How To Use Digitisation To Boost Your Fashion Brand
If you are leading a clothing brand, it is vital to stay ahead of the different trends and consumer demands in the ever-evolving world of fashion. Thanks to the advancing technology of digitisation, many retailers have been able to innovate quickly and use a variety of tools to improve efficiency. In the latest article, I will delve further into modern manufacturing methods in the apparel industry.
Fashion brands need to keep ahead of the competition but also adapt to consumer preferences, including a huge shift towards customisation, fast turnaround times, and sustainability (which is key for clothing brands). Digitisation is a game changer, allowing your company to reduce waste, respond to marketing changes, and streamline production (saving costs). If you incorporate digitation into your operations, you will be able to ensure that your business thrives in this new world. In the next points, I will focus on how a variety of methods will help take your business to the next level.
How Data And Automation Can Streamline Production
In the manufacturing department of a clothing brand, digitation can help streamline the whole process using data and automation. Thanks to new-age digital tools, you can effectively monitor all stages of production (and in real-time), from sourcing different fabrics to the final construction. Automated processes can cut the fabric and sew pieces together and reduce any need for manual work, which increases the speed of production and ensures a superior level of quality.
If you effectively use data-driven insights, you can predict upcoming trends and organise your inventory in advance, reducing overproduction and lowering waste levels. The fashion industry is undoubtedly super fast, so digitisation allows you to be flexible and adjust different styles and amounts depending on current market knowledge and customer trends (without any waiting times).
Overall, automation offers your company a higher level of transparency, allowing you to quickly adjust to problems or inefficiencies.
Digital Tools That Boost Frontline Operations
In the fashion industry, the workforce at the front line is undeniably integral to the manufacturing process—starting at quality control and finishing at the final assembly process. Fortunately, new-age digitisation can provide tools that help the team further by offering intuitive app systems that ensure a seamless workflow, improve efficiency, and capture useful data.
Digital tools can provide several quality-of-life improvements, including easy access to instructions, the ability to track materials, and the ability to permit staff to report problems as they occur. These features remove the need for unnecessary real-life paperwork and reduce the risk of errors. After implementing these tools, you will see increased production speed while capturing valuable information at every stage, guaranteeing no data is lost.
There is no question that these types of new technology can transform and reshape the clothing world. Even if you are as yet unconvinced, check out digital transformation examples in manufacturing, which will enlighten you and share how many brands have adapted to these new digital processes and platforms. Taking this knowledge on board has led them to offer higher-quality products and improved customer satisfaction.
Sustainability And Customisation
The future of digitation is a driving force in sustainable and customised fashion manufacture. Smart digital programs can help brands incorporate practices that reduce wastage during production, reducing damage to the environment. The popularity of 3D printing has been increasing, and it can even help your fashion business when creating prototypes or test designs – it will remove the need for physical examples, which in turn removes any unnecessary material waste. Additionally, using digital platforms can help optimise the amount of fabric needed for each item – calculating the most efficient cutting patterns.
If your clothing brand offers customisation options, such as personalised products, digital tools can make the process much easier. This is ideal for custom designs and pieces that require exact measurements (provided by the customer at the checkout).
Also, digitised workflows can allow fashion retailers to track customer likes and preferences, which allows them to tailor their products to individual needs without worrying about disrupting the production line.
Supply Chain Visibility And Connections
Another huge advantage of adding digitisation methods to your clothing company is the extra visibility and help with collaborations for the supply chain.
In the fashion sector, managing the complex sectors of material sourcing, manufacturer coordination, and product sales and distribution worldwide can be a massive headache. Fortunately, digital tools are here to save the day, offering analytics and real-time tracing, allowing you to observe the whole process along the chain—from acquiring the materials to delivery of the product.
With this increased visibility, you will be able to discover potential delays, issues, or bottlenecks early before they cause serious problems.
Also, modern systems allow you to connect, collaborate, and communicate better with manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers (especially if there is a language barrier). You can then quickly provide everyone along the production chain with the latest information, guaranteeing a faster and more efficient operation that will also reduce unnecessary delays and costs.
Boost Transparency Of Ethical Practices
In the last few years, there has been a change in the fashion world, with many consumers demanding that brands incorporate sustainable practices into their business methods.
Once again, digitisation can help with this process, allowing your label to offer greater transparency to the public in how and where their latest collection was constructed. Digital tracking and blockchain technology can easily monitor labour practices, trace the origins of the materials used, and ensure that sustainable and ethical standards have been met throughout the whole process.
Not only does this level of transparency allow your company to meet the legal requirements and achieve certifications, but it will also build a valuable level of consumer trust and loyalty and stay one step ahead of the competition that has dragged its feet in this area.
Use Digital Integration To Enhance The Customer Experience
Along with the ability to overhaul the manufacturing process of your clothing company, digitisation can upgrade the customer experience. As a brand, you can offer more personalised shopping experiences by utilising data gathered from the production process and consumer insights.
For example, your customers can use your website to customise a clothing item and then track the order in real time (even learning more about the environmental impact of the purchase).
Going one step further, you can even install augmented reality (AR) and virtual fitting rooms into your online platforms, which are powered by unique digital data. These advanced features allow consumers to see how the clothing item will look and fit before making that purchase. This will help to combat any return rates (which are costly) and build customer satisfaction at the same time. As modern-day tech-savvy consumers demand more from their online shopping experience, you can meet their needs by integrating these new-age digital tools into your website.
Helping To Adapt To Market Trends And Data-Driven Insights
By incorporating digitisation into your fashion business, you will be able to change and adapt as trends change using data-driven insights. You can mix customer preference data, sales trends and feedback (from social media, customer reviews and comments) and decide what new products and styles to focus on next.
Many high-end digital tools can allow you to safely predict what will be in demand much more accurately, keeping stock in check and lowering overproduction. With this level of flexibility at hand, it can help many brands stay competitive, which is especially vital in the fast-paced style world.
With invaluable access to real-time data, retailers can alter their marketing strategies, adjust prices and update inventory levels when necessary to meet customer needs in an ever-changing market.
Summary
Digitisation is an essential element when looking to transform your fashion business in all aspects – manufacture, production, marketing, sales, and consumer demand. The industry is constantly evolving, so invest in digitisation, and you will be well on the way to long-term success in a very competitive sector.
What are your thoughts on my latest fashion business article? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
