Evening star., 1932-11-05
CLOTHING
LINES IN DEMAND
Trade Survey Shows Trend
Is Now Toward High
Quality Goods.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


NEW YORK, November 5.-There Is
an unmistakable trend in the clothing
industry toward merchandise of better
quality, says Dun's Review. Many
Expansive organizations with heavy fixed
overhead, complicated equipment, large
personnel and expensive distributive
methods stand idle today-a symbol of
glory that has passed. In their places
have sprung up small firms that are
limiting equipment to bare essentials,
devoting the major attention to pro-
ducing good garment that possesses
quality construction and the elements
of style and fabric value which place
merchandise in the forefront. This
shift from quantity to quality produc-
ton has brought reduction Of nearly
40 per cent in the number of workers
employed, as compared with the 1929
level, and the insolvency record for the
first nine months of the current year
bears indisputable evidence OF the fate
of many of the large organizations that
were unable to align operations quickly
enough to the changing trend.
Production Figures.
Production during August, Septem-
ber and October is estimated TO be
nearer the 1881 figures than that OF
some Of the months preceding" the sur
yey continues, but the total number
of mems and boys suits cut during the
first half of the current year was only
$4,000. as compared with l2,l83,0OO
and l3,474000 for the first six months
of 1881 and 1880, respectively. The
number of mems and boys oVercoats cut
during the first six months OF this year
was barely more than half the 1881
trit
In 1880 the total of overcoats cut was
l,779,000.
MANY retailers who placed orders
conservatively for Fall and Winter
clothing have discovered that their in
ventories are too small for the gradual
upswing of trade now in progress. ana
manufacturers are being kept busy TAX
ing care of urgent fill-in requirements.
Belated business Is reaching sufficient
proportions to overcome some OF the
losses sustained earlier in the year,
Preparations now are under way by
road statesmen for Spring business, and
it is anticipated that forward buying
will be in larger volume during this
month and December than was the
case in the two years preceding" the
survey points out when initial COM
mitments were deferred until after the
turn of the year. This predlcuon is
based upon improved sentiment, in
creased retail sales, and the advancing
prices of raw materials now being re-
fiected in finished products.
COLLECTIONS during the last three
months have not improved so sharply
as sales. and still offer considerable
difficulty to the expansion OF the
clothing industry. Most of the large
department stores pay at maturity ano
some even anticipate their obligations
but the medium sized stores and the
smaller one generally are backward IN
paying their bills. In districts where
collections have improved the better
mert can be traced to the policy OF re-
fusing to ship merchandise before ole
accounts have been settled.
Record in InsoIvencies.
"Insolvencies in the clothing industry
now have reached record proportions
the number of manufacturers failing
during the first nine months OF the cur
trent year being 78 per cent above the
record for the entire II months OF
1881. in the special compilation made
by r. G. Dun & Co The total liabilities
of the 702 manufacturers that defaulteo
in this period rose to the unprecedented
figure Of $40. 395, ,059 While the retailers
division made a somewhat better show
ing, both the number Of defaults ano
the liabilities involved are in excess OF
the figures for the full year OF 1881
The liabilities of all failures in the in
GuStrv during the nine months OF the
current year totaled S700572l3, in con-
trast to s54,l66,815 for the entire l.
months of 1881"