The Swaziland government has raised the price of cotton by 7 percent in an effort to revive the industry to combat poverty and unemployment in rural areas. Moses Vilakati, the country's minister of agriculture, announced the increase Monday during a press conference in the ministry's boardroom, according to the Times of Swaziland.
Uniqlo, Japan's largest clothier backed by Fast Retailing Co. has plans to start sourcing garments from India. Company chairman and chief executive officer Tadashi Yanai, met with newly-elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday to discuss prospects of working in the country. During the meeting, Modi "highlighted the advantages that India enjoys in the garment...
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to assist Pakistan in improving its textile industry by providing support in marketing, vocational training for women and building garment technology institutes. At a meeting Tuesday with Pakistan's Minister of Textile Industry, Abbas Khan Afridi, JICA's director general identified three main initiatives, one with the Ministry of Textile Industry, the...
The global synthetic fiber price decline that began late last year and intensified in early 2014 was tempered somewhat last month, according to the newest data from consulting firm PCI Fibres. The index measuring the average price for acrylic, nylon, polyester and polypropylene filament yarns and staple fell by 2.5% in June on top of...
Destination Maternity, the world's largest maternity retailer which operates Motherhood Maternity and A Pea in the Pod, confirmed Wednesday that it has proposed a merger with the UK's Mothercare. The company has submitted two non-binding written proposals to Mothercare about a possible union, and both have so far been rejected.
Dynamic changes in the global market have changed the way companies view the sourcing and supply chain management profession.
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety is seeking immediate closure of five factories in Bangladesh—housed in four different buildings—over concern for worker safety, and has said it will pay more than 350 workers’ salaries while factories remediate.
Every picture tells a story, but London-based Cortexica is making strides to turn that photo into a sale with its fashion recognition technology, FindSimilar. Founded in 2009 with the intent to improve and streamline visual searches, FindSimilar technology is capturing the attention of tech-savvy Millennial shoppers and their favorite e-tailers and fashion websites.
Business leaders understand investments aimed to improve their supply chain risk management will need some time to percolate. According to an Accenture Global Operations Megatrends Study, more than three-quarters of the 1,000 companies surveyed (including 123 retail companies), name supply chain risk management as important or very important to their business, however, only seven percent...
Last month, a 10-member delegation from Bangladesh led by the country's Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, visited Washington, D.C. to discuss the nation's progress toward reforming its tainted textile industry. The delegation included Bangladesh's head of fire defense, leaders from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), local...
Brazil fell into a recession in the first half of the year as investment dropped sharply and the country’s hosting of the World Cup suffocated economic activity, a major blow to President Dilma Rousseff’s already fading hopes for re-election in October.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) welcomes the introduction of the U.S. Optimal Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recreation Act of 2014 (U.S. OUTDOOR Act).
The handpicked, curated fashion that put Berlin-based retailer 14 oz. on the must-shop lists of sartorialists worldwide is now available online for European consumers. On Sept. 18, 14 oz. launched its first fully responsive ecommerce site with 25 key labels from the it’s unique portfolio, including Toyplane, East Harbour Surplus and Grenson Glab.
It could be a short road ahead for many apparel retailers if they can't find a way to regain relevance before the industry further falters. In a new study titled, "The Retail Space: An in-depth study of where the industry stands now," by rebranding company Stealing Share, researchers determined that the apparel retail market is in "denial" and "disarray," and that many retailers are in danger of closing their doors.
When it comes to free trade agreements the U.S. isn't lacking in strategic partnerships, but retailers are often not taking advantage of those duty free allowances. In a Sourcing at MAGIC panel titled, "The Ins and Outs of Current Trade Negotiations: From TPP to AGOA" moderated by Julia Hughes, president of the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), experts discussed how FTAs are both underused and, sometimes, just not beneficial.
Stuart Goldblatt, executive vice president of men's and children's apparel for Macy's Private Brands for an impressive fifteen years, announced his retirement last week. Goldblatt has been in the apparel industry for more than thirty-five years, and has worked for other major retailers like Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor and Carson Pirie Scott.
H&M was the world's biggest user of organic cotton in 2013, and the retailer's use of the fiber increased 29 percent over last year, according to Textile Exchange's 2013 Organic Cotton Market Report. The fast fashion retailer has consistently been the biggest user of organic cotton, ranking second in 2012 and first in 2011 and 2010.
PRESS RELEASE: ISELIN, NJ, September 23, 2014 - Today, a significant amount of work goes into managing supply chain traceability for compliance and often results in increased costs in time and effort.
Wage hikes and the political instability that accompanied them have headlined major media outlets for a good stretch of 2013. I expect labor issues to remain a hot topic in 2014 as supply chain transparency becomes more important and the apparel industry continues to undergo intense scrutiny.
Downtown Manhattan is about to become trendier. Hudson’s Bay Company announced on Wednesday that it will open an 85,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store in Brookfield Place on Liberty Street in 2016, and a 55,000-square-foot Saks Off 5th store a…
Kmart will close five stores across Michigan by early December, including two in the Metro Detroit area. The retailer announced its decision to close stores in Burton, Flint, Madison Heights, Port Huron and Rochester, affecting a total of 610 employees. Liquidations sales will begin as soon as Sept. 28.
Mount Vernon FR, a flame resistant fabric manufacturer, is expanding its selection of flame resistant (FR) denim fabrics with Phoenix TC denim, a new denim made from Tencel and cotton designed to improve the softness and comfort of FR jeans without compromising durability.
It is the end of an era for Abercrombie & Fitch. The teen apparel company announced that its long-time CEO Michael Jeffries is retiring, effective immediately. Jeffries has served as CEO since 1992. He will also retire from the retailer's board... Want to continue reading?
American Apparel's Board of Directors confirmed Monday that it has received an indication of interest to acquire the company for $1.30 to $1.40 per share and will evaluate the proposal as it positions the company for a turnaround. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that private equity firm Irving Place Capital was interested in ...
