A Beginner's Guide to The Fashion Supply chain (But a sustainable one)
Yes, yes, you heard it right again: the fashion supply chain is highly complicated. It is so hard to trace that fashion brands themselves cannot track the sustainability of the supply chain, and the bigger the brand is, the more complex the supply chain is. As an MBA graduate specialized in Operations and Supply chain, I am highly intrigued to look at an industry from a supply chain perspective because it gives me a holistic understanding, breaking down complex functions and looking at it as a process. I have studied fashion supply chain keenly and wanted to break it down for you and make it so simple to understand what happens from start to end. The primary concern is sustainability across the supply chain, which is becoming impossible for fashion brands to maintain. Although there may be many other sustainability factors in each phase of the supply chain, let’s discuss a few in this blog.
The supply chain:
The fashion supply chain begins with the design of a garment. The necessary fabrics are then sourced to make the garment, which is then packed, shipped and delivered to the end consumer. It is of utmost importance to understand what the two entities, the fashion brands and the customers, can do to ensure sustainability in the fashion supply chain. I've jotted down a few points from both perspectives to help you understand this better. I enjoy charting out interconnected concepts that make up a process. If you're interested in seeing a fashion supply chain chart, I've got one for you.
What can brands do to ensure sustainability across the supply chain?
Design:
Fashion designers are the ones who create clothes. They start by deriving inspiration and designing sketches, colour schemes, patterns, and other details based on current trends. During the design process, designers have a chance to make sustainable choices, particularly with regard to fabrics. They can opt for eco-friendly materials like natural and regenerated fibres and consider recyclability and biodegradability while designing clothes. Choosing such sustainable options aligns with the cradle-to-cradle design framework and goes a long way in promoting sustainability.
Source:
After finalizing the product development, sampling process, and tech packs, brands send them along with the fabrics to the manufacturers.
Fabrics are created through a multi-step process, which includes spinning raw materials into fibres, weaving those fibres into the fabric, and then dyeing and finishing the fabric. Unfortunately, this process is not very sustainable. For instance, when cotton is sourced for fabric production, a significant amount of water is required due to it being a thirsty crop. Additionally, heavy pesticide usage is often necessary to grow cotton, which can have detrimental effects on the environment. Forced labour is also a concern in cotton picking, particularly in regions such as Xinjiang Uyghur in China. The weaving, dyeing, and finishing stages of fabric production require significant amounts of energy, and the dyeing process can release harmful chemicals into natural water bodies, leading to pollution. Unfortunately, many fashion brands overlook the environmental and ethical impact of fabric production, focusing solely on getting the fabric in time.
It is essential for fashion brands to consider sourcing natural, organic, or regenerated fabrics and also consider manufacturers who are GOTS-approved to ensure transparency, traceability, and sustainability, both ecologically and socially.
Make:
Manufacturers use tech packs and fabrics to produce garments after receiving proper communication from the brand. Cutting, sewing, and finishing are performed to create the final product. Afterwards, factory quality checks are carried out to ensure that the product meets specific requirements and quality standards for selling.
Cutting and sewing are intricate, time-consuming and labour-intensive processes that pose a high risk of human rights violations. Certifications like Fair Trade can help track the manufacturers who provide fair wages and safe working conditions because we do not want another tragedy like the Rana Plaza tragedy.
I couldn't help but pitch in a management perspective called "make-to-order", which ensures zero waste and less-to-no inventory to store. To meet consumers' growing demand, producing products in a lean way while reducing waste is highly essential.
Pack and ship:
Once the garments are ready and have passed quality checks, they are packed and shipped according to the sales orders to respective customers. However, there is a significant potential for carbon footprint during the packing and shipping process, and it is critical to minimize it as much as possible. Firstly, it is necessary to switch from plastic to biodegradable, eco-friendly packaging, including barcode labels. Secondly, for shipping, it is highly essential to opt for carbon-neutral shipping by using electric vehicle transportation or reducing emissions through local production.
Delivery:
The end product ultimately reaches the consumers through different channels such as retail, wholesale, or e-commerce, which is a direct-to-consumer model. As a responsible consumer, you may ponder on the sustainability aspect and your responsibility towards it. Let me unravel it for you.
The consumer’s role in the sustainable fashion supply chain:
Understanding the supply chain of your clothes, including knowing who made them and where they came from, can have a positive impact on your lifestyle. It can help you appreciate the quality of your life and the products you use. When it comes to disposing of old clothes, there are several options available. Recycling is a great way to repurpose old clothes, but ultimately, it is the responsibility of the clothing companies to handle old and returned items in a circular manner. Another option is to donate gently used clothes to those in need. Lastly, it's important to buy fewer clothes overall and prioritize quality and sustainability over quantity. Purchasing more clothes does not necessarily equate to a better lifestyle, but investing in high-quality, sustainable pieces can make a positive impact on both your life and the environment.
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