New Toolkit Addresses AI Adoption in Manufacturing for UK SMEs
Made Smarter has released a new AI adoption toolkit for UK manufacturing SMEs. The guide promotes a task‑first, “Scan, Pilot, Scale” approach to help firms identify low‑value tasks, test AI solutions, and expand only when proven. It includes real‑world case studies and expert input to address data fragmentation and resource constraints. The toolkit aims to reduce risk and accelerate measurable AI impact across the sector.
AAFA Backs New Bill Targeting Counterfeit Goods at US Borders
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is championing H.R. 4930, a House bill that would empower U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share detailed product, packaging, and even packing‑material information with brand owners during intellectual‑property enforcement. The legislation expands...
What Does GameStop’s ‘Audacious’ Bid for eBay Mean for Secondhand Fashion?
GameStop announced a merger with eBay that will transform its 1,600 U.S. retail locations into a nationwide hub for authentication, intake, fulfillment, and live‑commerce of secondhand goods. The plan positions GameStop as the physical backbone of eBay’s resale ecosystem, especially...
Next Raises Guidance After Q1 Full Price Sales Beat Expectations
British retailer Next reported a 6.2% year‑over‑year increase in full‑price sales for the first quarter, outpacing analyst expectations. The strong top‑line performance prompted the company to raise its full‑year 2026/27 revenue guidance, adding roughly a 5% uplift. Management highlighted resilient...
Retail Stability Hinges on Disciplined Transformation, Deeper Consumer Connection
Retail leaders from VF, Lululemon, Adidas and Ulta said disciplined transformation is essential for stability. They stressed protecting brand equity, resetting cost structures, and using AI while avoiding hype. Immersive, community‑focused experiences and localised assortments were highlighted as ways to...
Hugo Boss Q1 Sales Slide on Strategic Realignment, Weak Consumer Sentiment
Hugo Boss reported a decline in first‑quarter 2026 sales as weak consumer sentiment and the rollout of its strategic realignment program weighed on results. The German luxury apparel maker cited slower demand across its core menswear and womenswear lines. While revenue...
Bestseller Pledges $3m to Support Regen Agriculture in South Africa
Bestseller has committed $3 million to the Regenerative Fund for Nature, a partnership originally launched by Conservation International and Kering and later joined by Inditex. The money will support projects in South Africa’s Eastern Cape that restore grasslands, improve soil health,...
Week in Review: A Net-Zero Factory Takes Shape in India’s Temple City
Epic Group is constructing a net‑zero manufacturing campus in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, blending large‑scale production with aggressive sustainability targets. The facility will rely on solar power, water recycling, and carbon‑capture technologies to achieve zero operational emissions by 2030. Design elements incorporate...
Lululemon Fires Back After Founder Launches Scathing Attack on Leadership
Lululemon Athletica responded to a public rebuke from founder and former CEO Chip Wilson, who accused the company’s current board of making “brand‑eroding” decisions. Wilson singled out a recent collaboration with The Walt Disney Company, calling it misaligned with Lululemon’s...
Shein Suppliers Call for Stable Order Volumes Amid Challenging Environment
Shein’s latest supplier survey reveals that 95.3% of workers at its 208 largest Guangzhou factories earn at or above the local living wage, yet only 60.9% feel their pay covers basic expenses. The fast‑fashion giant has introduced a worker‑care hotline...
Supply Chain Focus Remains for Retailers as Global Instability Persists
Retail executives surveyed at the World Retail Congress say supply‑chain capabilities will be among the top three spending priorities in 2026, with 56% earmarking higher budgets. Customer experience, personalization and AI investments also rank high, while only about one‑in‑six executives...
Puma Q1 Shows Early Signs Cost Efficiency Programme Bearing Fruit
Puma reported a strong start to its 2026 transition year, with first‑quarter results showing a 60‑basis‑point lift in gross profit margin. The improvement stemmed from faster‑than‑expected inventory clearance and reversals of inventory reserves. The company says the gains signal early...
