MADE TO LAST: FROM INNOVATION TO AUTOMATION
Arzee International offers a swift full-service operation for creating “premium basics.”
Fashion is moving fast. And to cater to the growing needs and desires of the modern consumer, brands must consistently churn out trendy, seasonless styles to retain shoppers’ loyalty and interest. And companies such as Arzee International, a global sourcing, product development and manufacturing firm, provides a full service operation for its clients that span from emerging designers to national brands, focusing exclusively on creating apparel that’s made to last.
Its wide-ranging operations – that include product development, sourcing of raw materials, sampling, bulk production and the complete manufacturing process – presents an efficient framework that can help the industry advance toward a swift, sustainable and responsible business model. Centered on “premium basics,” the firm has offices and showrooms in New York City and Los Angeles, with manufacturing centers located worldwide.
Ryan Zimmerman, founder of Arzee International, told WWD, “We have not changed the fashion industry; [the industry] has already turned the corner. We understand the factors that are driving and reshaping fashion and the direction the industry is headed. As a result, we organically shifted from a Los Angeles based cut-and-sew manufacturer to a global full-service partner that recognizes the importance of agile manufacturing from development to final production.”
Back to Basics
Arzee International, “the name behind the seams” as it cleverly states, said it takes a “blank canvas” approach to working with clients. “We work with internationally recognized brands that are looking to revamp a product category to start-up designers. We’ve found those that are not just authentic and cool, but are engaged and do it well, design truly desirable product that best align with our commercialization capabilities and expertise,” Zimmerman said.
With its niche focus on the staple pieces of a wardrobe, the firm designs basics by using “silhouettes” that can be easily modified in its automated manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles and Morocco, which enable fast development and design processes. Zimmerman noted that Morocco is home to some of the best tanneries in the world, and boasts a prominent leather and outerwear market. “Our modern manufacturing facilities invested in speed, efficiency, and sustainably through upgrades in machinery and technology. We focused on improvements in digitization, automation, and smaller-batch runs. The higher level of flexibility facilitates anything from in-season reactivations for smaller brands to on-demand replen- ishments for private label programs,” Zimmerman told WWD.
The firm is primed for a market that is healthy, and ready: The global apparel industry has been growing at an almost 5 percent yearly rate since 2011. Valued at nearly $1.4 trillion in 2017, the market is projected to see almost 6 percent yearly growth until 2020. By 2020, it is anticipated that the apparel industry will reach $1.65 trillion sales worldwide, all according to research by MarketLine. The numbers indicate overconsumption and a throwaway economy: the perils and unintended consequences from creating low cost, low quality apparel.
Speedy and Sustainable
And the fashion industry’s recent and dramatic changes due to tax policy reforms that have shifted where brands are manufacturing was an opportunity for the firm to deepen its international growth. Zimmerman told WWD, “The steep tariffs in China are a great opportunity for brands to revisit how to better position their supply chain. While on-shoring and carrying a coveted Made in USA label has boosted our domestic cut-and-sew operations, the change in the tariff regulations have made brands that heavily relied on Chinese factories lose their final reason to remain, cost.”
As a result of these industry tremors, emerging manufacturing hubs such as Morocco have grown in appeal. “Northern Africa is a location we feel strongly about in terms of an attractive alternative for the future of manufacturing. In fact, we have established a partnership with a state-of-the-art leather and denim facility in Morocco. The machinery is top-notch, the technicians are highly skilled, with competitive costing and sharp minimums.”
Zimmerman continued, “There are no duties to ship to the U. S., shipments to the East Coast takes 12 to 15 days, and the materials can be sourced from the best European tanneries and mills. The options, flexibility, and speed in which brands will be delivering custom high quality product from development to door is unparalleled.”
And Arzee’s ability to quickly react to trends – the firm can design and deliver new product within four to six weeks – is transforming end to end production timelines, especially given how consumer demands and expectations have changed from social media. Zimmerman said the average person “spends nearly three hours a day on their smart device for video streaming, social media, or online shopping. Influencers and consumers have the highest impact on what product is cool – and desirable.”
We work with everyone from internationally recognized brands that are looking to revamp a product category, to start
up designers.”
RYAN ZIMMERMAN, FOUNDER OF ARZEE
INTERNATIONAL