American Industry Overview: Women's, Girls' and Juniors' Outerwear
Industry Snapshot
Globalization was a major influence on the U.S. women's, misses' and juniors' knit outerwear industry at the end of the twentieth century and into the 2000s. While most design and sales operations were still primarily centered in California and New York, sourcing, sewing, and other labor moved overseas as a cost-cutting measure, sometimes at the expense of smaller family-based enterprises. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) spurred the migration of operations overseas, forcing smaller U.S. businesses to close down and ushering in a...