Advances in the Apparel Industry

Production is optimized to reduce costs and the industry's carbon footprint by leveraging emerging technology.

FREMONT, CA: The apparel industry is growing fast. Technology improves performances and offer other business opportunities. Big data along with automation will make manufacturing accurate and sustainable. Industries can increase productivity with higher production speed, faster delivery times and lower costs. Big data, Blockchain technology, design technology, and wearable technology improves the industry's mode of operation and maximizes profits.

The benefits of applying the following technologies to production in the apparel industry are:

Big data: Big data can improve business and lower wastage. Analyzing big data unlocks other business opportunities. Clothing chains experience accumulated stock worth billions of U.S dollars. This is largely due to the mismanagement of stocks. Producers can analyze the right data to find out  customer preference to meet demands accurately, while being sustainable.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) predicts styles and products that will sell. Retailers can leverage low-cost ending inventory purchases to keep pricing low so that customers buy more.

Blockchain technology: Blockchain technology improves transparency in the supply chain. Using blockchains improves accountability and transparency. Products can contain a chip or a tag that contains necessary information to maintain credibility. The chip or tag stores information entered along the supply chain for officials to access at certain checkpoints. The chip can contain supply locations, producers and manufactures, information on material to enre regulations are followed, and shipping details. Blockchain technology records who is accessing the information including unauthorized accesses. Officials can access information to determine the sale of counterfeit apparel.  

Design technology: Design technology optimizes the conception of the product. Design technology such as 3D modeling. 3D designers test for the most appropriate design solution for their products. Designers can test out which style is more practical and chose the best style according to market preferences.

Technology for sustainability: The apparel industry contributes to 10 percent of global carbon emissions. recycling technologies can reduce the industry's carbon footprint. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on garments make them trace Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on garments and inventory for instant traceability, improved inventory management and automated recycling. able for automated recycling. Recycling technologies can transform the existing supply chain to a closed-loop supply chain. Manufactured products move along the supply chain and ultimately are recycled.