I encourage everyone to watch the two short videos above, which provide an excellent wrap-up for FASH455 and remind us of the meaning and significance of our course.
Firstly, I hope students can acquire essential knowledge about the textile and apparel trade and sourcing from FASH455. As you may recall from the videos, in FASH455:
- We examined the phenomenon of globalization and the debate regarding its profound social, economic, and political implications.
- We discussed various trade theories and the general evolution pattern of a country’s textile and apparel industry and its close relationship with that country’s overall industrialization process.
- We explored the state of the U.S. textile and apparel industry and its key role in the Western Hemisphere textile and apparel supply chain, also known as “near-shoring“.
- We explored Asia’s dynamic and highly integrated regional textile and apparel supply chain, which continues to evolve according to the “flying geese model.”
- We looked at the unique EU intra-region textile and apparel trade patterns and the ongoing sustainability movement that continues to shape the future landscape of EU-based textile and apparel production.
- Throughout this semester, we delved into many hot-button current events and explored their broad impact on fashion companies’ evolving sourcing strategies, from the tariff policy during Trump’s second term, de minimis rules changes, sustainable apparel sourcing, sourcing diversification and identifying emerging sourcing destinations, and ensuring no forced labor in the textile and apparel supply chain.
Whether your dream job is to be a fashion designer, buyer, merchandiser, or marketing analyst, understanding how trade and sourcing work will be essential and beneficial to your future career, given the global nature of today’s fashion industry. And indeed, apparel trade, sourcing, compliance and trade policy offer exciting career opportunities for our college graduates, both in the public and private sectors.
Secondly, I hope FASH455 helps students shape a big-picture vision of the fashion apparel industry in the 21st-century world economy and provides students with a fresh new way of looking at the world. Throughout the semester, we’ve examined many critical, timely, and pressing global agendas that are highly relevant to the textile and apparel industry, from how to effectively expand near-shoring from the Western Hemisphere, and the debate on the textile and apparel provisions in U.S. free trade agreements, to the controversy of forced labor in the apparel supply chain. As the fashion industry moves toward sustainability and non-conventional factors like geopolitics play a more significant role in fashion companies’ sourcing decisions, we might see apparel sourcing and trade patterns continue to evolve substantially. Additionally, the emergence of AI tools could provide opportunities for fashion companies to optimize sourcing and logistics, identify and evaluate new suppliers, and improve supply chain efficiency.
Therefore, it is critical to remember that we wear more than clothes: We also wear the global economy, international business, public policy, and trade politics that make affordable, fashionable, and safe clothes possible and available for hardworking families.
Thirdly, I hope FASH455 can make students reflect on why “fashion and apparel” matters. A popular misconception is that “fashion and apparel” are just about “sewing,” “fashion magazines,” “shopping,” and “Project Runway.” In fact, as one of the largest and most economically influential sectors in the world today, the fashion industry plays a critical and unique role in creating jobs, promoting economic development, enhancing human development, and reducing poverty. For most developing countries, textiles and apparel typically account for 70%–90% of their total merchandise exports and provide one of the very few opportunities for these countries to participate in globalization. Likewise, maintaining a robust and competitive domestic textile and apparel manufacturing capacity in the US could also be strategically important—just consider the urgent demand for surgical masks and medical textiles during the pandemic.
Additionally, I hope that by taking FASH455, students will take away meaningful questions that can inspire their future studies and even life’s pursuits. For example:
- How can apparel sourcing and trade be made more sustainable and socially responsible? What are the roles and responsibilities of fashion companies, policymakers, and consumers?
- What policies and regulations could be enacted at the national and international levels to incentivize sustainable apparel production and trade?
- How will factors such as AI, digitalization, the sustainability movement, and geopolitics continue to shape the future landscape of apparel trade and sourcing? Who will emerge as the new winners and losers?
- How can trade policy be utilized to address challenging global issues such as forced labor and climate change?
- How could courses like FASH455 further challenge students’ perceptions, deepen their understanding of the global nature of the fashion apparel industry, and foster their global citizenship?
So, what do you take away from FASH455? Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments.
Dr. Sheng Lu
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 
I want to preface this by saying how grateful I am to you, Professor Lu, for making this a wonderful semester full of eye-opening information and new opportunities to interact with industry professionals. My take-aways from FASH455 are many in number. I discovered that so much more goes into owning a t-shirt than I ever thought before. Beyond the simple steps it takes to even manufacture that t-shirt, the apparel company must decide how and where to source based on trade agreements and tariffs, lead times and international politics. I really enjoyed the opportunity to not just hear from former UD graduates but also from individuals like David Spooner who has actually been responsible for helping to form trade agreements between the US and other countries. It is one thing to read about how they work in class but its another thing to hear someone with real experience give deeper insight into how negotiations are formed. Opportunities like these are incredibly valuable to my future career development and I’m very glad to have been able to be a part of this class.
Thank you Dr. Lu for being so passionate about teaching us real world issues and for creating a space where we could openly share our own perspectives. This class was truly unlike any other class i’ve taken in the best way. Learning about trade policy, globalization, textile and apparel manufacturing, and hearing directly from guest speakers gave me a deeper understanding of what is really happening in the industry and the world. One of my biggest takeaways from this course was that there isnt always a clear right or wrong answer when it comes to global issues. There are always different perspectives, and often, its not about finding a single solution but rather about how you choose to approach the problem. I still think about our first lesson on globalization, and how there many hands and steps go into producing a single garment. it was truly an eye opener and allows me to be more environmentally conscious with my buying habits. This course has taught me to stay updated and educated on global issues and its changed the way I view fashion.
Similar to Matea, I would also like to say thank you Dr. Lu, you were truly an incredible professor and through your methods of teaching I was able to learn so much in this course. As I reflect back on what we have learned I think one of my biggest takeaways is how complicated the topic of sourcing is. I have always had an interest in sustainability within the industry and always trying to figure out ways for improvement, especially in terms of where products are coming from. However, this course has opened my eyes to how intricate sources is and it involves so much more than just switching what factory or country you produce in. Specially, I always wondered why companies aren’t moving away from producing in Asian countries and I simply believed it was just because they didn’t want to pay higher prices. Although something we discussed in class was the yarn-forward rule which showed me there’s much more that plays into it. I have been able to see how many rules and regulations are currently in place that have major impacts and control over the way sourcing operates.
Similar to Grace and Matea, I would also like to take the time to thank you Dr. Lu for an amazing semester. Your class has broadened my knowledge of many aspects such as textile manufacturing, global trade agreements, production management, sustainability, economic policies, and more. I enjoyed collaborating with my classmates about these topics and hearing different viewpoints and perspectives. I was able to understand this material more effectively through our discussions and strategize resolutions to fashion industry problems. In this class, I learned a lot about trade with the Western Hemisphere and global trade. Specifically, how the yarn-forward rule and Section 301 benefit US textile manufacturers, but do not benefit US brands and apparel retailers. I also learned about the 5 elements of criteria that brands and retailers consider when choosing a sourcing destination. From this, I was able to understand which countries have a competitive advantage over others. In addition, I very much enjoyed our guest speakers who came to talk to us this semester about their roles in the industry. I learned about the many different career paths we can take in the fashion career sector, and am excited to explore different opportunities. Thank you so much for all of your help throughout the semester, and I look forward to our last few classes!
