Textile Insight

enough cut & sew," Duncan explains. "We have some good ones, but we don't have a lot and not offering "full package." Brands are used to the full package model out of Asia, and to achieve that that level of sourcing in the States requires, talent, knowledge, time and patience, according to Duncan. He says, "It is possible and it is happening. We are making headway and there is more demand." However, he adds that the core infrastructure is not readily available, although maybe somewhat more in LA than in the Southeast. Duncan points out that it isn't just a matter of sewers. Supervisors, mechan- ics and engineers are all needed to run a cut & sew facility. Rebuilding the talent pool is a focus of Duncan's as execu- tive director but also as founder of Will Duncan Associates (WDA), an apparel process improvement consultancy with a strong training component. "It takes a different mindset for supporting brands today. They want service," Duncan explains. "We're seeing brands work much deeper down the supply chain. For development, not just cut & sew.' Reconfiguring a Global Footprint Polartec looks forward to a bang up year in 2019. Now on the other side of what has being a challenging few years of transition, Polartec crafted its businesses to fit the needs of today. States CEO Gary Smith, "We have a well- balanced model for three core businesses – military, workwear and commercial – and are positioned closer to the consumer, which also helps to make us more immune to trade wars. In addition, we remain well established in outdoor but are also fishing in other ponds." Since the Lawrence, MA, mill closed a few years ago, Smith has transformed the business, reconfiguring Polartec's global manufacturing footprint while continuing to focus on product innovation. The first change came in 2016 when Polartec cut the ribbon to celebrate its new U.S. production headquarters in Cleveland, TN. Smith likens the acquisition to buying a "fixer upper" that took time to get up and running the way they wanted. Polartec made significant financial investment in the plant, and bolstered employment. The facility is responsible for military and USA made commercial product. A Polartec facility in Hudson, NH serves as an innovation hub, with the company headquartered in Andover, MA. Interestingly, similar to other innovative businesses, the Polartec offices have tech people and product people work- ing side by side. Polartec also does some circular knitting in North Carolina. Two joint ventures have also been inked. In Italy, Polartec has a contract manufacturing agreement with Pontetorto – now in its third year; Polartec is in its second year of a licensing agreement with TexPasa in Guatemala. Rounding out its global model is Polartec's established, large-scale plant in China, that does a full offering out of Asia for brands manufacturing in Asia. "Our manufacturing footprint is operationally flexible and works closer to market. There is no 18-month cycle anymore. It doesn't make sense to push tonnage across the ocean," says Smith. "We control our own destiny and that's a good place to be." Aligning with What Consumers Want What do consumers want? Sustainable products with added value customized to meet everyday needs. Manufacturers are responding with programs and products that allow brands meet these market demands. Says, Duncan, "Brands want transparency in the supply chain and the younger consumer wants accountability for the supply chain – all the way back to the field where cotton is grown." Duncan adds that this trend is good for USA-made and helping increase demand for domestic production. "Also more brands are realizing that going off shore for sourcing is not the Holy Grail," Duncan explains. "Chasing the cheapest labor is no longer best route to take." Polartec's new Eco-Engineering platform is an indicator of today's strong sustainability trend. Smith describes the firm's latest product development built on eco awareness, Polartec Power AIR, as a "home run." The company is now looking to advance biodegradability in other products including its NeoShell range. Additionally, Polartec's diversification strategy in terms of product from outdoor to luxury reflects consumer desire for performance and comfort in every article of clothing. "We see growth in performance in other apparel sectors," says Smith. "Life is performance and performance is life. This fits consumer expectations." Another driver in today's market is product differentia- tion. Darlington's Perry says, "from our perspective we've seen the most growth in 'value add' – whether that is print, surface solutions, different chemistry." He continues, "For example, its not enough to put on an anti-microbial finish, now it's an anti-microbial+++. Differentiation is a new reality." Growth in smaller runs is likewise a reality. Traditionally it has been a challenge for mills ability to offer smaller runs, but new programs are changing the conventional thinking. The Wool Bar by Draper Knitting is a new small minimum, short lead time, "in stock" Wool program. "We've been able to figure out how to stock raw material that is cost effective for us and yet fits the needs of cus- tomers," says Kristin Draper, president of the Canton-MA based company. "Customization is key today, and wool is what people want." She explains that customers are recognizing the per- formance quality of wool, or re-thinking wool, and need a way to introduce wool with 100-yard order. In her words, a 100-yard minimum is the "sweetspot" to open the door to new business as well as established businesses dipping a toe into wool. The Wool Bar offers high quality woolen knits for base and mid layer. All conventional styles are knit with 19.5 micron, American sourced wool. High pile styles are all 21.5 micron wool face with Repreve recycled poly back yarn for strength. Draper has been doing wool for 160 years dating back to the days of knit woolen lace in the 1850s. "While we currently knit goods for protectective, sustainable, thera- peutic and industrial use, expanding our use of wool is like going back to our roots," Draper states. "Since Day 1, we've never strayed from wool and it is fun to focus on it again – in a new way." Draper, along with Darlington, Polartec and the SEAMS community reflect ways the domestic textile industry is striving, and succeeding, in today's very challenging busi- ness climate. These execs know, however, there is no rest for the weary in the current forecast. Duncan, for example, has eyes on what's next. He believes that convergence of digital print with cut & sew and textile producers to create full package sourcing is key to how to operate closer to market with speed. This will require re-thinking the fac- tory, re-purposing the workforce and taking advantage of emerging technologies. Duncan explains, "Consumer buying models are changing, but how many new supply chains are emerging every day. We need supply chains that match up with contemporary buying models." l 20 • Textile Insight ~ March/April 2019 textileinsight.com "Day in and day out we now work in a global environment, and every bit of wiggle room we had before is now out." STEVE PERRY DARLINGTON FABRICS "We control our own destiny and that's a good place to be." GARY SMITH POLARTEC "It takes a different mindset for support brands today; they want service. We're seeing brands work much deeper down the supply chain – for development, not just cut & sew." WILL DUNCAN SEAMS "We've been able to figure out how to stock raw material that is cost effective for us and yet fits the needs of customers." KRISTIN DRAPER DRAPER KNITTING THE MODERN MAKE

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