From a production perspective, there is always a distinction between fabric and components. Not only does this help factories allocate resources, sourcing, and compliance, but there are also separate rules for import and export, which can reduce costs throughout the supply chain. Reporting and tests are usually also not done on the trims, as that increases costs and makes a product and its components more difficult to track throughout the supply chain. Historically, fabric mills were always separated from trim suppliers, where the focus of brands was more on the fabrics than the trims. This also persisted when fashion became more of a global phenomenon, creating a gap in transparency between the two.