About Fabric First

Fabric First is a weekly newsletter exploring how retail, sourcing, and materials are being woven (pun intended) in real time. We’ll chat look into shifting supply chains and trade policy to the unexpected ways fabric shows up in a changing world.

Fabric first is a mindset and my priority in the work I do everyday. I believe that when you focus on the material from the start, everything from cost, design, sustainability, and performance will follow. This perspective is more important than ever as the industry faces rising costs, global uncertainty, and a push for greater transparency.

Each issue dives into a single topic from fabric trends, sourcing shift, or macro disruptions through the lens of someone deeply intertwined in this industry. I draw from the threads of policy, economics, industry behavior, and on-the-ground realities to make sense of what’s emerging.

If you work in product development, sustainability, or sourcing (or you’re just curious about how clothing gets made) this is a place to think a little deeper and see a little clearer.

Written by me, Carmen Romo, a fabric developer, materials strategist, and long-time textile nerd trying to make sense of where things are headed and why it matters.

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