MSN.ca takes notice of JUZD

Seems as though the word about JUZD is getting out! With success in Holt Renfrew, GotStyle and Green is Black more and more people are quick to grab the one-of-a-kind JUZD t-shirt. The fashion world is seeking new, innovative and eco-friendly designs and being the planet's first bamboo designer label, it's hard to avoid getting JUZD...

Take a look below to see how JUZD was featured in MSN.ca's Green article section. The article featured JUZD as one of today's top Canadian green designers.

Original Article http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/article.aspx?cp-documentid=672500

Written by Liz Metcalfe

Hot looks, Cool for the planet

Green and recycled materials have become the new hot thing with designers, who are increasingly taking advantage of recycled and found materials, along with fabrics made form renewable resources. Hemp is no longer just for the granola crowd and designers incorporating new fabrics such as soy silk, tencel/lyocell (made from wood byproducts), micro-modal (made from beech pulp) and bamboo.

We've found a dozen designers – many of them Canadian success stories – whose collections are carried in stores across Canada. Check out the green designer collections we’ve found that will make you green in heart while your friends go green with envy.

JUZD (short for Juiced) was the first bamboo designer label. Said to be inspired by the legend of 1898, when the African Mountain Gorillas were discovered, each shirt in the JUZD collection has an exclusive design and is made from organic bamboo fabric. All JUZD T-shirts, such as the ones above, retail for $100 at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. You can also buy their shirts directly from their website at http://www.juzd.com/.

JUZD Designer Appearance at Holt Renfrew Yorkdale

Get our lead designer Jing Liu to be your personal shopper!

Jing Liu will be working with the Holt Renfrew sales staff to help you find the perfect outfit for the Fall. Join him and the JUZD team Saturday October 11th from 1pm-3pm at Holt Renfrew Yorkdale.

Come by and say hi and get a free JUZD bag ($10 value). Sweet!

JUZD Featured in 24hrs Daily Newspaper

Original post in July 29th 2008 issue of 24 Hours.
Original article written by Tanya Enberg, 24 hours

Bamboo first
Holt Renfrew keeps sharpening its edge.
The retail chain, which gives great play to Canuck clothing labels, has gone one step further by bringing on a largely unknown Toronto designer.

His name is Jing Liu and if you’ve never hear of him or his JUZD (pronounced joost) Bamboo streetwear collection, don’t’ be surprised. After all, he has never been trained in fashion design or cut his teeth at a design firm.

That, however, hasn’t stopped Holts from taking the unusual step of bringing the newbie designer’s graphic-laden garb-the world’s first designer bamboo label-to its high-end department stores.

The collection was delivered to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver earlier this month. Check out Liu’s work at: juzdbamboo.com

Is this the best selling JUZD shirt?

This shirt is the favourite of many people. I wasn't surprised when the first report I got showed it sold 2-3 times more than the other shirts. Can't confirm how many days it was actually on the floor. Then on the second week it went all the way to second last. What was going on here!

This perplexed me for a long time. I was trying to schedule production of long sleeves base on the popularity of the designs.

The answer did not hit me till late last night after my visit to the two Holt Renfrew locations in Toronto. When I went to the Bloor location they had a new stock of Dom Rebel shirts in and JUZD was moved to a few less stacks. Due to the space they had to stack some of the black shirts on top of the white Studio. Ah! That's why. These shirts used to be spread out and now the white ones are not visible.

So lesson here is that you cannot just look at stats. Shirt selling is based on many factors. But also the paradox is that the only practical way to measure the popularity of shirts is through stats.

Let's say there are 100 stores carrying JUZD shirts, we cannot go into each one and note what happened during the week and discount that in the stats. That would be impossible and inaccurate. With everything that's happening, the only way is to average out is with numbers. There will be a lot of abnoramlities but the law of averages will cancel everything out.

National Post cover Star wearing JUZD shirt on TIFF red carpet

National Post mentioned JUZD in the September 10th 2008 onlline.

