Aritzia shifts some supply from China amid U.S. tariffs, CEO says – National [Video]

Aritzia Inc. says it is shifting some of its supply chain away from China, which has been hammered with triple-digit tariffs from the United States.

The Vancouver-based apparel company said Thursday that the Asian nation is one of the top three countries it relies on to make its clothing, but it intends to cut its China production from 25 to 20 per cent for its upcoming fall-winter season.

Its reliance on China will fall even further by next spring, when Aritzia predicts just a “mid-single-digit percentage” of production will happen there, chief executive Jennifer Wong said.

“We are taking the word diversification right down to the very epitome of what diversification means,” she told analysts on a call.

As part of that diversification, she said the business will turn to long-standing partners in the 12 other countries, like Vietnam and Cambodia, where Aritzia produces clothing. It will also explore new countries and broker relationships with new suppliers that …