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TV Style Expert Michelle Washington To Emcee 2026 SPESA Executive Conference
SPESA NEWS
We're excited to share that fashion stylist, GQ Insider and television personality Michelle Washington will emcee the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference, taking place October 28-30 in San Antonio, TX. Drawing on decades of experience in fashion production and design, as well as her advocacy for Texas’s fashion community, Washington will help guide conversations exploring the region’s capabilities, challenges, and growing opportunities.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
INDUSTRY NEWS | 10.8.26
ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey: The Textile Industry Remains Under Pressure
Apparel Views | October 7, 2026
The 40th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) shows a slight improvement in the global business situation. Nevertheless, “conditions remain weak in what has become a new normal of high uncertainty.”
Textile Recycling’s Biggest Scaling Problem May Not Be the Technology
Sourcing Journal | October 6, 2026
Textile-to-textile recycling may still face technology hurdles, but its biggest obstacle to scale is increasingly financial. A new report from Accelerating Circularity argues that much of the sector remains caught in a “missing middle” between early-stage funding and mainstream commercial finance, where technologies may work but the risks surrounding their deployment remain too difficult for lenders to price.
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Video: Dexterous Robot Hand Learns the Delicate Art of Silk Embroidery
New Atlas | October 6, 2026
Agilink, a spin-off of Chinese robotics giant AgiBot, asked Fu Xianghong, a master of traditional Suzhou embroidery, to train its OmniHand 3 Ultra. The synthetic hand has since learned to split silk strands, thread a needle, stretch fabric across a frame, and stitch.
American Businesses Are Making the Case for Manufacturing Textiles Again in the U.S.
Forbes | October 5, 2026
“Textile manufacturing is making a comeback in the U.S., and small businesses play a role in making it happen. But it’s going to look different this time around, with a greater emphasis on robotics and tech.” This Forbes article highlights efforts around the country to not only support local production but rebuild regional supply chains.
Can the EU Make Clothes as Cheap as Asia? With Automation, This Startup Says Yes
Sourcing Journal | October 5, 2026
Danish startup Rodinia Generation said it has secured 4 million euros ($4.5 million) to scale its on-demand manufacturing pilot, which uses automation to produce clothes in Europe at the same cost as Asia.
Parkdale Mills Acquires CiCLO® Technology
Press Release via Textile World | October 5, 2026
Parkdale, Incorporated, a leading textile and consumer products manufacturer, announced that its subsidiary, Parkdale Advanced Materials, Inc., has acquired full ownership of CiCLO® technology. The acquisition expands Parkdale’s polymer and fiber portfolio and its capacity to advance next-generation solutions across textile and related markets.
FutureTEX Virtual Town Hall (October 8 | 3-5 p.m.)
SPESA Announcement | October 1, 2026
SPESA invites members and Behind the Seams subscribers to join the FutureTEX Virtual Town Hall on October 8th to learn more about the Textiles Future Institute, its vision for the industry, and opportunities for collaboration and engagement.
SPESA has been proud to support the development of FutureTEX, including providing a letter of support for the initiative. We believe efforts like this can create important opportunities to connect the expertise of our industry with research, education, workforce development, and new technologies — and ultimately help strengthen textile and sewn products manufacturing across the Americas.
If you miss the town hall, you can also learn all about it at the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference!
Sedex Responds to Urgent Need for Beyond-Tier 1 Mapping
Just Style | October 1, 2026
Sedex, a supply chain sustainability technology provider, has unveiled a set of platform enhancements designed to give businesses sharper visibility and more granular risk intelligence beyond their direct suppliers.
X-Rite Pantone Launches Spectura To Advance Connected Color Quality from Lab to Production
Press Release | October 1, 2026
X-Rite Pantone, the global authority in color standards and color science, has launched Spectura, a next-generation portable sphere spectrophotometer (say that five times fast) platform designed to connect trusted color measurement with modern quality workflows. Combining advanced measurement performance, secure cloud connectivity, and an expandable application framework, Spectura aims to help manufacturers reduce color errors, accelerate decisions, and maintain consistency from the laboratory to the production floor.
SPESA Business Meeting To Take Place October 29, 2026
SPESA Announcement | September 30, 2026
The annual SPESA Business Meeting will take place Thursday, October 29th, during the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference in San Antonio, TX. The Business Meeting provides members an opportunity to receive updates about the association and the industry from the SPESA staff and Board of Directors; recognize the outstanding accomplishments of other members; and elect SPESA's Board of Directors.
In accordance with SPESA’s Bylaws, each eligible SPESA member company is entitled to one vote by its authorized voting representative. However, all SPESA members are welcome and encouraged to attend the Business Meeting.
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U.S. China Extend Trade Truce Two Months, Will Consider Tariff Cuts
ST&R Trade Report | September 29, 2026
A recent summit between U.S. and Chinese leaders yielded limited progress on trade-related issues including a two month extension of a previous agreement suspending tariff increases and export restrictions.
PLC Detroit and Carhartt Celebrate New Apparel Lab with Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
Women’s Wear Daily | September 25, 2026
Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC Detroit), the nation’s only design-focused HBCU, celebrated the opening of a new apparel lab — this time in partnership with family-owned workwear brand Carhartt. The Carhartt Apparel Lab furthers the school’s focus on workforce empowerment by providing students with a dedicated space to develop apparel and accessories concepts, create prototypes, and understand the process of creating a product, from an initial idea to a finished design.
Egypt’s Sourcing Boom: Just Another Optimistic Wave?
Sourcing Journal | September 24, 2026
Exports have been on an upswing in Egypt. While manufacturers are wondering if this is just another quick oscillation, analysts told Sourcing Journal that this is no momentary blip, but rather evidence that many global brands are seeing the country as a long-term regional supplier and export hub.
