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.
Multiple Challenges Are Reshaping the Apparel Industry
Unlike previous market cycles, where manufacturers dealt with one major issue at a time, today’s environment requires companies to respond to several challenges simultaneously.
These include:
- Rising raw material and production costs
- Labor shortages
- Supply chain volatility
- Fluctuating consumer demand
- Increasing sustainability expectations
- Shorter lead-time requirements from global brands
At the same time, international brands expect greater transparency across their manufacturing networks while demanding faster delivery and higher production flexibility.
Traditional Manufacturing Models Are Under Pressure
Habib believes many apparel manufacturers still depend on fragmented software systems, manual reporting and disconnected production processes.
As a result, critical production issues are often identified too late, increasing costs and affecting delivery performance.
Without real-time operational visibility, factories are forced to react instead of anticipate.
Digital Transformation Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
According to Habib, the manufacturers achieving the strongest performance today are those investing in digital transformation.
Connected production systems allow management teams to access accurate, real-time information, enabling faster and better-informed decisions throughout the manufacturing process.
Rather than relying on historical reports, companies can identify production bottlenecks immediately and take corrective action before problems become costly.
AI Is Supporting Smarter Manufacturing
Artificial intelligence is also becoming an important part of apparel manufacturing.
By combining AI with connected production data, manufacturers can improve planning accuracy, optimize resource utilization, increase productivity and strengthen supply chain performance.
Instead of replacing people, these technologies help managers make faster, more informed decisions based on reliable data.
Looking Ahead
For apparel manufacturers, digital transformation is no longer simply an innovation project—it is becoming a business necessity.
Companies that invest in connected data, real-time visibility and intelligent decision-making tools will be better positioned to improve operational efficiency, meet customer expectations and remain competitive in an increasingly demanding global market.
