• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.43-51
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• 2016

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss success factors behind ATO distribution channels by examining successful partnerships between producers and alternative trading organizations (ATOs). Research design, data, and methodology - This is a case study, an analytical approach, which illustrates how the partnership between producers and ATOs has strengthened the fair trade and the performance of participants in the trade based on the example of the trading relationship between Beautiful Coffee, an alternative trading organization dealing coffee related products, and the coffee cooperative union (CCU), a coffee producing cooperative in Gulmi, Nepal. Results - Beautiful Coffee in the partnership with HELVETAS empowered small coffee farmers by a successful institutionalization of CCU that consolidated the distribution channel to be more efficient. Also, Beautiful Coffee and its partnership with KOICA have tried to increase productivity and quality of coffee beans. Conclusions - The case of Beautiful Coffee demonstrates that the partnership between producers and alternative trading organizations (ATOs) has benefited the fair trade partners. In other words, Beautiful Coffee's partnerships with a NGO working in the local producing area, HELVETAS, and a government aid agency, KOICA could strengthen the relationship between the producers and the ATO, and thus contributes to the whole distribution channel.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.78-86
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• 2006

Coffee extract dyeing on silk fabric using various mordanting agents at different mordanting condition was studied in our previous research. Coffee extract dyeing can exert beautiful colors and have several advantages over the conventional natural dyeing. Since most of natural dyes are expensive for mass production, strongly season and source dependent, and hard to store, and therefore, coffee waste was used as natural dye to create beautiful colors in this study. Coffee waste is inexpensive and easy to store, and provide a comparatively regular quality regardless of season and source. The effects of dyeing condition such as dyeing temperature, dyeing time, and liquor ratio on dyeing characteristics of silk fabrics were investigated. Coffee extract dyed silk showed brilliant colors, and the colors were different with the kind of mordant. Cu, Sn, and Al mordanted silks showed golden yellow with subtle change of hue and value, while Fe mordanted silk showed a brownish green color upon coffee extract dyeing. As the dyeing temperature increased, the dyeability generally increased in all mordanted silk fabrics except Fe mordanted silk until $45^{\circ}C$. The dyeing temperature did not affect the dyeability of Fe mordanted silk fabric. As the liquor ratio increased, the dyeability showed a gradual increase in all mordanted silk except Cu mordanted silk. Cu mordanted silk fabric showed an abrupt increase in dyeability at liquor ratio1:150. The dyeing time effect can be separated into 2 stages. During the initial half an hour, the dyeability did not change significantly, and then, increased after 45 min. dyeing time duration. A further increase in dyeing time after 45 min. did not affect the dyeing efficiency in all mordanted silk fabrics except the Cu mordanted.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.29-38
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• 2005

Natural dyes have attracted the worldwide attention because of its environmental advantage over synthetic dyes. However, most of natural dyes are expensive for mass production, strongly season and source dependent, and hard to store. In this study, coffee waste were used as natural dye to create beautiful colors. Coffee waste is inexpensive and easy to store, and provides a comparatively regular quality regardless of seasonand source. The effects of mordant agent concentration and mordanting temperature on dyeing efficiency of silk fabrics were investigated. Coffee extract dyed silk showed brilliant colors, and the colors were different with the kind of mordants. Cu, Sn, and Al mordanted silks showed golden yellow with subtle change of hue and value, while Fe mordanted silk showed a brownish green color. The increase in mordant concentration did not always increase the dyeability, and 0.5% o.w.f. mordant concentration was enough to get a satifactory result. Mordanting temperature also had little effect on the dyeability in case of Al, Cu, and Sn mordanted fabrics. Only Fe mordanted fabrics showed a better dyeability in the increase in mordating temperature. Coffee extract dyeing is an effective way using waste as resource and can create brilliant colors with minimal amount of mordant and under mild mordanting condition.