What is Your Sourcing Strategy?

How many of you have a sourcing strategy?  How many of you have taken a long, hard look at your suppliers, your vendors, your manufacturers and asked yourself these questions:  “What will my supply chain look like in a year?”  “Can I expect to get the same margins I’m getting now with the same sourcing strategy?”  “How can I improve my delivery times and keep my costs low?” “How do I mitigate my risks?”  More questions spring to mind, but you get the idea. 

Think about your current supply chain.  Where are you getting most of your goods?  Is it all from one country?  Is it from one or two vendors at most?  Would your business survive if those vendors increased their prices by 1/3? 

Pick up any newspaper and take a good look at the business and news sections.  This week’s Wall Street Journal article titled “U. S. Retailers Turning Their Gaze Beyond China” sums up what many other articles are saying:  with rising labor costs in China, and with Chinese factory workers striking for higher wages, the days of inexpensive, quality products from China may be coming to an end.  So what are these retailers planning for their sourcing strategy?  Well, finding other, more affordable labor markets is key.  India, Cambodia, Vietnam and other Asian sources for one thing.  Africa is starting to develop a talented labor pool as well.  There is always Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.  And, hey…what about the U. S.? 

I know, you don’t want to spread the work around too much.  You need to concentrate your products and keep your manufacturers working.  I agree.  However, if I were getting all of my product from China, I would start TODAY to find quality, reliable resources in other markets and build on those relationships.  Yes, I know…how do you find those quality, reliable resources?  Start with the Sourcing at MAGIC event.  Not planning on attending in August?  It might be too late if you think you can wait until February’s Sourcing at MAGIC event.  

Just like fashion, the world of sourcing is constantly changing and evolving.  Everyone is trying to play the same game.  Get the best quality goods for the lowest prices with the fastest turn times.  Being a leader in the apparel industry means finding those trends and responding quickly.  The same goes for your sourcing strategy.  Responding quickly is the key. 

Come see us at the Sourcing at MAGIC event.  FBI will be presenting seminars on a number of topics.  Can’t wait to see you there!

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

Wow!  It’s been a busy, busy week and it’s only Wednesday (as I write this).  FBI is in the middle of a week full of seminars and networking events for Textile Week and, if that wasn’t enough, we’re doing a fashion show with the California Market Center in conjunction with the Focus Apparel and Accessory show on Saturday, March 20 at 4:30 p.m. in the CMC penthouse.   

I walked the Textile show twice, once on Monday and then again on Tuesday.  One of my clients is looking to source some fabrics and trims and I was happy to help her out.  I know, I’m a sucker for fabrics…last GlobalTex show I was blabbering on about Modal© and how soft and drapey it is.  Now I’ll blabber on about Tencel© and how wonderfully absorbent it is. 

I had the good fortune to chat with textile industry expert Walter Meck of Fessler, U. S. A. He took the time to show me some of the latest fabrications and discussed some of the different properties of the fibers they’re using.  I’m a huge fan of their products, especially after having visited their facilities in Orwigsburg, PA.  You know how some people like to know where their food comes from?  I like to know where my clothes come from - watching fibers spin into yarns, yarns knit into fabrics and fabrics turned into garments truly makes me smile.

I’ve also had the opportunity to sit through some of the seminars this week and had a great time meeting some new FBI members at the networking event Monday evening.  Our series of seminars during Textile Week are free for members and everyone is welcome to attend.   I’m looking forward to attending Frances Harder and Dana Fried’s Apparel Business Workshop on Thursday, March 18^th.  I know a lot about the business of fashion, but I’m always eager to learn more and I know I’ll pick up a ton of useful information tomorrow.  This workshop is not a part of the Textile Week seminars, so there is a fee, but it’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make if you want to be successful in the apparel industry. 

Speaking of being successful in the apparel industry, I came in at the tail end of Staci Riordan’s “Legal Strategies for a Profitable Fashion Business” seminar yesterday and was reminded of a number of important things.  Check out her blog to find out about the legal side of the apparel industry. The detail that stuck with me was how important it is for businesses to build a great team of industry experts to rely upon.  If you’re dealing with a copyright infringement on one of your designs or international trademark issues with your apparel brand, seek the counsel of an apparel industry lawyer.  If you need capital for your business, find a factor who deals specifically with the apparel industry and understands your retail environment.  Want to know more about how to make your apparel business profitable?  Talk to the experts.  I wanted to know more about fabrics, so I went to one of my experts. 

