Industry News | 2/1/23
Updated: Mar 9, 2023
Carhartt Makes It Happen with Launch of Artificially Intelligent Heated Vest
Press Release | February 1, 2023
Carhartt introduced the workwear of the future: the Carhartt X-1 Smart Heated Vest. In partnership with clim8, the new intelligent heated vest from Carhartt is born to outwork fluctuating body temps and built to personalize heat and comfort both on and off the job. This product is the latest unveiled from Carhartt's innovation pipeline and is one of the company’s many collaborations with industry visionaries. In 2022, Carhartt launched a customization program in partnership with SPESA member DXM, which enabled customers to customize key styles to meet their work and outdoor apparel needs.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | 3 Ways this Millennial Executive Uses His Own Furniture-Buying Experience to Inform Decisions at Work
Furniture Today | January 31, 2023
As the father of two young children, Leonard Marano, President, Americas at Lectra, has firsthand knowledge about the retail needs of millennial furniture buyers, and his own buyer’s journey has helped him guide his team at Lectra to solutions that meet diverse retail needs. Two solutions currently offered by Lectra, Furniture on Demand and the Microfactory, accelerate customization and manage manufacturing both digitally and integrated to streamline the process, minimizing inventory, labor, and lead times. Lenny Marano is a member of SPESA’s Board of Directors.
2023 New Years Greeting from SPESA & Other Industry Leaders
J.S.N. International, Inc. | January 2023 Issue
SPESA President Michael McDonald reflects on 2022 and looks ahead to 2023: “We welcome 2023, a significant year for the sewn products industry as it reflects on the past three years of disruption amid pandemic living, while focusing on continued efforts of rebuilding. At SPESA, we hope to hone in on the theme of rebuilding our industry — whether that’s through stronger supply chains, more efficient manufacturing processes, or the introduction of new technologies.”
New Trade Partnership with Latin America Moves Forward
ST&R Trade Report | January 31, 2023
On January 27, the U.S. launched an effort to establish the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, a trade and economic cooperation initiative within the Western Hemisphere first announced last summer. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the APEP “will be a new type of economic arrangement, anchored on cooperation to build our economies from the bottom up and the middle out.” APEP will initially include Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay.
SPESA to Host 2023 Executive Conference in Puerto Rico
Just Style | January 30, 2023
SPESA’s two-day Executive Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, aims to show industry professionals why the region remains a strong Made in America manufacturing base while also serving as the gateway to the Latin America and Caribbean regions. “It is one of the most dynamic economies for the sewn products industry, and we’re looking forward to seeing first-hand how Puerto Rico continues to thrive even during challenging times,” said SPESA President Michael McDonald.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | YKK Debuts DIY Repairable Zippers in ARTILECT Shells
Gear Junkie | January 30, 2023
The new YKK Revived zipper, featured in two ARTILECT products this winter (and soon its whole 2023 lineup), allows anyone to easily remove a damaged zipper pull tab from the teeth and replace it. This removable and repairable zipper is a simple design, but one that could extend product lifecycles dramatically and improve the user experience. The YKK Revived zipper will soon be followed by a YKK Vislon tooth repair kit and snap-on sliders for both pocket and vent zippers.
Cambodia to Invest US$18m in Apparel Manufacturing Projects
Just Style | January 30, 2023
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved three investment projects for the apparel sector that will create up to 5,000 jobs, according to local news reports. The investment will be used to create footwear and garment factories and aid with the manufacture of accessories for clothes, shoes, bags, and hats.
Another Covid Surge in China is the Global Supply Chain’s Biggest Fear, but it May Be Overstated
CNBC | January 27, 2023
As China has relaxed restrictions in its “Zero Covid” policy and reopened its economy, there have been reports of major outbreaks at factories and ports. While fears among supply chain managers remain high, the prediction is that a rise in Covid cases may be swift but not long lasting. This prediction comes from global suppliers who weathered the first waves of the pandemic, and are not expecting operating conditions to deteriorate as badly this time.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | United to Futureproof Women Garment Workers in Bangladesh
H&M Foundation | January 2023
SPESA member Shimmy Technologies recently shared that it is part of Oporajita, an impact initiative involving a diverse group of stakeholders to prepare female garment workers for the future of work. The initiative will allow Shimmy and other partners to continue providing garment workers with the skills, environment, and training needed to succeed in the Ready-Made-Garments industry.
