Fabric sourcing and selection

The impact of global trade in apparel manufacturing has evolved the concept of fast fashion in a scenario where apparel is produced quickly with a low cost and with the 'chic look' now dominating the retail world. Fast fashion is mass-produced, reasonable in price for most consumers and easy to obtain, making it simple for anyone to look stylish. However, to become dominant in this retail business sector, fabric sourcing and selection have become a pivotal stage in the manufacturing process. This chapter will encompass a critical review of the traditional and fast fashion approach with special focus on fabric sourcing, inspection, faults, grading and forthcoming trends. Today, the clothing market changes rapidly based on the demographics, and easy and low cost sourcing. What is considered modern today, may be out of fashion tomorrow. This puts a lot of pressure on a clothing farm's ability to change the production stream quickly and thereby altering the flexibility of the supplier. Concerns about child labour, employees' work conditions, and environmental concerns have put addition pressure on clothing manufacturers and retailors.