Artistic Milliners, a Pakistani textile company and producer of renowned global brands, has acquired a denim factory in Commerce, California.
The Pakistani company plans to invest in the facility and grow the business into a state-of-the-art design and production hub based on Supply Chain 4.0 principles and 360 design development solutions.
The new factory expands Artistic Milliners’ global footprint and accelerates the company’s speed-to-market capabilities while providing design-at-source at a time when businesses have curtailed travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the first Pakistani denim company, with an operational factory in Los Angeles, Artistic Milliners is raising the profile of Pakistan as a sourcing destination.
Under the new name Star Fades International (SFI), the business continues to provide finishing services to a customer roster that ranges from large international retailers to specialty premiums, the company said in a statement.
“The acquisition gives us a strategic foothold in the US, in a region with significant geographic and demographic advantages,” said Murtaza Ahmed, Founder SFI and Executive Director Artistic Milliners.
California has historically been an important cornerstone for the international denim industry. It is predicted that in 2021, there will be a significant increase in demand from international retailers and brands for near-shoring capacity, digital design services, and sustainable solutions.
“Our investment in this factor gives us a launch platform in the USA to meet the demand as we build the factory for the future,” Murtaza added.
Artistic Milliners has grown from a small retail store, established in Pakistan in 1949, to become one of the top manufacturers of denim in the world. Ranking third on the Top 10 list of Pakistani textile exporters in the year 2017-2018, AM employs 19,860 people in 17 factories and mills in Korangi Karachi and other industrial areas, with a total annual turnover of $256 million.
Source: Propakistani