Impact of Technology in Apparel Industry

Introduction:
The apparel industry is going through a revolutionary change called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Which is known as Apparel 4.0. It is capable of monitoring companies with the help of modern technologies such as IOT, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing and providing services in the production process with complete neutral delivery. Technology has a great impact in textile and apparel industry. Through this revolutionary change, a new horizon of potential has been opened in the apparel industry of Bangladesh.

Uses of Technology in Apparel Industry:

With a few experimental results, it is proven that the return on technology is much higher than the investment on industrial equipment. According to True, the industry’s 4.0 is pushing companies to integrate digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), radio-frequency identification (RFID), robotics, augmented reality, additive manufacturing and cloud technology. Despite investing in advanced and expensive technology, companies are failing to achieve the desired stability through it. Achieving sustainability is not possible without converting the huge data obtained through automation and digitization into necessary information.

cloud computing in apparel industry — Fig: Cloud computing

A notable component of Industry 4.0 is the Cyber-Physical System (CPS), whose key role is to address the challenges of active and dynamic production. CPS in Industry 4.0 is based on modern and advanced technology to make the entire industrial system work. Industry 4.0 includes Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Additive Manufacturing, Augmented Reality and Systems Learning, and many more.

Block chain has become a very popular topic among apparel traders. This is because they can easily collect information directly from fiber suppliers, manufacturers, transporters and even retailers in a matter of moments. Sustainable product tracking can also be done through information obtained from the raw materials used and the manufacturing process.

robotics in apparel industry — Fig: Robotics in apparel industry

Nowadays we can create patterns through computer software, in which case time will be saved, and this work will require very little manpower. The country’s top garment industries are now leaning towards computer aided design (CAD) software. With the help of this software it is now possible to easily create patterns of different parts of different garments and save them in computer memory. This soft copy of the pattern can be made into a pattern of garments of different sizes by making it bigger or smaller.

The recent emergence of IoT has created an interconnection between multiple technologies, which has made it possible to create improved monitoring and coordination among business partners. IoT has the capability to work on various aspects of fashion design, development, and manufacturing in textile and apparel industries.

Efforts are being made to develop new technologies to increase efficiency and effectiveness through AI innovation. The concept of AI is based on some basic functions such as identification, observation, inspection, grading, prediction, etc. Usually these tasks are tedious which often leads to vague results from the employees. With the help of various classified technologies, AI can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of basic tasks.

The application of AI in textile technology is not yet widespread, even in developed countries. However, developed countries, especially Germany, United States and China, are inventing new technologies to solve the complex problems that exist in their own textiles.

Impact of Technology in Bangladesh Garment Industry:
Initially, the country’s relatively cheap labor force and some talented industrialists have laid the foundation for the apparel industry. Despite various adversities and obstacles, readymade garments industry has been able to gain such a special place in exports. But new entrepreneurs are being born all over the world, the rise of industrialists.

New technologies are being born all the time, some are semi-automatic, and some are automatic. With the use of these technologies, on the one hand, time is decreasing and on the other hand, production is increasing manifold. The number of workers is also declining compared to that, resulting in a reduction in total production costs.

The challenges facing the textile and apparel industries in the modern productive world include efficiency, sustainability and prompt response to client needs. The industrial ecosystem, the trend of sustainable business globally and the consumer-driven economy motivate industrial enterprises to be more innovative. Because technology-savvy consumers are more willing to spend money for environmentally conscious and environmentally friendly products.

As a result, the textile and apparel industry has to work very strategically in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by focusing on the social, economic and environmental three-pronged approach. It has become difficult for textile and garment factories not only to deliver the best products and on time, but also to maintain long-term sustainability.

If it is said that we are far ahead in terms of technology used in the apparel industry, then it can be seen that the use of technology in some of the top industries in the country is comparatively better. In addition, the use of new technology is also starting to change the configuration of the old fashioned machine. But even then, in many industries, it is still not possible to use all the technology in the right way.

For example, manual or semi-automatic cutting is still common in almost all industries. But only a few industries are using automatic cutting machines. Therefore, technological development will play an important role in further developing our apparel industries and bringing Bangladesh’s apparel industry exports to the global market.

Conclusion:
Buyers of ready-made garments will always want to buy high quality products at low prices. As a result, our competitive market is slowly increasing. Because we are still relying a lot on conventional methods. So there is no alternative to using modern technology in textile and apparel industry to sustain and improve our position in this competitive market. But the hope is that at present most of the apparel industries in Bangladesh have started using modern technology and equipment.

References:

Information Systems for the Fashion and Apparel Industry Edited by Tsan-Ming Choi
https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/2433/technology-and-its-impacts-on-textile-industry
http://www.worldmarch.org/clothing-industry.html
https://www.academia.edu/34485138/The_Impact_of_Global_Technological_Change_on_Textile_and_Garment_Workers_of_Bangladesh
https://roar.media/bangla/main/bangladesh/garments-sector-use-of-modern-technology
https://www.banglatribune.com/673003/টেক্সটাইল-ও-পোশাক-শিল্পে-প্রযুক্তির-ব্যবহার

Author of this Article:
Nazifa Tabassum
B.Sc. in Clothing and Textile
College of Home Economics, Dhaka
Email: nazifa.099@gmail.com

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Mazharul Islam Kiron

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.