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Dollar General To Pay $12 Million to Settle OSHA Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Dollar General Corp. have reached a wide-ranging settlement agreement over the retailer’s federal workplace safety violations that includes the payment of a $12 million penalty.Meeting Escalating Disclosure Requirements Demands Physical Proof The terms of the agreement are aimed at ensuring worker safety—and those of customers—at Dollar General stores. Corporate-wide changes include a new expanded safety structure and robust safety and health management system that includes hiring additional safety managers and encourages employee participation. Dollar General has been plagued by federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations, many going back to 2017. OSHA is...
Shuffle Board: Macy’s and REI Name Tech Execs, Saks COO Exits Amid Neiman Deal
Retail Macy’s Keith Credendino, currently senior vice president of technology product development, customer experience at Macy’s Inc., has been appointed the company’s next chief information officer (CIO). Credendino, who has been with the company since 2022, will succeed Laura Miller in the role following her retirement on Aug. 3.Macy's Bets on People-First Relationships for AI-Centered Personalization Strategy Since Miller joined Macy’s in 2021, she has worked to modernize the company’s technology systems and operations as well as improving the retail group’s omnichannel experience. When Credendino assumes his new role as CIO on Aug. 4, he will report to Adrian Mitchell, chief operating officer...
Here’s How Switching to Natural Fibers Can Combat Microplastic Pollution
The hazy, hot and humid month of July is here, and that means Plastic Free July is upon us. Begun in 2011, the movement is a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation. This year’s campaign slogan is, “Small steps, big difference.” In fashion, the question for the apparel industry is how it can combat the microplastics problem. One answer: switching to natural fibers.Hot Stuff: How Denim Brands Make Jeans Cool for the Summer Pas Une Marque’s Sean Coutts, founder, says the brand uses cotton primarily because it is a natural fiber, which aligns closely with the company’s sustainability ethos. “Our commitment...
Digital Doubles: How WHP Global Uses AI to Create Image Assets for Anne Klein
A new cadre of supes has been spawned via technology: image generation.Byte-Sized AI: Amazon Makes Rufus Publicly Available; Mango Uses AI Images for New Campaign Women’s clothing and accessory brand Anne Klein has started using AI-generated images of real models for product images on its site and social media. AI.Fashion, a Los Angeles-based startup founded by ex-Googler Daniel Citron, who now serves as its CEO, made that possible for the brand. One of its AI-powered products, called Persona, allows brands to connect with real-life models, then pay them for the use of their digital likenesses in campaigns. Tisha Jacobson is one of...
In ‘The Shitthroprocene,’ Patagonia Wants Consumers to Cut the Crap
It’s roughly 10 minutes into the sweeping yet laser-focused “evolutionary history” of consumption when the thought hits you: Is Patagonia’s new film really a form of stealth marketing?Material World: Modern Meadow Goes for the Gold, Patagonia 'Forges' Ahead There are at least two fake ads in the 45-minute satirical frolic through the craggy cave dwellings of our Neanderthal forebears, past the flamboyant court of Louis XIV, to a package-strewn modern-day distribution center, but these are largely in jest—a tongue-in-cheek nod to the way advertising manipulates people’s dissatisfaction with their lives to drive the purchase of goods that are “designed to last...
Macy’s Bets on People-First Relationships for AI-Centered Personalization Strategy
As retailers continue on their quests to integrate artificial intelligence into their day-to-day systems and customer experiences, many have turned to hyper-personalization. Byte-Sized AI: Amazon Makes Rufus Publicly Available; Mango Uses AI Images for New Campaign And, as they do so, the topic of one-to-one personalization has surfaced. Marketers have begun to revere the concept as the ultimate end all, be all in making connections with returning and potential customers. But at The Lead Summit in New York City this week, Bennett Fox-Glassman, vice president of customer journey at Macy’s, said that focusing on one-to-one personalization may actually be unnecessary in the...
