Exploration of communication processes related to preproduction for apparel companies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current communication processes used by apparel firms, and the document package, one of the major communication tools, within the apparel product development process. Four research questions guided the study: (a) how do wholesale and retail apparel product development companies define the processes leading up to production?, (b) how does the document package support the product development process for wholesale and retail apparel companies?, (c) what technology supports the creation and management of the document package?, and (d) what are the different communication challenges during the processes leading up to production faced by these wholesale and retail apparel companies? Based on analysis of data from 20 interviews, three key themes emerged: (a) the outcomes of the apparel product development process are similar, yet vary depending upon company type, not size, (b) preferred methods of communication vary based on type of information, product type, and company culture, (c) communication, timing, and language barriers are the most common challenges throughout the process.