.2 percent in 2013
- LG to incorporate Qualcomm's AllJoyn into Smart TV platform
- Semiconductor sales recover in 2013
- Ono TV Online launches in Spain
- Rostelecom IPTV subscribers reach 2 million
- Sigma Designs announces turn-key hybrid set top box with Ginga
- SMiT launches CI+ 1.3 VoD CAM into Netherlands market
- INSIDE Secure protects premium mobile entertainment for Sky Italia
- Sequans and Huawei collaborate to advance LTE broadcast technology
- SmarDTV CI Plus modules for RCS & RDS pay TV in Romania and Hungary
- ATSC establishes Candidate Standard for Interactive TV
- Portugal adds 13,000 pay TV subscribers in 3Q 2013
- Smart TV market worth $265 billion by 2016
- New Zealand switches off analogue TV signal


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When Brjánn Bettencourt rolled out of bed on Wednesday morning to find the assets in his cryptocurrency portfolio slammed in their biggest selloff in years, he knew exactly what to do: buy more.
“Investing in crypto is not for the faint of heart,” said Bettencourt, a 32-year-old photographer in Toronto who has owned bitcoin and ether over the last year-and-a-half to complement his stock portfolio. “I’m looking at this as a serious long-term investment.”
This week, cryptocurrencies were buffeted by factors ranging from critical tweets by Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk to governmental controls in China. The price of bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, tumbled as much as 30% before retracing some losses. It is down some 40% from its highs of the year.
Leveraged positions in bitcoin and ether futures fell sharply last week, said Vanda Research, which tracks retail trades. This indicates that some retail traders probably have folded their tents.
“(The) crypto bubble has started to unravel and data from different exchanges suggest that retail investors are capitulating,” Vanda researchers said.
But other retail investors have been happy to ride the turbulence out or trade around it.
“In crypto talk, when stuff like this happens, people say it shakes out all of the weak hands and the people … who maybe bought because they saw it on the news,” said Ethan Lou, author of “Once a Bitcoin Miner: Scandal and Turmoil in the Cryptocurrency Wild West,” due this autumn. As retail investors piled into cryptocurrencies, bitcoin surged around 345% in the last year, ether soared 1,219% and dogecoin skyrocketed 15,480%, according to Coinbase data. Crypto-exchange Coinbase (COIN.O) said its more than 56 million users accounted for $335 billion in trading volume in the first quarter: $120 billion retail and $215 billion institutional. That compares to $30 billion in total a year earlier, of which $12 billion was retail, the company said.
Retail interest this year also scooped up shares of “meme stocks” such as GameStop (GME.N), pushing prices through the roof and punishing hedge funds that had sold the shares short.
Some retail investors have embraced the wild price swings in hopes of catching some of the next big rally. Users on Reddit’s popular WallStreetBets forum have popularized the term “diamond hands”as shorthand for their willingness to hold an asset through thick and thin.
Increased mainstream adoption has drawn the attention of regulators. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday called for new rules that would require large cryptocurrency transfers to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. The Federal Reserve said cryptocurrencies pose risks to financial stability. read more On Friday, China said it will crack down on bitcoin mining and trading activities.
Cryptocurrencies have been notoriously volatile throughout their history. Bitcoin plunged 94% in 2011, and dropped 82% between late 2017 and the end of 2018,…


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Dior: Menswear SS22
Photography Christina Fragkou
Dior broke new ground for its SS22 men’s show, which saw Kim Jones collaborate with Travis Scott. Jones has worked with visual artists in the past including Peter Doig, Raymond Pettibon and Daniel Arsham, but this is the first time the brand has created a full collection with a musician. That said, Scott is no ordinary hitmaker. He’s a genuine creative and business polymath and a Gen-Z disruptor par excellence.
The models walked a psychedelic desert catwalk replete with cartoon-esque cacti and giant flowers – a blend of the Texan musician’s Cactus Jack creative collective and Mr Dior’s garden. The Dior Oblique motif now spells out the word “Jack,” and a cowboy-style double Saddle bag with a stirrup handle also made its debut.
Both Scott and Jones pushed fresh ideas of silhouette, fashioning a narrow torso over flaring trousers. The sportswear game was strong, with precision-cut track pants fastened with rodeo studs and the traditional Dior Toile was embellished with Texan cactus motifs. Along with the dusty pink and sandy colour palette, it felt fresh and alive. The feel-good factor didn’t stop there. The collection also included a series of hand-painted shirts by the artist George Condo, which will be auctioned to raise money for a scholarship fund set up by Scott to bring on the next generation of designers.
Backstage photography by Jackie Nickerson
Describing how they worked, the pair said they would swap ideas and references, with Scott sending graphic ideas including the ‘ghost’ motif, which appeared on hand-knits and was hand-drawn by him. The musician was also fascinated by the precision of Dior’s tailoring. “We produce more street style things,” he said of his usual design output, “so to come into a house that does more couture-level, and kind of mesh, it was kind of cool.”
In the end, for both creatives, it all boils down to taste and point of view. “High-end, and even couture, has always even been in my metaverse of things I like. And I don’t think there’s even a difference going from McDonald’s to Dior. It’s just the things that I like in my natural state,” said Scott. “He’s a leader, not a follower” said Jones of his best client becoming his latest collaborator, “and I think that’s always really important. You cross different sections of society. The fact that he can do Dior and McDonald’s is testament to him — no one else could,” said Jones.


