Rethinking B2B Textile Sourcing: What the Industry Needs Now

Textile procurement and has long been one of fashion’s most complex—and crucial—systems.

Behind every collection, runway and new retail launches is a complex network of supplier relationships, fiber selections, certification requirements, and logistical hurdles.

And although the fashion industry has evolved deeply in how it markets, sells, and communicates, the upstream part of the chain still often happens the old way: through disconnected, slow, expensive, and unreliable methods.

That’s no longer reasonable, specially as the industry faces tightening regulations on ESG and circularity, growing consumer demands for authenticity and ethics, increasing climate and sustainability concerns, and more.

Fashion is an industry steeped in tradition, but tradition alone won’t carry us forward. - Jeanine Ballone, World Collective’s CEO

Thats why, more then ever, B2B textile sourcing needs a structural rethink. And it’s already happening.

The Old System Is Buckling Under New Pressures

Fashion professionals today are dealing with an urgent sourcing scenario, which is affecting supply chain teams at every stage.

On one side, brands are under pressure to increase transparency by tracing and verifying their materials, reporting environmental impacts, and ensuring ethical practices throughout the supply chain.

For example, earlier this year in the U.S., California passed the first law banning intentionally added PFAS in apparel sold after 2025—marking a growing regulatory focus on chemical use in fashion.

Meanwhile, conversations around the Digital Product Passport (DPP) continue to evolve. Just last month (April 2025), UNECE and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) advanced their joint initiative to develop unified standards for DPP implementation.

According to the UNECE, the draft guidelines and recommendations are expected to be finalized and submitted by the end of 2025, signaling a new phase of accountability for brands operating globally.

Meanwhile, designers and product teams face their own pressures, constantly searching for certified materials that meet sustainability criteria, offer low minimums, and deliver consistent quality—all within tight timelines.

In a recent conversation led by a our Operations & Partnerships specialist, a UK-based fashion brand shared their experience:

“The biggest issue here in London is finding good textiles at fair prices. There are lots of small shops, but not all carry sustainable options. The main struggle is quality for price. If I had a reliable source that I knew was truly sustainable and fairly priced, I wouldn’t waste time looking elsewhere.”

And while outdated systems are making this search even harder for brands it’s also placing new demands on the other side of the equation.

Which leads us to suppliers and textile manufacturers facing increasing demands from the industry, expected to provide faster sampling, transparent documentation, and broader reach, all without increasing costs.

But they’re also grappling with a more fundamental challenge: staying relevant in a system that often sidelines them, even as it depends on them to meet sustainability and performance standards.

By the end of 2024, Vogue Business reported that several fashion suppliers had begun rolling back climate commitments. The piece emphasized the structural forces at work as a lack of support rather than a lack of will.

In the article, Philipp Meister, global fashion lead for chemicals and fashion at Quantis, shared that “fashion’s business model means manufacturers are constantly juggling a flood of different requests—especially when it comes to sustainability.”

Vogue also quoted Willy Gallia, group sustainability manager at The Schneider Group, who captured the tension suppliers face: “It appeared technically impossible to reach the targets with the available set of interventions, even if we invested millions of dollars into our supplier base.”

These comments reveal a deeper truth: while suppliers are expected to lead on traceability and climate performance, they’re rarely backed with the resources or partnerships needed to do so.

All of this points to one thing: fashion’s outdated sourcing systems are putting strain on the entire supply chain and also impacting stakeholders from upstream to downstream. It’s a clear signal that a fundamental shift is not only needed, but also urgent.

Why a Tech Advancement In B2B Textile Sourcing is Needed

Digitization and technology have been part of textile sourcing for a while now, playing a significant role in adapting sourcing processes.

However, these digital solutions often remain peripheral, not fully integrated into the core of the value chain, and have yet to reach all corners of the industry.

Added to that, when it comes to sourcing—the very backbone of product creation—technology adoption remains fragmented, inconsistent, and far from transformative.

For instance, a study by McKinsey revealed that, as for 2020, 85% of supply-chain executives experienced difficulties with their supply-chain technology, highlighting the challenges in implementing effective digital solutions.

Where do we usually see these stalls or lack of reach?

Digitization is usually concentrated at the retail and consumer-facing end—e-commerce platforms, inventory tracking, CRM tools, and more—while the upstream, supplier-facing systems remain fragmented and manual. For example:

• Sampling and ordering still rely heavily on email threads, PDFs, and offline agreements or approvals.

• Supplier discovery is largely based on trade shows or directories, rather than integrated search-and-engage tools.

• Traceability often stalls at the certification stage, with specs shared as files or documents instead of being integrated into live, trackable systems.

• MOQ and availability data are rarely updated in real time, leaving brands without clarity on what's actually viable for production.

• Textile sales still rely heavily on in-person interactions—through trade shows, factory visits, or physical sample exchanges—slowing down decision-making and limiting access for geographically distant or smaller players.

And the cost of inaction is growing. Suppliers and retailers who fall behind in digital transformation are finding it more and more difficult to meet demands for speed, flexibility, ESG compliance, and traceability.

