Coats Group is a London-based manufacturer of thread and structural components for apparel and footwear, and leading producer of performance materials. Its software and technology business, Coats Digital, provides digital solutions for fashion design and manufacture.
The company is a Category Award Winner for Environmental, Investments, M&A and Product Launches in the 2023 Just Style Excellence Awards.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Coats Group has undertaken various project during the research period which are linked to sustainability. One example, which saw it recognised in our Investments category, was its launch of a pilot sustainability hub in Madurai, India.
Coats aims to establish the Madurai Sustainability Hub as a manufacturing facility that will serve as a centre of excellence for spinning and twisting. The goal of this project is to collaborate with customers and improve material-led sustainability initiatives through innovation. A similar project is already underway at the company’s Shenzhen
The hub is part of a wider five-year USD10m investment plan aimed at developing green technologies and materials, in part to help the company reach its emissions reduction targets.
In the Environmental category, the company is recognised for the introduction of a new thread product called Eco-B.
The new recycled polyester thread incorporates an additive from CiCLO, which reduces synthetic fibre accumulation in landfills and oceans. It does this by creating biodegradable spots in the polymer, allowing it to be broken down by microbes in the same way as natural fibres.
The new thread will be available in three variations, Epic Eco-B, Gramax Eco-B and Sylko Eco-B, and it forms part of the company’s wider commitment, announced in 2021, to ensure all its products are made from environmentally-friendly materials and chemicals.
Coats Group also expanded its business through strategic acquisitions, including a deal to acquire Texon International Group, a company that makes structural components for footwear and apparel. The acquisition strengthens the company’s position in the sports footwear market.
The company’s software arm, Coats Digital, has also been recognised in this year’s awards in the categories Environmental Supply Chain and Product Launch Digital Platform for the launch of its FastReactFabric solution in September 2022, which provides real-time data insights on fabric tracking and usage, allowing customers to optimise their processes, shorten buying and planning times, and reduce waste.
The solution combines cutting and buying operations into a single platform, enabling fashion manufacturers to reduce the fabric required which will have a positive impact on the environment. It is also unique in its use of historical data, allowing customers to predict future needs based on past performance.
FastReactFabric is being continually advanced to address changing industry needs and now offers fabric roll allocation which is a pivotal step in the garment manufacturing process. FastReactFabric employs advanced algorithms that consider various factors to provide a roll allocation plan within seconds. This plan is optimised for maximum efficiency, resulting in minimal leftover fabric remnants.
FastReactFabric has been proven to significantly reduce fabric costs by up to 2.5%; shrink fabric buying and planning times by 95% and provide 100% fabric tracking.
Company Profile
About Coats Group plc
Coats is a world leader in thread manufacturing and structural components for apparel and footwear and an innovative pioneer in performance materials. These critical solutions are used to create a wide range of products that provide safety and protection for people, data and the environment. Headquartered in the UK, Coats is a FTSE 250 company and a FTSE4Good Index constituent. Revenues in 2022 were $1.6bn.
Trusted by the world’s leading companies to deliver crucial, innovative, and sustainable solutions, Coats provides value-adding products, including apparel, accessory and footwear threads, structural footwear components, fabrics, yarns and software applications. Customer partners include companies from the apparel, footwear, automotive, telecoms, personal protection, and outdoor goods industries.
With a proud heritage dating back more than 250 years and spirit of evolution to constantly stay ahead of changing market needs, Coats has operations across some 50 countries with a workforce of over 18,000, serving its customers worldwide.
Coats connects talent, textiles, and technology, to make a better and more sustainable world. Worldwide, there are four dedicated Coats Innovation and sustainability Hubs, where experts collaborate with partners to create the materials and products of tomorrow. It participates in the UN Global Compact and is committed to science-based sustainability targets for 2030 and beyond, with a goal of achieving net-zero by 2050. Coats is also committed to achieving its goals in Diversity, Equity and inclusion, workplace health & safety, employee & community wellbeing, and supplier social performance.
To find out more about Coats visit www.coats.com.
About Coats Digital
Coats Digital is the software business of Coats Group plc and is the leading digital transformation partner for the fashion supply chain, powering sustainable processes and high value insights through connected technologies. We leverage deep industry and technology expertise to help brands and manufacturers optimise, connect and accelerate business critical processes from design and development to method-time-cost optimisation, production planning and control, fabric optimisation and shop floor execution. Used in over 3,000 factories globally, our unmatched end-to-end apparel, footwear and textile software and SaaS solutions improve agility, speed to market, efficiency, transparency and sustainability. Coats Digital – transform with intelligence.
To find out more about Coats Digital visit www.coatsdigital.com.
Contact details
14 Aldermanbury Square, 4th Floor,
London, EC2V 7HS
United Kingdom