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By Kester Kenn Klomegah
MOSCOW | DURBAN (IDN) — South Africa is hosting a weeklong Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021), which provides a unique and valuable platform for businesses to access an integrated African market of over 1.2 billion people with a GDP of over US$2.5 trillion.
Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is the 2nd edition of the IATF, taking place in Durban from November 15-21.
The opening ceremony drew top-level speakers, among them the African presidents, who gave an insight into economic opportunities, challenges and threats to Africa.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared in his keynote address that South Africa is ready to work with other African countries to drive more balanced, equitable and fair-trade relations for the benefit of the continent.
“This Trade Fair is about building bridges. It is about connecting countries. It is about connecting people as well. Now Africa is taking concrete steps to write its own economic success story and this Intra-African Trade Fair is part of that story. Africa is opening up new fields of opportunity,” he asserted.
President Ramaphosa also wants to see more made in Africa labels, as “this is critical if we are to change the distorted trade relationship that exists between African countries and the rest of the world. We can no longer have a situation where Africa exports raw materials and imports finished goods with those materials. By promoting trade in Africa, we strengthen our own industrial base and produce goods for ourselves and for each other.”
He stressed the need of “using the combination of the continent’s raw materials and industrial capacity, finance, services and infrastructure to produce quality finished goods to local and global markets”. And “about creating a market large enough to attract investors from across the world to set up their production facilities on the continent,” Ramaphosa said.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari pointed out: “Today, Africa starts a collaborative journey towards collective economic prosperity. We cannot achieve this goal by talking alone. The implementation, the difficult journey and the challenges are surmountable if both public and private sectors collaborate. On the public sector side, governments must support local entrepreneurs to build scale, and therefore improve productivity.”
He added that “the African Continental Free Trade Area must make the effort to ensure that Africa becomes a marketplace where no country is left behind, create jobs and enhance revenues for all parties”.
President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah, referred to the IATF2021 as collective efforts for stimulation of African countries’ economies and attempt undertaken towards holistic economic recovery backed by political support. “It offers a comprehensive solution—it is not just a trade fair.”
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said in order to make intra-African trade a reality, it is necessary to review border procedures, improve transport infrastructure and make effective the airline routes. The realization the intra-African trade requires effective and regular electricity distribution and broadband connectivity especially in industrialized and urbanized major African cities.
Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, observed: “The next wave of investment in African markets must focus on productive sectors of Africa’s economy in order to drive the continent’s industrial development in the decades to come.”
Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union, said that in the medium term the vision is to transform the Intra-African Trade Fair brand “into a self-financing special purpose vehicle, which will be owned by all African Union Member States, and Pan African financial institutions”.
Other special remarks were given by: Hakainde Hichilema, (Zambia); Rt. Dr. Edouard Ngirente, (Prime Minister Rwanda); Hussein Mwinyi, (representing Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania), and Emmerson Mnangagwa, (Zimbabwe).
The first edition of IATF was held in Cairo under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The second edition was initially planned for 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda, but was postponed due to outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. It was re-scheduled and the venue changed to Durban International Convention Centre, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
* Kester Kenn Klomegah is a frequent and passionate contributor to IDN. During his professional career as a researcher specialising in Russia-Africa policy, which spans nearly two decades, he has been detained and questioned several times by federal security services for reporting facts. Most of his well-resourced articles are reprinted in several reputable foreign media. [IDN-InDepthNews – 18 November 2021]
Photo: Top African leaders at the IATF2021. Credit: IATF2021
IDN is the flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate.
We believe in the free flow of information. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, except for articles that are republished with permission.


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Investors braced for stock market turmoil as China's slump gathers pace
Stock markets are likely to react sharply to another tranche of disappointing Chinese data which was released yesterday.
Growth in China’s investment and factory output missed forecasts in August, pointing to a further cooling in the world’s second-largest economy.
The data came on the heels of weak trade and inflation readings, raising the chances that third quarter economic growth may dip below 7 per cent for the first time since the global crisis.
Disappointing: Stock markets are expected to react sharply following poor Chinese data
Growth in China’s fixed-asset investment, one of the crucial drivers of the economy, slowed to 10.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2015.
This is the weakest pace in nearly 15 years.
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The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) on Thursday posted a 16% increase in the revenues in Q4 to $9.1 billion, driven by concentrate sales growth of 2% and price/mix growth of 5%. This was above analysts’ projection of $8.89 billion.
While revenues from EMEA declined slightly, this was offset by growth in the Americas and the Asia Pacific.
Meanwhile, Q4 profit of $0.44 per share was a cent higher than the Wall Street view.
Sparkling soft drinks grew 3% in the quarter, driven by strong growth in China, Brazil and Southeast Asia.
For full-year 2020, the beverage giant expects to deliver a comparable adjusted EPS of about $2.25 versus $2.11 in 2019, up 7% YoY.
Following the announcement of better-than-expected results, investors sent the stock up 1.5% during pre-market trading hours on Thursday. In the trailing 12 months, the stock has gained 19%.
“We continue to transform the organization to act with a growth mindset, which gives us confidence in our 2020 targets and our ability to create a better-shared future for all of our stakeholders,” CEO James Quincey said in a statement.
Rival PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is scheduled to report financial results on February 13.
Benchmark stock indexes pared their recent gains early this week amid elevated inflation concerns, but regained a part of the momentum later aided by recovery in tech stocks. The Dow
Shares of Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA) have dropped 10% since the beginning of the year. The company reported mixed results for the fourth quarter of 2021 a day ago, with
With some of its parks and resorts either closed or operating at reduced capacity even more than a year after the virus outbreak, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is


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The online advertising numbers released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau today will surprise many media executives, particularly the ones who under-estimated the amount of ad dollars that flowed to the internet last year.
The numbers show Australian companies’ spending on online ads shot up 21 per cent to $2.27 billion during calendar 2010, including a 19 per cent increase in the search ad category to $1.13 billion.
The 21 per cent increase was higher than most advertising forecasters expected: Commonwealth Bank, Mediabrands, OMD, Citigroup and ZenithOptimedia, for example, had tipped growth of 17 to 19 per cent.
Mitchell-Aegis overshot the mark with its prediction of a 24.4 per cent increase in online ad spending, while the London office of media agency consortium GroupM proved it needs to sharpen its forecasting skills after predicting a 34.7 per cent increase.
Fusion Strategy was the most accurate forecaster: in November last year, it said the online ad market would be up 21.3 per cent in 2010.
The forecasters who got their numbers wrong can be forgiven to an extent: the companies that track historical media ad spending – SMI and The Nielsen Company – do not have a good handle on online revenue, making it tricky for others to make accurate predictions about spending.
The online ad market is largely cluttered, unwieldy and hard to track. It is also still growing like crazy. According to Fusion’s Steve Allen, who is currently the most accurate ad spending forecaster, it was the third largest media sector last year in terms of ad revenue, behind newspapers and free-to-air television, with 19.5 per cent of all ad spending.
Although the internet’s share of ad revenue is climbing – it was 12.5 per cent in 2007 – it still lags behind the internet’s share of Australians’ media consumption time, which is now running at about 25 per cent.
Internet executives think the gap will close over the next few years, as marketing directors who are still not sure about the cost-effectiveness of online ads or their ability to build brands slowly change their minds.
But executives in other media sectors say the gap between the internet’s shares of time and revenue will never completely close, mainly because of the endless ad inventory online companies can create and the relentless pressure on ad pricing caused by that inventory.
Not surprisingly, the Interactive Advertising Bureau is confident the online ad market will keep rising.
It quotes PwC’s forecasts of 15.5 per cent growth this year, to $2.62 billion, and 14.3 per cent in 2012, to $3 billion.
Other forecasts for the growth in online ad spending this year range from 12.3 per cent by ZenithOptimedia to 25 per cent by Mediabrands. Fusion predicts an increase of 16.7 per cent, which will lift the internet’s share of all media ad spending to 21.1 per cent.
Most ad spending forecasts are based on historical data, econometric modelling and guesswork. Media agency Starcom MediaVest is the only forecaster that asks marketing directors where they plan to spend their money in the year ahead.
Late last year marketers told Starcom their spending on online search ads would rise, on average, 23.6 per cent in 2011 and spending on online display ads would increase 19.6 per cent.
The Australian Financial Review


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The D.C. Council Tuesday gave initial approval to legislation creating a tax on the use of plastic bags by retailers, an environmental initiative that could make the city the first in the nation to enact such a measure but one decried by opponents as a tax on the poor.
“Wherever the fault lies, the fact of the matter is our country’s becoming inundated with plastic bags and plastic bottles,” said council member Jack Evans, Ward 2 Democrat. “This is a first step to try to address that issue.”
The Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act of 2009 bans the use of disposable non-recyclable plastic carryout bags and assesses consumers a 5 cent fee per recyclable paper and plastic carryout bag used to carry purchases at retail
establishments like grocery stores, convenience stores and liquor stores.
Retailers under the proposal would be allowed to keep one cent of the fee, while the remaining four cents would be placed in a fund targeting cleanup of the Anacostia River, which officials say receives 20,000 tons of trash each year.
Stores also can offer a carryout bag credit program, which would credit customers at least five cents for each bag they provide, and be able to keep two cents per bag sold.


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A single mother of three who was arrested one month after high-end fashion designer Dame Trelise Cooper's Auckland headquarters was targeted in a $750,000 heist, says she, too, is a victim despite police having found some of the stolen items at her house.
"I'm quite a gullible person," Kathy Yu-Jen Stephens testified Wednesday afternoon as her trial started in the Auckland District Court. "I do believe what people tell me."
Stephens, who is a private investigator and former cake decorator, is charged with having received stolen goods.
During a search of her Onehunga home in November 2020 police located eight clothing items that had vanished in the burglary - including a parcel full of Trelise Cooper items that was set to be sent to Canada.
Last year, former television industry worker Nicholas James Bush pleaded guilty to the burglary of Cooper's Newmarket office, during which he forced open a service door after the premises had closed for the weekend and looted the designer's styling room.
Only a portion of the 2000 stolen items was ever recovered, and prosecutors acknowledged on Wednesday that the clothing found at Stephens' house amounted to only a small percentage of what Bush stole.
Stephens told jurors that Bush was a longtime friend of her ex-roommate but she knew him only in passing. She conceded it was strange when he randomly showed up at her door one evening in October 2020 with two suitcases full of designer clothing. But she felt sorry for him, she said, explaining that he had scratches on his face and said he had gotten in a fight with his girlfriend.
"He said, 'She kicked me out and I just grabbed these two suitcases and left,'" she explained, adding that he offered to sell her the clothes so that he could have enough cash to get a hotel room.
"Where the hell did you get all these?" she recalled asking him.
She recognised the Trelise Cooper brand, having already owned a fur coat by the designer.
"He said because he worked in the TV industry his ex-girlfriend had bought the sample range," she said.
That night she gave Bush $600. Later on, she would pay for his hotel rooms in exchange for items, she said.
She "got quite excited" about the clothes because her mother's 70th birthday was coming up and she hadn't yet had time to buy her a present, she said. The items that police would later find packaged and ready to send to Canada would have been a gift for her "shopaholic" auntie, who had always teased her that New Zealand wasn't worth visiting because it had no high-end shops, Stephens explained.
Stephens insisted while on the witness stand that she had no idea Trelise Cooper's headquarters had been burgled until the day police searched her home. As a single mother of three young boys she didn't have the "luxury of time" to follow the news, she said.
"He just seemed like a normal guy," Stephens said of Bush. "I just didn't even think something like that is possible - it didn't even cross my mind."
For Stephens to be found guilty of the alleged crime, prosecutors would have to prove that she either knew the items of clothing were stolen or she was reckless as to whether they were, turning a blind eye on purpose.
"It was obvious they came from a less-than-legitimate source," prosecutor Frances Gourlay said in her opening address on Wednesday, explaining that the "couture" label on the clothing would have made their high-fashion origins evident.
"It would be clear to anyone they were suspicious."
Defence lawyers Christina Halloway and Natasha Murden pointed out their client had no prior criminal record.
Police obtained a search warrant for the home after Bush listed it as his bail address. Stephens, however, said that Bush "tricked me" and that he never actually lived there.
The trial got off to a late start on Wednesday because a courthouse security officer tested positive for Covid-19, Judge Brooke Gibson told jurors before witnesses were called.
Stephens is expected to continue her testimony on Thursday.


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Transworld Business Advisors, Signarama, Intelligent Office, Venture X, and Fully Promoted have all received multiple years of recognition.
At the company’s recent convention, the Office Evolution team celebrated a milestone year and shared plans for substantial growth in 2023.
Throughout November, those who served in the United States Armed Forces can get a complimentary membership at participating U.S. locations of Venture X.
In his new role, Anderson plans to launch a major expansion to make the brand one of the largest shared-workspace companies in the world.
As demand in Virginia increases to build, this highly anticipated location is expected to enter the market around the end of this year.
The combination of Venture X and Office Evolution establishes the largest privately-owned global franchisor in the coworking industry.


