INDUSTRY ISSUES
Growing Out of Uncertainty - How the sewn products industry adapts and grows in the face of uncertainty
By Michael McDonald, SPESA President | March 6, 2026
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.
After Digital Debut, Afterpay to Take Payments Services In-Store
Afterpay got its start by offering layaway-style payment plans to Millennials when they were shopping for fashions and goods online. Recently, the payments company, announced that it had made a deal with the mall company Simon to take the service to bricks-and-mortar shops.
Venmo Releases Credit Card
The PayPal-owned mobile-payment service Venmo announced the release of its new credit card, which is issued by Synchrony Bank and powered by Visa.
Digital Commerce Forecasted to Skyrocket for 2020 Holiday Season
The COVID-19 pandemic put digital sales on a giant growth spurt, and digital commerce is forecast to continue to gobble up more of the retail market for the upcoming holiday season, perhaps 34 percent year-over-year growth, according to a study released Oct. 1 by Salesforce.
Lenzing Announces Tencel Carbon Zero During Climate Week NYC
Expanding on its commitment to cultivating a responsible supply chain within the apparel industry, Lenzing announced during Climate Week NYC that in September it launched carbon-zero Tencel fibers.
Ahead of Prime Day, Amazon Launches Climate Pledge Friendly for Sustainable Shopping
While Amazon’s announcement that Prime Day would be held Oct. 13-14 occupied a lot of media buzz after the dates were revealed on Sept. 28, another bit of news from the Seattle-based company also made headlines.
Transformation by Gerber Technology Provides Guidance for post-COVID-19 Business
In order to support manufacturers, designers and retailers as they navigate a new business world in a post-COVID-19 environment, Gerber Technology announced the launch of its Transformation Initiative.
Zyper Aims To Build Brand Communities Through Technology
As digital commerce becomes more crucial to retailers, companies offering an edge in the digital competition for consumer attention and wallets are reporting growth.
Cabi Finds A Lifeline With Cabi Front Row Platform
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit every business that relies on in-person events, but direct-to-consumer retailer Cabi found that it was in a good position to react to that reality.
NYFW Goes On Through CFDA’s Runway360
For the highly anticipated New York Fashion Week, the show has gone on digitally. Many NYFW shows will take place, from Sept. 14 to Sept. 16 on Runway360, a new digital platform produced by The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc.
PayPal and Visa Announce Partnership Expansion
Digital-payment firms PayPal and Visa Inc. announced recently that they would grow their partnership in order to serve consumer and small-business clients.
DiCentral Acquires Drop-Ship Technology Expertise With Its Acquisition of Hingeto
California supply-chain company Hingeto was acquired by DiCentral, a Houston-headquartered provider of business-to-business integration-management services for an undisclosed amount.
The Three Ways Fashion Brands Can Win the ‘Rack Race’
Deadlines aren’t moving targets, so, while the increasingly global and complex nature of the fashion industry means there are more moving parts than ever before, clients and consumers don’t want this to affect product delivery.
Omnichain’s Software Aims To Shake Up Traditional Inventory Systems
Retailers and fashion brands are changing the way they manage businesses and inventory in order to reflect market adaptations in digital retail. It’s one reason the market for inventory-management software has been growing, according to a report released in June by the market-research company Global Market Insights, Inc., based in Selbyville, Del.
Dallas Market Center to Build B2B Platform
Dallas Market Center, a 5-million square-foot campus for fashion wholesale companies, recently announced a partnership to create a business-to-business platform.
Wish Looks Toward IPO in Confidential Filing
The e-commerce marketplace Wish announced Monday that it had submitted a confidential draft registration statement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed public offering of its Class A common stock.
