United States

An executive with an American robotic apparel manufacturing equipment company says that the the industry’s current model of manufacturing overseas where labor costs are low then importing those products back to Western markets was broken from outset and that robotic apparel manufacturing would allow the industry to sever its reliance on this model and bring production closer to consumers. Speaking at last month’s Texprocess trade show, Pete Santora of Georgia-based SoftWear Automation said that the world is quickly running out of locales to supply labor at costs demanded by modern apparel companies and that robotic manufacturing could hold the key to a more sustainable model. He notes that mechanized manufacturing would allow companies to lower their costs and cut back on overhead like international shipping. (Just Style)
 
New data from the U.S. Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) says that the volume of U.S. apparel imports increased by 4.7% year-on-year in April, though the value of imports decreased by 0.9% for the same term. While two of the top 10 supplier nations of U.S. apparel, China and Vietnam, increased their shipments year-on-year, four others, including Bangladesh, recorded year-on-year declines. (Just Style)
 
Organic fiber sales in the United States set a new record last year at US$14 billion, according to new data from the Organic Trade Association. The group says that the organic fiber and textile market is the largest non-food organic market in the United States, accounting for nearly 40% of the estimated US$3.9 billion in organic non-food sales. (Sourcing Journal)
 
The Washington, DC-based World Bank Group says that global economic growth will strengthen to 2.7% this year thanks to an uptick in manufacturing and trade, rising market confidence, and stabilizing commodity prices. The group’s latest “Global Economic Prospects” report says that growth in advanced economies will also help trading partners of those countries. (Financial Times)
 
The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) recently hosted their Summer Institute which included a panel about how brands can foster a more circular apparel economy with eco-friendly practices. One of the panelists representing the Eileen Fisher brand noted a growth in apparel take-back programs, including their own, in which stores offer drop-offs for unwanted apparel items to be recycled or reused instead of thrown in the trash. Other proposals included programs that repair damaged items like denim jeans. (Sourcing Journal)
 
The University of Massachusetts at Lowell says it has received a US$11.3 million grant from the state government to open a “Fabric Discovery Center” which will be focused on researching new modern fabrics and manufacturing methods. University officials say that the move honors the campus’ and the state’s heritage as a textile manufacturing center while also pushing the state’s economy forward. The Lowell campus was created from the Lowell Textile Institute which was founded in 1895 during the height of the state’s textile industry. (Boston Globe)