The NEEDLE'S EYE... Trends and Technologies Driving the Sewn Products Industry
- The sewing room forelady (female supervisor) steps into “The Needle’s Eye” cover spotlight this month. Though her exact duties vary from plant to plant, her importance to garment manufacturers is indisputable.
- It is the forelady who keeps work flowing smoothly through the sewing room. She aids the operators and she supervises by distributing work and keeping them supplied with sewing materials. And because she was once an operator herself, the forelady knows the machines and sewing operations and can offer her operators help and advice.
- But the forelady’s most important job is to keep a constant check on the production of her crew. An experienced forelady takes personal pride in the workmanship of her operators and strives to keep their work at a high level of quality.
- She acts as a link between workers and higher management, ensuring smooth operations and resolving any issues related to production, quality, or employee concerns. Essentially, she plays a key role in maintaining efficiency and discipline in the workplace.
- For these reasons, “The Needle’s Eye” salutes the forelady, one of the most important PEOPLE in the sewing industry today.
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 ISA Sign Expo, Las Vegas, NV – April 23-25 • 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 Opinion
The Silent Crisis in Garment Engineering: The Industry’s Vanishing Expertise
By Dr. Pat Trautman, Global Expert & Educator in the Pre-Production Apparel Process, Highlighting TV & Film Character Costuming, Product Development, and Technical Design.
Something is happening in the garment industry that few are willing to talk about. It’s not in the headlines, and it’s not on the latest trend reports—but it should be.
We are on the brink of a generational skills gap that could reshape garment engineering as we know it.
For decades, this industry has thrived on a combination of technical mastery, creative problem-solving, and hands-on expertise – skills that take years to hone and, until now, have been passed down from generation to generation.
But now, with a rapidly aging workforce and a declining focus on skilled craftsmanship, we’re at risk of losing critical knowledge that no machine can replace. Read More >
Industry News
U.S. Closes de minimis Exemptions for Low-Value Imports from China
U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order on April 2 eliminating duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value imports from China, stating that it is a critical step in the ongoing health emergency posed by the illicit flow of synthetic opioids into the U.S.President Trump is cracking down on a popular tariff exemption for goods from China that allowed small shipments to avoid duties and customs inspections.
The duty-free de minimis treatment for covered goods from China and Hong Kong came into effect on May 2, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
The move follows the notification by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick that adequate systems are in place to collect tariff revenues.
As per the Executive Order, imported goods sent through means other than the international postal network that are valued at or under US$800 and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption will be subject to all applicable duties, which shall be paid under applicable entry and payment procedures.
All relevant postal items containing goods that are sent through the international postal network that are valued at or under $800 and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption are subject to a duty rate of either 30 percent of their value or US$25 per item (increasing to US$50 per item after June 1, 2025), a White House Fact Sheet said.
The above is in place of any other duties, including those imposed by prior Orders.
Use of the provision has ballooned in recent years with a flood of goods from bargain sites Shein and Temu. About 1.36 billion shipments using the de minimis provision entered the U.S. in fiscal year 2024, up from 637 million four years earlier, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
While the U.S. previously offered a generous de minimis exemption, China enforces strict import restrictions and tightly limits de minimis exemptions, showing no similar leniency toward the U.S.
10th Annual BlueCherry Global Supply Chain & Technology Report: AI Insights and Merchandise Demand Planning Top Priorities for Fashion and Apparel Brands
Computer Generated Solutions, Inc. (CGS), a leading global provider of supply chain management software solutions for fashion businesses through its BlueCherry® platform, released its 10th annual BlueCherry State of Supply Chain & Technology Report.
It provides a decade-long analysis of trends, challenges, and opportunities in the fashion supply chain landscape. It reveals two top technology priorities in 2025: cultivating AI-driven insights and optimizing merchandise demand planning. Read More >
Jeanologia Celebrates its 30th Anniversary with the NextGen Summit: A Kick-Off for Future Initiatives.
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
At its founding date, the 13th of March, Spanish Jeanologia SL celebrated its 30th anniversary with the NextGen Summit. The Summit brought together leading denim manufacturers under one roof. With a significant representation of global production, the Summit served as a platform to inspire, motivate, and empower the next generation of leaders from family-owned businesses in the denim industry, equipping them with the necessary tools to tackle future challenges with a sustainable, technological, and collaborative vision.
Read More >
Jeanologia headquarters in Valencia/Spain
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.
Bangladesh Takes Automation Route
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Workers at a garment factory located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Automation in the garment sector is expected to create huge job losses.
Bangladesh has begun automating the garment sector to thwart competition from countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam.
