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To avoid raising prices, clothing brands cut back on quality

Dec 2, 2024
Shrinkflation is affecting clothing brands. Companies are attempting to balance quality with price for consumers.
Many shoppers are sacrificing quality for price when shopping for clothes this holiday season.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

When the viral moment fades, will the sparkle stay?

Aug 6, 2024
"Virality is fleeting," says Kelsey Campion. "We could go viral tomorrow. We could go viral in a year, we could never go viral again."
"Similar to going viral, this slowdown is also a moment in time that in two years, we’ll look back on and see things very differently,” says Kelsey Campion, owner of Fringe + Co in New Orleans.
Courtesy Kelsey Campion

Apparel sales might catch a chill as winter nears

Sep 28, 2023
Nike reported disappointing earnings, weakening the outlook for clothing sales — which have a lot to do with the year-end shopping season.
Since clothing isn't as essential for most households as food and gasoline, sales may soften.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

How one company is tackling the tricky — and expensive — task of recycling clothing

May 1, 2023
Diverting textiles from landfills is more difficult and more expensive than doing so for paper and glass. A group of formerly incarcerated workers is paving the way.
Companies send in unsold stock and returned clothes to divert their waste from landfills.
Caleigh Wells

How 'Ivy' clothes became a century-spanning fashion mainstay

Dec 19, 2022
"Ivy was a huge clothing phenomenon in the mid-20th century," said Avery Trufelman, host of the podcast "Articles of Interest." "And over time, it evolved into what was in the '70s and '80s called 'preppy style,' and what I argue now almost has no name at all."
"In the 20th century, we went from wanting to look rich to wanting to look cool," said Avery Trufelman. "And the weird thing about it is preppy clothes have changed with all of these trends."
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Paying more for plus-size clothes? Experts poke holes in the policy

Jun 2, 2022
Retailers are emerging from a tough period. Embracing inclusive sizes at the same price is one way to reach more women.
Sixty-eight percent of American women wear a size 14 or larger, according to a 2016 estimate.
MesquitaFMS/Getty Images

The business of Shein, the fast-fashion brand that's dominating Gen Z's closets

May 6, 2022
The apparel maker was recently valued at $100 billion, more than competitors Zara and H&M combined.
Katy Perry speaks during a Shein virtual festival to benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO on May 9, 2020.
Getty Images/Getty Images for Shein

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What California's new law means for garment workers and businesses

Nov 11, 2021
The law will guarantee an hourly wage for workers, but higher labor costs will put pressure on many small factories.
Garment worker Francisco Tzul has recently started working for a sewing contractor that pays an hourly wage rather than a piece rate.
Caroline Champlin/Marketplace

What can clothing retailers do with all that excess inventory?

Aug 24, 2020
With clothing sales way down, there are not a lot of good options.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

During lockdown, why dress up?

Apr 30, 2020
Sales at clothing retailers dropped by 50% in March.
Loungewear will do just fine while you're working at home.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images