1. Smart Start
What is the difference between fashion/commodity/seasonal products?

2. Commodity Staple goods Hardly ever change in design In constant demand
Sales are predictable/always stocked in retail stores
Continually produced in regular amounts (mass produced)
Cotton/polyester blend fabric
Men’s white business shirts

3. Fashion Products Always changing
Fashions must be predicted so that retailers can be prepared for demand and sales at a particular time in the market
Companies are always scrambling to supply the right fashions at the right time to make a profit
Great deal of style and timing risk for companies that deal with fashion merchandise
Buyers of fashion merchandise

4. Seasonal Products
Change in popularity and demand with the seasons of the year
Include both fashion and commodity items
Shorts, swimsuits, beach towels
Gloves, coats, sweaters

5. Substance of the Fashion Industry
Identify the scope and importance of the fashion industry to our economy.

6. The Fashion Industry’s Impact on the U.S. Economy
Fourth leading employer in the U.S.
Apparel industry
Over $20 billion in annual sales
Employs over 1 million people

7. U.S. Apparel Industry Womenswear Menswear Infants and children
Accessories

8. The Womenswear Industry
Womenswear: All apparel worn by females aged 14 and over.
Largest and most important retail segment
More than 60% of all apparel sales
Employs hundreds of thousands of people
Ranges from small family-owned businesses to large multi-million dollar corporations

9. Menswear Industry Menswear: All apparel for males aged 17 and over.
Produces billions of dollars worth of merchandise each year in plants throughout the world
Changes slowly, but interest and demand continue to grow
Sportswear is the fastest growing segment.

10. Infants’ and Children's Apparel Industry
Infants’ apparel: Apparel for babies and toddlers younger than 3 years of age.
Children’s apparel: Clothing for girls ages 3 through 13 and boys ages 3 through 16.
Becoming increasingly important to economy
One of the more stable divisions due to increased demand for children's fashions in general. Better children's garments include designer labels such as Ralph Lauren.

11. The Accessories Industry
Accessories: The articles added to complete or enhance outfits.
Viewed as impulse items that bring additional revenues to companies
Experienced a boost due to licensing agreements
Extend a consumer’s wardrobe; especially important in poor economic times

12. Activity
Research what you predict to be popular this fall/winter for each segment of the apparel industry.
Create a board in polyvore or use PowerPoint to create a visual.
Show Source for each item. Include whether it is a commodity, seasonal, or fashion item.
Womenswear
Menswear
Infants and children
Accessories

13. Other Textile End-Use Industries
Commercially-produced wearing apparel is not the only end use for textiles…
Other markets include household or home furnishings products, industrial textile products, and the home sewing industry.
Fill out chart

14. The Household Industry
Accounts for 40% of all textile products
Average product lifespan is 10 years.
Colors and patterns slower to change than in apparel

15. The Household Industry (cont.)
Floor coverings division
Carpeting
Area rugs, oriental rugs, and throw rugs
Home furnishings division
Window treatments
Furniture
Miscellaneous items
Domestics division
Bed linens
Bathroom items
Table and kitchen linens

16. Four Major Segments Of The Fashion Industry
Textile segment
Apparel manufacturing segment
Retail segment
Auxiliary group

17. Textile Segment
Textile segment: The initial segment in the fashion process.
Steps include:
Fiber production
Yarn production
Fabric manufacturing
Fabric finishing

18. Fiber Production- Textile Segment
Fibers are very thin, hair-like strands than can be short or long
They are the basic units in making textile products
Originate from naturally grown sources or chemical mixtures

19. Yarn Production
Yarns are continuous strands of textile fibers in a form suitable for processing into fabrics
They are formed by spinning, or twisting fibers together in yarn mills

20. Fabric Manufacturing Done at textile mills
The mills weave, knit, or join yarns into fabrics
At this point, the fabric is in an unfinished state (greige goods)

21. Fabric Finishing
Bleaching, dyeing, printing or applying special coatings to the greige goods
This process imparts color, texture, pattern, ease of care and other characteristics to fabrics

22. Apparel Manufacturing Segment
Apparel manufacturing segment: That part of the fashion industry that produces finished garments and accessories.
Functions of the apparel segment include:
Designing
Manufacturing
Apparel selling

23. Retail Segment
Retail segment: The part of the fashion industry that includes selling merchandise directly to consumers.
Buying from the manufacturer or wholesaler
Selling to the consumer

24. Auxiliary Group
Auxiliary group: Individuals and groups of individuals that support and function simultaneously with the retail, apparel manufacturing, and textile segments of the fashion industry.

25. Auxiliary Group (cont.)
Consultants: Researchers and forecasters who provide information about colors and other trends that are occurring the consumer marketplace.
Advertisers: Individuals who, by visiting fashion markets and showings, produce and disseminate the latest fashion information to educate both consumers and working members of the fashion industry.
Promoters: Trade associations, trade publications, models, modeling agencies, photographers, and others that play a part in promoting the merchandise.