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WHERE YOU CAN FIND SPESA IN 2026
Happy New Year! As we kick off 2026, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead to reconnect with our members and industry friends. We know calendars fill up quickly, so we wanted to share with you a snapshot of the events we’ll be hosting and participating in this year. Click the link below to see where we'll be in 2026.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
INDUSTRY NEWS | 1.8.26
CFDA And Ralph Lauren Announce Two New Grant Programs To Strengthen American Fashion Manufacturing
Press Release | January 7, 2026
The CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund, developed with funding from both the New York State Department of State and Ralph Lauren Corporation (Ralph Lauren), will provide partially matching grants to designers and manufacturers based in New York City’s Garment District. The U.S. Fashion Manufacturing Fund, created with Ralph Lauren as founding partner, will support apparel manufacturers nationwide. Both programs aim to help companies to modernize equipment, expand services, and train workers – building the capacity and resilience of American fashion manufacturing.
What’s Next for L.A. Manufacturing?
Vogue Business | January 7, 2026
A year on from the fires that devastated Los Angeles, Vogue Business takes stock of fashion’s recovery and rebuilding efforts as part of its series, Refashioning LA, assessing where the city’s fashion and apparel industry is headed in 2026.
İHKİB Unveils Supply Chain Transition Project for Türkiye Apparel Sector
Just Style | January 7, 2026
The Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association (İHKİB) has introduced a new 12-month project aimed at aiding manufacturers in meeting increased demands from global brands for traceability, low-carbon production, and digital reporting.
Nike Agrees for Landmark Payout to Former Garment Workers After Long-Running Dispute
Apparel Resources | January 6, 2026
Nike has agreed to substantial payouts to thousands of former garment workers at a Thai supplier after nearly five years of sustained pressure from labor rights campaigners, marking one of the most significant compensation settlements in the apparel industry.
Business of Fashion first covered the news back in 2020 when a group of 20 garment-worker unions and two labor-rights groups filed a complaint alleging the sportswear giant’s treatment of workers and unpaid wages violated OECD guidelines for responsible business conduct. You can read that coverage here.
Why Trump’s Venezuela Operation Is Putting the Panama Canal Back in Play
Sourcing Journal | January 6, 2026
Approximately 40% of U.S.-bound container vessels travel through the Panama Canal, making it an essential corridor for U.S. trade. President Trump has made various overtures signaling a desire to bring the canal under U.S. control, or at the very least, ensure America has primary influence over the trade conduit.
Fabric Forge Gives Back to Houston Community
Specialty Fabrics Review (ATA) | January 5, 2026
One of our favorite things to share in Behind the Seams is the good work being done across the sewn products industry. This is a perfect example. Thanks to Specialty Fabrics Review for highlighting Fabric Forge and its impact on the Houston market. We recommend you check out the profile (linked below) and learn more about one of our favorite Texans, Maddie DeJong and her company The Green Sling, which works in partnership with Fabric Forge to employ workers and produce its running belts made from upcycled leggings.
The Forces That Will Shape Fashion’s Supply Chains in 2026
Vogue Business | January 5, 2026
Unpredictability was the theme for fashion’s supply chains in 2025, and the coming year looks to deliver much of the same turbulence. The key drivers of last year’s supply chain shocks for apparel sourcing teams — climate crisis events like floods and droughts, President Trump’s unpredictable tariffs, and a suite of looming laws — are likely to continue reshaping the industry’s sourcing map down to the raw material level.
NCTO CEO Kim Glas Highlights How Ending De Minimis Helped Level The Playing Field For U.S. Manufacturers & Protect Consumers
Press Release | January 3, 2026
“De minimis became an avalanche of duty-free trade to the United State marketplace that we could not control. It was a wildfire out of control. You cannot inspect 1.4 billion packages coming in a year into the U.S. marketplace,” Glas said.
In August, President Trump issued an executive order ending de minimis for all commercial shipments and Congress passed bipartisan legislation that codified the ban on de minimis beginning in July 2027.
Supply Chain Dive recently reported that the U.S. collected more than $1 billion in duty revenue from over 246 million low-cost shipments in 2025 after phasing out the de minimis exemption, per a December 17 announcement from Customs and Border Protection.
