Some people have asked me why I call our group the Apparel 4.0 Revolution instead of an evolution. As you all know, evolution implies gradual, step-by-step progress, enhancing existing systems over time as part of a continuous improvement culture. However, the apparel industry remains heavily labor-dependent, driven by the number of pieces sold rather than true manufacturing excellence. It lacks engineered, optimized systems and dynamic, disruption-free strategies with role-based engagement.
For the past two decades, problems have been accumulating. Where has the real evolution been? Beyond capacity expansion, technology investments, and isolated performance enhancements, the industry has seen only superficial changes, enough to satisfy buyers but not to strengthen the bottom line. Massive challenges persist, and yet the industry remains stuck in the past. With this stagnant management approach and the mounting pressures of Industry 4.0, how can we expect the sector to rise? This is why we call for a revolution—a rapid transformation that breaks away from the past. It means breaking free from outdated mindsets, disrupted manufacturing systems, experience-driven performance, and misleading decisions.
It demands radical shifts in thinking, replacing obsolete beliefs with dynamic leadership and reengineering manufacturing systems to align with the future of true industrial excellence. Only then can apparel manufacturing fit within the global vision of next-generation production. So, how long will it take for the industry to elevate itself? I do not believe the industry as a whole will react quickly and revolutionize apparel manufacturing.
However, there will always be forward-thinking apparel groups that recognize urgent shifts and the potential for competitive advantage—these will take the lead. Meanwhile, the market, demand, and technology are evolving at a pace far beyond the industry’s outdated Industry 3.0 mindset. Those who cling to the status quo will inevitably face fierce local and regional competition. In the long run, there will always be winners and losers. Those who delay will be forced to act when it’s already too late.
This reminds me of the 1990s in Canada when we faced overwhelming competition from mass-production giants in China and the Philippines. We made the bold decision to shut down our main factory—not as a failure, but as a strategy to rebuild. We adapted a quick-response methodology - not by copying Toyota, but by creating our own. That shift allowed us to rise victorious, competing on multiple fronts for specific products and sustaining success to this day. Sometimes, breaking away from the past is the only way forward. The industry needs a NextGen of warriors to rise and lead. Welcome to the revolution of Apparel 4.0.
