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Diversification has quickly turned from “nice to have” to “need to have” as an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China has made the industry's number one manufacturing destination a more expensive choice. In a challenging climate, brands are also becoming more risk averse, and a broader sourcing map that goes beyond the “China plus one” strategy helps to hedge against headwinds. “The importance of diversification—and not just to one other area plus China, but to many other geographical locations in several different continents, potentially—is seen as an importance and an urgency, regardless of the logistical frictions that may exist in pursuing such a strategy,” said Yossi Nasser, CEO of Gelmart, which manufactures intimates for major retailers like Target and Walmart. Although it also has operations in China, Gelmart is leaning on its factories in the Philippines amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. More than just a means to circumvent a tariff spat, Nasser noted the Philippines is a sourcing destination that should be on the industry's radar. Listen to this episode to hear Nasser speak with Sourcing Journal's sourcing and labor editor Jasmin Malik Chua about what makes the Philippines a solid choice for garment production and how Gelmart is strategizing for long-term resilience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, WWD and Sourcing Journal editors weigh in on recent headlines and the implications of the current trade war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Last month, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy for the second time. It is planning to close all of its stores in the coming months as it winds down its operations. This is not a eulogy for Forever 21, but it is a deep dive into how one retailer change changed our habits, along with the entire business of making and selling clothing.We'll be talking about the following topics:The history of Forever 21: where it started, how it grew, and where it went wrong,The many ways that Forever 21 changed our relationship with clothing, including how much we were willing to pay and how long we expected a garment to last,How cultural and social trends of the 00s (including "high/low style") helped Forever 21 grow,The ways in which Forever 21 paved the way for ultra fast fashion brands like SHEIN...only to fall behind in the end.And so much more! We'll also feel a little bit (just a tiny bit) nostalgic for Sparks (the caffeinated malt liquor) and summer nights spent biking around Portland, OR. Additional reading:"One Family Built Forever 21, and Fueled Its Collapse," Sapna Maheshwari, The New York Times."Faster Fashion, Cheaper Chic," Ruth La Ferla, The New York Times."Forever 21 Bankruptcy Unmasks Major Debt Load, Positions Suppliers for ‘Instability'," Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal."Shein and Forever 21 Team Up in Fast-Fashion Deal," Jordyn Holman, The New York Times."Forever 21's Linda Chang: Overexpansion brought company to bankruptcy," Madeline Speed, Vogue Business."Bankrupt and loving it: Welcome to the lucrative world of undead brands," Alina Selyukh, NPR."Boycott Forever 21," Liz Black, Huff Post.Urban CounterfeitersGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you'll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a "velvet jungle" full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet.Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.comSelina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts. Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come. Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.Salt Hats: purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Mic...
The political will toward sustainability is constantly shifting, and with the official exit from the Paris Agreement and a ‘drill, baby drill' fossil fuel mentality, things are moving in another direction. This has created a climate of uncertainty for eco-minded businesses seeking support from government sustainability requirements. That said, the underlying drivers of a sustainable future—innovation, tapping into cost-efficient renewable energy, and consumer demand for ethical practices—remain intact. In other words, eco-champions are a tenacious bunch. Sourcing Journal has dug deep into the situation with its State of the Industry Sustainability Report, released the same day as our Sustainability Summit in New York. To discuss how the industry is moving forward, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with two editors who wrote the majority of the report: Jasmin Malik Chua, SJ's sourcing and labor editor, and Alex Harrell, SJ's sustainability and innovation reporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The political will toward sustainability is constantly shifting, and with the official exit from the Paris Agreement and a ‘drill, baby drill' fossil fuel mentality, things are moving in another direction. This has created a climate of uncertainty for eco-minded businesses seeking support from government sustainability requirements. That said, the underlying drivers of a sustainable future—innovation, tapping into cost-efficient renewable energy, and consumer demand for ethical practices—remain intact. In other words, eco-champions are a tenacious bunch. Sourcing Journal has dug deep into the situation with its State of the Industry Sustainability Report, released the same day as our Sustainability Summit in New York. Here, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with two editors who wrote most of the report: Jasmin Malik Chua, SJ's Sourcing and labor editor, and Alex Harrell, SJ's Sustainability & Innovation Reporter. To download SJ's Sustainability Report, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lately, tariffs have become the most powerful word in the world. They are moving stock markets, upending longstanding international trade agreements, and evoking lots of confusion—and emotion—across industries. Sourcing Journal recently released its annual State of the Industry Sourcing Report, and one thing is clear: tariff turmoil has gripped the fashion sector. In this episode, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal's features editor and resident tariff expert, on where things stand now, where they might go, and all the implications in between. To download SJ's Sourcing Report, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lately, tariffs have become the most powerful word in the world. They are moving stock markets, upending longstanding international trade agreements, and evoking lots of confusion—and emotion—across industries. Sourcing Journal recently released its annual State of the Industry Sourcing Report, and one thing is clear: tariff turmoil has gripped the fashion sector. In this episode, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal's features editor and resident tariff expert, on where things stand now, where they might go, and all the implications in between. To download SJ's Sourcing Report, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the mere year and a half since it launched, Reju has already made substantial progress on its path toward scaling recycled polyester production. Last October, the textile-to-textile regeneration firm opened its first operational plant that will start deliveries this year, and it is not stopping there. With textile industry experts at the helm—including former Under Armour chief executive Patrik Frisk as CEO—and IBM-developed technology underpinning its chemistry, Reju is on a mission to fully redesign fashion systems for circularity. Together with partners such as Goodwill, it is taking a value chain-wide approach to accelerate the textile recycling rate from where it currently stands at 1 percent. In this episode, Frisk speaks with Sourcing Journal's sourcing and labor editor Jasmin Malik Chua about Reju's focus on textile-to-textile recycling solutions and why collaboration is critical to driving circularity forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Whether it be container prices, warehouse demand, port congestion or the automation conversation, the year ahead for retail logistics has plenty of question marks. In this episode, Lauren Parker, director, Fairchild Studio, chats with Glenn Taylor, logistics editor, Sourcing Journal, to get some answers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Change, obstacles and opportunity sum up the state of supply chains in 2025. And while logistics are tumultuous under the best of circumstances—let alone during fiery geopolitics and a new president determined to remake the trade landscape—there's plenty of optimism and energy on many fronts. Sourcing Journal just released its 2025 Logistics Report, which brings you the latest logistics news, from automation to mergers and acquisitions. In this episode, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with Glenn Taylor, SJ's Logistics Editor, on the report's highlights and overall industry insights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hãng khổng lồ về thời trang bình dân Shein đề nghị một số nhà cung cấp hàng may mặc lớn nhất của họ tại Trung Quốc lập cơ sở sản xuất mới tại Việt Nam với các ưu đãi bao gồm giá mua cao hơn tới 30%, những người nắm vấn đề này cho biết, theo tin trên Bloomberg, The Standard và Sourcing Journal trong hai ngày 10 và 11/2.
How effectively can you verify your sustainability claims and results? This question is becoming more imperative as the industry is now being held to higher standards to report and communicate their environmental impact. To meet these demands, companies need data. In 2020, the U.S. Cotton TrustProtocol was developed to collect and share farm-level data on six key metrics, providing participating brands and retailers with more insights into the profile of their cotton. “Those metrics are the overarching umbrella that help explain what's being done at the field level to an industry that's consuming that cotton,” said Daren Abney, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. The other purpose of data collection is measuring progress. Setting goals, gathering baseline figures and then benchmarking against them lets the industry know how far it has come, and what gaps it still must close. “It's not just about collecting data,” said Deepika Mishra, Ph.D., standards and data lead consultant at the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “It's about using it to drive real, measurable improvements in the sustainability of cotton production.” Listen to Abney and Mishra in conversation with Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, to learn how the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is using traceability to give brands a full picture of the cotton supply chain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As a new administration takes office in the United States, the retail industry is watching what will happen with trade. While tariffs could hike the import price of finished goods, they would also have an impact on the cotton market. Any trade conflicts with China could disrupt a key export destination for U.S.-grown cotton if China pushes back with its own tariffs, as it did in 2018. “China just didn't take our increases…sitting down,” said Jon Devine, senior economist at Cotton Incorporated. “They did have some retaliation, and one of the first products to be hit in terms of the U.S. trade to China was cotton.” Listen to this chat between Devine and Alex Harrell, staff writer at Sourcing Journal, to hear more about what to watch for in the next Trump term and whether a recession is likely in the next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal's editor in chief, chats with Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studios, about the recent SJ Fall Summit, industry issues and how stakeholders are rising to the occasion, despite the challenges. “With so much uncertainty out there, just sitting around doom scrolling your balance sheets is not really going to get you anywhere. So, people feel that when they're participating in events like this, and there's open, honest discussions, which I felt there were throughout the day, there is an opportunity to do things—as opposed to having things done to you. So, I do think that that lent a slightly optimistic tone.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sourcing Journal turned 15 this year, so there was a lot to celebrate at its annual Fall Summit held in New York this November. The event tackled trade issues and industry turmoil, not to mention Trump's proposed tariffs, which were particularly top of mind as the event occurred just days after the election. In this episode, Lauren Parker, Director of SJ and Fairchild Studios chats with Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal's editor in chief, about event highlights and its accompanying Companion Report, which recaps the event and also "continues the conversation." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this fireside chat, Lauren Parker, director of Sourcing Journal and Fairchild Studios, chats with Kelly West, manager of business development for North America of Trimco Group (based in the U.S.), and Claire Piccinno, sustainability advisor and ProductDNA team leader of Trimco Group (based in France) to get a global perspective on this evolving issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this fireside chat, Andre Claudio, staff writer, strategic content at Sourcing Journal, chats with Kendall Becker, fashion and editorial strategy director at Trendalytics, about how the retail intelligence platform is leveraging this technology to help retailers make more profitable, data-driven decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this podcast, Glenn Taylor, logistics editor at Sourcing Journal, and Cayce Roy, founder and CEO of Standvast, discuss how the company is shaping the future of order fulfillment through its innovative technology and services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've seen this movie before. Or have we? Kate Nishimura of Sourcing Journal chats with Lauren Parker of Fairchild Studio on what a second Trump presidency might mean for apparel, footwear, textiles and retail when it comes to tariffs, trade and taxes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Automation holds immense potential for the product development process. Moving rote tasks from humans to artificial intelligence allows teams to focus their energy on the creative aspects of the job. It also streamlines the workflow, reducing samples and iterations, which in turn boosts efficiency and reduces waste. “You're… ultimately shifting teams from firefighting to adding value and helping businesses become more agile [and] creative while still being sustainable,” said Kristen Ohlsson, head of strategic solutions consulting at apparel design software firm Browzwear. To get the most out of AI, companies need to underpin the technology with digitalized systems and solid data management so that the machines are learning from the right information. Also critical is training so employees don't dread the technology. “AI is not there to replace your jobs,” said Lars Villumsen, strategic solutions architect consultant director at Browzwear. “It's to assist you on working smarter.” This conversation between Ohlsson, Villumsen and Sourcing Journal's senior editor, strategic content Sarah Jones covers what tasks should—and shouldn't—be automated and AI's future place in product creation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kate Nishimura of Sourcing Journal chats with Lauren Parker of Fairchild Studio about what Trump's next presidency could means for apparel, footwear, textiles and retail when it comes to tariffs, trade and taxes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Combatting climate change has become a top target for the fashion industry, but reaching carbon-cutting targets will require action across the entire supply chain. In September 2022, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was named the lead recipient of the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program, receiving funding and recognition as part of the USDA's Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities pilot projects to support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help brands and retailers report against Scope 3 emissions reductions for cotton used in products. The Climate Smart Cotton Program is a five-year collaborative initiative that brings together partners from across the supply chain and provides additional benefits for growers, including technical and financial support. “The goal is really helping cotton growers improve their profitability, their operations and of course, their environmental stewardship,” said Daren Abney, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. One of the participants, Louisiana-based Hardwick Planting Company, is taking a well-rounded approach to sustainability that includes returning unproductive farmland to natural and biodiverse habitats, paring back tillage and better targeting pest and weed control. Although many of these practices are longstanding, technology is enhancing these sustainability efforts. “Advances in technology…will continue to improve our ability to save inputs, be more precise; that really goes a long way,” said Mead Hardwick, partner at Hardwick Planting Company. Here, Abney, Hardwick and Sourcing Journal's sourcing and labor editor Jasmin Malik Chua discuss what the Climate Smart Cotton Program entails and how carbon-cutting measures are being rolled out at the farm level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To see how the fashion industry is faring regarding sustainability, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studios, sat down with Peter Sadera, editor-in-chief, Sourcing Journal, to discuss the positives pushing things forward, as well as the obstacles blocking more progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To see how the fashion industry is faring regarding sustainability, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studios, sat down with Peter Sadera, editor-in-chief, Sourcing Journal, to discuss the positives pushing things forward, as well as the obstacles blocking more progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Alex Harrell, Sourcing Journal staff reporter, discusses the gains and obstacles in the exciting world of alt materials. Download the Material Innovation Report to learn: What's next for Renewcell, rebranded Circulose under its new private equity owner How Under Armour is pushing the envelope with its new Neolast fiber What Ganni's playbook, “How to Get Started Creating a Sustainable Business,” can teach startups and existing businesses alike How textile-to-textile recycler Ambercycle is scaling up and exploring new relationships to bring its signature creation, Cycora, to the masses How next-gen materials developer Polybion has brought its bacteria cellulose leather alternative, Celium, to the global market Why the global market for biopolymers is set to grow by 17 percent over the next five years, according to a report by the nova-Institute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get ready to ignite your passion and dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship with today's guest, Eddie Hertzman, the dynamic founder of Athletech News. In this electrifying episode of the Todd Durkin IMPACT SHOW, we unravel the threads of Eddie's inspiring journey, the birth and meteoric rise of Athletech News, and his candid, unfiltered insights on the fitness industry, business strategies, trends, and personal development. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to make a serious impact in their lives and careers! Highlights & Questions from Our Conversation: The Birth of Athletech News: Eddie shares the origin story and development journey of Athletech News. Who's Tuning In?: Discover the demographics and unique traits of Athletech News subscribers. Pitch Perfect: Eddie delivers an elevator pitch that captures the essence of Athletech News. Fitness Industry Insight: Eddie's take on why the fitness industry struggles to secure a serious seat at the business table. Passion vs. Business: We delve into the delicate balance between passion and pragmatism in the fitness industry. Investment Insights: Eddie's top picks for investing in fitness studios or franchises. Defining Wellness: Eddie's perspective on what wellness truly means in today's fitness landscape. Personal Development: The areas Eddie is focusing on with his coach for personal growth. The Power of Having a Coach: Eddie reveals why he has a coach and the most valuable aspects of having a business/life-coach. Coaching Gold: Valuable advice from Eddie's coach that can benefit life coaches and trainers. Mastering Time: Eddie's strategies for managing time and staying laser-focused on key goals. Legacy and Impact: Eddie's thoughts on the legacy he wants to leave and the impact he aspires to make. This episode is packed with gems for anyone aiming to elevate their game in fitness, business, or personal development. Eddie's insights are not just thought-provoking—they're actionable steps you can apply right now to make a difference in your journey. I often say that “I like to learn from people who think differently.” Eddie Hertzman thinks differently and I love that. Tune-in, take notes, and get ready to be inspired to create your legacy and leave an indelible IMPACT! If you like today's IMPACT SHOW, please share it on your Social Media and pass it on to a friend or colleague. Our links are: IG: @ToddDurkin @athletechnews FB: @ToddDurkinFQ10 ABOUT Eddie Hertzman(Guest): Edward Hertzman is a serial entrepreneur who has launched multiple businesses across several industry verticals including media, fitness, wellness and sourcing. He is also a subject matter expert who has become the voice for the industries he has served. An early-stage investor in promising startups, he has contributed to their growth and value creation. His latest venture, Athletech News, is a response to the fitness industry's need for community, representation and a seat at the table. Much like sourcing more than a decade ago, fitness and wellness has been a fragmented, under-valued, and under-reported industry, with little transparency into the robust investments occurring in the space, or the dynamic leaders that drive these businesses. Athletech News answers to this need. Prior to Hertzman's latest venture, following several years on the ground as a supply chain executive, Hertzman founded Sourcing Journal in 2009. Today, Sourcing Journal is the world's largest trade publication devoted to sourcing and supply chain in the apparel and textiles industry. In 2017, Hertzman sold the company to Penske Media Group. He remained on board as President for 5 years, during which time he was promoted to EVP of all Fairchild Media Titles, tasked with growing their portfolio of publications, while continuing to lead day-to-day operations at Sourcing Journal. In 2023, Hertzman left Penske to launch his next media enterprise, Athletech Media Group. It has quickly become the media of record for the fitness and wellness industry with more than 60,000 subscribers signing on since its debut. Hertzman continues to consult for several retail and supply chain companies and through his company, Hertzman Global Ventures, he has made targeted investments in both PE funds and supply chain tech companies including Active Source Lab. Hertzman is also a sought-after speaker, sharing his expertise at leading industry conferences and events. His innovative leadership has helped shape the way the industry approaches sustainability, commercial compliance, and global sourcing strategies. Hertzman received a degree in economics from NYU and spent more than a decade working in top-level executive positions for major sourcing companies worldwide, including Synergies Worldwide and Pearl Global. He also sits on the Board for Delivering Good, a charitable organization that channels the resources of the fashion industry to those in need. Ready to bring IMPACT to your Community and open an IMPACT-X Performance Facility?? NOW is the time to “BRING THE LIGHT” to your COMMUNITY. Find out HOW to do that right here… www.IMPACT-XFranchise.com READY FOR EVEN MORE ONGOING MOTIVATION & INSPIRATION? SIGN-UP FOR THE “DOSE OF DURKIN” TODAY!! If you are not signed-up for the Dose of Durkin, make sure you Sign-up NOW for your weekly “Dose” delivered every Thursday. You will simply get a Quote of Day, a weekly workout challenge, and my MINDSET HACK for the week. Sign-up today: www.ToddDurkin.com Get Your IMPACT JOURNAL today at www.ToddDurkin.com https://fitnessquest10.infusionsoft.app/app/orderForms/IMPACT-Journal Join my TD Community for FREE: Simply text me “IMPACT” to (619)304.2216 and you are on your way to receiving exclusive content and even more motivation & inspiration. Sign-up TODAY! Please keep your questions coming so I can highlight you on the podcast!! If you have a burning question and want to be featured on the IMPACT show, go to www.todddurkin.com/podcast, fill out the form, and submit your questions! Don't forget that if you want more keys to unlock your potential and propel your success, you can order my book GET YOUR MIND RIGHT at www.todddurkin.com/getyourmindright or anywhere books are sold. Get Your Mind Right now available on AUDIO: https://christianaudio.com/get-your-mind-right-todd-durkin-audiobook-download Want more Motivation and Inspiration? Sign up for my newsletter The TD Times that comes out on the 10th of every month full of great content. Sign-up here… www.todddurkin.com ABOUT Todd Durkin (HOST): Todd Durkin is one of the world's leading coaches, trainers, and motivators. It's no secret why some of the world's top athletes have trained with him for nearly two decades. He's a best-selling author, a motivational speaker, and founded the legendary Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA. He currently coaches fellow trainers, coaches, and life-transformers in his Todd Durkin Mastermind group. Here, he mentors and shares his 25-years of wisdom in the industry on business, leadership, marketing, training, and personal growth. Todd was a coach on the NBC & Netflix show “STRONG.” He's a previous Jack LaLanne Award winner, a 2-time Trainer of the Year. Todd and his wife Melanie head up the Durkin IMPACT Foundation (501-c-3) that has raised over $250,000 since it started in 2013. 100% of all proceeds go back to kids and families in need. https://todddurkin.com/impact-foundation/ To learn more about Todd, visit www.ToddDurkin.com and www.FitnessQuest10.com. Join his fire-breathing dragons' community and receive regular motivational and inspirational emails. Visit www.ToddDurkin.com and opt-in to receive his value-rich content. Connect with Todd online in the following places: You can listen to Todd's podcast, The IMPACT Show, by going to www.todddurkin.com/podcast. You can get any of his books by clicking here! (Get Your Mind Right, WOW BOOK, The IMPACT Body Plan, What's Next?
