Kanati Clothing Company

Kanati Clothing Company
Corporate
Industry Apparel
Genre Menswear
Founded 2009
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Area served
 Global
Products Graphic T-shirts, Denim, Jackets, Fleece, Wovens and Accessories
Services Retail, Private label, Manufacturing, Logistics, On-Demand Services
Owner Privately Held Company
Website kanaticlothingco.com

Kanati Clothing Company is a Canadian menswear label, manufacturer and retailer based in Toronto, Ontario. The company launched its flagship retail location in Waterloo, Ontario in 2014.

History

The Kanati Clothing Company was formed in July 2009 in Toronto, Ontario. Kanati Co. quickly became a celebrity favorite and in 2012 entered into a new multi-year international distribution arrangement.[1] The company gained notoriety as a pioneer in the fashion industry by creating an Aboriginal influenced premium lifestyle band which had not yet been seen before. The brand was popularized in the U.S by its appearance in numerous music videos from artists like Meek Mill, Ja Rule and other popular musicians like Sean P from the group YoungBloodZ.[2] The label was seen on music group Winnipeg's Most in the Maclean's Magazine "Straight Outta Winnipeg" feature [3] as well as on CBC Television's Aboriginal series "8th Fire" hosted by Wab kinew.

In 2014 the brand launched a Made-on-Demand Cut and sew program for independent small to medium-sized private labels.[4] The program features the Signature Young line by Curtis Young who is the son of music icon and businessman Dr.Dre.[5] The Made-on-Demand program operates on a membership basis[6]and eliminates a majority of the costs associated with maintaining a clothing company. The innovative system allows labels to order as little as one item at a time and enables designers to get premium Cut and sew as oppose to using traditional third party blank garments.[7]

In 2015 Kanati Co. partnered with Navajo model Deanne Jean Vanwinkle to create "Clothes for Kids". The company donated clothing to children on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona and they plan to donate to different locations annually.[8]

Troubles in Pakistan

In 2015, after doing business in Pakistan for six years;[9] Kanati Co. pulled all of its production from Pakistan due to supply chain issues causing the company delays. [10] The company cited hostile trading conditions, energy[11] and transportation issues in Pakistan as a continued disruption to its supply chain.[12]

Kanati Co became the second high profile company to pull production from Pakistan, blaming disruptions to orders and the country’s instability. Its decision came after US-based Walt Disney last year phased out the sourcing of Disney-branded products from Pakistan, saying the country no longer met its guidelines on working conditions.[13] Both companies identified risks in the country that outweighed the benefits of continuing business in the country.[14] An eye-opening report published in Pakistan Today cited Kanati Co. and Walt Disney exiting the country among other companies and stated "The state is unraveling stitch by stitch. At this rate we are in danger of no state."[15]

A report published by the Fung Business Intelligence Centre stated "Kanati has also expressed its frustration with the country's weak legal system, which left it unprotected when one of its Pakistani partners embezzled its funds."[16] The report also mentioned violence and energy problems becoming increasingly common in the country which creates issues for business.

In a separate report by The Compliance and Ethics Blog titled "Businesses Exit Pakistan Over Corruption Risk", the exit of Kanati Company and Walt Disney were described as a "wake-up call, both for those representing multi-nationals' interests in Pakistan and those Pakistani firms in the multi-nationals' value chains."[17]

Made in Canada

As a result of transport difficulties resulting in Kanati Co. spending "far too much time, effort and money" in Pakistan,[18] the company announced it was switching to a domestic production approach in 2015 and would be manufacturing all of its products in Waterloo, Ontario where it can control all aspects of production it couldn't overseas.[19] The company said it could no longer hope for improvements as it takes pride in providing quality service and takes appropriate action when their standards are compromised.[20]Kanati Co. stated that it would not consider returning production to the Pakistan anytime soon. [21] The stability of the country and supply chain disruptions was key reasons for the company to close doors overseas and re-shore to Canada.[22] Kanati Company will no longer allow Pakistan as a permitted materials sourcing country.[23]

Products

The Kanati Co. line is known for its use of high-grade materials, Aboriginal influence and elite status.[24] Kanati Co. lines include men’s T-shirts, polo shirts, thermals, leather, jackets, button downs, hoodies, Japanese denim, shorts, skateboards, accessories and swimwear. The line is also well known for its premium headwear [25] including Snapback (hat)s customized with leather and animal prints and hand crafted 5-panels made from different materials including snakeskin.[26]

Kanati Co. also manufactures different fashion lines specifically for different countries and retailers around the world.[27]

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Home - Site". Kanaticlothingco.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  2. ↑ "SCML Magazine". Scmlmag.com. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
  3. ↑ "Straight Outta Winnipeg". Macleans Magazine. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  4. ↑ "VladTV". Vladtv.com. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  5. ↑ "HipHopDX". Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  6. ↑ "Apparel Resources, Everything Sourcing". apparelresources.com. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  7. ↑ "Ill Society Magazine". illsocietymag.com. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  8. ↑ "Clothes for Kids". kanaticlothingco.com. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
  9. ↑ "Trading Difficulties". Pakistan Times. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  10. ↑ "Kanati Pulls Production from Pakistan". just-style.com. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  11. ↑ "About 6,700 MW Shortfall: Canada-Based Kanati Clothing Leaves Pakistan After 6 Years". Customs Today. Retrieved 2015-02-02.
  12. ↑ "Trading Difficulties Sink Another Foreign Entity". The Express Tribune/International New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  13. ↑ "Pakistan's new textile policy aims to double exports". Just-Style.com. Retrieved 2015-02-18.
  14. ↑ "Western Companies Continue to Exit Pakistan". pakistanherald.com. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  15. ↑ "Badly governed to ungovernable". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
  16. ↑ "Asia Sourcing Update" (PDF). Fung Business Intelligence Centre. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Businesses Exit Pakistan Over Corruption Risk". The Compliance and Ethics Blog. Retrieved 2015-04-04.
  18. ↑ "Outdoor Brands in Innovation Buzz". Just-Style.com. Retrieved 2015-02-02.
  19. ↑ "Kanati Co. Embraces Domestic Approach". International Business Times. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  20. ↑ "Industry News". CCFGroup.com. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  21. ↑ "Western Companies Moving out of Pakistan". yarnsandfibers.com. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  22. ↑ "Textile Manufacturer Kanati Plans to Close Doors in Pakistan". yarnsandfibers.com. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
  23. ↑ "Is Pakistan’s Troubled Economy Beneficial for African Textiles?". Nigeria Tell. Retrieved 2015-02-16.
  24. ↑ Lafreniere, Julie (2011-04-21). "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop - Uptown". Uptownmag.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  25. ↑ Luxury, TrendHunter (2014-05-16). "Aboriginal Inspired Snapbacks - TrendHunter Luxury". trendhunter.com. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  26. ↑ Files, Hat (2013-08-19). "Kanati Co. Snakeskin 5-Panel Cap - Hat Files". hatfiles.com. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  27. ↑ Casey, Kieron (2013-02-02). "The Totality". the-totality.com. Retrieved 2013-02-02.