Winter '26 NY Gift Show

The show was about 1/3 of what it was in its heyday. People used to write the entire year of orders in one of the two annual shows. Yesterday, the last day of the show, the aisles were empty and I saw few orders being made. Nevertheless, the paper and pen people were doing ok. Most were doing nothing.

I did meet one rep of South American stuff for the gift shops. That was good. I met three other artists who did nice stuff. One did nice graphics but has no idea of manufacturing. Another did nice three-dimensional jewelry made out of non-gold and non-silver metals. A third worked in acrylic and sold well around the world but was not on Amazon. We'll se how anything turns up.

Lastly, I want to comment on the lack of style of most of the women. At best it was boring. The opportunity is their inability to find their correct clothes to buy.

Research just gets harder and harder.

Understanding the Post-Trump World: We need to be ready to take advantage of a rare opportunity.

American Century Importing: The gateway to tomorrow's automation

The shift from Adam Smith manufacturing to tomorrow's manufacturing

Although Adam Smith is generally correct, the time of the most efficient country supplying other countries is over: modern manufacturing can produce very efficient products in many places. I do not expect you to read "The Wealth of Nations", a very long, complicated but correct book.

What's the difference of the past to our modern future? What are the potential opportunities?

In the Adam Smith era just finishing, a producer would sell to an exporter who then sold to an importer/distributor and then to the final customer (who may return the product).

In today's world of international communications, one owner from any one position on the supply chain, could control and ensure high quality and good design without having to compromise. ACImporting.com provides tools to manage the supply chain which also manages your sales and profits.

Modern apparel, as well as many other manufactured products, custom or off-the-rack, needs today's and tomorrow's innovations.

Do you think your products will do better being directly under your control?

For American Century Importing, everything we help you currently accomplish provides preparation for the post-Trump era where our style of manufacturing will produce new products at very reasonable, if not inexpensive, products for mass consumption. I believe it will take three years of custom apparel production to provide a structure for mass production of apparel, but that is a particular project (SittingOnARainbow). And from my redesign (not only just me, of course) for automated production things will never be the same. In fact, they will be much better. Women's clothing, for one important thing, being more attractive couldn't hurt anything.

Trump is providing a trade crisis while trying to equalize trade imbalances. Whereas his methods may or may not succeed, American Century Importing chooses not to wait or depend on government actions or non-actions.

I have been working on how industry can return to American shores for 20 years. I have been waiting for the opportunity provided by the crisis created by Trump. In fact, Manufacturing Villages, my project, will accomplish Trump's goals creating a winning situation for everyone.

As well as anyone, American Century Importing knows what is going on and what the issues needing addressing.

Richard Pearlman
Chief Engineer/VP of Engineering