Few companies can claim that they go from “field to fashion,” but one who can is American Denimatrix.

Founded by PCCA to become the first fully integrated supply chain from raw cotton to finished garments in the western hemisphere, Denimatrix is a full service solution provider for the denim industry that couples design and product development services with the manufacturing side of the business.

To back up their commitment to providing their customers with cutting edge product development, Denimatrix established its own design and technical center in Italy. There the company works with leading European denim brands and is present as the newest trends are being created. In addition to providing customers with trend information, Denimatrix can create a complete denim collection for the customer, said Eduardo Gutierrez, Director of International Markets.

With factories in Guatemala, Denimatrix is well positioned to sell into the U.S. and Latin American markets, both in terms of price and proximity to the market. Their keen understanding of European Styling combined with their extensive knowledge of the US Market, provides European and American retailers with the opportunity to partner with Denimatrix for either U.S. or European distribution. Denimatrix customer base includes industry leaders such as Abercrombie, American Eagle, Guess, Gap and various others.

Shorter lead times, and even shorter supply of raw materials, have put almost impossible pressure on the denim industry. What differentiates Denimatrix from any other denim manufacturer is that their parent company PCCA produces 35% of all cotton grown in the U.S. giving them ready access to a huge supply of cotton. With 12 week lead times from concept to retail, and a production capacity of 800,000 jeans per month, Denimatrix can definitely deliver the goods. The vertical nature of its business provides Denimatrix, and its customers, with an unparalleled degree of flexibility throughout the entire supply chain. “We can provide sophisticated product development for our up market customers, as well as solutions for the price-sensitive side of the market,” said Gutierrez.

In December 2010 Denimatrix won the U.S. Secretary of State’s prestigious ACE award for corporate excellence, which recognizes U.S. businesses that play a key role abroad as good corporate citizens. The criteria included evaluating nominees’ sustainable and ethical practices in international markets.

Denimatrix prides itself on its design services and one of the ways they keep up with the key international trends is by reading Inside Fashion.

“We need to know what people are wearing and what are the new inspirations. We are looking at fabric and fiber developments, new finishes and trims, as well as garment design. Inside Fashion does an outstanding job of providing this information in an easy-to-interpret format. This is very valuable to our designers,” said Gutierrez.

When asked what the most important thing he’s learned from this industry, Gutierrez said, “Be truthful and honest with your customers – don’t over commit or oversell. You have to say ‘No’ sometimes. When you make a commitment, be absolutely sure you deliver what you promised.”