Like my previous classmates said already and I’m sure my future classmates will also agree but I too wanted to say thank you Dr. Lu, for being the memorable and creditable professor I’ve had here at the University of Delaware. Before I came into your classroom, I had no idea about trade policies nor why I would need to know about them. After taking your course, you have opened my eyes to the world of global policies and everything that is taken into account when making these laws. I appreciate your extensive and elaborate learning model including these blog discussion comments but of course the guest speakers that shared their additional expertise and experience with the class. Even hearing how these established speakers and business professionals admire you and your published works made this class even more engaging and intriguing. My favorite topic was globalization and how it affects everyone more than we are all aware of. Similar to this, I also enjoyed learning about competitive advantage and how certain countries are more competitive over others. Overall, such an informative class and I cannot recommend it enough to fashion students and anybody who is interested in trade in general. Thank you again Dr. Lu!
As my classmates’ previous comments mentioned, I thank you, Dr. Lu, for an amazing semester and for being a memorable professor! This course has successfully allowed me to understand topics such as trade policy, opportunities within the sourcing industry, manufacturing, and much more. Reflecting back, it was great to participate in a collaborative learning environment through lectures, in-class group discussions, and this blog site. I also appreciated being able to speak with industry professionals who gave great insight into their experiences. One of my favorite topics we discussed was the concept of near-shoring and sourcing from the Western Hemisphere such as CAFTA-DR. This was interesting to me because I was able to learn about it in many aspects and connect them together to form an understanding. For example, we heard insight from Kim Glas, it was involved in class lectures and required readings, and discussed in our second case study in terms of the Section 301 tariff. Through all of these elements, I gained knowledge on near-shoring and the pros and cons that come with it within both the textile and apparel industries. Moving forward, after this class, I will definitely look out for updates and news on the US textile and apparel industry’s updates on near-shoring policies. Overall, this course greatly expanded my knowledge as well as increased my interest on globalization, sourcing, and how complicated and complex it all is.
Similarly to the previous comments under this post, I want to thank you, Dr. Lu, for a lovely semester in Fash455. It has been a very memorable experience to be taught by you. This class has expanded my knowledge in an area of the fashion industry that I was previously quite unaware of. Between all the impressive guest speakers, case studies, blog articles, and more, I now feel like I have a good understanding of the politics behind the fashion industry. One of the most memorable assignments in this class for me was the recent assignment in which we examined the effects of the US-China trade war, specifically the 301 section tariffs, due to its pressing relevance and complexity. It was so interesting to hear what the rest of the class thought about this issue, and all the innovative ways that my classmates suggested to alter the 301 section tariffs. Overall, I really enjoyed this class, and learning so many new things.
I would first like to start off my comment by thanking Professor Sheng Lu for creating an interactive and exciting semester for us 455 students. This course was completely different from any other course in the fashion program here at UD. It opened my eyes to a completely different part of the fashion industry that I had no idea existed. From learning about trade and tariffs to updating us about real time events that can affect we as consumers will shop in the future, this class filled us with insights about the global retail sector. Something that will really stick with me was the most recent guest speakers from the WITA academy workshop. I found it so interesting hearing about jobs related to the fashion industry in the public sector that I had no idea about. Although this is a sector I would not pursue a career in, it was still so interesting to hear about how the speakers got to where they are now and the amazing advice that they provided us. I also really enjoyed learning about Section 301 tariff, I enjoyed participating in the class discussion and hearing my classmates insight about the topic as well. It was so interesting learning about current topics that are present day issues. Overall, this class gave me a totally different perspective on the fashion industry and opened my eyes to trade, policies, tariffs and expanded my knowledge on globalization. I am extremely grateful for FASH455 and everything Professor Sheng Lu taught me!
I wanted to start by saying thank you Dr. Lu, for being an amazing professor. I learned a lot from Fash455, the class was filled with topics I had never even heard about. Some of these topics included trade policy, sourcing industry opportunities, fast fashion, and manufacturing. Not only was it great learning about these topics, but it was also great collaborating with my peers and hearing everybody’s different viewpoints. If I hadn’t had my peers to collaborate with, I think some of the topics would’ve been much more confusing. Another one of my favorite parts of this class was hearing from all the different industry professionals. Something specific that stuck out to me was learning about the Western Hemisphere. I learned that Section 301 was good for the textile industry, it however did not benefit US brands. I didnt know that different countries had advantages and disadvantages when it came to this industry. I have always loved fashion and although I wasn’t planning on pursuing a career in the fashion industry, this has me open to the idea. Learning about deeper things than what any of my other fashion classes ever dove into was very exciting. Thank you again, Dr Lu, for teaching an amazing course.
I wanted to start by saying thank you Dr. Lu, for being an amazing professor.
I wanted to start by expressing my gratitude for being such a wonderful professor, Dr. Lu. Fash455 was a great class. I learned a lot about subjects I didn’t know much knowledge on. Textile manufacturing, global trade agreements, production, and sourcing were a few of these subjects. Your open and collaborative classroom atmosphere made it easier for all students to participate actively and promoted inclusion which improved our group’s overall learning experience. Furthermore, I had a great time listening to our guest speakers this semester as they discussed their jobs in the industry. I am eager to learn about multiple possibilities after learning about the wide range of job pathways available in the fashion industry. Thank you for a great semester!
First off, I would like to say thank you to Professor Lu for teaching this course in such an engaging and effective manner. This course truly exposed me to another sector of the fashion industry that I had never learned about previously. My main takeaway from this course is how complex the world of trade and sourcing is, specifically for the textile and apparel industries. Many of the topics that were discussed had controversial viewpoints making it difficult to find effective solutions that would satisfy every party involved. The topic that stuck with me the most was the Yarn-forward rules of origin. After becoming familiar with this topic, it was extremely interesting to hear about how these rules promote near-shoring as well as the benefits of doing so. It was also interesting to learn about why US brands that rely on imports from other countries do not support these rules. Lastly, I thought that the Zoom calls and activities that we participated in over the course of the semester were incredibly insightful. They really opened up my eyes to the potential that accompanies a job in sourcing.
FASH455 was unlike any fashion class I have taken during my time at UD. Professor Lu, it’s so refreshing to have a teacher so engaging and passionate about what they teach, and in return that makes me want to learn as much as I can. Before this class, I was unfamiliar with any kind of global trade issues going on, with the exception of forced labor laws. One of my favorite topics we learned about this semester was the near-shoring sourcing strategy in the CAFTA-DR region. There are a lot of benefits that the U.S can gain from this strategy, such as reduced tariffs, shorter shipping times, and less transportation costs, but I found it most interesting how the US textile industry and the US apparel industry don’t always have similar views on sourcing. This is especially true when it comes to the Section 301 tariff action, since the textile industry tends to support it to protect domestic manufactures, yet the apparel industry often opposes it due to supply chain dynamics and competition. I always assumed these two industries followed the same perspectives on trade rules until this class, but now I see how different they can be.
Thank you for an amazing semester!
I have found this class extremely informative and I have learned so much. Thank you Dr. Lu, for being such an engaging professor and always wanting the best for your students. I always found the topics of global trade and the economy to be too complicated to grasp, but after taking this class, you have made such complicated issues more understandable and intriguing. Honestly, my biggest takeaway is that there is not always a solid answer to every question. In most topics for this class, a question brings another question, and there is not always an answer. Another insight is that there are so many steps when it comes to sourcing, and trade agreements and tariffs are complicated matters. Another huge takeaway is the fact that sourcing from China is a massive debate. There are pros and cons to sourcing from there, as it is fast paced and has unlimited resources, but the trade agreements and working standards are bad. I really enjoyed our “graded learning activities” when industry professionals talked to us on zoom and gave us their real life perspectives on the industry. All in all, I really enjoyed this class and look forward to continuing to work with you.
FASH455 has been one of the most memorable courses I have taken throughout my time at the University of Delaware. I want to thank you, Dr. Lu, for showing your genuine interest and desire to expand your students knowledge on the world of trade and sourcing in the textile and apparel industry. At the beginning of this course, I had very little knowledge of the laws and controversies going on in the world of sourcing and trade. I have learned that there are numerous perspectives while negotiating trade practices. This has taught me that there is no clear answer surrounding sourcing in the textile and apparel industry. In order to come to the best possible decision people need to be open minded and consider all aspects of what may be effected when promoting different opinions. Specifically, one main takeaway I have learned from the course is the deeply complicated debate of sourcing from China. Through our lectures and reading assignments I have broadened my understanding of the different perspectives of the US textile industry, US apparel industry, the textile and apparel factory owners in China, and many more. The statistics, readings, interviews, and guest speakers have led me to leave this class with my own educated opinions on the debate while also going into the workforce curious to learn more and stay well informed with what changes may be coming for the textile and apparel sourcing industry.
As my previous classmates already stated, thank you Dr. Lu for an amazing and educational semester! I am a Marketing Major with a minor in Fashion Management, so up until your class, I wasn’t very educated on sourcing and trading in the apparel industry. I am also taking a class this semester called “Global Business Environment” where we have been learning about the impact of globalization in history and in today’s day and age. Our final essay for the class is to argue whether or not globalization has had a mainly positive or mainly negative impact on people around the world. We are able to focus it on an industry, so I decided to focus it on the fashion industry. Your class has offered me so many insights to be able to discuss in my final essay, and I feel very well versed to discuss the sourcing and apparel trading laws and regulations. I wanted to answer the question of “How can trade policy be utilized as a tool to address challenging global issues such as forced labor and climate change?” I would say that governments across the globe could (and should) propose tariffs on goods that are produced using forced labor. The issues going on around the world need to not only be spoken about more but have laws put in place to keep these workers safe while also keeping trade reliable since it is one of the foundations of our world. There also needs to be more supply chain transparency, which we discussed in class. A lot of work needs to be done within the fashion and apparel industry as issues such as forced labor and climate change are becoming more apparent. I applaud you for the work you have put into educating our class on these issues and for always keeping the class very engaging.
Reiterating what everyone else has already said, I want to thank you Dr. Lu for being an incredible professor and providing us with such an informative and worthwhile class to be a part of. As a marketing major and a fashion management minor, this is only my sixth fashion-based class that I have taken. However, I can confidently say that I have learned more than I ever imagined since enrolling in this course. Being able to discuss with classmates complex topics like nearshoring within the CAFTA-DR region, the yarn-forward rule under de minimis and the Section 301 tariffs were all areas that I was completely unaware of previously. I have learned so much about numerous trade policies and more in-depth about the U.S.-China trade war that plays such a vital role in the industry. I also thoroughly enjoyed hearing from the array of speakers held throughout the semester, getting to hear from top professionals in sourcing what their jobs are along with advice for future college graduates. The knowledge taken from this course will always stay with me. Thank you Dr. Lu for everything!
I have learned so much from this class. I am super grateful for all of the information that I have gathered throughout this course. One of my favorite things was learning about international trade agreements. The United States- Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a newer agreement made for North America. This trade agreement allows for North American supply chain to be more agreeable. This agreement has allowed the textile and apparel industry to flourish in the Western Hemisphere. Know more than ever, I believe that it is important to know the ins and outs of current events. In previous internships, I have gathered knowledge from my production team at Kendall and Kylie. After taking this course, I understood more of the negations my merchandise team and our vendors had. My merchandise team had vendors from China ( mainIy), Vietnam, Bangadelsh, and Italy. also really enjoyed from hearing from the guest speakers.
I would like to start by thanking Dr. Lu for an incredible semester, and an even more incredible learning experience that will truly resonate with me as I wrap up my education at UD. This course taught me more than I could have imagined about globalization, supply chains, and sourcing. I would have never expected to learn this amount of information in such a short time period, but with the interactive classroom environment, we achieved so much! I feel after taking this course I am prepared to enter the workplace with a stronger understanding of sourcing, and how exactly retailers make sourcing decisions based on tariffs, regulations, and cost factors. Much more goes into sourcing for a retailer’s side than one would think prior to taking a deeper dive as we did in this course. One of my favorite aspects of the course that Dr. Lu incorporates is a number of guest speakers. It is really fascinating to hear more about their careers, and the advice they give to as as many of them were UD alum! This is an awesome course, that teaches you not only about globalization but prepares you for your future, thank you, Dr. Lu!
I am so grateful that I took this class, especially at this point in my college career. After graduation I’ll be working full time in sourcing at TJX, and I have been working remotely part time this semester as well. Taking this class as I train fro my new role has been extremely helpful because there are so many things to consider when it comes to sourcing that someone in an entry level position like myself doesn’t really see or hear about much. I feel like I am at an advantage because I am able to talk in depth about things like sustainability and ethical sourcing with the other people on my team. I found the topics of nears shoring and CAFTA-DR to be extremely interesting as the discussion around Western Hemisphere will surely become more and more popular as the years go on. I think as my peers and I enter the sourcing part of the industry it is our responsibility to ensure that we are encouraging ethical and sustainable sourcing that is economical for the companies we work for.
Something that I found very interesting from Fash 455 is the differing viewpoints of textile manufacturers and clothing retailers. Textile manufacturers want to keep the production line domestic and close by meanwhile clothing retailers would prefer to source from abroad in places such as Asia. If I think about it, this differing viewpoint makes a lot of sense. Both textile manufacturers and clothing retailers have the same goal in mine, to make the most money they can, but how they go about it is different. Textile manufacturers can make more money when they get more companies to utilize their textiles, which means incentivising nearby fabric manufactures and garment makers to use their textiles. Clothing retailers make more money by sourcing from the cheapest retailers, which means sourcing from Asia where labor costs are lower. These two parts of the fashion industry have battling viewpoints when it comes to trade rules.
