The RFID technology in the garment and textile industries is revolutionizing production, distribution, and sale processes by streamlining inventory tracking and monitoring. RFID technology is being used by an increasing number of clothing brands and retailers, including Di Carlo, Highland House, H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, and Walmart to help them manage their inventory and store operations efficiently.
What is RFID Clothing Tracking?
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology involves the use of small electronic tags, equipped with small microchip and antenna, to store information and communicate.
These RFID tags communicate wirelessly with RFID readers, enabling real-time tracking and data capture. These garment tags can be attached to clothing items. RFID doesn't require a direct line of sight for scanning, making the tracking process faster and more accurate.
Tracking of clothing items with RFID helps in providing real-time information on garments such as how many are in storage, how many are checked out, and how many aren't returned. This allows for detailed visibility of stock to ensure there are enough items in the inventory.
How does RFID Clothing Tracking Work?
As the tagged garments move through various supply chain stages, RFID readers at different touchpoints, such as production lines, distribution centers, and retail stores, capture and transmit data in real-time. The seamless communication between RFID tags and readers enhances inventory visibility, reduces errors, and streamlines the entire clothing supply chain process, from manufacturing to retail. The result is a highly efficient and automated tracking system that revolutionizes the way the fashion industry manages its inventory.
RFID clothing tags are small, washable tags that can be attached or sewn into clothing or garments.
Here are some RFID tags used in the clothing industry:
1. Coated paper RFID sticker
RFID stickers are the most common clothing tags in the garment industry. They can be used in clothing management and directly attached to clothing tags without changing the existing tag on clothing. They provide visibility of garment supply chain inventory, reduce the shortage of goods, and achieve easy scheduling. These RFID stickers are available in different sizes, crafts, and chips that you can choose from accordingly.
2. RFID Woven Clothing Labels
RFID woven clothing labels are known as RFID care labels. Generally, they are sewn inside the clothing, made up of soft-woven fabric material. They are integrated with RFID tags, providing a digital solution for care instructions that include washing tips and avoiding ironing. They feature waterproofing and good anti-counterfeiting.
3. RFID Hang Tags
Hang tags are embedded with RFID chips and tagged on clothing. They are made up of plastic and paper for garment tracking systems. These hang tags are customizable according to the needs of the garment brand to feature inventory counting, logistics tracking, anti-counterfeiting, etc.
4. RFID Apparel Hard Tags
Apparel hard tags are attached to apparel items (clothes, garments, or dresses) for identification and tracking. RFID apparel hard tags are based on UHF+ and EAS dual-frequency tags. which combines both RFID technology and electronic anti-theft technology in one hard label, mainly used for clothing stores to prevent theft and reduce losses. They are made up of an ABS plastic shell, which is durable and reusable.
5. RFID PPS Laundry Tags
PPS Laundry Tags are RFID button tags. They feature waterproofing, pressure resistance, and alkali resistance. RFID PPS laundry tags are popularly used in the industrial laundry and linen rental industries.
Applications of RFID in the Clothing Industry
RFID technology has become a technical tool for clothing factories to improve the management of clothes, reduce management costs, and enhance their overall productivity.
Let’s discuss briefly the various applications:
1. Garment production management
RFID production management improves inventory management throughout the supply chain process. Each RFID hang tag carries a unique ID about the garment, including size, color, style, and manufacturing details. This data can be accessed in real-time, allowing retailers, manufacturers, and distributors to monitor stock levels, track the movement of garments, and make informed decisions to prevent stockouts or overstock situations.
2. Making Smart Clothes
Using RFID technology in the manufacturing of clothes can turn ordinary clothing into a smart one. Many clothing brands all over the world are producing smart clothes. For example, implanting NFC tags on buttons, cuffs, and collars can achieve functions like anti-counterfeiting, ensuring authenticity, and real-time tracking. It can boost the sales of clothes by attracting more tech-enthusiast consumers.
3. Clothing anti-counterfeiting
Clothing anti-counterfeiting, by attaching an NFC tag to garments, offers an advanced solution to improve the customer experience. NFC tags embedded in clothing, typically within labels or tags, contain unique IDs that store information about the authenticity, origin, and other product details. Consumers can check the authenticity of clothing by tapping their NFC-enabled smartphones or devices near the tag.
4. VIP Customer Management
RFID enables unique features for VIP customers in various industries, such as hospitality, retail, and events. RFID tags (smart cards or membership cards) are assigned to VIP customers. In retail, RFID facilitates greeting individual customers on a digital screen, shopping guides, and personalized advertisements.
In conclusion, RFID clothing tracking is a transition from traditional methods to an advanced inventory-tracking strategy used by the garment industry. It offers tracking of garments in real-time, reduces errors, and optimizes the supply chain process for a business. Various RFID tags (coated paper stickers, woven clothing labels, and hang tags) play a crucial role in providing information, security, and safety instructions to a consumer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) What is RFID in clothing anti-theft?
Attaching a UHF RFID and EAS tag to a clothing item for tracking, and when tagged clothing leaves the store, the RFID device will detect the behavior and respond accordingly.
Q2) What are the advantages of RFID in the clothing industry?
1. Inventory accuracy and management
2. Theft prevention of clothing items
3. Manufacturing of smart clothes
4. Automated data collection
5. Clothing Anti-Counterfeiting
6. Enhancing customer experiences
Q3. How can RFID increase apparel sales?
RFID on clothing items or apparel enables touchless information reading and enhances the efficiency of inventory checks and the checkout process.
Disclaimer: The information presented here is for general information purposes only and true to best of our understanding. Users are requested to use any information as per their own understanding and knowledge. Before using any of the information, please refer to our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
