Brooks Brothers Shirt Supplier Is Shifting to Face Masks
- TAL’s apparel business running at 30% of garment capacity
- Company has orders for 50 million masks as Covid spikes demand
Photographer: Daniel J. Groshong/Bloomberg
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The retail slump that has pushed many U.S. chains into bankruptcy is prompting Asian suppliers to re-think their business models amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
TAL Group’s apparel division, which makes one of every six men’s dress shirts sold in the U.S., is shifting to personal protective equipment such as face masks as slumping demand saw garment production fall to just 30% of capacity. The supplier to Brooks Brothers Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Charles Tyrwhitt said business from April to December is set to fall 50%.