Since synthetic materials came on the scene almost a century ago, they have grown to become the most popular choice for apparel. But the prevalence of polyester and other polymer-based fibers has come with a tiny yet pervasive problem: microplastics. Textiles are a key contributor to microplastic pollution, as tiny plastic particles break off and enter the air and water, posing harms to humans and other living things. Polyester and other synthetics are also persistent in the environment, since microplastics and garments themselves are not readily biodegradable. “What do we do about this plastic and where this plastic ends up? And what does it even mean to the environment as well as to our own health?” said Dr. Jesse Daystar, chief sustainability officer and vice president, sustainability at the not-for-profit research and promotion organization Cotton Incorporated. “The world and consumers are sort of waking up to the fact that this is an issue.” In this episode, Daystar and Yvonne Johnson, senior director, product development at Cotton Incorporated, speak with Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, about Why natural fibers are a better, more sustainable choice and what will finally move the industry away from polymer-based fibers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SHEIN has–and is– changing what it means to buy and sell clothing on planet Earth. And it's not a change for the better. It's a change we should all care about, no matter where WE buy our clothing. Because SHEIN and what it means for the future of making and selling just about any category of stuff WILL impact every one of us: no matter what we wear, where we live, the kind of job we have, or how much money we have. The SHEIN-ification is such a big deal, so impactful for every one of us, that this episode is part 1 in a short series about SHEIN: where it's been, where it's going, and how it is changing everything.In this part of the series, we will be tackling:SHEIN's impending IPO. And WTF is an IPO?How SHEIN grew and grew and grew (blame 2020 and sweatpants).What in the heck is the de minimis loophole and how is this benefiting SHEIN?And, are there really empty airplanes flying back to China every day so they can be loaded back up with SHEIN and Temu parcels?Also, an update on the Fashion Act and how/why we are still in the early stages of the fight to end fast fashion!Thanks to this episode's sponsor, Made by MLE, @madebymle on Instagram. Use code CLOTHESHORSE to receive 10% off your first order!Additional reading (lots of sources this week):Maxine's statement about the Fashion ActWhat is an IPO?"NEW REPORT FINDS SHEIN EMITS MORE POLLUTION THAN THE COUNTRY OF PARAGUAY," Janelle Sessoms, Fashionista."What's ‘Really Scary' About Shein's Breakneck Growth," Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal."NRF rejects Shein membership as retailer pursues U.S. IPO," Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC. Financial Times."Fast fashion retailer Shein hikes prices ahead of IPO," Helen Reid, Reuters."Synthetics Anonymous 2.0: Fashion's persistent plastic problem," Changing Markets Foundation."You're Buying So Much From Temu And Shein The Air Cargo Industry Can't Keep Up," Cyrus Farivar, Forbes."The Time Has Come to Address the De Minimis Loophole," Timothy Lyons, Vermont Law Review."Labor unions, domestic manufacturing groups launch coalition to reform de minimis import loophole," Chelsea Cox, CNBC.And HEY! BUY YOUR TICKETS TO THE CLOTHESHORSE JAMBOREE ASAP!Want to take advantage of the payment plan?Each payment is $50, spread over 4 payments.The first one happens when you buy your ticket. You will use promo code INSTALLMENT1 at checkout (when you enter your payment info). You will be charged $50 and you will receive your actual ticket via email immediately. Amanda will send you a link to pay the remaining payments on 6/25, 7/25, and the week of the jamboree.If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseFind this episode's transcript (and so much more) at clotheshorsepodcast.comClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you'll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear....
