[EPN Enpinow reporter Ko Nari] Seoul Fashion Hub named 139 companies "2025 Manufacturing Masters" as part of a push to modernize and elevate the garment manufacturing industry, and it held a plaque ceremony on November 28.
This year's master program doesn't stop at samples and patterns — it now includes subcontractors, creating an integrated support system that spans the entire production process. Seoul Fashion Hub says this approach is meant to boost the industry's competitiveness and lay the groundwork for stronger brand collaborations.
Chosen master companies will get hands-on capacity-building support, from digital sample production training and trend briefings on global fashion and materials to expert consultations on management, taxes, and labor. They'll also receive professionally produced digital lookbooks to help with joint promotion.
They’re also ramping up an "apparel manufacturing coordinator" program. Coordinators use each company's specialties, materials, and main brand clients to match designers and brands with the right sample rooms, pattern shops, and subcontractors — a tailored matchmaking service for production needs.
That matchmaking system has already produced roughly 1,000 designer production consultations and orders this year, smoothing collaboration between makers and brands and making the whole process more efficient.
A Seoul Fashion Hub official said the master selection is more than a certification — it's a step toward building a collaborative platform that teams up with manufacturers who have proven capabilities and reliability. The official added that this effort will be central to creating a Seoul-style apparel manufacturing model.
They also said that in 2026 Seoul Fashion Hub plans to build an integrated manufacturing platform using a database of about 1,000 local sewing firms, advancing the digital transformation of manufacturing infrastructure while improving accessibility.
Photo: Seoul Fashion Hub
