Industry News | 4/23/25
- SPESA
- Apr 22
- 12 min read
Updated: Jul 14
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | The Excellence of Made in Italy for Fashion and Apparel | Visit MACPI at Texprocess Americas
Show Preview | April 23, 2025
SPESA is excited to share a preview of what our member Macpi S.p.A. has in store for visitors at the upcoming 2025 edition of Texprocess Americas (May 6-8) in Atlanta, Georgia. With roots in Milan, MACPI offers professional pressing machines and industrial laundry machinery, as well stitch free technologies for clothing and accessories and machines for fashion logistics. Since its founding in 1961, the company has expanded throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and is currently serving more than 10,000 satisfied customers worldwide, in over 100 countries. Be sure to visit them in person at booth #2233 (view the Texprocess Americas floor plan here).
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | One Company... with a Solution for Every Application | Visit Sewn Products Equipment Company at Texprocess Americas
Show Preview | April 23, 2025
SPESA is excited to share a preview of what our member Sewn Products Equipment Company (SPEC) has in store for visitors at the upcoming 2025 edition of Texprocess Americas (May 6-8) in Atlanta, Georgia. SPEC is a major supplier of machinery, parts, and accessories to industries that manufacture apparel, furniture, marine, and aviation vehicles, industrial fabric products, products formed from flexible composites, and many other allied industries. A leader in the industry, the company provides fast, accurate, and comprehensive services with a focus on North and Central America. Be sure to visit them in person at booth #2431 (view the Texprocess Americas floor plan here).
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | The Industry Standard for Sewn Products Costing and Engineering | Visit Methods Workshop International at Texprocess Americas
Show Preview | April 23, 2025
SPESA is excited to share a preview of what our member Methods Workshop International has in store for visitors at the upcoming 2025 edition of Texprocess Americas (May 6-8) in Atlanta, Georgia. Methods Workshop International is a leading developer and provider of engineering and costing software solutions for the global fashion and sewn products industries. Since 1982, Methods Workshop has provided more than 400 leading apparel, footwear, furniture, home fashion, transportation, industrial textiles, and other sewn products companies with the systems, support, consulting, training, and certification they need to increase competitiveness and accelerate speed to market. Be sure to visit them in person at booth #3007 (view the Texprocess Americas floor plan here).
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | ISAIC on Display at Texprocess Americas Tech Zone
Show Preview | April 23, 2025
ISAIC, or the Industrial Sewing & Innovation Center, equips innovators and manufacturers with the confidence to adopt and implement new technologies, and people-centered skills that will transform traditional practices, and enhance efficiencies, costs and sustainability on a nationwide scale. Check ISAIC out at Texprocess Americas 2025 in booth #3017 where they will be showcasing some of the pilots they have worked on and displaying products from key strategic partners.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Apparel Industry Solutions | Visit Juki America, Inc., at Texprocess Americas
Show Preview | April 23, 2025
SPESA is excited to share a preview of what our member Juki America, Inc., has in store for visitors at the upcoming 2025 edition of Texprocess Americas (May 6-8) in Atlanta, Georgia. At the Juki America booth, attendees will experience a hands-on look at the company’s latest innovations in sewing automation and smart factory integration. They will have both heavy, medium, and light duty standard and automated sewing equipment alongside their production management software, JaNets. Be sure to visit Juki in person at booth #2407 (view the Texprocess Americas floorplan here).
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | BlueCherry Unveils Smart Manufacturing Solutions at Texprocess Americas 2025
Press Release | April 23, 2025
SPESA member Computer Generated Solutions, Inc. (CGS), a leading global provider of supply chain management software solutions for fashion businesses, announced that its award-winning BlueCherry® supply chain management solutions will be featured at Texprocess Americas 2025 in Atlanta.
BlueCherry, in partnership with industrial sewing machine leader JUKI, will also demonstrate how integrated technologies can help apparel and textile manufacturers unlock real-time visibility, improve productivity, and reduce waste across the supply chain. These demonstrations reflect broader industry shifts toward AI-driven automation, IoT-connected systems, and Industry 4.0 adoption — trends that are reshaping modern manufacturing.
White House Considers Slashing China Tariffs To De-Escalate Trade War
The Wall Street Journal | April 23, 2025
The Trump administration is considering slashing its steep tariffs on Chinese imports — in some cases by more than half — in a bid to de-escalate tensions with Beijing that have roiled global trade and investment, according to people familiar with the matter.
