WASHINGTON — November 9, 2017 — After months of record-setting volume as retailers stocked up for a busy holiday season, imports at the nation’s major container ports should be essentially flat this month compared with the same time last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“The stores and warehouses are full, and it’s time for the shopping to begin,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Retailers have been bringing in merchandise since late summer, and supply is ready to meet the increased demand that has been building throughout the year.”

“At this time of year, it’s important to remember the role imports play in making the holidays affordable for American families and the millions of U.S. jobs behind every product on the shelf regardless of where it is made,” Gold said. “Our nation needs to avoid trade wars and other misguided trade policy that would drive up consumer prices or cost American workers their jobs.”

Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.76 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in September, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was a 2.3 percent decrease from the record-setting 1.8 million TEU recorded in August, but still a 10.5 percent increase year-over-year. A TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.

October was estimated at 1.75 million TEU, up 4.9 percent from last year. While not records, the September and October numbers were among only six times that monthly volume has hit 1.7 million TEU or higher since NRF began tracking imports in 2000.

November is forecast at 1.63 million TEU, down 0.5 percent from last year, and December is forecast at 1.6 million TEU, up 2 percent.

The total for 2017 is expected to come to 20 million TEU, topping last year’s previous record of 18.8 million TEU by 6.3 percent. That compares with 2016’s 3.1 percent increase over 2015. The first half of 2017 totaled 9.7 million TEU, up 7.5 percent from the same period in 2016.

January 2018 is forecast at 1.66 million TEU, down 1 percent from January 2017; February at 1.59 million TEU, up 10.9 percent from last year, and March at 1.5 million TEU, down 2.1 percent. The February and March percentages are skewed because of changes in when Asian factories close for Lunar New Year each year.

The import numbers come as NRF is forecasting that 2017 retail sales  will grow between 3.2 and 3.8 percent over 2016 and that this year’s holiday sales will grow between 3.6 and 4 percent. Cargo volume does not correlate directly with sales because only the number of containers is counted, not the value of the cargo inside, but nonetheless provides a barometer of retailers’ expectations.

“This has turned out to be a boom year for growth in import cargo volume,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. “It reflects strong growth in spending by U.S. consumers.”

After a record-setting year, however, the rate of import growth is expected to slow in 2018. “We see no decline in volume and no recession – just time out for a breather,” Hackett said.

Posted November 9, 2017

Source: NRF

AIRPORT CITY, Israel — November 8, 2017 — My Size Inc., developer of proprietary smartphone measurement applications, announced today that after approval of its patent in Russia and Japan, it obtained similar approval in the United States. The patent relates to My Size’s “Measurement of a Body Part” technology. The U.S. patent will expire 20 years from the date the patent was initially filed, or January 20, 2033.

“Registration of the third patent within a short period of time demonstrates further recognition in our technological innovation and fills us with professional pride,” said Ronen Luzon, CEO of My Size. “We are especially pleased with the recognition from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and have filed applications to protect our patent in other countries as well.”

The Measurement of a Body Part application was designed for the online apparel market. It enables shoppers to always choose the right size garment on a retailer’s website using the accurate measurements taken with their smart phone of an area of their body. The application first analyzes the recorded information using big data, then recommends the appropriate size of an article of clothing the shopper has selected for consideration on a retailer’s website. All of My Size’s technology applications use algorithms within a smartphone, rather than the smart phone camera, to record and document body measurements. This method is not only more accurate, but it also maintains and ensures customer privacy.

According to Fashion United, “the global apparel market is valued at 3 trillion dollars, 3,000 billion, and accounts for 2 percent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).” According to an article published in the Washington Post in 2015, “clothing generated $51.5 billion in online sales …”  While this market is enormous, so too is the return rate. According to MarketWatch, in the United States alone, $260 billion of goods are returned each year, and in 2015, 80 percent of the returns were clothing and accessories, with $62.4 billion due to wrong sizes.

Posted November 8, 2017

Source: My Size Inc.

NEW YORK — November 8, 2017 — MISSION®, a performance apparel and accessories brand with a singular focus on temperature control technologies, and Dwyane Wade, three-time NBA champion, have collaborated to create the MISSION x Wade Collection. Tech-infused and designed by Wade and his team, the limited-edition capsule provides an elevated approach to compression wear.

