Coats Digital’s Haytham Habib explains why data, AI and real-time visibility are becoming the industry’s most valuable assets
The global apparel industry is experiencing one of its most challenging periods in decades. Rising production costs, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, unpredictable demand and increasing sustainability requirements are no longer isolated challenges—they are happening simultaneously.
According to Haytham Habib, Sales Director for EMEA & Americas at Coats Digital, manufacturers that continue relying on traditional production methods are finding it increasingly difficult to remain competitive.
Speaking to Kohan Textile Journal, Habib explained that today’s apparel manufacturers are under pressure not only to reduce costs but also to become faster, more flexible and more transparent in every stage of production.
Q1. What is currently the biggest challenge facing apparel manufacturers worldwide?
The apparel industry is operating in one of its most complex periods in decades, with manufacturers facing multiple pressures at the same time rather than in cycles.
Rising input costs, labour challenges, supply chain volatility, fluctuating demand and increasing sustainability expectations are all converging. At the same time, global brands are demanding faster lead times, greater flexibility and improved transparency across production networks.
This combination is placing significant strain on traditional manufacturing models, many of which still rely on fragmented systems, manual processes and delayed reporting.
As a result, the biggest challenges today are around operational efficiency, decision-making speed and accuracy. Manufacturers that lack real-time visibility often react too late to issues, which impacts cost, delivery performance and ultimately competitiveness.
The organisations that are adapting most effectively are those investing in digital transformation — enabling connected data, real-time insights and more proactive decision-making across production and supply chain operations.
Q2. Türkiye has become an increasingly important sourcing hub for global brands. What opportunities do you see for Turkish manufacturers over the next five years?
Türkiye is extremely well positioned within the evolving global sourcing landscape.
Its proximity to European markets, strong industrial base and experienced workforce make it a natural choice for brands prioritising speed, responsiveness and reduced lead times. As supply chains continue to regionalise, Türkiye’s role as a nearshoring hub is likely to strengthen further.
In addition, Turkish manufacturers are increasingly being asked to support more complex requirements — smaller order quantities, faster replenishment cycles and greater flexibility in production planning.
This creates a significant opportunity, but also raises the bar in terms of operational efficiency and digital maturity.
The manufacturers that will benefit most are those that can combine their inherent geographic advantage with investment in productivity, data visibility and digital tools that support faster, more informed decision-making.
Q3. What advice would you give to apparel manufacturers in Türkiye, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging global market?
Competitiveness today is no longer defined solely by cost, but by productivity, responsiveness and reliability.
Manufacturers in these regions have a strong foundation, but face increasing global competition and rising customer expectations. To remain competitive, there are three key focus areas.
First is productivity — improving efficiency through better planning, standardised processes and reduced operational waste remains one of the most direct ways to protect margins.
Second is visibility — many factories still operate with fragmented or delayed data. Improving access to real-time operational information enables faster, more accurate decisions.
Third is agility — the ability to respond quickly to changes in demand, supply chain disruptions or production issues is becoming a key differentiator.
Digitalisation is a critical enabler across all three areas, but it must be combined with strong operational discipline and a culture of continuous improvement.
Q4. Rising costs continue to challenge manufacturers across the region. How can factories improve profitability without compromising quality or delivery performance?
Rising costs are a structural challenge across the industry, particularly in labour, energy and raw materials. However, improving profitability does not always require cost reduction alone.
A significant opportunity lies in improving productivity and reducing inefficiencies within existing operations. This includes better production planning, more accurate costing, improved line balancing and reduced downtime.
Another key area is decision-making speed. Delays in identifying issues such as production bottlenecks or inefficiencies often lead to avoidable cost impacts. Improving visibility across operations allows manufacturers to intervene earlier and minimise disruption.
Ultimately, profitability improvement comes from doing more with existing resources, not simply cutting costs.
Q5. What are the most important trends shaping the future of apparel manufacturing — especially with regards to technology?
Several key trends are shaping the future of apparel manufacturing.
AI is moving from theory to practical application, particularly in areas such as decision support, predictive analytics and knowledge management. The focus is shifting from experimentation to measurable operational value.
