Lately, customized, on-demand apparel has been making headlines. Adidas opened a shop in Berlin that gave customers the chance to customize wool sweaters on the spot, and Amazon patented a manufacturing system that could quickly produce a customized order. And this week, a 90-minute blazer is being described as a potential game-changer in the apparel world.
According to The Washington Post, Boston storefront Ministry of Supply can manufacture a customized blazer in 90 minutes thanks to a 3D knitting machine. The customer selects the colors, cuffs and buttons, and with one employee on hand to program the device, a customized blazer is on the way.
Whether or not this on-demand customized apparel could shakeup the industry remains to be seen, but it certainly has the potential to catch on.
This custom model could mean a more efficient process for the retailer, as well. The Washington Post pointed out that costs could be slashed because there would be no risk of unused inventory. Additionally, clothing brands could quickly crank out products in response to cutting-edge trends, instead of waiting weeks for a new product to go through the production cycle.
However, there are some downsides, too, that probably need to be worked out before this can become revolutionary. At its current stage, the retailer can only work in batches of one, so it’s not as cost-effective as mass producing a large order. But, if this can become a larger scale operation, who knows where this technology will go.
