Sean Horning

Thanks to Sourcing Journal and Jennifer Bringle for highlighting the role of the United States Footwear Manufacturers Association (USFMA), under the leadership of executive director Bill McCann, in helping build a more vibrant domestic supply chain to meet the requirements of the Berry Amendment. McCann told the inaugural military footwear industry day hosted by University of Massachusetts Lowell and U.S. Army DEVCOM that the industry "has stepped up its technological capability to not only meet the innovation demands of military footwear, but to be able to do so in a cost-effective way," Sourcing Journal reported. “New technologies like robotics, additive manufacturing, data analytics and artificial intelligence have increased automation and reduced the cost-of-labor advantages that countries like China and Vietnam have over the U.S.,” McCann told attendees. “Also, the pandemic exposed us as a nation that has a hard time making what we need in a crisis, and that has spurred a lot of entrepreneurship and investment in our industry and rebuilding our supply chain.” A primary effort is the Supporting Warfighters through Innovative Footwear Technologies (SWIFT) program dedicated to giving the U.S. military greater choices of state-of-the-art footwear developed and produced in the United States. "McCann said Congress approved $3 million for the first phase of SWIFT, with $10 million more per year appropriated for the next two years, and an additional $10 million pending," according to Sourcing Journal. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSmhN9EG

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LA Wildfires Spark Shoe Industry’s Heartfelt Response to Help Victims https://lnkd.in/gZwwJT84 In the face of this tragedy, numerous footwear brands are stepping up to offer assistance to those in need. APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs) Labs (APL), known for its innovative designs has committed to donating shoes to those impacted by the disaster. Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based nonprofit, has been actively working to help those affected by the fires preparing essential supplies, including shoes and clothing, for distribution when the time is right. The Two Ten Footwear Foundation, an organization dedicated to assisting footwear industry employees during times of crisis is offering financial assistance to employees in the footwear industry who have been displaced by the fires. Continue reading https://lnkd.in/gZwwJT84

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Wolverine Worldwide World Wide's Work Group appointed Mike Maloney as Chief Product Officer. With 19+ years in the footwear industry at Adidas, Under Armour, and others, Maloney will lead product development and strategy for brands like Wolverine and Merrell Work. His expertise in merchandising and innovation aims to expand market reach and enhance consumer-focused footwear solutions. #Fibre2Fashion #f2f #apparel #textile #fashion #textileindustry #f2fnews Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gQgRN6W9

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Lever Style announced our first half 2024 results last week, and I spoke about them on CNBC. Compared to the same period last year, our sales were down 5% to $95.3m while earnings dropped 26% to $4.3m. Our results were heavily affected by the chapter 11 bankruptcy of our key customer Bonobos’s parent company Express Inc. If not for the Express bankruptcy and the resulting held shipment and $2.4m of bad debt provision, we would have yet again hit record revenues and earnings for the 6-month period. This potential performance underscores the strength of our core business and the underlying growth momentum. Express’s bankruptcy is symptomatic of softening consumer demand, which can fall further if the US fails to achieve the coveted soft landing.  Many brands and retailers are feeling the pinch, and an increasing number of them are losing credit insurance coverage. Now is not the time for aggressive organic growth but rather for thoughtful consolidation and strategic alignment. https://lnkd.in/gDMTCqZh 

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Big moves are happening in the technical apparel space as Tania Habermann Flynn joins Athleta Athleta is forefront with Simone Biles as the face and with the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics they have already bought up ad space to showcase the brand. New product innovations, focus on environmental impact and increasing market reach are all happening here. Technical and athletic apparel is having a huge moment. What other retail sectors are you seeing pushing growth and innovation right now? #retailindustry #retailtrends #executives #design #product #recruitmentagency #retailisourcore

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While job cuts dominated headlines in the years following the post-pandemic spending boom, 2024 seemingly saw a slowdown in the number of footwear and retail companies implementing cost-cutting layoffs. Even still, some companies were not as fortunate this year, having to resort to saving their bottom lines by cutting staff. As we look back on the year, here are the 9 biggest footwear and retail layoffs of 2024.

