IAF Convention in Rio inspires and informs delegates

The Convention was jointly organised by International Apparel Federation (IAF) and the Sao Paulo based Brazilian fashion and textile industry association Abit. It was jointly inaugurated by IAF president Han Bekke and Abit president Fernando Pimentel.

In addition to excellent speakers from, among others, McKinsey, Hugo Boss, Hering, C&A, Esquel, Lectra and PVH, delegates at the Convention were treated to a great display of Brazilian hospitality and zest for life.

McKinsey presented from its well-known study among the chief purchasing officers (CPOs) of major apparel brands and retailers. The presentation set the stage highlighting the amount of investments the industry still has to make to actually digitise the supply chain by stating that 64 per cent of the firms questioned spend less than 1 per cent of their sourcing value on digitisation.

On compliance, both C&A and PVH stressed the importance of changes in buying behaviour permeating throughout the organisation so that the strategy set out by the CSR and sustainability officers really affects the entire operation and that suppliers receive the same message from all buyers’ representatives.

On technology, the Convention made clear, as exemplified by Hugo Boss and by Esquel, that technology is already enabling semi-automised factories thereby greatly improving productivity and beating rising labour costs.

“IAF Conventions always reflect some characteristics of the host country. In this case, Brazil is a people oriented country. Different speakers from Brazil and from abroad made clear that the solutions to the many challenges in the fashion industry all hinge around the ability and the willingness of people to embrace far reaching change,” an IAF statement said. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India