Asian Online Giants Eye Europe Growth
Asian fast‑fashion platforms Shein and Temu are redirecting growth efforts toward Europe, recruiting local brands, designers and sellers to sidestep tariffs and raise product quality. Shein has launched a localized UK marketplace, now hosting over 2,500 British sellers and promising...
Report Finds UK Fashion Spend Growth Slows, Shoppers More Selective
Cardlytics’ State of Spend report, based on anonymised data from over 23 million UK bank accounts, shows online fast‑fashion spending rose 9% in 2025, propelled by an 8% rise in transaction count, while average basket size fell 3%. High‑street fashion growth...
AI, Personalisation in, Discounts Out in Growth Ambitions Says Asos
ASOS is abandoning its pandemic‑era, discount‑heavy model in favor of a customer‑centric strategy built on AI‑driven personalization. The company is emphasizing relevance—right product, price, size, and delivery—while reducing promotional noise. Early data show stronger engagement from full‑price product drops and...
Shahi Exports, Innovo Fiber Scale Tech for Low-Impact Cotton Processing
Shahi Exports has teamed with Fibre52, the biotech arm of Innovo Fiber, to launch the world’s largest industrial‑scale deployment of a low‑impact cotton pretreatment system. The drop‑in, low‑temperature process replaces caustic soda with ZDHC MRSL v3.1 and OEKO‑TEX‑approved chemistries, preserving...
Alvieva Apparel: Rebuilding Trust in Apparel Sourcing Through Human Verification
Alvieva Apparel is positioning trust, not speed or cost, as the cornerstone of global apparel sourcing. The company advocates a model built on human verification, structured sourcing frameworks, and direct production oversight. By embedding hands‑on checks throughout the supply chain,...
High-Street vs Digitalisation: What’s Next for Primark’s Growth Strategy?
Primark is preparing to spin off from parent company Associated British Foods, becoming a standalone retailer. The split prompts a strategic debate over how the fast‑fashion chain can capture online shoppers without launching a full e‑commerce platform. Industry observers suggest...
Shoppers Prioritise Natural Fibres as Microplastics Awareness Grows, Study
A new Cotton Incorporated survey shows 41% of U.S. consumers are now aware of microplastics in clothing, up from 17% in 2017. Fifty‑nine percent say they will look for garments made with microplastic‑free fibres, and 76% intend to make sustainable...
UHUMANS, Fashion Enter Launch Surplus Fabric Initiative to Tackle Period Poverty
UHUMANS and Fashion Enter have partnered to turn surplus fashion fabric into reusable period pads, launching a pilot program in Leicester. The initiative targets period poverty, where roughly 3,000 local girls miss school each year, accounting for an estimated 37,000...
Week in Review: Global Chaos Reshapes Opportunity for UK Fashion Makers
The Leicester Made conference underscored a growing appetite for onshoring garment production as global supply‑chain turbulence creates new incentives for UK fashion makers. Leicester’s historic clothing hub has collapsed from over 1,500 manufacturers in 2017 to fewer than 100 today,...
The Microfibre Consortium, ZDHC Tackle Fibre Fragments in Wastewater
The Microfibre Consortium and ZDHC have launched Phase 2 of a global study to test whether Total Suspended Solids (TSS) can serve as a reliable proxy for fibre fragment emissions in textile wastewater. The pilot will sample 15 manufacturing sites across...
University of New Haven Launches US Supply Chain Resiliency Hub
The University of New Haven has partnered with i5 Services to launch a Supply Chain Resiliency Hub, integrating the CONNEX Marketplace with academic expertise. The hub will provide U.S. manufacturers with digital tools, supplier databases, and risk‑management services, aiming to...
Secondhand Apparel Growing Twice as Fast as Rest of Market
The global secondhand apparel market is forecast to hit $393 bn by 2030, expanding at twice the pace of the broader clothing sector, according to ThredUp research. This rapid growth reflects a shift from a linear to a resale‑centric model, where...
Trimco Group, Retraced Partner for Integrated Transparency Solutions
Trimco Group and sustainability platform Retraced have formed a partnership to deliver an end‑to‑end transparency solution that links verified upstream supply‑chain data to individual products via QR‑code labels. The joint offering combines Trimco’s labeling, packaging and RFID capabilities with Retraced’s...
