Fashion companies have not typically had full visibility into their supply chains. But in response to increasing calls from consumers for transparency, the apparel industry is aiming toward more oversight of each step in the production process.

“The textile supply chain is inherently filled with opacity because that provided the flexibility and cost advantages that manufacturers could leverage to gain business and do volume. That is changing,” said Marc Lewkowitz, president and CEO of Supima.

One of the forces currently pushing business on this path is the need to verify the provenance of raw materials to demonstrate ethical labor and environmental practices. Another incentive is the desire to tell an authentic Made in America brand story.

In a recent conversation with Sourcing Journal president Edward Hertzman, Lewkowitz and apparel brand Save Khaki United’s creative director David Mullen discussed how both their companies’ Made in America foundations allow for greater transparency.

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