The 3 Jobs Manufacturers are Struggling to Fill in 2023
Manufacturing Dive | January 27, 2023
Nearly 780,000 jobs were unfilled in the U.S. manufacturing industry as of November 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But amid those thousands of open roles, some are proving particularly hard to fill. As technical skill requirements and academic interests continue to change, companies are struggling to find production workers, engineers, and middle skill workers, a problem that experts say is unlikely to subside in the year ahead.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Messe Frankfurt Introduces Internationally Recognized Environmental Management System EMAS
Press Release | January 26, 2023
As part of its ongoing sustainability campaign, Messe Frankfurt aims to obtain a certificate for the internationally recognized environmental management system EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) by the end of 2023. According to EMAS, this means that Messe Frankfurt will be the first company in the German trade fair sector to introduce this system.
Coats Exits Mauritius and Madagascar Amid Regional Focus
Just Style | January 25, 2023
Of its most recent move, completed on January 31, industrial thread manufacturer Coats said: “The shift in the global sourcing landscape in recent years has affected Coats’ previous customer base in Mauritius and Madagascar. A new customer profile of primarily domestic and regionally based players has evolved, providing better opportunities for a leading locally based operator, which is closer to the market, to run the business.”
How Increased Funding and Regulatory Changes in 2023 Will Affect Manufacturers
Manufacturing Dive | January 25, 2023
Most notably for the sewn products industry: The Commerce Department was granted $175 million as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 for its Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. The funds will help with initiatives to expand the pool and diversity in the manufacturing workforce by collaborating with workforce organizations.
Electronics For Imaging Announces Appointment of Industrial Technology Veteran Frank Pennisi as Chief Executive Officer and Separation of Fiery Business Unit into Independent Company
Press Release | January 25, 2023
EFI recently announced the appointment of Frank Pennisi, a veteran of the industrial and technology sectors, as Chief Executive Officer. In tandem, EFI’s Fiery business unit has been separated as an independent company that will remain wholly owned by Siris. As separate companies, EFI™ and Fiery® will have distinct areas of strategic focus that will enable them to serve their customers better and grow over the long-term, with EFI as an industrial inkjet leader and Fiery as the leading digital front end provider.
Why Nearshoring Is Not a Silver Bullet for the Sporting Goods Industry in 2023
Just Style | January 25, 2023
Nearshoring has bumped right up the agenda for many U.S. sporting brands as they look to navigate the issue of rising transport costs and shipping delays on the back of global pandemics and worker shortages. As the sportswear industry is likely to experience negative growth in 2023, a new report from McKinsey & Co explores whether nearshoring is the route to navigating this challenge. You can check out the report here.
LSU Researcher Develops Smart Textile That Detects Fever in Infants
Apparel Resources | January 21, 2023
Assistant Professor of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising at Louisiana State University, Sibei Xia is working on creating “smart clothes” that can track a newborn’s body temperature and respond accordingly. The knit hat can detect changes in the baby’s temperature. Its yarns will change into different shades and alert on temperature rise. The Provost’s Fund for Innovation in Research is funding this emerging research.
Levi’s Says Robots Took on 25,000 Hours of Work Last Year
Rivet | January 20, 2023
The apparel company announced plans to reassign a number of “tedious” tasks — from data entry to data validation — to non-human helpers in late 2021. By mid-January 2023, the new robotics division had surpassed its 20,000-hour goal. Using 45 bots, the robotics team freed employees from performing a number of tasks, allowing them to turn their focus to more strategic, analytical work in IT, merchandising, distribution, and logistics.
