NEWS
Inside the Industry
Apparelsoft.com founder David Stern has created new traceability software with the ability to verify the history of any garment’s components, origins and production methods with documented identification. RFID R’us (rfidrus.com) tracks all aspects of sustainable production, bringing increased transparency and accountability to the supply chain. “We have figured out a way to embed traceability in each product through RFID,” said Stern. “Our software enables the supplier to go to a manufacturer’s systems and match our order and packing list with encrypted security and print labels or tags with a manufacturer’s unique product number, producing a unique serial number. It will forbid any counterfeiting, and you can also take inventory with a push of a button rather than going about your facility scanning products.”
Joor, one of the world’s leading digital wholesale ecosystems, has raised $25 million in new funding led by Brightwood Capital and Tamarix Capital Partners, allowing it to deliver an increasingly enriched platform experience in service of its extensive global network of brands and retailers. Alongside new data-led initiatives, the company plans to enhance its Joor Pay solution as well as expand its footprint in categories such as footwear, sports and outdoors. “Joor has a proven track record of enabling growth for world-class brands and retailers,” explained Kristin Savilia, CEO of Joor. “Amidst a tough macroeconomic environment, we’re thrilled that our investors recognize the value that Joor’s solution provides and share our vision of accelerating the platform’s growth through additional innovation and enhanced platform capabilities.”
Aptean, a global provider of mission-critical enterprise software solutions, has announced the publication of its Fashion and Apparel 2024 Trends and Outlook Report for North America. Key findings include that 71 percent of respondents cited higher operating costs as the most significant barrier to growth. To combat this challenge, brands are increasingly embracing automation. On average, automation of critical business tasks increased by over 20 percent from 2022 to 2023. The adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as shipping software, enterprise resource planning and product lifecycle management is proving instrumental in driving this progress. Additionally, digital transformation is taking center stage as one in three brands have already completed their digital transformation projects while 63 percent are well on their way.
PTC Retail, in response to customer and market demands, has announced the availability of Flex Insights, a low-code platform designed to help brands and retailers unlock the power of their data to drive faster and better decision-making during planning and product development. Flex Insights extends the industry-leading capabilities and feature-rich functionality of PTC’s retail product lifecycle management platform, FlexPLM, and is available through simple, visual, easy-to-use and intuitive apps. “We’re constantly striving to improve business processes to drive speed, collaboration and efficiency,” said Corina Brügger, service transition manager at Intersport. “The Flex Insights Critical Path Management app shows everyone the status of each product and the steps that need to be completed to get our products to market faster.”
