Manufacturing news and archive

Rotostitch raises 1 million US dollars to “revolutionise” apparel manufacturing

San Francisco-based manufacturing start-up Rotostitch, which is looking to redefine apparel production through automation, has raised 1 million US dollars in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round, led by Boost VC and Nova Threshold. Rotostitch, founded by former engineers from Tesla, Neuralink and Apple, said the new capital would accelerate...

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GFA sets out to establish textile waste management systems in Türkiye

Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the organiser behind the annual Global Fashion Summit, has announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at backing the development of textile waste systems in Türkiye. Türkiye becomes the fourth manufacturing region to implement this programme, following the path of Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Akin to...

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The Lycra Company opens second production facility in China

US fibre manufacturer The Lycra Company opened its largest spandex factory in the world in the Chinese city of Yinchuan on Friday. “This milestone underscores the company's continued investment in the Chinese market and highlights its strong commitment to building localised supply and distribution networks, as well as promoting advancements in...

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Business|Reportage

The 'Prato system': corruption and illegal labour at the heart of the Italian textile industry

The fatal shooting of Zhang Dayong in Rome, who was found with six bullet wounds, initially seemed unconnected to Prato, Italy's textile hub. However, investigators now believe the murder is part of a brutal "hanger war" between rival Chinese mafia groups for control of Europe's largest garment manufacturing centre. This criminal escalation is...

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Coats Group acquires OrthoLite for 770 million dollars

British manufacturing firm Coats Group has entered an agreement to acquire OrthoLite Holdings LLC for 770 million dollars. The deal intends to create “a ‘super tier 2’ supplier for footwear components”, while helping Coats expand into the “high growth insole segment”. The transaction, which is expected to close in Q4 2025, was funded through a...

Fairs

Collaboration, connection, and credibility: Source Fashion marks record growth with global and local momentum

Source Fashion closed the doors of its new, larger home of Olympia London yesterday, marking the end of what the event said was a “record-breaking show”. According to preliminary figures, footfall was up 51 percent year-on-year, as buyers from both local and global fashion players descended on the event to meet and network with international...

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Fairs|Interview

Diversifying buyers, shifting priorities: Source Fashion scales up to meet evolving sourcing demands

“We’re still in toddler territory,” Source Fashion director, Suzanne Ellingham, jokingly said when asked about the event’s milestones. Now in its third year, the trade fair is moving into the bigger venue of The Grand Hall in Olympia London. The move reflects the 30 percent year-on-year growth experienced since its inception in 2023. Despite...

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From volume to value: Bangladesh's garment strategy amid trade turmoil

Bangladesh’s garment industry seeks to shed its low-cost, large quantity image as it aims to capture higher-value business. At Best of Bangladesh, a fair and conference in the heart of Amsterdam, manufacturers and government officials advertised the world’s second largest garment producer’s transition, hoping to gain more business amid global...

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Australian organisations team up to develop country’s first National Manufacturing Strategy

The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) and clothing manufacturing company R.M. Williams have established a new partnership to develop what would be Australia’s first-ever National Manufacturing Strategy. The duo intend to mobilise efforts to “rebuild and future-proof” the local fashion and textile industry in the pursuit of building up a globally...

University of Westminster offering new MA course to bridge the skills gap in manufacturing

The University of Westminster ranked in the top 20 universities in the UK, has announced a new Master of Arts (MA) course in collaboration with the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) designed to boost the number of skilled fashion manufacturers. The Fashion Manufacturing MA course, launching in September, is being described as a “...

Background

Who makes our clothes? Fashion Production Explained

Ever wondered who actually makes your clothes and how fashion's supply chain impacts workers' lives? This deep dive unpacks how fashion production works and explores what’s needed for meaningful change in the industry. FashionUnited interviewed Kim van der Weerd, a former factory manager with a background in human rights, who advocates for a...

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New report unveils gender disparities in Italian fashion manufacturing industry

Non-profit Global Fashion Agenda and accountancy firm PwC Italy have published a preliminary research report that provides a detailed assessment of pay disparities in the Italian fashion sector. Titled “Unpacking Pay Equity in Fashion: Italy”, the report was developed with support from the Italian fashion association Camera Nazionale della Moda...