October 28, 2025
AI is all many can talk about these days—but what does it all mean for textiles?
So far, the rapidly improving technology can design prints and patterns, sketch silhouettes, define product details, streamline logistics and even help end consumers shop when they’re ready to. In short, it’s initiating a dramatic change for the apparel industry.
Beyond the finer details, AI is expected to support a “major” boost in global trade over the next 15 years, increasing both trade rates and GDP by 2040, a recent Sourcing Journal article noted, citing a World Trade Organization report.
Trade tensions would, of course, have to quell for this to really work, and leaders would have to favor innovation over most else, but rolling AI out alongside policy could contribute to as much as a 34 percent to 37 percent increase in global trade, and a 12 percent to 13 percent increase in global GDP, according to the article.
That could also translate to lower costs for trade operations, greater productivity and stronger trade-based capabilities going forward. One scenario in the report found that if low- and middle-income economies could adopt AI more broadly and shrink the digital infrastructure gap between themselves and higher-income economies by 50 percent, they could see average income rise by as much as 15 percent.
“With the right mix of trade, investment and complementary policies, AI can create new growth opportunities in all economies,” Sourcing Journal noted WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as saying. “With the right frameworks, trade can play a central role in making AI work for all.”
It remains to be seen how AI will play out for apparel, but there are certainly opportunities and cost savings to be had for companies keeping pace with the times.
New Workshop! Breaking Down the Tech Pack
Join Xochil Herrera Scheer, president and founder of The Chicago Pattern Maker, for a hands-on, two-hour workshop that breaks down one of the most important tools in apparel production: the tech pack. Often called the blueprint for bringing a garment to life, the tech pack bridges the gap between design and manufacturing. Whether you’re a designer, brand owner, or student, this session will help you communicate more effectively with production partners—including vendors you’ll meet at Texworld and Apparel Sourcing NYC.
Apparel Sourcing Country Pavilion: Bangladesh
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), a government agency under Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce dedicated to advancing the nation’s exports, will lead a country pavilion at the next Apparel Sourcing show. More than 10 companies are set to participate, showcasing Bangladesh’s growing strength and innovation in apparel manufacturing.
Printsource Returns for Winter 2026
Get ready for the return of Printsource, coming to the Javits Center in New York, Jan. 20–22, alongside Texworld Winter 2026. A creative hub for surface and textile design, the show will spotlight hundreds of global studios presenting fresh collections that span apparel, interiors, stationery, and more. Whether you’re scouting the next big print trend or searching for design partners, Printsource offers a pulse on what’s next in pattern, color, and creativity—and this season promises to be one of its most inspiring yet.
Don’t miss out- Register now at the button below.
What We’re Reading
Does Fashion Know What Women Want?
This season in Paris, the runway spotlight wasn’t just on the clothes—it was on the conversation they sparked. As designers swung between fantasy and function, many questioned whether fashion still understands the modern woman it claims to celebrate. The collections revealed both creative ambition and a disconnect that suggests the industry is still searching for what women really want from the clothes they wear.
What’s it like to debut at Chanel? Four months in the life of Matthieu Blazy
All anyone watching the runways could talk about was Matthieu Blazy’s debut as Chanel’s new creative director, and with all eyes on the house again, it’s sure to influence what happens in textiles. A recent Vogue Business article addressing Chanel’s highly anticipated new chapter discussed how Blazy—known for his masterful craftsmanship and emotional approach to design—brought a fresh tension between strength and softness to the house’s legacy, offering a glimpse of Chanel’s evolving identity for the 21st century.
Is the Fashion Industry in a ‘Sustainability Retreat’ or Not?
At Cascale’s annual meeting in Hong Kong, what began with an upbeat drum performance quickly gave way to a candid acknowledgment of industry fatigue, according to a recent article in Sourcing Journal. Emcee Isabelle Kumar captured the mood in the room, noting that many felt “disempowered, demoralized, disillusioned”—a reflection of growing uncertainty in the global apparel sector. Interim CEO Harsh Saini later posed the question at the heart of the event: is the industry in danger of “derailing” its hard-won progress on climate action and fair labor amid shifting political and economic realities?