It is an ongoing challenge to get systems to talk together but the fashion industry needs to better connect with its supply chain. An open industry has been a priority for many retailers and brands in the wake of the exposure of exploitative labour practices and in the context of increasing sustainability-focused measures. The UK’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act is an example of initiatives that work towards this. The Act says that big business will be forced to make public their efforts to stop the use of slave labour by their suppliers. For the textile and apparel supply chain, this is being implemented in a three-tiered approach. Tier one looks at the elimination of slave labour in the final product manufacturing sector, whilst tier two focuses on the manufacture of fabric and monitors mills. And, further down the line, the Act will ensure large businesses source their materials – from thread to buttons – from ethical suppliers.
However, part of the problem has been the complexity of the supply chain. Implementation of connected PLM, throughout the supply chain, could therefore solve this problem.
The posts below will cover the connected supply chain in more detail, and how systems like PLM can help to eradicate the issues we face today.
