Mass Customization Is the New Mainstream

Once upon a time, clothes and garments were crafted to the wearer’s precise measurements, expressed a one-of-a-kind style, and tailored the client’s exact specifications. But that was then when people could afford just the bare necessities as the prices of raw material reached extravagant heights and production was slow. 

Industrialization brought many global implications to the fashion industry, as production became automated, prices fell, and demand rose high. The concept of mass production made everything simple. People could afford to wear high-end fashions as manufacturing shifted overseas to low labor cost countries. If you wanted a new suit or dress, you just popped into a store, purchased the garment of your choice, wear it a couple of times and toss it away. 

And so, mass production led to mass consumption, taking the world by a storm. As soon as manufacturing became digitalized, the fashion industry changed in significant speed when focusing on producing large quantities of ideal designs brought loads of profit. In many manners, today, fast-fashion sure makes a lot of sense, but it isn’t ideal and results in harmful consequences, some more than others.  

In the old days, if you were looking for an outfit, it had to make your eyes flash. You would browse in fashion magazines and purchase a well-fitted piece or make it yourself with the help of a tailor. When the garment was ready, it had that special touch of your inner self, grabbing attention every time you wore it. The thought of having a unique one-off wardrobe makes mass production garments nothing but standard, regular, and ordinary-looking clothes. Although they come at affordable prices, they sure lack spark. On top of that, they come in ready-to-wear sizes, so if your jeans size is not precisely “medium,” or if you need your skirt to be tailor-fit, you’ll probably have to settle for something less than perfect. 

When it comes to fast fashion, the question of quality is also a doubt. Fabrics are a mixed blend of synthetics and polyester washed with chemicals. At the end of the day, customers are satisfied because everything is on sale, but they purchase below standard clothes worn once, maybe twice, at best. 

And we haven’t even talked about all the damage thrown away clothes from unwanted stock and people’s closets have on the environment. Can you imagine all the pollution of harmful chemicals and non-textile waste that go straight into our waters and lands? Although these impacts may still be invisible, we have to act on them now and change our consumption behavior as the fallouts of many environmental problems (especially global warming) are a real threat to our planet. 

Luckily, embracing sustainable technologies is already out there. These days manufacturers are shifting to a new sustainable business model called mass-customization that focuses on producing the right product in shorter runs with the luxury of adapting the size and designs personally to the customer’s requirements. Personalization is indeed becoming a growing trend among retailers when garments and apparel can be tailored to personal tastes straight from the factory. In fact, more retailers in the fashion industry already grasp the potential of adapting this flexible approach.

Kornit is all about providing the necessary technology that will help you get on board with the personalization concept. Our direct-to-fabric printers are smart enough to switch functions from one garment to the next, making your assembly line extremely cost-effective. Kornit’s technology improves your competitive lead because it is fast and improves customer experience. But above all, our technology enables your customers to craft their personality and express their unique “self.” Dressing up confident and comfortable has never been that…. simple.