Ethical denim-maker Saitex’s automated facility in California is a sign that localised, just-in-time manufacturing may be poised for widespread adoption.

To mitigate future ruptures, fashion players must move away from transactional relationships with suppliers in favour of deeper partnerships that bring greater agility and accountability.

In an exclusive new series, Doug Stephens and BoF investigate the seismic shifts transforming the retail ecosystem. From the post-pandemic consumer psyche to increased risk and growing calls for responsibility, we identify the new fundamentals of a reborn retail industry.

'Production is very far away from productivity,' said the founder of the world’s most sustainable large-scale denim producer.

While retailers in western markets have been the visible victims of the current crisis, behind the scenes the nuts and bolts of fashion’s supply chain are facing a bleak future.

Fashion brands know they need to reduce their environmental footprint. But misinformation and a lack of solid data to measure progress are hampering the industry’s effort to clean up its act.