IoT Application in Garment Manufacturing: Enhancing Efficiency, Quality, and Sustainability

Definition of IoT in the Context of Garment Manufacturing

IoT technology in the context of garment manufacturing involves the use of sensors, devices, and software to monitor and control various stages of the manufacturing process. This technology enables the collection of real-time data from machines, equipment, and workers and provides insights into the production process (Pal, 2020;Dai et al., 2012; Javaid, 2021) IoT technology can also be used to track inventory levels, monitor the condition of materials and products, and identify potential issues before they occur (Kouhizadeh et al., 2019).

Brief History of IoT in the Garment Manufacturing Industry

The history of IoT technology in the garment manufacturing industry can be traced back to the early 1990s when Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags were first used to track garments during the manufacturing process (Akhtar & Moore, 2016). This technology enabled manufacturers to track the movement of garments from one stage to another and monitor inventory levels in real-time. However, the adoption of IoT technology in the industry remained slow due to the high costs and limited capabilities of the available technologies (Zhang et al., 2011;Annosi et al., 2019).

In recent years, with the advancement of technology, IoT has become more accessible and affordable for the garment manufacturing industry. New sensors and devices have been developed that enable real-time monitoring of various aspects of the production process (Elson & Pearson, 1981;Rai et al., 2021). This has led to significant improvements in efficiency, quality, and sustainability.