In challenging competitive global apparel market it is important for the industry to assess available options for significantly improving overall performance in a sustainable way. Organized jointly by RBC and GTZ in New Delhi, ‘Fashioning the Future’ addressed the issues of sustainability and process improvement.
Setting the tone for deliberations Steven A. Jesseph, President and CEO, WRAP cautioned the gathering that if the Greenhouse emissions were not controlled and population continued to grow, with glaciers melting, major cities and island countries like Japan and Sri Lanka will face unprecedented challenges in sustaining themselves. “With a future short on natural resources coming our way, how do we clothe billion people in a sustainable way and how do we meet the needs of present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs?” questioned Steven adding that sustainable technologies and improved performance is the only answer.
Indeed the issue of sustainability has become too important to ignore. “Sustainability is the reason why GTZ is in business. The reason why we are here is because we have in common the question of public welfare. The apparel sector has high visibility in India and generates a high level of employment in the country,” said Manfred Haebig, Principal Advisor, GTZ. “Quality means responsible business behaviour and taking account of sociological and environment aspects of manufacturing process,” he added.
Carrying the thought forward, Dr. Rajesh Bheda, CEO and Principal, Rajesh Bheda Consulting, focused on controlling the process inefficiencies and productivity improvement to make the industry sustainable. “There is a treasure hidden in every organization and an average Indian manufacturing unit can double its labour productivity from 10 shirts a day to 20 shirts per day. Most importantly the factors affecting productivity are managerial issues,” he revealed. Rajesh Bheda Consulting has over a period of time achieved a defect drop rate of 5-50% in 8 OGTC factories in collaboration with GTZ. “On an average we achieved a 20% reduction in defect rates,” he added. With a positive approach Bheda further added, “The tough times won’t last, tough people will. There is enough potential for improvement.”
Among the fastest evolving directions, which support the industry to enhance its performance is the path breaking developments in digital technology which has the potential to revolutionize the apparel supply chains reducing speed to market and improving upon efficiencies in a sustainable way. In his expressive presentation focusing on “Sustainability through innovation”, Dr. Michael Fralix, President and CEO, TC2, as dynamic as ever, talked about revolutionary IT technologies that would change the way the apparel industry does business and make it sustainable as well. Fralix discussed the concept of manufacturing closer to the point of consumption. “This way we can reduce on the carbon footprints in transportation,” he said citing Shima Seiki’s WholeGarment technology. “The technology is not new but it sure is revolutionary as it responds to the worldwide expectation of average lead time of 3 days. The customer places an order on the web and the garments are produced as per his size and fit at the nearest available location to the customer,” he explained.
Fralix also believed that virtual fashion; avatars and e-fit citing would be incorporated in the ordering process, thereby, helping the customer decide on the product after he has seen the fit, fall and drape of the garment saving on critical time and resources. “Social networking sites such as whyville.com and there.com are already doing it,” he claimed showing a demonstration of these websites. He also shared with the gathering the new developments in digital printing towards reduction of energy, chemical and water as against traditional dyeing and printing.
Giving a human touch to the topic of sustainability Patty Fralix, President, Fralix Group held her talk on “Customer service in Global Supply Chain” and demonstrated her concept of “It’s in the Sauce!” through an on-site exercise, which analyzed the personality of each member in the audience and emphasized on the need for ‘human connect’ in customer service for a sustainable tomorrow. She believed that individual and organizations that will be successful today and in the future will be fast, focused, flexible, friendly and fun as well.