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By SPESA
It has been raining in North Carolina for months it seems. And while it is good for the plants (our hydrangeas are starting to show some buds again), the gloomy skies tend to make us feel pessimistic. Every time we think it will be a good day to grab lunch al fresco or finally mow the lawn, we look outside and see fresh puddles of yellow rainwater telling us to go back inside (adding insult to injury, we’re also coming into peak pollen season in the South).
And every time we start to feel hopeful about a “post-Covid” future for the sewn products industry, it feels like we are hit with another stormcloud. We’re worried about so many issues currently impacting the sewn products supply chain including the heartbreaking war in Ukraine, additional lockdowns in China, rising inflation, and looming labor strikes. For Pete’s sake, there is another Evergreen ship stuck in a channel!
Nevertheless, we try to keep one thing in mind: Spring will come again.
That’s not to say there won’t always be challenges for our industry. There most definitely will, and we will tackle them together. But there are also things to make us optimistic: manufacturing investments in North and Central America, advancements in innovation, labor improvements for female factory workers, decreasing shipping container costs, and, of course, the return of live events and the ability to do business in person.
At the end of March, we sent our 4th annual SPESA State of the Union address to our members highlighting our hope for the future of the association, our goals for 2022, and our upcoming events, including Texprocess Americas 2022. This event — now four years in the making — is the biggest ray of sunshine in our immediate view.
We’ve talked about Texprocess Americas quite a bit over the last few months, including in both February’s and March’s SPESA Speaks, and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon. This month’s Behind the Seams includes a video Q&A with Messe Frankfurt's Senior Marketing & Conference Manager, Ali Rosenberger, on the marketing benefits of trade shows and tips to leverage your booth presence. We will also be using Behind the Seams, along with SPESA’s social media channels, to help shine a spotlight on all of the SPESA members exhibiting at this year’s show.
Be sure to read the SPESA State of the Union to learn more about what we’re planning for our members and Behind the Seams readers in 2022. And for now, strap your rain boots on, jump in some puddles, and get ready for Spring.
Also in this month's Behind the Seams: