The Connective Threads - June 2025 "X-FILES"

With temps nearly in the triple digits, summer is in full swing! Our last event was the SEAMS “Supply Chain USA” Pavilion at Texprocess Americas, held in Atlanta nearly eight weeks ago. In my April blog, I wrote about the inspiration for the Supply Chain Showcase – this time I’d like to share a little more about the participants, and the variety of products we were able to highlight in such a short time.

Set up as a curated museum or boutique where visitors could walk through and view products up-close, we brought in a lot of attention to our pavilion. We engaged with attendees and the press during our guided media tour, and even managed to get a local television field reporter out to learn more about the project and the SEAMS Association (alas, “breaking news” stole our spotlight, but I still consider this a big win for our organization and our message).

Let me take you on a “virtual tour” of this project, which was a true labor of love to pull together. If you recall, the criteria for the display was to have at least three or more members involved in the production process, to best highlight the collaborative nature of our organization.

To attract and lead attendees to our space, we placed mannequins in the main aisle (thank you to Lectra). First, you’ll encounter a men’s look featuring a navy “USA” sweatshirt made by America Knits, paired with gray outdoor pants by NW Alpine Gear, manufactured by member Sparta Luxe. A few aisles later, getting closer, you’ll see a women’s colorblocked white and pink sweatsuit set, which I designed using Clover Knits fabric, and produced with Lefty Production Co.

As you enter the SEAMS Supply Chain USA space, you’ll first encounter a custom designed women’s activewear look, which I designed and created with Lefty Production Co. as my production partner. The windbreaker jacket utilized MMI Textiles for the fabrication and all components, while the legging and sports bra combo highlighted a double-sided knit fabric from Beverly Knits.

To your right, you’ll see a few hanging items: NW Alpine Gear Outdoor shirt manufactured by Sparta Luxe, a U.S. Marines sweater by Heartland Manufacturing and a U.S. Navy pant made by National Industries for the Blind factory, Alphapointe. Continuing to the left, you’ll see a men’s three-piece look featuring SwedePro chainsaw protective pants by Grand Forest, a t-shirt by America Knits and finished with a wool shirt jacket by Hank’s Hard Goods, who held the record for most SEAMS member involvement, seven members!

On the table next to this, there was an opportunity to see and handle the raw materials – Grand Forest sent examples from their suppliers, including Harodite, MMI Textiles, YKK and Champion Thread.

Continuing to the left, you’ll see a variety of items on the shelving units that invite a closer look. The first display holds a bedding set from Red Land Cotton, with fabric from Hamrick Mills; children’s collegiate sports apparel by Third Street Sportswear; Archer Wren underwear set manufactured by Clothier Design Source; Hank’s Hard Goods leather belt manufactured by Eric Scott Leathers; and a military tourniquet manufactured by National Industries for the Blind factory, Alphapointe.

On the second shelf, you’ll find a knit beanie cap sewn by America Knits, knitted by Contempora Fabrics with UNIFI yarns; and a celebratory “250 Years, Made in USA” hemp baseball cap made by Unionwear. Below this, you’ll see a pain relief back wrap by NuFabrx, knitted by Innovaknits; alongside an FR protective shirt made by Coville, Inc; a pair of uniform work shirts, a button down and a polo style by Workwear Outfitters; and finally, a tactical K9 vest made by Eric Scott Leathers; and a military chest plate carrier made by CustomFab USA.

Above our shelving display, we reinforced the messaging of the display with signage above each that read “yes, you can,” and “make it in the USA,” along with a map that highlighted our coast-to-coast members.

A huge thank you to Will Duncan for his support of this endeavor, for trusting me with this vision, and to Britt Moore, Ryan Smith and especially Nancy K for their involvement in the planning, coordination efforts and in setting up the physical display.

The incredible exhibition we've just explored truly highlights the power of interconnectedness and collaboration within our industry. We were genuinely astonished by the collective effort that brought this project to life. With contributions from nearly 70 members, we gathered and assembled more than 25 products in a remarkably short timeframe. This achievement far exceeded our expectations and stands as a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together.

As we look forward to the upcoming SEAMS + AATCC Fall Conference, let this showcase serve as an inspiring example of the benefits of a strong, connected network. As the first co-hosted conference of the Alphabet Soup Collective, we're proud to present robust programming and enhanced networking avenues. The conference is a fantastic chance to build new relationships, strengthen existing ones and explore collaborative ventures that will propel our industry forward.

We encourage everyone to attend, engage and continue fostering the spirit of shared success that made this showcase possible. Imagine the possibilities if we continue to expand this spirit of collaboration!