SOURCING at MAGIC Digital Issue 08.22

Stitch & Trim Cover

This August, SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas proved once again to be a growing and vital resource for international sourcing professionals, connecting brands from across the apparel, footwear, and accessories industries to a worldwide network of expertise in manufacturing and technology, with representation from nearly 30 countries and regions showing in person and online. If you did not make it this season, start making plans for next February.

This season’s event was built on three key pillars: Sustainability, Fashion Technology, and Made in USA. The United States is where both domestic and international brands have come to rely on the nation’s exacting precision, high quality, and ability to turn around large and small orders quickly.

As SOURCING at MAGIC’s Vice President, Andreu David puts it, “Sourcing can be pretty straightforward: you need to buy thread or find a company that can make footwear or apparel for you. And we have that. We see that domestic production, incorporating sustainability, and fashion technology are also important to our industry, but the reasons are not always so clear-cut. One of our goals is to explain and demonstrate how these practices have a bottom-line impact on cost, time, and, ultimately, consumer appeal.”

Event attendees were also invited to utilize SOURCING at MAGIC’s Hybrid Section where companies that couldn’t exhibit in person were invited to send samples, and then visitors could shop and communicate with manufacturers through the SOURCING at MAGIC Online platform.

BRINGING THE MESSAGES TO LIFE

1. Sustainability: The Sustainability Gallery, featuring companies that focused on a wide range of social good and sustainable manufacturing practices, was presented for the third time this season, nearly doubling from last. Each exhibitor was certified by our partner, Hey Social Good, utilizing the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals to determine if a business is truly ethical.

2. Fashion Technology: This season we partnered with a major fashion technology news publication, The Interline, whose Editor-in-Chief led as moderator of the SOURCING Lounge, hosting panel discussions with fashion tech exhibitors. Throughout the event the exhibitors hosted mini sessions to explain and demonstrate their products, which quickly became the most influential and exciting part of the show. Beyond vital logistical offerings, exhibitors also demonstrated innovative software for 3D rendering, 3D printing, and material digitization.

3. Made in USA: From political instability to the ongoing effects of COVID on the supply chain, working with U.S.-based manufacturers is a compelling option to consider. Beyond lower minimums, there is also an unparalleled level of quality control, especially for smaller brands. This season’s event featured an educational session featuring two U.S. Trade Regulations representatives, as well as a Made in USA gallery spotlighting nine states and their manufacturing specialties.

We’re all looking forward to seeing you next season.

AMERICAN-MADE IN FOCUS: MADE IN USA

There are plenty of reasons to source products in the United States. This season, The Made in USA Gallery featured 9 states to source from, their specialties, and fun fashion facts about each one. We also had some incredible American-Made exhibitors showcasing their manufacturing capabilities. Here, we check in with a few of them to see how they see things are going.

Minnesota Knitting Mills

Minnesota Knitting Mills is a full-service manufacturer of knitting products including circular, tubular, flat, jacquard, jersey, fleece, and trim knits (think of cuffs or waistbands on a jacket, T-shirts, or beanies, as well as certain medical supplies like belly bands). Britt Moore, the company’s Director of Sales and Customer Services, notes that while people are learning how to utilize the U.S. supply chain better, the supply chain itself has some work to do. “Take something as simple as a beanie, for instance. Brands want to buy a fully packaged product and not have to figure out who’s going to knit it, sew it, put a patch on it, etc. Overseas suppliers have done a great job of figuring out how to do that really well. The U.S. supply chain is still struggling with that coordination piece. It takes transparency and trust.”

Moore also points out that the cost of labor is not necessarily the biggest roadblock to increasing U.S.-based

manufacturing. There just aren’t enough people — let alone people with the right skills. “Even with increasing automation, you still need people to run the automation. High prices are one thing but not being able to make deliveries is the problem.

SO WHY MADE IN THE USA?

Quality, control and transparency, as well as lead time are unparalleled here. “It’s also about connections: Once a brand speaks to a company that makes a jacket, they’ll make introductions to other sources, from the zipper maker to the lining fabrics, and so on, and will also offer their expertise so the sourcing professional can ask better questions, even if they are sourcing overseas. Language barriers aside, U.S. manufacturers have a better understanding of design, too. We can’t compete on price, but they can’t compete with our quality and service. When you add the cost savings, the difference is very minimal.”