Swag Hag: The Tastemakers Lounge
Posted: September 10, 2008, 8:33 AM by Nathalie Atkinson

The theme of this year’s Tastemakers Lounge at the InterContinental is Ohhh Canada! and stars sip libations from Northern Quebec (ESKA spring water) and B.C. (fair trade, organic and carbon-neutral Salt Spring Coffee) while they "shop."

...

The Potential Haul: The ten-foot wall covered in hand-flocked wallpaper from Scottish studio Timorous Beasties would run you $5,000; Trollbeads charm jewellery ($300); a Juzd Originals printed t-shirt made from organic bamboo by Toronto’s Jing Liu to wear on the red carpet like Darren Hewson did ($100 at Holt Renfrew).

JUZD Head designer Jing Liu Sponsors TIFF Event

Original post on DemiCouture September 8th 2008

At the Toronto Film Festival, celebs can expect to get a piece of Holt Renfrew’s hottest new bamboo clothing line on order - JUZD. Unique t-shirts were designed for the event will be included within Tastemakers Celebrity Lounge’s swag bags.


The head designer and owner of the brand is marked as the youngest who can make such a boast of the label of the youngest sponsor of a major event at the film ‘fest.


Beyond the TIFF, JUZD is letting everyone know that they’re not stopping with Canadian bamboo fashion domination. According to Jing Liu, JUZD is slated to take over America and the UK before Christmas arrives as well.


Keep your eyes peeled for these unique designs in your local luxury boutiques.

Toronto Eco-Fashion Designer Jing Liu to be Youngest Sponsor of 2008 TIFF Tastemakers Celebrity Lounge

Jing Liu (27) will represent young entrepreneurs at this year’s Fourth Annual Tastemakers Celebrity Lounge event, part of the Toronto International Film Festival from September 6 – 12. The Owner and Lead Designer of Toronto-based JUZD bamboo, designers of organic bamboo streetwear, Liu will be the youngest sponsor of the event which introduces tastemakers to innovative product releases from Canadian companies.

Toronto, Ontario – September 5th 2008 – The Fourth Annual Tastemakers Celebrity Lounge is one of the première events of the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Jing Liu, Owner and Lead Designer of JUZD (short for Juiced) Bamboo, will be the event’s youngest sponsor, at the age of 27. Liu, along with other event sponsors including CTV’s eTalk and Sweetspot.ca (as the event’s major sponsors), HBC, Joe Fresh Style, Strellson, and PUMA, will expose event-goers to fresh and unique products coming from some of Canada’s trendiest and most cutting-edge entrepreneurs.

JUZD Bamboo will provide a collection of one-of-a-kind designer bamboo t-shirts for the Tastemakers Celebrity Lounge, running Saturday, September 6th to Friday, September 12th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville Hotel. Celebrities involved with the film festival are invited to stop by the Tastemakers Lounge during those times to pick up free goods offered by the event sponsors. The Lounge was opened to scheduled media outlets September 5th.

Liu made history two months ago when his first collection of edgy designer bamboo tees was picked up (with immediate delivery requested) by Canada’s leading luxury retailer, Holt Renfrew. His fast rise in the scene marked a rare event in the fashion industry, where retailers buy lines nine months in advance. Making the quick demand even more shocking is that Liu has no agency design experience or fashion background.

Liu isn’t stopping with Holt Renfrew in his efforts to take the eco-conscious design world by storm. Already working on several deals to extend his line, he expects to see JUZD Bamboo tees available in the US and UK markets before Christmas. Following on the heels of the Holt Renfrew buy, other distributors are also demanding immediate delivery. What is the appeal of the JUZD designs? According to a UK source, “People are tired of going into stores and seeing the same shirt after shirt. This is different. There is presentation, a totally awesome new fabric, and you got this comic in the back. I’m sold!”

Not only are stores taking notice. The media has also jumped onto Liu’s story of finding eco-friendly inspiration to combine his love of art and fashion. Within just 72 hours of announcing the Holt Renfrew deal, eight magazines, four online magazines, a TV show, a radio station, and eight major blogs confirmed coverage.

