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Sourcing Journal
Back to School Starts Early This Year as Parents Plan to Spend More
Parents are already on the hunt for back-to-school (BTS) gear, and they’ll be spending an average of 21.8 percent more than they did in 2023.A Visit With J.Jill CEO Claire Spofford A back-to-school survey from commercial real estate firm JLL found that parents with annual income over $50,000 do not plan to cut back on their BTS budgets, while those with higher incomes said they plan to allocate a larger share of their budgets to discretionary purchases rather than school-required items. Parents also said they plan to shop earlier than usual, with 75 percent noting they expect to have already started...
Hurricane Beryl’s Potential Fallout: Extended Wait Times at Texas Ports
Hurricane Beryl brought heavy rain, widespread flooding and powerful winds across southeast Texas, knocking out power for roughly 2.7 million customers in the state and killing at least seven people as of Tuesday morning, Harris County officials confirmed.Court Overturns FMC Ruling on Late D&D Fees--A Win for Ocean Carriers The deadly Category 1 hurricane weakened into a tropical storm and was then downgraded to a tropical depression on Tuesday, but the impacts on the state and its logistics operations have lingered. Port Houston, the largest port in Texas and the fifth largest by annual container traffic in the U.S., remains closed. According...
Flip, the TikTok-esque E-Commerce Platform, Snaps Up Curated for $330 Million
One startup continues to find ways to flip the script on e-commerce.Boohoo Unveils Influencer-Centric Shopping Initiative with LoudCrowd Flip, the TikTok-like platform that allows brands to sell goods to consumers through video testimonials from other customers, announced Tuesday it had acquired Curated for $330 million. The newly acquired startup, which allows consumers to receive personalized recommendations on high-ticket, specialized outdoor goods, will operate independently under Flip, according to the two companies. As part of the deal, Curated’s current CEO, Eduardo Vivas, will become Flip’s chief operating officer. Flip’s value proposition is that it allows average people to become influencers with relative ease....
G-Star Raw to Launch Children’s Wear
WHP Global is expanding the G-Star Raw universe.Japanese Designer Reimagines Denim Waste for G-Star's Art Series The brand management firm, which acquired the denim brand last December, announced a long-term licensing agreement with Italian-based FFI Global to produce G-Star brand children’s wear. Through the partnership, G-Star can leverage FFI Global’s expertise and extensive market research in the children’s category to cater to a younger generation of consumers. The collection will focus on durable and fashion-forward styles, spanning jeans, T-shirts, jackets and accessories. The children’s line is set to launch in early 2025 and will be available throughout Europe, Australia, South Africa, Canada and...
Now Boarding: Summer Fashion Essentials
Thanks to social media, destination dressing is a part of how millennials and Gen Zer travel.Can Skinny Jeans Reclaim Their Style Status? From bloggers and influencers in the 2010s planning outfits to capture idyllic images for their Instagram grids to young TikTokers descending on the Hamptons and European coastal towns dressed in old money labels this summer, traveling in style has taken on new meaning. Each destination has a distinct style. The Greek Islands call for artisan details, undyed denim, organic shapes and elements of bohemia. Preppy fashion rules in the Hamptons, where tenniscore meets coastal grandmother in seersucker, chambray and nautical stripes. Sequins, distressed jeans and ’90s motifs suit Ibiza’s party atmosphere.Walmart Double Clicks on Gen Z and Gen Alpha With Digital Shopping Experience Here, Rivet curates the ultimate wardrobe for this summer’s hottest travel destination.Levi's Voting Initiative Targets Community College Students
How Etsy Approaches AI—Both Internally and Externally
Etsy’s sellers aren’t the only ones crafting.Up Close: In Conversation with Rithum's Ellie Williams The company, which has been using machine learning (ML) for years, has developed a mission-oriented, responsible approach to using the technology—both to promote internal efficiency and to create effective consumer touchpoints. Etsy’s journey with ML began in 2016, when the company started thinking about how the technology could help customers more easily search its broad, multifaceted catalogue. Because the marketplace allows sellers to hawk everything from custom apparel and hand-painted footwear to wedding favors and homewares, it needed a way to segment its listings to make them discoverable and...
