Sourcy’s AI gives small brands a shot at Shein scale

With additional reporting from Samreen Ahmad

For the first time since cavemen decided their bearskins could use a little fringe, humans may be pushed out of the fashion industry – or at least out of the design process.

In their place, agentic AI is now making its mark on the runway. The new tech allows companies to produce thousands of new designs in as little as a week, instead of the months it previously took.

Image credit: Made by Tech in Asia with the help of AI

The process is significantly different too, explains Karl Chan, the CEO of Singapore-based startup Sourcy. For instance, when companies see that people are now wearing, say, tennis skirts, they want to launch their own private-label version of that product.

With AI, the process can start with a complaint about a competitor’s skirt, such as the lack of pockets or if it’s too short.

That’s what Sourcy does. The company’s core engine is a web of autonomous AI agents scraping reviews, prices, and descriptions from social media and ecommerce sites. The AI then processes the data to spot trends, suggest designs, and negotiate with manufacturers — often without human intervention.

Larger firms like Shein and Amazon have been using this technology for a couple of years, but Sourcy is making this tech available to emerging brands who may only have an idea and an internet connection.

Karl Chan, CEO of Sourcy / Photo Credit: Tech in Asia

“We are basically taking this element, democratizing that for the smaller brands,” says Chan.

He tells Tech in Asia that this tech gives small consumer brands the kind of AI-driven tools that helped Shein flood the internet with fast-fashion products — without needing a 500-person sourcing team.

And its services extend beyond fashion. Sourcy currently has product information on over 80 categories, from eyeliner to water tumblers.

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