To begin, thank you so much for a wonderful semester Professor Lu. Having a professor who truly cares so much about what he does and is so invested in sharing as much information as possible with students is one of a kind. Watching you win the award for being an outstanding professor and seeing just how above and beyond you go for your students was a wonderful experience. A key takeaway I had from Fash455 is really just how much government involvement goes into the fashion industry. Going into this class I was aware of government involvement in the industry, especially for things like imports and exports and tariffs. However, I was astonished to see how much deeper the involvement goes into every aspect. The articles and discussions we had in class really opened my eyes as to how many different ways there are to be involved in governmental presence with fashion. Seeing the different arguments for tariffs and restrictions was also really interesting. Our most recent discussion about the tariff war and Section 301 was really interesting because I got to see just how many effects came from these rulings. There were consequences I would have never guessed that occurred and it was really informative to see just how much work goes into these things that majority of consumers would have no idea even occur.
There were many ideas I have taken away from FASH455. I gained useful and insightful knowledge about how the fashion industry works and the importance of the supply chain. When we first started learning about the meaning and driving forces of globalization, I didn’t understand the complex implication of this idea. I learned that globalization is the driving force of trade agreements, new legislation and some geopolitical issues. I also was able to see the necessity that is understanding supply chains, and how supply chain look and continue to change in our current day. A main takeaway from this course for me is how being a good export country depends on two things; capital and labor. These two things determine what stage of the development a country is, but also what they are able to produce. FASH455 put in to perspective the need for capital in a country to be able to produce and export textiles. It also shed light on why certain countries produce garments, because of how labor abundant they are. This idea of labor vs. capital explains a lot about our current FTAs and supply chain issuesI was able to evaluate by the end of this course which countries will soon be able to move up in development in the next decade. I also have learned the conundrum that is sourcing from a country that uses bad labor practices, or unethical behavior and how it is not as black and white as we would hope it to be. There are many moving parts to fully understanding global supply chains, and what has made them become what it is today. I believe this course is one of the most educationally beneficial courses I have had the opportunity of taking in my career at the University of Delaware. I wish we had more time to continue to learn about these complexities, because I have learned so much already that it is hard to list my key takeaways.
I have absolutely loved getting to learn about global trading and sourcing in this class with Dr. Lu! It has been amazing getting to learn from someone so highly regarded in his field. Some of my key takeaways have been learning about NAFTA and CAFTA-DR, hearing from our guest speakers, analyzing the US-China tariff war, and learning more about geopolitical issues happening on around the world. I have loved our group discussions, enjoyed reading about the contents of our case studies, and love to hear about current events from Dr. Lu’s blog! We are so lucky to learn from you Dr. Lu, thank you so much!
First I would like to thank you Dr. Lu for the best semester! Being a marketing major with only a minor in fashion management, I felt like I was missing something when it comes to my knowledge about fashion! Being in your class has helped me learn so much and grow as a fashion student. I was able to discuss new topics and challenge my perspectives on the fashion industry. One topic that stood out to me during our semester was globalization. I specifically remember two things we did in class that stuck with me. First, when we all looked at our tags on our clothing and accessories, it was interesting to see how many products were made from all around the world. Second, the video about the journey of products was very interesting because it showed how just one article of clothing could travel all around the world before it gets to the customer. Very insightful! Something else I will takeaway from this class is some of the career advice from professionals who spoke to us. It was great getting career advice and learning about possible careers within the sourcing industry. Before I took this class, I didn’t really know you could have a sourcing job. I will definitely take some of the advice from the professionals to help me in my future careers. Thank you again for an amazing semester!
This course truly opened my eyes to a completely new aspect of the fashion industry that I had no prior knowledge of whatsoever. Thank you, Dr. Lu, for being such an inspiring and engaging professor! While I had learned previously of the importance of the supply chain when it comes to sourcing, transparency, and sustainability for fashion brands and retailers, I never truly knew the complexities of the global supply chain and all that goes along with it until this class. I found it eye opening to learn about trade agreements such as CAFTA-DR, the importance of the geopolitical environment and how it impacts the supply chain (such as the US-China tariff war and Section 301 action), and other complex issues like the de mimimus rule here in the US and how we can combat it. Post-grad I hope to work for a fashion company, and I will most definitely take this knowledge with me no matter the role I end up in. I feel that I have gained a truly broad and critical understanding of the global complexities of the textile and apparel supply chain, and understand the importance of having this knowledge when it comes to future decision making in sourcing. This class was like no other FASH class I have ever taken, and it truly left me with a completely new perspective. I hope that in the future, this knowledge will help me to create a brighter future in the fashion industry.
Like the previous classmates already said, I first want to thank you Dr. Lu for a memorable and insightful class! Prior to this class, I had very minimal knowledge on the topic of global apparel and textile trade/sourcing. Through class lectures, in class activities, guest lectures and blog posts, I feel as though I have learned so many new things when it comes to this topic. Something that stuck out to me was learning about section 301 tariffs and how it effects countries differently, some more positive than others. It was very interesting to learn everyone’s perspective on this issue and potential solutions as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this course and learned so many new things!
FASH455 has taught me more about current events than any other college course. As a fashion student, I feel as though other classes danced around these subjects, while FASH455 really brought them to light. In the future, I am excited to apply my sourcing knowledge to my future career. With an insight on current events and the practices in each country, I feel more equipped to work amongst these problems firsthand.
One of the main takeaways that I learned from 455 was the trade policies. Trade policies are a major part of our economy and shape our consumer market. Finally learning about CAFTA-DR and the 301 tariffs has taught me so much about the state of our national trade department.
In addition, I am excited to apply this knowledge to my own personal “sourcing”. I would love to pay more attention to the products that I buy and where they are produced. As I said before, with a deeper knowledge of the production strategies in each country, I feel much more enlightened on these subjects. I will definitely look at price tags and origin labels more closely and refer it back to what we have discussed in class. Ultimately, I would love to start supporting brands who practice more ethical sourcing strategies.
FASH455 has really become an eye opening experience providing insight and depth into the world of global textile and apparel trade. I feel more connected and willing to learn not only about the textile and apparel side of fashion, but the trading and sourcing side of the fashion industry as well. One of the main takeaways from the class would be the idea of free-trade and the agreements that are made between different countries and regions. CAFTA-DR and NAFTA have shown me how apparel companies can receive their product for a lower price than competitors.
FASH455 has been one of my favorite classes at UD. As a Marketing major with the Fashion Management minor, most of my fashion classes do not begin to address to textile and apparel trade industries. Incorporating this factor into my knowledge of the fashion industry has changed my opinions, provoked thoughts, and broadened my understanding of the impact of current events. Professor Lu has been the best professor since he has so much knowledge and so active in increasing his learning as well. His effort to make sure us students understand topics taught in class is above and beyond, and I could not ask for anything more than what he gives to us.