In response to a challenged and constantly shifting retail market, WWD and Sourcing Journal have joined forces and teamed up with Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC, a Hilco Global Company, to launch “Retail Rx.” This digital content microsite presents news and insights to help executive leaders make better-informed business decisions. Fresh content is posted weekly. In this fireside chat, Lauren Parker, director, FMG Studios, sits down with Michael Appel, managing director and head of retail practice and Getzler Henrich, to discuss the need for the site and its goal of offering business leaders a competitive edge in an ever-evolving, complex retail marketplace. Retail Rx includes the podcast “Chat Box,” where industry experts and retail executives explore the state of retail today and tomorrow. “Retail POV” articles present exclusive finance and technology news and business insights from the Getzler Henrich and Hilco Global experts, and “The SKU View” fireside chats feature retail and industry thought leaders and experts. “Mike Drop,” is Michael Appel's “no-holds-barred” opinion column to industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Green.” “Eco-friendly.” “Low impact.” As companies compete for consumers' dollars, they are touting sustainability benefits alongside other product attributes. But rather than talking about vague sustainability claims, brands must track and show their work toward targets to effect change and meet consumers' ethical expectations. Part of this accountability is companies admitting where they fell short of targets. Transparency could also mean disclosing non-compliance with a roadmap for eradicating social or environmental risks. “It's time that we start celebrating people who have the bravery to be transparent, and also the bravery to say why something didn't work and what they're going to do differently,” said Suzanne Ellingham, event director for trade shows Source Fashion and Source Home & Gift. “It's a matter of moving away from terminology and really moving towards setting goals and being accountable.” Listen to Ellingham in conversation with Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, to hear why brands often shy away from full transparency before reaching goals and how frontrunner brands are proactively reporting on their pitfalls and progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nearly 1 out of 4 of the new garments we purchase end up being returned to the brand/retailer. While retail companies tend to keep the true data about returns under wraps, industry experts estimate that half of returned clothing is never worn by another person, ending up in the landfill instead. So yeah, returns are a pretty big deal across the entire retail industry (even outside of clothing). Amanda is joined by Emily Austin, who has a lot of experience in the world of returns, customer care, and the intersection of technology and returns. What is the true cost of returns?In this episode we get into the following: Why processing returns (also known as "reverse logistics") is very expensive How finding a fix for returns has become an entire industry Why retailers are changing their return policies The environmental and social impact of so many returns How the high volume of returns is both the result and cause of declining clothing quality. And yes, it is very ironic that retailers could reduce the number of returns by improving quality! Ways we can try to reduce our own number of returns...(yes, it's difficult) This episode also includes small business audio essays from Ren and Ruby.Follow and connect with everyone:Emily: @emaustin11 and @acommonrose (her vintage shop)Ren: @renb.designs and renbdesigns.comRuby: @spokesandstitches Check out her workshops here.Additional reading:"Revolve Execs Outline Plans to Slash 60% Return Rate," Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal."The True Cost of Apparel Returns: Alarming Return Rates Require Loss-Minimization Solutions," Sunny Zheng, Coresight Research."Forget Black Friday, it's time to plan for 'Returns Thursday,'" Alex Timlin, IMRG Blog.Download the National Retail Federation's "2022 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry" here."Your Brand New Returns End Up in Landfill," Harriet Constable, BBC Earth.If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldOr call the Clotheshorse hotline: 717.925.7417Find this episode's transcript (and so much more) at clotheshorsepodcast.comClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:High Energy Vintage is a fun and funky vintage shop located in Somerville, MA, just a few minutes away from downtown Boston. They offer a highly curated selection of bright and colorful clothing and accessories from the 1940s-1990s for people of all genders. Husband-and-wife duo Wiley & Jessamy handpick each piece for quality and style, with a focus on pieces that transcend trends and will find a home in your closet for many years to come! In addition to clothing, the shop also features a large selection of vintage vinyl and old school video games. Find them on instagram @ highenergyvintage, online at highenergyvintage.com, and at markets in and around Boston.The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you'll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Gabriela Antonas is a visual artist, an upcycler, and a fashion designer, but Gabriela Antonas is also a feminist micro business with radical ideals. She's the one woman band, trying to help you understand, why slow fashion is what the earth needs. If you find your self in New Orleans, LA, you may buy her ready-to-wear upcycled garments in person at the store “Slow Down” (2855 Magazine St). Slow Down Nola only sells vintage and slow fashion from local designers. Gabriela's garments are guaranteed to be in stock in person, but they also have a website so you may support this women owned and run business from wherever you are! If you are interested in Gabriela making a one of a kind garment for you DM her on Instagram at @slowfashiongabriela to book a consultation.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a "velvet jungle" full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet.Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.comSelina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts. Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come. Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.Salt Hats: purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Michigan.Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points. If it's ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it! Vintage style with progressive values. Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.Thumbprint is Detroit's only fair trade marketplace, located in the historic Eastern Market. Our small business specializes in products handmade by empowered women in South Africa making a living wage creating things they love like hand painted candles and ceramics! We also carry a curated assortment of sustainable/natural locally made goods. Thumbprint is a great gift destination for both the special people in your life and for yourself! Browse our online store at thumbprintdetroit.com and find us on instagram @thumbprintdetroit.Picnicwear: a slow fashion brand, ethically made by hand from vintage and deadstock materials - most notably, vintage towels! Founder, Dani, has worked in the industry as a fashion designer for over 10 years, but started Picnicwear in response to her dissatisfaction with the industry's shortcomings. Picnicwear recently moved to rural North Carolina where all their clothing and accessories are now designed and cut, but the majority of their sewing is done by skilled garment workers in NYC. Their customers take comfort in knowing that all their sewists are paid well above NYC minimum wage. Picnicwear offers minimal waste and maximum authenticity: Future Vintage over future garbage.Shift Clothing, out of beautiful Astoria, Oregon, with a focus on natural fibers, simple hardworking designs, and putting fat people first. Discover more at shiftwheeler.comBlank Cass, or Blanket Coats by Cass, is focused on restoring, renewing, and reviving the history held within vintage and heirloom textiles. By embodying and transferring the love, craft, and energy that is original to each vintage textile into a new garment, I hope we can reteach ourselves to care for and mend what we have and make it last. Blank Cass lives on Instagram @blank_cass and a website will be launched soon at blankcass.com.
