Technology investment grows as Colombia’s fashion industry faces modernization challenges
The increase in technology investment coexists with cost and knowledge barriers in Colombia’s fashion industry.
Inexmoda to launch NexTech by Colombiatex to connect Fashion System companies with technology and innovation providers.
Forty percent of the companies surveyed by Inexmoda plan to invest in production technology and 33% in marketing and digital growth, while Colombia’s fashion industry faces cost and knowledge barriers to advancing technology adoption.
Inexmoda will launch NexTech by Colombiatex, a new specialized trade fair that will connect Fashion System companies with machinery manufacturers, technology providers, software developers, startups and specialized service providers.
Technology adoption faces cost and knowledge barriers.
The first edition will take place from September 22 to 24 at Plaza Mayor Medellín, with nearly 100 exhibitors and an expected 5,000 buyers and specialized visitors from more than 20 countries.
Technology is transforming processes ranging from design and manufacturing to inventory management, logistics, e-commerce, retail and consumer relations. For an industry that competes with producers from different regions of the world, adopting these tools can translate into greater efficiency, responsiveness and the development of higher-value products.
“Technology is advancing at a speed that many companies still cannot keep up with. Colombia has an opportunity to close that gap and turn innovation into a competitive advantage for the fashion industry. It is not about incorporating technology for its own sake, but about finding solutions that address the real challenges of each company and enable them to produce better, sell more, be more efficient and prepare to compete in the world. Nextech was created precisely to connect those needs with knowledge, suppliers and new ideas, and to make technology a concrete growth tool for the Fashion System,” says Sebastián Díez, executive president of Inexmoda.
Technology adoption, however, still faces cost and knowledge barriers. Fifty-four percent of the companies surveyed identify cost as the main obstacle, while 37% say they require knowledge and support.
In addition, 41% have difficulty finding suppliers for production and the supply chain, while 32% report the same problem in marketing and digital growth.
NexTech brings together solutions for production and management.
NexTech seeks to connect these needs with solutions applicable to companies’ operations. The trade fair will bring together machinery, software and artificial intelligence, as well as automation, data analytics, digital platforms, and production, logistics, inventory management and traceability systems.
The offering will be complemented by maintenance, certification and training, as well as consulting, financing and sustainability, in addition to chemicals, dyes, spare parts, lubricants, accessories and laboratory solutions.
The incorporation of these tools can directly impact the operations of companies. Automation makes it possible to increase production capacity and reduce errors, while data analysis facilitates planning and inventory control. Traceability makes it possible to track products and respond to the demands of buyers and international markets.
Technology also extends to sustainability.
Technology can also contribute to resource measurement, including water, energy and raw materials, with the aim of identifying opportunities to reduce waste and optimize resource use.
For companies, producing with greater precision, responding more quickly to demand and having information to support decision-making can strengthen their position against international competitors.
NexTech’s regional dimension creates an opportunity for Colombia to serve as a connection point between international manufacturers and companies in the textile, apparel and fashion value chain across Latin America.
The trade fair will also feature an Innovation Hall, with new developments and proposals from startups, and the Inexmoda Knowledge Hub, which will bring together more than 30 national and international experts in 15 training and discussion sessions on technology, productivity, innovation and sustainability.
Among the invited speakers will be:
Sofía Maradiaga, a CX and MarTech expert and Senior Product Manager at Amazon, who will address the impact of artificial intelligence and data on brand experience;
Andrés Díaz Bedolla, co-founder and CEO of Yumari, who Will analyze the role of artificial intelligence in Latin American manufacturing and the progress of nearshoring;
Ana Jiménez, founder and CEO of GoTrendier, who will discuss omnichannel strategies and new ways brands and fashion consumers interact;
Michael McDonald, president of SPESA, who will analyze the talent and training challenges posed by automation,
and José Aragón, co-founder and CEO of The ORDRE Group, who will address how artificial intelligence and digital content are transforming showrooms and brands’ commercial relationships.
The purpose of these spaces is to provide knowledge and tools so that companies can make better decisions, incorporate technology strategically and move toward more competitive and future-ready businesses.
Colombia Fashion Summit to address industry growth.
As part of NexTech by Colombiatex, Inexmoda and Modaes Will hold the second edition of the Colombia Fashion Summit in Medellín on September 23, a gathering that will bring together business owners, executives and experts from Colombia and Spain to analyze the keys to industry growth. Under the concept “Keys for Growth: Scaling Fashion in Colombia,” the evento will address product, new markets, leadership, internationalization and artificial intelligence.
The Summit will focus on strategic growth decisions, while NexTech will address the technologies and innovations that can enable that transformation.
Both spaces will take place within the same agenda focused on the evolution of the industry.
With this first edition, Inexmoda seeks to connect technology, knowledge and business to accelerate the modernization of the Fashion System. The objective is for companies to find solutions that enable them to increase productivity, optimize costs, innovate, respond better to consumers and strengthen their ability to compete in international markets.
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