In one of my fashion classes, I’ve been learning about the sourcing of products. In order to understand where products are made and distributed, you need to understand the elements of the Supply Chain.
The stages of the textile and apparel supply chain are manufacturer/contractor, wholesaler, retailer, and end consumer.
The manufacturer and contract apparel producer can also have subcontractors. The subcontractors bring in fabric, trim, and findings. Fabric mill agents and trim consolidators are also part of this group. The agents deal with the fabric mills that supply yarn or fiber. The trim consolidator deals with all the trimmings.
The next step in the supply chain is the wholesaler. The wholesaler can also be the manufacturer. The wholesaler can own brand licenses, like DKNY or Tommy Hilfiger. Wholesalers have expertise in the product. They deal with off-shore factories and inventory management.
The next step is the retailer. The retailer buys the merchandise from the wholesaler, and that merchandise will be sold in the retail stores. Retailers can be stores, non-stores, or e-tailers. Some non-store retailers are HSN, QVC, and catalogue. E-tailers sell their products electronically on the internet. Some examples are E-bay and Amazon.com.
The last step is the end consumer. The end consumer purchases the product for their own use.
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