The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
TOKYO, Japan — Japanese fashion group Fast Retailing Co Ltd, owner of clothing chain Uniqlo, on Wednesday said it has partnered two robotics startups to help improve efficiency in warehousing and distribution.
Asia's biggest fashion retailer by sales, and the world's second-biggest after Zara owner Inditex, last year said it would invest 100 billion yen ($916.59 million) to increase automation at its facilities.
Japanese robotics controller maker Mujin Electronics Co Ltd and French robotics startup Exotec Solutions SAS will help introduce more automation at global warehouses, including in picking and shipping processes, Fast Retailing said in a statement.
Known for its affordable line of casual clothing such as lightweight down jackets, Fast Retailing's Uniqlo has grown through decades of weak consumption in Japan.
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It is currently enjoying strong growth in China, with the brand logging over 1 billion yuan ($142.98 million) worth of sales during the 24-hour Singles' Day shopping festival of e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
However, the unit has struggled with inefficiencies, occasionally blaming unseasonable weather for poor sales and excess inventory — an issue Fast Retailing hopes to address with shorter lead times and improved logistics.
"Not making, shipping or selling anything unnecessary - this is a goal for retailers. Unfortunately, it's something that's not been achieved," Executive Vice President Takuya Jimbo told reporters. New technology could change this, Jimbo said.
By Ritsuko Ando; editor: Christopher Cushing
The algorithms TikTok relies on for its operations are deemed core to ByteDance overall operations, which would make a sale of the app with algorithms highly unlikely.
The app, owned by TikTok parent company ByteDance, has been promising to help emerging US labels get started selling in China at the same time that TikTok stares down a ban by the US for its ties to China.
Zero10 offers digital solutions through AR mirrors, leveraged in-store and in window displays, to brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Coach. Co-founder and CEO George Yashin discusses the latest advancements in AR and how fashion companies can leverage the technology to boost consumer experiences via retail touchpoints and brand experiences.
Four years ago, when the Trump administration threatened to ban TikTok in the US, its Chinese parent company ByteDance Ltd. worked out a preliminary deal to sell the short video app’s business. Not this time.