Freeborders, Invista Launch Online Fabric Catalog
San Francisco–based Freeborders Inc. and Wilmington, Del.–based Invista (formerly called DuPont Textiles and Interiors Inc.) have launched Fast, a database of fibers and fabrics, at www.fastextile.com.
The service links 500 mills in 50 countries to an estimated 1,600 buyers. The service is free to buyers, and mills pay for subscriptions. Fast uses a database similar to Invista’s existing online fabric library, but Fast contains information about all raw materials.
Using Freeborders’ database technology, buyers can conduct searches for product type, prices and company background. They can also request fabric swatches.
Registered sellers have access to buyers and can control who accesses their data. The site could allow sellers to expand their customer bases and speed up the marketing of innovative designs and fibers.
Several heavy hitters—including the VF Corp., TAL Apparel Ltd., Fountain Set (Holdings) Ltd. and the Cone Mills Corp.—have lent their support to the service.
“We see big advantages in being able to instantly initiate swatch and sample yardage requests and track status,” said Jeff Streader, vice president of global sourcing for the VF Corp.
“Other industries, like toys and electronics, have seen innovation rise through standardizing methods of communicating,” added Harry Lee, managing director of TAL Apparel. “We will require all of our mills to adopt Fast and help further establish this platform as the industry standard for raw materials.”
Koch Industries Inc. of Wichita, Kan., acquired Invista earlier this year. —Robert McAllister