Wade, a co-founder and user of Mission’s famous instant cooling accessories since the brand’s founding in 2009, has been providing product feedback to the Mission team for years. Tired of the stale compression category, he offered to design a new collection that fuses Mission performance technology with his own well-known personal style. “Compression wear has always lacked substance and style,” explains the three-time champion, Dwyane Wade. “For my first capsule collection with the brand, I wanted to blend Misison’s high-performance technology with my personal style to create fresh and innovative designs.”

Mission entrusted Wade and his team to think beyond limits and really hone what the stylish athlete demands. From the first design meeting which included sketch reviews and color patterns to fabric swatch selections, Wade and Mission worked closely to develop this collection. “Our partnership with Dwyane has been an enjoyable one since the very beginning. He understands how the body works and the importance of apparel and accessories that help maintain an optimum temperature to enable peak performance,” states Mission’s Founder and CEO Josh Shaw. “Dwyane is one of the best dressed men off the court.  For his first collection, we wanted to marry our science with his unique style and offer the market something they’ve never seen before in the compression space.”

The Mission x Wade Collection consists of seven pieces including compression tops, tights, and arm sleeves. The entire collection features Mission’s VaporActive™, powered by 37.5® technology, which offers industry leading drying rates, odor control and superior comfort. The designs feature bold colors, geometric patterns and Wade’s insignia. A few pieces feature an exclusive reflective pattern that is revealed when hit only by a camera flash. Perfect for today’s vibrant social media posts, the flash pattern was designed specifically for this project. The added element speaks to how Wade approaches fashion — never the same and always full of surprises. “I am excited to share my new collection, which meets the performance and style needs of athletes by making them feel and look their best,” says Wade. “Style is how you express yourself and the collection, featuring reflective and non-reflective pieces, express my bold and creative approach to fashion.”

Posted November 8, 2017

Source: MISSION®

BOSTON — November 8, 2017 — Global fitness and lifestyle brand Reebok today announces a pivotal partnership with fashion powerhouse Victoria Beckham. The iconic British designer will join Reebok’s growing coalition of unapologetically accomplished women — including Ariana Grande, Gigi Hadid, Aly Raisman and Teyana Taylor, among others — to push new boundaries in the brand’s long-time mission of empowering women to be the best version of themselves. This long-term partnership will be highlighted by the introduction of a bold new Reebok x Victoria Beckham collection.

A fashion stalwart, Beckham is renowned for designs that inspire confidence, power and strength. Reebok too shares this commitment with its longstanding history of putting women first, leading the charge of the women’s fitness movement in the 1980s and continuing to push boundaries for women since, with its bold partnerships and marketing campaigns to its innovative product designs.

The Reebok x Victoria Beckham collection will be introduced in late 2018 and will sit in the Reebok Innovation Collective — a brand initiative that focuses on developing footwear and apparel that delivers the next generation of performance and expression, from conceptual runway designs to tech-driven products that fill retail shelves. Past partnerships under this umbrella have put Reebok on the forefront of fashion and technology, with collaborators ranging from acclaimed design houses Cottweiler and Vetements to the David Clark Company, in its quest to create the ultimate, high-performance space boot.

“As a brand, we look to partner with not just influential women, but women who want to truly change the world,” shared Reebok’s Corinna Werkle, senior vice president of Women’s Initiatives at Reebok. “There’s no better embodiment of this than Victoria. She is a true visionary who possesses a relentless desire to help women become the best version of themselves. This desire shines through in everything she touches, especially her designs, which continue to push industry standards season after season. We cannot wait for the world to see what she will do with our collaboration.”

Beckham said: “I am incredibly excited to embark on this partnership built on shared values. I have always championed instilling confidence in women and Reebok is a brand that has been at the forefront of this same message for decades. To have the opportunity to challenge the traditional notions of fitness wear within a fashion context is something I have always wanted to do. I have long incorporated sportswear into my wardrobe and daily life and I am thrilled to be coming together with Reebok on such a dynamic proposition.”

Posted November 8, 2017

Source: Reebok International Ltd.