Against the backdrop of intensifying competition in global apparel retail, consumers are placing ever greater demands on quality, comfort and sustainability. For brands, maintaining price competitiveness while consistently delivering the product experience consumers expect has become a key measure of competitiveness.

French mass-market fashion retailer Kiabi has developed its own approach through a distinctive business philosophy and continuous innovation. The company has long invested in sustainable materials, supply chain transparency and eco-design, striking a balance between fast fashion and responsible production.

At the product level, Kiabi places particular emphasis on fit development and wearing comfort. In intimate apparel especially, the brand focuses on everyday wear, with product design, material selection and technical details all driven by real consumer needs, while balancing durability with skin comfort.

For this feature, we invited May Poon, Regional Garment Technical Manager at Kiabi International Far East Asia Technical Services (ITFAS), to share her insights into quality management, supplier collaboration and innovation.

Q1. Could you introduce your role at Kiabi and your main responsibilities? How do you collaborate with different teams and partners?

I currently serve as Regional Garment Technical Manager at Kiabi International Far East Asia Technical Services (ITFAS). My primary responsibility is to lead and develop the garment technical services organization across Asia, ensuring that products, suppliers and manufacturing partners consistently meet Kiabi’s quality standards, compliance requirements and customer expectations.

My work covers technical management throughout product development, sample approval, laboratory testing support, supplier onboarding and continuous quality improvement. I work closely with sourcing, buying, operations, suppliers and the French technical team to maintain consistent quality standards across the entire supply chain.

I also support innovation initiatives such as 3D and AI-enabled development, while driving continuous improvement programs to strengthen product quality, manufacturing reliability and technical excellence across the region.

Q2. What quality philosophy do you follow when evaluating products and suppliers? What do you prioritize?

I focus on three key areas:

First, product quality and consumer satisfaction — Products must consistently meet Kiabi’s requirements for quality, fit, durability and safety, while delivering the value customers expect.

Second, process capability and manufacturing consistency — Strong quality systems, effective process controls and reliable production management are essential to maintaining consistency in high-volume production.

Third, compliance and technical responsibility — Suppliers must demonstrate compliance with regulatory, social, environmental and corporate standards, while maintaining transparency throughout the production process.

As an affordable fashion retailer, Kiabi continuously seeks to balance quality and cost. I believe the most effective approach is to build quality into the process from the earliest stage of development, rather than relying on corrective action after production. Prevention, collaboration and technical expertise are often the best ways to achieve both quality and cost efficiency.

Q3. What are your main objectives for attending Interfilière Shanghai?

My objectives include:

• Exploringinnovative materials and technologies that support quality, sustainabilityand affordability.

• Identifyingsuppliers with strong technical capabilities and a culture of continuousimprovement.

• Understandingemerging trends that can improve product development efficiency and supplychain performance.

Q4. What dimensions do you typically consider when evaluating suppliers? What matters most to you?

I generally assess suppliers across four dimensions:

• Technicalcapability: Product development expertise, engineering andmanufacturing know-how, and problem-solving ability.

• Qualitymanagement systems: Process control, inspection systems, root-causeanalysis and the effectiveness of corrective actions.

• Operationalreliability: Production planning and capacity management, deliveryperformance and execution consistency.

• Complianceand sustainability: Certifications, traceability systems, andenvironmental and social responsibility initiatives.

In my view, a supplier’s attitude and commitment to continuous improvement are just as important as technical capability. This is something I pay particular attention to.

Q5. How do you view the current state and future direction of China’s and Asia’s supply chains?

Asian manufacturers, particularly those in China, remain among the most advanced and competitive in the world. Significant investment in automation, digitalization, product development capabilities and sustainability in recent years has raised industry standards overall.

Today, many suppliers demonstrate outstanding technical capabilities and strong responsiveness to market needs. However, maintaining consistency across large and diverse production networks remains a challenge. Suppliers that continue to invest in people, technology, quality systems and sustainability are often the ones that stand out.

Looking ahead, competitiveness will increasingly depend on transparency, compliance, innovation and responsible production practices, rather than manufacturing capabilities alone.

Q6. Which areas of innovation and technology are you currently focusing on?

I am particularly interested in:

• Sustainableand low-impact materials

• Recyclingand circularity solutions

• Digitalproduct development and virtual sampling

• Advancedtesting and predictive quality technologies

• Data-drivenproduction monitoring systems

• Supplychain traceability and transparency tools

As the industry evolves, digitalization presents significant opportunities to improve efficiency, shorten development cycles and strengthen quality control.

Q7. What kind of platform or opportunities does Interfilière Shanghai offer Kiabi and you? What are your expectations for future collaboration?

Interfilière Shanghai provides an excellent platform for interaction among brands, suppliers, innovators and technical experts.

Beyond traditional sourcing, the exhibition creates opportunities for knowledge exchange, exploration of new technologies and the development of stronger strategic partnerships. I look forward to Interfilière Shanghai 2026 and hope to deepen collaboration with partners across the industry.

Through this interview with May Poon, Regional Garment Technical Manager at Kiabi, we gain valuable insight into Kiabi’s practical approach and strategic vision in quality management, supplier collaboration and technological innovation.

As a key buyer at Interfilière Shanghai 2026, Kiabi looks forward to discovering high-quality suppliers with strong innovation capabilities and a commitment to sustainability, further strengthening strategic partnerships across the Asian supply chain and contributing to a more sustainable future for mass-market fashion.

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INTERFILIÈRE SHANGHAI is an international leading body fashion show that has been serving the China's market for 20 years. INTERFILIÈRE SHANGHAI 2024 offers you the cutting-edge perspective and resources for the global intimate apparel body fashion industry, helps all exhibitors enhance brand influence in both domestic and overseas markets, and accelerates all attendees’ business development as well as the intimate apparel body fashion industry continuously breaking through aesthetic accomplishments from garments, accessories to apparels, and gaining insight into the latest fashion lifestyle trends.

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