The two wrap-up videos are a strong reminder that fashion is not just design or trend forecasting, it’s global, political, and inseparable from systems of development, trade, and labor. One of the earliest observations in the first video is that fashion is policy in action; sourcing is a manifestation of trade agreements, economic diplomacy, and ethics. The second video builds on this by highlighting how interconnected our closets are with broader geopolitical shifts, whether through tariff policy, labor rights, or sourcing realignment. These ideas resonate with the importance of “wearing the global economy.” I’ve also come to see how near-shoring is more than a sourcing strategy but a reflection of shifting trade priorities and supply chain risk mitigation. Finally, this class reframed my view of the fashion industry as one that not only influences consumer identity but also plays a pivotal role in global development, particularly for emerging economies reliant on apparel exports. Moving forward, I’ll be more attuned to how sourcing maps, policy shifts, and sustainability goals are inseparable from the future of fashion and from the future of my own career path.
I wanted to extend my thanks to you Dr. Lu for an amazing semester highlighting lots of industry information and for expanding our knowledge on all things to do with global sourcing. The videos presented convey the common theme of the class that the industry is so much more than just designing and trend forecasting. We went into depth about how companies source and what decisions go into making the most efficient sourcing process. One thing I found most compelling from the class was the idea of the flying geese model. I think that this model really helped me to visualize how different countries from different economic backgrounds are able to contribute to the global supply chain. This description of it really showed a top down diagram of what each step of the sourcing process included as well as what regions contributed where.
I also want to say thank you, Dr. Lu. This is such a nourishing semester. Before taking FASH455, I only had a vague idea about the mechanisms of apparel trade and sourcing. This class showed me the complex connections of the fashion industry with global politics, economics, and sustainability. I also benefited a lot from working on case studies 1 and 2. As a fashion major and a Chinese, case 2 feels really connected to my life. By taking the perspectives of different stakeholders in the trade war, I really gained a deeper understanding of the conflict of interests in today’s fashion sourcing and production. The yarn-forward rule and Section 301 tariffs blew my mind. The flying geese model showed me why Asia’s textile industry shifted from my country to Vietnam. Thank you again for delivering the class!
Before taking this course, I had very little knowledge on what actually went into sourcing, how supply chains actually work, and what a tariff actually is and how its effecting brands but also consumers. After taking this course, I have now gained a better understanding of all these things, plus more. I think a big misconception from people who aren’t fashion majors is that fashion majors are just learning about clothing- but this course has proven otherwise, as without global trade and sourcing, fashion wouldn’t be possible. My biggest takeaway from this class is that there is a lot more that goes into the production of clothing than people typically realize- global economy, public policy, politics, etc- all these things go hand in hand, in order for fashion brands to be successful. This course has given me a lot of new knowledge and I really enjoyed this semester, thank you Dr. Lu!
Similar to other comments, I would like to express to you how much this class met to me Professor Sheng Lu, and how much you love teaching. You can truly tell you love your students and want us to do well. I take away a lot from FASH455. Starting with sourcing and tariffs which we really dived into. I liked how this class was up to date with recent daily news, because it has to do with the real world and effects us now. One main thing that I loved learning about and found very entertaining was trade agreements. There so much that goes into the CAFTA-DR and NAFTA agreement’s which I didn’t release before taking this class. Another thing I liked learning about towards the later months of the class is Tariffs. Because this is so new and effecting multiple brands, we also talked about politics and what is currently happening with the tariffs. Overall I thought this class was really insightful and loved how current and up to date it was. Thank you for everything Professor Sheng Lu!
FASH455 overall has made complex topics within the fashion industry more understandable. Before taking this course, I had a vague understanding of topics surrounding global trade agreements and tariffs. As well as how these factors can impact the supply chain and industry as a whole. I learned the complexity of social, economic, and political factors, all contributing to how each region of the supply chain is intertwined. I loved how this course tapped into current events that directly affect the fashion industry, lending to my understanding of how many aspects are related. My biggest takeaway from this course is that there is a lot more that goes into preparing to sell a product than just designing and manufacturing it. There are many things to consider when choosing what products to sell and where to source from. Overall, I found FASH455 to be very insightful and I want to thank you for a great semester Dr. Lu!
Dr. Lu – thank you for being such an intelligent, caring, and engaging professor. You truly are one of a kind and I have learned years worth of information during this semester, and it really opened my eyes to the fashion industry on a global business scale.
My biggest takeaway from this class is the importance of understanding the fashion production cycle as a whole and understanding how various steps of the process are affected differently due to tariffs, trade policies, or whatever it may be. This taught me the importance of diving deep into problem solving and looking for solutions that provide the best possible advantage for all parties, even though there will be some winners and losers. FASH455 also taught me how complicated and important decision making is within the process of sourcing materials, and how decisions affect so many parties in different levels of severity. Before this class, I did not realize how complicated the supply chain was in that raw materials to finished goods can be processed and manufactured in many different countries, although just having a final “Made in xyz” tag makes the process seem simple.
Looking into my future, I am always going to remember to stay updated with trade policy, especially with Asian countries as tariffs are continuing to effect them, but also keep a strong eye out for Western production and watch the shift in these countries to become more relevant. This course taught me how to analyze different points of views and apply real-world knowledge to come up with applicable solutions to fit complicated problems.
Thank you so much for all of this insightful knowledge from FASH 455 Professor Sheng Lu! I believe that this course will benefit me and my future endeavors as a designer in the ever growing and changing fashion industry. Key highlights for me throughout this course include learning about the trade theories, the new tariff laws, and the shifting of sourcing from one country to another. I think that you did an amazing job keeping students engaged and interested in topics that can at times be difficult and hard to wrap your head around. I think that this course is one that will benefit and help students who plan to go into all aspects of the industry.
I will be taking a lot away from FASH 455. The most important thing I will be taking away is how nuanced and complicated the Apparel supply chain is. In every class discussion it felt that just as we arrived at an answer we were met with another problem. This is the truth of the matter. There is no true answer that results in everyone having jobs and proper wages. We would discuss how workers deserved more fair pay and then raise our hands to see who could actually afford more expensive clothing to make this happen, very few people could raise their hand. Moving in the workforce I have a lot to think about. I have always wanted to be a buyer meaning my job is to purchase goods as cheaply as possible in order to obtain a good markup. But, in making these deals am I affecting someone’s life across the ocean. The answer is yes. Our lives and livelihoods are far more interconnected than anyone wants to imagine. The recent tariffs made me very happy to have taken this course and understand the nuance of trade specifically in the apparel industry. The apparel industry has a lot of room for change and growth and I think that this trade war with China will help push for more investment in the apparel industry in Central America and Mexico. The only problem with that is who is to say these trade issues will not rise again. But, apparel production in the United States is near impossible because of lack of workers. There is so much to think about when it comes to this topic that I never considered before and I believe this class has made me understand just how deeply connected our world is.
Very well said! Please also remember that the education you received at UD and FASH empowers you with the knowledge and opportunity to make many meaningful changes! Please do!