Artificial intelligence has been a buzzy topic in the retail field for a few years, but the industry is still falling short of using this technology to its full potential. In a recent survey from supply chain management technology firm Blue Yonder, the retail executive respondents self reported that they know about AI and are currently using it. However, while Generative AI is being used most popularly for supply chain management, only 29 percent are using AI for predictive analytics and only about a tenth are tapping into AI's capabilities for digital tracking and scenario planning. Here, Tammy Kulesa, senior director of product marketing at Blue Yonder, and Erin Halka, vice president of product management, speak to Sourcing Journal's feature editor Kate Nishimura about how AI can be used to improve everything from planning to productivity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In fashion, there's a lot of talk about innovation and technological advancements, but when it comes to efficiency gains from technology, the industry has been slow to progress. Apparel design and production tends to be a long stepwise process, which slows down workflows and makes it harder to meet demand. Technology, however, holds the potential to provide significant efficiency and productivity gains, by enhancing the workflow of the apparel value chain. “If the fashion industry were to move at the speed of the automotive industry, it should take a day and a half to design and prepare a garment for production,” said Bill Wilcox, founder and president of 3D design software platform Clothing Tech LLC in a fireside chat with Lauren Parker, head of Sourcing Journal and FMG Studio teams. Unfortunately, noted Wilcox, too many companies are using 3D design more to visualize their 2D processes, rather than boost efficiencies all around. Watch the fireside chat to learn: · The opportunities and systemic problems in the $2T fashion industry · Where most of the problems exist and how they can be solved · What the automotive and electronics industries can teach fashion about automated design and production efficiencies · How Clothing Tech can help fulfill the efficiency promises the fashion industry's been chasing · How designing in 3D can improve workflow efficiencies and speed to market Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An all-too-common consumer experience is finding that the “correct” shoe size is not a perfect fit. Numerical sizes are not standardized across brands and styles, leading to frustration and a potential missed sale opportunity. Retail technology firm Volumental has created foot scanning devices that help consumers avoid a footwear sizing headache. At partner retail stores, shoppers can get scanned, see their size results and then receive personalized recommendations of shoes that will fit them best based on aspects such as their foot shape, arch and more. This experience not only removes guesswork, but it also engages shoppers and provides valuable information about their individual feet. It also encourages loyalty; consumers are incentivized to give a retailer their email in exchange for their scan data, opening the lines of communication. “The cohort of people with scans actually return to the store and brand more and more often,” Volumental CEO and co-founder Alper Aydemir noted during a fireside chat with Kate Nishimura, features editor at Sourcing Journal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The past few years have ushered in a sustainability sea change for Pakistan-based manufacturer AGI Denim. Although environmental and social initiatives were already underway, the recent investments and operational shifts have created more standardization and transparency around these efforts. AGI Denim's directors Ahmed and Hasan Javed spoke to Sarah Jones, senior editor, strategic content at Sourcing Journal, about their B Corp certification and initiatives in environmental and social action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of the keys to cracking the code of footwear sustainability is reducing and managing waste. Currently, about 90 percent of shoes end up in landfills, where they begin to break down, but never fully decompose due to the materials used. This problem informs innovation at insole manufacturer and supplier OrthoLite. “How can we develop true end of life solutions for footwear—focused on product and process—to ensure that we are providing true circular solutions so that footwear has a place to go versus a landfill,” said Kristin Burrows, OrthoLite's chief brand officer. In a conversation with Kate Nishimura, features editor at Sourcing Journal, Burrows discusses how OrthoLite is tackling footwear waste and why recycling isn't the absolute solution for sustainability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Navigating the complexities of the current apparel supply chain can be cumbersome, particularly as consumers demand more sustainable and traceable alternatives and share concerns about greenwashing and labor conditions. As such, brands cannot afford to continue making sourcing decisions based exclusively on traditional pillars like cost, quality and lead times, according to Stuart McCready-Stocks, global brand director at fashion supply chain software provider Coats Digital. Coats Digital has long sought to help fashion brands build more transparent, sustainable supply chains, offering the GSDCost solution to help manufacturers better analyze all labor-related activities, whether it be cutting, sewing, inspecting or packing. The solution is designed to enable these suppliers to establish time-cost benchmarks for individual tasks and better estimate associated labor costs for finished goods. In a fireside chat with Sourcing Journal logistics editor Glenn Taylor, McCready-Stocks broke down apparel's current need to adopt a version of the “three P” methodology: people, planet and performance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The 132-year-old Cone Denim, the oldest denim manufacturer based in the United States, knows a thing or two about denim but is hardly resting on its laurels. With vertical mills in Mexico and China, Cone Denim has recently invested about $14 million on more sustainable production initiatives, notably including creating a certified supply chain pipeline for recycled cotton in Mexico, water mitigation systems and even solar rooftop panels. “We're constantly looking for new technologies and new ways to up our game and remain sustainable,” said Cone Denim president Steve Maggard in a fireside chat with Sourcing Journal business reporter Matt Hickman, citing a new zero liquid discharge water treatment facility, a co-generation facility that reduces cost to produce hot water and steam by using the heat generated during electricity production, as well as a new fiber blending production line to create sustainable offerings with materials like hemp, Tencel, recycled cotton and organic cotton. Watch the fireside chat to learn: · How Cone Denim's vertical mills in Mexico and China have been upgraded for better sustainability · How nearshoring benefits denim brands for closer-to-market trend shifts, sustainability and capital flow · How Cone Denim is meeting the increased demand for recycled content in both its Mexico and China mills with up to 20 to 100% recycled fiber content · Why Cone has invested in RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) certification and third-party certification with Oritain and why this is so critical today · How Cone Denim's new Zero Liquid Discharge water treatment facility is a cornerstone of the company's water conservation efforts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
