Shopping in Kuala Lumpur also offers variety the air conditioned shopping malls that deal in luxury high end goods, department stores, hypermarkets, shopping arcades that are complete with Cineplex complexes and bowling alleys, specialty shops and designer fashion boutiques make up the high end, modern shopping attractions of the city. While traditional bazaars, night markets and open air flea markets offer a more traditional shopping experience.

Favourite items on the shopping lists of tourists are pewter, batik, duty-free items, electrical products, pret-a-porter attire, sportswear and handicrafts. An interesting and novel experience for visitors from western countries is the night markets or ‘pasar malam’ in Malay where the traders begin peddling their wares in the late afternoon. These open-air markets feature hawker stalls that sell a variety of local produce, foodstuff, clothing and cakes; Haggling for a good bargain is a common sight here. Street artists, musicians, soothsayers and traditional medicine vendors are also an entertaining sight in these markets.

The annual Kuala Lumpur shopping carnival that is held from October to November draws in lots of visitors a sizable proportion of which are tourists, this a good time to buy goods at discounted prices. The city Kuala Lumpur has designated shopping districts areas like Bukit Bintag offer mid range shopping with some good bargains on offer for electronics and fashion items. Other areas like Petaling Street which is known as the city’s Chinatown has an ethnically infused flavor and has Chinese knick knacks, traditional medicine and pirated DVD’s. Up market areas like KLCC and the Suria mall in the Petronas towers are pricy and deal with luxury brands and designer labels.

A Kuala Lumpur hotel that offers good access to some of the best shopping districts of the city is the Citrus Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. A number of luxury hotels in the city are located in what is known as the hotel belt in the Bukit Bintang area, this is the best place to stay if shopping is your first priority on your holiday.

Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing company that offers integrated Internet marketing solutions and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry.

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My promise to bring to you New York City bargains was ever-present in my mind as I pounded the pavements throughout mid-town Manhattan and much of the lower West Side. Due to the nature of our trip, I confess to spending much more time on Madison and Fifth Avenues than I did in Chelsea, Greenwich Village, SoHo and Chinatown, where bargains abound and where shops carry everything from the edgy to the kitschy to the fake to the cheap. So I’m going to share a little of both worlds with you. I also observed that in our corporate–and global–group, travelers from different parts of the world very much wanted to buy very different stuff. While this will seem overly-simplified and perhaps a bit stereotypical, the Western and Eastern Europeans desired American clothing (especially blue jeans), Clinique make-up, iPods and digital cameras, while folks from the Asia-Pacific rim shopped for expensive (Italian and French) handbags. Almost everyone was in search of some type of electronic device, with iPods and digital cameras being in the highest demand. The non-New Yorker Americans shopped for the run-of-the-mill, A-to-Z type bargain, looking for anything and everything that was either less expensive or more available than it is back home. As this Newsletter spins ’round the globe, I’ll try to give everyone something to check out. Here goes:

If you travel to New York City during the Holidays, be prepared to pay dearly–or in blood–for a hotel room. They are simply not to be had; ones that have availability are in extremely high demand with prices out the roof. Our room at The Essex House overlooked Central Park and was absolutely glorious, but my pockets wouldn’t be deep enough if I had to pay for it with my own MasterCard this time of year. One of NYC’s best-kept secrets is the Riverside Tower Hotel at 80 Riverside Drive (corner of Riverside Drive and West 80th Street; phone 212-877-5200.) Check them out first before calling hotels at more popular locations.

Dining in NYC is a sport. Be prepared to play with the professionals. We enjoyed dinner at Michael Jordan’s in Grand Central Terminal, lunch at the 21 Club and a dinner party in the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, among many other special dining treats. (I can hardly mention our private dinner party atop the ABC Studios in Times Square as it was one of the most incredible views…as well as one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had and one which I’m sure I’ll never have again). When my feet landed on NYC soil and I had to pay for things with my own nickel, I enjoyed a pressed sandwich at Europa Café. Also check out Cosi for cheap eats in the Big Apple. You would do just fine for a long weekend eating at either one of these places for breakfast, lunch and dinner…and they’re scattered throughout the city.

Want something somewhere between Michael Jordan’s and Cosi? Try Cafe Saks Fifth Avenue (611 5th Avenue); Bloomingdale’s Le Train Bleu (1000 3rd Avenue); Bergdorf Goodman – Goodman’s Cafe for Women (2 West 58th Street); Bergdorf Goodman – Goodman’s Cafe 745 for Men (745 5th Avenue) or Fred’s at Barneys (660 Madison Avenue). I also have always had good luck at little bakeries strung along the Upper East Side on Madison. There’s nothing wrong with coffee and a bran muffin for lunch after all. Or hot roasted chestnuts from the street vendors. Yum!

Allen Edmonds (551 Madison Ave. around 55th St.; phone 212-308-8305) is having a sale on men’s shoes right now. Men I spoke with found this to be irresistible. As most of their shoes are in the $200-300 price range, it’s nice to think that one might save a little by buying now, if treads are wearing thin. And one of the best reasons for buying their stuff: you can send your shoes back to Allen Edmonds for re-soling….at least once before buying again.

Loehmann’s (101 7th Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets; phone 212-352-0856) remains one of my longest-running favorites and is, by all counts, the grand dame of discount stores. I bought a fabulous pair of beaded flats by Kenneth Cole for less than $30. With black and red beads on a black satin background, they’re perfect for Holiday parties (with longish black-sequined peasant skirts and glittery tops). Loehmann’s stuff changes daily, so it’s hit or miss. Keep checking. And get into “shopping mode” before you head over there; lines will be long, the building is on the hot-ish side and you may have to spend an inordinate amount of time searching for something wonderful in your size. But it’s worth it.

