Softwear Automation, a US-based sewing product company, has announced the launch of SEWBOTS-as-a-Service. It is a rental lease service that will allow manufacturers, brands, and retailers to source and manufacture with greater predictability and quality in the US, at a lower cost, than outsourcing from some other country.
Within the last six years, there have been significant announcements by foreign-owned textile companies investing in the United States, with site selection choices clustered in the Southeast including the first Chinese owned Cut Make Trim factory in Arkansas.
Despite this industry reversal, the seamstresses are not returning. While the knowledge can be shared to upskill workers, people don’t have the desire to work in a traditional textile factory.
With its aim to solve this and accelerate the growth of US based textile manufacturing, the company has come up with this idea. The focus of this program is to offer US textile manufacturing more control, greater margin, faster turn times and less inventory.
The technology can create immediate ROI while enabling scale across retailer, brand and manufacturers. The monthly fee per robot will be US $ 5,000 per month, and factories can add annual production capacity of up to 1 million units (product dependent). This enables a manufacturer to bring on a Sewbot for just over U $ 55/shift (based on 7 days a week and 3 shifts a day).
Moreover, it also focuses on bringing scale to basic sewn good production within the country of destination (a local supply chain). This focus allows manufacturers to move current seamstresses to premium products while creating a more reactive, reliable and sustainable textile ecosystem.
