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Australian Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Allied Industries

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Innovation in business answers

Activity 1

To find out about the Australian fashion industry, marketing and the aim of the Federal Government assistance package answer the following questions using the following pdf document:
http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:-xe4MlokZQ8J:www.hallchadwick.com.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx%3FID%3D1649+www.hallchadwick.com.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx%3FID%3D1649&hl=en&gl=au

1. Identify the reasons for the radical changes in the past twenty years to the Australian fashion industry.
    
   Reasons for radical changes in the Australian fashion industry include: relaxation of trade tariffs, increase of costs of domestic production and manufacture, computer aided design, off-shore labour.
2. Outline the impact of globalisation on the Australian fashion and textile industry.
    
   Some impacts of globalisation include: patterns and orders are sent around the globe, links have been made with manufacturers overseas and a relaxation of trade barriers.
    
3. Evaluate the Mercedes Australian Fashion Week as a marketing tool for Australian designers and their fashion.
    
   The Mercedes Australian Fashion Week is an effective marketing tool as it is designed to promote and collate orders for fashion paraded. It draws attention to Australian designers and their work with Australian fibres on a respected world stage. The 2001 Mercedes Australian Fashion Week showed a 45% increase in international media. The fashion week is a key component in market strategies for designers and exhibitors.
    
   On the other hand, some Australian designers may not be able to afford the set-up costs for displaying their work at such a venue therefore this type of marketing strategy may not benefit less well known designers.
    
4. State the aim of the Federal government's assistance program for the TCF industry and explain how you think the aim will make a difference to the industry.
    
   The aim of the assistance program for the TCF industry is to capitalise Australia's growing success in the international marketplace for Australian designed and produced fashion goods by targeting market awareness, promotion and access. This aim should make a difference because there should be an increase in demand for Australian goods and reduce the costs associated with Australian production.

Activity 2

To find out more about the package complete the questions using the fact sheet for TCF SIP.

1. Identify the aim of the TCF SIP scheme.
    
   TCF SIP is an Australian Government initiative to help develop sustainable, competitive textile, clothing, footwear and leather industries in Australia while a more competitive trading environment develops after 2005.
    
2. Explain what the program aims to do.
    
   The aim of the TCF SIP scheme is to provide incentives in the form of grants to help Australian textile, clothing, footwear and leather companies promote investment, innovation and value-adding.
    
3. State the three main grants available to the TCF Industry. 
    
   The three main grants are for:
   • new plant, equipment or buildings
   • research and development for innovative product development
   • research and development for value-adding.

Activity 3

To find out more about NSW state and regional development for the TCF industry read the Department of State and Regional development website and answer the following questions.

1. Identify five features of the NSW textile industry.
    
   Features of the NSW textile industry include:
   • it turns over $2.6 billion per year
   • has a high level of technical innovation
   • is strongly supported by Government
   • has growth based on quality and innovation
   • has 2000 textile, clothing and footwear enterprises.
   
    
2. Explain how the NSW textile industry is using technical innovation.
    
   Examples of high levels of technical innovation appear in:
   • computer-aided design and manufacturing
   • marking and grading systems
   • quick response production systems.

Activity 4

Both the Federal and State Government believe the future of the TCF Industry depends on movement from commodity products to innovative value-added products.

1. Using the web site identify a range of textile innovations .
    
   Textile innovations include:
   • plasma processing
   • innovative applications of traditional processing methods
   • garments that can sense and react to the wearer's physical condition.
   
    
2. Link to Australian Wool Innovation Ltd . Type bushfire into the search facility and select the article: Wool curtain takes up fight with fire. Summarise how a non-woven wool product can help protect a home from bushfires.
    
   Your notes should include the following points:
   • most fires begin within the home due to radiant heat breaking windows and doors
   • curtains made from a non-woven fabric structure are cheap to manufacture.
   • the Bush Fire Curtain uses a non-woven woollen fabric combined with the application of a fire retardant, Cease Fire Technologies' Fabri-Safe Plus HC®
   • in the event of a fire, the Bush Fire Curtain is fixed to windows and glass doors on the outside of a house offering temporary protection from both radiant heat and embers.
   • in product testing by the CSIRO, the Bush Fire Curtain was able to provide 30 minutes of protection from radiant heat, three times the CSIRO's benchmark expectation for such a product.