Textile Insight

Editor/Associate Publisher Emily Walzer emilyawalzer@gmail.com Editorial Director Cara Griffin Art Director Francis Klaess Contributing Editors Suzanne Blecher Kurt Gray Jennifer Ernst Beaudry Kathlyn Swantko Publisher Jeff Nott jnott@formula4media.com 516-305-4711 Production Brandon Christie bchristie@formula4media.com 516-305-4710 Advertising Katie O'Donohue kodonohue@formula4media.com 828-244-3043 Sam Selvaggio sselvaggio@formula4media.com 212-398-5021 Subscriptions: store.formula4media.com One year, $24.00 (U.S. Funds) in the United States. All other countries, $54.00 (U.S. Funds). Formula4Media ® Formula4 Media Publications Footwear Insight Footwear Insight Extra Outdoor Insight Team Insight Team Insight Extra Textile Insight Textile Insight Extra Trend Insight sportstyle PO Box 23-1318, Great Neck , NY 11023 Phone: 516-305-4709 Fax: 516-305-4712 www.formula4media.com Textile Insight ® is a registered trademark of Formula4 Media, LLC. ©2020 All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by authors and contributors to Textile Insight are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. Textile Insight is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in Textile Insight may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. Textile Insight is published bi-monthly: Jan/Feb; Mar/Apr; May/Jun; Jul/Aug; Sep/Oct; and Nov/Dec. Postmaster: Send address changes to Textile Insight, P.O. Box 23-1318 Great Neck, NY 11023 textileinsight.com TEXTILE INSIGHT ® NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/2020 In the Market .........................................................O6 We report on key top of mind industry issues for 2021: regionalization of supply chains and the issue of sustainability and garment sizing to reduce textile waste. Also, what's new from Concept III, Isko, Polartec and an update on trade shows. Technology ............................................................ 14 Fueled by climate change, and hotter, drier conditions 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for wildfires, sparking a need for a different kind of FR protection. Contributor Debra Cobb gets the inside story from industry and the front lines. Strategies ............................................................... 22 Textile firms are taking to Instragram to tell stories of touch believing in the power of the picture to generate buzz. Suzanne Blecher explores how brands are marketing product through a computer screen. In the Studio .......................................................... 24 Businesses in the run sector are making strides selling masks as this newly evolving accessory category finds its footing. Suzanne Blecher gives the mask marketing efforts some face time. Supply Chain.......................................................... 26 New and emerging methods of manufacturing are re-inventing the textile supply chain from seed to shelf as development surrounding smart factories and automated tech gains traction. Footwear ................................................................ 28 The running industry heads into 2021 with optimism. On the footwear side, new runners, new products and new technologies have the category ready to run into the New Year. We feature a run down of the latest looks. Sourcing Profile .................................................... 30 Despite an unswerving desire to support USA factories, the performance rain cape maker Cleverhood reached a crossroads earlier this year. Rather than pivot to PPE the firm took a different sourcing route and that has made all the difference. Education ............................................................... 31 In modern textile production, robots are being used to perform tasks that increase speeds, boost production, and improve quality control. Kathy Swantko highlights how Yale University research advances the field with a new shape-shifting textile. Out of Context ....................................................... 34 In a holiday season like none other, with retail events and crafts fairs migrating outdoors for health and safety reasons, Kurt Gray puts the spotlight on sewing at a popular local farmers market. November/December 2020 ~ Textile Insight • 3 Boco Gear Performance X mask, page 26 COVER STORY: LEARNING CURVE SPECIAL SECTION: PAGE 23 With video conferencing the new sales call, selling textiles became a screen sharing experience in 2020. Execs say they put creativity to work with positive results made in a year of unique limitations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. PAGE 18

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