As the fashion industry moves towards “the next normal,” transformation is more important than ever to secure the industry’s future. Many U.S. brands are rethinking their supply chain strategy and exploring the idea of onshoring for more oversight and control over their production.
In time for Manufacturing Day, we caught up with Jennifer Evans, the Founder and Owner of The Evans Group (TEG), the manufacturing facility with locations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, to learn more about how her recent business expansion could help designers scale their business as well as her perspective on supply chain transparency and the hurdles associated with onshoring production.
Can you tell us a bit about the expansion of The Evans Group (TEG)? What benefits do you see TEG providing designers?
We had planned to finally begin a (long-awaited) expansion early this year, but those plans were quickly paused as our facility was closed due to shelter-in-place. The decision then became, do we postpone or forgo the expansion due to the unknown state of the fashion industry as a result of COVID-19? Ultimately, I decided to find the opportunity in the unknown and embrace the phrase “never waste a good crisis.” I used the ample time from the mandated closure to our benefit by completing a significant expansion, not only in our physical space, but also in our team, improved systems, technology, and internal processes. It was a complete overhaul integrating our tried and true methods with new and improved solutions. In short, the leap of faith paid off and we are thriving. It is our mission to be a partner to fashion designers and brands like never before.
We are now a full-service design firm, not just a vertical sewing factory. That means we offer creative services ranging from merchandise planning and mood boards, to flat drawings and line sheets, to global fabric and trim sourcing, and of course, product development and production. These services cater to everyone, whether a designer is just starting out or a brand is looking to outsource a specific role.
We now have the flexibility to tailor our high-quality services to the designer’s specific needs. This may mean providing a unique solution for an established brand, like creating a customized sewing modular for their brand’s online orders. Or, providing full-service creative planning and strategy services to a start-up looking for an integrated solution as they learn the ropes. Or, either category doing a deep dive into their sustainability and mapping out ways to improve or start with best practices in place.
And of course, designers get to have their collection developed by some of the best pattern makers and sample makers in the world who work at TEG.
How has the industry’s attitude toward supply chain transparency evolved over the last five years?
The Evans Group started as a social enterprise, 15 years ago, aimed at preserving domestic, living-wage jobs and promoting craftsmanship. We trained workers from mass production facilities to sew high-end apparel in small volumes to achieve this in a vertically integrated setting. These core values continue to be the foundation of our business today. Since the beginning, both independent and large brands showed immense interest in what we were building, and we would have countless conversations with designers and brands wanting to onshore or improve sustainability or supply chain transparency, but at the time, it was outside of their reality to actually implement these practices. Ultimately the consumer would win, and large brands had to compete for price.
It is exciting to see supply chain transparency gaining more focus and discussion in the last five years, with consumer values shifting and larger brands starting to find ways to implement these practices. I do believe, however, there is still a lot of work to be done before things are truly transparent. With so many layers of outsourced contractors, the constant quest for low-cost labor, and the challenges this industry faces that hinder progression, it will be quite a feat to become fully transparent, if they do. Luxury brands are leading the way, in the last five years in particular, and are finding excellent answers to do so, which is great and reassuring to see. Unfortunately, the majority of fashion is not in this market.
Interestingly, I believe small designers have long held this important value, it is just being shown in a new light. Since our start, we have been asked to incorporate accessories into markers,
re-work vintage or previous collections for resale, collect all scraps for re-use, or other strategies to support a sustainable supply chain. These were not necessarily requested for marketability, it was just a way of life and a decision made by designers on how they wanted to build their brand from day one.
What challenges do you see designers facing today as it relates to onshoring or increasing domestic production in 2020?
Generally, the largest challenge we see is around the development of designs. This is usually included in overseas manufacturing, so brands are not equipped with their own patterns to fulfill domestically when a quick pivot is needed. Going back in the process and recreating these, or investing in new development to produce domestically, can come as a sticker shock to these onshoring brands.
The benefits overall far outweigh this, but the transition can be a challenge. We had many inquiries from brands attempting a quick pivot due to COVID-19 closures overseas, and it was a challenge for them to make this change effectively. It takes planning and re-working of teams and processes to onshore production, even in the best circumstances, but more so during a global pandemic. The good news is that eventually, the overall costs balance out and the business can operate in a far better and more efficient manner.
What is your advice to overcome these challenges?
Keep the big picture in mind and strategize to make the move realistic. It may require two to three seasons or years before the move can be made effectively. It may require pivoting to increase direct-to-consumer sales and phasing out or reducing wholesale, in an effort to afford the domestic costs. This takes time to implement but is such a valuable investment into the future.
