Sourcing Journal Radio

Kate Nishimura of Sourcing Journal chats with Lauren Parker of Fairchild Studio about what Trump's next presidency could means for apparel, footwear, textiles and retail when it comes to tariffs, trade and taxes.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Automation holds immense potential for the product development process. Moving rote tasks from humans to artificial intelligence allows teams to focus their energy on the creative aspects of the job. It also streamlines the workflow, reducing samples and iterations, which in turn boosts efficiency and reduces waste.

“You’re… ultimately shifting teams from firefighting to adding value and helping businesses become more agile [and] creative while still being sustainable,” said Kristen Ohlsson, head of strategic solutions consulting at apparel design software firm Browzwear.

To get the most out of AI, companies need to underpin the technology with digitalized systems and solid data management so that the machines are learning from the right information. Also critical is training so employees don’t dread the technology. “AI is not there to replace your jobs,” said Lars Villumsen, strategic solutions architect consultant director at Browzwear. “It's to assist you on working smarter.”

This conversation between Ohlsson, Villumsen and Sourcing Journal's senior editor, strategic content Sarah Jones covers what tasks should—and shouldn’t—be automated and AI’s future place in product creation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Combatting climate change has become a top target for the fashion industry, but reaching carbon-cutting targets will require action across the entire supply chain.

In September 2022, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was named the lead recipient of the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program, receiving funding and recognition as part of the USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities pilot projects to support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help brands and retailers report against Scope 3 emissions reductions for cotton used in products.

The Climate Smart Cotton Program is a five-year collaborative initiative that brings together partners from across the supply chain and provides additional benefits for growers, including technical and financial support. “The goal is really helping cotton growers improve their profitability, their operations and of course, their environmental stewardship,” said Daren Abney, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.

One of the participants, Louisiana-based Hardwick Planting Company, is taking a well-rounded approach to sustainability that includes returning unproductive farmland to natural and biodiverse habitats, paring back tillage and better targeting pest and weed control. Although many of these practices are longstanding, technology is enhancing these sustainability efforts. “Advances in technology…will continue to improve our ability to save inputs, be more precise; that really goes a long way,” said Mead Hardwick, partner at Hardwick Planting Company.

Here, Abney, Hardwick and Sourcing Journal's sourcing and labor editor Jasmin Malik Chua discuss what the Climate Smart Cotton Program entails and how carbon-cutting measures are being rolled out at the farm level.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To see how the fashion industry is faring regarding sustainability, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studios, sat down with Peter Sadera, editor-in-chief, Sourcing Journal, to discuss the positives pushing things forward, as well as the obstacles blocking more progress.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this fireside chat for business hub Retail Rx, Tim Anderson, senior business leader and executive vice president, Hilco Valuation Services, explains to Lauren Parker, director, Fairchild Studio, how retailers and brands must evaluate their respective brick-and-mortar and digital channels—individually and collectively—to ensure overall omnichannel success.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Alex Harrell, Sourcing Journal staff reporter, discusses the gains and obstacles in the exciting world of alt materials.

Download the Material Innovation Report to learn:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Lizzie Kroeze, director of product development and marketing for the EU and UK at AGI Denim, chats with Angela Velasquez, executive editor at Rivet about its upgraded operations.

The vertically integrated B Corp manages the entire production process, from yarn spinning and fabric weaving to garment sewing and finishing. In addition, earlier this year AGI Denim launched The Agency, an in-house creative service offering a range of tools to clients, including trend decks, fit catalogs, wash stacks, specialized insights and rapid prototyping in both digital formats (such as 3D designs and AI-generated visuals) and physical formats.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Far from some distant sci-fi fantasy, artificial intelligence has made its way into all aspects of our lives, and the fashion industry is no exception.

In this podcast, Sourcing Journal business reporter and tech editor Meghan Hall joins Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, to discuss the SJ x WWD Tech Report: The Artificial Intelligence Issue.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since synthetic materials came on the scene almost a century ago, they have grown to become the most popular choice for apparel. But the prevalence of polyester and other polymer-based fibers has come with a tiny yet pervasive problem: microplastics.

Textiles are a key contributor to microplastic pollution, as tiny plastic particles break off and enter the air and water, posing harms to humans and other living things. Polyester and other synthetics are also persistent in the environment, since microplastics and garments themselves are not readily biodegradable. 

“What do we do about this plastic and where this plastic ends up? And what does it even mean to the environment as well as to our own health?” said Dr. Jesse Daystar, chief sustainability officer and vice president, sustainability at the not-for-profit research and promotion organization Cotton Incorporated. “The world and consumers are sort of waking up to the fact that this is an issue.”

In this episode, Daystar and Yvonne Johnson, senior director, product development at Cotton Incorporated, speak with Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, about Why natural fibers are a better, more sustainable choice and what will finally move the industry away from polymer-based fibers.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special “Chat Box” episode, part of a series of executive spotlights for RetailRx community hub, Danielle Schmelkin, chief information officer of J.Crew Group joins Fairchild Studio Director Lauren Parker.

Schmelkin discusses the shifting role of the CIO, J.Crew and Madewell’s digital transformation strategies, and sheds light on how retailers should use AI and other technologies to set themselves up for digital success.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices