Posted September 21, 2016

Notes on the last day of summer, as the autumnal equinox knocks on Earth’s door to diminish our daylight, paint our trees and infuse our food and drink with pumpkin spice:

The latest generation

I constantly hear that we lost a generation of textile/apparel employees during the steep and seemingly never-ending decline of the industry. But I am encouraged to see a youth movement of sorts paralleling our recovery, at least at the management/ownership level. In some instances, young guns have followed in their lineage’s footsteps into family businesses – Cameron Hamrick at Hamrick Mills and Jeremy Wootten at HomTex, Inc., both competent, 30-something presidents of their respective companies, to name a couple.

Having also entered the industry are many young entrepreneurs such as Sarah Bellos, founder of indigo processor Stony Creek Colors; Sharon Bui and Kate Steadman, co-founders of Frill Clothing; and Ryan Stolp, founder of Alpine Hammock – and there are lots more.

At least anecdotally, this is a positive trend that speaks to the rising “cool factor” of textile/apparel manufacturing. Seeing all the gray hairs at various functions I cover, we definitely need some new blood that bleeds positive platelets for a bright industry.

Don’t shoot the messenger

I’ve never been one to try to please everyone, because I know that’s impossible – as a journalist, especially. And recently, I’ve tried to avoid all political discourse publicly and on these pages, given the rancor and divisiveness such jabber has stirred during this crazy, atypical election year. But if a presidential candidate or running mate visits a textile company, I believe it’s my duty to call this out, regardless of which side of the political fence the story falls.

Which is what I did recently, after Democratic VP nominee Tim Kaine visited AmeriFab International in High Point, N.C., and criticized Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. But linking to an article about this campaign stop was enough to fire up at least one reader of my newsletter. Under the subject line, “Kaine article,” the emailer wrote, “I am incensed by the subject article included in Web Watch.” Short and sweet, and I quickly realized his political leaning. Of course, I wasn’t making a political statement either way, but I gather that he thought I was.

Not that I’m bothered by his feedback – I appreciate anyone taking the time to tell me what they think. And I developed a “water-off-a-duck’s back” mentality years ago, when I wrote columns about an even more serious subject: ACC basketball. Readers accused me of being an N.C. State fan,