The NEEDLE'S EYE... Trends and Technologies Driving the Sewn Products Industry
- Our August-September 1971 cover saluted company management: the decision-makers and guiding influences of the sewing industry.
- If there is one word that should characterize management at all levels – owner, plant superintendent, production manager, quality control engineer – it is “aware.”
- Management must keep aware of the fast-paced changes in fashion to be ready to swing into production with the latest styles. They must be aware of new techniques in personnel management and employee relations in order to maintain a loyal and dependable workforce.
- Managing a sewing factory is a multifaceted operation that encompasses planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources to efficiently produce high-quality garments.
- And most importantly, management must be aware and take advantage of the latest advances in sewing technology.
- It makes good business sense to give the expert from your sewing machine dealer a call. He will show you how the modern, high-speed sewing equipment and labor-saving devices from his new machines can help keep costs down and profits up. And, after all, that’s what managing is all about.
Visit www.zund.com to discover the latest Zünd innovations in industrial digital cutting technology: specialized tooling for a perfect cut no matter what materials go into your sewn products, a full range of hardware and software options all geared toward easy, efficient workflow automation—Zünd has it all! What’s more…multifunctional cutting systems from Zünd are modular by design and easily adaptable as your cutting needs grow or change. Find the cutting solution perfectly tailored to your needs, present and future!
Contact Zünd anytime for a personal demonstration or visit us in person at Texprocess Americas, Atlanta, GA – May 6-8 • Furniture Manufacturers Expo, June 11-12 • CAMX, Orlando, FL – September 8-11 • Printing United, Orlando, FL – October 22-24.
Industry Opinions
The Disappearing Art of Garment Mastery: Why We Can’t Build the Future Without Remembering the Past (Part 2)
By Dr. Pat Trautman, Global Expert & Educator in the Pre-Production Apparel Process, Highlighting TV & Film Character Costuming, Product Development, and Technical Design.
After the overwhelming response to Part 1 of this Opinion, we knew the conversation couldn’t end there. Part 2 continues the dialogue on the critical need for mentorship, hands-on experience, and cross-generational collaboration in garment engineering. This follow-up weaves in insights from industry professionals who commented on the original piece—offering a richer, more urgent call to action for preserving knowledge before it’s gone.
And what they had to say confirmed something critical: this isn’t just a quiet concern—it’s an industry-wide reckoning.
We’re not just losing skills. We’re losing the structure that allows those skills to be passed on. So, where do we go from here?
• We need intentional cross-generational mentorship—not just lip service. • We need to reimagine training structures that make sense for both the factory and the studio. • We need universities and technical programs to teach fit, construction, patterning, and troubleshooting—not just design. • We need leaders to stop asking, “What’s the ROI of mentorship?” and start asking, “What’s the cost of not doing it?” Read More>
‘Made in the USA’ Isn’t a Premium. It’s a Competitive Advantage.
Charlie Merrow, CEO @ The Merrow Group Companies – Technical Soft-Goods Manufacturing
“Lots of noise right now about tariffs, labor, and whether America can actually make things anymore. Some say we don’t have the workforce. Or that people won’t work in factories. Or that “Made in the USA” just means paying more for the same product you could get from China. They’re wrong.
We outsourced manufacturing for 40 years. There were real benefits. But there’s always been a cost, and manufacturing towns have felt it every day. Now, that cost is hitting national security and the middle class. It’s no longer someone else’s problem. It’s time to rebalance — with purpose. Read More>
The Reshoring Initiative: Financing America’s Apparel Comeback with Purpose and Precision
By Joe Altieri, FIT Adjunct Professor, Mentor, Educator, and Trainer
As America grapples with fractured supply chains, rising tariffs, and an urgent call for sustainability, one bold question rises to the surface. What if we reshored apparel manufacturing—and financed it with intention?
This is not just about jobs. It’s about national resilience, environmental accountability, and industrial self-reliance. We’ve arrived at a crossroads where inaction risks deepening dependency while bold, coordinated efforts can build a future of durable economic value. And to do that, we need a full-system reset—one that combines capital, collaboration, and quality.
The Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore
The U.S. is no longer a manufacturing-first economy. With 80% of jobs rooted in services and only 8-9% in manufacturing, we’ve hollowed out entire sectors—none more visibly than apparel. Despite remaining one of the world’s largest consumers of garments, we have outsourced production to the point of fragility.
The U.S. is no longer a manufacturing-first economy. With 80% of jobs rooted in services and only 8-9% in manufacturing, we’ve hollowed out entire sectors—none more visibly than apparel. Despite remaining one of the world’s largest consumers of garments, we have outsourced production to the point of fragility. Read More>
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Industry News
AAFA Reacts to USTR Determination on Section 301 Shipbuilding Proposal
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) warns of serious consequences over the announcement by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to implement steep new taxes on ships calling on U.S. ports as a result of the Section 301 investigation into China’s practices in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.
AAFA has actively opposed these measures. On March 24, AAFA testified at a hearing before the USTR Office and submitted comments opposing the proposal. Additionally, AAFA conducted a study determining that the proposed fees would harm U.S. farmers, workers, and the broader economy. Read More>
C and C Enterprise has teamed up with JACK, one of the world’s finest industrial sewing machine manufacturers, to form Jack of the Americas. Jack of the Americas distributes JACK machines throughout North America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Basin. When you buy from Jack of The Americas, we don’t just ship you a box! We help you get set up and answer any questions you may have! With over 100 years of combined experience in the industrial sewn products industry, we are proud to say that we are one of the world’s leading industrial sewing products authorities and are here to serve you! Not sure if Jack is right for you? Click on the button below for a short video showing off some of our machines. Watch it and see what Jack can do for you!
The Pathfinder M-Series® range of automated cutting machines is known for precision, very high productivity, reliability, and lowest power consumption. All 16 models are easily configured to suit most cutting applications, and, thanks to clever design, Pathfinder cutters require very little maintenance to continually deliver exceptional cut quality over a long working life.
IAF Position on U.S. Tariffs
The punitive tariffs introduced by the U.S. administration on April 2nd, with the highest rates reserved for countries heavily reliant on garment exports to the U.S., represent a direct and unprovoked threat to entire industries. These measures risk destabilizing economies and jeopardizing the livelihoods of countless employees and entrepreneurs in the apparel industry globally, including in the U.S. itself.
The International Apparel Federation (IAF) represents the apparel manufacturing community across more than 40 countries—a global industry comprising hundreds of thousands of companies and millions of employees. Apparel and textiles are among the most globalized industries, historically foundational to industrial development around the world. Read More>
Diamond Needle Corp., Founded in 1951, is one of the world’s largest distributors of sewing machine needles. Our alliance with ORGAN NEEDLE CO. of Japan, as their exclusive North American distributor, gives us the backing of the world’s leading quality maker of sewing machine needles.
C and C Enterprise is the United States agency for Highlead sewing machines. These high-quality machines are available for your sewing needs and are sold only through local dealers and distributors. If you want more information on the Highlead brand, please feel free to contact us. www.candcenterprise.com
Karl Mayer Group Plans Strategic Reorientation
By Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
“We don’t think in quarters…we think in generations,” is how Karl J. Mayer, grandson of the company founder, sums it up. To secure its competitiveness in the global market, German Karl Mayer Holding is realigning itself and will again focus on its core business areas.
The company’s head office in the German town of Obertshausen explains the reasons for the planned re-calibration of the product range: “The global textile markets are facing significant structural changes and a continued economic downturn. We are actively meeting these challenges and are realigning now with clear decisions that ensure long-term innovative strength and competitiveness.” In other words, in the future, the long-established family-owned company will be focusing again on its core business areas – warp knitting, warp preparation, and technical textiles.
“These areas have been the heart of our company for many years, and we need to focus our innovative strength in these fields to quickly develop solutions that make our customers successful,” said Mr. Mayer, Representative of the Advisory Board and member of the Mayer family. As a consultant, the grandson of the company founder is part of an experienced management team with extensive industry expertise. Read More>
Milliken Naming Investment Fuels NC State Research In The Textile Protection And Comfort Center
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A new $1.5 million investment from Milliken & Company will further elevate ground-breaking research at NC State’s Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC) in Raleigh, North Carolina, through a five-year, fixed-term naming.
