Can automation bring apparel making back to U.S.? – Upstart

The UpTake: This startup’s robotic sewing technology could be the best hope for onshoring apparel manufacturing.

A n Atlanta startup is using advanced manufacturing technologies to help bring apparel manufacturing back to the United States. SoftWear Automation Inc. has developed robotic sewing technologies to automate apparel manufacturing.

Rather than develop custom hardware, SoftWear uses off-the-shelf components and software to retrofit dumb sewing machines, CEO K.P. Reddy said. “Just as the 3D printer is changing traditional manufacturing and prototyping, our devices will allow designers to … fabricate their fashion line and create clothing beyond the capabilities and precision of human hands,” Reddy said.

SoftWear is leveraging a renaissance in advanced manufacturing in the United States, where technology is making large-scale production competitive in high-cost labor markets.

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The automation seen in much of U.S. manufacturing has not made it to the apparel industry because of the complexity and flexibility of fabric, which, unlike steel or wood, is prone to draping and stretching. There’s a ton of micro-manipulation that happens in sewing fabric, said Brian McSharry, a textile industry executive and angel investor in SoftWear.

Advancements in microprocessors and computing power have made it possible to automate the industrial sewing process in a relatively inexpensive way.

Automation promises lower production costs and offers greater customization and shorter inventory turns — critical to clothing retailers who must adjust to the whims of customer trends. Shipping a garment from Vietnam to Baltimore can take six to 10 weeks, McSharry said. “If you can take six or eight weeks out of your supply chain, that’s a lot of cash saved,” he said.