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Fast fashion and Garment District don't usually appear in the same sentence unless the word "hurting" is wedged in there, but Crain's New York Business reports that the quick turn-around time required for retailers to stay afloat is actually benefiting the neighborhood. Since mega chains like H&M and Forever21 have upped the ante on how quickly of-the-moment items need to hit sales floors, other businesses are moving their production local in order to keep up.
The article cites Brooklyn Industries as an example, who recently "shifted" some production to New York. Crain's adds, "In one example, it took just six weeks to design and deliver a line of leather bags to [the] stores, rather than the six months it could have taken if the bags had come from Hong Kong."
In a nutshell, "The movement could bring a needed boost to local manufacturers in the garment district and outer boroughs if retailers start turning to them for faster delivery of dresses, handbags and sandals." On average, fast fashion retailers can produce new merchandise within 14 days, whereas for other retailers, it can take up to 90. (And even though Zara gets most of its merchandise from Spain, they're able to replenish twice a week.) Given the fact that the shelf life for most seasonal trends is nowhere near 90 days, that makes a pretty big difference.
· Fashion gets fast [Crain's New York Business]
· All Garment District Coverage
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