Softwear Automation Inc., a US-based robotic sewing company, has joined forces with Avery Dennison, a leader in functional materials and labelling solutions, with an objective to enable apparel manufacturers create a fully-digital supply chain.
The digital apparel manufacturing will help makers achieve customisation and speedy delivery expectations of the customers. Notably, being able to cater to the growing and changing customer demands is the new success mantra for the apparel firms.
Avery Dennison, with this new business partnership, is leading the ground-breaking change in the apparel industry, marking a milestone in innovation and keeping up with its history of pushing boundaries and creating positive change across the supply chain.
“Innovation is in our DNA, and this partnership, combined with our expertise and unique position in the value chain, is part of our broader strategy to help factories and brands get their customers the products they want, when they want it,” said Michael Colarossi, Vice President of Innovation, Product Line Management and Sustainability, Avery Dennison.
Through the collaboration, the companies feel that digitising the apparel production processes will shorten the supply chain and make it a viable option for manufacturing on-demand, made-to-measure garments. “We have to rethink how we deliver apparel to customers to match their demand for speed, variation and quality,” stresses Palaniswamy Rajan, Chairman and CEO of Softwear Automation.
Apart from automation, the new partnership also brings out the sustainability aspect in apparel production. Colarossi thinks that if a product is made only as per the need and is consumed, the amount of waste and greenhouse gases generated could be significantly lesser than what is produced today.
“We can solve a lot of what ails fashion if we only make the goods when the order is made. Local, on-demand, made-to-measure manufacturing presents an enormous economic opportunity to tackle the priorities that will help make fashion more sustainable as outlined by the Global Fashion Agenda and The Boston Consulting Group,” said Pete Santora, Chief Commercial Officer – SoftWear Automation.