Higher prices on food, gas - now clothes?

"Coupons, sales and clearance" -- that's how Amanda Brannon of Plymouth plans to deal with higher clothing prices.

Brannon, who considers herself a savvy shopper, has noticed small increases in clothing prices over the past year.

"Some items are a couple of dollars higher now," she said as she shopped for clothes for her 1-year-old son at J.C. Penney in Minnetonka.

But what's surprising is that the price increases haven't been more dramatic. For manufacturers, the cost of cotton hit an all-time high this year, more than doubling in the past year, said Paul Hooker, owner of Sferra, a manufacturer of luxury linens. Droughts and floods in China and Pakistan, increased demand, rising wages and a weak dollar all contributed to cotton's rise.

Retailers have been successful in getting manufacturers to absorb most of the increases, but some retailers such as Penney's, the Gap, and Bed, Bath and Beyond have already raised prices.

Shoppers haven't seen widespread increases yet, but Twin Cities retailers and manufacturers expect price hikes by late summer or early fall. David Rosenberg of David Rosenberg and Associates, a clothing wholesaler in Minneapolis, expects prices to rise about 15 percent by fall, even more in high-end clothing.

"I saw a few increases for spring merchandise, but it's much more noticeable in fall merchandise," he said.

A top that was $30 last fall might be $34 later this year.

Cindy Hanson, a manufacturers' sales rep for juniors, young men's and women's active wear, said the prices on fall T-shirts and fleece and cotton jackets will be up 10 to 20 percent.

"Jeans that were $60 are going to be $72," said Hanson, who runs Sample It sample sales several times a year in Bloomington.

Experts seem to agree that high-end clothing will see the biggest increases, but Hanson and others wonder if some manufacturers or retailers will continue to freeze prices on low-end and moderately priced clothing in a soft economy.

"Some stores might take the hit themselves," Hanson said.

For now, retailers are making manufacturers or wholesalers hold firm on prices. Creative Apparel Concepts, a wholesale clothing and screen printing company in Minneapolis, sells to retailers from Wal-Mart to Nordstrom.

"They are both hardliners on price," said Jeff Gray, president of Creative Apparel. "We're eating the price increases for now, but we're going to have to pass them along soon."

Gray said one way retailers hold the line on prices is to lower the cotton content. Manufacturers are using more blends, such as 65 percent cotton and 35 percent polyester instead of 100 percent cotton. Garments also can be simplified, with fewer embellishments. A fancy T-shirt will have fewer rhinestones. A detailed print will be placed only on the front, not the front and back, Gray said.

To save money, shoppers should follow these tips:

Remember the basics. Shop early and late, for example. Nordstrom's anniversary sale July 15-31 is a great way to save 25 to 30 percent on fall merchandise. Herberger's has a similar version. Latecomers shopping just now for fall/winter clothing are finding discounts of 60 to 90 percent.

Be nosy. Clothes horses have salespeople who notify them about sales, but anyone can ask if an item is going on sale or clearance soon. At smaller, independent stores, make an offer if an item has overstayed its welcome. At larger stores such as Banana Republic, J. Crew and Express, new clothes arrive every six weeks, so look for markdowns on the fourth or fifth week, said personal shopper Linda Froiland of Minneapolis.

Become in the know. Sign up for e-mail alerts or become a fan of your favorite stores on Facebook. Saks Off Fifth, for example, sends several e-mails a week, including one last week announcing that all clearance is an additional 50 percent off through Tuesday. Hautelook.com and Gilt.com also offer good alerts, said Minneapolis stylist Gwen Leeds.

To be sure, bargain shoppers can delay the inevitable by shopping sales and thrift, consignment stores and outlets, but higher prices are closing in on us.

A shopper buying a single pair of Hanes underwear might see a change soon, but large families will notice it the most, said Tina Wilcox, CEO and creative director at Black, a retail branding agency in Minneapolis.

"I would stock up on cotton before fall to beat the price increase," she said.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/dealspotter.