While some designers use 3D design merely as an add-on for existing sketches, others have realized the tremendous benefits of designing in 3D from the outset. 3D software lets designers virtually experiment and share versions with their teams—increasing ideations and creativity, all while decreasing time and sample costs. Lauren Parker, Director of Sourcing Journal's Studio is joined by Bill Wilcox, president and founder of 3D Design software company Clothing Tech LLC, whose proprietary technology helps designers “work smarter” to bring their designs to life. This is part 2 of a 4-part series from Clothing Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The strategic benefits of on-demand garment production are plentiful: inventory alignment, trimmed waste and higher margins. Today, this model is not the norm, but digital printing firm Kornit's goal is scaling up made-to-order manufacturing. Here, Kornit's vice president of marketing Don Whaley speaks with Jessica Binns, managing editor and technology editor at Sourcing Journal, about the growing demand for direct-to-garment technologies and how Kornit's digital production solutions address sustainability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 1973, Cotton Incorporated debuted a brand image for cotton fiber and the cotton industry that has had a lasting impact on cotton usage and consumer sentiment. Today, the Seal of Cotton can be seen on products across 70 countries, and 8 in 10 consumers say they are familiar with the trademark. The seal stands for three C's: cotton, clothing and comfort. “Consumers love cotton, they trust it, and it has an emotional connection that no other fiber has,” said Kim Kitchings, senior vice president of consumer marketing at Cotton Incorporated. Kitchings spoke with Sourcing Journal's features editor Kate Nishimura about the origin of the Seal of Cotton trademark and major milestones in its 50-year history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cotton pricing depends on various factors, including basic supply and demand. Due to pandemic pressures, the market experienced volatility as circumstances changed rapidly. Although Supima and other extra-long staple cottons are unique in the market, these premium fibers have also been riding a pricing rollercoaster. Listen to the chat between Lewkowitz and Sourcing Journal founder Edward Hertzman to learn why higher cotton prices are not necessarily a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen and Joe Lynch discuss why China is moving to Mexico. Jorge is Co-CEO of The Nearshore Company, where he helps North American, European, and Asian manufacturing companies to successfully establish reliable manufacturing operations in Mexico. About Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen is Co-CEO of The Nearshore Company, where he helps North American, European, and Asian manufacturing companies to successfully establish reliable manufacturing operations in Mexico, by ensuring quality, certifications, transparency, and continuous improvement. Jorge also has become a leading voice on nearshoring and globalization, contributing insights as an expert source and author to such publications as Forbes, the BBC, Sourcing Journal, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, and FreightWaves. For more than 20 years, Jorge has connected Mexico's rich financial and industrial resources to companies and individuals the world over. In addition to his current role at The Nearshore Company, Jorge is managing partner of Akazia Capital Partners, an enterprise that acquires and grows middle-market companies. Jorge has a deep background in cross-border investment banking, private equity, and corporate management at companies such as Rothschild, UBS, CMR-Mexico, and Grupo Calidra, that have benefited from his keen business sense and determined approach. Additionally, Jorge has leveraged his insights with students in Mexico, serving as a clinical professor of entrepreneurship for the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico, where he taught an undergraduate course for students majoring in business, economics, and engineering. Jorge holds a B.A. in International Relations from Mexico's Universidad Iberoamericana, and an MBA from New York University. About The Nearshore Company The Nearshore Company is a manufacturing services company that was founded in 1992. With the aim of helping manufacturing companies around the world to launch and/or transfer their operations, The Nearshore Company offers traditional and customized business models that are tailored to the needs and requirements of its customers. Its services range from the "shelter" model, where the company provides real estate, administrative, and legal services while the client manufactures their goods, to "contract manufacturing," where the company manufactures the client's design and specification. The Nearshore Company is known for its flexibility and ability to work across the entire spectrum of manufacturing services. International Assembly LLC (IAI Mexico) is a part of The Nearshore Company, and it helps manufacturers of all sizes to transfer their manufacturing operations into Mexico through traditional and customized nearshoring arrangements. Its facilities are certified and comply with Mexico's legal, environmental, and safety regulations. By manufacturing in Mexico, clients of The Nearshore Company can reduce their operating costs by up to 80%, increase production efficiency, and grow their businesses. Overall, The Nearshore Company offers a range of manufacturing services that are customized to meet the needs of its clients, with a focus on reducing costs, improving efficiency, and helping businesses grow. Key Takeaways: China is Moving to Mexico Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen is Co-CEO of The Nearshore Company, where he helps North American, European, and Asian manufacturing companies to successfully establish reliable manufacturing operations in Mexico. In the podcast interview, Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen and Joe Lynch discuss why China is moving to Mexico. USA based companies are increasingly interested in moving their supply chains from China to Mexico and Latin America. The nearshoring trend is driven by several causes including: China is no longer the lowest cost country for manufacturing. Sustainability – long supply chains produce more green house gases. USA tariffs that make China a less attractive place to manufacture. Supply chain resiliency concerns that were highlighted by COVID. Chinese companies are moving to Mexico so they can keep their USA based customers and expand their reach into the USA and Mexico markets. The Nearshore Company provides manufacturing services that are tailored to the needs and requirements of its clients, ranging from the "shelter" model to "contract manufacturing," allowing for maximum flexibility. With the assistance of International Assembly LLC (IAI Mexico), The Nearshore Company helps manufacturers of all sizes to transfer their operations into Mexico through traditional and customized nearshoring arrangements. The facilities provided by The Nearshore Company and IAI Mexico are certified and comply with Mexico's legal, environmental, and safety regulations, ensuring a high standard of quality. Manufacturing in Mexico through The Nearshore Company can result in a reduction of operating costs by up to 80%, allowing businesses to improve their bottom line. The Nearshore Company's services are designed to help businesses improve production efficiency and grow their operations, with a focus on providing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each client. Learn More About China is Moving to Mexico Jorge on LinkedIn The Nearshore Company on LinkedIn The Nearshore Company website The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization Episode Sponsor: TMSA TMSA: 2023 ELEVATE Conference The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
As brands seek to say more about sustainability, they need facts to back up their statements. This is where supply chain visibility comes into play, enabling communications to go beyond greenwashing. “You can't have sustainability without traceability,” said Buxton Midyette, vice president, marketing and promotions at Pima cotton organization Supima. “If you don't know where a product comes from, you really can't speak credibly about sustainability.” Listen to this chat between Midyette and Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, to learn why brands need traceability now more than ever and how AQRe builds on Supima's previous traceability initiatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An efficient fashion supply chain has a lot of moving parts. It requires retailers, brands and suppliers to gather, centralize and act on sustainability compliance data in real time—across many teams and time zones. Visibility is key. Traceability is essential. But how can you build a collaborative supply chain ecosystem that goes beyond compliance? And how can you enhance it with communication to further drive positive change within the industry? Lauren Parker, director of Sourcing Journal's Studio Team, digs into these questions with Katrina Duck, enterprise account executive of supply chain technology company Inspectorio. Watch the fireside chat to lean: · How SAAS platform Inspectorio works with some of the biggest brands and retailers in the U.S. and Europe—from Crocs to Dick's Sporting Good's to Target · The biggest pain points it hears from clients. · How Inspectorio's RISE platform has expanded with new capabilities from its initial launch as a facility audit tool. · How can RISE helps identify and manage risk areas around the world, so companies can make informed decisions. · How companies can share information to save time and money and reduce audit