Ringing in the New Decade

When I faced the computer readying to write this column my initial thought was to look back on the past decade. In 1999, after a brief reprieve from trade journalism, I signed on as fabrics editor for a sporting goods trade magazine. It was the summer a freak tornado whipped through downtown Salt Lake upending Outdoor Retailer exhibitors and a Fall season when I must have written a dozen Chapter 11 stories as the winds of change blew through the textile industry. The domestic fiber/fabric community was flummoxed by offshore competition.

But over the years, the industry righted itself and business moved on. We endured the horror of 9/11 and the despair of Katrina. Society embraced Wikipedia, American Idol and camera phones, and our vocabulary addedd verbs like text, blog and going rogue, and nouns such as freedom fries, friendly fire and hope. We wore Crocs, watched as Tiger Woods dominated golf (and then fell from grace) and got giddy as housing prices hit new highs.

The wave of sustainability washed over us, producing green goods like never before. Canvas totes proclaiming “I’m not a plastic bag” became a lifestyle staple and recycled yarns and organic cottons went from niche items to mainstream products in no time. Better quality fabrics and designers with an eye for function and fashion transformed items like a granola-crunchy hemp T-shirt into collections of comfortable, good-looking eco-friendly garments.

However, the decade’s end is much like its beginning. The economy has done a number on business and once again the story lines are cut backs, lay offs, closings and re-thinking growth strategies.

What’s interesting is that despite the gloom, my conversations with textile folks in recent weeks have generally been upbeat and optimistic. At our Raleigh, NC Roundtable Discussion Series, for instance, the featured speakers all took a forward-thinking approach. The presentations were highlighted by positive changes in business and goals for future growth.

North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco said, “Great opportunity exists for growth in this area,” referencing the role of sustainability in business today. “Several projects have come forth in the last several months and we are working hard on the state level to promote innovation and sustainability.”

Blanton Godfrey, Dean of the College of Textiles at NC State University, also noted the promise of growth through sustainability. “The governor put $10 million to promote green business in North Carolina in 2009. It’s beginning to happen. We have a lot to do, but we are going to do it.”

Innovation, be it developing green products or simplifying supply chain sourcing, is a rallying cry as we enter this new decade. Textile companies are starting the New Year with new fabrics, new partners, new marketing initiatives and new outlets for business. One area that is gaining ground with textile firms is going direct to consumers. We take an in-depth look at how social networking is changing the nature of textile businesses in our feature story.

“At the festivals we will be on-site and work with brand partners and get some direct experience talking with consumers,” says Shannon Walton, Schoeller spokesperson. “We Facebook and Twitter with links to our Web site and have a YouTube station, which we continue to strengthen.”
Who would have guessed 10 years ago that managing social network sites would be part of the daily to-do list for textile execs? Perhaps instead of looking back on the last decade, it’s wiser to look ahead at future possibilities.

The complete January 2010 issue of Textile Insight will be posted on February 10. If you do not subscribe to Textile Insight, please click on the Subscribe link above.

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