As the world is eyeing the stars in Toronto, there is a Toronto star that’s eyeing the world.

- more -


About JUZD - The Bamboo Streetwear Clothing Company

JUZD (short for Juiced) www.juzd.com is the planet's first bamboo designer label, established in 2007 by designer Jing Liu. The label emphasizes contemporary high-end streetwear created using exclusive custom-designed and milled bamboo fabric. Each design is inspired by the designer’s vision of “organic” and aggressive style and the philosophy that art and fashion should co-exist in a way that is innovative, eco-conscious, and empowering.

For more information about the event sponsorship, JUZD label, or to set up an interview with Jing Liu, please visit www.JUZD.com or contact Davi Tham at 416-561-2581.

###

CONTACT:
Davi Tham
JUZD Bamboo
Tel: 416.561.2581
Email: Davi@juzd.com
Toll-Free: 1.888.589.3462
Fax: 1.888.895.5893
Web: www.JUZD.com

JUZD now in Yorkdale and Bloor Holt Renfrew

Yesterday was an exciting day for the staff at Holt Renfrew Yorkdale and Bloor street. They finally received their first shipment of the JUZD shirts. Marc Baudendistel the Yorkdale store manager was so excited about the product that he organized a Product Knowledge session not only with the mens contemporary department with but many of the other sections and staff members as well. During the Product Knowledge session Jing Liu and Yvonne Kai introduced the Holt Renfrew staff to the brand and the JUZD experience.

First shipment of JUZD shirts have already been shipped to the Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal locations. Second shipment to follow in a few days. The last shipment will be out in a little over a week. Watch out for it!

Dualité - Montreal Fashion Blog

Toronto-based JUZD Bamboo Answers Some Questions
Posted in Designers by Dahlia on July 31st, 2008

Every so often at my blog, I get requests in writing about a new designer for sake of promotions. But as I’m still in the course of developing a certain point of view, I decided to put one of them to the test by asking some more serious questions. I get tired of run of the mill “So what’s the name of your brand? How did you become a designer?” yadda yadda, they can sum that up in a nice little biography for all I care.
After being happy to find out about my Ecco sandals’ provenance, I wanted to know if clothing brands would do the same in revealing where their clothes were made and what were their ethical standards.

Well, Toronto-based JUZD (pronounced “joost”) Bamboo is a particular case - it’s an unknown urban street wear designer that has been recently picked up by Holt Renfrew. I asked them a couple of serious questions and I was surprised by the thorough responses and learned a thing or two, it gave me some hope that there are brands out there who aren’t afraid of answering questions that are really relevant to the fashion industry. Jing Liu, Chief Designer of JUZD, happily answered my questions. Read on:

Q: Where are the clothes made (in Canada? China? India?)? And if you’re outsourcing overseas, is JUZD upkeeping labor law standards and why not keep jobs (and quality control) here in Canada?

It is made in China. China has the most advance textile technology and spends a lot on research and development. In addition the supply and qualityof bamboo is plentiful in China. It is made in a city that is rated as one of the ten best cities in China. However a lot of the assembly is here in Canada and all the staff and contractors (excluding some designers) are here in Canada.
I have visited the factories and the technology required for creating these clothing is very advance. The facilities are clean and staff are treated well. My mom used to work in a clothing factory here in Toronto and honestly the facility in China is much cleaner and I would say safer.
From a personal standpoint I was born and spent most of my early childhood in China. This is one way for me to give back to my people.

(Dahlia’s note: As an Asian person, I’ve heard of “giving back” to our mother country very often from other asians in different businesses. There’s much sense of pride in giving back to your home country, and to hear that from a designer is pretty interesting to note.)

Q: How is bamboo fabric “eco-conscious” (i.e.: Aren’t bamboo trees part of the environment? How does it compare in being eco-friendly from the likes of cotton or wool?), and with so many brands pulling the eco-friendly card on consumers, what makes this brand stand out?

