5 impressions from September textiles market week

New York – The fall edition of New York Home Fashions Market has ended, and the hard work of trying to place programs begins.

Business is still tough. “Value” is the key attribute for all products, wherever they land on the good/better/best ladder. Most retailers are maintaining a cautious posture about the amount of goods they take on. Those factors have been in play for some time now.

Here are 5 observations from around the market.

Tariffs – With the U.S. presidential election just weeks away, the possibility that a Trump administration would drastically hike existing tariffs and impose new ones  loomed large. Suppliers said they are exploring alternative sourcing countries (Vietnam, Taiwan), but don’t see any easy solutions out there. Some are nudging a bit of business from China into India or Pakistan where they can. The bottom line on “emerging” options is that production is more costly and requires extra time, freight is usually more expensive and quality is sometimes inconsistent. There is no “new China” on the horizon for the foreseeable future, so if the tariffs come, things are going to get ugly.

Brands – Retailers are looking for them, suppliers are teeing them up and brand houses are out shopping their labels. And yet, a couple of key questions arise. First, what is a true brand vs. a trademark – and is a retail nameplate – say, Linens ’n Things – an actual brand? (And yes, I spoke to some suppliers who have been offered the LNT label.) Second, to what extent have brand IP owners adjusted their expectations around minimums and royalties to account for the limited pool of big volume accounts where they could be placed? (The answer to #2, say suppliers, is that some have and some haven’t.)

AI – For the first time, I saw a few examples of how suppliers are adapting AI into their operations. Examples ranged from quality assurance on the production line to generating design ideas to lowing the cost for packaging insert mock-ups. Most of the conversations were on the QT. The only company I know of that’s really making noise about what they’re doing with AI is Lush Decor.

Bamboo – Although there are strict FTC regulations around bamboo labeling for textiles, consumers love the concept of bamboo, and so, I was told, retailers are asking for more of it. A piece of advice for those who are new to the labeling requirements: be careful. The FTC has nailed major retailers on bamboo product claims in the past and probably won’t hesitate to do so again.

Pleasant surprises – File these under “where have you been for so long?” or “everything old is new again.”

1: Apparently, nylon shells for basic bedding have been around for a while. I saw them in 3 places (sometimes with an added a cooling benefit). But HealthCare Consumer Products was the only one that put the construction in the spotlight, showing sleep and travel pillows with soft nylon shells in soothing cosmetic colors. They were addictively touchable.

2: Jacquard woven sheets were once a staple in department store bedding assortments. I didn’t realize how long they’d been absent from the scene until I saw them last week at market. Yunus USA has resurrected the construction in all its opulent glory while Micro Cotton is putting a geometric spin on the concept.

How this all shakes out remains to be seen. But the next New York market will swing around just six months from now, whatever the circumstances.

See also: Planning ahead? Here are HFPA’s market dates for 2025 & 2026