Intermax Co. LTD. & Aaron Corp. dba JP Sportswear Enter Joint Venture Agreement
Press Release | April 23, 2025
JP Sportswear will be solely responsible for developing and supporting active and athleisure apparel brands and retailers throughout North America for the INTERMAX group of companies including MK Global, Maxcore and INTERMAX CO., LTD.
The new joint venture in the USA will focus on speed to market initiatives including rapid prototype development, market and product testing through small scale initial production launch, influencer collaboration as well as in-season product replenishment programs. The bulk production platform will be supported by the INTERMAX group of factories in Vietnam (expanding to additional S.E. Asian countries in 2026).
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Elevate Textiles Releases 2025 Sustainability Report
Press Release | April 22, 2025
Within the report, Elevate Textiles (parent company of SPESA member American & Efird) outlines recent actions guided by its Ten Threads of Sustainability, an internal program that shapes the company’s sustainable decision-making to best support the achievement of its 2025 and 2030 goals and increase transparency and traceability across our programs. The report shares the company’s participation and leadership in industry collaborations and alignment with the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles, specifically highlighting Elevate’s actions that directly support UN Sustainable Development Goal commitments.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Groz-Beckert Highlights Innovation and Customer Support at Dhaka Technical Seminar
Press Release | April 22, 2025
SPESA member Groz-Beckert, a global leader in textile machinery components, hosted a “Spinning Components Product Seminar” in Dhaka, attracting more than 360 industry professionals. The event showcased the company’s latest innovations, including the CMF (Maintenance-Free) cylinder wire and SmartTop™ magnetic tops, designed to boost efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve yarn quality.
Led by Gerrerd R. Taylor, Senior Sales Manager, the seminar emphasized Groz-Beckert’s focus on R&D, customer-centric service, and localized support through its partner Spintech Associates. Attendees learned about advanced products like the next-generation G Series flats and the company’s integrated training programs.
Tariff Uncertainty Threatens Global Apparel Industry: IAF
Fibre2Fashion | April 21, 2025
The International Apparel Federation (IAF) recently penned an open letter warning against the damaging impact of U.S. punitive tariffs on global apparel supply chains, especially affecting China. While welcoming a partial pause, IAF has stressed that tariff uncertainty continues to destabilize the industry, discourage investment, and threaten livelihoods. The organization has called for collaborative, sustainable supply chain strategies and urges brands to honor commitments.
At Seattle’s Filson, Challenge of Reshoring U.S. Factory Jobs Is Clear
The Seattle Times | April 19, 2025
An interesting case study for our industry. The shrinking of Filson’s Seattle-area manufacturing workforce parallels the broader decline in U.S. apparel production as companies have grappled with pandemic-related disruptions and inflation on top of decades of foreign competition.
In 2015, The Seattle Times reported that Filson made 90% of its clothes, bags, and other products in the United States, including in Seattle workshops. Today, according to Filson, just 35% of its products are made in the U.S., much of that by an outside vendor near Los Angeles, where Filson outsourced two-thirds of its remaining Seattle-area manufacturing, starting in late 2023.
USA Global Trade Launches Binational Textile Initiative To Bridge U.S., Latin America
Press Release via eTextileCommunications | April 18, 2025
USA Global Trade LLC, a Miami-based sourcing and trade company led by textile engineer César Cary, has announced the launch of a strategic initiative designed to strengthen commercial and production ties between the U.S. and Latin America.
The project has two main objectives:
Promote the use of U.S.-grown cotton both in U.S.-spun yarns and in spinning mills abroad — encouraging cleaner, more regionally integrated supply chains that start with American fiber.
Explore the development of circular knitting operations in North Carolina or nearby textile hubs, adding value locally and revitalizing domestic production capacity.
“With over 20 years of experience in global yarn sourcing, I see strong potential to build a two-way bridge,” said Cary. “Latin American producers are eager to work with high-quality U.S. fibers, while the U.S. textile industry is well positioned to benefit from regional value chains and nearshoring strategies.”
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | SEAMS Announces Supply Chain USA Showcase at Texprocess Americas
Press Release | April 17, 2025
SPESA member SEAMS will highlight a “Supply Chain USA Showcase” featuring a curated display of 100% Made in America products in its pavilion this year at Texprocess Americas to be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, May 6-8, 2025.
This year’s pavilion will feature a boutique-style showcase highlighting approximately 20 products which were created collectively by the efforts of more than 40 SEAMS members to demonstrate the power of the U.S. Supply Chain in action.
