How do we do mass production in a textile company?
If we were to ask someone outside the clothing industry how they imagine a company that produces clothes is structured, they would most likely answer that there is a group of tailors and seamstresses developing garment by garment. This model worked in the early 20th century; however, nowadays the most advanced companies develop garments in series, optimizing operations. A modern clothing company like GDI Uniforms is more like a company in the automotive sector, where there are different production lines, each dedicated to the development and manufacture of a specific model. But in a context as diversified as the textile industry is today, is it still possible to execute a production plan effectively? Is it still possible to organize production plans for one or more production lines simultaneously? Or could those plans be thwarted? Mass production has been transforming over time, especially in recent years. For example, in the 70s or 80s, it was common to talk about large orders, while today companies find themselves managing thousands of micro-orders at the same time and an infinite number of models, some even unique and not to be repeated. Because of all this, the complexity of production management, whether internal or external, has multiplied exponentially, and everything seems to indicate that this trend will not stop. If yesterday production planning consisted simply of standardizing each line for a certain time, with models and colors that changed very occasionally, today proper planning involves agile vertical and horizontal integrations between the various production units. So, what needs to be done to plan and organize productive resources? An effective Production Planning and Control System must: Efficiency and effectiveness in these activities depends, above all, on having reliable data readily available, promptly filed, classified, and on the instruments used to collect them, for example, histories, time and motion studies, etc. Now, the production area has to be integrated with the commercial area and vice versa, managing to communicate in the same language and with the same timing. Integrating production with the commercial function usually means: Finally, optimizing production is a complex and constantly changing argument, depending on the lines where it is to be implemented. However, there are established and improvement routes, which include well-identified actions. Small lines are easier to work on and allow for faster and more effective intervention. Meanwhile, the larger and more complex lines have to be broken down and each of the following points addressed: Conduct a thorough analysis of the method and the resources available: Labor, Machinery, etc. Provide timely feedback to the production line, helping to plan in the most effective way. At GDI we have evolved, improving our processes to become what we are, a world-class textile company. Our Production department consists of a group of Human, Material and Intangible Resources that collaborate in synergy to achieve all our goals. The main function of the production manager is to lead all these resources, with our continuous focus on satisfying each of our business partners. Our Production Area is ready to start projecting your corporate image to each of your clients. Come closer to us and together let's build the best project for you! Roberto Moro – Production Manager of GDI Grupo Diamante Internacional
Circular Economy, a challenge for the textile sector
We live in a world of constant change, in every sense; people, companies, climate, processes, trends, concepts, etc… Evolving is necessary and beneficial if we approach it in the right way. And for those of us who dedicate ourselves to creating/producing, it is no exception. Currently, production in a company is based on a cycle where raw materials are transformed into products, marketed, and then discarded. At GDI, we have adopted the concept of Sustainability as part of our core values. We seek to go beyond recycling and reusing materials, implementing actions in recent years to achieve a Circular Economy. In other words, produce, use, and throw away? No! Our approach is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. “The circular economy advocates using as many biodegradable materials as possible in the manufacture of consumer goods that can return to nature without causing environmental damage when they reach the end of their useful life. In cases where it is not possible to use eco-friendly materials, the objective will be to facilitate a simple decoupling to give them a new life by reincorporating them into the production cycle and composing a new piece. When that is not possible, it will be recycled in an environmentally friendly way.” Some of the principles of the circular economy that we already implement in our operation are: Reuse: reusing certain waste or parts of it, which can still be used to make new products. Repair: giving broken products a second life. Recycling: using materials found in waste. But you might ask: how do you apply it? Which products have it? Well, a few years ago we started with the dream of contributing more and we began with research, tests, many tests with which we achieved extremely valuable processes that we are proud of: Garments made with recyclable material. This consists of the development of garments with fabrics made from PET bottles; it is one of the most convenient ways to recycle plastic bottles and prevent their accumulation. At GDI we produce an average of 230,000 garments annually with 50% PET, which represents the recycling of more than 688,000 PET bottles. Regeneration: Development of new garments with fabrics obtained from the recycling of clothing that has gone through a circular system. At GDI we produce an average of 68,000 regenerated trousers annually using fabrics from recycled garments. Also within this process, through our garment destruction program designed to protect our clients' brands, as part of our care for the environment, the material resulting from said destruction is reprocessed to generate new by-products: Fabrics for carpets, yarns for upholstery, among other things. At GDI, we strive to minimize our environmental impact with eco-friendly products and processes, reducing energy consumption and improving the environmental quality of our processes through sound resource management. Today, given the times we are living in, it is more important to reflect on the fact that we do not live in isolation. We share the same air, the same planet, and therefore, everything you or I do has a ripple effect. This is our small contribution as a responsible company, as the GDI family, for you, for me. Get in touch with us and together we'll develop a program that protects your corporate image and makes you part of this cycle for the environment! Liliana Jiménez Figueroa – Senior Account Executive by GDI
GDI Uniforms joins the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.
