California Apparel News

In celebration of Women’s Equality Day, Dress for Success is sponsoring a virtual power walk on Aug. 27 and 28. “Participate by running, walking, biking, rollerblading—you name it,” said the company in a release. “Walk around the block or run a 10K. Every dollar raised through this event will help support the work of Dress for Success: to give women the community, clothing, confidence and support they need to meet their career goals.” Economic progress for women has been set back decades thanks to COVID, the company said, and it will now take 136 years to close the gender gap between men and women. “We need your support to help women move forward together, one step at a time,” said the organization. To register, visit powerwalk.dfs.org.

Shoppers who want to buy domestically manufactured goods will soon find it easier. MadeInUSA.com has partnered with Fundify for its initial fund-raising round. According to the company, some 80 percent of Americans would prefer to buy domestic goods but are unable to find them in a convenient way. MadeInUSA.com plans to launch this state-of-the-art shopping experience for American-made products and will amplify the Made-in-USA brand in the fourth quarter of this year, right before the holiday season. The announcement follows significant backing from the company’s founder and private investors, who hope to “open the door to its loyal manufacturing base and also the next generation of patriotic investors that understand their purchase of American-made products becomes an investment in the American economy,” said the company in a release.

HeiQ and Patagonia have taken their long-standing research collaboration to the next level with an innovative solution for a problem of many textiles: bad odor. Inspired by Patagonia’s determination to continuously improve the chemistry used in all its products, the two pioneers announced the launch of HeiQ Fresh MNT, which provides next-generation odor control based on essential mint oil derived from a renewable and sustainable source. The similar environmental and social philosophy shared between Patagonia and HeiQ was the backbone for the two brands to embark on an intense research partnership in 2015. Patagonia gives the ideas and sets the principles while HeiQ uses its expertise in specialty-chemical formulation and application to textiles to create finishings that outperform the market in terms of sustainability and functionality.

Iconic workwear brand Dickies is celebrating its 100th anniversary. “As one of few apparel brands that can make the claim of having been on the job since 1922,” the company said, “the brand has earned its stake in pop culture while maintaining its core audience of hard working citizens around the world. Dickies began as the United States Overall Company of Texas and is named for co-founder E.E. Dickie. In the early ’50s the company helped popularize denim for women and tapped into teen culture a few years later. Last year it launched its Icons campaign based on signature pieces from its hundred-year history, including the 874 Work Pant, the Work Shirt and the Eistenhower Jacket. Follow the celebration at dickies.com.