We recently traveled to beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah to attend the Winter Outdoor Retailer show. The convention center was abuzz with the chatter of outdoorsy types lusting over the latest in winter apparel and gear. It wasn't all gear-envy though. Many suppliers, buyers, companies, consultants, and media folk were hard at work.
At the show, we attended an interesting panel discussion about the rising cost of apparel. The event, hosted by the American Apparel Producers Network, brought together industry veterans who provided their perspectives on the upward price trend.
Broadly speaking, higher prices for apparel is a result of supply and demand imbalances for the raw materials–primarily shortages of cotton and production capacity. On the demand side, as the quality of life and living standards improve in places like China and India, the appetite steadily grows for apparel (and everything else).
Continue reading: The Rising Cost of Apparel
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