Timing in Textile and Fashion Industry

Products are planned and produced well ahead of retail selling seasons in all areas of the textile and clothing industries. In August, and even july, autumn clothing appears in the shops. Before this clothing can be designed, fabrics must be designed and shown to clothing manufacturers, and orders placed, produced and delivered. Before then, new yarns and sometimes even new fibres must be developed. The schedule and amount of time necessary fro all of these steps are dependent on the amount of change occurring in the product, the volume being produced and the efficiency fo the producing companies. At a minimum, textiles are usually designed a year to a year and half in front of the retail season.

Major changes such as the development of a completely new type of fabric will take even longer.

SEASONAL RANGES

Manufacturers producing for the fashion industry will normally launch two main ranges of year, for the selling seasons Spring / Summer and Autumn / Winter. Sometimes, mid season ranges are also produced. Manufacturers of furnishing fabrics and household textiles normally produce one main range per year. In every segment of the market, the higher volume manufacturers work further ahead of the retail season than the companies producing lower volumes (at the higher end of the market). Generally smaller operations do not require the long lead times that are necessary for large volume production runs.