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Industry Events

IAF World Fashion Convention and Euratex European Textile & Apparel Convention

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Guy Ryder, ILO
ILO (International Labor Organization) Director Guy Ryder pointed out how the pandemic demonstrated the fragility of supply chains. “Recovery must be both sustainable and inclusive and this will require for all of us to Guy Ryder be proactive to shape a future with more equality and social justice,” he underlined “and I see technology as a source of better pay, more skilled jobs, increased productivity, and cleaner, greener business practices. Technology should be applied to help create sustainable and resilient businesses and the jobs that we need, more than being a substitute for decent jobs.”
Christopher Veit
Over discussion on the Digitalization Panel 3D design points the way, but the next steps into ready-to-wear and, most importantly, a comparison of the finished 3D garment with the original 3D model is still missing. At Veit, together with startup partner Thullex, one developed an automatic 3D scanning process for finished pants during the ironing/finishing process. This eliminates the need for 2-dimensional checks on the measuring table. The Veit Vice President, Christopher Veit said, “The data can be transmitted in real-time to the producer or even the brand owner in a target/actual comparison. Two steps become one, and the potential human error in both measurement and data entry is eliminated. Currently, we are still looking for future-oriented brands that would like to collaborate on this project to explore the potential and contribute their needs, ideas, and experiences in an open innovation process.”
Cheers team IAF: (L-R) General Secretary Matthijs and his wife Nadia Crietee, Communications Director Dunja Hoejenbos, treasurer Ed Gribbin of Gribbin Strategic.
MoMu – Antwerp’s Fashion Museum made the perfect venue for EURATEX and IAF’s walking dinner. The highlight of a future-oriented gathering among industry partners. Models: Walter van Beirendonck ©: MoMu Antwerp
If you can’t measure it… you can’t manage it. The exhibition that accompanied the convention provided plenty of opportunities to get to know solution providers, especially from the supply chain management and optimization segment.
David Sävmann, H&M (left screen), Miran Ali (right screen)
“Everyone talks about the resilience of the value chain. The topic comes up in almost every exchange, event or media article,” remarked H&M’s Global Head of Global Supply Chain David Sävman. As a contributor to the panel session pro Transparent Supply Chains, he underlined the demand for a common logic regarding price and flexibility – on conditions accounting for all market partners. H&M’s Global Head of Global Supply Chain furthermore explained how a cross-collaborative rather than a transactional approach is an integral part of H&M’s new supply chain policy aimed at supply chain resilience. Miran Ali of Bitopi Industries and BGMEA, in the same session, rolled out how the global apparel manufacturer community is collaborating with the major involvement of the IAF in the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative.
Onsite: John Thorbeck Chainge Capital, Platforme Co-Founder & CEO Conçalo Cruz, telling the success story of his Portuguese MTO (made-to-order) software solutions company.
The enlightening panel session between a 3D fashion artist, an enthusiastic manufacturer, and two retail visionaries displayed yet another time the immense potential of three-dimensional model simulation for the fashion business
Connected from overseas (L-R): Brad Ballentine, Fox River Mills, and Stanley Szeto, Lever Style
Jelle Vanhove
“The big challenge is to now encourage the whole fashion industry to work much more digitally instead of analog in a profitable way,” stressed Jelle Vanhove from Tonickx. The Project Leader for 3rd party 3D services that the Belgium garment manufacturer offers for a while knows what he is talking about, “We take this mission seriously, with that we also help our clients to become sustainable by converting collections in 3D to save samples and become future proof by consulting in workarounds based on our own experiences to implement 3D in the daily processes.”
Blaise Desoblin, Business Development Management of PIVOT88 discusses “the smart approach to quality and beyond” with (L-R) Dunja Hoejenbos of IAF and Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, for Needle's Eye. Photo: Pieter Hulleman
Leontien Hasselman-Plugge, SIM
Learning from the food industry: SIM CEO Leontine Hasselman-Plugge takes transitioning to a more transparent and circular supply chain from what she calls the “pizza perspective”, having enabled clients such as Lidl or Jumbo over 12 years in that most demanding sector to become impact buyers and going even beyond compliance, she provided a most motivating insight on what is feasible. “The global fashion industry’s profit is expected to fall by 93% in 2020. And yet there are silver linings among the clouds,” Saskia Hedrich, Senior Partner McKinsey at Antwerp provided a sneak preview on the management consulting firm’s facts & figures with The State Of Fashion 2021 Report*. She continued, “While the crisis has had a devastating impact on businesses and jobs, it may also have accelerated responses that can lead to positive outcomes. Indeed, many fashion companies have taken time during the crisis to reshape their business models, streamline their operations, and sharpen their customer propositions.” *Key findings https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion
The power of networking: Mostly appreciated live and in presence again after all. Quite some initiatives for cross-collaborations had been kicked off spontaneously aside from the Convention agenda.
(L-R) Rolf Langenegger, FAMACO management consultant and Ginetex treasurer in conversation with association colleague Pascale Florant, Secretary-General of the International Association for Textile Care Labeling, and the new IAF President Cem Altan.
The IAF and Euratex Conventions were held under ‘Covid Safe’ conditions. All attendees had to show up fully vaccinated, alternatively present a recent negative Covid-19 test result or proof of recovery. Beginning of November therefore no social distancing or the use of masks were required in well-ventilated conference rooms, foyers, and restaurants. Delegate opinions, “Industry meetings like these are worth their weight in gold for the exchange of information and knowledge, and the enriching presentations and panel discussions are important elements, but the personal contacts – at least regarding our objectives – are virtually the yellow of the egg.”