By Blake Jackson
Clothing makers in Wisconsin are rethinking their supply chains as rising tariffs on imports from countries like Peru and China affect operations.
Fair Indigo, a Madison-based brand, works closely with a small-batch workshop in Peru to make handmade clothing from organic Pima cotton. Due to recent trade policies, they now face a 10% tariff on imported apparel.
“Do we feel it? Yes,” said Robert Behnke, president of Fair Indigo. “We are fortunate enough that it’s only 10 percent, and we can sort of try to work around that as best we can.”
While Fair Indigo won’t raise prices immediately, Behnke said these changes may influence consumer choices.
Meanwhile, Iris Acevedo, a Milwaukee fashion instructor and owner of Reworked Iris, teaches sustainable apparel design using plant-based fibers. She believes now is a good time to reconsider domestic production, especially for high-demand items like denim.
Still, shifting apparel production to Wisconsin would be difficult. Cotton doesn't grow well in the state, and local manufacturers rely on southern states or overseas partners.
Behnke emphasized the longstanding relationship his business has with its Peru-based partners and the high quality of their work.
Apparel education is evolving, with renewed interest in old-school skills like sewing and textiles. “There’s a very large presence between online sewing schools, sewing courses that people can purchase,” Acevedo noted.
Despite growing enthusiasm for sustainable fashion and small-batch production, industry experts agree that reshoring apparel manufacturing would be complex and costly.
Behnke and others highlight the need for fair wages, skilled labor, and infrastructure to support any shift toward more domestic apparel production.
Categories: Wisconsin, Business