SourceAmerica

SourceAmerica is a nonprofit agency that supports a network of around 575 other nonprofits across the United States. Those nonprofits provide services and manufacture products for both federal government and commercial with a 75% disabled labor workforce.

How did the pandemic affect their activities? “Our nonprofits were deemed essential workforces for the government providing things such as cloth masks to the army or manufacturing patient gowns for local hospital systems,” says Jill Johnson, the Vice President of Products and NPA Liaisons at SourceAmerica. “There was a lot to do on our side of the house in terms of sorting out government contracts. Our work force continued to come to work.” Johnson goes on to point out that the organization worked with the Department of Homeland Security and the Health and Defense Logistics Agency to help meet some of the shortages that were presented by the pandemic. National Industries for the Blind, for example, had people working 24/7 to make hand sanitizer.

SourceAmerica (continued)

“With the pandemic, we’ve all seen the value of manufacturing here in the U.S. But what we’ve always realized at SourceAmerica — we only manufacture here in the U.S., and don’t do anything overseas — is that we’ve got to keep in mind overall cost, not just labor costs,” says Rajiv Lamichhane, Senior Manager of Non-Federal Sales. “What’s the value of manufacturing here in the U.S.? We’ve seen freight costs jump for example. We really need to take a look at the overall cost of goods arriving in the U.S., just not on the labor cost again, for us. We’ve always manufactured in the U.S. and we see the value of manufacturing here in the U.S. and also providing the social value of employing people with disabilities. I think that’s the value that we look at overall.”

SourceAmerica offers a diverse workforce, a value that modern consumers appreciate. “Working with SourceAmerica offers a social initiative,” Lamichhane says. “But also a brand can focus on shorter lead times, which helps with the changing demands of customers.”

“We’re agile, we can change quickly and can utilize the technological advantages that are available here in the U.S.”

Rajiv Lamichhane Senior Manager of Non-Federal Sales, SourceAmerica

A GLOBAL COMMUNITY

Sourcing at MAGIC is an international gathering place where brands connect with manufacturers, suppliers, and technology providers from across the globe. Beyond bringing the producers’ expertise to the table, the talented people and rich cultures that inform those

capabilities are also expressed through their widespread offerings. Here, we focus on just a few of the countries that exhibited at the August event.

COLOMBIA

For brands based in the Western Hemisphere, Colombia’s time zone makes communications particularly easy (equivalent to U.S. Central time, it’s GMT -5). The South American nation is also an enthusiastic trading partner, with access to 47 countries and more than 1.5 billion consumers through its network of trade agreements. It’s also strategically located, as the only country in South America with access to both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Citizens enjoy a dynamic and stable economy with real opportunity for growth.

Colombia’s agile manufacturers offer a great deal of flexibility on production run sizes, from smaller runs for budding brands to large. It also features vertically-integrated companies that work from fiber creation all the way through the supply chain. There is a true focus on quality and innovation, particularly with high end products with prints and embroideries, and innovative products like shaping and butt-lifting jeans, bulletproof jackets, underwear for the LGBTQIA+ market segment, and special occasion children’s dresses.

Colombians also keep an eye on sustainability and social responsibility, incorporating practices like using ozone instead of water for denim finishing processes, as well as reusing wastewater through automated plants. There are also key investments in technology, especially in developing high-tech/high-touch fabrics.

Colombia specializes in performance sportswear, shapewear, lingerie, swimwear, and denim, exporting nearly $50 million in jeans last year, nearly $42 million in shapewear, $20 million in swimwear, and over 61 million in lingerie and underwear.

Colombia’s culture and heritage shine through all its products, but particularly in accessories like handbags and fashion jewelry. Bamboleira is a jewelry brand that works with indigenous and artisan communities and was the first brand to use werregue palm fiber to make jewelry, an artisanal technique that has been part of the traditions of the indigenous Wounaan community.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka, the island nation off India’s south-eastern coast, has been in the news lately for some political and economic unrest, but the International Monetary Fund has made arrangements which have helped bring things back on track. The country’s apparel industry reported $5.42 billion in export revenue in 2021: 44.24% of overall national export revenue, and responsible for employing around 990,000 people. The industry is targeting $8 billion in export revenue for 2025. According to the U.S. International Trade Association, Sri Lanka has built its competitive edge on value-addition rather than cheap production cost, with greater emphasis on product quality and its ability to manufacture niche products. Although orders have picked up from key markets, steep price increases in raw materials, increased health and safety costs, and lack of vaccinations for staff have caused significant operating challenges for the sector.

