Supply Chain
Supply Chain
Data and analyses of trends in the cotton textile supply chain, including commodity economics.
Supply Chain
Articles
Finding Stability
One year ago, cotton prices were soaring and the apparel industry feared consumers would react by curtailing spending. Although prices on cotton apparel did increase, shoppers have continued or increased…
Supply Chain
Articles
Banking on ‘Green’
Images of blazing wildfires, cracked dry farmland or satellite shots of melting ice may get people thinking about the environment, but they have not become full-fledged activists as a result. …
Supply Chain
Articles
When Jobs Come Marching Home Again
One of the major factors in the country’s stubborn unemployment numbers is the loss of manufacturing jobs — 5.6 million in the last decade. All the off-shoring paired with the…
Consumers
Articles
Clothing Changes That Impact Satisfaction
Retailers and brands have unprecedented access to direct feedback about the experiences customers have with their apparel purchases. Research reveals that unfavorable consumer opinions about clothing purchases could be detrimental to…
Supply Chain
Articles
Winning in the U.S. Activewear Market
A revolution in the U.S. activewear market is being driven by the convergence of several consumer and retail trends. According to Cotton Incorporated’s 2014 Sports Apparel Survey, more than 9…
Supply Chain
Articles
Easing Apparel Sourcing Cost Pressures
Market forces inside and outside of China that have kept cotton prices higher in recent years are disappearing. As a result, cotton prices around the world have moved lower. The…
Supply Chain
Articles
Being Domestic
A byproduct of the Great Recession was the realization by many people that a lot of jobs had been off-shored over the years. The recession’s double-digit jobless rate led people…
Supply Chain
Articles
Top Performances
When it comes to working out, there are plenty of apparel options out there — from traditional sweats and tees, to athleisure to performance active. According to the Global Industry…
Retail/Brands
Articles
Boxed Apparel Services
For years now, retailers have appealed to the time-strapped or fashion-challenged by offering the services of stylists or personal shoppers. But in today’s digital age, subscription-based boxed apparel services are…
Supply Chain
Articles
Closing the Loop
The global apparel industry is a $1.7 trillion business that employs several million people worldwide. It’s a giant that provides the basics and the aspirational. But in the last decade…