The FBI has so many resources available for products, services and consulting, it never ceases to amaze me.  Membership starts at $250 per year and with the membership, you get one hour of free consulting with one of our experts along with a whole host of benefits including free seminars, discounts on many services, great networking opportunities and the chance to participate in our fashion shows at a greatly discounted rate.  Hey, if I wasn’t already a member, I’d have joined a long time ago.  Just because I’m considered an industry expert doesn’t mean I won’t jump at the chance to learn from another industry expert.  How do you think we become experts in the first place?

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology expert working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

It’s tradeshow season in Los Angeles. This week, FBI was at the GlobalTex show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For those of you who haven’t attended, GlobalTex is more than a textile show, its main focus is on textile and fashion trends. I attended the inaugural show in October, 2009 and blogged about it here. This time, there were a number of great seminars, FBI included. We presented a panel discussion on “Turning a Changed Economy into a Profitable Business Opportunity” which included Frances Harder as moderator, Bobby Hines – International Trade Specialist with the U. S. Department of Commerce, Ken Wengrod – President of F. T. C. Commercial Corp, Susan Brandt – Internet marketing expert, and Dana Fried - apparel industry expert and owner of Delphic Consulting. It was a lively discussion regarding the ups and downs of starting your own business in today’s economy.

My favorite non-FBI seminar had to be Fiona Jenvey’s Men’s and Women’s trend focus seminars from MUDPIE, Ltd. As someone who is not on the cutting edge of fashion trends, I’m always interested to see how designers, stylists and retailers translate the trends from the couture runways to desirable, saleable products. I’ve bumped into Fiona at GlobalTex, but I’ll admit it right here, I follow her daily through her LinkedIn page and Mudpie group postings. I like to think of these seminars as a designer’s or merchandiser’s cheat sheet. Taking a sneak peak at colors, fabrics, prints and textures as well as designer’s inspirations and global influences is one of my favorite things to see at tradeshows or on-line. Trend and color forecasters like Design Options, MPDClick and Style Sight do the research, follow the fashion shows and focus on the next, great influences to allow mere mortals to focus on key ideas and colors for future deliveries. All of these companies provide pay-for-service websites and newsletters for their subscribers to stay in touch with all of the latest trends, even if they’re far from the runways and tradeshows.

So what else did I learn at GlobalTex this time? Well, I made sure I wore comfortable shoes.

1. I’m looking forward to Spring/Summer 2011 for the colors and trends. If you’re not paying attention, or haven’t subscribed to any of the trend services above, I’m not going to it give away.
2. Tradeshows are the best place to gather a lot of information in a small amount of time.
3. Trade shows are still the best way to see and feel new products, colors and designs. I’m a big fan of technology, don’t get me wrong, but nothing beats holding something in your hand to really understand the product. (This isn’t new, I cribbed this from my previous blog, but it’s still relevant.)
4. Take advantage of seminars whenever you can. You never know what you’ll learn. FBI has a number of free or low-cost seminars coming up at L. A. International Textile Week. Stop by and say “Hello.”

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

Let’s hope that what happens at MAGIC doesn’t just stay in Las Vegas. Let’s hope that the excitement, energy and dare I say it, enthusiasm I felt at last week’s MAGIC show is carried forward throughout the year. It was nice to see a lot of foot traffic, new faces, new brands and even orders being written. I know this isn’t a barometer for the economy, but it was encouraging none-the-less.

It’s a lot to see and do with all of the shows happening at the same time: POOLTradeshow, PROJECT, MAGIC, S. L. A. T. E., WWDMAGIC, STREET and more, it’s hard to keep track of everything and impossible to see everything unless you have a pair of rollerblades with you. I was excited to be a part of the SOURCING at MAGIC marketplace and seminars. FBI presented a number of seminars and panels on a variety of topics. Frances Harder and the FBI team presented seminars on “No Risk = No Sales: How to Plan, Merchandise and Brand your Product in a Global Market,” “Turning a Bad Economy Into a Profitable Business Opportunity” and “Retailing for Profit in a New Economy.” I’m not sure how Frances had any vocal chords left after four seminars, but she was still raring to go at the FBI cocktail event Wednesday night at the Hard Rock.

