Launch ‘Under the Banyan Tree’

IAF and the International Trade Centre (ITC) hosted a special webinar on October 31, 2024. The webinar officially launched a groundbreaking report introducing the “Shared Risk/Reward” approach to create economic value via process and data innovation. By focus on fashion risk and capital and enhancing supply chain flexibility, this business model improves social, environmental, and business outcomes in all tiers of the supply chain. IAF and ITC believe that apparel manufacturers are uniquely positioned to lead initiatives to generate significant value from upstream operations, practices and metrics that accelerate a more sustainable future for fashion.

‘Under the Banyan Tree’ presents six real-world case studies across product and market segments and their impacts. It emphasizes the link between sustainability and financial productivity with the key insight: ‘Over-production is the obstacle to greater capital investment for sustainability.’

Download the report

Manufactured x GIZ FABRIC: Matthijs Crietee on How to Achieve Supply Chain Partnership

This is part two of the conversation with Matthijs Crietee, Secretary General of the International Apparel Federation (IAF).

In this episode, Matthijs offers some concrete examples of partnership models, and shares his thoughts on how digitization can help reshape business processes, and by extension, supply chain relationships. He also shares his take on why manufacturers have been by-and-large left out of sustainable fashion conversations and the impact that this has on the supply chain as a whole.

Interested in more podcasts by Manufactured related to the apparel industry? Please follow the RSS feed below.

Manufactured x GIZ FABRIC: Matthijs Crietee on Enforcing Commercial Compliance

This is part one of the conversation with Matthijs Crietee, Secretary General of the International Apparel Federation (IAF).

The STAR Network recently joined forces with IAF to call for better purchasing practices (with the support of the GIZ FABRIC team). At the time, Miran Ali (spokesperson, also listen to episodes 29 and 30) shared quite a bit about how suppliers came together to call for better purchasing practices and described the collaboration process. But where is the initiative now?

Matthijs gives some insight. He starts off with some context: what is the IAF? Have suppliers come to an understanding about which purchasing practices are most important to them? What’s commercial compliance and how does Matthijs envision that these standards might be implemented?

Interested in more podcasts by Manufactured related to the apparel industry? Please follow the RSS feed below.

The Outlook for Global Apparel Markets

IAF’s Matthijs Crietee has taken part in a podcast entitled, “The Market for Cotton,” where leading economists, researchers and analysts from across the agriculture, textile, apparel and retail industries are introduced.

In the podcast, Mr. Crietee discusses various forces affecting the international trade of textiles and apparel, from the effects of the global pandemic, to government trade policies, and how the global apparel trade may be shaped in future years. An important and invaluable conversation with one of the world’s leading experts on the global apparel industry. A must listen for anyone interested the apparel business and its supply chain.

Hosted by Jennifer Crumpler, Fiber Development Manager and Manager of the e3 Sustainable Cotton Program from BASF, and interviewed by industry consultant Robert Antoshak.

Listen here

CITI Conclave – Attracting FDI in Apparel Manufacturing in South Asia

On February 24 2021, Matthijs Crietee moderated a panel discussion on ‘Attracting FDI in Apparel Manufacturing in South Asia’ during the CITI Conclave (India). Panellists wereMr. Kihak Sung, Chairman & CEO, Youngone Corporation en Dr. Christian Schindler, Director General, ITMF.

Future Supply Chain Relations – Production Countries’ Perspectives and Expectations

On November 25th, the panel discussion “Future Supply Chain Relations: Producing Countries’ Perspectives and Expectations” took place virtually as part of the 6th Members Meeting of the Partnership of Sustainable Textiles (PST). The aim of the panel was to shed light on the diverse perspectives in the textile and garment producing countries regarding current and future supply chain relations and the disruptions thus far experienced due to COVID-19. Together with six panelists Jürgen Janssen, head of PST secretariat, reflected on expectations and perspectives on what a “new normal” can and should look like.

Digital Transformation Best Practices

In IHKIB’s webinar on “Digital Transformation Best Practices” organized in cooperation with IAF, they evaluated the effects of digital transformation on the fashion industry and presented good practice examples to IHKIB’s members and all the participants.

Environment & Waste Management and CSR Practices

In our webinar on “Environment & Waste Management and CSR Practices”, which was the second webinar in a series which we organized in cooperation with IAF, we came to the conclusion that the improvement of the ‘environmental performance’ of apparel products should be undertaken jointly by all stakeholders in order to reach a more sustainable apparel value chain.

Please replay here.

NEW FASHION DELIVERY CALENDAR

IAF hosted a webinar about the new fashion delivery calendar. Three world class speakers explained the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on the production chain’s calendar: Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO of Pepe Jeans Group (Pepe Jeans, Hacket and Façonnable); Stanley Szeto, executive director of the innovative manufacturer Lever Style and Frank Quix, managing director of Q&A, the leading Dutch retail consultancy. With a strong practical focus and perspectives from retail, brand management and production this will be an important webinar to watch.

In this webinar, which will be equally interesting for apparel brands and manufacturers, the speakers will tackle such pressing questions as “What will happen to the fall/winter collection delivery time? To what extent can unsold goods be shifted to the next season? Can material be repurposed? What does this require from manufacturers? What collaboration with buyers is required? And how to deal with structural lower demand on the medium term? Our three speakers will present their brand, manufacturer and retail perspectives in 10-minute presentations followed by a question and answer session with moderator Ton Wiedenhoff, Alvanon’s executive director Europe.

Click here to replay.