Under Armour Joins US Cotton Trust Protocol for Sustainable Sourcing
Under Armour announced it will pilot cotton sourced through the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, starting with graphic tees in its Freedom collection this fall. The voluntary program supplies field‑level data on water use, greenhouse‑gas emissions, soil health and land use,...
Klarna Resell Sees 75% Rise as Users Earn ‘Real Money’
Klarna’s resale feature, now available in 15 countries, posted a 75% jump in listings between August 2024 and March 2026. Users earn an average of $137 per sold item, with 38% of activity coming from repeat sellers. Millennials and Gen‑Z shoppers (ages...
Asos Makes “Steady Progress” On Topline in H1 as Losses Narrow
ASOS reported an 8% increase in first‑half revenue, reaching £1.4 bn (about $1.78 bn), while its adjusted loss narrowed to £45 m ($57 m) from £70 m a year earlier. The online fashion retailer added 5% more active customers, pushing the base to roughly 27 million....
Bangladesh, EU Strike Deal on Trade, Investment, Sustainable Development
On 21 April the EU and Bangladesh signed a modern Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, the first such pact for any South Asian nation. The 82‑article deal covers political dialogue, trade, investment and strategic sectors such as energy, transport and agriculture, while...
UK Goods Prices Rise on Conflict-Driven Inflation, Clothing, Footwear Escape for Now
UK clothing and footwear prices fell 0.8% year‑on‑year to March 2026, the lowest annual rate since March 2021. The decline helped temper overall inflation, but the Consumer Prices Index still rose 3.3% in the 12 months to March, up from 3.0% in...
Clean Clothes Campaign Files Legal Action Against Levi Strauss & Co
Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has filed a lawsuit in a Dutch court accusing Levi Strauss & Co of misleading consumers with its "ethical brand" claims. The suit is backed by four shoppers who bought Levi products based on those statements....
EU Ends Practice of Destroying Unsold Clothes and Shoes in July 2026
The European Union will prohibit the destruction of unsold clothing, accessories and footwear beginning 19 July 2026, extending the ban to medium‑sized firms by 2030. The measure is part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which tightens sustainability requirements across the...
Long Term ‘Sense’ in Splitting Primark From ABF Grocery Unit, Say Experts
Experts argue that separating Primark from Associated British Foods' grocery division makes long‑term strategic sense. Primark operates 486 stores in 19 markets, generating roughly £9.5 billion (about $12 billion) in annual sales and employing over 83,000 people. The grocery arm, by contrast,...
How Gen Z’s Shopping Habits Are Reshaping Apparel Retail
Gen Z, now approaching its 30‑year milestone, has become a decisive force in apparel retail, representing roughly 40% of U.S. fashion e‑commerce revenue. Their buying decisions are heavily influenced by sustainability, social media trends, and micro‑community identities. Retailers are accelerating...
AAFA Guide Introduces ‘Practical’ Steps for Workplace Heat Safety
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) released the AAFA Guide to Protecting Workers from Heat Stress, offering practical recommendations for factories across global supply chains. The guide urges temperature caps, schedule adjustments, water provision, training, and buyer‑supplier collaboration to...
BGMEA Urges Government Action as Energy Crisis Hits Garment Output
BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan met Bangladesh’s power minister and state minister on 13 April 2026 to flag a deepening energy crisis. Garment factories are seeing a 25‑30% drop in capacity because of gas and electricity shortages. The association submitted a slate...
UNI Welcomes Bangladesh Labour Law Reform Boosting Union Rights
Bangladesh Parliament approved a sweeping labour law reform on April 9, 2026, lowering the membership thresholds for forming trade unions and adding protections against unfair practices, forced labour, violence, and sexual harassment. The new rules let small firms (≤300 workers)...
Week in Review: Global Chaos Forces Rethink of Cost-Led Sourcing Models
The apparel sector is abandoning pure cost‑driven sourcing after a wave of geopolitical, climate and logistics disruptions. Executives now prioritize supply‑chain resilience, faster time‑to‑market and risk mitigation over marginal price savings. This shift reflects a broader industry move from optimisation...
