We were beginning to get back to “normal”...
My company does decorated apparel - screen printing, embroidery, etc.
Not only were we shut down as “non-essential” but most of our clients - schools, events, restaurants, bars, etc. - were shut down as well.
When things started opening up, we started getting busy. So busy that we needed more employees, but even when offering 50% more than we paid pre-COVID, we could not get people to work.
Now, within the past week, inventory levels of blank clothing have plummeted. Right now, you cannot buy in bulk basic white t-shirts in sizes Medium and Large. Just about every color has at least one size that is out of stock. Worse, instead of the typical two week wait for re-stocking, they are saying that they will not have more shirts until November or December.
Nike apparel is 90% out of stock.
About 2/3’s of the cap styles are out of stock.
I have been in the industry since 1987 and have never seen it this bad.
The next step was to offer 55%. Then 60%. See how the labor market works?