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INDUSTRY NEWS | 4.8.26
SPESA Announces New Membership Levels To Maximize Industry Engagement
Press Release | April 8, 2026
SPESA is excited to announce a new membership scheme designed to provide greater flexibility and value for our members, and more opportunities for engagement within the sewn products industry.
With input from our members and Board of Directors, and after an analysis of similar organizations in other sectors and the needs of the industry, we have created a new tailored approach to membership, ensuring that levels and benefits align with the unique needs of each member. This includes distinguishing between companies that exhibit at Texprocess Americas — and receive discounted booth space at the show — and those that do not.
Textile Recycling News Round-Up
SPESA | April 8, 2026
We have seen an uptick in textile recycling news this month (let's call it Spring Cleaning), so rather than overwhelm today’s newsletter with it, here is a list that may be of interest to Behind the Seams readers.
Results of the 37th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey
Press Release | April 7, 2026
The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) released findings from its 37th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) sharing how regions and segments are impacted by the latest geopolitical actions.
For the first time, geopolitics topped industry concerns (edging out weak demand) driven by the war in Iran and surging energy prices, higher raw material costs, and logistics disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz blockade — all things we talked about in SPESA’s recent State of the Union address. Interestingly, the report finds that in response, firms are intensifying efforts towards market diversification away from the U.S.
Denim Supply Chains Under Pressure Turn to Onshoring as Geopolitics Disrupt Global Trade
SJ Denim | April 7, 2026
“While the broader consequences of this upheaval [the war in Iran + everything else happening in the world] extend beyond any single sector, fashion is among the industries expected to feel the impact most acutely. The denim market, in particular, has spent the past year grappling with mounting cost and compliance pressures tied to Trump’s broader trade agenda, forcing the industry to rethink where and how products are made.”
This SJ Denim article provides good examples of denim brands shifting production plans to the Western Hemisphere.
India, Vietnam, Cambodia Rise as Apparel Hubs amid Trade Protectionism
Just Style | April 7, 2026
TradeBeyond’s latest Retail Sourcing Report warns “escalating trade protectionism” is a dominant theme for the upcoming year, particularly in the U.S. The report notes consumers will likely bear the costs of retaliatory tariffs and ongoing geopolitical tensions through increased prices. However, it also highlights some “green shoots" as regions attempt to mitigate the impact of tariffs with new alliances.
On the plus side, despite key concerns around fragmentation and tariffs, the report describes 2026 as a “year of cautious optimism.” So, we’ll take what we can get.
Leading Apparel Brands Back unspun’s Plans To Build Domestic Manufacturing Hubs for Automated Apparel Production in the U.S.
Press Release | April 6, 2026
Leading brands, including Walmart, have signed letters of support for unspun’s plan to build domestic manufacturing capacity in the U.S. using an AI-enabled 3D weaving technology designed to bring apparel manufacturing closer to consumers at a commercial scale. The company has also raised more than $50M in VC funding.
ShipMonk Opens First Fulfillment Center Designed for Apparel Brands
MarTech Cube (Business Wire) | April 6, 2026
ShipMonk announced the opening of a new fulfillment center in Louisville, Kentucky. Built with a merchant-first approach, the facility is purpose-built for apparel brands and marks the first ShipMonk location designed around a single category.
Levi Strauss & Co.’s AI Hackathon Leads to Virtual Try-On Technology
SJ Denim | April 3, 2026
This is a cool read if you have a few minutes to spare.
“Levi Strauss & Co.’s investment in artificial intelligence doesn’t start and stop with back-office operations. This winter, the San Francisco-based company completed its first AI-focused hackathon across the teams of its Digital & Technology organization. The event served as a capstone to LS&Co.’s company-wide AI learning and training initiatives, giving teams the opportunity to apply their knowledge and push beyond what they previously thought possible with AI.”
‘Built to Last’ Documentary Highlights Beginnings of North Carolina’s Furniture Industry
Furniture Today | April 3, 2026
“There is no shortage of news about challenges currently facing the furniture industry in 2026, but one recently released documentary is a timely reminder of the furniture community’s capacity to not only survive, but thrive.”
Techtextil, Texprocess To showcase 1,700 Performance Textiles and Machinery Exhibitors in Frankfurt on April 21-24
Fashion Network | April 2, 2026
We’re bound to see a lot of news coming out this month about the Frankfurt shows. This one specifically calls out SPESA members and “segment leaders” Brother, Zünd, Lectra, and Amann.
Meanwhile, Durkopp Adler’s and Veit’s planned exhibitions are highlighted here.
Read More...
Apparel Retailer Organization Challenges SB 707 Textile PRO Selection
Resource Recycling | April 2, 2026
Despite being less than a month old, California’s first-in-the-nation textile EPR program is already headed to court. The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has filed a petition in the Sacramento County Superior Court challenging CalRecycle’s selection of Landbell USA to run the state’s landmark Responsible Textile Recovery Act.
Kornit, D-house Debut Foot/Print EXP at Milan Design Week
Press Release via eTextileCommunications | April 2, 2026
On the occasion of Milan Design Week 2026, Kornit Digital and D-house laboratorio urbano, the dual innovation hub of Pattern Group, presented Foot/Print EXP, a project conceived by designers Sangi and Materia. The project explores new possibilities in footwear design through the intersection of digital printing technology, material research, and design.
Nufabrx Expands Federal Access, Secures $5 Million Investment To Fuel Growth
Press Release via eTextileCommunications | April 2, 2026
Nufabrx’s platform delivers medication through compression textiles, providing targeted, time-released relief without the systemic side effects associated with oral treatments. The solutions support a range of clinical applications, including orthopaedics, podiatry, physical therapy, primary care, and chronic conditions such as arthritis and neuropathy.
