An AHP model for selection of suppliers in the fast changing fashion market

In the fast-changing fashion market, being flexible and adaptive is a key to survival. Therefore, supply chain strategy like quick response is important in the fashion or textile industry. Selection of suppliers to support such strategies is thus one of the most critical activities, but is not well studied. Traditionally, suppliers are selected usually based on quantity requirement and cost, which are not the only important issues in the operation of a textile supply chain nowadays. This study presents an example on solving the supplier selection problem in the apparel industry by using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which takes the operational performance (for example, flexibility, cost, and delivery) into account for supporting supply chain strategies. The system was implemented with the aid of the commercial software package Expert Choice. Based on the results from the AHP model, benefits of implementing quick response in apparel supply chains can also be verified.