7 Reasons Why a digital Supply Chain Platform for the Textile Industry Makes Sense

7 Reasons Why A Digital Supply Chain Platform for the Textile Industry Makes Sense
Is it time to modernise the global distribution and trade of textiles.
Textile production is a trillion-dollar industry that provides direct employment to around 20 million people. However, the most concerning problem is that it still operates with processes that are no longer fit enough to cope with modern retail’s changing needs and pace. 
Primarily managed offline, textile production is still behind in modern digitisation with its outdated sourcing practices and distribution process. 
The good news is that the industry is looking to conform to a digital supply chain platform that makes it easy to source materials quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably.
A company that has brought such a platform to the attention of the textile industry is Tengiva (Textiles Exchange Network). Founded in 2018, Tengiva’s primary objective has been to address the supply chain and distribution challenges experienced by textile manufacturers and apparel brands.

One of the ways that they have solved some of the biggest industry challenges has been to develop a textile supply chain management platform that enables direct online sourcing. Central, unique and integrated, the platform presents millions of dollars of inventory and more than 300 different materials available to brands in 30 countries worldwide.

Annie Cyr, CEO and co-founder of Tengiva, explained: “While consumers today can easily purchase fashion products online from any clothing brand worldwide, the supply chain that enables the flow of textiles from mill to fabric manufacturer to apparel brand has not kept pace. 
Adding: “Our platform is changing this by modernising the global distribution and trade of textiles”.
Although the modernisation of one of the oldest industries is not easy, the impact of digital technology on the textile supply chain could be huge. If you are looking for reasons why a digital supply chain platform for the textile industry makes sense, here are 7:
(1) It enables sellers to build their online presence, easily showcase their materials, develop new business relationships, and reach new markets. 
(2) It makes it possible for millions of dollars of inventory to be available through the platform worldwide.
(3) It modernises the global distribution and trade of textiles, ensuring the critical steps that take place behind the scenes of every piece of clothing manufactured and sold are as automated and streamlined as possible.
(4) It enables unprecedented access to materials across the supply chain and takes a holistic approach to address sustainability, a significant issue the textiles industry faces.
(5) It centralises and provides structured access to data for textiles manufacturers and apparel brands, making it easier for textile businesses to respond to new market trends and customer expectations quickly. 
(6) It optimises resource usage, increases transparency across the entire supply chain, and promotes better practices – such as CO2 emissions calculations, material combination recyclability, and recommendations around production processes that lower the environmental impact and reduce chemical usage. 
(7) It makes it easier for clothing brands to seamlessly source the textiles needed directly from manufacturers in the quantities they need.
With 7.2 % of global climate impact caused by textile production alone, the winners are those who are fast in responding to the ever-changing demands of a new way of doing business. 
So as the industry moves towards a more digitised future, a purpose-built platform promises to solve many challenges textile mills and apparel brands face today, like becoming more sustainable. As we go forward, the first step is to acknowledge that we do business in a time where change is no longer a choice but is an expectation, and for the textile industry, this is a transformation that has been a long time coming.