BEIJING/BANGALORE (Reuters) – Some of the world’s leading clothing brands rely on Chinese suppliers that pollute rivers with toxic, hormone-disrupting chemicals banned in Europe and elsewhere, environment group Greenpeace said on Wednesday.

Adidas, Nike, Puma, Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Abercrombie and Fitch and China’s Li Ning were among the global names identified in the Greenpeace report, following a year-long investigation.

BANGALORE (Reuters) – Women’s clothes retailer Talbots Inc (TLB.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has been struggling for four years to throw off its stuffy image, and its management may not have too much time before investors start pushing for a change in leadership, or even a sale.

Founded in post-war Massachusetts, Talbots built its reputation on its traditional pearls-and-classics fashions, but today is widely panned as dull. Sales have declined steadily over the past 5 years, to just over $1.2 billion.

BANGALORE, July 6 (Reuters) – Women’s clothes retailer
Talbots Inc has been struggling for four years to throw
off its stuffy image, and its management may not have too much
time before investors start pushing for a change in leadership,
or even a sale.

Founded in post-war Massachusetts, Talbots built its
reputation on its traditional pearls-and-classics fashions, but
today is widely panned as dull. Sales have declined steadily
over the past 5 years, to just over $1.2 billion.

By Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Jessica Wohl

BANGALORE/NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters )- Martin Franklin, the London-born leader of Jarden Corp (JAH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), is the kind of chap who will give you the shoes off of his feet. Literally.

After reshaping his company through acquisitions, Franklin, CEO for a decade and known for his prowess in deal-making, moved into the role of executive chairman in mid-June and handed the CEO role to James Lillie.

BANGALORE/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Children’s Place Retail Stores Inc (PLCE.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is gearing up for a much better back-to-school season as it banks on tighter inventories and new, sometimes pricer, merchandise to entice still-wary shoppers, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Shares of Children’s Place, which sells clothes for kids, were up 1.7 percent at $45.14 in early afternoon trading.

BANGALORE/NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) – Children’s Place
Retail Stores Inc (PLCE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is gearing up for a much better
back-to-school season as it banks on tighter inventories and
new, sometimes pricer, merchandise to entice still-wary
shoppers, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Shares of Children’s Place, which sells clothes for kids,
were up 1.7 percent at $45.14 in early afternoon trading.

BANGALORE/NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) – Children’s Place
Retail Stores Inc (PLCE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is gearing up for a much better
back-to-school season as it banks on tighter inventories and
new, sometimes pricer, merchandise to entice still-wary
shoppers, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

Shares of Children’s Place, which sells clothes for kids,
were up 1.7 percent at $45.14 in early afternoon trading.

NEW YORK/BANGALORE (Reuters) – Jarden Corp (JAH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) expects profit and gross margins to keep growing, even as some costs rise, as shoppers treat themselves to pricier items such as $50 coffee makers and $400 baseball bats, top executives said at the Reuters Consumer and Retail Summit.

“We call it frugality fatigue,” said Executive Chairman Martin Franklin, who stepped down as chief executive of the consumer products maker earlier this month and was replaced by James Lillie.

BANGALORE, June 22 (Reuters) – U.S. industrial and consumer goods conglomerate 3M Co’s Indian unit expects revenue growth of 28-30 percent in 2011 as it expands into smaller towns and plans to step up hiring in the country, a company executive said.

3M, known for its Post-It notes and health and safety gear, also plans to invest about 1.5 billion rupees ($33.5 million) in India this year — mostly in R&D and manufacturing, Ajay Nanavati, managing director of 3M India, told Reuters in an interview.

BANGALORE, June 22 (Reuters) – U.S. industrial and consumer
goods conglomerate 3M Co’s Indian unit expects revenue
growth of 28-30 percent in 2011 as it expands into smaller towns
and plans to step up hiring in the country, a company executive
said.

3M, known for its Post-It notes and health and safety gear,
also plans to invest about 1.5 billion rupees ($33.5 million) in
India this year — mostly in R&D and manufacturing, Ajay
Nanavati, managing director of 3M India, told Reuters in an
interview.