How Packaging Management Software Can Help to Drive Fashion Sustainability

Change management refers to a structured process that helps companies transition smoothly from their current operations to a desired future state. This approach ensures that all stakeholders—from employees to suppliers—are aligned and that changes are implemented without disrupting business operations.

For fashion brands, change management could mean transitioning to a new digital platform—like one focused on product lifecycle management—integrating sustainable materials into product lines or responding to rapid shifts in consumer demand.

Effective change management ensures a smoother transition and a greater likelihood of success, whether the change is technological, operational, or cultural.

The fashion industry faces unique challenges that make change management particularly essential:

• Rapid Trend Cycles: Fashion brands must keep pace with ever-changing consumer trends, from shifting style preferences to the growing demand for sustainable and ethically produced goods. Managing these changes through structured processes is critical to staying competitive as production timelines and customer preferences evolve.
• Global Supply Chains: Fashion brands often rely on complex global supply chains. Any shift in these supply chains, such as a new supplier or logistics system, requires careful coordination across multiple teams and locations, making change management indispensable.
• Sustainability and Ethical Practices: With increased pressure on fashion brands to adopt sustainability practices, change management plays a key role in ensuring smooth transitions to eco-friendly materials, sustainable production methods, or circular fashion initiatives.
• Technology Adoption: Digital transformation is reshaping the fashion industry. Tools like PLM and inventory management systems can streamline operations, but these technologies require careful implementation.

An effective change management plan ensures that these cycles, processes, practices, and tools are accounted for and adopted effectively across departments, reducing friction and improving efficiency.

Successfully managing change involves a step-by-step approach. The change management process typically includes the following stages.

• Assessing the Need for Change: Fashion brands must identify the reasons behind the change before embarking on a change initiative. Is it driven by consumer demand, sustainability goals, or the need for better technology?
• Planning the Change: Once the need is established, brands must plan how to execute the change. This includes creating timelines, identifying stakeholders, and allocating resources.
• Implementing the Change: With a plan in place, the next step is implementing the change. Whether switching to sustainable packaging or adopting new software, the implementation must be carefully monitored to minimize disruptions.
• Monitoring and Adjusting: After the change is implemented, brands need to track progress. Are teams adapting well? Are there unforeseen challenges? Adjustments may be necessary to ensure the change is successful.
• Institutionalizing the Change: Once the change is in place, making it part of the brand’s culture is important. Training employees, updating processes and ensuring long-term adherence to the new systems are crucial.

A good example of this process in the fashion industry could be a brand transitioning to sustainable packaging. From adjusting supply chains to training teams on new materials, each step of the process requires careful coordination and communication.

Several change management models can help fashion brands navigate the complexities of change:

• ADKAR Model: The ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) focuses on individuals within the organization. For example, when implementing a new technology like PLM, fashion brands can use this model to ensure employees are aware of the benefits, have the desire to adopt the change, and are given the knowledge and tools they need to succeed.
• Kotter’s 8-Step Model: This model emphasizes the importance of creating urgency, forming a guiding coalition, and generating short-term wins. Fashion brands implementing sustainability initiatives can use this model to ensure leadership support, build momentum, and maintain motivation throughout the change process.

Choosing the right model depends on the nature and scope of the change.

A large-scale shift like a digital transformation might require a more structured approach like Kotter’s model, while smaller initiatives, such as adopting eco-friendly materials, could benefit from the ADKAR model.

Vendors help retailers maintain stock levels with finished products, while suppliers provide the necessary materials to manufacturers, ensuring product quality and availability. Managing relationships with both vendors and suppliers effectively is key to maintaining a streamlined, efficient product development process.

Implementing change in the fashion industry is not without its challenges, however. Some of the more common obstacles fashion brands may face during the change management process include:

• Resistance to Change: Employees and suppliers may resist new systems, technologies, or processes. Whether it’s a reluctance to adopt a new digital tool or skepticism about sustainable materials, overcoming resistance is crucial for success.
• Cultural Barriers: Fashion has long been steeped in traditional design and production practices. Changing these ingrained approaches requires a shift in mindset, which can be difficult to achieve without strong leadership and clear communication.
• Lack of Leadership: Change efforts are more likely to fail when leadership is not fully committed. Brands that successfully navigate change, such as those that have transitioned to sustainable production, often have strong leaders who drive the change forward.
• Global Teams and Coordination: Managing change across international teams, suppliers, and manufacturers adds complexity. Ensuring all stakeholders are aligned and on board with the change is a major challenge for global fashion brands.

To successfully implement change management, fashion brands can follow these high-level best practices:

• Start with a Clear Vision: Define a clear objective for the change, whether it’s improving sustainability, speeding up production cycles, or enhancing customer experience.
• Engage Employees Early: Involving employees in the change process early on can help reduce resistance and ensure they are prepared for the transition.
• Train and Support Teams: Ongoing training and support are essential, especially when implementing new technologies like PLM. Ensuring employees are well-versed in new systems increases the chances of successful adoption.
• Measure Success and Iterate: Setting benchmarks and regularly measuring the impact of the change helps brands refine their processes and improve results over time.

Change management with a clear goal, engaged team members, proper training, and practical analysis and iteration is far more likely to succeed than processes that don’t use these phases.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions can play a critical role in streamlining change management for fashion companies and ensuring changes are implemented efficiently across the entire product development cycle.

Here are some of the most impactful benefits of using a PLM platform for the change management process.

Centralized Data and Collaboration

One of the biggest challenges fashion brands face when managing change is maintaining clear communication across design, development, and production teams.

PLM systems provide a single source of truth by centralizing all product-related data, making it easy for teams to access the latest designs, specifications, and updates. This ensures that changes to a garment’s design or materials are instantly communicated to everyone involved, minimizing errors and reducing the risk of delays.

Real-Time Visibility and Control

PLM offers real-time visibility into the product development process, allowing fashion brands to track the impact of any changes across the supply chain.

This real-time insight is crucial for brands that work with multiple suppliers or operate globally, as it enables them to assess how changes in one area (like materials or design details) might affect lead times, costs, or compliance with regulations.

The ability to foresee potential bottlenecks and react accordingly helps brands avoid costly disruptions.

Managing Approvals and Compliance

Fashion brands often deal with strict regulatory and sustainability standards. PLM software can simplify change management by automating approval workflows and ensuring that every alteration meets the requirements.

Whether it’s ensuring compliance with chemical regulations for materials or meeting the environmental targets set by the brand, PLM systems keep track of compliance at every stage, helping brands stay on track with their sustainability and ethical goals.

Seamless Supply Chain Integration

Changes to a product design or materials impact internal teams and have a ripple effect across the entire supply chain.

PLM integrates with other key business systems (such as ERP and supply chain management) to ensure that any changes are reflected seamlessly from design to production. This integration is vital for fashion brands, where time-to-market is critical, and the ability to react quickly to trends can make or break a collection.

Accelerating Time-to-Market

PLM helps fashion brands implement changes faster without compromising quality or compliance by providing a structured, transparent, and efficient change management process.

This is especially important in the fashion industry, where trends evolve rapidly, and brands must bring their products to market quickly to stay relevant. PLM systems allow brands to adapt to these changes swiftly, ensuring that new designs or updated versions of products can be delivered on time.

Change management is critical for fashion brands to navigate the industry’s rapid shifts. By following structured processes, leveraging proven models, and adopting best practices, fashion brands can successfully implement change initiatives, whether they’re embracing sustainability or adopting new technology.

Centric Software offers the tools and expertise to help fashion brands manage change effectively, enabling seamless transitions to new processes and systems.