The US The Cotton Trust Protocol sets a standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It provides quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements about the production of responsibly grown cotton and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics. US cotton UU. has focused on sustainability for decades. According to Field to Market data, over the past 35 years cotton has increased land use efficiency by 31% while reducing soil loss by 44%, water consumption by 82%, energy expenditure by 38%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 30%. Although cotton has told its sustainability story and highlighted its decreasing environmental impact, more and more brands and department stores are demanding industry-wide standards and independent verifications. To address this growing concern, the U.S. cotton industry UU. structured and created the US The Cotton Trust Protocol defines new standards for sustainably grown cotton and the continuous improvement of that sustainability, which will be measured and verified by a third party. The cotton industry of the US UU. It invests more than $100 million annually in scientific research to continue developing the most advanced tools needed to reduce its environmental footprint. These technologies help producers save money while protecting and even improving the environment. The goal of the Trust Protocol is to help brands and department stores communicate this progress to end consumers. The Trust Protocol has a four-step process: The standards are about defining sustainability goals for the cotton industry. By 2025, the North American cotton industry aims to increase land use efficiency by 13% and soil carbon by 20%, while simultaneously reducing soil loss by 50%, water consumption by 18%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 39%. The measurement includes the voluntary affiliation of US cotton producers. UU. to measure and keep track of its environmental impact. The purpose of the U.S. cotton industry UU. It is to affiliate half of the cotton producers by 2025. Verification will involve the participation of internationally recognized external verification organizations to monitor progress towards the goals. Finally, the USCTP will be the only cotton sustainability organization able to provide annual, quantifiable, and verifiable information to track sustainability progress. Therefore, the Trust Protocol supports and verifies the progress of US cotton, through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Choosing Trust Protocol cotton gives brands and retailers the fundamental assurances they need that the cotton fiber element in their supply chain is grown more sustainably with less environmental and social risk. Finally, the US The Cotton Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors, comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society, and independent sustainability experts. As well as by the cotton farming industry, including producers, ginners, traders, wholesalers and cooperatives, factories and cotton seed managers. At GDI Uniforms we are very pleased to join the US Cotton Trust Protocol. Through this effort we guarantee that the cotton used in our products comes from a sustainable supply chain. In addition to complying with environmental, labor, safety and health regulations in US cotton farming.
Eco-Fashion: A Trend in the Textile Industry
Sustainable fashion, also known as slow fashion, encompasses all clothing, shoes, and accessories whose manufacturing processes are environmentally friendly. While the priority in 2020 was combating Covid-3, the fashion agenda for 2021 is now focused on sustainability. The fashion sector is accelerating changes that will make it more environmentally and socially sustainable. This is one of the most urgent and ambitious goals in the industry, as, having been considered one of the most polluting businesses worldwide, change has become imminent due to the current state of the ecosystem. There are three key elements to sustainable fashion: Awareness and the desire to create change have been gradually growing in both Europe and the United States, and are gaining significant traction in Latin America as well. In Latin America, the cultural richness and artisanal techniques of each country are taking center stage, not only to celebrate them nationally and internationally, but also as a key component in generating business models with more ethical and sustainable fashion. These models can compete with fast fashion, which is increasingly losing ground among more committed and informed consumers. For a garment to be considered sustainable, it must meet certain criteria, such as environmentally friendly production and/or the use of natural or organic materials, like cotton, algae, bamboo, natural dyes, and so on. Many of the materials most commonly used by the fashion industry today face challenges such as resource scarcity, rising costs, and limited recyclability. Many factors must be considered to determine a material's sustainability. Two of these are renewability and the source of a fiber. For the sake of our planet, there are already new materials that require fewer resources for their manufacture and have longer life cycles, and which are being used by large companies. At GDI, we strive to make our garments environmentally friendly, which is why we seek to make them mostly from cotton and linen, working with suppliers who are committed to environmental stewardship. GDI has joined the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, guaranteeing that the cotton used in our products comes from a sustainable supply chain. We care about your image, quality, and comfort without neglecting the environment.