It’s exciting to be a part of these seminars. We met a lot of interesting people with great stories to tell and great products to bring to market. We even signed up a number of new members, excited to take advantage of a discounted FBI membership rate for the MAGIC seminars. I know how excited and eager people are when they have a great idea or design to develop and sell. The challenge becomes how to bring that product to market. MAGIC and all of the related tradeshows are a shining example of people and companies who were able to successfully launch their ideas and sell them to targeted consumers. FBI seminars, classes, consulting and training are all designed to support fashion businesses from inception to profitable multi-million dollar brands. I speak from personal experience when I say that it’s thrilling to see our members “fly the nest” and become the next great brand. It’s not without a lot of hard work and long hours, but by taking advantage of the FBI membership, our members benefit from our expertise, knowledge and know-how to help them navigate the pitfalls of this industry.

I’m looking forward to MAGIC in August, 2010. I hope to see more FBI members showing their lines and doing great business. I know if they take advantage of their memberships, they’ll be well on their way.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

I had lunch with a friend recently. I mentioned FBI was presenting a number of seminars on Sourcing at MAGIC, February 16 – 18, 2010. When she asked me what sourcing was, I had to think long and hard about how to describe sourcing in general. It seems easy enough to describe: the supply of resources as required by a business process. I’m sure that’s not what she wanted to hear, so I thought about it for a while. She is a screenwriter with no experience in any sort of manufacturing or service industry. I realized, however, that sourcing can be applied to almost any business process. In her case I related it to her wedding, I asked her to think of her wedding planning as sourcing. Think of the logistics, planning, purchasing, deliveries, setup, payments and tastings as sourcing.

Unless you’re doing everything yourself, including sewing your own dress, baking your own cake, growing your own flowers and playing all of the instruments in the band, you’re sourcing. Many brides hire a wedding planner – let’s call that the agent. The agent’s job is to facilitate the sourcing process. They smooth out the bumps, they help ensure shipments are on time, they deal with customs and suppliers and manufacturers to make sure everyone has what they need to get the merchandise manufactured and delivered on time. In the case of a bride, however, late shipments, extensions, customs holdups and shortages aren’t acceptable at all, so the wedding planner has his or her hands full just as much as an agent. Throughout the wedding planning or sourcing process there are a number of vendors supplying goods and services. A bride might have a caterer supplying food, a photographer, a DJ or band, florist, clergyperson, venue and more. A manufacturer might have fabric or trim suppliers, cutting and sewing services, shippers or freight forwarders and more. Retailers can be as demanding as a bride, so keep in mind your retailers requirements throughout the sourcing process.

That’s not the half of it, however. You don’t just start sourcing, just like you don’t just start planning a wedding. First, you need to think of your budget. How much do you have to spend to bring your products to market or to get yourself and your spouse-to-be to “I do?” Second, what should the end result look like? Third, what is the timeframe to get to the deliverable? How long do you have to plan this? In the wedding world, it may be months or years, in the retail world weeks are better than months and rarely can anyone get away with years. Fourth, how do you find a reliable, high quality agent or wedding planner that fits your requirements - budget, personality, location, contacts, etc.? Do you work off of recommendations, advertising, Angie’s List? How do you know that the person you entrust with your business will provide the services you need? Fifth, how do you begin to execute your plan? Where do you find your suppliers? How do you know the designs and fabric swatches you sent months ago will be delivered to your specifications and quantities? Can you get TOP samples? A bride can’t. But she can have her gown custom altered and chances are good, you can’t do that with your production run. Sixth, what about logistics? What are you doing to track your purchase orders, customs clearing, quota numbers and containers? Let’s hope you have a good system in place to provide visibility to all of that information. If the bride is savvy, she’s tracking her information in an organizer or spreadsheet. Last, but not least, how are you tracking your finances? Letters of credit? Payments to your agent or vendors? Due dates and payment terms? Hopefully the bride is tracking her deposits and payments by check or credit card.

By the time I finished explaining the sourcing process with my bridal analogy, my friend actually understood sourcing better than many of my clients. Then I hit her with “Hopefully, this is the only wedding you’ll ever have to plan. Apparel manufacturers source year round for millions of products to be delivered to thousands of retailers. It’s like planning hundreds of wedding a year, without the cake tasting or big parties at the end.” And, if you do it right, make your deliveries and even make your margins, you’ll keep on doing it year after year.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

F. B. I. members Erin Wieczorek, Susan Brandt, Korena Ellis and I had the opportunity to attend Hong Kong’s Fashion Week and World Boutique this past January.  It was a huge and well-attended event.  Taking over most of the five floors of display space in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, there was truly something for everyone.  Susan Brandt was hoping to find one or more fabric suppliers for a new product she’s developing.  Korena Ellis and Erin Wieczorek were also looking to develop new products and find potential manufacturing and sales resources.  I was intent on enjoying this unique opportunity and hoping to gain a better understanding of the global markets for supply and demand.  