The garment industry contributes about 11 percent to Bangladesh’s GDP. It’s the main driver of the country’s economy, employing millions of people and generating billions of U.S. dollars in exports. Textile and garment products constitute over 80 percent of Bangladesh’s exports.
Smart technology has improved productivity and wages, making Bangladesh’s top factories more competitive globally. Rest of World quoted representatives of the South Asian country’s garments and textile industries, a website focusing on how technology impacts emerging markets outside developed Western countries.
A survey of 20 factories in Dhaka by Shimmy Technologies, an industrial edtech company that upskills garment workers, found that 80 percent planned to buy semi-automated machines in the next two years. 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.
A&E Expands Global Footprint with New Manufacturing Facility in Bangladesh
Global thread leader American & Efird (A&E) announced the opening of its 24th manufacturing operation in Chattogram, Bangladesh, marking a significant milestone in A&E’s strategic expansion. The new state-of-the-art facility strengthens A&E's global manufacturing network, enhancing its capacity to meet the increasing demand for innovative thread solutions in Bangladesh and across South Asia.
The new facility, strategically located just outside Southern Bangladesh’s bustling seaport and financial hub, will complement A&E’s existing operation in Gazipur, further solidifying the company’s commitment to the region. With this expansion, A&E is poised to increase production capacity, improve service levels, and reduce lead times, enabling the company to continue delivering premium quality thread products to its customers worldwide with greater efficiency. Read More >
Avantex Appoints Carlos Botero as President for Latin America
Avantex, a leading provider of AI-enabled software solutions for the fashion, apparel, and textile industries, announced Carlos Botero as its new President for Latin America.
Mr. Botero brings over two decades of experience in the textile and fashion sectors. For 14 years, he served as the Executive President of Inexmoda, Latam’s premier fashion institute, where he was instrumental in expanding the institute’s services and enhancing the global competitiveness of Colombian fashion. Under his leadership, Inexmoda’s revenues grew significantly, and flagship events like Colombiatex and Colombiamoda saw exponential growth in attendance.
Before Inexmoda, Mr. Botero was the Executive Director of the Textile and Apparel Chamber at the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI), advocating for the industry’s interests in international trade agreements. He also held the position of Secretary of Finance for the Government of Risaralda, demonstrating his versatility across both public and private sectors. Read More >
Carlos Botero
VDMA to Hold Joint Annual Meeting for Textile and Machinery Sectors
VDMA Managing Director
Elgar Straub
The global situation has prompted the German textiles services association VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies (TFL) to decide to conduct its annual industry meeting along with the annual conference for its textile machinery arm, VDMA Textile Machinery (TXM). Together, the sectors bring German textile care, textile manufacturing, and machine manufacturers.
According to Elgar Straub, managing director of the VDMA: “Due to the tense economic situation in Germany, Europe, and worldwide, we have decided to largely combine this year’s VDMA TFL industry meeting with the Annual Conference of the VDMA TXM on 4-5 June in Augsburg.” Read More >
According to Elgar Straub, managing director of the VDMA: “Due to the tense economic situation in Germany, Europe, and worldwide, we have decided to largely combine this year’s VDMA TFL industry meeting with the Annual Conference of the VDMA TXM on 4-5 June in Augsburg.” Read More >
Industry Technologies
FastSewn Launches Fully Automated SEG Sewing Machine Technology With Laser Cutting
FastSewn, a provider of sewing machine automation, has announced that it will be at the Henderson Sewing Machine Company Booth 2531 at TexProcess in Atlanta from May 6-8, 2025. They will be demonstrating our patent-pending Moving Conveyor Technology (MCT) as well as presenting videos of this groundbreaking technology, showing feeding directly from rolls of textile, complete CNC patterned sewing, followed by cutting to shape, along with samples that will be available. The new FastSewn sewing & laser cutting solution promises to revolutionize how sewing enthusiasts and professionals approach their craft, with various innovative features designed to enhance precision, speed, and ease of use. Read More >
FastSewn Automated CNC
Flatbed Sewing & Laser Cutting Solution
Sustainability
Wrangler x Accelerating Circularity Jeans Launch At Walmart, Advancing Textile-To-Textile Recycling At Scale
Following the successful launch of circular products at Target, another milestone in textile-to-textile recycling has landed in the market: the Wrangler x Accelerating Circularity jeans, now available at Walmart. This launch showcases the viability of integrating mechanically recycled post-consumer and post-industrial cotton into mainstream apparel.
This project was made possible through collaboration across the textile supply chain trial members, including collection by Bank & Vogue (post-consumer) and Martex (post-industrial); mechanical recycling by Giotex & Estopas; yarn production by Parkdale; and fabric production by Cone Denim.