This class has truly opened my eyes to a whole side of the fashion industry that I have been unaware of. FASH455 discussed many topics, but the main takeaway I learned was how important each and every part of the world is to the production of not just clothing but everyday items. When someone looks at a basic jacket, most people don’t think much of it. However, after I have taken this class, I now see a jacket that has been designed in LA, cotton sourced from China, manufactured in Vietnam, buttons sourced from Italy, and imported back to the US for sale. It is truly so interesting how intricate and complicated the fashion industry is. Without the world working together, this process would not be possible. I have also learned how important it is to be educated on sustainability and ethical practices when considering where you shop. Lots of brands still source from factories that are using forced labor, using very dangerous chemicals, and not using sustainable practices during production. All of these issues are happening daily in many developing countries, and so many people are not aware of this. We are all consumers at the end of the day, and I believe we have a duty and responsibility to be aware and educated so we can make smarter decisions. This course has made me think and question current policies, which is something I have never put my mind to. I am walking away feeling more educated and confident in my fashion career. Thank you for everything, Dr. Lu!!
I have many takeaways from FASH455 that have shaped how I am now as a consumer and student, and who I will be as a future buyer, or wherever I decide to continue my career in the fashion industry. Coming into this course, I had little knowledge of the complexities of sourcing textile and apparel, and little knowledge of the government’s role in all of trade and sourcing as well. I found myself continuously throughout the semester learning and making connections to real world events and various other aspects of the fashion industry that I have learned in other courses. One of my favorite units of the semester was learning the process and agreement CAFTA-DR. I had no idea that the US played such a strong role in textile manufacturing, and their successful agreements with Mexico and Central American countries. I found this to be extremely interesting, and something I will continue to look into beyond this course. Another section of this course that I enjoyed learning about was the Yarn Forward and Fabric Forward rules of origin. Once again, something completely new that I had no prior knowledge of. All sections of this course will be knowledge that I take with me beyond the classroom. Thank you Dr. Lu for your passion and excellence in this sector of the industry, and for sharing your knowledge and expertise with your students. Content from this course will be extremely beneficial for your students, as we can use our knowledge to network, present facts in job interviews, and hopefully impresses our bosses in our future fashion roles.
Like the rest of my classmates, I would like to thank you Dr. Lu for an amazing semester! I truly loved our FASH455 class and enjoyed all of our class discussions on the recent tariffs and change global trade economy. My takeaways from our class our deep and plentiful! The first key takeaway is a thorough understanding of several trade theories, including mercantilism, absolute advantage theory, comparative advantage theory, and factor proportion theory. I found it very interesting to analyze these theories in our current global sector, especially under the new administration and its strong mercantilistic beliefs. In addition, I now have a better understanding of how complex sourcing can be to navigate. Prior to our class, I did not fully grasp how challenging something like apparel sourcing could be for someone like a supply chain manager and how many moving parts there are to align. I really enjoyed the days when industry professionals joined our class to describe their jobs and the day-to-day tasks that we could expect in these roles. These guest speaker days provided an opportunity for us to connect the topics we were learning in class to real world scenarios and positions that we will likely encounter in the future. My third key takeaway from our course is a deeper understanding of complex global trade agreements. Trade agreements have played a vital role in recent global market economy growth and have led to the rise of several countries as leading apparel producers. Though they are important, there are often both winners and losers as a result of these agreements. Who the winners and losers are largely comes down to the specifics of the agreements, for example if they are yard-forward or fabric-forward. Overall, our course taught me how to critically analyze our ever-changing market. This is a significant skill I will be able to take with me into my professional future, especially as an individual interest in operations management and planning within the fashion sector.
Thank you Dr. Lu for a great semester and for all of the learning opportunities you gave our class! I truly enjoyed this class and the topics discussed throughout the semester. I feel that there are many lessons I have taken away from FASH455. One lesson I can take away from this class is how complicated global trade and apparel sourcing really is for fashion companies. There are so many factors to consider in sourcing decisions regarding topics of sustainability, ethical practices, tariffs, reliability, global trade policies, along with many more factors. Along with factors to consider, there are many different perspectives to understand. In global trade and apparel sourcing, understanding of perspectives of fashion companies, suppliers, garment workers, policy makers, consumers, sustainability experts, and many more are crucial for making educated decisions. I also enjoyed the case studies and real life examples that gave us the ability to apply our learning during the semester. I believe that applying concepts to real life situations is a great way to deepen your understanding of the class topics.
Throughout the semester I felt I was able to gain a plethora of knowledge on current and past global sourcing. Prior to taking this class I struggled to digest and truly understand the complex nature of sourcing. However, after taking this class I found that things began to click, and I further understood the various pieces of the global sourcing industry. I now know that when it comes to tariffs, sourcing, and supply chains, it is extremely difficult to come to a conclusion of a “right answer”. More often than not, with any question or problem within global sourcing there are winners and losers. This makes it challenging to truly make decisions, as at least one party involved in the decision will reap negative effects. The case studies in particular were extremely helpful in reinforcing the information taught in class. The questions tailored to each case study were extremely specific which required me to have to read the information multiple times to ensure I was finding the right answer. While time consuming, this allowed me to better understand the writing and fully answer the questions.
FASH455 is a course that reshaped my perspective on the fashion industry. This course taught me the depths of international trade through labor dynamics, policy decisions, and global economic interdependence. One of the most valuable things I learned is the interconnectedness and complexity of the T&A supply chain. From learning the flying geese model and understanding Asia’s role in manufacturing, to learning the nearshoring strategies with the Western Hemisphere that the US strategically uses, I gained a new appreciation for how trade agreements, geography, and political shifts influence sourcing decisions. I gained a new understanding of the ethical and strategic decisions that go into businesses. I learned these insights from discussions such as the forced labor concerns, de minimis rule changes, and sourcing diversification.
Another main takeaway is how global issues such as climate change, sustainability, and human rights integrate into fashion. I am especially intrigued by how trade policy, something I was unaware of its importance in the fashion industry, can protect against exploitation and promote sustainability. Most importantly, this course widened my knowledge as a global citizen and opened up a new realm of potential job opportunities. Whether I pursue a future in merchandising, buying, or social entrepreneurship, I know how my decisions can influence livelihoods, environments, and economies.
I want to begin by saying that it was a privilege to take your class this semester Dr. Lu, I am so thankful for your teaching methods and helpful insight into all the content that was discussed. You are so passionate about teaching and your career, it is very apparent through being in your class. One of my biggest takeaways I have from this class is how much deeper a clothing tag goes than just the country producing it. We learned a lot in this class about sourcing, apparel and textile manufacturing. One in particular was how there is so much more sourcing and manufacturing that what is put on a garments tag. We learned that it can go to so many different countries before landing at the final apparel manufacturing country whose name gets placed on the tag. Another thing that I take away from this course is how manufacturing, sourcing and company decisions are not always clear and a one size fits all deal. They can be very complex and have many different sides or points of view that can change how the situation is seen. I also found it very interesting and insightful to hear from different professionals in the industry on their points of view both with current events affecting the fashion industry as well as information about their specific roles in the industry.
