The 2018-19 Fashion Manufacturing Initiative Grant Fund recipients are here – and this year, the program is bigger and better than ever.
The sixth round marks the program’s largest investment yet and the highest number of recipients in a single year, for a grand total of $730k among 12 factories: Atelier Amelia, Button Down Factory, Create-A-Marker, Geri Gerard, Hertling, New York Embroidery Studio, Not Just Lace, Park Avenue Trimming, Rainbow Leather, SN Productions, Tailored Industry, and Timberlake Studios.
The finalists were selected by a committee of industry experts.
The financial grants help to invest in equipment and software, infrastructure upgrades and capital improvements, relocation costs and workforce training to help promote business growth, and offer designers advanced services and preserve fashion manufacturing jobs in New York City’s fashion industry.
Since 2013, the CFDA has worked with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to support domestic manufacturing and empower its workforce. Thanks to the generous support of the NYCEDC and founding partners Andrew Rosen and Theory, along with premier underwriter Ralph Lauren and the Coach Foundation, among others, to date a staggering $3.5 million has been distributed to 33 NYC-based manufacturers across since the inception of the program.
“We are proud to see the largest investment yet in the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative’s six-year history. By investing in local manufacturing, we are supporting the fashion industry at-large and we will continue to expand our programming to build a viable production sector in New York City,” said Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA.
“Providing grant assistance for upgrades and expansion costs is key to ensuring that the garment manufacturing industry stays strong in New York,” said James Patchett, NYCEDC President and CEO. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients. I look forward to their continued contributions to one of New York’s most iconic industries.”
To celebrate the milestone, there is no one more fitting than New York native model Dilone to model the best American-made looks created by select grant recipients on location in the legendary Garment District.
