New ARGYLE Haus analysis reveals why the city’s remaining apparel manufacturers are more specialized, capable and valuable to growing fashion brands than ever
Despite Decades of Industry Decline, Los Angeles Remains a Powerful Hub for American-Made Clothing Manufacturing
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ARGYLE Haus of Apparel, a Los Angeles-based apparel development and clothing manufacturing company, has published an industry analysis on the transformation of domestic garment production and the value of American-made clothing manufacturers.
The article, Why Every American Made Clothing Manufacturer Left Standing in Los Angeles Matters More Than Ever, traces Los Angeles garment manufacturing from its mid-1990s peak through outsourcing, factory closures and workforce contraction – while highlighting the capabilities and resilience that remain.
According to ARGYLE’s analysis of California Department of Industrial Relations registration data, licensed garment manufacturers and contractors in Los Angeles have declined by approximately 26% since 2014. Apparel employment has fallen even faster, leaving fewer companies equipped for full-service clothing development and production.
“Los Angeles may have fewer garment businesses than it once did, but what remains is powerful,” said Houman Salem, founder and CEO of ARGYLE Haus of Apparel. “The surviving manufacturers carry generations of technical knowledge, skilled craftsmanship and specialized production capabilities. For brands committed to American-made clothing, that expertise has never been more valuable.”
The analysis explains why fashion startups struggle when coordinating separate pattern makers, sample rooms, graders and cut-and-sew contractors. It highlights the advantages of a vertically integrated apparel manufacturer that can guide a project from concept through pattern making, sample development, fit testing and small-batch clothing manufacturing.
As tariffs, international shipping disruptions and global supply-chain uncertainty encourage brands to reconsider USA clothing manufacturing, Los Angeles remains the country’s deepest and most established apparel production hub. Its surviving full-service manufacturers offer advantages overseas supply chains often cannot: direct communication, faster product development, lower production quantities and hands-on quality oversight.
| ABOUT ARGYLE HAUS OF APPAREL
Founded in 2014, ARGYLE Haus of Apparel provides apparel design, development and manufacturing from its San Fernando production facility and Downtown Los Angeles showroom. The company has supported more than 1,000 emerging and established brands across multiple apparel categories. Media Contact: ARGYLE Haus of Apparel, Inc. | (818) 979-9955 |
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