OMG!!! That is awful! They are quickly becoming my favorite too! Guess I need to stock up next week at the sale!!!
I posted on Gigi's blog as well. I don't read this as the end of Simplicity patterns. I read this as they are closing down that facility and the press release clearly states they are outsourcing it to somewhere in Wisconsin. Times change, companies outsource, the business is just moving - not ending. At least that's my interpretation. No need to overreact and cause a run on Simplicity patterns. While they are good, they're not my favorites.
Are they closing forever, or is it just this plant that's closing? When I read the info, it seems that they will still be around, just in another location?
I didn't know! Now I will have to stock up the next time I am at the store. Maybe it IS just that one plant? On the other hand, nothing lasts forever, not even Mesopotamia (or its world's largest cannon ball).
I guess I'm confused. I thought the article was just saying they were outsourcing production to a different facility and closing that one, so the patterns would still be produced. That isn't a big deal right? It mainly just affect the people who were employed at that particular facility I think.
I find this situation sad because their numbers are showing low sales and people are losing jobs over this. The execs are taking this as people not sewing as much as they use to. I was under the impression that sewing has now regained a great deal of popularity in the last few years. I said what I said because I felt that maybe the low sales could be attributed to the retailers... I don't know... I'm just speculating. Don't shoot the messenger... just passing along info for those that didn't know.
I'm so glad you posted this to your blog too, Erica. Yes, this article is just about outsourcing production but most people don't realize that the major companies have fallen on hard times in recent years. I would, and often do, pay regular price for my patterns. If I manage to hit a sale, great, but if I don't, that's okay too. I would pay full price all the time in order not to lose yet another valuable sewing resource and to make it possible for fellow Americans to keep their jobs.
If you're sad...I'm sad. Let me know when we ain't sad no mo.
P.S. I think Imma start working on some new curtains for my family room and YUP...I'm sure I'll be harrassing you! LOL!
I think it's true that there's a huge upswing in sewing, particularly in younger people, but one thing I see a lot in sewing communities is a stream of requests for free patterns online. I think there are many people, particularly young sewists, who are unwilling to pay for patterns at all (or who only buy during 99c sales). I think this is sad, because while the free patterns and the funky, imaginative things they do are great, there are a lot of great patterns out there as well, and there won't be if the companies close.
However, I do read this as outsourcing, rather than closing down the company, which is sad for other reasons as well, not least the constant push of the corporate universe to try to make more money on less output, at the cost of local jobs (at least it remains in America and not outsourced to poor children in the Phillipines etc).
Anyway, it's an interesting story, and thanks for sharing, Erica.
"I was under the impression that sewing has now regained a great deal of popularity in the last few years. "
This is my impression as well Erica. Newsweek and Time Magazine both had articles describing the new interest in sewing within the past year and a half. What is especially sad is the fact that Simplicity has just made an exciting debut with fashion forward styles. So, hopefully as others have said, this is just a move to stay competitive with changing business trends.
I really hope that doesn't mean Simplicity will be closing down. They (and New Look) are my favourite. Personally, living in France, I never have those 99 cents sales so I do pay full price (or at best, half price if I'm lucky online).
What is wrong though? There seems to be more and more people sewing! Not less!
I grew up in a small town, probably very similar to Niles. When a major employer, like Simplicity, closed the consequences were far reaching and the town never recovered. This is sad news for a number of reasons.
