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Open Access Published by De Gruyter Open Access November 12, 2012

The knit on demand supply chain

  • Jonas Larsson EMAIL logo , Joel Peterson and Heikki Mattila
From the journal Autex Research Journal

The knit on demand supply chain

As customers’ tastes become more differentiated, so must companies’ offerings evolve. The demand for variety may soon become unmanageable, and several companies are addressing this trend by adopting a system of mass customization. One project, Knit on Demand, has been conducted by the Swedish School of Textiles in close collaboration with a knitting company and a retailer of tailored fashion in Stockholm. Production and sales of customized products pose logistical challenges for the companies involved, including the one-piece flow through almost the entire supply chain and the demand for short lead times in an otherwise slow environment, adding to the cost of manufacturing mass customized garments. Customization has logistical benefits such as minimised inventory; hence, high inventory turnover and the possibility of fast response to meet customer demand. The Knit on Demand concept can be considered as leagile because it comprises both lean and agile components. It is lean in the manufacturing stage upstream and agile downstream to better respond to customer demand on the market.

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Published Online: 2012-11-12

This content is open access.

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