You can’t fix what you can’t see. In today’s fast-paced, high-volume apparel industry, businesses need end-to-end visibility, agility and control to stay competitive.
“That’s why ERP is no longer a luxury, but a lifeline for manufacturers and retailers struggling with disconnected systems, manual processes and lack of real-time data, which lead to delays and inefficiencies,” argued Shanmuga Sundaram R, MD, Jeevan Infotech, a provider of enterprise and e-commerce solutions for Apparel and Textile industry. He added that their two core solutions—FITTEX, focused on automating manufacturing and supply chain operations, and TOODHU, aimed at customer engagement and collaboration—are designed to serve the entire apparel ecosystem.
In an exclusive chat with Apparel Resources, Shanmuga talked about the real pain points in the apparel industry and how ERP solutions can help fix them.
AR: What are the biggest headaches apparel businesses face today—and how does your ERP help solve them?
Shanmuga: Apparel businesses deal with a lot of tough challenges every day. For example, production cycles are complicated, demand can be all over the place, supply chains have so many layers and inventory costs can really pile up. On top of that, there’s the pressure of managing fabric and trims procurement, keeping track of work in progress, making sure quality stays consistent and hitting those tight delivery deadlines. It’s a lot to juggle. That’s exactly where our ERP, FITTEX, comes in. It’s built specifically for the apparel industry, designed to tackle these exact pain points. At its core is the Manufacturing Module. This part manages production planning, scheduling, capacity and quality control. It even tracks Standard Minute Values (SMV), so businesses can measure how long tasks take and quickly spot any bottlenecks on the shopfloor in real time.
Then there’s the Warehousing Module, which keeps an eye on inventory at every stage from raw materials to work-in-progress, all the way to finished goods. It supports barcode and RFID scanning, batch tracking and stock reconciliation to keep everything accurate and up-to-date. Plus, it handles real-time multi-warehouse inventory management, letting companies monitor stock levels, batch status and movement across all sites instantly. The Distribution Module handles order processing, scheduling shipments, tracking dispatches and coordinating logistics. It uses distributed order management to allocate and dispatch orders from the best warehouse based on stock availability and delivery timelines. GPS-enabled tracking and integration with logistics partners ensure shipments stay on schedule, giving full visibility across the entire distribution network, whether it’s omnichannel retail or export operations. And the Retailing Module ties into point-of-sale systems, manages customer data, offers sales analytics and helps keep both physical stores and online shops running seamlessly. What really makes FITTEX stand out is its centralised cloud-based database. All these modules stay connected and sync data in real time, breaking down silos and making sure every team works with the same, accurate information.
AR: Please share one standout transformation powered by your ERP?
Shanmuga: One of the most exciting success stories we’ve had is with Beauty, a well-known apparel brand based in South India. When they came to us, they didn’t have any ERP system in place. Everything was manual. We rolled out our FITTEX solution for them and they went all in. From the get-go, they started using barcoding right from the fabric and trims stage, all the way through production floor control. This gave them full visibility and precision in tracking plus better quality control.
What’s really unique about Beauty is that they became our first client to go completely computer-free. They now run everything from manufacturing to warehousing and distribution through a custom-built mobile app. It’s mobile-first, end-to-end. This shift has eliminated a lot of human error, made data collection seamless and seriously sped up their operations. As a result, they’ve scaled faster and positioned themselves as a regional market leader. Right now, about 70-75% of our clients are in India. We mainly work with domestic apparel manufacturers and retailers. The rest are international clients, including export-focused manufacturers and global brands.
AR: How customisable is your ERP for businesses of different sizes — from MSMEs to large-scale manufacturers or retailers?
Shanmuga: That’s the beauty of FITTEX ERP. It’s highly customisable to fit businesses of all sizes, from small manufacturers to large retailers.
Smaller businesses can start with just the essentials like production planning and inventory control and then plug in more modules like merchandising, supply chain or retail as they expand.
On the other hand, larger enterprises often come in with complex needs and we support them with fully customisable workflows, integration with legacy systems and even multi-language, multi-location set-ups. What really ties all together is our strong focus on integration. FITTEX ERP connects seamlessly with popular accounting tools like Tally or QuickBooks, logistics partners and e-commerce platforms. So instead of jumping between systems or dealing with data mismatches, you get one streamlined, automated flow—from financials to inventory to delivery.
| Our ERP, FITTEX, is designed to tackle these exact pain points. At its core is the Manufacturing Module. This part manages production planning, scheduling, capacity and quality control. It even tracks Standard Minute Values (SMV), so businesses can measure how long tasks take and quickly spot any bottlenecks on the shopfloor in real time. |
AR: ERP systems can sometimes feel overwhelming with so many modules and constant data inputs. How do you ensure users stay focused and aren’t bogged down?
Shanmuga: Absolutely, it’s a valid concern. That’s why we’ve built our ERP to be intuitive and user-focused. Each person sees only what they need to, thanks to role-based access and personalised dashboards. That keeps things simple and clutter-free.
We also reduce manual entry wherever we can by using barcode scanners, IoT devices and hardware integrations on the shopfloor. Our system sends smart notifications that flag only what’s urgent like delays or approvals needing attention.
Plus, if a supervisor is tied up in meetings or otherwise unavailable, FIT ERP’s configurable workflows automatically reroute alerts and pending tasks to backup personnel or team leads. This means urgent issues like production delays or inventory shortages never get missed, keeping operations smooth and avoiding bottlenecks. We also log all actions and device usage to prevent misuse and support this with hands-on training and ongoing support, so users adopt workflows easily and mistakes stay minimal.
AR: What new features or innovations are you working on your ERP right now?
Shanmuga: Looking ahead, over the next 5 to 10 years, we have some big goals. We want to be a global leader in digital transformation for apparel and textile manufacturing. That means doubling down on cloud SaaS, weaving AI, blockchain and IoT even deeper into our solutions and enabling smart, predictive and autonomous manufacturing. We also envision full supply chain transparency and seamless customer engagement through our TOODHU platform.
We’re also developing AI-driven tools to help businesses predict demand more accurately and optimise their inventory. At the same time, we’re building stronger sustainability features to help companies stay on top of environmental regulations and traceability, which is becoming increasingly important. We’re also integrating IoT technology, so machines on the shopfloor can be monitored in real time. Plus, we’re expanding the mobile capabilities, so managers and teams can stay connected no matter where they are.