Hot Stuff: How Denim Brands Make Jeans Cool for the Summer
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said there is a 99 percent chance that 2024 will rank among the five warmest years on record. Levi's Leans on More Outsourced Distribution to Accelerate DTC Push All it takes is one hot day to be reminded of the record-breaking temperatures of summer 2023—the warmest since global records began in 1850—to understand why retailers and brands are emphasizing natural fabrics like linen and cotton this summer. “When it comes to marketing denim for summer, there’s an even greater emphasis on lightweight fabrics than there was before and this is reflected in the data,” said Kendall...
Up Close: In Conversation with Rithum’s Ellie Williams
Up Close is Sourcing Journal’s regular check-in with industry executives to get their take on topics ranging from personal style to their company’s latest moves. In this Q&A, Ellie Williams, vice president, product management at commerce platform Rithum—previously CommerceHub—discusses how fashion can better manage inventory and what other retailers could learn from Nordstrom.How Etsy Approaches AI--Both Internally and Externally Name: Ellie Williams Title: Vice president, product management Company: Rithum Which other industry has the best handle on the supply chain? What can apparel learn? Technology (specifically Apple), food and grocery, and the automotive industries all excel at supply chain management. Apparel has several unique challenges, but...
Woolmark Adds New Stamp of Approval for Recycled Wool
The Woolmark Co. is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year with a new certification program for recycled wool.Canada Crowdsources Ideas to Tackle Textile-Derived Plastic Waste and Pollution The company on Tuesday announced the introduction of a Recycled Wool specification that will see the iconic mark applied to recycled fibers for the first time. To receive the certification, a product must contain at least 20 percent recycled wool and also meet the Woolmark Certification Program’s quality standards. “Wool is the most recycled apparel fiber globally,” said John Roberts, managing director of the Woolmark Company. “Our new Recycled Wool mark supports the shift...
A Canadian Rail Strike Could Spur an Inventory Glut for Apparel Brands
A flurry of logistics labor battles across Canada has put shippers in the country through the ringer. JD.com, Alibaba In Reported Bidding War for UK Parcel Delivery Firm One scuffle at the ports looks like it is set to be resolved without any disruptions in work action, though a possible rail strike is already having some implications on apparel companies. As rail workers at Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) await the results of a federal review to determine whether they can officially go on strike, more than 700 union foremen at the country’s West Coast ports have...
Nanollose and Paradise Textiles Ink Microbial Cellulose Fiber Development Deal
Paradise Textiles, the material science arm of global end-to-end textile company Alpine Group, has teamed up with biotechnology company Nanollose to develop and commercialize Nullarbor tree-free cellulose fibers, made through an innovative process of microbial fermentation. The Next-Gen Material Innovation Revolution is Now Under the agreement, Paradise Textiles will work with Nanollose to take on the research, development and manufacturing of yarns and fabrics using the company’s signature innovation. An alternative to wood-pulp-based cellulosic fibers, Nullarbor is created through a process that converts industrial and agricultural waste products into rayon fibers using minimal land, water and energy resources. The new agreement builds...
Tech Tactics: How Carve Designs’ AI Quiz Simplifies Swimsuit Sizing
Tech Tactics is Sourcing Journal’s series with brands and technology companies to discuss their latest innovations.How Etsy Approaches AI--Both Internally and Externally The fashion industry is currently grappling with soaring e-commerce return rates, posing costly and complex challenges for retailers. In fact, 24.4 percent of all online apparel purchases are returned in the U.S., topping the national average for all online purchases by 8 percentage points, according to a report by retail data research firm Coresight. One of the primary causes for the influx of apparel returns is size and fit, which accounts for 53 percent of fashion sent back, the report...
Ohio Distribution Center Lays Off Dozens Following Express Bankruptcy
Express is continuing to downsize operations months after filing for Chapter 11.UPS Could Lay Off 540 Employees Upon Closing Baltimore Warehouse Bath and Body Works Logistics Services, LLC—which provides shipping services for Express—filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice advising that it would be permanently reducing operations at its Columbus, Ohio, distribution center (DC) days after the women’s wear brand was plucked from the jaws of bankruptcy through an acquisition by Phoenix Retail. “On April 22, 2024, Express filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced its plan to close 100 stores. Since that time Express’s volume has remained low...