Panama Canal’s Tentative 6-Year Reservoir Plan Costs $1.6 Billion
The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) just cleared another hurdle to building a new reservoir aimed at helping the 50-mile waterway facilitate transit during drought periods.Sportswear Industry Sees Solid Growth Ahead Despite Some Risks A recent ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court allowed a re-interpretation of boundaries that could enable the waterway to expand outside its traditional watershed, thus allowing the canal to supplement the main supply of water from Lake Gatún. The artificial lake provides the water needed to move ships through the Panama Canal’s lock system, and was severely impacted by the months-long drought that occurred throughout 2023. The Indio River reservoir...
Sourcing Journal x Rivet Sustainability Event: See You in LA!
As the global hub for denim news, Rivet is proud to provide L.A. denim brands and manufacturers a platform to share their sustainable journeys with our first in-person event alongside Sourcing Journal. Pangaia Announces New Linen Collection, Reinforcing Environmental Commitment It has always been my hope that Rivet would host an event one day, but for that to occur two things needed to happen. First, it had to be in Los Angeles, the center of the global premium denim industry and home to veteran professionals and disruptive newcomers. It had to be accessible to the people working behind the scenes in HQs, washhouses...
WSG Brands Plans Global and Sustainable Future for Von Dutch
Von Dutch, the Hollywood fashion brand behind the early aughts trucker hat craze, has a new owner.Fletcher Talks Heartache, Healing and Life on Tour WSG Brands, a newly formed brand management firm, announced this week the acquisition of Von Dutch. The brand was previously owned by Groupe Royer and its subsidiary Royer Brands International. With the acquisition, WSG Brands aims to reignite “the flames of Von Dutch’s rebellious spirit and inspiring a new generation to embrace their individuality with pride,” the company stated. Under its new ownership, Von Dutch will be headed by WSG CEO Jack Cheika and Marc Benitez, WSG COO. The...
Coloreel Group AB Files for Bankruptcy
Coloreel Group AB, the Swedish company known for its instant thread dyeing technology, announced it has filed for bankruptcy, citing an inability to develop its business volume quickly enough.Ohio Distribution Center Lays Off Dozens Following Express Bankruptcy Though the company reports having over 90 customers in over 20 countries, it does not have enough volume to overcome its financial hurdles. Discussions with financial investors and potential industrial partners to secure additional funding have been unsuccessful. Underscoring the difficulty of scaling new technologies, Anders Persson, Coloreel Group AB’s Chairman of the Board, said the company attempted to pivot and adjust to the market’s...
US Ports See ‘Strongest Surge in Volume’ Since August 2022
U.S. ports are reaching summer 2022 levels of incoming traffic even as global supply chain challenges rear their ugly heads.Amazon UK Warehouse Workers Conduct Union Recognition Vote The ports covered by the Global Port Tracker handled 2.08 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in May, up 7.5 percent year over year, generating the most inbound cargo throughput since the 2.26 million TEUs handled in August 2022. The total includes estimates for the Port of New York & New Jersey, which have not reported TEU counts for May. The flurry of goods comes amid continuously escalating freight rates, unresolved labor negotiations at the East...
At Milano Unica, Chargeurs Showcases Alpine Excellence
Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies brought Swiss tradition to Italy for the 39th edition of Milano Unica.Milano Unica: Intimates Textile Maker Maglificio Ripa Stretches Into Sustainability with Tencel, Roica The French interlining company has expanded its product range beyond beyond its traditional offerings of innerlinings and inner-garment components to include cotton fabrics for the shirting sector. The group presented three Chargeurs-run Swiss brands—Alumo, Brennet and Eugster & Huber—as a representation of the “pinnacle” of the alpine region’s textile techniques at the Italian trade show for high-end fabrics, held July 9-11 in Italy. “The fabrics produced by Alumo and Eugster & Huber represent...
Apparel Prices Rise in June—Even as Inflation Dips
Inflation may have cooled in June, but apparel pricing didn’t follow the same trend. Back to School Starts Early This Year as Parents Plan to Spend More The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) slipped 0.1 percent last month, aided by a 3.8 percent decline in gasoline prices. That didn’t help apparel, which actually saw prices rise by 0.1 percent after falling 0.3 percent in May. Sarah House and Michael Pugliese, economists at Wells Fargo, said in a report that June’s CPI was the “most encouraging one” for the Fed since it began its...
Khloé Kardashian Debuts Namesake Jean for Good American
Khloé Kardashian is stepping further into the spotlight, starring as the face of Good American’s latest campaign.Edwin Taps Into the Beyoncé-Approved Cowboy Trend On Thursday, the Los Angeles-based premium denim brand, co-founded by Kardashian and Emma Grede in 2016, launched a new campaign showcasing the Khloé Jean. The limited-edition style is designed by Kardashian herself. Available in light blue and black, the jean is made with 100 percent cotton and has a high rise, relaxed leg. The jeans features side slits at the hem with distressed details throughout. “Versatile, chic and sexy, the Khloé Jean offers a flattering, high-rise fit and waist-snatching...
Amazon UK Warehouse Workers Conduct Union Recognition Vote
Amazon workers at a U.K. warehouse are voting this week to determine whether to unionize, marking the first time the e-commerce giant faces such a vote in the country.US Ports See 'Strongest Surge in Volume' Since August 2022 More than 3,000 workers at the fulfillment center in Coventry, England are expected to take part in the ballot to join the 500,000-member GMB Union. The 430,500-square-foot facility has been central to U.K. labor concerns over the past 18 months, with workers at the site intermittently striking for over 30 days in that time frame. The historic vote began Monday and runs until Saturday....
Is AI Brands’ Crystal Ball for Demand Forecasting?
Whether playing the lottery or betting on a sporting event, everyone wishes they had a view into the future to see how things might turn out. Alas, that’s impossible. Sportswear Industry Sees Solid Growth Ahead Despite Some Risks But brands designing athletic wear like Public Rec and Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) are doing what the can to get an informed read on consumers’ impending wants and needs. The companies have both turned to machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to solidify their inventory bets before they place them. According to a report from forecasting firm WGSN, between 15 million and...
Guess Promotes Stone Washing Alternative in Milan and Paris
Guess has come full circle in how it stone washes jeans.Guess Inc. Secures 100 Million Euro Expansion of Credit Facility Four decades after the Los Angeles-based brand popularized the washing technique, it is rolling out Guess Airwash, a technology that eliminates the use of pumice stones and significantly decreases water and energy consumption. Guess took over the façade of Rinacente in Milan last week with videos and screens showcasing the technology. Guess Airwash is also the focus of a popup display at Galeries Lafayette Champs-Elysee in Paris through July 22. It is the brand’s second installation in Paris as the city...
Etsy’s New Ad Campaign, Site Policies Aim to ‘Keep Commerce Human’
Etsy’s latest ad campaign aims to elevate the artisans and craftspeople that populate the online marketplace with handcrafted wares and unique goods.How Etsy Approaches AI--Both Internally and Externally And behind the scenes, the company is working to safeguard its platform from the influence of mass-produced junk. The Brooklyn-based business is taking over billboards across New York City and London and splashing sellers’ likenesses across screens big and small in a series of promotional videos. “Keep Commerce Human” is the campaign’s motto, and according to the platform, the mission is simple. “Bring our sellers’ names front and center to remind buyers who makes Etsy...
Sportswear Industry Sees Solid Growth Ahead Despite Some Risks
Despite certain supply chain risks, there’s still a solid runway for growth ahead of the sportswear sector.Dr. Martens Says Cautious Guidance for 2025 'Remains Unchanged' Credit analysts at ratings firm S&P Global Ratings said gains will be fueled by the increasing number of women in sports, the casualization of dress codes and continued expansion in the Asia Pacific (APAC) market. The factors fueling growth Women will account for 50 percent of the athletes at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer, up from 40 percent when the games were held in Athens in 2004, according to the report. Sportswear firms are addressing the...
Hapag-Lloyd Raises Profit Outlook Again Amid Ascending Freight Rates
Hapag-Lloyd is raising its profit forecast for 2024 for the second time, following in the footsteps of rival ocean carrier Maersk as the container shipping industry continues to benefit from elevated freight rates.US Ports See 'Strongest Surge in Volume' Since August 2022 The German logistics giant said earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is now expected to range between $1.3 billion and $2.4 billion, up from the previous forecast between no profit and $1.1 billion. When excluding impacts from depreciation and amortization, EBITDA could be between $3.5 billion and $4.6 billion. Hapag-Lloyd’s expectations were less concrete in March, with the liner calculating...
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