INDUSTRY ISSUES
The Desktop Revolution: How xTool is Democratizing Industrial-Grade Apparel Printing
| May 1, 2026
In the traditional apparel manufacturing landscape, the bridge between a creative concept and a finished garment has long been guarded by high entry barriers, complex industrial workflows, and prohibitive costs. However, a seismic shift is occurring. xTool, which has rapidly ascended to become the world’s second-largest DTF (Direct-to-Film) brand by GMV, is dismantling these barriers.
Turkish Denim Mill Bossa Opens Showroom in LA
To celebrate the opening of its new showroom in downtown Los Angeles, Turkish denim mill Bossa hosted a grand opening party and denim trend presentation on Jan. 15.
Denim from the 19th Century to the 21st
Levi Strauss filed the first patent for a distinctive pair of work pant made from a twill fabric in 1873. But denim work pants—or jeans—had been worn even earlier. The Fashion Institute of Technology recently organized “Denim: Fashion’s Frontier,” an exhibition charting the history and evolution of jeans, at the Fashion and Textile History Gallery at the Museum at FIT in New York.
Fox Names David Durham Creative Director
Motocross and mountain-biking clothing brand Fox Racing, a division of Fox Head Inc., announced some big changes, according to a Feb. 3 company statement.
California Market Center Makes Big Push to Add More Exhibition Space
The California Market Center—the biggest apparel showroom complex in the Los Angeles Fashion District—is undergoing a metamorphosis by adding more mammoth exhibition space and consolidating showrooms onto fewer floors.
Third-Quarter Revenues Slip for American Apparel
Just days after American Apparel was cleared to exit bankruptcy, the troubled Los Angeles clothing maker filed its third-quarter earnings results showing the company is bleeding money.
Paul Frank Returning to the Company He Founded
Paul Frank Sunich, the man who invented Julius the Monkey and founded Paul Frank Industries—only to be forced out from his namesake venture—is back with the label.
Letter to the Editor: Charney Responds to the Bankruptcy Court Decision
Dov Charney Responds to the Bankruptcy Court Decision
Quiksilver Announces Bankruptcy Exit
Surf giant Quiksilver Inc. plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy by Feb. 8, it was announced on Jan. 28. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware confirmed the Huntington Beach, Calif.–headquartered company’s plans for reorganization. The bankruptcy was declared in September 2015.
Dov Charney Loses in American Apparel Takeover Bid
A U.S. bankruptcy judge rejects Dov Charney's bid to take over American Apparel.
American Apparel and Charney Testify in Bankruptcy Court
American Apparel founder Dov Charney, current Chief Executive Office Paula Schneider and others vying for a stake in the future of the Los Angeles–based apparel manufacturer and retailer recently appeared before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brendan Shannon in Wilmington, Del.
Crew Knitwear Hires Former Kellwood Exec as CEO
Los Angeles–based Crew Knitwear, maker of the Bobeau and H.I.P. brands, has hired Tricia Franklin as chief executive officer.
Showroom Profile: The NTWRK Agency
The NTWRK Agency is on the move. In December, the showroom started a massive remodel of its space in the “B” wing of the California Market Center. It also embarked on an expansion. A wall of the adjacent showroom, B-405, was knocked down and The NTWRK added additional real estate.
AAFA Names Helfenbein as New President and CEO
The American Apparel & Footwear Association, the trade group in Washington, D.C., comprising 530 apparel and footwear members representing 1,000 brands, has selected apparel and footwear veteran Rick Helfenbein to become the new president and chief executive of the organization.
Showroom Profile: Now Showroom LA
Couture, contemporary and ready-to-wear styles from designers around the world fill the new Now Showroom LA, opened recently by Natasha Greizen, a Los Angeles jewelry designer and entrepreneur.
Showroom Profile: Mystree
On Jan. 1, Jerry and Judy Wexler moved into their new showroom on the sixth floor of The New Mart. At 1,200 square feet, the new space is more than 400 square feet larger than their previous location on the second floor of the California Market Center.
