Garment manufacturing, clothing factories, and the industry at large have been on a continuous evolution journey throughout the years. And yet, supply chain delays, manual reporting, the absence of real-time production data, and production defects are just some of the challenges the fashion industry has not yet managed to mitigate. The more accessible MTM clothing becomes for the masses, the greater the incapacity to deliver quality.
In the past decade, we’ve seen advanced technologies take the world of fashion by storm. Shoppers are not just demanding customization – they also expect it. This makes clothing companies face a unique phenomenon – the customer’s desire for made to measure clothes at mass-produced prices delivered in weeks not months.
Resistance to change is one of the main reasons menswear clothing brands don’t scale. We live in a world of technological advances and digital transformation; a mobile world ruled by artificial intelligence, big data, and predictive analytics. And yet, only a small number of companies have embraced digitalization. What’s preventing fashion entrepreneurs and SMEs from attaining mass-customization? In this article, we’ll tackle some of the challenges, but also the innovative solutions technology brings to the table.
The body measuring challenge
The human body is incredibly complex. Proportions, weight, ethnicity, and age are all key elements that should be considered when assessing fit to design a made to measure a piece of garment. Whether it’s shirts, jackets, and trousers or full-blown suits, attaining the right fit is easier said than done. Highly dependent on sizing systems, the apparel industry has little knowledge of what a “good fit” actually means.
Most brands leverage a standard sizing system that can only generate size charts required for measuring garments prior to entering the production phase. The main issue with fit in menswear manufacturing is that standard systems use outdated anthropometric data that cannot accommodate the myriad of body types out there.
Body measuring has always been a core challenge for clothing stores and retailers at large. Many still depend on traditional tailors taking measures with the old-fashioned tape measure. This takes time and money, not to mention that it creates stress for all parties involved. In most cases, tailors must further adjust the MTM garments, and this aspect alone extends the delivery period, putting even more pressure on retailers to meet their deadlines to exceed customer expectations.
There have been technological advances attempting to bridge the gap between quality and quantity when measuring, producing, and delivering customized menswear – from various applications that can be used to measure the body all the way to software that can select materials, generate cut plans, track production activities, and provide accurate reports for further analysis and planning.
And yet, software alone will never be able to replace traditional tailors. Why aren’t retailers becoming more open to technology advances like 3D body scanners? In simple terms, it’s because technology is faulty. No matter the precision, every human body is different. The key to mass adoption is a hybrid approach; a concept with technology at the forefront that acknowledges the benefits of keeping the human factor alive throughout the production lifecycle.
The time management challenge
Efficiency-on-demand is the new buzzword of the custom manufacturing industry. As opposed to the mass-production approach, made to measure is all about producing garments just-in-time and only when ordered. 92% of executives from notable fashion companies surveyed in a McKinsey report admitted that their brands are struggling to stick to deadlines and make timely decisions. 70% mentioned they were having challenges in demand planning due to their lack of digital capabilities.
Time is a precious commodity in the menswear manufacturing sector, where beating the deadline and delivering the final product to the customer on time is key to success. As habits are changing due to social technologies reshaping the way people spot trends and shop, the demand for MTM apparel has skyrocketed. However, for MTM manufacturing to survive, successfully compete with the mass-produced sector, and scale, the key is mass customization – a core problem for SMEs unable to streamline processes and reach speed-to-market with their products.
For example, in theory, a suit can take between 4 to 8 weeks to be done. In reality, it takes longer when you lack manufacturing know-how and manpower to beat a deadline. Customizing a piece of garment is a full-blown process that involves tailors helping customers choose patterns, fabrics, aesthetic details, measurements, multiple fittings and alterations. In general, formal clothing is made for a certain event (e.g. black-tie event, wedding), meaning that there’s a certain date the garments must be delivered. Missing deadlines have a bad impact on reputation, adding even more stress on the brand struggling to make ends meet and maintain a competitive advantage.
The garment quality challenge
Small business owners find it challenging to allocate the human resources and the time required to purchase advanced machinery – let alone the skills and finances – to deliver quality made-to-measure clothing. With certain operations being difficult to automate, such as sewing, the garment quality challenge comes with threats that technological advances alone cannot solve.
The loss of skills due to an aging workforce and the fading of tailoring as a profession has led to the inability of SMEs to find qualified professionals. The clothing industry, particularly the menswear sector, is made up of established companies with decades of know-how in manufacturing. With the retirement of the baby boom generation, the risk of losing the “feel of the trade” is more acute than ever.
The need to preserve the quality goes hand in hand with the need to exceed customer expectations. To bridge this gap, brands are often compelled to try and see what works. Whether it’s a brand new app that takes body measurements or a 3D body scanner that claims to be error-free when assessing body shape, the options are limited.
In spite of the rise of MTM apps enabling brands to tailor garments to body type, size, and even style preference of the customer. While some have proven successful, others have failed to deliver on their promise due to factors such as faulty technology and lack of hands-on manufacturing experience. The Zozo suit failed to take accurate body measurements because the engineers behind a good concept didn’t understand that customized clothes are “half art, half science”.
To have a shot at success in a highly competitive market, the new generation of fashion entrepreneurs will have to shift mindsets and acknowledge that fashion technology alone is not enough to attain speed-to-market in MTM menswear manufacturing.
The solution – FitAp Made to Measure. Reimagined with AI, delivered at your store
In light of the challenges mentioned above, FitAp breaks into the market with a complete online solution that will take away the stress associated with manufacturing and delivering MTM clothing. It brings at the forefront of both technology – Computer Vision, 3D Matching, and Machine Learning – and in-house manufacturing.
Crafted by the fashionIT engineers at AIT Tailored Technology, what sets FitAp apart from other MTM products is the underlying concept that involves more than just software. Powered by in-house production capabilities, FitAp’s main partner, Formens, has over 20 years of experience in menswear manufacturing, delivering over 1 million suits per year, as well as additional MTM apparel such as jackets, shirts, and trousers for the male fashion industry. Together, the FitAp mission is to measure, make, and deliver customized garments at your store’s door.