The World Boutique, Fashion Week and all of the activities, seminars and fashion shows related to these events were exceptionally well-executed.  A big round of applause goes to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for putting on such a well organized show.  An entire floor was dedicated to Mainland China sourcing with other floors and areas dedicated to a variety of merchandise and sourcing opportunities.  It truly was a global market place with attendees from all over the world.  Asia, to be expected as well as Australia, New Zealand and India were all well represented, as were buyers from the Americas and Europe.  

As has come to be expected, the fashion shows were the major highlights of Fashion Week, with the spotlight shining on Vivienne Westwood’s Thursday night show.  Other shows included Taipei In Style, William Tang/MARCCAIN by William Tang, La Mer by Ali Charisma (see photos above), Global Sphere by Ika, Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers, Moiselle, International Designers Show and an incredible Knitwear show.  

The Vivienne Westwood show was an invitation only event and the invitations were hard to come by.  Luck was not on our side, but from all of the press and photos, it looked to be a fantastic event.  Ms. Westwood’s husband, Andreas Kronthaler, Creative Director and Christopher di Pietro, Marketing & Merchandising Director  - both of Vivienne Westwood - presented a seminar on “Vivienne Westwood Kingdom Decoded” concentrating on how they’ve built their Asia business and are now expanding their retail sales in North America.  A special mention was made about the latest store opening in Los Angeles, the first retail shop for the iconic brand to open in 9 years.  

Of special note was the permanent HKTDC Design Gallery located next to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.  This retail store is devoted to Hong Kong designers and products manufactured within Hong Kong and the New Territories.  The store sells jewelry, accessories, toys, books, games and more, highlighting some of best and brightest of Hong Kong’s up and coming designers.  What a great thought!  Maybe we can do the same for California designers?

This show is definitely worth attending for anyone looking to find manufacturing resources in Asia as well as anyone looking to sell to global markets.  The HKTDC office in Los Angeles made it easy for our members to attend with special airfare, hotel and exhibitor rates.  Hopefully, this offer will be available again.  If you have the chance, don’t miss out.  

  Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

Speed to Market – Fast Turn – Rapid Response

What do these terms mean to the apparel industry in 2009? Good news and bad news!

New times = New methods of doing business = Rapid response to the demands of the retailer and consumer.

But, can the average apparel manufacturer respond rapidly? Well, for the small company who, due to their smaller orders are for the most part producing domestically it is good news. They can turn on a dime and produce faster than the larger companies who need a much longer lead time to produce their goods, usually in far off places. Smaller companies with small orders ship them to the retailer, then if the orders sell through they get reorders. This is the very best of new business news for new and smaller manufacturers. It is also good news for the retailer as they can plan for the demands of their customers, the weather, and the economy etc. This new type of selling and buying results in the manufacturer having a much better cash flow, as they will not be seeking funding for larger orders when selling through the traditional five seasons each year.

This tradition of selling at the four or five markets each year usually requires groups within each line that demands cash outlay for the expenses for patternmaking and sampling. Now, the manufacturer is constantly designing, which they really always have and then showing new products, and shipping weekly or monthly new merchandise. So now the manufacturer can get paid more often. They do not need to invest heavily in the five big lines a year as they are now producing and shipping new items to replenish sell through products. The retailer will also have less of a cash flow problem with this type of merchandise planning. The customer will see new items when ever they shop. A win win in a new economy! Well, we hope so.

So, it has at last been officially noted by many international economist that the small business owners are really the backbone of our economy, not only in the US but globally. The big branded companies are not fairing well and many have had to cut back or worse, close their doors. Small businesses can adjust and respond as they don’t have large overheads. For the most part they contract out all their work, including sewing, cutting, bookkeeping etc. and cut back on other expenses to respond to demands, or lack of demands of the economy.

