REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
2026 SPESA Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference
April 14, 2026 | Columbus, OH
SPESA is excited to announce that registration is OFFICIALLY OPEN for the 2026 Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference, taking place Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the The LOOM, a newly-opened fashion incubator and cultural hub that's been brought to life by a collaboration between the Columbus College of Art & Design and the Columbus Fashion Alliance.
INDUSTRY NEWS | 12.4.25
House Lawmakers Pass Bill to Double SBA Loan Limits for Manufacturers
Manufacturing Dive | December 3, 2025
The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed a bill that would double the Small Business Administration’s loan limit from $5 million to $10 million for domestic manufacturers. The Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act aims to unlock more capital for small manufacturers seeking to buy machinery, expand their factories, upgrade equipment or scale production. The bill has advanced to the Senate for further consideration.
CISMA 2025: Automation, AI and Precision Define the Future of Manufacturing
Apparel Resources | December 3, 2025
Innovations demonstrated at CISMA 2025 showed how precision, consistency and reduced manual intervention are becoming non-negotiable in modern garment production. AI integration, intelligent oil and lubrication management and fully automated auxiliary systems are now standard features.
Manufacturing Weakens in Europe, Asia on Faltering Demand and Tariff Uncertainties
Reuters | December 2, 2025
According to the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) purchasing managers index (PMI) report, manufacturing was weak in the U.S., Europe and Asia's biggest economies in November, business surveys showed on Monday, as subdued domestic demand and tariff uncertainties weighed.
For the U.S. specifically: American producers are being hit hard by the very policies touted as drivers for a domestic resurgence. “Despite the goal of reshoring, we’re not seeing it,” said Susan Spence, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, who added that for every positive comment about new orders, there was an average of 1.2 comments from supply executives “expressing concern about near-term demand, driven primarily by tariff costs and uncertainty.”
Amazon Under Fire for ‘Labour Exploitation’ in Garment Supply Chain
Just Style | December 2, 2025
A group of activists have filed a complaint against Amazon with the UK Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), alleging labour exploitation in the supply chains linked to its sales.
Factories Having Links with U.S. Market Under Pressure: Survey
Apparel Resources | December 2, 2025
The study, conducted by Better Work Bangladesh (BWB) in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), highlights the risks of Bangladesh’s high export concentration in the United States and European Union. While reliance on the EU appears to offer some stabilising effect, the report notes that dependence on the US market is “already in a strained state”.
YKK Accelerates Circularity and Decarbonization Strategy
SJ Denim | December 1, 2025
“To adapt to changes in the market and environment and to achieve sustainable growth and a competitive advantage, we are actively investing in streamlining, sustainability, and digital transformation,” the company stated.
Additionally YKK Corporation announced that it will make its debut at CES 2026 (Consumer Electronics Show), the world’s largest technology exhibition, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2026, where it will showcase some of its latest groundbreaking innovations.
Made in the USA: Go Inside 8 of the Last Home Goods Manufacturers in America
USA Today | November 29, 2025
The article highlights some of the changemakers when it comes to maintaining manufacturing in the U.S., including American Giant.
We had the opportunity to hear from American Giant CEO, Bayard Winthrop at the 2025 SPESA Executive Conference in Chicago where he spoke alongside Walmart’s Sourcing Director, Julie Rader about the landmark partnership between Walmart and American Giant to bring 100% U.S.-made t-shirts to thousands of stores across the country. This collaboration is one example of Walmart’s ongoing commitment to supporting U.S. manufacturing, part of a broader $350 billion investment to build and source more products domestically, according to Rader.
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Nufabrx Builds Momentum with Made-in-America, Wearable Pain-Relief Technology
eTextileCommunications | November 25, 2025
In the latest edition of SEAMS Member Spotlight, Nufabrx, an apparel company that infuses medication into its garments, is showcased with an interview featuring the company’s CEO Glenn Normoyle and COO Jennifer Mouraview.
Jennifer Mouraview was the inaugural guest on the Bobbin Around Podcast with The Chicago Pattern Maker’s, Xochil Herrera Scheer and SPESA’s Michael McDOnald. You can check out that episode here.
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Cobots Are Out, Collaborative Applications Are in After Safety Standard Change
Manufacturing Dive | November 24, 2025
This is the first major update to standards over the past decade and will significantly change how these tools are designed, certified and marketed, as well as how manufacturers implement them in collaborative human-machine processes with more strictly regulated safety measures.
John Jakomin, chief engineer and co-founder of Slip Robotics, a company offering robots-as-a-service to manufacturers, called the change an “overdue correction.”
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40% of Fashion Workers Could Need Tech, AI Reskilling by 2030
Just Style | November 21, 2025
Fashion jobs are set to become AI-centric with new roles expected to emerge so to remain competitive, fashion executives must focus on upskilling workforces.
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As Tariffs Drive Up Costs, Cavela AI Secures $6.6M to Help E-Commerce Brands Pivot Production Fast
Press Release | November 20, 2025
Cavela announced in November that it raised $6.6M in seed funding. Cavela makes it easy for e-commerce brands to source from the best suppliers around the world. By combining AI with on-the-ground experts and a network of 200,000+ global, vetted suppliers, Cavela handles the entire sourcing process from quote to delivery. Founded in San Francisco by McGill, Harvard, and MIT alumni with family roots in global trade, the company is backed by the operators and investors behind companies like Notion, Stripe, Flexport, and Anduril.
Anthony Sardain, CEO & Founder of Cavela, spoke at the 2025 SPESA Executive Conference in Chicago.
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