Century 21(22 Cortlandt Street– Between Church and Broadway in Chinatown; phone 212-227-9092; http://www.c21stores.com) has been billed by native New Yorkers as the best discount place in the city and Zagat has given it top billing as well. Our guide dropped us off there for an hour’s worth of shopping and I walked out with nothing. Nadda. Zero. Truthfully, it didn’t grab me. Too much stuff. Poorly displayed. Not enough variety to make me want to pull out my wallet. But the Europeans on-board were thrilled. Great boots and shoes, apparently. And lots of Ralph Lauren fashion jewelry at ridiculously low prices. Handbags, too. Also spotted: trendoid Oliver Peoples sunglasses at rock-bottom prices. And if you’re shopping for Clinique cosmetics, you can find it here at really decent prices.

Almost next door, check out J&R for great deals on electronics of all types (Park Row across from City Hall Park; phone 212-238-9000; Fax 212-238-9191; http://www.jr.com). Travelers on my tour found iPods, digital cameras and video cameras there that made their hearts sing.

DSW is theeeee place for designer women’s shoes. (102 N. End Ave in Chinatown; phone 212-945-7419) Very hit or miss. The stuff–because it is so wonderful–moves out extremely quickly. I once eyed a pair of Lilly Pulitzer’s at a DSW store in Miami, hesitated, went back the next day and found that the entire stock of Lilly’s was gone. If you gotta have it, get it as soon as you find out it fits.

While you’re in the lower west side, check out the deals on Canal Street. Cheap. Fake. Fun…if you must. Everything from fake designer handbags to cheap jewelry to hats and scarves to t-shirts.

If you gotta have a drop-dead gorgeous Italian leather handbag for Christmas, call the good folks at Suarez on Park Avenue at around 56th St. (450 Park Ave; phone 212-753-3758). A family-owned business for something like three generations, their staff is courteous and their stuff is super-pretty. Their bags come in fourteen colors, including an absolutely incredible Tiffany-blue. But your pockets better be deep: prices start at $300 and rocket on up from there. They’re having somewhat of a sale, with their $550-on-up bags currently at 20% off.

After sleeping on a Suarez purchase by my husband (for my Christmas gift) not one, not two, but three nights…I decided that with four kids to put through college (and two sofas to reupholster and yada yada yada) that an expensive handbag was a little bit too over-the-top right now. Ernie and I opted instead to buy a gorgeous Italian handbag, the “Kelly Bag” (think Grace Kelly) at a wonderful handbag store that is losing its building and combining two stores into one and therefore discounting all of its merchandise by 80%. Yes. As in 80% OFF. Their gorgeous $650 bags have been discounted to about $130. At that price, you can perhaps think about buying one in a color you wouldn’t normally entertain…and if you accidentally ruin one, you won’t be crying all the way back to the city to get a replacement. And you might even be able to justify buying two. Call Michel’s Bags (510 Madison Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Sts; phone 212 355-8309). Ask for Kathy and tell her the-gal-from-Connecticut-who-couldn’t-decide-which-bag-to- buy-but-who-finally-bought-the-Kelly-bag-on-Monday sent you. She’s lovely. And hurry up! The sale ends December 31 and they’re quickly running out of stock.

Pearl River Mart (477 Broadway, between Grand and Broome Sts.; phone 212-431-4770; http://www.pearlriver.com) has not only cheap stuff with which to decorate–china bowls, tea services and placemats–but fun little no-nothings for stocking stuffers. I found–though did not buy–the cutest paper lanterns on the planet, and if I needed yet one more thing to put into my daughter’s bedroom, they would quite probably be it. I did, however, make my only afternoon purchase, because I hadn’t seen them elsewhere: pretty glycerine soaps for children with embedded “cute-isms” like “smile,” “joy,” “laugh,” “love,” etc. I bought a half-dozen to give to a family with four young daughters, along with silk draw-string bags in orange-with-white-polka-dots for festive packaging. All for something like $18.

Kate’s Paperie (phone 800-809-9880; http://www.katespaperie.com) is still the best shop in NYC for stationery and super-pretty papers. Hands down. No contest. With four locations on NYC (its SoHo shop at 561 Broadway is incredible) it is a must-see if you are a paper lover or simply need some eye candy. Call to order, but if you’re in the city, do not miss the Kate’s Paperie experience.

Dean & Deluca in SoHo (560 Broadway; phone 212-226-6800 or toll-free 800-221-7714; http://www.deandeluca.com) is the place to find all food-related things that you cannot find elsewhere. Glorious olive oil “brick” soaps, pots and pans, and gourmet candies are amongst my favorites there. See if they can special order you some chocolate-covered gummy bears. The best.

Baking a lot for Christmas? Need cookie cutters? Baking pans? Icing tips? Try New York Cake at 56 West 22nd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. Incredible selection. Phone or FAX orders: 800-942-2539; FAX 212-675-7099.

Lee’s Art Shop (220 W. 57th Street, between 7th Avenue and Broadway; phone 212-247-0110) has fantastic kids’ art supplies, stuff for adult artists, creative stocking stuffers and the best art tools in the city. If your area lacks a great art supply store, this is it.

Museum gift shops cannot be ruled out as amongst the best outlets for creative gift ideas. I had a wonderful time–after a two-hour guided tour of The Metropolitan Museum of Art –in their large gift shop (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd St; phone 212-570-3894), which is a destination in and of itself. If you can’t find that art book you’ve been looking for, give them a call. Beautiful silk scarves and ties. Jewelry, too.

Also check out The Museum of American Folk Art Shop for wonderful gifts, most made by American artisans: 45 W 53rd St between 5th and 6th; phone 212-265-1040.

The Holiday Gift Shops at St. Bartholomew’s have some unusual gifts that you won’t find elsewhere, but you’ve got to be in the city to access them. If you’re in the city, check them out at Park Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets.

If you do get into the city, do not–and I repeat, do not–rule out the fabulous pashmina and cashmere shawls that you can pick up from the street vendors for $5 or $10. OK. I haven’t exactly checked out the fiber content with a magnifying glass, but hey, for ten bucks, how can you go too wrong? I pick one up each trip into the city and have found some real beauties. The color range is quite wonderful. Yum. The latest have a gorgeous jacquard weave and I find one wrapped around my neck at every venture out of doors. Particularly good locations? Try just west of Fifth Avenue around 50th or 51st Streets.

