Product Mix for Apparel Supply Chain

Supply ChainGarment producer must have all product lines
It has now become essential to analyze the impact ofavailable at hand at the same time to get the utmost
product mix on the functional objective in the appareleffect on consumer's value sensitivity. Sizeable
supply chain.collection plan at every link of apparel supply chain,
IntroductionA strong brand drives market share, highercommencing from initial textile manufacturer, is made
margins, and negotiating power in business relationships.crucial by the accessibility of a complete range of
But how many of us think about the key role ofitems. However, success of this collection plan is
product mix for apparel supply chain plays inprevented by rise of lot sizes. Back-end textile
strengthening a brand? Consumers have their ownmanufacturing has both batch and constant processes
likes and dislikes while they are purchasing apparels ofand therefore it is compulsory to move all the
worth; they look for something common in garmentcollections of a style together out of final stockroom.
and that is style, fashion and brand. GrowingTo reach this level, it is important to synchronize the
globalisation, market changes and mercurial fashion hasactions of manufacturing lots in such a way that
shot the competition in garment industry up.makes the whole factor (style collections) available
Consequently, companies are left without any optionduring garment cutting phase. However, each factor
but to expand their products to gain market share. Thishas different processing time, which makes it difficult to
distinctiveness is, mostly, chosen by different customerdrive the whole 'collection of product' collectively
noticeable features of garment like design, handle sizethrough the 'manufacturing leeway' of apparel chain.
and fit which lead to a related wide range ofFor example, in a collection with white and colour
manufacturing aspects in upstream direction. Tofabric, white goods get to the final stockroom earlier
achieve prompt delivery and superior benchmarks,because processing time for white goods is
manufacturer must overcome the constraints likesignificantly less than that of colour
unpredictability in production parameters and thecommodities.Moreover, the more number of product
related small lot sizes, which strictly influence theunits, the more difficult it would become to gain this
marketability of a product. For apparel supply chain, thiscoordination across product-process range. Naturally,
is the most characteristic trouble, where an array ofthe outcome is lost of sales due to lack of complete
products makes the work schedule knotty. Thiscollection on retail-rack during purchase.Apparel
complication makes management of a particularmanufacturers must develop a Master Production
product more troublesome with respect to time, costSchedule (MPS) to meet the delivery dead lines of
and serviceability.Furthermore, since global sourcingbuyers. In many cases, it is customary that the
grows to be the order of the day, productproduction orders received from the same buyer are
replacement in apparel supply chain dons new garbsarranged with the production schedule. Orders that
with raw material supply, manufacturing, garmenting,have been executed after deadlines add to extra
distribution and retailing - all globally dispersed. In thistransportation expenses and minimize selling price of
scenario, it is inevitable to ensure whether the place,garments.Asset Management should be improved:
time and price of the product are in line with the latestAll factors for a particular product should be
trends. In apparel supply chain, it is more important toprocessed together in the internal supply chain. As the
put stress on right product than to spend more timenumber of variety increases, so does the time taken
after place, time and price of products.Changingfor individual factor to be processed, as lot of
modes of supply and developing significance ofchangeover time and different downtime related to
globalization create multifaceted supply chain andquality problem increase. As a result, higher quantity of
management issues. To modernize and control supplyon going work occurs at different phases of
chain activities, technology is the latest resort for theaction.Higher rate of changeover from one type of
companies.The present article is focused on themixture to another increases machine downtime in
effects of product- boost in textile and apparelfibre and yarn dyeing. In addition, time necessary for
manufacturing.Nature of product varietyAn unmatchedmatching shades escalates with large product range.
group of features works as a glass through whichChance of surplus dying is more because different
consumer observes apparel commodities. Optical andmachines do not have equal degree of capacity in
other senses govern the Unique Value Propositionconnection with batch size. Since sizeable variation is
(UVP) of apparel. Objective criteria like design, comfortto be processed in a given time, waiting time for item
and handle can secure these instinctive senses.also increases. These procedures engage more
Different material and action features in the upstreammaterials during the process.Spinning procedure
direction of apparel chain affect all these objectivecauses an array in various blends, count and twist that
criteria.Impact of product varietyImpact of productcreates more waiting time. This is because higher
proliferation can be mapped across two levels -number of substitution and inadequate batch lot of a
retailing and manufacturing.Retailing & Sourcing: From aspecific blend-count-twist combines to feed
given fabric type, an entire range of apparel S.K.U. canringframe.The number of beam gaiting and greater
be proliferated. It shows how one type of basic textilefrequency of changes in process sequence cause
product delivered out of textile manufacturer'sincrease in machine set-up time in weaving and
warehouse gets translated into so many S.K.Us by thefinishing. In finishing too, batch making time enhances
time it reaches the retailer's shelf. Moreover, a retailerwith growing varieties as all equal quality-pattern of a
may want the goods to be shipped on a hanger or inproduct mass requires to be processed together for
a particular package and may want the manufacturersuniform finish. These require more material in process,
to mention the price and other details before shipping.which raises inventory-bearing expense at each phase
Moreover, variability introduced in accessory stageof processing. These cause higher work-in-process.In
(style of button, calf, collar, zipper, etc) will furtherstorehouse, dispatch of the finished goods banks on
amplify this diversity at retail level. Looking into theaccessibility of all related quality of a particular product.
