California Apparel News

The present state of the domestic apparel industry and the trend toward globalization was reflected in the attendance figures for the Aug. 15–17 run of the Bobbin World Expo in Orlando, Fla., where an upswing in international traffic contrasted with the downturn in domestic attendance.

There were roughly 7,000 visitors to the Orange County Convention Center for this year’s event, about 30 percent less than the previous show’s total, according to show organizers. But traffic was up 10 percent from international attendees, who represented 31 percent of all visitors.

“The domestic companies weren’t sending as many employees as they are used to sending,” reported Margaret Crow, group marketing manager for the Bobbin Trade Show Group. “Instead of 30, they’d send two or so. Companies are cutting their travel budgets, but exhibitors were pleased with the show nonetheless.”

Rupi Arora of Los Angeles-based Tuka-tech was one of them. “We received tremendous support for our Tukacenters,” he said. The centers offer low-cost CAD/CAM rentals and instruction and are being marketed as a Kinko’s for the fashion industry. “We also saw lots of interest from industries outside of apparel. People are interested in alternatives to global manufacturing.”

The global shift in manufacturing was indeed evident at Bobbin, as sourcing nations including Vietnam, Taiwan and Latin American countries were in force to sell trade benefits, including low-cost labor and new technologies. The show was also part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program, which promotes the show to more than 200 embassies and consulates around the world. Among the delegations attending were those from Brazil, Chad, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Pakistan, Peru, Ukraine and South Africa.

Liz Claiborne chief executive officer Paul Charron, addressing Bobbin attendees at a keynote breakfast, noted that barriers to global trade should dramatically diminish over the next decade, opening the doors to unprecedented worldwide opportunities. But at the same time, he cautioned that companies would need to stay sharp with technology and trends. He noted that Liz Claiborne has made a half-billion dollars of investments in supply-chain management and global sourcing over the past few years.

New products, variations and updates were abundant at the show. Offerings came from several companies, including New York-based Computer Generated Solutions, which introduced Blue Cherry, an ERP program aimed at streamlining supply-chain flow including purchasing, manufacturing, trafficking and distribution. Justwin Technologies of New York launched Justwin 5.0, a new version of the company’s Collaborative Product Commerce programs. The update feature improved user interface, which can be accessed by trade partners from all locations within the supply chain. And U.K.-based Wicks and Wilson unveiled its new TriForm 3D body-scanning system, which is aimed at providing quicker and more accurate sizing.

“The biggest challengehellip;is staying competitive,” said Bruce Labott, Computer Generated Solutions’ director of sales and marketing. “That involves controlling costs, on-time delivery and customer service.”