The country is known for a wide range of sustainably and ethically-produced apparel categories, from sportswear, lingerie, loungewear, and bridal, to workwear, swimwear and children’s clothing. USA and the United Kingdom have historically been the largest buyers of Sri Lankan apparel. The country has the highest apparel exports per capita of any exporting nation in the South Asian region.

VIETNAM

Vietnam is an apparel production powerhouse, the fifth highest apparel exporting country in the world, reporting an export revenue of $39 billion, about 65 percent of total exports, and 6.4% of all worldwide clothing exports. In 2021, the industry employed approximately 11.2 million people, coming in just after the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector. In 2021, the production volume of clothes in Vietnam amounted to 5.6 million pieces, with an annual growth rate of 17%.

Although the Vietnamese apparel and textile industry includes fiber production, fabric production, and garment manufacturing, the first two sectors are primarily utilized for domestic consumption. The third takes up around 70 percent of the total apparel and textile sector.

According to the blog Kowide Outdoors, a backpack manufacturer, many sources are turning to Vietnam due to

social, geographical, and economic reasons. The country is rapidly developing economically and through its infrastructure with a new subway system in Ho Chi Minh City and new highways across the country. The footwear industry has grown particularly rapidly within the last few years, the main shoe manufacturer for both Adidas and Nike.

GHANA

According to the Kohan Textile Journal, the government of Ghana is focused on building its textile and apparel industry to build on its rich history of textile and design. The West African nation has a rich history of textile production, making different fabrics from woven kente to brightly colored batik to wax prints. While the textile industry in Ghana has seen a recession over the past few years, vibrant traditional prints and woven motives are finding a way to international fashion stages. Currently there are duty-free exports to the U.S. under AGOA (15-32% cost reduction) and to the EU under EPA (up to 12% cost reduction), with particularly strong advantages for synthetic and polyester fabrics. Ghana’s statutory minimum wage is 5x lower than China’s, 3x lower than Kenya’s, and 50% lower than Bangladesh’s, offering a much lower labor cost.

Currently, the industry employs more than 6,000 Ghanaians and exports more than $30 million on average annually. Export revenues from the sector in 2020, according to GEPA, stood at $43 million compared to the $137.4 billion worth of apparel and accessories that China alone exported last year to the U.S. market.

PERU

It’s said that Peru is the home of the earliest civilization in the Americas, not surprising given its natural beauty and ideal situation on the West Coast of South America. As a sourcing destination, it’s equally attractive: There is no duty for U.S. businesses due to a Free Trade Agreement, and the government supports a regulatory environment that facilitates business, framed in 20 other free trade agreements with 55 countries and economic blocs. The nation’s manufacturing base offers a complete package of services, vertically-integrated from raw materials through to the final product. Its strategic location allows for optimal delivery times.

Since 2009, PROMPERÚ, the Peruvian Commission for the Promotion of Export and Tourism, has offered the Certification of Good Fair Trade Practices to companies with export potential that operate

in the country’s textile, clothing and decorative items sectors. This is a national standard that includes responsible work practices within the company, and transparency and respect between its relations and trade practices with both suppliers and customers. The nation’s manufacturing base has embraced environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices. Textile production in Peru particularly cares for the environment through the industry’s sustainable development policies.

Peru is well-known for its luxurious Pima Cotton garments, with their special sheen and unique, soft feel. Tangüis, another Peruvian long-staple cotton fiber, is perfect for blending with other natural and synthetic fibers. 80% of the world’s production of Alpaca fiber garments is concentrated in Peru, also highly valued for its softness, ease of weaving, anti-allergy properties, and variety in its natural tones.