AI Machine Sorts Clothes Faster than Humans To Boost Textile Recycling in China
Associated Press | April 1, 2026
In an industrial park in Zhangjiagang, a small city on China’s east coast, a large humming and hissing machine feeds on piles of used clothes and sorts them. It uses artificial intelligence to sort them by composition at high speed, offering a glimpse into how AI could play a role in reducing the impact of synthetic textile waste. The Fastsort-Textile machine, created by DataBeyond, was named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025.
Canada’s Trade Deal with Mercosur Alliance Could Revamp Western Hemisphere Trade
Sourcing Journal | March 31, 2026
“Canada’s prospective agreement with the Mercosur trade bloc is coalescing quickly as the steady drumbeat of trade diversification advances across the Western Hemisphere.”
As a trade deal is likely to be completed this year between Canada and the South American nations of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, this article basically points out that tariffs and trade policies implemented by the Trump Administration have encouraged countries in the Western Hemisphere to pursue global relationships and trade pathways that do not include the United States, and the implications of what that may put into effect.
NSA Turns Up Protection with Addition of HPFR and Hi-Viz Product Lines
Press Release | March 31, 2026
Ohio-based National Safety Apparel (NSA) has announced the acquisition of Lakeland Industries’ High Performance Flame Resistant (“HPFR”) and High‑Visibility (“HiViz”) product lines. The transaction accelerates NSA's expansion in high-performance safety apparel while further strengthening its position as a scaled provider of mission-critical protective solutions for industrial and utility workers.
You may just be able to meet some of the NSA folks at our Columbus event!
Allbirds Signs Definitive Asset Purchase Agreement with American Exchange Group
Press Release | March 30, 2026
Footwear brand Allbirds has reached an agreement to sell its intellectual property and select assets and liabilities to American Exchange Group for $39 million.
China Remains the Dominant U.S. Shoe Supplier, But the Gap Is Narrowing
Footwear News | March 27, 2026
Per data from the U.S. International Trade Commission, China remained the dominant shoe supplier to the U.S. in 2025, followed by Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and India. The Footwear Distributors and Retailers Association (FDRA) analyzes the data for Footwear News.
Progress Over Perfection: Lessons from Garment Factories Fighting Heat Stress
Sourcing Journal | March 26, 2026
This is a great feature from Sourcing Journal on the work of SPESA Board Member Sarah Krasley.
“As founder of Shimmy Technologies, an AI-powered gamified training platform that helps upskill garment workers for the age of automation, Krasley has long been interested in what happens when large forces collide with worker livelihoods. Now she wanted to understand how apparel factories were adapting to what she described as heat’s ‘systems-level pressure on labor,’ especially as suppliers on razor-thin margins bear the cost in poorer countries where aging infrastructure is expensive to retrofit and well-intentioned buyer codes of conduct seldom translate into financing.”
Strengthening Wood with Needle and Thread
Tech Xplore | March 26, 2026
This is cool for us sewing nerds. A team at the Vehicle Safety Institute at Graz University of Technology, together with the W.E.I.Z. innovation center and partners from industry, has now developed a method of sewing wood veneers that counteracts delamination.
GLP-1 Users Are Changing Apparel Trends
Retail Dive | March 25, 2026
Weight loss medication is not something we would have expected to report on in this newsletter but it makes sense. The rising usage of GLP-1 drugs is having a substantial impact on apparel industry trends as shoppers change sizes and lifestyle habits.
Adidas Takes Performance Basketball into the Future with a 3D-printed Sneaker
Footwear News | March 24, 2026
Adidas is introducing a new platform for performance sports products made with additive manufacturing, debuting with a 3D-printed basketball sneaker.
New H&M Foundation Toolkit Aims To Boost Climate Action in Textiles
Fashion Network | March 23, 2026
The H&M Foundation has launched an open-access workshop toolkit that it said “enables brands, suppliers, policymakers and investors across the textile industry to apply the System Map in their own work, identifying leverage points to halve emissions and enable a just transition.”
Speaking of H&M, the brand has announced a target to source 100% of its materials sustainably by 2030.
Alibaba Launches AI Service for Businesses
Sourcing Journal | March 23, 2026
Alibaba International, the global Chinese e-commerce, retail, and technology company, has launched an AI solution for small and medium-size businesses. Accio Work is a “plug-and-play” enterprise AI agent that “equips businesses with an immediate, no-code task force.”
Self-Cleaning Fabric Could Eliminate the Need for Detergent
Phys.org | March 23, 2026
In a study published in Communications Chemistry, researchers introduced a versatile self-cleaning fabric coating that could eliminate the need for detergents in everyday laundry. By alternately spraying the fabrics with two polymers, they created a dense hydration layer that allows dirt and microbes to be washed away using only water.
Mechanix Wear Acquires Protective Apparel Manufacturer OTEX
The Signal | March 20, 2026
Mechanix Wear, a California-based designer and manufacturer of high-performance hand protection and protective apparel, announced it has acquired OTEX, a developer and manufacturer of tech-enabled personal protective equipment.
Spandex Maker Lycra Files for Bankruptcy To Cut $1.2 Billion in Debt
The Wall Street Journal | March 17, 2026
Spandex maker Lycra has filed for bankruptcy with a restructuring plan backed by creditors to cut roughly $1.2 billion in debt, addressing financial problems caused by a “confluence of industry headwinds.”
DeSL Signs Strategic Deal with TSG To Boost Textile Digital Ecosystem
Fibre2Fashion | March 13, 2026
Discover e-Solutions Ltd (DeSL), a global provider of AI-powered Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions for fashion, apparel, retail and footwear, has entered into a strategic agreement with Textile Solutions Group (TSG), a technology group focused exclusively on digital solutions for the textile and apparel industry.
