The Blog
The latest in apparel technology, industry trends, and expert analysis to help you stay ahead.
PE firms are rolling up apparel ERPs faster than they can integrate them. For mid-market fashion brands, the implications are concrete and immediate.
The EU's Digital Product Passport mandate takes effect in 2026, and most apparel brands can't meet it. Oritain, FibreTrace, and TextileGenesis are seeing triple-digit contract growth as brands race to implement traceability systems, but blockchain records alone won't prevent supply chain fraud, and integration costs typically run 2-3x the platform fee.
Brands using AI-powered fit prediction and body scanning tools are reporting 30-40% fewer size-related returns, with ROI timelines under 12 months for mid-market operators. Getting there requires clean garment data, platform integration work, and enough transaction volume to train accurate models.
Online fashion returns run 30-40%, and bad sizing is almost always the reason. AI fit engines from companies like 3DLOOK and Bold Metrics are cutting those rates by 15-30%, giving apparel brands a serious margin boost along with smarter data on how their customers are actually built.