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Comment: High freight, hard rules shape sourcing's new reality

Freight, rather than fashion, is shaping today’s sourcing margins. On Asia–Europe routes, spot container rates rose about * per cent in October to roughly $*,*** per forty-foot box, while Mediterranean lanes jumped ** per cent as carriers pushed November general rate increases ahead of contract negotiations. 

As logistics costs reset, regulation is tightening in parallel. From ****, garments sold in the EU will need digital product passports under the Ecodesign framework, detailing composition, durability and recyclability. Extended producer responsibility schemes will add further compliance and data-management costs across global supply chains. Sourcing directors are converging on the same question: which suppliers can both absorb elevated freight charges and deliver verifiable product information at scale?