Gotta hit the large department stores? OK. So do I, but not for bargains. They remain, I admit, a feast for the eyes and a veritable New York experience. You’ve got to get the salespeople spritzing you with the latest perfumes and schmearing you with the latest anti-wrinkle creams upon arrival. No one does this better than the good folks at Saks Fifth Avenue (50th St. and Fifth Avenue) Very elegant. Very expensive. Really, no bargains to be found except after Christmas, when discounts of 50% will be commonplace. I love their contemporary sportswear and their private label. Beautiful night show of dancing snowflakes in the windows timed to Christmas music. Magical. Bloomingdale’s (Third Avenue and 59th Street or in SoHo at 504 Broadway; phone 212-729-5900) is trendy, bustling and exciting. Their tagline it’s like “no other store in the world” is true. They carry some pretty cool stuff that you just won’t find anywhere else. Watch for deep discounts…but not until after Christmas. Some bargains can actually be found at Lord & Taylor (38th St. and Fifth Avenue) as they are continually bringing in new merchandise. Granted: most of the NYC stores are doing the same, but Lord & Taylor does this consistently and does it well. One of my favorites. Bergdorf Goodman (754 Fifth Avenue at 57th St.; the men’s store is located across the street. Phone: 800-558-1855) is not a store that you necessarily shop in, and is certainly not a place in which to behold a bargain. It is simply a place to train your eye. To look at beauty (and the beautiful). Their windows are the best-dressed and the same could be said for their (real) customers. Lines of gawkers outside their blue-and-white china window were five deep. I could hardly take my eyes off it. If you make the trip in to the city, you must make a quick stop here. ‘Nough said.

Crate&Barrel (650 Madison Avenue at 60th Street; phone 212-308-0011) is beautifully decorated for Christmas and contains enough low-priced stuff that it’s certainly worth a visit. If you’re looking for a small kitchen appliance, especially, it beats the prices at Williams-Sonoma. This should be part of your Madison Avenue experience; a phone call is also worth it if you know what you’re looking for.

For stuff for the home, I have two favorites: ABC Carpet and Home (888 Broadway at 19th St; phone 212 473-3000) is filled to the brim with treasures–and rugs–from around the world. Not to be missed, you’ll find things in all price ranges, including arguably the best baby department in the city. Pierre Deux (625 Madison Ave at around 56th St; phone 212-521-8012) is not only for the Francophiles amongst us; it is a jewel box in the heart of Madison Avenue. Roosters lurk in every corner; gorgeous French fabrics fill every square inch; expensive furniture lines the downstairs footage; and reproduction paintings and lamps and shades and china take center stage through this large retail space. Ahhh….A little retreat into wonderful.

That oughta do it. Happy shopping!

Carolina Fernandez earned an M.B.A. and worked at IBM and as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch before coming home to work as a wife and mother of four. She totally re-invented herself along the way. Strong convictions were born about the role of the arts in child development; homeschooling for ten years provided fertile soil for devising creative parenting strategies. These are played out in ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To Blast You Into Brilliance. It is available on Amazon.com, in bookstores everywhere, or by calling 888-476-2493. She writes extensively for a variety of parenting resources and teaches other moms via parenting classes and radio and TV interviews. Please visit http://www.rocketmom.com to subscribe to her free ezine and get a weekly shot of inspiration.

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During a chilly summer or fall night at the cabin, slip on the Columbia Womens Emerald Valley II Vest for a touch of warmth. This fleece vest gives you core protection without causing you to overheat. Since fleece wicks and breathes, youll appreciate this Columbia vest on the hiking trail, too.

Product FeaturesMaterial: Polyester microfiber, polyester fleeceFleece Weight: 100Windproof: NoRecommended Use: Hiking, camping, casualManufacturer Warranty: Lifetime. read more.

The apparel industry veterans are amazed by the success of denim. Reviewing recent sales-graph and fiscal year results of the leading retailers and brands, the analysts forecast a better future for denim on condition that the product should appeal different to the consumer looking while sustaining the traditional fabric.

The American consumers approximately purchase 450 million pairs of jeans per year. The denim market has been performing well, except for a drop in the sales was witnessed because of stiff competition with the alternative products like cargos, fatigues, cotton combat and khaki trousers, which led market at a saturation point in mid 2004.

The saturation in the denim market was a result coming-out of garments and fabric in developing countries, due to the elimination of a quota system, in the beginning of 2005. However, the denim industry emerged again during 2005-2006. The evergreen work-wear fabric is back on track with the efforts of companies, such as ITG, Levi Strauss & Co., VF Corporation, American Eagle Outfitters and Perry Ellis performed well throughout 2005.

American Eagle Outfitters

American Eagle Outfitters come into view as triumph last year, emerging as leader in specialty store brands for the age group of 15 to 25. Comparing the $143.4 million sales month which ended April 30, 2005, the company recorded 25% climb in sales for April 29, 2006. The month of April depicted an optimistic consumer response to the company’s excellent initiatives for product assortments, designed for spring and summer that were also focused at other age groups.

The success standing behind, American Eagle Outfitters, in the denim market, is an outcome of right allocation of initiatives for various market phases. The perfect blend of the American West with European touch was the key reason of the gained success.

American Eagle Outfitters is a leading retailer that designs, markets, and sells it’s own brand of laidback, current clothing for 15 to 25 year old, providing high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. AE’s original collection includes standards like jeans and graphic T’s as well as essentials like accessories, outer wear, footwear, basics and swim wear.

ITG

Identifying the opportunities for growth in denim market, the Cone Denim business of International Textile Group (ITG) is focusing to meet its growing demand by making sourcing based in African developing countries. The company has recently taken initiatives to set-up a 28 million yard capacity denim plant in Nicaragua. This plant is anticipated to generate employment for nearly 750 people.

