Thousands of textile and apparel brands are using the Internet to reap the benefits of online sourcing. For example at MFG.com, the largest global sourcing marketplace for manufacturing, its MFG.com Textiles & Apparel Sourcing Division started the year with more than $100 million in open requests for quotes from factory manufacturers of apparel, fabrics, footwear, home and commercial textiles.

The MFG.com marketplace makes it easy to intelligently connect sourcing professionals with qualified suppliers that have the right expertise, capacity and credentials at the time of need, enabling textile and apparel companies to increase collaboration and bring designs to market faster and more cost effectively.

Launched in the fall of 2008, the MFG.com Textiles & Apparel Sourcing Division has shown steady growth. In 2009, the marketplace’s RFQ opportunity value reached more than $400 million within several industry categories. The majority of RFQ business resides in Apparel with more than 50 percent of the sourcing activity. The second strongest category is Fabrics, followed by Home Textiles. The Fabrics business vertical serves both custom Apparel and Home Textiles buyers.

MFG.com Textiles & Apparel Sourcing Division projects continued growth throughout 2010. The marketplace reports its all-time Top 5 categories by opportunity value are: Tops, Fabric, Sleepwear, Bed & Bedding, and Bottoms. To date, the all-time Top 5 categories by awarded business are: Sleepwear, Bathroom, Tops, Accessories, and Dresses. Total awarded business was more than $44 million.

In November 2009, MFG.com also introduced a new sourcing platform optimized to better serve global buyers and suppliers. The new technology integrates new and existing supply-chain applications in seven of the world’s most widely used languages and more than 50 currencies of choice. Other specialized features include styles libraries and order monitoring via a personalized project-tracking dashboard.

About MFG.com

MFG.com is the largest global sourcing marketplace for the manufacturing industry. MFG.com's platform enables companies to intelligently connect, source, collaborate and perform due diligence with transparency and intellectual property protection. It supports virtually all manufacturing process and industrial components -- including custom apparel and textiles -- is in seven major languages, more than 50 currencies and has more than 200,000 members on five continents. MFG.com is based in Atlanta and has offices in Shanghai, Geneva, Paris, Munich and Bangalore. For more information, visit www.MFG.com.