The Asia-Pacific region is stably established as a vital region for the fashion business. It’s known as a highly competitive ground where the manufacturers and retailers with the fastest speed-to-market win. The increasing shift towards fashion, sportswear, and fast fashion are shaping the industry’s landscape now. Here, if participants in the industry aren’t competitive in any of these areas, they risk being sidelined.
But, an industry can only be as strong as its weakest parts. Today, this trillion-dollar industry is limited mainly by poor cross-collaboration between material suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers in its supply chain system. Moreover, data concerning manufacturing, production, and planning is largely inaccessible. So, this high degree of instability and inefficiency, participants in the fashion business are unable to cope with the rising costs of procuring materials, maintaining manufacturing, running operations, material or product transport, and human resources. In the meantime, manufacturers are passing down the higher prices to customers who aren’t willing to accept it. Additionally, the minimal wage in production countries across Southeast Asia is projected to rise steadily in the coming years.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for participants in the fashion business to realize long-term sustainability. Unable to maintain business and facing pressure from stiff competition, many apparel retailers have downsized their operations and manufacturers are asked to lower costs. But, that is not to say that improving business here is impossible. Experts say that by working toward developing competence in speed-to-market, financing, and design in a budget-friendly way, service providers can thrive in the marketplace.
Today’s fashion industry requires companies to be ultra-transparent with a readiness to reinvent their own identity, their older methods and invite change. In the Asia-Pacific, only a few companies are actively encouraging the forward-moving changes to uplift fashion. One of them is Global Apparel and Textile Pte Ltd (GAT), a leading garment manufacturer and a clothing supply chain manager, representing today’s quintessential, fast-growing and success-bound fashion business. Mr. Jason Wu, the CEO, established its head office in Singapore in November 2012 with a vision to lead the global fashion and apparel industry as a one-stop textile and fashion service provider for diverse fashion requirements. GAT offers diverse offerings like casual, active wear, loungewear, sportswear and children’s wear clothing—at affordable production rates. In the industry where costs are steadily rising, retailers are in search of suppliers/manufacturers like GAT who offer budget-friendly and flexible alternatives. GAT is rapidly becoming a prominent figure in fashion and is opening up more possibilities for itself and the industry because of the following three reasons.
Firstly, GAT is encouraging better utilization of technology in today’s low-tech fashion industry. Since its inception, it has been steadily growing and has scaled up immensely by making use of digital technologies and systems to overcome day-to-day challenges. GAT is willing to try the latest developments in technology to improve not only its own standards but also lead other participants in the fashion ecosystem. By this, it’s essentially showing us that better overall customer experience, better professional relationships with partners and newer offerings can be achieved.
Mr. Jason tells us more, “At GAT, we believe that the supply chain can be made efficient with increased transparency, better data collection, information flow, and collaboration. This can be achieved with the digitalization and integration of the various participants on a single platform.” Previously, the tasks involved in the manufacturing and supply chain operations were very strenuous. They identified that GAT can stay close to customers, improve business efficiency and collaborate freely with suppliers and factories only with a unifying platform. So, to this end, GAT will digitize some of its operations to promote higher transparency, ease-of-use and higher efficiency. Mr. Jason adds, “Transparency and digitalization will work hand in hand to breakdown the information silos that exist between manufacturers and buyers.”
GAT is also taking charge of the intimidating responsibility to prepare the industry for a brighter future. Mr. Jason explains how, “We are developing an online platform, Sourced Global (S.G), for apparel design, sourcing, and production. S.G provides an integrated platform for the management and execution of design, sourcing, and production decisions, and seeks to enhance collaboration across the supply chain and digitalize critical path data for more transparency and accountability in the garment manufacturing process.” With the help of transparent standardized systems, GAT can guarantee better engagements with customers as more direct-to-customer brands are expected to rise.
Secondly, GAT is seizing control of the future through its strong foothold in the fashion business. It’s striving to create more value for its customers by being answerable to customers’ challenges. It’s positioning itself to better serve the industry’s needs. Its four facilities, located in Singapore, China, Cambodia, and Myanmar, apart from nurturing efficient manufacturing and production processes are completely dedicated to satisfying any customer need.
At the center of their value proposition, as Mr. Jason says, along with a deep understanding of the industry, GAT is highly competent in fashion and trend. GAT aims to capture the latest styles, practices, and trends in fashion. He reveals, “We pride ourselves on our product design and development (PDD) capabilities and are determined to further develop supply chain solutions to enhance both our internal operational efficiencies and that of our customers.” Its expertise also spans material sourcing operations for the latest trends in fabric and solve customers’ needs. It’s well-versed in creating fine aesthetics through skillful printing, artwork, design, embroidery and embellishments capability. And, it’s skilled in creating seasonal trend boards.
Finally, GAT’s approach to professional engagement allows it to grow as well as create ways for customers and partners to grow. Today, the company is closely associated with experienced textile organizations like China Unique Group and Saint Year Textile Co. Ltd and perennially serves many fashion companies globally. Mr. Jason says that everyone at GAT, from their staff to the managers, has been able to maintain good business relationships by working towards mutually beneficial results. Mr. Jason credits this as the key to ensure long-lasting and continual business relationships. He expresses his thanks, “GAT has been fortunate to receive steady support from our customers, which has allowed us to grow consistently. Going forward, we expect to further integrate our supply chain expertise and bring more value to our customers.”
Being rooted in this sturdy foundation, GAT is well-positioned to lead the APAC’s fashion industry with a proactive, holistic and technology-centered approach. Today, it’s working to realize benefits for the entire fashion ecosystem through its platform. Mr. Jason adds, “Such a platform will offer numerous benefits from better planning, to saving resources, to faster collaboration to more accurate communication in creating new designs. We believe that this platform will provide a solid foundation and enable the industry to grow to the next level.” Alongside ushering in tomorrow’s fashion industry where its participants work together productively, GAT is steady on its track to achieve its foundational mission—to be a leading one-stop manufacturer of knitting and woven apparel and holistically improve the industry’s production. GAT, with a commitment to learning, to teach and to inspire better business, is laying the groundwork for a richer fashion future. As Mr. Jason sums it up, “For us, the journey has just begun”, GAT is here to stay.