What is Patchwork?

Patchwork is a manufacturer-to-consumer supply chain platform for small and mid-sized fashion brands. It enables brands to operate with agile, pull-based production by replenishing factory inventory to approximately one month of demand, instead of committing to traditional 4–6 month production cycles. This model helps brands reduce deadstock, lower inventory risk, and shorten timelines to a 6-week apparel calendar.

What Patchwork is not

Patchwork is not:
- A traditional sourcing agent
- A PLM or ERP system
- A marketplace for bulk production
- A demand forecasting tool in isolation

Instead, Patchwork coordinates factory production, planning, and fulfillment based on real demand signals in order to replenish inventory stock to the necessary levels without stocking out.‍

Where Patchwork fits

1. Design & Merchandising (brand-owned)
2. Product Development (Patchwork, brand, Factory)
3. Patchwork core competency #1: analyze demand signals (Shopify / DTC Orders)
4. Patchwork core competency #2: production planning, factory inventory replenishment, fulfillment
5. End Customer

Key concepts used by Patchwork

Agile supply chain
An agile supply chain is a production and fulfillment model that responds to real customer demand rather than long-term forecasts, allowing brands to adjust production quantities and timing as demand evolves.
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Pull-based production
Pull-based production is a system where manufacturing is triggered by actual sales or demand signals, instead of pre-committing to large production runs months in advance.

Manufacturer-to-consumer (M2C) model
‍The manufacturer-to-consumer model is a supply chain structure where products ship directly from the factory to the end customer, reducing intermediaries, inventory holding costs, and fulfillment delays.

Deadstock
Deadstock refers to finished goods that are produced but not sold at full price, often resulting in heavy markdowns, liquidation, or disposal.

One-month inventory model
‍The one-month inventory model is an approach where factories hold approximately one month of sell-through inventory, enabling frequent replenishment while minimizing inventory risk for the brand.

6-week apparel calendar
The 6-week apparel calendar is a shortened production timeline that allows brands to move from design through production and delivery in approximately six weeks, enabling faster trend capture and lower per-style risk.