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Fashion and the Global Supply Chain

Contextualise the global fashion industry and learn how to improve business processes across the fashion supply chain.

A man working on some textiles with clothes hanging beside him.

Fashion and the Global Supply Chain

  • 4 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Unlimited subscription

    $244.99 for a whole yearLearn more

Explore business strategies and decision-making in the fashion industry

The processes involved in fashion manufacturing are complex and wide-ranging on a global scale.

This four-week course will introduce you to supply chains and their applications in the fashion industry.

Design and implement missions, objectives and business strategies across your fashion brand

Supply chain accountability has become increasingly important for fashion businesses to demonstrate.

On this course, you’ll learn to create clear mission statements and objectives, and develop a value chain that aligns with your brand goals. You’ll explore the global textiles industry and the role of consumer behavior and fashion media within the structure of fashion retailing.

Using case studies, you’ll examine real-life brand strategies that address competition and improve organizational structures. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to identify areas for improvement within your own business.

Develop a sustainable supply chain for your fashion business

Consumers now class sustainability as a key factor when choosing a fashion brand.

You’ll learn techniques to improve sustainability in supply chains and create ethically accountable business processes.

Improve logistics and supply chain management across your brand

Fashion supply chains can improve sustainability, as well as efficiency, by responsibly managing sourcing decisions.

You’ll learn how to create sourcing criteria, covering everything from manufacturing costs to completing factory audits.

With these skills, you’ll be able to create a cost-effective, efficient chain of processes to manufacture your goods.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand global fashion supply chain processes. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to adapt current structures to improve efficiency and increase sustainability within your brand.

What topics will you cover?

  • Processes Across the Fashion Supply Chain: Design, Manufacturing, Merchandising, and Marketing
  • The Global Textiles Industry
  • Ready-to-Wear Fashion Industry
  • Fashion Retailing and Consumer Behavior
  • Support Industries – Media and Trade Associations

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe the definitions and applications of processes that occur throughout the fashion supply chain including design, merchandising, manufacturing, and marketing
  • Explore the history and organization of the global textiles industry
  • Explain the growth and development of the ready-to-wear fashion industry and its current characteristics
  • Explain the role of fashion retailing in the history of the fashion industry support industries including consumer publications and media, trade publications and media, and trade associations
  • Describe the support industries including consumer publications and media, trade publications and media, and trade associations

Who is the course for?

This course is for managers and leaders within fashion businesses who want to gain a deeper understanding of supply chain processes and operations.

Who developed the course?

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Bloomsbury Publishing

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes.and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names.

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Fairchild Books

With a history stretching back over more than 100 years, Fairchild Books is a world-leading publisher in the fields of fashion and interior design.

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FutureLearn

FutureLearn is a leading social learning platform and has been providing high quality online courses for learners around the world over the last ten years.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$244.99 for a whole year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$79/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 5 Mar 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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