Textile Dyers to Merge With CFA
The Association of Textile Dyers Printers & Finishers (ATDPF), still reeling from the spike in energy prices from two years ago, has decided to pool its resources and become part of the Los Angeles-based California Fashion Association (CFA) to take advantage of its vast networking pipeline.
The ATDPF represents most of Southern California’s garment and textile dyers, printers and finishers. A good one-third of its members were forced out of business by the energy crisis two years ago, when the natural gas they rely on to fuel their boilers spiked to prices at nearly 20 times the current rate. Many locked into lengthy contracts at abnormal rates, consequently forcing some out of business and pushing others into reorganization mode.
“Our community fell by the wayside and eventually it became too expensive to run. With this merger, we’re going to continue as a division of the CFA and tap into its broad base of resources and [networking] know-how,” explained ATDPF president Scott Edwards, also an executive at Chris Stone & Associates dyers based in Los Angeles.
ATDPF has been instrumental in representing members in lobbying causes before federal officials in efforts to gain relief from long-term energy contracts. The group is currently tracking two federal lawsuits, which eventually may bring some type of compensation to the industry, said Edwards.
The group also served as an educational resource giving members insight into technological advancements and educational vehicles. Those programs will continue under CFA’s administration, said Edwards, who will become a member of the CFA board as a result of the merger. Existing ATDPF members will become members of the CFA at no charge for one year and then will pay fees at the CFA’s introductory level.
CFA executive director Ilse Metchek said she sees the addition of the ATDPF as an enhancement to the organization.
“It extends our borders into AQMD [Air Quality Management District] and other environmental issues that we haven’t looked at much before,” she said. “We look forward to a terrific relationship. It’s good for everybody.”
Metchek added that the effects of international sourcing, state and federal regulatory issues, training and education issues apply to the dyeing and finishing industry as they do to other sectors of apparel manufacturing.
And Metchek’s solid relationship with the apparel industry, media and other resources will be a big plus for ATDPF members, Edwards said.
