A supply chain incorporates three elements namely the supply of raw materials, the manufacturing process, and lastly the supply/distribution of finished product. All these processes are very important for any firm because they complement each other. In other words, one process cannot continue without the presence of another. A successful supply chain reduces the costs of operation, minimizes inventory, reduces operation time, and enhances flexibility. The supply chain serves as a link between different companies dealing with specialized products (Chopra & Meindl, 2007). This paper will outline the main processes in the supply chain of the apparel industry.

Supply of Raw Materials

ould be used to make the cloth. This material will also act as the raw material for the manufacture of the final product. In essence, there are two aspects of the supply of raw materials in the apparel industry. The initial process of supply of raw materials is as important as the supply of the materials. The main function of this element of the supply chain is to identify the appropriate raw materials for the industry and then make those materials accessible to the manufacturer (Rosenau & Wilson, 2006).

As much as the supply element is important to the process, all the operations of a successful chain rely on the manufacturer. This is because the supplier can only supply the materials if the manufacturer needs them. The initial operations a manufacturer is very important for the supplier. Moreover, the success of the operations is also important because of the dependency existing in the chain (Chopra & Meindl, 2007).

Manufacturing Process

This is the most significant element of the supply chain mainly because it is the central aspect relied on by the other processes. The manufacturer has several functions, which include

Planning of the production process – This is the first step in the whole process since it plans how the intended product will look like. The apparel industry is a very competitive and wide industry implying that the manufacturer needs to understand the type of clothing that suits the firm. This process is also responsible for identifying the best raw materials by identifying an appropriate raw materials supplier (Rosenau & Wilson, 2006).

Designing the apparel – This is another important factor in the manufacturing process since the design of the clothing is very important in this industry. The existence of several designs in the industry implies that the manufacturer should be loaded with the knowledge of these designs so that he/she can create a unique design. This is very important for the attraction of the clientele.

Promotion of the Designed and Manufactured Apparel – This is also an important aspect of the supply chain mainly because the clients need to have the knowledge of the existence of the product. This can be done through advertising activities (Wong & Guo, 2013).

Availing the Products to the intermediaries – After the product has been produced and marketed the manufacturer has to make sure that it reaches the middlemen so that it can be near the clientele. Other clients can order the product directly from the stores, but a bulk of the ready-made apparel reaches the customer through intermediaries.

Distribution Process

After the supplier has supplied the raw materials to the manufacturer and the manufacturer has produced the clothing, the remaining work is distribution, retailing then selling it to the final consumer. The manufacturer is responsible for availing the product to the distributor who then distributes the apparel to various retailing stores. The main functions of the distributor includes

Creates relationships – Since the distributor is the serves as the only connection between the retailer and the manufacturer he or she is in charge of creating a relationship between them. The distributor is very important in sustaining the link between the manufacturing and the retailing processes (Wong & Guo, 2013).

Breaks down Bulk – The distributor receives the clothing in large volumes. Its main purpose is to break them into small sizes that can be afforded by different retailers. Since this is a fashion industry, the distribution is also in charge of classifying the apparel, according to fashion types.

(Chopra & Meindl, 2007).

Retailing Process

After the distributor avails the product to the retailer, the retailer breaks it further into smaller sizes and begins selling it to the consumers. The retailer is the most important aspect of the apparel industry because he or she is the representative of the other participants in the supply chain. The retailer is also responsible for final advertising, which is meant to inform the consumer that the product is available in the stores (Wong & Guo, 2013).