PERU (CONTINUED)

Finally, the long-standing experience and rich traditions of the Latin American nation inform every link in the Peruvian supply chain. Talented and creative human capital has inherited traditions that leverage resources in a sustainable and responsible way to create a highly skilled workforce. Innovative “justin-time” manufacturing processes and a growing understanding of the importance of branding are helping Peru become one of the world’s strongest resources for today’s apparel and accessories brands.

WHAT’S NEXT? IN FOCUS: FASHION TECHNOLOGY

Fashion Technology is becoming a vital part of fashion’s future. SOURCING at MAGIC’s August event had an incredible showing of fashion technology exhibitors on the show floor offering what’s new and next to sourcing professionals. And because there is so much to learn about this burgeoning industry, we partnered with fashion technology news publication, The Interline. Sessions in the SOURCE Lounge were moderated by Editor-In-Chief, Ben Hanson who gave an inside look into what’s next in fashion technology. Check out more from the August event here.

Fashion technology exhibitors like Clo (pictured here), hosted live demos on-site, offering an in-depth look into their offerings.

SOURCING at MAGIC: Tell us a bit more about Browzwear.

Q&A: BROWZWEAR

We chatted with Matthew Lakics, Account Executive at Browzwear, who describes the company as “a pioneer of 3D digital solutions for the fashion industry, driving seamless and sustainable processes from concept to customer.”

Matthew Lakics:

For designers, Browzwear accelerates collection development, opening limitless opportunities to create colorways and variations. For technical designers and pattern makers, Browzwear rapidly fits graded garments to any body model with accurate, true-motion material replication. For manufacturers, Browzwear’s Tech Pack delivers everything needed to produce physical garments perfectly with first-time-right accuracy.

SOURCING at MAGIC: What is the most important thing sourcing professionals should know about Browzwear?

Matthew Lakics:

The most exciting opportunity for sourcing professionals: Companies of any size can use our solutions to create their garment’s true-to-life digital twin and then push that file straight to the product creation center — ensuring their finished product is exactly what they envisioned.

FAST FORWARD

As Founder and Editor-in-Chief of fashion technology magazine, The Interline, Ben Hanson is on the forefront of what’s new and next. That’s why we were honored to partner with the News Publication at SOURCING at MAGIC this past August. We also had the opportunity to sit down with him at the show to learn more about how fashion technology is vital to the growth of the sourcing industry.

Photography by Jacob Boll, @JacobBoll

SOURCING at MAGIC: What types of technology should fashion sourcing executives be looking to implement into their businesses moving forward? Why?

BEN HANSON:

At the moment, the environment is risk prone. Costs are at an all-time high for sourcing executives and for brands as a whole. Anything that they can do to digitize their operations is going to be a significant net benefit, whether it’s safeguarding their supply chains, trying to remove risk, and add transparency into their supply chains, replacing

physical samples with digital samples, digitizing their material sourcing and fabric sourcing supply chains. There’s a huge amount of opportunity to be found in efficiency, profitability and sustainability gains that are going to come from taking traditionally analog processes and finding new ways.

SOURCING at MAGIC: How can fashion technology support sourcing sustainability efforts? Can you give an example?

BEN HANSON:

The easiest example is replacing physical processes and physical samples with digital alternatives. Whether that’s on the whole product level or material color level, anything that could be done to negate the need to waste materials, to ship unnecessarily, to have uncertainty around cost and uncertainty around

SOURCING at MAGIC: What’s next in fashion technology?

BEN HANSON:

I think one is the metaverse. There’s a huge amount of uncertainty around what the shape of that opportunity is, but I think everybody agrees that there is a huge opportunity there. Fashion [is also] shifting towards a more demand driven production model. Brands are starting to make only what they need to,

the sustainability profile of the garment. Anything you can do to test those things and simulate those things virtually and digitally ahead of time is going to be a huge sustainability advantage for brands that are able to make that transition.

which has a huge benefit from sustainability perspective, and it also allows organizations to look at diversifying and repurposing their supply chains, […] where they might start to make lower production runs and higher variety, higher size ranges and ratios domestically.

SOURCING at MAGIC:

How can fashion technology aid in the current supply chain challenges?

BEN HANSON:

Technology can take uncertainty and replace it with certainty.

Technology can take inefficiency and replace it with efficiency and accountability and collaboration.

