Edwards Garment Selects Centric PLM for Development

Why It Matters

The switch to an AI‑powered PLM cuts labor‑intensive tasks, boosting efficiency and accuracy in a highly competitive workwear market. It also positions Edwards to scale operations and respond swiftly to changing customer and compliance demands.

Key Takeaways

• Edwards Garment adopts Centric PLM to manage ~50,000 SKUs.
• Manual data entry expected to drop, speeding product development cycles.
• Cross‑functional teams and vendors gain real‑time product data access.
• Centralized specs improve collaboration across U.S. and Canadian sites.
• AI‑powered PLM positions Edwards for broader digital transformation.

Pulse Analysis

Edwards Garment, a 159‑year‑old uniform maker headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has long relied on a patchwork of legacy tools to shepherd its extensive catalog of roughly 50,000 SKUs. As the company expanded its design hub in Vancouver and broadened its distribution network across North America, the limitations of manual data entry and siloed product information began to erode speed-to‑market and increase error risk. In response, Edwards selected Centric Software’s PLM platform, a move that reflects a wider shift among mid‑size apparel manufacturers toward integrated, cloud‑based product lifecycle solutions.

Centric PLM offers an end‑to‑end, AI‑enhanced environment that consolidates design, technical, quality and sourcing data into a single source of truth. By automating repetitive tasks and providing real‑time visibility to merchandising, technical design, quality assurance and external vendors, the system promises to cut manual effort and accelerate decision‑making. The platform’s ability to ingest thousands of specifications at once also streamlines collaboration between the U.S. headquarters and the Canadian design studio, enabling faster prototype approvals and more accurate cost forecasting.

The adoption signals a broader digital transformation trend in the workwear and uniform segment, where speed, compliance and cost control are paramount. With AI‑driven insights, Edwards can better predict demand, optimize assortments and respond to rapid changes in corporate dress codes or safety regulations. Competitors that continue to rely on spreadsheets risk falling behind, while those that embrace modern PLM platforms gain a strategic edge in product innovation and supply‑chain agility. Edwards’ partnership with Centric thus positions it to scale efficiently and capture new market opportunities.