Bamboo is the most sustainable plant. It is consider a grass and grows up to one metre within 24 hours (Dahlia’s note: this is actually confirmed on Wiki if you were skeptical). It reaches maturity in just six months. Bamboo is antibacterial so it does not require pesticide. In fact the antibacterial characteristic is transferred when it is made into a fabric so it kills body odour and bacteria. It can grow in almost any environmental and soil condition. When cut it regenerates itself, this is seen when you cut a bamboo stick, it will grow on both ends. Growing bamboo actually enriches the soil unlike cotton which takes nutrients from the soil. Lastly bamboo consume four times more carbon dioxide than trees which creates a cleaner environment.
You can find our research article on bamboo here: http://www.juzdbamboo.com/benefitsofbamboo.php

JUZD is different in that we are not about jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. The use of bamboo is secondary to the design philosophy of respecting nature and the power of the human. Another big difference compare to other “eco” brands is that JUZD designs are edgy, aggressive, and fashionable. This targets a segment of consumers that have been traditionally ignore by eco-conscious brands. Lastly a great amount of attention is paid to the quality and standard of the clothing pieces hence creating pieces that are luxurious and comfortable instead low cost and low quality.

Now I know you’d have to be hardcore granola and a major treehugger if you really want the nitty gritty about the provenance of bamboo fabric. So I found a site that pretty much will answer most of your questions about it.
To sum it up, bamboo itself is way more environmentally friendly than growing cotton or any other textile plant, and it has loads of benefits. The only reservation one might have is how it is actually produced (not labor wise, but how it’s made in the factories) that may be criticized. Now this goes well into the textile industry and I certainly don’t have much say on ethics in creating fabric (that’s a whole other realm altogether). Just know that the fashion industry is whole lot deeper than people are led to believe :)

This is what I call shear raw determination

"Do you want to schedule the delivery for Monday or Tuesday?" asked Wilma of Holt Renfrew.

I should be thankful, according to the manual, I have to book delivery appointments 48 hours in advance. So that would be late Wednesday, Monday being a holiday. So I blurred out "I want to do the delivery today."

"But our receiving dock closes at 3:30."

"Yea I can make it" without realizing where the exact location is or knowing if I have everything prepared.

"Well.... I can make the appointment for you but are you sure you can be here in an hour?"

Of course I'm not sure. An hour is pretty tight and where the heck is the Holt Renfrew distribution centre anyways. And what's the traffic like going there. So I blurred out "Yea I can make it"

Doubtful she says to me "well, if you can't make it please give us a call."

"So...what documents do I need to prepare?"

After talking with the buyer about the situation in China yesterday he said it's best to send part of the order now. And I have in stock one of the JUZD shirts. I would normally settle for Wilma's option of delivering it on Monday, less risk, take it easy. But a talk with a close friend of mine last night set my motivation ablaze.

Over dinner I told her that one of the magical things I discovered was that if I set a goal no matter how impossible I think it is, if I set that goal and focus all my energy into it, magically I would achieve it. Like getting my line into Holt Renfrew. She said that's one of the traits she admired about her ex-boss, he's an amazing salesperson and when he wants things done it gets done.

People call it "laws of attraction", "Spontaneous Fulfillment", and other neat names. To me it's just shear raw determination. In its most basic element you can see it in athletes when he's determined to do nothing else but win. Willing to sacrifice his body just to edge closer to the goal. This is why when EDI first started they hired ex high school and college athletes for salesperson and during the tech bubble some of these guys were making more money than the CEO and they were totally worth it.

I've seem to lost that determination, having so much to worry about that I don't even know what my goals are anymore. What better goal to get me back on track than to get my shipment here for Holt Renfrew. There's a cancellation period in the fashion industry. If your goods doesn't get to the buyer at the end of this date the order is automatically canceled. And I'm getting very close to mine.

So last night I called my agent and told him to packaged another set of shirts and send it by express with another company, try to send it outside the city, do what you can. "But it's very expensive" he saids. And he's right it's $1,600 for a few hundred shirts. That adds almost $5 a shirt which is a lot of money.

But my goal wasn't to make or save money, my determination was focused on getting the shirts here. "I don't care! Just get it here. Even if the first shipment clears custom, send the second one anyways. I'll fly back there and drag it onto the plane with me if I have to!"