U.S. Cotton, African Factories: New Partnership Targets Apparel Trade
Sourcing Journal | September 24, 2026
The United States-Africa Trade Desk and governments from Mauritius, Lesotho and Kenya have announced the Trans-Atlantic Cotton Partnership, an initiative intended to connect American cotton suppliers with African textile and apparel manufacturers producing for the U.S. market.
New Balance, San Antonio Shoemakers Win $156.9 Million in Military Contracts
Stars and Stripes | September 23, 2026
The Defense Logistics Agency has awarded two U.S. manufacturing contracts to provide training shoes for military recruits through 2029. The agency’s Troop Support division awarded San Antonio Shoemakers and New Balance Athletics Inc. three-year, fixed-price contracts for an indefinite number of shoes, according to a recent news release on the Pentagon’s website. San Antonio Shoemakers received the larger contract, worth $98 million, to continue supplying its SAS Mission One athletic shoes to the military.
Attendees at the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference will get the chance to not only hear from San Antonio Shoemakers CEO Nancy Richardson during the conference, but will also tour the factory in person. Click here to learn more and register now!
Record Global Fibre Production Pushes Fashion’s Environmental Footprint Higher
Business of Fashion | September 22, 2026
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with the materials used to make apparel, footwear, and home textiles reached 325 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, up roughly 30% from 2019, according to a recent report published by industry non-profit Textile Exchange. The surge in emissions came as global fibre production grew 5.3% to reach a new record level for the second year in a row, hitting 139 million tonnes last year.
Burkina Faso Commissions $30 Million TEXFORCES-BF Textile Facility
Global Textile Times | September 21, 2026
This is possibly the first time we’ve mentioned this country in Behind the Seams! In a move to strengthen the national Burkina Faso cotton industry, President Ibrahim Traoré officially inaugurated the Textile des Forces du Burkina Faso (TEXFORCES-BF) complex on September 9th, representing a significant $30 million investment. This development is a core component of the nation’s strategy to enhance industrial development by establishing a comprehensive domestic value chain.
INDA Hires Ben Muller as Executive Director
Press Release via eTextileCommunications | September 18, 2026
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that Ben Muller has joined the association as executive director. Muller brings more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience spanning nonprofit organizations, corporations and trade associations.
Adobe Firefly Reveals Fashion Trends
Sourcing Journal | September 18, 2026
The team at Adobe Firefly, an all-in-one creative AI studio that lets users create images, audio, videos, and designs using text prompts, analyzed prompts throughout the year and fall fashion season to reveal consumer trends. The software company also looked at trends from creators using Firefly’s Virtual Try On feature. The company said the Firefly data “offers a window into what people are actively creating and considering for themselves.”
CBP To Expand IEEPA Tariff Processing in October
Supply Chain Dive | September 17, 2026
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin processing refunds in October for certain finally liquidated entries that were subject to now-defunct tariffs, according to a court filing. Starting October 6th, businesses that submitted a valid importer of record number to CBP by the end of July can seek refunds for finally liquidated entries through the agency’s Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries portal, or CAPE.
AAFA Launches Heat Stress Toolkit To Protect Workers from Extreme Temperatures
Press Release | September 16, 2026
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has launched a new AAFA Heat Stress Toolkit providing manufacturers and brands with practical tools to help manage rising global temperatures and workplace heat-related incidents across production regions. As extreme heat events become more frequent and persistent, protecting workers from heat stress is an increasingly important operational priority for our industry.
FTC Approves Renoa, the First New Apparel Fiber Classification in Nearly 25 Years, Made in the U.S. from Regenerated Textile Waste
Press Release | September 15, 2026
Next-generation fiber producer, Everbloom, announced the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved renoa, a first-of-its-kind regenerated fiber, marking the first new apparel fiber classification approved by the agency in almost 25 years. The approval establishes renoa as its own fiber category and paves the way for textile products containing renoa to be labeled and sold in the United States. Developed in Everbloom’s New York City lab, renoa is the world's first fiber regenerated from keratin-rich textile offcuts and waste, including down.
Flex Factory Ready To Foster Entrepreneurship
Wilson College News | September 14, 2026
The brand new W. Duke Kimbrell Flex Factory at North Carolina State University held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 11th to welcome in a new era of textile innovation and entrepreneurship. The factory offers 17,000 square feet for research and collaboration and adds a new makerspace where students can bring ideas to reality. The Flex Factory also houses a new prototype lab where industry partners and entrepreneurs can create novel textile products.
China’s Textile Industry Faces Further Contraction as Nearly 1,500 Firms Exit Official Data Pool
Apparel Views | September 15, 2026
China’s textile and apparel industry is showing signs of further contraction, with around 1,500 companies estimated to have exited the regime’s official industrial-enterprise statistics during the first half of this year, according to a report by The Epoch Times.
HTVRONT Announces Launch of E15 15-Needle Embroidery Machine for Growing Custom Apparel Businesses
Benzinga | September 11, 2026
HTVRONT has announced the launch of the E15 15-Needle Embroidery Machine, introducing a new equipment solution designed for custom apparel businesses, creative studios, and textile professionals seeking expanded embroidery capabilities. The company explained the launch reflects continued demand for advanced garment customization technologies as small businesses and independent creators explore efficient production methods for personalized apparel and accessories.
Mimaki Advances DTF Productivity and Stability with New TxF330-800
Apparel Views | September 9, 2026
Mimaki Europe, a leading manufacturer of industrial inkjet printers and cutting plotters, announced the TxF330-800, its new direct-to-film (DTF) printer. Designed to support stable, high-quality garment decoration in demanding print environments, the system combines automated maintenance, expanded white ink capacity, and advanced production capabilities to streamline workflow.
