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Industry News | 5/28/25
- maggie0374
- May 27, 2025
- 7 min read
Making U.S. Fashion Is Not Trump’s Tariff End-Game
Just Style | May 27, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has told reporters he is not looking to make clothing or footwear in the United States, which suggests his tariffs against leading fashion sourcing countries were never intended to make domestic U.S. textile manufacturing great again.
The commentary on reshoring echoes a recent statement made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who also said that the U.S. doesn’t necessarily need a “booming textile industry.”
The president said the country’s focus should be on chips, computers, tanks and ships—military equipment and technology, rather than soft goods.
You can find additional coverage here.
Italian Fashion Associations Sign Protocol To Combat Worker Exploitation in Supply Chain
Sourcing Journal | May 27, 2025
Italian authorities, fashion associations and trade unions are committed to fight wrongdoings in the apparel and accessories supply chain, tackling issues such as worker exploitation, undeclared work, tax evasion, and unfair contractual practices.
The Milan Prefecture proposes the creation of a digital supply chain platform that fashion companies can join on a voluntary basis with mandatory updates requested every six months.
YKK Expands Commitment to Low-Carbon Materials
SJ Denim | May 27, 2025
YKK announced last week that it will use only low-carbon aluminum as the source for all aluminum alloy wire procured for zippers. The shift is made possible through YKK’s agreement with aluminum material manufacturers Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. and Sumitomo Electric Toyama Co., Ltd.
Adopting the low-carbon alternative is part of YKK’s initiative to convert all aluminum alloy zipper items to sustainable products. YKK previously introduced recycled materials and plant-based materials in textile materials for zippers.
Trump Delays Imposing 50 Percent Tariffs on E.U.
New York Times | May 25, 2025
President Trump said he was extending the deadline to impose tariffs on the European Union to July 9, following a request from Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. Mr. Trump said that talks would begin “rapidly.” Ms. von der Leyen said that Europe was ready to advance trade talks “swiftly and decisively.”
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Meet the 25 Manufacturing Awards Winners for 2025 | General Excellence: Eastman Machine Co.
Buffalo Business First | May 23, 2025
Buffalo Business First recently announced winners for its Manufacturing Awards which highlights standout companies in Western New York's manufacturing sector. This year's awards honored 25 companies, including a Manufacturer of the Year.
SPESA member Eastman Machine Co. won in the General Excellence category.
STA Holds Jam-‘Packed’ Northern Division Spring Meeting at NC State Wilson College of Textiles
Press Release | May 23, 2025
The Southern Textile Association’s annual Northern Division Meeting, one of seven the 117-year-old association holds in various parts of the Carolinas each year, attracted around 80 industry professionals. This meeting featured a dynamic agenda focused on innovation, education and industry collaboration.
Registrants also had the option of touring the N.C. State Wilson College of Textiles and meeting students and seeing their projects in the College’s TE/TT Senior Design Program. These student projects, made possible by collaboration with the textile industry, demonstrate the innovation and talent emerging from the college.
U.S. Brand Strategies for Sourcing Sustainable Preferred Fiber Fashion
Just Style | May 23, 2025
Sourcing clothing made with preferred fibers provides U.S. fashion companies with new opportunities to diversify their existing sourcing base and explore emerging sourcing destinations outside of Asia.
Most discussions on preferred fibers currently focus on the technical aspects of making them, such as how to mechanically or chemically recycle textiles or reduce water usage. Other studies examined consumers’ preferences toward “sustainable apparel” and their related shopping behaviours. However, as a notable gap, it remains unclear where sustainable apparel using preferred fibre can be sourced from, and the sourcing implications of using preferred fibre in apparel products.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Cotton Street Gallery Will Host ‘Seed to Fashion’
The Andalusia Star News | May 22, 2025
SPESA Board member, Frank Henderson, is joining other local leaders to host “Seed to Fashion: Then and Now,” an exhibition exploring the chronology of cotton, the role it has played in the South, and its special relevance to Covington County. Frank will speak about the current state of the cotton industry and its future, including the new technology and different types of fibers being used in textile manufacturing. North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles is sharing a collection of fibers that goes beyond cotton and silk, including hemp, bamboo, and coconut leaves.
Empowering Progress in Textiles at Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas 2025
Press Release | May 22, 2025
Earlier this month, thousands of industry professionals met in Atlanta for Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas 2025, bringing momentum, global participation, and powerful conversations to the Georgia World Congress Center. With nearly 400 exhibitors from 28 countries, the co-located events delivered three energized days full of forward-thinking solutions, cross-sector connections, and the latest innovations.
More than just a trade show, this year’s edition was a launchpad for progress, featuring the acclaimed Symposium, engaging Tech Talks, the Innovation Awards, and much more. The Exhibit Hall buzzed with product debuts, technical demos, and the unmistakable sound of business being done.
USFMA Urges Tariff Reinvestment To Boost U.S. Footwear Industry
Fibre2Fashion | May 22, 2025
The United States Footwear Manufacturers Association (USFMA) has called on President Trump to reinvest revenue generated from new tariffs on imported goods into reviving the domestic footwear supply chain.