I didn't stop there, in the morning I searched for different freight companies. contacted one I used before and got them to start working on getting my shipment here too. I called several times and asked around and streamline some of their processes to make sure it gets on the plane as quickly as it can. Unfortunately their agent in China won't be able to do anything until Monday morning business hours. Then I emailed my agent and told him to search for companies that are open during the weekend, and get it on a plane.

This is what I call shear raw determination. It has got me to where I am and I will need it to get JUZD to where I want to take it.

As for the delivery to Holt Renfrew, I did not want to delay it a single day or hour. There was heavy traffic on the way, I knew I couldn't make it on time but I got there just 10 minutes after my appointment and got my package to them. JUZD bamboo shirts will be showing up at Holt Refrew stores very soon.

Chinese government deems JUZD shirt too violent for release

It's 1 am and I just got off the phone with my agent in China. For the last 2 weeks I've been talking to him up to three four times a day 10AM, 10PM, 2AM, 8AM, and anytime in between. Then add email and instant messaging, we stay in touch like lovebirds. As JUZD is days from being an overnight success I feel as if I am the most unlucky man on the planet. It would be an overnight success to have your first collection in Holt Renfrew.

The shirts that was suppose to be in Holt Renfrew two weeks ago are still stuck at the Chinese border. It is exporting from one of the city that's hosting the Olympics. The government is now examining every single package leaving China in that city. They are especially concern with apparel. To change their image they are cracking down on counterfeit apparel, knockoffs. They rejected the express shipment the first time because they didn't recognize the logo. On the second try they are saying that the images are too violent and would not release the shipment.

My shirts are too violent? Well, maybe but what right do they have on censorship for Canada and US? How about the shirts that have pornography on it and swear words? It is aggression, not violence. It is art.

You would expect the country that's importing the product to give you hassle not China that's exporting. Maybe with the recent chemical toy paint issue still imprinted in our consciousness, they are overcompensating?

Going through customs should be a breeze. This is further proof that I'm the most unlucky guy on the planet. What are the odds that Beijing will have the Olympics around the same time that I need my shipment? This is the first time the Olympic games are being held in China in its 112 year history. Odds? Let's say one month in 112 years (1 in 1344). For my Private Party in March, Toronto had one of its biggest snow storms in about 10 years. Odds? 1 day in 10 years (1 in 3650). And when I attended my first trade show, the Green Living Show, the TTC (Toronto Public Transit) went on strike for the exact two days of the show. Odds? two days in four years (they go on strike about every four years) (1 in 730). Total odds of all this happening? 1 in 1,815,072,000

All this happening in my first year you would think I would have thrown in the towel long time ago but nope. I'm pretty positive. Well, my first collection will be in Holt Renfrew. Besides, I really can't continue to be this unlucky, think how easy things will be once this unluckiness is over.

Holt Renfrew to Debut JUZD Bamboo Collection by Unknown Canadian Designer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Holt Renfrew to Debut JUZD Bamboo Collection by Unknown Canadian Designer

Luxury retailer, Holt Renfrew, will be the first retail chain to unveil the JUZD Bamboo Streetwear collection from unknown Canadian designer, Jing Liu. The collection, consisting of edgy graphics on an exclusive bamboo fabric, will debut in stores as early as next week.


Toronto, Ontario - July 17th, 2008 – Jing Liu may still be unknown in the design world, but that’s about to change. Liu’s JUZD Bamboo Streetwear Collection has just been picked up by Holt Renfrew, a leading Canadian luxury retailer, rarely known for taking a chance on an unproven line from a new designer. JUZD (pronounced “joost”) is the world’s first bamboo designer label, and features high-end streetwear created using an exclusive bamboo fabric and Liu’s edgy “organic” and aggressive style of art.

Liu isn’t following the path of a “typical” fashion designer. He has no formal training in fashion or design. He has no work experience at any design agency. With no exhibits to his name, Liu’s creative and eco-conscious style have seemingly come out of nowhere, beginning with his first collection of custom-designed tees with original and edgy graphics.