The Company has also announced that its Burlington WorldWide division plans to build a state-of-the-art cotton manufacturing complex in DaNang, Vietnam. The complex will be a joint venture operation called Burlington Phong Phu Supply Chain City, 60 percent owned by a subsidiary of ITG (a WL Ross & Co company) and 40 percent owned by Phong Phu Corporation, one of the largest textile and garment enterprises in Vietnam. The investment will exceed US$80 million.

International Textile Group, Inc. was organized in March 2004, by Wilbur L.Ross, to combine the assets of Burlington Industries and Cone Mills. ITG is a diverse, innovative provider of global textile solutions and distinguished market brands to apparel and interior furnishing customers worldwide. ITG operates four business units: Cone Denim, Burlington Worldwide (apparel fabrics), Interior Fabrics, Carlisle Finishing, and is affiliated with Nano-Tex.

Perry Ellis International

In a move to produce and distribute Levi’s Dockers men’s outer wear again in the US and Mexico, Perry Ellis International has entered an agreement with Levi Strauss & Co. for another strategic alliance. Dockers is considered as a world class brand that reveals the American style. The company plans to run the segment as a separate unit with the help and experienced of designers in Seattle.

Both companies have agreed in terms to distribute the brand through December 2009, with a renewal period by Dec 2012. The product line includes men’s coats, denim jackets, and synthetic fleece. Perry Ellis will start delivering the product this month into selected stores and networks.

Perry Ellis International, Inc. is a leading designer, distributor, and licensor of a broad line of high quality men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, and fragrances, including: dress and casual shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress and casual pants and shorts, jeans wear, active wear, and men’s and women’s swimwear to all major levels of retail distribution.

The company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns a portfolio of highly recognized brands including Perry Ellis, Jantzen, Cubavera, Munsingwear, Savane, Original Penguin, Grand Slam, Natural Issue, Pro Player, the Havanera Co., Axis, Tricots St. Raphael, Gotcha, Girl Star, and MCD. The company is also licensed to trademark from third parties including: Dockers for outerwear, Nike for swimwear, PING and PGA TOUR for golf apparel.

Levi Strauss & Co.

Meanwhile, the clothing giant, Levi Strauss & Co. has projected denim as a reputable outer wear. The company has reported a climb in net income for the Q1 FY2005-06 compared with last year. Even sales slipped, net income was up taking denim to the higher level of market. The company is already in the middle of transformation business to Europe, which will result the product assortment featuring more fashion and style.

The introduction of super-slim cigarette denim pant is an initial launch to this season. The looks of this collection can be ruthless at times, however, with the appropriate match it gives a nice slim look. The reason behind success to this collection is long and bunchy looks at the bottom that put one in illusion about the length of the pant.

Levi Strauss & Co is one of the world’s leading branded apparel companies, marketing its products in more than 100 countries worldwide. Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co has launched a new corporate Website at: http://www.levistrauss.com.

The site provides consumers, students, potential employees, news media, investors and anyone interested in Levi Strauss and Co.’s rich, 153-year history with easy access to current and historical information about the company.

Levi Strauss & Co. designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories under the Levi’s, Dockers and Levi Strauss Signature brands.

VF Corporation

VF Corporation has recorded a climb in full year earnings guidance, on a strong Q1 performance. Significantly, performance this year is being led by a powerful strategy for organic growth. The company is anticipating a climb in revenues by 6 to 7%, led by the momentum in outdoor alliances and higher anticipated revenues from its local Jeans wear business.

VF Corp. is planning to enter Indian markets through an equity joint venture with Arvind Mills. Licensing agreement between Arvind Mills and VF Corporation includes brands like Lee, Wrangler and Nautica. Both are likely to enter in 50:50 partnerships.

VF Corporation is a leader in branded apparel including: jeans wear, outdoor products, intimate apparel, image apparel, and sportswear. It’s principal brands include: Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler,Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Bestform, Lily of France, Nautica, John Varvatos, JanSport, Eastpak, The North Face, Vans, Napapijri, Kipling, Lee Sport, and Red Kap.

Fibre2fashion.com – Leading B2B Portal and Marketplace of Global Textile, Apparel and Fashion Industry offers Free Industry Articles, Textile Articles, Fashion Articles, Industry Reports, Technology Article, Case Studies, Textile Industry News Articles, Latest Fashion Trends, Textile Market Trends Reports and Global Industry Analysis.

To read more articles on Textile, Fashion, Apparel, Technology, Retail and General please visit http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article If you wish to download/republish the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the “Article Source”. Also, you have to make it hyperlinked to our site.

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For different sports there are different kinds of sports wear available. Sportswear becomes real important when you are planning to go for hiking. Hiking mainly consists of traveling for long hours and the course of the nature can be from a rough terrain to sunny morning. Therefore it is recommended to wear a strong pair of shoes and a waterproof jacket before leaving for your hiking trip.

For fishing trip the outdoor sportswear to be worn should be totally waterproof. The outfit will protect your hands and fingers from harm. Moreover, also wear gloves to give extra attention to your hands. A hat should also be worn to protect yourself from sun and keep your hair safe.

For other sports where you will be facing low temperature like mountain climbing and skiing always wear something that will keep you warm and will be extra comfortable.

The best advice is to go to the specialty stores and but sports outwear designed specifically for that outdoor activity. Many leading outdoor sporting goods stores have high quality sports wear that doesn’t only offer comfort to the consumers but also appreciable functional value.

In the earlier days, there were not many options available in women clothes for outdoor sports. Not many stores designed outdoor sports clothes for women as a result women into outdoor sports tried wearing uncomfortable men’s sports clothing. However, this problem has now been very conveniently solved and women can find many stores that design and sell their outdoor sports wear in a large variety and reasonable prices.

Another reason why you should go to the sports outwear store for your outdoor sports clothing needs is because they will sell customized solutions to you. You can get the outfit stitched for you according to your measurement so that when you wear it, it provides you extreme comfort and satisfaction.

