Sourcing Journal Radio

While some designers use 3D design merely as an add-on for existing sketches, others have realized the tremendous benefits of designing in 3D from the outset. 3D software lets designers virtually experiment and share versions with their teams—increasing ideations and creativity, all while decreasing time and sample costs.

Lauren Parker, Director of Sourcing Journal’s Studio is joined by Bill Wilcox, president and founder of 3D Design software company Clothing Tech LLC, whose proprietary technology helps designers “work smarter” to bring their designs to life.

This is part 2 of a 4-part series from Clothing Tech.

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Every retailer’s mantra is—or at least it should be—“Get the right product to the right place at the right time in the right amounts.” Yet in today’s increasingly complex retail climate, getting that right is harder than ever.

As we’ve seen, having too much or too little product, or the wrong product, wreaks havoc on pricing, margins, financial liquidity and consumer satisfaction. Technology solutions, however, are giving retailers the tools they need to address these challenges.

 In this exclusive Fairchild Studio Thought Leadership Roundtable, Michael Appel, managing director and head of the Retail Practice at Getzler Henrich and Associates (and the former CEO of rue21), Danielle Schmelkin, Chief Information Officer of J.Crew Group, and Greg Petro, CEO of retail technology company First Insight, share their expertise on how technology like predictive analytics can carve a path toward more precise product.

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The strategic benefits of on-demand garment production are plentiful: inventory alignment, trimmed waste and higher margins. Today, this model is not the norm, but digital printing firm Kornit’s goal is scaling up made-to-order manufacturing.

Here, Kornit's vice president of marketing Don Whaley speaks with Jessica Binns, managing editor and technology editor at Sourcing Journal, about the growing demand for direct-to-garment technologies and how Kornit's digital production solutions address sustainability.

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In 1973, Cotton Incorporated debuted a brand image for cotton fiber and the cotton industry that has had a lasting impact on cotton usage and consumer sentiment. Today, the Seal of Cotton can be seen on products across 70 countries, and 8 in 10 consumers say they are familiar with the trademark.

The seal stands for three C’s: cotton, clothing and comfort. “Consumers love cotton, they trust it, and it has an emotional connection that no other fiber has,” said Kim Kitchings, senior vice president of consumer marketing at Cotton Incorporated.

Kitchings spoke with Sourcing Journal's features editor Kate Nishimura about the origin of the Seal of Cotton trademark and major milestones in its 50-year history.

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Cotton pricing depends on various factors, including basic supply and demand. Due to pandemic pressures, the market experienced volatility as circumstances changed rapidly. Although Supima and other extra-long staple cottons are unique in the market, these premium fibers have also been riding a pricing rollercoaster.

Listen to the chat between Lewkowitz and Sourcing Journal founder Edward Hertzman to learn why higher cotton prices are not necessarily a bad thing.

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Namza Akter remembers being on her way to her office in Dhaka when she heard about the 8:57 a.m. collapse of Rana Plaza. Before the workers rights activist and Bangladeshi Awaj Foundation founder learned there were more than 3,000 workers inside, more than a third of whom would be found dead in the rubble, her first thought went to news reports from the day before about factory workers complaining about cracks in the building, she told attendees at the Sourcing Journal Sustainability Summit.

Many of the workers told management they did not feel safe going back to work, but were told if they didn’t they wouldn’t be paid for the entire month, meaning the previous 23 days of labor would have been all for naught.

“There was a large shipment, a political strike, so the factory manufacturers told them if they do not go for work they will not get salary. They had four days until the end of the month, so they didn’t have the option, didn’t have the choice," said Akter. 

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As brands seek to say more about sustainability, they need facts to back up their statements. This is where supply chain visibility comes into play, enabling communications to go beyond greenwashing.

“You can't have sustainability without traceability,” said Buxton Midyette, vice president, marketing and promotions at Pima cotton organization Supima. “If you don't know where a product comes from, you really can't speak credibly about sustainability.”

Listen to this chat between Midyette and Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, to learn why brands need traceability now more than ever and how AQRe builds on Supima’s previous traceability initiatives.

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An efficient fashion supply chain has a lot of moving parts. It requires retailers, brands and suppliers to gather, centralize and act on sustainability compliance data in real time—across many teams and time zones. Visibility is key. Traceability is essential. But how can you build a collaborative supply chain ecosystem that goes beyond compliance? And how can you enhance it with communication to further drive positive change within the industry?

 Lauren Parker, director of Sourcing Journal’s Studio Team, digs into these questions with Katrina Duck, enterprise account executive of supply chain technology company Inspectorio.

 Watch the fireside chat to lean:

·      How SAAS platform Inspectorio works with some of the biggest brands and retailers in the U.S. and Europe—from Crocs to Dick’s Sporting Good’s to Target

·      The biggest pain points it hears from clients.

·      How Inspectorio’s RISE platform has expanded with new capabilities from its initial launch as a facility audit tool.

·      How can RISE helps identify and manage risk areas around the world, so companies can make informed decisions.

·      How companies can share information to save time and money and reduce audit fatigue

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Having a net positive impact is often associated with carbon reduction, but to truly improve the world, companies must go beyond environmental responsibility to address the entirety of ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance).

As part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, both Pima cotton organization Supima and fashion brand Michael Stars have embraced educational and youth-centered causes.

Listen to this fireside chat between Supima president and CEO Marc Lewkowitz, Michael Stars co-founder and CEO Suzanne Lerner, and Sarah Jones, senior editor, strategic content at Sourcing Journal, to hear how both companies are tackling social action.

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When Interloop rolled out its Vision 2025 strategy in 2021, it set many targets for growth across its apparel manufacturing business. But the core to this five-year plan is its investment in people.

By 2025, the Pakistan-based apparel and hosiery manufacturer aims to increase workforce diversity by 30 percent by employing thousands of women in executive and non-executive teams. Additionally, the company has a goal to upskill 80 percent of workers on future competencies across all operations, product development, supply chain management and general management.

During a fireside chat with Sourcing Journal's founder Edward Hertzman, Faryal Sadiq, vice president, sales and marketing at Interloop, highlighted Interloop’s focus on creating conditions and culture that promote equity by driving change to ingrained systems of inequality.

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