Sourcing Journal

It’s not often that movers and shakers from industry-leading athletic brands come together under the same roof in the spirit of collaboration. It’s even less frequent that they do so with an openness to collectively challenging the merits of decades-old business norms that have situated their supply chains in far-flung locales like China and Vietnam. But that’s what happened at the much-anticipated launch of Portland, Ore.’s Made in Old Town (MiOT) project last week.

Last week, Kingpins Amsterdam marked a decade of excellence with a celebration that featured a creative fashion show, an engaging happy hour, and a venue buzzing with the denim industry’s foremost experts unveiling their innovative concepts for Spring/Summer 2026.

A month after cooler heads prevailed and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) ended a three-day strike at the East and Gulf Coast ports, the union and its maritime employers will return to the contract negotiation table.

As e-commerce giants like Amazon shorten delivery windows, consumers are increasingly demanding faster fulfillment options. Watch this fireside chat to learn how Standvast is helping these retailers streamline their processes to ensure products are delivered within a shorter window: https://bit.ly/3Y7nrKU

What role will DPPs play in the fashion industry five years from now? How is Trimco supporting its textile and footwear customers on their traceability journeys? Find out the answers to these questions and more here: https://bit.ly/3zvLqey

The global artisan workforce is collectively grappling with the post-factum influence of the internet. In creating jacks-of-all-trades, there aren’t many masters-of-one left, and even fewer age-appropriate apprentices around to take the lead. But Portugal could (still) be a contender.

While consumers and regulators push for improved traceability and ethical sourcing, only a small percentage of brands can fully track their products from raw materials to finished goods. This discrepancy showcases a significant gap between the desired level of transparency and actual implementation, as highlighted by Blythe Chorn, managing director of supply chain advisory at accounting firm KPMG. Chorn notes that the benefits of enhanced supply chain visibility extend beyond mere compliance. “Increased visibility can lead to greater resiliency and improved cost efficiency, which are crucial for navigating today’s complex market dynamics,” she said. “One of the greatest business advantages is how visibility can be leveraged to advance decarbonization through reduced waste, energy and resource use across the supply base, ultimately resulting in more cost-efficient and better managed supply chains.” https://bit.ly/4e66Cpu

Dockworkers at the Port of Montreal are ramping up a work action again, preparing a 24-hour strike Sunday as contract negotiations remain at a standstill.

The United States needs to start catching up to European countries that are expanding their legislative frameworks to mandate corporate accountability for human rights, a new report has warned. Doing anything else not only risks undermining its long-held commitment to protecting fundamental freedoms but it also allows foreign powers to dictate the standards under which its largest and most influential companies operate.

Fast fashion phenom Shein has made its foray into the branded credit card space with a new offering in Latin America. The China-founded online marketplace has partnered with Mexican fintech firm Stori, announcing the launch of the Shein x Stori Mastercard last week in a release viewed by Sourcing Journal.