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The first days of spring bring fresh crypto news! Check out the top four news stories over the past day presented to you by U.Today.
Shiba Inu attains "powerful partnership" in the fashion world
According to a tweet by SHIB lead developer Shytoshi Kusama, Shiba Inu has partnered with John Richmond designer wear. As part of the “partnershib,” John Richmond and Shiba Inu will issue 10,000 NFTs, stage fashion presentations in Milan and Italy, and trade the collection in stores around the world. Other details will be unveiled soon, says Shytoshi Kusama.
Meanwhile, AMC CEO Adam Aron has announced that his company will add support for BitPay-powered online payments on March 19, meaning that the world's largest cinema chain will soon be able to start accepting Shiba Inu.
More than 200,000 BTC moved by whales amid Bitcoin's 18% climb
As Bitcoin was climbing up about 18%, large investors, also known as “whales,” moved more than 200,000 BTC. The flagship crypto is slowly but surely gaining traction, with the $44,981 price mark reached on the first day of March. At the moment of writing, Bitcoin is changing hands at $44,330. However, despite an impressive recovery, BTC is still down roughly 6% since the start of the year and 35.20% down from its record peak.
Attorney Jeremy Hogan is optimistic regarding no further delays in XRP case discovery process
In his reply to a user wondering whether it is possible for any of the Ripple-SEC lawsuit phases to be extended, attorney Jeremy Hogan said that the chances of such an outcome are low. He feels, however, that the regulator might request additional time for summary judgment briefings.
After being postponed four times, the final date for expert discovery was set for Feb. 28. The entire XRP community is now keeping its fingers crossed for this lawsuit to finally be over.
1 billion XRP unlocked by Ripple as anon wallets move over 200 million XRP
Yesterday, as usually happens on the first day of each month, the Ripple fintech giant released another 1 billion XRP from escrow. However, most of this enormous lump will be locked back in. Apart from that, several crypto exchanges and unknown wallets have transferred a total of 222,000,000 XRP. The largest transaction, 152,027,860 XRP, was made by Binance internally, while smaller transactions were pulled off by Bittrex, Bitso and Bithumb.
As for the XRP price, the coin is currently trading at $0.7737, according to CoinMarketCap.


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Renault Shows off Production-Ready Espace Crossover in Paris
The Renault Espace has served as a minivan-like multi-purpose vehicle in Europe for decades, and for its latest generation, the French automaker took cues from the concept that debuted at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, the redesigned Renault Espace has made its debut in production trim at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
Based heavily on the concept, the Espace debuted in Paris with an interior that builds on past models. With a comfortable, brightly lit interior, floating center console, along with five- and seven-passenger seating options, the new Renault Espace is shaping up to be a family car hit in its home market.
With looks that combine those of a minivan and a crossover, the new Espace offers the best of both worlds. "The new Renault Espace is a crossover that is generous, not only in its proportions, but also in its technological content and equipment. . . It is an invitation to the driver and passengers alike to sit back and enjoy every moment of every journey they make," said Laurens van den Aker, Senior Vice President, Renault Corporate Design at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
The new Renault Espace comes loaded with the latest driver assist features, Renault's Multi-Sense system, and 4Control to set it apart from the competition. But that isn't all this new model has to offer. With an exterior design filled with strong lines and an interior that has been designed with the driver and passengers in mind, there's much to appreciate about the new Espace.
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Sheffield designer in running for businesswomen under 25 accolade.
Sheffield-based jewellery designer Jessica Flinn has been named a finalist in the 2013 NatWest Everywoman Awards.
The finalists for the awards were revealed yesterday, recognising the women from across the UK exhibiting vital contribution that female enterprise makes to the British economy.
24-year-old Flinn has been selected for the Artemis category, sponsored by The White Company, for women running a business under the age of 25.
Flinn launched her namesake jewellery brand in 2011, exhibiting her first collection at IJL that year. Today her stainless steel and silver and gold collections are sold through 60 independent boutiques and Argos, for whom she has created a number of capsule collections.
She also offers a bespoke design service and has increased turnover six-fold in just two years of trading.
Judges for the awards include business founders Chrissie Rucker MBE of the White Company, Wendy Hallett MBE of Hallett Retail, Camilla Stephens of Higgidy and Anna Lee of Storm Watches. They received a record-breaking number of entries for this year’s awards.
Everywoman co-founder Maxine Benson MBE said: “Now is the time to shrug off the spectre of recession and celebrate the individuals who are contributing to economic recovery through their vision and success. This year’s finalists unilaterally saw the opportunity for growth and have proven that the UK is enterprise friendly and open for business. Women-led SME’s already contribute £70 billion to the economy. With an estimated 2.4m women not in work who want to work, if we could just equalise men and women’s economic participation we could add 10% to the economy by 2030. It is vital, therefore, that we foster entrepreneurial culture to ensure the UK economy continues its recovery and its ability to compete on a global scale.”


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This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.
» Top New Releases in Books
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Business Insider Inelligence
Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive experiences in which users can hear, see, and interact with 360-degree digital environments using head-mounted displays (HMDs) and handheld motion devices. The technology has been historically associated with consumer-facing gaming, but it’s been gaining traction in the enterprise over the past year.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
- T-Mobile is outpacing the rest of the Big Four US carriers on value, loyalty, and satisfaction — here’s what consumers say is most important when selecting a mobile provider
- VR isn’t just for gamers — here’s how Audi, Lowe’s and Macy’s are using it to boost sales and employee training
- A majority of consumers expect VR to become a part of daily life


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Vietnam and Cambodia are among the banana suppliers growing their market share in China, capitalising on a turbulent 2020.
Accordingto analysis of China customs data from Fresh Intelligence Consulting, in the first seven months of 2020 China imported 1.09m tonnes of bananas, an 8 per cent decrease from the same period in 2019.
Imports from China’s largest supplier, the Philippines, is the most notable change throughout this period. It has exported 498,000 tonnes, a 23 per cent year-on-year decline.
Cambodia has been one of the suppliers taking advantage of the gap in the market, exporting 100,000 tonnes to China, increasing its market share from 0.5 per cent in 2019 to 10 per cent in 2020.
Eric Zheng, general purchasing manager of leading Chinese banana importer Goodfarmer, said Ecuador’s banana exports to China have also reduced.
“The drop from the Philippines and Ecuador is due to various factors: the pandemic, TR4 and the estimated decrease in production from Ecuador,” explained Zheng.
“For Vietnam and Cambodia, the growth is thanks to an increase in production area. Most of the extra supply came to China for lack of other options.”
Zheng said the pandemic has had a number of different effects, including lowering prices, but they haven’t been particularly significant.
The cautious approach taken by importers at the start of the pandemic drove the shift in sourcing. Meanwhile, an increase in Covid-19 cases outside of China caused labour shortages and “a considerable drop in volume and quality”.
“Due to the impact on demand from Europe and Russia, Ecuadorian banana prices from May to August were 30 per cent lower compared to previous years,” said Zheng.
“Additionally, from May onwards, China’s demand for fruit decreased about 30-50 per cent compared to the same period last year, which dragged down banana prices.”
Read more about Asia’s banana markets in the upcoming October edition of Asiafruit.
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Norwegian Cruise Line is going to be installing a new continuous disinfection air purification system across all its ships, including those from Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. This new system is set to reduce any exposure to Coronavirus onboard.
New NCL Purification System
All 28 cruise ships that the cruise company owns will have a new air purification system that will help protect guests and crew from the virus. The new air filtration system technology will feature continuous active COVID disinfection through bi-polar ionization in the air and on surfaces, an all-natural solution with no harmful chemicals, radiations or by-products.
Worth Reading: 9 Reasons to Cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Ship
Robin Lindsay, executive vice president of Vessel Operations for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, said:
“While it is impossible to completely eliminate the risks associated with COVID-19, the AtmosAir technology is one of the many investments the Company is making to enhance its already rigorous health and safety standards.”
“We are working diligently on our multi-layered strategy for health and safety and AtmosAir’s proven all-natural bi-polar ionization technology will add yet another layer of protection on board our ships.”
The system is thanks to a partnership between Norwegian Cruise Line and AtmosAir Solutions. The system has been tested by a world-leading preeminent laboratory and it’s confirmed that the presence of the virus was reduced by 99.2% within 30 minutes.
All kinds of virus’s, bacteria, spores and volatile organic compounds can be reduced and this means that we could see a reduction in future Norovirus outbreaks too.
The three cruise lines are currently planning on resuming cruises next year and new measures need to be implemented to make sure guests and crew can remain safe. For operations out of the U.S., requirements from the CDC must be met and the new purification system is a big part of that to keep guests and crew safe.
Norwegian Cruise Line has currently suspended operations through February 2021 but the majority of the fleet won’t return until much later.
Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia / Shutterstock.com


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Samsung Galaxy M20 with dual rear cameras, 5000mAh battery reveals
A latest concept render of the upcoming smartphone from the Samsung’s camp namely Samsung Galaxy M20 with model number SM-M205 revealed on the web. The leaked render shows the design of he phone including its Infinity U display and also unveiled that will be powered by a 5000mAh battery.
According to the latest rumor, the upcoming smartphone Samsung Galaxy M20 will sport 6.3-inch Full HD+ 19:5:9 display with the resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. It will come with 3 GB RAM, internal storage capacity of 32GB ,which can be further expandable up to 512GB via micro SD card slot. It will have the dimension of 156.4 x 74.5 x 8.8 mm, dual-SIM functionality and will also feature a fingerprint sensor.
It will be armed with Octa-Core (2.2GHz Dual + 1.6GHz Hexa) Exynos 7885 14nm processor with Mali-G71 GPU and will run on Android 8.1 (Oreo).
The camera section of the device Samsung Galaxy M20 will include dual rear camera of 13MP with LED flash, 5MP f/2.2 depth camera and a front-facing camera of 8MP with f/2.0 aperture.
Connectivity wise, it will feature Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS and will support 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio. It will be backed up by a massive 5000mAh battery.
The date of its announcement is still unconfirmed, but as per rumor the device will hit the UK, Germany, France, Poland, and Scandinavian countries in coming days. We will also see the arrival of Samsung Galaxy M30 and Galaxy M10 very soon as both the smartphones are in the path for launching.
Stay with us for more information.


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Thailand, a popular tourist destination for millions of Chinese travelers every year, has seen a decline in visitor numbers in recent months due to social media rumors and a blockbuster movie.
The rumors, which began circulating online in March with posts shared and viewed millions of times on Weibo, claim that Chinese tourists in Thailand are at risk of being kidnapped and sent to work at brutal scamming complexes in Myanmar or Cambodia.
This rumor was further fueled by the August release of the Chinese film “No More Bets,” which tells the story of a computer programmer who ends up in a violent scamming compound in Southeast Asia after being trafficked through an unnamed country that bears a striking resemblance to Thailand.
The high-octane thriller has grossed CNY 3.8 billion (USD 521 million) and become a social media sensation, with many viewers expressing concerns about the safety of Thailand as a tourist destination.
The movie is not entirely a work of fiction as extensive reporting in the past has documented thousands of Chinese people lured to centers in Southeast Asia, mainly in Myanmar and Cambodia, and forced to run online scams.
However, most people who get trapped in these situations are tricked into it by fake offers of good-paying jobs, not kidnapped off the streets while they are on vacation. And so far, there have been no reports of such scam compounds in Thailand.
However, a Beijing student named Leanna Qian, 22, told Agence France-Presse that she was still concerned about traveling to Thailand, despite knowing that some of the stories were “exaggerated.”
“I’m worried that we’ll be taken to other places, such as Cambodia or Myanmar,” she said.
Thailand, once a popular tourist destination known for Chinese tourists has seen a significant decline in recent years. In 2019, the country welcomed a record-breaking 11 million Chinese tourists, but so far in 2023, only 2.3 million Chinese tourists have visited the country.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, the president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, also attributed the decline in Chinese tourists to negative online chatter. “Things don’t happen in Thailand, but Thailand is targeted,” he said.
In an effort to boost tourism, the Thai government recently announced temporary visa-free travel for Chinese travelers. It remains to be seen, however, whether this will be enough to overcome the negative publicity surrounding Thailand.
In neighboring Cambodia, the situation is even worse, according to the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, Chhay Sivlin. She said that her company has not received any Chinese tour groups so far this year and that many tourists are worried about their safety.
“If the Chinese government helps, we will receive tourists soon because Chinese people listen to their government,” said Chhay.


