SIC 2361 Girls', Children's, and Infants' Dresses, Blouses, and Shirts

Contenidos

• NAICS CODE(S).
• INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT.
• ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE.
• BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT.
• CURRENT CONDITIONS.
• INDUSTRY LEADERS.
• AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
• RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY.
• FURTHER READING.

SIC 2361

This category covers establishments that are primarily engaged in manufacturing girls', children's, and infants' dresses, blouses, and shirts from purchased woven or knit materials. Knitting mills primarily engaged in manufacturing outerwear are classified in SIC 2253: Knit Outerwear Mills.

NAICS CODE(S)

315291

Infants' Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing

315223

Men's and Boys' Cut and Sew Shirt (except Work Shirt) Manufacturing

315211

Men's and Boys' Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors

315232

Women's and Girls' Cut and Sew Blouse and Shirt Manufacturing

315233

Women's and Girls' Cut and Sew Dress Manufacturing

315212

Women's and Girls' Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

The companies operating in this category range from large manufacturers like Carter's to small, family-run businesses. Size of operation aside, they joined much of the rest of the U.S. apparel industry in facing stiff competition from low-cost imports. Against this backdrop, the offspring of baby-boomers benefited from parents who were better educated and had more disposable income than their parents—factors influencing their purchasing decisions for their children's clothing. Also, children's clothing had become more fashionable and trendy than ever before. However, the weak economic conditions of the mid-2000s undercut revenues for most segments of the apparel industry, including children's and infant's clothing.

By the mid-2000s, manufacturers that previously focused on adult apparel began branching out into infant clothing and children's wear. Youngsters sought to mimic the fashions worn by older siblings, parents, and celebrities. Manufacturers responded by reproducing the styles, fabrics, and colors of adult apparel into age- and size-appropriate pieces for children. "Children's wear is more open to influence from mainstream fashion than ever before," according to Just-Style.com.

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE

Establishments that produce children's clothing are organized similarly to the rest of the apparel industry and are composed of contractors, jobbers, and manufacturers. Contractors are independent manufacturers, hired by various, and often competing, manufacturers. Contractors specialize in sewing garments from pieces provided to them and are hired by producers who either do not have their own sewing facilities or producers whose own capacity has been surpassed.

Jobbers are design and marketing businesses hired to perform specific functions, for example, to purchase materials, design patterns, create samples, cut material, or hire contractors to manufacture the products. The cut materials are then sent to contractors to be assembled.

Manufacturers are those establishments that perform all functions, creating apparel from purchased materials. Manufacturers have staffs that produce designs or buy them from freelancers and then purchase the materials (fabric and trimmings) needed. Generally, the cutting and sewing of the garment is done on site. However, when demand for an item exceeds the manufacturer's capacity, or if shipping deadlines cannot be met, outside contractors would be hired. Most manufacturers have their own sales and shipping staff.

Most of the smaller satellite manufacturing sites closed, but California and New York remained viable locations for dress manufacturing activity with some smaller facilities in Texas, Florida, and Illinois. According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 County Business Patterns, there were approximately 449 reporting establishments that manufactured women's or girls' dresses in 2005. This segment of the industry employed some 10,000 workers in primarily smaller facilities with less than 20 employees. Another 256 establishments produced women's...