Technology can take a lack of transparency and replace that with full visibility across the entire sourcing chain, everything from raw materials to finished goods.

SOURCING at MAGIC:

What is the most exciting thing happening right now in fashion?

BEN HANSON:

There’s a huge amount that’s happening now in 3D design and material digitization to create digital products, whether they’re being used in-house by brands for their own line review,

There’s a huge opportunity for any brand that’s looking to overhaul its approach to sourcing, its approach to supply chain, and to be able to make more confident sustainability disclosures by replacing traditional, outdated processes with tech driven, data driven alternatives.

inspiration, creative processes for collaboration with their supply chain partners, or whether they’re being used in real time scenarios and other applications downstream to engage consumers.

Sebastian Echavarria

FASHION’S SOCIAL IMPACT: “SOURCING FOR SOCIAL GOOD”

Dr. Cindy J. Lin of Hey Social Good, and Ayesha Barenblat of re/make, spoke at SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas about how true sustainability can be achieved and the barriers standing in the way. This wide-ranging discussion covered everything from the FABRIC Act to the story your sustainability data tells.

“What we have seen, especially in the pandemic, is that the economic pain of inflationary pressures, the economic pain of the unpredictability of what’s been happening in the industry, all of that has been disproportionately borne by this workforce.”

DR. CINDY J. LIN | CEO + Co-Founder, Hey Social Good

“It’s not important to just have a data point. It’s that, is that data point telling the story of positive beneficial improvement to our people and planet.”

AYESHA BARENBLAT | Founder + CEO, re/make

How to create real change in the fashion industry through education, living wages, market incentives, and more.

SETTING UP FOR CIRCULARITY: “MADEWELL AND THREDUP ON RETHINKING FASHION’S FUTURE”

As consumers demand for secondhand grows, product recycling and branded experiences become increasingly important.

Speaking at SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas, Liz Hershfield of J.Crew, and Tanya Brinich of thredUP, discuss the growing importance of resale. Discover how the second-hand market is becoming the primary way for younger consumers to buy brands, and how that may introduce your product to even more consumers.

“People are going to continue to buy new things, and we’re going to continue to make them. So we have to be able to make sure that the lives of those products are extended until they can be recycled.”

LIZ HERSHFIELD | SVP, Head of Sustainability J Crew Group & SVP Sourcing, Madewell

“When you have a product that can stand up over time—when the consumer’s making the initial purchase, they’re already thinking about its resale value. So, if it’s a younger customer making a splurge, they might invest in that $120 pair of jeans from Madewell because they know they can resell it and trade in for a different product later.”

TANYA BRINICH | Senior Director of RaaS Client Success

at thredUP

APPAREL PRODUCTION SOURCING IN 2023... “CHANGES AHEAD!”

Representatives from three countries spoke to an audience at SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas about the benefits of manufacturing with them. Dive into the details of sourcing and manufacturing in Egypt, India, and Colombia as a solution to your brand’s needs.

“What is the keyword for Egypt? It’s duty free under the QIZ program. What is the QIZ program? It’s a partnership between us and Israel and Egypt that all Egyptian products enter the U.S. duty-free, zero tariff, with one condition: a component from Israel is at least 10.5%.”

Understanding the sourcing infrastructure of Colombia, Egypt, and India to help your brand connect with global partners and achieve your goals.

SHERIN HOSNI | Executive Director, Egypt Apparel Export Council

“WHAT IS THE KEYWORD FOR EGYPT? IT’S DUTY FREE UNDER THE QIZ PROGRAM.”

“India, as everybody knows, is good at value addition. Handwork as well as good printing, digital printing, everything put together. It’s a complete package.”

NARENDRA GOENKA | Chairman,

“For those of you that don’t know this, Short Supply allows certain harmonized tariff codes that were not included in free trade—that cannot be produced in Colombia or the U.S.—to still be duty free. And right now, there’s 21 items on that list.”

AEOC / India Texport Industries

SEBASTIAN ECHAVARRIA | West Coast Trade Representative, ProColombia

THE ROAD TO 2030: “A SOURCING JOURNAL SUSTAINABILITY STUDY”

Eddie Hertzman, founder of Sourcing Journal, tracks the industry’s progress towards sustainability.