Data is becoming a strategic asset. Manufacturers are increasingly looking to connect production, supply chain and commercial data to create a unified view of performance and enable faster decisions.
Sustainability is also becoming more closely linked to operational efficiency. Reducing waste, improving resource utilisation and optimising production processes are now both environmental and commercial priorities.
Finally, the concept of smart factories is becoming more tangible, with real-time visibility and digital workflows enabling more responsive and agile manufacturing environments.
Q6. Artificial intelligence is one of the most discussed technologies in manufacturing today. Where do you see AI delivering the greatest value for apparel manufacturers?
AI delivers the most value in manufacturing when it is applied to decision-making rather than simply automation.
One of the most significant opportunities is in turning large volumes of operational data into actionable insight. Many manufacturers already collect vast amounts of information, but struggle to interpret it quickly enough to support timely decisions.
AI can help identify patterns, highlight performance drivers and surface insights that would otherwise be difficult to detect manually. It can also support faster access to information through natural language interfaces, allowing teams to interact with data more intuitively.
Importantly, AI should be seen as a decision-support tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. The combination of operational experience and AI-driven insight is where the greatest value is realised.
Q7. Many manufacturers have invested in digital tools, yet still struggle to unlock value from their data. Why is this the case?
The challenge is rarely a lack of data, but rather a lack of connection, structure and usability.
Many manufacturers operate with multiple disconnected systems across production, planning, finance and supply chain. While each system may generate data, it is often not integrated in a way that supports real-time decision-making.
In addition, data is frequently retrospective rather than actionable. By the time information is consolidated and reported, the opportunity to respond may already have passed.
The key is not simply collecting more data, but ensuring that it is accessible, contextualised and delivered in a way that supports operational decisions in real time.
This is where many organisations are now focusing their transformation efforts.
Q8. How important is real-time visibility in today’s apparel supply chains?
Real-time visibility has become essential in today’s apparel supply chains.
With increasing volatility in demand and supply, delays in information often translate directly into delays in action. Without timely visibility, manufacturers risk inefficiencies, missed delivery windows and reduced customer satisfaction.
Real-time operational intelligence allows teams to monitor performance continuously, identify issues early and respond proactively rather than reactively.
It also enables better collaboration across functions, ensuring that production, planning and commercial teams are working from the same source of truth.
In an environment where speed and accuracy are critical, visibility is no longer optional — it is a core requirement for competitiveness.
Q9. Coats Digital continues to focus on helping apparel manufacturers improve performance through digitalisation, data-driven decision-making and AI-powered innovation. Can you tell us more about your latest solutions?
One of our most significant recent developments is AI Analytics, a new capability that enables manufacturers to transform production, supply chain and sales data into real-time business intelligence. Rather than relying on static dashboards and retrospective reporting, users can access live operational insights, generate automated reports and interact with data using natural language queries to obtain instant answers.
Alongside this, our established GSDCost solution continues to play a vital role in helping manufacturers and brands establish scientifically accurate Standard Minute Values (SMVs), improve costing accuracy, optimise production methods and support more effective line balancing and capacity planning.
We have also recently introduced GSDQuest, an AI-powered knowledge platform that captures and digitises decades of GSD methodology expertise, making it instantly accessible across the organisation.
In addition, FastReactPlan, our advanced production planning and scheduling solution, continues to help manufacturers improve agility and responsiveness by enabling real-time visibility across orders, capacity and production constraints.
Across the entire Coats Digital portfolio, our objective is to provide manufacturers with the digital tools, operational intelligence and AI-powered capabilities needed to improve efficiency, increase productivity, reduce waste and enhance profitability.
Q10. Looking ahead, what will distinguish the most successful apparel manufacturers from the rest?
The most successful apparel manufacturers will be those that combine operational excellence with digital intelligence.
They will have the ability to access real-time data, make faster and more informed decisions, and continuously optimise performance across production and supply chain operations.
Equally important will be their ability to adapt — whether to changing customer demands, supply chain disruption or evolving sustainability requirements.
Technology will be a key enabler, but success will ultimately depend on how effectively organisations combine people, processes and data to create a culture of continuous improvement and agility.
Those that achieve this balance will be best positioned to compete in an increasingly complex and fast-moving global market.
