Mapping the Apparel Industry with Vikesh Shah - Wardley Mapping Community

Mapping the inefficiencies in one of the world's most polluting in industries - Apparel.
According to some estimates, the apparel industry is responsible for up to 10% of global CO2 emissions, 20% of the world’s industrial wastewater and 24% of insecticides; statistics which often surprise people. Sadly, much of these emissions are due to overproduction, waste and ineffective communication means built around waiting for weeks for physical clothing samples. Vikesh Shah is the Commercial Director at the Cambridge based start-up Metail, which aims to accelerate positive changes and sustainability in the apparel industry. Metail's key area of focus at present is to accelerate the adoption of 3D CAD design tools in the industry which, despite of existing for many years, sadly remains quite nascent. Wardley Maps are an important tool for Metail as they believe it can provide a common language for all partners in the 3D CAD ecosystem. By using maps with partners, it is hoped that they can together identify and tackle the inertia hindering the adoption of 3D CAD, to provide the industry with a more efficient and effective communication means than physical samples.

Here are examples of maps Metail has started sharing with partners:





If you would like to contribute to mapping the apparel industry please do contact Vikesh by email: vikeshs(at)metail.com

In this episode:

00:00:53 Quick introduction to Metail

00:01:39 Working with 3D fashion design software

00:03:17 Vikesh’s introduction to Wardley maps

00:04:30 Vikesh’s aha moment

00:05:11 Doctrine

00:07:56 User needs

00:12:07 Changing the y-axis to suit the apparel industry

00:17:14 Interorganizational collaboration and inertia



00:18:50 Start of Vikesh’s screenshare

00:18:52 Map 1 – Apparel go-to-market before 3D

00:22:18 Map 2 – Introduction of 3D tools and impact of productionisation of sample process

00:26:00 Map 3 – Introduction of EcoShot

00:26:30 Map 4 – Evolution of 3D & EcoShot

00:26:48 Map 5 – 3D supplants 2D



00:27:46 The benefits of Wardley mapping workshops

00:30:54 The Wardley mapping community

00:32:38 Looking ahead


Wardley mapping resources:

wardley maps,