Now wearing sports wear has become more like a fashion trend which everybody and anybody involved in any kinds of outdoor sports will be found wearing. You will never find anybody running on the tracks wearing jeans shirt they will be always seen in the typical running boxer shorts and loose shirt. Like this, if you’re swimming a swim suit is mandatory. And with these sports wear open nearly in every main market, you do not have any excuse to not to wear sports wear and enjoy the wonders of the outdoor sports to the maximum.

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Surfing was first enjoyed by Polynesians in Tahiti and Hawaii as far back as 1500AD. The first printed recordings of surfing were made by Lieutenant James King in 1779. King took over the captaincy of the ship Discovery after Captain James Cook was killed on an expedition to Hawaii.

Since there was no written language at this time in Hawaii, King’s journal entry serves as man’s earliest written account of the Hawaiian sport.

So why, more than 200 years later, do we ’surf’ the web? What links could there possibly be between using the internet and riding on top of a wave?

It all began with the radio

Radio scanners were introduced in the 1970s as a way of finding a good radio signal. The radio receiver would automatically tune or scan two or more discrete frequencies, stopping when it found a good working signal.

A similar method would be used, manually, with the television. In order to locate a decent television signal, you would have to twist and turn the dials until you were satisfied with the picture. This common process became known as ‘channel hopping’. In order to locate the desired signal, you would have to ‘hop’ between one channel and another until you were satisfied with the picture received.

The Beach Boys

In 1963, the Beach Boys recorded ‘Surfin’ USA’. This was a massive hit worldwide, and vastly increased the popularity of the Hawaiian sport of surfing. The popularity of surfing in remote areas of Australia, California and Hawaii became well known and began to attract the interest of tourists.

Endless Summer

Following on from the success of Surfin’ USA – in 1966, Bruce Brown directed the most influential film of the surf-genre: Endless Summer.

Endless Summer centres around two surfers, Mike Hynson and Robert August, on a surf trip around the world. They travel to the coasts of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii. In the film, they introduce locals to the sport in an attempt to popularize surfing as fun and accessible to everyone.

The success and influence of the documentary was incredible. The popularity of surfing rose greatly, encouraging existing surfers to travel abroad, and introducing the thrill of the sport to a wider audience.

Popular Culture

Vans ~ The first time that ’surfing’ had been applied to another activity was in April 1985 when Time magazine made reference to the culture of ‘Van surfing’. ‘Van surfing’ described the art of people who would stand on the top of Vans as they moved. The actions they were forced into, to remain on their feet, was similar to that of surfing.

Trains ~ The phrase would later be used when referring to a similar action. ‘Train surfing’ was a phrase introduced by The Wall Street Journal. ‘Train surfing’ had been seen many times in the movies, and was apparently a regular occurrence in South America as people rode on top of trains for a free ride.

Music ~ In 1989, The Toronto Globe and Mail introduced the term to the music industry. ‘Stage diving’ had become a popular tradition at concerts and festivals. The notion of someone being carried in midair by a crowd of people became known as ‘crowd surfing’ by the Toronto press.

Television ~ With the expansion of Cable and Satellite television, in 1986, The Wall Street Journal coined the phrase ‘channel surfing’. This was in direct reference to the well known ‘channel hopping’ term that had become widely popular in describing the act of scanning for a desired television channel.

The expansion of Cable and Satellite meant there were more channels, they were easier to find and more widely available. ‘Channel surfing’ described the notion of flicking through the channels with a television remote, as oppose to fiddling with the dials.

The Internet

With the creation of the internet, the term ‘internet surfing’ had occasionally been used, but not commonly.

‘Information surfing’ was a phrase used to describe the action of someone searching for information through books or papers, for example. Early internet users would search the internet for similar purposes (long before entertainment, social networking and advertising took over).

Prior to the 1990s, the internet was not widely popular and not widely accessible. However, in 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, a British engineer and computer-scientist, laid foundation to the World Wide Web. This created the internet as we know it today. The internet (the World Wide Web) increased in popularity as it became easier to use, faster to use, and most importantly, Personal Computers became widely available to the public.

‘Surfing the Web’ is a phrase we have all used, and will continue to use as the internet continues to expand.

But how did the infrequently used, unpopular term ‘internet surfing’ become the biggest world wide cliche of all?

A Librarian and a mouse pad

Jean Armour Polly was a university librarian in 1992, when she coined the phrase ‘Surfing the Internet’.

Polly was an early internet user, and wrote a series of articles, available online, on safe Internet services. In June 1992, Polly was writing a revolutionary paper about Requests and Comments and other technical writings about the Internet. On searching for a title, she describes:

In casting about for a title for the article, I weighed many possible metaphors. I wanted something that expressed the fun I had using the Internet, as well as hit on the skill, and yes, endurance necessary to use it well. I also needed something that would evoke a sense of randomness, chaos, and even danger. I wanted something fishy, net-like, nautical.

At that time I was using a mouse pad from the Apple Library in Cupertino, CA, famous for inventing and appropriating pithy sayings and printing them on sportswear and mouse pads (e.g., “A month in the Lab can save you an hour in the Library”) The one I had pictured a surfer on a big wave. “Information Surfer” it said. “Eureka,” I said, and had my metaphor.

‘Surfing the Internet’ was born. The paper was phenomenally successful. In 14 hours, the paper received an unprecedented 500 downloads.

This leads on to another interesting question: why were so many early internet users searching for ’surfing’ online? They obviously had to search for the article in order to find it – but why ’surfing’?

The surf-net connection

There are several top internet marketers today who are also top surfers. Frank Kern is a great example of this. Jason Moffat was one of the earliest internet marketers to hold such a great connection with online marketing and surfing.

Many people have compared making money online to surfing. Making a profit on the internet is not about ‘getting rich quick’; it is about taking time to get to know the market, learning to understand the users and where to find customers. Surfing is often described as hitting the wave perfectly. A top surfer will spend time getting to know the best waves, where to find them and how to hit them perfectly.