You have two issues going here: First and probably more important, a major employer is shutting a facility and outsourcing that work to someplace else. And, as someone else has so eloquently put it, when this happens, no matter who the employer is, the community never really recovers. It is not just the jobs; employers also support other areas of community life, whether it's allowing the Red Cross to do blood drives in their facilities(and have easy access to large numbers of donors), giving to local arts and other not for profit groups or whatever. When this happens, it is just awful for everyone on many different levels. And, the second issue here is the message that Simplicity is sending - from an economic standpoint, what they are doing, by outsourcing, is getting rid of all of THESE personnel costs(in other words, along with this is NOT a parallel reduction in personnel in New York City). In something like a paper pattern, probably 95% of the cost is in the people and their payroll and benefit costs. What Simplicity has done by outsourcing these (and I suppose we should all at least be grateful that they are outsourcing to a firm in Wisconsin rather than out of the country)functions is that they have taken a huge chunk out of their "cost of goods sold" section of their Income Statement. In addition, you can bet that whatever the cost to them from this Wisconsin firm is going to be, it will be less than what operating the plant in Niles is. So, from a strictly dollars and cents basis, they will be showing a gain in their Net Income figure. If they are publicly traded, the stock analysts will adore this. Stock analysts always love it when management chops a huge hole in their personnel costs because they think it shows some sort of "toughness" from management and they will upgrade the stock which will make the stockholders very very happy. The other thing that Simplicity is showing is that, from their point of view, the patterns are a "commodity" (ahem, to put it bluntly, like copier paper or paper clips) which can be replaced by anyone else's patterns, so for them it is the race to the bottom in terms of pricing. They don't see any "value added" coming from these employees - because the value that they see in the product comes from the upfront design, etc. which is undoubtedly done in New York, which is where they are headquartered, where people who they respect are located and working for them. The people in Niles, to them, are not important or respected. They are "out there" in the hinterlands someplace...not located in the Center of the World ..which is where THEY are located. So, it was a very very easy decision for them to look at the costs, and tell someone in the corporate purchasing department to find them a place to do the work for less. So, for sewers (and I am as guilty as the rest, believe me in terms of buying on the 99 cent sales, buying mill ends and so on), this is all of a piece of the picture. Now, will this tra
This makes me sad on two levels. One, the first things I sewed were simplocity patterns. My mama sewed with Simplicity. I may have to get some of the last ones.
Two, I've lived through layoffs and shutdowns and it is terrible for the community. I know that we are living in the days of heartless management, where layoffs are counted in terms of jobs instead of people, but people are involved.
Oh how sad. Yet another blow for our state. Not only is the auto industry suffering here in Michigan, we've also lost many other major employers. Kmart headquarters shutdown after having been bought out by Sears. Pfizer is moving out next year. Electrolux closed down its plant on the west side of the state. Not to mention the many, many small businesses that have gone out due to the rough times for the auto industry. This has all been within the last 5 or so years.
And this morning I read another sad event in the fashion world. Liz Claiborne passed away yesterday due to cancer.
That is sad to hear!! So unfortunate!
There are a ton of factories shutting down. At least 3 big ones were annoucned this week in NC! (Philip Morris, Springs, and Hanes - cutting back)...it really hurts our economy and is a dominio effect!
"Sewing is just not that popular anymore" OMG!!! I guess knitting is taking over?? Shot I guess our "microwave society" rather buy clothes
First of all that Creole InDC is so funny in what her said!!!
I hate that is happening.This is happening a lot with big companies.I hate to here about people losing jobs!I love simplicity patterens.
Being UK based most of my patterns are bought from the US for $8-10 plus shipping - still beats the £10-15 they are here (ouch!) ... oh I'd love a 99 cent pattern!
I think more people are sewing but it's still a lot less than the amount who were 50-30 years ago ... undergoing a mini revival a little too late it seems.
sad news. makes me want to sew.
I agree with Toby Wollin, up to a point. While I live in the so called "center of the world," I would be interested to know how the plant in Wisconsin worked. Also, there is no interest in laying off personnel in the New York company, as there aren't that many.
Sewing is not experiencing the revival that the media claims it is. While more young women are sewing again, many are not continuing after the first two garments. First sewing, unlike knitting or crochet, is not portable. It also takes time, which for many working women, is a luxury. It is faster to go shopping; with the flood of cheap goods on the market, sewing additionally requires dedication to make quality garments, i.e. more patience and time.
There would have to be some sizable shifts in the amount of people's personal time, in order for sewing to reach the same levels forty to fifty years ago.
I have that job loss of any kind is bad for the whole community in so many ways. In Ohio we are a factory state and with some of the major manufacturers outsourcing and closing; there really isn't anything left. I've personally know the effects of downsizing and outsourcing and the so called bottom line. The line never hits bottom with the executives it's always the hardworking class that stands to loose the most. It's really sad when the land of opportunity sends it's jobs overseas and leaves it citizens with no options.
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