The newly named Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation Textile Protection and Comfort Center, housed within the Wilson College of Textiles, is poised to reach new heights. The center will continue to build on its global reputation for advancing innovation and enhancing comfort in high-performance protective apparel. This important work safeguards first responders, military personnel, and other frontline workers who depend on protective fabrics to keep them safe, secure, and able to perform in the line of duty. Read More>
The newly named Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation Textile Protection and Comfort Center, housed within the Wilson College of Textiles, is poised to reach new heights. The center will continue to build on its global reputation for advancing innovation and enhancing comfort in high-performance protective apparel. This important work safeguards first responders, military personnel, and other frontline workers who depend on protective fabrics to keep them safe, secure, and able to perform in the line of duty. Read More>
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The Merrow Group consists of three unique divisions, all designed to support and accelerate the growth of soft-goods manufacturing. One of these divisions is their Wholesale Group: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply. Superior, the largest wholesale supplier of more than 72,000 products to sewing factories across North, Central, and South America, plays a vital role in supporting the broader manufacturing ecosystem. In an industry where precision, speed, and reliability are crucial for maintaining competitive production, having access to in-stock items is not just convenient, it is essential. Superior operates a network of 1,600 resellers that support approximately 70,000 factories across North, Central, and South America. This extensive network enables Superior to swiftly introduce new technologies and products that can significantly enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of soft goods manufacturing.
Avalo Hires Textile Veteran Tricia Carey to Lead Commercialization
Tricia Carey’s hire comes as the Durham (Research Triangle), North Carolina–based Avalo is scaling up its cotton program in the Texas Panhandle. For the last 2 years, Avalo has worked closely with cotton growers (plagued by high fertilizer costs and decreasing water availability) to develop a regionally adapted cotton variety that requires no irrigation and uses up to 30% less fertilizer. Not only does low-input cotton represent a giant leap forward in textile sustainability, it also provides a much-needed lifeline for the Texas Cotton industry and all the agricultural communities that depend on it.
Tricia Carey brings decades of experience in industry-changing technologies. Over her career, she has helped move the textile/fashion world towards sustainability by introducing cutting-edge fibers like Tencel and fostered the march toward circularity during her time with Renewcell. Read More>
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Since 1898, Consew has designed and manufactured the most reliable machines in the sewing industry. Today, Consew has one of the largest varieties of sewing, cutting, and pressing equipment; as well as an extensive line of supplies related to the sewn products industry. From standard walking foot machines for upholstery to specialty 4 needle lockstitch machines for parachutes, from long-arm zig-zag (up to 30”) machines for boat sails to extra heavy-duty machines for webbing, Consew has it all. Our machines are well-designed for sewing leather, canvas, shoes, saddles, mattresses, tents, tarps, and sails, as well as jeans and other garments. With offices in New Jersey, Miami, and Los Angeles, as well as a distribution network throughout the world, Consew can quickly supply and service the machines you need.
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Americas 21st offers comprehensive assistance in equipment, training, engineering, ergonomics, and workforce development. Notably, we proudly hold the distinction of being the sole government-accredited Sewing Mechanic Training Program in North America. Additionally, we stand out as the exclusive provider of the TSS lean sewing production system, accompanied by a distinctive line of ergonomic sewing accessories tailored to enhance efficiency and comfort in the sewing process.
World of Fashion
The Influence of Technology on Fashion
By Kasaundra Harvey, The Online Rocket
The fashion industry is all about staying updated with trending styles and consumer preferences while creating clothing, accessories, and footwear to match day-to-day trends. However, the way fashion is being produced and designed is now evolving in different ways than before.
Let’s face it: technology is everywhere we look these days. Technology has gradually been incorporated into our everyday lives for quite some time now without us knowing. Technology has grown so large that advances have been made to enhance and benefit the fashion industry in various ways.
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Henderson Sewing Machine Co, founded in 1968, is a global supplier of industrial sewing machines, sewing machine parts, and custom automated sewing machines for the SEWING PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. We have grown by offering customers the highest quality products at competitive prices with superior customer service. We also have a cutting-edge engineering team that designs custom automated systems to fill any need you may have.