entire range of variables involved, one can deduceIn a more assorted product mix, individual
how many thousands of S.K.Us will result at retail levelquality-pattern takes more time to reach the
from a givenwarehouse. This turns out to be increase in waiting
product basket comprising of hundred differenttime and higher finished goods inventory.Tailoring
varieties of basic textile fabric with respect to colour,product mix holds the keyUnstable fashion and
design, fabric structure, etc! Needless to mention thetransitory season has always maintained a great deal
enormous task of developing and managing thisof unpredictability and kept the garment industry on
"ocean of S.K.U.s" across globally dispersed supplyseesaw. Formation of new divisions multiplies product
nodes.Production: Supremely modified product arealines. For example, Yoga wears have been introduced
indicates added number of lots at different phases ofto the cluster of long-established sports wears like golf
function. These product criteria steer to array inwear, tennis wear or swimwear. Moreover, we can
batches at different steps of process. What isexperience changes in product lines, sizes and overall
common from one side to other side of productionfits with the effect of globalisation. These products are
phases is Order size and maximum batch sizeinclined to magnify S.K.U unpredictability at retail level to
acceptable at various steps, as determining factors ofan exceptional height. Retailers and big buyers should
lot size. Therefore, on one hand number of appareldeal with this transformed product line through different
and textile producing criteria lead to a rise in thephases - product development, sample approval, bulk
number of S.K.Us on retail shelves and on the othersourcing of components, production or outsourcing
they enhance the number of lots on the productionapparel, distributing finished product across retail shops
end. In manufacturing lots, this array has added to theand merchandising. Moreover, all these exercises
following complication in the nature of function:Failure inshould be integrated across large geographical extents.
ProductionIn the basic textile fabric, this complication of action is
. Degradation of Valueamplified many times by the growing product
. Collection Planning - a tough nut to crackmixes.The leading organizations (retailers and big
. Asset Management should be improvedFailure inbuyers) do not pay any attention to the hostile
Production: The shade-matching problem creates newconsequences of product proliferation, because these
trouble of rate of reprocessing with more number oforganisations, engaged in textile-apparel-retail chain are
lots in fibre and yarn dyeing industry. When everyhardly associated with one another.Only purchasing
shade is dyed, machine comes to a halt and it shouldand selling should not be the only attention of retailers,
be made free of filth. Since all machines have definiteinstead they should consider the whole supply chain.
batch size, machine might stay still i.e. without any use.Because, if a manufacturer is not able to supply the
The definite batch size of all machines may not gocommodities within the fixed deadlines, delays will spoil
with order size of each distinctive shade component atthe whole supply chain up to the end customer. On the
fibre or yarn phase.With more number of lots, rate ofground of specified arrangement of apparel supply
change increases in spinning, weaving and processing.chain, the retailer has little scope to execute control in
If product variety is raised, unequal processing and lossthis process.Comparatively simple garments rely upon
of productivity results in recurrent changes.In garmentthe mixture: fabric from one factory, buttons and
industry essential fabric types, garment fits and modelszippers from another, and snaps from yet another. All
are developing and therefore scheduling is becomingthese accessories must come together within
challenging. Today machines handle the apparelprescribed limit for the finished garments to be piled on
producing function and that makes the correspondingstore shelves. Since developing and selecting fabric
movements ofswatches (sample of clothes) are part and parcel of
body, collars, buttons and other accessories acrossproduct development, recognizing garment style and
cutting, assembling and stitching of finished garmentmerchandise flow, production of product-mix turns out
complex. This varied range of products severelyto be high product development cost, long
affects the garment productivity.Degradation of Value:design-to-market cycle time. Normally, for any
At every phase of production, loss of material boostsfashion-apparel item, design-to-market life is 6 to 9
with the increase in number of lots. The reason whymonths. It is discovered that 70 per cent of this time
loss of material boosts is that a definite quantity ofincludes non-value added activities such as
material goes into waste for every lot disregarding thecommunication delay, waiting time for collections and
size of lot. Hence, more numbers of lots create morenon-approval of commodities at various phases
waste. For example, it is discovered that materialetc.Therefore, a perfect product mix makes the whole
damages are usually higher for all-wool, finer micronapparel supply chain more manageable and at the
wool blend and smaller lots in dyeing and spinning. In thesame time it does not harm the end diversity in terms
last phase, wastage is higher for all-wool fabric thanof apparel fit, size and style that lure the consumer's
that of blended fabric.In weaving, fixed length goes intofancy.To read more articles on Textile, Fashion,
wastage with every warp-beam. Therefore, quantityApparel, Technology, Retail and General please visit If
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goods at the closing stages of everythat help to survive and sustain in the most hostile and
process.Collection Planning - a tough nut to crack:competitive business environment.