The Chief Executive Officer of Inditex, parent company of the apparel giant Zara, recognises the implementation of RFID practices for their supply chain and inventory management as ‘one of the most significant changes in how the group’s stores operate.’ This rapidly expanding fashion company is by no means the only apparel conglomerate which has included RFID systems into its business module.

JC Penny, H&M, Marks & Spencer’s and many other fast fashion retailers are incorporating innovative traceability practices in their operations with the help of RFID. The use of these advanced RFID solutions allows manufacturers to integrate technology for enhancing the valuation of their supply chain and also enables their adaptability to the increasing number of product consumption channels (internet, retail stores etc).

Here’s a closer look at the methods of implementation of RFID solutions to the clothing industry:

Issues Faced by the Apparel Industry

With the advent of digitalization, customers have grown accustomed to a fast, efficient and rapidly personalized purchase experience. And, unlike many other retail verticals, shopping for apparels is an experience that’s unique to every individual and requires a higher degree of personalization and attention.

Additionally, a lack of internal and external transparency in the supply chain management due to the presence of overseas operations is prevalent throughout the apparel industry. Stemming from these points, a few key issues currently faced by the apparel industry include:

Poor inventory management

Reduced supply chain visibility

Extended checkout period

Lack of personalization and flexibility

Hefty carbon and water footprint

Poor customer satisfaction

Implementing RFID Solutions

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology utilizes electromagnetic waves to code information on labels, tags and containers. RFID systems are comprised of three core components – microchip tags, antennas and readers which provide a unique identity to every product. These tags and labels can be inserted or tacked directly onto the merchandise, enabling its traceability through the purchase process.

Jet Marking provides a wide range of advanced RFID label printers and readers from reliable manufacturers like Alien Technology and Zebra that can help your business optimize its traceability with ease. Consult our experts to know more about adapting these systems to your operations.

How can RFID Help

RFID systems are reliable, cost-efficient and easily adaptable to any retail industry. Unlike bar-coding systems, these devices do not necessitate line of sight settings and can be optimized for readability over great distances.

Benefits of adapting suitable RFID solutions to the apparel industry include:

Enhanced inventory accuracy

Contemporary RFID solutions can help apparel manufacturers optimize their inventory management up to 99.9%. This is because, RFID tags are durable and easy to read over longer distances, decreasing the chance of inventory error.

Improved supply chain visibility

Active RFID devices are highly accurate and can trace the exact location of a product within 300 meters in real-time. This allows retailers to track the product throughout its manufacturing cycle concurrently, reducing the frequency of accidents or mishaps.

Reduced production of waste

By using RFID to increase their inventory accuracy, producers can easily track the product between production and consumption, reducing their production of waste. These systems can also help business owners plan and track their inventory more carefully, optimizing their warehousing and reducing wasted space.

To learn more about the benefits of RFID solutions and how they can be implemented to your industry, consult our experts today.

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