Innovations are constantly changing the way we live our lives. The emergence of new technologies, which make production more efficient, has disrupted everything from the way we work to the way we shop. This is especially true in the fashion industry, where digital textile printing equipment has allowed retailers of fashion apparel to produce with faster and more sustainable methods.
This revolution resulted in the growth of fast fashion, where digital equipment created a quicker way to evaluate and produce clothing and deliver it to the market. Companies like H&M and Zara jumped on the trend and enticed millennials and trendsetters by creating appealing, low-cost garments that mimicked styles that mimicked high-fashion designs.
Fast fashion has taken the next step, however, as online shopping has gained traction, building fast fashion into ultra-fast fashion. While companies like Zara were enticing customers with their offerings, online retailers could deliver similar offerings in a shorter period of time.
Everyone from popular retailers to legacy brands have been forced to adapt to the newest digital wave, and have started to explore e-commerce to maintain their standing as top fashion sellers.
Now, digital technologies are drastically impacting the four main phases of fashion retailing: design, manufacturing, distribution and sales. As these innovations advance further, the supply chain has shortened and customers have increased their desire for instant gratification.
The younger generations of consumers want unique and recognizable products, and they want them now! Businesses must respond to these changes, and the adoption of digital textile printing equipment seems necessary if you want to stay alive.
These trends are expanding beyond fashion into areas such as furniture and home goods as innovative digital technologies are introduced to the market, creating new and interesting challenges for manufacturers and sellers in a variety of markets. Companies and business owners should act now and take advantage of these quick, affordable methods of production to respond to the changing demands of the market.
Read Eileen Fritsch’s full article in the 2018 Winter Garment edition of the SGIA Journal.