Supporting a virtuous sourcing circle in Ethiopia

From Bangladesh to Ethiopia, garment manufacturing is a potential path to economic development. But this will only happen if Western brands...

Tariffs & input costs threaten US apparel outlook

Broad-based growth is expected to continue for the US apparel and footwear retail sector in 2019 – but the potential for additional tariffs...

Higher margins found in circular fashion models

A new report exploring the financial viability of circular business models in the fashion industry has found they could drive a higher margi...

Timeline – Trump’s track record on trade – Update

Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has been busy fulfilling major campaign promises on trade polic...

US apparel imports from China face new 25% tariff

In a move that US apparel and footwear retailers and importers have been dreading, the Trump administration is moving forward on threats to...

US apparel imports fall in March as China tumbles

With the US retail industry in its annual lull between major shopping seasons, getting back up to speed following factory shutdowns for the...

Worker turnover and unrest undermines Ethiopia sourcing 9 May 19

High worker turnover in Ethiopian garment factories means brands often end up paying more to source from the country than other low cost locations, according to a new report – which is calling on global brands and retailers to take steps to align their business practices with realities.

Why it's time to build a new US textile industry 9 May 19

In an increasingly competitive world, it is time for the US textile industry to consider a new strategy, according to David Birnbaum. Instead of relying on free-trade partners for exports, he suggests a move away from garment related fabrics, a focus on high-tech materials, and replacing the yarn forward rule with fibre-only could be the key to reinvention.

Joined-up approach needed for truly green supply chains – Hugo Boss sustainability chief 11 Apr 19

Beth Wright

It's been almost a year since Hugo Boss outlined its latest, annually revised set of ambitious sustainability targets and the German premium fashion brand continues to make progress towards its goals, including upping its use of more responsibly sourced cotton and reducing the number of potentially hazardous substances within its supply chain. Driving these efforts is Andreas Streubig, director of global sustainability, who also tells just-style of his concerns that despite efforts by individual companies, a concerted industry approach is still in its beginning when it comes to driving systematic change.

Why Kingpins is setting new standards for the denim supply chain – Interview 1 Apr 19

Hannah Abdulla

Implementing an industry standard hasn't been high on the list of priorities for most textile mills for the simple reason that no-one is asking for it. But this is all about to change as pressure mounts for increased sustainability, ethical production and transparency across the apparel supply chain. And a driving force is coming from an unlikely source – the denim trade show Kingpins – as Andrew Olah, event founder and CEO of textile company Olah Inc, explains.

Denim doesn't have to be the bad guy – how Levi Strauss is driving sustainable change 1 Mar 19

Hannah Abdulla

The denim and jeans sector is having to work tirelessly to change perceptions over its sustainability, or lack of it. But change is nigh, promises Michael Kobori, vice president of social and environmental sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co. The company recently expanded its Partnership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT) programme to four countries in Asia, which has so far delivered 20% savings in water and energy consumption for six key vendors. Next on the agenda is a new target to reach 40% savings by 2025.