Japanese apparel consortium implements item-level RFID

I.T.'S International Co., a consortium of Japanese apparel and textile companies including Flandre, Teijin Group and Sumikin Bussan Corp., have implemented RFID technology in store operations. Using UPM Raflatac ShortDipole RFID tags, this is the first large scale item-level RFID implementation for the Japanese textile and apparel industries.

The system, named SPA (Speciality Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel), is compliant with the guidelines for RFID in apparel supply chain management provided by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry coupled with the Japan Apparel Industry Association. It is the first-ever RFID operation commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan.

The SPA system has been implemented in all phases of the supply chain, including production, distribution and stores, for all parties of the consortium. On store level, the RFID implementation saves time as information processing for incoming goods can be done immediately instead of doing it manually, item by item. Stocktaking and inventory data transfer between stores are also substantially faster, as they can be done in real-time by using RFID.

Information on stock situation for products by color and size, as well as related goods and their location, are instantly available. The item-level system streamlines the check-out process as clerks can scan all products for payment simultaneously.

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