In contrast, those who lead in digital adoption are already seeing tangible business benefits.

According to Number Analytics, over a three-year period, retailers with sophisticated digital capabilities recorded 3.3 times more sales growth than those with less established digital capabilities.

Fashion requires sourcing technologies that are responsive, connected, and designed for collaboration in order to meet today's demands, which include shorter lead times, real-time impact reporting, low-MOQ sourcing, and geographic flexibility.

This goes beyond simply pledging for improved technology or merely automating functionalities. It is a demand for more intelligent infrastructure that centers B2B textile sourcing around speed, transparency, and shared value.

The Role of B2B E-Commerce in Smarter Sourcing

Whether you’re a brand sourcing your next collection or a supplier looking to expand your reach, your sourcing infrastructure should support your goals and help you scale.

Therefore, investing in smarter B2B textile procurement should result in fewer blind spots, quicker turnaround times and—above all—the establishment of a solid, cooperative, and certified supply network.

And when we talk about rethinking B2B textile sourcing, B2B e-commerce platforms are an inescapable blueprint.

An academic study titled “Digitalisation in the Supply Chain of the Fashion Industry – Case Study” from the Technical University of Iasi, highlights that B2B e-commerce platforms are among the most effective solutions for integrating digitalization into global textile supply chain management.

But it's important to be realistic: transformation isn’t plug-and-play.

The same study stresses that digital transformation is far from simple. It requires more than just adopting new tools—it demands a strategic rethinking of how business is done.

The digital transformation process is not easy. A medium- and long-term plan is needed that takes into account not only the necessary equipment but, above all the way in which the classic business (the existing one) will be approached, as well as the level of education and training of the employees in the company.

In other words, a platform alone won’t solve systemic inefficiencies unless the people and processes behind it evolve too. Therefore, the change needs to be thorough, from reorganizing internal processes to making sure staff members are prepared to use the new technology.

For small and medium-sized businesses, this means investing in: aligning teams, updating workflows, and taking the time to understand how digital sourcing can truly support your brand goals.

It’s not just about going digital—it’s about going deliberately, with systems that are built for your scale and pace of growth.

What Smarter B2B Textile Marketplaces Looks Like

At its best, modern B2B textile sourcing reflects how the industry really works: collaboratively, regionally, and under pressure to move fast while staying compliant.

Platforms like World Collective have stepped in to address these exact challenges and make it easier for businesses to implement digitization onto their supply chain flow.

In practice, this means sourcing environments where fashion teams can:

• Effortless Sourcing Process: Discover and combine materials from multiple verified suppliers in a single, organized workflow.

• Sustainability Made Simple: Access materials that already meet key compliance and traceability requirements.

• Low Minimums, More Flexibility: Source in smaller quantities without compromising on quality or transparency.

• Find What Sets You Apart: Explore emerging materials and forward-thinking suppliers to bring distinction to your next collection.

On the supplier side, it means:

• Expanding Your Reach: Engage directly with credible fashion brands across global regions.

• Showcasing Your Offering: Present detailed material profiles, including specifications, certifications, and verified sourcing data—all in one place.

• Understanding Buyer Behavior: Access insights on buyer interactions, product interest, and sample activity to fine-tune your sales approach.

• Sharing Your Identity: Create a robust profile that highlights your story, expertise, processes, and values—putting people and purpose at the forefront.

How World Collective is Revolutionizing B2B Textile Sourcing

World Collective takes a fundamentally different approach than other B2B textile sourcing platforms. Here’s why:

We’re not just facilitating search—we’re enabling action, through an interconnected system built for real-world sourcing.

That means verified textiles with specs, certifications, and live availability already on-platform. It means working directly with suppliers across Asia, Europe, and the Americas to ensure speed, quality, and production feasibility—including low MOQ options that actually reflect how modern brands operate.

While other platforms might offer textile suggestions or static supplier directories, World Collective makes it possible to source efficiently, confidently, and transparently—at the scale you need.

As Mariana Muhle, our Digital Transformation Lead puts it:

"Many platforms in this space are pivoting toward being sourcing ‘assistants’ powered by AI. While they invest in interface upgrades, the core functionality often stops at search optimization. They don’t manage real inventory or maintain operational supplier relationships. Most function more like sourcing search engines than end-to-end systems."

That is to say our platform uniquely combines:

• Global supplier aggregation – Certified, verified, and circular-ready textile producers across Asia, Europe, and the Americas

• Seamless B2B sourcing – From sampling to ordering to payments, all in one streamlined system

• Smart logistics and inventory support – Real-time availability, low MOQ options, and production-ready stock

• Impact-driven tools – Including digital product passports, traceability modules, and ESG data built for compliance and future-proofing

In other words, we are not just another marketplace, we are a sourcing ecosystem designed for the future of fashion and retail.

Time to Rethink Your Textile Sourcing Strategy?

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Written by Maria Eugênia Lima, Content & Marketing Intern at World Collective
Edited by Júlia Vilaça, Communications & Brand Manager at World Collective