Alium is a two-way fashion wholesale platform from Vietnam that directly connects store owners and brand founders with verified local garment factories. Founded in 2019, Alium aims to simplify the process of building and developing fashion brands through technology, shortening the gap between design ideas and actual products.
Instead of spending months searching for manufacturing partners and managing orders through scattered emails or messages, fashion retailers can now directly access trustworthy factories on a single platform. Alium’s technology enables smooth communication between designers and manufacturers by standardizing order data, providing real-time production updates, and supporting remote quality control. One of the platform’s greatest values is its ability to curate reputable factories based on transparent reviews and digitized capability profiles, thereby reducing risks for small and medium-sized brands when outsourcing production.
Compared to traditional methods—where finding manufacturers largely depends on personal connections or trade fairs—Alium’s solution helps save time, reduce costs, and empower brand owners with greater control. Particularly in the current context, where fashion supply chains are under pressure to be faster, more flexible, and more traceable, this platform not only serves as a connector but also opens up potential for a comprehensive digital transformation of Vietnam’s garment manufacturing sector.
Alium’s journey in developing its technology has gone beyond just building an e-commerce site. The founding team spent significant time surveying the needs of both sides—designers and manufacturers—to identify the biggest bottlenecks that needed to be addressed through technology. The product focused on order creation and factory connection features, but over time, it was improved to include tools for order management, progress tracking, and production performance analytics. These updates were driven not only by user feedback but also by the team’s foresight in anticipating the digitalization trends of supply chains.
Alium’s early success has also been recognized by Vietnam’s startup ecosystem. In 2019, the startup made it to the Top 10 of TECHFEST Vietnam – the national innovation competition – and was among eight women-founded startups selected to join the WISE Women Accelerator program. These achievements not only attracted attention from investors but also opened doors to technical support programs and mentorship from industry experts.
From Alium’s journey, several valuable lessons can be drawn for tech startup founders. First, truly understanding the real needs of both sellers and suppliers is essential for building a scalable product. Second, technology doesn’t need to be overly complex; what matters is solving the right problem with a user-friendly interface and a transparent process. Lastly, participating in accelerators and innovation communities can help startups not only access resources but also build credibility in the eyes of customers and partners.
With its technology-driven approach to restructuring the fashion and garment industry, Alium is proving that a Vietnamese startup can indeed make a positive and sustainable impact on traditional value chains—especially in sectors that have traditionally seen little digital innovation.
