Kōbō vs Zedonk
Comparing fashion PLM and ERP solutions? Both Kōbō and Zedonk help fashion brands centralize operations, but they approach the problem from opposite directions.
The key difference: Kōbō is a product-first platform built by a fashion founder—design and development flow naturally into production, inventory, and sales. Zedonk is an established ERP that recently added PLM capabilities with Z.Studio. One starts with the product, the other starts with the business.
At a Glance: Kōbō vs Zedonk
| Feature | Kōbō | Zedonk |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2006 |
| Customer Base | Growing globally | Established UK user base |
| Primary Market | Fashion brands of all sizes | SMEs to enterprise fashion brands |
| Starting Price | $140/user/month | £159/month (Essential plan) |
| Pricing Model | Transparent per-user | Modular tiers (£159-£1,395/month) |
| Core Focus | End-to-end PLM + Operations | ERP-first with lite tech pack add-on |
| Tech Pack Creation | Built-in with auto-generation | Z.Studio (basic, launched 2024) |
| BOM Management | Auto-calculated costing | Available with templates |
| Supplier Collaboration | Portal with free supplier seats | Basic supplier tools |
| Sample Tracking | Full lifecycle with photos | Basic (via Z.Studio) |
| Production Management | PO tracking & deliveries | Comprehensive |
| Inventory Management | Multi-location (materials + finished) | Full warehouse management |
| B2B Wholesale & Sales | Orders, linesheets, buyer portal | Sales order management |
| Financial Integration | Xero, QuickBooks via Zapier | Xero, QuickBooks (native) |
| AI Features | Image generation, AI copilot | AI assistant included |
| User Experience | Modern, design-forward UI | Traditional ERP interface |
| Mobile App | iOS app for factories & fittings | Web-based |
| Implementation | Weeks, self-service setup | Guided onboarding included |
What is Zedonk?
Zedonk is a UK-based fashion ERP platform founded in 2006. Their core strength is operations—production, inventory, and sales order management. In 2024, they launched Z.Studio, a lightweight tech pack tool, but product development remains secondary to their ERP focus.
Zedonk Characteristics
- ERP-First Platform: Operations and inventory management are the core focus
- Native Accounting: Direct connections to Xero and QuickBooks
- Z.Studio Add-on: Basic tech pack builder launched in 2024—limited compared to dedicated PLM
- Modular Pricing: Pick-and-mix approach means paying for modules separately
- Traditional Interface: Functional but dated UX typical of older ERP systems
What is Kōbō?
Kōbō is a complete product lifecycle management platform built by a fashion founder who spent a decade living the spreadsheet chaos. It covers the entire journey—from initial design concept through production, inventory, and wholesale delivery—in one integrated system with a design-forward interface creative teams actually want to use.
Kōbō Strengths
- Product-First Architecture: Design and development at the core—tech packs, BOMs, samples, and supplier collaboration flow naturally into operations
- Modern, Design-Forward UX: Interface creative teams actually enjoy using, with rapid onboarding and minimal training required
- Free Supplier Seats: Supplier collaboration portal included at no extra cost—let factories update their own status
- AI-Powered Tools: Image generation for sketches and tech drawings, plus AI copilot for workflow optimization
- Mobile App: iOS app for factories, fittings, and trade shows—capture photos linked directly to styles
- Rapid Deployment: Go live in weeks, not months—self-service setup with minimal IT requirements
The Core Difference: Product-First vs ERP-First
Kōbō: Start with the Product
Built around how fashion brands actually work—design drives everything. Tech packs, materials, samples, and supplier collaboration are core features, with operations flowing naturally from product data.
Philosophy: End the "v2_FINAL_actualfinal.pdf" chaos. Replace 10 spreadsheets with one dashboard. Stop being the human middleware between design and production.
Best for: Design-driven brands, teams tired of spreadsheet chaos, brands wanting modern UX with full capability
Zedonk: Start with Operations
Built as an ERP first—production, inventory, and sales order management are the focus. Z.Studio was added in 2024 as a basic tech pack tool, but it's not a full PLM solution.
Philosophy: Modular approach—pay for each capability separately. Strong on operations, lighter on product development.
Best for: Brands who prioritize ERP over PLM, or need basic tech packs alongside operations management
The Bottom Line
Choose Kōbō if
- Product development drives your business
- You want design-forward UX your creative team will actually use
- Supplier collaboration is critical (free supplier seats)
- You need a mobile app for factories and fittings
- You want to go live in weeks, not months
Consider Zedonk if
- ERP and operations are more important than product development
- You only need basic tech packs, not full PLM
- Native Xero/QuickBooks integration is a must-have
- You're comfortable with traditional ERP interfaces
- You prefer paying for modules separately
Kōbō vs Zedonk
Comparing fashion PLM and ERP solutions? Both Kōbō and Zedonk help fashion brands centralize operations, but they approach the problem from opposite directions.