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Goldman Sachs downgraded Dell Inc. dell to sell from neutral following the company's second-quarter results. "Though most of Dell's woes have been well-telegraphed for some months, the degree to which they are affecting Dell and their staying power are only now being appreciated," the broker said. "Neither a second half demand improvement nor Dell's upcoming Sept. 12-13 analysts' meeting are likely to cause much change, the former because of Dell's more concentrated positioning on the commercial rather than the consumer side, and the latter more a result of what we think will be a fairly uneventful meeting with no new business model plan to catalyze it," it added. (Corrects item to reflect that Goldman uses the term "neutral," not "hold.")
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On Friday, Britain’s main stock index was nearly intact, with an abrupt weekly dive for the benchmark in sight because market participants worried about another phase of negotiations for Britons in protracted talks to leave the EU and concerns that talks…
US equities stand still on trade clashes
On Monday, American equities were nearly intact because market participants closely watched an intensifying trade conflict between China and America as well as a mixed pack of corporate outcomes.
China proposed a bunch of differentiated duties on $60 billion worth of American products the previous week, thus responding to the current US presidential administration's plans of 25% duties on $200 billion worth of China’s products.
On Monday, China’s state media launched a powerful attack on US leader’s outrageous trade policies, telling that his trade stance wouldn’t work with the world’s number two economy.
The months-long clash has affected financial markets throughout the world, although the American markets have been mostly underpinned by a firm profits season so far.
As a matter of fact, Berkshire Hathaway Inc tacked on by 3.6% right after the Warren Buffett-led conglomerate posted a 67% leap in its quarterly operating revenue.
Newell Brands went down by 7% after the Sharpie pen manufacture posted quarterly sales below investors’ forecasts on Monday and downgraded its full-year estimate.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average headed south by 0.22% hitting 25,406.6. As for the S&P 500, it managed to tack on by 0.02% being worth 2,841.04. Additionally, the Nasdaq Composite rallied by 0.06% hitting 7,816.86.
Besides this, 6 of the 11 key S&P sectors slumped, led by a 0.4% sink in the S&P materials index.
Additionally, Praxair slumped by 5.2% following its $86 billion merger with Germany’s industrial gases group Linde generated mistrust by more demands from American antitrust watchdogs.
Intel turned out to be the biggest drag on the key indexes, losing 1.8% after Barclays had the stock downgraded to “equal weight.”
PepsiCo tacked on by 1.3%.
The S&P index demonstrated 11 fresh 52-week maximums and no fresh minimums. As for the Nasdaq, it came up with 30 new minimums and 35 fresh maximums.
On Friday, Asian stock indexes generally rallied, with Japan in the lead…
On Thursday, European equities rebounded right after the Chinese government told it would hold trade negotiations with America in Washington a bit later this month, thus causing a recovery in investors' risk appetite on expectations of a trade conflict…
In February, Japan's exports probably ascended at the fastest pace for two years due to a softer yen as well as improving global demand, as a Reuters survey showed on Friday…
On Monday, stocks in Asia declined with markets in Japan unavailable for a holiday and traders watching oilfield-related stocks after a bankruptcy filing by Singapore's Ezra Holdings…
On Friday, the evergreen buck added against the Japanese yen and euro, drifting away from recent minimums, though revenues were capped as traders focused on a showdown between Donald Trump and members of his own party as for a fresh healthcare bill…


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A major UK licensing plan for the Japanese goliath, Godzilla has been detailed as the monster prepares to storm its way into cinemas with two films in the next two years.
The Japanese licensor Toho has named Rocket Licensing its UK and Ireland representative for the mythical Godzilla and its brand extension as it looks to target the apparel, accessories, homewares, toys, novelties and gifts sectors.
The monster is also said to be making a move for publishing, stationery and games and puzzles with both classic and new movie appeal.
Two new Godzilla films are slated for release in as many years with Godzilla: King of the Monsters scheduled for 2019 and Godzilla vs Kong (a tentative title) pencilled in for 2020. The upcoming 2019 blockbuster from Warner Bros and Legendary features Stranger Things’ Millie Bobbie Brown.
Both Rocket Licensing and Toho expect demand for licensed product to be “higher than ever” as they prepare to celebrate 65 years of the Godzilla trope.
The story of Godzilla itself os steeped in Japanese cultural and social history. The monster began life as a Jurassic creature that evolved from a sea reptile to a terrestrial beast, awakened by thermonuclear tests.
Over time, the franchise evolved and Godzilla – along with the other creatures from the Godzilla films – have become a metaphor for social commentary in the real world. The characters have become to embody the emotions and social problems of each era.
The 1954 classic Godzilla from Toho is today widely regarded as a masterpiece and the launch pad of a monster franchise that has now spanned 64 years and more than 30 films, culminating in the most recent and most controversial 2016 title Shin Godzilla.
Last year, Toho launched its first animated production now currently streaming on Netflix.
Not only a cinematic hit, Godzilla has inspired and sparked much in today’s pop culture scene and the genre’s success at retail. The beast has become the star of a number of video games, novels, comic books and TV shows.
Charlie Donaldson, joint managing director of Rocket Licensing, said: “With the arrival of the fantastic new Godzilla film in 2019 and the launch of the animated trilogy on Netflix, awareness of the property is sky-high and growing among fans old and new.
“The time is undoubtedly right for a new licensing campaign in the UK, and we are delighted to be showcasing the brand at this year’s BLE.”


