Go Green with a PLM

If 2020 taught us anything is that to stay competitive in the fashion industry, sustainability is not an option anymore. It's a necessity.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of their shopping habits. Some brands are pushing to add carbon footprint labels to clothes. Transparency and traceability it's becoming imperative for fashion brands. Geographic distances and vast quantities make communicating with suppliers harder than ever. And, the fast-paced industry requires brands to act quickly and produce efficiently. In this context, how are environmental measures implemented?

Adopting PLM software supports sustainability. By straightening the production process, improving communication, reducing waste, and increasing productivity.

Be Conscious by Keeping Track of Your Materials

In fashion, everything starts with materials. In sustainability, it is the same. Most of the carbon footprint of a garment comes from material sourcing. Some are more environmentally conscious than others.

In Delogue PLM, users create a database of items and link it to several pieces of information. The Custom Fields feature gives you space to write down the environmental impact of each material, including water usage and carbon footprint. So everything can be tracked in the same software.

PLM Supports Sustainability by Reducing Waste and Energy

Miscommunication can be the cause of a lot of waste in fashion. Suppliers might not be aware of the last-minute changes and produce the wrong samples. You might end up placing extra orders because the correct quantities were not informed. Colors might be off and lead to the reproduction of a whole collection, and so on. Ensuring that everyone is working on the latest version of each style and that all the communication is in the same place, is one way PLM supports sustainability.

What is more, did you know that an email consumes between 4 and 50g of CO2e? Better keep the correspondence to a minimum.

Manage All Certifications and Documentation in One Place

As interest in sustainability grows, so do certifications and regulations that guarantee stricter standards. While it's good news for consumers, it can be a production nightmare.

That's why it's crucial to ensure the tracking of certifications. This often happens at the sourcing stage and is also requested by e-commerce. Delogue allows users to link information (like certifications) to each style. This information will remain attached until it reaches marketing.

Analytics Help You Measure and Improve Your Sustainable Efforts

A PLM also supports sustainability by giving users a full overview of their brand and collections. With the Analytics feature, you'll get a bigger picture of how many styles are certified or how many hold a specific certification. It's an effective way to keep track of your sustainability journey – a life-saver feature for e-commerce.

For example, Zalando currently asks documentation on one of eleven different third-party certificates to be eligible for the Sustainability Flag on their site. They also confirm that the requirements will increase over time. Delogue enables you to answer every demand with the click of a button, saving time and headaches.

Delogue PLM Creates Traceability Beyond Tier 1 to Support Sustainability

A good relationship with the suppliers is the first step towards a more sustainable supply chain. Delogue lets its users communicate directly with its suppliers. They can access the platform for free, improving communication and transparency.

Set up ad-hoc custom fields for your suppliers to gain insightful information about the impact of production, and discuss every choice with the internal messaging tool. Transparency and traceability have never been more attainable.