Manufacturing Is Easy. Predictability Is Hard.

Brands want smaller orders, faster turnaround, and less inventory risk. Factories want scale and predictability. That gap is where most of today’s manufacturing friction lives.

In this episode, Joseph Heller explains how tariffs, supply chain shifts, and inconsistent factory performance are reshaping apparel manufacturing. He discusses why moving out of China isn’t simple, why small orders are operationally painful, and how software and AI may be the only way to make modern manufacturing work at scale.