In a time where traceability, transparency and compliance are becoming everyday demands in the fashion industry, one tool is more important than ever: the Bill of Materials. It may seem like just another part of the development process, but the truth is that this one document carries more weight than it gets credit for. From keeping teams aligned to helping suppliers deliver the right product, and from meeting compliance requirements to calculating environmental impact, the Bill of Materials has quietly become one of the most powerful tools in modern product development.

In this article, we take a closer look at what a Bill of Materials really is, how it supports collaboration and communication, and why the level of detail you add today could save you a lot of time, effort and headaches tomorrow.

A simple breakdown of a complex tool

Most of us feel a lot more confident in the kitchen when we’ve got a recipe to follow, especially if we’re cooking for friends. It just helps to have something to lean on, so it doesn’t go off track. The same goes for the Bill of Materials. It’s your recipe for how a product is made.

The Bill of Materials lays out everything that goes into a product. Not just for your own overview, but also for the supplier who needs to understand exactly what to work with. In this case, the supplier is basically the chef, and the Bill of Materials is what makes sure everyone’s on the same page. In the Delogue platform, we call it the item list. It’s built from your own item library, which can include fabrics, buttons, zippers, threads, stitching details, packaging, labels - all the ingredients that make up your product. When this is structured clearly, it helps everyone involved stay aligned and keeps things running smoothly from design to delivery.

A shared language across teams

In this industry, we often work with overseas suppliers and juggle multiple styles and collections at once. That means we're not only handling a lot of data but also trying to make sure everything we share is clear to a wide range of people, both inside and outside the company.

One of the best ways to keep communication clear with suppliers is by having everything structured in a well-organised Bill of Materials. When the information is laid out in a standard format, it becomes much easier for suppliers to decode the product. This can lead to better results with fewer misunderstandings, and ideally, fewer rounds of samples without having to compromise on quality.

Internally, a consistent approach to the Bill of Materials also makes a big difference. When there’s a clear structure in place, you know that the same type of data is being collected for every product you put on the market. That only works if the BOM is accessible to everyone on the team, ideally in one central place that is always up to date. When that’s in place, teams can work faster, stay aligned and avoid double work.

The power is in the details

Right now, we're really seeing just how important the Bill of Materials is. It’s not the place to cut corners. If anything, it’s where some of the most crucial product data lives. But that only happens if you treat it as more than a list and actually take the time to fill it out with the information you already have.

This is especially true with the wave of new legislation tied to the EU sustainability strategy. The data in your Bill of Materials can make all the difference when it comes to compliance. For example, when working with the CSRD, the details listed in your BOM are often exactly what your key accounts are asking for. It’s the same with ESPR. While the final requirements are still not confirmed, we already know that environmental impact will be a major part of it. And to measure that, you need to know exactly what your products are made of, not just the composition, but also the specific amount, weight, and size of each component.

The same goes for packaging. If you’re listing all your packaging elements clearly in the BOM, you’re in a much better position when it comes to Extended Producer Responsibility. That data helps you calculate your EPR packaging obligations more easily and with more confidence.

The short version? The more detail you add now, the better prepared you are for what’s coming.

The first step in compliance

As explained above, the level of detail in your Bill of Materials can play a big role when it comes to complying with the many new EU regulations on the horizon.

Sourcing based on data requirements is still new for a lot of companies, but it’s likely going to become the norm. In the industry, we’re already used to asking a standard set of questions when starting a collaboration with a new supplier. What is the minimum order quantity? What are the delivery and payment terms? Are there surcharges? Can they meet our timelines? These are all part of the early conversation. Now, it’s time to add another layer. Before working with a new supplier, we may need to ask more specific questions about the components and the product data that can be provided. Because if the supplier isn’t able to deliver the information you need, it could end up blocking your ability to put your products on the market. We’ve already seeing a shift in this direction with the move from “supplied by supplier” to nominated suppliers.

This of course doesn’t mean long-term supplier relationships should be thrown out just because they can’t deliver large data sets right away. It’s a process. In most cases, it will take close collaboration to get the right information in place and prepare both sides for what’s coming. If this industry is going to become data-ready, it won’t happen overnight. It will take strong partnerships, open communication and a shared effort between brands and suppliers to get there.

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