Some for the negative results of this new economy is that bigger retailers are demanding, from branded manufacturers that they discount or allow markdown money. Additionally, major discount store, e.g. Marshals, TJ Maxx, Ross are producing more private label. This has resulted in much cheaper prices for the average clothing labels that are now being sold. The price of clothing today is the lowest we have seen in years. Due to the recession sewing factories around the world have all been forced to lay off workers. The ports in China and other locations are full of containers with cancelled orders. These goods may get discounted and sold or they will have to be destroyed.

However, much merchandise is still being produced domestically, especially in southern California where they produce premium denim, active sportswear and contemporary clothing. But sadly both the off shore and the domestic sewing contractors reluctantly have been forced to take cuts in their pricing so that they can keep their workers working. This rational is in the hopes that the economy will turn around and then the demand for new clothing will pick up. The alternative is to lay workers off and then when the economy turns around they will then need to reinvest time and money in finding good workers and training them.

Another change in business methods are that some of the higher end retailers are asking the smaller manufactures to sell on consignment and this is not a good idea. It was bad enough that traditionally the manufacturer has taken all the risks with development and production costs then have to wait to get paid. Now they are expected to take ALL the risk and maybe then get paid!

Talk about getting screwed!  - Consignment selling will be one of my next blog topics.

But, now onto a very different topic. It is the season to be merry! And I need to take a deep breath and keep my mouth shut when I see all those ugly heavy knitted sweaters decorated with Christmas trees adorned with lights and holly. Or, equally as offensive fashion trend, those cheaply mass produced red jackets lovely dragged out annually of the closets. Where, in my very opinionated opinion they should really remain for posterity. J

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES. I HAVE MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN MY LIFE AND ALTHOUGH CLOTHING IS MY BUSINESS IT IS NOT MY LIFE.

It’s time to start looking at your business from a global perspective.  How many of you are buying or selling your products outside of the U.S.?  If not, you need to start looking at how to create a global presence for your products.  The U. S. economy is going through a lot of turmoil these days.  If 100% of your business is reliant on the U. S. economy you’d better buckle up, you may be in for a bumpy ride.  Think of the analogy of putting all of your eggs in one basket; it’s the same thing.  With global markets opening up and technology available to allow commercial transactions in multiple currencies there’s no better time to explore opportunities outside U. S. borders. 

I remember not too long ago when trying to sell or buy Canadian products was such a deterrent most apparel companies decided it wasn’t worth the effort.   Now, I can’t see why a smart business person wouldn’t welcome the opportunity to access global markets, suppliers and buyers.  If I were a buyer or manufacturer in this economy, I know I would want to spread my risk and potential reward through as many channels as possible.  When I think about how I would do this I know I need to reach as many buyers or manufacturers as possible.  U. S. tradeshows are great for U. S. buyers and suppliers, but most are not heavily attended by international buyers.  So, how would I reach an international market?  Easy.  I would look outside our borders to find global tradeshows.  The types of shows that attract buyers from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and more.  Many of these economies are doing well, buyers have deep pockets and are looking for new, exciting products.  American brands hold a great deal of cache and brands “Made in America” are always appealing to a foreign market.  If I were a retailer, I would look for exciting new trends and global brands to fill my store; things I wouldn’t find in every mainstream boutique or department store. 

So, how do I start?  How do I find international buyers for my products?  How do I find great brands or products for my stores?  How do I make connections to global manufacturers, suppliers, agents and buyers?  Hop on a plane!  Head on over to Hong Kong Fashion Week and World Boutique.  FBI is working directly with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to promote the upcoming Hong Kong World Boutique and Fashion Week January 18 – 21, 2010.  FBI and HKTDC are offering an AMAZING AIRFARE AND HOTEL DEAL to first time buyers who would like to attend Fashion Week and the World Boutique this January in Hong Kong.  Intrigued?  I’ll bet you are!  Even If you’ve attended this show before, there are some amazing hotel deals to be had through HKTDC.  Looking to exhibit instead?  There are a number of options for first time exhibitors and established brands.  There’s even a fashion show if you’re so inclined to participate. 

Please don’t wait to sign up for this global opportunity.  Email us at FBI to find out more or stop by the FBI office on December 7, at 3:00 p.m. to see a presentation from Dannie Chiu and Julia Son from HKTDC.  The primary goal of this presentation will be to discuss the upcoming Hong Kong World Boutique and Fashion Week January 18 – 21, 2010 and why it would be of benefit to attend either as a buyer or as an exhibitor.  You’ll get a better understanding of Asian and Global markets, the types of buyers, distributors, manufacturers and retailers attending the show and get the answers to all of your global questions. 

