California Apparel News

Each year SPESA releases what we call our “State of the Industry.” Often it’s timed around the U.S. State of the Union and serves as an opportunity for our team to reflect back on the year prior and look ahead to the new year we’re in.

As we started to work on our remarks for this year’s address, it felt a bit like Groundhog Day. Similar to last year, we were looking through a lens that was foggy. The challenge is that our hindsight was just about the same. We were emerging from a year of uncertainty . . . only to enter another year of uncertainty.

That uncertainty runs parallel to volatility: an unstable tariff regime, fragmented trade relationships and geopolitical turbulence that changes faster than supply chains can adjust. We wait for clarity—or, at a minimum, consistency—and it doesn’t arrive.

But the rough waters we’re wading through haven’t hampered the spirit and resiliency of the industry we all operate within. At SPESA, we spend a lot of time talking with suppliers, technology providers, manufacturers, brands and retailers from across the Western Hemisphere and the world. And what we’re hearing isn’t panic or a sense of paralysis. It’s a keen focus on the horizon—albeit a little unclear—and an emphasis on practical solutions. That forward-looking mindset is shaping how companies are making decisions right now.

Here are some of the key trends we’re seeing emerge across the industry in the wake of these uncertain times:

Steady as she goes

Uncertainty makes long-term forecasting difficult. So, many companies have shifted from strategies that prioritize growth to strategies that prioritize stability. They’re making contingency plans rather than bold bets and trying to remain agile enough to pivot when the next policy change hits or tariff threat is hurled.

When faced with instability, long-term success often relies on an adaptive ecosystem capable of weathering any storm.

Building smarter systems and stronger teams

In a couple of months, SPESA will host its 2026 Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Over the years this event has taught us that having a competitive advantage starts by building smarter systems. And that continues to ring true during times of uncertainty.

At SPESA, we believe technology adoption—whether through automation, AI-driven optimization or improved analytics—is one of the most direct levers companies have to regain control in an unpredictable market.

But technology alone is not the answer.

Manufacturers that invest in technology but fail to reskill their work force, rethink workflows or build data fluency into everyday decision-making will continue to face headwinds. An investment in our people alongside an investment in new tools is what will offer businesses a competitive edge.

Coming together

The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how powerful shared problem-solving can be. The “Alphabet Soup Collective” of industry associations demonstrates that we’re hungry for partnership, shared learning and joint initiatives. Collaborative relationships, whether between manufacturers, suppliers, associations, is one of the strongest forces shaping the industry now and in the future.

In what feels like a fragmented world, collaboration becomes a stabilizing force.

Working with what we’ve got

We’ve been talking about circularity for a long time, but there seems to be real momentum behind its progress— and that makes our SPESA team excited!

Circularity represents one of the rare areas where industry, technology, economics and consumer values align. It requires engagement across the entire supply chain—from fiber production to garment manufacturing to retail and end-of-life systems.

Circular systems, though, cannot function solely where waste accumulates; they must be integrated where products are made and sold. If the industry can continue improving quality and cost efficiencies in recycled and regenerated materials, it’s our hope to see circularity define the next era of sewn-products manufacturing, anchoring a more resilient and responsible supply chain.

Where we go

There are no easy wins on the horizon. No single policy shift will eliminate volatility. No single strategy will solve for uncertainty.

The sewn-products industry has always adapted. It has always recalibrated. It has always found ways to move forward. And we have every reason to believe we will do so again.

Michael McDonald’s favorite thing to say is: “You were either born into the textiles industry or you were tricked into it.” He represents the former and has spent his career advocating for—or “tricking”—people to join the industry he represents and loves. Since 2018, he has served as president of SPESA, the Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas association for suppliers to the sewn-products industry, which includes apparel, upholstered furniture, home textiles, transportation interiors, leather goods, footwear, industrial textiles and more.