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CHELMSFORD, MA – January 28, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today released the findings from its annual Sales Execution Trends report – a comprehensive study of the changing objectives and challenges facing sales leaders and sales organizations.
CHELMSFORD, MA – January 26, 2015 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, celebrated record-breaking sales in 2014 with an 80 percent increase in new customer business, with existing customers continuing to expand deployments. The Company’s Personalized Content solution, including RFP & Proactive Proposals, grew 54 percent in new customer business, with Guided Selling and Sales Playbooks offerings experiencing an 85 percent growth rate overall.
CHELMSFORD, MA – December 8, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced they will be presenting new research findings during a webinar with the Sales Management Association (SMA) entitled “Research Update: Sales Onboarding Practices.” Speakers include Bob Kelly, Chairman of SMA, Christopher Faust, Chief Marketing Officer at Qvidian, and Kurt Theriault, Principal of Business Efficacy, Inc.
CHELMSFORD, MA – November 18, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced Connect 2015, the premier event for sales operations, sales management, RFP, and proposal professionals. In its sixth year, Connect 2015 will help attendees focus on the idea of revolutionizing the selling content and processes with key strategies for thinking differently, creating value and succeeding faster. This year’s conference will take place March 23-25, 2015 at the Grand Hyatt, San Antonio, TX.
CHELMSFORD, MA – November 10, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced the newest release of its industry leading, cloud-based Proposal Automation and Personalized Sales Content solution. The Fall 2014 release offers an enriched user interface (UI), allowing for superior performance and a more resilient and robust experience, further enhancing workflow ease and the ability to create truly personalized sales documents more efficiently.
CHELMSFORD, MA – November 3, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced they will be partnering with the Sales Management Association (SMA) to present a webinar on best practices for planning and executing annual Sales Kickoff meetings. As the year comes to a close, teams will be looking to the New Year and jump start their sales initiatives.
CHELMSFORD, MA – October 27, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced that they will be in New York City for the 2014 LIMRA Annual Conference presenting the latest sales efficiency trends in Financial Services sector. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Leadership Challenge: Connecting in a Distracted World”. With technology evolving at a remarkable pace, understanding how people in the modern era communicate with one another is essential for sales and marketing professionals.
CHELMSFORD, MA – October 20, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced that they will be showcasing its latest technology advancements at Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) UK’s annual conference, the Skills Development Summit. In addition to demonstrating Qvidian’s latest technology advancements, Qvidian is also sponsoring the Fiona Flower Knowledge Management Award at this year’s Networking and Awards Dinner.
CHELMSFORD, MA – October 20, 2014 - Qvidian, the innovator in sales execution solutions, today announced industry experts from the company will be hosting an Insight Breakout Session at the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) Sales & Marketing Summit. Amanda Wilson, Director of Marketing, and Deirdre Sommerkamp, Director of Advisory Services, will be presenting on ways to achieve greater success through a new and modern approach to sales execution.
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Firms expect a two-year wait for a return on RFID
Only one of 24 firms with active RFID implementations is expecting a return on investment within two years, according to research by supply chain analyst firm Arc Advisory Group.
Two-thirds of firms will be using VoIP by 2006
By 2006, 66% of Global 2,000 companies will be using voice over IP technology on the desktop to make cheap phone calls over the internet, according to a study by professional services firm Deloitte & Touche. The company interviewed CIOs from 131 businesses. Of those surveyed, 26% had already deployed IP to the desktop.
8 November release for Oracle e-business suite
Oracle will ship the next version of its suite of enterprise applications on 8 November. E-Business Suite 11i.10 includes at least 2,100 new capabilities, according to Oracle.
Outsourcing finance IT is not cost effective
A survey of European and US companies has found that less than 50% consider outsourcing financial systems to be cost-effective. Forty-four per cent of companies that have outsourced financial functions said they had saved a "moderate" amount, according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Just 3% said they had saved a "significant" amount. Thirty-three per cent saw limited financial benefit to outsourcing.
Move to Windows could open ATMs to viruses
Cash machine networks could soon be more susceptible to computer viruses, security firm Trend Micro has warned, because many banks are starting to use the Windows operating system in the machines. For many years the IBM OS/2 operating system has been powering most cash machines around the world, but IBM will end support for OS/2 in 2006, forcing banks to look for alternatives.
Report calls for more co-operation on data
A report from the Cabinet Office has acknowledged that there is insufficient co-operation on information assurance between public and private sector organisations. David Omand, the government’s security and intelligence co-ordinator, called for more joined-up working, while avoiding "the dead hand of bureaucracy".
Dell server users will be offered Novell Linux
Dell is to offer Novell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 for their single- and dual-processor Poweredge servers through an arrangement between the two suppliers. The operating system will be bundled with the server at the time of purchase.
Sun to release draft Java integration spec
Sun Microsystems and other leading suppliers are to release an early draft of a specification designed to ease the integration of Java-based systems. The Java Business Integration (JBI) specification features support from JBoss, Apache Group and Iona as well as Novell, Oracle and SAP. Final adoption of the proposal is anticipated next year, Sun said.
Half of firms do not have a supply chain strategy
More than 50% of firms do not have a supply chain strategy, according to a survey of 236 companies by IT services firm Computer Sciences Corporation. The annual survey also found that more than 40% of businesses have implemented or are planning RFID projects within the next five years. Retail and high-tech firms rated themselves as more advanced in supply chain capabilities than other industries. Only 38% of companies said they had a documented plan to cope with a disruption to their supply chain.
Twelve London stations get free Wi-Fi points
Free Wi-Fi wireless access points were made available at 12 London train stations last week, but users should be aware of the need for good mobile security, according to wireless equipment supplier Aruba Wireless Networks. The company said the hotspots will access the UK only and offer a simple service that does not provide protection against hacking and virus infections.
Worm targets prime minister of Hungary
Anti-virus supplier Sophos has reported a new e-mail worm which attempts to knock the website of the Hungarian prime minister off the internet. The worm also targets the Google and Microsoft websites. The Zafi-C worm (W32/Zafi-C) spreads by e-mail using subjects lines such as "Re: Hey buddy!" and "Re: Very sick little girl!". A new variant of the Bagle worm is also in the wild, anti-virus companies have warned.


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Designer department stores chain Fenwick has been announced as the Official Luxury Retail Store Partner of Newcastle United Football Club (NUFC) following a multi-year partnership agreement.
The partnership will see the Newcastle upon Tyne-based company support “The Rooftops with Fenwick” hospitality lounge at St. James Park as part of a naming rights component of its agreement with the club. The lounge is located in the south-west corner of the Newcastle United senior men’s team’s home ground.
Peter Silverstone, Chief Commercial Officer, Newcastle United FC, said:
“We are incredibly proud to be teaming up with Fenwick – an organisation that is very special to Tyneside. Newcastle United and Fenwick have a combined 270 years of history and heritage in the heart of Newcastle. We share a passion for the city and its people. After recently launching its Quiet No More brand campaign, there could not be a better time for Fenwick to turn up the volume by joining forces with Newcastle United; one of the loudest and most talked about clubs in Europe and across the globe.
“We look forward to supporting Fenwick as it embarks on an ambitious programme of investment, transformation and global recognition as we continue on our own upward global trajectory, both on and off the pitch. With such incredible attention to detail and commitment to excellence, Fenwick is also the perfect partner for The Rooftops with Fenwick where we will provide memorable Newcastle United and Fenwick experiences for our members and guests.“
Leo Fenwick, Strategic Partnerships Director, Fenwick, added:
“Partnering with Newcastle United Football Club marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Fenwick, which has been an anchor in the city since we first opened over 140 years ago, bringing our unique curation of fashion and hospitality to the community. We are incredibly proud to be on a shared mission to support local talent, creativity and passion, whilst putting the city and North East on the map globally. With our ongoing investment programme transforming our store for the future, we’re pleased to join wider efforts to invest in the region, and this partnership will only serve to amplify our reach and impact.“


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Athens, January 20, 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency
By Olga Mavrou
The Major of Athens decided that Athens need a new kind of kiosks and after a contest three designs were chosen. Now the owners of kiosks or the owners to be, will have to chose one of those designs for their new work environment.
The problem is that the cost of the kiosk is not negligible. As they put it “everybody wants a modern and beautiful kiosk, but no one can afford it”. They are wondering if the rise of the cost is an indirect way for the big companies to take up their business.