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Exciting news from the footwear industry! Footwear manufacturers recently gathered in Los Angeles, CA to discuss the future of “Made in the USA” shoes. Hosted by the U.S. Footwear Manufacturers Association, the event explored nearshoring opportunities, challenges in supply chain transparency, and ways to bring back key production skills lost over the past few decades. Signet Mills is proud to be part of supporting the push for sustainable, high-quality, American-made materials to reshape the future of footwear manufacturing.   Read more about these efforts in the article "Footwear Manufacturers Convene in Los Angeles to Game Out 'Next Wave' of Made in the USA," written by Kate Nishimura. #MadeInUSA #SignetMills #FootwearIndustry

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When I worked at KEEN, the footwear company based in Portland, my career in 3D technology was on the rise. I had the privilege of meeting regularly with one of the executives, who became a powerful mentor. One day, he gave me an assignment that changed my career—and ultimately, my life. He told me: "Whatever you’re proposing, keep asking WHY until there’s no more to ask." At the time, I was advocating for KEEN to adopt cutting-edge technology—3D visualization, 3D manufacturing, and eventually AI—as core elements of the business. I began by asking: Why should we embrace these technologies? The answer didn’t start in the present. I thought back to our ancestors, using primitive tools to hunt and farm, yielding more with less energy. Technology offered them a higher return on investment—just as it does for businesses today. Why wouldn’t we use every advantage? But my mentor’s exercise went deeper. Why should I embrace this journey? In pursuing this vision, I realized I was ultimately seeking a better lifestyle, more freedom. Yet as I advanced up the ladder, I found myself with less time to actually enjoy it. My mind was constantly occupied by work—even on vacations, at family gatherings, and with friends. Then the pandemic gave my wife and me the first push toward real change. We tried remote work in Latin America and Europe, connected with digital nomads, and got a taste of a life of freedom. It wasn't enough, though—so we made the leap and started our own business: DESMIA, a technology consultancy providing AI design and 3D services to brands. While the business was thriving, something was still missing. And in January 2024, we found our last "why": To travel the world in search of our dream life, and to inspire others to take the same leap. We’ve committed fully, documenting our journey on YouTube to show others what’s possible when you stop asking “why” and start pursuing it: https://lnkd.in/d6nAxyy9 See you on the other side :) #CareerGrowth #Mentorship #Entrepreneurship #DigitalNomad #LifestyleDesign #AI #3DTechnology #Innovation #WorkLifeBalance #Freedom

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Footwear brands continue to find ways to lower their burden on the planet, including new alternatives to fossil fuel based materials. But when it comes to offering optimal support and performance, which insole materials have the biggest impact? In this post, we take a closer look at some popular insole material options: https://buff.ly/3Vq15lZ

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Is this worth $140.00, I am not convinced. “Moth” holes are body-mapped on organic combed cotton for strategic ventilation with a special focus on the areas of the upper body that produce the most heat, creating a unique cooling system. Breathable and versatile, these shirts only wear better as they age." How is this worth $140.00? I have worked with Eco-Fibers, Wicking, MM, and Quick-Dry technology in the active and casual apparel market for years. I used technology starting from the Polyethylene Pellet to Fiber that is embedded into the life-cycle of the garment. Just having to punch holes in the garment is not valid for the price. This should be a "DIY Vintage Look Lifestyle Fashion Tee. "As an ultra runner/triathlete, I have competed in many ultra endurance races, and as a apparel product developer from fiber to finished garments. I understand performance apparel very well. I use this type of product daily. Do not take my comments the wrong way, I believe in fashion apparel and live and breathe this industry 100%, but the cost does not make sense for what it is, we need to be fair to our consumers. Great Marketing and Branding.....

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Time to address the elephant in the room 🤔 The apparel landscape is shifting dramatically, and fast fashion giant SHEIN’s rapid growth highlights a trend that established brands can no longer afford to ignore. While many legacy brands cite economic challenges and shifting consumer behavior as reasons for softer sales, SHEIN’s recent 68% sales growth in Europe suggests there’s more to the story. With 2023 revenues nearing €7.7 billion and after-tax profits doubling, SHEIN’s expansion signals a shift in market dynamics that extends beyond pricing alone. To date, many established brands have dismissed SHEIN as “not real competition,” believing that consumers see SHEIN’s low-cost, fast-turnaround products as fundamentally different from premium, traceable, and sustainable offerings. However, SHEIN’s increasing market share is a clear indication that affordability, speed, and vast product selection are resonating powerfully with today’s consumers, even at the potential cost of quality and longevity. Recent retail reports show steady declines in market share for established brands across regions where SHEIN is expanding, with many legacy retailers reporting single-digit sales declines as fast fashion captures a larger share of consumer spending. But while SHEIN’s model has struck a chord, it’s crucial to also consider its implications. Fast fashion’s rapid cycles and large volumes inherently challenge sustainability and traceability goals. As SHEIN starts to increase prices, broadening its appeal, consumers may be drawn further into this high-consumption model. Established brands, which have made strides in responsible sourcing, sustainable materials, and transparent supply chains, face the challenge of keeping their values relevant to a consumer base increasingly attracted to SHEIN’s convenience and cost advantage. For established retailers, the path forward is complex. To retain relevance, brands must respond to these shifting expectations while maintaining their commitment to sustainability and transparency. SHEIN’s rise is a call to action: it signals that fast fashion isn’t just a separate category but a competitor that impacts consumer preferences across the board. For legacy brands, the challenge now is to evolve in ways that continue to resonate with consumers, balancing affordability, speed, and selection with the responsible practices that are becoming non-negotiable for many shoppers. It’s time for all of us to rethink what competition means in an era where the pressure to deliver sustainably is as strong as the pull of affordability. https://lnkd.in/eBpCcMMv #fastfashion #rethinkingretail

