How does the traditional fashion supply chain work and who is involved?

The background article Everything about the (traditional) supply chain and the core players of the fashion industry explores the traditional supply chain in the fashion industry and its key players. It covers the stages involved in bringing a fashion product to consumers, including design, manufacturing, distribution, and retailing. The core players include designers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Designers create fashion products, manufacturers produce them.

What to know about the fashion supply chain and the industry's core players

The fashion supply chain is relatively long, it involves many different steps. In addition, the supply chain for fashion manufacturing has become more globalised than ever. But in what way?

The design of a garment often happens in one country, assembling in another, and the final fashion products are sold in stores all over the world. In fact, it sometimes takes fashion companies a year and a half (!) from the moment a designer makes their first sketches to when the product is delivered to a fashion store.

This article text has been partially generated with an AI tool, and then edited by Veerle Versteeg.