Images Digital Edition DEC 2018

INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 10 images DECEMBER 2018 DECORATED PRODUCT OF THE MONTH T he Frida Kahlo ‘Making Her Self Up‘ exhibition at the V&A museum in London has b ee n a se ll- out, with the run extended by two weeks t o cope with the demand for tickets. The iconic Mexican artist is one of the most recognised female artists of the last century, and the merchandise had to reflect that. WBC Bags for Life, which produces and customises bags, was approached by the museum to create a tote bag. The company explains: “The V&A came to us ahead of revealing the launch of their ‘Frida Kahlo: Ma kin g Her Self Up’ exhibition to capture the vibrant colours and unique detail of the famed Mexican artist. Combining bold fabric dyeing with vivid screen print and fin e ly detailed digital print was the only way to capture the desired finish. The process stretched our skilled artisans to create a tote bag that is a fitting visual interpretation of the iconic artist.“ The aim wa s t o produce a bag that was affordable withou t compromising on quality or ethics , adds the company. “We achiev e d this by screen printing one side of t h e bag and digitally printing the other side onto an 8oz open yarn cotton fabric and dyeing this in the ‘azul’ blue of h er childhood home,“ reveals WBC. “In an ideal world we’d yarn dye a combed cotton fabric and digitally print the whole piece, [but] this would have been cost-prohibitive. There is always a balance to strike when it comes to b u d ge t, quality, speed and function.“ www.bagsforlife.com Euro Cap introduces sublimated pom hat Euro Cap has created a new sublimated pom hat where the inner is a normal, knitted hat made from 100% acrylic and the outer is made from breathable, 100% polyester fabric. The outer material is suitable for all-over sublimation printing. A customised pom is available in the same yarn as the hat, and the minimum order quantity is 100 pieces. www.eurocap.ltd.uk The new sublimated pom hat is now available from Euro Cap Real Living Wage increases to £10.55 in London and £9 for the rest of the UK The Living Wage Foundation announced a 25p rise in the UK Living Wage and a 35p rise in the London rate on 5 November as a result of the increased cost of living. More than 180,000 workers for the 4,700 Living Wage employers across the UK, such as Rowlinson Knitwear and Fifth Column, saw their hourly rate increase to £9, with those in London receiving £10.55. The ‘real’ Living Wage rate is different to the government’s national living and minimum wages, which are £7.83 for over 25s and £7.38 for under 25s respectively, in that it is independently calculated based on what people need to live in the UK and London. The new rates have been mainly driven by higher transport costs, private rents and council tax. “As we see it, there is also a very strong commercial benefit to making a Living Wage commitment,” said Donald Moore, managing director at Rowlinson. “We’re a growing business, so it’s increasingly important to motivate, retain and attract the right talent. It’s our belief that employees who have great working conditions and receive a fair reward are in a strong position to provide an exceptional experience to our customers. “Our Living Wage commitment helps us get closer to achieving our goal of delivering unparalleled customer service. We encourage colleagues, partners and friends in the employee-owned and textiles communities to join us in making a Living Wage commitment.” www.livingwage.or g.uk The Frida Kahlo tote by WBC Bags for Life