Eddie Hertzman discusses the fashion industry’s road to sustainability during his talk at SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas. As the industry eyes a 2030 date for achieving sustainability, understand the various challenges that stand in the way, and what exactly the term even means.

think the biggest change we’re going to see as an industry is the force of change due to regulation. And I can’t emphasize that enough, because I’m really concerned at how people are not taking this seriously, and how far behind we are. If you survey most CEOs right now, they are frightened at how unprepared they are for really any passing of any significant legislation.”

EDWARD HERTZMAN | Founder and President, Sourcing Journal

“I

“I THINK THE BIGGEST CHANGE WE’RE GOING TO SEE AS AN INDUSTRY IS THE FORCE OF CHANGE DUE TO REGULATION.”

RETAIL 4.0: “BUILDING FOR FASHION’S FUTURE”

In her wide-ranging conversation at SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas, Syama Meagher gives insight into focusing your brand and unlocking innovative ways to grow and market your business. Meagher discusses everything from the power of Web3 to the importance of lateral partnerships.

“I think one of the best things here that everyone can walk away with, whether or not you care about Web3 or Metaverse or any of those spaces, the most incredible thing you can look at to these spaces for is lateral partnerships. People coming together at the top of their game and collaborating and working together for a shared vision.”

Why it’s so important to define your goals, and how lateral partnerships can help you grow.

SYAMA MEAGHER | CEO, Scaling Retail

“THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING YOU CAN LOOK AT TO THESE SPACES FOR IS LATERAL PARTNERSHIPS.”

METAVERSE BRANDING: “THE ‘NEW’ INFLUENCER”

As Fashion charges into the brave new world of the Metaverse, what legal advice should brands take with them?

In his conversation at Las Vegas, attorney Oliver S. Bajracharya breaks down some of the most pressing legal issues for designers and brands venturing into NFTs, Web3, and the Metaverse. Understand the difference between a copyright and a trademark, and discover.

“It’s so easy to cut and paste things and put stuff on your page and sell stuff. You just have to ask yourself the question, does somebody have rights in this? Would somebody have rights in this product that I’m taking and making? And if you’re asking the question, then that’s at least the first step to take.”

“WOULD

CONNECT, LEARN, SOURCE

SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas had a floor packed with energy and a focus on sourcing sustainably. Check out some of our favorite moments and sustainable initiatives from this season’s special events and activations.

SUSTAINABILITY GALLERY

Our Sustainability Gallery displayed sustainable manufacturers and suppliers. Our exhibitors were verified by Hey Social Good as exhibitors that are and continue to adopt socially and environmentally sustainable practices. In addition to Hey Social Good, we also partnered on with Lenzing and recycle and reuse service company FABSCRAP.

HEY SOCIAL GOOD

Dr. Cindy J. Lin on sustainability, from the on-site session, SOURCING at MAGIC’s Sustainability and Social Good Initiatives:

“OUR APPROACH IS TO TRY TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES TO INSPIRE THEM TO DO BETTER. RIGHT, BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPECT COMPANIES AND BRANDS TO DO BETTER AND TO DO MORE. WE ALL WANT TO SEE BETTER TRANSPARENCY. WE WANT TO SEE AUTHENTIC IMPACT, NOT JUST GREENWASHING.”

DR. CINDY J. LIN | CEO + Co-Founder, Hey Social Good

SOURCING at MAGIC: Can you tell us a bit about your company (when it launched, why, mission, etc.)?

Q&A:

DAREN ABNEY,

Senior Business Development Manager, Lenzing Fibers, Inc.

DAREN ABNEY:

Lenzing Fibers is the global leader in wood based cellulosic fibers and at the forefront of sustainability in fashion. The company has been headquartered in Lenzing, Austria for more than 80 years, and this year we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of our flagship product, TENCEL™ Lyocell. We manufacture our certified biodegradable and compostable fibers at 7 different facilities around the world, including Europe, the US and Asia. With wood as our natural resource, Lenzing’s solutions

are as inventive as they are effective when it comes to caring for our partners’ success, our planet’s protection and people’s needs in everyday life.

