Amid the marble floors and plush of Medellín’s International Hotel in El Poblado, Colombia, major brands, retailers and manufacturers from the United States and South America gathered on October 18th and 19th to take part in the latest edition of PI (or for product innovation) Apparel Medellín.
Surrounded by the Andes, palm trees and lots of sunshine, the venue was the ideal backdrop for the second edition of the conference. Professionals in suits, floral dresses and linen suits flocked with coffee in hand to learn more about what technologies and practices will shape the face of Colombia’s fashion industry.
Upon entering the main hall, the theme of this year’s conference became immediately clear – how new technologies are changing production and supply chains in the fashion industry. Throughout the event, participants explored the digital evolution of the Latin American fashion industry at booths such as CLO, a leading 3D design software, and Swatchbook, a cloud-based materials platform. Insightful presentations from industry leaders such as Tiffany Radon of Carhartt and Isaac Korn of Perry Ellis International highlighted the impact of new technologies and their potential to promote global collaboration.
PI Apparel Medellín: where fashion meets innovation
With several US delegates flying in for the conference on Tuesday night, it is no surprise that Colombia is being eyed as the next major nearshoring center for the US. The local textile and clothing industry contributes approximately 7.7 percent of Colombia’s industrial gross domestic product, with the sector recording impressive growth in recent years. Innovations play a key role in this growth, as can be seen, for example, in Fabricato’s latest fabric. The leading textile manufacturer based in Bello was able to avoid the company’s permanent closure in 2017 and is now investing in new, innovative fabrics that meet current industry and consumer trends.
At PI Apparel, Fabricato textile consultant Francisco Mejia Azcarate introduced the company’s latest innovation – a fabric made from the fiber of pineapple leaves, obtained from local pineapple waste. Fabricato’s new cotton and pineapple fabric, which is comparable to linen, is made from pre-consumer and post-consumer waste and attracted a lot of attention from domestic brands during the two-day event, who asked many questions.
“The country’s more than 100-year-old tradition combined with cutting-edge technology, innovation and sustainable, environmentally friendly practices are just some of the features that demonstrate the strength of our textile industry and make Colombia a benchmark in design, production and distribution,” said Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia, a government agency of the Colombian executive branch in charge of promoting non-traditional Colombian exports, in a statement.
Colombia could become the next nearshoring center in the USA
Exhibitors also included Clothing Tech, an Austin, Texas-based software startup that uses groundbreaking 3D technologies to transform the apparel design and sales process to build on the strength of the local textile industry. “We have had a lot of success attending events like this, building important relationships and making new contacts in the industry,” noted Chief Commercial Officer Mark Goblirsch during the event. “The founder of our company, William Wilcox, does not come from the fashion industry. So our company isn’t rooted in the fashion industry, so we go to events like this to build those bridges and see what other innovations are out there.”
As part of a joint venture with Hexagon and other investors, Clothing Tech’s software can dramatically shorten the time from product concept to production while providing customers with a virtual try-on experience across web or mobile platforms using 3D technology. Goblirsch is primarily looking to connect with smaller brands that could benefit from leveraging 3D design across their operations, or larger, established brands that are interested in initially segmenting their software into one or two categories implement, such as pants for men or skirts for women. The company takes positive stock of PI Apparel and Clothing Tech’s continued growth in new markets. “We have received a lot of interest from brands here and abroad and have had a very positive reception so far,” adds Wilcox.
Networking, innovation and partners along the supply chain play an important role at PI Apparel Medellín
From conversations with other participants, it emerged that the mood was the same everywhere. “This is my first time at PI Apparel Medellín, but I have already given a few talks and taken part in a few PI events in New York. It is always very exciting to attend the conference as each event attracts different types of people from the industry,” explains Dr. Pat Truman, president of Global Garment Engineering, told FashionUnited. As the presenter of a talk on the second day of the conference on “How to Find Your Waistline on a 3D Avatar and What That Means,” she sees PI Medellín as a unique opportunity to forge deeper connections.
“This event is smaller than others in the United States; There are only a few exhibitors, but those who are here are very good. The stalls are clearly marked and I was able to meet and talk to lots of people. I think that’s why people come: to socialize. It’s also interesting to find out what others are doing through the presentations – but the most important thing for me is meeting people in person,” she adds.
Swatchbook, one of the exhibiting companies that has been participating in PI Apparel events around the world since 2018, agrees. It offers a revolutionary cloud platform that redefines material sourcing, development and exchange. Founder and CEO Yazan Malkosh told FashionUnited that not many other events emphasize digitalization as much as PI Apparel.
“This is the first time we have participated in a PI Apparel event in South America. It was great to get to know the participants and learn where they are in their digital transformation journey.” Malkosh sees an untapped market in Colombia and is committed to supporting local brands and manufacturers looking to expand globally with theirs platform to support. “This is an opportunity for us to connect them with our current major customers like Target or New Balance and help them grow.”
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.