Alina Seluk

The news of the deal has ricocheted around the fashion world because Everlane and Sheehan are a case of opposites attract.

Everlane had built its brand around, quote, radical transparency into how it made the clothes and how it priced them.

Everlane clothes are minimalist basics and natural fabrics, the category of affordable luxury.

Meanwhile, Shein is huge.

It's fast fashion.

It's the hottest TikTok microtrends with $10 skirts and $15 dresses.

It's faced allegations of unethical labor practices.

But Sheehan's purchase is a lifeline for Everlane, which has mounting debt and intense competition.

Everlane's CEO says the brand, even under Sheehan, would remain independent and committed to sustainability.

Alina Seluk, NPR News.

iRobot was founded in 1990 by researchers from MIT, and its devices have been used by the military and scientists tracking oil spills.

But its claim to fame is the Roomba, the smart floor vacuum.

In recent years, the home robot market got very competitive with lots of foreign rivals, often at cheaper prices.

Last year, regulatory scrutiny killed iRobot's merger with Amazon.

Now it faces new tariffs for products.

They tend to come from Vietnam.

And iRobot has been losing money.

It owes nearly $100 million to its main supplier based in Shenzhen.

And that firm has agreed to take over iRobot, assuring that devices will keep operating as normal.

Alina Seluk, NPR News.