Apparel

Matchmaker Between Manufacturers, Clothing Retailers Looks for Next Apparel Hub

August 9, 2013

Li & Fung - the most important company that most American shoppers have never heard of - has long been on the cutting edge of globalization, chasing cheap labor to garment factories first in China, then elsewhere in Asia, including Bangladesh. Now, with sweatshop disasters there drawing international scrutiny, the business is looking for the next best place - perhaps South America or sub-Saharan Africa - where it can steer apparel buyers seeking workers to stitch clothing together for a few dollars a day.

Dutch Shoe Retailer Finds That RFID Reduces Inventory Errors

July 16, 2013

RFID Journal

Using an RFID-enabled inventory- and retail-management system provided by Nedap Retail, Dutch shoe retailer De Wolky Shop has significantly reduced its incidence of inventory errors. During the first two weeks of using the system, the company says that its stock accuracy jumped from 84 percent to 98 percent. Those accuracy gains, the company reports, led to fewer stock-outs and an increase in sales.

U.S. Retailers Promise to Promote Safety at Bangladesh Garment Factories

July 12, 2013

Los Angeles Times

A group of 17 American retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Macy's Inc., have signed on to a five-year agreement to help improve safety at garment factories in Bangladesh.

Are Manufacturers Really Re-Shoring?

July 10, 2013

Michael Dominy, Research Director, Gartner

Volatility Squeezing Global Private Label Supply Chain, Study Finds

June 28, 2013

Deloitte

Rising and increasingly volatile costs dominate retailers' top challenges sourcing private label goods, while changes in consumer behavior fueled by mobility and online shopping are driving the strategic importance of private label sourcing, according to Deloitte's study entitled Private Label Sourcing: Strategies to Differentiate and Defend.

Marks & Spencer to Construct $311m Facility at DP World London

June 14, 2013

Trade Arabia

British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has signed an agreement with DP World London Gateway to build a major distribution centre at the new deep-sea container port and logistics park in South Essex at an estimated cost of $311m.

Forward-Thinking Apparel Industry Supply Chains

June 12, 2013

GreenBiz

In 2004, a group of forward-thinking fashion and athletic brands with restricted substances lists (RSL), featuring such major players as Adidas, C&A, Gap, Levi's, Marks & Spencer and Nike, formed an industry working group with the aim of reducing the use and impact of harmful substances in the apparel and footwear supply chain.

Who Cares About Conditions in Overseas Factories?

June 10, 2013

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

On March 25, 1911, fire swept through the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York City. One hundred and forty-six garment workers perished in the blaze, many of them trapped in the building because management had locked the exit doors. The youngest of the victims were 14. It was a horrifying tragedy, not atypical of working conditions during the so-called Progressive Era. Can we not, however, take comfort in knowing that those times are far behind us?

Fashion Retailer Rolls Out RFID in More Than 50 Stores in Europe, North America

May 28, 2013

ChainLink Research

One well-known and highly respected high-end fashion retailer provides a good example of an end-to-end RFID implementation. They have more than 50 stores across Europe and North America, offering a wide assortment of high-end men's and women's fashion clothing.

Status, Perception of Women Changes in Chinese Manufacturing

May 14, 2013

The Economist

In Guangdong province, where nearly 30 percent of China's exports are made, women usually far outnumber men on labour-intensive production lines. Rural women are hired for their supposed docility, nimble fingers and attention to mind-numbing detail. But in recent years Guangdong's workforce has changed.