TRADE SHOWS
More Moves Toward U.S. Resources During Sourcing at MAGIC
At the Aug. 12–15 edition of Sourcing at MAGIC, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the aisles that led through international suppliers seemed quiet this year.
Conversely, with its micro-factory, which showcased domestic-production capabilities, the Made in America area drew attention from designers seeking smarter pricing options. It was part of this year’s focus of the show: sustainability.
“Originally, I came here thinking that I was going to deal with Chinese manufacturers because it’s cheaper, but after doing the math for the shipping, it’s almost the same amount,” Nneka Bell, owner of the New York–based mobile shop The Celebrities Boutique, said after finding a domestic manufacturer.
At the Ürth Apparel booth, Alex Soler, founder and creative director of the Anaheim, Calif.–based company, offered product development and responsible manufacturing to designers. While he promotes responsibility and transparency, he feels the next generation of designers and retailers will be more willing to put preservation before profit.
“When you put that price point in front of them, a lot of times people will go back on that desire for sustainability,” he said. “Young entrepreneurs and start-up brands have been much more genuine about it. They’ve had such a tremendous interest in what we do.”
Supporting Soler’s point of view, Artrell Wilborn, co-owner of the So Pure apparel brand, attended the show with company President Christopher Cooke to search for manufacturing partners. After walking the floor once, the men reconsidered their approach to production after the event’s screening of and panel discussion covering “Riverblue,” a film that reveals the damage caused to global water supplies by traditional apparel manufacturing.
“Now, we feel like we want to have a hands-on approach with everything,” Cooke said before returning to the show floor. “When I go back in there, I will have a better eye for things,” Wilborn added. “What I’ve seen here exceeded my expectations.”
Sourcing at MAGIC President Christopher Griffin was pleased with the show and the ways it is bringing together decision makers to solve problems within the industry.
“We had a micro-factory installation on the show floor. That is another area we are going to continue to push because that is the flip side of sustainability—technology for smaller footprints,” Griffin said. “The next 20 years in apparel production will be about making it where it’s worn and being very close to the consumer.”
