Fashion Blogs

If you are looking to read a fashionable (stylish) blog post, this is not the one for you. This is regarding the fashion industry, but the "boring" side of the industry. If you are brave, go for it. However, if you are looking for something interesting to read about fashion, this is not the fashion blog post for you.

Are you ready for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) for your clothing company? Well, ready or not, if you have not already learned a little something about RFID, it could not hurt to get started. Although I can not teach you much on the subject (due to my lack of knowledge on the issue), I can tell you that their is a new Item Level RFID Initiative under works by a few leading associations and organizations. You may be aware that many retailers already use RFID, and the standards may be complicated for many small, medium, or large size clothing companies. Below, will not actually answer your questions regarding RFID for clothing companies, but maybe it will give you a brief introduction to the fact that RFID is growing in importance. After all, it has it's own "initiative"... Therefore, it certainly seams important...

Are you ready to learn more about RFID for Clothing?

The Item Level RFID Initiative is being organized by an inter-industry group of the country’s leading retailers, suppliers, industry associations, academia, and solution providers dedicated to quantifying the benefits of item level RFID and exploring how it can improve business processes along the retail value chain.

They foresee the evolution of global supply chain efficiency through the adoption of item level EPC-enabled RFID technology, which will foster innovation, improve business processes and enhance consumer experiences.

EPC-enabled RFID has quickly evolved from a technology worth piloting to one that's proven at the retail level and throughout the supply chain. The numerous studies, pilots and production systems that have been executed over the past few years have produced one consistent thing: results.

Now is the time to find our voice as an industry in order to raise awareness of - and respect for - the value of standards-driven RFID technology in the retail supply chain.

The Item Level RFID initiative is open to members and affiliates interested in becoming involved in this exciting and strategic juncture in retail history.

Mission of the Item Level RFID Initiative

The Item Level RFID Initiative aims to establish a course of action for adoption of EPC-enabled RFID technology throughout the retail supply chain.

Vision of the Item Level RFID Initiative

They foresee the evolution of global supply chain efficiency through the adoption of item level EPC-enabled RFID technology, which will foster innovation, improve business processes and enhance consumer experiences.

Goals of the Item Level RFID Initiative

Develop collaborative and measurable value propositions for retailers, suppliers, consumers and other stakeholders.

Continue to develop business applications and best practices around standards-based RFID that demonstrate the impact of EPC-enabled RFID technology on processes and products within the global supply chain.

Define a strategy for the phased introduction of item level RFID technology where appropriate in the global supply chain.

Publish and promote standards-based guidelines – and a roadmap – to support industry adoption and assurance that RFID-related technology investments will be sustainable.

Reinforce the importance of the responsible use of the technology in protecting consumer privacy.

Promote awareness of the benefits of item level tagging with external and internal audiences - media, consumers, employees and policy makers.

Here are a few of the organizatins / associations involved in the initiative at this time. The list of companies involved my grow or shrink over time...

VICS : VICS' vision for the future is a world in which products move through the Global Supply Chain, seamlessly and efficiently, maximizing value for manufacturers, retailers and suppliers. To achieve this, they engage communities of interest to sit in open, safe forums to develop standard business guidelines based on real-world needs and processes.

GS1 US : GS1 US™, a not-for-profit member-driven organization, administers the U.P.C. and develops worldwide standards and solutions for identification numbers, data carriers, electronic commerce, and global data synchronization. More than 200,000 GS1 US member companies now use open, global GS1 Standards to optimize their value chains and business processes. The first U.P.C. barcode was scanned in 1974, changing the way the grocery industry conducted business. Today, the standards behind the barcode have grown into the global GS1 System, used by more than 1 million companies doing business in 150 countries across more than 20 industries. In the United States, the GS1 System administrator is GS1 US.

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) : The CSCMP Board of Directors is responsible for voting on the mission, vision, and goals of CSCMP on an annual basis. With the board coming directly from the field of SCM, their understanding of the needs and wants of CSCMP members creates an organizational structure with the return result of CSCMP providing unparalleled service based on what is best for the supply chain professional and the advancement of their career.

National Retail Federation (NRF) : As the world's largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, the National Retail Federation's global membership includes retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution as well as chain restaurants and industry partners from the U.S. and more than 45 countries abroad. Under NRF's retail umbrella, sit 4 association groups including: the Association for Retail Technology Standards, the National Council of Chain Restaurants, the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association and Shop.org.

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) :is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Learn more about AAFA on Apparel Search at the American Apparel & Footwear Association page.

Learn about other fashion associations that may or may not be involved at this time in the Item Level RFID initiative.

Learn more about RFID for Fashion in the Apparel Search in the RFID section. Learn some of the RFID definitions or research RFID labels, RFID Label Machinery, RFID Label Readers, etc.

You may find the following links of interest:

If you are interested in technology issues relevant to fashion, you may want to check the fashion technology section on Apparel Search.

Well, I hope that my fashion industry blog about the Item Level RFID Initiative has been of help to you.

If you know more information about the Item Level RFID Initiative or RFID for the fashion industry in general, please post your comments in the comment section below.