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Who’s Missing from the Conversation?
A request to the SPESA membership | September 8, 2026
As we approach the end of 2026, we want to reflect on the last few years — and look ahead.
SPESA has grown. And our industry has continued to evolve. We’ve introduced new membership levels; expanded our events and partnerships; and continued looking for ways to make SPESA more useful to the people we serve. But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: SPESA is only as strong as the people who make up our community.
Behind every event, committee, partnership, and industry initiative are people with ideas, expertise, experience, and (most importantly) a willingness to get involved.
With that in mind, we want to get to know each of you a little better!
Whether you’ve been involved with SPESA for years or are just discovering us, we want to hear what you’re working on, what challenges you’re facing, and what you think the industry needs next.
That brings us to a few requests…
Get involved
SPESA has opportunities for members to contribute beyond simply attending events. We welcome your input on membership, your expertise, and opportunities to work with other industry professionals. You don’t have to have a fancy title or years of industry experience to contribute. Sometimes the most valuable perspective is a fresh one. If you have an idea, a particular area of expertise, or just an interest in helping SPESA continue to grow, we’d love to hear from you! (Drop a note to Ambar@spesa.org.)
Introduce us to someone we should know
The sewn products industry is full of talented people doing interesting things and we know we’re only scratching the surface. Do you have a colleague who is doing something innovative? Someone who is taking a new approach to technology, manufacturing, sustainability, workforce development, education, or business? Maybe it’s someone who has only recently entered the industry but is already making an impact. Tell us about them. In the past we’ve highlighted rising stars and emerging voices in Behind the Seams, and we’d like to continue finding ways to shine a light on the people who are helping shape the future of our industry.
Tell us what you want from SPESA
What topics would you like to see at our conferences? What would make our events more valuable to your business? Are there companies, speakers, technologies, or trends we should be paying attention to? Are there obstacles affecting your business that you think the industry should be talking about? We want to know.
One of the best things about being part of an association is that you don’t have to figure everything out alone. When we bring people together, we create opportunities to share knowledge, make connections, and find innovative answers to common questions. Whether you’re a longtime SPESA member, a new member, a first-time event attendee, or simply someone following from the sidelines, consider this your invitation: Introduce yourself. Get involved. Nominate someone. Share an idea. Tell us what you need.
We’re listening.
After all, SPESA isn’t just an association, it’s a community, and we’d like to get to know you!