Slow-Fashion Brand Jiwya Elevates Indian Artistry with Plant-Based Fashion
Jiwya is a pioneer in artisanal and plant-based luxury clothing, marrying heritage arts with one-of-a-kind designs.Members of Congress Launch Slow Fashion Caucus, Highlighting Circularity Founded by textile scientists Aishwarya Lahariya and Adhiraj Shinde in 2023, Jiwya (pronounced giv-yuh) was constructed on four pillars. The first promises to never use animals, plastics or synthetic chemicals, with every raw material, color and embellishment purely plant-based. The second establishes that each piece is designed to be an heirloom, involving at least two art forms from India. The third pillar ensures each of those heirloom pieces are one-of-a-kind in an attempt to establish plant-based couture....
Hurricane Beryl Forces Closure of Texas Ports, Halts Rail Operations
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas early Monday morning, leaving more than 1 million homes and businesses without power in the hours after and shuttering major ports on the state’s coastline.A Canadian Rail Strike Could Spur an Inventory Glut for Apparel Brands The ports of Houston, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City said they closed after condition “Zulu” was set by Coast Guard captains on Sunday. All vessel movement and cargo operations are restricted as gale force winds of 39 to 54 miles per hour were expected within 12 hours of the designation. While port condition Zulu is in place, no...
The North Face Partners Launch ‘World First’ Sustainable Polyester Project
A consortium of seven global companies has jointly established what it claims is a “world-first” supply chain for more sustainable polyester.The Next-Gen Material Innovation Revolution is Now According to Finland-based energy company Neste, the partners—which include project owner Goldwin, Mitsubishi Corporation, engineering consultant Chiyoda Corporation, chemical manufacturer SK Geocentric, sustainable petrochemical firm Indorama Ventures, green chemists India Glycols and Neste—will use renewable and bio-based materials, as well as carbon capture and utilization, in manufacturing polyester fibers for The North Face in Japan. Neste said it will provide renewable Neste RE, a raw material for polymers and chemicals made from bio-based materials like...
SM Denim Mills Secures Patents for Two Technologies
SM Denim Mills scored two wins for sustainability and innovation.Artistic Milliners Is Scaling 3D Assets and Renewable Energy The Pakistani denim mill announced it was granted the patent for IndiCan, a textile dyeing method that significantly reduces water and energy consumption. “The IndiCan process represents a paradigm shift in the dyeing of cotton yarn fibers, combining cationic and anionic polymerization techniques to enhance dye fixation, improve colorfastness, and achieve significant water savings,” the mill stated. Through IndiCan the mill achieves up to 71.9 percent water savings compared to conventional dyeing methods and reduces energy consumption by approximately 70 percent. The process also enhances the...
Customer Feedback Key to Victoria’s Secret’s Inclusion Efforts
Victoria’s Secret (VS&Co.) doesn’t want the only memory women have of the brand to be their first bra fitting.Selling Denim and a Dream: My Experience at Good American's Open Model Casting Lydia Smith, VS&Co. chief diversity officer, and Alix Bazelais, VS&Co. technical designer for intimates, took to the stage at the 2024 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans on Saturday to share how by listening to employees and customers, the lingerie retailer is creating retail environments where consumers feel more valued and how that translates into significant product improvements. “We want to be a brand that women can relate to at...
Study: Young Consumers Link Materials, Quality to Sustainability
The buying habits of young consumers are changing for the better despite gaps in knowledge about sustainable fashion and access to it, according to a new report by IFM – Première Vision Chair, the Institut Français de la Mode and Première Vision.Study: Consumers See Generative AI as an Enhancement to Shopping Experience Based on a survey of 6,000 consumers from France, Italy, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S., the report found that a significant proportion of consumers in 18-24 and 25-34 age brackets are adopting more sustainable practices, favoring brands that respect both the environment and labor conditions. While they’re often making more...
Canada Crowdsources Ideas to Tackle Textile-Derived Plastic Waste and Pollution
Canada’s environmental department is prioritizing the issue of plastic waste from the apparel and textile industry—and it’s turning to the public for feedback as it charts the path forward.Woolmark Adds New Stamp of Approval for Recycled Wool The Honorable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on Thursday initiated a consultation document on plastic waste and pollution stemming from the apparel and textile industries. The text asks individuals, the industry, government representatives, environmental groups and other stakeholders to provide written comment and contribute to the plan to address the issue. Open until Sept. 1, the consultation will solicit ideas to...
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