“Our industry has extensive domestic capabilities across many categories and this Supply Chain USA Showcase proves that we can create, produce, and deliver products right here in America,” stated Will Duncan, Executive Director, SEAMS. “This is the power of the SEAMS network. We would like to especially thank member and board member Xochil Herrera Scheer, owner of The Chicago Pattern Maker, for her extensive work in pulling this showcase together.”
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Fashion’s Cloud PLM Software Enters Its Intelligence Era
Just Style | April 16, 2025
In this feature from Just Style, Cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software experts, including SPESA members Lectra, Centric Software, and CGS, Inc., reveal how new technological advances and functionalities can improve a fashion brand’s competitiveness.
Shein's Tariff-Busting Shift Hits Home in Chinese Factory Hub
Reuters | April 16, 2025
The rapid rise of ultra-fast fashion retailer Shein has been so key to the fortunes of a group of urban villages on the outskirts of China's southern metropolis of Guangzhou that they have been colloquially dubbed "Shein villages."
Shein was able to become a behemoth selling over $30 billion worth of goods annually on a foundation of cheap prices and advantageous trade rules, such as the U.S. "de minimis" exemption that allows low-cost imports to enter the country duty-free.
Trade Show Organizers Brace for Geopolitical Headwinds
Sourcing Journal | April 16, 2025
“The landscape of business communications has shifted significantly with the rise of digital tools; however, I firmly believe that trade exhibitions will still hold a crucial role in our marketing approach. These events provide unique opportunities for face-to-face engagement, which is instrumental in building and nurturing trust within our long-term relationships,” said Mostafiz Uddin, the founder and CEO of the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and Bangladesh Denim Expo. “Even in an increasingly interconnected world, nothing quite compares to the personal connections that can be forged at trade shows. They allow us to not only showcase our products and services but also to interact directly with clients and potential partners in a meaningful way.”
What You Missed in Austin!
SPESA News | April 15, 2025
Thank you to everyone who joined us in Austin for the 2025 SPESA Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference! Bringing this event to Austin was a bit of an experiment for us, and we are very happy that we did. You are all a big part of our success, and we look forward to hosting you again soon!
For those of you who weren't able to attend in person, here is a chance to see what you missed!
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | AFFOA Collaborates with University of Oregon’s Sports Product Design Program and Bemis Associates To Launch Innovative Interdisciplinary Textile Initiative
Press Release | April 15, 2025
SPESA member Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) announced the expansion of its Transdisciplinary Workshop model to the West Coast, in partnership with the University of Oregon’s Sports Product Design graduate program and Bemis Associates. This pioneering initiative invites students to collaborate in studio teams to prototype advanced tactical apparel and gear utilizing Bemis’ EverFit™ Sewfree® elastic replacement adhesives, aimed at both commercial and Department of Defense applications.
“Oregon is a hub for innovation in the sports apparel industry, and we are excited to facilitate this collaboration,” said Robert Finnegan, AFFOA’s Director of Education and Workforce Development. “We believe that transformative advancements in design and manufacturability occur when interdisciplinary teams work together to tackle real-world challenges.”
Moody’s Downgrades Retail’s Outlook on ‘Bleak’ Prospects Amid Trade War
Retail Dive | April 15, 2025
Moody’s Ratings is the latest firm to warn that tariffs will soon imperil many retailers, especially apparel and footwear brands and stores. Analysts led by Christina Boni changed their outlook for the industry from “stable” to “negative” following “sweeping tariffs that will hurt profitability for U.S. retail and apparel companies and raise prices for consumers, with a threat of more in mid-2025.”
Oregon’s Sports Product Design graduate program and Bemis Associates. This pioneering initiative invites students to collaborate in studio teams to prototype advanced tactical apparel and gear utilizing Bemis’ EverFit™ Sewfree® elastic replacement adhesives, aimed at both commercial and Department of Defense applications.
“Oregon is a hub for innovation in the sports apparel industry, and we are excited to facilitate this collaboration,” said Robert Finnegan, AFFOA’s Director of Education and Workforce Development. “We believe that transformative advancements in design and manufacturability occur when interdisciplinary teams work together to tackle real-world challenges.”
Moody’s Downgrades Retail’s Outlook on ‘Bleak’ Prospects Amid Trade War
Retail Dive | April 15, 2025
Moody’s Ratings is the latest firm to warn that tariffs will soon imperil many retailers, especially apparel and footwear brands and stores. Analysts led by Christina Boni changed their outlook for the industry from “stable” to “negative” following “sweeping tariffs that will hurt profitability for U.S. retail and apparel companies and raise prices for consumers, with a threat of more in mid-2025.”
