Brands should rethink supply chains in a time of volatility

The uncertainty of potential tariffs affecting the clothing and textile sector – and a Trump administration that appears poised to levy more of them – loomed large over the latest annual Sourcing Conference organised by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) in Washington DC. But speakers also talked about the need for brands to forge intimate relationships with suppliers as the industry moves towards a future in which trading relationship lines are more blurred and customers expect products to be delivered more quickly and intuitively.