Why does this continue to happen? - apps4work/co.a4w GitHub Wiki

The Fashion and Apparel industry remain stuck in a development cycle that inhibits quick response, on-demand manufacturing, and in many cases sustainable profitability. Whilst not being able to meet the needs for personalization by the consumer.

Yes, there are complexities, many different teams responsible for 'their part,' global dynamics (of course when we are discussing manufacturing away from the need, as us myopics Americans may think) and whatnot So, let's think about some of the hurdles a 'product' must overcome when made overseas:

Do companies really think about, or rather, not care or concerned with:*

  • country – safety; security; actual overhead costs; language; bureaucracy
  • political – stability; corruption; retaliatory sanctions; regional instability; border conflicts
  • economic - recession; economic stability; strength of currency
  • financial – financial service providers; banking; interest rates; inflation; dropping dollar; trade financing; liquidity
  • legal – bribes; judiciary
  • supply chain – supplier financial health; raw material costs; fabric availability; trim availability; transparency; strategic relationships, what can you really see
  • delivery – cycle time; transportation costs; methods of delivery; roads; logistics; ports; customs, MOQs
  • industry – stakeholders; how organized industrially; level of online services for global connectivity
  • trade – trade disputes; tariffs, existing new tax reform; subsidies; trading blocs
  • technical skills - analysis; specialization; niches; product specialization; production capacity
  • education – specialization in design; product development; EDI/PLM/EDP/SCM; fabric; fashion
  • quality – overall and consistency
  • energy - cost of oil; cost of electricity; availability; stability
  • sustainability – environment; emissions, carbon footprint; eco footprint
  • water – cost; quality; availability
  • social responsibility – freedom; human rights; local benefits; child labor, fair wages
  • worker – poverty; protests; unemployment, unions; workplace
  • testing – compliance; safety
  • technology - internet; communications; front end; back end to manufacturing
  • weather, risks; delays