FASH455 was definitely a class I will remember and I will continue to keep up with the information that was taught. There are many different parts to this class and every single one was interesting and great to know for my everyday life. A huge thank you to Dr.Lu for making this class meaningful. With your help with concept’s and videos to guide the class was a great way to end my time here at the University of Delaware. The concepts around the tariffs are very important for fashion merchandisers to understand. Taxes on imports will affect the everyday life of a company. My favorite concept that I learned over this semester was the yarn forward rule and learning all about the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement. These were interesting and I am surprised that there are so many people who don’t know about this. Other things like labor issues are a huge problem especially in the garment industry and figuring out how to fix this should be the next step in fashion. We can also look to underdeveloped countries that need help from the U.S. and we can use their skills here as well. In my opinion, There are ways for countries to develop and the tariffs are making this more difficult. All these concepts are important and I learned so much from this class. Thank you again Dr.Lu and keep up the great teaching.
FASH455 definitely changed the way I think about fashion. It’s not just about what we wear, it’s about how the world works. I had no idea how connected the global economy, trade policy, and sourcing decisions are to the clothes we see on shelves. I found the discussions on near-shoring especially interesting, like how Guatemala and other Western Hemisphere countries are being considered more as brands try to speed up production and get closer to their customers. The course made me realize how much goes on behind the scenes to make fashion both affordable and ethical, balancing cost, speed, sustainability, and politics. I’m also walking away with bigger questions that I want to explore more: like how AI and sustainability will shift the industry, or how companies can stay competitive without cutting corners on social responsibility. Honestly, it made me even more excited about working in this industry because there’s so much innovation and impact potential. This class helped me see fashion as a global system, not just an aesthetic, and that shift in perspective is something I’ll carry with me into whatever I do next.
FASH455 opened my eyes to an entirely different world in the fashion industry. Although most of my fashion courses have talked about textile and apparel sourcing, FASH455 provided me with such rich information and focused more heavily on this content. I found it interesting to see how much critical thinking and planning go into sourcing. One of the activities that highlighted these efforts was the group activity where students were asked to create a supply chain based on countries’ characteristics (like efficiency, labor, and capital). These types of activities placed me in the role of a sourcing team, showing me that there is almost a science behind sourcing. Another point that is important to bring up is the policy or legal side of sourcing. As we’ve seen in recent years, policy has a major impact on sourcing strategy. Specifically with Trump’s tariffs, the entire fashion industry had to adapt and diversify its supply chains in order to survive these changes. Policy is something that sourcing teams have to adapt to, which adds to my point of sourcing being vital to fashion.
FASH420 was one of the most insightful classes I’ve taken at UD. Thank you, Dr. Lu, for being such a great professor. I learned a lot from your lectures, assignments, and videos. They were so insightful, and the in class activities and video discussions made everything easier to understand. This course really helped me grasp tariffs, sourcing, and trade agreements, especially the growing issues between the U.S. and China and how those challenges impact the fashion industry. Overall, I learned so much, and I’m really grateful for this class.
This class was truly one of my favorites I have taken in the fashion program during my academics. It was by far the most interesting material, and informational class that I will take my knowledge and apply to the fashion industry. FASH455 brought so much light to industry problems, solutions and the behind the scenes of how we receive garments to the US. With previous knowledge of the tariffs, AI, and supply chain issues, this class informed me that it goes much further than the surface of those issues. Dr. Sheng Lu, you were absolutely amazing and have pushed me as a fashion student like no other. This class felt meaningful, valuable and was the class that will stick with me once I have graduated. Thank you for an amazing semester!
To begin, I will like to thank Dr. Lu for being such a great professor and guiding us through the semester. The lectures, videos, and readings are very insightful and informative to the class. Dr. Lu’s admiration for the class and work made the material more engaging and my curiosity stronger. This course has helped me understand the multiple and complex steps within the supply chain of apparel. I liked how the course went into depth of the tariff crisis and real current events that are effecting the whole world. Getting the opportunity to learn about how every country apart of the supply chain all have certain terms and agreements was fascinating and how businesses are learning to change and diversify their systems. As the course comes to a close for the semester, I am so grateful to have taken this course, and I will take what I have learned and apply it to my future careers.
After completing Fash455, I am very appreciative of Professor Lu and his attention to detail when going over topics. These are real world issues, and I am glad that they are treated as such so we are able to use this information outside of class. The information from this class allowed me to gain knowledge about the industry and how complicated global sourcing really is and how many things brands have to take into consideration when it comes to sourcing their products. For example, the CAFTA‑DR agreement is something I never would have thought of before I took this course. Things like this remind me that fashion is connected to so many different things and can be affected by things like the economy or trade. Overall, this course definitely changed my perspective of the industry and helped me understand how much effort really goes into making a product.
This reflection on FASH455 really resonated with me. The course brings together so many complex aspects of the global fashion industry like trade policy, sourcing strategies, supply chain risk, sustainability, and it presents them in a way that feels both practical and relevant to what companies are facing today. One of my biggest takeaways is how interconnected the entire apparel value chain is, and how decisions made in one part of the world can impact brands, workers, and consumers globally. I also appreciated how the class encouraged us to think critically about current events and industry data, pushing us to understand why companies make certain sourcing decisions rather than just what they’re doing. Overall, this post captured exactly how FASH455 helps students develop a more informed, global perspective on the fashion industry.
I want to first thank Dr. Lu for an amazing semester as usual. It is such a pleasure to be learning from you and I will miss you next year after graduation 😦 Needless to say, this class has given me the chance to expand my horizons of what can be the next chapter. Since we learn so much about the buying aspect of the industry, learning more about the sourcing for the apparel has opened more doors for us. From learning about the factor proportion theory, the North American Industry Classification System, the flying geese model, and the international trade theory, this course has given me the knowledge to better understand how and why our industry movs the way it does. I now feel more confident in my ability to interpret global sourcing strategies, evaluate supply chain decisions, and understand the economic forces shaping fashion today. This class has pushed me to think beyond trends and product and instead look at the bigger picture, how countries, companies, and consumers all interact to create the apparel.
Just like many of my classmates mentioned, thank you Dr. Ly for an amazing semester! FASH455 has truly been one of the most memorable and favorite courses I’ve taken at UD. Your genuine passion for teaching and sharing your knowledge of global trade and sourcing has made this class so meaningful. The way you encouraged collaboration and discussion pushed me to understand different perspectives and reflect on my own. Before this course, I knew very little about trade policies and supply chain strategies. Now I understand that fashion is so much more than trends and what brands show on the surface. It’s deeply connected to trade laws, labor conditions, sustainability, and the real people behind the clothes we wear everyday. This class has changed how I think about the industry and inspired me to be more intentional about ethical choices and to want to work with brands that value transparency and responsibility.