Both internet marketers and surfers have often spoken of addiction. In order to spend enough quality time learning to surf, travelling the world to find the best locations and putting your body on the line for the sake of adrenaline rushes, you have got to feel addicted to the sport. Thrill seeking and addiction have revolutionised the sport of surfing.

Very few top-internet-marketers claim to have access to a get-rich-quick scheme. (If you had access, would you tell anyone?) In order to be a successful online marketer, you have to hold this same level of addiction, and get the same thrill out of using the internet, working on the internet and spending time on the internet.

With the persistent online presence of Jason Moffat in the 1990s, surfing became a regular theme found on the internet. Moffat was one of the first users to own a variety of websites, optimizing his name wherever possible. Therefore, where ‘Jason Moffat’ could be found, so could ’surfing’. Did this increase the popularity of surfing? Did this introduce pro surfers to the internet? Surely it must have lured pro surfers of the time to try out the internet. Online they could find like-minded surfers, share their ideas for locations and share their stories of travel-surfing.

Was this the true origin of ’surfing the internet’? Do we now ’surf’ the internet because surfing was so popular with early internet users?

Or maybe, by pure coincidence (or by memetics), two separate groups of people established the same terminology for the same thing, without ever even knowing it.

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100% polyester mtr fleece?. mtr fleece delivers maximum thermal retention; full-front zip; columbia logo on right chest; zippered hand-warmer pockets; open bottom.An excellent layering piece and a great value, this Women’s Fern Creek Vest from Columbia Sportswear features Columbia’s MTR (Maximum Thermal Retention) fleece, a quick drying pill-resistant stretch fleece. A double-thick stand-up collar adds warmth around the neck while the tapered sides give you a trim silhouette. Other features include concealed hand-warming pockets and an embroidered logo. About Columbia Sportswear
Founded in 1938, Columbia Sportswear Company has grown from a small family-owned hat distributor to one of the world’s largest outerwear brands and the leading seller of ski-wear in the United States. Columbia’s extensive product line includes a wide variety of outerwear, sportswear, rugged footwear and accessories. Columbia specializes in developing innovative products that are functional yet stylish and offer great value. Eighty-year-old matriarch Gert Boyle, Chairman of the Board, and her son, Tim Boyle, President and CEO, lead the company. Columbia’s history starts with Gert’s parents, Paul and Marie Lamfrom, when they fled Germany in 1937. They bought a small hat distributorship in Portland, Oregon, and named it Columbia Hat Company, after the river bordering the city. Soon frustrated by poor deliveries from suppliers, the Lamfroms decided to start manufacturing products themselves. In 1948, Gert married college sweetheart Neal Boyle, who joined the family business and later took the helm of the growing company. When Neal suddenly died of a heart attack in 1970, Gert enlisted help from Tim, then a college senior. After that, it wasn’t long before business really started to take off. Columbia was one of the first companies to make jackets from waterproof/breathable fabric. They introduced the breakthrough technology called the Columbia Interchange System, in which a shell and liner combine for multiple wearing options. In the early 1980s, then 60-year-old Gert began her role as “Mother Boyle” in Columbia’s successful and popular advertising campaign. The company went public in 1998 and moved into a new era as a world leader in the active outdoor apparel industry. Today, Columbia Sportswear employs more than 1,800 people around the world and distributes and sells products in more than 50 countries and to more than 12,000 retailers internationally.. read more.

Such clothing is utilized as sportswear, defense wear, firefighting wear, bulletproof jackets and other professional wear. Textile products can be made more comfortable when the properties of the textile materials can adjust with all types of environments.

At present, for fulfilling the above requirement Phase Change Materials (PCM) is one such intelligent material. It absorbs, stores or discharges heat in accordance with the various changes in temperature and is more often applied to manufacture the smart textiles.

Phase Change Materials

‘Phase Change’ is the process of going from one stat to another, e.g. from solid to liquid. Any material that experiences the process of phase change is named as Phase Change Materials (PCM).

Such materials collect, discharge or absorb heat as they oscillate between solid and liquid form. They discharge heat as they transform to a solid state and absorb as they go back to a liquid state. There are three basic phases of matter solid, liquid and gas, but others like crystalline, colloid, glassy, amorphous and plasma phases are also considered to exist.

This fundamental phenomenon of science was initially developed and used for building space suits for astronauts for the US Space Program. These suits kept the astronauts warm in the black void of space and cool in the solar glare. Phase Change Materials are compounds, which melt and solidify at specific temperatures and correspondingly are able to retain or discharge large amounts of energy.

The storage of thermal energy by changing the phase of a material at a constant temperature is classified as ‘latent heat’, i.e., changing from a liquid state to a solid state. When a PCM experiences a phase change, a huge amount of energy is needed. The most significant characteristic of latent heat is that it involves the transfer of much larger amounts of energy than sensible heat transfer.

Quiet a few of these PCMs change phases within a temperature range just above and below human skin temperature. This characteristic of some substances is used for making protective all-season outfits, and for abruptly changing environment. Fibre, fabric and foam with built-in PCMs store the warmth of body and then release it back to the body, as the body requires it. Since the procedure of phase change is dynamic, the materials are continually shifting from solid to liquid and back according to the physical movement of the body and outside temperature. Furthermore, Phase Change Materials are used, but they never get used up.

Phase Change Materials are waxes that have the distinctive capacity to soak and emit heat energy without altering the temperature. These waxes include eicosane, octadecane, Nonadecane, heptadecane and hexadecane. They all possess different freezing and melting points and when mixed in a microcapsule it will accumulate heat energy and release heat energy and maintain their temperature range of 30-34°C, which is very comfortable for the body.

The amount of heat absorbed by a PCM in the actual phase change with the amount of heat absorbed in an ordinary heating procedure can be evaluated by taking water as a PCM. The melting of ice into water leads to the absorption of latent heat of nearly 335 J/g. If water is further boiled, a sensible heat of only 4 J/g is absorbed, while the temperature increases by one degree. Hence, the latent heat absorption in the phase change from ice into water is about 100 times greater than the sensible heat absorption.