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The recent Footwear News article on the growing demand for U.S. manufacturing in the footwear industry resonates deeply with us. Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a steady increase in demand for domestically made shoes, and we’ve been at the forefront of this shift, committed to making sustainable footwear right here in the U.S. It hasn’t been without challenges. Decades of offshoring left gaps in infrastructure, supply chain capabilities, and workforce readiness. We’ve been rethinking and reinventing the process from the ground up — investing in new manufacturing technologies, training local talent, and building a resilient supply chain that supports our mission. Domestic manufacturing offers incredible opportunities: reducing lead times, enhancing product quality, and supporting local economies. But it also requires persistence and innovation to overcome higher production costs and limited existing resources. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but this is just the beginning. Together, as an industry, we have the chance to redefine what it means to manufacture footwear in the U.S. sustainably and at scale. We’d love to hear your thoughts: how do you see U.S. manufacturing shaping the future of footwear? #MadeInUSA #SustainableFootwear #Innovation #USManufacturing

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A $125 million urban redevelopment project aims to turn the oldest neighborhood in Portland into a hub for sustainable footwear innovation. https://buff.ly/3AxEe1t

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True merchants make excellent leaders! 1. They understand the importance of internal and external relationship building and nurturing. 🟢As a merchant, you are the cross functional leader of your "pod." You are the expert in merchandising, but you need to be able to strategize with your planning partners, translate your plans into actionable line plans for your sourcing and design partners, communicate your grow/maintain/decline to visual merchant and ecomm ops partners, etc... As a merchant, you are responsible for developing mutually beneficial strategies with your manufacturers to pass along the best intrinsic and cost-savings value to the customer. You need to understand the components of the products, factory ins and outs, and the logistics of getting the finished product from overseas to your DC. 2. Merchants understand the value of a dollar. 🟢As a merchant, you are responsible for the P&L or OTB of your category; constantly performing SWOT assessments. How can you do more with less? How can you get more of what's working and get out of what's not working? How can you work with manufacturers to adjust a product already in production? You understand that selling out of a trend product (in some cases) is better than the potential missed opportunity. 3. Merchants strategize with the best of 'em and understand when it's necessary to deviate. 🟢You are forever living in three time periods at once - hindsighting the past, working on the current assortment, and planning for next season. You are balancing between your good-better-best pricing and your core-fashion-trend buckets. You understand your strategy, but use real time data to pivot, if necessary. 4. Merchants understand their customers. 🟢You get to intimately know who's shopping you thru quantitative data (product/category selling) and thru qualitative experiences. Experts at analyzing a data set, but thoughtful enough to validate "in the wild." Shop the stores, shop the website, talk to associates, talk to customers, and follow the same celebrities and influencers customers follow. 5. Merchants understand the market. 🟢You understand what the competition is doing, what they are good at and what their weaknesses are. You also understand world events and how they may impact your job of getting the right product, at the right time, at the right price and in the right place for the customer. 6. Merchants understand the value of developing the next generation of talent. 🟢A true merchant understands the need to pay it forward. A true merchant has had great mentors and wants to be that for the next generation. Quite frankly, being able to train and motivate a merchant team makes the merchant look better in the long run. This means that the ship keeps sailing on vacation. This means that you can take the meeting with planning because your team is handling the ecomm ops meeting taking place at the same time. True merchants make excellent leaders! #merchants #retail #strategy

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I came across this inspiring story by Blue LOOP Originals and had to share it with my network. It highlights one of the most impactful circular business models: repurposing. Taking discarded materials, in this case, old tents, and transforming them into new, high-quality products is not only a creative solution but also a powerful way to tackle waste, that other way would be discarded and ended up in a landfill. However, for circular business models like this to scale and make a meaningful impact, they need the support of ecosystems and industries with the capability, knowledge, and willingness to repurpose materials. Countries like Portugal, with its rich textile heritage and skilled workforce, are perfect examples of places where innovation meets craftsmanship. Businesses and industry players must also embrace the courage and boldness to think beyond traditional business models and invest in the future of sustainability. This story also reminds us that circularity is not just about recycling, it’s about rethinking how we value materials and designing systems that minimize waste from the outset. Kudos to Blue LOOP Originals, Nancy Oliveira and FafeCorte - Confeções Unipessoal,Lda for demonstrating that with the right mindset and partnerships, we can turn challenges into opportunities. Check out Blue LOOP Originals’ incredible journey here: https://lnkd.in/e2Y6fevs

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When I say "materials innovation", do you automatically think of synthetic materials? The first half of my career was focused on developing performance and outdoor apparel textiles- an industry that has become rooted in high durability, wicking, and super fine fiber constructions to help our bodies manage moisture and warmth in a range of climate conditions. I spent the bulk of that time learning performance and durability test methods, how textile and yarn construction influences textile performance, and how to balance design targets with volume and price targets. Growing up in this material world, I started to believe that "materials innovation" was anything that was a new yarn or textile construction, or a chemical additive, coating, or finish that improved product performance (and more importantly product margin or sales). Growing up in that frame of reference, it didn't seem like natural fibers really had any place in the materials portfolio. And then I discovered wool. The more I learned about the properties of wool- the natural crimp, the hygroscopic nature (both moisture loving but also takes it away from the skin), the elasticity, the ability for it to insulate, the odor resistance (due to how it manages moisture), the fire resistance, and so much more....Here I was researching greener FR chemistries to use on synthetic workwear fabrics or bio-based wicking finishes for polyester performance textiles, and one day it finally clicked. My material world was shook. I had spent the first decade of my career studying, learning, and supporting a very narrow view on "materials innovation" that was centered around making minor shifts to a massive system of fossil-derived materials. I was left with the question that I still ask myself today: "What materials legacy do I want to leave in this world?" Eventually, I found a path that allows me to explore and develop both natural fibers and bio-based materials from soil, plant and animal forward. A path that allows me to dig deep with scientists and specialists to understand how nature designs systems and how to balance the needs of multiple stakeholders to build better. I realized that true "materials innovation" is acknowledging that we (humans) are a part of nature and we are only collaborators on nature's path to take care of all living systems. ❣ What's your favorite "materials innovation" AHA moment? ❣ Ideally, this is a point (or period of study) where you discovered or learned something about materials that changed how you look at materials innovation today. #materialsinnovation #sustainablematerials #sustainabletextiles #textilesustainability #regenerativetextiles #textiles

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Worth a read, this LowerExtremityReview article dives into relasting (a shoe modification) versus providing a custom shoe to patients, written by Erick Janisse. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/gX3AUUg4 #customshoes #relast #drcomfort #therapeuticshoes #orthopedicshoes #diabeticshoes #shoemodification

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Some apparel brands have recently faced scrutiny over forced labor in their manufacturing processes. In the latest Clothing Coulture episode, Stars Design Group CEO Bret Schnitker and CSO Emily Lane explore the complexities of forced labor in the apparel industry. They also share strategies to avoid such pitfalls. Watch "Identifying and Avoiding Forced Labor in Global Apparel Production" here: https://lnkd.in/gB3EhFi7 For more information on ethical practices in manufacturing, check out our episode with Avedis Seferian, President of Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), or go to their website. As always, you can always connect with us directly to learn more. #ethicalmanufacturing #forcedlabor #vettingpartnerships #apparelindustry #fashionpodcast

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Merrell, a renowned outdoor footwear brand, has announced the appointment of Noreen Naroo Pucci as its new Chief Product Officer. Naroo-Pucci brings a wealth of experience in the fashion and footwear industry, having held leadership roles at prominent brands such as Calvin Klein, Under Armour, and Mizzen+Main. The newly appointed CPO will be responsible for shaping Merrell’s product strategy and driving innovation. As the brand ventures on the growing trend of outdoor-inspired lifestyles, Naroo-Pucci’s expertise will be crucial in developing products that cater to this evolving consumer demand. Janice Tennant, Merrell’s Global Brand President, expressed enthusiasm about the appointment. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Naroo-Pucci is also dedicated to education and has served as a faculty member at prestigious institutions like MICA, Parsons School of Design, and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Read full article: https://lnkd.in/gvjPdwwc #Noreen Naroo Pucci #Merrell #CPO #Retail #Business #Fashion #Appointment

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