Latest apparel and textile comment

Getting colour right while simultaneously managing costs can be an unexpected challenge for digital-native brands moving into brick-and-mortar territory. Here are some of the considerations retailers and brands need to make in order to balance customer colour experiences in-store, at-home and online.

From Field to Shelf – How does slowing global economic growth affect apparel? 20 Mar 2019

Globalisation has given apparel a good ride. But at what cost? asks Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc, as he looks at how the industry will grow – or not – in the future.

China trade – Hoping for a Mar-A-Lago miracle? 19 Mar 2019

While we wait for news of the next trade summit between the United States and China, Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), mulls the consequences of President Trump’s flawed trade strategy – including long-lasting damage to global supply chains.

How suppliers can find new customers in these trying times 8 Feb 2019

Emma Birnbaum

Many of the apparel industry's retail stalwarts no longer have the the agility to evolve – or the volume of business to keep progressive factories and suppliers afloat. Yet there are countless new customers out there for those manufacturers ready to launch themselves into the future. It's just a case of knowing where to look, writes Emma Birnbaum.

What the new US Farm Bill means for hemp apparel 30 Jan 2019

Hemp is back – removed from the US Schedule 1 controlled substances list and available for broad cultivation. But what's an opportunity for its use in apparel, and what's just hype? Writing exclusively on just-style, Roian Atwood, director of sustainability for Wrangler and Lee jeans, takes a closer look.

How real-time PLM can help fashion firms stay ahead 29 Jan 2019

Being nimble and agile enough to respond to demand from connected consumers is key to surviving and thriving in today's fashion world. Digitising business processes with a real-time PLM solution provides firms with the data analytics and insights to meet goals and deadlines, make faster decisions and react more quickly, as Terri Ghio, vice president of sales & operations at Visual Next, explains.

The new revolution that will change our industry – Comment 25 Jan 2019

We are now in the early stages of a new revolution that will completely change the apparel industry – and is being run by a new generation of consumers and a new generation of suppliers, writes David Birnbaum, as he offers his take on the year ahead.

From Field to Shelf – The trade data casualties of Trump’s border wall 11 Jan 2019

Apparel and textile industry executives are among those being deprived of key trade and economic data amid the ongoing US government shutdown. And as Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc, explains, this comes at a time when trade tensions between the US and China mean that having access to the most up-to-date statistics is more important than ever.

Top 20 comment articles on just-style in 2018... 21 Dec 2018

Beth Wright

The most-read comment articles on just-style in 2018 are dominated by President Trump and the ongoing US-China trade war, with our writers looking at the potential impact and implications of tariffs on China garments. But the year also marked the launch of the new re:source by just-style online sourcing tool, and ongoing debate and discussion on digitalisation, speed, wages and sustainability. We also took time to reflect on the fifth anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster.

From Field to Shelf – When a truce is anything but a truce 18 Dec 2018

So, they're saying that the US and China have called a truce on trade. As has been widely reported, while in Argentina for the G20 summit, Presidents Trump and Xi called a truce in the trade war, a so-called 90-day cooling off period to allow trade officials from both countries to meet again to see if a way out is possible. Don't believe it for a minute, says Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc.

How Trump's "Tariff Man" tweet roiled the markets 14 Dec 2018

Fascinating – just a few words escaped from the President's twitter feed and global markets start falling. Given his love for the Christmas season, his love for Brexit, his love for figgy pudding, it's not surprising that he reached for a Beatles song to express his views on trade when he grabbed "I Am The Walrus," writes Rick Helfenbein, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA).

From Field to Shelf – Here's one local industry that's gaining momentum 27 Nov 2018

Local production is still in its infancy – as is re-shoring in general – but there's undeniable evidence that something is stirring in our industry that includes a re-evaluation of how and where our products are made. Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc, reports on a tale of two industries.

Under the microscope – How forensic science provides proof of provenance 21 Nov 2018

Ethics have never been more important to consumers. From sustainability to fair trade and welfare standards, savvy brands know it is vital to ensure that ethical production, not just price, is hardwired into their supply chains. But in an age where products often cross multiple borders and pass through several sets of hands before reaching the shelves, how can producers, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers ensure they can back up their claims on the label?

The failure of the US garment industry – Part III – Reshoring Y/N 16 Nov 2018

A 65-year strategy to force US consumers to buy made-in-US garments has been an all-time disaster, asserts David Birnbaum, with the result that the US garment industry is now in a state of failure. The technology to create smart factories means reshoring has the potential to revolutionise the industry. But the key question in this, the last in a three-part series, is: Will reshoring benefit the US garment industry?

The failure of the US garment industry – Part II – Captive Customer Syndrome 8 Nov 2018

In the second article in a three-part series examining the failure of the US garment industry, David Birnbaum shows how US government policy to force consumers to buy made-in-America apparel succeeded in almost destroying domestic manufacturing.

The failure of the US garment industry – Part I 1 Nov 2018

For the past 20 years, imports have accounted for between 97%-98% of all garments sold in the United States. But while everyone seems to agree that cheap labour from poor countries has all but destroyed the domestic US manufacturing industry, that assumption is not borne out by the data. In fact, the data shows that labour rates – high or low – have nothing to do with imports, garments or otherwise. Here, in the first of a three-part series, David Birnbaum takes a look at the failure of the US garment industry.

From Field to Shelf – The challenge for cotton amid a changing consumer 23 Oct 2018

Cotton is being battered on all fronts, from false information campaigns, to competition from synthetic alternatives, and a changing consumer. The challenge now facing the cotton industry is how to regain its footing, explains Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc.

Counteracting rising costs with digital colour measurement 9 Oct 2018

The price of dyes and chemicals is rising – bringing with it worry and uncertainty for the textile industry. One solution is to move to digital colour measurement technology – which can help counteract the cost.

From Field to Shelf — Tariffs and the cost to sustainability 28 Sep 2018

In a world of trade wars, disrupted supply chains, and rising raw material costs, can the apparel industry afford sustainability? Throw tariffs into the mix, and now things become problematic at best, believes Robert Antoshak, managing director at Olah Inc.

Trump to the American retail consumer – "You're Fired" 30 Aug 2018