Holt Renfrew’s formula for success, at least for the last several years, has been about picking proven lines. It might seem a risky move then for the company to put its faith in unknown Canadian designer, Liu. Industry insiders, however, are taking note of the JUZD line’s bamboo fabric, with even industry veterans of over 50 years is in awe of the fabric, custom-designed and milled with advanced textile technology.

According to Liu, his success was foreshadowed in feedback from metro boutiques and end consumers. “The fabric’s potential revealed itself when it was shown to boutique sales staff members and stylists. These are the trendsetters – they live and dictate style in our culture. Their excitement at the fabric and graphics really kept the dream, and motivation, alive from the beginning.”

Holt Renfrew picked up the collection on July 8th 2008 and wanted delivery the next week. “This is unheard of in the retail fashion industry,” says Liu. “Retailers typically buy lines at least nine months in advance.” The JUZD collection is scheduled to appear in Holt Renfrew in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Edmonton as early as next week.


About JUZD - The Bamboo Streetwear Clothing Company

JUZD (pronounced joost) www.juzdbamboo.com is the planet's first bamboo designer label, established in 2007 by Canadian designer Jing Liu. The label emphasizes contemporary high-end streetwear created using exclusive custom-designed and milled bamboo fabric. Each design is inspired by the designer’s vision of “organic” and aggressive style and the philosophy that art and fashion should co-exist in a way that is innovative, eco-conscious, and empowering.

For more information about the JUZD label or new clothing line, or to learn more about or set up an interview with Jing Liu, please contact Davi Tham at 416-561-4840.

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CONTACT:

Davi Tham
JUZD Bamboo
Tel: 416.561.4840
Davi@JUZDbamboo.com
Toll-Free: 1.888.589.3462
Fax:1.888.895.5893

Dom Rebel - one of the hottest up and coming labels

I finally got a chance to meet the founders of one of labels I really admire. If you know anything about street culture in Canada you know Dom Rebel. These guys are the talk on the streets. Justin Svatina the Lead Designer for Dom Rebel of Montreal is a pure artist.

Dom Rebel's success is different from the other brands who seem to make it because they copy what's hot or have a celebrity friend put on the shirt. Dom Rebel's success is based on artistic talent. In talking with Justin he's in his own world not too concern about what's out there or what others are doing. That is the true epiphany of a great artist that sets the trends not follow it.

Justin said he draws skulls just because he likes it. His skulls are not mad or angry like others. It's just is. His skulls are poetic. It's not a copy of the typical angry skull that you find on many (too many) shirts.

One thing you will also notice with the Dom Rebel collection is that all the shirts are consistent. One of the reason I started JUZD was that it is common for a collection to consist of different styles different designs with no coherent theme. The philosophy of clothing labels seems to be make as many designs as cheaply as you can and hope the consumers will bite on a few. Dom Rebel even goes a step further.

Each season is a different theme and different concept says Justin. And the designs are different for each season. He does not reuse any designs so once the season's over you can't get that shirt anymore. This season is "Fire in the Disco", it is like the Devil's playground says Justin. You will notice that the colours of the shirts are bright and fruity, contrast with the rebellious and aggressive designs, creates a very unique feel to the shirts.

The reason that Dom Rebel is so hot and why they would stay hot is that it's truly about the art. Justin is a pure artist. In following Dom Rebel for over a year now and personally going through the same path as Justin I am very impressed at the amount of artistry in his designs especially being freshly introduced to silk screening only in 2003.

Justin Svatina (Head designer Dom Rebel), Jing Liu (Co-designer JUZD) - Terence Chung (Co-designer JUZD), Don Nguyen (Sales Marketing Dom Rebel)

Some of the shirts take 5 to 8 hours of labor (of love) to make. Yes! That's on just one shirt. Even Don Nguyen, marketing and sales said he still sees it as doing something they love.

Each shirt is truly a piece of art. That's why this label is on fire with stores carrying it all over the world. Check out the Dom Rebel Collection.