The key difference: Kōbō is a product-first platform built by a fashion founder—design and development flow naturally into production, inventory, and sales. Zedonk is an established ERP that recently added PLM capabilities with Z.Studio. One starts with the product, the other starts with the business.
At a Glance: Kōbō vs Zedonk
| Feature | Kōbō | Zedonk |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2006 |
| Customer Base | Growing globally | Established UK user base |
| Primary Market | Fashion brands of all sizes | SMEs to enterprise fashion brands |
| Starting Price | $140/user/month | £159/month (Essential plan) |
| Pricing Model | Transparent per-user | Modular tiers (£159-£1,395/month) |
| Core Focus | End-to-end PLM + Operations | ERP-first with lite tech pack add-on |
| Tech Pack Creation | Built-in with auto-generation | Z.Studio (basic, launched 2024) |
| BOM Management | Auto-calculated costing | Available with templates |
| Supplier Collaboration | Portal with free supplier seats | Basic supplier tools |
| Sample Tracking | Full lifecycle with photos | Basic (via Z.Studio) |
| Production Management | PO tracking & deliveries | Comprehensive |
| Inventory Management | Multi-location (materials + finished) | Full warehouse management |
| B2B Wholesale & Sales | Orders, linesheets, buyer portal | Sales order management |
| Financial Integration | Xero, QuickBooks via Zapier | Xero, QuickBooks (native) |
| AI Features | Image generation, AI copilot | AI assistant included |
| User Experience | Modern, design-forward UI | Traditional ERP interface |
| Mobile App | iOS app for factories & fittings | Web-based |
| Implementation | Weeks, self-service setup | Guided onboarding included |
What is Zedonk?
Zedonk is a UK-based fashion ERP platform founded in 2006. Their core strength is operations—production, inventory, and sales order management. In 2024, they launched Z.Studio, a lightweight tech pack tool, but product development remains secondary to their ERP focus.
Zedonk Characteristics
- ERP-First Platform: Operations and inventory management are the core focus
- Native Accounting: Direct connections to Xero and QuickBooks
- Z.Studio Add-on: Basic tech pack builder launched in 2024—limited compared to dedicated PLM
- Modular Pricing: Pick-and-mix approach means paying for modules separately
- Traditional Interface: Functional but dated UX typical of older ERP systems
What is Kōbō?
Kōbō is a complete product lifecycle management platform built by a fashion founder who spent a decade living the spreadsheet chaos. It covers the entire journey—from initial design concept through production, inventory, and wholesale delivery—in one integrated system with a design-forward interface creative teams actually want to use.
Kōbō Strengths
- Product-First Architecture: Design and development at the core—tech packs, BOMs, samples, and supplier collaboration flow naturally into operations
- Modern, Design-Forward UX: Interface creative teams actually enjoy using, with rapid onboarding and minimal training required
- Free Supplier Seats: Supplier collaboration portal included at no extra cost—let factories update their own status
- AI-Powered Tools: Image generation for sketches and tech drawings, plus AI copilot for workflow optimization
- Mobile App: iOS app for factories, fittings, and trade shows—capture photos linked directly to styles
- Rapid Deployment: Go live in weeks, not months—self-service setup with minimal IT requirements
The Core Difference: Product-First vs ERP-First
Kōbō: Start with the Product
Built around how fashion brands actually work—design drives everything. Tech packs, materials, samples, and supplier collaboration are core features, with operations flowing naturally from product data.
Philosophy: End the "v2_FINAL_actualfinal.pdf" chaos. Replace 10 spreadsheets with one dashboard. Stop being the human middleware between design and production.
Best for: Design-driven brands, teams tired of spreadsheet chaos, brands wanting modern UX with full capability
Zedonk: Start with Operations
Built as an ERP first—production, inventory, and sales order management are the focus. Z.Studio was added in 2024 as a basic tech pack tool, but it's not a full PLM solution.
Philosophy: Modular approach—pay for each capability separately. Strong on operations, lighter on product development.
Best for: Brands who prioritize ERP over PLM, or need basic tech packs alongside operations management
The Bottom Line
Choose Kōbō if
- Product development drives your business
- You want design-forward UX your creative team will actually use
- Supplier collaboration is critical (free supplier seats)
- You need a mobile app for factories and fittings
- You want to go live in weeks, not months
Consider Zedonk if
- ERP and operations are more important than product development
- You only need basic tech packs, not full PLM
- Native Xero/QuickBooks integration is a must-have
- You're comfortable with traditional ERP interfaces
- You prefer paying for modules separately