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Industry Opinion
Threads of Change – Domestic Reshoring in Motion
By Joe Altieri, FIT Adjunct Professor, Mentor, Educator, and Trainer
What’s Happening Now in U.S. Apparel Manufacturing Why It Matters
Current initiatives prove reshoring is no longer hypothetical. It’s happening—though still in its infancy.
What’s needed next?• Broader brand commitment beyond capsule collections• Investment in skilled labor and training pipelines• Federal policy alignment on textile tariffs and automation tax credits
1. Levi Strauss & Co. (Pilot Project, North Carolina)Launching a 5,000-unit-per-week pilot line of Levi 501 jeans in North Carolina using a refurbished facility powered by solar energy. Project backed by private capital and state incentives.🔹 Key Focus: Workforce development, laser finishing, and circular supply chains. 2. ABC Manufacturing (Wilmington, Delaware)Startup facility aimed at producing 1,000–5,000 pairs of premium denim jeans weekly. Sourcing all materials domestically and emphasizing living wages, training, and biodegradable packaging.🔹 Status: Facility acquisition phase with phased hiring (95 workers). 3. American Giant (North Carolina & South Carolina)Expanding cut-and-sew operations in the Carolinas. Partnering with cotton growers and spinners to create fully traceable U.S.-grown-and-made garments.🔹 Notable: Utilizing 100% American cotton and investing in machine upgrades. 4. Los Angeles Apparel (California)Adding capacity in DTLA to support rapid on-demand production. Focus on reducing lead times and maintaining ethical, high-transparency labor practices.🔹 Recent Move: Opened two new lines for basics and promotional wear. 5. Parkdale Mills (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia)Continuing to supply U.S.-grown and spun yarns to reshoring partners. Expanded spinning capacity in response to increased interest in domestic knitwear production.🔹 Partnerships: Collaborating with DTC brands for vertically integrated programs. 6. Softwear Automation (Georgia)Deploying “Sewbots” for t-shirt and uniform production. Enabling brands to reshore volume SKUs without relying on low-cost labor overseas.🔹 Impact: Reduces unit labor cost enough to compete with Asia. 7. FIT: ReshoreReady Accelerator (New York)The Fashion Institute of Technology has launched a new accelerator that pairs designers with domestic factories and automation technology experts to prototype U.S.-made collections.🔹 Support: Includes access to funding, manufacturing mentorship, and buyer showcases. Call to Action: If you are building domestic capacity—or want to, contact The Needle’s Eye to be featured in future issues. Together, let’s map the new manufacturing frontier, one facility at a time.Do you have a strategy or success story for reshoring apparel? We want to hear from you. josephaltiericonsulting@gmail.com
1. Levi Strauss & Co. (Pilot Project, North Carolina)Launching a 5,000-unit-per-week pilot line of Levi 501 jeans in North Carolina using a refurbished facility powered by solar energy. Project backed by private capital and state incentives.🔹 Key Focus: Workforce development, laser finishing, and circular supply chains. 2. ABC Manufacturing (Wilmington, Delaware)Startup facility aimed at producing 1,000–5,000 pairs of premium denim jeans weekly. Sourcing all materials domestically and emphasizing living wages, training, and biodegradable packaging.🔹 Status: Facility acquisition phase with phased hiring (95 workers). 3. American Giant (North Carolina & South Carolina)Expanding cut-and-sew operations in the Carolinas. Partnering with cotton growers and spinners to create fully traceable U.S.-grown-and-made garments.🔹 Notable: Utilizing 100% American cotton and investing in machine upgrades. 4. Los Angeles Apparel (California)Adding capacity in DTLA to support rapid on-demand production. Focus on reducing lead times and maintaining ethical, high-transparency labor practices.🔹 Recent Move: Opened two new lines for basics and promotional wear. 5. Parkdale Mills (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia)Continuing to supply U.S.-grown and spun yarns to reshoring partners. Expanded spinning capacity in response to increased interest in domestic knitwear production.🔹 Partnerships: Collaborating with DTC brands for vertically integrated programs. 6. Softwear Automation (Georgia)Deploying “Sewbots” for t-shirt and uniform production. Enabling brands to reshore volume SKUs without relying on low-cost labor overseas.🔹 Impact: Reduces unit labor cost enough to compete with Asia. 7. FIT: ReshoreReady Accelerator (New York)The Fashion Institute of Technology has launched a new accelerator that pairs designers with domestic factories and automation technology experts to prototype U.S.-made collections.🔹 Support: Includes access to funding, manufacturing mentorship, and buyer showcases. Call to Action: If you are building domestic capacity—or want to, contact The Needle’s Eye to be featured in future issues. Together, let’s map the new manufacturing frontier, one facility at a time.Do you have a strategy or success story for reshoring apparel? We want to hear from you. josephaltiericonsulting@gmail.com