DODGEVILLE, Wis. — December 10, 2018 — Lands’ End, a uni-channel retailer known for high quality apparel for the whole family, today announced it has been named to Newsweek’s inaugural list of America’s Best Customer Service 2019 as the number one customer service provider for online retailers, clothing category.

The America’s Best Customer Service 2019 ranking was identified from an independent survey of more than 20,000 U.S. customers who were asked whether they would recommend brands to friends or family, and assessed brands in quality of communications, technical competence, range of services, customer focus, and accessibility.

“Unmatched customer service is at the foundation of everything we do at Lands’ End,” said Jerome Griffith, CEO and president, Lands’ End. “It has been a pillar of our business from the start; our founder, Gary Comer, wisely stated, ‘Take care of the customer, take care of the employee and the rest will take care of itself.’ More than 55 years later, that principle still drives our company today, and we’re proud that Newsweek has recognized us for our efforts.”

In collaboration with analytics firm Statista, Newsweek selected America’s Best Customer Service 2019 winners based on an independent survey from a vast sample of more than 20,000 U.S. customers who have either made purchases, used services, or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. The survey was conducted on retailers and service providers from 141 categories, providing a broad spectrum of customer experiences: traditional retail, online as well as service segments.

Lands’ End has also been awarded the StellaService Elite Seal for the past five years, a prestigious award given to a small percentage of retailers who provide the very best in customer care; is listed in Prosper Insights & Analytics’ top 10 list of Customer Service Champions for 2017; and was recognized by Multichannel Merchant as a Customer Experience Leader in 2017.

Posted December 10, 2018

Source: Lands’ End

WASHINGTON — December 10, 2018 — This afternoon, United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) President Julia K. Hughes will testify during the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s public hearing on the negotiating objectives for a U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, taking place at the U.S. International Trade Commission.

She will speak in support of a trade agreement with Japan, an important trading partner for retail as the third-largest consumer market in the world, as well as an important sourcing destination for high-quality textiles increasingly demanded by consumers. She calls for the elimination of the very high import duties on fashion products; a flexible, simplified, 21st-century Rule of Origin for apparel; harmonized and streamlined customs procedures; and, harmonized rules and regulations governing issues like product safety and labeling.

“As American fashion brands and retailers—and all companies in the United States—are seeking opportunities to reach new consumers, grow their businesses, and create jobs in the United States, it’s important to make it easier to trade and do business with lucrative, growing markets like Japan,” she says in her testimony. “An effective, 21st century U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement would be flexible and would recognize the commercial reality that companies rely on global value chains to produce and sell products. Such an agreement would provide the United States with the best possible economic benefits for U.S. companies, U.S. workers, and U.S. consumers.”

Posted December 10, 2018

Source: United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)

TRENTON, N.J. — November 30, 2018 — Suuchi Inc., a woman-owned technology and supply chain startup, announced today that it will remain and grow in New Jersey, finalizing a lease to occupy space at Kearny Point, a 130-acre business center that will be home to pioneering companies of the new economy. Suuchi plans to create 410 advanced manufacturing jobs at its new 113,100-square-foot facility in New Jersey instead of a competing location in Charlotte, N.C.

The company, which was founded by Suuchi Ramesh, an immigrant from India, began operations in 2016. Suuchi designs, manufactures, and ships clothing for American fashion brands and Fortune 1000 companies. The company’s proprietary technology, Suuchi Grid, connects businesses with their “smart” shop floor, affording businesses and their customers with real-time access to their supply chains, including updates and analytics on sourcing, design, production and drop shipping. Suuchi currently employs individuals from 27 different nationalities, 75 percent of which are women. Suuchi is also home to Suuchi University, which trains the local community in advanced manufacturing skills before and on the job.

“Visionary companies like Suuchi Inc. recognize that New Jersey provides access to an unparalleled pool of skilled, diverse talent, and the distinct logistical advantages of our unmatched location,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “A critical part of our vision for a stronger and fairer New Jersey economy is creating an environment that fosters the growth of diverse and innovative companies in high-growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing. We are delighted that Suuchi Inc. has chosen to grow here and provide more opportunities for New Jerseyans.”

Suuchi’s client roster includes American fashion brands and several Fortune 1000 companies. Suuchi sells to businesses including young designers launching fashion labels, retailers seeking to make private-label clothing in America, and large firms supplying uniforms to the casino and hospitality industries. Grow New Jersey (Grow NJ) tax credits of up to $37.17 million over ten years were approved for Suuchi at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA’s) September 2018 Board meeting, and encouraged the company to expand in New Jersey instead of relocating operations to North Carolina.

“We have experienced great success in New Jersey, and attribute much of our momentum to our ability to recruit savvy and skilled employees from a diverse pool of talent,” said Founder and CEO Suuchi Ramesh. “We are excited to continue to grow and support our customer base, while contributing to the local economy.”

