Discover the best technologies for the fashion supply chain

Often, to see different technologies in action, one has to travel across Europe.
At THE SOURCE, the Experience Room set in the beautiful surroundings of the Euganean Hills in Torreglia, near Padua, you can relive in just a few hours the entire journey of a clothing item — from its creation, through the distribution channel, to the store and the end consumer.

Observing each stage up close allows us to understand how, thanks to the best technologies available on the market, it is possible to optimise processes, shorten lead times, increase sales, combat the grey market, and create a unique and seamless shopping experience.

What we have observed two years after the creation of THE SOURCE is that the platform — which brings together all the available technologies and the data collected throughout the clothing item’s journey along the supply chain — enables sales directors, marketing managers, IT and supply chain managers, as well as other stakeholders, to sit around the same table and find answers to both expressed and latent needs. Technologies that are now well established, such as RFID and QR codes, when applied correctly, can significantly improve operational and sales performance, enhance customer service, and strengthen brand image.

How? By tracking, in near real time, every significant movement of the cloyhing item (shipment to distributors, receipt in store, fitting room passages, point-of-sale transactions…) and by interpreting, through the use of AI, the vast amount of data collected.

For example, having evidence that a clothing item has been tried on several times in the fitting room but never purchased may indicate a sizing or fit issue, suggesting improvements for future collections. Quickly and automatically knowing the actual stock levels in the warehouse or within the store allows orders and replenishment to be organised more effectively. Identifying whether a clothing item is in the wrong distribution channel makes it possible to enforce commercial agreements and safeguard the brand’s image.

These are just a few quick examples of the benefits that can be achieved with the right mix of applications and traceability technologies. By booking a visit to THE SOURCE, you can experience these first-hand and discover many others tailored to your business.

At THE SOURCE, topics such as omnichannel sales, connectivity, and business continuity are also addressed, thanks to EMM systems and a multilingual Service Desk providing services that cover the entire lifecycle of a store.

This project was born from the collaboration between Aton, Mion and Mioo, bringing together established and experienced partners in the fashion market: Axon Micrelec, Cegid, Setera, Soti, and Zebra Technologies (listed strictly in alphabetical order).