The Sewing Conundrum: U.S. apparel manufacturing faces talent and automation challenges – interview with SPESA’s Michael McDonald

Feb 1, 2026

As the apparel manufacturing industry left the United States in the 70s and 80s in search of cheaper labor, it left the sewing talent we had in search of new careers, or moving on to retirement. Now we are trying to reclaim that talent pool in order to bring at least some of that manufacturing back here. Michael McDonald, President of SPESA, shares his thoughts on this challenge from the perspective of the suppliers to the industry.

 

https://whattheythink.com/articles/128957-sewing-conundrum/?p=553AD19CAC184314BA49C857E37FC53676871C39