NEWS
Inside the Industry
Artistic Milliners is celebrating the strategic expansion of its nearshoring operations in the Western Hemisphere with the purchase of VF’s Dickies de Parras S. de RL de CV facility in Parras, Mexico. The investment means it can immediately begin upgrading the denim factory in Mexico on an expedited timeline and can soon offer even more services to retailers and brands looking to manufacture closer to the United States. Artistic Milliners Mexico joins its existing nearshoring operations, which include the SFI Los Angeles design center and laundry as well as SFI’s Central America operations and strategic partnerships in Mexico and Guatemala. The Parras facility, which first opened in 1996, is a vast complex spread over 10 acres. Plans call for a rapid build-out over the next six months to modernize the facility.
Rebag, the leading luxury resale platform, has announced a strategic retail and digital partnership with Bloomingdale’s aimed at democratizing the luxury-goods market. The first-of-its-kind collaboration is designed to promote sustainability and circularity while providing unparalleled access to best-in-class brands. The partnership includes a meticulously curated selection of over 2,500 designer handbags, watches and fine jewelry, available online at Bloomingdales.com and in five select Bloomingdale’s stores nationwide. The items bought and sold by Rebag will be focused solely on select ultra-high-end pieces. Rebag will also partner with Bloomingdale’s store management and staff to integrate the Rebag buying and selling experience into Bloomingdale’s customer journey.
Lolë Brands, a global apparel company producing elevated athleisure, activewear and outerwear has announced the acquisition of outdoor lifestyle footwear brand Sanuk, previously a division of Deckers Brands. Founded in 1997 within the vibrant surfing, action-sports and outdoor community, Sanuk has been synonymous with creativity and free-spirited adventure. Renowned for its original styles and irreverent marketing, Sanuk seeks to “spread smiles far and wide through fun footwear.” The partnership will usher in a new era for the Southern California–born brand as Sanuk and Lolë share a commitment to responsibly produced, innovative and stylish designs. Under new ownership, Sanuk will benefit from a renewed investment to build on its core strengths including unique, consumer-centric products and marketing that differentiates the brand in the marketplace.
Applied DNA Sciences has announced the signing of a five-year license and commercialization agreement for its CertainT traceability platform with the Indus Group, a multinational apparel and textile manufacturing and sourcing company with a reputation for cutting-edge fabric technology and product innovation. Indus consumes approximately 450 million pounds of cotton annually, and CertainT is a textiles traceability platform that uses forensic, multiple-proof-point evidence to verify source and authenticity of materials as they are transformed through global supply chains. Under the terms of the agreement, Applied DNA will supply Indus with its platform for cotton-based products originating from Indus facilities in Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan, utilizing cotton from multiple global sources.