How to assimilate PCMs in fabrics?

The micro encapsulated PCM can be combined with woven, non woven or knitted fabrics.

The capsules can be added to the fabric in various ways such as:

Microcapsules: Microcapsules of various shapes – round, square and triangular within fibres at the polymer stage. The PCM microcapsules are permanently fixed within the fibre structure during the wet spinning procedure of fibre manufacture. Micro encapsulation gives a softer hand, greater stretch, more breathability and air permeability to the fabrics.

Matrix coating during the finishing process: The PCM microcapsules are embedded in a coating compound like acrylic, polyurethane, etc, and are applied to the fabric. There are many coating methods available like knife-over-roll, knife-over-air, pad-dry-cure, gravure, dip coating and transfer coating.

Foam dispersion: Microcapsules are mixed into a water-blown polyurethane foam mix and these foams are applied to a fabric in a lamination procedure, where the water is removed from the system by the drying process.

Body and clothing systems

The needed thermal insulation of clothing systems mainly depends on the physical activity and on the surrounding conditions such as temperature and relative humidity. The amount of heat produced by humans depends a lot on the physical activity and can differ from 100W while resting to over 1000W during maximum physical performance.

Specially, during the cooler seasons (approx 0°C), the suggested thermal insulation is defined in order to make sure that the body is adequately warm when resting. At extreme activity, which is often a case with winter sports, the body temperature rises with enhanced heat production. To make this increase within a certain limit, the body perspires in order to withdraw energy from the body by evaporative cooling. If the thermal insulation of the clothing is decreased during physical activity, a part of the generated heat can be removed by convection, thus the body is not needed expected to perspire so much.

The quality of insulation in a garment in terms of heat and cold will be widely managed by the thickness and density of its component fabrics. High thickness and low density make insulation better. It is observed in many cases that thermal insulation is offered by air gaps between the garment layers.

However, the external temperature also influences the effectiveness of the insulation. The more extreme the temperature, be it very high or very low, the less effective the insulation becomes. Thus, a garment designed for its capability to protect against heat or cold is chosen by its wearer on the expectation of the climate in which the garment is to be worn.

Though, a garment produced from a thick fabric will have more weight, and the freedom of movement of the wearer will be restricted. Clearly then a garment designed from an intelligent fabric, whose nature can change according the external temperature, can offer superior protection. However, such a garment must be comfortable for the wearer.

Temperature change effect of PCMs

PCM microcapsules can create small, transitory heating and cooling effects in garment layers when the temperature of the layers reaches the PCM transition temperature. The effect of phase change materials on the thermal comfort of protective clothing systems is likely to be highest when the wearer is frequently going through temperature transients (ie, going back and forth between a warm and cold environment) or from time to time touching or handling cold objects. The temperature of the PCM garment layers must vary frequently for the buffering effect to continue.

The most obvious example is changing of water into ice at 0° and to steam at 100°. There are many products that change phase near body temperature and are now being integrated in fibres and laminates, or coating substrates, that will alter phase at or near body temperature and so support the equilibrium of the body temperature and keep it more constant. It is for athletes in extreme conditions and people who are involved in extreme sports such as mountaineering and trekking. It is going to be used in industrial applications where people are very mobile, for example, in and out of cool rooms.

Effects on fabrics

When the condensed PCM is heated to the melting point, it absorbs heat energy as it moves from a solid state to a liquid state. This phase change produces a short-term cooling effect in the clothing layers. The heat energy may come from the body or from a warm environment. Once the PCM has totally melted the storage of heat stops

If the PCM garment is worn in a cold environment where the temperature is below the PCM’s freezing point and the fabric temperature drops below the transition temperature, the micro encapsulated liquid PCM will come back to a solid state, generating heat energy and a momentary warming effect. The developers assert that this heat exchange makes a buffering effect in clothing, minimize changes in skin temperature and continue the thermal comfort of the wearer.

The clothing layer(s) consisting PCMs must go through the transition temperature range before the PCMs change phase and either produce or absorb heat. Therefore, the wearer has to make some effort for the temperature of the PCM fabric to change. PCMs are transient phenomena. They have no effect in steady state thermal environment.

Active microclimate cooling systems need batteries, pumps, circulating fluids and latest control devices to give satisfactory body cooling, but their performance can be adjusted and made to continue for long period of time. They are, however, costly and complicated. Present passive microclimate devices use latent phase change; either by liquid to gas evaporation of water (Hydroweave), a solid to liquid phase shift by a cornstarch/water gel, or with a paraffin that is contained in plastic bladders.

The liquid evaporation garment is cheaper, but will only give minimum or short-term cooling in the high humid environment found in protective clothing. They must also be re-wetted to revitalize the garments for re-application. The water/ starch gel-type cooling garment is presently preferred by the military, and can offer both satisfactory and long time cooling near 32°F (0 degree Celsius), but it can also feel very cold to the skin and needs a very cold freezer (5°F) to completely recharge or rejuvenate the garment. When completely charged, its gel-PCMs are somewhat rigid blocks, and the garment has limited breathability.

The other paraffin PCM garments are comparatively cheaper, but their plastic bladders can split, thus dripping their contents or leading to a serious fire hazard. In addition, their paraffin PCM melts about 65°F (18°C) and must be recharged at temperatures below 50°F (10°C) in a refrigerator or ice-chest. Their rate of cooling also reduces with time because paraffin blocks are thermal insulators and control the heat that can be transmitted into or out of them. The plastic bladders used to contain the PCM also strictly limit airflow and breathability of the garment, thus reducing their comfort.

Uses of PCM

Automotive textiles

The scientific theory of temperature control by PCMs has been deployed in various ways for the manufacturing of textiles. In summer, the temperature inside the passenger compartment of an automobile can increase significantly when the car is parked outside. In order to regulate the interior temperature while driving the car, many cars are equipped with air conditioning systems; though, providing adequate cooling capacity needs a lot of energy. Hence the application of Phase Change Material technology in various uses for the automotive interior could offer energy savings, as well as raising the thermal comfort of the car interior.