Tariffs May Fuel Supply Chain Financing Interest: Wells Fargo Exec
Supply Chain Dive | April 15, 2025
As large companies mull their supplier bases and evaluate payment terms amid ongoing tariff volatility, it has become an opportune moment for supply chain financing, says Jeremy Jansen, Managing Director of Supply Chain Finance at Wells Fargo.
The topic of supply chain financing is something that will be covered during the upcoming Texprocess Americas Symposium on May 6th.
The Debrief | Can Tariffs Really Revive ‘Made in USA’ Fashion?
Business of Fashion | April 15, 2025
Some brands are adapting quickly, leveraging their domestic operations and leaning into a Made in USA identity. Others are reevaluating their reliance on China as their primary sourcing destination. But the prospect of a mass return of garment manufacturing jobs remains a remote possibility, most economists and fashion industry experts say.
In this episode of The Debrief, Business of Fashion correspondents Malique Morris and Marc Bain join executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to assess whether the dream of American-made fashion is any closer to reality.
Nine Ways Trump’s Tariffs Will Impact the U.S. Fashion Retail Sector
Just Style | April 15, 2025
GlobalData’s report titled “The impact of tariffs on U.S. retail” explains the steep tariffs on China, as well as the flat rate of 10% on many other countries come “as a blow upon a bruise for a retail sector that is already under growing pressure from slowing spend and growing consumer uncertainty.” The report adds: “Planned strategies to switch manufacturing locations have been severely blunted by the global nature of the tariff regime.”
Simplifyber Secures $12m To Disrupt Bio-based Fashion Manufacturing
Just Style | April 14, 2025
U.S.-based materials start-up Simplifyber has secured $12 million in a Series A funding round led by Suzano Ventures to drive bio-based material innovation for fashion as well as a range of other soft goods. The capital infusion will bolster Simplifyber's operational growth by enhancing its expertise in materials science and mechanical engineering.
What Small Fashion Brands Can Do When Tariffs Hit Hard
Glossy | April 14, 2025
“This is effectively an economic Cold War,” said Juan Pellerano, CMO at logistics platform Swap. “Tariffs aren’t just back, they’re evolving. Brands need to treat compliance and cost mitigation like a daily discipline.” That shift from scrappy independence to strategic collaboration marks a change in mindset. “The days of flying solo through global trade are over,” said Wood. “Now is the time to call in help, whether it’s from your freight partner, your tech stack or your community.”
Inside Unifi’s Textile-to-Textile Recycling Operation
Sourcing Journal | April 11, 2025
Unifi launched its Textile Takeback program in 2022 with the goal of expanding its operation beyond plastic bottle recycling to textile-to-textile recycling to produce its signature Repreve recycled fiber. Last year, the company announced it would scale the program with an ambitious goal: recycling 1.5 billion T-shirts’ worth of textile and yarn waste by 2030.
“We’ve created a textile-to-textile system that actually works, and it’s available globally,” said Unifi CEO Eddie Ingle. “Our Takeback process keeps materials in circulation longer, and it conserves resources — these products are made from waste materials, replacing virgin petrochemical inputs.”
Small Businesses May Take the Brunt of Tariffs, Even When They’re Based in the U.S.
Retail Dive | April 10, 2025
Small-scale boutiques, brands, and factories don’t have the deep pockets, diverse supply chains, or flexibility enjoyed by chains like Walmart. The apparel and footwear space is especially hard-hit. Given that most apparel sold in the U.S., by far, is made overseas, industry representatives and analysts warned in recent days that there will be little escape from the ensuing rise in costs. William Blair analysts Dylan Carden and Anna Linscott estimate that in the aggregate increase in merchandise cost will be about 30%, saying in an April 3rd note that “it is safe to assume companies will have to eat a fair share.”
Walmart’s New Gen AI Tool Cuts Lead Times on Fashion Items by 18 Weeks
Sourcing Journal | April 10, 2025
According to the company, the proprietary tool, which it calls Trend-to-Product, gathers and analyzes information from myriad trend sources online, which it then uses to create “on-trend, high-quality items with speed,” while maintaining low prices for its consumers.
The company said the technology has created a unique opportunity for it to keep up with trend cycles, particularly because of its size. The chain is the world’s largest retailer, and scaling products for specific markets can be a difficult task.
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