Suuchi will be located at Kearny Point, a 2 million square foot flexible office and light industrial business hub on 130 acres undergoing redevelopment. Kearny Point is home to Building 78 and Kearny Works, a collaborative workspace offering creative office and coworking options for a diverse community of pioneering businesses. Building 78 was recently approved under NJ Ignite, a new NJEDA program that provides rent support for technology and life sciences companies moving to incubators, accelerators, or other collaborative workspaces in New Jersey.

“Making New Jersey the State of Innovation is a top priority of Governor Murphy’s economic development strategic plan, and Suuchi Inc.’s business model aligns with this vision,” said NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan. “Between its technology-based business model and its commitment to creating advanced manufacturing jobs, New Jersey is positioned to support Suuchi’s continued growth.”

Posted December 10, 2018

Source: The New Jersey Economic Development Authority

AURORA, Ill. — December 10, 2018 — Universal Apparel & Textile Co. is pleased to announce that it has received additional large purchase orders for the upcoming spring and summer season. Some of the items include, but are not limited to: 100-percent cotton men’s T-shirts, men’s denim long & short pants as well as men’s cotton underwear garments. These orders primarily originated from the company’s long term clients such as “Source of Apparel” of Morton Grove, Ill., a large wholesaler and distributor of men’s clothing.

Mr. Kabir, CEO of Universal Apparel & Textile Co., stated: “These are very exciting times for us. We have multiple shipments coming to US ports in both New York and New Jersey over the next few months.  Our customers are extremely pleased with our timely shipments and the quality of our products which has brought us repeat business and many referrals. We will be able to boast in the next year that almost every American family has a piece of our clothing in their wardrobe.”

Furthermore, the company is receiving constant inquires for new product development from both our existing clients as well as new ones who want access to  our factories in Bangladesh. As the cost of working in China is rising rapidly, more U.S. companies are finding Bangladesh a safe manufacturing alternative.

Posted December 10, 2018

Source: Universal Apparel & Textile Co.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — December 10, 2018 — Jaanuu, a  direct-to-consumer brand on a mission to empower medical professionals with reimagined uniforms, today announced a $15 million growth equity financing round led by JMK Consumer Growth Partners, a growth equity firm investing exclusively in high-growth consumer brands with cult-like followings.  This investment brings the total raised by the company to over $25 million. Existing investors, including the Nordstrom family, and new investor David Kessenich, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of healthcare private equity firm Excellere Partners, also participated in the round.

Unlike other brands in the reported $50 billion global medical apparel industry, Jaanuu was co-founded by physician Dr. Neela Sethi Young who knew firsthand how uncomfortable, ill-fitting and poor-performing the majority of scrubs were and the negative psychological impact that they had on the dedicated professionals that were wearing them each day.  Rooted in the mantra of “looking good and feeling good while doing good,” Dr. Neela teamed up with her brother and former private equity investor Shaan Sethi in 2013 to start Jaanuu.

Since its launch, Jaanuu continues to leverage Dr. Neela’s insights and puts consumer research at the forefront in driving its product roadmap, engaging over 5,000 participants in surveys, focus groups and ethnographies in 2018.  As a result, the Company has dramatically expanded its style and fabric portfolio to include multiple, curated style collections, both Women’s and Men’s, in the industry’s most disruptive breadth of over seven premium, technologically advanced fabrics.

“When you work in medicine, none of your days are the same and not one is easy.  Ironically, you need a ‘uniform’ that’s not uniform at all — no one style, fit or fabric is going to be what you need to do your best each day, every day,” explained Dr. Neela.  “At Jaanuu we provide my medical colleagues with the power of choice that they need and deserve — from varying design aesthetics to multiple performance fabrics engineered with the most sophisticated of anti-odor and antimicrobial technologies.”

After boasting its biggest month to date in November 2018 and multiple $500,000 revenue days in the last twelve months, the Company is projecting to more than double its sales in 2019.  This new injection of capital will accelerate its continued breakthrough product and fabric development, catalyze omnichannel expansion plans as a lifestyle brand and provide for aggressive investments in predictive analytics based marketing and real-time programmatic media buying.

“We’ve seen exponential growth in the last few years, credited to a passionate team with a relentless and unwavering commitment to data-driven innovation and reimagination,” said Shaan Sethi, Founder and CEO of Jaanuu. “As we seek to disrupt the broader uniform category, we strategically sought out to partner with only the most preeminent and proven of consumer growth equity investors, and today in aligning with John Kenney and JMK, we struck gold.”

“As a firm, we invest solely in emerging cult brands that have proven themselves and are ready to soar,” said John Kenney, Co-Founder of JMK Consumer Growth Partners. “We work hard to find those rare and remarkable few brands that are extremely connected to their consumers and sell more than a product … they sell a lifestyle. We saw all of this in Jaanuu and we are committed to helping Shaan and the team catapult the Company to ever-higher levels of success.”

Posted December 10, 2018

Source: Jaanuu