Sewn Products Equipment &
Suppliers of the Americas

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | WELCOME

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9:15 AM - 10:00 AM | GROWING, SUSTAINING, AND ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL WORKFORCES: A CONVERSATION WITH THE GARMENT WORKER CENTER 

As the U.S. sewn products industry continues to advocate for reshoring and more domestic production, how do we ensure that we’re not only building a strong workforce in our country, but also taking care of the people doing the work? L.A. is home to more than 30,000 garment manufacturing workers producing 83% of the nation's nearly $2 billion cut-and-sew apparel sales, as of 2019. Listen to how the City of Los Angeles is developing a new Garment and Fashion Industry Workforce and Economic Development program to enhance and grow the local industry while centering workers in these efforts. 

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Speakers:

• Nayantara Banerjee, Workforce Development Manager, Garment Worker Center

• Helen Campbell, Planning Director, City of Los Angeles City Council District 1

• Guadalupe Tlatenchi, Small Factory Owner, GTLA Apparel

 

Moderator:

• Daisy Gonzalez, Campaigns Director, Garment Worker Center

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10:00 AM - 10:45 AM | CONVERSATION ON INDUSTRY EVOLUTION PART I: AUTOMATION & ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Are you ready for a heavy dose of sewing automation? Our panelists will discuss developing automation solutions that increase human productivity and enable innovation. They will touch on the new developments in this area, sharing case studies related to automated material handling and sewing systems, and how their successes can be replicated for other parts of the soft goods industry beyond just fashion. This conversation will lead into our later conversation on AI.

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Speakers:

• Frank Henderson, Owner & President, Henderson Sewing Machine Co.

• SK Gupta, Ph.D, Smith International Professor, Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Southern California (USC) School of Engineering; Director, USC Center for Advanced Manufacturing

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10:45 AM - 11:15 AM | NETWORKING BREAK

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11:15 AM - 12:30 PM | A CONVERSATION ON INDUSTRY EVOLUTION PART II: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI may be the buzzword of the decade, but what does it mean for fashion and sewn products? Our speakers will dive into the different generations and types of Artificial Intelligence — diagnostic vs. predictive vs. generative — and how they can best be implemented into the production process, whether in design, manufacturing, or retail. This session will leave attendees with a deeper understanding of the transformative power of industry-specific AI and 3D technology in fashion.

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Speakers:

• Ketty Pillet, Vice President Marketing, Americas, Lectra

• Eric Lee, Executive Director, Americas, Alvanon

• Tirsa Parrish, Cofounder/Managing Partner, Fashion Index

• Kyle Stephens, CEO & Co-Founder, KolAi Denim

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12:30 PM - 1:15 PM | LUNCH

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1:15 PM - 2:15 PM | SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY ACROSS THE BOARD
From the factory floor to the global supply chain, the sewn products industry is bursting with innovative tools and technologies to improve efficiency. This panel will highlight several of these examples, breaking down manufacturing efficiency vs. supply chain efficiency, and the factory connectivity needed to tie it all together. How can we create supply chains that are more connected, resilient, and sustainable in the long-term?

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Speakers:

• Jerker Krabbe, CEO, Eton Systems AB

• Sven Sörbö, Sales Manager, California/Mexico & Technical Sales Specialist, Eton Systems AB

• Justin Hershoran, Senior Solutions Architect, Aptean

• John Robinson, Senior Strategic Account Manager - Apparel, Aptean

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2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | NETWORKING BREAK

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2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | SUSTAINABILITY IN GARMENT MANUFACTURING: NAVIGATING OVERPRODUCTION & WASTE MANAGEMENT
We want to have less waste in the sewn products industry. Great! What does that mean? And how do we make it happen? In the simplest terms, the conversation about waste management can be broken into two parts: 1) How do we improve efficiency and utilize technology to create less waste in the production process? And 2) What do we do with waste when it does occur either as part of the production process or from overproduction? Global regulations will soon require manufacturers, brands, and retailers to have clear answers to these questions. So, let’s get to work! The speakers on this panel will lead the audience in a strategic discussion on waste management in the fashion, textile, and sewn products industries, highlighting equipment and technology that can help along the way.

 

Speakers:

• Michael Rabin, Sales Director of the Americas, Morgan Tecnica Spa

• Stephanie Choi, CEO, Rewilder

• Paul Minestrella, Vice President Sales & Marketing, STC-QST​

• Christian Birky, Founder, Because Capital

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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM | ESTABLISHING A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION PILOT FOR DOMESTIC TEXTILE MANUFACTURING
The fashion industry’s carbon footprint accounts for a significant 2-8% of global Greenhouse Gas emissions. If we ever want to transition toward a net zero industry, the scaling and adoption of innovative technologies is critical. Yet, the process of adopting innovation can be time and resource intensive for manufacturers. To prove that an innovation is even beneficial for the industry, it has to be tested for scalability through strategic partnerships. The speakers spearheading this discussion are a prime example of such partnerships. In this session, they will discuss how to lift up a successful innovation pilot for the sewn goods industry, while upskilling and standardizing processes for the benefit of people and planet.

 

Speakers:

• Jen Guarino, President & CEO, ISAIC

• Garrett Gerson, Founder & CEO, Variant 3D

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4:15 PM - 5:15 PM | FROM SUPPLIER TO BRAND: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF GARMENT MANUFACTURING IN LOS ANGELES (AND BEYOND) LOOK LIKE? 
We have discussed uniforms in San Juan, automotive interiors in Detroit, now it’s time for fashion in L.A.! Hear from local industry stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities associated with sewn products manufacturing in Los Angeles (and the U.S. in general), as well as their predictions for the future and the investments that need to be made to support the domestic industry.

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Speakers:​

• Ram Sareen, CEO & Co-Founder, Tukatech

• Marty Bailey, President of Manufacturing, US Standard Apparel

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Moderator:

• Ilse Metchek, California Fashion Association

 

5:15 PM - 5:30 PM | WRAP-UP & CLOSING REMARKS

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5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | NETWORKING RECEPTION, SPONSORED BY LECTRA

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Friday, April 12th

(Optional Tours)

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9:30 AM | SHUTTLE PICK UP

The Hoxton, Downtown L.A. - 1060 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Please dress comfortably and wear closed-toed shoes.

 

10:00-10:45 AM | TOUR OF TUKATECH INNOVATION CENTER

The Innovation Center by Tukatech is the ultimate hub for fashion designers seeking inspiration and creative empowerment. Tukatech’s mission is to provide a unique haven where its members can work and thrive, cultivating innovation, creativity, and productivity. It aims to transform every moment spent there into a vibrant step toward your design dreams. Tukatech has created a comfortable and inspiring workspace environment that goes beyond the ordinary. At the Innovation Center, you'll find thoughtfully designed workspaces, cutting-edge technology, and a vibrant community of like-minded, driven individuals.

 

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | TOUR OF US STANDARD APPAREL

The factory’s cutting-edge garment manufacturing equipment includes dual 30-meter flotation tables/conveyorized tables and two automatic spreaders equipped with a real-time marker projection system. The setup also incorporates two heavy-duty fabric loaders. Additionally, there are two 30-meter tubular spreading tables with a 1/4 turn automatic spreader, a TUKAcut automatic fabric cutter, and two inline TUKA INA unit production systems, each boasting 40 sewing stations. The SAS Textiles fabric mill and the US Standard Apparel cut-and-sew factory are affiliated and housed together.

 

1:00 PM | RETURN TO THE HOXTON