Apparel

A group of customers is criticizing Old Navy for selling plus-size women's clothing at a markup, while men don't face higher prices on plus sizes at the chain.

More than 16,000 people have signed a Change.org petition calling for an end to what they deem "discriminatory pricing practices." The woman who made the petition said that on a recent visit to Old Navy's website, she noticed plus-sized women's jeans cost $12 to $15 more than smaller sizes, while men's plus-sized jeans did not.

SanMar, Seattle, announced that Mike Knapick has joined the company as chief information officer (CIO). In this role, Knapick will manage and oversee major technology initiatives throughout the SanMar network, as well as the day-to-day IT operations.

Heritage Sportswear + Virginia T's recently announced the addition of Next Level Apparel to its extensive line of ready-to-decorate apparel and accessories. Next Level is known for its diversity of styles, contemporary designs and innovative fabric blends.

Heritage Sportswear Inc., Hebron, Ohio, and Virginia T's, Petersburg, Va., recently announced the Hoppin' Holidays Giveaway, produced in partnership with Gildan and Anvil.

Charles River Apparel, Sharon, Mass., on Oct. 18 and 19 welcomed key distributor customers from across the United States to celebrate the 50th Head Of The Charles Regatta in Boston. Charles River Apparel was a premier sponsor of nonprofit rowing organization Community Rowing Inc. (CRI).

Having expanded its Polo brand to include womenswear this summer, Ralph Lauren is now making moves to capitalize on the rapidly growing activewear market. Company execs said on its second quarter 2015 earnings call Wednesday morning that a new line of sport-ready clothing called Polo Sport will arrive in stores for fall 2015, with an initial emphasis on men's.

For a brand with such a sporty vibe—Polo Sport is already the name of one of its men's fragrances—it's hard to believe Ralph Lauren has waited this long to dive into activewear.

Not content with ruling just the music industry, Queen Bey is expanding her kingdom to the world of fashion.

The 17-time Grammy Award winner and Topshop announced today the creation of a 50-50 joint venture company, Parkwood Topshop Athletic Ltd., to produce a global athletic streetwear brand to launch in Fall 2015.

The brand will encompass clothing, footwear and accessories and will cover dance, fitness and sports categories. It will be available online and in Topshop stores when it launches. According to Women's Wear Daily, it will also be available at other retailers.

Slowdowns at U.S. west coast ports, as part of a long-running dispute between workers and employers, are severely delaying incoming apparel and footwear shipments as the holiday season nears its peak.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has staged slowdowns at major Pacific northwest ports Seattle and Tacoma, responsible for some 16 percent of containerized west coast cargoes.

Meanwhile, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) has voiced concern over "rampant congestion" at Los Angeles and Long Beach, labeling the level of congestion as "untenable."

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Hanes is again partnering with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness for early detection and testing for breast cancer. Additionally, Hanes has joined forces with influential bloggers to reignite their successful "Mammogram Monologues" social campaign, an initiative designed to make women more comfortable with the mammogram exam process.

As part of the campaign, influencers will share personal mammogram experiences, stories related to breast cancer, and anecdotes about how breast cancer has touched their lives throughout the month of October.

S&S Activewear, Bolingbrook, Ill., announced that it has hired Mike Jackson to join its corporate office as purchasing director. Prior to joining S&S Activewear, Jackson was the purchasing director at Argo Tea, Chicago, and Edward Don & Company Woodridge, Ill. At both businesses, he demonstrated his strategic sourcing, demand planning forecast and inventory control expertise, managing nationwide distribution networks with thousands of products.