WOONSOCKET, R.I. — An upcoming change in the iconic Navy uniform has local manufacturers reeling as they anticipate decreased production of a garment they have collaborated to make for more than 40 years.
The Navy announced in August 2016 thatit would be changing a part of the sailors’ uniform, movingfrom the traditional wool peacoat to ablack, synthetic cold weather parka as official outerwear byOct. 1, 2020.
The peacoat is manufactured by a group of small to midsize businesses in the Northeast. The change in uniform has the potential to impact more than 300 jobs, 30 to 40 of which are at Northwest Woolen Mills in Woonsocket, said Max Brickle, president of The Brickle Group, which owns Northwest Woolen.
Lt. Jessica Anderson, chief of naval personnel spokesperson, said the synthetic parka was selected “to reduce current Navy seabag uniform component requirements."
She said the parka was chosen for its modern appearance, lightweight fabric and its ability to protect against inclement weather.
"We're always working to improve and enhance our uniforms' appearance, performance, utility, comfort and wear," she said.
She also said the parka would eventually "reduce cost to the Navy’s annual uniform budget.”
Until the change becomes effective, sailors’ bags are required to contain the $145.50 wool peacoat and a $104.15 all-weather coat. The $321.46 parka will replace both coats. Anderson said the cost of the parka is expected to decrease significantly as production increases.
The peacoat will become an optional item that sailors can purchase independently.Brickle predicts a significant loss in peacoat sales.
“Are [sailors] going to go out and buy a garment, with their own money, that is expensive?” he said. “Probably not.”
Currently, NEXCOM and Propper, a military supplier headquartered in Missouri, produce the parka at Propper’s manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico.
“For us, as this peacoat drifts to Puerto Rico, it signifies a shift— that the military isOK with moving production offshores,” said Jacob Long, CEO of American Woolen.“This peacoat represents more than a piece of business, it represents the U.S. governments ability to try and help build small business enterprise within the textile supply chain.”
The East Coast produces many textile products in clusters, rather than through a vertically integrated model where all steps of a manufacturing process are completed by one business.The clusters rely on small to midsize businesses that lend their expertise to different steps of the manufacturing process.
The “peacoat cluster”manufactures between 40,000and 60,000 coats annually, Brickle said, and has been doing so for 20 years. Sterlingwear of Boston makes the finished coat in Massachusetts with fabric the company buys from American Woolen Company in Connecticut, and from Northwest Woolen. The wool fibers are spun and dyed respectively by two Pennsylvania companies.
Brickle estimates that when the peacoat changes from mandatory to optional, manufacturing will drop to less than 5,000 coats annually.
Though all the businesses in the cluster manufacture other products, the peacoat generates more than $3 million in revenue annually for Northwest Woolen, $10 million for Sterlingwear, and itrepresents 20 percent of total revenue for American Woolen.
Jack Foster, director of marketing at Sterlingwear, said a diminished demand for peacoats could affect up to 200 jobs at the company.The garment contributes to more than half of its revenue.
Members of the textile cluster are pained to see the Navy replace an “iconic” item. Long, CEO of American Woolen, said the peacoat was the first contract American Woolen signed when it reopened the mill and joined the cluster in 2014.
“There’s a lot of history with that garment, and a lot memories with that garment,” said Foster, who grew up in a Navy family in Middletown. “I remember my father when he was shipped out, everyone would line up on the deck of the ship, dressed in their peacoats.”
As an expert in the textile and military apparel industry, I can affirm that the upcoming change in the iconic Navy uniform from the traditional wool peacoat to a black synthetic cold weather parka is a significant shift with far-reaching implications for the manufacturers involved. This decision, announced by the Navy in August 2016, reflects a strategic move to modernize the sailors' uniform, emphasizing features such as a modern appearance, lightweight fabric, and enhanced protection against inclement weather.
The selection of the synthetic parka over the traditional peacoat was driven by the Navy's desire to reduce seabag uniform component requirements, improve uniform performance, and ultimately decrease the annual uniform budget. Lt. Jessica Anderson, chief of naval personnel spokesperson, has cited the parka's attributes, including its modern design and cost-effectiveness, as key factors in the decision-making process.
The impact of this change is palpable, particularly for a cluster of small to midsize businesses in the Northeast that have collaborated for over 40 years to manufacture the wool peacoat. The cluster, known as the "peacoat cluster," comprises several businesses, including Northwest Woolen Mills, American Woolen Company, and Sterlingwear of Boston, each contributing specific expertise to different stages of the manufacturing process.
The shift to the synthetic parka has the potential to affect more than 300 jobs, with 30 to 40 jobs at Northwest Woolen Mills alone. Max Brickle, president of The Brickle Group, emphasizes the potential loss of jobs and revenue, estimating a significant drop in manufacturing from 40,000 to 60,000 peacoats annually to less than 5,000 coats when the peacoat becomes optional.
Furthermore, the move of production to Propper's manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico has raised concerns about the military's willingness to offshore production, signaling a departure from the traditional East Coast textile production clusters. Jacob Long, CEO of American Woolen, underscores the broader impact on small business enterprises within the textile supply chain.
The financial implications are substantial, with the peacoat contributing over $3 million in annual revenue for Northwest Woolen, $10 million for Sterlingwear, and representing 20 percent of total revenue for American Woolen. Jack Foster, director of marketing at Sterlingwear, highlights the potential impact on jobs, noting that a diminished demand for peacoats could affect up to 200 positions at the company.
In summary, the decision to replace the iconic peacoat with a synthetic parka has not only stirred concerns about the loss of a symbolically significant item but also has tangible economic repercussions for the businesses involved in its production, potentially reshaping the landscape of military apparel manufacturing.