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As part of Accelerating Circularity’s U.S.-based trials, 23 tons each of post-consumer and post-industrial cotton were successfully recycled, working with key supply chain partners to turn used textiles into new products. 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.
Hohenstein releases 2024 sustainability report
Responsible action is a defining value for Hohenstein, a global testing and research provider. Their 2024 Full Sustainability Report provides transparency through documented progress and detailed insights into how sustainability is embedded. It covers both the existing sustainability measures at the Boennigheim, Germany headquarters and the company’s goals for 2025 and beyond. The direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) of its worldwide locations were recorded for the first time.
Hohenstein sees ecological, social, and economic sustainability as success factors for the future and has taken important action over the past year: Read More >
Supply Chain
The Impacts of “America First” Trade Policies: A Comprehensive Analysis
By Joe Altieri, FIT Adjunct Professor, Mentor, Educator, and Trainer
America has long been synonymous with innovation and industry, but globalization has challenged this narrative. As the current administration takes bold steps to prioritize domestic manufacturing and self-reliance, it’s essential to assess whether these measures alone are sufficient or if foundational strategies were overlooked. The stakes are high, and every possible outcome must be examined to secure America’s future as a manufacturing powerhouse.
The “America First” trade policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign goods, promote domestic manufacturing, and prioritize American jobs through mechanisms like tariffs and trade restrictions. While these objectives align with strengthening the U.S. economy, their broader implications, especially in the absence of pre-existing government incentives, warrant a thorough examination. This analysis incorporates the potential impacts on manufacturers, importers, exporters, the national debt, GDP, employment, and U.S. consumers. Read More >
Cross-Border Trades Against Standby LC
By Nironjan Roy, CPA, CMA, CAMS, Banker, Toronto, Canada
International trade is going through phenomenal change, and the structure of cross-border trade has taken different forms. Once upon a time, Commercial LC (Letter of Credit) was the most acceptable means of international trade, but now the situation has dramatically changed.
An LC is no longer the only acceptable means of cross-border trade as different trade finance products are now used to undertake export-import business. It is now apparent that the use of LC is rapidly disappearing from international trade.
An LC is no longer the only acceptable means of cross-border trade as different trade finance products are now used to undertake export-import business. It is now apparent that the use of LC is rapidly disappearing from international trade.
LCs are hardly used in export-import business in the developed world, particularly in North America and Europe. Even most Latin American countries, including Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, do not use commercial LCs to carry out cross-border trade. LCs are now primarily used to conduct export-import business in Asia and Africa. Open-account trade, advance payment, and sales contracts are substituting the use of commercial LC in conducting cross-border trade. Read More >
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.
Balancing Automation and Employment in the Textile Industry
By Mansoor Ahmad, thenews.com.pk
LAHORE, PAKISTAN — As value addition increases and more advanced technology is integrated into the textile sector, the number of workers required for specific tasks generally decreases. Automation, computerized machinery, and efficient production techniques reduce the need for manual labor while enhancing precision, speed, and quality.
The global textile industry employs over 70 million workers. India, ranked fifth in global textile exports, has the highest number of textile workers, with 35 million people employed in the sector. In contrast, Germany, the world’s second-largest textile exporter, employs just over 120,000 workers. Read More >
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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
Preparing Future Fashion Leaders to Establish ESG Criteria
by Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Senior International Correspondent
Insight also to the broad program at University of Delaware’s Fashion and Apparel Studies, by Prof. Dr. Sheng Lu: “Fashion companies are composed of people who make sourcing decisions and establish social responsibility criteria. Thus, Gen Z’s knowledge, vision, and passion are essential in shaping the future of the fashion industry and its due diligence practices.”
The course has been set – more and more protagonists throughout the global clothing industry are massively and successfully involved in implementing due diligence concepts and guidance towards responsible supply chains. Nevertheless, it should be crystal clear to all industry protagonists committed to EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) in the textile and clothing sector - the next generation in management must now be involved, get ready, and be prepared.
Cross-generational tasks need to be mastered – now.
This is precisely where the University of Delaware’s remarkable side session in Paris in February came in at Paris for this year’s OECD Forum on Due Diligence for the Garment & Footwear Sector*: Directed by Dr. Sheng Lu, University of Delaware, gathering panelists from NGOs, educators, industry, and retail partners around the virtual table, the session explored on what it takes concerning curricula and beyond to equip Gen Z with critical knowledge in due diligence, sustainable sourcing, and supply chain transparency.
Read More >
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
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.