This course was truly eye opening for me. As a senior, I had thought I knew exactly where I wanted to work in the industry but this class opened my mind to new opportunities and jobs. I never knew my degree could apply for a job in DC working through complex trade issues. I found the topics very interesting especially the CAFTA-DR and de mimimus rule. In today’s uncertainty surrounding tariffs, it was so relevant to learn in depth about these issues and the impacts on supply chains. Going on the career trek to URBN in October really added to this knowledge as well allowing me to apply these topics to a company I shop at often. Hearing their sourcing strategy related directly to our lectures about tariff rates, trade theory and geopolitical issues.
I am excited to apply this knowledge in my career next year as well as my own shopping habits. I am now thinking more critically about the way I consume and the tag on my clothing. Thank you Dr. Lu for such an insightful and memorable class! The lectures were very engaging and your passion for the subject comes across in each class.
Thank you Dr. Lu for such a great semester. FASH455 really opened my eyes to how global and complex the fashion industry is. I never realized how much things like near-shoring, AGOA, tariffs, and even the forced labor issues in Xinjiang impact the clothes we buy. Learning about topics like the flying geese model in Asia and why companies shift sourcing from China to Mexico helped me actually understand the news we read and how brands make decisions. This class changed how I look at fashion and made me see the trade, politics, and real people behind the supply chain. I am grateful I took this course, and I will definitely carry what I learned into my future career.
Thank you Dr. Lu for an amazing semester, I have learned so much from taking your FASH455 course! This course has been so beneficial by providing me with a more well-rounded and bigger picture view of the fashion industry and how it is affected by trade and politics. It has been especially helpful in allowing me to understand current issues with tariffs, trade policy, and geopolitics and how they affect a retailer’s sourcing decisions. Even though sourcing positions are not ones that I see myself going into, I now know the influence global sourcing issues have on all positions within the fashion industry and why they’re important to understand. With a buying internship that I will be doing soon, I feel confident that I will be able to make strategic purchasing and allocating decisions with the knowledge of how global textile and apparel trade and sourcing can affect pricing, trends, consumer behavior, and more. One of my favorite things we’ve learned about is trade theories, as I now better understand how and why countries trade the way they do.
After taking FASH455 I have been able to gain such a larger understanding of the fashion industry specifically looking from a global perspective. One thing that stands out to me is that prior to this class I had heard so much in both the news and possibilities of moving fashion manufacturing outside of China and focusing on nearshoring production. Now following this class I understand how much more complex this possibility is. This is because of both consumer expectations and the capacity so many of these brands expect when deciding where to manufacture their products. Relating to this, this course also helped me understand how heavily connected the fashion industry is impacted by trade and economic policy. For example, I did not understand the extent to which the Trump Administration’s tariffs had such an extensive impact on the industry, to the point where so many brands are now completely restructuring their supply chain. Overall I feel like this class has made my knowledge of the fashion industry much more extensive allowing me to put bigger pieces together and fully understand what the global fashion industry truly means.
My biggest take away from this class was learning about how much work goes into deciding where to source from. Through all of the discussions and assignments we learned that sourcing is not just about buying fabrics, but there’s so much more that goes into it. Through my years at UD, learning about different aspects of the fashion industry, I believe that sourcing may be a very challenging career to go into. There are so many different aspects that need to be thought about from all different angles. With that being said, it would also make for an exciting career because everyday would present a different challenge. This has by far been one of my favorite classes here at UD because Dr. Lu is able to perfectly explain such a complex part of the industry
My key takeaways from this course echo the praises of all of my classmates’ comments. It has been so wonderful to learn directly from a professor who’s actively involved in the industry. I enjoyed being able to listen to your lectures, and then read your article contributions or watch your interview clips, further reinforcing the concepts. Thank you, Dr. Lu, for your commitment to providing us with the most relevant information that helps us to be stronger, burgeoning professionals. FASH 455 has opened my eyes to the impact the garment industry has on both the economy and living conditions. Our lively in-class discussions and assignments taught me about automation, near-shoring, up-and-coming production countries, trade agreements, and many more technical supply chain topics that I would’ve never learned otherwise as someone who intends to work in public relations. This course has made me a more well-rounded thinker and has given me the ability to understand more about what goes into the products I purchase. Also, it was really great to be able to talk through active situations in class, for example, the Trump tariffs. Connecting real-world situations to academic curriculum is the most comprehensive way to learn, and we did just that in this class the entire semester.
I appreciate you Dr. Lu for being so passionate about teaching real-world issues and for creating a space where we could openly share our perspectives. This class felt a little different from any other I’ve take, in the best way. Learning about trade policy, globalization, and textile and apparel manufacturing, along with hearing from guest speakers, gave me a much clearer understanding of what’s really happening in the industry and the world.One of my biggest takeaways was that there isn’t always a clear right or wrong answer with global issues. There are different perspectives, and often it’s more about how you choose to approach the problem than finding one perfect solution.
Thank you, for such a thoughtful and warm end to the semester. This course has reshaped how I see the fashion industry, not just as a creative field, but as a complex global system shaped by trade policy, geopolitics, sustainability, and technology. I now understand how deeply sourcing, compliance, and international supply chains influence everything from price to ethics to innovation. What stood out most to me was realizing how interconnected we all are through apparel, and how the decisions made by governments, brands, and consumers can meaningfully impact workers and economies worldwide. This course has left me with a much broader perspective and a genuine interest in exploring the future of sustainable and responsible sourcing.
You are a fantastic professor and I hope that you have a great rest of the year.
FASH455 has opened my eyes to the possibilities that can come from the intersection of business and fashion. I came to college with a background focused on business classes and then transitioned to fashion design-based classes. For a while, it was hard to see how the two could connect. But through taking this class, I can see now just how many different career opportunities can come from focusing on this side of fashion. An integral part of my learning is something many of my other classmates have touched on but is something I also feel the need to highlight. Learning from a professor that is so involved with the industry with bounds of knowledge to share has made this learning experience especially immersive and applicable to the real world outside of the classroom. Taking this course during a time where there is so much going on in the world of economics, especially concerned with fashion, has been amazing for me to make connections from the class content to the real world, deepening my understanding of both. The concepts we learn in this class are important for upcoming fashion professionals to know because of how interconnected the industry is. Even as a design student I see how my designs are not just independent of themselves and how they are still bound by the state of economics in fashion. Thank you for this amazing class that I will carry with me through the rest of my time as a student and as a future professional!
Thank you, Dr. Lu, for being such a dedicated and passionate teacher. FASH455 has taught me so much about the industry I hope to join, and the teachings from the class have left me with a new perspective on the fashion industry. One of my biggest takeaways from FASH455 is realizing how much “invisible” work sits behind every garment. Before this class, I never really thought about trade theories, yarn-forward rules, or Section 301 tariffs when I looked at a clothing tag. This class made me think deeply about my clothes and what they went through before they got to me. I learned so much about how brands are constantly balancing cost, speed, sustainability, and politics in their sourcing decisions, and how the “right” answer isn’t always black and white. I loved all the discussions we had in class, and how we knew there was never one answer to a problem, but a bunch of different perspectives we have to think of as sourcing experts. Overall, FASH455 gave me a much more global, critical way of looking at the fashion industry, and everything I have learned will be carried with me no matter what role I end up in.