Not only is all of our wood harvested from certified and controlled sources, protecting ancient and endangered forests, but the TENCEL™ Lyocell process is a solvent-spinning process which transforms wood pulp in a closed loop production into cellulosic fibers.

SOURCING at MAGIC:

What is the most important thing sourcing professionals should know about your company?

DAREN ABNEY:

Sourcing professionals are usually looking for more sustainable materials in today’s market, and there’s a wide variety of options out there.

TENCEL™ Lyocell, TENCEL™ branded Modal and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose provide you with fabrics and products that are not only more sustainable, but offer outstanding performance benefits like exceptional softness, breathability, moisture management, strength, drape and

so much more. When companies decide to source these more sustainable fabrics for anything from denim to home, it’s also important to verify your purchases with third-party certification. The physical traceability built into the DNA of our fibers provides an extra level of assurance retailers and brands are searching for today.

SOURCING at MAGIC:

What most excites you about sustainability as it relates to fashion and the opportunities for sourcing professionals within this space?

DAREN ABNEY:

I think how the industry is starting to embrace the idea of circular business models is very exciting! Moving beyond just a take-back program or repair, companies are starting to invest in models that will truly diversify how they de-couple revenue growth from selling more product. It’s still early days, but there is a real appetite for the C-suite to figure this out.

While there’s still a long way to go, the fashion industry has matured in its embracing of “sustainability” as a concept in the last decade. Being in the middle of the “decade of action” now is an exciting time!

SOURCING at MAGIC: Can you tell us a bit about FABSCRAP?

Q&A:

JESSICA SCHREIBER,

Founder & CEO, FABSCRAP INC.

JESSICA SCHREIBER:

FABSCRAP is a 501c3 nonprofit that launched in 2016 to address textile waste in the fashion industry. Though there are many companies and organizations that work with used clothing, or postconsumer textiles, we wanted to focus on the fabrics being discarded by companies during the design process/before the point-of-sale, or pre-consumer textiles. This includes swatch cards and headers, sample yardage, deadstock or overstock

fabrics, and mock-up or mutilated garments.

To maximize the value of this unused or unwanted fabric, FABSCRAP is a convenient and transparent recycling Service, is an affordable and accessible materials Resource for students, artists, and creatives, and is educating and empowering a diverse Community of changemakers through our volunteer and outreach programs.

SOURCING at MAGIC: What is the most important thing sourcing professionals should know about FABSCRAP?

JESSICA SCHREIBER:

The most important re-education that we do when working with new companies is that discarded textiles do not equal a donation! For so long any excess or unwanted materials were donated to local organizations, but in today’s world the volume of discarded textiles can be overwhelming to process and is often unusable by size or content. It’s much more appropriate to consider textiles as a true, specific waste stream, more similar to paper or plastic streams, and understand that recycling is needed when reuse options are limited.

At FABSCRAP we try to reuse as much as possible, but because we receive up to 6000lbs per week, we cannot store and manage materials less than 1 yard. About 60% of the materials we receive can be reused, and we accept rolls of fabric as donations! But the other 40% is not usable and is recycled. There’s a fee for that, just like companies pay for paper or plastic recycling. It’s good to understand the end-of-life options and the current state of this waste stream! For example, materials with high spandex content can’t be recycled!

SOURCING at MAGIC: What most excites you about sustainability as it relates to fashion and the opportunities for sourcing professionals within this space?

JESSICA SCHREIBER:

What’s so exciting about sustainability in fashion is that there are so many steps and ways to get involved that can be taken right now to move a company in a better direction!

Signing up for FABSCRAP is one of them, but there are several sustainable or eco-friendly fiber and fabric alternatives that make sourcing an incredibly interesting place to watch for innovations. There’s a lot to learn, and while that can be overwhelming, it’s

a huge opportunity to gain expertise and be first to experiment with alternatives to more harmful processes.

MADE IN USA GALLERY

An introduction to the U.S. apparel industry as well as fun fashion facts about each state. Our attendees were able to learn what each of these states have to offer when it comes to sourcing and fashion. Check out our In Focus section for more on American manufacturing.

SUSTAINABLE SHOW BAG

HAPPY HOUR

SPONSORED BY BREAD FINANCIAL

Toasting to a successful event at the Happy Hour sponsored by Bread Financial.