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated.  Email:  jill@fashionbizinc.org

If you were in the Los Angeles area this week, I hope you had the opportunity to come by the Globaltex trade show at the LA Convention center. There were a lot of great vendors, new products, new and familiar faces and interesting seminars. Since GlobalTex is a new trade show, they’re still fine-tuning it and responding to exhibitor and attendee feedback. I’m hoping the next show will fill the entire room and then some. If you’re looking for industry trends, companies such as MPDClick were there as well as a trend area showing some of the latest fabrics, colors and prints.

So here’s what I learned:

1: Trade shows are still the best way to see and feel new products, colors and designs. I’m a big fan of technology, don’t get me wrong, but nothing beats holding something in your hand to really understand the product.

2: Hemp jersey is my new favorite fabric. Seriously. I was thinking “Hemp Jersey?” How soft can that be? Well, it’s as lovely as Modal – soft and drapey, without the clinginess of Modal. One of my clients is already using it in some of their designs and I can’t wait to see it when it comes to market.

3: Heavy rains made for a light turnout the first day of the show. It also made for nightmarish traffic, but that’s to be expected in Los Angeles.

4: Frances Harder of FBI, Victor Dahan of Shipson, Ken Wengrod of FTC and I had a great time on the “Speed to Market” panel. We approached the subject from our own view points. Frances moderated and injected her wisdom about bringing production back to the LA area and how California designs are sought after around the world.

5: Ken talked about financing and the current credit situation. Everyone wants to know what will happen if/when CIT files for bankruptcy. Ken explained the most likely scenarios and let everyone know that business would still continue. I swear I heard a collective sigh of relief.

6: Victor discussed how to improve the supply chain and how markets in China and Russia are opening up to American goods.

7: We all talked about how selling to the international markets should not be a barrier in business any more. Financial transactions, credit, customs, commercial invoices and more are easy to address and can expand a company’s revenue stream dramatically.

8: I talked about the role of technology in speed to market and how using tools can give you a 360 degree view into the design, sampling, production, inventory and financial aspects of your business and how no company should ever be without them. No matter what your budget is, there are tools to help your business.

9: Retailers are conducting business differently and manufacturers need to be able to react quickly to change. Keep inventory low. Don’t expect the re-order. Speed to market is an entire process from design to delivery, know how to react.

10: Don’t wear boots with three inch heels when walking a trade show.

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org

I’m excited about the Globaltex tradeshow next week. Last week’s double whammy of Material World and the LA International Textile show have left me feeling mildly optimistic about the state of our industry. I saw several familiar faces and lots of great products. There was a lot of traffic through both shows as well as seminars, color forecasting workshops and a great session put on by Cotton, Inc.

Speaking of seminars, many of the FBI seminars we held in conjunction with Material World and the LA Textile show were full. In addition to the seminars, we had a lot of people stopping by to say “hello.” Speaking of which, Frances Harder, Ken Wengrod from FTC Commercial Corp and yours truly will be on one of the Globaltex discussion panels regarding Speed to Market, so please stop on by to say hello. I hear we’re even having cocktails!

I heard someone say “Why go to Globaltex if I’ve just been to the Textile Show?” Simple. You never know what you might find at Globaltex. It’s a relatively new show and there are a lot of great new vendors testing the tradeshow waters. They may be looking for a different venue to display their products or are looking for a different type of customer. Plus, it’s not just for textiles, trims, etc. I, of course, am excited about the technology vendors. But that’s just me. Who wouldn’t be when there are supply chain, CAD, PLM, ERP, RFID, product development, logistics and warehouse management systems to review! Fine, go ahead and look at all the pretty fabrics…I’ll be very happy looking at the shiny software.

Getting back to our panel discussion next Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. at Globaltex: The panel will discuss how the textile and clothing industry are reacting to the new demands from the retailer for rapid response, what are the new buying habits of retailers and end consumers and how they are changing the way they do business, as well as how this effects California fashion and the global market as far as importing and exporting. Topics covered will consist of: logistics and speed to market, product development, production and the financial impact. The panel will include a group of experts in International finance, logistics, importing and exporting, production and retailing.

Hope to see you there!

Jill Mazur is an independent apparel business and technology consultant working with Fashion Business, Incorporated. Email: jill@fashionbizinc.org