VF Corporation Partners with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to Train Students on Innovative 3D Technology
Partnership incorporates leading-edge technology into curriculum to prepare students for careers in apparel and retail
GREENSBORO, N.C. – February 2, 2017 - VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, today announced that its Jeanswear division is partnering with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) to bring innovative 3D design technology to the school’s Department of Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies to help prepare students for careers in the apparel and retail industries. VF’s Jeanswear business includes its Wrangler® and Lee® brands.
The innovative technology provides students with a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn state-of-the-art techniques and processes used in the areas of apparel design, production and merchandising. The software enables patternmakers and designers to mimic the real-life process of designing and developing products, which means garments can be made in a few hours, as opposed to the weeks it takes to make physical samples, helping companies save time, money and resources.
“As an employer of UNCG graduates, we saw the opportunity to help students advance their career opportunities by equipping them with new apparel technology skills to be used from initial design through manufacturing, merchandising, marketing and consumers’ shopping experiences,” said Phil McAdams, President of VF’s Jeanswear coalition. “In turn, VF maintains a pipeline of work-ready, young professionals who are able to make an immediate contribution to our business when hired.”
The UNCG partnership ensures that students entering the workforce are proficient in the use of 3D design technology and possess the skills to work with this advanced software. The use of this technique is increasing across the apparel and retail industries.
“Our partnership with VF gives our students tremendous opportunities to build on the many other technical competencies they learn in their coursework and gain a competitive advantage when they pursue their careers,” said Dr. Nancy Nelson Hodges, head of UNCG’s Department of Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies. “It’s really going to transform how we educate students. We’re proud to be part of this exciting project.”
UNCG’s Department of Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies comprises more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students. The school will integrate the 3D software into its curriculum, and students will begin using the technology in the Fall 2017 semester. The 3D software at the center of this partnership is provided by Browzwear, a specialist in 3D simulation for the apparel and fashion industries.
About VF
VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) is a global leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories. The company’s diversified portfolio of powerful brands spans numerous geographies, product categories, consumer demographics and sales channels, giving VF a unique industry position and the ability to create sustainable, long-term growth for customers and shareholders. The company’s largest brands are The North Face®, Vans®, Timberland®, Wrangler® and Lee®. For more information, visit www.vfc.com.
About the Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies Department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The Department of Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies (CARS) provides students with a strong educational foundation through an innovative curriculum, integrating theory with hands-on experience and research within the community, with the flexibility for students to pursue their individual career interests related to the global apparel industry. The CARS department is part of the Bryan School of Business and Economics at UNC Greensboro, one of the largest business schools in North Carolina, offering six undergraduate programs, five graduate programs, and three PhD programs. Students at the Bryan School are challenged to develop an innovative mindset, a broad understanding of sustainability, and become exceptional problem solvers in the organizations in which they work and the communities in which they live. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) is one of seventeen universities in the University of North Carolina system. Founded in 1891, UNCG is the largest and most diverse university in the Triad region, serving more than 19,000 students. Learn more at http://bryan.uncg.edu/cars/.
Media Contacts:
Vanessa McCutchen
Director, Public Relations, VF Corporation
+1.336.424.7776
Released February 2, 2017