Archroma to Present Technical Textile Solutions at Techtextil 2026
Archroma will unveil a suite of new chemical and dye technologies at Techtextil 2026, targeting technical textile manufacturers seeking sustainable, high‑performance solutions. Highlights include the PFAS‑free water‑repellent PHOBOTEX NTR‑50 LIQ, the infrared‑reflective TOUGH CAMO system, and a range of formaldehyde‑free...
US Fashion Firms Accelerate Sourcing Shift as Supply Chains Falter
U.S. fashion companies are fast‑tracking a sourcing overhaul as global supply‑chain volatility erodes margins and inventory reliability. Executives report that realigning supplier bases typically takes 12‑18 months, but many are compressing timelines to capture cost savings and reduce lead‑time risk....
US Textile Sector Stable Despite 2025 Disruption, Says NCTO
The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) reported that the U.S. textile sector remains stable in 2025 despite a wave of plant closures and trade‑related disruptions. Output fell to $60.9 bn, a modest decline from $63.9 bn in 2024, while exports slipped...
US Fashion Retailers Outline Four Tariff Impacts on Sourcing, Supply Strategies
US fashion retailers surveyed identified four primary ways tariffs are reshaping their sourcing and supply‑chain strategies. Higher duties on Asian apparel are driving cost inflation, prompting many brands to accelerate near‑shoring and diversify supplier bases. Companies are also building larger...
Teijin Frontier Raises Polyester Fibre Prices by 20% Amid Rising Oil Costs
Teijin Frontier announced a 20% or greater price increase for its polyester fibres, filament and staple fibres, spun yarns and non‑woven fabrics, effective on shipments from 7 April 2026. The hike pushes overall textile prices up 15%‑25% as the company grapples with...
How the Middle East Crisis Could Alter Apparel Supply Chains for Good
The ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting maritime routes that many apparel brands rely on for raw material and finished‑goods shipments. Higher freight rates and unpredictable delays are forcing companies to reassess their sourcing strategies. Industry analysts...
Tariffs Weigh on The Children’s Place Q4 Profits
The Children’s Place reported a steep Q4 decline, posting a $44.6 million net loss versus an $8 million loss a year earlier and a 500‑basis‑point drop in gross margin to 23.5%. Full‑year sales fell 12.8% to $177.4 million, with gross profit and operating...
As Costs Surge, Is Circularity Too Costly an Ambition for Value-Driven Primark?
Primark has introduced Circular Product Standard 2.0, a framework aimed at embedding product circularity across its fast‑fashion range. The move comes as the retailer grapples with rising material, logistics and compliance costs that threaten its low‑price model. While the standard aligns...
Manufacturing, Retail Among UK Sectors at Risk From Shipping Disruption
Cleveland Containers warns that UK businesses face heightened exposure to maritime disruptions, with 85% of freight by weight moving by sea in 2024. Recent Red Sea instability forced container ships to detour around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks...
Organic Cotton Summit 2026 Targets Supply Chain, Production Challenges
The Organic Cotton Summit 2026, jointly hosted by the Organic Cotton Accelerator and Textile Exchange, will convene fashion brands, retailers, farmers, and policymakers to tackle supply‑chain and production challenges. The agenda focuses on traceability, climate‑resilience financing, regulatory shifts, and boosting...
Inspectorio AI Platform to Enhance Gap Supply Chain Oversight
Inspectorio announced its AI platform will be deployed across Gap Inc.'s portfolio—including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta—to deliver end‑to‑end product traceability. The system automates task execution and centralises supplier data, enabling faster, data‑driven decisions. The move follows Gap's...
Spinnova Prepares to Restart Woodspin Demo Factory Production
Spinnova is restarting trial runs at its Woodspin demonstration factory to boost production efficiency using technology proven at pilot scale. The 1,000‑tonne‑per‑year facility, opened in May 2023, aims to resume full‑scale operations by 2026 pending trial outcomes. The company now fully...