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An Update from the Sewn Products Industry

Posted on November 8, 2018

New trends, shifts in the political climate and changes in the global economy — we recognize that these are just a few of the factors our clients are navigating in their industries. That is why we feel it is important for Communica to be involved in the industry associations that support our clients. This past September, Communica’s director of engagement, Jamie Bibb, attended SPESA—an association supporting the sewn products industry. While she was there, she was a presenter and discussed insights on industry specific marketing trends and how companies should address them to stay in front of their competition.

Her presentation focused on the following:

  • Right message, in the right market, on the right media, at the right time
  • Influencer marketing
  • Content hubs
  • Hyper-personalization
  • Digital marketing

Jamie considers these topics “mega trends.” They have been around and discussed at length for many years, but they are evolving and it’s important to understand how that evolution affects companies and their efforts to build brand and product awareness.

Over the next year, the sewn products industry is expected to grow 2.7% in the United States. Not only is this good news for our economy, but it’s good news for the 8 out of 10 Americans who would rather purchase domestically made goods. Attributions to this spike was a hot topic among other SPESA speakers.

Robert Tucker, president of Innovation Resource Consulting Group, discussed how to drive the innovation companies need to accelerate product development. He also talked about taking responsive action and how it can help ensure that the right products are being delivered in the future. Tucker drove home the point that if companies are not actively searching for, or in the process of developing, the right products for the future, their time is limited.

Various manufacturers presented case studies about how they increased efficiency for their customers by using connected machines. Connected machines are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) also known as Industry 4.0 in regions outside of the U.S. As they deliver data back to the manufacturer to be analyzed, the use of connected machines emphasizes the role of digital and its benefits beyond marketing.

Another trend addressed by the members of SPESA was the importance of personalization and the levels at which it can be executed. This can range from on-demand manufacturing and microfactories to how a retailer uses avatars in the design and sampling phase of garment creation and production. Personalization can be seen on an even bigger scale as companies are being built on the foundation of consumer demands. In the “new wave” of manufacturing, the consumer has complete control. They are able to pick exact features, functions, colors and sizes of the garments they would like produced. And now, with the advent of digital fabric and garment printers, consumers can customize images or designs.

According to Jamie, “being involved in industry support associations is imperative for us as we develop strategic plans to help our clients grow their businesses. Thank you to SPESA for inviting me to present to help their member companies as they navigate these new trends.”