Building The Circular Economy: Finance Leadership In The Sustainable Fashion Revolution
Forbes | January 20, 2023
Luke Henning, the Chief Business Officer at sustainable fashion firm Circ, on building a circular economy for the fashion industry: “We are disrupting one of the oldest industries that played a major part in the industrial revolution. We know what we’re doing is capital intensive and that ‘hard tech’ generally takes longer which impacts timelines for returns… What draws investment to us is threefold: to ensure supply of a scarce commodity to reduce regulatory penalties; to gain market share through being able to offer sustainable products; and ultimately, because the technology acceptance model is so large, any company that can capture market share here with acceptable margins, will be an industrial giant.”
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Aptean Recognized in Top Tier of Power 500 Software Companies
Press Release | January 19, 2023
Aptean, a global provider of mission-critical enterprise software solutions, has been named in the top 10% of companies in The Software Report’s Power 500 Software Companies of 2023. The Software Report is an established market research firm that reports on leadership initiatives, market developments, and executive insights related to the software industry. Aptean, parent company of SPESA member Exenta from Aptean, earned the #30 spot on the overall list and was in the top 10 in the business process category of the most influential software companies of 2023.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Transforming the Fabric of Manufacturing: AFFOA
SME | January 19, 2023
As a non-profit, public-private partnership, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) bridges the gap between early stage technology and commercialization. Nonprofit association SME recently spoke with AFFOA CEO Sasha Stolyarov about how AFFOA uses its expertise in fibers and fabrics, as well as membership ecosystems, to advance the domestic development of textile-based products with transformative capabilities.
U.S. Importers Shipping More to America’s East Coast Ports than West Coast Amid Global Supply Chain Shifts
South China Morning Post | January 18, 2023
American container imports from China have also been surpassed by the rest of Asia in another sign that diversification and decoupling are occurring. Supply-chain bottlenecks caused by the global coronavirus pandemic, compounded by unexpectedly high consumer demand, fueled shifts and are leading to an infrastructure revamp of “epic proportions.”
This Robotic Knitting Factory Might Make Your Next Pair of Sneakers
Fast Company | January 17, 2023
When Joshua Katz opened KX Lab, his focus wasn’t on cost-saving — it was on sustainability and creative collaboration. Katz, who utilizes Shima Seiki automated knitting machines in his 36,000 sq. ft. factory in Los Angeles, says that the lab is designed to bring the “product-creation engine” much closer to both the people who are creating and the consumers who buy the finished product. “If you can work with the factory down the street, you can produce smaller runs, be closer to sampling and development, and bring products to market on a smaller scale.”
Canada Looks Poised to Pass Law on Forced Labor
Wall Street Journal | January 16, 2023
The bill, known as S-211, passed Canada’s upper chamber last year and has moved through several key steps in the House of Commons. It could become law as soon as March. The law would require companies to report on steps taken to prevent or reduce the use of forced labor in their supply chains by detailing, among other things, parts of the supply chains where forced labor might be occurring and the company’s due diligence procedures.
Red Land Cotton: Proof You Can Make Textiles Right Here in the U.S.A.
Forbes | January 13, 2023
This article profiles the company Red Line Cotton, which has been in operation since 2015, and has developed a 100% U.S.-based supply chain. Mark Yeager from Red Line Cotton says, “We embrace the rich textile tradition that spans decades and generations in the Southern United States. When we expand to produce a new product we’ve come up with, we go out and put together a whole supply chain of the experts in their craft.”
What to Watch: Down South, Textile Towns Reinvent Themselves
Women’s Wear Daily | January 9, 2023
“It’s an exciting time for our industry as companies like Walmart focus on bringing some of their supply chain back to the U.S. and the region,” said Eddie Ingle, chief executive officer of Unifi and maker of Repreve (a brand of recycled polyester). “In addition, new textile technologies are growing, like carbon fiber [used in everything from aerospace to clothing to sporting equipment] and nonwoven fabrics, which play a bigger role in the textile industry.”
ICYMI: Trio of Textile Fairs Rescheduled by Three Weeks to End of March
Press Release | December 30, 2023
The Spring Editions of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, Yarn Expo, and Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles have been moved to the new timeslot of March 28-30, 2023. This will allow both local and international fairgoers more time to prepare for their participation, with a higher industry turnout now expected at the three fairs. The fairs will still be located at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai where they were originally due to be held.