President Trump Delays Higher Furniture Tariffs
Furniture Today | January 2, 2026
President Donald Trump signed a New Year’s Eve proclamation delaying higher tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities for one year as trade negotiations continue with major partners.
The order keeps in place a 25% tariff imposed in September on those imported goods but postpones steeper increases that were set to take effect Jan. 1. For reference, the now-delayed hikes would have raised tariffs to 30% on upholstered furniture.
You can find the White House Fact Sheet here.
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By the Numbers: 2025 Manufacturing Trends
Manufacturing Dive | December 23, 2025
Not directly related to soft goods manufacturing, but an insightful article that reflects on 2025 through key data points about tariffs, domestic investments, M&A, the manufacturing workforce, federal policy, AI and more.
SBA Made in America Roadshow Spotlights Textile Innovation, Workforce at Gaston College
eTextileCommunications | December 22, 2025
Federal and regional leaders with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) made a stop in the Charlotte metro area last week as part of the agency’s ongoing national Made in America Roadshow, highlighting how partnerships between education, industry and government are helping advance U.S. manufacturing — including the textile sector.
From Fabric to Factory Floor, Fashion’s Digital Shift is Going Full Throttle
Apparel Resources | December 22, 2025
An in-depth analysis of digital tools reshaping what efficiency, accuracy and sustainability means when it comes to sewn products manufacturing, including references to SPESA members Tukatech and Lectra.
Top 20 Interviews on Just Style in 2025
Just Style | December 22, 2025
Well, hey! This is pretty cool: Just Style’s interview with SPESA President Michael McDonald about the 2025 edition of Texprocess Americas was named one of the publication’s top 20 interviews of 2025.
“As 2025 comes to a close, Just Style has spoken with some of the most influential voices shaping the global fashion industry. From tariffs and sourcing disruptions to sustainability and innovation, these interviews reveal how brands, manufacturers, and policymakers are navigating a rapidly changing landscape and preparing for the challenges ahead.”
You can check out Michael’s interview here.
SPESA to Showcase Future of Sewn Products at Columbus Conference
Just Style | December 19, 2025
SPESA President Michael McDonald said: “Advancing sewn products manufacturing is not just about the technologies we adopt. It’s about supporting and strengthening our workforce, building resilient supply chains, and ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our industry.
“This conference represents an opportunity to celebrate innovation, share solutions, and foster partnerships that will help manufacturers thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.”
Each year, SPESA’s Advancements Conference spotlights a new market in order to showcase regional advancements in sewn products manufacturing. Columbus was selected for 2026 due to its prominent role as a fashion and apparel hub.
Sounds like a fun event, right? 😉We hope to see you there! You can register at a discounted early bird rate here.
Cleveland PPE Maker Grows Again with Third Add-on Acquisition of 2025
Crain’s Cleveland Business | December 19, 2025
Private equity firm Blue Point Capital Partners has acquired NASCO Industries Inc., a maker of protective outerwear in Washington, Indiana, as the latest tuck-in company for National Safety Apparel (NSA), a longtime Cleveland manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“This partnership strengthens our position in the flame-resistant rainwear market and expands our coverage in the electric utility PPE segment,” said NSA Chief Executive Officer Chuck Grossman in a statement. Like other companies affiliated with NSA, NASCO will continue operating under its existing leadership and name as a member of the NSA family of brands.
Lovesac Reshores Key Manufacturing Process
Supply Chain Dive | December 19, 2025
Diversifying its supply base and reducing production in China were part of Lovesac’s four-pronged tariff strategy launched last April. The revamped Sactionals line serves as the basis for a new made-in-the-U.S.A. product development approach aimed at being better and less expensive, according to Lovesac CEO and Director Shawn Nelson.
National Industries for the Blind Shows What Mission-Driven Manufacturing Looks Like
eTextileCommunications | December 18, 2025
We’re wrapping this week’s issue of Behind the Seams with an article from our industry bestie, Devin Steele, about the important work being done by National Industries for the Blind (NIB).
NIB has long stood as a model provider of mission-driven manufacturing in the United States. Through a unique blend of employment opportunity, advocacy and innovation, NIB and its network of nonprofit agencies empower people who are blind, low vision or visually impaired to participate fully in the workforce, producing goods critical not only to consumers but also to the nation’s military and industrial base.