“Long-established footwear manufacturers are reinvesting in domestic operations, and a new generation of entrepreneurs and startups are entering the industry with energy and innovation. Advances in materials and manufacturing processes, such as AI-powered automation and additive manufacturing, are helping to level the global playing field for American footwear manufacturers,” USFMA executive director Bill McCann wrote in a letter to President Trump.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Fenix Group Chooses TextileGenesis To Ensure Fiber-to-Retail Traceability of Their Products
Press Release | May 21, 2025
TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, announces its collaboration with the Fenix Outdoor Group, an international holding containing premium outdoor brands, including Fjällräven, Hanwag, Royal Robbins, Devold and Tierra, and Frilufts Retail with companies such as Globetrotter, Naturkompaniet, Partioaitta, Friluftsland and Trekitt. This collaboration aims to enhance the transparency and traceability of Fenix Outdoor Group’s brand supply chain, focusing on preferred fibers such as cotton, synthetics, animal fibers, and man-made cellulosic (MMCFs). By leveraging TextileGenesis’s innovative Fiber-to-Retail (FTR) technology, the solution will provide robust tracking and verification of materials, addressing the increasing demand for sustainable practices in the outdoor industry.
Kornit Digital and MAS ACME USA Sign Strategic Partnership That Unlocks the Agility Required To Win in Today’s Fashion and Apparel Production Landscape
Press Release | May 21, 2025
This agreement formalizes the partners’ commitment to building a viable production alternative for an industry plagued by overproduction, unplanned markdowns, and supply chain inefficiencies. Uniting Kornit’s digital on-demand production prowess with MAS’ supply chain excellence and precision data diagnostics allows brands to avoid missing sales, respond with weekly, US production runs to optimize inventory levels at retail, all while minimizing waste, maximizing full-price sell-through, and freeing up working capital.
“Fashion is the world’s oldest, largest, most complex supply chain, yet it is fundamentally broken and riddled with inefficiency—we believe the need for change is urgent. This strategic agreement offers the industry a proven alternative to overproduction, waste, and disrupted supply chains,” said Ronen Samuel, Chief Executive Officer at Kornit Digital. “Kornit and MAS ACME USA share a common thread, a commitment to ‘make fashion better.’ I am delighted to see Kornit’s industry-leading on-demand solutions paired with MAS’ pioneering approach to supply chains and manufacturing data diagnostics. Together, we unlock what the industry needs – a clear pathway to more responsible, profitable, and agile fashion production.”
UNIFI®, Makers of REPREVE®, Announces the Sale of Manufacturing Facility
Press Release | May 21, 2025
“The sale of our Madison facility, and related exit of yarn manufacturing at that site, marks a significant step in transitioning our Americas business to improved profitability. As a result of this transaction, we paid down a meaningful portion of our existing debt and enhanced our overall financial position,” said Eddie Ingle, Chief Executive Officer of UNIFI, Inc. “Beyond the improvement to the balance sheet, the relocation of the production capacity from the Madison facility to other locations in North and Central America will dramatically optimize our business and make UNIFI a leaner organization.”
2025 INDA Supply Report Shows North American Nonwovens Industry’s Continued Growth with a Focus on Sustainability
Press Release | May 20, 2025
The 12th annual North American Nonwovens Supply Report, released today by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, reveals continued growth and strategic transformation within the North American nonwovens industry.
“As part of INDA’s role to be the industry’s trusted data source, this report offers valuable insights for benchmarking, strategic planning, and decision-making,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA President and CEO. “This year’s findings highlight a resilient industry expanding capacity with ongoing investments across all regions and sectors, a strategic shift toward sustainable, long-life products, and a commitment to innovation and meeting rising demand across North America.”
Shoemaker Leans on Automation To Expand U.S. Production
Wall Street Journal | May 20, 2025
Footwear manufacturer Keen plans next month to open a new factory in Shepherdsville, Ky., near Louisville. The 60,000-square-foot facility will nearly double the company’s domestic production capacity, in part by ramping up its use of automation.
Keen, which makes work boots, hiking shoes and thick-soled sandals, today produces about one-third of its shoes at factories it owns and runs in the U.S., the Dominican Republic and Thailand. The remaining two-thirds of its products are made by contract manufacturers in Cambodia, Vietnam and India.
Circ To Build $500 Million Cotton, Polyester Recycling Plant in France
Reuters | May 16, 2025
U.S. textile recycling firm Circ has received backing from the French government and European Union to build a $500 million plant in France that will be the first to recover cotton and polyester on an industrial scale, its chief executive told Reuters.
The plant at Saint-Avold in the northeast of the country will be able to process 70,000 metric tons a year after it starts operating in 2028, and employ 200 people.
SPESA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Aptean Apparel Shop Floor Control Wins Best New Concept at the 2025 Texprocess Innovation Awards
Press Release | May 15, 2025
Aptean's Apparel Shop Floor Control has been awarded Best New Concept at the 2025 Texprocess Innovation Awards. This real-time production management solution provides apparel manufacturers with instant access to critical data and insights, enhancing efficiency, visibility and increasing workforce productivity. The recognition reinforces Aptean’s commitment to delivering enterprise solutions that drive smarter decision making for manufacturers.
