“Apparel is an old industry that is not doomed to being low profit and low technology. It’s in the midst of a reinvention, and that can be very exciting.”

So says John Thorbeck of Chainge Capital, a company name that is a play on words meant to communicate change in the supply chain. He points out that brands that have plans to restructure their supply chains three to four years out can’t wait that long and must begin making changes now.

Why? Well, obviously, the pandemic caused major disruption. It also raised awareness about how contracts tend to favor brands more than suppliers in an unequal relationship, and suppliers are not likely to be as compliant as they have been in the past.