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which is at the core of successful Quick Response systems. Having merchandise tied up in the production pipeline for months is becoming a thing of the past. Instead, manufacturers and retailers are operating in real time. That is, lines are continuously updated to reflect consumer preferences closer to and during retail selling seasons. RTM is the continuous analysis of fashion direction, consumer style testing results, and current retail sales. Under real time merchandising, the line planning calendar becomes a flexible and more responsive tool for merchandisers, not a strait jacket (Brown, 1989). Figure 5-8 depicts the basic steps in real time merchandising.
Another strategy called agile manufacturing was introduced to the industry by the Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation, (TC2), in late 1993. (TC2) is an industry/government-funded program that develops leading-edge competitive strategies for the apparel industry. The agile manufacturing concept might be considered Quick Response with a higher rate of flexibility, or QR made-to-order. It is considered a strategy for twenty-first-century manufacturing, which may go from the cash register to design, to cut fabric, to screen printing, to assembly, and to shipping in a matter of hours.
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