Technology of Clothing Manufacture
"However, we have succeeded in building a sustainable advantage by, first, manufacturing the best top-end technical adventure clothing using the latest production technology and, second, by focusing on high efficiency in ...
Technology of Clothing Manufacture
02 Nov 2012 13:30 - Teigue Payne In the low-margin and the seemingly endless decline of the South African sector because of imports -- the K-Way brand is a positive story.
The K-Way clothing factory in Ottery, Cape Town, employs 190 people and the local cut, make and trim factories to which it subcontracts some production employ about 100 people. That is small compared to the mainstream clothing factories, but the difference is that K-Way has been employing more people in the past few years, not less.
Mainstream clothing factories have been shedding labour because of rising imports from Asian countries, which enjoy low labour costs, large production runs and subsidies.
Andre Labuschaigne, chief executive of Cape Union Mart, said imported products were generally "low-complexity products with all value-add removed and we cannot compete with them on price alone without sacrificing quality.
"However, we have succeeded in building a sustainable advantage by, first, manufacturing the best top-end technical adventure clothing using the latest production technology and, second, by focusing on high efficiency in operations."
Labuschaigne said K-Way's "lean" manufacturing programme meant that rates of returns for repairs had plummeted, as had rejects. Absenteeism had also fallen, efficiency levels had risen and employment opportunities had increased by 8% over the past five years.
Having an integrated manufacturing and retail setup is another reason for the company's success. When shopper demand for a certain colour or cut of garment rises, production can be switched to supplying that within days. Although the group is less linked to the current trend towards "quick fashion" than more fashion-orientated retailers, its vertical integration means that its stores are less likely than other retailers to be out of stock of K-Way products.
Labuschaigne said K-Way had invested to enhance its design and production capabilities – R5-million was recently spent on equipment and machinery and factory extensions. K-Way has also done design innovations for technically advanced garments that can withstand harsh weather conditions. For instance, it was the first manufacturer in Africa to introduce sew-free technology that allowed it to make waterproof seamed-seal clothing.
Increased mechanisation has meant that job opportunities have increased more slowly than sales, but it has also resulted in adding to the skills of staff. Mechanisation has increased in the design and cutting stages with the help of an advanced laser machine, but thereafter sewing and sew-free production are still mainly manual.
Like most of the surviving clothing companies in the Western Cape, K-Way bought out the assets of clothing companies as then-famous names were failing.
Cape Union Mart was established in 1933, but in about 1980 Arthur Krawitz, the second-generation leader of the business, decided it needed to secure its own sources of local supply and in 1981 it acquired the Hepworths manufacturing operation.
Labuschaigne said incentives from the national government had helped the company to buy machinery, and the Western Cape government's Cape clothing and textile cluster initiative had been important in gaining shared knowledge.
Labuschaigne said the clothing industry was still a tough one, even for K-Way, but the lesson seemed to be that smaller, more focused and better-integrated clothing production can be a route to success.
Economic week ahead: Metamorphoses A change in leadership in the United States and China - the world's two biggest economies - will see a transformation in fiscal and monetary policies. Foreign firms in Britain owe billions in tax Foreign companies in Britain owe around 5.5-billion pounds in taxes, figures unearthed by The Times newspaper have revealed. Agent Provocateur: Hands off our parastatals The investment world would have been up in arms by now if South African Airways were a private company, writes Fatima Hassan. Airlines return to Zimbabwe Analysts say the Zim's aviation sector is looking lucrative as international and regional carriers capitalise on the woes of Air Zimbabwe.
mixed & matched it's a kind of statement on it's own.K-Way rocks in all ways; their range is well made & innovative - it WorX, often better than imported / supposedly more high end brand labels, their gear is always comfortable, it's reasonably priced yet long lasting AND it's local.> good to see they are getting well-deserved recognition !There are also quite a few other local brands manufacturing complementary clothing which has similar qualities, from shoes to beanies & everything in between as well.
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The K-Way clothing factory in Ottery, Cape Town, employs 190 people and the local cut, make and trim factories to which it subcontracts some production employ about 100 people. That is small compared to the mainstream clothing factories, but the difference is that K-Way has been employing more people in the past few years, not less.
Mainstream clothing factories have been shedding labour because of rising imports from Asian countries, which enjoy low labour costs, large production runs and subsidies.
Andre Labuschaigne, chief executive of Cape Union Mart, said imported products were generally "low-complexity products with all value-add removed and we cannot compete with them on price alone without sacrificing quality.
"However, we have succeeded in building a sustainable advantage by, first, manufacturing the best top-end technical adventure clothing using the latest production technology and, second, by focusing on high efficiency in operations."
Labuschaigne said K-Way's "lean" manufacturing programme meant that rates of returns for repairs had plummeted, as had rejects. Absenteeism had also fallen, efficiency levels had risen and employment opportunities had increased by 8% over the past five years.
Having an integrated manufacturing and retail setup is another reason for the company's success. When shopper demand for a certain colour or cut of garment rises, production can be switched to supplying that within days. Although the group is less linked to the current trend towards "quick fashion" than more fashion-orientated retailers, its vertical integration means that its stores are less likely than other retailers to be out of stock of K-Way products.
Labuschaigne said K-Way had invested to enhance its design and production capabilities – R5-million was recently spent on equipment and machinery and factory extensions. K-Way has also done design innovations for technically advanced garments that can withstand harsh weather conditions. For instance, it was the first manufacturer in Africa to introduce sew-free technology that allowed it to make waterproof seamed-seal clothing.
Increased mechanisation has meant that job opportunities have increased more slowly than sales, but it has also resulted in adding to the skills of staff. Mechanisation has increased in the design and cutting stages with the help of an advanced laser machine, but thereafter sewing and sew-free production are still mainly manual.
Like most of the surviving clothing companies in the Western Cape, K-Way bought out the assets of clothing companies as then-famous names were failing.
Cape Union Mart was established in 1933, but in about 1980 Arthur Krawitz, the second-generation leader of the business, decided it needed to secure its own sources of local supply and in 1981 it acquired the Hepworths manufacturing operation.
Labuschaigne said incentives from the national government had helped the company to buy machinery, and the Western Cape government's Cape clothing and textile cluster initiative had been important in gaining shared knowledge.
Labuschaigne said the clothing industry was still a tough one, even for K-Way, but the lesson seemed to be that smaller, more focused and better-integrated clothing production can be a route to success.
Economic week ahead: Metamorphoses A change in leadership in the United States and China - the world's two biggest economies - will see a transformation in fiscal and monetary policies. Foreign firms in Britain owe billions in tax Foreign companies in Britain owe around 5.5-billion pounds in taxes, figures unearthed by The Times newspaper have revealed. Agent Provocateur: Hands off our parastatals The investment world would have been up in arms by now if South African Airways were a private company, writes Fatima Hassan. Airlines return to Zimbabwe Analysts say the Zim's aviation sector is looking lucrative as international and regional carriers capitalise on the woes of Air Zimbabwe.
mixed & matched it's a kind of statement on it's own.K-Way rocks in all ways; their range is well made & innovative - it WorX, often better than imported / supposedly more high end brand labels, their gear is always comfortable, it's reasonably priced yet long lasting AND it's local.> good to see they are getting well-deserved recognition !There are also quite a few other local brands manufacturing complementary clothing which has similar qualities, from shoes to beanies & everything in between as well.
Contact Us About Us Story Tip-offs Legal Ethics & Social Media Policy Comments Guidelines Advertising Rate Card Subscriptions All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
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