fatigue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Having a net positive impact is often associated with carbon reduction, but to truly improve the world, companies must go beyond environmental responsibility to address the entirety of ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance). As part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, both Pima cotton organization Supima and fashion brand Michael Stars have embraced educational and youth-centered causes. Listen to this fireside chat between Supima president and CEO Marc Lewkowitz, Michael Stars co-founder and CEO Suzanne Lerner, and Sarah Jones, senior editor, strategic content at Sourcing Journal, to hear how both companies are tackling social action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When Interloop rolled out its Vision 2025 strategy in 2021, it set many targets for growth across its apparel manufacturing business. But the core to this five-year plan is its investment in people. By 2025, the Pakistan-based apparel and hosiery manufacturer aims to increase workforce diversity by 30 percent by employing thousands of women in executive and non-executive teams. Additionally, the company has a goal to upskill 80 percent of workers on future competencies across all operations, product development, supply chain management and general management. During a fireside chat with Sourcing Journal's founder Edward Hertzman, Faryal Sadiq, vice president, sales and marketing at Interloop, highlighted Interloop's focus on creating conditions and culture that promote equity by driving change to ingrained systems of inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Forget Vogue. Sourcing Journal should be required reading of you really want to know how the business of fashion works. Clare's guest this week Edward Hertzman founded this trade journal (now part of FairChild, which owns WWD) out of frustration that no one in media was telling the full story about how supply chains operate. A former apparel sourcing agent himself, with a degree in economics, the tough-talking New Yorker tells it like it is.In the garment game, suppliers and manufactures take most of the risks, while brands wield most of the power. “It's a very one-sided relationship,” he says. Add in unfair purchasing practices (which are way too common) and downward pressure on prices, and you've got a recipe for disaster - as we saw during the pandemic. And who do you think has to invest in all these new sustainability initiatives brands are talking up? Often, it's the manufacturer. Remember what brands always say: “Well, of course we don't own the factories or the mills …”Can the industry change? Who's doing it right? What does a true partnership - as opposed to a purely transactional relationship - between brands and suppliers look like? And what should we expect to happen this year when the cost of living crunch meets the realities of overstocked warehouses? Because many brands, particularly in the US, says Edward, are sitting on giant piles of unsold stock ...Required listening for anyone working in the fashion sector.Don't forget to check the shownotes for all the links. Find Sourcing Journal here.Enjoying the podcast? We are proudly independent, and rely on our listeners to help us stick around.Can you share the episode on social media, or write us a glowing review in Apple podcasts?Find Clare on Instagram & Twitter. More on www.thewardrobecrisis.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We want your feedback! Fill out our listener survey for a chance to win a $100 Patagonia gift card. First, we have to talk about Balenciaga. If you type “Balenciaga child porn” into Google right now, you get 2.6 million hits. That is not good and they have only themselves to blame for an ad campaign that posed toddlers with bondage-themed plushie bear handbags and booze glasses, like they'd walked in on the tail end of of a sex-fueled all-nighter. For the time being, the CEO, Cedric Charbis, and designer Demna Gvasalia have managed to avoid taking direct responsibility for this blunder, which is a real mess. The brand issued an apology using the royal “we.” We also take a look back on Raf Simons' career as he shutters his label after a 27-year run, and then wonder what happened behind the scenes at Gucci that led to them parting ways with Alessandro Michele. COP27 ended with a whimper, so we brought on our Executive Producer, Scott Clavenna, to give us his takes on what was accomplished and what was left to next year's delegates to address. Then we take a quick look at the holiday season for retail this year, and it's not all bad. There are some bright spots for resale, and hopefully less bright for fast fashion. And speaking of fast fashion, luxury resale powerhouse Vestiaire Collective announced they're banning fast fashion from their platform. And H&M released an ambitious carbon reduction plan. Have a question for Christina, Rachel and Shilla? Give us a call at (508) 622-5361. We might feature your voicemail in an upcoming episode. Resources: WWD on Raf Simons Vogue Business on COP27 and fashion The Fashion Law on the rise of resale this holiday season Vogue Business on Balenciaga making a series of “grievous errors” Sourcing Journal on H&M's decarbonization plan Hot Buttons is a production of Post Script Media. The show is hosted by Christina Binkley, Rachel Kibbe, and Shilla Kim-Parker. Follow the show on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sea 2 Ep 31 Eddie Hertzman - “He Predicted Retail 2022, So What's Next?” 8/4//2022 Special Episode with Edward Hertzman, Executive Vice President, Fairchild Media & Founder and President- Sourcing Journal at Penske Media Corporation. Eddie was correct on his prediction of what 2022 was going to look like for many retailers/brands and why. So we talked about the first half of 2022 and then got his prediction for the rest of 2022 and beyond. We talk through economics, supply chain, ecommerce, banking, BNPL and consumers buying habits. Mr. Hertzman has a great look into how factories are handling the US economy and how retailers are preparing for 2023. Ecommerce Simplified! Warning, you will learn and be entertained at the same time. Brought to you by: Athletic Greens. Activate your great deal by going to: https://athleticgreens.com/partner/d35ctoffer-nutrition/en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=emerging_d35ct__a3878__o27&utm_term=cac__a3878__o27&utm_content=sport__a3878__o27 QUICKFIRE Info: Website: https://www.quickfirenow.com/ Email the Show: info@quickfirenow.com Talk to us on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quickfireproductions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quickfire__/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@quickfiremarketing LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/quickfire-productions-llc/about/ Guest: Edward Hertzman LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-hertzman-2401b38/ Website:https://sourcingjournal.com/ HOSTS: Summer Jubelirer has been in digital commerce and marketing for over 15 years. After spending many years working for digital and ecommerce agencies working with multi-million dollar brands and running teams of Account Managers, she is now the Amazon Manager at OLLY PBC. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/summerjubelirer/ Scott Ohsman has been working with brands for over 25 years in retail, online and has launched over 200 brands on Amazon. Owning his own sales and marketing agency in the Pacific NW, is now VP of Digital Commerce for Quickfire LLC. Scott has been a featured speaker at national trade shows and has developed distribution strategies for many top brands. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ohsman-861196a6/ Hayley Brucker has been working in retail and with Amazon for years. She is currently a Marketing Coordinator at Channel Key LLC. Hayley has extensive experience in digital advertising, both seller and vendor central on Amazon. Hayley is based out of North Carolina and has worked in multiple product categories and has also worked on the brand side and started with Nordstrom on the retail floor. LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-brucker-1945bb229/ Huge thanks to Cytrus our show theme music “Office Party” available wherever you get your music. Check them out here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cytrusmusic Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cytrusmusic/ Twitter https://twitter.com/cytrusmusic SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6VrNLN6Thj1iUMsiL4Yt5q?si=MeRsjqYfQiafl0f021kHwg APPLE MUSIC https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cytrus/1462321449 “Always Off Brand” is part of the Quickfire Podcast Network and produced by Quickfire LLC.