Textile Inventory for Barbara i Gongini 

As part of my internship at Barbara i Gongini in 2015, I led a project to optimize the textile inventory system. The previous process could have been more efficient, but it led to waste and excess, as teams needed an overview of what was already in stock and clarification about what was left over from past collections. The textiles were challenging to access, and we needed to utilize resources fully.

Challenge:

The company stored large amounts of textiles from previous collections, but they were heavy and stacked in an unorganized way. Without a structured system to access this inventory, designers and sourcing teams often defaulted to purchasing new textiles, leading to increased costs and unnecessary textile waste. Additionally, the chaotic storage room made it impractical for teams to sift through materials manually.

Solution:

To solve this issue, I implemented a two-part solution:

1. Digital Archive: I developed a digital archive cataloging all available textiles, organized by quality and type. An overview in Excel allowed teams to easily access information about existing materials during the design and sourcing processes, reducing unnecessary orders.

2. Physical Sample Book: I also created physical sample books featuring swatches of each textile, organized by quality. These books served as a tactile reference for designers, making it easier to visualize and incorporate existing materials into new collections.

Outcome:

Implementing the digital archive and sample book improved the workflow across several departments. Designers could easily access available textiles, which reduced new textile orders and led to more efficient resource management. Marketing benefited from this system by being able to highlight the sustainability aspects of reusing existing materials.

This project enhanced collaboration between departments, empowered teams with better information, and contributed to a more sustainable and organized inventory process.