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CHICAGO (June 22, 2016) - Kelly Webb Roberts, co-owner of Webb Chevrolet Plainfield, Webb Chevrolet Oak Lawn, Webb Hyundai (Highland, Ind.) and Webb Hyundai Mitsubishi (Merrillville, Ind.) was elected to the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) board of directors this month.
"I am excited to serve on the CATA board on behalf of my fellow new-car dealers," said Webb Roberts. "It is an honor to be a part of the Chicago Auto Show and one of the greatest dealer groups in the country."
Webb Roberts, a native of Northwest Indiana, is currently president of the Webb Auto Group and began working exclusively in the auto industry in 2006. Immediately prior, she worked for the accounting firm of Crowe Horwath.
Webb Roberts graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind. She received her Master's in the Science of Accountancy from Loyola University Chicago.
To download a high-resolution photo of Kelly Webb Roberts, please click the following link: http://www.cata.info/assets/1/7/Kelly-Webb-Roberts-Hi-Res.jpg.
About The Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Founded in 1904 and located in Oakbrook Terrace, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information please visit CATA.info.
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The owner of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein is focusing on its flagship labels and has sold its heritage brands for $220 million, in a deal that has made Authentic Brands (ABG) a specialist in formal American menswear.
Adam Gough, event director at Jacket Required, has hinted at a number of changes for the upcoming edition, after last week’s show was hit by a heatwave and the ongoing political and economic uncertainty.
In April, Volcom was sold by Kering to a pool of investors including the US brand’s management. It has ambitious plans for the future, as Todd Hymel, CEO of Volcom’s new owner Liberated Brands, told FashionNetwork.com.
Premium fashion trade show Jacket Required will be showcasing a larger number of eco brands at its upcoming event in January as part of its goal of promoting a more sustainable future for the industry.
Hervé Léger has entrusted the creative direction of its womenswear collections to Christian Juul Nielsen. The designer is already working on his debut collection for the label, acquired by Authentic Brands in 2017.


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From Sabang to Merauke and from sarung to kebaya, textiles are central to many Indonesian traditions and woven into the national culture. Now, a homegrown organisation in Java is working to make these fabrics more sustainable. With grant funding from Samdhana Institute , Sekar Kawung is producing eco-friendly, artisan cotton that can reduce Indonesia’s carbon footprint, while also creating jobs for local people. As the fashion industry comes to terms with its role in the global carbon crisis, Sekar Kawung offers a greener, more sustainable trend to follow.
Dressed to Kill: the Problem with Fashion
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to turn up the heat on climate change. Surprisingly, one of the biggest culprits is the fashion industry, which produces about 10% of global carbon emissions each year – more than all shipping and international flights combined. And the problem continues to get worse. On average, people are buying 60% more clothes now than they did at the turn of the century, and wearing them for half as long. Clearly, with its wasteful production and unsustainable practices, the industry is in need of a new look.
“Every year, the fashion industry emits more carbon than all shipping and international flights combined.”
And this is especially true in Indonesia, where 99.9% of cotton is imported. These raw materials are shipped from countries in Latin America, along with the United States, China and Vietnam, and all that travel adds extra weight to Indonesia’s carbon footprint. Localising cotton production and fabric manufacture to Indonesia would certainly have a positive impact on carbon emissions. But this development also offers a range of other, more localised benefits too; evolving towards locally produced, sustainable textiles would create more jobs for local communities and empower makers of traditional fabrics throughout the archipelago.
The Fashion Industry’s Environmental Impact
10% of global carbon emissions come from the fashion industry
Fashion-related GHG emissions are expected to increase 50% by 2030
99.9% of cotton worn in Indonesia comes from abroad
Textile production in Indonesia makes up >6% of the manufacturing sector
An estimated 100 billion new garments are made every year
Local Traditions Offer Solutions to a Modern, Global Issue
Back in 2015, Sekar Kawung began working with traditional artisans in East Sumba, helping them gain access to natural dyes that are locally produced and more environmentally friendly than many of the imported alternatives. Then, in 2019, the group teamed up with women farmers and textile artisans in the Kerek sub-district of Tuban Regency, East Java. Here, among their crops of maize and mung bean, women grow cotton and spin it into yarn, which can be woven into cloth. This fabric is then brought to life using a mix of natural dyes and traditional decorative techniques. The women here craft a wide variety of different outfits in many different styles, including batik. With a little extra help, they are now beginning to standardise the process, improving quality control and branching out into modern designs that remain firmly rooted in local tradition.
From Farm to Wardrobe: Growing a Sustainable Business Ecosystem
In 2021, following two years of promising development, Sekar Kawung was looking to expand its business and extend its reach. It received CSR funding support from Maybank, which was channelled into new technologies that could support the cotton production process.
Then, in 2022, with a grant of IDR 145 million (almost US$10,000) from Samdhana, this production went up another gear; they began producing their own pisano cloth, which incorporates the latest innovations in thread technology; and a new range of woven fabrics, which take their inspiration from traditional gedog weaving, but offer greater speed and strength than manual spinning techniques.
By making minor adjustments and improvements to every step of the process, the end product has been improved, making it more viable for sale and a more reliable source of income for those involved in its creation. The end result is a collaborative, sustainable and fair system, with value added throughout the supply chain.
“A collaborative, sustainable and fair system, with value added throughout the supply chain.”
Taking Centre Stage at Yogyakarta Fashion Week
From the start, Sekar Kawung’s goal has been to build a sustainable, circular production line. Samdhana funding has helped this process evolve into a more professional operation. But in order for the raw materials and processing phase to be sustainable, they require an end product that is saleable.
By teaming up with local designer Lila Imeldasari, Sekar Kawung and Samdhana found the final piece of the puzzle. Imeldasari was able to craft these organic and eco-friendly fabrics into designs that combined all the elegance of traditional dress with a new and dynamic modern flair.
On 22 August last year, these designs were showcased at Yogyakarta Fashion Week 2022. The theme of the event was ‘Karya Wastra Bhineka’, in tribute to the beauty and ethnic diversity of Indonesia. Proudly representing their corner of the archipelago, Sekar Kawung and Lila Imeldasari presented the Muluh Collection; a range of designs inspired by Javanese attire and crafted from homegrown fabrics.
“Focusing on local, homespun production dramatically reduces the environmental impact of clothing production.”
Many of these creations subsequently went on sale at Imeldasari’s boutique in Yogyakarta, which carries the same name as her brand – Lemari Lila. Here, fashionistas can buy local designs made from hand-crafted fabrics, cultivated in fields not far from the dressing room door. This focus on local, homespun production dramatically reduces the environmental impact of clothing production, while also providing a sustainable source of income for local communities that’s rooted in local heritage.
The Sekar Kawung model is designed to be scalable. With the right investment, it has the potential to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on imported fabrics and significantly lower carbon emissions associated with the production of textiles. Working together with Samdhana, the group intends to trial, refine and improve this model over the next 18 months, before replicating their success in other traditional textile-producing communities around Indonesia.
Today, Sekar Kawung fabrics are turning heads on the catwalks of Yogyakarta. Pretty soon, they could prove to be a game changer on the world stage.
(Written by Chris Alexander for the Samdhana Institute)