Product lifecycle management (PLM) platform DeSL is entering a “new chapter” as it joins software company Textile Solutions Group (TSG), extending its fashion and data management capabilities into more stages of the development process.
Announced March 12, the acquisition will see DeSL become part of a portfolio that also includes textile-focused software such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution Datatex, manufacturing execution system (MES) Setex, computer-aided design (CAD) solution Penelope and information technology (IT) provider Limonta Informatica. With this transaction—for which financial terms were not disclosed—UK-based DeSL has become a business unit within the German company, while retaining its existing branding and leadership.
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“As the industry becomes more complex and globally connected, the need for stronger integration between product creation, sourcing and manufacturing systems has become increasingly clear,” Colin Marks, CEO of DeSL, told Sourcing Journal. “With TSG’s complementary technologies, DeSL can help more organizations adopt integrated digital workflows and accelerate their digital transformation.”
When TSG was founded in 2023 through the merger of Datatex and Setex in partnership with investor Elvaston Capital, the vision for the holding company was to create a “unified software ecosystem” covering every stage from concept through to production. With the addition of DeSL, TSG is bringing its technology coverage further back in the development cycle, allowing its solutions to touch more aspects of product creation.
“In an industry where data is often fragmented across multiple systems, integrating PLM with ERP, MES and CAD solutions enables manufacturers and brands to work from a single, connected data environment,” explained Anton Hofmaier, CEO of Textile Solutions Group. “Ultimately, DeSL was a natural strategic fit because it extends the group’s ability to provide a truly end-to-end digital platform for the textile and apparel value chain.”
Founded in 2002, DeSL focuses on collaboration and data management technology solutions specifically for the apparel, footwear and textile industry, supporting tasks ranging from design and development, to sourcing and supplier management, to quality assurance and compliance for customers like Lacoste and Lafayette 148. With this new backing courtesy of its relationship with TSG, DeSL plans to further invest in artificial intelligence, building out its sourcing and vendor management solutions and enhancing cloud security for its software.
This partnership also opens DeSL up to a wider international client base. “With TSG’s worldwide presence, DeSL will be able to engage a broader base of brands and manufacturers across key textile markets,” said Marks. “This global footprint made TSG a natural fit as we look to expand our impact across the industry.”
Although technologies to manage the supply chain have existed for decades, there is still room for more interconnectivity, said Hofmaier. “Today many companies still manage design, product development, sourcing and production planning in separate systems or even spreadsheets,” he said. “This fragmentation creates delays, errors and limited visibility across the value chain.”
In contrast, TSG is focused on connecting data across the product creation process, which it says enables faster decision-making, shorter development cycles and optimized production. This interconnectivity also reduces the chance for hiccups like miscommunications and delays as a product transitions from planning to production.
This end-to-end digitalization also supports sustainability and compliance. Companies can reduce physical sampling and paperwork and save the associated resources. As traceability demands from the market and regulations continue to grow, TSG’s portfolio allows data for digital product passports (DPP) and sustainability reporting to be collected and then shared through the group’s software rather than relying on manual information transfer, reducing errors.
“Joining a broader textile technology ecosystem allows DeSL to extend the value of PLM beyond product development and into the wider lifecycle of apparel production. PLM is where product data is created and structured, from design concepts and materials to specifications, costing and supplier collaboration,” said Marks. “When that data flows seamlessly into manufacturing, planning and execution systems, companies gain greater visibility and control across the value chain.”
