The supply chain problems created by the pandemic and worsened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Gaza have made clothing and textile companies look more closely at nearsourcing and reshoring production options as well as the benefits of AI.
The recent Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) association’s Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies Conference held in Los Angeles on 11 April invited experts to share how digitisation and artificial intelligence strategies can and are being used to transform the apparel supply chain.
The event, which was attended by Just Style, featured 90 specialists representing a diverse spectrum of industry figures from suppliers and manufacturers to brands and government agencies.
Frank Henderson, owner and president, of US-based textile equipment supplier Henderson Sewing Machine Co, was one executive stressing how automation can help the US clothing and industries develop: “As the world faces yet another round of volatile, unpredictable challenges – from supply chains, workforce and inflation to conflict abroad – it begs the question: ‘What do good companies do in the face of severe challenges?’ I believe that robotics, automation, and technology, enhanced by AI, blockchain, and IoT [the Internet of Things], will be the new norm for the manufacturing of textile products. Investments in these technologies will pay substantial dividends for manufacturers who adopt this technology.”
SPESA’s president Michael McDonald mentioned two primary objectives for the conference, both of which were accomplished, he said later: “First, we wanted to educate people in the room about the latest innovations in manufacturing technologies. It was an opportunity for our members, the suppliers, to showcase the work they’re doing to drive the industry forward. Secondly, we wanted to highlight and learn more about how the industry operates locally.”
He added: “With LA being the largest US hub for domestic garment manufacturing, it was imperative to showcase the work being done there. So, not only did we embed local expertise into each panel, we also dedicated our introductory and closing panels to the industry in LA specifically.”
McDonald continued: “We hope that by facilitating productive conversations, attendees of our events leave with concrete goals and action plans to make the industry, and the work they do, better off.”
Growing, sustaining and advocating for local workforces
Building a resilient and sustainable local workforce is not just about creating jobs; it is about nurturing a thriving community where individuals are empowered, businesses flourish, and innovation thrives, speakers at the SPESA conference stressed. As the US sewn products industry aims to reshore and bolster domestic production, it is prioritising the wellbeing of US-based workforces to ensure they have the support and resources needed to succeed. In the vibrant landscape of Los Angeles, where more than 40,000 garment manufacturing workers contribute to the local economy, the conversation around growing, sustaining, and advocating for the local workforce is more pertinent than ever.
At the conference Helen Campbell, the Planning Director for Los Angeles City Council District 1, a central bloc of downtown neighbourhoods, emphasised the abundance of local opportunities available in LA, particularly through business resource centres. These resources serve as lifelines for entrepreneurs, offering guidance, support, and access to crucial networks.
However, Guadalupe Tlatenchi, CEO of LA-based apparel manufacturer GTLA Apparel Development Inc highlighted the challenges faced by business owners, particularly the steep costs associated with equipment: “Collaboration within the ecosystem is a key driver for success, no matter the sector of the industry,” she said, emphasising the need for collective efforts to address common obstacles and propel growth: “If I had more resources and partnerships my business would be in a different place,” she noted.
Industry researcher and strategist at Los Angeles labour group The Garment Worker Center, Nayantara Banerjee, underscored the importance of bridging the gap between businesses and labour: “We are working to make LA the place for businesses in terms of efficiency. We need to examine how the city is looking at sourcing locally, high-quality materials, and the lives of the local workers, fixing roads, infrastructure, transportation etc”. However, sustaining a vibrant LA garment industry requires more than just internal collaboration; it necessitates a holistic approach that considers factors such as local sourcing, infrastructure development, and federal legislation aimed at promoting fair labour practices and incentivising businesses, she said.
Technological development is currently emerging as a powerful enabler for workforce efficiency and innovation. At the conference, Tlatenchi and Banerjee advocated for the integration of technology in the garment industry to streamline production processes, reduce waste, and enhance quality. However, they stressed this transition must be accompanied by comprehensive training programmes to ensure that workers are equipped with the skills needed to operate modern machinery effectively: “Sewing is labour intensive, and technology can make this less intensive by scaling down on production to be more competitive, bringing new ideas to brands and designers, creating design [to align] with what’s coming [trends], and producing high-quality work”, said Tlatenchi.
Banerjee added: “Technology can improve efficiency and produce less waste. Workers want to include technology in their work, but they need to be given the training to operate on machines, they are open to learning, and basic technological development is low-hanging fruit to start with before moving to advanced technology.”
Despite the abundance of potential workers in the US, and especially in the 20.6m population of the LA metropolitan area, Tlatenchi mentioned the need for increased local production to fully utilise the available workforce. Moreover, concerns regarding minimum wage and piece-rate pay underscore the importance of fair compensation and labour rights. She further emphasised how certain policies such as the proposed federal The America’s Act (The Americas Trade and Investment Act), which would support nearsourcing and reshoring through market access, subsidies and more, could promote sustainable growth in the garment industry.
The impact of the pandemic on the industry and the inadequacy of minimum wages within the US further underscores the urgency of addressing systemic challenges to reshoring American clothing and textile production.
Campbell said: “Fashion is the least publicly funded industry; it has been ignored so far. We need to elevate industry support through state and federal resources, as well as policies that prioritise the needs of workers and businesses alike.”
Tlatenchi added: “Investment in technology is a potential solution to enhance workforce productivity and attract the next generation of skilled workers. However, this investment must be accompanied by efforts to upskill existing workers and ensure equal access to opportunities.”
The benefits of AI, automation and advanced manufacturing for nearsourcing, reshoring
In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, the integration of automation into industries holds transformative potential. The conference’s experts stressed how burgeoning developments in automation solutions are already enhancing human productivity and driving further innovation.
Professor of mechanical engineering and computer science, University of Southern California, Satyandra K. Gupta, pointed out: “Automation extends beyond traditional manufacturing tasks to include a wide range of physical activities, from sanding to grinding. But despite the decreasing costs of robotics, the adoption of automation faces challenges within certain industries. The answer lies in fostering a collaborative environment where businesses, industries, and individuals are empowered to embrace advanced technologies and push the boundaries of innovation forward.”
Henderson agreed, adding: “Collaboration and sharing of knowledge and information can overcome barriers to automation adoption.”
He said the move to reshore was encouraging such work: “Innovation happens in the factory when people are being hands-on. But outsourcing has killed this need to problem solve. But we are seeing brands and companies increasingly bringing back outsourcing to this [Americas] hemisphere. Henderson said that included taking advantage of new market trends towards bespoke products, delivering a unique opportunity to “leverage automation for personalised manufacturing”. However, this necessitates a concerted effort to bridge the gap between technological advancements and practical implementation, “working closely with institutions to bring young talent to drive industry evolution”, he told the conference.
Gupta said the digitisation involved in the so-called ‘fourth industrial revolution’ was prompting textile and clothing executives to align technological prowess with real-world challenges. He stressed “the need to bring together tech experts and industry practitioners to catalyse innovation within the factory setting”. The outsourcing paradigm, while initially attractive, has stifled the imperative to problem-solve locally, he said, echoing Henderson’s comments, a trend that must be reversed through collaborative efforts and strategic investments in technology.
Henderson illustrated the power of streamlined production processes, over the atomised international supply chains of international outsourcing: “We can go from yarn to machine to a finished shoe in just three days,” he said, underscoring the transformative potential of automation in meeting evolving consumer demands. With the emergence of numerous new companies catering to niche markets, there exists a palpable opportunity for collective action to drive positive change and foster industry-wide evolution, said the Alabama CEO.
Industry evolution and artificial intelligence
The conference’s experts also emphasised that artificial Intelligence (AI), the buzzword of the decade, holds immense promise for revolutionising the fashion and sewn products industry. Diagnostic, predictive and generative AI all offer applications across the value chain, from design to manufacturing to retail.
And while large language model (LLM) conversational AI, such as ChatGPT, are recent developments, forward looking companies have been exploring AI for some time: “AI is not new – it’s been here for a long time. Tools like Apple’s Siri have been a part of our lives for well over a decade,” said Ketty Pillet, vice president marketing for the Americas, at Lectra, a French technology company that provides industrial intelligence solutions for the fashion, automotive and furniture sectors.
She underscored the foundational role of data in driving AI efficacy, emphasising the need for clothing and textile companies to secure expertise to harness its full potential. “AI, she asserted, holds the key to smart manufacturing, enabling waste reduction, predictive maintenance, and inventory management. By leveraging AI, the fashion industry can drive sustainability initiatives and boost profitability.”
Eric Lee, executive director at Alvanon, a New York-based retail technology platform that creates digital mannequins based on real human anatomy to help brands and retailers ensure their products achieve the best possible fit, highlighted the role of AI and machine learning in rendering fabrics and garments with unprecedented realism: “In the last two to three years, there’s been a dramatic shift in the ability of the software system to simulate things realistically. In the past, it could take the software days to stitch together a pattern, simulate the fabric, and adjust everything so that it looks realistic. That’s a lot of time to spend fiddling with software when a brand could just create a physical sample,” he said.
Lee added how these tools help companies save time and money eventually. Alvanon is currently developing a virtual try-on software that will enable shoppers to see themselves in 3D garments as they shop from the comfort of their homes. He considers this: “The holy grail for e-comm.”
Tirsa Parrish, managing partner at California-based fashion consultants Fashion Index, emphasised AI’s capacity to expedite “the product initiation and production process, meeting the demands of fast-paced trends while optimising cost efficiency, streamlining the process, and reducing the number of customer returns”.
Kyle Stephens, CEO and co-founder of LA-based KolAi Denim, stressed the importance of identifying the problem before implementing AI solutions, citing the power of generative AI in transforming design processes. However, he cautioned that effective AI implementation hinges on the quality of data and expertise guiding its utilisation: “If you don’t know the problem, you don’t know what to automate,” said Stephens.
Indeed, before embarking on AI integration, companies must ask critical questions, said Lee: “Are the right datasets available? Are the problems clearly identified?” Pillet echoed this sentiment, emphasising the pivotal role of data quality and expertise in driving successful AI outcomes: “You can have the most advanced AI but if you have people who do not have the data or expertise to drive it, it’s not going to work. It’s garbage in garbage out.”
Moreover, as Ketty noted, legal considerations such as copyright and data analysis proficiency are paramount in navigating the ethical and regulatory landscape of AI integration.