Apparel active wears

Active wear is expected to provide a thermal equilibrium between the heat produced by the body while performing a sport and the heat released into the environment. Normal active wear garments do not satisfy these needs always. The heat produced by the body in laborious activity is often not discharged into the environment in the required amount, thus resulting in thermal stress situation. On the other hand, in the periods of rest between activities, less heat is produced by the human body. Considering the same heat release, hypothermia is likely to occur. Application of PCM in clothing supports in regulating the thermal shocks, and thus, thermal stress to the wearer, and supports in increasing his/ her efficiency of work under high stress.

Lifestyle apparel – elegant fleece vests, men’s and women’s hats, gloves and rainwear.

Outdoor sports – apparel jackets and jacket linings, boots, golf shoes, running shoes, socks and ski and snowboard gloves.

From genuine uses in space suits and gloves, phase change materials are also used in consumer products.

Aerospace textiles

Phase Change Materials used in current consumer products primarily were made for application in space suits and gloves to protect astronauts from higher temperature fluctuations while performing extra-vehicular activities in space.

The usefulness of the insulation stems from micro encapsulated Phase Change Materials (micro-PCMs) primarily created to make warm the gloved hands of space-strolling astronauts. The materials were accepted ideal as a glove liner, to support during temperature extremes of the space environment.

Medical textiles

Textiles having Phase Change Materials (PCMs) could soon find uses in the medical sector. To raise the thermo-physical comfort of surgical clothing such as gowns, caps and gloves. In bedding products like mattress covers, sheers and blankets. A product, which helps the effort to stay the patient warm enough in an operation by giving insulation tailored to the body’s temperature.

Other uses of PCM

Phase Change Materials are at the moment being used in textiles, which include the extremities: gloves, boots, hats, etc. Various PCMs can be selected for various uses. For example the temperature of the skin near the torso is about 33°C (91°F). Though, the skin temperature of the feet is nearly 30 -31 °c. These PCM materials can be useful down to 16°C, enough to ensure the comfort of someone wearing a ski boot in the snow. They are increasingly applied in body-core protection and it will shift into the areas of blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses and mattress pads.

PCM Types

Standard phase change materials are generally a polymer/carrier filled with thermally conductive filler, which changes from a solid to a high-viscosity liquid (or semi-solid) state at a certain transition temperature. These materials conform well to irregular surfaces and possess wetting properties like thermal greases, which considerably decrease the contact resistance at the distinctive interfaces. Because of this composite structure, phase change materials are capable of surviving against mechanical forces during shock and vibration, safeguarding the die or component from mechanical damage. Moreover, the semi-solid state of these materials at high temperature determines issues linked to “pump-out” under thermo-mechanical flexure.

When heated to a targeted transition temperature, the material considerably softens to a near liquid-like physical state in which the thermally conductive material slightly expands in volume. This volumetric growth makes the more thermally conductive material to flow into and replace the microscopic air gaps existed in between the heat sink and electronic component. With the air gaps filled between the thermal surfaces, a high degree of wetting of the two surfaces lessens the contact resistance.

In general, there are two types of phase changes materials:

. Thermally conductive and electrically insulating.

. Electrically conductive.

The main dissimilarity between the thermally and electrically conductive materials is the film or carrier that the phase change polymer is coated with. With the electrically insulating material, lowest amount of voltage isolation properties can be achieved.

Analysis of the thermal barrier function of Phase Change Materials in textiles

Producers can now use PCMs to give thermal comfort in a huge range of garments. But to know how much and what kind of PCM to apply, as well as modification of the textile, in order to make a garment fit for its purpose, it is essential to quantify the effect of the active thermal barrier offered by these materials.

The total thermal capacity of the PCM in many products depends on its specific thermal capacity and its quantity. The required quantity can be expected by considering the application conditions, the desired thermal effect and its duration and the thermal capacity of the specific PCM. The structure of the carrier system and the end-use product also affects the thermal efficiency of the PCM, which has to be measured with respect to the material selection and the product design.

Prospect of PCM

The main challenge in developing textile PCM structure is the method of their use. Encapsulation of PCMs in a polymeric shell is an evident selection, but it adds stiff weight to the active material. Efficient encapsulation, core-to-wall ratio, out put of encapsulation, stability during application and incorporation of capsules onto fabric structure are some of the technological aspects being measured.

Though PCMs are being promoted in various types of apparel and connected products, the applications in which they can really work are limited. As superior test methods are developed for PCMs, makers of PCM materials and garments will have to further cautiously target the markets in which their products do work well.

Conclusion

Since a huge amount has been invested in research and development in these areas in the developed counties, it is expected that very soon all-season outfits will be mass-produced. For example, in Britain, scientists have designed an acrylic fibre by integrating microcapsules covering Phase Change Materials. These fibres have been used for producing lightweight all-season blankets.

Many garment making companies in USA are now producing many of such garments, like thermal underwear and socks for inner layer, knit shirt or coated fleece for insulating layer; and a jacket with PCM interlines for outer layer, beside helmets, other head gears and gloves. Such clothing can maintain warm and comfortable temperatures in the extreme of both weathers. There is no doubt that textile which integrate PCMs will find their way into several uses in the near future.

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Esprit puts a sweet little twist on an already stunning style–literally! The ear pieces have a pretty blend of a matte finished and polished resin that are twisted and turned together for a look that is glamorous and feminine, while the uniquely set gradient lenses lend a stand out boho-chic appeal.. read more.

Put a little boho into the mix with the New Frontier from AJ Morgan. The oversized silhouette and gradient lenses are wonderfully finished with polished silver arm pieces for a look that has the perfect blend of vintage and modern all wrapped into one.Put a little boho into the mix with the New Frontier from AJ Morgan. The oversized silhouette and gradient lenses are wonderfully finished with polished arm pieces for a look that has the perfect blend of vintage and modern all wrapped into one.. read more.