The RFID Journey: From the Factory Floor to the Consumer

From raw material to the shelves of your stores, every garment you sell goes on a unique journey. At each step of the way, team members keep track of the product’s arrival, departure, and transformation.

But it doesn’t have to be so difficult.

Instead of relying on manual counts to capture your garment’s journey, you can lean on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags to monitor where your products are. Here’s how you can take advantage of RFID at every step of the way:

The Initial Tagging

Most brands using RFID begin the tagging process when the items are created — but the data isn’t normally utilized at the vendor. When brands skip out on data utilization at the vendor stage, they miss the opportunity to track the item from vendor to distribution. 

To best take advantage of the RFID, you’ll want to ensure that data utilization is happening as soon as the RFID tag is in place. 

Boxing and Labeling

If you’re using RFID to the best of its ability, you’ll include RFID labels on both individual garments and their shipping box containers.

Purchase order (PO) information is embedded in the box label to create a digital connection between the containers and the individual garments inside. Efficient batch and individual item tracking helps you keep track of each item, what box it’s in, and where that box is in the entire supply chain.

Tracking in Transit

RFID scanners throughout the transport of your garments can drive down lost or misplaced items, or even speed up deliveries and inventory without slow manual counting and locating.

Before a box leaves the warehouse, teams can quickly scan the items loaded onto the truck. Then, when the next transport picks up the boxes, they can make sure everything they need is included in their vessel.

RFID in transit doesn’t just reduce risk of lost or misplaced shipments. It also allows retailers to provide more accurate delivery timelines. They know exactly where their garments are, every single step of the way.

Verification and Inspection

RFID tags are a game-changer during inspections and verification checks. RFID-tagged boxes move to designated quality control sections where automated scanning verifies the content of every box against the retailer’s purchase order. 

Rather than employees manually sifting, counting, and scanning linear barcodes, they can check boxes instantly for completeness and accuracy. The process is quicker and more efficient because it reduces manual counting and the potential for human error.

Store Receiving

Once shipments arrive at their designated stores, the incoming boxes are scanned with RFID readers at the receiving dock. Teams can make sure that they’re receiving exactly what they ordered, reducing return-to-vendors and stock-outs (saving both manufacturers and retailers time and money).

Just like at the RFID checkpoints in the factory, scanning in the shipments eliminates the need for time-consuming manual counting that causes incorrect inventory checks. Teams gain an automatic record of what inventory is in their backroom without any mistakes.

Store Inventory Management

The inventory record allows store managers to keep track of what’s in-stock and on the floor. RFID technology enables teams to:

• Track the exact location of individual products or product containers 
• Skip manual inventory counting
• Quickly locate items for customers
• Automate re-ordering of items
• Keep their shelves fully stocked

And customers benefit from these inventory management improvements, too. Stores are more likely to carry what they need — or be able to find it in the backroom!

Use RFID to track your products throughout the supply chain

Bringing RFID to your supply chain might feel like a big undertaking, but Charming Trim is here to help. With Truecount by Charming, you can simplify your inventory workflows and improve the quality of your supply chain without the hassle.

To learn more, reach out to our team and schedule a consultation. We can’t wait to get started.